# To the walk of confidence | Chhavi Aswani | TEDxCIS Dubai Youth

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Paux05szDHo
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/Paux05szDHo
Generated: 2025-11-10T16:41:39.876+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Chhavi Aswani's TEDx talk details her journey from living with clubfoot, a condition where her right foot was inwardly turned, to embracing confidence by realizing that her difference is her power, emphasizing that true acceptance comes from within and that perseverance involves conquering many small races rather than one long one.

**Key Points:**
- Chhavi Aswani, 15 at the time of the talk, was born with Talipes Equinovarus, commonly known as clubfoot, which affected her right foot.
- Her mother, a physiotherapist, struggled to accept the reality of her daughter's condition, which led to Chhavi feeling like an 'odd one out.'
- She underwent minor surgery at six months and major surgery at four years old, but peers often commented on her gait, calling her disabled or a joke.
- The speaker learned the value of perseverance, quoting Walter Elliot: 'Perseverance is not one long race; it is many short races one after the other.'
- The core message is that true acceptance comes from within, and that one's differences (like her crooked foot) are actually their unique strengths and power.
- Chhavi now walks with confidence, viewing her scars and unique gait as a testament to her resilience and strength.

![Screenshot at 00:00: The opening slide featuring the title of the talk, "From crooked foot to the walk of Confidence," alongside a picture of the speaker, Chhavi Aswani, setting the stage for her personal narrative.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Paux05szDHo/00-00-00.png)

**Context:** This TEDx talk, delivered by Chhavi Aswani at TEDxCIS Dubai Youth, chronicles her personal experience growing up as the only child of a physiotherapist and a businessman, living with a congenital foot condition called clubfoot (Talipes Equinovarus). The presentation focuses on her initial struggle with self-acceptance, the impact of societal judgment, and her eventual realization that embracing her physical difference—symbolized by her crooked foot—was the key to her confidence and resilience.

## Detailed Analysis

Chhavi Aswani begins by sharing that she was born with clubfoot, a condition where her right foot was inwardly turned, a reality her mother, a physiotherapist, initially struggled to accept. Chhavi underwent multiple surgeries, including minor work at six months and major surgery at four years old. Despite medical intervention, her difference was noticeable, leading to teasing from peers who called her disabled or a joke. This external judgment caused her to feel different and question her worth. She highlights a quote by Walter Elliot emphasizing that perseverance is not a single long race but a series of short races, illustrating the daily determination required to manage her condition. A key turning point was realizing that true self-acceptance comes from within, not from external validation. She states that her journey taught her empathy, resilience, and the importance of embracing what makes her unique. The central takeaway is that 'Your difference is your power,' and that she now walks with confidence, viewing her scars as evidence of her strength and journey.

### Personal Struggle with Clubfoot

- Born with Talipes Equinovarus (crooked right foot)
- Underwent surgery at 6 months (minor) and 4 years (major)
- Parents' initial difficulty accepting the reality.

### Societal Impact and Self-Perception

- Faced judgment and teasing from peers who called her disabled or a joke
- Felt like the 'odd one out'
- Hated her scars and wished for smooth, blemish-free skin.

### Lessons in Resilience and Perseverance

- Learned that perseverance is many short races, not one long race
- Parents' support guided her through self-doubt and fear.
- Taught her empathy and resilience.

### Core Message and Conclusion

- Realized that what makes you different is your power and your superpower
- True acceptance comes from within, not external validation
- Concludes by walking with confidence, embracing her unique journey.

![Screenshot at 00:00: The opening slide featuring the title of the talk, "From crooked foot to the walk of Confidence," alongside a picture of the speaker, Chhavi Aswani, setting the stage for her personal narrative.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Paux05szDHo/00-00-00.png)
![Screenshot at 00:22: Visual comparison slide showing a 'Normal Foot' next to a 'Clubfoot,' illustrating the physical condition being discussed.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Paux05szDHo/00-00-22.png)
![Screenshot at 01:49: Slide displaying several white, elongated plaster casts, presumably from her various corrective procedures, with drawings/writing on them.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Paux05szDHo/00-01-49.png)
![Screenshot at 03:45: Slide displaying a quote emphasizing gratitude: 'Gratitude is not only the greatest of all virtues but it's the parent of all except.'](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Paux05szDHo/00-03-45.png)
![Screenshot at 04:35: Slide displaying a quote on perseverance: 'Perseverance is not one long race; it is many short races one after the other' - Walter Elliot.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Paux05szDHo/00-04-35.png)
![Screenshot at 05:31: Slide displaying the core message: 'Your difference is your power,' which summarizes the talk's theme.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Paux05szDHo/00-05-31.png)
![Screenshot at 07:29: Speaker gesturing to the audience while the 'Your difference is your power' slide is displayed, emphasizing the concluding message.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Paux05szDHo/00-07-29.png)
![Screenshot at 08:33: Speaker places her hand over her heart while expressing gratitude to the audience.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Paux05szDHo/00-08-33.png)