In this impactful TEDx talk, Kavitha Lakshminarasaiah traces her journey from a shy girl challenging societal norms to becoming an award-winning IT leader and mentor. Through heartfelt stories of her struggle and triumph, she explores the transformative power of unlearning— letting go limiting beliefs and stepping beyond comfort zones to truly grow. A recipient of the prestigious Manuel Carballo Award from the USA for her Data Engineering work and featured on New York’s Times Square billboard as one of the “Top 100 Women in Tech,” her message is a compelling call to unlearn what no longer serves us to become who we’re meant to be. She is also the founder of NGO, Lakshya Foundation—an initiative focused on empowering women and supporting underprivileged children through education and healthcare. Mrs. Kavitha Lakshminarasaiah, an MS graduate from the USA, is a Cloud Engineer with over 15 years of IT experience. She is a seasoned career coach, an influential voice on Instagram and LinkedIn.She was featured on the Times Square New York Billboard in 2025. A recipient of the 2024 ManuelCarballo Governor's Award (USA), she is also the founder of Lakshya Foundation in India, dedicated to children's health and education This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx