Healthy Joyful Meals

Shifting from a convenient but unhealthy diet to one of healthful, delicious joy can be a challenge when you’re living alone — but there’s a whole new level of challenge if you are part of a family.

The problem: while you might want to change to a new style of eating, picky eaters (kids, but also spouses) can disagree with the change.

Who wants to eat Chappati when pasta and pizza are go-to staples? Who wants to eat oats and fruit when Paratha and Kachori are the usual breakfast foods?

Well, me. And maybe you. But how do we deal with a family full of picky eaters?

We have been somewhat successful here (with our family of 6), but it took awhile, and in truth, we still have plenty of picky eaters in our family.

That said, I’ll share what has worked for us:

1. We try to find things that the whole family likes that are healthy and tasty. 
2. Other times, we cook something less healthy that they would like
3. We often make a lot of food for the family dinner and then have leftovers for lunch
4. We talk to the kids and try to get them to explore foods they don’t always like. 
5. Sometimes we cook a dish that has something one of the kids doesn’t like (mushrooms, for example)
6. If someone doesn’t like the dinner, they can just have a little of it and then make  simple things for themselves.
7. Finally, we get everyone involved in the meal planning. 

You don’t have to do all of these, but there might be a couple ideas here that work for you.

In the end, embrace the  philosophy of small, gradual change. You don’t have to do all of this overnight. But there’s also the philosophy of loving the change you’re creating — how can you show them that this is a joyful change to delicious nutritiousness?

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Importance of Meditation and Yoga

Yoga and Meditation isn’t magic, but it is a medicine for uncertainty and anxiety.

Here’s what it can do for us in these times of heightened fears:

• Help us to notice when we’re caught up in anxious thoughts — when you notice this, you can do something about it
• Help us to see the feelings that are arising for us, which we might not normally notice
• Interrupt the thought cycles we get caught up in, that might be keeping us from being present or sleeping, by dropping our awareness into the sensations of the body
• Help calm down and see that in this moment, things are not dangerous, they are actually OK
• Bring calm focus when we need to get some stuff done

These are just a few things you might see from meditation and Yoga. Obviously, there’s much more to it. But it’s worth practicing.

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New Normal of this New Life today

Life is always opening doors for us, giving us a gift. We just don’t often recognize it.

We waste the opportunity that life has given us!

So being aware of this … how can we use this new normal as an opportunity and a gift?

Some things that have changed for many of us:

1. A sense of restriction: We’re not able to do our usual things — not only work and school, but things like haircuts, dentists, coffee shops, restaurants, bars, shops and more. That can feel very restricted.
2. Heightened uncertainty & anxiety: Things are incredibly uncertain right now, for all of us — for our health, the health of loved ones, the state of the world, the shaky economy, our individual financial situations. And that’s just the start of it. All of this uncertainty is triggering feelings of stress, fear and anxiety in most people, in different ways.
3. A feeling of isolation but also (possibly) togetherness: For many people, social distancing has created a feeling of isolation that can be very hard to handle. But for many, there can also be a feeling of togetherness – we’re all in this together, no one is excluded. Some are creating that feeling of togetherness by doing video calls, by connecting others online, or by taking part in community or group efforts to help.
4. Contraction when we’re feeling overwhelmed: It can all be too much. And when we feel that sense of overwhelm, we can want to shut down, exit, turn away, avoid. We avoid hard tasks, we go to distraction, we avoid our healthy habits. This is all completely normal!
5. A sense of disruption: Our old habits have been disrupted — we can’t do all the things we’re used to doing, and that gives us a feeling of being upended. It’s frustrating to have things disrupted, and can make us feel afloat.
6. Irritation with others: Being isolated with the same people every day can cause friction. And that brings up all of our issues, all the ways we respond (and they respond) when we get triggered.
7. Wanting it all to be over: Impatience! We just want to go back to normal. It’s hard to accept the way things are.

You might not be experiencing all of these, because every person is experiencing the new normal differently.

But it is a new normal.

So the question is: will we resist it, or can we use it as an opportunity?

We can complain about the new normal. Hate it. Stew in frustration about it. That’s one possibility.

Another possibility is to use it as a growth opportunity. What is your choice here?

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Hindu Dharma and Karma in Bhaarat

Dharma is an important term in Indian religions. In Hinduism it means 'duty', 'virtue', 'morality', even 'religion' and it refers to the power which upholds the universe and society

Karma is the force generated by one's actions in life that affect how one will be reborn and dharma is the divine law by which all people are required to do their duty based on their rank in society.

The history of our ancestors is recorded in Holy texts such as the Ramayan, Mahabharat, Shrimadbhagwat, Purans etc. From these texts, we can realise that only seekers have the right to rule this earth surrounded by the oceans. At the end of the Satyayug, when there was a decline in So-ham bhav, one of the four aspects of Dharma was destroyed and proportionately, conduct as per Dharma in one-fourth of the earth region vanished and Dharma remained in only three-fourths of the region. The Tretayug manifested at that time. Again, when one more aspect weakened, the Dwaparyug came into existence and only a few individuals on half the earth retained conduct as per Dharma. At the culmination of the Dwaparyuga, as three aspects of Dharma weakened, people on only one-fourth of the earth retained conduct as per Dharma. It was then that the Kaliyug (Era of strife) commenced. From the Pandav lineage, Arjun’s grandson Parikshit became the first King in the Kaliyug. Even in those times of Kaliyuga, Brahmans had the capabilities of performing sarpayadnya. Later, the Sattva component began to decline everywhere and only Bharat remained a land of spiritual practice and therefore, became a meritorious land. This is precisely why the Holy text Shri Gurucharitra says that ‘Bharat is the most meritorious land in the five continents.’

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Work From Home in Covid-19 Lockdown

Here are the pros and cons I experienced after 2 months of work from home.

Pros

No traffic

Forget about money. Time is the most precious asset you have. I didn’t have the longest commute in the world, but when I added up how much time I was spending each week, month and year… it couldn’t go on. Things had to change.

Eat at home

Less eating out means less money spent. Sometimes you won’t have enough for a proper lunch, but you can usually get enough out of the fridge to kill the hunger. And — you can eat on the sofa while watching “The Big Bang Theory”.

Comfort

Working from home is mostly more comfortable than an office. You can work in your PJs, you can can work at a desk or any other suitable surface (i.e.: couch, bed, floor, whatever suites you).

Cons

No team

In the first few days, I was on fire! No distractions, no noise, completely at ease; I’ve never worked so well and so much! But then, as the days went by, I started missing all that I’d left behind. Having a bunch of guys next to you, all doing the same kind of tasks, makes a lot of difference, believe me. Being present and having presence are completely different things. And you can’t simulate that through Google Hangouts.

Distractions

With no one watching you around the clock, it’s not easy to stay focused. You need a lot of discipline to keep the momentum. When you work alone, the awareness of your procrastination is highly present. And although at the office, with your fellow workers, you have these and other distractions, it’s easy to stay focused when everyone around you is working for the same goal.

Pressure

When you have a bad day at work you still have the sensation of accomplishment. You drove to work, attended meetings, take care of some stuff… you actually did some tasks. And then you head home!

When you work from home and you have a bad day, it feels like you’ve done nothing! Maybe you had to start something from scratch because it wasn’t done properly the first time, and when the workday is over and you’re still on the same spot… it’s a terrible feeling.

Resolutions

• Human interactions are important
• Cheering yourself it’s hard when you’re alone
• Change your working methods if you feel that you’re not that committed 
• Working full-time, 9 to 5, from home, alone… SUCKS! I work perfectly from home, but without a timetable.

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Covid-19 - History in Creation

I'm on work from home since 18th March to 31st March 2020 so thought of sharing few updates in my personal space. Times have changed. From herpes and legionnaires’ disease in the 1970s, to AIDS, Ebola, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and now Covid-19, contagious diseases continue to threaten and disrupt human populations. Historians, who never lost interest in epidemics, have much to offer. I just collected few information for you all and would like o throw some light on it.

By labeling the spread a pandemic, WHO was indicating that the virus was now a worldwide phenomenon. The decisions also reflects the WHO's concern at what it calls the “alarming levels of the corona virus spread, severity and inaction”, and the expectation that the number of cases, deaths and affected countries will continue to climb.

The WHO chief acknowledged that the COVID-19 spread is the first pandemic to be caused by a corona virus (i.e. any of the large variety of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases)

Now our Focus should be on five words or phrases, beginning with “P”: 

Prevention, Preparedness, Public health, Political leadership and People.

Everyone should frequently wash their hands (and wash them thoroughly, with soap); maintain at least one meter distance from anyone coughing or sneezing, and avoid physical contact when greeting; avoid touching our eyes, nose and mouth; cover the mouth and nose with a bent elbow or disposable tissue when coughing or sneezing; and stay home and seek medical attention from local health providers, if feeling unwell.

Whilst the virus infects people of all ages, there is evidence that older people (60 and over), and those with underlying health conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer), are at a higher risk. So requesting all to do social distancing for some time and please don’t do panic buying in this trying times.

The best place to get reliable information is the WHO Website, www.who.int. Here you can find comprehensive advice, including more on how to minimize the risk of spreading, or catching COVID-19.

Government has taken many measures to curb this by doing lockdowns, curfew, work from home, extending timeline for financial year closure, pumping money into economy but we as a citizen also need to take care of our society and community like our family.

Let us hope and pray to God for everyone's well-being.

#Stay Safe, #Stay Healthy, #Stay Home

#Go Corona Go

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My life as new MOM

I only wish that I could keep the house clean, feed my kid delicious and nutritious meal, organize a days in a way that doesn’t drive me crazy, AND still have a little time for fun? Aww.. very very difficult!

After all, food and clean underwear are the bare minimum we moms need to strive for. If your kid has clean clothes to wear and healthy food to eat, you’ve made a great start on taking care of both of you.

You know that the life as Mom is full of sleepless nights, overflowing diaper pails, and messes that multiply like bunnies. It’s also replete with happy giggles, bellies to tickle, and warm bodies to cuddle.

My babies smile, giggles, and pride in new accomplishments can heal me and bring joy in my life!

I can have the worst day, come home and listen to see my Adi and All is right in my world!"

But really, it’s the crazy that gets in the way of the cuddles.😊

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Understanding Capital Gain Tax

Many people make capital gains from stock and mutual fund investments. An individual who has sold shares or mutual fund units in the previous financial year must mention the gains, if any, in the return. 
Long-term capital gains on stocks and equity mutual funds are not taxed. But short-term gains are taxed at 15%.
In case of debt mutual funds, both short-term and long-term capital gains are taxed. Short-term capital gains are added to the income and taxed as per the individual's income tax slab. Long-term capital gains from debt mutual funds are taxed at 20% with indexation and 10% without indexation. Indexation is adjusting the purchase price for inflation. This increases the purchase cost and, thus, lowers the gain. 
Calculating capital gains is not easy. Imagine you invested in an equity fund through a systematic investment plan, or SIP, till December 2013 and redeemed the investment in March 2014. You might have made decent profits on your total investment, but a part of it could be short-term gains (each SIP instalment must complete one year if it is to be considered a long-term investment for tax purpose), which are taxable at 15%.

Will you be able to calculate the short-term gains on your own? You can, if you are financially savvy, get the net asset value, or NAV, of the fund on each SIP date and calculate the profit/loss on each SIP to arrive at the net gain. Most retail investors will find the process tedious. Even if they are able to do the calculation, they would rather not take any chance lest they make a wrong disclosure in the return.

It's better to get the figure from a trusted source. Mutual fund investors can get the capital account statement on demand from the fund house. However, it is not easy for investors in direct equity, as not all brokerage houses give the statement.

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Art is in the start

A regular practice of reflection and review helps you recognize patterns, gain insight about your work and relationships. Its good to celebrate and appreciate achievements and gestures, and puzzle out what helps and hinders progress. Journaling itself will improve your inner work life, lifting your emotions and aiding cognitive processing and adaptation. Religiously take ten minutes out of your day to reflect, vent, and celebrate.

Here is an interesting last fact for you. Making decisions is all about our intellectual capability, right? I thought so too, turns out, that's completely wrong.

The way our brains are built make it necessary that emotions "cloud" our judgment. Without all that cloudy emotion, we wouldn't be able to reason, have motivation, and make decisions. The science behind what motivates us to get up for work every day is the art to start and maintain consistency in doing whatever you want to, after a while it becomes your habit and you'll just do it!

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Power to Change

I have always been a dreamer and have always had extremely big goals and expectations for myself. Coming from a small town and an even smaller high school, I had my fair share of being around small-minded people. I never let that small mindset rub off on me, but I definitely down-played myself to fit into it.

I cut the people out of my life that weren't doing anything for me but make me question my dreams, my goals, my passions and quite frankly myself. I don’t like being around people who are satisfied with what is handed to them. I don't like being around people who only look forward to the next party. I don’t like being around people who are fine with where they’re at. Why? Because when you surround yourself with those people, their small mindset will rub off on you if you aren't careful. If I gave up on myself and everything I believe in, I wouldn’t be me. Nothing poetic or beautiful about what I did, I just gathered a whole bunch of courage up and removed the toxic from my life.

This was a new beginning for me. Something I would never let those people be a part of. It was the start of a chapter I would dedicate wholeheartedly to myself. As I achieve each goal I have spent my nights dreaming about, I won’t celebrate being surrounded by the people who didn’t believe in me. I will spend them with the people who genuinely support and believe in me; the people who love me. I learned to starve what kept me stranded and feed what made me fly.

This new chapter, this whole year, has been such a crazy experience. I’ve made mistakes, met people I wish I never met, hit crazy lows and even spent time being someone I am not to conform to the basic societal standards. It’s all because I was completely on my own - something I have never truly experienced in my young adulthood.

Today, I reflect on who I was earlier and who I am now. I am consciously evolving.

Today, I only have time have time for what brings me closer to my dreams. I only surround myself with people who are full of ambition and creativity and who offer something different to my life; the people who have a deeper connection with themselves and an outlook on life that absolutely terrifies others because they aren’t even able to wrap their mind around it. The ones that are undeniably themselves. The ones who don't play it safe - the ones who don’t just dream of what they want; they go out and get it freaking done. As the people we meet are a direct reflection of ourselves, I learned it's important to surround ourselves with the ones who are not just similar to us but the ones who will change our lives and make us better people.

There is no passion to be found playing small; in settling for a life that is less capable than the one you are capable of living. Over the course of years, I changed more than ever. A decision I made has had a positive domino effect on my life. The choice to free myself from what wasn’t mine and focus on me and everything I wanted was the best decision yet. Always believe that at any moment you hold the power to be who you want to be. You’ve always had permission to witness yourself rise, you just have to decide when it’s time you start believing in your potential. The deepest secret is that life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation.

"Seek therefore not to find out who you are, seek to determine who you want to be" - and never go back.

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Idea of Debt - Hindu Religion

When a man is born he is born in debt. This is the Hindu concept of debt. He is obliged to repay his ancestors without him he would have lineage. He is obliged to his parents who raise him. He is obliged to his culture and community. He is obliged to Gods and sages. And he is obliged to nature at large. So he spends his entire life repaying his debts. This is dharma. If done dutifully without expectations, he can liberate himself from all debts. This is moksha. If done half-heartedly or conditionally, he entraps himself in the web of karma and is reborn once again carrying the burden of debt. There is no escape from the karmic cycle until all debts are repaid and close our accounts here.

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Joy, Fear & Excitement of Motherhood

On 15th Aug 2017, I found that I'm going to be a mother. It was Janamashtmi and as soon as I broke this news out mine & PD's mom started dancing and crying in happiness. God has showered his biggest blessing on me and we both are so overhelmed with a joy and started the journey of parenthood. We checked on good doctors, hospitals, location, treatment and medicines. Listening bhajans, reading and listening Bhagvad Gita and having right diet at right intervals became my daily habit. I just want to do best possible I can for well being of my baby. I'm collecting names and studying about everything on internet to get well informed and prepared before my 'Naanku' actually comes out (yes, we already decided on nick name :) . Baby shower preparation and then actual day when I took long leave from office and landed to Delhi, everything is just so different feeling and experience I'm going through. I'm waiting now for my baby to come out on either on 10th or 18th Apr 2018. All the people, my family, friends and relatives are so nice to me during this phase of my life and giving me ample rest but still I'm little scared on how things will turn out at last moment. Also, I'm equally excited about how my bundle of joy will look like and waiting to hold him/her in my hand for the first time. Indeed its going to be a BIG full time job now!

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