NihshabdBlog

Tag: Nihshabd journal

  • What Do I Do to Improve My Sleep? (Spoiler: I Don’t!)

    What Do I Do to Improve My Sleep? (Spoiler: I Don’t!)

    What do you do to improve your sleep?

    Every time someone asks how I improve my sleep, I feel slightly guilty.

    .

    Because apparently, I’m supposed to have a routine.

    .

    People brew chamomile tea, meditate, journal, switch off screens an hour before bed, spray lavender on their pillows, play rainforest sounds, and count sheep like they’re preparing for the Olympics of Sleeping.

    .

    Meanwhile…

    .

    I simply go to bed.

    .

    Well… almost.

    .

    There is one tiny obstacle.

    .

    My brain.

    .

    The same brain that has remained suspiciously quiet all day suddenly becomes the CEO of Midnight Meetings Pvt. Ltd.

    .

    “Remember that awkward thing you said five years ago?”

    “What if tomorrow’s conversation goes terribly wrong?”

    “Shouldn’t we also plan next month’s grocery list… right now?”

    .

    Seriously?

    .

    You’ve had sixteen waking hours to bring this up.

    Now you want a board meeting?

    .

    Sorry.

    .

    Office hours are over.

    Please send an email.

    .

    Most nights, I politely decline the invitation.

    .

    Because every extra minute spent overthinking is a minute stolen from perfectly good sleep.

    .

    And I refuse to let imaginary problems rob me of real rest.

    .

    So, touchwood, I’ve never really had to improve my sleep.

    .

    The moment my head finally reaches the pillow, it’s game over.

    .

    No lavender.

    No sleep apps.

    No breathing exercises.

    No smart gadgets congratulating me for existing.

    Just one pillow…

    …and lights out.

    .

    If I have one piece of bedtime advice, it’s this:

    Don’t let your brain schedule meetings after business hours.

    .

    Nothing productive has ever happened at 2 a.m.
    Except winning imaginary debates against people who have no idea they’re involved.

    .

    Sleep is free.
    Overthinking is expensive.
    I’ve decided to invest wisely.

    .

    Because tomorrow deserves a well-rested version of me,

    not the one who stayed awake arguing with imaginary situations.

    .

    So, if I have one sleep secret, it’s this…

    .

    I don’t chase sleep anymore. I stop chasing thoughts, switch off the day, and let my pillow do the rest.

    .

    Until silence finds another story…
    With love,
    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

  • My Mind Walked 5000 Steps Today | Nihshabd

    My Mind Walked 5000 Steps Today | Nihshabd

    Hit 5,000 steps today and drop your achievement here — we’re cheering you on!

    My Mind Walked 5000 Steps Today. It may sound like I went on a long walk, but the truth is, those steps happened inside my mind.

    Everyone’s dropping their 5,000-step victories.

    .

    Meanwhile, I’m over here proudly completing 5,000 thoughts instead.

    .

    😄 My mind has been running a marathon all day, even if my feet haven’t moved much.

    .

    Some days, life asks us to slow down rather than speed up. And that’s okay. Tomorrow is another chance to lace up my shoes, step outside, and let my feet do a little of the work my mind has been doing.

    .

    Until then, I’m celebrating the tiny victories too because every journey starts with just one step, even if that step comes tomorrow. 🤍

    .

    My Mind Walked 5000 Steps Today reminded me that not every journey is measured by a fitness tracker. Sometimes, the longest journeys happen quietly within us.

    Celebrating the little victories with you, always.
    With love,
    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

  • Let’s Borrow a Little Joy

    Let’s Borrow a Little Joy

    Come…

    .

    Let’s borrow
    a little happiness
    from the moon tonight.

    .

    Just a handful.

    .

    The sky
    has been saving it
    for someone
    who still remembers
    how to look up.

    .

    We’ll gather
    a few golden sparkles…

    .

    not because
    they’re rare,

    but because
    we’ve forgotten
    how often they appear.

    .

    Let’s slip
    a pocketful of stars
    into this little bag.

    .

    I’m sure
    the sky won’t mind.

    It has never
    counted its treasures.

    .

    And look…

    .

    the fireflies
    have already found us.

    Don’t chase them.

    Joy has a funny habit…

    .

    it always comes closer
    when we stop running after it.

    .

    Perhaps
    one or two
    will quietly wander
    into our little bag,

    bringing along
    their tiny lanterns
    for the days
    our hearts
    forget their own light.

    .

    A wandering breeze
    might join us too.

    .

    If it does,
    don’t stop it.

    .

    Some winds
    carry the scent of flowers.

    .

    Some carry rain.

    .

    And some…

    .

    carry the quiet courage
    to begin again.

    .

    Look…

    .

    the fog
    is slowly hiding
    the edges of the world.

    .

    Maybe that’s its way
    of saying…

    .

    “Not everything beautiful
    needs to be seen clearly.”

    .

    So let’s not hurry.

    .

    Let’s collect
    whatever the night
    is willing to share.

    .

    A little moonlight.

    A little wonder.

    A little impossible.

    .

    And just enough hope
    to make tomorrow
    feel a little kinder.

    .

    We’ll carry it home
    in the simplest little bag.

    .

    Because happiness
    has always preferred
    ordinary pockets…

    over golden boxes.

    .

    And if,
    by morning,

    someone asks
    where all this light
    came from…

    .

    let’s just smile…

    and whisper,

    “The moon was feeling generous tonight.” 🌙✨

    .

    Until we borrow a little more moonlight…
    With love,
    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

  • The Only Thing That Can Silence My Mind… Is Music. 🎶

    The Only Thing That Can Silence My Mind… Is Music. 🎶

    Some storms don’t happen outside. They happen quietly inside us. The only thing that can silence my mind is music.

    What’s the best way to deal with negative thoughts?

    Have you ever noticed something?

    .

    Negative thoughts don’t arrive with loud footsteps.

    .

    They quietly slip into your mind… find a comfortable corner… and before you realise it, they’ve started paying emotional rent.

    .

    You change your place.
    You keep yourself busy.
    You scroll.
    You cook.
    You clean.
    You tell yourself,
    “Bas… enough. I’m not thinking about this anymore.”

    .

    Your brain smiles.

    .

    “Okay… but what if we think about it one last time?”

    .

    One last time…
    Turns into fifty.

    .

    And that’s the strange thing about negative thoughts.
    The more you chase them away…
    the tighter they hold your heart.
    I’ve realised something over the years.

    .

    When thoughts reach the mind, logic can sometimes help.

    But when they sink into the heart…

    .

    logic loses.
    Advice loses.
    Distraction loses.
    Only music knows the way in.

    .

    A familiar song doesn’t ask what happened.
    It doesn’t judge.
    It doesn’t interrupt.
    It simply wraps itself around your heart until the noise inside begins to soften.

    .

    Slowly…
    the breathing becomes easier.
    The chest doesn’t feel as heavy.
    The thoughts don’t disappear overnight…
    they simply stop controlling you.
    That’s the magic of music.
    It doesn’t erase pain.

    .

    It creates a little space between you and your pain.
    Sometimes that tiny space is enough to breathe again.

    .

    So these days, when my mind starts writing stories that reality never wrote…
    I don’t argue with it anymore.
    I put on my headphones.
    Close my eyes.
    And let the music do what words never could.

    .

    Because some medicines aren’t found in pharmacies…
    They’re hiding inside a favourite song. ❤️🎧

    .

    Keep listening… sometimes music says what words cannot.

    With love,

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

  • I’ve Been Eighty Since I Was Eight

    I’ve Been Eighty Since I Was Eight

    What do you love now, that you hated when you were younger?

    I stared at this prompt for a good five minutes, convinced my brain had simply forgotten something.

    Then it hit me.

    I’ve Been Eighty Since I Was Eight. 

    That’s the only answer this prompt gave me.

    Surely there had to be something.

    Bitter gourd? Early mornings? Silence? Staying home? Folding laundry?

    Nope.

    Maybe that was the answer.

    The more I thought about it, the more I realized…

    I couldn’t answer this prompt because the things I love today are the very things I loved as a child.

    I’ve been suspiciously eighty years old since I was eight.

    As a child, I loved hiding in a quiet corner with a notebook, doodling, writing stories, humming old melodies, and creating entire worlds that existed only in my head.

    Apparently, my idea of fun has always been… unconventional.

    And some things, apparently, never left me.

    I still stop to admire butterflies in the garden.

    I still collect pretty leaves because… well, someone has to appreciate them.

    I still get embarrassingly excited when a rainbow appears, as if the sky made it just for me.

    Apparently, I’ve been delightfully easy to please my entire life.

    Some people outgrow these little joys.

    I seem to have renewed my subscription every year.

    I still get ridiculously excited by a blank page.

    I can lose track of time while making something with my hands.

    The smell of books still deserves its own perfume.

    A beautiful sky can stop me mid-sentence.

    A handwritten letter still feels more magical than a text message.

    Growing up didn’t make me fall in love with these things.

    It simply gave me permission to stop apologizing for loving them.

    Maybe that’s adulthood.

    Not discovering new passions…

    But realizing the little “boring” things you loved all along were never boring at all.

    Turns out, my younger self wasn’t strange.

    She simply knew what made her happy.

    Although…

    The more I think about it, the less certain I am.

    Was I really eighty years old when I was eight…

    Or am I still eight at heart?

    Because I still stop for butterflies.

    I still smile at rainbows.

    I still bring home pretty leaves.

    I still think clouds tell stories.

    I still believe the sky puts on a show just because someone remembered to look up.

    Maybe I’ve spent my whole life being an old soul…

    With the heart of an eight-year-old.

    And honestly?

    I hope that never changes.

    .

    Until the next quiet thought,
    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

  • My Gut Doesn’t Give TED Talks| A Poem About Trusting Your Gut

    My Gut Doesn’t Give TED Talks| A Poem About Trusting Your Gut

    What’s a time you followed your gut and it turned out to be exactly right?

    “What’s a time you followed your gut and it turned out to be exactly right?”

    You’d probably expect
    one dramatic story.

    A rainy evening.

    A life-changing decision.

    A perfect movie climax.

    I’m sorry to disappoint you…

    My gut doesn’t save me once in a lifetime.

    It works overtime.

    ✦ When Logic Speaks, My Heart Listens ✦

    .

    There is always a moment…

    Just before life quietly asks,

    “Are you sure?”

    My brain immediately begins its presentation.

    “You’re overthinking.”

    “Don’t judge too quickly.”

    “Give it another chance.”

    “What’s the worst that could happen?”

    Meanwhile…

    My gut doesn’t prepare slides.

    It doesn’t quote philosophers.

    It simply whispers,

    “Hmm… something feels off.”

    No proof.

    No screenshots.

    No eyewitnesses.

    Not even a decent explanation.

    Just an odd little feeling…

    Like my heart somehow received tomorrow’s news
    before the rest of me.

    And honestly…

    That tiny feeling has a better success rate
    than all my overthinking combined.

    ✦ The Warnings No One Else Could Hear ✦

    .

    I’ve met people
    who looked like sunshine…

    until they arrived carrying thunderstorms.

    I’ve almost said “yes”
    to things that looked exciting…

    until something inside me quietly said,

    “Not this one.”

    I’ve changed plans at the last minute,
    cancelled meetings,
    walked away from conversations
    without knowing why.

    Every single time…

    Life later revealed
    the chapter I had unknowingly skipped.

    The funniest part?

    People ask,

    “How did you know?”

    I didn’t.

    That’s the whole point.

    If I had evidence,
    it wouldn’t be intuition.

    It would simply be common sense.

    So yes…

    There have been times
    when I ignored that whisper.

    Those chapters weren’t tragic.

    Just… unnecessarily exhausting.

    Sleepless nights.

    Overthinking.

    Conversations I should never have had.

    Apologies I never owed.

    Peace I willingly exchanged
    for curiosity.

    Turns out…

    Curiosity may have killed the cat.

    But ignoring my gut
    nearly killed my peace.

    ✦ The Peace That Came From Listening ✦

    .

    These days…

    When that quiet voice arrives,

    I don’t interrogate it.

    I don’t demand logic.

    I don’t ask for references.

    Some truths
    aren’t meant to be proven.

    They’re meant to be trusted.

    Because experience has taught me
    something beautiful…

    That whisper isn’t fear.

    It isn’t negativity.

    It isn’t pessimism.

    It’s every lesson I’ve survived…

    Every heartbreak…

    Every disappointment…

    Every mistake…

    Quietly joining hands
    to say,

    “We’ve been here before.”

    “Let’s not buy another ticket.”

    So…

    What’s a time I followed my gut and it turned out to be exactly right?

    I wish I could tell you
    just one story.

    But I can’t.

    Because it wasn’t one moment.

    It was dozens of tiny moments
    that never became disasters
    simply because
    I listened.

    Maybe I’ll never know
    what I escaped.

    Maybe that’s the point.

    Not every victory
    comes with applause.

    Some arrive quietly…

    Looking exactly like
    the problems
    that never happened.

    And if there’s one voice
    I’ve learned to trust
    without asking for proof…

    It’s the one
    that speaks the softest.

    Because I’ve realized…

    My gut was never trying to predict my future.

    It was simply trying to protect my peace.

    .

    Trust the quiet voice. It has been rooting for you all along. 🤍

    Love,
    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

  • A Smile Woven Through Silent Pain | Nihshabd

    A Smile Woven Through Silent Pain | Nihshabd

    लबों पर मुस्कान सजा ली, आँखों को ख़ामोश रहने दिया,
    हर दर्द को लफ़्ज़ न मिले… कुछ ज़ख्मों को बस जीने दिया।

    .

    जो बिखरा था, उसे समेटने में कई मौसम गुज़र गए,
    अब ख़ुद से मिलने लगे हैं… तो लोग कहते हैं, बदल गए।

    .

    अब कोई ग़म दस्तक भी दे, तो मुस्कुराकर दर खोलते हैं,
    कुछ दर्द मेहमान नहीं होते… उम्रभर साथ ही चलते हैं।

    .

    चेहरे पर जो सुकून दिखता है, वो यूँ ही नहीं आया है,
    बहुत कुछ ख़ामोशी से खोया है… तब जाकर ख़ुद को पाया है।

    .

    अब आँसू कम और दुआएँ ज़्यादा निकलती हैं,
    शायद टूटे हुए दिल ही… सबसे ख़ूबसूरत दुआ करते हैं।

    .

    मुस्कुराना अब आदत नहीं, रूह की तहज़ीब बन गया है,
    जो दर्द कभी मेरी पहचान था… आज वही मेरा नसीब नहीं, मेरा सबक़ बन गया है।

    .

    I taught my lips to smile,
So my eyes wouldn’t have to explain.
Not every wound asks for a voice…
Some are meant to be carried in silence.

    It took a lifetime of quiet storms
To gather the pieces of who I was.
Now that I’ve found my way back to myself,
The world simply calls it change.

    Grief still visits from time to time,
But it no longer feels like a stranger.
Some sorrows never leave your heart…
They simply learn to breathe more gently.

    If you see peace upon my face,
Know that it wasn’t gifted to me.
It was stitched together
From every goodbye I survived in silence.

    My eyes have forgotten how to plead,
My heart has remembered how to pray.
Perhaps only those who have been broken
Learn to bless without asking for anything in return.

    A smile is no longer an expression I wear.
It is the grace I chose over bitterness.
The pain that once wrote my story
Now merely turns its pages.

    Because healing isn’t the absence of pain…
    It’s the quiet courage to carry it beautifully.     🤍

    .

    कुछ एहसास कहे नहीं जाते…बस लिखे जाते हैं।

    शब्दों में शब्‍द — निःशब्द
    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

  • Which Languages Do I Speak?

    Which Languages Do I Speak?

    How Living in Different States Shaped My Life

    Which languages do you speak and how did that impact your life?

    Which Languages Do I Speak?

    .

    I’ve lived in different states and picked up bits of different languages along the way—like collecting pretty shells on a beach. Some I kept, some I misplaced, and some are probably hiding somewhere in my memory, waiting to be found.

    .

    Hindi is my comfort zone. It’s the language my heart reaches for when it’s happy, upset, excited, or simply in the mood to talk endlessly. It’s the language of family conversations, childhood memories, and countless cups of tea shared over stories. When I need to express my feelings without searching for the right words, Hindi is usually the first language that comes to my rescue.

    .

    English has been a faithful companion in my reading, writing, and learning adventures. It has introduced me to wonderful books, new ideas, and people from different walks of life. We don’t always agree on spellings or pronunciations, but somehow, we’ve made the friendship work.

    .

    Telugu keeps me connected to my roots. It carries memories of home, family traditions, and the familiar comfort of belonging. It quietly reminds me where I come from, even when I occasionally fumble over a word or two.

    .

    The funny thing is, living in different places taught me that communication isn’t just about language. A smile, a nod, expressive hand gestures, and confidence can get you surprisingly far.

    .

    Living in different states did more than add a few words to my vocabulary. It introduced me to different cultures, traditions, food, and ways of looking at life. Every move taught me how to adapt, connect, and find a sense of belonging in unfamiliar places.

    .

    I may not speak every language fluently—in fact, some languages and I are still in a long-distance relationship—but I’ve learned to appreciate different cultures and find common ground with people wherever I go. The biggest impact wasn’t becoming multilingual; it was becoming more open-minded. My world became bigger, my conversations richer, and my life far more interesting than if I had stayed in just one place.

    .

    So, which languages do I speak?

    .

    A little Hindi, a little English, a little Telugu… and a lot of human.

    .

    And after all these years, I’ve learned that people rarely remember whether you spoke perfectly. They remember how you made them feel.

    .

    That’s a language everyone understands. ❤️✨

    .

    With stories gathered from many places and words borrowed from many languages,

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

  • Dear Younger Human | Nihshabd

    Dear Younger Human | Nihshabd

    What’s the best advice you’d give to someone younger than you?

    Dear younger human,

    Don’t rush to grow up.
    Adulthood is mostly opening the fridge,
    staring into it dramatically,
    and closing it without taking anything.

    .

    Wear the clothes.
    Use the fancy notebook.
    Save some money, yes
    but don’t save your happiness for “someday.”

    .

    Take photos with the people you love.
    One day you’ll zoom in and realize
    the background matters less
    than the faces beside you.

    .

    Don’t waste years trying to be liked by everyone.
    Even pizza has haters,
    and pizza is doing just fine.

    .

    Your mistakes won’t ruin your life.
    They’ll just become funny stories
    you’ll tell with unnecessary hand gestures later.

    .

    Learn to leave places
    where your peace pays the bill
    for someone else’s comfort.

    .

    And please, drink water.
    Half your life problems are emotions,
    the other half is dehydration pretending to be emotions.

    .

    Most importantly

    Stop waiting to become perfect
    before you start living.

    .

    Life isn’t an exam with invigilators.
    It’s more like assembling furniture without instructions—

    confusing, slightly crooked,
    and somehow still useful.

    .

    So laugh often,
    love deeply,
    and remember:

    the adults you admire today
    were once teenagers too—
    equally confused,
    just with less back pain.

    .

    Signed,
    Someone older, wiser,
    and still opening the fridge
    as if a solution to life
    might have appeared since the last visit.

    .

    Still learning, still laughing,
    —Rajeshwari     🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari

  • Who Inspires Me? | Finding Inspiration in Everyday People

    Who Inspires Me? | Finding Inspiration in Everyday People

    Who are you most inspired by?

    Who Inspires Me?

    People often ask,

    “Who inspires you the most?”

    .

    As if I keep a secret list

    folded inside my handbag

    between old receipts and emergency chocolates.

    .

    The truth?

    .

    I am inspired by everyone.

    Yes, everyone.

    The successful teach me ambition.

    The unsuccessful teach me patience.

    The talkative teach me endurance.

    And the quiet ones teach me

    that silence can win arguments too.

    Some inspire me by what they do.

    Others inspire me by providing

    a very detailed guide on what not to do.

    .

    Life is generous that way.

    But if there is one group

    that leaves me constantly amazed,

    it is women.

    .

    Women who fight battles

    while answering phone calls.

    Women who carry worries

    in one hand and grocery bags in the other.

    .

    Women who hold families together

    using little more than love,

    determination,

    and occasionally a threatening look.

    .

    They bend,

    they stretch,

    they adapt,

    and somehow keep going.

    Honestly,

    if resilience were an Olympic sport,

    women would politely collect the gold medal,

    organise the ceremony,

    serve snacks,

    and still apologise for not doing enough.

    .

    So yes,

    I am inspired by everyone.

    .

    But every day,

    women remind me that strength

    doesn’t always roar.

    Sometimes it smiles,

    ties its hair up,

    and says,

    .

    “Right then, what’s next?”

    .

    Stay curious. The next person you meet might just be your next teacher.


    Warmly,
    —Rajeshwari     🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari