Poetry by PrishA

beauty in the midst of chaos.

recent posts

about

  • A Comeback – 4 Years Later

    I had written my last piece here on May 30th, 2021. Now, almost 4 years later, a few days after my 24th birthday, I’ve come back.

    In the last 4 years a lot has changed, I’ve moved countries twice, I’ve graduated from university, I wrote a book, I cofounded a company and I got married. So it’s been a lot. 

    But when I came home from my birthday dinner with my husband (that’s still weird to say) and my some of my closest friends, I saw a trend on Instagram. People are hypothesising what a conversation/coffee with their younger self would look like. Essentially thinking back to what their younger self was excited or worried about and how that compared to their present. 

    As a writer, my first instinct was to think about what my younger self’s dreams and fears were, and honestly, I couldn’t remember. Well lucky for me, I was an avid writer in my late teens, so I actually have complete access to what I used to think then. So, I spent hours reading through every single piece I have ever written, that I hadn’t read in years and there’s one thing I really just have to say. 

    Thank you, younger me. 

    The perspective shift that reading these blogs again has been for me is one that I am not able to materialise into words right now. Man, younger Prisha had some interesting things to say and just reading it again there’s so much I want to say to her, so much I want to add to the conversations, so I have decided to do exactly that. 

    I haven’t written on this blog in years, but I’m going to again. I’m going to start responding to older pieces, add more, offer different perspectives, offer my current views on the same topics, just talk to a younger version of me. 

    Secretly I’m hoping that doing that will get me to write more about other things anyways. 

    Let’s see, no promises, but hopefully more reflection and reminiscing.

    I’m excited.

    Love,

    Prisha

  • Affirmations: Putting it into Practice

    First off, if you haven’t read the first part of this post about what Affirmations are and why they work, you can read it here. The first part provides a breakdown into what affirmations are, some misconceptions about affirmations, and also provides a deeper explanation about how they work. I would really recommend reading it if you haven’t yet!

    So, How Do I Start?

    Now that we’ve talked about what they are, how they work, and how they don’t work in part one, the real question is where to begin, and how do you put it into practice?

    Well the simple break down is this:

    1. Identify what affirmations you want to begin using.
    2. Figure out what method of using them works best for you.
    3. Then, start.

    So when we’re talking about what affirmations to use, this is a pretty personal process, so here are two methods I believe are helpful in identifying what statements you should use:

    Areas of Life and Some Inspiration

    This method is fairly simple. What you do is think about what areas of life you want to change your perspective on, is it your self-esteem, your work ethic, your relationships, your health, etc. It can be anything. Then, you can simply Google affirmations about that area of life and pick 5-7 that you want to start off with. If you don’t have a specific area of life, you can just look up general ones as well. Another place you can find affirmations is on an app, for example, the app called “I am”. This is an app that I use that has a variety of different affirmations regarding different areas of life, as well as a section where you can create your own affirmations as well. This is a great way to get ideas for statements you want to use.

    Today I Will

    This is probably my personal favorite method. How it works is, every morning you make two lists. The first one starts off with:  Today I will feel. On this list you put three things that you want to feel that day, for example, you could say “Today I will feel loved, focused, and confident,” or you could say “Today I will feel joyful, kind, and productive.” The second list starts off with Today I will be. So this list might look like “Today I will be kind to myself and others, respectful to those around me, and a good listener.” It might also look like “Today I will be a hard worker, a magnet for success, and a kind friend.” The list itself is completely up to you. This will give you six things that you will affirm yourself with. Three that are feeling-based and three that are states of being.

    How do I Put it into Practice?

    So now that you have your statements, what do you do with them, well here are three ways you can use them:

    In a Mirror

    As the same suggests, what you would do is look at yourself in the mirror and repeat each statement 3-5  times (or even more). Try to picture yourself actually being or having what you’re affirming yourself. This can be a little difficult and make you feel a little ridiculous, but just know that you’re the only person that can hear you and try to push through the awkwardness. Within a week or two it might become more natural.

    Write it down

    For this method, instead of saying it out loud, you would take a piece of paper and write each statement down 3 times. As you write it down you want to repeat it to yourself (you can repeat it out loud as well). This helps you really focus on and spend some time with these affirmations even if it only takes 5 minutes of your time.

    In Sight and On Your Mind

    This method is similar to the previous one in that you do write down your affirmations, but you only have to write it down once. I recommend writing it on a post-it note or on a piece of paper that you can tape somewhere because what you’re going to do is write it down and then put it somewhere where you will see it throughout your day. Every once in a while, when you see it, you’ll read it to yourself and carry on with what you were doing, and then repeat a little later.

    These are just some methods of using affirmations. Some people choose to find recordings or podcasts that have affirmations that they listen to in the mornings, some people choose to make it the background of the phones or laptops. There are so many different ways and so many different affirmations but in general, I find it to be a tool that’s really helpful and I hope you’ll give it a shot too.

    ~ Prisha Khimavat ~

  • Affirmations: How Do They Work?

    Affirmations

    Affirmations are positive, self-empowering statements that we say to ourselves every day to help us achieve a more positive mindset. In general, they help shift our mindset away from self-doubt and negativity towards a more self-affirming outlook. In short, affirmations can help you feel better about yourself.

    They are generally short statements, in the present tense that highlight an attribute, trait, or state of mind you want to achieve as if you already have achieved it. For example, I am intelligent. I work hard. I am loved. I feel joyful. I focus on the kindness I see around me. I attract success. I am focused and productive. I am surrounded by people who care about me. Etc. Even if you don’t believe those things about yourself or believe you have those things, affirmations still need to be positive and in the present tense as if you already are/ have what you want.

    So essentially you are reminding yourself of the mindset you want to have and the type of person you want to be by speaking these statements as if they already are true.

    Why does it work?

    Now here’s the thing, saying these statements to yourself can feel a little silly, especially if you don’t fully believe them or understand why or how they work. So let’s talk about why it works.

    Cognitive psychology explores, amongst other topics, how the way we think can affect our behavior and our outlook on life. An aspect of this school of psychology is the concept of repetitive thoughts. Put simply, the things we think about most often end up shaping our perspective on life and thus directly influencing our actions. What we think about, affects how we think which affects what we do. 

    This, to me, goes hand in hand with the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy. When we hear something often enough and start to believe that it’s true, we might unknowingly actually make it happen. For example, if a repetitive thought you struggle with is that you’re always unproductive, it’s highly likely that your subconscious mind will believe that’s a true statement and accept things as they are without making any changes. However, if you believe that you are someone that is productive and attracts success, you’re more likely to take the steps needed to make it happen.

    Flipping a Switch

    But what do affirmations have to do with it? And what about the negative repetitive thoughts, what are we meant to do about that? Well, when it comes to our thoughts there is no switch that you can flip where suddenly you only think positively and those negative repetitive thoughts disappear forever. While it is possible to monitor your thoughts, identify negative patterns in them and then work to challenge and change those thought processes, it is not an overnight thing. It is not realistic or fair to expect yourself to get rid of all your negative self-concepts in the flip of a switch. 

    So, now we know that what we think can affect how we think and that can affect what we do. We also know that we can’t flip a switch and change how we think right away, but we can start by changing what we think about. And this is where affirmations come in. 

    Until we are able to really break down some of those negative self-beliefs, what affirmations help us do is spend a little more time each day focusing on and intentionally thinking more about the things we want in our lives. Affirmations are a tool we can have in our arsenals that help us spend more time telling ourselves what we want, and who we want to be. One of the biggest benefits that I believe they offer is that with them there’s no pressure to suddenly only think good things because that’s not a realistic thing to do.

    Instead, they help us plant the seeds for what we want more of, so we can prepare ourselves to work towards them.

    If you’re wondering how to get started, read part two of this post about: How to Put it into Practice here.

    ~ Prisha Khimavat ~

  • Waiting To Be Told

    Some met in hospital nurseries,

    While others at college parties.

    Some grew up together, 

    And then grew apart from each other.

    While others grew up apart

    But grew the most, together.

    Some met over oranges 

    And screamed on rollercoasters.

    They danced many nights away

    And talked up storms.

    They captured memories in polaroids,

    And laughed so hard it hurt,

    But mostly, 

    They tried to always be there,

    No matter what.

    Others met through workshops

    Despite being from different hemispheres.

    They wrote murder mysteries and poetry, 

    And visited museums and vegan bakeries.

    With words on paper, 

    They bared their souls to strangers

    Until one day, 

    That’s all they were to each other.

    Some, on a beautiful winter night,

    Intoxicated on friendship 

    And inebriated by the night sky

    Jumped over walls 

    To revisit a graveyard of memories

    Laughter echoed in the air,

    As they dug their own graves.

    And a few hours later, 

    When the night finally ended,

    They left with a chipped tooth 

    And a lifetime of memories.

    Then there’s some

    Who haven’t hugged each other in years,

    Because life pulled them apart.

    And now, they rely on video calls 

    And online conversations to tide them over,

    Just until that next hug.

    And then, there are others

    Who have lost touch entirely

    No phone number, no facebook

    No address, no email

    All that remains is the memories 

    Of the good old times

    From way back when.

    Though vastly different

    From one another.

    A thread of commonality

    Binds these tales together.

    Each one of these instances 

    Is simply one of a million chances,

    To paint a picture,

    Waiting to be painted.

    And to tell a story,

    Waiting to be told

    ~ Prisha Khimavat ~

  • Self-Care: Through My Eyes and in My Life

    Hi everyone! My name is Shambavi, but you can call me Shams. Before I start, I’d like to say that if you’re reading Prisha’s blog, you’re in the right place. I’ve only known her for two years but it really feels like forever. She is such a wholesome, positive and empathetic person which reflects in her thoughts and actions, even in her writing. 

              When Prish asked me to feature as a guest on her blog by writing a piece on self care, I was more than happy to share my two cents because I believe that if you can’t put yourself first, you cannot possibly take care of the other people in your life. Much like when the air hostess tells you to put on your oxygen masks first before helping others. 

          I come from a home where self-care was a practice that was imbibed into our lifestyle, be it physical or emotional. Over time I realized that I practiced it much before I realized that it was an actual ‘thing’ to do and apparently, it’s something that goes often unheard of in many homes. I would like to think I categorized self-care into two different groups: physical and emotional. So, I’m going to share with you a few things that I’ve started over time and a few things that I did as a little girl, oblivious at the time to the term itself. 

    Physical Self-Care: 

            This is somewhat easier to practice for most people because it’s less about training your mind to be a certain way and more about just doing things you love. It could be as simple as eating a slice of cake to make your heart happy or petting your dog to make your worries temporarily disappear. Here are a few things I practice.

    1. Skin-care: Ever since I was young my mom has always made gloopy pastes of common ingredients you’d find in any Indian household and slathered it on my cheeks and forehead whether I liked it or not. Initially I used to scrunch up my nose at the sheer idea of my mom’s fingers smeared with some kind of paste inching towards my face, but over time I realized that it gave me beautiful glowing skin. Soon, I combined commercial skin care products and even started a regime. A clean glowing face makes me happy, and that is what self-care is about isn’t it? Being happy?  

    2. Nurturing a hobby: It really could be anything. If you have a green thumb, gardening is your answer. If you’re a bookworm, then maybe reading or writing a piece of poetry? There are many hobbies that we have, but a hobby that includes self-care for me, is a hobby that I liked to involve myself in, isolating me from the chaos around me. Cooking, does just that. The aromas, the taste testing, experimenting and the shrill whistles from a pressure cooker, are my calm. The end result being a satisfying meal (most times) makes me feel productive and proud, thereby making me happy.

    3. Taking a break: Taking a break, clears the mind. Be it from an assignment, a relationship or social media, temporarily detaching yourself from something allows you to detox and decide on what exactly in your life needs to be prioritized. Sometimes we get so lost in a routine that we need to take a step back and reflect. Trust me, it makes you feel a little lighter and maybe even get your juices flowing and helps you grow as a person.

    Emotional/Mental Self-Care: 

            Taboo. Unnecessary. Fake. Non-existent. This is the stigma that comes attached to anything concerning emotional or mental wellbeing. However, you don’t have to be depressed or facing panic attacks or anxiety to practice this kind of self-care. Prevention is better than cure after all. This is what I do to take care of my mental and emotional health.

    1. Talking to friends/family: You sometimes never realize when you need someone to talk to and sometimes others don’t realize too. Talking to someone whether something is bothering me or not, always makes me feel a little happier and leaves a smile on my face until the next day. Especially if I haven’t caught up with someone in ages, one of my favorite things to do is check up on them and picking up where we left off. This way the self-care works both ways. Try it, maybe?

    2. Positive Affirmations: When my brother and I were little, my mom read “The Secret” and imbibed in us the qualities of being grateful and thinking in an optimistic manner. As we were tucked into bed, we were told to talk about things we were grateful for and say a few lines on how we love ourselves, what we loved about ourselves and a few other things along those lines to create an optimistic and positive aura before bed time. Over time I lost the habit of doing it but I definitely think I should start again. The Pandemic has made me realize that there is so much to be grateful for.

    3. Listening to Music/Podcasts: While music soothes the soul, podcasts are a newer addition to most people’s self-care routines. Listening to so many inspiring stories and theories and concepts make me grow as a person, give me hope on the gloomy days and motivate me as well. While it isn’t something I do often I still love to take some time off to reflect, learn from other people’s choices and get inspired. Since I’m in the creative field it also sparks some creativity in me from time to time. The two podcasts I listen to most are Jay Shetty’s and The Ikonns. 

    That’s all I have for today ! I hope you guys enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed putting it together and going down memory lane as well. I’m honestly so grateful for this opportunity because it has also helped me reflect and reminisce on my personal self-care journey. 

    I hope you had yourselves a great Self-Care weekend and that you’re able to incorporate more self-care in your life this week! 

    Loads of love, 

    Shams xoxo

    Instagram: @Hoboand.co

  • 40 Self Care Activities That You Can Try Today

    Happy Self Care Day!

    July 24th, is Self Care day, and in honor of that I want to help you figure out how to make your self care routine personal to you. In previous posts, I have talked endlessly about what self care is and how it is a lifestyle that takes practice. It’s about creating a routine and following it as best as you can. Though there are certain lifestyle changes that we can all make, there is another large component to it. Self care is also personal, and your routine might just be completely different from mine. 

    So, in order to help you figure out what activities help you feel your best, you might have to try a few different things, until you find the routine that works just right for you. To help you do that, I have compiled a list (using the internet and personal experience) of 40 self care activities that you can try today, so you can find what’s right for you.

    Here Are Some Things You Can Try:

    1. Sit outdoors for a while, without doing anything else, just observing.
    2. Try meditating for 15 minutes in the morning.
    3. Really savor that cup of tea/coffee, or that first bite of breakfast.
    4. Declutter a space in your house.
    5. Sit outside 15 minutes before sunset and watch the sky transform and slowly get darker. Or vice versa, watch the sun come up and the day get lighter. Whichever is most convenient.
    6. Take a guilt free, planned nap. Schedule it in, and don’t feel bad about it. Just sleep.
    7. Take a walk! Explore some new areas and get some fresh air.
    8. Dance. No expectations, just dance.
    9. Play a sport. Maybe if you enjoyed it as a child and haven’t played in a while, or even if you never played but want to try something new. 
    10. Work out. That could be going on a walk, a run, or even more intense workouts.
    11. Drink lots of water!
    12. Get a massage.
    13. Light a candle.
    14. Learn how to play a new instrument.
    15. Relearn an old hobby that you forgot about.
    16. Get some plants, or try to grow your own herb garden.
    17. Try cooking new dishes, or even old family recipes. 
    18. Read a book! It doesn’t have to be a serious one, or a long one. Just something that makes you feel good.
    19. Buy yourself flowers.
    20. Go on a date with yourself. Take yourself out to eat, or go watch a movie on your own.
    21. Listen to some podcasts.
    22. Try adult coloring books! They’re honestly so calming. I love these.
    23. Try some creative crafts. Maybe knitting, crocheting, origami or even painting.
    24. Bake desserts! If you’re someone who can bake, or even if you like to, bake more!
    25. Catch up on some of your favorite blog posts! (Maybe even some of mine!)
    26. Allow yourself to watch T.V. shows, or play video games without feeling guilty about it.
    27. Visit a tourist attraction in your own city.
    28. Check out a museum or an art gallery.
    29. Take photos! Of yourself or of others!
    30. Be social! Catch up with old friends or make some new friends!
    31. Do some beauty treatments (manicures, pedicures, facials etc.)
    32. Take a bath, and maybe take time to do the things you may not normally do, like exfoliating or a hair mask.
    33. Dress up, even if you have no reason to.
    34. Experiment with outfits, or your style.
    35. Write down a list of your accomplishments, to realize how far you have some.
    36. Similarly, write down the difference between you in the present, and who you were five years ago.
    37. Write encouraging notes on post-its and leave them around your house or in places you’ll see everyday.
    38. Try some positive affirmations.
    39. Check in with yourself, make sure you’re doing okay. And if you’re not, try to figure out how to help yourself.
    40. Do some research! Find some other activities that you can try, and try to create a daily, or even weekly schedule to work self care into your own lifestyle!

    As we’ve talked about earlier, self care is a journey, and it forever changes and grows along with us. I’m still learning a lot and figuring out what work best for me, and I hope that you’ll take some time today as well, to do something you enjoy, something that makes you happy, and something that makes you feel well cared for.

    Resources:

    Here are some sites where I got some of these activities are from! Check them out if you’d like any more ideas! 

    51 Self Care Ideas To Kickstart Your Self Care Routine

    134 Activities to Add to Your Self-Care Plan

    45 Lab-Approved Ways to Create the Ultimate Self-Care Routine

    How to Plan a Self Care Day + 18 Self Care Activity Ideas

    ~ Prisha Khimavat ~

  • 10 Lifestyle Changes To Get You Started on Your Self-Care Journey

    In my previous post, I talked about what self-care is and why it’s important. However, after learning that, one of the hardest things to do is to implement it in our own lives. So, the next obvious question is how do we start? 

    Well, the first crucial thing to remember is that self-care is not a one-off. It’s not a reward for “good behavior”, or treatment for burnout. It’s actually more about a lifestyle and long term changes that will help you live a more balanced life and lower stress levels in the long run. 

    Though self-care is extremely personal as it’s based on your individual needs, there are some bigger lifestyle changes we can all make in our pursuit to take better care of ourselves and that’s what this post is all about.

    1. Sleep

    Oh man, sleep is so important, and it turns out a good sleep schedule is about more than getting enough sleep. Our body has a natural rhythm called the circadian rhythm that functions based on light and darkness. Essentially, your body knows whether its day or night. So, we function better when we follow that natural cycle, meaning sleeping at night and being up with the sun.

    When quarantine started, I would go to bed at 6 A.M. and wake up at 4 P.M. So, when I was constantly fatigued, exhausted, and in a bad mood, even though I was getting over 10 hours of sleep. Now, I wake up by 9 or 10 A.M and though it’s still later than I would like, it’s progress and I’m working on it. I definitely feel better and more energetic throughout the day.

    2. Exercise:

    We all know about the benefits of exercise and how it helps with physical health as well as mood.  However, a lot of us may struggle with consistency or may not know where to start in the first place. If you’re in that boat with me, start small. 

    Maybe that means going on a walk to get blood flowing, or it could mean dancing in your room by yourself. I know the second option sounds a tad ridiculous, but it’s something I’ve found gets my heart rate up and something that I enjoy. It’s also a bit of time I get to myself and doesn’t really require much skill. Obviously the goal is to get to a point where you’re able to exercise more frequently and more regularly, but if you’re not there yet, start small.

    3. Organization/Clean Spaces

    Being/working in a space that’s cluttered can be very exhausting for your mind as that’s a lot of constant stimuli that your brain is processing that it doesn’t really need to. Meaning that your brain is aware of all the things that are around you and that awareness can lead to you feeling cluttered and stressed. 

    So, start by organizing/clearing out a few key places like your bedroom and the room that you study or work in. I promise it will be a game-changer. Also, I know that it can be difficult to keep things organized over a long period of time, so it can help to do a little clean up every week or two.

    4. Device-Free Hours

    Try picking a few times a day where you will intentionally and actively avoid interacting with a screen. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use your devices but maybe listen to some music or a podcast instead of watching something. I usually do this in the mornings when I journal/plan my day out and in the evening when I have some tea and honestly just sit for a bit. I know it sounds odd, but picking a time specifically to not be on a screen is really refreshing.

    5. Create a Happier Space Online

    Everyone says this all the time, but try to NOT to interact with content that makes you feel bad. If a certain person or page stresses you out or makes you feel bad about yourself, unfollow them, or if you can’t do that, then mute them. All social media platforms have methods for you to limit the type of content you see. There are so many benefits to social media and so many positive effects than it can have, however oftentimes the negatives drown in out. So, for the sake of our own well being, let’s start unfollowing or muting the content we don’t want to see, and following the content that makes us feel good.

    6. Gratitude Journaling

    There are many different ways that people choose to journal, in fact, there are even different ways to have a gratitude journal, but I believe this is one of the easiest ways to start. So, essentially at the end of the day, before you head to bed, think of three things that you are grateful for on that day, but make it specific. If you’re grateful for a specific person, why on that day? What happened that made you feel grateful, or if it wasn’t an event, then what specific thing are you grateful for?

    The reason for this is that gratitude journaling will make you think deeply about your day, and look for the positives in the things that happened and the people that are around you. Soon, it’ll become a habit, and you’ll notice that even as the day is progressing, you’ll find yourself looking for more positives to write about at the end of the day.

    7. Learn To Say No

    It’s important to prioritize your own well being and learn to say no when things are too much for you. When a friend needs help or a group of people are meeting up, we don’t want to be the person who said no because we’re afraid that others won’t like it, no matter how difficult it makes things for us. However, it’s time we start prioritizing ourselves and our well being.

    So if all your friends are on a video call to hang out, but you’re really tired and can’t handle social interaction, it’s okay to say no. If a co-worker or someone needs help with a task but you’ve already got a lot on your plate, it’s okay to prioritize that. Of course, we should still try to help others when we can, but that’s the key there, “where we can”. I know this is going to be really hard for a lot of us but start with smaller things.

    8. Try Different Things

    Self Care is personal. Not everything will apply to/work for everyone. In fact, the core of it is being aware of what you need and attending to your needs and wellbeing. So, try to take note of things that make you feel good and things that don’t. Try to be reflective and introspective as you figure out what’s right for you. Do some research, and try different self-care activities to see what you like the most, and then once you find those things, really enjoy them.

    9. Be Present and Savor the Moment

    And now, that you know some of the things you need to do and are intentionally making time to do them, what then? Well, enjoy the moment. Don’t think about the thirty other things you need to be doing, instead think about gratitude and try and be grateful for the good things. Savor the experiences, whether that be the first sip of tea or coffee in the morning or the moment your head touches your pillow. When you do the things you like, be sure to enjoy them.

    10. Be Kind to Yourself

    Finally, as I’ve said before self-care involves routine and a lifestyle change, but remember to be kind to yourself. It’s not easy to form good habits and make big lifestyle changes. There will be times when you slip up or stray away from these changes. What’s important is to be understanding of yourself. Recognize that change takes time, and if you do slip up, take your time and try again and again. As many times as it takes.

    Because, in the long run, the whole point of self-care is to be able to live a balanced life that will become stress-free because you take care of yourself and your own well being.

    ~ Prisha Khimavat ~

  • Self-Care: What it is and Why it Matters.

    Self-Care: What it is and Why it Matters.

    Today I want to talk about Self-Care, and why it matters.

    Though I am by no means an expert, I have been researching a lot and learning about the importance of good mental health. I have been working towards implementing what I learn, in my own life. So, I hope through these posts I’ll be able to share what I learn and the things that work best for me, in hopes that you might find something that works for you too.

    What is Self care?

    This is one of those terms that is thrown around fairly often and has come to mean many different things. Sometimes when people get their hair or nails done, they will refer to it as self-care. While those activities can be forms of self-care, there are many other things that fall into that umbrella as well.

    “Self-care is any activity we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.” 

    By Raphailia Michael, MA

    Basically self-care is any activity we consciously do in order to take care of ourselves. This can be as simple as getting 8 hours of sleep, going on a walk to clear your mind, learning how to say no, or even just trying to eat healthier (and yes, doing your nails can count as self-care!).

    However, it isn’t a “once in a few months” thing that you do only when you’re getting to the point of being overworked or overstressed. It is something that needs to be added to your everyday life so that you can create a healthy balance, and hopefully avoid getting to that point in the first place.

    Finally, self-care doesn’t look the same for everybody. There are definitely a few things that can apply to all of us, like exercising regularly, eating healthy, and sleeping enough to name a few. But, there will be things that work for you that may not work for others and vice versa.

    However, the goal is to create a balance that works best for you.

    Why Does This Even Matter?

    Based on this explanation you might be thinking that you already engage in self-care, or that it doesn’t sound like it’s going to make much of a difference in your life.

    So, why should you care?

    1) Well, one of the most important elements of this is that these actions must be conscious and deliberate. It’s about realizing the importance and value of these behaviors and specifically making time to do them. When you set aside time to take care of you, you create the thought and belief that you are important and your emotional, physical, and mental needs are valid (which, they are).

    2) I have said this before and I will say it again,  you can not pour out of an empty cup. This means that if your mind, heart, and body are not well taken care of, fulfilling your responsibilities will just get harder. And even if you are able to fulfill them, it might not be to the best of your abilities. When you take care of yourself regularly, you are able to create a healthy balance that will help you achieve the things you want to.

    3) It helps to reduce stress and anxiety and helps improve your relationships with those around you. By listening to yourself, recognizing what things are affecting you negatively, and then consciously attempting to deal with them, you don’t allow that stress to build up. And when we are less stressed, our relationships also flourish as we have more energy to properly invest time into them.

    Final Takeaway

    Overall,  there are so many other benefits and things to know about self-care, and various we all can try to achieve that balance. These are some of the things that I will be talking about in future posts however I do want to leave you with one last thing.

    Self-care is not selfish. If you come from a collectivist society like I do, where we are all taught to value other people’s needs over our own, it can be hard to allow yourself time and balance. If you are in that boat, I would like to remind you again, that even though this has many benefits for you, it will also benefit your work and relationships. It’s something that is crucial for all of our lives. 

    I hope you will join me as I learn more about this, and in my next post I will be sharing some things that I do, and what works for me!

    ~ Prisha Khimavat ~

  • Blog Changes and Updates: 2020

    Blog Changes and Updates: 2020

    For the four years or so, this has been my little space on the internet, and in that time, this blog has always reflected who I am, and the things that I’m focusing on in my life at that particular time.

    When I first started this blog in 2017, it was called The Roses in the Ashes. That version of this space focused on finding the positives in a stressful time. As a 16-year-old junior in high school, my main priority was trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. So I decided to start a blog where I could focus on the positives and at least a couple of times a month get away from all the confusion I was feeling.

    Then, in 2018, once I had already made some decisions about college, and was moving away from home for the first time,  I wanted a place where I could process my feelings about change, and share my thoughts and stories about all sorts of things. So, I changed my domain name and renamed this space to Prisha Khimavat.  For the past two years, I wrote in a poetic style about abstract concepts, childhood memories, or even streams of consciousness. During that time, this had been my state of mind, and my blog reflected that.

    Now, though I still need a place where I can share my experiences through poetry and stories, my areas of interest have grown. There are more topics I want to write about and styles of writing I want to explore, and it’s time for this space to reflect that. I’m currently exploring self-care, mental health, productivity, and personal growth in my own life,  so those are some topics I want to and will be writing about on here. I also really enjoy beauty/fashion and entertainment, so I might be writing a bit about that as well. I’m sure as I continue blogging some of these interests will narrow down, but as of now, my intention is to write more lifestyle and self-care related content. I have been wanting to make this change for a few months now, I’m beyond excited for this time of change and growth on this page.

    I recognize that as a young woman entering her early twenties, writing about her interests, not everything may be relevant to everyone anymore. However, I will still be writing some of the poetry based content that I always have. So, I hope that as I’m exploring my interests, you’re able to find something here for yourself too.

    All that being said, I’m sure this blog will evolve again within a few years as I evolve, but until then, I hope you’ll join me on this journey.

    Living life, one word at a time.

    ~ Prisha Khimavat ~

  • Joyful Positives: A New Day

    Joyful Positives: A New Day

    This is part of a series. Read more about it here.

    How is it that

    Even when we know how a movie ends

    A part of us hopes for something different?

    And yet why is it that

    We can hope for the endings of movies to change

    But not for growth and change in those around us

    How is it that

    Even in the midst of a million bad things

    We try to find the one thing that’s good?

    And yet why is that 

    We look for the good in those around us

    But only the negatives in ourselves?

    How is it that 

    Even when everyone else is against us

    One persons support can mean the world?

    And yet why is it that

    Hundreds of loud voices of support

    Can be drowned out by the negative whispers of one voice of dissent?

    How is it that

    Despite being so full of hope and optimism 

    Sometimes none of it seems to be enough?

    And yet why is it that 

    When the sun sets and the day ends

    We go to bed hoping for a new beginning on a new day?

    __________________________________

    A few days ago, two friends and I were watching a movie together. It was an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, that we had all seen before, but more than that, all of us know how Romeo and Juliet ends. That movie ended the same way, and yet, as we were watching it, all three of us kept hoping that it would end differently. When it finally ended tragically, my friend turned to me and said, “Isn’t it weird how even though we knew how it was going to end, we kept hoping something different would happen?” In that moment we laughed it off, but it’s been stuck in my mind since.

    As people who have the ability to hope for a different ending in a movie, why can’t we offer the same liberty to ourselves? As I thought about that, I realized there are many times that we behave in this way. We emphasize the importance of one person’s support but sometimes hundreds of people’s support isn’t enough. We look for the negatives in ourselves but see the potential for change, but we look for the positives in others, and if we find the negative we don’t give them the liberty of growth.

    There may be so many times when optimism seems worthless, and yet, regardless of how pessimistic one might be, it’s human nature to keep hoping for better.

    ~ Prisha Khimavat ~