My parents used to have Typewriters - Olivetti and Remington too. For a long time it was one revered thing for me - sometimes more than the huge black&white telly. My father would sometimes type on it and something about clickety-clack of the keys hitting the paper felt magical to me. Once I had the permission, I did which any self respecting typewriter tester used to do - I typed the pangram "A quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"; without really knowing the rules. I just knew the sentence contained all of the alphabets. I did type one of my high school essays too - of course, I couldn’t submit it - because hand written homework were the norm.
I don’t really know why am I droning on about typewriters and high school essays. I guess because as I find myself increasingly reliving the past (in my mind); whilst this in itself isn’t worth mentioning; since most of us do this anyway. The difference this time is - I find alternating between the realm of living all my realities at once - the 5 and 15 and 25 and the 35 year old existing not in linearity but as a interconnected lattice or even in the same minute AND the realm where I seem to not identify at all with any of these and have become a detached observer of this person. There is a distinct possibility that I might just be finally losing my mind. I mean, all of it!
In the meantime, A manifesto for myself:
- There is enough. Enough resources. Enough love. Enough peace. Seek and you shall find, is every bit true
- Help people wherever you can. And ask for help, if you really need it.
- Join forces. Meet people for coffee. Some of the humans from this monstrosity called sapiens are worth knowing
- Listen. Listen some more.
- You'll make mistakes. Many of them. Admit them, apologize and then move on.
- Move on for real. Don't let emotional stuff become an energy drain.
- Know what it is you're actually offering, or doing. Why does it matter?
- Know who cares about what you're offering. Who does it matter to?
- Treat people like people, not like features in product called your life.
- Demand the same - if someone is unwilling to be a decent human. Walk away
- Be loyal and respond to awesomeness in kind, with real things like handwritten notes and meaningful messages
- Get over this fact right now: there will be competitors, haters, and jealous fools. Ignore them
- Be humble. Ask for help. Admit that you don't know.
- Be generous. Share what you do know. Share your process. Your understanding. Yourself.
- There’s always something to be grateful about. Find That. Everyday.
- Be Kind - to yourself and by extension to everyone you meet
- Speak the Truth and when you can’t Don’t say anything. There’s power in silence, too
- Have Courage to Be Yourself. It’s the only way.
Copyright © Neerja Yadav