Thinking Block

Stand up straight with your shoulders back  It is the first chapter in  12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson . You may have seen him on the internet giving life advice. He is a psychologist and, as far as I remember, a professor at the University of Toronto . 12 Rules for Life , published in 2018 , is a self-help book that delivers some powerful life advice one can reflect on.   My favourite chapter of this book is Rule 1 — Stand Up Straight With Your Shoulders Back , which tells you that even though one may feel weak, scared to death, or vulnerable in society, standing straight with shoulders back can immediately change how others perceive you. It creates the first impression shown to the world and signals that this person is someone others should think twice before messing with.   Other Interesting Chapters in the Book Rule 2 — Treat Yourself Like Someone You Are Responsible for Helping Rule 3 — Make Friends with People Who Want the Best for You ...

  As a child, I never accompanied my parents to local markets. Today, when I buy fruits and vegetables, I feel slightly overwhelmed — even though I can shop easily at modern stores: Prices are printed on packages. Everything is organized. No bargaining is required.   Why This Matters Because I never bargained with a food seller in my life, I missed learning a small but crucial skill: communication, negotiation, and facing real people in unorganized situations . So here’s my advice: Take your kids to fruit and vegetable sellers, or any place where prices aren’t fixed. What Kids Learn If your children are old enough to talk, let them: Ask for the price – it’s not fixed. Face people confidently – nothing is organized, so they have to engage. Bargain – Teaching negotiation. Make choices – let them buy a fruit of their choice, even if it’s a little expensive.   Why is it Important These lessons teach: Talking skills – children learn to speak confiden...

Why You Should Start Journaling Writing about your weekly progress can help a lot. A teacher once told my class: “Write your progress somewhere and ask yourself if you’ve actually grown.” I didn’t take it seriously at first, but I still started writing — and now it’s been two years . And honestly, the best part wasn’t the writing… It was reading my past self . What Makes Journaling Special? There are things in life we can’t share publicly — even with people we trust the most. But a journal is different: Nobody is judging you You can be completely honest You can write things you’ll never say out loud You can expose your weaknesses without fear It’s yours — private. How I Started I didn’t start journaling to “track progress” or “be productive.” I just wrote what was happening: How my tests went How people treated me Why they behaved a certain way What I was feeling It became a space where I could say anything — without being misunderstood. No one was judg...

 “Self-respect is the most important thing.” After high school, I began hanging out with some new friends. I’m very introverted and shy, so making friends doesn’t come easily, and I’m not great at chatting. The days went well, we were having fun, but suddenly I started to realize that my time was not being valued .   When they arrived at my home, they were always in a hurry and couldn’t wait for me outside for even a few minutes. When I stepped outside, they were a little annoyed. It’s okay—I might have been waiting a little too long sometimes, and I was a bit late. But when I went to their place, they made me wait even longer than I made them wait at my house—and they felt okay with it.     Additionally, When we were having a cup of tea and deciding where to sit next or which spot to meet, if I suggested a place , no one seemed interested in it.   I’m not saying your friends are wrong. Everyone has different personalities, and not everyone wants to sit with e...

A few years back, when I was in secondary school, I used to get bullied a lot — and I don’t mean only mentally. I used to cry a lot. My days were miserable. I didn’t have the courage to fight or even say no. I was dependent on my friends, and they were supportive, but living like that wouldn’t change anything. You are just under someone’s umbrella.  I used to tell my parents, and they filed a complaint to the principal. One day, they called me to look into the matter. I didn’t know yet that my parents had filed a complaint against the bully, but I was happy. I went to the principal’s office — there were the doctor, the principal, and I guess the coordinator sitting there. I was sitting in front of them, and the bully student was sitting beside me. They said, “Your parents complained to us to look into the matter.” I was just sitting there silently. Then they said, out of nowhere, “Look at yourself — you look like a gangster! Your cuffs are folded, your collar button is open, and ...

I was scrolling through Instagram when a video of Moin Akhter appeared. In an interview, he was asked, “Any regrets, Moin?” He replied beautifully: “Life is full of desires and regrets.” Those few words hold so much truth. Human nature is such that we are rarely content. We always want more.  We are incomplete beings — and that’s okay. If we look around, we’ll find so many things we once wished for and now have — and so many we still don’t. Yet, our eyes often stay fixed on what’s missing. Our happiness fades soon after we achieve what we desired, as new wishes quietly take their place. Moin Akhter didn’t call this a bad habit. He called it human nature. And he reminded us to adapt to it. It’s okay to feel down when things don’t go our way. It’s okay to want more. It’s okay to fail sometimes. Life is full of disappointments — and it’s completely okay. Some of us are fighting inner battles. Some of us are trying to be better friends — but nothing seems to change. S...