www.reachout.net.in/motivations

Henry Thoreau's Morning Motivation

2012-01-26T19:24:00.000+05:30

A story is told that author Henry David Thoreau, upon awakening, would lie in his bed for a while and recount to himself all the good news that he could think of.

Then, he arose to meet the day in a world filled with good things, wonderful people, and great opportunities! He used this practice of spiritual motivation at the start of each day to infuse himself with new zeal and enthusiasm.

Learn to express your gratitude every day, and the happier you will be.

Stay away from Anger... It hurts ...Only You!!!

2012-01-26T18:49:00.001+05:30

The Buddha explained how to handle insult and maintain compassion. One day Buddha was walking through a village. A very angry and rude young man came up and began insulting him. "You have no right teaching others, he shouted." You are as stupid as everyone else. You are nothing but a fake."

Buddha was not upset by these insults. Instead he asked the young man "Tell me, if you buy a gift for someone, and that person does not take it, to whom does the gift belong?"

The man was surprised to be asked such a strange question and answered, "It would belong to me, because I bought the gift."

The Buddha smiled and said, "That is correct. And it is exactly the same with your anger. If you become angry with me and I do not get insulted, then the anger falls back on you. You are then the only one who becomes unhappy, not me. All you have done is hurt yourself."

"If you want to stop hurting yourself, you must get rid of your anger and become loving instead. When you hate others, you yourself become unhappy. But when you love others, everyone is happy."

The young man listened closely to these wise words of the Buddha. "You are right, o Enlightened One, "he said. "Please teach me the path of love. I wish to become your follower."

The Buddha answered kindly, "Of course. I teach anyone who truly wants to learn. Come with me."

Contributed by: ravikchandra2000 @yahoo.com

The Blame Game

2011-12-30T12:38:00.000+05:30

One of the most insidious tempting habits is the habit of blaming others or external conditions for our failures, mistakes, problems, and lack of success. You might call it “the blame game.”

Blaming others is a very easy thing to do. It creeps into our lives in subtle, as well as not so subtle ways. It shows up in our thoughts and in our conversations. We might, for example, think to ourselves, “I’d be more successful if the products I were selling were of better quality,” or “I’d make more money if I had taken a different career direction”. We might attribute our lack of fulfillment to changing times, recession, a missed opportunity, or too little education. Or, we might complain “I can’t help it, no one ever taught me how to close a deal.” The habit of blaming can and does happen in almost any situation – we blame our competitors, employer, the government, our personal history, our age, even our parents or current family responsibilities.

It’s not that our tendency to blame is without any merit. There usually is a grain or truth in our complaints. But that’s part of the problem. We can almost always justify to ourselves why our version of the blame game is valid. But all that does is keep the game going. And in doing so, we move away from the solution. It’s really easy to blame our lack of exercise on our schedule – it’s little tougher to admit that we are not prioritizing.

Most of the time blaming isn’t blatant. It’s far more subtle. And that’s precisely why it’s hard to identify – and put an end to. Yet, if you can have the humility to admit that you, too, fall into this habit from time to time – and you can identify those instances – you will have opened the door to success in life.

Contributed by: HSGRAO @ GMAIL.COM

You Have Life

2011-12-25T17:10:00.001+05:30

Even if you have nothing else, you have something more
Precious than the purest gold, more rare and desirable than
the brightest diamond.
You have life.

You can sense, you can think and you can reason.
You can make decisions and then act on them.

You can make a difference, no matter what.
Even if you were to lose everything else,
you would still retain the ability to become

The person you decide to become and to live,
in the way you have determined to live.

At times it may seem that the whole world is against you.
But that assessment is based on past history, and the past
does not equal the future.

That's because you stand solidly in the present.
You're able to break free of whatever has happened
in the past and to create your future in the way you desire.

Today, in this moment, in this place, you have life,
and the countless possibilities it brings.
Truly appreciate what you have, and with it you can
do spectacular things.

Contributed by: asharaj53 @gmail.com

You are ONE of a kind

2011-12-04T10:25:00.001+05:30

Your presence, is a present to the world.

You're unique and one of a kind.

Your life can be, what you want it to be.

Take the days, just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.

You'll make it through, whatever comes along.

Within you, are so many answers.

Understand, have courage, be strong.

Don't put limits on yourself.

So many dreams, are waiting to be realized.

Decisions are too important, to leave to chance.

Reach for your peak, your goal and your prize.

Nothing wastes more energy, than worrying.

The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets.

Don't take things too seriously.

Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember, that a little love goes a long way.

Remember, that a lot of love goes forever.

Remember, that friendship is a wise investment.

Life's treasures, are people... Together.

Realize, that it's never too late.

Do ordinary things, in a extraordinary way.

Have health, hope and happiness.

Take the time, to wish upon a star.

And don't ever forget....

For even a day....

How very special you are.

Contributed by: sanskriti_patel @ yahoo.com

13 Principles - Napoleon Hill

2011-10-30T21:34:00.001+05:30

13 Principles

Think and Grow Rich By Napoleon Hill (Law of Attraction)

Desire

Desire is the starting point for all achievement, the first step toward riches. But it’s here that we so often run into a roadblock. A person will say, “I know what I desire, but can I get it? The answer was best expressed by Emerson: “There’s nothing capricious in nature, and the implanting of a desire indicates that its gratification is in the constitution of the creature that feels it.” In other words, you would not have the desire unless you were capable of its achievement. Your burning desire is nothing more than an accurate picture of what you will one day become. So right here, firmly establish in your mind that which you desire more than anything else, and cherish and nurture that desire. Do not suppress or annihilate it. A man without desire has within him no principle of action, or motive to act.

Faith

Faith is the state of mind that may be induced or created by affirmation or repeated instructions to the subconscious mind by conscious auto suggestion. By summoning over and over again a mental image of yourself already having accomplished your main desire, you will muster the faith you need. Faith is vital to accomplishment. Have faith that you can accomplish that which you seek, for you would never have decided upon it unless it was meant for you to accomplish it. If you find it difficult at times to have faith in yourself, you may be certain that you can have faith in these principles.

Auto Suggestion

Through repeated suggestion, the subconscious mind can be put to work for you. It’s the faculty of being able to concentrate your mind on your burning desire until your subconscious mind accepts it as fact and begins to devise ways of bringing it about. Here’s where hunches come from, sudden flashes of thought, inspiration, or guidance. To access the power of auto suggestion, go into some quiet spot, perhaps in bed at night. Close your eyes and repeat aloud so you may hear your own words a careful reaffirmation of whatever your goal happens to be. If it’s the accumulation of a sum of money, reiterate the time limit for its accumulation and a description of the service or merchandise you intend to give in return for it. As you carry out these instructions, see yourself already in possession of your goal.

Specialized Knowledge

Knowledge is power only to the extent that it’s organized into a definite plan of action and directed to a definite end. Before you can be sure of your ability to transmute desire into its monetary equivalent, you will require specialized knowledge of the service, merchandise, or profession that you intend to offer in return for fortune. Realize that you must learn all you can about your specialty. Set aside a definite time every day for learning more about what it is you do for a living. Take the courses that are offered on your subject and associate with people who know your business well.

Imagination

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Man’s only limitation, within reason, lies in the development and use of his imagination and subsequent motivation to action. The great leaders of business, industry, and finance, and the great artists, musicians, poets, and writers became great because they developed the power of self-motivation. As you go about your daily work, think constantly of ways in which it could be done better, more efficiently. Think of the changes that are inevitable. Can they be made now? If you feel limited, remember the words of the late Frank Lloyd Wright: “The human race built most nobly when limitations were greatest and, therefore, when most was required of imagination in order to build at all.”

Decision

Analysis of several hundred people who’ve accumulated fortunes well beyond the million-dollar mark disclose the fact that every one of them had the habit of reaching decisions promptly and of changing these decisions slowly, if and when they were changed. When you make up your mind, stay with it. The majority of people who fail are generally easily influenced by the opinions of others. Opinions are the cheapest commodities on earth. Keep your own counsel when you begin to put into practice the principles described here by reaching your own decisions and following them. Take no one into your confidence except the members of your mastermind alliance (as discussed later), and be very careful in your selection of this group, choosing only those who will be in complete sympathy and harmony with your purpose. Close friends and relatives, while not meaning to do so, often handicap one through uninformed opinions and sometimes through ridicule.

Persistence

Persistence is simply the power of will. Willpower and desire, when properly combined, make an irresistible pair. Persistence is to an individual what carbon is to steel. In uncounted thousands of cases, persistence has stood as the difference between success and failure. It is the lack of this quality more than any other that keeps the majority from great accomplishment. As soon as the going gets tough, they fold. If you’re to accomplish the goal you set for yourself, you must form the habit of persistence. Things will get difficult. It will seem as though there’s no longer any reason to continue. Everything in you will tell you to give up, to quit trying. It is right here that if you’ll go that extra mile and keep going, the skies will clear and you’ll begin to see the first signs of the abundance that is to be yours because you had the courage to persist. With persistence will come success?

Enthusiastic Support

It is of great significance that behind practically every great leader has been the supportive love and inspiration of a spouse. When things get tough — and you can count on it, they will — you may be deserted by some you thought were friends. But if you’ve got a good woman or man supporting you, you will never be alone. He or she will be willing to start over again if necessary and will give you the new enthusiasm that comes through faith in you. Having someone to love is having someone to share your success and accomplishments; to give you the praise that all of us need from time to time. A person can become successful without a spouse and family, but much of the real joy is lost if it cannot be shared. Take care of your spouse and children as your greatest possessions.

Organized Planning

The first of the six steps for transforming desire into reality is the formation of a definite, practical plan through which this transformation may be made. Once you do, it is critical that you ally yourself with one or more people or a group of as many people as you may need for the creation and carrying out of your plan. These people are your “mastermind alliance.” Before forming your mastermind alliance, decide what advantages and benefits you may offer the individual members of your group in return for their cooperation. No one will work indefinitely without compensation, though this may not always be in the form of money. Arrange to meet with the members of your mastermind alliance at least twice a week, and more often if possible, until you have jointly perfected the necessary plan or plans for the accomplishment of your goal.

Maintain perfect harmony between yourself and every member of your mastermind alliance. Keep in mind these facts: First, you are engaged in an undertaking of major importance to you. To be sure of success, you must have plans that are as faultless as possible. Second, you must have the advantage of the experience, education, native ability, and imagination of other minds. This is in harmony with the methods followed by every person who has risen above the average. Work at this until you have a well-executed formal plan for reaching your objective. In this way you’re never confused or wondering what you should do next. Every morning you know exactly what you’re going to do and why. Organized planning is one the most important principles, because a person without a plan is like a ship without a course. With no place to go, disaster is a probability.

The Power of the Mastermind

No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third — a third invisible, intangible force that may be likened to a third mind. You may have noticed many times that by discussing something with another person you suddenly get good ideas as a result of the discussion, ideas you would not have gotten without this association. Well, the same thing happens to the other person. A lot of good ideas have been born in individual minds as a result of having met in committee. Associating with your mastermind alliance is not meant as a means of letting others do your thinking for you, far from it. It is meant to stimulate your own thinking through the association with other minds. No one knows everything. The more sympathetic minds you get together — that is, minds working for a common purpose — the more related information is going to be available. Great ideas are a combination of related information. Pick the members of your mastermind group with care. Make sure they’re people you respect and who are hard working and conscientious. You’ll have a lot of fun, and you’ll reach your goals just that much sooner.

The Subconscious Mind

The subconscious mind is a mental area in which all inputs through any of the five senses are classified and recorded, and from which they may be recalled or withdrawn like data from the storage banks of a limitless computer. No one knows very much about what we call the subconscious mind but we do know that it is incalculably powerful and can solve our problems if we go about using it the right way. The best way is to hold in your conscious mind as often as possible a clear picture of yourself already having accomplished your goal. Know what you want. Define it clearly, and then project it on the motion picture screen of your mind. Hold it. See yourself doing and having the things you have when your objective will have been reached. Do these as often as practical, particularly at night just before you go to sleep and the first thing upon waking? As you do this, your subconscious will begin to lead you toward your objective. Don’t fight it. Follow your sudden hunches, the ideas that come into your mind, knowing that they may well represent subconscious knowledge. If you’ll keep at this, you’ll be amazed and delighted by the ideas that just seem to come from nowhere.

The Power of the Brain

If you had access to all the wealth in the world and used only a penny, you would be doing exactly what most of us very probably have been doing in the use of our brains. You own in your brain the most marvelous, miraculous, inconceivably powerful force the world has ever known. It is the brain that has given us the computer, supersonic airplane, our deep rocket probes into outer space, the sciences, and the arts. All of what we know today and will achieve tomorrow is born from this small, gray mass each of us carries around. Can you doubt, even for a moment, that your brain can bring you and yours everything you want here on earth? Recognize its power, give it the job you’ve decided to accomplish, and watch it handle it.

The Sixth Sense

The sixth sense can be described as the sense through which your infinite intelligence may and will communicate. This principle is the apex of the philosophy. It can be assimilated, understood, and applied only by first mastering the other 12 principles. The sixth sense is that function of the subconscious mind that has been referred to as the creative imagination. It’s also been referred to as the receiving set through which ideas flash into the mind, sometimes called hunches or inspirations. The sixth sense cannot be described to a person who has not mastered the other principles of this philosophy, because such a person has no knowledge and no experience to serve as points of reference. The sixth sense is not something one can take off and put on at will. The ability to use this great power comes slowly through application of the other principles we’ve outlined. So begin to develop it now by applying the principles we’ve talked about here. Remember this: Man can create nothing that he does not first conceive in the form of an idea, a desire. Keep fear out of your mind. Concentrate on the mental picture of yourself achieving your desire. Cut yourself away from the average — from the mediocre — and chart your course on the dream in your heart. These 13 principles will never let you down. You need only remember and use them.

Ten ways to raise your vibrations

2011-10-30T21:31:00.001+05:30

1. DON'T give away your power to people. Take responsibility for your life. If things aren't going as hoped in your life, re examine your deepest beliefs. Swap limiting beliefs for empowering ones.

2. DO get a pet! According to Power vs Force, a purring cat vibrates at 500 (anything over 200 is Good..)

3. DON'T watch movies that drag you down. According to Power vs Force, this is most films. Watch movies that will make you feel good. Listen to music that fills you with positive emotions. Read books that empower you. (Control the input to your brain, and you'll control your output).

4. DO focus on what you want in your life, not what you don't want - remember the law of attraction... You have the power to create the life of your dreams - even if the world around you seems messed up, don't lose focus...

5. DO imagine that what you dream of is in your life now, and feel grateful for it now ...and after that think of 10 more things to be grateful for.

6. DO have fun. Life is about being happy. Don't wait until you have this, or that... Don't put off happiness. Live now. Enjoy now.

7. DO seek to discover the truth about the meaning of your life. The answers are there if you look for them. Awareness and peace of mind are high vibrations.

8. DON'T watch the news on television. It is filled with negativity which lowers your vibrations. (Why is 95% of all news all the time focused on bad news?) If you want to keep abreast of current affairs search the internet for independent, unbiased news. Seek the truth. Trust your intuition. This will also help you give you a much more balanced view of reality. There's lots of good news out there if you're looking for it...

9. DO help other people. that collect petitions to help humanity. Forgiveness, compassion and understanding are good vibrations.

10. DO use tools and strategies to help you achieve higher levels of consciousness, such as The Super Mind Evolution System

(Author Unknown)

Six Ways To Be A Great Listener‏

2011-10-30T21:30:00.001+05:30

Here are 6 basic listening tips from U.S. News & World Report columnist Michael Wade:

1. Listen for a theme. Rather than getting distracted by trivia, listen for the main message. It may be hidden amid unrelated facts but your job is to determine what the person is trying to say.

2. Recognize that the speaker might not know the real message. Some powerful expressions of pain or frustration may be wrapped in clichés. Listen for hesitations, anger, and fear, and watch for nonverbal signs of each.

3. Look through a window, not a mirror. Don't assume that the person means what you would have meant under similar circumstances.

4. Subdue your ego. Stop thinking about how wise you look, the eloquence of your reply, or whether the speaker is indirectly talking about you. Each time you do that, you've stopped listening.

5. Really listen with your whole body. Let your body language declare, "I'm paying close attention to you." If it isn't, you can count on the person giving a condensed message in order to bring the conversation to a close.

6. Use an old investigator's trick. If the speaker is describing an event, sit tight and don't interrupt. When you seek further details, go over the story in reverse chronological order. By reversing the order of recollection, you'll jar the person's memory and get more information.

18 Ways to Improve Your Body Language

2011-10-30T21:23:00.001+05:30

1. Don't cross your arms or legs – You have probably already heard you shouldn't cross your arms as it might make you seem defensive or guarded. This goes for your legs too. Keep your arms and legs open.

2. Have eye contact, but don't stare – If there are several people you are talking to, give them all some eye contact to create a better connection and see if they are listening. Keeping too much eye-contact might creep people out. Giving no eye-contact might make you seem insecure.

3. Don't be afraid to take up some space – Taking up space by for example sitting or standing with your legs apart a bit signals self-confidence and that you are comfortable in your own skin.

4. Relax your shoulders – When you feel tense it's easily winds up as tension in your shoulders. They might move up and forward a bit. Try to relax. Try to loosen up by shaking the shoulders a bit and move them back slightly.

5. Nod when they are talking – nod once in a while to signal that you are listening. But don't overdo it and peck like Woody Woodpecker.

6. Don't slouch, sit up straight – but in a relaxed way, not in a too tense manner.

7. Lean, but not too much – If you want to show that you are interested in what someone is saying, lean toward the person talking. If you want to show that you're confident in yourself and relaxed lean back a bit. But don't lean in too much or you might seem needy and desperate for some approval. Or lean back too much or you might seem arrogant and distant.

8. Smile and laugh – lighten up, don't take yourself too seriously. Relax a bit, smile and laugh when someone says something funny. People will be a lot more inclined to listen to you if you seem to be a positive person. But don't be the first to laugh at your own jokes, it makes you seem nervous and needy. Smile when you are introduced to someone but don't keep a smile plastered on your face, you'll seem insincere.

9. Don't touch your face – it might make you seem nervous and can be distracting for the listeners or the people in the conversation.

10. Keep your head up - Don't keep your eyes on the ground, it might make you seem insecure and a bit lost. Keep your head up straight and your eyes towards the horizon.

11. Slow down a bit – this goes for many things. Walking slower not only makes you seem more calm and confident, it will also make you feel less stressed. If someone addresses you, don't snap you're neck in their direction, turn it a bit more slowly instead.

12. Don't fidget – try to avoid, phase out or transform fidgety movement and nervous ticks such as shaking your leg or tapping your fingers against the table rapidly. You'll seem nervous and fidgeting can be a distracting when you try to get something across.

13. Use your hands more confidently – instead of fidgeting with your hands and scratching your face use them to communicate what you are trying to say. Use your hands to describe something or to add weight to a point you are trying to make.

14. Lower your drink – don't hold your drink in front of your chest. In fact, don't hold anything in front of your heart as it will make you seem guarded and distant. Lower it and hold it beside your leg instead.

15. Realise where you spine ends – many people (including me until recently) might sit or stand with a straight back in a good posture. However, they might think that the spine ends where the neck begins and therefore crane the neck forward in a Montgomery Burns-pose

16. Don't stand too close –one of the things we learned from Seinfeld is that everybody gets weirded out by a close-talker. Let people have their personal space, don't invade it.

17. Mirror - Often when you get along with a person, when the two of you get a good connection, you will start to mirror each other unconsciously. That means that you mirror the other person's body language a bit. To make the connection better you can try a bit of proactive mirroring.

18. Keep a good attitude – last but not least, keep a positive, open and relaxed attitude. How you feel will come through in your body language and can make a major difference. For information on how make yourself feel better read 10 ways to change how you feel and for relaxation try A very simple way to feel relaxed for 24 hours.

Dont be Angry, Be Present

2011-10-16T20:39:00.001+05:30

WATCH someone who gets angry very quickly. The more he gets angry, the more he seems addicted to being angry. Getting angry does not resolve problems. Biologists tell us that repeated behaviour actually rewires the brain. Neural networks get established with repeated behaviour pattern. What this means is that anger breeds anger. The emotions not only rewire your brain, but they also rewire your body. In their efforts to accommodate these repeated and debilitating emotions, the cells lose the capacity to absorb nutrients. They grow less and they rejuvenate less. These changes affect you and more importantly affect your progeny as well, as your entire cellular and DNA structure can be changed by your behaviour. Biology tells us that your emotions are chemicals, and these chemicals are released by the brain. We control these chemicals. However, over time, these chemicals can change you and control you. Watch yourself getting angry the next time. What are you angry at? Are you angry at someone or are you angry about something? If you say that you are angry at some thing, at some behaviour, watch yourself as someone else repeats that behaviour. Do you get equally angry? Do you allow some people to get away with such behaviour, or even humour such behaviour in some people that would make you blow up at another person? Therefore, are you angry with a person because you have made up your mind to be angry with that person? You will find that 90% of the time you are angry at a person and not a behaviour pattern or an issue. If you are angry with an issue you can learn to use that anger as energy and do something with that energy. If it is behaviour, you can learn to laugh at it. However, if it is a person, you have a deeper problem. You have already made a judgement about that person and all that you do is to collect evidence to support your judgment. Nothing that person does can be right for you. With awareness you can drop these judgments. Awareness makes you realize the truth that you and another person and every other person are the same at a deep level. If you are getting angry with someone, you are in fact getting angry with yourself. It is your negativities that make you see others negatively. It is possible to drop these negativities via meditation. Donâ€™t get angry, become aware. Contributed by: univercel_music @ yahoo.com

The Family Man

2011-10-09T19:46:00.001+05:30

1. Children are not pets.
2. The life they actually live and the life you perceive them to be living is not the same life.
3. Don't take what your children do too personally.
4. Don't keep score cards on them - a short memory is useful.
5. Dirt and mess are a breeding ground for well-being.
6. Stay out of their rooms after puberty.
7. Don't worry that they never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.
8. Learn from them; they have much to teach you.
9. Love them long; let them go early.

Finally. You will never really know what kind of parent you were or if you did it right or wrong. Never. And you will worry about this and them as long as you live. But when your children have children and you watch them do what they do, you will have part of an answer.

Robert Fulghum

Do Not..

2011-08-21T19:31:00.000+05:30

Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.

It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Do not set your goals by what other people deem important.
Only you know what is best for you..

Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future.
By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

Do not give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other....

Do not be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.

Do not dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams is to be without hope; to be without hope is to be without purpose.

Do not run through life so fast that you forget not only where you have been, but also where you are going.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.

Have a wonderful day.

Abandonded in Mumbai, now a crorepati! - From Tamil Nadu - 104 Dosa King

2011-07-26T12:25:00.001+05:30

Once penniless in Mumbai, now a crorepati!

Manu A B in Mumbai

Hunger was his only companion when he roamed the streets of Mumbai in search of a job. At age 17, Prem Ganapathy left his native place Nagalapuram in Tuticorin without informing his parents in the pursuit of making money, after a person promised him a job in Mumbai.

Destiny, however, willed otherwise. There was no job as the man promised. Instead he was abandoned in Bandra, a Mumbai suburb. But this boy did not lose hope, he decided to stay back and fight for survival.

Ganapathy turned his misfortune into the biggest opportunity of his life. He found a job as a dishwasher in one of the bakeries in suburban Mahim. He worked for about two years across restaurants in Mumbai doing all sorts of odd jobs. He soon realised that there was a good potential in the catering business . . .

A great beginning

Finally, in 1992 he took a handcart on rent to sell idli, dosa and vada. His brothers also joined to help him. His items became very popular as they had a different flavour and variety. He even got the homemade sambar masala from his native place. Ganapathy's hand cart did brisk business.

Five years later Ganapathy was confident enough to open the first Prem Sagar Dosa Plaza outlet outside Vashi station in Navi Mumbai. Since then there has been no looking back . . .

"My father instilled in me a lot of positive energy. This is what kept me going strong. I have tried to see an opportunity in every loss. Even when people teased him, saying 'your son has ditched you and gone far away', he always used to tell them 'I am happy for him as I know wherever he is, he will do well'.

If I had not come to Mumbai, I would have never been so successful," he says

My Nagalapuram days

After Ganapathy completed his tenth standard, he did not want to study further.

"My teacher told me that I should continue studying but I told her frankly that I do not want to study. We had lot of financial problems so I wanted to work and earn money, help my family. Even getting water and firewood was an arduous task. We had to walk miles to get water and firewood," says Ganapathy.

His father had a tobacco business which ended in a loss. He also incurred huge losses in the farm. With seven children, his parents struggled to make ends meet.

He decided that he would get them a good life.

"Many young boys from our village were working in coffee shops in Chennai.

So I also decided to join one of those shops. I worked there for about two years for monthly salary of Rs 250," he says.

Those days his only ambition was to make money and open a coffee powder shop However, he was destined to take a different path.

The Mumbai saga

In Chennai, he met a young boy who promised him a good job in Mumbai.

"He said if I pay him Rs 200, I would get job with a salary of Rs 1,200. I wanted to leave but knew my parents would not let me go. I was only 17 years old then. So I left Chennai without informing my parents," says Ganapathy.

They got down at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, a place where thousands of migrants land every day in search of a better livelihood.

"I was scared but I was willing to take the risk. We took a local train to Bandra and I was eagerly waiting to see where I would begin my new career. He took me to a tea shop and vanished. My worst fears came true. He had just dumped me there," Ganapathy reminisces.

The first job

It was the most unforgettable day in his life. He could not speak Hindi, he did not know anyone in the city nor did he have any money. Finally, he met a friendly taxi driver and told him his story.

"He took pity on me and said they can collect some money and send him home. The train fare was Rs 121 then. But I said I will not go back home. I will do some work and live here. I slept in the temple compound till I found a job in a bakery in Mahim to clean pizza-baking vessels. I used to sleep in the shop itself," he says.

After working there for six months, he found another job, to deliver pizza bread to a hotel in Chembur. Later, he moved to Navi Mumbai where he started working as a dishwasher in a restaurant called Gurudev.

"As a Tamilian, I faced discrimination in the beginning. We were given only kitchen work to do. After a while, I started to move out of the hotel, to give tea/coffee to shopkeepers around that area. I used to earn Rs 1,000, three times more than the other boys as this service was based on a commission basis," he says.

Ganapathy was meticulous and sincere in his work. Unlike others, he never got into squabbles with anyone.

"I used to keep a note of every person's requirement, some wanted strong tea some wanted it without sugar. So I established a good rapport with the outside world. One person who had a small business saw that I was enterprising and hard working so he suggested that we open a food stall on the street on a joint partnership. He invested the money and told me to do the work and he promised me half of the profit," he says.

The stall near the market area did good business. But the person duped him.

He refused to give Ganapathy any share of the profit as promised and said he would give only Rs 1,200 as salary. So he called off the partnership and decided that it is best to do something on his own.

The food stall business

Ganapathy realised that starting a food stall would be the best way to earn good money. Two years after he landed in Mumbai, in 1992, he went back home, got his brothers to help him.

"I borrowed some money from friends and rented a handcart for Rs 150. It was really difficult in the initial days. Many times, the municipality vans used to come and pick our handcart. But I was very positive and determined. I never gave up hope," says Ganapathy.

"I scored on account of cleanliness and the variety of food I offered. I got the recipes from my mother and brought the masala from my village. . . so the food I offered had a distinct flavour, which made it an instant hit.

Supporters all along

Ganapathy was lucky to have helpful roommates. They were very friendly and supportive.

"Since they studied at NIIT, they guided me well. They even taught me a computer course. They also spread the word around about my dosas. My business did well," he says.

Ganapathy's day used to begin at 5.30 a.m. everyday. He cooked the food all by himself, used to be on the road till about 3.30 pm. "I took a break of two hours every evening and spent the time surfing at a cyber cafe. I used to read about various businesses and learned quite a lot. My brothers also played a crucial role in making the business a success," he says.

Dosas, an instant hit

Five years later, when Ganapathy had a regular clientele he became more confident about the business's future prospects. Interestingly, McDonald's opened its first restaurant in Vashi near his stall.

"I was amazed to see the long queues of people who wanted to buy a burger. What is so great about the burger, I used to think. That's when I realised how a restaurant can make a big impact."

"I did a lot of reading and talked to several people who had similar business. Then I started to look around for a suitable place where I could set up a food outlet and get a good customers," he explains.

A turning point

Finally, in 1998, Ganapathy decided to take a kiosk outside the Vashi railway station in Navi Mumbai to open the first outlet called Prem Sagar Dosa Plaza. Fortunately he got good response from the first day itself. "I added more variety to the menu. Along with his dosa outlet, I also tried my luck by investing in a Chinese restaurant, but it flopped. However, I tried to add the Chinese flavour in the dosas, which worked very well," he says.

His experiments with dosas resulted in exotic varieties like American Chopsuey, Schezwan Dosa, Paneer chilly, Spring roll dosa to name a few. Within a year, Dosa Plaza had created 25 original varieties of dosas.

"I did a lot of experiments to improve the taste and variety. By 2002, Dosa Plaza had 104 delicious varieties of dosas."

"In 2003, a new mall called Centre One opened in Vashi. The people from mall management team who knew me suggested that I open an outlet in the mall."

So Prem Sagar Dosa Plaza joined the big league of restaurants to open a swanky outlet in the mall which attracted a lot of attention.

Dosa Plaza gained popularity, got a lot of media coverage as well. Ganapathy started offering franchises to people who wanted to set up the outlet elsewhere.

The first franchise outlet opened at Wonder Mall, in Thane. Even today, he supplies the special masala (the ingredients are known only to him) made at his production facility in Vashi. The franchisees are also given trained professionals.

Ganapathy went for a brand-building exercise for better visibility. "The brand makeover helped. We got a new logo design as 'approved by Dr. D', and changed the name to Dosa Plaza. This was a big boost to the business.

Dosa Plaza has indeed become a runaway success. Today, we have 35 outlets including franchiees. We plan to make it 100 outlets by 2011," says an optimistic Ganapathy.

"In 2008, we opened franchisee outlets in New Zealand. About 50 per cent of our clients in New Zealand are locals. In fact, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark and other ministers had dinner from our outlet," says Ganapathy. The next outlets will be in the US and Dubai. Today, Dosa Plaza has 35 outlets across 10 states in India with a turnover of over Rs 5 crore (Rs 50 million). Ganapathy's dream is to make Dosa Plaza a global brand with outlets across the world. The Dosa Plaza success story has also become a case study for management students.

"A PhD student from the SIES college did a project work based on Dosa Plaza.

I was invited to the college for an interaction with students," says Ganapathy.

For Ganapathy, who has visited almost all the colleges in New Bombay to personally make dosas, it was a humbling experience to talk about his experience as an entrepreneur.

Coming to Mumbai was the turning point in his life. "I am indebted to Mumbai This city has made me what I am.

Though initially I faced problems and some kind of discrimination, I feel no other city would give respect to a street vendor like the people in Mumbai. Their love and encouragement have been my strength," says Ganapathy.

Even today when his first customers stop to talk to him, he feels extremely happy. They tell him that 'you will go a long way. This is just the beginning.' He feels there is nothing more valuable than their good wishes.

Another interesting instance was when film star Rajnikant's wife visited Dosa Plaza outlet in Mumbai. She liked it so much that he was invited to their house in Chennai. Rajnikant also invited him to attend his daughter's wedding recently.

How has life changed

His parents were the happiest in the family. "I brought them to Mumbai. I took them to the restaurants. They had food from my outlets and were extremely happy about my success. Now I am very happy that I can give them what they. My father is no more but I am happy that he lived to see my success," says Ganapathy. He continues to live a simple life. "My lifestyle hasn't changed much. The only big difference is that I wear good clothes now I still prefer to be simple. I do travel by bus and train many times and I enjoy it. I had an Indica car for a long time, now I bought a Ford Fiesta.

Earlier, I could enjoy long train journeys, now I travel by flight when I go out of Mumbai," he says.

From a carefree life on the streets, now Ganapathy leads a very careful life cautious about every step he takes. "As the business expands, my responsibilities have increased. Many people are dependent on me. Franchisees are also investing money so I work harder now," he says.

Appreciation

People in the village who had ridiculed me, give me a lot of respect. I visit the village once in while, taking part in the temple activities and I also contribute in small way to help people. If someone from my village comes to Mumbai in search of a job, I help them. His biggest recognition came when his story was published in Rashmi Bansal's book 'Connect the Dots' as one of 20 best enterprising individuals without an MBA. "My story has also been mentioned in a Tamil book by Anita Krishnamurthi. Former president Abdul Kalam released this book in New Bombay last year. I felt very privileged to receive a copy of the book from him," he says.

Any regrets on not studying? "Well, not at all. But speaking in English becomes difficult when I go abroad. Other than that I don't think I would have learned so much in any school. My experience has been my biggest teacher," he says.

Does he ever think about the man who abandoned him? "In a way, I reached here and achieved so much because of him. I wonder where he is now...".

Contributed by: asharaj53 @ gmail.com

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Two Days

2011-07-26T12:07:00.001+05:30

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is Yesterday with all its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains.

Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the money in the world cannot bring back Yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed; we cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone forever.

The other day we should not worry about is Tomorrow, with all its possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and its poor performance; Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

Tomorrow's sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in Tomorrow, for it is yet to be born.

This leaves only one day, Today. Any person can fight the battle of just one day. It is when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities, Yesterday and Tomorrow, that we break down.

It is not the experience of Today that drives a person mad, it is the remorse or bitterness of something which happened Yesterday and the dread of what Tomorrow may bring.

Let us, therefore, Live but one day at a time.

Contributed by: bsundaran @ yahoo.com

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Humanity

2011-05-08T21:32:00.001+05:30

This incident is not from a film but a true and real one.

It is about a certain Mr Zavere Poonawala who is a well-known industrialist in Pune. He had this driver named Gangadatta with him for the last 30 years on his limousine, which was originally owned by Bhagwan Rajneesh which Mr Poonawala had bought from him.

Gangadatta passed away recently and at that time Mr Poonawala was in Mumbai for some important work.As soon as he heard the news he canceled all his meetings, requested the driver's family to await him for the cremation and came back immediately by a helicopter.

On reaching Poona he asked the limo to be decorated with flowers as he wished Gangadatta should be taken in the same car which he himself had driven since the beginning. When Gangadatta's family agreed to his wishes, he himself drove Gangadatta from his home up to the ghat on his last journey.

When asked Mr Poonawala was very sorrowful and replied that Gangadatta had served him day and night and he could at least do this being eternally grateful for him. He further added that Gangadatta rose up from poverty and educated both his children very well. His daughter is a Chartered accountant and that is so commendable.

His comment in the end is the essence of a successful life in all aspects. All earn money which is nothing unusual in that, but we should always be grateful to all those people who contribute for our success. This is the sanskara we have been brought up with which made me do what I did.

Don't you think that it is s a superb example of humanity?

If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded..

Contributed by: bharathig @ hpcl.co.in

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A Beautiful Letter from a Father

2011-03-28T10:48:00.001+05:30

Following is a letter to his son from a renown Hong Kong TV broadcaster cum Child Psychologist. The words are actually applicable to all of us, young or old, children or parents.!

I am writing this to you because of 3 reasons

1. Life, fortune and mishaps are unpredictable, nobody knows how long he lives. Some words are better said early.

2. I am your father, and if I don't tell you these, no one else will.

3. What is written is my own personal bitter experiences that perhaps could save you a lot of unnecessary heartaches.

Remember the following as you go through life

1. Do not bear grudge towards those who are not good to you. No one has the responsibility of treating you well, except your mother and I. To those who are good to you, you have to treasure it and be thankful, and ALSO you have to be cautious, because, everyone has a motive for every move. When a person is good to you, it does not mean he really likes you. You have to be careful, don't hastily regard him as a real friend.

2. No one is indispensable, nothing in the world that you must possess. Once you understand this idea, it would be easier for you to go through life when people around you don't want you anymore, or when you lose what/who you love most.

3. Life is short. When you waste your life today, tomorrow you would find that life is leaving you. The earlier you treasure your life, the better you enjoy life.

4. Love is but a transient feeling, and this feeling would fade with time and with one's mood. If your so called loved one leaves you, be patient, time will wash away your aches and sadness. Don't over exaggerate the beauty and sweetness of love, and don't over exaggerate the sadness of falling out of love.

5. A lot of successful people did not receive a good education, that does not mean that you can be successful by not studying hard! Whatever knowledge you gain is your weapon in life. One can go from rags to riches, but one has to start from some rags!

6. I do not expect you to financially support me when I am old, neither would I financially support you for whole life. My responsibility as a supporter ends when you are grown up. After that, you decide whether you want to travel in a public transport or in your limousine, whether rich or poor.

7. You honour your words, but don't expect others to be so. You can be good to people, but don't expect people to be good to you. If you don't understand this, you would end up with unnecessary troubles.

8. I have bought lotteries for umpteen years, but I never strike any prize. That shows if you want to be rich, you have to work hard! There is no free lunch!

9. No matter how much time I have with you, let's treasure the time we have together. We do not know if we would meet again in our next life.

Your Dad.

Contributed by: jayantskate @ gmail.com

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Self Management

2011-01-27T20:22:00.001+05:30

You are responsible for everything that happens in your life. Learn to accept total responsibility for yourself. If you do not manage yourself, then you are letting others have control of your Life. These tips will help "you" manage "you."

Here is a list of things that help you in self management and which will in turn lead you to the path of success: -

-) Look at every new opportunity as an exciting and new-life experience.

-) Be a professional who exhibits self-confidence and self-assurance in your potential to complete any task.

-) Agree with yourself in advance that you will have a good attitude toward the upcoming task.

-) Frequently ask, "Is what I am doing right now moving me toward my goals?"

-) Do it right the first time and you will not have to take time later to fix it.

-) Accept responsibility for your job successes and failures. Do not look for a scapegoat.

-) Do not view things you do as a "job." View all activities as a challenge.

-) Use your subconscious mind by telling it to do what you do want. Instead of telling yourself, "I can't do that very well," say, "I can do this very well."-) Give yourself points for completing tasks on your "to-do" list in priority order. When you reach 10 points, reward yourself.

-) Practice your personal beliefs. It may be helpful each morning to take 15 minutes to gather your thoughts and say a prayer.

-) Make a commitment to show someone a specific accomplishment on a certain date. The added urgency will help you feel motivated to have it done.

-) Practice self-determination, wanting to do it for yourself.

-) Believe that you can be what you want to be.

-) Never criticize yourself as having a weakness. There is no such thing. You are only talking about a present undeveloped skill or part of yourself that if you so chose, you can change. You do not have any weakness, only untapped potential.

-) Be pleasant all the time-no matter what the situation.

-) Challenge yourself to do things differently than you have in the past. It provides new ideas and keeps you interested.

-) Talk to yourself. A self-talk using positive affirmation is something that is common among all great achievers. They convince themselves that they can accomplish their goals.

-) Create your own "motivation board" by putting up notes of things you need to do on a bulletin board or special wall space. It is an easily visible way to see what you need to work on. When an item is done, remove the note. Also keep your goals listed and pictured on your board.

-) Stay interested in what you are doing. Keep looking for what is interesting in your work. Change your perspective and look at it as someone outside your job would,

-) Establish personal incentives and rewards to help maintain your own high enthusiasm and performance level.

Contributed by: verygood101 @ yahoo.com

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Inner Wealth

2011-01-27T20:05:00.001+05:30

Have you heard about rich people who are not happy at times?

Do you know about those people who have a very good job, they are earning well but complaining that they are not happy?

Who is a wealthy person? Do you think that a person is wealthy when he or she has lots and lots of money?

I think there is more to wealth than money only.

We all are wealthy in one way or the other. Really Believe me!

In my view, a wealthy person is always happy. Why?

Because there are seven types of wealth:

1. Inner wealth:

Having a positive mental attitude is a type of wealth. Positive people with positive outlook of the world can be happy – Always.

Try this: Have a positive mental attitude and try to be sad at the same time. I don’t think its possible. With positive attitude, life appears to be positive. Inner wealth really helps.

2. Physical wealth:

Health is wealth! A person who is not healthy cannot enjoy life. If you want to learn importance of wealth, ask some one who is not feeling well.

3. Family wealth:

Do you have loving parents or a caring brother or sister or friends who can come to your help at any time you want? Family and friends are another form of wealth.

4. Career wealth:

When we reach at the top of our career, we feel a sense of fulfillment. This is another type of wealth.

5. Economic wealth:

Money is not the only important thing in life but it is one of the important things and hence, it is needed. Some one said: The more I have, the more I can give. So, earn more to give more.

6. Adventure wealth:

We feel happy when we visit new place or meet new exciting people. We feel happy when we are able to take a challenge and deliver more than expectation. Adventure is another form of wealth

7. Impact wealth:

What is our mission in life?

What is the impact we can make on our environment? Can we do some thing to improve life of people who need our support or help? Think about it. People who have impact around their environment show that they have impact wealth.

So, next time, think that you are wealthy when you have inner wealth. When you have a caring family or caring friends or when you are healthy or when you progress in your career you are wealthy! Think and thank!

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Give It A Shot

2010-12-26T19:30:00.001+05:30

Question: There are 3 frogs on a leaf. If one of them decided to jump off the leaf into the water, how many frogs are there left on the leaf?

Answer: THREE

Why?

The frog only DECIDED to jump! It didn't!

Dreaming of a personal accomplishment, most people make the mistake of waiting...

- Waiting until they've been trained

- Waiting till someone say's they are ready

- Waiting till they have the proper tools

- Waiting till they're better

- Waiting till they're hired

- Waiting till they've been given the assignment

Ponder over this, my friends. Are you not unlike the frog; who decides to do this, decides to do that, but ended up not doing any?

In life, we have to make many decisions. Some easy; some hard. Most mistakes are not made by wrong decisions; Most mistakes are made due to our inability to take a right decision at the right time.

We have to live with the consequences of our decisions. And that is RISK..

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Maintain Integrity

2010-12-26T19:28:00.001+05:30

A while back, there was a story about Reuben Gonzolas, who was in the final match of his first professional racquetball tournament. He was playing the perennial champion for his first shot at a victory on the pro circuit. At match point in the fifth and final game, Gonzolas made a super "kill shot" into the front corner to win the tournament. The referee called it good, and one of the linemen confirmed the shot was a winner.

But after a moment's hesitation, Gonzolas turned and declared that his shot had skipped into the wall, hitting the floor first. As a result, the serve went to his opponent, who went on to win the match.

Reuben Gonzolas walked off the court; everyone was stunned. The next issue of a leading racquetball magazine featured Gonzolas on its cover. The lead editorial searched and questioned for an explanation for the first ever occurrence on the professional racquetball circuit. Who could ever imagine it in any sport or endeavor? Here was a player with everything officially in his favor, with victory in his grasp, who disqualifies himself at match point and loses.

When asked why he did it, Gonzolas replied, "It was the only thing I could do to maintain my integrity.".

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The Donkey in the Well

2010-12-26T19:20:00.001+05:30

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.yours too… Finally he decided since the animalwas old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. So, the farmer invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed shovels, and began to shovel dirt into the well.

All the other farm animals were very upset about this, because the donkey was their friend. But they discovered there was nothing they could do to help him. At first, when the donkey realized what was happening, he cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well, and was astonished at what he saw.

With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off, and take a step up on the dirt as it piled 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 trotted off!

MORAL: Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. But each trouble can be a stepping stone. What happens to you isn't nearly as important as how you react to it. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not giving up!

Shake it off, and take a step up!.

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Through goals, ordinary people can achieve great things.

2010-12-25T19:37:00.001+05:30

When it comes to an example of challenging goals and their relentless pursuit, the story of John Goddard tops the list. His story originally appeared in the March 1972 issue of Life Magazine and has been quoted by authors ever since.

At age fifteen, John Goddard wrote down 127 goals that he wanted to accomplish in his lifetime. Included in these goals were climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Ararat, Fuji, McKinley (and thirteen others); visit every country in the world; learn to fly an airplane; retrace the travels of Marco Polo and Alexander the Great; visit the North and South Poles; Great Wall of China; Taj Mahal (and other exotic areas); become an Eagle Scout; dive in a submarine; play flute and violin; publish an article in National Geographic magazine; learn French, Spanish and Arabic; milk a poisonous snake; read the entire encyclopedia Britannica; and other goals, similar in variety and scope.

At age 47, Goddard had accomplished 103 of these goals and was in the process of completing several others. Goddard was neither wealthy nor gifted when he began his amazing saga of adventure and accomplishment. He was just a fifteen year-old boy who believed all things were possible and that he had the potential to do what he wanted to do.

John Goddard’s story is not unique. There are countless records of people who not only achieved great things but also did so with handicaps and against seemingly impossible odds. If the desire to achieve a goal is great enough the necessary personal resources always seem to follow. Author Dr. Robert Anthony claims that "the majority of failures in this life of ours are nothing more or less than victims of their own mental attitudes." Or as W. Clement Stone puts it. "What the mind can conceive and believe in, the mind can achieve."

How was Handel able to write his best music after his doctors told him he was going to die? How could Beethoven write music after he was totally deaf? What enabled Colonel Saunders, virtually penniless at the age of 66, to launch a business from a chicken recipe? How did Margaret Mitchell find the time to write Gone with the Wind while working fulltime at a newspaper? How was it possible for a young boy called Jack La Lanne, who suffered from flat feet, boils, a bad back and constant headaches to eventually become a guru of physical fitness? Or a girl called Wilma Rudolph, crippled by polio, narrowly escaping death from pneumonia and scarlet fever, to eventually become the first woman to win three Olympic gold medals?

It would appear that these individuals and others had one thing in common – a desire to reach a goal and a belief that they would succeed. The goal gave them a purpose – something to aim for. The desire provided the motivation to persist until their goal was realized. Without motivation, people will not succeed. And motivation comes from within. It is a product of the strength of our belief that we will succeed. No room here for negative thinking.

We hear a lot about the necessity of setting realistic goals. But what is meant by "realistic?" What one person considers impossible another may believe is realistic. A goal is realistic if we truly believe in our heart that it is realistic. It seems that God does not instill a belief in our heart without providing the resources to make that belief a reality.

Great things are achieved by ordinary people who are so busy working towards their goal that the thought of failure never enters their mind. And failure cannot exist except in the mind.

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IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

2010-12-20T19:38:00.001+05:30

(written after she found out she was dying from cancer).

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it .. live it and never give it back. Stop sweating the small stuff.

Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what.

Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with. And what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally.

Contributed by: bsundaran @ yahoo.com

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