Living with Leaders Self-Interviews!

Interviewee: @coolj9

What have you learnt in your life so far, from which the world can benefit?

In my experience, there is no pre-determined good or bad in this world. Like the most famous examples of what appears 6 from one angle is 9 at other, what appears 8 at one angle can be infinity from other. And another not so famous but important example, even globally accepted Newton's laws has exception of Non-Newtonian fluid - our blood. What it teaches to me is our blood itself teaches us to not limit ourselves to preconceived laws even if they are globally stamped and decorated. So, I think we can benefit immensely instead of going by others' definition of what is good/bad, success/failure, moral/immoral we shall be knowing and living our true individual nature, like a rose who blossoms like a rose without bothering whether whole world says daffodils or lotuses or lilies are greatest.

Which quality is the most important in a human being and why?

As I see, the most important quality in a human being is being aware that we are capable of making a choice and there is such abundance to choose from. All the living beings including plants, birds and animals have a definite mechanism of survival. They live their lives in a pre-designed frame from birth to death. However, humans have distinguished capability to think, wonder, question and seek answers to the these questions. In this quest, the consciousness levels of humans can fall lower than those of animals (shame, guilt, depression) or raise higher than those of majority of humans (acceptance, love, bliss, enlightenment). Hence, being aware of on what level of consciousness we are functioning and how to elevate to the highest form of consciousness is the most important quality of a human in my view.

What is life for, according to you?

From what I know so far, there are multiple mythologies / holy legends and there are multiple scientific advances. Legends recite of continuous enhancement of life and science works towards continuous enhancement. Holiness aims at making a human divine, science is working to make a man more capable each passing day. Religions speak that we root from the creator while science is making an effort to make every individual a creator. Hence, according to me, through science or religion or by means harmonic of both, life is for becoming one with the creator. Life is this opportunity to experience, know and transform ourselves by all the available means and senses.

Any feedback for the Living with Leaders interview series?

It is not often that a listener expresses his being in entirety. So, I would like to thank creators of this series to provide a canvas for everyone to express themselves. Thank you!

Interviewee: @Calmnesssearch

What have you learnt in your life so far, from which the world can benefit?

Life has solutions. Life is beautiful.

Any feedback for the Living with Leaders interview series?

Spread positivity and inspire people

Interviewee-: @HavenonEarth

What general tips do you have for overcoming struggles and challenges of life?

My general tips for overcoming struggles and challenges in life, include, but are not necessarily exclusive to things like...if you run into the same problem multiple times over, then it may be time to consider a different way of approaching the problem.

If you keep avoiding it, it might just keep coming back to haunt you, so you might as well find a way to properly and directly deal with the issue(s).

Pivoting is a good skill in many areas of life, and you should not give up so easily, just because you are not getting exactly what you or need as soon as you want it to. When I was 18 years old, or even way before I wanted to do this, I tried to take my first few steps in moving out of my folks' home. It didn't work out too well for a multitude of reasons and I didn't actually get out for good until I was 23, which was about 2 years ago.

You shouldn't make big decisions like this and consider all the pros and cons that may come with it. You can also only plan so far ahead until you also have to learn to compromise somewhat and improvise. Balance is key and it's not about being perfect, it's about trying your best.

The only person you should be competing with constantly is the 'you' of yesterday, not other people around you - who definitely have had different circumstances and behave differently in general, so, it would not be a fair comparison to them nor yourself to begin with.

How does one manage expectations in relationships?

Well, considering how different all of us are, keep in mind that there is rarely ever a 'one size fits all' solution to any problem that may crop up in our lives. With that in mind, I know this may sound kind of a low caliber, I suppose you could say, but just...don't expect anything.

What I mean by this is endeavour to hope for the best, not expect - they're two very different things, with the former being a usually steadfast standard that must be adhered to; whilst the latter is just a wish or something that would be great if they did or said it, but in case they did not, it would not ruin your day or your whole world in the process.

I think it is a good thing, absolutely, to desire a minimum - like staying monogamous, if that's your preference and the person in mind has also discussed that this is their preference; or telling each other what is on your mind, whether good or bad, in a manner this polite, respectful and not meant to personally hurt either party in any way. If both sides cannot win, then try and find a compromise or agree to disagree on potential sources of conflict.

Even if something is personally meant, or even if it's intended to harm you, try not to take it personally. This can take practice and time, especially if this does not come naturally to you, and that's totally fine...changes like these do that a lot of time, but when you succeed in, it's great and the result usually sticks for good. This is not an attitude I simply advocate for romantic relationships, but all relationships that you will ever have.

You need to have an open and honest way of communicating with others in order to keep on thriving. Prior to even that, though, it's important to work on yourself first and achieve some goals or dreams you have in mind or in your heart. Unless you can make yourself happy first and be content on your own to a significant degree, you are gonna have a hard time making someone else happy vice versa.

This is not meant to discourage and disparage people in any way, it's just me trying to be realistic and show you tough love. Sometimes, I'm kind of shocked to hear how much the occasional married individual does not know about their spouse, when I hear about other people's personal stories.

If you're not sure how you or your partner chooses to spend their money, what motivates them, what they like and dislike, their ideologies or values and where they see the relationship going in the short or long term, what it's like to live with them, (among many other aspects) ...it's gonna be a difficult marriage to live with.

It's an ongoing process and we'll never know about ourselves fully, let alone others, so don't expect too much...just hope for the best and make it happen, if it's not already working out for you now. Complacency can breed arrogance, so I recommend to people to be avid, life-long learners in fields beyond just the usual academic pursuits.

What helps you be a good listener in your real life?

Well, I would say trying to learn how to speak as well as you listen are very valuable skills to have - neither one being more important than each other. They're like two different sides of either coin...they are imperative to keep functioning well and are two halves of a greater whole.

That can look like many things, and it is normal to be better at either one or the other when you start out in life. Again, don't strive for perfection - because that's just not realistic, nor humanly possible...strive for an excellent caliber in life and what you do in it.

This means that when you are changing, there will be a lot of setbacks present and even some people may want to hold you back too. It's good to read articles, books, listen to podcasts, watch videos or documentaries and talk to other people to improve yourself in these manners.

No matter how talented or talentless you are at either listening or speaking, if you really love it and care about it enough, it is likely that you can find a way to make it better overtime. I didn't come out of womb knowing how to speak as specifically as I do or listen as attentively as I do today - stuff like this takes time and effort for everyone, it just depends on how long, how much and what methods do or do not work for you overall.

If you keep your mind, eyes, ears and heart open to other perspectives; then you will benefit and learn as effectively as you possibly can as a listener or a person in general. Once you accept that you simply do not know everything, then you can figure out the ways you can improve as a listener and what you are already good at and should keep doing.

At least, this is just my experience, but I hope you have come away from reading all this with something else to think about for a while. Thank you for listening to me and I hope you all have a good day or night, stay hydrated, take care and all the best to you in all that you aim for in life. Peace!

Any 7cups friends you'd like to nominate for a self-interview? Any member or listener can give a self-interview here anytime if interested: https://tinyurl.com/LivingwithLeaders (We'll include your answer in the interview.)

@KimByeongIn (if they haven't already!)

Any feedback for the Living with Leaders interview series?

No, not for now, thanks for asking me to complete this form.

Interviewee-: @Rhea3

What message do you want to leave for the world through your life?

Life is never what we expect. It's a hard journey. It will knock you down over and over. But remember you can always get back up. Always. We are human. It isn't failure...it's learning..unless you quit.

What general tips do you have for overcoming struggles and challenges of life?

You are truly stronger than you can ever know..just give yourself a fighting chance and you will see this. Sometimes it takes time, but I know we can make it through the worst..I'm still here able to share what I know.

What do you hope to achieve in the next one year?

I intend to get my house in order to my comfort zone within the next year as well as working on my self-care and hopefully finding a few new activities or groups to have a life outside of my house that is driving me crazy lol. Love to all that want and need it.

Interviewee-: @KimByeongIn

What have you learnt in your life so far, from which the world can benefit?

I've learned that everything in life is "in passing" and therefore, we as mortal humans, need to take every moment and make it mean something. It doesn't have to be anything big. Something small, like treating yourself to some ice cream pays too!

What has been your learning at 7cups, from which the fellow 7cuppers could benefit?

7 cups has been a saviour for me. It's a place where I've found myself at "home". There's so much to do here, so much love to give and receive. I've found myself becoming more and more aware of mental health issues and the remedies.

What have been your learnings as a listener?

As a listener, I've come across so many people, each with different issues, and yet I've found myself relating to them or reaching out to understand them, at least. This way, I've become more patient and understanding even in my offline life. I'm thankful that being a listener has helped me become a better person.

Any 7cups friends you'd like to nominate for a self-interview? Any member or listener can give a self-interview here anytime if interested: https://tinyurl.com/LivingwithLeaders

@jules1054

Any feedback for the Living with Leaders interview series?

Not right now. This is an amazing idea.

Interviewee-: @SukoLovesHito133

What message do you want to leave for the world through your life?

I want the world to know that there is always at least one person that loves them! 💜

What do you hope to achieve in the next one year?

I hope to achieve a better relationship with my mom 💜

What general tips do you have for overcoming struggles and challenges of life?

The tips I would give someone if they're overcoming challenges is: Take a step back, look at what you're doing wrong, and maybe that will help you learn how to overcome these challenges!

Thank you for doing this interview again, Suko!

These are super inspirational- thanks to all interviewees for sharing ^^

Interviewee-: @SmileSravani

Which quality is the most important in a human being and why?

The most important quality in a human being, in my opinion, is being true to yourself and others. If you are true to yourself, you are following your morals and values. This also means that you will stand by it, and you will never let go of it. This in fact gives me a sense of purpose in life.

If you are true to others, that means that you are being real to others, and it creates a connection between you and others. Loyalty, being straightforward yet kind (as you mean for their best), showing care always, understanding them, all come under this.

For example, if you really think that a habit of your friend's is hurting them and their life, pointing it out to them in a nice and understanding way will really mean you are a straightforward friend who has their best interests at heart. Understanding is a huge thing that lays the foundation for any relationship, so it's important to create a beautiful relationship with yourself and others!

What general tips do you have for overcoming struggles and challenges of life?

Stay. Press on! You will definitely reach your goals. Don't let go. Put your heart on it. Nothing is ever impossible. The beauty of success shall be your motivation. Analyse your weaknesses and work on them. Enhance your strengths and build on it. Put aside those negative thoughts, let them teach you what to be cautious of, not engulf you into a flame. Focus on the good things, and admire every step of your journey, learn, don't give up, YOU WILL GET THERE. I believe in you. Get back up fighting. Fight till you make it! Life is a war, and there is only one way, advance forward, my comrades! We are going to win this! If you ever need to talk, just hit me up haha!

In what ways are you, or can be, a good presence in the world?

As a cheerful person, I uplift people around me with a smile. Just the other day, on the bus home, I saw a girl crying, and got off at her stop. I waved at her from inside. She was confused, as she did not know me, and waved back (probably thinking that I am probably someone she knew but couldn't recognize), and I gestured to her to smile. It's all these tiny tiny things you do that leave a sparkle everywhere you go. Make people smile each day, and you truly are making a great presence in life. That's what I do, especially as a humorous and cheerful person. Many wonder how I can be so positive even after so many things I have gone through. It is hope. Hope that one day it will change. And hope that I can enlighten others to join me on this walk towards change. Together we shall support each other, and smile, and make great presence in this world!

Any 7cups friends you'd like to nominate for a self-interview? Any member or listener can give a self-interview here anytime if interested: https://tinyurl.com/LivingwithLeaders

Huge list: @Fristo @Sunisshiningandsoareyou @brightsunset61 @BubbleGumWings @SirenofSerenity, only a few from the top of my head

Any feedback for the Living with Leaders interview series?

No, it was perfect. Thank you for this session. Perhaps next time, it could be a conversation over 7cups! I would really love to hear from you all soon!

Thank you @SmileSravani for this wonderful interview

Interviewee-: @Magicalocean594

What message do you want to leave for the world through your life?

The message I want to leave for the world throughout my life is don’t ever hesitate to ask for help, I’ve learned through myself and others that sometimes we don’t always want to ask for help because either we don’t want to be burdens on others or feel we can do it ourselves. I have learned that when I ask for help most of the time, people are willing to help if reasonable, and also wanting to help, it’s important to know everyone needs help sometimes in life we can’t always do things ourselves.

What work gives you a sense of purpose?

My career as a peer support specialist gives me purpose. Everyday when I go in, if I can help at least one person suffering with mental illness or substance abuse issues no matter how small the task, I feel good and accomplished with a sense of purpose in my own life.

What helps you be a good listener in your real life?

What helps me be a good listener in life, is taking what I have learned through 7 cups and my own work and allowing that to be utilized with my children, family and clients. Especially since my own career requires active listening skills, it’s utilized daily which also i feel makes me a good and always growing listener.

Any 7cups friends you'd like to nominate for a self-interview? Any member or listener can give a self-interview here anytime if interested: https://tinyurl.com/LivingwithLeaders

@scarbstar @hopefulbambi @dtanushree

Any feedback for the Living with Leaders interview series?

I thought the questions were amazing. I wish we could have done more than three

Thank you for this wonderful interview @Magicalocean594!

The interview of the leader of the series himself!!

Interviewee-: @Fristo

What message do you want to leave for the world through your life?

I would like to inspire faith in the higher. In the long run, if you keep your mind focused in a good direction, it all makes astonishing sense!

What are your personal goals and what helps you progress towards achieving those goals?

My goal is to have a calmer and cleaner mind. Through my studies and my work at 7cups, I progress in my goal.

Which quality is the most important in a human being and why?

Self-honesty is the most important quality in a human being. Got to strive to be good in your own eyes!

Any 7cups friends you'd like to nominate for a self-interview? Any member or listener can give a self-interview here anytime if interested: https://tinyurl.com/LivingwithLeaders

@TayTayy

Thank you for this interview @Friso!!