Today we’d like to introduce you to Chika Gujarathi.
Hi Chika, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was 8-years-old, my father handed me one of his old day-planners which hadn’t been used, and I started writing and pretending I was a very busy person. I’d invent all kinds of tasks to fill up the space. This is my first memory of being an inventive and creative writer. And this, you might say is where the journey began. In 2015, after working in Corporate America for over ten years and after having my second child, I decided it was time to resurrect that creativity again. I decided to become a freelance writer (travel, lifestyle, parenting, DIY) which eventually lead me to becoming a children’s book author for the Hello Namaste! Bilingual board books as well. I also started managing The Antibland Chronicles which is my lifestyle & travel website to encourage everyday joy. It was supposed to be a short break from a “real job” but 6-years later, and now with four kids in tow, I am still at it and enjoying the journey of writing, exploring, and being creative more than I ever have before.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
People who are creative will tell you that it’s a life filled with self-doubt. The road to calling myself a writer was not easy. I always felt like I was faking it. I would work so hard on assignments that didn’t really need so much work, just because I was trying to prove to myself that I can work the hardest and go above and beyond than anyone else for that particular task. Over the years, I have gotten better with these feelings, but they still do creep in from time to time. I just remind myself to work hard and do my best. There is also the issue of time management when one is a parent. As a mother to four children who are currently eight and under, I hardly work on a schedule that was self-prescribed. Things fall apart all the time no matter how well I am at planning them. I have learned to just roll with it and get efficient in 30-minute increments throughout the day.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I like to describe myself as a Creative Doer because I have been lucky to do a lot of things that I am proud of. I am a freelance writer who not only gets to write for national and local publications about parenting, book reviews, and travel to name a few, but I also manage my own lifestyle and travel website called The Antibland Chronicles (www.theantibland.com). I am also a published author of four bilingual board books called Hello Namaste! and I am a photographer.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Persistence. No magic there really.
Pricing:
- I love to collaborate on projects that bring me joy. My freelance rate for writing and photography projects starts at $45/hour.
Contact Info:
- Email: chika@hello-namaste.com
- Website: https://www.theantibland.com
- Instagram: @TheAntibland
