Balancing her numerous roles and serving as an inspiration to encourage others to embrace their pain and foster personal growth, Dimple Somji, the founder of the With Love Charitable Foundation, a dynamic content creator, and an inspiring podcast host, shares her path of resilience and renewal.
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As the founder of an NGO, a dynamic content creator, influential figure, and podcast host, you wear many hats. Can you share your secret to juggling all these roles so effectively?
All life, we try to fit ourselves into a bracket. I have also labelled myself- a podcaster, an educator, an emcee, a yogi. But now I try to free myself from these categories. I’m not a thing, I am a person who does things. Moving in life and not being fixed is a privilege, it allows me to reinvent myself and makes me limitless. As others commemorate your life, their focus won’t rest on your looks, possessions, wealth, or online following. Instead, they will cherish your principles, your capacity to love and embrace life, the emotions you stirred within them, and the profound impact you had on the world. So whatever you do, do it with love. If this is your underlying thought, all roles will become effective.
Your NGO’s work is making a significant impact. Can you provide insights into its mission and how it aims to create a positive difference?
My heart has always been in Voluntary service- spreading compassion and making a difference to the lives touched. And taking that idea ahead was born With Love Charitable Foundation. It undertakes various small and large scale projects in the city and country. Our core belief is- Where there is a need, there is With Love. We are the bridge between the giver and the receiver and we aim to fulfil every need that we come across. Our mission is to create generations that believe, ‘Being Kind Is Keen Karma’. It is important to use your voice to amplify the voices of those not being heard, to get the attention of everyone towards situations crying out for help, to be a means to an end. Turn your face towards the difficult, open your eyes wider and decide to do something life affirming! Simple gifts of time, energy, effort and passion make our world a kinder place. And that’s the world I want to live in. So I chose to make that world around me.
Can you tease any upcoming projects or initiatives from “With Love” NGO that we should keep an eye out for?
With the festive season round the corner, every Indian household is busy with Ghar-ki-safai! This is the time of the year we work on a big project called- Declutter and Donate. However, the question arises where must one giveaway all the things that one doesn’t need? Our Ngo steps in here. We send it to places that really need this. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. We also hold the belief that during the festive season, for every lamp lit in your home, another should be kindled in the homes of the less fortunate. We encourage each individual to contribute to creating a “Joy of Giving” bag, which not only nourishes their own family but also extends a helping hand to another family in need.
After enduring a period of darkness, many people encouraged me to write my second book
Becoming a podcast host is a unique career path. What inspired you to take on this role, and what has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in this journey?
After enduring a period of darkness, many people encouraged me to write my second book. However, this time, I felt that my words needed a voice. So, I sat with my pain and engaged in long conversations with it. This led me to document my unique relationship with pain, which ultimately gave birth to my podcast. This podcast is little tug at your aching heart, a little warm blanket on your cold heart. As I shared my journey from being a victim to becoming a victor, something truly magical began to unfold. I began to feel lighter, and the healing process began. I’m the kind of girl who actually wishes on dandelions-the flower that falls apart, but starts again only to fly higher. It can survive where others can’t. We all have a little dandelion in us-a little bit flower and a little bit weed. Hence it felt apt to name my podcast- The flower that can fly. Where I celebrate pain and use my voice to encourage my listeners to embrace their pain too.
In your content creation and podcasting, how do you leverage your personal experiences to inspire and motivate your audience?
Platforms of social media are about reaching out far and wide, connecting with people who understand your beliefs, support your dreams, help you grow. My content showcases the experiences I have gone through, what shaped me and what must have been my journey to get there. Through these platforms, I have attracted many like myself, taken inspiration from them and found a place to be unfiltered. For me, it is an extension of my raw and authentic self and a place for self-expression. Just like I allow my life to grow organically in real life, the same happens in reel life. It is not a means of impression but rather a means of inspiration. My page yogaandfairylife has amplified voices to showcase people- who they are and what they do, their challenges and their victories. The growth of me is actually the growth of this community, their dreams and their businesses.
Balancing a public persona with a private life can be complex. How do you strike this balance as an influencer and content creator?
It’s interesting; despite having a public Instagram account, I consider myself a rather private individual. There are some things I’m comfortable sharing openly about and other things not, and I honor that instinct without questioning it too much! For instance, I refrain from posting in real-time while I’m at a particular venue, so I’m not live streaming, even if it might appear that way to others. Social media can create a false sense of access to people’s lives without establishing a genuine connection, leading us to believe we truly know individuals based solely on what they choose to share. This perception can be quite distorted. In reality, there are countless layers to a person that will never be fully unveiled through their online posts. Occasionally, I find myself questioning why I engage in this, but then I receive messages from individuals who share how something I’ve posted has inspired them or offered hope during challenging times.
You’re a parent with a daughter, and your schedule is packed. What tips can you share for parents seeking a harmonious work-life balance while pursuing their passions?
I posed this question to my daughter, and her quick response was, “Have an awesome daughter like me!” All jokes aside, a child is not one who stops you from doing new things. A child is the one who makes you push your limits to do things even better. Instead of viewing your children as obstacles to success, regard them as stepping stones. Both Adaah and the NGO were in their early stages, starting out at a similar point in time, and both required nurturing and care. Finding the right balance, maintaining a constant understanding, prioritizing effectively, and stretching my boundaries became essential. In the end, both, my daughter and the NGO, grew to be secure, content, and deeply rooted. Thankfully, my work doesn’t adhere to fixed schedules, and I often take my daughter to my events to expose her to different experiences. My husband, Alnesh, also lends a helping hand on days when my work demands more of my attention. In the end, family thrives on the spirit of teamwork. I also believe, it is good to give children some power and independence now, when the stakes are lower, so they can practice. Let them do more on their own than you think they can. They will learn and rise to the occasion. Prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child.
My husband, Alnesh, also lends a helping hand on days when my work demands more of my attention.
It’s evident that your daughter is an inspiration. Could you shed light on how she’s inherited your admirable qualities, and the valuable lessons you’ve imparted to her?
I am not a perfect mother…and I don’t think I was ever meant to be. Because part of my job is to show Adaah that she doesn’t need to be perfect either. She just needs to keep striving to be the best version of herself and that is enough. Your kids don’t need a perfect parent. They need a happy parent. For me, the benchmark for Adaah’s success and worth isn’t dependent on grades or behaviour charts, her popularity or how stylish and smart she can be. The benchmark of success is how kind can she be, how can she be of service to others, how she can love and help those around her. I only want that to be her goal. Adaah observed the activities and impact of the NGO during her visits with me. This experience inspired her to initiate her own NGO and YouTube channel for kids, titled “Kids with Capes,” where every child who embodies kindness becomes a superhero. It’s a reminder that children learn primarily from what they witness, not just what they’re told. Just make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself.
Sometimes shit happens, so the shift can happen. You are allowed to be a mess. You have permission to not have it all together.
Having undergone significant personal growth and transformation, what words of encouragement do you offer to those on their own journeys of self-discovery and healing?
First and foremost, etch this- The wound may not be your fault. But the healing is your responsibility. Maybe you will not heal by convincing yourself that someday, the pain will fade; that you will return to our former self and reclaim the life you used to have. You heal when you accept that it’s okay to never go back; when you stop trying to use the broken pieces to rebuild the old picture and instead, create a new one. And soon healing will feel like a holistic holiday.
For those navigating challenging life situations, what advice do you have for emerging victorious against all odds?
Sometimes shit happens, so the shift can happen. You are allowed to be a mess. You have permission to not have it all together. Life hits us all. What is important is to give yourself grace in the midst of it. Fix what you can and adapt to what you can’t. The ugly part of your story that you are living right now is going to be one of the most powerful parts of your testimony.
