|| Confidence Has No Competition... ||

The SUN, the MOON, and the STARS are examples of very clear confidence. They shine, grow, set, and shine again. They don't get affected by any other creatures or human beings on the earth. All animals, birds, and other creatures, other than human beings have confidence as they don't have to compare themselves with others. Their activities to breathe, eat or survive are planned. They have their inner instinct which helps them survive even in the most difficult times. They take birth, grow, survive, migrate, unite but find a way to survive on this earth. They don't wait for any scientific revolution to happen or don't survive on thoughts given by others. They don't need medical assistance to survive. Nature, itself, takes care of them. The most important factor in all other existences on earth, other than human beings, is having the confidence to survive. They never get worried or bother about any competition.

In Ramayana or Mahabharata, all the gurus were teaching all the skills- the vidhyas or education to all the students. Gurus also used to notify each student's potential and accordingly, they used to train them. So each one used their potential and become powerful or skillful in their individual qualities. You will rarely see gurus comparing students. They may make each other observe their qualities but never compare. There was never competition so each student had their individual skills and confidence in themselves. Our ancestors, over the years, never taught this I don't know why such comparison and competition has come in now and because of that, everyone's confidence is getting affected. Our energy of survival is getting affected as we are always insecure. Why can't we be like birds or animals who know that nature will heal us on its own? Why are we waiting for miracles to happen? Why can't we be our own miracle?

I remember when my elder daughter got admission to IB in Jamnabai, we had to go for an interview with her. At first, she had to give her interview and we had to sit and see how our child is performing; then, we had to answer questions. She was asked what she wants to be in life and who her role model was. We were curiously waiting for her answer and she said, 'I want to be my own role model. Why should I follow anyone? In life, I want to be something but someone unique and that I will find soon.' We were so surprised to see that unimaginable confidence in her. We were not sure how she got that but we were happy that her confidence will help her to grow. We have nurtured that in her now, she has to grow on her own. Today, we are happy that she has passed her Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University, one of the best colleges in the world. She has done everything on her own, we were just a support system. She made us realize that It is always good for those who wish to see it. This example, as I'm narrating to all the parents is to teach them or give them the confidence to grow on their own rather than competing with others.

One thing I learned from special children and their parents is that confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong. When they find their child is hearing impaired/mentally challenged/visually impaired/physically impaired, they don't have an option, they have to believe, have faith, or have confidence in the professionals who support them. They have to work with dedication with their kids so that they enhance their potential and overcome the challenges of life. I remember that a parent of an underprivileged child found that the child has a hearing impairment and she also found out that her child still has 20% hearing which can be utilized in the right manner. She requested us to give good hearing aids as she could not afford them and said, 'If you help me, I will work with my child with more dedication and will see that she learns like any other normal child.' She achieved that! Her child is talking and taking education like any other normal child. Confidence comes from within and if there's no comparison or competition, then it achieves success. We need to understand that, If we fall, we break, we fail, but then, we rise, we heal, we overcome again.

If you see in our Indian culture, there was never a comparison between Gods and Goddesses. They were given equal importance all the time. They only were remembered as special humans who won over devils or evil thoughts because of their confidence. Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekanand, or any other special person has only achieved the best results without using any weapons because of their confidence and they don't have any competition along with their names. Today, if one cricketer gets good runs or bowls well or does good fielding but immediately, as a marketing strategy, they will be compared to other players which reduce the efforts of that player and respect for that player. This marketing strategy created by us reduces the efforts and confidence of the individual and increases competition. The time has come that we need to change. Change to improve the healthy mind of all humankind.

"With realization of one’s potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world." – Dalai Lama. Today, parents are the best role models to create confidence in kids (if special kids can do that then why can't we?) It automatically reflects in companies when people in charge give confidence to their employees or professionals or doctors giving confidence to their clients or leaders of the country giving confidence to their people, gurus giving confidence to their followers, soldiers getting the confidence to fight for their country. The time has come that rather than competing among each other, we need to create confidence in each other and for that, we need to make combined efforts like the creatures who follow to survive in this world. 

Today, in this difficult time, the second wave of the corona has occurred. Rather than creating doubts against each other, we need to forget grievances against each other and help each other. The flow of positivity towards each other and the mind to grow in the right direction in unity will remove all the doubts and our empathy towards each other will make the world beautiful. We'll survive against all odds.

I was making lime juice where I took lime, sugar, salt, and jeera and thought that it is a mixture of sour, salty, and sweet flavors. It only tastes good if it gets mixed equally. Similarly, we, humankind, have a brain to think. It has a mixture of physical, physiological, emotional, and behavioral thought processes but in that, spiritual thoughts get equally mixed along with having confidence in nature and God. Life will then, never have competition and it will be stable and beautiful. Just think about it!