Chose to DARE, Willing to FALL and RISE again

I am 12yrs old, standing outside my house, watching a far off road circling a hillside. This hillside is surrounded by a mighty lake. In my view, if ever a vehicle slips off the road it would fall into the lake. This road had steep slopes, blind twists and turns to curl around the hills. The traffic on this road was normal, of two wheelers and trucks. My mother had warned me to never try that route. It always fascinated me to ride my bicycle through the slopes and experience the wind while watching the lake beside. 

It was 3pm, everyone at home was taking a nap post lunch and I took off on my bicycle. I CHOSE to DARE, and I reached the main road, a right turn, would lead me to the lake. A truck was approaching from the opposite direction. I let it go. And I turned right. It was a slope so was fun riding till a turn came, I saw a bike approaching from the other side, the speed of my bicycle was high for me to control and turn. I slipped and skid into the dry bushes on the hillside. I got bruises on my elbows and knees. Thankfully I did not break my bones. I said to myself, "I should not have tried, I have hurt myself". I slowly got up. Patted dust off my dress, and wood stings on my skin. I looked at the road ahead and said "shall I ride and see the lake view or go back home". Going back was not motivating me. I went ahead riding slowly, facing my fears at every inch closer to reach the turn circling the hill that I usually watched from my house. I stopped to look at the other side to see my house far off. And that was the winning moment. I could see the huge body of the lake spread around the road, water shining, calm, and deep. I could spot a few lotuses. I could see that there was a few feet of distance between the road and the lake, so not so dangerous to ride as I assumed. The pain in my body eased. I rode and reached the corner of the lake where some people where fishing. It was a beautiful sight to watch the lake and my house far off, a small miniature sized. I took a deep breath, looked around for other vehicles. Then turned my bicycle to slowly ride back home, enjoying the sun shining and wind breezing through my ears. 

I CHOSE  to dare, to venture into the unknown, facing my fears. Falling, hurting my self, then getting up, brushing the dust aside to continue to see victory. That day I learnt to conquer my fears. This has since been a pattern in my life. 

I joined engineering against my love for medicine. I joined a boarding school in a new city, embracing new culture and language. I married a man from a different geography and tribe. I ventured into a business I know nothing about.

I failed in my final year Engineering. In the boarding school I lost my top rank. I failed in my marriage and I miserably failed in my business.

Inspite of the failures I managed to work for a decade in a dream corporate job, IT profile. I survived 15 years of marriage to continue to live with my husband and three beautiful children. And become a successful Self-Published Author and Thought Leader. 

I ALWAYS CHOSE TO DARE, WILLING TO FALL AND TO RISE AGAIN TO SEE THE LIGHT. 

SUN SHINNING BRIGHT... IN MY EYES AND EXPERIENCE THE WIND BREEZING THROUGH MY EARS... 

LIKE A 12 YR OLD GIRL WINNING OVER HER FEARS

God's Secret Agent

Today morning I saw this post in one of my WhatsApp groups.

The activities human beings are confined to are eating, sleeping, mating, self defence (protecting). In what ways do we differ from the animals. 

There is no one who is interested in SELF REALISATION.

The opportunity of being a human, is to get present to the design of a human being and leading to becoming aware of the purpose of being a human being.

This reminded me of a conversation I had with my 8yr old son recently during our lockdown days. We were lying on the bed trying to sleep, it was almost midnight. My son popped a question, his usual habit, curiosity at its best when it’s time to catch sleep. “Mom why I am born, why I came to earth?” He could not complete the question he stopped, he was emotional, in a trembling voice, he continued clearing his throat. “If I had to die eventually then why did I ever come here?” My instant reaction, “Ohh!! He is such a cutie pie,” I said to myself. I could sense the fear of death and separation from the loved ones in his question. But most importantly why this question, he was curious why is he here for. I smiled as if I knew the answer. I said “ its a good question, and I am glad you are curious about this at a very early stage of life”. We continued the conversation. “So are you interested to know why are you here.” He was excited, attentive, staring at me. I said “you are God’s Secret Agent and you are here for a unique mission. HE has sent you here”. Suddenly the avenger inside him awakened. He replied “I am a secret agent, really Mom”. I said “yes absolutely”. He could not wait immediately asked “what’s my mission”. I said “you need to figure it out. I am clear you are here for a purpose, but what is that you have to discover. God will lead you through but you have to find it. Each one of us are here for a reason”. His next question why are you here Mom? What’s your mission?

I sighed and said “I am 40 and I am yet to figure it out”. In that moment I thought I demotivated him, considering the whole hype I created around his curiosity. I made it sound a difficult thing to do, then I said “I am working on it. It will be something that I love to do, something I would like to leave for the next generation. Let’s talk about what you would like to be or do that is an amazing idea for you”. He kept thinking, and we continued the conversation. He was looking at what I love to do, he pointed out cleaning, cooking or WhatsApping. I suggested “you could be a great father, isn’t that exciting”, he smiled “or may be an astronaut who explores the solar system. You could be a doctor like your father, or an engineer like me, an athlete or footballer.” There are so many options to choose. Then I made a point, to him, “whatever you choose, you can be the best at it, that’s why I said it’s a unique secret mission.”

I was not just amazed by the question, but moved by the impact, how much it matters to be alive and kicking. I was happy about the curiosity he has about the goals in his life. It reminded me of my childhood definition of success I derived from the environment to setup my goals in life. My goals were very simple, a mobile, a laptop, a car and a house and life is a done deal. I achieved all of it in my early 30s. What next now, handover these material goals to your children and mentor, monitor them, they get it too. Or there is something more to my life. This question made me do many courses with Landmark Education. To figure it out why I am here for, what difference do I make in this world. Add few numbers to the world population and die one day. 

The conversation to dwell in finding the purpose of one’s life, is crazily engaging and it is a tough nut to crack. It’s easier to set up goals for the next five years or for Life. The conversation for self realisation is not for those who are worried about their bread and butter on a daily basis, but it’s for those who can make a difference to these millions of people who deal with hunger, hygiene, shelter, safety everyday.

I created a curriculum for Self-Awareness and Life-Skills Training Programs for young people, and kept it in the shelf considering there is no one interested in these conversations of self-discovery and self-belief in children. A typical journey of a human being is a race to become better. When you are a child you want to grow up to be more powerful and experience freedom. As teenagers you strive to be smarter, topper, date or mate the hottest and most desirable. As an adult you struggle to get into the best university, to get a top job, and a worthy spouse. In your middle age you work hard to create wealth and a comfortable living. A better car, a bigger house, bank balance. In old age, you strive to have good health and good times with family. And then you wait to die. 

Where do I live and eventually exist, in chasing these goals, in my bank account, or materials I own, or my mobile phone or social media accounts or in my body, or mind. YOU exist in your PURPOSE. 

My 10 years old daughter once asked me why do we celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's birthday when he is not there any more. I told her, "he did great things for humanity. We celebrate his life. When you do great things your birthdays will also be celebrated even when you are not there."

Now did I inspire her to be a LEADER or follow the Leader. The values and principles to be used to make a better life. I looked at what was expected out of me as a child. Get good grades, get a nice job, get married and have babies. No one expected me to be a Leader to do great things. 

Mr Robin Sharma says, only 5% of the population strive to become LEGENDS. The rest of the population either struggle for survival daily or race for a better and bigger life. Surprisingly each one of us is capable of becoming a GENIUS.

It takes COURAGE to look into your own design of being a human. It takes courage to TRANSFORM the ordinary being of self-indulgences, eating, sleeping, mating and self defence (protecting) patterns into EXTRAORDINARY self expression, as contribution to the planet, service to mankind, freedom and peace for humanity.