THE CALL OF HAPPINESS!

If someone had told me a couple of years back that I was going to be a ‘Happiness Coach’ I would have laughed it off and thanked the person for their wishful thinking. Until two years ago, I was in a leadership role with a reputed Business Process Outsourcing organization, busy climbing the corporate ladder and following hectic schedules as a ‘working mother’ . I loved my job and felt a sense of accomplishment at being financially independent. In spite of the high stress levels and complacency that sets in after a solid 16 year tenure in the industry, I never experienced ‘Monday blues’. I was happy with the way my personal and professional life was growing and grateful for all the good things in life.

After a short sabbatical in 2015, I resumed the grind of the corporate world but soon realized that something in me had changed. Fancy designations, fat pay packages, positive opinions of colleagues, none of it made me happy anymore. There was a constant urge within me to seek what exactly I wanted to do and that voice was way too strong to ignore. I realized this was the right time to listen to that inner voice as that voice was prompting me to do what makes me happy!

Right from my childhood, I have been asked by my family and friends how I was so happy and cheerful all the time. I hadn’t ever thought about it, it came naturally to me and was also a result of certain habits I always followed. However, people were very intrigued by this and it got me thinking. I was extremely keen to share my “secrets of happiness”. And that’s what led me to bid adieu to a successful corporate career and plunge into the journey of becoming a Happiness Coach. The truth lies in your inner voice.

It didn’t matter to me whether the role or term of a ‘Happiness Coach’ existed or not. I just knew that I wished to spread happiness and help people lead happier lives. Once I had taken this decision, I didn’t dwell on whether my new career will yield any monetary gains or the kind of success I will find .There was also never an iota of insecurity if I would become rich and famous via the path I had chosen. All I knew was that I was ‘in a happy-flow’ following my inner voice and my lifelong mission to make an impact on people’s lives. I strongly believe that money, fame and success are all by-products of the quality of work you do. It is more important to decide what makes you happy. For me, only the intrinsic value of what I have chosen to do matters and only time can reveal the extrinsic part. Doing what you love is freedom. Loving what you do is Happiness.

It honestly was not an easy switch. However, the rock- solid support from my husband made it seem less daunting. As my sounding board, my biggest critic who never lets me rest in peace, he provided the unstinted support in helping me take the road less travelled and that is how I got a jumpstart in this direction. Find your support partner – it could be your spouse, your best friend, your family member, anyone who has your back covered while you follow your heart and remember “Success isn’t the goal you chase, it’s the outcome of the work that makes you happy…!”

-Rachana Gupta, Happiness Coach

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Wonder Women World.