Gratitude for January, 2015 !

The first month of year January 2015 –unfolded itself with happiness and gratitude, of wanting to live one day at a time; to be present and thankful for all that has gone by, to begin a new with a beautiful affirmation which I have put right in front of me, that says:

Today is a providential gift;

“Today” is God’s willingness

To invest some more life on you,

“Today” is His way of telling you, “YOU can start again”

So, let it not pass off as just, another day in the calendar,

Make your “Today” count.

As soon as I get up from my bed; I look at this quote, which has become my mantra, read, and re- read it again, smile and then begin my day encouraging & motivating myself..

This has become important to me, as I am completely aware that those who were part of my life in the last year; are no longer today in my life. Some have gone to rest eternally, never to come back again, leaving some very memorable moments to be thankful for;

There are some others who just pretended to be my well wishers; but could not keep the mask for a long time, life situations created opportunity to help me recognize them as toxic, who I have let them go as they were not meant to be part of my life’s journey….

January brought in some very important and meaningful experiences to me; meeting a few of my friends after many years brought joy, after almost a decade,  I  spent the whole day with them, which made me come alive;

I appreciate the doctor, who reminded me for a health check up, and in the process identified my thyroid levels had gone high, feel grateful that immediately he attended and increased the dosage, now I feel so much better… and optimistic that all the other tests were normal.

My daughter attained puberty and I am glad that there is another lady in the house;with gratitude we had a small family  gathering.

Life has been a great teacher; so like a good student I am learning all the lessons. Some experiences bring in joy and happiness; While others bring pain, sorrow and also tears;  I value all these learning help me to grow and move on; influencing me positively, enabling me to make choices for myself... to  exercise, eat healthy, stay grateful & positive, to be kind, keep toxic out of my life and progress academically and stay connected with those who motivate and inspire… glad to be part of gratitude circle and I must confess that I derive a lot of energy by reading inspiring posts !!

 Affirmations I practice to sustain my gratitude:

I am thankful for the breath of life everyday….

I appreciate my body for carrying me everywhere...

I am thankful for family and Friends who are supportive

I am thankful for the meaningful work I do

I am at peace with myself! I am completely at peace with the universe

I surrender myself in gratitude everyday to the Divine

I am grateful for all those who serve me both at home and my office

I sing with gratitude every day as I ride to my office... I keep a track of everything that happens, and continuously practice thankfulness by sending thank you notes, thank you messages, cards and at times also remind those around how special they are to me... while I rest to sleep, I relive grateful moments and send vibes of love, forgiveness and happiness to everyone and relax myself with gratitude

Thank you for reading this post!! I smile with gratitude …

Being Myself!!

24 days have gone by of 2015 I have not made any resolutions, neither a plan for this year.  I am letting the days unfold itself with surprises for me; I have integrated gratitude as a part of my living, I am grateful for all the good and bad things of life; I want to make gratitude a way of life for me.

I am feeling quite rich with so many experiences that has brought immense learning, and is leading me to focus on what really is important for me in this life. I have understood that it is very important to be healthy in order to be active; health as per the world health organizations definition; not the absence of sickness but a total well being… which I have taken very seriously this year, taking full responsibility for my health.

I got my health check up done last week; all the important tests, age appropriate ones – visited the doctor and with the medical reports, took the feedback and I am in the process of implementing moving towards a healthier self …

After having made a couple of presentations in the national seminar last year I gained confidence to move further academically; hopefully this year I am finding better opportunities from National Seminars to the international ones  in the area of psychological health & women’s empowerment. Partnering with like minded friends is also an important aspect for me this year 2015.

I have also learnt to respect and love myself in a new way; that is learning to get rid of all those dramas/circus and actors/actresses that contaminate my spirit. I want to devote my time & energy to something more meaningful and fulfilling.

One of the biggest pressures of my life in the year 2014 has been maintaining formal relationships, that brought nothing in my life, except unnecessary toxic, poisoning me and my family; now I am glad and totally relaxed as I don’t have to live upto anybody’s expectations and I don’t need to justify my choices and my stand on whatever I believe to be true.

Enjoying the freedom to be myself

Mental Health & Counseling!

Today I was reading Deepika Padukones interview in the newspaper, wherein she openly shared her problem of anxiety and depression.  Mental problems have existed even before counseling was ever recognized, and people have used different forms of help to deal with psychological problems. For more information read here http://www.buzzfeed.com/andreborges/deepika-padukone-spoke-out-about-battling-depression.

In most cultures, individuals experiencing psychological difficulties first tend to seek help from their social support systems-close friend, family member or religious leaders before seeking professional help (Perdersen,1981; Prathikanti, 1997; Ramisetty-Mikler,1993; Rule & Gandy, 1994; Sue &Morishima, 1982; Tinsley, de St. Aubin, & Brown, 1982). 

Conceptions of mental well being and illness come from the prevailing worldview and life philosophy of society. In a society such as India, this viewpoint is influenced by the religious framework that people live within (Ramisetty-Mikler, 1993).

This perspective can be frequently seen in Asian Indian families, where the family handles a problem by seeking help from the elders of the family or from close family friends. As mentioned earlier, religious leaders and holy people are sought for advice with many types of psychological problems (Prathikanti, 1997).

India has a long, ancient culture, and individuals hold mystical and religious beliefs which help them cope with daily life stresses. This belief as enumerated by Jayakar (1994, p.112) explains how Indian women "would accept medicines, prayers, or rituals, or even severe punishment under the guise of treatment before seeking insight oriented psychotherapy" which may hold true for both sexes.

Mental health in India has historically not been considered an important issue and is still perceived relatively callously among the general population that consists of poorly educated individuals. Mental illness and severe psychological disorders are associated with counseling in India (Ramisetty-Mikler, 1993). This means that a person going to counseling is not seen as a normal individual with adjustment or other minor issues, and he/she is catapulted into the realm of the abnormal, something that is to be avoided as far as possible.

Thanks to the efforts of a few dedicated professionals, the field of mental health counseling is gaining positive recognition, and people are slowly losing their inhibitions about seeking help for coping with stressing life situations. Working in a psychological counselling centre as a counsellor for the last 4years; the most common problem I encounter all the time is students having fear, anxiety, adjustment and the next common one is Depression. 

If you are a youngster/a student who is reading this post; understand that Anxiety is more than just a feeling. As a product of the body’s fight-or-flight response, anxiety involves a wide range of physical symptoms. Because of the numerous physical symptoms, anxiety sufferers often mistake their disorder for a medical illness.

They may visit many doctors and make numerous trips to the hospital before their anxiety disorder is discovered. Common physical symptoms of anxiety include the following, if you have several of the signs & symptoms, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.

·         Are you constantly tense, worried, or on edge ?

·         Does your anxiety interfere with your work, school, or family responsibilities ?

·         Are you plagued by fears that you know are irrational, but can’t shake ?

·         Do you believe that something bad will happen if certain things aren’t done a certain way ?

·         Do you avoid everyday situations or activities because they make you anxious ?

·         Do you experience sudden, unexpected attacks of heart-pounding panic ?

·         Do you feel like danger and catastrophe are around every corner ?

Similarly Depression varies from person to person, but there are some common signs and symptoms. It’s important to remember that these symptoms can be part of life’s normal lows. But the more symptoms you have, the stronger they are, and the longer they’ve lasted—the more likely it is that you’re dealing with depression. When these symptoms are overwhelming and disabling, that's when it's time to seek help. Common signs and symptoms of depression are as follows:

• Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
• Loss of interest in daily activities.  .
• Appetite or weight changes. 
• Sleep changes
• Irritability or restlessness.
• Loss of energy. 
• Self-loathing.
• Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. You harshly criticize yourself for perceived faults and mistakes.
• Concentration problems. Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.
• Unexplained aches and pains.
• An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain.

Depression is a major risk factor for suicide. The deep despair and hopelessness that goes along with depression can make suicide feel like the only way to escape the pain. Thoughts of death or suicide are a serious symptom of depression, so take any suicidal talk or behavior seriously. It's not just a warning sign that the person is thinking about suicide: it's a cry for help.

If you are suicidal or are having thoughts of harming yourself, please seek help immediately If you are in Hyderabad you can call 040-27682451 between 10 am and 4 pm or 040-46004600 from 10 a.m. – 7p.m. Monday to Friday everyday of the week. Or you may visit your local hospital/doctor.

Be Blessed & Be Happy !

Adapted from:

http://counselingcenter.utk.edu

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/concentration_difficulty.htm

http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel/CounselingServices/PersonalCounseling/

Happy Birthday Dad!

I am glad to repost this once again today, as I recall my father with gratitude...... there are not many photographs of my dad except a few, I chose this photo for this post as this was taken in his younger days..

My dad in his younger days

My Dad D C Viagula Dass who’s another name could have been faith, hope, love, laughter and generosity. There are so many memorable moments of my life with my dad, and I cherish with great love in my heart.  

 Today I am grateful to my dad for being a strong support to my mom, for being a caring husband and most important to me a loving and affectionate father.  

Today when I recall some events in the family, I feel privileged to be part of his life, for I have watched him closely as to how he lived his life. He enjoyed his work and was very committed to whatever task was entrusted to him. 

He spent all the weekends with us, as a family, Mondays was the weekly off – and that day was always special in our family. He shopped on that day, brought in plenty of seasonal fruits, and was very hospitable towards his colleagues who visited him that day, he enjoyed good food, and I have never heard him complain about food, he ate with gratitude whatever was set before him. 

He taught all the nine children to be grateful every day for whatever we had, he told us to trust in the Lord at all times, and encouraged us to spend time in the church.

He cared for the family, as  small little girl I watched him rise in the early hours and make tea for the family, he would be ready to go to church, and never forgot to visit St Anthony’s chapel on Tuesdays.  He had great respect for Our Lady of Health, Velankanni and loved to make visits to the shrine at Nagapattanam, in Tamilnadu. 

I still cherish a small little brass pot which he purchased for me from the shrine – I loved that brass pot, and used to fill water in the pot, later on my mother used it to keep flowers in that same brass pot, because it had a traditional look.

I have preserved that pot till today, I brought it along with me, when I got married  to my in laws place and whenever I look at that brass pot, I think of my dad, for my name is engraved in Tamil as Janet on that pot.

Today he is no more, but he continues to live in my life! I am glad that he was my father !

Happy Birthday Dad !

 

Mario Emmanuel’s 4th Death Anniversary

Emmanuel with his favourite drum
“When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.” Kahlil Gibran

Infectious Laughter 

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for 0thers and the world remains and is immortal” Albert Pike

Emmanuel with his sister Maria Dorothy

“To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die” Thomas Campbell.

Be Blessed & Be Grateful !!!!