It was just after the first wave of COVID.
We had spent almost two whole months indoors—working, living, and simply surviving within the confines of a single space. During that time, the virus found its way to me. Five to six days of fever and weakness left me with more than just fatigue; it unearthed a deep-seated ANXIETY and an unspoken QUESTION within me: What am I really doing with this life?
It was time to face it. To meet my fear head-on and address the roots of my anxiety. I decided to enroll in a Hath Yoga course with Indeayoga in Mysore—a month-long residential retreat to rediscover my strength, both within and without.
I found myself in need of a cook. That’s when I met her.
In her 50s, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, she carried her devotion not as a badge but as a silent power that spoke through her actions.
It was only after she had settled into her role as our cook that I learned her story. A story of an empowered spirit!
A Mother of two sons, her husband left her for someone else. Abandoned but unbroken, she chose not to surrender. She took up cooking as her profession—not just to survive, but to thrive. She worked in temple community kitchens, cooked for families, and managed household kitchens with the dignity of someone who refused to be defined by her circumstances.
Her tears may have fallen, but they did not drown her spirit. In her devotion to Lord Shiva and the work of her hands, she found her way back to life. A life she did not just endure—but embraced.
Once her sons were settled in their professions, standing strong on their own, she made a decision: she would visit each of the 12 Jyotirlingas across India. Not with borrowed money. Not with charity. But with her own dignified earnings from her “cookingpreneurship.”
What I absolutely love about her spirit is that when she travels, she lives. She really lives. She dresses up beautifully, applies a touch of makeup, and never shies away from capturing the moment with selfies she proudly shares on her DM. Each week, she finds a reason to celebrate—visiting a new temple in Mumbai, dressing up, and setting out as if the world is hers to explore.
She doesn’t stop there. Political rallies? Volunteer for testing new market-launched beauty products? She’s there—not just for the extra money but for the extra experiences. For her, life is a canvas, and every event, every outing, is another stroke of color.
She is my cook, but she is more than that. She is a living testament to resilience. She loves my daughter as her own, sometimes to the point where I have to gently pull back her pampering to keep my teenager from slipping into sweet indulgence.
Each year, she takes 15 to 20 days off—to continue her pilgrimage to the 12 Jyotirlingas. She has visited them all, except one: Ambernath.
What I admire most about her is her spirit. A spirit that did not crumble under the weight of being undervalued and abandoned but instead found reasons to thrive. To live. To enjoy. To celebrate.
This is the story of an Empowered Woman with an equally Empowered Spirit—someone I meet every single day. Each time I see her, I am reminded:
Life is too short to weep and wither.
Life is meant to be lived.
To find your strength, your power, and your shine.
This is the story of an Empowered Woman—a woman who not only survived but transformed. A woman who wrote her own destiny, one meal, one temple visit, and one brave step at a time!
She has earned my respect—
the same respect I hold for any woman who has braved life’s storms and still finds reasons to smile, to dance, and to live fully.
As I sip to the morning sunshine entering my room, I get reflective.
Every woman has a story to share!
or maybe every Human!
A story of their empowered spirit.
Do you have one to share?
I invite you to share.
And, lastly….
if you are someone feeling dim and dark,
know that its a part of the journey
Don’t shy to reconnect
Take that leap from feeling disempowered to Empowered!
Her journey from survival to thriving is proof that empowerment is a choice. Ready to choose yours? Join the Empowered You Tribe YouTube Channel—https://tinyurl.com/23usxr2c
where powerful stories ignite transformation, and women rise stronger, together. Your empowered journey begins now!”
#EmpoweredWoman #ResilientSpirit #WomenOfStrength #UnstoppableSpirit #SheDidIt
#ThriveNotJustSurvive #empoweredyoutribe
