April 2015

Motivation – Fuel for your Dreams

~ Anjali Chudasama ~ 9 Comments
Source: …Inspiration…Would You Say No To Some…?, Darren Christopher Rowland, 11-Feb-2015, http://darrenchristopherrowland.com/category/motivation/

Now that you have learned how to keep your dreams alive and take a chance, let’s explore how to attain those dreams.  The 13th century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, theologian and Sufi mystic Mawlana Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī commonly known as Rumi has influenced me a lot in understanding one’s purpose and goals.  There are many beautiful poems that he has penned and has touted philosophies that transcend borders.  I would like to share a few of his wonderful thoughts that I hope you will find motivating in achieving your dreams:

“You were born with wings, why do you prefer to crawl through life?”

“Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.”

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love.  It will not lead you astray.”

“Respond to every call that excites your spirit.”

“Stop acting so small, YOU are the universe in ecstatic motion.”

If this does not inspire you, I am not sure what will.  Realizing your dreams and the strength within you, will motivate you to stay on your course that is your calling and purpose in life.  It is not easy but hard work and determination will keep you on this road towards the ultimate destination.

As you travel on the path, you have to explore the reasons for your dreams.  You should analyze and think about why you want to pursue your dreams or do something – your motivation.  This motivation will provide you with the necessary desire to attain those dreams.  Your motivation can be anything such as a person, place, thing, thought or act.  Regardless of what motivates you, it has to be strong and compelling enough so that you can overcome the difficulties and hurdles that will be on the route.  Don’t get bogged down by the stress and hardships, but turn it in to the hunger and yearning for your motivation.

As you feel this drive, don’t forget about your internal force and uniqueness, because you were meant to soar and reach heights but time, circumstances, situations and maybe even YOU have put the boundaries around your spirit.  So ask yourself, as Rumi writes, “You were born with wings then why am I acting small?”  Let your light shine through, it has the power to influence not only you but others around you.  When you understand the change you can bring about by changing your outlook, your dreams will come true.  Rumi explains this thought as follows, “Yesterday, I was clever so I wanted to change the world.  Today, I am wise so I am changing myself.”

Your dreams and purpose is all about what you love to do.  Be sure of them.  Rumi further elaborates, “Everyone has been made for some particular work, and that desire for that work has been put in every heart.”  If this work is your aim and ambition and it is has been put in your heart, wouldn’t you automatically love it?  So why not pursue what you love and need to do the most?

As we commemorate the International Workers’ Memorial Day on Tuesday, April 28, 2015, let’s remember the workers who have been killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work.  This observance started in Canada in 1984 by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and now has been given international recognition.  According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), each year approximately two million people die as a result of work-related accidents and diseases in the world.  Let’s honor these individuals that risked and sacrificed their lives for their dreams and to make our lives better.  This should be motivation for all of us!

Author: Anjali Chudasama

Dare to Dream – Take a Chance

~ Anjali Chudasama ~ 5 Comments
Source: http://mashable.com/2013/04/22/giving-vine/
Source: Vine Your Earth Day Good Deeds With #GivingVine by Eric Larson, April 22, 2013 http://mashable.com/2013/04/22/giving-vine/

Lately, I have been thinking and reading a lot about envisioning your success and do what is your calling.  Something that has been very motivating to me in this quest are the following two quotes.  First is from the longest serving First Lady of the United States Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”  With her dreams and perseverance, she made great strides for human rights by overseeing the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Second inspirational quote comes for the Canadian athlete, humanitarian and cancer research activist, Terrance Stanley “Terry” Fox, “I just wish people would realise that anything is possible if you try.  Dreams are made if people try.”  Just with that thought and his wonderful actions he left the Marathon of Hope as his legacy that to date has raised over $650 million (Canadian) for cancer research.

Sometimes when you speak to people about your dreams, they will deter you from your path, will want to protect you from disappointment, may want you to be practical and tell you maybe how to go about achieving your tasks.  They are really trying to be helpful and care for you.  However, when you dream, you have to be willing to take a risk and make a change.  For all humans, risk and change are very scary concepts.  Out of fear and concern, many well wishers may want you to rethink your path as it is not easy and is filled with perils and hurdles.

Nevertheless, these are YOUR dreams.  They can be achieved and will require tears, blood, sweat, hard work and steadfastness.  It might not be per your timetable and it might not even be how you envisioned it, but this is your dream so you need to live it.  According to Merriam-Webster, one of the many definitions of a dream includes “a strongly desired goal or purpose and something that fully satisfies a wish.”  So why are we giving up on our goals and something that makes our wishes come true?

Fear and anxiety paralyzes our wonderful quest to continue the travel on our created yellow brick road.  We will worry about people’s opinions of us, what will happen, what if we fail and many other considerations.  Yet, if this is your purpose in life then shouldn’t you give it at least a try and continue in its pursuit.  It is and will be a difficult road but I think in the end it is worth it!  Just the self-satisfaction, that you tried will inspire and empower you.  Terry Fox further elaborates: “Even if I don’t finish (Marathon of Hope, his dream), we need others to continue.  It’s got to keep going without me.”

Think about it this way, your loved ones especially your parents and grandparents had dreams that their children will do better and achieve more than them.  They made all the sacrifices to ensure the security of your future and were successful.  However, in some cases, they might not have been around to view the fruition of that dream but that did not mean that the aspiration had to stop.

Our ideals and purposes are powerful and have the ability to change many things and people around us for the better.  Let’s not give up on these dreams that can make a wonderful difference in this world.  Instead, let’s be supportive and helpful so that we are all allowed to dream big and feel that they can be achieved if we just tried.  Lets realize the beauty of our dreams so our futures can be bright.

As we approach Earth Day or International Mother Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, let’s make every day earth day and help the environment.  Let’s dare to dream to make this earth a better and healthier place for all of us on #EarthDay2015.

Author: Anjali Chudasama

Perfection – A Mathematical Concept not a Human One

~ Anjali Chudasama ~ 4 Comments
Source: http://pixgood.com/diversity-poster.html
Source: http://pixgood.com/diversity-poster.html

The title of this blog is courtesy of the Franciscan minister and inspirational speaker Richard Rohr, OFM who states that, “Perfection is a mathematical concept.  It is not a human concept.  Humans are inherently imperfect.”  Even the preeminent leader of the Indian Independence Movement and fighter for truth and non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi states that, “Once you believe you have achieved perfection your further development stops and starts moving backwards.”  So why as humans are we obsessed with perfection when we are inherently imperfect and when that imperfection makes us unique and diverse.

As we approach, the celebration and events for the International Day of Pink, a day against bullying, discrimination, homophobia, transphobia and transmisogyny on Wednesday, April 8, 2015, the concept of perfection has been on my mind.  What does perfect mean?  According to Merriam-Webster, perfect means having no mistakes or flaws; completely correct or accurate; being without faults or defects; satisfying all requirements and corresponding to an ideal standard or abstract concept.  Just looking over that definition, who in this world has ever been without mistakes, without faults, without defects or always correct and accurate?  Our flaws and imperfections make us beautiful, vulnerable, inspirational, strong, special, distinctive and most of all human.

As a civilization and a race, we should celebrate our differences and diversity.  Everything that surrounds us in nature is different and two things are never the same.  Think about if all the trees in the world were Oak trees, all birds were crows, all animals were dogs and there were no changes in the seasons.  How boring and uninteresting!  Even within species there is diversity and variety.  Discussing the above example, there are approximately 600 species of Oak trees; there are 40 members of the Corvus (crow) genus and for the domestic dog there are about 700 million to 1 billion members worldwide.  For dog owners, I do not have to explain how unique their pet is within the same breed of that type of dog.  So why as humans can we not accept the differences, flaws, particular attributes and varying thoughts that each of us have?  It seems so counter intuitive that we want everyone to be like us, to do like us, to think like us and to feel like us, who made any of us so perfect that our way of thinking is the only right way.

Our differences, diversity and flaws are our strengths not weaknesses.  Seeing, understanding and interacting with many different people from all walks of life, backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, socioeconomic status, disabilities, sexual orientations, religions, ages, gender and many more facets, will broaden your horizons and make for a great, productive and enjoyable life.  So lets not seek perfection anymore in our fellow humans but seek the good qualities that we admire and not dwell on their faults.  More that that, accept your own flaws and imperfections, because there is only one you and that one you is an individual who is special.  No one is like you in this entire world, not even your identical twin!

In closing, Mahatma Gandhi further elaborates that “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”  So lets try to attain the goal and inspire our vicinity to accept others and ourselves as we are because in our inherent imperfection we are loved and admired.

Author: Anjali Chudasama