4/30/24
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As summer approaches and the sun starts shining brighter, it's natural to want to get outside and move our bodies.
But let's be honest – sometimes those summer vibes can also bring unwanted pressure.
Remember that episode of our community podcast, Brown Girl Unscripted, where Aishwarya and I talked about this? We discussed how easy it is to fall into the trap of body expectations. Feeling like we need to look a certain way for anything else.
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Here's the thing, loves: movement isn't about punishment. It's about celebrating what our bodies can do! Let's ditch the self-criticism and focus on these empowering reminders:
Move your body because it feels good!
Find activities you enjoy, whether it's dancing to your favorite tunes (maybe some new Taylor Swift off "The Tortured Poets Department"? Blast "ME!" and shake off those summer anxieties!), a refreshing yoga flow, or a power walk in nature.
Here are some more actionable tips in conquering a positive mindset about your body this summer:
Reframe Your Social Media Feed:
Unfollow accounts: Hit that unfollow button on accounts that make you feel bad about yourself. Curate your feed with body-positive influencers, fitness accounts that celebrate all body types, and content that inspires you, not deflates you.
Follow body-positive hashtags: Explore hashtags like #bodypositive, #allbodiesaregoodbodies, and #loveyourskin to find a supportive online community.
Shift Your Focus:
Celebrate non-scale victories: Did you conquer a new workout routine? Celebrate your strength and endurance! Focus on how your body feels and what it can do, rather than the number on the scale.
Find activities you enjoy: Ditch the boring treadmill and explore activities you genuinely love. Dance it out to your favorite music, go for a hike in nature, or join a recreational sports team. Movement should be joyful!
Practice gratitude: Take a moment each day to appreciate your body for all it does. Thank it for carrying you, keeping you healthy, and allowing you to experience the world.
Make Peace with Imperfection:
Embrace body neutrality: You don't have to love every inch of yourself all the time. Aim for neutrality – your body is simply your vessel for experiencing life.
Challenge unrealistic beauty standards: Recognize that airbrushed magazine covers and heavily edited social media photos are not reality. Don't compare yourself to these unrealistic portrayals.
Focus on self-care, not punishment: Nourish your body with healthy foods, get enough sleep, and prioritize activities that make you feel good. Self-care is about love and respect, not punishment.
Bonus Tip:
Fake it 'til you make it: Sometimes, confidence can be contagious. Act confident in your swimsuit, even if you don't feel it entirely. Projecting confidence can lead to actually feeling more comfortable in your own skin.
Remember, body positivity is a journey, not a destination. By incorporating these actionable tips into your daily routine, you can cultivate a healthier relationship with your body and embrace summer with confidence!
Remember, Aashiqi Studio is here to celebrate all bodies. We want you to feel confident and strong, no matter what the season. So, let's get outside, move with intention, and embrace the summer with open arms (and maybe a cute swimsuit, if that's your thing!).
And all in all, remember that SEXY IS A MINDSET !!!
See you soon,
Rucha Dave
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4/23/24
Hey Aashiqi Squad!
It's Rucha here, back with a topic close to my heart: body positivity and the unseen threads of generational trauma.
We all know societal pressures can mess with our body image. But sometimes, the struggle runs deeper. Studies show that negative body image and eating disorders can be passed down through families.
Here's the science:
Learned behaviors: Witnessing critical comments about weight or appearance can shape our own self-perception.
Stress & coping mechanisms: Unhealed trauma in past generations could lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms focused on food or body control that get passed on.
Unconscious bias: We might internalize negative beliefs about certain body types from family narratives, affecting our self-love.
So, what can we do?
Here are some tips to protect your peace and approach this with self-compassion:
Recognize the patterns: Reflect on your family history and see if there are any negative narratives about bodies. Talk to relatives openly (if comfortable) to understand their experiences.
️Challenge those thoughts: When negative self-talk arises, question its origin. Is it a reflection of reality or an echo of the past? Rewrite those narratives with self-love and acceptance.
Seek support: Therapy can be a powerful tool to unpack generational trauma and develop healthier relationships with food and your body. A therapist can guide you on this journey of self-discovery.
Focus on the present: You can't change the past, but you can choose how you move forward. Celebrate your body's strength and capabilities, not just its appearance.
Remember, Aashiqi Studio is here to support you on this journey. We believe in the power of self-love and acceptance. Let's break free from the cycle and embrace our bodies in all their glory!
See you soon, with love and light,
Rucha Dave
Founder & CEO, Aashiqi Studio
4/11/24
First off this is your weekly reminder that: Sexy is a Mindset.
WE FINALLY LAUNCHED OUT THE TRAILER FOR BROWN GIRL UNSCRIPTED AND COULD NOT BE HAPPIER TO LAUNCH OUT THE FIRST EPISODE ON APRIL 19TH!
Additionally, we're expanding the Aashiqi Studio team so conducting interviews this week has been quite the event, and also a learning process for us as a brand while scaling. We're really excited to introduce our new intern to this community once things are finalized so please stay tuned!
In the meantime, go spoil yourself with a bodysuit AND listen to the Brown Girl Unscripted trailer down below. For those of you who are newer, you missed our sneak peak into the first episode of SZN1 so keep reading to get a look into who our first guest it.
P.S. since so many of you loved the journals we had at the pop-up we're thinking of doing a surprise (not so surprise) exclusive launch for y'all <3
XOXO,
CEO, RUCHA DAVE
4/3/24
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How is everyone? How's April treating you? Me, you ask? I've been doing a bunch of things and there's something in particular related to a recent POP-UP that I wanted to chat with you all about.
This past weekend, I showcased Aashiqi Studio's Rani Collection to the NYC community as a partner with Shopify and South Asian New York Fashion Week.
And... it was absolutely amazing being able to connect with other business owners, forming collaborations, enjoying good music, networking, and also being able to see how much NYC appreciated the Rani Collection which still feels like a pinch me moment because as you all know, this entire brand is like a love letter for my younger self(aka: 13 year old Rucha).
But,,,you know what I did right after this super hectic but insanely rewarding and EXCITINGG weekend?
I literally slept for 15 HOURS STRAIGHT. boy, was I burnt out from the prep and from constantly being on my feet all weekend even though it was all good. while i know this is a business newsletter, as a founder, who is also a human, i want to keep it 100% real with you all, INCLUDING the importance of self care through it all when you do live a busy lifestyle.
sooo this is YOUR reminder that you deserve to feel sexy inside and out, and that includes feeling well rested and relaxed.
but let's be honest, sometimes it isn't always feasible to be fully well rested and be feeling amazing all the time, whether that be emotionally, physically, or just because you're so damn busy.
Here are my favorite ways to re-instill "sexy is a mindset" on the days (like a few days ago) where you just don't feel that sexy or relaxed:
1. Trying to go to sleep (i know this is basic but, literally drinking some herbal ashwagandha tea, turning on my diffuser with some lemongrass aroma is exactly what sent me straight to bed for the aforementioned 15 hours).
2. Going to the gym or going outside for a walk (the dopamine rush is soooo worth it, and if you download a video of streaming app onto your phone, the time will fly super fast because 1 episode is 40 minutes on the treadmill).
3. Doing something for the sole purpose of literally having fun or expressing yourself- drawing, vlogging, painting, playing an instrument, or literally just laughing with a friend etc.
4. Honestly, sleep again. The sleep actually helps more than you realize, its truly healing, the doctors unfortunately aren't lying about it, and you really do need to just get those hours in.
5. Cry it out. Unpopular opinion but sometimes embracing the un-sexy is exactly how you start to release and feel sexy again, and talking to yourself like you're your own bestie helps too because you need that self love OF COURSEEE.
ANYWAYS! I hope that helped you if you've been feeling un-sexy or like you're in a rut this week, and I just want you to know that i love you and you're doing so so much better than you think <3 <3 <3
Something else that can also help you is tuning into the TRAILER of our community podcast: BROWN GIRL UNSCRIPTED (shameless plug hehe) this Friday, after which we're also dropping the very first episode with our 1ST guest.
Click the link below to make sure you're following on Spotify (coming soon on Apple Music too) and fully tuned in so that you don't miss a single second of it- make sure to turn on notifications for IG so you know
Kay that's it until next week love you angels and can't wait to see you on the podcast real soon- we are INSANELYYY excited as this has been such a long time in the making!
XOXO,
CEO, RUCHA DAVE
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HOT OFF THE PRESS
 ICYMI, we showcased the RANI COLLECTION AT SHOPIFY HQ WITH SOUTH ASIAN NY FASHION WEEK
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We recently launched our Rani Bodysuit in SNOW WHITE for a limited time and so many of you seemed to LOVE it so we opened it back up.
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