Srishti Kumari

Tag: Everyday Life

  • Relaxed Evenings Feel Beautiful

    Try it once

    Photo by Reggi Renaldi on Unsplash

    You know, I have never been an evening person. I mean evenings were, and they have been just a small phase of a few hours, big in summers and too small in winters, to just come and go. At least for me, this was the case.

    Yes, I used to go for my walks; I used to go out to the terrace to see sunsets a few times, and sometimes just to take really long walks to clear my head after my evening tea. Yeah, gladly, walking used to be there, and I have truly enjoyed those evenings. Only I know how much those 1-2 hours have saved me for days, weeks, and months to keep my sanity intact. It was simple. Evening meant evening walks. And I eagerly used to look forward to my evenings.

    Something changed recently. Now I have a treadmill indoors, and since monkeys come uninvited on the terrace anytime, I started walking indoors on the treadmill. And I must say I enjoyed that as well. But, something started feeling off. I didn’t fully get it initially, but now I think I have an answer to that.

    See, when I used to go for my evening walks on my terrace, it was an outdoor activity. The sunset, the colourful sky, then a bit darker sky, almost the whole city view from the terrace, the trees, the farmlands, twinkling stars, breezy air, and the freedom to move more freely and flexibly as I liked. Some days I used to put my headphones on and listen to whatever I wanted, and some days I was more interested in listening to the chirping of birds and noises coming from the nearby highway. I was not only walking but also spending my time outdoors, in the nature I am surrounded by. And honestly, that felt great.

    Walking on a treadmill is nice. It’s great for low-intensity cardio and overall fat loss. But sometimes I feel bored. Watching podcasts while walking on a treadmill is fine. I do that. And it’s a great way to move my body indoors. And honestly, it’s the least I can do, especially when I am not exercising or working out much.

    So yeah, I think I need to work on my relationship with my treadmill walks and my exercises a bit more intentionally.

    But you know, a few days back, something made my evenings a little happier and more relaxed. A few days back, I was just not feeling good enough to get on my treadmill. Not even for a slow 1 km walk. I was also feeling a bit low emotionally and wanted to feel relaxed, fresh, and relieved somehow.

    Didn’t have any plans or an idea what to do. So, just randomly, I thought of having a quick shower to just feel a bit fresher and healthier. It was around 5 or 5:30 pm. I took a quick shower, put on my clothes, and decided to have my evening tea on my balcony. I went to the kitchen, made my cup of tea, grabbed a few biscuits, took my cell phone, and sat peacefully on my balcony.

    You know, something instantly changed. I swear! I sat there, watched the beautiful sunset, and gazed at all the trees, plants, fields, and farms. Felt the evening wind, saw my neighbourhood birds after many days, and happily soaked in all the good vibes nature and the universe were sending to me. And then I realised what was missing in my evenings.

    My evenings used to have nature, sky, sunsets, birds, evening winds, and the outdoor atmosphere every single day, at least during spring and summer. Yes, I arranged my walks inside, but evenings have their essence outside.

    That evening I decided that my indoor walks would be followed by a quick shower and a relaxed sitting on my balcony. The outdoor, feel-good evening vibes I feel on my balcony are not possible in the closed hall where our treadmill is placed.

    Despite all the hotness and grumpiness summer brings with it, I am still happy for the evenings it has brought me. Not very hot, not at all cold, just a bit relaxed, and relieved after a tough day, to remind us to pause and relax a bit as well.

    I am glad I met these summer evenings, this time, a bit differently.

    What about you? How’s summer treating you?

  • Morning Video Calls

    A love language I didn’t know of earlier

    Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

    It’s been a few days. Yeah, only a few days since I started talking to my parents over video call in the mornings. Actually, early mornings. And usually, I am waking them up through this early morning video call, to which they respond very sweetly.

    Their smile, sometimes their laughter, and a bit of “good morning and have a nice day talk” between us sets a very healthy, loving, and peaceful tone for the fresh new day to unfold and bless us.

    I didn’t plan or think of doing any such thing before. And today I think, why didn’t I? Because it is so amazing and so full of love. You know, I feel it is a priceless blessing of life to have and live moments like these.

    Just imagine for a second that you are living with your partner in another state, and maybe now you won’t live with your parents like before, never again, but you are blessed enough to talk to them every day and see them every single day virtually (thanks, Internet!). It is a priceless blessing. I feel it honestly. And now that I am almost 30 and married, I feel it even more.

    Sometimes, happiness is so simple yet so priceless. Yeah, the classic happiness thing! Simple and priceless!

    My friend, talk to your parents often. If possible, then every day. And if you can, then even twice a day!

    No one will be here forever. No one!

  • Show Up

    Because You Need To

    Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

    Sometimes, you only need to show up. Yes, that’s it. Just show up. Show up, because you owe that to yourself. No matter when your day starts and when it ends, show up for that one thing, for at least that one hour you need to.

    Many times, we don’t need inspiration or motivation, but momentum – the one thing that makes you sit and do your work, and get it done without thinking much about your relevance in this universe. Yep, it’s true!

    And I have started quietly loving this version of mine (very recent though), and my loved ones, where they have such clarity of their goals that whatever happens throughout the day, including the emotional ups and downs, they show up. They just show up when they are required to without any fuss.

    You want to read more? Read a few pages, or just a single page every day from any book you want to read and explore. Just one page every day. I’m pretty sure you have that much time.

    You want to write more? Do you feel like you have nothing to write when you sit in front of your laptop? Fine. Start with how your day has been so far. Just start it. Scribble the story, and finish your rough draft. Now you have a draft ready to edit and publish later.

    I know, you have 100s of ideas, headlines, storylines, and content pieces saved in your Google Docs, in your Notes, in your LinkedIn and Instagram saves, and in your Medium and Substack reading list. Oh, and the one in your private WhatsApp chat (with yourself)!

    My dear writing friend, I know you have all of these, and you still wait for inspiration. You need action. Just start scribbling that one blog piece, and the story will come to you. Show up for the sake of your sanity. Please!

    Has health gone downhill? Want to be fitter and more confident? Then show up. Move your body. Outdoor walk, indoor walk, walk on treadmill, deep breathing exercises, basic beginner-level cardio & strength training, dance workout – do anything in the world you can do.

    Just do it. Do it at least for half an hour 4 times a week. It won’t give you a celebrity-like figure, but it will break your inertia, your initial resistance, your lifelong wait for motivation, and you will finally feel the process happening through you.

    When a few pages read every day brings you to page no 300 in a 400-page book, or when even 30 minutes of everyday walk builds your discipline and mental strength to keep going on in this journey ahead within a month, then you actively start to focus on the momentum, not motivation.

    Yes, motivation is important. But choosing to do the things that move the needle, that’s a game-changer. And I can say this from my experience that sometimes doing less is more – just make sure that you show up for the things that get you into the flow you need to be in.

    Inspirational content is superb to watch, but small changes made every day, out of clarity and intention, can inspire like a dozen motivational talks can never.

    I hope you got my point.

    Note: This piece was originally written for my LinkedIn post, but it exceeded the character limit, as you can see, so I edited and shortened my LinkedIn post a bit, and this is the original version.

    I hope you found it useful.

  • Why Insecurity Creeps In?

    Is it because I am not one hundred percent secure yet?

    Photo by Anna Keibalo on Unsplash

    I don’t know what the reason is behind it exactly, but this is something I think is true. After all, it is a reflection of my inner world. I can’t deny that.

    After a lot of shortcomings, complexes, and challenges, we finally admit that we need to accept ourselves as who we are and leveling up ourselves can only be fulfilling when it happens from the place of self-love instead of self-pity and hatred.

    We acknowledge our limitations. We accept our flaws. And we work on ourselves so that our today’s actions make our tomorrow more accomplished and fulfilling. This long yet rewarding process demands from us one thing, and that is – a deep sense of security within.

    A deep sense of security that comes from an unshakeable faith that no matter what, you will achieve and live your dreams for sure, and the universe is working in your favour.

    But insecurity appears and stares us in so many subtle forms that you wonder if you are doing enough inner work.

    Becoming a zen monk is not my life goal yet, but becoming the person who is so secure within that external insecurities can’t affect her even for a second is one of my goals for sure. And my heart says that it is possible, it is doable.

    How? I don’t know the step-by-step method today. But one thing I know for sure is that my sense of security comes from my inner confidence, my confidence comes from taking aligned actions and showing up with a lot of love and respect towards my goals, and my actions come from my intentions, my mindset, and my beliefs.

    So, taking a bit closer look at my beliefs, my mindset, my intentions, and my actions in my everyday life can maybe take me closer to the roots of my insecurities that sometimes pop up out of the blue and make me feel uncomfortable. And I can focus more on those beliefs, mindsets, and actions that boost my sense of security deep within over a long period of time.

    The key is a bit of reflection here.

    It’s about inner work.

  • I Enjoy The Passenger Seat

    Right next to my partner

    Photo by Wendell Fernandes on Unsplash

    I can view, gaze, stare, hummm, sing, talk ( with the constant reminder from him to keep my mouth shut so he can focus on driving….and blah blah), and sleep as well. What a privilege!

    Really, what a privilege it is to be someone’s passenger princess and sit comfortably right (actually left!) beside your partner, who is taking care of everything. Literally everything!

    The GPS, the route, the road, the bumps, the traffic, the twists and turns, and oh my god…the important calls in between, along with pretending his best that he is absolutely fine, absolutely zen with me being me – the forever wonderful me!

    Thank you, God! Thanks for this blessing.

    I know driving is an important skill. And I have to learn it as well. It is very important and, in a way, empowering to drive your way on the roads, and in life.

    In life, it’s pretty much 50-50. I think of the destination, and the universe shows me the path ahead. I stick to my north compass; the universe takes care of the twists and turns.

    But on the roads in this three-dimensional world, right now, it’s 100 percent, my driver(you know who, right?). And I am enjoying it fully.

    Till the day I finally learn to drive, happy driving to him, and happy living, gazing, viewing, staring, and talking to me!

    Take care, folks.

    And don’t miss out on being the passenger princes, or prince if you get the chance to be one!