‘To put it differently, very often risk is worth taking simply for the sake if taking it. There is something enlivening about expanding our self definition, and a risk does exactly that. Selection a challenge and meeting it creates a sense of self empowerment that becomes the ground for further successful challenges. Viewed the way, running a marathon increases your chances of writing a full length play. Writing a full length play gives you a leg up on a marathon.’

Wait! I have been doing this all along? I just searched this term and it’s called Retrospective realisation.

Disclaimer- Risks we are talking about here are ‘If I didn’t have to do it perfectly, I would try….’ By author Julia Cameron.

A little bit of context, author talks about how we have interest but we don’t give them a shot because we fear being seen trying or failing, therefore we give excuses that we are too old, too broke, too shy, too proud? And encourages us to take more challenges regardless of the outcome, because doing those challenges builds our self esteem and helps us doing our job better. These challenges could be anything - modern dancing, archery, writing, wearing red lipstick (she suggests).

I had a ‘aha’ moment, good enough for me to get my laptop and write about it, because I have felt each and every word of that paragraph, not once but multiple times, and by the end of this article, hopefully you would give this is a shot as well.

As my company ‘Andyou’ completes 8 months, my most asked question is how did I get the courage to start something new that I had no idea about? As an architect I do get where people are coming from, but I never had a right answer to give, until I read the paragraph we begun with.

I have been giving myself challenges as long as I can possibly recall, failed in most of them for your information, and I have no shame in admitting because I was strong enough to try and that’s the muscle I love training. God forbid if I ever loose this muscle.

These are some of my accomplishments-

1. Completed 1.5 years on learning Duolingo (Failed at streak and got 2 days by buying points- can we appreciate the honesty here please?).

2. Published an article every single week for 1.5 years on the most random topic on Substack - feel free to go and check.

3. Took multiple 30 days challenges.

   

   

   

4. Ran 5km - Last week. (documented on Instagram)

5. Almost Close to finishing a book on ART, as it was my new year resolution to learn more about it and it clicked me after good 6 months that its time to start.

6. Currently on week 7 of ‘The Artist Way’ which is a 12 week course on improving creativity with multiple tasks. (I am not sure if my bar is high or I am never satisfied but I think I am doing a 5/10 on this course).

I have documented most of this, for myself, in someway or other. You should too, our brain loves evidences.

Maybe I have an answer now, I know I will complete my challenges maybe 30% sometimes 50%, but the reward behind risk is so satisfying no matter the outcome that I always feel that it will be worth the uncertainty, the despair, the boredom, the safety net.

I under valued my side quests - until today, after connecting dots it does make sense to me.

What is your ‘If I didn’t have to do it perfectly, I would try….’

I know this is my most used quote of all time, but it’s my favourite and I can’t think of anything better - ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars’ - Les Brown

Sending Hugs.

So a little background about us, me and my dad. I think I was born and got him so much luck and he setup a factory, well he calls me snobbish for that but I’ll take it. I don’t have much childhood memories left in me but I do remember winning all my dance and art competitions and my dad not congratulating me for any of it, well he is a proper business man who doesn’t care much about art in any shape or form. I have always been scared of him till high school and then I became a rebel and things changed. Then their were two stubborn people.

When I see my girlfriend’s and their dad, I often realise that our relationship is different. Normally girls dad would treat their daughters like a princess and my dad would constantly put me to places to where I would be uncomfortable, not letting me leave reality, constantly telling me how difficult it is to earn money. This doesn’t stop here, as we went yesterday for our meeting in peak afternoon heat, which was at our construction site he made sure that I was standing with him for half an hour, I went to police station for passport verification he came with me and showed how buglers were beaten to death, he is always trying to show me the reality of the situation and I have always hated it.

VERY IMPORTANT - He does care for me a lot and he isn’t great at showing it but I see his moves indirectly. Constantly asking my mom to feed me five times a day as I lost few kgs or calling me up later on the day that I cried for some random absurd work just to see that I am ohkay. Giving me all the freedom in the world to come home anytime, go anywhere. Reminding me that I don’t need makeup because I’m his by product aka pretty.

We both have such weird love hate relationship that it could blow from a fun banter to a fight in seconds.

Yesterday I went out with a friend where she was talking about how she is not motivated to work and that there is no pressure from her dad either, and I couldn’t relate to what she was saying because my narrative is so different with all the tough love dad has given me, until that point I never understood what it was but yesterday I realised that the normal for me wasn’t exactly normal for others, yes my day has questionable ways but it also made me who I am.

From a girl who is always flying he makes sure to humble me every single day. He would spoil me a piece a jewellery and then would make sure to tell me how many months I would take to buy me. He would take me on vacation and remind me that what if he didn’t earn well enough that we would never afford vacations. And their are places where we both have accepted that our opinions can never be the same (took me years).

As I keep up skilling myself developing Andyou my clothing brand, my mom keeps telling me how much I am like my dad and it’s my biggest compliment. It’s always a roller coaster ride with him but somewhere down the line I have started enjoying it, initially was like someone has forced me into it.

Things may often look difficult with family, but when you look back in the hindsight they are usually trying to make you understand a lesson that was hidden for you specially, a key to unlock the future potential of yourself. My dad has still not said a word about my brand and I was mad about that for the longest time but I am well aware that he has not been taught to show his emotions openly and he is 53, expecting anyone to change at that age is stupid, but I know that he loves me deeply like no one can and he is always a call away.

I am going to go and give him a big hug and 100 kisses to which he is going to reply what do you want from me! Classic. Well, a new pair of earrings won’t hurt anyone hehe just kidding.

Thankyou for taking out the time:) go tell your parents that you love them.

Hey, muchkins (I wrote this two months ago)

I hope everyone is doing great! Are we feeling the fire horse energy? It’s kicking in for me. I can’t believe it’s been four months since my brand ‘Andyou’ and as much love I have gotten for it, it’s nothing that I ever imagined, and I know I should be focusing on the brighter side, but I did see 6% jealousy to 94% love. I have to be honest.

Random girls commented – You must be lucky to be going viral in a month of launching your brand. I saw her profile, and well, she was trying for some time, so I can’t blame her.

One relative got touchy with the topic that would be too much information, but I did get the underlying insecurities there.

I was curious about ‘Jealousy’ as a topic. Honestly, I didn’t remember when I was jealous the last time. I remember being angry, disappointed, overwhelmed, and annoyed, all of the negative emotions other than jealousy. So, I did what anyone with close to 5 friends would do! I asked them lol.

All of them said they have never seen me jealous. So, I started digging in my rabbit hole. One friend thought that I am jealous of guys lol, I would never want to be them, all I want is equal opportunity (and them to have periods too jk)

I remember jealousy as an emotion distinctly as a kid, when my mother gave more attention to my brother or my dad, for a matter of fact, when my best friend became someone else’s best friend, when I wasn’t invited for a night stay, and a lot more. I used to be jealous until college, then things started shifting for me.

I realized (or maybe therapy helped me) everyone has some sort of chip on their shoulder.

I would idolize someone, and I would get closer, know them well, and they would have something that I wouldn’t like to have. It started with celebrities, then a scam came out, and I was over it. Then moved to people who have it all, then I got to know parts that I would never deal with, and it went on and on. Not that they are wrong in any shape or form, but if I had their life, I would have to deal with those things, and I would rather just deal with my issues myself.

I was in my early twenties at this point, and as COVID hit and I felt left out by my friends in college (it was not their fault, they were in the same city and I was away from them), I got jealous again. Well, later I realized being with cousins is so much more fun, and I was over it.

The point being that every time I was jealous about some person or some situation, it always came with something. Because no one has it all.

I am a human, and maybe I will be jealous again, in the future, with something, but I know I would never take the sacrifices that place situations comes with those situations, if not for myself.

As I discussed that girl’s comment with my friend, thinking if she was right? Am I just lucky? She reminded me that I missed three weddings of people close to me just to launch my brand with all I have. I recorded on the days that I cried in the morning, all of which I didn’t remember because I was so torn amidst self-doubt.

No one on this planet has a perfect life, even if they feel it’s perfect! Your idea of perfect would be very different, and unfortunately, no one can pick and choose. It’s just better to water your own grass.

I genuinely, from the bottom of my heart, feel that this is my own journey. I have no sales in two weeks, nothing has been going according to the plan, still I wouldn’t want it otherwise. With all the odds that are in my favour, I am sure I will figure something out. (Thank God I stuck around)

I think finding out who you are jealous of and what the reason behind it, it will bring you closer to what you want in life. This is what helped me. Not all negative emotions are bad; they just bring you closer to your own self, in my opinion.

Thanks a ton for taking the time and reading this. Appreciate it.

This week was all about work, but I did manage to sneak in two new episodes of ‘Your Friends and Neighbours’ on Apple TV. I watched the first season in February and I can’t get it out of my head - it was so good. I usually take my own sweet time to fully absorb a series before recommending it to anyone, and this series is that one.

To begin with, I love watching rich people have problems, hehe. It is so entertaining!

A little bit about the series - it is based on a guy named Coop (aka Jon Hamm – who has aged like a fine wine) whose life falls apart as his wife cheats on him and he loses his fancy investment banking job in NYC, and has to figure out how to keep up with the rich-rich neighbourhood of Westmont Village, paying for his sister’s bills, alimony, and tuition fees.

As he tries to apply for jobs, his boss ruins everything for him. Freshly separated and bruised, he didn’t want his wife or kids to know about the finances (or his wife’s boyfriend to pay for anything), so he keeps it a secret and starts discovering random patterns among his rich neighbourhood friends (which he once was a part of).

How their lives were so hollow, but the expensive materialistic things acted as a bandage on it. How his friends had so much wealth lying around that their brains couldn’t keep track of all the things – to a point that even if he stole something, no one would ever come to know.

As he starts on this adventure, he finds a maid who helps him execute a few robberies. Then the plot takes unexpected turns, for which you need to watch the show because I don’t want to give it away.

As much as I hate misogyny and am on the verge of becoming a man-hater, Coop’s character really made me look into the role of a father and a husband — a provider, a protector. He risks it all for his wife and his kids instead of disappointing them by lowering their lifestyle. He tries to hold it all together just so society doesn’t treat his family differently. I hugely respect men for what they do for their families, and this show offered a very close insight into that.

There is this one epiphany that he has towards the end of the show where he says that at some point we got so caught up in money and accumulating things that we no longer know who we are - or who we were to those closest to us. He was so focused on getting it all that he never gave enough attention to his kids or wife, which led to the divorce. Meanwhile, his best friend was also facing money problems, not because he didn’t have enough, but because his wife’s dad is a billionaire and it would always feel like less.

The fun part was watching the robbery of fancy watches, Hermès bags, and all things luxury - things so commonplace for them that they didn’t even notice them missing. What can I say, champagne problems.

Overall it was a mix of adventure, comedy, and emotion. I would give it a 10/10. The cinematography is beautiful too. I am loving season 2 as well so far.

Watch it if you haven’t, so that we can have a chat about it :)

I’ll see you next week!

Last year I read an article on Substack that left a lasting impression on me. I’ve gone back to it multiple times and even asked many of my close ones to read it. I’ll leave the link here for you as well.

Le Secret Club

Luxury is a frequency

We’ve been sold the idea that luxury is something you buy—an Hermes Birkin, a weekend at The Plaza New York or The Ritz Paris, a closet filled with The Row, Toteme and Khaite. And for the longest time, I fell for it. I wanted to be a real-life Lily van der Woodsen (minus the questionable marriage track record…

Read more

a year ago · 454 likes · 17 comments · Gabrielle Dubois Meloff

So why does this article stay with me?

Because it articulated something I have experienced many times but never found the right words for. It explained exactly what goes through my mind when I feel the urge to buy something expensive.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that — we should all do what we want with the money we earn. But personally, I’ve been putting most of my money into SIPs instead of buying myself that fancy bag… so that’s on me.

But here’s the thought that stayed with me:

Luxury is a frequency.

Have you ever met someone who walks into a room and the energy shifts? Someone whose presence is so bright that you almost stop noticing everything else?

They have this quiet aura around them. They’re radiant, graceful, and effortlessly elegant. And something about them tells you that they genuinely like themselves.

I have met two such people in my life — my Bua and Varsha aunty.

Both are above 50. Both incredibly poised, simple, always put together, and unbelievably graceful.

I remember once coming back to Pune on a bus with my friend Poojal. We had spent the weekend at our friend’s place (Varsha aunty’s son’s house). While we were discussing the trip, Poojal suddenly said, completely in awe,

“Bro… did you notice Aunty’s aura? She is a literal Queen.”

And honestly, I couldn’t agree more.

I wish I could share their pictures here, but that would invade their privacy, so I won’t.

But what really fascinated me were the similarities they shared.

Here are a few things I noticed:

1. They are deeply committed to yoga.
And you can see it. The glow on their faces, the calmness, the way they carry themselves. Yoga does wonders for stress, anxiety, and, honestly, aging.

2. They both have grounding hobbies.
Reading and landscaping. Simple things that keep them connected to themselves rather than constantly needing external stimulation or social validation.

3. Their style is simple but incredibly elegant.
They don’t make clothes their personality. Instead, they choose clothes that complement who they already are.

They invest in quality over quantity — good jewelry, well-made clothes.

My Bua still wears sarees from the 90s, and no one can beat her at it.

Also, no compliment makes me as happy as her compliments do.
(Yes, I am extremely biased.)

4. Their marriages feel like partnerships of strength.
I strongly believe that a woman’s energy can elevate a household — Shiv Shakti. Both their husbands truly flourished after marriage.

Happy wife, happy life… I guess.

5. They don’t over-explain themselves.
This one fascinates me the most.

They say what they have to say and are perfectly okay if others disagree. No long explanations. No need to prove anything. There is something incredibly chic about that kind of quiet confidence.

6. Self-care is non-negotiable.
Organic skincare, fibre- and protein-rich diets, movement, rest — they take care of themselves as it matters.

Because it does.

When I step back and look at them, the common thread is clear:

They consistently prioritize themselves.

And your body, your face, your energy — they eventually reflect how you treat yourself.

Now, I have nothing against luxury goods. They’re beautiful. They’re fun. And yes, one day I will absolutely own a great watch, a beautiful bag, and nice shoes — all of it. (Especially more so after starting my more brand.)

But before that, I want to become a luxury. I also realise that you have to become that with consistent effort; these ladies have been doing it for years.

Not for anyone else — but for myself.

Because eventually everything becomes normal. The bag, the diamonds, the watch. The dopamine fades. But who you are stays.

So yes, I will work hard to buy the bag one day. But I want to make sure that by the time I carry it, I have worked enough on myself that I don’t need logos to make me feel powerful. My presence should do that already.

What do you think about this?

See you next week :)

I had a good, slow week, and I am very happy about that. I’ve had this newsletter sitting in my drafts for quite some time, and I finally feel ready to put it out into the world.

Has anyone ever made you feel like you are a bit too much?

I have felt that way around a lot of people, especially as a teenager. And as I grew older and started setting boundaries, those were the same friends who slowly drifted away.

For the longest time, I never really understood what gaslighting meant. I hadn’t paid much attention to it until recently, when my friend shared a story with me. Her boyfriend told her she was “too much,” and it struck me, because I had been told the same thing many times, sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly, and sometimes just in the way people behaved.

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation where one person makes another doubt their own reality, memory, or feelings. The goal is to make the victim question themselves so much that they start believing the manipulator’s version of events instead of their own.

And now that I understand it, I can’t unsee it.

In my friend’s case, her boyfriend did something wrong, yet made her feel bad by saying she was “too sensitive” and that “he’s only human.” Instead of taking responsibility, he justified his behaviour and made her question her own feelings. That’s gaslighting.

I’ve had friends in the past who gaslighted me into believing that I was too much because I prioritised sleep, the gym, and my health over hanging out. They used that as a reason not to invite me to places. At the time, those friendship breakups hurt terribly, but looking back, they were blessings in disguise.

I’m not saying people don’t have flaws. We all do, including me. I’ve made my share of mistakes, too. But feeling like you are “too much” is not a burden you need to carry, and definitely not a label someone else gets to assign to you.

It’s up to you whether you want to let things go, call them out, or try to make someone understand your perspective. But please, don’t let the idea of being “too much” sink into your system. The right people will value you because you have boundaries, not despite them. They will like you for exactly who you are. I wish someone had told me that when I was a teenager.

Not everyone is meant to be everything for you. Some friends are for chilling and having fun. Some are for deep, intellectual conversations. To some, you’re a safe space to vent. To others, you’re a once-in-a-while full-moon friend. All of them matter. And some people don’t fit into any category, and that’s fine too.

Since I’m in the mood for laughter, here are a few ways I’ve been gaslighted over the years:

1. Being called needy for a dopamine hit on Instagram when all I asked for was a simple follow or some support.

2. Someone justifying lying by saying they were “avoiding a fight” because I am “too much sometimes.” Honestly, I felt like their lack of guts was the real issue.

People project their insecurities. I might have done it too at times, unconsciously. But recognising it doesn’t make it okay. It’s something we need to unlearn.

I love the fact that I feel deeply. I love how “too much” I am, how much fun I have around the people I love, how loud I can be, how openly I talk about feelings, and how I choose to confront them instead of running away.

You are a star, honey. Behave like one. ✨

I truly believe in the magic of the universe, and we are very close to 2026, lock in!

I'll see you next week:)

It’s a Monday morning, and I am writing this instead of working on meta ads. But now that I am my own boss, no one can stop me ,I guess. I had a terrible Sunday, and I am really excited to work. To take my mind off things and to put my energy into better productive things.

I have a faint realization this morning, i.e., we don’t give work enough credit. What I usually see around me is that it’s stressful, paycheck is less, taxes are killing the profits, etc., all of them true by the way, not complaining. But work also helps us mentally.

Have a good day! Work. Bad Day? Work. Dog died? Work. Breakup? Work. Disappointments? Work.

We should give work some credit to keep us sane, for being a constant in the chaos of life, for bringing stability, and helping us be present (avoid spiraling). Work obsessions could take unhealthy turns as well. I know some crazy workaholics (I am not one of them), but that’s still better than any other bad habit, I guess.

Also, shout-out to work for giving me some of my coolest friends. Starting on your own is fun but it gets so lonely at times, I miss my work friends, gossip, coffee, and long lunch breaks.

I think work has really shaped some of my fundamentals in life, like discipline, accountability, and creativity (that comes naturally when you keep showing up).

If your work sucks and you don’t enjoy it. Change it! Or maybe reflect on what is missing because I personally believe that work can help you solve your non-existential problems, often in your head.

I love how work keeps us grounded, in check.

Work hard, babies, make body and money because no one can beat a rich hot bod.

Love you guys! Have the best week:)

First, I am sorry! I have been missing out, but at the same time, writing forcefully with my mind being occupied just didn’t seem right! I have been talking about starting out my own thing back in November, and now my baby ‘Andyou’ is coming the day after tomorrow :) I'd like to discuss it further.

It’s a clothing brand to make styling feel easy and help girls find clothes that reflect their lifestyle. This idea has been brewing since May 2025 and is finally coming to life in December.

I don’t want to talk all polished and nice or very ‘Founder’ like or maybe ‘sales person-y’ because you don’t follow me for that! This is my space to be candid, reflect, and take away better.

It’s been exactly one month since I left my job and started working full-time in this. It was fun and felt like a thesis project! Nothing to complain about until it came to advertising or talking about my product online.

Don’t get me wrong, I am great with talking people one on one, talking about the product story and all of it but when it comes to camera and pretending to talk as if someone is in front of me when I was alone in a locked room, felt stupid and not natural and later, after editing also felt like too much, altogether.

It took me more than a week to accept that this is the reality, I would have to talk about the brand, narrative, values, and everything until it gets to a point where I have enough money to hire someone else to do it for me, scripting and editing maybe.

I am torn between people who think she is all over and feel tired of my face, but at the same time, no one can talk about those products with so much passion other than me, because I was the one who did minute details like matching the stripes.

Moreover, if I don’t talk about it, then who will? I am really enjoying this process of becoming, and the energy reflects it. The problem was that I was always looking to be a designer rather than a businesswoman woman and after math of launching learned that design was just 5%! Operations and sales were the main goals! I got a wake-up call.

‘Everyone is whore. Grace. We are just selling different parts of ourselves’ – Thomas Shelby

So guess who is going to sell a hell of clothes? Because life meets you at the level of your audacity, and my love for clothes has just been fueled!

I am discovering parts of myself unfold every single week since the beginning of this brand, and I can’t wait to come here and tell you all about it. Aren’t we here to experience it all?

Put your seat belts on! We are in for a ride, honey.

Thank you for taking the time and read this! You have no idea what your contribution has been in this journey, where I was so shy to say out my thoughts out loud a year ago! To now, screaming and shouting about my products, we have come a long way. Writing these articles every week gave me confidence and also helped me build my discipline. I owe you a lot.

If you are here till the end. Use ‘SUB1’ as a code to get 15% off! You can order by direct message to @andyou.india on Instagram. I am working on a website and will let you know soon.

Will definitely see you next week! We are feeling very real today, so no edits, overlook my grammar. Wish me Luck!

P.S. – I have officially become that person who shows her baby picture (product photos) at all the events. Lol.

It’s been one week since I officially became self-employed. Or, if I may call it so, unemployed with extra steps. It’s been fun so far, but honestly, the most difficult part has been structuring my own day.

I don’t have a routine. I don’t have deadlines. I don’t have a boss. Which sounds dreamy until you realize how hard it actually is to hold yourself accountable when no one else is.

Some days I wake up ready to conquer the world, and other days, I feel like I have ADHD (I don’t, I tested). But my brain still jumps from one idea to another — ten tabs open, zero focus. It’s chaotic. It’s me.

Anyway, that’s the life update. I’ll tell you more about what I’m working on soon.

Now, let’s talk about something I really don’t understand — gambling.

Don’t get me wrong — I love a good game night. Give me a board game, good food, and my favorite people, and I’m all in. There’s laughter, connection, and a sense of being completely in the moment.

But poker? With real money? That’s where I draw the line.

Yes, I’ve played it — with a few bucks here and there — and I did enjoy it, but only because it was casual. The minute it becomes about serious money, I lose interest (and not just financially).

I think my dislike for gambling runs deeper. Maybe it’s because, growing up, I saw people lose ridiculous amounts of money. Like, life-changing amounts. And even now, I know people who gamble twice a week like it’s therapy — except it’s not.

I don’t want to sound preachy, but I genuinely don’t understand the point of it. You could be doing literally anything else — watching a movie, going on a trip, having dinner with friends, dancing, painting, building something — anything!

Instead, people spend hours staring at cards, screens, or dice, hoping luck will suddenly change their lives. And maybe for a few, it does. But for most, it just burns through their money and time.

I get that it’s thrilling — that rush of maybe winning, that dopamine hit — but it feels so hollow to me. Like a quick fix for boredom or emptiness that never really satisfies.

And I guess that’s the thing I dislike most: the illusion of control. The idea that you can win back what’s already lost. You can’t.

So yeah, maybe this is just me being opinionated. Maybe it’s my version of a pet peeve. But I’d rather spend my time connecting with people, creating things, or just laughing over a board game with snacks.

Because at least then, the only thing at stake is who gets to brag about winning Catan.

See you next weel:)

Your context tells me a lot about your life and background, your work, everything on the surface, sure. Your upbringing, your language, your curiosity level and a lot more. Okay, you’re thinking: obvious.

I remember in architecture college they took us to a village every year for a few days and asked us to document every street, house, and public space, then come back and draft it on paper. The wholesome reason for this activity was to help us understand the context.

If we talk business, relationships, or work:
— An apartment is priced higher depending on the context.
— A shirt of the same material and stitching costs more when displayed in a mall.
— Imagine the Mona Lisa on the streets of Mumbai instead of the Louvre in Paris.
— Your friendships often depend on your school, college, or workplace.

My point is: when context matters so much in all aspects of life, why don’t we focus on the context of our own minds? I was in a job where I questioned myself every day. Later, when I changed jobs, I was much happier and more satisfied. I had friends who often felt very judgemental and gave off bad vibes; I actually cried a lot after those friendship breakups, turns out it was the best thing ever. In college, my best experience was living in three different cities: it gave me such a tough time, but it was so worth it. It could be different for everyone.

This is a sign for you to check your context. If you feel undervalued, stressed, or unsupported, you probably need a change in context. It could be anything, it doesn’t need to be big. Small things make a huge impact in the long run. Even recognizing and addressing it is a big step, because otherwise it will stay in your subconscious until you change it.

A lot of times, some things can’t be changed: the city, a difficult boss, a family member. For those, remember: where there’s a will, there’s a way. Either you find the will to have a difficult conversation so you can find a solution that works for everyone, or you let it go. Now you might be asking: why recognise it in the first place if you have to let it go? My friends, the answer is this, next time a similar situation comes up, your reaction will hopefully be better because you’ve already processed it.

Well, that’s been my approach, and I’ve done a lot of things wrong already haha.

Happy Diwali, my loves. This new year, take time to analyse your context: what are you grateful for, who has been there for you (send them a thank-you text), and what needs to change?

Sending love, hugs, and a lot of abundance, may you have a year that brings you all the little luxuries of the world. Have a fun week.

See you next week.

I’m turning 27 in the next six months, so I gave myself a challenge: to do 3 sets of 10 push-ups every single day.
Was I hoping I’d be able to do it perfectly by the end of the month? Yes. Delusional, I know.
Was I better at it than when I started? Also yes.
So is it really a win? In my opinion — yes.

I didn’t commit to this challenge as much as I have to previous ones. I could make excuses for myself because I skipped 6 days, which is a lot. But with Navratri and sleep deprivation, it didn’t feel like the most ideal thing to do.

So here are the stats:

1. 80% of the month, I managed to do them.

2. 10% — with bag support, 10% — on my knees, 10% — inclined (I wanted to do it so badly that I was ready to try everything).

3. I had protein twice a day, which really helped with recovery.

4. I had terrible pain in my abs, so now I know my weak points.

5. I began with 10% going down, and now it’s 50%. (I didn’t document this process, so don’t buy it if you don’t want to :) )

Conclusion: yes, I kind of failed the challenge, but I started enjoying the process — and push-ups are my most hated exercise ever! The point is to show up every day and work toward the goal.

Let’s see if I can do both push-ups and pull-ups (too ambitious?) before I turn 27! I really want to see my fittest self at least once in my life. Fingers crossed.

What’s on your body goals list? This topic makes me excited haha.
Taking a break from monthly challenges this month, but there will be a follow-up in November.

See you in the next one :)