It could be a friend, a partner, a colleague, or even someone you once felt very close to.

And it can be a strange feeling.

Because you remember how things were in the beginning. They were kind. They made an effort. They checked in. They were patient. They seemed to understand you.

And now, something feels different.

So naturally, we wonder, “What happened? Did they change?”

But did they really?

Or did we simply get close enough to see the parts of them we couldn’t see before?

We all have a “best behavior” phase

Think about when you meet someone for the first time.

You are probably a little more careful about what you say. You make an effort. You try to be pleasant. You don’t immediately show them your bad moods, your irritations, your insecurities or all the little things that make you… well, human.

And there is nothing particularly wrong with that.

We all do it to some extent.

When a relationship is new, we want to make a good impression. We are still figuring each other out.

But as we become comfortable, the effort slowly reduces.

We stop thinking so much before speaking.

We show our bad moods.

We disagree.

We become impatient.

We reveal habits and sides of ourselves that weren’t visible in the beginning.

And suddenly, the person who seemed so different at first doesn’t seem quite so different anymore.

Maybe you are just seeing more of them.

Getting closer gives you the whole picture

I sometimes think of it like looking at a house.

From the outside, you can see the beautiful entrance, the neatly arranged garden and the freshly painted walls.

Everything looks perfect.

But you don’t really know the house until you go inside.

Then you see the room that is always messy.

The cupboard that is overflowing.

The kitchen that hasn’t been cleaned.

The little things that aren’t as perfect as they looked from outside.

The house didn’t suddenly become messy.

You simply got close enough to see all of it.

Maybe relationships are a little like that too.

When we first meet someone, we see a certain part of them.

As we get closer, we see more.

Some of what we discover may make us like them even more.

Some of it may surprise us.

And some of it may make us wonder if we knew them at all.

But people really can change

Of course, people do change.

Life changes people.

A difficult experience, a new job, stress, responsibilities, a relationship, loss, or simply growing older can affect the way someone behaves.

Sometimes two people who were once very similar slowly grow in different directions.

So it isn’t always fair to assume that everything we are seeing now was hidden from us all along.

Sometimes, they really are different.

And sometimes, we are different too.

Perhaps we are noticing things today that we would have ignored a few years ago.

Perhaps our own expectations have changed.

Perhaps the relationship has changed.

There may not always be one simple answer.

So what should we ask ourselves?

When someone starts behaving differently, our first question is usually:

“Why did they change?”

And once we start asking that question, we can spend a lot of time comparing the person they were with the person they are now.

They used to call me.

They used to care.

They used to make an effort.

They weren’t like this before.

But what if we asked ourselves something else?

“What am I seeing now that I couldn’t see before?”

I think that is a much more useful question.

Because it doesn’t immediately label the other person as good or bad.

It simply makes us pause.

Maybe you are seeing a side of them that you can understand.

Maybe you are seeing something that needs to be talked about.

Maybe you are realising that you have both changed.

Or maybe you are discovering something about the relationship that you don’t want to ignore anymore.

And sometimes, that clarity is important.

Talk about it before you decide what it means

When something feels different between two people, it is very easy to make assumptions.

We think we know why the other person is behaving differently.

But we don’t always know.

Instead of saying, “You’ve changed. You don’t care anymore,” perhaps we can say:

“I feel like there has been a little distance between us lately. Is everything okay?”

It leaves room for a conversation instead of starting an argument.

We can also talk about how we feel without making the other person responsible for every emotion we are experiencing.

Sometimes, the other person may not even realise that something feels different to us.

And sometimes, they may have a completely different perspective.

Of course, not every conversation will fix everything.

Not every relationship will go back to the way it was.

And perhaps it doesn’t have to.

Maybe the relationship didn’t become different. Maybe it became clearer.

We often miss the beginning of relationships because that is when everything felt easy.

But the beginning is also when we knew the least.

With time, we see more.

We see the good, the difficult, the complicated and the imperfect.

And maybe that is what getting close to someone really means.

Not knowing only their best side.

But knowing enough of the whole person to decide what you can accept, what you cannot, what needs to be discussed and what you want your relationship with them to look like.

So the next time you catch yourself thinking,

“You weren’t like this when we first met,”

perhaps pause for a moment.

Maybe they changed.

Maybe you changed.

Or maybe you simply got close enough to see the parts that were always there.

And perhaps the real question isn’t “Why did they change?”

Perhaps it is:

“Now that I see them more clearly, what do I want to do with what I know?”

The post Did They Really Change, or Did We Just Get Closer? appeared first on Akshata Shanbhag.

Then:

Pack your imagination and get ready to explore the world!

Travel across amazing countries, discover wild places, meet inspiring heroes, and visit incredible wonders—all while solving fun word search puzzles.

Inside you’ll find:

10 Amazing Countries

6 Wild Adventures

6 Historical Heroes

6 Wonders of the World

Bonus Activities

Explorer Certificate

Perfect for curious children aged 6–10 who love learning through play.

Click here to buy :

• India- Amazon and Flipkart
• Amazon International
• Instant download via Razorpay
• Gumroad

The post Around The World Adventure appeared first on Akshata Shanbhag.

Sometimes we call it confusion because that’s easier than admitting we already know what we want.

There are decisions we keep going back and forth about, even though somewhere inside us, we already know which way we’d like to go.

And then the questions begin.

What if I hurt someone?

What if I disappoint them?

What will people think?

What if I regret it?

What if things don’t work out?

The more questions we ask, the less certain we feel. And eventually, we tell ourselves, “I just don’t know what I want.”

But maybe that’s not always true.

Maybe we do know.

Maybe we’re simply afraid of what choosing that thing might mean.

When fear looks like confusion

Fear doesn’t always feel like fear.

Sometimes it looks like overthinking.

You keep analyzing the same decision, asking different people what they would do, imagining every possible outcome and waiting for the perfect moment when you’ll finally feel completely certain.

But that moment may never come.

Because making a choice often means accepting that you cannot control everything that happens afterwards.

You can make the decision that feels right and still wonder if it was the right one.

You can choose something you genuinely want and still worry about disappointing someone.

You can leave something familiar and still miss it sometimes.

None of that necessarily means you made the wrong choice.

It simply means the choice mattered to you.

We often want certainty before we give ourselves permission

Perhaps one reason we struggle to choose is that we want a guarantee.

We want to know that nobody will be hurt.

That nobody will judge us.

That we won’t fail.

That we won’t regret it.

That everything will turn out exactly as we imagined.

But life doesn’t usually offer that kind of certainty.

Sometimes, all we really have is an honest understanding of what we want right now.

And that can be enough to begin.

There is also nothing wrong with thinking carefully about a decision. Other people’s feelings, responsibilities and consequences matter.

But there is a difference between considering those things and letting fear make the decision for you.

So, what do you actually want?

The next time you find yourself saying, “I’m confused,” try asking yourself a slightly different question:

“If I wasn’t worried about disappointing anyone, what would I choose?”

Or:

“If nobody judged me for my decision, what would I want?”

The answer may not solve everything.

But it might help you notice whether you are genuinely unsure—or whether you already know what you want and are simply afraid to choose it.

Because sometimes, we’re not standing at a crossroads with no idea where to go.

Sometimes, we know exactly which road we want to take.

We’re just afraid of what might happen once we start walking.

And maybe the hardest part isn’t knowing what you want.

Maybe it’s giving yourself permission to want it.

The post Maybe You’re Not Confused. Maybe You’re Afraid to Choose. appeared first on Akshata Shanbhag.

We all have them — those tiny habits that make absolutely no sense, yet somehow feel completely normal.

Have you ever caught yourself re-reading a message you just sent, as if the words might magically rearrange themselves? Or maybe you’ve opened the fridge for the fifth time in ten minutes, knowing very well that nothing new has appeared. These tiny, often unnoticed habits are oddly comforting, even if they make zero logical sense. From apologizing to furniture after bumping into it to waving at someone who wasn’t even waving at you, we all have these quirks that unite us in a quiet, humorous way. It’s like a shared secret language of the human species—one that doesn’t require explanation.

Then there’s the dramatic debate we rehearse in the shower, the random faces we make at ourselves in the mirror, or the way we unlock our phones and forget why we picked them up in the first place, walking into a room and forgetting why we came there, saying “I’m just going to lie down for five minutes” and waking up an hour later , checking whether we’ve locked the door… and then checking again … the list goes on. Weird? Maybe. Relatable? Absolutely. These little habits might seem strange, but they bring a kind of soft joy, reminding us that perfection is overrated and we’re all just doing our best in our own delightfully odd ways. After all, life’s a bit more fun when you lean into the silly things that make us human.

Join me on Instagram: akshatashanbhagblog 

The post Why Are We Like This? appeared first on Akshata Shanbhag.

This incident goes back to the early 2000s.

Among my close circle of family and friends, some were devoted followers of various spiritual gurus, while others were staunch devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba. I often found myself saying, “God is supreme, and no one is equal to Him.” To me, a guru was a spiritual guide—someone who helps a seeker move closer to the ultimate truth or to God—but never God Himself.

Then came a visit that changed everything.

I accompanied my father on a trip to Shirdi. It was my very first visit. I had no expectations, no extraordinary hopes. In fact, I simply looked upon Sai Baba as a saintly human being with spiritual powers.

But the moment I stood inside the sanctum and looked at Baba, something happened that I still struggle to put into words.

It felt as though time stood still. There was an overwhelming sense of peace, warmth, and an indescribable connection. I cannot explain what changed in that single moment, but I know with complete certainty that something did.

When I walked out of the temple, I wasn’t the same person who had walked in.

That one experience transformed my heart in a way that no argument, book, or discussion ever could.

Today, I am a devoted follower of Shirdi Sai Baba. My day begins with His name on my lips. I speak to Him as I would to someone who knows me completely—sharing my joys, my fears, my gratitude, and even the little secrets I tell no one else. In moments of happiness and in times of sorrow, I instinctively turn to Him.

Do I expect everyone to believe what I believe?

Not at all.

In fact, I know people who don’t believe in Sai Baba, and some who even dislike him. And that’s perfectly alright. Faith is deeply personal. It cannot be argued into someone’s heart, nor can it be forced upon anyone. Every person’s spiritual journey is unique, and each of us reaches our destination in our own way and in our own time.

This isn’t an attempt to change anyone’s beliefs. It is simply the story of how mine changed.

Sometimes, faith doesn’t arrive because someone convinces us. Sometimes, it quietly finds us when we least expect it—and once it does, it changes us forever.

Have you ever experienced a moment that completely transformed your faith or changed the way you looked at spirituality? I’d love to hear your story. Share your thoughts in the comments.

The post My Personal Journey with Shirdi Sai Baba appeared first on Akshata Shanbhag.

As I watched them, a thought crossed my mind: What would it be like to live without sight?

How would it feel to never witness a sunrise, admire a blooming flower, watch a child smile, or gaze at the stars on a clear night?

For most of us, these experiences are so commonplace that we rarely stop to appreciate them. Yet for many, they remain beyond reach.

That brief moment at the traffic signal stayed with me throughout the day. It reminded me of how easily we slip into the habit of complaining.

We complain that the food has too much salt or too little salt. Yet somewhere, someone is going to bed hungry.

We wish we could buy more branded clothes and expensive footwear. Yet somewhere, there are people who don’t have proper clothes to wear.

We complain about our jobs, while someone else is desperately searching for one.

We complain about traffic, while someone wishes they had a vehicle to drive.

We complain that our homes are too small, while others have no roof over their heads.

I am no different. I complain too.

But every time I encounter situations like the one at the traffic signal, I am reminded to pause and look at the bigger picture.

Most of the things we complain about are minor inconveniences rather than real problems.

If we can change a situation, we should take action. If we cannot, perhaps it is wiser to accept it and move forward instead of allowing complaints to steal our peace.

This reflection brought to mind a beautiful story from the Bible.

In Biblical times, people suffering from leprosy were often isolated from society because the disease was highly contagious. One day, Jesus healed ten lepers and instructed them to present themselves to the priests, who would verify their healing.

All ten received the same miracle.

Yet only one returned to thank Him.

Imagine that.

Ten people were blessed, but only one paused to express gratitude.

How often are we like the other nine?

How often do we focus on what is missing rather than what has already been given to us?

Every day, we are surrounded by blessings—some large, many small.

The warmth of a home.

A meal on the table.

The laughter of children.

The support of family and friends.

The ability to see, hear, walk, learn, work, and dream.

The beauty of a sunrise and the promise of a new day.

These gifts may seem ordinary, but they are extraordinary when viewed through the lens of gratitude.

God’s wonders unfold around us every day. The first step toward gratitude is simply noticing them.

When we begin counting our blessings instead of our complaints, something remarkable happens. Our perspective shifts. Our hearts become lighter. Joy finds more room to grow.

Complaining changes very little.

Gratitude changes everything.

Today, I invite you to pause for a moment and reflect on the blessings you may have overlooked.

What is one thing you are grateful for today?

A grateful heart can find countless reasons to give thanks.

The post Gratitude Changes Everything appeared first on Akshata Shanbhag.

You think deeply, overthink, worry, and stress about something that hasn’t even happened yet—but you feel convinced that it might.

Take a simple example. You email a presentation to your manager and, almost immediately, your mind begins its work.

“Maybe it’s not good enough.”

“What if they don’t like it?”

“What if I missed something important?”

“What if everyone thinks it’s terrible?”

Before you know it, you’ve created an entire story in your head. Yet, when the presentation is finally reviewed, it turns out to be well received and appreciated by everyone.

We often do the same thing with many situations in life. Something happens in the present, and our minds start predicting a future filled with problems, disappointments, and worst-case scenarios. We spend hours, sometimes even days, brooding over possibilities that may never become reality.

I’ve experienced this myself. There have been times when my anxiety meter shot up, bringing along stress and sleepless thoughts. But when I look back, I realize that most of the things I worried about never happened at all.

The truth is, when there are gaps in information, we tend to fill them with fear. Instead of waiting for reality to unfold, we create our own version of it—usually one that is far worse than what actually happens.

Perhaps the answer lies in learning to stay present. To focus on what is happening now instead of worrying about what might happen tomorrow. After all, we can deal with reality when it arrives; there is little benefit in rehearsing disasters that exist only in our imagination.

Sometimes, a small shift in our thought process can make a remarkable difference. Instead of asking, “What if everything goes wrong?” we can ask, “What if everything works out just fine?”

And as the saying goes:

“We suffer more in imagination than in reality.”

The post We Suffer More in Imagination Than in Reality appeared first on Akshata Shanbhag.

Nature Mandala Coloring Book for Kids 

Simple Bold Mandalas & Short Nature Stories
20 Nature Mandalas • 5 Short Stories • Bonus Coloring Page

Choose your preferred format below:

Paperback: 

• Amazon International
• Amazon India

Instant download :

• Printable PDF 
• Gumroad 

Nature has a quiet way of teaching us to slow  down. This book was created to help children pause, imagine, and explore the beauty of the natural world through stories and simple mandala designs. Each theme invites little readers to read, reflect, and then bring their own colors to life.

The post Nature Mandala Coloring Book for Kids (5-8) appeared first on Akshata Shanbhag.

“Fair, slim, beautiful bride wanted.”

“Well-settled, tall, handsome groom from a reputed family.”

“Professionally qualified, homely, traditional yet modern…”—it often feels less like searching for a life partner and more like placing an order for a perfectly customized product. You almost expect a line that says, “Comes with lifetime emotional support and zero defects.” It’s amusing, yes—but also a little unsettling. Because if we pause and think, do these neatly listed attributes really decide the fate of a marriage?

Somewhere along the way, we’ve turned something deeply emotional and unpredictable into a checklist—complexion, height, salary, status, family background. Of course, preferences are natural; each of us carries an image of the kind of partner we want. But slowly, preferences have turned into rigid conditions, and conditions into superficial filters. We scroll, shortlist, compare, and reject, often forgetting that behind every “profile” is a real human being—with flaws, insecurities, quirks, and stories that no column can truly capture.

Now imagine if every individual had the power to create their perfect partner—choosing the ideal looks, personality, profession, even habits. It sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? But would that guarantee a perfect marriage? Probably not. Because relationships are not built on perfection; they are built on patience, understanding, compromise, and sometimes, sheer resilience. No checklist can measure kindness. No photograph can reveal emotional strength. No bio-data can predict how someone will stand by you when life gets difficult.

And yet, despite all these carefully filtered matches, we continue to see rising divorce rates, frequent conflicts, and unhappy families. Why? Because marriage isn’t a formula that works on paper. It’s two individuals navigating life together—figuring things out, making mistakes, adjusting, growing. It’s in the everyday conversations, the silent support during tough times, the willingness to stay when things aren’t perfect—that the real foundation of a marriage is built.

Perhaps that’s why it is often said, “Marriages are made in heaven.” Not because everything is destined to be flawless, but because something beyond logic and superficial criteria plays a role—maybe it’s timing, maybe it’s connection, or maybe it’s simply the choice to accept and grow with another imperfect human being.

Matrimonials aren’t wrong, and neither are preferences. But maybe it’s time we look beyond the obvious—beyond “fair and tall,” beyond “well-settled and qualified”—and ask deeper questions: Can this person understand me? Can we grow together? Can we face life, not just the good moments but the difficult ones too? Because in the end, a successful marriage isn’t about finding the perfect person—it’s about building something meaningful with an imperfect one.

The post Marriages, Matrimonials and the Myth of Perfection appeared first on Akshata Shanbhag.

Razorpay link:     Click here to purchase and download 

GumRoad :  http://akshshan.gumroad.com/l/nhkif

The post Kids Printables & Trackers appeared first on Akshata Shanbhag.