I have had an eventful life so far and like most other people, I have had my share of learning. Through this post I want to capture some of them. So here are a few.
Teacher – Provided by Shutterstock
– Each person is unique and priceless and we must never forget that. And never let anyone else define what you are worth. In life we can sometimes struggle with self esteem issues and find ourselves doubting our own credibility, looking for others to reassure us. In the perfect world of social media, everyone seems so perfect but in reality everyone has their own insecurities and demons to fight. So it’s important to remember that you are unique and most beautiful inside and out. Before we look to the world to accept us, we must accept ourselves and our own individuality. Find your wings and you will find the wind beneath.
– I have learnt that believing in yourself is the most important thing you can do for yourself. The world may not always be that kind but if you do not believe in yourself, what hope do you have for the world to do so? As long as you have your values and integrity intact, follow your heart.
– Try not to hurt people intentionally but more importantly, try not to hurt yourself. Sometimes in life we are too pressured to conform to the way others want us to be and in that process we end up hurting ourselves. People who love you will accept you and respect you. And those who fail to do so are the ones you should stay away from. Life is precious and we are all here to go through our own journeys. No two people have the same battles, try and learn to respect that. Be kind to yourself and others. That way you will be truer to yourself and those around you.
– There is no single right path to success. When I was younger there was pressure to take on a certain career path that will guarantee success in life and I have learnt that to be far from reality. I didn’t conform and was still successful. The trick is to follow your heart and choose the paths that feel right for you. The most important thing is to be honest and dedicated to your own choices and you will enjoy life’s journey so much more
– Do not cheat. Any good person will get destroyed gradually if they choose to cheat on others, especially those who are close to us and trust us. More importantly do not accept being cheated on – you deserve better. Find people in life that are truly invested in you. People who will love and care for you. Sometimes people make mistakes and if it feels right, we must forgive them. But repeated dishonesty is a form of abuse and we should not put up with that. Choose your relationships carefully.
– I have learnt that we can feel differently about a situation over a period of time. And that’s absolutely alright. Someone once told me that it’s ok to go with the flow at times so we give ourselves enough time to decide what is right to do. I thought that was great advice. Sometimes it gives us a chance to try again at something that may not have worked before and you can be more informed and empowered to take the right call. So I would say sometimes it helps to be impulsive and sometimes it’s good to delay the decision and go with the flow for a bit. Eventually if you feel strongly about something, you will know when the right time is to do it. And then, just do it.
– Life feels like a rat race at times. We are always trying to be more successful, have more money, live grand lives. There is a lot of pressure from the communities we live in. I have had a lot of success and after all these years, what I cherish the most is the people in my life and that the work I do should bring as much happiness and fulfilment as it brings money. Remember that the career you choose should bring you pleasure otherwise it will be just too much hard work and frustration. Follow your heart and enjoy everything you do. My experience tells me that if you do that, success will follow.
– There is beauty in being different – you stand out. When we are different from what is considered as normal one can sometimes feel inadequate or feel like the odd one out. I would say there is no reason to feel that way. Those who love you will accept you the way you are and celebrate your uniqueness. Be different but never lose the goodness in you and you will be alright
– Never hesitate from speaking your mind. Sometimes we say and do too many things to please others but I would say let the world see the real you. Stay genuine but kind. When you are honest and not pretentious you are being kind to yourself and relieving the pressure to be someone you are not.
– Kindness is a very important trait. Sometimes we are kind to the poor, have a lot of empathy for the under privileged but fail to be kind to the people in our lives. I have also not always been kind to people in my life. It’s something worth mastering. It makes the world more beautiful. And as they say, charity begins at home.
– Do not let any one success or failure define you or impact your confidence. I can tell you that it is a really long life and it is impossible to always be successful in everything we try. And how would we learn if we didn’t fail? So be it failures in things you attempt at a personal or professional level, accept them as valuable lessons and move on. There is so much more to experiment with out there. The world’s possibilities will be at your feet if you want to try.
I read a note by a famous artist about karma and it stayed with me. He said that we are brought up with fear of karma – do good and good things will come to you. Do bad and you will need to pay the price. And yet he said, he has never really seen karma play out in real life! And the fact is that one must do good because that’s the right thing to do and not out of fear of consequences or some sort of punishment or payback. When you have the right values and intentions, you do the things that feel right to you. Those who act in fear of consequences fail to be good in the real sense and won’t be dependable as they let an outside force decide how they should act. It was a note by Vikram Bhatt and I thought it was a profound message.
We all have our own lessons and these are some of mine. Take what you find useful and most importantly experiment yourself. As long as the right values in you are the driver of your actions and decisions, everything good will follow.
