Time Pass

 

Diwali is the time of the year when many of us sit back and ruminate on the past and make a new wish list for the time span till next Diwali. Traditions of Diwali along with Family fun, outings, fashion, and food help us create new memories. Each Diwali gets etched on our memory. Life seems to be a combination of events between two Diwali celebrations. It feels like just yesterday that we celebrated the last Diwali. Time zips past faster each Diwali.  

It was just a year ago around Oct last year that the Indian team lost the WC opening match vs Pakistan. The team got flak for a timid display. Hardik was blamed for lack of fitness. Virat received flak for lack of form.  Both protagonists have turned around the clock. What a victory we celebrated versus Pakistan in 22 WC. It seems a long road from WC 21. And yet it seems only just yesterday.  

Last year during Diwali we had a different Government in Maharashtra. We have seen a series of events leading to regime change in Maharashtra. From the fractured People’s verdict in 19, we have seen turmoil of events,  political opportunism, unnatural alliances, yellow journalism, vendetta politics. Hopefully, the regime change really delivers the promise to the people. Things have changed drastically in politics during this year but yet it seems only yesterday.  

Internationally, the world seems to come out of the pandemic but still, there is a scare of new variants. Trade and real wars have threatened world peace and economic hardships. The world is entering another recession. Inflation is at its peak. The rupee like all other world currencies is falling against the dollar. A rate hike by the US feds has impacted economies worldwide.  India apparently is holding its fort on the world stage as well as the internal front. Lots of things have happened in world Politics. Boris Johnson resigned, Truss resigned and Rishi Sunak has been sworn in as British PM, much to the celebration all over the Indian diaspora. The most dreaded is Climate change. The rate at which we are damaging our planet is the most concerning issue. We really need to turn the clock on that front. We have seen many climate disasters during this year. A lot many things have happened on the world stage during this year and yet it seems only yesterday.  

 

Why as an Individual do we feel that time passes more quickly every passing year?  There is a reason for that as claimed in the research done by a few scientists on this subject.   

Scientists claim that mind time and clock time are two totally different things. They flow at different speeds. The chronological passage of the hours, days and years on clocks and calendars is an absolute measurable phenomenon. Yet our perception of time shifts constantly, depending on the activities we’re engaged in, our age, and even how much rest we get. They say that time as we experience it; depends upon the perceived changes in mental stimuli. It’s related to what we see. As physical mental-image processing time and the rapidity of images we take change, so does our perception of time. And in some sense, each of us has our own “mind time” unrelated to the passing of hours, days, and years on clocks and calendars, which is affected by the amount of rest we get and other factors.  The present is different from the past because the mental view has changed, not because somebody’s clock rings. The “clock time” that unites all the live flow systems, animate and inanimate, is measurable. The day-night period lasts 24 hours on all watches, wall clocks, and bell towers. Yet, physical time is not the 'mind' time. The time that you perceive is not the same as the time perceived by another.  

Scientists further claim that Time is happening in the Individual mind’s eye. It is related to the number of mental images the brain encounters and organizes and the state of our brains as we age. When we get older, the rate at which changes in mental images are perceived decreases because of several transforming physical features, including vision, brain complexity, and later in life, degradation of the pathways that transmit information. And this shift in image processing leads to the sense of speeding up of time. There’s an inversely proportional relationship between stimuli processing and the sense of time speeding by. So, when you are young and experiencing lots of new stimuli—everything is new—time actually seems to be passing more slowly. As you get older, the production of mental images slows, giving the sense that time passes more rapidly.   

Fatigue also influences saccades, creating overlaps and pauses in these eye movements that lead to crossed signals. The tired brain can’t transfer information effectively when it’s simultaneously trying to see and make sense of the visual information. It’s designed to do these things separately. If we sleep regularly and well, and live clean we can alter our perceptions. This, in some sense, slows down mind time  

Another factor in time’s perceived passage is how the brain develops. As the brain and body grow more complex and there are more neural connections, the pathways that information travels are increasingly complicated. They branch like a tree and this change in processing influences our experience of time,    

We experience how “mind time” changes over the much longer span of our whole life. Many Seniors must feel as they grow old, that they noticed how their time is slipping away, faster and faster, and how they complain that they have less and less time. It’s a sentiment we hear echoed by many around us. The clocks will continue to tick strictly, days will go by on the calendar, and the years will seem to fly by ever faster. Still, we’re not entirely prisoners of time. We can still turn the clock as we would like to with a proper lifestyle and attitude.  

 

New Battlefield versus Climate Change

 

Many people are doing many things to fight Climate Change. A lot of steps are being taken: expanding technologies like wind and solar power, building better batteries to store that renewable energy, and protecting forests, all the while striving to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A different set of people are also trying to fight the war against climate change on a different battleground: The mind. Few Psychologists are taking decisive steps to fight climate change in this battleground.  

Many people feel a lot about climate change: They are anxious, worried, frustrated, concerned, devastated, overwhelmed, angry, hopeless, horrified, frightened, heartbroken, and afraid. Psychologists feel that simply having those negative emotions won’t accomplish much. If people don’t know what to do with these emotions, that can cause them to withdraw, freeze, to give up rather than taking action at an individual level. Climate change is already a growing threat to the mental well-being of individuals. Extreme weather events like wildfires and hurricanes can lead to depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder in people of all ages, sometimes by causing displacement and food insecurity. Research also indicates that higher temperatures are associated with an increased risk of suicide and mental health-related hospital admissions. Many people are also experiencing climate anxiety or existential dread about the future of the planet.    

It’s not unusual to have very powerful emotional responses to this crisis. Those who are experiencing extreme emotions might benefit from counseling or other mental health treatment—as well as some assurance that they don’t have to have all the answers. Psychologists and other influencers need to remind people that this is a systemic issue.  People struggling with climate anxiety may feel personally responsible for saving the world.  In addition to anxiety, many people, especially young adults, are experiencing anger over inheriting a problem they did not create. That can result in extreme reactions like what few activists did at the European art museum damaging art classics. Experts need to channel that anger into more constructive as Anger can be really powerful in motivating people to get involved. It is more useful than the passivity that can result from anxiety.    

These days many parents are worried about how to navigate these complex conversations with Children on this topic. Psychologists advise not to lie to a child, because they’ll find out, and that just undermines their trust. We should bear in mind their emotional needs. We should not tell them the world is going to come to an end.  As a society, we need to provide a support system to children who are directly or indirectly receiving messages about climate change.  Kids need outlets. We need to identify ways to promote advocacy from an early age.  UNICEF suggests talking about steps the entire family can take together, like recycling, reducing food waste, saving water, and planting trees or even raising awareness through social events, drama, musicals, debates, and so on.  

On the contrary, there are few people, who refuse to acknowledge the existence of what we know and fear as Climate Change despite the fact that there is solid scientific evidence that the human-caused climate crisis is real. This is called Climate Denial.  Some people strangely believe that hurricanes, droughts, and scorching heat waves aren’t signs of a climate crisis. There are few who express doubt or demonstrate staunch resistance to doing something about it or even talking about it. While many people kind of understand something is going on but are hesitant to act. Psychologists attribute the reason for this denial to be emotional evasive action of confronting harsh reality and desire to believe in a suitable outcome.  In some other cases, some people might be a part of the oil and gas industry or driving big vehicles and don’t want to believe or replace their big cars with electric cars  

How do you confront someone with climate denial syndrome, Firstly one would be to speak his language and discuss Climate issues that negatively impacts directly the person cares about. Secondly, we can be mindful to avoid the us-against-them mentality and aim to make conversations inclusive. One also needs to avoid misinformation. We should acquire skills in searching for and evaluating scientific claims and being aware that people are shown content based on algorithms. We need to help people fight their biases with correct data rather than some doctored feeds.  

Then there are a few points to help empower people as suggested by psychologists. We need to follow those as the climate crisis can sometimes feel like a distant threat—something we can deal with tomorrow. But recent climate disasters and heat waves suggest otherwise. We need to connect with youth as they are the most impacted segment of the population. People who have a connection with a young person are more likely to care about and be willing to take action on the climate crisis. That will galvanize more action and raise the stakes for all of us. We need to be positive and do whatever it takes to feel hope.  Many people find such meaning when they become part of a community, so it’s important to seek out others joining a community, like a local group; can also help you feel like you’re actually dealing with the problem, which is the sort of motivation many people need to continue. We need to take bold steps or kind of actions that have ripple effects like using solar and planting trees. We need to get out of our comfort zone.  

Many of us are individually affected by Climate Change. In India, We have seen floods, heat, cold waves, drought, and cyclones.  Monsoons have changed patterns: As an example, imagine rains during Diwali! The agrarian economy is deeply impacted creating human issues like farmers' suicides, and water shortages. Weather patterns have impacted the human mind globally. Collectively, we need to be emotionally strong to face this crisis together. The battle starts inside each individual’s mind. And we need experts in the field to help us.   

 

Wit-A-Minute

 

Most of the time in life, we wish we could have come up with a witty retort to somebody within the right time frame. And we think about the correct choice of words when it really didn’t matter—a minute, hour, or day after your conversation has ended? There’s a name for that phenomenon. It’s called l’esprit de l’escalier, or the spirit of the staircase, and refers to the perfect retort that arises at the wrong time. Still, you’re not doomed to sit by as clever companions exchange sharp banter. You can practice being wittier, improving your reaction times and ability to land a jab or joke at just the right moment. You don’t need to be a linguist to be able to do that. We can all get better at being witty and clever. And it’s worth trying because playing with words—elevates mundane communication from mere talk into a creative process.  It makes life less boring and more fun. 

Expert likes  Author James Greary says: “By practicing and mastering wit, learning to turn words and phrases around in the mind and presenting new juxtapositions, we can change the way we and other people see. “[W]it consists in binding together remote and separate notions, finding the similarity in dissimilar things (or dissimilarity in similar things), and drawing the mind from one word to another. The wittiest among us are simply people who make unusual connections between words and ideas. There’s a refreshing element of surprise to these observations that prompts a smile or a wince from the listener who didn’t see the link until it was presented” 

 In other words, a wit is someone who is disinhibited in linking ideas creatively but also capable of evaluating these connections thoughtfully, thereby presenting unexpected and clever combinations. First, just knowing that Wit is a kind of associative process already makes you better equipped to be a verbal gymnast. There can be a variety of kinds of wit, showing the way this play manifests—puns, rhyme, metaphor, slang, rap, to name a few. Being creative about language takes practice and can be mastered. It’s not just a natural talent. Like other forms of creativity, it is borne of knowledge. Having a rich vocabulary is a starting point. Curiosity is another important element. Appreciating language in all the places and ways it’s used—from pop music to literary fiction, scientific writing to slang—makes it easier to generate unusual combinations. With linguistic gymnastics, we can reach people who might not otherwise think they’re interested in certain ideas and break down barriers.  Likewise, Wit can reinforce boundaries, keeping out the humorless. It’s an efficient way to say more with less, as in the case of a metaphor, or to expose unexpected meanings.  

Then there are some common sense tips: First, Don’t Pressure Yourself: It’s really hard to be clever in conversation when you feel tense. Relax and let loose so you can allow your personality to shine through. At the end of the day, you’re just having conversations with people. Some will like you, some won’t and that’s okay. 

Acquire Knowledge: Read good books, talk to people you normally wouldn’t, and try new hobbies. You can stay up to date with trending topics as well. Visit reputable news websites and follow their social media accounts. You need to expand your perspective: New People, Different Subjects. 

Be Prepared: If you’re wondering how to be witty and funny, you have to prepare ahead of time. This will prevent you from freezing up mentally, especially when feel pressured and overwhelmed. What you’ll want to do is to make a list of situations that you find yourself in on a regular basis. Also, think of events in the past where you wanted to say something clever but you weren’t able to. And then, take the time to brainstorm some interesting responses and fun stories to share in advance. It’s hard to come up with the right things to say if you’re preoccupied with your own thoughts. 

Live in the Moment: Remember, anxiety happens when you’re focused on things that you can’t control. And then, pay attention to what’s happening around you. By doing so, you’ll feel less nervous and you’ll calm yourself down.  

Appear friendlier: If you want to learn how to be witty in conversation, you also have to work on your delivery. Keep in mind that the majority of your communication is non-verbal. It’s not just what you say but how you say it matters too. In order to appear friendlier, remember to have open body language. Make eye contact, keep your arms to your side, and have a genuine smile on your face. 

Believe In Yourself: Most people who struggle socially don’t speak up much. They often assume that what they have to say isn’t good enough that’s why they just keep to themselves. 

Don’t Put People Down:  You’ll get back exactly whatever you put out there. That being said, use your sense of humor to make whoever you’re with feel good around you. 

Remember Good Jokes: When you’re starting out, just get a feel for how people respond to your stories. Pay attention to what gets a good reaction and what doesn’t.   

Take Risks: In order to learn how to be witty and quick, you need to be courageous. You have to be willing to say and do things that most people won’t. That’s why you have to stop playing it safe and take more risks. As mentioned before, not all your jokes are going to be funny when you’re just starting out. 

You need to learn From Funny People: You need to watch more comedy shows and stand-up routines.

And Finally, Know When to Stop 

So many of us feel we are at our wit’s end many times.  Internet chatter is often toxic and commonly resorts to vitriolic retorts, angry declarations, and unnecessary observations. Wit is the antidote for a culture being dulled by communication overload—it’s a kind of wisdom you need.   

 

 

Hobby Lobby

 

Doing something which is ‘not work’ is the conventional definition of a hobby. Many youngsters are spending their time on extreme sports or physical endurance as a hobby. I have heard claims that these activities gave them an opportunity to spend time doing something exclusively for themselves and enjoying suffering and survival. Some people like spending an entire Saturday golfing, fishing, gardening, or attending a game every week. Real Hobby is when it didn’t feel like a choice, it just felt like a natural gravity. Not something you feel like you’re choosing, or scheduling — not a hassle, or something you resent or feel bad about when you don’t do it.   

Most hobbies are built in naturally as a part of childhood. The truth is, it’s really hard to start a hobby as an adult — it feels unnatural, forced, or performative. But then Childhood hobbies require a lot of dedication and effort from kids as well as Parents. I spoke to the parents of wonderkid Sarah Girach. Sarah has competed in inline speed skating events at the US national level for the last 6 years and won many national medals with awards from the state governor and local organizations as well as got 9^th National US ranking. She started skating in India at the age of 7, for school. Then, when her family moved to the US, she first did it for fun and later was invited to join a competitive speed skating team.  She works very hard to keep up with her training regimen each day. She trains six days a week: Monday, Friday, and Saturday for ice speed skating and Wednesday and Sunday for in-line speed skating. Tuesday is for workouts that help her focus on her muscles. Every practice is 3-4 hours. From a parenting perspective, there is a time commitment. Also, they need to spend on skating equipment, wheels, team uniforms, coaches’ fees, ice fees, travel to competitions that require a hotel, food, and sometimes flight tickets and rental cars.  Then comes hobby-study balance: as Studies is "the" most important focus for her as a child: more important than the hobby of skating.   Kids these days have to strive hard for success in hobbies and excel in them.  These hobbies can help even at later ages of their lives as in the case of my batch mate Arun Chillara, who has an IIT –IIM background.  He recently published well acclaimed Music Album:  Tu Hai Sahi.  He has been a professional musician for the last few years with a large number of ad jingles, film scores, songs, etc. He pursued his hobby as a profession. He is also engaged on the business & management side as well,   working with startups and has helped many over the last few years. He craved to be a professional musician throughout his childhood but could not pursue it. He followed his dream. He spends a lot of time on his passion. Melody and lyrics are just the start, then he has to think about production, distribution, etc.  But then he turned his hobby into a revenue-generating stream as the music industry is thriving once again, thanks to streaming platforms and youtube. That has happened in the last few years. His first album called Flying High was an independent release in 2014. He was working full time those days and learned that the music industry was broken only after finishing the songs. But he had the initial body of work that helped him get into the commercial side of the industry. ‘Tu Hai Sahi’ has been in the works for a while along with many other compositions that he has working on. These protagonists have put in serious efforts to follow their hobbies as a child and professionals respectively.   

 

But these days we end up ‘buying’ a hobby.  Peer Pressure, social media, and new economic models are the reasons for that. There is peer pressure generated by reading lifestyle influencers about what to do in leisure time: you should devote yourself to self-care, but also spend more time on your children and partner; you should liberate yourself from the need to monetize your hobby but also have enough money to do the hobby in the first place.  you should “embrace laziness,” “evaluate your career,” “have a family meal,” “fix your finances,” “do that one thing you’ve been putting off,” AND/OR “do nothing,” AND THEN tweet that influencer about what you did over the weekend! 

The new economy has new uncertainties and opportunities. We’re constantly being told to have side hustles—masked as hobbies—in order to have multiple streams of income in today’s gig economy. It can be hard to foster new skills that have nothing to do with a pay cheque. 

Then there are social media platforms. What does it actually mean to have a hobby, especially at a time when we’re living so much of our lives online? Our personal brands require continued upkeep and innovation at a great emotional expense. Social Media’s focus has always been on display the version of yourself you want others to see. Simply put, your Social media page has become a resume for how interesting you are. 

It’s weird to think of yourself as privileged to know what you like. It’s certainly privileged to be able to know it and have the means — the time, the money, the wherewithal, the health — to pursue it. But one of the saddest predicaments of the current millennial moment is feeling desperate for something that isn’t work but having no clue how to figure out what else there is. Serious leisure is the systematic pursuit of activity—like rock climbing or singing—that usually requires a “special skill.” In other words, we need to put serious effort into a hobby in order to reap its rewards over time. Just like we dedicate our time and energy toward a career, committing ourselves to a “serious leisure” activity is one of the keys to achieving a fulfilling life according to few.