Basic Luxuries of our Life..

 What are our must haves (basic needs) in our current world?

• Maid - for doing one or more daily chores like sweeping, mopping, washing utensils, babysitting, making the house etc.
• Cook - for making at least one meal of the day. 
• Quick Commerce - to get food whenever cook takes leave or we don't feel like cooking, and to get groceries whenever we want.
• A two-wheeler or a small car - for running errands when quick commerce fails.
• E-Commerce - to explore and get utilities and personal discretionary items at our doorsteps, with easy returns, thus saving time and avoiding treading through traffic.
• An SUV - to be able to tread through traffic in comfort, and to enjoy the occasional out-city drives.
• OTT subscriptions - to not miss out on infotainment.
• Ability to travel and/or fine-dine - to get break from draining daily routines of doing the chores that are mentioned in the above points :).
• A bicycle - for exercising regularly (in our minds) while buying and then occasionally whenever we remember that our knees are wearing out coz of the chores that are mentioned in the above points :).
• Fitness club membership - to do Yoga or Physical Trainings (popularly called as "PT period" during my school days) with nicely dressed and a premium class of fellow fat but potentially sexy men/women. 
• Instagram/Reels - to remain connected with our equally needy friends and family.
• Kids' tab/laptop/PlayStation/phone - to keep the kids away when we don't have energy to handle them.
• Me time - without which we cannot behave sane with anyone around us.
• Growing income - to be able to afford all of the above for the rest of our lives.

What are the luxuries that we want in our current world?

• Good health - which most of the people in my peer group, including me, have been chasing forever. 
• Respite from fighting either of obesity, bad posture, sedentary lifestyle diseases, Vitamin deficiencies, hair loss, and/or emotional stress.
• Spirituality - which only few of our peers have been able to afford to learn from popular institutions, and then attain the distinction of being able to showcase their talent via Instagram/Reels or WhatsApp statuses.
• Peace of mind - by being listened to and feeling understood.
• Loving family and friends - which everyone else seems to have.
• Clean and green surroundings to live in - where our own pollution may get naturally converted into the pure elements of mother nature.
• Connected and harmonious neighborhood - where everyone does not just think for oneself but gives personal time and effort for the co-existing community.
• Time - for anything other than meeting our "basic needs".
• Financial Security - a reassurance that we'll never have to face difficult times, financially.

Over the last few years of my life, I've realized that we can enjoy our lives in a much better way if we interchange the answers of the above two questions. 

One of the social givens in my culture is comparison. Comparison of our childhood times to that of our children, and our parenthood times to that of our parents. Most of us happily remember the simplicity of our past. This is the reason why OTT shows like "Yeh Meri Family", "Panchayat", "Gullak", "Home Shanti", "Very Parivarik" etc. have been hits among our Indian audience. But, dark gener shows and movies outnumber these nostalgic retreats by a great margin, maybe because they are more relatable and more relevant to our current lives.

Seeking help for mental health issues continues to be a taboo in our "intellectual" circles. Still, as per a recent study conducted by Nimhans, a reputed medical research institute for mental health and neurosciences in Bengaluru, mental health helpline of the city alone has seen 28-fold rise in calls for help in the last three years. This in the most modern and intellectually evolving cities of our country. 

My city is also home to the headquarters and major centres of spiritual societies like Art of Living, Isha Foundation, Pyramid Valley, and many more. One common pattern that I have seen in my peers who're proud alumni of these elite societies is that they attain senses of their spirits but lose common sense. I've noticed similar patterns in people who attain great physical fitness but lose the balance of life.

In a recent interview Sadhguru said - "Never in the history of human existence, mankind has had as many comforts and as many resources as we have today. And yet, we crib like never before.."

If we start considering the mentioned "basic needs" as luxuries and limit our indulgences into them, we can attain the "luxury" of a peaceful, mindful, joyful and, therefore, a happy and harmonious living. I am trying to bring my this realization into my reality and, I must say, I am feeling the shift towards the better.

The last items that I've listed in both basic needs and luxury relate to the ultimate need and want of today's world - the money. If we get our "real" basics right, we won't need an exponentially growing income to sustain ourselves for the rest of our lives. Mindful and simple living can lead us to basic Financial Planning (I am rich) and a good physical and mental health. Basic planning, along with a good social support system and a non-screaming mind can give us the security of being able to tread through uncertainties of life. This has worked wonders for me, and I am able to survive and thrive among my peers almost all of who earn at least double of my household income.

For once let us barter our deemed basic needs with our deemed luxuries and see if we can take a bigger stride in our pursuit of a happier life..