Lifestyle Archives - Mridula Singh

Life March 11, 2023

Overstimulated and Overwhelmed: How to Focus in a world of Social media

If there is a word that I could use for almost everyone around me, it would be hyper-stimulated.
It has been a long time since I saw someone who was only walking or just having a conversation. Nowadays, we meet people only to get lost in our phones together.
It is not always a bad thing to scroll aimlessly now and again as it can take our minds off many things. However, it can mess us up if we make it a habit. We have accepted that it is inevitable that we will look at our phones first thing in the morning.
While it can cause significant mental health issues, and lead to loss of time and productivity. What I fear the most is the loss of our ability to THINK. When we excessively focus on absorbing the way others live and their opinions, we run the risk of losing touch with our own unique identity and perspective. So much information about other people and their lives and ongoing propaganda is designed to keep us from thinking for ourselves. It keeps us from evaluating our own aspirations, leaving no space for our original thoughts to exist.
We are a creature of habit and once we enter this vicious cycle of aimless scrolling, it gets difficult to turn back.
We waste Time, just because we can.
Too much information can lead to Brain Fog, and to deal with it we scroll some more. We feel drained, tired, and aimless; and the cycle continues.

Did you really need all that information in the first place?

What Can you do if you find yourself struggling with your screen time?

Avoid using your phone in the first and the last hour of your day

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of the activities that you do during these hours. You can literally change your life just by using this time efficiently.

Dedicated Screen time

We cannot avoid screens especially, if you are working from home or if your work is remotely linked to using screens. So when it comes to using we are definitely more prone to new kinds of problems. Dedicate time, especially for Scrolling and doing things aimlessly. It could be an hour or two that is something for you to decide. But, if you are scrolling, then do it consciously. Setting up a timer can help you get more clarity and control.

Be intentional about the content you want to see

Remember to always declutter your feed, and remove or mute the people that do not contribute positively to the life you want to build. Stop watching sensationalized news and events because you end up giving a lot of time and mental energy to things that leave you feeling drained.

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Take up activities that provide lower stimulation

I have personally tried this method. Instead of thriving on fake dopamine and scrolling your way to contentment; use other methods like reading, yoga, or walking in nature. Reading for me personally has been the most rewarding for lowering my screen time.

The overuse of screen time can have a scary impact on our personal life, as social media creates a level of dopamine that the real world cannot compete with. This leaves us feeling unhappy, as our brain goes into a dopamine deficit.

Hope this read was insightful. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Awareness January 2, 2021

A year in review: 2020

2020 will be a year that we are going to remember for a long time. Many people lost their livelihoods, their lives or their loved ones. The uncertainty of events was like never before. It was tough to imagine that this fast-paced world of ours will come to a halt. We discovered our resiliency and another reminder that we don’t have anything under control. Though this year brought its own challenges and turmoil, there are somethings that I am absolutely grateful for.

The much needed slow down

It felt like we were always going from one task to another, with so much in our heads. This year was all about reflection. The way we live each day and what are the meaningless things that we should get rid of. There is a rainbow on the other side of the storm, and 2020 was all about that saying. The slow down made me cherish my relationships more. Work from home was a blessing in disguise, which helped me connect to myself and others around me. The pressure of being productive all the time was off, and I embraced the slow mornings and joy in little things.

Embracing life like never before

I always emphasize living life fully, finding a purpose, and dedicating our days to the things we love. But, after losing two of my close relatives, I had to look deeper into what life is for. It made me question things, to introspect on where I am spending my time. Losing my grandfather was like a reminder to finally grow up. Since I am now a part of the second generation of our family and that was a scary thought. Though I was well aware of the fact that people come and people go but it was not easy to process this and finally letting go of the childhood that was an important part of my upbringing. Then recently I lost my aunt who fought cancer with a smile on her face for four years, nothing lasts forever, and her passing shook me and made me rethink all the things that I have been putting off. Though people never stay in our lives forever, our memory of them does. There is a lot to learn from everyone we meet and she in her own way taught me hundreds of things. We can still smile and feel happy that we got to know them at all, we can smile with tears in our eyes. Grief doesn’t always mean suffering, sometimes it just is.

You cannot take things for granted

One thing that 2020 enforced was to not take time, circumstances, and situations for granted. Take that leap, write that book, and create the music that you have been waiting for. Tell people that you love them. We can never take time for granted, and we all know this very well now.

Working with what we had

I worked on a short movie with my husband, which we shot with a GoPro. Though we created multiple unfinished movies throughout the lockdown we managed to post at least one of them. It was great knowing that we didn’t always have to rely on expensive to get started. What is in your mind needs to find a way to come into the world.

Started our online Business

One of the endeavors we have promotes yoga and wellness (Citta Space). During the lockdown, we found out that a lot of Yoga teachers were not able to make any income due to their coronavirus, as most of the people avoided having any external contact. This was another blessing in disguise, and we started providing online yoga classes through digital media. The response was overwhelming, and it was exciting to see so many customers prioritizing their health during this hard time. We continued our Online Yoga Classes from April till October and it was an experience I would have never wanted to miss out on. It was a great experience to provide service see results in a few months.

Life in its complexity is beautiful

Though there was chaos all around, it was amazing to see so many people helping others out during this tough time. A lot of people created something new with their time, many people around me took their hobbies seriously. Every challenge we go through leaves something beautiful behind; sometimes, it is courage, resilience, and a chance to be a better version of ourselves.

I am so grateful that we all stayed connected through the internet, and we were all in this together, which helped in making this otherwise tough year, easier. We started taking more care of our mental health than before.

Wishing you all good health, mental wellbeing and good relationships for the next year.

Awareness October 8, 2020

How Guilt free eating changed me?

Guilt free eating can change us mentally and physically. We don’t always love our bodies. In other words, we rarely do. I could love myself a little more if I were few Kgs lighter, wouldn’t that be perfect? And I have been willing to treat my body as an experiment by trying one diet after another. Constantly reminding it, that it is not good enough.

After all, what’s wrong with that, everyone I meet has a new diet tip to share with me. Surprisingly, these tips do not seem to work. How many of us can relate to feeling guilty after a hearty meal? This Guilt is more menacing than it sounds. It caused me to eat less, pushed me to skip meals deliberately. Until I realized that it definitely is not working, instead I would feel bad about my body and lower my self-esteem. Hide further, instead of embracing myself. There were times I would not feel hungry at all because of all these experiments that I was performing on my body. I never realized that feeling guilt after eating is not a good thing.

Since hating my body was not working, I decided to love it the way it is. A simple act of eating guilt-free changed my body so much that it started feeling lighter in almost two weeks. And after following it for a few months, I am at a much healthier place than before. Not only my body, I feel much more peaceful in my mind too. My process is explained in the following steps

1. shunning constant reminders of being ‘not enough’.

How we talk to ourselves is extremely important. If most of our self-talk is criticism about how our bodies ‘should’ look, it makes it difficult for us to have a healthy relationship with our bodies. Therefore, we would repeatedly spiral out of healthy eating habits. Becuase we treat them as a cure for our physically unfit bodies, instead of including them in our lifestyle.

2. Get rid of short term diets

I can’t even begin to name the weird diets people undertake to lose a few pounds. The challenge with these diets is once we stop the diet, our body gets back to where it was. Moreover, the most challenging part is getting the feeling of being hungry back. Our hunger sensation almost dies because we are always controlling our eating habits, we don’t get to know how hungry we are, and that can also lead to under or overeating.
These constant changes in diet keep putting the body in low energy state and will often lead to binge eating because of hunger sensation that died a long time ago. Some people feel comfortable having one meal a day and few feel good through intermittent fasting, these are good only if you can sustain them for the long term.

3. Eliminating guilt from diet

It was one challenging ingredient to remove. Every time I would eat until I was full, I would feel this guilt that I am deviating myself from my physical goals. This weird stress that I will have to start all over again because of one unhealthy meal was devastating to my self-esteem. Every time I would feel this way, I would go back to abandoning my current goals and plans and postpone them further. It is not a healthy state to be mentally, or physically. I decided not to feel guilty at all about how much I ate. For a few days, I ate a more than I normally would, but gradually I shed to a more sustainable diet. Guilt free eating helps us getting more control of our bodies.

4. Get the natural hunger back

Keep yourself well-hydrated. We are not talking about the hunger pangs we get after dieting or starving ourselves. We want to focus on hunger natural to the body, which guides us on being full or tells us that it is time to eat. The best is to follow your feelings. Whenever you feel hunger pangs, have water, and if you still feel hungry, then it is time to have something to eat. It may be hard to figure in a few days, but you will feel more attuned to yourself once you figure out how you feel hungry. It also helps with emotional eating as we are more mindful towards our hunger sensation.

5. Compassion towards the body

There is always a fine line between I want to achieve a definite fitness goal, and I am not good enough until I reach that goal. I went a little on the unhealthy side. I would halt my plans for even clicking a photograph until I was ready. Finally, removing guilt from eating also helped me in having a healthy relationship with my body because I was not ashamed of it. Yes, there will always be goals to be better than I am right now, but for that, I don’t have to hate the place I am presently at.

Lifestyle August 21, 2020

3 Common health mistakes you are making

Hi! It has been a long time since my last blog. Here is my explanation. In the month of July, we started providing Online Yoga Classes through Città Space. Ater personal consultations of clients we observed that most of the diseases are aggravated or created by the three common health mistakes we make.

These slip-ups are okay if they are happening sporadically, but if these behaviors persists for long, they result into bad health and can also create diseases in our body.

These common mistakes are ,

1. Not getting a good sleep

A girl sleeping - common health mistakes

We take a good sleep for granted as if it is forceful break that we have to take from our daily routine. However, if you are sleeping for less than 6 hours, you are preparing your body for a long-term damage. In rare cases, 4 to 5 hours of sleep can also yield great results, but they are rare. Most of us require minimum six hours of uninterrupted sleep to re-energize our bodies. An eight hour sleep makes our bodies more efficient and improves our immunity.

A good sleep not only makes our bodies well rested, our mood also improves as we are less irritable. Creating a ritual around your bedtime helps in getting a better sleep. You can try few tips mentioned in my previous post.

2. Normalizing Stress

Time and again, I hear people say ‘How can I not be stressed? It is a part of life’. Well, it is not. If you are stressed out most of the time, then you are pushing your body towards diseases and ill health. Stress is not just mental, it creates changes in or physical body too.

Quick Science: Stress creates ‘fight or flight’ response. In your brain, the hypothalamus tells your adrenal glands to release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones increase your heartbeat and send blood rushing to the areas that need it most in an emergency, such as your muscles, heart, and other important organs. When the perceived fear is gone, the hypothalamus should tell all systems to go back to normal. If the brain activity fails to return to normal, or if the stressor doesn’t go away, the response will continue

Stress makes you overwork your organ systems. There is more to risk than just your mood, when you are under stress consistently. (Caution: Please don’t stress about getting stressed.)

3. Not drinking enough water

We take hydrating ourselves for granted too, another one of the common health mistakes that can create diseases and interrupt the proper functioning of our body. Dehydration reduces the oxygen level in our body, which lowers our stamina and energy. One should consume a minimum of 2-litre of water each day. Drinking water also helps in removing toxins from your body and makes your body and skin healthy.

While there are many mistakes which we make with our bodies but these three are the most overlooked. These are the observations that I made while attending the personal consultations of our clients with their Yoga trainers. Though, I would love to write about all the things one can do to create a healthy body, let us start with these three items first.

Lifestyle June 8, 2020

All about gratitude lists and why you need one?

Gratitude Lists can bring noticeable changes to your days and emotional well-being in the longer run. Especially, in times like this, when we are lacking the will to look forward to the day with zest.
As the name suggests, the gratitude list consists of the things that you are grateful for in your life. It could be a person, a special moment of your day, or the littlest things that can bring a smile on your face.

It is one of the most effective habits that is helping me to get through the day with enthusiasm. When the lockdown first began, it was tough for me to gather my thought and adjust to this new routine, but this simple practice helps to put things in perspective.

How to create a gratitude list?

You can begin by writing 3-10 things that you are grateful for each day. Do not simply write, pause, and feel the emotion of being thankful, while writing down. It accomplishes more when you classify the list into three different sections.

People that you are grateful for: it could be your family, friend, or any stranger who helped you along the way.
Circumstances that you are grateful for: the place that you are living at, the services you can leverage, etc.
One the little thing that brings a smile to your face, it could be your favorite pillow, your beloved chair, or your favorite mug.

When is the right time to create it?

Gratitude lists could be a part of your daily habit. The best time to fill it in would be right after waking up or before going to bed. I prefer to write it after waking up, it helps to build the momentum for the whole day.

How does it help?

Most of us carry an unseen amount of pressure and criticism for ourselves during our day. We tend to ignore the things we are blessed with and focus on what we lack. We go to bed and wake up with a task to work on our shortcomings and mistakes.

How many times are we unable to sleep at night because of being haunted by a random memory of a silly thing we did in school?

When you will start filling in the gratitude list every day. You will notice more things to be thankful for because you will be looking ahead to make an entry on your list.

Lifestyle April 15, 2020

How to sleep peacefully during the lockdown

Sleeping helps in reviving our bodies and preparing it for the next day, but when that is disordered, our bodies and mood are likely to feel slumped. On the other hand, oversleeping can make us feel unfocused and lifeless throughout the day. Here are some tips to help you sleep peacefully during the lockdown. If you are having trouble sleeping or you are oversleeping and your sleep cycle is entirely messed up, you are not alone. Everyone has been having trouble getting proper sleep during this time. The sleep cycle differs each day, either by oversleeping or sleeping for less than 6 hours in a day.

Why is our sleep cycle disturbed?

natural light in city — Photo by Matthew Landers on Unsplash

1. The lack of natural light

Our bodies usually feel like sleeping as it gets darker during the day, but the absence of natural light indoors creates an imbalance in our body clock. As most of us are staying inside most of the time, our bodies are out of rhythm.

2. Limited physical activity

Imagine your daily routine without a lockdown and all the activities that you perform throughout the day. We spend time commuting, running errands, going to the office, all these activities require energy and by bedtime, that energy is depleted. These everyday activities help us to sleep peacefully.

3. Stress and Anxiety

One thing that we know is that it is not leisure time for working from home, we are trying to work during a global health crisis. On regular days there are so many ways you could have spent this time. Catching up with friends, sitting in a café, traveling, or working from a prettier location, but all those things are not happening. The stress of household chores and the pressure of utilizing this time to the best of our ability, is adding more discomfort. The news of the rising number of cases and death, there’s a lot to be anxious about, which degrades the quality of our sleep.

How to sleep better?

sleeping on bed peacefully during lockdown

1. Use your bed only for sleeping

Are you reading, watching Netflix and working from home on your bed? If yes, then find another spot. Get a chair, or find some other place to sit, and leave your bed alone. If we are spending most of the time on the bed, then we are slumping during the day and staying less alert throughout. Using your bed solely when you want to take a nap will help your body get comfortable when you want it to.

2. Avoid napping

Though one quick nap in the afternoon helps, but are we taking just one nap? Your sleep cycle is likely to be disturbed if you are taking multiple naps during the day. You would not feel like sleeping at the right time if your body has been resting throughout the day.

3. Regulate your news consumption

Pick a fixed time to watch the news and do not stay glued to your phone or TV while watching it. Limit yourself to 20 minutes of news consumption each day. Turn off the notification, if you have an app for news on your phone. This can significantly lower your stress level, and lead to a night of better sleep.

4. Create your routine

Decide the time you want to sleep. You have the liberty to decide when you want to start or your day, whether it is 5 AM or 1 PM. Define a fixed time to sleep for at least 6 hours. If you wake up at a time different time each day, you are going to oversleep or be sleep deprived. Pick a consistent bedtime.

5. Have a light dinner

Avoid being too full before bedtime. We should keep a difference of roughly 2 hours between our dinner and bedtime. Do not consume sugar or caffeine before bed, as it can swing the energy level. Take timely meals during the day, we are likely to eat more and untimely, but repress the urge of snacking.

6. Work out regularly

Since there is a very less physical activity when you are indoors, the only thing which gets tired is our mind, not our bodies. Work out regularly to keep the energy flowing through your body and release endorphins. Work out also helps in managing stress better and creating a healthier place for your body and mind.

7. Deep breathing before bedtime

Take deep breaths before you want to fall asleep, do not use your phone after this practice. Deep breathing helps in bringing our attention to our bodies and makes us more present. It helps in releasing the stress we cultivate throughout the day. You can practice deep breathing before 15 minutes of your desired bedtime.

stretching to sleep peacefully during lockdown

8. A good stretch before bedtime

Stretching your body before bed helps in releasing any tension that your body might be carrying. Stretching helps in sleeping faster and improves the quality of sleep.

9. Use sleep hypnosis

This one is my favorite way to sleep and it works every time (for me). It is a session in which a hypnotherapist, through a recording, guides you to a trance-like state which can be used to help you sleep. My recommendation would be to listen to any sleep hypnosis by Michael Sealey or Jason Stephenson .

10. Relax your way to sleep

If you do not feel sleepy after staying in bed for more than 15 mins, then get up and turn to the activities which make you feel relaxed. It could be listening to your favorite music, having a cup of tea, or reading a book.

If your sleep situation is not resolved by applying these, and your sleep cycle is severely impacting your routine, then consult a doctor.

Lifestyle February 18, 2020

How to be happier at work

We spend a major part of lives at our workplace and if it is not the work we really love then it is difficult to be motivated or enjoy it each day.

So here are few tips to make those work hours happier than usual.

Most of the people that I work with are not usually the happiest in office. For those of you working in a corporate environment you know what I am referring to, people are mechanical and disconnected and it is hard to stay cheerful and happy in such an environment. Whether you have your own business, or work for a company; we can’t let happiness get away from us for 8 hours straight, can we?

1. Give Thanks

If you have the opportunity to work and contribute towards a business, be grateful. Even if you hate your job, there is a reason you are still working there, be it for money or to learn new work ethics. Pay your thanks right before you start working each day. It keeps you motivated for a few hours.

2. Avoid office gossips

It is a big ‘No’ if you want to keep your happiness intact. It is easy to fall into the trap of criticising a coworker behind their back. But, it can soon turn in to an exaggerated rumour you never expected to hear. Few people or colleagues, will only bond over gossiping, avoid such a company at all costs, being alone is better than being unhappy.

3. Practice mindfulness

mindfulness among the trees, how to be happier at work — This pic is to make you feel relaxed, it has nothing to do with mindfulness

No matter how hard you try some days will still be hard to handle. Work towards resolving such issues rather than letting it build up into something bigger. If your tough work day has no remedy, then,
– Check if your office has a quiet room or space where you can be alone.
– Leave your phone behind for 5 mins and practice deep breathing.
– If you can’t find a place alone, then take ten mindful breaths at your desk.
This takes away your attachment from the current scenario and makes you feel indifferent towards the situation. You can also practice conscious breathing while sipping your favourite beverage at work.

4. Make a to-do list

checklist to increase productivity and happiness

Make a list of activities that you are required to perform. It helps in keeping your mind from wandering here and there and focus on the tasks at hand. You get more done during the day and with more clarity. I prefer having handwritten list but you can choose according to your convenience.

5. Do not stay seated for more than 30 Minutes

If you have a desk job, you would be required to stay in one place for long hours, but to maintain your health and refresh yourself. Walk for a few minutes after you have spent 30 minutes sitting. You can have some water at this time, get some energy flowing through your body.

6. Do not say ‘Yes’ when you don’t want to

Sometimes, your colleagues might ask you to take up more tasks as a favour or help. While it is good to help others, it must never come at the expense of your balanced work schedule. Say yes only when you mean it. Learn to refuse politely to maintain a healthy balance of work. Many of the time, we take additional work and then complain about it in front of others. Creating healthy boundaries helps in maintaining peace of mind.

7. Use your support system

When nothing else works, that wonderful support system you have as a friend, family, or partner, get in touch with them.
My first corporate coach conducted one whole session on creating a strong support system that we can lean on in times of distress, and that advice has worked well in creating happiness at work hours too. On not so happy days instead of being upset about things and keeping them in. Make plans with your family or friends, have a nice dinner (home-cooked or dine out) together. If you live alone, call that one person whose name has just popped in your head. If you have a happy life outside of work, the work pressure is likely to reduce and you are going to show up happier at work.

8. Do not work when you are not at work

work only in the working hours to be happier at work

Many of us have a bad habit of checking our emails, even when we are not working. This leads to additional stress, and over time you will not be able to enjoy the hours when you are not working, because you have cultivated a habit of being available on emails on weekends too. Overworking is also an addiction.

9. Go out for a walk

Walks are so underrated, go out, and walk for at least 20 minutes, each day. It not only helps you physically it is also helpful in bringing in more peace. A 30 minute is good enough to start with,to be happier at work.

Hope this tips help you let me know below what are your hack to be happier at your work.

Lifestyle January 5, 2020

How to pursue your passion with a Full Time Job?

You are what your deep, driving desire is. As your desire is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny.
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

The reason you are drawn to this post is that you have a desire to do what you love, but you do not know how or when.

Money and societal expectations makes our world go round. This is why we see so many people abandoning the things they love doing, for the things that provide a more steady lifestyle.

And, if you are like me you realise after a while what really speaks to your heart.

When you stop doing the things that you love, you bury a part of yourself. You teach yourself to be comfortable in a mediocre and monotonous life. Some of you might love painting, but you give yourself the excuse of time and responsibilities. This numbing of your desire to paint can cause you to not be at your utmost happy self.

From now on, we are going to refer to what you love doing as Bliss.
Not following our bliss in some, or the other way, makes us stray from our purpose, and then we compensate for that by showing off things and relationships to our peers.

It is always our bliss that brings the most happiness and contentment to our life.

These ways have helped me in writing my book ‘Live More: Magic begins with you‘, being the production manager for TMD Storyteller (Production House) and also creating yoga and well-being YouTube channel, Città Space.

So, if you are in a day job and cannot find time to work on your craft or you are already in one profession and trying to make a switch to the other one. Here are some tips, to help you pursue your passion with a full time job.

Question Yourself regarding your passion

1. Find your Motivation

We never give priority to anything, which makes us feel uninspired. Therefore, you need to find a sound reason to reason to work on your passion. Though, the word passion in itself means that you don’t need an additional push to work on it. But, if we are out of touch with our craft, it takes time to get back into the groove and start working towards it.
Find your answers to the following questions:
How do you feel when you are working on your bliss?
Are you a happier person when you are working on your bliss?
Why do you feel the need to pursue it?

Planner with roses and phone. planning schedule for your passion and full time job — Photo by Emma Matthews Digital Content Production on Unsplash

2. Take one day at a time

I would not suggest you to work on it each day if you are beginning after a long time. As it may feel overwhelming, and your excuses may make you give up on it once again. So, if you are only beginning, set aside an hour per week, in which you will be alone with your bliss. Work, read, or learn more about your passion during this one hour.
If you are working on it on and off, but can’t find the time to create something, then, create a reminder which you would be looking at each day. You can use a sticky note and write, Work on ____ today, stick it in a place you visit repeatedly (bathroom mirror, refrigerator, or wardrobe).

Giving time to your passion — Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash

3. Invest Time

It doesn’t matter how strongly you feel about your passion, it does not help unless you invest time in it. You have to dedicate at least 30 minutes each day to your craft. And, if you think that you do not have those 30 minutes, then put your phone aside, and you will definitely find some. For anything to prosper, you will have to give it time. Treat these 30 minutes as an investment in yourself.

4. Be Consistent

Apart from giving it time, you will have to make sure that you are consistent. You cannot wait until one specific day to do the things you love. It is the same as Exercise the more you work out, the easier it gets for you to give one hour to exercise. Whether you are giving it one hour a day or a week, stay consistent.

5. Educate yourself

Take up an online course, read articles and books to know more about your Bliss. Learning more about your passion opens fascinating possibilities, it helps you sharpen your skills, and it also presents more challenges to your mind. You can enrol in classes if your schedule allows. This learning will further help you in being more confident about yourself.

woman stressed over deadlines from her full time job

6. Avoid pending work from Full-Time Job

You do not want any additional stress when you are managing your passion with regular work. It is necessary to not miss any deadlines or to wait for your deadlines to approach and worry about work, out of your working hours. These are the instances where you can lose your balance between the profession and passion. We need to minimise these situations by being punctual at our full-time job too.

Planning leaves with a calendar for your full time job to make time for your passion

7. Plan your leaves

Since you are in a full-time job and your leaves are accounted for, do not waste them on Monday Blues. Do not take leaves just because you feel like. Instead, build a schedule around your days so that you can utilise your leaves for the days you really need them or spend them with your bliss.

Mindfulness written on a paper — Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash

8. Be Present

The essential part of balancing two separate types of work is to be in the moment. Do not think about what you will do in the time you give to your passion while you are at work. Do not think about your Job at the time assigned to your bliss. You may come up with ideas throughout the day, write them down, on your phone or journal, and look at them at the start of the time you dedicate to your Bliss.

Friends talking to each other — Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

9. Share it with Close ones

Share your Bliss with the people close to you and ask them for feedback. Closed ones have an unusual way of reminding us of what we are supposed to do with our time. Even little questions like, “ Hey! How’s the writing going? “ can make a difference. The people close to us can motivate us to work on our desire because, unlike your day job, you do not have a manager or supervisor to tell you what needs to be done or to give you the deadlines.

And so the adventure begins. Now you can pursue your passion with a full time job

10. Start right where you are

We spend so much time thinking that we are not ready enough to start it yet.
Once I get that promotion, I will have more money to pursue my passion.
Once I lose weight, I’ll begin working on my bliss.
As soon as I have more time…
Just start! Go ahead. Start working on the things you have been waiting for.

I hope you find the above tips useful. I have been able to finish a book, with a full time demanding job because of these methods. Let me know the Bliss that you are waiting to work on in the comment section below. If you have more useful tips, let me know.

Do the thing you love the most.

Life December 26, 2019

At my own pace | A year in Review

While the end of the year is the most beautiful of all; Sometimes, it brings along melancholy, a feeling that the whole year has gone by and you haven’t done anything significant. Maybe there are many resolutions still undone on your list. It can feel heavy and uninspiring.

2019 has been an overwhelming and in-comprehensive year.

Believe it or not, you have had many learning experiences in 2019. It may not be as great you thought, but you moved ahead.

I have a bad habit of rushing things. Until I don’t get the prominent things on my list done, I feel as if I haven’t done anything.

If I look back, on the surface, nothing really changed. But, if I look again and be more thoughtful, then a lot of things did.

(I’ll have to check my phone, for the record it has maintained during 2019)

I think that was a bad idea, as I could only find pics of various weddings I attended this year.

Let’s try again.

I shifted to a healthier lifestyle, I am now more aware of the nutrition my body needs.

Before this, I was more concerned about calories and maintaining weight; But now, I am more thoughtful about nutrition intake because I can see a shift in energy levels and overall health.

I started working on TMD Storyteller and Citta Space.

These two projects took most of the time of 2019. TMD Storyteller is a production house that brings life to the stories by turning them into movies, and Città Space is an initiative we started to promote wellbeing by yoga and meditation.

Next, I met amazing people and learned a little more about life.

It is amazing how every person you meet leaves some impact on you and alters the way you see life. To me, every person is a lesson and a part of our reflection. I met this amazing mother who works hard for herself and also focuses on the acting career of her two kids, and she has just started a new business, hats off to the time management skills. I met people who made me want to read more, learn more and express myself in different ways.

Felt super confident, doubtful, anxious and confident again.

Questioned my decisions, worried about the future, thought I will never get out of this, found serenity and balance again.

It was a rollercoaster, I have always been socially anxious and I do not enjoy public gatherings as much until they are with the people that I adore. Well in 2017, I learned that it is fun to meet new people and learn about their lives. But, when it comes to large gatherings and parties, I always have a hard time making the small talk, and this year was all about that because of WEDDINGS!!!! And, I felt as if I have no time for myself because of all this. Also, the project at my office was time-consuming and challenging. I started using a second bullet journal (I have two now), which makes it much simpler to get my mind together.

I decided to not be so hard on myself regarding timelines.

Had my highs and my lows like everyone else. This year was beautiful, and as it is ending, it is teaching me something new,

A new way of letting things go.

Each year brings its lessons, and to make space for the new ones, we have to let go of the things which are not serving us anymore. Feeling pain is part of my life, but holding on to that is a choice.

One thing that I am doing this year is, letting go of all the self-doubt, worries, and resentment I held on to this year, let New year bring the new ones (>_<).

It is not that the next year will be free of worries and hurt, but I will be happier with the new ones instead of digging up for the older ones. We can’t go much further emotionally without addressing the things which are still bothering us from the past. As it always the same lesson wrapped in a different color than before.

There are a few resolutions that I am still working on, and I will have to move them to 2020, but I am closer than I was before.

Rather than giving myself a timestamp of getting things done, I am working towards a more sustainable way of doing things. Where I can stay consistent and healthily work on my goals, not under the pressure of time is running out.

a carefree girl in field. — Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

If you feel that you have been missed this year completely, or got nothing done, take a good look, you might have received things or lessons to help you through it.

Lifestyle November 3, 2019

Law of Attraction, and How is it working for you?

Thoughts become things

We are what we believe we are.
C.S Lewis

one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day — Photo by Binti Malu from Pexels

Our thoughts attract the life we live in. This law was brought to mass attention by the book called The Secret. The Secret helped in coining the term law of attraction.

Whether you know about the law of attraction or not, it is always working for you.

What is the law of attraction?

In the New Thought philosophy, the Law of Attraction is the belief that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into a person’s life.

As per the Law of attraction, everything is energy, you are constantly attracting the circumstances that match your energy. If you think positively and have good thoughts all the time, you are likely to attract positive results. Similarly, if you focused on lack and negativity, then you will attract that into your life.

As I started noticing and practicing this law, I realized that all the major religions of the world were also preaching the same. All the rituals suggested in these religions, make us believe that we are inviting good events to take place, which eventually results in the desired results.

It is similar to the algorithm of Facebook or Google, if you are browsing a dress on a website, it will likely end up on your feed, or you will see similar Ads.

Briefly, we get what we attract.

So, why do unwanted things happen to us when no one wants them to happen?

A worried man with his laptop — Photo by Tim Gouw from Pexels

Here, is the fun part of the LOA, it is profoundly working on the way you feel. If you feel worried most of the time, you will observe that you have more things to worry about.

For example:

Do you remember facing heavy traffic when you were wishing to not be late for an event? When you keep thinking that you do not want to face a traffic jam on your way throughout the day, you are more likely to be stuck in the traffic jam. Because each time that you are talking about traffic, you are attracting it.

Focusing on ‘Not wanting XYZ‘ is going to attract XYZ.

Think about the language that you are using while attracting things into your life and re-frame it if situations are not working out for you.

How to make the Law of attraction work for you?

Image describes a happy girl practising Law of attraction positively — Photo by Vasyl Potochnyi from Pexels

We are constantly attracting people and events subconsciously. So, if you want to change the circumstances that you are in, you will have to make a shift in your thought pattern. You can also start with various meditations, visualization exercises, and vision boards. (I can create an entire handbook on tools and tips – let me know if you are interested)

Feeling is the key: If the things that you want to manifest will make you happy. You will have to start with feeling happy in the first place. You cannot complain about life and attract a good one at the same time.

To attract things that make you feel good, you will have to make efforts to think good.

But, I am doing everything right, feeling good, why is it not working for me?

Then, you need to heal yourself on an emotional level. Sometimes, we don’t see the problem on the surface, we merely check if we are feeling good at the moment. Ask yourself. If there are issues or feelings that you are not confronting yet. Are you trying to cover up your underlying emotions by asking yourself to ignore the unpretty parts of your life?

A happy self is not just putting on a smile, and thinking that everything is alright, it requires work. Happiness has to come from within; you cannot force it.

I hope this sheds some light on the way the Law of Attraction is working for us. I would love to hear your experiences with the LOA and how you manifested the things that you desired.

If you are still struggling with manifesting the things that you want, you can let me know in the comment section below.