The Mental Compass

We often speak of flight as freedom. But what happens when that freedom turns into fear? The sky was never meant to foster fall. But when it strikes, it resonates through those who live on and those who weren’t offered the chance to. On the morning of June 12, 2025, Air India’s Flight 171 took off from Ahmedabad, bound for London. For the overwhelming majority of passengers and crew members, it was just another long-haul flight. Perhaps a text to a loved one was the last gesture.  Someone had just reclined their seat, preparing to sleep through the sky. But soon dreams gave way to disaster. Just seconds after takeoff, the Boeing 787-8 plunged into the student hostel at B.J. Medical College. Fire tore through metal and concrete. The sound of sirens replaced the soft chimes of cabin announcements. Screams filled the air where calm had once rested. 241 of the 242 onboard died. Nineteen more lives were lost on the ground. Only one man survived."I don't know how I'm still breat...

In a time when productivity and hustle culture have been glorified, rest is constantly treated as a luxury instead of a necessity. It has become something that can only be earned after back-breaking work, when one has pushed oneself to the brink. Hustle culture has only served to enlarge this phenomenon. A mindset is being practised- especially among students and young professionals - that rest must be justified.  One’s worth is equated with the output they can produce. Considering all this, it is necessary to understand that rest is not a luxury but a right. Reclaiming rest is resistance in the present world. It becomes an act of self-preservation in the face of hustle culture. Hustle Culture Hustle culture is a system that thrives on the glorification of overworking. If one is not constantly going from their main 9 to 5 job to working their side hustles and creating three sources of income, it is seen as not being productive enough. Not utilising all 24 hours of the day is seen a...

“The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them.”– Stephen King As the world revolves faster and attention spans and opportunities dwindle, we have started finding comfort in the smallest of expressions. Emojis, small pixelated representations of feelings, have been one of the catalysts to our relational evolution. In a generation too busy to write full sentences and too impersonal to extend a handshake, emojis are now everywhere.  Let’s take some time to recognize these little messengers of emotion. World Emoji Day is not merely meant to be about fun graphics or inconsequential keyboard shortcuts. Instead, we honour the quiet revolution of feelings typed out in symbols. Where words stutter, emojis flow. A simple 🙃 softens a hard truth. A 🌈 after a rough day indicates hope typed into existence. And for those of us who can't say "I'm not okay", sometimes 💔 is all you need. Every emoji has a context, with much more at stake than just a ...

Parenting has been said to be amongst the most challenging and yet most rewarding experiences of life. The contemporary social media landscape sees a parade of triumphs, snippets of casual advice, and parenting blogs on to infinity and beyond, steering a good number of parents towards a sort of "perfect parent" cycle. This circle fuels guilt and comparison; even the most dedicated of parents begins to question if they could have done more. Armed with an understanding of the psychology behind these feelings, parents can then go forward and rebuild their confidence. An Unfair Burden upon Parents Parental guilt comes upon a parent when they are made to feel that they have failed to live up to expectations- either their own or that of society. Psychologists attribute this to cognitive dissonance: the mismatch of behavior with inner standards or beliefs. A working mother may well have been guilty of not giving enough time to her child in a situation where this meant the family...

"What! Do I Really Mean Not to Get Motivated?"  No, let's rewire the mindset of always needing motivation and still failing to reach our goals. Instead, let's understand why we fail even after feeling fully motivated and setting goals—are we setting goals or traps to fail each time we feel motivated?  Today, let's dive deep into the science behind motivation and goal setting to understand how we can truly achieve our goals. Have you ever failed after setting a goal, only to feel demotivated despite a firm decision to succeed this time? Most of us have, especially with New Year’s resolutions, which often last just a week—the classic "fitness goal" or "gym dreams." Goal setting is a science; it involves understanding how our brain works in motivation and maintaining focus on our objectives.  Motivation alone isn't enough; it involves behavioral science and neuroscience, but let's keep it simple for long-term success. Instructions with cla...

“Disability is not a brave struggle or courage in the face of adversity. Disability is an art. It’s an ingenious way to live.” – Neil Marcus When Aanya first rolled into her college classroom, the silence was deafening. Eyes darted away. The ramp at the entrance was steep and shaky but her will wasn’t. A few months later, her peers stopped seeing the wheelchair and started seeing her ideas, her leadership, her laughter. Stories like hers are not rare, they’re just rarely told.  In a world where motion is often mistaken for meaning, the sight of someone rolling instead of walking or leaning into the weight of a crutch is sometimes seen as a limitation. But step closer and you'll find not a story of pity but of power. A power that rewrites norms, reclaims space and reimagines freedom. Disability Pride Month is not about inspiration. It is about integration of voice, choice, and dignity. It invites us not to feel “for” but to feel with. It’s not about being "despite" somethi...

We all say that life is uncertain and there is no guarantee that we will see tomorrow’s sunlight. What if this uncertainty is certain in someone’s profession? We hear people saying I had a really long day and there is a professional who really works for long day and night to safeguard us. During Operation Sindoor, many public shared nightmares about their places being bombed. Imagine what if a person’s daily life is filled with near death experiences, bombs, pain, chaos and being in a constant life threat. Our night terrors may be their daily life. I guess every one of us might remember the night our army, navy and military officials protected us, destroyed all the missiles and we were having peaceful sleeps. We all talk about occupational stress. Just imagine the stress these people witness on a daily basis. Let’s just have a glance at the mental health of the people who work for patriotism and take responsibility for the people in the country.  We live by chance, we love by chanc...

“I’m not good at anything” It’s a quiet thought many young people carry. Sometimes it hides behind humor. Sometimes behind silence. But often, it reflects something deeper- a fragile sense of self-worth, and a longing to feel capable, seen and valued. In a world that often defines success through scores, ranks, or popularity, young people can begin to doubt themselves.  “What do I bring to the table? What makes me different? Who am I when no one’s watching?”  This is where skills come in- not just technical or academic, but emotional, social, and practical skills that empower youth far beyond a classroom or workplace. Skills build more than careers- They build Identity! World Youth Skills Day isn’t only about job readiness. It’s about helping youth discover the strengths they already carry which is resilience, empathy, adaptability, creativity. When a young person learns to manage their emotions, solve problems, or communicate effectively, something powerful happens when they ...

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." – Anatole France In a world dominated by reels, revisions, and tireless routines, paws help GenZ find purpose. A gentle paw on the chest during a panic attack or a warm cuddle after a cold day of silence. Before therapy appointments were normalized and self-care was branded, there were pets—silent witnesses to our mess, mood swings and midnights. They are more than companions. They are comfort, connection and calm stitched together in fur. This under twenty-five generation has been framed as sensitive, or "too online." But they're also deeply self-aware. In their individual and collectively fostered journeys toward mental wellness, they are inviting four-legged healers into their lives.  For every mind overstimulated by a screen, there is a heartbeat curled beside them on the bed. Therapy dogs, emotional support cats, rescued bunnies are all part of a larger shift toward pawsitive psyc...

When was the last time you truly did nothing? Not scrolling. Not watching a video in the background. Not mentally calculating your next move. Just… sitting. Being. For most of us, the thought alone feels strange ,maybe even wrong. In a world that glorifies hustle and equates success with how busy we are, “doing nothing” can feel lazy, unproductive, or selfish. But maybe it’s time we ask: Why does rest make us feel guilty? The Guilt of Slowing Down There’s an invisible pressure that many of us carry the need to constantly be doing something. If we’re not working, we’re planning. If we’re not planning, we’re consuming. Somewhere along the way, rest stopped feeling like a right and started feeling like a reward we had to earn. This is what psychologists call toxic productivity : when our self-worth becomes tightly woven into our to-do lists. It’s exhausting, and yet, so normalized. The constant doing leaves little space for just being. And when we finally try to pause, we feel restless, e...

In today’s digital world, we rely heavily on mobile phones and other gadgets. They have become an integral part of our lives, almost like an extension of our bodies. Sometimes, screen time is necessary to connect with online classes; other times, it helps us stay in touch with colleagues, friends, and family. Let’s first understand what screen time is, its consequences, and how we can limit it.  Alarming Trends in Screen Time Usage  The tech-savvy generation has become inseparable from mobile phones. We are connected through our devices but often remain socially isolated. Recent reports indicate that, globally, people spend an average of 6 hours and 40 minutes of screen time per day. Alarmingly, children aged 0-2 years are also exposed to screens, often watching rhymes on mobile phones while feeding or as a strategy to keep them seated. Researchers say that excessive mobile phone use may affect the growth of the frontal cortex in emerging adults (18-25 years). The frontal cort...

At first, I didn’t get the hype. Why would anyone collect a doll that looks... haunted?  But the more I saw it, the more I felt something. A weird sense of comfort, of recognition. Occasionally, the oddest things feel like home. Labubu may not be the first thing that strikes you as something you would love It has bulging eyes, an impish grin and it feels weird more than sweet. It's placed somewhere between a cartoon character and a creature from a fairy tale. Nonetheless, people love Labubu. Millions of them are buying, collecting and posing with it.  There’s a psychological term called the “uncanny valley.” It refers to the uneasy feeling we get when something appears to be ‘human’ but not quite exactly. Labubu, with its offbeat features, tiptoes that line. It doesn’t look quite like it is alive, but it is not that far off either. Its strangeness should produce discomfort for the viewer but instead the oddity is drawing them in. Part of this is because it is also related to a...

There are times when even the brightest sunshine cannot drive away the darkness within. The sun pours out over the sky in golden beams, ice-cream carts jingle down the streets, beaches are abuzz with delight, and Instagram accounts are flooded with sun kissed photos of "living my best life." Somewhere hidden in this glistening backdrop are those for whom summer does not bring joy; rather, it takes it away. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is often stereotyped as "winter blues." Gloomy days, chilly winds, and perpetual grey skies perhaps pull one into hibernation. But for a lesser-known few, it's not winter but summer that triggers their emotional winter. We don't get to choose which season our sadness blooms in. While most await the sun’s arrival like an old friend, those with summer SAD brace themselves. Rather than energy and happiness, there's fatigue and crankiness. Psychologically, summer-onset SAD is explained by the sensitive biology-environment ...

" The mind is its own place and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven ." — John Milton The richest man on the planet, the face behind Tesla and X (formerly Twitter), is not only building rockets and electric cars but also battling the same invisible demons many of us face daily. When Elon Musk admitted using ketamine to manage depression, the world erupted with support, criticism, and curiosity—all at once. Social media timelines buzzed like a SpaceX launch countdown. Some called it bold; others deemed it reckless. In a world where mental health has only recently begun to find space for itself, Musk’s revelation opened floodgates of questions. Is ketamine a miracle therapy or merely a dangerous escape? When the person steering the world’s most futuristic companies turns to a substance more commonly linked with rave parties and emergency rooms, it’s impossible not to pay attention. The tech titan’s erratic tweets, public meltdowns, and controversial business d...

  “Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.” — Peter Levine You exit the site of the crash or isolate yourself from an abusive family, but a piece of you never leaves. You smile in photos and attend events, yet deep inside, you're still there—caged and stuck. Confronted with the urge to run, the temptation to fight, and the overwhelming paralysis that leaves you rooted to the ground, it feels like you're caught in a perpetual struggle between escape and confrontation. PTSD often strikes unexpectedly—the slam of a door, the screech of tires, or the scent of cigarette smoke can suddenly send you spiraling back to that detestable moment. Your heart races, palms sweat, muscles tense—not at what’s before you, but at what lies behind, as the past crashes into the present with unforgiving force. You push yourself to exhaustion trying to outrun memories that refuse to stay buried. But it’s not just about force; there’s also a po...

"Slam Dunk," a beloved Japanese anime, delves into the psychological dimensions of sports, offering profound lessons applicable to athletes of all levels. The story follows Hanamichi Sakuragi, an initially unmotivated high school delinquent who transforms into a dedicated basketball player. One of the central themes is the importance of perseverance. Sakuragi faces numerous setbacks, yet his determination to improve exemplifies the mindset needed in sports: resilience in the face of adversity. This suggests that failure is a stepping stone to success, a crucial lesson for athletes facing competition. Another psychological lesson from "Slam Dunk" is the power of teamwork and camaraderie. As Sakuragi progresses, he learns that individual talent alone is insufficient; synergetic collaboration with teammates is crucial for success. This reflects the psychological need for belonging and support, underscoring how collective spirit can enhance performance and foster a po...

Has it ever happened? You are trolling in your house, enjoying the peaceful life, or gulping snacks, and all of a sudden, there it is. A spider, a bossy and bold one. If you've been there, you know this is not just a cute guy on 8 legs; it's a deathmatch itself. The mom's all of a sudden summoned a chair out of thin air to stand on. The sibling in a corner sticking like duct tape using Van der Waals forces. And you? You and that spider, in the hallway. Facing each other, like two warriors. Or maybe you owe it money. Ah. Those sharp and terrifying legs, bulky like a gym dude and spiky hairs with eyes showing no emotion. This eight-legged menace has once blocked not just ours but everyone's way—at least once in their life. And when it moves an inch? We are Boeing 747.  But, how many of us made it past ourselves? The number goes to one in 10, as much as my experience says—at least when we were kids. Although, most of us still cannot manage this minibeast ourselves. Then wh...

“ The measure of a society is how it treats its weakest members.” – Mahatma Gandhi In the serenity of early mornings, when birds sing and newspapers rustle, there exists silence too. This silence is often that of older people—not by choice but due to a culture that views age as irrelevant and wisdom as an inconvenience. The gap between support and suppression is much wider than we perceive; their voices are reduced to whispers, views dismissed, and independence often traded for conformity. In homes cloaked in comfort and institutions wrapped in efficiency, the boundary between care and coercion is blurred.  At face value, caregiving appears to be a compassionate act—food is served, medications are tracked, and safety is ensured. But beneath this routine lies a profound question: at what cost do we care? Seniors are frequently deprived of basic autonomy—when to get up, what to eat, and how to spend their time. Communication is often one-way and instruction-based. While these behavio...

Ever heard of getting into tangles and suffocating yourself while trying to find a way out? Those chaotic thoughts swirling in your brain prevent you from feeling at peace, and despite searching for a calm path, you're stuck in an endless loop. The calmness you carry doesn't seem to help, breathing exercises feel futile, and then you realize—you need to talk to someone more important: yourself. Yes, you heard that right—self-talk can heal, or at least medicate, your mind, revealing paths you can walk.  One day, I was juggling work, feeling overwhelmed as time flew by without a tick-tock or the sound of the seconds hand. "Am I feeling anxious?" my wet arms seemed to answer. Not this time. This is a common feeling, something we face at least once in a while—just as normal as trying something new. Instead of nagging, just pause. You can restart again. But what if chaos or vague voices persist in the back of your mind? That’s when it’s time for a self-talk.   Starting is ...