Self and Social

By Dana Dratch • Bankrate.com Highlights •Make your resolution something you want, not what other people want. •Create a realistic action plan to fulfill your New Year's resolution. •Have someone hold you accountable for sticking to your New Year's goals. With the start of a new decade, let's make sure you stick to those New Year's resolutions. If your New Year's resolutions from last year have gone unresolved, you're not alone. Now a new year offers another opportunity to achieve your goals, and these nine tips should help you keep to your New Year's resolutions. 1. Make it something you really want. Don't make it a resolution that you "should" want or what other people tell you to want. It has to fit with your own values. "Put some thought into it," says Richard O'Connor, Ph.D., author of "Happy at Last: The Thinking Person's Guide to Finding Joy." And avoid knee-jerk New Year's resolutions, he sa...

On United Nations Day, I express my great appreciation to the millions of people throughout the world who believe deeply in our work for peace, development and human rights… and who uphold our ideals and help us achieve our goals. To all of you… friends and fellow citizens of the world… I say: thank you. Sixty-five years ago on this date, the founding Charter of the United Nations entered into force. Every year on UN Day, we reaffirm our global mission. We reassert the universal values of tolerance, mutual respect and human dignity. And we recognize the progress we have made together: gains in literacy and life expectancy… the spread of knowledge and technology... advances in democracy and the rule of law. But above all, UN Day is a day on which we resolve to do more. More to protect those caught up in armed conflict, to fight climate change and avert nuclear catastrophe; more to expand opportunities for women and girls, and to combat injustice and impunity; more to meet the Mille...

Human Development is a development paradigm that is about much more than the rise or fall of national incomes. It is about creating an environment in which people can develop their full potential and lead productive, creative lives in accord with their needs and interests. People are the real wealth of nations. Development is thus about expanding the choices people have to lead lives that they value. And it is thus about much more than economic growth, which is only a means —if a very important one —of enlarging people’s choices. Fundamental to enlarging these choices is building human capabilities —the range of things that people can do or be in life. The most basic capabilities for human development are to lead long and healthy lives, to be knowledgeable, to have access to the resources needed for a decent standard of living and to be able to participate in the life of the community. Without these, many choices are simply not available, and many opportunities in life remain inacc...

Padmashri Deep Joshi needs no introduction. He is the "father-figure" and "Guru" of development professionals in India. He is the co-founder (with Vijay Mahajan) of  one of the best Professional Development Organizations of the world   "PRADAN".    http://www.pradan.net "In electing Deep Joshi to receive the 2009 Ramon Magsaysay Award, the board of trustees recognizes his vision and leadership in bringing professionalism to the NGO movement in India by effectively combining ‘head’ and ‘heart’ in the transformative work of rural development". I had the opportunity to work in PRADAN (from 1st June 1996 to  31st Aug. 2009 : 13 years) and learned lots of things from Deep Joshi. Bishnu with Deep Joshi I am remembering  some of his "Quotes" and "advice" and hope these will inspire young professionals, personnel of NGOs, Research & Resource organizations, academicians, administrators, policy makers and public for dev...

If there a future there is a time for mending - Time to see your troubles coming to an ending. Life is never hopeless however great your sorrow If you are looking forward to a new tomorrow. My wife Matanjali made this art on floor. If there is time for wishing then there is time for hoping - When through doubt and darkness you are blindly groping. Though the heart be heavy and hurt yoy may be feeling - If there is time for praying there is time for healing. So if through your window there is a new day breaking - Thank God for the promise, though mind and soul be aching. If with harvest over there is grain enough for gleaning - There is a new tomorrow and life still has meaning. Collected from i - inspire,  published in i-Next, Ranchi, 3rd April 2010.