This International Women’s Day, Fresh Gravity hosted a session with two power-packed women – Vahbiz Bharucha, Former Captain of the Indian Women’s Rugby Team, and Aishwarya Phadke, Founder of Travel Dirty. The session was moderated by Preeti Desai, Senior Manager, Client Success, Fresh Gravity who facilitated the discussion with insightful questions.  

This year’s theme, #AccelerateAction, resonated throughout the discussion as our speakers shared their journeys, challenges, and triumphs. Their stories were not just inspiring but also packed with practical lessons on resilience, self-growth, and taking charge of our lives. 

This session was even more inspiring because both speakers have taken unconventional paths to success. 

For Aishwarya, the journey into the travel industry was not a straight road. She explored multiple avenues before realizing that travel along with its business aspect was her true calling. Today, she is building more than just a travel company – she is fostering a quiet community with the philosophy of “alone but together”.  

For Vahbiz, sports has always been more than just a hobby – it has been a source of motivation and self-improvement. From a young age, she was drawn to the competitive spirit and personal growth that sports offered, constantly pushing herself to be better than she was the day before. Vahbiz is also a physiotherapist. She mentioned that since childhood she wanted to serve the community and that’s how physiotherapy became the perfect bridge between her love for sports and her desire to help people. 

Their paths may be different, yet each puts out valuable life lessons. Vahbiz’s journey highlights how passion, discipline, and persistence can shape both personal and professional success, while Aishwarya’s path focuses on the importance of exploring, adapting, and ultimately finding what truly drives us.
This led to some powerful takeaways from the session, reminding us how we too can #accelerateaction in our own lives. 

Here are some key takeaways from the session:  

Take Risks to Discover Your Potential 

One of the strongest messages from the session was the need to take risks. If we never step outside our comfort zones, we may never realize where our true potential lies.  

Accelerate Action: Take Charge of Your Life 

The theme #AccelerateAction isn’t just about movement – it’s about ownership. Our speakers highlighted that real change starts when we decide to take charge of our own lives. No one else can shape our future for us; we need to be the driving force behind our growth and transformation. 

Work-Life Balance is Non-Negotiable 

We tend to forget work–life balance at times but as our speakers indicated, work is a part of life, not our entire life. Achieving a healthy balance allows us to be more effective, engaged, and happy—both personally and professionally. 

The Power to Create Change Lies Within Us 

We tend to wait for external circumstances to improve, but actual change begins with us. Our speakers stressed that while challenges are inevitable, the power to adapt, evolve, and overcome lies within us.  

Planning is the Key to Moving Forward 

While action is important, planning is what makes it successful. Whether it’s in corporate, sports, or personal goals, having a structured plan helps in making informed decisions and staying focused on the bigger picture. 

Listen: Inspiration is Everywhere 

Often, we seek inspiration from books or podcasts, but we forget to listen to the people around us. We should pay attention to conversations, experiences, and stories shared by those in our daily lives—you never know who might inspire you in ways you never imagined. 

In Tough Times, Create Space to Introspect 

Life is not always according to plan, and we are bound to face setbacks. Instead of reacting impulsively, we should give importance to pausing, introspecting, and approaching problems with a calm mindset. Every challenge carries a lesson – accept it, learn from it, and move forward. 

Focus on What’s in Your Control 

In difficult situations, it’s important to distinguish between controllable and uncontrollable factors. Wasting energy on things outside our control only leads to frustration. Instead, we must channelize our energies toward what we can change and take purposeful action. 

Accept Positive Criticism, Ignore Judgment 

Feedback is essential for growth, but not all criticism is constructive. Our speakers advised keeping an open mind to positive criticism while filtering out unnecessary judgments that do not contribute to personal or professional growth. 

This session was more than just a discussion – it was a powerful reminder to take action, take risks, and take control of our own lives. As we move forward, let’s embody the spirit of #AccelerateAction by making bold choices, embracing challenges, and continuously striving for growth. 

Want to be part of a firm that fosters equal opportunities and an inclusive culture? Join us in creating a workplace where everyone thrives! Send us your resume at: careers@freshgravity.com.  

The post Empower, Inspire, Act: Key Insights from Our IWD Session appeared first on Fresh Gravity.

On Friday, March 8, 2024, I had the good fortune of attending a session on Breast Cancer Awareness organized by Fresh Gravity to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD). The reason I use the words “good fortune” is because after listening to the impactful session by Dr. Vaidehi Marathe – an Obstetrician, Gynecologist, and Infertility Specialist – I realized that the majority of women in India still live with minimum-to-no knowledge about how to take care of their health, and even when they know something is wrong, the fear of judgment/shame makes them postpone getting themselves checked till it’s too late.  

The fact that many women put their needs and health last is something I have seen and experienced firsthand with friends and family but listening to Dr. Vaidehi recount multiple incidents cemented my belief in the fact that adversities can be avoided if the right preventative measures are taken at the right time. With this in mind, I wanted to share some valuable insights that Dr. Vaidehi bestowed upon the Fresh Gravity women – 

FACTS

1. The most common cancers among women
   • Breast Cancer 
   • Cervical Cancer 
   • Colorectal Cancer 
   • Uterine Cancer 
   • Lung Cancer
2. Factors that increase the risk of breast cancer
   • Family history i.e., if more than one woman in your family – your mother, sister, maternal grandmother – had cancer, it might increase your chances of getting it too 
   • Personal History – if you have had breast cancer or a breast disease (such as fibrocystic breast disease) you might be at a higher risk of getting breast cancer 
   • Lifestyle – a sedentary lifestyle causes many illnesses, not just cancer. If you do not do it already, make sure you incorporate some form of exercise in your daily routine. Whether it is a 30-minute walk, a yoga class, Pilates, swimming, or working out at the gym, is up to you.  
   • Pro tip: make sure you choose a form of exercise that you enjoy; it will help you sustain it

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES 

1. Monthly Self Breast Examination
   • Self-Breast Examination or SBE is a way for women to examine their breasts and check for lumps. A monthly practice of this will make the examiner more susceptible to changes or growing lumps. This is important because early detection of any kind of abnormality is easier to treat. Another important thing to note here is that most lumps detected during the SBE are not cancer. 
     • WHO should do it: All women above the age of 20  
     • WHEN to do it: Women in their reproductive years should do the SBE a week after their menstrual cycle is over and women who have irregular periods or are menopausal can fix one date every month to do the Self Breast Examination. 
     • HOW to do it: There are two ways to do the exam – look and feel. Here is a short video by Dr. Vaidehi demonstrating the perfect way to do an SBE  
2. Get HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer
   • According to this report, cervical cancer ranks as the second most frequent cancer among women in India and the second most frequent cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age. More than 99% of cervical cancer is caused by Human Papillomavirus or HPV. BUT did you know that there is an HPV vaccine that can prevent this disease? There are three types of HPV vaccines that women can take, however, please check with your gynecologist which vaccine is right for you and when you should take it –  
     • Cervavac covers four virus strains (Type 6, 11, 16, 18) and is for females between the ages of 9-26 
     • Gardasil 4 prevents four virus strains (Type 6, 11, 16, 18) and is for women between the ages of 9-45 
     • Gardasil 9 covers nine virus strains (Type 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58) and is for females between the ages of 9-26 
3. Yearly check-ups 
   • As they say, prevention is better than cure. Schedule yearly check-ups for yourself so that it becomes part of your yearly routine, which can help you avoid unexpected/unwelcome surprises. It is said there is power in numbers, so one way to stick to this practice is to team up with friends and/or family and get the checkups done together. According to Dr. Vaidehi, here are some tests that you should do every year –  
     • Complete blood count test, blood sugar, Lipid Profile, kidney and liver function test, Serum Iron test, Vitamin D3 and Vitamin B12, and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test 
     • Pap smear 
     • Sonography for women under the age of 40 
     • Mammography for women above the age of 40 

Please remember that everybody is unique and so their needs will be unique too. Therefore, consult your gynecologist about what your individual needs might be, and let this blog serve as a reminder for you to take your health seriously.  

Drawing from this year’s IWD theme, ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,’ invest in your self-care, which includes physical, mental, and emotional health to accelerate progress at an individual level and beyond. Lastly, remember that there may be a gazillion things that are high on your priority list, but your health should always be #1!

P.S. If you want to learn more about women’s health, please follow Dr. Vaidehi on Instagram @ gynaesakhi. 

Please share this with other women who would benefit from this information!

The post Investing in Women’s Health – IWD Special appeared first on Fresh Gravity.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day (8 March 2023), I had the privilege and pleasure to moderate a panel with 4 amazing and inspiring women.

(1) Ankita Kaushik [Bhartanatyam Dancer & Guru, Teach for India Fellow]

(2) Mridvika Raisinghani [Co-founder & CEO of Sama]

(3) Sonal Sharda [HR Business Leader International APAC Region, Amdocs & ex-Soldier]

(4) Cindy Zamora [Vice President Finance, Sandvine]

During the conversation, we spoke about their career and life stories covering education, the role of family, college years, careers, skills, and choices.

What stayed with me after the session

1) Own your dreams. Believe in them! Never give up. And use the power of conscious manifestation to make them come true

2) Be bold in your choices if that’s the song your heart sings

3) Ask for help. You cannot do it all on your own. And it is OK to let go of some things. It is OK to be average in some. But for those that matter the most, take the time and make it a priority to give it your all

4) Work is important. So is life. Be clear on your priorities at each stage and phase of life! At the end of the day, realize that every choice has trade-offs. Make peace with the choices

5) Every year focus on learning at least one skill that will help you at work. Every 2 years, invest in an intense certification course/learning program

6) When things don’t go as planned or expected, take the time to accept your reality. Then move on. And next, focus your time and energy on things that matter to you

7) Family is your strength, support, and security. Make it a priority, give it time, and nurture it with love and care

8) Be aware of who is looking at you and up to you. You might not even know that someone is looking at you as a role model

9) After a point, be mindful of how you pay it forward. Don’t take your privilege, position, and power for granted. Make your voice count – not just for yourself but for those who don’t have a voice or seat at the table

10) Be kind to yourself. Take time to celebrate yourself and care for your needs. In the long run, it makes all the difference

The post 10 career and life lessons from 4 women and 100+ years work experience appeared first on Fresh Gravity.