Make room for more family love

2019 is a year that excites me. I want to stay committed to some positive choices in my life to grow as a better human being every day. The smallest changes we make in our daily life can trigger a world of a difference. [READ: Lost someone you loved?]

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For instance, something as simple as meditating together, folding the clothes together, reading out a bed time story together or even meeting elderly family members and having a conversation with them is far more valuable to our life than wasting time browsing on the Internet and social media.

As women and particularly as mothers, I feel that we tend to be highly critical about ourselves and our choices.

This year, let's change the narrative and be kinder to our selves. So, how do we start? [READ: FIVE Powerful Ways to Teach Your Child to Care]

Let go of judging ourselves harshly.

We need to learn to love ourselves.

Spend more time with our loved ones, particularly the elderly members of our family.

We are real people who belong to real families that are nurtured by our loving energies. Nurturing the family we belong to is so much more valuable for our own happiness than the attention we give to spending time on Facebook or Twitter or our mobile phones.

This reminds me of a recent experience I had.

Recently, I visited an elderly couple. The lady of the house is a person who embodies simplicity, grace and a distinguished career that spanned decades. She was apologetic about her culinary skills. She was telling us that she had spent all her life working and hadn't much experience in the kitchen. As she made tea and looked after her ailing husband at the same time, I felt tremendous respect for the amazing person that she is.

Here is a lady achiever, who had a stellar career that won the appreciation of eminent Indians. She has raised her children well, taken care of her family, making many sacrifices with patience, love and affection.

Throughout her journey, she has probably not had any time to think about herself. Yet here she is, the epitome of grace and simplicity, apologizing to us for what she believes to be her lack of culinary skills.

I gave her a big, warm hug.

Sometimes words are not enough to convey the respect and love we feel towards the elderly members of our family. I always feel they deserve more.

This New Year, let's start with the little things that can make our families happier together.

How about doing this throughout the year to revive what old Indian family values were once all about?

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Set a fantastic legacy for our kids.

Show them to respect and love their elderly family members.

Engage children with the elderly family members.

Encourage them to have conversations.

The grim reality is that we probably have less time to even think about the existence of our uncles and aunts today because we call up our own friends and other people mostly when we need them or want to get something done.

We have "progressed", haven't we? I think it's a big shame if this is how we measure our 'progress'.

READ: 7 Time Management Tips To Manage a Super Busy Family Schedule

Little things can transform the happiness and peace quotient in our world.

As the famous poet Mary Oliver once wrote, "There is only one question; how to love this world."

Simply put, make room for family love and happiness in every moment and in every relationship.

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