Once upon a time—years ago—I wrote my very first blog post. It was titled (rather straightforwardly) “My First Blog.” It spoke about who I was, why I was starting to write, what you could expect from me, and the kind of things that tugged at my curiosity. But today, when I was sharing my blog’s…… Continue reading First Post 2.0 – Older, Wiser, Still Wordy 🙂
When Value Waits for Validation
‘We are all social creatures, and we tend to follow the lead of others.” — Robert CialdiniA small disclaimer before I begin :)This is just a casual observation …something I’ve been noticing out of curiosity.Not a judgment on anyone’s behaviour and definitely not a suggestion that anything needs to change.Just one of those patterns that…… Continue reading When Value Waits for Validation
Blooming like Bougainvillea
While driving along the highway today, I noticed the bougainvillea plants lining the road, and it reminded me of something I once experienced in a counselling and life-skills training session. During one of the sessions, the trainer asked each of us to draw a mascot that represents who we are or who we aspire to…… Continue reading Blooming like Bougainvillea
Power: The Great Revealer
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”— Abraham LincolnI remember my father saying something similar: If you really want to know a person’s true nature, give them power!We often say that power corrupts, as if authority itself is toxic. When someone rises in status…… Continue reading Power: The Great Revealer
Shikata ga nai (仕方がない) — It cannot be helped!
I came across the phrase Shikata ga nai (仕方がない)… a Japanese expression that means, “It cannot be helped.”At first glance, it sounds like resignation. But it carries something deeper …a quiet strength, a grounded acceptance of what lies beyond our control.Some battles aren’t meant to be won.They’re meant to be accepted so we can move…… Continue reading Shikata ga nai (仕方がない) — It cannot be helped!
Are We Becoming Strong… or Just Hard?
“Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution.”— Khalil Gibran Somewhere along the way… we started mistaking hardness for strength.We tell ourselves the world is tougher now. Competitive. Fast. Demanding. And maybe it is. So we adapt. We sharpen our tone. We shorten our patience. We call…… Continue reading Are We Becoming Strong… or Just Hard?
When Civility Pauses and Emotions Speak
In a recent conversation with a budding friend… an interesting perspective emerged… Somewhere in the middle of our wide-ranging discussions… we touched upon something personal. I shared that when someone raises their voice or starts shouting during a conversation… my instinct is to step away… go quiet… and shelf the discussion until it can resume…… Continue reading When Civility Pauses and Emotions Speak
Goodbye, and RIP my Lenovo G570 💕
My long-term, trusted laptop has finally reached that stage…every 10 minutes there’s a crash, a blue screen, browsers that refuse to open, and an OS, apps, and updates all locked in open war. I tried to push through. I really did. Letting go wasn’t easy. This laptop is super special.When I started Raising Readers library…… Continue reading Goodbye, and RIP my Lenovo G570 💕
From Shell to Spotlight: When Safety Lets the Self Bloom
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”— Carl Rogers If you watched Tanishk during his early Indian Idol auditions and compare him to the performer he is now, it almost feels like watching two different people. Back then, his demeanour was marked by restraint….. head…… Continue reading From Shell to Spotlight: When Safety Lets the Self Bloom
We Messed Up… and It Was Okay
We all know that feeling after we make a mistake.That tightness in the chest… the replaying of what we did… the quiet panic about what’s coming next.We start preparing ourselves. For blame. For disappointment. For distance.Because experience has taught us that mistakes usually come with a price. Most of us learned this early.Do something wrong…… Continue reading We Messed Up… and It Was Okay
Coo-d’état 🕊️
So yesterday… a pigeon managed to get into the balcony… by picking a hole in the net on the grill… and then completely forgot the exit strategy. After much prodding… shooing… flailing arms… and heroic confusion… we gave up. Enter security… armed with a bucket and far more life skills than us… who calmly caught…… Continue reading Coo-d’état 🕊️
Jo's LayView 