My Page

So, we have entered the seventh day of the nationwide lock-down that was suddenly imposed on us to ensure social distancing. We get that it is necessary to prevent the spread of Coronavirus or COVID 19, but how the lockdown has thrown our lives into a tizzy! Though a lot of positive messages are circulating about how this period has made us pause and reflect on life's blessings, I beg to differ. I am going to be a hardcore pessimist. COVID 19 has emerged as a larger monster than terrorism and ecological disaster combined. Its cruel jaws are still very active, pulling thousands of victims into them everyday. So it is necessary for us to be holed up in our homes avoiding outside contact as far as possible. STAY AT HOME is the strict order. Granted. We are put up at home, without our support lifeline of helps, cleaners, cooks, drivers, home delivery service, restaurant takeaways and deliveries, etc. Lets see how we are coping..... Why ME? Mini wars are raging da...

Research has shown that over 70% of communication is non-verbal in nature. Which means that what you do or what you show is far more impact-making than what you say ! Yes, folks, body language or unconscious non-verbal communication matters more than we think. So, wouldn't you like to ensure that you are giving the right impression through your body language? Read on to know how.... Facial Expressions: Is your face always serious and bordering on grumpy? Do you have an invisible frown plastered on? Do you find it difficult to smile? Beware....your facial expressions are negative and indicate a surly, non-cooperative nature. Smile more often, relax your facial features.  Eye Contact: Do you avoid looking at a person while talking? Do you tend to glare? Eye contact should be maintained in case of face to face communication. In formal communication with seniors, eye contact suggests sincerity and purpose. However, certain cultures do not encourage direct eye contact...

A year and a decade ended yesterday. As we begin a new year and a fresh decade, let's take a quick look at what we did and what we lost. Some epoch-defining changes occurred: The Blahs and Nays:           Social media platforms took over our lives, gave us virtual persona and made us do things that couldn't have been imagined earlier (think eating/brushing/birthing/kissing selfies being posted).  We made many many friends on social media, and not even a fifth in real life. Connecting with family and extended family translated to texts on WhatsApp or Facebook. Phone calls became rare, visits rarer. Likes, comments and virtual pats became our lifeline. Mobiles with front, back, triple, quadruple, 360 degree cameras started replacing actual camera equipment, though the DSLR still has its followers. Mother nature and our home earth have been pushed to the extreme with our overuse of natural resources and large scale urbanization ...

What is Group Discussion? A group discussion (GD) is a method of interaction and communication between people of similar backgrounds who have come together for a common purpose. Unstructured group discussions are used by organizations as evaluation and screening methods to select suitable candidates for managerial and other positions. Institutes of higher education also use group discussions to screen applicants to management and technical courses. The behavior and performance of the GD participants are closely observed and evaluated by a panel of assessors. Since the objective of the assessors is elimination of unsuitable candidates and selection of suitable ones, the participants need to perform optimally and display their capabilities within the stipulated time for the discussion. Topics given for discussion can range from current affairs to economic developments, from business and commerce to global trends, socio-political matters, or from sports to entertainment ....

Becoming confident of yourself is not an overnight job. You have to work on it consistently and increase your self-esteem bit by bit. You have to shut out the negative voices in your brain from time to time. You have to make yourself believe that you can do it. Start with these baby steps: Look at yourself in the mirror and smile. This will instantly make your feel better. Write down on a piece of paper, five of your unique abilities or strengths. (It can be anything, like "I can judge people well" or "I am very helpful" or "I can think on my feet".) Write down five of your major achievements in life. (School/college life, or personal life) Do positive visualization, i.e, when you are thinking of a situation, think that you are handling it well. Visualize yourself as a confident and successful individual. Remember, what you think, you become!  Every morning after getting out from bed, read your list of strengths and achievements. Think tha...

Just came back from a week long trip to God's own country, Kerala. And all I can think of now is languid sailing along on backwaters surrounded by lush greenery. Or sunlit white beaches and blue skies. Or carpets of green tea gardens and spice plantations. Or rolling hills and.......you get the drift? Kerala mermerized us with her beauty and abundance. But what was most striking was the happy, warm smiles on the faces of its people.  Kerala sure knows how to warmly welcome you and make you feel at home. We loved the hospitality, the food, the helpful nature of people and the rich cultural heritage of this state. It was my first visit, but needless to say, it will be far from my last. We stayed in beautifully maintained homestays (booked via booking.com), where our hosts did everything to make us comfortable. Thanks to this wonderful place and it's lovely people. Already waiting to visit again. #travel #vibrantindia #kerala #...

Depression : The silent killer, the insidious serpent in the mind, the horrible black hole is now catching 'em young. Children as young as ten to twelve are falling prey to it.  Even a few years back, we used to think of our children as bubbly, carefree, innocent creatures immune to the harsh blows of life. Used to falling down and brushing off bruises with a smile, children had none of the chronic bitterness or anxiety that plagues adults. Today, the scene is starkly different. Studies report that about 2% of school going children are suffering from depression, which is the third leading cause of suicide among the 10-24 age group! Mind you, we are talking about depression that is radically different from"sadness" or a "feeling of low mood". Depression strikes children due to several environmental, physiological or biological factors, and leaves them confused and broken.  Imagine a child, who doesn't want to get up from bed, is irritable, or has fo...