#546 What do you talk with yourself?

 What do you talk with yourself?

Image Source : Generated by GROK2.0

This post is a part of ‘Mindful Pursuit Blog Hop’ hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed under #EveryConversationMatters.

I was informed by my blogger friend Manali to participate in this bloghop and I thank her for that. Since September 10^th is regarded as the World Suicide Prevention Day, I’m going to write about the mental tussles or battles that we all fight every day. For some, it becomes very intense pushing them to take the extreme step while for others it’s like some mental noise that they’ve learned to deal with. Like our bodies, our minds require decluttering of unnecessary things. In other words, our minds require cleansing, and it should be very normal to do that. Asking for help from friends or a therapist should be normalized.

Let’s first look closely at causes or sources of generation of the mental battles.

1) In the era of social media where a lot of information is accessible so easily, one gets easily trapped in the invisible chains of comparisons. These comparisons are often irrational or unreasonable. They can lead to the fear of missing out, thereby making someone do something just to garner some engagements on social media.

2) We all must have heard about this saying, “An empty mind is devil’s workshop.” On an average a person gets 6.5 thoughts per minute and these thoughts keep multiplying rapidly just like a forest fire. When not controlled, it can lead to negative interpretations causing depressions or self-doubt.

3) Unproductive use of social media leads to overindulgence and waste of judicious time, thereby causing lack of focus or disruption of sleep cycle. It can also generate a sense of guilt and incompetence.

4) Sometimes, it gets challenging to deal with personal losses due to failure on personal or professional fronts, loss of any near or dear ones unexpectedly or a heartbreak due to unexpected turn in any relationship.

5) Burnout from a busy work schedule which doesn’t have any slot of reflection or pursuing something that makes you happy or relaxed can cause a lot of mental troubles.  

In all above situations, the question is what do you talk with yourself? Do you believe in every thought that your mind produces or choose to accept only those that seem to be positive ones? You should check your thoughts, if they’re encouraging or critical ones. During such situations, you should lend an ear to your own thoughts and emotions with empathy and patience. For an introvert like me, it becomes even more difficult to share feelings with others.

What have worked for me in my favour during such situations are –

Ø Being mindful of the present and taking one day at a time.

Ø Counting blessings regularly

Ø Meditating and believing in higher powers working favorably

Ø Appreciating the journey you’re into

Ø Spending some time in nature away from social media

Ø Pursuing hobbies that bring out the inner child in you

Ø Believing the impermanence of the situation

Ø Journaling every night

Ø Making physical exercises fun

Ø Connecting with like-minded people

 

Everyone’s journey is different unlike the question paper we get in exams. When the journey is different, the speed with which we’re navigating through this journey or the people we come across in this journey is bound to be different. Before believing anything, we see or hear, we should at least ask our mind about the verity of it. Life’s not a race we’re into, so instead of rushing into any stage of life, just immerse yourself in the process of it and make memories for life. Let’s embrace our unique journey of self-discovery and existence!

Mental health has always been a taboo or less discussed topic. It can happen to anyone at any point of time just like any other disease affecting our body. Dealing with mental turmoil is an indication that our mind needs some rest or a little more care just like our body. There’s nothing unusual or unconventional about it. So, let’s just break any stigma around mental health and normalize seeking help during such situations.

Image Source : Generated by GROK 2.0

All Rights Reserved!

Swati Sarangi

15.09.2024

#MindfulPursuitBlogHop  

Edit : This post received TOP POST on Blogchatter

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#545 Perfection is a myth

 Perfection is a myth

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This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2024.

They said, “You’ve to be perfect in everything”

While I replied, “Perfection is a myth”,

It’s a myth that generates fear and

Would never let you get started.

 

The fear of failure paralyzes them,

Who run before the idea of being perfect,

Or creating a fake image just to

Hide their insecurities so well!

 

The one trying to improve,

Is the one who is bound to fail,

For failures don’t define him,

When they push him towards the goal.

 

Failures are like stepping stones

To success for them who are

Willing to take risks and don’t

Afraid to fail repeatedly.

 

I don’t believe in what they say,

I will choose the thorny path,

Fail many times but not lose faith,

Perfection is just a myth.

 

I just want to get started,

Fail as many times as it takes,

To reach that finish line and

Bask in the glory of success.

 

All Rights Reserved!

Swati Sarangi

10.09.2024

 You can support my work through Buy Me A Coffee.

#544 That never-ending wait

 That never-ending wait

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This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2024.

You wait for something,

Never knowing when it will end,

When your waiting period is brief,

Result makes you elated.

 

You wait for something,

Never knowing when it will end,

You’re visualizing of its end,

That makes you ecstatic.

 

You wait for something,

Never knowing when it will end,

Still hopeful that something

Will turn out to be favorable.

 

You wait for something,

Never knowing when it will end,

Like the dark clouds in the sky,

Just about to bring rain.

 

You wait for something,

Never knowing when it will end,

Those dark clouds are dispelled away,

And sun rays make their way.

You wait for something,

Never knowing when it will end,

Assuring yourself that when it ends,

It will be the best part.

 

You wait for something,

Never knowing when it will end,

Sometimes questioning your faith,

And your mind surrenders to high powers.

 

You wait for something,

Never knowing when it will end,

Universe rewards you with bonus,

For waiting with patience and hope!

 

Now you look back at the journey,

And connect the dots to realize,

Waiting was just a process to test your patience,

And the journey never looked the same.

 

All Rights Reserved

Swati Sarangi

10.09.2024

P.S: Through this poem , I've tried to portray various stages of wait and how a human mind navigates through it. Sometimes, it assures that everything will be fine when this waiting period gets over , while sometimes our self-doubts seem to get multiplied. We must remember waiting is a process designed by the Universe to test our patience and when it is over, we're able to find the missing pieces of that big puzzle called life.

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#543 Death of dreams

 Death of Dreams

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This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2024.

The white coat she dreamed about,

As a child adorning a toy stethoscope,

How could she become a doctor,

By parents’ meager earnings?

 

Father stitched clothes all day long,

While mother working as domestic help,

Sacrificed a lot, every penny they saved,

Daugther’s dream became their own.

 

Society said “Only rich can be doctors,

While poor can never”, her relentless toil,

Made her shine out from the crowd,

No, her fate wasn’t like that of a beggar.

 

Her hardwork made her pass every

Exam with flying colours, schooling

Got over, time to advance a step

Closer to her childhood ambition.

 

Biology she opted, sacrificing Maths,

Determined was she to crack exam,

Her dreams were limitless,

So was her love for parents.

 

Result came again in her favour,

As she knew fortune favours the brave,

Government college was what she got,

In the counseling, making expenses bearable.

 

5 years went by then she graduated,

Hunger for knowledge wasn’t satiated,

Decided to study further, prepared and

Appeared in the exam for Masters.

 

Result came again in her favour,

As she knew fortune favours the brave,

Government college was what she got,

In the counseling, making expenses bearable.

 

She knew that she could change

The condition of her family,

Made parents come out of

The vicious cycle of poverty.

 

Each morning she affirmed to

Work in reputed hospitals,

And her nights were filled with

Rounds around patients at the hospital.

 

She was dutiful and charming,

Her ambitions drove her each morning,

Left her home that day, a fateful day,

For a night duty.

 

Completed her rounds, celebrated

Niraj’s win at the Olympics, had a very late dinner,

Was exhausted, so went for a nap,

After finding an empty conference room.

 

There came a strong hand, chocking her neck,

She resisted with all her might,

That devil, drunk, overpowered her trials,

Cut her wings forever; silenced her!

 

Not just she left this world,

But her dreams died due to a demon,

Waited to show his patriarchy, a false male ego.

Who has been excused over and over again.

 

With her died dreams of many young

Women who aspire to be independent,

And live a life of dignity and respect by

Normalizing their existence just like that of men.

 

Saddened and outraged got people,

Once this news came out,

It has been over a month since

That dreadful incident happened.

 

How many Nirbhayas will sacrifice themselves

To correct the law and order?

Why does justice always appear

To be a far-fetched dream for us?

 

We’re not independent, when women

Fear to pursue their dreams,

Fear to be noticed by such demons,

Walking freely on this planet.

 

When will the time come,

When God will incarnated himself

To descend to our planet to

Destroy such demons forever?

 

All Rights Reserved

Swati Sarangi

09.09.2024

 You can support my work through Buy Me A Coffee.

#542 Being a creator at 𝕏

Being a creator at 𝕏

Image Source: Generated by Grok 2.0

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2024.

𝕏, formerly known as Twitter, has become a go-to platform for people these days. With Elon Musk taking charge of this platform, many changes have been introduced. A visionary and supporter of free speech, Elon Musk is influencing people positively. According to his latest tweet, “Almost a billion people used 𝕏 last month.” Such is the popularity of 𝕏.

 

Screenshot : Elon Musk's profile on X

Ever since Elon Musk announced monetization of the accounts based on certain criteria, more and more people have decided to be creators on this platform. These criteria are not so easy to satisfy. Even though one may gain 500 followers but that’s not enough, one has to achieve an impression of 5 million in 3 months, which is nothing sort of a milestone. Impressions are the views on your posts and replies which are both considered as content on this platform.

 

I joined 𝕏, it was called Twitter then, in Dec 2021 to document my #100DaysofX journey. I was then doing #100DaysOfWriting, #100DaysOfCode, #100DaysOfReading and #100DaysOfMeditation. I dropped out of #100DaysOfMeditation soon but continued with the other three and completed them. I found users of Twitter very supportive and productive. I was inspired by their journey and got motivated to pursue my passion. I could interact with them and get suggestions and useful resources.

 

𝕏 got monetized from Feb,2023. By monetizing 𝕏, Elon Musk intelligently increased the activities on this platform by encouraging people not to consume but to engage with the posts of others. He wants people to voice their thoughts in the form of replies and make this platform more happening. That’s the reason why 𝕏 is gaining popularity so rapidly. With the inclusion of Grok2.0 for the Premium users, image generation has become just a cake walk.

 

From many creators on 𝕏, I got motivated to be a creator. I started my journey of being a creator from 24.07.2024 and got the Premium Membership on 30.07.2024. I resolved to be mindful about creating content or using the platform on a better way rather than just consuming content by doomscrolling throughout the day. This decision changed everything about the way I was using this platform before. I came in contact with some like-minded people who had similar goals as that of mine. I connected with them and learned the strategies to grow. I started applying the tips from 04.08.2024 and within a month, I gained an aggregate of 3 million impressions.

 

Growing on any social media needs a lot of consistency, focus, and strategy. 𝕏 is no different. It might look easier to grow on social media, but it is not. I’ve been dedicating 2-3 hours every day on an average for a month on 𝕏 and could attain 3 million impressions and 1700 followers. It’s a continuous process and one has to show up every day, no matter what! I enlisted all big accounts and turned on the notifications for them so that when they posted something, I would try to reply meaningfully at first. Some days, I was able to cross 100k impressions while other days, especially during weekends when I got engaged in some other tasks, I could hardly reach even half of it. Some days were rewarding while others seemed to be struggling. Isn’t that part of every game?

 

As a creator for almost a month, I realized that consistency is the key. One will get success only when he’s consistent every day. He has to show up every day, no matter what! I hope to receive my first payout from  𝕏 by the end of this month.

 

Image Source: Generated by GROK 2.0

All Rights Reserved!

Swati Sarangi

08.09.2024

 You can support my work through Buy Me A Coffee.

#541 Labyrinth of responsibilities

 Labyrinth of responsibilities

Image Source: Generated by Grok 2.0

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2024.

The needle of the clock

Strikes five in the morning,

She gets up in a hurry

Racing against the time

With a strong sense of affirmation.

 

Veggies chopped and oil

Goes into the pan

With tempering of spices

Aroma fills up the kitchen

Preparation of lunch ends.

Packing lunch boxes for two,

She looks for the time

It’s half past six and she

Quickly gets ready with no time

Breakfast placed on the table.

 

Racing against the time,

Gulping her breakfast while

On the way, catching the bus

Thank God, she’s on time

And her journey begins.

 

Time to catch up with the calls

To family or friends or asking

About their well-being

Sometimes, she’s munching or

Indulged in Mantra Chanting.

 

How those thirty minutes passed

Time to catch the bus second,

Thanking God for making her get it

Relaxed she’s now and no more worries

As it takes her to the destination.

 

She reaches on time, settles down,

Still some minutes for the first meeting

All goes well, time to focus,

The work outside of her daily chores,

She enjoys the challenges.

 

Hustle bustle during lunchtime,

She joins the table shared by many

Aroma from her box; fills up the space

The first bite, Ah! Appeases her

Not just hungry stomach but soul

 

Back to the desk and glued to the

Monitor screen lying in front, shining

Browse through the calendar,

Awaits two more meetings,

A cup of coffee eases the typing.

 

The needles of the clock

Strikes five; it’s time to

Catch the bus and head to home,

Gets into the bus, music from

Earpods relaxes her mind

 

Bus drops her at the destination,

Just a kilometer to home,

Walks she being exhausted but gets

Energized by view of sunset

Little moments of joy.

 

Unlocks the door, drops the bag,

Exhales deeply for having finished

One part of the day, Lucky she was today

Now ready for another set of chores

Waiting for her.

 

Washes the dishes to prepare dinner,

Veggies chopped and oil

Goes into the pan

With tempering of spices

Aroma fills up the kitchen.

 

Dinner and conversation with hubby,

Clearing the table then cleaning the kitchen,

Some preparation for the next day,

The darkness of night deepens,

Being taken over by the slumber.

When clock strikes five the next morning,

Her day begins but she’s fighting with,

Some sort of a feverish pain,

Taking leave is not an option as she

Has an important meeting to attend.

 

Not every day is the same,

If yesterday went well, today

May not necessarily be favourable,

She races against the time,

Time that’s running so fast.

 

Sometimes she feels stuck

Between the labyrinth of responsibilities,

Those responsibilities that were given

To her for her gender and the price

Of not being single anymore.

 

Days, she wishes, she needs rest,

To be able to receive a portion of what she has

Been continuously doing ; since ages,

She dreams of reversing her responsibilities,

At least for a day, or at least for a moment!

 

All Rights Reserved

Swati Sarangi

06.09.2024

 

P.S: Through this poem, I’ve tried to portray a married woman's struggles, juggling between daily household chores and office work. A man returns home at night after work to relax whereas a woman is expected to prepare everything after she is back home. How many women can expect to get a cup of tea when she gets home? If a man is reaching the office at 9 a.m., he is just taking time for getting ready, if a woman is reaching the office at 9 a.m., remember that she has already got up at least 2 hours before her commute time to prepare meals. In other words, she must cross the labyrinth of responsibilities before her office work begins!

On average, a woman spends 5-6 hours daily in an Indian household performing household chores that go unpaid, unappreciated, or taken for granted. I wish men to be more empathetic about this situation and cooperate more to let women excel in their professional careers. 

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