Dear reader,
It’s been a while since you heard from me. My life has taken an interesting turn since the last month, as my online classes began. I started my master’s at the University of British Columbia and it has been quite a ride since then. Yup, it definitely does not feel like it has only been a month to it!
I am studying education, specifically, something called ‘Social-Emotional Learning’ (SEL) so you can expect to hear about it in these newsletters (no, it is not going to be academic, I promise). A lot of my work already revolves around SEL, even though I may be actually using this term here probably for the first time. At the root of my advocacy for more kindness and compassion lies a focus on the importance of more social and emotional awareness; something our educational institutions (and everybody else, actually) casually gloss over. And it is my hope that we stop to recognise the importance that this carries for us and inch closer towards being more in tune with our emotional worlds. Only then, I believe, can we hope for a kinder world!
Have you heard of SEL before? If not, what does knowing about it now make you feel? Do you wish you had it while growing up?
I have come across a lot of exciting things in these last few weeks as part of my course, but one important thing that I want to talk about here is the concept of ‘self-esteem’. There has been and continues to be a lot of research to understand how it works and what exactly it means for us, but there have been an increasing number of studies to stress on the importance of our social relationships in determining our sense of ‘self-esteem’; if we feel accepted or rejected by others determines how we feel about ourselves. This fluidity in our sense of self-esteem is both cautionary and celebratory for the same reason: we are inherently dependent on each other and thus hold the power to build or break someone. Yes, this is another reminder and reason for you to choose kindness. Over and over again.
It has been challenging and rewarding in equal measure to start this journey and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you. As my days have become much more packed than when I just started writing this newsletter, its format may be more fluid than what it has been since the past year. This is a scary leap for me, filled with many insecurities and fears, but I am allowing myself to take it because I want to model kindness towards oneself, instead of just talking about it! I sincerely value this space to keep showing up here and share little nuggets from my world that could add value to yours. Also, because of the love with which you all received the last edition ‘the year of chaos’, I have been wondering if playing around with the format more often could be fun and interesting. (Thanks for all your love on that, btw. I am absolutely in awe!!)
Another exciting thing that happened last month is that The Alipore Post invited me to write for their Sunday newsletter, ‘This is my newsletter’. You can read it here. Below is an excerpt from the same:
At a challenging time like now, this is my only request to you: the next time you have to choose between standing firmly where you already are because it is easy and makes you socially likeable and choosing to stand with someone who may be feeling scared and alone, I hope you do the latter. I hope you choose kindness. Because we could all do with kindness, especially right now. But also, always.
Thank you for sticking with me through this journey. I am sending out loving warmth and kindness your way and I hope this year has been kind to you so far.
Love and light,
Adishi
A Request: If you would like to monetarily support my work and help me keep this newsletter going, please donate here or you could contribute directly to adishi@icici. Thank you! 💛