Geetanjali Sharma, better known by her pen name Gauri Budh, talks to Booknerds about life, career, social media, and her debut book, When You Know, You Know, at BookLeaf Publishing.
Booknerds: What inspired you to write this book?
Gauri Budh: There was always more to my way of perceiving life than the format that’s often set for all to take a certain shape, restricting their growth. Looking around at the modern world, half practical and half chaotic, I started to understand that no one is focusing on the present. Not having enough time to focus on yourself, people have lost their truest identities, as individuals. The whirlwind of pretentious plays has consumed the world with not much thought about who they should have been instead. So, looking and trying to understand all these complexities, I desired to write a book which would help in conveying the simple message of figuring out self because no matter what you do in life, your purpose will only be fulfilled once you intentionally begin to develop your journey through a route that’s meaningful to you.
Booknerds: What according to you is the most important thing in life or figuring out yourself?
Gauri Budh: Figuring out self certainly remains the ultimate goal of all our human existences but to truly know who you are, where you belong and what makes sense to you, you have to pay very close attention to the teachings people give you, sometimes silently and sensibly. The same is the case with life, trying to know the reasons behind the predicaments life puts you in, I believe is very important. Signs or hints for those reasons would then become an eminent part of your self-discovery path. And trust me there is no better feeling than knowing the work you are doing every day is what makes you internally satisfied.
Booknerds: In your book, you wrote a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson where he said - 'Money can often cost too much'. What is your interpretation of it?
Gauri Budh: Money is such a sensitive topic to give opinions upon, but when you know it needs to be said, you find ways. So, I interpret this phrase as it is. making it the centre of our entire existence will only make us swirl away from the reality we need to stay close to. Financial security and inflow of money are required by everyone and I am no exception but if you can afford to take a chance and grow in a way that may not make sense to many around you, legally and ethically, it will then when you’ll realise that building a life with faith and hard work will hold much better rewards and stability. So, I think a change of perspective is very necessary, especially for today’s young minds to know the abilities they hold.
Booknerds: 'I was in rhythm with life'- this is a quote from the book. What does it mean to be in rhythm with life and how do we achieve this?
Gauri Budh: This is the way you are dealing with life and accepting and learning from the highs and lows it puts you through. And to achieve this, for me at least it happened when I started acknowledging everything that took place around me. From facing the loss of a loved one to letting go of all that wasn’t serving my purpose and accepting all those who came along my journey of praises and battles. It’s something we all have to be intentional towards, along with a lot of clarity of all that you don’t wish to entertain in your life anymore.
Booknerds: You have mentioned in the book that people can be complicated but we have to try our best to understand their point of view. Isn't that kind of a paradox- to try to understand someone whose views are completely different from yours?
Gauri Budh: Yes absolutely. It is tough and it is challenging but it’s not entirely impossible. When the word perspective is used, it requires you to be fully and wholly welcome to the thought of not agreeing with what someone is saying but still trying to understand the reason and thought behind their actions, words or even silence. And being open to acknowledging other’s perspectives doesn’t necessarily mean letting go of yours. It just adds to a better understanding of a situation for all those involved.
Booknerds: What is your take on the current position of social media in the lives of people in this day and age?
Gauri Budh: Well, just like the many advantages we enjoy of social media, there are a few bits of it which are bearing the seed of unrealistic ways forward. The short-form content is channelling the worldwide audience into meaningless and out of accordance with reason, which is scary and honestly sad to witness. With such healthy young minds getting exposed to content that’s being created for the mere intention of going viral or scaling their viewership is leaving most in a state of unrest and anxiety. So, today’s state of social media, if not monitored well, can affect thoughts and mindsets in a very baseless manner.
Booknerds: What is your advice to people who are confused about what they want to do with their life?
Gauri Budh: First of all, you need to be in a position to feel this way. If you have to secure a job as soon as you graduate and take care of yourself, then I feel that must be your focus. But if you are in a position to take a chance, believe in yourself and have the will to make something that you must, then begin with self-awareness. Remind yourself that no two people have the same timeline in life. If people around you seem to be having a direction, sounding secure and elated, it doesn’t mean you must be in that spot at that time. Your work will glow when it has to. So, getting distracted or losing focus are no options while trying to understand what is that you are made for. Patience, perseverance, and hard work.