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Reflections by Kunal Gupta

Reflections by Kunal Gupta

By Kunal Gupta

Audio recordings of the written reflections that I publish on my blog, bykunal.com/blog.
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Difficult Decisions Made Effortless

Reflections by Kunal GuptaJul 17, 2021

00:00
03:53
How to Feel Alive

How to Feel Alive

My personal currency of inspiration serves as my compass, guiding me through major and minor life decisions

Jun 02, 202303:23
How To Disconnect

How To Disconnect

In my life, I've found myself living in two distinct modes.

May 26, 202303:55
A Balanced Life

A Balanced Life

A life void of risks is akin to a stagnant portfolio—destined for a slow decline due to inflation

May 19, 202304:18
Fear of Living

Fear of Living

It's a perspective shift, understanding that death is not the antithesis of life, but its culmination

May 12, 202304:18
How To Dream

How To Dream

Taking the leap and following my heart meant leaving the safety of my comfort zone behind.

May 07, 202304:49
Passport Privilege

Passport Privilege

It's important to recognize that while I've benefited greatly from my passport, it's something that I didn't earn.

Apr 23, 202304:21
Nature v Nurture

Nature v Nurture

A vacation with my sister in Greece highlighted the differences between our personalities shaped by both nature and nurture, allowing me to accept myself and appreciate the role of both in shaping who we are.


Apr 13, 202302:59
A Perfect World

A Perfect World

The world will keep changing. Those around me will keep changing. I will keep changing. However, I do not need to force any of it. It is in

Apr 07, 202302:52
Creating Space

Creating Space

The more I appreciate the value of space, the more I understand its necessity in moving through life.

Apr 01, 202305:44
Beyond Ourselves

Beyond Ourselves

Last week, I had a remarkable experience that left me feeling deeply moved and inspired.

Mar 26, 202303:55
Giving Up Control

Giving Up Control

I recently announced a new CEO for my technology business and that I have moved into a board role. For me, it marks a profound shift in my professional identity. Since founding the business 15 years ago, in my early 20s, I have been known to my external world as a CEO. This is no longer the case.

Feb 26, 202305:15
The Pursuit Of Pleasure

The Pursuit Of Pleasure

I recently got new bed sheets. The morning after sleeping on them for the first time, I lay in bed, awake, curious about their impact on me.

The first thought that raced through my mind was, 'did I sleep better with these new bed sheets?'. I then started to wonder how I would be able to tell.

Would my Oura ring pick up the difference in my sleep data? Might my energy level in the morning be noticeably different? I quickly concluded that there are far too many variables related to my sleep for me to isolate the impact of bed sheets.

Tired of thinking, I observed how comfortable the sheets felt on my body. I was really enjoying the sensations on my skin of these new sheets. I had a desire to stay in bed longer, even if I was awake.

Then a frightening thought arose. What if these sheets were worse for my sleep, even though I seemed to enjoy them?

Feb 05, 202306:06
Floating Anchors

Floating Anchors

My mind is capable of imagining the ideal scenario, for practically everything. It assumes the ideal conditions and circumstances by default.

Jan 28, 202304:07
Brilliant Moments

Brilliant Moments

In recent weeks, I have noticed a brilliant moment most mornings as I wake up.

Jan 21, 202305:08
Conditional Confidence

Conditional Confidence

I grew up learning to feel confident only once there was a reason to.

Jan 15, 202304:05
The Most Inspiring Person

The Most Inspiring Person

This past week, I got to spend time with the most inspiring person I have ever met in my life.

Jan 08, 202302:33
One Word To Guide 2023

One Word To Guide 2023

For nearly a decade, I have had a New Year ritual to pick one single word as my intention for the year ahead.

Jan 02, 202306:36
Disconnect To Reconnect

Disconnect To Reconnect

My experiment was to go into a silent retreat, in my own home, by myself, for 4 days.

Dec 28, 202206:59
The Scarcity Experiment

The Scarcity Experiment

When I observe for a moment my daily lifestyle, an abundance mindset guides my choices, without a doubt.

Dec 18, 202205:02
Time To Make Peace With The Past

Time To Make Peace With The Past

To make peace with my past is not easy.

Dec 11, 202202:39
How To Relax

How To Relax

If I wanted to feel more relaxed, more often, my default thesis was that I need to make more time and space for relaxing activities.

Nov 13, 202203:34
Threads Of Connection

Threads Of Connection

Very few of my friends know what I do, and even those that do don’t seem very interested in knowing more.

Oct 16, 202205:34
The Empire Of Worry

The Empire Of Worry

We all seem to live in our own little, for some large, empires of worry.

Oct 09, 202204:53
One Year In

One Year In

It was one year ago today that I moved to Portugal and it has been an incredible first year in this new continent, country and culture.

Aug 28, 202207:07
A Beautiful Day

A Beautiful Day

Earlier this week, I was complaining to my therapist about how I wanted more spontaneity in my life.

Jul 24, 202207:23
Swimming In The Sea

Swimming In The Sea

Flowing with waves of desires arising and disappearing is how I will continue to swim through life.

Jul 17, 202204:52
Third Place Thinking

Third Place Thinking

Every choice, action or word is part of a chain of cause and effect. I appear to be more the effect than the cause in my life, and that feels disconcerting to say out loud.

Jun 05, 202207:09
Annoying Parents

Annoying Parents

The love of a parent towards a child is said to be unconditional. It could also be said that the love of a parent towards a child is annoying.

May 01, 202204:29
Drive My Car

Drive My Car

I have observed in life that the benefits of practicing trust often outweigh the risks of feeling disappointed.

Apr 17, 202205:50
The Most Valuable Real Estate

The Most Valuable Real Estate

There is a piece of real estate that I have discovered to be the most valuable in the world.

Apr 10, 202202:59
The Best Choice

The Best Choice

The desire to pick the best available option, be it a movie, a restaurant, a picture, or anything else in life, is also a fear of making a poor choice.

Apr 02, 202205:50
The Limitations I Avoid

The Limitations I Avoid

My conditioning has been to believe there are no limitations to my time, and that I can do anything, and everything.

Mar 13, 202203:53
How I Feel

How I Feel

There is an expectation that my motivation and interest in some thing, some one or some place, remains constant. Like a straight line that is trending slightly up, my interest should be increasing over time.

Feb 13, 202207:38
My Inefficient Life

My Inefficient Life

There is a conflict with my desire for the new, and my conditioning to expect efficiency in every part of life.

Jan 30, 202204:14
I Know

I Know

It may often feel like you must have it all together and figured out in life. That you must know exactly where you are going, how to get there, and to be on your way.

Jan 23, 202203:01
What I Want

What I Want

The moments I have experienced the most stress, anxiety, anger, frustration and disappointment have been when my expectations were many

Jan 16, 202205:19
Making Mistakes

Making Mistakes

The ultimate freedom in life is the freedom to make mistakes.

Jan 09, 202206:33
The Most Important Decision

The Most Important Decision

I have learned that the most important decision is not where to go, but how to get there.

Jan 02, 202206:16
21 questions to make peace with 2021

21 questions to make peace with 2021

It is now to make peace with the past year.

Dec 26, 202104:51
A Past Love

A Past Love

Last week I found myself back in New York, for the first time since leaving abruptly in March 2020, and I was scared about going back.

Dec 12, 202104:11
Just For Today

Just For Today

When I know that something is temporary, my tolerance for it appears to increase.

Nov 28, 202105:51
One-Sided Coin

One-Sided Coin

To see, want or expect only what I desire is to collect one-sided coins. One-sided coins do not exist, which means that I am only fooling myself if I am searching for them.

Nov 20, 202105:23
Stream Of Change

Stream Of Change

I often feel that change is happening to me.

Nov 13, 202104:16
Dealing With Desire

Dealing With Desire

For a long time, I naively believed that once my current desires were fulfilled, I would feel happier, or that my life would be better.

Nov 07, 202106:07
Facing the unknown

Facing the unknown

In every situation I am faced with, especially those with the unknown, I can choose to respond with fear or belief.

Oct 17, 202104:53
My Relationship With The Unknown

My Relationship With The Unknown

Along my journey through life, there are many moments when fear arises, usually associated with some unknown.

Oct 03, 202106:49
100 Days

100 Days

What two or three priorities will you focus on in the next 100 days?

Sep 26, 202105:24
The Future of Work

The Future of Work

Living in a different country, continent and culture over the past few weeks has both inspired me and challenged me in unexpected ways.

Sep 18, 202105:20
Why I Moved Halfway Across The World

Why I Moved Halfway Across The World

Ten days ago, I booked a one-way ticket to a new country and continent.

Sep 05, 202108:11
Two Sides of a Coin

Two Sides of a Coin

It is easy for me to see only one side of a coin.

Aug 21, 202107:31
Work In Progress

Work In Progress

Yesterday while on a walk through the downtown core of a city, my attention was drawn to all of the scaffolding, cranes, trucks and construction happening everywhere that I looked.

Aug 15, 202106:15
One-Way Ticket

One-Way Ticket

A little while ago, I booked a one-way ticket, packed a suitcase and left.

Aug 07, 202105:29
The Pursuit Of Life

The Pursuit Of Life

When I reflect on my life in chapters, each chapter has been defined by a primary motivation that I had been in pursuit of.

Jul 25, 202106:56
Difficult Decisions Made Effortless

Difficult Decisions Made Effortless

I recently decided to get a car and found the process to make a decision surprisingly difficult.

Jul 17, 202103:53
Fear Is My Friend

Fear Is My Friend

Fear generally has a negative association with it. Our culture encourages me to become fearless, to conquer fear and to not talk about fear.

Jul 11, 202103:50
The Chemistry of Connection

The Chemistry of Connection

To connect with others in physical proximity has become a unique experience for the better part of a year.

Jul 04, 202105:51
Comfort With Clutter

Comfort With Clutter

While I am a neat and tidy person, my parents are not.

Jun 27, 202104:28
A Currency More Valuable Than Money

A Currency More Valuable Than Money

What I am discovering is that, unlike the currency used to trade money, I have my own currency in life, unique to me, as do you

Jun 20, 202106:34
The Bridge From Intelligence To Intellect

The Bridge From Intelligence To Intellect

This is a question of knowing versus thinking. The pursuit of intelligence is a pursuit of learning.

Jun 13, 202104:12
The Gravity of Fear

The Gravity of Fear

Fear seems to have a gravitational field, capable of sucking in everything that comes into proximity with it.

Jun 06, 202107:05
A Bird In The Hand

A Bird In The Hand

There is a desire that I often feel to let go of the bird in my hand, in the hope that there will be two in the bush waiting for me.

May 22, 202106:53
My Post Pandemic Bucket List

My Post Pandemic Bucket List

Many decisions, big and small, will be made over the next few months that will influence the direction of my life over the next few years.

May 15, 202107:10
Nothing Is Permanent

Nothing Is Permanent

This morning while on a walk with my father, I asked him innocently ‘how are you similar to your parents?’.

Apr 24, 202106:58
The Bridge of Belief

The Bridge of Belief

To know what it is that I uniquely believe does not come automatically. It is much simpler to figure out what I should believe.

Apr 17, 202106:44
Chasing Clouds

Chasing Clouds

To try to know is like chasing clouds. I cannot actually do it for very long, as everything changes.

Apr 11, 202107:24
The Seed Of Growth

The Seed Of Growth

Everything changes. I know this to be a fact of life. However there is often a strong resistance to change. 

Apr 04, 202105:37
How To Fulfill A Desire

How To Fulfill A Desire

I realize that my reality does not always measure up to my dreams and desires.

Mar 28, 202106:42
The Great Experiment

The Great Experiment

Over the past year, work from home has not been an idea but an experience.

Mar 21, 202105:25
The Great Teacher

The Great Teacher

In the past year, I have uncovered surprising and unexpected discoveries about myself. The world had to turn upside down first for me to turn my mind upside down and begin to look at my life differently than I may have before.

Mar 13, 202106:59
The Desire For Perfection

The Desire For Perfection

I have a confession. I am an aspiring perfectionist. I may always have been, and might always be.

Mar 07, 202105:53
The Search For Balance

The Search For Balance

It is in my nature to be in balance. That is what I have now learned. The moment that I strive for balance, I am out of balance. 

Feb 27, 202105:13
The Sound Of Silence

The Sound Of Silence

Yesterday, I took a walk by a frozen river while a fresh coat of snow fell gently to the ground. At one moment, I paused and heard something I had not heard for a while. It was the sound of utter and complete silence. No people walking. No cars driving. No birds chirping. No water flowing. No wind blowing. I stood there, quietly, in awe of the power of the sound of silence.

Feb 20, 202106:19
My Life Is A Canvas

My Life Is A Canvas

I have been reminded recently that my life is a canvas, and I am the artist.

Feb 13, 202102:38
The Impermanence Of This Moment

The Impermanence Of This Moment

A few days ago, I held my newborn nephew for the first time and I noticed how my attention was immediately captivated, unlike ever before.

Feb 06, 202102:27
The Kitchen Of My Mind

The Kitchen Of My Mind

Mindset is the bridge for me to move from surviving to thriving. And one that I have to continue to cross, as it’s a two way bridge.

Jan 30, 202105:14
My Desire For Predictability

My Desire For Predictability

The truth is that my journey through life is unpredictable. The question is whether I am willing to see and accept the beauty in this truth.

Jan 23, 202106:38
I Do Therefore I Am

I Do Therefore I Am

I see now that the reason that I believe this is because that is the culture and society in which I have grown up in. We all have.

Jan 16, 202106:45
Notice What You Notice

Notice What You Notice

As I have begun to notice what I notice, I have seen my curiosity for understanding why I believe what I do grow. 

Jan 10, 202105:03
Like A Snowflake

Like A Snowflake

While on my own path, there are some big decisions and many small decisions that inform where I go.

Jan 02, 202106:59
Make Peace With The Past

Make Peace With The Past

This is a sacred time of the year for me, more important and powerful than even my birthday.

Dec 20, 202006:42
The Inefficient Human

The Inefficient Human

Machines are predictable, usually reliable and very consistent. Humans are not.

Dec 13, 202007:52
The Search For Truth

The Search For Truth

How do I know if something is true?

Dec 06, 202006:50
How To Turn On A Light Bulb

How To Turn On A Light Bulb

I woke up one week ago today with no electricity and no water in the place I was staying.

Nov 29, 202005:27
Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge

Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge

Imagine a world where we place as much, or possibly more, value on imagination than we do on knowledge. That is a world that sounds inspiring to me.

Nov 22, 202005:23
The Boy Lost In The Woods

The Boy Lost In The Woods

A little boy went for a walk. Lost in thought, he ended up deep into the woods.

Nov 14, 202004:29
Hide And Seek

Hide And Seek

Similar to the playing hide and seek, in the game of life, I am seeking solutions to many problems.

Nov 08, 202007:02
Who Is Really In Control

Who Is Really In Control

Pay attention to what you pay attention to.

Nov 01, 202004:04
The Bridge From Here To There

The Bridge From Here To There

All of the frustration, anxiety and nervous tension that I feel is when I want reality to be different from what it is.

Oct 25, 202006:02
The Art Of Gratitude

The Art Of Gratitude

Gratitude is a deeply personal experience. It is not only a state or feeling that I get to experience privately, it is also entirely up to me how I choose to express it.

Oct 11, 202005:11
The Richness Of Reality

The Richness Of Reality

Reality is full of richness and all that it takes to see it is to open my eyes.

Oct 04, 202005:45
When Life Feels Effortless

When Life Feels Effortless

There is a magical space where life feels effortless to me and where I feel most alive.

Sep 27, 202005:25
Walk The Tightrope

Walk The Tightrope

Life feels like walking a tightrope.

Sep 20, 202004:01
The Someday Experiment

The Someday Experiment

Each week has seven days in it, and none of them are called “someday”.

Sep 13, 202005:08
The Deceptive Shadow

The Deceptive Shadow

It is my own shadow that ironically gets in the way of me being able to see the fullness of my life at times.

Sep 06, 202002:57
To Dance With The Unknown

To Dance With The Unknown

In the face of The Unknown, we have options and get to choose how we show up.

Aug 30, 202006:32
The Human Condition

The Human Condition

The human condition is to want what others have, believing that it is better than what we have. It is to feel dissatisfied with our current reality, and hope or expect a brighter, stronger and happier future.

Aug 23, 202007:04
Inner Wisdom

Inner Wisdom

A guided meditation to help us begin to listen to our inner wisdom.

Aug 17, 202023:19
Lost At Sea

Lost At Sea

I feel lost in the current movement on racial equity. It has triggered a deeper reflection on the influence of culture and society on my own identity.

Aug 02, 202008:13
The Richness Of Race

The Richness Of Race

The richness of race, beyond my own, has continued to shape me in profound ways.

Jul 26, 202005:10
The Empty Spaces

The Empty Spaces

My empty spaces are filled with information, possibly the most valuable information and definitely the most relevant information that I have access to.

Jul 19, 202005:60
Like A Sponge

Like A Sponge

The company that we keep, the content that we consume, the contemplations that we explore, all shape our values.

Jul 12, 202008:37
A New Declaration

A New Declaration

In the pursuit of individual independence, we have run away from one another, and perhaps even run away from ourselves. Our pursuit of individual independence may have gone too far.

Jul 04, 202007:08
The Fourth Crisis

The Fourth Crisis

A fourth crisis is beginning to emerge. It is a result of the cumulative intensity from the health crisis, the economic crisis and the social crisis.

Jun 28, 202006:25
The Unexpected Failure Of Facebook

The Unexpected Failure Of Facebook

Just when we thought Facebook might have been turning a corner, it is clear now that this is one dog that does not want to learn new tricks.

Jun 24, 202005:52
100 Days Of Clarity

100 Days Of Clarity

What have I learned about myself in the past 100 days in lockdown?

Jun 21, 202008:15
Slipping Through The Cracks

Slipping Through The Cracks

I have been one of the lucky few, who somehow slipped through the cracks of a society and a system designed to discriminate against so many.

Jun 14, 202009:16
The State Of Digital Media: Leaders And Laggards
Jun 09, 202017:18
The Destruction Of Discrimination

The Destruction Of Discrimination

Like the Coronavirus, discrimination is a villain that continues to infect all of us.

Jun 07, 202006:35
The Truth About Productivity

The Truth About Productivity

There is a difference between working a lot and being productive. We may be working a lot, especially in this time, that does not mean that we are being productive.

Jun 04, 202009:18
A Desire For Change

A Desire For Change

The many social inequalities that we are witnessing are but symptoms of a different issue.

May 31, 202009:51
Unconscious Expression

Unconscious Expression

Each moment is an unconscious expression of who I am.

May 24, 202008:22
Our Future Is Limited Only By Our Imagination

Our Future Is Limited Only By Our Imagination

The state of lockdown that we are in would have been completely unimaginable and absurd to talk about, even 100 days ago. 

May 17, 202006:56
Less Is More

Less Is More

The most epic spring cleaning of my lifetime, and yours, is now in motion. Our spaces, lifestyles and beliefs are evolving as a result of the constraints the health pandemic and resulting economic crisis has introduced to everyone.

May 10, 202010:22
The Search For Unconditional Balance

The Search For Unconditional Balance

Perhaps, only once we each find balance within ourselves, will we learn how to restore a new balance for each other and for the future of humanity.

May 03, 202011:26
The Many Layers Of Our Identity

The Many Layers Of Our Identity

We are more than what we do, where we are, how we appear and how we play.
Apr 26, 202010:28
The Art Of Crying

The Art Of Crying

Our culture has trained us to associate crying with weakness. I feel otherwise. 

Apr 19, 202009:60