August Blogger Spotlight

Posted in Blogger Spotlight by

Welcome to my series in which I spotlight one of my followers. I’ve always had a deep fascination with people: how they became who they are, the struggles they won, and the hard lessons they learned over time. All of these scars and stories make up a person’s life. While I think it’s important to reflect on your own journey, it is also equally important to hear other voices and see diverse perspectives. In this series, the spotlighted blogger will be able to tell their story through curated questions I’ve asked of them.

The blogger I chose to spotlight for the month of August is one of the first people I connected with when I reignited this writing/blogging passion of mine. Moksha has been blogging under the pseudonym“Happy Panda” for over two years now. She has been a great friend and supporter of my blog, and I am so glad to have met her when I did! She lives in India and runs a brand of sustainable products. Her journey to building a business around what she is truly passionate about is both admirable and inspiring! 

Without further ado, let’s get into it!

A Little About Moksha…

Tell us a quirky fact about you.
I have written multiple posts about my quirks and I’m in the process of writing another. I’ll give you one that is going to be in my next ‘quirks about me’ post. I avoid killing any being (I am vegan) – even if it is a mosquito. I try to get them away from me so that they don’t harm me. But every time I have killed a mosquito or an insect (it is usually out of self defense if they don’t leave me alone) – I spend hours after feeling guilty about it. I apologize to it so many times and keep replaying in my head if I could have done it some other way.

What is one thing you do now that you didn’t do 10 years ago?
I worry about my health and try to take care of myself by eating right and working out.

How would you have answered this question as a preteen: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Tennis player. Two people were my inspiration: Andre Agassi (how stylish was this man?!) and of course, the queen, Serena Williams (her retiring makes me feel SO old)!

What was the first book that got you into reading?
My mum used to read to us when my sister and I were 4 or 5 years old. The first two short stories she read to us probably set me off on my reading journey: Kabuliwala by Rabindranath Tagore (Nobel Laureate) & Idgah by Munshi Premchand. Both are Indian stories and I promise that they will move you to tears.

On Life So Far…

What question are you trying to answer most in your life right now?
Will I succeed as a businesswoman?

What was the last thing you lied to your mother about?
I lied about going to meet a friend when I actually went on a date. My parents are at the point where just hearing that I’m going on a date gives them hope that I am going to get married TOMORROW. So, yeah, NO.

What is a compliment you wished you received more frequently?
I have a weird answer for this. I have tried really hard to be a kinder person. I’d love if some day someone would appreciate that.

What is still on your bucket list?
So many things. Watching the Northern Lights in Iceland. Travelling to at least 50 countries (34 to go). Learning to ski (I had one lesson and I was terrible at it). Bungy jump at Kawarau Bridge in New Zealand. Learn to scuba dive and visit an underwater city. The list goes on!

What dream have you let go of?
Since childhood I’ve worked towards the dream of being rich. Once I had a really well-paying job, I realized money was a dream that didn’t make me happy. Not that money isn’t important but I am happy being a middle-class person.

What title would you give this chapter of your life right now?
Discovering who I’m meant to be.

What is an important lesson you learned in your 20s?
Learning how to let go of things. If it won’t matter in 5 years, don’t spend more than 5 days sulking over it.

On Writing…

Why do you write?
Writing is my outlet to vent, to share my craziest thoughts and to just let go of all the angst building up inside me. I can be ME on my blog and that’s why I’ve stuck with it.

Do you consider yourself a writer?
I have really good stories to share but I wish I could write better.

What three things do you think help you become a better writer?
Grammarly (bye-bye spelling mistakes); writing about things that I want to instead of sticking to particular topics; writing when I want to instead of forcing myself to stick to a writing schedule.

On Blogging…

When did you begin your blogging journey and why did you start?
I originally started my blog in 2015 to start writing again. I didn’t do much with it till the first COVID lockdown in 2020. Locked up in an apartment with just one flat mate, I soon started to feel the need for an outlet and my blog became that space for me.

What was your very first post about?
My first post was about why I want to start my blog. It talked about me taking inspiration from Carrie Bradshaw (Sex And The City) and her column. While I do write about dating, I think her column and my blog are very different. 

Who was the first blogger that you followed that still posts today?
The first blogger I followed was my friend Srishty. She’s been blogging for years now and I love reading her experiences and recommendations on her blog.

Who was the first blogger that followed you that still posts today?
My first blogger friend was Lani. She is a big reason that I kept blogging in the initial few days. (I’m not sure if she was the first to follow.)

How would you describe your blog to someone who’s never read your content?
My blog is a safe space where I share my life journey, my experiences and everything quirky about me. I write about my journey as a small business owner and also, share my dating experiences. I also write about sustainable living.

Which of your posts are you most proud of?
It would be my post entitled “5 Thoughts Every Blogger Has“. It was my first post where I tried to do something humorous and I love how many people related with it.

How have your thoughts on blogging changed over the months/years you’ve been blogging (if it has)?
I think 2020 was a great year for blogging. With lockdowns across the globe, a lot of people took up blogging to share their experiences. But in 2022, I see a huge drop in people blogging and also readers reading blogs.

What was your most recent post about?
My most recent post is about a heritage walk I took in Delhi. I am from Delhi but I haven’t always loved living in the city, so this is my attempt to try and fall in love with the city.

Who was the first blogger that commented on your most recent post?
My first comment was from a new follower, Raman.

Thank you so much for sharing, Moksha!

Liked this post? Check out other popular posts on my blog:

Read previous Blogger Spotlights below:

26 thoughts on “August Blogger Spotlight”

  1. I LOVE it when you introduce me to new bloggers. She sounds like an incredibly interesting and cool woman. I’m definitely going to go hit up her blog now and read some of her stuff. Love that she’s a new business owner and love that she shares her dating adventures 🥰💗

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  2. Thanks for introducing us to Moksha. I find myself nodding my head in agreement with many of her answers. I, too, have tried to be a kinder person and would like people in my real life to notice. When I first started blogging I, too, would think about how Carrie Bradshaw did things. I look forward to reading what Happy Panda has to say.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • You’re welcome, Ally So glad you could relate to Moksha! hehe I feel like a lot of people may have envisioned themselves as Carrie Bradshaw at a coffee shop with a laptop at the beginning of their blogging journeys too! lol

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  6. Most of the bloggers I follow (a fair amount of people) I fail to remember where we first crossed paths, but I know I met Moksha through your blog. Much like you, she writes with an honesty that is refreshing to read. I was surprised by her answer about the compliment she wishes she had received more because she is one of the most supportive and kind bloggers I know.

    I also love that she is inspired by Serena Williams. I just finished watching her incredible 2nd round match at the US Open, and I seldom have rooted harder for an outcome than I did tonight. She was brilliant. 40 years old with a young child, having played a grand total of six matches this year, she beat the #2 seeded player in the tournament. Unbelievable!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. What a lovely surprise to read about my girl Moksha!!! M, I had no idea you were a tennis fan! Do you play? Do you know I do? I love how even though I know you fairly well as a blogger friend, I’m always learning new things about you goddess!! And I absolutely think you are a nice and kind person! I wouldn’t be friends with you if you weren’t girl 💖🤣🔥

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. It was nice meeting you Moksha. I should become vegan so that when I scream bloody murder when I see a centipede or spider, I would instead gentle lift it onto a piece of paper and carry it outside, instead of plotting how I will remove it from my sight. I am a nature lover but bugs are my nemesis for sure.

    I sure identified with this response to Jen’s question of: “What was the last thing you lied to your mother about?”

    “I lied about going to meet a friend when I actually went on a date. My parents are at the point where just hearing that I’m going on a date gives them hope that I am going to get married TOMORROW. So, yeah, NO.”

    Yeah, no indeed. My mother pleaded with me to go to my grave with a different name on my grave marker than I came into the world with. 🙂

    I didn’t realize so many people began blogs in 2020 – I had thought everyone bought dogs and binge-watched on Netflix, but sorry that so many people abandoned their blogs so easily when the world opened up again.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you for your honesty, Linda! I, too, am the same with spiders and centipede lol… (Sorry, Moksha), I can’t live in my house if I see a centipede and it doesn’t get killed immediately lol… my mind races and I look everywhere all day long wondering where it could be lurking…

      Yes, I also noticed a drop off in blogger numbers since the world has opened up again! More space for new voices I guess!?

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • I am fit to be tied if it is not secured and I mean if I can’t take a shoe and whack it, then I will put something over it, like a paint can (in the basement). I am terrified of them.

        Well, the world could use more voices Jen. A person in Mumbai, India recently started following my blog by e-mail. She said she wished she could start a blog, so I found hr some info and sent her a YouTube video on creating a WordPress free blog, so she is going to try, (although she has some trepidation about it).

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Pingback: My Hopes For The Last Quarter Of 2022 – Happy Panda

  11. Such a lovely interview. I loved reading this. I follow Happy Panda; her blogs are super engaging and her writing is top-notch (I disagree with her answer that she could write better. 🙂 )

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment