We have all thrown about the phrase ‘new normal’ unwittingly in recent times—mixed with painful memories on Instagram of a beautiful world that was, are reminders of the grim reality of this new post Covid world. While it should be addressed that no part of it feels ‘normal’, we can’t deny the fact that nothing is as it was before.
So how do we navigate this new world? How do we wrap our heads around the vicissitudes of life?
Smriti Notani, also known as Real Girl, has made an honest attempt to make sense of it all through this episode of her podcast ‘Real Talk With Smriti Notani’ titled Dealing With The New Normal.
She breaks it down in simple points:
- Choose Kindness
The truth is that we really don’t know what people are going through right now. There may be losses of all sorts that the world is grappling with. The very least we can do is be intentionally and unequivocally kind.
- Eff Your Beauty Standards!
If the only thing you can say to someone when you see them after 3 months of quarantine is, ‘Why have you put on so much weight?’ then there’s a problem with how you choose to view this world! Smriti elucidates the importance of being kind in the way of accepting hairy/skinny/overweight version of each other because our external appearances are the last thing that matter in a world that has been posed with much graver concerns.
- Don’t Ignore Grief
Unfortunately desi culture doesn’t really teach us how to address a lot of difficult things, grief being one amongst them. She sheds light on how important it is to show up for the people around us with something reassuring and empathetic to say – the very least we could do!
- Be Mindful While Using Social Media
Instead of hating on influencers and leaving them nasty comments, let’s make following people intentionally and mindfully the ‘new normal’.
- Recognize your privilege
The word privilege is grossly misunderstood, claims Smriti. In a world, where people are battling for hospital beds and to feed their children, those of us who have to stay indoors longer are the poster children for privilege. No good shall come from denying that we embody privilege. The only way to build empathy is to first acknowledge where we stand in relation to this world.
Also read: Podcast: The Journey Of Putting My Heart On My Sleeve
- Support Loudly (Be vocal For Local)
You can encourage your favourite content creator, musician, writer, artist on social media – it’ll cost no money and yet your support will go a long way! This isn’t the time to be demure. It’s the time to handhold absolutely anybody who might need our support and GIVE, in whatever capacity we can.
- Pivot According To Circumstances
It doesn’t matter what plans we had made at the start of 2020. The world we planned for doesn’t exist anymore. Feel free to make new personal and professional decisions that serve your current reality and do it without guilt!
- Keep It Real
She abashedly admits this sounds a bit contrived since it is her brand motto, but she would hate to leave this point out. She urges us to learn to honour whatever it is that we are feeling; that means, first and foremost, to keep it real with ourselves. She notices a collective shift in our levels of vulnerability even on social media and lauds the world for finally letting each other see more authentic and raw versions of each other, which is how it should have already been, she muses. Real is a superpower and it’s time we started using it!
Also read: Podcast: Can We Please Stop Saying These Questionable Desi Things?
Real Talk With Smriti Notani is a homegrown podcast that talks about all the things we should be talking about, one fun episode at a time. In our country, there is an inherent culture of silence, especially amongst women. This podcast aims to quell that silence by covering difficult topics—like mental health, social conditioning, and grief—in an easy to consume format apart from lighter topics like bachelorette parties, creativity, and social media etiquette with a certain unabashedness signature to the host. Smriti Notani, the creator of the show who also goes by the moniker Real Girl, is a Mumbai based writer and blogger who says it like it is. She believes she was born with a penchant for keeping it real and places her trust in the power of honest communication. The podcast, although in monologue format makes you feel like you’re having a quality conversation with a trusted friend whose only aim is to uplift you in every way possible.
Featured Image Source: HubHopper
