Anuradha Sridharan

One thing that I've been consistent with this year is Reading non-fiction books. Managed to finish 28 books (3 more in progress) in 9 months. Though reading has been one of my core interests, I wasn't so diligent in 2020 and 2021. Glad to have got my reading mojo back in 2022. What works for me to sustain this habit of reading? I love reading. Consistency of a habit can only be achieved if you approach the process with the attitude of "I want to" (not with "I have to") I also enjoy the outcomes of reading - new insights, different perspectives, improved attention and focus Reading is an immersive experience for me. I jot down phrases that struck a chord in my journal. I highlight favorite passages and aha moments. Sharing reviews and key takeaways on my blog gives me an opportunity to connect with like-minded people on social media I pick books from topics that resonate with me at this point in my life - philosophy, spirituality, and Yoga. Rather, I'd sa...

 While browsing through my Amazon wishlist before the "Great Indian Festival", this book ( "The Universe has your back" by Gabrielle Bernstein) I had added sometime back came to my attention. And seeing its discounted Kindle price (Rs.51), I immediately placed the order. Some books appeal to your intellect, while others appeal to your intuition. This book belongs to the latter category. While reading, I paused multiple times, closed my eyes, meditated for a few minutes, jotted down phrases in my notebook, and let the impactful lines be absorbed. It certainly felt so magical and serene. The words offered a healing vibe and a gentle reminder to connect with our true nature. The author has beautifully explained how we can connect with the Universe at any given time. She also explains why our logical, over-planning mind can become a hindrance in receiving gifts from the Universe. There were many perspectives in this book that felt so different from the ones society usu...

Today marks an important milestone in my awareness journey - the day when I consciously paused and avoided my habitual reaction! It might sound too silly but believe me, I have been struggling to get rid of this reaction for years. I get so annoyed whenever something gets spilled at home - either by myself or by D. Though I know it happens by accident, I immediately yell or shout due to habit. D often tells me, "Mummy, you become a She-Hulk whenever I spill something". I seriously couldn't recollect how I picked up this habitual reaction or understand why I get so triggered - is it the wastage, is it the post-clean-up effort? This afternoon, my mind was reeling with 100 different thoughts and I was going over a complex spreadsheet related to work, just before I stepped into the kitchen. D wanted me to bake a mug cake for her. It's been so long since I made it and I was looking through the recipe on my phone. As I started adding the ingredients to my favorite coffee mu...

 Being a cat parent for the past few years, here's what I have observed on cat behavior. Cats tend to clean themselves ONLY when they feel they are in a safe and secure place. Our pet cat W loves to lick and clean herself when she sits on my lap. I jokingly scold her, "Do you think I'm your bathroom?"🙂 Cats show their tummy ONLY in front of people whom they absolutely trust. In fact, their way of showing love and trust is to roll over the floor carefree. When they feel they are in a safe place, cats sleep in such unique poses that they look so cute and funny! One such pose is the pic you see above😉 With trust and surrender, they feel relaxed, at ease, and without any concerns, whereas, if they sense even a slight threat, they become super alert with their ears turning in all directions. I've been reading a very interesting and powerful book that talks about the power of trust and surrender to the Universe / supreme power / Divine. As I soak in the words from thi...

  Last Sunday, D and I had this conversation while sitting on the terrace after dinner. She said, "I'm gonna rewrite the song - Velai velai from Avvai Shanmugi. Aambalaikkum velai pombalaikkum velai 10 year old-kum velai" When probed further, she said, "I have to attend school, go for Hindi tuitions, do my school HW. I have to watch TV, I have to eat my dinner. My evenings are so busy" She doesn't go for any extra-curricular activities after school. She has Hindi tuition twice a week. Though I heard her concerns, I felt she does get a lot of free, unscheduled time, which she wasn't recognizing 🙂 "Why do you say, you HAVE to watch TV? No one is forcing you. It is a choice you make, isn't it?", she listened with a lot of interest to the following gyaan from me😉 There are three categories of tasks we do every day. "NEED TO DO" - bath, eat food, sleep "HAVE TO DO" - commute, go to school, do HW "WANT TO DO" - wat...

 I first read this book sometime in 2010. Though the framework made sense, I couldn't relate to it at a deeper level. As I re-read this book 12 years later, I could appreciate the intentions behind the recommended framework, having gone through multiple work experiences. The book talks about the five dysfunctions that prevent a team from achieving an organization's goals. The author has used an interesting fable as a backdrop to explain the five dysfunctions. The characters that we come across in the fable are quite relatable that makes you think, "Ah, isn't this character seem like the one I encountered at <company>?" What I loved about the framework is how each of these five dysfunctions is interlinked and how it feeds onto one another, both in positive and negative ways. As we grow in our professional work experience, I realized that the two of the most important values are TRUST and RESPECT. The other factors (salary, title, role, etc) cannot compensate ...

  While listening to a talk by Amy Bucher, an applied behavioral scientist, I stumbled upon this interesting definition of Motivation. She says, "Motivation => Desire with velocity". Many times, we have the desire or inspiration to do something, but the interest isn't sustained for long. There might be an initial momentum, due to curiosity or peer pressure. But it isn't self-sustaining. There isn't much velocity to take us forward in the journey. As I thought about what fuelled velocity in the habits that I have managed to sustain, it became evident that the factors contributing to velocity are hardly external. We might seek inspiration by watching 100s of videos or following 50 different influencers, but when it comes to taking action and sustaining it, the factors are mostly internal. For eg, Reading books is one habit that I have continued for many years. As I pondered over the factors that sustained my velocity, these are the reasons that came on top of my ...

  Gratitude is suggested as one of the powerful techniques for mental well-being. I have tried multiple ways to incorporate this habit into my routine. I started to write down 3-5 things that I'm grateful for at the end of each day, then I shifted this habit to the beginning of the day. I also tried a slight variation to the same practice and called it my happiness journal . But none of these habits were sticking to me and I didn't really "connect" deeper to the purpose behind them. But in the last week, I started practicing a new technique to incorporate gratitude into my life. When you sense something is going well in your life, just feel grateful during that very moment. Don't leave it for the end of the day, the beginning of the day, or whenever you open your journal next. There is no need to jot down. Just the feeling is sufficient to realize its tremendous power. Mindfulness is a prerequisite for this technique. Being aware of the present moment creates that...

 I have become a big fan of books published by the Bihar School of Yoga. Backed by science, detailed explanation of the physical body, and the subtle energy body, many of their books are easy to read and provide a good grasp of the Yoga philosophy. The latest book I read from their collection is this little insightful book on the practice of Surya Namaskar. It is one of the powerful practices, that impacts our physical and mental health in myriad ways. The book starts with how the Sun worship is part of many cultures. It then elaborates on the 12 steps in detail and guidelines to keep in mind while practicing the flow. The 12 Sun mantras for each pose are also provided, along with their meaning. The author has elaborated on how Suryanamaskar practice benefits our various organ systems, more specifically our endocrine system. The recommended daily practice is 6 rounds performed slowly and then 6 quickly. What fascinated me while reading the book is how each posture can vitalize vari...