Learn to unlearn-Life is wonderful if you know how to live.

A rare conversation between Ramkrishna Paramahansa & Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekanand:- I can’t find free time. Life has become hectic.

Ramkrishna Paramahansa:– Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets you free.

 

Swami Vivekanand:- Why has life become complicated now?

Ramkrishna Paramahansa:- Stop analyzing life.. It makes it complicated. Just live it.

 

Swami Vivekanand:- Why are we then constantly unhappy?

Ramkrishna Paramahansa:- Worrying has become your habit. That’s why you are not happy.

 

Swami Vivekanand:– Why do good people always suffer?

Ramkrishna Paramahansa:– Diamond cannot be polished without friction. Gold cannot be purified without fire. Good people go through trials, but don’t suffer.

With that experience their life becomes better, not bitter.

 

Swami Vivekanand:- You mean to say such experience is useful?

Ramkrishna Paramahansa:– Yes. In every term, Experience is a hard teacher. She gives the test first and the lessons .

 

Swami Vivekanand:– Because of so many problems, we don’t know where we are heading…

Ramkrishna Paramahansa:– If you look outside you will not know where you are heading. Look inside. Eyes provide sight. Heart provides the way.

 

Swami Vivekanand:– Does failure hurt more than moving in the right direction?

Ramkrishna Paramahansa:– Success is a measure as decided by others. Satisfaction is a measure as decided by you.

 

Swami Vivekanand:- In tough times, how do you stay motivated?

Ramkrishna Paramahansa:– Always look at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. Always count your blessing, not what you are missing.

 

Swami Vivekanand:- What surprises you about people?

Ramkrishna Paramahansa:- When they suffer they ask, “why me?” When they prosper, they never ask “Why me?”

 

Swami Vivekanand:– How can I get the best out of life?

Ramkrishna Paramahansa:– Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.

 

Swami Vivekanand:– One last question. Sometimes I feel my prayers are not answered.

Ramkrishna Paramahansa:– There are no unanswered prayers. Keep the faith and drop the fear. Life is a mystery to solve, not a problem to resolve. Trust me. Life is wonderful if you know how to live.

Celebrate your failures and Face Adversities

Celebrate Failure as you celebrate success.Todays post is a chapter from my book The Reflection “Success or Stress” Choose Wisely

Winning has been over glorified and we forget that it is through learning from and losing that we become greater winners!

It’s better to give your best shot without thinking about the result. You may not succeed in one go, so what at least 10-15 years down the line one day you won’t wake up with a regret of not attempting it .Only those who know how to fail understand the true value of success in life.

Failing is considered a taboo. We measure people by their achievements. We put a high value on “success” but little or no value on “failure”.

Is there little or no value in falling? If that is so, why is it that all lives of great men that I have had the good fortune to read about – the tougher the failures they suffered, the greater they finally became?

Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are.

“Comparison Begets Regrets”

Have you ever faced failure in life and don’t know how to overcome it? Are you still dwelling on your past wherein you should be concentrating more on your future? Read on and find out how to overcome adversity in life.

Life is smooth till such time a wave of adversity does not swipe us off the ground. Ups and downs are part of life and there is nothing we can do about it because the Universe has its own way of working. Things that we desire the most are not given to us and what we get is not what we desire.

We all have a goal, the desire to succeed and also work hard towards it. During our struggle to meet our goals, we succeed at times and at times we face very sever and adverse failures, but then that’s not the end of road. Some people fight back and many succumb to the circumstances.

It is not wrong to fail, but it is a crime if you don’t get back up again and try. Look around you… look at the birds and animals. They keep trying to survive by hunting for food, at times they get it early and at times they fail. But if they start thinking that this whole process of finding food does not result into anything, then they would not survive.

If you fail and hit the ground hard, always remember, the only way where you can go is UP.

In the words of Henry Ford:

“Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward.”

Tips to counter Failure :

Stop blaming yourself and people associated with you

You might have tried very hard and failed but you should always remember that not all circumstances are under your control. When people fail, they usually don’t try to find out why they failed, but instead they start blaming themselves.

Do you blame yourself for a failure? Do you really think that you were responsible for your failure? Do you really think that despite trying very hard, you did not get through? We all try hard and then at times we fail. Many reasons could be attributed to it. Instead of blaming ourselves (which is easy), we should try to find the reason why we failed. By doing this, not only will you have a greater understanding where you went wrong, but you will avoid repeating the same mistake in the next attempt.

Don’t ever think that all your efforts have been wasted

To achieve something in life a dedicated effort is required. Some people give it their 100% and some people don’t. But no matter what, none of your efforts ever get wasted. In the process of trying again and again, we gain experience of the mistakes we should avoid to achieve the desired result. Taking the example of Thomas Edison, the man who invented Light Bulb, he failed over 1000 times before he could derive at the bulb that we use today. At a press conference he announced that he now knows 1000 ways of how not to make a light bulb.

Never get disheartened and always enjoy learning the new things that you discover on your way to be successful.

Try another approach

You try once, twice and then thrice… with a similar approach; and then what do you do? Give Up!!! Have you ever thought that the approach that you use to achieve something is wrong and would require either a complete new way of looking at things or would require you to tweak your approach a little and then try again? All scientific discoveries and inventions have taken years of hard work and dedication. Do you think that doctors and scientist across the world have got a working model of their inventions in the very first attempt? Do you think that for all repeated attempts at their inventions they followed a similar approach? I think you got the answer.

Take a break for a while

When we try hard to achieve goals in life we sometimes get into the rut of doing things which has an effect our thinking process. Without a good thinking process and creativity how do you propose to achieve what you desire the most? In my personal experience taking a short break helps when you feel that you have reached a road block on proceeding ahead. This short break recharges you and helps you to think of a solution which you have never thought of before. Spend sometime with friends and family. Try to socialize a little and when you feel that you are completely recharged give your dreams a second shot.

To sum it up these lines can be the best one………

“Bheega Hua Aadmi Baarish Se Nahin Darta”

Life is all about leaning, adopting and converting all the struggles that we experience into something positive.

“STRESS” Management through Alphabets

Always take time for yourself, at least 30 minutes per day.

Be aware of your own stress meter: Know when to step back and cool down.

Concentrate on controlling your own situation, without controlling everybody else.

Daily exercise will burn off the stress chemicals.

Eat lots of fresh fruit, veggies, bread and water, give your body the best for it to perform at its best.

Forgive others, don’t hold grudges and be tolerant — not everyone is as capable as you..

Gain perspective on things, how important is the issue?

Hugs, kisses and laughter: Have fun and don’t be afraid to share your feelings with others.

Identify stressors and plan to deal with them better next time..

Judge your own performance realistically; don’t set goals out of your own reach.

Keep a positive attitude, your outlook will influence outcomes and the way others treat you.

Limit alcohol, drugs and other stimulants, they affect your perception and behaviour…

Manage money well, seek advice and save at least 10 per cent of what you earn.

No is a word you need to learn to use without feeling guilty.

Outdoor activities by yourself, or with friends and family, can be a great way to relax….

Play your favourite music rather than watching television.

Quit smoking: It is stressing your body daily, not to mention killing you too.

Relationships: Nurture and enjoy them, learn to listen more and talk less…..

Sleep well, with a firm mattress and a supportive pillow; don’t overheat yourself and allow plenty of ventilation.

Treat yourself once a week with a massage, dinner out, the movies: Moderation is the key.

Understand things from the other person’s point of view……

Verify information from the source before exploding.

Worry less, it really does not get things completed better or quicker.

Xpress: Make a regular retreat to your favourite space, make holidays part of your yearly plan and budget…….

Yearly goal setting: Plan what you want to achieve based on your priorities in your career, relationships, etc.

Zest for life: Each day is a gift, smile and be thankful that you are a part of the bigger picture……..

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”

Stress – Give it Wings & Let it Fly Away

Happiness is a choice So is Stress

If you’re stressed, you make poor decisions, you get sick more easily, and you spread your stress to those around you.In today’s world most of the people are suffering from some or other form of stress and which badly affects them at all the levels. Normally at training’s the most common question which people ask are What can the concerned individual (Manager) do today, to begin managing his or her personal stress?

So here are few steps which can be useful in countering Stress.

 

The following steps may be considered: 

• Consciously assess your pace of life.  Take inventory of all recent changes.  Include current or upcoming changes.  Analyze job situations and identify those you find particularly stressful. 
• Try to become aware of your own physical and emotional limits.  Learn to detect stress symptoms (heart palpitations, headaches, rapid pulse, insomnia).  Learn to identify your state of stress so you can begin to deal with it directly.
• Simplify your life.  Attempt to foresee the occurrence of specific stress-producing job events, and try to schedule them so they do not occur simultaneously.  Don’t suppress all change and tension–merely “manage” it 
• Leave job tension at the office–keep work and home life separate.
• Leave room within your coping range for unanticipated stress situations.  Don’t load your time and budget your energy completely to its quota.  Maintain a state of readiness by staying healthy.
• When an unexpected stress situation or major change arises, stop and think about it.  Is it really as serious as it appears to be on the surface?  Is it worth the expenditure of valuable energy on worrying and tension?  Or, with the application of a little imagination and flexibility, can you adapt easily and readily?
• Evaluate the various alternative mechanisms you have for coping with tension.  Are the “old ways” still working effectively?  Or is it time to take a break, get away from it all, and evaluate new courses of action objectively?
• Be flexible and imaginative, and shy away from stereotyped reactions.  Follow through by analyzing the implications and range of consequences in your response.
• Above all, be in conscious control of your life.  Participate actively, and with flexibility.  Remember, as a manager, that you are particularly exposed to tension and susceptible to stress.
• Remember, too, that stress is not all bad.  Some stress is both necessary and desirable.  The basic issue is not its elimination but its containment and allocation–the management of stress.

Slowing Down Internally 

• Try to stop doing more than one thing at a time.
• Learn to listen without interrupting.
• Do things that require concentration–not just the trivial things.
• Learn to savor your food–take time to enjoy it.
• Cultivate your sense of humor.
• Review once a week the causes of your “hurry sickness.”
• Control your impatience.
• Take time to show your appreciation to others in a genuine way.

Re-Energize Your Life

• Get up earlier, start the day leisurely, not fighting against time.
• Try to find a period in the day for total body relaxation.
• Restructure trips and vacations to relieve stress, not cause it.

Modifying Your Work Habits

• Ask yourself what there is you should stop doing.
• Eliminate activities, not do more in less time.
• Don’t leave half-completed projects around the office–they simply remind you that you’re behind.
• Eliminate business luncheons when possible–take an exercise break.
• Try not to see every situation as a challenge, let others help.
• Cultivate good judgment, not just speed, when making decisions.
• Try not to impose your sense of time urgency on others–don’t continually interfere with others who work more slowly.
• Examine your telephone habits.  Let others handle some of your calls.

 

How to Handle Stress 

Here are some unorthodox, humorous ways to handle the stresses in your life.First copy all the points on a word page take a print out and than read
.

1. Jam 39 marshmallows up your nose and try to sneeze them out.
2. Use your MasterCard to pay your visa.
3. Pop some popcorn without putting on a lid.
4. When someone says” Have a nice day” tell them you have other plans.
5. Make a list of things to do that you have already done.
6. Forget the diet center and send yourself a candy-gram.
7. Tattoo “Out to Lunch” on your forehead.
8. Dance naked in front of your pets.
9. Tape pictures of your boss on watermelons and launch them from high places.
10. Leaf through National Geographic and draw underwear on the natives.
11. Go shopping: buy everything: sweat in it: return it the next day.
12. Drive to work in reverse.
13. Relax mentally reflecting on your favorite episode of “the Flintstones” during an important staff meeting.
14. Sit naked on a shelled boiled egg.
15. Refresh yourself; put your tongue on a freezing cold steel guardrail.
16. Polish your car with earwax.
17. Read the dictionary upside down and look for secret messages.
18. Start a nasty rumour and see if you recognize it when it returns to you.
19. Bill your doctor for time spent in his waiting room.
20. Write a short story using alphabet soup.
21. Stare at people through the tines of a fork and pretend they are in jail.
22. Make up a language and ask for directions.

IF ALL THE ABOVE FAILS – EAT THIS PAGE AND WASH IT DOWN WITH WINE!!!!! 

“In a year you’ll barely remember why you felt so stressed, so why stress about it now?”

Two line stories-Keep it short & Simple

 

We all love stories – to narrate and hear! Here are some short stories (really short), which will touch your hearts and you wouldn’t mind reading them again. They are stories of a thousand emotions packed in just a few words. Read, enjoy and share!

I hope these stories will make you feel like a piece of you was just found and lost, or the reverse.

Some of the shortest two line stories, with a beautiful meanings..

• “You ruined my career, I was supposed to be an executive director,” she thought to herself. The little angel held her finger tightly and she forgot everything; A mother was born.

 

• Those who had coins, enjoyed in the rain. Those who had notes, were busy looking for shelter.

 

• Man and God both met somewhere, both exclaimed “My creator”.

 

• He asked are you-“Hindu or Muslim” Response came.. I am hungry

 

• The fool didn’t know it was impossible.. So he did it.

 

• “Wrong number”, Said a familiar voice.

 

• What if God asks you after you die .. “So how was heaven??”

 

• “They told me that to make her fall in love I had to make her laugh. But every time she laughs, I am the one who falls in love.”

 

• We don’t make friends anymore, We add them.

 

• She was very excited today, after all the school was re-opening after a long summer break. Now, once again, she could start selling stationary at the traffic signal to feed her family.

 

• She, a renowned artist and a strict mother, often scolded her 6-year-old son for he could never draw a line straight. As he breathed slowly into the ventilator, she begged him to make one more crooked line on the ECG.

 

• “Don’t go out now. It’s not safe. You don’t know how cruel men are,” said the husband to his wife who was about to step out of the house. She smiled, looked at him with a swollen black eye – his gift to her from the night before and asked, “How much worse can they be?”

 

• After a series of bomb blasts, the Muslim guy was caught and beaten to a pulp by the police. He protested his innocence. But, they were relentless and every blow spilt blood all over his t-shirt that read: “I love India”.

 

• The hook in the door caught her sari and ripped it apart. She turned around and slapped the guy behind her. He couldn’t express his innocence; he had suffered for being mute.

 

• She was getting ready for a long, previous night study session for her graduate exam. And then there was a power cut. That did not matter – the Braille notes were already in her hands.

 

• They took his father, and only returned a flag.

 

• He couldn’t believe his eyes, he had just won the lottery and could now repay the loans he took from those who threatened him in the morning. As his eyes closed slowly, he wished he hadn’t taken poison an hour ago.

 

• “Born to rich parents, this boy is so lucky,” exclaimed the neighbours! Somewhere in heaven, three unborn sisters cried.

 

• “All my toys are yours,” read her brother’s death note

“The only goal in life is to be happy, genuinely, intensely and consistently , regardless of what it looks like to others.”
― Abhishek Shukla, KISS Life “Life is what you make it”

 

Ravan was Ram’s guru.

 

Ravan was a Brahmin, the son of Rishi Vaishrava, grandson of Pulatsya. Ram, though God incarnate, was born in a family of Kshatriyas. In the caste hierarchy, Ram was of lower rank. As a Brahmin, Ravan was custodian of Brahma-gyan (the knowledge of God). Killing him meant Brahma-hatya-paap, the sin of Brahminicide, that Ram had to wash away through penance and prayer. Another reason why this atonement was important was because Ravan was Ram’s guru.

 

The story goes that after firing the fatal arrow on the battlefield of Lanka, Ram told his brother, Lakshman, “Go to Ravan quickly before he dies and request him to share whatever knowledge he can. A brute he may be, but he is also a great scholar.”

The obedient Lakshman rushed across the battlefield to Ravan’s side and whispered in his ears, “Demon-king, do not let your knowledge die with you. Share it with us and wash away your sins.”

Ravan responded by simply turning away. An angry Lakshman went back to Ram,

“He is as arrogant as he always was, too proud to share anything.” Ram comforted his brother and asked him softly, “Where did you stand while asking Ravan for knowledge?”

“Next to his head so that I hear what he had to say clearly.” Ram smiled, placed his bow on the ground and walked to where Ravan lay. Lakshman watched in astonishment as his divine brother knelt at Ravan’s feet.

With palms joined, with extreme humility, Ram said, “Lord of Lanka, you abducted my wife, a terrible crime for which I have been forced to punish you. Now, you are no more my enemy. I bow to you and request you to share your wisdom with me.

Please do that for if you die without doing so, all your wisdom will be lost forever to the world.” To Lakshman’s surprise, Ravan opened his eyes and raised his arms to salute Ram, “If only I had more time as your teacher than as your enemy. Standing at my feet as a student should, unlike your rude younger brother, you are a worthy recipient of my knowledge.

I have very little time so I cannot share much but let me tell you one important lesson I have learnt in my life.

Things that are bad for you seduce you easily; you run towards them impatiently. But things that are actually good for you, fail to attract you; you shun them creatively, finding powerful excuses to justify your procrastination.

That is why I was impatient to abduct Sita but avoided meeting you. This is the wisdom of my life, Ram. With these words, Ravan died.

Aneeksha- Bringing happiness, Spreading Smiles & Igniting Belief

Hi Friends I am here talking about an initiative started by B.CRETA Foundation where we are planning to support & spread happiness this Diwali & New Year in the life of those community members & poor kids who are not financially strong enough to enjoy with the same privileges’ like you and me.

B.CRETA Foundation initiative Aneeksha is to provide and ignite the sense of happiness and smiles in their life.

We have planned to distribute Crackers, Sweets, & new clothes to 1 lakh + kids & poor families living on streets, juggis & daily wages workers.

I am here to generate funds for the same your help can bring joy & smiles in their lives

You can donate any sum of money for this cause and we will be more than happy to share about your contribution & also will share the pictures of those moments where your contribution has brought a smile & became a reason of Joy for someone who was in need.

We want to make them believe and follow that

“God has planted a seed in you. Believe in Him and you will sprout beautifully for Him.”

Estimated budget per family

A pack of Eco friendly Crackers –Rs,500 ( till Diwali)

1kg Sweet –Rs.280

Clothes – Rs 1100 per family

Ration & Food- Rs. 500 per family

Our target is to reach to 500 families and 2lakh kids force to work or beg instead of studying. Gratitude

Your Small Contribution will help in spreading smiles join us in our mission to spread smiles our campaign This Diwali & New Year #Spreadingsmiles 

Connect with us on

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/b.cretafoundation/

Twitter:@cretafoundation

Website:bcretafoundation.org

The Ten Decalogue of Life

The Ten Decalogue of Life

Please read carefully and relate these 10 Decalogue with your life….you may enjoy more.

1) Heavy rains remind us of challenges in life. Never ask for a lighter rain. Just pray for a better umbrella. That is attitude.

2) When flood comes, fish eat ants & when flood recedes, ants eat fish.Only time matters. Just hold on, God gives opportunity to everyone!

3) Life is not about finding the right person, but creating the right relationship, it’s not how we care in the beginning, but how much we care till ending.

4) Some people always throw stones in your path. It depends on you what you make with them, Wall or Bridge? Remember you are the architect of your life.

5) Every problem has (n+1) solutions, where n is the number of solutions that you have tried and 1 is that you have not tried. That’s life.

6) It is not important to hold all the good cards in life. But it’s important how well you play with the cards which you hold.

7) Often when we lose all hope & think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, `Relax dear it’s just a bend. Not the end’. Have Faith and have a successful life.

8) When you are sad, try to cheer up just go to the mirror and say, `Damn I am really so cute` and you will overcome your sadness. But don’t make this a habit coz liars go to hell.

9) One of the basic differences between God and human is, God gives, gives and forgives. But human gets, gets, gets and forgets. Be thankful in life!

10) Only two types of persons are happy in this world. First is Mad and second is Child. Be Mad to achieve what you desire and be a Child to enjoy what you have achieved.

A crab was once running on sea shore n was admiring its beautiful footprints….suddenly a huge wave splashed n washed away the footprints…

The crab said to the wave: I considered u as one of my best friends; then what made u do this

The wave replied: A fisherman was following your footprints; that’s why I cleared off…..

“Relationships mean caring beyond imagination”

Value them & don’t doubt the intensions!!

.😊

Humane 15 organized by SCMS Cochin School of Business brings Talent Management to the fore.

“The only principle which will make you more content, less bitter is to live a life that has “Less excuses, more results. Less distraction, more focus. Less me, more we. Live with “Gratitude” not with “Greytitude”

SCMS Group of Institutions

SCMS Cochin School of Business organized its much anticipated Humane 15 on the 19^th of February, with welcome attendance by dignitaries from different industries. Given the growing stature of the event, this year’s National Conference drew large numbers and eminent personalities, who came together on a platform to talk about “Talent Engagement: Need of The Hour”. The aim of the conference was to share and discuss ideas for Talent Management in organizations that need to update their strategies in keeping with the changing times.

Among the leading names who took part in the discussion were: Mr. Roshan. K. Menon, Executive Vice President Binani Zinc Ltd.; Mr. Rajesh Nair, Director (Markets), Ernst and Young; Mr. A.S. Girish, H.R. Head, Apollo Tyres Ltd.; Mr. Deepak Pillai, H.R. Business Partner, Google; Mr. N.Ahmed Ali, CEO Cornicopia; Mr. Umesh Kamath, Director, UST Global; Ms. Shreeja MS, H.R. Head, Harrison’s Malayalam; and Mr. Abhishek…

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Who packs Your Parachute!!!

“Air Commodore Vishal was a Jet Pilot. In a combat mission his fighter plane was destroyed by a missile. He however ejected himself and parachuted safely. He won acclaims and appreciations from many.

After five years one day he was sitting with his wife in a restaurant. A man from another table came to him and said “You’re Captain Vishal ! You flew jet fighters. You were shot down!”

“How in the world did you know that?” asked Vishal.

“I packed your parachute,” the man smiled and replied.

Vishal gasped in surprise and gratitude and thought if parachute hadn’t worked, I wouldn’t be here today.

Vishal couldn’t sleep that night, thinking about that man. He wondered how many times I might have seen him and not even said ‘Good morning, how are you?’ or anything because, he was a fighter pilot and that person was just a Constable.”

So friends, who is packing your parachute?

Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day.

We need many kinds of parachutes when our plane is shot down – we need the physical parachute, the mental parachute, the emotional parachute, and the spiritual parachute.

We call on all these supports before reaching safety.

Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important.

We may fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason.

As you go through this week, this month, this year, recognize the people who pack your parachute!!!