Arvind and Kavita worked in the same organization and were admired across teams for their consistent excellence.
Arvind, fondly known as Mr. Dependable, had a gift for solving problems calmly under pressure. Kavita, meanwhile, was celebrated for her ability to juggle multiple roles with poise — colleague, mother, wife, daughter-in-law — and still deliver outstanding results.
On the surface, they embodied balance and strength. But behind their professional brilliance, both carried invisible weights — stress, expectations, and unspoken fatigue.

Arvind’s father had been hospitalized for over a month. Between hospital visits, family responsibilities, and deadlines, he didn’t take a single day off. “I’m fine,” he said, every time someone asked.

Kavita’s days began before sunrise and stretched late into the night. She strived for perfection in every role, often sacrificing rest or self-care. Even on weekends, she never paused. Every Monday, she showed up at her desk smiling, saying the same words: “I’m fine.”
But neither of them truly were.

Arvind was silently wrestling with exhaustion and anticipatory grief. Kavita, with relentless emotional labor and burnout. Yet both carried on — because asking for help didn’t come naturally.
Until one day, things broke the surface.

Arvind snapped at a teammate over a minor error — a rare outburst from someone known for composure. The room fell silent until a colleague softly asked, “Are you okay?” For the first time, Arvind exhaled — and allowed himself to be vulnerable.
A week later, Kavita fainted at work. During her check-up, the doctor asked gently, “When was the last time you sat quietly, just for yourself?” She couldn’t recall.

Those moments became wake-up calls — not just for them, but for their teams and the organization.
In response, the company introduced confidential counselling sessions, mental wellness days, and flexible work arrangements — not as perks, but as pillars of support. Because well-being isn’t a benefit; it’s a necessity.
Over time, both Arvind and Kavita healed — and learned to drop the mask of “I’m fine.” That single change transformed how they led, worked, and lived.
And that made all the difference.