My Principles in Life

I am not a Buddha or someone who can give Gyan to others, but following are my sets of principles that ensures I am not disturbed and I do not disturb others (even though I may not make others happy)

1. All are equal - no person is superior to another. A master is not superior to his servant, a husband is not superior to his wife, a father not superior to his sons, a son not superior to his father - all are equal, all are individuals, this is my first and foremost principle

2. Respect others' opinion - you are an individual, the other person is an individual - read principle 1

3. Listen when others talk - you have some knowledge, you have lots to learn from others. How much ever you know, the sum total of others' opinions is many times more than your knowledge. Re-read principles 1 and 2.

4. Be clear on what you want out of life - this is something that has to be constant throughout one's life, not a fickle wish that keeps on changing as time passes by

5. Live for you first - First make yourself happy, if you cant make yourself happy, you cant make others happy. Life is not cinema. I feel both happiness and bitterness are contagious. If you are happy, you spread the happiness. If you are grudging and resenting, you spread the same feeling.

6. Express your feelings - express both happiness and ill-feelings. But the degree of expression for happiness should be lot more than that of ill-feelings and resentment

7. Be in other person's shoes - Whenever in dispute, think from the point of view of the other person. It may be impractical but it will solve a lot of problems

8. You are a human being - You are just a human, you do not have supernatural powers. Read principle 1. Others know to take care of themselves. If there is a problem between a second person and a third person, it is their problem and not - should not be - yours. Others know to take care of themselves or make a fool of themselves

9. Be confident - Be consistent (across people and time) and you can look at any person's eyes and say anything you want, else you cannot even stand in front of a person who can do so.

10. Be the change you want to see in life - don’t expect others to change for you. Don’t expect anything from others