New Delhi [India], October 26: What shapes the person we become, and how much of our lives is determined by the choices we make consciously? These questions lie at the heart of ‘It Matters A Lot’, the debut book by IAS officer and author Shubhra Saxena, published by Rupa Publications. Featuring a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the book examines the experiences, influences and turning points that shape an individual’s understanding of life.
In his foreword, His Holiness the Dalai Lama writes, “I congratulate her on writing on what I believe readers will find a useful and stimulating guide towards a meaningful life of compassion and respect to others”. He further emphasised the importance of compassion and cooperation, writing, “These values matter because they form the foundation of both a meaningful individual life and a functioning community. Human survival has long secured not by strength or intelligence alone, but by cooperation and a willingness to care about lives beyond our own.”
Tracing the journey of human life from childhood to old age, Saxena explores how family, education, social expectations, ambition, relationships and personal setbacks influence identity and decision-making. The narrative moves through questions of achievement and fulfilment, love and loss, ageing, acceptance and the search for meaning.
A key feature of the book is its emphasis on self-reflection. Each chapter concludes with questions that encourage readers to examine their beliefs, motivations and choices. Drawing on psychology, philosophy, neuroscience and lived experience, the book connects self-awareness with conscious living, highlighting how understanding one’s thoughts and responses can influence relationships and everyday decisions.
Commenting on the book, Shubhra Saxena, said, “Through ‘It Matters A Lot’, I hope to encourage readers to pause and reflect on the experiences, beliefs and choices that shape their lives. A meaningful life is not defined by achievement alone, but also by how well we understand ourselves, how we treat others and the values that guide our decisions.”
Saxena secured the first rank in the 2008 Civil Services Examination. With ‘It Matters A Lot’, she turns her attention beyond conventional measures of success to the questions that influence individual well-being, human relationships and a sense of purpose.
Published by Rupa Publications, the book presents self-reflection as an ongoing process, inviting readers to reconsider who they have become and how they wish to live.
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