Nidhis.daily.blog

Category: self growth

  • So how were your tourist braids?!

    Ever got a braid, a tattoo or your hair coloured on a whimsical vacation? Or better still a one time encounter with a stranger which lasted only until the trip lasted? That’s exactly what tourist braids are! Fun but risky, on the spur decisions taken when you are away from your daily routine and the usual role you play in life.

    It’s like living in a bubble, with rose tinted glasses on. It’s a heavy cocktail mix of thrill of the unknown and newness of the place all rolled into one. You know it’s shortlived but you want to make the most of it while it lasts without thinking of the detachment pain or the consequences of your impromptu actions. Here you can be just you, without the labels, roles and relationships attached. It’s like living your best life or bachelor days all over again, although briefly.

    And crawling back from this getaway into your routine feels like one big Monday morning blue. It’s that sinking feeling of being forced to work from office after a hiatus. A time travel back into normalcy – daily commute, familial roles and other responsibilities take over. Slowly, steadily the memory, charm and daze of the braids fades away. And all you are left with is your original hairstyle. The one you identify with, the one people identify you with and the one which is your identity!

  • Gone, forever

    End of an era. Death of a relation. Cessation to thrive. Expiration of feelings. Termination of exchanges. Completion of dettachment. Conclusion in unsaid goodbye. Finale of fading memory. Grave of dreams. Gone too soon.

    Thanking the universe for conspiring. Grateful for the moments. Blessed with the memories. Appreciative of the growth. Beholden for the words. Indebted to bring out the best. Obliged to share world. Glad our paths crossed.

    The great fall

    Tears would not flow. Moments won’t be recollected. Words shall not be exchanged. Voices shall be a thing of the past. Harsh but only option. Dead end of sorts. Yearning, longing, everything can be shelved. Immerse in yourself, outwardly busy, inwardly lost.

    A not so happy ending, once again. History repeats, roles reverse. ‘cos what is not meant to be never will be. Closing the paths to heart, the fancies of mind and the longing of soul with a finale. A tribute to finding peace not promises. A mission to let bygones be bygones. An operation to erase what was, hope not and let the memories fade out, once more.

  • Renew your relations

    Monotone, platonic, never-changing, always the same. Sounds boring right? Then why do we expect our relationships to be such. Why do words like change, newness, disruption cause us cold feet?

    Relationships are like living organisms. They are never stable. Whether it’s with your partner, friends, parents or siblings. Each relation is like an organism that has its own wishes, fancies and moods. The equation can undergo change in due course of time. It can change multiple times, with its own highs and lows, in’s and out’s. Stay unpurterbed as the true nature of a relation is to evolve, morph and take the shape of your lifestyle, milestones and other key aspects of life.

    Sometimes just looking at the equation with a critical pair of eyes helps. A fresh Point of View always helps. Something that worked in the past is no longer relevant while something that didn’t work might now be a huge hit. Thus it’s a mistake to write off any relationship and burn bridges completely. Never give up on the partnership you got as it is never a lost cause. The time you invested is always going to get you a return of equity. Infact it’s a wealth of wisdom, memories and shared experiences you have built together. There are pearls of wisdoms ingrained in your subtle memory, today or tomorrow they would make you a better version of you.

    Tomorrow always brings the opportunity to start afresh. Thus tidying over the weather is in everyone’s best interest, especially yours to make the gains both tangible as well as intangible.

  • Life raft

    There are times when all the positive talks, motivational podcasts, self-help books and even in person talks leave you only more unmotivated. It’s like going through a dark phase of life when you loose all hope. All seems lost, everything seems to drain your energy and every interaction is something you want to run away from. In such moments, nothing seems possible and even moving a lomb seems like a herculean task.

    But like every dark cloud has a silver lining, there is light after darkness, day after night and spring after the long winter is gone. When you feel you are in the darkest, dullest and deepest phase of life, be grateful and hang on. Cos it can’t be any worse now, now is going to be only uphill, brighter days and lovelier moments. So hang in tight and keep your head above water until the inflection point arrives.

    Life is cyclical, don’t be harsh!

    So that one moment, one person, one interaction or one line you read or hear somewhere is going to be your life raft. Your ray of hope. Your float jacket which would bring a newness in everyday life. It wouldn’t bring earth shattering change but would make you move more, live more and be more. You would start taking baby steps, quite literally towards using your time better, using your body and brain better. And slowly spring would blossom into full blown summer where you would peak and shine.

    & since impermanance is the name of the game, this also wouldn’t last long. Be ready for the cyclical autumn to set in and take it in your stride now that you now that after winter is a spring!

  • Are you patriotic?

    Do you love your nation? Do you feel proud to be a citizen? In short are you patriotic?

    While it’s natural to crib, complain and curse the state of affairs, afterall we all do love our soil, our nation and our country. It’s like a love hate relationship going on. Looking constantly at the shortcomings in order to get better and be better. Isn’t that logical when we love someone? We keep the same attitude towards ourselves, our partner, our kids and any near & dear one who we want to be cheering for. So don’t blame yourself for constantly being annoyed by what your country haas done for you – it shall improve and you truly would be a part of that success story.

    All eyes on the flag!

    So now that we have established that you indeed are a nation-lover, what do you think it means to you? To sing songs, participate as an audience in community programs, wishing folks on celebrated days and maybe even making sure you plan something around such specials days.

    Or is it paying your taxes on time, sorting your garbage, being an active participant in community drives and sharing ‘nationalist knowledge’ in the form of forwards to all your connects.

    Or does it go beyond to do your bit to keep the environment clean, teach your next generations to value our heritage, keep culture like food, dressing, language alive and support local artisans and artisinal endeavours.

    Where ever you are in your journey of country-love, remember what J F Kennedy said, “Ask not what the country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country!”

  • If I Knew

    If I knew a casket of forgiveness

    I would sprinkle it like fairy dust

    all around the world, to every soul

    Touching all with magic say if I must.

    If I knew a barrel big enough to stomach all the sufferings

    I would gather, from all corners, with all my might

    from those near & dear, those know & unknown

    Sorrows, pains alike, & throw them away from sight.

    If I knew a potion full of patience and tolerance

    I would become a barista brewing up a concoction,

    Spiking the river streams, lakes and rivulets

    with this harbinger of harmony, letting it mix with sea and ocean.

    If I knew a hack for turning peace from all the chaos

    both outside and within,

    Would spring to my feet, using my time on earth

    to spread the word to kith and kin.

    If I knew and now that I do

    what is each breath going to be lived for,

    What shall I exude with each rising Sun

    Sublimity, eternity, calm, etherealism. Neither nor.

  • Glow up or Glam up

    Confidence is intrinsic. It’s innate to one’s nature and varies in degree and intensity, even in an individual from one situation to another. Just like self esteem and ego. Confidence can’t be shopped, borrowed or even stolen to adorn on oneself. Then why the need to constantly augment one’s confidence with external accesories and labels. Or is it that we hide our flaws behind those luxury tags and branded clothes? Wonder if it’s cherry on the cake or we have mistaken it to be the cake itself?

    But then first impressions do matter. Isn’t that what the convent-read and defence-bred creed was taught. However we may say and like to believe, a book does get judged by its cover and more often than not is then classified to be put on a shelf with its peers. There is a fitting image to live upto – man or woman – and if you don’t live upto it you are bound to get labelled as ‘too simple’, ‘too basic’ and so on. Glamming up has become an ‘it’ thing. It’s the definition of success, of having arrived at the scene. Flaunting has come to be synonymous with one’s lifestyle, though most times it’s only style sans substance.

    Humans have always been vain. But growing economies have definitely given our materialist side a boost. Constant imagery, information overload and name dropping has bolstered consumption. To an extent that shoes have become synonymous with Air Jordans and bags are known as Berkins and so on. Good for the capitalist economy and nation’s wealth building. Bad if it becomes a habit and a shortcut to derive a sense of self worth. ‘You’re worth it’ plays right into our minds and hands that we reach for spending even without a genuine need.

    Digital platforms which started out naively as socialization hubs are now redefining living standards. Ofcourse these are air-brushed and over-exited media but that fact seems to be lost in all the noise the algorithm pushes towards us. Day after day, hyper-touched and nearly impossible adverts play it out to impressionable minds that you too should aspire for being glamourous, being famous and becoming a sort of mini-celebrity in your circle.

    So this is how we landed here. In a constant race to gather more, flaunt more or drop more. Dripping is essential else you get dropped out of this race. In this madness, we have also lost the sense of empathy and kindness. Often judging people by their outfits than their mannerism and thoughts. Aren’t we left swiping way to early than giving others a chance?

    Nothing can beat one’s inner glow. Glow of knowledge, awareness charm and smile. Not advocating a pyjamas lifestyle nor stating that self care is all vain. A basic hygiene routine and looking put together is needless to say the bare minimum. And beyond that arming with bright smile, wit and general update about the happenings in business and world is good enough. Ofcourse this requires more patience to acquire as it’s can’t be shelf bought. Need more discipline to assimilate information and make your own assessment of the same. Imperative to chime in more time and effort to imbibe such a lifestyle which is deep, meaningful and sustainable.

    So dress to impress but only for yourself. Carve your niche, stay bold, confident and stay true to your unique set of values. As they say you do you and let the world go by!

  • Sprinkled with Fun

    That’s how life should be – with fun being the garnish of every recipe, every day every activity we do – a bit of fun adds the missing zing to everyday routine and daily drudgery. And while it’s easy to say, it’s far from easy to do. So here are some proven methodologies to put this into practise.

    Increasing your flow throughout the day. That helps stabilize mood and stay on the optimistic side. You may actively work to reduce distractions like screens, too many tasks on your to-do’s and those time guzzling activity which are never ending. Start small pick one task at a time and accomplish it to keep the overall momentum positive. By not drowning into sea of unattainable goals, you can protect yourself from negative thoughts and feeling of overwhelmness.

    Two for Joy

    Make connections IRL. The online presence, followers, interactions don’t count as much. So step out of your den and smile, greet, talk. Do it often, do it again. May feel awkward at the beginning but then a habit builds up. You start showing up and talking to people would come naturally. Start shallow and then go deeper with your newest connections; that’s how relations are defined and get shape organically too.

    Choose playfulness. While being goofy and playing with kids or pets counts too, what can be done more often is to add a colour, sound or flavour to an existing mundane chore. Now that you gotta do it anyway, why not make the ride a bit more enjoyable & kill the boredom therein. So put on your favourite podcast music, binge watch that pending movie series while working through your day. Maybe groove with your favourite dance moves, hum along while doing a dishes or sprinkle humour when talking to a work colleague about a project.

    While moments of fun from vacation, lunch date, friends gossip session is what keeps us going, life can’t be one long vacation or date minus the responsibilities, duties, chores and all things adulting. So embrace fun in everything you do and sprinkle joy for one and all.

  • Fake It Till You Make It

    Do you find yourself falling out of love – no more appetite for the loud, flashy and fashionable? Instead you find yourself gravitating towards more quieter, subtle and earthy moments. Wish you could pack bags for the hills or beach and live a quieter, slower life. Renunciation is not always an option but making tiny, concious shifts can be your baby steps in replicating a peaceful lifestyle while still residing in an urban den. It’s all about mimicking externally to generate the happy hormones internally.

    To hack the happiness hormone or Dopamine all you need is an updated definition of self care. While most urban dweller turn to binge watching or online shopping for their fill of happiness, you can spin it around by replacing consuming with creating. Rather than buying more clothes, go create a new outfit from existing wardrobe pieces. When the same sustainable clothing can take you from brunch girls date to tropical island hopping, it’s happiness unlimited at no extra cost! Or maybe pamper yourself with a diy baking or mani-pedi session; even a simple longer shower routine or a daily errand tuned with music can boost the nerves.

    Next comes Oxytocin or the love hormone which also brings the feeling of calm and safety. All you need to pump this is real connections with fellow earthlings. So go ahead dial a friend than texting, hold a real conversation without the help of chatGPT. While social media is to mimic human interaction, nothing can beat real life talks, giggles and exchange of personal stories. Even playing with an infant or pet is known to elevate mood.

    Endorphin or the OG morphine is what makes you feel light both in your head & heart. And you don’t need head banging music or synthetic drugs to mimic this high – just try being more mindful, observe the hues of sunset or sunrise, do nothing but feast your eyes on the greens of nature. exercise garden laugh. Quiet is the perfect noise you need. Have your happy hours without the neon lights and thumping sounds. Or maybe just meditate or chant starting with small periods of 10 minutes and gradually training yourself to enjoy boredom.

    Lastly get your daily dose of Serotonin by going natural. Soak the sun, eat fresh, replace soda with water, switch synthetic fabrics and materials for earthy fabrics and tones. Slowly but intentionally replace one piece after the other, no need to trash what you got or buy more in haste to alter your lifestyle.

    So keep dreaming and working towards turning your life into a vacation, day after day, everyday.

  • The Art Of Letting It Go

    Yes you read it right, it’s an art not a skill. A skill can be perfected by practice. But art is beyond skill, it needs both mastery of the task as well as an emotional nuance of delivering the task with a definitive purpose. With this art of ‘let go’ the purpose is harmony. It is to setup boundaries for guarding your time, energy and love.

    More often than not, it’s these resources that we take for granted. Exhausting ourselves by taking up every battle, signing up for every challenge and accepting all that is thrown out way. Once you learn to ‘let go’ you are more discerning and mastering how to choose between your reaction – to deal, to deflect or to delegate the matter at hand.

    No is Yes

    Sometimes you may let go of the situation. You can’t be the solver of all problems in earth. Let folks deal with it themselves while you distance yourself but still be a positive force in their lives. Let them do the fishing while you cheer for the shoreline. Often we get hooked upon a comment made by someone or judgment passed on us. By not acknowledging such words you are rising above it all. By not giving it your headspace you are protecting your sanity and conserving your energies towards more positive outcomes.

    There are times when letting go of your ego, uprightness and guard rails is a boon. It lets you be vulnerable – fall when someone trustworthy is there to pick you up, moap when someone kind is there to wipe your tears and crumble when someone patient is there to just be. Letting go can also mean not being in the driving seat. Being the passenger for a change and enjoying the drive. Not fretting over perfection and optimization but going with the flow. It can open new neural pathways and egg your imagination in more ways then one.

    And the hardest one is where you let go your loved ones. Folks who don’t vibe with you anymore. People who eye your moves but don’t cheer for you. That soul who isn’t responsive to your reaching out anymore, that person who has been defaulting on their promises, breaking your heart and trust multiple times over. The kid who no longer depends on you, that kid who wants to explore what is beyond your known world.

    Inhale, exhale. Let go. Inhale, exhale.