Think of when we had all the time at our disposal – or so we felt. As kids, all we had to do was mind our business, do our homework, be nice to fellow kids, play, eat, and be mischievous! We didn’t prioritize sleep and half the things dear to us as adults!

We wore innocence that smelled better than the expensive perfumes we wear today. We carried our smiles that looked more admirable than all the branded clothes we could afford today. We greeted everyone wholeheartedly, which felt warmer than the fake likes and comments we shared on social media today. There were fewer mediums of communication but better social lives. There were more family dinners, peace of mind, and a better lifestyle back then! As time passed, so did most of the good things we enjoyed as kids! Today, we have kids of our own, and we wonder whether or not we will be able to give the same childhood we once lived to the next generation. Impossible as it may sound, it is quite possible with the memories you hold as an adult.

As responsible adults and caring parents, we should spend time with our children and help them understand that the world is not fast-paced. We can all slow down and give importance to creating healthier memories. The childhood of a child depends on what the parents have to contribute. We did not watch too many movies back then. Not many virtual friends. We played in the dirt and got wet on the beach. We wrote our homework down and needed to type on our notepads. We had real-time friends who we did not have to Facetime.

We visited grandparents during vacations. We ate traditional cooking from our Ammachis (Grandma) and Appachans (Grandpa) back then. We celebrated festivals at home. We need help finding families that cook an entire Onam Sadhya (feast) today! Thanks to all the overpriced “Mallu” restaurants that offer Onam Sadhyas today! The same goes for any festival, for that matter. Not many families decorate their homes from Christmas – it was a yearly ritual to do so during the season. Not only are kids missing out on the fun aspect of all this, but they are losing out on understanding and accepting the core and heart of such occasions. Onam is not just for the lavish feast that is served. Christmas is not simply about gifts, the tree, and the décor. The deeper meaning of such rituals is lost today. Children don’t know how traditions were made. And they will never know if we do not teach or show it to them.

We must explore horizons when it comes to raising kids. We must go beyond the possible to get that interest back and do something better than being busy with our day-to-day lives. We must dig a little deeper to go back in time for the sake of our children – to give them the little joys of life that we perhaps once lived.

We must be mindful of how and what we teach our kids. Yes, we have a more leisurely life today, but what are our kids losing out on? That personal touch? Those traditions that crafted our personalities for the better? Think about a world so cold that you know little about different cultures and ethnicities. All we have to do is take a moment and go back in time – not just for our kids, but for ourselves too. We must give our childhood back to ourselves to give our kids what they deserve. We know what we must do to preserve the essence of our families and ancestors who once lived. All we have to do is celebrate life and perhaps make everything a big deal! And when our kids grow up, they will make it a big deal, too.

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Aakanksha Dinah, a passionate writer, orator, communicator focused on establishing a Training institution centered on creativity and innovation. Aakanksha is a true believer in loving the work we do and strongly believes in smart-work, the reason why creativity works better for her. Aakanksha is enormously focused on making a career in professional writing and publishing. She loves writing poems, self-help articles, and essays. An enthusiast when it comes to learning languages and in short, Aakanksha is a wanderer, an explorer, a mom, a dog-mom, a poet, a cook, a writer, and an influencer.

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What we do has an altering effect on the universe. Simple things like waking up and getting ready to work affect what kind of personality we possess. Minor occurrences can profoundly affect the way the world works! Would you believe if someone said that a butterfly flapping its wings in some part of the world could cause a hurricane in another part of the world? Unrealistically true! It is called the butterfly effect in simple terms. The little things we do can impact the world in a much larger spectrum.

The butterfly effect can work both positively and negatively. It is why we emphasize doing good and being good to the world. It is not about the faucet leaking in our bathrooms – it is about how it can result in famine and drought in some parts of the world. It is not about making a difference in society – it is about the more profound impact we create in the hearts of humans in some strange part of the world. Every good we do stays in the world. Likewise, every bad we do remains, too.

Therefore, our innate responsibility is to give this world what it deserves – goodness! People around us, animals, plants, water, and earth, all need a lot of merit to nullify the effect of what is going on in the world: all the crime, all the hatred, all the racism, and the negativity that is going on among ourselves and towards mother nature can come to a stop if only we knew how to reverse it with our influence! We need to harbor more power, wisdom, and intelligent thoughts to maneuver the steering toward progress, impacting the world and its people in the best way possible. Every action has an equal reaction, so they say. What must come out of our efforts must be our choice, and that choice will impact the world at large! The better we think and do, the better we receive. The power lies within each one of us to make a change. We hold the prowess within each of us to make this world a much better place to live in – not only for ourselves but for the future we create.

If we dig a little deeper and think of it, the competition is good as long as it is healthy. However, only some know what healthy competition is. Therefore, it is essential, as adults, to raise a generation that knows the butterfly effect and does precisely what they are supposed to do to reverse the adverse effects that we have been harboring in this world for all these centuries.

The butterfly effect assumes that the world is interconnected in every way – from the climate to the cultures practiced worldwide. One small occurrence can influence a much larger complex system. Therefore, it is wrong to understand that our small actions and influence do not impact the big picture. We all contribute to this world equally as homosapiens. Simply put, our idea of ‘how will my not littering the road affect the overall cleanliness of the state’ is wrong. Our one vote can make a difference, our small action of closing the tap appropriately makes a difference, our driving responsibly on the road, and our keeping the house and our surroundings clean makes a difference. Everything we do makes a massive difference in the bigger picture, and it’s a fact!

Talking about occurrences, a slight delay in our timing, the choices we make, the movies we watch, the words we speak, everything is interconnected. But coincidences are a major part of the butterfly effect. Nothing happens without a reason or a more significant connection to ourselves or this world. When the world conspires, we achieve. That conspiration comes from the actions and reactions of ourselves and several others worldwide, and it is legit. Therefore, we must fulfill this world’s basic needs and do and think good to reap the best of the world. The butterfly effect is not an idea; it is the basic rule of life where we learn that our lives are not merely to live and die – it is to create a difference in this vastness that gave us life!

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Aakanksha Dinah, a passionate writer, orator, communicator focused on establishing a Training institution centered on creativity and innovation. Aakanksha is a true believer in loving the work we do and strongly believes in smart-work, the reason why creativity works better for her. Aakanksha is enormously focused on making a career in professional writing and publishing. She loves writing poems, self-help articles, and essays. An enthusiast when it comes to learning languages and in short, Aakanksha is a wanderer, an explorer, a mom, a dog-mom, a poet, a cook, a writer, and an influencer.

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Joy and happiness are experienced by many but understood by only a few. Happiness comes from within. We have all heard this phrase and have been told that our happiness is an emotion only we are responsible for. The moment we hold someone else accountable for us to feel happiness, that moment we fail to realize that being happy is a very personal issue.

Happiness is in different scenarios for different people. For some, it might be writing a book; for some, it might be watching a movie. For a few people, happiness may be simply lazing around at home; for some, they need loud music and people around them. For some people, satisfaction is spending time with their family; for some, it is spending time with their pets. Happiness can be experienced in food, music, books, movies, art, laughter, sharing stories, recollecting memories, talking to a friend, cuddling with an animal, walking in nature, swimming, or even cooking!

Happiness is an emotion. It can be emoted towards small things – momentary things when something specific happens. In a broader context, happiness can be a recollection of memories and life accomplishments of a person. Happiness is subjective well-being. One person’s “happy meal” may not be another’s. It is a personal and private emotion, like sadness and grief.

Happiness is primarily a result of contentment. When people are content and grateful for whatever they have in their lives, they tend to see the brighter side and be satisfied. That contentment leads to happiness. Only when we value who we are as an individual and are morally sound in society can we fully immerse ourselves in the bliss of happiness?

Along with being an emotion that encourages us to feel good, happiness enhances our idea of truth, relationships, and emotional and physical health, as well as increased contribution and social connection with others around us. There are several things you could practice to experience joy and happiness. Simple steps taken in our daily lives can enable us to reach the epitome of joy and glee.

Managing our stress is critical. If we get stressed about the simplest things in our day-to-day lives, we will never feel happiness and contentment. We tend to feel resentful all the time, and that feeling is not suitable for our physical and emotional state of mind.

Prioritizing ourselves and enjoying our company can be another step towards finding happiness. Self-care and self-love come in handy when finding joy in life. Only when we love ourselves and are happy with ourselves can we love others and be comfortable around others. Self-love reflects a lot of energy and aura that highlights our characteristics in this world. Only when we are happy from within can we speak wisdom and enlighten the world with our truth. Boosting our self-esteem and ensuring we get this is key to finding happiness.

A healthy lifestyle is critical to maintaining a healthy mind and body. A wholesome reason and body release hormones responsible for happiness – dopamine that creates the feeling of joy and bliss in us. Indulging in an unhealthy lifestyle can kill our dopamine levels, and we may never experience that eternal feeling of glory again.

Happiness is a choice. It is in the good and the bad we do in life. It is in our decisions and the subjects we are interested in. The more we indulge in things, people, and situations that enhance happiness, the merrier we are. It is a personal choice that we make in life. Therefore, moving towards a life filled with happiness is up to us. Also, just being happy and experiencing happy moments and glee is not life – life is an amalgam of every emotion – happiness, sadness, sound, and the bad. It is up to us how we perceive it.

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Aakanksha Dinah, a passionate writer, orator, communicator focused on establishing a Training institution centered on creativity and innovation. Aakanksha is a true believer in loving the work we do and strongly believes in smart-work, the reason why creativity works better for her. Aakanksha is enormously focused on making a career in professional writing and publishing. She loves writing poems, self-help articles, and essays. An enthusiast when it comes to learning languages and in short, Aakanksha is a wanderer, an explorer, a mom, a dog-mom, a poet, a cook, a writer, and an influencer.

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