Don't Fake it to Make it, Fake it to Become it !!

An interesting ted talk I watched today:

   http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html

Amy Cuddy, an Assistant Professor at Harvard business school talks about 'faking power poses' to make yourself believe that you can do it and do it well. For example, before an interview or an important presentation, you should try a few power poses like spreading your arms as if crossing the finish line. You will definitely feel more confident and empowered.

I remember a similar story from a many years ago.

I was ten yrs old and had gone for a picnic with my sister and some family friends. My parents were busy that day and could not make it. We had a lot of fun the whole day, running around, playing in water, eating at road side dhabas. But it was really late by the time we were on our way home. And this was when I remembered that I had a maths test the next day. I was (and am)  panicky by nature. I started crying and got really scared that I did not get a chance to study and there is no time left now.

Thats when Andhare Uncle, my dad's close friend, said to me, "I know you are already well prepared for the test. Don't worry. Just believe in yourself, punch in the air and say 'Yesss!!!' and you will do well".
He punched hard in the air and said 'YESSS!!' loudly. He made me repeat it a few times. I started giggling and forgot my panic.

The next day before the test, I actually hid under the desk, punched in the air and quietly said "YESS!!"

I aced the test !! :D

Thank you, Andhare Uncle, for teaching me power posing, so long before researchers started trying it :)

Change !!

August 15th was the 65th independence day of India, and we could hear most people saying that a  change needs to be brought about make India a cleaner, safer and 'saner' country to live in.

People are of the view that this 'change' can happen only if each one of us change ourselves.

I completely agree with that, but the problem is that this is something that cannot be taught.

I want to list down a few of examples which I recently witnessed which show that if a person does not want to do something about his surroundings, he will never do it. This holds true for a very well educated as well as a sparsely educated individual 

Swachcha Bangalore
I saw a small autorikshaw type vehicle, which is used to transport garbage and has "Swachcha Bangalore" written on it. The driver was drinking tea in a paper cup.
 When he finished, he threw the cup on the street, when he had a truck full of garbage being transported to the right place!! Now, you don't have to be a educated even one bit, to understand this.

Me first, Me first !!
In a very posh apartment complex, which houses about 1000 of the most well to do and well educated families of Bangalore, had a Independence day celebration going on. Parents were in a queue to get tricolour tatoos made for their children. At least 4 out of the 10 people there, were shameless enough to break the queue and push ahead of their turn. If this what they teach their children here, in such a trivial scenario, what would their children do in the train reservation queue, RTO queue and even a hospital queue??

No time for manners!!
In the same apartment complex, the aerobics room had chocolate wrappers strewn all over the floor. Maybe the parents had enough time and money to buy chocolates for their children, but did not have enough time to teach them not to litter !!

On the other hand, world is made up of some amazing people who go out of their way to make a 'positive change'. 

What do you expect at a traffic signal in Bangalore, where the traffic lights are not working? Chaos?
But today morning, I was surprised to come by such a junction where the traffic was very disciplined.
He was not in a traffic cop's uniform, he was just a regular guy like you and me, who had taken some time out of his busy schedule to direct the traffic and make everyone's life easier.

O saiyaan

After a long time I've listened to a song which touched my soul.
The music as well as lyrics are so beautiful, its magical  !!

A few lines from the song:

Zindagi ne Pehni hai Muskan, Karne lagi hai Itna karam Kyun na jaane
Karvat lene lage hain Armaan phir bhi, Hai aankh num Kyun na jaane
O saiyan…..

Reality Check

You know how in some Bollywood movies, the hero or the heroine run towards the airport gate (bypassing security, of course) and manage to either get the gate open, or have the aircraft stop midway on the runway and make it come back. Reality Check, that doesn't really happen !! :D

I reached 2 mins late and they closed the gate.
First Shock : The aircraft was standing right there, I could see it from the glass window, but amazingly no one sees me waving from the glass window :-O How do they ALWAYS notice them in the movies?? I NEED to start wearing make up and stylish clothes all the time, who knows when I need to attract attention at an airport gate :D

Second Shock: Sadly enough, drama does not work :-( I screamed and jumped around but they did not open the gate again. Next time I should sing a song or make a up a "lovely" story. That's what they do in the films right?? :D

But well, I am not too sad. Because of the mess up, and my urgent need to re-book a flight next day, I got booked on business class :)

Now, THAT does not happen to people like me in the movies  !! Cheers to that :)