Category: Lifestyle and personal growth

Posted on

Amazing How We Learn From the Wrong People!

Ashish was firm and serious about life, and Shiamak was an experimentalist and fun-loving. Both were part of the same team for an upcoming project. They did not like each other’s ways and often detested and made fun behind the back. After the initial resistance settled down, they started working together.

Shiamak disliked Ashish’s formal ways, and Ashish often struggled to keep up with Shiamak’s sudden revelations on the project. Their language and conduct were opposite, and each held oneself in high regard. Every team member felt skewed towards the style that suited them, thus polarizing the team.

The friction was high, but under the mask of team management, the team leader continued to pacify. He explained to Ashish and Shiamak that people skills are a critical appraisal parameter.

As they argued and adapted, little did they realize that they were learning in the process.

Ashish learned

  • It is good to explore ideas
  • Taking a break improves work quality and
  • People like Shiamak are not as bad!

Shiamak learned

  • Focused working leads to better execution
  • Cutting distractions improves work quality and
  • People like Ashish are also good!

What kept them from this wisdom?

What held them back?

A mind that stereotypes. It is the most lethal, and it obstructs one’s way to learning and gaining wisdom.

What is true wisdom?

True wisdom lies in accepting each other’s ways, not wanting them to change.

Posted on

Act in the Present Moment to Make Your Dreams Come True

On tough days, my Mom had a standard advice – “Don’t overthink about the future. Think about what you can do today.”

I used to snap back saying, “It is easier for you to suggest. Do you know blah blah blah……”

Today as I am a year short of turning 40, I have realised that moving to the present moment is the ONLY way.

#buddhisminenglish

Listen to him talking about the ideal technique to accomplish your dreams.(Oops it matches what my mom said 🙂 )

Believe it or not, being in the present moment is the most difficult skill to master.

Dreams should be a source of enthusiasm and hope, not frustration and despair.

Do not be miserable chasing a mirage, work on the present, and you will be all right!

Posted on

Choices Translate into Consequences

When you choose the benefits of an action, 

you also choose the drawbacks.

Life offers nothing in absolute. There always lies a trade-off. The direct form of a trade-off is time – which means if you are engaged in task A, you cannot attend to task B at the same time with the same efficiency.

 

So, if you have done exceptional in task A, task B must not have been on par. For instance, if I am cooking while answering emails, either the dish will not turn out the best or the emails might be less perfect with language, tone, or idea.

 

A counter concept is – ‘Done is better than perfect’

 

This reinstates that only you know the difference between how well you could have done and what you actually did. To the outside world both the tasks that you took up together, seem to be perfect.

 

Why don’t we create awareness around us where at least we know the process?

 

Often, we get into autopilot mode and multitask or work mindlessly, even when there is no need. This is specifically observed in the fast-paced culture of big cities. The bandwagon effect leads you to hurry through tasks for no reason. 

 

You don’t take the chance to experience the peace and pleasure from living your to-do list meticulously and methodically.

 

Our ancestors led an uncertain life, but today technology and infrastructure have made our lives organized imparting a high degree of certainty to our day. Despite that, there is an increase in situations where people undertake a task half-heartedly or distracted and somehow manage to tick it off their list.

 

Why the hustle?

 

Yes, the corporate scenario is tough and you have lots up your sleeves. But what about low-pressure chores? Even if they form a minuscule 10% of your day, choose to get absorbed in them completely while doing them.

 

Let us build consciousness around how well we do a task rather than focusing completely on the result. Let us be aware of the energy we bring to a task because ultimately the aura differentiates one from the other

 

 

 

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

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.

Posted on

The Beauty of ‘The Incomplete’

We give such high importance to COMPLETION

Completion of a task, a project, a process, a relation

Why the thrust on completion?

Don’t you agree

A poem reads well even if the last verse is still in the poet’s mind

Only the chef knows that the mustard in the recipe is missing

A designer sulks about a small motif that looks out of place

A painter knows that the orange should have been darker

The runner knows that he finished 30 seconds later than yesterday

The entrepreneur knows that his actual profit target was 20% higher

Only the homemaker knows that there are some clothes that are soiled and creased

Let us delve a little deeper

Incomplete love is more intense than a perfect love story

The half-moon looks as calm as the full moon

A bud is as delicately beautiful as a fully bloomed-flower

The Sun spreads light even when hidden behind the clouds

A rainbow looks as pretty in a little glimpse as in seeing it end to end

The truth is that the incomplete in our life is complete for the world outside. If we sum up all that is incomplete, we will understand how good life has been to us.

Does that mean that we should leave things halfway?

NO

It simply means that we should learn to celebrate the incomplete as much as we rejoice for the COMPLETE in our lives because life happens in the journey, not at the destination.

Posted on

5 Simple Steps to Tame the Anxious Mind

I had a long day ahead. The to-do list looked longer than the day. What did the list include? Work, family, health and passion. Some of the items in the list were for the world and a little some that mattered to me.

It felt strangely overwhelming despite knowing that I have the entire day at my disposal.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? Read on to know how I tamed my anxious mind –

Step 1 – I took a few deep breathes and decided to bring my concentration back to the moment. Once, I was present in the NOW I felt motivated to start.

Step 2 – I shortlisted 3 tasks that would make me feel accomplished at the end of the day. The rest of the activities were important but I had to prioritize.

Step 3 – I started with one major task in the morning itself. Do the difficult one first and you breathe easy all day long.

Step 4 – I asked for support wherever possible. My statements were clear and precise with no ambiguity in the form of help that I needed.

Step 5 – I took breaks in between two tasks where I engaged in real conversations with people, reading and meditating.

Ta-da! I could attend to two of my major tasks, well before noon and the entire list looked easily doable in the remaining time.

Do you know what I did?

I expanded my concept of time. Rather than considering time as the limiting factor, I chose to make it my strength. Always think in abundance and keep telling yourself – ‘I have enough time and energy.’

Posted on

9 Powerful Tips to Help You Develop the Courage to Pursue

He was born in an educated and cultured family. After completing his education in Delhi, he moved eastwards to Kolkata for his first job at Shaw Wallace and later at a shipping firm Bird and Co. But, at the age of 26, he decided to stop earning for livelihood and took a courageous decision of pursuing his dream – ‘He wanted to act on the big screen!!’

While Bollywood is known to run by nepotism, this superstar made his struggle count and today the world looks up to him. He is none other than the respected Mr. Amitabh Bachchan!

What we see today is the glitz and glamour but, the real star emerged after 12 flops over a span of 5 years. Now, this is what we call COURAGE.

How can you develop the courage to pursue your dreams?

– Continuous improvement in knowledge and skills in your field, makes you more confident.

– Share your goals with people, who encourage you. Avoid people who are critical of new ideas.

– Keep patience till the right opportunity comes.

– Take some time to internalize failures and get back to work. Don’t let it stop you.

– Do not succumb to peer pressure. Remember, you are doing it for reaching your optimum.

– Make sure that you earn enough to support day to day expenses and also keep saving some money. This is so that, you don’t have to give up your dream abruptly due to financial crisis.

– Try to fund your own interests. This gives you mental and emotional freedom.

– Work distraction-free. Time is the most precious when trying to imagine/build/create.

– Be genuine and don’t try to create a false image.

On the arduous journey of making your dreams come true, you will come across two big hurdles. First, a question – “What will people think and say?” Facing this question requires maximum courage. Second, self-doubt which requires trusting your capabilities.

Once you have overcome these, the world is yours.

In the words of Mr. Bachchan – “You can’t skip struggle. Better, accept it.”

Posted on

3 Easy Ways To Adopt A Sustainable Lifestyle

Are we seeing a change in the culture of India? Zero waste weddings, dedicated cycle tracks, no vehicle zones, celebrities supporting mindful fashion? Sustainable living is the latest trend and I am glad that the society is fast catching up.

Living sustainably is a choice. The transformation from consumerism to sustainability is gradual and beautiful. Why beautiful?

Because it places power in your hands. The power to find more in less. Following are some simple ways by which common people can easily adopt a sustainable lifestyle –

Repeat

Alia Bhatt repeated her wedding outfit and the impact on commoners was phenomenal. When celebrities promote an idea, the message hits different. If we do a similar act, the influence will be on a smaller group but will definitely lead to a stir. The real difference is, in how comfortably and confidently you repeat.

Repair

The Japanese follow Kintsugi, a practice where they mend the broken ceramics by fixing the cracks with gold. In Indian culture also, the idea of repair and reuse is not new. In the last few years, with fast fashion and social media intimidation, the privileged section may have lost the patience to mend, but a larger group still believes in maintaining the old. Not disposing things for the smallest of the reasons is the easiest way to begin living sustainably.

Value experiences

If you analyze closely, most of your shopping is driven by impulse. Good offers, social media trends, the displays and pop ups. The root of sustainable living lies in finding joy in experiences and not possessions. Be it a celebration or an achievement, keep your focus more on living the moment rather than on decking up for the event.

Sustainable living is a habit that can be consciously developed. An important thing to keep in mind is to internalize the habit by not being boastful about it. It is a modern, subtle choice that one makes for self. If others find it inspiring its good else one can continue for self-sake.

Trust me, living sustainably gives you a super feeling because the lack disappears and all that remains is just ENOUGH.