OCTOBER – DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH

October is the official month for increasing awareness of and preventing Domestic Violence.   I feel privileged to be working with two wonderful groups: Safe Passage locally, and National HOTLINE in San Francisco. 

A couple of weeks ago, I went to San Francisco to speak at a pre-event for the National HOTLINE. I didn’t know that I was going to be the main speaker at the event. I was sharing stories with the guests, the CEO and the other officials of the HOTLINE when my name got called and I went to the front of the crowd and started speaking about my life, my magazine and my book. I didn’t realize how easy it is to speak, even in front of almost 100% new faces when my intentions are good and I am speaking from my heart.  All I want to do is show by example that life after abuse can be amazing.  I want to show others still living in abuse that they are not alone. Once they take the first step, resources do open up and we do find our way to freedom. That is the message I’m trying to share through my little handy-dandy book. This little book has everything from signs of abuse, to ways to get out of it. 

After about fifteen minutes of sharing, I ended the talk on a positive note. “I know I deserve better and I will not accept less then that.”  As people applauded, I went back into the crowd. After my speech, I was very touched to hear the host of the party tell her story of abuse and reveal that it was the first time she told her story in public.  It is very empowering to tell our story, put the blame where it belongs and move forward free from the abuser and the abuse. 

Last weekend, on Oct. 1^st, I had the privilege to speak at the “Day of Unity” press conference for Safe Passage.   What a wonderful way to kick-off Domestic Violence Awareness month. It is an honor and pleasure to work with the CEO and founder of Safe Passage, Trish Steele. She and her husband are amazing people. They taught me how to pray with full faith again. I have met a lot of other wonderful women in the Safe Passage family.  I started my fight against Domestic Violence in a group similar to Safe Passage when I was in Michigan.  That is where I realized that I was living in abuse and that I need to get out.  That was 8 years ago. 

Now I live in Malibu, I have a positive magazine, Malibu Chronicle, and I have a book UNREPORTED that empowers you with the awareness and know-how if you want to end the cycle of abuse and live your own free life. 

Let’s share the love, not the fear. There is life after abuse. And we deserve to live the life that we want to L.I.V.E.

L.I.V.E. represents the ideas and beliefs that sustain me and are vital to my happiness. I LOVE myself. I INSIST on freedom. I am not anyone’s VICTIM. I am EMPOWERED to live my life the way I like it.

Keeping an open heart and L.I.V.E.

Life is pretty amazing! As I stay open to life, I realize there are more opportunities coming my way. I accept the opportunities with open arms and gratitude, and jump in to feel the experience even when I sometimes feel like I may not be prepared. 

I believe all things happen for a reason and at the correct time, so if this opportunity is coming to me at this time, I must be ready enough to be there at this time. I am always willing and ready to learn, so I feel comfortable enough to get started and learn as I go. For

some reason or maybe for that reason, I usually come out okay. I’m not afraid of opportunities when they sound good and feel good.  The same is true about meeting new people in my life. I am open to meeting new people. New people introduce me to more new people, and something good always comes out of it whether it’s a good time, a great experience or both.

The more I experience life and the more I learn, the more I want to experience and learn. Life has been good and is good. I’m excited about this journey that keeps taking me through wonderful experiences and brings wonderful people into my life. I am blessed to have very good friends that I share my work and life with. 

Best of all, I’m blessed to have amazing relationships with my two sons Kunal and Rahul.  It makes me overjoyed when I see them happy and living their dreams. I am looking forward to welcoming my new daughter-in-law, Ritika into my already amazing and fulfilling life.  

All this is possible because I decided to LIVE my life. Learning to L.I.V.E. is a beautiful journey!    

L.I.V.E. represents the ideas and beliefs that sustain me and are vital to my happiness. I LOVE myself. I INSIST on freedom. I am not anyone’s VICTIM. I am EMPOWERED to live my life the way I like it.

*******

  Look for it in Amazon under : Veera Mahaja

  Here is a direct link : purchase UNREPORTED

Keep your eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel

There are so many ‘crazies’ driving on the same roads you are.  So, if you want to get to your next appointment or home safely, make sure you have your eyes on the road at all times and both hands on the steering wheel. You cannot afford to be distracted by text messages or the beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean while you drive on Pacific Coast Highway or through the beautiful canyons of Malibu.

Today as I was driving on Malibu Canyon, a really impatient and crazy driver in the lane going in the opposite direction decided to pass four cars and sped up, coming right at me. If I had not been completely alert and able to quickly slow down so he could swerve back into his lane in front of the other cars, we would have crashed head on. We were only a split second away from being mangled.  I could barely catch a breath as this crazy driver screeched past me. Almost immediately, a motorcyclist suddenly came from behind me, sped into the oncoming traffic, and then cut in front of me at a very high speed. I felt like I was in a car chase game trying to save my car from crashing at any moment. And all this was happening on one of the most beautiful and dangerous canyon roads, Malibu Canyon.  A crash there can easily throw you over the cliff and hundreds of feet down into the canyon. The chance of surviving that fall is slim. If you are lucky enough not to die, you will probably end up badly broken while setting off a brush fire.

Driving recklessly to save 5 minutes could cost the reckless driver’s life, and as they go to their fate, they might take other innocent drivers and passengers with them.  Please think, what is being five minutes late compared to never getting there?  So, people, please drive carefully when you are on these busy roads and canyons. Take a few extra minutes and reach your destinations safely, and let others reach home safely too.

Our Choices Make Our Lives

I have a wish and I know what I want 

I sent my wish to the Universe at play  

I trust the Universe to know better than me, 

About what I need and how to send it my way. 

The Universe blesses me with opportunities 

It is my job to think and weigh the prize 

Do they make sense? Do they make me happy?

I even consult my close confidants and my soul  
For counsel and advise.

I contemplate the pros and cons

Is this option good for me?

Could it hurt me? Could it hurt someone else?

Am I happy in this moment?

I have to make choices at every moment

Through my choices I decide the direction of my ways

I can decide to be selfish and try to satiate the mind now

Or listen to the soul for the bigger picture 

And do what is good for all. 

I like to be happy and live in-joy, so I

Stay positive and get out of my own way

At least I will have a great experience 

Learn something to create a chain of good experiences 
Use what I learn to have a better LIFE!

Veera

            Buy "Unreported".

You Have to Follow Your Gut

You have to follow your gut feeing even if you’re not completely sure how it might turn out. It might work out the way you expect or hope or it may go totally opposite of what you want to happen. If you have done all your homework and still everything you see is going wrong you have to take action.  At the time the only thing you can count on is your inner voice and follow the path it guides you to. Hold your ground and keep marching forward.  Make sure you don’t base your life decisions on advice from people who don’t have to deal with the consequences.  Once you make a decision you have to also be prepared to accept the results.  That is why always, always trust your first gut instinct. If you feel something is wrong, it usually is.  Deep down you already know the truth.

Remember, your first instinct is usually right. Once you know in your gut you are doing the right thing, never apologize for trusting your intuition. Your brain can play tricks your heart can blind, but your gut is always right. Our gut feeling is the closest thing we have in life to a road map.  It’s good to follow your heart and your gut but make sure you bring your brain with you.  Do your homework and get the facts right before acting.  Sometimes you have to stop thinking too much and just go where your heart takes you. You have to follow your gut.

I am enjoying the journey to L.I.V.E. free….

I LOVE myself, I INSIST on freedom, I am not anyone’s VICTIM, I am EMPOWERED to live my life the way I like it.  

My book “UNREPORTED” made No. I International Bestseller!!

I am so excited and grateful and feel so blessed to have my work of love in my book “UNREPORTED” ranked No. 1 International Bestseller in the US, Canada, Australia and # 7 in UK. 

It took my whole life to learn about domestic abuse, and the last 6 years to really understand why I had to go through it and what my purpose would be in this world. 

I have no regrets. I know what abuse is.  I know how it feels and I know that no one deserve to feel like that. I am sure and strong enough now that not only can I protect myself but I have built enough knowledge, empathy and skills to know that I am prepared to help others when I see someone suffering in an abusive situation. 

As my son so profoundly reminded me just a couple of days ago, no matter how much I want to help and

no matter how much it hurts me to see someone putting up with abuse or living in it, I cannot help unless that someone wants help or is ready to be helped. So, my job right now is to increase awareness about the cancer that an abusive relationship can be. My book UNREPORTED brings awareness to this subject and lets you know that when you are ready to break the cycle, there is help and you can escape.

Today I am living a life which proves there can be an amazing life after.  We just need to have courage to go find it. 

Please learn to L.I.V.E. that free life. 

Veera

Wow! Surviving hanging from over the side of the hill! Literally!

This Monday started just like any other day or at least any other Monday with the alarm going off at 6:30am.  The first thing to do of course is to check my calendar on the phone to make sure I don’t miss anything on the day’s schedule.

As soon as I reached Malibu Diamond gym for my morning workout, I was shocked to find out that the gym was vandalized overnight. It was terrible to see the glass broken everywhere and finding out that someone broke into my home-away-from- home, where most of my mornings are spent.  As I finally got on the stepper and tried to get a workout, my son called with the saddest news. He had just found out that one of his childhood friends had suddenly died and no one knew why and how.

It was a little too much early in the morning. The sadness of losing a young life like that was unbearable and I had a good cry.

Somehow got through the workout and was driving home, slowly going up the hill as I enjoy driving every day.   Suddenly, I felt good as I saw my friend Hermine walking down the hill. I decided to stop and say hello. Hermine likes to talk. She likes to tell stories.  So to save her from standing in the middle of the road as she would normally do to tell me something, I decided to pull over onto a very narrow shoulder. NOT A GOOD IDEA.  PLEASE DO NOT EVER DO THAT ON A STEEP HILL OVERLOOKING A VERY LOW CANYON AND NOT IN A REGULAR LOW TIRE CAR. Well I did it and learned the hard way what a horrible mistake that was.

Once the story was finished and after a few laughs between friends and saying bye to Hermine, I tried to pull out onto the road again and the scariest thing happened. The tires were spinning but not willing to move forward, instead the car started slipping back and I realized I was very close to the edge and if I tried to move again the car could easily go over with me in it. If there was a chance to get out of this, I had to drive in reverse while staying very close to the road.  Problem is I AM NOT A

VERY GOOD REVERSE DRIVER.  Today, at this moment, when I am hanging over the edge, I so wished I had practiced driving in reverse.  IT WAS SO SCARY. I WAS TREMBLING, ALMOST PARALYZED AND STUCK TO THE SEAT.

Hermine tried to help. Then tried to flag someone driving up the hill for help. Finally a good Samaritan stopped. His name was Ron, and he tried to guide me in my reverse driving pursuit, but when he realized I might make a slight fatal mistake and drive right off the cliff, he offered to do it for me.  I put the car in park and somehow slid out of it. He took my seat and like a pro drove backwards hugging the road and eventually when I saw one tire coming back on the road I knew the danger was over and we will be fine.

I could not believe that time passed and I was actually driving back home.  I trembled and cried for almost three more hours. My body was so tight from shaking and my head was hurting.

Thank you JC for the tea and eggs to calm me down. It was an unbelievably interesting day for sure. 

Advise from Captain Chris McKernan, Firestation 71, Malibu.  In any car accident, get out of the car as soon as you can. Your safety is more important than the car.