The power of Initiation
Hi Guys, it's been a while since I've blogged. Perseverance is a tough art, for sure. :)
A very happy new year to you. I have always been a believer of keeping no new year resolutions. I love to be impulsive. It adds that extra zing to life. So this year, wasn't much different too. I watched some really inspirational movies recently (impulsively, off course). And boy, did it have any impact on me? Hell yeah!!! :)
This morning, I just finished watching a movie called "Supersize me". It's kind of a documentary type movie, wherein an American guy with "above-average" health eats junk food for one complete month, and the proceedings capture all the ill-effects it has on his health. The fat he gains, the damage to his liver, heart, moods, overall well-being etc. I really recommend this movie to you, if you haven't watched it already. You'll start seeing Mc. Donald visits in a completely different light altogether, once you see how bad junk food can be. My advice - Dump it. :)
As of me, I have decided to eliminate junk food from my diet completely. And to add to it, I have set an alarm on my mobile for a half an hour afternoon walk after lunch. Doesn't mean, I loose time at work. I have added that half an hour to my after-hours. "No time for exercise" is not a good excuse for being unhealthy, is it? :)
It's a truth that we live in a toxic environment; the worst part being that, we love to eat what kills us. I don't have the statistics, but I vouch that most of us, in India, do not follow a healthy lifestyle, as far as eating foods is concerned. And I choose to believe that most of us are well-aware of the ill-effects junk food has on our health. So it takes me to the main point of the discussion here -
If Mc. Donalds and other fast food chains are universally realized as "unhealthy", why isn't an initiative being taken to shun such establishments? Should "taste" ever be a worthy substitute for "health"? Who should take the initiative - should it be a responsibility on the part of some health care organization/government, or should it be guided by personal choice? Again, can a personal initiative taken by an individual, make a global difference?
The last question made me think about the importance of taking initiatives in life.
I made a choice, this morning. To take one good initiative which would make a difference, however small it may be.
So, while driving to office today, I happened to be the first guy to stop at a traffic signal which just turned red. I had already crossed the traffic line, and my bike was already on the zebra crossing, meant for pedestrians. In a while, I was joined by around 10-12 bikes and cars, and they too didn't care a damn about the traffic lines. They just cared about being in front, as much as possible. So no wonder, I had loads of company as a law-breaker.
Hmm...I wondered if this would have been the case, if I made a choice and took an initiative to respect the law. On the next traffic signal, the one close to my company, I again drove my vehicle in a manner, that I became the first guy to reach the red traffic signal. This time, I kept my vehicle behind the line. And what happened next, was amazing!!! Barring 2 bike riders, all vehicles, which came after me, chose to respect the lines. I was ecstatic. It does work!!! :)
I had a smile on my face, when I reached my office today. The satisfaction of initiating something positive is immensely gratifying. Try it out. Make life beautiful by adding more meaning to it, however small the action may be. Take some initiatives which change you, and the people around you. Give it a shot.
One life, and just one chance to make a difference. Don't loose it. And ya, dump junk food too. :)
A very happy new year to you. I have always been a believer of keeping no new year resolutions. I love to be impulsive. It adds that extra zing to life. So this year, wasn't much different too. I watched some really inspirational movies recently (impulsively, off course). And boy, did it have any impact on me? Hell yeah!!! :)
This morning, I just finished watching a movie called "Supersize me". It's kind of a documentary type movie, wherein an American guy with "above-average" health eats junk food for one complete month, and the proceedings capture all the ill-effects it has on his health. The fat he gains, the damage to his liver, heart, moods, overall well-being etc. I really recommend this movie to you, if you haven't watched it already. You'll start seeing Mc. Donald visits in a completely different light altogether, once you see how bad junk food can be. My advice - Dump it. :)
As of me, I have decided to eliminate junk food from my diet completely. And to add to it, I have set an alarm on my mobile for a half an hour afternoon walk after lunch. Doesn't mean, I loose time at work. I have added that half an hour to my after-hours. "No time for exercise" is not a good excuse for being unhealthy, is it? :)
It's a truth that we live in a toxic environment; the worst part being that, we love to eat what kills us. I don't have the statistics, but I vouch that most of us, in India, do not follow a healthy lifestyle, as far as eating foods is concerned. And I choose to believe that most of us are well-aware of the ill-effects junk food has on our health. So it takes me to the main point of the discussion here -
If Mc. Donalds and other fast food chains are universally realized as "unhealthy", why isn't an initiative being taken to shun such establishments? Should "taste" ever be a worthy substitute for "health"? Who should take the initiative - should it be a responsibility on the part of some health care organization/government, or should it be guided by personal choice? Again, can a personal initiative taken by an individual, make a global difference?
The last question made me think about the importance of taking initiatives in life.
I made a choice, this morning. To take one good initiative which would make a difference, however small it may be.
So, while driving to office today, I happened to be the first guy to stop at a traffic signal which just turned red. I had already crossed the traffic line, and my bike was already on the zebra crossing, meant for pedestrians. In a while, I was joined by around 10-12 bikes and cars, and they too didn't care a damn about the traffic lines. They just cared about being in front, as much as possible. So no wonder, I had loads of company as a law-breaker.
Hmm...I wondered if this would have been the case, if I made a choice and took an initiative to respect the law. On the next traffic signal, the one close to my company, I again drove my vehicle in a manner, that I became the first guy to reach the red traffic signal. This time, I kept my vehicle behind the line. And what happened next, was amazing!!! Barring 2 bike riders, all vehicles, which came after me, chose to respect the lines. I was ecstatic. It does work!!! :)
I had a smile on my face, when I reached my office today. The satisfaction of initiating something positive is immensely gratifying. Try it out. Make life beautiful by adding more meaning to it, however small the action may be. Take some initiatives which change you, and the people around you. Give it a shot.
One life, and just one chance to make a difference. Don't loose it. And ya, dump junk food too. :)
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