PVLF 2026

Shalini Passi, Author of “The Art of Being Fabulous”

Shalini Passi shares insights from her book The Art of Being Fabulous, reflecting on intuition, self-acceptance, faith, and the evolving journey of discovering one’s inner strength.
on Mar 16, 2026

Frontlist: Ms. Passi, the word “fabulous” is often associated with glamour or surface brilliance. But in your book, it feels far more internal, far more psychological. What do you have to say about that?

Shalini: For me, when I talk about fabulousness, it’s obviously not just about how you look on the outside, but also about what’s inside. That’s what I’ve said in the book as well. I’ve cited many examples, and you’ll have to read the book to find them all. There’s so much to it, and we all have that fabulousness within us. We just need to understand that it comes from our own beautiful journey, especially someone like you, who’s just starting out. So we have to find it within ourselves.

Frontlist: You often speak about trusting your energy and walking away when something feels off. How do you personally distinguish between intuition and fear?

Shalini: Oh, that’s a very good question. There’s a very thin line between intuition and fear. Fear obviously manifests in a different way. I judge my intuitions based on the faith I have, I don’t really operate from fear. I have so much faith that if I’m feeling a rush about something, I take it as a green light. From the littlest things to the biggest things, I rely on that faith, intuition, whatever you may call it.

Frontlist: Do you believe there’s a difference between faith and manifestation?

Shalini: Of course, they are absolutely different. Faith is when you completely surrender. You have faith in your parents, you have faith in the government, it’s like that. Manifestation is something you wish for and then consciously bring into your life.

Frontlist: While writing the book, were you ever concerned that readers might search for instructions instead of reflection?

Shalini: That’s absolutely okay, because everybody goes through their own process. Sometimes when you read a line or meet someone, even a small indication can mean a lot to you. There are also people who read everything and still don’t believe. So it’s entirely up to the individual and how they choose to take it.

Frontlist: What made you decide to finally put your personal journey into a book? During this process, what felt the easiest part and what felt the hardest?

Shalini: For me, it was Penguin who really encouraged me, along with my agent, Priti Chhatravedhi from Sanhana Seed, who truly believed in me. It was largely because of them that I was able to bring out this book. I honestly felt that my ideas were very simple and very personal. They explained to me that readers want answers in simpler language.

Frontlist: You mentioned that you began to enjoy attention only after making peace with standing apart. In your experience, does acceptance from others come after self-acceptance, or are those two completely unrelated?

Shalini: I think we all go through phases where we want validation, and other times when we feel very confident. For me, it’s both. We have some level of self-acceptance, but we still seek validation at times, right? And when we receive it, it feels wonderful. What I’ve experienced is that getting so much love from audiences, from women around the world, and from different communities has given me more strength. It’s like wind beneath my wings. I never thought I needed it, but now that I have it, it’s very precious to me.

Frontlist: For all the young leaders who will be reading this book, what is the one message you would like to give them regarding the book or reading in general?

Shalini: I would say that our generation and especially the younger generation is very privileged to be born in a time where there’s access to information. We have access to everything; we just have to use it. And I truly believe there is no substitute for hard work. Nothing goes to waste.

Frontlist: After writing this book, did your understanding of yourself change in any way? Did writing reveal something about you that you had never explored before?

Shalini: What I really enjoy is that nobody can point at me and say, “This is who Shalini Passi is.” Even for me, the day I say, “This is who I am,” I would feel stagnant. I’m always evolving, always changing. Whoever I was a moment ago, I’m not that person now. For me, life is a journey, and I want to live it to the fullest.