How would you define yourself with a prefix? Talkative, fun-loving, socially awkward, hansmukh, creative… These were just some ways in which Crayons described themselves. In an internal Lighthouse Fireside chat on 17 June 2021, Siji Varghese talked about the importance of knowing yourself.
Siji has over 23 years of experience in the corporate world, and is now a leader, facilitator and keynote speaker. A two-time TEDx speaker, she also describes herself as a passion-preneur and coach. The hour-long interactive session was focused on self-reflection and positivity – much needed in a pandemic-ridden world.
Some key takeaways from the insightful session.
Balancing the wheel of life
Every person’s life can be visualized as a wheel with eight spokes. Business, finances, health, family and friends, romance, personal development, fun, and societal contributions. “At any point in time, it is difficult to keep all the spokes balanced. Invariably, there will be at least one area that you’d like to improve on,” said Siji. Rank each section on a scale of 1 to 10. It’ll help you figure out where you need to concentrate.
The EUREKA way of life
The Greek mathematician Archimedes might have uttered “Eureka!” when he discovered the principle of buoyancy. But we can put it to a much more practical use in everyday life. Siji expanded on the acronym to explain how we can:
Enhance our Adversity Quotient
Unleash our best version
Reprogram and reaffirm our thoughts
Evolve a growth mindset
Keep exploring
Adapt
It matters where your mind is
Siji used plenty of real-life examples to illustrate these points. Author JK Rowling, who was a single mother and struggling writer with crippling self-doubt. She created the worldwide phenomenon that is Harry Potter. Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse was born because the distributors of his first cartoon character (a rabbit named Oswald) went bankrupt. Garrett Morgan was an American inventor who came up with the three-signal traffic light that we use today. He added the amber light to warn drivers and pedestrians of upcoming red or green lights.
Each of their lives reflected different aspects of the EUREKA method. Siji said, “The human mind processes one thought per second. That’s 86,400 thoughts per day. What we choose to dwell on determines where our mind will take us.” Will it be to the lush flora and fauna of the Sea of Galilee? Or to the barren salt wasteland that is the Dead Sea? Both bodies of water flow from the River Jordan, but the end result is vastly different.
We also don’t want to end up like the Choluteca River Bridge in Honduras, said Siji. It stood strong against Hurricane Mitch. But when the river itself changed course, it became irrelevant. So, while it is important to build habits and characteristics that last a lifetime, it is equally important to be able to adapt.
