Ariha Doshi - Mumbai, Maharashtra

 

I am Ariha Doshi from Mumbai. I have been associated with “Let’s Make A Difference”, Initiatives of Change since 2011.

The biggest realisation that I have had through my Quiet Time is that I am controlled more by an external factor than by my Inner Voice. I was so concerned by what others had to think about me that my own thoughts were lost in the crowd of voices belonging to others. So, Initiatives of Change helped me to listen to myself. As a result, today I have more clarity about who I am than ever before. 

The other realisation that I had was that I was different with different people. I always knew this, but Quiet Time helped me realise and accept that that was wrong. Your personality, your thoughts should be so strong and consistent that you are the same in front of your best friend as you are in front of the Queen of England. This is the journey that I am currently on – to be single-faceted in all aspects of life.

Quiet Time has helped me bridge the gap between who I am and who I want to be. It has helped to convert my thoughts into actions. Also, and more importantly, it has made me more conscious and aware of the thoughts I am having.

The four absolute values of Purity Honesty Unselfishness and Love have given me a way to measure my life. Prior to my association with Initiatives of Change, I was under the impression that I was a “good” person. On what grounds and assumptions did I come to believe that, God alone knows. For the first time in my life, I actually had standards against which I could measure myself. I could then accept and understand that I was not as good a person as I considered myself to be.

The beauty of Quiet Time lies in its practical application. Quiet Time leads to a change in thought process. As I shared earlier, I was too concerned about what others thought of me. So when it came to exams, I used to be under a lot of external pressure. And I could not perform up to my potential. Whilst preparing for the GMAT, I consciously did not think about anything external to myself. As a result, I was able to pull up my score by 130 points. Thus, realisations through Quiet Time can be put to practical use not only for development of character, but also for exams, for weight-loss, for health, for your profession, etc. Through Quiet Time, you start doing things for the right reasons, leading to much better results.

Attending the Youth Conference and Coordinator’s Workshop, I have grasped the importance of leading a disciplined lifestyle. Discipline is like the oil in a machine. Without the oil, the machine works but in a rickety fashion. With the oil, the machine works in a far smoother manner, with increased capacity. I am currently working on making my life more disciplined.

Having said all of the above, it is important to stress that my story of change is never going to be complete. It changes day by day because with every Quiet Time, comes a new realisation, a new action. And so the story keeps on evolving and writing itself.

Thank You,

Ariha Doshi, Mumbai, India