Manali Manan Desai's Blog, page 38

The First Meet by Payal Dedhia

Book blurb:

The idea of an arranged marriage may be complicated, but the infamous first meet is more brutal than anything else. What to talk about, how to behave, what to wear, the questions are endless, and the nervousness incurable.
But still, we take the plunge in the hope of meeting someone special who would steal our breath away, race our slow heartbeats and manage to ignite a spark inside us.
Meet Pankh as she goes on to the first meet with Aman. Their journey is infectious but crazy. If all goes well, wedding bells will ring, and if not, they both will move on and get into the cycle of meeting other people until they meet their better-half, their soulmate.
Pankh is jolly, loud, nervous, and Aman, sweet, polite, and an absolute gentleman. It’s the perfect pair in the imperfect world, but it all goes downhill just because of one mistake, one misunderstanding. Will they make it, or will they stay as a memory in each other’s hearts forever.

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Pages: 52

Format: Kindle eBook

Price: 59 INR/ $2.99

My Ratings: 4.4/5

Pankh has just completed her graduation and wants to start doing a job. However, her mom convinces her to meet Aman via an arranged marriage proposal. The first meeting between Aman and Pankh doesn’t go as planned. However, they do end up enjoying each other’s company. But things go downhill after a few meetings as Pankh feels that Aman takes her for granted. Will they be able to come together?

Book cover taken from Amazon

What I liked about the book:
-> The concept of arranged marriage is shown in a very positive light.
-> Pankh’s sense of humor and internal dialogues in the entire story.
-> The relationship of Pankh with her BFF and her mother. These are very nicely depicted.
-> The growing closeness and growth of the relationship between Pankh and Aman is extremely on-point and gives a giddy feeling. Anyone who has been in a relationship will easily relate to how one feels during the initial days of getting to know each other.
-> How Aman explains to Pankh that though she will have his support after marriage, she will need to fight some battles on her own by speaking her mind if she doesn’t like something.

What I did not like about the book:
-> Pankh’s behavior after the misunderstanding. She behaves like a spoilt brat and stretches it a bit far in my opinion.
-> The end felt rushed; a little bit of how the wedding happens and what happens after might have added more charm I feel.

Quotable quotes:
-> Marriage is about love and passion, but can you feel something for a stranger? Reading too many novels, I craved for the perfect guy, but did they even exist?
-> She never grew tired, nor did she ever have any attitude. Taking everyone’s tantrums in her stride, she always gives us happiness. Oh, mom.
-> Every day is a new day. The day which has gone has gone. Don’t try to bring the past incidents into your new day. The mantra for a happy and successful life is to never drag your previous day to your present day. Let bygones be bygones.
-> Sometimes the simplest things attract you the most.
-> I am hungry and the smell of fresh bread makes me do things, stupid things.
->We both got quiet and somehow the silence wasn’t killing me. It felt nice like it was natural to get silent after having a delicious meal and light-hearted conversation.
-> If only we could marry our best friends, then there wouldn’t be any issue about getting ignored by our partners.
-> Friends don’t stand you up. They come at a moment’s notice, leaving everything to be with you in the time of need.
-> You need to speak up if you are not liking things. Others cannot fight every battle for you.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media links:

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The Mohanbari Murders by Esha Pandey

Book blurb:

Simran, the swashbuckling, no-nonsense new ASP of the Mohanbari District is baffled when a nine-year-old is found dead in a busy market lane. Determined to crack her first heinous crime, she doesn’t leave any stone unturned. While trying to figure out the case her path crosses with Major Imran. Sparks fly, but she is determined to hate him. As the matter gets more complicated, Simran begins to trust Imran.

Genre: Fiction/ Murder mystery/ Crime Thriller

Pages: 47

Format: Kindle eBook

Price: 49 INR/$2.99

My Ratings: 4.5/5

A nine-year-old boy is found murdered in a busy market. The autopsy reveals gruesome facts. ASP Simran is in charge of the investigation along with Major Imran. Though the two got off on rocky grounds, they come together to get to the bottom of this case. Will they be able to crack the case while trying to keep their growing attraction towards each other in check?

Book cover taken from Amazon

What I liked about the book:
-> The meticulous attention to the details like the call signs, the description of Scene of Crime, and characterization of the criminal. These allow the reader to travel with the author into the dingy lanes of the market and other spots written about in the whole story.
-> The story has a gripping, nail-biting climax which will keep the readers hooked up till the end, and wanting and waiting for more, in the sequel.
-> The whole investigation and what it reveals, shakes you to the core.
-> The mystery keeps you on the toes while the subtlety of a brewing romance between the protagonists has such a very real-life butterflies in the stomach, feel.

What I did not like about the book:
-> The scenario of the crime and the proofs felt less detailed. I’m looking forward to bigger complicated cases and little more actual hardcore police and investigation work rather than hearsay and conclusive evidence.
-> The end felt sudden and abrupt.

Quotable quotes:
->There is always more than what meets the eye.
-> Cultivating informers in all major underground groups was no mean feat.
-> A lot could be told about a person from the kind of books they read.
-> Interrogation is all about building trust and dialogue
->Sometimes rules have to be broken.
-> Girte hain shahsawar hi maidaan-e-jung mei Woh tifl kya gire jo ghutno ke bal chale.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media links:

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In Conversation With Avinash Matta

“Life is a drama full of tragedy and comedy. You should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more.”― Jeannette Walls

In these tough times, its truly a blessing to be able to smile, and sometimes even, laugh. The world is not a happy place currently. But, the one thing that brings me happiness, is reading. When that leads to laughs, I’m a grateful soul. One such book that lent me many laughs in recent times was Saini Subramanyam vs. 2020 by Avinash Matta.

The story in this book is a fictional but humorous take on the lockdown in India in 2020.

Check out my short review of the book below.

Read my detailed review of Saini Subramanyam vs. 2020 here

When I reached out to the author, Avinash, asking him to be a part of the Author Collaborative, he was game for it, right away. Of course, before we could do the session, he had to read my book Love (Try) Angle. Here’s his take on it.

Read Avinash’s detailed review of Love (Try) Angle here

Today, after almost a month of trying to come up with a convenient date and time for both of us, we had an invigorating session.

IG handle: @arusticmind_

As you can see, we focused on talking about comedy and romance. So, here’s what I asked him about writing good comedy.

Check out Avinash’s answers here

When it was his turn, the questions were around romance and love. Here’s a list of question he picked my mind on.

Check out my answers here

Answering those questions was taxing. So to end the session on a light note, we had a fun and quirky, rapid fire round.

I asked Avinash these spunky questions in this round.

Check out Avinash’s answers here

I was thrown off guard by Avinash’s questions. See for yourself why!

Check out my answers here

This was for sure one of the most fun sessions I have had on this segment. You can have a look/see at our full conversation in the video below:

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Check out the books discussed in the video, via below links:

Saini Subramanyam vs. 2020 on Amazon IndiaSaini Subramanyam vs. 2020 on Amazon.comLove (Try) Angle

Five Petals by Chinmayee Gayatree Sahu

Book blurb:

‘Five Petals’ is a work of fiction & is a collection of short stories capturing different emotions like, betrayal, humour, adventure, expectation & trust. The stories help the readers to get a peek into the lives of the main characters that are very relatable to any common man. It captures the interesting ways they adopt to navigate through their hardships or troubled situations. It is an attempt to showcase the perception of LIFE from different angles…

Genre: Fiction/Short stories

Pages: 35 pages

Format: Kindle eBook

Price: 49 INR/0.99

My ratings: 4.7/5

A collection of 5 short stories titled Life: A Roller Coaster Ride!, Quarantined With Family, Dream Or Nightmare, Neetu & Aja, and Beyond Borders- A story of a couple- Uncle John and Aunt Meenu whose love has withstood time; each beautifully depicting life’s varied colors and teaching us some amazing lessons too.

Book cover taken from Amazon

Stories that connect and reflect.

What I liked about the book:
-> The author is a good observer and expresses emotions and relations well.
-> The situations and characters are extremely relatable.
->Each of the five stories is a revelation imparting lessons.
-> The five different stories are very skillfully woven just like the beautiful cover page and the thoughtful title! Each story has a deep-rooted meaning or a life lesson.
-> Loved the way the author has managed to fit in different story forms including the suspense and horror genre.
-> The tales encapsulate different emotions like love, betrayal, adventures, humor, expectations, resilience, and trust that take the reader on a roller coaster ride of feelings.

What I did not like about the book:
-> I wish the book had more stories.
-> Most of the stories ended with a bittersweet feeling, leaving the reader wanting for more.

Quotable quotes:
-> Life is unexpected and takes twists and turns whenever one least expects it. It is beyond anyone’s understanding and probably the only way is to go with the flow.
-> Just pause and see that we have every reason to be happy.
-> One doesn’t need anyone’s validation to accept that they are competent.
-> When there is a difficulty we all have to come back to our inner circle of defense. That is our own family.
-> There is nothing wrong with doing social work but that should not come at the cost of your own family’s happiness.
-> Having a family is a blessing. Everything else is secondary.
-> To be self-reliant, one has to take some bold steps.
-> The problem with most big companies is that employee satisfaction is the last thing on their list. The main priority is revenue generation.
-> Finish up your business if you start something. One has to give it all and see if you pass or fail. Without giving it all we will never understand where we went wrong if something does not work out.
->We learn more from our mistakes than from our accomplishments.
->A plant can be given any amount of care, fertilizers, timely exposure to sunlight but unless it takes up the effort by itself to absorb the nutrients it is of no use. If it did not know to do so, it won’t be able to survive the test of time.
-> When love is pure it can conquer any hassle and overcome any barrier.
-> Love is the biggest power and the greatest healer to all our sufferings.
-> Trust is the foundation on which love can blossom.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media handles:

BlogInstagramTwitterFacebookMedium

Floral Eye-Candy in The Dutch Country

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair…”
― susan polis schutz

Photo of the author at the open fields surrounding The Tulip Barn

The Netherlands is famous for many things, but the first thing that comes to mind is the tulip fields. My husband and I have been traveling in and out of the Dutch country since 2017. During one such trip, I was fortunate to visit and enjoy the beauty of the very popular, Keukenhof (spring 2018). However, my husband was yet to see the glory of spring in this country.

We moved here in 2020 and it goes without saying that the nature lover in me was screaming with excitement at the prospect of exploring and walking around the many tulip fields.

However, as spring came nearer and with the Covid-19 restrictions still on, I had very little hope of the beautiful tulips being accessible, up close and personal.

Thankfully, there was a drop in the number of cases, and the restrictions became a little relaxed. A quick Google search told us that though Keukenhof was still shut but another smaller and similar attraction nearby to it, was allowing walk-ins.

And of course we pounced on the opportunity as we weren’t foolish enough to let go!

So on a sunny Saturday morning, we set off to The Tulip Barn.

[image error]Photo of the author’s husband at The Tulip Barn

Even before we reached it, we passed a number of floral fields and took a detour for venturing out and taking photos.

Photo of the author at a field in Hillegom, near The Tulip BarnFun fact: If you’re Bollywood lover, you’ve probably seen or at least heard of the movie Silsila. The very popular song Dekha ek Khwaab featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha was shot in the tulip fields of the Netherlands.Photo of the author’s husband at a field in Hillegom, near The Tulip Barn

As you can see, the fields are a total eye candy for nature and lovers of flowers. A 5 minute drive from this pit stop took us to our final destination.

It has a designated parking area, where we parked the car and set off to the land of promises.

There is a small park where you have to pay for the ticket to go in. This area has many photo ops in the form of selfie points which is a major attraction for many visitors (including us)

Photo of the author at one of the many photo ops at The Tulip BarnPhoto of the author’s husband at one of the many photo ops at The Tulip Barn

We spent over an hour in the park, clicking away photos and creating memories for a lifetime.

The only off putting part was that we had to await our turn for the photo point to become available as there were many visitors. Not to mention, we had to be very cautious of maintaining a safe distance from the people around us.

Photo of the author and her husband at one of the many photo ops at The Tulip BarnPhoto of the author at one of the many photo ops at The Tulip BarnPhoto of the author’s husband in the open fields at The Tulip BarnPhoto of the author in the fields right outside The Tulip Barn

There are open fields surrounding this small park and outside it too. Though they’re cordoned off, they stretch for miles and the views are spectacular.

My Bollywood loving heart was constantly humming. Dekha ek Khwaab while (quite literally) hopping through the fields. The smiles in the photographs are proof of our heart’s content.

Photo of the author and her husband in the open fields at The Tulip Barn

If in the Netherlands, do not miss out on this opportunity to explore nature’s beauty at its peak during the spring time.

[image error]A collage of all the tulips and the many fields inside and around The Tulip Barn

Pro tip: Check the weather before picking and choosing a particular day and time. You wouldn’t be able to enjoy and appreciate the floral beauties if the weather is cold and damp, or worse, rainy.

How to contact me:Connect with me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to my YouTube channel.Follow me on Instagram and Facebook.Send me an email: arusticmind@gmail.com/manali1988@gmail.com

A Girl on the Run: A tale of Self-discovery and Love by Namita Ahluwalia

Book blurb:

The chirping of the birds was her haven,
She dreaded a blink and it will all disappear

Till now, twenty-four-year-old Meera’s life has been a fairy tale. A daddy’s little girl, she never had to struggle for anything. But all of a sudden, she finds herself at a crossroads. Now, she has to make a life-changing decision, to take a leap of faith or surrender to her misery.

Meanwhile, Sid, a best-selling author is at the crossroads too. He is desperately on the lookout for the next big idea that will keep his journey as a writer alive.

What happens when Meera and Sid cross paths?
Will sparks fly between them?
Will the two discover the true meaning of life while changing each other’s perspective?

This debut novel, A Girl on the Run, is a coming of age, short read that delves into the lives of two extremely opposite individuals, mysterious personalities, each wanting to break free from the mundaneness of life and discover love in the process.

Genre: Fiction/ Romantic Drama

Pages: 60

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 79 INR/$2.99Paperback (available only in the US): $3.70

My Ratings: 3.8/5

Meera is a runaway bride, who escapes from the clutches of a wedlock she knew she’d not be happy in. She lands up at the doorstep of her once BFF, Priya, who helps her land a job as a receptionist at her brother’s hotel in Mussoorie. Meera befriends Sid, one of the esteemed guests here. As they grow closer, Meera’s past catches up to her. Will she have to run again?

Book cover taken from Amazon

A light-hearted story of self-discovery.

What I liked about the book:
-> Runaway brides are cliché but this story succeeds in giving us a glimpse of the struggles and transformation that the protagonist goes through, there is positive character growth and development all through, and that’s what makes it interesting.
-> Meera realizes her mistakes and flaws from the past and consciously works on these.
-> The story sends out an important message that one should cut off from technology and social media once in a while, in order to enjoy and appreciate the simple joys of life.
-> The way Meera manages to juggle everything and adjusts to her new life in Mussorie. She works as a receptionist, as a waitress after working hours to learn and follow her passion for cooking, and even pens down poetry in her room after work. What I liked most was how she never complains or is shown to be grumpy despite having very basic facilities.
-> How ultimately Meera decides to face the truth and follows her heart’s call to pursue a career in something she genuinely likes doing.
-> Meera and Sid have differing personalities, and yet, the one common thing; that Sid shys away from having a social media presence despite being a bestselling author, and Meera too grows to be distant from phones and social media.
-> The way life and places in Mussorie have been described and narrated.

What I did not like about the book:
-> The relationship between Meera and her best-friend, Priya, could have been more developed. Priya seemed to be upset at Meera at some points however at other times, it felt as though she had completely forgotten about their spite and was no longer upset, and then she even warns Sid about her, seeming a bit indifferent about what happens to Meera. This felt a bit odd and upsetting as a reader.
-> Though the climax is very peaceful and leaves you satisfied, some more explorations from the lead characters, especially Sid, might have added more charm to the story.

Quotable quotes:
-> Running away is never a solution. You should first ask somebody for help.
-> She was beautiful and could speak her mind, a combination that was bound to attract attention.
-> A big brother is like a father figure and when he deceives, it is devastating.
-> She was not a flirtatious person. She was intelligent and could hold conversations with men. Hence, she came across as a person capable of flirting.
-> He was a storyteller, he loved unraveling the minds of people he found distinct.
-> I am a writer and can sense many things just by observation.
-> Not everybody can chase their dreams. Some have to earn to live.
-> At least once, forget your phone in the drawer and breathe free. Detach yourself from the world. No anxiety, no beeps to distract, no rush to take photos, it’s wonderful. It’s like you’re unburdening the unnecessary shit that weighs you down.. it’s like finally, you’re living in the present.
-> Do you ever wonder about snowflakes? Such a tiny existence. In a matter of seconds, they merge into something huge and are gone. It is as if they never existed. They didn’t have any identity whatsoever. We’re the same. As if we too are running to someplace…and in a fraction of time, we will be gone, merged with something huge, no identity, body, or shape.
-> No amount of running is going to help because you have to face your demons sooner or later.
-> The chirping of the birds was her haven,
She dreaded a blink and it will all disappear.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media links:

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The Truth: A Story of Love, Hate, and Secrets by Nishant Chaturvedi

Book blurb:

The Truth is a suspense thriller that will keep you at the cliff. It is a story about a man suffering from short time memory loss who is searching for some answers related to his missing wife.

This journey is all about finding the answers until he discovers something nasty which was better hidden.

Genre: Fiction/ Murder Mystery

Pages: 33

Format: Kindle eBook

Price: 49 INR/$0.99

My Rating: 3.6/5

Daniel has had a difficult childhood. He goes through therapy and slowly gets better. However, he still suffers from short-term memory loss. Things begin to get better after he falls in love and marries Karen. Their marital bliss gets hampered when Karen goes missing one day. A body matching her appearance and clothes is found at a park. Daniel refuses to believe that it’s Karen. If it, then who murdered her?. If it isn’t, where is she? The mystery becomes even more gripping as Daniel has doesn’t clearly remember what happened on the day he last saw Karen.

Book cover taken from Amazon

The truth can sometimes be a disturbing self-revelation.

What I liked about the book:
-> The build-up to the climax is well executed.
-> The narrative is from Daniel and Karen’s POVs which helps us understand the flow and characters better.
-> It sends out an important message that a traumatic and abusive childhood leads to severe mental problems later on in life.
-> The story highlights the fact that one’s past mistakes or secrets about past life can be used for blackmail by enemies or those who are jealous of our happiness.

What I did not like about the book:
-> It felt a bit rushed.
-> A certain things remained unanswered or were left to the imagination of the reader.

Quotable quotes:
-> I am searching for some answers. We all search for answers. More importantly, we search for the right answers. Those right answers are called the truth. We may or may not like the truth but the reality is it is the most supreme thing in the world to which all must bow down.
-> I have entered into the wise club of the 30s. This jump of 29 to 30 feels more than just a year. It’s like yesterday I was a young girl playing under the branches of the willow tree and suddenly I am a grown woman. Perhaps I am over-emphasizing. I have always been like that, over imagining stuff.
-> There was silence again. I did not know how to reply. It was that ambiguous feeling which you do not know how to put into words.
-> What do you do when your biggest fear turns real? When the walls inside your head start caging you in? When you have the toughest choice to make? When either side of the edge you are hanging to is death? You just stay numb.
->A deal is offered not forced.
-> We are like free wind gushing all around the corner. Sometimes marauding the brazen land while sometimes breezing through the blossoming plants. But eventually, we end up where we are destined to be.
-> In our journey of kissing the sun, we have to tread upon the thorns. This journey is called life.
-> Sometimes it is better not to know all the answers.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media links:

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What it Means When Someone Doesn’t Respond

“You can talk with someone for years, every day, and still, it won’t mean as much as what you can have when you sit in front of someone, not saying a word, yet you feel that person with your heart, you feel like you have known the person for forever…. connections are made with the heart, not the tongue.” (C. JoyBell C.)

I was once asked by a friend, “If I text him more than he does, does that mean he is not as interested in me?”

I consoled her at the time by saying she’s overthinking it and that things will be fine. Years went by and I realized that this question keeps getting asked by many people, across genders, and ages. The anxiety to know what the other person feels and thinks about us is a never-ending one. With communication becoming lightning-fast, we expect people to respond when the blue ticks show up.

Though I do not believe myself to be an expert, here’s what I have learned about (DMs) communication.

Firstly, let’s get this straight.

No, it does not necessarily mean that if someone is not responding to you (sepcifically on texts), that they’re not interested in you.

It could mean one or more of the following things:

They’re not into texting and prefer to talk over a phone call or in-personThey have a busy schedule and do not have time to respond to each text every now and then.They might be contemplating about what and how to respond to your text.They are wondering why you are texting so much and hoping that if they don’t reply you will ultimately stop (nobody likes a clingy partner). This, however, in no way means that they don’t care or care lesser than you do.

The best way to stop overthinking and over-analyzing this situation is to talk it out with them rather than conjuring up negative ideas and thoughts in your head.

Talk it out with them rather than conjuring up negative ideas and thoughts in your head.

Photo by Magnet.me on Unsplash

Thank you for reading.

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How to contact me:Connect with me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to my YouTube channel.Follow me on Medium, Instagram and Facebook.Send me an email: arusticmind@gmail.com/manali1988@gmail.com

The Top Five Lessons I’ve Learned From My Marriage

One of my favorite quotes about marriage goes,

“You don’t marry one person, you marry three, the person you think they are, the person they are, and the person they are going to become as the result of being married to you.”

So before you get into wedlock, be very clear that your partner is and will not be the same person you knew as your boyfriend/girlfriend or even your fiance/fiancee.

I haven’t been married for long (just a little over 4 years), but here are some things I have learned through experience:

Don’t include the family in all decisions

This is a big NO, especially when it comes to big decisions like “When to have a child?”, “Whether to buy a new car/home or not?”

Ask for the family’s advice, but the final say should be a mutual decision between just you and your husband/wife. Including everyone in the decision-making will later backfire when things might go wrong, and there will be accusations like, “But your mother said this…” and “We only did that because your father asked us to..”, etc. and so forth. Also, wouldn’t you like some privacy yourself too?

Ask for the family’s advice, but the final say should be a mutual decision between just you and your husband/wife.

But also, remember that if you’re not including family in the decision-making, make sure neither of your families is involved.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

2. Keep some things to yourself and  have a ‘me’ time activity

This is just the ‘you’ part. There’s absolutely no need to need to share all aspects of your life with your partner. You may start feeling like you’re losing your identity if you begin this practice. So do some things just for yourself and keep them to yourself.

Set aside some time just for yourself; read a book, go out for a walk, meet some friends, all without your partner. It’s not necessary to do everything together, always.

If you’re always doing everything together, you will soon get bored or start getting on each other’s nerves. Not to mention you feel start blaming each other for not engaging in your favorite activities like reading, cycling, jogging, et al..

Say your partner doesn’t like working out, so you also stop doing it, and ultimately you start putting on weight. You will likely blame your partner for it. So, rather than reaching that stage, why not start by doing it without them!

If you’re always doing everything together, you will soon get bored or start getting on each other’s nerves.

Photo by Ava Sol on Unsplash

3. Respect your partner and their decisions (personal and, more importantly, professional ones)

The reason you have married your partner is that you fell in love with them or liked them. There must have been something good in them as a person for you to choose them as your life partner, right? So don’t forget this even while you disagree with them or have arguments with them.

Don’t forget why you married your partner, even while you disagree with them or have arguments with them.

4. Adjustments and compromises are required

No, you won’t have the freedom to walk out and do as you please any time of the day (or night). For example, you might want to go out for a movie, but he may want to “Netflix and Chill’ at home. Who wins?

Remember, the winner always has to be the relationship, and not ‘you’ or ‘me’.

Your priorities will change, and drastically so. You now have to think for two people, and every decision will affect both your lives. It’s a scary thought, but you might as well be prepared than regret it later.

You have to think for two people and every decision will affect both your lives.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

5. Accept that you will always be the second woman or second man in their lives

This race for being better than the mother-in-law and father-in-law will never stop unless we accept that the husband will always choose his mother over his wife, and the wife will always choose her father over her husband. The sooner you accept this fact, the happier your married life will be.

Photo by Photos by Lanty on Unsplash

The husband will always choose his mother over his wife, and the wife will always choose her father over her husband.

I am a novice when it comes to marriage advice. I’m still learning the big and small things around it myself while grappling about being a good life partner, but I hope these help!

Thank you for reading.

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How to contact me:Connect with me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to my YouTube channel.Follow me on Medium, Instagram and Facebook.Send me an email: arusticmind@gmail.com/manali1988@gmail.com

When You Feel Like A Close One is Ignoring You

“Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.”- JK Rowling

In our everyday routines and work-life balance, we often end up ignoring our loved ones. We tend to take the people we talk to regularly, for granted.

Recently, an acquaintance shared their feelings on the same lines

“I feel like my best friend is ignoring me. I’m feeling anxious about it and don;’t know how to stop worrying.”

That’s when I thought to myself, “I must be doing this unconsciously every day, to so many of my friends and family too.”

When I put myself in their shoes, the answer was so obvious. The first thing to do according to me, is, ask yourself,

Have you tried talking to them about how you feel?

Maybe they feel the same way and are afraid to take the first step.

Often we miss out on letting our loved ones know how we feel and end up losing out on great relationships.

It’s a lockdown for the entire world, so they’re probably home and you’re too. Nobody is really busy and it’s all about priorities really. So, just pick up the phone and call them or send them a simple ‘Hi’ and take it ahead from there.

Nobody is really busy and it’s all about priorities really.

Photo by Verena Yunita Yapi on Unsplash

What to do when you feel anxious about a close one ignoring you:

Ask yourself, “Have you tried talking to them about how you feel?”Pick up the phone and call themSend them a simple ‘Hi’ and take it ahead from there.

Thank you for reading.

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How to contact me:Connect with me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to my YouTube channel.Follow me on Medium, Instagram and Facebook.Send me an email: arusticmind@gmail.com/manali1988@gmail.com