# A Pause That Rewrote My Year | Viva Shrivastava | TEDxBVB Raipur Youth

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mxj7APvD1o
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/9Mxj7APvD1o
Generated: 2026-01-09T17:10:38.762+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Viva Shrivastava discovered through personal reflection and overcoming fear that a 'pause' is not an endpoint but a beginning that unlocks self-awareness, uniqueness, and patience, ultimately rewriting her year by transforming her perspective on struggle and judgment.

**Key Points:**
- The speaker defines her personal concept 'SOAP' (an arrangement of words) where a 'pause' signifies the beginning of a realization about self and potential.
- She recounts her initial fear of reading aloud in class, where the laughter she experienced served as a pause making her realize she feared judgment, leading to her development as a TEDx speaker.
- Arjuna's pause on the Kurukshetra battlefield, where he listened to Krishna's whispered guidance, illustrates that pausing in a noisy environment opens the doorway to wisdom and victory.
- Uniqueness stems from inherent patterns, symbolized by fingerprints and embryo pauses, emphasizing that speakers must realize their own inbuilt importance rather than trying to conform.
- The speaker developed awareness through playing tennis, initially struggling due to lack of awareness of strategy and rhythm until she focused on the ball and her own zone, resulting in a gold medal.
- Patience was tested when her passport renewal delayed her participation in the Diamond Challenge; however, waiting allowed her to eventually participate the following year and be selected as a top 100 emerging innovator.

**Context:** Viva Shrivastava delivers a TEDx talk about the transformative power of taking a 'pause' in life, detailing how this concept, which she calls 'SOAP' (her own word arrangement), allowed her to reframe her personal journey, struggles, and achievements over the past year. The talk centers on five key learnings derived from this concept: Initial steps, embracing struggle, recognizing uniqueness, developing awareness, and practicing patience.

## Detailed Analysis

Viva Shrivastava argues that a pause is crucial for personal growth, serving as a reflection point where one listens to their inner voice without judgment. She structures her realization around five components: Initial steps require getting out of the comfort zone to face the world, exemplified by her own story of overcoming the fear of reading aloud in class after facing ridicule. She connects this to universal pauses, like the sun rising or the heart beating. Next, she addresses struggle, referencing Arjuna's pause on the battlefield to listen to Krishna, which led to victory, showing that pausing allows wisdom to surface amidst noise. Uniqueness is inherent, like fingerprints, and one must realize their inbuilt patterns. Awareness is vital, which she learned in tennis when she started focusing on her rhythm and the ball instead of just practicing without focus, leading to a gold medal. The hardest part, patience, was tested when a visa delay barred her from the Diamond Challenge; however, by waiting, she was eventually accepted the next year as both an innovator and entrepreneur. Ultimately, she concludes that pausing allows life to speak, urging the audience to use patience, practice awareness, and let their uniqueness answer every struggle.

### The SOAP Concept

- Pause is a beginning, not a journey
- Reflection is important, like standing in front of a mirror that does not judge
- The alphabet breakdown represents an entire life perspective change

### Initial Steps and Overcoming Fear

- It is initial to take the first step and get out of your comfort zone
- The universe pauses when the sun rises or the heart beats
- She was afraid of being judged when she fumbled reading in front of her class

### Wisdom through Pausing

- Arjuna paused on the battlefield because he was in a mode where he was able to listen to Krishna
- In a noisy environment, one cannot listen to Krishna; pausing allows wisdom of the Gita to emerge

### Embracing Uniqueness

- Every clap has a different pattern and rhythm because of our fingerprints
- Embryo pauses at a random moment, confirming we are in-built unique

### The Power of Awareness

- Awareness is knowing yourself and your inner voice, not just your surroundings
- She practiced awareness in tennis by observing the ball and being in her own zone, earning a gold medal after six years of struggling without awareness

### The Hardest Part

- Patience
- Her participation in the Diamond Challenge was delayed due to a visa issue until 2026, causing great distress
- She received an email confirming participation the next year and was selected as a top 100 emerging innovator just three days before the event