स्पंदन

मेरी दौलत का हिसाब लगाना मुश्किल नहीं,
नाम लिख दूंगी बस तुम्हारा तो मिल जायेगा.
मेरी आँखों में चमक क्यों है, जानना हो जिसे
जान ले तुमको दो घड़ी वो समझ जायेगा.

चाँद है हमसे खफा,
देखते अब नहीं हम उसको ख्वाबों में,
फूल भी ज़िद पर है,
ढूंढते अब नहीं हम खुशबुएं गुलाबों में,

पर हमें डर नहीं चाँद का या चाँदनी का,
मेरे घर में तो तेरे साथ निकल आएगा.


कुछ कदम तुम चले, कुछ कदम हम चले,
हुआ है दो दिलों का तब ये फासला पूरा,
कुछ तिनके तुम्हारे, कुछ तिनके हमारे,
हुआ है सपनों का तब ये घोसला पूरा.

युँ तो बनता है ज़माना हमदर्द मेरा,
देख लेगा जो मेरी दुनिया तो जल जायेगा.

Through my specs.. (7)

Through my specs (6)

Through my specs... (5)

Through my specs.. (4)

Green leaves and a pinch of salt

Imagine us being in the buffet of life, full of recipes, sweets and savories. Say for instance, a cheesy toast - soft, warm and delicious just like mothers, a pizza – delivered in 30 mins when you are in need like friends, chocolates like love and so on . I am sure if you think about it, you can actually relate all the people in your life with some or the other dish or spice. However, sometimes we have to compromise and give up all the tasty things we love to eat. Have you ever been on a diet? The reason could be anything, a good figure, a healthy body or a prescription from the doctor. The reason makes the journey no less difficult. So, when we have a bowl of raw lettuce, spinach, cabbage, broccoli in front of us to eat, what do we do? Yes, you know the answer. You add a pinch of salt.

Why can't we replicate it in life? A failure or a breakup, a lost game or a lost path, a failed exam or a failed venture, when life gives you nothing tasty to cherish and things seem bland, look around for your PINCH OF SALT.

Many failures are not as bad as we think them to be. Some teach us a lot and some test what we have already learnt. Our attitude plays the most important part as to how we perceive them. Out of my personal experience I can guarantee, that if we train our brain to accept the failures and believe in the brighter side of them, we will never be short of opportunities. Things would have been much easier if the failures were limited to examinations and ventures. Unfortunately, that's not the case. The most common failure that leaves us into pieces is an emotional one. An emotional failure is the toughest to handle. Deep inside we are burned and no one can even see the ashes. When we are in love, we become vulnerable. This vulnerability sometimes costs us everything in our power.

When the circumstances are tough we often get tempted towards the easier path. Giving up is always easy. However, to hold ourselves is not easy in those minutes of despair and darkness. Sometimes we just give up because we are tired of being strong, tired of being the guinea pig of the destiny. We no longer have the strength to fight and we are angry on everything around us. We all have been at this place, haven't we?

At least, I have been at that place many a times and all I do is to look for my ray of sunshine, my light of hope, my pinch of salt. Somehow, I find it an answer to everything in life. HOPE.

Have you found your salt yet?

The Unsung Heroes

Have you even been to a UV light show. The artists play with ultraviolet light and use props to perform mesmerizing acts with brilliant colors. The most fascinating part of these shows is the team which works together in utmost synchronization. Like this picture above, we can see just one or two people on the stage performing like magic, but when the lights will be switched on it can be a team of may be 10-20 people who made all this happen. Any entrepreneur can relate to this very easily. After all, any idea however great needs people to implement it, some on the stage and some behind the lights synchronizing to their best.

There is something common in being an entrepreneur and homemaker, both of these tasks are round the clock 24x7x365, energy draining and thankless. However, there is something more hectic than both of the above, being the spouse/partner of an entrepreneur. Success and failure of an entrepreneur may be dependent on many factors, but his/her growth depends completely on the partner. When I say growth, I don't mean growth of the venture but of the individual as an entrepreneur and person. Any entrepreneurial journey however big or small is never smooth. It has many ups and downs, many predicted obstacles and many not so predicted pitfalls. All this is managed well, if you have a supporting partner. This person who plays the most vital role in the life and business of an entrepreneur, goes through a lot to support them. Here I wish to address you directly Mr/Ms Entrepreneur and bring into light the ten major problems your spouses/partner face and come out strong:

10 ) Handling the parents/relatives

The elder generation has always been very conservative about taking risks in life, and entrepreneurship is all about stepping outside the comfort zone. Thus, when someone decides to be an entrepreneur leaving a paid job, it creates thunders in the life of parents, in-laws, relatives etc. They don't understand as to why they are leaving a comfortable job for something unstable.
Entrepreneurs keep busy, so generally these concerned people don't get to talk to you. So all their questions, complains, astonishment and frustrations are directed towards the spouse. They have to handle all this with utmost care, because at the same time they can not afford offending any elder.

9) Being almost like a single parent

If you have kids, it becomes much more difficult for your spouse to manage things. They have to take complete care of them and simultaneously compensate for your absence too. They also make sure that the kids love and respect you and don't let your busy schedule come in that way. Although you are there for them, but they handle things just like single parents do. They don't come up to you with every thing happening to/for kids.

8) Managing the complete social life

There are no Friday nights, Saturday brunches and Sunday dinners in your life. If it is mandatory to attend some social evening, then your spouse attends it on your behalf. You think, it is sorted but it is not. Your spouse has to answer to all the embarrassing questions about your schedule and smile to satires directed to you for being extremely busy.

7) Managing the household/office completely

When you both were in job, you helped her in the household chores. But since you have chosen a very different life you don't have enough time for yourself, leave apart doing dishes. The house becomes completely their responsibility now, anything and everything. In countries like India, you get house helps, so things are still better but in the first world countries where there is no such house helps etc, things are very difficult to manage. Along the complete household, your partners have to manage their own offices too. Now, you don't have time to listen about their day or advice them professionally.

6) Being a patient listener and learning your language

You are walking a new way of life and everyday something new happens. Your partner listens to you very patiently and with almost same excitement. They hear your stories, about your meetings, prepare with you for your presentations and do every bit they can to encourage you. They even learn your business language to make you feel comfortable while talking to them.

5) Managing the budget

Being an entrepreneur may mean months without paychecks at least for few early months. They are not scared of financial instability. Your spouse manages everything when it comes to budget. It becomes little difficult without compromising your life style but they make it happen. The make very clever cut offs and most of the time the first thing they cut off is their own expenses.

4) Entrepreneurs are wired differently

You are born to be an entrepreneur, you don't learn to be one. You are wired differently than many others. You take risk, walk out in rain and sometimes you can be the most illogical person on the earth. It needs a lot to work out things with you. Your partner manages whole this mercurial side of you. They agree, they disagree, get stressed but still are always by your side.

3) No me time/we time or any time

Since you have been an entrepreneur, there aren't those lazy Saturday and Sunday mornings. You have demanding hours at work and they support you in that. Everything is scheduled and you follow a discipline. Sometimes your weekends are busier than the week days. You have meeting lined up and there may have gone weeks without a relaxed interaction with your spouse/partner. They not only understand your too busy schedule but also cope up with it.

2) Being very strong emotionally

Being your partner is not easy at all. Handling home, their own office, your office, friends, relatives, parents and a long list of errands can't be fun. They take care of everything, so that you can be in peace and focus completely on your entrepreneurial goals. Once you become an entrepreneur, there is no turning back. You get busier with each passing day. You have ups and downs and they stand by your side in everything. If you fail, they are with you to hear all, 'I told you so' comments from endless people. They are not scared of public shame in case you fail. They go through lot emotionally and mentally but always come across as your strength. Sometimes they have to be much stronger than even you.

1) Keeping the dreamer alive

This is the most important and challenging task faced by your partner. Any entrepreneurial journey goes through a lot. Sometimes you are a success, other times you fail. But whatever it is, they don't let the dreamer in you die. They encourage you to leave everything on them and follow your dream. They believe in your dreams. They are not scared of failure and don't let you live in any kind of pressure. They don't play an equally vital role in your success, they play much more important role than you. They never let you give up. 

However your journey was/is/will be, they are the unsung heroes.