As women on the path to success, we expect to feel a sense of
achievement when we see that we have reached the top, where we wanted
to be. How does it look from there? Will the world around you look
beautiful? Will the journey to the top be pleasant and memorable?
For so many women who I have met, this journey has certainly
not been easy. It is not always a journey of mutual support, upliftment
and friendliness. Instead, you have to be careful about who is
conspiring to push you down. There are many challenges, not just due to
gender bias, but also because of unhealthy competition and jealousy from
other women! This kind of journey can be very stressful and takes a
toll on our body and mind.
Sri Sri says that one who manages all
challenges that life gives is successful. But what skills do we need to
be able to do this and succeed?
Commitment: One failure can lead to another success later. We should not be deterred by failures.
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Time: It is not sufficient to just invest money to nurture or develop anything. We have to give it our personal time and attention.
Setting an example: A successful woman doesn’t just show you the way, she also walks the talk.
Teamwork: Make others feel involved, inspire participation and contribution.
Silence: Nurture quietude and calmness.
Reflection:
Sit quietly at the end of the day, looking back at all the day’s
activities, seeing where we made a difference. Reminding ourselves of
the successes, it can inspire us to do more.
A woman has to
balance her family, relationships, work, interests — all of these and
more on the road to success. When you realise that you are
multi-faceted, multi-dimensional, you can multi-task. This realisation
comes when you are in a serene state of mind, achieved through
meditation.
When you meditate, the task that you performed in four
hours earlier gets done in two hours. It is necessary that you give
prime time to yourself, to relax yourself, to realise your potential to
do better. Otherwise, you limit your capabilities. When you meditate,
you realise the expansion within you, that limitlessness within you.
The
meditative woman is successful. Belongingness, commitment,
connectedness — all these qualities are a byproduct of meditation. Sri
Sri often says, “Success means strength, an unshakeable smile that
nobody can take away and a courage that does not diminish. It does not
mean having a big bank balance. There are some very rich people who do
not have the strength of character. They don’t have a sense of belonging
or love. They are unable to appreciate the subtleness of life.”
True
success extends to both the material and inner realms. Are you enjoying
the little things in your life? Have you observed the glistening
dewdrops in the grass lately? The birds chirping, the sparrows drinking
water, the eagles circling overhead? Have you cleaned your window pane,
watered the small plants in your garden? Have you observed the lucky
bamboo with two more leaves, enjoyed the craftsmanship on your carpet,
made a new salad dressing, experimented with your sandwich? These are
the signs of a successful woman — living every moment to the fullest.
I
believe that a woman is the heart of the family — she keeps everyone
together. A woman is the heart of society — when you empower women to
succeed, you are enabling society to prosper.
The writer is the sister of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and a meditation teacher
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