lessons learned Archives - My Inner Shakti

Nine Lessons from Nine Years of Blogging

Happy 9th birthday to My Inner Shakti!

I can’t believe I started blogging nine years ago! I remember it like it was yesterday.

Even though blogging has changed completely since 2011, I still love it just the same. I foresee myself keeping up with my little corner of the internet for another 9+ years at least. Mainly because y’all would miss me! 😉

I thought I would share the nine biggest lessons I’ve learned from blogging to help celebrate this momentous occasion! And of course, lots of chocolate will be consumed today as well!

In no particular order…

Don’t focus on other people – what they think, what they might say, etc. When it comes to things like this, it’s more about them anyways!
If you feel a strong pull to share your creativity (whatever that looks like) with the world, do it…NOW! When it comes to blogging, there’s honestly no time like the present. And trust me when I say, once you get started, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do so much earlier.
Don’t focus on the numbers too much. They should never be your driving force. Those who are meant to find you will do so when they are meant to find you.
You passion/creative outlet doesn’t have to turn into a side hustle or your full-time job. Sometimes it’s better to let a hobby stay a hobby.
Your blog will grow and change as your life grows and changes. That’s ok. I started out mainly writing about my healthy living journey. I now mostly write about motherhood. Not because I don’t love healthy living type stuff, but because being a mom is front and center right now. That’s also where a lot of my creativity and ideas are. So that’s what I write about. It’s a lot simpler than we make it, people!
IRL > online life. Every now and then, forget about your blog, your IG page, and social media in general and live your life. Don’t write/share about it either. Let IRL stay IRL!
Don’t ever compare your journey to anyone else’s. Creativity is unique to each of us. There’s no use in comparing, so just keep doing your thing!
Use whatever your thing is to connect with like minded people. It’s WAY more fun that way!
If something truly brings you joy, find a way to keep it in your life. I connected with so many bloggers early on who I LOVED. Sadly, most of them no longer blog. I know time become scarcer as we get older, but I truly believe that the things we love always deserve a place in our lives. Find a way to keep going!

And that’s all she wrote, folks!

I know I say this a lot, but THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for making time to visit this little space of mine. Every single interaction means the world to me! MIS would be nothing without youuuuuuu!

Lots of love!

Restoring My Faith in Humanity

written by Parita 10 Comments

You guys, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. There are days where I hear/read the news and have a visceral reaction. And let’s be real, as of late, it’s every day.

The recent increase in hate crimes against Indians are what have my blood boiling right now. The stories I read make me so angry/sad/worried/etc. I literally sobbed at my desk while reading Sunayana Dumala’s, wife of Srinivas Kuchibhotla who was killed at a Kansas City bar, heartbreaking Facebook post.

I hate to say this, but my faith in humanity slips away with every single incident like this one (and so many others). It sounds a little ridiculous, given how many more amazing humans there are inhibiting this Earth (like Ian Grillot who stood up for the two Indian men in Kansas City), but I can’t help it.

To help counter this not so positive way of thinking, I find myself scanning my environment every chance I get looking for glimpses of good, kindhearted people. The gentleman who held the door for the elderly lady the other morning, the lady who let me cut in front of her as I exited the parking lot (she even waved and smiled at me!), our doormen who ALWAYS greet us with smiles on their faces, etc. There is all kinds of goodness all around us…we just have to look for it.

In fact, I was able to experience firsthand how good people can be. And with that experience, my faith in humanity was restored to a degree…

Vishnu and I met up with his med school friend for dinner on Saturday night. The restaurant is walking distance away, but we decided to take a Lyft because of the weather. We got to the restaurant, chatted, ate dinner, and got ready to pay our bill. While asking Vishnu if he wanted me to use my credit card, I pulled my purse into my lap and saw that my wallet was no where to be found. “Weird. I must of left it at home,” I thought.

Fast forward to us arriving home (2 hours later). I couldn’t get my ‘missing’ wallet out of my mind, so Vishnu and I searched high and low for about 15 minutes before reconvening in the living room. “My wallet must have fell out of my purse in the Lyft we took to the restaurant,” I said to Vishnu. He immediately took my phone and found the driver’s number. I called Alvin (the world’s best Lyft driver!), and the first thing he said to me was, “I have your wallet. A couple of riders after you found it. I can bring it by your place after I finish up this last ride.” “THANK YOU, ALVIN!,” I screamed.

And as promised, Alvin showed up at our place a little after 11:30 with my wallet in hand (and 100% in tact…nothing was missing). I gave him cash, thanked him at least five times, called him my angel (ha!), and said good-bye. A very relieved and tired Parita made her way upstairs. As I laid in bed that night, I thought about how easy it would’ve been for Alvin to ignore my phone calls or take my cash. But he didn’t. He went out of his way to ensure I got my wallet that very night.

I know this incident doesn’t even compare to the gut-wrenching things people are experiencing right now, but connecting with people like Alvin helps me realize that on a grander scale we will overcome the craziness that lies ahead. That somehow, even when terrible things happen, people will come together and help one another.

I guess this post was just a long way of saying…thank you, Alvin, for restoring my faith in humanity and it’s inherent goodness!

32 Lessons in 32 Years

written by Parita 25 Comments

It was my birthday this past weekend! To be honest, I’m not a huge birthday person. I love celebrating other people’s birthdays, but I don’t like making a big deal out of my own. To put this in perspective, I was more excited about MIS’ birthday!

Of course, Vishnu wasn’t going to let it pass by without some sort of celebrating. I woke up on Saturday morning to the sound of Vishnu entering the apartment after his night shift. He usually comes into the bedroom right away to give me a kiss, but instead he started rummaging around in the kitchen. I got out of bed after a few minutes to see what was up. Well, what was up was a cute little cupcake, a birthday balloon, my favorite dark chocolate, and the sweetest husband in the world singing happy birthday!

[Vishnu’s original plan was to bring the cupcake to me in bed, but I woke up and ruined that plan. I felt bad, so I got back in bed and let him do his thing!]

The rest of the day was pretty perfect too. I ran my usual weekend errands, treated myself to a delicious coffee, and talked to family and friends throughout the day. Later in the evening, we had an amazing dinner experience at a local Italian restaurant (more about this restaurant coming soon!). We ended the night with Meet the Patels and YouTube videos!

And this, my friends, is 32!

I also spent a portion of the weekend reflecting on all the things I’ve learned in the last 32 years (both big and small). Along with the 32 lessons below, I’ve come to realize that I’m much more grounded now than I ever was in my 20s. Despite the bumpy journey, I’m proud of myself and truly looking forward to what this year and the rest of my 30s will bring.

And now, in no particular order, my 32 lessons in 32 years…

Everything in moderation. Even moderation.
Laughter is the BEST medicine!
The grass is greener where you water it.
No one can take your knowledge away from you. Strive to learn something new every day.
The world needs more authentic/genuine/real people. If nothing else, be that.
You can’t love someone else completely until you love yourself completely.
A little reality TV never hurt anyone.
You can’t change other people. You can, however, change yourself. And that may ultimately change those around you.
Always have an attitude of gratitude.
Find something that makes you come alive – a job, a passion project, a hobby – and go after it with a vengeance.
The darker the chocolate the better.
Wash your face every night. Don’t skip this step! Oh and…moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
A bad day(s) doesn’t equal a bad life.
Your parents aren’t going to be around forever so don’t take them for granted.
Money isn’t everything. In fact, most of life’s precious moments are 100% free.
You’ll never regret saying, “I’m sorry.”
Be kind to unkind people. They need it the most.
Always choose the adventure.
Health is real wealth.
When in doubt, less is more.
Your body was made to move.
Choose integrity over all else. Because you will always know.
Travel, both near and far, as often as possible.
Marriage is hard work. And it’s not 50/50. It’s 100/100.
Assume good intent.
Live within your means and save money whenever possible.
Perfection does not exist. In fact, the fun lies in the imperfections.
Listen to your gut/intuition. It can/will guide you if you let it.
Know what good looks like (for you) and don’t settle for less.
Loss, heartbreak, pain, etc. are all a part of life. You won’t be the same after going through it, but you will be ok.
Life is short. Have fun, laugh as much as possible, and love with your whole heart.
Age is just a number!

And just because she’s the cutest, here’s the birthday poem my mom wrote for me! [Thanks, momma!]

What did you get up to this weekend!?

Goodbye, Chicago!

written by Parita 6 Comments

My time in Chicago has come to an end! And what a month it has been. I hung out with friends, tried new restaurants, and worked alongside some of my favorite coworkers.

And not surprisingly, I even walked away with a few takeaways.

Living out of suitcases is not our thing. In line with this, Vishnu and I do not well in very small spaces. We like our space. But you do what you have to do I suppose!

Being away for a month, even when it means that you get to hang out in a great city with friends, is hard. You have to relinquish a lot of control. And as I’ve discussed before, giving up control is not my cup of tea. But if anything, I’ve learned to live outside my comfort zone and thrive (somewhat!).

A person can only eat out so much before even their favorite foods start to sound a little unappetizing! One of the things I’ve missed the most over the past month is my kitchen. I can’t wait to meal plan, grocery shop, and cook again!

As much as I love living in Miami, I miss experiencing all four seasons. While I would prefer never to live through below zero degree temps, the slightly cooler weather over the past few days was a welcome change. And now I’m back in a city where there is only one season and it’s called summer.

I’ve said this before, but we are very very blessed to have some amazing people in our lives. Not only did our friends share their homes with us, but they made us feel like family. No number of thank yous will ever be enough but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop saying those two little words!

In order for me to feel good from the inside out, I need regular exercise in my life. Let’s just say I sort of fell of the wagon a little bit and didn’t do as much as I could have. Lesson learned!

Overall, I feel lucky. Lucky because I was able to work from another city without any issues. Lucky because we were able to spend time with great people. And lucky because Vishnu and I didn’t have to spend two months living apart.

These are just a few of my thoughts after living in Chicago for a month. As much as I’ll miss it, I’m excited to get back into a routine, sleep in my own bed, etc.

Miami, I’m back! Chicago, I’ll see you soon!

29 Years Young

written by Parita 34 Comments

On this day, 29 years ago, I decided to grace the world with my presence. Said another way, it’s my birthday!

I’m honestly not a birthday person – never really have been. In my opinion, today is all about my amazing parents. It’s their day to celebrate the past 29 years.

However, I know most people don’t think of their birthday in the same way, so I can’t just leave it at that. I’m pretty sure today isn’t going to be different from every other day in terms of my routine (get up, go to work, come home, make dinner, watch TV, go to sleep), therefore, I don’t have an elaborate birthday post for you guys. Instead, I’m going to go a different route and share a little bit of what I’ve learned over the past 29 years.

When thinking about what to share, quite a few lessons, if you will, came to mind. But I think the following list represents the stuff I’ve tried to focus on now more than ever.

1. Don’t wish away the present for an unknown future. Life isn’t about what’s to come, it’s about what is…at this very moment. Be happy now because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

2. Don’t assume. Ask. If you’re anything like me, your assumptions will fail you 98% of the time. And then you’ll feel like a big idiot. Avoid this by asking a lot of questions.

3. Don’t compare your life with anyone else’s. You have no clue what their journey is all about.

4. Every little bit counts when it comes to living a healthy life. Most people assume that it requires a huge overhaul, but in reality, it’s all about making one small change…and then another.

5. Changing your thoughts and the way you think can change your life. Your thoughts create your reality.

6. Don’t let the fear of failure hold you back. Take risks, even small ones, on a daily basis. It’s the only way to grow.

7. Toxic people don’t deserve a place in your heart and life. Oftentimes it’s hard to confront because of what was, but when the relationship brings more hurt than happiness, it’s time to let go.

8. Family can be anyone. You don’t have to have blood to be family.

9. What other people think of you is none of your business. Constantly worrying about how to please others is an absolute waste of your time and energy. Instead, just focus on being you. The world needs more authentic people…be one of them.

Ok, I’m done! And look at that…nine lessons on my 29th birthday. Aren’t I clever!?

Have a great day! Oh and eat chocolate and think of me. Smile