Shreeya Gandhi - Pune, Maharashtra

 

I am Shreeya Gandhi, a student of 4th year Architecture from Pune. I am associated with with Let's Make A Difference and its principles since June 2012. I came as a participant for the first time in the National Youth Conference 2012. I still remember how hesitant and nervous I was to be a part of this Conference. The first day I entered Asia Plateau, I remember roaming around the entire property trying to take in what the whole conference and atmosphere was all about. It was very peaceful and serene and felt as if God was with us.

I was introduced to the concept of Purity, Honesty, Unselfishness and Love. I was guided as to how to do Quiet time. At first I could not write in my diary. I was afraid to see the darkness inside me.Slowly there was a phase of self acceptance which was my first step towards change.Something was different about this Conference. It touched my heart right from day one. The sessions started going deep within. Sitting with nature helped me immensely in introspection.I could explore new doors to the world inside me. It was like a mirror image of my inner self. My inner voice made me overcome the impure thoughts or feelings that I got. I got the courage to see my mistakes and accept them. In those eight days, for the first time I actually introspected and started thinking of questions like who I actually am, where I was and where my life was going. This resulted in the realization of various aspects and levels about myself. Where relations with my family,friends or where even planning my career was concerned. I shared many unshared things about my life in this conference.

I realized my life was incomplete. I needed to change myself and needed to stop expecting change from other people. I decided to lose weight and become fit. I had many fears which I had to overcome. I feared to speak up or express in front of people even though I used to be sure my thought process was right. I feared if I would be able to work professionally. I needed to work on my self esteem. I had a habit of underestimating myself in every thing I did, which needed modification. I felt the need to work on the relations that I had built with people around me, my near and dear ones. I felt the need to reduce procastination of work and laziness in every task that I carried out. The ‘chalta hain’ attitude was not going to help me anymore. I wanted to find my way to perfection.

I was fortunate to be invited for the Baramati Youth Conference as a co ordinator. That was the first experience I had where I could give back what I learnt in the National Youth Conference. I definitely felt a change in myself and the people around me felt it too and I felt the need to give it back.It was a wonderful learning experience for me. My habit of cribbing to God reduced immensely when I saw what people go through in their lives. I met many new people and each person inspired me in one way or the other.I touched a few lives and learnt a lot from them.

I was in this process of improvement when I was invited for the December Workshop. This was an experience I will never forget. A very enriching experience in every aspect. It was a very intense process for me being a part of it for the first time. Questions that were raised in this workshop left me shaken as to who I was. I met so many people who moved me from within. It intensified my process to perfection.

I will continue this process no matter what and try to impart it with as many people as I can. I myself want to smile form within and want to make people around me also smile, become free from any internal baggage and live life like a free bird.