Another year draws to a close. Are you ending it with a sense of satisfaction at achieving/surpassing tasks that you set for yourself? Or were you way off the mark & gave up even before you started? Accomplishment or guilt is often the mood at the end of the year accompanied by renewed commitment to erase the unfulfilled & revise the agenda.
Though any time is a good time to invest in self-development, the New Year often seems like a logical starting point. The Print, electronic & social media are abuzz with reviews of the year gone by, the top ten hits & misses of the year; while at the same time wooing the audience with health & fitness plans, & an array of self-development programs.
I wanted to add my own, hoping that my small reader-base will find something of value & add to their Wellness quotient.
Set yourself 3 Self Development goals –one each for the, Body, Mind & Soul.
Most people set Body Goals- weight loss or gain, walks & workouts, diets &
de-tox programs, image makeovers etc. This is good for the simple reason that they are SMART-Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic& has a Time frame. Also Body Image gives a real boost socially & this energizes the individual like no other.
What can one do to set Goals for the Mind?
It is important for every one of us to find & use our Signature Strengths. Martin Seligman, the proponent of this, lists about 24 signature strengths that fall in 6 categories.
In simple terms Signature strengths are the things we like doing & are good at. These are things you do for pure simple personal pleasure or if you are lucky translate that into a professional pursuit as well. For eg: I love learning; it excites me. Learning, may be a new recipe I try, or a skill I may learn like swimming, or a Ted talk I would watch or a MOOC course I sign up for, anything at all that adds a tiny new dimension to my personality.
For you it may be some form of creative expression Cooking, Sketching, Gardening, Music, Writing, Theatre & a whole lot more.
I know of people around me who love the whole process of baking. I have not seen most of them eat a piece of what they bake, but enjoy sharing the same with loved ones & experience sheer joy watching them devour the same. My mother-in law, all of 80 years, loves making hand made dolls that she displays for Navarathri in an artistic manner with creative new themes. What seems like a tiresome chore for me serves as a pick–me –up tonic for her, forgetting all her aches & pains .She revels in the appreciation of her efforts by others.
Another 80 year old who is the personification of Positivity nurtures her garden with tons of love & care, growing everything from Plantains & pumpkins to cotton & chrysanthemums. She potters around in her garden for hours, cleaning, composting & chatting with her plants, reaping rich rewards for body, mind & soul.
Get a peek into it below.
Her granddaughter has a penchant for patterns; she creates the most intricate of patterns with absolute symmetry and a mesmerizing overlap of forms &color that is fascinating. Find the kaleidoscopic like pattern drawn with precision , jumping out at you as you focus on each color.
Another lady has suddenly discovered her passion for Rangolis& comes up with the most compelling creations that are a divine combination of math, art, color& poetry. Find a sample below & for more of that,look up her page Lotus Shakti on FB .
Draw a padikolam in white and red
Last night in a message she said!
Her words seemed like from Andal
My dearest Kolam friend Subathra!
So I drew a pure prayer as a Nonbu
To feel free of all the negativity
Burning the bad like cotton on fire
And wishing for Divinity
Find a sample below & for more of that,look up her page Lotus Shakti on FB .
I am sure you are thinking of a lot more to add to this list. Do let me know. Engaging in this is engrossing, liberating & uplifting. So much of this is lost, because we are absorbed in our mundane routines, pursuing high-pressure careers or thankless domestic chores.
Make time for this energizing pursuit that de-clutters the mind, leading you to new areas of personal & professional explorations & building ones self-worth multifold.
As for the Soul Goals, Sharing one’s time, resources & expertise in my opinion is by far the most sublime experience. Community participation, volunteering, knowledge sharing in simple ways can enrich lives. The skill may be a simple one by our standards but will make a huge difference in the lives of another. I came across this & I am hoping to make a tentative start. Tentative because I want to see if I can do this & still maintain the fine balance between juggling so many activities. The Magic Lantern requires people to enlist as volunteers by teaching English or Life skills. You may contact NandittaKapoor at 9342410602 or nandittak@yahoo.com Small steps will surely add up.
Do identify /discover your inherent strengths & experience a new high this coming year. I believe this will definitely make for a Happy New Year. You can reach me at vijayashri@cpcw.org.in