My Latest Posts
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- Dear 16-Year-Old Me ❤
Dear 16-year-old Sharvari,
I know you won’t sit through a long lecture. You’d rather finish a 400-page novel in one night than read something that sounds like advice. So I’ll keep this like the notes you scribble in the margins, the ones that actually stay.
First things first, you’re doing better than you think. You’re a good student, even if you don’t always feel like one. The kind who quietly gets things done, who teachers trust without making a big deal out of it. You think it’s normal. It’s not. Hold onto that.
Also, you’d be proud of me.
Not in a dramatic “wow, she made it” way. More like… you’d look at me and think, okay, she didn’t mess this up. She figured things out. I don’t say that lightly because you’re annoyingly hard to impress. But you would look up to the life I’m building, the way I think, the way I carry myself. Not perfect, not even close, but stronger. More sure.
You’re going to outgrow a lot of things. Some people, some versions of yourself, you thought were permanent. It will feel uncomfortable at first, like wearing shoes a size bigger and pretending it’s fine. Stop pretending sooner.
You’re also going to spend a lot of time waiting for your turn. Watching others get picked, appreciated, and noticed. And it will bother you more than you admit.
I read something recently and immediately thought of you:
“As long as the dice is still rolling, you will get your six.”You didn’t know this at 16, but you needed it. You don’t have to rush your moment. For now, clap for others. Learn. Observe. Keep moving. Your time is not late; it’s just not loud yet.
Also, since I know what you actually care about, yes, you still love music. You remember the day you found One Direction like it was some kind of personal discovery. And Sanam Puri. You don’t talk about it much, but it mattered. It still does, just in different ways now.
You even have a “Made in the AM” poster now. It’s not original, but it’s there. And honestly, it’s enough. You’re going to realize that not everything needs to be perfect to mean something.
And here’s something you won’t like hearing: not everyone will stay. Some will leave without a proper ending, no explanation, no closure. You’ll learn to be okay with that. Not immediately, but eventually.
You don’t need to be louder to be seen. You don’t need to change everything about yourself to fit somewhere. The right spaces won’t require that kind of effort.
You’re allowed to take your time figuring things out. You’re allowed to not have a plan every second. The version of you that you’re so worried about becoming? She figures it out anyway.
Just don’t shrink yourself to make things easier for others. That habit is harder to unlearn than you think.
You’re going to be okay. Better than okay, actually. Just not in the dramatic, Bollywood movie-like way you imagine. It’s quieter. More real.
And you’ll like it.
— Sharvari, 22
- I Didn’t Expect to Be This Tired of Being Tired
There’s a version of my day that exists for everyone else.
It’s the one where things look normal.
I go to the lab, I come back, I eat when I have to.
If you asked me how my day was, I’d probably say “fine” and mean it just enough.
I’m not complaining.
This is the life I wanted.
A routine. A place to be. Work that makes sense.
I remember wanting this.
But most of my day doesn’t feel like that “fine.”
It’s quieter. Slower. A little more draining than I expected.By the time I’m back, I tell myself I’ll do something I actually care about.
Write. Paint. Just exist without a screen for a while.I think of it as if I have the energy for it.
But most days, I don’t.
Or maybe I do, just not enough to choose it over something easier.Scrolling takes less from me.
No decisions, no effort, no expectation to be good at it.
Just a quiet way to not think too much.And somehow, that’s what most evenings become.
I think it was a Friday.
I started painting in the evening, around 6.
I told myself I’d just do a little.
I took a break for dinner.
Came back.
And then I didn’t really stop.By the time I looked at the clock, it was almost 4 in the morning.
I didn’t feel tired while I was doing it.
I just kept going.
Like my brain finally had space to stay in one place.
I love that feeling.
When I have the time, energy, and something in me just.. flows onto the canvas without thinking twice.But something about that night stayed with me in a strange way.
Not just the painting.
The urgency.
Like I was trying to use up all the free time I had before it ran out again.
Like, Monday was already waiting to take it back.
I don’t know why that part feels a little unsettling.
I’m grateful for my days.
I really am.
But I think I’m also a little scared of how easily they take all my energy.And how quickly the things I care about get pushed to “later.”
There’s also this thought that shows up more often now.
That I can do more than just this.
Just a quiet, persistent feeling that there’s more I haven’t touched yet.
I don’t have an answer for that.
Most days, I’m just tired.
And even that feels strange sometimes.Being this tired, this often,
and still wanting to do more.From the outside, I think my life looks structured.
And it is.
But it’s also me trying to figure out how to exist after the structure ends for the day.
How to use the few hours I have left without feeling like I’m forcing something out of myself.
Some days I manage it better.
Some days I don’t.I’m still adjusting to this version of life.
The one I once wanted.
The one I’m grateful for.
The one I’m still not entirely used to.
And I think that’s the part no one really sees.
- Whats for April 2026 !!
Dear readers,
Welcome back. It’s been a while since I last shared something here. Today, on April 1st, 2026, I felt a sudden urge to log in and write. Ironically, the moment I sat down, the words seemed harder to find. A quiet reminder of what happens when creativity is taken for granted.
Since I didn’t pick a topic this time, I’m just going to treat this like a little life update slash “let’s see if I can actually stick to my goals” moment.
First and most dramatic goal: going no sugar this entire month. Yes, me. A certified sweet tooth. The kind of person who believes dessert is not optional, it’s a personality trait. Day one is done, but I can already feel this is going to test my patience, my willpower, and probably my mood. The plan is to cut out all added sugar, but I’m not trying to suffer unnecessarily. Fruits, dates, bananas, all of that is still allowed. The goal is to swap mindless cravings for something that actually fuels me, instead of attacking a tub of ice cream at 2 a.m.
Next, I’m starting Spanish. Purely for fun, no deep life reason behind it. I’ve heard it’s one of the easier languages to learn, so I thought, why not romanticize my life a little? I’ve already made a Duolingo account, and now the real challenge is staying consistent and not ghosting it after three days.
Another very personal battle: not cutting my hair impulsively. Every summer, without fail, I convince myself I need a dramatic chop. And every single time, I regret it and spend the next year waiting for it to grow back. It’s a toxic cycle at this point. So this month, we’re choosing patience. “Growth” Literally.
I also really want to try aerial yoga. It’s been on my bucket list forever. It’s the one where you’re floating in the air using those silk hammocks, which sounds both peaceful and slightly terrifying. Regular yoga makes me sleepy, so I’m hoping this will actually keep me awake and maybe even make me feel like I have my life together for once. It is expensive, though, so I’m keeping it realistic and probably just trying one or two sessions.
And finally, I’m starting a psychology course. This one I’m actually excited about. I’ve always been fascinated by how everyone is built the same on paper, but still so different in personality, behavior, and thinking. There’s something so intriguing about what goes on in our brains that makes us who we are. Since I’m already doing my master’s, I didn’t want anything too intense, so I signed up for an introductory course on Coursera. I did consider just watching random YouTube videos, but I know myself, and my attention span is not that loyal. At least this way, I’ll stay a little more disciplined and get a certificate out of it.
That’s my April plan. It does sound like a lot, but I’m hoping I can keep up and not abandon everything halfway through like a forgotten New Year’s resolution. Let’s see how much of this I actually pull off.
See you in the next one.
- Must watch TEDx Talks (Self Aid)
How to practice emotional hygiene | Guy Winch | TEDxLinnaeusUniversity.
This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. have medicine cabinets for ordinary physical injuries like cuts and colds but no toolkits for common psychological injuries such as failure, rejection, regret, and loss. In his talk, Guy Winch tells us that “you can’t treat a psychological wound if you don’t know you’re injured”. Guy teaches us why it is so necessary to practice emotional hygiene.
3 reasons you aren’t doing what you say you will do | Amanda Crowell | TEDxHarrisburg
Amanda explores how to move beyond mindset-driven defensive loss into productive failure to succeed at the problems you struggle with the most. Amanda Crowell is a cognitive psychologist, university professor at the Hunter College School of Education, speaker, and coach. Dr. Crowell works with teachers, therapists, and mission-driven entrepreneurs to clear away mindset blocks and move into action.
How to Achieve Your Most Ambitious Goals | Stephen Duneier | TEDxTucson
How you define Stephen Duneier depends on how you came to know him. Some define him as an expert institutional investor while others know him as a large-scale installation artist, avid outdoorsman, professor, decision strategist, coach, business leader, mindfulness extremist, author, speaker, daredevil, or Guinness world record holder. In his talk, Stephen explains that what truly defines him aren’t titles, but an approach to decision-making that transformed him from someone who struggled with simple tasks to a guy who continuously achieved even his most ambitious dreams.
Change Your Mindset and Achieve Anything | Colin O’Brady | TEDxPortland
In this epic Talk, Colin O’Brady, explains his journey back from a tragic burn accident only to ascend to the tallest mountains and two poles on earth – in world record time.
His idea is centered around mindfulness and how one can achieve anything no matter the circumstances.
Colin, a native of Portland, is a testament to mindfulness, setting audacious goals and achieving them despite overwhelming odds. Last year, Colin set two world records: He became the fastest person ever to complete both the Seven Summits (climbing the highest peak on every continent) and the Explorers Grand Slam (the Seven Summits + skiing to the last degree of the North and South Poles). He completed the challenges in 131 and 139 days, respectively. His nonprofit, Beyond 7/2, strives to inspire kids to lead active, healthy lives and pursue their biggest dreams.Feelings: Handle them before they handle you | Mandy Saligari | TEDxGuildford
Mandy’s first contact with the world of addiction, mental health, and recovery were when she came into treatment in 1990. Her passion for therapy and its potential for change ignited here, inspiring her to make therapy her life’s work. Alongside a growing private practice, Mandy always gave time to promote early intervention through lectures on addiction, emotional coping mechanisms, and self-esteem as part of the PSHE (Personal, Social & Health Education) provision within independent schools. In 2008, with a busy private practice and many years of recovery under her belt, Mandy founded CHARTER Harley Street, an outpatient center treating addiction and trauma using her pioneering model of care.
- Reader review: The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist is a novel written by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho which was first published in 1988. Originally written in Portuguese, it became a widely translated international bestseller.
An allegorical novel, The Alchemist follows a young Andalusian shepherd in his journey to the pyramids of Egypt, after having a recurring dream of finding a treasure there.
An Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago dreams of a treasure while in a ruined church. He consults a Gypsy fortune-teller about the meaning of the frequent dream. The woman interprets it as a prophecy, telling the boy that he will discover a treasure at the Egyptian pyramid. Soon Santiago begins his journey to the treasure, experiences a lot, finally he finds out the real treasure and love of his life.
The book’s main theme is about finding one’s destiny, although according to The New York Times, The Alchemist is “more self-help than literature”. The advice was given to Santiago that “when you really want something to happen, the whole universe will conspire so that your wish comes true” is the core of the novel’s philosophy and a motif that plays throughout it.
I’ll definitely recommend this novel to beginners as well as absolute readers. 10 on 10 ratings for this novel.
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The BlogGirl 