I am a reader. I plan to read my way to becoming a gazillionaire.
I read in an article ,that there are around 199 billionaire women in the world. Of these one third owe their status to their husband or father .Telling this to my hubby I had an interesting answer .
He said there was one more ,in the making !That was a joke(on his part ) .But it got me thinking.Why are women having so much problem making money ?
Is it because we lack a business brain ?I don’t think so .Women infact suffer from the problem of perfectionism. We want meaningful lives ,preferably with someone to share it with.That derails our career goals and money ones too.
So what’s the way out of this loop?
Use your creative brain ladies. Find hacks ,books ,blogs anything you can get your hands on .
With that journey I share a glimpse of my reading list today. I love reading inspirational books which give psychological hacks to a better life.Our life is too short to make all mistakes and learn . Better to learn from the lessons people have already learnt from.
These two books
Tools of Titans by Tim Ferris Awakening the Giant within by Anthony Robbins were lurking on my list for sometime.
February seems to be the best time to start reading them. It’s not as stressful like the beginning of the new year and not yet halfway down .So a nice comfortable second month. It’s also the month of Love .
#Bookslutthursdays with #Shalzmojosays was one way of getting the Reading list out in the open.These tomes are worrying me.I might just need to extend February to 60 days.
I believe you can truly improve yourself ,when you love yourself .Tools of Titans by Tim Ferris give us a bird’s-eye view of the tactics ;routines and habits of billionaires and icons
In Awaken the Giant Within Anthony Robbins teaches us to tap into our inner powers and improve our lives.
When I was a teenager I used to love reading Reader’s Digest.
Reader’s Digest used to have great stories to make you get off the couch and plan your life . That’s why I am always on the hunt for life hacks . Other people’s experiences which will make me do more. Other people’s struggles which will help me stop the struggling. Other people’s fears ,which will make me face mine.
I am lucky to be living in a small town . Working full-time and still being able to take care of my baby .My hubby babysits when I work and duties are adjustable. So life goes on .I do have certain restrictions. I can’t travel for conferences.Nor can I go for workshops .I have no one here (except my hubby) ,who is a friend.I have little backup when I am ill. There are hardly any place to shop and what the restaurants serve are little to write about. But I still feel blessed .Except occasionally like today ,when my hubby is busy and I have no one except Rai to give me company. Sometimes the small things in life, like a cup of coffee with a friend or a carefree date night is what I miss most .But there’s a reason why I am here. I want to be one day ,be able to live location independently.
Maybe a trailer cum helicopter is the answer.If you want to read one of the books,go for Tools of Titans.Its a better organized and more helpful book.But I am a Tim Ferris fan since the time I read Four hour workweek.His books will help you connect the dots.
Have you ever learnt from a self help book ?Comment below to let me.
Counting blessings is a great habit. This month has been wonderful. I attended four picnics.One on each Sunday. I visited this amazing place near Indo-Bangladesh border at Tilason.I wrote about it here. I realized I feel the happiest when I am surrounded by nature ,have no food worries and see my baby and hubby playing .
I felt really blessed that my work place is a 5 minute walk away.I feel even more blessed that God gave me the option of spending so much time with my daughter. Watching a baby grow up is the biggest joy a mom can have! Bringing up another human being a future citizen of this country is serious work. I have been able to stop my constant worry cycles by a simple trick.I jump on the treadmill and run .Even 3 minutes of this makes me sweat so much my worries go zip zap zoom. I really want to colour my hair .But since I have zero option of a beauty parlour ,I have to brave it out at home.I am praying it will work out fine and I won’t have to take a month’s leave . I bought the Tools of Titan and my hubby gifted me ten Bengali murder mystery books for my birthday.That was the best day .Buying books and not worrying that I have an exam coming up.
Counting books and blessings
I am trying to plan my meals in advance ,to make grocery shopping more sensible.Yes I know that’s normal and not rocket science.Buy I have problems with questions like “what are you making for dinner tonight “? It puts me in a spot where I only want to order Pizza !
I had a fight this week with a very irresponsible person .Which reaffirmed my belief that telling people they are irresponsible or plain stupid is never a good idea. Absolutely never. Shouting at them, while telling that ,is even less fruitful. From February onwards I am going to try to express my irritations in a more constructive way.Yes I hope so !That’s going to be really difficult. But what’s life if not challenging .
Whenever I cook I feel grateful for my Airfryer which helped us indulge in some great snacks at one-third the calories.
I feel grateful that my balconies and windows receive sun and bloom so prettily. I feel blessed that I have a best friend as a life partner, who really understands me . I feel blessed to have a kind,creative,understanding four-year old who is fast becoming my favourite DIY project partner . She also loves dancing to random songs ,just like me!
I feel blessed that I am able to stop the niggling negative thoughts, successfully on 80% of the days. Sometimes you just need to key of a little steam though ! I decided to stop trying to get along with people who behave badly .It’s just not worth the drama. Life is too short for spending on nonsense.
Life is tough but beautiful. It’s like the rose .It gives you pleasure and pain. The trick is relive the good times and release the bad memories. The right balance of remember, learning and not feeling the pain of your experiences comes only with time. Everything heals .Just give it time. I feel blessed to be able to Blog daily for the last 89 days straight . What did you do this month?
I grew up in a typical Bengali middle class family.
With wants and needs being finely balanced by the monthly salary .
Though my parents were both working ,it was my mom who managed all household expenses.
My father’s salary mysteriously always found other uses.It was never spent on the household needs or our requirement for school stuff.
It wasn’t that he was a bad father .It was just that he didn’t care enough.
He suffered from occasional bouts of depression and swinging manic phases.
I didn’t know what I hated most !
When he wouldn’t get out of bed or when he would come home at midnight.
Either way my mom had it tough.
Bringing up two daughters single handedly.
Luckily we had plenty of guardian angels looking over us .
That’s why we survived.
We survived our home almost being auctioned by the credit card company.
We survived social humiliation.
We survived heartbreaks.
I always believed in God .
I always believed I would one day help people .How I was helped,I remembered .
I remembered all the time.Forgetting it, would make me weak.
That’s why I knew, I wanted to be a doctor.
Do you call that Serendipity?
Destiny or Serendipity? Destiny smiles on those who work hard.So if good things happen ,remember someone’s always watching over you
Being a doctor, life is different.
You see the pain ,the suffering ,the helplessness and hopelessness of so many people.
Doctors have to maintain a clinical distance and still have empathy .That’s a tough balance.
By embracing the pain and helplessness of my childhood as blessings I have carved out my life.It’s no use protecting children from sadness,conflict, rejection and dejection.It’s no use altering reality .It’s definitely no use lying to them.
Because ultimately we are the sum total of our experiencs .Good ,bad,ugly and the truly horrible!
I think it was destiny and serendipity that I have the emotional strength to practice being a doctor.
Because if life was easy ,I don’t think I could have made it this far.
I am thankful for being a doctor .I am thankful for this opportunity to make a difference.
Because I believe
The blessed are helped
The truly blessed can help.
Do you believe in destiny ?
Comment below to let me know .
Writing this for the Blogchatter prompt Serendipity .
Saraswati puja is next week .I have been a fan of the Goddess Laxmi -Saraswati sisters for as long as I could remember. When I was growing up,my family had plenty of financial troubles.
Luckily my maternal uncles were angels. They ensured me and my sister had no troubles when it came to studies and buying books.
Learning is a journey. Life and learning is limitless .The only thirst that should never quench is the love of learning.
When I look back I realize the dots always connect. If you want to learn something, do something, the Universe helps you ,guides your way. Even when the odds look impossible, miracles happen. My love for reading,of learning new skills ,of trying to make that a way of getting some extra cash dates back to the year 2000. I had cleared the state medical entrance and joined Calcutta Medical College. This was a dream come true. The best part my results ,it made me a good candidate for giving tuitions at home. My sister was a doll.She publicised my academic results among her friends and herself did so well ,that most of my students were actually her friends. I am thankful to all the people who helped support me during the time I needed it most. My friend Rukmini asked her Mom to let me tutor her little sister .Those little acts of kindness let me earn nicely to support the little pocket money I received. My mom had good financial sense and helped open up my Public provident fund account and savings account? very early to help me keep my earnings. I am going back in time to remember all the good people who helped me learn.Learn to be a doctor .Learn to help . Learn to be a good person.
Working on learning and working on being good is a lifelong journey. But very few people even start.That way my love of learning put me on the path to the best thing in life. That’s learning new things.
Linking up with #ClickandBlogAStory with Dew ,Geethica and Zainab .
I went for a picnic at the Indo-Bangladesh border called Tilason. We had a fantastic time.The wind blowing over the acres of yellow mustard fields blew away the cobwebs of everyday life.
I believe if we really rejuvenate our souls over the weekends ,work and life stress would have a lesser long term effect.
My daughter very aptly requests a small piece of the ocean and beach to play in.
Such a simple life children have.Just make a wish and someone will fulfill it.
Being grown up means you realise that yourself is the best person to take care of your dreams.
Throughout the week whenever I closed my eyes I see a green and yellow fields.Thw mustard flowers gently nodding their heads as the north wind advises them about a variety of things.
I visited the book fair at Malda. Yes Malda has a book fair.Its a pretty good one too.I got 10 books.My birthday is a week away and I am helping my hubby shop for gifts.
Sundays are fundays. This Sunday I went for another picnic .This was at Aquatic Bengal.Lots of fun for the little one.I love water sports. But it really is too cold to get in the water
But I like being surrounded by green water and fresh air.Crowds and blaring music notwithstanding, it’s pleasant.
There’s something about being free of the daily grind that puts me at peace.
What I wrote this week
On MondayMommyMoments this week 13 bloggers voiced their anger and concern regarding the #Bangaloremolestation incident.
Life is a journey #ClickandBlogAStory my entry won.I am hosting the linky this week with Bushra and Zainab.
Life is a journey
where survival depends on adaptation to sudden detours
-Amrita
This quote was the winning quote.
I won the #ClickandBlogAStory Linky Challenge week 2.How great us that.
I am grateful that I don’t have to be dishonest either for fame or money .
What I read
Just finished a Sarah Titus book
Reading Building framework.
Both review will be up soon.
Amy ‘s Useletter had amazing stuff this week. Have you signed up yet?
It’s free.
Looking into my Pin analytics I found was my top post .
On the personal front I am running everyday. The sugar cravings is much better .The only problem is baking for the little one when you are watching every morsel can be tough. This week I wish if I were a supermom, I would blast away all the corrupt politicians to Timbactoo.Or maybe South Pole . Seriously I am tired of the amount of tax payers money we spend to catch them and let them go.
Sunday question
What if you had funds taken care of.What small biz would you start to be financially free and why ?
where survival depends on adaptation to sudden detours
-Amrita
When I read Bushra and Zainab’s prompt this week,I knew I had to share this .
I was always a confident child (a confident woman too).
Growing up books gave be the power to help choose right from wrong.Books also helped me fire up my imagination. The downside of confidence was ,I didn’t take opposition to my thoughts very easily.
But life’s journey teaches you all your lessons.
God was kind to me .He helped me stand up again after falling badly. But I learnt one of my most precious lessons
Life is a journey .Are you having fun ?
The sudden break in my journey was enlightening. The people I met due to the detours made me who I am today.
Every bump in life’s journey ,should be accepted with grace.
Because that bump may throw you into the lap of divine opportunity.
Living in Malda I suffered homesickness. I have always been a city girl and the small town seemed impossible to love.
But this busy little town with no AC movie theatre ,no shopping malls and very little in terms of entertainment, is a blessing.
I am able to give a lot if time to my little girl.I have the most gorgeous balcony garden ,which my in laws water when I am travelling. I can blog in peace .
The most difficult life decision has been an amazing blessing in disguise.
I am still occasionally frustrated with the small irritations and lack of certain amenities .
But the good and the bad go hand in hand.
Life’s journey is more fun when we can enjoy the good and throw away the bad.
The only 2 things in life which are constant is “change” and “death”.
When we accept these truths life is easier.
Adaptation is an essential quality for survival .Are you upto it?
