Explore

Exploring different avenues can be interesting, be it learning a new language, a new skill, a different cuisine or anything that one has never tried before. When we are younger, the ratio of new is to old is much higher, where we are constantly striving to acquire new skills, are encouraged and applauded, even if we just pass the first step of learning it.

But as we grow older, gradually this ratio, before we begin to realize, starts reversing, where the old occupies more of our mind space and time. The desire to learn something different slowly reduces, or is probably not encouraged or lets say we tend to make excuses too. Picture a situation where you go out with a group of friends and they decide to explore some off the beaten mountain track, how would you react when you are in your teens or 20s or lets say when you're in your 40s/50s. The answer would be very different for most people, the reversal of the ratio of the desire to learn/explore/take risks is quite evident.

The key to remain ever youthful therefore is as simple as trying out something new often, if not everyday, the excitement and the thrill will not only keep you energy levels high, but as they say, there is too much to learn and explore in this world. Let's keep learning, one step at a time!

Its all about the Voice

The way we speak can make or break relationships, it can encourage someone or demean someone. A mother's sweet lullaby can put a child to bed, or a neighbors loud quarrel can take our sleep away.

We are the only species on the planet that have a language which can be modified according to our emotions. A loving hello to a crush, or an arrogant greeting to someone we don't like. 

If you observe, people who are at peace at themselves and are compassionate, generally have a soft voice which one wants to listen to, versus someone who's selfish and mean could have a hoarse voice with an air of arrogance to it. 

We as human beings must be watchful of the way we speak. As a Napoleon Hill said, "Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another". And another wise person also said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, better to keep quiet".

To put it simply, how well are we using this wonderful gift of the 'Voice'? Checkpoint.

The Perfect Plan

How often do we 'plan' to do something? Be it new resolutions, short term career plan, long term plan, life plan, study plan, marriage plan, children plan, insurance, we can go on and on and on.

Planning can be quite a tedious task at times specially when one has various options, multiple processes and a zillion permutations and combinations. For example, if this happens then I want to do that else something else. It can get heart wrenching and by the end of it the head might start spinning too. 

Bottom line is, no matter how much planning we may do, its the action that really matters. Ultimately you might spend hours and hours in planning (in the corporate world, meetings) but if you don't put it in action, you're not getting anywhere. 

Its great that you're organized, it's great that you 'plan'. But also take out time for the 'action'.

The Free Rider Lesson #9

A free rider, in economics, refers to someone who benefits from resources, goods, or services without paying for the cost of the benefit.

This of course is not just an economic problem anymore, related to the country, the working or the non-working class of people. These days it is pretty much a social problem too, when we talk about school or college projects, getting those passes for a concert, tapping into someones network, we can go on and on.

Over a period of time, I've closed down to a few points, which one may agree or disagree, that are common to these free riders, whatever their scope of function is.

1. Ownership ~ This trait is the feeling of owning the product or service (could be a project, a facial, someone's name...) as if it were there's in the very first place.

2. Thanklessness ~ This point is linked to point number 1. Because they feel they are the kings and queens of the world, they pretty much lack gratitude for what they have received for free. In fact, they often feel what they have received in compensation to their pitiful state is far less than what they deserve. Bottom line is, if you happen to be rode upon, you are never going to receive any kind of a 'Thank you' note, but you will eventually land up doing more than what you can give.

3. Drama queens ~ How the hell do they land up getting all that stuff for free anyway? The answer is very simple my dear friends, they know how to fool you, how to use emotions, they will show you how pathetic a condition they are in. Whether is being in debt, having a terrible illness, a migraine, a viral attack, or its the spouse, the kids, they have a ready list depending on the person whose asking them and the kind of stuff they want for free. In worst case scenarios they will not even shy away from quoting their last experience on how someone was mean to them because they didn't give them their due.

For me, people who have these three traits are the one's to be watchful for, because they are the ultimate 'free riders', the kinds who will land up taking you for a long ride, literally speaking. Maybe someone should produce a Royal Talent show too I propose.

The Search

In life, I think everyone has gone through this phase at least once, if not a hundred times or more. When we are in 'search' of something. The search could be for anything, a piece of information, a good college, a job, a life partner, a holiday destination blah blah blah. But, the point is we have gone through it.

Internet and the search engines have made it far too simple for us, the answer is normally just a click away and you're loaded with information and options. In fact more often than not, there is always information overload. It all starts with punching in what we're looking for, when you think the answer is 'just a click away' as they advertise, we click on another option, then another option in another window. Then there is this one more option which seems close to irresistible. Sooner than you know, you would've landed up opening at least ten tabs with three windows each. And just a click away becomes a hundred clicks away, and a minute becomes an hour or sometimes two hours. In worst case scenarios you land up finalizing on Tokyo when searching for London. 

What is it about the search which makes us wander, lose focus, get bewildered with the number of options I have always wondered. Its literally like opening a Pandora box full of information and looking for a needle in a hay sack. What seems to be just a click away, is actually a lot of minutes away and sometimes hours away. 

Moral of the story ~ Be careful what you're looking for. You just might get it.

Shhhh... Its a secret

How often does it happen, that you land up becoming a party to someone's deep down secret? And specially when you're popular for 'keeping' secrets what happens when you, bump into someone who's the most popular for leaking them out?

Well, in this case of opposites, hell breaks loose. Lets call the person who loves leaking secrets, Miss Lelo. What do you think Miss Lelo will do when she finds out she's been caught in the 'act', red- handed.

Well, what my little wisdom tells me is she'll go all out to demean, insult, humiliate you and in certain cases even 'up' her popularity index somehow. And what my spiritual teaching tells me is that something really terrible is brewing up for Miss Lelo in the 'karma cafe'.

Believe it or not. It's true. So next time, someone approaches you with someone's else's secret. Keep your guard totally up and if possible, just shut the door. Its always better that way.

Trust me :).

Lesson of Life #10

In life when you reach a point when you have to choose between what you think is right or wrong. Always go with your gut feel of what is right and stick to it. That is what is called integrity. Rest is only called being swayed with the crowd. 

A New Book

Start of another week, doesn't feel like a quarter of the year has already passed by. So much to do, which they say is a good sign isn't it? When your hands are full and there's something to look forward to each day. As a wise man once said "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going".

This month started reading the autobiography of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Its always fascinating to read autobiographies, real life stories of individuals who have genuinely worked hard and reached where they are. Is it only hard work and luck or also loads of wisdom to handle all of that I've always wondered. One always needs to be grounded under all circumstances, that's what makes a person truly admirable. Specially when they have reached those crazy heights, winning all those awards and being in the limelight.

A simple person such as me can never even imagine what it is like to be there. Wonder if I want to be there at all in the first place. Maybe the books take me there and that's why I love to read them :).

Odd or Even

There's something odd about everything, if you look at it closely. Everything wants to get even. Whoever said I'm negative, even is good @Oddstreet.

Ramblings

Beauty in being unique

I believe that everyone is unique. Each person is different and should be respected that way. After all diversity leads to growth and all of that jazz. But somehow I cannot help finding similarities in behavior specially in cases such as these:

1. Mother in Law: No matter how stylish, hip, educated, rich, poor, mediocre and 'cultured' they maybe, somehow they all have the same pattern of nudging, being authoritative, snooping or in worst case scenarios even competing with the daughter in law. The similarities are so acute that now I call that the MIL syndrome.

2. The Jealous friend: Its all about the J-factor. There is this category of people, no matter how much you love them, no matter how simple you are, they will always want to compete with you, they will never ever be happy with your success, rather they will always and always find a way to bring your morale down. We've heard about this plenty of times, but these days, people have figured out a subtle way to get to you, that's it! They don't like you, post the funniest picture they have of you and tag the whole wide world in that picture! Not only that, they have sleepless nights tracking what you're up to in the social media (thanks to the social feeds now, it's so much simpler for them). They live in the J-zone, and more often than not also live in the migraine zone.

There are more categories I'm sure. Will write about them at some point of time.

PS: They miss a leader there, someone who can teach them a bit of creativity, any takers?