7 ways to stop self sabotaging

Posted on April 13, 2023 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I always say, life is a journey. Sometimes you are running top speed through the valley and other times you are grasping for oxygen at high altitudes. Most times you are going steady through long stretches of mini climbs and plateaus.

But one thing I’ve started recently saying to myself is that I’ve got to live life like it’s rigged in my favour. And that statement alone has made me realize that through self and situational awareness – you can quickly see what activities and behaviours are supporting you and what are self sabotaging you.

Below I share 7 ways to stop self sabotaging yourself. Whether that’s in personal relationships, with you 9-5, business pursuits or personal goals – consider how you may be engaging in these activities and how it’s effecting how you live your life.

💫 leave any situation where you are not valued

💫 deprioritize your mental wellness for anything

💫 what everyone else is doing

💫 disregard your feelings, instinct, needs or emotions

💫 showing up as someone you are not

💫 stay on a path just because it’s the path you are on

💫 live as someone you are not

Sensory Calming Techniques

Posted on December 14, 2020 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I recently came across this easy calming technique using only your 5 senses!

Sensory activities have proven benefits for children such as increased self esteem and improved emotional well being. So why wouldn’t this also work for adults (with a few tweaks of course!)

For me I usually do one activity that combines all at least 3 of the 5 senses (like going for an outdoor run or setting up and taking pretty photos). But the perspective of doing only 1 thing really speaks to the mindfulness and being present when doing a single calming activity.

So the next time you are looking for some calming activities or need to reduce anxiety after a stressful event consider these 5 techniques to awaken your senses and relax…

Smell: Light a scented candle

Sound: listen to songs that make you nostalgic

Taste: drink a mint or lavender tea

Touch: Hold hands or cuddle a pet

Sight: Look up at the sky

15 Mid-Week Mood Boosters

Posted on September 24, 2020 by Bhanu Misra Marya

Sharing a mid week list of mood boosters + some of my creative photography! I truly loved capturing the image of the flowers and the lines of shadowed light. I need to get better at prioritizing capturing creative photography everyday! Scroll down to see the image as well as a list of mood boosters. I hope that one or two works for you!

Read 5 pages or a chapter of a book
Put on a cute outfit and take some mirror selfies
Make a list or a do a brain dump
Write a letter to your future self about how proud you are of your accomplishments
Tidy up some space in your home
Setting up personal BHAGs and breaking them down into executable steps/milestones
Hug everyone in your family
Take a warm shower or a bath if you have enough time
Go for a walk or run (make sure a portion of it includes being in a forest)
Meditate
Use the pomodoro effect to focus on completing a piece of work
Make a vision board
Write down what you are grateful for
Drink an entire bottle of water
Do something creative

3 Everyday Hacks to Boost Happiness

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Bhanu Misra Marya

Just wanted to pop in here to share this quick (1.30min) video on how I boost my own happiness with these THREE EASY everyday hacks!

The grass is greener where you water it

Posted on February 20, 2019 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I recently wrote an article for an Employee Resource Group that I am part of. The topic I was given was the “Science behind happiness”. Although I was given this topic to write about, I became fascinated by the research behind happiness. Everything I read and presented in this article aligns with my thoughts so I figured I’d share my piece here too!

Did you know there is scientific research behind being happy? Believe it or not, happiness is not just reserved for the few lucky ones amongst us. Rather, every one of us can control our own happiness. Sonja Lyubomirsky renowned social psychologist and Ph.D. from Stanford has found that although 50% of our happiness is rooted in our genetics, the remaining combination is 10% our circumstances and 40% of our intentional activities.

So what exactly does that mean? Even though the science states that 50% of our happiness is due to our genetics, it’s actually an indirect relation, meaning there is always room for improvement – we can influence our genetic happiness by our experience and behaviour. More importantly, the other 50% of our happiness is essentially controlled by being aware of our circumstance and intentional about our thoughts, outlook and actions. Everyone has a choice and we can easily choose to be happy.

Why is this important? Being happy increases self-regulatory and coping abilities. Some scientists say that it can strengthen your immune system, make you more energetic and even allow you to enjoy a longer life. Plus, being happy is contagious! If you are happy and around happy people – the happiness keeps growing!

How can one practice cultivating happiness? Many of us may look to our careers, partners, family/children or other external forces to influence our happiness. What we need to remember is that happiness isn’t something we find, it’s something we create and practice daily. The research shows that activities we initiate from ourselves such as maintaining our fitness levels, counting one’s blessings and pursing personal goals are the key to happiness. Here are some other ways to cultivate happiness in your life:

– Practice acts of kindness (volunteering or charity work)

– Practice daily gratitude

– Avoid social comparisons

– Pursue a hobby

– Nurture relationships

– Focus on spirituality or a religious practices that speak to you

– Avoid over consumption on Social Media

– Taking care of your body and mind (being physically active, practicing self-care, meditating)