5 resolutions to make you a happier person in 2015

This, being my first post for this year, let me begin by wishing you a Wonderful new year! New beginnings are always exciting and there is certainly something about the date 1st January. Some believe in making new year resolutions and some don't. The ones who do not make them say that technically  you can start your resolution on any day of any month---you can make a fresh start on 19th October or 20th June or any random date that you think of.
But somehow, it just isn't the same. At least for me.


 I do believe in making new year resolutions. I think they are important as they reflect the commitment that we are making towards our personal growth. We want to change things. We want to do better that we did in the past. And that is always a good thing--whether made on 1st of May or 20th June or 1st January (my personal favourite).

This year I have resolved a few things-- which I am happy to say, I have followed till date. I am usually strong willed like that. Once I resolve something, my mind stays made up. I do not break resolutions easily. (Nor do I break promises. A promise is a promise.I am old fashioned that way).

Here are 5 things that I have resolved and those I think will go a long way in improving my quality of life:

1.Yoga every day: Since October last year, Satish and I have started Ashtanga Yoga. Yoga is a wonder drug, a magic pill , an elixir. I swear by yoga. Though I have always practised some form of yoga or the other, I find myself increasingly drawn to Ashtanga yoga for the discipline it takes. It is not easy at all, and definitely not for anyone inclined to laziness. It requires a lot of commitment.  In case you plan to join a class, ensure that you join only one run by an authorised guru. Here is a video which shows the primary A and B series.(we do this every day)  Isn’t it amazing?



As regards power yoga and other forms of yoga, this is what Pattabhi  Jois had said (and yes, I subscribe to his thoughts) :

2.Walk at least 25 minutes every single day: Walking is one of the best things that you can do for your body. It keeps so many health related ailments at bay.  It increases heart and lung fitness and it reduces the risk of cardio-vascular diseases. Muscular pain, joint pain, High cholesterol, BP----all of it gets banished with walking. I have been walking for about 25 minutes  every single day  since the start  of this year and I intend keeping it up.


3.Cut out negative people/negative situations : This is something I have learnt to do as I have grown older. When I was in my twenties it was hard for me to do it. Especially if the negative person happened to be related. But today I know that time is an extremely limited commodity. It is not worth squandering time on those that get you down. If you are unable to wholly cut off from them, keeping contact to a minimum helps. And no, you are not being selfish by doing so.

4.Gift yourself something every week/every ten days: One of the biggest things that a writer should have is motivation. My work involves sitting alone, cut off completely from the outside world and writing every single day. I have written 6 books since 2008. Which means many many hours of discipline, sitting at the key board and channeling the creative energy, refusing to go to parties and refusing to do anything that can distract from my writing. I set my self goals. And of course I reward myself, when I achieve those goals. It is important to reward yourself and love yourself. It makes you feel great and makes you want to work that much harder. Do not depend of external validation. You can gift yourself  things that make you happy! Validate what you have achieved and it pushes you to raise the bar.

5.More movies great movies, More books:  Recently I watched the movie Boyhood. What a brilliant movie it is!  I am currently reading Jill Mansell , Ruskin Bond and Neil Gaiman. (yes, I read three books at a time—and no, I don’t get distracted or bored! In fact I find it hard to stick to just one book). I plan to do more of that this year. More reading means less time online, less time on FB (the biggest waste of time) and less time mindlessly  commenting on things that don’t really mean anything to you. Invest your time in reading good books and watching great movies. Research shows that reading makes you smarter, keeps your mind sharper, Increases vocabulary (closely linked to intelligence), improves analytical thinking, memory as well as writing skills.People who read do better in life than the ones who don’t. So make time to read. I intend to read more this year.

So there--I have shared my resolutions with you. If you feel they will work for you, do feel free to adapt them/ steal them and make them yours as well. Let's grow together in 2015!

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ps: My new book 'It happens for a reason  has made it to the nielsen top 5! The first print run has already sold out. It's sold more than 30k copies even before release. Grab it at a great price:
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