Being Thankful

In this age of economy recession and cost cutting, more than ever it is suggested that this is the best time to enjoy simple pleasures of life. Last night I got the news that my uncle, dad’s brother, passed away. For few minutes I was numb, didn’t know what should I do or say. All my thoughts, problems, tasks vanished away from my mind I kept thinking that tomorrow can be my last day, am I ready for it? Have I thanked GOD enough for my life? Am I a pleasant person to talk to and am I someone whom people want to be with? What value addition I did with my living today? Everyone takes birth, lives a life and dies away. There are millions who live life just for the heck of living it. They don’t have aims, goals or dreams and then there are few those, who make a difference while living. They bring with them an aura that unites others in some way or another, Elvis Presley, Michael Jordan, Nelson Mandela, Dalai Lama, Gandhi, Aung San Suu Kyi – they were not born great – they just chose to live greatly. They face/faced their share of struggle with such a strength and dignity that they became symbol of hope for others.

So on the day we step into a New Year, my message to you all is – don’t be cheerless ever, life is waiting for you to be utilised. Whatever has happened is history, look ahead always. Take pleasure in small moments as they occur and make you ready for the big IDEA/Discovery. As Mark Twain rightly says “Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thought that is forever flowing through one's head.”

Is your commitment extraordinary?

In the society we live in, we constantly do business with each other and often come across people whom we, start admiring.
There is one habit that is common among all the rich people/leaders/CEOs/star performers of this world, can you name that? It is their commitment towards ensuring that their surroundings reflect their devotion of being world class. You would have seen them living in the best homes, wearing expensive clothes, driving luxurious cars and sharing finest philosophy. They seem to portray one message always: “I stand for being the best in my field, so it makes sense that I should invest in the best.” We admire people like these to the extent that we try to become their followers, but seldom have we done any effort in knowing what kind of struggle that person might have faced. Have you ever thought about the kind of beliefs they believe in? What is their motivation that kept them going through their worst time also? It is their power of 'being the best' that they held even when they were not successful.

I read somewhere once: Greatness is, above everything else, a state of mind. You need to believe in your potential and power before you can bring them to life. You need to feel like you are extraordinary before you can become extraordinary.

One of the best ways to achieve this feeling of extraordinary is to ensure that everything you surround yourself with, is at the highest level. Start with thoughts – always think positive. Do not let anyone’s negativity influence you thinking process. If you have a wish to achieve something, your positive attitude will make sure that you will get it. Try it and see the difference.

Life motivation

None of us has a desire to be richest in the graveyard. To most of us, a well lived life is about being surrounded by people we like, staying healthy and having sufficient money to meet our expenses. Each one of us wants to have an influence on the world around us, but how many can successfully do that?
From where to get life motivation and how can you stay focused on that? Here are few pointers that can help you in staying inspired throughout the day:

1. Be committed:

We know life is short, and who knows when our last day comes. Keep this in mind and connect with your priorities. When you wake up in the morning, ask yourself “How would I show up today if this is the last day of my life?” This is not some cheesy motivational exercise but a profound way to bring some urgency and commitment into your days. Live like tomorrow will not come, so shine bright today and chase your dreams.

2. Be smart:

Don’t give life a chance to act on you. Don’t let your time go waste when you have the potential to do wonderful things in life. Identify your strengths, acknowledge efforts of others. You can be a barber, a cook, a homemaker, a management trainee or a retired person –remember – the power to live my life to the fullest lies with me and me only. Get up, think big, inspire others and be the ONE people look out as an example.

3. Take risks:

Have faith in your abilities. Talk to yourself about what you want to achieve in life, and if what you are doing currently is helping you in achieving that in any way. Most of us are followers; we like to follow footsteps of others and are afraid to take chances. Bear in mind that leader always walks alone. If you are dedicated to a cause, it may take time to get completed but it can never fail. Hard work always pays – this is what my granny used to tell me and this is what I believe in.

Life & Inspiration

We all have dreams and try to raise our personal standards to achieve them. If we remain satisfied always, what will we aspire about? This world was built by people who felt some discontent with the way things were and knew they could do better. The greatest among us were not satisfied with the system. Think Newton, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Bill Gates, Einstein – they wanted to bring change and introduced a different type of development. Thomas Edison once said “Show me a completely contented person and I’ll show you a failure.”

Life inspired them in a different way and they chose to play a unique game than others. They used their creativity and talent to paint a new picture of this world. If THEY can do it, why can’t WE? Why should we remain behind? I think every human being has a ‘duty to shine’? So think what inspires you and what vision do you have for this world. If all like mined people start thinking the same way, what is there that cannot be achieved?

Here’s a small poem on inspiration written by one of my very good friends. (http://www.helium.com/items/1270047-poetry-inspirational)

What is inspiration and where does it come from?

Is it a word, a thought, or a story of valor?

Or is it my life, your life, or somebody's life that inspire?

Or it is something internal to us, is it that fire?

What makes me feel strengthened to see?

Even that moment or person is not related to me.

What makes me stand and take the call?

Even though I had a mighty fall.

Sometimes I feel the nature is saying,

Look the seas, the mountains, the rivers are playing.

I see the birds, the trees, and the rain

Teaching me and ease the pain.

I shut my eyes and look inside,

And let my thoughts decide,

That is there is still a lot to inspire me up,

And this is a lot to fire me up

Managing Relationships

Any good psychologist will tell you that one of the deepest needs of human beings is the need to belong. We are happiest when we feel connected to others – by being a part of a community. Anywhere across the world, staying aloof is not a very admirable choice. All of us want family and friends on whom we can depend during life’s happiness and sorrows. If we are happy, we need someone to share our joy with, and if sad we need a shoulder to depend on. Even in corporate world, top performing businesses make it a priority to build successful relationships with their customers to promote communication and collaboration.

Here is a list of few simple ideas for maintaining superb relationships.

1. Be the most positive person you know.
2. Be candid and never lie.
3. Give more that what you can take.
4. Say Please, Kindly and Thank you as many times you can.
5. Leave people better than you found them.
6. Be a world-class listener
7. Become passionately interested in other people.
8. Learn to ‘let it go’ and discover the joy in forgiving others for their mistakes.
9. Preach less, observe more.
10. Smile, stay happy and keep a cheerful face.

And here is a bonus point for you – Treat everyone with respect – always. Respect is one of the main ingredient to healthy relationships and definitely a very powerful law that can change the way you live.

Do you have time to Think & Thank?

We all are blessed in unique way. Some of us have brilliant jobs, others have money, few are loved deeply by their parents/lovers/kids/friends, we all have homes to live in, decent community to interact with, nutritious food to eat ....... the list goes on. Each of our encounters with outside world teaches us and shapes our prospective. I had a chance of meeting a CEO of a successful company last week. When I asked him the secret of his success, he smiled and said “I take out time to think and thank.” Every morning he spends 1 hour in deep reflection. He sits with his eyes closed and meditates for the day to come, thinks on action plan and thanks God for every moment that passes.

Taking out quality time from your busy routine is an excellent strategy for a successful day. Many people spend the best hours of their days agonizing over arguments, differences and non productive thoughts. Even though they are working but they, either do not put their best effort or mentally are occupied with happening of the past/worries of the future. All the energy, potential and time goes wasted through this way.

Being thoughtful and strategic is the number one step towards the route to greatness. Clarity always precedes success. By doing reflective thinking your wisdom will result in crisp and effective actions. Do not miss the “think and thank time” of the morning. It will provoke some amazing ideas and inspire some big dreams and others will be there to witness your success.

Let us learn to give

I just saw a beautiful program on Discovery. It was a documentary on a man from Congo who lost his wife, job, estate and home to the rebellions. He has three kids and nothing to feed them. What struck me hard was this man’s will to survive and to raise his children successfully. He doesn’t have a place to live but his eyes still sparkle of hope, of a better tomorrow. When the interviewer asked him how he plans to live now, he said that as long as he can walk on his own foot, he doesn’t fear future and will work hard to begin his life again from a new edge.
What an amazing fellow!

It’s being said that “Courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to walk through it.” There are many among us who are ready to devote their energies to the positivity in life. We all have troubles in our own way but how are we helping those who live around us? What are we giving the world each day? How do we inspire others? Why can’t we be different from others who just know how to take, how to crib and how to gain self importance? Let’s be a ‘giver’, let’s all give peace, smile and good wishes to others (including Mother Nature) and let us all be incredible citizens. We have lot to be thankful about, start feeling grateful about gifts of life before it gets too late and you miss your chance to do so.

Losses of Mumbai

My sincere condolences to General Manager Karimbir Kang at his great loss - and my admiration for his steadfast performance of his duties - that is how terrorism is defeated. Sir you are an outstanding example to the free world.
For those of you who do not know Mr. Kang - His wife and two sons were staying at the hotel Taj, Mumbai. During the terror attacks, all three of them were killed mercilessly by terrorists. In spite of this tradegy, Mr. Kang (GM, Taj) continued to work endlessly to save the life of other innocents. Such is the courage of people of our country.

A Tribute

Today, while we were at India Gate, saluting to those who laid down their life so that we can sleep peacefully at night, I realised a very important thing: Courage is not only absence of fear but along with that willingness to walk through a tough route, sometimes when you know the route can end in your death. It takes guts to leave your family, your children behind for your country. Some of us can not even imagine how motivated those policemen and commandos were who fought bravely to end the unfortunate situation and ensure that maximum number of people can be saved.

Messages have been pouring in from every country and I am amazed by the solidarity shown by those who do not live in India. What chance do terrorists have in this world which just needs one incident to unite against them?

Overcoming Tragedy

What has happened at Mumbai has broken many hearts and given us wounds that may probably never heal. Some have lost their loved ones forever and many may have to live a life of injured now. Fear has made way for rage which is ruling high among all. Mumbai is the place of bravest of the brave and the city will rise again. The spirit of optimism can never be killed and this is the time to turn wounds into wisdom. Our country has stumbled but this incident would become stepping stone for the future. Choice is ours – do we want to mourn endlessly or do we want to stand tall again and make our world a decent place to live. Let’s not miss an opportunity to inspire others and spread peace amongst this tragedy. It is the only way to mend broken hearts and let’s all be a part of it.

The Power of Inspiration

It’s 9 o’clock on a Thursday morning. Mumbai has been rocked by consecutive blasts, people have died and many are injured. Why do terrorists strike? I fail to understand that what do they get by hurting others?

Well, if it is their will to cause havoc around the world, ours should be – not to give up. We will stand again and this time more united. Every one of has something to offer to society in the form of inspiration, and with it comes the influence of strong thoughts and feelings on each other.

Makes me think of what Margaret Mead once observed: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Nice.

Instant Motivation Boosters

We constantly face struggle to gather the strength and courage to break through our internal fears. The anxiety of unknown constantly pulls us down. There are some who are stay optimistic and motivated to accomplish everyday tasks successfully and set long-term goals. On the other hand, there are some who avoid, procrastinate, and waste valuable time agonizing about their inability to carry out the simplest of tasks. So which group you belong to? What is the level of your intrinsic motivation?
The concept if motivation is not rare, almost everyone has it and practices it in some way. The problem arises when we forget our positive points. If that is the case with you, here are few motivation boosters that can be used anytime when you need a shot of confidence.

• If he/she can do it, why can’t I?......

When others can do it, why can’t you? Why should you limit yourself by saying/thinking that the task in front of me is difficult? Nothing is impossible if you have the willingness to perform – do you agree?

• I have come this far.......

Another motivation booster is to try reflecting on everything you’ve already done to accomplish your goals. Anything from skipping a single dessert during your weight loss program to sending out a resume in your job search will do. Think of the willpower and hope you displayed in that moment. Why should this moment be any different?

• Visualize your goal.

Imagine about the moment when you’ve achieved your goal. Picture you mental state and the feeling of ecstasy by attaining one specific thing that you made real by sticking to your path. For quitting smoking – think about hearing a smoker’s cough and knowing you’ve left it behind. For getting promoted at work, think about opening your wallet and seeing a thick stack of fifties in it. An image like this is a great motivation booster, as it makes your goals feel concrete, tangible and real.

If a motivation booster listed above doesn’t work for you, do not loose hope. Just take few seconds to reflect on what you’re doing RIGHT NOW. You’re looking for help so that you can build momentum on the road to your objectives. It is surely a sign of an alert, active go-getter. Just the fact of trying to use a motivation booster to stay positive shows that you want to do the right thing and keep pushing onwards, so do it!
Do not forget that the implication of our actions decide our success. Life is worth living only because it’s not static. We wouldn’t have stayed happy that way – So enjoy and live fully – that’s the only way to live.

The Sad State of Our World.

Get this: I just heard that lonely people belonging to high income groups are showing up at designated places to cuddle up and have 'get together' parties. Strangers meet, introduce themselves and then spend time cuddling. Nothing more – just for the feeling of warmth and being connected.

Well, what do you think about it? The paradox of our weird world is that as we become more connected electronically, we become less connected emotionally. People spend hours every day downloading podcasts, reading emails, chatting online and surfing the net but they have forgotten the importance of old-fashioned conversations. They have neglected the ritual of eating together with family, helping parents, sending letters to relatives and saying hello to neighbors. What is the fun of earning money if we get lost in this mechanical world?

Food for thought!!

I work as a volunteer for a NGO. Today I met a very senior lady of this NGO who shared a beautiful thought to ponder on:

“If you can believe that there is benefit in everything that happens, your mind would be always peaceful.”

Rightly said, and we can relate it to our lives so easily. Why do we feel stressed? I think, we experience tension when we give our mind continuous dozes of negative thoughts. Whatever is going to happen will happen, so why think too much about it? Again – it’s the matter of how you want to mould your thinking process? Don’t forget, we have a choice at every moment and it’s our attitude – optimistic or pessimistic – that decides our path of destiny.

Let’s Appreciate the Gift called – Life

"Is there anything that has been taken away from you, only to realize how much you appreciated it after it was gone? "

Many would say ‘Yes’ I am sure. It’s common for us to take something or someone for granted. We sometimes realize the true value of person or situation only when the thing/person leaves us.

I met someone who’s dream of playing professional football ended abruptly after a serious injury. He’s 25 right now and has been practicing football for the last 19 years. Imagine – 19 years of hard work gets blown away in a single day! It’s now; this person admits that when he looks back on his nineteen years in competitive football, he has a regret – He pushed himself so hard that he had forgotten to enjoy the game. He was so focused on overcoming his weaknesses and ‘making it big’, that he never took time off to appreciate what he was doing along the way.

We habitually waste away our time and energy focusing on what we don’t like, what needs to be done or what we’re worried about. Unfortunately we live in a culture obsessed with “bad stuff.” Just read the newspaper, turn on the news, listen to the conversations of people and negative attitudes is effecting everybody.

Now let’s look at The Power of Appreciation in our Life
· What if right now we promise ourselves to stop this negative obsession and start focusing on appreciating the good things/people/situations of life?
Imagine how this simple but thoughtful shift could transform our lives, our relationships and quality of our work. Remember - Our experience is a function of what we focus on. With every moment we have a choice about where we place our attention.

I am not suggesting that we run, deny or avoid the issues, challenges or even the pain in our lives or around us. What is essential is that we face and deal with these difficulties strongly, yet comfortably. In other words, we don’t have to be obsessed about the bad stuff and let it run us. We each can consciously choose to focus on the good happenings in our lives, with others, and most importantly towards ourselves.
There are great things in your life and around you all the time - if you choose to look for them.

Here are some values that can guide us on Living a Life Filled With Appreciation:

· Be Grateful – Let’s start focussing on the many blessings in our life and all that we have to be thankful for. If we are thankful for everything, there would be no complaints left from life. Here’s a simple prayer that I recite every night before going to bed.(I leant it when I was in prep school and have been using it till now)

Thank you God for food we eat,
Thank you God for world so sweet,
Thank you God for birds that sing,
Thank you God for Everything


· Create/Choose Positive Thoughts and Feelings – Make a conscious decision to transform your unconstructive and wasteful negative thoughts and feelings into ones that empower you.

· Use Positive Words – Pay attention to the words you use with others, about things, and in speaking about yourself. Speak with the most optimistic words possible as our words have the power to create, not just describe.

· Acknowledge Others – Concentrate on what you appreciate about the people around you and let them know. Be true and let others know the positive impact they have on you and your life.

· Appreciate Yourself – Don’t ever forget to celebrate who you are, what you do, and the many gifts and talents you have. Self-appreciation is not arrogance; it’s the awareness of your own power and the key to self-confidence, success, and fulfilment.

When we truly focus on these values, our world transforms and we are able to see and experience the great fullness that our life has to offer us.
We don’t have to wait until everything is handled. We don’t have to wait until we get it all perfect. And, we don’t have to wait for people to do things exactly as we want them to. We can start appreciating life, others, and ourselves exactly as we are, right now.

Don’t wait till it’s too late!

COURAGE UNLIMITED

Today when we see global economies tumbling down, it’s natural to be gripped by the fear of recession. My concern is a small one. I want to know if we have enough courage to sail through this period of uncertainty? I read a very disturbing article this morning about how people worldwide are losing confidence in government systems. Well, just a request them– be patient at this hour of time, and you will remain to see the wonderfulness that this time will bring to our children. Remain brave and do not let your courage leave you.

Courage, my friends, is not the absence of fear but the willingness to walk on the path that is not very well laid. You ride on it through the fear, in pursuit of your goals that means life to you. Living in comfortable safety of the known is like ‘living dead’, when there are no more challenges to conquer. Fun of life is to let your heart beat strong into the territory on the unknown and explore places/vision for something which is deviated from the usual. Everybody follows a set pattern of life, are you making any difference to it? You ask this question to yourself to know what your real goals are. Courage is the adventure of living, the thrill of life – do not let it go ever!!

My first short story

Let me know if you have any comments. Would like to hear from you..

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1136246/my_little_discovery.html

Richard says -

I got a beautiful response from Richard (articlesbyrichardkendall.blogspot.com/) and would like to share with you all....
Thanks Richard for your lovely thoughts.

There is a kid in me. He can no longer count all of his birthdays on one hand or all of his appendages combined but he still thrives. He is still curious, easily distracted, and sure to try and jump over a mud puddle rather than walk around it. Even when he lands in the middle, and walks home in muddy, wet shoes, he chalks it up to experience and vows to get a better running start the next time. His toys have evolved over the years: From plastic animals and helicopters, to guitars and weights to cars and boats. Now, a bike ride, a fishing pole, hand tools, lumber and wood, a guitar and a Frisbee tossed to his dogs are standard play toys. When he plays, stress takes a back seat to invigoration. Worry melts down to perspiration, leaves his body and evaporates. Stress? Worry? When he is engaged in play he forgets that he ever worried about money or job or a relationship. Stress that can pull at his body and mind are non-existent. The harder he plays, the more endorphins will play a part in forming a bridge to his next playtime, allowing him to keep an optimistic attitude and sense of humour until then. Thanks, Nitima, for reminding me how important it is to play!

Do you have a kid in you?

Its 7 p.m. here in India right now. While coming from office today (yeah! we work on Saturdays) I bumped into neighbourhood kids. I asked them that what they did today and pat came the reply – “we played”.

It made me think – as adults, how often do we play? By playing I mean it in true sense - in the playground -a cricket, football or rugby match? Why do we adults think that we have hundreds of responsibilities on our head? Why is our enjoyment limited to going out for movies, shopping, parties, eating out, chatting unnecessary with people around?

True that we need these activities as well to let our presence known and stand tall in the social arena, but where has the kid in all of us gone?

The kid who wanted to steal every opportunity to play, to get dirty on the ground, the kid who knew no boundaries, no tensions, no stress .........

Let’s acknowledge our failures

We sometimes lose hope of success, when there comes a big obstacle that we fail to clear. All of us have failures of our own - at work, at home, in relationships, in life – the list is long. We wonder why this has happened, and start suffering from the dreaded disease of self pity by constantly thinking – Poor me.

Till some time back, I was also of the same kinds who could be ‘put off’ by failures quite easily. It took me time to understand my failures, actually. And Now I can see the bigger picture. I have been uncertain towards the better part of my life. Failure is the cost of greatness. Failure is an essential ingredient for a higher success. You can’t win without leaving your safety zone and taking some calculated risks. They don’t say it without any reason – no Risk, no Reward – and the more risks you are going to take in pursuit of your dreams; chances are that you are going to fail more often.

But that shouldn’t stop us from moving ahead – let’s learn to stretch today – life can be unpredictable, so make out the best of it – before it gets too late to even start.

Bigger the change, longer it takes to settle....

History is full of stories about monuments and how long it took to build them. Great Pyramids, Taj Mahal, Eifel Tower, Great Wall of China.... the list is long – it took years to make them and now they stand tall remind us of time when not many means were available to construct something but some people had vision and patience of making their dreams a reality. They knew that the generations later, their work will still be admired.

The point that I am trying to make here is that the larger the dream, the longer it takes. And the endurance becomes critical for our work Maybe, as you read this blog today, you are feeling frustrated over the fact that your richly imagined future is not your current reality, yet!

If it is so, I encourage you to keep in mind that the most excellent things take a little longer.

Don’t forget - if achieving bold and beautiful things were so easy - then everyone would be doing it.

Words of Wisdom

While on my way to office today I came across few elderly gentlemen who were discussing on the topic of stress within society. Very interesting chat & I just hanged on to listen more -- one of them said "Keeping yourself alive by throwing fresh currents of thought and emotions into the things you do from habit". Rightly said & something that I needed to hear today - as I try hard to meet a project deadline. Makes me wonder that people of the older generation have so much wisdom; I wish we learn and not ignore them.

In the Search of Passion

Last night we went out for a dinner. It wasn’t on any occasion, but felt like eating Thai. 15 minutes into the restaurant the meal service began. It was simply an excellent meal I’ve had in years - fantastic salad, tasty dishes and brilliant soup.

For my own personal development, I have recently started working on gratitude more than ever before. I do so by practising a vote of thanks at every single opportunity. The list includes being grateful towards a rag picker who takes out trash from our compartment, the fruit vendor across the street, the courier guy among others. There are so many people working in the background to make life better for us, the least we can do is to say ‘thanks’.

So I took a piece of paper and write out a thank you note to the serving members and the chef. I wrote it sincerely without expectation of any type of a reward. While moving out of the place, I handed the paper to the waiter who collected our bill, saying “This is what I can return you for your superb services”. He was a young guy of 20, simply smiled.

Then something incredible happened. One by one, each of the serving members appeared from kitchen and paid me a little visit. I could see that they were touched by a simple note, reminding them that their hard work mattered and it was due to their combined efforts the restaurant was flourishing.

So my dear friends, let’s not the passion go away from our lives. Keep it alive, it shows you the way to live!

Let’s celebrate the goodness around…..!!

We all are aware of chaos around due to recent financial breakdown. Countries are in acute state of depression. Old structures are getting disintegrated. It’s very easy for negative elements to float around and cause further distress. Feelings are like cold; they catch up on you effortlessly and leave you drenched with worries. There’s greed and me-first mentality on the Wall Street.

But let’s not stop observing the goodness around. There are many who are optimistic about this whole trend. Why? Because there are still many people who have knowledge and wisdom to carry on, people who have big hearts.

New business comes in only when the old crumbles. This is the time of ‘change revolution’; we are here to be a part of it, to implement new ideas and to see a better world tomorrow. Let’s not be depressed, let’s celebrate as in this turbulent times, there is still lot of goodness around. I want to be a part of this change, do you?

Business Motivation

As manager sales, I work towards closing gaps with sales people through coaching. I always relate to my sales staff on a more equal, less informal level. The role responsibilities are still there, but I get in the trenches with them... so to speak. Here's a MANIC approach that I have developed to my sales staff , see if it's of any use to you...

Ask your sales person these questions and find out if they understand and answer these questions completely.

1. M = Money - who holds the purse strings
2. A = Authority - who can say Yes as well as No
3. N = Need - why would someone want to buy our services
4. I = Interest in buying from you - remember most companies need three quotes - 1 from the incumbent 2 a new supplier they are interested in 3 a price comparison - MAKE SURE you are not the price comparison
5. C = Competition - if you are up against a company that sells cheap - you promote service and quality - if you are up against a company that quotes quality and service you promote value for money
   

If your sales staff understands these questions completely, they are ready to promote the product. As their manager, it’s your duty to motivate them, to remain inspired to perform their functions resourcefully.

Most of the times money isn't the issue, recognition is. I have come across some managers who tend to take the attitude that whatever their team do is "their success" while any failures are "the teams". It's a situation common across a number of companies. Employers need to be honest to gain trust. The key to do so is by treating the staff as intelligent human beings, giving them the freedom to be masters of their own destiny, within the realms of business requirements.

Where do you stand?

Motivation and Self Esteem always go hand in hand. Got a chance to attend a session on motivation, this is what I liked:
Common Belief Issues - low motivation
Hopelessness - It is not possible to get what I want.
Helplessness - I am not capable of getting what I want.
Worthlessness - I do not deserve what I want.

Transforming Beliefs - moving to high motivation

Hopelessness to Optimism
Helplessness to Confidence
Worthlessness to Self Esteem
You are important, special and unique.
You have something to contribute.
So, where do you stand??

Start Something New Now

Last night I watched a program on Discovery channel. It was on U2 (Early days of their career). Do you know that they drew only 9 people to a gig? 9 people. U2.- imagine

We often refrain from living our dreams thinking that Those Great Ones are different from us. This is not at all true. The people we admire - whether in entertainment or professional lives, or society - started from a dream and nothing else. But what counted is that - they started. And each day – without a break - they promoted their vision, worked towards making it move ahead. From few audience to hundreds, to thousands. To become one of the major rock band in the world.

So start attempting to move your closely cherished ideals forward. Start somewhere. And start now. Do that please - The whole world needs you being at your best. Can’t think of anything better right now than R Kelly’s popular song ‘I Believe I Can Fly’.

Intrinsic Motivation

Motivation is certainly a good topic to write an article on I think. If you know the way to intrinsic motivation, then you know the way to be successful. We all are different and therefore look out for different motivational solution to our need.

So, here is my suggestion of dealing with this issue:

Write, on a piece of paper, about yourself describing – what constitutes YOU? Like an introduction that you would give to a complete stranger. Now read it – Are you only talking about your work life because that is all in all about you, or do you have hobbies, interests, favourite pastimes, voluntary work that you can include? See yourself as being made up of components, like - your home life, relationships with your family, friends and even pets, your status in the community, local issues that you stand for and support, some volunteer work that you do for church or NGO, being in the local sports team, your passions in life, etc. Now I don’t profess to be lucky enough to have these many components in my life, BUT I have aims and ambitions to include them - either some or all, now or maybe later, and that helps drive and motivate me in the things I do and decisions I make. This should motivate you to be a much more complete person as you will gain diversified skills and experiences that will help and assist you in all your activities.

For every activity, there should be clear goals, and perhaps targets so that you know your status when you achieve them. If somehow you don’t make it in one, then you will still have other ‘components’ where you are achieving, thus a cause of remaining positive. If you ever find the more challenging one consistently challenging… don’t be afraid to change the component all together. A change of career can be refreshing and exhilarating and can do wonders for your motivation!

So, you see, motivation is a state of mind. Think positive and set your goals, and confidence to make positive changes should keep you on the right track and keep you happy!

The Diet to Excellence

We know that what we eat today determines our health. If our diet is nutritious, we cannot expect to have a strong body. So don’t you agree – Actions always drive results.
We know ourselves and we know what we stand for – Excellence in life, family, career and fun. So I ask you to take your diet to the next level. Eat excellent food. Give your body the best fuel. Think of yourself an elite athlete who needs to putting only excellent nutrition in, so to get excellent results out.

After all, what's the point of getting to mountaintop - but reaching there sick? Or not having enough stamina to go for your dreams? So eat a healthy diet to win.

Anger Management

“Do you know who I am?” Last night I heard someone shouting these words at a glossary store. The speaker was a tall man, who looked like someone from a affluent family, and he was shouting at a boy aged 14-15 years. This man was so full of ego that it overflowed in his every action. Someone interfered and sorted out the matter within two minutes.
Just after 10-15 minutes I saw the same man driving away his car rashly, as if wanted to show his anger to the world around, and the boy on the other hand was back to his cheerful jokes.


Time and again we come across people who are always ready to pick up an argument/fight, they only need a slight persuasion. These so called ‘hyper sensitive’ and ‘temperamental’ people can be seen at every corner– in the departmental store, on roads, within movie halls, at parties etc. They do not have a control on their feelings do have tendencies to burst out on others. Our reaction, when we see a incident like these, is often none. And chances are, that we will react in the same way under a similar situation - by loosing our self control and giving our ‘remote control’ of mood & feelings to others. We react and not act within circumstances. Now how much correct is that approach?

For more information on anger management, checking these sites will help:
http://www.apa.org/topics/controlanger.html

http://www.isenbergs.com/

The Art of Living

Difference between ‘Life Style’ and ‘Art of Living’?

To define it in simplest way, I say - Lifestyle is ‘what we pursue in the modern world’ and Art of Living is ‘internal’. It shows what your actual character is, never affected by external materialism. Lifestyle is however an imaginative and modernized term. People want to follow others, they want cars, high paying jobs, wonderful relationships, recognition everywhere, but at the end of the day what counts is ‘value addition’. How much did you actually work for you own happiness and peace of mind?

Earning is a necessity but earning blindly and compromising on self esteem constitutes rat race. This world is so full of artificiality and the question we need to ask ourselves is that “Do I want to be part of this artificiality or do I have something unique in me?” this is just the beginning of introspection.

Never call yourself ordinary. It is like playing a victim. To say you can't Lead, Innovate and Inspire others, in the simplest way possible, is to avoid the power that resides within you. To make excuses for not being as passionate/loving/brilliant as you can be is to close your eyes to the call on your life.Triumph is in living, not copying, every moment.

So today, walk out into the world as the person who you truly are. That's what ‘Art of Living’ is about. That's what authentic success is about. In my mind, that's what being fully human is all about.

For more ideas, check http://www.artofliving.org/

Learning about Meditation

What is meditation?
Contrary to a popular belief that it’s a very exclusive and difficult process, meditation is quite simple. During meditation, all we do is ‘controlling our negative thoughts’.

Why to do it?:
Meditation is a constructive way of discovering the beauty and strength of our inner world. With every passing day, need to develop the power of mind is being felt by the all of us, as we try to keep up with the ever-increasing pace of life and its complexities.

How to do it?
Every morning when we get up, we work according to a set routine. We race from one work to another, trying to complete daily routines on time – but what we cannot control is - the day - and how it unfolds. So why not put our maximum effort in starting it with the most cherished and motivational thoughts. That ways, we will feel a warm flow of positive energy, within us, throughout the day. Now, if we apply this simple ‘thinking process’ to what we're all about, as we achieve great things in life at personal and professional level.

Here's my spin: Start your day with Strong Thoughts .... they will set things right for you for the rest of the day. Take out a twenty minute space where you regenerate and renew so that the way you show up through the rest of the day is first-class.

The spooky world of ‘Mood Swings’

Hardship comes in different size and shapes - and it comes often. No matter how much we try to stay happy, sometimes we do get mood swings, which can be the form of depression, anxiety, sudden, violent or wild rage - depending upon its intensity. For most of us, it means getting into ‘mood off’ mode. Our emotions act like virus sometimes – they travel from one person to another, be it cheerfulness or sadness. Seldom we realise the ‘power of emotions’ that we carry and unknowingly pass on our mood to others.

Here’s a list of questions that I would like to call mood quiz. Answer this to find out - - how steady is your frame of mind:

If your boss or senior colleague does not talk to you nicely, do you think about it whole day?

Do you pass over your unpleasantness to others?

When the going gets rough, do you find it difficult to deal with feelings of desperation?

When you are upset and in very sad mood do you have a remedy to cheer yourself immediately?

Do you imagine that others are happier than you?

I am sure thoughts like these do come in your mind, may be rarely. So what can we do to avoid them? A simplest answer to all these is ‘Trust your fate’, have faith in righteousness of the ‘system of universe' that says - if you deserve something, you'll get it - sooner or later. GOD is not known to be unfair, so He will not be – EVER.

So put confidence back to the basic principles of human race and think of tough time as a phase that has to pass and be a part of past.

To start with such thinking, here are few simple things that will act as a quick remedy. Practice these acts whenever you get a negative mood swing and they will help you to deviate your mind to a happy and contended state of mind. (I have compiled this list after a lot of online and offline research and I know one thing or another is bound to click for you):

• Learn to meditate. It will help you in focusing your mind towards positive elements.
• Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Rub your hands on your face. Think different.
• Check your pulse. If your heart is still beating it means you are going to have many more great times!!
• Think of that last holiday you took and recall how relaxed you were... take in that moment and relive that moment.
• Take a coffee break and play a good video game on cell.
• Listen to some groovy music
• Talk to someone you are close to. May be about why you are upset/sad or anything else. The idea is to move away from the feeling of self pity.
• Have a folder with mails pertaining to your achievements & appreciation by different people. So when you open and browse through it, it will remind you that you are capable of much higher things. Let not this one thing upset you unnecessarily.
• Try to recollect the child hood situations which can make you to laugh and feel enthusiastic to go ahead
• Addition done by Michelle - start a gratitude journal. Every day you write down what you were thankful for that day. Could be simple - it was sunny, you had a tasty lunch, someone complimented you etc.
  

And in the end, just remember --- life a collective segment of ups and downs and there's plenty to do during gloomy days too....!!

Spirit & Spirituality in Life

Ours life is a world of thousand colours and beliefs. Our streaming faith in God and ourselves takes us through time’s ups and downs. Spirit of life is one constant among so many diversities and acts like a pilot to navigate through different situations. For some, spirituality implies religion. But there’s a major difference in between the two: Religion is an organized community of believers that has written codes of regulatory behaviour whereas spirituality is more about one's own inner personal belief and experience of a higher power or greater purpose.
If you call yourself religious, answer these questions honestly:

Can you control your anger at will?

Are you able to compose yourself gracefully under any situation?

Is stress making you impatient?

Do you worry about yesterday or tomorrow?

Is your attitude cheerful?

Do you compare your life with others often?

Now truthfully rate yourself as where do stand in salvation from these practices? These are the basic human values and we don’t even realise that we have failed in them.

Now we need to know that what should we do to fight these situations in life. Are we fighting them out or letting them take us along with it?
There are tools: courage and determination – courage to take up or face every adversity and determination of positive attitude. These tools are embodied in our character, we just need to identify and use them. Some people let circumstances govern them, some govern circumstances. Bravery is the source of our hope, our inner power that guides us through our phases of difficulty. It’s a characteristic of our soul, and spirituality in true sense is getting connected with our soul. It begins at a stage where a person gives up selfishness and starts to think about others first. This can be called ‘making the first touch with our core values’.
Our spirit is nothing but the consciousness of telling the difference between right & wrong, good or bad and our determination, like an anchor that keeps us stationary even in the toughest of situations. It keeps us reminding that “this too shall pass, don’t give up.”

Spirit is like power, when we see somebody in pain, we try to help. Our efforts move in the direction of comforting that person. To a person in need, our strength of mind can do wonders. It’s a very simple gesture, but a strong one and sometimes it is more than enough. Good times pass quickly, unpleasant moments stay long. We can sail through any difficult situation, if only we see that circumstance to be our assessment. And what’s best than ‘spirituality’ to manoeuvre us on that. Let’s try to feel the presence of God through self realisation and meditation.


It’s not a blind faith, its logic. Science uses logic, it gives answers, so let’s put logic in the question-
“What is spirituality?’’
Let’s not shy away from the fact that we do need to hold on to something in our busy and lonely lives. Let’s put our trust in God and think – God is there for us, to help and comfort us, the need is only to feel him. The feeling of being watched over by our well wisher can really help sometimes to lift our mood.
By means of meditation, we can start experiencing the essence of God’s powers. This process is lengthy, but surely a fruitful one. It gives us an infectious warmness and once you understand it, you want to spread the joy around. It can’t get cold; it just flows from one person to another naturally.

SPIRITUALITY AS A STRESS BUSTER

“Stress never comes alone, isn’t it?” With stress there are symptoms of nervousness, anxiety, blood pressure and in some cases panic, fear and depression. Nowadays even kids are using terms like ‘stress depression’. So much is the visibility of symptoms that corporate managements have identified it as a major factor effecting the productivity and morals of employees.

To help such a situation, role of spirituality in management is increasing day by day.
Spirituality, whether of the God or the self kind, is about growth, doing better and acts as stress reliever. When all the outward stress busters fail to help in busting stress in its entirety, try turning your search towards meditation. This way a person realizes his true 'self' and become conscious about his inner potential that can guide him through an effective stress management process.

Through spirituality, understanding of permanent and transient things in life starts to set is. You start analyzing the significance of all things in relation to its permanency. You also start accepting the insignificance of stress and stop worrying. When you pursue spirituality, you tend to drive all empty thoughts of distraction and cultivate a positive attitude.
The best part of spirituality is that you can practice it when you are in office, when you are in home, when you are driving and in any place and time. The passive attitude that you develop during spirituality in fact helps you to channelize all your relaxation responses, and you will have a positive outlook, cheerful and spontaneous in all your actions.

So what are you waiting for?

Start practicing spirituality through meditation, breathing exercise and yoga. Trust me, if you do this regularly, you will be better equipped, both at physical level and mental level, to manage stress. You can even attend some stress management courses or seminars if you like.

Through spirituality, you come to know more about you and try to grow as a person. You also become more adept and skillful in facing various demanding situations of your life with ease.

BEAT STRESS, STAY HAPPY

The foremost tool of not letting STRESS make you its victim is cheerfulness. Through cheeriness and warm heart we can make our environment joyous, happy and optimistic. It’s the best medicine for depression and internal relief.
Being happy is like wearing a joy perfume; you always smell good and want to spread the warmness around. So based on my experiences, I have come across 6 points that I would like to share with you and if you make them a habit, they will lead you to a contented life.

1. HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, ALWAYS
Being sad is a state of mind, being happy is your character. Everyone likes to be around the "realistic optimist". The "RO" is a person who can acknowledge that everything isn't always great, but that somehow we will all make it through. Knowing that trials and setbacks are both inevitable as well as temporary makes you an asset to the people around you.


2. LEARN TO GIVE IT AWAY
Be economical with your bills, be generous with everything else. Go ahead and do charity giving, let somebody else use the stuff you don’t need and have locked up in your closets. Keep 10% of your earned income for generosity. Give a 25% tip to the waitress who served you that great meal. Give $5 to a kid you see at church. Give away hugs like you get paid for each one. Take someone out to lunch--TODAY. Giving is receiving – you give love – you receive it too.


3. LIVE IN THE MOMENT
This is a tough self-actualization step for many people: STOP WORRYING ABOUT TOMORROW. Instead, live in today. Live in right now. Live as if tomorrow will worry about itself. After all, what can we do tomorrow until tomorrow gets here? All we can do is whatever is before us today.


4.”IF YOU CAN’T SAY ANYTHING NICE............................”
"...don't say anything at all." If you want to really help people, give up trying to correct them. Instead, compliment them on their strengths. Will they still make mistakes that, to you, are obvious and need correcting? Sure, but I have found that there is ALWAYS someone willing to tell others where they are failing, it is rare to find someone who will tell others where they are succeeding.


5. DON’T LET GO THE CHILD IN YOU
When was the last time you took a day off just to sit in park or play in water? Laughed so hard you cried? That was TOO LONG AGO. Learn some jokes and tell them. Watch a comedy on TV. Go into Burger King and put on the cardboard crown. You would be amazed how everyone around you will respond--and how much better you will feel.


6. LOVE DEEPLY
This is the most important tip for happiness.
Sure, you love your spouse, you love your kids. But what about the people you work with? What about your neighbours? If you love deeply I will guarantee you a couple things: You will be disappointed and hurt, but you will ALSO find happiness from some people who will deeply love you back. Trust me, it's worth it.

Hope you like these ideas. I have become this kind of person, for my own happiness and for those around me, and I think there has been tremendous progress. Someday I hope that I get to meet you somewhere and ask you “Have these points made any difference in your life?”

You can also check these sites for some 'happy quotes', & 'quotes on happiness'

http://www.indianchild.com/quotations_on_happiness.htm, http://www.quotegarden.com/happiness.html