Behind every elegant creation and every beautifully wrapped perfume lies a story that few ever see, the quiet hours, the unseen effort, the balance between passion and pressure. Running a business is a journey that fills you with purpose but also tests your limits in ways you never quite expect.
For me, building Chandrika Thomas London has been a labour of love, one that demands not only creativity and focus but also mental clarity and self-awareness. As a founder, designer, and creative, I’ve come to realise that protecting your mental health is the foundation that allows everything else to flourish. Without it, even the most beautiful ideas can lose their light.
This is a note about what it truly takes to create, lead, and keep going while staying grounded and well. It’s about learning to find balance amid constant motion, to set boundaries that protect your peace, and to recover without guilt when life becomes overwhelming.
So, let me take you behind the scenes, into the rhythm, the lessons, and the quiet realisations that have shaped both my work and my wellbeing. Because the truth is, success means nothing if it costs your peace of mind.
The Reality Behind the Scenes
Running a business can be incredibly fulfilling, yet it can also be consuming, especially one that creates from start to finish. From design and sampling to prototyping, testing, packaging, marketing, and finally reaching the customer, every stage demands time, energy, and focus. It’s a lot to hold, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
People often see the glamour of running a business, but what they don’t always realise is the sheer work and focus it takes to bring everything together. Everything is directed by me, every design, every decision, every small detail that moves the business forward passes through my hands. It’s constant motion, a dance between creating, directing, and ensuring that everything flows as it should. If I don’t build, guide, or lead, it simply doesn’t happen.
In my business, I wear many hats, and they seem to multiply with each passing season. For the business to thrive, I have to understand every process and every potential, not to control, but to sense where my energy is most needed, where to grow, and when to step back. It’s learning the rhythm of what matters most, and moving with it rather than against it.
My day begins at six in the morning, and before I even make my tea, I’m already working, checking data, reviewing designs, and planning what needs to be done next. My schedule is always full, every day layered with decisions, designs, and details. Even when I travel, I still work, not out of obligation, but out of love for what I do. This passion fuels me, but it can also blur the line between work and rest, between creating and simply being.
Recently, I accidentally left my phone in the boutique, and in that rare quiet, I realised how much I needed that pause, not because I’d lost balance, but because I was being gently reminded of it. That day, I spent more time with my family, doing simple things that I often rush past, and I felt how deeply I needed that reconnection.
That moment brought me back to what truly sustains everything, balance. The quiet in between the noise, the boundaries that protect your peace, and the space that allows you to keep creating with joy.
Balance, Recovery, and Boundaries
In the middle of a busy life, balance is what keeps everything steady. It’s the quiet alignment between doing and being. In business, it’s easy to get swept up in the constant pace of work, but balance is what safeguards your mental well-being. Without it, you can lose sight of yourself amid the continuous flow of decisions and demands.
Over the years, I’ve learned that nurturing my mental health is about creating small, consistent moments of care that hold me together. Even though I work tirelessly and pour myself into every part of the business, I’ve come to realise that it’s the moments outside of work that truly sustain me.
My recovery tools may seem simple: a mindful walk, a gentle stretch, a cup of herbal tea, an hour at the museum, cooking, blending, coming up with new creative recipes, experimenting with kombucha, or a quiet visit to the library, yet they make all the difference. These rituals not only support me in my fragrance blending but also help me recover. They stimulate my senses, nurture growth, and offer moments of calm and relaxation.
Equally, spending time with friends and family keeps me grounded. Simple things like going out for dinner, sharing laughter, or stepping away from the space where you work or live help you reconnect with the world beyond the business. Those shared moments, though small, carry a quiet power; they help you breathe differently, think differently, and return to your work with renewed energy and perspective.
I also find healing in the arts, listening to music, watching the ballet or the opera, and occasionally going to the theatre, depending on what’s on. Each of these experiences reminds me that creativity thrives when the soul is nourished. The emotion of a symphony, the grace of a dancer, or the story unfolding on stage all inspire me to feel and to create with more depth and meaning.
I learned this truth years ago when I was running my couture wedding dress business. That world had its own tempo, fast, glamorous, but relentless, and it wasn’t the pace I wanted to live by. So I began shaping a different kind of life, one built on calm and intention rather than urgency. Looking back, I realise I’ve always been searching for that harmony between work, creativity, and peace.
These, for me, are essentials, the small, sacred rituals that hold my life together. People sometimes see me visiting the V&A, doing yoga, or strolling with Ollie and all the other activities that I do, and they think I have endless time, but these moments are part of my balance. They are my reset buttons, my quiet anchors, the way I protect my mental space and stay steady amid all the noise.
I’ve also learned the importance of giving my time and energy to what truly matters. As a creative and a business owner, it’s tempting to pour yourself into everything, but not everything deserves equal attention. I’ve learned to sense where my energy is needed, to give fully when it counts, and to let go when it doesn’t. That awareness not only preserves my peace but allows me to create from a place of joy, not exhaustion.
And then there are boundaries, quiet yet powerful acts of self-respect. They are gentle structures that protect your well-being and allow space for both work and life to coexist in harmony. In my younger years, I might have taken on more than I should, but now I choose more mindfully, saying yes only to what aligns with my values. I’m intentional with my commitments, letting people know when I can’t do something, not out of unwillingness, but out of care.
For me, balance, recovery, and boundaries are not separate practices; they’re a way of living. Together, they create the space where clarity, creativity, and calm can coexist. They remind me that protecting my mental health isn’t about stepping away from what I love, but about nurturing the energy that allows me to keep doing it well. In the quiet moments I make for myself, I find not stillness alone, but strength, the kind that lets me keep building and showing up with presence and purpose.
Burnout as a Signal, Not a Failure
Even with balance, recovery, and boundaries in place, burnout still finds its way in sometimes. It’s part of the natural rhythm of creating and caring deeply about what you do. No matter how mindful or organised you are, there will be seasons when your thoughts feel crowded, your focus fades, and your body quietly asks for rest. I’ve learned that burnout is a signal, a gentle reminder to pause, breathe, and realign.
When I feel it approaching, I recognise the signs. My mind feels full, my body feels heavy, and a stream of thoughts begins to rush in: this needs to happen, that needs to happen. Instead of pushing through, I slow down. I visualise what truly needs my attention, map out the key points, and work backwards to create a plan that feels clear and manageable. That small act of clarity helps me reset my mind and move forward again with focus.
Over time, I’ve come to see burnout as awareness, even as something good. It reminds me that I’ve given my all, that I’ve worked hard, and now it’s time to rest. I don’t resist it anymore; I listen to it.
Being in tune with my body has become essential. I look for signs. Am I happy? Am I at ease, or is something quietly asking for change? It’s a bit like yoga, when the instructor asks you to pause and feel one side of your body before moving to the other. That moment of awareness, of feeling what’s open, what’s tight, what’s balanced, is life itself. We’re meant to feel our way through it. Too often, we rush ahead without noticing what feels right, what’s working, or what’s pleasing. But when I slow down and listen, I can sense what needs attention and what needs release. That awareness helps me find flow again, the quiet alignment between body, mind, and spirit.
That’s why I no longer see burnout as failure. It’s simply the body’s way of asking for gentleness, a pause that restores perspective. I’ve learned to see it as an opportunity to reconnect with myself, to recover, refocus, and return to my purpose with renewed strength and calm.
Delegating, Accepting Imperfection, and Self-Compassion
After learning to see burnout as a signal rather than a setback, I also discovered the quiet power of delegation as an act of trust. Because even when balance is in place, carrying everything alone eventually leads to exhaustion. Delegation creates space to breathe and think.
Managing the constant decisions and responsibilities of a business can be heavy. For a long time, I believed that if I didn’t do it myself, it wouldn’t be done right. But over time, I learned that doing everything alone doesn’t build strength; it drains it. Allowing others to help is an extension of trust, not weakness.
Having my personal assistant for the past two and a half years has been a turning point, and now, with a second assistant, I’ve realised how much it helps to free my mind for what I do best, to create. Delegating the things I don’t need to do allows me to focus on design, fragrance, my art and vision, the parts that truly move the business forward.
It also took time to accept that things don’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. Perfection used to feel like pressure; now I see beauty in progress. When you lead with compassion, both for yourself and for others, everything flows more naturally. I no longer expect myself to do everything. I’ve learned to build trust in my team, to allow space for mistakes, and to see them as part of learning, not as failure.
There’s peace in knowing that I don’t have to do everything. Some things will go differently than planned, and that’s alright. I’ve learned to breathe through it, to remind myself that I’m doing my best.
To me, that’s what self-compassion truly is: giving yourself permission to rest, to learn, to release the need for perfection, and to trust that even in stillness, you’re still moving forward.
The Right Mindset for Growth
I try to keep my mental health as steady as possible. With everything I’ve shared, I’ve become very aware of how my mind and emotions respond to the constant rhythm of work and life.
However, in 2022, something happened that unsettled the balance I had been carefully building, setting in motion a series of events that carried into the following years. Then, in 2023, something far more severe, what those in my inner and outer circles described as horrific, occurred, an experience that, through no fault of my own, left me living with post-traumatic stress disorder. It wasn’t just the events themselves, but also the way they were handled, the ongoing imbalance I’ve experienced, and continue to experience, along with the lack of closure, that has made it an enduring part of my life.
Through it all, I began to realise how much of my life I had lived in innocence, perhaps even in naivety, and how deeply that reflects the imbalance within our society. To this day, I live with flashbacks. moments that appear without warning, reminding me of what I’ve been through. In those moments, I could have shouted and screamed, and at times, my body still reacts to the weight of it all. Yet I always return to the gentle side. I’ve chosen to tend to my mental health with softness and nurturing moments, learning to calm my body and meet myself with compassion.
Specialists who are working with me have said that, considering what I’ve been through and continue to go through without closure, I’m doing remarkably well, with all that I do and continue to build. Still, it’s something I have to live and work with throughout my life.
I choose optimism, not because life has been easy, but because I’ve learned that the way you see things shapes how you move through them. Healing, for me, means understanding, accepting, and continuing with grace. Each day, I try to become a little better than I was yesterday, not out of pressure to achieve, but out of purpose to grow.
Growth doesn’t always happen in leaps; sometimes it happens in small, steady steps. I follow the quiet philosophy of Kaizen, continuous improvement. It’s about refining yourself through small, intentional actions every day.
Learning has always been a central part of my life. I listen to audibles and lectures, always seeking knowledge, history, ideas, and stories of how people evolved and what we can learn from the past. Knowledge brings me joy; it gives depth to how I see the world and approach each day. I also love looking forward, forecasting what’s to come, and imagining how life might unfold. It feels like planting a seed and tending to it with care, giving it the right conditions to grow strong roots before it blooms. That’s how I see growth, too: staying present while nurturing the future.
Even in my later years, I hope to still be learning, evolving, and living with grace. I apply this thinking to everything, my work, my healing, my home, and my relationships, because even the simplest acts can become meaningful when approached with care and flow.
This mindset also taught me not to compare. I’ve never measured myself against others, not as a person and not as a business. We each have our own path, our own rhythm, and our own story to tell. Growing up being treated differently perhaps gave me quiet strength; it taught me early that I wasn’t meant to blend in, and that’s where my individuality began to bloom. In business, I’ve seen how easily comparison can creep in, people wanting what you have without seeing the work behind it. But comparison, I’ve learned, is an ego trap. It distracts from what truly matters: gratitude, growth, and purpose.
What’s yours is yours, and what’s mine is mine. No one else walks your exact path. I don’t feel pressured to prove myself; I simply feel the responsibility to show up, for my family, my team, my friends, even strangers, and for those who might find hope in my story. My business began as a space for creativity, but it has grown into something deeper, a reflection of purpose, resilience, and quiet strength.
True peace, I’ve realised, comes from knowing that my pace, my rhythm, and my journey are mine to live. Happiness and mindfulness are woven into my everyday, and that’s where real success begins. When I look back, I can see how everything connects, the struggles, the detours, and the quiet triumphs, each one shaping and refining me into who I am today.
For me, the right mindset for growth is built on awareness, learning, gratitude, and purpose. It’s knowing that progress matters more than perfection. It’s living with gentleness and intention, finding meaning in the small victories, and continuing to evolve, one calm, conscious step at a time.
Redefining Success and Living with Presence
I’ve learned that protecting your mental health doesn’t mean turning away from the things that matter most, but finding harmony within them.
To me, success is no longer defined by how much I achieve, but by how peacefully I can create, how calmly I can lead, and how kindly I can treat myself in the process. It’s quiet and unhurried, waking up with a clear mind, walking through nature without rush, and ending the day with gratitude.
And as I learn to live that way, I find that calmness extends beyond me. When I see the same sense of balance reflected in my team, my family, and the people around me, that’s when I know I’m doing something right.
That sense of balance has also taught me something deeper: that life flows best when there’s room for both work and rest, stillness and movement. Every challenge, every pause, and even every moment of exhaustion has its place; they all shape who we become. Protecting your mental health means embracing that rhythm with gentleness.
To anyone feeling stretched or burnt out, I would say this: take a step back. Breathe. Build your own rhythm and create your own recovery rituals, whatever helps you feel grounded again. Balance isn’t a fixed formula; it’s deeply personal. You have to find your own flow. your own way of being that keeps you both grounded and inspired. And I have found mine. Be your own psychologist; know yourself deeply enough to understand what you need to recover, to rest, and to rise again. Healing is doing what truly matters with peace and purpose.
And if I could speak to my younger self, I would tell her this: one day you’ll understand that peace is not something you chase, but something you create within. Your journey will be beautiful, even when it feels uncertain. Be patient with yourself. Learn to rest without guilt and to trust that you are already enough.
Remember, you are allowed to slow down. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to protect your peace while still pursuing your dreams. When you truly know yourself, you’ll realise calm isn’t the absence of movement, it’s the presence of strength. And that, I believe, is where real success begins.
