Dikshi Gupta

Celebrate Small Joys in Life

August 17, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

Is your definition of ‘Celebration’ restricted to that perfect moment? Most of us celebrate upon achieving some milestones in our life like promotion, marriage, buying a new house/ car, becoming parents, etc. But what about the small joys and simple pleasures? They are around us, but to enjoy them, be open to noticing them. We live in a world of tremendous competition, where everyone is rushing to accomplish something. While we are wrapped up in the normalcy of our daily lives, we overlook the simple joys.

We worry and crib about so many things, which shoots up our stress levels that we seldom think of these little joys that we should be thankful for. To combat this stress and anxiety, try to shift your focus to notice and rejoice the small bits of happiness, for they add richness and depth to existence and do wonders for your mood. These are usually unplanned, sometimes unexpected, and some of the sweetest parts of life.

Ever wondered what if the sun stops shining? Without the sun, life would cease. One of the biggest mistakes we commit is to take these little things for granted, e.g., our toes. A small thorn in our toe can make the entire body feel the pain and suffer. Celebrate because you still have the sun shining, celebrate because you have toes, celebrate because you have a roof over your head. Celebrate these small joys instead of occasions.

Often, we wait for something significant to happen and let the tiny sparks of happiness fade away. Instead of waiting for happiness to find you, create Joy and Happiness for you. Look for things that make you smile. There are plenty of little things in our daily routine, no less than a celebration, that can make us excited and joyful-

Pet Friendly Joy — Joyful friends with pet

Playing with a child and enjoying their laughter.
Finding money in a cloth worn after a long time
Making your favorite dish/ eating healthy
Inviting friends over dinner for no reason
Spending leisure time in a hammock
Getting a compliment from someone unexpectedly
Sound of birds chirping/ the smell of rain
Waking up mid-night and realizing that you still have time to sleep
Sunshine on a cold day/ breeze on a hot day
Witnessing/ Performing an act of kindness
An unexpected day off
Getting animal Love and Compassion

Make a list of things you are thankful for and revisit it daily to remind yourself of all the incredible things and people you have in your life. Do not take things for granted. Embrace, acknowledge, and celebrate simple joys amidst the chaos. Life happens around us while we wait for the big things hoping they will give us inner peace or happiness. Enjoy the simple pleasures and be joyful, for one day you may turn back and realize that those were the things that mattered. Try to continually appreciate little things and see how the magic unfolds for you. Lastly, stop worrying because when you do so, happiness comes your way.

Start watering the seeds of Joy within you through our app JoyScore, a self-guided, self-development platform that promises to elevate joy. Join us and experience your life getting crowded with unexpected delights.

Disconnect to Connect- Social Media Detoxification

August 8, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

Do you try to reach out for your phone to check the notifications as soon as you wake up? When you go out for a vacation, are you more concerned about capturing that one perfect picture for Instagram than enjoying it? Do you check your phone just before you are off to sleep? If your answer to these questions is Yes, Social Media Detoxification is something you should probably consider.

Social Media Detoxification is about taking some time off and refraining from using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Youtube, etc. You must have heard “Offline is a new luxury,” which implies that one should spend less time aimlessly scrolling through the feed of their social media accounts and more time on living.

Initially, social media intended to help people stay connected with their geographically dispersed friends and relatives, communicate with like-minded people or similar interests. It is a medium for self-expression, or to satisfy our curiosity. Studies have revealed that, on average, users tend to spend over 4 hours per day and over five years in their lifetime on social media.

It has certain corrosive qualities like- creates an artificial need to be available 24/7, may push you to go to extremes to chase the highest number of likes. Excessive use of social media can lead to addiction and cause a feeling of envy, which turns friendship into rivalry, and grudges and makes us feel dissatisfied with ourselves and others. It also decreases productivity, reduces sleep quality, strains eyes & causes vision problems, and migraine headaches. Social Media Detox demands turning off notifications, unfollowing people who disturb your peace, leaving uninspiring groups, uninstalling apps, minimizing per day usage, un-tagging unwanted photos, and remind yourself that social media is not reality.

Signals that you might need a Social Media Detox-

You feel anxious if you are unable to find your phone.
Your subconscious mind is preoccupied with the count of likes/comments on your posts.
You experience FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) if you do not keep checking your device.
You feel envy, depressed, or angry after spending time on social media.
You often stay up late or get up early to play on your phone.
You face trouble concentrating on one thing without having to check your phone.

Benefits of a Social Media Detox-

Social Media set out to connect people, have slowly started to tear those people apart. It keeps you glued to the screen and makes your brain addicted. Just like detoxification of your body flushes out the toxins, Social media detox flushes out your negative emotions, goals. There is a recent trend of people consciously reducing their social media use because of the following benefits:

Clears your mind-

Social Media Detox offers you a chance to clear your mind by removing the informational junk, which takes a toll on our tranquility and emotional well-being. Taking a break from social media gives you a chance to take a step back and re-evaluate what is of prime importance in your life and how you can better use your time and mental space.

More free time at your disposal-

Do you lack enough time to exercise, pursue your hobby, or clean your house? Pausing social media will help you gain almost 2-3 hours daily, which you can utilize towards improving your life. You can spend more time in person with people you care about than staying virtually-connected.

Less anxiety-

When you get rid of your mental clutter, you no longer fall prey to the worry of what makes the headlines, feeds, or trends on social media. With enough time, you will feel more positive since social media tends to exhaust our minds and make us disillusioned. It will lower your anxiety significantly over a period.

Conquer your fear of missing out (FOMO)-

One thing that stops us from social media detox is, ‘how will I know what is going on?’ Constant connectivity pops out the naturally ingrained fear of missing out on the experiences that others are having. Notifications make it even harder to stay away from constantly checking your phone out of fear that you are going to miss a relevant text or post. Detoxing is one way to set limits and reduce your fear of missing out.

Better sleep and refreshed mornings-

Immersing yourself in social media before bedtime causes insomnia and affects the quality of your sleep. Devoting less time on social media means more of everything else and improves your sleep, which in-turn energizes you. When you choose to avoid such distractions of opening a social media app after waking up, you get time to act on reading news and practice morning meditation instead of scrolling the feed.

Breaks the social comparison cycle-

We struggle with insecurity because we tend to compare our real life with other’s selectively curated life we see on social media and question our accomplishments, self-esteem, appearance, and even personality traits. Comparison and self-doubt are a thief of joy and make you believe that your life is less exciting than theirs, it becomes hard to be content, and our happiness takes a nosedive. E.g., if your peer’s work requires them to travel to various countries, but your job does not offer such an opportunity, you might feel job dissatisfaction. Our emotional responses to such posts can be strong enough to overpower our sense of logic completely. Knock off this unhealthy cycle to reconnect with the awesome things in your life.

Respect your privacy-

Whatever you do need not be seen or heard. Social media requires us to give up a lot of our privacy. You give access to your photos, contacts, location to these apps. Detoxing includes deleting these apps to facilitate you with privacy protection.

More mindfulness-

When you push yourself away from social media for a while, you will notice how mindful you become as your device usage will start bothering you. You will realize how much precious time it took away from your life, and you will no longer be a zombie scrolling through feeds and moving from one app to another.

Stops competition-

Reactions and comments measure how popular a post is, which can make you strive to outdo others. Such competitiveness is not healthy and can cause anxiety and depression. Withdraw from such competitiveness and attain peace of mind.

Improve your overall mood-

If you feel anxious, stressed out, or depressed, this is the right time to take a social media detox. It might feel weird, but your overall mood begins to improve as you stay away from these sites.

Reconnect with offline social interactions-

Have you noticed yourself connecting well with others online but find it challenging to develop a connection in person? People spending too much time on social media sites feel lonely and isolated in real life. In a world of hashtags and followers, understand the real importance of human connection, and don’t let social media pull us away from face-to-face interactions. Detoxing gives you a chance to meet, interact, and make yourselves comfortable to connect in real life.

Live in the moment-

Do you post every activity you do or every event happening in your life on social media? Some people live their life through the lens of social media without directly interacting with it. E.g., People posting pictures on the same day of their marriage, which takes you out of the moment, does not let you enjoy it and makes your experiences less memorable. Detoxing helps you to be there in the moment and appreciate it.

Better work-life balance–

Constant connectivity makes it difficult to create boundaries between your personal and work life. Even at home or on vacation, it tempts you to check your email, respond to a text from a colleague, or check in on your social media accounts. The use of these apps can create a feeling of being overburdened with work. Unplugging social media may help you establish a better work-life balance.

Steps to Unhook from Social Media and Connect with Life Again

Social Media detox need not be permanent. It should be long enough to rewire your brain and take you out of this endless cycle.

Tell people-

Inform your closed ones that you are on a detox, and you will be offline for a while. Ask for their support to call out if you are back within a few days and help you stick to it.

Identify most-used apps-

Download an app that helps you break down how much screen time you are spending on specific apps.

Set time limits on your apps.

If you face difficulty in unplugging completely, despite it hampering your productivity, consider an app to set up blocks of time and enable a Locked Mode, which would not allow you to access or cancel those limits.

Delete the apps and block the websites-

Deactivate your accounts or uninstall social media apps from your phone, as keeping them would hinder your success because notifications play a crucial role in addiction. Restrict access to social media websites on your laptops/ computers. If you are still struggling, ask a trusted family member/ friend to change the passwords of your accounts, and share them with you after your detox.

Plan your detox period-

Find ways to stay distracted during your detox to fill that void of extra time in hand; otherwise, you will claw your way back. Try to replace this habit with some non-technology habits like reading, spending time with loved ones, learning something new (language, hobby, skill), writing, exercising, practicing yoga & meditation, travel. Try to go out with friends or go for a walk when you are enticed to use your device.

Give your phone a bedtime-

Make a schedule that after 9 pm, your phone goes into its charging station preferably out of your arm’s reach. The less access you have, the less likely you are to explore social media.

Get an alarm clock-

Put an end to using your phone as your alarm clock. Start your day with a focus on intention (What do you want to accomplish?) while should end it with reflection (How did today go? How can tomorrow be better?). When your phone is in your hands as you wake up, you are likely to go straight to scrolling.

Reward yourself-

You can also reward yourself for getting the focused work done. E.g., work for 1 hour with focus and get 5 minutes of online stuff as a reward. Be sure not to take your bonus without doing the work first.

Life can be ugly and depressing at times, but none would want their social media accounts to reflect this aspect. What we see is crafted and selected. So, do not allow this selective expression to take away your life satisfaction. Whenever you feel virtually oversaturated, follow Social Media Detox to lead a calmer and simpler life. Life happens between social media scrolls and your self-doubt. So, post less, do more, compare less, reflect more, discuss less, accomplish more. Let us pause temporarily and go for a reality check.

Are you ready to take the much-needed break to be alone with your thoughts and loved ones to rejuvenate? Are you prepared to unplug to unwind?

Eating Habits that Improves Nutrition and Nurtures Healthy Living

August 3, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

Proper nutrition is one of the most cardinal things for one’s health. If you want to feel happy and content with who you are, or to look slim and attractive, despite your age, start with changing unhealthy eating habits to healthy ones. Though most of our eating habits develop in childhood, it is never too late to change them. Making sudden changes or restrictions (Diet) in eating habits can lead to weight loss in the short term but is not a healthy idea of reducing your weight and would not be successful in the long run. To ensure healthy living, you need not eat less, but eat right.

Therefore, one should gradually improve eating habits through a thoughtful approach as follows-

REFLECT on your eating habits, both bad and good; and, your common triggers for unhealthy eating.

Create a list of everything you eat and at what time of the day to uncover your habits. E.g., you might discover that you crave for a sweet after the meal.
Highlight the habits that may lead you to overeat like eating too fast, eating when not hungry, eating while standing (may lead to eating mindlessly), Skipping meals.
Review the unhealthy habits highlighted and identify the triggers that let you engage in those habits. These may be opening the cabinet & seeing your favorite snack, watching TV at home, feeling bored/ tired/ stressed.

REPLACE unhealthy eating habits with healthier ones like slow eating if you are a fast eater, eating fruit to replace dessert, or drinking low-fat or fat-free milk, avoiding TV during meals. Try to replace stress eating with some non-eating activities like reading a book, exercising, going for a spa, or finding something other than food that helps you unload your distress.

REINFORCE or take action on your new, healthier eating habits and be patient as it takes time to develop new habits.

Studies have indicated that our eating habits connect with our mood, and certain foods can help manage emotional challenges, such as anxiety, anger, and insomnia. Also, a healthy diet can help fight depression. It is because the gut (stomach) and brain are connected. When people have chronic stress, there is a disruption in the stomach, which allows the harmful bacteria to overtake the good ones, and the communication between the gut and brain breaks down. Food can resolve this imbalance of good and bad bacteria in your stomach.

Healthy Eating-

Try to inculcate BRAIN FOODS in your diet where each letter reflects what should we consume-

B- Berries, for fiber and antioxidants.
R- Rainbow colors of fruits and vegetables, to provide a diversity of fibers and nutrients. Paint your plate with more colors to get more nutrient variation.
A- Antioxidants, to get rid of damaging compounds made in the body.
I- Include lean protein.
N- Nuts, a good source of nutrients.

F- Fiber-rich foods and Fruits and Veggies, which feed the good gut bacteria.
O- Oil (healthy) such as olive oil, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
O- Omega 3 fatty acid-rich foods, which have anti-inflammatory effects.
D- Dairy, which adds good bacteria to your gut.
S- Spices because certain spices have excellent brain benefits.

Eat less CRAP-

C- Carbonated drinks.
R- Refined Sugar.
A- Artificial Sweeteners & Colors.
P- Processed Foods.

Ways to Change your Eating Habits-

Select foods that promote your health & prevent ailment and maintain or reduces weight. Healthy eating provides the sustained energy our body needs. Below listed are some ways to make healthy changes in your eating habits:

Drink lemon water empty stomach, which is a rich source of Vitamin C and acts as a detoxifying agent and has antibacterial properties.

Eat lots of vegetables (3 or more servings a day), especially dark green vegetables and a variety of fruits (2 or more a day). It is advisable to eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. So, consider swapping your snacks for fresh fruits or fruit juice.

Do not skip or delay your meals and fix a time for your snacks. Some people skip breakfast, thinking it will help them lose weight. Others are so busy that eating often becomes a chore. Remember, if you ignore your feelings of hunger, you may give into not-so-healthy cravings eating much more than required.

Include more herbs and spices like turmeric, ginger, garlic, black pepper, etc. They have proven benefits in boosting your immunity.

Reduce refined or processed carbohydrates, eat whole-grain, high-fiber bread, and cereals. Avoid intake of carbohydrates after 7:30 pm.

Drink low-fat or fat-free milk and eat low-fat dairy products.

Reduce intake of saturated fats and choose foods that contain unsaturated fats instead, such as vegetable oils or olive oil, and avocados. Saturated fats cause blood cholesterol to increase, which enhances the risk of heart disease.

Reduce the daily intake of salt or sodium because it can raise your blood pressure and increases the chances of heart disease or a stroke. Try to avoid salt after 7:30 pm.

Restrict Junk food as it contains refined white flour, solid fats, added sugars, and are high in sodium.

Reduce or eliminate sodas and other free sugar-added drinks that are high in calories and lead to weight gain and tooth decay. Use product labels to check how much sugar the foods contain. Instead, drink 100% natural fruit juice.

Drink enough water (at least 3-4 liters) to stop you from getting dehydrated and helps in detoxification. Place a water bottle at your desk or use an app to track how much you drink. If your body craves for a sugary drink, try to drink fruit infused water.

Drink water between bites. It will help you to feel that you are full so that you do not stuff yourself. But avoid water immediately after finishing your meal as it dilutes the digestive enzymes and can lead to poor digestion and acidity.

Take a pause, chew more, and eat slowly because it helps the food break down and help you revel in the flavors, textures, and smell, which makes you appreciate food more, eat less. When we eat fast, we tend to eat more than our body wants as the brain realizes in around 20 min that your stomach is full.

Serve your snacks on a plate rather than eating from the package. It helps you control how much you eat.

Find a way to include the foods you love without overindulging, as this is part of being healthy. Do not ignore your craving, but do not go overboard while trying to sate your desire. A small piece of dessert will not impair your goal.

Save the best bite for last so that you leave your meal satisfying your craving without overindulging.

The food that you eat, in turn, affects your health. You may require to change some of your daily habits to eat healthier. But you need not change all your habits at the same time. Awareness is the start. Proceed with small changes, try to sustain them, and then build on your healthy habits. Over a period, these small changes can make a big difference in your health.

The food that you eat can be the safest and most potent form of medicine or the slowest form of poison. So, do not focus on short term diet but a long-term lifestyle change, which concentrates on making you healthier. When we begin to change our relationship to food, we change the way we live!!

Love & Compassion Towards Animals and its Impact on Our Lives

July 31, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

Do you own a pet? Did you ever have one? If not, do you love animals?

Do you know that Human beings are called Social Apes? The primary difference between a human being and an animal is that humans have a better sense of right and wrong; they can speak their hearts out. Have you ever experienced that feeling of kindness and love for animals? Love and bonding with an animal? It might either be with your pet or wild animals. When we talk about pets, people generally restrict themselves to dogs and cats, which is not true. People also tend to keep rabbits, birds, horses, turtles, fishes, etc. as pets.

In the past, animals were domesticated for specific use like dogs for tracking and house safety, and cats for killing rats. However, today, owning a pet is primarily because of bonding and love towards animals, as pets are considered a part of the family. Most of the pet owners would agree that their pets sleep in their room or their bed as well, in a few cases, at night; they celebrate their pet’s birthdays, or they grief their demise as it leaves an emptiness in their life and completes their pet’s last rites just like that of humans.

Kindness and love for animals are closely associated with the goodness of one’s character. Also, one may confidently advocate that the one who is cruel and harsh to animals cannot be a good man. Developing connection and empathy with animals is a vital part of our social development as well. One of the findings in some research is that people with pets survive longer than people with human social support alone. When we play with a pet, oxytocin, a love hormone, is released in our body and has multifold benefits. Our interactions with animals can impact physical and emotional health, and the following are some of the importance of animal compassion in human lives-

It reduces stress.
It diminishes your aggression and increases generosity.
It improves mental health by reducing loneliness, depression, and anxiety.
It increases your trust, bonding, and attachment and overall socializing skills.
It Relaxes our autonomic system, which includes blood pressure, cortisol, and epinephrine levels.
It minimizes the possibility of cardiovascular diseases and increases longevity by lowering our BP and cholesterol.
It promotes empathy and compassion in people.

Girl Sleeping with Cat — A Girl Sleeping with her Cat

However, owning a pet makes you their master but does not give you the right to abuse them. When you love animals and are kind to them, they repay that love exponentially. However, each of them has a different way of expressing it. They tend to express their affection commonly by licking, cuddling, tail-wagging, jumping in the air, offering their paws to shake hands, leaning against, and following their master. Whatever the case is, being compassionate towards animals makes you nothing but a kinder more gentle, and giving person.

Do you know why some people love animals so much?

Have you ever wondered why sometimes we love our pets more than our relatives or next-door neighbours? Does this astonish you that how two completely different species can make each other so happy? Or ever thought why should we be compassionate towards animals? It is because people disappoint and betray, but the animals will never do. A few reasons are as below-

Animals are a great companion. Dogs are often known as the best friend of a man. There is nothing comparable to the joy of coming home to see a companion who eagerly waits for you.

Pets love you unconditionally and without any expectations. They do not care if you are skinny or obese, rich or poor, black or white. All they demand is your presence, your love, your voice & touch, and nothing else.

Pets are loyal to you. In a world where humans can’t trust each other, you can blindly trust your pet as they cannot talk behind your back and never betray you.

Animals are the most supportive audience without any argument. You can always talk to them, confide in your darkest secrets with them. They are there all the time when you need them, and they ask no questions and pass no criticisms.

Pets bring you contentment. No matter how tiring or unpleasant a day you had, they will always be there to welcome you and make you feel pampered and relaxed.

Animals are divine mirrors, and the more you love them, they will reflect the same. They do not understand evil or jealousy. They also do not judge you, unlike humans.

Animals share emotions. They can laugh when you laugh, cry when you cry, and feel distressed when their master is sad.

Animals also help lonely people to discover a sense of meaning or purpose in their lives by filling a void.

Even when you do not treat your pets well, they still come to you and teach you forgiveness, love, empathy towards them, and other humans as they are increasingly becoming desensitized towards others.

Pets bring you closer to Mother Earth and let you stay connected to your roots. When we watch wild animals in their territory, it reminds us to be humble about our strength and dominance.

As they say, ‘A part of our soul remains unawakened until we have loved an animal.’ So, having a pet can be an incredibly fulfilling and rewarding experience. It comes with great responsibility and is a privilege too. It will take nothing away from you to be kind to an animal. Instead, it will give you all their love and affection. Loving animals will make you rich beyond measure, despite the few possessions or little money you have. However, love towards animals is not just restricted to household animals if you do not have an animal as a pet, you can show your love by feeding the hungry stray animals or helping the injured or sick animals by contacting animal welfare agencies to provide them shelter and treatment.

To conclude, I believe being compassionate towards animals will make more room for compassion among people, weaving more empathy, and fill us with respect, dignity, and love for others. Make sure the next time when you look into an animal’s eyes, you do not see an animal. You should see a living being, a friend, a soul, and a companion.

Types of Plank Exercises and Their Benefits

July 27, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

What is a Plank?

Are you struggling to reduce belly fat? One of the effective exercises to burn fat around the waistline is Plank. A plank is a simple exercise that works by engaging the major muscle group in the core and strengthening them along with muscles in the arms, thighs, and calves. Types of planks and their benefits are very well-known in the fitness industry. Doing a plank and holding the position for a few seconds might appear easy, but holding it for minutes takes a lot of stamina and balance. There is nothing like a good or bad workout. A bad workout is one that does not happen.

A Standard Plank is a workout where you bring your body parallel/ perpendicular to the ground, with your stomach facing the floor, elevating your torso with your hands or elbows, and your head relaxed to look down. The body should be in a straight line throughout the Plank duration, and one should perform it for at least 60 seconds and in different sets.

It is a familiar pose in many sports and yoga exercises like sun salutation, hot yoga, cardio centric yoga because it gives strength to a wide area of muscles in the body. A plank is a form of bodyweight exercise done with your own body, without needing to purchase any special equipment and because of which it can be done anywhere.

Types of Planks

A Plank is an exercise that can be performed with variations, but one thing common in all forms of Plank is trying to pull your belly button inside and keep your body in a straight line. Types of planks and their benefits offer you to have a fit and healthy lifestyle, some of the different types of plank exercises are mentioned below.

Front Plank- This is a standard plank, as mentioned above, that strengthens the upper and lower body.

Side Plank- It can be done by lying down on your side, raise yourself with your right forearm, with your hips and knees off the ground and legs straight. The body should look like a diagonal line from head to feet. It gives stability to the spine.

Reverse Plank- It can be done by pressing your palm against the ground and lifting your hips and torso towards the ceiling. It helps in improving your glutes and lower back.

Arm or Leg lift Plank- It can be done by merely lifting an arm or leg while being in the front plank position. It puts even more pressure on the muscles and targets your upper back, chest, and core.

Resistance Plank- In this form of Plank, you put a band around your ankles and wrists in a standard plank position and try to move your hands and legs in sideways, walking motion.

Benefits of Plank

Some exercises only strengthen our muscles, but Plank is a versatile workout which provides the following benefits-

Strengthens Our Core- An assortment of Plank with Cardio centric exercise works best for our core. Plank targets and strengthens core muscles like- Tranversus abdominis (enables to lift heavier weight and develop abs); Rectus abdominis (allows jumping high); Oblique muscles (enables to side-bend and twist); Glutes (supports back and gives it the desired shape).

Improves Posture- Plank helps keep our bones aligned and improves our body posture by strengthening our spine, which reduces the risk of any skeletal injuries that can be caused by improper weight distribution. Proper posture also reflects self-confidence in an individual. It also positions internal organs better, which reduces digestive issues. An adequate body posture makes us look lean and increase our height.

Reduces back pain- It is because of the improved posture that helps to align the vertebrae, which reduces the strain in the spinal region. It also arranges the ligaments in the back properly, which prevents back pain. Plank helps build up abdominal muscles through which the body feels less of our weight that strains our bones and joints. It, therefore, takes the stress off our back and supports our posture.

Improves Flexibility- Plank stretches the posterior group of muscles in our body and makes us flexible. It includes not only our glutes, but also muscles around shoulders, collarbone, hamstrings, feet arches, and toes which other exercise routines generally neglect. Plank being a core element of yoga, indicates how beneficial it is for improving our flexibility. Different variations will enhance the flexibility of various body parts like Side planks increase the hip area flexibility.

Improves Balance- While dancing, running, biking, exercising, the body needs balance. Plank trains the core muscles to become more stable, helping to maintain balance during the physical activities that you do. Strengthening our core helps in better coordination between our bodies and muscles. It helps prevent injuries that might be caused by over-exertion of specific muscles while maintaining balance during vigorous exercise.

Improves Focus and Concentration- People can hold a plank for much longer than they can as all it requires is holding the focus, but they give up too soon. Continuing to do Plank daily and motivating yourself to hold the Plank to achieve the target decided in mind can significantly improve your focus.

Improves Metabolism– Plank strengthens our large muscle groups, burning more calories when performed daily compared to other exercises or even when you are at rest. Hence it becomes vital for those having desk jobs as it does not allow our muscles to store fat and, therefore, tones our stomach.

Improves Mood- Exercise not only changes our body. It also changes our mind, attitude, and mood because it releases endorphins, which are the feel-good chemicals, boosts our mood, and treats anxiety if done daily—the secret of getting ahead to reap the benefits and is to get started.

The hardest thing is to start, and once you exercise regularly, it’s the hardest thing to stop. With such rewarding benefits of Plank, keep practicing and keep striving for progress because what might seem impossible today, will become your warm-up someday and then chase perfection. It will hurt and will take time. But the pain today will become your strength tomorrow. It requires dedication to push your body to its maximum limit, there will be a temptation, but when you achieve your goal, it will be worth it !!

Ways to Achieve Forgiveness in Life

July 25, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

In a world where people believe in ‘An Eye for an Eye,’ taking revenge seems easier and brings more satisfaction, but it takes courage and strength to Forgive someone. The need for retaliation poisons our mind, and if we take a break from planning to take revenge, and think about the benefits of forgiving others, we become happier, and joy knocks our door.

A good relationship has two things- Love and Forgiveness. Forgiveness is a voluntary action to let go of the feeling of anger, bitterness, vengeance towards someone who has hurt you. It is a conscious decision to subdue negative emotions. Forgiveness is when a person gives up his right to hurt you for hurting them.

Do you ever regret fighting with someone and holding on to grudges for long and wasting the valuable time that you could have instead spent together? Everyone has flaws. Everyone tends to make mistakes, which leads to disagreements, fights, sorrow, etc. Life is too short to continue holding on to regrets as later, and these petty issues do not even matter in life. Therefore, one should learn to forgive quickly.

We cannot even decipher the healing power of forgiveness. It depends on us whether you decide whether to let go of the person or let go of the situation that makes us angry. Sometimes, it is the greatest challenge to forgive. It might take time and might require a sense of compassion that we feel the other person does not deserve, but we deserve that solace. So, forgive because it is the attribute of the strong and not the weak.

What does Forgiveness not mean?

When one forgives, it does not mean that:

They forget what is done to them.
They accept the wrongful acts of others.
It gives the other person a room to hurt them again.
They are obligated to resolve differences with the person.

Why should we Practice Forgiveness?

Whenever you are angry, you cannot let the feeling fade away within seconds with someone’s apology. But always question yourself- that Is the anger worth it? Will this feeling hurt you or bring you peace? What matters more- relationship with the person or your temper? You can either be harsh or let it go. Forgiveness is a choice. If you exercise it, you can reap the following benefits-

Restores positive thinking
Eliminates negativity and depression
Reduces anxiety, stress, and blood pressure
Boosts Self-esteem
Reinstates relationships
Enhanced conflict management skills
Earns respect from others
Attains Inner peace and becomes happier

Ways to Forgiveness?

Take time to act on your anger and resentment about what happened and communicate about what you felt terrible. Practice anger management to soothe your mind.

Think through the Pros and Cons– Question your inner self- if you do not forgive, how will it impact your happiness, relationship with the person/ with others, problems the pain can cause, your work/ family/ you from becoming a better person.? And then think of the benefits of forgiveness i.e., how it makes you happier; free you from the pain and the past; improve your relationships.

Commit yourself to Let go – Holding on to anger is like drinking poison expecting the other person to die. Try to forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness but because you deserve peace by letting go because it means to give something up for yourself and not for them. It takes time to get over something. Don’t rush to do that instantaneously. But commit yourself to change and let go because the pain hurts you more than it hurts others.

Enlarge your perspective & Empathize– Rise above your self-centered story and step into the other person’s shoes and recognize what the other person might be going through. Try to understand why the other person did this, what he could have been thinking, what he could have felt, and how he felt afterward? Just because they did something wrong, don’t forget all the things they did right.

Conquer the Suffering– We often focus more on the wounds and let ourselves be carried away by “what happened to me.” Even if it was horrible and has taken away everything, you can only defeat it by not letting it destroy your joy and peace.

Realize you have a choice– You cannot control other’s actions, but you can control yours and your thoughts. You can choose to move on. Don’t let your emotional baggage take control over you and pull you down from exercising this choice.

Take responsibility– You cannot clap single-handedly. Don’t perceive yourself as the victim, rather understand your role in that situation. Try to figure out how you could be partially responsible for being in this situation. What could you have done to avert it now and in the future? Seek peace and understanding by blaming people less and taking offenses less personally.

Focus on the present– It is vital to find happiness in life as it happens. You cannot move back in time to fix your mistakes. So, stop reflecting on the past as it causes unhappiness and stress. Instead, learn from them, look for beauty, love, and kindness around you. Bring your focus back to the present. Amend the way you look at the past to remind yourself of your heroic choice to forgive. Forgiveness enlarges the future than changing the past.

Allow peace to enter your life– As you focus on the present, try to focus on your breathing. Imagine that pain and past are getting released from your body and mind with each breath going out. And imagine peace filling you up with each breath coming in.

Feel compassion and Forgive– It may take time but let the love for them grow in your heart. Ask yourself- what is the best thing you can do for both of you? Is it having a conversation to resolve or getting a neutral opinion of the third person or creating some space for a while to cool down or amending the way you think? Finally, forgive them and learn that in forgiveness, as you move on, you allow yourself to be happy.

Golden Rules to Cultivate Forgiving Attitude

You can steer through the storms in your life by fostering an attitude of forgiveness-

Forgive for minor offenses and hold no grudges by the time you hit your bed at the end of every day.

If you have a laundry list of unresolved grievances, consider one at a time and forgive those involved.

Even when you have bruised pride, Don’t wait for an apology to forgive. Remember the time someone else forgave you. Bear with the faults of others, as someday you would have them bear with yours.

Once forgiven, Don’t allow your mind to brood over previously overlooked offences as there is a risk of bitterness knocking your door a second time.

Remembering a wrong is an enormous burden on the mind. So, always forgive your enemies as nothing is more annoying to them. Forgiveness is the process where we disarm our opponent with patience and remember that making peace is the greatest revenge you can take. Don’t let an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation govern your life. Practice forgiveness as it gives you another chance to make a new beginning!!