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The first one is pretty obvious but not always easy. Stay loose. My journey from Malaysia, Ipoh, Malaysia to the Academy Awards stage began with my first love which was not acting but dance. I knew at a very young age that my gift was to communicate through movement. In my studies, I found freedom in discipline and focus. I trained tirelessly day and night, drilling my body in every aspect of the craft. More importantly, I trained my mind to be still, to silence the whispers of self-doubt. Dance was my safe place, my inevitable future and my undeniable path. So I enrolled in a ballet school in England and began living my dream. Unfortunately, life had other plans. I suffered a spinal injury and just like that, I watched everything vanish into thin air. Life as I knew it was over.

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The first one is pretty obvious / but not always easy. // Stay loose. // My journey from Malaysia, / Ipoh, Malaysia to the Academy Awards stage / began with my first love / which was not acting / but dance. // I knew at a very young age / that my gift was to communicate / through movement. // In my studies, / I found freedom / in discipline / and focus. // I trained tirelessly day and night, / drilling my body in every aspect / of the craft. // More importantly, / I trained my mind to be still, / to silence the whispers of self-doubt. // Dance was my safe place, / my inevitable future, / and my undeniable path. // So I enrolled in a ballet school in England / and began living my dream. // Unfortunately, / life had other plans. // I suffered a spinal injury and just like that, / I watched everything / vanish into thin air. // Life as I knew it / was over. //

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With my dreams of dance crushed, I credit the principal of my school for giving me the encouragement that ultimately led me to a career beyond my imagination. It was she who encouraged me to stay loose about my future. When falling, the tendency is to tighten up to brace for impact. But in truth, the safest thing one can do is remain calm. Even curious about the shifting world around you. After graduating with a degree in creative arts, I returned home more open to other possibilities outside the box. With this awareness came the freedom to make choices I might not have otherwise been able to. This opened the door to doing a commercial in Hong Kong, then to acting roles and the start of my life in film.

Let's follow Michelle Yeoh...

With my dreams of dance crushed, / I credit the principal of my school / for giving me the encouragement / that ultimately led me to a career / beyond my imagination. // It was she who encouraged me / to stay loose about my future. // When falling, / the tendency / is to tighten up / to brace for impact. // But in truth, / the safest thing one can do is / remain calm. // Even curious / about the shifting world around you. // After graduating with a degree in creative arts, / I returned home / more open to other possibilities / outside the box. // With this awareness / came the freedom to make choices / I might not / have otherwise been able to. // This opened the door to doing a commercial / in Hong Kong, / then to acting roles / and the start of my life / in film. //