Our Children are our greatest Teachers

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One of the greatest truths we must learn to embrace is that our children are not our possessions. They enter this world with their own karma, their own destiny, and a unique purpose that belongs only to them.

A child is not merely a student in a parent’s life, but also a profound teacher.

Our role as parents is not to control or shape our children according to our fears or unfulfilled dreams. Instead, it is to guide them with values, love, and wisdom—while allowing them the freedom to discover their own path.

In today’s world, children are more informed, aware, and connected than ever before. Technology has placed limitless knowledge at their fingertips. They can find answers instantly, question long-held assumptions, and often understand things we ourselves were never exposed to at their age.

This does not diminish us as parents; rather, it prepares them for a fast-changing and complex world. Instead of resisting this shift, we should celebrate it.

We must learn to listen, to accept, and to grow alongside our children. Just as we seek the right to live our lives independently, we must extend that same freedom to them. Their journey is theirs; ours is ours.

When our children offer love and affection, we should receive it as a blessing—with gratitude, not entitlement. Excessive expectations only give rise to disappointment and sorrow. True happiness emerges when we release these expectations and live our own lives with dignity, grace, and independence.

The deeper lesson is simple yet powerful:

When we stop expecting, we begin appreciating.

When we stop demanding, we start receiving.

And when we stop clinging, we finally begin living.

True parenthood is not measured by control, but by the values we leave behind. If we gift our children a strong foundation of love, discipline, and sanskar, they will build lives of strength, purpose, and character on their own.

And when they shine, the reflection of their light will become our greatest reward.

Coach your child to introspect, to look within, and to understand who they truly are.

Help them identify their unique strengths, values and passions, and guide them toward discovering their true Purpose of Life.

Are you Stressed?

What Is Stress?

I’m at BREAKING POINT! I have a meltdown! I had the last straw! I feel under the weather!

Stress is your body’s natural reaction to a demand or pressure—whether physical, mental, or emotional. Everyone experiences stress, and in small doses, it can be motivating. However, prolonged or excessive stress can harm your health and well-being.

Common Causes of Stress (Stressors)

Stressors can be positive (e.g., planning a wedding) or negative (e.g., losing a job). Common triggers include:

·         Work or School: Deadlines, heavy workload, or feeling overwhelmed.

·         Relationships: Conflicts, breakups, or the loss of a loved one.

·         Financial Issues: Debt, unemployment, or financial insecurity.

·         Major Life Changes: Moving, marriage, childbirth, or divorce.

·         Traumatic Experiences: Accidents, violence, or natural disasters.

Using Positive Self-Talk

Reframing negative thoughts can help you feel more in control and reduce stress.

“I can’t do this” to “I’ll do the best I can. I’ve got this”

“I hate it when this happens”  to  “I know how to deal with this – I’ve done it before”

“I feel helpless and alone” to “I can reach out and get help if I need it”

“I can’t believe I screwed up” to “I’m human; everyone makes mistakes. I can fix this”

Effective Stress Management Techniques

·         Recognize Your Triggers: Keep a journal or note patterns of stress in your life.

·         Mindfulness & Meditation: Deep breathing and guided meditation can soothe anxiety.

·         Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and then relax muscle groups to release tension.

·         Regular Exercise: Increases endorphins, improves mood, and reduces stress hormones.

·         Healthy Diet: Proper nutrition supports brain function and emotional balance.

·         Time Management: Use to-do lists, set priorities, and avoid procrastination.

·         Social Support: Talk to friends, family, or join a support group.

·         Engage in Hobbies: Activities you enjoy can help recharge your mental batteries.

 Tips for Managing Stress Day-to-Day

·         Prioritize Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours nightly to allow for physical and mental recovery.

·         Limit Stressful Input: Take breaks from the news or social media if they raise anxiety.

·         Set Boundaries: Don’t over commit—learn to say "no" when needed.

·         Seek Professional Help: A therapist or counselor can provide tools and support.

Stress management empowers us to clear the mental and emotional clutter, so that we can pursue our true "Purpose of Life" with clarity, strength, and intention

Have you been “Stabbed / Betrayed / Cheated”?

The Oxford Dictionary defines these actions as:

• Cheating: Acting in a dishonest or unfair way to gain an advantage, deceiving someone, especially when they trust you.
• Betrayal: A violation of trust, involving deceit or dishonesty, often causing emotional or reputational harm.

Examples of Cheating/Betrayal:

• Falsifying data or results
• Plagiarizing work or ideas
• Taking shortcuts in tasks
• Passing off others' work as your own
• Sharing confidential information without permission
• Taking credit for someone else's achievement

Potential Reasons for Cheating or Betrayal:

• Emotional neglect or unmet needs
• Lack of intimacy leading to disconnection
• Dissatisfaction or unhappiness in relationships
• Unresolved conflicts or issues
• Stagnant personal or professional growth
• Low self-esteem
• Poor communication, leading to frustration or misunderstandings
• Past relationship patterns that influence current behavior
• Stressful life events or external pressures
• Underlying mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety

Reflections on Cheating:

·           "Cheaters win the game but lose their souls."

·           "When someone betrays you, it's a reflection of their character, not yours."

How to Deal with Betrayal:

• Address the Facts Respectfully
• Stay Calm and Professional
• Avoid Retaliation
• Seek Mediation
• Introspect and Reflect
• Focus on Healing
• Focus on Rebuilding Trust

To summarize, while betrayal and cheating can hurt us deeply, responding with maturity, reflection, and a focus on personal growth can help us handle such situations more effectively. 

Identify and align with your “Purpose of Life” and simply move on…

Overcome your Anger

Anger is an emotion that conveys, telling us that a situation is upsetting, unjust, or threatening. Anger is an active manifestation of sadness. We need to Identify and eliminate our sorrow before we can confront our anger.

Anger is an extension of ego and whenever we act with anger, deep within us, we will actually be feeling sad. Therefore, anger is an active form of sadness. Or to put in context, sadness is a passive form of anger. When we cannot express our anger, we feel sad within. So, whether we are sad, or angry, we only need to ask ourselves one question, “What is it that I am sad about?”

Anger could be detrimental to both our emotional and physical health. When we are angry our body goes through some physiological and biological changes. Our heart rate quickens and our blood pressure spikes. Our body also releases hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline leading to High blood pressure, depression, anxiety, insomnia, gastric ulcers, diabetes, etc.

When we feel angry in a situation, where in, we have been mistreated or wronged, people around us could be too sensitive and might get hurt and could lead them to be disheartened and leave them in tears. Also, leading to negative impact on the way people perceive us and may get in the way of our growth and success.

If anger is an expression of sadness, removing sadness will automatically do away with anger. But the important question is, ‘How do we get over our sadness?’ An easy answer would be, ‘By nurturing happiness.’

We have an opportunity to be happy or to be sad. Some tips to be happy – live in present, count your blessings, be kind to yourself, challenge negative thoughts, meditate, meet with friends, practice gratitude, exercise, think rationally instead of emotionally, build a positive support system, etc.

We could also reconcile opposites - try liking what we dislike. While this may not be easy to practice, however, it can free ourselves from unprofitable bondages to inner freedom. If we can finally free from these, we will have risen above our anger; no longer a victim to anger, sadness, or self-pity.

The way we need to respond should be controlled by us, we cannot give the control to anyone to press our buttons and make us feel angry. It’s like someone controlling us through a remote control.

Identify ways to be happy to avoid anger and identify your Purpose of Life.

Overcome your Fear

We Fear simply because we are not living with life, we are living in our mind.

Our fear is always about what’s going to happen next, which could be interpreted that fear is always about that does not exist therefore fear is 100% imaginary. If we are suffering with something that is non-existent, it could be interpreted as insane which could also be inferred as "disturbance in mind".

The normal cause of suffering due to fear is either because of what had happened in past and what might happen in future, however, both don’t exist.

Mind had two parts - memory and imagination, however, both don’t exist in present, memory is related to past, and imagination is related to future. Fear is an outcome of sufferings caused by either memory or imagination. It’s like our mind is creating horror movies. “Fears are Stories that we tell ourselves”

Sometimes, we get too biased with our own mental creations (our thoughts and our emotions) and forget that Almighty’s creation is much stronger than our perceptions.

We should try to divert/master our mind to live in present i.e. reality. Live your life now! There are no greater phenomena than life. If we do our present well, our future will naturally blossom.

Take Life Easy – we should take life non-serious, however, we always need to get involved with life like what we do when we play sports. Be a sport for life!

If we truly care for what we want to do in life and that really matters to us, life will become worthwhile, and our existence will be meaningful, irrespective of what we achieve.

Find your Purpose of Life, before it is too late!