Distortion of a Healthy Entertainment

I was sitting idle and browsing channels, when Antakhsari passed through. It was one of my favourite programs and I used to watch it regularly, but because of other indulgences, could not see it for a long time. So, there was no second thought on continuing the same channel for next half an hour.

I came to know that it was second last round of Antakhsari ‘Mahasngram’. It Sounded competition with more difficult levels played at broader geographical levels. With teams coming from different regions, it was understood that the competition was at national level. Rounds were more difficult and innovative and I expected the even better level of entertainment as I used to get a couple of years back

However, what I came across was a horrible version of a concept, which used to be simply entertaining to audience, highly encouraging to participants and had healthy competition touch. Now, it is no more an urge to display the talent and to perform better, rather objective is to beat the other teams. You cannot simply sit and enjoy the songs and the game. Now there are emotional moments, angry situations and depressing comments. Emotional levels are unusually very high.

It felt uneasy to see participants sobbing on making a mistake or on losing points. They expressed anger at other teams getting something which they felt was not justified. Even audience is adding to this whole drama. Over and above, Anchors, rather than encouraging and creating light atmosphere, acted as catalyst or even worse, perpetuator, to the whole emotional enactment.

There is nothing wrong in being upset over your mistake or on you losing the game. It is also right to express your protest against unjustified actions. However, disturbing fact is the unnatural and exaggerated manner, in which the emotions were expressed and screened. What rules the whole show is exaggerated emotions, high tension levels and a compulsion to perform to beat others.

There is no more a feeling of having watched a beautiful competition, where participants showed their talent. Now it has become a matter of life and death. Now it is a matter of your respect, respect of your family, respect of your city, your region. So you cannot afford to lose. You must win, at any cost.

Observe the faces of participants in different situations. They are so tense at all times. There is no calmness or serenity or a sense of self assurance. Anchors have been repeating – it is grand competition, how important it is for them not to lose. And they have not told this to only participants, they have been shouting this to whole world. Now the pressure levels are immense. Voice of anchors is reflecting from people around and getting magnified. You are representing the region, you cannot let us down. You will bring shame on us, if you lose.


Participants’ faces have hardened in a strive not to lose, audience are flowing with the same emotional turbulence and anchors are ensuring never to let it come down. What gets crumpled under the weight of these heavy emotions is the underlying goal of the program - Goal to provide a melodious evening to audience; Goal to provide a platform, an encouragement to the budding talent; Goal to play antakshari in a professional and entertaining manner. With this, the whole concept, whole meaning of the program is lost. What comes out of the program is the depressed eyes of losing teams, and over inflated winners filled not with satisfaction and happiness of winning but with hollow superiority complex.

Where are we going? Why we are distorting the simple things? Misguided commercialization is the answer. Sponsors want more audience and all exercise is to attract and involve audience into the program. Market and marketers believe that audience can get attached to program only if there are emotional ups and downs in the program. There should be emotional display of anger and fear. Audience should be able to feel sympathy or anger or support or protest for particular teams. Only when these levels are maintained, they believe, audience will stick to the program, otherwise they will get bored of it.

It is pity that Marketers have been so short sighted in their thinking and conceptualising. It is true that these things attract audience and make them feel attached to the program. But question is whether it is sustainable. You can read or watch news of rap, accidents, murder, scandal upto a limit. But do you feel good about it or does it leave you with a good feeling. No, rather it generates distaste with time. Then you want to feel good at heart, you need something simple, something natural, something close to heart. These are the things with lasting impact. People might get temporary attraction to exaggerated display of fear, lust and emotions, but it is never long lasting.
Further, even in short term, does these programs give desired results to marketers? Marketers can consult psychologist to understand if the person watching commercials during such programs will develop distaste for the products also. The blind race started by product companies, perpetuated by marketers, followed by television programs and played by talented participants has resulted into nothing but lose-lose situation, in which whoever participates, loses, including the winner.

5 Day Week: From Organisations’ Perspective

What is the difference between a 5 day week and 6 day week?

As it looks on its face, it is a loss of 9 hours per person per week for the company, which translates to 468 hours per person per year. So, for any manufacturing concern, it means that a worker who is producing 54 units under 6 day week, shall produce 45 units in a 5 day week (loss of capacity of 17%).

The above conclusion is based on the premise that the productivity or efficiency of an employee is directly proportionate to the number of hours spent by him in the organization. Experts give further explanation on efficiency, which measures it as a product of ability and willingness of a person towards his work. Ability can be in terms of physical strength and capabilities, aptitude, skills, etc. Willingness is the person’s inner drive to get involved into the assignment and to complete it in qualitative manner. Let us analyse the how number of hours at work is correlated to the person’s efficiency.

Number of hours spent by a person on work affects him in two ways. First, time spent at work gives person a deep satisfaction of learning for himself and contributing to the organization. Every person has a conscious or unconscious urge to act towards a meaningful purpose and work provides him this opportunity. In absence of a meaningful activity, person might feel good initially about not being required to do anything, but shall very soon realize the emptiness and shall get frustrated. Thus, number of hours spent at work is an important source of satisfaction for a person, whether he/she realizes it or not.

Second effect of working hours is on his life beyond office. Besides being involved on a meaningful job in the organisation, person spends his time for himself, family, friends and society and this investment of time is equally important for him as being at work. Though the proportion of time spent on these may vary from person to person, every person needs time for these activities. Time spent for self includes time for relaxation, entertainment, self development, spirituality, etc.

It should be noted here that every person, at any given point of time, is a product of his complete past, specially the closest past. It means that, person cannot leave his emotions at home and work like a machine at office. At the same time, office atmosphere affects the way, he behaves at home. Thus, from organisation’s point of view, the person who enters the office premises is a complete human being, whose efficiency at work is not irrespective of what happens outside office hours or the way he is spending his full day, week and year. It means that the time spent by person on self, with family and friends and in society, affects the productivity of person at work.

This may be partially true for mechanical or clerical jobs, however, it is a significant factor affecting the efficiency at managerial levels. Further, as the responsibility levels go up, these factors become even more important.

Now, interestingly, number of working hours are inversely proportionate to the number of hours, he/she can use for self, family, friends and society. Obviously, an organization, paying for the person’s time, cannot afford to lose that time for the sake of him/her spending time elsewhere and from that point of view even a 7 day week is desirable. At the same time, matured organizations know that only a happy person (at personal and official level), who is content with what he possesses at present, and who has an eye on to the next bigger goal, can be the most effective person at work. These are the organizations, which keep their focus on developing the person in all respects (not on how much time he is sitting at his desk), because they know that this is the only way to get the best output from people.

Now, what does it take to develop a person in all respects and to make him happy and content. First need is to make him happy at work. This can be done by providing those assignments, where his interest lies, by giving more challenges, allowing independence, providing timely and honest feedback, celebrating success, giving recognition and rewards for good work and developing an atmosphere of trust and confidence,. Management needs to believe that people are willing and are able to put their best.

Secondly, person needs to be given sufficient opportunity to relax and rejuvenate. Relaxation enhances person’s efficiency. Continuous engagement at work gradually reduces the efficiency of the person. Organising events, outbound programs and gatherings at organizational level is very effective in this direction. Further, person is just not a worker or an employee. He has his own personal and social aspirations and he should be able to spend time with himself, family, friends and society. These things rejuvenate him and give him fresh energy to take up higher tasks. Moreover, these activities (along with challenging work) give him satisfaction of living a complete meaningful life. Thus, it is important from the point of view of organisation to provide person sufficient time and opportunity for the relaxing and refreshing activities beyond work.

Thus, for an organization to benefit from person’s best output, (among other things) it needs to strike a right balance between number of hours spent by him at work and beyond work. One extreme is to make him work whole day all 7 days. Another extreme is to allow him to work as and when he wishes. Different levels have been discovered and experimented at different times.

A decade and a half back, when responsibilities on individuals were not high, pressure levels were moderate or low and working hours were limited, 6 day weeks were manageable. However, at present times, when there is no limit on working hours, pressure levels are mounting and every person handles critical responsibilities, it is imperative that the person needs to be given time, opportunity and avenue to rejuvenate himself to gear up for these activities. This is the reason, why most of the organistions have adopted 5 day week in their work culture.

It can be noted here that 5 day week does not reduce the output level of person. On the contrary, his productivity and effectiveness gets better. The same has been experimented in organizations world over. It has been observed that in most of the cases, people spend disproportionate amount of time on work. The six day work does not necessarily take six days and can be effectively framed within five days. The principal ‘work occupies the time available’ applies in most of the organisations and functions. It makes them habitual (rather addictive) of long working hours and their efficiency level goes down.

Interestingly, in many cases, people sitting on desks is an illusion of productivity. Surprisingly, the illusion is not only for bosses but even for the person himself. He starts believing that he is putting extra efforts and is the busiest person around. At the same time, he wonders why people putting lesser efforts (because they leave office on time and do not work on weekends) are being rewarded and are happier.

Person doing job with limited working hours and days, does a more focused and quality job than other people. Here, it should be noted that if need is critical, people anyways come on weekends and even stay late to complete the work. It is rather sometimes fun to come on weekend for few hours, in an informal atmosphere and to do things without usual tense work atmosphere. However, if people are given choice and freedom, they can utilize time in more productive manner.

It is critical that management take account of the responsibilities and work load, put systems in place for systematic processes and place adequate manpower to meet the requirements. Most importantly, management needs to understand and believe that the work does not necessarily need 6 days and can be completed in 5 days. It is only perception of management, a fear of losing something, which stops management from moving to 5 day week regime. In the present work conditions, 5 day week is the right balance for the development of person as well as for the benefit of organization.

The Radio

The quality of sound from a radio depends on (among other things), how properly tuned it is. It is not a big technical exercise, rather a very simple but delicate act. A minute movement is enough to set the reception at right level. And it is experimentation. Sometimes here sometimes there and then we know where the best tuning comes.

It seems that situation of this world today is like a untuned radio. There is no melody, no balance, but the harshness and haphazard actvities without any synchronisation. As the untuned radio keeps giving unwanted sound, this world is producing unwanted situations. There is chaos in place of harmony, there is confusion in place of clarity, there is misery and sadness in place of rythm and joy. Man, as he sits beside radio and cribs about its sound, keeps cribbing about the state of affairs - at home or in the world.

Why does this type of situation arises? Let's start from the beginning. In the beginning, people knew why they used radio. They used it for music, for entertainment and to get relaxed. The radios (or the world for that matter) were finetuned. Melody, harmony and music was the part of life. The great thinkers, philosophers and well wishers draw the guidelines on where and how to finetune life and world as a whole. They prescibed the ways and means so that tuning is maintained at that level.

Then, years passed by. Generations kept on using radio. They had seen their forefathers using it and so knew it is supposed to be used, it is supposed to be played. But with time, they forgot the purpose behind its use. The radio kept on playing without generating the feelings it used to generate in previous generations. It became more a showpiece and a tradition. Everyday on some particular times, it has to be played. It became more of a routine for the sake of it, rather than a means to serve a bigger purpose. (If want to think in context of world, just replace word 'traditions' for 'radio'.)

Then some more changes happened. Technology changed and model of radio changed. New frequencies were introduced, older ones became redundant. Now the man should have tuned it to the better and new frequencies. But, he does not want to think at his own. He wants to live under the comfort of guidelines given by the forefathers. So he does the tuning with same old guidelines. He does not apply his mind to understand the principle and logic behind those guidelines. He does not discover new guidelines which might be useful for present and future generations. His closemindedness does not allow him to challenge old rules. He keeps tuning at the same levels and with same means. On the new radio, many times he is not able to find the old buttons as were given in guidelines. He cannot understand the new buttons which have come up in new radios. He avoids to know about any new frequencies being introduced. Man does not want to know that the rules prescribed by forefathers were applicable in that time and situation and needs to be redefined for the present requirements. How can those great forefathers be wrong? What this new generation knows? He never gets any answer, nor the satisfaction. (If want to think in context of world, just replace word 'moral teachings' for 'rules and guidelines' and replace word 'life' for 'radio'.)

People keep following the rules and guidelines given in scriptures and moral teachings, which were perfectly applicable in olden times. The essence of those principles is not understood and teachings are followed only by words not by their deeper intentions. Their psychological slavery to old traditions does not allows them to challenge old rules. At the same time, their inner sense of logic and rationality keep knocking their mind questioning their actions. Now, it creates a conflict and person becomes even more confused. He keeps suppressing his inner voice, which keeps warning and questioning him. He knows that there is something wrong, but cannot figure it out.

Then, the suppressed inner voice is no more stoppable. But, it has now changed its course. being suppressed, it has got distorted on its way and comes out in ugly ways also. Somewhere the traditions were ruling the person. Now, the suppressed emotions go to other extremes. There is rebellion. So, if they are taught to be religious, they will become atheist. If they are taught not to accumulate wealth, they will worship money. If they are asked to observe austerity, they will become womaniser. If they are asked to repsect elders, they will put them into old age homes. If they are asked to spread love, their arrogance will sweep the world.

And thus, the tuning, which was on one extreme (that was also not right), goes on to the other extreme. This also generates nothing but dissatisfaction, because man is still not on the right tuning.

So what is this right tuning. Right tuning is something, which puts this world on track, in harmony with the nature, which makes everybody happy and this world a peaceful and prosperous place to live.

How to know, what is the right tuning level. To know the right tuning level, first there is need to undertand the purpose behind it. Why at all we use radio (why do we live life). One needs to be very clear about the goal. This goal becomes his compass whenever, he needs direction. Once the goal is determined, now he needs to know the right way to move towards it. First of all he himslef needs to chalk out his course of journey. Then, he can take help and assistance from the old teachings. These teachings are based on extensive experiments and learnings for a long period. They act as a good consultant. But only as consultant. The decision has to be yours only. so there are only two steps - find out your purpose and take the right course of action (right course means something which matches your values, something which when followed, gives you inner peace and happiness)

Are You Feeling Uneasy

We all feel uneasy in different life situations and many times during the day. Most of the times, we are not even able to identify that there is feeling of uneasiness, as most of our efforts and attention goes into avoiding it, not to feel it. And that is obvious, nobody likes to be uneasy.

But what is this uneasiness? Why does it occur? What makes us feel uncomfortable? Let's go back to that feeling. Let's feel it as it is. Let us see what happens at that time. If we observe deeply, uneasiness is nothing but an internal discussion, a fast dialogue going on inside our mind. There are two arguments going on. One wants to take you towards one direction and second wants you to be in another.

Actually this dialogue, this discussion goes on so fast that we cannot even see or know what are the thoughts rushing through the mind. Pull and push continues, but as you are not involved consiously in it, the dialogue goes on only at surface level. You would have experiened sometimes that in uneasiness feeling, a single thought or a couple of thoughts keep occuring and repeating in mind. So both sides keep pulling you in their direction, without giving you a chance to understand the matter. Most of the times, you even do not know the subject matter or the cause of uneasiness. Sometimes you know it, but the rattling does not allow you concentrate anywhere. Rather, it makes you feel like running from it and when u are running away, how can you understand it.

Now, as the discussion goes on only at surface level, without going deeper into the matter, it remains at the same level and does not get solved. And your irritation and uneasiness level rises. The serious levels of depression are result of this phenomena, when the uneasiness feeling is not resolved at the earlier stage itself.

So, how to get out of uneasiness. It is very simple and rather full of fun. Whenever, you feel uneasy, say STOP very loudly in your mind, give a jerk to your body and open your eyes wide. Now you are fully awake.

Now, with full compassion and love ask (as if u are asking two fighting children), what is
the trouble? The answer may not come immediately. There might be silence for sometime. Just see it. You might get some words or sentences, which might not make sense. You might also get a comlete arguement coupled with a contrary point of view on a matter.

Listen to each of your thought. There will be contradictions, there will be traditions fighting logic, there will be culture fighting freedom and many more. Listen to them patiently, not to get rid of them, but to have fun out of it. Do not rush anywhere. be with them. Just listen, do not try to provide any solution or comment. Just be present. Just obeserve it curiously as a third party who is present there just for the sake of it. You will find that your mind has become lighter and the conclusion is in front of you.

Most of the times, you will be surprised to note how useless and irrelevant rattling was going on in your mind. Many times, it will give you a feeling of Eureka. Many times you will feel that you have got closer to yourself. And every time, you will feel more relaxed and lighter.

So next time, if you feel uneasy, get ready to have fun.

To be Frank

"To be frank I want to tell you that you were at mistake".

"I accept that. But what do you mean by 'to be frank'?"

"See I am telling you that you are at mistake. I should tell you that I am being frank and open to you."

"But why do you need to specify that? when you say a truth, it implies you are frank"

"Yes, but it is always better to tell, otherwise you might feel bad and might doubt my intentions"

"Let me understand it. You mean to say that if you tell me a plain simple unpleasant truth, I might feel bad because it might hurt me. Now, to dilute that bad feeling, you want to clarify that you are being frank and your intentions are good. But what I feel is that if you are telling me something in good faith with good intentions,which is not so pleasant to hear, I will know that you are being frank and honest. You need not say that. And, if something is not said with good faith and intention, then the sentence has lost its value and so your telling that you are frank, does not help. So first thing - your telling that you are being frank, does not add any value. Now second point. What is meant by being frank? When you are frank, it means that you express your views honestly without any hesitation and IRRESPECTIVE OF THE TYPE OF REACTION YOU WILL GET FOR IT. Now, you say 'to be frank', so that the other person does not feel bad. It is not that you are concerned about feelings of other person. Rather, you do not want him to get any negative impression about yourself and your intentions. This is your preparation to secure not-so-unpleasant reaction from the other person. So do you think that you have been frank enough with the person? If you had been, you would not have been bothered about negative reaction, you would not have thought about how to make my sentence sound better, you would not have added an explanation of being frank. SO WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE BEING FRANK, YOU ARE ACTUALLY NOT."

Where are we going

They say world still has lot of developing countries. They also boast about countries which are developed. They feel sad about remaining countries which are underdeveloped ones. How do you cross the border to become developed? They have a quick answer. High GDP growth, high per capita income.

What is GDP growth? GDP is the sum of value of all products and services added or provided by a country during the year. If in a year, production is more than the previous year, you have a GDP growth. You need to keep raising this growth. So, every year you need to produce more than the previous year to achieve the higher GDP growth and to bring yourself into the league of developed nations if not in developing nations.

Does it mean that a country with steady population, with reasonable production to satisfy needs of its people needs to increase its production year by year, even if it is satisfied with the present status. Or does it mean that a country like China or India, where the population is growing like anything, there is any ways requirement to produce more and more, and so development is not a choice but compulsion. Or does it mean that a country should produce more irrespective of the purpose for which production is required.

We need an answer - whether production is our goal or we are producing for some objective. Producing for the sake of it is only a blind rush to reach nowhere. It is like chasing something undefined and unidentified. If we are producing for an objective, then what is it?

Let us go into the history of production. Why at all we started production? Lets go back to the initial phases of human civilisation. He was alone and was doing all his work himself. That time he was eating, dressing and surviving. Then he started to feel that things can be done in a better way. So he invented tools and the better ways to live life. He let his creativity come out to the fullest. He did things for his own satisfaction. Production was not a goal but only a channel for his creativity to come out.

Then he outsourced things. So potter become specialised and so the farmer and the cook. They could have more time for their own areas of interest. They need not do things which they were not interested in and which other could do better. So the whole exercise started with an objective to create a channel for creativity and to make every body's life easy. It was intended to help everybody to attain their own goals in better way.

And now, after a long journey of civilization, where do we find ourselves? Are we far ahead in the direction, where our ancestors started. Or have we got drowned in the activity, as we lost track of our ultimate aim? How many of us are following our dreams? How many of us don't think of coming out of this rat race one day? How many are content with life? Irony is that today also man is striving to fulfil his basic needs. It is so unfortunate that after thousands of years after the kick start of development, we are still struggling. And it is not just the struggle for food and shelter. It is struggle to find an outlet for the creative pursuit within us. It is struggle to recognise the voice that keep calling us for the higher goal. It is the struggle of moving nowhere with a superficial goal.

Today's man is struggling much more to earn his living than a nomadic of past. He carries very high tension all times. He is unhappy as he is not able to get what he wants (He does not know what he really wants). There are frustration levels. Reason is very simple. If you run for something of which you cannot see an end, you will just be running blindly, without knowing your destination. You will not know which path to follow, when to stop, when to relax, when to hurry up (not rush). You will be always be rushing as you would always be afraid that you wont have much time left to reach there, so better to be fast.

Today we are all just following this blind cycle, without knowing in which direction, if at all, it is taking us. We all go to work, eat, have some fun, sleep. That is how we are spending each day of our life. Then we take big mundane steps also. We study, get jobs, get married, have children, get them married and start the same cycle again.

But for what? Is there any purpose of all this drama. Or it is just a routine set up for us to follow. We in our childhood had so many dreams. We built so many castles. And as we grew this society put end to them one by one. It said you cannot be happy without sacrifice. It said you have to strive hard to succeed in this world. It said there is tough competition everywhere.

Is it all true, and above all, is it worth a concern. Actually speaking all these useless thoughts come to men only when his purpose is not clear. Every human being has a basic nature of rising up, to act in best manner, reach a goal which his heart calls for. His inner urge keeps getting suppressed with the traditions, pity thinking and demotivating messages. He is not able to follow his inner urge and then this urge tries to find ways to come out. This is demonstrated in different ways. It can be constructive as well as destructive. But the urge comes out.

Give man a definite goal and he will achieve it even if it is highly difficult. Ask him to go 'somewhere' without clear cut objective and he will exhaust and frustrate himself without achieving anything. He will be moving round and round. He will do something and come back. He will try to satisfy his urge by doing all things he can find around, but will always be thirsty. Then he will find interest in getting more money, more fame. He will be attracted to sex. He will drink, smoke and will explore all possible ways.

Only thing that he will not do is to stop for a while, sit and go within, where the real answer lies. A simple question to self can solve all his quests. If he follows what his heart says, then he will not have to struggle for a moment. At the same time he will achieve all other things as bonus. But the biggest thing he will achieve will be the inner contentment, a feel of rising higher, an inner peace, a sense of achievement, a sense of being elated, a joy of being free from all barriers, joy of freedom, as well as being disciplined; strength of inner control as well as lightness.

All this is possible only when we discover our true purpose and take actions towards that direction.

Now lets just put the same phenomena to the concept of development. Is our definition or direction of development well defined or we are just rushing somewhere. Is it the real objective that we want to achieve?

Isn't it that we would be happier producing a bit less but we live a peaceful life? Is it not better to work for making people happy rather than making them crave for more facilities? Is it not better to define our own vision and mission first than we do it for a company? Is it not better to keep people's happiness as the first goal rather than maximising (any goals, limits???) wealth?Lets ask these questions to ourselves.

Lets define our own goals clearly. Individual goals will then merge into society goals, into national goals and into the universal goals. Then whatever we shall do, it will be in synergy, in a unified direction. It will have a purpose. It will have a destination. It will not be a blind race or rush. It will be smooth, confident and joyful ride to a better world. Then each step of human race will be towards real growth. There will be growth in happiness, in peace, in harmony, in creativity, in arts, needless to say in wealth, resources and quality of life.

That is the way to live life, that is the way to develop. LET US GROW, LET US RISE, LET US DEVELOP.

Good Habit - Bad Habit

They say, you should inculcate good habits in your routine and avoid bad habits. The objective intended behind this teaching may be that person should take right actions in life. But can you define right and wrong universally and for all times? is it not situation and time specific? Does it not mean that the decision needs to be taken considering the situation at the moment and not based on norms laid down by previous experiences. Yes, previous experiences helps. They act as guide in situations where we can't find a way. But they can't be decisive. The decision has to be taken by the person. And while taking decision, he can take assistance of past experiences, without affecting his decision making power; without being prejudiced by the fact that in past the experience had been in one direction.

Does it not mean that the person needs to be AWAKE and ALERT for the situation to take a decision. Now lets consider, what is habit (good or bad irrespective). Habit is a situation or phenomena, where person starts responding in same or similar way for similar situations for a number of instances and then the response become almost automated. Thus person's response is triggered by just even the hint of the situation.

Now, if we consider the state of mind with specific reference to the habit, existence of habit means that the person is not awake. Automated responses come only when person's system (mind body) is working without being noticed by HIM. Thus person is responding based on his previous experiences and not awake in the present moment.

Any habit is like blood pressure. High BP or bad habit is more dangerous than low BP or good habit. But basically, habits are dangerous. And habits have further adverse effect as one habit makes you to take unconscious action and the same thing starts repeating in other situations also. It is like virus.

Our effort should be not to inculcate any habit and to remove existing habits if there are any. now what does it mean. It is not a weed, which can be removed just like that. What is required is to understand the whole programming. It is important to know the thought process that goes in between the stimulus and the response. If we are able to see that whole process, we shall not jump on response just by the trigger, rather, we shall be able to redirect our thoughts as per the situation at the moments.

Now, how can we start. We can start with small things. We all are a bunch of habits. Just see, what we do from morning till we sleep. How many things, we remember doing consciously. Do we know how did we brush teeth, or shaved or took bath.

All out actions are habituated. Same actions are being repeated number of times. Same patterns are created. Mind becomes comfortable with the pattern and so we become more and more unconscious about our actions.

These patterns need to broken. So let's take new actions. Let's do new things, more challenging things. Let's do things in more conscious way. How can we do things in more conscious way - by doing the same thing in different manner. For example, use left hand for brushing teeth, if you have been using right. Use stairs for some of the floors at least, if you have been using lift.

Whenever, you feel that life is going in routine, change something. It can be anything and may be as small as ironing your clothes, even when it can be got done outside.

It is very important to break habit patterns. If habits start governing life (as it does in most people's life and for great part of life for most of us), it should be taken as a warning for internal cancer. It is killing us. What is the difference between a dead and alive body. Dead body cannot do anything at its own, while alive body can. Now, if we are being governed by others (and our programming system of habits comes under 'others'), we are dead. We have life only when we do what we want to do. So let's break all habits and explore new world. Lets bring LIFE and in our lives.