The Day I Stopped Waiting for a Thumbs Up For over a decade now, I have been writing articles and sharing information first about India, and now about Southeast Asia. Every day, I post these write-ups in my WhatsApp group. It has become a quiet ritual. In the past, I compiled daily updates on India’s progress. One of my friends liked my work and asked for permission to share it in his own groups. I was genuinely happy and gave him the green light. A few months later, I met him at a gathering and asked whether he was still forwarding my write-ups. He said, "I did it for nearly a month, but no one responded. No one appreciated my posts. So I stopped." I didn't probe further. I didn't give him a lecture. I simply listened. But later, I found myself reflecting deeply: What keeps me going, year after year? Whether I'm writing a quote, a story, an article, or a country profile — I rarely see thumbs-up emojis, likes, or words of appreciation. And yet, I cont...
Learning to Love Ourselves in a Busy World As humans, we all expect others to love us, take care of us, motivate us, and stand by us during difficult times. There’s nothing wrong with these expectations—they are natural human needs. But let’s also accept the truth: times are changing. People are not only hooked to their devices but are also fighting their own battles—both personally and professionally. In such times, we must realize that while we are not alone, we also cannot be everything for everyone. This idea might be uncomfortable to digest, but as the saying goes, truth is often bitter. Does that make us selfish? No, not at all. We do want to be there for others, but our own struggles and limitations don’t always allow us to show up when someone needs us. So how do we accept this truth and move forward? The answer lies in self-care . Let’s learn how to take care of ourselves. Today, there are terabytes of information available online. A single question typed into ChatGPT or ...