What inspires you to get going?

May be you haven't yet asked the question to yourself. Or you haven't realized the importance being questioned!

Whatever it is, do it now.

Is it the morning rays, the chirping birds, some warm moments, nature's touch, morning greetings, lovable face, a fresh bath, a relaxed mind or a future dream...? What is it exactly that leaves you inspired for the rest of the day. Look around and be watchful. If picking out a newspaper and reading it in no hurry is your key to get going, let it be. If it's a hot cup of tea/coffee that instills the excitement hidden in the day, sip it up. If its spending some quality moment with your adorable ones, stick around them.

Be honest to your key to inspiration and hold it tight for the rest of your life. Imagine what a life it would be to start the day all inspired to conquer the challenges and acquire the dreams!

Be an Observer

Racing against time and always in action, do you ever pause to look around?


Not sure of the answer? Or is it a fidgety yes or no? In both the cases you really need to halt.

There’s enough of action day in and out for you, which lets you ignore the bigger picture. Result: you mull over petty issues, end up being a control freak, bad temperament, frustration, confusion and you are lost!!!

Just for couple of minutes, leave everything aside. Sit back and reflect for a while. Do nothing, just be an observer. 

Enter a mall or any busy place and watch everyone and everything blankly. Let no judgmental thoughts come to your mind; let no worries tamper your peace of mind. With child like innocence keep staring at things and expect nothing from anyone. Soak in the beauty around and amidst the busiest of hours and places you will find yourself. 


And you will be amazed. If nothing, you will feel sorted. Looking around with no expectations takes you on a journey long forgotten.  It can be nostalgic when watching a group of friends, a child with a mother, an old man buying toys, amateur lovers sending signals, girls shopping their heart out, a kid playing with his pet....


Be an observer for a while, observations help deduce results unknown to self.

Understanding Metaphors...

For those who haven't ever heard or tried understanding the word 'metaphor', here is a brief intro - 

"A Figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison." 

or

"A metaphor in general conjures up an image in the mind that may be worth a thousand words. It shines the flashlight on the similarities between two unlike ideas or objects."

The above two definitions are just superficial and it's time for you to peel off the complicated layers from the ever-confusing subject. Let's start from the 'grass'. The grass is a metaphor that points at growth. No matter how discordant the environment is or how acrid is the land below, you need to root yourself to harsh realities of life and rise above in a pleasing manner - just the way the lush green grass do to your daily life. 

Another exciting metaphor from everyday life could be the butterfly flying from one flower to another in deep excitement of finding nectar. The origin of this beautiful flying creature is not-so-pleasant looking pupa. Still what it turns out into is a vibrant, vivid and loving being spreading smiles with its sheer look and elegance. So the hidden metaphor is - no matter what's your origin or what your past was, go out and conquer the hearts with what you can be today!

In case you have any more metaphors to share with us, do it right here! :)

Take a Sabbatical...

Take a break.... extended or momentary! But take it when it is the time. Life is a journey and not a race. No matter how tough your dreams make you work or what challenges lie ahead. Choose a self-proclaimed break out of the hurried life. 

"Call up a friend and chit-chat old times, pick up a diary and write down few lines, hold your dearos' hands and go out for a walk, wake up early today and hear to the birds' talk."

Do the most relaxing thing and call it a break. Let everything else stop for a moment and welcome the calmness you have spread, both within and around.  :)))

Reaching the habit of Reading..and the goodness associated with it!

content to be updated soon...

Maintaining a diary...

content to be updated soon...

Let's give it a shot...

Bound by responsibilities and trying to fit into everybody’s definition of ‘ideal’, we often lose ourselves. We forget who we are and what we like to do. Mindlessly acting as expected to be, we become ‘robots programmed by others.’ Fearing rejection or non-accetance, we stop challenging ourselves. And keep going on the trodden path.

Safe in our zone. We stop trying, stop growing. But it's important that we stay reminded that 'to try is our duty and for the rest of it, que sera sera.'

To grow, you must dare yourself. Take pride in every challenge that stands in your way. For once don’t fear a thing, when the opportunity strikes. Let go your apprehensions and give it a shot. Because, it’s our right to go for the kill at our best. So what if we budge from ideal track. Stop pleasing people and be yourself. Never stop trying, always get going. Just follow your heart, go by your gut, take a chance and give it a shot...

Friends don't always talk...they listen too!

Once there were two friends ‘E’ and ‘I’.

‘E’ was an extrovert and ‘I’ was an introvert. Both became close pals in college. People wondered how ‘I’, who never had friends since childhood, now had a yarana. 

What really worked between them was communication. While ‘I’ was shy and would talk less or simply smile when ‘E’ spoke, ‘I’ always understood the gravity of matters. And whenever ‘I’ would break his silence ‘E’ would lend an ear. ‘I’ was very knowledgeable and ‘E’ respected him for who he was. But most of all, ‘E’ being a good orator was also a good listener, which was given in case of ‘I.’

Even today, whether ‘E’ and ‘I’ talked regularly or after months, the thread of their communication never snaps. And are ‘friends forever.’

There’s an ‘E’ and an ‘I’ in every friendship. Irrespective of which one you are, it’s important to LISTEN. Because friends don’t always talk…they listen too!

Are you an introvert?

Often you are not sure of your own personality as it hardly matters to you or anyone. But if given a second thought, understanding your habits and personality can make a great difference by helping you evolve into a better person. Classes, seminars, conferences, workshops and public platforms have become a common place to discuss about such topics. But, it's rare that we peep within and sit back to analyze our own behavior at various situations.  

Being an introvert or an extrovert, or at least understanding which category you fall into, can help you in preparing yourself for a better reaction next time, for any given situation. Let's first know in definition about both the groups: most appropriate definition according to a website claims that:

"Extroverts tend to be those who are more energized when around other people. They are the ones who will reach for the cell phone when alone for more than a minute, the ones who love to go out every weekend, the ones who love to chit chat, mingle, and socialize.

Introverts tend to be those who are more energized when alone with themselves. They are the ones who have to be dragged to parties, who are the first ones ready to leave after a short period of time, and who generally enjoy solitary activities such as reading, writing, and daydreaming."

There are some apparent advantages and disadvantages of being in any of the above category, which we are leaving it up to you to discuss and analyse. Though we will be glad to know which column you fall into!

The silence that cures...

For a healer, silence refers to self realization. It may sound too much spiritual to many, but when practiced, it's a kind of yoga which you mistake as meditation...very often. Meditating by chanting mantras or remaining silent is one thing, while choosing to remain silent at any given point of time is a different subject. We here are talking about the latter!

When you have a chaos inside and are not able to either express it in words or jolt it down for mental peace, just be silent. Let the moment pass away and take along the mess with it. Do not take a plunge and try to swim across. Its sheer waste of energy and will lead to further tension at a later stage...which may or may not end. So, the solution is to be silent. When you are consistently asking yourself an unanswered question, you feel like giving up. But you never do that. Any thing left open ended disturbs you until a solution closes the door exuding tension. Many feel that the best thing is to forgive the person in question and remain silent. A war of words is never the answer..it's the question itself, further complicated. 

Another solution to come out clean is to leave the spot and choose a peaceful location, look within or talk to nature. Silence accompanying them all will help you realize the pettiness of the subject, as if it was not even worth talking about at the first place. ;)   

Let's cure the mess, the chaos, the clutter...let's be silent!

Stay Close to Happy People!

You went to a see a friend to spend some goodtime and what you bump into is a depressed heart welcoming you with a downside curve on face. All you do is to join him in the act and console or try sharing the things that trouble him. But when you return back to home, you suddenly feel very depressed and sad within, for no exact reason. Scientists now have a reason for the same. Yes, really!

When I asked one of my friends that how come he manages to keep a smile on his face, he bluntly replied, “I choose to be around with happy people.” So simple and straightforward!

Research says that if any of your colleague or friend or classmate, who lives just within few miles of you and is happy at something, your chances of being happy increases by 60%. While a happy sibling amounts to only 10-15% of happiness for you. Strange but tested. An unsatisfied co-worker will probably drag you down with him/her without you even realizing it. Constant tension, distressed mood or for-no-reason strain in your mind could be just because you are surrounded by unhappy, unsatisfied and depressive minds who don’t know how to make the best out of their lives.

Though you may find many terms and research data to back this fact, the only thing you should go for now is to actually study your friend circle and choose meticulously the ones who are happy with themselves first. Don’t readily lend a shoulder for broken hearts as you may soon find yourself being one among them.

Have a happy life and be there when someone genuinely needs you, but not just to join them, instead to cheer them up!

5 Things to learn from a Kite!

1.

CHARACTERISTIC – A Kite gives everyone the opportunity to make it fly high - no matter whether you are a novice or a perfect kite flyer.

LEARNING – Whether you are a self-sufficient person with ample abilities or one who is struggling to learn, life throws at you opportunities and you should make the most out of it.

2.

CHARACTERISTIC – A Kite aims to fly higher and higher.

LEARNING – One should dream high and work hard to reach out to them. A self-content attitude in life takes you nowhere as you are happy with the way life is leading you… So, always keep your desires higher and higher.

3.

CHARACTERISTIC – A Kite follows the wind and sways along with it to fly higher and better.

LEARNING – Don’t be always opposed to the ideas around you. Many of them may help you grow better and reach a greater point than being alone and trying to do everything by yourself. Take support of those more efficient than you and increase your chances of becoming successful in achieving your aims.

 4.

CHARACTERISTIC – A Kite allows someone to have/control its one end (the string) and keeps the other end open ended to take leaps in the sky

LEARNING – Always be rooted to your traditions and values with which you grew. It helps you strengthen your belief in yourself and assists you in taking your own path in a more efficient manner.

5.

CHARACTERISTIC – It fills the sky with varied hues and colors making it a pleasant sight for others to watch and inspiring minds who look upon it.

LEARNING – Be an inspiration to others by bringing happiness and color to their lives. Once you have reached a height in your career, try adding motivation to other’s dreams and encourage them to achieve their ambitions in a similar manner.

What should online retailers do to bring that smile?

-          Understand your customer’s basic requirement. Are they seeking branded product, value for their money or are here to just understand you as a marketer. Whatever be the reason, be well-equipped to entertain them with a website that’s crisp, simple to browse and easy to comprehend.

-          Give unbound significance to showcasing your product offerings. Let the consumer not wander much and come straight to what you stand for. The first contact between a customer and your website should result in a come-back and a lasting relation from there on.

-          Don’t compare yourself with the competition, instead make your own mark and offer the best at best price. You should be known first for your qualities and then for your offerings.

-          It’s a very dynamic industry with innumerable retailers switching to selling online. Keep evolving to match the ever-changing technology and customer expectations.

-          Do what you say anywhere on the web or on any social platform. Don’t expect your marketers to do a mind-blowing promotional job for you, while you are unable to delight your consumers with your offerings and services. Good service and good promotion go hand-in-hand.

-          Make your appearance on social platforms more personalized and cater to the problems shared by your customers/fans immediately. You will see the drastic change in your business in no time.

-          Lastly, work with integrity, honesty and love the industry you are in. If you are not satisfied with your own work, it’s rare that your customers will love it too.

A piece of wellness for myself...

Yes I will find for me

A handful of peace

Among the toil and amidst the talks

I will be all at ease

Today I share an untold mystery

Behind life that’s fun and cheery

I close my eyes and count on days

That made smile curve up on my face

I rewind the moments of togetherness

That filled my heart with unbound wellness

I no more complaint for what comes by

As I know the secret to grab a piece of sky

Join me in my pleasure of living to the fullest

Embrace a life that’s nothing but the best.

Do you follow a desktop diet?

It’s a busy world today, leaving hardly anytime for you to sit back and prepare for yourself a healthy diet. You bank on unhealthy snacks, ready-to-eat processed food and other misfit meals, leading to diseases which you could have stayed away from. So here are some suggestions/tips to make sure that your intake of food doesn’t go awry at your work place.

-          First and foremost, stop turning your locker into a mini-pantry. Let the files replace the small dabbas with chips and biscuits.

-          Keep a count on the number of packets you eat in a day, no matter whether or not you share it with your friends. Still, keep the same count, maybe 2.

-          Don’t think every hint of your stomach to be a hunger call. An uneasy hunger-like feeling also means that you need to take some rest from the work. So don’t just place your next order

.

-          The number of Tea & Coffee cups is the most dangerous requests you make to your office boy. Be strict to yourself and try lowering the number the cups you have. You can also opt to have Masala tea or Lemon tea for different taste along with a healthy body.  

-          Though constant munching keeps your energy levels high, it also leads to unnecessary storage of fat in your body increasing cholesterol level. Mind them.

-          Avoid heavy night meals; it’s the most harmful thing to do as you have no time left to digest it before you go to sleep.

-          No time to make or choose healthy food is no excuse. Take out your time, as it’s why you are living for…to eat healthy and be happy!

So, keep an eye on your Desktop Diet from today!

You should feel happy after shopping... in everyway!

Shopping is absolute indulgence in many cases and sheer necessity at times. It’s a kind of activity that falls under both ‘leisure & responsibility’. Whether your kids want new school bags, your kitchen needs some add-ons like micro-wave for speedy work or you need a winter dress good enough to protect you from cold – in all these cases it appears to be a necessary act to go out and spend some real good amount to buy these items.

But when you are shopping to buy a gift or get something for yourself, it’s a kind of treat. The term for it is Retail Therapy! It intends to make consumers feel good out of their shopping experience. A study points out that shopping activates key areas of the brain, boosting your mood and making you feel better – but unfortunately, only for a time being. Many cases have been there when after shopping, regret creeps into your mind, making you feel depressed instead of being cheerful for the things purchased. A normal middle class person complains of feeling guilty after he/she had splurged some amount on items which they later realized were not ‘necessary enough’.

One such case comes from the online world – Mrs. XYZ says that, “With all these websites for shopping online, I’m literally 'window' shopping everyday for clothes. My problem is, I have a habit of saving money and never spending it...which is both good and bad because I always add stuff to the shopping cart but don’t actually buy them until later (most of the time they go out of stock)...when I buy too much I feel guilty.”

So what is the solution to all of this?  

Shopping should ultimately make you feel happy and content. It should fulfill your desires for indulgence, necessity and also having a really good time, getting to know about new arrivals. You often come across things which you’ve never encountered before in the market, and thus you tend to buy it out of curiosity and excitement. Instead, analyze your lifestyle and ask yourself these quintessential questions:

1 – Is this item of some value to my life?

2 – Will it improve my living style or help me in any way?

3 – Is the cost worth it or am I getting carried away due to the decorations and 

      feel-good environment around?

4 – What will it make me feel once I have reached back home along with this ‘item’?

Once you’ve studied the answers in your mind, you know what you should do with ‘it’. Avoid remorse and lower your risk of overspending. Just be happy after shopping in every way!

Shopping by instinct?? Harmful or Useful?

The study reveals that most of us shop at a time when it's not planned at all. For example, you are out to meet a friend and you plan out for shopping at the near by mall; or you have headed to the market to purchase something very specific, and it somehow turns out into a shopping night with so many bags lingering on to your shoulders. Reason whatsoever, the result is unexpected or unplanned expenditure.

Many households are of the opinion that they tend to buy better items at more profitable deals at times when they've actually not planned the trip. Once planned they either forget certain necessary items or tend to stick to only pre-planned products, even if their price is above the normal rates.

But many others say that, the visual appeal and the desire to own a specific product displayed intelligently on a store adds to the instinct to buy it and have it for no reason. This leads to unwanted expenditure, which they later regret heavily, once back to home.

No matter, which column you fall into, but instinct shopping (shopping just because you felt so - for any reason), is a major factor which the shoppers lean onto to get their sales up. Meanwhile, online shoppers tend to provide you better deals and offers where you don't see the product (only to get lured), instead prepare a list and log in just when you want to shop, just what you want.

Make your choice, but be careful before making any decision based on pure instincts. Happy Shopping!!! :)

Why the Rush? - answer to an unanswered question!

The topic is very very vague and equally usual in every way. Everyone from elders in your family to thinkers from the society keep on asking the young lot of today, that where are they rushing to. The question is popped out of concern, out of curiosity and mainly out of frustration of not being able to catch up with them.

So let's finally face this question and try to answer it with all genuineness. We are here going to take the liberty of answering it on behalf of the young, busy & in-a-hurry generation.

"We are not in any rush, to start with. We are quick in making decisions, multi-tasking is our passion and swiftness in our thoughts is need of the time. We can't simply afford to sit back and listen to elders and follow their directions. We are neither interested in knowing how gradual-progress leads to sustenance as we have many examples of people making quick fame and money. It's not a rush. Believe us. It's just that you are not used to it. Our future is so vague that we need to try many things in one life-time to reach across to our destiny in a timely manner. We don't believe in retiring in 60s, but may be our 40s and then enjoy our life the way we want. So, relax, chill and take-it easy. We hope we have answered."

Right or wrong, Speak out your opinions....

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A Simple ‘NO’ can change your life.

In India, values and traditions form an integral part of our everyday living. We are into this habit of making sure that we don’t hurt the emotions and expectations of other person. To maintain this sanity in this busy and chaos-filled world is an art and many of us have learned to live up to it. Continuing with the same thought, we are also careful that we don’t disagree or say a ‘NO’ straightforwardly to someone. But have you ever thought that this could damage your own life in various invisible ways?

Recently, a person was really sad that he missed taking his wife out for a dinner on couple’s first anniversary, just because his boss asked him to accompany him to a party where he literally had no role to play. This not only ruined the couple’s mood, but also became the worst memory of their life which they could perhaps never mend.

The point is that one should understand the importance of time and occasion and set priorities before taking a decision. A simple ‘NO’ to the boss could have changed the things positively. So here are few points to keep in mind before saying a ‘YES’ at places where you should actually have said a ‘NO’ –

Value your Time – if someone asks for it, reevaluate your time’s importance and say a gentle ‘NO’.

Know your Priorities – While office work may be important at some point, there may be times when family comes first. Decide your priority and take the right decision.

Practice saying a NO – If you are committing to someone just for the sake of it, it’s better to say a NO and spend some meaningful moments the way you want.

Don’t be Apologetic – Don’t be polite enough to apologize for not saying a ‘YES’. You are the person to decide where your time should be spent. 

Be Prepared – If you are put in an awkward situation where saying ‘NO’ turns difficult, simply postpone your answer saying, “I will get back to you on this.” And once you are prepared, get back to them with a simple ‘NO’.

There's a world outside!

There's a world outside... from your sorrows, bad memories, illness, incidents and all...you just need to step out to experience joy, create new memories, feel good and experience joy ...

There's even a world outside this trash in front of you (that's making you read this post), away from this desk of yours, awaiting to be explored and experienced.

It's a fact that bad things attract and you stick around it for so long that they no more appear as bad, but as a part of your life. For example, if you are asked that, "Is Facebook, Twitter and Gmail, a part of your life?" You will take some time to come out with an answer, or probably you will find none. Just before being asked, you considered the online presence as just a part of your day...but you were probably not aware that it has gradually become an inevitable part of your everyday living. You may find time to chat but not to call up someone. You may feel relaxed to have received an email from a friend, but the presence of that very friend may annoy you for no reason.

Its a life when the problems are no more about kids not performing well in school or you not being able to catch up with your parents in other city....rather the issues are bigger ones now - not having internet connection, a crashed disk, not being added by someone on Facebook, not able to see your inmate online the whole day, etc, etc...

So, do you wish to come out of this self-created chaos and congestion on the web? Do you wish to be a part of a life where green leaves are actually swaying in the wind and not because you have an animated wallpaper? Do you ever want yourself to be back at home away from your laptop and mobile to spend some real-time moments with your family? If, yes just follow the line: -

"Here we go...come with me...there's a world outside that we should see..."

This year, keep aside your apprehensions!

The digital world is full of possibilities. In such an era when every other minor to critical need is being fulfilled via web, you should be kidding when you say, ‘I have never shopped online’. It’s true that many people still cling to the apprehensions and speculations of placing an order without getting a feel of the product. But if that was the case, then following wouldn’t be true:

·         A popular online retail site claims to sell one product a minute in India

·         More than 85 per cent of Internet users in the world are purchasing goods or services online

·         India ranks third biggest e-shopping nation online today

·         The "top four" online shopping sectors are currently grocery (31 per cent), electronic items such as computers, televisions and gadgets (25 per cent), clothing and fashion items (21 per cent) and holidays (15 per cent).

·         Online food shopping is expected to double in next five years

The above data is just a glimpse of what online is doing to the shoppers round the globe. If you haven’t yet tried your hands on buying with just a click, it’s high time we say.

The stiff competition has not only led to great deals and offers, but also to quality products at par with what you see offline. You also need not worry about the ‘timely delivery’ issue, as that’s the arena where most of the online retailers are trying to cash in. A consumer is thus always on the advantage side with easy ordering and paying methods, great products and quick delivery – for almost anything you want – from a greeting card to your monthly groceries!

A Very Happy New Year to you All!