Anupam Yog, Co-Investigator – Mindfulness and Cities Research Project, UCL

Today at TBCY, we have someone who is working to create healthier and positive cities around the world, Anupam Yog in conversation with our host Ashutosh Garg.  Anupam’s journey of mindfulness started when he went on a 10-day silent meditation retreat and he has never turned back since. Now he is working towards building healthier places that are fit for our mental, physical, and social wellbeing. Anupam talks to us about the increase in life expectancy since the last few centuries and how people are moving towards urban dwellings now more than ever. He links cities with our mental and social health, and describes his work being at the intersection of education, health, and cites. He talks to us about how our economies are built at the center of creating profits, and health should be the primary focus of city building. Anupam then talks to us about one of his projects called The Mental Health Gym, a gym where you can come and work on your mental health. You can run, meditate, sit quietly, talk to people, to relieve yourself from the stress. He then shares the health problems faced by city dwellers during the present times, across all age groups. He talks to us about creating safe spaces where people can rejuvenate themselves. He talks about viewing Mental Health Management as a Skill, reconnecting with oneself is of utmost importance for one’s mental health. He then shares his own way in which he uses the Ikigai tool and creates maximum impact in his life.  Anupam talks about the importance of spare time the pandemic has given us the past year, and how he has used it efficiently to mark up a plan to achieve it. Tune in and get inspired by Anupam’s incredible journey, his views on mental health are noteworthy and inspiring!