Wedding planning is supposed to be joyful, but anyone who’s lived it knows it can also be overwhelming, emotional, and downright exhausting. Ishana gets into a conversation with two close friends, Rachel and Charlotte, who have already survived the wedding planning journey. From navigating cultural traditions and destination logistics to managing budgets, family expectations, and guest list drama, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to plan a wedding without losing yourself in the process. Whether you’re newly engaged, deep in planning mode, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes reality, this episode offers honest insights, practical lessons, and reassuring reminders that you’re not alone, and that it’s all worth it in the end.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Wedding planning realities

(03:00) - Cultural wedding decisions

(06:00) - Choosing wedding locations

(09:00) - Destination wedding logistics

(12:00) - Guest travel considerations

(15:00) - Picking wedding dates

(18:00) - Religious ceremony planning

(21:00) - Budget versus dream wedding

(24:00) - Vendor cost surprises

(27:00) - Food decor priorities

(30:00) - Guest list boundaries

(33:00) - Family expectations dynamics

(36:00) - Wedding planning stressors

(39:00) - What went wrong moments

(42:00) - Support systems advice

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, Wedding planning stress, destination wedding advice, managing wedding budgets, guest list boundaries, cultural wedding traditions

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Mona and Minali have a deeply honest and insightful conversation with Amy Van Dorp, Executive Director of WithIt. They explore the reality of caregiving, motherhood, and career decisions through the lived experience of Amy. From navigating multiple careers to raising three children, one with special needs, Amy shares what balance really looks like behind the scenes. This conversation dives into working motherhood, financial trade-offs, mom guilt, special needs advocacy, and the power of building strong support systems. With wisdom, vulnerability, and encouragement for new and seasoned parents alike, this episode reframes success, leadership, and self-care through the lens of caregiving. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to “do it all,” this episode will remind you that grace, not perfection, is the real goal.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) – Why “balance” is a myth for working parents

(03:00) – Freelancing, childcare costs, and early career tradeoffs

(04:00) – Navigating special needs diagnoses and caregiving logistics

(09:00) – Social pressure, grief, and redefining success as a parent

(11:00) – Mom guilt, resilience, and giving kids individual attention

(13:00) – Self-care, support systems, and asking for help

(14:30) – Advice to younger parents: give yourself grace

(16:00) – Resources, employment programs, and advocacy for special needs adults

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, Caregiving and Career Decisions, Working Motherhood, Special Needs Parenting, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), Women in Leadership, Mentorship for Women, WITHIT Organization, Freelancing as a Parent, Childcare Cost Tradeoffs, Mom Guilt, Parental Resilience, Servant Leadership, Self-Care for Caregivers, Parenting Through Life Stages, Support Systems for Families, Special Needs Resources, Project Search Program, Advocacy for Special Needs Adults, Leadership Lessons from Caregiving

Mentions:

Amy’s Website: https://withit.org/

Amy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyvandorp

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Email us at connect@threetakes.com

Start a conversation at https://threetakes.com/

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Mona, Minali and Ishana go deep into why rest feels so difficult, even when we desperately crave it. They unpack the guilt, pressure, and cultural conditioning that make slowing down feel like a luxury rather than a necessity. Through honest stories across three generations, they explore how productivity culture, comparison, and the fear of stillness shape our relationship with rest. You'll hear insights from Sandra Dalton-Smith’s seven types of rest, learn how play can be restorative, and reflect on the subtle ways burnout shows up in women’s lives. This episode challenges the myth that rest is laziness and instead reframes it as a vital, multidimensional form of self-preservation. By the end, you’ll feel empowered to rethink what rest looks like, and what it could look like for you.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Defining Generational Rest Attitudes

(06:00) - Seven Types Of Rest

(09:00) - Creative And Spiritual Rejuvenation

(12:00) - Confronting Stillness And Thoughts

(15:00) - Burnout Pressures On Women

(18:00) - Sensory Awareness During Downtime

(21:00) - Residency Struggles With Rest

(24:00) - Redefining Productivity Through Rest

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, rest guilt, women and burnout, seven types of rest, productivity culture, mental and emotional rest

Mentions:

Sacred Rest by Saundra Dalton- Smith, MD

More of Three Takes:

Email us at connect@threetakes.com

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Mona, Minali and Ishana dive deep into the real reason resolutions rarely stick, and what you can actually do to create lasting change. Through honest stories, generational perspectives, and plenty of humor, they unpack the difference between New Year resolutions, goals, and habits, and why reflection must come before ambition. You’ll hear personal examples of failed resolutions, the psychology behind habit-building, and the practical strategies that finally helped each of them make meaningful progress. Whether you want to reset your fitness routine, build healthier boundaries, or simply start the year with more intention, this conversation gives you the mindset and tools to make 2026 your most sustainable year yet.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Goals Versus Resolutions

(06:00) - Why Resolutions Fail

(09:00) - Why Habits Shape Success

(12:00) - Realistic Goal Setting

(15:00) - Lifestyle-Aligned Choices

(18:00) - Intentional 30-Day Challenge

(21:00) - Why Accountability Drives Action

(24:00) - Prioritizing Personal Goals

(27:00) - Building Better Habits

(30:00) - Sustainable Fitness Planning

(33:00) - Resolutions With Depth

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, New Year resolutions, habit-building strategies, goal-setting tips, making resolutions stick, personal growth podcast

Mentions:

3 Reasons New Years Resolutions Fail: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2019/12/21/the-top-3-reasons-new-years-resolutions-fail-and-how-yours-can-succeed/

More of Three Takes:

Email us at connect@threetakes.com

Start a conversation at https://threetakes.com/

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Ishana, Mona, and Minali unpack the ever-present force of comparison culture. How it shapes our confidence, affects our mental health, and influences how we see ourselves in a hyperconnected world. From the psychology of upward and downward comparisons to personal stories about social media, motherhood, and generational perspectives, the conversation dives deep into both the dangers and the growth that comparison can bring. With practical insights on gratitude, mindset shifts, and boundary setting, this episode helps listeners learn how to stop running someone else’s race, and start celebrating their own.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Psychology of comparison

(05:00) - Digital age challenges

(09:00) - Life stages and comparison

(12:00) - Tackling comparison culture

(14:00) - Gratitude and mindset shifts

(16:00) - Social media boundaries

(22:00) - Family and sibling comparisons

(24:00) - Turning comparison into inspiration

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, comparison culture, social media and confidence, overcoming self-comparison, mindset and gratitude, mental health awareness

Links:

How Social Comparison Theory Influences Our Views on Ourselves: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-social-comparison-process-2795872

The Stress of Social Comparison and How to Limit Comparing Yourself to Others:

https://www.verywellmind.com/the-stress-of-social-comparison-4154076

More of Three Takes:

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Mona, Ishana, and Minali open up about their personal journeys with therapy, breaking generational taboos and redefining what mental health support means across time. From college anxiety and professional burnout to pregnancy fears and self-discovery, they explore how therapy can be both transformative and grounding. Together, they discuss cultural stigmas, the evolution of emotional openness, and the many forms therapy can take, formal or not. Through laughter, vulnerability, and love, they remind us that seeking help isn’t weakness, it’s growth, courage, and self-care in action.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Learning To Manage Anxiety

(05:00) - Redefining Therapy Meaning

(07:00) - Shared Exercises And Lessons

(09:00) - Coping Through Life Changes

(12:00) - Embracing Uncertainty Mindfully

(16:00) - Power Of Thought Awareness

(18:00) - Therapy Beyond The Stigma

(22:00) - Family And Emotional Support

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, therapy for mental health, breaking generational taboos, cognitive behavioral therapy, anxiety and self awareness, emotional healing and growth

Links:

The American Psychological Association’s Stress in America report found that about 22 percent of Boomers say they’ve ever received therapy, compared to 35 percent of Millennials and 37 percent of Gen Z. (Source: APA — Stress in America™: Generation Z, 2018): https://www.pacificoaks.edu/voices/blog/gen-z-view-on-mental-health/

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Minali shares her journey of expecting twins while navigating work, personal growth, and family support. With candid reflections from Mona and Ishana, the conversation explores balancing career demands with physical changes, the pressure women place on themselves, and the importance of empathy and community. It’s an open, empowering dialogue about resilience, asking for help, and redefining strength during one of life’s most transformative phases, pregnancy.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Pregnancy Announcement…It’s Twins

(02:00) - Balancing Work And Pregnancy

(04:00) - Pressure And Overcompensation

(07:00) - Guilt Versus Flexibility

(09:00) - Trimester Challenges Explained

(11:00) - Mentorship And Support Systems

(13:00) - Rights And Asking for Help

(17:00) - Domestic Work Importance

(19:00) - Career Impact Of Pregnancy

(25:00) - Normalizing Pregnancy At Work

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, pregnancy and career balance, working while pregnant, twin pregnancy journey, pregnant workers' rights, motherhood and workplace support

More of Three Takes:

Email us at connect@threetakes.com

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Mona, Minali and Ishana dive into the messy, yet vital world of feedback: why it feels so personal, why so many leaders struggle with it, and how we can make it simpler and more impactful. From outdated methods like the “feedback sandwich” to powerful frameworks like the SBI and CABI models, we explore practical ways to give and receive feedback that is honest, caring, and growth-driven. Whether you’re a manager, a colleague, or just navigating feedback in daily life, this conversation offers clear tools and real-life examples to help you approach feedback with confidence and empathy.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Why Feedback Feels Hard

(04:00) - Vague Feedback Challenges

(07:00) - SBI Feedback Model Explained

(11:00) - Reframing Tricky Feedback

(15:00) - Timing and Environment

(18:00) - Quick Versus Formal Feedback

(22:00) - Awkward but Necessary Feedback

Key Topics Discussed:

Three Takes, Ishana Nigam, Minali Nigam, Mona Nigam, generational advice, effective feedback strategies, SBI feedback model, constructive criticism tips, workplace communication skills, leadership and feedback tools

More of Three Takes:

Email us at connect@threetakes.com

Start a conversation at https://threetakes.com/

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