Random thoughts

This month I turned 40 ( OMG !!!  Cant beleive it myself)  and this is my 30th post.  No relevance or connection between the two.  Thats the reason  the blog got its title.

This month has been an hectic one ( when was it not? ) but I guess with an RTL for an captive account outside my office premise and a couple of leadership programmes to co-facilitate, and the regular work that i got to do, this month actaully sapped a lot of my energy and enthusiam.  But with pain there is always gain - the learnings I have had in the last one month is incredible. Its brought me to a turning point in my professional life and I am looking forward to the change of gears.

Today for instance I am listening to Robin Sharma's audio on Greatness Guide and I am completely taken in by the content and yes of course by the voice of Robin.  I like the choice of words ( he has great vocabulary), and twirls in his accent and his voice has this mellowing effect and actually has the capability to build on me.  In fact, as I write this blog I am listening to his greatness guide and am really enjoying it.

Thats one of the things that I started doing new this month - listening to audio books and podcasts.  Contrary to my belief that its going to be boring and inefficient, I find the whole thing much more interesting than even reading a book.  Like for example the contents of Greatness Guide is something that I have read before, but hearing it in Robin's voice gives it a completely different perspective - his conviction, ingenuinity and the voice adds up together and the contents actually sink in.  I am in love with Robin Sharma's voice.

There are two people whom I need to thank for this new habit of mine.  First is my hubby dearest - he picked up a nice mobile with a lot of features as a birthday gift.  Initially I was a little releuctant to use an high end mobile but I got around that idea and have started using it and I am already using it more than my other mobiles.

Second is Bhaskar Natarajan - a very unassuming, young, inspiring intelligent individual with a strong intellect who has gone beyond his call of duty to help me out to see what I can do with myself.  He continues to inspire me every single moment he spends with me through his wisdom, maturity and simple acts of kindness.  He has been guiding me on the consulting assignments that I have partnered with him in the past few months, and now grooming me into leadership sessions that I will be facilitating.  His sessions and the way he handles customers, associates and senior leaders are all a source of inspiration and learning for me.  I feel I have learnt so much in such a short time than i have done in all my career.

As I listen to Robin Sharma today, he kind of reminds me that he is putting everything that he is heard from Robin to work.  I need to thank Bhaskar for inspiring me to look beyond what I am curently doing at work, for showing me the world of management books ( yes it is true that my love for books are limited to fiction and more fiction), in fact, Bhasker has gifted me atleast 3 books signed by him, and for the ebooks and the podcasts that he has copied into my mobile that I can listen to.

This June has also been hectic emotionally - some unusual things happened this month.  My maid, my support system at home, Ammu, tried immolating herself.  Luckily unsuccessful she had to spend time at hospital and is back at home.  I am so upset with her that she even tried doing that.  I had in the past told her that if she has good health and some will power, anything is possible in this world.  Anyways she is safe and out of danger.  Its left me with some lessons in life :

           1. Smile at  people you know and do not take any one for granted

           2. Build good relationships ( it helped me get another maid in a matter of hours)

           3. However busy you are, have time to look around and watch out for red flags.

I felt a bit guilty about Ammu - Maybe if I had tried speaking to Ammu in my busy RTL schedule, I might have stopped her from this decision.

Bhaskar's grandmom passed away and he was quite close to his grandmom.  Dennu fell down from his bicycle and was injured a bit - had to take professional help in medication.  A tap opened up and flooded our entire ground floor - the hall, bedroom, kitchen inlcuding the carpets on a day when power was off for some 9 hours and left me completely stranded.

Adversity teaches lessons that never will be forgotten.  Good for me!!