Sunday, December 7, 2025

Breaking Free from Others' Expectations

Often, when we think about making a choice for ourselves—something we genuinely want—we suddenly pause. A voice inside whispers: "What will others think?"

This hesitation is not because our choice is wrong, but because we unknowingly begin doing someone else's task.

According to Adlerian theory, task separation is crucial. Our responsibility is to make choices aligned with our values and growth; what others think is their task, not ours. When we stop mixing these, we free ourselves to choose authentically.

This idea also connects to the concept of the Gordian Knot—instead of getting tangled in unnecessary complications (like worrying about judgments), we must cut through the knot and move forward with clarity.

Another powerful insight is not attaching ourselves to outcomes. When we tie our happiness to rewards, results, or praise, the joy of the journey disappears. But when we focus on the work itself—the effort, learning, and growth—the experience becomes meaningful.

The Bhagavad Gita beautifully echoes the same wisdom:

“कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन”

Do your duty, without attachment to the fruits.

Shalu Sharma 
Sunbeam English School, Bhagwanpur 

Read And Lead book reading sessions are hosted on Saturday, the 6th of December 2025, at 5:30 PM, by the Learning Forward India Foundation on Zoom

Redefining and Reimagining Education - Neelashi

This week, a community engagement project in Bhandarjood and the Arthur Foot Academy's hinterland is seeing the light of day. 

The village teachers, girls, panchayat, and schools are coming together to redefine what education can be for adolescent girls in their village. For official purposes, not disclosing the names of the organisations involved to implement this project. What we can reveal is what is coming ahead of us and what has come along so far. 

This project will bring together adolescent girls to talk about their health, empathy, self-awareness, and critical thinking, and not just 'talk' but reimagine and redefine their village's responsibility to provide girls and women with a better standard of living. The truth is that these 'life-skills' are not taught in schools or at home. 

So many girls spend their time trying to observe and assume by how adults behave around them to learn, but can we bring their voices to life? Can we make them feel safer asking these questions of their fellow village girls and women who face similar circumstances? Right now, the group has identified that this is important and needs to be thought about. 

Stakeholders have had their first round of meetings. What is coming along in this project are art sessions, reading, training, and people coming together to dialogue and meet essential stakeholders of the village to move along with them. All of this is easy to write, but more difficult on the ground. But this is the journey we are going to embark on with some schools and community members. If not this, what is education? If not about taming the fear? 


At Learning Forward Saturday, teachers discussed setting up shops in their classrooms to teach students language and mathematics. When children bring their everyday life experiences into school, they engage more, ask more, and actively participate in their own learning. 


  • Neelashi Mangal is our Training and Development Lead at Learning Forward India Foundation. Feel free to reach out to her, and we would love to have your support for our efforts to spread #JoyOfLearning, focusing on reading, reflection and building meaningful relationships #JoyOfGiving. Email her at NM@LearningFroward.org.in
  • For more about us and how we work to support schools that help young people enage society, please visit the website www.SchoolEducation.com

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