Pinkdesk for Experts: Ask experts advice for women problem

1. 1.Where there is a will, there is a way! “Neha, your body is not responding to the pregnancy very well. You could end up losing your baby if you do not take precautions” I still remember those words from the Gynaecologist very clearly. Everything in my life has been so perfect, I was doing very well in my job and was stepping up the corporate ladder quickly. A top performer and a lucky wife, I couldn’t ask for more. My life partner who also happened to be my close friend always supported me through thick and thins and I got married to him at the age of 30. We decided to get into parenthood after two years and it all began. My pregnancy was complicated My doctor advised me strict bed rest and I had no option but to resign. I had to take a break in my career. I was not mentally prepared for it. All of a sudden it felt like the end of my career. I was very much in despair with this thought. My husband consoled me. He said it is a short phase and will pass. But I was not ready to accept. After resigning, I stayed at home just sleeping on the bed. We hired a maid for doing all household work. But sitting at home taking rest doing nothing was a tough situation for me. Just playing with the mobile, listening to songs, watching T.V. and sleeping was my daily routine. Soon my life became stagnant resulting in my mood swings. My husband got worried. After consulting with a counsellor he suggested me to look for work from home options. I also agreed with him. I wanted to come out of stagnancy. So I started browsing for any work from home opportunities to relieve the boredom of life. I came across Pink Desk which is established only for women with the mission of women’s growth and empowerment. They are helping women to share their ideas, knowledge in the field of their interest. I found it interesting and registered there. Soon I started blogging about my interests like beauty, fashion, and travel. In a few days, I started getting a good response too. It was like exploring and finding ‘me’ within that was missing for a long time . It has made my pregnancy bearable and I am mostly too occupied to think of the complications and problems that might arise. I am even sharing my experience with other women who might be going through similar phase and soon plan to form a close knit community to deal with pregnancy related complications. Sometimes there comes an unexpected turn in life and you don’t have any other option but to face it and find a path through it. If you have a positive attitude of looking at the problems as opportunities in disguise, you can definitely find a solution. Now I feel like I am doing much more than just earning for myself and I am building an identity beyond the walls of a corporate office. Afterall Where there is a will, there is a way! 2.How I started to earn even before the completion of my education!

2. How I start I am pursuing a graduate degree and belong to a lower middle class family. I feel very proud and grateful to my parents that they have always encouraged me to pursue higher education despite of the fact that most of the girls in our caste are married off as early as 16-18 years. However, I watch my parents sacrificing their own wishes and desires to support my education. I did not actually want to put the burden of my education expenses on them. I offered to do ad hoc jobs but my parents were strictly against it. I was upset. I neither could see them working so hard nor could I do anything but study.Yes, I was good at studies and was getting good marks for their satisfaction. For that was the only thing I could do to make them happy. Two months passed. One day, I saw my friend doing something on the internet. I asked her what she was doing. She said that she was uploading the photos of her mom’s handmade jewellery on a website. When I asked her further queries, I came to know that her mom has joined a platform named Pink Desk that is only for women where she could sell her jewellery. She could reach the customers from nearby areas through that website. I asked her if we have to pay any charges for joining the platform. When she replied that it is all free; bells started ringing in my mind. I immediately learned and registered on the website. Then I met my friend’s mom and asked her if she could give me a chance to sell her jewellery on a commission basis in my area which was far away from her place. Seeing the opportunity of getting customers base she agreed with me. And then my journey began. I created my store for my location on ‘Mandi’, a local marketplace on Pink Desk and started uploading photos of the jewellery. I am getting good response and many customers have started visiting me already. I often organize exhibition on Sunday’s where I can meet all the customers at once. I can now manage to take care of my personal expenses and have also started saving for my exam fees! While most of the girls of my age spend their time chatting with random boys on Facebook, I spend my time on my store on PinkDesk and replying to customer queries. My parents are happy too as I don’t have to stay away from home for longer hours and they don’t have to worry about my safety. We are all thankful to my friend’s mom who gave me this opportunity. I feel I have been lucky that I have set on a path of Entrepreneurship early in my life and while most of my friends and classmates are still not sure what they want from life, atleast I know where am I heading. So, if you want to be a self-sufficient person, you don’t have to really wait till completion of your education. There are ways where you can earn without affecting your studies. Find a way and go for it!

3. 3.Grab the Opportunity at the Right Time and Right Place! Grab the O “What do you want in life?” Sheetal asked. “A Lavish lifestyle and a lot of money?” I pondered. “But, only if it brings me happiness! Which money may or may not bring. It might end up bringing more problems” I muttered. “Why do you always complicate things!” Sheetal argued “I want to feel complete! Yes, I guess I have been a good wife, a good mother, a good friend and a good employee too. But is that enough for living life? Where is my own identity as a woman?” I blurted and immediately realized the source of my irritable behavior. I was doing a job in the IT industry and my folks were really proud of me because of the associated glamor, foreign trips and a fancy payscale. However, behind this seemingly perfect job, I struggled with uncertainty, workload and stringent deadlines. After a decade in the corporate field, I had reached the point of saturation and couldn’t maintain the perfect image (of leading a perfect life) I was carrying. Finally, I left my job with the intention of doing something different. With my husband’s support, I entered into a small business of selling ladies garments that were hand-stitched by the women from rural areas of Rajasthan which also happens to be my maternal hometown. I have always been an Art lover and vouch for Indian traditional art forms. I remembered being admired by my colleagues for my attire and they always asked where do I buy my stuff from? I decided to start selling these garments which would also provide me an opportunity to help women from rural areas earn money through their art. As I am a shopping lover, I thought I know the main nerve of the ladies and I can make them buy the garments from me. However, getting customers was not so easy. Even my relatives and friends would prefer buying from malls rather than buying from me. I distributed flyers; published ads in newspapers. I also created the Facebook page, posted photos on Instagram. But it was not giving me any tangible results. The marketing efforts were getting time consuming and expensive as well. I was getting frustrated as I was unable to reach the right customers. I was actually on the verge of taking the decision to close my business though I did not want to. But some good things are destined to happen if you desire something from the bottom of your heart. The same thing happened to me as well! One of my friends doing business of selling imitation jewellery told me about PinkDesk which is a social platform exclusively designed for women. She showed me her store created on it and how she acquired her customers from nearby localities. She suggested me to register on it and create a store for my business of ladies garments sale. After trying all the other things, I thought of giving it a try as it would not cost any money. So I registered on Pink Desk and created a store for my business in ‘Mandi’, the local marketplace. I was just regularly uploading photos with descriptions and didn’t have high hopes. Soon after some days, I did begin to receive inquiries on my products and customers actually did visit my store (which is nothing but a corner of our garage). I have been honest about my intention to help women and equally dedicated to my work which brings me immense satisfaction. I think this vibe did get across and thankfully my business is doing well and expecting a good growth. I am really hopeful of expanding my business in other areas too. I am grateful to Pink Desk for facilitating small businesses by women. They have

4. very intelligently crafted PD cash and PD score system to facilitate transactions and I feel it does help women like us get some sales. Moreover, a feeling of satisfaction that I am helping needy women from Rajasthan and forming a bridge from rural to an urban area cannot be explained in words! The journey for me as an Entrepreneur is ongoing and considering that most of the businesses die within the first year, I think I have survived. So if you are having that burning desire inside you to create your own identity, just grab the right opportunity at the right time and right place!

5. 5. “TheMust Read Book for Everyone as a Life Coach” Life is very unpredictable. You have to be ready to face the unexpected twists that come in your way. You need someone to be your mentor or coach to guide you on the path of life. He teaches you or motivates you to face the obstacles fearlessly and confidently. Everyone has a different life and hence a different way of living. I also have my own battles to fight, my own inferiorities to be conquered, my desires to fulfil, and my dreams to accomplish. When I look at my life, I realize that my journey was full of ups and downs. There were many good and bad moments. I had to struggle a lot to get what I wanted. I met some people who cheated on me or ditched me. But I also met the people who loved me and became my close friends who supported me to bring out the best in me. My family stood by me in every obstacle. Apart from these people, books also have been my stress buster. These books are like my true friends who have given me the courage and strength to face life. One of my most favourite books is “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne. This book has actually been my life coach. Rhonda Byrne has really revealed the secret of living a full life that you deserve. It is one of its kind for uplifting your soul. Your perspective towards life changes. You learn to take responsibility for everything that happens in your life. When I first came to know about “The Secret” I was going through a tough situation in my life. I was passed out as a computer engineer and was hunting for a job that time. Due to the slack period and being a fresher, I was being rejected at many interviews. I was very frustrated. But after reading the book I was thrilled by the content. I started looking at the positive side of every situation. I began to implement every technique that is described in the book. But after reading the book, I developed a habit to thank everything in my life. Every morning after waking up I just started telling myself, “Today is my day. I am called for an interview and it is going to be fantastic. I am selected. Thank you!” Then I actually felt like being selected with a smile on my face. Just within one month after starting this practice I got a call for an interview in a renowned company. I was so excited! I prepared for the interview by studying a lot and by getting the tips to crack the interview. I continued saying affirmative messages also. And to my surprise, I was selected among all the candidates and I got that job with a very good package! I was so much overwhelmed that my eyes were filled with tears of joy. I actually had experienced the secret! My belief in “The Secret” increased forever. After getting a job, my next dream was to buy a car. I used the visualization technique to manifest my car. I would just imagine driving a maroon coloured car. It was great fun. Within a few months, I booked a car of the same colour and then joined a car driving class. Till the time I finished the car driving class, my car arrived. I struggled to drive the car on my own but then within six months I was confident in driving the car! Now the first thing I do in the morning after waking up is saying “Thank you” and expressing gratitude towards health, wealth, relationships, and everything in my life. It lifts my mood. I am all set to face anything that happens during the day. In this way, I have been manifesting all my smaller to bigger dreams and desires. Maybe from a cup of coffee, a parking place to even owning a home! I have started believing in miracles.

6. “The Secret” is really a life coach for you to manifest your dreams, your health, wealth, relationships and every area of your life the way you want. Just Ask, Believe and Receive what you want. As Rhonda says, “You deserve to live a full life!”

7. 4. Age is just a number! Age is just At the age of 65, what would a lady be expected to do? Just enjoy retired life with family and grand-children. Join some senior citizen’s group and spend time doing holy vacations, right? But what if the person has not reached the state of that boredom yet and wants to do something more? Well, I have found my motto of life even after retirement. Here is my story. I was a professor in a renowned college teaching Japanese language. I was enjoying my teaching profession. Staying amongst the younger students kept me younger as well. Watching your students grow and be successful in their life is a great achievement for a teacher like me. My students would always remember me and come to meet me even after passing out from the college. On my retirement program, I was very overwhelmed by the love and respect shown to me by all the students and colleagues. Many people advised me to start tuition for students. But working as a full time teacher for 40 years, I didn’t want to again make myself duty-bound with the time restrictions. So I humbly denied that idea. Although I did not plan about what I would do after retirement, I was at least sure about what I didn’t want. So for a few months after my retirement I was enjoying to spend time with family, playing with grandchildren, going to friends’ place, meeting relatives and going for vacations. I joined a singing class too. I was doing everything that I could not do during my service tenure. However, how long would you enjoy the free time when you are used to working for 40 years? Soon my instinct for teaching started peeping in. One day I went to my college just to meet my ex-colleagues there. They were happy to see me after a long time. I also felt like nostalgia when I remembered my days in college. I returned home with a heavy heart. I wanted to do something but was not sure of what and how. Then I started seeking any option that would not keep me engaged physically and still I can fulfill my desire to share my knowledge with the people. One of my students casually asked me “Madam, you have 40 years of experience and hold so much knowledge not only in your subject but also in many areas of life as you have always guided us and we still miss you when we need to make decisions in life. Why don’t you share your knowledge on PinkDesk?” “The idea is not bad but I do not know how to go about it” I said. Shreya happily showed me how could I join the community which was meant exclusively for women and Pink Desk did look like a genuine platform to me. Btw, isn’t it a strangely warm feeling to be taught by students you have taught! “You can write blogs, post videos or answer in forum under Career and Education category” Shreya informed. Now I was keen on sharing my knowledge by answering the questions on the Forum under Career and Education category. I wondered, how far we have come with the help of technology. It is amazing to be able to share knowledge sitting anywhere and get a feedback as well. People liked my answers and I was getting good appreciation from the audience. I was really enjoying it. Pink Desk kept me informed about how well I was doing through PD score which got generated on every answer of mine based on how well it performed with the readers. I realized that I can even pursue their featured expert program under Career and Education category which would indeed help me build an identity globally as an Expert in my subject. “It costs nothing and doesn’t require anything extra” I thought. All they would do is start tracking your PD score in your specialized domain so I have decided to give it a try. I am fulfilling my desire of sharing knowledge with the world and earning money through it too. More than the money, I feel overwhelmed just knowing that I am doing my bit in empowering women. I use my PD cash to buy products and services from other women and life seems to be coming full circle!

8. Retirement was just a new beginning for me and what would be the best way to retire than to nurture the new saplings with all that you have got. I didn’t want my experience to die with me. Everyday I still have a lot to look forward to and that keeps me away from feeling old and unwanted. So if you are thinking that life is over after retirement, give it a second thought. Life is not about how many years you live; it is about how much life you fill in your years! 6. How I created my identity from a Housewife to a Blogger I grew up in a middle-class family where a girl or woman was presumed to live on adjustments, making sacrifices for the family. I too had imbibed these thoughts in my mind. After marriage, I was a housewife by choice and I was very happy spending quality time with my family. My family was my only world. I enjoyed doing all the household chores for them thinking that as my duty. But as time passed by, my children grew up and got engaged in their stuff; I began to feel some kind of emptiness in my life and I was unable to cope with the free time. Consequently, I started feeling low and sad without any reason. My husband got worried about why this was happening to me all of a sudden. He advised me to join some yoga class. I joined Yoga class although I was not very enthusiastic. It occupied me for one or two hours of my day. However, that was not enough to remove my vacuum which was created in my mind. I started joining my friends on one-day picnics or for shopping or even meditation programs. But I still yearned for something more. I was feeling lonely in the crowd. My husband asked me if I would like to do a job. But I was not very confident of doing a job as I thought I won’t be able to balance the work life and home. One day, out of the blue, I thought of writing my feelings in a diary. I just went on writing without thinking much and then I felt relieved to a great extent. That was the ‘aha’ moment when it clicked me. I had forgotten that my writing skills were appreciated by everyone in my school and college days. That time I used to write a lot of articles and essays. My teachers and friends also said that I would become a very good writer. But after completing my education, it was somehow left aside. When I shared this with my husband, he suggested me to write blogs on the internet. I was not very much techno-savvy but still, I learned to browse on the internet and then I realized how tremendously it has captured the world! Soon I learned how to do blogging and started my own blog. I shared it only with my near and dear ones. My feeling of emptiness now vanished completely. I had found a way to express myself through writing. However, as I started to receive appreciation from my family, I wanted to spread it to more and more people. After all, the reader’s appreciation is the most important motivation for a writer, right? So I then started to share my blog on Facebook and Whatsapp. But there also it was mostly unnoticed. I had never thought of earning any money through blogging until I came across Pink Desk who claimed to be a platform meant for empowering women. I found that they had some kind of performance measurement system for generating scores for your blogs and according to your score, you can even earn money. I was fascinated by this idea. So I started blogging there. Soon I received good applause that motivated me. Moreover, I also earned the PD Score

9. which in turn gave me PD Cash that I could use to buy any products from the nearby stores that were available on PinkDesk. I am now mostly occupied with writing, socializing, learning new things and so on and so welcome this change. At this moment when I look back, I see a complete transformation of myself from a depressed housewife to a successful blogger. Looking back at myself, I realize that there is so much more to us, so much that often remains dormant and so many women don’t even get an opportunity to realize their true potential. But, there is a little voice inside which does call you out, which lets you know when your true self is craving for something more. Listen to it and start exploring, who knows when and where you find your calling!