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We as humans are on an endless quest for knowledge, which is a key element of our self-improvement. Lucky for us, information is all around us and readily available. However, this often makes us miss out on the greatest lessons life has to teach us, through nature. Don’t believe me? Take a moment to ponder something as simple as a tree.

1. Change:

Our lives would be so much better if we could change and adapt on a whim. Sadly, the weather outside our comfort zone is extremely harsh and uncomfortable. Look to the trees. Through wind, rain and shine they are able to adapt. From the bark to the leaves, the tree as a whole is committed to change. Similarly, we should have our mind and body disciplined to change, otherwise we will not be able to break through our boundaries.

2. Strength

Tree roots bear an uncanny resemblance to our morals and values that we possess. They seem to function in a similar way too! Weaker roots end up in the tree becoming weak itself, when the test of strong winds come, the tree cannot stand. Life will test us too, you can be sure of it. We too will fall if we do not ground ourselves with strong values and personal beliefs.

3. Vulnerability

From a breezy palm tree to the giant sequoia, every tree must fall eventually. When the time comes, they don’t resist or fight against it. The same goes for us. No matter how strong or controlled we are, remember we are only human. It is healthy to express emotions of vulnerability as well as strength. It helps us to have a healthy balance in our lives. Don’t ever feel embarrassed to have your “moments”. Everyone does at some point.

4.Patience

Frustration is the poison that kills progress. When we don’t get the results we want, it’s easy to slip into despair and anger caused by frustration. Patience is another virtue that we can glean from the trees. The tiny seed of a mighty oak, must bide its time to become the marvel that it will become one day. We too must give ourselves time to grow, trust that we are in control of our lives and the results we want are on the way.

4.Beauty

Trees are a source of beauty on this troubled earth. People look at them and are whisked away to a happier place in their being. We too should strive to make someone’s life beautiful. We feel real happiness when we make someone else feel joy. From a smile to a friendly salute, nothing is too small to make a big impact. Spread the ripples of happiness in your lives and behold the beauty.

Words are an art. When we speak we express ourselves, when we write we put ourselves on paper. Words are tied closely with our emotions and the better we are with our words, the easier it will be for us to express our feelings. Sometimes we are limited by the English language in our speech. Expanding your vocabulary in a few languages is a great way to develop your communication and enable you to be more expressive. Add some of these words to your dictionary and they can help at those times when you want to enunciate your emotions but are at a loss for words.

1. METANOIA:

Derived from the ancient Greek word “μετάνοια” metanoia is the definition of change. Its most evident association is with the act of changing one’s mind. Why not live out a metanoia in your life. Change your mindset for the better, supplement yourself with a positive outlook and see how your life improves drastically.

2. TROUVAILLE

It is a French word by orientation and nature. Interestingly enough, it defines the event of finding something of value say an artefact or a gold reserve. This word represents our passion and our drive not to give up on our dream. It is the reward at the end of a tunnel of hard work and perseverance. Take action in your life and find your trouvaille.

3. VAGARY

A derivation of vagārī which means to wander. A more modern take on the word is a whimsical, radical, unusual and passionate desire. I’m sure by now yours has already come into your mind. Don’t shirk your passion, it makes your life exciting, colourful and all the more worthwhile.

4.SONDER

This word is a beautiful depiction of a euphemism we all come to. It is the realization that everyone around you is a life just as complex and vivid as yours. A tale of the beauty, sorrows and reality of life all wrapped up together it helps add a face to the surreal experience of your sonder.

Many people are averse to maintaining journals. Whether it be the social stereotypes attached, or the hesitance to start in the first place. However, the practice of a journal helps exponentially towards self-discipline, soul-searching and adds to your creative prowess. If you’re on the fence or unsure of how to start, here are 3 simple tips to help you dive in.

1. Invest in Journey

The first step is always the hardest, but the more you invest your emotion and feelings into it, the better the journey will be. A good way to personalize your journal experience is to spend time deciding on the book you will be writing in. Leather-bound, picturesque, or anything that you feel is exciting and a representation of yourself will help you greatly and make the experience fun. Try to avoid having an electronic journal, it deviates from the intimacy of your masterpiece.

2. Wing It

This is not a practice set in stone. The feeling of having to write the same old, same old dated entries every day can prove to be quite monotonous. Mix it up, try your hand at a drawing, or a poem if you’re up to the task. Don’t limit your creativity or content. Free writing is an essential part of having a journal. What may start as random words on a paper, will soon turn into a reflection of yourself. You will be amazed when you read over and will learn more about yourself in the process. The ultimate goal is to learn more and understand ourselves better. So, don’t stifle your persona by adhering to a single style of writing, have some fun!

3. Challenge Yourself

As with any practice, there will be an initial “resistance period”. You will find excuses to skip one day and outright ignore another. This is a great opportunity to polish your self-discipline. Set milestones and accomplish them. Whether it’s a time limit or a word goal, have a challenge every day. Ease yourself into the flow and you’ll see how it becomes second nature to you. That’s when you’ll see the benefits play out in your life.

4.Immerse yourself

Maintaining a journal is a very personal practice. You will discover a lot about yourself along the way and you will see the impact it has on your life. However, to see the results that can be had you must wholly be yourself. Write your personal thoughts, greatest fears, personal desires. Be brutally honest with yourself, a journal is an amazing way to heal and develop. There is magic in those pages, but you must uphold the integrity of what goes on them. It’s you on a page after all.

Do you have any go-to’s to help you deal with difficult days? Share your thoughts below.

Every one of us has had one of those days – a day when nothing seems to go right, a day we would happily erase out of the calendar, a day that sucks the life right out of us! What would we give to turn back the clock and make it different…

Luckily, it doesn’t take a lot to turn a bad day into a good one. Just a dash of optimism, some effort, and a little bit of magic! Magic, you ask? Yup, a little bit of magic made up of the following 4 ingredients.

1. Change The Conversation In Your Head

The place to start changing your day around is in your head. The easiest way to make a bad day worse is to keep thinking about what a bad day you are having and how everything is going wrong. But that will only make you wallow in negativity and isn’t it true that if you expect the worst, you will see the worst in any and everything that happens? So talk yourself out of your negative perspective and don’t let it color the rest of your day.

2. Look For A Laugh

When everything seems to be going downhill, look for something that will make you laugh, or at least smile, or remind you of happy times. It could be a song, having a random conversation with a friend, or even one of your favourite cat videos on the net. You just need something to get you out of your head and give you the space to look at things anew.

3. Hug Yourself Out Of It

The power of the human touch is unbelievable. A simple hug from someone can make you feel better instantaneously. It creates a feeling of connectedness and empathy that we all seem to miss in the hectic lives we lead.

4.Breathe Deeply

Deep breathing has calming properties and can stem the rush of stress hormones and negative emotions racing through you. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and imagine yourself having a better day. It might not change your circumstances but it will definitely change your response to whatever circumstances you find yourself in. And sometimes that’s all you need to turn things around.

Do you have any go-to’s to help you deal with difficult days? Share your thoughts below.

Optimism is not an absolute quality. It is more like a way of life and something that can be worked at. It is a choice you can make at any and every moment of your life! It might not be an easy choice because let’s face it, it is always easier to mope and sulk and play the blame game. But optimism comes with the advantages of a happier, more satisfied and possibly more successful life.

So here are 3 ways to choose optimism daily, even when life throws you a curveball.

1. Practice Gratitude

Remembering all that is good in our lives, as cliched as it might sound, can be very important for being optimistic even in the midst of a tough day or challenging moment. A daily reminder of what we have to be thankful for can turn around dissatisfaction over the little disappointments that can get us down.

2. Invest In Love

Knowing that we are loved can be a constant source of good feelings. Whether the love of family or friends, giving and receiving love brings happiness and increases our will to really live the lives we want to. There is nothing like the hug of a loved one to boost up flagging spirits or their smile to make the world a little sunnier.

3. Nurture Your Passion

Spending at least a little time everyday on our passion can help to recenter us and our feelings. It could be something as simple as painting or gardening or music. But spending those moments in doing something that fills us with joy and makes us forget everything else can help turn life more optimistic.

It takes a little bit of practice and mindfulness, but we can all choose optimism in our lives. Remember we have only this once that is guaranteed to us. It is up to us to make it matter!

Music has been around for as long as mankind has been around. With instruments or even without any, music has been and continues to be an integral part of the human experience across time and cultures.

Have you ever wondered why it is so? At an individual level all, well almost all, of us know that music can touch our innermost self. It can have a profound impact on our psyche, moods and behaviour. Today there is a lot of research proving what we have always known instinctively – music can affect our well being. But the interesting part is, music can improve not just our mental health, but also our physical well being.

1. Music Makes You Happy

Just 15 minutes of listening to upbeat music or music that you like releases dopamine in your brain. This neurotransmitter is associated with feelings of happiness and joy.

2. Music Lowers Stress And Boosts Immune System

Music can actually lower the levels of cortisol – the stress hormone – in one’s body. Higher levels of cortisol have been linked with an impaired immune function. One study also showed that those who actively participate in music making like playing an instrument or singing had boosted immune systems as compared to those who only listened. Another showed that listening to music increased the levels of antibodies in the body.

3. Music Improves Sleep

Listening to soothing or classical music an hour before you sleep can improve the quality of sleep. This is especially useful for anyone troubled by insomnia or sleep disorders.

4. Music Reduces Depression And Anxiety

Certain types of music have been seen to alleviate symptoms of depression. Interestingly, classical or relaxed music had a positive impact while techno or heavy metal music played an opposite role.

5. Music Improves Verbal And Visual Skills, And Improves Brain Function

Studies have shown that exposure to music (mainly classical) at a young age stimulates the child’s brain and increases their verbal IQ and visual abilities and interpretation and comprehension of both types of inputs. Even as one ages, playing or listening to music has been compared to exercising the brain and keeping it sharp.

Apart from these there are some other researched benefits of music like decreasing pain thresholds, regulating heart rates and blood pressure, helping recovery after surgery. However even considering all these we are probably only on the cusp of finding out how much music adds to our lives, along with the obvious enjoyment it brings.
So bring out those tunes every chance you get and sing along with the music of life!

How many of us struggle with space – be it for things, time, feelings or even thoughts? Do you find yourself complaining about not having enough of any of these? Chances are it is not a problem of shortage, rather that of having too much.

Every minute of our lives advertisements and social media bombards us with overt and covert messages of how we need more of something in our life. Clothes, furniture, gadgets, cars, status, emotions – we are continuously primed to want and need more of everything. Once we get caught in this cycle of wanting the latest and the most of everything, we automatically have less of the things that really matter. And then wondering about why we are still not happy and satisfied with our lives, we try to fill in that emptiness with more stuff.

Minimalist living is a radical idea that is gaining widespread traction nowadays for precisely this reason. People have found that having less can indeed be more. It can change the way we spend our hours, energy, time and money. It can actually free us up for the things that really matter in life and make it beautiful – like family, friends, relationships, community, hobbies and interests.

If you don’t need to keep buying stuff, you can think of ditching that job you hate but do for the money and find something that would give you more satisfaction. You can save a lot of the time you would spend cleaning, dusting, clearing the house and instead of shouting at your children for not helping out, spend time playing and laughing with them. Imagine not having to waste long moments staring at your wardrobe and wondering what to wear or the freedom of not valuing your worth by the size of your house, make of your car, brand of your phone etc.

That a healthier, less stressed body means a more confident, energetic and happier us is a no-brainer. So what are you waiting for? Get going for happiness!

And living with less need not be like walking on hot shoals. You can start small. Try it out in one area of your life. Experiment. See what works or does not work. And then try it in another aspect of your life. Pack up the clothes you have not worn in the last one month. Box up the things around your house you have not used in the last 3 months. If you don’t miss them in your life for the next 3, donate them away. Toys, kitchen ware, furniture, phones – more often than not, you will find that you can actually live happily with less than half of what you have.

Not all of us might be able to live in a tiny house of 10×10. But most of us could definitely live with a lot less than what we feel like we need to own and find the liberation and joy that it can add to our life.

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