From an MBA to a Mental health Awareness Blogger.

First of all let me tell you, writing or becoming a blogger was never my PLAN or even my slightest dream. I am an MBA in Finance and was into Stock Market studies, a certified Mutual Fund advisor till 2011. I used to trade and study market trends daily. I use to invest and play intraday trading with minimum amounts to understand the stock market behavior and trends. I was addicted to finance and also cleared four levels of CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)

How did I land up being a Mental Health Awareness blogger? Here is the background:

After my marriage in 2011, I lost track of my CFA and left it in between. I got a very good job opportunity in a Multi-National Company. I was assigned to the Supply Chain Management Division. My job profile was amazing and I was doing great. I got exposure of SAP, ERP system for the first time. I was responsible for 120 clients in the Europe region, mostly catering to Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, Brazil, China, and Canada. I used to interact with them daily which helped me enhance my communication skills, correspondence skills, I also learned basic German language to interact with my customers. I worked in this company for three years and then I underwent a maternity break for a year.

As my baby girl was too small and I wanted to give her maximum time, (call me an emotional mother, but I just could not compromise on this mother-daughter love affair and my career took a toll, but no regrets) in order to not miss all those precious moments in bringing up a child and cherishing her each and every first, her first tooth, her first word, her first walk and all those first firsts, I wanted to be there. Hence I took up a job in Academic Institute as an Administration Officer. I worked there for about three years and then in later 2016 I was diagnosed with a critical illness and I could not continue to work. I was at home for the first time doing nothing, fighting my illness, my depressing feeling of getting trapped in this situation. My daughter kept me going and again I was enjoying all the time with her. My treatment lasted for a year.

That was the time when I identified my passion for writing, I used to write a lot since my school days, shayaris, poetries, and short stories. I always had my diary by my side but never thought of giving it a try. One day I just created my blog at WordPress, unknown and totally unfamiliar with the blogging world outside, sitting in my bedroom with my laptop I created my blog, named it “priyankaspen”  and wrote my very first blog in December 2016.

Initially, I was very hesitant and afraid of writing and posting on my blog. I used to write once in a month and read a lot of books and other blogs to understand how people write so effectively and so effortlessly. I got addicted to reading and writing and by 2018 I was a Pen freak, I started writing every week, then twice a week and now I write almost daily, the day when I don’t write I feel so restless. It could be the same feeling when a person who is addicted to smoking and drinking and doesn’t get the dose 🙂 I love to express and I write and speak up on the issue which is relatable to so many people out there, I try to motivate others to follow their passion and their goals, I encourage self-love and self-development and above I feel there is a lot of stress and anxiety people are dealing in the world around us and we need to spread some awareness some kindness and all I try to do is spread some words of love and affection through my articles.

How writing changed me as a person or What it brought to me?

Reading and writing change a person and I am sure you all will agree to this statement. When you read you live in the endless possibilities of the characters and stories around you and when you write you are in a different world altogether. You see beauty in everything and almost everything makes sense to you. You can find peace and solace in your reading or writing nook. You can have an escapade from the outside world when you do not want to be a part of enough drama going around.

Above all it changed me as a person, I started identifying people, I learned to say No. I learned to observe instead of reacting to every situation I chose to stay quiet. I learned to build myself, I learned to interact with amazing fellow bloggers and discover some wonderful blogs and creativity around the world. I understood Life can start anytime and you just have to keep on working on your self, you need to listen to your inner voices, make even with yourself, speak up, listen to others and be there for people who really need you.

I learned to take a risk. I started questioning and reasoning life. I learned to stand for the things I bleve in even when no one believed me. I learned to be myself.

Unlocking the unlimited potential inside an individual is only in the hands of the keyholder, that is YOU. You have the power, no one gives you the power to change your present situation, you got to take it. Do what you feel is right, follow your heart, Universe is abundant there is a space for everyone and you just have to have a right approach and work towards your dreams and set goals and you will be unstoppable.

In this whole process of becoming a blogger from an MBA, I learned a lot and I felt just sitting with a dream will not take me to the places I have never been in my life, and I shaped my blog into a brand and named it Virtual Siyahi. Virtual Siyahi means Virtual Pen and I want my pen to explore anything and everything it can, and honestly speaking I do not want to restrict my pen to a particular niche, I want my pen to roam free, flow in the waves of words, go as deeper as it can and dwell into all the beauty of life.

Do what you love and love what you do, just stop for nothing.

Much love and much gratitude to all the fellow bloggers for reading me and appreciating my work.

Priyanka

#VirtualSiyahi

P.S: Initially I wrote this on Momspresso and posted here later. https://www.momspresso.com/parenting/virtual-siyahi/article/how-writing-changed-me-as-a-person?lang=0