October 13, 2025

STRESS – What? When? How To Manage? – Sharon Gaddala Do you cry without any reason? Do you feel low? Do you feel tired most of the time ? Do you pick up fights easily? Do you always have disagreements? Do you like to be isolated from your loved ones? Do you think you have anxiety? Do you worry a lot? Do you overthink most of the times? Did you answer “YES” to at least 1 of the questions listed above? You may be stressed! Read or watch the video for more details. 1 in 8 eight people has some kind of mental disorder, STRESS is one of them. Everyone experiences stress to some degree, stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressures however it may become unhealthy if it is left untreated or is bothering your day-to-day functioning. Stress means feeling threatened by life there’s something worrying there’s something which is causing you to feel upset. Stress contributes directly to your mental and physical health however it is important that you know good coping mechanisms to deal with the stress and the way you respond to stress makes a big difference in the overall well-being of you. What’s the best thing you can do? Eliminate the cause of stress. Mental disorders involve significant disturbances to the way we think, the way we behave and regulate emotions, according to a recent survey:- 26 percent of Indians are stressed due to their current working conditions, 17 percent are stressed because of their financial instability, 14 are stressed due to relationships. So, what does stress do to the body? Does stress have any effect on the body or is it something just outside? Stress affects the anatomy of the body. The ways stress affects us:- Headaches and migraine Respiratory system (conditions like heart attacks stroke hypertension) Endocrine Digestion Anxiety and depression My hi-five’s in my recommendations on how you can deal with are detailed in the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBkHjiAmJ0M&t=2s Everyone experiences stress to some degree, stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressures however it may become unhealthy if it is left untreated or is bothering your day-to-day functioning. Not everyone requires treatment for stress because most people recover on their own however if you see that the stress is disturbing your daily routine and not allowing you to focus, it is significantly disturbing your day-to-day functioning, then, please seek for professional help. Consult either a psychologist or a psychiatrist depending on your mental health condition.

YOUNG MIND TRANSFORMING OLD SYSTEM witten by Swathi gaddala From God’s own country, a scholarly and proficient young man, barely in 20`s, has a mind to flush an age-old practice in the education system. A system, more comfortable, collaborative, and beneficial for both lecturer-student, a win-win outcome. If you are not well travelled in south India, I will help you, land where Malayalam is the native language, a state on the Malabar coast of India, Kerala. By the way, did you know Kerela means *The Land of Coconuts*? South of India, one of the many temple towns of Tamil Nadu is Chidambaram, very famous for Nataraja Temple, the interrelation between this temple town and the God’s own country, a part time lecturer, pursuing his Ph.D. is Abhijit Sir, from Kerala, studying at Chidambaram. As he entered the classroom for one of the Psychology lectures, my immediate thoughts were, what a young and energetic man. He introduced himself to the class. I was in awe as he seemed a breath of fresh air, full of excitement and aura in the otherwise dull and boring town. I think, this place I perceived as dull is not because of anything particular but living in cities the noise, hustle and bustle is inevitable, it’s just that. After many years, I was experiencing this type of quite, serene and lush green surroundings and so loved it. Home or away from home, Tea is a must. From cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, Madurai, I had a World record holder in longest Karaoke Music and Dance Marathon, 2022 to share it with, Rajashree, a.k.a Raji, a Youtuber just like me. We were destined to meet, instantly mix in, like milk in tea. I loved chatting with her, share sandwiches, laugh hard and even harder. Abhijit sir gave his introduction and that very moment I could sense he was different, he lives with a sense of honesty and enlightenment, very open about truth and reality of life, one of those people who believe in normalising what they believed in, than merely accepting how things ought to be a.k.a the ODD ONE OUT. Making a difference to himself, to the society, the community and beyond. His ideas, thoughts, and the momentum he exudes will sum up his opulent personality. The focal point of what triggered me to write this blog about him was when we all had umpteen questions and started hollering Sir, Sir, Sir, he waved his hands to all students and said you can call me Abhi and not Sir. Voot voot, he is the first one. This to me was not normal, Abhijit sir a lecturer for Abnormal Psychology. I was dumbstruck and still processing, a whirlwind of thoughts clouded and fogged the traffic in my brain. I am used to calling people by their names at my corporate job, this culture is accepted in corporate offices. No one addresses, a senior in designation and age as Sir or Madam (I will not deny there are some exceptions). People can address others by their name, no one can compel you to call them Sir/Madam. For me, calling my lecturer by his name was not NORMAL. Do you agree? I looked at Raji and asked, is it normal for you? Something was unsettling and the marinated curious maniac in me, I said Abhijit Sir, but why would you want to your students to call you by your name and not as Sir, isn’t this a threat to an age-old practice of the teacher-student relationship? Will this not blur or erase the boundary of the sacred bond and hierarchy? From kindergarten to school and colleges, we are accustomed to calling our teachers and lecturers as Sir or Madam, it is a matter of prestige and sign of honour out of the enormous respect we have for them. Isn’t it? But here with Abhijit Sir all the prestige, honour was from the connection he has with his students than being called Sir, Holy Moly! I was literality interrogating him out of my intriguing curiosity, Why Sir? I still can’t come to terms with calling you by your name sitting at a student bench. I am still processing your approval to call you Abhi and not Sir, I will take some time.     Sir`s response was, what was important for him as a teacher, lecturer was that he wants a collaboration, two-way learning and discussing than just one way cascade from lecturer to students. I like it that way, I am like that. I want my students to be inclusive in my classes and ask me questions, I will answer to the best of my knowledge. Also, one of the points he mentioned was that the students, these days, mostly are older than him, especially regular mode is not the only mode of education now (how can we not thank Covid), students in their 40`s, 50`s and majority of them, almost, older than him, much older. Sir continued, that he feels comfortable that way, he feels connected with students and it is easy to communicate making it a two-way learning process, than the superior feeling with boundaries, he want students to feel at ease. I was passively settling, somewhat convinced because I am alike him, I believe and encourage people around me to do what they are comfortable with, what brings them happiness and satisfaction, than merely following the old traditional practices (respect for them though). One person may or may not change the entire community but can be that catalyst we need, a thought to convince, a thought to make you feel you are one like them. It is okay if these thoughts are about challenging beliefs and age old practices, may be this will seem normal someday. May be not and that’s fine, we can and should give our best shot, whenever there is a possibility. I was gigantically inspired by him. I also told him with an uncertain voice that Sir I would write a

EVOLVE , BECOME YOUR NEXT VERSION, 10 TIPS – Sharon Gaddala Instead of tips from self-help books, google articles or any other sources, here are my 10 tips on what worked for me. I hope these will ring a bell with you, to not give up on your dreams and get better every day. Let’s roll.. 1. Rewire Your Brain It all starts from your mindset. You need to alter the way your brain functions and the good news is, rewiring is possible. Science, “Neuroplasticity” refers to the brain’s ability to restructure or rewire itself when it recognizes the need for adaptation. In other words, it can continue developing and changing throughout life therefore avoid having a fixed mindset, limited belief system and rigid boundaries, a person with these, avoids growth, challenges and drowns in stress living a stressful life. Have a purpose, have goals, move out of your comfort zone and take risks, of course calculated ones, this will challenge your brain. Do something you have never done before and see how enlightening it will be, it opens you up, don’t set limitations, limitations only inhibit you in getting to know your potential and capability. Train your brain of mindfulness, have positive thoughts. I know it’s easy to say but I also know it is not hard to practice. Think of what best you can do in present situation, how should you respond to the situation and how to process your thoughts. When you practise this, over a period of time, your brain gets adapted and inadvertently you transform into a positive and a mindful person. 2. What You Practise, Grows Stronger Where your energy goes, that will grow, stronger and stronger. So, practise gratitude, confidence, mindfulness. Start with small things, in a small way and later scale, take one step at a time. Practise what can get you closer to your goals and align with the purpose of your life. Practice to believe in yourself. Nothing is more powerful than listening to your intuition. Pay attention to your inner voice try and understand why you have those voices inside you, there must be a reason. Accept that negativity will be a part of life, practise and have a strategy to cope with negativity. You can do this by asking, how can I not stress about it? what will be the consequences of this? what can I learn from this experience? instead of asking why this happened to me? Have affirmations, say to yourself that whatever happens it is for my good, i will do my best, I will take things positively no matter what the outcome of a situation is. Practise on how to ignore things which are trivial, ignore what’s not impacting your life in a major way. This will not only save your energy, it will also help you focus on things which are important for you. Prioritize what matters to you and ignore what does not. Practise having a goal oriented life. If your goals are complex, break it down into smaller goals, set timelines and measure them from time to time. Practise forgiveness, forgive people who hurt you, forgive yourself for not prioritising your needs, forgiveness sets you FREE, from resentment, anger, frustration and agony. Set yourself FREE 3. Make Some Me time We all have 24 hours within this time from your busy life make room for yourself, just you, thats ME time. Remove and refresh by sorting things around you. One thing at a time, one after the other. Write down a list of to do things, it could be as simple as going to a salon, getting that trendy haircut, those boots , that car, hiking, scuba diving, anything which will make you happy and this only you will know. Write down how much time it will take for you to learn a new skill, put a list of what you use to like as a child or an adult which you probably stopped. Pursue a hobby, if you are not sure which hobby, then try whatever you can grab on and see if it holds your interest and keep trying until you halt at something. Once you write them down, plan to tweak this in your 24 hours. How many of you hold onto things and people who only cause stress and add agony to your well-being? Remove and refresh, remove things and people who no longer add value to your well-being. Decluttering is freeing space, in your mind and around you, free yourself from things which no longer you feel for or does not add value to your life, allow new things, they teach you that you are capable of more, more than till now, more than you anticipated. New experiences help us have a different perspective towards life. Move forward. 4. Improve Your EQ (Emotional Quotient) When it comes to happiness and success in life, EQ outweighs IQ though both are imperative. Our emotions impact our mood, behaviour, performance, actions and reactions. With the ever increasing stress, how do we cope? Know your values and beliefs, challenge what you don’t agree with and follow the ones you agree with.  When someone puts their opinion do not outrightly reject or ridicule their opinion rather if you disagree, you can ask them questions by probing on how`s and why`s to understand. Its ok if you like something which is against your belief system, that’s the beauty of every individual. Each life is so unique, I bet there are no 2 individuals who had exactly same experiences throughout, not possible. Be honest to yourself with what you like, dislike, tolerate, accept and compromise etc. Introspect, self-examine and write them so you have clarity. Clarity always wins over confusion. Plan on how you react to a stressful situation at work or in personal life. Do you freak out when you hear a disappointing news? Self-awareness of your emotions make you confident in managing them effectively. At work, receiving honest feedback from

INVEST IN GETTING TO KNOW OTHERS – VANITHA SENKURICHI It’s a lonely life especially, when you are in your comfortable 60’s. What can you do today, to ensure, you have an active social retired life? I have been coaching actively for a little over a year. What I share with you is my learnings from a well accomplished working women, in their late 50’s. I had the opportunity to coach her and learn from her. I found it very suitable to share with most women who are in their 30’s. 40’s or even 50’s. Written by Vanitha Senkurichi I would like to call my client Mrs Yamini (name changed). I have incorporated learnings from other clients also in this extract. Mrs Yamini was a working woman who was very focussed on being independent. She and her husband together raised their son, also to be independent. They were both focussed on being the best when it came to their respective careers. While devoting time to their busy careers and raising their son, they hardly made any time to maintain ties with relatives and friends. Many family gatherings were given rain check and meeting friends at get togethers were almost non-existent. Mrs Yamini and her spouse had saved enough for a comfortable life after their retirement and were also able to provide for their son’s higher studies outside of India. Their plan was to tour as many places as they could, once they retired from their respective career. This is when tragedy struck. Mrs Yamini`s spouse passed away suddenly at the age of 55 while she was 53. she was devasted. It was after her husband`s passing that she felt the desire for company. She had no intention of getting married again but longed for friends to share her feelings. Her son was now settled in another country and was only able to come once a year for around 2-3 weeks. It was at this time that Mrs Yamini reached out to me. It was a disheartening situation. She suddenly felt the need to connect with people, express herself, do something to keep herself occupied. She felt she was unable to connect with people around her. Her GP had given her a clean bill of health. She wanted to find out how she could start connecting with her friends and family once again. The sessions went for about 3 months. She had made very slow progress but she was okay with it. I learnt a lot while coaching her. A few pointers that would benefit many of us. Connect with your friends and relatives. Many of us lose touch with friends and relatives as our personal lives become busy. We would rather choose to stay home alone than attending some function at some cousin’s place. Out of sight is out of mind. Doesn’t take too long for people to forget us and prioritise someone else or something else over us. Maintain the connections. Sometimes, fighting over something trivial can be avoided. No one is perfect. So, if you can ignore a bad comment made by an elderly aunt, please do so. Life is too short to keep reacting and fighting over small things. There are bigger battles to spend our energy. Make time for the occasional outing and celebrations with friends and relatives. Kids, husband, in-laws etc. will always have their needs, schools and offices. Go on trips guilt free. Life will go on with or without you. You are not the only one to manage the household. Some of us, do not like to entertain sudden guests at home. Remember life is a circle. Some days, what you do for others will definitely help you in times of need. Mrs Yamini had once or twice entertained a few relatives, who came to her house unannounced. She was not very comfortable, but served them for a day or 2. The children of these relatives, were in fact the ones who gave her company and chatted with her, when she recently attended a get together. She was so relieved that she had someone to talk to and something to talk about. If you are looking for the perfect friend or relative to connect to, then you may as well forget this entirely. Everyone has a few flaws. There are those who are entirely malicious. Just try to stay clear of them. We can always decide on the depth of our connections. Some of them would just be acquaintances, while others could be family friends, still others could be the reliable BFF’s. What is important is to take the first step to maintain relationships. We all, at some point crave for those social interactions. It rarely happens overnight. It builds over a period of time. The efforts invested in getting to know others bears fruits slowly. Have the patience and confidence that there will definitely be someone to check on you when you are feeling blue. Author by-Sharon Gaddala To Follow Life Coach Vanitha Senkurichi on Social Media, you can also connect with her for coaching!! Facebook Instagram Linkedin