When Life bogs you down…

We all live in a mad, frenzy world. Each of us has our own ambitions, expectations, disappointments and worries to deal with. All of us are in some strange hurry to achieve whatever we can lay our hands on (mostly materialistic) and enter in a cut-throat competition with each other. No one wants to stop and take a helicopter view of how we are leading our lives and where we are heading. Virtues such as stability, honesty, humility, kindness and patience are considered as old fashioned and are no longer useful. Make way for diplomacy, shrewdness, professional success and the ability to earn a lot of dough which are given undue importance. This also creates a misbalance in personal relationships. People are all frazzled and have lost touch with their own self. This behaviour and pattern of leading lives goes against the cycle of nature. And ultimately in spite of having everything we get bored, tired, depressed and become prey of a variety of illnesses both mental and physical. Quality of life on the social media becomes more important than the quality of the real life we lead. Each one is caught in this vicious cycle of the modern day, fast paced life.                                                                                             So where is the respite from all this mess? How do we train our minds to start living the good, simple and meaningful life again? Here is a list of things I have thought of which came to my mind:

- Stop over thinking & worrying about the past or the future. Live in the present moment and make it beautiful. We have no control over what has happened (no matter how bad it was) or what is going to happen (even astrology won’t be able to really help you). This day, hour, min and sec is all you have so make every use of it to add value in your life.

2.  - No one can make you happy but yourself. Do you find yourself looking for relationships or materialistic possessions to make you happy? Then you are doomed to failure before you even began. I agree that a compactable relationship, successful career, glamorous address to live at and money to finance and support all the required luxuries are important and can make a significant change in your life however it is definitely not fundamental to your happiness. They can give you temporary pleasure but not happiness. There is a difference between pleasure and happiness. Pleasure is dependent on other things or people but happiness is a choice you make from within. Pleasure is temporary while happiness is permanent. Only you can make your life joyful and happy. Your positive thoughts and actions will determine the course of your day, hour and your life. So give importance to the most vital aspect of your life – YOU

3.     - Spend time with small kids. They are not two faced. If they like you kit will show in their behaviour and vice versa. Children are innocent and radiate pure, selfless and positive energy. This energy seeps into us and greatly benefits us. You don’t have to pretend to be someone else when you are with them. Play with your kids and see the difference you will experience with regards to reduced stress and increased stamina! Especially recommended after a hard day at office and not only as a weekend activity.

4.       - Cooking is therapeutic. Cooking is not just simply putting ingredients together to make something edible to eat. It involves a whole lot of emotions like love, affection and traits like concentration and creativity while preparing your dish. It is the most easy and interesting way of relaxing and soothing your nerves. And cooking up something for you once in a while can be so much fun! The satisfaction of creating something by you with so much of patience and care, ensuring that every step involved is carefully planned and executed keeping the taste, presentation, flavour and most importantly the hygiene factor in mind is over whelming.

5.       - Develop a new hobby. Learning and doing new things help in our overall progress and happiness.  A hobby will bring about its own benefits like – connecting with new people, passing your time productively, reducing your stress levels, building your lost self-confidence and above all it will be something you can fall back on when you are dissatisfied with your job or relationships.

6.       - Read for 30 minutes every day. Much has already been said about the importance of reading and what I am writing is just a subset of it. Reading has rich returns and must most definitely be a part of your daily routine. Reading helps you develop your imagination , vocabulary , makes you more creative , keeps you well informed about what’s’ happening around you, kills your boredom by taking you into a fantasy land of fictional stories and is a great way of improving your concentration.

7.       - Exercise daily for 30 mins. Everybody knows the importance of exercise and how it benefits our health. It helps control your blood pressure, sugar levels, reducing fat. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called Endorphins which help trigger a positive feeling in the body.

8.       - Listen to speeches of world leaders. Websites like the TED TALK one will help you increase your general knowledge and develop a new perspective in life. You may get interested in topics untouched by you for many years.

9.      -  Only complete with yourself.  Life is like a question paper, to each one is own. When we compare ourselves with others, we are only contributing to our own unhappiness. Someone may have something you desire, someone’s life may look picture perfect but the reality of the situation could be different. You may also possess something others may desire. You may also be thought of a lucky person! We don’t know the trials and tribulations of others, so instead of focusing on what other’s had or how they choose to lead their lives, focus on your own journey. Be your own competition, break your own records and set your own benchmarks. Yes, you may draw inspiration from others but don’t compare your achievements and success with them.

1   - Travel as much as you can. You have one life. See the world, travel to new destinations, and broaden your horizon! Come out of your comfort zone and your cocoon!

1    - Only think positive thoughts. Each thought that crosses your mind is actually creating your future. So you can imagine how dangerous it is to have negative and destructive thoughts in your mind. Stay positive, affirmative, and assertive and see the difference in the quality of your life! Every thought or person which drains your energy must be dropped. Focus on what you have been blessed with and keep smiling.

The brain needs to be trained and nurtured just like your body. Religiously practice the above things and have a wonderful, positive and happy life. Let me leave you with a quote:

“Being happy is not so difficult but comparing your happiness with others and then wanting to be as happy as them thinking you are less happy and they are happier than you, now that’s difficult to live with”