Book Author: Sonali D’silva (Talent Development Professional, Author and Avid Blogger)
I have been one of those professionals who had no time for myself or for reflection and had lost touch with my health, overall wellbeing, with friends and anything that was not directly related to office and work. Personal relationships took a beating as well. There was no time to think or process all that was going on around me. I was traveling around the world like a woman on a mission. A suitcase would always be ready in case I had to shoot out the door at short notice; all very thrilling, but also mind numbing and exhausting. Then one day, the stress of all of it got to me. The year was 2009 and I decided to resign from my job. The decision was so crystal clear that I felt shocked why I hadn’t thought of it before. I don't know how sky diving or bungee jumping feels because I haven't done either, but when I quit my job the free fall felt similar - only it seemed to last for some months; surprisingly, in a good way. More like the joy of doing something forbidden and enjoying every moment of it.
The break I took is what gave birth to writing Corporate Nirvana. It was an organic decision to write a book, it wasn’t planned for in a big way. What the book eventually shaped up to be was more of an outpouring of my thoughts that came from the depths of self-realization about the fact that there was so much more to life than just chasing a high octane career. I wanted to share the valuable lessons I had learned through my challenges over the span of a decade long and successful corporate career. The book needed to be credible and believable for a person living a hectic, often lonely and stressful life, in a big city in a big job – and for them to know there is a way out. It’s a tale of urban enlightenment and that self-leadership can help you craft the best life possible for yourself.
After I took a career break my husband and I chose to spend a year living in a small mountain town in the foothills of Himalaya in Uttarakhand, India. The silence, the stunning natural beauty, and the simplicity of that existence brought me many life changing realizations. The long walks through nature and listening to life around me (and not traffic) helped also. When I woke up each morning and looked at the mighty Himalaya I felt more sorted out, deeply happy and at peace than I had in years. I had no job, no plan for my career, and no remorse for being utterly unemployed. The results were nothing short of dramatic. Amazingly, I never missed my workplace though just a month ago I couldn’t have imagined not going to office. Neither did I have any withdrawal pangs of not buzzing along with a busy city even though I was a hard core and a spoilt city girl. Of course, it helped that I didn't wake up to go anywhere, the doorbell rang rarely, I stopped checking my emails compulsively, ate on time and ate healthy, had the luxury of sweet naps and talked for long hours with those who really mattered in my life.
Probably nothing else brings more perspective to life than realizing that we are a significant yet miniscule part of the overall scheme of things. Also, that success had more meanings than I had so far figured out. A lot of us don’t realize that we unwittingly define success as chasing the next big shiny object. The price to pay in return is bad health, mental stress and a dysfunctional family life. This life changing decision to remove myself from all of it made me understand that it was indeed possible to live in a busy city, with a big job and still have wellbeing and balance in life. That enlightening journey I traversed spurred me to write Corporate Nirvana and spread the message that has helped me to bring my own life back on track.
Corporate Nirvana has a simple and significant message – the quality of our personal life drives the success of our professional life. Very importantly, the book delves into how to strike this important balance. That’s the key message of the book. The book is an easy read crafted as the story of a protagonist that has many fascinating adventures and experiences as he tries to sort out his priorities. Corporate Nirvana has practical and powerful ideas to balance our personal and professional priorities. It is all about the choices we make. We can choose to be healthier, happier, more balanced, more connected with our personal life, and therefore, more successful in our professional life. The book has a great step-wise plan for doing so, and even helpful worksheets and exercises to clarify your own priorities and goals.
The deliciousness of doing nothing is a gift. I would urge you to try it. Being terribly busy is not necessarily the mark of a successful person. Success is a deeper idea. When we meaningfully and happily suspend ourselves to flow with the current of life tremendous things happen. We find some part of our true selves, detect our destinies, discover our motivations, ponder on our purpose, master our impulses, and realize what truly matters. The mind and spirit have all the answers. Only it takes doing nothing to listen to their voice.
Nothingness taught me to trust my deepest instincts. I've used the big ‘N’ word in the title of my very first book - Nirvana. Corporate Nirvana talks about a few simple things - to be at peace with what one has, to enjoy the present moment, to treat this day we are part of with respect and joy and nurture our relationships above all. You can feel like an absolute star on a daily basis - on the inside.