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“From Judgment to Joy: How Letting Go of Competition Made Me a Better Woman”
Anaira’s POV: Zayaan leaving was both a relief and a loss, but it was a loss I was ready to face. The years I had spent competing, fighting for his attention, and trying to mold myself into someone I wasn’t—those years felt like they had been wasted. But now, with Zayaan gone and Mahir moving in as our new tenant, I had room to breathe, to heal, and to finally let go of the toxic patterns we had been stuck in. Mahir, unlike his brother Zayaan, wasn’t here to judge us. He wasn’t here to drag us down or bring up the past to hurt us. He knew about everything—how…
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“From ‘Look at Her’ to ‘Learn from Her’: Changing the Narrative for the Next Generation”
Introduction: Akshita and Gauri are cousins, both navigating life with their own sets of challenges. Akshita is married to Harman, a man she loves, yet who has become distant. Gauri is married to Rahul, who tries to support her but struggles with his own insecurities. Their lives intertwine in ways that force them all to confront deeper truths about themselves and the people around them. As dreams and desires mix with real-life emotions, they each grapple with what it means to truly understand one another—and themselves. Akshita’s POV: Akshita lay awake that night, restless as she struggled with the vivid dream she’d just experienced. In it, Harman and Gauri were…
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“Am I Rooting for Her or Resenting Her?” – When Admiration Turns into Insecurity
Let’s talk about something tender.That blurred line between cheering another woman on… and secretly feeling unsettled when she’s doing well. You see her winning. Glowing. Thriving.You’re proud. You really are. But beneath the surface?There’s a tiny knot in your stomach.A quiet voice that whispers, “Why not me?” That’s the complicated space so many of us sit in.Especially as South Asian women — raised in cultures where admiration often comes with comparison as a side dish. We Want to Cheer… But We’re Taught to Compete The truth is, many of us were never taught how to genuinely support another woman without feeling threatened. If she gets the dream job, the engagement,…
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“Is It Confidence or Comparison?” – Dissecting Where Our Value Truly Comes From
There’s a fine line — sometimes invisible — between confidence and comparison. One lifts you up from within.The other needs someone else to be beneath you. And for so many South Asian women, we’ve been taught that “feeling good about yourself” often means being better than someone else — prettier, smarter, more successful, more desirable. But here’s the hard truth:If your self-worth relies on someone else’s lack, is it really confidence?Or is it just comparison wearing a prettier outfit? How We Learn to Measure Ourselves Against Others From childhood, we were quietly trained to link our value to someone else’s. “Look at how well she’s doing.”“Why can’t you be more…
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“Breaking the Mirror: Challenging the Need to Outshine Others to Feel Valuable”
If we’re being real, so many of us have grown up believing that we’re only as good as the reflection we see — not just in the literal mirror, but in the way others see us. And for South Asian women, that reflection is often polished, compared, and scrutinized.Not just by society, but by family, community, and — sometimes — ourselves. We learn early that our value is tied to achievement, appearance, or how we “stack up” next to another woman. It becomes less about being enough… and more about being better.And that cycle? It’s silently exhausting. Where Does This Pressure Come From? It’s not that we want to compete…
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“The Jealousy We Don’t Talk About: How South Asian Women Can Heal Rivalry in Their Circles”
She got the promotion.She’s glowing in her engagement photos.Her Instagram looks like a highlight reel of your dream life. And there it is — that uncomfortable pang we’re taught to bury:jealousy. We don’t talk about it.Especially not as South Asian women.But maybe it’s time we do — so we can heal, together. Why Are We So Afraid to Admit It? Because we’re supposed to be nice.Supportive. Mature. Above it all. But let’s be real —When you’ve been raised to compete for validation, worth, and limited opportunities,jealousy becomes part of the emotional package.We just don’t acknowledge it. It’s Not Just About Her — It’s About What We Think We Lack That…
Daughters of Strength, Bosses by Choice