Break free from your habits and transform yourself! The current coronavirus pandemic has brought along itself challenging times for all of us. It is a necessity for us to transform our lives to adapt to the new ways of living. If you’re still clinging to your old habits, you’re harming yourself to a large extent, unknowingly. Let me ask you a question, ‘What are habits according to you? What are good as well as bad habits?’ I am sure that you consider waking up early, sleeping on time, following a good diet etc as good habits, and smoking, heavy drinking, working without taking rest, as bad habits. Let me tell you that good as well as bad habits are not limited to these. How? Let us know more about it.

Habit is nothing but a repeated behaviour. You do not have to make conscious effort while doing these actions. These actions form a part of your comfort zone and you often refuse to come out of that zone. It is quite possible that you follow a good and busy routine each and every day, i.e. getting up on time, eating the same breakfast, driving the same car, doing the same work, and reaching home, and cooking similar food,  and sleeping on the same time every day. However, I would suggest you ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I feel happy and satisfied at the end of the day?
• Am I stuck in this routine?
• Is this routine my comfort zone?
• Do I fear coming out of this comfort zone?

If the answers to the above questions are  ‘Yes’ for you, this is the time you need to work upon yourself and transform yourself into a person who is free and genuinely happy. Self-dependence is the key to success. You must have noticed that when you try adopting a good habit or when you take on a task towards a better self, for example, losing weight, or following a healthy diet, it takes a lot of effort and time for you to follow the same. As kids, we were always taught that “tiny drops lead to an ocean”, or “ little efforts are necessary for a bigger goal”, or “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, i.e. it always takes ample time to build something great. However, we attract negativity faster and in a big way. The more you’re stuck in habits, the more difficult it gets to transform yourself. Let me tell you a story to explain the same.

A young boy had various habits which he was unwilling to give up. An old hermit wanted to teach him the importance of transformation. One day, while taking a walk in the park with him, he told the young boy to pick a flower off the ground. The young boy did that in a second. In a few minutes, the man told him to pluck a small bush off the ground. The young man plucked it and gave it to the old man. The old man smiled and talked, and after a few minutes, he told the young boy to pluck a tree off the ground, the young boy looked at the old man in doubt and said, “How can I pluck the tree? it is impossible!” The old man said, “Why do you say so? You plucked the bush, why can’t you pluck the tree? The flower you picked earlier fell off the same tree.” The young lad thought for a while and answered, “Because the roots of the tree are strong. I could pluck the flower with no roots, the bush, because it roots were not strong. But the tree has been here for years, and because of its strong roots, I cannot pluck it!” The old man gave out a big smile and said, “Exactly! If you do not decide to give up your habits and transform yourself quickly, these habits grow stronger and hence are extremely difficult to be changed later on!”

Living in comfort zones is like leaving water stagnant for a long time! Stagnant water is the breeding ground of impurity and infection.  It is extremely important to be independent and free to lead a life towards success.

How to become self-reliant and come out of your comfort zones?

1. Make realistic goals, instead of burdening yourself!: Social media has become a source of stress for most of us, instead of being merely a source of entertainment and connectivity. One must take inspiration from people trying to change themselves in these times, and not instead stress yourself out and set huge goals. Being focussed, witty and dedicated is the key to transform yourself.  
2. Look at your life from a third party perspective! Do you think your life is what you have always wished it to be like? When you judge it from a third party perspective, do you feel certain things need to be changed? If yes, take on the challenge today!
3. Take risks! Anything new demands stepping out of the comfort zone, that may be as simple as stepping out of your bean bag to get moving to lose weight, or as huge as waking up an hour earlier than usual to meditate and focus on a new venture you’d been wishing to work upon. Fear is the foremost factor keeping you from success. Do not let fear infect your mind. Taking a route different from the usual might seem a risky attempt, however, you won't get to know any new or easier routes if you don’t make that decision.

The current situation, where most of us are at home living a completely different life, is a chance for you to become self-dependent, take your life in your own hands, and lead a better life towards success!

Take that first move! Stay Happy, Healthy and  Stress-free!

In this blog, I will give you 8 strategies if you feel overwhelmed at work. These strategies will help you reduce stress and unlock your potential to the best at your workplace!

Stress is the most common issue faced by people in the current times. However, what people don’t realize is that being over-stressed and overwhelmed can reduce your efficiency multifold, affect your health to a great extent and is a catalyst for numerous long-term diseases. The issue of overwhelming stress was dealt with by Yerkes and Dodson in 1908, where they came up with a bell curve to depict how motivation is directly connected to feeling overwhelmed. According to them, extreme high and extreme low motivation are the bearers of inefficiency, which in turn makes us feel overwhelmed. A balance is necessary! Let us discuss how you can inculcate certain good habits to reduce stress and anxiety at work and maintain a balanced mindset to completely ward off the ‘Monday Blues!’.

1) Planning Always Helps!

Look in your drawer and take out the sticky notes you haven’t been paying attention to for so long! Write about every task that is due, and sort them out under urgent and important. Urgent is what requires you to deliver something at your best speed; it often makes you panic. Less thought goes into it and hence work efficiency reduces. The important tasks, on the other hand require proper planning, thought and action.

Do you know why is it necessary to know the difference between what is urgent and important? According to Eisenhower’s Principle, what is urgent is seldom important, and what is important is seldom urgent. Divide your work and prioritize it! Your time and attention are precious, use them wisely.

2) Focus on ‘Now’ & ‘Here’:

As I have said in my previous blogs, your universe resonates with you. Ask yourselves from time to time, ‘Are my surroundings comfortable enough for me to work efficiently? Can I change something that is amiss?’

If the answer is yes, make that change, first! Be it, cleaning your workstation, or resolving an argument with a colleague that is making your mind unstable.

3) As Yourself: “Is My Subject of Worry Worthy Enough”?

As I said previously, your mental peace is precious. Do not lose it over trifles. Think about the situation you’re so worried about, and let it go until it is something that concerns your life. As Dean Smith says,

4) Switch Your Work-Mode ‘Off’ and Take a Break

American author Douglas Rushkoff correctly describes the present condition of human beings as “Always On!” More than using technology to our advantage, we have slowly turned into its slaves. Being ‘online’, and ‘alert’ all the time has become a prerequisite today; and this greatly affects our physical and mental health.

What do you do when you suddenly feel overburdened and overwhelmed? Most of us get stuck further in the trap. Consider leaving your workstation, and take a walk somewhere in the fresh air to release the traffic in your mind. This helps in viewing at a situation from a bigger and a better perspective. Everything needs to be recharged, distance yourselves from technology in the break, and let nature recharge you!

5) Embrace the Reality

‘I have made a grave error! What will happen now?’ Each one of us in our lives, has had this experience of making an error and being scared about the outcome. However, in the end, we’ve always been able to manage the situation. Embrace your circumstances and focus on the present! It is  always wise to move on, rather than being stuck in the clock. Motivate yourself to take responsibility and do best in the next task at hand!

6) Monitor your Motivational Energy

Sticking to reality is essential. As I said in the beginning, balanced motivation is the best catalyst for efficient work. If you’re over-motivated, you might want to become an over-achiever, and you end up wanting to do everything at once! Ask yourself, ‘Is this possible for me to do? Or will it be stressful for me?’ Realistic goals help you ward off stress.

7) When Overwhelmed, Communicate and Put the Weights Down

Have you ever considered talking to your colleague or your manager when you feel overburdened? Build conversations over small coffee breaks, and get to know your colleagues. At times, a broad perspective is required to tackle a situation!

Your manager could be your mentor, talking to them and requesting solutions is always a good way of building positivity in your work environment and team-work.

8) Keep that Weekend to Yourself!

What do you do on weekends? When was the last time you prioritized yourself and your health over work? Ideally, weekends are not meant for work. However, in case the deadlines are close and working on weekends or holidays is the need of the hour, remember to prioritize! Day-offs are meant for a recharge. Hence, if you forget to rejuvenate yourself on the weekends or day-offs, you might end up feeling over-worked for the entire next week. Indulge in  constructive activities which concern you as a person! Grow in your life, to grow in your work!

Use these eight strategies to feel lighter at work and say goodbye to work-stress. Stay tuned and know more about our Stress Masters Programme to deal better with stress at workplace.

Till Then Stay Positive, Healthy and Stress-free!

Today’s era is all about industrialization and numerous technological advancements. Corporate culture has been established to a great extent. With long work hours, and varied targets, most of us spend more than a third of our lives at our workplaces.

Conflicts at work are common points of concern. In this blog, I will be giving out a few simple secrets to bring your life at work on track! But before that, let me tell you a story I read back in school:

Once upon a time, there existed a jungle where lived passionate and creative animals! They had all come together to form a company, and worked day and night to live life fruitfully!  

The Old Lion had been elected the head. He, being the boss, was given the right to pull-up anyone in case a task was left undone. Their business was on a rise, until ego clashes began to emerge within the team. The Falcon, of all people, did not quite like the way the lion worked. However, the falcon was always scared of reaching out to the Old Lion. The Falcon was best friends with the Vulture and they often gossiped about the boss and the other team members. The Falcon, though being the most innovative member of the team, could never reach out to the Lion, fearing his position. Months went by, and the Falcon kept drowning in negativity and wasting his time and energy.

The Falcon had erased every possibility of a communication between himself and the Old Lion. Little did he know that he was about to get the biggest shock of his life.

In a few months, the Old Lion fell ill, and passed away. He was replaced by another talented member of the team, the Vulture himself! The Vulture was chosen by fellow team members.

Now, what do you think was the Falcon’s reaction? Which set of thoughts did he choose?

A or B?

To the Falcon’s misfortune, he chose B! The Falcon was bereft with jealousy, and his friendship turned bitter. This led to another blow to his goodwill and enthusiasm, and he stepped on the boat towards failure. The Falcon had repeatedly bad mouthed about the boss to the Vulture in the past; hence, the Vulture couldn’t develop trust in the Falcon as an employee. Eventually, the Falcon ended up resigning from his post.

Moral of the story?

Our career largely depends upon our relationships at work. Hence, let me tell you 5 simple ways to maintain smooth workplace relationships.

1) Begin Your Day with Gratitude!

Oprah Winfrey says, “Be thankful for what you have, you’ll end up having more. If you focus on what you don’t have, you will never have enough.” Be thankful for the job you have at hand, because it feeds you and gives you an opportunity to grow in life. Gratitude in heart, leads to a display of gratitude in action. Give out positive, and attract the same!

2) Treat Time Valuably!

Consistently showing up late at work is a big no-no! Your actions are an evidence of your enthusiasm. If your boss fails to acknowledge you, close your eyes, and brush upon the basics. Have you been up-to-date with your work? Learn to manage your time well and engrain punctuality in your way of life. Repair the damages while you have time.

3) Take Initiatives!

In times of conflict with your manager, we often find ourselves confused and dangling in the middle of two thoughts:

You’ll never get to know the other side of the story until you take initiatives to communicate. Establish a nexus to better understand the work strategies of your boss. Suggest and learn, and keep the cycle running.

However, keep a check when you’re crossing your limits. A healthy professional relationship requires both patience and wisdom. Draw a line where you find yourselves divulging too much of your life and your personal opinion in a co-worker, after all, it is a professional setup, and you have a career to look forward to!

4) Keep Compassion in your Heart!

Say the following to yourself before you encounter anyone at office,

Pick your battles wisely, as reacting over every other thing you hear reduces your energy for the next task. Think about the bigger picture and bear compassion for everyone you encounter at your workplace, including your boss. Remember, he/she is placed against you for a reason, learn what is there to learn, and grow bigger in life.

5) Close Open Loops!

Famous author and efficiency-expert David Allen, in his GTD (Getting Things Done) Theory talks about the importance of closing down the open loops of your mind. The theory refers to the significance of shutting down the thoughts that nag you and reduce your efficiency. Be it a feared encounter with your boss, or a possible uncomfortable situation, certain fears keep your mind busy and reduce your work potential. Close those loops through communication and action!

Conflicts at workplace can harm your capability and keep you from finishing your goals.

Resolve them with these simple strategies and refrain from being the Falcon in your life. Remember, the law of attraction is constantly working. Your workplace is an essential part of your universe.

Stay tuned to my upcoming blogs where I shall talk in detail about numerous ways to resolve conflicts in relationships.

Till then, Enjoy your Work! 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!

“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!

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!