Ask S anything: Your questions answered

In this new episode of the MyndStories Minis, we have something different. Something unusual.

For this episode, we decided to ask our listeners and readers to be the hosts. To ask Shantesh Row and Srividya Sivakumar the questions we didn’t think of asking before.

Neither knew the questions beforehand, so the answers were spontaneous and the conversation free-flowing. We talk about melancholy, our host Smitha Murthy’s favorite topic! We also talk about the impact of trolling on our mental well-being, the pressures of family, and the simple joys of writing.

Quotes from the conversation

“I’ve realized that the best way for me to deal with melancholy is to hold melancholy up to the light and to see it for what it is.” – Srividya Sivakumar

“Chaos is overrated. Chaos is just normal life at the end of the day.” – Shantesh Row

We talk about

• How we can learn to cope with stress from Virender Sehwag
• Writing in all its glorious ways
• Why it’s okay to be lost
• Dealing with self-doubt and imposter syndrome
• The feeling of not being worthy enough
• Finding the good in the bad

Shantesh’s bio

Shantesh is the Chief Creative Officer at Slant Advertising, an ad agency he co-founded in Dubai. He describes himself on LinkedIn as a: Storyteller. Quizzer. Once upon a time, opening batsman and offspinner. Tried to be a Chartered Accountant. Knowledge seeker. Trivia miner. Single Malt connoisseur. Horror film maven. Interpreter of maladies. Wannabe chef. Facebook avoider. Twitter hater. Opinion junkie. Pink Floyd lover. Intense mood-swinger. Novel-in-the-making-for-ages writer. Bathroom crooner. Sit down comedian. Voyeur of life.

Born in Mumbai, Shantesh is based in Dubai and has an affinity for LinkedIn influencers, cows, consistency, and copies, in no particular order. The link to his top-rated copywriting workshop is below.

Srividya’s bio

Srividya Sivakumar is the critically acclaimed author of two poetry collections – ‘The Blue Note’ and ‘The Heart is an Attic.’

You can find her book ‘The Heart is an Attic ‘on Amazon. You can also listen to her fantastic TedX Talk: Breaking Barriers One Word at a Time on YouTube.

When we asked Srividya for a bio, she sent us this beautiful passage, and we felt that is way better than anything we could come up with.

Bioluminescence

Whimsical. Vantablack. Dark energy. The axiom of equality. Flame-of-Burnt-Brandy. Groaning lantana shelf.  Kasuti. Feldgrau. Absolute zero. Drunk-Tank Pink. Ceramic dreams. Kolam. Five thesis drafts. Two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl. Snape. Guitar finger calluses. Love amongst the pepper sacks. Trier. Saltwater in the blood. Bed of roses. The allure of unavailability. Kalamkari. Flying over the cuckoo’s nest. Atticus Finch. Ajrakh. Military colors. Bol Hu. Tube down the nose. Interrogation. Scent of warm clean mud. Long distance. A purring cat. Chalkdust cough. Khaki and medals. Stone floors. Untranslated cinema. Coquelicot. Bow lips. Home in a hug. Poet.

Who I am. 

For now. 

Connect with Shantesh

LinkedIn | Topmate

Connect with Srividya

LinkedIn | TedX Talk

QOTD

Tell us why you would want to be featured on the MyndStories Minis! Write to us to be part of the conversation to make mental health cool – podcast@myndstories.com