Wishing everyone a very happy new year. May this year bring more happiness, joy and success in your life.
-
Life is no less than a maze. It has everything – twists and turns, confusions and illusions, dead ends, road blocks and all that stuff which is halting your full potential to come out. As we can win any maze challenge using planning, similarly life’s various goals and destinations can be achieved through proper planning.
Okay, enough of this theoretical discussion. Let’s jump to the practical part:
This is a challenge for you: In the following picture you can see a maze. Use your finger and try reaching from start to the finish. If you end up anywhere with a dead end, no problems, you can start the challenge again. And, do not skip this challenge, otherwise you won’t learn anything. That’s how practical stuff works, you know.
Here is the challenge maze:
Done?
Great
keep moving down
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Okay, I believe that you were able to complete the challenge easily, isn’t it?
Let me tell you, this is how we all live our lives – literally going through every twist and turn, stumbling upon every wrong turn we have taken. Let’s face it. We all go through ups and downs but the problem is we keep thinking about the DOWNS for prolonged period. Do you do that too?
A similar challenge maze was given to a rat, and he solved it something like this:
Now this may seem quite funny but a few of us does live the life the same way. Tearing apart everything, disturbing the whole system, bothering so many people only because they want to reach to their destination (And a few even does). But in today’s world, if you follow the rat’s rule then all you gonna get is some blows from your competitors, so living life the rat way is not the best possible practice.
So what can be the best path to reach your destination and goals in life?
For this, we need to combine the rat’s rule with the challenge maze.
Here is how it goes:
Simple?
What this shows is that we need to focus always and every time to our final destination, bypassing all the hardships, downfalls, twists and turns, dead ends.
This example can explain more clearly:
Once there was a family of three members – father, mother and a 5 year old child. They went to a festival. The parents started looking here and there to get a toy for their child. While they were busy with their search, they realized that they have lost their child in the crowded festival. They looked here and there for him and finally saw him standing very far away from them.
Now here the question for you – What will the parents do next? Of course, they will run towards him, but that is not my question. The question is – While they are running towards their child where will their eyes be focused? Will their eyes be focused at their child or will they be looking here and there seeing what is there in the stalls on the way or looking who all people come on their way while they venture towards their child?
I will leave this question unanswered for you.
So the next time to face any difficulty on the way towards reaching your goal – try focusing upon the destination rather than the challenge and you will never miss any target in life.
[Note: ‘Sharing is the essence of life’. Share this post with your friends if you feel it is worthy to be read.]
-
As I came back home at 2100 after attending an 8 hour long educational seminar, I went to a Dhaba to have dinner. While the food was being prepared I stood there watching here and there observing the whole scene. There was darkness everywhere, all the shops were closed and it seemed as if it is a no man’s land. And then I saw a man treading his way towards the Dhaba. He was carrying a huge white colored bag. His forward-bent walk confirmed that he has something heavy in that huge bag.
He put down the bag on the footpath and started to take some diffident steps towards Dhaba. His body language, the walking speed, his hand-to-mouth gestures all supported my earlier perception of him having a low self-esteem. As he came into light, I saw his hands colored white as if he has been picking up some dirt and has not washed his hands. His torn jacket showed dirt marks which corroborated the fact that he has no other pair of dress. His torn shoes highlighted that they have really worked hard to carry the man’s as well as the huge bag’s (with whatever is in it) weight all day long.
The owner of the Dhaba was standing just at the entrance instructing his men to close the business day.The man demanded for food from the owner. The owner interrogated, “Tu ki karda hain?” (Translation: What do you do for living?). The man replied, “Mai kuda chakda haan” (Translation: I am a salvager). The owner asked, “Kine kamma lena hain?” (Translation: How much money do you make?). The man replied, “Das rupayeee” (Translation: Ten rupees). The owner suggested, “Das rupayee di ki cheej andi hai aaj kal!” (Translation: Ten rupees have no value in today’s world).
At this point, I thought that the owner is quite arrogant. But I forgot that the most valuable lessons of life are learnt from the bitterest experiences, and that is what the man was learning right now. As the conversation went further I realized that the owner actually is very wise. He said, “Apne aap nu dekh. Ena hatta kata hain. Kal naah toh ke mere kol aa javin, tenu kam de dunga.” (Translation: Look at yourself, you are so strong. Take bath and come tomorrow, I’ll give you work) and after a pause he added, “Jo mai kar sakda haan, tu v kar sakda hain.” (Translation: What I can do, you can do it too)
After this conversation the owner told one of his workman to give him food. By the time, my order was ready. I collected the packaged food, paid the money and drove back home thinking about this till I fell asleep.
-
Have you ever thought what would you do if everything you have right now is taken away from you? What will be your next step? What are the things you will consider and how will you handle the challenges you will face? If not, then you need to read Joyce Shaughnessy’s book ‘A Healing Place’.A dust storm hits the area where Amos and Molly Miller live happily with their small three daughters. No income source is left for the people of that area. On top of this, the bank takes away their land and all their possessions. What will the Millers do next? Will they starve to death leaving everything on fate or will they be courageous and give a chance to try something to better their life?
It is a tale that will make your hairs stand on their end while you read the challenges they faced while they struggled to find a place as peaceful as heaven. I relate myself a lot with the character Jed in the book. It may be because of his determination to be strong, to be mature and learn through practicality over theory. The character who chose the hard way to survive rather than the easy way, where he met a professor who taught him the lessons of life which changed him completely.
Even after struggling and facing the various challenges such as financial crisis, food crisis or feeling of hostility from other families the Millers keep moving, and finally found the healing place – Texon, teaching us that no matter how hard the situation is, if we just keep moving, we can find and reach the destination. While all this happens, Jed becomes completely out of your mind, as if it is a minor character. But no, Jed actually is the major character. The author very creatively used Jed to carry on the story. Jed comes back after 4 years, not to live at more ease but to find his love Addie, the eldest daughter of Millers. To the surprise, even she loved him.
Now they all think that everything is perfect in life. But does life remains perfect when you say “everything is perfect in life”? Jed enlists himself in the military and is promoted very early because of his swift logical reasoning. Then everything repeats again. The World War II starts, and there is torture, dieing, screaming and hostility everywhere in Jed’s life, just like it was 7 years ago when he was 12 years old and met the Millers, fled from his house to find enough food to feed his body.
Learning through various bitter life’s lessons from his experiences on the railroads, he learnt to endure till you can take it, and he did so while he was in Japs’ hands. Tortured like it was hell, Jed decided to commit suicide, end his life by slashing his wrists when he receives a parcel from Addie. That single parcel with the letter made Jed to bear all the torture and enmity, he got rescued and was finally home with his wife Addie and their son Richard.
This is a small picture of the Gigantic World War II. The author unveils the big secret of life: ‘A healing place did not have to be a place on the map; it could exist just as well in one’s heart’ If you care for your fellow being, definitely you will be no less than a healing place for him; a hand for support when he falls; a shoulder to cry on while he is down; an ear to talk to when he needs someone.
‘A Healing Place’ is not just a story about World War II, but it is an enthralling tale of peace blended with struggles, burglars, bravery, robbery, courage, voyage, love, dove (emblem of peace), defeat, conflict, laughter, slaughter and at last, the path to peace.
-
Look into mirror and say “, I am the best”. Look into your eyes in the mirror while you say this. Initially, you may find it difficult to do but with the passage of time you will be able to feel the word BEST in your every cell of the body and you will perform BEST in everything you do.
I recently stopped practicing this, because of being stuck in a tight schedule (which is no way an achievement). What I realized is that I started to underestimate myself.
An amateur qualifies as Black belt in Martial arts after training for an average of five years. I qualified for black belt within just two years. This was because I had the talent and discipline to grab everything I was taught. And of course a great partner -Raghav Gupta, who was a tough competition and made me to go for tougher challenging things.
Yesterday, I had some thoughts of underestimating myself. I felt like as I have qualified for black belt in two years so I lack the talent of three years. But in reality, it is not how it seems.
Let me explain you better with a picture:
I looked at my picture (which was clicked yesterday) and realized that I was only underestimating myself. An average person should be able to kick up to his head level. But when I saw this picture, me and my trainer were taken aback. I just kicked above my head level.
So if you feel like underestimating yourself some time, just go and look at yourself – click a snap of yourself doing something or just look yourself in the mirror and you will definitely find something interesting which will make you to accept “I am not less than anyone because I am being my best”
A single line to conclude: Never underestimate yourself. You can do more than you think you can, all you have to do is just TRY.
Related articles
- What are karate belts used for (wiki.answers.com)
-
As I was surfing some videos on YouTube I came across a very funny video but with a message. If next time you find yourself doing a mistake – don’t worry! even experts do mistake!
Here is the video:
The messages we get are:
1.) Experts also do mistakes, so do not worry if you do mistake.2.) Laugh and let go your mistake but do not let go the lesson you have learnt from the mistake.
-
You might have realized that as we are advancing in our lives, our stress level is also increasing. And we take it as a natural law that age and stress are directly proportional to each other. But in actuality, it is not so. Think about this: are we on this earth to suffer stress? Of course, not.Here are some of the tips you can use to handle the stress and reduce it:
1.) Have a positive attitude:
Be positive. Be positive about people, about situations and challenges. Understand that problems and challenges come in life so that we can improve our life by improving ourselves.
2.) Love whom you hate:
Having hatred for fellow beings will definitely not give you happiness but having a loving feeling towards every human being may give happiness and can act as an antidote of stress.
3.) Don’t take life too seriously:
When ever you feel like you are taking life too seriously, just think about the above picture and have a hearty laugh. Don’t take life too seriously, that will relieve much of your stress instantly. After all it is said Don’t take life too seriously, you can not get out of it alive. So enjoy every moment of your life. Every minute you are stressful you waste 60 seconds of your life which you might have spent smiling, laughing or being happy.
4.) Laugh out loud (LOL):
Whenever you are stressed try laughing out loud. Search for jokes on the internet or watch a comedy movie. That will take your attention off the issue and stress.
5.) Share:
When nothing is working, just share your problem with a friend or a dear one. Because a problem shared is a problem halved.
So the next time you feel burnt out due to stress try making your life more colorful, greener and lighter and definitely stress will fly out of your life.
[Note: If you found the article helpful, you are free to share it with your friends. You never know who may need it.]
Related articles
- Listen Up and Laugh – Health Benefits are Waiting (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com)
- Paid to work on Importance Of Stress Management In Your Life (stressrecoveryfitness.wordpress.com)
- 10 Tips for Managing Pre-Wedding Stress (joyofspa.com)
- 5 Free Ways to De-Stress (getrichslowly.org)
- Laughter is the Best Medicine (poshcaresupport.com)
- Stress and creation (germanforblack.com)
-
As I woke up late being a weekend I realized that I have to go to my martial arts class. I love to be the part of the class. I do not know why but I feel energetic when I attend the class, that is why I do not miss even a single class adjusting the timings in my tight schedule. It would not be wrong to say that martial arts is one of my passions which I never get bore with.So as I woke up at 9:45 AM, I realized that I may be late for the class. I hopped out of the bed swiftly and went straight away to the bathroom to have shower and run for the class. But as I turned the knob there came ice cold water. DAMN!! now what’s that! I wondered.
But I am dedicated and devoted toward my passion whether its martial arts or any other activity for which I am passionate. I took bath with cold water (that too in winter season). I came out, wore the clothes, started the bike and rushed to the class. Well, you need to make sacrifice and sometimes bear tough situations if you need to follow your dreams and passions, that is what I did today.
So what I learnt is that when you are ready to follow your dreams and passions, definitely you will encounter challenges and will face problems but you need to look at the prize and not the hurdles, then success will always be yours!
-
“I watch them tearing a building down,
A gang of men in a busy town,
With a ho heave ho and a lusty yell,
They swung a beam and a side wall fell
And I asked the foreman, “Are these men skilled,
The men he’d hire if he had to build?”
He gave a laugh and said, “No indeed,
Just common labor’s all I need.
I can easily wreak in a day or two
What builders have taken a year to do.”
I asked myself as I went my way,
Which of these roles have I tried to play.
Am I builder who works with care,
Measuring life with a rule and square?
Or am I wrecker who walks the town,
Content with the labor of tearing down.”
– Author Unknown -
Reading my books people say something like “You have copied stuff from somewhere else. How being just 19, you can know so much? I don’t believe. There is something fishy.” Yes, there is something fishy and to explain it I am writing this post.
The fishy thing behind everything is that “I learnt what you didn’t”
Still didn’t get it? No problem, let me explain it a bit.
I am black belt in martial arts. When I was a junior (any belt below brown belt) I always wished my senior (some were even younger to me in age.) and I saw myself improving more than the improvement in other students. And I learned that “Respecting experience, not age, can give you knowledge” This is what you didn’t learn.
Once I was in my martial arts class, and the trainer told me to do “Air dive” (its basically that you run and make a jump, do a flip in air and then land on your feet again) I tried the very first time (yes, on mats) and I fell on my back (and the breath stopped for a few seconds). The trainer told “No problem, again.” I went back and tried again and I fell. The whole day went like the same. I tried the next day and everything seemed the same. “I quit”, I said and the trainer told, “No, you will not go home till you do an air dive” and in the next trial – BINGO! I did it. I learnt “When you take a firm decision, where there is no looking back, you get what you decide.” This is what you didn’t learn.
From the same experience, I learnt “A consistent effort WILL change failure into success” in simple words, “Try… try… try… until you succeed.” This is what you didn’t learn.
When I became SPL of the school, I was given various funny names and was also commented upon even by my own classmates. And I learnt “When you grow, people around you pull you down.” and understood “If you are not feeling resistance, it means you are on the wrong path.” This is what you didn’t learn.
I observed in my class that there were broadly two groups: frontbenchers and backbenchers. The frontbenches shared the same attributes and the same goes to the backbenches (I don’t need to explain this). I learnt “You will get what people you are associating with get” That is what you didn’t learn.
My 9th grade was a turning point, when I first time got a chance to be among the toppers of the batch. I sat and associated with people who were better than me. And soon I became equal to them. I learnt “It hardly matters where you are today or were tomorrow, if you want to grow, choose a better association than who you are and you will improve” That is what you didn’t learn.
After I finished the manuscript of my first book “The Guideline of Life” The pamphlet of the competition where it was intended to go was lost. I didn’t take as a loss but as a lesson. If my book would have gone in the competition and got rejected then I would have never showed this to anyone. After the pamphlet was lost, the book didn’t go for any competition and was self-published by me. I leant “Whatever happens, accept it, because it happens for the good.” This is what you didn’t learn.
After reading the sample chapters of my first book “The Guideline of Life” few people even responded negative to me. While some said that they came across something which they feel they should have learnt much time ago. I learnt “You will always be criticized, no matter what. So just enjoy the positive comments, you are not here to satisfy everyone on this world.” This is what you didn’t learn.
When I was made the SPL of the school, I didn’t know a thing about what that mean. All I knew was that I was ready to learn. I kept every time with the teacher and learnt every little bit of the work. And at the end of the year, I knew almost everything an SPL should know. I learnt “When you do a new thing, its natural that you do not know anything about it. But if you work on it, you can become the best in that.” This is what you didn’t learn.
When I addressed the students various times everyday, I did a lot of mistakes and the teachers were always there to show me my mistakes. And I never took them negatively when ever they showed me my mistake. I learnt “You do not need to be perfect. It’s okay to do a mistake, but only once.” This is what you didn’t learn.
These were just some countable incidents that taught me things which you didn’t learn. Using them, I craft my book.
At the end, all I can say is: “I am not a writer, but just the pen of God.”
Manhardeep Singh 