I confess to feeling some trepidation when asked to interview Suma Varughese, former editor of Life Positive and Society magazines, about her new book, 50 Life Lessons: A Practical Guide on How to Maximise Happiness. Suma had been my boss, soon became a wise friend I could turn to, and more recently, my writing mentor. I picked up her book with great joy as her writing has always touched a chord in me.
Suma's personalised set of lessons is a combination of personal incidents and stories that allowed me to see the bigger picture. As I turned the pages, it seemed like Suma was talking to me over the phone—warm and nonjudgemental, urging me to go ahead and create a glorious life for myself.
Suma begins by saying that she follows the dictates of her inner guide and, at retirement, felt ready to step into the new path and dream that was unfolding. Her awakening at age 33 had filled her with a deep understanding of life and how to lead it. From then on, she worked hard to grow beyond being a fearful, limited, and unconfident person to becoming the person she was meant to be. Drawing on these tough experiences in order to recommend complementary life lessons, the book's explanations of ideas like 'It is the other person's happiness that counts' and 'Failure can also, if we are not careful, emerge out of success,' are written with a warm vulnerability.
My favourite lesson? Lesson #22. Yet I know that the pages of this book are ones I will visit time and again. And my favourite lessons will change as I go about trying to live life vulnerably.
In this interview, Suma explains how to cultivate the wisdom we need to unlock the puzzle of life and maximise our happiness.
Q. Suma, would you say that the 50 lessons you have shared in your book would help anyone navigate life?
This story is from the April 2022 edition of Life Positive.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2022 edition of Life Positive.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Freedom from Mind
As Suma Varughese embarks on freeing herself of the mind, she finds her allies in her inner Spiritual Warrior and her Vast Higher Self
BANYAN TREE
TEACHING STORY
Joie de vivre at Jeju Island
This month, we travel with Meghan to a beautiful island in South Korea, to see how the women have broken the mould to become the breadwinners of their families.
Be a Kitchen QUEEN
Learn how to make healthy dips, jam and sauces at home to perk up the flavours in your food and avoid buying off-the-counter products high on processed sugar and preservatives,
Embrace Mother Earth
Let's not forego the environmentally friendly practices that we adopted during the pandemic and continue to embrace them for the sake of a healthier and more livable planet
Lord Rama Shows The Way
Jarna Kantaria finds Lord Rama in her heart after reading the Ramayana and following the valuable lesson of accepting the inevitable, taught by Him through example
Find your gateway to happiness
Transformed by the grace of Nichiren Buddhism, Ashish Virmani stresses the importance of adopting a spiritual path on life's journey
Cultivating Vairagya
Vanitha Vaidialingam talks about how the scriptures guide us in gaining mastery over our desires, to live life with equanimity
Meet your Facilitators
Four special interviews curated just for you. Get to know your favourite facilitator through their insightful conversations with bright LP writers.
You Matter
A couple is in the middle of their rendezvous, when the boy announces that he will be travelling for a few days.
