Incorporating Shavasana in real life!

 I remember when I was in school, I hated Social Studies. Especially during exams, I hated the preparation part, memorizing all the stuff. I used to get super bored while studying. My boredom would get so bad that it always turned into depression. My mom, who was practicing Yoga back then, would try to soothe me and make me do Shavasana. Even though exam time was approaching and I wasn’t finished with my studies, she would make me stop looking at those boring books, cribbing about their existence in my life. She would just ask me to lie down, leave all the thoughts I would have, and leave everything. She’d ask me to imagine that there’s nothing, literally nothing, around me. She would ask me to empty my mind completely. She helped me meditate and make sure those frustrating thoughts are at least reduced if not completely gone away. And after some time when I would get up from Shavasana, I’d get some energy to think about the next steps. These memories still feel fresh. After school was over, this never happened much until recently. 

In the last few years, every now and then I used to feel depressed. Some days were great, some decent but the majority of them were filled with boredom and mild depression. I tried to distract myself from those thoughts and tried to feel good. It was like I’m pushing myself to feel good about something that I’m not really enjoying or feeling good about. It took me a long time to realize that I should not distract myself but just take things slow, remove things from life that I’m not enjoying. Although we are a working parent couple, I started leaving work where it was. Whenever working on something office work or household work, I asked myself - can it wait? Can it wait until tomorrow? If it could I pushed it to the next day. While doing so, I realized there are so many things I just had imposed on myself. I slowed down a lot. And nobody noticed it except me. I removed every task from TODO that could wait. Some tasks were something that I was able to enjoy but somehow started piling up. But I still pushed them out. When my TODOs reduced and almost became empty, I could think so clearly on what I want, what my next steps should be. I just realized that this was one type of slow Shavasana that I incorporated into my life! One more time and it helped.

P.S. My mom/my parents never pressurized me to get good grades. It was me imposing something on myself and got me into that situation. That’s what I was doing in my life too.

Day of Productivity, Creativity, and Reflection

 Another one with the help from chatGPT, with a few tweaks from me.

Today brought a refreshing change of pace, with a mix of productivity, creativity, and a touch of introspection. The meetings were surprisingly productive, and we wrapped up with a volunteering activity that left me feeling fulfilled in more ways than one.

The volunteering activity involved creating no-sew blankets—a simple yet satisfying process of joining two large pieces of cloth, cutting their sides, and tying them together to form a cozy blanket. It was an opportunity to step away from the digital world of management and engage in hands-on creation, something I've been missing since transitioning into this role.

Participating in last month's hackathon reignited my passion for creating something tangible, and today's activity reinforced that desire. There's a unique satisfaction in seeing, touching, and physically interacting with something you've made, and it's a feeling I've been craving amidst the endless stream of meetings and discussions.

As I drove home, I found myself lost in thought while listening to random AI-related audios. They brought back memories of the series "Person of Interest" and its thought-provoking exploration of artificial intelligence. It's a reminder that the future is hurtling towards us at an alarming rate, and while it's exciting, it also fills me with a sense of apprehension.

Thoughts of "Black Mirror" added another layer of complexity to my reflections. The show's negative view of technology's impact on society serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the potential pitfalls of a rapidly advancing future.

Despite feeling unsure and worried, I'm also curious and excited about what's coming next. The future might be uncertain, but it's full of chances for us to grow and come up with new ideas. However it turns out, it is going to be interesting!

Finding Balance in the Chaos: A Day in the Life of a Software Engineer

This post was entirely generated by ChatGPT with just a few lines of input from me. It's fascinating to consider how far we've come in the world of Generative AI. I look forward to revisiting this post in the future to reflect on the advancements made since then.

In the bustling world of software engineering, each day brings with it a flurry of meetings, problem-solving, and tight deadlines. Today was no exception as I found myself navigating through a series of meetings, each with its own unique context and challenges. From discussing project milestones to troubleshooting technical issues, my day was consumed by the constant buzz of collaboration and problem-solving.

Weeks had passed in this relentless cycle, with little respite from the demands of the job. The weight of responsibility began to take its toll as I juggled multiple priorities and worked tirelessly to find solutions to the myriad of problems that arose.

However, amidst the chaos and stress, today brought a welcomed change—a brief respite from the relentless meetings and endless stream of work. An hour was set aside to celebrate a colleague's upcoming milestone: the arrival of a new member to their family.

As we gathered to celebrate the joyous occasion, the atmosphere shifted from the intensity of work to the warmth of camaraderie. Laughter filled the room as we indulged in playful games and heartfelt conversations. For a brief moment, the stresses of work faded into the background, replaced by the simple joy of connecting with colleagues on a personal level.

As I mingled with my teammates, discussing topics unrelated to work, I felt a sense of relaxation wash over me. The weight of responsibility lifted from my shoulders as I embraced the opportunity to unwind and recharge.

In the midst of the hectic pace of the software engineering world, it's easy to lose sight of the importance of balance. Today served as a reminder that amidst the hustle and bustle, it's essential to carve out moments of respite and connection. Whether it's a brief break for a colleague's baby shower or a spontaneous chat over coffee, these moments of reprieve are crucial for maintaining mental well-being and fostering a sense of community within the workplace.

As I return to my desk, refreshed and rejuvenated, I carry with me the understanding that finding balance in the chaos is not only possible but necessary for navigating the tumultuous waters of software engineering with grace and resilience.

Long time no see :)

Hi my diary, again!

Yeah, it's been years that I wrote anything. Why did I stop? Not sure. Don't want to think.

A lot has changed over the years. It's been more than 6 years I'm married and have moved away from my country, from my parents. Learnt life quite a bit, I can say. With this whole Corona Virus thing going on, staying at home, got some time to think. Got time to look back at my blog and I realized how totally different person I was! So thought I'd write something. But I'm struggling so much to write anything, feel like a door closed on me. Not sure if that'll ever open again. Anyway, some day, maybe after few years I'll come back and read this post and will remember this state of my mind. That's good enough of a checkpoint at this point.

Bye, until then.

P.S. I just noticed my picture on this blog and I never want to change that. :) And Hey Google! Please don't shut down this service like you did for Google Reader. 

Being stupid to be smarter!

Sometimes it's ok to say stupid statements or ask extremely silly questions. The point is to start contributing in topics you don't have a single idea about.

Mom

Sometimes I want her so badly... :(

Stateless Bean

Looks like I'm being more and more like Stateless beans when it comes to communication.