Savvy Raj

Live Life Lovingly!

Tag Archives: # Holistic Education # Life &Living


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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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A price to pay!

Everything I want
Comes with a cost
So ring me up, Put it on my tab
Whatever the cost I’m good for it!!!

A recent series on Netflix Spinning Out starts with these above lines from the song In the water by Jay Downer.

In reflection perhaps it is something every one of us can identify with at one point or the other.

In times of chaos and changes
Where lines get blurred
Between the future and past
In the now that yesterday brings us to
And the moments that can design itself to be
All our intentions are the reason
That things begin to happen
And then when it does
All our truths start to matter.

Life stares at you before you blink
And you got to learn to keep your eyes open.

No more is it make believe
For when reality dawns
It is reciprocal arrangement all the way!
You pay for what you want,
It comes to you with a price to pay!

Savvy


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When Love Matters Most.

LETTER FROM A MOTHER TO A DAUGHTER …

” My dear girl, the day you realize that I’m older, I ask you to be patient , but above all , try to understand what you ‘ll be passing by . When we talk , I repeat the same thing dozens of times , do not interrupt me saying : ” You said the same thing a minute ago .” Just listen , please. Try to remember the times when you were a child and I read the same story night after night until you sleep . When I do not want to bathe , do not be angry and not encabule me . Remember when you were a kid I had to run behind you making excuses and trying to put you in the bath ? When you realize you have difficulties with new technologies , give me time to learn and not look at me that way … remember, dear , how I patiently taught you many things such as eating right , getting dressed , fix your hair and give you with the problems of everyday life … the day you see that I’m older, I ask you to be patient , but above all , try to understand what you ‘ll be passing by . If I occasionally get lost in a conversation , give me time to remember and I do not, do not be nervous , impatient or arrogant . Just remember , in your heart , that the most important thing for me is to be with you . And when I grow old and my legs do not allow me to go as fast as before , give me your hand the same way that I offered him my much in its infancy . When that day comes , do not feel sad. Just stay with me and get me while I finish my life with love . I will love and thank you for the time and joy we share. With a smile and always had immense love for you, I just want to say I love you my dear daughter. “


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Art of Management

Team Management

Management calls for special skillsets but with changing times the skills have much to do with empathy in people management. Every head of department faces different sets of difficult situations but most common to all is getting the work done by the team effectively increasing productivity with the available resources.

You are improving your team every time you incorporate the following ways

1. When you talk less, and are listening more.

2 . When you begin to delegate work to the right team members and increase the sense of responsibility in them.

3.When you are able to speak assertively with confidence and empathy than simply ordering people around.

4. When you are able to analyze and share appraisals to resolve and find solutions in a non judgmental manner.

5. When you are able to steer and guide them in their endeavors without overtaking the joy of effort.

6. When you practising collaborating with your team instead of trying to be the controlling one.

Every team is unique as the people in it and this makes it uniquely interesting to manage as well.

Savvy


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Appreciation Matters.

“A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?”

Share if you took the time to read this 🙂


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Life has a way of finding itself!

The power you have.
Is the ultimate gamechanger
Doubt not its propensity
To change your destiny

Life moves on in will & design
You chart your path as you go
Your next moment is for you to intend
Keep your hopes and dreams alive

You hold the reins of happiness
You are in charge
You can steer life as you choose to
And trust yourself to find your way.

Time may seem to be flying
Faith may seem to diminish
Belief may seem to waver
But keep the hope alive in your heart

Life has a way of finding itself!

Savvy


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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