Life Skills

 - *Ratan Tata ...* *In His Own Words !* “I had a happy childhood, but as my brother & I got older, we faced ragging because of our parent’s divorce, which in those days wasn’t as common. My grandmom brought us up.  "Soon after, when my mother remarried, the boys at school started saying all kinds of things about us. But our grandmother taught us to retain dignity at all costs, a value that’s always stayed with me. It involved walking away from these situations instead of fighting back. "And if it weren’t for grandmom, I wouldn’t be half the person I am today.  "My father and I couldn’t agree on the same thing – I wanted to go to college in the US, he insisted on UK. I wanted to be an architect, he insisted on me becoming an engineer. If it weren’t for my grandmother, I wouldn’t have ended up at Cornell University in the US. It was because of her that even though I enrolled for mechanical engineering, I switched majors & graduated with a degree in architecture. M

 - *"Why Me?"* A Beautiful Message  by Arthur Ashe ,  The legendary Wimbledon Player who was dying of AIDS , which he got due to Infected Blood he received during a Heart Surgery in 1983 ! during his illness , he received letters from his fans , one of which conveyed :  " Why did God have to select you for such a bad disease ? "  To this Arthur Ashe replied :   ⁃ 50 Million children started playing Tennis ,   ⁃ 5 Million learnt to play Tennis ,   ⁃ 500 000 learnt Professional Tennis ,   ⁃ 50 Thousand came to Circuit ,   ⁃ 5 Thousand reached Grand Slam ,   ⁃ 50 reached Wimbledon ,   ⁃ 4 reached the Semifinals ,   ⁃ 2 reached the Finals and  when I was holding the cup in my hand , I never asked God : " Why Me ? "   *So now that I'm in pain how can I ask God :*  " *Why Me ? "*  Happiness ... keeps you Sweet !  Trials ... keep you Strong !  Sorrows ... keep you Human !  Failure ... keeps you Humble !  Success ... keeps you Glowing !  But only , F

- Forgetfulness: In minds where memories reside, A flame of remembrance,  let it abide. Don't let forgetfulness creep in, And steal the moments we hold within. For in the depths of our soul's dark night, Memories shine like stars,  a guiding light. They whisper stories of love and strife, And weave the tapestry of our life. So let us cherish every fleeting thought, And hold dear every memory we've brought. For in the realm of forgetfulness's sway, Lies a darkness that takes away. The laughter,  tears and moments shared, The love that once was,  and still is spared. The lessons learned,  the trials faced, The triumphs won,  the wisdom placed. So let us tend the flame of mind, And keep the embers of memory aligned. For in the warmth of recollection's glow, We find our identity,  and all we know. Source : Received through WhatsApp message.

 - "United We Stand Seperated We Fall" Side by side,  we walk the path, Together strong, in every aftermath. Through laughter and tears,  we've made our way, A bond of brotherhood,  that shines each day. In times of need,  we lend a hand, A helping heart,  that understands. We lift each other,  up from the ground, And together rise,  without a sound. With every step,  our bond takes hold, A chain of trust,  that never grows old. Through thick and thin,  we stand as one, A testament to the power of camaraderie,  forever won. In this circle of friends,  we find our strength, A unity of purpose,  that forever length. We celebrate our differences,  and embrace our past, Together forever,  in this bond that  will forever last. Source: received through WhatsApp message.

-  I had heard of *Dead Sea* in school. No one ever told me this side of the story. You may find it interesting. *A tale of Two Seas!!*  As you probably recall, the Dead Sea is really a Lake, not a sea. It’s so high in salt content that the human body can float easily. You can almost lie down and read a book! The salt in the Dead Sea is as high as *35%* - almost *10 times* the normal ocean water. And all that saltiness has meant that there is no life at all in the Dead Sea. No fish. No vegetation. No sea animals. Nothing lives in the Dead Sea. And hence the name: Dead Sea. The other Sea is the *Sea of Galilee.* Turns out that the Sea of Galilee is just north of the Dead Sea. Both the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea receive their water from river Jordan. And yet, they are very, very different.   Unlike the Dead Sea, the *Sea of Galilee* is pretty, resplendent with rich, colorful marine life. There are lots of plants. And lots of fish too. In fact, the Sea of Galilee is home to over twen

 - "Misunderstood" Words unsaid and Words unspoken Lead to paths,  Where hearts are broken.  A glance misread,  A tone misheard,  And love is lost,  in a sea of word.  In the silence,  we search for clues,  To unravel the tangled threads  of our views.  But like ships passing,  in the dark of night,  We miss the signals,  that could ignite.  The spark of understanding,  that we need,  To bridge the gap,  and plant a seed,  Of empathy and kindness,  that can grow,  And help us see,  through the eyes of another's soul.  But still we try,  to find our way,  Through the maze of misunderstandings each day.  And hope that someday,  we'll find the key,  To unlock the hearts,  and set love free.  Source: WhatsApp message 

 *Why "No" is a Leader's Most Powerful Tool:*   *6 Strategies top performers use to master "No."*   *Saying yes to everything blurs focus.*    *Use these methods to prioritize what truly matters:*   1. *Not sure which tasks matter most?*    ➟ Use the Pareto Principle   ➟ Focus on the 20% that drive 80% of results. 2.  *Overwhelmed by urgent tasks?*   ➟ Try the Eisenhower Matrix   ➟ Prioritize by urgency and importance.  3. *Unclear about your goals?*   ➟ Implement OKRs   ➟ Keep objectives clear and mission-aligned. 4.  *Struggling to prioritize tasks?*   ➟ Apply the MoSCoW Method   ➟ Classify tasks to focus on what counts.   5. *Need data-driven decisions?*   ➟ Use the RICE Scoring Model   ➟ Rank projects by impact and effort.  6. *Want to delight your customers?*   ➟ Explore the Kano Model   ➟ Find features that boost satisfaction.   *Remember:*   *Saying "No" smartly is a powerful skill.*   *It turns every decision into a step forward.*   *"De