Penpositive Outclass

#149 Talking to Kids about Stress

18 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stress is a word I started hearing more when I got into my thirties and from then on, it is a word that I have often used and heard in both my persona...

#148 Learning ABC from our Kids

17 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When we consume content do we even bother if it is relevant, valid, true, factual, current. We are bombarded with so much content and information that...

#147 Can’t share food anymore

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I grew up sharing food with my classmates and continued to do that while I was working. Till I came to US and figured people have their own dietary re...

#146 Can I Contradict Myself

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I feel like saying something today. tomorrow I might change my stand and people might say you are contradicting your past stand. In a world where cont...

#145 Feeling Tired Today

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Some days you are very tired and you have valid reasons for it. For me when I get tired like that, it also kind of stops my energy in many things incl...

#144 Can some types of cheating be OK?

13 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

So cheating is bad... But can some cheating be ok. Now don't start thinking about all the kind of cheating you have done in life. Because we use the w...

#143 How about learning something New

12 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I keep talking about continuous learning, but then when someone asks me what are you learning, I might have to think. Do books I read count? Does Arti...

#142 Conversations & Learnings

11 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There was a time in the past when even short durations could fit in large and meaningful conversations that hang around in your mind even after it is ...

#141 Why Should We Create

10 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There is the creator economy. I am not sure if it is for everyone, but I think everyone should create. Becoming a Creator is not about having a millio...

#140 Writing is a Houdini Trick

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Suspended straight jacket escape is one of the most famous Houdini trick. Yesterday I felt that writing did such a trick for me. It helped me tremendo...

#139 My space in a Maze

08 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are feelings that are tough to explain in words. I have such incidents at times. It is weird but I will try to explain it here. or attempt to pu...

#138 We change but not all

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“The world is changing” He shouted… “I know it dammit” I shouted back at him.. “So what are you going to do about it” he wanted an answe...

#137 From Teachers to Facilitators

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is that a long journey…? in 2020 just before the pandemic broke I was at a teacher’s training institute in my home town in Kozhikode, talking to n...

#136 Ten Years back I wrote a Novel

05 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A November Sunday a Novel… around 56 thousand words… completely written in a moving train as part of the daily commute to San Francisco in 30 days...

#135 The slow pace of life

04 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I read carl Honore’s ‘In Praise of slowness’ sometime in 2011. I read that after I heard one of his TED talks. I can’t say I have consciously ...

#134 The power of 30 Day Challenges

03 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I am a big fan of 30 day challenges. Doing something for 30 days. This can be anything from exercising or walking to cooking or blogging. Anything you...

#133 The Beauty for Iterations

02 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If there is one thing that I have learned being an agile practitioner for the past 10+ years is that Iterations are so powerful. Not the duration in w...

#132 The Struggle to be Honest

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is being honest easy for people. We all know that honesty is the best thing to do and yet there is so much dishonesty in this world. Many cases people...

#131 Getting Out of a Country

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today as I was driving my son to school, we were listening to the American Life Podcast that narrated the plight of an Afghan family trying to get out...

#130 Negative people on day 1 at work

30 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I don’t know if you have felt this way. Your enthusiasm of being at work on the first day is burst like a balloon by people who tell you have bad th...

#129 What excited me immediately after college

29 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Yesterday I was thinking about all those things that excited me immediately after college. Just one of those weird trips I make into the past. And I w...

#128 My Battles with Smoking

28 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

They say just go cold turkey… In terms of smoking… just quit… don’t do a reducing the smoke…. just quit… if not possible take help… I ha...

#127 Our Relationship with work

27 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The question is becoming even more relevant with time. May be it is because there is choice. In olden days the choice was non existent for a majority ...

#126 Who are our Friends?

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I am not even trying to ask myself who are my true friends. In a world where everything is a friend request… who are our friends? Are they the peopl...

#125 Keeping Passion Separate From Work

25 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Before I start I want to tell you all that, this is what I think now and I might change my thought down the line when I understand life better. Like m...

#124 Becoming a Learning Machine

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I am sure you would have heard this term ‘Learning machine’ to talk about oneself or others. The first time I heard something similar to this was ...

#123 The need to Transform ourselves

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Transformation means a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance. And I get it that most transformations that are evident and get popular in s...

#122 Toxic Productivity

22 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Yesterday when I wrote about Toxic Positivity there was another Toxicity that was bothering me. This is Toxic Productivity. In the same way as the oth...

#121 Toxic Positivity

21 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recently I have heard this phrase called toxic positivity and it is rampant on social media. For those who do not know what toxic positivity is, it is...

#120 When School started again

20 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is a Parent’s chronicle. You want to read my son’s narrative you can go to his blog and read 44/365 My first day of school. Join our Communit...

#119 Employee Mental Health

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recently I see many articles on employee mental health and even companies being concerned about it. Also companies have been started to just address t...

#118 Two things that my son wrote

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I want to talk about two posts that my son wrote in the past week. Here are the two Posts if you wish to read 39/365 What it’s lik...

#117 Looking Good, Feeling Good & Being Good

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today as I went for my morning walk I was listening to a podcast in which they were mentioning about looking good and exercising and how it helps peop...

#116 A Ritual for initiating a change

16 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Change is always an interesting topic for me, may be because we talk about it a lot in our agile world. But the change I wanted to talk today is about...

#115 I am a girl from Africa by Elizabeth Nyamayaro

15 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today let’s talk about an interesting memoir that I read. Written by Elizabeth Nyamayaro ‘I am a girl from Africa’ is a a fascinating read. Join...

#114 Thoughts that make you feel stuck

14 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes a thought comes to your mind and refuses to go away. As I struggle to make sense of it… as I try to understand where that thought came fro...

#113 Parenting across three worlds

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When I was a kid I think I had way less of generation gap with my parents. It was like we all lived in pretty much the same world. We watched the same...

#112 What does family mean to us?

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It runs in the family… family has your back… we are all a big family…. beyond our own ideas of a family… big or small.. over the years we have...

#111 Wasting time like there is always enough

11 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Now at 50 when I look back, one question that comes to my mind is have I wasted time. The answer is yes. There have been so many instances when I coul...

#110 Making a small change to my exercise routine

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Routines have been part of my life for a while. I had to change some. So here you go. Join our Community of Active Learners: https://www.penpositive.c...

#109 Felt like old times again

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Yesterday we were invited to a small gathering.. a party to be precise… after over 1.5 years this is the first house visit in a way… no we did go ...

#108 The Block feature on Social Media

08 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As a content creator one of the most amazing and useful feature I use is the block feature. But the general thought of blocking is negative… persona...

#107 Social Media and Stress Relief

07 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today Morning I wrote a blog post about Social Media and then by evening my thoughts had changed. Let me take you there. Join our Community of Active ...

#106 Focus Not on hours but Value Delivered

06 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In a recent call that I did with a group of college students over zoom I told them that while we would think a company pays us for the hours we work o...

#105 In a Cinema theater after so long

05 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Finally after one and a half years I get to watch a movie in the theaters… Sharing my joy and how it transported me to places. Join our Community of...

#104 A good pair of shoes for better walking

04 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is not an advertisement for any particular brand of shoes… but it can be an advertisement to start walking. It will make you feel better and yo...

#103 A short road trip after a very long time

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I am back after our short trip to Oregon. It feels good being back home… Join our Community of Active Learners: https://www.penpositive.com/  C...

#102 An Act of Kindness

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode was inspired by a quote from Aesop Tales “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Join our Community of Active...

#101 The cost of being ourselves

01 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s Podcast was inspired by a quote by Jeff Kinney “Be Yourself and people will like you” Join our Community of Active Learners: https://www...

#100 Shaking the World

31 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s Podcast was inspired by a quote by Mahatma Gandhi. “In a gentle way, you can shake the world”. Join our Community of Active Learners: ht...

#99 Why we should talk about Community.

30 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s Podcast was inspired by a quote by Jean Vanier… “One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help p...

#98 What makes you happy?

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode was inspired by a quote by Dalai Lama…. “The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” Join our Community of Active Learners: http...

#97 A good side of everything?

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s Podcast was inspired by the quote “Train your mind to see the good in every situation.” The author of the quote as I understand is unkno...

#96 Why the heck should we plan?

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode was inspired by a quote by Earl Nightingale “All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destinati...

#95 That is a lot is Positivity

26 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s Podcast was inspired by a quote by Jim Thompson “Say something positive, and you’ll see something positive.” Join our Community of Act...

#94 The importance of Failure

25 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode was inspired by this quote by Michael Jordan “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 tim...

#93 Pursuing what you want

24 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode is inspired by a quote by Oprah Winfrey “You can have it all. Just not all at once.” Joining our Community of Active Learners: h...

#92 When we struggle with goals

23 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s podcast is inspired by a quote by Tony Robbins “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible”. Joining our ...

#91 Looking in the wrong places

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We never find things where they are. same goes with people and solutions to problems and so on. Today's podcast was inspired by a quote by Jodi Picoul...

#90 Keeping your face always toward the sun

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I need some positive vibes and I am using this podcast to get there. For the next few days I am planning to do a daily short session just to feel good...

#89 Only if Love should Pierce You

19 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It is EP 89 and not 90 as I say in the Podcast. The title is a poem by Salvatore Quasimodo. As usual let’s do our retrospective. It was a OK week. T...

#88 When Improvements do not happen

12 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

My Podcast has started to feel a lot like a meditation when weekly I get to look back at my week and without being aware this will be public analyze i...

#87 We can look back and think and Retrospect

05 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Changing this Podcast to a Retrospective format. Answering three questions every week…  What Went Well? What did not go well? What will I ...

#86 Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it.

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week had a few lows and I believe in life's lows are evened out by other incidents and vice versa. Here are what we will go through.  The ...

#85 Father’s Day | Parallel Curriculum | Habits and Projects | Poems and more

21 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On this week there is a lot to unpack and here you go. But before that to donate and support my friend Abdul Bari for his treatment please visit at ht...

#84 Environment, Skater Girl, Social Media, WEN I-TO and More

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we have a packed episode and here are some of the things that are on my mind menu served on this week's Podcast. Using Social Media and my...

#83 My Clubhouse experience after the Android Launch

07 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I have been having clubhouse for five months now, but I have used more of it in the last one week since the Android version was launched. Why..? And w...

#82 As I complete half a century

31 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I complete 50 years of existence... or living I guess... No this is not an episode on that... but just that it happen coincidentally on the day ...

#81 We all Learn so we can outclass Ourselves

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In Today’s Outclass we have a lot to cover. Here is a Glimpse of what we have Today.  What is an Outclass?  The Need for us all to be H...

#80 Learn from every thing you consume | An Active Learner’s Journal

17 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Restarting the Podcast as a weekly podcast and this time it is not just longer but it also touches up on a range of Topics. here are some of them A ...

#79 | A Change | From Daily to Weekly

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I think I have achieved what I wanted with this daily Journal. I am shifting this podcast to a weekly Podcast publishing every Monday. Podcasts Websit...

#78 How Productive should we be?

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today the thought of productivity came into my mind. And also a poem by Philip Levine Podcasts Website Penpositive Outclass: https://penpositiveoutc...

#77 If We Are Not Allowed To Laugh

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today Let us ponder about laughter. And also read Pablo Neruda’s Poem ‘Your Laughter’ Podcasts Website Penpositive Outclass: https://penpositi...

#76 Opposition by Mitsuharu Kaneko

10 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today not feeling well so instead of the Journal piece I am just going to read a poem by the Japanese Poet Mitsuharu Kaneko Podcasts Website Penposi...

#75 How we make others feel

09 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today it is Maya Angelou.. Podcasts Website Penpositive Outclass: https://penpositiveoutclass.com/ Connect on Social Media: Follow in Social Medi...

#74 Keeping Your Word | My Daily Podcasting Journal

08 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We stick to our commitments sometimes and we don’t at times.. either way if we continue that... we become that... that nature of ours is want we wil...

#73 Finding & Creating Oneself | My Daily Podcasting Journal

07 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A quote by Bernard Shaw and a Poem my Cesar Vallejo... And some rant about Life...

#72 Consistency With A Low Bar | My Daily Podcasting Journal

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Consistency is more important that how high you go... I heard about it today while listening to Sendhil Mullainathan on The Knowledge Project Podcast....

#71 The Multitudes we have | Daily Podcasting Journal

05 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We all have Multitudes in us... we collaborate and contradict and create conflict.

#70 Idealist to a Cynic | Daily Podcasting Journal

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A quote by George Carlin and a Poem by Boris Pasternak.

#69 To Breathe | My Daily Podcasting Journal

03 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today the thought that came to mind was about Breathing. Also a poem by Pierre Reverdy. Reach me https://linktr.ee/vinodnarayan

#68 I am Ignorant | My Daily Podcasting Journal

02 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today's Podcast is about ignorance. I am ignorant. In fact my FB Profile description was as follows "In ignorance we think we are something; As knowle...

#67 I don’t choose my battles |My Daily Podcasting Journal

01 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do we have a choice on which battles should we fight. Not always I guess. Reach me https://linktr.ee/vinodnarayan

#66 It’s ok to Cry | My Daily Podcasting Journal

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why is it that we try not to cry when we grow up. We should cry because we can. Reach me https://linktr.ee/vinodnarayan

#65 Stay Masked | My Daily Podcasting Journey

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I was thinking about masks.... and decided to go there... Reach me https://linktr.ee/vinodnarayan

#64 Why do I do What I do? | On Parables By Franz Kafka | My Daily Podcasting Journal

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

So today the question that came to mind is why am I doing what I am doing. And I wanted to read some Kafka. Reach me https://linktr.ee/vinodnarayan

#63 Started walking in the Morning | My Daily Journal

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Yes... I was able to move my 5 mile walk to the morning.... The Daily Journal format is continuing. Today we have quote and poem from Rilke. Reach me ...

#62 Move Our Body | Penpositive Daily Podcast

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today let us talk about moving our body... I made some changes to my usual routine.... And yes we have poems by Spanish Poet Antonio Machado. Reach me...

#61 April 23 was World Book Day

25 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ok so I have a new format. A poem, A Quote and some talk... The poem is by Paul Valery and Quote is by Umberto Eco.... Reach me https://linktr.ee/vino...

#60 In the Night by Else lasker-schüler | Penpositive Poetry Podcast

24 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today let us read a poem by Else lasker-schüler. Reach me https://linktr.ee/vinodnarayan

#59 The City by Constantine P. Cavafy | Penpositive Poetry Podcast

23 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I bring you the poem ‘The City’ by the Greek Poet Constantine P. Cavafy. Reach me https://linktr.ee/vinodnarayan

#58 On My Birthday by Rabindranath Tagore | Penpositive Poetry Podcast

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I bring you the poem ‘On My Birthday’ by Rabindranath Tagore. Reach me https://linktr.ee/vinodnarayan

#57 Nightsong by Louis O. Coxe | Poetry Podcast

21 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we will take a look at Nightsong by Louis O.Coxe. Reach me https://linktr.ee/vinodnarayan

#56 The Money Cry by Peter Davison | Poetry Podcast

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we have the poem 'The Money Cry’ by Peter Davison. Reach me https://linktr.ee/vinodnarayan

#55 Rent by Jane Cooper | Poetry Podcast

19 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I bring you the poem ‘Rent’ by Jane Cooper. Reach me https://linktr.ee/vinodnarayan

#54 | In the Trail of the Wind | Native American Poems

18 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I want to read from a book I picked...

#53 Slowing Down

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s poem is called Slowing Down... Join me. You can also read me on https://vinodnarayan.com/ Social Media Instagram https://www.instagram.com...

#52 My Travels | My Poetry Therapy

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s poem is called my Travels... Join me. You can also read me on https://vinodnarayan.com/ Social Media Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p...

#51 | Freedom With An Apology | My Poetry Therapy

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I wrote this poem after I read an incident where a person who was incarcerated for most part of his Adulthood was let go after they found new evidence...

#50 My Life in an Hour | My Poetry Therapy

14 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today is a poem I wrote in 2009 chronicling the first one hour of my day. You can also read me on https://vinodnarayan.com/ Social Media Instagram h...