Editor’s insights
Blueprint of life
Manoj Khatri
infinitemanoj
ManojKhatri
We mix up
our priorities,
then wonder
why life is
not working
out for us;
we live a life
fabricated out
of mistaken
ideals, then
complain
about the lack
of fulfilment
02 NOVEMBER 2015 VOL X ISSUE 01
O
ne day, a young friend paid a visit to the prominent British philosopher
Bertrand Russell, and found him in a contemplative mood. “Why so
meditative?” he enquired. “Because I’ve made an odd discovery,” replied
Russell. “Every time I talk to a savant I feel quite sure that happiness is no
longer a possibility. Yet when I talk with my gardener, I’m convinced of the
opposite.”
That’s a profound observation by the Nobel Prize recipient. When it comes
to pursuit of happiness, the more learned we are, the more illusive it seems. If
only we could sit back and relax, and resist the charm of the storylines in our
heads, we would realise that life is quite simple. This is what the great Chinese
philosopher pointed to when he said, “Life is really simple, but we insist on making
it complicated.” Yes, we make it complicated by thinking and analysing too much.
We mix up our priorities, then wonder why life is not working out for us; we live a
life fabricated out of mistaken ideals, then complain about the lack of fulfilment; we
chase worthless objects in the hope that they will bring happiness, then the illusion
breaks apart.
But life need not be so full of complications. That’s why, on the occasion of our
9th anniversary, we decided to turn our a ention to the basics—the stuff that true
happiness is made of. Susan Biali, an internationally recognised medical doctor who
is also a life coach, gently reminds us of the nine elementary factors of happiness
and wellbeing that we tend to overlook in our busy everyday living. These “building
blocks” as we like to call them, don’t come as a revelation. In fact, we miss them only
because they are so obvious. And yet, mull over them calmly and you will discover
that maybe you need to revisit the priorities in your life and make some much
needed changes.
While explaining the need to cultivate emotional resilience, Susan highlights the
importance of conscious commitment to live in a balanced, mentally healthy place.
“As soon as life gets crowded, most people push sleep, good nutrition and exercise
out of the way, to make room for what we think is ‘more important’. We’ve got it
backwards! We should see these good health basics as the foundation of our day, the
non-negotiable framework of balance in our lives, rather than considering them as
disposable options,” she says.
Of the nine building blocks, you may discover that you have a few of them
already in place—these are the aspects of your life that are going well. You now need
to make a conscious effort to get the remaining blocks to interlock and fit with the
existing ones. The changes may not happen overnight but once you are commi ed
to the new blueprint, it’s only a ma er of time when the structure of your life will
become sturdy and durable—with the wherewithal to resist small and big tremors
that will strike from time to time.
Happy Diwali!
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COMPLETE WELLBEING