I have always been something of a social media recluse. I was active on Facebook for a while before deactivating that account years ago. I tried Instagram and went on and off the platform for a bit before maintaining a fiercely private account for reasons I can’t understand – I don’t post any personal pictures there. Twitter? That noise is too much for me. Goodreads? Yes, but only to record my books. 

TikTok? Snapchat? Erm no. 

This leaves me with LinkedIn as the only platform where I am ‘active.’ I don’t remember why I chose LinkedIn as my platform of choice, but once I started writing there, I realized that here was a fantastic opportunity for an introvert like me to meet some like-minded people. 

Which is how I ‘met’ Srividya Sivakumar, TedX Speaker and poet and author of the lovely book of poems titled ‘The Heart Is An Attic.’ And when the forever creative Shantesh Row suggested her as my next podcast guest, I didn’t think twice. I really didn’t know her, but then, does it matter? I have realized how little I know the people in my life over these last few years. Strangers come easier – the conversations can be as free-flowing or as inhibited as you like. 

This wasn’t an inhibited conversation. I was a bit nervous about speaking to a teacher. What if she catches flaws in my pronunciation? What if I stumble and stutter? I probably did all of that in this podcast, but I also came to realize that our connections with people need not be as tenuous and fragile as I had assumed. 

One of the keys to mental well-being is in developing strong social connections. That is undoubtedly difficult for someone with social anxiety, but conversations and micro-moments are available for us anytime.

Through this conversation, I learned how much books sustain us, the words soothing over the scars, and the powerful, often necessary antidote to pain called forgiveness. 

I hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did. I hope you learn as much as I did. 

Find the podcast here on MyndStories:

Finding connections through words with Srividya Sivakumar | The MyndStories Minis

Or on Spotify

With light and love,

Smitha