A relationship is like a whole other person in between. — It is strange that we take years to understand that relationships have a life of their own. Suppose you and I are in a relationship - any kind — not just a romantic one, then that relationship behaves like a whole other entity. It is like another person. It has…

Hey there! I am Jayashree (Ja-ya-sh-ree). I am a Writer, Mentor, freelance Photographer, language learner and former Tech professional/leader. I currently live in Berlin, Germany. I quit my full time corporate tech job after nearly 15 years of grind. I was burnt out and my ideas about work, career and…

Why aiming for average is better for your real growth than aiming for the top — At school, my teacher always wrote “Aim Higher” on my report card. Even when I performed very well. She always wanted me to aim higher. So I did. From then on, life was a series of “aiming higher”. Parents, teachers, siblings, friends, friends’ parents and their cat — all wanted…

Let’s take a look at why we are always looking for inspiration — Open any social platform, you are likely to find lots of stories calculated to inspire, ignite and encourage. Stories of bravehearts who courageously overcome challenges. Stories of amazing people who are able to turn rags to riches, weaknesses to strengths and pumpkins into chariots. As you read these stories, you…

What’s up with that?? — Did you know we are different people in different languages? It’s true! It all depends on how you absorbed a language, at what age and under what circumstances. Growing up I was exposed to at least four different languages. This is quite normal for anyone growing up in India. My…

How to use silence to your best advantage — As a teen, I enjoyed going to the movies with my friends. Those days, we watched movies in nearby cinema halls. As we walked back home after the show, we’d have spirited discussions about the plot, characters, acting and screenplay. We ripped apart the dialogs, scenes and nuances and finally…

TL;DR and it’s fatal attraction to writers and creatives — “I won’t do it”, I said. “My writing will not be a mere TL;DR version of other people’s work”. He laughed. Even his laugh seemed like a condensed version of an already published longer laughter elsewhere. This was all driving me nuts — this business of finding an audience. Here…

Empathy can be exhausting. Use it well. — It’s like we are all plugged into the same giant power outlet. Any fluctuation in the central supply affects all of us. Ancient sages and enlightened beings tried telling us that thousands of years ago. We never listened. But of course they were talking about the invisible life force that…

Should you trust a person or just their specific qualities? — “Don’t you trust me?” he asked. It made me wonder. Did I trust him? Yes, of course. I trusted him as a person. But here was a delicate situation where a blanket trust did not mean he was the best person to handle it. He did not have the right…