What a pleasure! I am reading a book now-a-days which does not happen to be a typical novel rather a motivational, directional, understanding and compelling handbook. When I first saw it in the book shop, I was instantly fascinated and decided to buy it at that very moment.I started off by reading its first chapter and then I found myself so engrossed partly in the hectic routine of my university and partly in my laziness that the book became just an endornment of my bookshelf. Sometimes during phases of extensive studies, I would take out the book, flip through its pages and start reading from wherever I felt like, read 3 to 4 pages and then put it at the same place from where I took it. I always told myself that one day, I'll read it. Not only this book, but there are some more lying on my bookshelf, waiting for me to turn to them and hounour them by reading them :=D.I love reading. But then why there are books pleading to be read in my bookshelf? The reason being that the digital, electronic and fast paced life displaced my focus from books. There are simply joys of life, for instance, going for a walk, reading a good book, watching a cute movie, trying your hand on cooking,baking a cake, writing a page of your diary, listening to a nice song, cleaning your room, calling an old friend, visiting a bookshop, buying a new book or a small bracelet, chattering with your family, viewing old pictures, collecting anything of interest, reading your old diary, writing or making something creative (no matter how small), getting a smile from someone unexpected, giving little surprises to others and the list goes on. But with the dawn of the age of electronics, we are sort of alienating ourselves from these little joys of life. I, myself, have been so much into computer, internet, orkut and now facebook, listening to music that all the other things seem to have left out. A number of people still read a lot of books, watch a lot of movies and perhaps listen to hell lot of a music, but what about other things?
We are always going after "big things" for seeking happiness. "Only if I could attend that concert, would I get some fun rolling in my life", "Uh! I think I need to go on some hillstation to give myself a break from all my worries", "I need that outfit badly, I'll look stunning in it", "I want those branded joggers badly or else I'll never be happy", "I need to form a band,its the coolest thing now-a-days","I look so outdated without hair dying, I must get one as soon as possible", "I am dying to get that cell phone with all the goody features or else I'll be left out amongst my freinds". It sounds like a life plagued by a negative sort of a competition, which does not make us happy rather drags our happiness to more materialistic things. We need to incorporate little reasons of happiness in our lives that are enlisted(and even those that are not) above to make our life worth living. You maybe a gold medalist but what if you don't have little good memories, what will you enjoy in your old age? A good life is an amalgamation of different and learning experiences and not a trail of wealth, medals, fame or success. You must go about and realize your dreams but also experience these little joys of life. To enjoy life, you dont need to have so many bugs, a great mansion, a flashy car, a popular repute, the most expensive clothing, the coolest gadget; you just have to have an attitude of a cheerful person and willingness to try out new but simple things. Teach yourself to find simple pleasures and then extract happiness from them. If you don't have an access to one thing, you can seek pleasure in somethig you have intead of depressing yourself over things, you don't have.
I have been seeking happiness in music alot. But now I realize that it accounts for an imabalance on my part. I should tryout all the things I mentioned before, many of which I used to before the onset of massive electronic life.I do not blame electronics for our destabilization. Infact, its the matter of our own choice that has gone off the beam.
So, I'll help myself and get back to those little joys of life. And so coming back to the book I was reading, its called "7 Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers" and no its not a book that tell you to become famous, wealthy and cool in a matter of 100 days, infact it teaches you how to stabilize your life. It understands that as a teenager or a young person there are goals on our minds, ambitions in our hearts and desires in our wants; it deals these matters in a friendly way. I was somehow depressed when I went to the shelf and grabbed the book. And now I feel lighten up because this book has addressed the issue of time management(which usually is a massive problem and my problem too) in a friendly and yet effective manner. Though, I havent really started acting upon the plans it offers but I hope I will because afterall it will be all for my own good. However, one thing more that I liked about the book is that it somehow helps you get rid of an obsession of being over-ambitious. We just wreck our life by running a rampant race after our dreams. Ofcourse we all need to nourish and materialize our dreams, but centering our lives only around them is like demolishing yourself, ruining your life and keeping yourself deprived of the little joys of life. I would like to accomplish my goals of becoming a good person, a good muslim, a good professional and ofcourse many more and it will happen one day InshAllah, perhas steadily but it WILL inshAllah.So live life and don't forget to do the small things that may brighten up your day and consequently your life :=). Getting yourself busy in healthy activities is the best stress reliever :-)
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