I am sure you must have read hundreds of email forwards from your friends / associates on self improvement, healthy habits, etc. Without wishing to sound prophetic and knowledgeable, I wish to share a few of my own thoughts and hope they will help you in leading a happy and lucky life.
1. Exercise daily. Hey guys, I am not going to send you a routine of 10 types of exercises you must do for 15 minutes a day etc, or tell you you must do brisk walking for 30 minutes a day. This is the stuff for the gym instructors and physios, and I am neither. All I want to tell you is that after waking up in the morning, shake yourself up in some way or the other, without hurting yourself, in a manner that you want to. Give yourself a look-over in the mirror, check out for pains and niggles, identify the stiffness. Make a mental list of what is out of shape or what you want to improve. People who wrote out self help exercise books did it the same way. You are intelligent enough to devise your own exercises, for god's sake! Go gentle in the beginning, and gradually work out a pace. You will soon have a self made list of exercises which you will enjoy doing.
2. Make faces in the mirror. I just cannot stop myself from making funny faces in the mirror every morning while brushing my teeth, or shaving, or when dressing up. Do you remember having done this when you were a child, and then gave this up since you had 'grown up' ? Well, undoubtedly you have grown up now, but try this out if you want to remain young at heart.
2. Make faces in the mirror. I just cannot stop myself from making funny faces in the mirror every morning while brushing my teeth, or shaving, or when dressing up. Do you remember having done this when you were a child, and then gave this up since you had 'grown up' ? Well, undoubtedly you have grown up now, but try this out if you want to remain young at heart.
3. Food. Well, I am no nutritionist, and have no patience with people who advise me to go slow on this or that. Remember, the best gift you can give yourself is a wonderfully cooked meal on a hungry stomach. Can I gently remind you all that the digestive process starts with the aroma of the food (mouth watering), chewing the food well and savoring the delights ? Why are you in such a rush to run through your meal ? Is it because you have a rocket to manouver immediately after ? I often remember that as a child, we were told to eat small mouthfuls and chew each one 32 times, and just like most of you, I forgot this since I 'grew up'. Trust me, the body will take good care of what goes in after you have done your bit of enjoying your meal.
4. Keep away from anger. The worst thing we can all do to ourselves (and to those at the receiving end) is getting angry. I know that this is easier said than controlled, given the fact that we constantly remind ourselves of how stupid our employees, workers, and subordinates are. Guys, give it a break ...
5. Create Laughter. I have often seen that people who are really really funny are very healthy. I have also seen that they are really lucky. I would say, they are blessed because they have the ability to put a smile on others' faces. God puts a smile on the face of these sunny people.
6. Un-complicate. Guys, take people and things on face value, and don't read meanings in stuff people say other than what is being conveyed. It's not doing you any good, its actually burdening your already messy brain.
7. Pray. I don't think any amount of prayers belted out from books by sleepy worshippers are reaching the god. He'll want to listen to your prayer, not a hand me down from guys who wrote something centuries ago. And keep it simple. Use day to day language, and make it short and sweet if you wish to catch His attention. Peppering it with some humour will improve your chances of being heard.
8. Help. This is important. Help ANYONE who needs your help to the extent you are able to. No, I don't mean emptying your bank accounts and opening a 24 hour langar outside your house. Sometimes a small act can change a person's life. Drive a sick guy to the hospital, help an accident victim, attend to a distressed soul,etc . These things do not cost money, they just need your time. Help please. And this time, I am being dead serious, for a change.
9. Be there. Your friends, children and family members, even if they hate you like hell, would want your attention and time once in a while. Grab this opportunity before they change their mind, and be available to them. Don't hide behind a veil of being busy which you obviously aren't because they will try to choose a moment when they see you wasting your time. Their is no value in pretending to be busy when one is not.
10. Keep away from giving unsolicited advice. This is the worst form of self inflicted injury I can think of. Unsolicited advice is not appreciated by ANYONE. So save your breath and keep your mouth shut. You may well argue that this blog is a form of unsolicited advice. I agree wholeheartedly !
Rajiv Bhasin
rajiv.errands@gmail.com
