Tag: Nihshabd journal

  • Let It Go 2.0: When I Stopped Borrowing Other People’s Opinions

    Let It Go 2.0: When I Stopped Borrowing Other People’s Opinions

    Describe one positive change you have made in your life.

    .

    Positive change?

    Oh, I basically upgraded my life to “Let It Go 2.0” 😌

    Earlier, if someone said anything, I would hold onto it like a precious package

    .

    open it, analyze it, overanalyze it…

    and then replay it in my head like a full Netflix series. 🎬

    “What did they mean?”

    “Why did they say it like that?”

    “Was there a hidden message?”

    .

    Honestly, my mind was doing overtime… without getting paid. 😭

    .

    But now?

    Now it’s a completely different story.

    .

    Someone says something, and I just go:

    “Not my circus, not my monkeys.” 🐒✨

    .

    Because let’s be real

    people will always have something to say.

    You could do everything perfectly, and still someone will go,

    “Hmm… could’ve been better.” 😏

    .

    So I decided

    they can talk, I’ll stay happy. 😌

    .

    Now I don’t take things to heart.

    I treat opinions like random notifications

    seen… and ignored. 📲❌

    .

    That mountain of overthinking I used to carry?

    Yeah, I turned it into a scenic view

    I look at it from a distance… I don’t climb it anymore. 🏔️

    .

    And the best part?

    I don’t wait for a reason to be happy anymore.

    .

    Because I finally realized

    peace isn’t a luxury,

    it’s a choice… and I chose it. ✨

    .

    A smiling woman sitting on a mountain hillside, letting papers fly away in the breeze, symbolizing letting go of thoughts.
    Let go, breathe, and choose peace 

    .

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

  • The Yoga That Turns Chaos Into Bliss

    The Yoga That Turns Chaos Into Bliss

    What’s the most fun way to exercise?

    .

    What’s the most fun way to exercise?

    .

    Yoga.

    .

    Because nothing feels more peaceful

    than struggling silently on a mat

    while convincing yourself you’re “relaxed.”

    .

    I started with big expectations

    flexibility, inner peace, a calm mind…

    basically becoming one of those people

    who have their life together.

    .

    Now?

    .

    I’m holding a “simple” pose

    and shaking like my body is buffering.

    .

    And the funniest part?

    It’s just me.

    .

    No audience. No pressure.

    Just me… losing a fight

    with my own muscles.

    .

    Balance poses are my personal favorite.

    .

    One second I’m stable,

    next second I’m collapsing

    like my life decisions just caught up with me.

    .

    Very graceful. Very controlled. Obviously.

    .

    But let’s be honest

    the real reason I survive yoga?

    .

    Savasana.

    The final pose.

    The reward.

    The only time my body and I

    finally agree on something.

    .

    Lying flat on the mat, doing absolutely nothing,

    and calling it part of the workout?

    .

    Iconic.

    .

    At this point, I don’t even rush yoga—

    I patiently struggle through everything

    just to earn those last few minutes

    of doing absolutely nothing… professionally.

    .

    And somehow…

    in that stillness,

    after all the drama,

    the shaking,

    the silent suffering…

    .

    everything slows down.

    .

    And for a moment,

    I actually feel calm.

    .

    Like I have my life together.

    .

    (It’s temporary. But still counts.)

    .

    So yeah,

    the most fun way to exercise?

    .

    Yoga.

    .

    Because it’s the only workout

    where your favorite part…

    is literally lying down. 😌✨

    .

    A woman struggling in a forward bend yoga pose, eyes closed and face tensed, trying to reach her toes on a mat.
    Struggle first. Peace later. 😌

    .

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved

  • I Don’t Read… I Disappear Into Stories✨🌙

    I Don’t Read… I Disappear Into Stories✨🌙

    What book could you read over and over again?

    .

    I don’t reread books…

    not because I don’t love them

    but because once a story gives away all its secrets,

    it stops playing with me.

    .

    And I like it when stories play back.

    .

    Because somewhere between the lines,

    there’s always something hiding

    something that doesn’t reveal itself easily…

    something that makes me lean in a little closer.

    .

    And I…

    I crave that first spark.

    .

    The moment I open a new book,

    something inside me shifts

    like a window suddenly opening,

    and in rush

    a thousand restless, mischievous thoughts.

    .

    Dragonflies skim across my mind,

    light and fleeting…

    Fireflies glow softly in hidden corners,

    like tiny secrets waiting to be found…

    and clouds

    they don’t stay still either.

    .

    They change, they drift, they play,

    painting my thoughts

    in colors I didn’t know I carried within me.

    .

    I don’t read…

    I run after them.

    .

    I try to hold onto a moment,

    but it slips away laughing

    playful, untamed

    and somehow, I end up smiling too.

    .

    And then…

    everything softens.

    .

    Like time slows down,

    like I’ve stepped into a place

    where imagination runs free

    careless, curious, alive.

    .

    Books, for me, are never just stories.

    They are worlds

    and I don’t visit them,

    I dissolve into them.

    .

    My thoughts don’t stay still there…

    they wander, they chase, they tumble,

    they turn into colors, into laughter, into quiet wonder

    like a piece of childhood

    that never really left,

    just hid between the pages.

    .

    Maybe that’s why I don’t read the same book twice

    because I’m not looking to remember a story…

    .

    I’m looking to lose myself

    in a new one,

    again and again. 🌙

    .

    A dreamy illustration of a woman reading a glowing book under a starry sky, surrounded by fireflies and dragonflies, with magical light flowing from the pages, titled “I Don’t Read… I Disappear Into Stories” with “Nihshabd” written below.
    Stories don’t stay on pages… they linger inside me. 🌙

    .

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved

  • When She Exists, Even Evenings Smile

    When She Exists, Even Evenings Smile

    Uske hone se shaam khilkhilati hai,

    jaise thandi hawa dil ko chhoo jaati hai…

    .

    Wo aaye toh raatein bhi roshan ho jaati hain,

    aur sitare zameen par utar aate hain…

    .

    Kabhi wo khamoshi mein bhi kahaani likh jaati hai,

    kabhi hansi se har gham ko bhula jaati hai…

    .

    Na naam mein simti, na lafzon mein bandhi,

    wo ek roshni hai… jo har dil mein jagmagati hai… 🌸

    .


    .

    Her presence makes the evening bloom with laughter,

    like a gentle breeze that softly touches the heart…

    .

    When she arrives, even the nights begin to glow,

    as if the stars have descended to the earth…

    .

    Sometimes she writes stories in silence,

    sometimes her smile makes every sorrow fade away…

    .

    Not bound by a name, nor confined in words,

    she is a light… that shines in every heart… 🌸

    .

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

  • Some Companionships Don’t Need Words

    Some Companionships Don’t Need Words

    What animals make the best/worst pets?

    .

    Some animals don’t just become pets…

    they quietly become a part of your life.

    .

    The best ones are not always the most perfect,

    but the ones who stay…

    without asking for much.

    .

    Like Kiwi. 🐾

    Not perfect, not trained,

    but somehow always there —

    in small moments, in quiet ways.

    .

    A dog, maybe —

    loyal in ways words can never explain.

    .

    Or a cat —

    silent, distant, yet somehow always around

    when you need that quiet presence.

    .

    And then there are some animals…

    not meant to be kept,

    not meant to be owned.

    .

    Because not everything that looks beautiful

    is meant to stay with us.

    .

    Some are better loved from a distance.♥️

    .

    A woman sitting by a lake at sunset, holding a Shih Tzu dog, symbolizing quiet companionship and emotional connection.
    Some bonds don’t need words… they just stay. 🐾✨

    .

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

  • This Came Unexpected… A Sunshine Blogger Nomination 🌻

    .

    🌻 Sunshine Blogger Award (Nomination)

    .

    Sometimes recognition doesn’t arrive with noise.

    It comes quietly…

    like a soft pause in the middle of everything. ✨

    .

    I was recently nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award,

    and for a moment, I didn’t know how to react.

    .

    Not because it’s big…

    but because it felt personal.

    Like something that wasn’t just seen,

    but actually felt.

    If you’d like to know more, you can explore it here. 🌻 https://nihshabdblog.com/about/

    .

    💛 Thank You

    .

    A heartfelt thank you to Apitivi for this nomination.

    .

    In a space where so many voices exist,

    being read is one thing…

    but being felt — that’s different.

    .

    And this felt like that.

    So thank you for noticing, for pausing,

    and for finding NihshabdBlog worth sharing. 🌸

    .

    You can explore their blog here: [https://officialaptivi.wordpress.com/2026/03/29/aptivi-releases-the-newsroom/]

    .

    🌸 Answers

    1. What is your favorite phone make and model?

    A: iPhone.

    Not for the hype… just for how quietly it fits into my life.

    .

    No noise, no showing off — just there, doing its job.

    A lot like the kind of people I feel comfortable around.

    .

    Most of my thoughts live in my Notes app…

    half-written lines, things I didn’t say, things I felt too much.

    Funny how a small screen ends up knowing you better than most people.

    .

    2. Do you prefer minimalism when it comes to designs in general?

    A: Yes, always.

    I think I’ve grown out of “too much.”

    .

    I like things that don’t try to impress me.

    They just… sit there, quietly, and still make sense.

    .

    Minimalism feels like peace.

    Like when nothing is forced, nothing is extra —

    and somehow, that’s exactly enough.

    .

    3. Why did you start blogging?

    A: Because I was tired of explaining myself.

    .

    Writing doesn’t interrupt you.

    It doesn’t ask you to simplify what you feel.

    .

    You just put it out there…

    and whoever connects, connects.

    And honestly, that kind of understanding —

    without explanation — feels rare.

    .

    4. What is your favorite store (tech, gadgets, etc.)?

    A: I don’t have a favorite store.

    I have favorite moments.

    .

    Sometimes I buy things I don’t need,

    just because they felt right in that moment.

    .

    Later, they don’t matter as much…

    but that small feeling?

    That quiet “this makes me happy” —

    I think that’s what I really go looking for.

    .

    5. Are you tech-savvy or not?

    A: Not really.

    I just learn what I need to, when I need to.

    .

    I’m more busy trying to understand people…

    and honestly, that’s already a full-time challenge.

    .

    Phones come with updates.

    People come with layers.

    And I’m still figuring those out.

    .

    6. What is the thing that you’re most proud of?

    A: That I didn’t lose my softness.

    .

    Life had enough chances to make me distant…

    but I didn’t let it.

    .

    I still feel deeply,

    still care more than I should sometimes,

    still write things I could’ve kept inside.

    .

    Maybe it’s not practical…

    but it’s still me.

    .

    7. What’s your opinion about artificial intelligence (AI)?

    A: It’s impressive, really.

    Sometimes a little too perfect.

    .

    It knows what to say, how to say it…

    but it doesn’t hesitate before saying it.

    .

    And I think that pause matters.

    That moment where you sit with a feeling

    before turning it into words —

    that’s something you can’t automate.

    .

    8. What do you think about social media?

    A: It’s confusing, honestly.

    .

    Everyone is visible,

    but not everyone feels real.

    .

    Sometimes it’s inspiring,

    sometimes it feels like everyone is just performing.

    .

    But then you find something honest…

    a line, a thought, a feeling —

    and suddenly, it all feels a little less fake.

    .

    9. Have you heard of e-sports or gaming?

    A: Yes.

    People are out there winning games, leveling up.

    .

    And I’m here…

    trying to win against my own thoughts.

    .

    Some days I feel like I’ve got it.

    Other days, same thoughts — new round.

    .

    No scoreboard…

    but the game still matters.

    .

    10. What was your graduation year (college or school)?

    A: I remember the year…

    but I remember that version of me more.

    .

    A little simpler, a little lighter,

    and not overthinking everything.

    .

    Now I understand more…

    but I also carry more.

    .

    I guess growing up is just

    trading ease for awareness.

    .

    11. Do you prefer electronic shopping or physical shopping?

    A: Online shopping.

    It just feels easier… calmer.

    .

    No crowds, no pressure,

    no one trying to convince me to buy something I don’t need.

    .

    Just me, my phone, and my very questionable cart choices 😄

    And honestly…

    half the joy is waiting for that package to arrive —

    like a small surprise you gave yourself.

    .

    🌼 My Nominees

    .

    Passing this forward, quietly… to a few voices that stayed with me:

    1. Her Daily Doses

    2. My Awesome Blog

    3. Panaecea

    4. She Rose Anyway

    5. Chitrangada writes

    ..

    I’ve chosen these voices because Nihshabd has always been a space dedicated to women — their thoughts, their strength, and the stories they carry. Supporting them, in my own small way, just feels natural. 💛

    .

    ❓ My Questions for You

    .

    1. What is something small that makes you unexpectedly happy?

    2. Do you write more from feeling or from thought?

    3. What does silence mean to you?

    4. A song you never skip — and why?

    5. What is something you’ve outgrown but still carry within you?

    6. Do you believe being “soft” is a strength?

    7. What inspires you to keep creating?

    8. Are you more of a listener or a speaker?

    9. What is one feeling you find hard to explain?

    10. What makes something feel real to you?

    11. If your blog had a mood, what would it feel like?

    .

    ✨ Ending

    .

    Sunshine isn’t always loud.

    Sometimes… it’s quiet, soft, almost unnoticed..

    .

    And maybe that’s the kind that stays longer. 🌻

    .

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

  • A Strange Habit of Caring

    A Strange Habit of Caring

    What job would you do for free?

    .

    “What job would you do for free?”

    .

    Anything that lets me make someone’s day a little easier.

    .

    Not in a big, dramatic, “changing lives” way—

    I don’t have that kind of energy daily 😄

    .

    More like…

    fixing something small,

    explaining something quickly,

    or just being there when someone is clearly struggling but pretending they’re fine.

    .

    I don’t even plan it.

    It just… happens.

    .

    I’ll be minding my own work,

    and suddenly I’m involved in someone else’s problem

    like I was personally invited.

    .

    Zero boundaries.

    Full participation.

    .

    And somehow,

    I never regret it.

    .

    Because the return is always the same—

    a lighter face,

    a softer voice,

    that small “oh thank God” kind of smile.

    .

    And I don’t know why,

    but that moment always feels… enough.

    .

    No achievement unlocked.

    No big credit.

    .

    Just a quiet feeling—

    like something went right today.

    .

    So yeah,

    not a specific job…

    .

    just this strange habit

    of not ignoring people

    when I easily could. 😄

    .

    Two hands gently touching in warm candlelight, symbolizing silent care and human connection.
    A quiet kind of care, felt more than spoken.

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved

  • A Life Practiced in Silence

    A Life Practiced in Silence

    What Olympic sports do you enjoy watching the most?

    What Olympic sports do I enjoy watching the most?

    .

    The honest answer is… I don’t really watch sports.

    But I deeply admire the people who do.

    .

    Not just for the medals,

    but for everything that happens before that moment.

    The dedication.

    The quiet hard work.

    The days when no one is watching,

    yet they keep showing up.

    .

    Training without immediate results,

    facing failures,

    and still choosing to try again.

    .

    And then one day,

    they step onto that stage…

    accept the challenge…

    and perform with everything they’ve built in silence.

    .

    I think that’s what stays with me.

    .

    Because in our own lives too,

    we are doing the same in different ways—

    trying, failing, learning… quietly.

    .

    And maybe the real achievement isn’t the moment

    everyone claps for…

    .

    but the version of you

    that didn’t give up

    when there was no one there to notice.

    .

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved

  • Maybe the Community Doesn’t Need Fixing. Maybe I Do.

    Maybe the Community Doesn’t Need Fixing. Maybe I Do.

    How would you improve your community?

    How would I improve my community?

    .

    By doing something slightly uncomfortable.

    .

    I’d stop assuming I’m always right.

    .

    Not a great personality trait to give up, I know.

    But most of our “community issues”

    feel less like real problems…

    and more like a collection of people

    (me included)

    who don’t pause long enough to think,

    “Maybe it’s not just them.”

    .

    I’ve judged people in seconds.

    Misread silences.

    And replied “hmm” to things

    that probably deserved a little more heart.

    .

    Efficient? Yes.

    Helpful? Not really.

    .

    So maybe… I’d start there.

    .

    I’d listen. Properly.

    .

    Not the kind where I nod

    while preparing my next sentence

    but the slightly uncomfortable kind

    where I don’t interrupt,

    don’t fix,

    don’t turn it into my story.

    .

    Just… listen.

    .

    I’d also retire my habit

    of building full personalities for people

    based on one moment.

    .

    Because apparently,

    people are not trailers.

    You don’t get the whole story in 30 seconds.

    .

    And kindness

    I’d stop treating it like a rare personality trait

    and start using it like a default setting.

    .

    No announcements.

    No “look how nice I am” energy.

    .

    Just…

    a softer tone,

    a delayed reaction,

    a message I choose not to send.

    .

    Because sometimes,

    what I don’t say

    improves things more than what I do.

    .

    And when I don’t understand someone

    instead of guessing, decoding, overthinking

    .

    I’d ask.

    .

    Directly. Simply. Humanly.

    .

    Will this fix everything?

    .

    No.

    .

    Someone will still misunderstand.

    I’ll still have off days.

    And someone will definitely still send

    “Good Morning 🌹” at 6 AM.

    .

    But maybe

    someone around me

    will feel less judged.

    .

    One conversation

    will feel a little safer.

    .

    One moment

    will feel… lighter.

    .

    And honestly,

    if my presence can do that

    .

    then maybe I didn’t fix the whole community…

    .

    but I stopped making it harder to live in.

    .

    And these days,

    that itself feels like a pretty good improvement. 🙂

    .

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved

  • We Thought We Were Coping… How We Adapted Without Even Realizing It

    We Thought We Were Coping… How We Adapted Without Even Realizing It

    How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?

    .

    Covid didn’t just test my patience…

    it quietly turned me into a full-time everything manager 😄

    .

    Suddenly, I wasn’t just “mom” anymore —

    I was a teacher (online classes 📚),

    an IT support system (“Mummaaa, the internet is gone again!”),

    a chef on 24×7 demand (“Can we eat something different today?”),

    and somehow… still expected to function like a normal human.

    .

    And the kids were little.

    So there was no shortcut, no “manage on your own”…

    it was hands-on, all day, every day.

    .

    Mornings began with logins and confusion,

    switching between apps, classes, and tiny voices calling my name.

    Afternoons melted into a loop of meals, snacks, and “just something different.”

    Evenings were half work, half chaos…

    and by night, I didn’t even know what day it was.

    .

    It wasn’t structured.

    It wasn’t perfect.

    It was… real.

    .

    And along with all this… there was also a quiet, constant fear.

    The fear of losing our loved ones.

    The pain of not being able to be there in someone’s hardest moments.

    The distance, the helplessness…

    a kind of ache that words can never fully explain.

    .

    There were moments of complete exhaustion —

    when everything felt like too much.

    Too many roles, too much noise,

    and not a single pause.

    .

    But somewhere in between all this…

    something beautiful started happening.

    .

    We stopped trying to do everything “right”…

    and started doing everything together.

    .

    Classes had background interruptions,

    the kitchen had experiments (and a few disasters 🤭),

    routine had no fixed shape…

    but the house slowly filled with something warmer than perfection —

    belonging.

    .

    We didn’t sit and say “let’s cope.”

    We just… showed up for each other.

    .

    Helped where we could,

    adjusted where we had to,

    laughed when things went wrong,

    and figured it out — one messy day at a time.

    .

    And slowly, without even realizing…

    this is how we adapted.

    .

    Not by controlling everything,

    but by holding on to each other.

    .

    And maybe that’s the real twist

    we thought we were just managing a difficult phase…

    .

    but actually,

    we were building a kind of togetherness

    that normal life never gives you time for.

    .

    Because coping isn’t about having everything under control.

    It’s about how you stand with your people when nothing is.

    .

    In my case, there was no perfect system,

    no perfect balance…

    just a lot of shared effort, small joys, and silent understanding.

    .

    And when I look back now…

    it doesn’t feel like just a hard time.

    .

    It feels like a phase where life was loud, messy, unpredictable…

    but also full of togetherness.

    .

    And somehow, in the middle of all that chaos…

    we didn’t just get through it

    .

    we grew through it,

    together 🙂

    .

    A young child mimicking work-from-home life, standing with a laptop and headphones during the Covid lockdown, reflecting how children observed and adapted to new routines at home.
    He wasn’t just playing… he was copying Papa learning work-from-home, his own way.

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd. All rights reserved.

    (This image and poem are original creations.)