Facing Failure

Being underrated only gives you the urge to improve. You start modifying your each action, you start learning from the disapprovals, from the rejections and you grow to understand the denigrations. Nothing comes without a solution, when you face hardship you try to overcome it. You try to leverage every possible mental or physical resource you have to duck your decline. Mankind evolves only at the verge of destruction and when you are under pressure your productivity actually increases, you become more efficient and determined to resolve that what otherwise seemed impossible. You succeed only when you fight back against being doomed, only when you have the willingness to contradict your past.

Success on the other hand makes you relaxed in a way that you forget, "nothing is forever" and "change is the only constant". People mostly fail to handle success because they think of settling down, they assume that success will prevail forever. But we all know it doesn't and if it does it needs evolution. We cannot expect the same methods to bring success all the time in the changing environment. Hence to maintain success we need to adapt to change. Failure actually makes us exercise our brains, pushes us to take risks and discover things about ourselves that we never thought existed. It often helps us experiment again to get back the success we had once. Just like Steve Jobs said on being fired from Apple, “The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again.” And as you know the rest happens to be history!

Please like my page on facebook- Click Here

Believing in Magic

I was reading "Very Good Lives" which is the deeply influential commencement speech delivered by JK Rowling at Havard University. In it she says.

"We do not need magic to change the world,

we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already"

May be that's why when we most want to leave, we decide to stay back and give it a try.

May be that's why miracles are done by people who were most discouraged and mislead but did not quit.

May be that's why we get up one fine morning and get that brilliant idea that changes our life forever.

May be that's why the most weird dream at times starts making sense.

May be that's why we find pleasure where we had least expected it to exist.

May be that's why life keeps giving us one more chance and then another.

May be that's why it's never too late and never too early to try.

And that's what Cecelia Ahern says in her book, "The year I met you" that

"Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over,

it became a butterfly..."

Time to believe in magic which comes with simple and ordinary phases of life that leads to Miracles!

Please like my page on facebook- Click Here

Being Woman

Few weeks back we had a corporate training for selected middle level women managers. The trainer, a lady with about 20 years of work experience told us some life changing thoughts. She asked us to get a pen and paper and write down, “What are your roles as mother, wife, sister and daughter?” The next thing she said was to “List down what are your roles and responsibilities at office?” The first question had an exhaustive answer and everyone kept putting down loads of points when it came to relationships. Also we realised that our domestic roles are not well defined and society has lot of expectations from a woman in these areas. We found that office role was very clearly outlined and we understood exactly what to do there. So, the next thing the instructor said was, “Start defining your domestic roles as well and don't let people tell you what you need to do as a mother or wife”. We cannot always have a "perfect" balance and we need to let go certain things without feeling guilty. It is good to have a domestic help and its okay if you can't cook ten awesome dishes after work.

The next very valid point which she made was about, “The area of Influence”. There are certain things we mostly feel are not in our control but they actually are. For example if there is a loud celebration in your apartment and you have that certification to do for a promotion or your kid got exam take that extra step to convince that noisy neighbour assertively. She asked us to move out of our comfort zone and go that extra mile. Sounds very much relevant and what I enjoyed the most in the session was the video showing Sheryl Sandberg's talk, "Lean in". I have also read her book and these three points actually make an impact.

1. “Sit at the table”

      Don't hesitate to be at the center of meeting and raise your hand.

2. “Don't leave before you leave”

      Don't let your future “personal” plans affect your present “career”. 
      May be it's too early to hold yourself back.

3. “Make your Partner, the real partner”

      Make it work together, share the load with your partner J

She then asked us to write what we wanted to achieve in next 10 years. After I read what I wrote I realised that I had my ambitions which I kept hidden for a long time. I wanted to prove myself and take up important roles but wasn't ready to discuss about it with my seniors or even asked for a mentor. I, like every other woman in the room was scared of getting the labels like “bossy” and “selfish”. And I realised instead of wasting my time thinking about others I could actually focus on improving myself and work towards achieving my goals. The session was definitely something to remember and something to implement both in my personal and professional life. I think all women should give it a thought and live a life which they have always dreamt of having. 

Please like my page on facebook- Click Here

What Money Can Buy!

People always have guilt associated with spending money or slogging to earn more but then money can cheer you up. It can actually help in creating an environment where you can experience happiness.

Here are 5 things that money can buy and lift your spirit!

1. A good place to live

"A house of our dreams", is what a young couple says and is where old parents want to settle down. A cool place to spend the rest of our lives, to create memories, to have pride, to build trust and to follow the dreams we have with our close ones. Sure money can't buy happiness but it can support for the same, it can give us what we desire if we put a little effort to earn it.

2. Healthy food

Food is a bare necessity, a basic requirement. But good food or balanced diet can keep you healthy. After all health is wealth but then health requires wealth too! Be it the preventive diet or the doctor's fees or a food that makes you happy and is hygienic, all require some money. So, money becomes a necessity too, not just to meet basic requirements but boost happiness.

3. Classy clothes

How we dress is how we express and its money that can make you feel like you. Also there is nothing wrong in going for labels or good quality elegant products because it actually lasts longer. So you save some money in the long run by going for the "good" stuffs.

4. Social Network 

These days it is not only good but important to do networking. It is often seen that people with good networks are not just good at work but an expert at event management. Sometimes the networking helps you find love and the physical network (Internet of course) makes you connect with your family and friends even when you are miles apart. So, there's nothing wrong in organizing that party or buying the latest tablet or getting a decent car if that can boost morale.

5. Good books and movies

This is my most favourite section. A good book lightens your mood, takes you to a better place of imagination, gives you enlightenment, makes you learn from another's experience and more. So, if you can't wait for that paper back there shouldn't be any guilt in buying the hardbound and nothing wrong in spending a fortune for reading. And yes if you had a fight of any kind or had a hectic schedule for some time, it's never too bad to book a ticket at the multiplex or get the royal seat if that can cheer you up and charge you for the next assignment.

I have experienced all this and I agree with Roman Playwright, Plautus that, "You must spend money to make money". Also I saw some tweets recently which said, "I got 99 problems and money could solve at least 73 of them"!

Please like my page on facebook- Click Here

Growing Wiser

I have always fancied growing old. I know it’s debatable, but I believe when you add life to years you grow wiser. It's actually a phenomenon to embrace what life has to teach every time. And it's a miracle every day trying to be better than what you were yesterday. True that when I was a kid I had less worries but I had no control over my surroundings or even my life. Of course we face more challenges as we grow up but then we are wiser and well equipped to handle our situation. Growing up is about moving out of your comfort zone and daring to take risks. We learn to explore and in the process add values to our life.

For me the best part was doing my graduation and finding the right job. When I was at engineering the study, the tech fests, the trips and the projects played a great role in shaping my future. I was no longer an introvert; I learnt how to make a point and stand by it and developed passion for what I did. The interaction with class fellows and teachers gave me a clear vision. I was no longer the confused person trying to figure out what to do next but someone who was sure about my dreams. I learnt that even if I failed to fulfill any of my dreams, I would actually love the process of trying and never giving up. I have also never considered my job to be just a bread earning thing and it gives me purpose and desire to live. Like I said growing up is about growing wiser, learning more and improving the life of others. There can be no end to learning and there can be no end to imparting knowledge. There are always people who can learn from our experience and we never know who are motivated by our urge to live and learn for better. It is rightly said that it's never too late to start anything new and if we are alive there is still a purpose. Moreover just because you are growing old it never means to stop having fun. Growing up helps to overcome weakness and makes you dare to face failures. So, why be afraid to grow old? Old is definitely gold!

Please like my page on facebook- Click Here

The Shopping Therapy

After a tiring week I have always tried my best to do something relaxing in the weekend. At times reading books, watching TV or browsing just doesn't help. I feel an urge to go out doors to the fascinating malls which we don't have many in Bhubaneswar but decent enough to chill out. I can't tell you how many times I have felt much better and enjoyed reading a book more at the book store or a coffee shop rather than sitting at home. And sometimes just walking in the mall is more relaxing than staying at home and trying to take a nap. I am quite traditional in that way because I would rather love to go and try a dress in a retail outlet than just browse over all those online stores. May be because being in the software industry I anyways spend the whole week in front of the computer and when it comes to weekend I need that rush of people around me or the soothing music that often plays in those majestic stores.

So, who says money can't buy happiness? It actually can! Occasionally having that pizza with extra cheese or having the coffee laced with cream can definitely change the mood, just that we mustn't skip the exercise afterwards. I enjoy treating myself to the little shopping therapy where I often spend most of the time at the accessories store buying one or two items but browsing the entire section. I have tried one more thing, even if I have been to the mall for grocery shopping I window shop the whole mall before reaching the grocery section. This has made me happier and relaxed. I never rush to do the shopping or shop all at a time, I actually plan to invest considerable time in it and enjoy the carefree process. If you plan shopping way in advance it changes from a headache to a real stress buster. True most of the time we end up buying more than our actual needs, that’s why having a plan and knowing what we are buying is important. At times it's even important to know what you need to window shop i.e. "enjoyment" and what you need to purchase i.e. "requirement". This balance makes shopping a soothing experience that cheers you up and lightens the mood. And if you are a man accompanying a lady to the shopping mall you can always tell her the tricks to make shopping a thrilling experience while you enjoy sports in the Electronic section!

Please like my page on facebook-"The Elucidations"

Together We Perform

When I passed college and joined the corporate little did I know that my technical skills are not enough. I thought a cup of coffee and a cosy seat was all that I needed. But gradually I learnt that it's all about working together and performing as a team that matters the most. Right from the initial training program we were taught how to break the ice among us. I remember this exercise conducted by our learning coordinator where we were asked to describe ourselves in a paper rocket and blow it off in the class. The person who gets it had to figure out whose rocket it was and try to learn more about the owner. So, each one of us got someone's rocket and each one of us created a rocket, that way we were no longer strangers to at least a handful of people. Never less we enjoyed the fun filled session. Few days after we were asked to enact a skit and I had all these ideas bubbling out but my team which was built by the instructor, had their own thoughts too. The first thing I had to do was listening to them, the next step was to convey my ideas and the third was to decide on the plot. I saw that when I started listening they were all ears to me too and we worked together to build the script. With the right communication and right planning the skit happened to be the best among all teams. That was perhaps my first lesson at corporate that work is about growing together and making use of each other’s strength.

Few weeks back I was watching the movie "The Imitation Game" when it all came back to me. Though Alan Turing was a brilliant cryptanalyst it was only when he became a decent team player they could successfully break the Nazi codes. It's the team that matters and who says there has to be a strict line between work and fun or colleagues and friends. Sometimes your team becomes your extended family and I have friends who have actually found their soul mates at office. Back at engineering I had read how a group of people need to do the decision making. This is because everyone has their own approach, so some people can see what the others can't. That's why if we need to analyze a problem from all aspects we need to work in a team where everyone's opinion matters. Not only work, life is all about learning and sharing, about growing and making others grow. We may not be prefect on our own but if we are in a diverse team where anybody can voice their opinion and express candour we can definitely near perfection. So, no matter what it is only together we perform and the togetherness can actually work wonders.

Please like my page on facebook-"The Elucidations"