NEW HOPES, NEW DESIRES

  Jose Andres Puerta has very aptly said, “The modernity of yesterday is the tradition of today and the modernity of today will be the tradition tomorrow.” We know that Tradition is a time-honoured practice, which is an inherited, established or customary pattern of thought, action or behaviour passed down from generation to generation. They are rooted in the past and represent the actual identity of a particular society. Modernity is more of a contemporary behaviour or way of doing things. It connotes a certain type of culture whose quality is determined by rationality, the liberal spirit, plurality of opinion and centres of decision making, autonomy in various fields of experience, secular ethics and respect for the private world of an individual. Traditions vary depending on the society. They vary from place to place, brewed intricately into the sensibilities of the region. At times, they may not have any superficial scientific rationale but the faith of people decides the...

  We all face changes every day – whether it is a simple change in the weather, our schedule or expected change of seasons. Change affects all of us and the way we deal with it is different for different people. CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT THING!!! To expect change has brought me hope during challenging or unexpected life events. This same thought has also brought fear in situations where the last thing I wanted was change. I’ve come to realize it’s not the circumstances or the changes that dictate how my life will go, but rather how I handle those changes and disruptions. No matter the change we experience, how we embrace that change will forever impact how we are able to live with the change. I have a love hate relationship with change. When things go down, the hopeful us find peace in the fact that no matter what, things are not going to be the same. They might get better or worse but they are going to change. This is unavoidable whether we try to change the situation, c...

  In my personal life, I have met and observed many people who are desperately trying to get approval and acceptance from others, who never feel good enough, and who are terrified of social rejection. For many, hurt and invalidation starts very early and continues throughout their life in one form or another. As a result, many people learn that their fundamental sense of self-esteem and self-worth comes not from within but from others, and so they constantly seek other peoples approval or attention. Whether you’re hoping for hundreds of likes on Instagram, help and support from friends, or a simple pat on the back from your parents, seeking validation from others for a quick  boost of confidence  is a natural tendency. People want to know that they’re smart and cool and on the right track in life, and these external things (read: likes, pats on the back, etc.) are definitely helpful. It’s totally fine to look for others’ approval on occasion. But there comes a point...