Wellbeing with EASE: A Journey Beyond New Year's Resolutions

On January 5, 2024, around 30 individuals gathered at the inviting home of Vitthal Jangale, responding to ShriKant Sabnis's call to explore the keys to happiness and health. The ambiance mirrored festive holiday gatherings, where family and friends unite in celebration. The format was simple yet powerful – sharing personal stories. Recognizing that only 8-9 percent of New Year's resolutions endure, this gathering aimed to surpass the typical resolutions and unravel the transformative potential of human connection and supportive networks in adopting new habits.

Amidst the diverse narratives, one stood out—Selvan, a scientist, shared his remarkable journey from grappling with diabetes, obesity, and anger to achieving holistic health. For him, a chance encounter and participation in a yoga class proved to be the magical first step towards wellbeing. Sangeeta, a vibrant young IT professional, and numerous others shared poignant insights on the profound experience of being alone yet happy, without succumbing to loneliness. Their secrets, as unveiled through heartfelt discussions, encompass a spectrum of practices—from conscientious self-care to cultivating self-love, and from fostering a deep sense of connection with others to ultimately establishing a spiritual bond with the divine within.

Veena Rajpal shared her amazing story of how the Buddhist practice of chanting happiness for all those suffering has done miracles in her life and she found joy in any circumstances. And now she is helping others with her healing energy and practices including diets. Chetana Gola courageously admitted the challenge of finding happiness amid physical pain, while Manoj Tiwari offered insights into embracing life as it unfolds, even in the face of various forms of suffering throughout the human journey—be it loss, health issues, or financial struggles. Manikantan emphasized the heart-to-heart connection and the impactful yoga practices particularly Yama-Niyama onwards and the sutras, provides the ability to choose even amidst life's challenges. For instance, citing Yoga sutra 2.33, he highlighted the power of cultivating an opposite mental attitude when confronted with negative thoughts. Mani also underscored the strength of inner practice, recalling how chanting Aditya hrudayam in childhood, suggested by his dad, eventually aided in overcoming internal struggles. He concluded by urging everyone to adopt a daily yogic practice, emphasizing its effectiveness in his own life.

Dinesh shared the power of connection, citing personal experience with the impact of even one supportive person or a group in fostering the adoption of new habits. Encouraged by these stories of wellbeing, several attendees publicly committed to adopting new habits, including dietary changes, lifestyle adjustments, reading habits, early rising, and attending yoga classes. Preparation, as highlighted, is key. Fill your home with foods that align with your goals, remove the cell phone from the bedroom if sleep is an issue, and enlist a friend to provide a wake-up call if needed.

Recognizing that most New Year's resolutions falter due to solitary efforts, the group decided to harness the strength of collective support, encouragement, and accountability. Thus, a support group has been formed for the next 12 weeks, where participants will champion each other toward their individual goals. Stay tuned as we commit to reporting back on our collective progress in about 12 weeks—a testament to the potency of shared commitment and shared journeys.

Dinesh thanked all for showing up and concluded with "Wellbeing with EASE".

E = Empower self and take responsibility without blaming anyone.

A = Accepting life as it is.

S = Surrender to a higher purpose and

E = Embody. Practice, Practice, Practice.