How to make this year a happier one...

(Article by Jitendra Nagpal)

"To live happy is an inward power of the soul" said Aristotle, the great Greek thinker. We often find it difficult to derive happiness from our everyday life, so full of stress and worries. However, the fact is that happiness lies deep within us, in the very core of our being, not in an external object.

It is, thus, a state of well-being, a balance of physical, psychological, social and spiritual self. A state in which our mind's habitual agitation is calmed.

We tell ourselves ou life will be better when we have a bigger car, when we can take a vacation... The truth is, there is no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, then when? Challenges will always be there. Admit as much and decide to be happy in spite of it all. Here are some simple initiatives you can take.


Focus on personal goals :
Cultivating your spirituality may uncover what is most meaningful in your life. By clarifying what is important to you, you can eliminate stress by focusing less on the unimportant things that can sometimes consume you.
When you feel part of a greater whole, you realise that you are not responsible for everything that happens in life. You can share the burden of tough times as well as the joys of life's blessings with those around you.
Whether you find spirituality in a church, mosque or temple or in your family, or in walks with a friend through nature, this sharing of spiritual expression can help build relationships. Research indicates that people who consider themselves spiritual are often better able to cope with stress and have higher personal goals.

Use Adaptive Thinking :
Realistic thinking involvves reasoning, which helps us adjust to the real world. It also includes the strengths and the weaknesses within one's self and the ability to cope with these.
Our positive th inking can put us on the right path ad change our personality. Thinking, therefore is very important for learning, understanding, shaping external matters or our mind.

Develop Relationships :
Happiness begins with our relationship with ourselves and is nurtured by our ties with others and our sense of purpose in life.The best ways to lutivate happiness are to improve self esteem and to foster closeness with those who are important to us.

Reflect inward :
Create fond memories. Keep a journal to help you express your feelings and record your progress. Seek out a trusted advisor or friend - preferably someone who has had similar life experiencs - who can help you discover what is important to you. Sometimes others have insights that you have not.
Read inspirational stories or essays to help you evaluate different philosophies of life. Talk to people whose happiness you admire. Be open to new experiences. Do something different. If what you are doing is causing you problems, do someething else.
Playing video games getting in the way of relationships? Spending money you do not ear? Identifying a problem is a good first step. Then go and do something else. If you find you cannot do something else, you may be addicted, in which case the something different coud include counselling.
If you cannot specify a problem but still cannot call yourself happy, then use some mental techniques to enjoy life more - develop effectiv elistening and communication skills and stop thinking about things that are bothering you and direct your mind to things you enjoy, and you may find surprise solutions popping up in your head; pray or meditate, whatever makes you feel calmer, stronger; focus on enjoying the present instead of fretting over the future.

"कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नही होती"

An amazingly inspirational poem by Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan

लहरों से डरकर नौका पार नही होती ।
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नही होती ।

नन्ही चींटी जब दाना लेकर चलती है ।
चढ़ती दीवारों पर सौ बार फिसलती है ।
मन का विश्वास रगों में साहस भरता है ।
चढ़कर गिरना गिरकर चढ़ना न अखरता है ।
मेहनत उसकी बेकार हर बार नही होती ।
कोशिश करनेवालों की कभी हार नही होती ।

डूबकियां सिन्धु में गोताखार लगता है ।
जा जा कर खली हाथ लौटकर आता है ।
मिलते न सहेज ही मोटी गहरे पानी में ।
बढ़ता दूना विश्वास इसी हैरानी में ।
मुट्ठी उसकी खाली हर बार नही होती ।
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नही होती ।

असफलता एक चुनौती है स्वीकार करो ।
क्या कमी रह गई देखो और सुधार करो ।
जब तक न सफल हो नींद चैन को त्यागो तुम ।
संघर्षो का मैदान छोड़ मत भागो तुम ।
कुछ किया बिना ही जय जयकार नही होती ।
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नही होती ।

--- डॉ हरिवंशराइ बच्चन

Persistence pays off..

THE SUCCESS DIFFERENTIATOR
(This article appeared in Hindustan Times 'Shine' Weekly paper)
"Persistence could communicate different meanings to different people, depending upon how it is interpreted, imaged and communicated - but by far it is the most singular differentiator and determinant for success in any endeavour. Just pick up any literature in goals and success - Brian Tracy, Robin Sharma, Tony Robbins or a Brian Mayne - and be sure that this is mentioned. And persistence is not about those huge and impossible tasks that we need to sweat it out to do. It is just having the mental strength and ability to 'persist' in doing that simple task that would lead to some accomplishment, set as a goal in one's life.
To be able to spend 30 minutes a day, consistently, in developing or nurturing a life skill, would lead to an achievement that would still be great and enough to make a life different. This could be hard exercising if one looks at a physical goal, writing 2 pages a day if it is a career and a passion goal or spending 30 minutes uninterrupted with spouse and son/daughter if it is a family goal. While it might appear to be a small thing at the outset, the key challenge here would be consistency - doing it everyday sans a break, and the same time, and most important, with a 'positive mental frame'.
Winning is a habig and outcome of persistence. And believe me, if one wants to win in life and all personal endeavours, being persistent will be the biggest differentiator.
Creating new habits is all about persistence. Just try to commit to a new habit - as trivial as waking up 30 minutes early every day - the mental challenge and the accompanying physical challenge will be immense. YOu will need the power of the mind and a diehard commitment - to ensure that this happens.
The easier side in this is that you need to stretch only for 21 days and then it becomes natural - a habit that stays with you for life - and most importantly facilities accomplishment in any area. I would suggest that everyone wanting to live life, read and commit themselves to The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari, the fable by Robin Sharma.
To make persistence a winning habit, I would urge - please, please strive to stretch your mind that extra bit to do something everyday. That something would be a key life skill or a winning quality in personal or professional life - anything you think is worth doing or trying.
Persist, create a winning habit and succeed. "

Ten ways to a GOOD MORNING!!!!!!

10 WAYS TO A GOOD MORNING

1. TURN ON THE MUSIC
Make your mornings musical.. About a decade ago, Frances Rauscher, a psychologist now and her colleages made waves with the discovery that listening to Mozart improved people's mathematical & spatial reasoning. Some experts think that music boosts brain power simply because it makes listeners feel better, both relaxed and stimulated at the saem time, and that a comparable stimulus might do just as well. Apparentlyl, music helps bring on a more positive state of mind, helping to keep depression and anxiety at bay as well. And morning is a good time to sart positive, before the day can get you down.
2. MEDITATE
It's not just for the spiritually inclined. "Meditating for just a few minutes, especially in the morning, right after you get up, can help clear the mind," says a functional medical practitioner. "It helps in balancing the body channels, replenishes the mind energy and energizes the vital forces of our body, " she claims. Also, "Our minds are in a constant state of thinking, and contrary to what most people think, it is most aggravated when we wake up." If sitting with your eyes closed is not your definition of relaxation, here's a style of meditation no one can complain about. Meditation can also be interpreted as walking, swimming, knitting, painting... basically any activity that helps keep your attention calmly in the present moment.
3. SET THE CLOCK BACK
Just set your alarm clock 15 minutes early. This way, you won't have to jump out of bed and rush through the morning. It also gives you the time to fit in important activities such as planning out the day ahead or making a To-Do list.
4. COLOR YOUR CUPPA GREEN
Green is already very popular because it has one-third the caffeine of regular tea and does not bring on caffeine dependency. But there's another benefit - its calming effect. Several studies have shown that the amino acid L-theanine in green tea improves memory, cognitive functions and learning and counters stress responses, both psychologically and physiologically.
5. NOTE TO SELF : READ
Why not read something positive or uplifting in the morning for a while? Read something inspirational, motivational or spiritual. Those few minutes early in your day, used for feeding your mind with positive thoughts will pay dividends all day long - indeed, all life long. To add a memory boosting bonus for your brain, also eat a braekfast of high-fibre whole grains, low-fat dairy items, whole fruit and lean protein.
6. FIRST, DRINK WATER
The fact is that you've been fasting all night, so you wake up dehydrated. This is why drinking water first thing in the morning is a very good idea. Not only does it cleanse your system, but also improves bowel movements and helps remove toxins from the body. Plus, it keeps you energetic throughout the day.
7. COAX A CUDDLE
Right in the morning, jumpstart the relaxation response of your body by cuddling your pet, giving a huge hug to a family member or snuggling with your spouse. This way you can show tension the door and keep your stress levels low all day. Studies have also shown physical contact may actually help lower blood pressure and decrease your stress hormones.
8. GET EXERCISE
A good reason to work out in the morning is that it gets your metabolism going and jumpstarts your body and mind for the day ahead. There is nothing like getting your heart rate and sweat going for an immediate sense of wellness. When you exercise in the morning, the endorphins produced last all day, adding to your sense of well-being and happiness. This endorphin hit is addictive and you will continue to feel good for 24 hours after that. Plus, when you work out in the morning, you are more likely to adhere to the exercise regimen.
9. ROLL YOUR EYES
Working continuously for umpteen hours, staring like a zombie at the computer screen, trying to finish that presentation before starting on the next... Is this what you foresee in the hours ahead?Then you are probably also dreading t ired, swollen eyes, blurred vision, light sensitivity and headaches later in the day. Eye fatigue is a common problem, so take steps to sort it out right in the morning. It is advisable to try out yoga mudras for the eyes such as the Sambhavi mudra - Look up to try and see your eyebrows, and then down to try and focus on the tip of your nose. Repeat 10 times to the extent comfortable every morning.
10. THINGS TO AVOID
Equally important are things to exclude during the golden hour of your morning - Television news - If at all you must, get it in small dozesSnooze Button - Start waking up when you have decided to. You won't sleep well once the alarm's clanged and clamoured, so you may as well get up and get on with it. Coffee Refills - Give that second cup a miss. Avoid drinking too much caffeine during this time of purposeful planning and preparation.