Savvy Raj

Live Life Lovingly!

Tag Archives: challenge .


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Ladders that lead

I wrote this piece with regards to so many entrepreneurial spirits and their enterprise who catapult to fame and recognition and then often find themselves unable to sustain themselves And the heart-wrenching truth is that not all have the resilience and the capability to bounce back.

But life is a circle and change is the order of nature.

In the toughest of rounds

Keep the faith and patience

And trust time to show the way…

Ladders that lead
The climb is a chase, but the fall is steep.
So persevere on beyond just the achievement.
Be tenacious in ascent & resilient in descent.

Ladders that lead you higher in the name of career success, fame and glory lead you to so much more than just that. As you climb each step gradually, you inch closer to your dreams.

You are chalking your life in every move. And then in the pinnacle of your success…
You realize you have reached your goal.
Here is the point of discernment
As you observe, check the signs around you
Are you ready to play the game of survival?
You will receive less warmth here than ever before.
Your colleagues will change their minds
Think twice before supporting you
So fear not and keep on going
Stay mindful in the moment.

.

Ladders are meant to go up and down. If you have climbed up you must know to establish your survival modes else there is the ladder that brings you down.
But it’s doubly much harder to bear on the way down than the challenges you face on the way up.

What do you do when ladders do the disappearing act?

Sometimes the ladder vanishes
And there is no clear way to step down
Except for a blind leap of faith.
There may be darkness and fear
Sadness and silence
Shame and blame
All devastating effects
Of loss and failure
Yet the trick is to go on
Correcting your ways
Learning from the experience
And letting go of past foibles.

Mistakes make you more aware
Hurt a little and you are cautious
In pain there is understanding
Its what to watch out for!

Paths that may seem easy
May get you embroiled in complexities.
Watch yourself along the way
For.

the journey takes all of you!

You will encounter much support on the way up
But once you are are catapulted into the halls of fame.

You will find many critics and judgments
From those watching with interest
How you are managing it from here.
With all those disapproving eyes on you
One slip is a sure fire miss and costs a lot!

Watch your every step and move
For you are being followed
Here is where your resilience is tested!
Stay true to who are.
Look ahead as you trust yourself.
Paths can appear out of nowhere.

Savvy


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You Matter.

A true story I came across which is worth reading…

“I boarded flight from Bangalore to Mumbai, economy class. I put my hand bag in overhead bin and took my aisle seat. There was an old person sitting next to me on the window seat.

I had a presentation in Mumbai, so took my documents and started going through them for the final time before the presentation. After 15–20 minutes I was done with my documents, so I put them away and started looking out of the window, and suddenly I looked at the face of this person sitting next to me. I thought I have seen him somewhere.

He was old, his face, the suit was not very expensive, and he was replying to some mails or going through some documents. I exactly don’t know. I noticed his shoes, they were average quality.

Something stuck me and I asked him:
*“Are you Mr. Narayana Murthy?”*

He looked at me, smiled and replied, *“Yes, I am.”*

I was shocked !
For one second I had no idea what to say next. I looked at him again. His shoes, his suit, his tie and his specs. Everything was average. This guy was worth $2.3 Billion and co-founded Infosys.

I always wanted to become super rich so that I can buy all the luxury and travel business class. He could buy the whole airlines and yet he was sitting next to me in economy class!

I again asked: *“Why are you travelling in economy class and not business class?”*

He replied:
*“Do Business class people reach early?”*

And then introduced myself, “Hello sir! My name is ***** and I am a freelance corporate trainer and I work with many MNCs PAN India.”

He then put his phone away and started listening to me, he also asked few questions and answered the questions I asked. We both went down deep into the conversation until I asked a question which was about to change my life entirely.

I questioned:
*Sir, You are so successful and have made so many good decisions in your life. Is there something you regret?”*

He got intense look on his face, thought for a while and answered,
*“Sometimes my knee hurts, I should have taken better care of my body. When I was young I was so busy working that I never got time to take care of myself and now even if I want to work more, I can’t. My body doesn’t permit.”*

*“You are young. You are smart and ambitious but don’t repeat the mistake I made. Take proper care of your body and take proper rest. This is the only body you have got!”*

That day I learned two things, one that he told me and another that he showed me!”

Being rich is not about owning things.
I had got what I needed.
What a great and down to earth human being he is, no doubt he is so successful!


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Behind the scenes

Behind the Beautiful

Are often inexplicable truths

Behind the dare

Are often unbearable circumstances

Behind the victory

Are often countless defeats

Behind the smiles

Are often gutwrenching griefs

Behind the wisdom of silence

Are often heartbreaking stories.

Behind the scenes of glory

Are often those unspeakable truths

Of lives lived and living

In hope beyond the despair

Of wins beyond the losses.

Of success beyond the failures

Like each facet is necessary

For the diamond to truly sparkle!

Each phase is full of purpose

For everything matters to the whole.

Savvy


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Mind over matter

The Comprehending Mind

The mind can see the bigger picture

Beyond the niggling bits

It can construct inspite of the constraints.

In a sea of jumbled words

All it needs is a little bit of structure

At times with just the first and last letter in the right place…

The scrambled words gets unscrambled.

The capacity to comprehend

To make sense and understand

To put together the pieces

Is in the deciphering ability

The human mind is truly amazing

In being able to see the words than mere letters.

In being able to analyze in prediction

Of the ensuing possibilities.

In hearing a sound and predicting the next.

In decoding arrangements.

In creating meaningful coherences

Perhaps there is wisdom

Then, in the well known words.

Mind over matter!

Savvy


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THREE POTS

Have always wanted to grow vegetables and fruits in our terrace garden. But not knowing much about gardening we kept putting it off.

But seeing how much pesticides are there in vegetables and fruits that we consume, all of us in the family kept wanting to steer towards growing an organic garden.

Although there are a number of show plants and flowering plants that are already there…growing vegetables was still a challenge. So we decided finally to get a local gardeners advice to help start us off on our mission.

Now having no idea about the right planters for the vegetables we have taken up on his suggestion to get 3 pots for our initial vegetable cultivation trial. If successful we decided we can get more pots .

So next came the choice of vegetables to grow in these pots .Everyone came up with the name of some of their favorite vegetables for starters.

But then it got decided that we must grow vegetables that the gardener advises according to the season.

So now three vegetable seeds are sown in these pots . Time will gradually bring forth them into view . Till then it is a matter of patience in waiting

Week 2

A few shoots have emerged…

Energy in the emerging must be magnanimous for new life life to shoot out in the open. All the potential of possibilities of creative energy emerge with this act.

But each pot has a different seed and hence will take its course in time to shoot out to life. Nature never hurries. All in good time.

Yet humans are prone to impatience There was certainly this little bit of insecurity when we were all waiting, wishing to see the hope of a new life through a sign of some sprouting or shooting of a seed to a plant.

Experiences with gardening are a trial and error.

Watering plants correctly is an important learning for plants to grow well. We made our mistakes and learned along the way .

And then we got it right!

Now all the three plants have started growing in their pots. And it’s truly a lovely feeling to watch them grow!

Can you guess the emerging plants?

Yes they may be a long way from fruiting as yet but it’s nice to watch them grow in the nurturing.

Here are some tips on watering.

Lessons in watering plants

You can apply water to the soil directly not the plants. It’s better not to wet most plants as this can cause problems such as fungal diseases -and much will just evaporate away anyway. Water gently, with a rose (like a shower head) which will damage the soil less than a jet of water and prevent much mud splashing up onto the leaves. Also it’s better to wet the ground really heavily occasionally rather than to just splash a little about more often which can make the soil look damp on top while remaining dry underneath.

There is an art to watering plants.

Gently water them caring from the heart.

You will find them awaken in response

Make sure to water them in a timely manner

Not too much or too little

Keep it flowing but dont let it overflow.

There is so much to understand

In the simple act of watering plants

In both the giving and the receiving.

Too less and they will dry

Too much and they will die.

In it lies the lesson of need for balance.

Nature teaches lessons in nurturing.

Savvy

Contd


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Contact

Point of intersection
Sacred and sacrosanct
To the evolving
In thoughts ideas or deeds.

In making and breaking
In marking or masking
In chanelling or containing
And changing in the exchanges.

The element of space
Creates the challenges.

Emergence of a point or idea
Creates ways for the dance of evolution
Moving it towards convergence
What matters is the path and the way
It chooses to do so.

In intention and contention
Significance of its impact
Matters to the whole
In the freedom lost and gained
As a means to an end
Or in a journey of wonder.

In this dance
Of emergence and convergence
Containing and contracting
In nullifying on impact
Or expressing and expanding
In projecting the possibilities
Creating scope to flourish or finish
Gradually or abruptly.

In the course of such a convergence
The meeting point then diverges
Into the experiences of the being
In thought and action
Creating a muscle memory.

To take off on its course
Treading over or gliding through
To new paths in the possibilities.
In birthing or bouncing off
The intersections create energy

Image credits https://www.instagram.com/withnhic/”

Within and around
And in the spaces beyond
That continues to impact as waves
Deeply even in the subtlest of ways.

Savvy


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On choices

“Many paths present itself.
Every path is infinite in possibilities.
The question is are we ready to walk the path?
And how we evolve, walking the path of choice?”
Savvy


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Every life is best lived by itself!

Sometimes comments on a post germinate a seed of creativity.

A compliment in appreciation of a life lived in dare and adventure on a fellow writer’s post… evoked a reply from him that reflected many sentiments in a sentence … that he would never wish to advise another to live so! And yet is proud of the journey that was, is and will be!

Sharing my reflections to it…

Every Life is unique
And has all the potential to be a masterpiece.
All is in the choices one makes!

Speaking of a life lived on the edges
Or a life safely sailed in smooth waters
Never reaching the rapids
Both have a reason and purpose to be
For as the purpose reveals itself in time.

The life in question will have answers to itself
Why it was the way it chose
Why it lived a life
Of dare or in safety?

And it will know
It has served its purpose
In simplest of ways
Or charted new ways for others
In adventure or sacrifices
All is a play of life
Asserting itself over and over again.

All said and done
I believe every life is best lived
By the spirit and soul that is given the life!
For it is meant to have
all the wherewithal of existence.

Every life is best lived by itself
So while we can appreciate
The adventure of lifes moment
No life should be wished
or advised for another
As each is meant to be!

And yet through it all
in hope for a better world…
It matters to be seen
Whether the given life
Is simply existing or living the moments!
But then
That is in the power of choices we make!

Savvy


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Knocks of wisdom

When wisdom knocks it is never easy…
When wisdom knocks know its just the beginning
When wisdom knocks be ready to be challenged
When wisdom knocks know you are learning
When wisdom knocks know you are meant to learn
When wisdom knocks be open to understand
When wisdom knocks it opens many doors

When wisdom knocks know be ready to experience the now
When wisdom knocks be ready to dare
When wisdom knocks be ready to acknowledge
When wisdom knocks be ready to respect
When wisdom knocks be ready to witness
When wisdom knocks be ready to accept
When wisdom knocks be ready to gain
When wisdom knocks be ready to let go
When wisdom knocks know the value of balance

When wisdom knocks know your own equanimity
When wisdom knocks be ready to know your self
When wisdom knocks know there is something beyond your self
When wisdom knocks be aware of the greater purpose
When wisdom knocks become willing to understand beyond…

When wisdom knocks know it seeks you
When wisdom knocks know there is always a reason
When wisdom knocks trust yourself
When wisdom knocks keep the faith
When wisdom knocks know you are in the path of awakening.

When wisdom knocks be ready to accept responsibility
When wisdom knocks know you are strengthened in spirit and soul.
When wisdom knocks know you are on your path.
When wisdom knocks know you are blessed
When wisdom knocks know you are enough for you!.

There are many knocks of wisdom…
Each unique in its potential lesson
To learn to see the now in every moment
Every knock of wisdom leaves imprints in the spirit of the soul.
Are you ready?
Savvy

THE LIFE OF AN ENTREPRENEUR

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Ups and downs are part of life they say,
But if you have ever been in the shoes of an entrepreneur
Check out life on the other side
Where pitfalls and catapults are happenings of every day!

Easier said than done, get married to one
And watch the brewing storms and tumults of every moment.
Staying centered is the name of the game
Play on, as fame and shame are small matters under the sun…

Just know in your heart to trust the moment
Live it with love and enjoy this now
Cos worrying is never the path to take
For it traverses on, a test of will in the torment.

Change is the only constant they say and its best manifested in the life of an entrepreneur…

One of the important lessons in living with an entrepreneur… that I can pass on…

Well take nothing for granted

Neither the gains nor the pitfalls.

Everything is in a flux.

So enjoy the moment at hand

And happiness is in your heart!

Savvy

Sounds so wonderful to say I have my own company, or I am the Founder ….

But chew on this a while ….before you bite

Entrepreneurs are a breed apart

They strive for and thrive on success.

Of late the world seems a breeding ground for entrepreneurs and their dream what with almost every one dreaming to become one . Yet the price of startups in scaffolding years leads to so much learnings through it all.

Yes amazing is the feeling of being the boss, where you think you have it all taken care of and you have mastered your game… but then being at the healm of things has so much more at stake! Like never ending work hours , overt commitment workholism, insecurities,and relentless tensionand stress and most of all the looming responsibility of raising funds.

You realise you have to answer to your investors and funders . Your liability is your own conscience Your success is like a game of chances. The laws can make or break you in no time!

Your peace is at stake and your family takes a backseat most often, as you have so much to prove every day!

Your time is not your own but your companies ….and you realise it all only too late.

It certainly is not for the weakhearted as the pressures that surmount to stay at the healm can challenge the strongest minds.

I wrote this as I have personally witnessed the price of the entrepreneurial dream upclose. In the ups and downs the journey goes on , as ironically, these bravehearts never back down!


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Power of Human Spirit.

Strength to defy & dare destiny in the face

Of danger destruction and devastation …

Comes from a deeper conviction that creates

Courage to rise beyond catastrophes …

The heart has the capacity to deal

with almost anything … as that is how our life is

wired to cope and heal.

Expressing through Arts is a power within us.

In empathy with care and compassion

It is an act of kindness in realization of the oneness.

That what hurts you is actually eventually hurting me …

Your pain is my pain

In conscious awareness

I can help you heal

Your troubles away in faith

And hope for a better tomorrow for us all.

Savvy Raj


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Creative Enrichments

WordPress certainly has its unique ways
Of appreciation and encouragement
To support the writers on this platform
There are stats that show up on screen.

So I am told one morning by WordPress
That I am on a three-day posting streak
At first, I was amused and a tad bit confused
For hadn’t I been posting literally every day… for so long…

But guess WordPress took its own sweet time
To catch up to my blog amongst the millions
So I too decided to play along…
Every day since then I have been publishing

A poem written afresh, simply inspired
A continuation from my previous post
In creatives emerging in thoughts.
Perhaps from a readers comment
Or better still in its contemplation.

Today as I complete a 10-day streak
I want to share these published posts
Here together in an attempt to string
These beads of thoughts together

Poetry can be the jewellery of language.
Pearls of fresh thoughts bonded into words.
Creativity strung together in a form.
Like a necklace that is adorned in appreciation.

Creativity is there within
Us all for the taking
And all it needs is a step in
In reflection and action…

It was a joy to play along
Connecting the dots,
Stringing the words,
As they came along.

Kudos to WordPress

Stats for the supportive inputs
And my amazing blogger friends

For inspirations along my way.

Savvy

Here are the links of the last 10 day Post streak that I will simply call Creative Enrichments

A few observations …

These ten days I had a purpose steeped in creative enrichment. The idea was to be receptive and responsive to whatever that these posts brought forth.

And I sensed how these Inspirations came my way on its own.

A special thanks to a few WordPress writers who are involved without their own knowledge… that I want to thank here.

Dr Sridhar from

https://philosophyviaphotos.wordpress.com

for sending that poetry challenge up my alley and asking a profound question that made me write some more.

Efi from

https://efisoul63.wordpress.com

for mentioning and sharing some interesting links that inspired me along the way.

Sadje from https://lifeafter50forwomen.com

a new friend I made in these few days for her kind and generous words of heartfelt appreciation.

Dutch from

https://onthepathleasttraveled.wordpress.com

for being there with words of encouragement and sharing apt and brilliant quotes in goodwill every step of the way. They are truly thoughtful insights. Do keep them coming.

Annie from

https://anniegoose.wordpress.com

a new friend thanks to this writing streak

and my friend from

https://thereluctantpoetweb.wordpress.com

both whose shares and reblog of these posts, spirited my writing with their kind gestures.

And to all my fellow readers who liked shared and commented in these posts every day.

Thank you all.🙏

Any act of creativity is a collaboration of thoughts and ideas that spring forth from everywhere .

Savvy

Day 1
3 Day Lyrical posts Day I

https://wp.me/p6a0yZ-2St

Day 2
Lyrical Challenge Day 2
https://wp.me/p6a0yZ-2Sm

Day 3
Lyrical Challenge Day3
https://wp.me/p6a0yZ-2Ss

Day 4
Sunflower trait
https://wp.me/p6a0yZ-2S3

Day 5
Creativity and Humility
https://wp.me/p6a0yZ-2QJ

Day 6
The Potent Now
https://wp.me/p6a0yZ-2TB

Day 7
On Expressions
https://wp.me/p6a0yZ-2TS

Day 8
Perspective
https://savvyraj.com/2018/09/28/perspective/#

Day 9
Waltz of the words
https://wp.me/p6a0yZ-2Uu

Day 10
Windows of the Soul
https://wp.me/p6a0yZ-2Uc


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3 day Lyric Challenge’Day 2

Challenge accepted.

Day 2.

My sincere thanks to Dr Sridhar for nominating me for a ‘3-day Lyric Challenge’
Please do check his wonderful blog at
Philosophy Through Photography

https://philosophyviaphotos.wordpress.com

And delve into the philosophical angle of his photos which is his interest as well.
Hence the apt title.

My choice for Day 2 lyrical challenge is

Blowin’ in the Wind

Bob Dylan

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, ‘n’ how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they’re forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, ‘n’ how many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea?
Yes, ‘n’ how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, ‘n’ how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Yes, ‘n’ how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, ‘n’ how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, ‘n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Songwriters: Bob Dylan

Blowin’ in the Wind lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Audiam, Inc

Today my nominees to this challenge are:

1 Maxim https://themaximoblog.wordpress.com/

maximoco@gmx.co.uk

2 Anne Copeland https://allinadaysbreath.wordpress.com/

3 https://thejetsetgocouple.com/

Rules:
1.Thank the person who nominated you.
2. Share one of your favourite song/lyrics one at a time for three days.
3. Nominate three other bloggers each day.

Savvy Raj
http://www.savvyraj.com


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Favourite Songs Day 1

3 Day Lyrical posts

Challenge accepted.

Day 1

My sincere thanks to Dr Sridhar for nominating me for a ‘3 day Lyric Challenge’
Please do check his wonderful blog at
Philosophy Through Photography

And dwell into the philosophical angle of his photos which is his area of deep interest as well.
Hence the apt title.

My choice for Day 1 of the Lyrical Challenge is byLeonard Cohen’s

Dance Me To The End Of Love”

As you click on his name above, you will see the link to my earlier dedication to this wonderful artist.

Have posted one of my favourite video of this song here . Do watch!

Here are the lyrics…

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic ’til I’m gathered safely in
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Oh let me see your beauty when the witnesses are gone
Let me feel you moving like they do in Babylon
Show me slowly what I only know the limits of
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of loveDance me to the wedding now, dance me on and on
Dance me very tenderly and dance me very long
We’re both of us beneath our love, we’re both of us above
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of loveDance me to the children who are asking to be born
Dance me through the curtains that our kisses have outworn
Raise a tent of shelter now, though every thread is torn
Dance me to the end of loveDance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic till I’m gathered safely in
Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love

To day my nominees to this challenge are:

1

https://efisoul63.wordpress.com/

2 https://happymesshappiness.wordpress.com/

3 https://mayawillemse.wordpress.com

Rules:
1.Thank the person who nominated you.
2.Share one of your favorite song/lyrics one at a time for three days.
3.Nominate three other bloggers each day.

Savvy Raj
http://www.savvyraj.com


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Stay healthy

On health

Stay healthy

For wellness is bliss for the being.
True health is being able
To stay fit and fine.

Stay healthy

To do all that you aspire and intend
On your own free will.
Being free to stand walk and run and move
Without pain or support
Is a wealth of heart and happiness
At any age of a lifetime.

Savvy