Confidence does not arrive all at once. It grows gradually, as you begin seeing yourself differently and give yourself permission to step into the future you are working towards. That became the next stage of my mentorship journey with Ms. Margaret.
When I shared my first reflection about the Impact Leaders Mentorship Programme, I wrote about mindset, trusting the process, and embracing professional growth. That story captured where I was at the time. This one is about what happened next.
Over six sessions with Ms. Margaret, I learned how to communicate my growth, present myself with greater intention, and share my professional journey through platforms like LinkedIn. More importantly, I stopped defining myself by where I was and started thinking deliberately about where I wanted to go. One small change captured that transformation. For the first time, I introduced myself in terms of the professional I was becoming – an aspiring human rights specialist - rather than simply by the qualifications I already held. That shift challenged the way I saw myself.
Earlier in the mentorship, I often questioned whether I had enough experience or whether I was capable of building the career I wanted. I focused on what I had not yet achieved instead of recognising how much potential still lay ahead. By the final session, I no longer saw myself as someone waiting to become qualified. I saw myself as someone already on a meaningful journey.
One of the biggest surprises was my understanding of professional visibility. It is not about pretending to be someone you are not. It is about helping others see who you are becoming. Throughout the programme, I discovered that the digital space could become a place to communicate my aspirations, share my interests, and make myself visible to opportunities aligned with my goals. Ms. Margaret’s mentorship made that shift possible. She was patient, encouraging, and consistent throughout the programme, particularly while I balanced the sessions with a full-time job. She challenged me to remain accountable while creating a space where I felt supported enough to keep growing.
The session by Brand Architect Ms. Mengting Li 李梦亭, on personal branding and social media had the greatest impact. It encouraged me to move beyond reflection and create tangible outputs that strengthened my professional profile. More importantly, it helped me understand that my professional narrative matters. How I communicate my skills, interests, and ambitions can shape the opportunities that come my way.
Looking ahead, I want to build on this momentum by sharing my experiences and insights in human rights and international affairs. The first chapter of my mentorship journey taught me to trust the process. This chapter has taught me to trust myself. The journey is only beginning, but I now feel ready to embrace it.
About the author
Ms. Hinano Daisy Bull is an aspiring Human Rights Specialist and a proactive, strong-willed Japanese-British professional. She is currently working as a clerk at a Japanese bank while preparing to begin a Master’s degree in Humanitarian Studies. Driven by a deep commitment to advancing human rights, particularly for vulnerable women and children, she aspires to build a career in the humanitarian sector where she can contribute to meaningful, lasting change through compassionate service, advocacy, and evidence-based practice.