os.me Digest: When November Rhythm Starts to Play

November rolls along, and you realise how quickly the year has passed. The year was starting to appear cosy and familiar.

Bam! It is November.

In two months, you’ll have to leave the known and make acquaintances with a new year. You long for it to slow down. However, the only way to feel content is to fill your time with meaningful acts.

You still got 60 days to course correct. That makes November an ideal time for stocktaking. Why leave self-inventory for December-end when you’d have no time to make amends? There is still room to grow and call 2022 a success.

To begin, set aside 30 minutes for personal inventory. Conjure up all the honesty. Reflect on the year lived. Now, follow these three steps to make your personal stocktake a success:

1)    Admit to your biggest mistake: There must have been mistakes aplenty, and that’s a good thing. It’s a sign that you tried. Today, write down about the biggest mistake of the year. Own it up. Now, what did you learn from it? Jot that down.

2)    Embrace your biggest strength: The act of living is an act of courage. I want to know that one thing that tested you ruthlessly. What element of tenacity enabled you to weather that storm? Write about it and savour your resilience.

3)    Act to get closer to your ideal future. When you began the year, you wanted yourself to grow a certain way. You still have time to design that life. Today, key in just one act that’ll take you closer to your personal ideal. Now, take that step.

Being specific and detailed is crucial here.

Transformative Ideas

Old Habits Die Hard: ‘Sleep late, make-up later. Make better things bitter.’ Or: ‘Sleep late, wake up later. Make bitter things better.’ Which of the two is true? Kanika Chopra found the answer. 

When the Universe Created a Family for Us: Riya and her younger sister lost both parents at a young age. Their grandmother looked after them then. Unfortunately, she died too. This is a heartwarming story of the two young girls finding a family in a world full of strangers.

Sine (Life): ‘It was December, and I was returning from my tuition classes on a scooter. After I broke my hand, I started to cry.’ Sajal Saini sustained a fracture in his dominant hand right before his entrance exams. He was disconsolate. His tuition teacher drew him a graph, pointed to the lowest point on it and said, “You are here.” That changed his life. 

The Demon Inside You: Actor Sweta Acharya Om recalls an incident when she lost her cool. She launches an inquiry into the nagging desire to control and anger. She also shares about serial killer Jeffery Dahmer. Are the two related? 

What is Your Tipping Point: For anyone looking to make substantial change, Deepak Sharma has the following piece of advice: ‘Cross the bridge and burn it so that turning back does not remain an option. 

Two Years, Two Wounds: Anu Om is in a difficult spot. She is feeling hurt on account of her husband and brother’s behaviour. She shares deeply personal thoughts. What would you suggest to her? 

The Richness of Relief: John Clark and his late wife, Lisa, once adopted a baby. The child was born on Lisa’s birthday, and the mother allowed them to be in the delivery room when he was born and take him home. After about a week of having the baby with them, the birth mother changed her mind and took him back. It wreaked havoc on the two. John Clark writes about the richness of relief. 

Shri: Award-winning poet Sadhvi Vrind Om gives words to our unspoken plea to the Goddess: A lifeless bird in life’s palm/for so long I’ve yearned for air/for love.

Watch it Now!

Wisdom from Om Swami

Travel Light: Here’s how to travel light in life so that living becomes less burdensome. Insights from none other than spiritual leader Om Swami. 

A Strange World: Everyone is playing their own trumpet, beating their own drum. Do you really want to know what people think of you, asks spiritual leader Om Swami. Read this invigorating piece. 

Are You a Good Meditator? How Good?

Since you are at it, here’s a very cool test to help you gauge your meditation journey. This sophisticated assessment is a tool that will help you find out about your meditation skills and get guidance on how to improve. A must-have companion non your meditation journey. Take the test often to track your progress!

Over the weekend, we enjoyed a spook fest on os.me. You can catch all the scary stories by looking up #writewithosdotme in the tagline.

Don’t forget to inspire me with your stocktaking list, share it in the comments below.

So, what makes you, you?

Happy November!

Until next…

PS: Did you find this Digest useful? Let me know in the comments. Know someone who’d find it helpful? Share this post with them and introduce your friends and family to our phenomenal Karma program.