Yesterday, I hosted my first ever community meet-up, and God, was it a hit!!
We called it Chai Pe Charcha – a simple, light-hearted gathering for women to sit together, talk, laugh, and just be. There was chai, familiar smiles, new faces, and something very comforting about a room full of women who showed up just as they were.
It all started with a thought, an idea, a year back exactly. When I started to write Unscripted Mama, the thought was to bring out a safe space for women to speak, to talk because that’s all a woman or a human being needs to feel lighter. Thank you, Riple, for joining hands with me and helping bring this beautiful beginning to life.
Women are designed to hold it all together. We are the givers, the ones who figure it all out, managing everything 24/7 without complaints, living with guilt, and trying to become the best role models—the best daughter, daughter-in-law, mother, wife, and employee.
Amongst all of this the most important thing we forget is BEING YOURSELF. You can’t pour from an empty cup. We need to fill ourselves first in order to be able to pour. And when we share with other women, we feel lighter, we feel more energised to give, we feel full again.
Choosing Themselves
I am really grateful to all the women who showed up, who chose themselves for those few hours. They gave themselves a chance to speak their hearts out, make new connections, and take home the happiness and joy. Hearing their stories reminded me just how much strength sits in one room.
One thing that really stood out to me was how easily women opened up once one person spoke. The room shifted from polite smiles to real conversations. It reminded me how deeply we all crave safe, non-judgmental spaces, and how quickly connection forms when we’re simply allowed to be ourselves.
My Major Learnings:
Along with the excitement, I walked away with some powerful realisations:
- Be Grateful for the Village:
Listening to women speak about the people who quietly support their lives reminded me how rarely we pause to acknowledge this unseen strength around us.
When we talk to each other, we realise how important these little support systems are in helping us thrive and achieve what we want to. BE GRATEFUL. - Protect Your Inner Child:
There were moments of laughter in the room that felt almost childlike – free, unguarded, and so healing.
Don’t let the child in you die. Be yourself. Be happy. That is how you age beautifully – by staying true to who you are inside. - Growth is a Choice:
Learning should never stop – that is how we keep growing and thriving in life. It reminds us that we are not meant to remain the same woman we were years ago. Every new experience, every conversation, every new skill reshapes us in small but powerful ways. - Your Choice, Your Story:
Hearing how differently each woman’s journey had unfolded reinforced how deeply personal every decision truly is.
Whether you work after a baby or choose to stay home, let it be your choice. Every mother’s situation is unique. Choose what makes you happy, without the weight of guilt. 🙂 - Breaking the Mind-Made Boundaries: Motherhood is one of life’s most beautiful experiences, but the early years are undeniably demanding. It takes a village, and you don’t have to do it alone. When you feel ready, you can choose to step beyond the boundaries you’ve set for yourself.
- Strong women raise strong kids
When we choose ourselves, our children watch. They learn that taking time for yourself isn’t selfish, it’s necessary. They learn to choose themselves, too.
Sometimes, all it takes is a room full of women to remind us who we are. Here’s to many more conversations, connections, and moments of choosing ourselves.
Which of these learnings resonates most with where you are in your journey right now?
I would truly love to hear your thoughts or experiences – feel free to share them in the comments or message me. Your story might be exactly what another woman needs to hear.
Every mom has a story—what’s yours? Let’s talk in the comments!