Breathe
Let the Light In: Learning from Diwali stories
How we can learn valuable wellness lessons from the stories of Diwali and Bandi Chorr Diwas
Kim Bansi
Writer and content producer
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
How we can learn valuable wellness lessons from the stories of Diwali and Bandi Chorr Diwas
An exploration on the impact of living with a chronic illness on mental health, ways to cope and hearing first-hand experiences from those living with chronic illnesses.
A decade ago, I walked into a bar during Freshers' week as a naïve 18-year-old, hoping that I was about to have the experience of a lifetime (spoiler, I did!).
"You should look for someone new to settle down with now," a well-meaning auntie advised me in the pits of my heartbreak. Once I'd managed to swallow the lump in my throat, I was perplexed.
"You do know you have adenomyosis, right?" said a doctor off-handedly to Aman Virdi, a 41-year-old in London, when she was having an internal ultrasound a few years ago. Although Aman had already been diagnosed with endometriosis, this comment came as a complete surprise.
The moment I saw the character of Kate Sharma (played by Simone Ashley) in the season two Bridgerton trailer, I felt giddy with excitement but also a pang of sadness. I realised that - even though I am quite the rom-com connoisseur - at my grand old age of 28 I'd never seen a brown woman portrayed in such an obviously romantic manner.
Many South Asian women are taught from a young age that living away from their parents can only be enjoyed once they’re married. But a new generation of South Asian women is feeling more empowered than ever to live their lives according to their own rules.
How we can still learn to love ourselves when our bodies have not been deemed beautiful enough for mainstream beauty standards? We speak to two South Asian creators who have found found self acceptance, despite it all.
‘A problem shared is a problem halved’, goes the saying, and in most cases it’s true. That doesn’t mean it will always be easy to reach out or that those who love you will immediately understand your concerns, especially when it comes to mental health, but there are ways to make that first all-important step a little easier – find out more in the latest issue of Teen Breathe.
Living in a multigenerational household, or with a large family, can feel like being caught in a hurricane of activity. But there are ways to find calm space in the eye of the storm and enjoy the benefits a busy household can bring.