Prajakta Ghanekar - Vadodara, Gujarat

 

My journey before Let's Make A Difference and at Let's Make A Difference

Hello, I am Prajakta Ghanekar and I am from Gujarat. Before 2018, I didn't know about Let's Make A Difference. Before coming here my routine was very normal, simple, and monotonous. Everything was going very smoothly, simply. I am a very confused person, not an introvert but not able to speak in front of people and I am very shy.

I left my job about 6 months ago. One day, my friend Hetal Rohra told me about the Let's Make A Difference conference in Asia Plateau. I was ready to go because I thought "I will get to experience a change from my routine life and I will learn something new."

For the first time, I felt the beauty of nature, the place was very pure, nice and peaceful. I got positive vibes from that place. Honestly, for the first two days, I thought that it wasn't my kind of place and I wasn't going to fit in. We were divided into different groups and we had to spend the whole day with the groupmates; I didn't feel very comfortable as everyone was a stranger to me at that point. I could not make myself comfortable. But slowly as days passed, I was sharing my feelings with my Let's Make A Difference friends; it helped me mix with them. I started enjoying other aspects of the conference i.e. wash-up, cleaning, serving.

When Viral Bhai spoke about Quiet Time for the first time, I could not connect with him. I couldn't put my thoughts down, I had no idea about quiet time. On the first day, I only wrote about the beauty of the place. But slowly, I was able to understand what quiet time was and how it will help me throughout my life. I am able to listen to my inner voice and write my own thoughts in the diary.

All the sessions were very good but personally, I connected with the four aspects of IofC (purity, honesty, unselfishness and unconditional love). The chant Aum Mani Padme Hum was very peaceful, it helps me in my meditation process.

Lastly, I would like to talk about GDs (group discussions). On the first two days, I was afraid of these discussions because it was very difficult for me to speak in front of people. I am not a good speaker. Alhough, my coordinators were very helpful, so it was very easy to communicate with the group.

My group leaders(Harshal sir, Kapil sir, Mahima ma'am and Mitaksha ma'am), my roomies, Viral Bhai and each and every person there will be a part of the happy memory I carry about the Let's Make A Difference journey.

After Let's Make A Difference

I know that I haven't completely changed but gradually, I am able to control my anger as I promised at Let's Make A Difference. I started to value what I have and am very thankful for that. I have become a more confident, responsible person and this change is because of Let's Make A Difference and its people.

Thank you.