In a recent interview, Matthew McConaughey shared transformative lessons from his childhood that influence his parenting style today. He emphasized that saying ‘I can’t’ is not an option, prioritizing effort over outcomes, and instilling a no-tolerance policy for harsh language, like the word ‘hate.’ He also considers dishonesty a serious infraction.

Matthew McConaughey once opened up about his childhood in an interview with The Diary of a CEO. He shared three moments when he got into serious trouble at home. Each moment carried a lesson that stayed with him for life. Those lessons now shape how he parents his own children, quietly but firmly.

“I can’t” was never accepted

As a child, saying “I can’t” triggered instant correction at home. His father believed the phrase closed doors before trying. When the lawnmower would not start, help was given, but the words were corrected. The lesson was clear: trouble is allowed, giving up is not.

Effort mattered more than results

The lawnmower story was not about fixing a machine. It was about learning to stay with a problem. His father showed that asking for help is fine, but quitting is not. That idea still guides how Matthew encourages his kids to face challenges.

The word “hate” stopped everything

At nine, he used the word “hate” at his own birthday party. His mother stopped the entire celebration on the spot. Forty kids waited while she made it clear that such words hurt deeply. The message landed hard and stayed forever.

Words were treated as powerful tools

That moment taught him that words carry weight and consequences. Anger was allowed, but careless language was not. Today, he teaches his children to pause before speaking. Respect at home comes before any celebration.

Lying was the biggest mistake

Lying was never tolerated in the McConaughey household. Telling the truth took courage, especially with two older brothers around. But honesty always led to relief and trust. That balance shaped his sense of self-respect.

What he now passes on as a parent

Matthew McConaughey teaches his kids three simple values. Do not say “can’t” too quickly. Do not use words meant to hurt. Always tell the truth, even when it is uncomfortable. These lessons are firm, but rooted in love.Disclaimer: This article is based on Matthew McConaughey’s statements shared publicly during The Diary of a CEO interview. It reflects his personal experiences and interpretations of parenting, which may differ across families and cultures.

How to make urad dal pinni at home: The winter sweet Punjabis swear by (Image Source: AI- Generated)

One dish that is an epitome of winter delicacies and is now considered comfort food and a nutritional package is urad dal pinnis. These are very common in Punjabi cuisine and especially prepared in winter to bring warmth and energise both body and soul. Making urad dal pinnis is very simple, and as the dish is prepared, one will realise how these goodies are packed with maximum nutrition and flavours due to the slow roasting involved in preparation. What makes these delightful bites unique is not only their scrumptious flavour and delight, but the dedication and preparation involved in making these tasty bites healthy and delicious. Known to have been prepared during traditional times to be given to young mothers and young kids to give them an energy boost during winter times, urad dal pinnis is now making its own revival as more and more people are turning towards eating healthy to enjoy winter delicacies, home-prepared snacks and packaged sweets available in the market!

Recipe for urad dal pinni

You can follow this easy recipe this winter and make that perfect urad dal pinni: Ingredients

Steps for making urad dal pinni

Dry roast urad dal, but not too dry, till it emits an aroma. Let it cool completely, and grind it into a fine powder. It gives a nice nutty flavour and texture to pinnis.Heat ghee in a heavy-bottom pan and add urad dal flour, and roast in a low flame, stirring continuously. The roasting of dal flour is a crucial step in this recipe, as roasting in a low flame evaporates excess moisture, adds aroma, and removes bitterness from dal, turning it golden in colour.

Edible gum: To be used if available. Fried separately in a little ghee until it puffs up, crush a little, and then set aside. This will give an extra warm crunch.Add the chopped nuts, crushed gond, and cardamom powder. Mix well so that everything is well combined.Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool for a little while. Then add powdered jaggery and mix well. This way, jaggery does not dissolve, and the consistency remains smooth.While the mixture is still warm, take small portions of the mixture to shape round pinnis with the help of your palms.

Best way to have urad dal pinni

The best time to eat urad dal pinnis is in the morning with a glass of warm milk or as a mid-day snack in winter. Pinni releases energy slowly, keeps the body warm, and is very good for giving strength and stamina on cold days. Thanks to urad dal and ghee, pinnis are rich in healthy fats, protein, and iron, making them especially beneficial in winter diets when the body needs extra nourishment.

Storage tip for urad dal pinnis

Pinnis can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. They stay fresh for up to 2–3 weeks and taste even better as flavours settle.

Beginning March, snow usually starts melting around Tawang, thereby allowing more accessibility, but with the snow draped visuals. High-altitude monasteries, mountain passes, and lakes are particularly beautiful at this time of year in the region. As we travel before high summer, there will be less crowds and the views out there of the surrounding mountains would be clearer.

On December 13,1946 Jawaharlal Nehru enunciated the defining vision of what the soon-to-be sovereign country should look like: there was no place for a free India except as a republic. In the next three years, the Indian Constitution was framed, believed to be world’s longest that details out the political, legal and social structures of India. India became a sovereign democratic republic when the Constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950.

This year, President Droupadi Murmu unfurled the Tricolour at Kartavya Path, marking the commencement of the 77th Republic Day celebrations.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial near India Gate. He was joined by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan, Chief of Army Staff Upendra Dwivedi, and others. The ceremony was attended by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and António Luís Santos da Costa, President of the European Council, who are the chief guests for this year’s celebrations.
This year, 30 tableaux – 17 of the States/ Union Territories and nine from various Ministries/Departments/Services are marching down the Rajpath with a general theme ‘Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram’ and ‘Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
Here, we take a look at 5 countries that celebrate their Republic Day:

Mopping floors is a task that not many people can avoid, but what if it could actually be quite invigorating and have that freshly clean smell attached to it? It is sad to say that it is not uncommon for people to thoroughly wash and mop their floors, only to find that they can still detect a stinky and dull finish lurking in the corner or in every corner that they turn to look. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. It is always possible to turn and tune up that basic mop water into a floor-cleaning superhero sensation by just adding a few key ingredients that have nothing but completely natural properties and are even found or derived from common household items that you may have lying around!

7 Things to add to your mop water to make the floors cleaner

A simple change to your mop water can make a big difference in how clean and fresh your floors feel. Here are seven things that you can mix into mop water:White vinegar has been a cleaning legend due to its versatile uses extending far beyond its ability to cut through grime. Its slightly acidic pH ensures it can effectively dissolve dirt and residue left behind by foot traffic. Mix it into your water when mopping, and it can effectively dissolve sticky residue for cleaner floors without lingering chemical odours. If you have concerns over its strong smell, blending it with essential oils should correct any odours.

Lemon juice naturally freshens and aromatises any room with its invigorating scent. The acidity of lemon juice has been shown to have the same effects on grease and smells as vinegar. Simply mix some lemon juice with water in your mop bucket to freshen your floors to a clean, fresh smell. Another benefit of this natural cleaning ingredient is its ability to give a shining appearance to hard surfaces.

If you want a quick, fresher fragrance in your home, you can resort to essential oils. Some of the best ones you can try include lavender oils, tea tree oils, eucalyptus oils, and orange oils. Not only do they dispense a great fragrance to your mopping liquid, but they also impart a mild antiseptic quality to it. All you need to do is mix a few drops of your desired oils in a gallon of mopping liquid and get mopping!Baking soda is most recognised for its deodorising properties. By incorporating it with the water used for mopping, it is effective at eliminating various smells because it doesn’t merely disguise odour but eliminates it too. Another great property of baking soda is that it is mildly abrasive and thus useful for lifting dirt, too, and it is safe on most types of floors.Use a little mild dish soap. This is quite helpful if mixed properly with water for mopping. It ensures the removal of grease and other dirt that may not be completely removed by water. Just add a little water and make it sudsy but not foamy. If it becomes too slippery, it may not be clean. This will be very helpful before cleaning thoroughly.

Ready-to-use, rinse-free floor cleaners can be purchased off the shelf to dissolve away dirt without any need for scrubbing or rinsing. In your mopping bucket, these cleaner additives can enhance your water’s cleaning ability and also leave a fresh, scented finish. Simply follow usage directions for dilution, opting for fragrance-free chemicals for sensitive noses or households where pets and kids are present.

This may sound strange, but brewed green tea can be a pleasant addition to your mop water. The scent of the brewed green tea is not overwhelming but quite refreshing. It also has abilities that help break down light dust and eliminate unpleasant odours. Adding steeped tea to your mop water will be a great, eco-friendly alternative. This is not just a great way to revive your floors, but also makes your home smell light and calm.

Can you use vinegar and baking soda together in mop water

Some people may be wondering whether mixing two household favourites that are always used to clean floors, vinegar and baking soda, together could give their floors a boost in cleanliness. The thing is, vinegar and baking soda are great cleaners on their own, but if they are properly mixed, they may as well be poured down the drain because they won’t be that effective anymore, since they can create a harmless chemical reaction that eliminates their ability to clean properly. For instance, baking soda should be applied to floor areas that are hard to clean, and then vinegar can be used to clean it up properly by mixing it with water.

She lives with him, laughs with him, goes through the motions of life together. Friends think they’re happy. Family thinks they’re happy.And yet, some nights, when the lights are out, she feels it. The quiet distance. The emptiness that no conversation, no dinner, no weekend trip can fill. He feels it too, though neither knows how to fix it.It’s a silent epidemic. Millions of people in long-term relationships or marriages look fine on the outside but still feel unseen, incomplete, or quietly lonely.

We are raised to believe a simple story: find someone, and your life will feel complete. Love will heal you. But what happens when it doesn’t?We talked to Dr. Chandni Tugnait, a psychotherapist, life coach, and relationship expert, about why this happens. She explains, “There is a quiet belief many people carry into relationships. Once you are with someone, especially in a committed or long-term way, a certain emotional emptiness will finally disappear. Loneliness will soften. Insecurity will calm down. Life will feel fuller.”

“When that does not happen, confusion sets in. People start wondering what is wrong with them or with the relationship. The truth is that being in a relationship does not mean you will start feeling emotionally fulfilled,” she adds.

Why love can’t fill what you haven’t healed

It’s human to hope that love will soothe insecurities, calm restlessness, and fill voids. But as Dr. Tugnait explains:“A partner can offer love, care, and support, but they cannot regulate your emotions for you or heal wounds that were formed long before they entered your life. When a relationship is expected to constantly reassure, stabilize, or complete someone, it slowly becomes heavy rather than nourishing.”This pressure can make love feel like a burden. Reassurance may help briefly, but the emptiness persists if the work is not done internally. Emotional gaps quietly travel from one relationship to the next unless addressed.

Unspoken needs silently erode connection

Another reason fulfillment is missing is that many emotional needs are never expressed. People assume love comes with mind-reading, that partners will know what hurts, what helps, and what’s needed.

“Emotional needs often remain unspoken,” says Dr. Tugnait. “When this does not happen, disappointment builds quietly. Over time, people feel unseen even though they never clearly expressed what they needed to feel seen.”The result is distance. Not because love isn’t there, but because communication is incomplete and desires go unheard.

Old patterns replayed

Some emotional discomfort isn’t new. Many adults unconsciously recreate patterns from childhood. Emotional distance, unpredictability, or even chaos can feel normal or exciting while blocking fulfillment.“Many relationships repeat familiar emotional patterns,” Dr. Tugnait notes. “What feels intense or magnetic is not always healthy. When relationships mirror early emotional experiences, they can feel powerful but still deeply unfulfilling.”

Intensity can mask the absence of emotional safety. Without safety, closeness remains surface-level, leaving partners empty even when they’re together.

Together but still alone

Being physically close, sharing routines, or even loving deeply doesn’t guarantee emotional fulfillment. What matters is safety: the ability to be honest, vulnerable, and emotionally real.“You can be with someone every day and still feel emotionally alone,” Dr. Tugnait says. “Fulfillment depends on safety, not just presence. Without safety, people stay guarded. The connection stays surface-level.”In today’s world, love comes with social media gloss, Instagram-perfect couples, and a constant pressure to appear connected. But intimacy isn’t about appearances. It’s about being seen – really seen – and feeling safe in that truth.

The modern love dilemma

Urban love is often painted as effortless, yet it is not. We scroll through feeds of happy couples and assume that if love exists, fulfillment will automatically follow. But many couples, even after years together, struggle with the quiet ache of unmet needs, unspoken expectations, and emotional disconnection.The paradox is stark: you can be fully immersed in someone else’s world and still feel like a stranger in your own.

Fulfilment starts from within

Here’s the empowering truth: recognizing that love can’t complete you doesn’t make relationships less meaningful. In fact, it opens the door to extraordinary love – the kind that enhances your life rather than being your lifeline.

Being emotionally whole alone allows a relationship to magnify joy, growth, and connection, instead of masking pain or filling emptiness.“When two people are willing to show up with awareness, honesty, and responsibility for their own inner worlds… togetherness can feel deeply nourishing rather than empty,” says Dr. Tugnait.This is not just theory. Consider a couple who has learned to communicate openly, manage their expectations, and respect each other’s emotional space. They laugh harder, fight less destructively, and feel safer being themselves. Love amplifies the life they already built individually.

The hard truth

Love is deeply human. It can be grounding, transformative, and healing. But it is not a cure-all. Expecting a partner to fill inner emptiness only leads to quiet disappointment.Togetherness alone does not create fulfillment. Emotional wholeness starts within, through reflection, honesty, and responsibility.Love does not complete us. It reflects us. When partners look inward as well as at each other, relationships stop feeling empty and start feeling real.Images: Canva/Canva AI (for representative purposes only)

A Bengaluru woman claims a beauty clinic, advertised on Instagram, ruined her skin after she purchased products for ₹17,000. She experienced severe itching and burning, and alleges the clinic staff refused to help or offer a refund. The police have registered an FIR and are investigating the clinic for misleading practices.

A Bengaluru woman says a beauty clinic she found on Instagram ruined her skin, and now she’s taken the matter to the police.The 27-year-old, who teaches at a private college, told officers that she first stumbled upon a series of Instagram reels promising “guaranteed” fixes for acne, pigmentation and tanning. The videos came from an account called charming_chaithanya, which markets itself as a professional skincare page and has around 70,000 followers.Curious and hopeful, she decided to give it a try.On October 7, 2025, she visited Glow Up Beauty Care Clinic in Nagarabhavi. There, a woman named Chaitanya checked her skin, did a quick patch test and confidently told her that all her skin issues could be treated.She was handed four products – a moisturiser, sunscreen, night cream and face wash, and billed ₹17,000. The payment went through UPI to a bank account in the name of someone called Akash.At first, everything seemed fine.Then, within days, her face began to react badly.She says she started experiencing severe itching, swelling and a painful burning sensation. Alarmed, she contacted the clinic. Their advice? Stop using two of the products and continue with the other two.She followed the instructions.Things only got worse.With her skin in even worse shape, she went back to the clinic on November 21, looking for answers. That visit, she says, turned ugly. In her complaint, she claims Chaitanya’s husband, Shiva, shouted at her, threatened her and flatly refused to help. She alleges the couple humiliated her and asked her to leave without offering any treatment or refund.The woman has now accused the clinic of making misleading promises on social media, selling steroid-based cosmetic products without proper medical training, putting her health at risk and taking her money under false pretences.Following her complaint, the Annapoorneshwari Nagar police have registered an FIR and started investigating the case.And once again, it’s a reminder that not everything glowing on Instagram is as safe as it looks.