Author: mohitsawhney

How Can You Stay Sane in Stressful Times!

Hi All, Here’s your weekly dose of “5-Bullet Tuesday”, list of things I’m enjoying or pondering.

Quote I loved – 

A smile acts upon difficulties as the sun upon clouds – it disperses them. Keep smiling.

Story I loved hearing – 

I was listening to a podcast in which Jack Kornfield, a trained Buddhist monk talks about remaining calm in crisis as the best approach. Jack has conducted online sessions for people in China and other countries that are severely affected by the Corona virus. He Talks about how when in ancient times when the pirate ships were caught is storms, everyone on the ship was saved if even one of them remained calm. This one person would show everyone the way forward and all would survive even the mightiest of storms. Today, in this time of crisis, I want to invite you to be that one person. How could you be that one person, you may be thinking. Read further..

Best advise I heard on staying sane during stressful times –  

According to Jack Kornfield, here are the steps to follow:

1 Acknowledge your anxieties – Write down your worst fears and worries on chits of paper and put them all in a bowl. Place them at your place of worship in the house. For Lord to take care and hold it for you.

2. Change the lens through which you’re seeing the happenings around you. Start believing that this is not happening to us, but for us. – Is there something to learn from this? Can this downtime be used for deepening compassion, strengthening connection and improving ourselves?

Turn it around and say the universe has provided you with a retreat which would otherwise not be possible.

Hasn’t this situation already taught us to look beyond the boundaries of geography and religion? We’re all, the entire humanity in it standing together like never before, in this fight against the unknown.

3. Get real: Denial is wrong and so is getting lost in the future. It’s time to get into action. We have got work to do, a lot of it. Stay home, clean the house, wash the dishes, doors and handles too. Clearly, there is not any time to waste, no time for gossip and no time for a constant inflow of breaking news.

A motivation tip I loved the most- 

This too is by Jack Kornfield, “Remember, we have generations of ancestors behind us, who are looking at us today and saying -we too survived some extremely tough times, you will too. You can do it. Keep the faith.”

A creative way of creating the Daily Top 3 things to do –

Jonathan Fields, the author of The Good Life Project says that to live a good life no matter what the circumstances, you need to constantly work on filling three life buckets. These three buckets are those of Connection, Contribution and Vitality.

Connection – Attend online meetings, rekindle relations with the family, express gratitude to the real hero’s- the doctors at the frontline.

Contribution – Like I said before, stay home, clean the house, wash the dishes, and doors and handles too. 

Vitality – Learn and grow. Physically, Spiritually and mentally. Various things you can do for that. For example, even in this downtime, my calendar is busier than ever.

If you like this post, then show the love by sharing it with friends and family. The best part of writing a blog is the discussion that follows, so do register your thoughts and views below.

 

[5-Bullet Tuesday] Here’s Why You Should Use a Namaste!

Hi All,

Here’s your weekly dose of “5-Bullet Tuesday”, list of things I’m enjoying or pondering.

What I’ve learnt —

It was International Women’s day this Sunday, the 8th March, and with PM Modi himself endorsing it, the gung-ho was like never before. Even the Corona virus scare couldn’t dampen the spirits. I asked some of my friends about what their organizations in Delhi NCR were upto for Women’s Day. Here what I gathered:

  1. NIIT Ltd organized a session on breast cancer awareness and gave a token to all the ladies. Some other companies also organized full day workshops followed by a special lunch for ladies.
  2. Kellton Tech’s CEO sent an email to all ladies staff on Thursday evening with an Amazon Gift voucher and a surprise note that they could take Friday and Monday off!
  3. Macquarie organized decentralized team huddles and gifted “Can I have it all?” book nu Anuranjita Kumar to all the lady colleagues.
  4. Some companies arranged placards on which men would write a pledge or an appreciation note for their female counterparts.
  5. Many organized food stalls especially for ladies, gave chocolates or gift hampers to the ladies as soon as they reached office on Thursday

That’s quite a list, isn’t it? The most bizarre being two straight days off for ladies, and that too when Tuesday anyway is a holiday for Holi. What did your company do to make women’s day special?

Quote I’m pondering —

Here’s what late Zig Ziglar, the great motivational speaker, replied to someone who had casually remarked, “The problem with motivation is that it doesn’t last.”

Ziglar’s reply was, “..well, neither does bathing! That’s why we recommend it daily”.

What I’m reading –

I’m flipping the pages of 48 Days to The Work you Love, by Dan Miller. Some books, this one included, have value bombs loaded all over them. You may not read cover to cover, just read a few pages a day and that’s enough to keep you strong through the day.

Here’s an excerpt: If there is one consistent killer of securing a new job, it’s the poor self-esteem of the seeker. Here are some telltale signs that your self-esteem may be slipping:

  • You manage time poorly – you’re missing or are late for commitments
  • You’re slacking off on exercise
  • You’re dropping out of social involvements
  • You’re becoming a couch potato
  • You’re letting relationships deteriorate

If you’re honest answers to most of the above are yes, it’s time to find ways to bruce up your self-esteem. 

What I’ve been using –

I’m unlearning the handshakes and been practicing using the good’ol Namastes instead. One positive side effect of the Corona virus. Just in case you’ve forgotten, here’s what Namaste means-

What I recalled–

While teaching the kids about going back to Namaste to prevent the spread of the virus, I recalled a harmless and cute little handshake prank that was common back in college days. A girl had played this with me first perhaps during ragging and coming straight out of a very conservative school setting, it had killed me with embarrassment. I am trying my hand at making a comic strip (using Pixton) to tell you what it was. Check it out.. and click this link in case the image below isn’t clear enough.

I hope you will now remember to say Namaste and avoid shaking hands :).

If you like this post, then show the love by sharing it with friends and family. The best part of writing a blog is the discussion that follows, so do register your thoughts and views below.

 

[5-Bullet Tuesday] Keep Your Communication Simple

Hi All,

Here’s your weekly dose of “5-Bullet Tuesday”, list of things I’m enjoying or pondering.

Advertisement I thought was poignant –

This Amul Ad conveys so much about the situation and sentiments of people in Delhi these days. Just as a severe winter passed us by, what has followed is a lot of tension and scare due to riots and rumour mongering gripping the capital (to CAA or not to CAA).  

Image result for amul dilli aisa kisi ne mera toda

Quote I loved –

A little note from John Maxwell, for all of you who are or want to become a coach/ mentor/ trainer or teacher:

The measure of a great teacher isn’t what he or she knows; it’s what the students know.

Person I have to thank –

And why just me, no matter who you are or what you do, you have to thank this guy for his life’s work. Larry Tesler, inventor of cut, copy-and-paste computer functions, died at 74 last week. Imagine what your life would be, especially software developers :), without this invention. RIP Larry.

Article I loved –

Very honest and relatable response from Shiva Shukla to the Quora question – How will you defend yourself if your dad happened to come across bad videos on your phone? Check it out here.

Simple communication tips I learnt –

Keeping communication simple is the key to successful presentations. John Maxwell gives out these five guidelines for keeping it simple:

  1. Talk to people, not above them.
  2. Get to the point.
  3. Say it over and over and over again.
  4. Say it clearly.
  5. Say less.

Simple, isn’t it? But, it takes a lot of difficult work to really keep it simple.                                              

If you like this post, then show the love by sharing it with friends and family. The best part of writing a blog is the discussion that follows, so do register your thoughts and views below.

                                                                                                                                    

[5-Bullet Tuesday] You Can Find Inspiration From Anywhere!

Hi All,

Here’s your weekly dose of “5-Bullet Tuesday”, list of things I’m enjoying or pondering.

Unusual place where I found inspiration –

When you’re feeling low, Delhi roads have everything you need to inspire you. Read this at the back of a car, on the way back after a long day’s work. I even clicked a picture for you. In case you can’t read it, it goes – Available Nahi Valuable Bano.

Quote I loved –

I read this on the day of the Delhi elections, in HT Mint newspaper. Mark Twain’s. It did leave an impression. Well, don’t get me wrong, I voted. I meant it perhaps left an impression on the 38% Delhiites who chose not to vote that day. 🙂

Photo that stole my heart –

Whether you voted for Kejriwal or not, this little muffler man would have surely won your heart.

Headline that made me smile –

Corona Virus continues to scare us all big time. Everyone is doing their best while being prepared for the worst. Our office has scheduled a mandatory work from home today to test the BCP readiness in case of a worst case scenario.

Even James Bond is taking precautions – He has canceled his movie promotional trip to China. After all, this is No Time to Die.

What I loved watching –

I realized I have got a free 1 year Apple TV+ subscription along with the purchase of my new iPad (Shh: Don’t all of us Delhiites just love everything free!). I stumbled upon this series called Little America.

Each episode brings out struggles of migrants living in America. In it’s first episode, The Manager, the Indian parents of a young lad are deported due to visa issues. This 10 year old is left alone in the US to manage their motel. Very realistic and based on true stories. Go for it (it’s just 8 episodes) if you’ve got AppleTV+. Here’s a trailer.                                     

If you like this post, then show the love by sharing it with friends and family. The best part of writing a blog is the discussion that follows, so do register your thoughts and views below.

                                                                                                                                    

[5-Bullet Tuesday] Transform Yourself

Hi All,

Here’s your weekly dose of “5-Bullet Tuesday”, list of things I’m enjoying or pondering.

What am I looking forward to —

I’m looking forward to conducting a two day life skills workshop for school students. In fact, I am getting quite a few speaking gigs these days, something I always dreamt of. It gives me such a kick because until a few years back, just thinking of speaking in front of an audience used to give me chills.

Quote’s’ I’m pondering —

These quotes helped me the most in my transformational journey:

“Small daily improvements over time lead to stunning results.” – Robin Sharma

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn

“Clarity comes with action.” – Jeff Goins

“If you confuse, you lose.” – Donald Miller

What I’m watching —

One Mic Stand on Amazon Prime. Imagine becoming a stand-up comedian overnight. The concept is that celebrities like Taapsee Pannu, Vishal Dadlani and every Indian’s English language teacher, Shashi Tharoor are mentored by a well known stand up comedian. After a couple of days of practice, they do their maiden stand up act in front of a live audience. Besides the usual fun and laughter, this program proves that anybody can do anything… all you need is some courage and guidance.

What I’m reading —

Have you ever taught a difficult student? Or been one yourself?

Perhaps the most difficult students ever is Arjuna. I randomly picked this book which had been gathering dust on my shelf for years – The Art of Man Making by Swami Chinmyananda.

The book is written as a series of short, two to three pages, talks from The Bhagwat Geeta. Krishna very delicately handles and lifts the student (Arjuna) into a greater understanding from where he himself must discover the answer to his queries.

A daily learning byte I’m loving —

Want to make more money? Want to learn strategies that work in business. Donald Miller shares a very short 2-3 minutes video daily, it’s indeed a business school in bite-sized chunks! See this one and see for yourself what you’d be missing out if you don’t subscribe – secret to making more money.             

If you like this post, then show the love by sharing it with friends and family. The best part of writing a blog is the discussion that follows, so do register your thoughts and views below.

                                                                                                                                    

[5-Bullet Tuesday] Change Your Brain in Seconds!

Hi All,

Here’s your weekly dose of “5-Bullet Tuesday”, list of things I’m enjoying or pondering.

What I’m reading —

It’s pretty evident that your brain can impact your body language. For example, if you’re irritated, chances are that you would frown or yell.

But did you know, the other way round is true too – your body language can instantly change your brain? Haven’t you seen movies (especially Bollywood ones) where after an immoral act or sin, the protagonist takes a long shower? Well, that makes them significantly less guilty instantly.

Well, I’m sure you are not too much into sins, so here are a few other ideas for you:

If you’re dieting: Eat with your non-dominant hand. It prevents mindless eating. Image result for Change Your Brain in Seconds tense up

Want to boost your willpower: Tense up. Next time, you need to avoid that cigarette or sweet, make a fist, and contract your bicep, press your thumb and finger together, or simply grip a pen in your hand.

Increase your confidence: Power pose. Place your feet flat on the floor, push your shoulders back and chest forward, and hold out your hands in front of you. Works especially well for public speakers. (In the picture, you see Allen Pease, the Body language expert in a power pose.)

This book called “Rip it up” by Richard Wiseman is all about the simple idea that changes everything.

What I’m watching —

Leave the politics aside and watch Pariksha Pe Charcha 2020 by Prime Minister Modi. He answers children’s questions with simplicity and warmth. Some of the takeaways for me were having a Tech Free room at home, use a hack that works for you to bust your stress in the examination hall. This is what cricketers and table tennis players also use before starting the game. Basically, do something familiar which gets you comfortable when you get the exam paper. It could be something as simple as spinning your pencil around.

For the parent’s his message is: Pursue, do not pressure your children. 

Purchase I’m enjoying—

Hey Siri, switch on the light.

Hey Siri, switch on Christmas lights.

Hey Siri, switch off the lights.

Well, this week, I took a small step toward a smart home. I bought this Philips Smart Wi-Fi Bulb which I’m completely loving. I don’t have to get out of bed to switch the light on or off. The entire color panel is available for you. There are settings for Romance, Party, Christmas, and on goes the list.

It comes with a 10 year warrantee Works with Android, Alexa and Apple. Go for it. It’s INR 799 and worth every paisa.

What I’ve learnt —

Sohana, my seven year old daughter recently won her first ever prize at a Speech contest. She was second runner’s up and this win was really special for her as it was her first taste of success. There are four elements to a great speech – Head: something that gets the audience thinking, Heart: something which connects with the audience emotionally, Hand: A call to action for the audience, Humor: something that makes the audience smile. Here’s Sohana’s speech, which I believe has all these four elements. No wonder then that she won.

Quote I’m pondering —

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” – Jimmy Johnson

This implies that each one of us has what it takes to be extraordinary. All we need to do is try a little harder.

Well, that’s all for this Tuesday, see you next week… and since it’s time to hit the bed, Hey Siri… switch on the night light! 🙂

If you like this post, then show the love by sharing it with friends and family. The best part of writing a blog is the discussion that follows, so do register your thoughts and views below.

                                                                                                                                    

[5-Bullet Tuesday] Ask So You’ll Know

Hi All,

Here’s your weekly dose of “5-Bullet Tuesday”, list of things I’m enjoying or pondering.

Quote I’m pondering —

Behind every problem, there’s a person you need to connect with.

Behind every possible solution, there is a person you need to connect with.

Behind every business, there is a group of people you need to connect with. 

― unknown

Acronym I loved—

You won’t ever find a solution until you get out and meet the people. But aren’t we all just too shy to ask sometimes? When you’re shy next time, that’s when this acronym would come in handy. I bet you didn’t know ASK was an acronym, did you? It says: Ask So you’ll Know. When you’re afraid, shy or unsure, think of that feeling as a nudge to ASK… Ask So you’ll Know! 

App I’m loving — 

This is that dream app I’ve always wanted. If you’re preparing for an exam or teaching your children, this is the app you need. It’s called Study Blue. We’ve all used and know the power of flash cards in learning something new, right? This app lets you do just that, and more. It lets you create your own set of online flash cards to memorise any topic or term. You can even add pictures and then test your memory and focus only on areas you’re weak at, by using the list as a quiz too. 

Not only that, it also lets you use the lists that others have created (crowd-sourcing at its best). You can even gamify learning by sharing your flash cards among friends and trying to beat one another’s scores.

Here are the AppStore and Android links.

What I’m reading – 

I’m reading The Self-Aware Parent by Cathy Adams. Cathy is the lady who runs the Zen Parenting podcast along with her husband. My wife and I’m hooked to this show, the tagline of which says, the best predictor of a child’s well-being is a parent’s self understanding. It’s a thin book with 19 lessons for growing with your children. 

I have just read one chapter so far, which was about helping your children deal with grief. It’s titled ‘A letter about grief: taking children to a wake or funeral’. And I’m glad I did. Death is always a hard topic to discuss. I’ve grown up where talking about death (just like sex) was a taboo topic and therefore I ended up forming my own notions. I followed the advise in the book recently when my wife’s grandmother passed away this week. It helped us and our children process their emotions better. We now know that it’s okay to cry and that we have the tools to take care of ourselves. Here is an extract from the book:

Unfortunately, all families have to deal with a loss at some point. If it is a death, a diagnosis, or a job loss, parents are often unsure how to talk to their children about grief and emotions. Honour this challenging time by feeling it and processing it so you can truly move towards clarity. ASK for help when you need it – people around you will search for ways to show you how much they care. 

Movie I loved watching — 

It may have been the most predictable story line and some slapstick comedy, but this was one movie that gave me the opportunity to tell my 6 year old daughter and 11 year old son about ‘how a baby is made’, what a test tube baby is and basically all the good stuff. The stuff I’ve been wanting to tell them but couldn’t find good enough reason or even words to share. Not until we sat in the car to head to the theatre. I elucidated what I thought they needed to know based on their curiosity and ages.

Some people are not letting their children watch Good Newwz, they’re even calling it an adults only movie. In my view, this is a movie you should rather watch with your kids. Take the responsibility. If you won’t tell them, who do you think will?                               

If you like this post, then show the love by sharing it with friends and family. The best part of writing a blog is the discussion that follows, so do register your thoughts and views below.

                                                                                                                                    

[5-Bullet Tuesday] Here’s How You Can Contribute to Environment!

Hi All,

Here’s your weekly dose of “5-Bullet Tuesday”, list of things I’m enjoying or pondering.

Where I’m looking forward to going –

It’s said that as we grow older, time passes by faster. I think there is some truth in that statement. There are quite a few things that we’ve made as annual family rituals, and visiting the New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) is one such ritual. Another one is satiating the palate at the Palate Fest at Nehru Park, Delhi. They’re circling back sooner, I feel. Anyway, I’m not complaining and coming back to the World Book Fair, it’s on at Pragati Maidan from 4th – 12th Jan. What intrigued me this year was the theme, which is “Gandhi, The Writer’s Writer“.

With some thinking + googling (these two happen so often together now a days that I feel there is a need for a word for it… how about thoogling? – the act of simultaneously thinking and googling, verb (-: ), I figured that The Writer’s Writer means how the writings of Gandhi have inspired many other writers to pick and write about his works, all over the world! Gandhi was more than a writer – he was an editor, a publisher, a journalist, a printer and a mass communicator par excellence. Before time runs out, which is anyway going faster with every passing minute, I have scheduled a visit to the book fair on my calendar.

What I’m looking forward to reading –

Do you know that Bill Gates shares his list of favourite books every year end? Here’s the link to Gates recommendations from books he read in 2019. I’m picking the following two books from Gates favourites from last two years, and adding to my list of books to read in 2020.:

“Prepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life,” by Diane Tavenner

Here are Bill Gates’ notes about this book: Diane shares the story of how she designed a new kind of charter school with a simple but very ambitious goal: ‘We wanted to teach kids not just what they needed to get into college, but what they needed to live a good life.’

“Educated: A Memoir,” by Tara Westover

This is what Bill Gates’ has to say about this one: Tara’s process of self-discovery is beautifully captured in Educated. It’s the kind of book that I think everyone will enjoy, no matter what genre you usually pick up.

Here’s how I read the newspaper –

How do you read the newspaper? Does it even matter? Does this also require a specific process? Well, I’ve hated reading the newspaper all my childhood and college. But then one day a friend suggested a specific way of reading the newspaper. He said, “Read the newspaper to find that ‘one news’ which is the most interesting, most insightful and most invigorating!” I didn’t have anything to lose, so I gave it a try. After all, I was already losing out in group discussions and general knowledge tests! This unusual process of finding that ‘one news’ nudged me to skim through other news articles as well even if it was to disqualify them. I started enjoying the process and improved my general awareness in a natural way. If you or your children don’t read the newspaper, it may be worth sharing this technique with them.

One news I loved reading –

So, in recent times, that ‘one news‘ article that I loved reading was this one – Paying with plastic for a clean Delhi. Municipal corporations are doing their bit to save the environment, and we must avail these options. There are places where you can buy regular food and beverages by returning single use plastic. It is like bartering with ‘trash’. These places are called the Garbage Cafes. There are also these Bartan Bhandaars, which let you to borrow (for free), steel crockery to be used during community meals usually done for religious purposes. Here is a picture of one such Bartan Bhandaar.

Quote I’m pondering –

Intelligence is just a tool. Love is the point. – James Bach from Secrets of a Buccaneer Scholar

This quote reminds me that intelligence is overrated. Qualities such as love, affection, enthusiasm, loyalty, respect and service are far more important than intelligence and these are all available to all of us equally. And none of these have anything to do with intelligence.

PS: If you like this broadcast, you may enjoy exploring more from me. You can connect with me at www.mohitsawhney.com.

If you like this post, then show the love by sharing it with friends and family. The best part of writing a blog is the discussion that follows, so do register your thoughts and views below.

                                                                                                                                    

[5-Bullet Tuesday] Your Mistakes Are Your Friend!

Hi All,

Here’s your weekly dose of “5-Bullet Tuesday”, list of things I’m enjoying or pondering.

What I’ve realised –

Have you EVER made a mistake? Did I hear you say, “Yes”?

Congratulations!

It is said that one who makes no mistakes usually does not make anything!

To err is a human and we all make mistakes. What matters then is not whether you have made a mistake or not, but what you do after the mistake has been made. Do you accept it to become a better human being or do you remain in denial to become worse?

The choice is completely yours.

Most people settle with a fight or flight reaction after the mistake is made. But the ones who grow are the ones who go with a third alternative.

This third alternative is an opportunity to make amends and make stronger friends.

Quote I’m pondering—

What I’ve learnt–

I invite you to have the courage to admit your mistakes and take the third alternative. I have done that and here is what I’ve learnt:

· Admitting your mistakes makes you learn from them and in turn makes you a better decision maker in future. Decision making is the key skill to build in the workplace especially in your journey to moving up the corporate ladder.

· Admit the mistakes fast and it’ll save you from a small issue snowballing into a much BIGGER problem. Nip it in the bud by owning up and correcting course quickly.

· Builds credibility and strengthens relationships. It may sound counter-intuitive but such contentious issues often lead to even deeper bonds.

A confession I made –

I have made several mistakes in my life but thankfully I have learnt that admitting them is the best way forward. Here is a blog which I wrote about one such mistake and how I quickly admitted it and how it changed my life for the better.

I have given this as a keynote speech as well and received praiseworthy response. If there is anything unsettled or unresolved in your mind perhaps due to your own slip-up, gather some courage and work towards reconciling it. You will feel accomplished.

What I wish for you for 2020–

If you’re making mistakes, it’s a sign that you’re making progress. And when you know you’ve made a mistake, own it and become stronger, more resilient and wiser.

Robert Kiyosaki conveys the point beautifully when he says “Don’t ever waste a good mistake… Learn from it.”

Wish you a very happy new year, 2020. Keep making mistakes. All green lights.

If you like this post, then show the love by sharing it with friends and family. The best part of writing a blog is the discussion that follows, so do register your thoughts and views below.