In this blog we will talk about - ‘ Is cooperation the reason behind the success of a company?’. Research and surveys have shown that the employees from most enterprises around the world do not believe that they are able to cooperate with each other. They face a disconnect in the team they work with. This, basically, becomes the reason behind their dissatisfaction, job stress, low productivity, unhealthy competition and in extreme scenarios, a desire to quit. What exactly makes cooperation such an important pillar for success? Let us discuss this corporate attribute in detail.

In my previous blog, I talked about the importance of collaboration for a productive work environment. The most important question here is “What is cooperation, and how is it different from collaboration?”

Collaboration refers to working together towards a shared vision or goal. Each department putting in efforts to compile a project can be referred to as collaborative working. However, cooperation refers to working with each other, helping each other in induvial goals and tasks, and building a healthy work environment. Cooperation and collaboration are interdependent, since on one hand, without the cooperation and with friction, the employees shall find it difficult to work in one direction. Where, on the other hand, a requirement to work towards a shared vision instils cooperative spirit and camaraderie among the employees.

What are the advantages of a co-operative environment in the workplace?

1. Improved Communication: Instilling a cooperative spirit is directly connected to enhancing communication amongst themselves. Effective communication, as we have discussed it in previous blogs, pushes the growth of an individual towards success. Effective communication with one’s teammate at work, in turn, builds confidence in clearly putting your thoughts across in every instance.
2.  Better Decision Making: When the employees cooperate with each other, understand each other better, decision making for a team becomes easier and more effective. Division of work becomes smoother and the conclusion is reached smoothly, without friction.
3. Reducing Unhealthy Competition: As we have always read in the past, that healthy competition is very necessary for one’s growth. There’s as much truth in this fact as it lies in the fact that jealousy or unhealthy competition may lead to one’s quick downfall. Cooperative teams manage their time well, investing in growing together, helping each other out, rather than wasting time devising ways to outgrow each other. Cooperation builds a healthy relationship among team members.
4. Growth and Learning: Sharing enhances knowledge; a team which helps each other in completing their goals, grows exponentially in terms of knowledge and confidence. We’ve often mistaken jealousy as envy and vice versa. Being envious of other’s knowledge pushes you towards growth. Cooperation in a team makes member help each other without being jealous of their intellect or growth.
5. Increased Job Satisfaction: What better than a workplace where you’re recognized among your team, and there are friendship and constant work support. Cooperative environment instils positivity, reduces work stress and anxiety, and increases job satisfaction.
6. Instilling Collaborative Spirit: ‘No one has to lose for you to win!’ We have already talked about the importance of collaboration at the workplace. Cooperation is the basis of collaboration. When employees work for each other, they are more likely to work as a team towards a common goal.

How do we achieve a cooperative environment in the workplace?

The leaders in an organization are responsible to a great extent to make or break a team. If you are a leader, make sure that you work upon the following to build camaraderie at work:

Different ways in which cooperative environment can be encouraged at work:

1. Encouraging Team Building Activities: Team building is a skill which good leaders must learn to practice! The more united yet open to ideas the team is, the better it will perform.
2. Peer Review: Team members should be open to criticism, ready for debate as well as guidance. Peer review responsibility for every team member can be a great way to instil trust and confidence in the team.
3. Instilling Motivation: Effective communication with the team and conducting motivational exercises on a regular basis is the responsibility of a leader. Motivation pushes employees towards personal as well as professional growth as a team.
4. Open Opportunities: The basis of cooperation as well as collaboration lies in the fact that whether or not their work is being recognized. No individual member should feel left out or given lesser opportunities as compared to others. Fair chance and opportunity to succeed to everyone directly brings a difference in their productivity.
5. Know your Teammates: Before acquiring every bit of knowledge about your client, about their likes and dislikes, ask yourself, ‘Do I know my team well?’ The more you as a leader know your team, and the more they know each other, chances of friction are lower.
6. Fostering Commitment Over Compliance: What is the difference between commitment and compliance? A compliant employee will finish work in time and be extremely ethical at work, however, he/she may lack the x-factor a committed employ will display.  An extra edge by the employees of the company is the secret to its success. Commitment is only achieved when the employee feels included, recognized and satisfied at work. Encouraging members and building them into committed individuals is what instils a cooperative spirit in employees.

When each employee is well informed about a project at hand, he/she is able to cooperate and collaborate with the other employee to make the best out of the task. In this next blog, we shall talk about the last, but not the least pillar of corporate, coordination.

Till then, Stay Healthy and Happy!

The famous author Mark Manson, in his book known as ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***k’, says, 

“If it feels like it's you versus the world, chances are it's really just you versus yourself.” 

It is always you versus yourself. Things change when you begin leading your life this way. However, for numerous years, we have directed our minds to constantly deny our faults and blame things on our surroundings. 

1. Shifting The Blame Without Introspecting Within

Let me narrate an incident to explain this. Some time ago, in a party, I came across this person. My friend Nitin told me certain things about his life. The man was the founder and CEO of a famous beverage start-up which, in the last few months, was on the slope towards failure. Besides the hefty funds they received, the company had begun to lag in the market because their workforce had stopped being supportive. When I walked past him, I heard him blatantly blaming his employees and calling them ungrateful and sluggish. 

Nitin told me that in the recent past, the man’s employees had been complaining about his behaviour, and some had even resigned. The man was rude and mismanaged in his work. He used to call his employees for meetings on weekends or holidays, providing them with unrealistic reasons and often cancelled at the last minute. Such repeated acts were clearly a reason why his employees had stopped supporting him.  

Numerous attempts had been made by his closed ones to explain to him the real reason behind his downfall, but he refused to accept it. He deeply believed that his employees were at fault.  

This was his blindspot!  

And this is where I realised that most of us constantly dwell in our blindspots. A blind state is not healthy for your mind. You need to remove your blindspot in order to move forward in life and accept your responsibility towards shaping your life. Let me explain this better through the Law of Attraction.  Your life is constantly getting shaped with or without your knowledge. How so? Every decision you take, be it small or big, makes a difference in your life. Often do we wonder, 

“How come these successful people are always so confident? Do they never make wrong decisions?”

The answer to these questions can be easily understood with the proper understanding of the Law of Attraction. Every decision is correct if taken confidently and for the benefit of the others, hence, people who take decisions without any doubt, always tend to be successful in life. Law of Attraction has one basic rule: 

For the law to work, Desire and Action need to be present, however there should be no place for Doubt. When was the last time you gave an advice to a colleague, or a friend? How easy or difficult was it? We do not hesitate while making decisions for others. While counselling others, we do not give in to doubt. However, while deciding or taking an action for ourselves, we often spend days as well as months before reaching a conclusion.  

What do you need to do or eat to remain healthy? What should be your daily routine? Most of us have been aware of the answers to these questions for years, but have we really begun to bring them into action? We spend hours planning, thinking about what we should or should not do. Being practical and taking actual decisions for yourself is the tricky part. 

2. Harbouring Superstitions Rising From Self Doubt

Doubt emerges mostly from our past experiences. Here, let me introduce the concept of Power Centre, i.e. the collection of beliefs (stored in our subconscious) which is a result of positive as well as negative experiences in the past. We often dwell on our past for the decisions we make in the present.  Dwelling in the past gives rise to superstitions!

Let’s say, you have failed an exam when you slept early the night before the exam. Your past belief will not let you sleep before the next exam. You’ll always be scared and will try your best to study till late at night. If somehow, you fall asleep the previous night, you’ll sit for the exam with a truck load of fear in your heart and eventually end up forgetting what you learnt! As explained in my previous blog, the Law of Attraction shall work perfectly in this case. 

This is how doubt, and in most cases, superstition forms a part of your subconscious.  

It is your responsibility to constantly make choices from the positive power centre and not from the negative power centre. Make use of your past for motivation! This is one of the few ways to direct the Law of Attraction in your favour! 

Do away with doubt and remove the blindspots which keep you from your dreams and life goals! 

Stay tuned for my next blog where I’ll explain the do’s and don’ts that will allow the Law of Attraction to work in your favour!

If you want to understand how and where to start, let’s have a conversation.

Till then, Stay Positive! Stay healthy and Stress-free! 

To your kid who has an exam tomorrow, or to a friend who is leaving for an interview, how would you wish the best for them?

Languages change across the world; emotions remain the same. However, if you closely notice, there are only two beliefs with regard to delivering good work. Wishing someone “the best” is very different from wishing someone “the best of luck”. They say it is in your own hands whether you depend on luck for success, or on hard work. It is always easy to blame it on fate – just believing in your hard work takes courage.

But what if I told you, there’s a grey area right in between ‘hard work’ and ‘luck’?  What if I say, your success or fulfilment of your desires lies solely in your hands, and a slight change in the way you think, can make all the difference that is needed? Let me further help you through it. As has been shown to us by science as well as philosophy, each and everything that exists, be it a living or a non-living entity, is guided by various laws. Right from the Law of Gravitation, which we learn in school, to the various Laws of the Universe we have all come across as we grow up, our life works in tandem with the universe.

The Law of Attraction, as I call it, is the basis of all universal laws, if understood and worked upon in the correct manner. What exactly is Law of Attraction? As I said previously in my blog, changing your thought can change your life. Thoughts, in their severity, are understood as emotions.

We, owing to the electromagnetic fields we generate around us, are trying to attract something all the time. The Law of Attraction states that, your emotions guide your life. Love is an emotion, the same way, anger, fear, lust, happiness, are all  emotions. Whatever you love or desire in its extremity, the universe readies itself to serve you the same. This holds true for fear as well!

Two mountain climbers, George and Michael, were onto completing a project – to successfully reach atop one of the highest mountains in the world. However, they met with a horrifying accident on their way up. Both couldn’t maintain their balance after hitting a huge rock on their way and slipped down speedily, cutting snow on their slope downwards. They got up after remaining unconscious for a few minutes, only to find out that their shoes were torn, and they’d both lost their bags, which had all the food they would need on the trek. This incident would have been enough to break their spirits.

However, returning was not a viable option for them. They were representing their country! Tired and dejected, walking for several hours without food, both seemed to have almost reached the top! However, the final climb was going to be the most difficult. Successfully crossing such a thick belt of snow with torn shoes and lack of energy, was going to the toughest. They paused for a few minutes before taking the climb. Thoughts ran in their heads:

Eventually, as both George and Michael began the climb, George felt slightly uneasy. His shoe got stuck, and he began to sink in the snow. He was so tired by then that he couldn’t get up. His frustration and anger was starting to get the better of him.

George said, “Michael! I knew this would happen! We shouldn’t have continued!”

He noticed Michael had already taken the lead. Very soon, George heard him shouting in joy, “And here goes the flag! I did it!”

Howsoever magical it sounds; it is nothing but pure science! As per Einstein, “Everything is energy. And that's all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want, and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.”

The universe is listening to whatever you think or utter. Universe will serve you exactly what you serve it. George decided his fate himself and so did Michael. See, how their thought process made all the difference!

How does the Law of Attraction work, why does it work for some and not for others, and how can we effectively use it for ourselves to build the life of our dreams?

As you wait for my next blog on this subject, listen to my video series that talks about many aspects of this law.

If you want to understand how and where to start, let’s have a conversation.

Stay positive in your mind, words and actions. Stay healthy and stress-free!

As Newton described a universal law, through his Third Law of Motion, ‘every action has an equal and opposite reaction’, every ounce of negative energy needs to be balanced with positivity. However, our mind has the tendency to capture negativity and take the positive for granted. This in itself becomes the basic reason for our failures in life. In the following section, I shall give away the strategy that guarantees your success!

1) Identify your negative beliefs and begin transforming them!

As we grow old in life, we attach certain beliefs to every element of our day to day life, in accordance with our experiences or surroundings. Let me elaborate on this point with a real-life example.

I had a friend who bore extreme fear and aversion in his heart towards any feeling of affection. His elder sister was going through depression because of a failed marriage. Her bad experiences had made him develop a sense of fear towards the concept of love or marriage.

One day, I told him to jot down every such negative thought in a diary. I said to him, “you’re not letting the universe help you. You, and nobody else, have the power to transform your life state.”

After I made some changes in his diary, the page looked like this:

I told him to begin revising the above statements in his mind repeatedly. Changing your words is the first step to changing your beliefs. I urged my friend to read and focus on these words every day. Eventually, this exercise was able to transform his inner state and helped him open himself to feelings of affection.

2) Words have Energy; Use them Wisely!

Words have immense energy attached to them. Repeated mention of negative situations strengthens the negativity furthermore. The best way to handle negative situations is by not giving them much importance. Be clear of what matters to you the most, focus on the positive, and learn to prioritize in your life.

Reduce Reacting, Start Acting!

3) Believe in Your Goal!

Do you have a vision for your life? Do you imagine the result of everything you do?

Whether it is at your workplace or at your house, whether it is drafting an email to a client or buying groceries, whether it is creating a PPT at work or spending time with family, have a vision for every action of yours, and plan your actions accordingly. Things shall gradually begin falling into place!

You should clearly know where you want to reach and the right paths are unraveled easily.

Working towards a positive goal is never easy; countless hurdles may fall into your way.

However, if your vision is strong, hurdles become exciting challenges, and problems become catalysts in your journey towards your goal.

4) Begin to Take Charge!

When hurdles come your way, accept them, tackle them as if it is your responsibility to do so and take charge! Obstacles enter your life only when you’re going the right way. My college professor once shared a beautiful example of a mountain climber to explain the importance of obstacles in life:

 “Two friends began the climb. Their goal was to reach the summit of one of the highest mountains in the world. They climbed for days and nights, but the summit was nowhere close. Hopelessness had gradually begun to grow in their hearts. The slope was getting steeper and the climb harder. They were gradually losing their vigor and began taking longer pauses. Suddenly, the slope became steeper than ever, and one among the two friends exclaimed, “I don’t think we will ever be able to reach the top. I’m losing my breath. I give up. I’m going to slide back down.”, and he slid down with hopelessness. The other one however was determined to climb. He was clear in his vision. He closed his eyes and imagined himself standing at the peak of the mountain, with a flag of victory in his hand, smiling! He went ahead, and to his surprise he reached the summit in less than an hour.”

What is the moral of the story? The story tells us, the greater the hurdles, the closer you are to victory! Hence, take every hurdle as a challenge, and emerge victorious!

5) Align Your Mission with the Universe!

Ask yourself, how does your mission benefit the universe? According to a Buddhist Concept, Esho Funi, the universe is a mirror. If you bow down in front of it, it bows down in gratitude. What you desire will reach out to you in equal measures, if your desires are aligned with the universe. Treat the universe as a child you shall nurture and design your greater goal in the same direction.

Determine to spread positivity all around yourself, and not just within you, for if the universe is happy, so are you, and vice-versa!

If you want to understand how and where to start, let’s have a conversation.

As this 5-point strategy changes your attitude towards life, Stay healthy and stress-free!

“It’s Monday again! Why did the weekend end so soon?”

“Time’s running away! God only knows when I shall be able to focus on my well-being!”

Inability to complete personal targets concerns most of us. Shortage of time and energy form the foundation of this concern. Effective time and energy management, leadership skills and success - they all go hand in hand! You manage one well and the other falls in line.

A) Why is eating optimally important?

Good control on the body reciprocates with good control on the mind. Constant energy flow is a mandatory requirement for enhanced focus. Since times immemorial, our elders have tried to remind us of the importance of consistent nutrition and a balanced diet! A heavy meal draws out most of your energy for the process of digestion.

Food is a source of energy, use it wisely. Do not let food reduce your efficiency!

B) Why are naps important?

Sleep is directly connected with the energy levels of your body. Naps refer to short sleep breaks which tend to multiply your energy levels and refreshes your memory. The next time you feel over-worked in the middle of the day, try going for a 20 minute nap before you resume working, and see the wonders for yourself!

However, balance is crucial!

Make 20 minute a target! If you over-sleep, this extended nap can make you drowsy for the rest of the day.

C) How to maintain a balance? In fact, what is balance?

Let me explain this with the help of the ‘body clock’ concept. The way we set reminders in order to wake up, or do an important task, our body and brain collectively function on natural reminders. The body clock is a well-established concept, covering all necessary functions of your mind and the body. Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young were awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, “for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm”, i.e. the internal clock in the body which dictates and tells us how and when we feel the need to rest, eat and carry out other body functions.

The Nobel Prize committee agreed upon the importance of following the body clock and understanding the implications of ignoring the same. Our bodies tend to adapt perfectly to a routine, and in case of any mismatch, the clock inside warns you to get back into the routine. As a consequence, the body gets affected at hormonal levels.

D) Why is it important to spend time with nature?

Our bodies function better in natural circumstances. In the modern day, we spend most of our time in digital environments, i.e. exposed to screens.

What is the first thing you do when you wake up? It won’t be too hard to remember that you check your phone! Little do you realize the dangers of digital devices! Apart from the digital necessity for our jobs, we waste majority of our time looking at phone screens. The electromagnetic rays from the gadgets directly affect our brain and heart. Over-exposure to digital gadgets can potentially reduce our mental capacity, further reducing the work efficiency of our brain. Take a break from your phone and computers! Take a walk in the natural light, let the sunlight touch your skin, breathe in fresh air, and give your eyes the gift of greenery!

E) Do you often wish you had more time?

Robin attempts 45 out of 50 questions in a one-hour exam, however, Joshua manages to attempt only 30. Joshua gets through the exam, while Robin doesn’t. Why? Here comes the role of organization in your life, and its importance for effective management of time.

It is extremely important to de-clutter your brain before you start working on something important. Complicated minds tend to act fast but end up giving inaccurate responses. You should be able to simplify your thoughts and organize your thoughts anytime. This is where meditation plays its role.

F) Organize and rejuvenate your life through meditation!

Your subconscious mind is your best friend. Maintaining a healthy relationship with your subconscious can act as a boon for you. Sit silently at a place, away from all the external noises, and make decisions with your subconscious.

While you crib wishing for more time and relying on artificial energy drinks which provide a temporary rush of energy, meditation remains the universal key for both your concerns. It enhances your qi (inner strength) and begins the process of spiritual healing. Stress kills both time and energy. The stress hormone ‘Cortisol’ is said to have reduced in subjects practicing meditation.

Feedback loop with yourself: Talk to yourself when the day starts, and when it ends!

Discuss with your subconscious your schedule for the upcoming day. You are the best manager of your time and energy. Pat yourself on the back when you succeed in your eyes through the day!

If you want to understand how and where to start, let’s have a conversation.

All the best! Go ahead and be the great manager of your life! You will stay healthy and stress-free!

“Success needs hard work? Or, success depends on luck?" These are your thoughts as you wait at the bus stop for the 9.00 a.m. bus on a Monday morning, all set for your job promotion interview. You are sharply dressed in a crisp white shirt with a tie on, and a pair of black trousers.

“Shall I be successful in the interview today? Will I get the promotion? What can I do to prove my worth?”

You notice a man with the magazine that has “Top 100 Most Influential People” as its lead story.

Will this prompt you to think deeper?

Success, for you, at that moment would be equal to getting the promotion.

However, success is not the matter of one moment. It needs investment in the form of diligence, the way a seed needs constant nurture to grow into a tree.

Think of an individual who is successful according to you, and notice their traits. Do they respond to your question confidently or do they fumble? Do they seem passionate about their life, or do they complain? There are a few traits that are common across all successful individuals:

1. Learn to appreciate yourself and the universe!

What we sow, so shall we reap! This is a universal law known to everyone. Whatever we give to the universe comes back to us in equal proportion.

An animal trapped in a mirror box growls at his own reflection, thinking it to be another animal. Its scorn comes back to it from all sides, multifold. The universe is no different to a mirror box. Learn to appreciate the way you are and learn to respect others.

You decide the way the world treats you!

An individual who understands this law is bound to succeed in life.

2. Open up your mind, be receptive towards others’ views, and take risks!

Listen carefully what people have to offer. The stereotype of staying aloof in order to focus on career and be successful has not led to much success in the real world.

Today, we constantly gather information, but once our minds are full – we stop listening, our mind gets saturated and we suffer from brain fog. It is important for us to empty our minds to enhance creativity. Adequate amount of sleep is one way of providing rest to a tired mind.

Our life revolves around the beliefs and ideas we inculcate. However, being dismissive to new ideas and the risks they bring along is not a good sign.

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook once remarked, “…the only strategy guaranteed to fail is not taking risks!”

You need to gear up to take risks in order to grow in life. Fear of stagnancy is much higher than the fear of loss in successful people!

Listen to understand, to gain knowledge, and to achieve wisdom.

3. Focus on daily, short term goals! Start small, and scale them higher with discipline!

Think of your life as a Kids Bank Account. You save little by little hoping to draw a fat saving amount in the future. Focusing on daily goals and working towards them opens the gateway for greater success in life.

However, if you fail in some instances, this should not pull you down. It is immensely important to remain motivated on a regular basis. Remind yourself of your goal every time you seem to lag behind. Action aligned to discipline gives results.

Every day should end analyzing your highs and lows during the day. Achieving daily targets provides the push to move forward towards the larger goal. Spending some time meditating on yourself and seeking some ‘me time’ on a daily basis is a habit to be developed for achieving greater heights.

4. Stay in the present , discarding the junk from the past! Accept your failure, forgive yourself, learn and move on!

When was the last time you felt you’ve conquered the world? Do you remember the feeling of that extreme happiness?

Remember your high points in life and strive every moment to feel the same way. Focusing constantly on aligning yourself to positivity is a way of life for successful people.

Be a wise judge of what to keep and what to discard from past memories, and keep moving ahead in life. Failures are memories to learn from. No one has ever grown in life if he or she decides to stagnate.

As Winston Churchill says “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm…”, accept, forgive yourself, learn and move on!

An eagle can foresee a storm. Instead of hiding away, it flies to a high point, sets its wings in such a way that the winds lift it higher than the storm itself.

Failures are the storms in your life, above which, a successful individual soars like an eagle!

Success in life mandatorily needs clarity of vision, intention and dedication. Elon Musk, CEO of automobile giant Tesla Motors, has a mission to enable global automobile transition towards sustainable energy. Despite numerous challenges, he has begun to live his vision. His mission resonates with the universe, and hence possesses utmost potential for success!

Every successful individual has stories that are stepping stones to his success!

When are you planning to begin writing your own story?

If you want to understand how and where to start, let’s have a conversation.

You are the autobiographer – Create your success story and as you do so, Stay Healthy and Stress-free!

Success, what is it? There is a lot of discussion on the internet about how to succeed in life and what are the key steps that need to be followed to achieve everything that our hearts desire in terms of fame, wealth and glory. Have we ever wondered, what exactly are our dreams, and what exactly does our heart desire? Do we know ourselves well before we embark on this trip towards success?

The famous Greek philosopher Socratesonce said, “To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom”.

It is important for us to realize that knowing ourselves does not necessarily mean knowing our inner selves. The body and the mind are designed to work in collaboration, and hence, knowledge about the mind is exceedingly related to knowledge about the body.

Success Is Knowing Our Body:

Change is inevitable with growing age. Respecting such transformations in your body and keeping a check on your energy levels is important for your inner as well as outer self to function properly.

Let me tell you certain simple questions we should constantly ask ourselves to keep our lives on track and enjoy success at every venture.

1. How are my eating habits? Am I eating wise?

In our hearts, we know which foods suit us. Does the food we eat make us lethargic for the day or does it give us adequate energy? Shouldn’t you avoid a heavy dinner in case you have to go for a run early in the morning the next day? Our experiences have guided us enough about what is healthy and unhealthy for our bodies.

Since each one of our selves is different, there is no one but ourselves who can prioritize our health and keep our eating habits in place.

2. How much rest does my body need?

You might sleep for six hours and feel active, but your friend might need at least eight hours of sleep to get back on track.

We need to figure out how much sleep our body requires, while making sure we do not over-sleep, since the latter not only delays our productivity, but also sends the wrong signal to our brain which in turn affects our body clock.

Do not let your brain make a fool out of you!

3. What kind of physical activity is necessary for my body?

As I mentioned in my previous blog on the importance of exercise in our lives where in the past, my high-pressure job at a bank had gifted me a truck load of stress and extra 15 kgs of weight. I did not realize the importance of exercising for my body until I met a friend who played squash. I started playing the game and cycling on a daily basis, when my physical condition began to improve and I began to enjoy my life! My body needed this kind of physical activity.

Run, stretch out, for your body needs you as much as you need your body!

Success Is Knowing Our Mind And Changing Your Mindset:

Are you extremely irritable? Do you feel angered at even the slightest of traffic on the roads in the morning, or at a tiny inconvenience? How do you tackle negative situations?

As I began my journey of self-transformation, I came across questions about myself at the very first step. I was asked by my mentors, as to what are my strengths and my weaknesses, because until I knew my weaknesses, how could I begin working upon them? Through analyzing my daily routine, and keeping a check on my actions, I began to figure out my high as well as low points. Exercising had become my high point, and stress was my primary weakness!

1. Evaluating your Strengths:

Instances where you feel a rush through your gut and a desire to scream out, ‘this is my moment!’ are those highs you need to live for. You are either born with certain strengths or you choose to inculcate them in the course of your life. It may be the god-gift of a good voice, a knack of delivering a speech on the stage, the trick of making a buyer fall in love with your product, your way of handling stressful situations, your goodwill towards others or physical fitness! Your strength is what keeps you in a high life condition. You need to recognize and cherish your strength and not let any external force doubt your qualities.

Learn to appreciate yourself because it is a pillar for building self-confidence!

2. Evaluating your Weaknesses:

‘I know I can’t handle this situation well. I think it is best for me to escape this kind of stress!’ Do you get such thoughts often? Such a thought may seem extremely negative; however, not realizing where you lack is often worse. An escape in the correct manner is never a negative trait. Your weaknesses are situations where you stoop down to a low life condition, blaming yourself and the others. Best to know your enemy well before you jump into the war zone!

Plan your days in a manner to work towards changing your lows into your highs! This is the best possible way to lead your life!

Richard Bach’s famously illustrated novella ‘Johnathan Livingston Seagull’ tells the life of Johnathan, an ordinary Seagull who goes out of its way to  know more about its desires and ambitions, to learn the mechanics of flight, when his elders always believed that seagulls can never be champions of flight! Johnathan succeeds when he decides to step out of preconceptions and work hard on itself!

Why waste time on the outer world when you can spend time on yourselves, constructively?

When do you plan on working for a healthy physical as well as mental life-state?

If you want to understand how and where to start, let’s have a conversation.

Think about this – introspect and make that resolve and enjoy success. As you exercise this resolve, Stay Healthy & Stress-free!!

Have you ever wondered how it would be if you simply started a journey without knowing the destination? It would be meaningless. You will never know whether you are moving in the right direction or if you’ve reached the end. Similarly, a life without a goal is insignificant.

So, what are these goals we are talking about? How do they play a pivotal role in our life? Goals are nothing but small targets we set for ourselves as we move along in our life. Once these targets are reached, it gives us a sense of accomplishment and confidence, very important for our overall well-being. These small, time-specific targets we set act as a reality check for our plans and tells us whether we are heading down the path that leads to success.

Goals change basis the needs and circumstances in which they are determined. Short term goals, long term goals, individual goals, team goals, personal goals, and professional goals are some common types of goals we outline to achieve success, depending on the requirement. But does setting a goal ensure success? No. Not if the goals are unrealistic.

Setting goals on paper is easy but setting realistic goals can be challenging. But why? After all, we are setting goals for our success, not others’! This is the general notion. How many of us visualize our future, keeping in mind only our potential, ignoring the success of others?

Let's take the example of an individual who plans to start a business without a proper team or capital and sets an unrealistic goal of attaining a turnover of $10 million in one financial year by just comparing his/her start-up with other established businesses. Is that practical?

No!

Instead, the individual should first focus on small, achievable goals, like hiring a proper team, completing a market survey, building a capital base, and then outlining the profitability and turnover. With each of these small steps taken one at a time, you can be sure your goals are focused on your objective and you’re moving in the right direction.

We must accept that all individuals are different with various strengths and weaknesses. Hence, it is important that whatever goals we are carving should be aligned to our ability and not based on how someone else has achieved success or what goals other successful competitors have fixed for themselves. Instead, before setting your goals, it is crucial to realize your own potential and then create a goal aligned to this.

A goal defined as per potential is more realistic, making it easier to stay glued to the plan and not give up halfway through. Here are a few ways you can define a realistic goal.

1. Look For A Purpose In Your Goal

Writing down your realistic goals and achieving them isn’t enough. Ask yourself, “why am I setting this aim? What is my purpose? What am I seeking through the accomplishment of these goals?” The answer to these simple questions will help you discover your true goal as per your capability and keep you motivated throughout your beautiful journey until you reach your destination.

2. Write Down Your Goals

Making a goal is not enough. Writing every bit of the planning is equally important, because when your goals are visible, you connect to them. However, if you just write your goals in a diary and keep the diary in a drawer, you are bound to forget about your goals once the adrenaline rush decreases. If your goals are always visible, it will keep you motivated despite any distractions in the way of your journey.

3. Reveal and Discuss Your Goals

Knowing your abilities, setting goals, and writing them down is not enough. As our thoughts and plans are not accountable to others, if we don’t reach the goal or get distracted, we have no one to answer to but ourselves. As such, we easily lose focus. Here arises the need for a partner or another individual who can act as a critic or analyst, who can serve as a reminder to our set goals. Example, you plan to lose 3 kgs every month, but you’ve never discussed it with your friends or a trainer. At the end of one month, if you are not able to attain the goal, you will in all probabilities extend the timeline! It will not make a difference to others.

4. Stay Hungry

Stay hungry for knowledge and be curious. We don’t know everything, and we constantly need to upgrade ourselves. And there has never been a better time to do this than today’s digital age. You can sign-up for courses and start learning from experts in the comfort of your own home. As you start adding new skills, techniques, you start moving closer to your goals. Just like you learn to drive before you buy a car, you need to identify what skills you need to achieve your goals and then work towards them. Once you have this understanding, find the best source for this knowledge and start learning with an open mind.

5. Predict Hindrances

Acting on plans to achieve success is not easy. You are bound to hit roadblocks while following your success path but if you can anticipate the obstacles while planning and staying prepared to make a few changes in the course of action. Being overly confident and less flexible to changing your own plan might lead to failure and setbacks. On the other hand, if you are aware of all the challenges that the future might challenge you with, you will be ready to clear the obstacles with well-thought out solutions.

Overall, it can be said that a life without a goal is living life “only wishing”. It is essential to carve a successful path by first knowing your inner strength, then fixing your objective and finally working towards achieving these goals with full determination. No matter how difficult the path is or how many obstacles or distractions you may face, the process must continue until you reach your target. You will award yourself not only success but also an enriched version of yourself because of the experiences you gain along the way!

If you want to understand how and where to start, let’s have a conversation.

Till I see you with my next thoughts – Enjoy Life, Stay Healthy and Stress-Free!

Have you had the feeling that your life is not going the way you wanted it?

Do you feel that despite everything you do, things are not going your way?

Do you feel that everything and everyone is conspiring to fail you? Do you feel that you have had to bargain hard for everything that life has given you?

Has the relationship with your partner lost its charm and things don’t look like they are improving?

In a nutshell, do you feel victimized and have stopped enjoying life altogether?

Let me take a step back and look at the situation from a different angle.

As you walk on the road, do you notice the trees, the grass on the sidewalk, the cool air, bright sun etc.? Your answer might be a yes for a few or all – do you remember the split second feeling when you notice the beautiful tree? Isn’t it blissful?

The key to being human is looking at the small things that contribute to making our lives better and happier, like

• Your partner who wakes up in the morning to make you breakfast while you are fast asleep
• Your dog loving you to distraction
• The little bird that chirps in the morning to wake us up
• The bus/train that arrives on time to take you to work
• The postman who braves the heat or cold to deliver your mail
• The pothole in your road that has been miraculously filled up overnight
• The loan that gets granted to pull you out of a sticky situation etc. etc.

It is important to realize that we are walking on the shoulders of so many people who are only striving to make our lives better. The work one does touches so many lives and it would be a pity if we are unhappy and fail to recognize how much better our lives are due to the people around us.

The more you notice what you have and the less you notice what you don’t is the key to Happiness. When you count your blessings (no matter how trivial), life always seems easy, contented and happy. Counting your blessings means Appreciation of yourself and everything that life offers to you.

Rob and Marley had been married for 10 years, but of late their relationship had lost all its fun. They felt that the love had gone out of the relationship and it started showing in the smiles (or lack of) of their children.

They were arguing regularly, and it looked they were heading for a breakup. One day the argument happened in front of their close friend Chris who told them about a saint his wife and him met in India and how much the advice they got from the saint helped their relationship. Thank God this came at the right time for Rob and Marley.

Rob and Marley were planning a last attempt at saving their relationship going for a family vacation so they decided to go to India as a family. They had spent so much meeting marriage counsellors and psychologists but maybe the saint could help them.

They headed straight to the hermitage once they reached India. The saint saw them approaching and smiled. One look at the saint and Rob and Marley felt the weight of the world lifting off their shoulders and this gave them the confidence to discuss their relationship with him.

The saint asked them about their lives and why they are not happy anymore. Rob and Marley both talk about the circumstances, their life, their work and how everything around them has contributed to their misery.

The saint heard them patiently and smiled. He told them that their lives are missing the one thing that keeps the world humming – “Gratitude”

He asked Rob and Marley to write down 5 things that they appreciate in each other, 10 things that they are appreciative of in their lives and come back to him 5 days later. Rob and Marley were puzzled about the simplicity of the task as they had been expecting miracles and healing.

However, something about the saint convinced them to go ahead and do as asked.

They sat down that night and started looking at their lives with a fresh perspective and wrote down things they liked about each other and what they appreciate about the world around them and they did this for the next 5 days as promised.

They went back to the saint after 5 days and he asked, “How are you feeling?” They smiled and told him that when the started writing it was tough, but slowly the list became longer and they started to run out of pages. They were smiling by Day 2 and it was amazing how despite the ‘homework’ it felt like a holiday.

The saint said that the key to life is Appreciation. Once we realize how much the world and their partner is contributing to making their lives comfortable, happy and supported, they will also realize how blessed and fortunate they have been.

He asked them to continue to start noticing all that they have instead of focussing on what they don’t and life will always make them smile.

It has been a few years now and Rob and Marley are happy together and their relationship has never been stronger.

Dear friends, the above is a story that illustrates the power of Appreciation and Gratitude in our lives.

Once we see and start appreciating things around us, we find that our mood starts improving, the petty frustrations going away and our inner strength rising. Remember, behind every supposed cloud there is the sun and the sun is a billion times brighter than the light bulb that we use to illuminate our room. Look to the sun always and it will give you the light you need.

Research has proven that there are more benefits of “Gratitude” and “Appreciating other people”: 

• Improved physical wellbeing 
• Better sleep
• Fall in love with life 
• Increased mental health and strength
• Improved relationships
• Improved self-esteem and self-respect
• Increases empathy towards everyone and everything around us

You will smile when you realize the contribution of others in your life and how the smallest of beings affect your life positively – And a smile a day keeps all doctors away! 

So, practice Appreciation daily:

• Appreciate yourself: Write down 3 things that you like about yourself – you will look at yourself afresh and re-invent yourself. You will slowly feel the old you fade away and get replaced by someone who is full of vitality and creativity
• Appreciate your partner: Write down 3 things you like about your partner. This will make you realize the contribution your partner is making in your life. It will make you fall in love with your partner all over again
• Appreciate your family: Write down 3 things about your family and friends that have benefitted you. See how your mother runs down to help you when you are in trouble, how your child smiles and showers their love on you when you need it the most. How your neighbour baby-sat your second child when your 1^st one had to be rushed to the doctor. There are many examples of people helping you, realize and recognize that.
• Appreciate your workplace: Write down 3 things that you like about your workplace. You spend most of your day there and it is important to identify the positives, it will make you a better employee and more efficient and liked in the workplace.
• Appreciate the world around you: Write down 3 external factors (outside your family, friends and work) that made your life better today. This will make you realize how we should not be taking things for granted and how we should be grateful instead. It could be that the garbage gets picked up at your doorstep by your council or a power-cut getting restored. Feel proud of your state, your nation. This will make you a citizen and role-model for the community.

A stress-free existence is a life that appreciates all that it has offered to him or her, focusing on the positives instead of the negatives. The more you practice Gratitude & Appreciation, the more you will be stress-free and happy.

Till I see you with my next one – Appreciate Life, Stay Healthy and Stress-Free!! 

Today’s world has developed a few unique attributes that seem to be the backbone of survival.

The mantras you would hear all around you are “Use your Mind, Don’t be Blind”,  “Your Intellect is your best friend”, “Use your head, Be selective with your heart”, “Stay sharp and alert”. What is the end result – yes, we achieve what we set out to achieve (at least most of the time) but pay a price for it – we feel burnt out, stressed all the time and realize after a while that this has taken a toll on our body and mind.

Simply put, we achieve our dreams today by paying the price called ‘Stress’. If you draw out a balance sheet of our lifestyle, the liabilities side tends to look heavier to the assets – you would agree, I am sure.

Some of the symptoms of staying in your mind (in normal parlance, we call it the brain) all the time are: 

• A tendency to curb your heart and over-rule it with your brain while taking a decision – while the work gets done, it does not seem to leave you entirely happy or satisfied. In fact, you feel sapped out at times.  
• Emotions tend to run high and whenever situations do not turn out in your favour you feel stressed, anxious and disappointed. 
• Sense of loneliness and isolation– despite being with your social circle. 
• Feeling victimized with losses in life – Sense of judgement for self and others around you. 
• Opting for quick fixes– like reaching out for medications to ease physical discomfort, sleeplessness, mood swings, stiff muscles and joints. 

I have been a victim of this wave too. Yes, I call myself a victim here. You will wonder and ask “Why? Isn’t survival a primary need?” I say “Yes, absolutely!”, as I am no different from any of us. Survival is key to human existence but then why do I call myself a victim?

I have been a banker for the most part of my professional career and hence, my survival out there was all about logic, analysis, argument, debate, competition, risks and uncertainties. My logical mind supported me so well through the 16 odd years that I forgot I also had an emotional side to myself.

There were a few instances in my career when I faced a few disappointments like not getting the expected promotion or got a reduced bonus or not getting the dream job or a difficult boss or an unsatisfactory job profile.

I also had a few instances when I tasted success like bagging the dream job or a hefty pay raise or a bonus that looked like a small fortune or back to back promotions or a great team to work with.

As I started becoming a seasoned professional, I also learnt the ‘trick’ of contemplating. Here I would analyze these ups and downs in my professional life and convince myself that the successes were due to my hard work, smartness, dedication and well-planned strategy but the failures were because of external factors which I could not control! Does this ring a bell?

Life felt good but as I completed 17 years in my career, I started to experience the symptoms of restlessness, anxiety, loneliness and insecurity as if life was slipping past my fingers like dry sand!! There was a sense of incompleteness bordering loss of precious time.

This is when I was introduced to the Master who taught me the art of balancing the worldly ways with your inner (self) development. Simply put, he taught me the mantra “Use your brain, but always take your heart along”.

This was only possible when I opened my heart and gave it that strength and power, so it walks hand in hand with my brain – thus enabling me to make balanced decisions in life – both personal and professional. I realized that this was the only path to enjoying life to its fullest.

I surrendered and asked my Master “How do I open my heart? How do I stop being a slave of my mind?”

And, He introduced me to MEDITATION.

I will be honest – I was nervous and felt tired just picturising sitting and doing ‘nothing’. However, the excitement of walking this new path propelled me…

He is an enlightened Master and I could not have found anybody better to introduce me to the technique. He taught me step-by-step, patiently explaining the experience I was having at every stage and encouraging me to continue practising without any expectations. It takes a Master to teach you meditation so I will refrain from teaching meditation but I can definitely share with you my experience as a student.

How did I start? 

1. I changed my mental frame and outlook:

• Acceptance – that worldly happiness is superficial and dependent on external factors
• Awareness – that I can only do what I can. Success and Failure is not in my hands.
• Realize – that I am a slave of my mind/brain and till my heart opens, stress will be my constant companion
• Search – for an enlightened Master who guides me on a new path
• Surrender – to the technique that the Master teaches
• Practice without judging – the results

1. Cleared my schedule to make time for meditation every day
2. Promised myself that I will be a dedicated student
3. Learnt – with all the focus, attention and eagerness
4. Practised – as if my life depended on it

How did I transform? Dramatically and forever. 

1. My Awareness increased manifold– I am so aware of my breath now and every time I find myself in a challenging or critical situation, focussing on my breath keeps me away from stress
2. Developed a Non-Judgemental outlook towards everyone and everything– I now look at things as they are and practice this state of mind every moment and every day.
3. Appreciating what I have and Accepting what I don’t– As I started counting my blessings, the challenges seemed smaller every time. This has given me renewed energy to deal with a situation without stressing myself out.
4. Accepting people as they are and making conscious choices– I was not wasting energy analysing the instances when someone disappointed me. This left me with an energy surplus all the time.
5. Found a best friend in myself– the more I looked within, I found that I could have handled a situation better. Since the key was in my hand to maintain my peace within, I am now the master of my destiny.
6. Feeling healthier, stress-free, happy and light– now with my energy getting channelled in the ‘right’ things, my physical and mental state follow me to support me in whatever I do.

What do you need to do? Do what I did.

• Accept that you do not want to live in stress and that there is a handy solution to this problem
• Find a Master who can teach you meditation in its truest form
• Be a good student while learning
• Be an even better student while practising
• Make time for meditation in your diary EVERY DAY
• Fix a clean place to sit comfortably – mark this space as your Meditation spot
• The best time is early morning between 5 am and 6 am or evening just after dusk.
• The best state is when you are not very tired or sleepy and your stomach is not too full
• Contemplate on your actions of the past 24 hours without biases – your next day will be automatically better
• Practice Group meditation (if possible) once a week – the group energy gives exponential results

Apart from these life-transforming benefits, meditation learnt right and practised daily will also give you some tangible benefits almost immediately: 

• You’ll sleep better. 
• You’ll lower your blood pressure. 
• You will better handle stressful situations. 
• Meditation decreases depression and anxiety. 
• Meditation helps to relieve pain. 
• You’ll boost your immune system. 
• The “little things” won’t upset you the way they usually do.  
• Meditation helps to boost your memory and ability to focus and learn. 
• You’ll feel calmer throughout your day. 
• It can help you quit smoking and other addictive behaviours.
• Meditation can reduce your risk of a heart attack. 
• Some researchers believe meditation can even protect against Alzheimer’s and Dementia. 
• Meditation can help you manage grief. 
• Meditation can help you feel inspired in new ways. It literally reshapes your brain. 

So, include Meditation in your regime and start today with learning it right.

Till I see you with another topic – Enjoy Life, Stay Healthy and Stress-Free –