Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Youth today need to broaden their vision and deepen their roots in understanding their culture, tradition and value systems. When you deepen your roots, it gives you a sense of responsibility and ownership, and a broader vision gives a sense of relaxation. A broader vision and deeper roots really mean responsibility with ease, calmness and equanimity.
Youngsters often worry about what others think of them, their marks, their performance and how they are perceived, and so much time and effort goes into seeking validation. But the truth is nobody has the time to think about us. Others are busy solving their own problems. The second tendency that we need to work on is the tendency of the mind to cling more to the negative, than to the positive – this generates more stress within them, and within society. How to develop a mind that is positive and happy?
Beyond food, water and other necessities, you need spiritual strength too. Spiritual strength is something that can lift you out of any adverse situation and make your happiness unshakeable. It is spirituality that fills the vacuum in your life. Unfortunately, spirituality is seen as something serious or boring. But the truth is, at the heart of each person is a longing for truth, for love – and spirituality is able to unravel this in a person that lay hidden for so many years. One finds solace, strength and the ability to get results effectively. It brings a sense of community, where everyone cares and shares, and this is what we need today to counter the menace of mental illnesses, isolation and addictions. That is how, in fact, The Art of Living movement has grown so popular among the youth because they have experienced the joy and peace of the spirit here.
You need to look at life from a bigger context and not just look at what you can gain in the short term. This will bring a shift from: “What can I have?” to “What can I give?” – a shift from competition to contribution. We do not give enough importance to the value of doing service in improving the mental wellbeing among the youth. In order to find satisfaction in life, you need to do some service and to sustain service activities, you need spiritual practices – otherwise, you experience burnout. This can happen, when you attend to the four sources of energy – proper food, proper rest, a little attention to the breath, and a few minutes of meditation for a calm, collected and anxiety-free mind.
Lack of focus or concentration is yet another often repeated complaint among the youth. When do you need to concentrate? Do you need to concentrate, when you love the subject? You require concentration for something that you don’t like to do. So just love everything you do! Only, when we transcend the thinking mind, settle down and calm the mind for a few minutes, do we access the richness that we are! Then we are able to love whatever we do. Youth need to realize the huge potential and strength they have within themselves to achieve what they want. This is possible, when they have some quiet moments to themselves every day.
Youth always look for success – but the parameters of success are changing!
According to me, the sign of success is a lasting smile, a confidence in life and a sense of belonging with everybody around. This is what our youth should aim to develop in their lives – how secure they feel in themselves. What stops you from taking responsibility? It is either laziness or fear – whether it is right or wrong, whether you will be able to complete it or not- these questions come up in the mind. You are afraid of failure. Even if there is no failure, just an indication of failure upsets you. If you can even become aware of this, it will serve you well.
Also, to be successful, be willing to take criticism. Whenever you do social good, you should be ready to take criticism. Spirituality makes you unshakable within, even in face of criticism. You should be able to give criticism as well. Youth, in India, have been deprived of an understanding of the Indian culture and education in it. We need to take pride in what is Indian. Anything that comes from outside these shores, seems to charm the youth. The pride for the country is something that has to be developed.
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