Spark Igniting Minds

     "It's enchanting, It's exciting and wonderful.  It's something like seeing with new and colorful eyes", these were the words that came out of Sam, when we had been on a trek to a nearby hill.      There is so much to explore outside the hustle bustle of the city.  The wonderful landscapes that God has placed for us have a lot to offer. It gives us a  new experience of wonder and joy of exploration.      Going on frequent treks build a great stamina.  Your stamina will be that of a cheetah that can endure long runs.  The endurance, at the end of the day brings power to the brain and strength to the arm.  It makes us tough and viable to adapt to the hard situations of life.      Being one with the nature also gives us the intrinsic value of  what meditation gives.  The nature in its openness and freedom, in its natural colors and freshness, give expansion and peace to our mind. ...

     Thousands and millions of people want to work but they do not have a job.  What might be the state of mind of an youth not having a job?  It must be the most devastating experience for him.  No work means no bread and no home.  He gets into depression, feels inadequate and useless, financial debts increase for him and all the promises he made for himself of getting a job goes into the gutter.  With this mental state youth might fall an easy prey to terrorism or end up doing a crime.  There is a need to stop this.      Why are thousands and millions of people unemployed or underemployed?  A huge lot of people are getting educated.  They are obtaining degrees and double degrees, but still unemployed. Why? A few of the reasons that can be cited are, technology is fast developing, there's a gap between the educational institutions and the industry standards, downsizing of the companies, closure of the companies e...

     Man is a product of heredity and environment.  The genes may shape him to certain extent but it's the environment that contributes magnanimously in making him.  The society does not perceive him only by his physique, but mostly by his attitudes, perceptions, behaviors, mannerisms, conduct, experience, knowledge, skills,wisdom and intelligence.  The individual perceives himself differently from what the society perceives.  Whatever may be the perception of the society, the individual has to make a constant effort to change himself for the better.  He has to be aware of himself so that he can sharpen his skills, change his attitude, improve his behavior and enhance his knowledge. He should also know what people around think of him.  To know about self, play this small game-'Open your heart', with a group of people.      The game goes like this.  Each member of the group draws a heart and divide into four chambers. ...

     Change is constant and adaptability is the need of the hour.  We cannot change the direction of the wind, we can only adjust the sails. At every point of our life, there is a change.  A newly wed woman has to adapt to the new home, to new people and to new culture.  A girl who changes her school has to adapt to new teachers, new methods of teaching and new friends.  Adaptation is part and parcel of everybody's life.  Even species had to adapt for survival.  Adaptability does not mean that you are changing your true self.  It is only to keep yourself open for the change and to grab every opportunity to get most of your talent.  It is to endure the change with least discomfort and difficulty.      Being complacent with what you have, does not accelerate growth.  It certainly hampers the progress of self and organization. Only when you welcome change and adapt to the changing situations, growth is a guarante...

     It was a long boring speech.  The team leader went on and on in the board room.  Some dozed off with their laptops in front.  Amit's thoughts did not correlate to the speech.  He knew about this boss. "This boss was not authentic, had failed to set team goals, did not inspire his team and did not collaborate well with his peers.  His efficiency gave a bad reputation."  Amit was dreaming big.  He wanted to start a new venture on the same lines.  Amit believed in himself.   he had gold standard-He was energetic, honest, communicative and forward thinking.      The challenges and joys of an effective leader are many.  He is the one who translates the vision into reality. He is a spark who incites action in others.  To stand as an effective and a powerful leader there are a set of practices one has to follow.  Firstly the leader has to make a SWOT analysis (Strengths, weaknesses, Opportunities ...

     In this transitional era of fourth industrial revolution where artificial intelligence and robotics are occupying the center stage, there are a multitude of problems that need creative solutions.   Visualize the effects of technological advancement in the year 2020. With artificial intelligence and robotics replacing millions of jobs, people have to think about the complexity of problems that may arise. There will be problems of keeping in pace with the innovations in nanotechnology, biotechnology and self driven vehicles.  With extreme inter connectivity, and growing complexity in disciplines like computer science and biology, we may have to turn data into insightful interpretations.  Robots cannot replace humans in leadership and managerial roles.  People still have to take role of leaders in people management.  They have to communicate effectively, collaborate with the teams take insightful decisions and negotiate intelligently.   ...

     Why are vacuum tubes used in first generation computers?      Why do cows bring the swallowed grass back to it's mouth and chew?      These kind of questions haunt the children while studying.  They are curious to know the unknown in this complex world,  Curiosity is something each and everyone of us should have.  Keeping this fire alive always help to learn and conquer.  Human beings struggle to seek answers to questions that entice them.  He learns, grows, creates, changes and succeeds.  This is why the world is beautiful today.      People who do not ask questions remain dumb throughout their lives.  When they do not ask, they cease to learn, their minds stagnate and are not able to produce new things.  Curiosity sharpens brain and enhances learning. It is therefore necessary to ask questions like a five year old as to who, what where, why and how.  These questions fuel...

     She was feeling small, alone and lonely.  Her right leg was amputated last week as the gangrene didn't heal. She was thinking hard. "what do I do now, How do I lead a normal life?"  Tears flowed down her cheeks.  She looked at the clock. 12 o clock, midnight.  She wanted to sleep. But sleep did not come anywhere near her.  She wiped her tears.  "No, I should not cry.", she said to herself.  She was trying to gather strength and courage on her revolving chair.   "I have a management degree, I'm certain somebody would give me a job in the reserved category".  She was hoping against hope.       Meanwhile, her brother stood before her, "Hema, Don't worry.  I can understand what you are going through".  Hema sobbed, "would you like to join my company as a manager?" There was a drastic change in her.  She smiled, just as if she had been given a handful of diamonds.     ...

    A deep emotion inside the heart gives the real purpose and meaning to life.  Life is not only about orderliness, cleanliness, clear thinking, rules and regulations.  If you want to give a deeper meaning to your life, you should feel a strong emotion called 'Love'.  Biases, prejudices and belief's come in your way while expressing this feeling of yours.  Be it a minister, a rich man, a powerful man, an ordinary man, a poor man, a woman or a child, show the same feeling for everybody.  Show interest in them.  See beauty in them.  Get connected.  They are the ones who give you immense joy, power, strength, energy and beauty.  Don't condemn or criticize anybody.  The moment you criticize, you are not in a relationship.  You have never been in their shoes.  You never know their struggles and you never know what good things , life has given them.  Money, status, power, passing an examination, achieving degrees, we...

     "Thank you mama, I love you", said little Nina when her mother gave her the books that she had purchased while returning from work.  Though she was working, Nina's mother gave all her time for Nina when she was around.  She heard all the school stories what Nina had to say.  Nina did very well at her school, she had friends and was always cheerful.      Pravalika's mother was also working.  She was a manager in a corporate office.  Her priorities were different.  She came home late and rushed to gym.  She attended late night parties.  She never cared what Pravalika did at her school. Pravalika was longing for her mom's attention.  She wanted to say about so many things that happened at school, but her mother had no time for her.  Pravalika grew up to be a withdrawn child.  She was always in the state of distress.  She did not do well at school, she had no friends and did not participate in ...

     What are your natural passions?  Give a meaning to your passion by pursuing it.  You cannot kill a passion before it takes wings.  You are here to realize your own nature perfectly.  Don't be afraid of yourself or the world around you.  If something is tempting, yield to it.      'You might have become an electrical engineer only because your father wanted it but don't you have a strong desire to build a career in politics?'.  This must have been the state of most of the people who are not happy in their careers.  If that is the case, it's not late.  Kick your job and follow your heart.      Do come out of the chaos and give a rhythm to your life.  Pursue whatever your passion is.  For the children, today's world has so much to offer.  There are career fairs that enlighten about various career prospects.  There are multiple online courses.  There are careers in photo...

     "Why should I fail when I have it in me to be a winner of life"?      "I have all the qualities to become powerful".   Are you dreaming of such thoughts? Then, you are longing for success.  Success is not very difficult to achieve.  A little extra effort of doing things repeatedly and religiously will take you to the zenith of success.  I'll write a few habits that should be formed for success. Be an early bird:   Wake up early in the morning around 4 A.M or 5 A.M.Mornings are very precious for they bring a lot of energy to the mind.  Mornings make the mind fresh and opens for good thoughts and new ideas. A To-Do list can be made in the early hours and also some time can be set for exercises and health. Stay inspired:  Take inspirations from great men and achievers by watching videos, reading books, quotes and blogs.  This reminds you of your vision everyday. It is there evergreen on your mind. Set ...

      You feel so powerful when you dream of being a leader or a game changer.  But what are the qualities required to become one?      To celebrate yourself a leader, Super Confidence with right mix of managerial skills to lead organization, enter the job market, run office or expand business are required.      The moment you doubt yourself whether you can become a leader, you cease to venture further.  So don't doubt about your confidence.  Develop super confidence by just practicing a few confidence building techniques. Firstly Believe yourself. Theodore Roosevelt said   "Believing yourself you are half way there."         While dealing with others, feel the other person is giving you the strength, power and beauty.  Don't carry negative feeling about any person that you meet. Again, while in crisis or in a bad situation say yourself , "I will come out of this problem come wh...

     In this complex society, it's very challenging for women to achieve success in their career and be there for family too!!!      During their journey to reach the zenith of success, there are many a time when women feel frustrated, angry and exhausted.  It's not an easy road without any hurdles and barriers.  It's a road of twists and turns.  Women who have crossed these roads are many.  They never gave up .   Today they are outstanding women.      Meg Whitman, R K Rowling,  Sonia Gandhi, Indra k Nooyi  are to name a few.      Take a lesson from these phenomenal women.       Dream big, Focus small, Achieve smarter goals.      Do not have any misconception of any kind lingering in your mind.      Raise above all noise, break the barriers that come in your way and define yourself to the world as to who you are.     ...

I want to feel relaxed amidst pressure! How do I do it? Sometimes I feel I'm at the verge of terrible crisis but I always desire for a bouquet of exquisite Joy!!How do I get? People say 'Meditation', but I have never meditated. When I'm fatigued, I must have taken few deep breaths and concentrated on breathing.  I don't know if this is meditation, but it has always helped me. To be in the state of happiness is everyone's endeavor. The means of getting happiness may be different for different people  Some say we are happy when there is a harmony between soul and body.  Though I don't know how and where my soul is,  I feel this is true, but how to bring them in harmony? In this struggle for existence, we want to fill our souls with something enduring and not feed rubbish. We want to fill it with happiness.  One way of feeling relaxed is to imagine beautiful things around us and when things are ugly, we can make it  beautiful by giving a wonderful mea...

Stories are mostly written in solitude!!! They are filled with fantasized feelings, silences and experiences from history to future, creating worlds of imaginations. Stories may be in the form of Short story, Novella, Epic, Drama, Tragedy, Comedy, Farce, Parody or a satire.  Each story tastes different.  All the above forms of stories have the capacity to suck the reader. Every author has a distinct talent to touch the hearts of the audience.  Let us see a few distinct talents: Some authors end stories in the way that nobody could have ever predicted. Some stories vibrate the heart with the pulse of the protagonist. Some showcase how the world around us influence creations. Stories that are interwoven with musical phrases and fantastic elements, keep our heart in rhythm. Stories which have the power to change the world are rear but precious.  One such example is 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' which exerted a momentous influence on America during the midst of civil wa...

There is so much joy in writing a story!!! A story that ignites thousand minds; A story that makes the reader dream of beautiful strange things; A story that takes to amazing places. Keep the following few things in mind while writing a story: Build a story that has a well woven plot  Create a curiosity in the readers' mind as to what happens next. Reveal your characters by out rightly sketching their physical features or the actions they perform.  Sketch the protagonist and antagonist that the readers admire. Generate conflicts or crisis that keeps the audience hooked. Create realistic dialogues that keeps the readers' train of thought with the characters These aspects will make your story amazing.  Believe me. If you have a story in your mind, do share it on spark.