Durga Nagarajan

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<h4><span style="color: #a66093;">DURGA NATARAJAN</span> shares her favorite tips on how she handles inner turmoil and
  regains a sense of well-being.</h4>
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<p>Many times I find that we cope with stress, anxiety, and inner restlessness by indulging in things outside ourselves.
  The other day after work, a friend of mine had come home to chat about some issues she was going through. As I was
  showering, I heard her singing a melancholy Hindi film song downstairs. Her voice grew louder or softer depending on
  the thoughts in her mind, and I felt heavy in the heart listening to her singing. I could feel that she was trying to
  keep her mind from wandering into the multitude of family and career issues she had on her plate.</p>
<p>Retail therapy is another well-known way that we try to forget about problems, but again, how well does it work?
  These behaviors are just symptoms of our inner disturbance, our way of trying to cope with feeling uncomfortable, so
  how to treat the underlying cause? Our inner apparatus goes through a lot of wear and tear, just like our bodies, and
  often needs attention from us.</p>
<p>When inner turmoil strikes, here are some things that have worked for me:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;">Relax and calm yourself down.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;">Sit quietly and connect with your inner self.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;">For some time of the day, don’t indulge in any activity. Just be in the moment.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;">When you feel a little better, get up and analyze the situation. It’s not always as bad
  as it seems. Acceptance changes the situation a lot as you start feeling it can be dealt with.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;">Find out the pros and cons, and what can be done in the present moment.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;">Listen to your heart’s guidance on what to do and follow it.</p>
<p>In a nutshell, treat it internally. It will take you a long way.</p>
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by&nbsp;DURGA NATARAJAN</h4>
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Rising above inner turmoil

<p>When was the last time that your body and mind became so quiet and withdrawn from the surrounding, that you felt you just can’t carry on any longer? It happens every time I hit what we call the ‘writer’s block’.&nbsp;In my understanding, motivation is something we draw from within. It is the primary thing which instills faith and says, “Don’t worry buddy. You’re doing well, just keep at it.”</p>
<p>Here are some ways to get self motivated:</p>
<h4><strong>1) Train your mind</strong></h4>
<p>We need to be practical in our mindset and believe in what we do, irrespective of whatever comes our way. Train the mind that what we have undertaken needs to be completed.</p>
<h4><strong>2) Look at the positives at all times</strong></h4>
<p>Every situation has its own pros and cons. A lot of the time, we are unable to move ahead as we are so&nbsp;focused on looking at the tough part and difficulties that we forget there are always two sides of the&nbsp;coin.</p>
<h4><strong>3) Be prepared for adversities</strong></h4>
<p>The reason many of us are taken aback when faced with extremities is that we haven’t prepared for the worst.&nbsp;When I started my business and things got&nbsp;topsy-turvy, I used to ask&nbsp;my colleagues, “What is the worst that could happen?”</p>
<p>These days, however, with some experience, we take into account the ‘worst case scenario’. When we do this, nothing seems too big and insurmountable, at any point in our execution.</p>
<h4><strong>4) Cheerful acceptance</strong></h4>
<p>Part of our problem is that we don’t accept our circumstances and we try to&nbsp;fight reality. Per contra, if we accept our current situation we are able to analyze where we are and what we want to achieve.</p>
<h4><strong>5) Visualize</strong></h4>
<p>Visualize yourself doing what you’ve always dreamt of doing and, voila, before you know it you will manifest&nbsp;it.</p>
<h4><strong>6) Start afresh</strong></h4>
<p>When we are working on a very specific project&nbsp;which we feel will&nbsp;be our masterpiece, we are occupied by it 24×7. This preoccupation tends to turn very subtly into an obsession with a very narrow-minded approach.</p>
<p>In such instances, we need to take a step back, relax, breathe&nbsp;deeply and take a break. Start off on the same, the next day or the day after.</p>
<h4><strong>7) Learn constantly</strong></h4>
<p>Try to constantly learn all you can on the project you are undertaking. The abundance of information also tends to give a motivational feel that you tackle situations easily.</p>
<h4><strong>8) Track your progress periodically</strong></h4>
<p>Here is what I do: To<span style="color: #000000;"> <a style="color: #000000;" href="//www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/silver-and-water/"><span style="color: #856115;">understand myself</span> </a>be</span>tter, to know how much I’ve changed as a person, I keep a diary. Every day I write how I feel, what happened during my meditation, and what I felt in my day. That helps me moving forward.</p>
<h4><strong>9) Help Others</strong></h4>
<p>Many people get their life’s motivation from helping and caring for others. That’s one of the ways in which successful businessmen like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson and Warren Buffet use their money. This dimension in our lives gives a new meaning to our work life and we want to do even better than before, only to help others and make a difference in their lives.</p>
<h4><strong>10) Keep good company</strong></h4>
<p>People with whom we surround ourselves are&nbsp;strong influencers in our lives. There are times when we are down and we need others&nbsp;to help us back on our feet. Therefore, it’s always in our best interest to be surrounded by optimistic people.</p>
<h4><strong>11) Make it a team effort</strong></h4>
<p>Competing in the business world or in any other field never really draws good vibes. On the contrary, it draws all our energy. A healthy way of working towards similar goals is to team up with individuals who also share the same.</p>
<h4><strong>12) Know about the lives of good people</strong></h4>
<p>When we read about the lives of famous and successful people, we realize the hardships they have&nbsp;been through and that their pain and suffering is similar to ours.</p>
<p>This works on our psyche so&nbsp;we start moving forward with a new found energy and zeal. This&nbsp;comes from knowing that&nbsp;we are not alone.</p>
<h4><strong>13)&nbsp;Optimize time out</strong></h4>
<p>Take some time out every morning for yourself. <span style="color: #856115;"><a style="color: #856115;" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.letsmeditate&amp;hl=en">Meditate for a bit to tune in to your inner self</a>.</span> Have a healthy,&nbsp;nourishing breakfast.</p>
<p>Try to arrive home&nbsp;from work on time, and have a good evening. Read a book or play an outdoor sport. Prioritize time for yourself, so you are motivated to do well in other things.</p>
<h4><strong>14) When in doubt, refer to the heart</strong></h4>
<p>When you hit a roadblock, refer to your heart. Rekindling the interest brings back lost passion and you will&nbsp;end up having a new found enthusiasm to complete the task.</p>
<h4><strong>15) Move&nbsp;</strong></h4>
<p>We need to move. This creates good blood circulation through the brain and all body parts, releasing a lot of endorphins that stimulate the brain to work and create ideas.</p>
<h4><strong>16) Find the glitch</strong></h4>
<p>Find out where you’ve come to a standstill and why? Is it because you’re afraid, restless, frustrated or because you feel there isn’t enough time to complete the project.</p>
<h4><strong>17) Deconstruct your fears</strong></h4>
<p>We are constantly afraid of something or the other. What are we afraid of? We don’t know! Most of the time we are afraid of the unknown. Analyze and dissect known from unknown and make yourself confident to&nbsp;handle the situation with finesse.</p>
<h4><strong>18) Plan out your day in advance</strong></h4>
<p>I generally plan my day the night before. This gives foresight into what is needed the next day and I can mentally prepare myself to manage it. This also motivates me to look forward to&nbsp;the adventure of new work and completing other things in a very timely manner.</p>
<h4><strong>19) Get the right ammunition</strong></h4>
<p>The tools and devices we use also have a very important role to play in our motivation.&nbsp;They involuntarily affect our mindset and output. Make sure all your devices are those that are appropriate for the task at hand.</p>
<h4><strong>20) Build on success</strong></h4>
<p>When you’ve just won a deal it’s easier to get yourself working, rather than waiting or working on a one-time job.</p>
<h4><strong>21) Take it step by step</strong></h4>
<p>It’s not easy to work on a project as a whole from day one. Take it&nbsp;one step at a time. In this way, your concentration is intact and so is the desire to do your best, as there is one-pointed focus.</p>
<h4><strong>22) Find a partner</strong></h4>
<p>Company is good. Have a go-to person who inspires you&nbsp;just by talking to you for a few minutes or being with you. For example, many of us have jogging partners, and that person sometimes becomes&nbsp;the reason we&nbsp;go for a jog and enjoy it and vice versa.</p>
<h4><strong>23) Attitude determines your altitude</strong></h4>
<p>A calm and serene attitude speaks volumes. With such an attitude problems get solved, as we tend to focus on solutions. Motivation is never lacking in&nbsp;such an individual.</p>
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<p>So, here are a few ways to stay&nbsp;self-motivated and create a life of purpose. Try them out and let us know if you have any more ways of staying motivated.</p>
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">Blog&nbsp;by <strong>DURGA NAGARAJAN</strong></h4>
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