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From Shame to Fame: Turning Life’s Toughest Emotion into Your Strongest Power (12)

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Shame is that uncomfortable feeling that tells us we are somehow not good enough. It is different from guilt, which is about what we did. Shame attacks who we think we are. It shows up when we believe we have failed, disappointed others, or simply not matched the invisible standards set by society. Sometimes it is earned through mistakes, but many times it is unfairly placed on us, even when our intentions and actions were right.

The trouble is that if you let shame move in and make itself at home, it quickly becomes a terrible houseguest. It lowers your energy, pulls down your consciousness, and before you know it, you are in a spiral of negative thoughts and feelings. It is like putting on noise-cancelling headphones tuned only to self-doubt. Progress feels distant, and opportunities slip by because you are stuck replaying the same mental soundtrack.

But shame might not the strong villain it first appears to be. When you step back and see it as just one of many emotions we will feel in our lives, it loses its power. It may be unpleasant, but it can also be the medicine that pushes us in the right direction. Sometimes the bravest move is to be a little shameless, as long as your intentions are honest. That shift from hiding to owning your story can be the start of a completely new future.

And here is where resilience is built. If your intentions are right and you face shame but learn to stand tall through it, you become unshakable. Very little can throw you off balance after that. This resilience is what sets the stage for real Fame, not the shallow kind measured in likes, but the deeper kind where people respect your strength and authenticity.

Look at The Pursuit of Happyness. Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith, endured moments that would break most people. Sleeping in a subway restroom with his son would make anyone feel humiliated. Yet instead of letting shame define him, he used it as fuel. His story proves that resilience through shame can lead not only to personal success but also to inspiring millions.

By learning to manage shame, you protect and even strengthen your mental health. You stop spiraling downward and start expanding upward. You gain perspective, clarity, and a stronger sense of self. That is the real prize.

So yes, your relationship with Shame can be the foundation of Fame. Not because shame feels good, but because overcoming it makes you ready for the spotlight that life has in store for you.

And while it might still feel a little taboo to talk about topics like shame, it is exactly these conversations that matter. Addressing them openly is how we strengthen individual mental health and move society forward in a positive direction.

❤️ASB

Fork It, I Miss My Spoon: Choosing Authenticity over Acceptance, One Grain at a Time (8)

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Fluffy basmati rice, steam rising; a little dal pooling at the edges. Maybe a bit of pickle for the brave. That perfect bite, balanced, warm, slightly messy, lovingly scooped with a Spoon; Not stabbed with a Fork; Not chased around like you’re playing tag with your dinner.

That was my childhood in India. Rice and spoon were a team, they understood each other. Then I moved to the West, and somewhere between work lunches, dinner invites, and the occasional “Oh you still use a spoon?” look, I made the switch. I forked my rice; Badly!

Not because it worked better , but because it helped me fit in. Or at least felt like I was trying to.

That’s how it often starts; Small things. A spoon here, a phrase there. You adjust to blend in, you stop correcting people when they say your name wrong, you laugh politely at jokes you don’t find funny, you wear the neutral colours, speak the expected way. Slowly, without noticing, you trade little pieces of your authentic self for the comfort of belonging.

We’ve all done it. Sometimes it’s survival, sometimes it’s strategy but sometimes, it’s just habit. And after a while, you forget what eating with the spoon even felt like.

But here’s the twist. Fitting in is not the same as being seen.

Have you seen The Devil Wears Prada ? Andy starts out as herself. Unsure, curious, maybe a little out of place. Then she transforms. Sleek clothes, designer shoes, fluent in fashion speak. She fits in, but somewhere along the way, she loses her spark. She realises she’s no longer herself, just a high-functioning version of who she thought she needed to be. In the end, she walks away. Not out of rebellion, but out of clarity. She chooses authenticity over approval.

We don’t connect with perfect people. We connect with real ones. The ones who occasionally spill dal on their shirts or pronounce things differently or eat rice the “wrong” way. Because that’s what being human looks like.

So yes, I can use a fork. I’ve adapted. I know my way around a salad. But when I’m home, when it’s Rajma Chawal night, when the food means something, I reach for the spoon.

Not just because it works better but because it feels like me.

And maybe that’s the point. You can learn the rules, adapt when needed, and still keep the parts of you that matter. You can show up with your spoon in a world full of forks.

Because sometimes, the best way to fit in is by standing out ✨.

❤️ASB

Credibility isn’t a Costume. It’s your Own Skin! (4)

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We live in a world that’s constantly whispering in our ears… and by whispering, I mean yelling in 100 point font across social media posts and “10 things never to do if you want to be taken seriously” articles.

Don’t say this.
Never post that.
Avoid these phrases if you want to appear credible.

It’s like credibility has been turned into a checklist, a formula, a script. Smile just enough, speak just right, and for heaven’s sake, never let them see the real you because that might be too much.

Here’s the problem. The more you try to become what you think the world wants, the further you drift from who you actually are. And the further you drift, the more you sound like an AI-generated coach from 2025. Respectfully.

Now let’s take this idea to Hollywood. Remember The Greatest Showman? Hugh Jackman’s character, P.T. Barnum, spends most of the movie trying to impress high society. He wears the right clothes, says the right things, and courts the “credible” people. But in chasing their approval, he starts sidelining the very performers who made him special; the ones who were unapologetically different.

It all falls apart. Because in trying to gain credibility by being something he’s not, he loses connection, trust, and eventually, himself.

He does find his way back but only by embracing his authentic crew ; the bearded lady, the trapeze artists, the oddballs. And the moment he does? That’s when he truly becomes credible. Not because he ticks the boxes. But because he owns his story.

In real life, it’s the same. I’ve seen leaders who try to “present well” and end up sounding like a podcast with the playback speed set to 1.5x. ( Self included 😳) and I’ve seen people who speak with simple honesty and light up the room. No filters, no corporate gloss. Just truth, passion, and the courage to be seen.

Authenticity isn’t a vulnerability. It’s a superpower. Because when you speak from who you are, not from what you think people want to hear, you earn something no strategy can buy: trust.

So the next time someone tells you “never say this if you want to be credible,” pause and ask yourself ; is it really about the words, or is it about the intention behind them?

Because you can’t fake your way to being believable. People don’t trust perfect. They trust real.

Be you. Weird quirks, quiet confidence, chaotic brilliance, subtle disasters and all. It beats polished pretence any day.