NihshabdBlog

Category: Personal growth

  • Uncertainty and Me: It’s Complicated

    Uncertainty and Me: It’s Complicated

    Daily writing prompt
    How do you deal with uncertainty?
    View all responses

    How Do I Deal With Uncertainty? I Don’t. We Just Coexist.

    Uncertainty is that one guest who never announces her arrival.

    She simply walks in, makes herself comfortable on your sofa and asks, “So, what are we worrying about today?”

    And unfortunately, I am very hospitable.

    I let her stay.

    Sometimes, I even serve her tea.

    Because if there is one thing I have learned about life, it is this:

    You can make all the plans you want. Life will still reserve the right to say, “Nice plan. Let’s do something completely different.”

    Uncertainty and My Overactive Brain

    I don’t deal with uncertainty particularly well.

    I overthink it professionally.

    Give me one uncertain situation and my brain will produce fifteen possible outcomes before I have even finished my morning coffee.

    “What if this happens?”

    “What if that doesn’t happen?”

    “What if I make the wrong decision?”

    “What if I make the right decision and something still goes wrong?”

    And my personal favourite:

    “What if something happens that I haven’t even thought of yet?”

    At that point, even my brain needs a holiday.

    Then comes the planning.

    Plan A.

    Plan B.

    Plan C.

    And, because apparently I enjoy suffering, a backup plan for Plan C.

    I sometimes wish life came with a user manual.

    Chapter 1: What Is Happening?

    Chapter 2: Why Is It Happening?

    Chapter 3: Relax. You Are Going To Be Fine.

    Sadly, life prefers suspense.

    No spoilers.

    No previews.

    Just coming soon.

    Uncertainty: I’d Like Some Answers, Please

    The funny thing is, I have worried about so many things that never happened.

    And I have faced things I never saw coming.

    Some were difficult.

    Some were painful.

    Some completely rearranged my plans.

    And yet, somehow, I figured them out.

    Not always gracefully.

    Sometimes I cried.

    Sometimes I complained.

    Sometimes I ate something I didn’t need and called it emotional support.

    But I got through them.

    And that has changed how I look at uncertainty.

    I still like knowing what is going to happen.

    Of course I do.

    I would happily accept a five-year forecast from the universe, preferably with dates, footnotes and a convenient FAQ section.

    But I’m slowly learning that uncertainty is not always a warning.

    Sometimes it is simply an unopened door.

    And maybe I don’t need to know what is behind it before I take the next step.

    So, How Do I Deal With Uncertainty?

    I make my plans.

    I do what I can.

    I worry a little.

    Okay… sometimes more than a little.

    Then I remind myself that I have survived every unexpected chapter so far.

    Every “What now?”

    Every “I didn’t see this coming.”

    Every “This was definitely not part of the plan.”

    And maybe that is what growing older teaches us.

    Not that we finally know everything.

    But that we trust ourselves a little more when we don’t.

    So, I don’t really have a perfect formula for dealing with uncertainty.

    I just take the next step.

    And then the next.

    And when tomorrow refuses to reveal its plans?

    Fine.

    Let it keep its secrets.

    Because tomorrow doesn’t know what I’m bringing either. 😉

    .

    Until the next whisper,
    —Rajeshwari     🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

    .

    READ MORE : The Hidden Happiness in 5 Simple Everyday Moments

  • Done Is Better Than Perfect | Overcome Perfectionism

    Done Is Better Than Perfect | Overcome Perfectionism

    What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

    Done Is Better Than Perfect: The Advice That Helped Me Overcome Perfectionism

    Done is better than perfect is the best piece of advice I have ever received. It completely changed my creative journey and taught me that overcoming perfectionism isn’t about becoming flawless—it’s about having the courage to begin.

    I didn’t learn this lesson from a book or a motivational quote.

    I learned it from my mentor… and one imperfect illustration that I almost never shared.

    Why I Was Afraid to Share My First Digital Illustration✨

    If there is one piece of advice that quietly changed my life, it was this:

    “Done is better than perfect.”

    When I joined my digital fashion illustration course, I had one tiny problem.

    Actually… several tiny problems.

    I knew hand illustration.

    I knew nothing about Photoshop.

    And laptops?

    Let’s just say, if technology were a language, I’d still be stuck at A for Apple. 😄

    Then came our first digital illustration assignment.

    After wrestling with layers, tracing, brushes, and enough confusion to question all my life choices, I somehow managed to create my very first digital portrait.

    It wasn’t great.

    It wasn’t even “almost great.”

    Let’s just say… my portrait and the original model looked like they belonged to two completely different families. 😂

    I proudly sent it to my mentor.

    She looked at it and said,

    “Wonderful. Now post it on social media.”

    Excuse me… WHAT?

    I immediately replied,

    “Ma’am, I can’t! People will laugh. They’ll wonder what exactly I’ve illustrated.”

    The Advice That Changed My Perspective✨

    That’s when she said something I’ll never forget.

    “If you keep waiting for perfection, you’ll miss the entire journey that leads to it.”

    She continued,

    “Nothing starts perfect. Even ten years from now, you’ll look at your work and find something you’d improve. Perfection isn’t a destination you suddenly reach one day. It’s simply the result of showing up, making mistakes, learning from them, and doing it again.”

    And then came the line that stayed with me.

    “You can only improve what you’re willing to show.”


    This wasn’t perfect. But posting it was the most perfect decision I made.

    How I Started Overcoming Perfectionism✨

    That day, I understood something.

    Perfection doesn’t build confidence.

    Action does.

    The funny part?

    If I had waited until I felt “good enough,” I’d probably still be staring at that same unfinished illustration… while Photoshop continued staring back at me. 😄

    Today, when I look at that first design, I smile.

    Not because it’s perfect.

    But because it exists.

    It reminds me that every piece of work I create today began with one imperfect attempt that I almost never shared.

    Why Done Is Better Than Perfect✨

    Perfection is a moving target.

    No matter how experienced we become, there will always be something we’d like to improve.

    The real magic isn’t in creating something perfect.

    It’s in creating something at all.

    Every finished piece teaches us something.

    Every imperfect attempt makes us better.

    Every mistake becomes a lesson we couldn’t have learned by waiting.

    Perfection never arrived. Progress did.

    My Biggest Lesson as a Creative✨

    So here’s my little reminder for anyone waiting for the “perfect time.”

    Post it.

    Write it.

    Paint it.

    Start it.

    Because unfinished dreams hidden in drafts never become success stories.

    Sometimes, done really is better than perfect.

    And for that lesson, I’ll always be grateful to my mentor, who saw possibility in me long before I could see it in myself.

    This illustration didn’t build my confidence.

    Sharing it did.

    Looking at it today, I don’t remember the fear.

    I remember the moment I chose progress over perfection.

    Now I’m curious… what’s one thing you’ve been waiting to share because you’re afraid it isn’t perfect yet? I’d love to hear your story. 🤍🦋

    .

    Until the next whisper…
    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

    .

    If this whisper stayed with you, you may also enjoy reading A Blank Canvas and a Blank Page

    Creative Chaos & Quiet Feelings ✨😄

    If I Could Be Someone Else… I’d Still Pick Me 2.0

    About Nihshabd

    My Screen Time Finally Grew Up 

  • The Day I Stopped Chasing Butterflies 🦋

    The Day I Stopped Chasing Butterflies 🦋

    What’s something you used to worry about but don’t anymore?

    WordPress really made me stop and think today.

    The Day I Stopped Chasing Butterflies wasn’t a title I planned.

    It all began with one simple prompt:

    “What’s something you used to worry about but don’t anymore?”

    Poor WordPress.

    It asked one tiny question…

    …but life handed me a much longer answer. 😄

    I think being a woman teaches you certain lessons much earlier than you expect. And honestly, not just women—life has a funny way of teaching all of us, whether we signed up for the class or not.

    So here’s my little list…

    Or maybe not a list.

    More like a collection of things I quietly stopped carrying.

    I stopped worrying so much about… people.

    What will people think?

    I spent years editing myself before speaking.

    One day I realized most people weren’t even reading my script—they were busy rehearsing their own.

    Turns out, people have their own lives, their own problems, and their own endless to-do lists. They’re not running a 24/7 surveillance team dedicated to me.

    What a relief. 😄

    Making everyone happy.

    I tried. Really, I did.

    Then I realized it’s like charging everyone’s phone while your own battery is at 2%.

    Someone is always going to be unhappy.

    These days, if I’m smiling, I call it a successful day.

    Outgrowing people.

    I used to believe every friendship had to last forever.

    Now I know some people are chapters, not the whole book.

    They came, they taught me something, and they moved on.

    That’s not failure…

    That’s life.

    I stopped worrying so much about… myself.

    There was a time when saying “I don’t know” felt like admitting defeat.

    Now it feels like honesty.

    Even Google occasionally says, “No results found.” 😄

    I also stopped worrying about changing my mind.

    If people say, “You’ve changed,” my first thought is…

    “I certainly hope so.”

    Software that never updates eventually crashes.

    Humans aren’t any different.

    And don’t even get me started on productivity.

    I used to feel guilty for resting.

    Now I know even my phone demands to be charged before it starts complaining.

    Why should humans be any different?

    And finally… I stopped worrying so much about life itself.

    Every closed door once felt like the end of the world.

    Now I just assume life saved me from walking into the wrong room.

    What’s meant for me usually has a funny habit of finding me anyway.

    I also made peace with silence.

    Earlier, every quiet moment felt awkward.

    Now silence often says more than words ever could.

    And starting over?

    That one doesn’t scare me anymore either.

    Beginning again doesn’t mean starting from scratch.

    Experience quietly packs its bags and comes along for the ride.

    So no matter how many times life says,

    “Start again…”

    I know I’m never truly starting from zero.

    Somewhere along the way…

    I learned how to live.

    Not because life suddenly became easier.

    But because I slowly stopped expecting happiness to arrive one fine morning, ring the doorbell, and politely introduce itself.

    I spent years chasing happiness.

    Running after people.

    Running after approval.

    Running after expectations.

    Running after that imaginary moment when everything would finally be perfect.

    Then one day I realized something that changed everything.

    If you want butterflies, you don’t spend your life chasing butterflies. You build a garden where butterflies would want to stay.

    Maybe happiness works the same way.

    The Day I Stopped Chasing Butterflies 🦋

    So instead of chasing everyone and everything, I started creating a life that feels like home to me.

    A little embroidery.

    A little gardening.

    Digital illustration.

    Writing.

    Music playing in the background.

    Dancing in the kitchen while waiting for the tea to boil.

    Painting when words aren’t enough.

    Getting lost in a good suspense thriller.

    Spending unhurried time with my family.

    Playing Ludo together and laughing over the silliest things.

    Years from now, I don’t think we’ll remember who won the Ludo game… but we’ll definitely remember who was sitting around the board. 🤍

    Maybe every home deserves a tiny family ritual.

    It doesn’t have to be anything grand.

    A board game.

    An evening cup of tea.

    A short walk.

    Even simply a little time together.

    Sometimes, the smallest rituals become the biggest memories.

    Tiny moments.

    Simple joys.

    Nothing extraordinary.

    Yet somehow…

    They make ordinary days feel beautiful.

    Maybe that’s what happiness looked like all along.

    Does that mean I never worry anymore?

    Of course not.

    (Okay okay… some things still sting. I’m not a saint. 😛)

    But now I know where to return when life becomes too loud.

    Sometimes I even wonder…

    Have I finally achieved moksha?

    Then someone cuts me off in traffic, my Wi-Fi stops working, or an online order gets delayed…

    …and I’m immediately reminded—

    Nope. Still very much attached to worldly things. 😂

    Now I’m curious…

    What’s something you used to worry about… but don’t anymore?

    Or tell me this…

    What do you do to worry a little less… and live a little more?🤍

    I’d genuinely love to hear your answer in the comments. 🦋✨

    .

    Until the next whisper…
    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

    .

    If this whisper stayed with you, you may also enjoy reading If I Had to Be an Animal for a Week | A Butterfly’s Lesson

  • Learning to Dance with the Waves

    Learning to Dance with the Waves

    Life comes in waves.

    Which explains why
    just when you’ve convinced yourself

    “I’ve finally figured life out…

    …the sea quietly laughs.

    And sends another wave.

    Some arrive
    with flowers in their hands.

    Others don’t even knock.

    They simply barge in,
    rearrange your plans,
    borrow your peace,
    and leave without saying goodbye.

    Rude, honestly.

    For the longest time,
    I thought the secret
    was finding calm waters.

    Then life smiled and said,

    “No, dear…

    the trick is learning
    not to spill your coffee
    every time the boat rocks.”

    So you learn.

    You stop arguing
    with every wave.

    You stop asking,

    “Why me?”

    Because, quite frankly,

    the sea has terrible customer service.

    It never answers.

    Instead,

    it teaches.

    It teaches that
    not every delay
    is a disaster.

    Not every goodbye
    is a punishment.

    Not every storm
    has your name on it.

    Some are simply
    passing through.

    And somewhere
    between holding on
    and letting go,

    you discover
    that you were never
    becoming fearless.

    You were simply
    becoming someone

    who could smile,

    fix the sail,

    and whisper,

    “Well…
    that was interesting.”

    before rowing on.

    Because life
    has never promised
    a sea without waves.

    Only the chance
    to become
    someone who knows

    how to dance with them.🦋

    🌊

    .

    Until the next whisper…
    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

    .

    If this whisper stayed with you, you may also enjoy reading The Hard Years: Not the Final Chapter

  • A Different Lens, The Same Life

    A Different Lens, The Same Life

    What is your favorite quote?

    A Different Lens, The Same Life

    What is your favorite quote?

    Sometimes all it takes is a different lens to see the same life differently. That’s exactly why this has become my favourite quote over the years.


    Dear WordPress,

    Every time life gives me A Different Lens, this question somehow has a different answer.

    We’ve known each other for quite some time now.

    Long enough for you to know that asking me the same question twice is a risky move.

    Yet here you are…

    asking me about my favourite quote.

    Again.

    Maybe that’s because every time life hands us a different lens, the answer quietly changes too.

    I’m not sure whether you’re wonderfully optimistic…

    or your memory needs an update. 😄

    But then again…

    maybe you’re onto something.

    Because the interesting part isn’t the question.

    It’s whether the answer has changed.

    And if it has…

    maybe that means I’ve changed too.

    Life has this annoying habit of updating us without sending release notes.

    The Quote That Grew With Me

    So today, my favourite quote is this:

    “You don’t always need a new beginning. Sometimes you just need a new way of looking at the same life.”

    Here’s the thing.

    Human beings are adorable.

    Give us one bad day…

    …and suddenly we’re planning an entirely new life.

    “I need a new job.”

    “Maybe I should move to another city.”

    “Should I cut my hair?”

    “Maybe I should buy plants.”

    Because obviously, a pothos plant has solved thousands of emotional crises. 🌿

    We’re always looking for a reset button.

    As if life were a Wi-Fi router.

    “Switch it off… wait ten seconds… switch it back on.”

    If only.

    A Different Lens Changes Everything

    Sometimes the problem isn’t life.

    Sometimes it’s just the way we’ve been looking at it.

    It’s like tasting karela as a child and then as an adult.

    As kids, we looked at it as if it had personally offended our entire family.

    Years later…

    we willingly buy it.

    Some of us even ask for a second serving.

    The karela didn’t have a personality makeover.

    Our taste buds simply grew up. 😂

    Life is a lot like that.

    The same rain that ruins someone’s picnic becomes someone else’s favourite memory.

    The same delay that irritates you today might be the reason you missed something far worse.

    The same closed door you keep complaining about may quietly be protecting you from walking into the wrong room.

    Every Coin Has Two Sides

    Every coin has two sides.

    Funny enough, our brains seem to have a lifetime subscription to the gloomy one.

    The side that says,

    “Why is this happening to me?”

    Meanwhile, the other side is standing there, waving its tiny little hand…

    “Excuse me… I’m the lesson. Or maybe even the blessing. You just haven’t noticed me yet.”

    The Same Life, A Different Lens

    These days, I don’t wish for a different life nearly as often.

    I simply try to look at this one with a little more curiosity…

    and a little less panic.

    Turns out, happiness isn’t always hiding behind a brand-new beginning.

    Sometimes…

    it’s been sitting in the same old place all along…

    quietly waiting for us to change the way we look at it.

    And now…

    I’d love to hear from you.

    What’s your favourite quote?

    The one you keep coming back to.

    The one that has quietly held your hand through different seasons of life.

    Or maybe…

    it’s not a famous quote at all.

    Maybe it’s something your parents once said…

    something a teacher told you…

    or perhaps a line you’ve written for yourself.

    Leave it in the comments.

    Who knows?

    Your favourite quote might just become someone else’s favourite reminder today. ❤️

    .

    Until the next whisper…

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

    .

    Read More : Don’t Quit. Just Turn the Page| 2 Life-Changing Tips

  • Don’t Quit. Just Turn the Page| 2 Life-Changing Tips

    Don’t Quit. Just Turn the Page| 2 Life-Changing Tips

    If you had to give one life-changing tip, what would it be?

    Don’t Quit. Just Turn the Page.

    If I had to give one life-changing tip… I’d cheat and give you two. 😌

    Because following instructions has never been my strongest personality trait.

    .

    Tip #1: Don’t give up.

    .

    I know. It sounds like something you’d find on a coffee mug.

    .

    But hear me out.

    .

    Sometimes we don’t quit because we’re tired.
    We quit because we convince ourselves that one rejection, one failure, one closed door is the universe politely saying,
    “Sorry, you’re not the main character.”

    .

    What if it’s just saying,
    “Wrong door. Try the one next to it.”

    .

    Not getting that job doesn’t mean you won’t find your work.
    Not getting that relationship doesn’t mean love packed its bags forever.
    Not succeeding this time doesn’t mean you’re bad at it.

    .

    It just means… the plot needed a twist..

    .

    Even Wi-Fi disconnects sometimes.
    It doesn’t mean you throw away the router. 😂

    .

    Tip #2: Sometimes life asks you to change the path, not your determination. 🦋

    Don’t give up on your dream too quickly.

    .

    Fight for it.

    .

    Work hard for it.

    .

    Give it everything you’ve got.

    .

    But if you’ve truly given it your best and life still keeps pushing you in another direction don’t spend your whole life standing outside one closed door.

    .

    Sometimes, changing the path doesn’t mean giving up on the destination.

    .

    Life isn’t written with permanent ink. 🦋

    .

    It’s more like a sketchbook.

    You can erase.
    You can redraw.
    You can scribble over the ugly part.
    You can turn a mistake into a cloud, a tree, or somehow… a very artistic potato. 🎨🥔

    .

    Our lives are blank canvases that keep handing us fresh space to paint on.

    .

    Didn’t like Chapter 3?

    .

    Good news.

    .

    Nobody is stopping you from writing an amazing Chapter 4.

    .

    So if today feels heavy…

    Take a deep breath.

    Sharpen your pencil.

    Turn the page.

    Start again.

    Not because your dream wasn’t worth fighting for…

    .

    But because sometimes life isn’t rejecting you.

    .

    It’s simply redirecting you.

    .

    So here’s my not-so-secret life advice:

    Don’t give up.

    Don’t give up on yourself either.

    .

    Because as long as you’re breathing, your story is still accepting edits.

    .

    And who knows?

    .

    The chapter you’re worrying about today might become your favorite plot twist tomorrow. 🤍🦋

    Until the next whisper…

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

    .

    If you enjoyed this, you might also like Some Endings Should Never Be Rewritten

  • Fictional Character You Relate to the Most | Nihshabd

    Fictional Character You Relate to the Most | Nihshabd

    Who is the fictional character you relate to the most?

    One Character? Really?

    Who is the fictional character you relate to the most?

    I hate this question.

    Not because I don’t have an answer…

    But because it expects me to have just one.

    Seriously?

    That’s like asking an artist to choose one colour…
    or asking a writer to pick one favourite word.

    Life doesn’t make us that simple.

    Just when I think I’ve found the fictional character I relate to the most, another one quietly taps me on the shoulder and says,

    “Excuse me… you’ve borrowed a little piece of me too.”

    And annoyingly…

    She’s right.

    Why choose one… when life lets you become many?” 🦋

    A little bit of Jo March lives in me every time my thoughts refuse to stay inside my head until I write them down. Sometimes writing feels less like a hobby and more like breathing.

    Then there’s Belle. We definitely have one thing in common—we can both disappear into books and completely forget that the real world exists. The only difference is that she had a magical library. I have a growing collection of books… and a family occasionally reminding me that food exists outside the pages. 😄

    And then comes Rapunzel, happily throwing a hundred creative ideas my way, usually all at once, as if my brain were hosting a never-ending art festival. Finishing one project before starting another? That’s a lovely theory.

    Sleeping Beauty and I also have something in common—we’re both deeply committed to the noble art of sleeping. 😄 The only difference is that she needed a curse… I just need a pillow! But she has also reminded me that slowing down isn’t the same as falling behind. Sometimes the biggest transformations happen while we’re quietly resting, healing, or simply giving ourselves permission to pause.

    Whenever life decides to test me, Mulan gently reminds me that courage doesn’t always arrive with trumpets and fireworks. Sometimes it simply whispers, “Take the next step.”

    And then there’s Anne Shirley. We have an agreement—I borrow her imagination, and she borrows my ability to overthink absolutely everything. 😄 Together, we can turn the simplest moment into a beautiful story… or a full-length novel that nobody asked for.

    See? This is exactly my problem.

    How am I supposed to choose just one?

    The Best Fictional Character Is the One You Create

    The more I think about it, the more I realize that life was never meant to make us copies of someone else’s story.

    Some days need courage.

    Some days need kindness.

    Some days demand creativity.

    Some days simply ask us to be patient.

    If I forced myself to live like only one fictional character, I’d probably be wonderfully prepared for one situation… and completely lost in the next.

    Why Being Many Characters Makes You Unique

    Maybe the real magic isn’t finding the fictional character you relate to the most.

    Maybe it’s collecting the best qualities from every story that touches your heart, blending them with your own experiences, learning from your mistakes, laughing at yourself once in a while, and slowly becoming someone no book has ever written before.

    Because that’s what makes us different.

    That’s what makes us adaptable.

    That’s what makes us beautifully unique.

    So don’t try to fit yourself into one character.

    Be the dreamer when dreams are needed.

    Be the reader when wisdom is needed.

    Be the creator when the world needs something new.

    Be the warrior when life becomes difficult.

    And when life surprises you—as it always does—don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself.

    After all, life isn’t about becoming someone’s favourite fictional character.

    It’s about becoming a person who can adapt to every chapter with courage, kindness, curiosity, creativity, and hope.

    Why settle for one character…

    when you have the privilege of carrying a little piece of many?

    Maybe that’s exactly what makes you you.

    A beautifully imperfect, ever-evolving story that no author could have written better.

    .

    ✨ Now it’s your turn.🤍

    Who is the fictional character you relate to the most? Or, like me, do you carry little pieces of many stories within you? I’d genuinely love to hear your answer. 🦋✨

    .

    Until the next whisper…

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

    .

    Read More :

    Fictional Characters | Two Extra Chairs for My Childhood

    The Places Where I Accidentally Disappear

     The Best Dreams Whisper

  • Everything Happens for a Reason | Life’s Hidden Lessons

    Everything Happens for a Reason | Life’s Hidden Lessons

    Do you think everything happens for a reason?

    Do you think everything happens for a reason?

    Yes.

    Not because I think every painful moment was meant to happen.

    But because I believe we are capable of giving meaning to what happens.

    Looking back, some of the biggest disappointments in my life quietly redirected me toward something I never knew I needed.

    Some people came only to stay for a chapter.
    Some dreams ended because they weren’t my destination.
    Some delays protected me from rushing into the wrong things.

    At the time, none of it made sense.

    I questioned it.
    I resisted it.
    Sometimes I even hated it.

    But life has a strange habit of connecting the dots only when we stop looking forward and glance back.

    Do I think everything happens for a reason?

    Yes… though not always the reason we imagine.

    Sometimes the reason is to make us stronger.
    Sometimes it is to make us kinder.
    Sometimes it simply teaches us what truly matters.

    And sometimes, the reason isn’t hidden in the event itself…

    It’s hidden in the person we become because of it.

    Maybe that’s the real reason all along.🦋

    .

    Until the next whisper…

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

  • The Promise to Myself I Never Broke

    The Promise to Myself I Never Broke

    What’s a promise you made to yourself that you’ve actually kept?

    The promise to myself I never broke wasn’t about waking up at 5 a.m., sticking to every New Year’s resolution, or finally resisting the urge to buy “just one more” plant.

    We make promises all the time.

    “I’ll start on Monday.”

    “I’ll sleep early.”

    “I’ll stop buying plants because there’s no space left on the balcony.”

    That last one? Let’s not discuss it.

    But the promise to myself I never broke wasn’t about waking up at 5 a.m., drinking more water, or finally resisting the temptation to bring home “just one more” plant.

    The truth is, the hardest promises aren’t the ones we make to other people. They’re the quiet little promises we whisper to ourselves when nobody is listening.

    I’ve broken my fair share of them. Some lasted a week. Some didn’t even survive until lunch.

    But a few… somehow stayed.

    Not because I have extraordinary willpower. (I don’t.)

    But because they quietly became a part of who I am.

    Looking back, I realized the promise to myself I never broke wasn’t really one promise at all. It became a collection of little promises that slowly shaped the person I wanted to be.

    The Promise to Myself I Never Broke Began with Curiosity

    Age has tried very hard to convince me that I should now be an “expert.”

    Curiosity had other plans.

    I still Google random things at midnight.

    I still wonder how flowers know exactly when they bloom.

    I still fall into rabbit holes that begin with “I’ll just check one thing” and somehow end with ancient civilizations, octopuses, or why toast always lands butter-side down.

    Grey hair may arrive without permission.

    A curious mind, however, is entirely optional.

    And I’d like to keep mine.

    I Promised Myself I’d Keep Making Things

    Not everything needs to become a masterpiece.

    Sometimes a few written words are enough.

    Sometimes it’s a sketch.

    Sometimes it’s crochet.

    Sometimes it’s watering a plant that stubbornly pretends it’s on vacation.

    Creating reminds me that I exist for more than ticking boxes on a to-do list.

    The world celebrates finished products.

    I secretly celebrate beginnings.

    I Promised Myself I’d Never Let Age Decide My Joy

    Apparently, growing older comes with an invisible instruction manual.

    “Act your age.”

    Wear sensible shoes.

    Don’t laugh too loudly.

    Don’t dance in the kitchen.

    Who wrote these rules?

    Because I’d like a word.

    If something makes me smile, I’m keeping it.

    My knees occasionally file complaints.

    My heart hasn’t submitted any.

    I Promised Myself I’d Collect Memories, Not Perfect Moments

    Perfect days are suspicious.

    Real life spills tea.

    People arrive late.

    Photos blur.

    Rain ruins plans.

    Cake collapses.

    Someone always blinks.

    And years later…

    Those are exactly the stories everyone laughs about.

    Perfection is forgettable.

    Memories never are.

    I Promised Myself I’d Keep Showing Up

    Not every day feels magical.

    Some mornings, motivation doesn’t even bother sending a text.

    Still…

    You get up.

    You write one paragraph.

    Water one plant.

    Read one page.

    Smile once.

    Tiny victories are terribly underrated.

    Life isn’t won in giant dramatic scenes.

    It’s quietly built in ordinary Tuesdays.

    I Promised Myself I’d Keep a Little Corner of Childhood Alive

    I still get excited over the first rain.

    I still smile when I hear an old song.

    I still stop to admire an unusually shaped cloud.

    And don’t even get me started on books that smell like childhood.

    Growing older is compulsory.

    Growing boring?

    That’s entirely negotiable.

    I Promised Myself I’d Never Rush Through Beautiful Moments

    Life keeps telling us to hurry.

    Faster.

    Quicker.

    What’s next?

    But some things refuse to bloom on our schedule.

    A sunset.

    A heartfelt conversation.

    The fragrance of morning coffee.

    A flower that opens only for a single magical night.

    The best moments in life don’t ask us to speed up.

    They quietly ask us to stay.

    And I’ve learned that staying is sometimes the bravest thing we can do.

    The Promise to Myself I Never Broke: A Collection of Small Promises

    I’ve forgotten birthdays.

    Missed deadlines.

    Burnt toast.

    Killed a few innocent houseplants.

    (They deserved better.)

    But the promise to myself I never broke has survived.

    To stay curious.

    To keep creating.

    To laugh loudly.

    To notice small wonders.

    To make memories.

    To show up.

    To protect the tiny child inside me who still believes ordinary days can suddenly become extraordinary.

    Because the day I stop doing those things…

    I’ll still be growing older.

    But I won’t really be living.

    So if someone ever asks me about the promise to myself I never broke, my answer won’t be just one sentence.

    It will be this way of living.

    And that’s one promise I have no intention of breaking.

    .

    Until the next whisper…
    —Rajeshwari     🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

    .

    The Heart of Real Friendship ✨

  • Built by Birth. Edited by Life.

    Built by Birth. Edited by Life.

    Do you think we’re shaped more by our experiences or by who we are?

    I’ve seen this debate so many times that I wouldn’t be surprised if Life started it just to entertain itself.

    .

    Are we shaped by our experiences…
    …or by who we already are?

    .

    I think we’ve been asking the wrong question all along.

    .


    We’re Built by Birth. Edited by Life.

    .

    Everything that happens after that is simply another revision.

    .

    When we’re born, life hands us a rough draft.
    A little courage.
    A little fear.
    A heart that trusts far too easily.
    An ego that occasionally believes it knows everything.
    No map.
    No instruction manual.
    No “Ctrl + Z.”

    .

    Just a cheerful, “Good luck. You’ll figure it out.”

    And then people happen.

    .

    Some walk into our lives carrying sunshine.
    Some arrive looking like sunshine…

    .

    until they quietly become a power cut.
    Some stay.
    Some leave.
    Some leave… while taking a piece of us with them.
    Life never really warns us which is which.

    .

    It simply smiles and says,
    “Character development.”

    .

    Life has terrible timing… but an annoyingly good eye for editing.

    .

    I’ve often wondered…

    .

    Do heartbreaks make us stronger…
    or do they simply introduce us to a version of ourselves we had never met before?

    .

    Do betrayals make us suspicious…
    or were we always the kind of people who loved without checking the expiry date?

    .

    Maybe experience isn’t the whole story.
    Maybe neither are we.

    .

    Perhaps it’s never just about what happens to us… but also about what happens within us.

    The same disappointment visits two people.

    .

    One closes every door.
    The other learns which doors were never worth knocking on.

    .

    The same criticism breaks one person.
    Another quietly thanks it years later.

    .

    The same betrayal hardens one heart…
    and deepens another.

    .

    Funny, isn’t it?

    .

    Life gives the same exam…
    but we all write different answers.

    .

    Maybe that’s why no two people come out of the same storm looking alike.

    .

    Life writes the questions.
    Our choices write the answers.

    I’ve met people who praised me in public…
    and edited my character in private.

    .

    I’ve also met people who quietly stitched pieces of my confidence back together…
    without ever telling me they did.

    .

    Life introduced me to both.

    .

    Who I became after meeting them…
    that part was mine.

    I don’t think experiences arrive to change us.
    I think they arrive to reveal us.

    .

    Just like the tide.
    It doesn’t create the ocean.

    It simply shows us how deep it has always been.
    The waves don’t ask permission.
    They come.
    They leave.

    .

    And somehow…

    .

    the shore is never quite the same.
    Neither are we.

    Some experiences erase illusions.
    Some restore hope.
    Some teach us to walk away.
    Others remind us why staying is sometimes the braver choice.

    .

    Every joy adds a sentence.
    Every loss strikes one out.

    .

    Every unexpected kindness writes an entirely new paragraph.
    Without realizing it, we keep becoming newer editions of ourselves.

    .

    Not perfect.
    Just… a little wiser than yesterday.

    So…
    are we shaped more by our experiences…
    or by who we are?

    .

    I still can’t choose.

    .

    Because life may hold the editor’s pen…
    but it can only edit the pages we were born with.

    .


    Perhaps that’s the quiet truth.
    We don’t become someone else.

    .

    We slowly discover who was hiding beneath every revision.
    Still imperfect.
    Still learning.
    Still wonderfully unfinished.
    Built by Birth. Edited by Life.

    .

    Until the next whisper… 🤍
    — Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

    .

    Read more:

    A Little Bit of Magic Called Life

    My Life Has No Direction… and That’s Exactly the Direction 😌