Smell the Roses

All the New Age management gurus have been advising people to slow down and smell the roses in order to manage the inevitable stress in their professional and personal lives. Shimla at this time of the year is just the right place to do that. The profusely blooming rose bushes are aflame with beautiful colours: pink, white, peach, red, and yellow. The entire landscape has changed thanks to these divine blooms. The butterflies and honeybees flit around these flowers collecting nectar… the nectar of life. That is what these flowers give us whether we admire them or not.

Why are we supposed to ‘slow down and smell the roses’? In this fast paced life, it seems like a sensible thing to do. But besides that you realize that all this hurry and worry of life is not worth it. The plight of an average corporate person has reached such ridiculous heights that even on the day a person dies; he has at least thirty emails in his inbox, an unfinished to-do list, and unreturned voice mails. We in Shimla are lucky to have escaped from most of this madness.

The fact remains, that we can never get it all done, no matter how many hours in a day we work, so we might as well just slow down. Some people are fearful of the very thought of slowing down. They say, “How can I slow down? There are bills to be paid, projects to be completed, kids to raise, and so much to do in life. If I slow down, I will be left behind. The others will overtake me as my productivity will go down. The inflation will not wait for me. I need to take care of my future”. Are these fears genuine? No.

It has been proven over the years that people who take short breaks to ‘smell the roses’, throughout the day get more work done than those people who are always worried about the deadlines. Focusing on ‘energy’ management is more productive than focusing on ‘time’ management. Which side of the fence are you on? Do you spend your day with a smile or a frown on your face? If it is a frown, go out, take a look at the roses and smell them.

Slowing down and enjoying is a matter of attitude and habit. It means to stop, breathe deeply, and enjoy all the special moments of your life. Once you do it you will realize that all the moments of your life are special in one way or the other. When we enjoy our life, we become grateful for even most basic things such as the ability to walk, to talk, to write, to eat, to share, to laugh, to smile, to pray, and to live.

Slowing down also means that even when the life throws challenges at us, even in the midst of tragedy, pressure and stress; we have the ability to recharge our batteries and come through the trying times as a winner. Small activities like a walk through Shimla’s lovely flora have the power to energize us. So if you want more strength, focus, energy, and skills, take this beautiful opportunity now.

When we slow down, we not only have more fun but more success as well. It is surprising that slowing down is the hardest thing to do for most people, but once they accomplish it they can never go back to a harried life.

So tell yourself each morning that today is the day when you will slow down. The blooming roses around you will keep reminding you to do that!!!

Spring is in the air

This is that time of the year when life is peeping through all the trees, plants, and grasses. Leaf buds and flower buds are making their presence felt everywhere. Soon the world will turn greener than it has been for a while. The vibrant flowers will add colour, charm, and fragrance to the environment. Oh, it is so very beautiful! One feels drunk in this beauty. Our faith in nature and its immutable cycle re-enforces itself. Have you ever strolled leisurely through Shimla’s famous wooded walks during spring time? Have you ever looked at all the tiny flowers that cover Shimla’s slopes? Shimla is beautiful at any time of the year, but right now its beauty is alive, throbbing with new life. Yes Sir, there is spring in the air and there is spring in our walk. Don’t you feel like singing and dancing with joy through this lovely weather!

Spring is telling us all that it is a good time to ‘spring ahead’ and try something new. It is time to risk something in some way, even in the face of fear. Spring has come to reassure us that all is well in our world. It is telling us that it is time to mend and heal relationships. How about sending fresh flowers to do that job? How about sending love and forgiveness along with the flowers? How about doing it right now?

It is also time to reach for the dreams that feel a little out of reach right now. After all that is what Mother Earth did during the cold winter months. It dreamt of covering itself in green glory once again. Lo and behold that dream is unfolding in front of our eyes right now. So come on forge ahead on your goals. The spring is here to egg you on!

Some people say, ‘I would like to do this but I can’t because I am scared.” What are you scared of? Are you so scared that you won’t even give it a try? Are you willing to let your dreams remain unfulfilled? Are you willing to settle for less than what you really want? Will you be able to face yourself in the long run? Will you be able to look into your eyes in the mirror and say, ‘I did my best’? The nature tells us otherwise. The trees had no doubt that they will don a new garb of fresh leaves. The shrubs had no doubt that their nakedness would be covered by glorious flowers. Why do we doubt every thing? Why can’t we be as trusting as the rest of the nature is?

The moment we surrender to the Higher Intelligence, just as the nature does, there is nothing to be afraid of. So don’t let fear of dark, cold, wintry days take over your life. Don’t rationalize your fears. Don’t be so protective and concerned about your well being. Let go. Let go of the controls and see the spring of your life unfold. Give enough credit to your faith and see the miracles happen.

The other message that the spring has brought in is to let go of the clutter in your life. Only when we let go of the old, does the new have a chance to get into our lives. So take a stock of your life. What is it that you are holding on to? Old clothes, old shoes, old thoughts, old paradigms, old ways of doing things? Give it a thought and get down to some spring cleaning. Give away things that you have not used in past one year. Re-think thoughts that do not serve you any more. Let go of relationships that are destructive or that do not let you progress on your chosen path. Are you willing to do that?

Remove all the ‘what ifs’, ‘buts’, and ‘shoulds’ from your vocabulary. These don’t serve the ‘new you’. Speak positively about your affairs. Be inspired by your own thoughts. Look at everything with new eyes. Learn from everyone you meet. The spring tells us that the life is eternal. It tells us that beauty is inherent in life. This beauty brings in unadulterated joy. This joy makes you love nature. Since you are an integral part of this nature, you tend to love yourself. And this love for the self propagates self-confidence. Are you ready to face this more loving, more joyful, more confident you? If yes, what are you waiting for? This time is as good as any other to make a beginning.

After all spring is in the air and all is well with the world………….

The Times of India, Shimla Plus, 15th March, 2008, Chitra Jha