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How I Started Respecting My Boundaries — and Why You Should Too

I used to think boundaries were for other people — the ones who were strict, disciplined, or assertive. Me? I just went along, said yes, and tried to keep everyone happy. It started small. A family member would ask me to spend a little extra on something “important,” a friend would expect me to be available at odd hours, and colleagues would slip tasks onto my plate without asking. I didn’t mind at first. I shrugged it off, telling myself, “It’s fine. I can handle it.” But over time, I noticed something. That quiet tension in my chest, the subtle frustration that I couldn’t shake, the evenings I spent worrying instead of resting — it was all piling up. And I realised, slowly but painfully, that I had no boundaries. The Wake-Up Call The moment that changed everything was simple. I was tracking my monthly expenses and savings — something I had been doing for years — and I noticed how often I was giving away money or energy without thin...
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Why Vain CuriosityWastes Your Time—and How to Break Free

“You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.” — Marcus Aurelius Earlier, it was Facebook. Before that, Orkut. Then email. Even the daily horoscope. And now? It’s Groww. The stock market. I feel a regular itch to check my portfolio—whether my shares have gone up or down. I know this urge is a waste of time. Monitoring the market’s tiny daily movements doesn’t help. Experts say the same, and their reasoning is solid, grounded, unarguable. And yet? I still give in to the impulse. I keep checking, even though I know it steals my time and attention—leaving less room for real, productive work. But if productivity is my aim, I must be ruthless about weeding out habits that hold me back. If I clearly know that a certain activity doesn’t contribute to my growth, there’s no excuse for continuing it. I need to kill my base impulses, however intense they feel in the moment. Doing that would fr...
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Why I Challenge Myself to Write 500 Words in 10 Minutes Every Morning

Why I Challenge Myself to Write 500 Words in 10 Minutes Every Morning Every morning, before the market opens, I sit down and write. It’s not always easy. In fact, I deliberately make it a little hard. My goal? 500 words in 10 minutes. It might sound intense—and it is—but I’ve done it before, many times. And every time I do, I get a little better. A little faster. A little more confident in my ability to express myself, even when the words aren’t flowing perfectly. The Power of Tough Daily Challenges I believe in pushing boundaries. Not to the point of burnout, but enough to feel discomfort—the kind that signals growth. If I always stayed within my comfort zone, how would I improve? So I set tough, time-boxed goals like these to sharpen my skills. But I also keep it realistic. Writing 1,000 words in 10 minutes? That’s just chaos. But 500? That’s my sweet spot. It forces me to think, to focus, and—most importantly—to let go of perfecti...
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Breaking Resistance: How I’m Turning September into a Month of Growth

Whenever I sit down to freewrite, I often wonder if I’m just indulging myself. Am I really doing something worthwhile, or simply escaping tougher challenges? This doubt slows me down. But over time, I’ve realised something important: freewriting is not an escape. It’s a practice that sharpens my thinking, improves my expression, and helps me discover new ideas I wouldn’t have found otherwise. Every session makes me a little better, even if it doesn’t feel like “serious work” in the moment. Turning intentions into concrete goals If I want to create something meaningful, I must treat my writing practice as a rewarding pursuit—and back it up with clear goals. For September, I’ve set myself four tasks: Publish one blog post every week Post two videos Read at least two books Speak in English with my children The first two will help me get consistent with “shipping” m...
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Astoundingly Small Daily Choices That Build a Wealthy, Grateful Future

Have you ever looked at someone successful and wondered, How did they get there? The truth often isn’t glamour—it’s consistency. Quiet, persistent action. And what may look like overnight success is usually years in the making. I’ve been sitting with a thought lately that’s quietly reshaping my habits: The effort I put in today is a gift to my future self—and to the people I love. The work I do now may feel thankless, but it’s the very thing that could transform my future life. "The future depends on what you do today." – Mahatma Gandhi Whether it’s putting in the hours at work, learning something new, or investing small amounts of money regularly, these acts are not wasted. They compound — just like interest does. Small, consistent effort in the present becomes long-term growth in the future. And nowhere is this principle more visible than in personal finance . Your Daily Habits Are Financial Investments Too ...
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Quick Secrets to Get Rich from The Intelligent Investor

Recently, I gave a quick read to a few chapters of The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham. Though the language was slightly heavy at times, I managed to scoop out some incredible insights on how to build wealth. To my joy, the core lessons were clear and impactful — especially for someone like me who’s trying to get better at managing money and understanding the logic behind investing. Here’s what stood out. 💡 Investment ≠ Speculation One of the book’s central ideas is that there’s a huge difference between investing and speculating — and we often blur that line without realizing it. Graham stresses that true investing is about analyzing where your money goes , aiming for long-term growth. Speculation, on the other hand, is about chasing quick profits, often driven by guesses, trends, or hype. He recommends that if you must speculate, keep it to no more than 10% of your total investments. Anything more, and you're just ga...
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The Unsurprising Power of Work: Finding Joy in the Grind

"At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: ‘I have to go to work—as a human being. Why should I feel annoyed if I’m going to do what I was born to do?'" — Marcus Aurelius (Meditations 5.1) We all have different definitions of happiness. Some people find joy in parties and luxuries, while others, like you and me, feel most fulfilled when pushing themselves towards a goal. There’s something deeply rewarding about working — not just for success but for the sense of growth and progress it brings. Why Work Feels So Rewarding There’s a common belief that work drains you, but people like me find the opposite to be true. The more effort I put in, the more I enjoy the process. It’s like a muscle — the more we use it, the stronger it gets. The challenges that once seemed overwhelming start feeling achievable. Right now, I’m focused on improving my communication skills. Ever...
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The Price of Ego, Quarrels, Distractions

"If someone succeeds in provoking you, realise that your mind is complicit in the provocation." — Epictetus I’ve wasted precious hours in unnecessary quarrels. It’s easy to get off course, to let ego pull us away from what truly matters. And in the past, I’ve allowed this to happen more times than I’d like to admit. Looking back, I can see how pointless those arguments were. If I had kept my goals in sight, I would have understood how meaningless those conflicts would prove to be. Every moment spent on negativity was a moment stolen from my growth. But if there’s one thing I can learn from my past mistakes, it’s this: my energy is better spent on self-improvement, not on proving a point to others. Rising Above If my journey toward discipline and self-mastery makes me appear weak or cowardly in the eyes of others, so be it. The truth is, the real strength lies in restraint – in taming our dest...
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Beyond External Praise: Why Inner Recognition Fuels True Growth

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"If you are ever tempted to look for outside approval, realise that you have compromised your integrity. If you need a witness, be your own." — Epictetus Recently, I shared my Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025 photos and videos with others. Their reactions were heartening — words of appreciation, encouragement, and admiration. And I won’t lie — it felt good. Their recognition gave me a surge of self-esteem. But then, a question crossed my mind: Would I have felt this level of confidence if no one had acknowledged my achievement? The honest answer? No. That realisation was unsettling. Because regardless of whether anyone noticed, the truth remained unchanged: I had accomplished something. Something that required effort, discipline, and perseverance. And that alone made it worthy of recognition — even if the only person recognising it was me. Yet, my self-esteem had risen not because of what...
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The Astounding Power of Staying Present and Celebrating Small Wins

Do you feel that the pace at which you’re progressing is slow? For everyone, there are moments when rewards appear elusive, and efforts feel long and arduous. I admit that sometimes it seems as though I’m moving forward through a desert and drought, with fertile lands far out of reach. Progress rarely unfolds in a straight line, but every small step matters. As Confucius wisely said, “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” Today, I’m taking a moment to reflect on my journey and express gratitude for how far I’ve come. One of today’s highlights was completing my speaking session. It wasn’t easy — I had to push through negativity and self-doubt to find my voice — but I did it. To top it off, I also published a new blog post. These small actions might seem insignificant on their own, but together, they create meaningf...
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