Showing posts with label Self - Confidence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self - Confidence. Show all posts

Wednesday, 2 September 2020

Privy To Skin Care With Seer Secrets...

In ancient India, there was the belief of 'Simple Living, High Thinking'. When it comes to self-care, nothing above and beyond this belief is required. 

It is known for a fact that Indian scriptures hold a treasure trove of knowledge and our seers knew more then, than we can even imagine now. Our sages have been with us in spirit, through the documentation of their wisdom and our belief in customs and traditions propagated by them through the ages. 

In today’s progressive era, life has become more stressful and deep sleep has slowly become a difficulty to earn and not an ease what it should have been. We are short of time on our hands and hence end up being hamsters in wheels - the ones that end up enduring with life and not living it leisurely. 

In all this pacing, we forget to care for ourselves and eventually, are drained of our energy. For this very reason, when it comes to caring for and nourishing my skin, I rely on Seer Secrets - a brand that relies on formulations documented by the sages - the ones that give 100 percent results. 

Based on rare herbs and extracts documented by Indian ascetics over thousands of years, Seer Secrets is a brand that boasts of a wholesome range of skin care and body care products, accompanied by wellness and healing oils and herbal teas too. 

What's more is that their products are naturally derived, non-toxic, hypoallergenic, vegan, gluten-free, biodegradable, free from triclosan, sulfates (SLS, SLES, SCS), formaldehyde, salicylates, parabens, phosphates, MEA, DEA, TEA, petroleum-based ingredients or dyes, and never tested on animals. 

Sourced from and made in India, the product range at Seer Secrets is a homage to the Vocal for Local campaign advocated by our Hon'ble PM too. 

A couple of weeks back, I received my hamper of goodness from Seer Secrets comprising of six products meant for facial care. I took my own sweet time to try the products at ease before putting out the review. 


This product works on brightening and smoothening the skin, while also being a collagen booster that helps to improve the elasticity of the skin and imparts a youthful look. Also, phytosterols work as agents of skin hydration. 


As the name suggest 'Face Defense' so that's exactly how this cream works to provide protection and regeneration to delicate skin post rigorous exposure to the harsh environment. 

The texture of the cream is smooth and its absorption into the skin is effortless, without any trace of stickiness or heaviness. 

Have a look at the short video I've made to gain an understanding of the formulation and usage of the Face Defense Cream. 




This serum is a work of antioxidants derived from plant extracts that work to to visibly improve the appearance of wrinkles, dryness, and restore vibrancy to the skin. 



Infused with five citrus essential oils for improving visible signs of aging, Ratanjot improves the appearance of dull, uneven skin tone while Saffron restores hydration to dry, sun damaged skin. 


Ideally suited to aid dry skin, this serum is apt to be used both AM and PM, whilst being followed by a broad spectrum sunscreen post day time use. Moreover it's best to conduct a patch test on inner elbow and observe for a few minutes before directly applying the serum on the face. 

Watch the short video I've made to gain an understanding of the formulation and usage of the Age Corrective Serum. 




Extracting the goodness of phytonutrients contained in a single-celled Blue Green Algae named Spirulina, this masque comes to the rescue of dead skin cells. 



The repair and regenerative action provides maximum hydration to the skin, while inflammation and eliminating bacteria generating toxins. 



Have a look at the video below where I explain the usage of this masque. 



This gel is a multi-tasker in terms of being loaded with Iron Oxide and naturally sourced Vitamin C that cleanses, detoxifies, and exfoliates the skin by working on clogged skin pores and eliminating blackheads. 



 

By reducing puffiness and paleness, this gel works to treat a multitude of skin issues. By repairing damaged skin tissues, a youthful look is restored. 



Have a look at the video below to understand the benefits of this Pore Minimizing Clay Gel. 




Enriched with Mother of Pearl which is a natural exfoliating scrub, this scrub is expertly formulated with Niacinamide to tackle the signs of ageing, uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation and restore the sun-damaged skin. 


Restoring the radiance of the skin and imparting it an even toned look is the prime area of focus of this product. 


I am discussing the fine formulation of the Micro Facial Exfoliant in a short video below. 




Vying for that flawless, pimple-free, clear and glowing skin? This serum comes to your rescue with its effectiveness in the form of Aloe Vera and Guduchi Extracts. 



Even though this is an oil-free serum that's light enough to be applied multiple times a day, I would suggest to use it as a partner in your night routine so that you wake up feeling refreshed. 

I have elucidated my usage of the Facial Serum in the video below. 


All in all, I am satisfied with the product range that Seer Secrets has to offer, and would suggest to get these products for yourself if you wish to care for your skin in an authentic manner. 


What's more is that you can make use of my exclusive coupon code - "poonam10" on Seer Secrets to avail flat 10 percent discount on your purchase at checkout, no minimum cart value required. Also, in these times of the ongoing pandemic, the folks at Seer Secrets are also handing out a complimentary Hand Sanitizer with every purchase worth ₹499. 


So, go ahead and make use of the time at hand in lockdown to care for your skin in a worthy manner. Also, make sure to follow me and Seer Secrets on Instagram and FB - @poonam.stiryoursouls and @seersecrets for more such self-care DIYs.  :)

Monday, 22 August 2016

Of Work-Life Balance With SHEROES...

What?
SHEROES Summit 2016

When?
Wednesday, August 10

Where?
Eros Hotel, Nehru Place

It was that time of the year, when I was led to the insightful and inspiring SHEROES Summit for the second time, after my association with them in 2014.


Delhi traffic made sure I did not arrive before the Summit began, all roads led to the SHEROES Summit that day! :) Sairee took to the stage to speak about the conception of SHEROES and how it all began.

The good thing was that I arrived some time after the Keynote Session with Nithya Shanti had begun. His session made for a perfect start to the day and I was exclaiming 'How Wonderful!' by the time it ended. He spoke to a hall full of people early morning 10 'o' clock.

Some pearls of Wisdom (that resides in the gap between Stimulus and Response) from his interaction included:



  • 3-point agenda: Show Up, Share Your Gifts, Synergize 
  • Luck = Preparation + Opportunity 
  • Develop the art of being present 
  • Vocalize, Visualize, Emotionalize, Actualize, Express Gratitude 
  • SW SW SW SW - Some Will, Some Won't, So What? Someone's Waiting! :) 
  • Don't be afraid to ASK 
  • Job is a Chore (Hands), Career is a Climb (Hands + Head), Calling is the vision (Hands + Head + Heart)
  • MIND is essentially Mostly Inaccurate Neural Drama  




The second session was a CXO Panel moderated by Syna Dehnugara, comprising the following panelists:


  • Nipun Singhal - Director, Lloyd Electric and Engineering 
  • Pankaj Bansal - Co-founder and CEO, PeopleStrong 
  • Shilpa Sharma - Co-founder, Jaypore 
  • Radhika Ghai Agarwal - Co-founder and Chief Business Officer, Shopclues 


A simple thought highlighted how what one thinks, knows, or believes is of little consequence as what one does, matters.

Naina Kidwai was quoted on the dais as thus:

"Other than the crystal balls of family and home, there is a third ball though that we, as perennial jugglers, forget - that third ball is 'me time'. I treat this as a rubber ball - allow it to drop and bounce back when I can afford to attend it."

The three things not to do in an e-comm business or any business for that matter were discussed:

  1. Create a deliverable that caters to some need. 
  2. Make sure that the service being promised is differentiated. 
  3. Passion is overrated and dynamic in nature. 

The third session focused on Future Of Work, moderated by Rituparna Chatterjee and had the following panelists:




  • Prukalpa Sankar - Co-founder, SocialCops 
  • Kashyap Deorah - Entrepreneur and Investor 
  • Bee Rowlatt - Writer and Journalist 
  • Varun Khaitan - Co-founder, UrbanClap 


Flexible working is a lifeline, a progressive concept. Bee admitted that she would've gone crazy without it. It is also true however that the present day generation has seen flexible working, not past rigidness in routine that inculcated discipline.

Also highlighted was the fact that technology is catalyst to changing work environment while also applauding the fact that we had gradually accustomed ourselves to celebrating working parenthood.

Post-lunch it was about sparkling milestones and spiraling meltdowns, with Dare To Be by Rinku Paul, which familiarized readers with the stories of success and failure of fourteen women, one of whom was SHEROES founder, Sairee Chahal.



Other ladies featuring in the series included Zumba instructor Sucheta Pal and stand-up comedian Neeti Palta.

According to Rinku, being an entrepreneur is tough, woman entrepreneur tougher, young entrepreneur tougher still.

Two budding women entrepreneurs took to the stage, after Rinku to 'lightning-pitch' their ideas within a strict time frame of five minutes, with proper time keeping.


  • Smita Mishra of PoolWallet, with the concept of a P2P Group Payment Social Network 
  • Neha Upadhyay of Gunaa Organics, reaching out to organic farmers of difficult terrains 


One of the women who had dared to be in real-life set the room reverberating with cheers of SHEROES! at the time she arrived on stage. Ex-Indian Woman Cricketer Anjum Chopra was in our midst!



Delivering a power-packed oration, tracing her roots and training period, she was quick to comment on gender bias - à¤•ुछ तो लोग कहेंगे, लोगों का काम है कहना!

Ruchi Phool's Laughter Yoga refreshed the sleepy heads post-lunch, setting the ambiance on a lighter note. 

Shaili Chopra and Anu S Choudhary spoke about their ventures - SheThePeople TV and Good Girls Show. 

The Summit was drawn to a fitting conclusion with awesome comedy by stand-up artiste, Sanjay Rajoura. I had tears of joy in my eyes reacting to his hilarious punches! 

Until next time, when SHEROES take charge! :)

Monday, 20 April 2015

Style Is A Way Of Life...



Top post on IndiBlogger.in, the community of Indian Bloggers

~~~

A few hours back, it was very heartening to watch the video in which Karan Johar is seen interviewing a two-time cancer survivor. This is the story of Ruchi Gokhale who is a fashion blogger, aged 20. She is a cancer survivor. Not once, but twice has she grown out of the demonic disease's reach. It was a glorious and an energetic interactive discussion between Karan Johar, as a supportive host and Ruchi Gokhale. Within few sentences into the conversation, Ruchi displayed her zeal for life and vigor for positivity.

Ruchi is a survivor of not one but two different types of cancer. First she encountered Hodgkin's lymphoma. This is also termed as Hodgkin’s Disease in which the cause of cancer is lymphocytes or the white blood cells. The cancer starts spreading within the body from one lymph node group to another thereby increasing the risk to a higher level. The treatment calls for chemotherapy, radiation therapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Ruchi’s surviving mantra to endure her aura among the prying eyes of this judgemental society was to use various kinds of scarves, Kohl and other cosmetics to overshadow her bald head, which was now a  very prominent part of her body. The absence of tresses didn’t impact her zeal and confidence to believe that she was beautiful and lively. She experimented with wigs and then enjoyed taking vivid 'selfies' with her friends. She is planning to create a YouTube channel, focusing on cancer so that the confusions and embarrassing unawareness she faced when she encountered Hodgkin's lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma – two different and serious variants of cancer are mitigated to a certain extent for the masses. The average survival rate for five years with this type of cancer is 85%.

Ruchi was brave enough to emerge out from its grip, completely. But her destiny had another, and more serious form of cancer in store for her, to face. Next, she found herself trapped in non-Hodgkin Lymphoma's tightening grip. This is a form of blood cancer but here the five-year survival rate is less than 70%. Probably Ruchi had decided to fight against anything which came her way and was resolute enough to defeat it.



In Ruchi’s words, 'she had cancer' but 'cancer did not have her' and that was her motivation that kept her going. Ruchi has reinvented herself in a charismatic manner.

Karan Johar offers you to join him and reinvent yourself with #LakmeSchoolOfStyle, the same way as Ruchi did. Once you build up the requisite willpower within you, then probably even severest of risks will avert from you. As per Mr. Johar's opinion, people in today’s era are not only sculpting their personalities but their life, and that too in a big way.

For, style is not just about your wardrobe and accessories et al. Style is about the inherent elegance, grace, self-confidence and a feel good factor of oneself. Ruchi, for all of us, is a great warrior in the real sense. That is the symbol of real power - elucidating a phenomenal faith in life,  which Ruchi persevered to possess throughout her war against cancer, and beyond.

For fame comes not only from being praised and applauded for your effort publically, but also it is that voice from within which motivates you to aspire to turn your dreams into reality and make that one wish come true.

---

Lakmé is one of the pioneers in the beauty industry. The things they do set the trend in fashion and beauty that the rest of the world then catches up on. In keeping with this tradition, Lakmé has started #LakmeSchoolOfStyle, India’s first fashion video magazine.

Lakmé School of Style is a first of its kind show that will not only bring the newest trends and happenings from the fashion world but in the process will also create new age fashionistas and idols. A fashion brigade led by Editor-in-Chief, Karan Johar himself will bring the fashion news, views and events from all over the world to the internet screen.

#fame is something beyond any business or brand. It is an iconic drive, a unique movement, a proactive approach to face the future. #fame believes in two things without an iota of doubt. It believes that a piece text is solely going to be replaced by a series of frames in a video in the coming digital era and the talent will have the highest value, be it of any kind.

Since everyone is unique in their own way, each one must live their #fame. This is a single platform that invites every talented individual to join #fame and do what they love most, to live their passion completely. This is the platform where each talented individual is free to seed an idea, enhance their skills, create a community and grow in a consistent manner.

Sunday, 1 March 2015

Of Self-Confidence And Such...

I am sure if I had not been blessed to have her as my mother, probably I would never have learned the real meanings of words like self-respect, self-esteem, self-reliance, and self-pride. The real meaning of each of the words mentioned above was very important to understand. She helped me by explaining their importance in life. I also learned from her how each of these characteristics is to be built within, sustained, groomed and utilized at appropriate times.

I remember the first instance when she felt the need of these qualities to be imbibed in me when I was in fourth grade at school. It was a minor argument that I had had with my teacher, Mrs. Talpade, in the school, which the teacher took to her heart and decided to torture me against this altercation. Few days back she had given some 'Colour The Following Objects' sheets to be done as an assignment, which I could not do as I was not feeling well that day as soon as I reached home. I told Mrs. Talpade the reality and asked her permission to do it in the class so that I could also submit it to her. Mrs. Talpade never acknowledged my reason for being unwell and kept arguing that I was not telling her the truth. She felt that I did not do the coloring at home the previous day as I had decided intentionally, not to do it. I kept telling Mrs. Talpade that the argument she was giving was wrong and the only reason for not doing it was the illness. For not acknowledging her opinion, she got angry and made me stand outside the classroom for the rest of the period.

My heart was not able to accept this punishment for no fault of mine. I seriously thought that an action like punishment should take an independent party’s opinion before its execution. For example,
in this case, the argument should have been judged by the Principal of my school to ascertain whether the punishment given by my teacher was right or wrong. That day, upon reaching home, I narrated to my mother the whole incidence. She felt very happy to know my opinion on the concept of punishment. She praised me a lot for the clarity in my thoughts and ideas. She gave me a task. I was to convey the same message to my Principal. There were two ways of doing it. Either she could have accompanied me, the next day to school to meet my Principal, told her the complete story and requested her to counsel Mrs. Talpade so that the same incident did not happen again with any other child or she could have encouraged me to go to the Principal and narrate the entire incident.

She opted for the latter, and the lack of courage in me was reduced to a big fat zero, by her relevant encouraging stories. It really helped me a lot - in going to my Principal in a confident manner and taking her opinion on the same incident. I asked her permission to meet, in the morning for an appropriate time, met her at that time, and told her the complete story very clearly. Mrs. Talpade was immediately called to the Principal's room, warned not to repeat such acts in the school and after she left, I got praised by my Principal.

~~~

This post has been written as a part of Indi Happy Hours' #MyFamilyMyPride in association with HDFC Life and IndiBlogger.


Thursday, 8 January 2015

I : A Multitude...

Top post on IndiBlogger.in, the community of Indian Bloggers

~~~

I.

A Woman.

A Multitude Of Personalities.

Yet, One Soul.

~~~

A Human Being.

A Daughter.

A Sister.

A Wife,

A Mother.


~~~

Dignified.

Ridiculed.

Worshiped.

Humiliated.

~~~

Yet, she plays her part, with panache.

Unfailingly.

~~~



The fairer sex from Venus, are a divine lot.

They endure through a multitude of troubles, to portray a multitude of characterizations.

All through life.

~~~

Stereotyped by the society.

Yet, achieving breakthroughs, for their own selves.

~~~

Over the years, women in India and around the world have broken a very elementary stereotype.

'Choose between being a home-maker OR being a working woman.'

And, I'm proud to have joined the bandwagon.

For the woman of the present time, it is not an OR.

It is an AND.

There is no choice.

There is an open acknowledgement and fulfillment of responsibilities.

The woman of the present time does not shy away.

She is not the one with a weak spine.

Rather, she forms a strong pillar of support for the ones who count on her.

She embraces what is expected of her, along with the challenges, which accompany those expectations.

~~~

As women, it is not hard for us, to prioritize.

After all, we've mastered the art of multitasking, along with the art of planning, with all our schedules in place.

Home comes before Work, without a doubt.

Agreed.

Often, adjustments have to be made.

That is how the balance of life is maintained.

~~~

But it is surely not a compromise of sorts.

For you have to learn, to settle for nothing less than the best.

That which one can achieve, to the best of her abilities.

~~~

On the other hand...

Relationships weigh heavier than Ego.

That is how it must be.

For ego must not consume the person that one is.

~~~

I am defined by my lilliputian yet gigantic world.

I am defined by the worries that surround me, overpowered by the joys that uplift me.

I am defined by what I portray.

AND...

I portray a multitude.

An ocean of emotions.

A single drop of essence.

~~~

I am a free spirit...

Which cannot be contained by the labels awarded by this materialistic world...


~~~

This post is a part of #UseYourAnd activity at BlogAdda in association with Gillette Venus.
The theme is Things That Define Me.

Short Story: The Journey From OR to AND

Top post on IndiBlogger.in, the community of Indian Bloggers

~~~

Hello.

I'm Pragya Chauhan.

I'm a Woman.

And an Independent Woman, at that.

Today, I'm going to pen down my journey.

The Journey from OR to AND.

I took charge of my life, to make a choice, and not a comprise, with my dreams and aspirations.

How?

~~~

I feel proud to acknowledge that I have had the privilege of attending an all-girls convent, for twelve years of schooling.

I was a ten year old, attending the fifth grade, when Karate had been introduced as a new sport, to us girls, meant for students in grade five, up till grade eight.

It was however, not a compulsory discipline.

I had always been fascinated by ladies serving in the Police Force.

There was a certain grace and authority, that came along with the pride of being in uniform and wholeheartedly serving the nation,

If I had to pursue my dream of becoming a Police officer, I had to build upon my physical endurance.

Thus, compulsory or not, embracing Karate as a sport was not an option for me.

~~~

However, I come from a conservative background, and my parents were skeptical about allowing me to learn Karate.

There were discussions with one point rising above all.

Physical strength is attributed to the men of the house, and in general, boys.

'Why do you want to interfere with a masculine domain?

You girls are supposed to be graceful, gentle, feminine.'

This statement from my elder brother pricked me like a thorn.

I was resolute.

My parents' perspective was clear.

'Decide if you want to be a good daughter OR a Karate champion.'

OR was their keyword.

I changed it to AND.

Good daughter or not, I was a Brown Belt Karateka, by the end of my seventh grade.

A Karateka is one who practices Karate, by the way.

~~~

I still remember the date, 12 March 1997.

Our eighth grade was to begin in April.

It was during the one month break we get after any end term examination, that a horrid accident was averted owing to my Brown Belt.

~~~

One of our neighbor's daughter, Reena Di, had rejected her to-be-groom on grounds of dowry harassment.

I was with her, when we were returning from the market-place that day.

That man had sent some four other masked men to attack her with acid!

Thankfully, I'd been alertly noticing that they were following us back home.

They were on some mean machines.

But sometimes, physical skill and knowledge beats even some crazy people on machines.

~~~

One of them was carrying a bottle of acid.

I was quick to notice their intention and timing of attack.

That was it.

One strike from my side was enough for that assailant to lose all sense.

I had hit him on his hand, thus breaking the bottle.

And, acid spilled on the road.

I tackled him further by rendering him unconscious!

Reena Di panicked and ran towards her house.

Two of the other assailants tried to follow her, while the  fourth one cowardly fled!

~~~

One of the passers-by was walking his pet, in our neighborhood and was carrying a stick too.

He saw them chasing her, and was quick to knock one of them, by hurling his stick, at him.

He also commanded his dog, Roger, to chase the other one on wheels.

Being a Labrador, that dog was quick to catch up with his speed, and chewed at his tyre, thus unbalancing him.

Thus, all of them retired hurt.

~~~

Reena Di's father visited us that evening, to inform my parents of the entire episode, praising me for my bravery and guts, even when I was a girl.

That was my moment of Victory.

Being a girl, I had put to test, my physical strength.

That was my answer, to my elder brother's comment in the past.

After all, self-reliance, self-confidence, and self-defense aren't solely masculine domains!

~~~

Now, eighteen years down the line, I feel proud to acknowledge the fact that I am now, a Black Belt Karateka.

Above all, I am now posted as a Senior Inspector in Delhi Police.

Now, my parents wholeheartedly agree.

They say, I proved myself to be a good daughter AND a Karate champion.

More than being a Karate champion, I feel proud to have pledged my service, to my nation.

Had it not been for my instinct and my heart, which guided me by saying - #UseYourAnd.

Senior Inspector Pragya Chauhan refused to choose one thing OR the other, and instead followed her heart! :)


~~~

This post is a part of #UseYourAnd activity at BlogAdda in association with Gillette Venus.
The theme is Journey From OR to AND.

Saturday, 13 December 2014

She Learnt To Rise Above Fear...

FEAR has two meanings:-

__ __ __ __


Forget Everything And Run...


OR



Face Everything And Rise...

__ __ __ __

I am writing this post, to recount how, one of my neighbors overcame her fear of closed spaces, and achieved success in a purely personal domain.

~~~

Picture an elderly lady, living on the fourth floor of a high rise building and Yours Truly, inhabiting the first floor of the same building.

Mrs. D, as I would like to address her, throughout this post, was a dear friend of my Mother's.

Both of them had the same college memories to reminisce and both of them had incidentally, moved into the same neighborhood, at the time of entering into their respective wed-locks.

So, they were friends-turned-neighbors, in a sense.

~~~

I had moved to my Mother's place for the prolonged period of illness, which she had to face, in the winter of 2007.

It was during this time that I learnt, that Mrs. D, had developed a fear of closed spaces, or Claustrophobia, in finer terms.

How this fear had made its way to her mind, nobody could figure. But all of us, including my mother, wished for it to go away.

Mr. D too, had a hard time coming to terms with the reality, that Mrs. D had been influenced by a Phobia, as you would call it.

~~~

It began surfacing when Mrs. D objected to closing the door of the Living Room, leading to the Balcony, at dusk, one fine December evening.

It had baffled us, as to why a 70 year old lady would want the evening winter chill to enter the house!

That was just the beginning...

~~~

Being an active and energetic soul at heart, Mrs. D used to fetch the groceries herself, every alternate day.

She used to climb the flight of stairs, right till the fourth floor, unfailingly.

But, that December was bound to be the harshest December for her...

Mrs. D gradually started complaining of muscle cramps and pain in the knees...

Mr. D dismissed it, saying it had occurred due to old age...

~~~

Some days later, I started noticing that Mrs. D had done away with her grocery-shopping regime.

Instead, her son used to fetch them for her, now.

At first I thought, that their family doctor might have advised Mrs. D bed rest, and hence the change.

~~~

But, it was not so. Mrs. D completely stopped stepping outside the house!

Worried, I visited her, one evening.

She acknowledged the fact that she could not use the stairs now, as her knee pain had severed.

When I suggested that she could use the elevator instead of the stairs, installed in our building, she let out a huge cry!

I was astonished on receiving such a grave reaction, from such a lively lady!

~~~

That was the day when Mrs. D finally came to terms with her fear.

She detested the elevator.

It was a closed space, after all...

~~~

But, this was not the way, it should have been...

The way Mrs. D had restricted her movement to only within the four walls of her house...

It would weigh heavy, upon her, in this senility...

~~~

I decided to help Mrs. D beat this Phobia, and achieve victory over her Fear.

Instead of fetching groceries, we begun by going for a simple morning walk, in the park across the street.

I coaxed her into using the elevator, while I accompanied her.

Using the stairs was impossible for her, and had been ruled out, at first.

~~~

Call it a co-incidence or not, Mrs. D's daughter too, had a fear of the elevator, in particular, which she'd overcome, at a young age, owing to Mrs. D's efforts!

I recalled this instance just in time, to boost Mrs. D's confidence, to another level, altogether.

If she could drive this Phobia out of her daughter's psyche, she could as well motivate herself and overcome this fear!

~~~

Thus, she took initiative, and decided to use the elevator to go from the Ground Floor to the first, to the second, to the third, to the fourth, one at a time.

Meanwhile, I would come by the stairs, and keep a check whether she reached the floor, without any hassles. If she would feel anxious, at any point of time, then I would accompany her to the subsequent floors.

~~~

Obviously, we had to risk her health, and the fact that she could panic and even lose consciousness, while she was inside the elevator.

At first, it wasn't easy, and she would suffer anxiety attacks. But, it was for her own good.

A couple of weeks later, her condition improved, and Mrs. D used to go from the Ground Floor to the second, and to the fourth, two floors at a time!

I heaved a sigh of relief as I could see her, gradually overcoming her Claustrophobia.

Over a month's time, she begun going for the walk, and returning home, via the elevator, all by herself! :D

~~~

It is rightly said...

Fear is nothing more than an obstacle that stands in the way of Progress.

In overcoming our fears, we can move forward, stronger and wiser, within ourselves.

~~~

This post has been written as a part of Indi Happy Hours' Rise Above Fear in association with Mountain Dew India and IndiBlogger.

~~~

Friday, 7 November 2014

When At SOIL...

Top post on IndiBlogger.in, the community of Indian Bloggers

~~~

Thanks to SOIL, School of Inspired Leadership, where I got a chance to meet Mr. Anil Sachdev, the Founder and CEO of this unique innovative Gurukul to train professional youth in a direction to achieve new and impossible heights in their life.

~~~

The main focus here in this temple remains of the student getting fully conversant with himself first. Because if you don't know yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, you can never achieve your goals in desired manner. Without knowing yourself you cannot drive your life in your desired directions. And hence, in that condition, one surrenders himself to others, to get driven by them and that way all his ambitions, wishes and interests get buried inside and never see the light of the day. 



~~~

We had a detailed interaction with Anil on his vision, mission and the goals he has set for this great institute with a novel cause. The students trained here, who have already a professional spread of 2-5 years, after joining, get transformed into someone they had never met with, never known and never thought of. 


~~~

The transformation itself is a unique experience for each student in his or her own way. The curriculum is very structured to build the various pillars of strength within the student in such a way that the mind starts thinking in a unique innovative manner to achieve one's ambitions and goals of an individual's life.

~~~

Thursday, 6 November 2014

Unleashing The SHEROES Within Us...

Top post on IndiBlogger.in, the community of Indian Bloggers

~~~

4 November 2014.

The Day, for when, an invitation was extended to me...

By the kind folks at SHEROESIndia and BlogAdda.

~~~

Going by their philosophy, there is a SHERO within each one of us.

And, BlogAdda, as a Blogger's Network, was keen to bring those SHEROES to my city, New Delhi.


So that each one of us would abide by the motto - I Am For #SHEROES.

And, as soon as I encountered the tweet, concerning the event, on my Twitter TL, I made up my mind to attend the Event, whenever be it.

And, to my surprise, #SHEROES In My City fell on a weekday, but that weekday was a gazetted holiday!

So, I could wholeheartedly attend the event and support #SHEROES In My City! :)

~~~

4 November 2014.

0915 Hrs.

We were there at the venue - well in time - Hubby and Me. :)

There was a good half an hour margin for the extensive and insightful discussions to begin...

This is what the venue looked like when we stepped in.



It was a day - long event and I was looking forward to an eventful day...

Here, have a look at the Agenda for the #SHEROES Summit in New Delhi...

And, let me also tell you, Anu Singh Choudhary, was to be our host for the day.

~~~


~~~

First up was the founder of SHEROES, Sairee Chahal.


She was quick to outline the Motto behind SHEROES that motivates them to strive for a better future, each day.

"Every woman who makes a choice and makes it work for her is a SHERO"

SHEROES - a career destination for women professionals, committed to career success and individual work-life fit.
For women SHEROES is a gateway to the finest opportunities, resources and conversations.
SHEROES welcomes women professional across levels, stages and sectors to pro-actively access the largest Opportunity Scope for women.
There is a diverse and large range of opportunities to pick from — these include opportunities with women friendly employers, flex friendly formats, mompreneur programs, partnership programs and more.
The SHEROES Community gets access to career resources, information and community sharing. SHEROES Mentors engage actively to help women attain career success on their own terms.
SHEROES is committed to enhancing the quality and quantity of opportunities for women and investing in women professionals through various phases of their career.

~~~

Also, she enlightened the audience with some key facts concerning the organization she'd founded.

For instance...

  1. SHEROES was founded in January 2014. It is a 'new kid on the block', as you may call it, but it has emerged as one of the most prolific and energetic kid, in my opinion. Previous to that, Sairee had experimented with a start-up going by the name, Flexi-Mom, for Work-At-Home Ladies.

  2. It aims to cater to the budding entrepreneurs in the Middle Income Group. That is because, the LIG has the Government working for their capital needs and the HIG fund their own start-ups. But, it's the MIG which has drawn the line, right in the middle.
~~~

We begun with the Founder of MakeMyTrip.com, Mr. Deep Kalra...

He took us on a 'trip' to the roots of MakeMyTrip...

And, more broadly, on what were the key qualities of a successful entrepreneur, or which qualities should be on the check-list of a to-be successful entrepreneur.

He also strongly stood against the 'Yes Boss' Syndrome.

In a nutshell, one cannot grow until one is in someone's shadow.

Innovate Or Perish, was his Motto.


~~~

Next up was Mr. Paresh Nath, the Editor and Publisher of Delhi Press magazines.

He spoke about his humble beginnings and had an elaborate discussion on how the Print Media was striving in the era of Digital Media.


And, how the potential #SHEROES had to muster courage to break free of their cocoon and develop a strong sense of self - confidence.

Also, he spoke on how, we had developed into a nation of Educated Illiterates.

~~~

Next, we got to meet Ms. Tavleen of I-Mobility.

She highlighted the need for Sustainable Urbanization, with the aid of Smart Citizens from Smart Cities.

She'd begun with quite an interesting concept of Indian Gods and Goddesses and their vehicle, or वाहन.


~~~

Next, we had Mr. James Joseph of Jackfruit365, who took to heart, the Work From Home concept.

His session's highlights were this...


...Penned by James, and, these...


...Munchies from Jackfruit365.

His key-points were...

An expertise is your wings - if you are an expert people will come after you.

Your work has to perform well.

And, even for Home-Office, Discipline is the key.

Work from home allows me to be a small fish in a small pond as well as a big fish in a big pond.

~~~

The Power Couple Chat with Mr. Nikhil Mehra (of Shantanu-Nikhil fame) and his wife Vidushi, a former banker, who is now an actor (of Aisha fame), was on a slightly lighter note, as it was the post lunch session...


That's them, and their twins on screen! :D

Wise words from the conversation, by Nikhil...

Don't let down but let go.

If the intent in incorrect then the content would follow.

Just Be.

Dream all the time.

Good conversations ignite good relationships.

~~~

And, some responses by Vidushi, who has donned multiple hats...

There can be only one diva in the family. I support Nikhil's career.

If you get to do what you really want to do, it's worth a million bucks.

I don't need the money, I need something to keep the fire on.

Every now and then I try to sync my schedule with my kids.

There will be always a trade-off. You have to choose well.


~~~

The event was wrapped up, with the Cherry on the Cake...

The LAUNCH of the BIG SISTER Program.

And the Most Important A's for Working Women...

Ambition
Awareness
Acceptance
Appreciation
Attitude
Aptitude
Asking
Action

~~~

That's the Mentors and the Mentees...



Neha Singh.
Salena Rathod.
Gayatri.
Kanika.
Vibha Singh.
Poornima.
Sangeeta.
Chhavi.
Suman.
Rupali.

The SHEROES Of My City.

SHEROES In My City. :)

~~~

Thanks SHEROES India...

Thanks BlogAdda. :)

PS: The images without the Blog Watermark have been sourced from @SHEROESIndia on Twitter.