Category: 7 habits & Love

Sometimes the most meaningful learning does not come from textbooks or lectures, but from conversations, reflections, and shared experiences. The 7 Habits and Love class was one such journey for me. Over the course of the sessions, I found myself thinking deeply about not only the habits that shape our lives but also the relationships and roles that define us as individuals.

One thing that stood out to me was how thoughtfully the sessions were planned by the Wilmot Sir and Utsav Sir. Every session had a clear purpose and flow, which made the learning experience engaging and meaningful. The activities, discussions, and reflections were carefully structured so that each concept gradually built on the previous one.

Another aspect that made the sessions memorable was the interactive approach to learning. The games, quizzes, and group activities created a comfortable environment where everyone could participate and learn from one another. I particularly appreciated how these activities demonstrated that learning can be both enjoyable and impactful.

The movies shown during the sessions were also very relatable. They helped connect the theoretical ideas with real-life situations, making the discussions more practical and easier to understand. Watching the characters navigate relationships and life choices allowed us to reflect on similar situations in our own lives.

However, what made the sessions truly powerful was the honesty and openness of the facilitators in sharing their own life stories and experiences. Their willingness to talk about their journeys, challenges, and lessons created a genuine and trusting learning environment. Hearing real-life experiences made the concepts feel authentic and meaningful rather than purely theoretical.

Listening to different perspectives during the sessions also reminded me that everyone’s journey is unique, yet many of the emotions and challenges we experience are shared. It helped me develop a deeper sense of empathy and understanding towards others.

The sessions also reinforced the idea that personal growth is an ongoing process. Life is not about being perfect or always making the right decisions. Instead, it is about learning from our experiences, reflecting on our choices, and continuously striving to improve.

In many ways, the 7 Habits and Love class gave me the opportunity to look within myself, understand my thoughts and emotions more deeply. What started as a learning experience gradually turned into a space where I could reflect, grow, and make some truly wonderful friends along the way.

જ્યારે આપણે કોઈ નવા સ્થળે કામ શરૂ કરીએ ત્યારે મનમાં ઘણા પ્રશ્નો આવે. મને ત્યાં ગમશે? શું મારું સન્માન જળવાશે? મારી ટીમ કેવી હશે? હું ત્યાં કામ કરવાને લાયક છું? આવા અનેક પ્રશ્નો સાથે હું પણ ફાઉન્ટેનહેડમાં જોડાયો. કામ શરૂ કર્યાના થોડા જ દિવસોમાં વિલમોટ ચૌધરીના નામે એક ઈમેઈલ મેઈલબોક્સમાં ટપકી પડ્યો. “આ કોઈ સ્કેમ તો નહીં હોય ને?” “હેં!? આવું તે કેવું નામ?” એવા વિચારો પળવારમાં માનસપટલ પરથી પસાર થયા. પરંતુ આ તો કોઈ “લાઈફ ક્લાસીસ” માં ભાવભર્યું નિમંત્રણ પાઠવતો ઈમેઈલ હતો.

લાઈફ ક્લાસીસને અલગથલક કે એકાંકી (Isolated) કાર્યક્રમ તરીકે લેવો એ બહુ મોટી ભૂલ છે. લાઈફ ક્લાસીસના પ્રથમ દિવસે બે વ્યક્તિત્વો સાથે મુલાકાત થઈ – એક વિલમોટભાઈ અને બીજા ઉત્સવભાઈ. મારી સામે અનુભવના અનેક આયામ સર કરેલા બે વ્યક્તિઓ એકદમ સરળ અને જમીન સાથે જોડાયેલા જણાયા. ‘સેવન હૅબિટ્સ’ જેવા વિષયો પર લખાયેલા પુસ્તકોનો હું પુરજોર વિરોધી, અને અહોભાગ્ય! તે જ વિષય મારી સામે આવીને ઊભો હતો. પરંતુ જેમ જેમ લાઈફ ક્લાસીસના દિવસો પસાર થતા ગયા, તેમ તેમ આ વિષયના વધુ ગહન અને બહુપરિમાણીય અનુભવો પ્રાપ્ત થતા ગયા.

બંને મહાનુભાવોની પોતાની જીવનીનું વિવરણ વધુ રોચક, આશ્ચર્યજનક, ઊંડું, લાગણીસભર અને પ્રેમાળ બનતું ગયું. ધીમે ધીમે લાગવા માંડ્યું કે FS કોઈ સામાન્ય જગ્યા નથી. આ કાર્યક્રમ ફક્ત કરવા ખાતર આયોજિત કોઈ નીરસ કોર્પોરેટ કાર્યક્રમ નથી. અહીં પ્રેમ પ્રવર્તી રહ્યો છે; અહીં દંભ નથી. અહીં ભૂખ છે — સતત ભણતરની ભૂખ. લાઈફ ક્લાસીસના સંચાલકોએ પોતાના જીવનનું લગભગ દરેક પાનું તમારી સમક્ષ ખુલ્લું મૂકી દીધું છે, જેનાથી તમે પણ ડરનો ત્યાગ કરી નિખાલસ બની જાવ છો. બસ આ જ ક્ષણે તમે સંચાલકો અને બાકીના દરેક સહભાગી મિત્રો સાથે એક અવર્ણીય સંબંધ બાંધી બેસો છો.

લાઈફ ક્લાસીસના વિષયોની ઊંડાણપૂર્વક ચર્ચાઓ થતી રહી, પરંતુ આ ૮ દિવસો દરમિયાન ટીમ લીડર અને વાઇસ પ્રિન્સિપાલ સાથેનો વાર્તાલાપ, તેમની સમજ અને વ્યવહારના ઝીણવટભર્યા અવલોકનોએ મને FS ની સંસ્કૃતિ વિશે ઘણું બધું શીખવ્યું. જ્યાં ‘સેવન હૅબિટ્સ’ ને સ્થાન છે ત્યાં ‘સપ્તપદી’ ને પણ સ્થાન છે. જ્યાં અંગ્રેજી બોલાય છે ત્યાં માતૃભાષાને પણ તેટલું જ મહત્વ અપાય છે.

હું આ લાઈફ ક્લાસીસને માત્ર એક “Isolated Event” તરીકે નથી જોતો. તે FS ની સંસ્કૃતિ, તેના પાયાના વિચારો, મૂલ્યનિષ્ઠ શિક્ષણના લક્ષ્યો અને પાયામાં રહેલા વ્યક્તિઓ વિશે ઘણું બધું કહી જાય છે. માત્ર IB શાળા હોવું પૂરતું નથી; પાયો ખોદનાર વ્યક્તિઓની મજબૂત વિચારધારા અને તેને અમલમાં લાવવાની ક્ષમતા પર જ શાળાની સફળતા નભે છે. આ કામગીરી પાર પાડવી એ કોઈ ધૂણી ધખાવીને બેઠેલા સંત જેટલી શાંતિ, એકાગ્રતા, સહિષ્ણુતા અને આત્મવિશ્વાસની સાક્ષી પૂરે છે. અત્યારસુધીની FS ની સફરને સરળ બનાવવા બદલ, જીવન જીવવાની કળાને મૂર્તિમંત કરતા આ જીવંત લાઈફ ક્લાસીસનો આભાર.

The 7 Habits and Love class has been a truly wonderful and enriching experience for me. Through these eight sessions, I gained a deeper understanding of the 7 Habits and how to apply them in everyday life. I also developed meaningful insights into the stages of love, marriage, and parenthood. The beauty and challenges of these important phases of life were beautifully reflected and discussed in the sessions.

Although I had many thoughts and feelings to share throughout the course, I often felt overwhelmed with emotions and could not express myself. However, listening to the stories shared by my facilitators, Wilmot Choudhary and Utsav Oza, and the other participants, was more than enough to help me understand the depth of the content being taught.

One of the best parts of the sessions was not only the sharing, but also the well-planned and engaging activities, including the quizzes, games, and the movie. The games and quizzes were designed so well that we can actually use them in our own classrooms with students. Our lessons were thoughtfully connected to the movie, which made the learning more practical and relatable. We were able to link the discussions directly to situations unfolding in the story, making the concepts easier to understand and apply.

A heartfelt thank you to both my facilitators for being so open and courageous in sharing their most personal experiences and for trusting us with their stories. Their honesty itself was a powerful lesson for me. It helped me let go of the guilt and constant desire to be “perfect.” I realized that nobody is perfect, even those who have achieved great heights. Mistakes are a natural and essential part of life and learning.

Through Utsav Sir, I learned that there is beauty in every moment of life if we choose to see it from the right perspective. Through Wilmot Sir, I learned that we grow through our mistakes, that it is okay to be who we are, and that taking responsibility for our roles is a true discipline of life.

This course has given me the courage to reflect on my own life, confront challenges, solve problems with maturity, and never lose hope.

The Life Class sessions held on the 26th and 27th of September were more than just workshops—they were enriching, transformative experiences that left a lasting impression on all of us. I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the 7 Habits and Love-Alpha workshops, thoughtfully guided by the ever-inspiring Vandana Ma’am and Shivali Ma’am.

Over the course of four days, we were invited to pause, reflect, and engage deeply with ourselves and our learning. Inspired by Stephen R. Covey’s timeless book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the sessions were designed not just to teach concepts, but to guide us on a journey of self-discovery and purposeful living.

Days 1 & 2: Foundations of Effectiveness

The first two days focused on laying the foundation for personal effectiveness. Habit 1: Be Proactive was explored through an interactive group activity where we were given scenarios to act out while others guessed the situation. This exercise was fun and insightful, helping me truly experience the power of taking initiative and responsibility in daily life.

Day two introduced Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind, which pushed us to confront one of life’s ultimate truths—our own mortality. While the topic was heavy, the facilitators handled it with sensitivity and grace, helping us realize that reflecting on the end encourages us to live with intention and purpose every single day.

Days 3 & 4: Deepening Awareness and Collaboration

After a short break, we reconvened for Days 3 and 4, diving into the art of listening and prioritization. Through activities and sharing exercises, we explored the different types of listening and recognized how often we engage in selective listening. This made me more aware of the importance of active listening in building meaningful connections.

Habit 3: Put First Things First came alive through a simple yet powerful activity—a video demonstration of stones in a bottle. It was a vivid reminder that prioritizing what truly matters ensures that everything else falls into place naturally.

On Day 4, Habit 6: Synergize was brought to life with a team planning game. This exercise emphasized collaboration, Win-Win thinking, and the power of collective effort. Setting aside individual egos, we worked together for a greater goal—and the satisfaction of winning the final challenge together was immense! The session also offered an opportunity to connect with fellow teachers, learning from their experiences and insights.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw – Renewal and Reflection

The final habit, Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw, encouraged us to invest in self-renewal to maintain balance and avoid burnout. The concept perfectly reflected the spirit of these two days: a blend of learning, playing, reflecting, and connecting.

We concluded the journey by watching Chak De! India, a film that beautifully tied together the lessons of teamwork, persistence, and leadership. Reflecting on the movie in the context of the 7 Habits brought everything full circle, leaving us inspired and motivated to apply these principles in our personal and professional lives.

Final Thoughts

The Life Class was not just a series of workshops—it was a journey of growth, self-awareness, and connection. Each habit, each activity, and each discussion helped us uncover tools to live more intentionally, listen more deeply, and collaborate more effectively. The sessions reminded us that personal growth is continuous, and with reflection, purpose, and synergy, we can make every moment count.

I left the Life Class feeling energized, inspired, and grateful for the thoughtful guidance of Vandana Ma’am and Shivali Ma’am, and for the opportunity to share this transformative experience with fellow educators.

Over the past four days, we had the opportunity to pause, reflect, and learn through our Life Class, inspired by Stephen R. Covey’s timeless book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It was not just a class—it was a journey of looking inward and discovering tools to live more purposefully.

Covey’s 7 Habits—ranging from Being Proactive to Sharpening the Saw—are simple yet profound principles that help us align our personal and professional lives. Each day of the class took us deeper into these habits, helping us connect them with our own experiences.

We started with understanding what it means to Be Proactive. Rather than reacting to situations, we explored how to choose our responses with responsibility. The discussion on the “Circle of Influence vs. Circle of Concern” reminded me that energy is best invested where I can truly make an impact. The focus shifted to Beginning with the End in Mind and Putting First Things First. Through reflective exercises, we thought about our personal values, long-term goals, and the importance of prioritizing what truly matters over urgent but less meaningful distractions. Centered on Think Win-Win and Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood. We engaged in activities that highlighted the power of empathy, listening, and collaboration. It became clear that effective relationships are built on trust, mutual respect, and genuine communication. The idea that we achieve more collectively than individually was brought alive through group work. We understood what Synergy and Sharpening the Saw are. We ended by reflecting on how to continuously renew ourselves—mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually—to stay balanced and effective. These four days reminded me that effectiveness is not about doing more, but about doing what matters, and doing it with clarity and balance. The Life Class was a gentle push to align my habits with my deeper values and to consciously practice small changes every day.

Learning about the 7 Habits in this format made the ideas come alive. What I carry forward is the belief that true effectiveness is about harmony—within ourselves, with others, and with the larger purpose we serve. This Life Class was just the beginning; living the 7 Habits is the real journey ahead.

Starting my first life class as a new joinee felt overwhelming. My head was spinning with questions: What’s my job? How does this class work? Can I even do this? Yet, the answer to all that worry was the simple lesson that stuck with me the most: Just Ask.This lesson came from an incredibly insightful life class, where Aman Sir and Arshi Ma’am created a perfect space for valuable, meaningful conversations essential for growth. This simple concept of asking gained profound depth when we discussed one of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.

Here’s the strange truth we uncovered about communication: When we are talking, we desperately want someone to just listen—no judging, no probing, and especially no advice. We just want to be heard. But when a friend or colleague comes to us with a problem, what’s our first move? We instantly want to jump in and solve it. We confuse comforting with fixing. Luckily, this common confusion is easy to fix with a simple, direct question. Stop yourself before offering advice and ask the person: “Do you just want me to listen, or do you want my advice?”

Whether you need direction in a new professional role or you’re trying to help a friend, the clearest path is always to put the question out there. Don’t guess, don’t overthink. The most powerful thing you can do is to Just Ask.