According to De’s admission, Sushmita pointed out qualities she saw in her — her intelligence, the way she spoke, her uniqueness — qualities De said nobody had shown her in quite that way before.

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Delnna Rrajesh, a psychotherapist and relationship breakthrough coach, said that it is “deeply significant” because we often speak about self-belief as though it must emerge entirely from within. “We tell people to know their worth, believe in themselves and stop seeking validation. Yet human beings do not develop their sense of self in isolation. Particularly in our formative years, we partly discover ourselves through the eyes of people around us. Parents, teachers, friends, mentors and colleagues can become psychological mirrors, reflecting strengths and possibilities we may not yet have language for,” mentioned Delnna.

Sometimes, before we develop self-belief, we temporarily borrow somebody else’s belief in us, Delnna added.

Kindness is frequently mistaken for weakness, particularly in competitive environments. “A person can be extremely strong and extremely kind. A leader can demand excellence without humiliation. A parent can correct behaviour without attacking identity. A colleague can compete without becoming cruel,” said Delnna.

In fact, some forms of kindness require considerable confidence. “Sharing an opportunity, recommending someone talented, giving credit, mentoring a younger colleague or opening a door for another person requires us to believe that somebody else’s growth does not diminish our own. However, there is one final step. Borrowed belief cannot remain borrowed forever.”

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Sushmita Sen went on to win Miss Universe 1994 (Filed)

It is beautiful when somebody initially sees our potential, but emotional maturity requires gradually internalising that recognition. “The mentor’s voice eventually needs to become our own. We cannot spend our lives needing another person to repeatedly reassure us that we deserve to enter the room. Perhaps that is the greatest gift someone can give us when they truly see us. They do not convince us that we are something we are not. They help us recognise something that was already there. And once we have experienced that gift, perhaps there is a responsibility to pass it forward,” Delnna said.

Most of us can remember at least one person who saw something in us before we could see it ourselves. “The more powerful question may be: Whose potential are we seeing today — and are we telling them? Because sometimes changing another person’s trajectory does not require money, power or a grand intervention. Sometimes it begins with four words: I see this in you,” expressed Delnna.