We were lucky to catch up with Meera Agarwalla recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Meera, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

The kitchen sink and so much more. I am the person I am today because both my parents were my role models. My mother taught me values that extended to the external world – social responsibility, global perspectives, cultural exposure. My father taught me values that extended to my internal self- establishing core principles, understanding spirituality, and questioning the world around me. I grew up in a fairytale – we were close, we communicated, we felt supported, and there was an endless amount of affection. My parents were first generation Indian-American and they focused on education like all other immigrant parents. But they equally prioritized assimilation, balance, and well-being. The exposure and experience they gave me is deeply aligned to the way I think and the way I write about everyday connection, contentment, and culture.

Meera, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My background is very non-linear. I have been a serial career hopper, mostly because, until recently, I haven’t found my ikigai, or the thing that gives me purpose, meaning and worth. Each step in every industry, however, has brought me closer to my dream. As a human rights attorney, I embraced critical thinking and empathy. I honed in on my desire to build connections and relationships as a sales executive. After taking time off to raise my kids, I realize what a time-consuming and life-changing challenge it is. We are raising the leaders of tomorrow and from what I see in the world, we are struggling. We are overstimulated, exhausted, and burned out. Modern life is fast paced and full of distractions from our true priorities.

We don’t have solid frameworks or roadmaps for the values we want to teach our kids. And this takes time, effort, and energy, which most people lack. As a country, we are experiencing a breakdown in family values. My writing attempts to create dialogue, provide insight, and remind society how living in line with your values can maximize well-being and promote contentment. I promote a more mindful, connected, and emotionally intelligent approach to life, particularly within the family unit. I have a unique perspective, because I try to pull strengths from both Western society and Eastern philosophy for people to apply in their daily life and practice. With the complexities of modern life, I focus on the importance of the human experience and meaningful interactions that build stronger family bonds and a deeper connection to the world.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

It sounds so cliche, but I want to build a better world for our future. I see the polarization of our country. I see trends of nationalism and individualism. I see our mental health deprioritized. I see our society addicted to technology and social media. I hear how kids are mean, disrespectful, and isolated. We are hurting. We are becoming algorithms to replicate and multiply. My writing attempts to remind people to reclaim that power. We have choices. We have control. We have the ability to teach. We need to critically think about the world around us, elect leaders that actually represent the people, and build more connection with one another. We may not be able to solve anything on a macro scale, but we do have the strength to bring back the humanity. That can start with us.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Life, career, family, kids – none of it is linear. We’re made to feel bad for the decisions we make if they don’t conform to societal norms. We are marketed the American dream life. We are guided to live in fear. We let too much of the media and their presentation and perceptions dictate how we live our life. We are on auto pilot for life, while we consistently climb the hamster wheel over and over again without taking pause to see if we want to get off. It takes a lot of introspection and intention to ask yourself what kind of life you envision and whether you are living it or not. Live the life you want even if it’s not in the storybook version we sell.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thinkhpy.substack.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patelwalla/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meera-agarwalla-94b55614/

Image Credits
Paul Sargeant Peter & Julie Perez