Tag: mental health

Desires: Do What You Genuinely Want

The author writes how parents, society, and Instagram had imposed their desires on him, but he followed what he genuinely wanted in life.

I have desires-

  • I should read books on politics. 
  • I should go to the gym.
  • I should learn Taekwondo.
  • I should read novels.
  • I should cook every meal myself.
  • I should do stock trading.
  • I should start a business.
  • I should run every day.
  • I should write poems.
  • I should write songs.
  • I should become a DJ.
  • I should become a singer.
  • I should learn singing…

MY Desires

These are some of the desires that are amplified when I use Instagram.

I’m not saying these are wrong.

I’m just saying that these aren’t MY desires.

These are other people’s desires.

And if I do what other people want, I’ll stay unhappy all my life.

The problem is that it’s not something that is imposed on me by other people. 

I seem to compare myself with these people on Instagram who are doing these things. 

And my mind, like most people, also wants those things.

But it’s important to do what I genuinely want.

Not follow others.

I need to be aware when I am thinking some desire is mine, while it’s not.

On one hand, it’s not okay to follow desires that are not my own.

On the other hand, it can be okay sometimes to have desires that are good for me- like going to the gym. 

So yeah, in life we tend to follow others, but what we should strive to do is be our own leaders and not follow others.

Story Time

When I was in class 11, I was studying physics, chemistry, maths… But I wanted something else in life.

I wanted to start a business. I wanted to be creative. 

So in 2019 I decided to study philosophy. And then business administration. 

And now I have a Master of Business Administration(MBA) degree. 

If I had stuck to science subjects, which my parents and society wanted me to study, I wouldn’t feel happy.

I would feel stuck and depressed.

So yeah, do what you genuinely want, not what others expect of you.

Thank you for reading this line! It means a lot.

I Don’t Have A Choice: Throwing The Garbage

The author writes how he doesn’t have a choice but to throw the garbage despite it being uncomfortable.

Throwing the garbage is a perpetual struggle for me. (Although I have no choice)

First I have to wake up early in the morning. Then I have to put the garbage in the garbage bags.

Then I have to throw them away.

I know it sounds simple but in reality it’s not.

First there’s the smell, then there’s the piling up of garbage bags.

Then there’s convincing myself to do the whole thing.

But I have no choice. I have to throw the garbage.

There’s no choice. 

So now I’ll go pack up the garbage in the garbage bags after writing this blog post.

And I’ll throw them away.

The struggle is really real.

Thank you for reading this line! It means a lot.

The Struggle: Feeling Sleepy And Still Writing

The author writes about how in spite of feeling sleepy, he is struggling to writing a blog post early morning.

I’m writing this as I feel sleepy. I woke up minutes ago and I started writing.

It is 06:55AM and I still feel sleepy. 

But I slept on time yesterday.

And as I remember about yesterday and think deeply about topics, I start becoming more awake.

But I feel sleepy.

I don’t drink much coffee because someone told me once that coffee worsens anxiety.

But I really want to write a blog post today. Even if it means writing badly.

Or writing something that is based on sleep and coffee.

I just know one thing — I need to write.

I’m a writer. And I will write. That’s my job.

I know I’m struggling to stay awake. But that’s the nature of life— struggle.

Struggle is the way.

If you don’t have struggles, you’re missing out on progress.

And just now I closed my eyes and I was about to fall asleep in my chair.

But I forced myself to stay awake.

The struggle is real.

Right now I’m thinking about making a hot drink for myself. Not coffee but Boost(without sugar).

I’ll be right back.

I just made two cups of Boost(hot drink) for myself and my elder sister.

And after doing this activity itself I feel less sleepy.

Now the time is 07:28AM and I don’t even know if what I’m writing makes any sense.

Thank you for reading this line! It means a lot.

College Memories: Pleasant And Negative

The author writes about his regular college memories and how they are influencing his mind in both pleasant and negative ways.

I’ve gone to regular college but I quit.

Due to my anxiety, I quit regular college and got admitted to another college in online mode.

The memories of the regular college were both pleasant and negative. 

Sometimes they haunt me. 

College Memories: What Was Possible

They remind me of what was possible. Of what I could have accomplished.

I did avoid regular college and I got admitted to online college.

But I don’t regret my decision. It was what was appropriate for that situation.

There’s no other alternative I could have gone for given what I knew back then.

There’s a stigma around online and distance education in India and also around the world.

And that may kind of hurt my career.

But it’s in the past.

I don’t want it to turn into a bad memory.

Nor do I want it to poison my soul. Because it is exactly that.

It’s going to make me negative and have regrets which I don’t want.

So I’ll stop thinking about it. I’ll focus on the present and future. Not the past.

Right now I am an MBA post-graduate. And I have completed my Bachelor’s and Master’s. 

Conclusion

I need to focus on how to move forward, not look back and have regrets.

Thanks for reading this line! It means a lot.

Responsibility: Today I need to throw away all the garbage

The author writes about responsibility and how he is doing a lot of chores and tasks that are making him a responsible person.

I packed all the garbage and I’ll throw it today when the garbage truck arrives because it’s my responsibility as long as I’m in Bangalore.

And I don’t want to miss it, so I’m not wearing my earbuds while writing this blog post.

This is what responsibility does to you.

It makes you practical and grounded. 

It makes you want to save every paise and bargain with the shopkeepers. It makes you want to fight for survival and research the cheapest options before buying anything.

And that makes you a better person.

I learnt this from my elder sister. She always finds the cheapest food on Zomato. She always makes sure that she isn’t paying the delivery fee on Blinkit by buying over 200 INR of stuff.

So now I also follow my sister in her footsteps. 

But I also try to keep an abundant mindset. I don’t sacrifice quality for cheapness.

When I was younger, like maybe 19 years old, I used to think that money is meant to be used and spent to make life easier and more productive. 

Although it’s true to some extent, it is a dangerous belief because it makes you forget the value of saving money and the fact that for a middle class employee, money isn’t abundant, it’s scarce.

So we need to save money.

But do you see what responsibility did to me with regards to money.

It made me more practical and grounded.

And in life everyone has to become practical at some point.

It’s not optional.

Fear of not surviving, fear of death — these are the causes of this practicality.

And they are necessary. Responsibility is necessary.

Thank you for reading this line! It means a lot.

Responsibilities Are Necessary

Responsibilities teach you to be a better person more than any classes or reading books.

When I was in class 11 and I failed in class, I didn’t take any household responsibilities. 

My parents did everything for me.

And I just had to study.

But at that time I was facing problems related to sitting down to study.

I think if I had taken some household responsibilities at that time, I could have avoided failing in class.

And I am saying this not from a place of regret but maturity and knowledge.

Responsibility in my opinion makes you more realistic because you have to deal with life on a practical level.

And you also need to deal with all kinds of people.

You have to get out there.

Be it buying groceries, throwing garbage, cleaning your house, washing your clothes, cooking, etc. It requires being practical and facing society.

I’m not saying that you need to make conversations with everybody, but what I’m saying is that “Don’t get angry if someone misbehaves with you or speaks rudely to you.”

Responsibilities teach you many things like humility, perseverance, focus, groundedness, etc.

Thanks for reading this line! It means a lot.

Need: A Different Way To Hope

Sometimes we need to do something because there’s no other option but to survive. The author writes about that.

I NEED-

  • to write in the morning so that I can wake up and also because I like writing,
  • to follow a routine so that I can avoid feeling bored,
  • to get out of bed in the morning so that I can close the door when my mother leaves for work,
  • to stay awake during the day so that I can take medicine on time to get better,
  • to take a bath daily so that I feel better mentally and physically,
  • to study daily so that I can get a job soon,
  • to sleep on time daily so that I can wake up the next day,
  • to keep going so that I can live.

Most things we do have aspects of pain and pleasure attached to them.

And that’s really important for motivating us.

If we don’t do those things then there will be consequences.

And I think that’s necessary. 

If there are no consequences in life, we wouldn’t get up and do work.

Today when I woke up I was getting negative thoughts about the future.

But in a way those were good. They helped me understand the importance of urgency and doing my work as soon as possible.

In ancient Stoic Philosophy, this was called negative visualization. It’s really helpful.

But the fact that we do what we need to do is a powerful concept.

In life we need to do things which are difficult even if we don’t want to do them.

Thank you for reading this line! It means a lot.

Reading the Bhagavad Gita: Changing My Life

The author reads the Bhagavad Gita daily and admits that it’s changing his life. Despite not being a Hindu, he follows the Gita for wisdom.

I’ve been reading the Bhagavad Gita lately and I think it is an amazing book that suits my temperament.

The Bhagavad Gita: Waking Up Early

And I think it is slowly changing my life.

I’m waking up early and following a routine.

I think it is important to follow a spiritual practice daily. 

Be it reading spiritual texts or meditating or lighting incense sticks or something else.

But it’s necessary for the peace of mind of the individual.

My Mother’s Example

My mother has taught me to bow down to God.

She has a Masters of Science degree and she still prays to God every day.


And I think just because you’re educated formally doesn’t mean you stop praying and become an atheist.

It means you become a more serious practitioner of spirituality.

If there’s anything that education should do to you is to open your eyes to what you don’t know.

And that humility, if your education’s good, should make you a more spiritual person.

The Caste System

Mornings are for waking up. And I read the Bhagavad Gita which gives me immense joy.

Of course there are parts about the caste system.

But I just ignore it.

Because of course it’s such an old text and there will be misinterpretations which lead to parts like the caste system.

I’m Not A Hindu

I’m not a Hindu. I’m an Adivasi. I’m born in a religion called Sari dharam which means “Truth religion” in Santhali. Sari means “Truth”.

But I love reading Bhagavad Gita. 

I choose to read the Bhagavad Gita because it has a lot of wisdom. 

Not because I don’t like my religion. 

Conclusion

Today I woke up and I thought,”Mornings are for waking up. Just wake up and start typing.”

And so I did. 

And I think the Bhagavad Gita has a great part to play in this.

Thank you for reading this line! It means a lot.

Your Life Is Important – Fight For Yourself

When the author was about to give up but life was stubborn and won’t let him go. He learnt to fight for his life.

Do you ever feel that your life isn’t important and you want to just consider that you should just drift into nothingness?

Fight For Your Life : My Story

Well, let me tell you a story.

When I was in high school in class 11, I decided that science was difficult and I wanted to just avoid everything and drift into nothingness.

I used to miss school and play video games all day. 

I also failed in class 11 because of that. 

And then I realized when I was admitted to class 11 again in another school that life isn’t so easy to avoid.

Life’s stubborn and it won’t just let you go and drift into nothingness.

And so what I want to tell you is – your life is important and you should not want to drift into nothingness or avoid life like I did once.

Fight for yourself. Fight for your life. Fight for your survival.

Be Selfish If You Have To

Sometimes it may look “selfish” to want to give importance to your own life.

But that’s okay.

Sometimes being selfish is good. 

And if it is to survive that you’re being selfish then it’s a 100% correct way to act.

Be selfish and affirm your life’s needs. Fight for your life.

Also there has been many other instances of me trying to avoid life. 

But luckily I’m here on the other end of survival – living.

And sometimes I also feel like I’m being selfish for living or trying to survive. 

But to state my needs is necessary and it’s the right thing to do to survive.

“Your life is important. Honor it. Fight for your highest possibilities.” 

-Nathaniel Branden, Six Pillars of Self-Esteem

And you need to realize that you need to survive and get better.

You need to improve your mental health and you need to fight for yourself.

You’re The Arjuna Of Your Own Life

In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna had to fight not just for the Pandavas but also for himself. 

He had to believe in himself. And fight the battle of Kurukshetra.

You are also an Arjuna in your life and the Bhagavad Gita is the words of Lord Krishna. 

But setting aside all philosophical debates, you need to fight for yourself.

You need to fight your battle of Kurukshetra. 

It may not be with swords or bows but it’s definitely true that your life itself is a battlefield where you need to fight by motivating yourself where you are your greatest enemy.

Conclusion

So yeah your life is important and you shouldn’t want to drift into nothingness.

Please please please fight for yourself, with reason, with logic, with your mind, your thoughts, your beliefs but don’t give up. 

Never never never give up!!!

Thank you for reading this line! It means a lot.

Finishing What I Started: The Way To Great Accomplishments

In this post I write why I am finishing what I started every time I start a task. It’s about values and principles.

Finishing What I Started: My Story

When I was almost at the end of my Bachelor’s of Business Administration(BBA) degree, I was getting distracted by a thought which would stop me from finishing what I started.

The thought was that I could pursue BA Philosophy Honors again, which was my passion, by taking the National Institute of Open Schooling exam for class 12th, to improve my math marks, and then applying to the Common University Entrance Test (Undergraduate). 

But I decided that finishing what I started (BBA) was more important than all the opportunities in the world.

It was about my principles and values.

So I decided to first complete my BBA degree and I did.

Finishing what I started was important because it helped me learn commitment and the ability to stick to what I put my bets on.

I think a better opportunity isn’t as important as finishing what I started.

In fact, opportunities will come and go, and better opportunities will come again, but if I live my life with regrets and a history of incomplete commitments, I don’t think I can feel truly confident in my life.

“Persistence is firmly sticking to something for a prolonged period of time, even as you encounter things that try to unstick you.”

Peter Hollins, Finish What You Start: The Art of Following Through, Taking Action, Executing, & Self-Discipline

So I completed my BBA and started studying for my MBA. 

When I was doing MBA, I again got distracted by better opportunities like BA Philosophy Honors, BCA Data Analytics, etc.

I was also feeling a fear of failure.

But I, with the help of my parents and sister, was able to complete my MBA.

Conclusion

It is this habit of sticking to and finishing what I started that helped me in every step of my life.

I am grateful for this value of mine and for my family’s support. 

And I feel proud to say that I am an MBA Post-graduate now.

Thank you for reading this line! It means a lot.