Gerald D'Cunha

  “The other side of every fear is freedom.” Marilyn Ferguson   S usan Jeffers, in her famous book – ‘Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway’- lays down five truths about fear. One of them is: ‘The only way to get rid of the fear of doing something is - to go out and do it.’ How true! But, then, let me take my own fear of sky diving, bungee jumping, scuba diving. Why go so far... Let me take my fear of driving, swimming or technology. I know, if I have to overcome these fears, I just need to face them - ‘go out and do them’. Is it, also, not true for every other fear: public speaking, writing exams, facing job interviews, getting married, setting up a business, raising children, juggling with finances or dealing with difficult people etc., etc., etc.? By now, we have realized this: though every fear can be overcome, if we muster enough courage to face it, in reality, all of us are able to deal with only some of them… Not all. Is that okay? It’s perfectly okay… It’s p...

“The best things in life are often waiting for you at the exit ramp of your comfort zone.” - -Karen Salmansohn  S ome days ago, while teaching my twelfth-standard students, I said, “The best way you can find your self-motivation to study well and score well is by discovering what you want to do in life… In your case, what to do after twelfth.” I continued, “When your vision is clear, you will find the path… No one needs to show you that and no one needs to keep coaxing you to work hard and work long.” My frustration with my students has always come from this: Most of them are not clear about their vision and goals… In such situation, how can outsiders like me – teachers and coaches – motivate them to succeed? So, the other day, when I asked my students, one by one, if they knew what they wanted to do after twelfth, Vijalaxmi said confidently, “Sir, I want to do Law.” “Very nice beta ,” I sincerely complimented. I continued, “Normally, s...

Pic.: Anima D'Cunha BEATING MY NERVOUSNESS AND FEARS MAKES ME CONFIDENT - Kashish Chetwani (Age 13 ) I love playing badminton. One day, a friend of mine challenged me for a badminton match. She said, “You cannot win the match.” At that time, my friend was an expert badminton player while I was just a new player. But, I took up her challenge reminding me all the time, “I can do it… It is easy… very, very easy… I can do it.” Then, when the day of the math came, I tried my best and won the match… Everyone appreciated me… I felt very happy, very confident. I had won the match despite the discouragement… So, it was a big thing for me. If I had become nervous and afraid, I would have never won the match… I would have never felt so confident. Friends, there are many challenges in our life. We have to face them bravely to become confident… So, to conclude, I would say, that, beating my nervousness and fears makes me confident in life. WHEN ...