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  • 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.

  • BC or AD?

    What is that incident, awakening or dawn of thought that turned the course of your life? Not necessarily an external incident but how you reacted and dealt with it. Have you already had that life changing moment? The one which defines your life as before and after. Maybe a single point in time or a string of situations which echo significance over everything else that happend in life thus far.

    A new dawn

    That phase which shaped you into the functioning adult you are today. Drawing the line of emotional adulthood , psychological sunrise and spiritual growth. Or it could be that period of life where you (re)discovered yourself, gained exponential growth or overcame your darkest demons.

    Maybe you found answers for the questions lingering unanswered, the tough ones always pushed down the list, sent to the back of the pile as they may open a pandora’s box. And sometimes even unseemingly, commonly insignificant choices could be life altering – how we choose to spend our time, what is a priority over the pile of tasks, a reconnection with a lost friend or an insight into how another cohort functions.

    Life is growth – steady drumbeat of gaining experiences, knowledge and accumulating memories. Find your inflection point, don’t chase it just enjoy the ride uphill!

  • To search or to scroll?

    Curiosity, eagerness and inquisitiveness are what separates humans from other earthly beings. It is these that set us on a path of evolution, discovery and invention. Sans these traits, humans would have existed as other living beings and not made strides in every sphere of science. So in all fairness, curiosity did not kill the cat. It rather made it nimble, wiser and more equipped to live to the fullest.

    To ask, enquire and search is a direct function of this curiosity. It’s present in every being in varying degrees towards numerous subjects – from the gawking neighbours to the quiet loner – everyone wants to know and know more. Whether the queries are superficial or deep, materialistic or spritual, exploratory or definitive – it adds dimensions to our lives. It fuels growth and advancement at every stage of our life.

    Fuelling the brain

    Curiosity is what makes an infant learn. It feels, hears, touches and even tastes the world around it to form a better understanding of how to navigate his or her surroundings. Overprotective parents and caregivers may act as a barrier to this crucial learning and in more serious cases can cause development milestones to be missed.

    As a child, curiosity to search results in multiple ‘why’ questions. This helps develop analytical skills and boosts critical learning. Ofcourse traditionally education goals reward rote learning and scoring marks more than one’s inquisitiveness.

    Even as grown-ups, the eagerness to seek beyond obvious keeps the intellect fuelled. While most finding adulting itself a challenge, once you are past it then it’s time to find focus, chanellize discilpine and start spending time in the search of questions unanswered.

    So replace the scroll which stems from boredom with search which stems from curiosity. Let your knowledge be challenged, stand corrected and augmented with an active quest for the truth. Rather than letting your brain rot with the countless, senseless content being thrown at you by algorithm. Scrolling is a nice cool off once in a while but a rather unproductive utilisation of your day hours for sure!

  • May nothing hold you back

    Indeed keep me guessing

    or maybe start confessing.

    Wishing for more grace, more charm,

    afterall no enemies here, there’s no harm!

    May nothing hold you back.

    It is my own sowing that I reap,

    In these times of wails, cries or weeps.

    Time heals wounds, but not entirely the scars,

    So choose to hide behind the high veiled bars.

    May nothing hold you back.

    Its easy to romanticize what’s no more,

    Not easy to face it chin up, easier to stay sore.

    Queasy to make room for new ways of being,

    To be held dearly, yet not be heard or be seen.

    May nothing hold you back.

    Don’t payback, it ain’t a game of karma,

    Not wishing for spats showdowns or any drama.

    Make room for forgiveness, kindness & above and over,

    to choose meaningful actions over mere will power.

    May nothing hold you back.

  • Rest And Peace

    In the age of information overload and over-stimulation, how often do you find yourself clawing for stillness, for rest and rejuvenation. And after spending time (and money) on a well-deserved break do you still feel burnout. Ofcourse life can’t be interspersed with holidays and breaks too frequently so how about building R&R into daily routine?

    Firstly your body and its various systems need reset periodically. Quality sleep, intermittent naps for your circadian rythm. Light to digest, fresh and nutritious food for your digestive tract. Deep, concious breathing for your lungs and chemical free skincare routine can give you a nourishing break.

    R&R reimagined

    Secondly your mind which yearns for a pause. Build in some think nothing, do nothing periods during the day. A simple tea break could be a mindful time away from screens, when you just sip and see – hold onto no thoughts. Start practising meditation to build emotional muscles – it is strength and conditioning for the mind.

    Lastly caress your soul by detaching yourself from titles and roles. Learn to dedicate sometime away from material things and attachments. This could be your time to fixate on the higher purpose of life – speak to God in your own ways. Find solace in prayers, journalling or tending to plants – to each their own.

    So when was the last time you planned a break for your body, mind as well as soul?

  • Snacking is good

    Just depends on what is being snacked upon! Snacks here isn’t a bite sized serving of food but a small consistent serving of that activity that you are unable to devote time due to your ultra busy schedule. ‘I am too busy’, ‘I don’t have time’, ‘Where can I fit this in my packed day’ – the answers to these lie ahead.

    No time to exercise. Run outdoors with your pet. Have a quick round of a sport with your kids. Put on favourite music and dance within the house. Turn social time into active time like bike riding, swimming or walking trail across the neighbourhood; just ask your friend/date/partner to meet with walking shoes on rather than consuming calories (in a pretty cafe).

    I don’t read enough. Start with reading for a 15-20 minutes or whatever tiny sprint of undistracted time suits your lifestyle. Don’t start with big bulky bestsellers, start small with newspaper, magazines. And if you can get your hands on print rather than digital that’s even better for building a screen free habit.

    My podcast playlist is never ending. Put on a podcast from your ‘saved for later’ playlist and hear it out for 5-10 minutes while you deep clean a corner or headout for groceries. Every chore around the house like laundry, loading the washer presents an opportunity to start consuming from that playlist.

    From hobby to side hustle. If you have been postponing your side hustle ideas for ages now, start small but start now. Scribble down your what problem would you solve by it, how and when – just a 30,000 feet version of it all – no details required. Outline the rough structure of your ideas and keep coming back to it in short iterations. Remember progress over perfection.

    Meditation is not my cup of tea. No time for full blown meditation session, start with mini-bout of sitting still focusing on your breathes. Start practising mindfulness by sitting quietly by yourself with nature. Find a spot around a tree or water body and sit still for as little as 5-10 minutes.

    Indeed these tiny spurts of activity can trick you out of excuses and start building micro-habits today!

  • Disconnect!

    Yes you read the title correctly. Disconnect right now to connect in real life or IRL as the GenZ say. We all know the dos & dont’s of devices. The best ways to utilise screen time is by heart to us. What is missing is putting these hacks to use. So now that you are here, read through to know how to trick your mind to getting away from the enticing screen of your laptop, tablet, mobile phone and multitude of other devices.

    Here and Now

    Get smarter than the smartphone – While we are quick to install the latest apps, there are plenty of built in features to keep a check on your digital heallth. Start with basic app locking feature to deter re-opening. Mute notifications from all apps save the real time connect one’s – making calls, instant messaging and 1-2 more of your choice. Ofcourse you don’t need that notification of ‘price drop’ from e-commerce app or leisure app you have signed up for. Gaurd your sleep and nap schedules by using bedtime mode which greys out the screen making it instantly unappealing to use. Setup time limits to regulate app usage for the time-guzzling ones. One hack to re-wire your brain is to hide them from showing up in your device menu. If nothing works then deletion of app temporarily is also a viable self-discipline option.

    Write it down – Agree not everyone is a born writer. But we all love task lists and to-do’s alright. So start engaging your mind to write the mundane daily stuff – grocery list, weekly meal plan, family schedule, mini-project and diy ideas. Get cosy and pen cute reminders, make a warm card or a fuzzy note to someone. If writing to express to others is not your cup of tea, start with writing for yourself – journal your thoughts, write letters to yourself and document your life goals. Keep a few notepads and pens handy in every corner of your home. Easy hack to trick your brain out of the excuse ‘I can’t find pen & paper but my mobile phone is handy’.

    Move around – Movement is liberating. Movement is engaging. Movement takes the dullness away and gives enough stimuli for our brain like screens do. Just head out for a walk in your neighbourhood and make small talk with the folks you bump into. If in a sporty mood you could bike, slide, run or even take a short walk in the woods amidst nature. Or if weather doesn’t permit put on your favourtise music and make a waking trail within the house itself. Music is a good way to hack your mind into making this activity more enjoyable and less lonesome.

    Get handy – Engage in a eye-hand coordination activity. It doesn’t have to be complex like knitting, crocheting, pottery or investment heavy like jewellery making, creating murals, cooking an exotic meal, home improvement projects. It could come off from the list of things to do around the house that you have been pushing back – that plant you wanted to repot, that corner you have been meaning to deep clean, that wardrobe sorting which is pending since spring or that ‘needs repair’ stash you have been stowing away.

    Congratulations on making it through to the end. Now all you need is adopting atleast one of it and starting to disconnect rightaway!

  • (Anti) Social media

    Social media has its roots in building community. It all started as an alternate avenue for people to talk to others, share their thoughts via words and pictures and build virtual digital community. The early days of IM aka Instant Messaging and even Facebook was to bring people together by consuming what’s happening in their lives.

    See me, don’t see me

    Fast forward to today. There is no ‘social’ aspect left in the social media platforms being used nowadays. The goal is for all to reach all with the objective of either sharing knowledge or sharing pure fun and joy sometimes even meaningless stuff. This in some of the formats which aim at making information available to anyone and everyone, there is no aspect of social element left. The invisible string of algorithm controls what we see and what we do next. In a way associations are getting replaced by algorithms. Connections are getting replaced by content. Interactions are getting replaced by influencers. Relations are now replaced by reels. Listening to each other is now replaced by livestreams. Videos have taken place of visits. Number of shares have taken place of sincere genuine talks. Face to face conversations are not displaced by chats.

    Not that we are not to be blamed. Collectively we have started harnessing the power of this tool to assimilate knowledge about even mundane, unimportant and trivial topics. Now that information is available at fingertips, we don’t think but look it up instead. That too on specific social media platforms; ofcourse we know where to get genuine current affairs and hacks to develop a green thumb! Thus we are slowly confining our creativity and brainstorming ability to discover the ‘how’, the process on our own. Even if some of us awaken to this aspect of our over-consumption and try to interact with these tools in the true, primitive sense the smart algorithms we built act as deterrents.

    But hope is not all lost. There is a silver lining even in this dark cloud. As hyper-capitalists we now have tools to connect to each other in real life this giving rise to apps for dating, social meet-ups etc. More on that in the next one!