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!
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.
Okay, let’s admit it. There is no shame in talking about it. We all have felt it, gone through it, disliked it, and yet we can’t help but go through it occasionally.
The question is, despite making all the efforts in our capacity to live a healthy life, why don’t we get the satisfaction we deserve every morning? The satisfaction, the lightness, and the relief we deserve every morning anyhow get disrupted.
Sometimes it’s because of poor hydration, sometimes the KFC burger is the culprit, sometimes it could be our favorite momo, sometimes it’s our poor sleep cycle, and sometimes it’s the heavy dosage of medicines doing something there with our intestines.
And you hopefully wait to pass this, too. Yes, it feels terrible. But maybe it’s your body’s way to constantly remind you to take very good care of your everyday hydration, nutrition, movement, and rest.
Hopefully, my medications will soon stop, and I can see the changes I want to see very soon. The worst feeling of constipation is that it constantly makes you feel stuck somewhere in your body. And for me, that blockage feeling is itself very bad.
Really blessed are those who don’t know what it feels like to be constipated. I know a few of those kinds of people in my family. And honestly, I am truly happy for them. After all, starting your day on a healthier and lighter note is a great thing, right?
Really, walking outdoors is fun. It’s actually great. And if the weather outside is amazing, then one should take full advantage of it.
Yesterday evening, after many days, in fact months, I went on the terrace for my evening walk. The weather was great. The air was a bit breezy. And I had a good half an hour walk.
I enjoyed my walk a lot more than I usually enjoy my regular treadmill walks indoors. And the difference was really something big. I could feel my whole body moving differently and a bit more freely compared to my straight standing posture on the treadmill.
Sure, I do enjoy my treadmill walks, and I have been continuously walking on a treadmill for the past two months or so, almost every day. It’s great. It helps me to have the proper sweaty walk and great cardio. But the outdoors is also fun.
And I have decided that now winter has almost ended, so I am going to have a mix of both types of walk in my everyday life. I think it’s going to be more interesting, fun, and beautiful.
I am excited for my outdoor walks. What about you? Don’t wait too much. Spring is in its full charm right now. Go, have a walk outside. It’s good for your health and longevity. Don’t think too much now. Just put on those shoes and go. You will enjoy it.
I know it sounds different from what you have heard, but I genuinely think about this sometimes.
People say that time is the greatest healer. That time heals everything. But, is it really so? Does time really heal everything? Today, I feel it’s not the complete truth. I feel it’s not only about time, but it’s more about us. It’s more about us with time.
Time can only heal us if we are ready to accept in the first place that we are wounded and we need to heal our wounds. That we can’t carry the trauma of our past wounds to our future selves.
The acknowledgement of pain, the acceptance of prolonged sadness, and the decision to break the vicious cycle of ruminating over our past, coupled with a good amount of time, surely can heal us. Time alone can’t do much, I feel. The onus is also on us. On you and me.
I have seen people in their thirties and forties having grudges against their parents. Yes, their emotions can be valid. But for how long are we adults going to behave like giant children and complain about all the bad and terrible experiences we have had with our parents and in our families? For how long? Till the 50s? Till the 60s? Till the 70s? or till 100? Because time alone won’t heal us unless we are ready to forgive and let go of the baggage we have been carrying for years.
We are not going to become the enlightened ones in our 60s or 70s one day. No, it’s not gonna happen. I have seen even people in their late sixties who still have a few unresolved fights in their hearts with their late parents, and somehow, they never got the chance to heal themselves.
It’s unfortunate, but true! Are we going to repeat the same cycle? Or will we break this cycle? The decision is ours. Sure, time is with us today to help us. But we can’t get away without doing our part.
We have to take the responsibility to heal ourselves. Time can only help us a lot, not heal us on its own.
Well, this is what I think sometimes. What do you think?
Srishti Kumari 