There is always an opportunity when that's what you're looking to find. With a new year, there is a new energy, as well as, an opening to make changes in our lives. The start of a new year makes people reflect on things they want to change for the better. A new year is a clean slate in many ways. Although many people are cynical about making resolutions for the new year, it does get them thinking about what positive changes they wish to see in themselves.
This year I haven't made any specific resolutions, more like flexible but focused goals. They range from health to relationships and everything in between. Firstly, I want to focus on meditation. I would also like to be more kind and open in my relationships, especially with my daughter. Lastly, it is my goal to improve wherever I see fit or need be.
There are several reasons meditation is first on the list. Meditation is something I have tried before and always struggled with. But even more importantly, I believe that if I could improve upon meditation it would affect everything on the list profoundly.
As someone with extreme anxiety who is also prone to panic attacks, I feel meditation could be one of the most beneficial tools to combat those feelings. In this past year, I've battle with anxiety like never before. Meditation is recommended by so many people and has proven its worth over and over. There are also seemingly endless types of meditation. There are two particular ones I intend to focus on this year, heartfulness meditation and transcendental meditation. I have tried and even taken a Udemy course on heartfulness meditation and love it. Transcendental meditation though will be new to me this year and was recommended to me by a lovely vegan doctor in my area I had the pleasure to make acquaintance with.
Among the numerous positive effects of meditation two of the main benefits are reducing stress and better control over anxiety. The detrimental effect my anxiety has had over all areas of my life is probably most evident in my relationships. It has undone me in many ways and turned me into an absolute mess. Most saddening of all is the way it influences my relationships with those closest to me. With more control over that and an intentional approach, I wish to do better in my interpersonal relationships. I feel like having lower stress levels would allow me to be more kind when interacting with others as opposed to being on edge and closed off. I wish to be a bit more openhearted and lighter with those around me instead of carrying around this heaviness.
Even small adjustments can make the biggest difference in a person. Making minor improvements to your diet and pushing yourself to be a bit more active can make a distinct difference in mood. Trying to be more financially responsible and saving more money are great habits to try to form. Making more time for travel or hobbies you enjoy can make life more fulfilling. Learning new subjects or taking courses are also great ways to make improvements. Whenever you see an opportunity for these things you are being given the gift of making your life better.
Although no one needs a new year to make changes, it represents a new beginning and brings about the feeling of a new opportunity for a fresh start. Resolutions give everyone a space for creating positive modifications to their lives. Transformation can be born in a moment such as this.
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The Habit Nobody Applauded
When people talk about success, they love to talk about big moments. The first million. The viral video. The lucky break. But nobody talks about the quiet years. This story is about one of those quiet years. Ayaan was not born poor, but he was not comfortable either. His life sat in that dangerous middle place where dreams exist but resources don’t. Every morning, he woke up with the same heavy feeling in his chest — not fear, not sadness — just uncertainty. He worked a regular job. Long hours. Average pay. Endless routine. Wake up. Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. At night, when the city slowed down, Ayaan would scroll on his phone, watching people online talk about success, habits, discipline, and freedom. Everyone sounded confident. Everyone had answers. Ayaan had questions. One night, he came across a simple sentence that stayed in his mind: “Your life is a reflection of your daily habits.” It didn’t sound magical. It didn’t promise fast money. But it felt… true. So he decided to try something small. No big plans. No announcements. No motivation speeches. Just one rule: Every single day, one hour, same time, no excuses. He didn’t even know exactly where this habit would take him. Some days he studied skills. Some days he learned about money. Some days he practiced writing. Other days he just failed and felt confused. But the hour was non-negotiable. The first week was easy. The second week was uncomfortable. The third week was painful. His mind resisted. His body resisted. His friends mocked him. “Why are you acting like a monk?” “You think one hour will change your life?” “Relax, enjoy life.” Ayaan smiled and said nothing. Because explaining discipline to undisciplined people is a waste of energy. After two months, nothing had changed externally. Same salary. Same problems. Same stress. And that’s where most people quit. Ayaan almost did. One night, he sat on his bed, tired, frustrated, asking himself, “What’s the point?” But then he realized something powerful: The habit was no longer about results. It was about identity. He was no longer someone who wanted to improve. He was someone who showed up daily. That realization changed everything. Months passed. The habit began reshaping his thinking. He noticed patterns others ignored. He learned how money actually flows. He understood how skills compound. He became sharper — not louder, not arrogant — just sharper. Still, no applause. No one noticed his consistency. No one celebrated his discipline. No one cared. And that was the blessing. Because habits grow best in silence. One year later, something unexpected happened. An opportunity appeared — small, unimpressive to outsiders. A short project. Low pay. High effort. Old Ayaan would have ignored it. New Ayaan saw leverage. He accepted it, delivered beyond expectations, and learned from the process. That led to another project. Then another. Not fast. Not viral. But real. Slowly, money started behaving differently around him. It no longer escaped instantly. It stayed. It grew. It multiplied. His confidence changed — not the loud type — the quiet kind that comes from competence. People who once laughed now asked questions. “How did you do it?” “What changed?” “What’s your secret?” Ayaan gave them the honest answer: “I didn’t change my life. I changed what I did daily.” Some listened. Most didn’t. Because habits sound boring to people addicted to shortcuts. Years later, Ayaan sat at a better desk, in a better room, with a calmer mind. He wasn’t famous. He wasn’t a motivational speaker. He was free. And freedom didn’t come from luck. It came from a habit nobody applauded. That’s the truth about habits: They don’t impress people early. They don’t give quick rewards. They don’t feel exciting. But they build a version of you that money respects. And once you become that person, money stops running away. Final Truth (Perfect for Ending Voice-Over) If you’re waiting for motivation, you’ll wait forever. If you’re waiting for support, you’ll quit early. But if you build one habit and protect it like your life depends on it — one day, your life will prove that it did.
By Siraj khan5 days ago in Motivation
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