No Empty Chairs!!

I recently participated in a leadership training at work. Everytime I attend these trainings, I take back something from all the gyaan and try to implement in my work and personal life. Yes! Its very difficult to change or develop a habit just because someone shared the wisdom with you. And after a few days u continue with your usual WOW when life gets on to you.
But some words/quotes really make a lasting impact on you and though you know it already but that one thing you really want to incorporate in your life. And for me the three words of the family goal statement which I heard made that impact. I thought I should share it with my friends also.

"NO EMPTY CHAIRS"
Let me know what you interpret from this, would be interesting to read your views.

#familygoals #noemptychairs #lovequotes #family #philosophyoflife #7habitsofhighlyeffectivepeople

Body Shaming - Shame for the society

Why did God make some people fair and some less fair? Some people tall and some short? Some fat and some slim? Some with straight and some curly hair? Any idea?

Well, let me tell you!

It is, so that some people can body shame the others! Yes. Its our birth right to body shame! If people around you dont, you start it yourselves!

Ask any little girl in our country, what is the definition of beauty for them? It will be golden hair, white skin and slim tall body with a Cinderella gown!! Seriously? Guys do we want our kids to grow up with this definition of beauty? If not, stop stereotyping beauty with physical parameters.

No doubt, its important to be fit and take care of your body for a healthy and happy life. But lets confine ourselves to JUST our bodies. Festivals and get togethers have become more body shaming parties than friendly gatherings. Lets get beyond weights and color. You dont know what battle a person is going through OR someone else might be prioritising an ailing mother over his/her gym. Or simply, THEY DONT CARE!

Stop being an agony aunt when they dont need one. Or Stop being a dietician and giving tips when the whole world knows how to search them on internet. The cream you used to make yourselves fair might be the last thing someone wants to know! Let alone your secret of straight hair.

Body shaming is done in both men and women. But men has a very witty way of self-deprecation and playing it cool. While women find it difficult to handle. People use MEANEST synonyms to laugh as if its a common joke.

Closing the loop from where I started. God has made us all different for a purpose. We compliment each other and all are uniquely beautiful. Encourage and Elevate each other. Imperfections are human and what you can do, might not be possible for someone else, let alone..it might not be in the agenda of them. So learn to be nice.

I love one question which Gautam Buddha has given us to use when in doubt.

" If you propose to speak, always ask yourself, is it true, is it necessary, is it kind?".

This blog topic was a request from a dear friend. So what's your story??

#loveyourself #Nobodyshaming #unique #stopbullying #allsizes #color

Avani's dose of the day!! New house

We recently shifted in a new house, in a new locality. It was a year long journey with alot of disruption in all our lives. Then finally when it was time to wrap up from our old place, it was a very emotional moment for me. My 13 years of journey in the house was going to end. Journey where I have spent the best years of my life. Both my lovely kids were born there, celebrated every single ocassion and festivals with my friends right from Lohri to Onam, laughed and cried with family and friends. Decorated each wall and corner with so much love and affection. The photoframes on the wall, still narrate thousand of stories.

It was hard for me to let go of the little shoes I had bought when I was expecting my first baby. And then that little tulsi plant in the balcony made me recall the whole journey from a newly wed to the lady of the house. And ofcourse as all journeys are, it was full of ups and downs.

So with this emotional upheaval going on in my mind, few tears rolled down my cheeks.

Avani looks at me and chokes a little.Hugs me.

Avani : Mom, why are you crying? Are you also missing Riviera as much as I do?

Mummy: Ofcourse darling. I have spent 13 years of my life here. I will definitely miss it very much.

Avani: Not as much as I do!

Mummy: Why not?

Avani: Because you have only spent part of your life here. But, I. I was born here and have spent all my life here. So I will miss it more than you do.

Yes, I agree. Its logical. Though 13 is more than 8 (Avani's age). She has spent all her life there. And I have only spent part of it.

#KidsTheseDays #AvanisDoseOfTheDay #wittyKids #ChangeIsDisruptive #MissMyHome #Memories

Bangalore Blooming

My first memory of coming to Bangalore back in 2004 was passing by HAL Road with trees arching on both the sides for a 2-3 km stretch. I fell in love with the beautiful weather and greenery around. Coming from a small town and being a nature lover, I always take few minutes everyday to admire the nature's beauty around me.

And the nature conspires to fulfil this wish of mine everyday. I have frequent winged visitors in my balcony, my Adobe is surrounded by colorful flowers all thanks to the gardening team in my society. Sometimes a squirrel on the nearby tree where my car is stuck in traffic jam and sometimes beautiful clouds narrating a novel story. Nature finds it's way to reach us.

One more time this weekend, I was awestruck by the beauty of those beautiful pink flowers carpeting the whole road on my way to Kundanhalli. Trees on both the sides of the road are in full bloom and not only that the flowers have carpeted the whole road too.

Not sure what is the name of the flowers but I call it Bangalore's Cherry Blossoms!! Next time someone says Bangalore is no more beautiful, take them to the many roads that are blooming with these flowers. I am sure, they will have to change their perception.

Lockdown - SCIFI movie

I feel like I am into a SCIFI movie. The fear, the lockdown, the conspiracy and helplessness are all so real! I could see how like any movie, it started with a rosy day in office discussing how people in some remote part of the world are fighting with a dangerous epidemic. Then being concerned about people whom I know and work with. Then slowly the black clouds spreading to India.

And I am immediately put into charge to do something about it. Face masks, sanitizer, home made food, immunity developing home remedies, etc etc to make sure everyone is safe. The speeches, the media, the messages all seem to be running in the background like how in movie it hovers around the characters. I feel so helpless that I am still not able to find some solution to it! And why the plot is still not seeing the deep bottom and why are we not bouncing back to the thrilling recovery from the epidemic??

I just want to get up and take a breath of relief that it was just a dream!! I just want the movie to stop and get back to the normal day to day life! I hope I am right...or atleast like any SCIFI movie, the recovery is now just a click away!!!

#Covid-19 #Lockdown #Helpless #scifi #AlwaysAMotherFirst #StayHome #StayPositive #WeWillComeOutOfThis

Work From Home Mother - Lockdown diaries

'When the going gets tough, the tough gets going!' And right now, each one of us need to be tough. The odds are against, but the silver lining is we (as E///) are making a difference. Helping the world to connect and supporting the critical services with our technology.

While I WFH along with my wonderful team supporting me impeccably.The juggle between work and home is not easy, keeping kids productively occupied while I deal with business needs is pressing. Similar to business, you need to be innovative in your solutions and delegate projects everyday to ensure productivity at home too #togetherapart #innovationAtHome #WFHMother

Lockdown Reflections!

Thanks to the lockdown, we have experienced a different life....

Otherwise, how would you know the color SKY BLUE exists in SKY

Otherwise, how would you know the birds can chirp even at noon

Otherwise, how would you realise India also has SPRING and BLOOM season

Otherwise, how would you know you can ever be bored of watching Netflix

Otherwise, how would you cook those fancy dishes at home which you always thought of trying

Otherwise, how would you know screentime is such a BOON for working parents

Otherwise, how would you know WORK FOR HOME is more difficult than WORK FROM HOME

Otherwise, how would you know that you could talk to your entire family on ZOOM Meeting at once

Otherwise, how would you know you can actually wash 80% of the groceries you shop with soap

Otherwise, how would you know how important it is to have a porch/foyer to keep the grocery untouched for 1 day

Otherwise, how would you be grateful for the trivial things like house, food and clothes to wear

Otherwise, how would you know that people have bigger issues than EGO issues

Otherwise, how would you know there is a calm in all the clutter in life

Otherwise, how would you know YOU ARE INSIGNIFICANT and world will not stop in your absence

So before the madness RESTARTS,,, time for some REFLECTIONS...

#Lockdown #introspection #philosophy #insignificant #boonorbane #perspective #reflection

So what is your OTHERWISE??

Silhouette

Nature tells us everyday; Change is the only constant! We keep mourning over the past ;And worrying about the future.

But forget to live the present.The present is the biggest PRESENT we have,

But like these cherry blossom trees

We keep ourselves focused to the spring. Though the spring might bring the promise of some heavenly blossoms. But today in the autumn, It still gives some spectacular silhouettes. All we need is to change the lenses and view it from a different pair of eyes.

#philosophyoflife #LiveInPresent #changeistheonlyconstant #Nature #photography #naturephotography #Sweden #Stockholm #sunset #cherryblossom #djurgarden #Autumn #silhouette

Husband DayCare Center

See how I manage to be more productive during my vacations #HusbandDayCare #vacation #funwithfamily #CapeTown #waterfront

Pittod - Childhood Nostalgia

As a child I looked forward for this pile of yummies. Mom with her Gujju neighbours influence makes some amazing Gujju dishes like Undhiyo, Dhokla...khandavi etc. Pittod as we call it was my favourite always. And nobody can make it like my Mom...i still remember how she burnt her fingers to spread it when it was super hot as once it's cold, the paste doesn't spread.

Today when I made it as weekend special in lockdown, it took my back to how me and my brother gobbled it in seconds. We didn't have fancy pizzas and Chinese at home those days, but we never missed variety!

This lockdown time is going to be the nostalgia our kids they will carry with them all their life! However crazy they might look today, when we look back. This is going to be the best family time ever! And next year, when these come in my facebook and Google photos memories, we will fondly remember it.

#Nostalgia #khandvi #Pittod #MomSpecial #Lockdown #childhoodmemories

Matka Kulfi!

Maharajs Matka Kulfi was 'WORLD FAMOUS' in my small town. And every summer vacation our night-drives drove us to this amazing delicacy after dinner.

For years together, the founder of it- Chenna maharaj brought me my special Kulfi while the others enjoy their regulars. I fondly remember him running to our car with my special before he preps up for others. The warmth with which he served me that was not less than a own family member(As I say.. I am blessed!!)

So what was so special about mine?

It didn't have dry fruits!! Yes! I hate it when in the middle of the smooth creamy heavenly icecream I get a nut or a raisin! So for nuts like me, he kept a few plain kesar Kulfis.

And the history repeats itself. Avani hates dry fruits crumbling inside her ice-creams and I have to prepare TWO SPECIALS for her and me now. I still remember Chenna Maharaj fondly whenever I enjoy my SPECIAL! Some things in life you will always remember with a smile!

#Nostalgia #vacation #Memories #SimpleThingsInLife #simplejoys #kulfi #avanisdoseoftheday #blessed

Avani's dose of the day! 5G

Why do we take pride in our work??

Here is a small incident:

Internet wasn't working for a few minutes yesterday night at my home. So we were trying to troubleshoot the issue.

Husband: Are we connected to the right network? It seems some issue!

Avani(8 yr old): Dad why don't you connect to the 5G network. 5G works much better than the usual one.

Me: Avani why is 5G better?

Avani: Mom, It has better speed! Better connectivity! Doesn't disconnect often! If you are inside the room, nothing better than 5G!

Avani has no clue I work for 5G or what exactly 5G networks bring to the table. But look at how we touch day to day life of people. They experience better speed, better connectivity and without the fancy abbreviations also it is what the future awaits!!

#AvanisDosOfTheDay #5G #speed #ProudToBeICT #ICT #future