Conflict Resolution and me

We craft our dreams, blueprint our lives, and chase our aspirations with determination.  But what happens when reality diverges from our carefully laid plans?  When love slips away, opportunities pass us by, or paths disappear? It's easy to feel lost and defeated. Yet, perhaps these moments of disappointment are not endings, but beginnings. Maybe the universe is guiding us toward something greater than we ever imagined.  As Saiki so eloquently puts it, "Sometimes, when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place." Think back to a time when you faced disappointment. Though it stung, did it ultimately lead you to something better? Life has a way of orchestrating events beyond our understanding, often using setbacks as setups for something more meaningful. Lao Tzu's wisdom echoes this sentiment: "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." By releasing our rigid expectations, we open ourselves to surprises and detours that can l...

There is a rare comfort in sitting beside someone and feeling understood without uttering a single word. In a world where we’re pushed to be constantly be expressive, to explain ourselves and to articulate every feeling, there exists an almost magical power in shared silence — a kind of intimacy that words often fail to capture. In these quiet moments, connections deepen, and the space between two hearts grow smaller, free from the weight of expectations and explanations.  There are moments in life when we’re so overwhelmed, so exhausted, that even the simplest words feel heavy.  In those moments, all we want is someone who understands without forcing us to speak. The people who can sit with you in your silence, without needing to know the details, are the ones who know that sometimes, presence alone is the strongest form of support. They offer a quiet assurance that says, “You don’t have to explain yourself; I’m here, and I see you.” When life is heavy, when your heart feels ...

I'm not sure what I want to be or do. All I know is that I want to live. To me, living isn't about having a big title or a fancy job. It's about enjoying the simple things. It's about feeling the morning sunshine on my face, laughing so hard it hurts, and crying to release the pain. It's about finding peace in quiet moments and letting my mind wander.  But life isn’t always sunshine and pretty skies. It’s storms that break you down, darkness that swallows you whole, and days when getting out of bed feels like swimming through raging waves. It’s the crushing burden of expectations, the fear of failure, and the lonely feeling of not fitting in. I’m tired of pretending to have it all figured out.  I’m a person, a whole, messy, complex person. I’m the quiet kid who dreams big and the friend who’s there for anyone. I’m the one who’s afraid of heights but jumps off cliffs anyway. I just want to be me, with all my flaws and strengths, my hopes and fears, my joys and sorrow...

I'm picking up my pen again, and it feels amazing!  It’s truly easy to get swept away in the bunch of responsibilities, deadlines, and the never-ending grind of our daily routines.  Lately, I’ve felt this chaos more than ever. I’ve been so completely absorbed in the busyness of life that I’ve lost touch with the things that always brought me so much happiness. I've been so consumed by my responsibilities that I've lost touch with the things that bring me joy, and it's only now that I'm starting to feel the emptiness that's been growing inside me. Life can be overwhelming, and it often demands so much from us. Academic responsibilities, work commitments, family obligations, social engagements — they all pull at our time and energy. Yet, in the midst of this hustle, I believe it is necessary to pause and ask ourselves: What brings us joy? What makes our hearts sing? For me, it’s the simple pleasures: curling up with a good book, losing myself in the pages of a sto...

- A new year special post This is a time of reflecting and gauging your progress. A time of observing the year that was through the lens of wisdom. There were times when everything went perfectly, and then, there were things that caused major disappointment. However, I am grateful for them all because I understand that the failures have taught me what success never will. My journal prompt for today- What are the stories you'll be carrying with you into 2022?

 The other day, I was thinking about anger and laughter. Happiness, compassion, and laughter can bring a ray of sunshine into otherwise gloomy lives, but anger leads to rash, harmful words, and actions. However, there is a different kind of anger that is fueled by injustice and the need to right a wrong. That kind of anger is far more powerful than cynical, mocking, and heartless laughing.  And this reminded of something I had read sometime back -  " Anger in its time and place May assume a kind of grace "

 I have realized that I have always been an “I want to do it all,” kinda person. But there are moments when I don't want to hustle; instead, I want to lie the fuck down. Take it from someone who has consumed chamomile tea, tried meditation, and booked me-time in the calendar in an attempt of being her 'best self'. Balance isn't found at the bottom of a pricey tea or as the conclusion of a yoga lesson. Instead, it's a state of mind. And something that has really been working for me is - ' A Fuck-It list' We spend a lot of time checking things off our to-do lists, creating aspirational Pinterest boards, and pondering our next big goal, dream, or plan. Then we wonder why we've burned out. Answer honestly- How much time and effort do you put into stuff that doesn't really matter? Or activities that you think you "should" do rather than those that you really want to do? STEPS TO MAKE A FUCK-IT LIST -   Make a mental or physical list of all the t...

 Do you know these words?  "Lost, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, sixty golden minutes, each set with sixty diamond seconds. No reward is offered, for they are gone forever." This is so true, as the proverb says, " Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down." I have been wondering about these golden minutes and diamond seconds a lot recently. These are all we need to have, to stand and stare in life. Some quiet times of relaxation and refreshment... Don't we all need them, so that things don't get on top of us in this busy world?

Designing your life starts with designing your days  - A New Year special post >> Start with One Small Thing One of the many reasons I write this blog is that it gives me a sense of control, progress, and accomplishment. It’s a part of my life that’s deliberate and it also gives me a few focused hours a month of uninterrupted creation time. Or Start with any environment that makes up your life - Clean your room Organize your office Take care of your plants Update your social media profile to reflect who you want to become, not who you were in your past Take a picture every day One of the best ways to start a new chapter of your life is to start with one tiny, seemingly inconsequential aspect. The capacity to make a promise and sustain it becomes a self-fulfillment prophecy that causes a ripple effect in other areas of your life. >> Designing Your Schedule Between preparing for my di's wedding, doing assignments every week, and overseeing other projects last year my sche...

1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle Health issues, even minor ones, can interfere with other aspects of your life or even overshadow them. Your wellbeing and stress levels are influenced even by relatively mild health conditions such as aches, pains, lethargy, and indigestion. Making a commitment to healthy behavior is one way to boost your ability to deal with stress and feel better. 2. Spend money on experiences, not things Things have a shelf life. Experiences live forever in your memory. This is one of the things you're not going to find out until you've spent a lot of money on stuff. Go on trips, meals with friends, and the kinds of stuff that leave you with plenty of memories that can contribute to a meaningful life, but no excess baggage. 3. Never give up on something you can’t go a day without thinking about. If you are passionate about something, you’ll be thinking about it every day, maybe every minute. So, stick with it if you're lucky enough to have discovered your ...

I wish that life was merry 100% of the time. Life is, sadly, not always enjoyable. But does this mean that it's got to be bad? I hate to feel down; I know that it's a part of life, and there's no escape. However, I seem to feel depressed for no reason or remain sad sometimes. There is no shame in feeling down, so there's no reason for you to stay down. I find it unreasonable to stay in a bad mood for more than 5 minutes. Your acts are the only thing that you manage. This means that you can choose to do something that cheers you up. Here are 5 things that I do, and you can try to instantly feel better- 1. Watch Something Funny I watch something funny every day because it's good for you. What laughing does to you is this: Relaxes the whole body Strengthens the immune system Reduces the hormones of stress Causes endorphin release Protects the heart Just open up YouTube and watch the funny stuff. I love some channels like Kanan Gill , Rahul Dua , Nishant Suri , Vir Das ...

  Did you know chocolate isn’t just great to eat?  It's also pretty good for your skin.  It’s a great natural moisturizer A natural anti-inflammatory, chocolate is very soft on your skin. It can help soothe inflammation and is ideal for skin that is sensitive. Why I use WOW Skin Science Chocolate Caffeine Face Mask? Caffeine and Cocoa powder are both natural skin protectors that help keep skin irritations at bay, combat free radicals, and keep the skin safe from contaminants and UV rays. Cocoa butter and extra virgin olive oil help to preserve the natural moisture levels of the skin, enhancing skin elasticity and flexibility. No Parabens Sulphate mineral oil color 100% Vegan Gluten-free Cruelty-free  Made in the Himalayas Comes with a premium Spatula to apply the mask Steps to use -  Cleanse your face   On damp skin apply an even layer of the face mask with the given spatula.  Note - Avoid the areas around your eyes, brows, lips, and hairline...

 (No, this is not a promoted post) This is just my experience of what I did to finally be happy and in love with my hair. And this is coming from someone who has had dry, curly, heavy volume hair and recently even got her hair colored. So I have had to learn a thing or two about taking care of my hair.  Lesson 1: Get smarter about your shampoo. I keep trying various shampoos to see which works better for my hair, and I now definitely know the typical store available brands just do not work. You need shampoos according to your scalp and hair type. Also, try not to over-wash your hair. People with dyed hair are advised not (STRICT NO) to wash it every day to prevent premature color fading and dryness. Ideally, you just need to wash your hair twice or thrice to keep your hair clean. Invest in a good natural shampoo to help add strength, volume, and texture to your hair.  I am just adding some shampoos on the basis of my research and experience according to the...

By Nipun Chadha " Trust the wait.  Embrace the uncertainty. Enjoy the beauty of becoming. When nothing is certain, anything is possible."  - Mandy Hale You know the feeling of driving on roads that are unknown?  How clueless you feel seeing the path in front of you; And how you are constantly trying to figure the way out of reach to a desirable point from somewhere you started.  Compare this to how you feel driving on the roads just outside your home. How comfortable it is, how prepared you are for the potholes. Just how easy it is to be in the moment. The point I am trying to make is that uncertainty is uncomfortable . Especially when you are in a very comfortable bubble.  But here’s a thing about bubbles. The higher they fly, higher is the probability of that bubble breaking due to the pressure it deals with. Yes, uncertainty is uncomfortable.  But coming back to my example of an unknown road.  Do you know how amazing it feels when you finally reach ...

“I've learned one thing, and that's to quit worrying about stupid things. You have four years to be irresponsible here, relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time, but you'll remember the time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So stay out late. Go out with your friends on a Tuesday when you have a paper due on Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does...” ―  Tom Petty I landed up in a course that I cursorily ticked on my college application. So finding B.A. (Hons) Business Economics (BBE) was pure destiny. Keeping this serendipity in perspective, I was so sure that this course would provide me the exact path I should be on. It somewhat did, but if I were to correctly say it, I'd say my journey gave me the answer where I wanted to be, and more importantly what I wanted to be. My college offered me a plethora of opportunities that were nothing short of wonderful; which le...

A letter from a stranger. It is believed that if today we face some problem in life, then tomorrow it will be solved, like day and night, life hits us too. If we face the dark side now, then surely tomorrow there will be light. Many of us believe in this motto and many may not. I once learnt about a traveller, who was stuck in a desert. His car had broken down and cell reception was lost. However, without losing his hope, he survived the hard conditions of the desert and saw his loved ones again. I wondered, was it hope which kept him alive? Was it the inspiration of the loved ones? Was it the wish to live again? I was lost in my thoughts when my eyes fell upon a desk, a lifeless desk. It can't move, it can't feel the scratches made by anyone, it simply bears weight without an ache, it doesn't feel PAIN!  Maybe we are wrong after all long? Pain can only be felt by the living. Contradicting, we may believe that in pain we feel lifeless, but ...

I am the kind of person who would go to extreme measures to avoid spoilers whenever a new film or Tv show releases. I am off social media until I actually finish watching the movie or the whole season of the Tv show. In real life, if I hear a conversation about something I am looking forward to, I immediately leave the scene with hands on my ears singing loudly. I hate those evil people who deliberately post spoilers everywhere and ruin it for everyone. And apparently,  the internet has become one such hub for evils to rant about. We really need a feature to report spoilers or filter out posts that contain them on social media. What a generous world would that be! The accidental kind of spoilers is plain dumb. Be careful guys, do no harm to others as it may just start a rival reaction. But you know what is the worst kind of spoiler? The fake one! You keep imagining scenarios in your head that this might happen, waiting and it ends the other way round. My sister act...

People never spell my name correctly and it gets screwed up a lot. If I had a dollar for everytime someone wrote ' Riya' as 'Ria' , I'd be retired and enjoying my life. I had 14 certificates changed in school because they always wrote 'Ria ' or ' Rhea' on them. That error has happened so frequently, there came a point where I just stopped pointing it out to people, at least in messages. It's a bigger disappointment when a guy is trying to flirt, and he writes the wrong spelling of your name. I mean I don't expect you to do any favourite colour/flowers homework but the name is basics duh-uh. Nevertheless, the day came Suddenly everybody knew the right spelling of my name because everyone who knew me and some who didn't, were tagging me in the #riyamemes. Well, I don't know about Sajid but my friends were super happy because they now had a new excuse to make fun of me. I had so much unwanted attention on every social me...