Life's acid test

I have been a very stupid person and trusted each and every person who came into my life. I always saw the world with rose-tinted glasses and believed in one and all.

After being back-stabbed twice by close friends, I realized you need to be prudent in judging people and not everyone could be worthy of your trust.

I still remember the person who actually made me believe that I have been such a big ninny to trust him.
After two bitter experiences, I thought its time I don't trust everyone and not to be like a child and running after nothings.

I pulled up my socks, made selective friends and trusted only selected people.

When I faced the betrayal, it was the worst phase of my life; as when your trust breaks, it seems like the end of the world. To overcome it, I said to myself,“ You cheat me once, shame on you; you cheat me twice, shame on me.“ Then I made one saying the bookmark of my life, “Forgive but don't forget the name“. It's really true, one should definitely forgive as life is too short for holding the grudge but don't forget the name so that you don't give that person the authority to cheat you again.

Sometime such incidents happen to teach one of us and make us a better person and make us realise our own worth.

The day that friend of mine betrayed me, I actually realised my worth and thought he wasn't actually worth trusting. We become strong and mature with such incidents. It is rightly said with every problem there is a hidden opportunity, so always try to figure out that opportunity.

Life teaches us in many ways and if things go wrong, remember nothing can get worse than this. It's time for
things to get better and you have learnt your lesson and things will fall in place on their own. Have faith and belief in God.

Trust yourself and life will be filled with colors of rainbow once again.

Attitudinal change

I have been a very negative person most of my life.

Whenever something wrong happened with me, I always blamed God. I believed my stars were not in their appropriate position. My faith in stones and astrology increased day by day. In other words, I became a slave to my uncontrolled mind.

I fondly recall the day which has proved to be a transforming experience in my life. I was at an airport and my flight was delayed, giving me time to visit the bookshop. I chanced upon a book titled “You can Heal Your Llife“. The book changed my thinking altogether.

The essence of the book was that it led the reader to understand that when one thought negatively, one didn't achieve anything. I took a decision to give positivity a chance.

I consciously changed my thinking patterns and learnt a golden key to developing wisdom in life, “The mind is your best friend if you can control it and worst enemy if you are under the control of your mind“. I changed my psychology and inwardly started consoling myself that I will have the best as I deserve the best in life.

I told myself that I wasn't aware of the span of my life.

And, either I could live in complaint mode or I could live in the enjoyment mode.
The choice was mine. I made it a practice in my daily routine to remind myself that I was God's child and deserved being in a natural state of happiness.

Furthermore, when the sun rises every morning, it rises for everyone. You have to take this oath everyday that “The seeds of success are in abundance in the universe and I will definitely produce results if I am patient, optimistic and hardworking.“

I believe there is a thin line of difference between people but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude .When we put together faith, hope and love, we can develop positivity in a negative world

See the positivity in everyone, everywhere

There is a beautiful Sanskrit proverb that says, "Nobody gives happiness or misery. It is created by one's own mind." It means that you take unhappiness from others. You question people, "Why did you behave like that? Why did you insult me?" It is useless to do so. You should have compassion and feel, "Oh this person does not have that refined level of consciousness." If you don't want to be insulted, then nobody can insult you.

If you are basing your life on these feelings, you will be ruined because emotions are not stable at all. And not only are you bothered by your feelings, you also bother everybody by your feelings which are anyway momentary. The first thing in spiritual path: Praise yourself and praise others. And stop blaming your self and others. Lord Krishna says to Arjuna, "You are so good, you already have all the good qualities. I am only just bringing them up in you. Don't worry."

There is a story of a Guru who had stupid disciples. So, any work that the Guru would give, the disciples would do the opposite. Once the Guru's daughter was getting married and he told the disciples to whitewash the front of the house.

The disciples went and whitewashed the opposite house. The Guru asked, "What did you do? Now the baraat (bridegroom's family) is coming. Quickly whitewash the front." When the guests arrived, the disciples caught hold of each guest and started painting them. The guests got so annoyed that they cancelled the wedding. The Guru was very upset. But then he later found out that the groom was not mentally sane.

The lesson: even though the disciples were stupid, something good came out of all their mistakes.

So, the point is to see the positivity everywhere and in everyone, and hold the mind steadfast in the self. That is a sign of yoga and it will bring skill in action, success in endeavours and happiness in one's being.

Top 10 happiness mantras

Can you achieve excellence in the corporate world and still be happy? Find out from a new book called 'Happiness Quotient' by Dr Rekha Shetty. "

The top 10 happiness mantras for you: 

1. Each new day holds out a chance to create a whole new beginning, a sparkling new field of possibilities.

2. The ecology, the geography of your inner mindspace, is in your hands.

3. 'Swayambhu' is a word that describes happiness welling out of you, like an underground stream in the mountains.

4. Focus on Stress and unhappiness should be turned upside down. Instead of attacking unhappiness, we should plant a garden of happiness, by welcoming the positive emotions into our lives - love, compassion, wonder, courage, laughter and peace.

5. Focusing on our unhappiness by attacking it only helps to magnetize more power and attention to the negative person, event or object that causes it. Hence focus on cultivating happy people and avoid toxic people.

6. When the garden is clean and blooming and full of life, the snakes of anger have no place to hide; the thorns of greed get cleared away. When the clutter of old hatreds is replaced by order, the flowers of friendship bloom. The scorpions of revenge and jealousy slither away and the butterflies of laughter return to celebrate the flowers.

7. Too much television is 'Tele-visham' (Tele poison). Too much stimulation, a mindspace crowded by fantasy people and events, distracts you from focusing on your own mindspace, your home, your backyard.

8. Some days we seem to live a fantasy life dominated by day dreams, while reality tugs at our heartstrings for attention, like a neglected child. Take care of what is yours and enjoy it.

9. Let the cells of your body be gently bathed in happiness, positive thoughts and healing energies.

10. Physical fitness is the most important thing in life. The capacity to attain perfection of mind and soul depends on your physical health. Take care of yourself as no one else can do it for you.