You’ve done everything you were supposed to do to live a happy, fulfilling life. But on the other side of it, instead of the promised land of eternal happiness, you’re greeted with:

• Stress, overwhelm, burnout, anger, bitterness, resentment, and confusion
• The stark reality of you having become the very person you promised yourself you’d never be
• Emotional outbursts that are ruining your relationships with the people you care most about
• Guilt – for not being enough or doing enough and fear of letting people down
• The fear of never fulfilling your potential, of not acting on the dreams you once held dear, of life slipping away
• The very real possibility of lying on your deathbed full of regrets and wonderment about what could have been
• And hope. Hope for a better way to live

I am no stranger to any of these realities.

Just before I turned 29, I found myself extremely successful yet deeply miserable. That’s when I started questioning everything I had ever been told about what it means to live well. 12 years later, I have learned a lot. AND, I continue to uncover deeper and deeper layers of happiness. Happiness, I’ve found, is a lot like an onion.

Since 2012, I have been exploring answers to one single question: How can people live their happiest, most fulfilling lives?

This quest has led me to:

• Switching careers to find more meaning, fulfillment, and balance
• Going back to school to earn a Master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology (aka the science of happiness)
• Hours and hours of reading, reflecting, and working with therapists, coaches, and spiritual teachers for my personal growth, evolution, and yes, happiness
• Questioning and changing some of my most basic assumptions about what it means to be “successful,” “creative,” and a “good mother” – among other things
• Turning all of life’s challenges into fuel for my soul’s evolution

Every time I’ve become dissatisfied with my life, I’ve done the work to peel back another layer of the happiness onion. But looking back when I connect the dots, my journey boils down to one core lesson: inaccurate beliefs – about yourself, other people, and the world – may be driving your life.

Over and over, life has shown me that my life was driven by beliefs I inherited or was programmed into – but they were no longer true for me.

• A belief I had during high school: I am an average student. But soon after high school, when a teacher called me “impressive,” I went from being an average student to being at the top of my class. The only thing that had changed was how I saw myself, but external results were drastically different. How was that possible?
• A belief I had In my twenties: Success = happiness. But at 29, while I was successful in my corporate career, I was also deeply miserable. How do you explain that? 
• A belief I had in my early thirties: Productivity = doing more and more and more. But then why do I feel happier, more fulfilled, and even accomplish more by working less as an entrepreneur?
• A belief I had about motherhood before I had kids: Motherhood = eternal unconditional love and self-sacrifice. But once I became a mother, why did I experience grief, anger, and resentment? Why had no one told me about the challenges of motherhood? 
• A belief I had about entrepreneurship: entrepreneurship requires you to be greedy, manipulative, and all about the money. But then, how have I been running a business for eight years without compromising on my values? 

You may relate to one or more of these examples. Or, you may have your own unique stories about carrying incorrect beliefs. But here’s what’s going on:

We live in a world that values certain things. And from an early age, we get indoctrinated in these values. You should look a certain way. You should earn a certain amount of money. You should work 8 hours a day. You should not be lazy. You should not waste time. This is how it’s always been done. That’s not how we do things here. That makes you a bad mother. Good leaders are strong and assertive. And on and on and on.

In our formative years, we learn to act in socially acceptable ways for our safety, love, and belonging. Over time, we lose touch with who we truly are, what we really want, and why we’re actually here, on this planet in this life.

Cue mid-life crisis, which can happen in your twenties or your sixties. There comes a time when you realize that even though you’ve been following all the rules, you’re unhappy. Which sucks, because happiness is the one thing you wanted all along. That’s what you thought you’d get on the other side of all these shoulds. And now, is it any wonder that you feel angry, bitter, resentful, guilty, afraid?

It’s not. It’s not your fault. And you’re definitely not alone.

In my experience, the only way which works is the way YOU find and choose for yourself. Autonomously. Consciously. Responsibly. Yes, there is a lot of wisdom out there in the world. There are so many people you can learn from. But if you are not in touch with and trusting of your inner compass, it is easy to get lost.

As I have worked through my own happiness, my biggest treasure has been cultivating a deeper connection with my true self. Being guided by the real me has led to transformations in my life I couldn’t even fathom until a few years ago. Starting 2023, I have

• Tamed my inner critic and ended my life-long struggle with writing
• Transformed many of my important relationships – including my relationship with my mother, which had always been challenging
• Found a lot more courage as an entrepreneur
• Started showing up as a much more loving, calm, and patient mother for my kids
• Held immense love, compassion, and forgiveness in my heart for people in the world because I can see that all of us experience pain and heartbreak

A truly happy, regret-free life is one that you choose to live based on what matters most to you – the real you.

And that’s what I help you do. I facilitate the process through which you get to know, befriend, and BE your true self, while letting go of beliefs and expectations that are no longer serving you.

If you want to join me on this journey of living life from our true selves, let me send you my reflections through my Newsletter. It is one of the best ways to get a deeper feel for my approach.

Yashi Srivastava is a writer, coach, and teacher helping people evolve into a calmer, braver, truer versions of themselves using self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-acceptance.

Yashi’s unique approach combines the extensive study of the science of happiness, a spiritual lens, and exceptional coaching skills. Her passion for this work comes from her own life experiences and a life-long commitment to personal growth, evolution, and intentional living.

Yashi has helped numerous clients learn to be confident by being more compassionate towards themselves, effectively manage their challenging emotions so that they can show up more calmly in their relationships with others, and become authentic, effective leaders and parents. After working with Yashi, her clients report experiencing greater self-awareness, confidence, and an increased sense of peace and happiness in their lives.

Yashi’s formal qualifications include a Master of Applied Positive Psychology, an MBA in Human Resource Management, and ICF as well as CPCC coach certifications. Yashi has worked in the corporate world, academia, as well as in the non-profit sector.