Life is a summary of our experiences. No matter what happens in our life, the experience makes life worthwhile. I would like to take a break from the routine stuff I used to write and want to share something that is close to my life. What I am going to share worked for me, that doesn't mean it will work for you. Exercise your free will at all time. One of the questions that I am frequently asked, is about time management and fitness. I work in a corporate enterprise, am a visiting faculty and a photographer. When I put this across, many people sense that either I am not focused or apart from one activity the rest may be just hobbies. On the contrary, I devote equal amount of focus towards every project I pursue and enjoy each moment of my life. The second question will be about how do I find time for all this mess that is collectively called - Me. If you are still interested, that is all I am going to share in the next few paragraphs. 

Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.
~ Abraham Lincoln

At the age of 16, I was asthmatic and weak. I missed classes when I was in high school. I hardly competed in athletics. My focus was only on studies and an hour for music classes. I could not think anything more, because I believed that I was weak. The day that changed all the equations was the day I walked into the gym. One philosophical reason may be that the prime focus in a gym is to exceed what was supposed to be the limit the previous day. I did learn what to eat and how to eat so as to derive specific results from the hours spend in the gym. I seldom took supplements but I was particular about what I must feed into my system. Gradually it yielded results that changed my life. Your body is the machine gifted to your soul to chase your dreams. How will you treat if it was a Ferrari instead of your body. Yes, to chase your goals you need to identify what you really need to achieve the goals. At times a case of protein powder or 6 pack abs may not be what you need. You need to put money and time where it matters the most. If your budget is tight my advice would be to avoid the supplements and put that money and effort on quality food. Now I stay away from the #BEASTMODE culture and waves of supplements. I am healthy and fit enough to pursue my goals.

About halfway through the film - Fight Club, just after the unnamed narrator and Tyler Durden board a bus. The two notice a Calvin Klein underwear advertisement; “Is that what a real man looks like?” asks Norton’s character. Sponsored athletes and fitness gurus may not be certified medical practitioners. They are professionals who are designated to promote sales of supplements. Instead of chasing a figure similar to that of a bodybuilder or a physique model, stick on to your vision for YOUR life. Being like someone else is an insult for your existence. Focus must be on need than greed. Health spreads happiness. And my aim was to be happy. As your fitness levels increases, so does a routine evolve that reflects in your daily life. In my case, sick leaves did came down, medical expenses came down and it had a positive influence on my endeavors. However I still consume Nutella, bacon, fried chicken and a can of Pepsi or a bottle of beer once a month. Ripped muscles may not be always a sign of health. Steroids and HGH will take a toll on your well being. So does pizzas and fast food outlets. I download a few podcasts and play them while I cook. Kitchen is an indispensable part of the gym. Your options are not limited just to gyms, try gardening or a dance studio or trekking or cycling or martial arts. Just make sure that you undertake physical activity and make use of the gift that your body is by respecting it. The hour or two I spend in the gym or at Yoga is the time I introspect and focus on my game plans for life. When your body and mind is at its peak, the possibilities are endless. 

Long back we had diaries and organizers to keep a tab on our lifestyles. Yes, those things still work. Now we have organizers with alarms in every cellphone. I take pain to note down meetings and deadlines in an organizer. Time to work on assignments, stuff related to office, friends, family and travel can be scheduled so that you never miss out on anything. And if I could miss out, then I would inform that to others on time. The way I overcame crazy schedules was by adding buffer time to my schedules. If I have to teach for an hour I would set aside three hours for the plan. Though it may be a pain, gradually you end up finding more time to spare as you improvise. I had to undergo many repetitive and boring activities that eventually made sense in a later stage of life. If you have to do something you really do not enjoy much, then you must find a reason to love it. I never liked Yoga, but I enjoyed company of a friend who loved yoga. I had to do yoga because it helped a lot to rejuvenate muscles and my system that had gone through two major accidents and four surgeries. In many cases there exists no excuse such as - lack of time.

Organize and be accountable and that will distinguish you from the crowd. When you are accountable to a person or a cause the performance increase significantly. I share my goals with people I love. And visualize that your failure as a way by which you fail those people who love you, that power itself makes you invincible. Always value relations, may it be with human beings, plants, objects or animals. I am still happy using my cellphone that was gifted by my mom 4 years ago. My regard for the product was its emotional value and that did save me money though I am not against latest technology. I have been friends with over 10 people for almost 23 years. Yes my kindergarten friends are still around. Those are achievements money can't buy but makes your life absolutely meaningful. I make sure to reach out if I had hurt anyone deliberately and though it may appear humiliating at first, it always allowed me to sleep peacefully and wake up with a genuine smile. My happiness never came from fitness or photography or academics or my profession. It evolved out of the decisions I took in my life that brought happiness to me and into lives of people who I care. Yes, I made mistakes and had to pay a lot to correct most of them. I was never perfect or was a role model. But I never avoided an opportunity to gain more knowledge or a new experience. Let me add the finishing touch by telling you this - One thing that I learned much lately in my life was the power of a genuine smile and honest deed. I wish I had learned it much earlier in my life.