By Let’s give a warm welcome to Sanjukta Khaund the author of The Art of Falling Forward, who provides a guide to uncovering the hidden strengths in the chaos of life.
Q. Welcome to Jukebox Times! How are you doing?
I am doing well. Thank you!
Q. Your new book The Art of Falling Forward is now available on Amazon. Please tell us about your wonderful book!
We only get one life, and we owe it to ourselves to make the most of it. If we allow our imperfections and struggles to hold us back, we will stay held back forever, and our life will pass us by before we realize it. We cannot do much about the cards that we have been dealt, but we can certainly decide how to play the game.
This book will show how we can make the most of the cards that we have been dealt, how our situations do not define us & how we can find a plethora of perfections in our seemingly perfectly-imperfect lives.
Through a number of relatable short stories & easy to implement techniques, ‘The Art of Falling Forward’ will help you harness the strength, potential & opportunities that reside within & around you & make you realize that while falling is inevitable, the right mindset & attitude can help you in falling forward.
Q. Do you have a daily writing mantra that you follow to stay creative?
I think my creativity is fostered by my being present & mindful of my environment & experiences.
It’s been a habit for a long time now to write for an hour every day – the more I write, the better my writing becomes.
Q. Kindly share some tips on to how can one cultivate a positive mindset?
Positivity does not mean never allowing having a negative thought or feeling anxious, or sad and low. Instead, it means that you give negativity the spot that it deserves in your life and not allow it to make its way to the center stage. Certainly, there will be times when you will find it terribly difficult to remain positive, and during those times, I hope these tips will help you remain positive & optimistic:
- Meditate or exercise for at least seven minutes each day. Meditating or exercising for even as little as seven minutes has shown to improve mood, decrease stress, and improve sleep.
- Listen to music that makes you happy. Music seems to have a weird effect on people. It makes people feel the same emotion as the kind of music they are listening to. So burst some happy tunes, and even dance away if you feel like it!
- Try to do at least one act of kindness each day. It will boost your self-esteem, make you feel good about yourself & reduce dissatisfaction.
- Keep a gratitude journal and be very honest with it. Studies show that gratitude journal can have a huge impact on your overall well-being and life satisfaction.
- Do something that excites you. Follow your passion. Take online classes. Do whatever you can to feel the fire spark inside of you.
- Smile — It doesn’t feel like much, but research shows that smiling can actually make you feel happier. The facial muscles send signals to your brain, and this may have an impact on how your temporary emotions develop.
Q. What’s next? Which book are you working on now?
I have just started working on a book about ‘understanding & coping with grief’.
Q. Finally, as we ask all our guests on Jukebox Mind, do you have any closing thoughts that you would like to share with the world and our readers?
Yes, remember that adversities always teach us something, and our challenges are just roads to opportunities. There are many different doors that can lead to victories – all we need is to learn ‘The Art of Falling Forward’ and continue knocking & eventually one such door will open for us.
Stay resilient, stay hopeful, stay positive.
Thank you!
About the author: Sanjukta Khaund is a Mental Health Coach & Counsellor specializing in Personal Growth, Professional Development, Parenting, Life Transition, & Suicide Risk Assessment & Management. She has extensive experience in equipping her clients with the right tools to navigate & overcome life’s challenges and lead more fulfilling lives. Empathetic, supportive, and non-judgmental, Sanjukta also volunteers with various NGOs, in the sphere of mental health.
The book is available on Amazon: The Art of Falling Forward
