Completion
In Hindu temples, the Parikrama is a ritual that marks the completion of the visit or the ceremony. The visit is not considered complete until we do this- move around the circumference of the building or the deity. Different religions and cultures have their own version of such a ritual.
How is this relevant to my life?
We need a healthy amount of structure in our lives- a beginning, a middle and an end. The state of completion is very important to us, individually and as communities. We want to be able to construct a logical story in our heads, it helps us make sense of the world and our lives, and guides our future decisions.
Closure can come in different forms- in personal relationships, on the professional front, getting the feedback we have been waiting for, having that tough conversation, etc. While other people's actions are beyond our control, what helps is learning to pick up the smaller things and taking them to closure. Being able to tick things off our To-do list is one such small act that provides immense satisfaction- it is not just about giving ourselves a pat on the back for accomplishing something, it is also about bringing something to its conclusion. Quite often, we undertake tasks, take up new projects, start conversations out of enthusiasm or motivation but do not follow through. We expect closure from others but fail to provide it to ourselves. Let's change that, we owe it to ourselves.
How To Practice?
Take stock of your life- what is it that you have been avoiding for a while now? An email you need to reply to, a tough conversation with a friend, that half-forgotten closet you need to clean out, that junk drawer you want to organize? This is your chance to go back and complete it- it doesn't have to a big task, it can be something that takes up 10 minutes of your time.
Some Tips!
You can do this as a one-time activity. Or you can schedule a fixed duration of time every week- say 30 minutes every Sunday afternoon- for your ritual of completion. During this time, you can go back over your previous week and finish what was started and left midway.
You do not have to blame yourself for not completing things- it is perfectly normal to get overwhelmed or distracted- most of us have too many tabs open in our minds at the same time. This is not to push ourselves to be perfectionists- we are doing this only for our own peace of mind and perhaps others who need closure from us.
It's okay to make amends, to change plans. You do not have to suffer on the way to reach the destination- but even if you choose to quit, make sure that communication is sent out, the resources are freed up, things go back to their respective places, etc.
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