Just another one in the crowd

A couple of days ago I was travelling by metro train. It was quite crowded. I was holding the handle on the pole above to keep from falling when the train moved. When I just looked up, I saw ten other hands, holding handles the same way as me, forming a queue.

It struck me hard. The queue. The line. It made me realise that I was just another one in the crowd. Just another traveller like the hundred others. Just another person doing the same job daily, following the routine we have set for ourselves. Just another person running the race of life, in the quest of something wonderful. Just another person hoping and praying everyday, that this is going to be our day, when things will turn our way.

                                        

As a kid or even as a teenager, I always wanted a different life. Rather an unusual one. Something which is not common. I wished that life would surprise me.And God has fulfilled my wish upto some extent too. But it was not easy. After I started working, I often thought that whether this is what I wanted to do in my life? Really? Waking up at the same time everyday, travelling by the same train, doing more or less the same job daily, seeing the same faces again etc etc. Nothing much exciting. I hardly know people who really love what they are doing and these are the people who wait for Mondays.

If you are not happy with what you are doing, don't let time pass just thinking about it. Stop cursing what you have and start looking for what you want. Like me many of us would not even know what to look for. Help yourself. When you think you are screwed, think that you are a part of a big ball, floating in the dark, and it doesn't even matter. You are highly insignificant. It is practically not possible for us to leave our jobs and go exploring our lives, however good it may sound to hear. If not today, maybe tomorrow, or the day after, or in the days to come, you will find your way. The right thing is just around the corner. The first step is very important. If you never start, you will never reach the end. And like Harry says, 'Working hard is important. But there is something that matters even more : Believing in yourself. :-)

In today's world, you will be different if you are happy, as not many are. Do not get tangled in the vicious circle. Make your presence and absence felt. Do things that matter. SRK had once said on a show, 'Peace is boring'. Problems keep us on our toes and our brain in a working condition. Routine is cliché. And excess leisure degrades you. Struggle is important. And struggling for our dream will not tire us. 

Remember that what makes people stand out from the crowd is the bit different they do in their lives.

Keep smiling!:-)

Mayura Prabhudesai
February 11, 2017

The Minimalistic Approach

It is our fortune that we do not have to take out time seperately for breathing. With only Usain Bolt being closest to the ever sprinting 'Time', all of us are victims of it. Inspite of having technology dancing on its fingertips, the apparently most intelligent creature on the Earth is wracking his brains to overpower the Godfather of all, our dearest, Time. With so many things on the to-do-list and an overflowing platter already in the other hand, we try to squeeze in our schedule as much as possible and make ends meet. The success mantra is to 'Cut the Slack'.

We need to master the act of being brief but comprehensive. Not many will have time for us, and those who do, will have little. The crux is to understand what is important and what is not. Precise, concise but also impactful and influencing is what we must focus on. In order to be heard and acknowledged, one needs to stand out from the crowd. Time was never a luxury, it is the only thing that treats each and everyone on this planet equally. If we respect it, it will never be a matter of "Time". A conflict of interest between our heart and brain makes it a bit difficult to cut down on things that are of lesser importance and use our time more productively. Well, wisdom plays a role here. Knowledge is knowing that Tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit plate. Prioritising is the need of the hour. Of course it is a subjective matter, but everyone should at least take it into consideration.

Having been just went through the student phase of life, the best real life example I can  relate to where the Minimalistic Approach is a must was studying for my CA exams. The technique of preparation was to 'Work smart, not hard'. It was impossible to cover all the syllabus in just a day before exam. We had to do was revise only the important chapters for which we had to plan in such a way that nothing would be left out.

The Minimalistic Approach does not mean taking short cuts or limiting our scope. Nor can we avoid the hard work. In economical terms, a successful Minimalistic Approach would mean highest possible total utility, the highest amount of satisfaction a consumer can derive from a product, consumer being us, product being 'Time'. If something doesn't matter, get rid of it. Do not compromise on stuff, but there is a different kind of beauty in having something just of the perfect amount.

What we need to realise is moving ahead along the way is essential, but the thing that makes all the difference is moving ahead in the right direction. So just keep it simple, silly!


Mayura Prabhudesai
January 26, 2017

Are we adults already? When did that happen? And how do we make it stop?

Do you ever wonder like, "Wow! This must be what growing up is like!". Happy Realisation. For those who haven't yet felt this way, all the very best, and for others, well....

Growing up is reacting to things in a more decent manner, responding in a different way, not necessarily better, or like they say, 'Growing up is learning how to act in public'. Infact, sometimes, I wonder whether I have grown up enough to know what growing up actually is! Yes, you will never be younger than you are at this moment, and time is flying way too fast!

As a child we always fantasize the adult life. With freedom calling us with arms wide open, being a child or a teenager does not interest us at all. Our lack of authority over our own life and with decision making power in someone else's hands, we feel like slaves.

The grass being always greener on the other side, everyone hates being an adult too. The unfortunate fact of our life is that just after we grow up, we realise that we shouldn't have. With age, our priorities change, so do our choices. But the core human nature never changes. Maybe the way we approach a problem is different from what we would have done 10 years ago. Of course, the problems grow with time, but so do we. Here experience comes into picture. It is the best teacher in the world. 9 out of 10 times, experience beats intelligence. You never actually know something unless you do it yourself, however good it may be to read, to see or hear. The feeling can never be shared. God is so perfect in his job that he burdens us with only as much as we can carry. The right thing at the very right time.

When you grow up, you realise that all the things your parents said, were all true. The freedom you craved for once, is not so much fun. With freedom comes power, but with power also comes responsibility. Now you think that it was far better when you were not responsible for what you did in your life.

Mayura Prabhudesai
February 03, 2017