I look around and I am wondering ‘what is happening?’ In a world full of conveniences where we have robots to help us around the house, faster cars, washed & cut ready-to-serve foods, I notice people, including myself, have less and less time. How is it possible?
Not too long ago our grandparents had to wash clothes by hand, cultivated vegetables and raised their own chicken. They brought up many kids and lived a long and – what appeared to me – a happy life.
So, how is it possible that we have less time and are less happy? Yes, happy! I look around and it seems people are going so fast that they don’t have time to pause and enjoy life. We are on a rat race to nowhere.
Are we focused more on means than meaning? Does a series of career and financial accomplishments make us live a perfect life?
Apparently not. The latest news of celebrity suicides is a testament to the fact that money and fame on their own don’t bring happiness and fulfillment. Research shows a massive increase in suicides over the past decade.
So the question I asked myself is what brings me that sense of fulfillment, balance and overall well-being? I say well-being because happiness is something very subjective.
In my pursuit of fulfillment and well-being, I arrived in Rishikesh, India, ‘the yoga capital of the world’, to emerge myself in 200 hours of yoga and meditation for my yoga teacher certification and overall detox.
To my surprise, my fellow attendees were doctors, consultants, lawyers and business owners. We all flew thousands of miles away from our homes in search for the same thing – well-being.
Although each of us had different stories, we shared a common theme – we wanted to take a break from the rat race, turn inward, spend time nourishing our body and mind, and recharge our batteries.
The rigorous, disciplined bootcamp type of schedule with asana classes starting at 6:30am and ending with meditation at 9pm was exactly what we needed. It didn’t allow us much time for thinking. We were constantly reminded to be in the moment – ‘if you eat– you eat, if you sleep – you sleep.’ We were taught to be mindful and aware of our mind, body and breath in all that we do.
So between struggling at asana practice, and getting dizzy at pranayama, I gave myself the space to clear my mind and detox my body. I left India with a set of tools that have enabled me to live a healthier and more fulfilled life.
Well-being is the key ingredient to living a healthier, more balanced and fulfilled life. Being mentally, physically and emotionally well is what we all strive for, but it’s not very easy to achieve.
Our fast paced lifestyle doesn’t allow us to nourish ourselves. We keep focusing on the outside world, on giving and attending to others, until fatigue and illnesses force us to shift our attention to ourselves, our inner world.
I came to understand that inner management is essential to reaching my full potential and well-being. The science of inner management makes the difference between being happy and fulfilled or unhappy and frustrated.
4 Essential Elements To Reaching Full Potential and Well-Being
1. Take time to get grounded and centered each day. Spend 15-20 minutes a day doing your favorite activity that clears your mind, energizes you and keeps your body fit. For instance, I like to do a simple yoga routine in the morning, hike in the nature or walk the dog.
2. Cultivate awareness by being present in what you do or say. Observe your thought patterns and your reactions without judgment. By being more aware you can improve the quality of communication and your relationships.
3. Be kind to yourself first and accept that perfection doesn’t exist. And, as Stephen Hawking said: “Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist.” So,take 5 minutes each day to acknowledge your awesome nature, count your blessings and connect to the power within. You can still be wrong. You can still slip up. But as long as you’re willing to work on yourself, you can still live a life full of meaning.
4. Event + Response = Outcome. It’s all about attitude! You can’t control circumstances, people or events around you, but you can control your response to them. What kind of energy are you manifesting? Focus on your actions, give your best and trust things unfold exactly how they should.
To explore more about the science of inner management, understand how to create meaningful change in your life and develop healthy habits in your daily routine, book a 30-minute consultation with me here.