My Inner Shakti

finding strength in everyday things

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Restaurants
  • Recipes
  • Par’s Picks
  • Privacy Policy

Friday Stuff [#6]

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Leave it to me to share a post about not blogging frequently only to blog again a couple of days later! I just can’t stay away. 🙂

With that, I thought I would share a few things that have either been on my mind or are good finds that we’re loving.

Here we go…

Parks and Recreation

I finished all seven seasons of Parks and Rec, and I LOVED every minute of it! If you’re looking for an awesome comedy series to watch (binge!), this one should be on your list. Leslie Knope for President!!

Kids Knives

I got K these Tovla knives a while ago, and the first time we tried to used them, he kept waving one of the knives in the air. A no go for a while! Then, last weekend, I let him use one to cut up some strawberries, and I think he actually enjoyed it. The look of pride on his face was priceless!

Toddler Masks

We’ve tried quite a few masks for Kaiden, and the ones that fit him the best came from…Old Navy! They aren’t super thick (but none of them are really!), but they don’t slide down his face, which is key.

Little Passports Subscription

My sister and BIL got K a Little Passports subscription for his 3rd birthday, and I must say, it’s pretty awesome. Every month, we get a new activity, along with stickers, a ‘toy,’ and an activity booklet. All catered to his age group. Kaiden loves opening his box every month, and I love how his creativity sparks every time. A great gift option!

Toddler Sunglasses

Kaiden hates anything that touches his face/head – sunglasses, hats, helmets, etc. BUT, when I realized it was ‘sunglasses day’ at school a few weeks ago, I bought these sunnies on Amazon because I didn’t want K to be the only one without a pair. 🙂 He’s worn them a few times afterwards but not quite a sunglasses lover yet.

Friends Reruns

Nothing better, am I right?! I wonder when I’ll be done with this show. Likely never! What’s a show that you never tire of?

Energy Leadership

I have to read the book, Energy Leadership, for my coaching program, and to be completely honest…I LOVE IT! It’s a really interesting read, and I think it’d be helpful for anyone responsible for leading teams, coaching people, leading a team (personally or professionally). Such powerful takeaways on every single page! Highly recommend this one!

Weekend Plans

We don’t have too much going on, except a play date with a good friend and her son, an ice cream party, and a visit to my sister’s place.

Hoping Vishnu doesn’t have to stay too late at the hospital. I want to have a wine and cheese night with him again!

Ok peeps, that’s all I have for today! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

No portion of this post is sponsored.  However, affiliate links are included. There is no extra cost to you, but I do receive a small commission on anything you buy through my links.  Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!

Written on September 11, 2020 Related:Friday Stuff, Uncategorized

Hello? Anyone There?

written by Parita 2 Comments

Ok…so it’s been a minute since I’ve posted here. And I’m not going to lie, I miss posting here a few times a week.

If I’m being honest, I don’t know how long I’m going to keep this blog up. At the same time, I don’t want to let it go. Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. I’ve been sharing my life on here for nearly 10 years!

The other day, when I was talking to Vishnu about all the things I want to do with my coaching business, he mentioned halting MIS the blog, and I looked at him like he had 10 heads. However, in my heart, I know that I don’t have a ton of free time to blog. Not that this space is super professional, but it does take time to type your thoughts out.

So here’s what I’m committing to right now. I’m keeping MIS alive for now, and I’m going to take all the pressure off. This means I’ll blog when I have time. I’ve always done things my way on here, and there’s no reason that should change. In fact, when I get some time, it’ll be nice to document the whole entrepreneur side of me.

With that, I’m a business owner, y’all! Like I have an LLC. Isn’t that nuts?! I’ll definitely share more as things unfold, but I’m working on a few big things right now and trying to keep in mind that I can’t go into this at full speed right now. I still have my full time job, Vishnu’s still a fellow, and Kaiden is still my sweet mama loving toddler. Good things take time. And my speedy self is coming to terms with that.

Anyways, life lately looks a little hectic, but I LOVE it. I’ve never felt so happily tired in my life!

With that, I thought I’d share some fun prompts to give you guys a more micro look into my life right now.

Habit I’m trying to break:  iPhone use before bed. I’ve set the same goal for myself for a long time now, and truth be told, I’m still working on it. But I have made some progress in the last couple of weeks, so I’m hopeful. This (bad) habit is directly related to my poor sleep quality, hence, one I know I need to fix now. Now that I’ve shared here, I feel a little more accountability, so I’ll definitely report back.

Habit I’m trying to continue:  64 ounces of water daily. My commitment to this comes from the headaches I get first thing in the morning when I don’t drink a ton of water.

Best experience of the summer:  This summer was definitely a little different than we original planned, but that’s ok. It is what it is and pretty much out of our control, so I’ve come to terms with it. It’s hard to pick just one experience, but for me, it’s all the family time we got. This summer was going to be filled with lots of travel (work + personal), and because all of that has been nixed for now, we’re home all the time. There are some cons to that, but I love that we’ve gotten so much quality time with just the three of us.

Getting me excited for fall:  Do not judge me, but I’m excited for sweatshirts. Vishnu got me two new Nike sweatshirts a while back, and I can’t wait to put them to use. I’ll go from tees and sweatpants to sweatshirts and sweatpants, and I’m all for it. I also can’t wait for cool weather runs and cuddling up under a big blanket on the couch.

Current thing I’m learning to love about myself:  In full transparency, it’s the same thing it’s been for years. I’m learning to love my body and all the amazing things it’s done/doing for me. I’ve accepted that this is likely going to be a lifelong journey for me, but I’m giving it my all. I gained some weight last October-December, and my goal was to get back in the gym and lose what I gained + become stronger. Welllll, while not totally impossible, I haven’t exactly done that. So instead of aiming for a number, I keep movement + nourishing foods in mind, and use those thoughts to push me in the right direction. Always a work in progress, y’all!

Current thing I do love about myself:  My ability to live in the moment and not get totally overwhelmed with everything that’s going on and/or about to happen in the next few months. This is a 180 from how I used to be, so I’m proud of myself for creating a mindspace of flow and joy and knowing that things will work out as they should. Not to say we shouldn’t work hard, but trusting the process.

Book(s) I really can’t wait to read: SO MANY! After I finish my mandatory read for my coaching program, I’m looking forward to reading Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.

Task I haven’t done yet that’s driving me crazy:  Hmmm…I’m sure there’s something, but I can’t really think of it right now. I feel like I need to find a way to get myself more organized, if that’s considered a task…?!

On the docket for this weekend:  Vishnu’s on call, so it’ll be just me and K. If the weather cooperates, I hope we can squeeze in some outdoor playdates as well as some time with my sister and BIL. I also want to take K out to get ice cream. My boy takes after his mama, and therefore, loves anything sweet, especially ice cream. I thought it’d be fun to go somewhere, sit, and lick our cones! 🙂

With that, I hope y’all have a great rest of your week. I’ll see ya (on here again) when I see ya!

Written on September 8, 2020 Related:coaching, Life, motherhood

A Crazy Monday!

written by Parita 1 Comment

Well, Monday didn’t go as planned!

Let’s start from the beginning…

When Vishnu and I woke up, he happened to see that there was some unrest in Chicago the night before. We didn’t think too much of it, so he went to show, and I went in the kitchen to make his lunch and get ready for my day. I happened to glance at my phone and saw that I had a note waiting for me in the school’s app. It said that school was closed because of CTA being closed and the damage done in the surrounding neighborhood.

Of course, I totally understood why the decision was made, and I 100% agreed with it. But that didn’t make moving my day around any easier.

When K woke up, I told him there was no school, and he enthusiastically said, “YAY!” That made me smile!

Between a healthy dose of screen time and hands on time with me, we made it through the day. To be really honest, it made me very grateful for K’s school and all the precautions they take whether it’s Covid related or something like this.

Here are a few highlights/funny moments from the day:

  • Kaiden ate more for breakfast than he has in the past 2 years – a whole apple, a half a piece of Dave’s Killer bread with cream cheese, and 2 thick turkey slices.
  • Kaiden had to poop during a call I had (with an external speaker we’re working with on an event). Of course, I was frazzled, but it all worked out. I’m pretty sure my other colleague on the call with me wanted to bust out laughing.
  • Kaiden skipped his nap (of course!), but he definitely tricked me. At about 12:45 pm, he declared that he was tired and wanted to take a nap. I got him all settled, tucked him in, and of course 10 minute later, I hear a little voice yelling MAMA!
  • We read two Berenstain Bears books, and it made me excited because I feel like we can dabble in longer chapter books soon!
  • We also played in bed which means I ran and jumped and Kaiden laughed. Best 20 minutes of my day!
  • We watched Aladdin in the afternoon. Seriously one of my fav movies!
  • In addition to everything that happened overnight, we also experienced a crazy storm in the late afternoon. It spooked Kaiden out, and I was pretty sure out patio furniture was going to end up in the Chicago River. It didn’t. However, there as a lot of destruction across other parts of the city.

Anyways, that was our crazy Monday. Not as expected, but I think I handled it with as much grace and calm as I could muster. I give so much props and credit to those working parents who also have to play the role of teacher at home during this crazy time. Hats off to you!

Written on August 11, 2020 Related:home, Life, motherhood, Uncategorized

Coaching vs. Talking to Your Best Friend

written by Parita Leave a Comment

iPEC talks a lot about the difference between different modalities – therapy, coaching, sports coaching, mentoring, and friendship. The differences may seem subtle but they’re really important.

Today I want to talk about the difference between talking to a coach vs. talking to your best friend. Obviously, you pay a coach for their services, but there’s more to it than that.

So unlike a friend, coaches are totally objective and non-judgmental. And while good intentioned, friends do seem to come with their own agenda. Which makes sense because they know you, they have assumptions based on past behaviors, and they even have biases that pertain to you. Friends are also more than likely happy to give you advice and share their experiences.

Most coaches, unlike friends, are trained professionals. They can focus on a particular area of your life and not give advice. Instead, they ask empowering questions to really get you to think about your goal, opportunity, etc. It’s all about you as a client! Coaches are trained to challenge you in a supportive way, whereas friends may not recognize or be willing to point out issues or things you need to work on.

Both coaches and friends have a role to play in our lives if you so choose. It really just depends on your goals and what you are looking for. If you want advice and someone to tell you what to do based on what they know about you, I’d say just go to a friend. But if you’re looking for that objective view/person that makes it all about you and really works hard to create sustainable change with you, I’d say go for a coach.

I hope that helps clear things up! As you can probably tell, I’m super passionate about coaching and want to share everything I’m learning along the way. Can’t wait to blog more about it all.

Written on August 6, 2020 Related:coaching

Weekend Recap – Super Short

written by Parita Leave a Comment

…or it felt super short, I should say!

Vishnu and I both commented on how this weekend just flew by. I think that’s a direct reflection of how much easier it is to parent a 3 year old than a younger child. Maybe it’s just us, but while we still have our ups and downs with K, this age is just so much fun and easier to manage. Woo hoo!

Anyways, here’s a high-level overview of our weekend…

FRIDAY – productive, creamy mac n’ cheese (from a box!), Parks and Rec, Vishnu home late

SATURDAY – run with my sister, park time, lunch from Moti Cafe (so so), 2 hour nap (for me and K), simple dinner, ‘Love Wedding Repeat’ on Netflix (do not recommend!)

SUNDAY – park time with a friend, short nap (for K), quick grocery trip, delicious pasta dinner (by moi), more Parks and Rec (and lots of laughing out loud!)

Other things to note:

I hope you guys are ready for more coaching posts on here and on IG. I’ve been brainstorming topics and have so much to say!

Threenagers are a very real thing. VERY REAL!

While I was super impressed with my fellow Chicagoans resolve to wear a mask in enclosed spaces, I’m no longer impressed because people are slacking! I went grocery shopping this weekend and I saw people with the mask under their nose, under their chin, and surprise surprise hanging over one year. WHY!? IT’S NOT THAT HARD!

How is it AUGUST?! Like how?

I’m still loving my daily t-charts for my to do lists. I found the idea via Kamana Bhaskharan’s instagram account and it’s an amazing system! I’m so much more productive when I have my chart ready to go.

Ok, that’s all I have for today. Have a great Monday!

Written on August 3, 2020 Related:Weekend

All About My Journey to Becoming a Professional Coach with iPEC

written by Parita 2 Comments

I can’t believe I’m writing this post. For a long time, I didn’t know how I was going to make this vision of mine come true. Fear was holding me back from pulling the trigger and signing up for a coaching program. But thankfully, my wonderful husband reminded me that all I needed to do was take the first step. The rest of would come. And here I am!

So I want to share an informational post to help those who aren’t familiar with coaching or who want to work with a coach.

Let’s get started!

What’s coaching?

Coaching is essentially a powerful relationship between a coach and a client. The coach works with the client to establish and work towards a meaningful outcome for each session that helps the client reach their overarching goal. From my perspective, I want to help people understand and reach their potential (very broadly speaking).

Why do I want to be a coach?

The short answer is I want to make a direct difference in people’s lives. I believe that my professional development and career so far has definitely set me up nicely for what I hope to be my profession (or a large part of it) one day.

I’ve also always wanted to be my own boss and ‘do my own thing.’ I think with my passion for this work and my desire to make an impact, I can do that in due time.

Why iPEC?

So once I decided that coaching was something I wanted to pursue, the next step was figuring out the program I wanted to join. I did a lot of research and talked to a number of admissions counselors to learn more about each program – the benefits, time commitment, support, etc.

iPEC stood out from the rest for a couple of reasons. The admissions counselor I spoke with was so knowledgeable (not the case everywhere!) and followed up with me and made herself available. I also liked the fact that iPEC has a business development component to their curriculum, which is super helpful to those who want to turn this into a business. I also resonated with iPEC’s core energy coaching model and philosophy. I feel like it aligns with my thoughts around self-development and how I strive to live my life.

What does coach training consist of?

So I can’t speak for other programs, but iPEC has a few different components. There are three 3-day classroom modules that occur over a 6 month period (I attended my first one this past weekend). In between those sessions, you have webinars, assignments, peer coaching, and a number of other things to help you with the education component as well the practice piece. The program in it’s entirety runs any where from 9-12 months.

How much does it cost?

So programs vary in terms of cost, but the iPEC one is ~$12,000. Not cheap by any means and definitely something to be seen as an investment.

Who is eligible to participate in this program?

From what I know, the people who participate in iPEC’s program come from all walks of life and have varying goals around what they want to do with this new skill. Some want to start their own business, while some want to bring coaching to their current job, while others, believe it or not, are doing it more for personal development reasons.

How is coaching different from therapy and mentoring?

Therapy – from what I gather, in therapy, clients often dig back into their past for answers and stay there for a while. In coaching, you explore your past for learning purposes, but you don’t stay there. Therapy is also about figuring out the why (hence the past), whereas coaching is ultimately about moving into the future by looking at who you truly are at your core.

Mentoring – Mentors differ from coaches in that they are there to show you the ropes by speaking from a personal lens of been there done that. Coaches never bring their own life into the conversation with the client. The coach is the expert in the coaching process and the client is the expert on their life.

What kind of coaching do you want to do and what are your goals?

Honestly, I have no idea. A lot of people assume all coaches are life coaches, but that’s not the case. Niches vary just like with other professions. I’ve toyed around with everything from being a female executive coach to a parenting coach to a mindset coach. I haven’t landed on any one thing yet. Who knows…I may go nicheless for a bit.

In terms of my goals, I eventually (like a year or more down the line) want to start my own coaching business. And if we’re talking big HUGE vision and goals, I want to write a book and do some speaking engagements here and there as well. All in due time!

How has the program changed you so far?

I’ve only gone through the first weekend module. That being said, I really truly feel like this program is life changing. I know that’s so cliche to say, but I can already feel my mindset and energy shifting. I’ve had three big coaching convos with people I love, and each person took action after the convo and said it made a difference. During a peer coaching session over the weekend, the person I was coaching started crying at one point and said, “I may have changed her life.” I think she was a little overcome with emotion, but if even 1% of that was true, I feel happy I was able to make a difference for her.

The lead coach facilitators also said you can’t unlearn what they teach us and what we experience. You are almost always going to approach situations from one kind of coaching lens or another. I love that!

But the biggest benefit I’ve seen so far is that I’m able to coach myself out of catabolic thoughts and shift them to ones that serve me more. I did it on Saturday evening when I got home and was irritated with Vishnu about something. I realized that my thoughts were doing nothing to help me connect with him the way I wanted to and I was able to quickly shift and have a fun evening. I’VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT BEFORE (at least not that quickly).

Ok, that’s all I’ve got today. Let me know what other questions you have. Happy to talk more about this.

If you got to this point, thank you for reading! I can’t wait to share more about my journey and mayyyyyybeeeee even work with some of you!

Written on July 29, 2020 Related:Uncategorized

Kaiden Says the Darndest Things [1]

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I really wish all parents would broadcast the things their kids say (especially around the 2-4 age) because it’s so darn funny! Our little guy is a talker and always come up with the funniest (to me at least!) little sentences/phrases. Let me share a few examples…

Me: Kaiden, clean up all your toys before you start playing with something new.
Kaiden: [in a low voice] If you want to clean, you do it.

Ok fine, that was funny but fresh. Don’t worry, I talked to him about it!

Kaiden: I said you’re a silly goose.
Me: Who did you say that to?
Kaiden: To Augusta (his classmate).
Me: What did she say?
Kaiden: She didn’t say annnyyything.
Me: Oh, what did she do then?
Kaiden: She laughed and I said rawr!

Me: Ok, let’s say our prayers. Nana, nani…
Kaiden: No, just the ladies.

Me: God, we thank you for our health…
Kaiden: OH MY GOD!

Me: I’m going to give daddy a big kiss.
Kaiden: Aww, that’s so so sweet of you mama. So sweet!

[Walking out of his room one morning…]
Kaiden: Who’s that little man sitting right there? [It was Vishnu.]

Me: Ok, let me go get my phone and we can leave.
Kaiden: Mama, turn off the light.
Me: Why?
Kaiden: We don’t want to waste the light.

Me: Kaiden, you look so handsome.
Kaiden: Let’s go look in a mirror. [Upon seeing his reflection in the mirror, he stares and smiles.]

Kaiden: Mama, I’m going to fix your hair. Ok, you look so beautiful now!

And that, my friends, is the first edition of Kaiden Says the Darndest Things because I’m pretty certain there is more hilarity to come!

Written on July 22, 2020 Related:Toddler, Uncategorized

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • …
  • 185
  • Next Page »
Welcome to My Inner Shakti! This is my little corner of the internet where I explore and share more about the things that give me my inner strength. I hope you stick around! Read More Here...

MIS gives back!

All advertising proceeds from this blog will be donated to a different charity every month!

Subscribe to MIS

Sign up now to receive all the latest from My Inner Shakti straight to your inbox!

Follow me on Feedly!

follow us in feedly

LOVE my blog!

Follow on Bloglovin

Web Hosting

categories

Archives

Top Posts!

  • My Experience with Apple Cider Vinegar
  • The State of My Skin + Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream
  • Acne Update: Jojoba Oil + Tea Tree Oil
  • An Honest Review of “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”
  • DIY Diaper Pail
  • Create Your Own Tabata Workout
  • Day in the Life with an 8 Week Old
  • 14 of My Favorite Love Quotes Just in Time for Valentine's Day
  • Drunk Elephant Daytime and Nighttime Skincare Routines
  • Focus T25 - Week 1 (Beta)

Follow me on Instagram!

No images found!
Try some other hashtag or username
Copyright ©2021, My Inner Shakti. All Rights Reserved. Custom design by Pixel Me Designs