5 Productivity Tips to start the month off right

Posted on April 2, 2023 by Bhanu Misra Marya

Not many people I know are like me in that they feel the start of a new week (ahem Monday!) or even the 1st day of the month is like the 1st day of school. It’s the feeling of fresh starts, dreaming big and new routines. I also love reading about people’s organization methods and goal setting – so I thought I’d share to abundance of resources on Google and share tips for a productive month!

Set up your monthly calendar: Appointments, Celebrations, Get togethers, Extra Curriculars, Fitness classes, Classes etc. Getting it out of your head and getting all down in your calendar just makes sense. I use a combination of Goggle Calendar and my paper planner monthly view
Set up goals for the month: whether it’s finishing a book, getting out 3 fitness classes/running x km or maybe it’s doing something you’ve never done before – working towards something helps get you out of your comfort zone and develop character.
Set up a monthly to-do list: I definitely think some of the activities on this list will be created from the monthly goals, but it may also include routine items (ie: run the washer clean cycle, sign up for swimming lessons) and bonus items (ie: artistic projects, going to the art gallery). I personally love the bonus activities – it makes my soul smile
Set a budget: Something is to be said about being mindful about spending. Not just because mindless shopping and over spending is a waste of time and money. But because it’s not good for our environment. So whether it’s a “no spend month” or a cap on eating out, it’s definitely worth a try.
Deep clean something! I think it’s a good habit that I’m starting to implement whereby I clean something that has piled up. Whether it’s a junk drawer, a basement closet or the baseboards. Schedule it in and get it done!

7 ways I’m romanticizing my life this Spring season

Posted on March 27, 2023 by Bhanu Misra Marya

If you are in the GTA / Southern Ontario area, you are probably thinking what I’m thinking… aka waiting for Spring to actually spring!

Cold days mixed with wet snow precipitation do make it harder to get into spring spirit but I did welcome spring by celebrating Holi with my family, setting intentions for the new season and sending my friends Nowruz and Ramadan wishes.

And I also got to thinking about things I wanted to change as I entered the new season. So sharing below 7 ways I’m romanticizing my life this Spring!

Why would I want to romanticizing my life?

For me, I think it’s important to remember that this is a journey and I must always remember to enjoy the journey and find the magic in the process. I’ve recently read about the term “toxic positivity” which this isn’t. Romanticizing ones life is about working through and appreciating all types of experiences. But it’s also about ensuring your habits and routines allow you to be present and grateful. I’m a big proponent of the art of leisure and dreaming big – which I think folds well into romanticizing my life.

Drinking more Herbal Teas: I love me a double (or triple) oat milk cappuccinos! But I know I should be balancing them with lighter options. What better time than spring to infuse my days, evenings & body with orange blossom, chamomile and tumeric-ginger. Just writing it out sounds beautiful 💖
Wearing lighter & brighter colours: I wear many shades of black and this winter I think I to it to another level. Costco had these kirkland brand oversized sweaters with pockets and I LIVED in those and black leggings. I’m not proud but I was comfy. That said, I need to step out of those threads and take pictures of myself fun/light/bright clothes that make me shine.
Finish art projects abandoned in the dark cold of winter: For someone like me, creating art for the sake of it means that you’ll want to abandon some projects that are too difficult or feel overwhelming. But I also think it’s okay to put yourself in comfortable for the sake of growth.
Deep dive into my HDC and Enneagram: A refreshed self-awareness, just in time for the change of season just feels right. Although I’ve dived into my HDC, I’ve yet to figure out my Enneagram. The potential in knowing these things about yourself can support your journey as well as broaden your horizons!
Volunteer in place of donating money to charity: With the weather warming I think it’s a great opportunity to connect with people through common interest and shared community efforts.
Start a Joy-Jar: I love this analog way of documenting your days. Instead of recording videos or taking pictures, take this opportunity to write down happy memories and store them in a jar. At the end of the month you’ll have handful positive reminders 🥰
Create for me: Kind of like this blog, I want to CREARE & SHARE my art for nothing but me. Something between a persona scrapbook on a digital platform. So I’ll be sharing more of the art gallery trips, WIP art projects and street art. They unique way I see joy in every day beauty needs to be shared with the world (for me…)!

Making art and sharing lessons

Posted on March 8, 2023 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I’ve been on an art kick lately. What does that mean? I’m making art daily. Whether it’s painting, canvas embroidery, digital art on the iPad, ink pen mindful drawing and of course photography! So today I’m sharing my art (++ the time lapse process of making said art) and some quotes that have profound life lessons in them!

It’s always hard, until it’s easy

Create more than you consume

When you figure out how to love yourself, everything changes

The world just reflects your own feelings back at you, reality is neutral

What ever you think, you believe and will shape your reality

The tools for learning are abundant, the desire to learn is scarce

Need to get started, quit talking and start doing

Personal Power & Growth books on my TBR list

Posted on March 2, 2023 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I’ve always been an avid reader. And I mean reading reading. Not just rom-coms or chic-lit – those of which I know book-tok made popular but I can only take so much of. I mean biographies, business books, classics and of course sci-fis. I like to change it up! But more so I like to give my mind good ideas to learn and innovate from.

Right behind reading sci-fi, I always gravitate to personal power books (some times negatively referred to as “self help books”). I feel like they allow me to interpret myself and my experiences in a positive way. Also they give me self-awareness so I can make more optimistic decisions or take better actions towards a goal.

Personal growth books help me expand. Make me realize that we are more alike then we think but also dares me to go to places I’ve never been before (both in life and in my thinking).

From reading personal growth books, I’ve come to realize that life isn’t just about external validation but rather reflection and of a introspective growth journey.

Today I’m sharing a few “self-help” books on my TBR. Things to help me expand my brain & nurture an opportunistic mindset.

What personal growth books do you have on your TBR?

Activities to build mindfulness into my day

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Bhanu Misra Marya

As a working mom, blogger, etsy shop owner, wife, home owner – I’ve become really aware of how mindfulness plays into my day. My ability to focus, being intentional, doing this without rushing and not multi-tasking. I know mindfulness is important to me because it’s helped me have a greater enthusiasm for life and higher self esteem. Read on to learn some activities I’ve started incorporating mindfulness to help me observe my thoughts & practice the art of leisure.

Mindful art / art therapy

I’m still guilty of multi tasking. But I’ve found when I’m making art (painting, mixed media, photography) I don’t actually multi task! Making art is a great way to express myself beyond words. It encourages us to be present in the moment & experiences, through noticing the sensations we are experiencing as well as how our art (the way the paint moves or how the picture I just captured looks on my digital display) responds to our input.

Listening to solfeggio music:

Ever step into a spa and feel immediately relaxed? Spas help you relax because of their environment. And part of that environment is the music! I recently found solfeggio music and how the different tones can help you promote benefits to different parts of the mind and body. The use of tones and frequencies music dates back to ancient Sanskrit chants (read: Om) but the modern science is fascinating. Apparently DNA become more healthy (ie show increased UV absorption) when they were exposed to different tones (such as the Sanskrit chants). Further research confirmed that the certain frequencies of the Earth’s ionosphere matched that of the human brain wave patterns! (Notably the frequency that encourages cell regeneration & healing) Most musical instruments were tuned to match the earth’s vibrational frequency so by default listening to solfeggio music (specifically designed to recreate the earth’s & human brainwaves) can help you feel at ease and change the your DNA!

Deleting social apps

Mindless scrolling is the most obvious of activities to remove from your day. I delete social media apps which immediately stops the scrolling for no reason. This then improved productivity because I am more focused!

Anytime gratitude & visualization as often as I can

Being able to take control of your self talk/the voices in your head is an important way to be mindful. Not letting negative self talk run a muck in your mind can be prevent by training yourself to see the good (have gratitude) and be positive (visualize something that would be help you think the opposite of the negative self talk).

4 quotes to inspire your Art of Leisure journey

Posted on February 15, 2023 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I’ve known from a very young age that I wanted to prioritize leisure over everything. I just didn’t know what to call it. And it’s not that I lacked ambition, but rather the opposite. I’ve always wanted to maintain intentional balance in my life: from family to pursing heights in education, to career and fitness. The art of leisure gives you the opportunity to excel in everything without feel like you are missing something.

So what exact is the art of leisure? Well I guess we have to start with what is leisure. Leisure should be considered the main activity (and not a sedentary one). Leisure is the functional engagement in pursuits that create a sense of contemplation, silence & introspection. Leisure is pursued for its own benefit instead of some higher goal. In our current society, work is prioritized over leisure and almost everything has been converted into a side hustle. But the art of leisure is about doing things that make you feel good without necessarily delivering value to anyone else or provide you with monetary gain.

The art of leisure is a definitely a practice and sometimes a good quote can get you in the right mindset to begin you practice. Be sure to save these to Pinterest or better yet print them and put them around your workspace as a reminder to let your idle time be leisure time for yourself!