From Injury to Inspiration: How My ACL Surgery Turned into a Self-Growth Journey   couple of weeks before injury 2 hours before injury As an avid sports enthusiast, I never imagined that my passion for skiing would one day lead me to the operating room. It was winter 2021, and I was exploring the Darbandsar ski resort in Tehran, Iran. I had not slept for more than two hours the night before due to excitement, and the adrenaline rush of skiing kept me going. But fate had other plans for me… While looking for my AirPods in the snow, my snowboard slipped, and I fell awkwardly, feeling a sharp pain…

Today is truly a monumental day. I’m here in Lotus Cafe, sipping an Americano and reflecting on how far my personal journey has come – at least that’s why I think they call it reflection! But there are plenty of other reasons to be celebrating today too; the one ringing loudest being Shervin’s (an Iraninan singer) incredible success with winning a Grammy for the Best social change song (Baraaye-for Woman Life Freedom movement in Iran) – such inspiring achievement! (More information here!)  To prepare myself for this soul-searching session, nothing beats indulging into some good music from my favorite ‘work/study playlist’ (check out Spotify!). So, as you can tell by now, I am more than ready to dive deep into…

How Practicing Yoga and Meditation Helped Me Become Roj  As someone who used to think that yoga and meditation were nothing but a waste of time, I am here to share my incredible experience of incorporating these practices into my daily routine. Not only have they helped me become more focused and centered, but they have also given me a sense of peace and balance that I never knew existed. Throughout my transformation journey, I came across some amazing yoga tutorials on YouTube that took my practice to the next level. However, it’s not just about the physical aspect; my therapist played a significant role in introducing me to meditation…

From Adopting to Bonding: How My Two Persian Cats Helped Me Through Tough Times Previous Next   Since I adopted my two adorable Persian cats, Lord and Brullete, it has been a life-changing journey. From the moment they first came home to me, they have shown me unconditional love, acceptance, and companionship that I hadn’t known before – even in the darkest times of my life. With their sweet purrs and gentle nudges against my skin when they need attention, these precious creatures bring peace into my home far beyond what one can put into words.    As any pet owner knows, adopting furry friends is an enriching experience that gives us purpose and…

  We all have moments in life when the fear of failure becomes too overwhelming, and we often find ourselves resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as avoidance. Avoidance allows our anxieties and worries to linger, hanging over us like a dark cloud that doesn’t seem to disperse. Until recently, this is what I was experiencing – contemplating new opportunities felt scary so instead, I avoided them completely which ultimately held me back from living my fullest life.  In this step of becoming Roj, I want to share my story of facing those fears head-on, and overcoming avoidance to cope with positive outcomes. By processing the emotions attached to taking risks and…

Choose Your Own Path: How I Overcame Family Expectations to Follow My Dreams In a society that rules based on conformity, it can be tough to pursue your dreams. My dad always wanted me to be a doctor like the rest of my family. But I loved art and technology, so in my third year of university, I changed my major from Health Sciences to the Interactive Arts and Technology. It was a tough journey, but now everyone is impressed with how I followed my heart and became the person I want to be. If you’re feeling lost or stuck, know that it’s never too late to change and pursue…

The transformative power of therapy: My journey, why everyone could benefit from therapy and how to take the first step. In this post, I want to share how regular therapy sessions have improved my life. It’s been an intimate and influential experience that I hope can help others struggling. So, if you’re considering therapy or you are already in therapy, I hope this post will encourage you to keep going! How I found myself in therapy and what my first few sessions were like After returning back to my hometown-Tehran, Iran-during the Covid pandemic, I was overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of life in my new environment. I found…