My Experiments with Self-Awareness - Anvesha Rana

From daily news to new trends, the weather forecast to the match score, we know so many things just because they are happening around us; we love to be up to date. However, amidst gathering this information, we get so distracted that we must remember to collect ourselves or ask ourselves what is happening within us? 

Self-awareness is to know, share, ask, or be aware of oneself. Strangely, the person we have been since time immemorial is also the person we know the least about; most of the time, other people know more about us than we do about ourselves! Yes, and as an exercise, ask your friends about what you like; I am sure they will get it right. 

So, self-awareness is vital as you need to know who you are and be clear about what you like or dislike. Self-awareness is a gradual process, though it is believed to be an innate ability that vanishes growing up. Thus, we need to constantly experiment to regain ours. 

Whenever we get lost in a discussion, we should ask ourselves, is this really important? Would I like to be a part of this? Moreover, we must decide about numerous things daily and sometimes need help with choices. Consequently, we should learn to recognise and observe our choices and decipher the pattern. This code or pattern is our approach to problem-solving that sums up the kind of person we are. 

To be more self-aware, we should spend time alone with our thoughts in our head; it’s good to head out, but sometimes, to seek answers to deep questions, it’s okay to run in. Being the observer of our lives also means observing or influencing our thoughts. Being the observer is being in the position of power, i.e. we are not guided by the current flow in the ocean, but we decide where the current shall flow. It may be difficult initially, but once we start to love our own company, that is the self-awareness threshold.
Anvesha Rana
Grade 11
Gyanshree School

Being always grateful is what Gratitude means - Tenzin Jambey

Gautam Buddha was born into a royal family, but unlike other princes, he didn't like being a prince or wanting to become a king or rule a kingdom. He was greatly affected and unfortunate after finding out that human life is a misery; therefore, he attained "Nirvana" after meditating for years to free himself from the world of sorrow and sadness. Sometimes, religious texts and stories make me wonder whether they occurred in reality.

The flying chariot of Ravana, the superpower monkey God like Hanumanji, etc., are all myths that few people in the world don't believe, and some people like me are in a dilemma. Some people believe that praying to God and offering sacrifices brings peace into one's life, but we must understand that we bring happiness and sadness to ourselves.

Now, the question arises: What does gratitude do with all this?

Gratitude is an art that can bring about a significant change in our lives. When gratitude becomes part of our lives, we stop blaming gods for our sadness and sorrow. First, we must understand that it is a natural process that, after giving birth, everyone has to die. A flower that is blooming today won't stay blooming forever. At the same time, we have to learn to accept sadness, sorrow, failure, hate, death, and misery. Because of all such emotions, we know what happiness, joy, birth, and pleasure feel like.

"Every action has an opposite reaction and an equal reaction." Newton's law is implied in everything around us, even our emotions. Now that we know that sadness and sorrow will come into our lives, why mourn for a long time? Why do you have to cry and shed tears for the sad moment that happened years ago when you didn't laugh at the joke from last year?

People are like a maze, and it's our nature to look for sadness until we change it ourselves. To overcome this, "gratitude" serves as a hearing medicine. We should always accept that whatever happens, it happens for the best. Always be grateful for everything that happens around you. Even if you fail or someone takes away your privilege, be happy and grateful, as there is always a learning part and learning and lessons are far better than winning. "Be grateful for your house," "Be grateful for the food you eat," and "Be grateful for your body organs," as there are some who don't have a home, have body parts, or get one meal a day. A boy was sitting on the bench, and he was barefoot. We wished for a show and became sad, but his desire for a shoe vanished when he saw another guy with no legs. This is how gratitude works.

 

Having gratitude will protect you from being affected by others; feelings of jealousy and hate will never arise if you follow the art of gratitude in your daily life. "BEING ALWAYS GRATEFUL IS WHAT GRATITUDE MEANS."

TENZIN JAMBEY

Pestalozzi Children's Village Society

Major set backs serve as a catalyst - Shambhavi Nautiyal

My opinion implicitly agrees with the title 'major setbacks serve as a catalyst for success'. I come across many such stories embodying the essence of the title every week, thanks to my mom, which are usually about some IAS officers from a grassroots-level background. As vexed as I have grown from reading the headlines of those stories, I set out today on a journey to finding my own inspiration in this concept. 

The first thing that comes to mind (as I can relate the most to it) is my spiritual journey and study patterns. Each day, we are growing and evolving. And learning new things, but what if all you had were hand-me-down textbooks from your elder brother or a library near your house? Then what would you do? Would you lose all hope and lie hopelessly, thinking you will take over your family's profession, or would you employ what you had best instead? People could only choose the second if they were self-motivated due to having a vision or a transitional figure who inspired them to rise above all the odds and fight for what was right. 

When two people are standing in prison, one sees the stars, and the other considers the bars. As humans, those of us who have a Sattvic nature tend to reach for the stars innately, even if maybe in the external, there seems no prospect. But even those who don't have that kind of mindset can still learn to mend their mindset. However, what happens on the inside is what manifests on the outside, which is the reason. Having a vision is so consequential. Not caring about other people's disproof or approval while trying to find our way through that one thing we want to achieve. 

That is the most brilliant thing about human dispositions. It may seem too fanciful at the start or in the middle of the journey, but we must learn how to dream. We must have faith, or we'll all just perish, and it won't mean a thing. Let the people around you head into the darkness, but you must Reach for the stars; you need to try, or else it will all be wasted.

Don't let the people around you DEFINE YOUR MINDSET; DON'T GIVE UP ON YOURSELF.

Imagine your own success story in that place you want to be and keep striving to get there because, in the process, I know you will find your own position. Get in your high vibrational state and decide your future and your vision. The moment you do that, the universe sets the path for you. All you have to do is walk on it. Now that you have backtracked, it makes it all worth it for you to achieve. Have hope and faith that you can make a difference; you do it daily without knowing it. You are worth so much; don't let anything convince you otherwise. I love you, and if you don't, I'll be upset and won't talk to you, so better be careful. Ciao!

Shambhavi Nautiyal
Intern at My Good School