MSMW - Session 2 - 29th June 2022

Hi there! We are back with the 2nd edition of My Story My Wisdom series.

The My Story My Wisdom sessions are organized frequently, and everyone is encouraged to come forward to share their individual experiences. Inspired by the concept of the Human Library, these sessions aim at helping everyone share the wisdom that comes from experiences.  

As one of the speakers aptly put it, we cannot have a rainbow without the rain. We earnestly hope that these stories will surely motivate you to draw your own rainbows one day.

N.B: We would love to receive your feedback. So, feel free to comment and share.

Story 1: You cannot have a Rainbow without the Rain

Ananya was always a bright student and active child of her family. She was excelling in both studies and extra curriculars until she faced a setback in class 11. She went off track being distracted from studies along with some health issues. Grades went down and the proud praise which she was used to faded off. This increased guilt and decreased confidence which led to suicidal thoughts at times. While she was struggling with this phase, her elder brother counselled and encouraged her. Being close to her, he was able to convince her that even if we consider the fact that she was distracted now, but she had always been a good performer and a good person. Slowly with his help, she started gearing up. Her excellency in college returned and she got placed from campus. Ananya mentioned that we cannot clear off our mistakes, but we can surely act good enough that our mistakes look smaller than our achievements.
 
Story 2: Never say never, because limits like fear are just an illusion

Rashmi shared a very inspiring story. She was always scared of trying new things. The fear of failure used to override her urge to initiate any new stuff. To overcome her fear, she started with this forum. When she was invited to speak in MSMW, she decided to go ahead and try this to address a public forum. We could see the happiness on her face when she addressed us with her thoughts. To conclude, she stated that we are the only ones stopping us from doing wonderful things.’
 
Story 3: Tough situations make us grow

This is the story of Punarvi. She is the youngest in her family of four sisters and her parents. Punarvi's father had been struggling with various health issues for quite some time. Within a span of 3 years, he had to undergo a series of surgeries such as intestinal surgery, heart surgery, as well as hernia operation. He was just beginning to recover from all this when a month ago he had a brain stroke. Luckily, we were all at home when this incident happened. It was early morning and we rushed him to the hospital as we had no clue about what was happening. Our parents raised all four of us in such a way that we knew how to drive and handle challenging situations. She drove her dad to hospital that morning.

When they reached the hospital, the doctors asked her if there were any male members in her family as they were not sure if she could manage the situation. Also, she was quite young at that time. However, she dealt with the situation with a lot of courage. Punarvi's father's health deteriorated and after two days he had to undergo brain surgery. The whole family underwent a lot of trauma as some tough decisions had to be taken. Post-surgery, Punarvi's father is now on the road to recovery

During this tough time, Punarvi's colleagues at work and her managers were really understanding and supported her wholeheartedly.

Tough situations in life don't come with an announcement. We don't get time to stay prepared for such situations. However, these situations make us stronger. We learn to deal with multiple things that need our attention. At such an early age, being able to deal with a situation like this is an accomplishment for Punarvi. She shared an inspiring quote that reads, "Nobody trips on mountains. It's the small pebbles that make you stumble. Pass all the pebbles that come your way, and you will find that you have crossed the mountain."

Story 4: Achieving great milestones starts with a single step

How are you feeling today? Rate yourself 5 for "feeling on top of the world" and 1 for "feeling totally bad". I am sure we all don't feel the same every day and it is normal for each one of us to sometimes feel low.

When Namrata joined her IT firm she was introduced to a lot of new tools like Confluence, JIRA and so on. She wasn't sure at all how she would manage and the tools and processes in her new office seemed very tough to her.

She faced a lot of struggles as her team members were spread out in various locations with vastly different time zones. She was also very confused about how to work with just JIRA tickets etc. but due to her dedicated attitude at work and never give up attitude she was able to turn the situation around in a couple of weeks.

She set up a goal for herself. Deadlines at work for herself. But one day when she was reading a book, she came across a wonderful line. It read, "Focus on habits, not on Goals". We often look for objectiveness when it comes to achieving something. But we often don't measure our inner growth.

Taking small steps, one thing at a time enables us to reach our goals. Just like how we take steps on a staircase to reach the top. We don't directly reach the top, right?

If we focus on habits, like what I'd like to achieve by end of today and be consistent with our action - we will get there. Just jot down the important tasks. Don t overthink. And be consistent. Happy winning! :)

Story 5: Practice makes perfect

Sanjay joined an IT firm very recently and just like any other new employee, he was also excited about his new job and responsibilities. He especially enjoyed the new challenging environment he had after spending almost five years in another organization. This was truly a welcome break.

He had given an interview with this company a year back and he couldn't answer the questions well as he was not well informed. This opened his eyes to how less informed he was and how comfortable he'd grown in his old company. This made him challenge his limitations and he started learning and preparing himself well for his new job role.

A year later, the same person interviewed him, and Sanjay was able to prove himself and got the job offer immediately.

Obstacles should be there as they sharpen us more. They forge us into more capable individuals.