Easy and Difficult

Dear All,

It is easy to get education

It is difficult to get education of choice

It is easy to get education of choice

It is difficult to get institution of choice

It is easy to get institution of choice

It is difficult to get a job (read as profession also)

It is easy to get a job

It is difficult to get a job of choice

It is easy to get a job of choice

It is difficult to get an organisation of choice

It is easy to get job in organisation of choice

It is difficult to retain a job

It is easy to retain a job

It is difficult to grow in a job

It is easy to grow in job

It is difficult to grow in LIFE

The one who chooses to grow in Life

Makes all else easy in Life

Continue to invest in LIFE to make it easy...

Wishing you most and more...

Vikram

The Quest for Learning

Dear Friends in the Journey of Life,

"IMPACT 2014" is underway in Hyderabad right now. This is an event organised to empower students. Thousands of students participate in this 8-day learning bonanza and experts drawn from a variety of fields share their wisdom and experience with young learning minds.

What inspired me to write this is a chance meeting with a little boy named Karthik who was bubbling with infectious energy. In a jamboree of students on the verge of completing their basic courses, Karthik was standing out because he is studying only in class IV. 

As I was coming out of the venue yesterday, I had a brief conversation with him which was very inspiring. Gist of the conversation was that he had come to pick some threads of learning using his holiday time well. All I could do then was to silently admire the attitude this child was demonstrating at such a young age - he was demonstrating what 'quest for learning' is. Perhaps his vision was:

I started reflecting on what learning is all about, why is it important, what it takes and how to go about it. Sharing thoughts that emerged.

Learning is a process of being receptive to what all is happening around you. It takes place when the mind is open, eyes are observing and ears are listening. The fundamental requirement is the willingness to add to what is already known. The life is so rich and so dynamic that there are opportunities to learn any time and every time and it is a never ending process.

Why is learning important? Human beings are meant to evolve. This evolution happens only through the process of learning, whether it is acquired by conscious efforts or indirectly by observation or contemplation. It is said that a learning mind is an ever young mind and it continues to expand your horizon.

There are different different ways to enhance learning. To list a few:

     (i)     Look for opportunities to learn and capitalise on those opportunities
     (ii)    Be in the company of those who have 'been there, done that'
     (iii)   Read consistently - not only related to what you do but beyond that
     (iv)   Observe what all is happening around you
     (v)    Reflect on life experiences

“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”  ― Abigail Adams

Every day offers some life lessons, if only we:

However, if we do not learn, we may end up with something like this:

Learning is a choice that each one of us can exercise, life long. Let us commit ourselves to it, now.

Wishing you love and life,

Vikram

Your Driving & You

Dear Fellow Travelers,

I have been driving for quite some time now. Of late, I started observing my own as well as driving of others on the road. Many patterns came to my attention. Reflecting more on these, I made an attempt to relate them to the nature of the person as also what might be going on in the mind of the driver at a given point of time. Many patterns are a reflection of sheer lack of knowledge of rules of safe driving which, of course is very evident the way the licensing system works in our country. That apart, there sure are behavioural dimensions that show up.

Here, I am sharing some of my thoughts with a desire to have a feedback.

There are certain basics in driving viz.

·         lane driving sane driving

·         not using mobile while driving

·         use of seat belt

·         use of appropriate signals

There are those who follow these basics religiously and there are also those who pay scant regard to them. These are fundamentals and those who are not giving respect to them are perhaps compromising with some fundamentals in their lives too. We all know what happens to anything where fundamentals are compromised with.

Let me share my thoughts, beginning with:

Parking:

This is the beginning point. There are people who consider it their right to stop / park their vehicle wherever they wish to. It does not occur to them that it may cause obstruction to flow of traffic or people. They may have lived a life of entitlement or they may have been allowed to get away with disorganised living. Perhaps discipline in their early life was missing and they need to learn some lessons in that.

Rash Driving:

Those who are habitual rash drivers indicate two possibilities:

·         

            They are never able to manage their time well. In the rush to catch up with time, they tend to         drive rash.

·         

            They perhaps want to show off the kind of vehicles they use.

Honking:

Those who have a tendency to honk, most of the time without the need to, are people who have the temperament to speak unnecessarily and also raise their voice when it is not warranted.

Being Honked at:

These are people who give scant regard to what the environment is telling them. They are lost in their own world and the feedback being given to them is falling on deaf ears.

Lane Change:

When we have to change lane, the normal practice is to give signal and move towards desired lane gradually. This is normal practice. There are those who suddenly realise that lane has to be changed and they just barge towards the lane they wish to be in. From extreme left they move towards right to take a ‘U’ turn, obviously oblivious of the fact that such moves are risky and may also obstruct others on the road. Their mindset indicates – me first, others – I don’t care.

Brakes and Bumps:

Some drivers have a tendency to apply brakes more frequently than required. They may be people who slow themselves down because of their own internal challenges. Crossing speed breakers and other bumps skilfully is also an art. Only the ones who are having a vision and are alert can do so without a jerk. How do you cross the bumps?

Finally, there are those sensitive people who know that they are not the only ones on the road and recognise that their driving impacts others around them. So does the way of living of one person impacts the lives of others.

What does your driving tell you about you? 

Good and safe driving is a choice...

Wishing you love and life…

Vikram

Power to Manifest - You Have it

Dear All,

Thank you all for taking time to go through my previous post. It was encouraging. Your feedback will enrich me further.

The other day my daughter was sharing one of her recent experiences. She wanted to change her mobile phone and kept on talking about it off and on. One fine evening, she called to share her joy that she had won a mobile phone in a lucky draw. 

Thereafter, I started reflecting on how my life has unfolded in the last couple of years. On a larger plane, my current reality of working as an independent behavioural facilitator and coach is a manifestation of my desire that I started nurturing over five years ago. On a smaller plane, the number of experiences of manifestation are numerous.

When I started thinking of what all has gone into my manifestations, I decided to share my insights.

We all want a perceptible positive change in our lives. The change may be in terms of career success, wealth creation, empowered relations, just to name a few. Then why is it that we miss out on many of those possibilities that make our lives fulfilling. 

Long time back I read a beautiful quote:

                                          "Everything happens twice"

First in thought and only then in reality. Look at any aspect of life and you will notice that everything that you are experiencing now was once only a thought.

It, therefore, emerges that what we want to manifest must first become a 'powerful thought'. Repetition is what adds power to a thought.

When you go to a restaurant, you are first offered a menu card to choose from. What you order is what is served. What do you do if something that is served does not match with your order. Return it, of course. Even if you want to consume it, that has to be your choice. You can not be forced to pay for it. You must have also experienced that if there is a deficiency in the product ordered, it could always be returned.

Similarly, we are all living in a COSMIC KITCHEN and there is a MASTER CHEF working all the time to serve our order. What we order is what is served. Say 'no' to all that is served without your order.

Another example is your visit to a super market. All the items are beautifully laid out. You pay for what you put in your cart. By the same design, all that becomes a part of your life is in some way opted by you. Stand up for what does not match with your requirement.

To create our manifestations, if we have to list the steps required, they will be:

          * ASK
          * BELIEVE
          * RECEIVE
          * GRATITUDE

From the MASTER CHEF, ask. It is only when we ask, it is given. We have a right to ask, all that we wish to. Whether it is possible or not is none of our business. How will it be arranged is again a question not worthy of our consideration. JUST ASK.

The second step is believe. We will need to believe what we are asking for will be served. Two important values that must be displayed at this stage are 'Trust' and 'Patience'. This is a major qualification step. This is a stage where our deservability is tested. Our mixed associations are a reflection of our lack of belief. An example of a mixed association can be:

'I want to progress in life but I do not want to go out of my present city'.

Affirmations have tremendous power to strengthen the belief.

That brings us to the stage of receiving. At this point, we need to display 'grace'. We are Divine beings and everything comes in our life with His grace.

Finally, express gratitude. Be thankful for all that is becoming a part of your life. Also, be thankful for all that is leaving your life. Things go out from our lives only to create space for new to come in. Connecting with my last post, I reiterate that gratitude is a powerful magnet that brings a lot of goodness in life.

What I have shared above can also be expressed as:

                                      Think About  -  Thank About  - Bring About

I will write about this sequence some other time. 

Sharing some quotes on Manifestation

'Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions.' - Einstein 

'Reality is a projection of your thoughts or the things you habitually think about.' - Stephen Richards

My parting thought is:

In life, we do not get what we want. We always get what we are. 

It is a reinforcement of what I have shared above. We must first 'become' and that leads to getting what we want.

Wish you great manifestations.

Wishing you love and life,

Committed to MAD (Making A Difference)

Vikram

Gratitude - an Invitation to Life

Dear All,

I am resuming my blog writing, for two reasons. 

One, the deep desire to express myself more frequently and two, on 7th March, I set a goal (apparently small but big because of discontinuity) for myself in an informal coaching session with Mr Deepak Sahni (thank you) that I will publish my blog post before 12 midnight on Sunday, 9th March.

What shall be the theme of my writing? A million dollar question that I have been reflecting upon for the last two days and I zeroed in on

"GRATITUDE" or "THANKFULNESS"

Why this theme? I considered it apt because in the journey of last couple of years, I have learnt that gratitude is the mother of all virtues. My conviction increased after I read the book 'THE MAGIC' and did 28-day exercise suggested in it.

Do you want more good to enter into your Life? What is the easiest way to unlock the doors of abundance? Gratitude opens the doors for more good to just walk into your life. It sends an invitation to the Universe that you are a person who is not only noticing but also acknowledging everything happening in your life. Universe loves to respond to the powerful frequency of 'gratitude'.

What does gratitude do to people? After expressing your thankfulness to an individual, have you ever observed the facial expressions of that person? Why talk of any other person when the easiest way to assess that is your own self. What happens to you after someone says thanks to you? Does it bring a shift in your feelings? Does it bring a shift in your energy level? Does it bring a positive shift in your thought process? If yes, it is obvious that something similar is happening to others too. This shift automatically connects you closely to other human beings.

I have noticed that we all take many things in our life for granted. Am I right? Let me share a couple of examples. 

How about the sumptuous food that you eat every day? 
or clean clothes that you wear?
or cleanliness of the place where you stay?
or everything being in order in your office every day you go there?
or the continuity of internet service?
or service in a restaurant?
or garbage being cleared day after day?

The list can go on and on...

My view in respect of all that is happening in my life is: expect things to happen and when they happen, notice them, acknowledge them.

What to be thankful for? To illustrate the point, let us take the example of food once again. Have you ever wondered, who all might have made it possible for the food to be on your table? Before reading further, take a pause and mentally list. How big is your list? Let us match.

- the person who cooked
- the person who cleaned the utensils
- the person who brought the gas
- the person who brought the vegetables and other groceries
- the person who transported
- the person who offered to sell
- the person who serviced you in the store
- the person who grew the vegetables

and again, the list can go on and on... And remember, this was only about the food.

Start noticing every small thing which is making your life possible today and be thankful and observe what this simple yet profound practice can create in your life.

Towards closing, sharing a few quotes on gratitude.

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
― Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

“If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”                      ― Meister Eckhart

A picture that sums it all:

To sign off - my encouragement to you is - Today what will you be thankful for? Please share your thoughts and feedback. 

Wishing you love and life,

Vikram

Daily Choices

Hello,

Today, I am sharing a quote I got to read in one of my mails. How strongly it conveys the message about making daily choices.

You don't have to win the game or the race to be a champion.
Actually, your only true competition in life is yourself.
If you strive to constantly improve,
to make each day better,
to make someone else's load a little lighter,
and make someone's day a little brighter,
then you will be living the life of a true champion.

~Jace Carlton

Two Options - going ahead

Hello,

I had mentioned in my previous post that there are two choices:

One, do what you enjoy

or

Two, enjoy what you do.

If we observe closely, we notice that the word 'enjoy' is used in both statements. The only place where there can be some difference is the nature of work.

Given a choice, all of us would like to be associated with that kind of work which we enjoy to do. However, this is a possibility available to a very small minority of population. In majority of cases, people are in the second category. It means that they are doing work which they do not really enjoy to do.

It continues and their productivity keeps coming down, there is disengagement from the organisation and ultimately, the organisation pays the price.

However, there is a ray of hope for such people also. To lead a meaningful and purposeful life, they must start discovering sources of joy in their existing work. How it uses one's potential, how it supports one's life, how it is useful to many others, how it is a significant part of a larger whole.

Deliberation on such questions opens the channel of thought which leads to finding a meaning in one's work. When there is meaning in the work, there is a feeling of joy and when there is a feeling of joy there is growth.

Getting hooked to one of the two choices mentioned in the beginning plays a major role in coming in harmony with the present. It is very significant because unless there is harmony in the present, how can one look forward to a better future.

Have a lovely today and beautiful tomorrow.

Wishing you love and life,

Vikram