7 Life Lessons from Aishwarya Rai, on Her Birthday!

On Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s 48th birthday, We Look Back at Some Life Lessons from the Star

November 1st Aishwarya Rai turns 48th, fans from all across the globe are pouring in best birthday wishes and love. As a role model for man, we look back at some valuable life lessons from the legend herself. As someone that is constantly on the red carpets, magazine covers, promotions, and film sets, we look at what really makes her who she is. The Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Check out our favorite lessons as we wish her a happy birthday too!

1. Versatility is key

“I am particular about everything I do. I do not wish to be defined in any particular way. Versatility is the key.”

Throughout her career, there has never been one single incident or character that identifies her. Her allure is in her ability to take risks and be different. Originality and uniqueness are always appreciated and she always brought that to the table. It’s the notion that one is capable of wearing many hats and being a jack of all trades. Even if you look at her style statement, it has always been eclectic—a hint of western, dash of European, some street style, and casual comfort, but never discounting the richness of Indian culture.

2. Take the highs and lows in stride

“The more you achieve in life, the more susceptible you are to the vagaries of life. But the challenge lies in not letting it all affect you. If you allow the pressures to pull you down, you won’t be able to forge ahead in life. You’ve got to take the highs and lows in your stride.”

For as long as I could remember, strong women are quickly categorized as shrewd and manipulative. And having a soft heart in a cruel world doesn’t make one weak, but brave. However, sensitive and soft people tend to be quickly affected by what others say about them, especially unwarranted, mean-spirited criticism. Her personal life made her an easy target and received unnecessary brickbats, but I’ve always noticed that priorities never shifted. When a woman sets out to build an empire and a legacy, there is no hindering her ambition, her focus, and her will. The denigration is merely a small cost.

3. Important to be nice

“It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.”

She has taught us that humility, generosity, and compassion for others make you even more beautiful. The elegance and grace of a real woman lie in her heart and her desire to stay grounded. Despite all of her fame, connection, and the stature of her name, there is a realness to her. She is not caged in by materialist treasures or sunken with pride. On her birthday, we can not forget all that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan did on a humanitarian front.

4. Haters are a drop in the ocean

“I’ve always said that haters are a drop in the ocean. There’s that much more love. Any kind of negativity in any case just doesn’t stick, it drops off and it doesn’t matter.”

This is so relevant, especially in a society obsessed with certain beauty ideals. Many fashion critics tore her apart when she gained weight post-pregnancy. It was disingenuous but hurled at her because her beauty is immensely popular. It does feel unwarranted since she has never been one to preach fitness or impose unrealistic beauty standards. Her go-to mantra has always been to feel comfortable in your skin and embrace all shapes, sizes, and colors. It seems though that there will always be a few people that are extremely insecure or judgmental ready to animadvert every flaw. What these folks don’t comprehend is that every flaw adds to the beauty. Honestly, we can say that naysayers are far and few and unworthy of attention.

5. Nobody is that important

“I don’t believe in proving a point to anybody. Nobody is that important.”

Maybe it’s the Parisian in her or maybe she’s born with it. But I’ve always admired women that have a “frankly don’t give a damn” attitude. You don’t owe anyone anything. They are not entitled to you and they certainly are not that special that you should fret over their opinions. You should not feel your value teetered by trifling white noise.

6. The world is huge

“My biggest concern is always the students who are working toward a certain career–when they limit themselves to just that one option. They need to know that the world is huge–it’s an ocean, and there are so many options. It’s not the end of the world if they don’t get to pursue an apparent childhood dream. They feel so defeated, which is very disheartening. It’s sad to know that people let themselves be limited by these aspirations.”

Failure is exhausting. Everyone goes through it and either you let halt you or use it as a catalyst for profound reinvention. She once mentioned in an interview that she wanted to pursue medicine or zoology, but it was difficult for her. Before she was famous, she auditioned for some show and was rejected. Despite everything, there are going to come times when you fail. It’s a natural process, but you don’t let that moment anchor your sail. The sea is boundless—and life is filled with so many opportunities.

7. Blessed with experience

“The more you are blessed with experience, the fuller and the more enriched you are in your craft.”

The end-all message: seize the moment. The more you live, travel, observe, and simply melt into experiences, the richer you become. You gain a sense of purpose, learn about new cultures and styles and art, and engage in conversations with different worldviews. And this changes your perspective on not only the world but yourself. She’s a captain of many ships, someone that loves and lives in the moment, learns and expects things at face value, and doesn’t let people pigeonhole her. When you’re versatile, you take on many roles and many challenges and define yourself through many angles. And years from now when people look back at her vintage style, attitude, and look book—they’ll know she was always in vogue because she painted her legacy with colors of raw magnetism, dignity, simplicity, grace, and wisdom.