Chicken soup for the Chennai soul

CHENNAI: Maybe it’s fate that it’s the monsoon season when Puja Gupta decided to treat the city to a warm portion of ‘chicken soup’ for the soul. After spending some time in a programme conducted by Jack Canfield of the famed ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ book series, Puja is back in Chennai to transform people from “zombie to zoner” in a matter of weeks. At the launch of her new programme, ‘Life by Design’ in the city recently, she explained her ‘self-help’ concept for people at her newly opened Life Centre, also at T Nagar. “My programme is really for anyone who wants to live life at a higher level.” She adds, “And if you come for the programme and it doesn’t work for you, I will give you all your money back. So, really there is no risk on the line, except for the time you spend, but I will ensure that it is well worth it.”Looking back, Puja says “I had lived as a zombie for the longest time,” and also reveals, “At one point,  I started asking myself all sorts of introspective questions like ‘Do I really make a difference? And what is my purpose in life?” However, by the second day of her course with mentor Jack Canfield, Puja reveals her answer was clear. “I wanted to teach people to live a passionate life, filled with purpose.”The audience was also witness to real life testimonials of friends who had benefitted from the ‘Life by Design’ programme and shared their stories. And glowing recommendations about Puja from several colleagues as well as Jack Canfield himself through an audio visual presentation certainly showcased the extent of this trainer's zest for life. And what is her response to skeptics all over the city?  “It really is like religion. If you have faith, it will work for you,” says Puja.