The Door She Didn’t Knock

Aisha stood in front of the wooden door — Room 307, Law and Ethics. The lecture had started five minutes ago. She could still knock, apologize, and walk in. But something inside her refused to move. She wasn't late because she overslept. She was late because for weeks now, she’d been battling a silent war. Law wasn’t her dream — it was her plan. The safe, proud plan her parents loved. But her heart? It longed for words, not verdicts. For characters, not case files. Aisha stepped back from the door and turned around. She walked out of the building, called a cab, and went straight to the bookstore down the lane. That day, she wasn’t looking for legal references — she was looking for herself. By chance — or maybe fate — her eyes landed on a book titled “The Second Life of a Writer.” She flipped it open and read about a celebrated author who also worked in branding, advertising, and theatre. “Even artists can wear multiple hats,” it read. She smiled. It felt like permission. That evening, Aisha began writing the first blog post under her real name — not a pseudonym, not a handle — just her, in her own voice. That was the start of her personal brand. Not a business card, not a logo — but a story. A story that was hers to write, rewrite, and own. And that door? She never knocked on it again. Listen to the full episode with “Zixuan Singh Sareen” on The Collaborative Canvas Podcast—now streaming on YouTube and Spotify.