All posts tagged: Musings

Handmade mother's day card with butterflies

Celebrating Motherhood: Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day

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Oh, mothers! Mother’s Day is a special day dedicated to celebrating the women who have raised and nurtured us. Mother’s Day is celebrated worldwide, typically on the second Sunday of May. Mother’s Day is a time to appreciate the hard work, dedication, and love that mothers put into their families every day.
When it comes to gift-giving, mothers typically appreciate sentimental and thoughtful gifts that show how much they are loved and appreciated.

hand holding a red lipstick writing Bye on a mirror with the lipstick

How to declutter your life: 6 kinds of people you need to let go of

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Do you feel like your life is filled with clutter? Maybe you have too many material things, perhaps the number of responsibilities has encroached on your free time, or possibly you just have a lot of people in your life who drain your energy and stress you out. In any case, it’s natural to want to declutter your life and simplify things.
Often, our mental space is taken up by relationships that ‘do not spark joy’. So what do you do when you realise that a relationship is toxic and it’s time to let go?
If you want to know how to declutter your life, keep reading!

caged bird looking out

Overcoming a difficult time: when molehills become mountains

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What are some ways you tackle a slump in your schedule?
Does it ever feel like the universe has conspired against you just when things are going right? One domino wobbles, and before you know it, the whole pile has fallen. The dominoes don’t need to be significant events. They can be just minor disturbances. But these tiny disturbances piled on top of each other can sometimes seem insurmountable. How do you overcome this? 

The Pressure Of Perfection: How to Help Kids Handle Stress and Anxiety

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In today’s society, children feel more pressure than ever before to be perfect. From academic expectations to social media, kids struggle to cope with the high standards that they feel they need to meet. This pressure often leads to stress and anxiety, which can have severe consequences for both the individual child and society.
Suicide rates among young people are on the rise globally. Studies show that depression is one of the leading causes of suicide among young people. Other factors include unmet needs and expectations, focus on success and productivity, lack of coping skills, and a sense of a lack of belonging.
One of the most important things you can do as a parent is to raise emotionally healthy children. This means teaching them how to regulate their emotions, set boundaries, and handle difficult situations.

Women’s Day: Demanding a diverse, equitable, and inclusive world

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On March 8th every year, the world celebrates International Women’s Day. We look at the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women worldwide, past and present. It is also a call to action for accelerating women’s equality globally.
Most women reading this are privileged enough to have had an education. Many are still denied education and opportunities solely based on their gender. It is a day for raising awareness about how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go in our quest for gender equity.
A discussion plus some book recommendations for women, by women!

Top 10 Things I’m Excited About in 2022

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New year, new you. At least, that’s what we always tell ourselves at the beginning of a new year. Despite our best intentions, we all tend to fall back into our old routines and habits by mid-January. Still, I believe it’s worth starting each year with fresh optimism about all that could be — so in that spirit, here are ten things I’m looking forward to in 2022.

indian bride and groom holding hands and circling the fire as part of the wedding rituals

Ruminations on the Exhilarating Big Fat Indian Wedding

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It is the wedding season here in India, and social media is filled with pictures of people getting married or attending a wedding. Weddings of all sizes from different cultures are being celebrated in intimate or large gatherings.
There is, of course, no right or wrong way to celebrate. Some like the extra attention, while others prefer to minimise the fuss and find the whole concept of a wedding to be a waste of resources. 
I find myself on the fence about this debate. While I prefer simplicity and ease, there is something to be said about making a grand entrance.

SUV with wheels stuck in a ditch

3 Powerful Life Lessons You Can Learn From Overcoming Adversity

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Adversity is a funny thing. It can bring out the worst in people, or it can bring out the best. In many ways, it’s an opportunity to learn and grow. You’ll be surprised at how much adversity can teach you about yourself. The only way to overcome hardship is by learning from it. You can’t let negative experiences define you, but instead, use them to make yourself a better person. The more you reflect on your life and learn from your mistakes, the better prepared you will be for future challenges.

On 100 Days of Blogging

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What happened when I blogged for 100 days straight? It felt incredible, first of all. I am proud that I took it on and committed to it, even with travel plans looming ahead. I’ve written previously about my feelings when I completed a hundred posts and my reasons for blogging. This felt like more of an accomplishment because it needed more discipline.   It wasn’t always easy. There were days when motivation was lacking. On these days, I took a quick break to unwind either on my art table or with a book or TV. I planned for days when I knew I would be away from my desk and scheduled posts to auto-publish – posts like this one! I had stopped working after my son was born. As most non-working parents would experience, it is tough to have a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. The laundry’s still piling up, the house is a mess, you’ve barely managed to feed everyone, and you’re exhausted by the end of the day. It feels …

painting of a woman

On Validation Seeking

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Have you ever said (or heard someone say) “I don’t care what the world thinks. I do what I want, and I don’t need the world’s approval.” This sentence is usually followed by a smug look, especially when others nod in awe. This person has just received approval and validation for feeling like they don’t need it. Seeking validation is human nature and essential to being a part of society. We are constantly seeking approval from people around us. It gives us a sense of belonging. A slight nod of appreciation or a Like on a social media post makes us smile and stand a bit taller with a little sense of accomplishment. Some harmless peacocking is good for the ego, but how do we know if it gets out of hand—when seeking approval turns into becoming dependent on approvals?  In light of some investigative revelations that Facebook’s research showed the mental harm of social media on teenagers, it’s worthwhile to reassess our reasons for seeking approval. Constant exposure to the extravagant ‘lifestyle influencers’ makes …