Steamy mugs - Live your dream, follow your passion

What is life all about? 

Life is all about living? But for what living? Have you ever asked a simple question to yourself, are you satisfied with the life that you're living right now? If your answer is YES then hats-off you're doing what you are loving and that's why you're satisfied.

And if your answer is NO, then there is something wrong and you have to find yourself why you are not satisfied with the life that you're blessed with, and maybe the simple and straightforward answer is you are not doing what you are LOVING.

So, ask yourself what is the one thing you love to do in your life that will make you happy and satisfied and the day you will find the answer, just run behind it, no matter what hurdles you face, but, what when you start chasing the thing you love, you are bound to achieve success in that.

I took the first step by chasing the thing that I love. I love TEA, yes 'CHAI', I am a big tea freak who likes to prepare variety of teas and always try to experiment with it. The craze for tea goes long way back when I was just 12 years old, 

I still remember the first time I prepared my first cup of tea for my mom, I was 12 years old and I thought I will prepare a tea for my mom , I went to the kitchen and started preparing my first ever tea. After preparing I took the tea and went to my mom and told her, mom here's the tea for you, please have it and my mom was actually shocked and at the same time she was happy to get a tea served by her young son. She took the first sip and told me this tea is different from the one I prepare, what all ingredients did you put in this? And I told her that's a secret, but, I know she might have guessed it, but, didn't expressed it and she just appreciated me 'beta chai bahut acha banaya hai tune'

From that day on-wards, whenever any guest drops by at our home, my mom use to ask me to prepare tea for them and also brags about the way I prepare tea, 

Initially I liked the appreciation from my mom, but, whenever my relatives and neighbors use to taste my tea they just got one thing to say, I have never tasted such a tea before, and also there was time when one of my aunt commented, 'aisa chai toh meri bahu ne bhi nahi banayi hai'. 

I don't know why, but, these praises for my tea made me think, when you can prepare such good tea then why not you should open a 'chai tapri' and start selling it to people, and this was when I was 14 15 years old. 

I remember those nights when I use to dream of opening a chai tapri, at that time I never thought my dream going to become a reality. I was from a science background and was very bad at biology and thus ended up taking engineering and also my dad thought after engineering my son will have a good future. But, my eye was on something else. 

During my engineering days whenever I use to hangout around tapri with my friends, I used to discuss about the craze and love that I have for 'Tea' with my friends, and they use to taunt me, 'bhai tu engineer bann ne wala hai', 'chai ki dhukan dalega kya'? 

'Log kya kahenge' - This one important thing stops most people from following their dream.

When I was pursuing my engineering, I thought I always hang around these chai tapri's, but, never visited any coffee / tea shops or cafes for a cup of tea, I asked myself 'Why' and the answer was simple 'it was not pocket friendly' and I cannot afford it, I thought my 'chai tapri' will be a pocket friendly place, where anyone and everyone can come for a cup of tea and coffee.

During my final year engineering I decided my chai tapri or in a standard term, my cafe will serve the best of tea and coffee at pocket friendly price. But one thing was stopping me from pursuing my dream and that was my parents wish and dream to see me working in a good company, so that they can feel my son will have a secured life now. 

I didn't wanted to disappoint my parents dream and also I thought I don't have enough money to start my dream cafe , so I decided to work for few years. I worked for a company for 4 years and at that time too, the craze for tea didn't vanish and everytime I see a tapri, I just start thinking of opening my standard tapri for the common man. 

After completing 4 years in my job, I asked myself, what are you doing with your life? Are you really happy with the work you are doing? What will make you happy? 

The simple answer that was thrown at my face was 'Chase your dream...'. Life is not all about making money. 

I don't want to regret at the age of 60+ by not following my dream, I need to take to first step and even if I fail I will get to learn from my mistakes. This is the right time to take a risk and I am ready for it.

Dec-2015, the day I took the first step in chasing my dream, the thing that I always wanted to do since my childhood. After working around my plan for 3 months I brought my baby 'Steamy Mugs' to the world.

March -2016: 'Steamy Mugs' was born, 

Initially when I started there was many people including my family who were not at all happy with the decision that i had taken, everybody just got one thing to say... you've gone mad to leave your good job and doing things which can be done even by a illiterate person, they were right from their view point, but, I strongly believed in one thing, I am going to what I always loved and this will make me smile every night I go to sleep.

We completed one year and I don't know about what other people are still thinking about me, but, my parents are happy with the way I have taken it forward. 

There is struggle in every field we choose, but, without struggle and hurdles we are not going to enjoy this journey called 'Life'. 

The struggle becomes 'joy' when you actually do what you 'Love'. I believe if we give our 100% percent at whatever we do, we are bound to achieve success.

Live your dream...Follow your passion - Be Passionate Forever. :)

Prem Vellaiyan - https://www.facebook.com/pRem0302

Steamy Mugs - https://www.facebook.com/SteamyMugs

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