I may not be the one who got me into this situation, but itās solely my responsibility to get out of it. Thatās the mindset you need to overcome any challenge.
The Internet has forced everyone to think globally, but maybe you donāt have to. Itās possible you could stay local and still earn enough to be independent.
The less impact a decision has on my life, the lesser the time it should take in deciding.
Eg: A $10 thing I should buy or not. A dinner. Whether I should get two of these things for my grocery or one. Such decisions have no longer term meaning.
The older I get, the less need I feel to have a partner. All the long, unfulfilled gaps I once desperately wanted someone to fill, I have started filling myself after each disappointment. How good of a partnership will it be if there are no gaps left to fill? Concerning.
Whatever storm youāre going through, it will pass. What will remain is your health and the scars you inflict on yourself. Never, ever compromise on your health. Your health is your real currency. Ensure you stay in good mental and physical shape so that you can sprint forward when the sun shines again.
A secure person always empowers others to be self-reliant, while an insecure person makes every attempt to keep power by making others dependant on them.
People will only take you as seriously as you take yourself. This applies to every event, thought, suggestion, point of view, and opinion, in all aspects of life.
Rejecting unhelpful thoughts and moving forward are highly essential techniques for staying present, making progress, and maintaining optimism about the future.
Compulsive behavior increases drastically with social isolation. The mindās natural tendency is to repeat patterns, and without enough external stimulation, it can spiral into harmful loops. Imagine if you never opened the windows or doors in your house and stayed inside for yearsāthe air would become stale and suffocating. The same happens within your mind. Social interaction is a must. Find ways to connect.
Success happens with a lot of noise, but failure happens silently. Thatās why you see more success around you than failure, even though the reality is quite the opposite.
All that I was trying to do, was to undo what was done without realizing thereās no undo button in your brain, hence all the anxiety. Only button the brain has is to Override.
World moves in a direction that itās destined to move. We, people, just become the instruments through which that happens. Without Thomas Edison, the artificial light source was anyway going to be invented. Without Wright brothers, air travel was anyway going to happen. Without AI pioneers, the world was going towards artificial intelligence. Without, Mark Zuckerberg, long-distance social interaction was going to happen. These all people, just became an instrument through which great things happened.Ā
Then, youād ask is it all luck? No, not at all. It happened through them because they operate at certain energy and have certain purity, that allowed universe to make them their instruments.
I know, itās impossible to believe for some of you. But if you would go to these people and ask: Was there no involvement of unexpected encounters that played a major role in what they did. An honest man would say, they just kept working and things just unfolded one after another.
Every moment world is choosing someone as an instrument to go where itās meant to go. If youād like to be that instrument which world later calls a āSuccessā; keep yourself pure, strive to become better then yesterday, and keep working.
It is one of those concepts that can only be understood through experience:
Every day, our lives unfold in ways we can't fully predict, much like a flower gradually blooming. You are currently at a stage where you have not fully blossomed. Each day, all you can see is a new petal. You cannot decide the color or shape of this new petal. All you have control over is whether you will unfold the new petal or not.
Thatās all that matters in life. Each of us is at different stages of unfolding our lives. Only those who strive every moment will fully blossom. Others, who stop striving because they dislike the shape of an unfolded petal, will never get to see the beauty of the next petalāthe beauty of their lives fully blossomed.
In the end, at the fully blossomed stage, weāll all be different. Weāll be beautiful.
One thing I have learned from my 5 years of meditation practice and, more recently, yoga: When you get control over your breath, you get control over your life too.Ā
I wanted to expand upon my earlier writing about love, which I left unfinished. When I say love, it isn't just between two people; it could be with anyone or anything, even with just nature.
If I were to define love in one word, that would be UNION. When you unite with someone so completely that it becomes a part of you, there are no more separations. They naturally just become an extension of you, physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, in every way. When the union is that complete and inclusive, then things like trust, peace, respect, understanding, etc., just become obvious, don't they? Would you not be understanding to your own self if that 'self' includes them too?
It just feels magical because you literally extend yourself by including them within you. But we rarely get to experience such level of depth. š¤
Another interesting realization I had is that love is boundless. Broaden the scope of love. There is no limit to what you can love. If you truly love, then it becomes a part of you. Then what if you love the whole universe? You'll suddenly feel that you've expanded your boundary to include the whole universe. Difficult part is to sustain it every moment.
I set time for my activities. I have allocated specific time slots for activities, ensuring I follow through on them. Even if I'm not feeling up to it, I make sure to at least make an appearance and do a little.
For example, every morning, I start my day with meditation, using techniques I've developed over years to suit my needs. Even on days when I'm not feeling particularly motivated, I still make an effort, even if I need to tweak my approach or shorten the time based on my mood.
After breakfast, I dive into work, choosing tasks based on my motivation levelāa privilege I've earned through hard work. Regardless of how I feel, I commit to working certain hours each day, whether it's doing new things or focusing on work-related tasks.
Once work is done, it's time for exercise / yoga. If there are days when I'm not feeling like it, I opt for simpler physical activities like walking or playing with a cricket ball. The important thing is sticking to the time allocated for physical activity.
In a world where everyone wants to just spill out their thoughts and emotions, strive to be the one who listens, reflects, understands, and engages in meaningful discussions.
With every technological advancement, it's becoming increasingly easier to translate your thoughts into actions. If you want to see someone, they're just a call away. If you want to learn something, it's a click away. Now, with AI, if you have an idea, it literally takes only minutes to make it a reality. Everything you want is becoming more accessible with just a click, almost like using a magic wand. Take advantage of this convenience and turn your thoughts into actions.
I had a hard time realizing that legacy is a myth. Desiring to leave a legacy will make your life a nightmare. No matter what you do, nobody will remember you in 100 (realistically pessimist) to 10,000 (very very optimist) years, which is a mere blink compared to the universe's lifespan. Donāt worry about leaving a legacy. Donāt try to be like others. Live your life to the fullest. Thatās what matters.
It was 5 am (EST) in the morning when I received a call from my sister; I knew immediately something was wrong. I picked up and heard the news that my grandmother had passed away. I immediately sat upright on my bed and closed my eyes. All the memories of her flashed in front of me, and exactly two tears rolled down my cheeks. After 10 minutes, I was filled with gratitude for all her sacrifices. I thanked her and prayed for her peaceful departure. It made me realize that many things we take for granted in life are because of the sacrifices of others. If my grandmother hadn't supported my grandfather by taking care of the house, he wouldn't have been successful. He wouldn't have been able to set up a business that later grew bigger under my father's management. If my mother and grandmother hadn't taken care of me when I was a child, my father wouldn't have been able to fully commit to the business. Our family wouldn't be as financially stable as it is now, affording me the freedom to pursue my passions and take risks. The lifetime sacrifices of my previous generations have resulted in a less stressful, more free, and comfortable life for me.
Since a young age, when I began to understand the world better and the concept of death, I made sure to bring a smile to her face. I cracked jokes and made her laugh until last year, when her senses began to fail her. My grandmother had a tendency to stress and worry a lot, and I've inherited much of that from her. I can clearly see which qualities I've inherited from her, as well as from my grandfather and parents.
It's wonderful how a person may pass away, but their qualities continue to live within us. In a way, all our ancestors live within us in some form.
Everybody is the CEO of their own body, mind, emotions, and energy. Your single instruction can steer them in a certain direction. You make decisions every moment of your life. Be a good CEO.
When you consider the factors that shape one's opinion, there are too many uncontrollable consequences.Ā
All of us exist due to the Earth's current habitable conditions. The next major disaster is inevitable in a few hundred thousand years, which could potentially wipe out all current forms of technology. Similarly, there could have been entirely different forms of technology before our current habitat. Therefore, one factor is the current technological advancement we live in.Ā
The second factor is the country and city we were born in.Ā
The third is the family we were born into.
The fourth is the economic times we were brought up in. Ā The fifth is the genes that we carry.Ā
The sixth is the human civilisation we are born in.
Many more.
There are just so many things beyond anyone's control that shape our opinions. However, it's not impossible to realize these controlling factors and break free from them.Ā
What your mind focuses on is what receives nourishment to grow. If it focuses on obstacles, they receive the nutrients and grow. If it focuses on fears, they receive the nutrients and grow. If it focuses on your goals, they receive the nutrients and grow.
Thoughts are the quickest drugs. A good thought can make you happy, while a bad thought can make you anxious. A positive thought can make you feel in control, but a negative thought can make you feel like you're drowning. I hate to admit it, but I'm also a culprit of this.
I have such a selective choice of content (movies, shows, etc.) that I started wondering exactly what type of content I like. After reflecting for some time, I realized that I enjoy watching content where I can either see myself in a character or aspire to gain some of their qualities. It could be true for many people too?
Work on breaking each layer to find yourself. Layers will be different for every individual. Layers are also known as baggages. Baggage to be smartest in room. Baggage to prove our point. Baggage to know it all.
3 things that will make relationships last beyond life:
Take time to decide if another person is right for you. But, once sincere decision is made to be together there mustnāt be a backup option to separate in back of any personās mind.
Love is complete acceptance of another person, so complete that there are no two separate person anymore.
Acceptance level can be variable time to time. So, what is required it to last lifetime and beyond is pure commitment to make it work together no matter what.
The goal shouldn't be to earn $1 million and retire. It should be to achieve financial freedom. Let's say you need $1,000 daily to meet all your needs, and when your passive income can consistently provide you with that amount for life, then you're essentially free to pursue anything you want. That's financial freedom.
You can either reduce your expenses to zero or work towards reaching that estimated amount to attain financial freedom.
Commit to the process, end result will be achieved as a byproduct. Not once but multiple times, youāll lose count of it! Because youāll enjoy the process more than the end results.
It's so fun and calming to watch ourselves and everything happening as a third person. With this point of view, everything seems to pass in front of us instead of happening ON us.
I have a habit of spending time on things that matters. Mainly by reflecting often and reducing time spent on things that doesnāt matter much in long span.
Yoga helps release stored traumas and free the body through stretching. Meditation helps to distance and observe activities of mind. When both practices are done, they provide a better chance to align oneself with the energies we desire.
No matter how long you've been in a state you didn't like, once you begin to make changes, you'll notice that the world around you shifts more rapidly than you might expect.
Realising the purpose of existence takes away the anxiety of immediately finding a specific purpose. However, we still need to make the most of the amazing life we have. Here's the problem: it's not as simple as it sounds. Finding something you genuinely enjoy doing, which can also provide enough financial stability, can be challenging. It's a combination of factors that work together to help you find your path:
1. Follow your inner voice. 2. Explore as many interests as you like. 3. Don't worry about what others are doing. 4. Be cautious about taking too much advice (a controversial topic!). 5. Start early when you have fewer responsibilities and baggage.
Remember that your mere existence already serves a purpose in the universe. Keep experimenting with things you think you might enjoy until you discover the one (or more).
As for staying disciplined in your pursuits, it's important to recognize that the majority of success stems from scheduling habits rather than innate talent.
Intentions play a major role in whether youāll get there or not. Clearer and purer the intentions, easy it becomes for universe to throw right opportunities.
People take any type of drug (or alcohol) either to calm or escape the mind. Instead, focus on mastering the art of the mind; it's a continuous work in progress
Work on creating a natural pull for doing things and avoid getting pushed. If your pull is not strong enough then youāll always be pushed to do things.
Push: Something that forces you to do certain thing. For example: Going to a job simply to pay your instalments.
Pull: A natural desire and excitement to do something, simply because you enjoy it. It will eventually create more wealth than any kind of push.
Focusing on quality work becomes very difficult when we set overly tight deadlines for ourselves, forcing us to rush through tasks. It becomes tempting to apply a quick patch rather than addressing the root of the problem when we are moving too quickly. It's like putting a band-aid on a wound without treating the underlying injury. Quick fixes often come back in the form of critical problems that will take up more time to solve than it would have taken earlier during the initial build. I'd say, resist the temptation and spend that extra day to deliver quality work. Ask for some extra time. It'll save many days later!
I'm on a constant journey of self-improvement. I'm making a conscious effort to become more aware of my actions and behaviours. I commit to the process of becoming better than I was yesterday. I believe that everything else that I desire will naturally follow as byproducts. I envision this journey as a stack of glasses forming a pyramid, with the top glass representing āselfā. By continually filling the top glass, I think that one day it will overflow and naturally start filling all the other glasses.
When someone familiar is part of a group performance, it's almost impossible not to focus on them, oftentimes exclusively. This predisposition can distort your judgment of their actual performance.
Those who have witnessed a close friend or family member's dance performance can easily relate to this phenomenon. Your eyes naturally seek them out in the group, causing you to unintentionally overlook the other performers, thereby impairing your ability to evaluate objectively. I refer to this as the 'Bias of Known.'
This bias is prevalent in various aspects of life. For example: businesses evaluating their products. Small businesses, at times, treat their product as if they were their own offspring, fostering this known bias and hindering their ability to objectively compare their product with others in the market. While protecting something like a child is natural, in the business world, it must face the harsh reality of competition.
I believe that practicing the avoidance of the 'Bias of Known' is essential when aiming to create something that truly stands out and matters in the lives of people.
Every situation, whether it's good or bad from your perspective, is destined to reach its conclusion. No matter how never-ending it may seem, it does have an end. The key is to channel your efforts towards gaining something meaningful along the way.
When you reflect on your life ten years from now, what you'll recall is not the sheer difficulty of specific situations, but rather, what you gained from themālessons, experiences, friendships, and relationships that still endure. Let's consider a simple example: school, something everyone can relate to. What you remember about school isn't how hard a particular subject or exam was; instead, you cherish the lessons learned and the friendships formed.
In the same vein, apply this perspective to any situation and think long-term. You'll come to realize that what truly matters is what you've taken away from it.Ā
Letās try to make the most out of any situation by focusing on what genuinely matters.
Something I have believed in and started practicing more recently is the concept of scheduled habits. I found validation for this belief in the book Atomic Habits. There are things I want to achieve, whether in work, health, or something else. I have noticed that year after year, the things that get achieved are not the ones I worked on for 48 straight hours but rather the ones I consistently worked on, no matter how tiny the amount of hours at once.
So, when I have a thought that I really want to achieve something, I start finding time in my schedule to fit it in. It can be as little as half an hour every day or every other day, or something similar. Because small steps compound and eventually surpass a giant leap.
Another important aspect is sticking to the schedule you have made. That's discipline and a commitment to oneself. However, the self is emotional; sometimes, you may feel like saying 'Hell yes, let's do it,' and other times, you may not feel like lifting a finger. In this case, allow your schedule to accommodate these emotions. Schedule 'Do nothing' time slots and do what you feel like during that time (p.s: I mostly go for walks).
In the end, the idea of fitting the things I want to achieve into my schedule and following it religiously (taking tiny steps) gives me a strong hope that eventually, they will be achieved, no matter how distant they may seem.
As said in Bhagavad-Gita:
Doing your Karm (work) religiously and not worrying about results is a real prayer and religion. Ā
We're ants, looking for purpose in everything, but our existence itself fulfills a purpose, a purpose much greater. We just need to zoom out and look at our lives from a bird's-eye view. For example, an ant searching, struggling, and picking up food from all sorts of different places might wonder what it's doing, what its purpose is. But, actually, it's fulfilling the purpose of sustaining the Earth's ecosystem. Similarly, we ants (in comparison to the universe's size), eating, sleeping, working, might question our purpose. But perhaps our simple existence is fulfilling some purpose of the universe that we can't see, much like an actual ant can't see its own purpose.
