Shut Shop

Not all days are the same. Some days are damn hard to even wake up and show up. The inner strength falters and doesn't seem to be on our side. However, there's a subtle power in showing up. Even with less readiness to act we give ourselves a chance to learn, grow and leap.

I usually use public transport to commute over the weekends as it gives me a chance to slow down and take in the softness that life has to offer as compared to the everyday hustle. As I hopped in the metro and grabbed a seat, I ran my hands in my bag to get my earphones only to realise I had forgotten it back home. I was 8 stations away and there was nothing to do except to stare at faces that were all glueing at their phones. They say it's good to be different or stand out but I felt like a fool casted out of the scene. On my side, two friends were chatting about the ill effects of social media in our lives while scrolling their Instagram page, one kid was playing  games on the phone  while an elderly woman was learning to use whatsapp from her granddaughter. I felt an incessant urge to do something in the moment to save myself from the sheer embarrassment of empty stares and ongoing commentary of metro boarding and deboarding.

I tried to swallow the hard truth of how fast the world was changing and how numb we were becoming. It took me by surprise how I missed noticing these little things that contribute to our big feelings. In that moment I wished if there was a store to keep our phones away/if our phones had an end time or if social media was like a shop that shuts every evening how different the world would be then. It is actually in shutting down that we are able to embrace what is in front of us. When we shut our eyes we are able to sleep more sound & when we shut down our gadgets we are ready to engage in the present moment. Maybe this was my reward for showing up when I wanted to call it a day.

Not an ideal wish but we can all strive to be part of a world that ensures we make time to shut shop, show up and look forward to what is coming our way. Some of the benefits of inculcating it in our everyday routine in small ways can help improve our mental and physical health substantially.

I) Fosters opportunity for connection- Human beings are social species and we thrive when we come in contact with other people. Making time to shut down from our devices gives us more time to learn something new, engage in a heart to heart conversation that charges us for the day.

2) Embracing the soft side of life- Life throws many challenges at us on a daily basis. When we choose to look up, we embrace the simple pleasures of life that get lost in the hustle bustle of making a livelihood.

3) Chance to exercise our Senses- We all trust our gadgets more than ourselves. Our inability to feel small, low or overwhelmed can be overcome by little movement, deep breathing or journaling.

4) Take Stock- It is important to take stock of where you are and where you want to go by assessing what is working out, what is not working out and upskill yourself to get there.

With this trip I realised how inhibited we feel in some situations to things that are naturally inherent in us. We already have solutions to most problems showing up in our lives by trusting ourselves, making room for what is coming our way and taking a leap of faith.

About The Author

Sonam Agarwal (Psychologist, Counselor & Chief Collaborator)

Sonam is a practicing counseling psychologist based in Delhi. She has 7+ years of experience in counseling, mentoring and business development. She pursued her bachelors and majors in Psychology from Delhi University & is an NLP practitioner. She served as an editor-in-chief of the Annual Psychology magazine in the Faculty of Arts, Delhi University.

She aims at curating a healthy and safe space for her clients. She recognizes that one size/plan doesn’t fit all. She believes that each of us has the potential to thrive when we celebrate our uniqueness and accept ourselves fully. She draws an eclectic approach, combining different therapy styles like CBT, ACT, gestalt therapy, positive psychology and mindfulness tailored to the needs and interests of different individuals.

She works from a collaborative, strength based approach; assisting clients to be the expert of their own lives. She has worked extensively with non-profit organizations, international mentoring organizations, hospitals, clinics and startups. She has assisted adolescents, adults and elderly in coping with anxiety, depression, stress, disruptive behaviors, self-esteem, trauma, grief and relationship distress to live a more authentic and purposeful life.