Wednesday 25 February 2015

Inspiration and success.

Hi,
Hope all bounced back to work after a nice weekend. Hope all had a great time with their family and friends.
Time is the most crucial thing. We can either spend it waiting to get inspired, or get the work started.
The difference between those who do and those who don't is "Inspiration".
Have you noticed kids who top the class despite being from a poor family?Have you seen the others who are doing well, but do not study as their parents are not able to give him that Xbox, or get him that expensive bike?
Pay attention to the emotions of that kid there.
Inspiration, depression, feeling low, envy, unhappiness, boredom, all these our emotions. Let's keep them aside and work.They should not be a part of our daily routine, though emotions are a part of human life.
Brian Tracy's Eat That Frog is a good read. He asks us not to wait for any inspiration, rather start your work,  you then get inspired instantly.
There is no point feeling bad, uninspired or low when we can rather put that time into use by starting to work. We have to get over our emotions and feelings to get perfect results.
Emotions are not our masters. We should have control over them. Mindless crushes which go on for years, and feelings of heartbreak even after we know that person has no respect for us come under this category.
Inspirational reading is a great thing but I say, please read blogs or books for only ten minutes to get inspired, and start your working for the day.
Also, no point in watching TV and web surfing for hours trying to get inspired.Robin Sharma's take on this topic is really cool.Rather than watching celebs on Tv and increasing TRPs, why not do something for yourself?
Beware. Not following your plans for a while can make the mind really numb, and becomes a difficult pattern to get rid of.
Failure is not a bad thing at all. I have seen a pathetic example of a girl who is semi qualified for a professional course, but had a relative who constantly told her she cannot be an auditor, cannot control people etc. She was highly intelligent, but grew cowardly everyday.
Is there any need to listen to others when they speak nonsense about you? Nobody, however rich, powerful, good-looking, successful or closely related need to influence you. Let us never give anyone that privilege to control us.
It was such a pity that she fell into that trap of inferiority complex, gave up her studies and settled for a mediocre life, backed with regrets. She is miserable. Her mind knows subconsciously that she is capable of much more..She refuses to acknowledge that. Even worse, she has a spouse who gladly takes advantage of her low feelings, belittles her even more, and she never got what she wanted as she is afraid to talk back, afraid to eat alone, or be by herself.
I always maintain that the world treats you exactly the way you treat yourself.
Many are controlled by their spouse, parents, friends and superiors who belittle them. Inspiration slowly drowns itself in criticism.
Inspiration is within us.No success can keep us inspired for long. We have to create positive feelings afresh every day. 
Success and failure are just happenings. We need not judge anyone or ourselves on the basis of  what happens.
I believe God has left some things to our Will. Our birth, family etc, are not in our control, but our feelings and actions are. Our future has to be carefully thought of, as there is no point in having same regrets a couple of years later.

It is great to love what we do. It is the best gift we give ourselves.

Have an inspiring week ahead!






Tuesday 17 February 2015

Single this Vday?

Hi,
Hope you are all doing great.
There was this much hyped Valentine's day this weekend.I am sure all enjoyed shopping, spent a great day with that special someone or with your family, gave and got nice gifts!
Still, every year, I can't help but wonder about the singletons.
I hear many of them saying how bad they feel sometimes, when they are single not by choice.
They are financially independent, great looking people, who have distinguished qualifications and careers, living in great homes, travelling all over, but some among their peers or relatives somehow succeed in making them a little sad , which is a result of jealousy over their own underachiever lives.
Sounds similar? Are you in late 20s and single or unmarried or any other situation where you have not found your perfect soulmate? Kindly read on.
Firstly, I don't know why it is called happily forever. Yes, I am gonna burst that beautiful bubble over here, and many may hate me for that. I am gonna speak the truth anyway,
Well, teenage, especially in the ending, and the early twenties could be very challenging for many.
Marriage , like every other occasion , is a part of future then.
There will be dreams of career, a great spouse and a nice lifestyle in everyone's minds in that age.
Then why do people, the society, our elders, friends, every one speak so much of a "Fairy tale romance"," A perfect life" and use such metaphors for a marriage ?
Simple.
All the other things are predictable according to the present attributes.
Our job is determined by our qualification.
There cannot be great transformation unless we go for further studies or take a bold step of career change etc.That does not excite people much.
The most unpredictable thing is that soul mate.
Thats why this concept of finding the one for you is surrounded by so much enthusiasm and energy than other events of life.

That average girl who is not admired by many may find a handsome groom.
That poor girl across the street is seen by a millionaire groom and got a grand wedding.
An averagely intelligent girl got married to that space scientist from ISRO.
A guy with no mom and a drunkard dad gets a girl who sets everything right.
Apologies, but many see "lucky girls" getting all the advantage in this relation.Which is so wrong.There is no such thing as a free lunch.

I am strictly not against marriage.I am married and have a kid too.But what I don't like is the way how this society treats people who are single after a certain age. Judging someone on the basis of their life situation is something which no religion supports. In some states of our country, girls are forcibly married off at a young age as they are considered a burden.

"May be he is a gay."
"He did not settle well, so he is single".
"She has some health issues. So no one is marrying her".
"Affairs, her affairs kept her unmarried!'
"She is career crazy, no guy will ever like her".
"She is arrogant, and lazy. Well served"
"Oh, your daughter is still single at 28??I understand your pain."
"Nowadays girls are less in number.Who will marry your 35 year old boy?"
Some odd relative from your parents second cousin clan, forges ahead to show her "concern" to your parents.Why doesn't she show that concern towards herself at a funeral..she may be next!
Such people never solve a problem if we have any.They just get some energy in their boring lives by gossiping about others.

My whole point of writing about this sensitive topic is that I have seen strong people getting affected by these unwanted comments and feeling low about themselves, which is so unnecessary.
It is great that we all congratulate those who are getting married, and it is inhuman to speak bad of  those who are not.
We don't know what the other person is going through.How right is it for the so called wise elders to demean others for not getting married, or have kids late in life, or make a decision which is different from others?
It is important to have a great relationship with ourselves first. If that is missing, we will be miserable, married or not.
Worse is the treatment belted out to divorcees, or people who separated. We worship celebs who are criminals, but cannot stand that woman in the neighbourhood who left her abusive husband.
It is ok if an actor marries thrice but that woman with a second husband seems to be a murderer.
The daughter of a divorcee will surely leave her husband too, so doesn't deserve to be married.
This aspect of  harsh treatment exists throughout the country. Growth can't be achieved if this sick attitude towards our own citizens exists. No government can curb this. The Herculean task of rebuilding attitudes is our own responsibility.

I am sure many of us who are single right now, always hear at least one of these comments.
Please don't get disheartened by what people are saying.
If you have chosen this path, be happy for yourself and just don't care for others.
There is so much of life beyond getting married.Enjoy that.
If you are searching for a soul mate, I say take your own time.It happens at 18 to some. and at 33 for others.Things will happen at the right time.
If you are ambitious, then it is a great thing that you can devote so much time for your goals now.
There is no cut-off date to get married and have kids.I know many who have kids at 30 plus and had no problems.I know girls in 20s who had small complications.

Is it really a fairy tale?No problems at all once you find that "one"?How true is that?
Yes, for the first six months. Even if we have certain problems, we forget all that, as we will be deeply in that new found bliss.
Later, we find life equally challenging as it was in our single days, perhaps more.
Financial, family wise, person wise, we will face challenges which are different from person to person. We really can't judge that.
We cannot travel with little kids sometimes. We need to live on a single income and triple expenditure when that precious little one arrives. It is no doubt a joyous journey, but it has its own share of sacrifices too.
Hobbies take a back seat. None stops us from pursuing them, but we get caught in a schedule which leaves little time and energy.
I really love Titan Raaga watches new tagline"Khud se naya rishta"..depicts what a person should think of himself or herself, single or not.
Ah, how can I forget to mention "how a marriage can set everything right?". A spouse cannot bring great growth in your job, or write exams on your behalf to get you that coveted degree. Getting married doesn't make you a wealthy person unless its a well known rich family you are going into.(Forget all those nonsense serials which portray a middle class chulbuli girl being wooed and married by a Hritik Roshan look alike. Bull shit.)


Yes, they can offer support, take care of the kid when you are away, and its indeed a good thing to have someone to care for you.
But suicide "as I am 25, and still am single"??It is a true incident.
As I don't deny the fact that its good to be married, please don't get caught in a rosy picture painted by others.
Truths:-
Very few can change their entire self into a new person for the sake of their spouse. I still did not meet any. 
In fact, many of us balance our individuality with what the spouse wants.It is so much better.
Nothing is wrong in being single.Its either a choice or situation.
Whenever you feel low about this, remember that many are dreaming of the life you are living right now, how ever it may seem to you. Your strength determines your happiness.
Perhaps you are lucky to spend some more time with your best friends,cousins, parents and pets before you get married?!

Every stage in life comes with its own challenges.Sometimes things do take time.
Ask anyone, speak to any person whom you think has achieved certain dream soon, they have another one pending for long. Life is that way. As Indra Nooyi says "You can't have it all, but can have most of it".
Single, or married, don't overthink, stay happy, love yourself, achieve what you want, be dynamic and fit, enjoy living to the fullest!
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Thursday 12 February 2015

Fitness foods:Good and Bad.

Hi,
One question I get to hear almost all the time from friends and relatives is "How to lose that unwanted fat near abs and waist?How to have just the right weight?"These questions are not from the chubby ones only.Even people who are thin face some issues like belly fat and low energy.
There are two dimensions to remaining fit.
Exercise and Diet.
The third and the least talked about in this optimistic brave faced world is Health condition of a person.You see, we hate to talk about illnesses.We usually leave a sick, or worried person to keep it a secret, rather than talk about it and lower his image in the great Society's eyes.

Move, move!
 I will share some exercise tips.I would like to talk about how important exercise is, so that it will motivate you to have a schedule of your own.
A fetus in the mom's womb starts moving around at the age of four months.The uterus is their playground.It is nature's way of providing exercise to the baby.
We all must have done it too.But as we grow older, we choose to neglect it to become couch potatoes or busy bees ,later complain of low energy and excessive weight.
Exercise for the heavier or medium built should ideally be concentrated around burning calories.
For the thin ones, it should be for a calming effect on mind, as they are more prone to stress due to poor eating habits.Consult a doctor before you start anything.

Eat right .
I was really surprised when someone said Brownies are eaten with Icecream.Yummmmmy..but is it good for the tummy? Brownies are super caloricious and delicious.Add Icecream and its a mountain of fat.Though I am too thin, I would definitely avoid it or just have three spoons of it.I remember a doc telling me that even underweight people should not consume fatty, oily stuff.Its not good for anyone.
Let's know that once in a while this stuff is alright.But we see that these foods have crept into our lifestyle and its seen as a matter of pity if someone is opposing this.Lets know that very few eatery businesses will think about your health.Diabetes and heart problems have become quiet common in the Cola generation.
For burning that belly fat,we need to strictly avoid certain foods and have healthier diet.
Avoid things which are too refined..Kindly think about the ingredients of the food you want to eat.Too many chemicals, colours ,synthetic stuff or preservatives are never good for health.


Most important
Don't reduce the amount of food drastically.Go for smaller solid  portions, six times a day, and add fruits , raw vegetable salads to diet.Our diet should have at least 30% of raw food. with high fibre content.This will reduce deposits of fat in the body, but will keep you energised throughout the day.
1.Don't ever skip a breakfast.
2.Have a glass of milk with a protein supplement everyday, twice.
3.Never forget to have a small evening snack.It may be cornflakes or a fruit.
4.Take green tea as it detoxifies.
5.Never encourage an empty stomach, as it leads to acidity and mind related issues.(Recent studies revealed that.)
6.Take buttermilk with a little salt when you feel you cannot wait till the dinner time.
7.Instant noodles.use them only during emergency.
8.Great sleep keeps your weight under check.Try to have undisturbed sleep.
9.Use small steel glasses for coffee and tea rather than big mugs.
10.Water keeps one active.Have it frequently.

General Health:-
Everyone should go for a complete check up, including dental checkup once or twice a year.
Thyroid issues are more in number nowadays, which cause obesity , underweight, depression and lack of sleep.Please go for the checkup every six months.
Friends,
This generation of ours is very fortunate in financial aspects.We spend so much money when we go out with families for shopping, movies, food, etc.Lets spend one tenth of it on regular health check ups, or health insurances (if our employers don't provide it).Think of me as too cautious, but its always better to be safe.
Kindly share if you know some tips too.
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Your dreams Vs your age.

Hi again, How have you been.Hope you are doing great.
All these days of mine were spent watching Robin Sharma's videos, Ramit Sethi's one week MBA, and other inspiring stuff.Please read Ashwin Sanghi's new book, 13 steps to Bloody Good luck.

Remember those times in teens?and childhood?We were so happy, and dreamy all the time.Some of us dream to be the best in the world in at least one aspect.Some inspire other kids too.Fast forward 20 years.We are all turning 30 or more.Some have got what they want.What about the remaining?
Which group do you belong?If you have planned really well and reached all your goals, I am really happy for you.

My concerns are for those who did not.Because I fall into that category.Welcome to the gang of Late Bloomers.
Let us see what might have gone wrong.Some unexpected illness, a tragedy in the family, financial difficulties?Or losing confidence and getting scared a midst all this?Having to take responsibilities at a young age leaving behind the dreams?Guess a lucky few have faced these, but still surged ahead..but many like me became victims of the situation.I am not encouraging that pattern of thoughts of the past.
I am looking into all of our futures.

We became self-declared average achievers secretly.We wonder in our oh so painful free time "what did I dream of? What happened?That depression keeps us away from taking a bold step into the future.
Sadly this world we live in , terms 20s as the most delicious time of life where one enjoys lots of
attention with a great career and a wedding and a child and what not.
If someone cant be a success during this period, they are termed failures.
Twenties are used to gauge a person which is so very wrong.Let's change the perception.

I was terrified about my dreams by the time I was 23.I gave up.I saw myself reaching 24, 25, and thought..may be I can't.I started living a mediocre life with no self-development activities or thoughts.
For a mentality like that, 27, 28, 29 will be the most terrible stage..as we finish another decade..reaching 30.
But in that fear itself we have to take steps to fulfill our old dreams.Because as long as we keep quiet, they will continue to torture us,Forever,

The idea I want to share with all is its never too late to re-re-restart our lives all over again.Today someone will surely humiliate us, but a year later, we humbly declare our achievements.Age doesn't matter.Mindset does.I know people who cleared the most challenging exams in 50s, Getting into ISB after retirement?Yes, a woman has done it already.

Many authors gave up their cushy well paid jobs to start writing at the age of 33, only to face rejection and insults.
Actresses like Vidya Balan have reached the top in their 30s.Chitrangada Singh dares to challenge younger heroines at 38.

Every effort we make at any age, or any time will surely lead to some great change.Please start now, as you still have a life.A saying goes"Even if you lost everything, you have your future.""No man is rich enough to buy his past".
Goal Setting and age:-
I have every right to say that we should now start goal setting for our birthdays as I have tried this and it feels fantastic.

As I turn 29 this year, I shall learn driving.
Till my birthday, I will finish that MBA.
I will be a fit guy by the time I turn 30..
These are some examples.
I truly support this self-conceived concept(:-)) as it removes any laziness in us, its very inspiring and exciting to set goals and work towards them practically.
Also, it makes every year of our life more meaningful.
Please share your valuable experiences in the comments box.
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Monday 2 February 2015

Mind rules the body.

(Its been a long time..really..after a kid arrives, life will become blissfully busy. I tried to resist the temptation of losing myself in the bliss of motherhood but I failed.And I love this failure.I can proudly say that if I ever gave something my 100 percent, that is being a mom.!Later I took a break for my ICWA, passed stage 1, and took a break from blogging due to technical side affects on the laptop a child can cause.:-)I am now in Pune, as my hubby is working there, and took this long time to have time for blogging.)

Nowadays I am wondering about little things we often forget as we get busy living. How many of us have the habit of thinking over their health?Our weekends are spent taking rest or spending money at the malls which relax us and take one quarter of our months salary in shopping and food!We are busy updating our profiles on Facebook, sharing jokes on Watsapp..but who will take care of that bad tooth which aches occasionally or that pending Thyroid check up or that most important Pap Smear test?
Many of the people, just like I do suffer from fatigue .Let's first go to a doctor for any health prob. Later, lets see some mind related issues which  cause the health problem.

Chronic fatigue is seen in people who are creative but take no time out to express their talent.
Sleeping too much means the person lacks some vital vitamins , also he or she is unhappy about an issue in their life which is unresolved.
Mild depression is the result of lack of exercise and frequent guilt.

However rich, however poor, none can get their past back.Though occasional feeling low is common among people, it is a wise thing to concentrate on what we can do to avoid a similar situation in the future.
Break-ups have become a primary cause of depression and heart related problems.All I can say is that, yes it was bad..but we love in such an over populated country that we will soon find that special someone.
Lost a job?I know a guy who lost a software job, started a dry cleaning and laundry shop .He is very happy and is earning better.

I remember getting very depressed at the age of 22 as I had many losses in life.By the time I was 25, I thanked God for all I lost.I also realized that depression is just a waste of time.
I cannot lie.Even today if I look at some stuff, I feel unhappy.But I deal with it than feel bad.That the lesson we should learn.Deal with it than seal it inside and be unhappy.

I do not support the notion  "Living happily ever after" stuff. Every stage of life comes with its own challenges. None ever discloses all that is going on..life is not perfect .Let's squeeze the best out of it even if its hard. I have done the same during my exams. I don't give up my studies even if it's tough as I never know what happens in the future.I don't want to waste time (despite a busy schedule) and repent it later.
Many of my friends are real fighters. I know a guy who passes his ICWA without coaching. He did his full time MBA at the same time .He had no money but his brave attempts gave him success.
I know women who separated from their nasty husbands and brought up kids on their own.
Have a look at Stop Acid attacks page on Facebook. Sheroes ...great gals...They truly inspire me.
I see that as I am doing my best to reach my goals, it makes me happy.I donno about the result, but I am happy.

My next blog will be about losing that unwanted fat.Watch out.Coming soon is about online shopping and best deal..tried and tested:-)

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