As a young child in New York, I remember the mass hysteria that the Broadway play Hair created.

Overnight I saw guys with shaggy hair walking around. The attire of my Summer School teacher changed to large floral prints, colorful beaded necklaces and a flower behind her ear.

Even my Aquarian Dad who believed that a man’s hair should never touch the shirt collar, bought the album AND took Mummy to watch the play.

My sister and I realized this was something big but did not know what.  The highlight was the Summer School taking all the children to the Central Park for an open-air concert!

It would be years before I actually understood why the play made an impact so deep that it deserved to be captured on celluloid forever. I was too young to see the original musical, but I have watched the movie and have it on the old-fashioned video cassette. Listen to the song in the video below and you’ll know what I mean.

Over five decades later, my memories of that beautiful summer day involve an orange Popsicle, plenty of “Peace Man” and the song “Let the Sunshine In”.

The song is still my favorite as is the sun, a free source of health and a tool for stress management.

Where do I begin extolling the virtues of Sunshine?

Well, if you have Vitamin D deficiency and want more than just food and supplements, then sunshine is for you!

Spend a little time outside in the morning and soak it in. Of course, be aware that you don’t want to get sunburn. If mornings are out, then make sure you use a sunscreen and take other precautions. Everything in moderation works well.

Suffering from calcium deficiency? Here’s some good news. The time spent in the sun will help your body to better absorb the calcium in your food thanks to the sunny Vitamin D.

Research shows that sleep patterns affect your body weight as well as moods. Sunshine helps to stimulate the pineal gland which secretes melatonin.

Prefer self-help to medication? This is a great way to boost your melatonin secretion to get a good night’s rest and feel calmer.

If you are into Chakra balancing therapy, then this helps too.

The area of the pineal gland corresponds to the Brow or Third Eye Chakra, which is located on the forehead in between the eyes.

The effective functioning of this Chakra helps a person to develop one’s psychic abilities, release hidden and repressed negative thoughts, overcome sleep disorders and improve coordination. 

Other disorders related to the Third Eye Chakra’s imbalance include thyroid problems, mood swings, hormonal problems and bloating, to name a few.

The exercise that I would suggest is to go to the garden or your balcony or even your window early in the morning and face the sun.

Close your eyes and let the sunrays enter your body. Visualize the rays are directly coming into your body through your third-eye area, filling your body with energy and strengthening your aura.

Make it more interesting by using your affirmations or favourite mantra.  Try it for size and see what a difference it makes to your day!

Are you a fan of sunshine? Tell me how you use this free health improvement resource in the comments box below!

Written by: Vatsala Shukla

Did you know Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) accounts for the greatest median number of days of missed work among the major industrial injuries and occupational diseases?

Or that every year between 3-6% of the American workforce suffer from CTS?

One doesn’t really realize how painful Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be until experienced. It’s an awful pain, tingling and numbness of the hand and fingers due to nerve impingement in the wrist.

The first time I ever heard of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome was in 1997 when a fellow student studying French at the Alliance Francaise in Tunis told me that she ended up changing her career from a computer data entry desk job to becoming a boutique manager thanks to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Surgery did not work in her case, but she seemed happy with her new life and career. I did not think it important enough to research the subject.

A decade later, the word Carpal Tunnel Syndrome came up again.

This time the IT and Administration Officer at an audit client had to take sick leave thanks to the same condition when his hand went numb. He could not pick up a pen leave alone a coffee mug.

It would still be a few years later when I would wake up in the morning with an indescribable pain in my right-hand middle finger lasting for what seemed to be forever.

The first time this happened; I thought I had slept on the hand and pinched a nerve. When the daily morning episodes started with a burning pain in the wrist as well, a visit to the doctor was in order.

A specialist referral diagnosed it as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The technician who did the test told me that the syndrome was starting in the left hand as well and was gleeful that surgery was in order.

I took my prescription from the specialist who suggested I return in a fortnight to discuss possible treatment. 

Fortunately, a relative who is a Sports physician advised me to rest the wrist, review my lifestyle to find the cause and take preventive measures. Surgery was supposed to be the last option which luckily was ruled out by some timely action on my part. 

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: 

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist.

The median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers (although not the little finger), as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move.

Although painful sensations may indicate other conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common and widely known of the entrapment neuropathies in which the body’s peripheral nerves are compressed or traumatized.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is often the result of a combination of factors that increase pressure on the median nerve and tendons in the carpal tunnel, rather than a problem with the nerve itself.

Contributing factors include trauma or injury to the wrist that cause swelling, such as sprain or fracture; over activity of the pituitary gland; hypothyroidism; rheumatoid arthritis; mechanical problems in the wrist joint; work stress; repeated use of vibrating hand tools; fluid retention during pregnancy or menopause; or the development of a cyst or tumor in the canal.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is also associated with pregnancy and diseases such as diabetes, thyroid disease, or rheumatoid arthritis. In some cases, no cause can be identified.

The risk of developing this syndrome is not exclusive to a single industry or a job or to just data entry personnel.

I got lucky that I took timely steps to tackle this problem.

When I posted an update about this problem on Facebook, 3 of my school friends wrote back to say they had experienced the same problem. They had to have surgery for relief. All 3 friends were in different vocations with 1 common factor. They used their hands while working long hours.

In all 3 cases, it came down to using a computer for long hours of the day without taking breaks until the wakeup call rang with excruciating pain. The stress caused by the pain and inability to use the hand with forced rest were also part of the fallout.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms, do listen to your hand and review your work and lifestyle. I would suggest a visit to the doctor as well to rule out the causes and contributing factors.

Check the additional resources at the bottom of this post to learn more about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

 5 easy habits that prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Disclaimer: If you think you might be suffering from this infliction or are showing signs of it, please consult a specialist immediately. The guidance in this post is not a substitute for medical advice.

Prevention is always better than a cure.

Here are 5 easy habits you can adopt to prevent being inflicted with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome if you are using the computer for long hours:

• Check your posture – keep your back straight and ensure that you are not putting too much pressure on your wrists, particularly if you use the computer predominantly during the day.

• Warm up your hands before you begin typing. Try finger push-ups, hand massages and even opening your hands wide and stretching your fingers.

• Take short breaks which can range from a few seconds to a few minutes to relieve pressure on the blood vessels and ensure good circulation.

• Exercise your wrists at regular intervals. Here is a great set of exercises that can be done while standing or even sitting. Extend both arms in front of the body. Then move the backs of the palms and the fingers towards your body. Hold for 10 seconds and then relax the wrists. Then while still holding your arms in front of you keep your wrists straight and curl your fingers into a fist. Squeeze and hold for 10 seconds. The next step is to bend the wrists downwards and hold for 10 seconds. Relax, straighten the wrists and bring your arms back down. You may repeat this exercise about 8 to 10 times.

• Drink lots of water. This helps to flush out the toxins in the body and keeps your muscles supple.

If you already have or suspect that you have this problem, proper medical advice is imperative.

In my case, I learned the hard way to take breaks and rest my hands. Once in a blue moon I wake up with a pain in the middle finger of my right hand and know it is because I lapsed with the breaks and exercises. 

I also exercise my hands and fingers with a Smiley Ball.

I acknowledge and accept responsibility for the health of my wrist and hands and do what is needed to avoid going back to the specialist. Prevention is better than a cure. In this case, one’s health is literally in one’s hands.

Have you ever experienced carpal tunnel syndrome? What remedies would you add to my preventive checklist?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Management -Useful Resources 

Stress Management with Chakra Balancing Exercises by Karmic Ally Coaching 

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Page 

Wrist Pain – Mayo Clinic 

Do you have control over your workspace stress?

Statistics courtesy U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Remedy: A Step-by-Step Plan to Heal Weakness, Numbness, and Tingling Without Surgical Intervention; Undo Past Harm and Experience Long-Lasting Relief

Smiley Balls

Get yourself one today (click the image below to find it!)

Picture Credit: Listen To The Hand… by Bobbi Jones Jones

This post was written in 2012 and has been updated in 2025 for new information.

Written By: Vatsala Shukla

That’s a question any career professional stuck in a dead-end job must answer when they feel resistance building up for taking the right self-preservation step.

I use the word self-preservation because I’ve seen too many people stick it out. They felt there was no other option.

Later down the road, they’ve experienced burnout, health issues and in some cases dismissal for under-performance or worse, becoming a victim to vicious, toxic office politics.

I still recall one of the Partners in a Big Four firm where I worked tell the Team Managers at a monthly meeting where the agenda was under-performing staff, that 80% of the employees stuck it out because they were the best paymasters in town (which was true at the time).

They needed performance improvement plans and counselling if that didn’t work. And if necessary assisting in their graceful exit to a different job.

The same holds true when a professional doesn’t want to quit despite the toxic work environment. Were coming into work each day and giving their best has become a stressful challenge.

When it comes to toxic work environments, I will always tell you to quit the job and find another one. Or make it a time for self-reflection thinking about what you really want and what you don’t want.

Then, after figuring out the non-negotiable items, move on to new pastures.

Money of course is a more sensitive topic.

I prefer to approach every problem in a systematic manner. Checking and double checking if I have accounted for all the variables that impact my unique customized issue.

Step 1 Is it a job or career change that you need?

Sometimes, money isn’t really the issue.

It could be lack of interest in a present employment or a roadblock to career progression. Maybe your own personal and professional development has created a situation where what worked before doesn’t make you happy.

So put the money and toxic issue aside for a moment. Ask yourself, are you happy in your present employment? Are you getting the recognition that you deserve? Is your workplace creating stress for you?

I suggest you try this Career Quiz and find out the underlying reason first and then proceed to tackle it with the tips that accompany the quiz.

Now that we have that sorted out, the next step is to address the money issue.

Step 2 You feel you can’t afford the job or career change

Many times, we stick to a job without considering outside opportunities or even a career change because we’ve become accustomed to a certain lifestyle or standard of living. We don’t wish to compromise it or feel we can’t afford it.

If you’ve assessed that it’s a simple job change, then frankly, all you need to do is be on the lookout for other opportunities that offer you a similar pay packet.

Let the Executive Search professional whom you approach know the specifics of your desired compensation package.

Also remember to factor in further growth opportunities. Sometimes the lower compensation package may come with other non-monetary fringe benefits. For example, holiday entitlement or family medical insurance that your previous employer isn’t providing.

A career change is a different kettle of fish. You need to demonstrate transferable skills to the prospective employer in the new industry vertical and negotiate your move by positioning yourself properly.

You CAN afford a career or job change but it requires some practical steps.

This includes an audit of your financial situation, knowing when to make the move and practicing stress resilience building techniques until you’ve made the move.

When it comes to money, we often don’t know our real financial situation. If you aren’t already tracking your income and expenses, then I suggest you commit to keeping an accurate record of all your income inflows and outflows for the next 30 days to see where money comes in and goes out.

Money inflow includes your take home pay as well as income earned from passive sources like subsidies, bank interest, dividend, royalties, rent income (if you have rented out a property).

Money outflow includes all your expenses – even the ones on the credit card and direct debits for subscriptions, mortgage and loan payments. It also includes small expenses like bargain offers, coffee, newspapers, fast food and other small ticket items.

At the end of the 30 days you’ll have an idea of your net income savings or deficit.

Now review how much of that spend is absolutely essential. You’ll be surprised to see how many items can be cut out if you really need to.

Start by examining each category of expense and work out the bare minimum is that you could afford to live on.

You will probably find that, for a time at least, you could survive on much less than you think.

When you look at your income inflows, you might realize there are sources that you haven’t accounted for before. Or that your income does not need to come from one source.

If there are other earning members in the family, ask them to do a similar exercise with you during the 30 days to work out the exact family budget.

This exercise works best when it’s done over 2-3 months. At the same time, make a list of any annual one-off payment that you have to make like car insurance, home insurance and other liabilities to put aside a buffer to cover it.

Armed with this knowledge you are in a better position to hunt for a new job or career because the money issue loses its teeth and you can prepare a game plan to make up for any income deficit.

You can learn more about money and finance management in my round up blog post Cool solutions for pressing money issues

Step 3 What’s your attitude towards money?

If steps 1 and 2 haven’t resolved the money challenge for you, then step 3 is required to introspect and reflect on your attitude about money.

Our childhood experiences around money can affect our attitude towards it. If money was short, the child in you remembers the pain of not having enough. Perhaps forgetting that parents did the best they could and there were treats on special occasions.

Or your parents, teachers and elders told you that money didn’t grow on trees. You figured out that you had to save what you could but not the corpus that you needed.

Money becomes a commodity to be hoarded rather than a conduit to help you get what you want and need.

If this sounds familiar, then take some time out to reflect on the following questions:

If money weren’t an issue, what would you love to do?

How much is your self-image tied up with financial success?

How much money would make you feel secure?

Do you see money as a means or has it become a goal in itself?

Are there any money messages that you learned in your childhood from your parents and teachers that affects your attitude to money?

Would you like to let go of these habits and unleash the energy of money in your life?

Do you want to make friends with enemy rather than treat it like a bogey monster?

Want to make money your friend and use its power to your advantage rather than against you? I suggest reading and applying the guidance in Money Success Secret: The Alchemy of Mindset and Management.

I’ve shared strategies that will help you give money the kind of attention it craves to do positive work for you.

The book will help you consciously change the way you look at money and get more control over it. Plus bonus resources to help you get the most out of the teaching.

I’ve used these strategies myself at different times in my life and know that they are powerful.  You can learn more here or by clicking the below image.

Returning to my original question, what’s more important for you – money or a toxic job?

How will you prevent money from becoming the key factor for staying in a dead-end job? Is ruining your health, relationships and work life balance worth it?

Experiencing a restless mind? Guess what? It happens to all of us from time to time.

There are days when despite one’s best intentions we find it difficult to sit still with our eyes closed and meditate. Our mind rushing all over the place.

Considering that the entire objective of meditation is to help calm the mind, what does one do when the mind is too active to settle down?

What if you need activity rather than sitting or lying down in 1 place?

You have choices. One is to engage in chakra balancing exercises or you can do what Miss Coco and I do.

This week, Miss Coco joins me to introduce you to nature walking meditation. I often practice in the mornings while walking little Coco around the compound.

Sometimes I do it also in the late afternoon when my energy levels and attention power are at an ebb. From what I can make out, Coco does it along with me!

Meditation for folks who really cannot sit with their eyes closed

Miss Coco’s view on Nature Walking Meditation

This is how we do it and you can too.

As with regular meditation, I focus on my breathing. Since I’m walking and cannot close my eyes, I inhale consciously, aware of the air filling in my lungs. Then exhale, imagining that I am sending out any negative or irrelevant thoughts of my mind.

I know this step is working when I experience a sense of weight being lifted off my shoulders and a sudden sense of energy.

It’s also a great time to focus on one’s posture and body movements. I like to imagine that a string is pulling me from the top of my head and I walk with my back straight.

This helps a lot if you have a job where you might be spending hours in front of the desk or a computer. (Do you have control over your work space stress? Find out with this quiz)

Coco likes to stop every now and then to look around and I’ve learned that a walk is more than a walk; it is a chance to notice my surroundings.

It never ceases to amaze me how there are things that I miss while walking the same path on my way home but when we do our nature meditation, our route seems to come alive!

I notice the trees where little leaf buds are emerging and the new flowers that have blossomed since the previous morning walk.

It isn’t just the colors and changes in the scenery; I become aware of the sounds around me. I can hear 3 to 4 different types of birds each conversing with its flock!

There is a symphony of twitters with pigeons, mynas, parrots, crows and even the little house sparrow joining in!

Sometimes, if we are out early enough, we can hear the laughter of the Senior Citizens Laughter Club members in the park behind my housing compound and I start to laugh while Coco looks on in amusement and wags her tail.

Our main walk ends when we reach the back lawns and that is a wonderful time to reflect on the walk and the thoughts and feelings that I experienced.

I make it more personal by closing my eyes and facing the Sun, chant the Hindu mantra invoking the strength of the Sun God and request the Sun to destroy any negativity that may be attached to my aura and to strengthen it.

In addition to the spiritual aspect this is an excellent way to get a good dose of Vitamin D too.

This is also a good time to use Tool #4 from my post on combating the Fear Bug by walking  barefoot letting the soft grass under the feet help to ground oneself for the rest of the day.

We continue to look at nature with the lovely birds that by now have been joined by squirrels and perhaps other early morning walkers who wave to us.

I usually use this time to also engage in a mental exercise of gratitude for all that I have experienced and the sensations and feelings that I will be taking into the rest of the day.

The beauty of this kind of nature walking meditation is that you can enhance it and make it your own. The core ingredients are focused breathing, awareness of your surroundings, self and reflection. The rest of it is up to you.

Have you ever tried nature walking meditation?

If you were to do the nature walking meditation, what additional rituals would you add to enhance your meditation experience? Tell me in the comments box below!

PS. Need more help? If physical activity is more your style for stress management, then my Stress Management Bundle Stress Management with Chakra Balancing exercises will help.

Click here to get details of the Stress Management Self-Help Bundle.

Need more personalized help? Contact me and let us see how we can get your stress management skills optimized.

Update on Miss Coco December 2021

When I first wrote or rather co-wrote this blog post with the lovely Miss Coco, the thought that she would leave for the rainbow bridge someday was far from my mind.

Sadly, that event took place on 5th January 2021 and I invite you to read and comment on my tribute post to Miss Coco here.

I also wrote a book about her antics and the life and especially spiritual lessons she taught me from beyond the veil in this Kindle ebook. I invite you to download it and definitely leave a review!

A few years back I was watching a hit Indian comedy movie where the small-town hero had come to the city to create his fortune and save money towards his cherished goals.

Nothing unusual except he had set up 3 earthen vessels with the different financial goals he had set for himself including one for his ageing grandmother. Every time he got some extra cash, he allocated it to those vessels.

I loved the idea. As a lifelong saver who got into the habit of putting aside 10% of her take home pay every month starting with her apprenticeship stipend into money earning financial instruments.

I know how money grows with the principle of compounding interest. The rest of the money was spent on living costs. If there was any leftover – it was put in a savings account.

It’s a habit that continues even today with 10% of any income from any source for the month being saved whether or not I have a financial goal.

This practice was included in last week’s assessment of financial practices too! If you missed it, here’s the link Money matters: Are you really on top of your finance game?  or click on the image below. (Link will open in a new window)

Savings are a personal matter.

There are a number of factors that determine how much you should save each month to meet your financial goals.

There will be months when it is easy to save and those months when you won’t record any savings.

Other factors that you will affect your ability to save include but are not limited to your life stage, whether you are employed, unemployed, self-employed, employed part-time or retired; your income level and money mindset.

You may find it challenging to set savings aside if you haven’t done it before or are in a financially strapped situation, have debts that need to be serviced or have an irregular income.

To get into the habit of saving, start with saving a small amount from each of your pay cheques or from any income that you receive and put it into an interest bearing account or accounts.

Just seeing your savings grow and the interest that the savings earns will motivate you to continue saving. As your income increases, you can increase the amount that you save without creating any discomfort.

What is important is to put money aside in a systematic manner.

Progressing from our Hero’s Earthen Vessels to JARS

The method that the Hero used is similar to the one that I read about much later called the JARS Method taught by Harv T Ecker.

I like it because it isn’t just a savings creation strategy but one that can help you manage your existing money.

As a Chartered Accountant who’s created enough corporate budgets, I can assure you that the most important part of managing money is to allocate your income or funds for specific purposes.

In this post, I’ll share how to start managing your money using the actual JARS Method or an improvised one. Both will help you tap into the energy of money.

Anyone can start using this JARS method of managing money – even if you think you do not have a lot of money to manage.

The key is to develop a habit of managing the money that you do have. There’s no minimum limit to begin with – even a dollar or rupee will work to start using this system.

Here is how the JARS system works:

You have 6 jars each of which is labeled for a specific purpose and you will put the money that you receive, whether it is your salary, paid invoice or money gift according to a specific percentage into each of these jars.

Financial Freedom Account (FFA)

Put 10% into your FFA whenever you receive money; say your salary, invoice or a money gift. The money that you put in this jar is not to be spent on anything other than to purchase or acquire passive income streams to grow your money such as investments or savings deposits. You may spend the interest acquired from the FFA if you want to, although it is recommended that you do not in order to benefit from the power of compounding interest. Keep the interest inside the FFA to grow your capital and interest faster.

The idea here is to use this money as a wealth multiplier. If you believe in the law of attraction, this FFA is actually your money magnet.

Long Term Savings For Spending (LTSS)

Put 10% into your LTSS whenever you receive money. The money inside LTSS can be used for major expenditure such as savings for your children’s education, buying a house for yourself, keeping aside contingency funds.

Education

Put 10% into your Education Jar whenever you receive money to use towards your professional development, say books, seminars and events and even hiring a coach!

Necessities

Put 55% into your Necessities Jar whenever you receive money. You should use the funds inside your Necessities account to settle all your essential bills such as phone bills, electricity, clothing, eating, driving, travelling, hair etc. If you cannot survive on 55%, simplify your lifestyle. Instead of driving a car, perhaps you can take public transport, or drive a Honda instead of a BMW.  In other words, simplify your life. Don’t worry about having fun because the next category is Play.

Play

Put 10% into your Play account whenever you receive money. You are supposed to spend this money every month to pamper yourself. I call it my Happy Money. The key is to BLOW this Play money away every month so that you will feel good about having money and spending it without any sense of guilt. Maybe you can buy yourself something that you really want but have been thinking twice that you cannot afford it. This Happy Money is meant to help you get that.

If the money falls short, then consider accumulating it for a few months and then pamper yourself.

Give

Put 5% into your Give account whenever you receive money and use the money for donations to charities. Use it to help someone in need to activate the vibrations of the Law of Giving and Receiving.

In Shakti Gawain’s book Creative Visualization, she refers to the practice of Tithe which is donating 10% of your money to good causes to activate the Law of Giving and Receiving.

If you feel that you need to put more money into another jar say for your long-term needs or financial freedom, increase the percentage for that jar by reducing the percentage in the Necessities Jar.

This is a great Money Management System as it covers most aspects, if not all, on how one usually spend their money. It is an amazingly simple yet profound method to manage your money, regardless of how much money you already have! It can work for you even if you have trouble saving and for anyone who just needs a little more help in managing their money to achieve a financial goal without feeling overwhelmed.

But what if I’m financially strapped?

The Jar Method can be daunting if you are starting out initially so here is my improvised version that harnesses the Energy of Money and simplifies things for you.

In this strategy, we take the basic premise of the Jar Method but simplify it to just 3 Jars that are focused on your goals with the caveat that one of those jars is Financial Freedom and we put some money in them every day. .

This improvised method works even if you are in a financially strapped situation. In this case, put money at least into your money magnet Financial Freedom Account every day. This is the account you use to invest and create passive income with and the real money magnet.

At the end of the month, check how much you have in each jar and transfer it to a special bank account that you have created for that purpose and let the power of interest grow your money.

It doesn’t have to be a big amount, even a rupee or a few cents will work to raise your vibration. When you are ready to raise the amount, proceed to raise the amount you put in. You’ll not only raise your money vibration but also find that you have the discipline to save money. Even when you are financially strapped.

Your turn, how do you allocate your funds? Do you have another method of saving money without affecting your lifestyle? I’d love to learn more in the comments box below.

PS. I’ve shared 3 more actions you can take to manage your money in this month’s teleclass. Sign up to listen to the replay!

I am feeling very positive today.

Perhaps watching the Republic Day parade on television and going back in time when as an eight-year-old, my parents took me and my sister to Raj Path to watch the parade live has something to do with it. I still remember the fly past and flower petals.

Lucky me, I caught one. I wonder if it still the same and some little child today shared my childhood glee. Happy memories lead to happy thoughts and then to positive thoughts – all karmically connected!

SO, I am feeling very positive today and challenge you to accept my 7 Day Positivity Challenge.

In essence, the challenge requires you to stay positive for 7 consecutive days and banish all negative thoughts.

If you are thinking along the WIIFM track (What’s In It For Me), then read on!

It will assist you in overcoming your limiting beliefs that are holding you back and help get rid of your Gremlins for once and for all.

Self-help yourself by letting your mind find empowering alternatives and imprint them in your memory.

Make your life truly exceptional by focusing on the positive solutions rather than on the constraints that challenge you.

Replace old worn-out habits and fears with new empowering habits and expectations that will help change your life- for the better.

This challenge is based on a pamphlet written by Dr Emmet Fox (1886-1951) called “The Seven-Day Mental Diet” and is mentioned in Anthony Robbins must-read book “Awaken The Giant Within“.

If you are ready to let go of limiting and destructive thought patterns and replace them with regenerating ones, then here are the rules:

• For 7 consecutive days you must not allow yourself to dwell for a single moment on any kind of negative thought. Think of it as a mental diet where you re refraining from partaking any negativity.
•  If you break any of the other rules, you must start the 7 days all over from the beginning.

• You cannot focus on a negative thought or remain in a negative emotional state for more than five minutes. Ideally, the time should be much shorter but until you become mindful of the negative thought creeping up on you, five minutes will do.  This gives you enough time to recognize what’s going on and put a stop to it. Remember, even one instance of lingering for more than five minutes means starting over.
•  You must focus on solutions. When the negative thoughts start, the idea is to immediately start contemplating possible solutions. Spend your time solving your challenges instead of focusing on them.

Perhaps you feel that worrying is helping you in some way? The Seven Day Positivity Challenge will help you differentiate between the woods and the trees.

Easy as it sounds, it is often difficult to give up negativity.

Dr. Dennis Gersten. Dr. Gersten, a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology mentioned in a radio interview in 1998 that his research indicated that the average person runs about 15,000 thoughts per day in which at least half of those are negative – 7,500 negative thoughts in a day!

Imagine the impact on our health and ability to function since we know that our thoughts turn into our emotions and our emotions turn into physical and mental health problems!

In more recent times, world renowned researcher Dr. Barbara Fredrickson discovered that experiencing positive emotions in a 3-to-1 ratio with negative ones helped people to become more resilient to adversity and success in achieving what they wanted from life.

Positivity was the key.

80% of Americans fell short of the ideal 3-to-1 positivity ratio and I am sure that the story is repeated elsewhere too where people are unable to think positively. You can learn more in her book Positivity.

When you’re faced with a negative thought (and there will be many!), the best response is to think to yourself, “How can I solve or improve this challenge?”

The point is to immediately begin focusing on solutions. When you ask a good question, you’ll receive good answers.

If you still find it difficult to keep negative thoughts at bay, consciously ask yourself the following positive questions to refocus your attention:

•  What’s great about today?
• What do I like the most about this?
• What am I most proud of?
• What am I most looking forward to?

Over the coming 7 days you will get into the habit of immediately recognizing a negative mental state and then focusing on solutions for what you feel negatively about.

If you continue the process after the 7 days are completed, you’ll develop a permanent habit that will only require a minimal amount of maintenance.

The challenge sounds easy, but you might need several attempts to complete the full 7 days. It is normal to have slip ups; after all you are changing old habits and replacing them with new ones.

Refrain from being hard on yourself and remember to keep your focus on solutions.

Karmic Ally Coaching Recommended Tools to practice a Positive Mindset

There are 4 tools that can help you win the 7 Day Positivity Challenge.

The first is keeping a Gratitude Journal to assist with your challenge. Note down at least 3 things that went right during the day and for which you are grateful. Putting it in writing acknowledges the good in your life and helps with the sub-conscious change in attitude.

The second is measuring your Positivity Ratio.  Click here to take Dr. Fredrickson’s 2-minute on-line quiz and see how you score.

The third is using the exercise Step out of your comfort zone by examining your beliefs available in my free eBook Self Improvement Strategies – the Karmic Ally Way.  (Click to claim the eBook and it will be delivered in your inbox – pronto).

The fourth is to work on your mindset for growth and success.

Update November 2023 We’ve added Positive Thinking Secrets to our list of tools!

Click here or on the image below to get it.

When your 7 Day Positivity adventure is completed, DO come back and share your results with us!

PS. The one book that I recommend everyone read at some point in their personal development journey is Awaken The Giant.

Written By: Vatsala Shukla

I’m getting used to colder winters in New Delhi and ushering in 2018 with a thick blanket of fog didn’t come as a surprise. It’s when the temperature falls below 5 degrees Celsius that I begin to wonder if we’re going to break any cold wave records again.

When I originally wrote this post back in 2013, little did I know the record for coldest January 12th would be broken today, January 12th 2018 with a drop in temperature to 3.4 degree Celsius — the lowest on this date in five years.

If we look at the record season-wise this this the second coldest day as January 6 in 2013 still holds the top honors at 2 degrees Celsius.

I would personally prefer to stay inside the quilts but a pet parent has duties and record temperatures or not, the morning walk is a must.

So while I huddle away to get ready, Coco the pet child has her own way of warming up. She does stretch exercises while she waits for me.

Having watched the exercises for the past few days, I noticed some of them are quite useful when it comes to managing stress apart from making the limbs flexible in the morning.

This post is a joint contribution from Coco and me on a few select stretch exercises that shake off lethargy and also reduce stress.

3 Power Moves Recommended by Miss Coco to Energize

If you prefer to read, here are Miss Coco’s instructions.

Before starting the stretch, it is a good idea to warm up. Walking or marching on the spot helps to increase the blood flow and make the muscles supple.

Hold the stretch until you feel the muscles loosen and then hold for a further 10 seconds. You might feel a little discomfort at the beginning of the stretch but if it is painful, then please stop immediately.

The stretch exercise is supposed to help you, not hurt you.

Coco starts with a front paws and then hind paws stretch. This is followed by vigorous shaking and a wagging tail which indicates she is ready to get out of bed.

This is the human variation 

Stand up straight with your arms at your sides. Raise your arms above your head with palms of hand facing inward. Stretch as if you are trying to reach the sky. Hold the position to a count of 5 and lower your arms again to your sides.

This is one set. Do a set of 3.

Stand up straight with your feet slightly apart. Raise your right hand over your head and stretch to your left side. Let the left hand slide on your left leg while you stretch. Repeat on the other side.

This is one set. Do a set of 3.

Stand up straight. Lift one foot off the ground and circle it, first clockwise and then clockwise. Do the same with the other foot.

This is one set. Do a set of 3. If you have trouble balancing, hold onto a chair or the wall.

I admit I could not think of a variation for the tail wag, but a gentle shake up of the hands and wrists as well as of both legs does wonders.

The great thing about these stretches is that they can be done anytime you are feeling stressed out or need to shake off lethargy.

Even when winter is over and spring arrives, these stretch exercises will help you get a great start to your day.

How are you keeping yourself fit this winter? Please do share in the comments box below.

Also, if you found this post useful, please share with others. You never know who needs it.

Especially a furry being who is having difficulty persuading their pet parent to take them out!

Winter tends to bring out our procrastination habit too!

Written by: Vatsala Shukla