How are you?

If someone asks this, usually most of the responses from us are  – Going on, Pulling on, Life could have been better. In fact sometimes we would curse ourselves why we asked that question. Their negative answer is so much that they will pull the other person also down.

Whenever someone asks me “How are you?”, my response would always be – Top of the world. I have been practicing this for more than 2 decades and a half. Initially, when I was taught this concept, I was very reluctant to practice this. Why should I say something different?  What would the other person think, if I said I am feeling on top of the world? Can I always feel on top of the world? So many doubts and questions. But my mentor asked me to practice this continuously at least for 3 weeks, whatever the other person feels or responds. Hence I decided to do so. Initially, I felt a bit awkward. But as I continued practicing this, I started feeling energetic. Over a period of time, I felt something completely different. My outlook towards life completely changed. It has become part of my system.

I still remember one of the client meetings at the beginning of a week. The client asked me, “How are you?”. Like a bullet, I said “Top of the world”. There was silence from the other end. Then we continued the discussion. The meeting went on for 30 minutes. At the end of the meeting, the client said, “Today has been a bad day for me both at home and office. I actually wanted to cancel this meeting. But the way you uttered top of the world, energized me completely. During these 30 minutes, I completely forgot whatever happened so far today and I have realized how I could change myself by being positive. Now I am looking forward to the rest of my day and week”.

That’s when I realized that what I am practicing for my own good, can actually make a difference to the other person also.  We do not know how a simple act of ours would make a big difference to others.

In the pursuit of personal growth and well-being, I have consciously adopted three tiny habits that have transformed my daily routine.

Firstly – Committed to engaging in at least one hour of physical activity every day, embracing the benefits it brings to both to my body and mind.

Secondly – I made a conscious effort to drink more liquids throughout the day, recognizing the importance of staying hydrated for optimal health.

Lastly –  I decided to have an early dinner, allowing my body ample time to digest before bedtime, promoting better sleep and overall energy levels.
 
My primary motivation for adopting these new habits was to achieve an ideal weight that would enhance both my wellness and day-to-day efficiency. As someone who always felt sluggish and out of energy, I knew I needed to make some changes to feel better and achieve more during my days.
 
Over the past few years, I’ve been fortunate enough to participate in numerous health camps and join groups focused on health and wellness. These experiences opened my eyes to the importance of healthy living and provided me with valuable resources and a supportive community that encouraged me towards achieving my goals.
 
Adopting new habits isn’t an easy path, and consistency was a hurdle I frequently encountered. There were days when hitting the one-hour mark in physical activities felt daunting, or when unexpected social events led to late dinners. However, the biggest test to my resolve were the days when minor setbacks would spiral into a feeling of defeat.
 
It was crucial to remind myself that each day provided a new opportunity to bounce back. I motivated myself by journaling my progress, setting up reminders, and maintaining accountability with closed ones, which greatly helped in realigning with my goals whenever I wavered.
 
Six months into rigorously maintaining these habits, I was able to see great results. Not only did I lose 6 Kgs, but my energy levels were at an all-time high. I became more productive, waking up refreshed. All the physical changes were evident!!
 
 It’s a continuous journey, and each day adds a small part to this larger change. And while the scale’s numbers are a tangible measure, the real success lies in the newfound zest for life that I now cherish deeply. This journey of tiny habits leading to substantial change has taught me that transformation truly begins with one small step at a time.

What is a tiny habit you have consciously adopted that has brought about big changes for you? Do share so others can read your story and assess if that’s a habit they would want to inculcate too.

Are you authentic at work?
Yes.
Are you authentic at home?
Yes.
Authentic at home and work, are your authentic to yourself?
—— (sudden pause with no clear answer)

While this triangulation continued year after year, I decided to take action and become authentic to myself. This desire led me to go back and reconnect with what truly defined me – DANCE!

I soon realised that simply desiring to go back to DANCE cannot make me authentic. I need to talk action and that is how my habit of reconnecting with dance for 6 months, led me to actually give a live performance after a break of 25 years.

I now know how a simple act of nourishing my mind, body, heart and soul through dance, is helping me better address different life roles I play.

What is a tiny habit you have consciously adopted that has brought about big changes for you? Do share so others can read your story and assess if that’s a habit they would want to inculcate too.

My relationship with my weight has been a long saga. I’ve tried everything and each time I would put excessive pressure on myself and wait impatiently for magic to happen. It never did. 10K steps each day, 100 jumping jacks or nothing, the pressing need to quantify meals on a busy busy day… the pressure was insane.

One fine day, I decided to stop the madness. I removed my smartwatch and gently put it in the back of my drawer, hopefully never to be found. I stopped measuring food. I didn’t quit my weight loss efforts but I decided to do it all by listening to my body. I still walk, I strength train, lift weights, eat healthy – the only difference is that this time I’m listening to my body and, more importantly, my mind. I don’t badger both into submission. I instead find peace in knowing my physical and mental limits and work within it. I don’t know if this is the best thing to do, but I’m at peace and I’m seeing slow but sure results. Perhaps it’s good to stop hustling and rushing all the time and instead just, be.

What is a tiny habit you have consciously adopted that has brought about big changes for you? Do share so others can read your story and assess if that’s a habit they would want to inculcate too.

When we are in the middle of the ratrace, trying to meet needs at work, home and at community level, it can get really chaotic. Busy days, before we realise, go by and before we realise, we are overwhelmed, working mechanically like a robot. All this is bearable until the body keeps the score and forces you to rest. Last year, after a series of health breakdowns, I learnt to take short breaks. These short breaks are for all kinds of rest, from 10-minute napping or stretching for physical rest to clicking a few photographs for creative rest to talking to our favourite people for emotional rest. I never realised how important it is to pause and take these breaks in a long day until I saw my health improve drastically. Do I not feel tired anymore? Of course, I still do, but my heart is fuller at the end of the day, and I can focus more on the different work I do throughout the day.

What tiny habit have you consciously adopted that has brought about big changes for you? Share so others can read your story and assess whether that’s a habit they want to inculcate, too.