Savvy Raj

Live Life Lovingly!

Monthly Archives: January 2020


by 2 Comments

Handling Emotions

The Boss was retiring

Everyone had tears in their eyes on the day of his farewell.

One of the employees said,
“Sir, there is one thing we want to learn from you.
You worked here for so many years.
Leave aside about scolding your subordinates,
we have never seen you even shouting at them.

We have scolded our subordinates on the pressure of work or for other reasons.
We want to know about the seed of your patience.”

The Boss said,
“This all comes from the incident of my childhood.
My father was working as a lower-level employee in an office.

He was a very nice person.
He was respected very much in our family.

It happened one day,
I was studying in the 4th standard.
I had gone to the office of my father for some reason.

I saw that my father was not on his seat.
I waited outside.
After some time,
the door of the Boss opened, my father came out of the door.
I saw the face of my father had turned red.

He went straight to a corner and stood there looking outside through a window.

He had not seen me.
I went to him and called him slowly.
He was taken by surprise and turned back to look at me.

I saw a stream of tears flowing down his eyes.
He was slightly disturbed seeing me. He did not find time to wipe out his tears.

Can my father cry anytime?
He was the strongest man in the world for me.
It was out of my wildest imagination that someone could hurt him.

I ran straight to the room of the Boss.
Father was calling me from behind.
But, listening to nothing,
I went inside and asked the Boss,
“Why did you make my father cry?”
The Boss was also surprised.

Thereafter, my father tried to make me understand.

But, that day I had decided to take revenge on the Boss.

From that day I decided that I will study well and become a Boss one day,
but I will not make my subordinates cry anytime.

Because, they are not only the employees of my office, they are also respected and dear father or brother or somebody of their families and belong to someone important.

People say it is not possible to control others without scolding them.
I say, what is love then for?”

People who come to work are the ones who devote their best and quality time of the day to work, leaving not much time for their families. They do deserve better treatment from their surroundings._

Ships don’t sink because of the water around them; ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don’t let what’s happening around you and your circumstances get inside you in your mind and weigh you down.

Make your life such where peace becomes your priority and no negativity can exist in your life.

*Just because you’re angry that doesn’t give you any right to be cruel.*

*Anger, on the other hand, doesn’t solve anything, it builds nothing, but it can destroy everything.*

*Neurologist claim that every time you resist acting on your anger, you’re actually rewiring your brain to be calmer and more loving.*

*The less you respond to rude, critical, argumentative people… the more peaceful your life becomes.*

*Explain your anger instead of expressing it, and you will find solutions instead of arguments.*


by Leave a comment

An ode to the trees

It’s not how green or young you are
It is not if you have bloomed or not.

It is the grace as you grow whatever the shape.
It is in how your presence fills the air.

You are born of wisdom
And the faith of the seed as you were sown.

We reap the bounties of nature through you
My deepest reverence to the truth of the trees
Savvy


by 5 Comments

Special to be ordinary!

Simply outstanding & thoughtworthy.

This message may change one’s attitude!

Do read it !!

1. Name the 3 wealthiest people in the world 2019.

2. Name the last 3 winners of the Miss Universe.

3. Name the last 3 people who won the Nobel Prize for Physics.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remembers the headlines of yesterday !!

Even though these people must be the best in their fields !!

Applause dies !!

Awards are tarnished and
achievements
are forgotten …..!!

Here’s another quiz:

Let’s see how this goes:

1. Name 3 Teachers who added your journey through school.

2. Name 3 friends who helped you through difficult times.

3. Name 3 people who taught you something worthwhile.

4. Name 3 people who make you feel special.

5. Name 3 People you enjoy spending time with.

Easier…..right?😊

The people who make a difference in your life are NOT the ones with prestigious awards and loads of money !!

Life is full of ordinary people who have made the world a better place for you !!

Cherish them !!

Hold Them Tight !!

Perhaps sometimes it’s ‘Special’ to be ‘Ordinary’ !!!👌👍


by Leave a comment

Meeting Personalities

Meetings are great learning spaces…

Here are some interesting observations from office group meetings.

Office meetings are no different
From groups of human getting together
Human behaviour has an extensive range.
From shy to extroverted, bold to introverted
Myriad patterns of personalities
Manifest in business meetings.

There are those totally in charge
Setting the tones driving the agenda
There are those who are out to showcase skills at every opportunity.
There are others who are peacebuilders.
There are facilitators who are also great delegators.
They are resourceful in the absence of a leader.
There are those brimming with enthusiasm.
They are the ice breakers who reduce tensions.
There are the creativity enhancers.
They step beyond the box and think.
They can bring tangible and intangible to light.
They can be ambiguous or realistic in views.
There are contributors who just say a few words which make people rethink.
They may have voiced their opinion only after much thought.
There are those who blether on and on without consideration for others.
For, they love to be the centre of attention.
They forget it is a meeting with a time & agenda.

Then there are the team players who actually enjoy meetups.
They are adaptable, versatile and happy to help.
They are the bond that binds one and all.

They are juxtaposed with the reserved and silent ones.
They are those who are uncomfortable with the attention.
They are the wallflowers who may have many views but are quiet in a group.
They are great to tap into to hear alternate views.

Have you noticed those who are physically there in a meeting but yet not there?
They are lost in a realm of their own
They are wanderers who are free spirits actually.
They hate to be restrained in one space for even a while.
There is just one issue they hardly pay attention and hence may be unproductive at meetings.

Have you also met the pessimistic who always think it won’t work?
They can bring down the spirits and the morale of an entire team.
There are also the argumentative who always have a counter view without thinking.

Then come to the detail-oriented
Who never leave anything to chance.
They come prepared and are diligent.
They are at risk of seeming too intense.
They, however, can pinpoint the errors.
Their questions can bring clarity to the team.
Finally, there are those who rarely attend.
They saunter in without an agenda.
They have no idea what the meeting is all about.
They have never bothered to find out either.
They still can be channelised through proper directions.

Lastly, let’s watch out for perpetual latecomers.
They always may come in full of excuses but with the right interventions & time management skills.

They can be great contributors…

How many of these types have you observed in your office meetings?

Every person is unique, & likewise, every meeting is thus equally unique.
Through a positive approach, when utilized in the right way for the right skills…
Everyone can then, greatly contribute to the productivity of a meeting.

Savvy


by 2 Comments

Making people feel special!

In my earlier stint of working in the aviation industry, I had the privilege of working with a multitude of passengers day in and day out.

Handling VIP passengers, tough customers and dealing with difficult situations was an everyday affair. But it taught me patience and adaptability on the job and most importantly how to maintain a cool and pleasant disposition no matter the time of the day or the shift you are in.

Beyond the glamour were the grind and the rigours of the conformity in the service industry.

However, there were some amazing takebacks & learnings for a lifetime with regards to people management especially customer service.

Sharing a few thoughts on Customer Care:

The best way to express customer care and what you can give any customer is your undivided attention.
It can be in the form of kind words, pleasant voice, empathetic smiles, nods and eye contact that work to show that you understand their needs or issues.

Psychologically it is equivalent to giving personal time, it aids to comfort people, reassure them, and make them feel good especially in moments of crisis, delays or disappointments.

Remember to avoid mechanical responses, choosing some people as favourites and treating them better.
Aim to treat every one of your customers as important.

Be understated and avoid embarrassing the client with too much emphasis on the care you are giving. Aim to be classy and not overly effusive that it looks unnatural. Customers may even start apologizing for taking your time…

Aim to do your best every time. Your customers may not remember how you did it but remember you made them feel special. And that goes a long way!

Savvy


by 8 Comments

Perfectly imperfect

If we only could understand
Our so-called imperfections
Are pieces in the giant puzzle
Of life and living
They are meant to match
Another jigsaw somewhere somehow.

We are meant to piece together
Collaborate and correlate
The meaning of life and living
Of existence beyond the bread & butter.
Of what makes us survive
In spite of the insurmountable.

If we could only begin to see
The beauty within us
We would learn to appreciate the beauty
That surrounds us.
We are perfectly defaulted
We are blessedly imperfect
As we are divinely manifested
To be the way we are.

We are but mirrors in the reflection
Across dimensions of space and time
Such is the eternal truth of our being.
We construct and deconstruct
In our imagined cosmos
The truth of our own existence.

We bounce and reflect our perspectives
In and on to each other.
We shine our brilliance.
We mirror perceptions.
We are vulnerable and yet volatile beings
Beaming energies boundlessly.
The task is to recognize the strength of our souls.
In our perfectly imperfect ways
We pattern our world along with us.
We are creation and creation is within us.
Our thoughts are powerful and with it
We are creating and altering the social structure of life itself.

Our world needs each of us.
To have our edges, sawed or not
Blunt or sharp
For actualising the purpose we are born for.
We are way bearers for the future
We are the torch and flame of life
Existence longing for itself.
Life can be fickle and yet very wise
The choice is ours to take.

Savvy


by 5 Comments

Life is as you make it!

This is a beautiful painting by my dear artistic friend Rupa from India.

Am visiting France currently, so I happened to send her a photo in the morning of a beautiful magpie on the street in Rennes. Her brushes waxed eloquent on the canvas and painted the beautiful being in my heart for eternity.

Yesterday as I was speaking to a senior faculty at a university here who also nurses a similar interest in painting and photography I was so happy to share my friend’s work with her… I believe love for art and creativity is such a beautiful way to connect with life.

Thank you, dear friend, for taking the effort… it’s such a lovely first impression.💙🤗💙

One who knows the worth of life cannot afford to waste even a single moment of life.

Every step you take towards a more meaningful life for you, makes life worth living in it.

Savvy


by 1 Comment

When wisdom flows

When wisdom flows

It sees no borders that bound

Humanity speaks for itself

Beyond the east or west

To let go of the trivial niggles

In the unity of understanding.

Of the bigger picture…

There is much wisdom in integration, in finding meaning in the divergences.

What a poet relates to the truth in humanity.

What a scientist relates with theories of relativity

Are all drawn from the same well,

Of cosmic vibrations,

Of conscious awareness,

Of the eternal truths of life.

Where wisdom flows

There is Universal consciousness

Savvy

Here is a beautiful conversation I came across between the great minds, of Albert Einstein and Rabindranath Tagore…..when the two met and spoke at length.

Do take time to read this interesting dialogue between them in this article link below.

Tagore and Einstein in conversation


by 3 Comments

Tall trees…

A photograph by Savvy Raj @France

Umpteen number of years gone by
Though I lost the count,
Nature got it etched on my trunk.
I can’t remember when I was a seed or sapling.
Today I stand tall being a witness to the passing seasons.
I wither and flourish,
With each passing year
My branches multiply tall and wide.
Though my hands try to reach the passing clouds…

My roots stand firmly grounded on the earth.
My secret of longevity
I adapt to Nature
Withering in Autumn
Clad in the snow in Winter
Rising to be alive with Rains
Flourishing in Spring.
Though I may look barren at times
My creeper friends cloth me in green
Till my canopy is filled with greens.
To nurture and nourish withstanding Time.

Anjana

I am truly happy to share the above verses for this is one of my mother’s impromptu poems written in a flow, just a while ago, after I shared the above photo of a tree that I was drawn to capture with her.

Tall trees that seem to touch the sky …
devoid of leaves and blue skies with silver puffs of clouds floating by…

I am currently in France and while sitting in a bus stand admiring a tree at a distance, I decided to take this photo as I found myself drawn to capturing the vision of the sky from the ground below through the branches as a canopy of sorts.

Every manifestation of life is beautiful and significant in its own way. We often assume that a tree devoid of leaves is barren and ignore it. Yet there is so much to see and learn, respect & reflect from it.

I loved the above poem by her for many reasons one of which is because, it reflects the wisdom of nature, that flows through us all maintaining balance and sustaining us in life and living.

Savvy


by 1 Comment

Gift of Gentleness

A gift of gentleness

Could never go wrong

Such is the strength of sublimity.

When wrapped in the warmth of kindness

When sent as a gift in goodwill

And sealed with heartfelt love and gratitude.

Soft is the way of the gentle at hearts.

Soft is the strength of the soul within.

How gentle are you?

Savvy


by 2 Comments

Art of Management

Here are 5 R’s of Coaching

& Conflict Resolution.

Recognize
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. So a team or an organization is more than just the number of individual members put together.

Reframe

To bring different factions into consideration and consensus it is necessary to reframe the issues in a more inclusive way that speaks for one and all. It is important to validate the needs and apprehensions of all to find common ground.

Reconcile:
All are parts of an interdependent system.
So every move impacting one will impact one and all.

Remember :
The strength is in the interconnects.

So think beyond the immediate self and work towards envisioning & understanding the larger picture.

Resolve :

Be inclusive and expansive.

Be mindful to be positively impactful.

In every organization whenever there is a need to examine the pressing issues of individual human nature and/ or behavior in a team and come to a resolution, it is mindful to be aware of the surfacing of hidden dynamics at play in communication and its impact on personal /professional relationships.

Any mediation is, after all, a process of balancing the ways of engaging, managing and productively finding resolutions that can help make a positive difference towards peace and goodwill.

Savvy


by 3 Comments

Art of Management

Art of Self Management for Self Employed & Entrepreneurs

If you are self employed it is certainly possible that you are actually having no downtime at all.
It is also likely that however rosy the picture is to be your own boss the truth is you are overworked and highly stressed as you are unable to delegate as compared to conventional job scenarios.

Maintaining work life balance is a continous work in progress.
The first step is working towards putting a good team in place.

You cannot managealone as your company grows . You need to be able to step back , step in and step up.
Avoid this inner conflict with yourself that as an entrepreneur you have to be hustling constantly all the time.

Avoid burnout… take a mini vacation time to time.
In today’s technological age you can step away and be aware and clued in on what’s happening at work easily.

Remember you are a human not a machine and you need to ease up as well.

Switch off to switch in.

Sleeping well is great way to destress but to boost your brain there is a way to renew your creative instincts

Simply Switch off from regular work
Switch in to a new or parallel interest .
Read explore paint draw dance sing write or research or reflect on complete opposite of what your regular schedule entails .

You will rewire your neural pathways to jumpstart your own creativity.

Check it out for yourself!

Savvy


by Leave a comment

Art of Management

Overcome Bias

We are humans working in teams together and we are all vulnerable to conscious assumptions and unconscious bias within us.
So how can we work on uncovering our own bias that we may hold within and let it go.
Surfacing a bias within us takes effort and engagement and employment of the ability to forgive.

Reflecting Systematically…

Surface patterns of self behaviour towards others.

Explore who and what triggers you that makes you less responsible or resourceful.

Check if you are misjudging something or someone unconsciously.

Choose to pause as you respond than react in future conversations or confrontation with these elements or people.

See if you can see or connect with an image, colour that you feel or sense with a set of people that comes up consistently in your interactions.

See if you are behaving as a rescuer persecutor or a victim in a team of people.

Be Appropriate Appreciative and truly Accepting

Acknowledge and be Grateful to release old apprehensions.

Let go unnecessary and let in possibilities

Be light.

Savvy


by 5 Comments

Power Of Love

Love is one of the most natural and yet the most complex of emotions

Where true love is, peace walks in…

Love is the unison of the heart & mind.

Love makes the world go around.

Love speaks beyond borders

Love leaves impressions in eternity

Love is a gift of nature.

Love is kind and giving.

Love is an expression of life.

Love emits confidence and ease

Love evokes positive creativity.

Yet…

Love is blind & beyond discernment

Love sees things for itself.

Love moulds itself in feeling &emotions

Love clouds the rational mind.

Yet…

Love changes the equation.

Love can mend the broken heart

Love hurts and heals.

Love cares and cures as well.

Love has many forms and shapes.

Love is the innate power of life.

Love can alter the course of life.

Love is life, well-lived.

Love is meant to evolve life.

Where love flows, life nourishes itself.

What is life without love?

Live life lovingly!

Savvy


by 5 Comments

The Gift of Life…

Had shared it earlier in 2016 but will share this again as I believe it is relevant always.

The Gift of Life …

“When I was a little girl I often have witnessed my dear father see and give great value & acknowledge every little good that is or happens, however small they may seem to others. It could be a with a gentle word, a tiny appreciation or a little compliment.

He taught me one of the most important lesson for a lifetime…to notice, respect and reflect on the good in and around us … and to live positively and think of life always as Plus++++es.

Life is beautiful as it is and it is in us to see it so.”

Savvy Raj