Book Review - Happimess

 BOOK REVIEW

Title               : Happimess

Author           : Biswajit Banerji

Genre            : Humor / Sataire

Format          : Paperback

No. of pages : 151

Publisher     : Locksley Hall Publishing LLP

Link to buy:  https://www.amazon.in/HAPPIMESS-BISWAJIT-BANERJI/dp/8194382041/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ATI8PJGO51EC&keywords=happimess&qid=1679999624&sprefix=happimess%2Caps%2C529&sr=8-1

Blurb :

Happimess is a collection of naughty stories that make us laugh while constantly poking fun at social peculiarities. Narrated mostly in the first person, the stories center around everyday situations that get oddly tangled up. Once frantic efforts are made to wriggle out, things only get more messy. Flippant and irreverent, the net of satire is cast wide, spanning conspiring home-appliances, outlandish diseases, nosy insurance agents, die-hard hagglers, a botched farewell speech and the like. It is the constant undercurrent of funny disorderliness that serves to spice-up and unite the stories.

My Review :

I am a big fan of thriller and mystery books. I had never read a satirical book before and was intrigued when I read the blurb. It seemed really interesting. Also, lately I have started reading many books by Indian authors and I must say that I quite like their writing.

Happimess is a collection 13 short stories which are hilarious but have a slight sarcasm at the same time. Each story is a very quick read and you can enjoy it over a cup of coffee. As you read, you realize,that some of us have definitely gone through it at some point of time. I'll be very honest, it takes a little time to get used to the humor and satire.But once you get the hang of it, it's a really fun  book.  Some of the situations from the book reminded me of watching a British comedy show. The writing style of the author is crisp and neat. He has the ability to find humor in the most ordinary day to day stuff. 

If you enjoy reading short stories, you should definitely read this book. A few stories will definitely crack you up with laughter and you'll definitely feel good after reading the book. 

About the Author:

Biswajit is a prolific humorist and author of hundreds of bestsellers - all in his dreams. In reality, this is his debut book. His satirical ramblings, poetry and travel - writing have been published accidentally in several literary journals, periodicals and websites. For a living, he serves in a senior position in a leading Public Sector Steel Unit.

Rating : 3.5/5

This review is a part of  https://www.theblogchatter.com/book-review 

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Book Review - Zero Day

Book Review

Name             : Zero Day

Author           : S. Hussain Zaidi

Genre            : Fiction / Drama

Format          : Paperback

No. of pages : 224

Publisher     : Harper Collins India

Link to buy : https://www.amazon.in/Zero-Day-S-Hussain-Zaidi/dp/9354893651

Blurb :

Mumbai is in a state of chaos. All traffic signals across the entire city have stopped working.

Shahwaz Ali Mirza, head of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, receives an anonymous email claiming it to be a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. He quickly puts together a crack team that includes his protege, IG Cybercrime Vikrant Singh, and gets to work trawling the dark web for more information on this mystery attack. However, a move to bring forward the hacker backfires, leading to a second, deadlier attack on Mumbai's lifeline, the railway system.

It is their first brush with cyberterrorism: a zero-day vulnerability in the Indian government's system that could bring the country to its knees. Racing against time and investigating a case unlike any other, in Zero Day, Mirza and Vikrant face the most dangerous mission of their lives.

Why I read this book :

I am a big fan of fiction , thriller and drama books. Recently I've read fiction and thriller books by Indian authors and I have quite enjoyed reading them. It is a delight to see so many Indian authors writing very good thrillers these days. The blurb intrigued me as in the last few years Mumbai had been under terrorist attack many times and this book was about cyberterrorism which seemed really interesting.

My Review :

To be very honest I would say that it was a very interesting and easy read. The author has explained about cyterterrorism exhaustively. It is amazing how precisely the minds of terrorists work and how they plan a deadly attack. I got goosebumps  while reading some parts of the book. Through this book, the author takes the reader to many areas and conditions which we are not aware of. These can be suppressed because of political agendas and the public never comes to know. 

The only thing which I did not like about the book was the title of the book. I felt that the author could've given a better title. Over all a good book.

About the author:

S. Hussain Zaidi is a veteran of investigative, crime and terror reporting. His previous books include Black Friday, Mafia Queens of Mumbai, Dongri to Dubai, Byculla to Bangkok, Mumbai Avengers and Eleventh Hour, some of which have been adapted into Bollywood films. Hussain Zaidi lives with his family in Mumbai. 

Rating : 3.5/5

This review is a part of  https://www.theblogchatter.com/book-review 

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How to find your zen for mindfulness ?

How to find your zen for mindfulness ? 

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Zen in simple terms means awareness through meditation. Zen is a meditation technique practiced by Buddhists psychology. You can achieve zen by practicing mindful techniques.Zen meditation means to be in the present state and not be judgmental. You can practice zen in your day to day life by slowing down and taking breaks in your day to day life. 

Tips to introduce zen in your life :

Make a morning routine:

Waking up early in the morning before anyone else wakes up is always calming. Set aside that time only for yourself without your phone or any other electronic gadget. You can read, meditate or workout. Do whatever you want to do but do it only for yourself. 

Take deep breaths :

One of the main principles of mindfulness is to be aware of your breaths In order to find your zen too be aware of your breathing. Take deep breaths. You can even chant a mantra while taking deep breaths.

Take frequent breaks:

No matter how busy you are, take frequent breaks in between your work and walk around. This will help you relieve stress and you will be more at peace. 

Go out in the outdoors :

As all of us have very busy schedules, we hardly go out in the open anymore. We are only confined to the inside. Not going out in the fresh air can lead to stress and anxiety. Going out can definitely uplift your mood and is a stress buster too.

Let go of negativity :

Holding on to any form of grudges is not good for health. Too much negativity causes stress and anxiety. It is always  not easy to let go of negative feelings or thoughts. The best way to deal this to have a journal or a diary. Pen down your thoughts when you are feeling low or sad. 

"Now" is the time:

Remember that "Now" is the time. You can have a beautiful picture on your desk or phone. A positive quote always helps. Both picture and the quote are a reminder of enjoying the present moment.

Attaining your zen is not impossible. You need to work towards it and you will realize how beautiful the life is !

This post is a part of  #BlogchatterA2Z   ( https://www.theblogchatter.com )

Yoga and Mindfulness

Yoga and Mindfulness

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All of us know that both mindfulness and yoga have many advantages. But what happens when we combine both mindfulness and yoga together?

When we merge both mindfulness and yoga together, we get a new term called Mindful Yoga.  Although both yoga and mindfulness aim to focus on your breath and what happens in the present moment, but still they are different.

When we practice mindfulness, we purposely bring our attention in the present moment. It is technique to train your mind and bring it to the present when it wanders off. It aims to cultivate attention and awareness to what is happening in the current moment without being judgemental. 

Yoga on the other hand is a science of overall healthy living.

Let is see the difference between Mindfulness and Yoga in detail :

• 1.      Yoga is an art or science of healthy living which incorporates many physical and breathing exercises other than only meditation. Mindfulness on the other hand is a form of meditation that makes you aware of where you are and what you are doing without any judgement.
• 2.     Yoga helps to improve your posture, build over all strength, increases flexibility , increases blood flow and reduces stress. Mindfulness on the other hand, improves memory, focus , mental health  and mood.
• 3.     Yoga helps in over all holistic development of your body. It helps to connect body, mind and spirit . Mindfulness is one the main components of meditation techniques that helps to bring your mind to the present state without any bias or judgement.

In conclusion, we can say that both yoga and mindfulness support and enhance each other. Both of them focus on mind-body awareness , improving both physical and mental health. We can say that one should make and effort and try to practice Mindful yoga. It is not difficult to put your mind to it.  You need to train your mind and can start from today. The only thing that is required in consistency. 

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Removing Xtras From Your Life

Removing Xtras From Your Life

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Negativity is one of the main causes of stresses in life. Have you noticed when you are in the company of a negative person for a long period of time, either you also start complaining or you become negative too. This leads to you being in a horrible mood which makes you feel sad, low and completely down.

Here are certain ways which help you to remove the “Xtras” from your life and lead a positive, mindful life.

• Be mindful of what you speak:

When you are feeling negative, take out your notebook or a journal and start writing your feelings. After writing, notice the kind of feelings you have. Are you using the same phrases or words repeatedly? If you are using the same phrases, try not to say or think about those things because if you repeat a certain thing a number of times, you start to believe it.

• Remove toxic relationships from your life:

Negativity is not only in the form of thoughts but is also present in the form of people or relationships. If any person your relative makes you feel bad or low about yourself, you need to move away from him. Nobody has the right to treat you badly. Sometimes, unfortunately these individuals are very close family member. You cannot move away from them completely but you can just reduce the amount of time that you spend with them.

• Find Positive People:

The more you find positive people around you, the better it is for your mental health and peace. If you are around positive people,  it will help you not to think about the negative people in your life. Positive people make you feel good, give you confidence and bring a smile on your face. With positive people in your life, there is very less room for negativity in your life.

• Do what you love:

All of us like to do certain things but we have become so engrossed in our lives that we dint have any time left for our hobbies or the things which we love to do. Take out 20-30 minutes in a day and set aside that time only for the things that you love to do. It can be reading, watching TV, singing, painting or even writing. When you do something for yourself, it definitely boosts your confidence and also makes you feel good. You do not have time for the xtras in your life.

•  Meditate :

Meditation is on of the most powerful tools which helps us to focus or your breaths and thoughts. It can give you clarity of thought and can also help you to focus on positive and more important things in lfe.

These are some very easy ways to remove “Xtras” from your life.

  This post is a part of  #BlogchatterA2Z   ( https://www.theblogchatter.com )

Why has mindfulness become very popular in the last decade ?

 Why has mindfulness become very popular in the last decade ?

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Mindfulness has become very popular in the last decade. Our lives have become very hectic and mechanical in the last few years. Along with the work load, stress levels have also increased tremendously. 

Mindfulness teaches us to live in the present and be aware of our feelings, emotions and even our breathing. It can be a part of your lifestyle and aim towards wellness. The wellness can be in any form whether physical, psychological or emotional. 
Mindful exercises help to reduce anxiety, stress and depression.Mindfulness helps a person to think differently and be stress free. With the advent of internet and social media, there are many online portals and platforms where people discuss their feelings and emotions. This helps them to openly talk about anything they want without being judged. They share their experiences with their friends and relatives. People also share about their experiences on blogs and other social media sites which creates awareness among the masses.

  Mediation is a form of mindfulness and it has been prevalent since many centuries. Meditation can be done anywhere where you are comfortable, outdoors or indoors.

Your mindful journey can be started only by taking out ten minutes everyday. By following simple mindful exercises you will realize that how easily you can let go of  negative thoughts and worries which cause unnecessary stress and anxiety. In the last ten years or so, people have become aware and have become more vocal about their thoughts and feelings. Earlier people didn't talk openly about depression and anxiety.  Now, people have started to discuss about it freely. Many courses and programs are available which help people deal with stress and anxiety. They are taught various meditation techniques and exercises which puts their mind at ease and stress free.

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Uplift your mood by being mindful

Uplift your mood by being mindful

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Being mindful helps in reducing depression, stress and anxiety. It has gained a lot of popularity in the recent years.

• Being mindful can also uplift your mood. One of the easiest ways to uplift your mood is to have a journal. A journal is a great tracker for your mood. You can write your feelings and emotions freely in your journal where no one can know what you have written. Take out ten minutes and write everyday how you are feeling. Write what irritated you about a particular person or what was a nice thing that happened that day. Write what thing triggers you and what thing makes you happy. You will notice that after writing in your journal and expressing your emotions, you are no longer angry.
• A mindful indulgence can also uplift your mood. A delicious snack always brightens up our mood when we are feeling sad or depressed. All of us have different snack preferences and once in a while indulging in our favourite snack will definitely uplift your mood. But one should keep in mind that overeating can definitely make you gain weight. One should snack mindfully without compromising on the taste.
• Waking up earlier can also uplift your mood. Try to wake up before everyone in the family and take that time for yourself. This extra time will help you get more organised and productive throughout your day.
• Smiling often is also a part of being mindful. Smiling at someone can definitely make someone’s day and will also make you feel better.
• Listening to music can boost happiness and reduce anxiety. Once the music in on you will notice that after sometime you start humming along with the music and this will definitely uplift your mood.
• Helping someone in need is also a great mood up lifter. It can be as simple as helping someone cross the road, walking a dog or babysitting.

These are simple and very doable tips to uplift your mood mindfully.

This post is a part of  #BlogchatterA2Z   ( https://www.theblogchatter.com )