Make a change? Be You.

Make a change? Be You.

Change. So recently my life has undergone a pretty major change. I completed my graduation and am now going to firsthand experience the much criticized and coveted- corporate world. So obviously there are many aspects of my life that are different now and many that will change in the near future. So, while the prospect of change is accepted and understood fairly well by the majority of earthlings, I decided to look at it from a different and deeper perspective; to understand the dynamics of this process and see if there is a way to make it better or easier or both.

They say that the only constant thing in the world is change. It indeed is. Our surroundings are constantly changing; people, roads, buildings, technology etc and obviously we as individuals are also going through a constant change. There is absolutely nothing on this planet that is devoid of the process and its effects. Right from the beginning of the human civilization, it has undergone many changes; some great and some not so great. I, also believe that one of the most crucial facets of the many elements of change has been ‘ideology’. It is this that has so far shaped and moulded our society and us into what we are today and is continuing to still, as I am typing this article.

A change could be and mean many things. Nothing puts this better than the words of King Whitney Jr.,“Change to the fearful is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better”.

Basically, it could be slow or fast, we may like it or dislike it, accept it or revolt against it, we may be aware of it or not, but a change will happen. And most importantly either way, it will change something in us. In fact in today’s world change is the new fashion and the kind that moves at the speed of an eye blink. And the people seem to have accepted it pretty well. Though the change I am talking about is mostly from a materialistic point of view, even then so it ends up changing something within us. Because every time a change occurs and in whichever form it may be, it evokes an emotion within us; sometimes strong enough to change the way we look at things. And yes, the object could be as ‘trivial’ as a mobile phone.

Now, I think we can broadly categorize change into two kinds: one when the change happens around us and we get affected by it and second when we are the ones making a change. My focus in this article is on the latter. So exactly what happens when we decide to make a change? What are our chances of succeeding? Why is it that we fail at doing that?

Well, firstly the change that you intend to make could either be a personal one or it could be related to your external environment. But remember that even in the case where it does not appear personal, it actually is. Every change that you decide to make is in one way or another related to you. Why? Simply because, the idea of it originates from you. So after you have taken the decision to make a change the first thing you need to do is look into yourself. Having a clear picture and idea about the change needed to be made, is important. Analyse and assess what you are today and what do you see yourself as a result of the change. But the most important and crucial aspect of any change is honesty. The process is actually quite easy-going but the moment you are not honest to the cause is where the complications begin to arise. If you cannot accept who you are today you will never be able to accomplish your objective. Instead of the change happening for good, it will just make life more convoluted for you. And even worse, you will come out as a person who is under-confident and unsure about not just your life but yourself as well.

You know when a change has to be made the process needn’t be as mechanical as we tend to make it. It’s just like eating food. You can gulp it down your throat and make it as boring and monotonous an affair. Or you can chew it in your mouth, relish the flavour and make the meal an enjoyable one. To really benefit from eating and to get that healthy glow of nutrition, one must enjoy their meal. So is the case with making a change.

They say the mantra of a successful life lies in the ability to accept or make a change. Mostly all of us agree on that. Don’t we?  Well, I could have written about that but I think it would have been just re-stating the obvious. I, instead, chose to write about the things that maybe small but I believe are very crucial to a change; things that we overlook. But it is these little things that’ll make you stand out even amongst the successful. Real success is not just about making a change it is about realizing how important it is to savour the whole process of making one and being honest with it.

Yes, making a change is not an easy thing to do. It’s irrefutable that you will face many hurdles. But truth be told, there is no bigger hurdle in life than we can be for ourselves. So remember to be truly successful and satisfied in making a change, begin by being ‘YOU’.

The Unpredictable and The Hope!

The Unpredictable and The Hope

There are many things about life that intrigue us; questions, doubts, meaning, understanding, truth, so forth and so on. But the one thing about it that never fails to amaze me is how unpredictable life is! However much we think and assume that everything is under our control, it takes nothing more than a fraction of seconds for all the planning to go hay wire. Is this a good or a bad thing? I honestly do not know. It is both, I guess. But I also wonder if this is the one quality that makes life so magnanimous and beautiful? Would it be just as meaningful if we were to be a cent percent sure of what was going to happen next? Would it lessen the pain and suffering? Would the celebrations still be grand?

Well, as much as we curse life for being unpredictable, the very fact that it is makes life so much more comfortable and tasteful. It is this very quality that shapes and moulds our minds and personality; making us worthy people. If you already knew that your current project will not work out to be a successful one, would have even considered continuing with it? But now analyse it this way. Had you not gone through that struggle and pain how would you have realised your potential? How would you have then learnt those small but immensely important lessons that life has to offer?  I can go on with more examples like this. But what I intend to express is not how we do not do things because despite the unpredictable nature of life we all plan and the brave hearts amongst us fight it out each day. What I mean to do through this article is throw light on how we just go on doing things without admiring the beauty behind the working of life. I am writing because sometime back this thought struck me and it seemed like suddenly I understood life better; like a moment of salvation.

Now, I believe that everything here on this earth works on the notion of balance. To every positive there is a negative making sure the right balance is maintained; just like how yin and yang work. So, what is it that balances out unpredictability?  Which thing is it that enables us to continue to strive despite the setbacks and unsurely nature of life? Because, it is in our nature as humans that we dislike insecurity, so what is it that helps us to hold on?

Well, I have the answer now. It is ‘hope’.

Hope! This is exactly what helps us to fight it out and live life to the fullest. It rightly balances out unpredictability. We know nothing of what will happen next, if the future will get better, if we will succeed in our career or if the relationship will work out, but yet we continue to live on because we hope. We hope that the future will just get better, we hope to succeed in our career and we hope the relationship will work out. We hope each and every second of our life. I remember reading the story of Pandora and the box, in my early days of school. I had loved the story then and I love it now. I am glad that the fairy of hope came out because she is the reason why the world is just as beautiful. With all the cruelty and shocks that unpredictably renders upon us, hope is like a balm to our wounds. It is the mother to our aching souls.  It teaches us to be positive, to be happy and to take on the challenges with courage.  It is beautiful the way hope works for us. I couldn't imagine a world without it. And I now believe that hope is life and life is hope.

 Don’t you find it absolutely amazing how life works? But rarely do we sit down and admire its beauty. Instead we keep our minds busy with numerous unworthy thoughts. And it isn't always a bad thing to do that. We are humans after all. But only if we’d learn to widen our horizon of thinking, of observing, of interpreting! Only then will we be able to truly savour the fruits that life has to offer. Maybe we all should sometimes sit down and appreciate life, rather than just cribbing about it. Instead of thinking of it as one convoluted puzzle, let us try to understand it better. I always believe that life is simple and it is us who think otherwise. Yes, there will always be questions unanswered, meanings not understood and implications unaccounted for. Life can be bitter but the sweetness does exist. Maybe if look at the sweetness more, the bitterness will lessen. But remember too much sweet can cause diabetes. I know life is unpredictable but then remember there is hope.  

“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world's problems at once but don't ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”
                                                                                                           -Michelle Obama

Never stop hoping. Cheers to hope! Cheers to life!

The Ultimate Winner

The Ultimate Winner

We have all grown up hearing the much famous line, “Life is a race”. It has been a part of our childhood, schooling, career, etc. It has been accepted by everyone and is being lived by everyone. For centuries it has been passed on to the future generations like an ancient prophecy necessary for life to sustain. And so we are taught ways and educated in skills required to win this race. Winning has thus become the primary motive in life for, if not all but most of us. The winner is loved and hailed by all; everybody wants to be like the winner. And the loser?  Well, who cares about the loser; nobody wants to be like the loser. But the minute that loser becomes a winner, everyone loves him/her too. The cycle continues and everybody enjoys it. Now, of course, the parameters of winning and losing are also set by us.
Everybody wants the best school, best college, the best house, the best dress, the best job with the highest package and so on. There is also absolutely nothing wrong in wanting the “best” but what is important to note here is that is the best thing actually the best for you?  Have you ever wondered that if this life really is a race then what is it that we racing for and who are we competing against?
Frankly, I believe that in this chaos and fuss of winning and losing the real meaning of life is lost. We are all running this race because we believe that winning will bring us happiness. You know in life the real search is not for success or money, it is for happiness because we believe that by getting all that we will be happy. Sadly however it doesn’t turn out that way for most of us. Do you know why? It is because we are all running after things that others want for us; because we want to prove ourselves to others, for their acknowledgement of our existence. And this is exactly why satisfaction and happiness are a lost cause.
The truth is that this race that we are all running, we are running for no one else but us. The truth also is that there is only one person we are constantly competing against in life, and that is “ourselves”. By this I do not mean to degrade the idea of competition when it comes to getting into an institute or getting a job or anything like that; that is necessary too. But I am talking about the bigger picture here, the picture called life. Now, the sooner you realize that this is your race alone the faster you will become its master and more fruitful will the journey be for you. It is this realization that will help you actually become the winner because it is this that will truly make you happy. And the ultimate winner in life is the one who is happy because to be happy from within is actually one of the most difficult things in life. It is easy to show that you are happy but being happy is a different thing all together. It is easy to smile from the lips but the real smile is the one that comes from the eyes and that happens only when you are happy from within; when your soul is happy. And the soul will be happy when you do things you actually want and not what others want from you.
The secret of winning the race of life is simple. It is to be happy because happiness is what makes you powerful. It is only then that you will be satisfied because you will be living and doing your passion and not living a life of chaos and confusion. Learn to take control of your life and be clear about what you want from it. There is no point in reaching the finish line and not being happy because in your heart you’d know that whatever you achieved was only because they wanted it. But that race would be over, nothing you do then will undo it. However, right now you can because right now it is still in your hands. Remember always that you will never be able to live your life to the fullest so long as you try to live up to others. It is only when you live up to yourself that others will look up to you because in all the chaos it is you then who will stand out clear and confident. It is then that you will truly inspire. Because you shall be the ultimate winner.

“The eyes of a true winner sparkle. You’ll see the brilliance, the peace and the intelligibility. But what will leave you dazzled is the happiness in them.”

Be happy. Be a winner.