Recently Jabong.com started a beautiful initiative for the Indian Women bloggers. I love being a part of this community and decided to share my own story in hopes of inspiring someone who might be facing similar problems as me! Thank you Jabong for this beautiful initiative, #SheInspires, and also giving me chance to look back at my progress over the years and share my story! So here it goes…

Thank you Jabong for this beautiful initiative, #SheInspires, and also giving me chance to look back at my progress over the years and share my story! So here it goes…
My blogging story starts as most of the stories start. I had worked for a little over 4 years in the IT industry and took a little break to go back to my hometown for a break before getting married. I was physically exhausted and emotionally drained from working inhumane hours and getting little reward or fulfillment from my efforts.
During my break, I gave a lot of thought to what I wanted to do and how I wanted to live the rest of my life. And whenever I thought about this topic, going back to the same job did not feel right. Then one fine day, I had the crazy idea of working for myself!
It was also a time when economy was still recovering from the slump (of 2008) and I had seen the wrath first hand when many of my colleagues were “let go”.  I knew I had to do something I enjoyed to bring me the fulfillment I sought in addition to bringing income.
Being from a family of government employees, with no business genes in me, I hid the idea behind my fears. Luckily I had a chance to go abroad with my spouse and see life from a different perspective. I was on a dependent visa so for the first time in 26 years, I had nothing to do and nowhere to go. I loved the freedom but also longed for a purpose in life.
The bookworm in me forced me to read books in free time, sometimes 2 in a week. English books were no easy to find in stores so I turned to the internet. Soon I found myself in the blogosphere. It was a different world altogether and I loved it. Soon I developed the urge to share my opinions in blogosphere but my fears got the best of me.
It took me 2 more years, end of 2012 precisely, when I decided to finally start working for myself. I was in South Korea at the time and decided to start with a lifestyle blog which I named Things To Rave About. I used it to share my opinions, participate in writing & photo challenges and sharing travel experiences. But I finally let the suppressed desire of starting a beauty blog emerge and take the form of Shopping Escapades. And I am proud of it!
I have worked harder in the past two years than I have for anything else in the past but I love working on my blog. I love my work, so much that I am always excited to spend time on building it and I feel fulfilled by my work. After blogging for a year I also started my own YouTube channel which has helped me connect with a new audience, have many new experiences and share my opinions on a different platform.
Being opinionated and voicing those opinions, however, is never easy especially for women in this society and so it has not been easy voicing opinions publicly for me either. Whether it is about questioning the ingredients used in a beauty product or just stating my love for a lipstick or something more meaningful, I do get some heat from the internet world just like everyone else for voicing my opinions openly and honestly. Sometimes I have to hear about how the beauty community is making the world more vain and keen on fashion; and sometimes it is about questioning my decision of liking or disliking a product.
However, it is a small side-effect of standing firm in the online world because many of my dreams have come true through my blogs. There are many more dreams we, I and my blog, are pursuing! Through both of my blogs, I have found my voice and now I am not afraid to speak my mind!

I hope you enjoyed reading my story. Do share yours if you are a proud Woman Blogger and share your link so that I can read your story too!