Author: carol.vaid

Day 2 began with an energetic Auction game, where we were divided into two teams. What started as a game quickly brought out our competitive sides, setting the perfect tone for another day of learning and reflection. We then revisited the key lessons from Day 1, especially the idea of being proactive rather than reactive. One of the most meaningful concepts we explored was the Iceberg of the Perfect Life. What people see on the surface is often only a tiny part of someone’s story. Beneath every picture may lie struggles, emotions, failures, effort and experiences that remain invisible to others. It reminded me that we should be slower to judge and quicker to understand.

We also explored the Circle of Concern and Circle of Influence. While there are countless things we may worry about, our real growth begins when we focus our energy on what we can actually influence. As our Circle of Influence grows, the way we approach our concerns can change too. We then looked at how the seven habits connect with one another, some helping us become independent, while others help us build meaningful interdependent relationships. We also read an excerpt about Viktor Frankl and reflected on how our childhood and past experiences can shape our present behaviour. The most emotional part of the day was a grounding meditative and imaginary experience, where we imagined ourselves on our deathbed, surrounded by the people we love. We were asked to think about what they would say about us after we were gone.

Later, we imagined having only 24 hours left to live. Surprisingly, almost everything I wanted to do involved my family and loved ones.It made me realise that, at the end of life, perhaps the things we chase so relentlessly matter less than the people we choose to spend our time with.We ended by discussing leadership and management, the difference between knowing what needs to be done and knowing how to make it happen.

Our first Life Class on Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People began with something as simple and fun as pairing up French + Fries, Sev + Khaman, and sharing our pet peeves as an ice breaking activity. Little did I know that the day would soon move from laughter to some honest self-reflection. The first activity was drawing our perfect life where I drew a table surrounded by family and friends, my favourite food, music, UNO, Jenga and Sequence, along with Bharatanatyam class, a life filled with the people and little things that make me happy. It made me realise that my idea of a perfect life isn’t really about having more, but about having more moments that matter.

Then came the harder questions: What is stopping me from living that life? What am I struggling with? I found myself writing things I don’t always acknowledge i.e. mindlessly spending time on my phone, not slowing down, worrying about things outside my control, seeking validation, and dwelling on past experiences. Seeing these thoughts on paper felt strangely vulnerable. The day’s biggest lesson was Habit 1: Be Proactive. I understood that being proactive isn’t about controlling everything around me. It is about recognising that I can choose how I respond, even when I cannot choose what happens.

Our discussion on paradigm shifts made this even clearer. The story of the father and his children on the subway showed us how quickly our judgement can change when we understand someone’s circumstances. Sometimes, we aren’t reacting to the truth, we are reacting to the story we’ve created in our minds. Between team games, a debate on “Can money buy happiness?” happened and I was in the ‘against’ team, trying to establish that money is important but not a means to all happiness. The reading of excerpts from Covey’s book brought clarity about habits. It became a lesson about myself. Maybe becoming a better version of myself doesn’t begin with changing the world around me. Maybe it begins with pausing before I react, listening to my inner voice, letting go of what I cannot control, and consciously choosing the person I want to be.

There was a shift in the room when we discussed a particular image and the image led us to discover our viewpoints and perspectives. Someone saw a young lady, an eagle, or an old woman.

The facilitators were all ears and very engaging. They introduced us to these concepts we never would have reflected on by ourselves. The transitions to different topics with small games became very interesting. Their personal anecdotes were worth listening to. Very grateful and thankful!