achieve | The ParaDoc's Error

Perfectly Imperfect!

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Maliha

After a tedious hiatus of ten or so days I’m happy to be back to the blogosphere. I am one of the lot of habitual over-thinkers strewn across this mighty planet. Last night, I happened to just ponder about the icky judgemental nature of we humans.

Ever wondered how much a person goes through in life to be what he is today and what he will be tomorrow?! It is a pretty long struggle you know. And since homo sapiens cannot survive in isolation as has been reiterated from Adam and Eve’s time, we know how much the people around us impact us- starting from our family, to our friends, to spouses, etc. And to be judged by them? Imagine that!

What do we know of each others’ lives and everyday struggles to be subjected to blatant remarks with no pause whatsoever to our endless imagination? The answer you all know is- nothing! You are not making things any better by calling them names. I don’t understand how somebody’s life can affect yours when you are not even a part of their struggles. Do we really want to create bonds out of love or just picture a slideshow of people with quirky captions in our heads to make our life seem better. Or do we empathize with them genuinely? Either put a foot forward to embrace them and love them with their so-called shortcomings or leave them the hell alone.

Every one of us has been created in the same mould of clay but our souls are poles apart- the way we feel, we react, we laugh- each one of us differs from the other in every way possible. Nobody’s life is blessed with flawless-ness. Some of us are better looking, better versed, better clothed, better provided than the others. Whatever quality we lack, is compensated by God in some other facet which becomes specific of us and makes us imperfectly perfect. And we ought to be grateful for that.

We need to just focus beyond what we see through our naked eyes and penetrate a little through the soul of another and be more accepting of what does not necessarily please us. It is really a very easy thing to do if we just set our egos, insecurities, complexes aside and consider everybody our equal and not turn this into a competition of sorts.

The definition of what is perfect is totally subjective. What is good enough for me might not be up to the mark or just plain bad for you. The point is no matter how much you try to conceal or enhance your flaws, you are always going to let a part of yourself out to the world and open to judgement. And it is sad how it is all about sizes, numbers, appearances, bank balances, marks at school, social fame and other materialistic things which people chase today, blissfully unaware of missing out on something- much much much more meaningful.

Isn’t it the character we should be really vouching for?! I think it is.
You would not drive a potential good friend away because she doesn’t have the same phone as yours, would you?! Hell no. All these figures are just attributes to enhance your place in the society you live in. Please do not make this your criteria in determining somebody’s character.

Anybody or anything making you feel small or unworthy in ANY little or majorly hurtful kind of way needs to be shown the door out of your life. It is the right way to rid yourself of all the negativity you(or anyone else) does NOT deserve. Better alone than with those constantly putting you down. If in case it’s your own bout of self-pity, ask that inner critic of yours to take a hike.

Don’t expect a flawless person in your life. You are most likely NOT to find one. Because no matter how hard we try and how many rules we bend or set up, there is nobody who is going to be 100 % right and you will land up alone. And I guarantee you that you WILL be judged- for all the good you do and all the bad you do. So better soak in that imperfection. If I had obsessed so much on finding the perfect people over all these years, I would have not been a part of the lives of SO many beautiful people I call my family and friends today.

I am a product of uncountable imperfections and through my bunch of imperfectly perfect family and friends, I have learned to look past the short-comings of people because all of us are amazing just the way we are – perfectly imperfect!

“I think every single imperfection adds to your beauty. I’d rather be imperfect than perfect.“

Sonam Kapoor

(Bollywood Actress)

To infinity and back,

Maliha Taqui.

Mid-Life Crisis – Exams!

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Maliha

All i see is a mountain of books, oceans of portion, a scary deadline, a list of excuses, procrastination, big ambitions, and a tendency to be most productive at all unimportant things before my eyes. Except what is the dire need of the hour- Studying! I’m sure all you people with exams going on or due to take off relate to me.

The countdown has begun. Just FIVE more days to go for my much dreaded examinations. I must be studying than blogging about it you all might point out. I should, very definitely should- but I am not; which is what is driving me insane and my indifferent attitude gravely concerns me.

Much fearless.

So proud.

Sigh.

It’s a phase of such mixed emotions – anxiety, depression, sickness, fear but no happiness or joy – why I wonder. Oh! That comes after they terminate right?! Huh. What torture! 😦

Someone said:

” Tomorrow is my exam and I don’t care because a single sheet of paper can’t decide my future.”

If it’s Einstein or Thomas Alva Edison I’m not quite sure and a tad too lazy to google it up. Nevertheless, I’m placing my bets on Mr.Edison.

Well, it doesn’t actually matter who said that because that is just a hypothetical concept , wishful thinking and a near over-confident mind’s whispering. Now don’t deem me ‘Anti-Edison’ – I have great respect for the man. I’m just talking about how the above statement does not currently apply to me and my situation.

In today’s era, your success is basically an overall composition of the ‘n’ number of examinations you prepared for and aced, in addition to the choices you’ve made in life and the hard work you spent. But it’s funny how only that degree or report card leaves a lasting impression. 😛

They say there’s no way of getting things done without putting in the work. Well, since ‘no exams’ is still just a distant dream to we students, there’s no way out for us as of now. We just gotta roll our sleeves up, pick that book in our hands, give it our best shot by spilling the ink in the best manner possible.

One of the only ways I just figured to motivate you and myself is to think about the long-term goal (being a qualified doctor as in my case) and how important that is to you. That REALLY should help, right? Right! You have to push yourself now because nobody else is going to do it for you.

It’s tough fighting this laziness and constantly nagging fear but not impossible. The results will be directly proportional to our hard work. And in case, (God forbid) you fail, there is always another chance. It is certainly not the end of the world.

Please make note that right now I’m just exam-o-phobic. Hence, the anxiety level 100 – which every student goes through in such testing times. Even the best of us buckle under pressure.

At the end of this post, I’m reminded of a small supplication we used to recite at school that translates to :

“With God’s help, victory is near.”

Here’s praying and wishing all of us the best of luck. Let’s ace these exam monsters girls and boys!

To infinity and back,

Maliha Taqui.

Later is Now!

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Maliha

“I will do it today”, said none of us- ever! If you still haven’t figured out the subject of today’s post, i’m going to give you a little hint- it is a state of yours where you’d rather spend hours in bed after opening your eyes updating your Facebook / Instagram / Twitter, check out that sale upto 50% off at the nearest mall, molest the joysticks of your PlayStation, binge watch Game of Thrones or sip on that sizzling mocha at the new Starbucks in town (the list is endless), than finish your pending task(s) at hand. Yes, you are right. I’m talking about the chronic procrastination we all invariably suffer from.

Procrastination is the reason why that room you thought of cleaning after your cousin’s wedding is still a mess, the preparation for that examination ten days away (as is my case) still hasn’t commenced, that presentation you were to submit to your boss still isn’t ready, that fitness regime you were going to start off with is still on the papers, that cross-trainer you bought for the same purpose is covered in dust, and those six pack abs under construction are well, still under construction- and also why I am unforgivably late in updating the blog from the past few days.

I’m quite amazed at how this fits everyone of us and wonder what makes us procrastinate so much?! It’s ironic how the jobs consuming most of our time and concentration and requiring top-notch priority are put off to a later time and then we panic as though we are at World’s end as the deadline draws near. If it’s the simple pleasure of indulging in our desires that gives us instant happiness, the monotony of the job, tendency to get bored easily, lack of interest/excitement, plain laziness or the undying faith in the fact that man works better under pressure- I’m not sure.

So what’s the actual problem you ask?! In simple words it is that the early bird catches the worm and you’d rather be the one that rises late, generously letting the bird catch it, being satisfied with the little left overs if in case, there are any worms left, or worse – if YOU remain to see the light of day.

A man without passion and a drive to achieve something is as good as an aimless animal! I strongly believe that in order to get something done a.k.a be successful, you have to pull those socks up and shrug off the laziness parasitising your creative emotion and purpose so that you deliver nothing less than your potential. Like all things fine, the price of success only inflates with each climb of the ladder. That price my friends is constant hard work and a hungry desperation to emerge a winner in your own eyes.

This is not a subject of World Peace which I’m going to blow out of proportion. In fact, it’s just a ‘thought fuel’ to get your engines of will power and determination charged to run in steady speed towards your destination. I have fallen prey to this monstrous laziness often and with time and increasing responsibilities towards my goals, I have realized that intelligent planning and time management could actually lessen the unwanted delays. All I’m implying is that you learn to prioritize your goals each day- starting with the ones requiring immediate attention so that you are left with an ample amount of time to spend in recreation without your deadlines haunting you.

Scientists have deemed the youth of 21st Century, ‘lazier than their ancestors’ and let us face it, we are generally- pathetically lazy(especially we Indians). No, it is not as cool as we think it makes us. To all those swearing by laziness, trust me there is nothing more to it than low productivity, wastage of precious time, a goal-lag and an increasing risk to a variety of complex diseases- obesity, congestive heart disease, et al. The fruits of your labor can be enjoyed to no end but remember that it is the labor that yields the fruits.

Someone once said,

“Hard work never killed anyone but why take a chance!”

I bet there’s nothing in history that has been taken so literally.
The next time you wish to delay things, make sure the first thing you check off your list is procrastination itself! Because, Later is NOW!

To infinity and back,

Maliha Taqui.

Mission: Own 2015!

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Maliha

It’s 2015. YES! The past week a lot of you have been ringing in on the New Year celebrations and resolutions except me – the reason being me running a marathon of examinations.And as i rant about my super boring exam schedules, I realize that I haven’t officially wished you all yet(which I should have done in the previous post). Many apologies folks. So yes: I deeply wish that all of us are blessed with a promising and a larger-than-life 2015. And a year worth cherishing for all of the days to come.

After the official ‘wishing, it’s now time for the annual,mandatory and the fun part- ‘resolution-making’. Now now,we very well know how good we are at keeping our resolutions.But we still do make them,don’t we? And we should. It lets us reflect on our past short-comings,our achievements, things we should have done, things we should not have done, regrets, pleasures – everything.

Here’s a quick mix of things that I think we all should make an effort to do in 2015.

Begin with a handful of short-term, attainable goals. And take steady, consistent steps towards them. You’re no super hero. So don’t hasten or give up too soon. The fruits of patience are the ripest.
Live healthy! Sleep well. Eat well (No starving. Just stay fit). Look good=Feel good!
Why so serious?! Smile. Learn to laugh at yourself and be positive. A smile a day keeps those wrinkles away.
PRAY. PRAY. PRAY. A LOT (Not just when you need something but to thank the Creator for blessing you with things someone somewhere else is waiting and craving for).
Enjoy the little things. An early morning jog, a dance in the rain, croon to the melodies you love, fall down, get back up, victory dance on acing your test, root for your favorite team, cuddle your pets, share hugs and sleep your worries away.
No more waiting. Do what makes you happy (probably the most cliched one). Just Do It. (No I’m not promoting Nike).
Do charity, even if little.Remember, quality supersedes quantity.You might just become a hero in someone’s life. Don’t underestimate kindness and compassion.
Amendments! Forgive those friends and relatives for letting you down. Apologise where you should. Release that negativity. ‘Cause grudges are toxic to your own mental health.
Learn something new. (Baking is on my list this year, what’s on yours?!).
Family >>> World! ALWAYS! There will be times in ALL our lives(with no exceptions whatsoever) when nobody will stand by you except the parents who gave you life and the siblings you are related by blood with. So make it a point to spend more time with them. And put your cell phone/tablet/ laptop away while you do so.

Ultimately, make 2015 one of the most brightest years of your life. Because,

“It’s not the years in your life that count, but the ‘life’ in your years that does.”

To infinity and back,

Maliha Taqui.

DREAM. WISH. DO.

For uncountable months, I've been delaying the conception of this blog. But after overcoming a lot of procrastination and 'what-ifs' , The ParaDoc's Error has finally seen the light of the day. Right now, I'm brimming with high levels of optimism and bouts of anxiety at the same time, as i kick-start this blog.

As this is my first post on the blog, it seems legitimate for me to do a little bit of an 'introduction post'.

To begin with, I'm an undergraduate student of Medicine suffering from an acute case of scribbling down my thoughts, my whimsies, my fantasies, my fears and my perks. (Hence, the name of my blog is totally in sync with what I do apart from diagnosing diseases). I'm also what you stereo-typically call- a bookworm, a decent artist and a full time dreamer.

I am a firm believer in the "Dream. Wish. Do" concept (with extra emphasis on the doing). Nothing can define you better than your dreams and how you wish to achieve them. Dreams and wishes come in all sizes and forms and let nothing and no one tell you otherwise. No dream is insignificant and no wish is futile.

Often, you yourself become an obstacle in the path of erecting your Palaces of Marvel through minor fears of failures, doubts and sometimes just due to loss of sight of what you really wish and want to happen. Does this imply that you give up on what you want?! Absolutely not. It is very easy to wish upon a star but it's easier more, to give up on your goals. Here, I must mention how I was unsure of going ahead with this blog initially. But just a little encouragement from my loved ones, a little inspiration from fellow blogger friends and especially, immense faith in my own capabilities gave me a heads up for The ParaDoc's Error. And here it stands. Though not very fancy, my blog was and now is one of my little dreams and I'm going to do my best to deliver the best. And I'm going to do it for myself before anyone else. Ah! What satisfaction even the first stepping stone towards a goal gives.

That said, your dreams don't come with a guarantee card. They may or may not culminate into what you initially desired. That is exactly the point where you start dreaming anew. There's not much to lose when chasing after your dream and only profits to gain even with the risks of failure. Don't ever get bogged down by failure. The ParaDoc's Error itself, is a result of many abortions (medical metaphors anyone?!)

P.S - I am no great author or writer. I started TPE out of my passion to write and learn. And I'm yet to learn the A B Cs of blogging skills which I intend to grasp as soon as possible. I'm open to any criticism and suggestions. And I'd definitely appreciate your views on my further blogs.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." So remember to :

DREAM. WISH. DO.

To infinity and back,

Maliha Taqui.

Status | January 7, 2015

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