To view this newsletter in the browser, click here                 Issue #164       A newsletter from Creativegarh to help you live a life of passion, purpose and meaning.         The more you know yourself, the more you'll be able to say no to people and yes to life.                     Many of us, very early in our lives, realised that we have needs and right in that very instant it also dawned upon us that having needs makes us difficult and unworthy of love. Because when we asked for something or voiced our needs, we were made to believe that we were insensitive, a burden, a problem maker.           So, to be loved, we hated the parts of us that made us feel unloved and alienated us from our primary caregivers. We hated the parts of us that were insensitive, burdensome, problem making. That’s where our journey of self-hate started and also the instance where we abandoned our own selves and became someone else – the sensitive one who is always expected to understand and be understanding, the one who will never be a burden on others, the one who will never be a problem maker.           The most destructive, self-abandoning thing we did to ourselves was to believe someone else’s opinion of us.           To find their acceptance and love and not to become their opinion of us, we created coping strategies and started manipulating the world. We became people pleasers, we chose never to have an opinion, we became the good boy or the good girl, always putting the needs of others before ours, we learnt how to keep our trap shut, how to bite our tongue, how to zip our lips.           As we moved along with life, denying our own needs, we lost trust with ourselves. Because we didn’t trust ourselves and needed to make decisions to survive, we outsourced all answers to the world outside – what to do, what courses to take, what dresses to wear, how to manage relationships, how to respond to tough situations.           Years went by.           Same thoughts lead to the same choices. Same choices lead to the same behaviours. Same behaviours lead to the same experiences. Same experiences lead to the same emotions. Same emotions drive the same thoughts.           It became one vicious cycle, an infinity loop with no way out.           We wondered why we can’t be like others, why we lack self-confidence, why we can’t voice opinions, why we can’t stand up for ourselves.           We can.           With self-awareness, because then we realise how we operate in this world, we can start by responding to life and beginning by making the smallest changes.           Tell the server that you did not like your soup instead of grudgingly having it with the fear of being seen as a problem maker. You can ask a colleague or a friend for help instead of living with the fear of being seen as a burden on people. You do not have to fawn over someone and be a people pleaser just because you feel like being at home and not going for their house party. Tell them without the fear of being seen as insensitive and cold.           Swadhaya. Know yourself – your emotions, your thoughts, your behaviours. Make knowing yourself – self-reflection, an urgency. As you know yourself, you’ll realise that not only do you have needs, your needs matter. And it’s your responsibility to fulfil them instead of holding the world responsible for making your life full, whole and complete. As you know yourself, you’ll yourself be able to choose your yes’s and no’s.                 Bring enchantment back into your life.                     Enchantment is not a thunderclap in the heavens but it’s when you show up turning the mundaneness of everyday into magic. Everything you show up for is enchanting, magical, mystical and miraculous. For when you wake up every morning, you are marking your attendance in the classroom of the sun. When you’re having coffee, you are letting the coffee beans live their purpose through you. When you feed the birds, you are having a meeting with you delivery team on how to send a message to your ancestors. When you’re adding honey to your warm water, you are sending a sign to a bee that it is appreciated. When you’re walking on the sidewalk, the little leaves on the ground are saying goodbye to you. When you’re wearing your diamond ring, you are letting stardust feel rich, luxurious and loved. When you’re watching a butterfly you are having a parent-teacher meeting with the caterpillar in a cocoon classroom. When you’re looking at your watch, the hands are waving back at you. When you’re seeing children playing hopscotch, you can see how their livers and kidneys are getting a well needed workout. When you’re seeing an ant, you are asking it for a session for your leadership team on teamwork and the ant family has prepared a long one act play to drive the message home. When you’re touching your scarf, you are sending love to the silkworm who spent its entire life on it. When you’re feeling the raindrop on the tip of your nose, you are welcoming it knowing that even a raindrop falls with purpose and reason and is never out of place. When you’re seeing the first snowflake, you are seeing it in a state of flow like a swirling dervish in the throes of passion performing for the billion other snowflakes and dancing like none of them are watching, as they dance too for you. When you’re sitting down to write, you are seeing little fairies sprinkling fairy dust on your page, angels holding your hand and taking a dictation from the universe, little elves plucking inspiration out of nowhere and all heavenly beings looking at you with admiration and awe.           Enchantment. Allow it to work through you. Allow the universe to create it through you. Just show up.             Our upcoming retreats                         Andretta Sold Out 16th to 22nd November     To reconnect to your inner child at a beautiful hillside retreat with 14+ soulful individuals will make this a life-transforming experience. See you at Andretta!   More details         Munnar Last 6 Seats Left 7th to 13th December     Sitting amidst lush landscapes and misty mountains, Munnar offers the perfect backdrop for a retreat focused on self-discovery, growth and renewal of life purposes.   More details     Reignite conversation     Kasauli Last 8 Seats Left 4th to 10th January     The stunning vistas and holistic experiences at Kasauli create the perfect space for self-discovery and ensure this retreat is a transformative and unforgettable experience!   More details     Reignite conversation           This week, let's revisit     Athoor September 2023                         Experience a life full of purpose                     My life’s purpose is to spiritually guide people home.   Bhuvnesh Jagdaid Jodhpur, August 2023         My purpose is to create an impact by bringing peace and humanity to society and helping the needy and underprivileged.   Sunil Pathak Jodhpur, August 2023               For a daily dose of Creativegarh and our retreats, follow us here:                           Mantra Gold Coatings & The White Paper Creative         Sunita Somani         Pedal On               View Our Collabs for Joy                   creativegarh.com             You are receiving this newsletter because either you have subscribed to it through our website, interacted with us by filling an invite form or because you have asked us to put you on the database. 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