A New Year Ahead- Learning to Just Pause a little longer

#Reflectiveconversations

1st January , 2021

8:14 PM IST

Good Evening everyone:))

It has been a long gap since my last article. I missed writing here and sharing . Feeling good while I am writing this. This is just a random thought which I considered worthy enough to pen down. It's not a pre-planned one. Usually I scribble down what I like in my journal and then make an article out of it ( add up all my random writings and make it more constructed) . I am just writing here in a flow reflecting about this year that has gone by. 2020 has tested each one of us in some way. Financially, Emotionally or Physically. Some of us struggled with health, some lost their jobs, some had to work extra hard to cover up for changes that this new situation demanded. There is no one who has not been affected.Everyone learnt something. Everyone had to accept the way things are. No one had a choice to complain . We all moved on with our resilience and found our ways.

Instead of looking at 2020 with bitterness or sadness, I look at it with lot of gratitude . Gratitude for making me "Pause" for a little longer and allowing me to see,how mundane I was going on with my life. Rrealised that I had no direction or even if I had, I lost it without being aware of it.

We were living this life unconsciously without being in the moment. "Pausing" means that you get that extra amount of time to react better. Isn't that so very important? It does not only hold true in the big picture of life ( when we talk about our direction, vision and purpose) but also in small situations and experiences that we have in our everyday life activities.

Like in the game of cricket, the finest batsmen who have played this game have the ability to play a little late so that the ball can travel a little longer before he decides to hit and time the ball. Those extra micro seconds that he is able to hold on before he plays his shot, holds the key between his finesse and of the other players. To our eye while we watch them play, it just makes so much difference but we do not appreciate this ability and it remains under-rated. Instead we attribute this skill to player's "genius"ness. But to execute that ability to play a little late, we should acknowledge the conscious effort that the player has put into it.

2020- made us to "Pause" . It was not us but this disruption that allowed us to stop for a while, and hence we have to feel gratitude for the good that this has brought in all of us. If we could have achieved this by ourselves, we could have taken the credit. But that's not the case.

Can we thus put our gratitude and pen down three things that made us to change for better.

Here are mine-

a) Starting this blog

b) Being little more conscious and aware of my own growth areas ( Investing on myself).

c) Exploring more on the subject of "Meditation" and how it matters for everyone irrespective of age. ( Unlike how we think that it is more for people after they turn 40 or 50).

What are yours ? Eager to know more in comments section of this blog.

Besides this , Let us take this "pause" a little more deeper in reference to our day to day experiences at work or at home. How about each one of us pausing for few seconds- lets say 30 seconds before we react in our daily work or life. Before we react and decide to get angry on someone, let's "Pause". Even if our decision to react after that pause remains the same, let us still do it. Just for the simple fact that we are making ourself aware of the fact that we are reacting this way. Awareness of this will bring that little extra time to make you a finer person . The more you pause, the more you get aware, and the more you will grow as a person.

You will start seeing a certain level of improvement in your decision making ability. You will see that you have learnt to hold a little longer before giving up on some people.

It will indirectly mean that you will trust people more. It can also indirectly mean that people will start appreciating your confidence in them, and that ability of yours of not giving up on them. It will also mean they putting in more efforts into their work for you.

And all of this can happen with just a little "Pause". And then with practice- a little more "Pause" and then it will happen more frequently that you start looking at your life from a perspective that you never had before. You might be thus that visionary employee that your organisation is looking for.

Take a pause when you are in doubt. Taking a pause also means taking your thoughts away from the situation you are in . For example, when you are finding it hard to take a decision, move away from your thoughts, have a cup of tea with your best friend and take few moments of calmness. That conscious pause for 15 minutes, will really do wonders. It will take away tiredness from recurring thoughts.

Let us start it with small moments. Let us see if it works. If it works, take it forward. If it does not- leave it. But try it consistently with all your efforts. It will work because that's the truth, and truth never fails you. The truth is that our awareness and living in this moment is the eternal truth and it works.

Make it work for you, and when it does, feel that gratitude.

Below image is just so apt. I love this. I hope all of you too.

Thank you all and my humble gratitudes for being with me on my blog.

Here are some beautiful lines -

"हल्के हल्के बढ़ रही हैं चेहरे की लकीरें

लग रहा है जैसे

नादानियों और तज़ुर्बों का बंटवारा हो रहा है।

"

"Slowly but steadily, Facial ridges are growing day by day...

Looks like its a partition that is happening between past immature mistakes we made and the experiences that we have gained."

Keep Learning and Keep growing.

Wishing a Happy,Healthy and Blissful 2021 to all of you.

Good wishes and Positive vibes only

NK