Savvy Raj

Live Life Lovingly!


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Over the brink

I sincerely resonate  with these words .

I have often seen the perils of burnout up close in professional and personal  life  over many  years.  As a coach and mentor it has been often clearer to me that having the blessing of  many interests and hobbies like dance and art and sports in my life, I have steered away from burnout with a perspective shift. It helped balance my work and personal life.

But over the years watching people of all ages moving towards burnout due to many factors some avoidable and sometimes due to relentlessly challenging situations  in their lives, occurrence  of burnout  is a reality sooner than you know.

Workaholics are the worst hit as often as Type A personalities. People in power positions founders challenged by their own hamster wheel climb , running their race, stressed and distressed  between the managing and  funding of their enterprises. To people who are intrinsically  overt perfectionists trying to outdo themselves beyond abilities and suffering  physically  emotionally  and mentally thinking that in doing so they have  proved their worth. Likewise young  students with  extreme pressure from parents to perform well  in something  that they are not interested in. Have seen cases of students in engineering stream,  forced to take it when their heart is in arts and humanities .

The difference is  between enjoying the work and overworking is in feeling  exhausted by the work you do to such an extent that you cannot  connect with your self anymore.

When your passion turns in an obsession,

When you are pushing yourself  over the brink without consideration  for your own  health.

Your absence affects your family When you think you are giving it all, but what you are giving is,  stealing a loved ones time with you.

Imbalances you create in your life have a way of finding you and testing your life. Make sure to live life when you have it, with all  of you.

Cont’d


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Potential for peace

Are you feeling the rage

Of a war within you

Is there a fire flaming through your veins

Is your heart thumping beyond your control

Are your thoughts so muddled that you just can’t think straight?

Well my friend, trust that this too shall pass

For your anger is self made from the agony

Of living life with frustration.

All you need is to acknowledge  time as your best friend

For it shows you a new way in time

From reaction to response

But do you want to be responsible

For your self harm or healing ?

For your anger is destroying you.

Think about what ways you can flip the script you are telling yourself.

For its your thoughts and feelings that fuel your emotions, time and time again.

If your heart is hurt remember to think and align your heart with your mind.

If your thoughts are the reason and that anger is bubbling up your brain, know your heart is far expansive  that you know, feel from your heart the love and forgiveness that stems from it. And align your thinking mind with the emotions of unconditional loving heart .

If both your heart and brain are a fire ball of fury then too you have the wisdom of your body. Train your body to move and realign yourself to help you step out of this phase.

Remember the potential for peace rests with you always.

It’s just a matter of acknowledging it. And bringing it into practice in response than reaction.

Peace is within you

Your infinite potential always included the peace that you actually are.

Savvy


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Story of strength 

In Japan, a ten-year-old boy had a goal of becoming a judo champion.

However, he was disabled. He didn’t have a left arm.

Becoming a judo champion is a huge challenge even for those with strong arms and legs.

What could a boy without one arm do?

He approached many trainers.

All of them looked at him with pity and sent him back.

The boy didn’t lose heart. He kept trying.

Finally, one trainer agreed to teach him judo.

The training started. The trainer taught him only one move.

Days, weeks, and months passed. The trainer didn’t seem to teach him anything else. The boy got frustrated.

“Master, knowing just one move isn’t enough to become a judo champion. Will you teach me anything else?” he asked.

“If you master this one move, that’s enough,” the trainer replied.

There was no arguing with the trainer. The boy continued his practice.

He mastered that single move well.

The championship began!

First match: A well-trained opponent against this boy who knew only one move.

The match started. To the surprise of the audience, the boy won.

Second match: He won again.

He continued to advance and reached the semi-finals.

He struggled a bit but won that match too.

Now it was the final match.

His opponent was a multiple-time champion. He felt a bit of pity and some disdain for the boy without an arm. But the boy didn’t falter.

The match started. In the first round, the opponent knocked the boy down.

Seeing the boy’s condition, the audience was shocked. The organizers considered stopping the match.

“Let the boy fight,” said the trainer.

The opponent, now careless, thought he didn’t need any safety gear to fight this boy.

The boy executed the one move he knew with great force. The opponent fell.

The boy became the champion.

The audience couldn’t believe it, and the competitors were astonished.

Even the boy couldn’t believe his victory.

That evening, he asked his trainer.

“Master, how did I win this match? I won with just one move,” he said.

Smiling, the trainer replied, “There are two reasons for your success.”

First, you have mastered one of the most difficult moves in judo.

Second, the only way to counter that move is for the opponent to grab your left arm. But you don’t have a left arm!

“Your weakness turned into your strength and made you a champion!”

The boy marveled at the trainer’s words. He felt joy thinking about how his weakness had become his strength.

Each of our minds is a sea of talents. Diving into it can yield pearls or shells, depending on how long we hold our breath.

Every person is endowed with unique talents by God. Our success lies in discovering and utilizing them.


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When the world feels safe enough

I wonder

When the world  will feel safe enough…

To trust the day that is unfolding

To be assured there will be peace

To feel secure, wherever we are

Till then let’s keep breathing

And being present in the breath

And in hope all is well.

Savvy


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Weathering the storms

Wither not yourself away

Weathering the storms

Every life finds itself

In the whirlpool of chaos.

And often unfortunately so.

Pick yourself up

Dust away the doubts

Don your best attitude

And look ahead

At a not so distant time

And trust in yourself

For storms precede the calm.

 

Sense the strength of spirit

Moving towards your purpose

Know every storm has one

Find yourself on your way

To fulfilling your soul purpose.

Savvy


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May be another day

A life can be lived forward

And in every moment, easier

If there is less regret

And more acceptance.

It makes living life worth it .

For if you keep looking back

Revisiting memories

A little too often

You will perhaps also sense

The number of times 

You didn’t do what you wanted

Saying maybe another day.

Reality is in realizing

This moment now…

Holds all you choose 

To make of it. 

It’s all embedded in it

Embody it in present

Live not in fear and worry

Seek comfort in past if you wish

But don’t dwell in it too long

Let the past be ,

For even if you want 

You cannot hold the hands

Of times gone by ..

Time ticks on

So move with time.

Acknowledge it &  regret less.

Savvy


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Allow and just be…

Allow yourself spirit to emanate joy

Allow the body to feel its contentment

Allow the self to embody peace

Allow the heart to open itself  to possibilities

Allow the self to move in space  and sense the freedom it offers.

Just  be and allow


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The bouncing ball

Bouncing ball

Think of any organization, like a bouncing ball. No two moments are alike Change is order of things. In such moments the leaders at the top need all the support they can get from their team. And for that clarity in communication be it timely updates , to them & to the team is equally  paramount.

When the ball bounces are extreme, it could be many factors, like the winds of change that’s affecting it. Let’s call it external forces be it political, economic,global changes and more…

No one can predict things to the T but if risks are part of the buisness, then leadership needs both resilience from the entire team and quick decision taking to keep the company ‘ball balancing’  afloat.

In times of internal instability from unexpected forces within the company, affecting the state of buisness the leaders need  more than just attention to detail to bring the dissenting fragments and solve crisis .

It’s a given that even in stable times there is always going to be  that bounce in the ball think of it as the pulse in the heartbeat. Just that the force and velocity is a little more manageable . Acknowledging it as a part of risk management  makes it more realistic than procrastinating  from planning for it.

Whatever be the force, the torque generated decides the nature of impact it has. Being prepared and building the resilience muscle and creating a strong srategic team in easier times, helps in times of crisis management.

Embracing the changes is about  understanding the experiences of highs and lows as a part of the journey. And most of all seeing the setbacks as an opportunity  to bounce back stronger again.

What do you think ? 

Savvy Raj

 


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Valley of Reactivity

Between & betwixt  spaces

Of pause and activity

 In the thinking and doing

Overcome the challenges

Of the conflicts of being.

Move on from valleys of reactions

From impulsive actions

That stems from assumptions

Reach out in responsiveness

Being positively intentional

Leading to clarity

In the deeper listening.

Savvy


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Power of Poise

The silent language  of leadership.

Have you ever experienced how some people exude confidence in just their efforless presence? 

It isnt just about the words you speaks but how you show up .

And if you can imagine how the body posture influences the way you move when in alignment you will sense how you exude a quiet confidence flowing in every step you take. Like dancers  deportment,creating the art of presence. Quite akin to the silent language of leadership.

Here are a few insights on how  deportment influences leadership.

More than 55% of communication  is nonverbal and hence how you carry yourself speaks volumes without a word

Maintaining  a good posture  enhances confidence & authority thereby influences how others perceive leadership.

Composure & Presence

Dancers composure shapes their movements And while dance movement training builds poise it also enhances emotional intelligence & resilience all valuable traits for effective leadership.

Adaptability  is Power

Whether in a dance or in leadership situations with quick  decision taking & bouncing back in crisis the ability to move with  fluidity & grace in changes that come with the challenges in time defines success.

Energy speaks louder than words

Leaders, like dancers, must be fully engaged aware of their space, their audience, their message.

Self Check-in

How are you breathing in this now? Is your breath calm or  labored.?

What is your  attitude reflecting ?  Composure & confidence or  Confusion and nervous hesitation.

Power of Alignment

How about if the next time you step into a room you become aware of your posture the way you are carrying yourself?  And then intentionally align yourself.

After all, like dancing, leadership is consistent practice, not just a single performance.

Savvy Raj


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Smiles from the heart

Being a happy person

I have tided over

The challenges with a smile

Grateful for the dance in my life

I draw energy from movements

As they appear to move me

I unwind and unfurl

My hearts deepest feelings

In the flow of the moves

I sense the beauty of this now.

And I smile from the heart.

Savvy


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Weight of love

Love can be light

Love can be heavy

Such is the weight of love.

In one moment

Love spreads love

Love shares hope

In another moment

Love fills us with despair

Such is the irony

Of the weight of love.

And yet love is the way

For all of us…

Live life lovingly…

Savvy


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A pebble of love

Creative poetry for the above image.

Born a raw stone

I am a pebble

A force of nature

Through the tumults of life

The highs & lows

Around the bend

Smoothening the spikes

Rounding the edges

Until the spirit shines through.

Savvy


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What matters?

It’s not just about your intelligence

It’s about your understanding

It’s not just about your skills 

It’s about your application.

What matters …

Is not just in what you have 

But in what you do with it

Savvy


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Thankful for Dance

To dance is to move with all of you.

To dance is to have hope in the living.

To dance is to feel the spirit of life in the movement.

To dance is to know the value of time.

To dance is to feel the rhythm in the beat.

To dance is to sense the subtlety of life.

To dance is to acknowledge the life in every moment.

I share a capture of one of the International Dance Research Congress, that I was honoured to have attended in Athens.

Today is celebrated as the International Day of Dance…

Yet everyday I am thankful… and deeply grateful to the art of dance in bringing positive difference to my life.

Thankful to dance in my life, & all the wonderful people I have been priveleged to meet, connect, learn & share my passion for dance… 🙏✨

©Savvy Raj