7 Art of Living Lessons From Loved Ones Around!

Nope, I am neither a Sri Sri Ravi Shankar devotee, nor a fan of his Sudershan Kriya's. So, the similarity in the headline is a pure coincidence. (Or, maybe I’ve heard about his Art Of Living courses so many times, that I simply went ahead and named my post by that name.) However, it was a conscious decision, considering its aptness for my ramblings. Now, enough of digression and coming straight to the point.

Here I present seven of those chosen people from whom I am ‘Learning the Art of Living’ on a daily basis.

#1. The Art Of Staying Perpetually Sleep Deprived – My hubby specializes in it. Red eyes and drowsy demeanor defines him. His philosophy in life: too much of sleep is bad for health; sleep as much as you want when you are dead and gone. (Hmm…I ‘m trying really hard to walk on his chosen path.) But what should I do when my head reels and faculties fail to function? Oh! No. No. That’s doesn’t mean I’ll give up trying. Practice makes a man perfect.

But, I wonder will I be able to stay sane by being sleep deprived? Won't I be grumpy and growling all through the day. I need my 8 hours.Period.

#2. The Art Of Chillaxing – Aryan’s school van will be honking away in all glory, but Aryan isn’t bothered a pinch. He’s so cool about it and will descend the stairs in all glory. Hmm… a trait taken from his daddy dear. I shout out from the kitchen, "Aryan run"…but Aryan seems unruffled. That said, I like his attitude…commotions don’t confuse him!

I wonder whether I will ever be able to keep a calm composure like him? What if it’s not there in my gene?

#3. The Art Of Tolerance – I enjoyed the high of being a journalist, and thankfully my parents never stopped me from pursuing my passion. However, I learnt later on that my mom never really slept till I returned. Use to lie down on the sofa in the living room and kept praying for my safe return. Even during the 2002 Godhra riots I was very active on the field. However, this time she requested me to give a second thought to my job. Instead of empathizing with her motherly emotions I still continued on my job and made her go through the same nightmare once again.

I wonder, if I my child does the same thing, will I be able to take it? But, who said I need to be as tolerant as my parents?

#4. The Art of Cooking – My MIL is a master chef. Though she is a working woman, she doesn’t mind putting in hours in the kitchen and rustling up delicious dishes for the family. She has got the speed, stamina and more than anything else, the mind and the mood to do so.

I wonder will I ever be able to cook like her. Am I not better off reading than slogging away my spare time in the kitchen?

#5. The Art Of Faith − Both my mother and MIL never miss their daily prayers. A prayer can move mountains they say.

I wonder, will I ever be able to pray like them? No, it’s time-consuming. I keep remembering Mother Mary throughout the day. That’ll suffice.

#6. The Art Of Friendship – Deepa Sonu and I’ve been together since our nursery days. And honestly, it seems she has taken it on herself to keep the flame of friendship burning. I may forget her birthdays and anniversaries, but she remembers mine and always makes it a point to call me up and wish me. Of course, I need to learn a point or two from her on how to keep alive the art of friendship.

However, I wonder, will I ever be able to do that? No, I know it’s just a passing thought; I’ll be back to square one in no time.

#7. The Art Of Sisterhood − My sister is younger to me by a year. But she is different from me in all ways. More mature, more grounded, more caring and so on. Wish to know more about her…you can read it here…

I wonder, will I ever be able to be in her shoes? No, I’ve no answer to this.

There’s so much to learn from people around you. Even good books teach you a lot…not just courses and classes. What say? 

I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 1st - 7th September 2013

7 Of My Favourite Non-fiction books

Sir Francis Bacon rightly said: “Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly." Taking this analogy forward, here’s my take on food. "Opps…books".

Some romantic books taste like pitiful pieces of birthday cakes offered by that not-so-friendly neighbor: the taste lasts till the piece lasts; while some books are like sumptuous peanut butter cookies, too good too resist. (Just like the best sellers which you'd love to binge read.) And then there are some self-help/biographical/autobiographical books that taste like your mom’s favorite recipes, leaving a indelible mark on your heart, mind and soul forever. You love to savor them again and again and again.

So here’s goes my list of non-fiction books that I look up to. I’ve devoured these books at least a couple of times and won't deprive myself from indulging them ov'r and ov'r, given that they are inspiring and keeps my spirits high. The spark in these books, spark up my soul that tend to go on a sabbatical quite often.

#1. The Last Lecture – Randy Pausch

I believe that leaving a legacy for your kids is important. If kids could find a benchmark in their parents, nothing like it... it can be in the form of books, research and even blogs for that matter. (Easier said than done, I know.) However, Professor Pausch, before his death, ensured that his kids had a legacy to look and live up to. When he had just six months in hand (being a cancer patient) he went around giving inspiring lectures and creating CDs for his li'l’ kids; no, he didn’t spend his last days talking to them, but focused on writing this book and delivering inspirational lectures. (His kids were too small to talk to, much less inspire.) His only mission during his final months was to leave a legacy for his kids like his father did. Pausch’s father had captured the famous historical event of Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon from TV and got it fixed on his wall to inspire his son, simply because he wanted his son to aim high. Pausch simply emulated his father's deed.

My take: Wish to inspire yourself or your kids, go for it.

#2. Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother – Amy Chua

As an ambitious mother, the book struck a perfect chord with me. Along the way, however, I did wonder that Chinese way of raising children was not very different from us Indians. (Little wonder, China gives competition to the US hands down, be it Olympics or businesses: thanks to the terror unleashed by the Chinese mothers on their children). Chinese mothers go to the extremes while bringing out the best in the children. I did not just read it, but insanely applied the same logic in real life situations as well. Obviously, Aryan my son, bore the brunt. Strict study schedules and play schedules and extra-curricular schedules were charted out for him. But now, I’ve myself have grown tired of all this s.... Anyway, the central idea of the book was: the more the efforts you put in, the more the scope of  doing well in life. Point taken.
 My take: Don't follow it blindly, use your discretion.  

# 3. Man’s Search For Meaning – Victor Frankly

Interested in reversing your shameful past, this book will help you do so. One soul-searching line from this book that appealed to me was: “Live as you were living for the second time. Present is past and the past can be amended.” Frankl’s shares his story on  starvation, violence, cruelty and his epic loss in the German death camps.  

My take: Seeking out your “Why in Life,” read this book.

#4. The Magic of Thinking Big – David Schwartz 

The book is sprinkled with ‘pep-talk’…talks that has helped me built up on my confidence level up. The "sell-yourself-to-yourself" commercial given on page 165 is something that could set your confidence levels soaring. The page contains an amazing write-up on building self-confidence. Just one write-up and I am all taken? No, No. I repeat, all 365 pages are big confidence boosters.
My take: Feeling low at your work-place, go for it.   

#5. The Greatness Guide–1 - Robin Sharma

‘Self awakening,' one word that defines Robin Sharma’s incredible book “The Greatness Guide”. And ya, be mindful of your reading habits, as each chapter starts and ends ASAP. Chances are there that you will drive yourself to complete the book in one or two sittings. However, it is only when you read, re-read, chapter by chapter, line by line, and word by word that you get to understand that the book is an absolute stunner-a fodder for personal and professional growth. In short, AN INSPIRATIONAL POWERHOUSE, AN ABSOLUTE FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

My take: Absolute office bible.

#6. Lean in: women, work and the will to lead – by Sheryl Sandberg 

The stork is re-visiting. The guilt of a working mother had started re-surfacing. So without giving much weight to my now-on, now-off guilt-ridden mommy thoughts, I ordered this book from Amazon. Thankfully, it turned out to be an amazing read: stuffed with all the inspiring ingredients to put working mothers' 'work-life balance fears' to rest. Every women should read this book.

My take: Wish to work after having babies, go for this book.


 

#7. No Easy Day - Mark Oven

I’ve heard of U.S. Navy seals so much that I couldn’t resist myself from buying this book. And, yes, the book has managed to satiate my appetite (in fact, it has whetted my appetite further for more war books.) The book not only gives you minute-by-minute details of the Abbotabad incident that led to the killing of the world’s most dreaded terrorist, right under the nose of Pakistani military, but also talks at length about the seals’ ruthless lifestyle. This semi-autobiographical book by Mark Owen is indeed a must-read for non-fiction lovers.

My take: Go for it, if you want to enter into the ruthlessly pragmatic world of the U.S. Navy Seals.

Is non-fiction your cup of tea? Go ahead, tell me about your favourite non-fiction books. 

I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 1st - 7th September 2013

7 of MY Favourite Quotes and Why?

Inspirational quotes that keep me going @ home and @ office

Quotes that feeds my soul, fires up my spirit, fights my faults and helps me forget my failures.
Quotes that keep me going through the tough terrain called 'life'.


1] "I became a Marine for the hardship. Told myself that I can pass any test a man can pass. All I ever wanted was a single thing worth fighting for.”

This is not a quote exactly but a dialogue from the mind-blowing movie ‘Avatar.’ I had seen this movie a couple of times, just to hear the hero mouth these awe-inspiring lines. When life becomes insanely crazy and I grow onion-eyed, I simply read these lines and keep my enthusiasm quotient up. Reading about work-life balance is one thing, but in the practical world it’s a different ball game altogether.

2] “Burn Your Boats.”

This quote kicks up a storm in me when I don’t want to give myself  'freedom of choice,' or wish to be hard on myself, at least once in a while. I picked this quote up from the book, “The Greatness Guide,” by Robin Sharma.


3] “Read, read, read. Read everything -- trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the window.”- William Faulkner

So, very true for many of us who consider themselves as 'work-in-progress writers' and this quote inspires me to polish my craft on a consistent basis; and never let my guard down!  Yes, I’ve got this quote displayed on my office desktop as well.


4] “Look like yourself.”

When my plump, demure shape upsets me, I hold myself in front of the mirror and tell myself repeatedly, “Look like yourself.” Simply put, if you try to imitate others, you’d look like a Joker. Well, almost. Take your pick. The quote appeared in Times Life in the O- zone category written by Vinita Dawra Nangia.

5] “If you want something the whole world conspires for you”.

When the possible seems impossible I play this uplifting quote in my mind. Yes, of course, I picked it up from the book, ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho.

6] "Happy Thoughts, Happy Words.”

When I feel like criticizing others and want to pull someone down badly, I keep repeating this lovely quote to myself: (No, no, it hasn't helped me so far, because I am chronic criticizer, probably one day...") “Picked it up from the book, ‘Don’t Think of A Blue Ball,’ by Malati Bhojwani.

7] “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” - Jim Rohn.
or 
The ubiquitous quote - "No pain, no gain."

While teaching my eight-year-old son this quote comes handy: believe it or not, I’ve made him by- heart this quote.

These are the seven incredible quotes that come to my mind immediately, (no, no, I didn't have to jog my memory for this). In fact, I’ve several floating in my brain’s periphery.

Tell me, which quote you could easily relate to?

I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 1st - 7th September 2013

7 Moments Of Bliss I live For!

I don't have a cheerful disposition...always grim-faced and serious. That's what people say. And I won't fully disagree with them. Oftentimes when my hubby and son break into uproarious bouts of laughter over some silly joke being cracked on that idiot box, I can't help but simply stare at them with a cold expression on my face. Nope, I can't bring myself to laugh along with them. What's wrong with me, I often wonder! Sometimes, I also wonder whether I was born with a missing (laughing) gene? If no, then why can't I laugh like them? Why do I've to take my life so seriously? Why do I've to read so many self-help books to keep my batteries charged? Why do I carry this pressure to perform, while others around are whiling away their time.
Anyway, after racking my tiny brain a little, I did manage to come up with seven wonderful moments that make me happy. In other words, moments or occasions that bring smile on my face. 

Here goes the list. 

1] Taking a day off from the office

     

Nothing excites me more than a day off from the office. Now, how do I spend such days? Just by catching any regular masala movie on the television, reading, blogging, enjoying a lovely lunch in the company of my hubby and son, spending quality time with my kiddo and teaching him without any pressure. 

Oh! How I wish everyday was a day off for me. 

2] Buying a book

I indulge in a lot of window shopping of books online. It's one of those wonderful moments I enjoy the most. Needless to add, the most-wanted books make it to my wish list. But it is when I click that 'Add to Cart' button, my happiness goes a notch higher. 

Oh! How I wish that I could get hold of a new book every fortnight. 

3] Playing with my kiddo

Honestly, I don't play with my kid. Whatever time I've got on my hands, I spent them on his studies. No, no it's not that I don't like to play with him. It's just that I can't stop myself from teaching  him.(Very typical south Indian trait, I believe.)

Oh! How I wish I had more than 24 hours in a day, so that I could spend a few more fruitful hours with my son.

4] Going out for a movie 

Movies are just an excuse. It's the quality time that we as a family get to spend together after the movie at different food joints that I happily look forward.

Oh! How I wish I could watch movies more often.

5] Completing a book 

Completing a book is no mean feat for me, considering my slow pace.

Oh! How I wish I could complete reading more and more books this year. Btw, how do some book lovers manage to read a 100 books in a year? Do they skip pages or just scan through? Any guesses?

6] Online window shopping

Online window shopping is my hobby. Give me some spare time, and I'll start staring at those lovely cotton and chiffon sarees, jewellery, bags, books, shoes, et al. 

Oh! How much I love those starched cotton sarees. Wish I was slim enough to adorn all of them.

7] When I ain't teaching my kid

It relives me, and more importantly relives him as well. Such occasions are rare because every month we end up having 'war weeks,' what with exams hovering over our head almost all the time.

Oh! How I wish Aryan had no exams, but then that's too much to ask for.

I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 1st - 7th September 2013.

  

    

7 Go-Getter Moms I admire And Why

Working moms ─ It always has been an evergreen topic! Some women work out of compulsion and some do it out of obsession. However, the bottom line is: moms are working, juggling jobs and home at the same time; living two lives at the same time. My mil is also a working mom. I've seen her working hard, both in the kitchen and at the workplace, harnessing her energy from just 4 to 5 hours of sleep every night. She is one of my role models; the other incredible women I've come to admire over the recent years are:

Sheryl Sandberg: COO of Facebook

She's currently the COO of Facebook and had joined the company when her daughter was probably six or seven months old. (Some daring, I say). Many new moms find it extremely difficult even to continue with their current jobs, much less change the jobs when their kids are young. (And I meekly admit I'm one of them.) But she did it, despite all odds. Her book, 'Lean in' contains very inspirational stuff that motivates working mothers to continue with their jobs and also sit at the table and negotiate for more. She did inspire me and I hope it inspires all mothers for whom maintaining work-life balance seems to be an eternal struggle.

 

Marisa Mayer: Yahoo chief

Yes, the Yahoo chief. She raised many eyebrows when she joined Yahoo with a baby bump.(She was six months preg when she took over the role of CEO.) But, I believe today's women look up to her and admire her guts. An ex Google engineer, she could've relaxed and enjoyed her six-month-long maternity provided by Google. Instead, she did something extraordinary: not only switched jobs, but was back to work within 14 days of delivering her son. It may be a disagreeable thing for many women, but you can't discount her mental strength. God, Family and Yahoo are her priorities, she says.

Chanda Kochhar: MD ICICI Bank

The name needs no introduction. She has been leading the ICICI bank for past several years now. She is a mother to two grown up kids, but has gone out of her way to make a mark for herself in the banking space. Talking about her, her daughter Aarti Kochhar says: "I don’t recollect a single morning of my life when my mother has not woke us up for school, no matter where she was. We didn’t know what alarm clocks were! She always attended to my health, when needed, and was present at our Parent Teacher Meetings. She beautifully combines the conventional act of being a mother at home, and a professional at work".Taking a cue from her lifestyle, I believe maintaining a work-life balance though difficult, is not impossible. It's doable, if you think it's doable.

Naina Lal Kidwai- Country Head, HSBC India

This mother of one is Group General Manager and Country Head of HSBC India. Though born in a conservative household, (she was the first women in her family to work), her father fostered her dreams and helped her reach the pinnacle of success. Her list of firsts is staggering: first Indian woman to graduate from Harvard Business School, the first woman to be hired by PriceWaterhouse in India; the first woman to lead a foreign bank in India. Kidwai admits "she had to work "very hard" to find her space among the men. 

Flavia Agnes: Lawyer, activist and the founder of women's legal aid group Majlis

I've met her personally during the 2002 Gujarat riots. She was 62 then and was pursuing her Phd. (I was in very much awe of her then and even now after 11 years, I still adore her.) She was here to make affidavits of rape victims. A women's rights layer, she herself was a victim of domestic violence and was once beaten to pulp by her husband. She left him when she was nearly forty, without resources and three kids to look after.  And on her fortieth birthday she went on to become a high court lawyer. Since then she has always been in the limelight, fighting for women's rights issues.

Anuja Chauhan: Chick-lit Author

She's the brain behind those popular catchphrases: "Nothing official about it," "Yeh Dil Maange More," "Oye Bubbly," Darr ke Aage jeet Hai," "Teeda Hai par mera Hai,"and so many more. A mother of 3, her stint at JWT India lasted for 17 long years ─ started her career as a copywriter and resigned as vice-president and executive creative director at JWT, Delhi. Now, working as a full-time author and mother, she has so far penned 3 best sellers, slogging away during those deadly hours.

Kim Clijsters: Tennis Player

Kim Clijsters: I simply couldn't stop myself from staring at the TV when Clijsters' stood there in the middle of the court with her li'l' one and the US Grand Slam trophy in hand. She was the first unseeded player and the first mother to win a major Grand Slam, 2009 US Open title, since Evonne Goolagong in 1980. In June 2011, TIME  named her one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future.

Fat Degrees, Fatter Packages, Faster Lifestyle, and Fabulous Looks define these women. Hopefully, the future generation (including me) could emulate just a part of them. If they could make it happen, we too could at least attempt...

( No umbrage's stay-@-home moms: it's just that I pep myself up by reading about these women.)

I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 1st - 7th September 2013.