You don’t have to always be happy

Good news: You don’t have to ALWAYS be happy. We live in this ‘Happiness as a compulsion’ age where it seems that if you are not perpetually happy, something is wrong with you. In fact, when we feel unhappy about not being perfectly happy, we just...

Power of steady progress

I was once explaining a basic breath meditation technique to somebody but he wasn’t satisfied. The next day, he said that his friend told him, “Forget all that. It is a waste of time. Try this other technique ‘X’.” This technique X was...

Most powerful motivation comes from within

When my dad was in his eighties and unfortunately, not in very good health. But on some days when he feels a bit better, he would go outside the house, sit on a chair, and learn Malayalam – a language totally alien to him. One day, my neighbor (a retired IAS officer)...

Life is not a single game

A few years ago, while teaching physics to a bunch of high-schoolers, I erred in deriving a formula. And in a split second, even before I could correct myself, a kid raised his hand and pointed out the error. This kid was so brilliant that anything you explained to...

Willpower alone can’t break habits

When your fingers are itching to open WhatsApp or Instagram, why is it so hard to resist? Why can’t you break distractions through sheer willpower? Here is why: 1. Willpower is like a muscle — the more you use it, the more tired you get. So if someone...