NARA'S NOTEPAD: May 2016

NARA'S NOTEPAD

VOLUME 12

JUNE 2016

NUMBER 6

SUPPORTED BY READERS

LIKE YOU

DON’T MISS

THE CHANCE TO CHANGE

NARA’S NOTEPAD

THANK

Professor SRINIVASA RAO MENTREDDY

Program Coordinator

Plant Biotechnology

Dept. Biological & Environmental Sciences

A & M UNIVERSITY, ALABAMA

USA

MEMO FROM NARA

Planet Earth provides us what we require for life - The Sun, air, water, plants, sea, mountains and above all the land. We need all these resources for our survival. Optimum availability of all these resources offers us to have a comfortable life. But when we face shortage or excess of these resources we face difficulties and uneasiness. The rich and the poor face the same problem irrespective of their status.

Natural calamities do not differentiate nations and their people! No one is immune to Nature’s fury. Everyone has to experience natural disasters such as drought, flood, cyclones, tsunami, earthquake etc., etc., whenever and wherever they occur. Scientists try their best to understand these calamities and constantly search for suitable solutions which are possible for the people to follow. Some of them are ok but others are not that ok. Obviously it becomes our duty to follow the precautions predicted by scientists.

Forecasting of weather, climate change, earthquake, tsunami is getting better over time, although they were not accurate during earlier decades! As a result, good number of human lives is being saved nowadays. However, we incur huge property loss which cannot be helped. Anyway if the human lives are saved, property can be earned over time.

Is it possible to prevent natural disasters? I don’t think it’s possible, but attempting to do so is not to be discouraged. One day, because of the improvement in human brain power, it would be possible. Let us be optimistic to have a happy future human life.

ACCEPT WHAT YOU HAVE

The problem with many of us is that we always think that

we’ll be happy when we reach a certain destination — when

we get a certain job, or retire, or get our dream house.

Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when

you get there, you might have a new destination in mind.

Instead, try being happy with where you are, with who you

are, and what you have. To do that, instead of comparing

what you have with other people, or with what you want,

compare yourself those who have less, with those who are

going through tragedy, with those who are struggling. You

will see that you actually are extremely blessed. And this can

lead to more happiness with your current situation.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The less you worry about what people think, the less complicated your life becomes.

Do what makes you happy...
Be with whom makes you smile...
Laugh and enjoy yourself as much as you can...
Love others fully every day of your life.

CHALENGING NEGATIVE THINKING

Depression puts a negative spin on everything, including the way you see yourself, the situations you encounter, and your expectations for the future.

But you can’t break out of this pessimistic mind frame by “just thinking positive.” Happy thoughts or wishful thinking won’t cut it. Rather, the trick is to replace negative thoughts with more balanced thoughts.

Ways to challenge negative thinking:

1. Think outside yourself. Ask yourself if you’d say what you’re thinking about yourself to someone else. If not, stop being so hard on yourself. Think about less harsh statements that offer more realistic descriptions.

2. Allow yourself to be less than perfect. Many depressed people are perfectionists, holding themselves to impossibly high standards and then beating themselves up when they fail to meet them. Battle this source of self-imposed stress by challenging your negative ways of thinking.

3. Socialize with positive people. Notice how people who always look on the bright side deal with challenges, even minor ones, like not being able to find a parking space. Then consider how you would react in the same situation. Even if you have to pretend, try to adopt their optimism and persistence in the face of difficulty.

4. Keep a “negative thought log.“ Whenever you experience a negative thought, jot down the thought and what triggered it in a notebook. Review your log when you’re in a good mood. Consider if the negativity was truly warranted. Ask yourself if there’s another way to view the situation. For example, let’s say your boyfriend was short with you and you automatically assumed that the relationship was in trouble. It’s possible, though, he’s just having a bad day.

HIGH SELF-CONFIDENCE

1. You know who you are, what you want from life, where you are going, and the steps to take you there.

2. You’re highly motivated by your dreams, your goals and passions.

3. You’re in touch with your emotions, and are highly self aware.

4. You can calm yourself down when strong emotions have been stirred.

5. You are positive and focused, and you always persevere.

6. You are flexible, adaptable, and like to stretch and grow.

7. You accept yourself and others, and are honest and empathic.

8. You value others’ contributions and you see the best in them.

EYE CONTACT

Pay attention to eye contact:

Making good eye contact is essential as well.

It indicates you’re happy to be talking to that person, are comfortable and confident, with nothing much to hide.

However, if someone won’t meet our eye, it makes them seem a bit more shady (or it can simply send the message that you lack confidence.)

Also, try to be natural and don’t stare at the person, as they’ll feel uncomfortable and want to escape.

JUST TO LAUGH

Boy: I am not rich like Rohit, I don’t even have a big car like Rohit. But I really love you.

Girl: I love you too, but tell me more about Rohit.

Doctor, how can I live longer than 100 years?
Do you smoke? - No.
Do you eat too much? - No.
Do you go to bed late? - No.
Do you have affairs with promiscuous women? - No. Then why would you want to live more than 100 years?

TO QUOTE

v It is young people who will go on and change things in future. – Venki Ramakrishnan

v The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why? – Mark Twain

v If you are making mistakes then you are making new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something. – Neil Gaiman