CRUX OF LIFE

Inspired by a corporate training session, this thought stayed with me... What if the secret to managing change wasn’t found in strategy decks—but in sunflowers and seashells? The Beauty of Fibonacci The Fibonacci sequence is a simple yet profound number pattern: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21… Each number is the sum of the two before it.  I remember getting introduced to this topic in high school. Back then, it was just a number pattern in maths - interesting but abstract. What makes it fascinating is how often this pattern appears in the natural world: 🌻 Sunflower seeds arranged in perfect spirals. 🐚 Shells expanding in logarithmic harmony. 🌲 Tree branches and pinecones aligned to optimize sunlight and growth. 🌼 Even flower petals often follow Fibonacci numbers—3, 5, 8, 13... Nature grows patiently and purposefully. There’s no rush—only rhythm. Fibonacci, Atomic Habits, and Change When I re-learned about the Fibonacci concept during a corporate training, it struck a c...

A young scholar once travelled across the land to meet a revered Zen master. He had studied scriptures, philosophies, sciences, and poetry. His shelves were lined with books; his head, with knowledge. “I’ve read almost everything,” he told the master, “but I seek deeper wisdom. Teach me.” The master nodded and invited him for tea. As the scholar spoke — about his views, his interpretations, his brilliance — the master began to pour tea into his cup. He poured. And poured. And kept pouring, even after the cup overflowed. “Stop!” the scholar exclaimed. “It’s spilling over! Can’t you see the cup is full?” The master gently placed the kettle down and looked at him. “Exactly,” he said. “How can I teach you anything unless you first empty your cup?” I’m reminded of this story often — especially when I catch myself, or others, believing we’ve seen enough, learned enough, suffered enough. That we somehow know more than others. That’s when I remind myself: it’s time to empty the cup...

The rhythmic movement of the train, the constant hum of conversations, the occasional cries of babies, fill the compartment. A father walks up and down the aisle, gently rocking his crying child, trying to calm him. It all feels familiar, yet different. Sitting in the Rajdhani Express to Goa with my parents, I find myself lost in a stream of memories. There’s something special about train journeys. They aren’t just about getting from one place to another; they carry stories, emotions, and nostalgia. As I glance at the kids in the nearby berths—laughing, climbing up and down, fighting over the window seat—I can’t help but be reminded of my own childhood travels. The excitement of summer vacations, the thrill of hopping from one berth to another, the joy of watching the scenery shift from city to hills and plains. As I watch the changing landscape outside, another journey from long ago comes rushing back to me. The last time I traveled to Goa by train to my maternal uncle...

I have written about gratitude in some of my earlier posts as well. I write about it again today, because I feel its extremely underrated tool towards betterment. I feel that people nowadays tend to complain a lot, and sometimes they have valid reasons to do so.  I agree with their concerns but I wonder if they are looking at the bigger picture. I am not immune to complaining and cribbing either.. I am no saint and things do affect me.  But, I learnt early in my life that appreciating the little things in life helps us be not dissappointed and we tend to get pleasantly surprised often with the gifts that life brings to us. By keeping our hearts open we discover that the world gives us back more than we expect.  Gratitude is a calming balm for our mind and heart, reminding us that even in uncertain times, there is always something to be thankful for.  Some of my previous posts around the same theme : Navigating disappointments with Grace THORN BUSH has ROSES.. :) Rout...

Best thing I did in 2024 was to read the book "Atomic habits" and it sparked a chain reaction of reading many other books, some self-help books, some one-time read novels and some audio books; And, somehow I was able to make time for many things which I genuinely am interested in. Reading more also enabled me to write more.  Like every year, 2024 taught me some valuable lessons.  Here I will share 2 of the significant takeaways which I wanted to document.  1. Embracing humility - Be Humble, but ensure that it is not misinterpreted as lack of confidence, assertiveness or strength. Embodying humility does not mean that we agree with everything that others say, and avoid confrontation at any cost. It does not mean we are always trying to please others and appease them. It does not mean that we believe everything we hear. It does not mean that we allow ourselves to be intimidated, taken advantage of, and manipulated.  It means that we recognize our limitations and are o...