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Chillpreneur: Invaluable insights to relax, do less and achieve more in business, book review

Chillpreneur: Invaluable insights to relax, do less and achieve more in business

Denise’s book Chillpreneur is a fascinating read. I feel it has rewired my thinking and set straight my perspective on business, sales, pricing, making money, hiring, setbacks and much more in my entrepreneurial journey. In her characteristic tell-it-like-it-is style packed with humour, Denise doles out precious nuggets of information and advice to women in business. She not only encourages you to take the path of least resistance, but she also shows you how to walk that path.

What I loved most is Denise's optimism and the attitude of seeing a silver lining in everything. Love how she's explained that setbacks, failures and obstacles in business are only rites of passage that can’t be avoided, and that we must keep walking despite these. She makes it easy to follow this with her own examples of setbacks and mess ups. It’s wonderful to know how she has reframed challenges in her entrepreneurial journey, instead of letting them derail her. Her perspective can help change how you feel about one-star book reviews, refund requests or a crappy launch.
Sampada Chaudhari performing comedy on stage

7 Surprising Gifts From Performing Comedy on Stage

Throughout my career, it has been important for me to have fun at work. I had a long corporate career in advertising - a business that was super fun! The day was filled with witty one-liners, crazy antics and comebacks from a professional bunch that was fun, funny and fun-loving. On most days agency corridors, cubicles and conference rooms were filled with peals of laughter. Humour served as a balm and cushion in a high-pressure job.
As I was transitioning to leave corporate life and venture out to work on my own, I did miss the fun bunch at work. At the time, by chance I joined an IMPROV comedy class.
The class was fun yet challenging. Within weeks of training, we performed on stage to a live audience. It was frightening, exciting & fun. During rehearsals, I was barely able to recite a single line. Thanks to my comedy coach Divya Palat for her faith, confidence & amazing training I pulled off a good show. This gave me incredible confidence. Comedy helped bring the much-needed lightness to my career situation - as I worked to transition from corporate.

In the years ahead, I progressed from improvisational comedy to stand-up comedy. What started as a hobby led me to find my passion for public speaking. I performed professionally at numerous shows & open mics too. I performed several times on the coveted stage of the iconic NCPA Experimental Theatre. This was beyond a dream coming true for me.

Today is World Theatre Day. I’d love to celebrate the stage and comedy that took me there!

There are creative activities we indulge in for sheer joy. Some don’t need to become a wage-paying career. But they fill our souls. The joy & enthusiasm we experience spills over into our work. Performing comedy did just that for me.

There’s so much I gained from performing comedy besides a bunch of fun friends. I’m sharing 7 of these surprising gifts. Hope these inspire you to take up a creative activity outside of work.

Rest is Resistance: A landmark book about disrupting capitalism and reimagining our world

Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey is one of the most path-breaking books I’ve read in recent times.

It addresses rest way beyond the act of relaxing.

It’s a book about social justice, black liberation and healing for all.

It's a seminal work on dismantling the grind work culture that expects us to work endless hours.

Tricia emphasises that rest is not a luxury or privilege like the dominant culture makes us believe.

Rest she says is a divine right and a human right.

“Rest is as natural as breathing and waking up. Rest is part of our nature.”

She invites us to disrupt capitalism and white supremacy via rest.

She opens our eyes to show how “everything that has been told to us about rest, labor, sleep, leisure, and care has been a lie.”

She calls us to release the shame that we feel when resting, stating that shame does not belong to us.

She encourages us to reimagine rest which is more than taking naps. Rest is also not about not working.

She lists 20 things that rest can be from daydreaming to taking a long warm bath to laughing intensely.

The insights in this book have been a guiding light to help me stand tall in capitalist culture while challenging its ways. This book has inspired me to subvert “a system that has no pause button.”

It's still a growth edge for me and this work shows a pathway.

Tricia Hersey pertinently says “I believe the powers that be don’t want us rested because they know that if we rest enough, we are going to figure out what is really happening and overturn the entire system. And the system doesn’t want that. It would crumple under the weight of this power.”

“When I say sleep helps you wake up — it helps you wake up to the truth of who and what you are.”

The story of the American maroons was incredibly inspiring and the best part about the book.

The maroons' subversion of the mainstream exploitative culture has inspired me.

It's motivated me to play outside the system to dethrone systemic ways that don’t work for me.

Tricia Hersey’s book has inspired me to daydream, rest and reimagine.

To log out of the cult of busyness, urgency and productivity. (still learning!).

To sink into the guidance of intuitive intelligence that I have access to when I rest. It’s helped me see through the lie of capitalism and allows me to rest in the truth that I’m enough.

I sincerely hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I did.
Vision Board Collage

How To Create A Vision Board: 5 Astonishingly Simple Steps

You have dreams. You want to fly.

You want to give it your best.

But you’re not sure how to make it happen for you.

There’s one thing that gives great clarity and power to manifest your dream. It’s called a vision board.

A vision board is a picture collage of your dreams and goals. It’s a visual representation of your deepest desires and aspirations, so it can serve as a source of inspiration and motivation.

The process of building a vision board can help you dig deep to know what you want.

It can help you declare that with courage, clarity and confidence.

A vision board gives you

Perspective on where you want to go
A chance to put out who you want to be
A chance to get attention on what you want, so you can focus on it
“We attract into our lives whatever we think about most, believe most strongly, expect on the deepest level, and imagine most vividly,” says Shakti Gawain.

A vision board is a sure-fire way to give shape to your life and work.
Book review of Do what lights you up by Cherine Kurdi

Do What Lights You Up: Beautiful Journey of Self Discovery & Reinvention

If you’re in the midst of career or life re-invention, Cherine Kurdi’s book is the ideal handbook.

This book is a must-read if you’re seeking to uncover your heart’s longing and to create a joyful life around that.

If you’re seeking to do what makes your heart sing, here’s the book that will handhold you through that process. If you’re craving to make sense of the fire in your belly, you’ll enjoy reading this book.

Cherine shares how she listened to her intuition and left her corporate job in advertising. She wanted to create space for creativity and freedom. She wanted to create an impact by sharing her philosophies with the world. She launched a programme to help people discover what lights them up. This was relatable as I’ve had an identical journey.

The fact that Cherine is also introverted, highly sensitive and multi-passionate resonated with me.

She encourages you to embark on a journey of self-discovery to uncover what you love and where you want to put your focus.

She emphasises that your passion or purpose does not need to be a wage-paying career.
Book review of Playing Big by Tara Mohr

Playing Big: Pragmatic and Insightful

Playing Big is Tara Mohr’s earnest attempt at helping women play big, especially in their careers.

In her book, she introduces us to the inner critic and normalises having one. She explains how it comes in the way of playing big.

She introduces us to the inner mentor - the older, wiser and more authentic version of ourselves. It’s a voice of wisdom, calm, love and guidance. We can turn to it for answers, again and again. She teaches us how to access the inner mentor and be guided by it, instead of the inner critic.

She introduces the concept of unhooking from both praise and criticism while charting new paths. She explains how ‘good girl conditioning’ and other cultural factors keep women playing small.
Quietly Ambitious: A warm & encouraging book for introverted business owners

If I don’t hustle & grind, how do I pay my bills?

The conversation around workplace burnout is gathering momentum.

Self-care, resting and not allowing your productivity to define your worth is taking centre stage.

Social media is full of anti-hustle and grind work culture messages. You’re encouraged to rest and relax.

This is well-meaning advice and offered in good spirit.

But how does one not participate in the grind and yet manage to pay the bills? This is an often unaddressed question.

You may think, ‘I too wish I could rest, but I don’t have a choice.’

In fact, messages encouraging you to do less may irk you. You may feel misunderstood or under-represented.

‘Don’t they get it, I have bills to pay - how can I rest?’

Taking time off to rest may seem like advice for the privileged, not you.

Seems like participating in the hustle is the only way to earn a livelihood, even at the cost of our well-being.

Everyone seems to be grinding. Putting in long hours, with no breaks and working weekends. All this while managing deadlines, people and familial responsibilities.

This is the dominant way to work as modelled to us. We saw our parents work hard and long hours until retirement. We’re following suit.

All are in the grind - from intern to CEO, from the blue-collared worker to the white-collared one. No one seems to escape the grind.
Quietly Ambitious: A warm & encouraging book for introverted business owners, book review

Quietly Ambitious: A warm & encouraging book for introverted business owners

Quietly Ambitious is an incredibly delightful read. As a sensitive introverted online business owner, it was amazingly relatable.

I find most mainstream business advice unrelatable and exhausting. Especially since it’s created by extroverts and for extroverts. Ruth’s book is warm and deeply comforting. It's rare to find a business book written for sensitive entrepreneurs.

Reading this book made me feel understood as an introverted business owner in a world that has a bias towards extroversion. In the book, Ruth spells out the superpowers of sensitive introverts. She explains how these superpowers can be an advantage in business. And how we could design our businesses to make space for them.

Here’s a book that encourages you to tune into your intuition and run your business your way. It motivates you to work while making space for intuitive nudges and your physical & mental well-being. It’s a heartening suggestion in a business world where the dominant idea of success is linked to hustling and grinding. Ruth inspires you to ‘fully embrace your own internally-driven version of success’.
The Benefits of a Side Hustle: How it Can Help You Launch Your New Career

The Benefits of a Side Hustle: How it Can Help You Launch Your New Career

Are you pursuing a new career path?

Sure, it’s exciting yet career transitions can be challenging and tricky to navigate.

You have to learn new things and unlearn old ways.

You may wonder if your new career path will take off.

That’s why it’s prudent to walk that path slowly and steadily.

One way to do that is to pursue your new career path as a side hustle.

What does that mean?

It means that you stay with your existing career and pursue the new career path on the side. You can work on it after office hours or on weekends.
Why a bridge job might be the secret to a successful career change

Why a bridge job might be the secret to a successful career change

What is a bridge job?

A bridge job is temporary employment that one takes while exploring a suitable new career for the long term. Bridge jobs can provide financial stability while you work towards a new career.

While transitioning careers, taking up a bridge job can be incredibly helpful. It can provide financial stability, keep you creatively occupied and networked. Having a bridge job as you work on your new venture, allows it to breathe and take its course. A bridge job eases the pressure on your new venture to be immediately successful.

You can craft a bridge job for yourself by packaging your current skills at work to do part-time work.

For example, a Human Resources (HR) executive working in a corporate job can work as a part-time HR consultant while she sets up and tests her new gourmet food restaurant. The consulting work keeps money coming in to pay bills while she explores her passion for cooking as a career. The consulting work also keeps her updated with industry trends and practices should she want to come back to her career in HR.

You can also create a bridge job by turning an area of interest or passion into work. Or packaging any other transferable skills to create temporary employment for yourself.

Which long-held interests can you turn into a bridge job?

Have you been doing mixed media art for years? Are you fabulous at planning events? Are you good with writing and can help professors with writing white papers? Are you in your element with social media and can create content for small businesses?

A bridge job is an important step in your career transition journey, so take the time to make an informed decision about it.
Big Magic: Simply Superlative, book review

Big Magic: Simply Superlative

Big Magic is one of the most magnificent books I’ve read on creativity. Not a surprise it’s been a bestseller.
The finesse with which Elizabeth Gilbert shares her view on creativity is extraordinary. It’s refreshing and encouraging from anything I’ve read, heard or known.
Here is such a rare commentary on pursuing a creative life mirroring reality, yet inspiring and encouraging.
Liz Gilbert’s experience and understanding of creativity are deep and intimate. She generously shares it throughout the book.
Her take on creativity is mesmerising and optimistic. It’s also freeing in many ways.
Love her emphasis on showing each one of us is creative. How it’s our innate nature and not reserved for a chosen few. She permits you to be creative if you’re still hesitant.
Her perspective on fear is intriguing and insightful. Her commentary on how to detach from whether people like your work or not, is incredible. Especially as she inspires you to keep creating, irrespective.
The piece on managing people’s reactions to your work - be it good, bad or ugly is extraordinary. Her writing grants you a sense of permission to deal with your creativity more lightly.
Love how she explains that to stay in the game, you must let go of your fantasy of perfection. Her example of persisting and pursuing a creative life is exemplary and motivating. She beautifully shatters the myth that suffering is a prerequisite for creative purists.
Her perspective on martyr v/s trickster is enjoyable and pragmatic. It makes creation a lighthearted process.
Big Magic is an enchanting and well-written book on creative living. You’d love to read more than once.
Sampada Working at Cowork Crowd

How working with absolute strangers skyrocketed my productivity

I’ve been ‘working from anywhere’ for close to 10 years now.

When I left my corporate job to launch my coaching practice, I worked from cafes, co-working spaces, my home, clients’ offices and the homes of co-workers. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed location-independent working.

I most loved working in co-working spaces. It was energising to meet fellow business owners pursuing ideas with passion and dedication. Mixers and meet-ups were set up. We could hang out with other business owners. This developed a unique sense of camaraderie and comfort. Such support was critical for me as a solopreneur, especially at the start. I liked that this was an introvert-friendly way of working. Most co-workers were focused on their work and business conversations. No small talk.

The best part about working from a coworking space was my productivity shot up. When you work as a solopreneur some days can be unproductive. You may not feel motivated to work or you get distracted by shiny objects a.k.a. social media.

With the pandemic of 2020 coworking spaces closed. They opened a few times between lockdowns. I missed the benefits of working from a coworking space. It made remote work challenging. I thought I’d need to wait until I could cowork once again.

I tried several productivity techniques but nothing turned out as effective as coworking.

Quite by chance I found Focusmate, a virtual coworking platform. I was delighted at the idea of virtual coworking. Focusmate pairs you up with another coworker from anywhere in the world. You can work together for either a 50 min, 25 min or 75 min live video call. Yes, you work with absolute strangers.
3 Extraordinary Pieces of Wisdom That Can Make Writing A Joy

3 Extraordinary Pieces of Wisdom That Can Make Writing A Joy

Almost a decade ago I took to writing as I moved out of corporate jobs to launch my coaching practice.

Initially, I needed to write one-page profiles required for speaking assignments. Later I required content to market my work through my website, blog and social media channels.

I struggled with writing. At the start, my writing was robotic and business-like. The process was exhausting. It took a lot for me to write a single blog post. I wanted to express myself through writing. But the process felt self-exploitative and unsustainable.

Yet the desire to express myself through writing kept me at it. Over the years, I learnt a lot about the writing process. Especially about how I could make the process joyous and regenerative. I now feel energised by writing v/s drained. The process is life-giving and not self-extractive. I write speedily and enjoy my time writing.

I’d love to share 3 rare writing insights from celebrated authors. These insights made my journey as an introverted intuitive writer simple and enriching. Hope these insights help you as much as they helped me.
Discover Your Dharma by Sahara Rose: Spiritual, Strategic and Delicious, book review, sahara rose

Discover Your Dharma by Sahara Rose: Spiritual, Strategic and Delicious!

Discover Your Dharma is one of the most incredible books I’ve read on discovering one’s life’s work.

Sahara presents an exceptional mix of spiritual and strategic perspectives, in this book. It’s uplifting and inspires you to live your highest truth.

As a young millennial Sahara brings a fresh and fun perspective that’s relatable. At the same time she shares deep wisdom like an old sage. Complex concepts are made amazingly simple to understand, absorb and apply.
Company of One: A fascinating perspective on running a small & profitable business, book review, paul jarvis

Company of One: A fascinating perspective on running a small & profitable business

Company of One is one of the most remarkable business books I’ve read in a long time.

Paul Jarvis questions the traditional definitions of success and growth, in this book. He presents a refreshing, alternative and at times counterintuitive perspective on building and growing a business.

He brings alive how a highly profitable business can be run with small scale operations, especially in today's digital and automation era.
The Art of Extreme Self Care by Cheryl Richardson, book review

The Art of Extreme Self-care: Cosy, Comforting & Warm

Cheryl Richardson’s weekly emails are something I’ve looked forward to for decades now. Her book The Art of Extreme Self-Care is as cosy, comforting and warm as her Monday morning emails.

It brings you back to the importance of nurturing and taking care of ourselves, in a culture that demands we are productive all the time.

This book was first published in 2009 and then revised in 2019. Yet it is relevant especially today as we’re moving through a global pandemic.

In a culture where self-care is seen as being selfish, she gently shatters that myth and presents compelling reasons to pursue it.

In a society that glorifies you for being independent, she inspires you to seek and accept help from others.

Her best chapters are on saying no, maintaining boundaries and listening to the body. All of which is incredibly challenging to practice in a culture that does not encourage alternative viewpoints. She shares perspectives and techniques that make it motivating to practice these.
The Great Resignation: Time to Make Our Workplaces Nourishing

The Great Resignation: Time to Make Our Workplaces Nourishing

Since 2021 the business world has been rife with conversations around The Great Resignation. With a record number of people moving out of their jobs, the discussion around toxic work cultures gained centre stage.

I recently chanced upon an article about Chinese youth in a bid to stand up against the ‘always-on’ work culture who made a lifestyle choice to opt out of it. They lowered their professional and financial ambitions while prioritising their well-being while also financially managing their own essential needs funded by odd jobs and lean savings. This ‘Lie flat’ movement is a defiant rebellion against a culture of being overworked and underpaid.

Whether such movements including The Great Resignation are short-lived or a turning point in history, we’re being forced to wake up and repair a damaged work culture.

Modern work culture has been toxic even before the pandemic began. The pandemic has amplified and brought to light a broken system.

The roots of this toxic work culture can be traced back to the feudal ages and serfdom. This was long before the industrial revolution began and gave it modern packaging.

Our present-day work culture is marked by long hours including weekends and holidays, employers’ inflexibility about working from home during a pandemic, competition, sales pressure, long commutes and no commensurate remuneration.
Indistractable: A practical guide to tame your distractions, book review, nir eyal

Indistractable: A practical guide to tame your distractions

ndistractable has been one of the most fantastic books I’ve read this year. I’m thrilled to share a review of this pragmatic book.

Like me, if you have innumerable ideas you struggle to bring to life, then this book could be incredibly helpful.

Here’s why.

Nir Eyal’s deep and detailed understanding of why we’re distracted makes it easy to address distraction. It helps normalise it as a human tendency v/s a flaw that we need to work on.

He explains with patience, dexterity and research how distraction is not a technology issue rather how we’re wired as human beings.

Nir generously offers simple, practical and effective tools to manage distractions. These tools helped me create spaciousness and improve my productivity. The solutions he offers are sustainable.

I’ve been able to break unhealthy habits and develop more nourishing ones. That has helped me prioritise what matters to me in life and work.

It's helped reduce the sense of guilt, self-blame and failure that comes with distraction.

The piece on kids’ overuse of technology is fantastic. The best part is that most of it applies to adults too.

Through the book, he shares powerful, convincing and actionable methods to cope with distraction in the modern world. That makes this book delightfully practical to apply and experience shifts.
The extraordinary adventures of an introvert at work

The extraordinary adventures of an introvert at work

For those of you who know me, you may recall me as a sociable person & hence an extrovert. But the truth is I'm an introvert - an extreme introvert. Our educational & work culture glorifies & rewards extraversion. In fact these spaces are created for extroverts. Introverts need to bend like a pretzel to fit into these cultures. Sharing my story as an introvert. How I navigated this culture & have now created an introvert-friendly work-life. Hope you enjoy reading it.
My Top 3 Reasons To Start Journaling Today

My Top 3 Reasons To Start Journaling Today

Most likely you’ve heard of journaling.

Maybe a few friends practice it. Or your colleague in the office loves journaling.

Chances are you’ve tried your hand at it, but never stuck to it.

You’ve wondered whether journaling even works.

So while you’re tempted to try it, you’re not sure how it will benefit you.

I’ve engaged in journaling since my teenage years.

I was never a shy kid. I made friends with ease. I spoke to strangers without effort.

Yet I loved being in my own space.

A space where I could be in solitude and my world.

I loved to take out my journal and write about everything going on in my head. I wrote about what I loved, things that bothered me and the kind of life I would’ve loved to create.

Over time journaling become a regular practice. It was something I enjoyed.

I used my journal to pen ideas, thoughts, emotions and feelings that I could not convey to others. I was unsure whether people would get what I wanted to say. I feared being reprimanded or ridiculed.

My journal was a safe place where I could write down how I felt without being judged or misunderstood.

As I continued to journal, I realised its benefits went beyond helping me express my feelings.

A single episode of an Oprah show on journaling influenced me to strengthen my practice.

Oprah spoke about her own experience with journaling as a teenager. She raved about the therapeutic benefits of journaling. It felt like she’d experienced certain magic with journaling. And I was longing to experience that magic myself.

Over the years journaling became my go-to bouncing board, a shoulder to cry on and my canvas to create new things.

Journaling, a practice I started by chance has become significant in helping me shape my life.

When I graduated from business school I started working in advertising. My journaling practice became more robust, regular and deep.

Journaling allows me to access wisdom and intelligence that I can’t access otherwise.

It brings insights and guidance far richer than strategies the best minds can conceive.

The benefits of journaling were extraordinary and the process soon became effortless.

And I’d say in the last decade, journaling has become magical.

I’m delighted to share some of that magic with you. And here are my top 3 reasons to journal.
Book review of Do Less by Kate Northrup, A Ground-breaking Approach To Time Management

A Ground-breaking Approach To Time Management

As a multi-passionate person, I’ve always struggled with managing my time.

No doubt, I’ve accomplished much in work and life, but I’ve also battled with productivity.

I’ve felt disheartened about not being able to do as much as I aspired.

Over the years, I’ve read a ton of books and articles on time management.

Most of these approaches encouraged me to fit more into my time to improve my productivity. This kept me running a race against time that I never seemed to win.

Bringing me back to the same place — i.e struggling with managing my time. It left me feeling utterly defeated and unproductive.

In 2018, I was delighted to come across Kate Northrup’s Do Less philosophy.

It’s a revolutionary, fresh and feminine approach to managing your time (well, actually your energy).
It's time to rewrite our definition of success

It's time to rewrite our definition of success

In our world, the dominant definition of success is profit in business. It's often considered as the only metric of success.

We indulge in excessive consumption mistaking it as a badge of success.

Owning bigger homes, fancier cars, trendier clothes and gadgets have become markers of success. As have aspirations for designations and sending kids to beyond means expensive schools.

It’s good to honour what we deeply desire and work towards achieving it.

But, if we’re doing it at the cost of our health, well-being and relationships, it’s time to stop and re-think.

If endless hours in a stressful job, are crushing your soul and giving you lifestyle diseases, it’s time to reconsider your definition of success.