The Power is in You

If love seems elusive,
Dreams appear distant,
Joy is missing,
And peace is nonexistent,
Turn your life around 
This. Very. Instant.

A Little Note on Self-Help Authors and Readers

A lot of people look at the authors and readers of self-help books with cynicism and condescension. However, I have a very different opinion regarding both- the authors and the readers. I feel the authors of such books do a great service to humanity; they write about the littlest things in life that matter,  stress upon the true art of living and are instrumental in the personal development and self-actualization of so many people all around the world. Critics often claim that such authors look at the world with the proverbial rose-tinted glasses, and they ignore the major issues which the world is facing today. But I would argue that people can gain a lot of strength and wisdom to face the challenges of the world by reading such books. For the readers, I feel their effort for personal development should be respected and appreciated. Having said that, readers must not get carried away while implementing the things that they learn from such books. Everything must be taken with a pinch of salt.

The Writer

When he writes,
He reveals a part of his soul
Some stories of his life
That haven't been shared or told
It doesn't matter to him
Whether they, the ones who make news
With their razor-sharp tongues,
Feel appeased or not
His purpose is pure
To give: Of his thoughts and feelings
Hopes and aspirations
Knowledge and wisdom
Life's lessons and more
And in return, he expects nothing
Nothing at all
For writing is all he can do
To connect with another soul

Pearls of Wisdom for Teachers

As I strongly believe that beautiful thoughts should be shared with all, I am sharing a part of a very inspiring and beautiful mail sent to all of us, the fellows at Teach for India, by Shaheen Mistri, our founder-CEO. You may or may not be a fellow with TFI, you may or may not be a teacher by profession, but if you are looking for wisdom, if you are looking for inspiration, this is it. 

~~

"Remember you always have the choice:

• To plan or not to plan
• To develop those incredibly strong bonds with your kids. Or to be just another teacher
• To treat your children with respect, and care. Or to do something that humiliates them
• To transform you classroom into a beautiful, magical place. Or to have it continue to be the unclean, uninspiring place that won't inspire change
• To rise above mediocrity and strive for excellence. Or to be a little better than the alternative
• To solve the problems that you have. Or to complain about them
• To focus on the good. Or to get bogged down by what isn't working

The choice of becoming a leader for your children, and for your country is in your hands. You just need to exercise the right choice. Make the right decisions. Look in the mirror. Put in the agonizingly hard work. But mostly, keep the faith. The belief. The sense of possibility. And when you waver, like I do, get back on the path of belief soon. Do whatever it takes to keep yourself on that path."

~~

Thoughts and Actions

She spends her day thinking
Of things she'd like to do
It never materializes into something
That she could truly hold

He spends his day working
On things he wants to do
He struggles as he saunters
While others seem to sprint

Together with her thinking friend,
He decides upon a plan
To win the race by thinking
And acting out the thoughts

They haven't beaten the crowd yet
But they know they can
It's funny how the most pertinent things
Can be so simple to understand