हमारे रंगीन चश्मे

'एथेंस का सत्यार्थी' के नायक ने जिद करके नँगा सत्य देखने का प्रयास किया। परिणामस्वरूप, उसकी आँखें चौन्धिया गयीं और वह अंधा हो गया।

सच पूछिए तो अपने बारे में नग्न सत्य हम भी नहीं बर्दाश्त कर पाते हैं। अतः अपनी आंखों पर रंगीन चश्मे लगाकर खुद को धोखा देते हैं।

अमिताभ बच्चन की सुप्रसिद्ध फ़िल्म शराबी याद कीजिये। शराब की अपनी बुरी लत को तर्कसंगत बनाने के लिए एक गाने में उन्होंने सारे संसार को नशे में धुत बता दिया।

प्रत्येक व्यक्ति अपनी आंखों के सामने पाक-साफ दिखना चाहता है। मसलन यदि मैं कामचोर हूँ तो कम से कम अपनी नज़रों के सामने गिरना नहीं चाहूँगा। अतः अपने-आप को ठगने के लिए मुझे एक रंगीन चश्मा पहनना होगा, जिस चश्मे से सारा विश्व कामचोर दिखेगा। लेकिन बात इतने पर समाप्त नहीं होती है। मुझे अपनी अदालत में दूसरों को कामचोर साबित करके दिखाना पड़ेगा, ताकि मैं अपनी कामचोरी को आम इंसानी कमजोरी मानकर तर्कसंगत साबित कर सकूँ।

यहीं से सारे झगड़ों की शुरुआत होती है। मैं अपने अधीनस्थों पर कामचोरी का आरोप लगाता हूँ, चाहे वे कितनी ही तन्मयता या अतन्मयता के साथ अपना कार्य कर रहे हों। बदले में वे भी मेरा प्रतिरोध प्रारम्भ कर देते हैं। फिर गुट बनते हैं। लोग एक दूसरे को नीचे दिखाने के लिये प्रयत्न-रत हो जाते हैं और अपने दिन की चैन और रात की नींद हराम कर लेते हैं।

परस्पर आरोप-प्रत्यारोप के बीच टीम-भावना की बलि चढ़ाई जाती है और परिवार, समाज और संस्थाएं इसका भारी मूल्य चुकाती हैं।
टीम-भावना के समाप्त होने के कारण हम निर्रथक झगड़ों में फंस के रह जाते हैं। परिणामस्वरूप, हम मनोवांछित सफलताएँ नहीं प्राप्त कर पाते हैं और जीवन के हमारे बहुत सारे अरमान अधूरे रह जाते हैं।

आखिर इस गम्भीर बीमारी का क्या इलाज हो सकता है?

वृद्धाश्रम या वृद्धमोहल्ला

बुढ़ापा  शेष  अन्य  चीजों  जैसा  ही  है , इसे  सफल  बनाने  के  लिये  आपको जवानी  में  ही  शुरुआत  करनी  पड़ती  है। --- थिओडोर  रूज़वेल्ट 

आजकल सोशल-मीडिया पर वृद्धाश्रम पर अत्यन्त भावनात्मक लेख पोस्ट किये जा रहे हैं, जिन्हें पढ़कर कलेजा मुँह को आ जाता है। यह एक बड़ी विडंबना है कि सोशल मीडिया पर भावनात्मक लेख लिखने वाले कुछ लोग अपनी वास्तविक जिंदगी में ठीक उसका उल्टा करते हैं। कुछ लोगों को तो  मैं अच्छी  तरह से  जानता हूँ , लेकिन नाम बताने की हिम्मत तो मे्रे पुरखे भी नहीं कर पाएंगे। इसमें अन्यथा लेने वाली कोई  बात भी  नहीं है क्योंकि ,"मुख में राम बगल में छुरी"वाली कहावत तो कोई नई  नहीं है।

ऐसे देखा जाए तो हमलोग भी वृद्ध-मोहल्ले में रहते हैं। हमारे मोहल्ले में अधिकांश युवक बंगलुरु या अन्य  बड़े शहरों  में काम करते हैं और उनके माँ-बाप यहाँ अकेले रहते हैं। कई बार बच्चे जिद करके हमें अपने साथ ले जाते हैं , लेकिन कुछ दिन बाद भागकर हमलोग फिर बैंकर्स कॉलोनी, मुजफ्फरपुर आ जाते हैं, क्योंकि वहां हमारा मन ही नहीं लगता है। ईश्वर की असीम कृपा से हमलोगों को बच्चों पर आश्रित नहीं रहना पड़ता है, लेकिन प्रौढ़ अवस्था या बुढ़ापा अकेले बिताना भी काफी चुनौतीपूर्ण कार्य है।

लोग प्रायः कहते हैं कि माँ-बाप बच्चों की इतने शौक से परवरिश करते हैं, लेकिन बच्चे अपने माँ-बाप को दूध की मक्खी की तरह निकाल फेंकते हैं। वस्तुतः बच्चे इतने मनोहर होते हैं कि लोग दूसरों के बच्चों से खेलने में भी आनंदित हो जाते हैं। कोई बच्चा आपको देखकर जबरदस्ती सम्मान नहीं मांगता है और न ही वह आपसे  किसी की शिकायत करता है, वह सिर्फ आपको देखकर हँसता-मुस्कराता है। मेरे पड़ोस की बच्ची जब भी मुझे देखती है, हँसते हुए मेरी तरफ दौड़ती है, मैं भी उसे गोद में उठाकर प्यार करता हूँ और थोड़ी देर के लिए अपना तनाव भूल जाता हूँ। वस्तुतः बच्चे अपने-आपको इतना हल्का बना लेते हैं कि हर कोई उन्हें उठा लेता है। वे अपने माँ-बाप को कभी यह नहीं कहते कि आपने मुझे पैदा किया है तो आपको मेरा लालन-पालन करना ही पड़ेगा। अर्थात वे अपना अधिकार नहीं मांगते हैं, बल्कि अपनी प्यारी छवि से सब काम करा लेते हैं।

 मेरे मित्र अरुण जी के पिता जी अत्यंत बूढ़े थे, जब भी मैं अरुण जी से मिलने जाता था, चाचा जी के लिए पान लेकर जाता था, क्योंकि वे पान के बहुत शौक़ीन थे  और  बहुत खुश होते थे, थोड़ी देर मैं उनके पास बैठकर बात करता था। वे मेरे परिवार के सदस्यों के कुशल-क्षेम पूछते थे।  कभी भी उन्होंने अपने बेटे या बहू की  शिकायत नहीं की। अगर शिकायत करते तो शायद मैं उनके पास बैठ भी नहीं पाता। कभी उनके बच्चों या बहू ने भी उनकी शिकायत नहीं की। यद्पि बुढ़ापा काफी कष्टकारी होता है, फिर भी उन्होंने अपने मन में दूसरों के प्रति खटास नहीं पाली और काफी संतुष्टि के साथ इस संसार को अलविदा कहा। मैं ऐसे बुजुर्गों को भी जानता हूँ , जो हर बात में मीन-मेख निकाल कर न सिर्फ अपनी जिंदगी नरक बना लेते हैं, बल्कि पूरे परिवार के लिए भारी मुसीबत बन जाते हैं।

मुझे तो श्रवण कुमार की कहानी पढ़कर बड़ा अटपटा लगता है। श्रवण कुमार माँ-बाप की भक्ति के लिए आदर्श थे। आदर्श तो लाखों में एक होता है तभी उसकी उपमा दी जाती है, अगर श्रवण कुमार लाखों में एक थे तो तब शेष बच्चे कैसे थे ? और क्यों  वर्षों  से  यह  कहावत चली  आ  रही  है  कि  बाप  बनकर  कोई  किसी  से  कुछ  नहीं  ले  सकता  है। 

 बेवफाई एक शाश्वत सत्य है।  अपने शरीर से ज्यादा प्यारा कौन हो सकता है, बचपन से इसका हम कितना ख्याल रखते हैं, बढ़िया से बढ़िया भोजन कराते हैं, सुन्दर वस्त्र पहनाते हैं, इत्र, क्रीम और महंगे साबुन लगाते हैं, लेकिन सबसे ज्यादा कष्ट भी हमें अपना शरीर ही देता है।अनेक प्रकार की बीमारियों को पालकर शरीर  हमें कष्ट देता है और  बुढ़ापे में  भी  साथ नहीं  देता है। एक दिन तो  यह पूरी तरह जवाब दे देता है।

   ईसा मसीह ने दस कोढ़ियों को ठीक कर दिया, उनमें से सिर्फ एक उन्हें धन्यवाद देने आया, शेष नौ ने इस  छोटी  सी  औपचारिकता  को  निभाना भी उचीत नहीं समझा। तात्पर्य यह है कि यह निर्मम संसार युगों-युगों से ऐसा ही है और ऐसा ही रहेगा। बेहतर है कि इस संसार के अनुसार हम अपने-आप को ढाल लें। 
 बिंदास जीने का नाम ही जीवन है।  अतः बच्चों के साथ रहें, वृद्धाश्रम में या वृद्धमोहल्ले में रहें, अपने अस्तित्व से दूसरों को खुश रखें, उनपर कम से कम बोझ बनें और बिंदास जियें।

अगर दिल खोलते यारों के साथ

सुना है कि एक हार्ट हॉस्पिटल के ऑपरेशन-कक्ष  पर लिखा था ," अगर दिल खोलते  यारों के साथ तो खुलवाना न पड़ता औजारों के साथ "

एक दिन मैं काफी परेशान था। उसी समय मेरे एक मित्र अपनी समस्या-समाधान हेतु मेरे कक्ष में आये। उनकी बातें धैर्यपुर्वक सुनकर मैंने उन्हें आश्वासन दिया,"कुछ महीनों में मैं आपकी समस्या  सुलझा दूँगा।"
 परन्तु वे अपनी समस्या का शीघ्र समाधान चाह रहे थे, यद्यपि मुझे अविलम्ब कोई हल नजर नहीं आ रहा था।
 मैंने उन्हें समझाने कि पुरजोर कोशिश की, लेकिन दुर्भाग्यवश वे अपनी बात पर अड़े रहे । अंत में मेरा धैर्य जवाब दे गया और मैं उनसे लड़ बैठा।
बाद में मुझे महसूस हुआ कि  अगर मैं परेशान न होता तो शायद मैं धैर्य एवम वाकपटुता के साथ उन्हें इन्तज़ार करने के लिये मना लेता। यदि प्रारम्भ में ही मैं उन्हें अपनी मनःस्थिति के बारे में बता देता तो शायद वे उस दिन अनावश्यक दबाब न देते और अप्रियता टल जाती।  

एक बार मोटरसाइकिल से गिरने के कारण मेरे पाँव के घुटनों में हलकी चोटें आ गईं। मैं घर पर आराम कर रहा था, तभी मेरे मित्र राजीव जी ने फोन किया। मेरी बातों में गर्मजोशी नहीं थी और आवाज भी थकी-थकी थी। उन्होंने अविलंब ताड़ लिया कि मैं परेशान हूँ। मैंने उन्हें दुर्घटना के बारे में बताया तो वे मीठी झिड़की देने लगे," आपने पहले क्यों नहीं बताया ?" पहले पता हो जाता तो मैं आपसे अपने काम के बारे में आज बात नहीं करता।" राजीव जी की सलाह अमल करने लायक है।
  यदि आपकी मनःस्थिति किसी कारणवश  ठीक नहीं हो तो आप अपने दोस्तों और परिवार के सदस्यों को बता दें ताकि वे आपको आराम करने दें  और मानसिक सम्बल दें।  

BECOME AMBIDEXTROUS

One is either left handed or right handed. The left-handers are guided by their right brains, and the right-handers are guided by their left brains. Thus both left handers and right handers use only 50% of their brain.

One of the founders of United States of America  Mr. Benjamin Franklin was also ambidextrous.

Sachin Tendulkar writes with the left hand but batted and bowled with the right hand. Saurabh Ganguli bowled from the right hand and batted from the left hand. Typists, knitters, musicians, etc. use their both hands with equal ease. I use both hands in my daily chores since I suffer from frozen left shoulder.
 My doctor told me that left frozen shoulder might have resulted from less use of left hand. Moreover using both hands simultaneously increases my efficiency also but I don't bother too much about being ambidextrous and do it in symphony with my psych and soul.

USE NATURE'S COOLANTS

We take special care to protect working machines from overheating. We use coolant in our cars, bikes, and in our refrigerators, etc. Even we switch off our fans to save them from overheating and resultant damages

The same precaution is required to keep our minds calm and cool.

Greenery and flowers help to keep us poised and relaxed.

 Use natural coolants to achieve this vital goal.
i) Inhale deeply to give your mind lots of oxygen
ii) Drink water often

iii) Talk lightly sometimes to make your colleagues laugh.
iv) Take rests at regular intervals. You may take a short break to walk for a few minutes and also do a little stretching after working for an hour.

These simple tips will help you to keep your mind cool and in a good working condition.

ABSENT MINDEDNESS - A CONSTANT THREAT

Once I was servicing my inverter. After finishing the job, I absentmindedly put the plug of the inverter into its power socket instead of putting the plug into the electric socket. When I put the inverter on, there was a kit-kit sound. I switched it off immediately.

Absent-mindedness continues to ride on our shoulders all the time. As soon as we go off guard, it blurs our eyes and highjacks our mind. So we need to be vigilant all the time to save ourselves from its mischief. Here are some time-tested ways to fight absent-mindedness.

1. Take enough rest and sleep.

2. Practice inhaling deeply.

3. Decide a place for putting a thing.
 http://truedreams19000.blogspot.in/2013/02/order-is-heavens-first-rule.html

4. Write things down. Maintain a to-do list in black and white.
 http://truedreams19000.blogspot.in/2014/01/increase-your-efficiency-and.html

5. When you are introduced to a new person, repeat his name time and again.
http://truedreams19000.blogspot.in/2014/04/sharpen-your-memory.html

6. Associate names with some peculiarity of a face.

7. Always keep in mind that absent-mindedness is riding on your shoulders all the time. It will blur your eyes and highjack your mind, as soon as you go off guard.

DON'T TAKE DECISIONS IN NEGATIVE EMOTIONS

 Beware, negative emotions are more dangerous than the opium.

 Transactional Analysis theory states,"Our mind consists of 3 ego states. The CHILD, PARENT, nd ADULT.

(1) The CHILD- Some childlike and childish qualities become part and parcel of our personalities.

(2) The PARENT- Our parent figures continuously give instructions. We promptly comply with most of them. This is why many irrelevant traditions are carried  from genaration to generation.

(3) The ADULT- As we grow up, we start thinking rationally discard most of childish qualities. We also question many parents’ instructions. For example Sati System was being carried from generation to generation. People even did not question it’s propriety and mercilessly burnt the widows alive as they learnt it from their ancestors.
 Thus they were under the influence of PARENT ego state. Raja Ram Mohan Rai, in his ADULT ego state, questioned its propriety and fought to make the Sati System illegal.

Our ADULT ego state gets decommissioned when we are in any emotion i.e. either in love, hate, anger, depression, fear, greed, over enthusiasm etc. We may harm ourselves and others in negative emotions. So the best course of action will be to avoid any action in  emotions.We must wait for emotions to calm down. In the mean time we may talk with our close friends to take their advice, enjoy music, movies etc. Taking long and deep breaths also calms down emotions. 

Fraudsters raise emotions of  confidence, greed or fear before duping us. Hitler gave emotional speeches to make people mad of hatred.

A smoke detector warns us as soon as it detects smoke. Similarly we must continuously monitor the thoughts in our mind and take preventive measures when negative emotions trap us.
 Too much positive emotions such as over confidence, over enthusiasm, craziness in love etc are worse than negative emotions.   

UNDERREACT, IT IS GOOD FOR OUR HEALTH.

If we control our reactions in the short-term, we don't have to live with the 'reaction regret' in the long term.
--- Lysa Terkeurst.
I along with my family members visited Nainital in 2009. The boat ride in Nainital Lake was magnificent. Next day we left by car for Kaushani and Ranikhet. The whole journey was abundant with breath taking scenery. After enjoying every second there for three days, we reached Kathgodam Railway Station for going to Goa.
 Unfortunately, I lost my temper with the kids on a trivial matter. That incident hurt my better half.Consequently, we couldn't relish our first day in Goa.

I honestly confess that the tendency to overreact overpowers me sometimes even now. Therefore during vulnerable periods, I repeat the slogan "Underreact." "Underreact." continuously and forcefully while taking many long and deep breaths. This activity checks the overreaction in its womb and keeps my mental as well as physical health in good condition.

Although old habits are die hard, yet I appear to have mastered the art of underreaction. During my posting at Motihari, my colleague Anil Jee once remarked," Send an angry man to Manager Sahab (me), the aggrieved speaks nonstop, and Manager Sahab will be looking at his face and listening silently. The poor fellow will calm down in no time."

 I don’t only hear complaints of annoyed persons patiently while looking intently at their face but also invite them to sit down and get their legitimate work done at the earliest. The displeased leave my chamber with smiling faces and also become my well-wishers. 

DON'T ALLOW DILUTION OF YOUR CONTROL.

Initially, East India Company obtained permission from the Emperor Jahangir to trade in India. Slowly they built godowns and hired shooters to protect their godowns during the period of other emperors. Finally, they made fort-like godowns and recruited a large army to capture the whole India in a systematic and planned way.

Charles Seymour, MP, in the Jeffrey Archers novel " First Among Equal" appointed his right-hand man Mr. Clive Reynolds to look after his family bank in which the family had 4% shares but controlling power. Mr. Reynolds slowly made insignificant looking changes in the management of the bank and appointed his men in a systematic way. In due course, Mr. Reynolds became so much powerful that he double crossed Charles Seymour.

A popular idiom exhorts," Never allow any person to catch your fingers lest he would catch your wrist."

 Therefore silently and carefully keep an eye on even minor developments taking place in your circle of influence. Tactfully thwart all the major or minor attempts that may cause dilution of your control else one day you may find to your utter dismay that you have been thrown out of the steering wheel.

Once I read a famous idiom," Offence is the best defense." 
Therefore, try continuously to increase more and more control in your circle of influence and also expand it by leaps and bounds. Your friends and colleagues will help you best by the win-win theory. Please also read people management section of our lovely blog to get insights into getting along with people by the win-win method.

This theory is also applicable to self-management. 
Suppose you get up at 5.30 a.m. one day, the CHILD in you may suggest that there is no harm in sleeping one hour more today. If you oblige yourself, you may find that slowly you have become late riser. Therefore if you get up at 5.30 a.m. please try to set new target 5.25 or 5.20 a.m. and so on.

LET THE WORLD KNOW YOUR CAPABILITIES

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate. Oprah Winfrey

Once the great warrior Arjun became 

Furious with Dharmraj Yudhishthira and vowed to kill him. Lord Shri Krishna arrived within no time and made Arjun realize his mistake. However, Arjun became upset since his pledge was unfulfilled. Lord Shri Krishna, then, suggested," Criticizing your elders is just like killing them; so criticize your eldest brother to fulfill your pledge." Arjun, therefore, criticized Yudhishthir reluctantly.

Now the great warrior was full of self-reproach and decided to take his life for criticizing his God like the eldest brother. Shri Krishna again came to his rescue and  suggested," Self-admiration is like suicide so appreciate yourself."

 Such was the stigma attached to self-praise from time immemorial.

But now the values have changed, big multinational companies self-praise themselves by giving full page advertisements in the name of marketing.  The great leaders and political parties invest vast sums on image building.

It is high time to glorify our good qualities discreetly and also motivate others to appreciate us so that the world knows about our true capabilities. An efficient and priceless way to motivate others for our image building is to commend their excellent qualities liberally.

GIVE CREDIT TO OTHERS, BUT?

The strong leaders give credit to others for successes and take responsibility themselves for failures. After 1977 debacle in general elections, Mrs. Indira Gandhi herself took all the responsibility for the massive defeat of the Congress party. Her action was widely appreciated. 
The influential leaders also have the amazing quality of giving credit of achievements to their team members.

I learned this trait very early. But, once I found myself in a very bizarre situation.

The great leader sipped all the venom of the ocean churning and gave the nectar to Gods

I was newly married and was going to my inlaw's home first time.  Since I was a novice in purchasing cloth, I took help of a married friend in buying a lovely yellow Saree for my wife; she was delighted. I gave credit to my friend,” Actually this Saree has been selected by Arun Jee.”
 My wife got very upset and complained bitterly, "You delegated purchase of my Saree also." I had no option but to clarify that actually, I did the purchasing myself, my friend just accompanied me.

So when your position is not vulnerable as a strong leader, you may give credit to your team members for achievements and discredit yourself for lapses. Your team members need your emotional support and backing. They always tend to flock around strong leaders.

But when emotions are involved, kindly desist from this good habit.

YOU CAN GET LIFE’S ULTIMATE AIM INSTANTLY.

You live longer once you realize that any time spent being unhappy is wasted.   -   Ruth E.Renkl.

Many persons must be furious and be contemplating to call Police. But, please mind the title. I merely said, “You can get.” I did neither promise you anything nor did I ask anything in return.

The billion dollar question is," What is our life's ultimate aim?"

 We strive for a big luxury car, for what? We toil day and night for a big luxury house, for what? We burn our blood to put ten million bucks in our bank’s account, for what?  Can these things give us real happiness?

I have seen many sad souls living in big houses, driving air-conditioned cars and owning millions of property. All these things are certainly important but of no use, if they fail to make us happy.

 Once I visited a friend's house, the house lady at once started scolding her mother-in-law. To make the matter worse, she continued to relate her illness and hardships till we stayed there. She had stored too much acid in her heart.

I suffer from blood pressure, diabetes, gastric, piles, back pain, gout, tennis elbow, etc.  Once my junior Shri Manoj Choudhary asked jokingly, "Sir, please name a healthy part of your body." I promptly retorted, "I got a frail physique by birth, but I can defeat anyone instantly in gusto and enthusiasm.

Once my car broke down, I reached my in-law's house without any information at 10.30 p.m. My parent in laws, who are in their eighties, became exultant. My mother in law went to the kitchen and prepared dinner, despite my requests for not bothering. My father in law helped her. I had my dinner at 11 p.m. and slept peacefully. When I got up, my breakfast was ready. I enjoyed the hot and tasty breakfast and touched their feet to depart. The father in law offered me a crisp five hundred rupee note which I politely refused.
 " What is this?" He asked lovingly.
 “Five hundred bucks,"  I replied.
 He refuted with a big smile," No, it is our blessings. You may need it since your car has broken down." I pocketed the crisp note obediently, though my PNB debit card was in my pocket.

The old couple in their eighties is living happily despite many old age ailments. They have good will and happiness in their hearts. They make others happy.

 

So irrespective of your problems and troubles, you can get life's ultimate aim, i.e., happiness instantly. After that, you may keep trying for other materialistic things. So tune in your favorite music this weekend and start humming. One of my favorite songs is

सब  कुछ  सीखा  हमने  ना  सीखी  दुनियादारी, सच  है  दुनियावालों  हम  हैं अनाड़ी  (I learned everything but sophistication; it is true, Duniyawalo, I am a greenhorn)

BEING GOOD PAYS ENORMOUSLY

Why do you adore Gandhi, Ambedkar, Lincoln, and Tolstoy? Why we hate Hitler or Mussolini? Why honest and hard working companies like Tata, Microsoft, Samsung, who strive hard to give more and more in less and fewer prices, thrive by leaps and bounds. Why mushrooming fraud companies disappear like rain frogs? 

 Because honesty and virtues pay in the long run. People are too intelligent to be fooled indefinitely. They differentiate the good from the bad. They give the prize to the right and punish the bad.

A crook may be successful for a short while, but long lasting success and happiness follows only to those who work honestly, help the poor and live life based on the values.

GET ADDICTED TO GOOD HABITS

Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.

- Aristotle. 

It takes only 66 days to build a healthy habit

.--- Unknown

Addiction is not only wrong, but it is deplorable too; however,  forsaking nasty habits are sadly next to impossible, yet, we may take advantage of it by getting addicted to the right habits.

I rise early in the morning and go for a brisk walk in the fresh morning air which consists of more than enough vitality-giving oxygen.  I give my ears a treat by hearing, the chirping of birds. My eyes get a treat by looking at beautiful flowers and greeneries.  My mind, too, becomes creative. Many times I get intuition to write articles during my brisk walks.

 I have become addicted to the morning walk. My lungs have become addicted to fresh and refreshing air; So every morning they ask for fresh air and goad me to leave the bed early, wear sports shoes and go for a brisk refreshing walk.

Choose, you will get addicted to which healthy habits today? Do them religiously for 66 days and longer. You will become addicted to them and will find difficult to forsake them.

DO LAST MINUTE PREPARATIONS

Why are these two legends of Cricket World, Mr. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Mr. Virat Kohli practicing barefooted with football?  

Are they bored with too much cricket? Do they aspire to become the legend of football world too?

No. These veterans are practicing barefooted at Dhaka to clinch the coveted  T20 world cup for our beloved India.
Even Such great players continuously practice sharpening their skills. But surprisingly, some of us feel so much complacent that we ignore last minute preparations.

I cleared my written promotion test in the first attempt in 1993. On the test day, I went to the center with my bright friend Shri Birabar Das, discussing relevant topics. We reached half an hour early, and after doing Hi, Hello, I started discussing different topics with other well-prepared candidates. I was pleasantly surprised to find some questions were those we discussed in the last minutes.

Last minute preparations often prove vital; one adds a few arrow to one's armory which gives a winning edge.

GET REGULAR MEDICAL CHECKUP AFTER 40.

I have been practicing positive thinking since student life. Recently I used to feel low. I countered it with positive slogans. It used to work, but sad feelings were due to rise in blood sugar level i.e. diabetes. Diabetes needed medical treatment also in addition to positive thoughts. Actually, when I went for sugar test, the blood sugar level was 336 in fasting and 447 in PP which was very high. My family members panicked. I had to cancel my Bhuwaneshwar visit to attend CEC meeting.
 So if you are feeling depressed continuously, despite giving your mind sufficient dose of positive thoughts, consult your Doctor. You might be suffering from some dreaded disease. Recently one relative of my friend Anil Singh fainted. He rushed to a physician; his blood sugar random level was found 500.
We got a health check up done in Apolo Hospital, Bangalore in September 2014. My wife had a swelling in the umbilical region. The doctor detected it a hernia.  It will not be a bad idea to get the regular checkup after the age of 40.

 The Government of India also feels the need & importance of preventive health check-up. They have allowed deduction of Rs. 5000/- under section 80D of Income-tax Act for preventive health check-up of self, spouse, dependent children and dependent parents.

DEFEAT THE DEVIL WITHIN YOURSELF

It is believed that the devil is an evil spirit and outright enemy of the mankind. He can’t defeat us in a direct fight. So the evil spirit enters into our psyche and becomes our integral part.

When we decide to do good work, the devil raises many questions. We start doubting ourselves and change our mind. Finally, the devil has the last laugh.

When we can’t afford a new Maruti Swift car, the devil within us may suggest, there is no harm in visiting the showroom and enjoy free test ride. Finally, we get so much enchanted that we take a big loan to purchase it.

When we decide to give up a bad habit, the devil suggests that there is no harm in enjoying this bad habit once just, for now, after that I shall never touch it in my entire life. This sequence goes on and goes on the entire life.

When we decide to get up at 5 A.M. daily, the devil suggests let us sleep just for 5 more minutes. You may well guess what happens after that.

When one decides to give up smoking the devil induces him to go to the places where cigarettes are sold or enjoyed.

The devil misguides us, titillates us and hoodwinks us for doing undesirable things. We must unmask the evil spirit within ourselves & keep away from situations/places that may make us vulnerable to do unwanted things.  Only then we can make our dreams real.

SENSE OF URGENCY WITH CALM NERVES.

Our nervous system is conditioned to "Fight or Flight Approach." When we work with a sense of urgency; our heartbeat, blood pressure, and blood sugar level increase. But when we work in a relaxed manner, the output becomes desperately small.
 How can we solve this vexed problem?

 I coined a slogan," SENSE OF URGENCY WITH CALM NERVES.".
 When I start works with a sense of urgency, I take long deep breaths, and chant emphatically, “SENSE OF URGENCY WITH CALM NERVES."
It keeps me both fresh and fast. This process did not yield desirable results in the beginning. But, now it works.

Our subconscious mind learns or unlearns by continuous and emphatic repetitions. I have explained magical benefits of repetition in another article "EXPLOIT THE MAGICAL EFFECTS OF REPETITION."  Please read it to reap full benefits. 

THERE IS A GOOD NEWS, WE ADJUST FAST.

 I had deep sympathy for diabetics for their life becomes black and white. There is no color in life without sweet chocolates, yummy cakes, mouth watering Ras Madhuris & delicious desserts.

I loved sweets terribly from my childhood. Therefore, my heart broke when my pathologist told that my fasting sugar level was 140 i.e. 30 points above the normal level.  The Doctor advised me to strictly avoid all sweet things. To add insult to the injury, my sister in law advised me to avoid salt also.

So I started taking Roasted Gram Sattu with water without salt or sugar. First I cursed my fate, and then I chanted," Jahi Vidhi Rakhe Ram, Tahi vidhi rahiye."(Live happily, the way God keeps you) and started sipping the tasteless solution. Incidentally, I liked the natural taste of roasted gram.

On seeing my first love, the yummy sweets, I now console myself," These sweets were dear to my heart once, but now they will take my life. Only a foolish will hug a friend turned foe, and only an idiot will pierce a sword made of pure gold into his stomach. So how sweet and yummy my life takers may be, I shall always abhor them like poison.

 I was taking Kachauris & pulses at a feast, my friend Chandan Kumar suggested me to take one piece of mutton. I took one small piece & exclaimed to myself.

Jitne bhee too karle Sitam,

Hans-hans ke sahenge Hum.

Sanam Teri Kasam. (We will keep laughing while bearing with your excesses, My darling.)

Slowly my tastes have changed, now I prefer sugarless tea to sweetened tea. If somebody gives me sweetened tea by mistake, I find it very difficult to sip it. I have lost interest in yummy sweets also.

BUILD AN IMPREGNABLE FORT AROUND YOUR MIND

Ancient kings built impregnable forts around their kingdoms. They made tall & strong walls so that the fiery darts of enemies became ineffective by crashing against them. The tough and trained guards defended the fort attentively, round the clock. They, promptly, attacked the enemy with full force.

Similarly, we need to build an impregnable fort around our minds, to protect it from the continuous attack of negative thoughts. We must read motivational & religious literature apart from associating with positive thinking people to build high & fortified walls of positive thoughts so that fiery darts of doubt & negativity become ineffective by crashing against them. We should be continuously vigilant against the devil that always attacks our minds with negative thoughts.Negative thoughts must be promptly torpedoed and bombarded by positive slogans.
 Many theists continuously repeat to themselves,” Dear God, You are almighty. I firmly believe that you will solve all my problems in due course.” This prayer helps them in maintaining their composure in rainy days.

I have made following super positive slogans to overpower the attack of negative thoughts. 

1.   Be a mighty bridge and practice to encash present opportunities only.

2. Meera me piya, vish ka pyala, vish ko Amrit kar dala. ( Meera, the great devotee of Lord Krishna sipped poison and turned it into nectar.

3. For every ailment under the sun, there is a remedy, or there is none. If there is one, try to find it, if there is none never mind it.

4. Be a burning candle and burn all the rotten thoughts.  

5. What happens, beautifully happens.

 While repeating these slogans, I use anchoring by gently touching one fingertip, reserved for each slogan. When I am busy talking to somebody and can't repeat slogans, I just hit the fingerpoint reserved for a particular slogan; my mind reflexively starts repeating the slogan. 

 Everybody uses some anchor. Have you seen old pictures of a happy occasion in your family? Did you notice that your mind automatically started recalling all the related happy events and, you suddenly started feeling elated?

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