Personality development - Permit yourself to change

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” - Ernest Hemingway

The Importance of Personality Development

The word personality is derived from the Latin word ‘persona’, which means a mask. 

Personality development refers to the process of developing, enhancing, and changing one's personality over time. Such development occurs naturally over the course of life, but it can also be modified through intentional efforts.

Everything that makes you — likes, dislikes, temperament — is something to celebrate. Your unique personality shows the world your value and is what makes you worth knowing. 

Your personality is the unique combination of traits and behavior that form in response to various influences. These influences include nature, your genetic predisposition, and nurture, your experiences and environment.

"People can undergo changes in their attitudes, behaviors, and thought patterns in response to new experiences or personal growth,”.

If we focus on certain variables in our daily lives, we have control to significantly enhance our mood, optimism, meaning, and happiness.

Simple Activities for personality development

So what are some tools that we can utilize to rejoice, recreate, and rejuvenate. Here are some simple strategies:

·         Engage and relate to other people.

·         Find fulfillment in creativity and productivity.

·         Look beyond oneself and help others find lasting meaning, satisfaction, and wisdom.

·         Practice daily mindfulness and gratitude.

·         Exercise – even if it is 20 minutes three to five times a week.

·         Bring to your awareness and practice healthier, cleaner nutrition.

·         Immerse yourself in nature.

·         Unplug from electronics.

·         Create fun and joyful moments with your children and family.

·         Ask yourself, "What do I enjoy?" and engage in it.

·         If you have a passion, immerse yourself in it.

·         Give to others.

·         Generate internal positivity by seeking and affirming the good in your life.

The prerequisite of self-development:

Important reminders

·         Self-discovery is a process and looks different for everyone.

·         It requires time, effort, kindness, and consistency.

·         If something didn’t work for someone, it doesn’t mean it would not work for you and vice versa.

·         Surround yourself with people who help you grow.

·         Progress on this path is subjective, which means only you can decide what progress means.

How to get started?

Step out of your comfort zone

Some people are comfortable in their routine, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But trying new things has many benefits, including increased focus, improved memory, and greater creativity, which can all contribute to your overall personality. 

If you want to become a little more adventurous, shake things up by:

• Giving an interactive presentation
• Volunteering for a difficult project at work
• Writing an article for the office newsletter
• Talking to someone new
• Taking a class in something outside of your skill set

The Developing Personality

As you can see, how one's personality develops is not as simple as just saying that it is one thing; however, there is one thing that most researchers seem to agree on: one's childhood lays the foundation for the personality that one will have as an adult. The genes we are born with, coupled with the environment we are brought up in and the situations we live through, all work together. They end up creating the personality you see as an adult.

Work on your Body Language

Body language is just as important for your personality as your verbal communication skills. It tells a lot about yourself and helps people in making accurate conjectures about you. Everything including the way you walk, sit, talk or eat leaves an impact over the people around you and having a correct body language can do wonders for your personality. Walk in an upright position with shoulders straight. Do not droop. Sit in a relaxed posture and make always eye contact while speaking.

Be confident

Yes, that’s the key. Being confident about who you are and what you are doing is the most important tip for personality development. Never doubt your capabilities and if there is something you need to work upon then put in all the effort so you can come over your fears and gain confidence. Read success stories or surround yourself with motivational thoughts or “encouragements” which can boost up your self-esteem and help you in attaining a charming personality. Just everything you do, have faith in yourself and put in your hard work. There can be nothing more appealing in your personality than an incredible confidence.

Organising Your Time

If you are considering making changes in your life, finding additional time often poses a problem.

It could be that the changes you are thinking of making are to ensure you have extra time to:

Spend with your family.

Spend on things you enjoy doing.

Devote to your work.

Devote to your education.

Whatever the reason, looking at how you spend your time will encourage you to think of ways your time could be managed more effectively.

The first step is often the hardest…

Barriers to personal development are often more in the mind than anywhere else.

The first step — whether it is signing up for a course, getting some books from the library, or finding a website that can help — is often the hardest. As you take that first step, remember that the process is described as ‘lifelong’ for a reason: you are always learning, it is only the level of formality that changes.

Be kind to everyone.
We are always taught to be kind to others since our childhood. Still, some of us fail to do so. Studies show that kindness to self and others brings happiness, prosperity, wisdom, and other positive traits.
It is further categorized into four steps, which are listed below:

Remember that we deserve kindness and affection from ourselves.

Remember that we have no right to be unkind to others.

We should be aware of the emotions and feelings of others.

Remember that mistakes are a part of life. Learn to start again after learning from our mistakes.

If you want to be liked by others…

Stop judging others.

Stop pointing fingers at others and showing them mistakes again and again, then also people won’t like you so much.

Stop wanting attention and recognition from others.

Be resilient

The road to success is paved with errors and unexpected setbacks. There are few things you'll get right the first time. It doesn't matter if you fall. The only problem is not getting up.

Be persistent

Don't give in to laziness or disappointment. Keep moving toward your goal as consistently as possible. If you set your mind on achieving your objectives every day, this attitude will become part of your personality.

Avoid negative thoughts

It is essential you keep a positive attitude. Monitor your thoughts and, when you start running an old, toxic film, cut those negative thoughts at the root.

Learn visualisation techniques

Visualise yourself taking the steps necessary to achieve your goal and achieving that success will help you to break toxic thought patterns, keep you motivated and to be more natural along the way.

Meditate

Spending a few minutes a day controlling your breathing and focusing your mind will be very helpful when you have to cope with stressful situations outside your comfort zone.

Only compete against yourself

Toxic competition with other people will only wear you out. Focus on your goal and how you are going to achieve it.

Set small challenges

Just as missing a penalty leaves a negative imprint, overcoming small challenges leaves positive imprints that will help you to move forward with more determination.

Celebrate victories

It is good to reward yourself for small triumphs; these treats will motivate you to keep moving forward.

Be sensitive, yet sensible

The best combination is being sensible and sensitive at the same time. Having a sharp intellect and a soft heart is the most desirable combination. People who are good-hearted often cannot think straight. They cannot think practically. They just get carried away emotionally. And those who are very sharp in their intellect, very sensible, they’re not sensitive to others’ needs and others’ feelings and emotions. Both are incomplete. Isn’t it? That intelligence which is crooked has very little value. And that innocence which has no intelligence has also no value. Often, we find intelligent people are not so innocent. And the innocent people are not so intelligent. But what is needed, what is achievable is innocence, in combination with a sharp intellect.

How to Develop Personality?

Developing your personality starts with understanding yourself. Evaluate what traits you see in yourself, and what you want to improve. Identify and focus on the positive personality traits that strengthen your confidence, openness, perseverance, kindness, and humility.

1. Be Confident: Confidence stands as of great importance factor shaping one’s persona. It’s important to recognize that, regardless of mistakes, setbacks, or guilt, confidence should never diminish. Some may accidently view confidence as an accountability, but, in reality, it’s a person’s prominent strength. Your confidence reflects your character, attitude, and zeal. Enhance your authentic self and your endeavours. Confidence empowers you to silver tongue your identity and stand out yourself in a crowd.
2. Improve Communication Skills: Your manner of speech presents as a reflection of your identity. Be Respectful, considerate, and engage refined language in your communications with others. Maintain simplicity in your interaction during everyday exchanges.
3. Dress-up well: Evolve a keen sense of style and acknowledge the appropriate attire for varied settings, be it the workplace, a social get togethers, or any other occasion. Dressing should harmonize according to context and flatter your distinctive characteristics.
4. Follow Your Passions and Interests: This is the potion for expanding self-confidence. Commit to deploy your finest in your chosen pursuits. This path not only promotes personal growth but also secures your self-assurance.
5. Mind Your Body Language: Utilize affirmative gestures when interacting with others. This indicates your comfort and ease during communication.
6. Hone Your Social Skills: As social beings, we inevitably interact with diverse groups of people. Stay informed about ongoing gatherings and societal developments. Participate in group discussions and seminars to improve your adaptability and ease in engaging within a community of individuals. This will increase your social prowess.
7. Be Truthful: The basis of a good relationship with coworkers and superiors is honesty. Honesty can help one stand out among people who are afraid to speak the truth. It is best to uphold ideals and behave ethically. Personality and others is a sign of a good personality.
8. Develop Leadership Qualities: Leadership skills do not mean how well you give orders to your subordinates. It means how well you can manage your subordinates to accomplish a particular task. Work harder to set an example to your subordinates. Express yourself and always do as you say.
9. Be Optimistic: Have a positive outlook towards everything. Nobody wants to be around a person who is negative and complaining all the time. Nobody wants to work or live with a pessimist.
10. Be a Patient Listener: Be an enthusiastic listener. Listening is a very essential part of communication. This will help you to see things from the eyes of others. Mental presence is a must to be good listener. Try to get away from any possible distraction while talking to your family members, friends and co-workers. Ask questions to let the other person know that you were listening to him/her.
11. Be a Good Learner: Good learning skills in an individual are highly desirable. You should always have the zeal to learn new things while at work. This reflects your enthusiasm. Don’t let yourself repeat the same mistakes. Learn from them.
12. Develop a positive mindset: Adopting a positive mindset can help you to manage stress, overcome challenges, and improve your overall well-being. Practice gratitude, focus on your strengths, and surround yourself with positive people. Remember, improving your personality is a journey, not a destination. Stay committed, be patient, and take small steps toward your personal growth and development every day.

You hear all the slogans, “Save the environment!”, “Save water!”, “Save food!”, “Save our Earth!”, “Save trees!” The most important is, “Save your mind at all costs.”

A developed personality is all about 

• Building one’s support system
• Finding and utilizing opportunities and resources, 
• Improving communication and social networking, 
• Exercising and maintaining healthy and productive ways of being and living,
• Developing and enhancing one’s self-discipline, 
• Building on one’s strengths, 
• Developing and implementing effective career strategies, 
• Managing one’s time and working smarter,
• Accepting and tolerating differences, promoting and empowering one’s creativity and inventiveness, 
• Exploring and investigating new ideas, communicating effectively, 
• Improving one’s sense of humor, loving, supporting and caring for others, accepting and tolerating differences,
• Appreciating other people’s ideas, 
• Keeping good relationships and generally enjoying life.

Who you are today is a product of years of happenings, and it would take time to dig deeper and reconnect with your inner self. However, taking steps in the correct direction counts, and you are in charge of this process.

e- Book ‘THE MANAGEMENT BEYOND MANAGEMENT’ IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON & KINDLE.

Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve

Stress can affect your physical and mental health, so finding ways to manage should be a priority. There are techniques we can use to help manage stress, boost healing, decrease pain, and regulate our nervous system for a decreased stress response.

What Is the Vagus Nerve?

“The vagus nerve is a major component of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the ‘rest and digest’ response,” Also called cranial nerve 10 (or cranial nerve X), the vagus nerve starts in a portion of your brain called the medulla and then branches down both sides of your throat, connecting with your tongue, heart, and digestive organs, it’s a communication channel that runs between your gut and brain.

The word “vagus” means wandering in Latin. This is a very appropriate name, as the vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve. It runs from the brain stem to part of the colon.

During periods of chronic high stress, the body stays in high gear, with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol coursing through the body. This creates wear and tear on the body and mind, and over time can create a multitude of health problems such as chronic pain, anxiety, mood swings, gut inflammation and so many more.

What does the vagus nerve affect?

The vagus nerve also called the pneumogastric nerve, is responsible for various internal organ functions, including:

• digestion
• heart rate
• breathing
• cardiovascular activity
• reflex actions, such as coughing, sneezing, swallowing, and vomiting

Sensory functions of the vagus nerve include:

• providing somatic sensation information for the skin behind the ear, the external part of the ear canal, and certain parts of the throat
• supplying visceral sensation information for the larynx, esophagus, lungs, trachea, heart, and most of the digestive tract
• playing a small role in the sensation of taste near the root of the tongue

Motor functions of the vagus nerve include:

• stimulating muscles in the pharynx, larynx, and the soft palate, which is the fleshy area near the back of the roof of the mouth.
• stimulating muscles in the heart, where it helps to lower resting heart rate.
• stimulating involuntary contractions in the digestive tract, including the esophagus, stomach, and most of the intestines, which allow food to move through the tract.

It plays a role in the autonomic nervous system, which controls actions people do unconsciously, such as breathing and digestion.

• Breathe more slowly (aim for six breaths per minute).
• Breathe more deeply, from the belly. Think about expanding your abdomen and widening your rib cage as you inhale.
• Exhale longer than you inhale. It’s the exhale that triggers the relaxation response.

Additional techniques for stimulating the vagus nerve include:

• Loud gargling with water or loud singing activates our vocal cords which in turn stimulates the vagus nerve.
• Foot massage: gentle or firm touch can assist in stimulation the vagus nerve.
• Cold water face immersion: immerse your forehead eyes and at least 2/3 of both cheeks into cold water. This elicits the vagus nerve, decreasing heart rate, stimulating the intestines and turns on the immune system
• Eating fiber stimulates vagus impulses to the brain slowing the gut movements and making us feel fuller after meals
• Laughter: having a good laugh lifts your mood, boosts your immune system and stimulates the vagus nerve.

Pick Your Practice

Many things will stimulate your vagus nerve, which then relaxes it. Some options, according to our experts, include:

• Laughing
• Gargling
• Singing
• Humming
• Cold-water exposure, such as splashing cold water on your face.
• Deep breathing.
• Activities that promote deep breathing, such as yoga, qigong, and meditation.
• Massage to the ears or alongside your neck.
• 
  

• Vagal nerve stimulation includes techniques that help increase the vagus nerve's activity. This can be done with lifestyle approaches like meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, massage, singing, humming, gargling, or cold exposure. 

#VagusNerve#OverallHealth#NaturalPainRelief#RelaxationTechniques 

#MindBodyConnection

Tax Saving Options for Salaried Employees

Tax Saving Investments & Planning

Death and taxes are not the only inevitable things in life.

As an Indian taxpayer, you need to know about your tax slab and the various income tax deductions for salaried employees.

It will help you figure out how tax saving for salaried class works and avoid complications that may arise during tax planning. If you find the appropriate financial instruments, you can reduce the payable income tax for salaried employees. However, availing the income tax deductions for salaried employees can be complicated if not done correctly. There are several tools that allow offer tax benefits to salaried employees and can make a significant impact on your financial planning. So, let’s take a closer look into the various tax saving options available to salaried people.

The Best Tax Saving Options in India

Benjamin Franklin said once, ‘there are just two things certain in life: Death and Taxes.’ There is not much we can plan for the former. But as for the later, you can certainly plan and find an effective way to know how much you pay every year.

Every individual, whether they are just starting with their career or are progressively climbing up the ladder, will be faced with two pertinent questions that are: 

·         How can I reduce my taxable income?

·         What is the maximum tax I can save? 

The amount of tax that an individual can save would depend upon two factors- the tax regime chosen and the expenses or the investments made by the individual for claiming the said deductions. It is important to note that no change has been made in the income tax slabs for FY 2024-25 (April 1, 2024-March 31, 2025) in the interim budget 2024.

A salaried individual has to opt specifically for the old tax regime. If an individual opts for the old/existing tax regime, then the individual will be eligible to claim the tax-exemptions such as house rent allowance (HRA), leave travel concession (LTC) and deductions under sections such as 80C (maximum up to Rs 1.5 lakhs in financial year), 80D (deduction on the medical policy premium paid), 80E (Interest paid on education loan) etc. Do keep in mind that there are only two deductions available.

Deductions and exemptions for eligible investments or expenses

Section 80C: A maximum deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh per financial year can be claimed by individuals under section 80C. The 80C tax benefit can only be claimed by those taxpayers who opt for the old tax regime.
The eligible investments under section 80C are vast and includes investment in Public Provident Fund, Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), equity-linked savings scheme (ELSS), and tax-saving fixed deposits (FD), National Savings Certificate (NSC) etc. Even certain expenses can also be claimed under section 80C provided the expenses are actually incurred. Some of these include life insurance premium, children's school fees, repayment of home loan principal, etc.

Tax-saving investment options under Section 80C

There are several options you can choose to save tax under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. These include:

1. Equity Linked Saving Scheme (ELSS)

2. National Pension Scheme (NPS)

3. Unit Linked Insurance Plan (ULIP)

4. Public Provident Fund (PPF)

5. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY)

6. National Savings Certificate (NSC)

7. Fixed Deposit (FD)

8. Employee Provident Fund (EPF)

Please note that these benefits are available if you have chosen the “Old Tax Regime.

Important Subsections of Section 80C

Section 80C encompasses various subsections, each catering to specific investment or expense categories:

1.    80CCC:
Pertains to contributions to pension funds.

2.   80CCD(1):
Deals with contributions to the National Pension System (NPS) by employees.

3.    80CCD(1B):
Offers an additional deduction for investment in NPS.

4.    80CCD(2):
Related to employer contributions to NPS, which is over and above the 80C limit.

Understanding these subsections can help you make informed decisions about where and how much to invest or spend to maximize your tax benefits*.

Beyond Section 80C

If you are still looking for tax-saving investment avenues, there are several tax-saving instruments other than 80C to look out for.

·         Over and above the aforementioned deductions, paying health insurance premiums under section 80D permits for a deduction of up to 25,000.

·         Additionally, you can also claim for a tax deduction on your house rent allowance or get a deduction on the interest on your home loan as also for repayment of an educational loan.

·         Keeping money in your savings account also allows for a tax deduction under the section 80TTB for an interest of up to 10,000 per year.

·         Donations made to government-approved charitable institutions are also exempted from tax.

Apart from the 80C deductions, there are various deductions under Section 80 you can use to save on income tax. Tax benefits on health insurance premiums and home loan interest are a few-

• Interest paid on a home loan can be claimed as a deduction under section 24 up to Rs 2 lakhs. Section 80EE also allows you to claim a deduction of up to Rs 50,000 on home loan interest, which is over and above the limit of Section 24. 
• Any charity that is made to institutions or funds can be claimed as a deduction under section 80G.
• Interest paid on education loans is allowed as a deduction under section 80E
• Employer contribution to NPS is eligible for deduction u/s 80CCD(2) with an overall threshold of Rs 750,000 (Including Employer contribution to PF).
• Individual contributions to NPS are eligible for deduction u/s 80CCD(1B) with a limit of Rs 50,000 a year.
• Section 80GG provided a deduction for non-salaried individuals to claim a deduction of up to Rs 60,000 per annum for the rent being paid on accommodation.
• Section 80TTA provided a deduction of up to Rs 10,000 on saving bank interest for ages less than 60. For senior citizens, section 80TTB provides deductions up to Rs 50,000 on all interest incomes.

Interest on Home Loan on Let-out Property under Section 24

Under the new tax regime, interest on a home loan for self-occupied property is prohibited under section 24. Whereas interest on a home loan on the let-out property is allowed as a deduction without any upper limit. 

Transport Allowance and Conveyance allowance 

Transport allowance means the allowance given to the employee by the employer to compensate for the travel expenses incurred for commuting between his place of residence and work.

The exemption allowed, from FY 2018-19 onward, will be Rs 1,600 per month and Rs. 3,200 per month for a physically challenged employee commuting from his place of residence to the place of duty.

Conveyance allowance is granted to meet the expenditure incurred during the performance of office duty. However, conveyance allowance is exempt only to the extent of actual expenditure incurred.

Section 80 CCD(1B): By making investments in the National Pension System (NPS), individuals can claim up to Rs 50,000 deduction which is additional over and above the deduction under section 80C.

"The deduction under section 80CCD(1B) of up to Rs 50,000 is over and above the threshold limit of Rs 1.5 lakhs under section 80C. Hence combining both the deductions an individual can claim up to Rs 2 lakhs as a tax deduction under the old tax regime.

Section 80 CCD(2): Deduction under section 80 CCD(2) can only be claimed if an individual's employer (government or private) contributes to the individual's NPS account. The maximum deduction that a private sector employee can claim is 10% of his/her salary where salary means basic plus dearness allowance (DA). Government employees can claim up to 14% of salary as a deduction under section 80 CCD(2).

There is also another condition which is employer's contribution to NPS, EPF and a superannuation fund is eligible for deduction only up to Rs 7.5 lakhs in a financial year. If the total contribution by the employer exceeds Rs 7.5 Lakhs in a financial year, then the excess contribution would be taxable in the employee's hands as perquisites and any interest or dividend earned on it will also be taxable in employee's hand.

The 80CCD(2) deduction is available under the new and old tax regimes.

Section 80D: Deduction under section 80D is available only if an individual has purchased a health insurance policy for self, spouse, dependent children’s or their parents. Further, it is only available under the old tax regime.

Individuals, who are below the age of 60, can claim up to Rs 25,000 as deduction under section 80D for health insurance premium paid for self, spouse and dependent children. Further, if the individual is paying health insurance premium for parents aged below 60 years, then an additional amount i.e. Rs 25,000 can be claimed as a section 80D tax deduction.

"If an individual is paying health insurance premium for senior citizen parents (those aged 60 years or above), then instead of Rs 25,000 additional deduction the individual can claim up to Rs 50,000 additional tax deduction under section 80D.

Section 80E: Under section 80E an individual can claim deduction for interest component under an educational loan. There is no limit on the maximum amount of deduction that can be claimed under section 80E, and neither is an individual required to upload any documentary evidence for claiming such a deduction. This deduction is allowed for maximum of 8 years.

Standard deduction: A standard deduction of Rs 50,000 is available to salaried individuals under both the old and the new income tax regimes.

To conclude, although tax saving is a priority, most financial experts agree that it should be paired with a long-term financial goal. This ascertains that while you are saving on taxes, you are also focused on wealth creation. Efficient financial planning begins at the start of the financial year and not at its conclusion.