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.