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💌 One Message Can Make Someone’s Day

We often underestimate the power of a kind word. A simple "You're amazing!" can lift someone’s spirits, change the direction of their day, or even pull them out of a dark headspace. Appreciation costs nothing, but its value is immeasurable — for both the giver and the receiver. Photo by Eneida Hoti on Unsplash In a world that often feels fast, transactional, or divided, slowing down to recognize the good in others isn't just nice — it's necessary. When we genuinely appreciate someone, we’re telling them: You matter. You're seen. You’re enough. Whether it’s a friend, a coworker, a neighbor, or even a stranger online — acknowledging their worth can set off a ripple of kindness that spreads farther than we think. It's good for us too: studies show that expressing gratitude and appreciation improves our own mood, reduces stress, and deepens connections. Watch this heartwa...

Corporate Wisdom: What This Powerful Story Tells Us About Gaslighting In Workplace?

Once upon a time, a group of students struggled under the watchful eye of their strict teacher, who rarely granted them a moment of respite. Though they often schemed to distract him, their plans always fell short. One day, the cleverest among them, a boy known for his cunning, devised a plan that seemed foolproof. Gathering his classmates after school, he explained: "Tomorrow, we’ll convince the teacher he’s unwell. I’ll start by asking why he looks pale and weak. Then, one by one, you all repeat the same concern. If thirty of us say it, he’ll begin to doubt himself. He might even dismiss us for the day!” Excited by the prospect, the students swore to stick to the plan. The next morning, the clever boy approached the teacher first. “Good morning, sir. Are you feeling okay? You look pale,” he said with exaggerated concern. “I’m fine. Sit down!” barked the teacher, brushing off the comment. But as more students arrived, each echoed the same sentiment. “Sir, you look unwell,” they s...

Corporate Wisdom: The Painted Jackal

A scrawny jackal stumbled upon a puddle of paint and, after rolling around in it, emerged covered in bright colors: red on one side, yellow on the other, with white paws, a green tail, and a blue chest. Admiring himself, he fancied he looked more magnificent than a peacock. Proud and conceited, he returned to his pack, strutting among his fellow jackals with an air of superiority. The others, unimpressed, asked, “What’s with these colors? You’re just a plain jackal like the rest of us. Why this sudden arrogance?” Ignoring their remarks, the painted jackal declared himself a divine creation, more glorious than any jackal. One jackal approached and asked, “Are you trying to deceive us or make us jealous? Either way, none of us are impressed. You’ll soon reveal your true colors.” But the painted jackal, still full of pride, responded, “Behold my dazzling beauty! Kneel before my majesty. I’m no jackal; I’m an exquisite peacock, as luminous as Jupiter!” The jackals, seeing through his delus...

Corporate Wisdom: What This Interesting Story Teaches Us About Incorporating Feedback

In a Levantine town where most people had not embraced Islam, there lived a muezzin whose voice was, quite frankly, unbearable. When he climbed the minaret to call people to prayer, his discordant tone sent everyone scrambling to escape the sound. Elders constantly begged him to stop, insisting his efforts were driving people away from the faith rather than drawing them closer. Yet, the muezzin paid no heed. He persisted, day after day, delivering his cacophonous call with unwavering confidence. One morning, just before dawn, a well-dressed man arrived in the town, holding a tray of sweets and lit candles. He went from person to person, asking for directions to the muezzin. His peculiar request caught the townspeople off guard. “Why are you looking for him?” one man asked, his curiosity piqued. “To express my gratitude,” the visitor replied. “His call has brought peace to my home.” The gathered townspeople exchanged baffled looks. “Peace?” someone blurted out. “How could his dreadful v...

Quiz: Check Your Work-Life Balance Score

"🎉 Ready for some fun? Take our latest quiz to uncover your unique personality, discover hidden traits, or just enjoy a good laugh! Think you know yourself? Think again.  Dive in now and share your results with friends!" Work-Life Balance Quiz Restart Quiz

Random Thoughts ... 8

Hey everyone, here is what have been on my mind lately. 👉I've been thinking a lot lately about the people suffering in war-torn countries like Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, and Congo. Winter is coming, and they need our help more than ever. Even the smallest donation can make a big difference. So, please consider donating to a charity that's actively working in these regions. 👉Remember those Palestinian scarves that were so popular a few years ago? I used to have two—a black and white one, and a red and black one. The red one has a funny story: I wore it to my cousin's wedding in 2010, and he loved it so much he borrowed it. Well, he never gave it back! I didn't mind, though, since he moved back to England. 👉I'm currently reading Steve Jobs' biography. It’s fascinating to learn about his ability to bend reality and convince people to do the impossible. I can definitely relate to his rebellious spirit. It's also interesting to see how Bill Gates factors i...

Random Thoughts ... 6

It has been one year since the Israeli invasion of Gaza. Some estimate that more than 100,000 people have lost their lives in this massacre. 😢 It's alarming for the world that such a shameful act has been allowed to happen. I also condemn the wars in Ukraine, Congo, Sudan, and elsewhere. There is no issue that cannot be resolved through dialogue. We need peace now more than ever. 🌍 There are already numerous global problems—like climate change, hunger, famine, natural disasters, poverty, and illiteracy—that demand urgent action. Wars should be the last thing any sane person would anticipate. ✌️ I’m considering shifting the blog to a new domain. I’m working on the website as we speak. 🛠️ The foremost thing is that it will have a unique domain, without a subdomain like BlogSpot, etc. Secondly, I’ve narrowed down my niche to focus on work-life—everything related to work and business. 💼 I plan to launch the website soon, God willing. 🙏 I hope you'll support this new endeavor! ...

You are an ambivert if you have the following traits

You might have heard about extroverts and introverts, and maybe you’ve even used those terms to describe yourself. But deep down, you feel like you don’t quite fit into either category. Some days, you want to hibernate under a blanket all day, and the next, you’re out at a party, mingling with everyone. If this sounds like you, don’t worry—you’re not alone. You might be an ambivert, a mix of both personalities. Check out these traits to see if you can relate: 👉You feel incredibly awkward when all eyes are on you during a presentation. But later that evening, you’re the life of the party, cracking jokes with your friends.  😳😆 👉Sometimes, you confidently flag down a waiter from across the room. But when you’re feeling down, you wait quietly, hoping someone will come to check on you. 👋 👉You’ll send yourself a text just to look busy at a party. But once you’re comfortable, you’re swapping numbers with that friend’s cousin you just met.  📱 👉You don’t have a ton of close fri...

Random Thoughts ... 5

  Here is what I was thinking for the last few days. I've used Asana for work in the past, but recently, I’ve started using ClickUp. It has some familiar features, like the Kanban Board similar to Asana, but it’s more robust. Best of all, it’s free! 🎉 Let’s see how it fares. For those who aren’t familiar, Asana and ClickUp are project management and productivity tools. They help you accomplish tasks efficiently, with features like chat, meetings, document sharing, tracking, and much more integrated into the software. 🛠️ As I’ve gotten more serious about this blog, I’m using these tools to stay on track. You can use them for personal tasks too! For instance, you can set goals, assign deadlines, and break down your goals into actionable steps. Just give them a try—they're fun to use and give you a sense of accomplishment when you hit your targets. ✅ Another thought I had is about how the invention of computers and the web helps us understand spiritual concepts more easily. 🌐 L...

Random Thoughts ... 4

  Here is what has been on my mind this week.  First, I added a like/dislike button at the bottom of the website. It is visible on all pages. You can like (I hope you enjoy my blogs) or dislike (as this will help me improve). But, it is not conclusive, you may like one blog post and not the other. So, I am experimenting and will decide whether to add individual buttons on all pages or just go with the global button. Try it 👍/👎 Similarly, I was thinking of shifting my blog from Blogger to another web hosting service with a new blog title. Eventually, I will have to shift my website as the website will grow and have more visitors, God willing. I will only have to redirect the traffic to the new domain and it will be seamless for you. See, I am becoming a programmer! Just kidding :) However, I am learning something new about web development every day. 💻📶 I was thinking about Palestine, too. People in Gaza are desperate and need financial assistance. I heard something good. Je...

Some Random Thoughts...3

Things are getting morbid in Gaza. First, the killing of innocent civilians, especially children, and now obnoxious footage of rape in Israeli prison; it seems like it's some kind of Satanic ritual. Earlier this year, they were sacrificing a heifer, and now these disgusting antiques. I'm really dismayed with the current development there. 👿🤢☹️ The world 🌎 is getting smaller. Not in terms of size but the social structure. In the ancient, there would be different packs of people which later came together in the form of tribes. Then they made small villages. Then, they converged to form city-states. Cities combined to form states and countries. Now, we have divisions like Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. So, where are we heading now? I believe, now we are going intragalactic. 🌌🪐 Some of you may not believe in God, but I believe that God is taking us to bigger social structures gradually. I believe, soon we are going to meet our intragalactic neighbors. 👽 Or m...

Some Words of Wisdom From Gary Vaynerchuk

If you have been active on social media especially LinkedIn you must know Gary Vaynerchuk . He doesn't need an introduction but for the people who are unfamiliar with him let me tell you a bit about him. He is an entrepreneur, writer, CEO, marketer, founder, social media guru, and investor. He began his career on YouTube when some of you were in their diapers. He talks succinctly and his talks are inspirational and motivating not to forget - sagacious.  Here are his few recent posts on LinkedIn that were full of wisdom and resonated with me.    This is obvious, but we usually forget this beautiful principle. This is the era of specialization. You can't be everything. Identify your strong points and skills and hone them. Ideally, you should concentrate on one thing initially. Once you conquer it then move to the next target. This is not only applicable to an individual but to brands and businesses as well. That's why they say that you should clearly outline your unique s...

Some Random Thoughts... 2

Here is what I have been thinking lately. 💭✨ So first start with the changes in the website. Photo by Jem Sahagun on Unsplash I changed the URL of the website from https://miseenabyme07.blogspot.com to https://mise-en-scene101.blogspot.com . So here is the backstory. I thought that it wouldn't be much problem and only the domain name would be changed. But as I changed it, it made all the links to the old posts that I shared on social media redundant/dysfunctional. Similarly, in the browser, the old URL ran into a 404 error. 🚫💻 However, the situation came under control quickly. I made quick posts on LinkedIn (where my profile has the blog's URL) and mentioned the change on the header of the site and elsewhere. 💪 Why did I do this? 🤔 Well, when I started my blog in 2015 I named it My personal blog. One of my colleagues at COMSATS University, Islamabad (where I worked then) said, it is so generic and you are a writer, come up with a unique name. So I changed the blog title t...

Just Some Random Thoughts...

📝One feedback I got about my writing is that it's very simple and plain, e.g., with no complex and difficult words and structure. I want to disclose that it is intentional! I keep it simple and easy so everyone can read.  Not everyone has a Ph.D. degree. Similarly, writing experts say to keep your writing level to a 7th or 8th-grader's level. Marketers say that don't overwhelm them with verbosity. I like simplicity, too.  Image: just an AI image to get your attention. Also, it's non-fiction. Fiction has more scope for creativity and flowery language. I don't like fiction except for some Urdu writers.  🌍 In my Analytics, I found that a lot of my readers are non-Pakistanis. I use Urdu phrases sometimes that they obviously won't understand. So, I will translate these phrases for them in the future.  🗽Moreover, I found that the "Hawk-Tuah Girl" was inspired by one of my blog posts where I used that exact phrase (or expression, to be precise). I feel em...

Authors: Proud of Your Success, but Not Your Failures? Let's Talk!

Today, I am going to talk about a topic that is quite different from what I cover. I have been reading eBooks and read them from the first page to the last, literally not omitting anything—from the copyright info page to the final "About the author" page. AI image - Microsoft Edge Co-pilot One thing that stood out to me, and left me feeling a bit turned off, was the disclaimer by the author stating that they are not responsible for any damage arising from the use of their book. It reads something like this:  "The author and publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, that is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book." It bothered me; how can you not be responsible for any damage that arises from your information? When something good happens to the reader, you proudly post it as testimonials and reviews. For example, Tom made $1000 f...

Interviews are useless (for introverts)

 Recently, I had an epiphany regarding job interviews. After one interview, I was told that I appeared uninspiring. I admitted this, but I also pointed out that many people struggle with verbal communication—millions of introverts, to be precise, who find it challenging to articulate their thoughts. The idea behind interviews is that candidates will clearly detail their experiences, skills, and qualifications when asked. It relies on the assumption that each candidate will verbally reveal this information without any hiccups, and the person who expresses it most effectively will get the offer. However, this concept is flawed from the foundation. Verbal communication is just one aspect of communication. When we learn any language, we actually develop five skills: speaking, listening, reading, writing, and comprehension. A person may be adept at writing but struggle with verbal expression, and vice versa. Even the most confident and expressive individuals can go blank during intervie...

How to create Master To-Do List?

If you are an ambitious person, you must have multiple things going on in your life. They may be related to your work, home, online world, or any other realm. Similarly, you may have personal goals to achieve in your life. To keep you organized and make sure you don't forget these tasks, you need to jot them down. This document is a powerful productivity tool. It is called a to-do list.   What is a Master To-Do List?   It is a combined list of all your to-do tasks and goals in your life. The main purpose of this list is to dump all your goals and tasks from your mind on a piece of paper, a word processor, or maybe in a mobile app. The basic difference between a daily or weekly to-do list and the master list is that the daily/weekly to-do list is short-term whereas the master to-do list is a combined list of tasks that you want to accomplish in the long run or during your entire lifetime. This is not limited to only personal life, you can create one about your professional goal...

Job enrichment – Reigniting Enthusiasm

Job enrichment denotes assigning new or redesigned job descriptions to the current job roles and responsibilities. Each designee in any organization is assigned certain tasks and roles that s/he is expected to fulfill so they can be entitled to a certain amount of recompense in terms of money, bonuses, perks, and other fringe benefits. The main purpose of job enrichment is to reignite enthusiasm in the employees and give them the feeling that they are cared for and the management not only is concerned about their current job and tasks but also endeavors to give them skill sets that will be beneficial for them in the long run. For example, the network administrator may be assigned the new task of data backup of the organization's online assets. Similarly, job enlargement is to increase the job responsibilities within the ambit of the same designation.  For example, besides the clerical and business correspondence, the personal secretary can be given the responsibilities of pro...

Bridging Gaps - Russian Artist Exhibits Work in Islamabad

On Tuesday, December 22nd, 2015, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad Campus organized the art exhibition of a Russian Artist, Mr. Yuri M. Kozlov. He is also the Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in Pakistan. The event was not only pivotal from the artist's point of view but can also be marked as a milestone in Pak-Russia bilateral relations. Pointillism - a form of Impressionism (Painting by Yuri. M Kozlov) What made it Mega-Event? His Excellency, Mr. Alexey Y. Dedov, Russian Ambassador to Pakistan was the chief guest of the event, along with the ambassador of Belarus, COMSATS Institute dignitaries, and other officials were also present. The event is historic  The event was historic from the bilateral relations point of view of Russia and Pakistan.  Pakistan and Russia have remained aloof politically and diplomatically, sometimes going antagonistic, especially during the Cold War era. But now the snow seems to be ...