STRENGTHS, SKILLS AND TALENTS

Adventures is not just climbing a rock or going to some unknown place or exploring the world. It can also be exploring one’s own strengths, skills and talents.  Every human being is special. There are various kinds of skills and talents in every human being by birth. Some are recognised in the world for the talents and the skills which are borne by them. To exhibit these talents, one needs to have strength or courage. Not everyone can show case their talents. But if you are confident enough to make your talent as passion and show it to the world then no one can stop you from it and you will end up being successful.

Like everyone, I too have my strengths, talents and skills which might be common or unique from others. The biggest strength of mine is having very little stage fear. Thanks to all the elocution and singing competitions that I have taken part in my school days. I never knew that I could sing well in front of the crowd because initially I used to get nervous to stand in- front of the crowd. As and then, I started to use this opportunity for my own development. Not everyone is born with this talent. Standing In-front of the stage is not everyone’s cup of tea. One has to be courageous enough to face the audience. May be in the initial times he/she might fail. But a continuous practice will definitely lead to success.

If I have set up a company of my own, using no stage fear as my quality, I would encourage my employees with certain training, let them know why having no stage fear is important. To be a smart person, it is not the marks or the qualifications that a person needs to have. But all the skills like these are more essential. If there is no stage fear, the employees can work having a better relationship with superiors, colleagues and subordinates.

The next Strength of mine is that I am of confident of having better communication skills. Again the credit goes to the elocution competitions that I have taken part right from my school days. This has helped me a lot to develop as days passed by. I initially started by participating in various elocution events in Kannada, English, Konkani and Hindi. Through this I learnt to speak more fluently. This strength of mine has led to one of the beautiful talents which I explored within me, that is, compeering the programs. I have compeered the formal programs. For example, the formal program of my school day, cultural program in my secondary education level, annual day of youths, and also family functions where- in I compeered for a cradling ceremony and a holy communion. When, it comes to facing the crowd, I used to get little nervous about it. But then I believed in myself and started to move on. In this way, I learnt to speak fluently and also letting out the stage fear from me.

If I have to use this strength and talent in the company then I would use it in those areas where this is an essential part. It can be during presentations, meeting with the clients or communicating with the superiors, colleagues and subordinates. It doesn’t mean that there should be a formal communication among the people. Having an informal communication with the security guard, clerk, and cleaner is also important. It lets one to know about the concern, affection that the person has for others. So, in this way, I would use my communication skills in having both the formal and informal talks.

Taking initiative is one of my strengths which I can proudly say. This is because I have worked with different kinds of people and I know how initiative is taken. Because of this, I have developed my leadership qualities. There are many instances where in I have taken the initiative and worked successfully with my fellow members. I would like to say proudly that I was the house captain of my house during my school days, the president of my college during my secondary education, Secretary of Commerce Association during my under-graduation. Though the burden of being a leader would be a very difficult thing, but the recognition and the respect that one would get be out of our imagination. Everyone is born with this talent but very few of them identify this quality in them.

Skills like leadership are very much essential for any company. Many a times we will be working with other employees as a team. There must be someone who can take the initiative and lead the team. If I lead a company of my own, I would find those employees for my company who can are good in being a team player as well as team leader. This is because to be a team leader it is very much essential to be the team player first. Only then one can understand the team member’s requirements and act accordingly. When it comes to me, I too would first like to be the member of the team and then become the leader. For being a good leader, this quality is important in a person. Then only the company can get success. Because what I believe is sometimes we have to make others happy. In this case, if I make my subordinates happy, they can work in a better way for me and bring glory to my company.

It is true that, “A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.” Strengths, Skills and Talents are given to everyone. It is our duty to identify them. I am sure identifying the talent cannot me done overnight. It might take time. But it is important to know what your talents are. If one is not using the talents which are already there in him/her, then the almighty would take those talents and skills back. So friends, always learn new things about your-self. Explore what you are and I m certain that the success will be your at the end.  

The Book of Happiness by Heather Summers and Anne Watson

Is having a house made of gold, a happiness? Or is having a small hut with golden people to live with, a happiness? Happiness might be anything. It lies in different ways or things for different person. For a baby, being in its mother’s arms might be happiness whereas for an old man a call from his distant son/daughter might be happiness. Eating kabab might be happiness for a person whereas the thrown away bones are happiness to a street dog. Coming first might be happiness for few students where as just getting pass marks might be happiness for others. The happiness differs from individual to individual. But the true happiness is found only in you. Yes You. As the author of the beautiful book “The Book of happiness” describes, “Happiness doesn’t come out from nowhere. The reality is you can create your own happiness by choosing what you do, what you say, where you go, what you do, what you think and what you listen to”. Live each and every moment of your life like the last adventure of your life, and then your life will be filled with never ending happiness. 

This beautiful book called “The Book of Happiness” gives the brilliant ideas on how to transform one’s life. Sounds simple yet it gives lot more to the life. The authors of the book Heather Summers and Anne Watson came up with interesting findings which is common across the age are that, a good health has no affect on a person’s health and it doesn’t lead to happiness. But certainly, the poor health leads to unhappiness.

Happiness doesn’t always mean a positive happiness. It shifts as per the situations. For instance, comparing ourselves to others affects our happiness. Generally, people tend to compare themselves with others. They look at others in what they have and this will end up being unhappy and discontent.

Happiness can be different for different people as mentioned earlier above. For few, money brings pleasure. But for few others, it doesn’t give any happiness. It is rightly said that money cannot bring you happiness.

Therefore, here I am to give some simple ways to be happy after going through this book. We see that the world is stressed. There is no stop for worries. People are frustrated and are chasing behind the money. The world needs peace. And for this, happiness is required. There are few questions to be asked to for self understanding as to how happy you are. Are you happy in where you live and work? Do you like to learn new things? When things go wrong, do you remember any happy times? Do you like the way you are? Do you make use of your talents that you have? Do you cherish every moment that fill your life? Questions like this will let one know where he/she stands. One thing that everyone has to accept is there is no end for the problems.

The world is the stage and we are merely the players. We come, stay and go. We have our entries and exits. Being happy will lead us to live the life to the fullest. The author in the book says that be happy for whatever one has in their life. Happiness can be found in small things. Happiness is a skill. It need not be inherited. The habit of learning happiness is to behave in a cheerful way and if you do this consistently, you will genuinely feel happy.  

Happiness and sadness are meant for free. Sometimes, life becomes so serious that we forget to laugh. There is always negativity ruling over positiveness. So continue laughing or smiling even if the day goes bad. Because it is the only way to make your lives go easier.

Take things positively. If something goes wrong continuously, take it as a challenge. See it in a different way and try to find the solution. Misery will not help to solve the problem. It is only your confidence, hope and smile (happiness) that you carry will help you to resolve the problem.

Spreading smiles and happiness across, is the most beautiful thing one can do. You can make others happy by supporting them when they lose hopes, or encouraging them when they try to do something good. Develop this habit because it is the unique way where people will have a good impression.  

Happiness can be a mood, a state or a feeling. People who are successful and rich don’t mean that they are happy. They crave for happiness. They try to find happiness in others. That is why they get into charities and do the charitable activities. This will help them to bring some kind of satisfaction and ultimately lead them to happiness.

One can find happiness in the work that they do. If you get that feeling of happiness in the work you do then trust me you are on the right track. Happiness can lead to achieve the goals in our life.

The author of this book gives various suggestions or the ideas to develop the happiness habit in the surroundings. I would like to share few of it from this book.

1.     List what you love: This is like what you love the most in each and every incident that takes place in your life. May be the food you eat, the work you do, the place you live or the people you have in your life.

2.     What can you change around you: A person cannot like everything in his life. But he can take things in a different way or take the situations in a different perspective. Take things easily.

3.     Start with what is easy: If you want to change something in your life, then start it with the easy things. Because change is good and the feeling of getting changed will help you to think positive about yourself.

4.     Consider impossible actions: Yes! Small things do bring happiness. But if the impossible things are made possible, the feeling of happiness is out of the world. Think big, and achieve it. And you can see your life shining.

I suggest you all to read this book, because it is not only interesting but gives values to the life. So please grab this book and take the values that this book is giving, because they are so essential and lead us towards what we want.

Flying Fox

No, no, it’s not what you are imagining now after reading the title. A fox doesn’t have wings to fly neither it has taken a sip of Red bull :p. Just Kidding.

Flying Fox is an awesome adventurous sports that originated from Australia long ago. In this adventure, you will be tied to a high above rope, which will be hanging to another pair of rope with a pulley and these ropes will be ranging across from one hill top to another. Yea, kind of Hollywood movie seen you see, but without a filmy camera. You then glide from one hill top to another with the beautiful view including valleys, tress, rivers and may be your scared friends running in opposite direction to you and under you. Pretty cool right?

Flying fox is also called zip-line or zip-wire in few parts. It might include you swinging from one end to another or a cable car where you can be seated with ease and enjoy the view. This sport occurs with the help of the special force of mother nature called Gravity.

 The word Flying Fox originated from Australian English. In the earlier Australia, that is in the past, Flying Fox was a mode of transportation where they used to deliver food, tools, cigarettes and ammunition to the people on another hill. Even the mails were transferred through this means.

This amazing sport will make your vacation extremely adventurous. Well if you are an Indian then Kerala is the best spot for this sports adventure else New Zealand, Haiti, China, Alaska, etc are few places of choice .  You just swing from one part of the world to another and vola! You’ve saved the world :P. Let’s just leave the whole world below us and sore high above in the sky.   

Person I admire the most!!!

Adventure is not only about going to places; it’s also in helping poor.  Someone has rightly said, the adventure of life is to learn. Learning from others is the best way to improve one’s life. Everyone has one or the other role models in their life that they admire and try to follow their footsteps.

One of the Spiritual personalities I admire is the recently canonized saint, Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Mother Teresa is a Catholic nun, who devoted her entire life in helping the needy people, especially the lepers, children, poor people, girls and all others.

She is an inspiration to all the youths because at the very young age, she decided to get into the religious life. She joined Sisters of Loreto to learn English and also teach her students. She landed in Calcutta, India, in the year 1929 and saw the poverty in the Indians. At that point of time, she heard a voice from the Lord, telling her to move on the path of helping the needy. From then, she started her own charity with few nuns, to help the poor people.

I, being a youth learn hundreds of things from Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa never gave up in her life. This is the main thing which we all need to learn because in the present scenario, we see youths giving up for simple problems that they face in their life. The best way to solve the problem is to face the problem.

Mother Teresa has made many beautiful quotes. One among them is, Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. This statement is true. Even if you smile at the beggar or a kid, they get a feeling of trusting that person. Smile always brings shine in peoples face. But the present generation does is completely different. They don’t even look at the person who sits next to them.  This is not the right thing way. One has to change this sort of attitude so that there is a change in the society.

Mother Teresa was always a helping hand for the needy. She has never said a NO to anyone in her life. She has changed the lives of thousands of people. This quality is difficult to build in everyone because human nature is unpredictable. But what one has to learn is that we have to help such people who really need us. This will not only bring the happiness to that person whom we helped but also it will bring happiness to oneself. That feeling of happiness by helping others will bring a positive change in one’s life.  Mother Teresa beautifully quotes that “Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because who you are.”

It is easy to see and appreciate the life of the famous personalities. But it is difficult to follow the footsteps of theirs. It is not the money that brings happiness but the little things that we do for others matters in our life and brings happiness. This is what Mother tells, “Do small things with great love.”