The Dark Ink

Live your Purpose.
Live your Passion.
Live your Dream(s).
Live for Yourself.

No matter how hard you try to fit in, you will always be called out.
You will be told that you are ‘not enough’.
That you are a disappointment.
So, wipe the insult, rejection and disappointment off your face and,
Make peace with yourself.
– Shruti Bevara

What People Think of me Versus The Circus in my Head

Most people perceive me as the Level-Headed one. The sorted, one who figured it all out for herself. You know – The cool, calm and collected one.
Ask my dad about it, and he would say, “She is a walking Storm ready to drown you in her rage.” While he is not wrong about me, there is a part of me that is still calm and rooted. The type who drinks black coffee (Yes, I am a dark soul, now deal with it) dreams of doing yoga at sunrise (never became a reality), reads self-help books with actual highlighters, and probably says things like “I don’t do drama.” (Spoiler: It shouldn’t be mine, and I am 100% interested.)

The truth is I can go from monk to mayhem in 3.75 seconds, especially when I haven’t eaten anything (which is most of the time) or when I see a reply ‘Hmm’ or ‘K’ text. I wonder what they are saving? 0.001 seconds by typing one letter instead of a word.

What do people perceive of us?

People often perceive us through the lens of their experiences, biases, and expectations. Someone might see you as the confident, fierce one, while you’re silently battling self-doubt. Another might admire your strength, not knowing the number of hours you took cold showers, standing and crying (no, bawling) your eyes out, trying to hold it together for yourself, for the people you love. For some, your silence can seem like arrogance, while some might appreciate it.

Interesting FACT 01 –
“There is no single truth—only the one each perceives.”

Truth? More often, it’s just how someone expects or chooses to see a situation.

Oftentimes, I have found myself wondering, more like spiralling;
1. What do people see when they look at me?
2. What assumptions do they make before a word comes out of my mouth?
3. What colored lenses are they wearing to judge me?
4. Are they qualified enough to brand or rebrand me?

You see, we all wear social masks, and we vary our responses to different people. For example, we’re professional at work, we’re soft and gentle towards children, polite with strangers, and relaxed with friends. Variations.
So, what do people actually perceive?
Fragments. Highlights. Assumptions.

Where does the danger lie in all of this?

The danger lies in attaching too much weight to these perceptions. Pouring life into the negative thought patterns, seeking validation, worse, approvals.
When we start defining ourselves by how others see us, we lose sight of our own truth. Try to fit into a social box, editing ourselves for approval. Do things for the sake of appreciation, attention. Hiding the tough, dark parts of us, to appear ‘put together’ slowly, becoming strangers to ourselves.

Advice 01
Do not let someone’s opinion become your opinion, or worse, become your reality.

Perception isn’t the villain—it’s a mirror that reflects back who we are. It can be enlightening, eye-opening, and at times, unexpectedly revealing. A third perspective brings out our hidden strength, resilience, empathy and wisdom, something we overlook because we are too focused on our flaws. Counting and dwelling on them.

The key lies in the Act of Balance. Understanding what people perceive of me is a piece of a big puzzle; it does not define the whole picture, it never could. It’s not something to fear or obsess over, but to observe with curiosity.
There’s always room for growth.

Maybe it is not about cussing someone who dares to judge you, especially not about controlling how others see you. That would be straight up a losing game.
It’s about knowing yourself well enough that no perception—good or bad—can shake your foundation.
Let people think what they will.
Let them build their versions.
You? Keep showing up as yourself—whole, honest, and evolving.

Until the next blog
Stay Positive! Stay True! Stay You!
Shruti