Day: June 25, 2021

Importance of Journaling

Journaling is maintaining a diary or a journal where we express our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Journaling is like communicating with our thoughts. We often come across people that journal every day. Let us look at why they like maintaining these fancy books.

Clears the mind: A lot of the time our brain is preoccupied with thoughts and it can often come in the middle of our work. So writing down our thoughts and feelings on a piece of paper will help us acknowledge them and come up with a solution as well. When I would feel low I would write my thoughts and, it almost felt like I was venting problems to a friend. In the end, when I was done writing about any issue, I would honestly feel good. Journaling doesn’t make the problem go away but our mind feels more clear.

Something to look back at: Growing up I had written a few journals. I wouldn’t journal daily, but I would write if there was a special occasion or a family trip. Now when I read about those moments it feels like I am reliving them. It has so much detailed explanation of things that I wouldn’t have remembered otherwise. Reading old journals is always a great trip down memory lane. I always thank my younger self for writing those things down.

Makes us stronger: We often write down our hard times. So, when we look back and read those problems it makes us realise how caught up we were in them and we thought they was the worst thing happening to us. But, then we get over it, it makes us realise that problems come and go and we are strong enough to overcome anything.

If you are someone who wants to start journaling, you can start by getting yourself a diary, notebook of your choice. You can bring pens of different colours and some things to decorate it with. It’s up to you how you design your journal.

Here are a few things you can write about in your journal:

Daily goals: Goals keep us motivated, they ensure that we complete all our daily tasks. You can write your daily tasks in the morning then by the end of the day you can check if you completed them or not.  

Ideas: You can write any creative ideas for your work. When I come up with a great idea for my article I like to note it down. So on days where I have nothing to write, I check my journal for reference.

Be creative: You can also have a bucket list section in your journal where you tick the things you have done. You can try new things in life and write about them. The new things don’t have to be as complicated as sky diving, even trying a new flavour of ice cream is included.

Problems: It is a great place to write about your problems. Below that you can also write the solution to it, where you write a few ideas on how you are planning to overcome the situation.  

Grateful: Writing things we are grateful for every day is a positive start to the day. The things you are grateful for can be as easy as a roof above my head, or my family.

Once you start journaling you will notice a lot of positive changes in your life. You will also know more about yourself. It will also make you more productive because you will be giving yourself and your goals more time. Journaling is a safe space you need in your life.

Information about bank . Its origin , history ,types and functions .

(Sample information about bank for project assignment .)



Introduction :-

Chamber’s Twentieth Century Dictionary defines a bank as an ” institution of keeping , lending and exchanging etc. of money .”


Banks play an important role in financial stability and the economy of a country.
It is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans.


The word has it’s origin from Old High Germanic origin banc, banke meaning “bench, counter”. Though some people trace its origin from the French word “Banque “.and the Italian word ‘Banca.



History of banking :-



The First stage of banking system :-

It was a merchant banker who first established the system of banking by trading commodities rather than money . Their trading activities required the remittances of money from one place to another ,for this they issued “ hundis “( letter of transfer ) to remit the funds . In India such merchant bankers were known as “Seths “
Although , before 1640 the practice of self saving and self keeping were found in the temple of Babylon .

The Second stage :-

The next to merchant bankers in the establishment of the banking system were goldsmiths . The goldsmith started charging something for taking care of money and bullion . He started issuing receipts as evidence for receiving valuables . He started lending gold and silver as there were no marks of the owner .
Goldsmith receipts became like cheques as a medium of exchange and a means of payment.

The Third stage :-

Next to the goldsmith were moneylenders to strengthen the growth of the banking system.The moneylenders became the bankers who started performing the two functions of modern banking ,that is accepting deposits and advancing loans .



The first bank called the ‘Bank of Venice ‘ was established in Venice , Italy I’m 1157 to finance the monarch in his wars .
But modern banking began with the English goldsmith’s after 1640 . The first bank in India was the ‘Bank of Hindustan ‘ started in 1770 by Alexander & Company; an English agency house in Calcutta .
But the first bank in the modern sense was established in the Bengal Presidency as the Bank of Bengal in 1806.


Definition :-

Many Economists have defined banks highlighting its various functions .

According to Crowther , ” The banker’s business is to take the debts of other people to offer his own in exchange ,and thereby create money “.

Kent defines a bank as ” an organ whose principal operations are concerned with the accommodation of the temporarily idle money of the general public for the purpose of advancing to others for expenditures “


Sayers define bank as ,” Ordinary banking business consists of changing cash for bank deposits and bank deposits for cash ; transferring bank deposits from one person or cooperation ( one ‘depositor ‘) to another ; giving bank deposits in exchange for bills of exchange , government bonds , the secured or unsecured promises of businessmen to repay etc. ” .


Cairn Cross stated bank as ,
“ Bank is a financial intermediary institution which deals in loans and advances”.


In words of P.A. Samuelson ,
“ Bank provides service to its clients and in turn receives perquisites in different forms. ”


Indian Company Law 1936 defines Bank as
“ a banking company which receives deposits through current account or
any other forms and allows withdrawal through cheques or promissory notes “.


Thus , a bank is an institution which accepts deposits from the public and in turn advances loans by creating credit . It is different from other financial institutions as other institutions do not create credit .



Types of Bank :-







Banks can be classified on the basis of :-
functions , consumer , structure , ownership and organisation .

The above flow chart shows various classification of banks .


Functions of bank :-

Bank as an institution of keeping , changing , lending and creating money , performs various functions all together .


Functions of bank are divided into two categories :-

1:Primary functions.

2:Secondary Functions



Primary Functions of Bank :-

Primary function of bank include major two functions :-

A:-. Accepting of deposits
B:- Advancing loans .



A:- Accepting deposits :-

This is the oldest function of a bank. While banking was developing into an institution bankers used to charge a commission for keeping the money in its custody .
Accepting of Deposit is considered to be the fundamental function of a bank . The bank accepts the deposit by the public , guaranteeing safety and interest .

Banks accept different types of deposits from the public . These deposits can be divided as the following :-

1: Saving Deposits :-

Saving deposit is a deposit on which the bank pays small interest to the depositors who are usually small savers . The process of opening the account for saving deposits can be said as a plain sailing process . It can be opened in a single name or in joint names. The depositors just need to maintain minimum balance . This type of deposit is suitable for small savers and wage earners .Such deposit encourages saving habits among the public. The rate of interest is low and there is no restriction on the number and amount of withdrawals.

2:Fixed Deposits:

Fixed deposits are mainly for savers who do not need money for stipulated periods from 6 months to longer periods ranging up to 10 years or more. Money is deposited for a fixed tenure . Bankers pay higher rates of interest on such deposits and the rate increases with the length of the time period of the fixed deposit But there is always a limit of the interest rate which can be paid .
There is no withdrawal money allowed during the maturity period . In case depositors withdraw before maturity, banks levy a penalty for premature withdrawal.

3:Current Deposits:

Businesses keep deposits in their current account . They can withdraw any amount standing to their credit in current deposit by cheques without notice . These deposits act as a short term loan to meet urgent needs. The bank does not pay interest on such accounts but charges a high-interest rate along with the charges for overdraft facility on a nominal sum for services rendered to its customers.

4:Recurring Deposits:

This type of deposit is mainly made by salaried paid persons or traders . Certain amount of money is deposited in the bank at a regular interval. Money can be withdrawn only after the expiry of a certain period. A higher rate of interest is paid on the deposit .



B:- Advancing Loans.

Another of the primary functions of a bank is to advance loans to its customers .A bank earns profit and carries on its business by lending a certain percentage of cash lying in deposits at a higher interest rate than it pays on such deposits.
Bank offers the following types of Loans and Advances:-

1: Cash Credits:

The bank advances loans to businessmen or individuals against certain specified securities .i.e against mortgage of certain property tangible assets or guarantees. It is a short term loan facility up to a specific limit . Cash credit can be given to any type of account holder as well as to those who do not have an account with a bank.
The amount of the loan is credited to the current account of the borrower . Interest is charged on the amount withdrawn . The borrower can withdraw cash through cheques according to his requirements.


2:.Call Loans :-


These are very short term loans advanced to bill brokers for not more than fifteen days . They are advanced against first class bills or securities . Such loans can be reduced at very short notice .


3: Bank Overdraft:


A bank often permits to draw cheques for a sum greater than the balance lying in his current account . This is done by providing the overdraft facility up to a specific amount . This facility is for current account holders. The interest for overdraft is paid only on the borrowed amount for the period .An overdraft facility is granted against collateral security.

4: Discounting the Bill of Exchange:

It is a type of short term loan, where the bank provides money to the creditor holding a bill of exchange by discounting the bill of exchange . The bank gets the payment on maturity of the bill from the drawee or acceptor of the bill .




Secondary Functions of Bank:-

Secondary functions of the bank have the same level of importance as the primary function. The secondary functions are also classified into two parts:

A:- Agency functions
B :- Utility Functions


A:- Agency Functions of Bank

The bank provides various Agency services to its customers . Banks are considered as agents for their customers .
Various Agency services of bank include :-

• Transfer of Funds that include mobilising of funds from one branch/place to another .

• Collection and Payment :-
of dividend, salary , pension , rents , electricity bills , bills of exchange , the money of the cheques through the clearing section of the customer’s.

• Bank also buys and sells the shares and debentures of the clients and debits or credits the account. This is known as portfolio management.

• Bank acts as an income tax consultant to its clients as well as acts as a trustee and executor of property and will of its customers.


(For some services the bank charges a normal fee while it renders others free of charge .)


B:- Utility Functions of Bank

• Besides other services banks also perform a number of other services .
It acts like the custodian of the valuables of its customers by providing them lockers where they can keep their jewellery and valuable documents .

• It issues various forms of credit instruments such as cheques , drafts , travellers cheques etc which facilitate transactions.

• Bank also acts as a referee to clients and issues letters of credit.

• It also deals in foreign exchanges ,social welfare programmes, project reports etc.

• Banks also publish journals which provide statistical information about the money market and business trends of the economy .


Function that differs a bank to other financial institutions.

Other than the primary and secondary functions the most important function of a bank which distinguishes it with other financial institutions is the Credit Creation .

Credit creation :-

Credit creation is one of the most important functions performed by commercial banks. It separates a bank from other financial institutions . In simple terms credit creation is the expansion of deposits. A bank expands the demand deposit into multiple cash reserves as demand deposits are the principal medium of exchange.

In words of Newly ” Credit Creation refers to the power of commercial bank to expand secondary deposits either through the process of making loans or through investment in securities ”




Note :- the function of banks can be used in the sense of a commercial bank functions .

INTERNET VS THE WALL STREET : Gamestop explained

Why was the stock market roaring in the early 2021? How did the American video game retailer company’s shares whipsaw from $17.5 USD to $347.51 USD in a matter of weeks. How did a bunch of investors pack in loads of cash while one prominent hedge fund got a loss of more than a 100 Billion USD? How did ‘Big Short’ investor Michael Burry make a 1,500% gain on GameStop during its Reddit-fueled rally.

Find out the answer in this article. Let’s understand a few terms before we get down and dirty!

A hedge fund is an alternative investment that is designed to protect investment portfolios from market uncertainty, while generating positive returns in both up and down markets

Short-selling: The reverse of the generic buy low, sell high – sell high, buy low. For example, if the gold price for the day is Rs.50000 per 10 gm and you believe the price is going to drop in a couple of months. You borrow the stocks, sell it and buy it back later when it is Rs.45000/ 10 gm, thereby making a profit of Rs.5000. 

 Negative float position- in simple terms, negative float implies that withdrawals are exceeding deposits in an account. Short sellers borrow more stocks than there were shares available to trade in the market. 

GameStop, an American video game and gaming merchandise retailer announced the closure of many stores and shares that could be bought for as low as $3.25 USD on Jan 12, 2021. Opportunistic hedge funds thus began short-selling GameStop. The good people of r/WallStreetBets—an irreverent subreddit for stock market noticed that the Melvin hedge fund and other firms had taken so many short positions that there was a negative float position created. Invigorated, a huge number of them plotted to buy the stocks, but not sell them so that the hedge funds don’t get to buy them and return the shares, thereby incurring losses. This was a massive supply-demand gap case. This made the share prices skyrocket from $17.5 USD to $34.7 USD to $50 USD to $150.3 USD to $347.51 USD. Melvin’s has closed its position now but at a huge loss. 

Michael Burry, the founder of the hedge fund Scion Capital, which closed in 2008, invested 16.46 Million USD on GameStop, earning back 260.6 Million USD, giving him a margin of 1500% profit. 

Hedge funds short-sell shares and create a pressure on it so that its price keeps falling down for their own profit which drives losses for many retail investors. Melvin’s hedge fund had also short sold Tesla’s shares a long time ago which made the prices fall for a bit. Tweets from Elon Musk and Venture Capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya (Former senior executive at FB, CEO of Social Capital) encouraged the crowd furthermore to take manipulation of the stock market out of the hands of hedge funds and into the hands of “the people.”

That’s how the power finally went from the rich to the common!

DENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

In the past few decades, our lifestyle has witnessed a momentous change. This transformation has put a significant strain on our dental health.

Oral health is the most neglected area of our overall health. It is a common misconception that brushing twice a day would keep all dental problems at bay. That is why most people do not know about others ways of dental care.

Oral health directly affects our overall health and quality of life. Our mouth is the threshold of our inner body. Every germ or bacteria that enter our body comes through our oral space. Therefore, to keep our body as fit as a fiddle we must ensure that our oral health is at par.

Most people consider tooth decay to be the only dental problem. However, there exist several dental problems that people must know.
The other dental health problems include:

SOURCE- PEXELS

TOOTHACHE DUE TO CAVITIES-


Tooth decay primarily happens due to unhealthy eating habits. Cavities or tooth decay are the areas in the tooth that have been decayed and have formed holes in them.
It happens when food, acids, or bacteria form a coating on your teeth called plaque. These acids start to eat away the enamel and the underlying tissue. If neglected it can permanently damage your teeth.

TEETH STAINING-


It is the most common problem people suffer all over the world. It is also caused by unhealthy eating habits. Consumption of tobacco, alcohol, or even smoking can lead to discoloration of the teeth.

GINGIVITIS-


Gingivitis is referred to as the inflammation of the gums. It occurs through the formation of plaque on one’s teeth due to poor dental hygiene.
Symptoms of Gingivitisincludes swollen and reddened gums. It also causes bleeding from the gums while brushing or flossing. If the disease is left untreated it leads to periodontitis, a more serious gum disease.

CHIPPED TOOTH-


Most of us have the habit of tearing and breaking things from our teeth. This sometimes causes the shedding of a part of the tooth.
A chipped tooth is categorized under the number 1 type of tooth injury. It is mainly caused by biting hard substances, or conditions like bruxism. It might also be caused due to accidents.

MISALIGNED TEETH-


This problem is also very common among people. Misaligned or crooked teeth cause jaw pain. This misalignment can also lead the food debris to get stuck in between the teeth and cause a dental problem.

So these were some other dental problems that need serious attention and treatment.

Is it the end or the begining of new era.

“Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.” ~

Jack Kornfield

Life is not always meant to fill with bliss and happiness . It also has its demon and darkness . And we are unable to understand the consequences that can be happen in future .

This is what we are facing now and it’s popularity is all over the world . Well well .. we all met the celebrity i.e., known as “ CORONA VIRUSE ”

Yes yes I know how much amazed we all were when we get to know about it . The excitement leads to the death of 1/4 of a population . Let’s move on from the gossip girls .

“But you are involved in the world, and your actions have consequences for other people, and if you don’t recognize that, then that’s the supreme kind of cruelty. Everyone shares someone else’s fate to some extent.” ~

Malcolm Bradbury

Like a gentle men he is . Malcolm has distracted us from the main theory that is “ Every action has equal and opposite reaction ”

From the past decades , census has been directly pointing out the deterioration in Nature . It leads to the extinction of wild life . More than one million of species had been reportedly facing problem and extinct .

So what do you think . Is it a revenge that nature is taking in the form of corona virus ?

Or

Is it a lesson to the human kind for playing with the nature ?

Well in both questions we get one thing clearly that is human kind has to pay .

Based on the report by WHO more than 3.3 million people died due to COVID19 in January . Their are “excess death” of people which caused mass havoc in the mind of the people all over the world .

So where were we virus , death , human kind , extinction . Ohh yeah now I remember we were talking about the hate of nature for human beings . Ops , sorry . Don’t mind sometimes I just flow with sentiments .

Well , yeah we were talking about the devastation in the human world by nature .

I am not a socialist or a misanthrope . I loved nature as much as you do . But what we didn’t understand is that how much we hurt our environment . And when we come to the realisation .

It’s being like OJO run his lovely Siren on MOJO . What , who is Siren . Siren is OJO’s favourite truck . Yeah I know I am very funny .

Reality hits us with the truck in the form of COVID .

I really do talk about COVID in this editorial rather than I used in my daily life .

We need to recreate our life in the form that It will not harm the nature . I know it’s a tough time to speak about this but until we will not stop ourselves for our wrong doing . It will come back to us and hit it with the force that no human kind can protect themselves from the destruction.

Embrace a new perspective.

Let move together to the new world where we can live with nature

This given editorial is written under one’s perspective. I am not judging anyone’s decision . You have youern own perspective and i am standing with that .

THE EVOLUTION OF ALTERNATIVE ROCK


“Alternative” refers to the genre’s distinction from mainstream or commercial rock or pop music. The term’s original meaning was referring to A generation of musicians unified by their collective debt to the music style.
Alternative rock, pop music style dominated and changed rock between 1991 and 1996. It made it into the mainstream when “smells like teen spirit”- the first major label single from Nirvana, which was based in Seattle, Washington became a national hit. Their album nevermind was swelling 400,000 copies a week by Christmas in 1991. Other than nirvana, the music was enticed by alternative rock’s commercial possibilities and major labels had already signed Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Jane’s addiction and Dinosaur Jr.
in early 1991, R.E.M went mainstream worldwide with “out of time” while becoming a blueprint for many alternative bands. But before it all went mainstream, alternative rock 1st made its mark when the Dead kennedys formed the “independent record label alternative tentacles” in 1979. By 1984, several other bands had done the same and had mined into a variety of rock. Between the time period from the 1980s to the 1990s, various bands such as My bloody Valentine, slow dive, happy mondays and acid house made their respective marks in the world of alternative rock.
But, after the breakthrough success of Nirvana which led to the popularisation of alternative rock in the 1990s, there was a “new openness to alternative rock”. All the record labels, who were confused by this genres success, scrambled to sign bands and were eager to capitalise it. The New York Times in 1993 stated that “ alternative rock does not seem so alternative anymore. Every major label has a handful of guitar-driven bands on shapeless shirts and threadbare jeans, who conceal catchy tunes with noise”

The band – Nirvana

Despite in the change of style, alternative rock still managed to be mainstream.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, several alternative rock bands emerged, including the strokes, Franz Ferdinand and the Rapture. Preceded by the success of bands such as the Strokes and the white stripes earlier in the decade, an influx of new alternative rock bands, including several post punk artists found commercial success in this time. Arctic monkeys Wore a prominent act to owe their initial commercial success to the use of internet social networking, with 2 UK number one singles and whatever people say I am, that’s what I am not (2006) which became the fastest selling debut album in British chart history.
Hence, alternative music has held a place in modern culture and as culture and society evolved, so did this highly influential gamer.
While alternative music has faded into the musical background, it’s importance in the world of entertainment, and the development of western culture, stands the test of time.

My volunteering journey.

When i was younger i always had an urge to help everyone and nothing has changed since then except for the fact that i wasn’t able to help a lot of people back then but now i have got an opportunity because of yuva to fulfill my wish. I believe kindness is the only way to deal with everything and that’s what makes my world beautiful.


I wanted to persue psychology: wanted to become a counselor. But my parents we not convinced that I’ll have a great career doing what i wanted to do. I was good at maths and computer, so i persued for a B.tech degree in computer science.
When covid first started triggering, just like everyone else even i was convinced that this won’t last long. Also during the first wave we had adequate infrastructure so the situation was a lot better than it is right now. But now when i see people crying for the basic amenities,it breaks my heart and makes we wanna help them as much as i can.


I am in the verification department in my team becausee of which i haven’t had any encounter with any of the patient but there was one time when someone from my city contacted me for some urgent requirement and i was able to do the needful with the help of my team and i felt overwhelmed that i could save someone’s life.


When you put your 100% effort to do something and you get the expected result that obviously makes you feel joyful. I feel the same way when i receive gratitude from the families i have tried to help.

CRYSTAL HEALING

Crystal healing practices by humans are ancient. Crystals have been an important element for various healing and ritual processes. Crystal healing practices are not recent healing practice but rather has their emergence way back in time.
This technique of therapy is also tied to Indian culture and is more precisely mentioned in Vedic texts of Hinduism.

SOURCE- PEXELS

WHAT IS CRYSTAL HEALING?

Crystal healing is a practice in which various types of crystals and gemstones are used to cure an ailment. They are used as a technique where the crystal allows the positive healing energy to flow into the body and lets the negative, disease-causing energy flow out. However, crystal healing practice is a pseudoscientific process and is not supported by any scientific theories.
However, the adherents of this therapy are of the view that this therapy can help transform the aura of the body along with boosting low energy, preventing the bad energy, and releasing the blocked energy thus, giving a sense of relaxation to mind and body and providing a sense of tranquility.

“For serenity, it is best to use a combination of crystals in your environment and carry crystals with you.”
― Amy Leigh Mercree, The Mood Book: Crystals, Oils, and Rituals to Elevate Your Spirit

BENEFITS OF CRYSTAL THERAPY

Crystal Healing Therapy is a very natural and spiritual approach to cure a problem.
In terms of the physical level, the most profound effect of this therapy is that it gives deep relaxation during and after the process. This type of relaxation helps in giving mental peacefulness and serenity and helps to treat disorders like stress and anxiety.
The crystal therapy further treats painful muscle and the loosening of contacted veins and muscles and gives the body energy and a new vigor.
Spiritually and emotionally this therapy helps to give a sound and calm mind and a healthy heart. It enhances confidence and self-esteem.

Thus, in conclusion, Crystal Therapy has proved to be a great process in treating anxiety, body pain, depression, body unrest, and many more. Also, it is a non-medical process and thus has no side effects or unhealthy repercussions.

THE COVID-19 UPDATE;

Humans have been battling viruses since decades ago, even before the times when people barely had information of the fact that they are going through some kinds of virus / flu epidemic and from where did it originate, what possible medications could cure them and what probable preventions could save them. However, Even with advancing technologies which got us all the access to every bit of information of what’s happening around the globe nobody had been able to stop the spread of these viruses.

CORONAVIRUS, one of the most relentlessly hit virus in the history of mankind outshined every kind of pandemic there could have existed. It Originated initially from Wuhan, China in 2019 and got widely spread all over the world by March 2020. Since then till now the whole World had been through tremendous circumstances. After almost 1.5 years of struggle everything is gradually getting back to normal. While some countries/ places have declared themselves COVID-19 free Some are still struggling in coping up with it and one of these countries is INDIA.

Initially India was the first country to handle the first wave of Coronavirus in an uttermost precautious manner and thus the disease didn’t affect much in the first few months. Anyway later when people started thinking the situation is safe is when it started getting bad. Thereby, India started facing a rapid hike in cases each day. Millions were affected and thousands were dead. Lack of proper medication, oxygen cylinders, also beds in hosiptals, etc worsened the situations continuously and country had to face a major set back. It affected the country in every possible way be it socially, economically or politically. But along with time and after contrivance of vaccines everything has started getting under control execpt in very few states. According to a reliable source, India has recorded 51,667 new coronavirus cases and 1,329 deaths in the last 24 hours ending 9 am on Friday. With this the country’s total caseload has risen to over 3,01,34,445, while the death toll nears the 4-lakh mark. Meanwhile, the active caseload has dropped to 6.12 lakh.

THE PANDEMIC ISN’T OVER YET!

As more and more population is now getting vaccinated, it’s a safer situation outside but we all need to clear up our minds that the disease hasn’t been completely finished. The evolution of the Triple mutant of virus named as ‘DELTA PLUS’ .There is no exact indication yet of the severity of the disease due to the new variant. Around 48 cases of Delta plus classified as a Variant of concern had been detected across 10 states and one UT. NCDC Director Dr. S K Singh said Maharashtra has 20 cases followed by 9 in Tamil Nadu, 7 in Madhya Pradesh, 2 in Punjab and Gujarat, 3 in Kerala while Andhra pradesh, Rajasthan, Orisa, karnataka and Jammu has reported one case each. “There are speculations that this mutant is more contagious and it is 35-60 per cent more infectious compared to alpha variant. It could be potentially contagious,” Karmakar, Department of Biochemistry- AIIMS said. Among the 20 cases of the ‘Delta plus’ variant reported in Maharashtra the highest nine cases were reported in Ratnagiri, followed by seven in Jalgaon, two in Mumbai, and one case each in Palghar, Thane and Sindhudurg districts along with the hike in regular Covid cases today.

THE THIRD WAVE IS YET TO ARRIVE!

It is been reported by the officials that the third wave of COVID-19 is inevitable and would hit the country by September month that is., in the next 6 to 8 weeks. Thus AIIMS, Delhi has highly recommended states to be alerted and also that taking preventive measures is not only the responsibility of the government but also of every citizen of the country. Everyone should get acknowledged with the measures to be taken to protect the country from going back to the phase as of 2020. It is mandatory that everyone still curbs themselves from going to crowdy places and travelling currently and try to stay more at home, complete their vaccination procceses as soon as possible. Also it is adviced that using some home remedies like drinking warm water, Exercising or doing yoga to stay fit and having healthy eating habits which helps in building up immunity in our bodies should be considered acting upon.

Treatment of OCD

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder with a lifetime prevalence of 2 to 3 percent and is established to be 10th leading cause of disability in the world. Patients with OCD experience recurrent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive, stereotyped behaviors (compulsions) that last for at least one hour per day and significantly interfere with the individual’s normal level of functioning. 

OCD was once thought to be extremely rare, but recent epidemiological studies have shown it to be the fourth most common psychiatric disorder.

OCD is often a chronic disorder that produces significant morbidity when not properly diagnosed and treated.

OCD can be treated. The treatment recommended will depend on how much it’s affecting your life.

These treatments can be very effective, but it’s important to be aware that it can take several months before you notice the benefit. A short course of therapy is usually recommended for relatively mild OCD. If you have severe OCD, you may need a longer course of therapy and/or medicine. 

The most effective treatments for OCD are called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which has the strongest evidence supporting its use in the treatment of OCD, and/or a class of medications called serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SRIs.  During ERP, anxiety and obsession-inducing stimuli are systematically presented in a controlled environment and patients are prevented from engaging in their usual compulsions. Exposure and Response Prevention is typically done by a licensed mental health professional (such as a psychologist, social worker, or mental health counselor) in an outpatient setting. Taken together, ERP and medication are considered the “first-line” treatments for OCD. About 70% of people will benefit from ERP and/or medication for their OCD. 

What if Outpatient ERP Hasn’t Worked? Are There More Intensive Options?

  • Traditional Outpatient – Patients see a therapist for individual sessions as often as recommended by their therapist generally one or two times a week for 45-50 minutes. 
  • Intensive Outpatient – Patients may attend groups and one individual session per day several days per week. 
  • Day Program – Patients attend treatment during the day (typically group and individual therapy) at a mental health treatment center usually from 9am – 5pm up to five days a week. 
  • Partial Hospitalization – Same as the Day Program but patients attend the treatment at a mental health hospital. 
  • Residential – Patients are treated while living voluntarily in an unlocked mental health treatment center or hospital. 
  • Inpatient – This is the highest level of care for a mental health condition. Treatment is provided on a locked unit in a mental health hospital on a voluntary or sometimes involuntary basis. Patients are admitted into this level of care if they are unable to care for themselves or are a danger to themselves or others. The goals of inpatient treatment are to stabilize the patient, which generally takes several days to a week, and then transition the patient to a lower level of care.

Other recommendations from the APA Practice Guideline, cite research showing that ERP delivered in a group format, as well as ERP therapy delivered via videoconferencing (teletherapy), might be effective. Also, there is some promising new research showing that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy may be helpful for OCD. 

OCD is a chronic and severe psychiatric disorder that is often incapacitating when left untreated. Patients suffering from OCD often attempt to hide their symptoms due to the embarrassing or disturbing content of their thoughts. Many individuals isolate themselves as a consequence of their symptoms and avoid their exposure to potentially anxiety-provoking situations. Unfortunately, there is often a long delay between the time when an individual develops OCD symptoms and when they first obtain treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment minimizes symptom severity and level of disability.

Why Competition Is Bad

In ancient times, the rules of nature were easy. If you didn’t compete for food, shelter or women, you would die. We still compete for those things, but the competition actually makes us weaker.

When we compete, two negative things can happen.

  1. We start imitating the competition
  2. We focus too much on our competitor, instead of our business

In our personal lives, we often imitate our competitors. We all compete on some level with colleagues, friends, and family. This will make you lose your identity and dignity. True power comes from within. Don’t compete with others. You don’t have to have a better car.

You can also apply this to business. When Microsoft and Google were focussing on each other, Apple became one of the biggest tech companies in the world. Microsoft dropped the ball because they only focused on Apple. In the meantime, Apple focused on innovation and creating value.

In life and business, it’s not a case of “best” so and so. That’s only true in sports. But in life, most things are subjective. Being different is what matters more. And in business, the ones who are first win.

Competition itself is bad because it’s not the point. Focus on the value that you add, not on how much better you are compared to someone else.

“Your competition is not other people but the time you kill, the ill will you create, the knowledge you neglect to learn, the connections you fail to build, the health you sacrifice along the path, your inability to generate ideas, the people around you who don’t support and love your efforts, and whatever god you curse for your bad luck.”
– James Altucher

What if I get corona virus?

If you get it, nobody else should get it from you. This line is the only solution I think. This commitment you should take for yourself, for sake of humanity. In case you get it, it should not hop to one other person. This responsibility we must take.Focus on good food, sleeping habits and working out and if something is out of your control try and shift your attention, there is nothing you can do. Strengthening the immune system is the best action you can take.

The older you are, the more likely you are to get very sick if you get COVID-19. People of any age with certain medical conditions are also at a higher risk for more severe illness. If you have any of these underlying conditions or other serious medical conditions, including a weakened immune system, call your doctor right away if you develop symptoms of COVID-19. Keep track of your symptoms.

If you have all the symptoms of virus but haven’t been tested, you should assume you have it and still take precaution.

  • Stay home except to get medical care. Avoid all public areas.
  • Separate yourself at home in a specific room away from other people 
  • Avoid sharing household items
  • Wear a mask when you have to be in the same room with other people. You don’t need to wear the mask if you are alone. If you can’t put on a mask (because of trouble breathing, for example), cover your coughs and sneezes in some other way. Try to stay at least 6 feet away from other people. This will help protect the people around you.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Clean and disinfect all frequently touched surfaces daily.
  • If you have symptoms, you should get tested for COVID-19, even if you are fully vaccinated.

Tell anyone you had close contact with that you are sick so that these people know to quarantine and stay alert for symptoms. By letting your close contacts know they may have been exposed to COVID-19, you are helping to protect everyone.

Being ill with COVID-19 might be especially hard because it is a new disease and there is a lot of news coverage. Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media.

HOW I SPENT TIME IN SUMMER VACATION:

Summertime is the most awaited time of any student’s life. It gives them a break from the scorching sun and blazing heat. The summer months are quite hot, however, students love them because they bring a sense of calmness due to the vacations. It frees them from the monotonous and dull routine of school and studies.Most importantly, summer vacations give us a chance to explore new things. We can adopt new hobbies like painting, dancing, singing and more during this time.

Furthermore, it gives us a chance to visit our grandparents or to someplace abroad. Summer vacations bring all types of fun, however, these particular summer vacations were the most memorable for me. My parents made me join a summer camp which was too much fun and then we visited our grandparents’ place.Summer Camp:As the first day of my summer vacations started, I started getting bored easily. Mostly so because all my friends had gone to someplace or the other. My parents noticed this and decided to send me to a summer camp.

Our school itself was organizing one in which my parents got me enrolled.At first, I thought it would be of no use and would be equally boring. However, to my surprise, I was wrong. The summer camp was one of the best experiences of my life. I got the chance to indulge in so many activities and in fact, it was the first time where I discovered my talent for painting.We got up early in the morning at 7 o’clock, despite no school. We had trainers who would teach us different things each day.

On the first day, I got to learn karate, which was very amusing and helpful. Further, I learned how to play sports like basketball, table tennis, and volleyball.Finally, came my most awaited part. We were taught painting and unique tips to master this art. I learned it quickly and started enjoying painting. My passion for painting began from this summer camp, and I will forever be indebted to it.

My Grandparents’ Place:

After my summer camp ended, my whole family decided to visit my grandparent’s village. It is situated away from the city and is full of lush and greenery. I love spending time with my grandparents so I was very excited to visit their village.We stayed there for over two weeks, and that throughout that time, I was at my best behavior. I used to get up at 7 o’clock in the morning to take a stroll with my grandfather.

Then all the family members would get together to have breakfast full of healthy things and fresh fruits from the farm nearby.In the evening, we would sit by our grandmother’s bed and listen to stories. Then, my siblings and I used to go to the terrace and play games. We would also gaze at their stars all night, as we did not get that in the city.In short, this is how I spent my summer vacation. It was definitely one of the best times of my lives. I got to learn new things and spend valuable time with my grandparents. I feel blessed to have a loving family with whom I can enjoy my summer vacation.

Why are summer vacations important?

Summer vacations are the most important and awaited time of a student’s life. It gives them a break from their monotonous routine. Furthermore, summer vacations protect students from the scorching heat and give them a chance to visit hilly stations.

How can one utilize their summer vacation?

There a lot of ways to utilize a summer vacation. It can be done through indulging in many activities. One can join summer camps which teach new skills to students. One can also pay a visit to their grandparents or to some chilly place or abroad to enjoy it to the fullest.

How I Stay Positive

EVERYTHING MATTERS

One of my readers recently replied this to one of my weekly newsletter emails:

“How are you so positive?”

I thought to myself, “Haven’t I written about this before?” I went through all my articles and the answer is no. I have written about the importance of having a positive mindset a lot.

But after 6 years of blogging, this was the first time I got that question. And it’s so on point. Sometimes we take things for granted. Even though I’ve experienced many challenges in life (like almost every other human being), I never gave up my positive mindset.

Often, we look at the world and consider it negative. That’s not a surprise. Because taking one glance at a news website will make the steadiest person depressed. It happens to me too. But calling the world negative is a misjudgment.

That will only cause frustration. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus made that evident in his teachings, two thousand years ago (quote is from The Good Life Handbook):

“So when we are frustrated, angry or unhappy, let’s hold ourselves responsible for these emotions because they are the result of our judgments.”

The Stoic perspective is all about being objective in your perceptions. When your thoughts become negative “because” of something, you’re making misjudgments. Epictetus continues:

“No one else is responsible for them. When you blame others for your negative feelings, you are being ignorant. When you blame yourself for your negative feelings, you are making progress. You are being wise when you stop blaming yourself or others.”

Not blaming others nor yourself is one of the most important things if you want to stay positive. But there are also 4 other things I do to stay positive. Here they are.

1. Practice gratitude

Taking a few moments every day to write down a few things you’re grateful for changes your perspective. The funny thing about this practice is that when you read about it, you think, “It can’t be THAT effective!”

I was exactly the same. But once I started actively practicing gratitude, I felt more in control of my life. A while back, I stopped writing about the things that make me feel grateful. For the first few weeks, I didn’t feel any different.

But after a few months, I noticed that I complained more than usual. I was also more frustrated compared to before. When I started practicing gratitude again, I went back to being consistent. Consistently calm, that is.

Remember that you can also be grateful for things that you didn’t ask for. Be grateful for everything—even the bad things.

2. Don’t take it personally

A lot of our frustration comes from what other people do or say. “OMG! I can’t believe he said that! How does he dare?!”

Well, maybe it’s time to lighten up a bit. We overanalyze every single thing people say and do. Sometimes, people just do dumb things. Not everything people do is personal.

If you want to live a good life, you can’t take everything personally. Understand that there are more important things to life—things like your health, family, and career.

3. Let it out

I’m a big fan of processing your thoughts, experiences, and emotions. We all deal with difficult things in our lives.

A partner that doesn’t listen to you, colleagues who piss you off, a landlord that doesn’t fix the drain, the loud neighbors, you name it. No one’s life is perfect and tranquil.

That’s something we really need to understand. But that took me many years. I always thought that you could achieve some kind of magic place in life where you would have no stress and annoying responsibilities.

But then I grew up. Life is basically one challenge after the other. We can’t let that get the best of us. That’s why we need to let it all out.

All your anger, frustration, anxiety, insecurity—it needs to get out of your system. Whether you do that by journaling, talking to a friend, or going to therapy is your choice. Just make sure you don’t keep all those things inside yourself.

4. Focus on improvement

Look, life’s not always pretty. And we tend to overemphasize the bad times. When we experience a setback or negativity, we blow it up in our minds. “This is the worst thing ever.”

Think about it. Is it really? Or is there a way you can improve your life situation? Because that’s how I like to look at it.

Where you are now is a temporary situation. No matter how good or bad it is—this very moment will pass. Do you realize that?

Because if you do, you know that you have a chance to improve your life. And to me, that’s the best use of your time and energy.

Don’t spend one second on feeling sorry for yourself and focus on what you can do NOW to improve something about your life. It doesn’t even matter what it is.

Go for a walk. Take a shower. Shave. Start a journal. Fix something in your house. Write down some ideas. Set a goal.

You can even do those things while you’re feeling bad. Because that’s not the point. As am I writing this article, I’m not feeling well. I ate something bad two days ago, and I have food poisoning symptoms since yesterday morning.

I feel weak. And yet, I feel better mentally after I wrote this article.

In the back of my mind, I know I will recover. I understand this is a small example and much worse things happen in life. But when you practice a positive attitude on the small stuff, you will be better at dealing with the big stuff.

I like how Napoleon Hill, the author of the famous self-help book, Think And Grow Rich, put it:

“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”

It’s unquestionable: Doing small things will make you feel better. But you don’t need to believe me. Just go and do a small thing now and see it for yourself.

INFLUENCE OF CINEMA ON SOCIETY

Cinema has been a part of our society right from the ages and we don’t have to explain it now as we are spending most of our free time watching movies in this quarantine. Cinema is said to influence the lives of people in many ways. It helps people to break themselves from the olden thoughts and culture. Movies are said to provide good pleasure and rejuvenate us. Even though it has many benefits, it also leaves a negative influence on people, especially on youth. 

ADVANTAGES OF CINEMA

Cinema has a lot of advantages if we try to focus on the positive side. It is the reflection of society. It portrays the facts that common people are not aware of. Cinema has always been a platform to showcase the hidden vulnerabilities right from abuses to murders. We have many movies portraying the different aspects of society. The films related to society are taken with the motive to reach these messages to the public. We have movies depicting the difficulties faced by women to get their rights and recognition in society. These encourage every woman to stand and fight for themselves. Similarly, we have movies like Dangal which depicts the hard work, never give give-up attitude, and the father’s support for his daughters. Movies like Dear Comrade and Jersey showcase the difficulties to get selected for a sports team despite our talent and passion. They reveal the beast-side of the higher officials who take advantage of the helplessness of the talented people. All these have always been motivating for everyone and guides them to take each step carefully. It also characterizes the truth behind politics and social media. Moreover, it convinces people to accept different artforms and cultures. It depicts family values and relationships. The artists who act in films create an excellent impact on people’s thoughts. People get convinced easily about something they don’t agree with if actors keep them as a request to their fans. For example, we have many in our society who are not ready to get vaccinated. But they change their mind and become ready to get their jab if their favorite actor or actress does that and ask their fans to do the same. That shows how fans are influenced by their fav artists’ words and we have many more to cite as an example. Thus, it makes people learn and be aware of the things that are covered up in our society.

DISADVANTAGES OF CINEMA

Although there are many advantages, we have disadvantages too. Movies influence people badly at times and get addicted to them. They get deviated from their life and desperately wait for the first look, teaser, trailer, or movie release. They also became mad in the name of fans bathing the cutouts and posters with milk. Cinema showcases violence and vulgarity in action and other sequences. These influence kids in a very bad way that they start using unparliamentary language. Most of the time, romantic and other genres are just fantasy showing things that are quite impossible in actual life. On seeing these, people tend to believe that the same happens in reality. This increases their expectations and later everything will go in vain. For example, we have movies expressing college life as a carefree and most enjoyable life. But we get to know the fact only we step into our college life and get disappointed as we expected it to be the same as shown in the films. The sexual content shown in the cinema arouses the young to engage in eve-teasing and several cases of abuse that happen in our society.

On the whole, Cinema has its good and bad influence on people as well as society. So, it is our responsibility to take the good things and leave the bad things behind. Everyone can leave a happy and regret-free life if we always try to follow “Too much of anything is good for nothing”.