Be mindful of the tone of your thoughts-
Dear readers,
Recently, I discovered a beautiful newsletter, and reading this issue made me think further about the importance of The Tiny Things. We are always so much thinking about the big things that we tend to forget the small pleasure in life.
A habit of appreciating small moments of pleasure and joy that bubble up without warning or planning often contribute more to lasting happiness than big days that only come around rarely.
Research from 2020 suggests household gardening, particularly vegetable gardening, can improve emotional wellness.Watering your seedling and watching it grow into a flower- or fruit-bearing plant can feel immensely rewarding. If your plant does produce something edible, you can savor your achievement again when eating something you grew yourself.
Having said that, I specifically want to focus on the importance of productivity and self-care. I don't believe one can ignore productivity and stay focused on oneself. Hence, I hope you all will like this issue!:) Happy reading!
POETRY SHELF-
illustration- Sara Tyson
Hymns- A.R Ammons
I know if I find you I will have to leave the earth
and go on out
over the sea marshes and the brant in bays
and over the hills of tall hickory
and over the crater lakes and canyons
and on up through the spheres of diminishing air
past the blackset noctilucent clouds
where one wants to stop and look
way past all the light diffusions and bombardments
up farther than the loss of sight
into the unseasonal undifferentiated empty stark
And I know if I find you I will have to stay with the earth
inspecting with thin tools and ground eyes
trusting the microvilli sporangia and simplest
coelenterates
and praying for a nerve cell
with all the soul of my chemical reactions
and going right on down where the eye sees only traces
You are everywhere partial and entire
You are on the inside of everything and on the outside
I walk down the path down the hill where the sweetgum
has begun to ooze spring sap at the cut
and I see how the bark cracks and winds like no other bark
chasmal to my ant-soul running up and down
and if I find you I must go out deep into your
far resolutions
and if I find you I must stay here with the separate leaves
artist- Kelsey Howard
Dreams-Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
art- Karen Fields
Banyan-Sudeep Sen
As winter secrets
melt
with the purple
sun,
what is revealed
is electric —
notes tune
unknown scales,
syntax alters
tongues,
terracotta melts
white,
banyan ribbons
into armatures
as branch-roots
twist, meeting
soil in a circle.
Circuits
glazed
under cloth
carry
alphabets
for a calligrapher’s
nib
italicised
in invisible ink,
letters never
posted,
cartographer’s
map, uncharted —
as phrases fold
so do veils.
A blind Woman-Ted Kooser
She had turned her face up into
a rain of light, and came on smiling.
The light trickled down her forehead
and into her eyes. It ran down
into the neck of her sweatshirt
and wet the white tops of her breasts.
Her brown shoes splashed on
into the light. The moment was like
a circus wagon rolling before her
through puddles of light, a cage on wheels,
and she walked fast behind it,
exuberant, curious, pushing her cane
through the bars, poking and prodding,
while the world cowered back in a corner.
links of the week-
Rage, the Flower Thrower or Love is in the Air is one of the most iconic stencils by Banksy. It shows a masked Palestinian throwing a bouquet of flowers.
Some people think that politics and art are separate; others view them as inevitably intertwined. What do you think?
What is the purpose of writing? Should it be used to express political viewpoints?
The free Snackable Writing Course helps you write more seductive web content.
15 ways to be more mindful- A mindful video
PRODUCTIVITY CORNER-
We wanted to know how people like you and me can reach extraordinary levels of productivity and be happier while you work. So, we turned to productivity science to find out. Watch this highly motivating video.
An open loop is a commitment that you made to yourself or someone else, but which hasn’t been fulfilled yet. It can be a task or a project you started but not yet finished. It can be something really small, anything that you know you have to do, may not want to, but either way, haven’t done yet.
With so many distractions in our surroundings, it’s tempting to fall into the trap of multitasking.
Don’t.
The research on multitasking is clear: people are bad at it.
The reason is that “multitasking” is actually misnamed. When you try to multitask, you aren’t really doing two things at once — you’re rapidly switching your focus between two things.
Every time you switch, you have to re-focus on the new task. Because it takes a few minutes to get up to speed on a task, these “switching costs” make multitasking extremely inefficient.
Are there times where multitasking is ok? Probably.
If you’re cleaning your apartment while listening to an audiobook, you’re probably going to do just fine. The reason is that the two tasks — cleaning and listening — don’t use the same mental resources.
If you’re cleaning your apartment while listening to an audiobook, you’re probably going to do just fine. The reason is that the two tasks — cleaning and listening — don’t use the same mental resources.
But if you’re writing an email while trying to follow the words in a podcast, both tasks are competing for your language resources — your work will slow down and quality will suffer. It also zaps your energy and makes your brain more tired, which means that you slow yourself down on future tasks, too.
But how do you stop multitasking?
Avoiding multitasking can be as simple as closing the tab with your email and muting Slack, email, or text notifications. In most jobs, waiting an extra half hour to respond to an email won’t be the end of the world.
Eliminating multitasking is one of the most productive habits you can develop.
"Meditation is about being aware of your thoughts and feelings but more as an observer rather than an active participant"
source-2 minute deep breathing-
Precisely-
1. Write and Review Goals Often 1. At least monthly/daily 2. Repeat goals/affirmations daily 1. Repeat desires in present tense 2. Repeat positives affirmations throughout the day 3. Scripting - Journaling in the present tense the life that you want to live. 1. Go into the future 3/5/10 years into the future 2. Be detail in these journal entries 3. Pretend that you are living in these moments 4. Use visuals to attract your desired life 1. Write out current me vs future me 5. Listen to inspiring audiobooks/meditations/podcasts 6. Most Important: Cultivate a practice of gratitude/abundance in your life.
If you liked reading my newsletter, You can share a word around and support by checking out my book-Crimson Skins!
Available on Amazon
Pothi
LOVE AND LIGHT
DEVIKA
BE SAFE!:)