Recycling Emotions: How it Changed My Life

Ruined. That one word could have defined how my life was 7 years ago. Depression was at its peak and frustration would often peek in for a change. The situation was being faced by almost all of my batch mates. The year was 2001 and the economy was not at its best. And to top it all I was just an average student, a strict no-no then for employers. Job interviews would result in insults and smirks only helping the depression to possess me more. I would try to blow up the sadness in smoke but the effect would only be temporary. The only friend who knew all was my diary. Life had come to a standstill. Just like in the movies and advertisements.

Cut to the present. I have a cushy job in one of the most sought after companies in the world; I have ample money to blow up in the stock market, a wonderful wife and no trace of depression. I had been all too engrossed in my happy world until one day I found the diary while cleaning out the attic.

Memories started coming back from the archives of the mind, reminders of the days when life was not at its best. And then came the memory of the most important event of my life; the interview with my father. He was the one who had initiated the change in me. I had learnt the art of converting frustration to motivation from him. I started getting a job.

I realized I was at fault because I was knocking doors of big companies without qualifications or experience. Since I didn't have the flying colors, I decided to get there with experience. I got into a small company. The workload was almost unbearable and the pay was meager but the experience was priceless. All the bashing made me more frustrated and I used it to feed my hunger for motivation. I told myself to work harder and learn more. That one job laid the groundwork for my future job changes until I got my present job. Today, the very companies that insulted me and virtually kicked me out from their premises call me up to know when I will change my job. And I am enjoying every moment of it.

Another field I was losing out was women. All the tension had made me lose hair and my confidence with it. After having tried a thousand doctors with my meager income, I decided to use the master formula here. I decided to shave off any hair that was still left. And women found that sexy!!!

People advise me to be happy and not be frustrated. But then that is my secret weapon. The more frustrated I am the more I get to put into the recycling factory. Recently, I was put in a project in which I had no exposure. The initial period was tough. I could make neither heads nor tails of what was going on. But then the very frustration made me work harder. I shamelessly pestered people to help me. I read books, notes, scourged the internet for help. And today I am considered an expert. I am asked to train newcomers.

All the above sure looks like an advertisement for some miracle pill or amulet but it is for us to realize that the miracle is within. The secret is to convert the negative to positive and no amulet can do that. All it needs is the recycle factory, the power within, which recycles. People tell me to stay away from negative emotions. They tell me to encourage the happier and the nice emotions. Life is easier that way. Why should we shrug away negative emotions? After all they are ours too. We need a little bit of everything. And life is never fun when it is easy. We have all been through bad patches but who shrug them away? Why not learn from them?

When the television beams the advertisement for that magical amulet, I simply smile because I know, the magic is within me. I believe in recycling everything: plastic, paper and emotions.