Bri And C4E

"Giregi toh smbhal lenge"

There’s a saying that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. I never thought much about it until I became part of C4E. It more of a gradual shift, like stepping into a different current without realizing the force of the tide. But looking back, I can say with certainty that changing my circle has changed me in ways I could never have imagined.

Before this, I was not doing so fine. Lost, stagnant, not truly pushing myself either. There was always an excuse, a delay, a reason to take things slow. But C4E operates on a different rhythm. Here, things move fast. The conversations are sharp, ideas are dissected, and execution is non-negotiable. They hold themselves accountable, No one waits for the ‘perfect moment’, they create the moment.

Being around people like this changes you. You either grow with them, or you get left behind. There’s no middle ground. At first, it wasn’t easy. I had to adjust the way I worked, the way I saw myself, and the way I handled challenges. But the hardest part wasn’t the work itself, it was realizing that my biggest problem wasn’t the outside world. It was me.

For a long time, I believed that things like bad timing, lack of resources, or outside circumstances were the reasons I wasn’t making progress. But when I saw the people around me pushing forward no matter what, I had to face the truth. They weren’t waiting for the perfect moment. They weren’t making excuses. They were just doing the work. And that made me question why I had ever hesitated in the first place. I had been standing in my own way for so long, and I hadn’t even realized it.

But the biggest shift wasn’t just about me. It was about the people. I have never been around a collective like this before. They actually want to see me win. Not in some vague, “cheering from the sidelines” way, but in a real, active way. They see my potential, even on the days I can’t see it myself. They don’t let me slack off. If I say I want something, they remember. And if I start making excuses, they call me out. Not because they’re being harsh, but because they know I’m capable of more. They don’t let me settle for less than I can be.

And that’s something I had never experienced before. It’s easy to float through life when no one pushes you. When the people around you are fine with being average, you start thinking it’s okay for you too. But when you’re surrounded by people who refuse to accept anything less than growth, you either rise with them, or you fall behind. There were days when I wanted to take the easy way out, when I wanted to tell myself, “I’ve done enough.” But they wouldn’t let me. And the more they held me to a higher standard, the more I realized, I didn’t want to be let off the hook. I wanted to be better.

Being around people like this has changed everything for me. It made me see that my old definition of “hard work” wasn’t really hard work at all. I had been operating at half my potential, convincing myself I was giving my best. Now, I see things differently. The standards I once thought were high were actually low. And I don’t ever want to go back to that way of thinking again.

The most valuable thing I’ve learned isn’t just how to work harder. It’s that growth isn’t about success, money, or achievements. It’s about becoming someone you can be proud of. And now that I’ve seen what’s possible, I know I never want to settle for less again.

But they also remind me to breathe, to take care of myself, to rest when needed. They don’t just care about the work I do, they care about me. And that makes all the difference.

There was a moment recently that I don’t think anyone noticed, but it stayed with me. We were all talking, and somehow, the conversation turned to me. They were discussing how I could do anything, as long as I didn’t die (lol)

It was funny in the moment, but then SG said something that made me freeze for a second: “Kya hai, giregi toh sambhal lenge. She’s all okay”

I don’t know why it hit me so hard. Maybe because I’ve always felt the need to hold everything together on my own. Maybe because deep down, I’ve carried the fear that if I fall, I’ll have to pick myself up alone. But in that moment, I realized that wasn’t true anymore. I had people who had my back, who believed in me, who wouldn’t let me fall too hard.

That kind of safety, emotional, mental, even professional, is rare. And it’s something I didn’t even know I needed until I had it.

Being in this environment has rewired me. I feel more capable, more resilient. I take on challenges that I would have hesitated on before. I don’t let fear paralyze me the way it used to. There is a quiet confidence building inside me, not because I think I know everything, but because I know I will figure it out.

I’ve also started holding myself to a higher standard. If the people around me are showing up every day, putting in the work, being disciplined, I can’t allow myself to do any less. Excellence is contagious, and when you see it up close, you start demanding it from yourself too.

And then there’s the way I show up for others. Being surrounded by people who support and uplift has made me want to do the same. I find myself checking in more, offering help more, being more intentional with my words. I want to be the kind of person who makes others feel the way they have made me feel: capable, safe, and unstoppable.

Changing my circle changed me, not because I was weak before, but because I had never been surrounded by this level of belief, urgency, and kindness all at once. I have become sharper, stronger, and more certain of my own potential. And most importantly, I know now that I don’t have to do everything alone.

If I fall, they’ll catch me. And that makes all the difference.