Pratima Shah

  A fact that I noticed off let is that today human beings do not like to be told anything/listen to someone's advice/directions/. The moment anyone points out a mistake or tries to direct another person the immediate reaction is to get defensive. No one is even bothered to process what is being told. Everywhere around no one is listening …just defending. Sometimes even I behave this way but on reflection I realize that I got defensive. It seems that we humans are getting worse at being told anything/listening to instructions/being delegated etc. Being mentored by someone who has the experience and knowledge is a blessing. Unfortunately, today the mentors/seniors do not have the right to point out any mistake of the mentee/juniors because they do not take it constructively. Rarely you will find mentees/juniors who are open to feedback. Everyone considers it as criticism and becomes defensive. When people of my age discuss these things, we feel that things used to be different in ...

  I've been thinking about a line from the Galatians lately: "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." A simple sentence but when I look around honestly this is the scenario everywhere. Envy always shows up without knocking. Whenever one hears news like- someone got a promotion/she moved to her new house/he posted family pics post vacation- there is a tiny flicker before you congratulate the person with the words “happy for you”. Neither do we ever pay heed to that flicker because we feel that we have moved on. But we have not. According to Socrates envy is “the ulcer of the soul,". Envy harms you terribly because it is not a fight with someone/others but it’s like a wound at which you keep picking at yourself. The other party is not even aware of what is happening and you are the only one who is bleeding and suffering. Looking at the personal angle, envy shows up in dumb ways. Say for example- when you compare your marriage to a frien...

  A phrase that frequently appears on social media is: "One of the greatest cheat codes in life is to never get offended." At first, this sounds like sensible advice. Learning not to be affected by every criticism, negative comment, or disagreement can help people maintain their peace of mind and avoid unnecessary conflict. However, there is a risk in taking this message too far. The idea of having a "thick skin" is sometimes confused with tolerating poor treatment, suppressing emotions, or remaining silent in situations that genuinely require a response. Being resilient should not mean accepting behavior that undermines your wellbeing or self-respect. This distinction becomes particularly important in workplace environments where office politics, favoritism, passive-aggressive behavior, and interpersonal tensions can influence day-to-day experiences. What Does It Really Mean to Be Thick-Skinned? Having a thick skin does not mean ignoring disrespect, accep...

  Honesty is often hurtful for the guilty-this is the dialogue spoken by Tara, wife of Vanara Raj Vali, in the mythological reimagining of Kavita Kane titled Tara’s Truce when she confronts Sugriva and it resonates with the current scenario prevalent in most of the work places. In our childhood we are taught that honesty is a virtue. It is a risk if you are honest in today's modern professional world because your honesty makes the guilty uncomfortable. And the guilty are often the ones in power. This is the plight of each and every sincere, honest and straightforward employee you have ever met. Maybe it’s your story. An Endangered Species today: The Sincere Employee She is the person who is always there at the time when others log in from the parking lot. She is the person who says, "Sir, this data is wrong; we cannot send this report," when others say, "It's fine, just edit it." She is the person who says "I have made this mistake" at a time wh...

As we commemorate International Women's Day,  It's critical to consider the path towards gender parity and acknowledge the various experiences that women have worldwide. Despite advancements, a lot of women continue to be used and manipulated, frequently by members of the same society. Let's recognize the tenacity and fortitude of the fearless, honest, and hardworking women who face these obstacles head-on and overcome them. The Harsh Reality of Exploitation: Some women in our culture are subjected to manipulation and exploitation by their peers. These women frequently find themselves at the whim of cunning people who want to undercut their efforts and minimize their value, whether it's at the job, in social circles, or even in their own families. This kind of exploitation might include gaslighting, emotional blackmail, and even outright abuse. The Power of Resilience: The courageous and strong women among us do not allow such hardship to quiet or defeat them. They tak...

  In the shadows of deceit, they stand, Honest women, their truth so grand. Their words like arrows, sharp and clear, But in a world of whispers, they disappear. They speak with candor, without disguise, Yet, their voices drowned by cunning lies. For there are those who play the game, With honeyed words, they seek acclaim. Sweet talkers weaving webs of deceit, Their words like poison, oh so sweet. They twist and turn, manipulate, Leaving honesty to meet its fate. In the corridors where power reigns, Honesty's voice often wanes. While the schemers plot and scheme, The honest suffer, lost in the stream. But still, they stand, unyielding, strong, Their integrity, a steadfast song. Though they may suffer, they endure, For honesty and truth, they ensure. So let us not forget the plight, Of those who choose to shine their light. Amidst the darkness, they hold the flame, The honest and blunt, deserving of acclaim.

 I am very choosy about each and everything that I have; but I am the most fussiest when it comes to choosing friends. I do not have a huge gang of friends but the friends I have can topple a gang for me. I am selfless, sensitive and supportive towards all my friends no matter what. I am blessed with friends who make my life fulfilling and precious. You come across people who just pretend to be friends and never value the ones who consider them as their friends. If you are a true friend you will genuinely value and nurture the relation with utmost care and sincerity. You would do anything to see a smile on the face of your friend.  A true friend is one with whom you share a deep and meaningful bond that is based on trust, mutual respect, support and affection. True friendship transcends beyond the boundaries of time, distance and mere acquaintances. The connection that true friends share is genuine, enriching and enduring. True friends must be genuine and authentic with one an...

  A discrepancy in what a person says / claims to believe and how a person behaves / treats others is called hypocrisy. Hypocrisy at the work place can be in various forms and it can detrimental to the overall workplace. There are many people around us who are hypocrites and they are masters in poisoning the workplace and throwing toxicity around. People who are not hypocrites suffer the most in organizations where workplace hypocrisy exists. They go through severe stress and suffer unnecessarily for being straightforward and honest compared to hypocrites. A hypocrite behaves in the following ways: @@Double standards: When there are a different set of rules for different people / groups within an organization; one can smell the hypocrisy in the atmosphere. Double standards breed resentment and dissatisfaction within the employees. Being partial towards someone for an error and punishing somebody else for the same error would lead to disharmony within the organization. @@ Lack of tr...

  To pray or not to pray is the choice of every individual but to respect the time of prayer cannot be the choice of an individual. It really shocks me to see majority of girls moving here and there in the University campus during the time of prayer. The prayer that we have is not a long prayer and yet these girls have the impudence to move around during the prayer time. I can understand that each one of us in a great hurry during the morning hours but that does not mean that we can insult the creator of the Universe.  Every university will have students who follow different religions and traditions. But the common factor among all these religions is that every one prays. Whether it is prayer done in isolation / in a crowd one must respect the hour pf prayer. It is one of the stepping stones to respecting a person. If you love and respect someone; you will definitely respect the time when the person prays without any objections / barriers. A university is the hub of knowledge ...

 Forgiveness is difficult. By forgiving someone who wronged you, you try to inculcate patience and forbearance in your relations with others. The wound that one gets from others are very deep sometimes and we cannot ever think of forgiving that person who gave us those wounds and pain. But contrary to this what majority of us believe, is that forgiving someone is primarily an act which we perform within ourselves. At times, it is safer and healthier for a person to disconnect from the one that hurt you because he / she is not around you to be forgiven directly. But these factors are not the hurdles to forgiveness; the factors are internal. It is you who has to free your self from this anger. We are stuck in anger before we tread on the path to forgiveness. During this phase we plot for revenge, we think of inflicting all the pain and damage which was inflicted upon us. We are in the mode of 'An eye for an eye'. But as observed, revenge is the path of the ignorant. One is in com...

 She felt as if she was sinking into an abyss. Her heart was screaming for help but there was no one who would lend a helping hand. Devastated and depressed she mechanically went ahead with her days; hoping for things to change. She was told that 'to be happy you must change'. Why? thought she. Why always me? Am I not wanted by anyone? Does no one love me? Where do I belong? This questions troubled her day and night. The question of her existence bothered her. For what dis she squander her life? For becoming depressed and losing herself in the process? She was told that what she did was not new. Every woman does it. This response made her realize that she was useless for them. She held no value whatsoever the situation. She continued with her monologue - No matter what, despite changing situations, the society still considers a woman as a burden and an unimportant person. Despite doing everything she still remains an outsider as a daughter in law. She must perform her duties to...

The world mocks when women come together because women engage in trivialities and end up breaking their ties with their women friends due to ego clashes / rivalry / envy / insecurity. Many ventures have been dropped off by women because they could not adjust with the other women in those business ventures. A poem written by me to make the women realize that we need to be united in order to fight and survive the battles of life. We need to be together and spread sisterhood instead of engaging in politics with one another and harassing one another.  You are unique and beautiful Yet why are you doubtful? A fantastic piece of artistic beauty You complete every duty Compassionate, caring and daring Your  duties are never ending You are the driver of your life Whether a sister, daughter, mother or wife You can take up every role And achieve your goals But why are you not able to accommodate With your own conglomerate? The world would be a beautiful place  When all women togethe...

  The fine line between solitude and loneliness gave its taste to the world on account of the catastrophic phase struck by the pandemic. Till then majority of those who preferred their own company had never realized this difference between loneliness and solitude. One can be lonely amidst a crowd. Loneliness could have its presence among persons who are physically together but mentally absent for one another.  Introvert persons who are unable to connect with others in a genuine sense are prone to be lonely. The obsession of man with mobile phones & social media has made man lonely within a crowd. When you are engrossed in your mobile then you are voluntarily lonely and if the other person is engrossed in the mobile then you are involuntarily lonely. This is one of the biggest hazards of mobile phones & social media.  Whenever one is engrossed and too obsessed with the phone & social media you  knowingly / unknowingly choose loneliness. But one cannot bear...

  Life gives us innumerable memories through the moments that we have lived. These moments are visible to us when we close our eyes. We are able to live each and every moment as if it is real and happening again. Even though there are umpteen emotions attached to those moments; I would classify them into two categories: Happy and Sad. The happy moments rejuvenate us whereas the sad moments kill us slowly. Believe it or not the sad moments are a reservoir of strength from where we gain courage, patience and tolerance in our present and future endeavors.   We always remember the impact of happy moments in our life and we keep basking in the joy of those moments. But I firmly believe that a person evolves more as a human being due to those sad and painful events that take place in her / his life. They add value to this rigmarole of life. I have a painful habit of recording everything mentally and rewinding those moments by connecting them to events that occur in my life. The...

Despite all odds you must remember that you are strong. Do not underestimate your power. The power of living a life of your choice, doing what you want, exploring new arenas, getting physically and mentally fit. So what if you had a bad experience? So what if you were betrayed? So what if you met the right person at the wrong time? So what if you had multiple breakups and hook ups? So what if your dream job is not the right fit for you? So what if you had a bad interview? So what if you are drudging on with life? So what if you are faking to the world? So what if you just got divorced / still single? So what, so what, so what to all the 'ifs and buts' which you think about yourself and doubt your self.  The above 'so what' questions and many more may be on your list. But despite all odds if you are alive today remember God has destined that you live the life he blessed you with. The above list could vary or match with so many of us, yet we carry on with life. We try to ...

  Body shaming is ubiquitous in our Indian society and all over the world. Any one takes the liberty of criticizing / making fun of somebody else’s appearance / color / clothing / anything related to that personality. It is easy to fight anything but very difficult to fight body shaming. The big proponents of body shaming are the television, the tabloids and the social media that exists now. This mass media culture has a huge role in advocating body shaming. The mass media has established the notion that a conventionally pretty woman is one who is thin and this has led to a majority of the women striving to be that woman. Overweight people are the butt of everyone’s jokes. A teenager is inundated with a tsunami of the so called perfect body images once she logs into any platform on the social media. There are viewers who even comment on these pictures. Some of the posts leave an indelible impression on the minds of teenagers who get carried away without realizing whether it is righ...