The Indian Standard

15/08/2021

the world can bring about so many negative feelings. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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we can feel overwhelmed by the news, other people or sometimes our own community. sometimes, a bit of distance can help a lot to clear your mind on what you need to focus on.

14/06/2021

24/05/2021

"I would tell my younger self that I am not alone. Especially in the South-Asian community, there used to be a lack of resources and education around ADHD growing up which made me feel like I had some type of “rare disorder”. I was alone throughout my experience. Because tt was not a common dinner table conversation amongst my family and I was not educated about ADHD until a much later age, I was very confused about why I was unable to perform or think like many others around me."

23/05/2021

Just breathe.

22/05/2021

Obsessive, and compulsive behaviors can often lead to disordered thinking and relationships with ourselves, and with others. Obsessive behavior, and controlling tendencies can present themselves in relationships (whether it be romantic or platonic friendships), with work, with exercise, and any facet of life. Although there is no 'one cure' to any mental health issue, finding balance is essential in all parts of life.

21/05/2021

Stop scrolling and take a moment to pause, breathe, visualize a place, memory, or time period that makes you happy. It isn't always easy, but we're here to support you.

21/05/2021

JANANI TO ENTER TEXT

20/05/2021

"When people ask about me, I do like to think that I have two selves. A lowercase and uppercase. When we break it down into myself and my ego, we can see everything I’ve gone through to make it to this moment. I stand for what I believe in and I hold my values to the core of my being. I consider myself balanced like the libra that I am. I see myself as a vessel for divine energy, I’m simply the artist, the dancer, who brings that energy through me. I define myself as infinite, the universe is within me. Within the question of “who are you?” There is an element of purity. I am the product of everything that has happened to me, I am the now."

20/05/2021

Big picture. When we're feeling 'low' it's difficult to keep our dreams, goals, and priorities in mind. Thinking about the big picture is easier said than done - but it's important to learn how to re-center ourselves during difficult times when we want to keep going. We'll get there. We will make our dreams come true, and we have the power to make our dreams a reality.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Photo Credit: .amin

19/05/2021

Relaxing doesn't come easy to us all. As immigrants, or children of immigrants, or even as someone of Indian origin, we often feel guilty when we aren't working, or achieving highly in terms of school, work, extracurriculars, or any facet of life. But as we all know, that's unhealthy. It's unsustainable to expect ourselves to keep going - and that's okay. There's no harm in relaxing. Relaxing can help us re-ground, re-center, inspire, and motivate ourselves when we're in a slump. Take a break. It's necessary.

18/05/2021

Although 'modern' Indian culture may promote more acceptance of mental health, many of us still struggle with explaining our journey to friends, parents, family members, and our communities. Judgement and negative remarks seem to take over, with a major lack of understanding of what is really happening beneath the surface. And that's why we're here. We're hoping to break the stigma and have open discussions about mental health, and share personal stories of those who are open to telling their stories. We are the Indian Standard.

14/05/2021

"I grew up constantly being told that I needed to lose weight when I indulged in anything, then conversely, being asked why I was “starving myself” when I did not eat to a point of being full. There was a constant battle of not knowing what was nutritious and learning how to consume desserts in moderation. Being surrounded by others who did not look like me did not help. From being put in the back of Bharatnatyam dance routines for being the “chubby girl”, to only having headshots taken of me because my entire body was not “good enough”, I struggled to truly see the beauty within me. No matter what others told me or what types of outfits I tried on, I constantly battled with myself to accept how I looked. I considered dietary supplements, medications, surgery, and other options to change who I was externally because I felt that I was not good enough."

11/05/2021

Photography by: .amin

07/05/2021

Take note of what makes you happy - what gets you out of bed. The things that make you happy, and the things that come naturally to you. We all have a place on this Earth - and there's no need for us to compete for one spot, or allow ourselves to diminish our light. In the same way, let's remember to not diminish the light in others, for the sake of our egos. Reflect on what keeps you going, even when things get rough. We all have a light, we just need to let it shine.

06/05/2021

"My mental health journey has been heavily impacted by the mental health of my parents. My parents had an intercaste marriage that was non-traditional - a love marriage. My father experienced a horrific tragedy in his early 20's when his father committed su***de and homicide, also killing my father's siblings. My mother's family basically adopted my dad and his mother, since he was going to college with my mom's brother. My dad was treated like another son in our family and fell in love with my mother later on. My parents then had me and immigrated to America, experiencing similar problems that a lot of South Asian households go through, in the sense that the man has to be the head of the house and take care of all of the finances and be the sole provider for the family. As a result of the deeply rooted toxic masculinity within my own family, I witnessed my mother go through a lot of physical and mental abuse, directly affecting my mental health. I did not realize how much my parents reflected my own mental health journey until I had to face physical abuse myself. Through lots of family drama and the separation of my parents, I started to understand how to prioritize my own mental health through the form of yoga and my relationship with the Divine. I work to heal and promote wellness through yoga. When others learn from my life experience, I feel that my story has power and that power can be used for transformational good. My mental health journey starts with myself and my family at the core. Through setting boundaries, I am able to have a relationship with both of my parents and have really understood the importance of taking care of your inner-child. I have always been very self-sufficient with being an only child, however, everything really set in motion for me career wise and mental health wise after coming to terms with my parents' story and everything that has happened with them."

05/05/2021

"As the oldest daughter not only in my immediate family, but my extended family, I always had to pave the way for what “success” looks like. I felt that I was always held to very high standards and expectations from gender roles as a female (especially in the South Asian culture) to the types of behaviors that I needed to conform to. My family was extremely protective and went to extreme measures to ensure that I was as protected as possible. I remember asking them why they decided to enroll me in an all-girls private Catholic high school and their reason was because it would protect me and help me focus better on my education. While I personally do not believe it worked, I do feel like they were almost afraid to show me the reality of the world. I do not think they realized that sheltering me and holding me to such high expectations actually made me want to go out of my comfort zone and do things that I knew they wouldn’t approve of. I was definitely not a rebellious child, but I did talk back to them and wait for the day that I would be able to go as far away as possible from them. My family dynamics eventually changed as I started to open up about my journey and form a closer relationship after the age of 19."