TEDx Talks - What happens when you slow down your life? | Pooja Vegesna | TEDxSVECW
Puja Vesna discusses her transition from a high-pressure job to a lifestyle focused on slow living and mental well-being. Initially, she pursued a career in psychology to help others but found herself caught in a cycle of hustle culture, which left her unfulfilled despite financial success. Realizing the need for change, she returned to India, started online mental health counseling, and embraced a simpler life with her grandparents. Through yoga and introspection, she discovered the importance of prioritizing personal happiness and meaningful activities. Her content on slow living resonated widely, highlighting a collective yearning for simplicity and self-care. Puja emphasizes that slow living is about finding joy in everyday moments and being present, rather than abandoning responsibilities. She encourages others to define success personally and prioritize happiness, suggesting that fulfillment and success will naturally follow.
Key Points:
- Embrace slow living by prioritizing meaningful activities and personal happiness.
- Success and happiness are subjective; define them on your own terms.
- Incorporate simple pleasures into daily life to enhance well-being.
- Consistency in self-care leads to personal fulfillment and success.
- Slow living doesn't mean abandoning responsibilities but finding balance.
Details:
1. Introduction & Background 🌱
- Puja Vesna introduces herself as someone known for promoting slow living with her grandparents, emphasizing a lifestyle focused on mindfulness, sustainability, and simplicity.
- She hints at having more aspects to her identity beyond what's commonly known, suggesting a multifaceted personal and professional persona.
2. Confusion & Career Choices 🎓
- Pratisha transitioned from a mental health counselor and yoga teacher to a content creator focused on 'slow living', a lifestyle emphasizing a slower, more mindful approach to life.
- The concept of 'slow living' is introduced as a countermeasure to the fast-paced modern lifestyle, aiming to improve personal well-being and mental health.
- Pratisha's previous career in mental health and yoga provides a strong foundation for her new focus on 'slow living', offering a unique perspective.
- Examples of 'slow living' practices include mindfulness, reduced screen time, and prioritizing personal time, all contributing to improved mental health and well-being.
3. The Hustle & Realization 💼
- The speaker's journey was marked by a shift from a happy childhood to a confused teenage phase, highlighting a common adolescent experience.
- Despite confusion, the speaker had a clear educational goal: to utilize education in psychology to help others, demonstrating a focus on purposeful learning.
- The decision to study psychology was driven by a desire to be beneficial to others, indicating a values-driven career choice.
- The speaker successfully convinced parents to allow studying psychology abroad, reflecting strong persuasion skills and commitment.
- Completed studies abroad in 5 years, showing dedication and the ability to achieve long-term educational goals.
- There was an initial plan to return to India, but circumstances changed, suggesting adaptability and openness to unexpected life paths.
4. Quitting & Soul Searching 🧘♀️
- The speaker initially found comfort and happiness in a 9-to-5 job due to financial stability, allowing for personal satisfaction such as buying gifts for family.
- Despite financial success, the speaker experienced a lack of personal fulfillment and self-care due to an incessant hustle culture.
- The realization of a disconnection from their true self, who was inherently inclined to help others, prompted a major life change.
- The speaker decided to quit their job and embark on a journey of self-discovery and realignment with personal values.
- The decision to quit was driven by the need to rediscover a sense of purpose and align personal and professional lives.
- Post-quitting, the speaker engaged in various activities focused on personal growth and connecting with their core values.
- This transformative period involved exploring new career paths that align more closely with helping others, their inherent passion.
- The speaker emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and prioritizing personal fulfillment over societal expectations of success.
5. Challenges & Heartbreak 💔
- Transitioning to online mental health counseling in India resulted in a significant income drop, earning less than 20% of previous earnings.
- Despite financial challenges, there was a sense of pride and satisfaction in pursuing mental health counseling.
- External questioning and doubt from others negatively impacted self-confidence, leading to self-doubt about career choices.
- Emotional challenges were compounded by a significant personal heartbreak, leading to a feeling of being trapped with no clear way out.
- The experience highlighted the need for resilience and the importance of maintaining self-belief despite external pressures.
- Coping mechanisms such as seeking peer support and focusing on the personal fulfillment derived from helping others were crucial in navigating this period.
- Providing more comprehensive online counseling services and finding new client engagement strategies were identified as potential ways to improve financial stability.
6. Discovering Yoga & Inner Peace 🧘♂️
- The speaker faced profound sadness and questioned their life's purpose, highlighting an introspective crisis and a lack of self-awareness.
- Despite efforts to find happiness through external means like running and traveling, the speaker realized these were temporary escapes.
- The turning point came with the acknowledgment of the necessity to confront personal responsibilities and dedicate time to self-reflection.
- Yoga emerged as a crucial tool, facilitating the speaker's journey toward inner peace by fostering mindfulness and self-acceptance.
7. Slow Living with Grandparents ☕
- The practice of yoga was introduced as a means to find peace and focus on sitting and breathing, and it became a daily ritual.
- The motivation to live with grandparents was driven by an inward journey rather than a desire to escape external circumstances.
- Engaging in activities such as making coffee, watching sunrises, cycling, and cooking new recipes provided a source of happiness.
- There was a realization that life is inherently simple and happiness can be derived from small acts if time is taken to explore them.
- The experience afforded a sense of fulfillment and clarity, enhancing the appreciation of returning to India.
8. Viral Success & Simple Happiness 📈
- The speaker realized that success and achievement are subjective and wanted to share their personal journey of happiness with others.
- They began creating simple videos of everyday moments with their grandparents, such as making coffee, praying, reading, and walking in nature.
- These videos unexpectedly went viral, with around 80 to 90 videos each gaining millions of views, highlighting a widespread yearning for simple, fulfilling lives.
9. True Meaning of Slow Life 🌿
- Slow life is about appreciating small, everyday joys that are easily overlooked.
- The concept does not require drastic life changes like moving to a rural area; it's about finding meaning and prioritization in your current environment.
- Emphasizes self-reliance and personal responsibility, particularly in challenging times, where one must be their own support system.
- Encourages individuals to take incremental actions towards a more fulfilling life by focusing on what truly matters to them.
10. Finding Personal Success & Happiness 🌟
- Embrace slow living to understand your personal definition of success, which can vary greatly for each individual.
- Normalize aiming for happiness as a primary life goal and be open to finding your path in your own time.
- Prioritize simple joys and self-care daily to enhance personal happiness and contribute to a better world for future generations.
- Engage in activities that bring you joy for at least 5 minutes every day, such as making a cup of coffee or playing cricket.
- Achieving personal happiness can lead to success, wealth, and validation from others.