Team Work - Tortoise and Hare Story

Once upon a time a tortoise and a hare had an argument about who was faster. They decided to settle the argument with a race. They agreed on a route and started off the race. The hare shot ahead and ran briskly for sometime. Then seeing that he was far ahead of the tortoise, he thought he’d sit under a tree for sometime and relax before continuing the race. He sat under the tree and soon fell asleep. The tortoise plodding on overtook him and soon finished the race, emerging as the undisputed champ. The hare woke up and realized that he’d lost the race.

The moral of the story is that “Slow and Steady Wins the Race”.

This is the version of the story that we have all grown up with. But then recently, someone told me a more interesting version of this story. It continues………………………….

The hare was disappointed at losing the race and he did some Defect Prevention (Root Cause Analysis). He realized that he’d lost the race only because he had been over confident, careless and lax. If he had not taken things for granted, there’s no way the tortoise could have beaten him. So he challenged the tortoise to another race. The tortoise agreed. This time, the hare went all out and ran without stopping from start to finish. He won by several miles.

The moral of the story is that “Fast and Consistent will always Beat the Slow and Steady”.

If you have two people in your organization – one slow, methodical and reliable and the other fast and still reliable at what he does, the fast and reliable chap will consistently climb the organisational ladder faster than the slow, methodical chap. It’s good to be slow and steady; but its better to be fast and reliable. But the story doesn’t end here.

The tortoise did some thinking this time and realized that there’s no way he can beat the hare in a race the way it was currently formatted. He thought for a while and then challenged the hare to another race, but on a slightly different route. The hare agreed. They started off. In keeping with his self-made commitment to be consistently fast, the hare took off and ran top speed until he came to a broad river. The finishing line was a couple of kilometers on the other side of the river. The hare sat there wondering what to do. In the meantime, the tortoise trundled along, got into the river, swam to the opposite bank, continued walking and finished the race.

The moral of the story is that “First Identify your Core Competency and then Change the Playing Field to Suit your Core Competency”.

In an organisation, if you are a good speaker, make sure you create opportunities to give presentations that enable the senior management to notice you.

The story still hasn’t ended!

The hare and the tortoise, by this time, had become pretty good friends and they did some thinking together. Both realised that the last race could have been run much better. So they decided to do the last race again but to run as a Team this time. They started off and this time the hare carried the tortoise till the riverbank. Then the tortoise took over and swam across with the hare on his back. On the opposite bank, the hare again carried the tortoise and they reached the finishing line together. They both felt a greater sense of satisfaction than they’d felt earlier.

The moral of the story is that “It’s Good to be Individually Brilliant and to have Strong Core Competencies; but unless you’re able to Work in a TEAM and HARNESS, each other’s Core Competencies you’ll always perform below par because there will always be Situations at which you’ll do Poorly and Someone else does well. TEAM WORK is mainly about Situational Leadership, letting the person with the Relevant Core Competency for a Situation Take Leadership”.

There are more lessons to be learnt from this story.
Note that neither the hare nor the tortoise gave up after failures. The hare decided to work harder and put in more effort after his failure.
The tortoise changed his strategy because he was already working as hard as he could. In life, when faced with failure, sometimes it is appropriate to work harder and put in more efforts.
Sometimes it is appropriate to change strategy and try something different. And sometimes it is appropriate to do both.
The hare and the tortoise also learnt another vital lesson. When we stop competing against a Rival and instead start Competing against the Situation, WE PERFORM FOR BETTER.

Read More

How do I stop my negative thoughts?

"How do I stop my negative thoughts?" - is a question that I have been asked many times. If you have ever asked this question then you will feel such enormous relief in knowing the answer, because it is so simple. How do you stop negative thoughts? You plant good thoughts!

When you try to stop negative thoughts, you are focusing on what you don't want - negative thoughts - and you will attract an abundance of them. They can never disappear if you are focused on them. The "stop" part is irrelevant - the negative thoughts are your focus. It doesn't matter if you are trying to stop negative thoughts or control them or push them away, the result is the same. Your focus is on negative thoughts, and by the law of attraction you are inviting more of them to you.

The truth is always simple and it is always easy. To stop negative thoughts, just plant good thoughts! Deliberately plant good thoughts! You plant good thoughts by making it a daily practice to appreciate all the things in your day. Appreciate your health, your car, your home, your family, your job, your friends, your surroundings, your meals, your pets, and the magnificent beauty of the day. Compliment, praise, and give thanks to all things. Every time you say "Thank you" it is a good thought! As you plant more and more good thoughts, the negative thoughts will be wiped out. Why? Because your focus is on good thoughts, and what you focus on you attract.

So don't give any attention to negative thoughts. Don't worry about them. If any come, make light of them, shrug them off, and let them be your reminder to deliberately think more good thoughts now.

The more good thoughts you can plant in a day, the faster your life will be utterly transformed into all good. If you spend only one day speaking of good things and saying "Thank you" at every single opportunity, you will not believe your tomorrow. Deliberately thinking good thoughts is exactly like planting seeds. As you think good thoughts you are planting good seeds inside you, and the Universe will transform those seeds into a garden of paradise. How will the garden of paradise appear? As your life!

Read More

10 Steps to Build Self Confidence

Build Self Confidence

Self-confidence is the difference between feeling unstoppable and feeling scared out of your wits. Your perception of yourself has an enormous impact on how others perceive you. Perception is reality — the more self-confidence you have, the more likely it is you’ll succeed. Although many of the factors affecting self-confidence are beyond your control, there are a number of things you can consciously do to build self-confidence. By using these 10 strategies you can get the mental edge you need to reach your potential.


1. Dress Sharp
Although clothes don’t make the man, they certainly affect the way he feels about himself. No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don’t look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and interact with other people. Use this to your advantage by taking care of your personal appearance. In most cases, significant improvements can be made by bathing and shaving frequently, wearing clean clothes, and being cognizant of the latest styles.This doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot on clothes. One great rule to follow is “spend twice as much, buy half as much”. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, high quality items. In long run this decreases spending because expensive clothes wear out less easily and stay in style longer than cheap clothes. Buying less also helps reduce the clutter in your closet.

2. Walk Faster
One of the easiest ways to tell how a person feels about herself is to examine her walk. Is it slow? tired? painful? Or is it energetic and purposeful? People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. Even if you aren’t in a hurry, you can increase your self-confidence by putting some pep in your step. Walking 25% faster will make to you look and feel more important.

3. Good Posture
Similarly, the way a person carries herself tells a story. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self-confidence. They aren’t enthusiastic about what they’re doing and they don’t consider themselves important. By practicing good posture, you’ll automatically feel more confident. Stand up straight, keep your head up, and make eye contact. You’ll make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered.

4. Personal Commercial
One of the best ways to build confidence is listening to a motivational speech. Unfortunately, opportunities to listen to a great speaker are few and far between. You can fill this need by creating a personal commercial. Write a 30-60 second speech that highlights your strengths and goals. Then recite it in front of the mirror aloud (or inside your head if you prefer) whenever you need a confidence boost.

5. Gratitude
When you focus too much on what you want, the mind creates reasons why you can’t have it. This leads you to dwell on your weaknesses. The best way to avoid this is consciously focusing on gratitude. Set aside time each day to mentally list everything you have to be grateful for. Recall your past successes, unique skills, loving relationships, and positive momentum. You’ll be amazed how much you have going for you and motivated to take that next step towards success.

6. Compliment other people
When we think negatively about ourselves, we often project that feeling on to others in the form of insults and gossip. To break this cycle of negativity, get in the habit of praising other people. Refuse to engage in backstabbing gossip and make an effort to complement those around you. In the process, you’ll become well liked and build self-confidence . By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself.

7. Sit in the front row
In schools, offices, and public assemblies around the world, people constantly strive to sit at the back of the room. Most people prefer the back because they’re afraid of being noticed. This reflects a lack of self-confidence. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over this irrational fear and build your self-confidence. You’ll also be more visible to the important people talking from the front of the room.

8. Speak up
During group discussions many people never speak up because they’re afraid that people will judge them for saying something stupid. This fear isn’t really justified. Generally, people are much more accepting than we imagine. In fact most people are dealing with the exact same fears. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you’ll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.

9. Work out
Along the same lines as personal appearance, physical fitness has a huge effect on self-confidence. If you’re out of shape, you’ll feel insecure, unattractive, and less energetic. By working out, you improve your physcial appearance, energize yourself, and accomplish something positive. Having the discipline to work out not only makes you feel better, it creates positive momentum that you can build on the rest of the day.

10. Focus on Contribution
Too often we get caught up in our own desires. We focus too much on ourselves and not enough on the needs of other people. If you stop thinking about yourself and concentrate on the contribution you’re making to the rest of the world, you won’t worry as much about you own flaws. This will increase self-confidence and allow you to contribute with maximum efficiency. The more you contribute to the world the more you’ll be rewarded with personal success and recognition.

Read More

A farmer and his Nighbour Birbal Story

A farmer and his neighbour once went to Emperor Akbar’s Court with a complaint.

“Your Majesty, I bought a well from him”, said the farmer pointing to his neighbour, “and now he wants me to pay for the water”.

“That’s right, Your Majesty,” said the neighbour. “I sold him the well but not the water!”.

The Emperor asked Birbal to settle the dispute.

“Didn’t you say that you sold well to this farmer?” Birbal asked the neighbour. “So the well belongs to him now, but you have kept your water in his well. Is that right? Well, in that case you will have to pay him rent or take your water out at once!”.

The neighbor realized that he was outwitted. He quickly apologized and gave up his claim.

There is a great management learning behind it- Be always careful while you are giving commitment or making any agreements…!!!! Otherwise your opponent gets the chance to turn you into a victim.

Read More

2,200 years old tree in Japan

This large “Yakusugi Cedar” tree was located in 1996 and has since become quite famous. It is said to be the largest Cedar tree in Japan. It is 25 meters tall with a trunk circumference of 16.2 m (53 ft) and estimated to be around 2,200 years old (some claim that it is much older). It is called “Jomon-sugi” (meaning Old Cedar) and is located in the Yakushima World Heritage Area.

Read More

Vishwaroopam on 25th of January.

Having crossed all the hardships, Kamal Hassan's 'Vishwaroopam' is ready to hit the theater screens on the 25th of January.

Earlier 'Vishwaroopam' was to be released first in DTH for which there were many oppositions . And later, after various stages of discussion, it has been decided that the film will hit the theater screens firstly on the 25th of this month while the DTH telecast will be on the 2nd of February.

In a recent press meet, Kamal said that the film will be telecasted thrice in DTH at 3 different timings. He further said that he will soon let out the list of DTH networks through which 'Vishwaroopam' will be telecasted and that the one time pricing might be reduced

Read More

The Story of a Pencil

A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point, he asked:

'Are you writing a story about what we've done? Is it a story about me?

His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson:

'I am writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I’ am using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up.'

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn't seem very special.

'But it's just like any other pencil I've ever seen!'

'That depends on how you look at things. It has five qualities which, if you manage to hang on to them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world.'

First quality: You are capable of great things, but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and He always guides us according to His will.

Second quality: Now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpener. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he's much sharper. So you, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person.

Third quality: The pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did, is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice.

Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you.

Finally, the pencil's Fifth quality: it always leaves a mark. In just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action.

Read More

Home Remedies for Acidity

1) Eat a cup of vanilla ice cream or drink a glass of cold milk to get rid of acidity. This is an easy Home Remedy for Acidity.

2) Raita prepared with fresh curd, grated cucumber, fresh coriander, tomato is a sure shot remedy in aiding digestion, and helps eliminate acidity.

3) Mint: Fresh mint juice taken every day or fresh mint leaves boiled in a cup of water and sipped slowly after meals also helps to keep the stomach acids at bay

4) Mint juice before meals keeps acidity at bay. This is another good Home Remedy for Acidity.

5) Chewing 5-6 basil leaves relieves flatulence and acidity.

6) Half a glass of fresh pineapple juice should be taken after a meal for treating and preventing acidity

7) A piece of jaggery or gur after lunch and dinner prevents acidity

8) A very simple remedy for acidity is thin butter-milk mixed with 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper powder

9) One of the common Home Remedies for Acidity - Onion (pyaz): The juice of onions is an excellent remedy for acidity.

10) Habitual eating habits and a healthy diet can prevent acidity

11) Drink plenty of water (at least 6 to 8 glasses per day) and other fluids to maintain the acid balance in the stomach

12) A sherbet made with kokum and jeera gives relief from acidity.

13) Lemon rind can also be eaten to prevent heartburn

14) A glass of cold milk provides instant relief. This is an effective Home Remedy for Acidity.

15) Eat almonds to give relief to symptoms of acidity

16) Chew a few holy basil (tulsi ) leaves to get relief

17) Bananas, watermelon and cucumber have protective action against the acidity and heart burn

18) Lemon: Juice of one lemon mixed in half glass of water and ½ teaspoon sugar if consumed before meals helps to relieve acidity

19) When suffering from acidity, drink five to eight glass of coconut water a day. This is another effective Home Remedy for Acidity.

Read More

Looking at Mirror

One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big advice on the door on which it was written:

‘Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym’.

In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself.

The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up. Everyone thought: ‘Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!’.

One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul.

There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself.
There was also a sign next to the mirror that said:

‘There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU.

You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself.

Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life.

‘The most important relationship you can have is the one you have with yourself’
Examine yourself, watch yourself. Don’t be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses: be a winner, build yourself and your reality.

It’s the way you face Life that makes the difference.

Read More

Donkey Struggling in the Well

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well that the farmer had accidentally left uncovered. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do? Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway, so it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

Farmer invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on us, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up. Never loose hope and place your complete confidence and 100% trust in Almighty.
Motivational Quote: "In this world people will always throw stones in the path of your Success, it depends on you? What you make from them - a wall or a bridge."

Read More

Limiting Ourselves In Comfort Zones

We are basically unlimited beings. But we limit ourselves in many comfort zones. We have a lot of conditionings which, in reality, are mental. 

Some mosquitoes were put in a box and they kept jumping a lot. The box was covered from the top and each time they jumped they hit the top of the box, and when they jumped too close to the right or the left they hit the sides of the box. Slowly, to avoid harming themselves, they learned to jump just under the cover and without reaching the sides of the box. One day all the four sides of the box were opened. The mosquitoes were free, but they kept on jumping as far as the limit they had learned. The physical limits were no longer there. But they had become conditioned mentally. The same thing happens to us. We have to open the sides of the box and take off the top, or we can continue to live inside the box created by our own mind. 

Given below are some conditionings under which we work, because of which we do not experience complete freedom.

* Beliefs, acquired since our childhood, which limit us.
* The negative images of low self esteem that we have created of ourselves.
* The damaging thoughts of doubt, which does not let the highway of trust to build up inside ourselves and does not allow the creative energy of positivity to flow from inside us to the outside.
* The fear of failure or not being to able to succeed completely. A lot of times the fear exists due to past experiences of failure or not having succeeded as much as you would have liked.

We need to become aware of what our pattern of thoughts is, which brings us under the negative influence of mental conditionings. When that happens, we will be able to become free of these conditionings. While we do not become aware, we will continue to remain under its influence.

Read More

Are You a Carrot, An Egg, or a Coffee Bean?

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling.

It seemed that, as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans.

She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” the young woman replied. The mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling
off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee.

The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked,
“What does it mean, mother?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity – boiling water – but each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened! The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” the mother asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong but, with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have  a fluid

spirit but, after a death, a breakup, or a financial hardship, does myshell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavour.

If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level? How do you handle adversity?

*Moral: There are life lessons in every adversity we face, and as we mature and gain wisdom, our reactions to various situations change. *

IF like Then Share

Read More

Japanese way of cost efficiency

The Taj hotel group had invited Mr. Masai Imai from Japan to hold a workshop for its staff.

The staff were very skeptical - the hotel is doing excellent business, this person from Japan has no exposure to hotel industry - what exactly is he going to teach?

But everybody gathered as planned for the workshop in the conference hall sharp at 9 am.

Mr. Masai was introduced to them - a not so impressive personality, nor the English all that good; spoke as if he was first formulating each sentence in Japanese and then translating it into rather clumsy English.

"Good morning! Let's start work. I am told this is a workshop; but I see neither work nor shop. So let's proceed where work is happening. Let's start with the first room on the first floor."

Mr. Masai, followed by the senior management, the participants, the video camera crew trouped out of the conference room and proceeded to the destination.

That happened to be the laundry room of the hotel.

Mr. Masai entered the room and stood at the window, "beautiful view!" he said.

The staff knew it; they need not invite a Japanese consultant to tell them this!

"A room with such a beautiful view is being wasted as a laundry room. Shift the laundry to the basement and convert this into a guest room."

Aa Haa! Now nobody had ever thought about that!

The manager said, "Yes, it can be done."

"Then let's do it," Mr. Masai said.

"Yes sir, I will make a note of this and we will include it in the report on the workshop that will be prepared." Manager

"Excuse me, but there is nothing to note down in this. Let's just do it, just now." Mr. Masai.

"Just now?" Manager

"Yes, decide on a room on the ground floor/basement and shift the stuff out of this room right away. It should take a couple of hours, right?" asked Mr. Masai.

"Yes." Manager.

"Let's come back here just before lunch. By then all this stuff will have got shifted out and the room must be ready with the carpets, furniture etc. and from today you can start earning the few thousand that you charge your customers for a night."

"Ok, Sir." The manager had no option.

The next destination was the pantry. The group entered. At the entrance were two huge sinks full of plates to be washed.

Mr. Masai removed his jacket and started washing the plates.

"Sir, Please, what are you doing?" the manager didn't know what to say and what to do.

"Why, I am washing the plates", Mr. Masai.

"But sir, there is staff here to do that." Manager Mr. Masai continued washing, "I think sink is for washing plates, there are stands here to keep the plates and the plates should go into the stands."

All the officials wondered - did they require a consultant to tell them this?

After finishing the job, Mr. Masai asked, "How many plates do you have?'

"Plenty, so that there should never be any shortage." answered the Manager.

Mr. Masai said, "We have a word in Japanese -'Muda'. Muda means delay, Muda means unnecessary spending. One lesson to be learned in this workshop is to avoid both. If you have plenty of plates, there will be delay in cleaning them up. The first step to correct this situation is to remove all the excess plates."

"Yes, we will say this in the report." Manager.

"No, wasting our time in writing the report is again an instance of 'Muda'. We must pack the extra plates in a box right away and send these to whichever other section of Taj requires these. Throughout the workshop now we will find out where all we find this 'Muda' hidden."

And then at every spot and session, the staff eagerly awaited to find out Muda and learn how to avoid it.

On the last day, Mr. Masai told a story.

"A Japanese and an American, both fond of hunting, met in a jungle. They entered deep jungle and suddenly realized that they had run out of bullets. Just then they heard a lion roaring. Both started running. But the Japanese took a short break to put on his sports shoes.

The American said, "What are you doing? We must first get to the car."

The Japanese responded, "No. I only have to ensure that I remain ahead of you."

All the participants engrossed in listening to the story, realized suddenly that the lion would stop after getting his victim!

"The lesson is: competition in today's world is so fierce, that it is important to stay ahead of other, even by just a couple of steps. And you have such a huge and naturally well endowed country. If you remember to curtail your production expenditure and give the best quality always, you will be miles ahead as compared to so many other countries in the world.", concluded Mr. Masai.

If you like this store, then please Share

Read More

10 Thoughts

1. Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout life.

2. Why is a car's windshield so large & the rear view mirror so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, look ahead and move on. 

3. Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes a few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write. 

4. All things in life are temporary. If they are going well, enjoy them, they will not last forever. If they are going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.

5. Old friends are gold! New friends are diamond! If you get a diamond, don't forget the gold! To hold a diamond, you always need a base of gold!

6. Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart; it's just a bend, not the end!"

7. When God solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when God doesn't solve your problems, He has faith in YOUR abilities.

8. A blind person asked God: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"

9. When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

10. Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles; it takes away today's PEACE

Read More

How do I really feel about myself ?

Stop and ask yourself today, "How do I really feel about myself? "
Before you answer read these ten principles.

Better yet, keep them before you daily.

(1)  Never think or speak negatively about yourself; that puts you in disagreement with God.

(2)  Meditate on your God-given strengths and learn to encourage yourself, for much of the time nobody else will.

(3)  Don't compare yourself to anybody else.  You're unique, one of a kind, an original.  So don't settle for being a copy.

(4)  Focus on your potential, not your limitations.  Remember, God lives in you!

(5)  Find what you like to do, do well, and strive to do it with excellence.

(6)  Have the courage to be different.  Be a God pleaser, not a people pleaser.

(7)  Learn to handle criticism.  Let it develop you instead of discourage you.

(8)  Determine your own worth instead of letting others do it for you.  They'll short-change you!

(9)  Keep your shortcomings in perspective - you're still a work in progress.

(10)  Focus daily on your greatest source of confidence - the God Who lives in you!

Read More

7 dont's after a Meal

*Don't smoke-Experiment from experts proves that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of   cancer is higher).
                                                                                       
*Don't eat fruits immediately - Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1hr before meal.
                               
*Don't drink tea - Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid.This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.

*Don't loosen your belt - Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted &blocked.
                                     
*Don't bathe - Bathing will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease.  This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.    
                                                                                                                                         
*Don't walk about - People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you will live till 99. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.    
                                                                                                                       
*Don't sleep immediately - The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. Thus will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine.  

Read More

"We want to See the President"

A lady in a faded grey dress and her husband, dressed in a home-spun suit walked in timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University President's outer office. The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Harvard.

"We want to see the President "the man said softly.

"He'll be busy all day "the secretary snapped.

"We'll wait" the lady replied.

For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president.

"Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave" she said to him. The President, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple.

The lady told him "

We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus."

The president wasn't touched....He was shocked. "Madam "he said, gruffly, " we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery."

"Oh, no," the lady explained quickly,

We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard."

The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, and then exclaimed, "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard."

For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now. The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a university ? Why don't we just start our own?"

  

Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment. Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the University that bears their name: -

StanfordUniversity, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.

  

Most of the time we judge people by their outer appearance, which can be misleading. And in this impression, we tend to treat people badly by thinking they can do nothing for us. Thus we tend to lose our potential good friends, employees or customers.

Remember

In our Life, we seldom get people with whom we want to share & grow our thought process,  But because of our  EGO we miss them forever.

Read More

Never underestimate your Clients' Complaint !

Never underestimate your Clients' Complaint,

no matter how funny it might seem!

This is a real story that happened between the customer of General Motors and its Customer-Care Executive..

The Pontiac Division of General Motors received a complaint:

'This is the second time I have written to you, and I don't blame you for not answering me, because I sounded crazy, but it is a fact that we have a tradition in our family of Ice-Cream for dessert after dinner each night, but the kind of ice cream varies so, every night, after we've eaten, the whole family votes on which kind of ice cream we should have and I drive down to the store to get it. It's also a fact that I recently purchased a new Pontiac and since then my trips to the store have created a problem.

You see, every time I buy a vanilla ice cream, when I start back from the store my car won't start. If I get any other kind of ice cream, the car starts just fine. I want you to know I'm  serious  about this question, no matter how silly it sounds "What is there about a Pontiac that makes it not start when I get vanilla ice cream, and easy to start whenever I get any other kind?" The Pontiac President was understandably skeptical about the letter, but sent an Engineer to check it out anyway.

The latter was surprised to be greeted by a successful, obviously well educated man in a fine neighborhood. He had arranged to meet the man just after dinner time, so the two hopped into the car and drove to the ice cream store. It was vanilla ice cream that night and, sure enough, after they came back to the car, it wouldn't start.

The Engineer returned for three more nights. The first night, they got chocolate. The car started. The second night, he got strawberry. The car started. The third night he ordered vanilla. The car failed to start.

Now the engineer, being a logical man, refused to believe that this man's car was allergic to vanilla ice cream. He arranged, therefore, to continue his visits for as long as it took to solve the problem. And toward this end he began to take notes: He jotted down all sorts of data: time of day, type of gas uses, time to drive back and forth etc.

In a short time, he had a clue: the man took less time to buy vanilla than any other flavour. Why? The answer was in the layout of the store.

Vanilla, being the most popular flavour, was in a separate case at the front of the store for quick pickup. All the other flavours were kept in the back of the store at a different counter where it took considerably longer to check out the flavour.

Now, the question for the Engineer was why the car wouldn't start when it took less time. Eureka - Time was now the problem - not the vanilla ice cream!!!! The engineer quickly came up with the answer: "vapour lock".

It was happening every night; but the extra time taken to get the other flavours allowed the engine to cool down sufficiently to start. When the man got vanilla, the engine was still too hot for the vapour lock to dissipate.

Even crazy looking problems are sometimes real and all problems seem to be simple only when we find the solution, with cool thinking.

Don't just say it is " IMPOSSIBLE" without putting a sincere effort.

What really matters is your attitude and your perception.

Read More

10 of Gandhi's Memorable Quotes

October 2 saw the birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948)  better known as Mahatma Gandhi. The Indian luminary, famous for leading the Indian nation to independence in peaceful means, is deemed an inspirational figure to this day, over 60 years after his death in 1948. 

As a tribute to Gandhi, here’s a collection of some of his thought-provoking quotes. 

1.
ON LIFE
"My life is my message."

2.
ON BEING A SOLDIER
“I regard myself as a soldier, though a soldier of peace.“

3.
ON FAITH IN HUMANITY
“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."

4.
ON NONVIOLENCE
“Nonviolence is the first article of my faith. It is also the last article of my creed.”

5.
ON THE SEVEN SINS
“Seven social sins: politics without principles, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice."

6.
ON TRUTH
“An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it. Truth stands, even if there be no public support. It is self sustained.”

7.
ON THE "STILL SMALL VOICE"
“The only tyrant I accept in this world is the 'still small voice' within me. And even though I have to face the prospect of being a minority of one, I humbly believe I have the courage to be in such a hopeless minority.”

8.
ON LIBERTY
“I’m a lover of my own liberty, and so I would do nothing to restrict yours.”

9.
ON FORGIVENESS
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” 

10.
ON THE NATURE OF MAN
“A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes."

Read More

Benefits of Morning Walks

Morning walk is also called as Ambulation. The oxygen that you get earlier in the morning gives energy to your joints. The air in the mornings is usually fresh and free of dust and smoke. A walk in a park or on the bank of river will refresh your mind and body. The breeze of the river is a tonic both for body and mind, the rosy color of the sunrise bring to us a wealth of pleasure.

This is an exercise which is suitable for all aged people, walking does not require athletic ability. A morning walk is the most rewarding as it reduces mental stress and drives away lethargy.

A naturally available medicine, that is your morning walk also allows you to get rid of any gastric blockages in the body that might not allow you to get a sound sleep, and also adding to the excess of pain to your body. Most diabetics have noticed a remarkable decline in their blood sugar levels.

Morning walk will help fight against stress and aids in relaxation. It helps to increase the body activity, accuracy and provides flexibility. It helps us to have a control of the body weight. It is one of the best ways to remain fit. It will increase bone density and help prevent bone damage. It will increase mental well being. It would help you in spending more healthier, safe, and worthy life.

In today`s polluted world, the only time when your lungs feel relaxed is early in the morning. We can get a little time, not filled with noise of traffic but with the relaxing sound of chirping of birds, the clear view of the blue sky relaxes you. Morning walk for people who are having heart problems, and other such diseases can work wonders. Apart from being an activity which helps in reducing mental stress it helps in keeping the body active and fresh all day. Walking early in the morning on your foot provides abundant oxygen to the body which induces rich blood circulation and removes waste toxins out of the body, resulting in purification of the blood.

While walking stretch your arms, legs, shoulders, joints etc and take deep breath during whole course of morning walk. Walk at least 20 minutes a day; keep your back straight and shoulders fixed just slightly backwards. Walking is one of the best, safest and most natural forms of exercise.

It helps to control your blood pressure; physical activity strengthens the heart so it can pump more blood with less effort and with less pressure on the arteries as the cholestrol in the body reduces gradually. Taking a walk regularly is one of the best things you can do for your back. It promotes muscular development, increases circulation. It increases your metabolism and blood circulation and also lowers your blood sugar level. Also the sweat takes out salt and dust from the physical body. In addition, this also gives a great relief to back pain.

Always walk in a brisk and upright manner and keep a fixed time for walking. Walk your way to a healthier, stronger body and mind!

Walk for a healthy body
Walking is one of the easiest ways to stay fit. You may have a busy life, but try and introduce physical activity in your life. A moderate dose of physical exercise for 30 minutes (if you can’t manage that much, even 15 minutes is okay to begin with) a day is enough to keep you healthy. This form of aerobic fitness can lift your mood, make you physically fit, and improve the quality of your life.

Before you start
Wear the right pair of walking shoes and comfortable clothes. Also remember to carry and drink water while you walk, to hydrate yourself. Walk for 15-20 minutes for the first three days, and then gradually increase the time. You can use a pedometer to count the steps you take.

Walk your way to a healthy heart
Walking can lower your cholesterol levels and decrease the risks for cardiovascular diseases. It can also strengthen your heart, muscles and lungs. A strong heart with an increased heart rate is able to carry more blood to the rest of your body. Brisk walking every day lets you burn up to 200 calories and reduces body fat.

Cuts your risk of hypertension and diabetes
According to a study, regular walking improves the BMI (body mass index) and blood pressure levels in people with diabetes. Allowing muscle movement leads to more use of glucose by the muscle cells. This also involves utilization of more insulin, which improves blood sugar levels. Low blood pressure levels can also protect against kidney failure, heart attack and stroke.

Reduces risks and effects of cancer
Research shows that in colon cancer, a speedy walk can give less time to the carcinogens present in the food to come in touch with the intestinal lining and reduce the risks of having cancer from the start itself. With improved blood circulation, walking brings in positive energy within the body and therefore lessens the side effects of chemotherapy.

Protect against miscarriages
Despite the several body changes during pregnancy, regular walking can benefit you in many ways. It can reduce fatigue and related pains, help lose weight easily, and lower risks of gestational diabetes. Walking can also prevent spontaneous abortions by lowering down the hormonal fluctuations which cause uterine contractions.

Walk for better sexual health
A regular habit of brisk walking can improve your performance in bed. Walking two miles a day boosts blood circulation which cuts down on the risk of impotency. You can be healthy and fit, and need not rely on medicines to keep your love life active.

Rejuvenate your mind and spirit
Walking benefits not just your body but also your mind. Brisk walking helps ease stress and anxiety, reduces depression and imparts a positive kick-start to your day. It improves your self-esteem, charges up the mood and helps to keep you energetic, positive and happy throughout the day.

Manage extra kilos
Proper exercise coupled with a nutritious diet can help to burn calories which would otherwise end up as fat. You can burn up to 100 kcal of energy by walking a mile and for every two miles you walk, three times per week, you are guaranteed to lose 0.5 kg every month. With a habit of brisk walking 45 minutes a day, a slimmer waistline will not remain a distant dream.

Improves brainpower
Walking stimulates the blood flow, and provides oxygen to the brain. This leads to improved functioning of the brain and better ability to recall. Besides, a moderate dose of physical activity is also known to lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in seniors.

Add years to your life
Exercising can add to longevity. Thirty minutes of daily physical activity is said to extend your life by 1.3 years. More importantly, it can keep you fit by preventing, or delaying, the onset of age-related conditions such as osteoarthritis. Walking with peers can also cheer you up and motivate you.

Last word: Consult your doctor
If you happen to suffer from any condition, and intend to start walking, it is always better to consult your doctor first. Discuss whether you need to take any precautions and follow his suggestions about whether you should go for brisk walk, and also how

Read More