Aishwarya Cobb

From growing up in India dreaming of freedom to building a life of purpose in the U.S., this is my story — a journey of courage, self-discovery, and becoming who I was meant to be.

The Beginning

I grew up in India – a country that’s endlessly colorful, noisy, beautiful, and complicated. Life revolved around family, food, and tradition. My childhood looked like most others around me: school, expectations, endless exams, and a constant reminder to make my parents proud.

Academics were everything. The rest of who you were – your opinions, your creativity, your curiosity – didn’t count for much. I learned early that being a “good girl” meant keeping your head down and doing what was expected. Don’t talk back. Don’t ask questions. Do as you are told.

But even as a kid, something inside me resisted that. I hated how fear was used as control – how love often came with conditions. I wanted to be trusted, to be free to fail and figure things out. I didn’t want to be someone’s idea of a perfect daughter. I wanted to be me.

It didn’t take me long to understand that if I wanted any kind of freedom – the freedom to choose my friends, to follow my interests, to have my own opinions – I’d probably have to leave. That realization broke my heart a little, but it also lit a fire in me.

I say this with love – I adore my family. I simply don’t agree with the style of parenting that’s often passed off as “tradition” in Indian homes. Too many of us grow up with unspoken wounds because of it. I think we’re finally starting to talk about that – and that’s a good thing.

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The Leap

In 2016, after years of pleading and planning, I finally did it. I got on a plane to the U.S. with four suitcases, a head full of dreams, and absolutely no idea what was coming next.

It was exciting and terrifying all at once. I cried on that flight more than I’ll ever admit.

And then I landed – and everything was new. The people, the weather, the silence, even the air felt different – it was definitely cleaner.

The first real culture shock? Portion sizes. On my very first night, a friend brought over a pizza so big it barely fit through the door. I remember staring at it and laughing because somehow, that’s when it hit me – I was really far from home.

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Journey Through College

I started out majoring in Aerospace Engineering – partly because I have always loved astronomy and thought it would be the closest degree to that, and mostly because it was one of the few programs my father would approve of for studying abroad.

But the truth is, I was miserable.
I didn’t enjoy it, I wasn’t doing well, and without the constant pressure from home, I had no idea how to motivate myself. I stopped going to class. My grades dropped. I felt lost, scared, and guilty. I’d worked so hard to get here, and now I was failing.

You might ask, “Why didn’t you change your major?”
I wanted to – desperately. But I felt like it would be a betrayal. My father had helped me move to the States, and I didn’t want to let him down. I was terrified of his response. So, I stayed stuck.

And then I met a friend who helped me see things differently.

He was kind and positive and saw something in me that I’d forgotten – potential. He reminded me that it was okay to change my major – that staying stuck wasn’t helping anyone. That while I should be grateful to my parents and love them unconditionally, I also had a responsibility to myself – to succeed, to grow, to live.

He encouraged me to talk to my family and tell them the truth – so I did. It was hard, but I changed my major to Public Relations, and suddenly, everything clicked. I was thriving, learning, creating, and finally, breathing.

It was my first experience of failing at something, tweaking the process, and eventually succeeding. That, to me, is what growth looks like.

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Finding My People

As time went on, I started to find my people – friends who became family, people who believed in me and who made me feel at home.

That guy who encouraged me back then? He became my best friend. And eventually, my husband.

We got married soon after, and it was another storm to navigate. He’s American and Christian. I come from a Hindu family that believes in arranged marriage. You can imagine how that went.

There were tears, arguments, long silences – but also faith. I had to hold on to what I knew was right for me. Around that same time, I became a Christ follower myself, something that completely changed how I saw the world.

It took time, but they came around. They saw who he was – kind, loving, and full of integrity. Now they love him deeply. It’s funny how life works, even through the hard parts, when you don’t give up on people.

Today, we’ve built a life that blends both our worlds – Indian and American, traditional and modern, faith and freedom. It’s imperfect and evolving, but it’s ours.

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Becoming Me

Somewhere in all of that – the moves, the heartaches, the rebuilding – I found my voice.

It wasn’t a single moment, but a collection of small ones: saying no for the first time, standing up for myself, failing publicly, and realizing I’d survive. I learned that courage doesn’t always feel like bravery. Sometimes, it just feels like doing the next right thing even when you’re scared.

That fire I had as a kid? It’s still there – but it’s calmer now. Focused. It’s no longer about fighting against something, but for something: peace, purpose, and joy.

This blog is an extension of that journey. It’s a place for me to share what I’ve learned – about growth, identity, creativity, and learning to live with intention. Because we’re all figuring it out, one chapter at a time.

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A Note to You

If you’ve ever felt like you’re standing between two worlds – between who you were told to be and who you actually are – this space is for you.

I don’t have all the answers. But I’ve learned that life gets a lot lighter when you stop pretending and start being honest about what you want.

Here’s to becoming 🌿

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