Hello everyone! Today, I've invited Sajita Nair at #thebrigadethatbuildsbrands. She is a former Army officer, a Navy wife & an acclaimed novelist. We talk about how the #military life can actually spur a #Milspouse to create meaningful work for herself.
C. What challenges have you
faced in balancing work and fauji life?
C. Please tell us something
about yourself – what do you do, where are you based and how long have you been
a fauji wife.
S.I am a former army
Captain and writer based in Bangalore. My father served in the Air Force and I
have been married to a Naval officer for the past twenty years. Hence I have
experienced life in the three arms of the forces.
C. What has been your
business or creative journey been like: how & when did you start your
venture?
S.Post my tenure in the
army, I began to work towards my dream of being a writer. Initially I published
short stories, articles and travelogues in reputed publications. Only when I
gathered enough confidence, did I attempt writing a full-length novel. My debut
novel ‘She’s a Jolly Good Fellow’ was published by Hachette India in 2010 and
follows the life of two pioneer women officers, trying to find their place in
the male dominated army.
C. Were you in a different
profession and re-trained for the current one? If yes, can you share how/where
you learned the skills required for your current profession?
S.I learnt everything about
writing, on the internet. Formatting query letters, researching information, editing
written work and presenting a polished piece of writing to the editor – I
learnt all these from various websites. For serious learners, there is no
bigger guru than the internet.
C. Fauji wives make their
home in an assortment of obscure places across the country. Our lives are about
living in the moment and doing what we can, when we can. Can you share how you
stayed creative or found work that satisfied you while moving across the
country?
S.I think fauji wives are
the most resourceful people on the planet. A fauji wife manages everything with
flair and without complains. If she moves into a temporary accommodation or an
old house, she transforms it into a beautiful home. If there is no upholstery,
she improvises creatively. With minimal resources, she creates a cozy haven for
herself and her family.
Being a fauji wife,
thinking out-of-the-box has become second nature to me. This helps when I pitch stories to magazines
or approach publishers with an idea for a novel. As a writer, I consider myself
lucky to be able to have rich experiences in a fauji environment. And with the
internet, it is possible to work from any remote corner of the country.
C. How do you market your
business and products while moving from base to base, place to place, and often
to remote areas?
S.With the flourishing of
social media, marketing has become much easier and economical. And since
internet connection is available in most remote parts, its power must be
unleashed to reach out to a wider audience.
C. How do you juggle that
load of social commitments & welfare activities that are an integral part
of the fauji community, while nurturing your passions and meeting work
deadlines?
S.The network formed in the
social and welfare activities help with marketing, as like-minded people get
the word around faster. Hence I believe they are a blessing.
C. As a
creative/entrepreneur + fauji wife, is there something that you cherish very
much about being part of this community? And is there something you feel
must/can change for the better?
S.Life in the fauj inspires
the writer in me - the bonding, the travel, the unpredictability and the streak
of adventure we imbibe by just being part of it. A fauji adapts to new places,
people, cultures and situations commendably. What I like the most however, is
that I see the bigger picture and my mind is not compartmentalized by
boundaries.
S.‘So what employment have
you taken up now?’ people ask me when I say that I am a writer. Writing is still
considered to be a hobby, not a career option. Most people don’t understand or
appreciate that writing is hard work. Hence the demands to my time, sometimes
pose a challenge.
C. What tips would you give
to fauji wives out there who’d like to pursue their dreams while living at
small and busy bases (many still believe or led to believe that you can either
be a fauji wife or a professional, and that’s not true)?
S. One could be a fauji
wife and a professional at the same time. It just requires more dedication,
focus and sustained efforts. Instead of finding excuses, one must find reasons
to be motivated and work towards professional goals.
C. A parting quote or
philosophy that helps you stay calm and do what you do?
S. From the Vipassana course I attended, I learnt about the
Buddhist doctrine of impermanence called ‘Anitya’ or ‘Anicca’, which implies
that everything is transient. This helps me stay calm during difficult times.
And this is also a reminder that time is limited and one must do what one has
to.
Thank you, Sajita.
A note from me: I recently released a #KindleBook called ‘The Work-At-Home Military Wife’ for Armed Forces ladies and anyone who desires to create self-employment for themselves on the move. Check it out here:
A gift: And hey, if you’d like to explore work-from-home career ideas that you can pack and carry, download my FREE ebook '25 Work-from-home Careers for Military Wives’ by signing-up for my email updates, here.
Note: And hey, I welcome you to my quirky, cute Jugnoo #artstudio, where I create vibrant, illustrative art for eclectic home decor & kids' room decor. Do like us @jugnooartstudio.
Connect with me:
Twitter @ChandanaMilSpo
Instagram @chandanamilspo
Facebook @chandanabanerjeewriter
#thebrigadethatbuildsbrands #milpreneur #MilSpouse #smallbusiness #workfromhome #workathome #selfemployed
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