Life has many facets: habits,
aspirations, goals, significance etc. It is rare that there has been an artist
who was also a good householder and a progressive human being. When I say a
good householder, I mean one who facilitates the family in all respects. He not
only provides for them materially but also emotionally. This is so, typical for
a family man. But when we talk of an individual who doesn’t have a family, they
too will have to find out their goals; what they want to do in life by
controlling or changing their habits. In these circumstances it is difficult to
imagine an artist who is totally devoted to his/her passion for art putting
similar emphasis/importance on all the other aspects of life, as said above.
Therefore I think we must understand
and practice the ‘Secrets of Happy Living’.
1.
The first secret, according to me, would be ‘Self Awareness’. An
individual needs to be conscious of his own body, state of mind including
thoughts, actions, ideas, feeling and interaction with others. Besides, self
awareness has to be a continuous process. It’s only then that you can mould
your thoughts, actions and relationship with others. Without doubt, this
requires a constant review. The process teaches you how to go about finding
solutions to the problems.
2.
The second secret is setting priorities. It is not only fixing the
priorities but also scheduling them according to their relative importance. We
must remember that when we schedule a task and provide a time slot, it is not
necessary that time allocated will always be found sufficient. Time management
is another important aspect to be reviewed from time to time. The discipline
that you require for constant follow up requires a logical approach. It should
have nothing to do with the moods of the person. When a particular task is not
finished as per schedule you need to provide the next slot and abide by it.
This protocol alone can bring about the desired results.
3.
The third secret is necessary to develop a keen sense of focus. To my
mind doing only one thing at a time is the best approach. As far as possible
there should be no interruption. Equally important is your total mind and soul
into what you are doing. One has to start living in the present, moment to
moment. Deliberate effort may be required for some time but then it becomes
your habit and you start navigating you life as if you are flying an airplane.
4.
Lastly, the fourth secret is your
speech. It is critically important. Because we have to interact with
colleagues, family members and the society at large, we must choose our words
and use them effectively. Any wrong choice or casual approach towards this very
important aspect of human personality can be disastrous. Speech must always be
clear; words should be chosen with discretion and spoken effectively. Speech
helps to maintain and improve our relations in any environment.
To conclude I would like to say that
a successful life in modern times requires us to know and practice these and
any other secret that works for us.
Thanks for reading.
