The Lifestyle Portal by Tanya Munshi - Essays & Short Stories

This Diwali, our W.I.N.G.S learners explored a simple yet powerful question: “What makes my inner light shine bright?” As they coloured their diyas, the children reflected on kindness, courage, honesty, creativity and confidence. Around their diyas, they drew smoke clouds and wrote about the thoughts and feelings that make their light smaller — fear, anger, comparison and self‑doubt. Through reflective writing, they learnt that while difficult emotions are a part of life, they do not define us. Sometimes, the most meaningful learning happens when children pause, reflect and understand themselves a little better.

Would you like your child or students to experience such writing‑plus‑art activities that build confidence, self‑awareness and emotional resilience? Let’s connect.

October 1, 2026 The Lifestyle Portal

Why We Need ‘Emotional Switchboards’: A Workshop on Boundaries, Rest and Asking for Help

I recently facilitated a snippet of my Super Power Switchboard workshop for the F.O.L.K.S School of Facilitation and Learning, where trainers, coaches, consultants, HR professionals, creative artists and homemakers explored five life‑saving buttons. Through colours, art books and gentle reflective prompts, participants recognised where they were overstretched and what was quietly draining their bandwidth. Nothing was forced — awareness itself became the breakthrough. Many left feeling centred, grounded and ready to toss themselves a life jacket whenever needed. If you’d like a similar workshop or session at your workplace, school, college or university, get in touch.

Essays & Short Stories Hobby Lifestyle Sports Success Stories

September 29, 2026 The Lifestyle Portal

The Game Designer Who Changed How I See Board Games: My Interview with Sidhant Chand

9th grader Advika Karve from JBCN International School, Mumbai dives into the fascinating world of board‑game design after interviewing Zenwood Games founder, Sidhant Chand. She discovered that behind every exciting game lies a mix of strategy, storytelling, and countless hours of testing. What impressed her most was how Sidhant balances creativity with practicality — from refining rules to understanding players. His journey inspired her to see games not just as entertainment, but as powerful tools for thinking, learning, and connecting with people.

Education Essays & Short Stories Hobby Pep Talk

September 15, 2026 The Lifestyle Portal

How Lord Ganesha Helps Children Build Life Skills – The Write Compass Mentorship Activity

On Ganesh Chaturthi, our students at The Write Compass explored ten simple yet powerful lessons from Lord Ganesha — calmness, wisdom, patience, kindness, focus and more. Through reflective writing and a pointillism art activity, the children learnt to slow down, follow instructions, enjoy the process and take ownership of their actions. These small habits build the foundation for bigger life skills they’ll need as tomorrow’s leaders. Using writing, art and gentle mentorship, we help children develop self‑expression, confidence and responsibility — values that stay with them long after the festivities end. Would you also like your child or student to learn such grounding techniques that blend writing with art? Let’s connect

Education Essays & Short Stories Parenting

September 1, 2026 The Lifestyle Portal

How Art Helps Children Express That Words Cannot

When children struggle to express themselves, parents often find themselves exhausted and unsure of what to do next. Even with all the love and support at home, sometimes a child just needs a gentle nudge in the right direction. That’s exactly what happened when two sisters joined our W.I.N.G.S Program for a few weeks. They had recently moved to a new place and were crying every day at school. A simple art activity helped them finally express what was bothering them. Find out how this gentle exercise helped the siblings name their fear — and helped their parents understand them better

Education Essays & Short Stories People & Culture Pep Talk

August 15, 2026 The Lifestyle Portal

Instilling Respect and Responsibility in Young Minds: A W.I.N.G.S Independence Day Special

Freedom is precious, but it cannot stand alone. In our W.I.N.G.S session, children explored how freedom’s closest companions are responsibility and respect. Through reflective writing, they understood that freedom is not just a right — it is a duty we honour through our actions, choices, and kindness. Whether it’s caring for our surroundings, treating others fairly, or using our voice wisely, freedom thrives only when we protect it with intention.

If your school or college wants value‑driven, reflective workshops for students, let’s collaborate with The Write Compass.

Education Essays & Short Stories Pep Talk

August 11, 2026 The Lifestyle Portal

Perspectives in Practice: Using Dialogic Teaching to Help Students Think Deeply

Teaching perspectives is one of the quiet joys of my work at The Write Compass. In a recent W.I.N.G.S session, a child described a tiger as “bad” for hunting a deer. Instead of correcting her, we explored the ecosystem together; food chains, overgrazing, balance. Slowly, her narrative shifted. The tiger was no longer a villain; he was simply an animal doing what nature designed him to do.This is the power of dialogic teaching: children learn to think deeply, question gently, and rewrite their stories with understanding. If your school wants perspective‑driven learning, let’s collaborate with The Write Compass.

Essays & Short Stories Parenting Pep Talk

August 3, 2026 The Lifestyle Portal

Teaching Children Emotional Awareness with the Feelings Thermometer

At The Write Compass, I’ve seen how a simple Feelings Thermometer can help children pause, name, and understand what they’re feeling. Most children carry emotions quietly, unsure of how to express them — until we give those feelings a colour, a face, or a tiny “monster” to talk to. Through mandalas, blended colours, and playful codes like “Code Red” and “Code Orange,” children learn that emotions are temporary visitors, not something to fear. If you’d like to explore how, at the W.I.N.G.S Program, we mentor children to build emotional awareness, resilience, and confidence, this write‑up is for you.

Essays & Short Stories Pep Talk Pets

July 21, 2026 The Lifestyle Portal

Lessons in Kindness and Courage from my Dogs

On my dog’s first birthday, I found myself reflecting on how much Samrat and Lisa before him, have quietly shaped my life. From an Indie who held my childhood together to a golden retriever who now fills our home with love, both have taught me kindness, patience and how to navigate a world that isn’t always gentle. Samrat has faced more negativity in one year than most adults do, yet he still chooses joy. Watching him makes me realise how children feel too sensitive, observant, and silently absorbing everything around them.

Education Essays & Short Stories Parenting Pep Talk

July 12, 2026 The Lifestyle Portal

The Hidden Cost of Chasing Marks: A Mentor’s Perspective

Sometimes, parents look only at marks and miss the quiet, meaningful growth happening inside a child. In our sessions, children slowly unlearn fear — the fear of judgement, of not meeting expectations, of showing work that may not be “perfect.” They begin expressing themselves through words, art, stories, and honest conversations. Take a look at how we mentor and help children overcome negative self‑beliefs through art, writing, and lots of fun. These breakthroughs don’t always show up on a test paper, but they show up in confidence, curiosity, and kindness. When a child feels safe and heard, real learning begins.