Because I said so!

8/29/2013

This is post # 7. One whole week of daily blog posts! Yayyyyy! I am so proud of myself right now. It is so important to me because consistency is key to being successful at anything.

A little shout-out to Landmark Education, while I go on about how all this is new to me. I completed my graduate degree from Stanford University in January 2012. I stuck around the Bay Area looking for jobs, finding little success and getting more and more depressed with each passing day. I was feeling like a failure and had pretty much convinced myself that it was impossible for ME to find my dream. This went on for three months and I had firmly established an escape mechanism – a sort-of- addiction to anything related to watching movies or TV shows online, even ones I absolutely did not care for. Somewhere in March of 2012,my fiancee’s sister-in-law, who lives in New Jersey recommended me to a position at the logistics firm she worked at and that came through. I moved to the east coast, found a support system, a job that paid some bills and went to work begrudgingly everyday. It was then that my future in-laws came to attend their son’s commencement from Columbia University. Papa and Maa are the most amazing people you will ever meet and I am so thankful to Aditya for giving me this ever-supportive second set of parents. It was Papa’s suggestion that I do the Landmark Forum. Having reached the peak of helplessness and frustration, I agreed. It wouldn’t do any harm would it? I would recommend it to anyone because it empowers you immensely. Landmark taught that I have the ultimate power in my life. It transformed me and I am an incredibly happier person for it. It also let me open myself up to this Buddhist practice which constantly empowers me to stay calm and focused as I face daily life. It gives me the courage to do what I say. This blog was started after I chanted for an hour and said to myself that I am going to bring into my life, that which I lack the most – CONSISTENCY OF PURPOSE.  The only thing I was consistent before was idling away my time.

I end with what I aspire to do. I want  to work hard, tirelessly and continuously every single day, I want to always be happy with where I am and I want to be my best person. I want to love and be loved and contribute to Kosen Rufu (world peace through everyone being absolutely happy and reaching their full potential). And I will. You know how I know that? Because I said so!

With that and lots of love,

“Thank you very much” (said like Bhabhi – my sis-in-law who got me this job- says it)

to Bhabhi, for believing,bringing me here and giving me so much acceptance.

An Amazing Day

8/23/2013

I chanted for an hour at night last night. I had the best sleep (after I did some YouTube trolling :P). I woke up at 6.00 am and worked on the ‘explanation of practice’ I was to present at the discussion meeting in the evening. I have breakfast and lunch sponsored by my boss at work on Fridays, so I did not have to cook much; I pretty much kept up with my diet control but for a donut (damn!)

Work was amazing, things that usually take till 5.15 or 5.30 pm, we got done by 4.00pm. My supervisor said this had to be a record for Fridays! I went to the August discussion meeting right after. The meeting was so amazing, the SGI community never fails to inspire me and pull me out of my little funks.

A conversation with Aditya, my fiancee, about the future last weekend had put me into this spiral of beating myself up about not doing enough and not being good enough, that only led to more sulking and doing nothing. It took me till Thursday to send Aditya a text saying that I am really being unproductive and to let him in so he could help me. He talked to me and encouraged me to chant with one of his favorite things to say, ” Our minds can only process so much. Chant when you feel you can’t handle anymore, and things will be clearer”. So I did chant for an hour, determined in my mind that I am going to win over this and I am going to have it all and be happy right now. I emailed my fellow member in my district that I plan to share my success story at the discussion meeting in October, precisely October 18th. I refreshed all my social networking accounts, starting with this one. I started this new blog to motivate me and record my success story. All this as part of my plan to put myself out there more.

I usually am not one to share, bottling things in long enough to make it hurt me and everyone else around. I’ll share those stories another day. This post seems to have gone on long enough for now. I feel like I need more activities on my plate. And as I said to multiple people today, I feel like I need to dance to loud Indian music.

With that and lots of love,

zàijiàn

(that’s goodbye in Chinese, for Mary, who was a bundle of joy and inspiration to me today)