advice

I met an airbnb flatmate today.  At the age of 85, he is traveling the world and aiming to live beyond 100 years in SKI in Switzerland. I asked about some learnings in all these years and these are the things he had to share.

  1. Think positive, it’s the mindset which can make you win or lose battles.
  2. Eat well, eat less and exercise.
  3. Manage your finances well. Put 10% of monthly income in savings. 
  4. Cultivate some hobbies that can keep you going.

I spent over 2 hours talking to him. I felt like sharing his advice.

insecurity

Some of us, maybe because of our insecurity, get into overthinking mode. It does more harm than good to us. As a result we harm ourselves. We will get into the loop of pessimism.

Our life should be guided on our guiding principles. Most of us don’t have it. We are reactive. As a result we end up into this rabbit hole. It does more harm to us. It increases blood pressure and gives us all the ailments.

Love

Love is feeling where you are at peace. When everything feels at rest and in the best shape. The feeling that you are not alone, there is someone to pat you up and cheer for you. 

The modern day media has it’s own version of love. So is hollywood and bollywood. The glittery side of love is more to do with projection for others than the self. 

Love is about knowing each other, feeling for others and being with each other. 

Everything

Everything we have in our lives is nothing less than a gift. We are breathing, and all body parts are functioning. On top of this, a healthy upbringing, what more can we ask for?

After living like a traveler for all these years and still hopping between UAE and India, I thank the almighty for every minute of my life. I know one should keep a bigger goal, get rich, and whatnot. Something social media markers are paddling all nonstop.

Our mind is unstoppable, and our quest is limitless. Sometimes, we need to relax and thank the universe for everything we have. I agree the sky is the limit, but being grateful knowing you are not in rubble should make you feel good.

present

Our fate or destiny depends on our present. We learned as we grew, our teaching happened when we gasped whatever was imparted to us. There is so much one can do in the limited time of our lives.

People die doing nothing but dreaming about doing big. The aspect of life requires both dreaming and doing. A few lucky ones realized early on in their life in living now, about acquiring self-knowledge.

age

I keep hearing age is a number. But in reality, it is a number till you take care of yourself. Our sedentary lifestyle is making me sick day by day. It has more to do with our actions than age.

What I have learned from people in the late years of their lives is simple 3-4 things.

  1. Eating healthy and eating less.
  2. Staying happy and forgiving.
  3. Mobility of body and bones.
  4. Company of friends and loves ones.

Before mass migration for jobs started, most of India lived in villages. We had the company of people we grew up with for eternity. The company had a healing power. We had less TV and more sitting together, talking, and sharing happiness and sorrows.

With the advancement in food technology, India has started consuming refined food more. As a result, we are more hungry, more sick. Our calorie intake and lifestyle both got a major shock.

All major philosophies talk about letting go, not worrying about the future, or keeping a grudge. But it is just in the textbooks and sculptures, not in life. We humans crave superiority, glory, and respect. In the process, we get angry and become sad due to our expectations from others.

In short, we can live a better life, age well, and die longer, keeping things in our control and actions.

Pain

In the last few years, many startups with big markets and growth as primary enablers have gotten funded. Currently, many such companies have shut. Mass layoffs are happening for cost-cutting, or unwanted mergers are taking place.

We have come this far because money was cheap, and FOMO was in its prime. The business fundamentals were missing. It was just go fast, kill competitors, raise as much you could.

Nobody cared about solving the pain.

chance

A founder’s most important job is to ensure the company does not run out of money. It pays the team on time. It requires a lot of focus and recruiting able leaders. The founder should aim to run a company as an orchestra, not in the hands of a single person.

As more efficient leaders get hired, the company’s chance of success increases.

Rewrite

As we grow old, we realize that our sanity matters most. As a result, we have to rewire ourselves and let go of many things of the past. It can be our relationships, experiences, and learnings. We can’t let our past bully us. We don’t have to hang up with artificial relationships.

Some people with all the money in the world and all the fame are shallow. They can neither handle the fame nor sudden wealth. They lose their sanity.

Supernatural

Have you felt the aura of some supernatural coming at times when you are in deep mess to rescue you or ensuring you get through the darkest face of life. 

Sometimes I feel there is someone above helping me sailing through the dark phases of life. It could be some supernatural, god, karma or whatever. 

I might sound delusional but it has happened to me time and again. I felt like sharing this.