Read This If You Worry A Lot

The day that I decided to quit my last job and the day that I handed in my notice were almost 90 days apart. In those three months, I worried — a lot. I decided to pursue my desire to become a full-time writer. But shit was getting scary.

Things like “what if I can’t pay my bills?” and “what if I fail?” went through my head. I freaked out, but as it turned out, the solution to my excessive worries was easier than I expected.

Many of us worry about all kinds of things: Work, relationships, money, health. Some concerns are real, but many are unnecessary.

No matter what kind of worry you have, the response in your body is always the same: It increases your cortisol levels.

And an increased cortisol level is something you definitely do not want. Cortisol compromises your immune system. As a result, you will become more susceptible to disease.

Researchers have also found a relationship between cortisol and diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart disease. Also, stress and fear can cause depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and burn-out.

Let’s face it: If you don’t stop worrying, you will die. That’s not me talking. That’s your body talking.

In the past year and a half, I’ve studied worry, stress, fear and anxiety almost every day. I even wrote a book about how you can live a stress-free life. My findings? Don’t try to relieve stress and worry, but eradicate it. Address it — head on.

“Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.”  — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Relief Doesn’t Work

This is what most people do when they experience stress and worry:

  • Take it out on your partner of family
  • Drink alcohol, take drugs, or both
  • Binge-watch Netflix
  • Play video games
  • Go on a holiday
  • Party all night
  • Have sex

Be honest, how long do these things make you forget about your worries? 10 minutes, half hour, a day? It doesn’t last. As soon as you get back to the reality of your life — worry and stress smack you in the face.

Distracting yourself from your life doesn’t work — and yet, many of us keep doing it. I’ve read many books and scientific papers on this behavior. Some say it’s because we have too much free time, some say it’s because of culture, some say it’s because how we are wired.

To be frank, it’s not important to understand the why. We just have to look at the facts: People worry too much, and that can destroy your life. It’s more important to focus your attention on addressing worry.

“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” ― Marcus Aurelius

Turn Worry Into Constructive Process

Worry is often about the future. It goes something like this: What if…

“She doesn’t like me anymore?”
“I lose my job?”
“I can’t pay my bills?”
“I fail this exam?”
“I don’t get this promotion?”
“My business doesn’t take off.”

And then we make up consequences. It goes something like this: I have to…

“Be single.”
“Find a new job.”
“Borrow money from my parents.”
“Quit school because I failed.”
“Stay at this job another year.”
“Be ashamed because everyone thinks I’m a failure.”

Then we think: “I can’t handle that.” And finally, we think: “The world is going to end.”

If your thought process is the way described above, worry controls you.

The good news is there is a simple solution: Self-monitoring, which turns worry into a constructive process. In a 2002 study, done by Szabo & Lovibond, students were asked to record their worries.

The results of that study demonstrated that you can turn worrying into a constructive process by focusing on finding a solution to your concerns.

“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.” — Albert Einstein

How I Use Self-monitoring To Address Worry

I’m a pragmatic person. I do think that things like meditation and mindfulness help with worry — but not for me. It’s too intangible. Instead, I prefer to take a practical approach like self-monitoring. Here’s how I do it.

  1. Use a note-taking app and create a new note.
    I call my note “Things that I worry about.”
  2. List everything you worry about — and keep adding things to the list.
    Everything that you worry about goes on this list, no matter how small.
  3. Think of a solution for all your perceived problems.
    For example, if your financial situation makes you anxious, you need to create a plan to earn more or spend less.
  4. Then, start executing. 
    Do one thing every day that brings you closer to solving your perceived problem.
  5. Finally, don’t worry about things you have zero control over — those things you have to accept. 
    If you know more about how you can do this; read Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.

This process focuses on action. It forces you to learn the skills you need to overcome your perceived problems. Because problems don’t disappear out of themselves.

Nowadays, I don’t worry anymore because I trust my ability to handle everything that life throws at me.

Because knowledge, skills and character are the only things that no one can take from you—every minute you spend on learning something is well spent.

No matter what happens, trust in your ability to address it. So start now.

NATIONAL ELIGIBILITY TEST PREPARATION: TIPS AND TRICKS

National Eligibility Test also known as UGC-NET, is an exam conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) to determine the eligibility of a candidate for the post of assistant professor and/or Junior Research Fellowship awards in universities and colleges. It is a national level exam, conducted twice a year (June and December) and over 5,00,000 students appear in the exam per attempt. A total of Eighty-one subjects are offered and applicants choose the subject they have a masters degree in for the exam.

UGC-NET is one of the toughest exams to clear and requires a lot of planning and dedication on the part of the applicant. Not only the applicant is expected to have knowledge of the topics in the syllabus but should also be familiar with related topics.

There are two papers:

Paper-1 General Paper (50 questions for 2 marks each, Time given: 1 hour) : This paper is common to all. The syllabus entails topics such as Teaching aptitude, research aptitude, Information and communication technology, logical reasoning, higher education, etc. Many students have a hard time cramming the concepts. Here are some tips and tricks:

  • Students normally take the route of coaching centers which is very helpful given the faculty is reputed.
  • For everyone who is preparing through self study needs to have a proper timetable according to their sitting capacity.
  • Next, you need to start with the topic that looks the most interesting so as to get you to begin your preparations.
  • Once you choose the topic, you must first read the chapter thoroughly from the book you chose to begin your preparation. Mark every important date, the name of an author, etc.
  • Next, go to YouTube (you will find a gazillion videos on a singe topic), find a lecture on the topic selected and listen to it carefully while taking notes. Online tutors always have something extra to offer. They have an interesting way of teaching which helps to learn things faster while keeping the learners engaged.
  • Now you have all the information related to a particular topic. Revise it at regular intervals to keep it fresh in your mind.
  • You can now move on to the next topic. Repeat the cycle and don’t forget to make detailed notes.
  • Once all the topics are thoroughly covered, you must attempt a few mock tests to put your knowledge to test.

Paper-2 Specific Subject Paper (100 questions for 2 marks each, Time given: 2 hours) : This subject is chosen on the basis of the subjects a candidate has during their post-graduation. There are total 81 subjects to choose from. Since you have already mastered in the subject, there is not a lot of cramming involved. Some additional tips you could follow are:

  • Paper-2 demands you to have vast knowledge of each and every unit involved. There are a hundred questions which can be asked from any topic directly or indirectly.
  • You must first study the syllabus properly and since you have already studied those topics in you masters, it would be easier for you to find out the easy and the difficult ones. For this, I would suggest you prepare a schedule that involves studying for the easy unit and the difficult unit on alternate basis. This will ensure that you are not left with only the difficult topics in the end.
  • YouTube classes are a must in this case also. There is no book that would fully cover the syllabus for this paper and thus you need you follow a reputed online tutor. Again, their tricks will make the subject easier and will enable you to reach at the depths of each unit.
  • Detailed notes will come in handy before the exam, thus make sure that all your notes are up to date and arranged perfectly.
  • When all the units are covered make sure you attempt regular mock tests and keep a track of your scores.

An aspirant must start their preparation ideally 3-6 months before the exam since the syllabus is vast and every topic is important and should not be skipped. If you stick to your schedule and revise everyday, nothing can stop you from clearing the exam. However, it is necessary that the applicant takes regular 3 hour mock tests (or solves previous year papers) and diagnose them later to find out the mistakes. The more mock tests you give, the more you will be sure of your success. However it is important to keep in mind that checking the tests is as important as giving it. You must know where you lack and go through that unit again.

Lakhs of students appear in this exam every year and only a handful manage to clear it and with proper time management, planning and scheduling you could be one of those handful aspirants.

ALL THE BEST!

TEACHERS DAY

Introduction

In India, every year Teacher’s day is celebrated on 5 September. On this day all the students decorate the schools and organise special programs in honour of the teachers all over the country. Along with students, teachers also participate in these programs with full enthusiasm. On this day we are discharged from our school activities so that we can participate in other programs.

Why is Teacher’s Day celebrated on 5 September ?


Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5th September. He was the first Vice-President of independent India. He served the country as Vice-President from 1952 to 1962. He served as Second President of the country from 1962 to 1967. Worked as well.

Dr. Radhakrishnan greatly respected the teachers. Before joining politics, he taught in many institutes like Calcutta University, University of Mysore and Oxford University. He was highly appreciated for his work and was also loved by all his students. He believed in the fact that the teacher is the person who prepares the youth as the future of the country. This was the reason that he fulfilled this responsibility of the professor so diligently and always tried to give good values to his students.

When he became the President of our country, his students expressed their wish to celebrate his birthday every year. In response to this, Dr. Radhakrishnan said that he would be more happy if his students celebrated his birthday as Teachers ‘Day. From that day 5th September, his birthday is celebrated as Teachers’ Day.

Importance of teachers day

Teacher’s day is a very important day for both the students as well as the teacher’s life. On this day we celebrate the honour of all the teachers as a tribute to their efforts and works of theirs. Teaching is one of the most difficult tasks in the world because they have the responsibility of educating the youth. There are children in the whole class and because each student is different from the other and has his own ability, this task becomes even more difficult, some students are good in sports and some in mathematics. Some are interested in English. A good teacher always keeps the interest of his students in mind and recognizes their abilities. The teacher teaches them to hone their subject or work skills and also takes care so that their other activities or subjects are not affected.

That is why this day has been dedicated to show respect and gratitude to the teachers.

Teachers’ Day celebration in schools

Teacher’s day programs are celebrated with great enthusiasm in schools across India. On this day, the students wear the costumes of their favorite teachers and go to lower classes than themselves. On this day, senior students go to different junior classes and teach them. It is a very fun day for all of the students. During this, senior students take care that the discipline of the school is maintained and for this junior students support them.

In many schools, junior students also play their role as teachers. On this days students organise various programs for the teachers. They organise programs like singing show, dancing show, quiz competition, dance-drama, ramp walk etc. These programs are normally organized after break time i.e., in the second half of the day. In the first half the senior students take the classes till the lunch break . The teachers relax in the classes and enjoy all these activities.

On this special day, students bring greeting cards, flowers and all sorts of gifts for their teachers. Teachers also feel very happy after receiving all such gifts from their students and they also give treats to their students.

Conclusion

In India, Teachers’ Day is celebrated in honor of teachers, as they work hard throughout the year and want their students to do well in school and other activities. On this day different types of programs are organized in schools across the country. These types of programs strengthen the attitudes of students and teachers. In fact, it is a special day for both students and teachers.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarvepalli_Radhakrishnan

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sarvepalli-Radhakrishnan

@track2traininginstitute @track2trainingseminar @edunewsnetwork @track2trainingservice

Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of Sarvodaya

Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of Sarvodaya aimed at rural reconstruction and uplifting the people of rural India by peaceful and cooperative means.

Sarvodaya, in simple terms, means welfare and upliftment of people and of all living beings . It means the welfare of not only oneself but of others as well. Sarvodaya stresses coexistence and love.

Ideals of Sarvodaya:

  • Economic implications-Under this philosophy, one should be given the opportunity to contribute to national production. The surplus should be distributed equally and inequalities of wealth should be reduced. Sarvodaya also emphasizes that industries should be decentralized and land should be redistributed.
  • Based on Trusteeship-This philosophy involves that everyone must utilize only that part of his wealth that enables him to lead an honorable livelihood and the rest of the wealth belongs to the community and must be used for its welfare. So all industrialists must act as trustees of wealth and not its owners.
  • Social implications- In the social aspect, this philosophy believes in individual freedom, opposes untouchability, and promotes widow remarriage. It believes in the promotion of brotherhood and human dignity Sarvodaya believes in functional education and decentralized society.
  • Political implications- In Sarvodaya philosophy, political power is not an end in itself but it is only means to an end, the end is human welfare. It believes in the universal adult franchise and favors decentralized democracy. Sarvodaya condemns the majority rule and centralization of power and majorly believes in self-sufficiency. 

Hence, the philosophy of Sarvodaya is an example of the Gandhian philosophy of ‘Simple living and high thinking. It envisages a new pattern of life-based on the decentralization of economic and social power, ensuring the moral freedom of man.

Why current Generation are more vulnerable to Mental Illness than their predecessors?

Photo by Anete Lusina on Pexels.com

It is one of the inevitable topics of the millennial generation and that is, “Mental Illness”. It has become one of the terminal topics of all yet it’s high time to focus on our young minds!

So the question here is, why every fourth out of seven has a mental illness? Is it due to a new way of living life? Or is it the society? Well, we can’t blame society for every cause, right? Instead of living in a society, it is us who should be blamed.  Yes, the destruction is due to unawareness which we didn’t appreciate.

These young minds are an asset to our bright future, but what they are suffering from is the worst disease of all. Medically, there is a cure to all sorts of diseases but the question is, where is the essence of this disease? Why is this happening in excess amount to our young buds? Here are some of the elements which can be the reasons for the illness present in our young  minds :

  1. Giving more priority to the unrealistic world of social media: Teenagers are the most popular groups of all ages who dedicate most of their time to social media and thus, for them, it’s ‘The second home’. They dwell so much in these media platforms that the unrealistic world makes them feel like it is reality.

Specially they tend to create fake personalities in front of their friends and colleagues and when they are avoided or not popular then they think of themselves as ‘worthless’.  

It is highly observed that teenagers are dwelling so much into the ocean of social media life that; they start to judge themselves based on; number of likes they got, followers, and people’s comments. This makes them feel depressed and their minds start to break down in this fake world.

Many times, these youngsters are targeted and bullied on social media through certain comments and unknown threats that they don’t even communicate with their parents to provide no harm to their parents.

  • Fractured child-parent relationship: Contemporary parenting can be one of the elements which lead to their child to depression. Since parents are working 24/7, they don’t give much emphasis on their children and often there is a barrier of communication between the parent and child. Due to the unavailability of the parent’s presence, the child feels more ignorance and often lives in his/her thoughts which leads them to have a mental illness.  

We can also see that; these ignorant kids are often lured to follow the wrong path which leads them to devastation as a result.

  • Academic pressures and Moral dilemmas: Kids these days are often pressurised by their parents to score high marks, study in a decent university, and earn pounds which will raise their status in society.

Often, due to this academic pressure children don’t feel themselves and rather they are distracted and even take difficult steps at a tender age. As we can see those suicides are due to academic pressures is in high rates which are also one of the common factors on the mental health in millennials.

  • Pandemic – A Misery to the Millennial generation: This is one of the latest reasons why kids these days feel depressed about the new normal. The social interactions which made them feel positive are gone in the realms of social distancing and quarantine.

Attending online classes is one of the tiring jobs also several factors for them not being productive and lack in the concentration of academia. This leads to a very high amount of stress as we are humans and when we are clutched or burdened in result we act opposite to it, so the impact of online classes makes them vulnerable when they are facing so many pressures at the same time.

  • Addiction leads to depression among youngsters: It is very unfortunate but a fact that the present generation youngsters face different types of addiction in different platforms and therefore they tag themselves as ‘FREAKS’; notably, these addictions vary from one kid to another, some are addictive to social media, some with games, some mislead their minds to pornography world and some are highly addictive towards drugs and sedatives, etc.

There are endless reasons why kids are being addictive but one of the central reasons is due to the exposure to technology at a very tender age. Often, they are misled by their friends and colleagues and due to fewer interactions with elders, they indulge themselves in these forms of bad impact on themselves.

  • The cure to the sickness among youngsters:

Every disease has a cure at its end and to find this cure is that we should look into the core or the root of the disease. As rightly said, love and acceptance is a human need. The kids these days need parent’s support and guidance and a sense of belongingness so that they wouldn’t feel they are alone.

To bring them to their right place it is the elders who can try some old traditions to introduce among the young minds and let them know about the authenticity of their predecessors. As being together, loving each other and living in harmony can make youngsters feel accepted and so the cause of this disease can soon end.  

Youngsters on the other side can also sense their responsibility by being positive and having a good relationship with their family and creating kindness more instead of hatred.

ONAM- THE HARVEST FESTIVAL

ONAM – the festival of colour in Kerala

Onam is one of the famous festivals of the colourful India. It is actually a major event  of kerala. The people inside and outside of Kerala enjoy it too much. It is a harvest festival . 

According to history, Onam has a long religious context and history of Kerala. According to an earlier reference , Onam is found in Maturaikkaci – a Sangam ers Tamil poem. It says that when games and duels were held in Madurai temple , immolation was sent to the temple , then  the people wore new clothes and celebrated it. On the other hand , in the 9th-century according to Pathikas and Ballads by Periyazharwar , Onam is celebrated as offerings to Vishnu God with feasts and community events. 

According to Kurup  , Onam is a historical hindu-temple based cultural festival which is celebrated for many days. This is a harvest festival and its significance is of 2 Hindu-legends, Mahabali legend and Parashurama legend.

According to the Malayalam calendar Chingam is the 1st month  and the Onam is celebrated in this month. It is marked as the Malayalam New Year. It is celebrated over 10 days and concludes with Thiruvonam. The ten days are sequentially known as Atham, Chithira, Chodhi, Vishakam, Anizham, Thriketta, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradam and Thiruvonam. The first and the last day are particularly important in Kerala and to Malayalee communities elsewhere.

The 1st day of this festival is Atham ws marked at Vamanamoorthy Thrikkakara temple in Kochi. This temple is the focal center of this festival and the abode of Mahabali legend with raising their festive flag. There are celebrated the parades and those are colourful ,whimming  and floating.

On other days there are celebrated different types of events like boat races which are most popular and stunning , different types of cultural programmes , martial arts, dance, rangoli etc.  People celebrate their times in those days by shopping, donating time or food for the charities and spending quality times with family. The men and women wear their traditional dress . Basically women wore Kasavu saree on this day. 

At Tripunithura near Kochi the Onam is celebrated with a grand procession which is called ‘Athachamayam’ , it is also addressed by ‘Thripunithura Athachamayam’. There are elephant marching, drum beats and other music , floats, folk art forms and colourful dressed people and with their masks which is wonderful. According to Kerala history the Kochi king conducted a grand military procession which has now become a state-supported event

There are epic scenes from Mahavarat and Ramayana in this traditional float procession . There are also themes from the Bible .From Tripunithura to the Vamanamoorthy Temple in Thrikkakara, Ernakulam district , is the traditional path. It is  the temple of Vishnu in his Vamana (dwarf) avatar. After arrival at the temple, the marchers offer a prayer.

In this festival ‘Pookalam’ , which is called floral rangoli in general, is an attraction. It is known as Onapookalam or Pookalam. There are so many types of flower, basically marigold is the main blossom. It is decorated particularly at the entry point and temple premises like a flower mat. On Atham the Pookalam is called Athspoo and for this day it is comparatively small in size. It grows in size gradually with each day of this festival. In this Pookalam the Dasapushpam (10 types of flower) is used. In Kerala Pookalam competitions are common everywhere on Onam day.

In this festival there are so many types of traditional dance performed like Kathakali , Pulikali, Kummattikali, Thumbi Thullal, Onam Kali etc. Thiruvathira Kali is a women’s dance, where they circle around a lamp. Kummattikali , which is a colorful-mask dance. In Thrissur, festivities include a procession consisting of caparisoned elephants surrounded by Kummatikali dancers. Onam Kali is a form of dance where players circle around a pole or tree or lamp,dance and sing songs from the Ramayana and other epics.  Kathakali is the most famous dance type. 

Pulikali is a different type of dance which is known as Kaduvakali during this festival where the performer is painted like tigers in bright yellow, red and black, and dances to the beats of instruments like Chenda and Thakil. It is a type of folk dance.

Another amazing part of this festival is Vallamkali which is a snake boat race. In this boat race numerous oarsmen row huge snake-shaped boats and men and women come from far and near to watch and cheer the snake boat race through the water. Particularly it happened on the Pampa River.

The Onam sadya, which is the feast, is  another amazing part of Thiruvonam and it is observed in every Keralite attempt . Chips , Sharkaraveratti ,Pappadam, various vegetable and soups such as Injipuli, Thoran, Mezhukkupuratti, Kaalan, Olan, Avial, Sambhar, Dal served along with a small quantity of ghee, Erisheri, Moloshyam, Rasam, Puliseri, Kichadi and Pachadi, Moru , Pickles both sweet and sour, and coconut chutney are the menu.

So it is the very interesting festival of our colourful India which is more colourful and delightful to us.

ORIGIN OF THE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT-A HISTORICAL OUT LOOK

In todays world , management is the base of any organization or administration to accomplish the desired goals . It is not a new term or a new skill because it has always been a part and parcel of all the ancient civilizations in the world.

Ancient texts and scriptures of many countries like India, china, America throws the important light on management. We can find the fundamentals of management in the ancient scripture of Bhagwat Gita. Bhagwat Gita contains rich of managerial techniques which was written a thousands of years ago.

During the first pre world war phase (1870-1974) there is a rapid change in economies in terms of trade, transportation and communication which indeed led to globalization. Globalization made management as one of the important aspect of development where the classical management theories were developed.

Classical Theories Of Management :

SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT THEORY :

Scientific management theory was developed by “FREDRICK WINSLOW TAYLOR”. This theory got popularity in the period of 1880s and 1890s in U.S manufacturing industries with its analyzing techniques of work flow .

The Principles Of Scientific Management Theory are:

Taylor theory was mostly concentrated on shop floor level and suggested functional foremanship to the industries.

1:Science not a rule of thumb, this principle specifies that organizations should constantly develop new methodologies which makes work easier, faster and quicker rather than sticking to the old methods.

2:Harmony,not discord, this principle specifies that maintaining a positive atmosphere in the organization improves the productivity.

3:Cooperation, not individualism, all the activities of the organization must carried with mutual coordination in order to get improved results.

4:Development of each and every person to his (or) her greatest efficiency, this principle specify that organization should ensure the growth of every individual according to their performance.

ADMINISTRATIVE THEORY:

Administrative theory was developed by “HENRY FAYOL (1841-1925)” .Fayol mainly focused on the administrative management of the organization and structure of work tasks.

Fayol concentrated on top level management and he suggested unit of command. Administrative theory is quite opposite to the scientific theory.

Fayol’s generalized principles of management:

Fayol developed 14 principles for the organizational development. Fayol consider that effective management of an organization would lead to efficient results.

Fayol’s five functions of management:

Fayol considered that categorizing the functions of management helps the organization in day to day progress of work. The five management functions are:

Planning: This function is used to classify the needs of an organization and arranging them into tasks to develop strategies in order reach the desired goals.

Organizing: This function is used to determine the appropriate process to complete a task.

Commanding: This function is used to supervise the subordinates in completion of day to day tasks.

Coordinating: This function helps in integrating with different kind of groups and making things get done efficiently.

Controlling: This function ensures in evaluating the overall tasks according to the plan set and making changes if needed.

BUREAUCRATIC THEORY:

Bureaucracy theory was developed by “MAX WEBER(1864-1920)” .This theory was generated during the industrial revolution of Germany to manage it’s growing industrial enterprises.

Weber mainly concentrated on the top level management of an organization. According to weber the bureaucratic organization is more rational and can get control over every individual employ. He developed six ideal principles of bureaucracy.

Six principles of bureaucratic theory:

Authority Hierarchy: It is a chain of command to promote individual’s effort to accomplish the organizational goal.

Formal rules and Regulations: These are rules and procedures that are to be followed by the employ’s of entire organization .

Division of Labour: The whole work flow is divided into tasks and distributed among the employees according to their ability.

Career Orientation: Promotion of loyalty among the employs and making the long term relations with the organization.

Impersonality: Making decisions according to the facts rather than personal interests.

Formal selection process: Hiring employ’s according to their skills, qualification , experience etc…

CONCLUSION:

As management & leadership are closely related to each other which has been provided since ages. With globalization management studies has undergone changes in formal study of management which needs a constant experimenting. These classical theories enhance the management abilities and predicts the control behavior of an organization.

The Restoration Period: Verse (Part 2)

Please ensure to read the part 1 of the Restoration Literature.

  1. Restoration Tragedy  – Heroic Tragedy – combination of Epic and tragedy; Tragedy – a tragic flaw but Heroic Tragedy, not because of tragic flaw but by Failure, hero failing by his failure may be in a duel/battle, in Restoration Tragedy – hero’s failure isn’t something inherent from the beginning of the play, but when he tries something –an act, he fails – Nicholas Rowe, John Dryden, Thomas Otway.
  2. Epic – a lengthy poem – often poets never able to completely write it, due to its extreme length – a stylised life off a person, dictated in a formal manner, not a person existing alone but connected to society – it begins in media rest – not a liner progression of events but could begin anywhere. Alexander Pope wrote a Mock Epic, written using the style of the Epic, making fun of it.
  1. Restoration Comedy – Comedies in Elizabethan Period – love and its tribulations – romances written in the Elizabethan Period is congratulatory praises the Monarch – Elizabeth mainly. With restoration, comedy comes back, but a different set; a class bound comedy – to deal with the upper classes, Shakespearean plays enacted by Shakespearean Company, which in Jacobean period the company was renamed under Jing James – ‘Kings Men’ – which catered to the needs on general people and not aristocracy, but was later seen to align to the needs of Aristocracy, therefore the comedies written during Restoration was class bound, and lot of upper class people were represented in that way. Metropolis – London, urbanised metropolitan – filled with stereotypes – innocent with faulty characters; ‘predatory widows’ looking for men with money, as well as men looking for women with good estates – money. Restoration Comedy emphasis on love triangle and rivalries, among parallel plots. Restoration Comedy – marriages are regarded as a boring restrictive system, ‘looking for estates’ as well as a boring restrictive system. Both narratives existed the latter was unique, where women had a voice of their own and men objecting towards the institution of marriage. Adultery/Carnality/Folly and Vices/ Proviso Scene – ‘Way of the World’ by William Congreve  – a prenup – a marriage bargaining scene. William Congreve, George Etherege, William Wycherley, George Fraquhar, John Vanburgh – Big five of Restoration Comedy – portraying the upper class yet critiquing – subverting them.  London – the urban side is a setting for all of them and there would be a juxtaposition between the urban and rural side of London.Attacks on Immorality – genre of drama is declining, Theatre Licensing Act of 1737, granting license to any play or refuse on any grounds – the initial half of 18th Century; revival of this particular form of writing – 1770’s Restoration Comedies – Oliver goldsmith – 1773, ‘She stoops to Conquer’ and Sheridan in 1775 and 1777 ‘Rivals’ ways in which the RC is revived in the 1770’s. And Oscar Wilde in ‘the Importance of Being Ernest’.

How to set Financial goals

Setting financial goals is essential for personal finance management and budgeting. In order to efficiently manage spending, savings and investments and be financially secure, one must set financial goals.

Being unprepared and spending mindlessly can be quite risky. One should be as prepared as they can be in case of emergencies or financial crises.

Moreover, saving and investing your earnings can help you grow your wealth and utilise your earnings in a profitable manner.

Before setting goals

Financial goals and objectives can vary from person to person depending on their income, investments, expenses, life stage/age, needs etc. Hence, it is important to assess the objective and duration of the goal by following the steps mentioned below-

  1. Identify starting point: Set a date for implementing the plan and its duration
  2. Set priorities: Identify your objectives; Are you saving to invest or to buy or to set up an emergency fund?
  3. Document your spending: Calculate your monthly expenditure. Analyse them and try to reduce them.
  4. Pay down your debt: Reduce your debt and pay it off first to reduce your interest expenses.
  5. Secure financial future: Implement the plan to become financially secure.

Most importantly, financial goals should be S.M.A.R.T – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-based.

Specific: Financial goals should be specific in terms of objective, time and amount.

Measurable: Goals should be measurable and expressed in monetary terms. For example, goal to be rich is not measurable as it is a subjective term. Hence, an amount limit suitable for every person should be set.

Attainable: A reasonable amount and time and limit should be set so it is possible to achieve them. For example, saving up to buy a car on a monthly salary of ₹30,000-₹40,000 within one year is not realistic and attainable.

Relevant: Every individual’s financial goal should be relevant to and in sync with their individual financial needs and objectives. For example, if a person wants to save up for retirement, they should focus on saving to invest in schemes specially designed for retirement planning.

Time-based: In order to achieve a goal, it should have an end period which motivates one to achieve it. They cannot be never ending as different stages of life have different financial requirements. At the end of the time period, one should evaluate and see if they were successful in achieving it or not.

Duration of Financial goals

As mentioned above, setting time-based goals is very important. Duration of each goal varies and is dependent on its nature and the income and expenses of the individual. For example, saving up to buy a TV should take between 3-6 months depending on the saving capacity of each individual. However, saving up for retirement takes years of planning, saving and investing.

Financial goals can be classified into Short-term, Mid-term and Long-term goals.

Short-term goals have a duration of 2 or less than 2 years. Example- Stick to weekly/monthly budget, reduce unnecessary expenses.

Mid-term goals have a duration of 2-years. Example- Build and diversify portfolio.

Long-term goals have a duration of more than 5 years. Example- Make a retirement plan and implement it.

The Restoration Period: Prose (Part 1)

Restoration Period is during 1660 and the monarch and its influence in England. This period marked the return of Charles II as King (1660–85) following the period of Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth

  1. history writing – a significant contribution made during the Restoration Period, documenting the religious and political history of England. The English Prose written to popularise Science – in Renaissance – emergence of new cosmos and science able to release from the clutches of religion, and during the Restoration Period – The Royal Society of London – for the improvement of Natural Knowledge – a learned society thinking about rationality, factual interpretation, empirical reasoning, clearly the opposite of the Medieval Period, where we don’t question authority – a significant thread carried forward in the Restoration is the spirit of Science and Technology. The Royal Society of London – a scientific advisor to the British Government, a principal advisor as well. Thomas Sprat – history piece, on The History Royal Society of London.  Gilbert Burnet.
  2. Diary writing – Pepys and Evelyn diaries- social documents –  presenting grant details, gossip and rumours of 17th Century intellectuals, discussing events like  – coronation of Charles II, Fire of London (1666) Plague of England (1665), wars fought.  Evelyn’s work – Fumifugium – smokiness of London, how it was becoming increasingly populated , Sylva – reforestation, and pollution, how river Thames was becoming increasingly populated.
  3. Travel Writing – sponsored by The Royal Society of London to make a systematic documentation and collection of natural knowledge, funding foreign travels – only condition is to report the travels. Samuel Smith, Benjamin Walford, William Dampier – traveler belonging to the Restoration Period, connection is restoration science and travellers as they work hand in hand, beyond providing data  but also their direct interaction with a new land would impact – direct experience of the new land and not just the marvels of travel documentation. Richard Haklyut and Thomas Roe (India is a very rich country and they sell Jewels on the streets of India).
  4. Biographies – secular as well as religious people as well – Izeak Walton ‘Lives’, John Dryden – the History of particular mens life. Hagiography – biography of a christian Saint – the pious life of a saints life.

Why you should read ‘The Lowland’ by Jhumpa Lahiri

Like her previous works, this is also a saga of Indians in the states away from the motherland. This time we follow three generations of the Mitra family.

The book starts in the 1950’s Tollygunge, Calcutta. Subhash and Udayan Mitra, born fifteen months apart , true soulmates in all regards. Udayan is brave, impulsive and ‘blind to self-restraint,like an animal incapable of perceiving certain colors. But subhash strove to minimize his existence, as other animals merged with bark or blades of grass ‘

The first 20 pages are comfortable and happy. We see subhash and udayan grow up together, get their education and make habits together.
The lowland i.e. the place between the the two ponds a metaphor for the two brothers
Just like the lowland there are more geographical characters, like the tolly club, the mosque near their house.
In 1960s, udayan is drawn towards the Naxalite movement. He is passionate about the movement and  chooses to work for it abandoning his studies wheras subhash earns a scholarship to study in the states and moves to Rhode Island to study and subsequently get a job as a professor.

Years go by, udayan gets married and subhash learns to live alone.

Everything that can go wrong, goes wrong and the two brothers never see each other again. The story goes back and forth from Calcutta to states. Once again in similar jhumpa lahiri fashion we follow generations of characters while still staying true and attached to first generation.
We start from Subhash and udayan, to their daughter Bela and get glimpses of their mother bijolis life.
This book is no way a happy book. There are violent details of the naxalite movement in the 1960s and its repercussions on the  brothers.
Then the story shifts to Rhode Island, Subhash Mitra  starts a new life as a husband and father. He carries secrets and lies and is burdened by it.We also get a namesake-like parent-child scene of confrontation and reconciliation.

Overall, the book is a good read and will stay with you.If you enjoy books that stretch across generations, this is definitely a must read!

Ps : There’s a NDTV interview of Jhumpa lahiri in the real tolly club, check it out!

SELF-HELP IS THE BEST HELP

“Don’t start your day with the broken pieces of yesterday. Every day is a fresh start. Each day is a new beginning. Every morning we wake up is the first day of our new life.” …….. Self-Help Quotes

WHAT IS SELF-HELP?

Self-help asserts developing one’s competences or solving one’s own problems, fighting against social, physical, professional, and psychological complications, with or without the association with other individuals having similar interests. Self-help demands the use of one’s own efforts, resources, etc. to achieve things, without depending on others. It is a great virtue. It provides courage to meet the difficulties of life bravely. It is the secret of success in life.

SELF-HELP GENERATES SELF-CONFIDENCE WHICH LEADS TO SUCCESS

The life of man is very complex. He is always placed in adverse situations. Every dawn of man comes with a shining hope and a whole day’s gruelling work and crushing ups and downs, frustrate and betray many dreams he had stored for the future. If his dreams depend on others whims and wishes, then his success is questionable. If for every short decision he waits for other assertion then he/she certainly under the shadow of life long pain.  It is his strong will, determination and repeated attempt that help him to overcome difficult situations. His indomitable will power coupled with his irresistible effort for the liberation, help him to rise above all odds. Supports him every moment to beat dark clouds of devastation. Being self-confident he stands like rock and defeats all oppositions. He who depends on his own efforts and resources is the most successful man because the best kind of help comes from within.

GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES.

God has sent us on this earth with many gifts like a body, mind and a soul. How we make use of these gifts is our own discretion. It is the way we use our faculties that makes all the difference. Some people share hard work and believe that whatever is in store for them, would be theirs ultimately. This blind faith in one’s destiny is in itself defeating and damaging. God helps those who help themselves. We have to make efforts: otherwise, all promising opportunity will vanish and will leave us mourn over our sluggish helplessness. One has to sow the seed, till the land and plough the fields, water them, nurture them carefully and only then can we expect good crop. God’s mercy is also important because for good crop, we must have rains at the right time, but if we have not sown the seeds, rain or no rain, we would not get any crop. So, destiny or luck, no doubt, plays an important part in our life but we can’t depend on that only. Destiny, along with right efforts in the right direction, will bless us with our desires fulfilled.

THE BEST KIND OF HELP COMING FROM WITHIN

The deer do not enter into the mouth of a sleeping lion. The lion has to run after it. The fan does not give air by itself. It has to be operated manually or electrically. A plate full of delicious meal doesn’t go automatically within the mouth, hands pick it up and take it to the mouth. A job doesn’t come to the job seeker, he or she has to put her effort to grab it. There are several examples of self-made men and countries. Though Vidyasagar was born poor, poverty could not dampen his spirit. His courage and determination helped him in every field of activity. Japan which was weakened in 1945 in the atomic bomb explosion has now become a superpower because of self-efforts.

So, leaving behind all weakness, closing all the doors of begging attitude and silly dependency, diminishing expectation and appreciating every little step of achievement, come, let us be winner by changing our views about the happening, rewarding world.

A wise man says……

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

A guide to take your business international

As Globalisation takes over the world, more and more businesses are expanding and opening their manufacturing units, branches, outlets, offices all over the globe. While some grow exponentially and expand their market, sales and customer base, some fail to get any response and incur huge promotional, travel, administration and financial costs.

This is why it is extremely crucial to form an entry strategy that suits the organisation. It is also important to assess the financial position and capacity of the organisation and to understand that International business gives delayed returns as spreading awareness, competing with the competitor’s product and building an International customer base takes time and incurs promotional costs.

Once the business is ready to enter the international market, there are several factors to be considered.

  1. Firstly, the organisation needs to conduct market research and choose the country and the specific locations where there is demand for their product/service.
  2. Secondly, assessing the culture, language of the country and city is also very important. The organisation can make the necessary changes (if any) to its product/service and its packaging and labelling accordingly.
  3. The last step is to form an entry strategy that suits the organisation and the market and implement the stategy.

Ways of entering an International Market

There are several ways to enter a market depending on the product/service reach preferred by the organisation and the financial capacity of the organisation.

  • Direct Exporting- In this method, the organisation directly sends its products, transfers its employees and workers to the location chosen. It involves huge setup, transportation and transfer costs. Therefore, this method is only used when the product that is being exported has a lot of demand in the new market and will definitely get a response from the target audience. For example, exporting machines to developing countries where there’s no manufacturing of such machines but a huge demand for the same.
  • Through a distributor- In this method, products are sold to distributors who are wholesale buyers. The distributor uses his own selling and pricing strategies to sell the product in the market.
  • Licensing- Through licensing, the organisation can share its technology, method and basic know how with local companies. However, through this method, the product is sold under the local companies’ name and brand so there is no scope of building an international brand and consumer base.
  • Contract Manufacturing– Through this method, the company pays a local manufacturing unit to manufacture their products by sharing their technology and design. It saves the cost of exporting or setting up a manufacturing unit abroad and is ideal for products that require large scale production.
  • Strategic Alliance- This method includes Mergers, Acquisitions and Joint Ventures. In Joint Ventures, two companies form another company to work as partners. For example, Hero Honda. In Mergers and Acquisitions, one company merges with or acquires another company. There is no formation of third company or new identity in this case. For example, Walmart acquired Flipkart.
  • Through an Overseas agent- Using this method, the company hires a local agent to make business relationships on behalf of the company. The agent acts as a sales representative who sells the products on behalf of the company and has no direct relationship with the customers. The agent gets commission on his sales. This is an effective method to save costs in case the organisation wants to test out the response of the foreign potential consumers or distribute their products on small scale without incurring huge costs.

Should reading be an important part of our life?

Let me start it here by pointing out that, if you’re here already and reading, it simultaneously becomes an activity you engage into.. so yes, reading is important.

But the question is how important; am I right? Education doesn’t have to be what you have studied over the years inside an institution; it could be beyond that — books, per se, they have the ability to enable you with a education that knows no bounds, be it a sci-fi comic, a text on Newton’s thesis, or just some legal content; the best thing about reading is you get to choose what you like, what you prefer, what interests you, beyond institutionalised barriers. Reading is essentially a generic term, panning across undefined boundaries, anything could be considered a text, and you just read it. Nothing is good or bad, you have to just invest yourself into it, and surely over a period of time human brain will adapt into what is becoming the ew normal, and you’ll noting changes — good changes, within yourself. You’ll be moving towards a plane where you have the level of objectivity, where you are aware, and won’t be swayed by anyone around you, you will have the power for yourself to act like how you want to.. and isn’t that almost an ultimate goal amongst us beings, to be liberated and be this autonomous being?

Its also significant to not label what you read, because no matter what genre, or what kind of a text you read, the essence of it would always be to analyse it, not just absorb the words at face value, but rather delve deeper into what or why an author writes the way they do, or what does if a certain section written differently could do to a text, brush up your imagination, glide smoothly with any text you adopt, but absorb a lot more, nothing can ever be set-in-stone, people change, time changes, though written words can’t; they have the potential to be perceived the way someone wants to perceive it, and no one can fight over one’s views, that’s counterproductive to what we’ve been trying to establish. However, don’t forget; if someone’s entitled to their opinion, you are entitled to yours and you have the power to keep on bettering it, to be better and as much you exercise reading into your daily existence, you are stepping closer to what I would consider is being a better being — for that, make sure to keep your eyes and brain open, and not rigid. 

The Pursuit Of Happiness Will Not Make You Happy

A few years ago, I gave up my excessive pursuit of happiness. I used to think that the purpose of life was happiness. But that philosophy didn’t work for me. I realized that happiness is always a byproduct. 

When you spend time with people you love, you feel happy. When you invest four years in getting a degree, you feel happy and accomplished when you graduate. You feel happy when you come up with a useful idea at work. You feel happy when you finish a hard workout. You feel happy when you listen to good music. 

You see? Happiness is the byproduct of an action. It can be as simple as having a conversation with someone or listening to a song. 

But happiness doesn’t last. 

It’s a feeling that comes and goes. Some people disagree with that and say you can always be happy. I think you can be happy the majority of time—not all the time. Why? Because even the best life has bad times.

When You Try Too Hard

If you’re unhappy or frustrated, it doesn’t mean you should do everything to become happy again. 

When you try too hard to be happy, you become impatient. You’re more likely to chase pleasure. And that can lead you to a negative cycle that only raises your bar of pleasure. You will need more pleasure to satisfy your desires. 

In the book Positive Emotion, there’s a chapter called ‘Paradoxical Effects of Pursuing Positive Emotion’ that talks about this principle. In that chapter, written by two UC Berkley professors, Brett Q. Ford and Iris B. Mauss, I read the following:

“Those pursuing happiness may set high standards for their levels of happiness. When their happiness falls short of their standards—which is likely when the standards are high—the resulting disappointment and frustration impedes the experience of happiness.”

Increasing your standards of happiness is a dangerous game. Instead of trying too hard to be happy, seek the truth. 

If you’re unhappy, a different job or city is not the answer. You can travel to every country in the world, but if you don’t have inner peace, your problems will follow you wherever you go. 

Daily life is the same for every individual. We all have to wake up, eat, wash, go to the toilet. We will all experience death, loss, and grief. We all get rejected. We all get injured and ill. And your level of happiness will not change anything about being human. 

Sometimes we forget that. We think that everything will be better if we only feel happy. That’s not the case.

Build A Life Around Things You Value

You will never be truly happy when you live a shitty life of your own making; if you live below your potential, give up on life, and don’t reach for something better, you will be miserable. 

By contrast, if you’ve built a life you’re in control of and have goals you’re working towards, you will be mostly happy. 

One of my close friends has 3 kids. He works as a network engineer and many people count on him at a telecom provider. If he doesn’t solve certain network issues, thousands of people will be affected. 

But despite his responsibilities, his boss gives him a lot of freedom. Why? Because my friend made arrangements with him. 

A lot of people assume you have to work for yourself to be free. That’s not true. If you’re employed, your company or organization wants you to do your job. 

If you’re happy and free, you do a better job. That’s why it’s important to have an open discussion at your workplace about the way you work and live. My friend drops off his kids at school and comes home for lunch. He has enough freedom to enjoy his life. That wasn’t always the case. 

Just two years ago he complained a lot about his work situation. But now his life has more balance because he made a few clear decisions. He didn’t even switch jobs. He simply committed to freedom. That means no more spending time with negative co-workers. Instead, he’s doing his best and prioritizing family and health. He no longer “hangs out” with everybody he knows. 

He works, spends time with his family, and goes to the gym. That’s his decision. Sure, he can’t pick up his kids from school when they are done, but he has peace with that. He’s still around a lot in the morning and for lunch. You can’t have everything. But as long as you have freedom, you will be happy.

After Rain Comes …

Look, no matter how free you are, no one is immune to being unhappy at times. But regardless of how bad life is at times, unhappy moments always pass. 

Time moves in one direction. And even the worst times are not here to stay. If you’re unhappy, you don’t have to fight it. Accept it. And go through it. Know that everything will pass. That’s also true for good times. Everything we do or experience is temporarily. 

In The Netherlands, we have this saying, “After rain comes sunshine.” We use it to remind ourselves and others that good times are on the horizon.

That’s the nature of life. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad. Once we accept that, we become free from trying too hard to change how our life is during a specific moment. 

Some things, we have to endure. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t change your life. Since all life situations are temporary, you get a new chance every hour and day. You can commit to making your life better by taking action. No matter what your circumstances are, you can build a life that gives you inner joy.

Start now.