The Indian Weekender 2 June 2023

4
NEW ZEALAND
Sip, stroke
and savour
Friday, 02 June, 2023
Read online www.iwk.co.nz
NAVDEEP KAUR MARWAH
An event in Auckland this week
was all about encouraging and
empowering women to develop and
adopt a hobby or creative activity for their
mental and emotional health.
The event ‘Paint and Wine Night’
organised by Midlife Madness on May 27,
2023, received an overwhelming response,
with participants expressing a sense of
fulfillment and accomplishment.
The evening saw women from various
walks of life gathered to unleash their
creativity and make their masterpiece.
Many of them were astounded by
their hidden creativity they discovered
at the event. As the evening progressed
at The Waypoint in East Tamaki, a feeling
of relaxation and rejuvenation swept
over the attendees.
Some even mentioned feeling
transported back to their childhood,
recalling a sense of innocence and joy.
Ranjita Sandhu founded Midlife Madness
as a Facebook group that aims to empower
women and focuses on their holistic
development and well-being.
“Developing a hobby is vital to
destress and give yourself an
energy boost because a hobby
can also reduce feelings of
anxiety and depression. It can
help us express or manage
our emotions positively and
productively. So, develop a
hobby, invest in yourself and
nourish your soul.” - Ranjita
Sandhu
and give yourself an energy boost because
a hobby can also reduce feelings of anxiety
and depression.
It can help us express or manage our
emotions positively and productively. So,
develop a hobby, invest in yourself and
nourish your soul.”
The participants, too, shared their
appreciation for the event and expressed
their newfound interest in exploring
hobbies to destress, being creative and
finding happiness.
One of the participants, Harpreet Kaur,
said, “I have never seen such an event
organised in the Indian community before.
It was a very different and thoughtful
concept. I enjoyed it thoroughly.”
Capturing the event’s significance,
another attendee, Manisha Manmauji,
highlighted the newfound sense
of creativity and happiness the
evening had unveiled.
Another attendee Nidhi Bhasin said, “A
beautiful evening spent with some amazing
friends. Such a beautiful event, very well
organised. I couldn’t have enjoyed more.”
The event’s impact resonated with
Payal Gupta, who described the evening
as insightful and fun, appreciating the
guidance on developing a fulfilling hobby.
Through this event, Midlife Madness
has introduced its new segment, the
‘Hobby Series’, specifically tailored
for the community.
The series encourages and empowers
women to learn and adopt new hobbies
for their mental and emotional well-being.
The positive impact of having a
hobby on mental health is significant,
and Midlife Madness aims to provide
a platform for women to explore and
cultivate their passions.
Regarding the event’s success, Ranjita
told The Indian Weekender, “It was a very
different and unique experience for the
women of Indian ethnicity.
They all participated in such an activity
for the first time.
The happiness and fulfillment I saw
in every woman at the end of the
event was priceless.
They all took so many photos of
themselves with their masterpiece as they
could not believe their own eyes. I am so
pleased that I hosted this event that made
every woman proud. I want to thank my
entire team, especially Damandeep Kaur,
for supporting me.”
Ranjita wants to encourage women to
develop a hobby before it is too late.
“Developing a hobby is vital to destress