warikoo Wanderings

Welcome to yet another edition of Wanderings.
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HEADPHONES MAKE US SHOUT, RIGHT?

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We are listening to music with headphones on.
And then someone asks us something.
We reply and the person shrieks, "Why are you shouting!!??"
"Oh, I am so sorry. I didn't realize I was shouting."

Sounds familiar?

Most of us would have gone through this. Either as the one wearing the headphones or the one shrieking.
Why does it happen, though?
Why do we shout when we are wearing headphones and talking?

It's because when we talk normally, without headphones, we know we are audible because we can hear ourselves.
We know the volume of our talk, because our own ears are receiving the same volume!
But with headphones on, there is already some volume - that of the music.
So if we talk, but can't hear ourselves, our body automatically begins to raise our volume.
Because our body has been told, unless I don't hear you speak, I don't think others can either!

That's a simple explanation, right?

Now, here is how it works in actual day to day life.

Our minds, our hearts, are filled with "noise".
This noise is our thoughts, that of others, our fears, our insecurities, the judgement of others, our confusions, our inhibitions.
And because of this noise, if our mind is trying to tell us something, guess what happens?
We don't hear it!
Because of the noise!
So what does the mind do?
The same thing that we do.
Start shouting!

And that doesn't work for us.
Because if our mind starts shouting, we don't know how to deal with it.
We just try to shut it down.
We just try to ignore it.
We just try to scare it!

What do we have to do instead, to stop shouting?
Take off our headphones.
And for the mind, take off the noise.

How?
That's for another day.
For now, I want you to recognize that if you find your mind shouting, constantly trying to talk to you, it is because it is surrounded by headphones serving it noise.

A noiseless mind will never need to shout!

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HOW MAY I HELP YOU?

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Another episode of my weekly podcast was released yesterday.
"How may I help you?"

You can check the episode out on Spotify, Apple Podcast, JioSaavn, Gaana or any of your favorite podcast platforms.

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BOOK I AM READING THIS WEEK

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This week I am reading a super cool book -
​How Not to Be Wrong: The Hidden Maths of Everyday Life​

I personally love math and I wish school did more justice to it instead of making it boring, and worse, intimidating! This book tries to mend that broken relationship we have with math.

A must read for those who love math, and especially for those who hate it. :)

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QUOTES TO SHARE

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At times all you need to know is that you are not alone in feeling what you are feeling.
​(Share on Twitter)​

We get good at whatever is it that we do everyday. And that could also include complaining.
​(Share on Twitter)​

If you hate your job, don’t expect the job to change. Either change yourself. Or your job.
​(Share on Twitter)​

We often confuse milestones with progress.
When you complete a year at work, that’s a milestone.
That may not mean progress.
​(Share on Twitter)​

If you politely decline an invitation stating it is not a priority currently, and the other side gets offended, it is a sign you did the right thing!
​(Share on Twitter)​

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RESPONSE TO PREVIOUS WEEK'S QUESTION

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Last week I asked you, when are you usually most nervous?

1. Approaching strangers
2. Speaking to a crowd (of 3 or more people)
3. Talking to authority (parents, teachers, managers, etc.)
4. Sharing your point of view, in front of anyone
5. I am rarely nervous

33% responded speaking to a crowd, followed by 21% approaching strangers, 17% talking to authority, 16% sharing point of view, and 13% suggesting they are rarely nervous.

Which basically tells me that 33+21+16% = 70% of you are nervous speaking your mind in front of someone you do not know.

Isn't that fascinating? That we place SO MUCH importance on how others perceive us, to the extent that we will subject ourselves to a feeling of nervousness!

These are people we do not even know! And yet we keep thinking, "What will they think of us, if I say this?"
Ever wondered why?

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THIS WEEK'S SURVEY

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Which do you think is a bigger reason for our misery? And why?

1. Religion
2. Money
3. Neither
4. Both

I am always fascinated by people's relationship with money and religion, good or bad. So this is my way of figuring where do you lie.
To participate, simply click here to answer.

As always, you can send me an email by replying to this newsletter. I read all my emails.
ALL MY EMAILS. (Dying to eat at a restaurant ki kasam!)

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