Overcoming lethargy!

 Sunday 16 Nov 2025.      Day 23346

The last few days have seen me slipping a little into a lethargic mood. And I notice how this has directly impacted my body and well-being as well. Pains and niggles and general unease have crept in.

Delayed bedtimes, too much of digital slavery, delayed waking up times and missing my kriyas and sadhanas. Bit of over indulgence of food as well. How fickle the mind is. Succumbing to the temptations of the festival sweets and savouries. Allowing that to break my discipline and slip into lethargy. Slipped on my intermittent fasting routines as well.

The cause and effect is clearly evident. The corrective action too is clearly evident.

Have to get back with full vigour from tomorrow morning onwards. That is a promise I make to myself today.

Maintaining oneself in peak condition calls for discipline and determination.

Looking forward to a wedding visit to Trivandrum with our son over the latter part of this week. Wedding of our nephew from Chennai to a girl from a Trivandrum family. Ajay weds Pooja.

Will be a fun visit, attending the kalyaanam and also meeting family and exploring Trivandrum.

The actual wedding is on the next Sunday 23^rd Nov. So my weekly post will come out on Monday 24^th in all probability.

Action plan for the week ahead is now clear.

Beat lethargy, get cracking from Monday onwards.

Enjoy the travel to Trivandrum with our son Vishal

Celebrate the kalyaanam of Ajay and Pooja.

Meet lots of family members at the kalyaanam.

Shopping and sightseeing at Trivandrum.

Darshan at the Padmapabhaswamy temple.

Shopping for banana chips and jackfruit chips.

 

Get back to Living Life To The Maximum! 

My four mentee devis!

 Sunday 09 Nov 2025.      Day 23339

Every mentee-mentor association is a tremendous opportunity to learn and evolve. For both, the mentee and the mentor. Today, I share the recent happenings in the lives of four of my devi mentees! Each of these four are uniquely different in their socio-economic status. They also have different issues in their present lives.

 

Each of them is boldly striding forward in their respective lives. Each unique, but the energy to drive forward and their optimism in Life is the common factor & singularly potent in their transformations. Each wanting to Live Life To The Maximum!

 

Let me call these four devis as  A, B C and D!

 

“A” has basic educational qualifications, comes from a modest family background, is the sole bread-winner of the family. Has a past broken marriage and has been striding through life as a single woman for the past 15 odd years. Very meticulous in her work, excellent interpersonal skills, tremendous zeal to learn. Pursuing a good distance education program and also improving her English-speaking ability. A recent job change has opened up a new sector for her. The universe is smiling on her and she is getting married later this month to someone who was a colleague in her past role.

 

“B” has a good technical qualification, a very meticulous worker, a strong go-getter attitude, has a young daughter, just emerging out of her past marriage with an official divorce, relocated to a bigger metropolis, bought her own apartment and doing very well in her job that demands her technical skills. Has to resolve legal issues in which she got embroiled by virtue of her past spouse. Confidently re-looking at matrimony with someone of a very different language and cultural background. Someone a few years younger than her. Convincing her family to the new journey ahead. Looking forward to matrimony in early 2026.

 

“C” is a good professional in the IT sector, suddenly found herself laid-off for no fault of hers at a time when she had just become a new mother to a young daughter, got emotionally disturbed by this and needed support and mentoring to refocus on her job search and get-back-to-career after a gap of 9-10 months. Fear, shame, embarrassment, inner demons were hampering her job-search. She was able to re-set her inner beliefs, engage powerfully in building up her own brand persona, landed a very good job just last week from a top MNC with a great compensation package and is eagerly looking forward to joining up later this month!

 

“D” is a top qualified professional, at the Deputy CXO level in a large media company. Gearing up for the CXO role soon. A very rich “inter-state” married life, two bright kids, a very supportive spouse. Excellent manager at the workplace, destined for even higher responsibilities. A powerful ability to generate great impact on many lives around her. Gearing up to give back to people around her, becoming a Mentor herself for the first time. 

Four devis, Four unique journeys, Four eves striving to Live Life To The Maximum!  I am richer for the mentoring experience, seeing their ability to strive and thrive! My salutes to each of them.

Togetherness!

Sunday 02 Nov 2025.      Day 23332 

Tomorrow 03 Nov 2025 is our 34^th Wedding Anniversary! 

Tomorrow will mark 12419 days of togetherness in matrimony for Nirmala and me.

∞       We met for the first time on 25^th Feb 1991 at Irla, Mumbai.

∞       Got engaged on 06 May 1991. (70 days after we met for the 1^st time)

∞       Married on 03 Nov 1991. (181 days after engagement)

Now we have 34 years of matrimony behind us, as of tomorrow. Many key milestones…….

·         Delhi – Mumbai romance between 25^th Feb and 03 Nov 1991 (251 days)

·         Letters by snail mail, late night phone calls on STD phones

·         Lakshadweep memories

·         Nirmala’s transfer to Delhi at HSBC, Connaught Circle

·         First home in Vasant Kunj, Delhi

·         Blue line buses, car trips (DAC 6691)

·         The Muscat, Oman experiences mid-1993 till 02 May 1994

·         Chase Bright Steel Aug 1994

·         VS 30-AUG-1994 Janmashtami day at Vibha Nursing Home Andheri West

·         Mumbai NMIMS MBA programs

·         Return back to Eicher, Delhi for SP

·         VS Schooling in TSRS Delhi

·         DLF Ridgewood purchase. And sale too!

·         Back to Thane, Mumbai in 2001 Ramon & Demm.

·         Hiranandani Thane home purchase.

·         VS JK School Thane

·         Eicher to Eaton 2004

·         Panchshil Waterfront E1001 purchase Pune (and sale on 07^th July 2014)

·         TRP demise 20 March 2007

·         Eaton to ACG Nov 2007

·         VG demise 23 March 2008

·         Marvel Zephyr Kharadi Pune purchase March 2016 (and sale in 2020 October after Covid)

·         A04-1 Crimson Dawn Coimbatore purchase 2012

·         01 Dec 2013 relocated to Coimbatore

·         July 2022 Srivari Trisara purchase ………and many more …. 

..........To be continued…..

Connection...Communication...Relationship!

 Sunday 26 Oct 2025.      Day 23325

 

Every connection that we have in every moment, however insignificant, is an opportunity to evolve. Seemingly inconsequential connections, e.g say you are due to fly to another city….. a cab driver on the ride to the airport, a person in the waiting area at the boarding gate, folks around you in the transit bus to the aircraft, people seated around you inside the aircraft, your cab driver at the destination….all of them afford an opportunity to really connect.

The brevity of the connect, the fact that it may be just a once-in-a-lifetime connect, however pre-occupied one may be in many other thoughts……the fact that the connect is there, is indeed an opportunity.

It may be impractical to engage in deep conversations with all such connects. However, the basic respect to another human, a smile and a nod, a simple gesture of appreciation, a recognition of their own journeys in their Life, a non-judgemental acceptance of who they are at that moment….all these can be / should be practiced.

If you cannot row the oars of their boat, it is ok. You can at least be a little puff of wind in their sail. Or at least not be the anchor that weighs them down. Our life is just an immense opportunity to add value to everyone and everything around us. We draw the present moment into our Life. It is there for a reason. The reason is “to evolve”. We either use the opportunity to its fullest or let is drift past us. That is our free will in action.

With those who are in your closest and innermost circle, anytime when communication becomes strained, it hurts badly. All attempts at overcoming egos, demonstrating genuine humility, making the first-move to start communications etc may be rebuffed. When all attempts at seeking to help are shunned by the other.

Painful indeed.

Intense empathy, deep listening, lots of introspections and soul-searching, all these are needed in plenty. Gentle persistence. Openly expressing one’s feelings and emotions.

Using this impasse itself as an opportunity to learn and evolve.

Only when open communication thrives can there be a possibility of relationships. The strength and nature of the relationship depends on the richness of the communications.

∞       Make every effort to CONNECT

∞       COMMUNICATE genuinely and with empathy

∞       Build every RELATIONSHIP

Life is nothing but a sum total of all the relationships that we have nurtured and added value to.

 

Live Life To The Maximum!

LIGHT….Light up your Life!

 Sunday 19 Oct 2025.      Day 23318

The festival and celebration of Light! Deepavali!

"Lead, Kindly Light, Amid the encircling gloom" is a hymn with words written in 1833 by John Henry Newman as a poem titled "the Pillar of the Cloud", which was first published in the British Magazine in 1834, and republished in Lyra Apostolica in 1836.

It is a plea for divine guidance during times of uncertainty, confusion, and spiritual doubt. The "Kindly Light" represents a higher power, or God, and the speaker asks to be guided "one step at a time," not needing to see the distant future, only the immediate path forward. The poem reflects the human experience of vulnerability and the need for faith and trust in a higher power to navigate life's challenges.  

We seek Light in our LIFE and also have the tremendous ability to be the light in others lives too.

"Tamasoma jyotirgamaya" is a Sanskrit phrase meaning "Lead me from darkness to light". It is the second line of the Shanti Mantra from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and symbolizes the journey from ignorance to knowledge or from confusion to clarity.   

• Darkness (Tamas): Symbolizes ignorance, confusion, and the lack of knowledge or spiritual awareness.
• Light (Jyoti): Represents knowledge, truth, clarity, and spiritual enlightenment.
• Meaning: The phrase is a prayer for guidance to overcome inner darkness and achieve enlightened understanding.
• Context: It is often part of the full mantra, Asato ma sadgamaya, which includes the request to be led from untruth to truth and from death to immortality. 

As we navigate through our brief existence of around 33000 days in this lifetime, we seek guidance from the Grace and Abundance that is all around us. We seek to boldly walk forward, with the light showing us the next few steps. We boldly venture forward with belief and faith, exploring our life to the fullest.

For, all that we can really do is strive in this very moment. With amazement and wonder of the whole of creation around us, being very open and willing to face whatever comes up ahead.

May this Deepavali festival make us fully receptive to this divine light.

May we have the courage to plumb into our deepest inner selves and probe the darkness of every limiting belief. Burn away every lingering doubt.

May we also be a torch that burns itself bright and shine the light onto every piece of creation all around us.

May the light enable each of us to spread joy, love and laughter all around us.

Happy Deepavali.

Be at your brightest!

Live Life To The Maximum!

Mentoring......a way of BEING.

Sunday 12 Oct 2025.      Day 23311

 

In our interactions in various settings with other people, we are normally focused on the transactional aspect of the relationship between us and the other person. 

The emphasis is more on “what do I get out of this interaction”. Am I extracting the best out of this interaction for myself? Very rarely does one look at what we are delivering to the other. The “taking” gains more emphasis than the “giving”. 

At least a more evened out expectation, focusing on a win-win, would be more enriching for the relationship. 

If we truly trust grace and abundance, we could operate from a more impactful perch. We could look at the specific interaction as an opportunity to evolve. Use the opportunity to propel one's purpose by leveraging our gifts. Live the moment more powerfully, showing up with the best version of ourselves. Give unconditionally, knowing fully well that what is due to us will come our way, for sure. 

Why search for one's “purpose” when the true purpose is to really live life to the fullest? Make the experience of each moment most profound. Raise our perception of the essence of each moment to the highest levels. Life is meant to be lived in the most grandiose manner. 

When we look at every person and see the real human within that person and make our best effort to enable that human to tap into their fullest potential, we would have truly lived our life well. 

In a sense, we have to make each moment of our life a MENTORING moment. For that is what a true mentor does.

We operate at the best version of ourselves and enable everyone to tap into their fullest potential. 

 

Live life to the maximum! 

P U R P O S E

 Sunday 05^th October 2025      Day 23304

On Wednesday I wrote about always “Asking Why”. Essentially always being aware of our deepest motivations for doing anything. For seeking to always widen our impact beyond us and ours to ALL.

Today, I write about Purpose. One may think that these two posts…one on WHY and the other on PURPOSE may be very similar. Let us see how it pans out.

From our early childhood, we embark on many small journeys within the larger journey of one’s Life.

We get into a school: In order to learn the 3 Rs and other basic essential knowledge.

We get into a high school or college: In order to learn some specialised knowledge, like Arts, Science, Commerce.

We then get into a university: In order to graduate with a degree in that specialised stream of knowledge.

So essentially from Age 4 or so till 20-21, we are mainly focused on learning. Now, we could either do the bare minimum, skim the surface of the curriculum, gain passing qualifications OR really dive as deep as possible and pass / graduate from each level with honours. Additionally, we could also take on many extra-curricular activities like sports, explore hobbies, engage in debates / elocutions / theatre, arts and drama etc.

Then onward to a career or profession where we strive to “make a living” and at times ignore the aspect of Living Life. Address the unidimensional work/career sphere and miss out on the oher dimensions of Life.

Matrimony, forming our own small family, engaging with our communities, giving back to our society… all these stages follow…. And we stride forward, with every single day bringing us closer to our last day here. Remember that one has approximately 33000 days here. That is it.

We always have a choice: Whether to bide our time in each of these stages doing the bare minimum or squeezing every bit of experience from every moment.

It is important that we realise that our time on the planet is very limited and, in every moment, it is not time that is slipping away but our life that is draining away.

We could either live superficially or live profoundly. This is the choice that we have. This is our free-will at play.

When we come into this planet, we have all been given a gift. A present. And in each present moment, we have the choice of living life as profoundly as possible. We came into this life empty handed and we shall depart empty handed. We entered whimpering and crying. We can go out with a loud guffaw and wholehearted laughter.

The “purpose” therefore is just this: To learn to live profoundly in every moment.

I urge everyone to Live Life To The Maximum!. 

Why?

Wednesday 01^st October 2025    Day 23300

When we embark on any initiative in any sphere of our Life, we spend a lot of time figuring what we want to do, how much effort it would take, when is a good time to start off etc.

The most important thing however, is to ponder on is WHY we wish to do what we want to do?

And the WHY should be all encompassing. Meaning, not just looking at what that activity does for ourselves e.g.” what is in it for me?”, but also looking at what is the desired impact on others. A selfless perspective.

When the main outlook in Life shifts to “what impact do I want to leave on everything around me in my limited duration of Life?”, one would be prompted to think of our impact on others, for everything that we do.

The past weekend I was in a dialogue with a successful entrepreneur, who is eagerly looking at new opportunities for his own life and for the business activity that he has created over the past 12 odd years. What should he pivot his existing enterprise to? What should he venture into as new business opportunities? What should he do with his personal life?

For each of these questions there would be clear answers to a powerful WHY? All the answers to these WHYs would indicate to us what impact he is wanting to leave on the planet.

The 5W and 1H framework is a method for gathering information by asking the six fundamental questions: What, When, Where, Who, Why, and How.

A clear emphasis on the WHY would explain our deepest motivations, recognise that everything we do has an impact on the interconnected whole. And when we shift away from our perspective of the self and include the WHOLE into our perspective, our answers would be more meaningful.

Why do I wish to pivot away from my present business?

Why do I wish to start any new business / businesses?

Why do I wish to get married?

Why do I wish to buy a premium, high end car?

And so on…..

 

Live Life To The Maximum!

 

Personal Transformation

 

Thursday 25^th September    Day 23294

 

This Sunday I will be away from Coimbatore, working with the MD of a Company in developing his Personal Transformation plan. That is a three-day event 1-0-1 between 27^th and 29^th, with travel days on 26^th and 30^th. I would be on lockdown mode for those three days and hence the Sunday 28^th will not be accessing the internet for posting content.

Hence this advance post on a Thursday instead of the usual Sunday.

I want to share my experiences of engaging with & preparing someone for their own personal transformation.

Individuals who are professionally very successful oftentimes need to address two vital aspects:

1.       Are they really cognisant of the multi-dimensionality of LIFE or are they focussed intensely only on their profession / work / career? Are they ignoring some very important aspects of their Life? If they are indeed aware of all dimensions of LIFE, are they taking an inventory of themselves and evaluating how they stack up on each dimension? Are they having a clear plan to address all dimensions? 

2.       Are they aware of the immense potential that each of us possesses and are they committed to tap into their fullest potential? Do they aspire to “Live Life To The Maximum!”?

In the case of this individual, business success has been very good. An enterprise that he has created from the ground up, delivering great service to clients on a B2B basis. Eben though he is uncomfortable of a few other aspects of his Life, it took him six months of time to really commit to seeking help from a Mentor. In my view, it was probably a question of “Do I really need help?” more than a lack of trust in a Mentor or a mentoring process. If one has the awareness of missed opportunities and also a desire to see change, the act of seeking help is another milestone / tipping point that one needs to cross.

The process of lifting anchor is the most difficult. Once that is done, starting the engine and sailing forward is relatively easier.

And once the transformation journey commences the next hurdle to cross is the genuine willingness to look into the mirror and addressing stark realities. Overcoming one’s disillusions, removing the mask that we have been comfortable with as a way to navigate through life thus far, willingness to walk on newer unexplored paths, trusting the change partner. All important ingredients to make the transformation journey happen!

Looking forward to working with this very successful individual over this weekend. Deeply grateful for the grace and abundance that will surely enable us to work together on this critical transformation.

Live Life To The Maximum!