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#12 + #39 + 7 lessons

written by Parita Leave a Comment

This time of year is always very reflection heavy for me. And not so much because it’s the start of a new year.

January is special because it’s my birth month, and it’s My Inner Shakti’s birth month. And this year I turned 39 while MIS turned 12!

I can’t believe I’ve had this little corner of the internet for 12 years! What a ride it’s been.

I literally started on a whim after talking to a good friend about how I wanted to start a blog ‘one day.’ She was so supportive and told me I totally should. Later that night, I researched how to start a blog, and from there, MIS came to be via WordPress.com! One day was actually a few hours later, and I’m so thankful I took the leap to put myself out there! 12 years later here we are.

So much of my life is documented here – all of my moves, my wedding, friend’s weddings, birthdays, all the small stuff…

Speaking of birthdays, I just celebrated #39. And by celebrated, I mean I spent time with loved ones (over the course of the weekend), had a lovely lunch with one of my best friends, and spent the evening with Vishnu and the kids. Perfection in my mind!

In true Parita fashion, I thought I would share some of the big things I’ve taken away from both my 39 years and my 12 years as a blogger/storyteller. I think all of these apply to all different aspects of life and are truly the things I think about when I think about anything and everything I do.

  1. If you feel a pull towards something, get curious about it! Take the time to find out if it’s meant for you, and if the answer is a resounding yes, take action and go for it! Nothing bad ever comes from these kinds of ‘risks’ and leaps. No matter what happens, you learn. From the way I look at it, it’s a win win!
  2. Your presence and who you are supersedes what you do any day. People will forget the details of what you do, but they’ll never forget how they felt in your presence, and more importantly, how you made them feel.
  3. At the end of the day, the actions we do or do not take on things determine the direction our life takes. Sure, things will happen that are out of our control, but I’m a believer in the idea that we shape our lives by doing and trying. Thinking will only take you so far. Live your life like an experiment is what this essentially boils down to.
  4. Whenever possible, try to respond versus react (something I’m working very hard on at the moment!). There are very few things that call for a reaction. Personally, I try to create space between whatever’s happening and my response. That way I’m being conscious and thoughtful about shaping what happens next.
  5. Never forget the immense power that lies in ONE! We all want to change the world and reach more and more people, but there is so much power in reaching one person. It’s the knocking down of that one domino that creates beauty and progress. Personally, I aim to help/inspire/motivate one person every day, and sometimes that includes me!
  6. SHARE YOUR STORY! To the point above, you never know who you’re helping by sharing your story/perspective/etc. We are all living beautiful, textured, complex lives, and I truly believe we are better off by sharing the good, the not so good, and the neutral. My central premise of sharing has always been to make people feel less alone in whatever they’re going through. Even if you don’t want to share publicly on social media/blog, share with those you feel comfortable with and watch as those relationships flourish and continue to grow. There’s power in openness and vulnerability. We all have something to offer.
  7. Be kind. You’ll never regret it…

And finally, thanks for being here! I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know.

Written on January 24, 2023 Related:Blogging, Inspirational, Life, Uncategorized

This is 36 and These are the 6 Biggest Lessons I’ve Learned

written by Parita 4 Comments

It’s my birthday today!  To be very honest, I’m not a huge birthday person.  I love celebrating other people’s birthdays.  But my own?  Don’t care all that much.  To me, today is more about my parents.  It’s the day their lives changed completely 36 years ago.  To that point, Kaiden’s birthday is a HUGE deal to me for that very reason.  It’s the day I became a mom! 

Anyways, enough of that!  Despite not really wanting to make a big deal out of it, my sister made me a cake (she’s the sweetest!), her and my BIL are watching K tonight, and Vishnu’s taking me out to dinner.  Now that I think about, I can get behind this kind of celebrating!

Something I do find myself doing a lot around this time every year is reflecting on who I was, who I am, and who I will be.  I also love thinking about all the lessons I’ve learned over the years.  Things I try and beat into anyone who’s younger than me!

This is 36. Where family selfies are taken by your toddler!

With that, I thought I’d share 6 of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in the past 36 years.  Let’s do this…birthday style!

  1. It’s so so cliché yet so so true.  Love yourself completely.  The good, the ‘bad,’ the things you want to change, you mind, your body.  All of it.  After years of feeling like I wasn’t good enough, pretty enough, skinny enough, smart enough, etc., I can tell you without a doubt that if you start to look at yourself in the best possible light and remain gentle going forward, everything will change.  Loving yourself isn’t selfish.  It’s an investment into the wellbeing and joy of everyone around you.  While you’ll reap most of the benefits, they’ll be the recipients of the dividends from your newfound happiness.
  2. Travel.  Whenever you can.  Wherever you can.  Make it a habit.  This is something I had done more with my friends and Vishnu.  I mean, we’ve travelled to some cool places, but I have no doubt we could’ve done more.  There are so many benefits to stepping outside your comfort zone and into another culture and way of living.  Just do it!
  3. If there’s something in your heart you want to try, DO IT!  You only have now.  There are no promises for what tomorrow brings.  Stop overthinking it and take a small step.  And then do it again and again and again, until you’ve done the damn thing!
  4. People come and people go.  That’s ok.  Not everyone is meant to stay in your life forever.  Also, you can’t be everything to everyone.  Try and keep those around who you feel the most you with.
  5. There’s no such thing as perfect. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.  So, don’t strive for perfection because it’s impossible.  Strive to be a little different every day.  We’re all works in progress.  Take it one day at a time!
  6. Don’t sweat the small stuff.  None of it really matters in the long run.  Learn to spend your energy on the things and people who truly matter to you.  Think about it this way. The amount of energy you get every day is finite.  If you spend the majority of it on the little things, you won’t have any left for the big things you want to accomplish, the people who need a bit of your energy, and most importantly…you!  Remember to save a little for yourself every day!  Stay focused on what’s really important!

That’s all she wrote!  Thanks for reading. 😊

Written on January 23, 2020 Related:Life, Self, Uncategorized

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...
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