“The process of Life is to make us, break us, and to remake us. From birth to death, this process endures ceaselessly. Our lived experiences then are integral to how we are shaped – to how we are remade each time that we are broken. We emerge stronger, calmer, content and happy from each upheaval that we go through. That’s how we awaken to the sublime realization that the journey is indeed the only reward.” PainHappinessLife LessonsSpiritualityCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe Happynesswalas Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“It is Life’s nature to, at some point, hang you at the edge of a precipice. You will find the darkness suffocating and the pain unbearable. What do you do, when you don’t know what to do? Well, in such times, think deeply about two aspects that you don’t normally consider: 1. Your Life is a gift that has been given to you without your even asking for it. 2. There are many who don’t have what you always take for granted. So, don’t complain. Be grateful. And watch how gratitude soaks your Life in abundance!” HappinessLife LessonsGratitudeCrisisInner PeaceAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe HappynesswalaIntelligent Living Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“Don't imagine you are in a worse place than you actually are. Things could have been far worse. So, seize the day, count your blessings and move on. You can survive a crisis only by dealing it with one day at a time. Don't add up all your problems in your mind and think you are finished. Compartmentalize your problems; put them in different buckets and project-manage them separately. This is how you live through uncertain times – making decisions when there are few or no options to choose from. You never see it this way when you are going through a crisis. But, unfailingly, every crisis leaves you stronger, wiser – and happy!” HappinessLife LessonsSpiritualityCrisisInner PeaceAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe HappynesswalaEquanimity Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“The purpose of an enduring crisis is to teach you faith, patience and the art of surrender. Some crises last for short spells. And some really refuse to blow away. They stay on, testing you physically, emotionally and spiritually. There will be times when you will be brought to your knees. This is when everything you have tried to solve a problem has failed, and you feel weak, worthless and wasted. That’s when – and how – you begin to accept that some problems defy logic and don’t have a human-engineered solution. This is how faith blossoms in you. Faith, not necessarily in religion or a God, but faith as in trusting the process of Life. And slowly, but surely, you learn to be patient. As you patiently trust the process, you quietly, often unwittingly, surrender to the flow of Life. That’s when something magical happens: You discover that it is indeed possible to be calm and happy even when you are caught in the throes of a crisis. This realization is painful, paradoxical, cruel, beautiful and liberating – all at the same time!” HappinessLife LessonsFaithPatienceCrisisSurrenderAvis ViswanathanAvis On HappynessThe Happynesswalas Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“The starting point of every crisis is always ridden with confusion and cluelessness. If we knew how to solve a problem, we would solve it, right? It is Life’s nature to present us with a problem that we are confounded by, that which we can’t immediately fathom, understand or solve. We begin by first denying the problem exists. Then we try resisting, try pushing back. But the problem does not let go of its stranglehold. Intuitively our response to a crisis is swift, aggressive, decisive action. But often times, when you can’t solve a crisis that way, you must pause, reflect and take calculated decisions, calmly. That’s the whole reason why a crisis arrives in the first place – to teach us faith and patience.” HappinessLife LessonsFaithPatienceCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe Happynesswala Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“How do you last a torrid time in Life? 1. Accept the reality that you are in the throes of a crisis. Stop wishing that it didn’t exist. Acceptance always delivers inner peace. 2. Know that the storm will always be strong. By even thinking of its ferocity, you are only going to feel debilitated. At the epicenter of a storm, it is always calm. Find that center, your center. That’s where you will find strength. 3. Your center is where you lose sense of time, place and thought. Art – anything inherent that makes you come alive – often leads you there. 4. Trust the process of Life. Do what you can do without losing your inner peace – daily, diligently. 5. No matter how intense it is, no storm lasts forever. All storms pass. So, be patient, surrender completely, let go…and offer yourself to be led by Life…” HappinessLife LessonsFaithPatienceCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe HappynesswalaEquanimity Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“Understand a simple truth about Life: you have to go through what you have to go through! No amount of praying or wishing can change what you have to, and will, experience in Life. So, stop resisting anything that you dislike and are faced with. The role of a crisis is to make you stronger, wiser and, interestingly, happy. Look back at all that you have been through and you will find that you are better from your experiences. So, why be bitter about whatever’s happening to you now? Embrace your current reality, accept it as your new normal, and keep doing what you can possibly do each given day. Over time, you will find yourself soaked in equanimity, no matter how hard the going is!” HappinessLife LessonsDestinyCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe Happynesswala Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“Think of the COVID-19 situation as a global, mandatory-for-everyone, Masterclass by Life on 'How to embrace uncertainty and go with the flow'! Be sure to glean your own lessons as you stay at home and as the scenario unfolds.” HappinessCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe HappynesswalaCovid19Masterclass Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“Often, when you are feeling beaten and broken, you conclude that Life is cruel. You think that only you have an unsolvable, insurmountable, problem. You also begin to believe that most people around you don’t want to understand you. To find inner peace in such times of upheaval and turmoil, step back, and look at your own Life from a distance. Think of yourself like a fly on the wall – and be a witness of your own Life. You will then realize that there is no grand conspiracy to vanquish you. You will see that: • There are many blessings in your Life that you can count. • Your problems are not so severe after all. • People are behaving the way they are because they are caught in their own web of emotions, circumstances, beliefs, opinions and problems. These people are beaten and broken too; they are searching for meaning themselves. It is your craving, that you shouldn’t have any problems, and that you must be understood, which is causing you pain – and suffering. Drop that craving. And you will, at once, be peaceful – and happy.” HappinessLife LessonsPurposeUnderstandingCrisisAvis ViswanathanAvis On HappynessThe HappynesswalasIntelligent Living Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“Just because things are grave, it doesn’t mean it’s all over for you. To get through a torrid time, allow yourself to be led by the magic and beauty of grace. Simply surrender, trusting the process of Life.” HappinessLife LessonsSpiritualityGraceCrisisSurrenderAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe Happynesswala Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“A crisis is a great teacher. So, learn to love your crisis. Going through it with acceptance, and a seeking spirit, you will emerge stronger, wiser and happy!” HappinessLife LessonsCrisisResilienceAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe Happynesswala Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“When you come go through a near-death situation or when you deal with an enduring crisis, you awaken to the realization that you must not postpone your Bliss. Life has a way of directing you to where you must go; and on how and when you must awaken. Pick up those signals. Don’t lose precious time.” HappinessLife LessonsCrisisBlissAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe HappynesswalaBliss Catchers Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“There’s a beauty, a romance to Life even in its darkest moments…this is when you awaken to do something meaningful for yourself, for the world, to make it a better place! So, love your crisis, embrace the darkness…allow yourself to be led by Life, to arrive where you are truly meant to be.” HappinessLife LessonsCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe Happynesswala Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“No, loving a crisis isn’t easy. But loving a crisis is the only way to deal with one. Because every crisis comes into your Life to teach you unputdownable lessons. Such is Life. You have to go through the darkness to see the light. To appreciate the magic and beauty of Life, you have to experience pain. And you must have felt suffocated by sadness to understand the value of Happiness…of living fully with what is!” HappinessLife LessonsCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe Happynesswala Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“What we think is breaking us, is actually making us…yes, it is breaking the stranglehold of debilitating emotions that are pinning us down and holding us hostage…and through learning to deal with these emotions, we emerge resilient, content and anchored. Which is why it is important to learn to live fully with what is – to learn to be non-worrying, non-frustrated and non-suffering, to be happy despite your circumstances.” HappinessLife LessonsCrisisResilienceAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe Happynesswala Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“Each of us has to go through what we have to go through. And what we go through makes us who we are. If you are dealing with a crisis just now, know that your own journey is surely leading you to your awakening, to your enlightenment. But you may wonder why does an awakening, or enlightenment, often come through such intense strife and pain? Well, such is Life! We must celebrate this suchness of Life! It is after trying many different mantras, methods, practices and after experiencing every emotion in its entirety that you come to understanding, soaking in, and celebrating the suchness of Life. That is how you learn the art of being non-worrying, non-frustrated and non-suffering. That is how you find Happiness in what is and learn to live fully despite your challenged circumstances!” HappinessLife LessonsEnlightenmentCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe Happynesswala Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“Don’t grieve that your child has a problem. Don’t wish for the problem to go away either. And certainly don’t imagine that ‘bad times’ have befallen your child owing to ‘bad karma’! The truth is that no matter what you do or wish for, your child has to go through what they have to go through. Just as Life happened to you in its own unique way, it will happen to your child too. You can’t change that reality. Nor can you live your child’s Life. So, be practical. Be available for your child surely and invest in prayer. A crisis is Life’s way of coaching your child. So, pray that your child learns to face Life, not fight it or run away from it! Pray that your child evolves spiritually from the experience – often growing stronger, wiser and happy from it.” Life LessonsPrayerCrisisParentingAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe HappynesswalaLet Go Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“This, I have consistently experienced in Life – that no matter how grave the circumstances are, it is not over, to use a cricketing term, until the last ball is bowled! So, even if it seems like a dead-end, a no-go situation, celebrate being alive. It may be dark all around you, there may be no light visible at the far end, everyone, and everything, may appear to be going against you…but do not give up yet. The only evidence that things will turnaround is that you are still alive. And that is a huge, huge, blessing! For, if you still have the gift of this lifetime, then anything is possible! So, bow your head down in complete surrender, in eternal gratitude and give in to Life, just flow with it! This is how you last through a numbing crisis!” HappinessLife LessonsCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe HappynesswalaGo With The Flow Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“Things are never as bad as you think they are when they first hit you. So, when a situation blows up in your face, don’t resist it, go with its flow. Chances are the ground beneath your feet may appear to cave in, or it may look like the roof over your head has blown away…you will imagine that there is no way you can survive this situation…you will fear that your Life, your world, is going to end. But don’t panic. Don’t worry. Just go with the flow, doing what you can – and what you possibly must – in the given circumstances. Slowly, with reflection, reason, prayer, letting go and acceptance, you realize that everything can – and must – be faced. And that the situation doesn’t seem so formidable after all! This is how you find strength and inner peace in a storm!” HappinessLife LessonsCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe HappynesswalaGo With The Flow Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“Acceptance does not make a problem go away. Accepting that a problem exists is the first step to dealing with it. When you stop denying its existence and accept that you have a problem, your ability to deal with it increases manifold. You become calm and you start exploring avenues for solving the problem. In denial mode, you are running away from the problem. And what you run away from, will chase you, will haunt you. But when you turn around and face the problem, accepting it, taking it head-on – you discover your inherent resilience and feel a strange ability to withstand any amount of pain! You may be in the throes of a huge crisis, but you are anchored and are at peace. This is why Life gave you the problem in the first place – for you to know who you truly are and what you are capable of!” HappinessLife LessonsAcceptanceCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalAvis On HappynessThe Happynesswala Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“When facing a Life-changing crisis, don’t expect your situation to turn around instantaneously. It won’t. So, prepare for the long haul. Nourish yourself. Meditate. Pray. Eat your meals on time and please eat healthy stuff. Exercise. Go for long walks. Goof off once in a while. Your being morose, or your worrying stiff, is not going to solve your problems. The situation will resolve only when the time arrives. Until that happens, you have to last, you have to survive. So, take care of yourself. Every moment. Every day.” HappinessLife LessonsMeditationCrisisAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalThe HappynesswalaEquanimityLife Coaching Author:AVIS Viswanathan
“When you are confronted with many problems at the same time, don’t be overwhelmed or emotional and attempt to solve all of them at the same time. You simply can’t. Approach your problems with basic project management skills. Sort your problems into different buckets: A. which ones cannot be solved ever B. which ones cannot be solved by you C. which ones can be solved by you over time and D. which ones can be solved by you immediately? Obviously, go to work today on bucket D, while planning to schedule time and collaborations to address buckets C and B. Of course, learn to accept those in bucket A with humility and equanimity and move on. This is the only way you can focus sharply, be calm and find strength in a storm and be happy!” HappinessLife LessonsCrisisProblemsAvis ViswanathanFall Like A Rose PetalThe HappynesswalaLife Coaching Author:AVIS Viswanathan