Neh Shah - Ankleshwar, Gujarat

 

What is the one way, in which you can light a spark in someone’s life, so that they are capable to change themselves for good?

It's pretty simple: Make them smile, make them believe that they are beautiful despite whatever history they have had and make them believe that happiness lies in the smallest moments of the day to day life. LMAD did exactly that for me in those eight days. It made me capable enough to make a difference in my life. As of today, I truly believe that happiness indeed is contagious, because of LMAD.

My first encounter with IofC was in 2018 during the 24th Annual Youth Conference in Panchgini. The idea of staying away from cellphones for eight days terrified me. But the moment I entered AP, I realized that this experience is something which is going to change my life forever. This conference puts people together of various cultures and backgrounds. We meet many new people every day and we are meeting them for a purpose. So we have to use that purpose efficiently.

I think everyone gets to a point in life, at any time, where they start to question what life actually is all about. Why are we here? What is our role in this world?

For me, I got all these answers in AP. The world moves so fast that we all need a break to look at what makes us human. I realized that I have a part to play in making world a better place for everyone by changing myself first. You can choose to change your life at any moment. Even if you can’t change your job right now, and even if you can’t change where you live, you can change what you do in your free time. You can change the people you surround yourself with. You can change the way you make decisions. You can change your tolerance for toxic behaviors. You can change your habits, your diet and your routine. You can change how you see and respond to the world. You just have to try.

There were many turning points for me from that event. It turned me around from being a selfish person to the person who began to think of others around me. I started examining my life against the four standards and it took a little effort to see the flaws in myself and the people I have hurt during the course of life. I wrote down their names and gathered the courage to apologize to them. I became more mindful about my words and the deeds. It made me come in terms with my past. We need not be afraid to show our true side because the world is not as it is, it is as we are.

We live in a cautious world, where more often than not people are afraid to take risks and making their dream into reality. We keep on wondering whether we did the right thing or not. My time at LMAD made me realize that I have to take it easy, celebrate little moments and believe that something wonderful is going to happen.

Thanks and regards,
Neh Shah

Stories of Change

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