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As New Year is approaching we all look forward to a better life that what we are today and get down to plan for the future: how to get our acts together. Today when a human being is judged merely on the basis of physical accomplishments, the pressure to succeed, outrun the other, is humongous. So there is the impetus to frame goals as meticulously as possible; which is believed to serve as a guiding force  for achievements in life. Hence discussions on the  importance of goal setting , tools and techniques that help in setting goals have  flooded the  human society- right from social media infuencers, motivational speakers, the education industry and Athletes, are all seen voicing their advice about it. Lets explore is Goal setting only about Self accomplishments? When we are framing goals based on our personal desires, greed, envy, ego appeasements, there are two biggest problems- one in the face of challenges while pursuing the goals it will be difficult to sustain in the long run and second we will be all alone in the journey and even after accomplishing our milestones. There will be no sense of fulfillment and joy. And history is testimony to the fact  that  that many of the top achievers in the world have committed suicide, faced depression and  had  relationships problems.   Psychologists across the world  have dig deep into the issue and they have universally found that the most important driving force behind all endeavors is to attain the feeling of happiness inside , being loved by our near ones and  attaining peace. So  monetary accomplishments cannot substitute for internal gratification. The ancient wisdom of Bhagwat Gita ( BG)  describes the manner in which human beings should perform their duty by which they can attain success, happiness and most importantly lead a peaceful life. Krishna says that all work should be performed without the hankering for only personal benefits ( BG 4.19–20) and further in BG 5.25, Krishna says “ Sarva Bhuta Hite” any work is perfect that benefits the society at large. Working in such a spirit means having a fresh approach towards our  endeavour and the results we attain. The idea is not to discourage the passion to succeed rather this approach points us to stretch the boundary  from a narrow vision of self-accomplishment  to a broader outlook of how our aspirations can help others in realizing their goals also. We work with a service-driven attitude: what I can contribute  to God’s creation- the people, the flora and fauna. We now frame our goals, plan our actions and operate from a platform of happiness  rather  being mere puppets at the mercy of  results. We are already joyful even while we are endeavoring and do need to wait for the external results to gratify us. The results are not the end of the road rather we see  them as mere outcomes- good or bad  which motivate us to further action. And in the end, we can be rest assured we are not alone either we reach Mount Everest or we land up in the deep sea.

    Being Present to the Presence with Purpose From spiritual practioners, to psychologists and motivational speakers across the world are laying importance on being mentally Present to the present moment. In this context , Mindfulness is fast becoming a household term in the realm of Wellness. In a broader perspective, Being Present to the Present means to be aware of what is going on inside us and in the outside environment at a given moment.  Human beings exist on three levels of reality – physical , mental and spiritual and we may further classify this as body, mind and soul. When we are aware or mindful, all the three levels – body, mind and soul are in sync and hence we are able to  make best choices in a given situation, which affects our future life.  Both, the Researchers as well as the Spiritualists agree that thousands of thoughts pass across our mind in a day and we also experience it ourselves.  The human mind can be compared to a swing – when it  sways forward, we think about the future and when backward we remain pondering  in the past. This zigzag cavalry of thoughts affect our feelings- sometimes we worry about the future or become too complacent and sometime we are reduced to lamenting  over the past and as per the law of nature both are beyond our control to take corrective measures. It is only  in the Present moment we are gifted with the power to choose and act.  When we are unaware of our mental workings, we lose lot of energy in thinking our thoughts and in acute cases people even suffer severe mental health issues like Anxiety, Depression which cripple their day to day functioning. So being in the present moment is of paramount importance and self awareness serves as the foundation for transformation in our life. What it  is to be  Present to the Presence? When we are able to observe neutrally the series of  thoughts that pass through our minds in the current moment, we are not anymore puppets  in the hands of the swinging and ever fleeting thoughts. We become empowered to be attentive to the internal thought patterns,  external environment,  observe, evaluate, choose, match our thought with the external need and finally act on those thoughts which are constructive and productive. That is to say we act on the basis of our instincts than impulses.  However, is merely being present  the remedy? No. For example, if a person is undergoing physical pain so being just present to it,  he will only experience excruciating pain. But when this person  has a purpose in life, he will not eternalize the pain and understand that it will subside with time and he is still hopeful that he will begin to pursue his purpose soon.  Hence present is the biggest present bestowed upon us and  we need to Be Present to the presence with a Purpose that keeps us moving ahead even in the face of biggest challenges of life.

  Transition : Identity crisis to Security                          I was born – I was a baby then I went to school – known as a school going boy in an assigned class; next I went to College – a youngster with a degree finally started doing job – I was an adult Media professional working for  an organization; and now a middle-aged mind trainer. Sometime a child, sometime a son , sometime a husband, a father, an employee and sometime a friend to the other. From a chubby sweet baby to a wrinkled greying man, in the last 46 years of my journey,  with my increasing age  my roles and designations kept changing. So am I  defined merely by  some ephemeral designations and roles, glowing or rumpled skin texture and falling hair ? Thankfully a little introspection gives me a huge relief that with coming and going of designations, people  and nature of work,  there is something in me that has not changed over the years.  At the bottom of an ever changing surface there still exits the unchanging Me.According to the timeless wisdom of the Bhagwat Gita , at our core we all are souls; part and parcel of the Supreme Creator, the eternal Whole( BG:15.7). Hence being a part of the Supreme Whole, I am also eternal, complete; I cannot be harmed by anything , cannot decay, will never die and I don’t change with time. The beauty of this knowledge is that once we understand our real identity, we feel  empowered and secured amid dynamic external situations.As a student of yoga, I have been exploring for more than a decade and still on many occasions, in the midst of challenging upheavals of life, I go through emotional turmoil, physical discomforts, however, now I feel I am armoured  by a question Who am I? which I keep asking myself often. As I dwell inside with the question the answer comes  as an insight; as a part of the Supreme, I am a conduit and not the controller. This realisation  not only gives instant comfort and peace but also renders a  deep sense of tranquility that pervades my consciousness.  Due to lack  of Knowledge of our real identity, many people struggle at workplace, in relationships and personal behaviour; undergo identity crisis problems at various stages of their lives which often becomes the cause  many mental health issues. So a candid realization of who we are is necessary to live a contended life.  What if we keep  asking ourselves Who am I?  and let the answer come to us each time from our Innate wisdom.

                      Mobile Addiction creating fissures in mental & physical health and relationships. One of the aftermaths of COVID-19, although less talked about, is the immense intrusion of smartphones in our lives and now it has attained the monstrous shape of addiction. Digital addiction is a serious mental health issue impacting lakhs of people all over the world. From poor sleep quality to heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and depression smartphone addiction can take a huge toll. Users need to be aware of the potential issues associated with the use of smartphones so that they can identify, manage, and overcome when any compulsive habit pattern develops. Launched as merely being a thing that facilitates our communication needs, mobile phones, especially after the introduction of smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. In today’s digital age, smartphones provide us with instant connectivity, access to information, and endless entertainment possibilities. As per the latest data, an Indian spends close to 5 hours a day on his mobile phones regularly as per the ‘State of Mobile 2023’ report by data.ai (formerly App Annie). However, the increasing use of mobile phones has raised concerns about their impact on the physical and mental health of the individuals. This amount of time being spent on mobile phones is alarming as thousands of people are falling into the trap of mobile addiction. The heavy users get so addicted that they suffer from what is known as NOMOPHOBIA (no mobile phone phobia), a psychological condition when people have a fear of being detached from their mobile phones. In my interaction with clients, I found if people are kept away from their mobile phones for a long, they often manifest anxiety, restlessness, and even aggressive behavioral patterns; harming others and self. One of the major reasons for any addiction is the relentless pursuit of pleasure and we live in a culture that encourages us to pursue it by offering a humongous amount of choice and novelty. For anyone who gets hooked, the aim is to get a dopamine (a neurotransmitter in the brain that activates pleasure) hit, however, when it reaches saturation, one keeps on increasing the dosage of addiction, in the case of mobile phones screen time on mobile phones keeps on enhancing. However, ultimately the person ends up feeling mentally dejected and physically worn out. During the counseling sessions, it has also been observed that heavy mobile usage is found to be the tipping point for individuals who are hooked on too much to their mobile phones- they exhibit other forms of extremely compulsive behaviour like online shopping, indulgence in gambling, news overdose, watching pornography, spending hours on social media and video games.  Youth is primarily affected, however, housewives, businessmen, the working class, and even children are found to be confronting severe device addiction. Children as young as 5 years old show aggressive behaviour if they are deprived of mobile phones. Parents often leniently allow their kids to use smartphones so that they are not disturbed by their child and this leads to gradual addiction. The electromagnetic waves affect the child’s physical health – loss of eyesight and appetite, irritation, loneliness, headache, and memory loss.   Mobile addiction is also negatively impacting the network of human relationships. People are spending more time surfing on their mobile phones which is disturbing closeness and warmth in family ties. Engagement in smartphones is snatching away quality time from us that we can spend with our near ones. Common Physical effects Muscle pain Stiffness on the neck, hands and fingers Insomnia and Headache Lack of Self Confidence Memory loss Irritation and Aggression Loneliness Emotional Imbalance Loss of eyesight Ways to Curb the Addiction Pursuing Hobbies Doing Yoga and or physical work out regime Socializing offline; personal meetings Involving oneself in endeavour to contribute to the society Parents should help children with homework Communicate one’s feelings with family and friends Maintain a routine lifestyle Don’t start or end your day using smart phones Encourage children to play outdoor games Exploring new places – Travelling Seeking professional  help from a Counselor Mobile phones are not all evil; the key to not getting addicted lies in regulating its usage and keeping a track on the time spent on it.  Subroto Biswas. Mind Trainer & Wellness Guide. Website: lifeismostprecious.com Brief about me A career spanning over 2 decades that includes working for top Media houses of the country, reputed Educational Institutions, and Global Spiritual organization, I use my varied experience coupled with a blend of the timeless wisdom of the scriptures and techniques from the field of Psychology, to awaken people realize the magical power of our divine engineering. And this deep realization inside aids people to be more productive in their endeavours and relish a richer and more fulfilling experience of life.

 A Shift in focus When the sail of life traverses through turbulent waters how have we been reacting in such situations? The majority perhaps must have made sincere attempts to change -situations, people, jobs, and places; again, begin from scratch, feel good initially for some time, to later experience similar challenging situations once more. After these repeated trial and error setbacks, it is quite natural to become dejected, hopeless and no wonder start believing life is a heavy burden and somehow drag on with it. And when we live with such a feeling the repercussions are severe – depression, stress, anxiety, diseased health, addictions (substance and digital), and falling apart of closed relationships is inevitable.  Repeated endeavours to change the outside world fail to give us the desired result of enduring peace and stability. Have you ever reflected on how it would be for a change if we consciously decide to shift our focus from rearranging the outside world to exploring the possibilities that have been lying untapped inside us till now? The more we deliberate, the more we become connected to our inner space and adept at listening to the guidance emanating from within. We soon realise nothing in the outside world has changed yet everything seems different. What if we let the inner world be our torch bearer?

“Not all thoughts deserve our thought” – Chaitanya Charan Das. The famous quote of my mentor may sound a little weird in the first go, however, if we contemplate; it has a deep meaning attached to it. There have been various studies that suggest that we are bombarded by a cavalry of thoughts each day and often that creates cacophony, confusion in our minds, and chaos in our physical world.  The nature of thoughts is that it is mostly unsystematic, random, and disorganised. They are based on perception, recollection, and imagination. To illustrate I use an example if we pass by a pastry shop, the colour, texture, and odour create a perception, also many times we just recollect an experience of having pastries at a friend’s party ten years back, further sometimes randomly the thought (craving) of having sumptuous pastry springs up. So with this example, it is clear that for a thought to crop up in our consciousness, we don’t necessarily require an external stimulus, our thoughts can brew up ideas on their own. Thus, thousands of multifarious, often diversified, thoughts ride over our consciousness and when each thought is given importance it jeopardises us and results in losing focus on issues that are meaningful in our lives. Our mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing gets severely disturbed if we navigate every mental pop-up. So here comes the big question are we helpless in dealing with the continuous array of thoughts? The good news is No, we still have the choice whether to engage, engross, and entangle ourselves with each passing thought or to let the thoughts pass and we merely observe; like a person beside a lake watching the flow. The observation and awareness of the passing of thoughts, also known as “Sakshi Bhava” in ancient Indian traditions, helps us to stay focussed and we do not get swayed away by every ripple of thought that strikes us.  To conclude here, I must say that not every thought is bad, few are constructive too. When we shift from engagement mode to observant mode, we are empowered to choose from the huge and haphazard chunk, the thoughts that are constructive and contribute to our purpose of living.  So every pop-up in the mind (thought) does not deserve our attention.  Subroto Biswas Mind Trainer and Well-Being Guide. lifeismostprecious.com