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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Social Media

This is an era of internet and we all are part of it but does everyone know that when you connect with billions and trillions of people at just a click away it is giving you power to express and voice over or pen down your feelings to the world. But I have seen sometimes when we criticize something or some behavior or person online having one thought in mind to disgrace it then actually it is showing that we are insecure and don't have control or power of how to deal with that situation or problem in person. Today there are not many stringent laws against cyber crime but it is actually a crime if you make someone NAKED on internet and it becomes viral just for the fun. We need to be very sensitive about our opinions and feedback as it will affect many and trust me it will only lead you to trouble.

Here, All I meant to say that social media and networking is power to connect, share and grow.
Do not use it for vomit out your frustrations. We need to be ethical in commenting which should not hurt anyone personal choices and demean in any way. After few years the things which we posting online is going to be repository for our future generation wherein they will see how we used to react when they will read about us and our civilization time. I do not want to portray myself as negative body then and be considered as someone who seeks help from some consultant or lawyer.

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This is ME.. On International Women's Day

I may be the ‘saree’ kind or the ‘skirt’ kind

But I wear my heart on my sleeve

I may be the ‘homemaker’ type or the ‘breadwinner’ type

But I ‘labour’ through my day and night

I may be the ‘yes to all’ sort or the ‘no to all’ sort

But I end up doing everything that needs to get done

I may be the ‘Calvin Klein’ shopper or the ‘Nirali’ shopper

But there are people I value higher than my purchases

I may be the ‘masterchef’ breed or the ‘dial-a-pizza’ breed

But I believe that good thoughts provide true nourishment

I may be the ‘fair skin’ make or the ‘wheatish complexion’ make

But my ethics are much beyond than skin-deep

Don’t judge me..don’t jacket me..

I am a little girl each time I cry myself to sleep..

I am a daughter each time I move away from my parents..

I am a sister each time I provide the much needed advice..

I am a wife each time I save the last bite of the chocolate..

I am a mother each time I clean up the mess that someone else creates..

But you will need the woman in me..
In every smile and every mile…
In every tear and every cheer...!!!

Cheers to Womanhood!

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Like , for me , happiness is..

On a lazy Sunday , I watch a Hrithik`s flick on TV , eat a full lunch , and watch another Aamir Khan movie.

When ma asks me to take a bath and I put my arm around her shoulders and say "Chill , ma.Do dinn hee to hue hai."

When I say stupid things to someone who would not think "Huh? Isko problem kya hai?."

Taking sun bath in my balcony on a December morning and eat nuts reading newspaper.

Talking to someone who understands me , and accepts me even when I am all boring .

Shopping with mom , and chitchatting with friends on phone for hours.

Caring for someone I want to care for.

Meeting a bunch of friends over a couple of huge pizzas and crack pathetic jokes about our college professors and discussing why girls marry for the length.

Simply, all this means, Happiness is just , being me .

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Why to settle down abroad ??

No, there's nothing with India neither I am ashamed of being an Indian. It's the people here who sometimes become the driving force and make me hate my own country so much so that I end up drawing comparisons with countries abroad and even look for options to move one to those better off cities.Talk of economy, lifestyle, culture, people, mindsets and many other factors, most countries in the West give a tough competition to India. Well, though my list of reasons why I would prefer staying abroad goes beyond these basic reasons and logic  as a free spirited woman, I look for more. Here's what attempts me to settle outside of India.

1. Unlike India, you can live abroad without any fear of being judged all the time. Precisely no one has to time to be judgmental about others and would rather focus on their lives.

2. You can be rest assured about your choice of wardrobe for it won't be the hottest topic of gossip whereas Indians love to make passes at almost everything you wear.

3. You really need not worry that you are committing a sin if you are hanging out with a guy. It's just normal. People abroad don't have the time to scrutinize whether you are in a serious relationship with them or just enjoying a casual fling.

4. There is no rule book you need to follow with regards to your lifestyle and basic conduct. 

5. You can roam freely on the streets of Vegas of Sydney without the constant fear of getting raped by some sick mentality men. Owe it to the strict security and safety measures of people's mindset, cities outside India are much safer in this regard.

6. There is no set rule book that you have to abide by if you a girl. No one dictates the job you should take, clothes you should wear, time you should be back home etc.

7. Driving can be enjoyed as a true passion for people behave like humans while on roads unlike India where lane driving apparently is considered to be the most insane thing to do.

8. No corporate houses or companies would ever disturb you over the weekends. Once the working week is over, you can very conveniently switch off your mobile phones and be at peace.

9. Sex is definitely a 'natural' phenomenon, even if happens before marriage. You won't be looked down upon as a whore if you indulge in sex with someone.

10. Respect comes your way without even you asking for it. It has certainly not got anything to do with your bank balance, status in the society or professional power.

11. Power of money is not misused like the way Indians would love. Abiding by law is a much easier choice abroad than bribing the cops all the time.

12. Staying single at 30 is not a crime. Marriage is not considered as a business transaction and you are free to decide when it's time for you to tie the knot. No parental or societal pressure can force you to get married.

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World`s Great Cook - My Momaa

As they say, “Mother food is real feast”! What better way to have your favourite home-cooked recipes prepared by mom and share mine delicious pin with all. Here, I go - KHANDVI

                                              You are the best Cook & I`m loving it :)

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Investor`s Choice

Investors prefer to see in a company before they get excited enough to write a cheque -

1. Seasoning. They’re looking for more experienced, older entrepreneurs who've “been there, done that.” The time of investing in the 19-year-old kid who’s a tech genius isn’t necessarily gone, but the kid had better be able to find an older, seasoned executive to join their team.

2. Customers. Rather than putting the emphasis on the team or the revenue numbers, there seemed to be a new emphasis on the customer:

• What compels them to buy this product or service?
• What problems does this product or service solve? Why is it better than the alternatives?
• Why is it worth the price?
• Does it compel you to tell others about your experience?
• Are your customers asking if they can invest in your company?

3. Team. The team is still an important part of the equation, but the entrepreneur is just as important. Here’s what the investors are looking for in both:

• Passion. The entrepreneur must demonstrate a contagious excitement about their vision for the company.
• Tenacity. The entrepreneur must prove they have the stamina and willpower to stay with their vision through thick and thin.
• Flexibility. The entrepreneur must be willing to reevaluate and refocus their plans when things don’t work out as anticipated.
• Commitment. The entrepreneur must be willing to invest enough of their own money into this project to convince investors they are serious.
• Teamwork. The entrepreneur’s team must prove it can work effectively together.
• Coachability. The entrepreneur and the team must be coachable. No team knows everything they need to know to succeed.
• Knowledge. Investors prefer to back teams that really know their market and have a combined background that is rich and impressive in the niche for which the company is engaged.

4. Opportunity. Investors want big ideas, those that can change the world. Ideas that change our behavior, culture or way of thinking. Ideas that can build $100-million-size companies. Anything less is too speculative. The risks of investing in a company are so great—and the chances of a reward so small—that investors can’t afford to bet on opportunities that won’t surely have huge payoffs. And one of the biggest problems when addressing opportunity is, “Am I too early?” Investing in a huge opportunity five years before the market will recognize and embrace it is a very frustrating thing. Not only will you lose your investment, you’ll have to suffer the extreme frustration of watching someone else make a lot of money on the foundation you helped build.

5. Business model. Will the numbers map out? In other words, once someone takes a sharp pencil and starts tracing where every revenue dollar comes from and then seriously challenges every expense it’ll take to generate that revenue dollar, will you have

• a profitable model?
• a repeatable model?
• an expandable model?
• a predictable model?
• a defensible model?

Many entrepreneurs fail because they don’t know how to do this type of exercise with a “real world” view.

So how do you and your company match up? If you were honest and found areas where you were lacking, please find someone who can help you fix your problems before you approach anyone to invest. Your extra investment of time will significantly improve your chances for funding.

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