Here For A Good Time Not A Long Time

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“And the sun is shinin’ in this rainy city
And the sun is shinin’, ooh, isn’t it a pity
And every year has its share of tears
And every now and then it’s gotta rain

We’re here for a good time
Not a long time
So have a good time
The sun can’t shine every day”

We’re here for a good time (not a long time) – Trooper

Who is the happiest person you know?

If it isn’t you then it’s time to dig deep and start the new year with the intention of figuring out what needs to change this year for you to be happy.

Is it more money that will make you happy? Getting married? A family? Better relationship with your spouse/partner? A good job? Having a lot of friends? A promotion at work? Losing weight & getting fit?

Guess what, once you achieve all that you want, you will want something more to make you happy.

I have learnt that happiness is a choice. If you are not happy now you will always be chasing happiness. You already have more than you need. Everything is relative.

The home you live in which you think is too small is the dream home for someone who lives in a room with a bunch of other people and so on.

The happy ones are the ones who have learnt to first be grateful for what they already have and those that are doing things to help others. You can’t take anything with you when you die so share and care while you are here.

I realize that I have more years behind me than ahead of me, so I want to make a difference in this world and live a meaningful life while still enjoying life and doing things I love.

You are only here for a short time so do the things you love, be grateful for what you have and help when you can.

Happy New Year!

“Whether it’s the best of times or the worst of times, it’s the only time we’ve got.” – Art Buchwald

“Be The Peace You Wish To See In The World!” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I am not particularly interested in saving time; I prefer to enjoy it.” — Eduardo Galeano

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” — Mother Teresa

I Can Buy Myself Flowers

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“Started to cry, but then remembered
I can buy myself flowers
Write my name in the sand
Talk to myself for hours
Say things you don’t understand
I can take myself dancing
And I can hold my own hand
Yeah, I can love me better than you can”

Flowers – Miley Cyrus

Life throws many curve balls throughout our life and some of these curves can break us or make us stronger.

You can have a wonderful, happy life and suddenly disease and death or some other cause can take your loved one away from you.

It is hard to not get attached to things and people but really what are you afraid of losing when nothing in the world actually belongs to you?

If we can accept that we come into this world alone and will leave alone, we can feel the grief, but not let it break us. This detachment then will make it a little easier to bear any loss.

We are born to love, to experience life, to feel the emotions and yet accept that everything will come to an end whether by choice or by fate. The only person we have control over is ourselves. We are stronger and capable of more than we think.

If we can stay in the present, stop ourselves from living in the past and stop worrying about the not guaranteed future, life will be a lot easier because all we really have is NOW.

If we stopped depending on someone else to make us complete, to save us, to fulfil us and instead remember that we can buy ourselves flowers, life will be a little easier to navigate. All you need to do is decide and, in an instant, you can change your life.

Let go of things you cannot control and free yourself from attachment to things and people, especially the things you love because nothing ever lasts forever, just the memories, sometimes even that can fade.

I believe our purpose in life is to be happy, do things we enjoy, make happy memories with our loved ones as long as we can, use whatever gifts we possess to help others, make a difference and live in the present.

“The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation, but our thoughts and feelings about it.” – Eckhart Tolle

“When nobody wakes you up in the morning, when nobody waits for you at night, and when you can do whatever you want, what do you call it, Freedom or Loneliness?” – Charles Bukowski

“We are all one. Only egos, beliefs, and fears separate us.” – Nikola Tesla

“Your children will always be your whole world, but you’ll never be theirs in the same way”. – Anonymous

“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.” – Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese-American poet

One Way Ticket to the Blues

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“Ooh, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
One way ticket, one way ticket
One way ticket, one way ticket
One way ticket

One way ticket to the blues

Choo choo train
Truckin’ down the track
Gotta travel on it
Never comin’ back
Ooh got a one way ticket to the blues”
On Way Ticket – Neil Sedaka”

The journey of life has no return ticket, at least not in this lifetime.

Life only guarantees you a one-way ticket. If you don’t learn it early enough, you will eventually realize that there is no return ticket. Life will pass you by in a jiffy if you don’t pay attention.

Although we cannot do anything about the one-way ticket, we can control how we decide to live our life.

I have learnt that no one is responsible for my happiness. It is up to me to decide how I want to live and how I want to look at life.

They say what you think about, you bring about. Life is what you make of it. It is not what happens to you but how you react to life. Two people having the exact same experience can react differently.

Siblings living in the same household, with alcoholic parents can have the exact opposite reaction to alcohol. One could become an alcoholic like their parents and the other could decide they never want to touch alcohol because of what they saw and experienced.

Once you realize you are the one in control, it is up to you to make sure you are aware of your thoughts and mindful of the words you say to yourself and out loud.

Last week I took a couple of days off from work and took a 4-day Immersive course which ran over the weekend as well. It was the Silva Immersive Training. Jose Silva was a Mexican immigrant to the States who created the Silva Method.

To help his 10 children do better in school, he experimented and found techniques to help them excel in school. He was so successful that other kids came to learn from him and eventually adults as well. There are now over 12 million Silva graduates world-wide.

There is one technique I want to share with you. Every time you have a negative thought, or you hear or say something negative, immediately say “cancel cancel” and replace it with a positive thought.

Your mind is listening to every thing you think and say. It does not differentiate between reality and imagination. It takes things literally. When you say things like “pain in the neck”, guess what, your subconscious mind is listening and delivering it to you.

If you want a happier life, keep track of your thoughts. It is impossible to have two opposing thoughts so if you are having a bad day and are feeling down and you want to change it, you must make the conscious effort to change your thoughts.

Change your thoughts, change your life!

“We Don’t See Things As They Are, We See Them As We Are” – Anaïs Nin

“The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but thought about it. Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking.” – Eckhart Tolle

“Happiness depends on your mindset and attitude.” – ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

“Happiness is a state of mind. You can be happy or you can be unhappy.” — Walt Disney

www.mindvasana.com

Could Have, Should Have, Would Have

Well, I won’t back down
No I won’t back down
You could stand me up at the gates of Hell
But I won’t back down
No I’ll stand my ground
Won’t be turned around
And I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down
Gonna stand my ground
And I won’t back down

I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

As we move forward to another year, what are you willing to let go as this year comes to an end? What load are you carrying that is holding you from moving forward?

It is only when you sit down and ponder that you realize all the baggage you are carrying forward year after year.

This December, let go of envy, let go of fear, let go of anger, let go of guilt, let go of hate, let go of expectations, let go of the could have, should have, would have, let go of everything that is dragging you down.

The last few weeks have been dragging me down watching all that is going on in the world. I stopped watching mainstream news altogether, but it is hard to shut your eyes to everything without feeling guilty and helpless to change anything.

As I live in my own little bubble, I plan to do what I can to stay positive, to be grateful for all the blessings in my life, to work on myself, help where I can and hope that in 2024 there will be a shift in the world and we can all live in peace. Wishful thinking maybe but if there’s no hope, there’s nothing.

For some of you that have been carrying other kinds of personal baggage, how many more years do you plan to carry that load? At any moment you can change your thoughts and beliefs and let go of the hold other people or memories have on you.

A new year is like a blank slate to start the year right, not that you have to wait till the new year but still symbolic for most people for a new beginning and a chance to start fresh.

Don’t look back, don’t back down and lighten your load as you move into a new year.

“You can only lose what you cling to.” — Buddha

“Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” — Herman Hesse

“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” — Oprah Winfrey

“Never love something so much that you can’t let go of it.” — Ginni Rometty

“Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.” – Rumi

The Slow One Now Will Later Be Fast

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is rapidly fadin’
And the first one now
Will later be last”
For the times they are a-changin'”
The Times They Are A-Changin – Bob Dylan

Sometimes it takes a long time to change, and other times change can happen in an instant. One thing I know for sure, change is the only constant in life. Nothing ever lasts forever.

Sometimes you change over time, and you don’t even notice, then one day you look back and realize you are a different person.

I remember there was a time when I was afraid of the number 17. Every 17th of the month, I would dread it as I thought it was unlucky for me.

When my daughter was born, I decided I did not want to instill the same fears in her, so in an instant I made 17 my lucky number.

Everything changed after that, and I started attracting things that were good on that date. Nothing had changed except my perception.

Sometimes though, you have no control over things, especially if you are dealt a rotten hand in life and you feel hopeless and helpless.

In those times all you can do is hang on to hope that things will turn around for you and that there are people who care and will do everything in their power to support you. Hope springs eternal knowing change is inevitable.

“The slow one now will later be fast and the first one now, will later be last.”

“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.”— Angela Davis

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”— Mother Teresa

“There is nothing permanent except change.”— Heraclitus

Goodbye doesn’t mean forever

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“Goodbye doesn’t mean forever
Let me tell you goodbye doesn’t mean
We’ll never be together again
If you wake up and I’m not there, I won’t
Be long away
‘Cause the things you do my Goodbye Girl
Will bring me back to you”

Goodbye Girl – David A. Gates

The hardest part of “hellos” in some ways, is knowing you probably will have to say goodbye someday. 

Some people come into your life for a few moments, some for a season, some for decades and some remain in your heart forever.

There are some people you wish you had never met but in the end you realize that they came into your life because there were lessons you had to learn from them.

Life happens and people change. You lose touch with people that are close to you, sometimes by choice and sometimes not. 

There are times when people move away to another city or country. Sometimes it’s a job that takes someone away or a divorce or death. Many times there is nothing we can do to change or stop it.

Other times it’s a misunderstanding or something petty that could have been avoided. All those beautiful shared memories are forgotten in an instant.

There are people you may meet when on vacation or at an event and you instantly feel a connection but you may never see them again.

The people that you feel closest to are people that you have shared good times, hard times and many times the ones you share your blood with, your close family. 

For many of us, there are special bonds with our children, our siblings and parents that are in our DNA and we can’t help but care about them and feel sad when it’s time to say goodbye when we live in different parts of the world. 

I think the hardest goodbye is letting go of your children. You want them to go fly on their own and be happy living their life but at the same time there’s a piece of you that seems to be missing when they are not with you.

The best way, I have found, is to live in the present, putting your focus in the moment. Worrying only happens when you’re thinking of the past or the future, the two things you cannot do anything about.

Sometimes it’s hard to see the “good” in “goodbyes” but I guess, if it’s hard to say goodbye then it was worth it. It means that we have something special that causes us to feel sad. 

So goodbye doesn’t mean forever, we’ll meet again in our memories or when we see each other again.

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” – Winnie the Pooh

“Goodbye may seem forever. Farewell is like the end, but in my heart is the memory and there you will always be.” — Disney

“Saying goodbye doesn’t mean anything. It’s the time we spent together that matters, not how we left it.” — Trey Parker

“The easiest way to find out how you feel about someone. Say goodbye.” — Phil Knight

“You can kiss your family and friends goodbye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.” — Frederick Buechner

“Goodbyes are not forever, goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I’ll miss you until we meet again.” — Unknown

“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is even if we are apart, I’ll always be with you.” — A. A. Milne

Me looking at you, you looking at me

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“Just as I thought it was goin’ alright
I found out I’m wrong, when I thought I was right
It’s always the same, it’s just a shame, that’s all
I could say day, and you’d say night
Tell me it’s black, when I know that it’s white
Always the same, it’s just a shame and that’s all”

That’s All – Genesis

It’s always the same, it’s a shame… when our egos get in the way. You think you are right and so do I.

Relationships are fragile. You could be friends with someone, and one day they do something or say something, and you cut them out of your life in an instant. All the good times and memories are washed away just so that you can be right.

You get on your high horse refusing to understand or see why they may have said or done what they did at that time. Most of us only see things from our own perspective, finding it almost impossible to understand the other person’s perspective.

It could be that they were wrong, but they were young and still learning, exploring, growing and may not even think the same way they did when they were younger.

Or they may be an introvert and if you are an extrovert expecting them to behave in a certain way it may seem like they did not care but really, they were just being their reserved self.

As years go by and you become a little wiser you realize the reasons were so trivial but our ego get in the way and we refuse to bridge the gap and instead keep riding the high horse.

I know for myself, when I look back, there are many times that I would have done things differently knowing what I know now. We are all works in progress and all trying to do our best. So, let’s forgive and forget the small things that won’t matter in the long run. Life is too short.

If we want to live a life that attracts more positive things, then we need to let go of that ego and send out positive vibes in everything and in every relationship that we engage in.

All you need is love, let all the rest rest in peace.

“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.” — Abraham Joshua Heschel

“To err on the side of kindness is seldom an error.” — Liz Armbruster

“Kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle.” — Charles Glassman

“To be kind is more important than to be right.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Kindness is the light that dissolves all walls between souls, families, and nations.” — Paramahansa Yogananda

Just an Average Joe in this Modern World

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“Tell me somethin’, girl
Are you happy in this modern world?
Or do you need more?
Is there somethin’ else you’re searchin’ for?

I’m falling
In all the good times I find myself longin’ for change
And, in the bad times, I fear myself”

Shallow – Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper (from “A Star Is Born” soundtrack)

If you are an average Joe, does that mean you are not successful even if you are happy with your life? In this hustle culture world, everybody seems to be chasing fame and success.

How do you define success? When are you finally truly satisfied? Is wanting more and more and never being satisfied being successful? How much is enough?

What if someone is happy being mediocre or average? What if they are doing what they love and are doing it for the love of doing it? Would they be considered not successful?

Instead of trying to be “special”, you can be your ordinary average, happy self. In the end, what do you truly need? If you are in a career that you are passionate about, doing what you love, you’re one of the lucky ones.

You come into this world with nothing, and you will leave with nothing so, in between life and death ensure that you are living a life that is fulfilling because that is all that you get.

I had a realization when I was travelling recently with only a carry-on suitcase that if I were to lose every material possession I left behind at home, I would be okay. All that I needed I had on me, my passport, my phone and a few essentials. The realization was liberating.

To me what is important now, is my health, my family, my friends, being able to travel, taking courses I enjoy, being grateful and satisfied with what I have, waking up joyful most days and doing what I want to do and having the freedom to do so, along with peace of mind. Anything more than that is extra for me.

How about you? Are you living the life you want or just going through the motions? Living the life you want begins with having the right mindset and taking the first step.

“The greatest wealth is to live content with little, for there is never want where the mind is satisfied.” – Lucretius

“There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.” – ― G.K. Chesterton

“He who is not satisfied with a little is satisfied with nothing.” – ― Epicurus

I Chose Not to Accept the Guilt Bestowed 

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“I stretched back and I hiccuped
And looked back on my busy day
Eleven hours in the Tin Pan
God, there’s got to be another way

Well, who are you?
(who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
Oh, who are you?
(Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
Come on tell me who are you?”

Who are you – The Who

Who are you?

Most of us show a different version of ourselves depending on who we are with. How many faces do you have? Are you the same person at work and at home and with your friends?

So, who are you really? If you stop for a bit and peel back the many layers that you have draped over the years and figure out which version of you is the real you, that is when you begin to live a life of your own design.

What are you doing when you are in that zone? Who are you with? Behind the smoke and mirrors is the true you, the authentic you and therefore the happiest you. All you need to do then is, be yourself and see your life unfold in flow but many of us live in guilt.

I think I have come a long way and now I don’t feel guilty for the choices I make as much. I mostly do what I want to do and talk myself out of feeling guilty when people expect me to be a certain way or to do certain things.

I am learning to let go and have learnt that I am not responsible for how other people feel. I need to honour what my heart desires and not do things because of guilt. I believe that guilt, shame, stress, fear all release hormones that can lead to serious health issues.

No one can “make” you feel guilty, you have a choice whether to accept the guilt when someone tries to bestow it upon you or, honour that you may want to do something different.

You have a right to your feelings just as much as the other person has a right to theirs. We are all so different so all we can do is accept that we are looking at others through our own perspective. What you like, I may not like but that does not make you righter.

If we stop giving unsolicited advice and stop judging others, if we accept that we are all different, we would all be happier. Stop waiting for someone to do what you want, or stop being chained by guilt in any decision that you make.

Life is too short…so be who you are and do what makes you happy and let other people be happy doing what makes them happy. Live and let live.

“The worst guilt is to accept an unearned guilt.” – Ayn Rand

“I have no guilt. Whatever I do, I enjoy and it’s the point. I think if you start to feel guilty about it, that’s a problem. So, no guilty pleasures. I have pleasure and no guilt at all.” – Eric Ripert

The Perks of Living Your Life

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“You’re simply the best
Better than all the rest
Better than anyone
Anyone I’ve ever met
Ooh, you’re the best”

The Best – Tina Turner

The lyrics don’t really have anything to do with my blog this month, it’s to honour and acknowledge Tina Turner and the legacy she left behind.

This month my blog is about realizing that the perks of living your life at any age is a perk in itself.

The perk of getting to live longer is that, as you get older, you care less about what other people think of you and you begin to live life the way YOU want to live.

You like me, when you were younger or even a few years back, probably, did or did not do things or at least did not post or talk about them because you thought people would judge you.

What freedom it brings to do what your heart desires, post as many pictures as you want, go to concerts, go dancing, dress the way you want and, not care what people think is appropriate for you to do at your age!

I love to dance, I love music, I love concerts, I love to travel, I love books, I love to write, I love watching movies, I love conferences and retreats that have to do with personal growth, I love taking courses and learning, I love spending time with friends and family. I am a foodie, I love walking on the beach, I love cruises, I love hypnosis and meditation and I love people.

I love all the older bands and singers like Dire Straits, Rod Stewart, Pink Floyd, Uriah Heep, Foreigner, Eagles and many others but I also love music from the 80’s 90’s and 2000’s. I love Arcade Fire, Cold Play, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, Enrique Iglesias and too many others to list.

I believe there comes a time when you realize that, in order to live a life of your own design that is easy for you, all you need to do is be yourself. Live and let live is my motto.

Life is too short to care about what anyone else thinks because they are probably not thinking of you, they are busy thinking of what others are thinking of them.

A certain percentage of people in your life will find fault with anything you do; a larger percentage could not care less about what you do and then there are the ones that love and care about you and just want you to do what makes you happy. Those are your tribe and the ones that matter.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind, as one wise person once said.

Life is short and as we get older it gets shorter! Live life to the fullest, do things you enjoy so that you have no regrets.

“It’s not about being happy all the time or being sure of all your choices. It’s about knowing that life is precious, even when it’s tough.” – Topher Kearby

“It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” – Dale Carnegie

“If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.” – Mother Teresa

“Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.” – John Lennon

If You Could Read My Mind

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“If you could read my mind, love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old time movie
‘Bout a ghost from a wishing well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
You know that ghost is me
And I will never be set free

As long as I am a ghost, you can’t see”
If You Could Read My Mind – Gordon Lightfoot

If you could read my mind, you would see that we have a lot in common. You, like me, undoubtedly have made many mistakes and learnt valuable lessons along your journey in life.

Some of us make the same mistake more than once until we learn the lesson we were meant to learn. We all have had regrets, have failed, have judged others, acted on impulse, been hurt or hurt others, have been jealous and envious. We have let Ego get in the way of relationships, tried to control situations and a whole lot more.

Even those that seem so evolved have moments of fear, insecurity and negative reactions. The only difference is that they recognize their shortcomings and can change their mindset and behaviour quickly so as not to go too far down that path of negativity.

What I know for sure is that we only have this moment. There is nothing you can do to change the past but what you do Now is what will create your future. What you think, feel, say and do will attract what you get. You can decide at any moment to change your future by changing your Now.

I also know that you cannot make a person understand a message they are not ready to receive. I am sure if as a 15- or 20-year-old, someone had told me the exact steps to take to move in the direction of living a happy and peaceful life, I would not have heard or made an effort to understand and act on the message.

There are 60 and 70 years old who still have not understood the message, but it is there for everyone who wants to learn. For me, the number one thing that has made a difference is writing every night things that I am grateful for in my life.

By writing what I am grateful for every day, I get even more things to be thankful for in my life. If you only do this one thing to begin with, you will see your mind shift and every area in your life will change for the better.

There are a few other things that I do daily that have helped me start my day right. I meditate or listen to guided meditations first thing in the morning.

When you are in that half-awake state just as you are about to fall asleep or when you are waking up it is a hypnotic state where your subconscious mind can absorb and make profound changes.

The other thing that I do is journal, where I can dump all that I am feeling or thinking and let go of things that are bothering me. Some other things that have helped me are, working out during the week, listening to inspiring podcasts and audiobooks and reading.

Life is a journey and there will be many challenges and lessons to learn along the way. I have found the best way to respond to whatever may come is to prepare myself by grounding myself through my morning routine.

Meditation does not have to be sitting in a quiet place trying to get rid of your thoughts. Meditation can be walking in nature, noticing the flowers, the trees, the birds, the sky or gardening or cooking. Doing what you love, when you are in the zone that is a form of meditation.

What morning routines do you have?

“Happiness depends on your mindset and attitude.” ― Roy T. Bennett

“Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else.” ― George Orwell

“It’s all in the mind.” ― George Harrison

“A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes”. – Mahatma Gandhi

“Human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind”. – William James

“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves”. – Gautama Buddha

You Can Go Your Own Way

“You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it
Another lonely day
You can go your own way
Go your own way”
Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

The only way to go is your own way. People may have opinions and even call you crazy with the decisions you make but, in the end, it is your life, and you only have one in this lifetime so do what makes you happy.

Everybody is looking at things from their own perspective and no one will fully understand why exactly someone does what they do because they are basing it on their own past experiences or fears.

Live your life the way you want, do what makes you happy and stop judging others for the way they choose to live their lives. Live and let live.

Life is too short to worry about what others think. In fact, they probably are not thinking of you, they are busy thinking about their own problems, and you are most likely just a fleeting thought in their mind.

If you have been living your life trying to please everyone else and have forgotten about yourself, it is never too late to sit down and make a list of all the things you enjoy doing that makes you happy.

Find ways to take small steps so that one day you will be doing more of the things that you enjoy. Life was meant to be enjoyable not miserable. If you hate your job, find ways to start a side hustle that eventually becomes your full-time job or do it as a hobby.

If you are retired, this is the time to pick up all the things you enjoyed doing when you were younger. Try new things, do all the things you had no time to do before and do them for fun.

When our daughter was a little girl, she would wake up early just to watch the show Relic Hunter. She would watch endless re-runs of the show and we knew she dreamed of one day becoming an Archaeologist and she worked hard to make her dream come true.

We always encouraged her to study and do what she was passionate about and never pressured her to look for a career that guaranteed financial security. She is all grown up now and living life on her own terms.

All I want at this stage in my life is to be happy and healthy and I wish the same for everyone. Do what you love or love what you do. The choice in the end is always yours.

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius

“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.”—Lao Tzu

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”— Dr. Seuss

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”—Steve Jobs

“You probably wouldn’t worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do.” ― Olin Miller

“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.” – Khalil Gibran

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These Reckless Thoughts of Mine

“Wherever you go, whatever you do
You know these reckless thoughts of mine are following you
I’m falling for you, whatever you do
‘Cause baby, you’ve shown me so many things that I never knew
Whatever it takes, baby, I’ll do it for you”

Stumblin In – Chris Norman and Suzi Quatro

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

Have you noticed how nothing that hasn’t happened can’t harm you?

You know those reckless thoughts of yours that follow you everywhere? The cause of stress and fear is in the thinking of the thought of something in the future, that may or may not happen that causes us pain.

If you brought yourself back to where you are right now, in this moment you are safe. The things you see or imagine that could go wrong, things that you have no control over, those future events that haven’t happened are those which cause you fear and anxiety. Things that haven’t happened and may never happen.

Every time you notice any stress or anxiety it’s because you’re thinking about something in the future. If you bring your awareness to that thought and consciously bring yourself to the present moment, in the Now where you are okay, the anxiety will disappear…at least for a bit until you start thinking about the thought again.

If we don’t control our thoughts, our thoughts control us. It isn’t easy to do but if we try and notice the thought and let it pass though without engaging in it and bring our attention to the present, we may learn to live a happier life.

It’s a constant battle especially for those that find it hard to go with the flow and need to be always prepared or be in control of every situation.

As we know, we cannot control everything so the smarter thing to do is to control our thoughts so that it’s not controlling us.

In this moment that you are breathing, you are okay and until you take your last breath, it’s not the end. So, follow those reckless thoughts of yours and then let go of them as soon as you notice them and breathe into NOW.

“Change the way you see things and the things you see will change.” – Wayne Dyer

“The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind.” – Wayne Dyer

“A lot of the pain that we are dealing with are really only thoughts.” – Anonymous

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius

“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” — Nathaniel Hawthorne

“The mind is everything. What we think, we become.” — Buddha

www.mindvasana.com

Wherever I Go, There I Am

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

Oh dancing with myself
Oh dancing with myself
Well there’s nothing to lose
And there’s nothing to prove
I’ll be dancing with myself”

Dancing With Myself – Billy Idol

Wherever you go, there you are. You can be in a crowded dance floor or in a crowded city, the location may change but the only thing that is the same is you in all these places.

Everybody sees things through their own perspective. Your childhood experiences, your environment, your relationships, all mould you into the person that you become.

Sometimes we play the victim of our circumstances and think that life is cruel or unfair. We wonder why we are unlucky or why negative things happen to us all the time and get stuck in that cycle expecting the worst and guess what, we get more of that.

I have learnt over the years that if I want to change anything, I need to change my thoughts about the situation. If I want positivity in my life, I need to be positive. I cannot control everything; all I can control are my thoughts, which then create the emotions and lead me to act in a certain way.

As time passes, we grow, and some of us learn that nothing is good or bad, it’s the perspective that we give it. We can be in the exact same situation but have totally different experiences.

We are all on our own journeys and sometimes I must remind myself not to judge, to be kind and to accept that we are all different and instead of absorbing any negative energy, to shine some light and love instead. This is not always easy but then, we are all works in progress. We try and do better when we know better.

“The secret to happiness is letting every situation be what it is instead of what you think it should be, and then making the most of it”. – Anonymous

“Sometimes happiness is a feeling. Sometimes it’s a decision”. – Anonymous

“We can’t control the world. We can only (barely) control our own reactions to it. Happiness is largely a choice, not a right or entitlement”. – David C. Hill

Every Time She Closed Her Eyes, She Dreamt of Paradise

Blog by: Lata Advani Vise

“When she was just a girl
She expected the world
But it flew away from her reach
So she ran away in her sleep
And dreamed of para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
Every time she closed her eyes”

Paradise – Coldplay

This New Year when you look at your New Year’s Resolution take a few minutes to acknowledge all that you accomplished last year whether big or small.

Pat yourself on the back for, letting go of things that no longer serve you, for being there for a friend going through a serious illness, for coping with all kinds of challenges, learning something new, getting a job, buying your first home, limiting your on-screen time, reading books, making time to do fun things or anything else that you can think of.

When reviewing your list for the New Year, don’t just list them, remember to add some emotions to your goals too. How will you feel when you drop those 10 pounds, pass that exam, get that dream job, move to another country or when you find your soulmate?

Make a list of things that you are thankful for. The more grateful you are for the things you already have, the more things you will get to be grateful for.

If you haven’t already, add “balance” to your list because if every area of your life is going well except for one, such as your relationship with your spouse or your health, can you truly be happy? Only you can answer that question.

Our thoughts create our emotions so choose your thoughts wisely. Each one of us at some point in our life is going to experience or go through rough patches but how we choose to think and believe about our situation or circumstances is going to determine how we feel.

Let go of things you cannot control and focus on the things you can. Go with the flow and always remember that life is happening for you not to you. Relationships are important, the more positive energy you give out, the more you will receive.

In reality, we already have all that we need once our basic needs are met, everything else is nice to have so make the most of all that you have and have yourself a very Happy New Year!

“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” — Dalai Lama

“Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.” — Charles Swindoll

“Believing that you need what you don’t currently have is insanity.” Wayne Dyer

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” – John Lennon

www.mindvasana.com

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For 

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night

I was cold as a stone

But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2

I still haven’t found what I’m looking for, but I have learnt some valuable lessons along the way. One of them is to let go of things that don’t serve me. With the close of another year, here are a few things we can strive to LET GO of:

  1. Guilt – could have, should have, would have, but we can’t change the past 
  1. Shame – when you know better you do better 
  1. Anger – notice when you’re that angry person, you tend to attract angry people 
  1. Expectations – no one owes you anything 
  1. What people think of you – is only an opinion, doesn’t make it true 
  1. How other people feel – you are not responsible for other people’s emotions, and they are not responsible for yours 
  1. Accumulating material possessions – can’t take it with you 
  1. Worrying about the future – there is only now 
  1. People pleasing – not being true to yourself
  1. Fear – of things you have no control over 
  1. Giving advice – must remember to give advice only if asked 
  1. Waiting for others to do things with – just do it! 
  1. Criticism of others – don’t judge others, we all have our flaws 
  1. Criticism of self – if you’re going to eat that dessert, enjoy it, stop justifying or imagining your waist is expanding as you eat it 🙂 
  1. Thinking you are always right – be kind instead. There are always two sides to everything 
  1. Procrastination – maybe tomorrow? 
  1. Waiting for the perfect time – do what you want now, tomorrow isn’t promised 
  1. New Year’s Resolutions – every second is a chance to start again, give yourself permission to start again if you fall off the wagon 
  1. Controlling your adult children – it’s their life to do as they please 
  1. Controlling your parents – they’re a couple of decades ahead of us, been there, done that 
  1. Negative thoughts because your thoughts create your mood. Think happy positive thoughts and see how your mood changes 

What else can you let go of that is no longer serving you? At any moment you can choose to let go and start fresh. All you need to do is give yourself permission.

“As long as you’re still alive, you always have the chance to start again.” – Emily Acker

“A fresh start isn’t a new place, it’s a new mindset.” – Anonymous

“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” – Lao Tzu

“Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over.” – Guy Finley

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need”. – Tao Te Ching

“Sooner or later we’ve all got to let go of our past”. – Dan Brown

www.mindvasana.com

The wine and the song like the seasons have all gone

Blog by: Lata Advani Viseu

“We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
But the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song like the seasons have all gone”

Seasons in the Sun – Terry Jacks

As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, there are days when I cannot help but think that nothing lasts forever.

Leaves turn different shades of gold and red and then suddenly the trees are bare. Another season is done, and another year will soon be gone.

I try not to think about it too much but every now and then it crosses my mind about people in my life. Who will still be here this time next year and who will be gone? Will we all meet again on the dark side of the moon someday?

All the petty conflicts seem pointless in the grand scheme of this journey we call life. We are here for a brief amount of time, and we get to choose how to spend it. Is it worth holding grudges, judging each other, letting our ego get in the way of relationships?

I believe in karma and that our every action has a consequence. What you give you will get in return in some form. The more you see the good in people and situations, the more you will attract the same.

Our thoughts create our reality so whatever we believe and perceive is what we draw to us. Send out good vibrations and get ready to receive the same. We may not be able to control many things, but we can control our reaction to things.

At any moment, we can decide to change the channel of our thoughts just like using a remote control to change to another channel. If we go with the flow, trusting the Universe, knowing that everything will work out the way it is meant to and let go of control, then we can have faith and let go of our fears.

We cannot change the past, however, we can transform our future by focusing on the NOW. What we believe, think, do in the present is what creates our future, and the future therefore is now.

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”

Forgiving and not forgetting is, not forgiving in the first place”

“The way you see an individual in your mind is the best they can be in your presence”

“Reality is just perception”

“Nothing in life has any meaning except the meaning that you give it”

“People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.”

These quotes are taken from the internet

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