How to Calm Yourself

Finding moments of calm and inner peace has become essential for overall well-being. The practice of meditation has gained popularity as an effective means of achieving this tranquility. One unique approach to meditation is Rajyoga, which promotes offbeat spirituality and connects individuals with their inner selves. 

The Importance of Meditation

Meditation is an ancient practice that dates back thousands of years and has been embraced by various cultures and religions. It involves training the mind to focus and redirect thoughts, leading to a heightened sense of awareness, self motivation and a deep state of relaxation. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of regular meditation, such as reduced stress, improved emotional well-being, enhanced concentration, and increased self-awareness. In our fast-paced society, where stress, anxiety, and distractions are prevalent, meditation serves as a powerful tool to help individuals regain control over their thoughts and emotions. By practicing meditation, one can learn to stay present in the moment, accept things as they are, and cultivate a sense of inner peace even amidst external challenges. 

Rajyoga: An Offbeat Approach to Spirituality

Rajyoga is an ancient meditation practice that originated in India. Unlike traditional forms of meditation, Rajyoga emphasizes a unique approach to spirituality that seeks to establish a direct connection between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul (often referred to as God or the Divine). This connection is believed to foster spiritual growth, inner strength, and a sense of purpose in life.

 In Rajyoga, meditation is not seen as an escape from reality but rather a way to engage with it more deeply. By acknowledging the eternal nature of the soul and its relationship with the Divine, practitioners of Rajyoga strive to embody virtues such as love, peace, and compassion. This offbeat spirituality encourages individuals to move away from external rituals and dogmas, and instead, explore their inner self for genuine transformation. 

Learning Meditation: A Personal Journey

Embarking on a meditation journey with Rajyoga and offbeat spirituality requires dedication, patience, and an open mind. The following steps can guide you in establishing a regular meditation practice:

• Embarking on a meditation journey with Rajyoga and offbeat spirituality requires dedication, patience, and an open mind. The following steps can guide you in establishing a regular meditation practice:
• Set a Regular Schedule: Dedicate a specific time each day to practice meditation. Consistency is key to reaping the full benefits of meditation.
• Adopt a Comfortable Posture: Sit in a posture that allows you to stay relaxed yet alert. You can sit cross-legged on the floor, use a meditation cushion, or sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
• Focus on Breath: Begin by paying attention to your breath. Observe the inhalation and exhalation without trying to control it. This simple act helps calm the mind and brings you into the present moment.
• Listen to meditation Commentary: In Rajyoga, meditation commentaries are often used to give a direction of thoughts to the mind.
• Embrace Silence: As thoughts arise, let them come and go without judgment. Return your focus to the effect of meditational thoughts.
• Gradual Progression: Start with short meditation sessions and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable with the practice.
• Seek Guidance: If you find it challenging to meditate on your own, consider joining a meditation group or seeking guidance from a qualified meditation teacher.

Conclusion

In conclusion, meditation is an invaluable practice for cultivating inner calm, self-awareness, and spiritual growth. The unique approach of Rajyoga and offbeat spirituality, with its emphasis on establishing a connection between the individual soul and the Divine, offers a transformative path to inner peace. By incorporating meditation into our daily lives, we can navigate the challenges of the modern world with greater resilience and find solace in our journey of self-discovery.

Remember, meditation is a personal journey, and it may take time to experience its full benefits. Patience, perseverance, and an open heart are essential as you embark on this path to inner tranquility and spiritual awakening.

New Year Resolution Ideas

In a few days, week, month, year and a decade will change.  And I’m sure you want to change too. But if you are anything like me, you’ll find that there are so many ways one can think of improving self that it gets difficult to decide. Worry not, for here are some easy, doable New Year resolution ideas for the coming year.

Start cooking more at home
Over the years, researches have pointed out the surprising benefits of home-cooked meals. It has been scientifically proven that those who eat home- made food regularly are happier and healthier. Their food-eating time has fewer distractions and lesser chances of shifting to sugar-loaded and processed foods, which involuntarily increases body mass and unhealthy weight.

Travel
Travelling opens our eyes to new ideas, cultures and places. In a year, plan to take at least three vacations – two thrifty ones and one to explore little luxuries of life. For the first one, delve into the neighbourhood on foot. Visit than new place that has opened recently, plan a picnic in a garden, visit a fort, go to a farmer’s market – anything you haven’t done in the last one year and take a moment to savour the beauty around. For the second vacation, plan it to a destination that is about a few hours away. To make the trip interesting, travel in a train. See the great countryside along with beautiful fields growing out the seasonal crops. And take one holiday to go somewhere far – a different country or the edge of your own. Make that trip luxurious. 

Volunteer weekly
Though I’d love to write “daily”, it is not something that I am able to do myself so avoiding to preach about it. We all are blessed in our own unique ways. Volunteering helps us to give back and if your acts of kindness make about an iota of difference in someone’s life, I say you should grab that chance.

Maintain a balance between what you think, speak and do
Our mind thinks about 20,000 thoughts a day, very little of which are useful and most are waste. Change that. Think only what you need to do, speak only when you need to and do what you speak/preach. Don’t let the mind wander. Here are some simple ways to do that. 

Meditate daily
Meditation is a spiritual experience. If done right, it can open your own mind in ways you did not know was possible. Living a happy life is practical meditation in action. 

Sleep on time
Did you know lack of sleep costs about $411 billion in lost productivity across United States? A Fortune study reveals that a shockingly high number of people lead in unhealthy sleeping habits meaning they are either sleeping less or not getting the sound sleep. If you are one of those night owls who feels the night brings out the best in you, perhaps the coming year is a good opportunity to retrospect and change that habit for good.

Be a WOW
You are not far away from meeting your own WOW version. Promise to be a better person, learn something new every Sunday and follow it up the entire week. In 52 weeks, you would definitely better than from where you started.

Go sugar free
Celebrate sugar-free week every month. That means no soda, chocolates, cakes, sweets, Indian mithais, bread, cereals, salad dressings – sugar has surprising ways of finding itself in your meals. This year, you can make a resolution to reduce your consumption of sugar and in turn be a step closer to good health.


Other than the first one, all the New Year resolutions are my personal ones. I hope at some level, you’ll also find a way to connect with them. If there are any that you’d like to share, give me a shout out in the comments section below and I’d love to read.

Thank you for your time.
God Bless.
N

3 Step Plan to Control Ego

This Monday, I had an argument with the guy who washes our car. Though my point of rebuking him was valid, letting the disagreement go out of hand wasn’t. It took me almost half a day to bring my mind to calm & another two days to pacify my maid, since he came from her reference. And that was after I call myself a spiritual, level-headed person. It was a small test of my control over words, and I blew it.

This small incident opened my eyes to the biasness that we have towards our own thoughts – ego, in other words. Years of doing regular meditation has brought it down to some level, but it still exists. The spiritual idea of knowing myself as a whole, and finding different (more positive) part of personality needs more practice. The self-important, self-centric part of doesn’t need to be destroyed. It just needs to be understood, and used only in the times of criticality. Keeping in mind the delicate balance this task requires, here are my three points of action:

1.       Recognise your size in proportion of the universe: If you think about it seriously, you are tinier than the speck of dust in the proportion of this whole universe. What you do in your daily life hardly affects things at this scale. The liberation of accepting your insignificance gives relief from self-centricity and helps to put self in the perspective.

2.       Recognise others’ importance: You know why so many people get stuck in traffic jams? Because everyone thinks that he’s more important and so tries to ram in between. Your journey is only as important as the person’s traveling next to you. So next time when your ego starts to jump up and down in the moment of showing who the boss is, remind yourself that every other person and every other work is as important as yours in this universe.

3.       Recognise the temporariness of every moment: Today’s headline is tomorrow’s forgotten fact. So many instances could have been avoided if we hadn’t let Ego blow them up into monumental proportions. Most of these are now forgotten moments. Change is inherent. Nothing lasts. Nothing stays in the same state as it is now for even a second. Go for your goals, and love the journey. But recognise the passing nature of time that makes everything seem as just a castle in the sand, to be washed out to sea by the waves of time.

Source: Brain-storming while writing for new client at Writing Routes

Positive Thinking & Meditation

Positive thinking is overrated.
How?
Let me give you an example – do you remind your name to yourself every day? “No”, right? Because you are so sure of it. You have been hearing it ever since you remember. You have developed a personality around it, and act according to it. That’s the surely you name has brought into your life.

So why not be sure of everything? Every task, situation, relationship – why not have the confidence that you have the power to sought it through? Why not practice spirituality at work and become the most awesome version of yours?

Searching ‘Positive Thinking’ on Google gives 2,96,00,000 results. More the interpretations, more the confusion over it. Let’s simplify:

1. Positive thinking is the art of believing that everything is perfectly like as it is supposed to be. It doesn’t mean you keep on reminding yourself that. It means, you believe that.
2. It is constant meditation. Being positive means to be in touch with your inner being and taking even the minutest decisions like ‘what to wear’ or ‘how to lose weight’ (in my case J) with peace. Playing meditation music in the mornings helps to build the mood.
3. It reduces influx of stray thoughts, and keeps your mind focussed.
4. It induces creativity. With a calmer mind, you observe more, and become less judgemental.

Nothing else, but a lot more. Keep on discovering!

And if you get, read these simple rules to make life better, happy & light. Send your comments at nitima@writingroutes.com

Shine on :-)

1 Step Plan to Kill Arrogance

As you know from my two previous posts, Being Humble and Time, Spirituality and Happiness, I’ve been an avid encourager of practical spirituality.

Usually during the middle of week, I feel the urge of sharing my experiences. Today, in honor of the “Tolerant/Intolerant” debate, I’m going to share the best self improvement tip in my arsenal. This may not be the most valuable advice on killing your arrogance you ever had. Heck, you might not even remember it after an hour, but I’ll still share. Are you ready?

Accept others’ mistakes.

That’s it. Whether it’s once or even 10 times – accept the people as they are and move on. Day by day, build this habit. Keep a journal of your feelings, challenge yourself in new situations. Seems pretty simple, but it’s something all of us struggle with at one time or another. Improving oneself is important, and many posts on this blog and others can be helpful – but you can’t progress unless you try. I know that’s not what you want to hear, and I truly wish there was an easy way, but I’m sorry. That’s just the way it is. Nothing is easy, especially not being tolerant in relationships.

I also know you want to improve – otherwise you wouldn’t be here, would you? Maybe you are thinking about making yourself a better human being, and once you’ve read everything, you’ll become a stunningly amazing individual. May be you’ve tried to shed arrogance but it attacks you at your weakest moment, and disheartenly you backed out. But not anymore.  

Just do it. Become more receptive to others’ ideas, their nature and their way of handling daily crisis.

Accepting others the way they are is hard. Only people who have never worked on themselves will tell you otherwise. You’re not alone in feeling that way. More than one of great saints has likened acceptance of others as living the awful parts of life,  wounding yourself, bashing your head against the actual feelings. But you still need to do it. For now, don’t worry too much about how may hurt you again, or you might not be taken seriously, or any of that serious stuff. For now, just worry about taking a step into practical spirituality and divorcing the arrogance.

Maybe you are already aware about your feelings and know the ways to overcome them, and you really just want to know how to control your frustration, irritation, anger, or a different method of finding your peace. That’s great. Please see the tag cloud to the left. I’ll be back soon with another practical spirituality article. This week, however, I need to work on a few writing projects.
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Dealing with Criticism

Accepting Criticism An issue For You? For me it was. For a long time, I shielded under the cover of “sensitivism”. I reacted & defended, had mood swings and felt unhappy.

Then the understanding of human behavior (especially my own) started to make sense. I learnt that somebody else’s criticism is not a reflection of my entire character. It was only related to a part of service that I had offered them, or some action that they witnessed. They were the same people who had praised me in past, or were nice to me otherwise. So the mind started identifying the situations, which weren’t plenty. This led me to make a five step plan. While it wasn’t possible for me to use all the steps together, I just made it a point to remember them at the right moment and try the best option.

1. I learnt that not every situation demanded a prompt action, and that sometimes, it was on me to control it. Learning this helped me to control my reaction time, gave me more than a few moments to think, and plan my response accordingly
2. I stopped defending myself. It helped to break my ego and accept others’ point-of-view gracefully as doing so was not only an act of futility. I began using the feeling of “free spirit”, realized that I’m an adult who lives in the land of the free, and acted like it.
3. Gave in to ignite the introspective mood. I accepted that nothing is perfect, and I only needed to work a little more to get closer to it. There was a lot to be thankful for, and counting my blessings helped to lift the spirits.
4. Informed the criticizer that I was aware of the underlying causes, and showed that I cared about improving myself. It helped me gain myself confidence, and brush aside the comments that weren’t given in the right spirit or motive.
5. Read the feedback about others –authors, artists, actors, public figures, companies- no one was actually free from criticism. At some point or other, each one of them had to deal with unfavorable responses (most of the time in complete public glare). It taught me that no one actually cares, and the best way to deal with any form of criticism was to move forward.

Now, it’s been sometime that I’ve let anyone’s criticism hurt me. Though the journey to inner peace is still on, I feel proud of improving myself day-by-day. There’s a lot to be done still, sort jumbled emotions, and so the effort is still on.

Fail. Learn. Move On. My Life…Heck My Rules!

I’ve wasted time and I’ve failed. Repeatedly I’ve failed to get new work. I had my lowest percentage in XI. XII was tough. I couldn’t understand in physics. It just floated above my head. Result in board exam was poor. I had to take the physics paper twice to clear. Gave competitive exams after XII. Dad wanted me to try, but I was afraid. Didn’t study well, wasted money on multiple exams. Shifted to Delhi and had to stay with various people for a month before we could take our place here. It was embarrassing. The turning point came when I secured admission in Jesus & Mary, that too in the first cutoff.

But going to college wasn’t fun. I was a geek. Couldn’t make many friends, spend much on clothes or pursue my favorite hobby of dramatics. Felt left out for such a long time. Began my first job at 21 and shifted quickly in succession twice. Got placed in a corporate year later with a decent salary. It was good to begin with, but things changed slowly. I was young. Couldn't mould myself to the dynamics of office politics. Foolishly left it three years later, without anything further in hand. I was confident I will find another one quickly. Unfortunately, no one found me suitable. Took me more than 600 days to discover my true calling – “writing”. Made 20 cents on the first assignment, and even though the money was with PayPal for a long time (could withdraw only after reaching the minimum level), it was liberating. I began exploring. Got some odd jobs, took everything that was offered.

It’s been six years in writing now. I work as a freelancer. I haven't taken any formal training, but the results have been satisfactory. On good days, I get offers to do entire corporate websites for biggies like the British Council, Shri Ram School, Times Internet, BenQ, Sansung, Marc, etc. (Who knew they hired freelancers!!) or get great new ideas to work on. On bad ones, I lose inspiration to write or to do anything else. I waste time. Currently, I’ve no work. It’s been two months, not a single project. Hadn’t happened till now, but hey – this is life. Nothing moves smoothly. May be I’m not trying hard enough. I just don’t have the continuous will to try. I give up too soon. But cursing myself doesn’t help.

For the last few years, I’ve made a consistent effort to improve myself. I’m learning to get rid of hollow emotions. I sometimes fail, but the attempt is continuously on. For me, happiness has become a daily decision. I think less, feel more. Talk less, listen more. Judge less, accept more. Complain less, appreciate more.

I get up early and meditate daily. It’s such a power booster and has helped me to increase my concentration power. I do Surya Namaskar followed by 10 minute exercise routine. I go out for walk every morning. If for any reason I miss, I carry sneakers in my backpack and walk back home from work meetings. I don’t eat outside food. It gives me a control over my taste buds. I don't go out for parties, they are time wasters. I like quietness of where we live. It motivates me to read. I also like music and have attended some great live performances - the  sufi ones are mind blowing.

Don’t limit yourself. Every success story we hear has a grueling past. Understand that you can do more only if you are healthy. Squeeze active working out routines in your daytime, even if it’s for five minutes. Sleep early. Get up earlier than your neighbors. Don’t keep television near to where you sleep. Switch off your phone and laptop by 9 pm. Talk less. Observe more.  Make the day count.

Do something that makes you happy. Learn craft, one small creative act at a time. Question your values, your routine and make changes to it. Do not check your Facebook every day – the lives people show on it aren't that upbeat. There’s a lot of difference between showing photographs and maintaining that smile forever! Most of us are neck deep in similar conditions. Accept it, judge what you stand for, make one small change a day and move on. You'll feel blessed!

I Am That Woman

I walk

I talk

I feel

I heal

I possess a heart that you may tear apart

But it's my spirit that I inherit

I am the woman

With the "man"

I make

I create

I love

I cannot hate

I am the woman with undying strength

Who will go to any length

To bring things together

Whatever may be the weather

I am the woman

That woman…

The strength of honesty

Wise men say that honesty makes you stronger. With honesty comes enthusiasm and zeal. It lets you stay away from competition and unnecessary comparison. By criticising others, we become impure and spread the vibes of negativity.

We need to learn how to work on creating good atmosphere. Sometimes only a single thought can take us down. The key is to never get disturbed and stay in sync with your inner feelings. There is always uniqueness in unity...and unity comes with honesty.

So this lorhi, promise yourself to stay honest – not only with others but with yourself. Stay honest to your feelings and spread positivity.

The Big, Bold & Beautiful Commonwealth Extravaganza

Against the backdrop of an early October sun set, the spanking new Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium turned into a golden hue as the Rs 44 crore aerostat lifted into the skies and a bevy of puppets danced and over 800 drummers heralded the event.

A spectacular laser fireworks show lit up the evening sky and India took a giant leap, 28 years after it hosted the Asian Games.

In a neat diplomatic compromise, Prince Charles, representing Queen Elizabeth, the head of the Commonwealth, and President Pratibha Patil did the honours at the inaugural ceremony, amid thunderous cheers from the capacity 60,000 crowd.

"I have much pleasure in declaring the 19th Commonwealth Games open", the Prince said reading out a message from the British monarch.

This was followed by the address of President Patil, who concluded by saying " the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi are now open. Let the Games begin", signalling the formal commencement of the sporting extravaganza.
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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his cabinet colleagues, former President APJ Abdul Kalam, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Maldives President Mohammed Nashid, Prince of Monaco Albert II, Commonwealth Games Federation President Mike Fennell, Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi and a host of dignitaries were present at the ceremony.

It was a mix of both cheers and jeers for Kalmadi when he made his speech while references to Dikshit were received by loud cheers in the audience. commonwealth, commonwealth, commonwealth,

After brief speeches by Commonwealth Games Federation chief Mike Fennell and Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, the Queen's Baton, which traversed through all the 71 Commonwealth nations made a grand entry with Bindra being given the honour.commonwealth, commonwealth, commonwealth, commonwealth,

Badminton star Saina Nehwal, Beijing Olympic Games bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh and wrestler Sushil Kumar were the others who carried the baton.

It was followed by the arrival of the Games flags of all the participating countries and the oath-taking ceremony by the Indian captain Bindra.

There was also a section dedicated to the great tradition of learning which unfolded under the Knowledge Tree - a sacred space of Learning - presenting the Indian Classical dance and music that have been passed on through the Guru shishya Parampara.

The production comprised six classical dances of India, including Odissi from Orissa, Bharatnatyam from Tamil Nadu, Kathak from North India, Manipuri from Manipur, Mohiniattam from Kerala and Kuchipudi from Andhra Pradesh. commonwealth, commonwealth, commonwealth, commonwealth,

Each classical dance represented a season -- Odissi (Spring), Bharatnatyam (Summer), Kathak (Monsoon), Manipuri (Autumn), Mohiniattam (Fall), Kuchipudi (Winter).

Through dance, music and projections on the aerostat of tree leaves, the production captured the emotions as experienced through changing seasons.

India's Yogic way of life was also on display with a presentation of the practice of YOGA - the ultimate union of the body, mind and soul.

All along the ceremony, the moving lights on the helium balloon continued to change their hues, projecting life size revolving images of the action on the ground.

The past few weeks of negative publicity that had dogged the nearly Rs 70,000 crore mega-event was quickly forgotten as the glittering opening ceremony, which encapsulated a fascinating mix of culture and modernity, kept the spectators enthralled for more than two hours.

The ceremony, which set the stage for 12 days of intense competition will see over 7000 athletes from 71 countries vying for honours.

The aerostat, a giant helium balloon was dramatically lifted to its full height amid the sounds of Nagada drums.

A spectacular display of drummers from various parts of India then took centrestage and Keshav, a child prodigy from Auroville, Puducherry, was the cynosure of all eyes. commonwealth, commonwealth, commonwealth,

The musical production of Swagatam, a rendition of a blend of Hindustani and Carnatic that finally climaxed into a Quawalli, was performed by Hariharan.
commonwealth,
1050 school children performed a choreography of the Namaste sign, which presented the 23 officially recognised languages of India through projections on the aerostat.
commonwealth,
The athletes parade began in which 71 women, dressed in sarees that not only represents different designs form the various Indian corners but also myriad patterns, colours and styles, carried their country's placards.

The 619-member strong Indian contingent, which had Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra as the flag-bearer, drew the loudest cheers as it walked into the jam-packed stadium in the presence of a host of dignitaries, International Olympic Committee and CGF officials.

The Pakistani contingent drew a heavy round of applause from the crowd, notwithstanding the irritants in the bilateral ties.

816 performers together performed a choreography that formed the shape of a sun doing the Suryanmaskar - a series of Yoga postures done in salutation to the sun. Performers on the center stage also displayed some of the most complicated asanas.

The performers then dramatically changed the choreography and began to spiral, representing the kundalini - the coiled energy, an instinctive force that lies at the base of the spine.commonwealth,

Then there was the Great Indian Journey, where a train made a grand arrival as the Cheraw dancers from Mizoram did the Bamboo dance to give the Rhythm for the train.

There was also a segment on Mahatma Gandhi, where the Father of nation was paid rich tribute through a simplistic, humanistic form, depicted through sand animation based on the historic moment of the Dandi March with Mahatma's favourite hymn - Vaishnavo Janato played at the background.

Folk dancers from various corners of the country also came together to rejoice and dance in celebration of the message of the Mahatma, showcasing the ultimate richness in India's folk culture.

The opening ceremony finally culminated with the rendition of Oscar winning music composer AR Rahman's CWG 2010 Anthem -- Jeeyo, Utho, Badho, Jeeto (Live, Rise, Move, Win) -- to inspire all the athletes to give them the push to victory.

In his address Kalmadi, widely criticised for the controversies that surrounded the delayed preparations to the Games, said "India is ready to host a great Commonwealth Games."
commonwealth,
"Despite the bad publicity, all the Commonwealth nations stood by India as Delhi becomes the largest ever in the history of the Commonwealth Games," he said.

"We are prepared to deliver a great Games," he concluded. In his brief address, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, "Welcome to India. Welcome to the Games. Millions are waiting eagerly to watch the Games unfold".

The formalities, with the march past forming the major chunk, were followed by a 40-minute cultural display in which classical Indian dances, a fine yoga display and a Bollywood-style show.
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The Indian railway train was pulled by the age-old steam engine to the strains of the Rahman-hit 'Chayya Chayya' from the film 'Dil Se'.

A giant figure of Lord Buddha was created and rose up from the centre stage to rise up to the canopy.

Instrumental rendering of Mahatma Gandhi's favourite song 'Vaishnavo Janato' was done with a figure of the Father of the nation also created through technology in the middle of the stage.

The stadium reverberated with Rahman's Games theme song "Yaaro, India Bula Liya" and his famous "Jai Ho" number from his Oscar-winning " Slumdog Millionaire" album, in the midst of a spectacular fireworks display, before the curtains came down on the spectacular ceremony.commonwealth, commonwealth,

For the first time in Games history the athletes who took part in the march past were later seated on the periphery to watch the remaining part of the pageant.

The A, B, C & D of life

Image: www.tigerbreath.com  

When hardship hits, our instinctive reaction is “what will happen to me? My home? My family? My work?”

It has become natural to start pulling in. Some people, you must have noticed, immediately get into protective mode. They try to pull in and preserve their domains. It has become human nature today.
Is this living the life as it comes? How about not acting on fears and narrowing our vision but standing for what we believe is right and getting rid of our own limitations? The simplest way to do it is by learning the basics again. So, let’s begin

A: is for accuracy. We must try and deliver everything with unmatched accuracy not only when we are working professionally but at home, with people as well. Remember, if no one’s ever going to see, it doesn’t make leaving the table messy after you’ve had food is alright. No – it isn’t. Just imagine – if someone would pay you to do it, would you then also leave it like that? No, isn’t it? Yes! I know money is a great driving force but is it ethical to be lazy?


A is also for alertness. The more alert a person would get, the better will be accuracy and of course – the end product. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you are doing it with accuracy and alertness, you are bound to make it perfect.

Why Birthdays Are a Big Deal?

People throw birthday parties, like to go out, shop, eat and have fun on their birthdays. Yes, it is the day they were born but what’s the big deal about it? Why can’t we be so cheery all the days in the year? Why do we need a special occasion for celebration?


How about making your whole life special? How about having a vision for the entire humankind and contributing into it daily through good wishes? How about leaving our meanness and extending our love to others selflessly? How about picking up the phone and calling your estranged sibling, with whom you haven’t spoken in the years and pretend that things are okay?

Why do we have limited visions, I don’t understand. Why we find it easy to talk to people sitting thousands of miles away from us on Facebook but have cold-wars at home? Life doesn’t need to be so complicated. We don’t have to be afraid because someone will snub us. We just have to be powerful enough to make our happiness becomes contagious.

And that’s what I am going to do on my birthday. That’s my vision for the next year – Give more than what people expect so that I can be happy that I did something good.

Not Letting The Motivation Disappear...

Motivation disappears when we start seeing ourselves as ‘ordinary’. We begin to see every day as a routine, cooking, laundry, cleaning, working – everything starts looking monotonous after a while. Yes, variety is the spice of life and who says we should not live a spicy life? Get inspired to get motivated. Think of ways you can sketch you day in a more colourful way, take a break from what you do continuously and Thank God for not giving you what you never wanted, be a giver rather than taker and if you can’t give anything else, give people motivation, love and peace.


My leadership is giving my best when no one is watching because I know that I want to excel not because people appreciate it but because I am made to do things in the best way.

A TO Z... FOR LIFE

A--Accept
Accept others for who they are and for the choices they've made even if you have difficulty understanding their beliefs, motives, or actions.

B--Break Away
Break away from everything that stands in the way of what you hope to accomplish with your life.

C--Create
Create a family of friends whom you can share your hopes, dreams, sorrows, and happiness with.

D--Decide
Decide that you'll be successful and happy come what may, and good things will find you. The roadblocks are only minor obstacles along the way.

E--Explore
Explore and experiment. The world has much to offer, and you have much to give. And every time you try something new, you'll learn more about yourself.

F--Forgive
Forgive and forget. Grudges only weigh you down and inspire unhappiness and grief. Soar above it, and remember that everyone makes mistakes.

G--Grow
Leave the childhood monsters behind. They can no longer hurt you or stand in your way.

H--Hope
Hope for the best and never forget that anything is possible as long as you remain dedicated to the task.

I--Ignore
Ignore the negative voice inside your head. Focus instead on your goals and remember your accomplishments. Your past success is only a small inkling of what the future holds.

J--Journey
Journey to new worlds, new possibilities, by remaining open-minded. Try to learn something new every day, and you'll grow.

K--Know
Know that no matter how bad things seem, they'll always get better. The warmth of spring always follows the harshest winter.

L--Love
Let love fill your heart instead of hate. When hate is in your heart, there's room for nothing else, but when love is in your heart, there's room for endless happiness.

M--Manage
Manage your time and your expenses wisely, and you'll suffer less stress and worry. Then you'll be able to focus on the important things in life.

N--Notice
Never ignore the poor, infirm, helpless, weak, or suffering. Offer your assistance when possible, and always your kindness and understanding.

O--Open
Open your eyes and take in all the beauty around you. Even during the worst of times, there's still much to be thankful for.

P--Play
Never forget to have fun along the way. Success means nothing without happiness.

Q--Question
Ask many questions, because you're here to learn. We Learn By Doing, And Teach By Being.

R--Relax
Refuse to let worry and stress rule your life, and remember that things always have a way of working out in the end.

S--Share
Share your talent, skills, knowledge, and time with others. Everything that you invest in others will return to you many times over.

T--Try
Even when your dreams seem impossible to reach, try anyway. You'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.

U--Use
Use your gifts to your best ability. Talent that's wasted has no value. Talent that's used will bring unexpected rewards.

V--Value
Value the friends and family members who've supported and encouraged you, and be there for them as well.

W--Work
Work hard every day to be the best person you can be, but never feel guilty if you fall short of your goals. Every sunrise offers a second chance.

X--X-Ray
Look deep inside the hearts of those around you and you'll see the goodness and beauty within.

Y--Yield
Yield to commitment. If you stay on track and remain dedicated, you'll find success at the end of the road.

Z--Zoom
Have a bigger prospective of life.

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.”

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

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!