Sometimes all of us need some help to break out of the loops in life.  A few years ago, I noticed a strange change in myself. There was a constant feeling of unease..I felt like danger looming... a catastrophe going to happen. I tried hard to track down the reasons, but my mind was not giving me answers. I realized there is no apparent reason to feel this way if I can't point to it, right away. I thought to myself, "After all, there are scores of people in real situations at hand, and they don't worry! Why do I?" It was a valid point, and my logical self wanted to believe it badly but somehow I wasn't convinced. Soon, I started showing physical symptoms like feeling shortness of breath and general hot flashes. This is when I paused and thought to myself - "This can't be normal". I do realize now that when my mind space was such, I would also have been defensive in my demeanor in public. I tried to shoot back counters to anyone who wanted to judge me ...

Photo by  Patrick Hendry  on  Unsplash Life rewards us in mysterious ways. You "blend in" and get immediate results that amount to gratification and happiness. You may "Stand out" because you are a natural, but the world will question your worth.  "Standing up", is the real deal.  Just like fitting in, Standing up is also a choice... the tougher choice that we make to be true to ourselves. At first, it gives nothing back to us except fear, hate, and friction. But if we hang in there using this friction, we will start to see us as an evolved version of ourselves. We will be someone describable in a few good words. We will find our identity. Even in the literal sense, Friction is the force that opposes motion. But we know that it eventuall y   helps us. Without friction, we would touch but won't be able to feel, would draw but won't be able to leave the impressions of it, would try to climb but won't move upwards, would flow with the current but ...

Photo by  Ladd Greene  on  Unsplash There is an old story of a frog in boiling water. It is relevant even today in the context of how we look at our jobs. It might be useful to learn a thing or two, looking back at this story in new light. The stories goes like this. There was a frog that deliberately hopped into a pot. The pot had fresh water so it indulged in swimming around a bit. Not too long later, the pot of water started getting warm. Frog didn't know that the pot was set on flame to warm up. The water was getting warm, warmer and so on. Frog could now foresee that its only going to get hotter from here on. It contemplated taking the leap out of the pot but, since frogs have the skill to withstand temperature up until boiling point, it stayed on waiting for that point. Once it got too hot to handle, coping with heat was getting difficult. Soon the frog got to a point of exhaustion and it simply succumbed. It could no longer make the leap. All its energy had been sp...

Image by : Gerd Altmann from Pixabay The world has made "being opinionated" synonymous to possessing mastery. Achievers are described as people who have strong opinions and are not afraid to push it through. Having strong opinions is almost heroic. But, in this ever changing world, where there is no "permanent", aren't your rigid opinions, hardened by your experience, replaceable for the better? Even in case of successful negotiation, there are many studies pointing to the fact that flexibility, self-awareness and EQ are the cornerstones. Almost any consequential social interaction involves a degree of negotiation. Hence, working on mastering negotiation might make life easier. One of the first questions one must answer, in the process of negotiation is - "Who are you negotiating with?". This doesn't just mean knowing the person but understanding the other person's view point and priorities. Being able to think flexibly is a virtue an...

Image by Gordon Johnson Pixabay Sequel of " Our Identity is our Masterpiece" We all go through the confusion about what are our core strengths, at various stages in life. More so, in the middle age when we question our achievements. Isn't it worth the while to identify the root of this line of thought and build a cognitive wall to keep unwanted things far from affecting us? Here is the story of little Hope that might relate to every one of us. One mid summer day, in a ritzy hospital on a bustling street in the middle of an express city, Hope was born. Little Hope's birth marked the beginning of Mum's long maternity leave. Mum was ready to hold her little one and spend the rest of her days in a dreamland where there are no meetings, reports, client, calls or releases.Those were the days that felt surreal but only until it was time to step back into her real world, get back to office and revere the present, the present that challenges her capabilities, h...

My fellow rational animals! We may be in the middle of a Pandemic. We may even be in the middle of the biggest global crisis. But you see, all you really have to do is;  be that Tree.  Be the Tree, you see outside your window. Rain or shine, just like that tree, the only thing you have to do is, Grow . This is the most natural way to respond, so be that Tree. Keep taking in the fuel even though no-one waters you, shed the leaves you don't want anymore, strengthen the branches that make you what you are. I am convinced that this is the only way. Freedom of movement is taken away, for our safety. We are huddled up in our homes. Some of us might have material losses that are not in our control. But for most others, its a new and uncomfortable time of crisis that we can control through our rational brain. What has really changed for us? We have lost full control of our plans Our routine is disturbed We are wary about what future holds We might have more fre...