The other day I was watching this talk on TED about people who are naturally introverts and that introversion is in fact a good thing.

I felt relieved after hearing that.

Yes, I am an introvert.

Perhaps some of you may disagree because I do laughed out loud or speak out load sometimes. However, that only happens with people I am very close and comfortable with.  I think I can count those people with my fingers.

In other circumstances, say, in a big function full of strangers, I do not and I will not walk up to anyone to introduce myself.

Small talk is a waste of time to me.  In addition, parties and discos do not attract me.

In a group of casual friends, I prefer to listen than to talk.

Most of the time, I prefer to be in my own “world” or “space” than to be outside of my comfort zone (given a choice).

Public speaking feels like a death sentence. I know many people say that stage fright is in everyone of us. True. However, I would need far more courage and encouragement than the weight of an adult whale to be able to do one.

I feel extremely uncomfortable when all eyes are on you. I prefer to be invisible.

All sound negative? That’s only because this world has been living in a false premise that in order to be “successful”, we have to be outspoken, reaching out to people, take initiatives to make the first move, go into a conference room and introduce yourself to make the first impression, bah dah bing bah dah boom, so on and so forth.

First, define success.

As an introvert, and a cancerian (if that has got to do with anything at all), I am comfortable hiding in my own (crab) shell.

Being away from a noisy crowd or a crowd that only strives to boast about their “wealth” and “capabilities” gives me room in my mind.

Most times, especially at the end of the day, I love to close my eyes (not sleeping) and think of Krishna, my Lord.

I love the quietness of my home. Only with quietness, we can go deep into our minds and hearts and connect with that inner world, reaching in in order to reach out to Krishna.

We spent too much time in this “outer” world, fighting for things that yield no benefit at the end of this life.

Therefore, introversion may seem like a weakness in this greedy material world. However, it does not matter what you think.

Maybe this introversion is God’s way of wanting us to be closer to Him than to be blinded by monsters of Maya.

Time and again we have been told and we have been taught that the logic of life is birth, old age, sickness and death; and it is not always in that sequence.  Then later on I learn that the way to not go through this cycle again and again is to surrender oneself to Lord Krishna, practice devotional service and live life with the only aim of serving Krishna and go back to Him at the end of life.  

Maybe when it happens to me I won’t be that afraid. But when it’s happening to the people you love, the only thing you could do is to continue to surrender to Krishna and to hope for the courage to face the pain and fear.

We are so attached to this world. The material possessions, reputations, wealth and most importantly, people we love.  It takes another level of courage to face these losses.It’s possible to let go of things and to want less. But to not feel scared at the impending loss of a love one is not a courage I possess.

Oh Lord, Your Grace is truly my only salvation. 

An old Farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Bhagavat Geeta. 

His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, 'Grandpa! I try to read the Bhagavat Geeta just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bhagavat Geeta do?'

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, 'Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.'

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house.

The grandfather laughed and said, 'You'll have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to
the river with the basket to try again.

This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home.

Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough,and he went out the door to watch the boy try again”.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house.

The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty.

Out of breath, he said, 'See Grandpa, it's useless!'

'So you think it is useless?' The old man said, 'Look at the basket.'

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different.

It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

'Son, that's what happens when you read the Bhagavat Geeta. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed,inside and out. That is the work of Krishna in our lives.'

The following article was taken from Zen Habits and written by Leo Babauta:

I’m not a rich man, nor do I fly around the world and drink champagne with famous people in exotic locales, nor do I own a sports car or SUV or a yacht.

And yet, I’m very happy.

Much happier than seven years ago when I ate fried foods and sweets all time time and felt unhealthy and overweight, when I watched television and was out of shape, when I shopped a lot and was in debt, when I worked a job that paid fairly well and had no time for myself or my loved ones.

How have I accomplished this? With small tricks. The truth is, you don’t need a lot to live well — you just need the right mindset.

Here’s what I’ve learnt about living well on little:

1. You need very little to be happy. Some simple plant food, modest shelter, a couple changes of clothes, a good book, a notebook, some meaningful work, and some loved ones.
2. Want little, and you are not poor. You can have a lot of money and possessions, but if you always want more, you are poorer than the guy who has little and wants nothing.
3. Focus on the present. Stop worrying about the future and holding onto the past. How much of your day is spent thinking about things other than where you are and what you’re doing, physically, at this moment? How often are we living as opposed to stuck thinking about other things? Live now and you live fully.
4. Be happy with what you have and where you are. Too often we want to be somewhere else, doing something else, with other people than whoever we’re with right now, getting things other than what we already have. But where we are is great! Who we’re with (including just ourselves) is already perfect. What we have is enough. What we’re doing already is amazing.
5. Be grateful for the small pleasures in life. Berries, a square of dark chocolate, tea — simple pleasures that are so much better than rich desserts, sugary drinks, fried foods if you learn to enjoy them fully. A good book borrowed from the library, a walk with a loved one in the park, the fine exertion of a short hard workout, the crazy things your child says, the smile of a stranger, walking barefoot on grass, a moment of quiet as the morning wakens and the world still rests. These little pleasures are living well, without needing much.
6. Be driven by joy and not fear. People are driven by the fear of missing out, or the fear of change, or the fear of losing something. These are not good reasons to do things. Instead, do things because they give you or others joy. Let your work be driven not because you need to support a lifestyle and are afraid of changing it, but by the joy of doing something creative, meaningful, valuable.
7. Practice compassion. Compassion for others creates loving, rewarding relationships. Compassion for yourself means forgiving yourself for past mistakes, treating yourself well (including eating well and exercising), loving yourself as you are.
8. Forget about productivity and numbers. They matter not at all. If you are driven to do things to reach certain numbers (goals), you have probably lost sight of what’s important. If you are striving to be productive, you are filling your days with things just to be productive, which is a waste of a day. This day is a gift, and shouldn’t be crammed with every possible thing — spend time enjoying it and what you’re doing.

In many instances, silence of the mind is important. In a way it is like resetting the "CPU" of one's mind.