Countdown to countdown - Day 8

I was all out to write about the route map for the ride around the world that Bharadwaj Dayala has planned on Dream Live. I shall do it soon, we still have time till Dream Live starts on 1st of March, which is a 100 days assignment. On the 100th day, Dalaya takes off on his second world tour on motorcycle. He will take about 7 months to complete the tour. He is still in Bangalore and shall be in Mumbai on 22nd, he has been invited to lead the ride that supports the cause of 'Women Empowerment'  to be held on 23rd morning. I was in a mood of introspection yesterday and I wish to share with you all what occupied my mind.

Finding happiness, joy in the little things that you do.

Happiness is a state of mind, a well being! being in control of your life and looking at the positivism, even if you don't have the best of everything. It has nothing to do with what you have won and whom you have defeated.

Today Optimist Diary is my diary, I want to talk about myself, my life and what it has been like, in the last 37 years. I am suddenly in love with myself. I am at a stage in life, that everything gives me a reason to smile. My life may not be perfect but the journey that I have walked has given me the satisfaction of the choices that I have made. This may sound familiar to a lot of you. Believe me this state of 'nirvana', if you wish to call it at all! should not come at the fag end of the journey but well on time. That you can enjoy your path along while you are living this fulfilling life, of course you need to make that choice.

Yesterday, during the debate at the institute cultural fest, one of the topics for discussion was, 'Being conventional or risk taking'. I was particularly paying attention to the points raised by both the students supporting the different ideology. One of the students gave the example of his father saying that he was conventional whereas he is more opening to taking risks. I was thinking all of us get into both the modes at different stages in our lives. Some people start off with taking risks and then take up the conventional approach whereas some are conventional in the beginning, reach the security platform in their lives and then are open to taking risks. But important is take the risk at some stage in your life, test your limits at some stage otherwise you'll never know what you are capable of. But the contentment will always come from the little things that give us happiness. Not the huge risks you have taken or the Big achievements you have made. They are just milestones that you can be proud of.

What has made me find happiness in the little things in my life, wish to take you along with me as I look back.

I was born pre mature in a remote village in Uttarakhand and at home, could not be taken to the hospital immediately. My family especially my mother ensured that I fought all odds and became the survivor. Even later on in life, she always ensured that I took everything no matter what, head on! All of us have such stories, every human life is unique. I have heard from people what life has been to them and have been tremendously inspired by so many of them. I am sure my life too has touched others in a positive way. 

I was very competitive while in school, could not bear to be second in anything.... for me my yardsticks were being at the top no matter what I did, be it academics or others. No one asked me to be like that, my parents were not demanding. But some conditioning I must have received somewhere. Looking for happiness only from such things cannot be long lasting, its like the rat race. Then chose the field of professional study and work. At the campus placements it was cool to have the best 3-4 jobs, to choose from. At work, I was ambitious started my career with the top hotel group in the country and saw myself as the GM one day. Four years of working there I started liking the learning and development aspect, with that left the industry and joined academics, Yes I saw myself as the head of the institution someday. 

Got married, had kids and I started seeing life closer, felt responsible for the people in my life. My husband and the boys became a priority. I started to learn about the balance in life, the yin yan! Seeing myself at the top didn't matter. I won't say that the ambition is buried somewhere but prioritising has certainly happened. Happiness is making what my children love to have in their tiffin. Husband passing a casual remark that "tumne toh ghar ko chaar chand laga diye". In laws giving me more love than they would to their own children. At work, the appreciation from colleagues and being a confidante to a few of them who share their concerns with me and the students who I share a good bond apart from the professional relationship. This is what has been the wealth that I have gained. This happiness and the moments, no one can ever take from me. I live them and I enjoy them. The 200 + odd certificates that tell me how brilliant I was academically and in the extra curricular activities in school and college life are not the ones that bring me the moments of joy. I don't even remember what I got, where. One  needs to look for the balance in life and find happiness in the little things. Make a difference in your own circles, the neighbourhood, the society ,for the less privileged, That's where true happiness lies. It may take ages to realise this but is worth every bit as you'll find contentment and true self worth.

Have dreams that are close to your heart and go after them, that's where you'll find your happiness. Bikers find that happiness in riding with their group... they call the brotherhood. I have loved such rides, most of the time riding pillion.

Would love to hear your dream stories. A lot of us believe in the magic of that secret. 

Tell us your stories too and will share them with others, you never know when someone gets inspired and your story changes a life.

Follow #DreamLive to witness how dreams become reality. Bharadwaj Dayala, the first Indian to go around the world on a motorcycle, will show us how to live our own dreams by realising his dream of riding from Russia to South Africa, Dream Live takes off in just 100 days from 1st March 2014,starting with nothing.  He'll then help 12 to 24 passionate bikers to live their dream of riding in a foreign country by getting sponsors for them.

DreamLive: Dare to dream and care to achieve it.

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@letsdreamlive