Self-Improvement

First published in The Hindu, 1 June 2024 In their brilliant book, Metaphors We Live By, George Lakoff and Mark Johnson claim that metaphors are not just figures of speech but impact how we think and behave. In fact, they…

First published in The Hindu, 4 May 2024 Failure. The very word stings. Because failure has strong negative connotations, including scarring us permanently, we tend to avoid it at all costs. However, none of us started off believing that failure…

First published in The hindi, 2 March 2024 Though the idea of babies being born with a “tabula rasa,” or blank slate has been discredited by psychological research, this construct, that was championed by philosopher John Locke, resonates with the…

First published in The Hindu, 03 Feb 2024 Being amiable, adaptable and accommodating are prosocial attributes that are generally positively regarded. But like all good things, if they’re taken too far, they can be detrimental to a person’s wellbeing. Though…

First published in The Hindu, 30 Dec 2023 Most parents hope that their kids “fit in,” be it with a peer group or the larger community. This desire to be accepted extends into adulthood, so much so that we might…

First published in The Hindu, 4 Nov 2023 Tarun, an HR-executive at a multinational firm, likes his job, on most days. Though the hours can be taxing, he carves out time to spend with his family and work out. He…

First published in The Hindu, 30 September 2023  Besides getting ready for her arangetram, Neha plans to run a half-marathon. All this, while she’s interning at a reputed accounting firm, applying to foreign universities and prepping for her final CA exam….

First published in The Hindu, 5 August 2023  Whether it’s a university declining admission, a company not getting back after an interview, or a romantic break-up, rejection stings. Be it a professional or personal issue, a rejection implies that you are…

First published in The Hindu, 1 July 2023  He got the seat on “pure merit.” Behind this statement lurks a number of societal assumptions of what merit entails. That a person who gets into a college through merit is truly deserving of the seat. Further, merit as…