Don't worry, be happy!

I am coming here after 9 months approximately. It's not that I have not thought about it. Everyday I think of writing because everyday something or the other comes to my mind which I could put it in words here but then...!

"All problems are illusions of the mind." ~ Eckhart Tolle

As a kid I started writing my diary and then when I started using computer for work, writing in a diary stopped and blogging took over that space. It's a habit and not just habit but a way out for me. I feel good when I talk to my blog, it's like talking to your trusted buddy.

At times, mind wants to be that buddy and it takes over the space. I have often realized how in my mind I am dictating and mind would absorb it all. I felt good for a while because I got busy hence mind-blogging worked out. 

"The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make a heaven of Hell, a hell of Heaven." ~ John Milton

There is always a juggle between blogging and mind-blogging just like how one wants to hold a book to read versus audio book listening. One goes back and forth and I feel that is what has been happening with me all this time.

"All the things that truly matter, beauty, love, creativity, joy and inner peace arise from beyond the mind." ~ Exkhart Tolle

Let's talk about present since we are in 2023. The new year started well with family and friends. I was in Vegas on 1st January 2023. I have come to an understanding that life is not all about taking stress but being stress free. We all work hard to earn our living and one should but there is also something called self-care which I feel our generation is catching up now.  I am really grateful for my good genes for good health but it is very necessary for all ages to take care of self not just physical well being but mental too. 

"The mind can calculate, but the spirit yearns, and the heart knows what the heart knows." ~ Stephen King

Often in the rat race we forget, job, position, money, promotion all this is meaningful only if you're alive and healthy. One should be in present and enjoy the moment that is my mantra but I also don't take stress unnecessarily. I do used to worry to prevent things but with time realized that we can only save what we can rest we are not sure, so why worry?

Don't worry, be happy!

~ Dawn

I have a lot to be thankful for. I am healthy, happy and I am loved !

Dear friends, my inspiration and my go to people,

I would like to thank you all for being in my life one way or the other. Whenever I have opened my heart here, you all have encouraged and inspired me through your beautiful comments, likes or sometimes by just visiting my page.

Thank You.

"Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses." ~ Alphonse Karr

This post is my last post of this year and I want to finish telling everything that kept me away from you all for few weeks.

My new beginnings started for me in September 2020. Yes, I wasn't even expecting as my life was moving on peacefully. But if you ask me, was I happy? You may not get the answer in yes, but it didn't do any harm to me and it did keep me and my family happy. 

But tell me when you think of Your happiness, what You want in life, there has to be something that should keep you sane and happy because that is what is going to keep your mental health stable and your inner-self peaceful. Believe me its not money that is going to give you that but if that comes along too, then no harm.

"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you're not going to stay where you are." ~ J.P. Morgan 

I was working in this company but I always felt my potentials, my experience was not fully being utilized though I am getting paid well but is that what we all want? No, at least not me. I want to learn new technology that is going to be our future and be part of programs that will make the world a better place through the products, process and engagements.

A scientist reached out to me in mid-September after reviewing my profile on LinkedIn. As I said above I was not looking for any opportunity outside but I was open for all possibilities and hence I responded to her message and we decided to talk on the phone for thirty minutes.

That thirty minutes of my meeting took me through an entire loop of interviews. Did I try my best? Oh heck yeah! I studied hard for this and all other interviews.

"Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." ~ Warren Buffett

By the time it was result time, I got a phone call saying everyone liked me and wanted to offer but the position itself doesn't exist anymore. C'mon!!! I tried to get the real answer but that was the real answer and guess what I was so good that they asked me to pick positions within that company so that they can hire me.

I felt this is blessing in disguise. Indeed something new was waiting for me and it had to come through. Finally, with everything going I accepted the offer and joined this amazing company on December twentieth of this year.

I hope you understand why I was away and was not regular. But, yes you all are always in my heart and mind.

Thank You All.

"For the yesterdays and today's, and the tomorrows I can hardly wait for - Thank You" ~ Cecelia Ahern

We all know 2020 was a chaos monkey and 2021 was literally like this squirrel - we were trying to balance life through out one way or the other. Vaccines and Boosters were giving hope, people were getting out meeting family and friends, partying for the time that we lost in 2020 and what not. We were balancing life by wearing mask and yet do everything that we did pre-covid.

Until this very end of 2021 another variant started threatening people's health and life across the globe and once again it reminded human race to stay at home and be safe.

Yes, it has been tough and I believe together we all can bring it a bit easier for all of us by taking the vaccinations, the booster and by wearing mask all the time when we go out. We all are responsible and we must take that seriously because here it's not about who is strong it's about who is ready to be a human.

"Celebrate endings, for they precede new beginnings." ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Dear friends for me when I think of 2021, my best times was when I was with nature. I still feel my Half Dome hike is still the best highlight for me from 2021.

Let's hope we all get to be sailing safe into 2022 and yet create many beautiful highlights that keeps us happy and sane and safe everyone.

My best wishes to all of you in this 2022 New Year, may you all be happy, healthy and peaceful with your loved ones.

Think of the under privileged ones and help wherever you can because we only become successful when we take everyone along with us.

Happy Healthy New Year 2022

"No matter how hard the past is, you can always begin again." ~ Buddha

with love

Dawn 

Note: Now you can listen to the audio version of my blogs in Hindi on the UshaDawn Hindi Podcast on Google, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Check it out and new episodes uploaded every day 3 AM Pacific Standard Time.

I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers ..!

I am coming back after a little long break. Actually there was a lot that was planned and so I had to work on those assignments.

But thank goodness, I finished all my commitments that needed the time and I am back here!!!!

Yesterday was Halloween's Day and like every year I dressed up too. This time it was money heist gang member. That was one of my favorite web-series so why not.

Halloween is celebrated each year on October 31st. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century November first, was designated as a time to honor all Saints. Soon All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween.

"Trick or Treat, bags of sweets, ghosts are walking down the street."

Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treat, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.

Apart from the fun and festivities, Halloween has a deep meaning that tells us to face and embrace your inner demons. 

Anyhow, since I have left my country I have embraced these festivals like others and enjoy following the traditions.

When kids were small, I would dress with them and take them for trick or treat in the neighborhood and it was fun to see different and creative costumes thats kids and adults would wear and scare everyone in a funny way.

"A mask tells us more than a face." ~ Oscar Wilde

This year, we didn't go anywhere as kids felt they are grown up but still we all dressed up and gave candies to kids those came to our house asking trick or treat. It was fun to see things getting back to normal.

The new normal is going to be there now its just that we are getting used to it.

Happy Halloween greetings changes to Happy Diwali to All of you!!!

November first, is Vasu Baras - the day when the cows are worshipped and that marks the first day of Diwali.

May this Diwali bring happiness and good health in your lives.

~ Dawn 

Note: Now you can listen to the audio version of my blogs in Hindi on the UshaDawn Hindi Podcast on Google, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Check it out and new episodes uploaded every day 3 AM Pacific Standard Time

Today only happens once.. make it amazing!

 I wanted to ask today what motivates you? I mean pre-pandemic or post-pandemic this question is always there as what motivates you? and now its even more because no matter what we are stuck at home though in California it's not that bad but still we work from home and are kind of getting used to it.

How do you charge yourself ? I mean don't tell me that you listen to a motivational speaker and it works for you because that doesn't work for me at all!!!!

I like to do something that makes me motivated and so what I did last year while we were stay at home, besides hiking was something that I am going to share today.

Yes, even though we were working from home and were able to be with family all the time and enjoy the backyard still you need something more that will excite you isn't it?

"Don't limit your challenges. Challenge your limits."

It was last year same time when the Indian festival Navratri that I recently wrote about was happening. We were not able to meet with friends so I started the trend of wearing saree on those nine days of Navratri. Each day has a significance to a color that relates to the Goddess and for me it was more of the saree love which strike the idea to wear each day based on the color significance. At least for those nine days I was making sure that my work was planned well such that I could take time out to wear saree. 

Dressing up is something that at least excites most of the women and this is me who used to be a tom-boy, now loves saree so much that I enjoyed wearing each day. Some liked my determination, some liked my saree and some liked me all this was fun. By the way this year, again I continued and tomorrow is the ninth day 😍!

"You will never always be motivated, so you must learn to be disciplined." 

Similarly, I opted for learning an instrument. Guitar being my favorite I picked it up and feels so good when I played Happy birthday on guitar for my son's birthday this March and April for my daughter, and Bob Marley's three little birds and then the Bollywood song and so forth...! It's a good distraction from the chaos of life.

"Try to find that motivation in your life which only you can create it no one else." ~ Dawn

~ Dawn

Note: Now you can listen to the audio version of my blogs in Hindi on the UshaDawn Hindi Podcast on Google, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Check it out and new episodes uploaded every day 3 AM Pacific Standard Time

We can't socialize the doctors without socializing the patients...!

 

Socializing is a fundamental necessity for humans. We have always socialized as human nature cannot do without it. Everything is a privilege and that this pandemic has shown to all of us.

When we all were stay at home and in many countries lockdown was laid out where you cannot go out, cannot socialize, you get out only at certain time for groceries and doctor's appointment, that too not as a family because of covid - world came to a standstill. 

I don't think we human ever thought will be restricted and will be stay put at home. One year with no socializing, no party, no meeting, not even a play date for kids, no girls night or dinner dates - people started thinking if world is going to end as some of them didn't take these restrictions seriously and people still went ahead in some places to BBQ and party and they you hear in the news people died of covid. 

"The reality of society involves the socialization of certain unrealities." ~ Jean- Paul Sartre 

One year and now after getting the vaccination for people who are 12 and above started slowly socializing but many were scared still. Some got used to stay at home, they got comfortable in their isolated world and hence don't want to meet anyone and socialize, where as some went ahead to get back to the new normalcy which is meet your friends who are vaccinated, wear mask, use sanitizer, create a bubble but that also buzzed off because from that bubble even if one person goes and make another bubble it creates the risk.

Humans have learned to survive by socializing otherwise they will go crazy. All these mental health issues are because they are not able to interact with other people who are their closed ones, offices don't have the same structure - you will not see anyone at the cafeteria or pantry section, people wearing mask and greeting which doesn't even shows if you're smiling while greeting, you have to maintain six feet distance and all these is causing a mental trauma and people are worried how long we will continue this way?

Children who have finished their elementary school and while getting into middle school or high-school they are online schooling and hence meeting their class friends and socializing and making friends that section is completely removed and got stuck online meet through Zoom, Skype and FaceTime. 

"In fact, the socialization gives us the tools to fill our evolutionary roles. They are our building blocks." ~ Warren Farrell 

Some took advantage of these technology so that they can still be in touch however, many got mentally sick for realizing things are not going to be same as before now and this is causing depression and mental sickness.

Now, when people are meeting as a small family groups they have children who are less than 11 years old and hence are not vaccinated. Can you imagine the fear that the parents have? The child who didn't get vaccine what must be going through their mind? 

We recently invited two families to our home for dinner. Kids are grown most of them except one who didn't get his vaccination and the family all were wearing mask even when they entered our house. We were in dilemma, should we wear mask? or how do we want to do this? Because we all want the child to be safe and we don't want to be the reason for any issues or sickness for that child. 

Finally, we decided let's get to the backyard in the open and enjoy the time. We had adults in one area sitting and talking and another area kids started playing board games but one could see the child who didn't get vaccination was kind of out of touch with socializing aspect. It is very difficult to get back to the normalcy that too the new normalcy where you want to meet with friends who are of your age and then you have to make sure you are socially distanced and yet be together - a very confusing situation for many.

Looking at the new normalcy and the need for sanity we should focus on various ways of physical distancing not social. It will be difficult to stay away from our contact for long time because we are extremely social beings.

Look for a reasonable and temporary use of technologies because that will never replace the need to see each other in person.

Create opportunities to meet with safety measure with a smaller community or group because as I mentioned people might be there who are suffering from isolation.

"It takes a village to raise a child" ~ An African proverb

Keep an eye on your kids as to understand if there is any change in their behavior, so as to help them and give that support they desperately need.

It's a different time that we are living in and it is extremely important to take care of our loved ones and our neighbors and seniors who might be suffering in isolation and keeping a tab on them will definitely help.

Things have changed so much even though we all are social animals the time has come where we have to look for other avenues where we should be safe and yet not meeting people and be sane.

"Socialize with compassion, kindness and grace."

~ Dawn

The purpose of our lives is to be happy

It has been a while since I have written anything. It's not that I have lost the passion to write or I don't have any topic to write...! It's just been a self-learning journey since last year.

The entire world was experiencing the impact of pandemic and I was just getting back from my trip to India. I was thinking great things about the year 2020 since I was able to spend time with my family and parents during the new year and so was happy to return back in California.

That time news of corona was vaguely heard here and there but by the time I resumed to my work, stories started erupting from different places and by the time I could process it, stay in shelter was declared by my company and my county too.

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. ~ John Lennon

The initial period was more or less like a staycation, that doesn't mean that we were not working or kids were not attending their classes. It was just that everyone is at home, we go to our work by joining our meeting calls via zoom and meet each other during our breaks, lunch time and best part is that there is no pick-up, drop-off or even commute to office. All this gave more family time, and kids and our pet Reyna enjoyed this reunion at home. Kids were baking and we as husband and wife were cooking. 

In a way pandemic made us realize that there's more to life than just rushing and racing through out in life. The best part for me was that I could sit hours in my backyard and look at nature, I will never get bored of admiring the nature, the birds, the flowers, the fruits, the wild animals that just drop in at times and leave at their will. I never got tired and hence my office moved into my backyard.

Get busy living or get busy dying. ~ Stephen King

My early morning meetings were all from my backyard, the only thing that made me to move inside the house was, that even birds and squirrels wanted to join me on zoom. Too many to party at once!

That year 2020, was full of adjustments and unlearning and learning new ways. When I started getting pain on my right hand shoulder, I realized I cannot just work sitting anywhere but at a ergonomically set desk for me. 

It also made me realize all that cross-fit that I was doing has also come at a still. I was eating more than I was walking. I soon realize that our body is like a car, if we don't daily start the engine and ride few miles it can get rusty and hence, my afternoon walk circling the neighborhood going uphill and downhill up to 5 miles and then doing some leg exercise in the evening. This went on few months but somewhere I was not satisfied. 

I tried to focus on learning some of the skills that will help me in my career and my role at work. Few certifications on technology and Agile course helped me to bring more clarity but after doing so many of them, I felt like taking a pause and decided no more!

I like to learn by doing things and not by reading and then writing exams. I prefer to learn on the job and do the work and learn from my mistakes.

I set some goals for myself and took the help of my daughter, I delegated her the task to pick a place for every weekend one hike. She has the freedom to choose the place and day. That worked well for us, every Saturday we went to different places in Bay Area for hiking and as we did one after the other, the hiking trail were also chosen harder than the previous one and this actually helped me to focus on my endurance. 

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. ~ Mae West

So far, my mental wellness was all in the hands of Mother Nature and hiking gave a new diversion into it.

One thing is that you can focus on yourself from every angle but you cannot be unaware of what's happening outside of you. It was sad to see news of people suffering and dying of covid around the world. There were speculations of many companies (pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceuticals), working on the vaccine and I became impatient with that because people were dying in millions. This started giving me a weird feeling as what will remain on this planet? Will I be there or not? 

One good thing is that we don't watch news, but my alarm after the mantras, it reads news to me and I felt that was enough for me to know rather than watching the drama on TV. Even then it was chaos everywhere. One after the other I heard about people dying and then a time came when I started to hear people whom I have known since childhood are also dying, some of them were my classmates from school and some from my college. It was heart-breaking and sad to see young people dying and then some died because lack of treatment - it was chaotic. 

The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain. ~ Dolly Patron  

Stay in shelter, continued and so did my hikes. New Year 2021, came with new hopes. By this time, I reminded myself that nature has a message for all of us and that is, stay home, see pleasure and happiness in simple things. The car that I leased after negotiating for greater miles was of no use as I was not even going out for grocery. I remember 2020, I didn't leave my house until late 2020 because you cannot go out as a family and during week day hubby used to do the grocery shopping and weekends were stay at home. Playing badminton, celebrating life in the form of Mother's Day, kids birthday and so on went on. Everything was online, whether it was work, kids school, celebrations or even gatherings all were virtual and somewhere I started getting this feel that this is the basic and be happy with it.

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. ~ Thomas A. Edison

The year 2021, came with many hopes and even though there were so many speculations about covid and its vaccine, everyone one by one based on their age and profession started getting the vaccine. These difficult time made me realize how privileged I am, that I have a job and that too I don't have to go into my office to do the job instead, I can work from home. As the time came, I also got my vaccine and until then we as a family restricted ourselves from going out, or even meeting anyone outside of our family. We did keep an eye on our neighbors and senior citizens to make sure if they need anything that we could bring to them instead of they going out and make themselves more prone to this virus. We maintained our 6 feet distance with wearing mask and talked to our neighbors all this and more hikes with family.

Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. ~ Babe Ruth

This new year also brought me to think some of my passions and love for music. I decided to learn guitar and that is still going on. Besides nature, music and playing guitar gives me immense peace and hence started strumming those chords. During this time, I started meeting my friends on the hike. We never went to each other's house but met on the trail and left from there once we were done. It was one of those hikes, where my friend asked if I am interested in doing Half Dome. I have only heard of it but not much and I just brushed off saying will see. I was given 3 months time to make a decision but I forgot about that topic once it was done!

Again the topic came up and I realized its been 3 months and now I have to respond. My friend felt I am ready for Half Dome and little more practice hikes will help me gauge with the Half Dome hike. I was added into a WhatsApp group and we started hiking on Sundays, as Saturdays I was hiking with my daughter. 

Hiking for me is something to enjoy the nature, it is never the speed, because I believe in walking, seeing every flower, tree and sun and smell the flowers and listen to the wild birds chirp so I was completely shifted from this when I was practicing my hikes for Half Dome.

Not how long, but how well you have lived is the main thing. ~ Seneca

I really want to dedicate my next post on my Half Dome experience until then please do read and share your experience of this pandemic time.

I do want to take a moment and thank all the front workers, health, firefighters, our garbage pickup teams, and many more who were risking their lives by helping us in many ways to keep us going. It's a huge sacrifice that they did and I want to thank everyone, because if they were not there our survival would have been worse. Imagine, if one week the garbage truck doesn't come to pick up the garbage and then what happens its not just one home but the neighborhood, the community, the city and so forth we all be stinking in the filth. 

Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced. ~ Soren Kierkegaard

~ Dawn

Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable ~ Mary Oliver

 When we all welcomed the year 2020, we had no clue as what is the future of 2020 that is stored for all of us. Did we?

May be here and there the news of COVID-19 was there but no one took it seriously. I remember I was traveling back to USA after my vacation and as I was transiting via HongKong I started noticing people wearing mask and I kind of got curious and worried. 

By the time it was February end, rumors started in the office about working remotely for few days and for a person like me who is a people person, I thought it will be a short period of time and hence never bothered to collect anything much from my office desk.

"2020 is a unique Leap Year. It has 29 days in February, 300 days in March, and five years in April" ~ Unknown 😀

March we were told to work from home and then it became the new normal for all of us. Though, it took a while for everyone to get adjusted because I was taking my calls from my reclining chair though every morning I was getting up and dressing up as if I am going to office, except that I was sitting on the reclining chair and taking my calls. Few days was kind of fun as everyone is close by in the family. The much loved house bought in 2008, I was only now able to spend time fully to enjoy by spending time in the backyard, looking at the mountains from every room that I have in the house - it was a feeling that of a child getting holiday on a school day. 

Slowly the calendar started flipping, work started getting intense and deployment and releases started happening. A point came when there were happy hours on zoom I had to decline saying I need to step out of my zoom. Slowly I had to bring a working desk that can be raised up and down so I can stand and sit in between my work during the day.

Some workout planning inside the house and a daily walk in the neighborhood since the restrictions in my county got induced my walk near the creek got restricted too. 

"After all the stupid things I have done in my life, If I die because I touched my face, I am gonna be pissed." ~ Unknown 😱

Every possible adjustments were done to make sure during this pandemic time we stay healthy mentally, physically and emotionally as well - it was a very conscious decision that let us plan our day to day life. One thing is clear, if time comes there is nothing that we cannot adjust to. But I can only say that we are privileged and not everyone is. 

There might be people who must be living in an apartment where stay at home can make you go crazy and on top of that domestic violence or even the mental health issues all these could come as a drastic challenge and I often thought of those who I know are in that situation. I have tried to reach out and talk and similarly caring for your neighbors, while going to the grocery store making sure they have everything or if anything to be bought for them. This 2020 year was a testing period for everyone though it came as a surprise.

A time came when celebrations were with family but we exchanged sweets and cookeries with neighbors and loved ones that we could. A glimpse of happiness let us survive the year and 2021 came with a hope.

"2020 is the strictest parent I ever had" ~ Unknown

A hope there will be a vaccine came in as true and its so amazing to hear when the forefront workers are getting these vaccines, our senior citizens getting them too make it more to look forward.

My New Year came in with lot of changes, I got into a new role with a new team though same company but it is so exciting to look forward to a change. 

"Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now' ~ Hamilton 🙏

As a family I think we loved the time that we spend with each other. The lessons learned during this time is for a life time and believe me we all who have survived this 'new normal' will still be there. 

The new year eve was something that I was not very excited and what to do just stay at home but as the night started unfolding I called my parents wished them and it was more to look forward. A hope that I will get to travel to see them this year. That one hope gives you immense energy and enthusiasm to look forward month after month and with the new role and working with some energetic techies in the team life is adding more colors to it.

It is the new normal way of living even though we have the vaccine available which will slowly reach to everyone yet, this is the new normal and we will have to get used to our mask and sanitizers. But I am sure it will be good if we can travel with all these.

A hope is something we must carry with us along with our masks and sanitizers.

"We either make ourselves miserable or make ourselves strong. The amount of work is same." ~ Carlos Castaneda 

Happy 2021 to all my readers!!!!

~ Dawn