In Defense of a Slower Life

I read a lot of books and blogs and websites and articles and research papers. I love learning new things. I don't always apply/implement those things in my life. Isn't knowledge enough, sometimes? The world is getting faster every day. It's about doing and moving and hustling. I don't want to hustle. I want to live my life.

I want to do the things I enjoy, not things that people say you're supposed to do. Yes, I want success. I want financial independence. But more than anything I want to be happy; to give myself permission to be happy.


I don't see why the world is about doing more and running, running, running, just running. Slow down. Breathe. Love yourself a little. Give yourself some credit. Give yourself some time to just be.

There's no set path in life. I think we 20-somethings are at the stage in our life where we're kinda starting to figure that out now. Everything is uncertain and unstable. And we're young, let's give ourselves a break. Let's understand that we don't have to know everything right now. We're allowed to make mistakes. We're allowed to take time off if we have to. We're allowed to have off days. We're allowed whatever we want to do.

If you want to hustle, sure go ahead. But you don't have to just because everyone around you supposedly is. It's not a competition. It's your life and your path and your time.

Take your time.  I don't think we should feel guilty for wanting to spend an evening curled up in bed with some hot chocolate, just reading a book. We don't have to work on our side hustle all the time. If you do want to stay in and work on your side gig, you don't have to feel guilty about not going out to hang out with your friends.

It's about what we want - at the end of the day, what's going to make us feel content. It's not about what I say or your friends say or what anyone else says.

It's about what your heart says. If that's doing 20 things off your to-do list, good. If it's doing absolutely nothing all day, good. It should be good according to what your heart says is good, not what you think you're supposed to feel.

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The Reason to Start Over New

and the reason is you...

Well, in this case, me. I just thought of the song and wanted to be cheesy.

I want to start over. I know better than anyone how many ups and downs this blog has had. Sputtering starts. False turns. An unplanned hiatus or two.

It isn't like I cannot write. I contribute regularly to other online platforms. I am a pretty devoted food blogger and love experimenting with different foods - yes, I'm vegetarian; come at me. I read so much and write book reviews for another blog. I write freelance as well.

I hereby commit, to myself and whoever chances upon this page, that I am going to try again. Yet again. Maybe this time it'll stick.

I'm doing it for me. Nobody else. This is something I have found difficult to explain to myself in the past. And present. Writing is a solitary activity. It stands to reason that you will, for extended stretches of time, be alone with yourself and your words. This is a space I enjoy occupying.

Why is it, then, that I work well on other platforms - any platform but this. Any platform but the one that is solely mine?

Is it because I know exactly what to say at those sites? Write about books. Write about food. Write a home page for our new startup. Write evocative descriptions.

I have no particular thing here that I have to write. No constraints I have to follow. Somehow, that should be more freeing. Clearly, it isn't.

I propose to write whatever pops into my head, here, atleast once a week. I'm sure I have enough thoughts in a week that atleast one would be worth penning down and turning into a blogpost.

I would like to take a moment to say thank you to the people who keep coming back to this blog ever so often and just read old posts of mine because I am fairly irregular, optimistically speaking. I am very grateful to all of you, you wonderful people. I come back to the blog after a while, and see you as numbers and locations and the fact that each of those things symbolize wonderful people behind those Google Analytics markings, and there's a sharp pang in that moment. I've let you all down.

I really intend to try. What's the worst that could happen?

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I moved to Dubai!

Hi guys,

Once again I start with an apology for my lack of posts! I have a reason though. A very legitimate reason. I moved to Dubai!

I moved here around a week and a half ago and I'm excited and scared in equal measure!

This is a new chapter in the journey of my life and I am looking forward to it. Moving here was a leap of faith. I am not someone who takes risks easily so for me this was a big deal. I am looking forward to a new life here and hoping that destiny has good things in store.

This is a little something I wrote about it.

I believe that every little change is meaningful, but something this big is definitely going to have major effects. Looking forward to unraveling them in the future!

This blog will continue and I have promised myself I will be more regular here. However, location specific posts will probably be at a minimum, unless its something I really love and want to show to the world at large. My readership and audience is global and I think it's time to start giving them something that is relevant and useful, too.

I'm still going to be writing about food, but it'll take on a different aspect that I am excited to share with you in the coming days!

Because who doesn't love Cinnabon!

Apart from this, I am finally finally starting to focus on the skincare and wellness posts that I speak about writing but never get around to.

I have a list of topics and I want to get around to covering them asap. I big part of this decision has been the realization that I love my blog and somewhere along the way I kind of lost ownership. I started to post what I thought people wanted to read. But you know what? My best and most read posts are the ones I wrote because they were posts that I wanted to read. Turns out that's exactly what resonated with you guys too.

So I'm going to continue doing that and this time I'm going to create the best content I ever have!

Cheers to many more posts and I hope this blog becomes better and better every day.

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Life Update + Things to Do

Hi darlings!


I've had such a crazy time these past few months.

Yes, I have not updated my blog. I apologize wholeheartedly to each and every one of you. You guys have been so sweet, sending me mails, DMs on Instagram and Facebook - thank you all.

For those of you who have been with me on Instagram (FB and Twitter too), you'd know about my #project50. Just like how I hadn't been posting on my blog, I had also been ignoring my social media. I felt like giving myself a little challenge about posting regularly. So my #project50 was essentially about posting 50 pictures in 50 days. Maybe it was just that I had gotten lazy, or maybe it was something deeper. After a few months of inactivity, I felt it was high time I tried to figure it out.

Hence, my project commenced. Mind you, I was only thinking of Instagram that time. I wasn't even thinking of posting on my blog, even though I had a list of topics to write on. Baby steps. Plus, I wanted to get to the root cause of my reluctance to post anywhere.

Making myself post everyday was pretty difficult at first, for two reasons. First, I was not used to posting so often, and secondly, I didn't know what to post about. Providence decided to format my phone a week into the experiment. So all my fallback options disappeared. I HAD to go find nice things to take pictures of. Which I did try to do, and some of you liked it.

After a point, I got a few requests to write longer captions as people enjoyed reading those snippets. So I did. I wrote, and very soon veered off into inspirational/productivity/positivity based writings. Which, surprisingly, really struck a chord! So I decided to do more of those, and soon my Insta feed started to look different.

By the end of 50 days, I learnt:
1. People love reading about positivity.
2. People appreciate genuine encouragement.
3. People are super supportive of new ideas.

Apart from this, I realised it wasn't just laziness holding me back. I was unsure of what to post, but I realised that as long as you are true to yourself and honest about what you write, there is nothing wrong. You can do no wrong, in fact. All you have to do is stay true to yourself and write.

I found out that posting, be it a blog post, or just a picture + caption on social media, is not a big deal. It's just that social media was never something I enjoyed - I am a total homebody and introvert. That's why I took up this #project50 challenge in the first place. My blog is my baby and if my reluctance to deal with social media was hurting my baby, well I was gonna do social media for sure! And once my 50 days were over, I didn't stop! Yes, I am not posting every single day, but I am definitely more relaxed and having more fun with it. Which was more than I hoped for while doing this project.

That is what compelled me to pen down this post. I need to break the inactivity curse, and what better way to do it than to accept, and, in the process of accepting, banish the negative?

Also, I learnt I should add productivity/mindfulness/positivity as a section to my blog. People seem to really appreciate reading it and I love that I can make a difference to someone by what I write.

Well, this has become quite a long post. For those of you who read till here, thanks for staying! Drop me a comment below, if you'd like :)

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Do You Think You're Beautiful?

Do you think you are beautiful? If you do, is it because you've been told you are? If you don't, is it because you haven't? 

I have read multiple articles across various platforms, written by women who are so affected by other people's opinions of their body and their life. Don't be. Society doesn't deserve that kind of attention from you. What is society, anyway? A vague, faceless, teeming mass of people who don't have anything to do with you - they just want to judge you and give you unwarranted advice. You didn't ask for their inputs. So why do you listen?

You think it makes sense for you to adjust to what society wants to see? They tell you you're too dark, too fair, too skinny, too fat, you have weird hair, you wear weird clothes.. who cares? As long as you are happy with yourself, nothing else matters.

I see women write articles about how they were told by an aunt to start using fairness creams or else nobody would marry them. These women let it affect them. It affected their life and their self esteem. They valued themselves based on how 'society' told them they deserved to be valued. To all you women, I have just one question. Do you really think that this is the right way to react?

Do you think you need to base your opinion of yourself on what everyone thinks? I'm not going to be one of the multitude that tries to force my opinion on you. I think you are the person who knows what is best for you. You know what you need to do to keep yourself happy.

But if you really want to know what I think, I will tell you. I think society follows a herd mentality that has pervaded every aspect of their lives. If you let them, they will do the same to you. They will pull you down into a cookie cutter mold till all your individuality is lost and you aren't you anymore. You become one of the teeming mass of people that makes up society. And then you are acceptable. Because you are not an individual anymore.

If you want to know what I think, it is only this - stop caring. Your opinion should be the one that matters most to you. I don't care if you are skin and bones, or if you wear XXXL clothes, or have purple hair, or a million piercings. I think you are beautiful as you are. And nobody can take that away from you, as long as you let them. 

Do you know what else is beautiful? Confidence and positivity. If you are confident in yourself, and have a healthy dose of self esteem, I bet you nobody will be able to refrain from liking you too. Because you like yourself. Because you have worked hard to get where you are in life, you work on yourself - mind and body - to better yourself everyday. And does anything really matter more than that?

I think not. 

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I took a break.

Hi everyone!

You've all probably noticed I've been missing for the past month. It's been a crazy month. I haven't posted anything for the whole of December. It's been a month of deep reflection for me. Thinking things through and figuring them out.

It's only fitting that the new year made a few things better and brought a few new challenges. I've learnt more, and unlearnt some. And it helped me take the decision to make needed changes, including right here on the blog. I am going to restructure this blog now - you'll see the changes rolling out over the next few weeks.

I'm overwhelmed with how supportive you guys have been. The amount of correspondence I've gotten has been overwhelming - emails, tweets, Instagram DMs; all of it everywhere. I'm so thankful to each and every one of you for being there.

I will be continuing what I am writing, but I will also be adding some more stuff. I'm not disclosing anything about it right now! I'm keeping it as a little surprise for you. I hope you guys like it!

Do let me know what you like. You know where to contact me! All information below.  

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My Pretty Simple Day

I created this very simple board, with the name of my blog on it, including the hyphens that are a part of my blog link. I keep it propped up on my table, and it reminds me what I am working towards - making my little spot of the internet the best I can make it. So today, I just decided to click a few pictures with it. Taking my board out in the pretty sunshine. Here they are:

Hello board!

Photo Credits: Mikhil Mehta

In other news, I'm going to head out for the BNLF briefing soon. Been looking forward to the event for quite a while and it arrives tomorrow, I just can't wait! Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for updates, BNLF and otherwise. My facebook page is up, too. Thank you for all your support, and do comment and let me know what you would like me to write about.

xx

Myra 

Little Stories - 1 - Coconut Monkey

So, I was on my way back from dinner, walking along the road, when I come across this little shop, selling all sorts of stuff - snacks, water, bags of air with a few chips inside, cigarettes - you get the gist? Those tiny convenience stores (for lack of a better word), that we have on street corners all over the city.

At this shop, there was this little carved monkey sitting on top of the jars, with a cigarette in it's mouth! It even had hair. It was really cute, and I was intrigued. 

I spoke to the shopkeeper there.

Me - Where did you get it from?

Her - Oh, this. My brother carves these things out of dried coconut husks.

Me - Really? Does he sell these?

Her - No, he does this just as a hobby.

Me - Why doesn't he? I'm sure people would buy it!

Her - I know, and I've told him so, but he doesn't want to.

Me - Does he live in Bombay too?

Her - No, at Goa. Near the beach.

Me - Are you kidding? People would totally buy this at the night markets or flea markets!

Her - I know, but he doesn't want to sell it. We are simple people. We are content.

Food for thought, y'all. Learn to be happy with what you have! People like these who live such simple lives and yet are so satisfied and content. They aren't greedy for more. We could learn a lot from them. Have a good week :)

Find me on Twitter and Instagram. Comment below if you have any such small stories that resonate so beautifully :)

What is Beauty All About?

All the world over, everyone strives for beauty in some form or the other. 

Inner beauty, 'outer' beauty; whatever it may be. And that's a good thing. Making yourself the best version of you is an admirable goal. It's a process; a journey. And both aspects are equally fulfilling.

Making yourself a good, warm, amazing person is one of the most selfless acts you can do. You are making yourself a better person, and spreading happiness all around. If you come in even passing contact with such a person, they would just brighten up your day. They're so full of positivity that it adds a touch of sunshine to your day.

Making yourself more attractive - physically - is also a good endeavor. Of course you want to look good. Everyone does. So why not be pretty in each sense of the word and make yourself happy, while spreading joy all around?

When it all ties together and gives you a sense of satisfaction; that is when you know that you have truly unlocked another level of peace, and this is what we all strive for, knowingly or unknowingly.

Photo Credits:
indulgy.com

Simplicity

What exactly does one mean by simplicity?

Before I explain that, let me make a few basics clear for you. I am not talking about simplicity as minimalism in the sense of a fashion style of interior design choice. My idea of simplicity has definitely been inspired by minimalism, though.

The simplicity I talk about is a lifestyle choice. I have been intrigued by minimalism for a long time – I tried to apply it to my life in bits and parts. Changing your lifestyle is a big thing. Over time, I realized that that level of minimalism is not for me. I cannot be that extreme, living with 50 possessions or spending a month in 22 articles of clothing or suchlike. I absolutely admire the people who can do that, but it's just not for me. 

I need more things than that. But those things are either things I need or things that make me happy. In this age of ease of access, it is very easy to fill up your life with too many things that you don't need. All they do is add clutter to the space around you, and clutter never helped anybody. Even if you are one of those people who are kinda messy and have stuff lying around, you can still find everything you need because you know exactly where things are in that pile. I'm like that too sometimes. I'm not saying that you should be super neat. I'm saying even if it's a mess, make the mess full of things that add value to your life. Make it such that each of those things fulfill a purpose in your life -  be it about work, or your dreams, something that makes you smile, chocolate chip cookies, inspiring stuff. But definitely chocolate cookies.

I also am not limiting this to your possessions and the area around you. It is about simplifying your life in general - making time for the things that are the most important to you. It's about leading a more productive and fulfilling life.

In conclusion, I would rather, in the words of William Morris, "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."  My focus is on simplicity and quality, in every aspect of life.

Photo Credits:

seanwes.com

buzzquotes.com