SWOT Matrix : Know Yourself First

Productivity Tool/ Technique : SWOT Matrix/ Framework

Let me begin with a short story (please note that the characters are fictitious):

Ramesh is a highly ambitious, confident and successful working professional. He is always up for any challenge thrown at him by his boss and takes it head on. He wants to climb the ladder of promotion and success as fast as he can and doesn't say NO to anything that he thinks serves his ambitions. 

But, as we all know, life is unpredictable and always holds many a tricks up its' sleeves. The market dynamics changes and Ramesh's organisation enters into a merger with another one. Two organisations with different values, different work cultures, different territories, different product lines and with many more dissimilarities (than) similarities have now become one. The new reporting structure now has Ramesh reporting to the CEO of the other organisation. The CEO, for obvious reasons, is focused on preparing a common strategy and pitch for the merged entity. He (CEO) is looking for someone to lead this project and sensing this as an opportunity to impress the new management, Ramesh offers his candidature for the position. While other shortlisted candidates take it easy on the timelines during their pitch, Ramesh overcommits and proposes a rather unreasonable timeline for the project. But being a HPI (High Potential Individual), Ramesh gets the nod by the management. Now, here's Ramesh working on the project and a couple of months into the project, he feels all stressed and burnt out (to say the least). Unable to cope up with the pressure of the task, he gives up and fails miserably. It's not about what happens/ happened next but about why this ended this way ?

The question that i want to put is not about why Ramesh chose to overcommit (because that reasons are obvious) but why others didn't chose to overcommit ? What was it that prompted them to propose/ pitch it the way they did ?

But before we jump to the answer, how about a little bit of pondering on the above and try to relate it to situations/ events from our lives. Has it happened to us/ with us/ around us ? 

   

We all have ambitions, we all are hungry for success but do we ever pause and think about how this attitude of ours could prove to be counterproductive if we don't tread the road cautiously ! How many times have we jumped the gun and taken up an assignment/ project in haste and then regretted it afterwards ? I am sure, most of us, have been in such a situation, at least once (if not more) in our life.

Now the answers

Whether it was overconfidence or miscalculation of time/ effort or some other factor, it is all because of an inability to self-assess during times of venturing into an unknown or lesser known terrain. Assuming that while Ramesh jumped the gun to grab the position, others took some time to self-assess and then provide a pitch.

Let's talk about the VUCA  (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) that we live/ work in. The environment that we operate in is dynamic and poses new challenges every day, every moment. The "survival of the fittest" is the mantra to sustain in this VUCA world and becoming the "fittest" is about being ready to face any new challenge. The "readiness" is about ensuring the following 2 things:

1. knowing what the challenge (task, assignment, project, etc.) entails and

2. knowing what i know in terms of knowledge, skill, competencies needed to address the challenge.

   

Had Ramesh not reacted and spent some time gauging the gap between what the challenge entailed and where his current abilities and capabilities stood, he wold have done a much better job of the project/ task. Likewise, we need to ask ourselves, about how willing and equipped we are to deal with challenges (big and small) posed by the VUCA world ? I would leave the "willingness" portion for a different post and just talk about the part about being equipped to deal with challenges and exigencies. Many a times, we may we willing but may not be equipped appropriately.

Whether you are from the category of willing or unwilling, i am going to share about an extremely simple tool, SWOT Matrix, that could equip us to be better prepared for any challenge in our lives (personal or professional). Let's learn more about SWOT

Background of SWOT

SWOT is an acronym which stands for Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat

SWOT Matrix or Analysis, is a framework or technique, initially developed for businesses/ corporates, for strategising business growth and enabling the organisations to gain competitive advantage in the market. SWOT was invented in 1960s by a management consultant named Albert Humphrey during his research at Stanford University. After "corporate planning" failed to deliver for businesses, a need was felt for a tool that could help organisations in proper long-term planning. The simplicity of the tool ensured it's wide acceptance by the businesses (big and small) and gradually into the "personal" arena as well. In this post, we are going to discuss about SWOT in context of "personal" arena only. 

Need for SWOT 

Let me give you few prompts to ponder 

• Would it help to have a plan for my life to make the best of it ?
• Would having clarity about my goals and actions help me achieve more ?
• Would knowing more about myself help me be more realistic in my expectations and actions ?
• Would i prefer to be proactive in my approach wherever possible ?
• Would being competent help me be more competitive ? 
• Don't we all prefer to be better prepared for life ?

The dynamic ecosystem that we are a part of doesn't leave us with any other option but to say "yes" to one or more of the above and even one "yes" is a reason enough to start applying SWOT Framework/ Matrix in our lives. We all will be better prepared to deal with life if we have a strategy for it, a strategy that is based on facts.   

Elements of SWOT Framework 

There are 4 key elements of the framework which are (S) Strengths, (W) Weaknesses, (O) Opportunities and (T) Threats. From these Strengths and Weaknesses are 2 elements which are internal, positive and helpful whereas the other 2 elements, Opportunities and Threats are external,  negative and potentially harmful.

• S - Strengths : Strength refers to the strong points that we possess, the qualities that separates us or differentiates us favourably from our competitors. Some of these strong points could be our knowledge, education, experience, competency, skill, or anything alike. Many of these could be put in tangible terms. 
•  W- Weaknesses : Weaknesses refer to the weak links in us, things which are better in our competitors, limitations that exist in us, things we are not strong in compared to our competitors. Some of the examples are any undeveloped/ underdeveloped skill needed in the context to operate effectively and efficiently. The gaps and areas of improvement in us all refer to the Weakness element.
• O - Opportunities : This refers to the identified potential for growth and development, based on our identified goals and ambitions. This refers to any of the future plans that we identify and set for ourselves to achieve. This may be a direct outcome of our existing Strengths element. This element refers to the favourable conditions that aids our pursuit of relevant context-defined goals/ objectives. 
• T - Threats : This refers to the anticipated barriers, bottlenecks or problems that we may face in our effort to achieve our future goals. Thus may be a direct outcome of our existing Weaknesses element. This element refers to anything that may be a potential risk in our effort towards pursuing relevant context-defined goals/ objectives.

There's no control we can exert over the Opportunities and Threats elements because these are defined by market factors, which are beyond our scope of control. 

Using/ Applying SWOT

• Pick up the context for the SWOT analysis. It could our personal goal, any difficult situation or scenario, or a problem requiring effective decision-making 
• Place the SWOT template in front. We can either download a ready-made template or draw it ourselves.
• Keeping the context in mind, start filling in the Strengths quadrant and then the Weaknesses quadrant
• Now, to fill up Opportunities quadrant, reflect/ ponder on the already identified Strengths and write down what all opportunities our existing strength could provide
• Likewise, to fill up the Threats quadrant, reflect/ ponder on the already identified Weaknesses and write down what all future threats these present weaknesses of mine could create
• Once the 4 quadrants are complete, analyse them and come out with an executable Plan of Action (POA). 

Few Precautions while doing SWOT

• Keep it short and manageable by making it relevant and applicable to the context
• Be rational while filling up the quadrants
• While doing SWOT, bear in mind that it is to be done with reference to our competitor 
• Avoid making the SWOT complex by not mixing multiple contexts/ scenarios. If need be, do SWOT for each of the identified context separately
• Ensure that the focus of SWOT is appropriate to give us the specific outcomes. The focus should not be too narrow or too broad
• While filling the quadrants, wear outsider's eyes to see the Strengths and Weaknesses.
• Don't over-rely on SWOT as a comprehensive diagnostic approach. 
• Repeat the SWOT at regular intervals to ensure consistency of effort and direction 

To end the post, few important points to remember about SWOT 

• SWOT is a good, simple and effective tool and could be a good starting point but if we need a more comprehensive and holistic diagnostics, then we should not hesitate to make use of other tools as well.
• the main purpose of SWOT is enable us to arrive at a Plan of Action. So, ultimately, the effectiveness of the SWOT Analysis done by us would only be as effective as our actions. So, we need to ensure that we take appropriate actions.

To download the SWOT template, please visit this wonderful link on internet - 

https://www.smartsheet.com/14-free-swot-analysis-templates

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Wheel of Life : Creating a Balanced Life

PRODUCTIVITY TOOL - Wheel of Life  

Why do we crave for a "balanced life" even though we know that it's not easy to achieve ? 

The answer is straightforward - A "balanced life" is a sure recipe for order, happiness and satisfaction in life which is so essential for a fulfilling life !

But this "balance" comes with the caveat that it may not take much for things to go "out of order" in our life inspite of our best efforts to hang on to the balanced state. The moment imbalance starts to creep in, is when things get out of control for us and we start to struggle to get things back in order and get our life back on track ! 

The resulting stress, mental chaos and confusion is exactly the reason that we need to address this "imbalance" in our life and do it with a well-rounded approach. Developing a well-rounded approach is made simple by answering the most fundamental question - What is my understanding of "balance" in life ? If the understanding is all about meeting the ad-hoc or urgent needs of life then the approach is bound to collapse. On the other hand, if the understanding is broader in nature and incorporates the key impact areas of life, then the approach is bound to succeed. 

The three key guiding pointers for building an effective approach towards a "balanced life" are  

• Identifying the key impact areas of our life
• Scoring/ Gauging the current level of "balance" in each of the identified areas
• Shift from seeking a balanced life towards seeking a "well-balanced" life

The task of accomplishing the above is made simpler by a tool that is easy-to-use and yet so effective in building clarity. The tool is known as WHEEL OF LIFE and is often the very first tool used by coaches with their clients to help them become clear about their focus areas. The simplicity of the tool cannot undermine its' effectiveness. Let's look more closely at the tool   

About the tool - Wheel of Life

The Wheel of Life is an extremely simple yet robust framework for bringing in life through self-assessment and reflection. It is a visual representation of the status quo/ balance/ imbalance that exists in our life and provides a "helicopter view" of things in our life. This holistic view which the tool provides enables us to gauge where we stand in various areas of our life and where we need to pay attention to bring balance/ better balance in our life. 

The credit for creating the modern version of Wheel of Life goes to Paul J. Meyer, the founder of Success Motivation Institute though the tool has its roots in Buddhism. The modern version of the tool was created by Paul J. Meyer in the 1960s and has been popular ever since then.

The tool consist of a circle divided into various pie shaped sections/ segment, where each section/ segment denotes an identified key areas of our life. Each section has a scoring scale of 1-10 (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest) with 1 placed closer to the centre of the wheel and 10 placed towards 

Among the plenty of advantages that the tool offers, the key benefits include self-awareness/ self-reflection, clarity and prioritisation. The tool is a great saviour for times when we feel lost and stuck. 

Using the Tool

The following steps would enable us to derive the best from the tool

• Identify the key categories/ areas of your life, the areas that are meaningful and impact our life. Identifying too many areas may not be much helpful so it makes sense to restrict the categories to 8 in number. 
• Label each section/ segment with an area from the list of 8 identified areas
• Score yourself for each area, on a scale of 1-10, based on the current level of satisfaction or balance
• Based on the score identified, draw a line across each segment 
• The resultant drawing will give an indication about how bumpy the ride is at present and where we need to pay attention to make the ride smooth.

Few important things to remember 

• In the scoring scale of  1-10, 1 denotes the most dissatisfied/ imbalanced  and 10 denotes most satisfied/ balanced. As we move along the scale from 1-10, the rest of the scores (2-9) denote the gradual improvement in the level of satisfaction/ level.
• The range of scores denote the status quo
• the scores of 1-4 denote an high level of dissatisfaction and ask for immediate measures to address the issues and seize the opportunities. This score could be an indication of our neglect towards a particular area, which we did not seem necessary to attend to till now. 
• the scores of 5-7 denote a reasonable level of satisfaction in the particular areas but also indicate the need to step up the game and make the best use of opportunities to move to the next level.  
• the scores of 8-10 denote a high level of satisfaction and also an indication of not to become complacent in the particular areas but to retain the momentum.
• There's always a need to ensure that we operate at a minimum level to always ensure the basic life balance and my experience has shown that a score of 6 is always essential for every identified area.   

The beauty of the tool lies in not being dependent on a specific template. Though there are plenty of online downloads available, such as http://cmaleadershipconsultants.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CMA-Coaching-Wheel.pdf  but we can draw it ourselves too and get started. 

So, grease your Wheel of Life and start putting your life in balance ! 

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Stop Chasing the Wrong Rainbow !

Life is a good teaser and most of us are always running to catch up with its' (life) pace. Amidst all the "chasing after life" that we get engaged in,  little do we realize that, we are, in fact, chasing a rainbow. However promising and colorful this rainbow may appear, and however sincerely we may go after it, we may still not be able to catch up the rainbow. Mindless chasing just make the matter worse. This is when a little pause for doing course correction could make the things better for us. We may ask ourselves whether we are chasing the wrong rainbow ? Maybe chasing an illusion of perfection and "being preferred" that may have got manifested out of our unrealistic expectations. 

Chasing a rainbow that exists in the context of a world that is governed by a cut-throat competition and where competitiveness guides for all our pursuits, aspirations outdo ability and we are constantly striving to outdo others (in every conceivable way), makes it imperative for us to ensure that we chase the right rainbow if we want to live a fulfilling life. The repercussions of chasing a wrong rainbow are fraught with implications that would leave us exhausted, clueless and disappointed. 

Before choosing which rainbow to chase, it is good to realize that life will always play a "catch me if you can" game with us and whether we fall trap to it or not is going to define the outcomes in our life. Chase the wrong rainbow and we would always be running and seeking without any end; choose the right rainbow and we would make the best of whatever life brings our way.  

Let's understand what a wrong rainbow comprises. Always remember that even a wrong rainbow could appear quite appealing and enticing and may fool us into a make-believe. So, the best way to get started is to ask ourselves -  What are we seeking in life ?What exactly, are we, running after in life ?

So, when it's about chasing the wrong rainbow, we tend to end up chasing things that are BIGGER, BETTER, FASTER, SMARTER and MORE. Our frame of reference is "others" and our intention, always, is to outdo others. Blame it on clouded thinking and inflated ego, we just live a life of constant comparison, always keen to prove a point to others. The control of our life is handed over to others and all our energy and effort goes in being a notch above others. The "tangibles" seem to be defining our success here, in this scenario. For example, to be termed/ perceived more successful than others, i need to be the BEST IN EVERYTHING, whether its about owning a home (bigger than others), driving a car (faster than others), having a job or business (smarter than others), bank balance (more money than others). Chasing a rainbow comprising of the above 5 components will always be a never-ending struggle because there will always be someone better than us in some way. So, this eternal quest of perfection will always stand in our way of living a satisfying and successful life.

Now, let's look at what a right kind of rainbow looks like. Progression instead of Perfection defines this rainbow and there never really is any chase involved in it. It's all about a very calm and patient seeking of peace and order. The SMALL, LESS and NOW characterizes the nature of things being sought. The control of life remains with "oneself" and intention is to become the BEST VERSION OF ONESELF, without any need to enter into competition with others. The seeker is happy and satisfied with whatever there is and "tangibles" do not hold much relevance in this context. Chasing/ Seeking this rainbow is a guarantee of eternal satisfaction and success in life. A small house, small car, enjoying every task to the hilt is all very satisfying and satiating.

So, reflect whether you need to stop chasing the wrong rainbow and if need be create your own rainbow, that aligns well with the fundamental principles of living life well.

Remember, it's never too late to Stop Chasing Life and instead Start Living It !

What's Your Doorway To Life ?

Haven't we been spectators to our own life many a times when it spirals downwards, roller coasting downhill ? Those days when everything appears challenging and things just seem to go from bad to worse, when reaction overtakes the response and the external forces appear too many to handle and  then we assume that the only option left with us is to "confront" and the only thought that crosses our mind is to wait for things to get better (only if they will).

The events in life are never in our control and they may occur anytime, anywhere and in any form. Quite contrary to the events in out life and much against the popular belief, the outcome of any event is never pre-defined and is always under our control. Just a case in point - consider the day that starts off with a minor irritation but ends up with an exhibition of full blown anger. Few things that may still have gone in our favour also go the other way. Life seems like slipping away from our hold/ grip and and we are left in the lurch wondering what went wrong. The blame gets passed on to the events that occurred which catapulted a manageable day into an unmanageable one. 

All this while when the reasons were being sought to pass on the blame, a little introspection could have worked wonder. A little thought to the following could have brought back the control of the day and of life. 

Ask yourself - What's controlling my life and what's determining the outcomes in my life ?

And when we ask yourself the above, let's not settle for the most convenient and easy answer which is "external events". If that would have been the correct answer, then just about everyone would have been struggling to control/ manage their life. How is it, then, that so many still seize control of their life when they sense it slipping away ?  

The mantra is quite simple - "Identify your doorway to life !", which means finding out through what lens do we view life. Simply put, the doorway defines our attitude to life and the values/ philosophy we live by. Though the day may not begin as per our expectations many a times and we may face unfavourable situations, events or circumstances but still we can end our day well if our doorway is of positivity, hope, trust, faith, teamwork, and anything that makes our life better in some way. 

Getting perturbed by unfavourable events is easy and this can play spoiler in our unless we build a doorway on the foundation of trust and confidence - trust that things may seem bad right now but will surely get better in future, so let me focus on what this experience has to teach me; confidence in self that I possess the requisite capability and capacity to turn it around by holding onto enabling and empowering positive thoughts and actions.  

Always remember that we can seize the control of our life whenever we want to and nothing external can determine the outcome in my life except myself. Once I imbibe this, all I need to do is to build a doorway that's always empowering for me, helping me to accomplish more and evolve.

So, let's do whatever it takes to build a doorway that will even inspire the Universe to conspire and help us attract peace, love, harmony , success and happiness in our life !

 

When Life Hits An Impasse !

source: www.goodtherapy.org

When our life is brought to a screeching halt and we are thrown in a tizzy, all we wonder is "What now?" . What had so far been a smooth cruise now appears to be a tricky and bumpy ride. Looking further ahead, we see our life engulfed in a cloud of confusion and chaos. This is when the reality hits us that our life has hit an impasse !

The "cul-de-sac" that stares at us in our face and leave us completely blank is in fact a manifestation of our ill-conceived goals and ill-directed actions. Now, when all our goals seem out of sight no clarity of direction, the only way forward is to do course correction.

Hitting a dead-end in life is not the end of the road for us. A little bit of self-probing and self-reflection could help us get our life back on track again. This is the right time to dig deep and identify what's holding us back.

The following could help us explore the root cause:

• Do i feel motivated (at this moment) to pursue the goal ?
• Am i pursuing my existing goals of my own free will ?
• Do i feel overwhelmed/ underwhelmed with my goal(s) ?
• Do i need to rework on my goals - maybe establish a different goal altogether or rework on the existing one ?
• Do i need to establish few mini-goals that will help me be motivated ?
• Are my action items in place ?
• Have i set my priorities right ?
• Have i built the necessary discipline in my daily routine for the tasks that needs to be executed? 
• Have i built a closure (timeline/ deadline) for the tasks identified by me? 
• Have i identified all the available options ?
• Do i have a mechanism in place for feedback ?

Pondering over the above questions could help us pin point where exactly the problem lies - whether in our goals, action items or time. Once the root cause is identified then its not difficult to do the necessary course correction and go beyond the impasse !

A Successful Journey Needs A Destination !

To establish the right context, it makes sense to start with few important questions :

• Is it important to know where you are headed, be it about any journey we undertake?
• Is it crucial to begin the day with clarity about the tasks to be accomplished that day?
• Is it important to live our life with a clearly defined set of expectations?

For sure, the answer will be a resounding "YES" though we do not always comply with it. A simple case in point is the way we live our life, more as a ritual rather than a mission; also those times when we mindlessly go through life's chores without any thinking about why we are doing them ?

And if asked why we are doing them, the immediate reaction is- "So what ?, how does it matter how i traverse the path as long as i am going somewhere?"

Little do we realise that this "somewhere" itself is the biggest problem. Quoting Lewis Carroll - "If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there". This illustrates that "somewhere" may not turn out to be our "desired land". If all we want from ourselves is to be in a state of "motion" then it will only lead to "commotion". 

Why is Destination important ?

The most important reason that we need a destination is because our dreams is at stake. Every journey in our life is an unfulfilled dream till we reach where we desire to. Imagine the plight of those who embark on an expedition to Himalayas or Antartica or any other place without identifying where they need to stop ! 

At a personal level, think about the times when we step out of our home, we know exactly where we need to head. Likewise, every other journey that we embark upon needs a finish point too. Every Start needs a Stop and unless destination is identified it's only going to result in an abrupt stop. We can't expect ourselves to be "moving" without any movement, forward, backward or sideways. 

Don't we all yearn for few important things in life ? Don't we all yearn for a life well-lived ? Don't we all engage in a quest for success and happiness in life ? Then why not define what we seek and make the road easier to travel for ourselves!  

Summing up the need for identifying Destination - It gives direction and meaning to our lives. It also makes us more efficient and productive.

How to identify/ define Destination in Life ? 

If Destination is so critical for out life then it becomes imperative to identify it. Few ways we could do so is

• Imbibe the habit of putting a closure to every task that we undertake 
• Give the destination the shape of a well-defined goal
• Link the established goals with relevant areas of our life
• Visualize the dream state we want to achieve to enable us establish the appropriate destination
• Be clear about the distinction between an intermediate goal and the main goal
• Don't get overwhelmed with the journey itself as it needs to end at some point       

So, the choice is ours - whether we want to live an incomplete life laden with unfulfilled dreams and desires or we want a meaningful life laden with accomplishments and happiness!

Discover Your Operating Zone ?

Remember playing a juggler? The times when “busyness” becomes second nature to us and we assume we can manage multiple things together. This “fool’s paradise” is very short-lived and brings us the realization that “Work More- Achieve More” mantra is misleading and applying it only results in “Worked Many – Achieved None”. The ramification of this “juggling act” that we perform at times, impacts our overall productivity and our efficiency takes a hit.

During these times of utter distraction, achieving “flow” i.e. , state of being fully immersed in the task,  does seem quite daunting. The mere realization that “we are most productive when we work in our most resourceful state” could help us establish the context based on the right premise and makes this task achievable. The first step towards achieving this improbable but not impossible task of “flow” is to understand our “Operating Zone”. 

The "Creative Zone" is the most resourceful state and should be the "desired state" for anyone wanting to be more productive in life.  This zone puts us in a "flow" mode and we tend to generate lots of ideas and innovation.

The "Neutral Zone" is the transitionary stage where the realisation to move out of the status quo happens and mental preparation for the Creative zone happens.

The "Comfort Zone" is where no "need" occurs other than to be where we are.

 So, to move ahead and build forward momentum, it's essential to identify our "operating zone" and then take appropriate action for our growth. 

BUSYNESS - The Utopian Paradox

The Utopian Paradise of Productivity and Efficiency that we dream of in 21^st Century is infact a Paradox built on the pretext of “Busyness”. The phenomenon of Busyness emanates from our desire and quest for “more”, at times even more than what we can manage or handle. The self-imposed demand to be the best and be “ahead of the pack” is further compounded by the plethora of information, knowledge and digital technologies that surround us.

We, the super species of 21^st Century are smitten with the concept of “more” and bitten by the bug of “busyness”. We love to be always “busy” and wants lots on our plate, most of the times more than we can possibly manage or handle. Productivity and Efficiency provide the foundation for this Utopian world we dream about but if “multi-tasking” becomes the order of the day and being into “too many” becomes the success indicator, a status of achievement then there’s still a long way to go for us.

Being in the midst of information overload, clutter, unfinished tasks  gives us a false feeling of having achieved something but in reality there’s hardly any accomplishment. In the “shroud of pretence” that we create , productivity and efficiency gets overshadowed by our deep ingrained habit of pretence or showing off. This sets in a false belief of accomplishment where nothing much exist. All this is a sure shot way to leave us anxious, depressed and restless and that is detrimental to our overall wellbeing.

“Busyness” may seem overwhelming but few small steps could definitely help us move out from this trap and create the Utopia. Some of the steps are mentioned below:

• Replace multi-tasking with single-tasking and focus on “one thing at a time”. This would enable us to put all our energy and undivided attention on the task at hand which will give us better results. 

• Understand limitations of our brain, in terms of how much information it can process. This would help us understand our “stretch limits”.  

• Limit our “digital engagement”

• Create regular “mindful periods” in daily routine to reflect on our tasks and priorities

It’s time we realize that busyness is not helping us get  better at anything in our life. The action is plenty but accomplishment is nil or little. So, let’s evaluate whether we are affected by the “busyness” bug and do whatever it takes to become more productive in life!

YEARN for YIN_YANG#AtoZChallenge

Y is for YIN-YANG

PERFECTION and BALANCE are 2 things that each one of us is striving for in our life. But the irony is that we are trying to achieve it in a completely non-conducive environment which consist of a world that’s overflowing with information & knowledge; mind that is filled to the brim with chaos and commotion and a body that is all the time busy multi-tasking. We are aiming for the improbable considering the dynamic eco-system we live and operate in. The best way to achieve balance is to seek progression instead of perfection and move forward. The moment we start accepting the duality of everything in life, we will achieve balance in life. This principle of duality is YIN-YANG, a concept/ approach which helps us deal effectively with uncertainties of life - ups and downs, good times and bad times, opportunities and challenges.

Why is YIN-YANG important ?

·      Life is never a smooth ride and we need to deal with adversity as well. YIN-YANG prepares us for dealing with the downs in life and move ahead in life

·   Adopting the YIN-YANG approach build in us the requisite mental strength to deal with difficulties

·        YIN-YANG prepares us to build multiple perspectives

·        YIN-YANG helps us perceive the adversities as natural       happenings and not get bogged down by them 

How to balance YIN-YANG ?

·         Accepting failures and negative events in our life as natural occurrences, similar to the positive ones

·         Focus on achieving balance in all aspects of life – work, home, relationships, etc. The more all these aspects are in harmony, the more balanced our life will be

·         Include practices like mindfulness, meditation and yoga which connect us to our inner self

·         Practice gratitude and be thankful for everything in life

·         Declutter life to attract clarity and positivity in life

 Bring YIN-YANG in life and live holistically forever !