Meditation on Goal Settings

Goal setting is a great way for you to enhance your journey towards success and feel inspired all along the way. 

The purpose of setting a goal is to achieve a desired result. When applied carefully with intention, action, momentum, and focus, setting and achieving goals gets you from where you are now to where you want to be.

Meditation and Visualization can be an integral part of your goal setting. Once you put your body and mind into a meditative state, it helps you to define your goals, action, challenges and support required.

 Meditation has been proven to eliminate stress, anxiety and allow you to think with clarity and focus. Many successful people including athletes and public speakers have been using meditation/visualisation as a goal setting tool.

Now you can try out meditation as a goal setting technique too, it may be the best thing you ever did!!

Step 1: Relax your body and mind with few deep breaths and connect with your centre.

Step 2: Choose an area of your life where you have been struggling or would like to experience some transformation.

Step 3: Imagine or visualise living your life just the way you would envision if all your hopes and dreams were to come true.

Allow yourself to get carried away with your wildest aspirations. Be as specific as you can.Feel the feelings, smell the surroundings as you inhale and let go of any negative thought or limitations  as you exhale.

Step 4: Now create a picture and step aside as if you are watching a movie. Notice all the people and surroundings and fill it with positivity, joy and laughter.

Step 5: Take few moments to think of all the resources you require and the actions you need to take to turn this dream into reality.

Take few breaths to ground yourself and open your eyes. Keep your journal handy to note down the action steps and guidance.

Start working on your action steps and move closer towards your dreams. Seeing is believing!! so use this technique anytime (once a week or once a day ) till you achieve your dreams!!

Happy Achieving !!

Love Yourself!!

"I cannot thank you enough...…

I always felt life was tough...…

You brought so much happiness...…

Now my mind works like a express...…

You made me so calm...…

Healed my mind with your balm...….

You are the shade giving tree.....

and help us set our spirits free.....

Your mission is commendable…..

You make people more lovable.....

Recently, one of my clients gifted me this testimonial!! These are just few of the lines from her beautiful poem and this reminded me of my mission to spread what I learned in last few years. "Loving yourself"!!

I am so grateful for the knowledge and appreciation I have gained in these last few years with my teachers, mentors and clients. But the change began when I first learned to Love Myself!! Immensely grateful for the book "You Can heal your life" by Louise Hay. The new doors started opening as I started to love myself more.

To me, love is a deep appreciation, a prayer or being in a mindful state. When we talk about loving ourselves, we accept all the different parts of ourselves—our little peculiarities, the embarrassments, the things we may not do so well, and all the wonderful qualities, too.

When we start to love ourselves more each day, it’s amazing how our lives get better. We feel better. We get the opportunities we want. We have the money we need. Our relationships either improve, or the negative ones dissolve and new ones begin.


While it’s noble to sacrifice yourself for others, you’re important too!!
When you make the effort to be kind to yourself, you’re in a better position to be kind to everyone else in your life. You deserve love just as much as anyone else.

 Let go of the idea that indulging yourself occasionally is selfish.
It’s not selfish to love ourselves. It clears us so that we can love ourselves enough to love other people. We can really help the planet when we come from a space of great love and joy on an individual basis.

Everyone in your life deserves your best. Put yourself in the position to provide exactly that. Give yourself the same priority you

give to others in your life. Give yourself the love you deserve.

 When we really love ourselves, everything in our life works!! - Louise Hay

Life - All you can have Buffet

After a relaxing three weeks vacation in Dubai and the UK, it was finally time to head home. I was ready for and really looking forward to home-cooked food and my favourite Masala Chai.

But before we could even fully unpack our warm clothes, the Universe offered us another vacation. People who know me will vouch that I am always prepared for drop of the hat vacations and quick getaways. Like once my husband woke me up at 3AM in Tokyo to catch a flight at 9AM to Bangkok for a quick vacation.

Now back to the present..... We arrived at the hotel and were warmly welcomed by the staff, who were happy to see us again. The senior chef stopped by and asked us if we would like anything special. As usual, the kids were overjoyed to see a wide spread of bakes and breads, ice creams and desserts, which I don't allow them at home. 

The sight of the vast buffet sparked a thought, we can be mindful at all the times just as we are when making our food choices.

Just like a 5 star buffet, the life offers us endless options, and it's entirely up to us what to choose. Whether we get bewildered by the vast variety and fill our plates with food that we can't finish, may not even like, know deep down that it's not healthy for us, Or be selective and careful about what we pick.  Like what we stuff our faces with in a buffet, in life also we need to process what we choose and place on our plates. Making a choice after careful consideration and evaluation of our goals and priorities will lead us on a path of self-fulfilment and eventually self-actualization, and mindless binging will take us down the path of pain and suffering. The CHOICE is ours.

By staying MINDFUL we can bring this awareness in all aspects of our life. Not only we become healthy, it's a great way to create happiness in life. 

Some days being right, grateful and forgiving may feel like a breeze while other days it can be so hard to even smile. It's ok, what is more important is to have the sense of awareness. Eating, walking, exercising or even doing dishes can be done with complete awareness. 

Can we stay healthy if we eat junk food everyday? The answer is No. Similarly let's bring awareness to our thoughts and introspect within - Is this thought a junk or a nourishing thought for my body and mind?

Just as a special order will require more time for preparation, Your orders may require different amounts of preparation. Some have many ingredients that must come together to complete the dish while others have only a few ingredients. Allow the Universe to bring things together at the right moment for you.

Life is an all you can have buffet,

 so choose clearly want you want.

Place your orders, 

trust the timing and delivery.

 You have the recipe for success!!

Meditate - How, When and Why

“Many people think excitement is happiness.... But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh

I have been learning, reading & writing about, practising and now teaching meditation for several years.  It has helped me at every step of my life. 

During tough times meditation helps you find the right path and at good times it helps you to stay focused to your true self. It certainly is the need of the hour with our erratic lifestyles and digital world.

While meditation offers timely relief from everyday stress, it also helps our body relax and gain a heightened sense of self awareness.

There is now an increased acceptance among the general public and the medical researchers about the long-term benefits of regular meditation. But many of us are still reluctant to sit in a quiet corner and doubt the sense of wisdom that  meditation brings.

Another common pretext is one has to be spiritually inclined for it. However, I feel that meditation can be done by anyone, anytime and anywhere  if one puts one's self into it. It requires a bit of  practice and a dash of self discipline. 

We all meditate in some form. Surprised?  When you're watching an engrossing movie or listening to sonorous music, or simply sitting near the ocean, watching butterflies/ fireflies/ sunrise you're in a meditative state. You get transfixed by the beauty of the nature. However,  such moments are fleeting and rare, you can achieve the same blissful state in your home, office or garden anytime of the day with a regular practice of meditation.

Meditation is a bit like physical exercise as both require certain amount of self discipline, dedicating some time every day.  As you start feeling the benefits, it becomes pleasantly addictive.

No one has all the answers we seek, nor is there any way we can delegate the work of enlightenment to someone else. Just as we cannot get some one to exercise on our behalf so that we can be fit. 

Each of us must look within us for the answers we seek.

When we meditate, we raise our awareness (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual). We rise in consciousness from the purely physical to examine our feelings, our thoughts and ultimately expand our consciousness beyond the physical dimension.

As Sri Satya Sai Baba said "I am God; you too are God. The only difference is that I know it and you do not."

Meditation offers us that place, where stillness leads you to your centred self. Your heart can listen to the guidance and walk on the path designed for your soul.

It's a beautiful tree, which grows slowly. One must wait for the blossom, the ripening of the fruit and the ultimate taste.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti 

Sharing Happiness

"Wisdom in a small sentence, which can give you an instant lift or positivity is a daily quote".



With digital media we see so many quotes around us each day.

Some quotes motivate us, inspire us and are also a great way in helping us become a more positive and uplifting person.

As Louise Hay says " Affirmations are like seeds planted in soil. Poor soil, poor growth. Rich soil, abundant growth. The more you choose to think thoughts that make you feel good, the quicker the affirmations work.

Today I am sharing with you some of my favourite quotes which I have collected over a time. These quotes can help you improve your mood, have a different outlook towards life and remind you of the true essence of happiness.

*Read them
*Choose your favourite one
*Copy them/ Write them
*Share with family and friends
*Plan the Action steps that you can take from that wisdom
*Say them each day
*Memorise them if you can
*Use them to uplift you any time during the day
*See your day becoming better

1. “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions” — H.H. the Dalai Lama

2. “When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way.” — Dr.Wayne Dyer

3. “It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.” — Dale Carnegie

4. I act as if I already have what I want -  it's an excellent way to attract happiness in my life - Louise Hay

5. “Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.”
― Mother Teresa

6. “To get up each morning with the resolve to be happy . . . is to set our own conditions to the events of each day. To do this is to condition circumstances instead of being conditioned by them.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

7. "There is no path to happiness. Happiness is the path." - Buddha

8. "To change our lives, at some point we have to decide that, rather than suffer anymore, we are going to live in happiness. And one way we can do that is to make the decision to look for things to appreciate, no matter what."  - The Secret

9. "Loving myself and thinking joyful, happy thoughts is the quickest way to create a wonderful life." - Louise Hay

10. "Whenever you are happy, the real source of happiness is within you. It is just that you are looking for an external stimulus to make you happy." - Sadhguru

Change begins with me

It was a Friday morning, I woke up a bit later than usual, a few friends had come over for dinner the previous evening. I was tempted to call the Teachers and excuse myself from the field trip. But luckily the better part of me took over and encouraged me to be in the moment.

So there I was with a few teachers and a bunch of cute kids for a trip to the Police Commissioners Office. The kids were between 8 to 9 years old, excited & enthusiastic, asking questions and having loads of fun.

We reached the Deputy Commissioners' Office where we were all made comfortable and was personally addressed by DCP Mr. Satyanarayana. The staff was equally excited to receive the kids and had prepared the kids on what's in store for them. Three buses full of boisterous kids were escorted by the Police to the Charminar, a beautiful heritage site and the icon of Hyderabad. It's located in the heart of the old city surrounded by shops and vendors. Mr Satyanarayana along with his staff made sure that the kids get an excellent view of this beautiful and historical monument.

Soon after we headed to the Dabeerpura Police Station where we were warmly greeted by the Inspector Ms. Lakshmi Mathuri.

Till that day, the image I held of the police stations came from run-of-the-mill masala movies made by Bollywood. The image was of a dimly lit unkempt with ill-mannered Police Officers. That perception changed completely when I, along with those impressionable kids, learned that Police officers are not only trained physically and mentally but also in soft skills. Every person who walks in to a police station is not a criminal, so they have a reception and each one is made comfortable by offering Tea/Coffee.

 

She Police, Hawk Eye, Cyber Crime  and Detective Services are just some of the various progressive and forward thinking steps that our cops are taking. The Police is not to scare and intimidate the common man but they work hard day and night for the safety and security of the society.

I am sure such steps are being taken at other places but I was really touched by the way Inspector Lakshmi Mathuri explained kids to trust the police and sleep peacefully as they will not let anything untoward happen in our lovely city. The warmth and friendly smiles which we received from the staff made me realize that its time for me to drop my old thinking.

My respect for the service the Police provides increased immensely. The words of Mahatma Gandhi - Be the change you wish to see in the world engulfed me and made me recognize and change my limiting beliefs that no longer serve me well.

I was fortunate to have this opportunity, but we all need to introspect about these services. Do we take them for granted or Are we grateful for them? Do we appreciate the fact that the society is safer due to the friendly neighbourhood cops  or we feel its our birth right ? Do we acknowledge the Traffic Police standing in the harsh Sun and pollution or we think they are not good at managing?

Change begins with me, I do understand this now and when I wake up I say a silent prayer for all the Officers who worked all night to make our city peaceful and safe. This is my vision of a peaceful world where each one is loved and respected and it starts with a this single step of spreading what I think.

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be - Lao Tzu

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100 days

100 more days left in 2017!!

Dear ones, have you achieved your new year resolutions or has procrastination gotten the better of you??

This thought came today as I was sipping deliciously aromatic coffee while gazing at the manna falling from the heavens and making plans for my next vacation.

How quickly has 2017 passed…well almost. For a welcome change, this thought didn't disappoint me, rather charged me to make new goals and more plans. Let me in you on a secret, this was not the case until few years back. Like most of us, I used to make lots of resolutions at the start of year and felt sad as the days slowly trickled without much progress on the goals so enthusiastically set. 

Lots has changed since I became a Life Coach. Before helping others get more from their lives, I made these skills an integral part of my own lifestyle. I learnt how to extract much more from the same 24 hours.

The key to do more with less is to set goals and achieve them.

Lack of direction, not lack of time is the problem!!

Right goals give you focus, sense of purpose and direction. Goal setting provides you a benchmark for determining whether you are actually succeeding. 

Never mistake motion for action.

To accomplish your goals, first you need to know how to create them. Simply saying, "I want something" is never enough. Goal setting is a serious process that starts with careful consideration of what you want to achieve, and ends with continuous efforts and actions. For me it's also the habits that supports the goals, like affirmation, meditation and visualization. It took time and consistent effort.

So, before you feel another year gone by, sad or disheartened about not achieving let's answer these three questions:

1. Does it motivate you?

Tip: Make a list of things you want to achieve. Ask yourself, What makes this goal motivating and important? Talking about it brings up which emotion- joy or fear? Visualize it 

2. Is your goal SMART enough?

Tip: Make sure the goals are S - specific, M - measurable, A - attainable, R - relevant and T - time bound. Keeping your goals aligned to this will keep you focused and gives you an opportunity to celebrate success.

3. Have you prepared an Action plan?

Tip: Most often this part is missed while planning goals. Create a list and cross them off one by one. Writing a goal specific action plan is a sure shot way towards success.

Goal setting is much more than simply saying you want something to happen. When you clearly define exactly what you want and understand why you want it at the first place, your chances of failure are considerably reduced. 

Trust your inner wisdom, follow your dreams, believe in yourself, build your goals, take actions and stay committed to the action plan. Have a life full of joy and happiness you truly deserve!!

The Art of Emotional Intimacy

Emotional intimacy is a closeness that goes beyond the ordinary fondness felt for friends and family. It involves a perception of closeness to another, sharing of feelings, understanding emotions and demonstration of caring. The degree of emotional intimacy is an excellent barometer for evaluating the health of a relationship. It’s difficult to have a good relationship with poor emotional intimacy or a poor relationship with a high degree of emotional intimacy. Emotional Intimacy primarily depends on Trust as well as the nature of relationship and the culture around you.

Enhancing your Emotional Intimacy can create a safe cocoon inside and you can experience the blossoming of relationships. It’s easy to be emotionally intimate at the beginning of a meaningful relationship. The other person is just so perfect and interesting!! Emotional intimacy can be more challenging after 10 years have taken their toll. In my case it is 16!!! we just celebrated our marriage anniversary and this time we took time off from parents and kids and booked ourselves to a wonderful place to look back and gather all the pieces of our relationship, how at every stage it was different. It is very easy to get involved in our day to day life and making your kids the centre of your attention, but all this leaves a void in your relationship. When they move out of the nest this void is felt deeply, by both. In my case I learned it the hard way and took lots of efforts to once again live and enjoy. Kids also grow beautifully in an environment where there is more love and intimacy then criticism and blaming. Make emotional intimacy a priority in your relationship.

1. Exercise together. We maintain intimate relationships with those with whom we share challenging times, whether it be surviving a horrible boss or training for a marathon. Spend time training together at the gym. Sweat and suffer together. Your bond will grow.
   
   
2. Let go of your past. Most of the obstacles to being more intimately connected are rooted in the past. Learn from the past and be done with it. Everyone has been hurt at some point. That’s not a valid reason to spoil today. Let it go. Enjoy the NOW!
   
   
3. Share your appreciation for each other. Before turning off the light for the night, share what you each appreciate about each other. List something you appreciated that day. It could be something small like folding your clean pants or stopping by the store for milk.

• You’ll be amazed by what happens. You’ll spend the day looking for things to appreciate about your partner. You’ll eventually think that your partner has changed into an even more amazing person. But the truth is that you’re the one who’s changed.
  
  

4. Touch each other daily. Physical intimacy counts, but focus on other types of touch, too. Give each other a massage or snuggle together on the couch. Hold hands. PDA, made popular by Obama's shows the depth in their relationship.
   
   
5. Be a positive experience for your spouse. Studies have shown that we’re more sensitive to negative experiences than we are to positive. The ratio is roughly 5:1. It takes five positive experiences to negate the impact of one negative experience.

• Try to deliver at least 10 positive experiences for each negative experience so your bond is ever-growing.
  
  

6. Be a better listener. We adore the people in our lives who take the time to listen intently to what we have to say. You might not care about the great deal she got on the pair of heels she’s been eyeing for weeks or the fact that his new carburettor finally arrived in the mail. But you get at least as much as you give when you’re a good listener.

• Look you partner in the eye when they’re speaking to you.
• Turn off the TV.
• Put your cell phone away.
• Avoid interrupting.

7. Explore something new together. Take class or a hike in a new location. Read the same book and share your thoughts. Attend a concert together. Take a trip to someplace new. Be creative and share a new experience together.
   
   
8. Be the best possible version of yourself. By being at your best, you’ll have more to give. Have a few goals and spend time each day striving to achieve them. Take care of yourself physically, spiritually, and emotionally.
   
   
9. Show an interest in your partner’s life. This goes beyond being a good listener. Be inquisitive and ask your partner about her day. If he just got home from playing golf, ask him about his game. Show a genuine interest.

There are many more ways, which will show up as you start opening yourself to this process. Loving yourself more, will help you love everyone around you. Create the peace within, a place to easily forgive. Accepting yourself and others just the way they are will allow them to be expressive. In the essence you have created instant intimacy.

Recent Changes

The restlessness and disillusion in people, various groups, social media and television, was quite visible since past two days. So when I sat down to have my second cup of chai with my in laws after kids left for school.....I could sense the same dismay in them. We as a family avoid talking too much about politics, terrorism or any other( favourite )topic of News channels which can cause disturbance in kids mind.

The look on my Father in laws face was grim, he has been a big fan of Modiji, so why is he upset now? I braved myself to start the discussion. I asked him, you have been a salaried person all your life, this decision is definitely in favour of you. Isn't it??

That was enough for him to open up, he shared how news channels are showing sufferings of people who had saved money all their life for wedding, property and education etc. I asked him, do you remember how it was when you came to India during partition? That got him going...he had so much to share and that loss is still felt each day by many of those who started from absolutely nothing. What did they do, they moved on for their Country and the future of their kids.

This is another major event, in our lives which will take India to a different level altogether. Our elders, parents and almost all grand parents.....suffered a lot during independence...(Thank God there were not as many news channels that time for sit down arguments.)

Sometimes we fall down to find the biggest falls are for our greatest growth. They did that for our better future and this is our turn to change the face of India for the betterment of our future generation. We are responsible for our life and how we want to shape it.

On the shore, when a huge wave comes, it does take everything with it, but at the same time it brings with it new shells and pearls and leaves the shore perfectly clean. There will be losses faced by many but we are the Hero's of India who are helping India stand once again against corruption and economic loss.

Our generation has the ability to take this strike and hit a sixes, we are a generation of Olympic winners and CEOs of the worlds biggest firms. So lets stop stressing over it now and calling it “raddi”(waste), its your hard earned money and exchange it with love. This new energy coming in the form of new money is going to bring a drastic change in India. Now you will see better roads, less ill constructed buildings and bridges, better infrastructure and most of all better vision of the India that you always wished and desired.

I am no fan of politics, never watch news, but I believe in living life joyously. Life will throw challenges, focus on the good and move ahead with commitment. Having tasted the bitter, I savour sweet.

After all, the worlds biggest economy is also copying, our leader, abki baar Trump sarkar, so if that can work, so can this. It all starts form home. Consciously choose what you say and do from a place of love.

If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk, if you can't walk, then crawl, but whatever you do Keep Moving Forward – Martin Luther King

Love and Happiness Always

Henna