Tales Of Life: Lessons I Learned in Bali
In early 2013, my husband, Vikram, and I boarded a plane to reach the paradisaical island of Bali, where the abundance of tropical greenery and brilliantly coloured flowers was exhilarating and soothing; where the sand and the waves were our partners in crime as we peeped into the magical underwater world; where you recognise humanity looking into the eyes of Bali’s people, and perceive their contentment with life through their smiles.
Our two-week stay at this magical and mystical island helped us gather the most beautiful travel memories and even after all this time, we continue to cherish the lessons that this unique island and its people taught us. Lessons that continue to affect our daily lives even today… lessons that we hope to abide by till the end of our lives.
Here are the five lessons of life Bali taught me
- Gratitude Is The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Gratitude is not just an act of courtesy; it is a way of crossing frontiers on a spiritual level. It’s an invitation to cherish the things around you ~ every day, every moment. The Balinese people may not have much of what we tend to value in our country; in fact, most of the people I interacted with lived off limited incomes and hardly knew of the world beyond the shores of Bali. But somehow in their meager means, I saw the brightest of smiles and the kindest of hearts.
How, I asked myself, can they have so little yet be so happy?
Gratitude. It is assessed that the Balinese spend a third of their lives getting ready for and participating in ceremonies and celebrations. And, approximately half of their household income is generously given away in offerings.
While we revelled in the beauty of the place, enjoying some quality time together in the garden of our boutique hotel, a few women would go around the place placing flags on the doors, spreading the soothing aroma of incense, and offering flowers as they would chant prayers. Such is the way of life in Bali.
When you begin to spend so much time being thankful, it transforms your perception of everything around you and the situations life throws at you. You begin to see opportunity in challenges; growing and evolving into someone who recognises the beauty of life in all its imperfections, in all its misnomers.
Try this: Practice gratitude twice a day and turn it into a ritual that other members of your family can follow too. In my home, we meditate together in the morning, and every evening before dinner we share what we are grateful for. It is one of those little things that end up making a big difference.
- Life Is Simpler When You Don’t Complicate Things
Lost in the conundrum of hopes and desires we complicate our lives way too much with our emotional and physical baggage. I have realised that life becomes significantly less demanding and certainly more pleasant when we clear away unwanted clutter; that simplification is the essential ingredient that can help us lead our lives in a true state of consciousness.
Happiness doesn’t exist in more clothes, a new car, or a bigger house. If you are not happy with the way things are, then filling your closet or schedule will hardly do the magic for you. Believe in “less is more” ~ do away with things that you do not need and just simplify!
Try this: Imagine if you were to pack and move, what are the essentials that you will take, and what are the things that you will give away? De-cluttering and re-organising your physical space will abet the de-cluttering of your mental space too. That over there, you don’t need it!
- Ready Set Happy
We loved our yoga lessons in Bali. The Balinese brought an interesting twist to yoga through Happy Hatha ~ a wonderful combination of traditional hatha yoga and uplifting bursts of laughter yoga. The first time I attended the session, I was laughing like a child with no care. For two whole hours, I was in a beautiful world of smiles and laughter surrounded by people who were totally satiated with the life they led. Our yoga guru said that “we need to be ready to be happy.” Simple as it sounds, this really has a profound meaning to it.
Happiness comes to those who are prepared for it, to those who really want to be happy and openly accept happiness into their lives. Could you simply get up one morning and say, “Today is the day I begin being happy.”? Not really. Like our teacher explained, it is similar to buying a house. We usually believe that buying a house is a step towards a happier life. But it brings the stress of taking a loan and paying monthly installments to eventually own the house. You need to plan for the house and be ready for it, just the way you need to be ready for happiness and everything that comes with it ~ lock, stock, and barrel.
Taken aback? Wondering how you can be ready to be happy? The answer lies in knowing what makes you happy and doing it. Give up destructive habits that aren’t aiding in the fulfillment of your happiness. Think of both short-term and long-term benefits and don’t fall into the trap of ~ “I hate doing this.” Think instead that, “I will do it because it will bring me happiness in the future.”
Try this: Indulge in a tête-à-tête with your reflection in the mirror. We’ve all done it at one point in time, and it can really help us build our confidence and improve our state of mind. When you wake up in the morning, wish yourself good morning in the mirror and smile. Talk to your reflection about how happy you are and share a laugh. Laugh like you are really happy, like no one’s watching, like you have no worries in the world! Your body will sense your happiness and lift your spirits. Begin practising happiness in any random situation. The more you practice being happy, the happier you will find yourself.
- Shake-Away Your Worries to Find Fun and #ChooseLove
Your reaction to a situation is what builds your character. You can choose to be mean and unrelenting or you can add some humour to the situation and give yourself as well as others a reason to smile even when things don’t look pretty. And if that’s not possible, then take some deep breaths and work to calm your mind. Then handle the situation with love. Use love as your secret sauce to enjoy every moment.
Try this: Dance all your stresses away. Turn on the music and shake it. In the short duration of a song, you will realise that when you dance uninhibitedly, you let yourself be who you really are. That feeling when you are dancing is the kind of feeling that you should be able to enjoy all the time!
- If It’s Common Sense Then Why Isn’t It Common Practice
We know so much, and yet we do so little. We know that a 10-minute meditation is all you need to charge up your batteries. We know the goodness of drinking green juice over soda. We know sleeping early is good for our health. We know that loving the work we do is better than detesting it. We know being kind to others feels so much better than being mean. We know our generosity can put a smile on another’s face. We know it is healthier to walk to the neighbourhood store than take the car.
We always know. But have you ever thought of how many of these things we really practice? If it is common sense then why not make it common practice.
Try this: Choose three of the things that you are comfortable with, and start doing them. Do them for a week and then tell me in the comments below how things have changed.
To conclude: It took us a trip to Indonesia to realise what we really had to do for a happier life. Paradise isn’t miles away on sun-kissed beaches or snow-capped mountains. Our paradise is where our heart is, and our heart is where we are in every moment.
Through this article, I hope to spread happiness and love in the lives of all my readers. I would love it if you would take on two or three lessons outlined above and try integrating them into your daily lives. There are no costs involved, and it won’t take up much of your time either. All you need to do is practice being kinder, more loving, more open ~ more you!
…sometimes you have to take one step back in order to make two steps forward. These shots are amazing, Tanya ~ and your words inspire! Great work, keep it up!
So glad to hear this, Sakshi. Thank you very much for sharing my views.
This blog post is very inspiring! I met a local healer when I visited Bali two years ago, who read my soul and helped me realise a handful of truths I was not aware of. It was so important for me to understand what responsibility is – the ability to respond – and that it means controlling how I respond to events and frame situations, isn’t that empowering?!
Thank you so much for joining in and sharing your lovely thoughts, Meghna.
This is a beautiful share … I love all the energy in your writing and in these pictures!
I recently read an article about how to be mindful about money. The advice was: organise your income streams like a Bali rice terrace, let the money stream from one terrace to another and thereby avoid to spend it all.
Thank you so much for being present, Param.
STEP BY STEP, I AM
rising in consciousness,
feeling the vortex,
praying in gratitude,
and learning the lessons.
Such exquisite images… Beauty is indeed all around! 🙂
Thank for sharing that positive poem, Andini.
Every single picture is gorgeous, and you’ve showcased these lessons with such grace, Tanya. Life is not perfect, but it’s quite easy to live happily. 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it, Supal.
This share is absolutely gorgeous, and the visuals are SO beautiful! I love that there’s a personal story behind this editorial… and what a story to tell your family and future children!
Thank you for sharing such kind thoughts about my writing, Vicky.
Love this ❤️ one of the most beautiful editorials I have ever seen on your blog! And, what a beautiful message!
Sending you positive vibes, Pallavi!
This share is pure love ~ so beautiful and so dreamy! I would love to have you join our Woman Empowerment summit event that has amazing woman speakers… Will share more via email.
Thank you very much, Anushka. Please do.
Jaw-dropping amazing post… and your words are just breathtaking, Tanya!
I’d like to share that Bali celebrates the festival of Nyepi. It’s a Balinese tradition of a “Day of Silence.” It’s preceded by beautiful parades of Hindu gods and goddesses, and feasts and music – followed by SILENCE. There’s no eating, no wifi, no transportation… And makes for the perfect opportunity to simply read a book and meditate. 🙂
Thank you for this beautiful share, Ritu.
“We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.”
~ Carlos Castaneda
Absolutely beautiful writing! Further to the quote I’ve shared, I think that creating your “identity first” is truly the key to empower yourself from the inside out. I hope it helps inspire you (reading this) to create the change you’re looking for!
I’m so glad you resonate with this, Sayali. Thank you very much indeed!
Your work is SO beautiful and inspirational! And I love your blog that is so full of colour and life!
Here’s my take: Mindfulness and gratitude is something we learn. We cultivate it in moments. We practice it. We breath through it. We choose it.
This is great, Sakshi! Both are so important…
Magic! ❤️ Bali was awesome, and I miss it now that I’m back. But life doesn’t wait. I know – I *feel* – it’s time to move forward, grow, become more… When things get hard, or confusing, or even impossible, it’s good to stop. Breathe. Look around. Maybe even look inside. And when you feel strong, and confident… DO IT. Get it! Make it happen!
You’re a sensitive soul, Sadiya. Thank you for feeling deeply.
Most of us have built “protection” walls — consciously or unconsciously — that separates us from what we perceive as “different” to us. So in these spaces we have to dig deeper to find connection and safety. We have to step deeper into our vulnerability and discomfort so we can communicate with more clarity and be more vigilant about our assumptions.
Thank you, Pritika. That is sensitive of you, to resonate like this…
Loved it! ❤️ Balinese locals always smile like they have no problems at all or they just don’t care. It really drives you with tons of energy and brings you a positive life attitude. I really want to go back to feel it one more time….
Absolutely right you are, Tejas. Thank you for sharing.
Wow! To live a beautiful, meaningful and purposeful life, follow these guidelines. #foodforthought
Delighted Jyothika! Thank you so much.
What did I learn in Bali…?
Many things; but one thing that really stays is my need of nature. Was it all the intense experience of nature that I had there? Probably, because I didn’t have it before. Now it feels essential for my entire system, soul and happiness to be in nature soaking up the energy of mother earth ✨ SAT NAM
Thank you for adding to my post, Chetna. Nice of you.
Yes ~ this does resonate.
I am currently in Bali, and am afraid to go back home to Mumbai. To lose too quickly this empowerment I have connected here. One month is both a lot and a little short… yet a beautiful gift I did give to myself. ✨ Thank you mama Bali for the lessons and for your energy!
Keep Bali in your ❤️ and you will be just fine, Deepika.
“I fell into a sea of gratitude and never found the shore.” ~ Patch Adams
It would seem that your personal mission is to dwell in gratitude. Linger here. Savour it. Engage the world with your senses. And invite everyone to join you, Tanya.
I find you to be a beautiful and kind soul. May your radiance shine into the world, illuminating the dark places where love has not yet been found. And may your light be the spark that is the change. Strong women unite.
It’s comments like yours that put a hop in my step and keep me going, Anandita! Big love!
Love your vibe! ✨ It holds true that of all the books in the world, some of the best stories, lessons, learnings and inspiration are found between the pages of your passport. Keep inspiring!
Quite true.
It’s nice to be reminded that at every moment we make a choice where we focus our energy. Always.
So friends, let’s remember that we have the capacity to re-train our minds towards a new habit of celebrating every gorgeous moment of our lives ~ by focusing on the super high frequencies of gratitude and joy; for that is when you linger in the realms of possibility. ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for resonating with this and your warm appreciation, Saraswati.