Hello everyone! Welcome to THE PEACE STORIES. Today we have Chinmayee Gayatree Sahu with us. Today, she will share her inspiring story of being a blogger and an author, how she realized good people still exist in this world, her thoughts on healing, poetry, and a lot more. Come, let’s know her peace story.

The Peace Story of Chinmayee Gayatree Sahu

Chinmayee's Healing Story:

Healing is a continuous journey and is an ongoing process. I have struggled with both physical and mental breakdowns. And sometimes, when people say they understand someone's pain, I think somewhere it is not true. No one can ever understand, what really goes through in someone's life. No one can walk in your shoes, but yes, having an empathetic environment certainly helps. I am blessed to have family and friends who help me in this endeavor. I can only say, the journey is on.

Of Poetry and Healing:

Poetry is a form that helps me express my deep feelings be it brief endeavor, resentment, gratitude, love, longing, or for that matter desires. Poetry also helps connect some amorphous, fleeting moments that one experiences on a normal day.

A Note on Peace:

Peace is a very vast spectrum for me. I am yet to experience the true calmness which would in a real sense mean peace. But I can certainly say that I experience bits and pieces of it for a few moments or for a few days when I accomplish something, or I am able to give a smile on someone's face. Creating something makes me feel calm. Be it paintings, blogs, or stories, giving shape to an idea requires effort and when that effort gets recognized, it feels great. And such creations become a reflection of my identity & in a way are eternal in a world obsessed with momentary pleasure. This certainly helps feel good.

The Letters Connect - A Letter to the Younger Self:

Dear Younger Self,

Forgive yourself and learn to have loved yourself a lot more for the untamable fire that you were! And you should have learned that people mostly forget what you do for them with time. And sometimes you should be selfish enough to ask what you want from people who are close to you. A listener needs to be heard and a giver needs to receive as well!

Love and Light, Chinmayee

Letter to the Younger Self by Chinmayee

Story of a Stranger:

I recall an incident from my childhood.  I was very young and was selected for Inter School Sports Championship. While returning I missed my school bus and was left behind in the middle of the road. It was a scary moment. My parents were in shock after finding out that I had not returned with the entire school batch.  Not one but many strangers helped me reach my school and helped me reunite with my parents. As I look back, I understand the gravity of the situation and think that this world does have good souls who help people in need without any expectations.   

Chinmayee's Message to the World:

Whatever happens, life moves on. Most People will forget what you do for them, and even the most trustworthy ones will break your expectations. What matters is how you hold on to hope when you hit the rock bottom because not many will be there with you during those dark moments.

A Beautiful Realization About Life:

I have discovered that there are both sides of a coin to every story. People who tend to understand this will not judge you easily and I love minds that understand things from a broader perspective. Life is a mystery to be experienced and sometimes it does not make sense. Despite the roller coaster ride that it is, Life is beautiful, and only when we spread kindness or help each other, we can realize what a beautiful gift this life is!

Chinmayee's Gratitude Notes:

My Maa is my lifeline and my true blessing. She is the one who holds me firmly when I feel like giving up. She is the epitome of courage & resilience for me. I am very proud & grateful to have been born as her daughter. My Baba has always been a symbol of keeping one’s head high despite any difficulty and has encouraged me in life.

My younger sisters and my entire family have always been very supportive of me and I am what I am because of them.

My friends (Madhavi, Amod, Tejaswita, Farhana, Sheron, and Sonal) who have walked along with me for over a decade now are my favorite people. Manish, whom I met through my writing journey has been a very close friend and has always stood by me through many crucial moments. I am extremely grateful to have been blessed with genuine bonds that keep me going.

My friends from the writing community group have always welcomed me with open arms and I am thankful to each one of them.

Last but not the least, I am grateful to the Almighty to have been my ultimate savior and I pray to HIM to guide me in the future as well.

(We will add the gratitude notes to our Big Gratitude Jar, where we are collecting all the beautiful things we are grateful for in life.)

About THE STORYTELLER:

Chinmayee Gayatree Sahu is currently a government official. Till now, she has authored three books.  The first book titled “Five Petals” is a collection of short stories and the second one titled “Heartfelt Symphonies” is a poetry platter.  Her recent book titled “Traces & Memoirs: Stories of You & Me” has just been published and reflects upon human emotions through fictional stories. All the books are available on Amazon. She loves connecting with people and visiting new places. She also loves painting and when she dedicates it to someone, it means she has put in soul into it. Know more about her works from her blog Chinmayee's Creations.

ABOUT THE PEACE STORIES:

We are building a space for calm and bliss. A space for counting our blessings. A space for just breathing and being. I welcome you all to come along with me to build our very own community of storytellers.

The Peace Stories: Together we smile, together we heal.

Read all the peace stories here.

Hello everyone! Welcome to THE PEACE STORIES. Today we have Rakhi Jayashankar with us. Today, she will share her motherhood journey, how she found her purpose in life, how she befriended a stranger who became her buffer, a beautiful letter to her younger self, and a lot more. Come, let’s know her peace story.

Rakhi’s Writing Journey:

I am a small-town girl from a rural village in Kerala. Without any exposure, and with a thick accent, I have been the quintessential Mallu girl. But what I was sure about that I wanted to become a writer. Due to peer pressure and family expectations, I learned to or had to learn biotechnology and then switched to HR and finally got married and settled down as a mother. It was when I had my second child that it sunk into my psyche the need to do something with my life. Since reading and writing have been my passion, I started writing a short story that extended to a novel. I started a blog to promote my book. Hardly did I know that this would be the beginning of a new era in my life. I had found my destiny.

Finding Purpose in Life:

My life can be divided into before Winnie (my third child’s pet name) and after Winnie. After my PTSD, which went undiagnosed, I ended up in a toxic friendship that sabotaged my mental and physical health beyond repair. That’s when I realized there was something wrong with my mental health and decided to help myself as I was too proud to ask for help.

I joined the holistic wellness coaching course for myself. But once I got into it, there was no looking back. I found my destiny. When I was a child, I used to attend Bhagavat Geeta classes by the Chinmaya mission. My Guru told me that every human being has a purpose in life and your job is to find it. And I found it at an age that can be counted as halfway through my life. But I believe it's never too late to find your purpose in life.

A Note on Peace:

Peace for me was different at different ages. I think peace is a space where you can feel content with your life despite the differences, negativity, or any adverse situation around you.

Books have always been my source of peace. Reading is therapy for me. But once I went into my Wellness, Mindfulness, and meditation journey, I never felt the need to have peace because it became my permanent state of being.

One beautiful realization about life:

You can be a strict mother, gentle mother, tiger mother, helicopter mother, or any category of mothers popping up of late, but you will be the best woman in your life. NO ONE can give you such unconditional love. Once they grow up, it might change, their priorities might change but rest assured, deep inside you will always be best for them.

The Strangers Connect:

Meeting strangers has always brought out the best in me. Not once but several times. Sometimes people whom I come across would be connected with me in more ways than one. From these experiences, I learned how to love myself and stand up for my worth. I met a stranger through one of my friends, and I befriended her easily. Slowly, she became the one whom I resented often. I got close to this person and we both got to know each other. The sheer fact that we resented each other without knowing our reality.

She is an introvert, I am an extrovert, she hates the limelight and I love to be in it. We are poles apart but we share a beautiful bond of friendship. She played a major role in my wellness journey. She is my buffer. I can call her anytime but when she calls me, I can give excuses. Surprisingly, she wouldn't count on the times when she was with me and I was not. I am blessed to have such a selfless human as my friend.

The Letters Connect:

Dear Little me,

You might feel wronged, you might feel betrayed, you might feel like ending this life where no one wants you but trust me, this is a phase, maybe a little longer but hold your ground because you don't know what you are made of. One day you will realize your self-worth, which will boost your self-esteem and you will start a journey of self-love. One day you will hold hands and bring another soul to the right path.

Love and Light, Rakhi

A message to the world:

Whatever problems you are facing in your life, how you get affected by them is in your hands. Be the master of your life, not the slave of someone else's malice. Know your worth. Learn to say no when needed. When you are in a dilemma, ask yourself and find your solution yourself. Because it lies within you.

Rakhi’s Gratitude Notes:

My gratitude jar is full of my love for the ones who trusted me and believed in my worth. My gratitude to the ones who pushed me down to a point where I had to come back. If not for them I wouldn't have realized my worth. To my family, to universal power, and myself for not giving up yet.

(We will add the gratitude notes to our Big Gratitude Jar, where we are collecting all the beautiful things we are grateful for in life.)

(TPS: Thank you, Rakhi, for being with us and sharing your story with The Peace Stories. We are honored to have you here. Wish you all the best for your journey ahead. May you be guided by peace and purpose.)

About the Storyteller:

Rakhi is a Book Review Blogger, Life Coach, Health Coach, and Yoga Trainer. Her passion and profession often amalgamate her sheer interest in yoga, nutrition, and holistic wellness. Her vision and mission in life aim at bringing everyone to holistic wellness and seeing the benefits as the smile on their faces. Know more about Rakhi from her website.

About The Peace Stories:

We are building a space for calm and bliss. A space for counting our blessings. A space for just breathing and being. I welcome you all to come along with me to build our very own community of storytellers.

The Peace Stories: Together we smile, together we heal.

Read all the peace stories here.

Sustainable living is a way of living your life with the awareness of your conscious choices to be kind to the earth. On the other hand, mindfulness makes you think more deeply about the choices in your daily life.

Thus, with mindfulness, you become more aware of your choices and more mindful of living your life by embracing sustainability in every step.

Therefore, mindfulness helps you build eco-friendly habits and nurture the planet’s resources with empathy.

What is Mindfulness:

Mindfulness is a state where your mind is aware of the present moment. Achieving this mental state begins with bringing your focus to the present moment when you acknowledge your truths and accept everything as they are.

Gradually, you surrender yourself to the gentle flow of calmness in your mind. As a result, you receive peace of mind and connect with the stillness within.

Mindfulness and Sustainable Living:

According to research, mindful activities lead you to be aware of the connectedness with nature. Therefore, you can make conscious choices toward sustainability with mindfulness.

You might have the habit of using a plastic cup when sipping your coffee. But, when you bring a reusable cup to the café for enjoying your coffee, you become kind to the planet.

Similarly, when you are having your dinner in a restaurant, you can choose a plant-based menu over others. Because you are conscious about your choices that make a good impact on our planet.

Every little change you will make in your way of sustainable living will start with mindfulness. Gradually, you will grow eco-friendly habits to become kind to the earth.

Furthermore, in the state of mindfulness, you pay attention to the purpose of making sustainable living a part of your life.

As a result, before making any choices, you will ask yourself the reason behind your decision. This is how you can contribute to the planet’s sustainability by being more mindful of your conscious living choices.

Being Kind Towards Our Planet:

Mindfulness helps to strengthen your connection with nature and you become a mindful observer of the environment.

Thus, when you become more mindful of nature, you want to know more about the ways of protecting the planet.

Practicing sustainable living begins with cultivating a sense of kindness in your heart for the earth and saving the planet’s natural resources.

Additionally, when you are kind to the earth, you think more about your choices that impact the future of the planet.

Thus, you develop the habits of reducing, reusing, and recycling as the first step toward practicing sustainable living.

How to Be Mindful Towards Sustainability:

Mindfulness builds a sense of purpose in your every step when you are practicing sustainable living. When you are more mindful of the choices you are making to save the planet, you become more purposeful in your behaviors.

For example, when you are becoming more aware of the planet’s resources, you are going to make conscious choices like opting for eco-friendly shopping, using eco-friendly furniture in your home, and repurposing the products that you were going to throw out of your house.

As a result, you take one step closer to reducing your footprints on the planet and choose to live with sustainable choices.

Additionally, when you are mindful of sustainable living, you are more likely to engage in eco-friendly behavior in your daily routine. This way, you spread awareness to your circle and communities about the goodness of choosing a sustainable lifestyle.

Mindful Choices for Sustainable Living:

When you are stepping towards practicing sustainable living, you must make some mindful choices and change your lifestyle. For this purpose, start with your eating habits.

Opting for a vegan diet or having a plant-based diet for your daily meals is a great choice for sustainable living. If incorporating this diet plan seems tough for you to practice daily, you can opt for having these meals once or twice a week.

Similarly, focus on reducing plastic waste as they are harmful to our planet. Instead of using plastic products, opt for using reusable shopping bags, coffee mugs, cutlery sets, travel mugs, and straws.

Finally, focus on making your lifestyle greener. To live a life with more sustainable choices, you need to take the step to embrace changes one at a time.

Therefore, if you make conscious consumer choices and shop with intention with a minimalistic approach, you will take a little step towards sustainability.

Similarly, being mindful when you are buying something, and remembering the purpose of your shopping intentions make you more aware of sustainable choices.

This way, mindfulness helps you become aware and connected to the planet. 

As a result, you become more conscious about your daily lifestyle habits to transform them into eco-friendly ones as you start practicing sustainable living.

Concluding Thoughts:

Sustainable living is a choice that brings significant changes in your life. Being kind to the earth and mindful of your choices help you lead a life with purpose.

Therefore, if you are planning to live more sustainably, you must practice mindfulness to connect to the earth with more kindness.

With a kind heart and an awakened mind, you will become more conscious about the choices you will make to embrace sustainable living for yourself and the planet.

(I want to thank my co-blogger Pragun for sharing her valuable input to the research behind this blog post. She is doing a great job by raising eco-consciousness through her blog.)

(This post is part of the Cause A Chatter campaign by Blogchatter.)

(This content is copyrighted by Swarnali Nath and by no means to use for any purpose without the writer’s prior permission.)

Hello everyone! Welcome to THE PEACE STORIES. Today we have Varsha Bagadia with us. Today, she will share her inspirational journey of transformation, meeting a stranger and learning kindness from the encounter, her moments of personal achievements, and a lot more. Come, let’s know her peace story.

A Marwari with a Maharashtrian heart, Varsha has spent her entire life here and loves every bit of it. She is fond of everything from wall painting to sketching and crocheting to gardening and cooking to hitting the gym. Writing is her passion and she expresses herself best through her written word. 

Varsha's Writing Journey:

It started during my school days although back then it was about writing essays, adding my own lines to greeting cards, or random poems that would always get appreciation from teachers, family, and friends. I maintained a diary and wrote in it often. Over the years that culminated in blogging. It’s been 11 years and counting! I’m also planning to release a couple of eBooks on Amazon and hopefully, that will happen soon. 

Varsha 2.0 - The Transformation Story:

I’ve always been on the heavier side and never thought that I could reach where I am today. My transformation didn’t happen overnight. I’ve tried and failed at it many times before. The biggest difference was that I stopped feeling guilty and avoided setting deadlines this time around. 

The ‘Eureka!’ moment was nothing more than a group pic in an event where I stuck out like a sore thumb with my double chin and shapeless baggy clothes. It was now or never for me! I decided to use basic knowledge of workouts from my gym days and found free apps online that could guide me further. 

I went for early morning jogs and followed them up with crunches and leg exercises every day. Most importantly, I monitored my food intake closely while making sure that I ate healthily and didn’t starve. The effects started showing in 2-3 months and thanks to the continued support of family and friends, I haven’t looked back.

While the numbers on the weighing scale mattered, honestly, contentment came from the fact that my hard work yielded results. 

Holding the reins of your life in your own hands is akin to no other joy in the world!

Varsha's Note on Peace: 

Anything that makes me feel at home and makes me happy from within is peace. It could be a place, a person, good food, or even a song. I must admit though that these things keep changing. Don’t we all evolve with time?

The Journey of Self-discovery: 

I embarked on the journey of self-discovery by giving myself priority over others and valuing every single moment I spent with myself. I allowed small experiences that gave me the joy to take a permanent place in my life. 

I never ran in my life but now run three days a week since it makes me happy. Self-discovery is an ongoing process and one of the most interesting ones for me. Sometimes I surprise myself. Isn’t that awesome?

One Beautiful Realization About Storytelling:

Storytelling gives us wings! We can create a sweet or mean character we want and handle its reins with our pen/keyboard. I find this liberating since this allows me to virtually feel emotions that I otherwise possibly wouldn’t. 

Activities for Calming Down the Anxious Mind:

Meditation, cooking, reading, music, playing with my kids, or a good game of squash; different things work at different times. I sometimes sit near my home temple and chant mantras to calm myself down too. 

The Letters Connect - A Letter to the Younger Self:

Don’t underestimate yourself and life will sort itself out. You’re doing great! 

Story of a Stranger:

I was newly married and was traveling alone on a local train for the first time from Navi Mumbai. The crowded Kurla station seemed confusing and overwhelming so I asked a guy about the platform where my train would arrive. He told me and I followed his directions. In a little while, I saw him running down the stairs towards me profusely apologizing for his mix-up. I was at the wrong platform and needed to rush as my train was about to arrive. I thanked him and broke into a run. Luckily the train was late and as I gratefully waved him goodbye, he genuinely smiled. This incident broke the incorrect assumption I had about Mumbaikars. 

Kindness exists in our hearts. There’s goodness everywhere. 

Moments of Personal Achievements:

The last two years have ironically been the most rewarding for me. I ran 8 marathons in 2020 and taught myself baking. 2021 was even better since with Blogchatter I did many new things like being part of a podcast, moderating a session on arthritis, and also completing a couple of blogging challenges. Earlier this year I was a winner of a contest on the Growth Matters Forum. Honestly, every new thing I learn is an achievement for me. Being consistent is also one of them.

A Message to the World:

Life is too short to fight over whose God is mightier, in the end, we will all turn to dust. Just be good humans and let everyone live in peace. 

A Beautiful Realization About Life:

Our biggest and most intimate relationship is with ourselves. I’ve lost friends, had broken relationships, and got distanced from family but never felt alone since I had me. Being self-sufficient is simply wonderful.

Varsha's Gratitude Notes:

I am grateful to life for my health, family, financial security, independence, and education. Everything else is derivative of these in some way. 

(We will add the gratitude notes to our Big Gratitude Jar, where we are collecting all the beautiful things we are grateful for in life.)

TPS: Thank you, Varsha, for being with us and sharing your story with The Peace Stories. We are honored to have you here. Wish you all the best for your journey ahead. May you be guided by peace and purpose.

About the Storyteller:

Mother of two, foodie, fitness lover, reader, agony Aunt, dreamer, and forever Potterhead best describes Varsha. She is a blogger, author, editor, content creator, and independent writer by profession. Check out her famous blog A Vibrant Palette.

About The Peace Stories:

We are building a space for calm and bliss. A space for counting our blessings. A space for just breathing and being. I welcome you all to come along with me to build our very own community of storytellers.

The Peace Stories: Together we smile, together we heal.

Read all the peace stories here.

Gratitude has the power to brighten your day and bring a smile to your face in the midst of consistent meetings. Similarly, appreciation in the workplace cultivates a sense of contentment in your mind.

As a result, workplace gratitude brings a moment of joy to your tough schedule and makes your day meaningful and purposeful.

Image Courtesy: Canva

Suppose you enter the office and you receive a Thank You note from someone. How delightful it sounds! This is the first thing you hear in the morning when you are about to start your day in the workplace.

And you find the day’s motivation to continue your work.

In this blog post, I will discuss the benefits of practicing gratitude to improve employee well-being. Let’s explore.

What is Gratitude at Work:

The origin of the word Gratitude is the Latin word Gratus which means pleasing or thankful. Gratitude is a feeling of appreciation when the person receives an act of kindness, gifts, or some form of generosity.

However, showing gratitude at work is a beautiful way to appreciate others and it helps you spread positive emotions in the workplace.

When employees practice workplace gratitude, it means they cultivate a culture of appreciation at work. Thus, showing gratitude at work is a vital part to value the contribution of employees.

How Gratitude Helps in Employee Well-being:

Research shows that practicing gratitude on a daily basis is strongly associated with finding happiness. As we know, gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, they experience joy in every little thing in life.

Similarly, practicing daily gratitude in the workplace improves employee well-being to a greater extent. With the power of gratitude, employees overcome the challenges they face at work and build strong relationships with their co-workers.

Workplace gratitude significantly enhances employees’ moods when they are working in a hectic schedule. In addition, it also improves their productivity which helps them nurture a happier workforce.

As a result, practicing gratitude at work leads employees to build a deeper connection with their co-workers and daily work.

Benefits of Workplace Gratitude:

• Acknowledges Humans Rather Than Talent: Workplace gratitude acknowledges people as they are, rather than rewarding them as a part of the talent pool. Therefore, when employees say thanks to their co-workers, it helps build a strong relationship between them.

• Builds Empathetic Work Culture: Practicing gratitude in the workplace and appreciation of valuable contributions or collaborative approaches build an empathetic work culture in the office. As a result, workplace gratitude paves the way towards leading with empathy and nurturing compassion to spread awareness of a diverse and inclusive work environment.

• Gratitude Helps Employees De-stress: When employees practice daily gratitude in the workplace, they remember the positive things happening in their lives, and thus, it helps them de-stress. This way, gratitude reduces their work stress and boosts their employee well-being.

• Calms Down Anxious Minds: workplace gratitude activities calm down their anxious minds that relentlessly gather information about the pending tasks in the office and achieve daily goals within the deadlines. As a result, gratitude in the workplace uplifts the moods of employees and helps them work in a stress-free atmosphere as they nurture a caring and supportive work culture.

• Boosts Employee Engagement: Practicing gratitude in the workplace boosts employee engagement, increases overall productivity, and cultivates a positive recognition strategy.

• Brings Motivation at Work: Furthermore, daily gratitude at work boosts employees’ morale and they will work with higher self-esteem which helps them stay motivated for the entire day at work.

• Improves Sleep Routine and Prevents Burn Out: Building stronger connections and spreading positive vibes in the workplace enhances employees’ sleep routines, prevents burnout, and improves their mental and emotional well-being.

How to Practice Gratitude at Work:

To practice workplace gratitude, first, the employees need to build an inclusive work culture. 

A culture of trust helps in cultivating a friendly attitude in the workplace that eventually leads to peace of mind at the day’s end.

Furthermore, employees need to help and support their co-workers when they are feeling burned out. It will strengthen their relationships and improve the collaborative approaches by practicing daily gratitude.

Thanking your co-workers for their valuable inputs, their guidance in executing a specific task, gifting them to appreciate their contribution, and sharing the goodness around the workplace will help you practice gratitude at work.

Additionally, recognizing the innovations and creativity of employees and acknowledging their hard work by giving them rewards will pave the way to reap the benefits of practicing workplace gratitude.

Concluding Thoughts:

Practicing gratitude in the workplace makes you count your blessings and remind you of all the good things at work. Additionally, it will help you cherish a nice relationship with your co-workers.

This way, working on a tight deadline will never be stressful for you and the workplace will not be that boring place.

Instead, working with your colleagues will be fun and you will enjoy working together as everyone’s contribution will be valued and acknowledged.

Because it all begins with a Thank You!

(This post is part of the Cause A Chatter campaign by Blogchatter.)

(This content is copyrighted by Swarnali Nath and by no means to use for any purpose without the writer’s prior permission.)

(This blog post was featured as a Top BlogRoll on the Blogchatter website and earned me this awesome badge of being a Top Blog at Blogchatter.)

Hello everyone! Welcome to THE PEACE STORIES. Today we have Rashi Roy with us. Rashi is an HR, a Blogger, Content Creator, and Co-founder of SKR & Daughters.

Today, she will share her inspirational journey with us. Come, let’s hear her peace story.

LET’S KNOW THE KIND SOUL:

I am from Dhanbad and currently living in Perth. Professionally, I work as an HR with the Australian Government. I am passionate about a lot of things like writing, music, painting, and recycling craft. You will find all of these in my blog and YouTube channel. I like places that are quiet, food that’s spicy, and books that have beautiful stories.

A STORY OF KINDNESS:

I did a month-long series on acts of goodness where I shared one story every day. Each story taught us to be kind, helpful, and positive. One such story was of a young man helping an old woman. She bought some medicines and while making the payment she realized she forgot her wallet. The young man standing next to her in queue stepped forward and paid her bills. They were complete strangers yet he instantly decided to help her. The woman was in tears looking at this kind gesture and blessed him for what he did. Such things are rare, people usually hesitate when it comes to monetary aid but this young man taught us a valuable lesson that day. Help when you can. If everyone lends a helping hand, the world would be a much better place.

RASHI’S LOVE FOR WRITING:

I love to write at my own pace without any deadline or schedule. I enjoy the process of creating something. There’s a different kind of joy you get when you finish writing poetry or fiction. My everyday life is indeed a great source of inspiration. I like to keep my characters real and my stories revolve around things that we come across every day. I also enjoy writing some personal experiences that are worth sharing. I shared my childbirth story on a parenting platform which was a huge hit with more than 4L views and there were comments that touched my heart. It was only after that I created my blog and then there was no looking back.

A NOTE ON PEACE:

I don’t try to fit in or rush to keep up with the crowd. I have dreams and goals and I keep moving towards them at my own sweet pace. I know how much effort goes behind every small step. One needs to appreciate the effort rather than worrying about what’s not done. I find peace with every step I take toward achieving my dreams.

SKR & DAUGHTERS INITIATIVE:

“SKR & Daughters” is founded in the loving memory of our father whom we lost to cancer. Through this venture, we are raising funds for cancer patients by selling our paintings and recycled craft items.

During our innumerable visits to the cancer hospitals, we have closely seen how many families struggle to provide treatment to their loved ones. If we could help even one, it would mean the world to them.

We wish and pray to give strength to everyone who is fighting cancer and to their family members who are going through a turbulent time both physically and mentally.

A BEAUTIFUL REALIZATION ABOUT LIFE:

Everything happens for a reason. You don’t meet someone just like that, there is a connection. At times, you don’t realize it but there’s always a reason.

So, if something doesn’t work out the way you want to, wait patiently and let it just pass. At the end of it, you’ll realize it happened for good.

RASHI’S BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT IN LIFE:

I had a career break for seven long years. I am happy I spent those years doing what I love the most. I created a blog, and a YouTube channel contributed to several books, came up with a talk show, started a venture for a social cause, and have also won accolades and appreciation. The biggest achievement is the love I receive for my work. When complete strangers send messages that they are inspired by me and look forward to more of my work, it means everything.

THE LETTERS CONNECT:

Letter writing is a great way to connect to people across the world. In The Letters Connect, we write letters to strangers, our dear ones, and our younger selves. I asked Rashi if she was told to write a letter to her younger self, what would be that one thing she would write her must? Here is what she writes to her younger self.

Dear Younger Self,

Don’t let society define what is wrong and what is right for you. It’s your life and you are the best person to decide for your own self. If you think what you are doing is correct, go for it. Stand for yourself, lead the way, and set an example.

– Love and Light, Rashi

RASHI’S MESSAGE TO THE WORLD:

Be kind. Help others. Be polite. Everyone is going through some difficulties and struggles in life. We might not be able to help them come out of it but our kind words and deeds will definitely give them the strength to sail through. The world is in need of a lot more kindness and love.

RASHI’S GRATITUDE NOTES:

I am grateful to my parents. The kind of upbringing I had helped me in becoming a good parent and an even better person now. Whenever am stuck, I try to handle the situation as my parents would have done and it becomes easy. As a child, I might have created trouble but they were always patient and calm with me. I try my best to create a similar peaceful environment at home for my kids. They are also my biggest cheerleaders and have always been very supportive. If they didn’t shower all the love and confidence on me, I wouldn’t have been the person that I am today.

(We will add the gratitude notes to our Big Gratitude Jar, where we are collecting all the beautiful things we are grateful for in life.)

TPS: Thank you, Rashi for being with us and sharing your journey with The Peace Stories. We are honored to have you here. Wish you all the best for your journey ahead. May you be guided by peace and purpose.

ABOUT THE STORYTELLER:

Rashi is a multi-lingual writer, poet, author, musician, and YouTuber who loves to create recycling crafts. She has contributed to a number of anthologies and has been the recipient of various recognitions and awards. She has also started her new venture ‘SKR & Daughters’ to raise funds for cancer patients. Check out her website rashiroy.com

ABOUT THE PEACE STORIES

We are building a space for calm and bliss. A space for counting our blessings. A space for just breathing and being. I welcome you all to come along with me to build our very own community of storytellers.

The Peace Stories: Together we smile, together we heal.

Read all the peace stories here.