Posted on

5 Steps to Conquer Unfinished Thoughts and Find Peace

Do you often find yourself thinking about the unfinished?

An incomplete project

A broken device in need of repair

An idea to start working on

A book to finish

A hobby to pursue

Decluttering the wardrobe

Does a part of your mind play the above list in repeat mode?

With me, even on the best of my days, these tasks creep in and pull me down.

I am sure everyone has experienced this.

This phenomenon is called the Zeigarnik effect. In 1927, psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik observed that individuals tend to have a better memory for tasks that have been interrupted or are incomplete than they do for the completed.

This pattern does more harm than good –

  • It leads to self-guilt
  • It never allows you to be at peace
  • It slows you down and
  • It makes you believe you are not good enough

How to break this pattern?

Here are five easy ways –

  1. Accept that the task is unfinished without self-reasoning.
  2. Write it on a piece of paper titled ‘Unfinished Tasks.’ It will save you the effort of revising it mentally for the fear of forgetting.
  3. Improve productivity by taking up unfinished tasks in random time gaps.
  4. Understand that doing a part and not the whole task is also peaceful.
  5. When you meet a person managing better than you, learn from them.

I am empathetic towards those who cannot make time for the unfinished. But please do not let the unfinished define who you are.

However, if the incompletion is due to chronic procrastination triggered by lethargy, the above ways may not prove effective.

Follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram for insightful content to help you juggle better.

You can work hard and be happy. You can slog and yet be at peace. To learn more about virtues and habits, follow me @thesimplejuggle on Instagram and the link to my LinkedIn profile is www.linkedin.com/in/neha-gupta-mittal-42868225a.

Keep reading.

Posted on

What is Bravery?

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary – Bravery is the quality or state of having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty.

Soldiers, firefighters, policemen, stuntmen, air force pilots are some of the professions that put a person in a situation of danger. Does that mean that bravery is only for those who face life-threatening situations?

No. Bravery is for everyone.

Bravery is for every commoner who lives a simple life, juggling multiple roles. Let me list some simple acts that resonate with the virtue and can make you feel proud of your bravery –

  1. Being consistent in your physical workout against your mood swings and reasons.
  2. Controlled indulgence in social media and not taking the futile pressure to look like a model and live a life full of stories and travel.
  3. Leading a resourceful day without expecting any acknowledgment or recognition. Doing things only to ensure that at the day’s end, you are proud of how well you have utilized this precious and limited resource – TIME.
  4. Saying no to every distraction in thoughts and actions. Also saying no to the ones whom you love. You call it drawing the boundaries and trust me it is the bravest thing to do today.
  5. Not engaging in blaming, complaining, and small talk. This is tough because then the only way to be at peace is to find it within.
  6. Worshipping your body like a temple and guarding it close, not letting any trash enter your mind or stomach.
  7. Holding the power to vibe alone if you are not able to vibe in a group.
  8. Living a minimalistic life in grace and style, allowing it to become your natural demeanor.
  9. Doing what is right in a state of confusion and
  10. Not changing your ‘right’ in the light of others, sticking to your morals and values.

Above all of these, the bravest thing is to pursue your passion, come what may! Not giving up on it, even after multiple rejections and failures.

Do these situations strike a chord with you?

Have you experienced what bravery feels like when you have overcome the above situations?

Bravery is for all.

You are brave. Very brave!

Posted on

The 5 Negative Effects of the Habit of Judging Others

Why do we judge, evaluate, and give an opinion on the life of others?

Most of the judgment does not even reach them.

Then, why do we engage in the process?

After giving it significant thought, I have concluded that we judge to superimpose our character traits on the other.

Whenever we judge, we indirectly glorify our way of doing things. Through this process, our mind tries to establish a delusional supremacy over others.

The more we judge the other, the more our mind finds peace because we start to believe that our ways and methods are the best.

What are the 5 negative effects of this habit?

1. This kind of nature blocks all the learning because we stop being receptive towards better ways of doing things (that we can learn from others).

2. It massages our ego. It silently alters our original Sanskars, making us more arrogant.

3. This habit is a cause of unhappiness because when you are sure your way is the best, every other method looks substandard. You smile less and spend a lifetime complaining over how inefficient the other is. Many times, you micromanage, which further pulls you down,

4. You work as if you are carrying the burden of the entire world. You create a delusional space where you are the only one with the foresight and skill.

5. The time you spend judging and evaluating the actions of others is futile.

Let us judge less and accept more. The starting point is to talk less about the lives of other people. If you notice, the more you discuss the other, the more critical you get.

Posted on

Summit Lessons

In May 2024, we did the Chandrashila trek in Uttarakhand. The Chandrashila summit is at an altitude of 12083 feet. The trek continued for 3 nights and 4 days with rest intervals at shifting campsites. The trail was less traveled and beautiful. The guidance and gear from India Hikes were up to the mark and made the summit a possible dream. I learned a lot more about life –

Needs and wants

Your needs are limited, but your wants are unlimited. Focusing on needs helps you to strip off the extra layers of brands, possessions, and titles. Once you are one with your needs, there is a space where you accept life AS IT IS.

Accept and appreciate

Once you have accepted, you naturally start appreciating ALL THAT IS. On our first day at the camp, I was anxious about how we would manage. After a few hours, I accepted, and we spotted a double rainbow. I took it as the Universe’s response to my gratitude.

Journey is important

Throughout the trek, I could not take my mind off the beautiful trail and the quaint natural surroundings. For once, the journey was more important than the target.

One step at a time

The trek had multiple ascents, and some were steep and long. My legs ached, and my body gave in, but I had to keep moving. In moments like these, I lowered my eyes and looked at my next step because looking higher scared me.

Be happy for others

We were a group of 28, and 10 people did the summit. I felt a little sad for those who could not because even they had invested time and money in the trek. On completion of the summit, everyone at the camp celebrated our success. I learned that you can find joy in the accomplishments of others.

Power of humility

Siddharth, our leader, said –

Tomorrow, we all will ATTEMPT the summit. Our turnaround time is 6 am. And wherever you are at 6 am will be your summit. We say attempt because we understand that the mountains are majestic. We will be able to reach the summit only if the mountains allow.

We were humbled when this came from him, who has devoted years to summit climbs.

On such high-intensity trips, you live the magic of NOW. The present moment absorbs your complete attention, and the past and the future become irrelevant.

To read more about life lessons and experiences, follow me on Linked In. I create 100% non-AI content based on research and observation.