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On Becoming Actively Anti-Racist.
The recent tragedies of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor have left the world in agony, outrage and doubt by the ones that should protect us.

Basic fairness and justice is all that has been repeatedly asked for. And, it has not been given.

I am frustrated. I am tired of being tired. If you feel the same way, then this is for you.

I am no expert in anyway but here are five steps we can all take together to do better:

1) Making the goal to become Anti-Racist:

In the words of Angela Davis, “ In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist. We must be anti-racist”.

Confront privilege. Understand your own biases. Take some time out to sit and examine your patterns of thoughts and behaviours. This is the most difficult part. To look within and introspect if we are in anyway biased intentionally or unintentionally. And, then correct those patterns.

Call out your friends and family when they say racist things. Speak up!!

I have been racking my brain on what to say. No words I had seemed enough. No words will ever be enough. Nothing seemed right. But, then I realized it’s important to say something. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr. , “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Yes, I am brown. And yes, I have experienced racism.

However, I know that I will never fully understand the systematic oppression and racism faced by my black brothers and sisters.

I will never fully understand the vulnerability of being black, when any white person could end your life at any moment without little to no consequences.

And, that is heartbreaking.

The “I don’t See Colour” mantra is not the goal here. In fact, the goal is understanding the injustices that black people suffer because of it.

So, “See The Colour”, accept it, and stand against the injustices that happen because of it.

That’s THE goal.

2) Reading Books:

As a non-black person, I try my best to expand my knowledge in any way I can on Black Lives Matter.

Here a few books you can read to educate yourself:

a. Between The World And Me Ta-Nehisi Coates

b. The Hate U Give Angie Thomas

c. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

d. The Autobiography of Malcolm X Malcolm X

e. Born A Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood Trevor Noah

f. I know Why The Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou

g. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism Robin Diangelo

I would love to hear some of your suggestions on this as well in the comments below.

3) Listening, Watching, and Learning:

There are a lot of other resources besides books to educate yourself.

Thanks to the following accounts on Instagram that you can follow to expand your learning on race and racism:

a. ShaunKing

b. Blklivesmatter

c. TheConsciousKid

d.Naacp

Subscribe and listen to these podcasts on important discussions about racial equality and justice:

a) 1619

b) About Race

c) Code Switch

d) Pod Save The People

e) The Diversity Gap

f) Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast

I would also recommend watching, “When They See Us” a Netflix documentary. Many parts of the documentary were difficult to digest. But, it’s a crucial watch.

4) Understanding That Racism Is A Systemic Issue:

Racism is not an individual issue. It’s a systematic issue. The “justice” system is designed to oppress the people of colour. It has repeatedly failed people of color. Police brutality is the first step of a process that treats people of color as less than human. And unequally. This is deeply rooted in our system. Educate yourself on anti-blackness North America was built on.

5) Donate:

Support by donating to black- owned businesses and organizations. Here are some organizations that you can donate to today:
No Justice. No Peace.

P.S.

“There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” SPEAK UP!!!

xx

Yachna
June 1, 2020
The Powerful Reason Behind Chrissy Teigen’s Cravings!!

“ I started Cravings because I wanted something for myself. I wanted something John didn’t buy.”

I love Chrissy Teigen for a lot of reasons. She has consistently been hilarious, brutally honest and very relatable about a ton of issues on her social media. But, the newest reason to love her? Her tweet about the reason she started her cookbook, Cravings.

Teigen reveals the reason she started Cravings was she wanted to have something that John didn’t buy for her. And honestly, is there a more honest and vulnerable statement?

That statement could have come from every “housewife” who started their own side business to feel validated and it disheartened me.

This statement was just another reminder for me, that as humans we have a burning desire for validation and approval. Regardless of one’s social status.

And, then I was reminded that everything that we do in our lives is a direct result of a type of approval that we look for from it. We look for approval from the people around us. Friends. Family. Spouse.

And, on the off chance that we don’t get that validation, we crumble.

Then, this reminded me of my own need for validation.

Up until I was 20, I relied solely on my parents to buy me everything. And, I mean LITERALLY everything.

It wasn’t until I got my first pay cheque working that something inside me started to change.

I remember feeling proud. It was the first time I “earned” something in life. It felt like I had accomplished something to earn my family’s validation.Being able to make my own money meant everything to me from then. It was a self- validation that I didn’t even know I needed. Until, I got it.

In fact, I started this blog because I needed to be something more than a corporate sell out. I remember having sleepless nights trying to wrap my mind around the idea that my day job was all that I amounted to. I felt small. I needed to prove to myself and others that I was more than what I did for a living.

I needed to feel happy again.

And, happy is exactly how I feel, every time I am ‘working’ on my blog. It’s meditative for me.To have this blog, to get to be a part of the process from start to finish, to see something go from an idea to a reality, I love that.

And, knowing that ANYONE reads my blog, brings a HUGE smile on my face. It makes me happy. I feel validated.

…And, this is what I imagine Teigen meant when she said, that she wanted something just for herself.

Her passion project.

For her, it was Cravings. For me, it’s my blog.

What’s yours?

I would love to hear your stories in the comments below.

xx

Yachna

May 25, 2020
Quote Of The Week

May 22, 2020
A Love Letter.

This woman worked as hard as any man I knew growing up:

Without complaint, no excuses, and no days off. Selflessly, all to give us the best of everything- a better chance at life, and opportunities she never had. We never went without and received everything we asked for and more.

This woman is my mother.

In my youth, I saw you as harsh and uncompromising. I didn’t understand your rationale. The strictness on late night tv, waking up early, eating breakfast at an appropriate time, refusing nightly pizza and ice cream. I wanted to stay out all night, but there came the curfews. You warned me about certain people I called my friends when you knew their true intention.

I remember fondly on how you would pack me my favourite dishes to savour every time I left for the boarding school. This brought me comfort and closeness I didn’t know I needed. I remember the several failed attempts in teaching me bike rides, pushing me to get certain grades, to never quit.

I never understood. But I understand now.

As a kid, you just don’t get it. I thought mom was making my life hard on purpose. You don’t see your parents as real people.

Every day when I call her the first thing in the morning she always asks, “What’s for food today, Yachna?” At first, I thought it was odd. Most of our conversations revolved around food and recipes that she wants me to try.

Now, I understand. Only a mother’s heart deeply cares if her child is eating well. These are the little things that a mother’s love is made of.

Oh… I get all of it now. I am a grown woman now.

Now, I see it clearly, she wanted me to have the best chance at life. She was keeping me safe. She was teaching me to take care of my body. Looking back, she has been right about it all.

“Yachna, learn to be patient with people. That’s the biggest gift you can give yourself.” One of the many things mom tells me daily.

When she took on the role of both the parents after dad passed away in order that myself and siblings wouldn’t miss out on anything only reinforced my belief in her unconditional love.

Her unwavering strength and resilience inspire me to be the best version of myself.

Thank you, mom, for bringing me up in the best possible way, for being my life coach, my number one fan in anything I do.

I will never be able to repay you for all the things you have done. But, I promise to stay with you throughout all the possible ways, just like you have for me.

Mom, you are the prime example of what a strong and independent woman is, and just I don’t get it how you do it. Maybe one day, I will understand if I have kids of my own.

To all the wonderful mamas in the world, thank you. For all the lessons. For all the love, for you. Thank you!

xx

Yachna

May 10, 2020
Reflections At 27!!

I am 27 years old today.

And, I am happy.

I say this so plainly because, well… it takes time.

My late teens were intense- moving to Canada directly out of high school was extreme. The newness of everything was massive on me. I missed home. My family. My friends. I cried. A great deal.

When I reflect on my early 20s, I see a girl who persistently presumed she wasn’t enough. I didn’t fit in. But, at the same time I didn’t want to stand out or be different — I wanted to feel part of a group. Any group.

In retrospect, what I had been looking for was some type of validation. I wanted somebody else to notice me and tell me that I was good enough. I searched for approval and acknowledgment outwardly. Not knowing then, that everything that I ever needed to be happy was already within me.

I can’t pinpoint one specific moment when I realized things within me needed to change. All I needed to do was believe in myself just enough to know that I will be fine. I was terrified of being alone. Ironically, spending time alone is how I rediscovered my happiness.

You need to know that you are enough. An actual existence mantra that stayed with me from my past encounters; currently is engraved at the forefront of my thoughts. Being 10 pounds lighter won’t make you any happier or dressing a specific way won’t make you any cooler. Neither will investing in a relationship that drains you.

You are complete with or without a partner. You are enough just as you are.

So, for my birthday, here’s what I would like as a gift: I need you to put resources into yourself. I want you to challenge yourself. I want you to stop gossiping. Seek connections that inspire you, to buy someone coffee just because, try something new that scares you. To be kind to yourself. Saying I love you to somebody who needs to hear it…and then to tell yourself right back. I want you to find your happiness.

I did. It’s never felt so good.

P.S.

I am enough. So are you.

xx

Yachna Atthi

May 9, 2020
Quote Of The Week

April 22, 2020
Welcome To The Yachna Project

Hey there, I am Yachna Atthi!

The Yachna Project is a lifestyle blog for people working on themselves for themselves.

I hope this blog will inspire the traveller in you, the artist, the poet and the creator.

I will be sharing a ton of delicious food, ordinary beauty, stories from people that inspire me and a wanderlust life.

Cheers to-ladies and gents that inspire change, eating a forkful of the delicious food, finding beauty in the ordinary, joining in on the silliness and living a purposeful life. Cheers to an inspired living. And, soaking it all in with- a big smile, class and a good sense of humour.

Welcome to the world, Yachna Project (Don’t worry everyone will be kind to you. They know you are just getting started). And, this is just the beginning…

xx

Yachna Atthi

April 7, 2020
Discover The World Within You While In Quarantine!

Several weeks into quarantine, how are we doing?

While we were all looking forward to soaking in the beautiful colors of spring, being on lockdown was not something anyone of us anticipated. Amid all the madness, we must take this time to pause and reflect.

On my first night in quarantine, in the comfort of my cozy bed, I started to scribble down all the things I always wanted to do but couldn’t in the hustle-bustle of life.

After completing my list, I was grinning from ear to ear. I was beyond excited to be focusing the next few weeks of my life on a ton of introspection and self-care.

Here are some ways I have been spending my days:

1) Reading more books than ever. Currently revisiting 1984.

2) Took up Spanish (Again!)

3) I am eating healthy (mostly) and sleeping on time. Creating a daily schedule has helped me have a direction that is with aim rather than aimless.

4) Staying in touch with my family and friends via facetime. Seeing their faces and listening to their voices help.

5) Trying new recipes. Tweaking the old ones.

6) It is the perfect time and excuse to binge-watch a fun Netflix series. Currently watching: The Money Heist. Highly Recommended!

7) Listening to ‘The Tim Ferris Show’ and ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ podcast. I came across another podcast titled ” My Dad Wrote a Porno” a few days ago. Listened to the first couple of episodes. So far, pretty fucking hilarious.

8) Pick up a new skill or explore an old one. I am spending time improving my writing.

9) Building new human connections via social media. Reach out to people that need it the most. We are all very vulnerable right now. Let’s not forget we are all in this together. We all need each other.

10) If you have strong opinions that can liberate and give sound advice to people. Then make videos on it, put it out there on social media. Educated and inspire the masses.

11) Learn how to paint. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Just fun! (Painting is the most relaxing and therapeutic skill)

12) Finding good home workouts. And, also going for walks can be therapeutic.

Finally, I stay relaxed and count my blessings. All we can do is grow better and stronger.

It may seem like we are on a house arrest but take this time to reconnect, reflect, meditate and discover the world within your mind.

I leave you with these spare but essential words: Wash your hands. Stay home. Be kind to one another. Look out for each other. Be responsible. Stay safe.

P.S. Social distancing is a beautiful act of love for humanity.

xx

Yachna Atthi

April 3, 2020