RAKSHA BHARADIA

Raksha Bharadia is a writer and an editor. She has authored three books published by Rupa & Co. She has put together 13 titles in the Chicken Soup for the Indian Soul series for Westland. She has also worked as a scriptwriter with Star Plus. Also, been a columnist for Femina, Ahmedabad Mirror, and DNA, Ahmedabad. Raksha has taught creative writing for a Master's Program at CEPT, Ahmedabad.

What is your favourite word?
Emotional Intimacy. I love what it means, but we also fear the most to be vulnerable. That is how we have been conditioned to. Be it the mother, father, children, partner, friends, etc., I believe there is a level of intimacy in every relationship of our life. Of course, we cannot be emotionally intimate with everyone in our lives, but with those we do, we must give it our best.

What was the moment in your life that made you Blossom into the person you are today?
Going within and figuring out the purpose - this has been my constant. But everything else keeps changing. It has been a continuous journey from being a housewife with two children who nearly always had her plate full, to a writer who composed Chicken Soup for the Souls' Stories and now works on multiple books, to the new website that I am constructing that focuses on nurturing relationships. In fact, in every stage of my life, whatever I went through, I wrote a book about my learnings and experiences at that time. There is no one moment, rather all the moments came together and shaped me as a better person throughout life.

What would you want the young boys & girls to learn from your journey?
There are three quick things that I can think of.

1. Self-love is essential. We know how important it is, but when it comes to women it gets harder. They have so many stories to tell, but the conditioning that they are used to over the years makes us go silent. It's critical to disrupting the cycle of conditioning.

2. It is critical to figure out what you are truly aligned to, beyond the influence of external factors. I believe every person is born with two or three strong suits, and with awareness and determination, they can make a living that is rewarding both on personal and professional fronts.

3. Finally, the most important part is striking a balance between all the roles you play and working towards your goals. It is how you prioritize yourself, break the rules, embrace your abilities, and achieve your goals over time.