By: Amrita Sahu – (Researcher, Human Rights)

I believe these are the three golden words one should just act on rather than hear it and let it be. I am sure all of us have heard it many times but life becomes so simple and less complicated when one acts on it. The originality of oneself breaks all boundaries and hurdles.
Lot of things happens in our day to day life. We try to deal with things in different ways. We consult many people at times, hear to their suggestions and try to solve our problems. If solving things were so easy there would not have been problems in our lives. But there is one thing that we can do, we can be just ourselves. Each of our problems is unique in its own ways. We all are different from each other. So how can ways of solving things in life or facing things in our lives be same?
Recently I was about to give a training as part of interview process for a very reputed international organization. I am known to be a good teacher and a trainer. But I also know each training is a challenge in its own unique way. Participants are different, expectations are different, and knowledge level is different. However, this training was a part of interview process. I prepared my slide, planned activity, discussed with people who can guide and it sounded all perfect. Well…was it? There was something in my heart that was not feeling right. I didn’t know what was wrong until I spoke this one person and he said, “Just be yourself”. That made me realize I slogged and planned my training keeping in mind the directors who are going to evaluate me for the post they are interviewing me for. I was definitely not in my originality and my way. I opened my materials, slides and made changes and re designed many things. And the training went well because I was just myself.
Same thing happens when we try to handle things in day to day life. At times we forget we are doing things to please people. Sometimes we do know it well that we are doing certain things to please someone. Father? Husband? To please children? Or to please boss? Or colleagues?
I am sure you will agree we cannot please others every time and we will be worn out emotionally and physically. But when we do things just our way at the least we know we have given our best. I tried this in resolving certain issues in life and people were dead against me and told me how wrong I was. But I remember those difficult days and I knew I had peace because I handled the situation just being myself and now things are different.
If we think like others and act as others then we are not we. I am not at all just me. I am someone else, and I do not know who this someone else is? It’s a stranger ! Now that sounds quite dangerous when a stranger is taking care of your difficult situation and trying to solve it. Will you allow it? Or find a quiet place, think, take deep breath and get up and solve things being “JUST BE YOURSELF”.