क्रोधाद्भवति सम्मोह: सम्मोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रम: |
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति || 63||
Bhagwad Geeta – Chapter 2 – Sloka 63-  Anger leads to clouding of judgment, which results in bewilderment of the memory. When the memory is bewildered, the intellect gets destroyed; and when the intellect is destroyed, one is ruined.
In the US Open 2020, Djokovic had extended his winning streak in 2020 to 26 when he outclassed Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 in a routine third round victory. He looked as unbeatable as he did before the coronavirus shutdown and it seemed as if the 18th Major title was inevitable. Against Carreno Busta, Djokovic had three set points and Carreno Busta was on the brink of losing the first set. The set would have been over but for an incredible challenge. Down 0-40, Carreno Busta hit a forehand that was called out, but Hawkeye showed it was a hair’s breadth inside the baseline. Carreno Busta fought through that game to keep the set on serve. The frustrations were starting to show for Djokovic. Trailing 5-6,  Novak Djokovic unintentionally stuck a lineswoman on the throat with the ball. Djokovic, the World No.1, immediately realised that he had made a grave error and rushed over to check on the shocked lineswoman. But the damage was done, as tournament officials had no option but to disqualify Djokovic and award the match to Busta.
There is a Chinese proverb – If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.   
If you look back on most of your moments of anger, you are going to regret those. Below we have a toolkit to manage anger.
If you enjoy reading the newsletter, and believe it helps in your journey to deep health, you have a zero-cost way to support this endeavour by sharing with your friends, family and on your social media.
And, as always, please give me feedback on Twitter. Which article did you like most? What do you want to read more or less of? Any other suggestion? Just send a tweet to @SandeepMall and add #GoodVibesWithSandeepMall at the end for me to find it.
I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and I’ll be in touch again in the New Year.
Stay strong, stay fit and stay healthy.
Thanks
Sandeep Mall

Are you ready? 
 The long and challenging phase of pandemic has surely taught us how being fit creates resilience to ward off the inner and the outer battles of life in all parameters. We are constantly seeking motivation and inspiration to create a better life. This had lead me to start a 100Day Health Challenge in April this year, which had become a mass fitness drive, with 580 of us virtually connected to get fitter together. 
Read all about the first 100Day Health Challenge here: 
Beginning of the New Year is when many of us make resolutions and set new personal goals, fitness topping the list for most – so now is the perfect time to begin our 100Day Health Challenge 2.0! 
The registration for the Challenge will open on January 2, 2022 and will be limited to 1000 registrants only. Possibly the only challenge of its kind, that will bring together 1000 individuals virtually, with one goal – #LetsGetFitterTogether.
The Challenge will have two primary categories –
 The Challenge, starting on January 15, will have two primary categories: 
·     Under 40
·     40 and above
The participants can do varied activities, such as walk, run, cycle, swim, do strength training, yoga, zumba, aerobics or even play a sport like tennis, badminton etc and clock in their activities through Strava App. The idea is to be consistent with some form of physical activity and not just get into good shape as a New Year resolution but to embrace a healthier life as a whole along with achieving personal fitness goals. There would be trophies, medals, exciting prizes for the top scoring participants. 
All the details pertaining to the Challenge; guidelines, rules and regulations, rewards etc, will be announced on my website, prior to opening up the registration and the link will be shared in the next issue of Good Vibes. Stay tuned and stay connected with me on Twitter for regular updates. 
If you wish to know more about the Challenge or want to support in any way, do write to us at healthchallenge@sandeepmall.com
So mark your calendar for January 2, 2022 to register for the 100Day Health Challenge 2.0 and get ready to embark on a fun-filled fitness journey with 999 others. 
Our ancient mythologies are full of stories on anger and its effect. A story that stands out in Mahabharata about the devastating effects of anger is Dhritarashtra’s wrath when the Pandavas come to meet him after defeating the Kauravas. Dhritarashtra is filled with anger within, more so for Bheem as he killed Duryodhan. Dhritarashtra calls Bheem closer to embrace, ostensibly to congratulate him on the victory. Krishna, ever the wily and wise, holds Bheem back. Instead, he places before the blind Dhritarashtra, a solid metal statue of Bheem and the vigorous hug of the old man reduces the statue to rubble. Such is the vigour of the anger that burns inside him. And when he realises what he has done, he breaks down like a child. 
If history is any indication, leaders, generals and athletes, who were driven by anger, tend to not only fail over a long enough timeline, but they tend to be miserable even if they don’t. 
Sometime in 2009, my sister was in town and we decided to go out for dinner. I was waiting at the traffic signal at Sarita Vihar on way to a Mall in Noida and a car came from behind and hit me. I got out of my car, pulled out its driver and started bashing him like we see in Hindi Movies. After hitting him for ten minutes or so I left him bleeding all over. In another incidence, while returning to the car park after a dinner with at a fast food chain, and my cousin realised he forgot his cell phone at the cafe. We rushed back. As expected, the phone was not on the table we had occupied and was switched off. I could sense looking at one of the employees that he must have stolen it. I didn’t even ask him anything and started hitting him hard banging his head on the table top. He confessed to stealing the phone and gave it back. I beat him so bad that he could have died that day.
For few years I lived such anger-filled life. I had broken my home TV, glass doors hurting myself. Stress from work was spilling out in the form of anger on others. After such repeated incidents, my wife and I decided that I should visit a counsellor and seek help. It took 12 weeks of counselling for me to finally emerge out of this mess. Those 2 years were the worst phase of my life.
We go through many situations in life which cause emotions of anger inside us. This anger comes out in the form of outburst on trivial things. It negatively effects relationships. Many times with some of our family members or friends or even in some other unimportant interactions, we are tested by our anger. Many researches in the world show how anger is harmful for our health. Illnesses like blood pressure, heart attacks, insomnia, back aches and other problems like digestive disorders, are caused by angry outbursts. Anger is a weakness and you lose respect with it. You lose cooperation and love from people.
Like many of us, I used anger as a weapon in, what we sometimes call, controlling people, forgetting that it is not possible to control people, but it is easy to influence them. Influencing people is always easier and that can take place with peace and love and keeping good wishes. Anger ultimately blocks us from whatever goal we are trying to achieve. Anger can never make you content and happy. Anger is counterproductive. Many a times, anger comes from the overblown sense of self-importance. Often, we also get angry to get attention. 
You may be exercising regularly. As a health-freak, you may be routinely consuming protein and vegetables and getting good 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. Despite all the care, your body develops bouts of illnesses. The question that would come to your mind – What more should I do to lead a healthy lifestyle? Always know our feelings and thoughts create a subtle energy body. While diet, sleep and exercise influence physical health, a clean energy body is needed to sustain a perfect physical body. Emotional stress and anger manifest as an illness in our physical body. Release past hurt. Forgive people to heal yourself. Remain calm and stable to cleanse the body. We have the power to create a healthy mind, which then creates a healthy body and a happy life.
If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.   
Illustration by Kanupriya Singh (Twitter @_KanupriyaS)
Illustration by Kanupriya Singh (Twitter @_KanupriyaS)
1 ) Write a journal or log whenever you get angry. You will be surprised what it reveals. Monitor every episode of anger, from fleeting moments of frustration or impatience, to extreme rage. For each one, note down the facts, the intensity of your anger (in a scale of 0-10, 10 being maximum rage). This habit of systematically describing your angry outbursts is often all that one needs in order to gain a little perspective.
2) Watch yourself angry. Roger Federer used to throw his racquet in anger during his earlier days and says watching himself throwing tantrums put him off it for life. The angry are often proud of their anger. Even if they leave a scene having achieved nothing (such as shouting at another car driver from behind the closed windows of their car). Re imagine in your head the scene again. You will feel embarrassed of yourself.
3) Take care of yourself. Most of the time you will find you are angry because of alcohol, hunger, stress, fatigue, unmet needs, PMS. Get some sleep; take some time off; streamline your week; delegate; relax; improve your diet. In short, look after yourself.
4) Become less judgemental – Most of the things in life are matter of opinion and not fact. Some religion propagates worshiping of cow and some eats beef. You may object to lovers kissing on public benches; there will almost always be someone who agrees with you, and others who staunchly oppose you. If you think its “Just the way I was brought up” or “my way of doing things”—then it is silly to judge others for not following them. It helps to remind yourself of the many different ways in which humans around the world operate. 
5) Understand that anger is a problem. Anger is an in effective way of working in this world. It will mostly backfire and ruin relationships. Studies say 80% of the time people direct their anger on their family and friends. These are not the people you wish to intimidate. Understand that having a warm relationship is the key to emotional health and well-being. And if you cannot sort it out yourself, seek professional help like I did. There is no shame in going to a Doctor to sort it out. It is like any other disease. 
Anger is counterproductive. Anger hurts not just ourselves but many others as well. Always look at the bigger picture. Replace anger with love, gratitude and purpose. You will be a winner. You will build a solid foundation to ‘Reboot your life’. 
Do you believe that somewhere down the line, we have complicated every aspect of our life? Do you wish to go back to simpler times when you led a modest life and found happiness in ordinary moments? Today we say relationships are complicated, jobs are hard, parenting is a challenge, health is deteriorating… The truth is that world is not complicated, our minds are getting complicated due to over thinking, holding on to the past, trying to control what we cannot, reacting impulsively and living in an auto-pilot mode. So, our mind, intellect and body are constantly under stress. It’s time for us to simplify our mind, our life and our world. Today, try to release everything that is holding you back from keeping things simple. Allow simplicity to take over. You will realize the immense freedom and joy it brings, to you and to people, who live or work with you. 
Whether it is diet, dressing or living habits,  decide what is right for you. Choose simplicity and authenticity.

Couple of weeks ago, we were on this boat ride with an American lady on the Yamuna. We had gone to see the beautiful Taj Mahal. She said ‘Thanks’ so many times in that half an hour, to the boatman, guide or us. Never complaining about any thing despite the stink coming from the river or filth around. That was such a learning moment for me.
We often overlook the power of simple gestures like making eye contact, smiling, paying a compliment or greeting people. These meaningful acts certainly add happiness to our days and theirs. By helping others feel good about themselves, our own happiness significantly grows. Take a moment to see how your positive energy brightens someone’s day today. Everyone is looking to be acknowledged and heard. Sometimes that is all that people need from you. Let them know through your words and actions that they matter. Notice how you feel when you greet the security guard at the gate, hold the door open for a stranger or thank your family member. When you spend time with someone, you understand their value and importance. Kindness in action will bring you more joy than you thought.
Spiderman with thoracic rotation
Spiderman with thoracic rotation
The world’s greatest stretch – also known as ‘Spiderman with thoracic rotation’ – targets everything from your ankles and hamstrings to your hips, spine, shoulders and glutes. 
Combining thoracic rotation with hip mobility, not to mention the fact that this exercise requires you to move through the plank position, the world’s greatest stretch is essential if you sit down a lot.
Since it’s a dynamic stretch with static elements, it can be used as a part of your dynamic warm-up or at the end of a session.
It doesn’t need to be exclusive to your warm-up, it can be incredibly beneficial to anyone who has been sitting at their desk all day, to loosen the hips and regain some mobility. 
Give the World’s Greatest Stretch a try. When you do it properly, you’ll strengthen and stretch all the areas you want limber and strong.
Nishant Mandal is a certified Personal trainer/Online fitness coach based out of Delhi NCR. He is ACE-CPT, Crossfit L-1, PN-L1 certified and Calisthenics enthusiast, Deadlift Junkie, Movement & Mobility expert.
Getting people to move and better themselves since 2010 through individualised and challenging routines but not much than what one can’t handle. You can connect with him at
Twitter @NishantPTrainer

Human The World Within  on Netflix s a PBS docu-series of six episodes that talks about the unique balancing act that we humans do. It is currently streaming on Netflix with a running time of 53 minutes each.It manages to walk the line between educating and entertaining. Human: The World Within is an attempt at giving us an all-encompassing look at the human condition, without coming across as a public service announcement. The human drama and case studies are there to keep us invested in the information it wants to divulge.

Is it possible to heal by thought alone—without drugs or surgery? The truth is that it happens more often than you might expect. In You Are the Placebo, Dr. Joe Dispenza shares numerous documented cases of those who reversed cancer, heart disease, depression, crippling arthritis, and even the tremors of Parkinson’s disease by believing in a placebo. Similarly, Dr. Joe tells of how others have gotten sick and even died the victims of a hex or voodoo curse—or after being misdiagnosed with a fatal illness. Belief can be so strong that pharmaceutical companies use double/triple-blind randomized studies, to try to exclude the power of the mind over the body, when evaluating new drugs. Dr. Joe does more than simply explore the history and the physiology of the placebo effect. He asks the question: “Is it possible to teach the principles of the placebo, and without relying on any external substance, produce the same internal changes in a person’s health and ultimately in his or her life?” Then he shares scientific evidence (including color brain scans) of amazing healings from his workshops, in which participants learn his model of personal transformation, based on practical applications of the so-called placebo effect. The book ends with a “how-to” meditation for changing beliefs and perceptions that hold us back—the first step in healing. You Are the Placebo combines the latest research in neuroscience, biology, psychology, hypnosis, behavioral conditioning, and quantum physics, to demystify the workings of the placebo effect … and show how the seemingly impossible can become possible.
About the author
 Joe Dispenza, D.C., author of Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself and Evolve Your Brain, has a passion for teaching others how to use the latest discoveries from neuroscience and quantum physics to reprogram their brains, heal illness, and lead more fulfilled lives. One of the experts featured in the film What the BLEEP Do We Know!?, Dr. Joe teaches workshops and lectures all over the world. He’s also designed a corporate program that brings his model of transformation to businesses.
Website: www.drjoedispenza.com