WHEN I VALUE MYSELF...

 

“A lighthouse doesn’t save the ships;

it doesn’t go out and rescue them;

it’s just this pillar that helps to guide people home.”

Lea Michele

 

Our two-month summer programme (Personality Development) just concluded on last Sunday (9^th June). I am a poor multitasker… I have this huge weakness – or call it a massive strength if you please – of putting all my attention into the task in hand. So, once I enter that zone, I just stay there. As I said, I am simply unable to – or willing to – focus on many other things during this period… One of the things I had to stay away from was my daily blogging…

But, it did not mean, that I stayed away from writing. As in every summer, this year, too, I got all our participants to write for our latest book on Values: ‘Some Things in Life Don’t Move’. The title of this book was inspired by the endearing story Dr. Stephen Covey shares in his ground-breaking book - ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’. In fact, he claims, that he had found this true story in the Naval Proceedings Manual… Please listen to him:

Yes, just as how a Lighthouse doesn’t move even if a warship wants it to, some things in life stay there uncompromised… to govern our lives. Dr. Covey calls them - ‘The Lighthouse Principles’.

So,  for the entire two months, I got our little ones, young ones and some well-placed adults to not only write on what values they cherished the most in their lives, but also to discuss about them during the sessions… The result is our inspiring book: ‘Some Things in Life Don’t Move’ – The Book about Values.

I was literally breathing this book during the last two months! It has left me fascinated and inspired. Each one has some cherished values… They are unique; they are their ‘special lighthouses’. In the ‘Afterword’, I wrote as to how, at the heart of all those values, vibrated the value: ‘Valuing Oneself’…

On Sunday, immediately after the book was released, I encouraged some of our young participants to present before the audience what I had concluded in the ‘Afterword’…

 

WHEN I VALUE MYSELF

KRISHIV JANI

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen…

As we come to the end of this book, we wish to leave you with a Value that is the heart of all other Values in life – ‘Valuing Oneself’. It holds all other Values together. The more we think about it, the clearer it becomes to us, that if we do not Value ourselves enough, we simply cannot value anyone or anything enough in our lives. Hope you quietly reflect as you listen to the following lines…

 

SHREYA JAMES

1. When I value myself,

    I value everyone and everything around me.

 

2. When I value myself,

   I value every privilege in my life…

  Nothing is taken for granted;

  nothing is an entitlement.

 

3. When I value myself,

    I value every relationship in my life.

 

4. When I value myself,

    I value my health and make it a top priority.

 

5. When I value myself,

    I value food… Every morsel of food I eat

    reminds me of those who provide it for me…

    It, also, reminds me of those who go to sleep

    hungry, every night.

 

6. When I value myself,

    I value every experience in my life –

    pleasant and unpleasant.

 

MANASI MEHTA

1. When I value myself,

    I value friendship in life.

 

2. When I value myself,

    I value loyalty to people, organizations

    and principles.

 

3. When I value myself,

    I value my commitments – small and big alike.

 

4. When I value myself,

   I value integrity…

   I do what is right,

   even when no one is watching me.

 

5. When I value life,

    I value kindness…

   I constantly put myself in other person’s shoes.

 

6. When I value myself,

    I find value in asking for help…

    I realize, that ‘I need help’ is the greatest

   self-help statement.

 

VRIDHI GUPTA

1. When I value myself,

    I become less judgemental, more accommodating

   and tolerant.

 

2. When I value myself,

    I value simple joys of life… find more in less.

 

3. When I value myself,

    I value my family…

    In fact, I see the world as my family.

 

4. When I value myself,

    I stay in a constant state of appreciation

    and gratitude.

 

5. When I value myself,

    I give more… to receive more.

 

6. When I value myself,

    I value Time… I constantly remind myself,

   that God gives only 24 hours to everyone,

   no matter who one is.

 

SWETA D’SOUZA

1. When I value myself,

    I value money… respect it;

   but, I earn it the right way.

 

2. When I value myself,

    I value the beauty of Nature –

   trees, plants, rivers, hills, valleys,

  Sun, Moon, Stars, breeze, storm, even volcanoes.

 

3. When I value myself,

    I see value in my fears, tears, worries

    and every imperfection;

    I see myself compassionately growing through

    my every imperfection.

 

4. When I value myself,

    I realize, that every past experience is

    a beautiful connecting dot;

    It has helped me to reach here,

   and it will help me to reach wherever my destiny lies.

 

5. When I value myself,

    I realize, that there is nothing called

   a ‘free lunch’ in life;

   somebody, always, pays for it.

6. When I value myself,

    I realize, that every failure in life is only

   a temporary setback,

   a stepping stone to success.

 

KANAK TALREJA

1. When I value myself,

   I rise early and go to bed early… I value sleep.

 

2. When I value myself,

   I find value in exploring new places…

 

3. When I value myself,

    I see God everywhere… and in everything and everyone.

 

4. When I value myself,

    I value my freedom alongside my responsibility.

 

5. When I value myself,

    asking for forgiveness and forgiving others

    come on their own;

   I realize, that they set me free.

 

6. When I value myself,

   I value peace… where winning, accumulating, proving

   simply drop.

 

7. When I value myself,

    I realize, that honesty will, always, remain

   the best policy,

  Being truthful will, always, be fruitful,

  Being simple will, always, be strong, matchless.

 

8. And, when I value myself,

    ………………………………

    ……………………………..

……………………………..

  

Yes, as Anne Lamott says, “A lighthouse doesn’t discriminate between the ships it saves… It just goes on shining.”

 

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic’s: 1. Shyla Alex (Original painting by Leonid Afremov)

         2. S.K. Arts

Video: Dr. Stephen Covey/BetterLifeCoaches