Life – L J Padayachy

Rediscovering Play in a Work-Centric World

Rediscovering play as a working adult isn’t about regression—it’s about reconnecting with what makes us human. This article explores play from a professional’s perspective.

Discovering Mindfulness in Madagascar’s Countryside

Discover inner peace in Madagascar’s quiet highlands, where rolling hills and red earth paths offer profound solitude away from city noise. A personal journey of self-discovery in rural Madagascar’s understated countryside.

Finding Wellness in Global Work: My Personal Journey

You know that feeling when you finally do the one thing that makes you feel like yourself again? That exhale, that sense of “Yes, I’m okay”? That’s what this is about. Not performance. Not perfection. Just real alignment. Just showing up for the small things that actually work for you — consistently, patiently, mindfully

Why Investing in Experiences is Priceless

The Moment I Almost Didn’t Click “Book Now” My cursor hovered over the button for a solid five minutes. The total at the bottom of the screen kept staring back at me, unblinking: three months in Madagascar, comprehensive itinerary from Antsirabe to Toliara, internal flights, guides, accommodations – the number was eye-watering. I’d just wrapped…

Finding Flow: Lessons from Toamasina’s Community Work

On those magical moments when hours vanish—and why they matter more than we think.

Discovering True Relaxation: Lessons from My Grandfather

A retiring UN official discovers the difference between managing stress and actually relaxing after 30 years in international diplomacy. Lessons from the Seychelles on finding peace.

What I Love About the Place I Live

A Madagascar-based professional shares why island life beats city living, from lemur interruptions to cyclone innovations. At dawn, while I was preparing for meditation, my colleague Asina calls out. An unidentified creature, resembling a hybrid of a tiny lemur and a rat, materialized on the veranda of the bungalow. We had rented it for the…

Discovering Adventure: My Tsingy de Bemaraha Experience

Last week at Tsingy de Bemaraha in Madagascar, I discovered something unexpected about myself. I actually enjoy being scared or was it the adventure that I enjoyed.

The Joy of Writing: Connecting Thoughts and People

What do you enjoy most about writing? Some years ago someone asked me this question over coffee, and I found myself stumbling over the answer. This wasn’t because I don’t love writing. It was because isolating what I love most felt like trying to pick a favorite star. It is a combinations of things that…

The One Travel Habit That Brings Me Joy: How Mindful Discovery Transforms Every Journey

I don’t rush when I travel anymore. Used to sprint between tourist spots, checking boxes off itineraries like a completion fanatic. But something shifted after too many trips where I remembered the monuments but forgot the moments. Now I have one rule: find something worth noticing and actually notice it.

Tag: Life