Interview With Vishnu’s Virtues

Author of many great books about love and heartbreak

I first came across Vishnu’s writings on Medium a while ago, where I was impressed by his writing style: accessible and easy-to-read yet at the same time poignant, vulnerable, and full of life experiences. His profound and refreshing articles on life, relationships, and happiness are characterized by helpful advice on ‘how to let go’, including practical steps to follow, roadmaps guiding you to (regaining) your personal freedom.

In case you find yourself going through a really tough heartbreak that is holding you back, or when you’ve already tried many things but you just don’t seem to be able to shake this one specific heartbreak off, Vishnu’s writings, in which he interweaves his personal story with practical guidance, will definitely help you find answers in how to obtain a healthy recovery from your bout with heartbreak, and how to find your way back.

As an experiential expert, Vishnu will show you that a divorce or a difficult heartbreak doesn’t have to be ‘the end’, but rather is a new ‘beginning’.

I’ve read many posts from Vishnu on Medium, from his blog, and am a fan of his books. I particularly would like to point out Vishnu’s book The Sacred Art of Letting Go: Walk 12 Steps with Spiritual Masters to Let Go of Past Relationships and Find Peace Today">‘The Sacred Art of Letting Go: Walk 12 Steps with Spiritual Masters to Let Go of Past Relationships and Find Peace Today’ in which Vishnu’s transparency, vulnerability, and encouragement lace each page.

In this book, Vishnu tells his heartfelt story of suffering during and after his marriage (‘life is dukkha’), hope, and healing. The reality of living together after his relationship started off as a distant relationship, became a wake-up call for him. After his divorce and being completely broken down from it, the author started looking at his divorce as a natural occurrence rather than an evil plot or bad karma.

One of the most helpful points in the book most positively is for me that every person you share your life with for a while will be a mirror to you, pointing you to aspects of yourself and your soul that need(ed) to be healed. Teaching you to look with compassion towards yourself and partners you’ve shared your life with for a while on your soul’s journey.

Each person’s journey is unique, but through weaving his own personal journey and telling his own struggles with following the 12 steps, this book will help you overcome, to let go of heart-break. His book inspired me and brought me to tears at times, showing you that letting go of heart-break is like letting go of selfishness, negative thinking patterns, limiting beliefs, and emotional turbulence we all face as humans. This book will not only show you how to survive a difficult break-up, but you will also be more than on your way to personal freedom and healing.

Tears are words that need to be written.— Paulo Coelho

Whereas The Sacred Art of Letting Go: Walk 12 Steps with Spiritual Masters to Let Go of Past Relationships and Find Peace Today">‘The Sacred Art of Letting Go’ is helping you to step out of a situation you’re feeling stuck in, another book of Vishnu, ‘The Comeback Artist: How to Use Your Life's Rock Bottom Moments to Win Your Life">The Comeback Artist, How to use your life’s rock bottom moments to win your life’, is a true encouragement to create a life that brings you inner satisfaction, meaning, and peace.

Again a bold book from this gifted author who has seen and risen from his rock bottom, filled with valuable learned life-lessons and inspiring comeback stories from people who have gone through life-changing events.

A genuine call to stand back up, to become the artist of your own life, this book will show you in motivational, easy-to-read words and well-divided chapters that rock bottom doesn’t have a basement, but that there truly is a way to find and create your door to a beautiful garden of Eden and a meaningful life.

Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious…and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.― Walt Disney Company

So who is the person behind all these amazing books, blogs, and wonderful writings? I decided to ask him myself.

Below, I want to share with you an interview that I conducted with Vishnu*s Virtues. Thank you, Vishnu, for your valuable time! I look forward to reading more posts and books from your encouraging pen!

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Interview with Vishnu’s Virtues

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

Thanks for the questions, Martine. I was born in Malaysia and immigrated with my parents to California as a kid. I grew up going to Indian religious classes, visiting temples, and trying to get into a good college. I ended up in law school and became a lawyer. My life was a steady progression of career, marriage, home-owning before it all came spiraling down!

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I recall this conversation vividly with my parents. I told them that I wanted to be a teacher when I was about 10 years old. Without missing a beat, they suggested I become a lawyer and teach law !?! Unfortunately, I followed their career plan to become a lawyer and didn’t end up teaching after that. I also ended up leaving the law altogether later.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I realized that I had an ability to write in high school when a teacher suggested that I move from regular English to the Honors English class. I always did well in my English classes and enjoyed writing in college. I published my first article as a writer publicly the day after my ex and I decided to divorce.

When did you write your first book and how old were you? Was there a particular turning point in your life that made you start writing?

I was in my early 30’s and I wrote this funny little book, Is God Listening? I was going through a divorce at the time and really wondered if there was a God and if God was listening to my prayers or was on a beach in Hawaii somewhere, taking in the sun. Nothing that I requested or prayed for was materializing so I was wondering if God even existed and if God was listening to us.

How long does it take you to write a book?

It probably takes me 2–3 months to write, edit, re-write and publish a book.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I wake up every morning and write for a few hours and have been doing so for the past 5 years or so. The rest of the day, I’m working on marketing, doing coaching calls, and working on new projects.

What inspires you to write?

Honestly, heartbreak and pain are what inspired me to write. Today, I feel inspired to write to share my journey with others to give them encouragement and hope about their futures.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Under the right circumstances, I can write with humor but have to be inspired or be in a laughing mood. Otherwise, I like to use metaphors a lot in my writing.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

100% personal experience. I wrote one book called The Sacred Art of Letting Go: Walk 12 Steps with Spiritual Masters to Let Go of Past Relationships and Find Peace Today">The Sacred Art of Letting Go where I took all the books I had read over the years and looked for wisdom on recovering from heartbreak. I wrote a book based on the guidance and wisdom of yogis, masters, and spiritual teachers on how to let go of past relationships. In The Sacred Art, I mix spiritual knowledge with my own personal experiences.

What do you think makes a good story?

A good story, for me, has to have an impact on the reader and change the way they think about something. One of my all-time favorite stories is the Alchemist.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite and why?

I’ve written ten books. My favorite is the Sacred Art of Letting Go because it has impacted so many people’s lives and I get much positive feedback from them.

Is there a book that you would love to write, but haven’t written yet? What would be the title of it?

I have an idea to write a book for people who have given up on love after heartbreak and breakups. I would share my personal experiences of dating after divorce and how to remain hopeful when you feel like giving up on love. Maybe I’ll call it, Don’t Give Up On Love :)

What does your family think of your writing?

It’s all over the spectrum but I have not shared my writing with them much. I used to get a lot of laughs or looks of confusion when I told people I quit my job as a lawyer to write and blog. They know I write but aren’t familiar with my work. They’ve been warming up to it over the years when they realized that I’m committed to being a writer.

What is the first thing you think if you wake up in the morning?

What writing project I should get done today before doing anything else for the day.

What does your writing bring you? What do you ‘gain’ out of it?

It brings immense satisfaction, meaning, and that I can create change in people’s lives through my words.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Exercising, meditating, reading, and talking to friends and family around the world. Also, enjoy listening to podcasts and TED talks. I like listening to Natalie Bacon’s podcast and the Minimalists podcast. One of my favorite TED talks is this one about ‘focusing’ by Swami Dandapani.

Do you have any suggestions to help us become a better writer? If so, what are they?

Keep writing, reading, and reflecting on your life. Use life events to inspire your writing.

Show up every day for your writing so it will show up for you.

Make it a habit and prioritize it in your life!

Vishnu is a well-accomplished author and writer. Besides being an author and a prolific writer on Medium, he is also the person behind a successful and popular personal development blog ‘Vishnu’s Virtues’ at www.vishnusvirtues.com.

In addition to writing, Vishnu is a life coach who coaches individuals who are at rock bottom — helping them come back to find their purpose and live their best lives. Prior to writing and coaching, Vishnu was a criminal defense and immigration lawyer.

Vishnu’s writings have been featured on the Huffington Post, Mind Body Green, and the Tiny Buddha blog.