Recently I had a discussion about helping others with someone who thought I was helping others more than I was helping myself. "Take a break and focus on yourself," this person said. I know s/he was trying to be helpful but it somehow didn't sit well with it. Yes, I admit that I used to … Continue reading How to Balance Self-love and Helping Others
Where can I find love? While sitting indoors, Behind closed doors, Staring at a screen, And everything that happens in between. The stolen glances, At a foggy mirror, The disheveled hair, And stained pajamas, Pasty sallow cheeks, And sunken eyes. Who can love this? With a heavy heart, I fall to my knees, Hot tears … Continue reading I Still Love You
Are you aware of the way your mind works? Many people aren’t. Most of us are unaware of how our cognitive biases affect what we perceive, think, and do. To be human is to experience bias. We all have biases, and yet many of us don’t even realize that they influence our thoughts, feelings and … Continue reading Cognitive Biases and How to Avoid them – Guest Blog by Dinesh Damodaran
As you all know I recently flew back to America from India after almost a year. Although I was not expected to quarantine, I thought it was a good idea to do it anyway. No one in their right mind would want to do this by the way! So here are some tips to survive … Continue reading How to Survive Quarantine
My very first blog post from way back in 2012 was Experimenting with Miracles and I feel like this is a good year to revisit magic and miracles. I don't pretend to be an authority on this subject but I've had my fair share of poor fortunes and testing times. When you are in the … Continue reading Revisiting Miracles
Have you ever come across a touch-me-not plant? And have you touched it and observed its leaves shrivel up and collapse? When I was little, we spent our summer vacations in Kerala and the sides of the mud road from my grandparents' house to the main road were full of touch-me-not plants. The walk to … Continue reading Stop Shrinking to Accommodate Others
This Thanksgiving was different just like this year was. I spent it away from my kids and family in the US. I didn't cook a Thanksgiving meal with mashed potatoes and pie (both regularly feature in my Thanksgiving feast). It's not a holiday in India although Wednesday was a public holiday thanks to cyclone Nivar … Continue reading 30 Days of Gratitude (Chennai Edition)
Years ago when I was in India without a job and without my own place, I was under a lot of stress. I was eating and sleeping well and generally healthy. But I was losing weight. An aunt suggested that I start drinking Ensure to improve my health and increase my weight. I consumed bottle … Continue reading 7 Tools to Deal with Stress
Imagine yourself on your deathbed. No, really! Take a moment and imagine that. Will you be happy that you lived your life in the best way possible? Will you have a sense of satisfaction that you pursued all your dreams and made them come true? Or would you be wringing your hands in despair thinking … Continue reading Living Life to the Fullest
Ganga's gone. Physically gone. Her obituary appeared in the Manorama newspaper yesterday. So it must be true. I find it hard to believe, because I wasn't there when it happened. Chennai was in a lock down and Dad and I couldn't travel to Palakkad for her funeral. How cruel is this life that we couldn't … Continue reading Hello From the Other Side and Other Signs of Afterlife
