If you stand at the cross roads of any metropolis and watch the scenario for a few moments I am sure you’ll find it immensely entertaining or vexing depending on whether you are a clown like me or a modern philosopher. People rushing in and out of buildings, pedestrians literally jogging on the pavement, vehicles weaving through traffic, screeching of breaks, honking of horns and trading of glares.
All this for saving three hundred seconds of a commodity…
Yes it is TIME – the most precious of modern resources and easily the most misused one. In today’s world, instant coffee, instant knowledge, instant youth and even instant nirvana are all being offered off the counter. Technology is working over time to present quick fix solutions to everything. Yet humankind seems to be forever behind in the race again.
Some Research strongly suggests that people who suffer from “hurry sickness” – the chronic feeling that there’s never enough time – may be at increased risk for developing or aggravating health problems such as high blood pressure and headaches. A struggle with time is also linked to chronic anger and hostility, depression and bitterness. On the other hand, researchers suggest that time competency – using your time effectively – is a must for improving your health, fitness and relationships.
How then should we use our time effectively? According to Robin S. Sharma, the author of the international best seller The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari the most important step in the direction of effective time management is to develop a mission statement. This is basically a capsule statement of your life’s purpose and objectives. It should give both the direction as well as the destination.
A mission statement is really nothing more than a few paragraphs or pages setting out what your life is about. It should set in general terms the key roles of your life and what you will achieve at the end of your existence. It should also set out those values which mean most to you and the qualities that you aspire to have.
For example my mission statement would read something like this:
• Rise to my potential in my hobby, which is blogging.
• Be a responsible and responsive life partner and a lovely daughter to parents and in laws
• Take constant care of both mine and my hubby’s physical, emotional and intellectual health.
• Never compromise on my principles and values.
• Make a difference to the society in the best way I can.
Once your mission statement is ready it can be broken down into goals: Long term, medium term and short term. Thereafter, every endeavour should be directed at meeting these goals. These should be continually reviewed so that your direction and speed are in tune with your destination.
Most of the time we are caught up doing activities, which can be avoided. Either because we are unable to say no, or that we don’t realize the activity will not add any value or simply because of a kind of inertia.
Sometimes I feel all the fun and enjoyment seems to be fast disappearing from our lives. Even before our infants are able to talk without lisping, and walk without tumbling they are being ‘prepared’ to take on the world. The other day I was seeing a news item on TV, which focussed on coaching classes for tiny tots seeking admission to pre-nursery. I was horror struck. Kids who are not even three being forced to attend coaching classes! What is this world coming to?
The children are provided with an environment, which fosters a spirit of enquiry and keen competition.Instead of teaching the kids how to learn in an ambience of fun, joy and ingenuity the school is teaching them to compete with the world and is proud of it. What a brave and noble intention indeed! As if we were living in the stone age where the only way to ensure the next meal was by hitting some one or something on the head.
But can you only blame the school? No. Competition today is the buzzword. The latest virus that We seem to be competing with each other for anything and everything and in the process running around like headless chicken.
What then is the solution? Obviously there are no quick fixes.
“Most people I know try to become more clever every day, whereas I try to become more simple and uncomplicated each day,” wrote a philosopher.
We should all try to cultivate this mind set. By increasing our needs and then running around in circles trying to fulfil them we are only creating a no-win situation. In olden days a man’s greatness used to measure by how much he was giving up. Our sages were revered because they relinquished worldly goods and led a life of simplicity. Today the scenario is exactly the opposite. The person who can grab the maximum wealth by any means is the most respected.
If you are playing a game of TT, play for the joy of playing not for winning or even improving. The basic idea is to shift yourself – as completely and deeply as you can – out of the rat race for at least 5 minutes, allowing your body to release tension and your mind to relax. Studies reveal that we may burn about 10-15 per cent less calories watching TV than we do when sitting still with the television off! Our focus should be to reduce the time we spend with the idiot box and spend more time on enjoyable activities that offer relaxation as well rejuvenation. I am listing some of the activities at random. You may select the ones you like:
• Listening to music
• Singing, even if it is tuneless and off key.
• Reading a book/story
• Playing an instrument
• Spending time with a small child
• Spending time with elderly people in the house or neighborhood.
• Gardening
• Walking
• Dancing
Our mind is always vacillating between the past and the future. We are either crying over spilt milk or trying to cross the bridge before we come to it.
One of the best ways of time enjoyment is to accept that the present is inevitable. We have to live in the present moment to the fullest and give our hundred percent to whatever we are doing. This might appear extremely difficult but it isn’t really so. Little kids do it all the time - they are forever living in the moment. We too as children did the same. However, over the years, in the process of maturing, we stifled the child in us. What we have to do now is to reawaken the little one in each of us and allow it to blossom in all its innocence and purity. The rest will follow.
Let me now conclude with these memorable quote whose source unfortunately is unknown:
“We are each given a block of marble when we begin a lifetime and the tools to shape it into sculpture. We can drag it behind us untouched, we can pound it to gravel or we can shape it into glory.”
The choice then is clearly ours - we can abuse and misuse time to fritter away our lives or use it effectively to achieve joy, contentment and glory.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Emotions in a different way............
As a child I did not express my emotions properly, well that’s what most of my teachers had to complain about me during my school days, Mrs. Mirza my 8th grade geography teacher had come to a conclusion that I did not react much to things and I was not emotional.
I had scored 25 out of 25 in my geography exam with two others sharing the same score, well I was very happy about my scores, because I had put in lot of effort to study geography and to remember the markings in map, I did feel nice about myself and that evening I shared the happiness with my parents and it ended there. The next day Mrs. Mirza asked the top scorers how we felt being the top scorer, two classmates who went before me to speak about their feelings to their class, had quite a lot to share and there was lot of excitement and happiness on their face, and finally it was my turn to go and speak, I told ‘I am very happy for being the top scorer and I thank god for having given me the memory to write everything properly and on time, I am happy’ there ended my talk.
Mrs. mirza didn’t sound convinced at what I spoke, she asked me, ‘Nandini is that all you felt and have to tell to the whole class, are you not feeling very happy, you are top scorer in the class project also, for that I told ‘yes maam I very happy and smiled, Mrs. mirza gave the class toppers a chocolate each and left us to go to our places to be seated.
Days passed and it was final day of my school, yes 2years had passed, felt like it went in blink of an eye, I just thought I will take a big round inside my school and sit in the places which were close to my heart, so I started off from KG class and met my teacher Mrs. Esther Samuel a very sweet lady to whom I introduced myself and bid goodbye, I received her heartfelt blessings, which made my day, as I was passing through many places, I came across the staff room and decided to meet the teachers there and bid goodbye, unfortunately there was no one there except Mrs. Mirza.
I just walked up to Mrs. mirza and told her that it was wonderful being her student and I learnt not just geography but I learnt many good things, and I just gave her a hug, Mrs. mirza was speechless, she just held looked into my eyes and told ‘I am sorry my child I always thought you didn’t express your emotions and you didn’t react properly, but you have proved me wrong. Bless you my child have a wonderful future with all success and happiness, you are a wonderful child I have ever met’.
Listening to so many good things about myself from her made me feel nice….
We all have emotions and we definitely we express it, especially a lot towards our loved ones, but the way we express our emotions are different….. Some people easily and loudly cry out while others weep and keep the tears within themselves, both the people have same amount of emotion, difference is one is expressed and other isn’t.
Expressing emotions is very important, but when we our really connected to our loved ones our emotions will be clear even without expressing and explaining, am I not right??
We are all gods’ creations and ofcourse we have a soft heart with loads of emotions but the way of expressing differs from person to person.
I had scored 25 out of 25 in my geography exam with two others sharing the same score, well I was very happy about my scores, because I had put in lot of effort to study geography and to remember the markings in map, I did feel nice about myself and that evening I shared the happiness with my parents and it ended there. The next day Mrs. Mirza asked the top scorers how we felt being the top scorer, two classmates who went before me to speak about their feelings to their class, had quite a lot to share and there was lot of excitement and happiness on their face, and finally it was my turn to go and speak, I told ‘I am very happy for being the top scorer and I thank god for having given me the memory to write everything properly and on time, I am happy’ there ended my talk.
Mrs. mirza didn’t sound convinced at what I spoke, she asked me, ‘Nandini is that all you felt and have to tell to the whole class, are you not feeling very happy, you are top scorer in the class project also, for that I told ‘yes maam I very happy and smiled, Mrs. mirza gave the class toppers a chocolate each and left us to go to our places to be seated.
Days passed and it was final day of my school, yes 2years had passed, felt like it went in blink of an eye, I just thought I will take a big round inside my school and sit in the places which were close to my heart, so I started off from KG class and met my teacher Mrs. Esther Samuel a very sweet lady to whom I introduced myself and bid goodbye, I received her heartfelt blessings, which made my day, as I was passing through many places, I came across the staff room and decided to meet the teachers there and bid goodbye, unfortunately there was no one there except Mrs. Mirza.
I just walked up to Mrs. mirza and told her that it was wonderful being her student and I learnt not just geography but I learnt many good things, and I just gave her a hug, Mrs. mirza was speechless, she just held looked into my eyes and told ‘I am sorry my child I always thought you didn’t express your emotions and you didn’t react properly, but you have proved me wrong. Bless you my child have a wonderful future with all success and happiness, you are a wonderful child I have ever met’.
Listening to so many good things about myself from her made me feel nice….
We all have emotions and we definitely we express it, especially a lot towards our loved ones, but the way we express our emotions are different….. Some people easily and loudly cry out while others weep and keep the tears within themselves, both the people have same amount of emotion, difference is one is expressed and other isn’t.
Expressing emotions is very important, but when we our really connected to our loved ones our emotions will be clear even without expressing and explaining, am I not right??
We are all gods’ creations and ofcourse we have a soft heart with loads of emotions but the way of expressing differs from person to person.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Memorable Birthday
My hubby darling wished me exactly at 12 and gave me a hug I felt very elated about that and there was a broad smile on my face, early morning wishes came from my parents and my brother, which again made me feel nice. I was upset when I figured out that my hubby was getting ready to leave for work, but at the same time I could understand that he did not have sufficient leave balances. My hubby left for work as usual after having his breakfast and again wished me and made me feel special.
By 12.00pm my hubby called me and informed that he was stuck with an important meeting at office and that he would be late to home, i told him to come home early, well I sat down to have my lunch with a heavy heart and heard my door bell ringing, it was unusual because I generally don’t have any visitors at that time, normally I know my friends and guests come home during weekends, well with all these thoughts in mind, I woke up to go and open the door and peeped through the keyhole, unfortunately couldn’t see anyone, still I decided to open the door, come what may, and I saw my husband sitting down the moment I opened the door, he came in and gave me a two big box of chocolates, a lovely greeting card and a soft cushion with love you written on it, I was speechless, I was just looking at him, my husband told I wanted to give you a surprise that’s why came home early and I wanted to have lunch with you on this beautiful day, I felt like I was on the cloud nine.
Well looking at the greeting card in my hand reminded me that after the invention of emails, chats and sms we have long forgotten the beautiful greeting cards and cute hand written notes, and the old way of wishing to our loved ones, my husband reminded me of all this with his cute gifts for me. I had a very satisfying lunch at home with just two of us and the noon just passed by as we sat to converse and recall all our sweet memories.
After a sipping a cup of tea each, my hubby helped me in the kitchen which left me to refresh myself and I said my prayers to god came and sat next to my hubby for our fun conversations and then there was a call in our intercom, I was guessing who could that be and before I could realize my cousins were at home with their little angel neha and with a big yummy cake, I was so surprised at that, they made me cut the cake and we gave our best and worst poses for the photo at this point my husband told me that it was he who had told my cousins to come home with a cake to give me a surprise and no my surprise did not end here, my hubby darling had also reserved for dinner at a lovely hotel called ‘Chutneys’ and this he had done 2days prior to my birthday, we headed straight to the hotel and enjoyed the food and the ambience and absolutely everything about the place. Ah! Ok so this is how a 5star hotel looks like, I had heard and seen but had not experienced, my husband made it happen for me
I also liked the soft romantic tracks which was been sung and my hubby dedicated a song for me aswell which the singers there will announce, oh my god this was like out of the world experience for me. This birthday made me feel like I was a newborn and celebrating my birthday in pomp and show
We returned home and I just gave a big beary hug to my hubby and thanked him for such a memorable and lovely birthday, this I will remember for the years to come, when it comes to giving pleasant surprise my husband is the best, he does it in a neat way, love you darling…………..
I just expected a birthday wish from my husband but he went to a great extent and gave me all the lovely surprises and made my birthday really wonderful and I will cherish it for the rest of my life.
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Thank You God
Nandini, hey Nandini!! this was the way Recently a young mom holding a child with both her hands spotted me in one of the shopping malls and shouted in joy, it took me a minute or two before I could realize that it was none other than my classmate Ahanaa, we had studied in the same school from UKG to 10th std, she was looking pretty and had added lot of weight.
I was excited to see her aswell, though I don’t remember having spoken to her for more than 5minutes during school days, things had changed now. We started recollecting our classmates and our teachers and all the fun time which we had as kids in school…. Ahanaa insisted that I go for an ice cream with her, since the climate was favorable for the same and me in the right mood, I thought an ice cream would be perfect
I was so engrossed in conversation that I didn’t notice her cute little daughter who is 2years, she just came running after playing a horse ride nearby, I was so fascinated by her babbling cute words and angelic smile that I made her stand and clicked a photo of hers. Generally I tell kids not to address me as aunt and that I prefer them calling me ‘Akka’ but I couldn’t help her cut words and just smiled whenever the cute 2yr addressed me as aunt.
I don’t remember the ice cream name but it was huge with all kind of nuts, jelly and lot of ice cream varieties in the cup, it was just a superb treat, and I was enjoying it . As we were having ice cream I noticed that my friend was not having her ice cream properly nor was she enjoying it, she was deeply observing her bundle of joy licking the ice cream, I asked my friend what happened and why was she not enjoying her ice cream, she replied ‘it feels satisfied to see my daughter enjoying her ice cream, without any worries and tensions about life, tomorrow she will grow up but I might not get to see the same innocence and tenderness in her, so I am looking at my daughter and feeling very happy to see her enjoy her life, my daughter should always get such special moments in life which she enjoys truly and without worrying’. After hearing this I was completely speechless, thank you god for creating wonderful angels called mom for us, who are so selfless and always shower true love.
I was excited to see her aswell, though I don’t remember having spoken to her for more than 5minutes during school days, things had changed now. We started recollecting our classmates and our teachers and all the fun time which we had as kids in school…. Ahanaa insisted that I go for an ice cream with her, since the climate was favorable for the same and me in the right mood, I thought an ice cream would be perfect
I was so engrossed in conversation that I didn’t notice her cute little daughter who is 2years, she just came running after playing a horse ride nearby, I was so fascinated by her babbling cute words and angelic smile that I made her stand and clicked a photo of hers. Generally I tell kids not to address me as aunt and that I prefer them calling me ‘Akka’ but I couldn’t help her cut words and just smiled whenever the cute 2yr addressed me as aunt.
I don’t remember the ice cream name but it was huge with all kind of nuts, jelly and lot of ice cream varieties in the cup, it was just a superb treat, and I was enjoying it . As we were having ice cream I noticed that my friend was not having her ice cream properly nor was she enjoying it, she was deeply observing her bundle of joy licking the ice cream, I asked my friend what happened and why was she not enjoying her ice cream, she replied ‘it feels satisfied to see my daughter enjoying her ice cream, without any worries and tensions about life, tomorrow she will grow up but I might not get to see the same innocence and tenderness in her, so I am looking at my daughter and feeling very happy to see her enjoy her life, my daughter should always get such special moments in life which she enjoys truly and without worrying’. After hearing this I was completely speechless, thank you god for creating wonderful angels called mom for us, who are so selfless and always shower true love.
Sun Signs And Me
Slowly my husband started relating himself with the characters which was mentioned in the book and also gave me few short explanations about them, I was thrilled to know my husband more, after a while I started to read other sun signs as well and strange enough my husband related himself to the characters in those also, I was puzzled wondering how can a person have all the characters mentioned in the twelve sun signs. After reading I started analyzing if I really had all the characters mentioned in the book.
It striked me that I don’t have to read so much about sun sign compatibility, when in real life scenario that’s not the only thing required in life, because relationships and true love and affection override all these, and the best example is that of a mother and her child, I had always read that cancer and Gemini are opposite signs but my mother is a cancerian and I am deeply influenced by her, so later I changed my mind thinking may be sun sign compatibility is required for husband and wife, but again I was wrong, because I have seen husband and wife with great sun sign compatibility who have never led a good life.
I have not stopped reading sun signs, even now I do that but I check for the negative qualities mentioned and try to change them in myself and improve the good points, reading sun signs still remains one of my favorite but I don’t bother much about compatibility, I am not against anyone who follow sun sign compatibility nor am I against anyone who follow sun signs seriously, well if life was really so simple that just a compatibility in sun signs would have given a peaceful and happy life, guess we would have seen only happy couples in the world without any divorces, if if if compatibility was the key to a happy and everlasting relationship.
Monday, June 07, 2010
Pre Occupied Mind
Before watching a horror movie I tell my mind that I have to get scared and get carried away by everything that movie has to offer me, with this thought I sit and watch, well even a simplest sound in the movie makes me jump off my seat and makes me think what follows next….
One fine day I was sitting with my husband and watching a horror movie ‘The Shining’, the movie did not have any devilish appearances in it, but it was the excellent camera work and background score which was the highlight and made me widen my eyes. Jack Nicholson’s acting was exceptional.
I am very inclined to watch horror movies these days, of course not to get scared but to see what is the horror element in the movie and how has the director narrated the same to his audience. Horror is within the mind and not in the movie, because mind is so pre occupied, I go a step forward and read the reviews regarding the horror movie which I am going to watch and prepare myself mentally….
My husband advised me one day to watch a horror movie casually like I did not know it was a horror movie and he also told me not to read any reviews about the movie, I followed the same and the same evening we watched ‘Exorcist’ which is supposed to be one of the scary movies of its time, to my surprise I was not scared seeing the movie, in fact I was enjoyed the movie and did not close my eyes in between, which I normally do while am watching a horror movie…………..
Yes watching a horror movie and still not getting scared is within our mind, and to control our mind is within our thoughts….. Now whenever I watch a horror movie I know it’s yet another movie, which is in front of my eyes for 90minutes but not in my thoughts forever to scare me…………….
One fine day I was sitting with my husband and watching a horror movie ‘The Shining’, the movie did not have any devilish appearances in it, but it was the excellent camera work and background score which was the highlight and made me widen my eyes. Jack Nicholson’s acting was exceptional.
I am very inclined to watch horror movies these days, of course not to get scared but to see what is the horror element in the movie and how has the director narrated the same to his audience. Horror is within the mind and not in the movie, because mind is so pre occupied, I go a step forward and read the reviews regarding the horror movie which I am going to watch and prepare myself mentally….
My husband advised me one day to watch a horror movie casually like I did not know it was a horror movie and he also told me not to read any reviews about the movie, I followed the same and the same evening we watched ‘Exorcist’ which is supposed to be one of the scary movies of its time, to my surprise I was not scared seeing the movie, in fact I was enjoyed the movie and did not close my eyes in between, which I normally do while am watching a horror movie…………..
Yes watching a horror movie and still not getting scared is within our mind, and to control our mind is within our thoughts….. Now whenever I watch a horror movie I know it’s yet another movie, which is in front of my eyes for 90minutes but not in my thoughts forever to scare me…………….
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
My Inspiration
From childhood I had never got inspired by anything or anyone, nor did I have any role model also, I always felt that getting inspired by someone means I am copying them and by getting inspired means I am losing my originality, this opinion faded away when I met my husband.
When I first met my husband I felt there was something extra ordinary about this person, he is a self made person who is today moderately successful because of his hard work, continuous effort and god’s grace. My husband has learnt many lessons in life in a tough way and has got things which are close to his heart only after going through immense struggles… Important lesson which I learnt my darling hubby was not to regret about the past because past cannot be changed so live for the moment and prepare for the future only financially because the rest is unknown, Slowly and steadily I was getting inspired by my husband.
Well I am not introducing my husband’s qualities nor am i boasting that he is Mr. perfect, but there is lot of wonderful qualities within him that inspires me, everyday is a learning curve for me and I notice something new about my hubby, last night he surprised me by coming home early and just held my hand and told ‘I came early to spend time with you and will you date me this weekend’, now I was taken by a pleasant surprise, to go on a dating with my husband, wow that was splendid and was overwhelmed by it and readily agreed with a smile on my face. So yes, this weekend I am dating my darling husband, This made me realize that giving pleasant surprises often in a relationship is very essential.
When I casually told my cousin about my husband’s simplicity and his good nature she was not ready to accept, instead she interrupted and told, well that is the way a husband is supposed to be, so I asked her if that was the way husbands are supposed to be does her husband do all these things, for which she was silent, most of us are like this we don’t want to accept that others are good and when a person is nice to us we feel it’s their duty or responsibility to be nice to us, Ahh! Though it’s a weird feel most of us do feel this way, am I not right!!It is really a wonderful feeling to get inspired from someone close to my heart and learning things from him and letting him know the same without any ego. I am completely inspired by my husband and will always notice and absorb good things in him and try to implement.
Getting inspired is a nice thing and learning good things is also wonderful, I am inspired and hope someday down the lane, someone will get inspired by me, haha just kidding
When I first met my husband I felt there was something extra ordinary about this person, he is a self made person who is today moderately successful because of his hard work, continuous effort and god’s grace. My husband has learnt many lessons in life in a tough way and has got things which are close to his heart only after going through immense struggles… Important lesson which I learnt my darling hubby was not to regret about the past because past cannot be changed so live for the moment and prepare for the future only financially because the rest is unknown, Slowly and steadily I was getting inspired by my husband.
Well I am not introducing my husband’s qualities nor am i boasting that he is Mr. perfect, but there is lot of wonderful qualities within him that inspires me, everyday is a learning curve for me and I notice something new about my hubby, last night he surprised me by coming home early and just held my hand and told ‘I came early to spend time with you and will you date me this weekend’, now I was taken by a pleasant surprise, to go on a dating with my husband, wow that was splendid and was overwhelmed by it and readily agreed with a smile on my face. So yes, this weekend I am dating my darling husband, This made me realize that giving pleasant surprises often in a relationship is very essential.
When I casually told my cousin about my husband’s simplicity and his good nature she was not ready to accept, instead she interrupted and told, well that is the way a husband is supposed to be, so I asked her if that was the way husbands are supposed to be does her husband do all these things, for which she was silent, most of us are like this we don’t want to accept that others are good and when a person is nice to us we feel it’s their duty or responsibility to be nice to us, Ahh! Though it’s a weird feel most of us do feel this way, am I not right!!It is really a wonderful feeling to get inspired from someone close to my heart and learning things from him and letting him know the same without any ego. I am completely inspired by my husband and will always notice and absorb good things in him and try to implement.
Getting inspired is a nice thing and learning good things is also wonderful, I am inspired and hope someday down the lane, someone will get inspired by me, haha just kidding
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