Mind in Motion

  Why Small Habits Matter More Than Big Goals We love as a family fixing big goals. “Three hours every day of study,” “This year I’ll get fitter,” or “I’ll finally be more organized.” The issue is that big goals may sound fantastic in the mind but when one wants to begin, they seem insurmountable. What I learned from the book is that it is not really about grand plans so much but small habits vs. hulking plans that we can’t stick to. Read two pages in a day, and it feels too easy. Do it for a month, and you’ve finished a whole book spearheaded by “massive” plans and goals, like reading ten pages at once. Ten minutes of an exercise routine won’t magically transform you into a fitness buff overnight, but it’s an approach that articulates regular movement over an intimidating hurdle. Even five minutes planning your day multiplies into one hour later in the week. Tiny habits work since they’re realistic. They’re not tied to motivation and they’re easy enough that you don’t talk yoursel...

  Learning to Be Okay With Not Knowing Everything There was once a time I wanted all the answers, whether in school, in conversations, or on random topics the web threw at me. If I wasn’t sure about something, I’d Google it real fast or fake it. Not out of arrogance but out of fear –fear of looking unprepared or less capable than anybody else. The more I age, the more I know that knowledge is neither attained nor retained. And sometimes one has to admit – to himself and others – “I do not understand this.” Such modest beginnings are the seedbed of most of the things worth having in life. Some of the best talks I have ever had have started with someone confessing they did not understand something. When I stopped trying to sound always sure, I started actually learning more deeply. Instead of worrying about what people would question, I began asking better questions. I had a good time trying to work things out when it wasn’t always fast or clear to me. There’s always going to be some...

The Problem With Comparing Yourself to Everyone Else You can’t help but compare yourself. There’s always someone doing better — receiving higher grades, winning awards, getting into your dream university, or just appearing as if they have everything sussed. I’ve found myself scrolling through social media at times, feeling like I’m slipping in a race I didn’t even know I was running. The more I think about it, the more I realize that comparison never really helps. It doesn’t make you work harder in a healthy way — it just drains your confidence. Everyone’s life moves at a different pace. The person who seems perfect today might have had years of quiet struggle before you even notice them. What has helped me personally is to focus on little personal wins. Finishing something I’ve been putting off. Understanding a topic I always found confusing. Being a little kinder to myself. Those little steps add up. There is something to be said about comparing paths that were never meant to be the ...

  It’s Okay Not to Know What’s Next And everyone loves asking it, “So what’s next for you?” To which sometimes I have an answer. Other times…I don’t. And for a while, that used to bother me. It felt like everyone around me had a plan — dream schools, dream jobs, dream timelines — while I was still piecing mine together. But I’ve learned it’s been a while since knowing everything isn’t possible right now doesn’t make you behind. It’s not like everything in life runs on one schedule, you know. Some people learn what they love at an early age. Some people take their time and explore—which is also perfectly fine. One can very easily be lost in a world that breeds certainty. However, the case is that the middle – not so very sure of what’s next portion- is where you learn the most about yourself. You try new things, fail a bit, succeed a little, and slowly, things start to make sense. If you know what you want already – awesome. But don’t worry if you don’t; you update yourself, and tha...

  How I Learned to Feel Confident (Even When I Wasn’t) Confidence always seemed easy—that is, if you were one of those who raised their hands in class or spoke in front of people. For the longest time, I thought it’s something you’re born with. It’s something you build, quietly, over time. Small wins for me. Those first few yesses to participation in class. Voicing an idea when I was unsure it was the right one. Each time, the world did not cave in on itself like I had feared would happen. Slowly, those fears started to dissipate. The biggest help was realizing that confidence isn’t not doubting but acting even when you’re not sure. Very few people feel completely certain all the time and too often the differing factor is whether you let yourself go because of the uncertainty or not. I also learned to stop comparing myself to others. Everybody has moments where they stumble; you just don’t always see them. Once I was working toward my growth and not matching someone else’s, I start...

  Why It’s Okay to Slow Down Sometimes We’re so used to all being so busy. School, exams, projects, messages, plans— always something of ours to be attended to. You start to feel guilty somewhere along the line for doing nothing, as though resting means you’re being lazy. But slowing down doesn’t equate to being lazy. It’s maintenance. Just as your phone gets overheated when so many apps are running, your mind needs time to cool off. Taking a breather doesn’t mean you’ve lost sight of it; it means giving yourself room to breathe so that you can come back in full force. At times, it’s doing nothing but posing on your bed with some music on, or going for a silent walk without checking your phone. These tiny breaks help your thoughts settle. You start noticing things — how tired you actually are, or how much pressure you’ve been putting on yourself. I’ve learned that productivity is not about how much you do in a day but about doing things with the right energy, and that energy only c...