We had the good fortune of connecting with Meera Sharma and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Meera, how do you think about risk?
I think it’s important to change how we view risk – rather than looking at risk as something negative, we should look at it as something that allows us to move forward in life. Life is about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, especially when it comes to living your dream life and achieving your full potential. You can only do this by taking ‘risks’. Risks can help you move towards your goals, open yourself up to new opportunities and can lead to innovative ideas. To me risk means having courage – the courage to pursue ones dreams.

People are risk averse as we fear the unknown and failure. If you change how you view failure, then you will be more inclined to take risks. Ask yourself if you fail is it really the end of the world? No, it’s not. If anything failure shows you tried something, perhaps it didn’t work out but you can analysis, see what went wrong and pivot accordingly. Making this small tweak to how you view failure will help you take more risks.

Risks are subjective – they can be small daily things you want to do but are apprehensive to do e.g. applying for your dream job, learning a new skill, solo travel, dating, speaking up in a meeting. I would recommend starting off by taking small daily ‘risks,’ as this will allow you to build your confidence and feel a sense of accomplishment (facing fears is the best way to overcome them and will leave you exhilarated), in turn leading to you taking more risks.

As someone who has taken many ‘risks’ in life, from going on TV, launching my own platform and radio show, career pivots, I can honestly say that I don’t have to live with regrets of thinking about what could have been. I’m a firm believer in it’s better to try something, than not try and wonder about what could have been!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Appearing on ITV’s Take Me Out, (a popular dating show in the UK) opened up many doors giving me the opportunity to talk about identity, representation, and staying motivated! I’ve written for the likes of The Independent, as well as appearing on BBC radio, Channel 4 to name a few!

On the back of this, I created my platform The School of Sass to educate women on the skills to live the life they’ve imagined by channeling their inner sass. When I’m talking about sass I’m talking about being self assured, spirited and strong. I wanted to do my own positive spin on the word sass! I feel as women we are conditioned to behave or look a certain way, which is often detrimental to how we view ourselves. I want to remind women to love and own who they are, not compare themselves to others and live life how they want to live. I want everyone to feel good about themselves and not have regrets in life.

My platform includes motivational books, worksheets, coaching and I have a weekly motivational talk show, The Sass Life, airing on DASH Radio. It launched in June 2021 and it gives a new meaning to Monday motivation! Every week I speak to notable women who are experts in their fields to learn how they’ve channeled their inner sass to create the life of their dreams. It’s great as I have creative control and have interviewed inspiring women such as Sydney Cummings, Maya Vander, Charithra Chandran to name a few!

Building my platform has not been easy and as with everything there has been challenges. However when faced with a challenge I viewed it as an opportunity to grow and push myself out of my comfort zone. Everything that has happened has made me who I am today. It’s taught me to not listen to anyone who tells you you can’t do something, don’t take no as an answer -instead find another way to make it happen, work hard and follow your gut! The right opportunities will present themselves at the right time – rejection is redirection after all!

The thing I am most proud of is when I hear from women who say my content or advice has given them the confidence to pursue their goals. Making people feel good about themselves is my proudest achievement!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I LOVE LA and I actually love recommending places people should visit. There’s so much to do in LA, really depends on what you are looking for and the time you come but below are some go-to places that I would take my friends if they’re visiting.

Nothing beats a California beach, from Malibu to Santa Monica or a day trip to Newport Beach. If you fancy going further afield then Miramar Beach in Santa Barbara is my go to.

Of course everyone’s go to’s are the theme parks – Universal is a great day out as is Disneyland – and of course the Hollywood Walk of Fame (if you want to get a picture of your favourite celeb’s star then I recommend getting to the walk of fame in the morning before the crowds gather).

The museums in LA are also great – LACM, CAAM, The California Science center are all must-visits.

Hiking is something else that’s a must, of course I would take my friends to Griffith Park and Runyon Canyon (different days of course!). Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook offers another great view of LA. Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is really scenic too.

I love going to the Hsi Lai Temple when I’m in need of some peace. It’s in beautiful setting and is so tranquil.

Brunch and lunch spots would include The Butchers Daughter in Venice Beach, Zinc Cafe in the Arts District, Osteria La Buca in Melrose Ave (the gluten free pasta is amazing).

For dinner Gracias Madre in West Hollywood is a must, the Mexican food is to die for and it has a really nice ambiance. The restaurant in The Firehouse in DTLA and Rossoblu, are some other great restaurants.

Can’t visit LA without experiencing the nightlife – Le Jardin & Nightingale Plaza should be on your list. If you’re into more of a rooftop pool/bar vibe then hit up the Dream in Hollywood.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to all the women that have inspired me to live my dreams – many of whom I have had the opportunity to interview on The Sass Life!  

Website: http://theschoolofsass.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theschoolofsass/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeeraSharm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeeraSharmaOfficial/

Other: Etsy Goal Planners https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1368370758/goal-planner-printable-and-digital-pdf?click_key=ad951d5fc586ca819db4b5073c359e2b0c5a2102%3A1368370758&click_sum=42279921&ref=shop_home_active_1

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.