Awareness Campaign (Part 1) - Passive Smoking

Beware Smokers!!!! Your smoke is effecting others around. 

I was a smoker once, It was during my school days and it felt awesome as smoking that time was in fashion. I heard many of my friends saying that its a boys thing and girls get attracted if you smoke, so thats how I started.

Luckily it wasn't long, I realised that I am wasting my money on smoke as it was no fun at all, it felt horrible. Still I had to stay with my friends so I couldn't quit.

Two months later a small incident changed it all. In 2003 I was traveling in a train  and suddenly I felt some kinda discomfort as a co-passenger was smoking, I felt like banging him hard and ask him to stop right that moment. Thats when I realised how people felt when I smoked and suddenly I stopped smoking. Today I feel I am lucky that it was just for 2 months and I got rid to this habbit. I find many people around who wish to stop smoking still they cannot let go of this habbit for silly reason. 

Today I am allergic to smoke and every time I find an educated illitrate person smoking in public I request them not to do so as it effects others health too. "Passive smoking is dangerous" - I don't say but experts do say, Google if you want to confirm. 

Beaware!! Impossible to escape KARMA's effect.

Read and saw so many times about the way Karma acts and makes people pay for all their bad deeds however didn't realize it until I got it back.

In simple words, I dump a girl for another girl and after 6 months the girl dumps me for another boy. Easy to say but it wasn't easy to face it.

Went through all the emotional drama, cried like hell, didn't eat for days, did my best to bring her back however at last I gave up. Realized when things start at a wrong note how can they be right. Its impossible to be happy at the cost of others happiness. All I had was a lesson learnt in a hardest way possible.



I realized what she must have gone through when I dumped her. I wish I would have taken a right decision and wouldn't have acted mean at that moment. We all tend to do this, act mean and just think about ourselves, we don't even think what effect a decision might have on the person who is directly or indirectly related to us.

I would like to request the readers to be Compassionate enough and be human while taking a decision. Take your own time and don't be in hurry as its not a movie so retakes aren't possible. And yeah, Beaware as KARMA is watching you and won't let you go easily if you make bad deeds.

Vote, It empowers us

For the first time in my life I casted my vote. It felt so empowering, I wondered what stopped me from voting all these year. Its not about any party but its about the very right every Indian citizen has, its the power we have to decide the future of India and its citizen. We have to use this power given wisely as every vote counts.

Value addition @ Sri Sri University

Recently I was surprised to know that I have passed my MBA first class!!!! I wondered what happened as till now I was only able to score 50-55 percent marks on an average.

I realised that during my Master's at Sri Sri University I was focused on adding value rather than running for marks. Whatever subject I studied, the projects I did, the assignments and presentations even in the exams all I wanted is to add value. It took a lot to change as I had to stop cheating in exams,  I wrote whatever I knew, I was ready to say no if I didn't know anything and learn it later. Habits which were created until graduation were difficult to let go however  controlled and determined efforts, paid-off like this.

Sri Sri University has not only given me a Master's degree but helped me create and add value which will stay with me for rest of my life.

Someone has rightly said, "Don't Chase Success, Chase Excellence and Success Will Follow U".

Relationships

"Relationship" the most common reason of misery and stress among most of the people around. It has a different meaning for different people in different stage of life living at different places. The relationship is not just about having a boy-friend or a girl-friend, it also includes friends, family, colleagues and Guru. 

I always had a question, " Why do we need a relationship?". I got various answers with the change in time and situation and still looking for a better understanding as new kind of relationship keeps on adding. So far my understanding is that one needs a relationship so that the happiness and sadness can be shared with them. Mostly we need someone to share out sadness, isn't it? When one is in need, he/she can trust that things will be taken care by our own people. However is it what happens? I have realised that no stranger will create a problem or issue for us. Its our own people in most of the situation who are the cause of stress in our life. So what needs to be changed? Definition of relationship or the understanding of it in our life? Thought needs to given to this as we are surrounded by various kind of relationship and one has to handle them on daily basis. The question also arises on to how much time and effort is needed to maintain them, isn't it?

Also looking at the current situation. Their is a trend to have a boy-friend or girl-friend. Seems it is in fashion and status symbol. Even I have gone through this in life. Had many girl-friends in my life. I have thought many times on why do I need a girl-friend however the answer changed with the change in time and my understanding about it. First I used to believe that I don't need a girl-friend as I have my family to help and support me in a way I needed it. Later as I grew I saw that every one in my family is busy in their own life. At times i used to feel lonely and this left me with no choice. So I jump in the emotional ocean of relationship. 

After a few months I realised that the tension and stress level increased after having a girl-friend. Now I wanted to understand the reason for this. Is it the person? Of-course not. I realised that the reason of the disputes between us was as follows : -

• Looking for perfection from each other.

• Expecting the other person to be more mature.

• Lack of open communication.

• Not clearing things as and when they arise.

• Not creating a space and atmosphere to talk about things.

• Lack of understanding.

• Lack of sharing things.

• Holding on to the past and not being in the present.

• Being in touch with ex.

• Flirting with other boys/girls.

• Lack of defencelessness when other has to share.

• Justifying things and proving ourselves right.

• Lack of listening to what one has to say and understand it.

• Not giving space to each other. etc

The list can go on as the reasons for the dispute and misunderstanding changed with time. In the beginning I kept on jumping from one relationship to other and thought that this time it will work for me however I was wrong. I realized that no one is perfect in this world. The learning never stops. The bottom line should be that you should stand beside each other no matter how much you fight on petty things. Holding each other is important and one has to do his best to make it work. My understanding is that in a relationship 

• One has to change a bit for the other person. 

• One has to give what the other person wants and not give what one has to give. 

• It has to be give and take but not just give or take. 

• Letting go the past is very important.

• Open communication is a must.

• Listening in a defenceless mode is very important.

• One shouldn't  justify and prove themselves.

• Solve the issues or disputes as and when they arise.

• Spend some time with each other on daily basis.

• Treat him/her different from others and make him/her feel special.

• Expressing is important.

• Please don't assume anything, ask if you want.

"Relationship" - cannot be ignored however how much efforts and time is needed to maintain it is still a question as it keeps on changing. Can we stop expecting things in a relationship? May be till an extend however expectations cannot be dissolved totally. Still relationship is like a mystery. Let see if the understanding changes with the time. 

However for the time being I have found few tools which has helped me to handle my relationship till an extend. The best way is to communicate and never loose your temper. The Art of Living spiritual practices have helped to keep me clam and cool. The moment one is calm and cool the ability to handle a situation increases. Also whenever i was not regular with my spiritual practices i had difficulties managing it. People who have learned The Art of Living please involve yourself in some kind of yoga and meditation practice on daily basis. If possible enroll yourself for The Art of Living course and experience the transformation in you. 

"Demand for rights in ignorance; Knowing that no one can take away your rights is freedom; Giving away your rights is love, wisdom" - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Gurudev.

Indian Villages

We crib a lot about things we don't have in life. rather than enjoying what we have, we just hold on to the things we don't have and ask for sorrow to drop in our life. I remember that during my childhood I wanted to own a new bicycle however got a second hand of my brother. I was little disappointed. the disappointment stayed with me for couple of days and later with time I forget it. I am sure everyone of us has experienced these kind of events in our life at some or the other point of time.

I am doing my MBA from Sri Sri University, Cuttack, India. Our college is situated in outskirts and its really difficult to go to any near by place as their isn't a frequent public transport facility. So I wanted to have a bike and was contently after my dad to get me one. Its been more than a month and I am still trying to convince him.

Today something beautiful happened. District Magistrate of Cuttack, Sri Sri University's Vice Chancellor Dr. K C Mishra, President of World Forum for Ethics in Business Mrs. Rajita Kulkarni, The Art of Living volunteer Ms. Vijaya Mohanty along with few students went to a near by village Bhalunka to donate solar lamps as a part of initiative "Light A Home" by The Art of Living. I was excited as I love to get involved in social impact activities. After a bumpy but a scenic journey we reached the venue. By the time we reached it was dark. I was shocked to see that their where no street lights. Then even more shocking was that not even a single house out of 90 had electricity in that village. The venue of the event itself was dark. So we had to switch on the car's head lamp to lighten the venue.

I was shocked and in tears seeing the plight of the people staying without electricity for ages. Yet they were happy. Nothing ever stopped them from being happy. It was a festival for them. They were celebrating that they will have light in their homes. They sang and danced. The village women made marvelous rangoli. It was amazing to see how a solar lamp made so much difference to these villager's life and gave them a reason to celebrate. I seriously cannot forget the smile on each and every persons face. I was speechless for a moment.

We have so much in life yet we crib about small things. All the complains that I have vanished. The only thing left of me is the gratitude for my family and Guruji Pujya Sri Sri Ravishankar Ji. I feel so fortunate to be part of this experience. Their are many who don't even realize this. I have promised my self that I am not going to waste electricity in any way from now own. Also I will also make sure to keep my heart busy at such service activities to realize what I have in life and be grateful to GOD.