Vow For Wow

🌸🌸🌸

Being non-productive, feeling guilty about wasting time, constant anxiety, etc. are just a few emotions & thoughts that come to your mind the moment you plan to take a professional break/holiday or while you are on one.

Guess what? It's normal to feel that way as our brain starts listing off all the productive things that we could be doing during this time instead of just relaxing.

This happens either because we are overactive, anxious, and hardworking, or we often link our identity to how productive we are being. Sometimes, we don’t even realise the benefits of relaxing and taking a break.

However, we need to overcome these feelings, as breaks/holidays are important for the following reasons -

🩷 They are stress busters.
🩷 They uplift your mood.
🩷 Time for self introspection.
🩷 Quality time with your loved ones.
🩷 Learn new skills.
🩷 Experience nature.
🩷 Return to work with a fresh mind & increased productivity.

In order to experience a stress free & enjoyable break/holiday, one must -

✅️ Complete your assigned task before going on a break.
✅️ Realise the benefits of break.
✅️ Don't worry about the tasks taking place or other people back at your workplace.
✅️ Do what you love to do in your leisure time, be it sleeping, playing a sport, binge-watching movies, travelling with family or taking a trip alone, etc.
✅️ Stop being anxious & try to live in the moment.

So simply relax, have a wonderful holiday & enjoy your break!

ेsang

"Be that confident woman who first helps fix her own crown, only to inspire others to fix theirs too!" - niकेsang

Inclusivity & empowerment starts with you! Then why wait for others to do so for you?

As individuals, we all have the right to feel included & empowered as homemakers, women on sabbaticals, working women & so on. Sharing some simple steps which you can take & apply on yourself. These will definitely help you be self reliant when it comes to inclusivity & empowering yourself in order to place & project yourself confidently in this forever evolving & growing world:

💌 You are not alone - Even though you may feel as if all the burdens of the world are on your shoulders, know that there are others going through similar feelings. Find solace in the strength of others, and have faith that you will get through the tough times.

💌 Be open to feedback - Accept criticism & feedbacks. Take them in good spirits and apply them to change & evolve.

💌 Love & respect yourself - Don't expect others to love & respect you if you don't love & respect yourself. People will see you & perceive you, the way you feel about yourself & project yourself in front of others.

💌 Don't have any regrets - Treat your failures as experiences & lessons which have made you the person you are today. They make you stronger than you were before.

💌 Live in the present - Stress is about what has happened & anxiety is about what will happen. Enjoy your today & forget the rest.

💌 Stop comparing - Showcase your strengths & talents and work on your weaknesses, if required. You know what you are good at, so use it to grow & progress ahead while inspiring other women to do the same.

💌 Upskill & upgrade - Continuous upskilling & upgrading at regular intervals will help you keep up with the universally evolving scenarios. You will never feel outdated & low on confidence.

💌 Be your own cheerleader - You are the one best person to keep yourself motivated & encouraged. Be that person who will inspire & push you to chase your dreams each day.

So are you ready to include & empower yourself?

Make a promise to yourself today! Happy International Women's Day to all you beautiful women 💞

ेsang

🌷🌷🌷

Spring is the season between winter and summer. A transition period when we see days getting longer, temperatures getting warmer, trees growing, and plants blossoming in time for summer.

With the snow melting, the flowers blooming, and brighter days, we can only expect the beginning of a brand new positive change and time ahead of us; looking forward to better & happier days.

We all go through a similar transition period when we face or accept certain changes in our lives. Changes in our lifestyle, our attitudes, behaviors, clothing, finances, mindset, illness/medical conditions, age, jobs/businesses, and so much more.

As humans, most of the times, we find it difficult to be calm & composed in such situations. It's normal to have doubts about the change that's going to happen or apprehensions about accepting something new in our lives. However, this behavior only makes the process longer and the way ahead more difficult, for us to accept & get accustomed to the change.

So why not see every change in our lives just like another springtime? A transition or an interim period that will bring in positivity and betterment in our lives ahead. A time that will make us stronger, smarter, more tolerant, experienced and a confident person who will be able to handle all of life’s challenges.

Embrace change as an opportunity to improve and advance. An attitude that will help us be flexible & adaptable to uncertainties in our personal & professional lives. This will also help us overcome our past traumas, if any, and move forward to a better and brighter future.

So let's embrace change whenever required, look forward to newer opportunities & relations and enjoy the experience just like it's spring time.

ेsang

💖💖💖

Is Valentine's Day only about lovers? Not really, it’s a day for everyone to celebrate love & each of us can show or receive love in different ways.

So this Valentine's Day use any of the below love languages; whichever one suits you the best & make this day special for you and for those you love & care about -

💝 Use words of affirmation - Use words that are positive, encouraging & apprecative like I love you, thank you for being there for me always, I believe you, I'm proud of you & more.

💝 Sharing gifts - Giving gifts like flowers, chocolates, presents, etc. showing that you recognize & value them as a part of your world. Gift-giving helps form strong bonds and build lasting relationships.

💝 Acts of service- Go that extra mile to help someone in a meaningful way that will support them. Ease out some of their daily responsibilities & burdens such as helping with the dishes, gardening, minding their toddler/s for a while, picking up groceries, etc. only to be loved or receive love in return.

💝 Physical touch - A tight hug, kiss or just a cuddle can do wonders when it comes to expressing love & care.

💝 Quality time - Just sparing some time off your busy schedule will also make your dear ones feel special & important. A family dinner, movie time, a long drive, etc. are a few options to choose from.

Last but not the least, don't forget to love yourself.

💝 Self-love - Take care of yourself and your well being. Prioritize yourself by indulging in some self-care. Go for a facial, spa treatment, etc. Enjoy shopping or treat yourself to your favorite icecream & chocolates. Spend your day in doing what you love like painting, pottery, playing a musical instrument or your favorite sport.

Speak your love language today & enjoy this Valentine's Day! Love yourself & spring in love this season.

ेsang

🦋🦋🦋

Just by dressing down from level 3 (wearing a 3rd layer i.e. half jacket) to level 2 (sporting a collered shirt/top), shifting from no makeup to basic makeup, choosing spectacles over lenses, dangling earrings to mininmal accessories and voila, look at the transformation! This is what worked for me in my professional environment.

Sometimes we try hard to present our best selves, however, if not aligned to our personal style & comfort, we are never going to look our best, which may even impact us in giving our best in our professional as well as personal life.

What looks good on others may not always look good on us or suit us. It's ok to be yourself, look yourself & present the real you to others.

Know your personal style and choose your clothing & accessories accordingly.

I also believe that transformation is a process. Don't expect the magic to happen overnight. Give yourself some time to try out different things, to understand what works for you, and accordingly adapt & apply those changes in your appearance, thus making you feel more comfortable & confident in presenting the real you. Complete transformations can happen over a few weeks, months or even a couple of years for some as it also requires you to have a healthy &positive mindset.

So don't be hard on yourself & complicate things. Stop comparing yourselves with others & give yourself some time. Just keep it simple! Keep going & keep evolving.

ेsang

😇😇😇

'Ditch resolutions, wear aspirations', was the theme for IMPA Pune Chapter's New Year Meet where our members had to wear anything, from a simple piece of accessory to a complete outfit, anything that would reflect their aspirations.

And it was truly a wonderful experience & feeling, to hear about each one's aspirations - from indulging in self-love to prioritizing one's professional growth, transforming one's appearance to working on one's leadership skills, and how they depicted it through their respective attires.

For me in 2024 the mantra's gonna be, "Let's Keep It Simple". So I wore this simple linen one-piece with an all-over floral print in mint green & white colour. Mint green being associated with tranquility and relaxation due to its calming, soothing vibes and white representing peace & simplicity. 🤍💚

This year I aspire and hope to be simple, think simple, act simple and keep things simple. Why should we complicate our lives by overthinking and being overwhelmed all the time, when it's not really helping to better anything?

So let's be calm and take one day at a time, be mindful & positive. Practice gratitude & self-care. Stop overthinking and keep away from negative thoughts.

Cheers to a peaceful & simplistic 2024! 🥂

ेsang

🎉🎉🎉

"Forgive yourself for not knowing what you didn't know until you lived through it. Honor your path. Trust your journey. Learn, grow, evolve, become." - Creig Crippen

With so many dreams & aspirations, and a lot of excitement, we took a leap of faith & introduced Vow For Wow on 4th Jan 2016. Little did we know, that this was going to be a roller coster ride.

Today as we turn 8, we would like to share 8 wow insights/learnings, which definitely have added value to our 8 successful years and are here to remain with us in our journey ahead -

1. Love, respect & believe in yourself - Your self-worth, self-confidence and self-esteem is of utmost importance in order to progress & achieve your goals.

2. Be your own kind of be-you-tiful - Don't compare yourself with others. Showcase your strengths & uniqueness and brand yourself differently!

3. Walk The Talk - Transformations and transitions are real. Be ready to change, evolve and try out things out of your comfort zone if you want others, especially your clients, to trust and follow you.

4. Unplug and Reset- Breaks are important to maintain your physical and mental health. They help you to once again think creatively, maintain consistency in your performance & in turn, increase your productivity in work.

5. Slow is the new fast- Choose quality over quantity. Keeping going, progress at your own pace and enjoy the journey!

6. Unplan the plan- Don't regret your past decisions. Revisit your failures and learn from them. Starting all over again is only about having a fresh perspective and creating something new.

7. Appreciate & be grateful- These positive thoughts & words not only improve other's lives but also yourself. They help you to create positive vibes and maintain healthy & genuine connections forever.

8. Create your own story to tell - Always be real, original, authentic and create something new. Keep learning, evolving, growing and progressing. People will know and remember you for your uniqueness & creativity.

Hope these learnings & insights help and inspire a few 😊👍

Love,
Nikita.

ेsang

🔔🔔🔔

Joy is a feeling a great pleasure & happiness and one can always choose to feel or be joyous at all times.

It's hard to always find good in all things & to appreciate everything and at all times. However, joy is a mindset that is independent of any circumstances. It helps us to focus on the positive things and find gratitude, happiness and hope for the future.

It is associated with feelings of ease, appreciation, and meaning that makes life worth living in the moment.

Here's what one can choose from to live a joyful life and make it worth living-

💛 Care for others.
💛 Spend time in nature.
💛 Meet friends over coffee.
💛 Cook a meal.
💛 Exercise & practice self-care.
💛 Build spiritual connections.
💛 Keep learning & upskilling yourself.
💛 Smile & practice positive affirmations.
💛 Compliment & appreciate others.
💛 Practice gratitude.
💛 Accept change & keep evolving.
💛 Focus on the good & positive and ignore the negative thoughts & circumstances.

Joy positively improves one's mental health and overall well-being. It also boosts our immune systems, fights stress & pain and improves our chance of living a longer life.

This season be contented, be joyous!

ेsang

❤️❤️❤️

Love is about having strong feelings of affection, care, and attachment towards someone or something.

When you feel loved, you feel less pressure, less lonely, less anxious, more secure, more confident, and more important. 

On the other hand, a lack of love can also be a major source of the negative emotions that we feel.

Love is not only important for building & maintaining our relationships with others, but also for our own feelings of self-worth.

Not selfishness or indulgence, but self-love is crucial to one’s overall well-being and success. 

We need to prioritize our own physical, emotional and spiritual health in order to navigate life’s challenges and pursue our goals with increased clarity and confidence.

In order to have a positive relationship with oneself, so that we can give and receive love without fear or insecurity, one must -

❣️Love yourself, your identity, and individuality without seeking external validation or approval from others.

❣️Accept all your imperfections along with your strengths.

❣️Embrace who you are and focus on your own goals, values, and aspirations rather than comparing yourself with others.

❣️Find happiness from within, rather than looking for it externally or from others.

❣️Know your worth in order to recognize and appreciate your own value, which will prevent you from settling for lesser than what you deserve. 

❣️Prioritize your own well-being and love yourself unconditionally to be better equipped to handle life’s challenges and obstacles in future.

Self-love will allow us to live authentically and confidently, ease our anxiety, and increase feelings of self-worth, thus attracting others with similar values and beliefs.

This season feel worthy, feel loved!

ेsang

🎄🎄🎄

Wish you all a Very Merry Christmas! 🤗🥰

ेsang

🧨🧨🧨

Often we hear sentences like, "They are not at peace with each other" or "They need to make peace amongst themselves" and so on.

It's usually in context with making peace between 2 people or 2 or more countries, etc.

However, it's more important to be at peace with yourself. If not, then you are your biggest enemy.

When you are in peace with yourself, you feel calm and contented, and automatically you are at peace with the world. You will have no emotional conflicts within yourself nor with others.

In order to attain peace within, one must -

⚘️ Perceive yourself and your life positively. Showcase your strengths & talents and use them wisely for your personal & professional growth.

⚘️ Accept your flaws & weaknesses, and work on them rather than being in a state of denial.

⚘️ Be grateful for all the good things & caring people in your life.

⚘️ Confront your issues & problems rather than running away or escaping from them.

⚘️ Value your inner worth and not only a life full of materialistic possessions.

⚘️ Stop holding negative opinions about yourself without considering the viewpoints of others. This will only lead you to self-doubt and low self-esteem.

⚘️ Remain open-minded, often introspect and be ready to review your understanding about yourself.

⚘️ Be patient. Allow yourself time to change & evolve for your own good.

⚘️ Forgive yourself for your wrong doings & past mistakes. Make peace with your past, live in the present moment and look ahead to a better and newer self.

This season be happy, be at peace!

ेsang

💚💚💚

Did you know that your social media image & presence is a very important aspect of Personal Branding?

Not many of us are aware that, to create & maintain an authentic personal brand, one must ensure that his/her online, as well as offline image, need to be in sync with each other. Any discrepancies between both these images will only create confusion, leading your audience or prospective clients to doubt your personal brand. This may further lead to people not trusting you & your brand, which in turn will impact your professional as well as your personal life due to losing out on prospect leads & collaborations as well as friends & colleagues.

Glad to have conducted a workshop in Dec'23 on Personal Branding for members of the Ambassadors Club, an exclusive community of women who promote the HerKey (formerly JobsForHer) brand. The workshop aimed to provide practical strategies and actionable insights to help these women enhance their personal brand within the HerKey platform in today's competitive landscape. 

Thank you once again Divya & team HerKey for inviting me & giving me the opportunity to share my knowledge & insights on the said topic 🙏😊

✳️✳️✳️

Have you heard of the Hope Theory?

According to the American Psychologist Charles Snyder, there are three components associated with hope:

1. Having goal-oriented thoughts,
2. Developing strategies to achieve our goals and
3. Being motivated to expend effort to achieve these goals. 

The ability to believe in the above components is the only way one can develop a sense of hope.

Hope helps you feel less anxious and improves your brain functioning.

When things go wrong or in a way that you didn't expect them to, it's very easy for one to give into fear and despair. This only makes an individual more anxious.

During such times one can stay hopeful by -

✅️ Taking a break, or pausing for a while & introspecting, can help you find that spirit of hope again. It will build a mindset that will once again expect positive outcomes in order to achieve your goals, irrespective of the surrounding events and circumstances in one's life.

✅️ Stay away from negative thoughts & vibes. Don't engage with negative people or news that makes you anxious and keeps you away from goal-oriented thoughts.

✅️ Express gratitude. Look around and be thankful for all the good things, happy moments & supportive people that you have in your life.

✅️ Focus on the path ahead of you. Plan your tasks in a way in which you can work on them for a brighter & better future.

✅️ Surround yourself with positivity & hopeful people. Talk to people who care for you and encourage you. Engage with people and things that will motivate you to bring out the best in you and help you see the bright side of life.

✅️ Above all, during times of hardships & struggle one can always look up to God, and pray and ask for strength, as he is the ultimate source of our hope.

This season, be positive, be hopeful!

ेsang

✅️✅️✅️

The below screenshot is of an interview clip from the famous Hollywood movie 'The Devil Wears Prada'. This is a scene where Andy (Anne Hathaway), a young journalist is being interviewed by Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), New York's biggest magazine editor.

I used the above video in my recent training on Interview Skills as it is a classic example of how one can miss a dream job opportunity by simply not doing his or her homework on the company's/organization's profile to which he/she is applying.

While you may have the right hard skills required for the job, it's equally important that your soft skills & presentation skills are in line to the company's vision & objectives.

DM to know more on how one can be interview ready & secure your dream job/placement.

🤎🤎🤎

The last of this season....Coffee Brown.

Coffee brown is a representation of the colour of a roasted coffee bean. Its name was first recorded in 1695 in English.

Being more of an earth colour, coffee brown gives a sense of strength and reliability. It brings along with it, resilience, dependability, security, and safety.

This down-to-earth autumn colour, pairs beautifully with shades like cream, caramel and gold, thus creating a harmonious balance of warmth and depth.

For a sophisticated look, pair it with shades of peach, teal and even deep blues.

While some perceive it as rich and luxurious, few associate it with sadness & loneliness too! So one must wear it wisely depending upon the mood & occasion.

ेsang

🪔🪔🪔

"No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it." – H.E. Luccock

At IMPA Pune Chapter, together we discuss, plan, collaborate, learn, share, laugh, eat, enjoy, achieve & succeed.

Here's a glimpse of our chapter members coming together to celebrate Diwali in the month of Nov'23. Dressed in festive attires, we bonded over a sumptuous traditional Indian thali at Maharaja Bhog, Pavillion Mall, Pune & also discussed about our Dec'23 initiatives.

Cheers to our fun & learning moments as a team! 🙌🥂

 

💛💛💛

The first recorded use of Mustard as a colour name in English was in 1886. Surprisingly, its signature hue is not from the colour of the mustard seed itself. That rich yellow colour actually comes from the turmeric that is added to mustard.

Mustard yellow gives a warm glowing feeling with an obvious link to sunlight. It is mood boosting and can make one feel good and positive almost instantly. The colour Mustard also symbolizes creativity and diversity.

Being in the autumn colour family, it goes well with olive green, teal blue, aubergine, terracotta and other autumnal colors, giving one a bolder look.

It looks best when paired with grays & whites; very sophisticated and very calming. And also goes beautifully with dark blue, warm green and pale pink hues.

Since it attracts the eye easily and is often associated with happiness, positivity, and optimism, many go for it to convey a sense of joy and enthusiasm within them.

So opt for it this season and shine bright! 🌼

ेsang

⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Satisfaction is a rating. Loyalty is a brand." – Shep Hyken

With 14 years of experience in the Customer Service department, across various profiles and roles, I completely agree with the above quote by the famous author and expert on Customer Service & Experience. Demonstrating a 'customer first' attitude and ensuring delight at every instance & customer interaction, is the only way to get your customers from the zone of satisfaction into the zone of loyalty.

Glad that my experience & learnings in customer service came in handy during my recent training on the said topic. Yet another interactive session with a batch of aspiring soft skills trainers & image consultants, who shared their customer service experiences & stories, which further added to my knowledge.

At the end of this 2 day virtual training, the smiling faces & heart emojis only confirmed that my customers were happy & in a zone of delight!

🍁🍁🍁

Many a times your fall is nothing more than a trip or a momentarily loss of balance. However, instead of picking ourselves up & focusing on our path ahead, we feel sad & keep sulking over it, only to realize later that it was a complete waste of time.

Alternatively, you can concentrate on the path that the fall may be trying to lead you on. It may be a new path which may be better suited for you to travel on. It may be a path on which your success & victories await you. It may be the change that was most required for your well-being & growth at that particular point or instance.

So don't bother and waste your time on your falls or the twists and turns that you may experience, but rather, believe in your fall & look at the possibility of it leading you to a more successful path of your personal/professional life. Accept the falls, learn from them, keep walking on the new path step by step and enjoy your journey ahead.

Happy Monday! Have a wonderful week ahead!

  ेsang