Have you ever regretted reading a book — which one and why?
Having read some of the classics by Poelho Coelho, I have been an admirer of his books. My journey with PC started with Brida, and it didn’t stop for long.
Alchemist, Warrior of the Light, Adultery, Eleven Minutes, The Witch of Portobello, By the River Piedra I sat down and wept…
My life was incomplete without his books. They were like guiding lights.
So when I read Winner Stands Alone, I was utterly disappointed. I couldn’t fathom that PC could write it. I failed to understand why was that book written. I kept waiting till the end to find the purpose, for a turning point. Never came. Left me devastated.
Sitting at the Barcelona airport, I find myself watching planes glide in and out through the vast glass windows while my favorite Jagjit Singh ghazals play softly in my ears. For the first time, I’m alone at an airport—not rushing, not waiting for someone, just pausing… and observing.
And suddenly, the past few years begin to play in my mind like a slideshow.
The day I married. That first chat with my new husband after the wedding extravaganza. The laughter and memories with my best friend during our first Euro tour, the trip I am returning from. And the sweet anticipation of seeing my husband again in just a couple of hours after a week apart.
I think about the endurance of the past twenty-nine-something years of my life—the lessons, the struggles, the growth—and the quiet rewards I’m now beginning to feel.
As I look at the wide, clear sky over Barcelona, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude—for the people in my life, for the journey so far, and of course for God.
I feel enriched by something I can’t quite name… Is it contentment? Gratitude? Love? Happiness?
Maybe it’s a little bit of everything.
For now, I’m simply soaking in every minute of this rare “me time,” not knowing when I’ll get it again… and gently falling in love with myself, one more time.
After my trek and awakening on the Himalayas, I knew what I wanted from life. Bike and mountains!
I was working on getting a job somewhere close to mountains but before I could, I found someone with whom it felt like life could become an adventure. So I married him and moved countries.
The dream of biking was done with. I had moved on and never looked back. Although mountains were still part of, now, our life. I started to embrace many other hobbies and passions.
On the other hand, my husband used to be a biker and still wanted to get into it. I supported and pushed him to achieve his dream, years after our wedding. My dream was long forgotten, without any regrets.
He would always encourage me to get into but I would push that away, without realising.
When we pregnant with our second child, we were driving back from a beach date and the forgotten dream as if just snapped back.
I shared with him. He was surprised that I had so much passion for bikes too. Since that day, it became his dream to get me into biking. And as if the dream returned to me.
After a couple of years, I took the theory test and the CBT. Meanwhile, my husband secretly worked on building a bike for me.
Patience is a virtue -registration, MOT, insurance etc. At last, before the summer of ’25 ended, I got to riding.
What daily habit do you do that improves your quality of life?
I take a pinch of Universe that helps me face the day delightfully.
Depending on how much time I have, I do a little yogic breathing (pranayam), a few sun salutations (surya namaskar) and offer a little gratitude.
On some days, when I have had a rushed morning, once I arrive at the car park in the office, I’ll do a few quick pranayams to calm my nerves, realign my chakras and recharge myself for the long day ahead.
When I do this, I feel like I have taken a pinch of the Universe within me because it leaves me reverberated.
India has advanced so much. Women education, women empowerment, etc. We see women becoming all rounders in corporates, sports, politics, any industry you pick.
Indian parents are so proud when daughters achieve success. They brag and share with society.
When the same daughter marries and becomes part of the new family, everything that her family was proud of is taken for granted. Not only that, she is expected to be at par with the daughters-in-law of the generation before.
No one is proud of her achievements anymore, rather it is less talked about. If someone else praises her, it is received with a pinch of salt.
Moreover, her achievements are kept hidden, less talked about but the same family will talk loud and proud of their daughters and sons.
The heartbreaking thing is that older women of the families do this.
We live in the era of Selective Patriarchy which is more damaging because the girl has to keep changing her mindset and stance depending on whether she is at her parents’ home or at in-laws’.
Unknowingly they end up accepting it so much that they don’t realise when they become part of this and pass it on to the next generation.
It is time we take a breath, a pause and reflect where we are headed and consciously break the latest generational trauma.
I watched a movie a long time ago, I don’t remember the story or the name, what I do remember is a moment when a thought struck me.
There was a group of people who were trying to leave planet Earth to find a better life on a distant planet in some distant galaxy.
They face challenges on the way and even after they arrive at the destination. Leading them to one thing they know best. Fight, get political advantage, divide into groups, compete amongst themselves, jealousy….
I remember a woman’s face who was a mother in a scene where she feels beaten because in pursuit of finding a better life, she finds herself entangled in the same problems.
If you carry your old mindset in modern society, society will remain exactly what it is today.
Conquering my fears is one of my hobbies and off lately I am quite invested in it.
Last week, I completed CBT on a geared motorbike. Never ridden a geared motorbike before independently and I completed a CBT!!!! (Compulsory Basic Training, completion of which allows one to ride a motorbike up to 125cc in the UK).
I did have an option to switch to moped but I fought through my fears, and completed it on a geared motorbike.
To test my conviction, it was a summer day albeit with stormy winds and rain, typical of English weather! However I felt a great sense of achievement in doing it.
The other thing I did was not much conquering fear but rather conquering a psychological block. I have been to shows or concerts alone before in my home country, but never done that in the UK, let alone having done that after having kids. I do go on day outs by myself but never been to a show in London.
Earlier last week, I went to a stand up comedy show in London by myself.
At the end of last week, we travelled to Orebro, Sweden for a city break. On one of the two days that we were there, we went to a popular waterpark, Gustavsvik. It was an outstanding waterpark with excellent ambience, planning and design. I am usually scared of doing any rides.
However, passionate about conquering my fears lately, I went on a medium level ride. I was met with gushing water at the end, that went into my nose and ears making me dizzy. A few mins later, I was climbing up again for the ride. After that I went on the lowest impact slide with my friend. The slide was to be done with rings. It was fun and not at all scary. So I tried the next level with my husband, followed by yet another level, which was the highest level. It did scare me, but I don’t regret it.
Continuing to conquer our little fears helps generate brain cells that keep you young and energised. Further, a little zest in life never hurts!
What does “having it all” mean to you? Is it attainable?
This subject has been running in my mind for quite some time. I take this as the universe’s nudge to write about it. I actually opened this app to jot down something about today which I wanted to capture but that’s gonna come out in the next post now.
Having it all!!
The overrated concept of the illusionary definition of success – is how I would put it..
Let’s break it down.. ‘All’ is different for everyone. For some it could mean, work, family, home, chill.. For others it could mean, a little more – work, family, home, chill, hobbies.. For yet others, it could mean something else..
The first mistake we make is when we subject ourselves to this generic concept or definition of ‘All’. Therefore, the first step is to define Your All.
When you do this, you are liberating yourself from the society imposed ambition.
The second step is to then figure out how to achieve your all. It’s more of a mental journey. Imagine, day dream about what you’ll do to achieve it. Dream about it every night before going to bed. Work out a routine that will support this. Share it with your partner, bring them onboard. Take their suggestions, esp if you have young children as you doing your all will impact the partner and children.
Train your brain. This is the next step. Train yourself to follow this routine, to chase the dream, to break the mental blocks.
As you train yourself, your family will silently watch you, and also slowly accept. My daughter today came to the door to see me off as I was leaving to chase one of my dreams and her words, enjoy your day, mamma, and then tell me all about it at night..
Her words put me at peace for leaving them, assured me that it’s learning for them too, and soothed my lingering guilt.
I write this as I travel to London, on my own, on a weekend i.e. leaving my kids with my husband, to enjoy a stand up comedy show. Read my next blog for this experience!
We went to see the India Pak ICC semi finals at our friends’ home. Their son, 5 years old, greeted me by my name. In our culture, we always address elders as uncle or aunty. So when he called me by my name, I was pleasantly surprised and hoped that his parents didn’t hear (he would have been mildly told off). I responded very fondly and he gave me a hug.
Few minutes later, he compliments me for my top. I was again pleased and thanked him. He then says, “I like your belt and jeans also, in fact, I like your entire outfit”
OMG 😱 That has been the bestest compliment I ever received.
You get some great, amazingly fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do?
It may sound cliche to some but the moment I receive good news I instantly thank the universe. Even if it’s for a second. If I am around people, it is likely to be a very subtle, inner most little thank you note that no one would notice. My thoughts in the background or when I get some time alone would be around offering more gratitude, being humble, telling myself to be humble and sensitive. Especially to those who may have lost an opportunity when I gained it. And moreover promising myself to never forget the journey.
