Overcoming Pike Syndrome!

My friend Manasa, she is very pretty has thick and silky hair that hangs a little bit below her shoulders and few hair hangs on one side of her face which gives a good look and prettier like Vidya Balan in ‘Lageraho Munnabhai’  movie. 

In college we were group of friends and used to call her ‘Beauty ‘and used to tease her a lot and had lots of fun especially in the hostel. She is very sportive, beautiful, intelligent, fun and full of life. She used to work in Hyderabad for a construction firm before leaving to USA after marriage and has two kids Sanvi (8 year old) and Anand (6 year old).

She used to tell me that ‘She is Desi and her kids are Angreji’. 

When I asked her about this, she said,’ they born in Chicago and speaks English. Even when she insisted to learn Telugu, her mother tongue they say ‘Chill mom’.

One day, she told Sanvi to learn dessert names in Telugu in a hope of cropping an interest for language.

Hmm ‘okay Mom’ said Sanvi.

She showed a ‘Laddoo’ and ask her to repeat the name Laddoo

Sanvi said ‘Laadoo’.

Sanvi repeated ‘Laadoo’ irrespective of her efforts. Finally Manasa said to herself if I do this more, it looks like I am gonna forget Telugu. Better I should think something innovative to teach them the language.

Poor girl…. her efforts are ON even today.

She called me one day and said ‘Anu I need your help’.

What happened Manasa ? Is there any good news of third baby? Do I need to do baby sit?

Umm….nothing like that. Baby sit is not an easy job dear. It will be a roller coaster ride with my kids and you will run away in few days…

Hmm….

Jokes apart, what’s the matter dear? Is everything alright?

Yes Anu. Just want to share with you my feelings and thoughts.

Hmm.. go ahead  I am all ears!

‘It’s been more than 7 years coming to States and I didn’t do anything to upgrade my knowledge and skills. I prepared for TOEFL and GRE to get admission in to MS when I came here in 2008, somehow it didn’t materialize and now I am feeling like I am where I was then when I left Hyderabad. I had such a long gap from work & studies and lost touch what can I do now?

It’s not like for the first time I felt this, almost every year I feel like filling up the form of admission in spring or Autumn but...

I feel like still I have some more time as kids need to understand and do their works by their own and of course I don’t have any regrets that I had given entire time to the family as Family is my biggest strength.

But now I feel yes it’s time I want to push myself and need to stop further postponing enrolling in to MS but not happening. Suggest me few  meditation courses or something as my mind is continuously thinking about this and struggling with me , I feel like depressed or something which I am not sure what it is and  am not at all feeling good..."

She poured her heart out but I don’t know how to console her. Somehow I said, ‘you should try Raja yoga and google it for meditation centers which are there in Chicago near to your place. Also, you may try in you tube for meditation courses.’

I remember saying, 'listen to music and busy yourself by doing something u like painting, fitness etc...'

Anu I am not interested in any of these things...just I want to calm down my mind...

I was in touch with her for some days on and off giving moral support and somehow we got busy in our lives and lost touch.

After an year, She called and said she got admission in Loyola University Chicago

Wow dear..I am so happy for you. How come you did this?

Manasa said, ‘Anu, I just told to myself loudly that,’ I can do it; I will do this and no more procrastination. This is my Decision’.

Bob Proctor, Motivational Speaker in one of his videos explained that

 First step is ‘Make the decision and be there. And that’s really what you have to do’.

‘The second you make a decision, you flip your brain on to a different frequency and you start to attract things to you that you'd never get without making the decision.’

“You are the only problem you will ever have and you are the only solution. Change is inevitable, personal growth is always a personal decision.” – Bob Proctor

This is all I did Anu and now I am where I wanted to be. I am Happy and content now. This principle applies to any circumstance, anything you want to achieve.

Finally, she had broken her glass barrier and took the first step of realizing her potential. No more a surrendered Pike.

I am trying my best to break the glass ceiling? Are you ?

Pike syndrome

You may have heard of the famous research experiment where a northern pike (a fish) was placed in one-half of a large aquarium, with numerous minnows swimming freely (and visibly) in the other half of the glass divided tank.  As the pike became hungrier, it made numerous unsuccessful efforts to eat the minnows, but only succeeded in battering its snout against the glass divider.  Slowly the pike learned that reaching the minnows was an impossible task, and simply gave up.  When the glass partition was removed, the pike surprisingly didn’t attack the minnows even though they swam freely around the tank.

Many of us fail to push past our self-imposed barriers of limitation.

Awareness is the first step.

Bibliography :

Source of my inspiration: My friend Nishant

https://www.annegradygroup.com/are-you-a-victim-of-the-pike-syndrome/