Our age is defined by the rapid pace in industrial development and technological advancement. Multinational Corporations are spread out far and wide all over the globe and people all across the world are competing against each other to bring out the best in them and be the best in return!
The best part about the situation is that it has propelled humankind to such an advanced stage that people could not have even imagined the lives we are living today fifty years ago. We cannot think of our lives without cellphones, a cab is just a call away from us, apps can be used to order food on our tables when we are busy with our work and the internet can be used to reach almost any point on the planet. Rising income has paved the way for increased consumption, and it is almost as if we have been able to give our progress everything we possibly could.
Sure, it is a matter of fact that we have thousands of outward forms of entertainment that can give us a good time whenever modern city life gets to us. However, repeated use of such modes of entertainment renders them ineffectual after a certain point of time. What happens then?
We have spoken much about the advancements that civilization has made, but there is also a heavy price that humans have had to pay in order to get this far. The path toward advancement is filled with countless sacrifices and we have had to sacrifice our freedom in order to move ahead. Time will tell whether our sacrifice has been worth it – it should also be kept in mind that only time will be able to judge our decisions if the future does not end up sacrificing itself in order to be technologically advanced!
One of the greatest ailments affecting people all over the globe is depression. According to an article published by the World Health Organization in January 2020, globally, about 264 million people suffer from depression. There is literally no way that a person can find out where depression comes from. But in most cases, it is greatly nursed by most of our modern life routines. Being alienated from people who love us, not spending any time with ourselves, not sleeping enough, not stopping to savour the little things. The list is probably endless.
What can be done to counteract the negatives of sometimes mundane existence? Well, to tell you the truth, there are a lot of things that you can do.
You can really start with spending some quality time with yourself. Go meet the friend you have always wanted to meet or watch the film you kept saved since last year but never ended up watching. Make a list of the fine restaurants in your city and treat yourself to an exquisite dinner for once. There can be everything and anything as long as you badly want to do it. In short, explore your hidden desires and fantasies. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
Have you been a great lover of greenery? What don’t you start with a little garden of yours? Surely, such an idea might seem to be overwhelming in the beginning but there is no need to worry! You can start by taking care of two saplings every day. Water them overnight and watch them grow. There is rarely anything more satisfying than seeing a plant grow under your care. With time, as you get experienced, you can start growing more.
You can try out your hand at writing down your daily experiences. Keep a journal. Many say that it is a great way to vent your bottled feelings and keep you in a good state of mind. Who knows, maybe you would end up writing a full-length novel. Take a sip of coffee, flush out your worries and start writing. The next novelist may just be in you.
Hit the gym! It is one of the greatest ways to stay fit and healthy not just physically but mentally as well. Moreover, physical fitness is a prerequisite to a good life in the present pandemic-ridden world. Regular workouts have been known to increase the mitochondria in the cells of the human body and boost immunity. It also helps boost our confidence and makes us love who we are – why would we even bother to exercise if we did not love ourselves? So, pack your bags and hit your local fitness centers.
There are numerous ways through which we can make a welcome change in our lives. We just need to be aware and conscious of the fact that in order to live better and live differently we need to be able to make the changes and persevere in order to have the life we had always imagined.
We just need to tune in to ourselves to discover what it is that we love and what it is that we want. And then it is easy to go after it.
That fulfilling life is just a breath away. The one that will take your breath away.
Written By Poonam Chatterjee
Week 9, March 2021
