Dussehra marks Lord Ram’s victory over the demon king Ravana, signifying the triumph of good over evil. Each year, Ravana’s statue is ignited to remind us that the good always conquers the bad, and we should too demolish our inner demons in the same fire.
This Dussehra, let’s reverse this habit. Let’s build on our good, nourish it, and inculcate better habits. As Lao Tzu says, “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
Building these habits is a slow and conscious process. As it requires us to act, think, and reflect differently. But the more we inculcate these habits in our daily lives, the more they become a part of our nature. Let’s us look at some of these traits, and how we can incorporate them in our daily life.
Kindness
Kindness is about treating others the same way you want to be treated. Lifting others up, being there for them, and reminding them that they are not insignificant or invisible.
Courage
This is a tough hill to climb and will make you uncomfortable. But being courageous implies that you do what you believe in, no matter what. You might feel hesitant to apologise to someone for the fear of rejection, but when you know it is the right thing to do, you should just go ahead and do it.
Integrity
A person’s integrity is the reflection of his actions and not words. You might be aware of the disagreement between your action and words, but whether you choose to act upon it really matters. Here you are faced with two options: either you change your actions, or you change your words.
Patience
It is said that having patience is a virtue, and for a good reason. Being patient with oneself, and towards others is a trait that not many have. Step in someone else’s shoes to see things from their perspective. This will help you get the idea of the bigger picture and respond with kindness and respect.
Forgiveness
Holding on to bad experiences, and people only adds to your troubles. Forgive. Even if they haven’t apologised. Do it for yourself, for your peace. Once you forgive them, you take back your power and choose happiness over resentment.
Growth
Developing growth as a core value, will help you look for opportunities to improve yourself, as well as uplift others around you. Growth requires you to change, and change implies that you need to shake things up a bit, at home or at work. This might be a rocky road, but it will only help you grow. We are all a work-in-progress, so chase growth, and not perfection in life.
Listening
Listening to someone actively is the direct way to show that you care and respect the other person. It also helps you broaden your horizon; you get to a different perspective on things, and who knows it might be better than what you have been holding since years. As Dalai Lama says, “When you talk you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.”
Vision
When we talk about vision, we most likely mean our ‘vision for future’, but that is only a small piece of the jigsaw. It is because the larger sense of vision, is not something that you own, rather it is something that comes through you and inspires you and others.
Self-Giving
Self-giving has a more positive connotation, it means that you are giving away your energy, your attention, your abilities – to help another. Self-giving is something that can be done out of pure love, not when the ulterior motive is pride or insecurities.
Love
Love. It has the power to conquer all hate, overcome all obstacles, and navigate a way through a tough time. Learn to love yourself and others selflessly and unconditionally. Loving yourself should be done without any ifs and buts. We need to understand that there is always a ying and yang within us. While we embrace our strengths and nourish them, we should also learn to accept our flaws, try and better them, and still love ourselves, regardless.
Let’s focus on the positivity, embrace life, and try to be a better version of ourselves.
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