In this weekly self-help series, mental health and life coach Anu Krishna tells you how to take control of your life.
Is your relationship causing you stress?
Are you feeling lonely, helpless, indecisive?
You are not alone!
Mind/life coach, NLP trainer and mental health guru Anu Krishna wants you to talk about your problems.
Every week, Anu will answer your queries, address your concerns and offer expert advice on how you can take control of your life.
Dear readers, if you have a question for Anu, please e-mail it to getahead@rediff.co.in (Subject: Ask ANU) for her advice.
Meanwhile, here's the unedited excerpt from Anu's latest offline session with readers:
SS: Hi Anu,
Hope you are well. I have recently started reading your column and I like the way you give suggestions and help people to overcome whatever issues they are going through in this beautiful journey called life.
There is something that I would like to tell you and would need your suggestion and advise.
There is a lady whom I know for over 4 decades living close to my house. Her father and my father are colleagues and used to work together and they are best friends. She knows me right from a very early age and she is quite elder to me by 8 or 10 years perhaps.
Recently I happened to send her some MMS porn clips which I got from a group. I thought she will shout at me and block me...but she didn't do that. I still send her sometimes when I get such clips. Recently she said that this is not real. I don't know what she means by that. During my adult years when I was 21-22 years old I used to fantasise having a physical relationship with her. I had my own reasons because of the way she used to behave with me when I’d go to her house. But I never tried initiating it maybe because of lack of confidence or fear of getting scolded by her. Her kids are studying in America (masters level) and United Kingdom (graduation level).
Few months ago I lied to her that there is a lady near my office who is the divorcee and is trying to get close to me physically and she is inviting me to her house a couple of times. The reason I told her this lie was to know how she will react...
The moment I told her this she told me don't go to such people, just avoid her and tell her that you are in a relationship with me. I even told her that the lady who is the divorcee is asking me if I am having a physical relationship with her whom I know since childhood days. She just laughed and said your divorcee friend is mad...She even said that the divorcee friend (whom I created out of my imagination) is stuck because of my childhood friend.
Whenever I ask my childhood friend to meet up she always tells me that she is busy and that she does not like anyone coming to her house because her husband might not like it.
Anu what do you think? Is my childhood friend whom I know for 4 decades interested in having a sexual relationship with me but is not initiating it thinking that it will affect our married lives. Women will not do anything that will disturb their life security system. She is very rich because her husband is a corporate employee holding a leadership position and well paid around a crore per year. Will she allow me if I initiate sex with her?
Please understand that I don't know how to initiate that as she doesn't want me to visit her in her house. She doesn't go out much but rather spends time home and goes out with her husband for Sunday church mass sometimes or goes to the nearby chapel for praying.
I am happily married for the last 12 years.
Last week also I sent her an MMS and she replied with an emoji (a grinning face with star eyes). What does this mean?
Is she really wanting to have sex with me but waiting for me to initiate or she is doing time pass with me? I am willing to get physical with her.
Please advise me... Thanks for reading this till the end.
Dear SS,
Thank you for the kind acknowledgement on my columns. Much appreciated.
Why exactly is it important for you to pursue a new relationship?
As for your childhood friend, do know that being much older than you are, phases of life and its experiences are different for her than they are for you.
So, her wanting a relationship -- physical or otherwise -- maybe out of her want or lack of something in her life.
Shall we focus on you for the moment? Again, what is this interest in pursuing a relationship with her or alternatively wanting to know that if she wants one, so you can initiate it?
Where are you in terms of your ‘happily married’ life?
How does your wife feel about you being so interested in another woman besides her? Or does she not have a whiff of it as yet?
Why are you sending your childhood friend porn clips? What are you seeking from her? Or are you looking for a casual fling?
Not to sound like I am judging you here, there might be a possibility of exploring something new and different which I do see in many couples that I work with.
It could be because of the missing spark or the predictability within the marriage.
What if you spiced things up within the marriage?
Will you still feel the need to seek the company of another woman on chat or in any physical or emotional manner?
What I can suggest is: pour your energies in your marriage and it is possible that you begin to de-focus from your childhood friend and have a more meaningful connection with her.
Also, I fail to understand why she is so against you mentioning other women.
Whatever funny games that you both have been playing is rather childish testing each other and get a kick out of it.
Time to grow up and focus on your core relationships and nourish it to feel more full and content from within.
Good luck!
JV: Hi Anu I am 30 years old. I have done LLB and was not interested to practice in court so I tried to get a private job but I didn't get any.
Then I decided to start preparing for a government job but I missed it. I started to doubt myself.
I even had suicidal thoughts this was started when I was very little something happened to me when I was 16 since then I tried to kill myself and also tried to get involved with one of my friends in college. He liked me so much so we started having relationship.
When intimacy started I became nervous and afraid. It is like itching.
I want to run and hide in a safe place. He was very firm and honest and humble but didn't work out.
After that so many proposals came. I declined. Now my family wants me to marry.
I don't know if the husband would understand and give me some time to get involved with him. I don’t know what life after marriage would be.
I am a girl with absolutely no achievement and am not proud of anything in my life.
My parents are disappointed in me but they never show. What should I do? Pls do not disclose this
Dear JV,
It’s possibly the incident that happened to you (which I understand that you haven’t shared here) is preventing you from having a fulfilling life.
I can only say that the incident happened in the past, but you are living it even now.
You were a victim in that incident, but to continue to play the victim even now is to give your power away.
How can you be happy by giving your inner power away every day and every moment?
Reclaim your life.
What’s happened can be blurred by moving away from that incident and reminding yourself that you are far away from the past and in the NOW.
Remember bringing your past into the current time robs you of any goodness; professionally or personally.
So, to see something change, change the way you feel about your past.
Step out of the victim mode and become a person who has the power to change things at will.
I am sure you want to see how this pans out for you.
So, what are you waiting for? Step up and bring that newness of thought into your life.
All the best!
NN: Good morning Anu ji
Hope you are doing well.
I am a working mother with two kids.
My son is 18 years old and my daughter is 11.
My office offered me to relocate to Malaysia and I opted for it.
I moved with my daughter to Malaysia. My husband and son are in India. This is mutually accepted by family.
The reason I chose this option was because the working environment in India office was very stressful with lots of corporate policies.
My daughter has a creative mindset. She had to struggle in studies due to Indian education system.
My son was in class 12 so I thought he will go to hostel for further studies.
But after moving to Malaysia things got changed. My daughter goes to an international school but the standard of education is very low though fees is very high as compared to India. My son got admission in Delhi, which is good.
Now, I'm confused if I should come back to India or stay in Malaysia with my daughter.
My husband is very co-operative and his office is very supportive that he can work from Malaysia.
Being a mother and a wife I am not able to manage this separation. But my husband wants me to grow in my career.
I know in future I will have to pay a lot for my daughter's study. For the same amount she can go to a good boarding school.
My son also needs my help but I want him to understand that life is not very easy, it is not for enjoyment.
I didn’t want to spoil him so I decided that he will live in PG and become independent.
I don't know if I am doing the right thing for my children.
If I move back to India my husband will not be happy because according to him, I'm getting too emotional.
I don't know what to do -- meet husband’s expectations or take the right step which is good for my family?
Pls help.
Dear NN,
Too much of confusion, mostly self-inflicted, if I may add.
You know why I say that, because there is not a mention in your letter/ email on: What is it that you want?
You have conveniently skirted it (the mind can trick you easily) and you are citing excuses to do what others want. What do you want?
Let’s out things into perspective:
1. You shifted for work and now you feel that your daughter’s education is getting impacted
2. You feel like coming back for her education, but you feel that your husband won’t be happy about it.
3. You know that your son might need you now, but then husband thinks you are emotional
It’s time the four of you as a family sat down and spoke rather than thinking and feeling.
Your children are practically adults and are capable of having a sane and conscious conversation that involves the family and their lives as well.
So there’s no more two way conversation between you parents causing more confusion.
Most families go round in circles without realising that who they are discussing about and making decisions on are not even involved in it actively.
In your case, it’s your children…involve them and let them express what they feel is right for them and what they want.
This can help clarify a lot in your mind and your husband also might be aligned to what comes through that 4-way conversation.
It will also bring all of you a while lot closer than before.
All the best!
SJ: I am very stressed these days.
I am in love with a married man. He happens to be my colleague whom I met in 2020.
Initially it was just a senior junior relation where he would help me in official matters.
At the same time, I was recovering from a break up followed by severe health complications.
Slowly, I started spending time with him, in the office only talking about office issues then my personal life.
He too shared some of his and eventually I started developing feelings for him. But since I knew he was married I would always maintain that distance.
I just wanted a healthy friendship but may be my personal turmoil was to the extent that I needed an emotional support and so I confided in him.
He too would understand me, give me support and I could feel that he likes me.
One day I confessed my feelings and he too reciprocated. He had told me earlier that he is living a compromised married life where there is no emotional connection. However, he will continue with it as his wife is dependent on him and I said I don’t want to break a family.
But I have fallen in love with him. His presence has given me such solace I cannot describe.
I don’t want to break a home. So, I have started maintaining distance as well but I really miss him. I feel I lost a friend in the process.
Dear SJ,
This is something that I have been seeing lately with a lot of people.
Something lacks within your current relationship and to fulfil that you look for it elsewhere only to realise that things have gotten out of hands.
In your case, love has blossomed in and suddenly now you have realized that it might cause a flutter within two relationships.
He has made it clear that he wants to be with his wife which should give you an idea not to make any more emotional investment. You will end up getting hurt even more if you do.
Time for you to start feeling solace and gaining better self-esteem by valuing yourself more. You don’t need anyone for you to love yourself, do you?
So, stop giving this so much importance. He was there when you needed him and vice-versa. Now, that things are getting a little complicated, time to revise the way you think and act.
You don’t need to lose a friend if the feelings that you have for him can be healthier and not draining on either of you.
If not, maybe you need to think how you can handle this agony better. Be your own friend first and then you start making better choices on who to let into your life.
Possible? Yes, start now…
All the best!
GV: Hello mam, I have come to know about you through an article I read online. I am mailing you regarding my problem. Please make it anonymous.
I'm married for 10 years. I have a son who is 6 years old.
After my delivery, my husband distanced me. Since then, we use to fight a lot. Both of us are abusive and there is no physical relation between us.
I told the same to my parents, and they suggested that I adjust keeping in mind the society and asked me to try for a job to deviate my mind.
Once I checked my husband phone and there was a history of homosexual p**n videos. When I asked him the same, he refused.
There is no happiness and only fights. I have even made suicidal attempts and was admitted to the hospital for taking expired pills.
I’m an old traditioned woman, unable to move out of marriage as I can’t handle being alone.
At the same time, I am unable to understand my husband’s behaviour.
He is saying he will be like that only, If you want you can stay or leave.
He will not tell me anything about his family – when his father passed away due to covid, he left home without telling me. I knew about it from other relatives.
Dear GV,
Thank you for reading my content. Hope it helps.
I can only imagine the trap that you are in. So, why are you choosing to be trapped even further?
If the answer to the above is NO, then time to break out of your so-called traditional mindset.
Do you really want to live in this set-up and have your son grow up unstable?
I am sure that as a mother you do want to provide him with a stable and loving environment.
Then, you need to think differently about your old beliefs and see if they are worth holding onto.
The older generation might have held onto marriages even if they were abusive. But things have changed.
Even if you are not financially independent, there are venues to change that. You only need to change the way you think.
Check with yourself if continuing this way is going to give you anything great in return or is it going to steal your spirit away.
The choice is yours but do know that you have a son to take care of as well.
Start by gaining a good circle of supporters that includes your parents and close friends who can help you through this massive change to enable you take charge of your life.
All the best!
Anu Krishna is a mind coach, author and co-founder, Unfear Changemakers LLP. She's an NLP Trainer (National Federation of Neuro Linguistic Programming, NFNLP, USA), Energy Work Specialist (Institute for Inner Studies, Manila), Executive Member of Indian Association of Adolescent Health (M.I.A.A.H) and Member of Quality Circle Forum of India (QCFI). She has authored the self-coaching book: The Secret of Life – Decoding Happiness.
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