A Rock and a Hard Place

Sometimes life plays hardball with us. We are caught in a situation where we have to choose between two unpleasant options. We know that both will give us displeasure and a lot of difficulty. No matter what choice we make, we know that we cannot escape unhurt in someway or the other. The situation might be personal, social, professional or anything else.

What do we do? How do we choose? 

I wish it was easy. These are times when you will really have to look deep within. You will have to show strength of character and willpower. These are the times when you need to have faith in the ultimate power, the Power of God. Reach within and get in touch with him. Ask him to guide you in making the right choice.

Do whats right. Listen to the voice of God speaking inside you.

Ultimately you will always find that the right choice is the one you always knew, but were hesitating to make. These are God's way of telling us "Look, you have dilly dallied enough. If you won't do it, I will make you choose so that you have no option!" These situations arise because these are things which we should have done long ago but were always putting off for fear of getting hurt, displeasure or hurting someone.

Believe me, I know how difficult this situation can be. I have faced enough such situations in my own life. Many times I made the wrong choice, which eventually led to disastrous results, simply because I did not listen to the voice of God. I did not do what I knew was to be done. Rather I chose to take the easy way out. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way.

'He' has a plan for all of us. We just need to stay alert for the cues. 

Darkness lights

Darkness is dark. Its black and has no illumination. This is our perception of darkness, right? Wrong! If we look correctly we will notice that darkness has probably given us more light than even the brightest moments of our lives. Confused? 

We have all had our 'dark' and 'bright' moments in our lives. The 'dark' moments simply are those times when you have been defeated, felt despair, failure and been down and out. The 'bright' moments are those when you have excelled, attained success and been on top of the world.

We would all love to have only the bright moments always. However unless we experience darkness, how will we ever appreciate light? To know the intensity of light, we must know what is dark. For example, take money. If we have had ample money all our lives, we will take it for granted. Money loses its value. However if you ever had a phase in your life, wherein money was less, you know how it feels. You will value money more than someone who has always been blessed with financial abundance. 

You will drive more carefully if you have even been in an accident (God forbid).

Furthermore, the dark moments of our lives, teach us much more than the brightest moments. We learn much more from our failures than our successes. We learn from our mistakes. It is the best teacher in the world, though a very costly one. We learn to ride a bike by falling down. Once we have mastered why we keep falling, we quickly adjust and do not fall again.

Same with life. With each defeat and failure, we grow wiser, stronger and more efficient. It is Gods way of testing you and making you stronger. With each blow you receive, you will bounce back with even more ferocity. With each failure you conquer, you will grow as a person. Failure and defeat lights our way to success and growth.

Darkness brings Light!

Whats your Goal

Most of us embark on our fitness route without any goal in mind. Our goals defines the path which we need to take. 

If I ask you whats your fitness goal? What would your answer be? Our number one goal is to lose the pot belly or belly fat! Isn't it?

However this is a very incomplete goal. Do you know that's its impossible to lose just your belly fat? No matter how many crunches you do, it won't magically make the belly fat disappear. To lose belly fat, you must lower your body fat %. Period. 

You need to get your fitness goals straight. Its very important if you want achieve what you desire.

The goals might be one of the following:

• Increase cardiovascular fitness and stamina
  
• Lose weight by lowering body fat %
  
• Lose weight period (at any cost)
  
• Lose weight and increase stamina
  
• Gain muscle mass also known as bulking
  
• Lose fat while preserving muscle mass
  
• Increase flexibility and gain weight and so on

Its important to note that two goals cannot coexist at the same time. You might get moderate gains from chasing two goals at once, but it won't pay off. You will end up disappointed.

For example to lower body fat %, you must burn more calories than you consume. Carbs are to be kept at a minimum and cardio is a must. However if you just want to gain muscle mass, then the opposite must be done. Eat more calories than you burn, carbs should constitute 40% of your diet and cardio is to be kept at minimum.

See what I mean? Trying to lose fat and increase muscle mass at same time are contradictory in nature. You just won't get the results you want! 

Choose a goal, stick with your exercise regime for atleast 3-4 months. Don't expect miracles. You did not put on all that weight overnight right? So how do you expect to lose it overnight? Be realistic.

Success matters

• Would you like to be more successful?
  
• Would you like to achieve targets easily?
  
• Would you like to win most of the time?

One easy way to do all the above is to surround yourself with successful people. Successful people have a different way of approaching problems. They are more focused and are more prone to meeting targets and deadlines. They simply do not like to fail. They do not make excuses or accept excuses for failure. 

They create a positive environment around them and inspire others to give their best. After all, they know that repeated success requires teamwork. They stay motivated and motivate others to be successful. They simply walk and talk differently than less successful people.

The more you surround yourself with successful people, the more chances are that you will start being successful too. Their 'stuff' will eventually start rubbing off on you. Of course you will still have to work hard and smart. You will start delivering results, stay more focused and make less excuses for accepting failure. 

You will simply want to win each and every time!

Cleanse your Soul

When was the last time you cried or really spoke out? When was the last time you let go of all your pained emotions, stress and things which burden you down?

In our day to day lives, a lot of events occur which we are not proud of. Worries and problems weigh us down. We shout at people without meaning to, we hurt our loved ones, we lie to protect ourselves, we even cheat ourselves (diets, smoking etc). No matter how well we deal with these issues and hide them, they are always a part of us, even if subconsciously in our souls.

Which is why its so important to clean your soul every once in a while. Whatever you have done in the past, its important to let go and forgive yourself. Its vital that you 'cleanse' your soul of the burdens weighing you down. Only then will you be able to move ahead in life, stress free. Otherwise these issues will break you down, sooner or later.

Cry out if anything is paining you, speak to a friend or even to God. Confess your blunders and mistakes. Drop your ego for a while. Connect with the universe. Reach out and hug the people you have hurt and say 'Sorry' (When you do, mean it!). Do a good deed.

Clean your soul at least twice a year. Trust me, it will make you feel much better and lighter.

Value of Life

As I am writing this post, a dramatic series of events are occurring in my hometown, Mumbai (India). For the past 40 hours, Mumbai has been under terrorist attack.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/26_November_2008_Mumbai_attacks

Many lives have been lost and many lives have been permanently scarred by these events. Makes me think 'How much do we really value our lives?'

Don't we take our freedom and life for granted? We are always fussing over petty things and not focusing on the real issues of life. Until such horrendous situations occur, we do not sit up and take notice. We start to realise the value of love, friendship, family and happiness only in times of dire situations. What happens then? For the next few days we 'wake up' and see the world in a different light. We begin to appreciate the things which really matter in life, rather than just concentrating on money.

However slowly but surely, we start forgetting all this and start to slip back into our old ways. The hectic life takes over and we are once again back in the rat race. Same habits, same thoughts and same actions take over. We again depreciate the value of life. 

Until again, some day, we are rudely reminded how valuable life is by some unfortunate events.

Why must we wait for these events? Why do we not value our life as if its our last day on Earth? Will we not be happier and more peaceful?

Isn't that the purpose of life? 

Lets unite in these tough times and appreciate the life given to us by God.

Its as Simple as That

Its your life! Nothing can be simpler than that. What you do this moment, slowly makes up your life. Seconds turn into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, days to months and these months turn into years. They make your life. Not your spouse's, parents, children or anyone else's, but 'YOUR' life. They define you.

What you do, say and think every moment makes you, 'You'. If you want a simple life, don't complicate it. If you want to be happy, don't find reasons to be sad. If you want to be great, go for it. If you want to love, then just love, don't expect to be loved first. If you want peace, first be at peace within.

Life is as simple or as complicated as we make it.

Its YOUR life. Its as simple as that.

Duck Tales

Have you ever seen ducks in real life? They seem to glide effortless through the water. They are in full control and seem one with nature. They seem calm and tranquil.

Viewing this serenity, little do we know how much activity is going on beneath the water. If you take a look underwater, you will immediately see how frantically ducks paddle to stay afloat. They paddle furiously to glide through the water. They never stop. They just go about doing what they have to do. Why do we not notice this? Why do the ducks appear to be so calm and composed, in spite of paddling furiously? In spite of their vigorous activity, the water appears calm. The ducks appear calm.

Isn't this how we humans should be? No matter how hard we are working or how frantically we are trying to stay 'afloat', we should remain calm and should not disturb the environment around us. Whoever views us, should view as a picture of tranquility and peace. 

Doing so will add to your personality and character. People will appreciate you as someone who can stay calm and focused even when situations are difficult. You will be someone who knows how to stay composed in a storm.

No matter how much in turmoil you are within, always try to exhibit control and calmness. Be in control of yourself. Do not show, externally, that you are upset or in turmoil. Show maturity.

Nature teaches us so much, if we only stop to notice.

Emotional Intelligence

Throughout our education years, we are constantly reminded that grades are important. Study hard if you want to get ahead in life. The higher you score, the higher your IQ (Intelligence Quotient). Those with higher IQ's are presumed to be more successful in life than those with average IQs. Even Companies look for this skill when they are recruiting.

Is this really so? Is IQ the only or the major factor which drives success? Certainly, a well trained brain gives you necessary skills to be successful. A good education sharpens ones abilities to do well in life. Go ahead and get the best education you can get. I am all for it.

However I believe that your E.Q (Emotional Quotient) a.k.a. Emotional Intelligence will ultimately decide where you reach in life. EQ is the ability to understand your own emotions and the emotions of people around you. It means that you have a self awareness that enable you to recognise feelings and helps you manage your own emotions, to make good decisions in life.

No matter how intelligent or smart you are, if you have a low E.Q then you will make foolish decisions. You will not be able to channel your life to where you want to reach. Your life will be based on your emotional being. If you are feeling good, then you will perform well. If you are upset then you will make critical errors which will jeopardize your ability to stay focused and your ability to perform.

There is no such thing as a perfect life. We all face problems in some way or the other. Obstacles will always be there. At many times the environment or situation will be adverse. How do you deal with these situations? Are you reactive? Are you unable to handle delicate or tough situations? Do you have huge upheavals of emotions, extreme happiness or extreme sadness? How do you deal with people?

Unless you are able to raise your emotional intelligence, it will be very difficult to really get ahead in life. See the top leaders of the world. They all exhibit remarkable personality, no matter how difficult the situation. They are able to judge rationally and keep negative emotions in check. Nothing seems to rattle them.

I have seen many people, who were always scoring straight "A's" in school. They were always in the top 3 in class. They were very smart and always did well in academics. However these same people are failing in life. They have mediocre jobs with average or even less than average salaries. Even though they did really well in academics, they are now struggling with life, their careers and family life.

Why does this happen? 

Emotional Intelligence is the answer. These people have low EQ's. They are unable to cope with the world and the environment. Left to themselves, they perform well. But in a social environment with multiple factors influencing their lives, they fail. They are reactive. They are unable to plan their life. They make stupid decisions which seriously impair their life's outcome and direction.

I am sure you must have also seen many people like this in your life. People who were gifted as students but are struggling with their life as adults.

Raise your emotional intelligence and see wonders happening.

You Will Never Know Until You Try

• "I will not be able to do it"
  
• "I cannot"
  
• "Not possible"
  
• "No Way"
  
• "Can't"

These are some of the most overused words in our vocabulary. We utter these words before we even try anything new. We fear failure, so we do not even bother trying. We get defensive and back out even before we have stepped into the ring. Already we dread what may happen. We never think that by doing the act, positive things might happen. We just feed our fears and assume only a negative outcome. 

How will you know until you try?

How will you know what you are capable of, until you actually perform the feat? Who knows, you might outshine others and might actually enjoy the same thing you were dreading.

Sure, some first time experiences might not come out good, but that's what life is. You will get sour grapes every once in a while. This should not prevent you from trying out every activity at least once in your life.

The greatest journey begins with a single step. If you do not take that first step, how do you expect to embark on the journey?

Never fuel your fears. In fact use the energy behind the fear, to do the same thing which you fear. If you have been putting off anything because of whatever reason, do it today. Experience it at least once in your life.

Maybe it is public speaking, saying "I Love You" to someone, sky diving, asking for a raise or as simple as trying a new cuisine. Make a list of the things you have always wanted to do, but never got the courage to perform.  Make it right now! Go about doing these things, at least once. 

You will never know until you try.

Mountains Don't Move

Mountains are static by nature. They stay still and pose as huge 'barriers' in our way. They are obstacles of immense magnitude. They are simply huge and overwhelming.

These mountains represent any obstacle, barrier or hurdle we are facing in our lives which seems insurmountable. They pose immense difficulties and problems in our lives. We focus all our energies in trying to move these 'mountains' from our life. We feel that if use all our strength, these mountains will simply pack their bags and go away.

You are wrong. Mountains do not move. They will stay where they are. So what do we do?

Instead of trying to move mountains, you must try to move your life so that you leave the mountain far behind. These mountains must never come back in your life. If you simply move the mountain, then sooner or later you are bound to bump into it again! You do not want the same problems repeating again and again in your life.

The only course for you is to either plough through the mountain or drive around it. Imagine your life as a journey in a car. On route to your destination, you will encounter mountains of different sizes. Do you get up and try to move the mountain or do you just drive through it (tunnels) or drive around it (winding mountain roads)?

Same is with life. Drive through problems or drive around them. Go ahead with your life so that these 'mountains of problems' do not effect you again. 

For example, if the lack of financial security is your 'mountain', then raise your income to a level wherein this mountain is left far behind. By taking a loan or a temporary second job will not solve the problem. You are simply just trying to move the 'mountain'. Sooner or later you will bump into it again. Only solution is to plough through your financial limitation and get financially secure. Build income generating assets or investments yielding returns which are over and above your monthly needs. That way you leave the 'mountain' far behind.

Mountains are an inseparable part of the journey of life. You will encounter them. When you do, make sure you know how to get ahead.

Exercise to get Smarter

We all know that exercise is good for us. Yet how many of actually exercise regularly? Sure, almost all of us have been to the gym or 'tried' walking around the park for exercise. We do it religiously for a month and expect miracles to happen. Then we just drop it and become lazy again.

The New York Times reports that exercise can make your brain process information faster and more efficiently. To quote from the article "Scientists have been finding more evidence that the human brain is not only capable of renewing itself but that exercise speeds the process. "We've always known that our brains control our behaviour," Gage says, "but not that our behaviour could control and change the structure of our brains."

Interesting isn't it!

If you have ever exercised before, have you noticed that once you get through the initial breaking in period, you actually start to feel more energetic and full of bounce throughout the day? Your body simply seems to move faster, you can do more things and you can even think better. Regular exercise simply makes you less susceptible to illness. When we are ill, our minds cloud and we cannot perform to our best. Proof again that exercise makes you perform smarter.

With regular exercise, your mind is more active and you will perform much better in all activities, physical or mental. The fact that you will look physically appealing is icing on the cake! 

So lets be smarter and look better starting from today.

Learning from Children

We often undervalue the value of children. We feel that only children can learn from us and only we can teach them. You are greatly mistaken. We adults can learn a lot from children.

For starters, children view the world very differently. Their imagination knows no boundaries. They truly 'Think out of the box'. For them, nothing is impossible. Everything around them is a mystery waiting to be explored. No challenge is too big or obstacle too large. To achieve their target, they will use the most ingenious ways. Ever tried hiding a jar of cookies from a child? He/She will find it and reach it no matter what. Hows that for achieving targets?

Ever lost anything in your house? Ask your child. He will tell you where you kept your car keys. They are very observant. Nothing escapes their little eyes. They take in what they want to see and ignore the rest. That's filtration at its best! We as adults as so inundated with useless thoughts and actions. They know what they want and they know how to get it!

They live simple, uncomplicated lives. If they get hurt, they cry for a while and then bounce back with the same ferocity as before. Moments later they are laughing again. We adults get upset over something, we sulk for hours and even days over it. How does that help us?

They are infinite sources of energy. You and me, we get tired after a days work. Your child is jumping around the whole day and still wants to play with you when you are ready to tuck in at night!

They learn at an amazing rate. They never seem to forget things. They know what is right and what is wrong. They will go out of their way to help you and will not even wait for a thanks. They just do their part and move on. Is this how we behave?

The other day I did something wrong. I lost my temper and was behaving very unreasonably. My son, who is only one and a half years old, immediately shook his finger at me and said "Papa, No". He hasn't even started speaking full sentences, yet he was a better judge than me. Thats their beauty.

They are never afraid to correct you if you are wrong. They have no fears. How many of us can say that? In fact, we adults instill fear in children. 

They correctly say that children are a direct reflection of God. They will teach you so much, if only we are open to learning from them.

With children, life is truly a beautiful adventure.

Negativity

Negativity is like a plague. It destroys you swiftly and silently. You do not even come to know when it starts effecting you and soon it completely takes over your life.

Negative people and a negative environment will creep up upon you, no matter what you do. These will eventually burden you down. They will destroy all creativity and happiness within you. They will rob you of the simple joys of life. They will turn you into a negative person.

Avoid negative people at any cost. These are the people who are always talking about other people faults. For these people, the grass is always greener on the other side. They always talk as if they are a victim and how bad this world is. They always see the dark side of life and the dark side of people. Everyone except them is to blame and is at fault. They are doing their best. Its the other person who is the problem. They feel they are 'smarter' than everyone else.

Another form of negativity is, when it arises because of your own self. This happens when you become negative by nature. Negativity is a parasite. At first we get immense ego satisfaction from it. You truly feel you are superior to other people. However, slowly but surely it will eat you up. It will feed off you and grow stronger, at the same time making you weak. All your energy becomes focused on negative thinking, negative statements and eventually leads to a negative lifestyle. Opportunities will fly by your face and you will not even recognise them because you are too busy criticizing the world or someone. 

I recommend everyone to read "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale. Its an amazing book.

When you are positive your dreams can come true. Negativity, in any form, hacks away at these same dreams. You exist but remain a fraction of whom you can truly become.

Be positive every single moment of your life. Its the greatest gift you can give to yourself.

Be the Miracle

The other day I was watching a movie on HBO called "Bruce Almighty". Its about this guy who is always complaining to God, so God simply gives him all his powers. After being God for a while, the guy (played by Jim Carrey) realises the truth and ends up saying "Be the Miracle". 

Powerful thought.

We are always hoping for a miracle to happen. We believe that God will somehow come and solve our problems, he will somehow make the impossible possible. 

What we do not realise is that we are the miracle. Miracles do happen, but they happen because of YOU! Gods power is always behind us. We just have to unleash the force within and anything can happen. God is within each and everyone of us. His infinite power is within us. We just need to tap into it.

All problems have solutions. These solutions are within us. We just have to reach out and touch them. We can make anything happen, if we want it badly enough. If we are focused, honest in our intentions and truly committed, miracles happen.

Be good to people, speak good words and do good deeds. Always try to help people in need. Who knows, 'YOU' might be the miracle they are waiting to happen? Who knows how someone else's life might change because of you. You might be the miracle for them?

Make magic happen for yourself and everyone around you.

You want miracles to happen? Go! Be the Miracle!

Suffocation

There are times in life when a person seems to get suffocated. Everything seems to close around you. It becomes difficult to function normally, thinking goes haywire, logic goes out of the window and the world just seems to weigh down upon us.

Have any of you experienced this, at some point in your lives? I am sure you have. There are times when no matter what you do, you are unable to get out of the situation. You are stuck and really feel helpless and bound.

Your mind starts getting myopic and you cannot see the beauty around you. Even though you are aware of the opportunities before you and what you have to do, you are unable to boost yourself up. The smallest of things starts giving stress and you really become out of tune with who you truly are. Anger, frustration and irritation seem a normal part of your day.

What do we do in these situations? I really feel that this is where the love and support of your loved ones comes into play. When you are unable to smile for yourself, you need someone or something to make you smile. 

A change of scenario will also do wonders. Sometimes we get so wrapped in day to day affairs that it robs us of the simple delights of nature. Take a walk in the woods or go for an adventure holiday. Get in touch with nature. Change the pace of your life. If you live a fast paced life, slow down. Enjoy with your kids. Recharge your batteries with the unlimited power of our planet.

These are times when you need to give your mind a break. Try meditating. Try easing off the worries from your life, at least for an hour a day. 

Learn to relax. Remember its not the end of the world and there will always be a new tomorrow.

You are what you Eat

If you are fat, its because of your eating habits. If you are unhealthy, its because you have made choices in food, lifestyle and other habits that have contributed to you being unhealthy. 

No matter how much you exercise or workout, if you do not get your eating habits straight, you will simply not make good gains. Losing weight or getting fit is 20% exercise and 80% what you eat.

Junk in is junk out. What you eat, fuels your body. Eat junk food and your body will turn to junk. Eat wisely and your body will reward you. 

Stay off diets! They will only result in temporary weight loss. Besides they are not healthy. Be wiser. Be careful of what you eat. Try to get nutritious, natural foods which include lots of vegetables and fruits. Avoid fried foods as they unnecessarily add calories. Do not abstain from eating your favourite chocolate, just consume less of it and in smaller quantities.

Eat more frequent meals, in smaller quantities. I recommend eating every 3 hours. If you are in the habit of eating 3 meals a day, split each meal and consume it in two parts. Space each part by 3 hours. Your metabolism will sour which will lead to a fitter you!

Ideally, you should be consuming:
50% Carbs

30% Proteins

20% Fats

Yes, that's right! Fats are essential for your well being. They will NOT contribute to your gaining fat. You put on fat when you consume more calories than you burn. Pure and simple.

To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume.

To gain weight, you must consume more calories than you burn.

Go ahead and eat that all the chocolates you want but just make sure you put in the extra hour or two on the treadmill burning off all those extra calories!

Just the same way as you will not allow anyone to throw garbage into your car, don't allow yourself to put garbage into your body!

Your Choices Define Your Life

We are the product of our choices. We choose who we were, who we are and who we are going to be. Nothing is a matter of chance or a matter of luck. It all boils down to the choices we make in life.

If you were brilliant as a student, it was because you choose to study hard and choose to achieve a certain level for yourself. It has got nothing to do with brainpower or how intelligent you are. If you know that you are not a genius, you can either choose to accept that and get average grades or you can choose to work harder and get A grades. Its always your choice.

Where you are in life today, is a direct result of the choices you made. Even though you might feel you didn't have a choice, you are wrong. You ALWAYS have a choice, no matter what.

You can choose to laugh or cry, you can choose to be fat or super fit, you can choose to be a victim or be a survivor, you can choose to fight or to give up, you can choose to be angry or to be calm, you can choose what you speak, you can choose how you present yourself, you can choose your spouse, you can choose the quality of life you lead, you can choose who you want to be.

You may not always make the right choices but that leads to experience. With more experience you make better choices. Decide what you want out of life whether financially, socially, emotionally or physically and choose to stick with it. Things will eventually work out.

If you are unhappy with any aspect of your life, today, make the choice to rectify it immediately. Don't behave as if you have no choice. There are always choices.

You choose your destiny. Its the greatest power you have.

Value of Sorry

How many times do you end up saying "Sorry" in a day? Though its good to apologise for something we have done wrong, most of us use the 'Sorry' word too liberally. It actually loses its value and becomes as common as answering the phone by saying "Hello".

We do something wrong, we immediately say "sorry". Then we go and repeat the same mistake and say "sorry" again. Are we truly sorry for what we have done? I don't think so. For petty problems and mistakes, its OK to use sorry as an apologetic term. For problems or mistakes of more severe nature, we should truly mean it when we say sorry to someone. We should feel it within us and try not to repeat the same mistake again.

I know some people who just keep on saying sorry and keep doing the same mistakes or causing the same problems over and over again. Their 'sorries' have no value whatsoever because I know that they do not really mean it. Its just like saying 'Hello'.

If you are really sorry, it will show in your eyes and it will show in your actions.

Don't become like the boy who cried 'Wolf!'. Who knows, when you are really sorry, people will not take you seriously.

Its good to apologise for our mistakes, but make sure you do not repeat the same mistakes. Each time you say sorry to someone, you should really mean it from your heart.

Be the Superhero

What if I told you that you are a Superman or Wonderwoman? Not just figuratively, but actually in real life. You will laugh at me right? However, you are indeed a superhero! If you are a parent and have young children, this is especially true. You are their Superman/Wonderwoman! No doubt about it.

There is nothing that you cannot do. You can fly and make them fly along with you, you can make anything happen with your super powers. You are their protector and their strength. You are invincible. You rescue them when they are in trouble. You guide them along their life path. You defeat bad and make everything good. You tuck them safely into bed at night and stand guard over them. You give them strength to be good and do good. You teach them whats right and whats wrong. You can do anything they ask you to do.

Their eyes see you as infallible. You are indeed their superhero. You make magic happen.

Do we live up to this image? Do we behave as superheroes at home or in our lives? We have been given this opportunity, to be real life superheroes. Lets live up to it. Let us not let our children down. Lets always be their Superman or Wonderwoman no matter what.

Be the Superhero!

Stuck in Life

How many of you are living the life of your dreams? When you went to school or college, you had envisioned a certain life for yourself. Are you living that life right now? If you are like the majority of us, the answer probably is 'No'.

Why does this happen? Why are we not able to live our dream life and get stuck in the life we have? The answer is the same for all of us. 

• We have to pay bills
• Life has not given me what I wanted
• I have a family and responsibilities
• What if I fail then how will I support my family
• Something is better than nothing
• One day I will get out of this and really do what I want and live the life I want
• I am just waiting for that break
• Circumstances prevent me from being my best
• I am not that lucky
• etc. etc.

Sounds familiar?

You know, I would like to say that all this is utter crap and you should really go after your dreams and live the life you want. Just take the step and see miracles happen. Everything will work out. Do it NOW! 

HOWEVER, I have realised that this will probably make it worse for you, incase things don't work out fast. Reality if very different that what we hope for. We do not have control over the future. Though, through perseverance, focus and dedication, we can shape our futures, it takes time. There will be moments of failure and success. In the end, it will be worth it, but what about the time taken to make that journey?

Till then we have to be able to pay bills, to be able to support our family, to make ends meet, to live a normal life without worrying where the next buck will come from. We have to 'sacrifice' our dreams and what we can become, in order to support our family. This is why we end up being stuck in our life's, day in and day out. Even though we would like to get out and do what we really want, to become someone, to really shine, to be the best we can become. We have to settle for less and continue being stuck in our present life. We work for people who do not value us or recognise our abilities, we are often taken for granted by people close to us, at work people with lesser skills, knowledge and talents 'boss' over us even though they don't know what they are doing. This is life. We have to bear all this as we are stuck in life.

What do we do?

It would be foolhardy to just throw everything away and start doing what you want. If you are able to support yourself, with no income, for the next one year, go ahead and do that. However if you are like the majority of us, that will not be possible. It will be financial suicide.

Here's what you have to do.

1. Stay in your current job or business. This will help to pay bills and support your family
   
2. Write down what you want to achieve in life
   
3. Be very specific about what you want to do, what you want to achieve and where you want to go  in life
   
4. Make a detailed plan for living the life of your dreams
   
5. Give yourself a definite time frame both, for starting your dream life and achieving it.
   
6. If you have a 9-5 job, dedicate atleast 1-2 hours a day getting things rolling for your dream life
   
7. Be very aware of the starting deadline you have given yourself
8. Do all preparatory work, all research beforehand
9. Do 'test' marketing of your dream life. Live that life for an hour a day and see the results
10. Once you have a constant earning source, no matter how little, through that alternative dream life, then take it to the next level
11. Once you are earning atleast 75% of your current salary level, through the alternate dream life, then you can start planning to quit your current life
12. Finally, quit your current job and focus fully on your dream life

I personally feel this is the most practical way of getting 'unstuck' and living the life of your dreams. This is the practical approach. Most people know this, but what they lack is the determination and the dedication to build their dream life while at their current jobs. They just never get down to it. They think it will magically happen. Magic doesn't just happen, YOU make the magic happen.

Get unstuck, plan your dream life and make the magic happen!

Festive Binging

The festive season is here again and inevitable ends up in eating and drinking in excess. Your diet goes out of the window during these days and all the gains you made seem to go to waste. When you tuck into bed at night, you are haunted with guilt over that extra gulab jamun or rasgulla that you ate (These are Indian sweets).

How do you manage to stay on your diet or calorie target during the festivities? The easiest answer is "Don't eat the sweets!", but that is not the practical one. Here's what you must do.

Firstly, eat them in smaller quantities and lesser varieties. For example instead of eating two pieces, eat one. If you want to eat different types of sweets, choose to lessen the quantity. Instead of eating whole pieces, choose to just taste each. Settle to enjoy the one you like most.

Secondly, try to burn the extra calories in any way you can. For example, take the stairs during this period. Even though its difficult to find time to go to the gym, maybe you can go early in the morning. Do an extra 15 minutes of cardio to balance the extra sweet or fried food eaten. When visiting relatives, try parking a little distance away and walking the rest.

Even if you do end up eating more than what you planned for, don't worry. Its not the end of the world. You can always balance it off later by doing more cardio or adjusting your calorie intake for the next couple of weeks.

Enjoy the festivities.

Setting the Bar

Too often in life, we compare ourselves with other people. We tend to see ourselves, where we are in life and how we live our life, through a direct comparison with other people. While this is inevitable in this competitive age, I believe that ultimately it all depends on how high or low you set the bar for yourself. 

Like they say 'The race is long, but in the end, it is only with yourself'.

We need to set a certain standard for ourselves which you can call your 'Bar'. Once you set your bar on a certain level, simply do not accept yourself on a lower level than that. No matter what happens, you should always strive to carry yourself at that bar level.

The 'Bar' simply defines who you are and how you want to be presented to the world. Its' YOU' in every sense. It defines what you speak, how you carry yourself, what thoughts you think, how you dress, how you relate to the world etc. Its the minimum level you will accept yourself as. 

No matter how challenging the situation or how difficult the other person might be, you chooseto live up to the bar that you set for yourself. Nothing should make you lower the bar, that is, lower your standards. 

Set the bar high and live up to it. You will see miracles happening.

Third Rejection Principle

Do you know whats the secret to clinching a deal or to get what you want? Its what I call the 'Third Rejection Principle'. It simply means that human beings have a tendency to reject things three times before they finally say 'Yes'. This is the secret that all good sales people know. Just because someone says NO to you, doesn't mean it is imprinted in stone. The 'no' can easily change to a 'yes' if you are persistent enough.

Unfortunately, the majority of us give up before we even reach the three rejections. We simply get afraid that we will be rejected again, that we are wasting our time or lack the courage to ask again. However applying the Third Rejection Principle' will give wonderful results. This does not mean that you need to ask "Will you sign this contract?" thrice in succession! You will simply get "NO", "NO", "NO" in return and will end up infuriating the prospect. You need to be innovative in your approach each time or ask intelligent questions, which will eventually lead to a 'Yes'.

For example supposing you are interrogating a hot property, which has a bank mortgage and is going to be foreclosed, and would like to speak to the owner. This is how the dialogue might go about. 

You: Can I speak to Mr/Ms.xyz?

Owner:  Who are you? I don't speak to strangers (Rejection No.1)

You: Sir/Ma'am I have come to know that this property is mortgaged at the bank, which is going to foreclose soon. I would like to talk to you about that

Owner: You are mistaken. I pay installments on time. You have the wrong house (Rejection No.2)

You: Isn't this House no.xxx which is held by M/s ABC. Bank.?

Owner: My husband is not at home. I cannot talk right now (Rejection No.3)

You: Ma'am, this is very important matter.  I would really like to help you out. (show them papers on foreclosure). If you give me a moment I will explain these papers to you, and together we can help get you out of debt. Please give me a chance to help you.

Owner: (after looking at the papers for a while)..Please come in.

You see how it goes. If your cause and effort is genuine, after three rejections, people do say yes. However if they don't say yes even after the fourth attempt, I suggest you either rework what you are offering or you simply move on.

Think of rejections as Objection Doors. You have to open atleast 3 doors to get through to your goal. Keep the image of an 'Objection Door' in your mind. That way you will not give up, when you are just about to reach your goal. 

Stay with it. Apply the 'Third Rejection Principle' whenever you are faced with rejection.

Let your children fly

Young children are like putty. They will be molded to take the form of the environment they are presented with. What they see, hear, learn and experience in their toddler years has a profound impact on their future as adults. The environment you expose them to, whether emotional, physiological, physical, social, family etc., will all ultimately effect your child's view of the world.

As parents we should let our children fly from an early age. Even if we are limited in some way, whether physically, financially or in any other way, does not mean we have to expose our children to these same limitations. Let them truly soar and take flight. Do not limit them in any way. Try to expose them to as many different things as possible. 

Have any of you seen the movie "Life is Beautiful"? (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118799/) Its the story about a father, who in spite of being in a Nazi death camp, still manages to infuse laughter, fun and happiness in his son and protects him for the harsh reality surrounding them both.

Can there be more dire a situation? Yet, how many times do we scold, shout or even beat our children just because we are irritated or upset over something else? How many times do we take our anger and frustration out on our children, even if we do not mean to do so? How many times do we say NO to our children, when they want to play with us, just because we have had a stressful day or we are tired?

See the movie if you haven't and even if you have seen it, see it again. Show your children the wonderful world of ours. Show them to dream big and that nothing is impossible. Be a part of their world rather than letting them be a part of yours. The world is a very different place through the eyes of a child. Show and explore this wonderful world of ours with your child. Teach them that nothing is impossible.

Let them choose their own flight path and decide how high they can fly. 

Networking

What makes up Earth? I mean as a civilization on this planet, what makes us Earth? The answer if People. Yes its you, me and the people who inhabit this planet which makes our civilization. Apart from nature, everything which happens on this planet, happens because of people. 

In this modern day period, it is vital to be really connected with people. People run businesses, schools, countries, NGO's, airports, law and order etc. You name it, it is run by people. How well you do in life ultimately will be determined by how well you are networked. If you have a network of the right people, at the right places, infinite opportunities arise which you can capitalize upon.

One good contact at the right place is worth a hundred contacts at the wrong place. You should aim to get networked with the right people in your life. Who are the right people? Well, these are simply people who have the highest number of right contacts in their network! Simple! 

That way, even if you have only 25 well networked contacts, each of whom has a further 50 good contacts, then you have a GOOD network of atleast 1250 contacts. These are people who matter and can make things happen.

Just building a network of average people may help you, but it will be a trial and error method and will involve a lot of time. On the other hand, if you have the right network of people in your Rolodex, then you can utilise these contacts quickly and efficiently, if the need arises. They will be the one with good advice, good contacts and the ability to get work done quickly. 

Think about it, isn't there a difference knowing the Dean of your University and knowing the Sports Instructor of the same University? Which one will have more meaningful contacts and who will be able to help you the fastest in matters related to education, admissions or other universities? By no means the sports instructor should be neglected, he or she will be more important in matters of physical fitness to you. Include them also in your network but focus on building good networked contacts.

Ultimately its our network of contacts and our relations with them, which will help us get ahead in life fast.

Financial soundness

Whats the most important factor in life? I believe it has to be financial soundness, especially so if you are a man. I know many of you will disagree and would like to say that family is more important, happiness is the most important etc etc.

Yes they are. I agree to all of you but tell me, if you are not financially secure how will you, as a man, support you family? How will you be able to give happiness to your loved ones when you are not able to pay bills? Bills and payments don't wait. We need food to eat, a place to stay and clothes to wear. Happiness will not provide these. Neither will it provide you with your self worth. 

Haven't you noticed that no matter how stupid, arrogant or obnoxious a man is, if he is rich he is always respected by society? Does the same hold true with a really gem of a person but otherwise not financially well off man? No way! A person who cannot support himself and their family financially will never get the respect that he deserves. No matter if he has a heart of gold. Society will simply just look down upon him. To an extent I agree. After all its the duty of a man to provide for his family and himself. Its his duty to be able to give them financial security. Just like in the days of caveman, it was the duty of the man to find shelter, hunt for food and provide security for the household, same holds true even now.

Money is the lubricant required for smooth functioning of life. Without it, you will fail to be really happy in life. Without it, you will always be taken for a fraction of the person who you really are. Without it, you will never be able to take decisions and back them on your own, if they backfire.

So set your goals straight. If you are still struggling to make ends meet, still struggling to pay bills, your number one priority should be to raise your income level substantially. Raise your earnings in any way you can. Also ensure that you have a regular stream of income no matter what. Once you can reach a level where you can easily support yourself for a year, even if you do not earn a penny in that period, only then relax and start to focus on the other areas of your life.

Trust me, once you have yourself financially sound, you will truly be able to enjoy your children, family and will find inner happiness.

Without financial freedom, you will indeed never be valued for who you truly are.

Doubt

Doubt. Its the one constant in life.

People are always doubting who you are, what you can do or cannot do, whether you know what you are doing or not etc. Such is life. Even to your own family and loved ones, time and again you will always have to prove yourself in many ways. People do not understand that you can care as much as they do. That you are as much a human being as they are. That you have the same feelings that they possess. Doubt will always arise in peoples mind about you.

What can you do? These are the same people you care about and love. Still these moments will keep crossing your way. Especially if it related to money. Its really frustrating to see that people instantly judge you and make conclusions without any real basis. Noone is perfect and we can only learn and grow from our mistakes. I agree that if we keep repeating the mistakes again and again, then we are indeed a fool. However in this world I have often noted that no matter how much you do or care, people still will judge you only by the results of your last act. 

Life seldom goes the way you want. There are too many variables along the way. Unseen forces are always conspiring against you. However if you are true and honest, you will always find the helping hand of God along the way. We just have to be patient and true to oneself and the world around us. All you can do is be like a stream, flowing through countless obstacles, twisting and turning along the way to reach your destination. 

Just be true to yourself and the people you care about. The rest is upto them. 

Get connected with your siblings

Your childhood is a period in your life, which you will never forget. Whether it was good or bad, its an inseparable part of you. So are your siblings. In this day and age, we tend to ignore our brothers and sisters. It seems we interact more with our friends and neighbours than with our own family. 

Yet, these were the very people whom we grew up with, with whom we discovered and shared the world as we explored its beauty. Just close your eyes and step into the past. How many secrets have you shared with your sibling, when you were both children? Stories of your first crush, jointly hiding things from parents, midnight trysts to the kitchen, episodes of bullying and countless others. How many memories can you recall, which only you and your sibling knows?

Where have these times gone? Why have we grown distant from our siblings? I know we would all like to be in constant touch with them but somehow we are so busy in our own lives. We somehow even take them for granted. After all, where will they go? They will always remain your brother or sister isn't it? These thoughts keep us from really connecting with our sisters and brothers. Lets get connected again like we did in the past. Pick up the phone and get in touch with your siblings now!

They are your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Conquer the Devil

In India, at this time of the year, we celebrate a festival known as Dussehra. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dussehra

On this day, it is believed that the Lord Rama killed the demon king Ravana and rid the world of his evil. The festival marks the conquest of good over evil and is concerned an auspicious day to begin new ventures in life.

Come to think of it, don't we all have our own devil or demon inside of us? Each and every one of us has a dark side within us. How well we control it or keep is hidden defines whether we are termed as a 'Good' or 'Bad' human being. Its our choice who we allow to dominate us which defines us.

I think its time we really take a look at ourselves and incase we do notice any devils within, choose to conquer over it rather than let them rule our lives. The devils may be things which you want to rid of like smoking or drinking habit, a revengeful nature or just pure laziness, which prohibit you from being the best you can be. Take control and defeat these devils now. Trust me you will be a better and happier person once you learn to conquer or control the dark side within you.

Ban on Public Smoking

India has joined the list of countries where smoking in public has been banned w.e.f. 2 October 2008. Finally! To view a list of countries where public smoking is banned, click  here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_smoking_bans

Tobacco smoke is very harmful for the human body. Though I feel its a personal choice, whether to smoke or not to smoke, we should all welcome this move by the Government of India. How we treat our own body, is our own business. However to harm another individual directly or indirectly through our choices is simply wrong. You might not care about the damages of smoking to your own body, but give a moments thought to the havoc it plays on other non smokers especially children. Indirectly they are all inhaling the tobacco smoke.

Research has shown that the younger the children, the more susceptible and harmful the effects of second hand smoke can be. Even babies in the womb are not spared. Do we need to do this? Children who are constantly exposes to second hand smoke have more respiratory problems than children who are not exposed to tobacco smoke.

Furthermore consider the environmental effects public smoking has. This smoke is directly released into the atmosphere. We need to heal the environment in whatever way we can, not contribute to its further destruction. With rising global warming, reduction of our forests, immense temperature and environmental changes occurring throughout the world, we all need to contribute to healing our Earth. 

So give a thought to our fellow human beings, to our children and to our planet and make an effort to stop smoking in public and eventually stop it completely. You will be a happier, more healthy person at the end of it all.

Die Daily

One of the best ways to live is by simply killing yourself daily, every night just before you sleep. Sounds weird right, to live I must die?!?!?!

Think about it, isn't that the best ways to live? By killing yourself daily, I do not mean you actually believe in afterlife and practically kill yourself! For heavens sake don't even think about that! All you have to do is make sure that at the end of the day, you leave the day behind and let it go. Do not carry the baggage of the past over to the next day. You 'die' by releasing yourself before you sleep so that, the next morning, it is as if you have just taken birth. Learn to let go of the day gone by, of your past. Leave all tensions, stress and worries experienced that day. End the day as if its your last night on Earth. Would you behave differently if you knew that tonight is the last night of your life? Would things would you do differently? What thoughts would you think? What words would you speak? Would your actions be different?

Why not do that daily? After all it is the END of a day isn't it. When each day ends, why not just end your life for that day and begin a new life every single morning. You do not have to experience the same thoughts, events, actions, feelings that you experienced before. Its going to be your choice as to how you want to live that new day. Each new sunrise brings with it a flood of opportunities, feelings and happiness. Its upto you to experience it. Begin each day as if its the first day of your life. Full of energy and freshness. The possibilities are limitless and bounded only by your thoughts.

Whats the point of carrying the past with us and letting it define our present and future? The past is past, you cannot change it or do anything about it. All you can do is learn from it. End the day by looking at the day gone by, learning from your mistakes and then just die! Just leave everything behind when you sleep. How you live tomorrow will be YOUR choice. You are not as helpless as you might think, you are not defined by circumstances or events. They do not govern your life. YOU DO. You have chosen to end your life and you have chosen to take birth as a new day arises. You are in total control. How does that sound? When you know you have the power to do what you want and know that things will work out the way YOU want it to be, then magical things happen. 

Rise and Shine

How do you begin your day? I mean, after you awaken, how do you spend those first few hours of each new day? If you are like most of us, then I am sure you must be stumbling out of bed, brushing your teeth, taking a bath and sitting down with the newspaper with a cup of tea/coffee/juice and some breakfast. Then the maddening rush to work, dropping the kids on the way!

Did you take time to think during these hours? Did you plan your day ahead or focus on yourself? Did you really fill yourself with energy and enthusiasm for the day ahead? No? Why not?

How many times has it happened, that you were stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work or you received a bad call in the morning or had a tiff with your spouse? No matter what you did and how hard you tried, the rest of the day just didn't seem to go well or to fall in place? On the other hand, if you receive some great news in the morning or are greeted with a big smile and kiss from your child/spouse, don't you just feel that the rest of the day everything seems to be going your way? Work seems lighter, people are friendlier and the day just breezes by. Has it happened to you?

I believe that the first few hours every morning, ultimately has a great effect on how you will carry yourself for the rest of the day. It determines how you will speak, think, behave and view the world that day. It is very important to begin the day on a positive note, to take stock of whats important to you and to weed out useless thoughts. Start focusing on yourself for at least 30 minutes every morning and see the changes which occur in your life.

In this day and age, we hardly give time to ourselves. Morning hours are perfect for that purpose. Even more so, if you get up early so that there is no one around to distract you. This is the time when you need to revise or plan your 'to dos', focus on where you are and where you want to be and to energise yourself with the infinite power of the universe. The universe is truly remarkable and is the ultimate source of energy. It never runs out and is available 24x7 to anyone who seeks it. We just need to know how to plug ourselves in! Think wonderful thoughts, focus on only positivity, do some yoga or meditation or whatever is required to get yourself aligned with the positive forces of the universe.

So start tomorrow by giving yourself some exclusive time. Focus on yourself and think truly positive, splendid thoughts. Dream big, act bigger and smile. After all, its the beginning of a NEW day, which brings with it new opportunities, new ideas and maybe a completely new you!

Remember, what we think, we become.

Battle of the Bulge

Obesity is a problem all developed countries are facing. Infact according to the National Center for Health Statistics, 66.3% Americans above age 20 years are overweight and 32% are obese. Alarmingly 19% of children in the age group of 6-11 years are overweight.

When my wife became pregnant and started putting on weight, slowly but surely I started gaining weight too. In all terms, I guess, the pregnancy effect spread on me with full force. My weight ballooned by almost 15 kilos. More importantly I put on a lot of fat and seemed round and pudgy.

I have been reasonably fit throughout my life and this new state didn't quite gel with me. I started hitting the gym and focussed on getting myself in shape. Since then, I have lost around 15 kilos. More importantly, my body fat % has dropped to approximately 15% from 30%!  I have started fitting back into the clothes I wore during my college days. Yipeee!

During this phase I have learnt a lot and decided to share my new found knowledge with all those who are interested in getting in shape. 

First and foremost, for all those 'How much do I weigh?' obsessed people out there, its not about how much you weigh, but how much body fat are you carrying around with you. Thats the question you should be asking yourself. Take bodybuilders for instance, most of them weigh 90+ kilos! Do they seem unhealthy, fat or overweight to you? Its a fact that muscle weighs more than fat and takes less space too. Ultimately you want to replace fat with muscle to look good. Also you need to get into good cardio shape too. Therefore our ultimate plan will be to lift weights as well as do cardiovascular exercise for building strength, endurance and stamina.

To start off, measure your body fat % by following this link

http://www.wikihow.com/Measure-Body-Fat-Using-the-US-Navy-Method

This will give you a rough idea as to how much FAT you are carrying around.  Then determine what your ideal body fat % should be, for your age group.

http://www.weightlossforall.com/fat-percentage-ideal.htm

This will give you a target to aim for. Remember, as you lose body fat, automatically you will weigh less (unless of course you are a hard core body builder!).

A careful planning of diet coupled with REGULAR exercise will be your way to fitness and good health. Don't fall for crash diets or any other miracle cures. Did you put on all that fat overnight? No? Similarly you cannot expect to lose all that weight overnight. It will take focus, dedication and a strong will to achieve your goal. BUT believe me, its very easy once you get into the groove. Just stick with it for a month and see the results yourself.

'The most important wealth a person can have, is their Health'

Stress. Good or Bad?

The past week was unusually stressful for me. Everything seemed to be going haywire and life seemed completely out of control. I wasn't getting sleep, wasn't able to enjoy with my kid, wasn't able to concentrate on work and was completely 'stressed out'.

How often do we find ourselves in that situation for some reason or another? Why is it that stress really wears us down and makes us a fraction of who we are? Is stress really so bad or is it not as it seems?

I really believe that everyone of us undergoes stress on a regular basis. The reasons may change, but we all experience it. Some of us are able to cope better than others and for some, stress releases the best within an individual. How many times have you heard yourself remark "His/Her life has everything, money, fame, success, happiness....everything that one could want. I wish my life was like that. If it was, then I would never be stressed"

Honestly, everyone of us faces stress in our lives. Thats the truth, no matter how much we disagree. Look around us, Bill Gates, Ratan Tata, Steve Jobs, Nelson Mandela, J.K.Rowling, Narayan Murthy, Dalai Lama and countless others, do you really feel that they are not facing stress at some point or another?

Is stress really so bad then? How come these people have reached where they are and are an epitome of success and happiness? What I believe is that stress is really not bad. It makes us aware that we are facing an uncomfortable situation. It is something that enables us to reach within our souls and become better than what we are, at the moment. It guides us to becoming a better person as to overcome the situation, we must enhance ourselves to a higher level of thought and performance. 

I am sure most of you must be thinking "Yeah right! Put yourself in my shoes and then lets see what you will say". Believe me, I have been in that position time and again. I am as good as handling stress as the guy next door. What I am trying to do, is to get an objective look on the concept of Stress.

Ok, think of your mentor or someone whom you admire or would like to be like. Put him/her  in your shoes. How would he/she respond to the situation causing you stress in the first place? Would they behave in the same way as you are or would they think or do things differently? Would they have coped better or dealt with stress better?

If the answer is yes, then what has changed? The situation is still the same, with the same amount of severity. Its our thinking and our ability to manage stress that changes. Why do we experience physical pain? It is the body's way of telling us that something is wrong and we should pay more attention to it otherwise things will get worse. Right?

Similarly stress is our mind's way of telling us that we are in an uncomfortable or bad situation and something needs to be done quickly, otherwise things will change dramatically. If this is so, then stress does not seem so bad isn't it? Its just your body telling you to do better, to take more care of yourself in whatever the situation might be. The moment you realise that and start acting in a manner which starts to alleviate the cause, you begin to cope better with the stress. Soon you will find out that you are better than what you were and it really wasn't such a big deal after all. When faced with a similar situation again, you will not be so stressed.

If we are constantly stressed, then will we be able to perform? The answer is no. We do need to take time away from stress. To take a holiday so to speak. Even if that means spending a half hour of silence a day. Believe me, you need to take breaks to replenish your body and mind. Only then will you be able to cope with stress and perform to the best of your abilities.

This is one of the secrets of the great leaders of this world. They face enormous amounts of stress but they have mastered the art of getting away from it once in a while. They leave the stress zone and take a break. Do we not get the best ideas, are the most imaginative or are truly performing to the best of our abilities when we are happy and refreshed mentally?

So take a break every once in a while to refuel your mind. It will help you deal with stress more effectively. If we jack up a car, switch on the motor and press the peddle down to full for lets say 2-3 days, what will happen? Will the car not break down? The same is with our body and minds.

We must give it breaks every now and then.

I believe silence is one of the most wonderful thing to experience. It lets you be aware of the higher being. Its the only way to get in touch with God. Spend a few minutes every day in silence, just by yourself. See the difference that makes to your life.

Next time stress beats down your door, you will know what to do.  Be the best that you can be, no matter what.