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Ponder points: What the month of July taught me? 3 Interesting Insights that could help me change

July 17, 2021

 

July has been kind to me


Gosh! This month has been masala packed. I have personally learnt a lot.

I would like share some of my insights this month has shared with me.

This month started as a regular month. One of the precious moments being my Mom's Birthday on the 4th of July.

This pandemic has brought me close to my Wife's family. It has been an insightful experience.

My daughter started school; managing work with schooling can be a challenge for a lot of parents.

3 Insights that helped me see Life differently this month

You can choose your Perspective

Learning and insights


You must be thinking Chris, Duh, isn't it obvious? Not for me...

After consuming some content from New Agers, I realized that I don't need to be fixated into one perspective.

Since ideas have consequences , So does see things from a perspective. When we think in terms of possibilities and scan different perspectives in our day to day lives its a different matter.

I actually started practicing it. It works like magic.

You can be Assertive, but being rude is not necessary

Join our Private FB Group: Life Commune!


I think sometimes Rudeness can be needed. But mostly it is not required. 

Assertiveness is something that helps resolve issues and when we master it. We can come across as being unnecessarily rude.

It was a realization that humbled me. (This post is feeling like a confession now...Lol)

I learnt that I was expressing myself without hurting others (unnecessarily).

You can blog without writing long posts, Hop on Twitter

Twitter is fun! Connect with me.


Initially Twitter seemed like something everyone followed and enjoyed; I couldn't see the point of it.

I forced myself to sign up and just use the platform. Its simplicity is so attractive.

Sometimes a line is enough to express oneself. Writing a long post just to keep it SEO friendly for the sake of it is completely not required.

Let's connect on Twitter and microblog...

In Conclusion

I have learnt so much in 15 days, Learning can shake up a lot of wrong ideas and can open New channels that enrich you.

I would say that learning different perspectives is helpful and besides informing you it can give you useful ideas.

So I hope it is not to early but July has been a kind month for me. I wish you a great month and wonderful day.

Do share your comments and connect with me on FB. Subscribe to my Newsletter by clicking here!

References





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Osho on Awareness, Powerful Quote that summarises Awareness

July 12, 2021

 

What does Awareness mean?


I love Osho for the simplicity and the honesty in the way he explains concepts. I sometimes do not agree with all of his view and as far as I know he would expect the same.

Some of us may suffer from Overthinking. Believe me overthinking can be a pain.

Obsessively driven to rationalize and think all the time.

It can be a horrible experience. It can stifle decisions, make you seem cowardly when you are not and a whole host of negatives.

 Practicing Awareness has helped in in this regard. It has helped be more still and absorb the value of each moment.

It is a miraculous experience. Read the quote and come back to it whenever you can.


A miraculous experience

Be present in the moment and let the moment be present in you.

I hope you enjoyed this quick post. See you in the next one!

Please do subscribe to our free Newsletter

Please do share your views on our FB Page....

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5 Top Mobile Apps to Manage your Time like you Manage your Money

June 09, 2021

 

Manage your time with Apps


Introduction

Wow, We are reaching the completion of the first half of  2021. But one of the issues you must be facing is no time for sure.

Time is a resource we have less of and sometimes its not enough. As a parent there are moments I feel I have no time for certain activities I had when I was single.

So it is the pain of 'No time', time is such a precious resource. Time is really money. 

I did some digging to find apps that can manage time and I thought I would write a blog to share it with you.

I am sure there are many resources on time management, why not an app? 

Is this a complete list?

Does it need to be a complete one? I have included some of the best. It will save some time when you try some of them.

I personally liked the idea of an app. It adds flexibility and its a pretty alternative to Excel, Keep etc.

I would say it is a complete list in the sense, the apps are helpful. So lets jump to the list and see why they may help you with managing time.

Top 5 Mobile Apps

Some of these apps may not have a web app version. Some could be premium which is important (It's business and they are serious about giving you a good app). You don't want an app that is only a hobby project.

Managing time is a serious business, so is getting a good application.

Trello

This is the first on the list, I have used is this app. I used the desktop version of it. I find it really useful for personal and work related activities.

You can manage the simplest to the most complicated task using this system.

You have the free and paid versions depending on what you need. I use the free version and I have a desktop version of the application.

The paid version starts at around $10 per user per month. It's known to be one of the best designed Kanban apps.

(Affiliate Link)

Google Calendar

This one app that resides on your phone and mobile, especially if you have a google account. Believe me it's really powerful.

Let's see some ways we could use it. Schedule meetings, get event reminders, email your daily agenda to your inbox.

A whole host of mind blowing tasks that you can you use your Google Calendar for.

A small list of tasks you can perform with Google Calendar:

  • Create new calendars for different purposes
  • Schedule meetings with groups
  • Sync meetings with your CRM
  • Sync your calendar with your marketing software
  • Hide your event details
  • Add Attachments
  • Enable your world clock
  • Enable working hours
  • Email event guests

So as person who doesn't reinvent the wheel, here is a great article on how to use Google for Time Management.

Focus Booster

This is a really power application. It has a free and a paid version of the same app.

It is based on the Pomodoro technique that chunks time into slots for work and break.

This app helps you implement this technique and build discipline. Besides this it can create dashboards, reports and can be used for client billing.

Using this app can boost your productivity and can organize your time. It is a useful app to build discipline especially with respect to management of time.

Loop - Habit Tracker

This app is more of a habit tracker rather than a time management tool.

It keeps a score of your habits and has a formula to calculate the strength of your habits.

It is completely free to download and use as mobile app. Currently it is available for Android only.

Asana

This is web application is a project management tool. That is more work oriented.

It can be used for managing work and projects. It helps you deal with deadlines and also work with teams

This application has a free and a paid version that are quite powerful.

Honorable Mention

Remember the Milk

This is another cool application. So with Remember the Milk, You manage your time and also the tasks you want to complete.

This connects with the Google drive and it also has an app for Apple Watch.

It has a free and a paid version. It has a whole host of powerful integrations.

Wrapping it up

Time is a very important resource, Managing it is vital and important. It can help us bring out more from ourselves than we expected.

These tools are just resources that help us and are just addons to make the process much easier.

If there is any tool you have been using that we have not covered, Please mention it on our FB Page.

You could connect with us on FB, Like and Subscribe to get notifications on our Recent posts and other Updates.

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How Taking Action can help you achieve an impactful life? 5 Powerful life skills from Christonanda

May 11, 2021
Taking action is one of the Keys to an Impactful Life


Beginners Guide to Taking Action

Have you ever stubbed your own toe? Recently, A student while in Class did exactly that. He moved his office chair over his own feet. Gosh! That was so painful. He immediately tried to ease the pain. 

Not working on our Personal Projects and dream should feel the same, Like stubbing our own toe. Taking action for some projects should be immediate and with intent. Just like my student was hurt, we too must feel the pain of not doing what we are meant to do.

The pain of our dreams not becoming a reality. Pain can force us to get to work. 

Most of us have awesome dreams, worthy goals and reasonable projects. Why don't we take action? What is stopping us?

The answer is quite obvious to each of us. We must sometimes stop and reflect. Then we may have the answers.

Achieving the important goals of Life

Jesus may save you or Buddha may help you achieve Nirvana. But If you want to achieve your dream projects. You need to start.

Lol, It is obvious, right! But sometimes the obvious, sound profound when others say it.

There are reasons why we may want to lose weight or get rich. Maybe it's some kind of insecurity.

But think about it, What if you achieve it. Okay, Your goal is unrealistic, But you can begin and learn about the realistic part of it.

Is achieving success a solution to Mental Peace and Happiness? Maybe or Maybe not. But your goals are a symptom of a need that you have or you sense other people have.

Uncovering it may be an interesting place to start. It can be a learning experience, you may have wrong ideas or it is possible you have just been toying with myths. 

Your project is not always just for your own satisfaction, it has a broader purpose. It changes the way we live. It satisfies a need or a want that adds value to somebodies life.

Our action can be a means to enhance not just our lives but also those around us.

To connect your Goal or project with something larger. Hooking it to a Vision and a purpose will help you chart uncertain territories and help you make key decisions.

The Process of achieving your Goal is a journey. Journeys are a series of paths, actions and choices we make.

Take action and dominate your life

I always thought sharing ideas with people was something to avoid. But now I realise that ideas are in plenty.

Executing the ideas and putting them into action is what matters. When we execute ideas, we make plans.

Some of these plans take us ahead and succeed, while others teach us lessons. the problem is that people rarely think of executing ideas.

On my own personal journey, it took me quite a while to start working on my idea of starting this blog.

After a lot of prodding and pushing from people I got to work. It's been an exciting journey. It has taught me a lot.

Let me ask you a question, What stops you from starting out? Are you looking for all the resources? Do you want to begin when situations are perfect? Is it reasonable to think like this?

These are questions we need to ponder upon. But think about it, Not working on a good idea is to kill it before it bears fruit. Nothing wrong or right about it, But only potentially missed opportunities.

Inaction is also a decision in itself. Think about good ideas, plan them and shoot them down when needed. May the best idea become a reality!

Essential Steps to taking Actions now

So Let me share some pointers to use for starting out. Just some common knowledge highlighted and shared.

I have been trying to implement some of these ideas into my daily schedule.

1) Start the day on the right note

Choose to get up on the right side of the bed. Take control of your day by choosing to take control of it. It's your day, it's a chapter in your life.

Why don't you plan it and deal with important things first? Get them out of your way. If you are able to complete at least 75% of the task on your list. I would say it's a great beginning.

2) You are responsible for your own actions

Blaming others may be right in certain circumstances, but in all situations, you are responsible for your actions.

Learn to take control of the choices you make whether by action or inaction. Inaction is also a choice.

Bringing clarity to the purpose behind your actions can come by tying it to some goal you want to achieve.

3) Starting out small

I have noticed it with a lot of people, they start out in a big way and when they face difficulties they just give up. I noticed the same in myself too.

Starting out small is not bad, you get to test out and sample your big project. You can begin by introducing new habits each week. It can be really transformative.

If you lapsed into an old routine, it's no problem ...Start a new habit and continue once more.

4) Inaction is an action

It's an act not to deal with situations. You may say, Chris, There are some things difficult to deal with. Yes, there are difficult problems, but there is nothing stopping you from trying out new and various solutions.

Give various ideas a Test drive, you could do them as a thought experiment or just dedicate a few hours to try something with potential life-changing power. 

5) Focus and focus some more

I think one of the reasons we fail with our New year's resolution is this one problem. We tend to live life like goldfishes

The next distraction gets us off our focus. Slacking sometimes is normal, but punishing yourself by giving up is not necessary. You deserve to achieve that goal.

Read this short blog on dealing with the Unplanned!

6) Being Accountable

This is one powerful idea I got from Napolean Hill's book, 'Think and Grow Rich'. He speaks of a Mastermind group.

I think the modern term would be accountability partners. It does not need to be a group of people. But it depends on the scale of your project.

Be accountable to your goals and future self along with your band of supporters.

7) Don't work when you are partying

I think this is an obvious one, but quite often overlooked. Maybe cause we are not absorbed into what we are doing.

We need to be committed to achieving what is right for us. So when we party, we party and when we play, we play.

8) Become a Problem Solver

Guess what is the one fact about Science and Social Studies that motivates me. The fact that as humans our strength lies in problem-solving.

We dealt with nature by mastering what we learnt from it. We dreamed of achieving happiness and personal contentment by working on goals and our dreams.

We are problem solvers and it is a fact. We can be a bad or good problem solvers, we are problem solvers nonetheless.

9) People's opinions matter and they don't

I will not lie to you and tell you that people's opinions won't affect you. It may, but the choice is yours. I don't see how it makes a difference.

You pay your taxes and deal with your own problems. Limiting people's bad influence in life is okay.

If we become people-pleasers, when do we don't please ourselves and we sacrifice our lives for someone else's opinions.  What are the payoffs and even if you think there are some payoffs maybe they only are in your own head?

Is it worth sacrificing your goals on the altar of someone's opinion?

10) Be Enthusiastic

Anything worth doing can be done with some enthusiasm. Half-hearted and sloppy work may give results sometimes.

But enthusiasm will take you through rough patches and phases when you have no support. Be your own Cheerleader and be enthused for the goals you want to achieve.

11) Make the process, Fun

Why shouldn't it be Fun? Just because the journey can be difficult. It does not mean it should not be fun.

Try adding some fun to the process. Read and Research ways to improve the process of achieving your goals.

Plan it out and schedule fun activities. So for example, if you are Dieting. How can you add activities or events that can add fun to the process of dieting? If you are blogging what are the fun elements in blogging.

You don't need to make it a task of martyrdom although it does involve some self-sacrifice. Don't kill all the fun from the process.

12) Celebrate your milestones

Expressing joy and exhilaration in achieving something is Human. Celebrating can border on chest-thumping which may be good but it may rob you of your power and will to continue on the journey.

It may fool you into thinking that you arrived and it may rob you of the enthusiasm to continue. You deserve to achieve your goals and not an illusion of it.

In Conclusion

I think we all deserve to achieve all the good and lovely dreams we have. Except for a few people who don't deserve their dreams to become a reality (Anti Social Elements).

As Humans, we all have dreams and goals we want to achieve. We plan and that is good, But adding some action to it can be explosive.

It may get your success or the much-needed feedback to improve. Claim your dreams and work on them.

I hope this blog was able to get you working on your goals. See you in the next post, Share and Comment on something about your dreams in the comment section.

Further Reading






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Treasuring and Missing our loved ones during tough times, 5 Suggested Strategies to cope with grief

May 03, 2021

Grieving is something we all may have to encounter at some point

 

One of the two things constant in Life is Death and the second is Change. I think this is attributed to Buddha, I found this idea quite profound.

I have lost loved ones to death and it is a painful experience. You wonder (at the moment) if there is some way to restore them. It is painful to see them being buried or cremated. But it is a part of life.

It's everywhere in Nature, Death and New Birth. How does one cope with losing someone dear? I don't know if there is a special 5 step formula, but I do know the pain is real.

If you are one of those people who is experiencing this unfortunate situation. I wish you hope and strength, I am sorry for your loss.

I have collected some ideas that may serve you. They may help you cope and guide you through these difficult times.

Before writing and researching this article, I have dwelt on this topic many times.

Grief and Loss: An important Life event?

As we grow older this is a reality we find ourselves in. The possibility of us transitioning into the afterlife and our loved ones going through the same.

These pointers will focus on those who are left behind. Those who are bearing the pain of this huge loss.

I have spoken to a few friends and email subscribers, I am going to share some of the ideas I have got. Suggestions here are meant to help you cope and not serve as an alternative to Professional Medical Help.

Life can be difficult, community support and the right kind of Medical Support can be really productive. (Speaking as a recipient of good Medical support myself, Helping yourself is wise when you need it)

Some strategies to consider during grieving times:

I hope I don't personally find this odd when I am grieving. I used the word strategy, I think it can be an extremely painful situation to be in.

I have lost loved ones and I still miss them to this day. Some have been lost to illness, accidents and old age. But It feels painful whatever be the reason.

It is a part of life, a Life event we all must experience. But the ones left can be a lot of heartaches and memories.

It's normal to miss them

People express the pain in different ways. It's completely normal to miss a loved one. It may be missing a friend or a relative, missing a loved one always hurts.

You may feel a lot of things emotionally and physically while your grieving. It's normal to feel and experience these kinds of changes.

It's okay to express grief

While your grieving there is no set time limit or rules that govern the entire process. It's a heartfelt response to a personal loss.

You should not punish yourself or blame yourself for expressing your loss. Get the healthy support of friends or family members.

If possible join a support group or speak with a counsellor.

If you are physically hurt it is not considered wrong to seek help. Similarly ignoring professional help during tough situations is unnecessary. It is proper and right to seek professional help.

I would say it is wise too. A lot of times we become victims of wrong thinking patterns during difficult times. Professionals can give us strategies and effective help to deal with troubling situations.

It's fine to seek company or community

This is another one I wanted to speak about. It's okay to join a group that is helping you cope with your grieving process.

This can be your local religious community or even your friends. But do take care not to fall for groups that prey on people. 

There are sadly some religious groups and network marketers who are taught to actively use this kind of painful situations for recruitment. 

(I am not against Network Marketing and Religious recruitment as long as it is not Coercive and Shaddy)

It's okay to delay making important decisions

Difficult questions may not come when we would like them to. So when making important decisions try to delay (if possible) to a time when you are in a better mental space.

I can't tell you how important this one is. But a better mental space is important while making Life-changing decisions.

It's fine if we commemorate them

It's okay to celebrate Life events associated with them. If people think otherwise it's okay.

I believe treasuring memories and appreciating people who made a difference in our lives is important.

It helps us express our appreciation and the wonderful moments we shared with them.

In Conclusion

I don't know how you process the afterlife and all its mysteries. But I am sure our Loved ones will always live in our memories and in our hearts. 

Maybe there are things we thought we could do with them, but we must also remember the joyful moments you shared. You can share that joy with your near and dear ones.

Reaching out to people and creating new memories with people. We all move towards the same destination. I think it makes a difference to make a small difference.

I may not share the intensity of your pain, but as a Human, I can see how painful it is. Wish you strength and courage, May God bless you!

Further Reading

Coping with Grief and Loss by Helpguide

Coping with Grief and Loss by Psychological Health care

Can Money buy love? A Short reflection

Kickstart your next side hustle

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5 Powerful Books that can kickstart your next side successful hustle

April 15, 2021

 

Photo by Slidebean on Unsplash

Hey, It's been a fairly long time. Just took refuge in Goa, my ancestral home state. You may be thinking, Chris you are chilling and having a great time. 

Oh yes, but it's more about connecting with my newborn son, Caiden aka the fiery one. Little bustling bundle of joy, it's awesome being Dad. 

This current situation (a lot of us staying at home) has gotten me thinking about side hustles.

I would like to share some of the books to start out as a newly minted side hustler. 

I am not going to recommend super Management and Y-combinator startup stuff, but books that can actually start something you love and everyone can read.

Some reasons why starting a Side Hustle makes sense

So you want to escape the proverbial 9 to 5 or have passive income? This is not the blog to read. 

I believe starting a business part-time requires a ton of passion and effort.

It's about being independent but more importantly, I see it as solving problems that are important to you and others. 

Hustling the Canva way

Imagine Life before Canva or YouTube. Don't remember, Bad designs with illegible texts on graphics. That was life before Canva. Canva solved a major problem with Bad design. The best part it is available for Free. They have a paid version that I think is worth it.

Next is YouTube, When Satellite TV touched our neighbourhood there was such a buzz around it. There were households with Doordarshan and those who had the new Cable TV networks. 

What fascinated me was the logo design and the programming of these TV channels. I just loved the whole idea. But then becoming a content creator is so difficult and requires such a huge budget. 

YouTube just solved that one for you. Completely free to start a channel and reach out to millions of users worldwide. No license fees, no distribution costs. 

You could just design a logo on Canva and even edit your video and upload it on YouTube. It's that simple,

Yes, you can create videos on Canva. They have a powerful and simple video creation tool. For more powerful tools than Canva, we have Adobe Premiere, Davinci Resolve, Shotcut etc. But I love Canva because I can show my 5th Grade Students to make beautiful looking videos on it.

Problem Solving is hustling

Can you see how life-changing Problem Solving can be? 

Your side hustle has the power to actually change things around you. 

There are many more benefits like it provides employment to people, it gives you independence and the supplementary income.

Five Books to get you started on your Next Side Hustle


Unscripted: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Entrepreneurship by M.J. DeMarco 

Very refreshing read for New Entrepreneurs

This is a must-read book by MJ De Marco, a self-made millionaire. 

He offers no BS tips but only how to start a business and change your mindset. 

He does not offer any shortcut formulas but common sense ideas and a framework to get started.

This Framework deals with deep-seated myths and false beliefs around work and success.

He also has a forum to discuss ideas to build a successful business. He is a huge proponent of the fast lane, which most of us think is dangerous. Read the book to know more...

The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau

Learn how to build a side hustle with your Passion

This book actually features people who have made it big with small but powerful ideas. I had the opportunity to meet of one the person mentioned in the book. 

I met this person much before he was mentioned in the book. Though I must say that person (who I won't name) was weird to meet (He would just not speak) with but was very talented and deserves all the respect.

The book offers a workable and practical framework to convert existing talent to help people and make an income. It also shows you practical ideas to scale the business to something big.


The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferris

A classic book on Life Design

This is a powerful book by Tim Ferris, I found the concept behind the book really powerful. Tim offers really practical and quick hacks to starting a business and building a lifestyle that you would envy.

Tim offers a whole range of recommended tools with workable plans that you could use to actually start a side hustle. He takes you through a few ideas and plans that could actually work and be useful to start with.

He shows you how to build a lifestyle around your side hustle. He also enlightens you about the negatives and how to deal with them.

Overall it will provide you with a good idea to get started with your side hustle in a very practical manner.

Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki

One of the first books I read on Entrepreneurship

This is another power-packed book. I am sure you may have heard a lot of people recommend this book. 

This book will share ideas that will challenge some of your ideas around Employment, Life and business. 

This book is quick to read and some of the ideas are practical and useful.

He shares ideas he learnt from his Rich Dad (His mentor) who taught him well-treasured lessons about the realities of life and work.

He shares some key insights and direction to help you build a successful career and business.


The Startup Owner's Manual Strategy Guide by Steve Blank

Business Model Canvas beautiful technique to design your next business

This is a killer book. You could read this book and use the ideas to understand your current business or work. 

It focuses on Entrepreneurship and practical ways to become a successful Entrepreneur. 

You could start by Taking a Free course before actually Reading the book. Check it here.

Well, This is my shortlist. Of course, there are many I left out. I will mention them at some point.

The key thing about these five books is that they present side hustling as a practical way to explore your talent and more importantly a realistic and personal take on life.


In Conclusion

I believe it's when we seek to make a difference and not just an extra buck that we succeed. It can be difficult without the right knowledge and support.

These 5 books can be a starting point to plan well and begin with the right tools and mindset. Please share your favourite books on Entrepreneurship.

If you have read these books, Share what you think about them in the comments section. 

Note: Some of the links used in this article are Affiliate Links

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Happy Women's Day, 3 Women who inspire the best in me and one of them is my wife

March 10, 2021
Women who inspire me
Women who inspire me

 
Yes, you might be thinking Women's Day is over. Chris, you are late. I must confess every day belongs to you. Carpe Diem! 

But having said that I must say looking back the women I know have been an inspiration to me.

It is amazing how people we know can share such an influence on us. 

I think we need days and moments to stop and reflect on the impact people have on us.

Influencers in our lives

Our Personal Influencers: our loved ones

We all have a circle of influence. It may be big or small. But it is important.

I once read while studying about EQ (Emotional Quotient) on the importance of choosing at least 15 people to have in our lives.

Among those 15 people, Women of course share a huge role in my life.

I see people who share lives with us and mentor us as Real Influencers we have. They may not be perfect but they are there to guide us.


My First Influencer

When I see people face family pressure for choosing a different religious or spiritual path. I think it should not be like that.

 

The first person we know (for most of us) is our Mother. My mother has been a huge influence on my life.

She would never influence the way we thought about things. We all (The Dias's) have a kind of free spirit.

I seem to like the only conservative at home. My mom has been very accommodating. As a person, I have been exploring spirituality for years.

My Mom supports that and has never confronted me and treated me like a pariah. There has rarely been a confrontation on this point. Maybe a concern, but absolute freedom. I love my mom for that.

When I see people face family pressure for choosing a different religious or spiritual path. I think it should not be like that. The family should continue to love and support the person.

It's not that my Mom endorses my religious or spiritual views but she dialogues and tries to hear me. That's so encouraging and I love my Mother for it.


One of the Reasons I love Entrepreneurship

When I look back I remember her and it encourages me to give my best. 

 

My Grandmother was an entrepreneur. She started a Small Business in Mumbai. She was a student when she came to Mumbai.

She has always been someone I look up to for inspiration. I am sure wherever she is, She is wishing the best for me.

She would take me to Church every day. I would play as a child in Church, lol it was so awesome. She would feed me fruits and tell me Biblical stories and stories about our Family.

She would share her experiences and the difficulties she faced. It was one of the best days of my life.

When I look back I remember her and it encourages me to give my best. It shows me the value of working hard and being resourceful. She showed me the importance of mentoring and sharing life with people.


My Better Half



I have been married for the last 6 years. Wow, it been a long time for me. 

My wife is one of the people who know me quite well. She is my closest friend, partner and thoughtful critic (I hope she doesn't kill me for saying this).

We all need someone to keep us grounded. She as a person has been a constant support. She has shown me a different side to life.

She is not so dogmatic about life and passionate about Teaching. During the pandemic, she would stretch herself to give her best to her students whilst being with child. She would just give her best to her work (and for me that is truly inspirational).


The Long list


My Sister, my Aunties, my close friends, and a whole host of colleagues and students have been there for me and I am ever grateful.

This blog would never end and they have been a source of inspiration and help when I needed it. 

Does this mean I have no issues with any of the above? Not at all. The problem is we fail to realize our idols are Humans too. We put them on pedestals and when they falter we demote them.

I must say all of the 3 women I mentioned are as human as Human can be. But there is a value that people and life can bring. We must acknowledge that.


In Conclusion

Women are loved and they have added tremendous value to our lives. Down the ages, they have been a source of Joy and tremendous progress.

I always wanted to say this. I think this is the power of blogging that even a video can't capture. The ability to just express freely. Once again Happy Women's Day!

In the comments section please share about the women who have inspired you.

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Short time away from blogging, A few words on what's been happening

February 16, 2021

Been under the weather

The year 2020 was a tough year for a lot of us. For some of us it may been a year of painful experiences. For some a year with new beginnings or even a year of just connecting with dear ones.

For me it has been a year well spent. I had time to connect with family. Towards the end of this year we were blessed  with a baby, 'Caiden'. I have had joyous moments and moments full of shit. But looking back I think it was worth it.

This year started on a blessed note. I got to spend a lot of time with my wife, my daughter and our new born child. It was awesome. But this year has also given moments to stop and reflect. I love such moments. Personally I have committed myself to learning and sharing ideas. That's what this blog has been about.

I have completed more than 50 articles on this website. It was a long journey. I have some plans to grow this personal blog and offer some more goodies. I hope to start a Fresh Newsletter. I currently I am hosting one on Gumroad. You just need to signup and you receive exclusive posts.

It has been fun creating and sharing personal blogs. This month I was busy with a lot of things. Recently I was working on two blogs, but I got sick with flu. I quarantined myself and avoided contact with people. Just a way to be safe and keep people safe. I shall be posting these posts very soon.

See you soon, friends. Be positive, learn something new and share it here. It will be great to interact and explore new ideas.

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The Art of (taking) Short breaks and why you need one right now?

January 19, 2021

 


Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels


Surfing the Net and Taking Breaks

Net surfing is a favorite pastime for a lot of us (lol, Now I feel less guilty). I came across this youtuber Joshua Fluke. 

I must say it is a very interesting video where he talk about work culture and a software that literally sneaks on people.



I am not going to discuss about the video, you can check it out. But what got me thinking through this video was about work culture.

Besides the bad side of Work Culture, there are positive sides to it. One thing this current situation has taken from us is this one thing that I loved about 9 to 5 jobs, that is taking a break.

Imagine a Software that monitors you every 5 minutes that's horrible. Coffee breaks was one of the important moments in my work life.

I really enjoyed it, it was like a short vacation but only for a couple of minutes. Nice and hot coffee with myself or sometimes a colleague. It was simply phenomenal.

Vacations and Short Breaks

Vacations can be short

The joy of small things can be something really big. I think even during this situation when most of us work from home, we need to remind ourselves that we need to take some timeout.

Please don't think this is unproductive time. You are human, sometimes creativity and problem solving require you to do things differently. Taking a break can be one of them.

So does every break need to be a vacation that is 3 days long to a small coffee break. I think it depends.

It depends on factors like work life balance, your mental health and how you balance personal relationships.

Evaluating these areas of your life can be an important step. Next step would be trying to see the importance of dealing with negative stress.

Work Stress and living

Every Work has it's share of Stress

Every work comes with it's share of stress. We need to strategize ways to deal with it. Just because you are working from home. It does not mean you are balancing you work and life.

Check this article from The Hindu that talks about the stress of working from home.

It does not mean you have no stress. Taking short breaks can be a nice way to deal with stress.

Now the important question. What does one do on a short break?

Here are some ideas you could use:

  1. Have some Coffee (Lol :))
  2. Have some Tea
  3. Take a short walk
  4. Sprint 
  5. Do a stretch
  6. Meditate
  7. Pray
  8. Repeat your affirmations
  9. Evaluate your day
  10. Plan for the Next day
  11. Write an article or a blog related to your work
  12. Research on a topic that interests you
  13. Message your loved one
  14. Tweet
  15. Don't Check social media
  16. Read some scripture or any book or person that inspires you
This is not a comprehensive list.

The art is in how you understand your needs and respond to it. Years ago, when I decided to shift from yo-yo diets to dealing with my personal problems. I took a break and it really helped me see the important things in my life.

Even nowadays as a Self employed Educator and Blogger, I see the importance of short breaks. It has helped me tremendously.

Conclusion

Productivity is important as it is the value we add to this world. Being productive with the other faculties we have and our own personal life is equally important.

Take sometime out and refresh yourself. You deserve it. I hope you liked this post.

Please do comment how you spend your coffee break, I will meet you in the next Blog. Ciao!

Have a Happy Learning Day! Jai Hind! [full-width]


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