The very thought of writing about the decade brought a question mark to my mind. The first three days of the #decadebloghop and even while writing the rough draft something echoed repeatedly.
\’What did I do that is worth looking back down memory lane?
Answering this was more challenging than writing it as a post. I know this sounds funny but this is the unshakable truth. Fasten your seat belts and get ready for time–travel with me.
2009 &10:The most important decision was about to turn my life around when I bought my ticket to Chennai. This city nurtured me from being a tiny sapling to a plant again welcomed me back after two years with my dad\’s support. I started pursuing my food and process engineering and each day meant a new experience with an interesting mix of classmates from different parts of the country. Apart from the fact that being back in Chennai brought me happiness, the college and its exposure gave me confidence and positivity. Although I was an average student, I enjoyed giving PowerPoint presentations (I think my right brain did this magic like others said) It in someway groomed my teaching and presentation skills and I never knew it was going to help me later in life.
2011: Although I brushed up my Hindi in the final year for the reason that it is an addition to my skills, I never made an effort to speak because I believe each language has its beauty and I should converse only when I am pretty confident about it. However, my English was good enough that there was no need for another language. I had perennial love for these three languages (Tamil, English, Hindi) from my childhood days. I can fluently write, read and speak in all the three languages today and this helped me drastically when I made the first tiny step towards my blogging journey.
6th June 2011 I was listening to a show on the radio early in the morning. The person who hosted the show spoke about the mercy of God and played a soulful song. This is what motivated me to think about it until I published my first ever blog post at almost midnight on the same day.
2012: It was a great year indeed except for the fact that it was my prefinal year and the thought that I would have to leave Chennai after a year did trouble me sometimes. If you ask me why I loved the city so much I can give you an unambiguous reply that I grew up seeing the city grow immensely. Today the city is adorned with big malls like Phoenix but years back Spencer Plaza was the only shopping destination. A movie in the weekend and dinner at Rathna Cafe with cousins and family and a mouth-watering chole bhatura at the drive-in restaurant on Mount Road once in a while meant happiness that only a 90\’s kid who grew up in Chennai can relate to.
2013: It was a year I happened to discover my potential as an individual. I had no option but to do my final year group project all alone. Initially fear entered my heart because four classmates were doing a project together. With God\’s help and support from my elder cousin who edited and helped me prepare the final report. I learned a lot and thanks to my friends who gave me a chance to explore my strength. It was a real achievement when my class in charge addressed me as the \”solo performer.\’\’ Even today my love and thirst for food technology are at its peak because of the confidence and knowledge I gained while doing my project single-handedly. All that happens with the will of God has a blessing within. When you stand up strong and bang hard and harder the door of success eventually opens.
2014: When I graduated my dad was not keen that I make my career in food technology. My story was not like “ three idiots”but with a twist dad always said, \” I educated you so that you can educate your children in future. I have never fought for anything in life including my professional career because it was never in my nature to do so. So I Gave up for I loved my dad more than my professional career.
2015-2017 As I found my life so stagnant I thought of giving it a kick start once again. I pursued a Masters in Business Administration and as I belonged to a business family this post-graduation gave me knowledge of the business world that I needed to know. After that, I realized even God was not yielding to my dream career in food technology when I was not able to attend my final interview due to unavoidable circumstances at home.
2018: This was a complete year of rejuvenation, that was when I rebooted the food technology blog that I started in 2014 which was more like fresh coffee beans just harvested into a perfectly brewed filter coffee.
2019: This was when I saw the sunshine in my career. It was divine intervention that I got to work as an online teacher at an (NGO) organization that imparts quality education to rural schools in India. My brothers inspired and encouraged me with their kind words and my two cousins who I love to address as my best friends forever gave me support and made me feel blessed. The soul satisfaction it gives me can never be compared to any amount of material satisfaction in the world. From wishing my teachers at school on teacher\’s day to getting a wish from my students – what else I can say, life is indeed incredible. Blogchatter a writing community, gave me so many ways to groom my writing abilities. I participated in the A to Z Challenge in April and completed it successfully. The confidence it gave me is limitless and with that, I developed my personal blog into a self-improvement blog by adding inspirational stories to whatever I Write. I launched a WordPress site that dealt with food technology, health, and nutrition, and my perfect filter coffee made its name among the coffee lovers to my surprise. It was well-received by people in the field of food technology. The food technology career I thought that would never be mine, embraced me. This was when I realized the truth behind the fact \’ Even if you lock yourself in the midst of four walls your passion enters through the window.
The first-ever fiction story I wrote as a part of Blogchatter’s creative writing course was published and I became an author through their anthology e-book on October 5th, 2019. My army, as I lovingly address my brothers, cousins, and friends, both from college and the writing community were the people who encouraged me in this achievement. If you ask me what keeps me strong in my ups and downs in life, It is the love and belief that my mother holds for me in her heart.
2020:My dad is also a gem of a person, except for his support in my professional career. Even though he denied me to get a job, the reason for denial was love and his overprotective nature. A few days back some friends of my dad said \’how come your daughter is sitting idle after studying so much \’\’They started judging me and spoke less of my abilities even though they matter nothing to me. My dad said to me \’ Dear if you get a chance to work after marriage please go for it \’ these words are a gift I consider.
A big thank you to those who motivate me with words of negativity because you are the special people who make me better and better each day and I today have the power to derive energy from negativity and transform it into the positivity that dwells within me.
You are what you create with persistent effort even if you fall. Remember to rise up with enthusiasm and you will eventually discover the dormant power of yourself and ways to utilize it to make life better for yourself and others.
Never ever give up your professional career for any circumstance of life be it even if the most important people in your life like father, daughter, son, husband say to do so. Do not retire or give up unless you are done and fully satisfied.
Never say no to your passion,even profession has retirement but the passion never dies as long as we live. \”May your passion be the light within you and guide you throughout life.\”
I am not a great achiever or super talentedbut I hope my post for the #decadebloghop is a small journal of inspiration to at least a few. If that happened I will consider myself blessed. A thank you to each one reading this post. Special thanks to the hosts and the sponsors for this opportunity. -Thank you blogger #decadebloghop #RRxMM
This post is a part of ‘DECADE Blog Hop’ #DecadeHop organised by #RRxMM Rashi Roy and Manas Mukul. The Event is sponsored by Glo and co-sponsored by Beyond The Box, Wedding Clap, The Colaba Store and Sanity Daily in association with authors Piyusha Vir and Richa S Mukherjee”
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Thanks a lot I feel that God has decided my path with blogging and now no regrets for the job. But I love both blogging and taking up my profession equally who knows blogging may lead me to my dream job in food technology 😊🙏thanks for reading my story. All the best with life 😊
Manisha – I am glad you realised your love for writing and are working for an NGO. I hope the next decade brings the best of everything for you.
Thanks a lot manisha and this means a lot 😊😊😊🙏
Following your passion always gives you wings to fly high to new unknown heights. Keep writing and inspiring.
Thanks a lot😊
It's indeed a motivating read. You brought me back to chennai through your words because Chennai is an emotion tovme though am a Bangalore bred product And be you and not to give up on our passion, so true Waiting to read more Best wishes to you sivaranjanai
Oops it's picks as unknownPls note it's https://meeramayaakatha.wordpress.com/
Your name is displayed dont worry. Thank you so much😊🙏Good luck to you 😊😊😊
You post has multiple divine interventions, one calls it luck, one calls it bad luck if it is not good for them. I believe it is just a path which we must learn to recognize. In this summary of a decade, many a story has tumbled down the cupboard, we have made peace with our past and are ready to move ahead!
Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughtful views that made me happy😊🙏
Sivaranjini, no achievement is too small! Your heartwarming and real post stood out to me, because it was such an honest look into your thoughts. Thanks for letting us in, I know it’s not easy to do that. Good luck to you in all your endeavours!Noor Anand Chawla
Thanks a lot. It is really so very heart warming to read your comment on this post 🙏🙏🙏
From food technology to a published anthology, your journey has been admirable. I believe that everything happens for a reason. I'm so proud of you for online teaching and imparting quality education to rural schools. So many feathers in your cap!
Thank you so much for your kind words and appreciation.😊😊😊 🙏😊🙏😊😊😊
While the last decade was all about learning, I hope the decade to follow is about putting the learning to use and fulfilling all your dreams, Sivaranjini. All the best!Mayuri/Sirimiri
Thank you and I really hope so with the will of God. 🙏😊
You have come a long way and carved a space for your own self in this world. Taking things in your stride even if life throws obstacles… is what you call living. trust me, not many can do it. Wishing you great decades ahead#readbypreetispanorama
Thank you preethi thanks a lot 😊🤗👍best wishes to you too.
Follow your passion and the dreams follow. Good luck for the new decade!
Thanks lavanya😊means a lot.
Beautiful piece of writing. Memories were flowing in my mind too when I read this…Keep writing
Love you loads sweet heart 💖💖💖💖💖💖 thank you so much😘😘😘
Beautiful piece of write up. Passionis something that drives us on a regular basis. And my kind of funda is I never say I gave up something, I say I am on a break. This helps me never to regret🙂
Thank you for that beautiful word of advice will keep it in mind.😊
The comment was from Pashmeena.. Got posted as unknown..
From being in food technology to a published writer now, what journey you had. No matter what, if we live our dreams, Life gets even more fulfilling and happy. All the best!
I recently read an article about actress Wahida Rehman and Asha Parekh, enjoying their lives and learning new things post 70+ years of age. There is still a long way to go….Good Luck…
An Inspiring tale filled with grit and inspiration. I always felt the grass is greener on the other side till we are actually on that side and experience it first hand. Kudos to you. Keep writing.
Thanks a lot for your kind words that made me happy.😊
Thank you and I wish you success and happiness too.😊
Thank you and I willKeep writing 😊🙏
Ok dear will note it down.
What a beautiful journey you have had. Even better is the advice your father gave. Keep doing the amazing work.#DecadeHop #RRxMM
Ultimately the host has read so happy 😊🙏thanks a lot.
Wow! Great work Ranjini! What a wonderful recap of the decade gone by. You achieved so much in this year despite your share of ups and downs. Beautifully written and loved the way you have quoted certain lines like, right side of the brain… Fresh coffee beans… Passion enters thru the window,.. you are what you create…Wishing you a wonderful and great decade ahead!
That surely wasn't an easy decade for you but you have come out with flying colours. More power to you and to your pen. No wonder strong determination always open new doors and I wish you all the best for your future endevours. Glad to have you on board and thanks for sharing your journey with us 🙂
Thank you Samira ji for always being there. I am thankful to you 😊🙏
Thanks Rashi ji glad you read and thanks a lot for this opportunity to look back at the decade😊🙏 blessed opportunity 😊
Loved your honest & beautiful thoughts, Sivaranjini. I'm glad you're chasing your passion & dreams. You'll fly high for sure.
Thank you dear for reading and sharing your beautiful thoughts.