The Game of Change

Geeta Ramakrishnan

Geeta

Has Lockdown Served as a Time to Reflect?

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https://www.womenfitness.org/lockdown/?fbclid=IwAR3BD5KmPlRvyiDs7Hhw394Gv4liU2Uhr1EH8YbvzIWJlyQKYj0kVeYOwZQ

My latest article published by Women Fitness Org helps women reflect upon our new reality, and assists them in adjusting to a new way of living, taking great positive steps & finding creative solutions to the global situation.

COVID-19 started as a viral epidemic someplace far away from home, to suddenly change into a global pandemic leading to lockdown. Who would have thought it will not only create a fear of uncertainty and death, but also bring our daily life to a sudden halt, literally? We are under lockdown with no option and no time to prepare.

Work from home has become the norm for many. The first reaction is to panic, with the media providing confusing information about COVID-19, related rising deaths and of course the economic mayhem thereafter.

Learn to live and navigate work and home life in small enclosed space where things we take for granted like food, water and freedom of moment is restricted. As the initial shock wears of, accepting this reality and a new way of living is a great positive step. Acceptance helps our mind face the fear. When the mind shifts gear from fear to a calmer state, it opens creative problem part of the brain to find the next best step to help adapt.

Time to reflect:

  • Focus on the blessings.
  • How often have you had the luxury to have all three meals with your family, to have a relaxing cup of coffee?
  • To see and hear the birds chirp out of your window.
  • To not face the chaos of traffic and save travel time or laugh and play with your children.
  •  Having a chat and celebrating birthdays with friends and relatives even if via Zoom.
  • Pursuing a new hobby or new passion to take that pause to rethink the mindless life you were so used to living.

When the mind shifts gear from fear to a calmer state, it helps open up that creative problem part of the brain. Find the next best step to help adapt. Use the lockdown as an opportunity to reflect on life, to love more, to live more. Contribute more to your family, to the society to lead to success and happiness.

Your Ultimate Work From Home Guide

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  1. Set your space: Find an area in your house where you can sit comfortably and focus. Make it separate to your relaxation space. Ideally away from a TV screen or other distractions.
  2. Take Notes: Zoning out? Note-taking keeps your mind engaged
  3. Plan your Day: If you have a list of things to do, break it down into tasks and plan to do the hardest once when you have the most energy.
  4. Lessen Distraction : Harness your imagination and picture that you’re at work and not at home. Lock your phone away if you need to.
  5. Change it up: You probably have a schedule for your work, but if things are becoming difficult to focus on, take a 5-min break and come back to it – maybe listen to some soothing music for a bit.
  6. Take a break – Get up once in a while and have a snack break
  7. Journal it – use a journal to track your progress so you are in control of everything.
  8. Be positive – When things get tough, don’t just push through it. An excited and eager to learn attitude will speed up your progress.

Blog 31/52: Marriage is like a Dance

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Blog 31/52:

Marriage is like a Dance.

A couple’s relationship in a marriage can be compared to the dance Tango. Tango is a partner dance exhibiting passion, grace, romance, power and vulnerability. In life if you want to tango, be ready to navigate with flexibility, to learn when to step back, when to move forward, to learn to move in sync as one. You do not need to like the same food or share the same idea of a holiday. One of you can be laid back and chilled while the other partner has a focused and aggressive approach to life.

Once you allow yourself to be vulnerable, you get to learn another perspective, expand your thoughts, your ideas and expand how you do things and how you feel. As long as both of you have common goals in a relationship, and support each other’s personal growth without feeling intimidated or insecure, cheer the other’s success and be there for them in failure, encouraging them. This is a great way to grow, balancing one’s weakness with the other’s strength. You learn to appreciate the other person, offer a calm presence to your partner when needed, be flexible while not necessarily agreeing on everything, allowing you to feel complete and enjoy the relationship.

Blog 30/52 : One Body One Mind

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Blog 30/52

One Body + One Mind = One Whole Empowered Self

Our body and mind are one. Yet balancing the thinking head with the feeling heart is a juggling act. Here are some few exercises to help you be in balance and in control.

1.Dance therapy is a great practice, linking emotions and feelings with body movements. You creatively express yourself through dance. It is healing, relaxing, fun and a good body workout.

2. Yoga is a great way to bring your body and mind together as one and be in the moment. Not living in the resentful past, not stressing about the uncertain future. Just be in the moment.

3. Listening to music, or singing or playing a musical instrument not only allows you to express your emotions in a creative way, certain musical sound vibrations can be healing as well.

4. Anything involving our emotions and our sense organs ( hands, eyes, nose, ear and mouth) like cooking, painting and gardening helps us focus in the moment, balancing our head and heart.

Blog 29/52 : Emotional vs Practical

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Monday Blog 29/52

Finding the balance between our emotional self and our thinking practical self is an art that comes with wisdom and practice. Sonia noticed her best friend was constantly becoming argumentative and they were not getting along as they used to. Sonia was sad. Yet she did not react or confront. She also did not jump into conclusions. One day she decided to meet her friend over coffee, saying she was upset and wanted to iron out a few things. They realized with time they had grown apart, in views and thoughts. While Sonia still couldn’t come to terms with it, they decided to agree to disagree and still be close friends, glad to have had this difficult conversation.