Diwali, the Festival of Lights is upon us.
Millions across the globe make hectic preparations to mark the arrival of one of the most pious days of the year.
From cooking elaborate meals to making the house spotlessly clean and updating wardrobes, no stone is left unturned to make it a memorable day.
But amidst all this gaiety, are we forgetting the meaning of Diwali and its relevance to the modern society?
Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil.
While we do not have a Ravana to fight with in our world, we have another evil plaguing our lives, which is detrimental to our professional and personal growth. It is the biggest hindrance in us leading happy and healthy lives.
Modern Ravana
The modern day Ravana goes by the name of Negativity.
Negativity is the foundation on which any construction is doomed to fail.
In the hectic lifestyles we lead, this evil has the ability to create numerous situations, when we can feel down and out and think that everything is going haywire. The young feel loss of direction while taking important career decisions.
These doubts make us unsure of our abilities and we start pondering over events of the past and how we let down not only others but also ourselves.
The good in our lives, which can take care of this evil is the Positivity.
This is essentially an installation of a belief in us, which can act as a catalyst to help us gain control of the situation and find a way forward.
Positivity manifests itself in the form of energy, which is essential to boost our sagging spirits in trying times.
Another offshoot of Positivity is self-confidence, which stems from the fact that we are certain in our thoughts and actions.
Then we know the path we are treading will lead us to fulfilment of our goals.
These goals can be perceived with clarity by a positive mind; a negative mind can only generate a muddled and wavering thought process.
Negativity also builds up stress in our lives, leading to health problems; hence, a positive attitude will ensure a healthier body, which obviously houses an actively ticking mind.
Positive Pair
Like all good things, positivity comes in pairs and its partner is hard work.
No one has ever achieved anything by procrastinating. Hard work is therefore the key to materialise positive thoughts into actions.
Let us all make a firm resolve to overcome this evil and celebrate Diwali by imbibing its message in letter and spirit.
The benefits will be there for all of us to experience and enjoy.
Apurv Shukla is a young writer based in Auckland
