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One night we were working late at the office. A major project was to be submitted to a client who was of great importance. As would be expected, we lost track of time and our appetite was the last thing on our mind. Somewhere around midnight the lot of us started to get hungry. I myself was now growing restless, I came to realise that we had starved the entire day. We drove to the city, bought food from one of our favourite restaurants and were heading back to the office when one of my friends’ caught sight of a little boy sitting on the street with his younger sister. It seemed like they were among the migrant workers who found themselves stranded in the night on the walk back to their hometowns as a result of the lockdown which had cost their family jobs. We spoke to them and found out that they had walked over 30 miles so far, with little to no food. Without a second thought, we handed over our parcels and continued towards the office. It was disheartening to see kids who’re supposed to be in school, stranded on the street.

We had run out of cash and now had no food, so we came into terms with the fact that all of us would have to starve until morning — at least the kids wouldn’t have to sleep hungry. But something weird happened, we weren’t hungry anymore… We were so happy that we had offered a hand to the kids, that nothing seemed to matter at the moment.

As of now, 1.6 crore salaried jobs have been lost and I’m presuming a lot more are not even on the records. While some of us are privileged enough to stay within the comforts of the wealth we or our loved ones have accumulated, there are a million others counting on what’s left of their savings and hoping for better days.

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1. Understand the individual for all he is

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Nothing comes as a perfect package. As humans, we can’t deny our flaws. While we enjoy the warmth of the sun during winter, the scorching heat of the sun in the summer makes us hate it. But there’s nothing wrong with the sun, it’s the expectations associated with the sun that alters our feelings toward it. The moment you see and understand the person as much as you can, (you won't completely be able to understand the person and that’s okay) accept him/her for who he/she is. Don’t get too attached to the side that appeals to you the most rather learn to appreciate the flaws too! You will come to understand why he/she expects certain things.

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2. Find a way to fulfil the true objectives without affecting your morale nor the individual's expectations

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Once you have understood logically and not emotionally — the amygdala hugely influences our emotions, hence masking our ability to see the true picture — find out what the cause of such an expectation is and figure out the true objective behind it. There are chances that one might not be able to see the actual truth of what is being sought. For example, someone who might want to make more money so that he/she can help more people will certainly expect higher revenue targets from the organization. Once you understand this motive, can you think of a way to moderately earning the projected revenue and at the same time reach the goal of helping more people? You’ll definitely find a way!

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3. Persuade and Wait

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If the intentions are good, then you can always work without hesitation, but upon trying to understand the individual’s intent if you find that it’s driven by greed or wrong intentions, persuade the person. Not everybody has the ability to see through multiple lenses. If you are a close acquaintance or you are valuable to the person, your perspectives will be considered. Don’t react if certain points arise that are absolutely against your views, persuade him/her patiently and wait.

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4. Don’t forget all the good parts because of a few flaws

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You have been loyal to the person because of all the good he/she has done for you. Don’t let some flaws shadow the good intentions of the person. Don’t assume that the intentions of doing good to you were selfish and absolutely DO NOT come to a conclusion on your own. It’s better to carry positivity in the mind about the person, rather than negative notions based on a few assumptions.

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5. The truth has many versions, but leads to the same thing

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Don’t let your loyalty come in the way of learning what the truth is. It’s better to move along a different path if you realize you are drifting away from the truth. Make sure to give credits to the person who backed you and lifted you up to see what the truth is. If you have tried all of the 4 steps to the best of your ability and not with an intention of leaving but with an intention of staying loyal, and yet your ideologies don’t match, then it's time to separate your path and move along. This would be a good time for you to start a new journey and explore new truths and lessons that will help you realize your purpose and help you reach your goals faster. When you reach a higher orbit, don’t forget to credit the person who pushed you there; don’t let the flaws in a person shield you from seeing the good in them.

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“You have to take the good with the bad, smile with the sad. love what you got, and remember what you had. Always forgive, but never forget, learn from your mistakes but never regret. People change, things go wrong, but just remember life goes on.”

— Chime on Goodreads