EssenceUp

Some years ago, I used to think monks and saints had the ideal life living peacefully in forests, mountains, or remote places away from the chaos of society. But the more I thought about it, the more I began to see it differently. It seems that many of us escape reality in one way or another. Some do it through alcohol, movies, pornography, entertainment, or endless distractions. Others may do it through isolation and withdrawal from society. The methods are different, but the impulse can be similar. To me, one of the hardest things a person can do is to live fully in the real world to face stress, uncertainty, conflict, responsibility, and their own emotions without running away. Most people struggle with that. That is why I started questioning my old view of monks and saints. If someone removes themselves from society and lives alone in the woods, they are no longer being challenged by many of the pressures and emotional tests that come from interacting with the world every day. In a sense, they may have found peace, but they have also stepped away from many of the struggles that test human character. Living in reality, among people and their complexities, may be one of the greatest challenges of all. Part of @mindsetlegacy

I’m getting back to being active on YouTube after a long break, and I’ve just uploaded a new video. Would really appreciate it if you could watch it and share your thoughts. Thanks to everyone who supports—it genuinely means a lot. https://youtu.be/llrA1NN401Q

Some years ago, I visited a prison as part of a volunteer initiative. We were allowed inside under supervision to interact and observe. I was curious. I wanted to understand what life inside a prison actually feels like — not from movies, not from news, but in reality. What I saw was heavy. The atmosphere itself felt different. Restricted. Silent. Controlled. I spoke to an inmate who had been serving around ten years. I asked him a simple question:

“How does it feel?”

He didn’t shout. He didn’t complain dramatically. He just explained the routine — the repetition, the loss of freedom, the isolation from family, the slow passing of time. He said the hardest part wasn’t just the walls. It was living every day knowing that one decision had changed everything. That conversation stayed with me. Since childhood, I have seen how fast anger takes over people. Ego gets triggered. Pride gets hurt. Words turn into fights. Sometimes fights turn into violence. And in that one heated moment, logic disappears. But that one minute doesn’t disappear. Some people lose their lives in that moment. Others survive — but spend decades behind bars. Twenty years. Twenty-five years. Sometimes life imprisonment. Half of their future gone because of one uncontrolled emotion. If you have ever seen someone serving time, you understand what freedom really means. Inside prison, identity shrinks. For years, a person is called by a number. Regret becomes permanent — but time doesn’t reverse. One minute of ego can destroy decades of life. If you ever feel extreme rage, pause. Step back. Let the moment pass. No argument is worth your future. No ego is worth your freedom. Self-control is not weakness. It is power. Don’t let one emotional explosion define your entire existence.

Another year is coming to an end, and most of us probably have a lot of pictures or memories that remind us how we wasted this year or failed to do what we had planned. Now, there is no point regretting it too much because that time is already gone. What actually matters is understanding why it happened. You can make many excuses. You can point out problems and say this situation or that responsibility held you back. Sometimes those reasons are genuine. But if you are honest with yourself, you will also find a phase where you simply wasted time without any strong reason. You did not want to do the work, or you kept delaying it. That truth is uncomfortable, and that is where regret comes from. So the question is—how do you fix this?

Have you ever looked at someone and wondered how they manage to do so much and still have free time in the day? Most people will say the answer is time management.

But the reality is, time management is not something anyone can truly teach you. What works for one person may completely fail for another. You can watch countless YouTube videos, but most of those systems will not fit you because everyone functions differently. The only practical thing I have learned about time management is this: when you plan to do something, keep the gap between planning and execution small. If you think a task will take ten days, aim to finish it in six or seven. When timelines are tighter, focus improves and procrastination reduces. The closer your plan and execution are, the better your results will be. That’s all I wanted to say today. The new year is coming, and I hope it turns out to be more productive. There is still one day left—use it to reflect on this and understand yourself better.

Today I was sitting quietly, doing nothing for a few minutes, and I realized something about the world we live in. Our minds are full of mixed thoughts, and each thought seems to contradict another. You want to be rich and successful, but at the same time, you crave peace. You want to be spiritual, yet you also desire the material. Every idea you have seems to fight another idea inside you. It’s strange when you notice it. When I kept thinking about it, I saw that life itself is built on contradiction. You say you won’t do something because others do it, but then you end up doing it anyway. You do things you hate. You break your own rules. That’s contradiction. And it’s everywhere. Every religion has parts that contradict other religions. Every person has something that goes against someone else’s beliefs, even the people closest to you. So maybe life needs contradiction to exist. It’s not a mistake or flaw—it’s what keeps things moving. Without it, maybe nothing would change. This is what I wanted to share today. If enough people feel the same, I’ll go deeper into this next time. Try not to miss the depth behind the lines.

If you’ve ever doubted your job, your career, or the path you’re on—whether you’re a student or a working professional—let me tell you something: that doubt is not a problem. Maybe you’re studying for an exam or doing a course that doesn’t feel right for you. Maybe you’re in a job you don’t like, but you’re doing it because society, family, or circumstances have left you no other choice. That’s fine. You’re not broken for feeling that way. Even the most successful people—the ones with fame, wealth, and recognition—have doubted their path at some point. Doubt doesn’t mean failure. In fact, it means possibility. It means you still care enough to question where you are, and that’s a good thing. But here’s the truth: even if you don’t like what you’re doing right now, you still have to give it your hundred percent. Life doesn’t always unfold the way you want. Some paths are straight; others twist and test you. If you dislike your current situation, do it anyway—but do it well. Because when you give your best to something you don’t love, you build the strength and discipline that will later let you succeed in what you truly want.

There’s a kind of escape in success. Once you’ve achieved stability or cleared what’s in front of you, you earn the freedom to choose differently. The problem is, most people give up midway. They get lost and disheartened, thinking that this is how life will always be. It’s not. You can still change direction—but you can’t skip the part where you give your all to what’s in front of you.

Prove to yourself first that you can do great things even when you don’t like them. Then imagine what you’ll be capable of when you finally do something you love.

Let me give you a new way to look at things in life. Suppose you’re a student or a working professional. You open YouTube or any other app and end up watching a lecture or something related to your work. In that moment, three people gain value — YouTube, the creator, and you. Everyone’s winning. Now flip the situation. You open YouTube, Instagram, or whatever app, and this time you watch random videos or reels that have nothing to do with your goals. Who’s gaining now? YouTube and the creator — but not you. You’re just giving your time, your attention, and getting nothing real in return. So start seeing things this way — whatever you do, ask yourself, “Is this adding value to my life, or am I just paying the price without even realizing it?” And remember, it’s not just about YouTube — this applies to everything around you. Follow for more : @essenceupp

One of the greatest challenges we face as human beings is our tendency to measure ourselves against our past. It might be an insult we received, a compliment that once uplifted us, or an event that left a lasting mark. Over time, such memories become etched into our minds, as if carved into stone. They become fixed reference points—anchors that silently shape our self-perception. The difficulty lies in moving beyond them. I won’t offer the usual generic advice that others give, because I believe not every problem is solved by advice. Instead, I want to offer a different perspective—one that might change the way you view your past. Think of it like a dream. What is a dream? It is an experience we have while sleeping, and in the moment, it feels completely real. Whether we are flying, falling, or speaking to someone we know, the experience feels authentic. Yet when we wake, we realize it was only a projection of the mind—an illusion. Now, consider your past. Suppose something happened to you five years ago. Ask yourself: does it exist now, in the present? Not physically. Its only existence lies within your memory. And here’s where neuroscience offers a fascinating insight: memories are not perfect recordings of the past. As they fade over time, the brain fills in gaps—often creating details that never actually happened. We mistake these reconstructed memories for truth because the mind is adept at tricking us. In this light, your past is not a fixed reality—it is a dream-like construct, existing only in the mind. Recognizing this gives you freedom. It means those stones carved into your identity are not permanent. They can be reshaped, reinterpreted, or even released entirely. This is the perspective I offer: your past is not a chain—it is a story your mind tells. And you have the power to change the narrative. Follow for more : @essenceupp

What I learned: everyone has a niche. Nobody is superfluous. The world is structured so that every person’s quirks, talents, and obsessions matter — even if they haven’t figured it out yet. --- Life and the Chisel Humans don’t just adapt — we transform environments. Our evolutionary edge is imagination. Unlike animals, we splinter into wildly different paths: hunters, artists, storytellers. Statistically, almost nobody is “normal.” Everyone is extreme at something. Life chisels us even further apart through chance encounters — a teacher, a book, a documentary — sparking obsessions that become our unique contribution. Diversity, not conformity, is our survival strategy. --- Flavor of Madness We all have oddities, and odd people want odd things. Professional cuddlers, chicken sexers, line-standers, odor judges — each reflects a hidden craving in the human ecosystem. Your quirks are not useless. They are signals of where you can serve. --- Holding Real Gravity The internet homogenized curiosity and imagination, starving local niches. But meaning still thrives in small, local roles — the Playlist Curator for friends, the Neighborhood Compass, the person who fills invisible needs that hold a community together. Not trending, but vital. Most people miss their niche because they only look for global stages, ignoring the local ones that give real gravity. --- The Wrong Stage Schools teach us multiplication tables but not who we are. Many drift into careers that pay the bills but drain the soul. When someone’s niche goes undiscovered, we all lose — because their unique contribution never surfaces. Purpose isn’t just personal. It’s collective. When people land in the right place, they raise better kids, solve real problems, and strengthen communities. --- Enough Space to Wander Finding a niche isn’t about one perfect choice. It’s about exploring with enough room to zigzag — trying, failing, adjusting, and learning. Loving your path doesn’t mean loving every minute of it. Even passion has grind and burnout. Most perfect fits are revealed through imperfect journeys. --- The takeaway: Everyone has something the world needs. Your oddities, detours, and failures are shaping it. Don’t wait for a flawless path — wander, try, adjust. That’s how purpose reveals itself.

Over the last few weeks, reading has helped me create a perpetual cycle: read a book, highlight the best parts, and then repeat each Sunday. It encourages me to read more! Recall My Sunday System Read → Highlight/Take Notes → Reflect Reading isn't just about finishing a book anymore. If the book is not interesting, it's okay to pick another one. Life is too short to keep trying to finish a boring book. Build your reading habit and try to read two different genres. It's about integration. Here's my simple system: 1. I use a Kindle to highlight passages, but I prefer a physical book. Kindle is great for travelling. 2. I block off 30 minutes every Sunday to revisit highlights and sometimes create a PDF to go through while enjoying coffee. 3. Sometimes I summarize what I learned; other times, I just reflect. No pressure. No over-planning. Just a habit that builds on itself: Read → Highlight → Review → Repeat. --- The 30-Day Reading Challenge Goal: Read 30 minutes daily, preferably at the same location and time. Tools: Nothing fancy. Use a timer if needed. Days 1–5: Start Simple Pick a book that truly interests you. Avoid reading for "improvement." Just read for joy. Set a timer for 30 minutes. Days 6–10: Consistency Choose a consistent time and place. Notice how your brain feels afterward: calm and focused. Days 11–15: Add a Highlight Habit Start highlighting or underlining interesting passages. Write in margins. Digital readers can clip quotes. Days 16–20: Review Sundays Block 30 minutes every Sunday to go over highlights and notes. Reflect on your progress. Days 21–25: New Genre Switch from fiction to nonfiction or vice versa. Observe how different styles affect attention and enjoyment. Days 26–30: Reflect + Refine Look back at notes, quotes, and highlights. Add 10 more minutes to your 30-minute ritual if possible. Question yourself: how has daily reading changed your thinking, focus, or creativity? By day 30, you may notice: Improved memory Clearer thinking Feeling calmer Increased reflection Looking forward to reading time --- The Bottom Line Start small, create a repository of knowledge, and schedule reading sessions. 7 Brain Reasons to Make Reading a Habit: 1. Strengthens your brain 2. Reduces stress 3. Builds empathy 4. Expands knowledge 5. Improves memory 6. Boosts creativity 7. Improves concentration and communication skills Reading promotes mental health, longevity, and social well-being. 30 minutes a day can change your life.

What Happens to Your Brain When You Read 30 Minutes Daily A 30-day reading challenge to start your journey & what you will notice after 4 weeks Sufyan Maan, M.Eng - Let's start with one of my favourite quotes: "Whenever you read a book or have a conversation, the experience causes physical changes in your brain." — George Johnson I grew up in a small village where most people were farmers, and 99% of the farmers never went to school. My father somehow did some schooling and joined the police force on lucky days. I am fortunate that he used to read a lot, pretty much all the time. I never saw my father without a book in his hand. Whenever he had spare time, he read fiction. He also read pretty much all the newspaper pages, and if there was more than one newspaper at a barber shop or a doctor's office, he made sure to read all of them. He loved fiction. At a young age, I could not understand why he never encouraged me or my siblings to read what he used to read, but he always encouraged me to read textbooks. He thought reading fiction was a waste of time, but the only way we can go ahead is by reading, or I would say, memorizing textbooks. I agree, especially since I grew up in a small community. If you did not do well at school, you would pretty much end up in a labour job at a city factory, or 99% would become a farmer. Farming in underdeveloped countries is physically demanding, especially in the late 90s when everything was pretty much done by hand. The second most important reason I love reading is my physique. Yes, my super skinny frame. I used to be skinny and tall at a very young age. Now, I am well-built after learning through reading what is important for your body and how you can live a healthy life. I always say reading is the best habit I have built, and I always encourage others to cultivate a reading habit in their kids at a very young age. It's continuous learning, and also a hobby. To study more, you must read more. The rest is history. Now, I have a flexible budget to buy books. "When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes." — Desiderius Erasmus I used to think that buying a book and not reading it was a waste of time. Learning should not stop. Continuous learning is the only way to grow, especially in the new tech world where everything changes quickly. I share in-depth versions in my newsletter. My posts do not include professional or health advice. Instead, I document my reviews, observations, experiments, and perspectives to inform and inspire awareness. --- What Science Says Happens to Your Brain When You Read Reading is not a passive activity like watching TV. Your brain does not sit idle while reading, whether fiction or non-fiction. It lights up and starts making connections to make sense of what you are reading. Temporal lobe The temporal lobes sit behind the ears and are the second-largest lobes. They are most commonly associated with processing auditory information, including hearing, understanding language, and the encoding of memory. The brain's "letterbox" is where letters are first identified. Information from the letterbox then travels to the frontal lobe and other regions of the temporal lobe, where we determine the actual meaning and pronunciation of the word in an experienced reader. This entire process takes less than half a second. Research shows that those who read 30 pages of a book every night have increased activity in the left temporal lobe, where memory is located, in the morning. Reading has also been associated with lower risks of dementia and emotional regulation. The Kindle helps a lot. It comes in handy to mark passages that have struck your brain and save them for later reference. I attempt to reduce them into a concept page, but that was too much extra work. Instead, I set a reminder to see highlights each Sunday for 30 minutes from the book I was reading.

Long before 9/11 shook the world, movies and media had already planted unsettling visuals. In The Medusa Touch (1978), a plane crashes directly into a skyscraper—an eerie parallel to the Twin Towers attack decades later. Another shocking instance: an old osteoarthritis ad showed X-ray images of knees superimposed on the Twin Towers, with a plane labeled “OSTEOARTHRITIS” flying toward them, implying sudden collapse. It mirrored 9/11’s imagery far too closely. Fast forward to June 12, 2025—India. A front-page ad in the Mid-Day newspaper featured an Air India plane emerging from a building as part of a KidZania Father’s Day promotion. Just hours later, an actual Air India flight crashed into a structure in Ahmedabad. Same day. Same airline. Similar imagery. These aren’t just coincidences—they feel like rehearsals. As if reality is following scripts written in fiction long ago. Follow for more: @mindsetlegacy