Striving towards Excellence

-Karthik Gurumurthy

I was working out in the gym during the lunch time when they showed snapshots of what happened ~ 7years back (in the television) which shook America.

Lot of times, I have caught myself guilty of mulling over what is not happening, what is not right, so on and so forth. After I saw those snapshots/clips, I realized how we take things for granted; the homes we live, the country in which we live, the bodies in which we live, and the relationships in which we live. It is all a gift that can be experienced only in the moment. There is no such thing as tomorrow! When tomorrow gets here, it will be today, so we are all advised not to wait till tomorrow to appreciate the gift.

I invite you to consider each moment of every day as a gift from the almighty and to take none of it for granted. Take no relationship for granted. This doesn't mean we should live in fear of losing any part of what is near and dear to us. It simply means we can choose to be mindful of how precious the gifts are and honor the gifts with gratitude and humility. When we choose to see life this way, every day, every meal, every hug, every hello as well as good-bye..indeed every breath we take becomes a mindfulness practice that encourages us to make our grudges and resentments short-lived. Our sense of wonder and awe at the gifts make it an eternally "now" experience.

I am thankful to God for all the blessings he has been showering upon me as a result of which my mission is to be known and remembered for having devoted myself to my family,being a good human being, creating great wealth and using that wealth to help others.

I take this opportunity to thank my parents for always believing in me and my brother, for all the love and support they have poured on us unconditionally. I am thankful to my wife Shobana for always believing in me even I didn't believe in myself. Shobana exemplifies a true example of being enthusiastic, charismatic and a genuine love in everybody around her. It is hard for anyone around her not to feel the unconditional love. I am blessed to have my younger brother Aravind who has always stayed steady and one of the people I can always count on. He is extremely intelligent more specifically Emotionally Intelligent like the other Goleman says.

I am also thankful to my mentors for the support, encouragement and has always covered my blind spots. Their nurturing, guidance and mentor-ship has guided me to be a better person in every avenue of my life. I can tell most people in the world do not have any mentors. More than that, the tragedy of lot of people is not understanding the need for mentors. The layer of protection which one gets by following the right people can make the difference between average and extraordinary life.

I am thankful for the learning experience as a result of association with my friends,relatives and associates. Every opportunity has taught me a lesson about how to do things right as well as how NOT to do things.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

This is probably one of the longest breaks I have taken in blogging. Lots of interesting things have been happening and I am thankful to almighty for all the blessings and we know the best things are in store for all of us. All we have to do is to realize what we are made up of and give our best every single day in everything we do. I truly understand what "SENSE of URGENCY" really means and we are making it happen.

Has there ever been a time in your life when your actions differed from your words and beliefs? If you are like most people (including myself), there are times when it may be hard to walk the talk. It is easy to speak our truth when we are around those who openly support and agree with us. On the other hand, it can be a bit more challenging to stand in our truth, walking the talk, when there are people around who have different beliefs or opposing points of view.

The need for approval can be an interesting trap; if we are not careful, it can woo us into compromising our integrity. When that happens, it usually spills over into many different areas of our life. Then what do we really have left except a life that is lived in the darkened shadows of our own self-doubt and diminished self-respect? Developing consistency between what we believe and demonstrating it by how we live in the world is one of the greatest challenges life has to offer, and it is also the mark of a spiritually evolving individual. Spiritually mature people cannot be bought by the world's opinions.

When I think of lives lived with spiritual integrity, I think of people like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.These people walked their talk. Gandhi was a great example of an individual who, by his actions, told the world who he was, what he valued, and what he stood for.Not only did he talk the talk, he walked the talk. His life was a classic example of the old adage "Actions speak louder than words." Likewise, ML King was unbending in his commitment to showing the world who he knew himself to be. I have often wondered what gives people like Gandhi and King the fortitude to stand in their truth and live it..to actually be it, even in the face of violent opposition. I believe it has everything to do with their relationship they had with their God. It fully enveloped them to the point that they became what they believed. Spirituality, compassion, loving-kindness, integrity, equality, non judgment and non violence are words synonymous with both of these great men. Their lives became their message, and the world knew it.

You and I are no different. We all have a message to bring to the world. That is why we are here. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote "What you are speaks so loudly, I can't hear a word you say." What is your message to the world? What do you stand for? Are you committed to living it 24/7, irrespective of who you are with or where you may be? What role does your relationship with God play in your message?

Once you have this clarity, your life will automatically become your message because you will live authentically from the inside out, allowing the presence of God within to permeate the essence of your every thought, driving every word, deed, and action. How you choose to express what you are makes it your message. Now more than ever, the world needs your message. Gandhi and King knew it. So do you and I. Let's walk the talk together.

"My life is my message"-Gandhi