A woman working at Google has opened up about the reality behind what may appear to be a perfectly sorted life on social media. From studying at Delhi University’s prestigious Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) to landing a job at her “dream company”, she said these achievements have not stopped her from experiencing self-doubt, bad days and moments when she feels unsure about life.
(Also read: 'I never had a 10-year roadmap': Google employee shares journey from Jamshedpur to tech giant)
‘Sounds pretty sorted, right?’
Rashmi Gupta, who was born and brought up in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, shared her thoughts in a video on Instagram.
“Hi, I'm Rashmi, and according to Instagram, I probably have my life figured out. Born and brought up in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, completed my graduation from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, and currently working at Google. Sounds pretty sorted, right? Bilkool bhi nahi (Not at all),” she said.
Gupta reflected on how optimism played a role in her journey but stressed that optimism alone was never enough.
“Because somewhere between being the little girl who was told, 'Rashmi, aren't you a little too optimistic for your own good?' and becoming the girl who actually got into her dream college and dream company, I realised maybe being ridiculously optimistic was not the wrong thing after all. But optimism doesn't get you there. You have to show up, you have to fail, you have to embarrass yourself, you have to try again, and sometimes you have to give it everything you have,” she added.
‘Allowed to have a dream life and still have bad days’
{{/usCountry}}“Because somewhere between being the little girl who was told, 'Rashmi, aren't you a little too optimistic for your own good?' and becoming the girl who actually got into her dream college and dream company, I realised maybe being ridiculously optimistic was not the wrong thing after all. But optimism doesn't get you there. You have to show up, you have to fail, you have to embarrass yourself, you have to try again, and sometimes you have to give it everything you have,” she added.
‘Allowed to have a dream life and still have bad days’
{{/usCountry}}Despite reaching milestones she once dreamed about, Gupta said she continues to deal with emotions and insecurities that often remain invisible on social media.
“And still I cry in my room, I overthink, I miss people I no longer talk to, I cry over movies, I get attached to fictional characters, I have imposter syndrome, and there are days when I genuinely have no idea what I am doing,” she said.
“And I don't think there's anything wrong with that, because I think I'm allowed to have a dream life and still have bad days in it. I am allowed to be ambitious and still be soft. I'm allowed to want more without forgetting to be grateful for what I already have,” she continued.
She described her Instagram page as a “little digital diary” documenting the highs and lows of the past one-and-a-half years, including people, places and different versions of herself.
Take a look here at the clip:
How did social media react?
The video attracted reactions from users who found her message relatable. “More more power to you,” wrote one person. Another commented, “Nobody really has it all figured out.”
(Also read: Google employee gives peek into modak-making activity at Bengaluru’s Ananta campus: ‘Every festival comes with an event’)
A third user observed, “Social media rarely shows the full picture.” Echoing a similar sentiment, another said, “This feels incredibly relatable.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)