Growth Rituals

Last night, I was having a conversation with one of my very close friends. While we were on the topic, I told him that I don't feel insecure about myself anymore. So then, in awe, he asked,  When was the last time you felt insecure about yourself? And,  What were the factors that made you insecure? I replied:  I don't remember. It must have been a very long time ago. "You're a very confident lady," he said. Saying that I don't remember anything about the factors that made me insecure was a lie because I do remember. However, I chose and still choose not to remember them.  Now, you may ask, how can you pretend to not remember something when you still do? I know sounds very tricky right. Let me just give you a very practical and easy example. So, do you know the temptation of wanting to eat junks when you're on a hardcore diet? It's the same exact feeling. You struggle to resist the temptation but still somehow for the sake of the hardcore diet and e

"Never give up. No matter how hard it gets, just stay strong and never give up on life." I've been hearing this sentence from my family and the people around me ever since I was born. As a child, I never understood the meaning of it so it didn't really matter. But, growing up, when I slowly started to understand life, the hardships, and the commitment to grow in life, I finally grasped the meaning of never giving up.  I was determined that I will never give up on life. But, despite that, I stood weak in front of my own determination. No matter how much I tried, somehow I was always ruled out by my emotions rather than my will and determination. It's funny to think of just how easily I gave up at times when I felt defeated or when I saw no ray of hope along my way. So, I used to think that the whole idea of never giving up on life is a scam. It's not possible like not at all. But again, I was proven wrong. I mean, I used to see and meet people who were so v

When I first started this blog, I was really excited. My excitement had literally no limits because starting a blog was one of my dreams. So, as soon as I posted my first article, I sent out the link to my friends and everyone that I knew. With excitement and passion, I told them about my blog and requested them to give a look. But, little did I know, I was excited just to feel worthless at the end. What I mean is all those friends and other people whom I sent out the link read my text but didn't care to reply. More than half of those people didn't even view my article. Now, Was I expecting something from them? Of course, I was. I wasn't necessarily expecting a positive comment on my article, but I was merely hoping for people to give me constructive feedback and to encourage me to continue working hard. But, to not get any reply from more than half of those people made me feel utterly sad and heartbroken. All sorts of thoughts like, "Am I not good eno

Have you ever been in an argument with a friend, or a loved one, or a family member? Has that confrontation led to a broken relationship? If YES: Did you ever try to reconcile? Maybe you did. But it still didn't work out. Why? Because sometimes letting go of a relationship is much easier than letting go of your pride. Isn't it? No, that's not true. Come on Nams,  how can you expect me to go and try to reconcile with a person who did me dirty, who hurt me? Come to think of it, Ikr, it makes sense and it's completely understandable. But here's the thing that most of us including myself failed to understand. Whenever you get into an argument with someone, this is what happens. You either end up getting hurt or you end up hurting the other person. If you get hurt then Oh my god, it's a big deal.  But, you hurt the other one, then it means that you were just doing the right thing but the other person is too sensitive to handle it. Eh' What I m

Every new year, new month, and a new week,  you pledge and set yourself a goal: "Read more books." But: You struggle to achieve your goals.  You easily get bored and distracted.  Reading feels like a chore to you and you would rather do something else. So, if you are keenly interested to answer your questions like,  "How can I make reading, not a chore, and instead enjoy the book?  "How to make reading a regular habit?" then, this post is for you.  Okay, let's dive in! "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." - Jim Ryun Firstly, As the quote suggests, if you want to develop a reading habit then the first thing that you wanna do is to motivate yourself to read. And, to motivate yourself, you have to know the factors that motivate you.  Confused? Okay, let me simplify it for you. Just stay still, think through, and answer this question.  "Why is it tha

"Does reading ever feel like a chore to you?" "Do you always feel sleepy and distracted while reading?" "Would you rather spend your time doing something else like unnecessarily scrolling through your phone ?" Well, If you said YES, then, you might wanna reconsider.   Because: You are really missing out on a lot of incredible benefits that might help you to succeed in life. Now, I know that there are hundreds and thousands of posts and articles on the web claiming that reading will make you successful and that it will change your life. I also know that you are thinking, this is again one of those vague articles on reading. But, No. The benefits that I am about to list down are something that I experienced myself ever since I started reading.  So, if you are ready, Shall we get into the talking? 1. Improves Vocabulary I have a lot of friends who read books. When I used to text them or even just chat with

One fine Saturday afternoon, I was just scrolling over my social media feed, and then suddenly a thought occurred to me. It was definitely a thought but it felt more like a challenge. The inner me was telling me, actually challenging me, "Okay Nams, How about you delete all your social media accounts for some days?" And then it went on to say, "I bet you cannot do it. You cannot live without Social media after all." And, I know this may sound really vague and you may be thinking, "Oh, c'mon! There must be something, at least some reasons that could have triggered you to think or challenge yourself like that." Now, I won't lie. Of course, there was. Firstly, I came across many blogs and YouTube videos where people used to say that, living without social media completely changed their life and now they feel happier and that all of us should try it. So, I really wanted to try it myself and just see if it would make me happy. Second

"If you win the first hour of the day, you win the day."  They said. But, Why? How? Now, the first hour refers to literally the first few hours of the 24 hours day timeline. The reason behind winning the first hour of the day varies according to people. But, generally, it is associated with psychological reasons. Our brain is believed to be the most productive, sharpest, and energetic in the morning. That is why what you do and how you spend the first hour of the day really determines your entire day. Ohh! sounds interesting. But, how can I win the first hour of the day? What are the ways? I searched up the web. A lot of articles popped up. I went through most of it. I won't say that they were not or are not helpful because they are to some extent. But, I wasn't really satisfied, and to be honest, I anticipated that.  You know, the problem with most of us is that we try to search for solutions without really understanding the actual cause

Before we do any talking, I want you to watch this video and just grasp the lyrics in your heart and in your mind. "Always look on the bright side of life, Always look on the light side of life." Oh, c'mon! What good can we possibly comprehend during this devastating time? You might think. I admit it. If I weigh the negative and the positive side effects of coronavirus on our economy, on our environment, and in our daily life, I'm sure that the negative outweighs the positive.  But, Michael Lewis, an American author, once said: "There's something bad in everything good and something good in everything bad" So, the matter is pretty much clear. It's up to you to figure out that something good.  Do you choose to look at the negatives and live with heartbreak and devastation or look at the positives and live with glory? It might definitely not be as easy as it sounds. When this whole coronavirus thing started, I was terrified myself. I have my fa

My phone is the dearest thing to me. It's like a secret diary of mine. I'm pretty sure, it's the same for you. Well, If not the same, then, at least, its something that you use every day for basic networking and entertainment purpose. One way or another,   It's something that we can't live without.  Given that, today's world is extensively technology-driven, we have numerous software and apps available in the market. But, it's up to us to decide whether we wanna use this technology and screentime for good or for worse.  I personally am very particular when it comes to the apps that I store and use on my phone. I believe in constant learning and exploring the unexplored.  Hence, I make sure to get rid of every app that unnecessarily consumes my screentime and doesn't even contribute to my learning and well-being. Well then, here's a list of the apps on my phone that I absolutely love, use it every day and can't live without. 1. Sadhguru

You will have to agree with me when I say, Public Speaking or Communication Skill, in general, is one of the most valuable skills to learn. It is essential both in your personal and professional life. But, you will also agree when I say, Public Speaking is also one of the most dreaded skills. The moment you present yourself in front of the audience: "You feel a chill down your spine, your mind turns completely blank, your heart starts racing, your blood pressure increases, you feel intense anxiety, you fear if you will mess up, your hands and legs start to shake, and your voice starts to quiver." But, you're not alone. In fact, 75% of the population is estimated to be affected by public-speaking anxiety or simply put Stage Fright.  Woah! That's a lot.  Honestly, lucky are those, who are born speakers.  But, Don't worry.  Overcoming the fear of public speaking can be challenging but definitely not impossible. Trust

All of us, at some point in our life, have encountered Negative People .  Anyone who drains your positive energy, and continuously makes you sad, angry, and depressed are the negative people in your life. These people could be either strangers or closed ones like friends and family. There's a famous saying that goes by: "A rotten potato spoils the whole bag" You definitely do not wanna be a rotten potato nor the one to get spoiled. So how exactly do you deal with a negative person and continue living a positive life? The answer is simple: Distance yourself from Negativity. Let me tell you a short story: I grew up as an introvert. I always enjoyed my own company, kept every moment of happiness and sadness to myself, and most importantly I always avoided people. But, the person I was back then and the person I am today is completely different. Even though a part of me will always remain an introvert, today I am more outgoing, I reach