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At first, only a few voices spoke of positive change after the COVID crisis ends, or at least becomes livable once again. Now one hears a chorus calling for change, much of it from younger people. The main message is about global cooperation and preparing better for the next pandemic. But I think people are pondering personal change, too. In the midst of widespread trepidation, what are the new goals that each of us might start pursuing right now?
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The first goal should be a settled mind. Fear is persuasive and panic easily goes viral. At the best of times, most people turn their backs on worrisome problems rather than dealing with them directly. But unless you have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, you can settle UR mind and go beyond fear. The first steps to gaining mastery over fear are open to everyone, as follows.
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Sit down and candidly talk about UR level of anxiety. Assemble the adults in UR family, and perhaps older teenagers. Discuss UR feelings in the context of getting past them.
As you can see, none of these things are mysterious. They are available to everyone, and if you seriously undertake it, the project of defeating fear is more than doable.
At a more inward level, you can also confront the misleading ideas that anxiety fosters, replacing them with positive ideas any time they recur. First, the false ideas that are typically born of fear:
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Habitual worriers will recognize these familiar thoughts, and all of us entertain some of them in anxious times. But each thought is the product of fear. Clear, positive thoughts should be put in place of them, as follows:
You might even find it helpful to take these two lists and discuss each item with people close to you. The project of overcoming fear knows no specific time and place. In normal times we should be gaining control over fear to the extent we can. Now, however, the need to settle the mind is more urgent than ever.
DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book and national bestseller, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential (Harmony Books), unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.”
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Stress, anxiety and pressure have become the highlight of our everyday conversation these days. While these words were not frequently used just two decades ago, in today’s time, they have become the causes of so many physical ailments. Stress has been termed as “World Wide Epidemic” by the World Health Organization. What Is Harmonious Work-Life? Work-life harmony is all about integrating all the aspects – work, family, health, friendship - together and like musical notes, making a melody by joining all the elements at the right time so that a melodious song is produced! The idea is to achieve harmony with a focus on one thing at a time. Ways To Achieve Work-Life Harmony Become Self Aware We all know knowledge is power, and learning about self is like having unlimited power. Being self-aware is the key to bringing harmony in life. Some specific actions or reactions may drain or increase our energy. Identifying these can help in avoiding irrelevant results and replacing them with a response instead. Be Mindful and Prioritise The four aspects of our life – Work, Family, Self/ Health and Friends are all important, but keeping all the elements happy all the time is too much to ask for from yourself. Prioritising helps in knowing which aspect needs attention more according to the circumstances. It can help to bring both personal and professional life to a balanced position, and life becomes much more comfortable at both ends. Communicate Effectively Communication plays a paramount role when creating harmony between work and personal life. While there will be times where failure may strike in, communication is the best tool to consider to hold oneself strong. Transparent communication with loved ones, colleagues, bosses or friends can facilitate in being on track. It’s important to interact and be clear with the situations that come across. If things are not going right, there’s always a better choice which is to communicate with the people involved in that situation. Develop Core Habits Core habits are essentially a practice that we start following as it gives us overall life satisfaction; these habits may form intentionally or even unintentionally. Core habits create a domino effect bringing a positive change in all the aspects of our life, thus making it easier to achieve fulfilment in our lives. For instance, core habits can be working out after a stressful day at work or starting the day with meditation, which helps in increasing the level of satisfaction. What are your Core Habits? Write down three habits that will make you feel happier, regardless of how difficult and stressful your day has been. Try this exercise, and you can see yourself analyse so much about a situation you may be in, and help you find your solutions, because, problems come to you only when you have an answer. Attaining work-life harmony is not an easy task, but it’s also not impossible to do. Although it requires one to keep reinventing and learning what works and what doesn’t, the takeaway is extremely beneficial as it leads to less stress, less guilt and more peace of mind.
As Abraham Lincoln once said, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be”. In urban India, the answer seems to have become a foregone conclusion. Almost akin to saying, if you are alive, you surely have stress! So if having stress is a given, let’s check your attitude towards stress. Is it driving or destroying you? Is it energising and invigorating, or is it extremely exhausting? Is it fantastic or fatiguing? A simplistic diagnosis would be to ask you what your answer was. If you said ‘yes’ to the former all the time, that does make you a stress addict. Without stress you don’t move, but with stress you are all charged up - face flushed, eyes wide, heart pumping and blood racing through your arteries. You may also have said ‘No’ to most of the questions. What then? You do seem to be at the end of your tether, don’t you? You seem to be swamped under the burden of your troubles. Or, the thought of stress puts you in panic mode. You are either overburdened with stress and close to burnout or you have stress phobia. But why not do a quick 30-day stress analysis – a ‘how much’ and ‘where from’ check. You can understand the problem quickly, which will make working on the solution much easier too. If work was “very exciting” then place a W on that day. If the work was “OK” then write 2 Ws. And if it was bad/tiring/disappointing, then give it 3 Ws. Follow this routine with all other areas too. At the end of the week, total up each area individually. This matrix will help you quantify your stress areas, which you can reflect upon on a weekly or monthly basis. The more the Hs, the more the stress caused at home. The less the Rs, the healthier is your relationship quotient! The results may be exactly as you expected - confirming what you always knew. On the other hand, the results of the month may even be quite a revelation. Your perception may have been that home was a boiling pot of stress, but the totals may indicate that in fact, it was work. Now, let us explore some solutions. A problem-solving approach, a change of attitude or a change of perception might help you address specific areas. But meanwhile, you need to burn the existing stress. Let us start with the top of the body and work down to the feet. It was about your lazy bones that Martin Lurther King Jr said, “The time is always right to do what is right.” 1) Head, Neck, Face – When stress burdens us, like Atlas we tend to take the load on our shoulders. The muscles of the neck and shoulders go tight, the jaw clenches and the forehead goes into a frown. All this muscle tension soon results in a tension headache. Here are a few simple steps to beat the Atlas: • Sit comfortably in a chair, legs and arms in an open position. • Gently point your chin to the left shoulder, then right. Repeat it five times. Then point the chin up to the sky and down, five times. • Rotate your neck very slowly – left shoulder, chest, right shoulder, back, left shoulder. • Slowly reverse. Repeat five times. • Now comes the silent scream – open your mouth wide, squeeze those eyes shut and let out a scream at a zero volume. This is a good preventive measure, though it may not help much if the headache is severe. Try it when you feel discomfort starting. • Time taken: 5 minutes. 2) Chest – With stress, the chest feels heavy, the breathing short and uncomfortable and this only adds to the state of arousal. Try these quickies to breathe right. • Sit with the back straight in, in an open body position. • Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. • Slow your breath down to a count of four in, and then 4 out. • When you breathe in, push the abdomen out and when you breathe out, pull the abdomen in. • Now reverse count your breaths. Depending on the time available, start with 54 or 16. One count for breathe in and one for breathe out. When you reach zero, open your eyes. • Now your breathing is slow: lower chest and lungs are being used, your oxygen requirement is being met and your body and mind are becoming calm. • Time taken: 5 minutes The value of a robust physical activity is many folds. Whether it is an hour of aerobics, Bollywood dance or salsa, a walk or jog around the park or a strenuous session of swimming, the benefits are felt by your heart, lungs and blood vessels. The muscles and the joints of the body are mobilised and strengthened. And most importantly, the stress impacts of hormones and neurochemicals are burned and reduced. Feel-good hormones or endorphins are released creating a sense of de-stress and wellbeing. To the above list let’s add sports – tennis, football, basketball, hockey or cricket. With this, you will learn to work within a team, subjugate your ego for the group, rise to a leadership position if required, demand the best out of each teammate and rise to the challenge of a win!
What do we all crave? What is that one thing that enables us to feel good about ourselves? Indeed, it is a relationship with our family, friends or work colleagues. It's a very healthy craving! The need to belong is a deep-seated psychological impulse. The Human is social by nature. We are inherently programmed to form relationships right from our inception into this world. Healthy attachment with parents and family establishes a lifelong skill of building and maintaining relationships. The consistency of relationships enables us to relate to this world, develop coping mechanisms and feel secure. A stable secure upbringing can enhance emotional development as well as build a reserve for active coping. In other words, it leads to the development of our personality, identity and sense of self. On the other hand, fragmented formative years can make us fragile and isolative. When relationship difficulties seem irremediable, seek professional help without delay. Getting an independent, objective and unbiased input from an expert can mean timely advice and support at any age. UR current state of unknown unhappiness may have strong roots in the past. Stay away form unnecessary topics that can have a deep impact on loved ones. Keep gathering light and jovial. If you have a pressing concern, address it one on one in private at a scheduled time of convenience for both. 01 Politics In a world of information overload, bias and inclinations to political views are invariable. With social media being the most significant source of misinformation and fakery, it is all too common to see hatred and arguments at family gatherings & what's app groups. There will always be that one annoying aunt, uncle or cousin who will disagree and end up wanting to fight or argue. Spare yourself the grief and do not wander into the treacherous arena of politics amongst UR relatives. Respect people’s views and lend them a hearing ear if you have to. It’s best not to indulge or express UR opinion on this topic. 02 Parenting Techniques Everyone is entitled to their own parenting techniques. It depends on various factors including geographic and socio-cultural context. There are no 'one size fits all' parenting strategy. It's not UR business to provide unsolicited advice (especially relatives) on ways to parent, even if you disapprove of how they run things. Do not indulge in idle gossip on parenting skills. Only if asked, answer in private. This is not the time to show off UR badges, the repercussions can sometimes lead to hiding UR face as well. 03 Finances This one is a strict NO, especially if you've several different relatives that in Business or especially the family business. The irony of this is that, you may end up getting expert advice from even those relative who has mismanaged funds! It gets absolutely annoying when comparisons are made on investments and savings! Try not to indulge in over dressing or pomp and show at family gatherings. Let UR hospitality and personality speak volumes rather than wealth and belongings. 04 Religious Ideologies In an ideal society, there is no better way to showcase UR faith and religious beliefs than in intellectual conversations. The possibility of putting forth the idea of exploring another faith that you didn't grow up flowing is enough to make people insecure and threatened. This in turn, makes you vulnerable. Keep Ur beliefs to yourself and practice what you would like to preach. Forcing people to follow UR ideologies can become overwhelming. Share personal experiences but don’t become a gyaan guru. 05 Relationship Status Some things are personal and best discussed discretely rather than in a living room of gathered relatives. UR extended family doesn't need to know anything about UR dating life until you're committed, engaged, planning to get married. Gone are the days of the nosy relatives prying into UR personal life. Digging up scoop works both ways, make a wise choice before you comment on any persons relationship status.
Originally published in The San Francisco Gate One way to respond in a crisis is to reduce its threat. The other way is to add to the threat. The coronavirus COVID-19 might be the first collective crisis that many people have faced, and it poses an uncertain future in every country that confronts it. But this doesn’t change the two choices just mentioned. Know that your individual actions will have an impact on countless other people. No matter how the COVID-19 pandemic resolves itself—something no one can predict—you can personally choose right now to reduce its threat. If you consciously make that choice, three positive things will happen. You will feel more in control; you will be on the side of healing, and you will add to the meaning of your life. How to be more in control This begins by acting responsibly, following what the experts in disease control advise. By now everyone is aware of the need to stay at home, self-quarantine if you show any symptoms, keep 6 to 10 ft. away from other people in public, don’t take long plane flights, and wash your hands frequently (the medical school routine for scrubbing up applies here: Wash your hands vigorously while singing “Happy birthday to you” twice—and don’t forget your thumbs and between your fingers). The active ingredient in effective hand sanitizers is isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, which you can also use by itself in at least a 60% solution with water. This is all useful advice, but it doesn’t address where being in control comes from, which is mental. Positive thinking isn’t enough. Feeling safe and secure is a state of awareness. It exists in us when we reach deeper than the everyday self. The everyday self cannot feel permanently safe. Outside forces loom too large and threatening. This is the time to take up meditation or return to it if you have lapsed. Your goal is to connect with your deeper awareness, the place where self-control and security comes from. The superficial part of everyone gets involved in a crisis by staying glued to the news, attaching itself to worst case scenarios, and dwelling on the terrible things other people are going through. None of this behavior puts you in control. It does just the opposite by fueling fear, uncertainty, and insecurity. Looking at updates once a day is more than enough. The rest of the time, remain centered in yourself and keep doing the sensible thing. How to be on the side of healing Bad things happen to everyone. It is how you react that determines whether you come out healed or wounded. In all of us, the healing response is natural, innate, and powerful. More than the immune system is involved. Healing is a mind-body process. If you are sad, stressed, depressed, anxious, helpless, hopeless, panicky, or feel out of control, every cell in your body gets that message. Therefore, do everything you can to send the opposite message. We’ve already mentioned meditation, which has a strong effect in restoring mind-body balance. But you also need to be vigilant on two other fronts: sleep and stress. Good, sound sleep maintains homeostasis and prevents a cascade of imbalances that can occur in hormones, for example. Stress is a powerful trigger for hormone imbalance, among other things. It has been linked to chronic inflammation, for example, which seems to be present in acute and chronic disease. Besides doing all you can to sleep well and reduce immediate stresses, there is vagal breathing, which has become widely publicized in recent years. Centered on stimulating the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain to heart, lungs, intestinal tract, and elsewhere. By breathing in to a count of four, holding your breath for a short pause, and breathing out to a count of four, you tell the vagus nerve that you are in a calm, balanced state. In response, it helps maintain mind-body balance. You can do more to be on the side of healing by following the positive lifestyle choices you already know are good for you in terms of a healthy diet and avoiding or greatly minimizing alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. The good things you are doing contribute to boosting your immune response, or at the very least doing your best to keep it from being compromised. So far as anyone knows, the victims of COVID-19 are most likely to be immune-compromised. If you aren’t, your risks seem to be drastically lowered. How to give your life more meaning This is the most positive thing you can get out of the COVID-19 crisis and yet the least discussed. Life becomes more meaningful when you feel you have purpose, when you give of yourself in service, when you find resources of strength and resilience inside yourself, and when you discover who you really are. No virus can deprive your life of meaning unless you allow it to. Conversely, a virus won’t add to the meaning of your life. Viruses have no motive except self-preservation and replication. All of us have the same instincts; they are built into our evolutionary past. But where human evolution excels is at the level of consciousness that goes beyond instinct, into the realms of empathy and self-awareness. The expert medical advice that now surrounds us should be heeded, of course, but it falls short when it comes to meaningful change. Will you come out of this crisis feeling stronger, more resilient, and with more purpose? We’re not talking about putting yourself more at risk of getting sick, which is foolhardy. Instead, you can be strong for others. You can be the source of nurturing and optimism when others feel afraid and insecure. You can empathize with how someone else feels and lend your support. Where there are personal barriers of class, age, race, and income, you can be the one who lowers the barrier to reach out. Yet ultimately the greatest meaning will not arrive until the world feels safer. Then the temptation will be to go back to the status quo, to return to normal by putting COVID-19 out of our minds. That would be a tragic loss of opportunity. During times of crisis, we naturally take time to appreciate what we have and place a greater priority on what is most important to us. The question is how to carry this on after the crisis of COVID-19 passes. The global mind must solve many problems, from climate change to over-population, refugees, and hostile nationalism. How the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic offers a clue to how every other problem will be confronted. Your life will be more meaningful if you contribute to meaningful solutions that reach far, far beyond the rampage of this virus. Everything, including being in control and being a healer, is wrapped up in that. DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. His 90th book, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential, unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.” Dr. Rudolph E. Tanzi is the Kennedy Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and Co-Director of the McCance Center for Brain Health at MGH. Dr. Tanzi has discovered numerous Alzheimer’s disease genes, including the first one, and is developing new Alzheimer’s therapies using human mini-brains pioneered in his laboratory. Dr. Tanzi has published 600 research papers, received numerous awards and was on the 2015 TIME100 Most Influential People in the World list. He has also co-authored several books, including “Decoding Darkness” and three bestsellers with Deepak Chopra: “Super Brain”, “Super Genes”, and “The Healing Self”. In his spare time, he plays keyboards with guitarist, Joe Perry of Aerosmith and other musicians.
The birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha is an auspicious day, celebrated as Buddh Purnima. This is one of the most auspicious full moon days as it marks as the birth anniversary of Prince Siddhartha. He later became Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. In Theravada Buddhism, it is observed as the birthday of Prince Siddhartha Gautama (c. 563-483 BCE) attained Nirvana (salvation) under the Mahabodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, Bihar, as well as his death anniversary. It is a significant festival celebrated with enthusiasm in countries like India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Singapore and Indonesia. On this day, the devotees visit temples, light candles and incense sticks, pray and offer sweets and fruits before the statue of Lord Buddha. In the prayer meeting world over, sermons on his life and teachings are done for the devotees. Devotees distribute kheer (milk porridge) in memory of Buddha, as a woman had offered the Lord the same on this day. Here are five Gautam Buddha's teachings that you can use in your daily life: "It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you." "If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way." "Learn this from water: loud splashes the brook but the ocean's depth are calm." "The past is already gone; the future is not yet here. There's only one moment for you to live." "The trouble is, you think you have time." It is believed that in the evening of Buddha Purnima, the energies around us are potent. Hence, it is the perfect time to perform rituals to get rid of all the negativity, old patterns, addictions and any negative emotions that do not serve any purpose anymore. Buddha Purnima Special Ritual • Take some time and write on a paper about your habits, person or situations that you wish to release and heal. • At late evening or night time take a shower or rinse your hands, feet and face and wear fresh clothes. • Sit on a mat outdoors or anywhere in your home where you can feel moon energies. • Burn incense sticks and place a bowl of water next to you. Take a few breaths and chant this mantra for five times: Buddham Sharanam Gacchami Sangham Sharanam Gacchami Dhammam Sharanam Gacchami • After you are done with it, say: "Dear Lord Buddha and Moon God, please bless me on this auspicious day to release everything that no longer serves me." • Now read out the list couple of times that you had prepared to release and heal. • After that, visualise each of those habits, person or situations getting released and healed. While doing meditation slowly chant… I RELEASE all negativity attached to my body, mind, soul, and aura from across lives, space, dimension, and times. I RELEASE all the blockages that hinders my growth and progress from body, mind, soul and aura; across lives, space, dimension, and times. I RELEASE all karmic vows and promises I might have taken intentionally or unintentionally which blocks me from achieving my goals and happy life from my mind, body, soul, and aura across lives, space, dimension, and times. I RELEASE all the curses I am carrying since across lives, space, dimension, and times from my mind, body, soul, and aura. I RELEASE all the buried anger, negative emotions, financial blockages, and addictions from my mind, body, soul, and aura across lives, space, dimension, and times. I RELEASE all unpleasant and negative memories from each of my cells, mind, body, soul, and aura across lives, space, dimension, and times. I RELEASE and cut all cords from all aspect of my life that does not serve me anymore, that creates blockages and drains me off my energy from my mind, body, soul, and aura across lives, space, dimension, and times. End with saying thank you, thank you, thank you! Open your eyes gently and feel blessed!
Nothing can express the strength of motherhood, it's natures highest law. Right since childhood women are naturally designed to have a balance. Call it a supernatural power women are born with, or a power that's cultivated. They're unstoppable and are up and about round the clock no matter how physically drained they are. Selfless & unconditional love is in abundance in their DNA. This mother's day think differently about UR mothers needs 1. Health Ever wondered the importance of UR mom's health and how it impacted the emotions the family. She's made sure UR health was in top shape as a child, its time you do the same for her. Has she had her annual check-up when was the last time she did a mammogram, when was the last time she met her gynaecologist and have you asked her about her general health and wellbeing. Getting to know her aches and pains will help you plan a wellbeing program for her. It is essential to keep tabs on her physical and mental wellbeing as both are related. Arrange all her medical records and keep a tab on her medication. If she doesn't have insurance, make sure she gets a policy or check if UR employer covers UR parents insurance. 2. Relax, Get To Know Her Better How well do you know UR mom? When was the last time you chatted with her about her likes and dislikes? Women believe in multitasking and sometimes can have stress or anxiety related to this, but will hardly complain. Let her loosen up a bit. Give her a head massage, clean her feet and apply the cream, stretch her out. These are small gestures but will make her feel special and show that UR intentions are pure. Don't bring up touchy topics, keep things light-hearted. 3. Cook Healthy Gone are those days when you cook fatty fancy elaborate meals for people you love. Healthy cuisine is now the most fashionable and shows U care about the person and the planet. Make a healthier version of a dish she makes. You mom will love everything you make, this can be UR subtle way of teaching her to change her eating patterns as well. Starchy sugary foods will end up giving her diabetes or hypertension. Spicy foods will give rise to stomach issues. Remember she has started ageing, and this means her food choices and portion size have to change accordingly. 4. Revisit Memories Revisiting old memories is like therapy. It takes you back to a happy place. Make a mental list of all the happy moments and experiences you have shared together. Going over these memories will teach you to value relationships and how to nurture current ones. It's an important lesson for a lot of us who prefer nuclear families these days. Create a list of experiences that you want to create in the future, these are moments you will treasure and realize their value at a later date. 5. the Hobby Experience Due to her schedule, there might be many hobbies that have taken a back seat. Help her retrace the steps back to hobbies she likes, such as art, craft, gardening, music etc. Help her reorganize her schedule to incorporate hobby time in her life here on. Motivate and encourage her. Make hobbies a way for her to earn, be independent and express herself. UR mother deserves this.
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