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 My Top 10 favorite Books by Manisha Jhalaan

Manisha Jhalaan

There is a very famous line "We are what we eat" but I would like to add on one more line to it and it has to be about books "We are what we eat and read". For me reading is like to be in a great company with the world's best minds. Reading is a very sacred and intimate relationship for me; it is like being with your best friend in the intimacy of your home. Over the past few years,  I have come across some of the wonderful writers and their work has changed me and my perspective towards life completely. 

There are multiple benefits of reading on regular basis such as; it improves brain connectivity, increases vocabulary and comprehension, empowers you to empathize with others, reduces stress, aids in sleep, lowers blood pressure and heart rate, prevents cognitive decline (as you age) etc. to name a few. So, get your hands on some good books and start reading regularly!

Here is the list of top 10 books that I recommend reading in 2021:


1. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf 



This is known as one of the finest and best feminist literature which is basically a compilation of essays that Virginia Woolf wrote for her speeches when she was doing her research on Women in fiction.  This is a must read for all the young women and men out there (Especially women).


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2. Cheedon Par Chandani By Nirmal Verma (Hindi)


This is basically a travelogue that writer has written about his experiences in the Europe. Before reading the book I would highly recommend you to read about the Auther Normal Verma to fully understand his perspective and his work. His language is very simple and it touches your heart. 


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3. Becoming  By Michelle Obama


One of the boldest Memoirs I have read so far. In this book the former first lady of the united states of America has shared her highs and lows so beautifully. It is so inspiring to read her journey. 




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4. Walden by Henry Devid Thoreau


Walden is a classic of literature. The writer stayed in the forest for two years and documented his life. He built a small cottage from nothing and shared every details about his journey. He inspired many people to understand the importance of conscious living and minimalism on a deeper level. 



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5. Consolations of the Forests By Sylvain Tesson


This book is about living the life of hermet for six months in the -30 ° temprature in Russia near Baikal lake in a 10 ×10 Cabin. The writer documented each day in the book, this is the best book I have read about solitude in the recent times. He mentions about his visitors, his day today routine and the two dogs in last few months who stayed with him. His final goodbye to the place is so painful to read, by the time you read the end of the book you are already on a journey with the writer and that is the beauty of his writing. There are so many book recommendations in the books. He returns back to his normal life but with so many learnings and gems that he never thought he would get to know when he started this journey. Sylvian is a trained travel journalist and he has done such adventures before as well but this one of the best and most famous. 

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6. Joothan (part one and two) by Om Prakash Valmiki 


This is known as one of the finest Dalit literature. It is an autobiography. To understand about the caste system and opression you need to read it because the one who faced it can tell us better. It is hard to imagine what he must have gone through. This book will make you cry and question so many things around you. That's what art should do, it should suffocate us and make us question the things that are wrong. 


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7. Waiting for a Visa By Dr. B R Ambedkar 


Again in the continuation of Dalit literature, waiting for a visa is a must read. It is in a way an Autobiography of Dr. B R Ambedkar. Today, we celebrate him for his courage but to know him better we need to read about his life and struggles. This one is a must read because he has shared so many stories of him being discriminated on the basis of caste since his childhood. 



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8. Azadi Mera Brand By Anuradha Beniwal 

This is a morden day travelogue written so beautifully in Hindi and recently got translated into Punjabi as well. Anuradha documented her travel in 13 different countries in Europe alone. She shared the stories of her traveling alone staying with strangers and her thoughts during her travels. She herself comes from Haryana and now lives in the UK. She constantly compare the disparity between India and European countries. She also wrote an open letter to Indian girls in the end of her journey that Indian girls should get out and travel and explore. I also believe that we as women, should take the charge of our lives in our hands so that it will be easier for our daughters to live their lives with more freedom. 


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9. The Diary of a Young Girl By Anne Frank 


This is one of the most famous book across the world not everyone would have read it but we all know and have heard about Anne Frank's diary a lot. This book was published by her father and she documented 2 years of her life when she was hiding with her family during Nazi occupation in Netherland. It is hard to imagine that at that age a girl could write so thoughtfully about what was going on in the country and how she felt about it. She wrote everything in her diary that her parents gifted her as a birthday present. After reading this book you will wonder if a 13 years old can think and write this then we can also do wonders. Give it a read. 


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10. Rasidi Ticket  by Amrita Pritam 


We celebrate Amrita Pritam for writing so boldly but in this book you will get to read more about her vulnerabilities, struggles and what made her so strong and Fierce. To know Amrita Pritam you should definitely give it a read. 

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Reading books is an unique experience, it's like having conversations with the wisest people as I said earlier. I don't want to waste my time not knowing the wonderful writers we had or still have. Take out some time and see which writer you would like to know first. 
So, these are the books I found really interesting as well as thought provoking and I hope you will too! 

I hope this post was helpful to you!
I would love to read your thoughts about your favorite books in the comments!
Share your favorite books in the comments!

Lot's of Love 
Manisha



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Why we should forgive others and ourselves?

Forgiveness is easy but we make it so difficult for us to practice. Why and How you ask?

Well, our ego led mind plays an important part in it. The more we are identified with our thinking(ego led mind), the harder it becomes for us to forgive. The minds a SUPERB instrument but if used wrongly, it becomes very destructive.  So, remember that you are not your mind, your mind is a survival machine; attack and defense against other minds, gathering, storing and analyzing information- this is what it is good at. It's not good at forgiving or things like that. So, when you start thinking of forgiving someone just keep your monkey/ego mind aside for a while and let your inner being guide and help you. 

What is Forgiveness?


Forgiveness for me is to start living life in the present and not let any past events control my life. It's about accepting what has happened for what is was and still choosing to let it go. In a way, you are giving up your right to hurt the person, for hurting you. It's like saying I do not have to hear you say "I am sorry" in order for me to move forward with my life. You’re no longer giving someone else authority over your mind and heart.  Forgiveness is designed to set the victim free and it has nothing to do with the offender.  It doesn't mean that you are condoning their actions nor does it mean you think that person had the right to hurt you (in the present or future). Forgiving releases you and the respective person from the pain. You feel so fresh & renewed once you start practicing it daily. It will give you a new beginning!


When you forgive, you in no way change the past but you do sure change the future...Bernard Meltzer


How to start practicing forgiveness?


So, when you are ready to forgive, start with yourself first. Forgive yourself for all the mistakes that you have done in the past and for all the people you have hurt in the past. Once you start practicing it on yourself, it will become easier for you to forgive others. And eventually, it will become your habit. It's just like building a muscle, the more you do it the better you get at it. 

Why we should forgive? 

  • When we don't forgive, we continue to feel sad and miserable and then blame it on other person (who's struggling just like you). It becomes easier for you to blame others for your unhappiness. On the other hand when you practice forgiveness, you will no longer hold the victim mentality anymore. You will take back the charge of your happiness and you LIFE in the NOW. You will become more present in your life and that will further improve all areas of your life. 
  • It will restore your inner peace. When you start practicing forgiveness you will go back to your natural state just like when you were a kid.  How cool is that? Yes, we all can attain that childlike selfless love once again. You see, forgiveness frees you from the burdens of the past and helps you master your emotions.  And when you clear your mind of the emotional poisons through forgiveness, you return to that child-like naivety again!  You will then not let the drama of the past ruin your present. You will start living each day with new energy.
  • Forgiveness has a tendency to open up your for Love coz love and forgiveness can not be separated. To truly love, you must forgive. To truly forgive, you must love. So, your life will be filled with love more than ever.
  • Forgiveness will help you grow wiser. You’ll still experience negative things/events but now you will know how to handle, respond and go through them.
  • When you practice forgiveness, you stop holding people hostage to their shortcomings.  As you start forgiving people, you start seeing them as fellow humans. You strengthen your compassion towards others.  
  • You will become more Present and Creative. When you’re focused on all the drama/trauma/pain that life and people might’ve caused you in the past, you’re still stuck in the past.  Forgiveness drains the past of its power and liberates the energy of the divine NOW(present moment). When you’re present, you can imagine, create and transform. The future belongs to those who are present and creative. You can’t be creative when you’re too attached to the past. Creativity is a high vibrational energy that comes to those who are tapped into the power of presence.  Learn from your past mistakes, but don’t relive them again. Forgive NOW!
  • Forgiveness can improve you physical health. According to John Hopkins Medicine, forgiveness has been linked to “lowering the risk of heart attack; improving cholesterol levels and sleep; and reducing pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression and stress. 
  • Forgiveness is not for other people, it's something we do for ourselves. It doesn't condone the actions of others who have hurt us. It doesn’t mean what happened was okay, and it doesn’t mean that person should still be welcome in your life(your boundaries still matter).  Forgiveness just means that you've made peace with what has happened, and you are ready to let it go(pain). 
  • Forgiveness is a sign of strength not weakness. It means that you are strong enough to control your mind and emotions and not let them control you.
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong"...Gandhi 
  • Forgiveness is a step towards healing. It's a gift we give to ourselves. When we forgive someone, it is the highest and most beautiful form of love (plus you get a sense of peace and happiness in return). And it becomes easier for you to heal those wounds. 
 "When we hold onto a resentment, grievance, shame, guilt, or pain from the past, our entire body-mind suffers," Deepak Chopra 
  • Forgiveness is an act of empathy and compassion for the other person. When we put ourselves in the shoes of the other person, we can see the forces that led them to do what they did. That doesn’t in any way justify it when others do wrong, but it can help us in the process of moving forward.  
  • Forgiveness helps us to restores hope; for better future, for a better relationships. By forgiving yourself and others, you restore your hope, and with more hope you can face anything life throws your way.  

Conclsuion 


Remember we are all humans, and we’re all doing our best. Forgive and forget and move forward with love. Obsessing over negative people/events from the past doesn’t erase the past. All it's doing is robbing our NOW and disturbing our inner peace.  So, be mindful and keep your eyes focused on things that are meaningful to you in the Now. And remember that it's okay to feel whatever you are feeling at the moment(emotions) but it’s not okay to let those emotions take permanent residence in your heart and mind.  Stop searching for perfection, it doesn’t exist. We all should start accepting that people are humans and sometimes they have problems. Do your best and forget the rest. 

Forgive and forget. Live and let live.  

As they say "Be the change you’d like to see in others".. Lead by example! 

 “Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them so much.” ...Oscar Wild

I hope this post was helpful to you!
If it was, then don't forget to share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Lot's of Love and Light

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POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS FOR COVID-19 TO MANAGE SHTRESS AND ANXIETY 

For many of us, the past two years have been full of stress and anxiety. Uncertainty and rapid changes have made it very difficult to adapt. And all of it is affecting us in so many ways; mentally as well as physically.  It's even affecting the kind of relationship we have with food, physical activities and the way we see ourselves. And that's why it has become more important than ever to go inward, to upgrade our inner programs so that we can live happily and peacefully during this pandemic. There are so many practices and tools that you can use and today I'm gonna share one of them with you. 

affirmations for covid anxiety

So, are you ready?

I'm sure by the title you already know what I'm sharing share. Yes, I'm going to share few positive affirmations in this post that I have specially written for the pandemic period. These affirmations (along with meditation, exercise and healthy food) will help you to cope up with the stress and anxiety that we all are facing during these tough times. Please feel free to screenshot these affirmations or copy them, recite them. Share this post with as many people as you can. Idea is to make each other feel better so that we can live better, and serve better. We all are in this together and this is my way of helping YOU. 

Why Affirmations?

We all know that too much focus on negative experiences can quickly derail our mood, confidence, energy and ability to maintain a thriving mind. That's why it is so important to redirect and reframe our negative thoughts (or stressful events) when they occur. Positive affirmations are a useful tool to pull you out in those moments. And the best part is that you can use this anytime and anywhere. So, are you ready?

 

Affirmation: What's a affirmation?

It's a simple declarative statement that helps you focus on the positive and to affirm what you would like to be true. In simple language, it's a positive statement about how you want to be( how you want to feel). With positive affirmations you can train your brain to temporarily overcome its negative bias and focus on the positive. It's neuroplasticity in action, building new pathways in the brain through commitment and practice. Your positive affirmations can be gentle(or hard) challenge to see yourself and the world in a different, better light.

An affirmation is about you, hence it should start with "I'm" (a statement of being not a statement of becoming). It's a sentence, a positive sentence. We can make the active choice to be intentional about where we direct our focus and positive affirmation just by doing that.

And when you say or read the statement you have to believe in it fully and feel it fully in your body to reap maximum benefit out of it. 

I know how hard it is to imagine a positive start of your day when things are not going right(during these tough times). But trust me, regular repetition of these affirmations encourage your brain to take them as facts. You can say these affirmations silently or as loudly as you want. You can visualize these affirmations in front of the mirror or you can write them in your journal. However, you prefer will work. 

Affirmations for Covid-19- Reduce Stress During Pandemic



I'm Light.
I'm Love.
I'm Loved.
I'm Guided.
I'm Healthy.
I'm Powerful.
I'm Protected.
I choose to be Relaxed.
I choose LOVE over fear.
I Release all of my fears.
I embrace change lovingly.    
I release all of my worries.
I welcome peace into my life.
I will focus on the things I love.     
I'm grateful that I'm healthy and safe.  
This can be hard and I can do hard things.   
I have the strength to handle big problems.  
I do not wait for my happiness I create it now.  
I find deep meaning in the difficult times of my life.  
I welcome peace into all my interactions with others.
I rise to overcome any challenges that come my way.
I will not stress over things that are out of my control. 
No matter what the day brings I will be calm and positive.  
Everything that I need today will be made available to me.
I'm the the Universe and God is within me and around me.
My body is strong enough to make me safe during this time.
Wonderful opportunities for growth are presented to me today.  
I know how to solve problems to create abundance in my life.  
I will use this time to cultivate even more gratitude for my life.  
With every breath, I’m releasing anxiety and becoming calmer. 
When I feel overwhelmed, I focus on my breath and I slow down.  
I know how to pivot to positivity and gratitude when I am worried.  
I choose to appreciate the good in my life even in difficult situations.   
I let go of what I can’t control and focus on being a light in my world.  
Joy and gratitude radiate through me and I inspire others to do the same. 
I nurture my body and my mind with positive thoughts, healthy food and a lot of rest.


Read and rpeat these affirmations anytime you want. These affirmations will help you to reprogram your mind with uplifting thoughts!
I hope this post was helpful to you!
If it was, please don't forget to share your experience in the comments!
Have a beautiful day and Go manifest the Happiest Life of Your Dream!   

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How to Conceive : Tips for couple to get Pregnant

Hi Everyone!


I’m back with yet another family planning blog post. This is a follow up post of  “How to plan a Baby After Marriage”

As I mentioned in my previous post that it’s quite important for a couple to get ready for the baby’s arrival; financially, physically, spiritually and mentally (long before you even conceive). There are things you need to take care of before you even start thinking of getting pregnant. Do you know that half of all pregnancies are unplanned. By planning your pregnancy, you get a jump start on a whole host of things. This includes a potentially shorter time to get pregnant, a healthier pregnancy, fewer complications, and painful symptoms, as well as time to think about what all of your options are for your pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum. So, it’s better to be well prepared and that’s why I made this post to share our experience with you. I have listed the things which has helped us to get pregnant. So, based on our own experiences below I have listed few things which you need to do or avoid to get pregnant quickly: 

Things You should Do Now if You’re Thinking About Getting Pregnant:


Have a Healthy Lifestyle:

Eat a nutritionally-dense diet even before you conceive. Have your partner join you on a road to good health, including diet and exercise. When both of you will work towards a healthy lifestyle, it will make each of you more likely to succeed. So, eat smart, move right, and sleep well.

Go off the Pills or Stop using Contraception

Before you start actively trying to conceive, you’ll need to stop using birth control (almost 3 months before you plan to start trying). This will give you a bit of time to see what your natural menstrual cycle is like 27 days or 32 days so you can figure out when you’re ovulating (the time of the month when you’re most fertile). If you’ve been taking the pill for a while, your cycle could be different from what it was before you started. When you stop using hormonal contraception or the IUD, your body’s natural fertility returns. The sooner fertility returns, the sooner you can track your cycle, pinpoint ovulation and get pregnant. It can take a while for hormone levels to get back on track after you ditch the pill, but if your period’s still MIA after three months, you should see your doctor.

Stop Drinking and Smoking

Excess alcohol intake has been shown to interfere with your fertility and can also lower sperm count in men. Smoking cigarettes, even socially, can affect your egg quality and your hubby’s sperm. It might also increase your risk of birth defects, miscarriage, preterm labor, and other conditions after you become pregnant. It’s estimated that up to 13 percent of fertility problems may be caused by tobacco use. No level of smoking or exposure to smoke is safe. In fact, research shows that even women who are exposed to secondhand smoke have more problems getting pregnant than those who aren’t. Many people think that they will stop once pregnant, but the damage is done. This is true for both partners.

Start taking a Prenatal Vitamins:

Start taking a prenatal vitamin with folic acid. Prenatal vitamins can help reduce the likelihood of certain types of birth defects, called neural tube defects (NTD), like spina bifida and anencephaly etc.

Limit caffeine:

Caffeine consumption is shown to decrease female fertility (however, one cup of coffee a day is just fine). Studies show that too much caffeine can trigger miscarriage. So start minimize your caffeine intake. And don’t forget to tally other common sources of caffeine like; soda, tea, energy drinks, and even certain pain medications just start reading labels to see how much caffeine is in your diet.

Stock up on Sleep

Bank those zzzzz’s now with your husband on the weekends (nap whenever you can). Most of us anticipate sleepless nights once baby arrives, but many women don’t realize that it can be tough to get a decent night’s rest during pregnancy (due to heartburn, frequent pee and adjusting to side-snoozing etc). It might even help you get pregnant faster. I have heard that women who get too little sleep tend to have more problems ovulating regularly than those who don’t. So, sleep right!

Manage Your Stress & Anxiety

Some research shows that having crazy-high stress levels can delay your ability to get pregnant by making ovulation wacky, or by interfering with an embryo’s ability to implant in the uterus. Take an emotional gut-check now, start doing Yoga and Meditation. Both of these will makes you feel calm and relaxed. It’s very important to feel calm and prepared for this next phase of your life. Figure out what helps you relax best(For me Pranayama, Meditation, Journaling, a simple walk and watching my favorite shows worked really well). So, whatever works for you now, will also help you when you’re pregnant or a new mom.

Minimize your Exposure to the Chemicals

Most experts recommend trying to minimize your exposure to the chemicals, especially in the first trimester when your baby’s major organ growth takes place. So, start avoiding chemicals few months before you start trying to conceive. 

Have a preconception checkup:

We started thinking of getting pregnant after 4 years of our marriage. We both were super ready to start the new chapter of our life. So, the very first thing we did was to get our vitals and everything else checked(in October 2017). The preconception checkup helps you get any chronic conditions diagnosed and/or under control before getting pregnant, which in turn minimizes their effects on your pregnancy and baby. Plus this visit is a good opportunity to ask your doctor anything on your mind about getting pregnant or pregnancy. Many experts recommend booking a pre-pregnancy checkup at your ob-gyn at least three months before you plan to start trying. You’ll want to make sure you’re up-to-date on vaccinations, checked for STDs, tested for heart-health issues like high blood pressure and cholesterol, and make sure that any chronic conditions (such as diabetes, asthma, or thyroid problems) are in check. That preconception checkup made us sure that we both were physically capable of bringing a new soul into this world. When we went for the check up, the staff at the hospital were like why are we doing this(at that moment my period were regular and we both were fine). But, we just wanted to make sure that we don’t have any diseases or if everything is okay with our bodies(including our reproductive system). I also got myself vaccinated for Hepatitis B vaccine coz my gyno recommended that. I know many people just start the whole process on their own but trust me medical help can make a huge difference in this whole process. It’s a lot easier to get pregnant (rather comforting) when you know that you both are healthy. That’s why it’s quite important to look after your health before you decide to start a family. 

Monitor Your Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Calendar:

I have always monitored my menstrual cycle, earlier I used to use calendar from my journal or any extra calendar available in our house. And from 2016, I have been using clue app to monitor my menstrual cycle and ovulation window. You can start using this app too if you want. However, there are couple of similar apps available for androids as well as for iPhones. So, chose the one you like, these app will help you to monitor your menstrual cycle and ovulation window. They will give you an idea of when you are most likely to get Pregnant. And don’t worry if your periods are not coming on times just seek for the doctors advice. When we were planning right after our preconception checkup and HBV, my cycle got irregular too ( for few months) and that’s why we took the help of my gyno before we started anything else. She helped us not only to regulate my period (by giving me some prescriptions to regulate my period), but she also helped me to monitor my ovulation period and gave me an exact ovulation window. I was also using ovulation test strips to check if I was ovulating in that exact window given by my gyno (I can even tell you the exact date when we conceived our little one). Trust me, it makes the whole process a lot easier if you know your exact ovulation period. 

So, if your cycle is regular, you’re most likely to get pregnant if you have sex within a day or so of ovulation (The time when an egg gets released from the ovary). This is usually about 14 days after the first day of your last period, if your cycle is around 28 days long. An egg lives for about 12-24 hours after being released. So, it’s advised to have sex during that window. 

I have written everything in this post that has helped us to get pregnant and I hope it helps you and your partner too.

PS: If you and your partner are fertile, all of the things which I have mentioed above will help you get pregnant fast. However, be patient with the whole process as it might take longer than what you would have expected. There are many factors which determines when one can get pregnant. So, have patience and if needed don’t shy away from taking some help from your gyno (specially if you are above 30s). 

Declaimer: All content on this Blog, including medical opinion and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual situation. Use of this site and the information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.

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How to plan a baby after marriage? 

NOTE: This post was published on March 10, 2020!

how to plan a baby

Hi Everyone!

It’s been over a year now since I last posted anything here on my blog. If you are following me on any of my social media handles you might already know that we have been blessed with a Baby Boy on 31st Jan 2019. And we have been super busy with our little munchkin ever since he arrived. To know more about my motherhood journey I would suggest you to follow me on my Instagram as I keep posting all of my motherhood experiences and our day to day life there. Now that our cute little handsome is one year old (and we have our routine down) I’m getting back at blogging. So, now onward I will keep sharing my motherhood journey here. As of now let’s get back to today’s topic i.e “How & When to plan a Baby after Marriage ” 

Well, first let me tell you about US: we got married on 3rd, May 2013 (when I was 27 and my husband was 29 years old) and we both decided very early in our marriage that we will wait at least 4 to 5 years before we will start a family. To be honest we both wanted to know each other better, save enough money, travel, and grow together. We just wanted to be ready for our little one’s arrival; financially, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. And that’s what we did; we started planning when we were financially, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically ready to start a family. We got pregnant in May 2018 (exactly 5 Years after our marriage) and we are so happy that we waited this much as there couldn’t be a better timing as WE WERE SUPER READY!


TBH it wasn’t that easy to wait this much long as you all know how our Indian society works. As soon as you get married, all of your relatives start asking you the same questions over and over again: when are you going to have a baby? Why aren’t you having a baby? What are you waiting for? and so on….


So, for that you both need to have thick skin and hard determination so that those questions won’t affect you or make you change your decision. Coz at the end of the day it’s gonna be you two who will be raising your baby and for that you both needs to be prepared in so many ways. Remember, at the end of the day, BOTH OF YOUR lives will be the ones changing drastically, forever, and there are things to think about and prepare for. 

So, in this post I’m gonna share things that has helped us plan our pregnacy and I’m sure these things will help some of you too!

Things to consider before starting a family:

As I mentioned above there were few things we needed to work on before starting our family and these are some basic yet quite essential things which everyone should consider working on before going ahead with family planning. Coz preparing for a baby isn’t just about tiny clothes and heartwarming ultrasound photos; it involves a lot of planning and preparations (before we get to that level). Below I have listed few things you need to consider before starting a family:

Have an honest Conversation with Your Partner

The first thing you should do as a couple is to discuss this matter before or right after marriage. That way you both will have an idea of what the other person think about starting a family and after discussion, you can decide when will be best time for both of you to start a family. There’s also a lot of evidence to show that partners who enter parenthood intentionally have better outcomes for their relationship and for their child. So, be in it together!

Know Each Other Better and Work on Your Relationship:

Even after timeline is set, couple should work on their own relationship coz it will be better for them as well as for their baby. Some people have children to repair an ailing relationship but this doesn’t always work. To be parents it’s quite important to be in love with each other. Ask yourselves if you’re ready to commit to perhaps 20 years together as parents. It’s a big question. So, work on your relationship first then go ahead with the family planning. 

Save Enough Money:

Once you are okay with the timeline start saving money for your baby coz raising a child is expensive. Look long and hard at your finances and work out how you’ll manage. That’s why I think it’s better to wait and try to save, or you might decide to go ahead and manage somehow (there is no right answer). But it’s always better to be financially prepared for the new arrival. 

Have a Healthy Lifestyle:

By actively pursuing good health, proper nutrition and removing potential harmful things from your life before conceiving will increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. So, both of you should start living a healthy lifestyle long before you start your family planning. Trust me there are so many things that you might think do not really have any bearing on whether or not you and your partner have a healthy baby, but the more we study, the more you will find that what you do before you get pregnant (or before you know you’re pregnant) really does have a huge effect on the health of your pregnancy and baby for a lifetime. So, it’s better for both of you to start living a healthy and happly life.

Work on your Spiritual, Emotional and Mental Well Being:

As I mentioned above for us it was quite essential to work on our mental, spiritual and physical well being before we started thinking of getting pregnant. And I think it’s quite important (not just for us but) for every parent to be mentally and spiritually ready for the baby’s arrival. Remember that before nurturing anyone else you should nurture yourself first. So, start doing things which makes you grounded, peaceful and happy. For me reading/watching/listening to spiritual content, doing meditation and Pranayama has always worked. And for you it could be anything, anything that connects you to your true self and make you feel happy, peaceful and grounded; do that often (taking good care of your all-round well being will also have a positive effect on your baby as well). 

And once both of you are at the same page and ready for the next level of your relationship, you guys can start thinking of getting pregnant. 

Once you have already worked on all aspects of your life as mentioned above the next step will be ” How to conceive” and that will be a whole another blog-post itself. So, you will have to wait for that one.

So are thinking about trying to get pregnant? 

Was this post helpful?
Share your thoughts in the comments!


Declaimer: All content on this Blog, including medical opinion and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual situation. Use of this site and the information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.


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How to make 2019 a Great Year with New Resolutions?

Hi Everyone! 

Welcome to my Blog in 2019!


Each New Year comes with new energy and new opportunities. And TBH, we all have new hopes, new desires, new dreams and goals for the year ahead!

No matter what kind of goals/hopes/dreams/desires you have, if you want 2019 to be your year, you need to make sure you're setting yourself up for self love, discipline, determination, and ultimately for success. 

A lot of people might find it bit cliche to make a wish list or to set some new resolutions for the coming year. But for me both being grateful for the past year and setting up some new goals with new resolutions is very important. Although, you can do both of these things any time of the year. Infact, I would suggest you to do them whenever you think is perfect time for you. Being said that, it's not that I'm not grateful on other days of the year or I don't change or transform myself on any other day, I do. But at this time you can re-evaluate everything you have done or achieved in the past year. You can evaluate your goals, resolutions and see how far you have come. You will be surprised when you start counting your blessings and all the things you have in your life.


Manifestation Rituals for Sending your Intentions to the Universe 

At the beginning of each year, we all should dedicate a day to setting our intentions specifically for that year. And today is My "Day of Setting Intentions for 2019" and I felt inspired to share with you all the vibe of setting my intentions up for the year. But before you start anythings, just take a few deep breaths and take some time to thank the past year for whatever it has given you. Please remember to always, always be grateful for the things that you already have while working for what you want.The next step is to visualize or write down whatever you want in 2019 (I usually, love to make a list of things in mind as well as in my journal or on my blog whatever I feel at that moment.). Always remember, the Universe has ears and is listening to everything you say and think. It will give you more of what you say, ask and believe. It's the right time to check in what are you affirming to yourself?

There are different ways to send your intentions/goals/wishes to the Universe 
  • Creating a Wish Jar
  • Creating a Vision Board
  • Jotting down all of your goals on Paper or Journal or on your Electronics Devices

No matter which method you will chose, they all do the same thing for you. When you write down your goals and wishes or envision them, you will discover new or real insights about your true goals. This process will give you a clarity with your true desires so that you can set your intentions on what actually matters to you. So, just chose the method which suits you the best. As I always say "Whatever floats your boats". In my case, I've chosen to write my wish list here on my blog and as well as in my journal.


My Intentions/Wish-list/Goals for 2019:

Healthy Lifestyle
Better Living Place
Healthy Relationships
Smarter Business Moves 
Spend my Energy Wisely
Financial Independence 
Creative Transformation
Spread Love and Kindness
Create More good content
Reduce my Carbon Footprint
More acceptance and Less Judgement 
More Love, Peace, Happiness & Contentment 
To become more aware about my mind, body and soul


New Year Resolutions to make 2019 Great 

No matter what kind of goals you have for 2019, with the help of following resolutions you will be able to achieve greater things in 2019. These are the resolutions which I will try to stick on to and you can do that too. Below are some of my resolutions/tips to make 2019 great:
  • Eat Healthier
  • Do Exercises and Yoga
  • Do more cooking at home
  • Let shit go
  • Love yourself
  • Try new things out
  • Learn stuff online
  • Start a new hobby
  • Learn a Language
  • Practice Meditation
  • Learn more skills
  • Drink less alcohol 
  • Stick to routine
  • Find a mentor 
  • Visualize success
  • Start that business 
  • Network with the right people
  • Save your money
  • Invest your money
  • Stop procrastinating 
  • Stop negative habits
  • Read Books or eBooks 
  • Smile, laugh and love more
  • Make your happiness a priority 
  • Talk about the things you love
  • Manage your time better
  • Plan your day and week
  • Make a plan for a year or so
  • Chose your friends wisely
  • Sleep and wake up earlier 
  • Spend money on experiences 
  • Stop trying to win approval
  • Don't compare yourself to others
  • Take pride in your appearance 
  • Stay in touch with your family
  • Delegate so you are working smarter
  • Get control of your calendar
  • Watch educational shows 
  • Don't worry about opinions of others
  • Take good care of your body, mind and soul
  • Listen to informative and positive podcasts 
  • Do what you love coz' it will give you energy
  • Travel more (solo or with your loved ones)
  • Get rid of toxic people just keep your circle positive
  • Practice gratitude, be Humble and Keep counting your blessings
  • Challenge yourself daily just be brave when it comes to challenges
  • Complain less, step out of your comfort zone and make things happen
  • Make kindness a priority, be kinder to yourself first and then let your kindness flood the world
  • Un-follow anyone on social media and in real life who doesn't make you feel empowered, informed or inspired.
So, these are some of very basic resolutions that we all should follow not just this year but every year. I hope this post inspire you to make some new resolutions and amendments in your lifestyle. 

What are some of your resolutions for 2019?

Drop a comment below and let me know.!
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Bidding a Goodbye to 2018- My Gratitude Journal of 2018


Gratitude is the wine for the soul. Go on. Get Drunk...Rumi
What could be a better way to bid a Goodbye to 2018 than being grateful for everything it offered us, right?

Well, I'm certainly doing that today. As they say "What consume your mind controls your life" so better practice gratitude. I'm someone who has been always grateful for the things I had and have in my life. And trust me, practicing gratitude regularly will transform your life, it will make your life more beautiful and you will feel more contented. It will lower your stress, make you bit calmer and will deviate your mind from negative to positive.


Even studies has shown that people who does gratitude exercises feels less stressful. And all you have to do is make a list of things that you are grateful for, whether it's people or things you have, goals or mile stones you have achieved or lessons you have learnt or positive events or something else just write them down on piece of paper or on your phone or laptop etc #whateverfloatsyourboats. I do it every once in a while (sometimes I write it on my journal and  sometimes on my phone or even on my insta story). Whether you choose to write a few sentences in your gratitude journal, or simply take a moment to silently acknowledge all that you have, believe me giving thanks can transform your life in so many levels.

You can do it once a year or once a month or once a week or even once a day, basically whenever you feel like you need to. Just start doing this exercise and you will thank me later.  I was such a different person a year ago, and each and every day of 2018 has taught me something and has made me a better person. And that's how it supposed to be for every person on this earth. We need to constantly work on ourselves to become better than we were yesterday. By practicing Gratitude you will gain clarity on what you want in your life; it will help you to know yourself better, it will also helps you to focus on what really matters. In short you will become a better version of yourself.


So, now without further ado let's get started with the gratiude journal 2018!!

My Gratitude Journal of 2018-The Year in Review

  • I'm thankful that through out the year we had enough of everything we needed.
  • I'm thankful for the fact that in the beginning of this year my sister could come to visit us. It was her first international trip and we had a lot of fun when she was here.
  • I'm thankful that in the beginning of the year we were ready to start a family and within few months I got pregnant. I can't tell you how happy we were when we came to know and our lives have changed for better since then. 
  • I'm grateful that 2018 taught me that what actually matters and what doesn't. It has taught me: to show up as my best self; to meet people where they are; to make my work a priority, to stop aspiring to sit at tables where I have to bring my own chair, squeeze in between folks, and repeatedly convince others why I should be there. I learned to build a new table. 
  • I'm grateful that I finally deleted my coupon website and old blog, got a vision for my blog and finally aligned everything in the right direction.
  • I''m grateful that I could work on my wellbeing; physically, mentally as well as spiritually. I became more ME than I ever was. 
  • I'm grateful that this year I became more conscious/aware as a human being and started doing conscious efforts to make the world around me more peaceful and beautiful.
  • I'm grateful that I could reach to next level of minimalism this year, which has made my life bit more peaceful.
  • I'm grateful for the fact that we could go on vacations together here in Thailand
  • I'm grateful that we could visit our families in India. Plus I'm grateful that we both have amazing big fat families whom we love the most.
  • I'm grateful that finally, I could let go all the things which weren't serving me.
  • I'm grateful that we as a couple came more close to each other. 
  • I'm grateful for each and everything we have in our life from people we love to everything else.
  • I'm grateful that we could help our families, whenever they needed any kind of support. 
  • I'm thankful that I could build a community through my social media and my blog. 
  • I'm thankful to everyone who has been a part of my journey in 2018 virtually, physically, emotionally or in any other way possible.
Basically, this is how I'm bidding a goodbye to 2018 by being grateful for whatever it has given me. What about you guys?

Have you ever practiced Gratitude Exercises ?
If so, share your thoughts in the comments!

I hope this post will inspire or help some of you guys!

Love & Light 
Vandna 


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Turmeric Face Mask For Glowing Skin

Looking for the best turmeric face mask recipes?
Here's is one of my favorite turmeric face masks which will make your skin glow!
Turmeric is a plant that’s native to Asia and often used in cooking. This spice is also used in supplements for its medicinal value. It’s also used in both natural and conventional alternative skin care products. In fact, the turmeric face mask is gaining popularity to help address certain skin concerns.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1-2 teaspoons rose water

Procedure: 
  1. Mix the turmeric powder with the baking powder.
  2. Slowly add the rose water and mix until you get a smooth paste.
  3. Apply this pack on your face and leave it on for five minutes.
  4. Wet your fingertips and massage your face in gentle circular motions to remove dead skin.
  5. Keep massaging for a few minutes.
  6. Rinse with lukewarm water first and then with cool water. 
  7. Pat dry and apply either moisturizer or oil of your choice.

Benefits of Turmeric Mask:


  • Antibacterial
  • Skin irritation
  • Acne treatment
  • Wrinkle Treatment
  • Antioxidant power
  • Reduce Hyper-pigmentation
  • Reduce Inflammation/Swelling 

Like conventional skin care masks, it can take some time to see the full results of your homemade masks, so it’s important to stick with it for a few weeks at minimum. Try this mask at least once a week.
What's your favorite turmeric masks?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
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Popular Online Shopping Sites in Thailand-2018
Online Shopping Sites in Thailand

Hi Everyone!
So, how many of you had a day where you felt like shopping ‘til you drop but the excruciating heat just won’t let you get out of that air conditioned room? 
Or 
your schedule is so mighty hectic 
Or 
you just can’t be bothered because you are a lazy butt and the couch always wins?

Well, I have been there myself couple of times and I'm sure some of you might have been there too. Thanks the internet for saving our times with anything offered online, instead of going out for a item or two, for which you may spend longer hours if you go store to store. Now getting an item or items online is much easier. Thank heavens there is more than one way to satisfy those shopping cravings that just kick in from nowhere!

Online Shopping Websites in Thailand

Thailand is a place for shopaholics and one of the reasons is that shopping here doesn’t burn that big of a hole in your wallet (plus there is always something tempting you on every corner). Not only is Thailand full of brick and mortar shopping malls and markets of all sorts, but there are a number of places where you can enjoy online shopping like nowhere else. Below, I have listed some of the most Popular Online Shopping Websites in Thailand
  1. Lazada Thailand: I have found Lazada to be the best by far in Thailand in terms of service reliability and quality.The leader, by far, of e-commerce in Thailand, also present in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, Lazada is an online department store and marketplace for retailers to sell their own products. Founded in 2011 by Rocket Internet, the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba acquired a controlling stake in Lazada and its operations in Southeast Asia in 2016. Lazada brings before you a wide range of products from Home appliances, TV, gadgets, baby products, sportswear to travel, lifestyle fashion, heath and more at pocket-friendly price. 
  2. Shopee Thailand:   Shoppe- is a shopping application. It is popular because it usually give away discount code. But mostly this application is popular among Thai women. 
  3. Kooksi/Zalora: Asia’s best online fashion store started its business in 2012(as Zalora) and has continued growing since. This fast online fashion retailer offers men and woman products from over 500 brands from international and local as well as their own in-house brands.  Looksi online fashion shopping website adds hundreds of new products every week and continues to bring new well-known and unwell-known brands to you. On the website, you will find marketplace where local independent designers and brands are gathered to offer unique fashion items, so be ready for new experiences. If you are worried your will splurge a bit too much, this site has what they call the Outlet section where you will find sales and discounted items. Also, Looksi regularly carries out the best promotions and discounts such as ‘Singles Day’ or ‘11.11’ on 11th November, with over 50% discounted fashion pieces. Whether on mobile or desktop you can bet your money on an unforgettable shopping experience. 
  4. Pomelo Fashion Thailand-where modern fashion begins: Pomelo is an online fashion shopping store only a couple years old which currently has its roots dug deep in Bangkok, Singapore and Seoul.Pomelo only has women’s collection, but even though the categories are limited, the designs do catch girls’ attention and is famous as ever on social media. You can find pop-up stores in several market events and might have seen the collections featured in many Thai magazines. The fashion retailer keeps bringing its new collections twice a week, so you always have something to look forward to.What makes this website stand out is the notifications sent out to customers when sold out items are back in stock with the descriptions being so detailed to even go on further and explain models’ measurements. Sadly, though this is one online shopping website that rarely gives promotion campaigns or discounts.
  5. WearYouWant Thailand-fashion for everyone: this is another hotspot for shopping the latest and best of fashion online for women, men and kids; offering clothes, shoes and cosmetics. WearYouWant gives free shipping for shipment over 390 baht; provides credit card, cash on delivery and online payment to give more accessible with 14 days return policy. If something is not right, chatting online or calling them is always a convenient option. While exploring the website, you would expect to find over 400 brands and more than ten thousand items, which are mostly local independent brands and a hint of international labels here and there. For fashion inspiration, be sure to check out the Wear You Want blog which is guaranteed to shower you with the latest Thai fashion, featuring some of Thailand’s well known faces. From chic dresses and casual attires for ladies to classy and smart apparel for men, the leading online store houses a versatile range of stuff for people who love to flaunt their fashion.
  6. Sephora/Luxola: This is specially a website for beauty lovers. you can explore endless beauty products from the world's most desired beauty brands.
  7. WeLoveShoopping: It's an old shopping website which was quite popular few years ago. You can find Home & Living, Health & Beauty, Gadgets & Electronics, Fashion, Mom & Baby stuff at very reasonable prices on this website.
  8. 11street Thailand: One of the main challengers of Lazada, 11street is also an online department store providing a marketplace for retailers to sell their products online. Launched in 2016, 11street Thailand was launched by SK Planet, owner of the original 11street site from South Korea.
  9. King Power (Duty-free business): was very popular many years ago. Now you can still find a wide rage of things to buy.
  10. Kaidee.com: Kaidee is a brother with OLX in Indonesia and Chotot in Vietnam. Kaidee (in Thai means: sell well), a classified platform for both new and second hand product listings.
  11. JIB: JIB computer group is a specialized computer and IT products department store from Thailand. JIB has developed its own e-commerce website and become a leading specialized shop for technology products and gadgets online.  
  12. Tarad:Tarad: Founded in 1999 by Pawoot (Pom) Pongvitayapanu, Thailand’s first e-commerce website, Tarad is an online C2C and B2C e-commerce marketplace. A majority stake was bought by Rakuten in 2009 before being sold to the Thai company, Porar Web Application in 2016. Following this acquisition, Tarad now aims at becoming “one-stop service solution for SMEs and large businesses in Thailand”.
  13. HomePro: Founded in 1995, HomePro is a leading home improvement retail chain from Thailand. Having developed its website into an e-commerce platform, HomePro sells diverse home and family equipment, tools and accessories. 
  14. Se-ed: Originally a books and magazines publishing company, Se-ed has created its own e-commerce website and become an online leader in the sales of books in Thailand, together with other related items and more diverse categories.
  15. Advice: Advice is a retail and wholesale distributor of smart phones and IT goods with 350 branches in Thailand and Laos. A leading distributor of IT products online, Advice also has one of the most popular e-commerce websites of Thailand.
  16. Central.co.th: A leading chain of department stores in Thailand, Central has launched its own online e-commerce website to compete against online platforms, with products ranging from beauty and fashion to home and decoration.
  17. Munkong Gadget: Munkong Gadget is a specialized audio gadgets and accessories products chain of stores in Thailand. With its own e-commerce platform, Munkong Gadget has also become a leader in the sales of audio equipment online.
  18. Index Living Mall: A Thailand-based furniture retailer owned by Index Interfurn Group. 
  19. CMart: CMART is one of the leading eCommerce service providers in Thailand under the management of the company. Distribution (Thailand), part of BJC Group, the leading retailer in Thailand. And under the cooperation with Big C Supercenter. Guaranteed cheapest 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to give you the most impressive online shopping experience. Throughout the online shopping. CMART was established in 2014 to provide services and add convenience to Thai customers. To purchase thousands of products and services. Through online transactions, using the latest innovations. Lowest price guarantee. The taste and customer satisfaction. You can buy products such as mobile phones, tablets, electronics. Consumer Electronics Fashion for Ladies and Gentlemen Health products In addition, they also offer convenience in shopping with payment by credit card, debit card, online payment via bank. 
  20. EzBuy: EzBuy is owned by EZbuy Holdings Limited. It was founded in 2010 by a group of aspiring entrepreneurs having a single mindset to bring quality products in a convenient way to the locals via our platform. As of today, ezbuy has more than 3 million customers from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. We have also brought millions of quality products from China, USA, Taiwan, Korea and Local for our customers. 
  21. Shopat24.com: ShopAt24.com an online shopping mall that provides you with free payment and delivery services at Seven Eleven store near your house 24 hours a day. www.ShopAt24.com is part of 24Shopping company limited. They provide wide range of high-quality products of all type in response to the need of customers. You can buy various types of products from Health and Beauty, Mom and Kids, Home and Living, Fashion, Mobile and Tablet, Electronic devices and Home appliances, and many more. All products have copyright from supplier and distributor with certified quality and authenticity thus the customer can be 100% confident while shopping. They also provide customers with guarantee, return and refund policy. 
  22. Line Shop
  23.  Aliexpress/Aalibaba
  24. The Outlet24
  25. Amazon etc

Have you ever shopped online in Thailand if yes, then share your favorite online shopping websites in the comments!

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About Me

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Vandna Tilkaan
Vandna is an avid blogger living in Thailand, devoting most of her time to creative writing and blogging since 2012.

Academically, she has done Ayurvedic Pharmacy, Post Graduation Diploma in Computer Applications and Master in English. Using her intuitive skills along with her own experience; as well as with her online expertise, she loves to help others in every possible way.

Categories you will find on her blog:
Mindful Living, Gentle Parenting, Holistic Lifestyle, Healthy Veg Recipes, Product Reviews and Travel etc. On her blog you will also find up-to-date information about blogging tips and tricks.

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She also work as Freelance Writer and Happiness & Manifestation Coach.
So, if you are looking for any of the above feel free to contact her.
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