Blog
ARTICLE 1
Challenges are to be confronted not to be avoided…
“Change is the law of nature” – Bhagavadgeetha.
“The only constant in life is change” – Greek philosopher, Heraclitus.
In the constantly changing world, in order to get moving, one needs to face challenges and develop a never give up attitude. Problems are inevitable in any field. If we are solution oriented, any problem can be considered as challenging and can be confronted.
Challenge is a demanding task that an individual can overcome. Unfortunately, in present days, youngsters are turning back to challenges, despite being smart and capable of embracing any given challenge. Developed Science and Technology, their exposure to different stimuli provide them all the ways to handle the challenges with less effort. Still, our youths are finding it difficult and stay back due to many reasons.
It is a well known fact that experience teaches the best lesson, and one gets experienced in any task, by involvement. Once accomplished, it remains no more a challenge.
Facing challenges and it’s…
…Importance/benefits
…Prerequisites/necessities
Helps in self growth and fetches good experience and learning.
Determination and perseverance
Gives wonderful sense of accomplishment.
Solution focused attitude, framing more of ‘how’ questions instead of ‘why’ questions.
Leads one to develop easy mindset and confidence.
Never give up mindset and strong bouncing back ability.
Makes you more social and good team worker.
Working out of comfort zone.
Message: Challenge is a call to us to participate and get acquainted with initially difficult tasks. It is wise to dig at one place deeply rather than digging at different places to get a solution. Train yourself to have patience, develop a never give up attitude, and bounce back and start fresh in case of mistakes or failures. Success is built on strong determination and consistency.
ARTICLE 2
ALL THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SLEEP
WHY SLEEP IS IMPORTANT
Sleep is an altered state of consciousness. It maintains physical and psychological health, quality of life and safety. It is necessary for recovery from wear and tear of daily life activities which is not going to take place during wakefulness.
Sleep detox our brain and body; getting enough sleep is one of the ways of natural detoxification process.
Improve learning and memory; sleeping helps our brain to consolidate learned information.
Fetches good mental and physical health
Improves creativity and can think out of box
Enhances attention span, improves concentration and leads to good productivity
Maintain and boosts immune system
Generate healthy cells and supports growth and development
upgrades body metabolism
Lowers the weight gain risk as craving for junk reduces
Decreases the chronic disease risk
Brings better self-control behaviour
HOW CAN I SLEEP BETTER
Many factors can interfere with good night’s sleep; work pressure, deadlines, family issues and responsibilities. Though we have little to do with controlling such unavoidable factors, definitely we can adopt habits that can bring better sleep.
Stick to a sleep schedule; sleeping and wake up time should be maintained.
A healthy adult must have at least 7 hours of sleep.
Including any type of physical activity of our choice as a part of daily routine
Do not use gadgets or any screen half an hour prior to sleep.
Limit irregular, long day time naps
Pay attention to what you eat and drink; too much of spices, heavy, late night dinner must be avoided. Do not consume caffeine towards the end of the day.
Do not fall into the victim of tobacco, alcohol or any other substances.
Instead of toss and turn on the bed, can get up and do activities such as reading, breathing exercise, or any relaxing activities.
Manage worries; concerns can be written and ventilated to feel less burdened.
Time management strategies has to be employed to get sufficient amount of time for sleeping.
Room atmosphere should be sleep friendly; should be dim, well ventilated.
WHAT IF I DON’T GET ENOUGH SLEEP
We can determine required amount of sleep on chronological age, the amount of physical and mental activities one gets involved in, health conditions. A healthy, active adult is said to have minimum of 7 hours of sleep.
Physical and mental health deteriorates.
It can cause stress, anxiety and other mental disturbances.
Leads to chronic health conditions like; coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cell multiplication system gets disturbed.
Can induce sleep during day, leading us less productive.
It can cause low tolerance, irritability and mood swings.
Can decreases cognitive abilities like; rational thinking, creativity, concentration, attention and learning abilities.
The way we perceive problem alters; very small concern may look tough and cannot be resolved.
Can cause head ache, nausea, giddiness and poor vision.
We may put on weight as our body metabolism gets disturbed. Other cyclic bodily activities and circadian rhythm gets interrupted.
Can cause us look dull and inactive. We may get dark circles around eyes, can get acne and other skin problems.
Hormonal imbalance may take place, leading to complications.
ARTICLE 3
Importance of self-motivation
I want the reader to imagine the stated scenario, by symbolising himself or herself in it. There was a student A, who was a hard worker and always bound to work as per schedule and at the end of the day, if he reflects back his day, he is unhappy and not satisfied. There was another student B, who was relishing his work, plans his work and plays through it, and at the end of it, he reflects that he enjoyed the day. The question is, do you denote yourself as student A or student B? ......keep your answer in your mind for further reference. If we think over the difference between mentioned students A & B, there is only one difference; MOTIVATION. I do not say they differ in the amount of motivation they have, as they are having equal amount of motivation. The difference is in their kind of motivation. The first student is driven by extrinsic motivation and the second by his intrinsic motivation.
Extrinsic Motivation:
If the student, is studying for the sake of external factors (marks, grades, ranks, deadlines, livelihood, parental pressure, to please others), misses the fun and enjoyment out of the learning experiences.
The learning is fuelled by thoughts such as “I have to please my parents, teachers, have to avoid punishment or to get rewards”. They take responsibilities as burdens, hence, feel tired, not happy, compulsive, and not satisfied.
Intrinsic Motivation:
It is crucial for school learning. If the student is studying for the sake of having interest, inner need to know something, to become knowledgeable.
The student enjoys the learning experiences, the learning is fueled by thoughts such as “I need to know things, for which I am required to put in my efforts and prioritise learning as my first priority”. They tend to take responsibilities on their own, enjoys, and feel satisfied about it.
However, a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation often works best. For instance, a student can feel motivated when he is interested in a subject or activity, and will also consider seeking approval from his teacher, peer or parents as an extrinsic factor. He enjoys working independently based on his urge to be knowledgeable, obtains good marks or grade which lead him to develop further motivation and interest to deepen his knowledge. Dear students, it is an open secret for success to have and develop internal motivation. It leads one to be happy, satisfied, creative, innovative, and successful. Feeling happy is the need of the hour. By being happy, you can achieve right attitude and right attitude can easily lead you to the set goal.
Note: If you denote yourself as student A in the scenario stated, you need to observe yourself, seek help from elders, teachers, experts and has to develop strong internal motivation.
ARTICLE 4
Each stage of development of child as well as plant is crucial and are in need of careful nurturing
In the contemporary world, parenting and planting are the most skill demanding tasks due to various reasons. There are few similarities between caring plants and children. Here, I tried to share my knowledge in the form of tips to nurture plants and kids at their different developmental stages.
A new born baby enters the world fresh, uncertain, with full of energy. Parents have to mold them into a healthy individual by lending a caring and loving hand with a realistic expectations; keeping child’s inherited strengths and limitations in mind. Just like how a planter sow and nurture the seed; A planter sows a seed and do not know of which plant or tree it is? He just nurtures it, without expecting particular outcome from it. If a proper nurture is provided to a seed, for sure it grows healthy and fetches flowers, fruits and shade of its limits to many and for many decades. If a child gets supportive environment, unconditional love, recognition, proper guidance, quality time of parents and elders, it definitely grows into a healthy social being and becomes a good citizen which intern contribute to a healthy society too.
As a plant grows, it starts acquiring strength and sometimes grows haphazardly. A Gardner has to trim the plant and remove the weeds to ensure the supportive environment. As child gets exposed to the society, it starts mingling with others and picks up good as well as bad things. Elders have to educate them about good and bad, to learn good things and to ignore bad things. Without injecting any social stigma about any community or individual.
As plant grows, it starts storing its extra energy in a particular part. For example, a carrot plant stores energy in its root, a mango tree in its fruit. A planter has to identify it and care should be taken accordingly. As child attains adolescent, he/she starts understanding and identifying one’s own strengths and look forward to develop them. Parents and teachers have to support them in channelizing their energy in a proper direction. Though the tree becomes big and self-dependent, a planter has to take care of it by not allowing creepers or other parasite plants, insects to grow on it and affects the healthy development of the plant. A planter has to have realistic expectations on a plant or a tree. A neem tree cannot have mangoes in it; a lily plant cannot have roses. It is well known truth that all are having equal importance and beauty in them. It will be stressful for the child by having unrealistic self and others’ expectations. It is everyone’s duty to up bring a social, psychological, spiritual healthy individual than manufacturing engineers or doctors. As any given profession is equally important in the society. It is more important to have more number of healthy individuals than earning machines.