Chance

Never judge unless tried.
Everything comes with a 50/50 chance.

Uncertainty

What is it in for me?

Sometimes we do discover opportunities that require us to be taking some risks. Yes, there may be a risk whereby we lose it all. Yes, there may be a risk whereby we will fall deep and hard. Are you willing to take that risk?

Everything is just down to one simple calculation. How much are you willing to give in order to take? We are always in the scenario whereby we need to weigh between choices that is placed in front of us. Perhaps you have never had the need to make such big decisions. Perhaps you have had the need to do so but you have been avoiding it for the past ten or twenty or even thirty years.

Most of the time, the choice is between getting it right and getting it far. There is always a conflict that cracks your head. You do not know whether or not you should proceed. It becomes harder when things are set in written agreements. You are not sure whether or not you should be putting your signature on it. You are not a lawyer, you cannot see the fringes that may be hidden somewhere inside.

If you do it, you stand a chance of losing everything. What does everything mean to you? Does it really mean that you will lose everything or does it only mean that there is a possibility you may be taking a risk of losing things that you hold dearly to? It is time to put on the thinking cap. What is at risk? Have you had everything arranged the way you should? Are you willing to go all out?

If you do not do it, you stand a chance of losing your future. What does your future mean to you? Is it something very far from sight or is it the thing that you really want, day in day out thinking about? If you do nothing about it now, will you ever regret in future? If you see other people succeeding in their endeavours, will you envy them? Are you willing to sacrifice your future for your doubt now?

Weighing between the two can be hard. You always want the best of both sides. You always want the best for now and for future. This is merely chasing for perfection. Nothing is ever perfect in the world. Even God is not perfect. Even his Holiness is not perfect. It is the imperfection that makes us the perfect creation. At least we know we are not robots or clones.

Varieties is the best thing that ever happen in the world. Varieties keep us happy and healthy. There are plenty of choices out there that each of us can choose from. We can choose to be us or somebody else. We can choose to do the things that we like. We can choose to have the things that we love. We can choose to be with the people we care. The choice is in our hands.

What do you choose now for yourself?

Are you more willing to be you, whoever you are now?
Or are you more willing to be you, whoever you are ten years from now?
Who are you ten years from now?
Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
When is the right time to start something new to be the person you want to be ten years from now?
How do you react to circumstances to make yourself the person you want to be ten years from now?

The most complicated question can sometimes be answered with the simplest word of all.
NOW!

If not now, then when? If you are contemplating now, think back ten years before, were you contemplating back then? Why did you not take action back then? What stopped you from doing what you should back then? Where are your friends now, those who have taken action back then? How is the hesitation back then different from your worries now?

Uncertainty is the biggest certainty in life. Do what you must to make your life worthwhile.

 

Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating.

Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewits (Carl Von Clausewits), Prussion general and military theorist, 1780-1831

Balance

Doing something that is ought to be done a long time ago give the sense of relief.

Sometimes we seem to have too much on our plate and we have to weigh which is more important to deal with first. What is your criteria?

Work? Family? Friends?
If you are put in the position to choose, which will come in mind as your priority?

We each have 24 hours a day, no more, no less. What we choose to do with our time determines who we are. We may not have the privilege to think.

Workaholics are people who put work above everything else. It is as if they are married to their work. Whatever work might be, they are just too busy to deal with everything else. Sometimes, the family supports them. Sometimes, the friends understand them. But have they ever realize that it is not other people’s responsibility to put up with them all the time?

As a workaholic, you might be missing too much in life. Yes. Work is important to put food on the table for the entire family. You may be thinking that you are doing your best to provide for everyone but have you ever thought that they too yearn for your attention? Some parents keep complaining that their children are a nuisance without realizing that it might be purposeful to catch the attention from the people they love.

Some people are simply very close to their family. They are so closely knit that other people might envy the wonderful relationship they have. Even when there is a chance for promotion at work, they would gladly turn down the offer just because they want to spend more time with their family. They are considered the beautiful bunch. They are hard to find, scarcity in the current society.

However, there may come a time when you are torn in between two families. Your family, and your in-laws. Is it possible to create the best outcome in such circumstances? You have to realize that sometimes, giving in too much to the demands of everyone is chaos in the making. You can never satisfy every single person in your family. This is the time for decision making. One with not much choice and is bound to create unhappiness in the other. Every decision has an outcome.

The youngsters, on the other hand, are very often friend-focused. It is everything about their friends. Wherever the friends go, they will want to go. Whatever the friends do, they will want in. Nothing else matters. Everything that the boss says is probably too stressful. Everything that the family says is probably nagging. Everything that the friends say is always right.

Do be careful with the mix. It is always great to meet with new people. It is also rather easy to fall into the friendship trap whereby you can no longer think for yourself because you are too dependent on what everyone else says. You should realize that there is no such thing as forever friends or foe. Sometimes, in certain circumstances, your best friend can be your worst enemy and your most hated enemy can be the one saving you from dirt. Nothing ever is certain.

Have you forgotten another relationship, one that is most important of all relationships?

YOU!

You are always thinking of work, always ahead of what your boss wants.
You are always thinking of everyone else around you, meeting their needs at all times.
How about you?

When was the last time you spent a minute with you for you? Have you been thinking of what you really need as a human being? Do you know what is the one thing that is missing in your life? Is there a time when your mind is totally blank, of the presentation to your boss, of the chores waiting for you at home, or of the outfit for the class reunion this coming weekend?

There are people who would only think of one word, “ME”. But there are also people who have never thought of this very important two letter word. In two far ends, we are all humans after all, with very different mindset. It is selfish to think of yourself all the time but it is foolish not to care for yourself either.

Find the balance between caring for yourself and others. We are all important enough to deserve love at all times.

 

In all aspects of our lives balance is key. Doing one thing too much can cause upset, like the old saying goes, everything in moderation is the secret!

Catherine Pulsifer, author

Feeling

What do you have in mind when you first wake up in the morning?

Sometimes we wake up having a clear mind of what we want to do. Sometimes we are just blank. Sometimes we might be all cluttered up and totally confused how we can get over the entire day without screwing up. Whatever it is in the mind on whichever day, it is really up to us to make the best of everything there is at our disposal.

Think back.

Have you ever had a day when you wake up and the sky is clear?
Have you ever had a day when you wake up and your mind is blank?
Have you ever had a day when you wake up with a broad wide smile?
Have you ever had a day when you wake up with the feeling of fulfilment?
Have you ever had a day when you wake up knowing you can take the day?
Remember that day. Remember how you feel that day. Remember your accomplishment for that day.

Many people think that it is by luck. Perhaps. But what if it is not luck that made the difference? What if it is you that actually made the difference?

Whatever you feel and however you feel plays an important role in making your day for you. Luck is not always there. If you are solely counting on luck to live your life, you are bound to be disappointed many times over. You will then start to blame this and that for life not happening the way you want. You become depressed and you start to think lop-sided in all directions. Your life is going to be topsy-turvy. There is no doubt about it.

How you feel inside makes your emotion. Emotion is the strongest tool we have to amend the way things work. If you feel broken, your emotion is probably sad or angry. These will turn into negative thoughts. What are you telling your subconscious mind? There is no use just feeding the bad wolf in you. You are just going to be destructive of yourself and others. What is the value in that?

There is always a choice. Life offers us many chances. Whether we choose to see it and take it is entirely up to us. You can feel happy even if there is thunderstorms outside. You just need to learn to see the beauty in everything that comes your way. Life is full of ups and downs. If you are able to understand this, your mind will completely change for the better.

Take life one step at a time.
Stay calm even if you feel like things are bogging you down.
Stay calm even if you are broken inside.
Stay calm even if you are all alone.
The only way to get out of a difficult situation is to KEEP CALM!

Talk to people around you. They may not understand how you feel but letting other people know what is happening in your life helps you a lot. This is a great time to connect. This is a great time to talk things out. You never know, may be one of the people you are talking to will be able to enlighten you in an unimaginable way. You only have one mind. Let others in to help you. There is no need to feel shy about your situation. Though there may not be a direct solution for you, telling other people will let out a little stress within you. Deep inside, you know you need that.

Even if you are an introvert, you can still do this. Social media these days have span far and wide. It has reached even the unreachable. There are groups for introverts. Perhaps you will feel more secure connecting with the like-minded. Tell your fellow members. Tell them your problems. They may not have any solution for you but telling someone can always release some burden off your shoulders. Perhaps when you feel lighter, you will be able to find a solution on your own.

Feeling makes emotion that feeds your mind. Always remember the happiest moments in life to quickly bounce back stronger from any situation.

 

It’s often just enough to be with someone. I don’t need to touch them. Not even talk. A feeling passes between you both. You’re not alone.

Norma Jeane Mortenson (Marilyn Monroe), American actress and singer, 1926-1962

Matters

What is the important thing we should focus on right now?

We have different perception at different stages in life. There is no one size fits all for anyone because whenever we encounter something new, we get enlightenment one way or the other. Whichever way we choose, it seems to be the right choice at that moment itself but then becomes irrelevant when we reach another stage of life.

Children tend to focus solely on play. This is because they feel play is fun and provides happiness. At that moment, joy is of utmost importance in their life. Nothing else seem to matter. However, there are those not so fun activities that they still have to deal with in the midst of having fun; school and studies. Some children find it interesting to learn something new in class and make friends along the way. There are always some who end up piling stress on their shoulders because they simply do not like the way classroom works. There are also some who become somebody else when they are in class because they want to be a top performer.

Guardians play an important role to guide the young minds to become better each day. As adults, it is our responsibility to nurture a better generation to come, not to impose upon them the dreams we have not achieved. Each individual should be allowed their own choice of life. Whether or not they make it through school with flying colours really does not matter. What matters most is that they become someone whom they want to become. As long as they are kind to themselves, others and nature, everything is worth-while.

People in the working environment tend to be obsessed with climbing up that career path or the total opposite, just working for the sake of money to pay the bills. While everyone makes their own choices, what really matters is the satisfaction within.

The hardworking people sometimes work too hard they have forgotten that life has many other elements to it. There should be time to spend with the family, friends, and oneself. Life is not just about being in the office and work through the day with minimal time for family, some time for friends, and no time at all for yourself. Life is about balancing between what seems important and what seems can be neglected.

Has it ever occurred to you that you are important?
Have you ever questioned what life is about?
How do you want to live the rest of your remaining life?
Is it living day to day?
Or you want that sense of fulfillment till your last breathe?

Humans have been searching for centuries of what life means. Everyone have different findings as each one has a different perception of how life should be. However vast the differences in opinion is, it only comes down to one thing.

Nothing really matters if one has no health.

You can have a bucket list full of things you want to achieve in life. But if you have no health, how are you going to achieve it? It is not impossible, you just need to find alternative paths to finally reach your goals.

How can you climb Mount Everest if you are 80 years old and laying in the hospital bed almost taking your last breath? Is there a way to go around it? Do you just lay there full of regrets for not taking great care of your health when you were younger and when you had the chance? Or do you keep on fighting till the end, telling yourself that you will walk again like you were in your twenties? The choice is yours.

It does not matter how limited your resources is, it only matters how resourceful you are. The human mind is the magical tool we each have. How we choose to use it is entirely up to us. You can choose to keep thinking of your limited resources, or you can choose to think of different solutions to a situation. Be the person you really want to be and live with no regrets.

Be kind to yourself, others, and nature. Nothing else matters.

 

Everyone goes through adversity in life, but what matters is how you learn from it.

Louis Leo Holtz (Lou Holtz), former American football player and coach, 1937-present

Routine

What do you do when you wake up late on a work day?

Each one of us have our daily routines that we do that seem important day in day out. But there will be days that we find ourselves too tired to wake up on time in the morning and having to pick and choose which routines that we must complete before we really get out that door to head to work.

How do you determine which activities you must do?

First things first, the toilet visit is a must. We must clear ourselves of the toxins that our body worked hard to collect over the entire night while we are asleep. No matter how rushed life is, we must remember to remove unnecessary things out from our body in order to function well for the rest of the day. One must never skip toilet visits, especially the first one in the morning.

What else is there that we must do before we walk out that door?

Some people have very simple routines. Wake up. Get cleaned and they are good to go. However, most people with families have more complicated routines in the morning. There will be some that needs to prepare breakfast and pack lunch. There will be some that needs to water the garden and feed the pets. There will be some that need to take care of the young and elderly. We each have our own problems and difficulties to face every single time we open our eyes in the morning.

Sometimes, we tend to think of everything else before ourselves. If you have been on a plane, you would have heard of this very important announcement before the plane lifts off. In case of an emergency and the oxygen mask drops from your overhead, always put the mask on yourself before attending to others under your care. This announcement is very important as we always tend to care for everyone else before looking into ourselves.

Perhaps we have forgotten one very important point. We can only take care of everything else if we are in the proper position to doing so. Just imagine having to take care of your child, or your parents, or your pets during the time you are sick. How does that feel? Just imagine having to give positive advice to others when you yourself are having low self-esteem and out of confidence. Do you think you will be able to handle everything in a mindful way?

It is important to spend at least 20 minutes every morning to ponder upon yourself. This is the most important thing you must do every single morning whether you wake up early or late. It does not matter the time. It only matters the space. You need the space for yourself. You need to look within to move further. You need to first tend to yourself before helping others find their way. You need to be in good shape. This 20 minutes can be your daily stretches, or your daily meditation, or even your daily workouts. Just do it. It is only 20 minutes after all.

Great parents will say they need that 20 minutes to prepare breakfast for their children.
Great children will say they need that 20 minutes to care for their parents.
Plant lovers will say they need that 20 minutes to water their garden.
Pet lovers will say they need that 20 minutes to feed their pets.

We always have choices that we can make. How about taking that in between instead of sacrificing one or the other? Is it possible to take 10 minutes to yourself and 10 minutes for others? Give yourself time to uplift yourself. Give yourself time to think and be yourself. You will feel the difference, instead of just rushing through your already late morning routine. Is it possible for you to call in to your boss to inform that you woke up late this morning and that you will be late for work. Admit your fault. Your boss may be angry. You may get a warning for this misconduct but at least you are doing what is most important in life. You take care of yourself as well as the people close to you.

Waking up late is no excuse for self-ignorance. Any routine can be adjusted to fit whatever limited time one has.

 

Spontaneity-flexibility within a routine.

Marty Rubin, Self-titled aphorist, philosopher bum and happiness freak

Anew

What is the meaning of life in the absence of a chance?

Everyone gets their chance at life. Sometimes, it is easy to see but most of the time, we lost the connection with our inner self. Every time we face with a challenge that is the time we need to remember to first look within.

Many people out there will say that there are so many ways to solve a problem if we just look outside. The world is at large and there is bound to be a solution somewhere. We love to surf the internet in search for that one suitable way of overcoming the obstacle. Sometimes, it is great to see what others do when they are facing the same problem as us. However, we have to understand one thing, we are all individuals. Even the slightest difference in ourselves will create a totally different outcome.

Sometimes, we might even become overloaded with information. With the minds of over 7 billion people in the world, everyone seems to be resolving their own problems in their own ways. While we are in search of the best solution, we can also get confused with the vast information we find over the web. What are we going to do about it?

First choice we see is probably through trial and error. This is the fastest way to set ourselves through the learning process. We take action to do our best to hopefully reap results of our hard work. We learn through failure. We learn through success. Each and every step of the way is a crucial learning point. It is only important that we actually learn from experience.

Second choice we choose is probably find a mentor. This is a great way to become a better person with the guidance of a successful one. Great mentors produces successful mentees. However, if we are just following blindly what the mentor says without incorporating our own ideas, we will succeed one way or the other but we sometimes also lose ourselves in the process. This may be a good thing in some cases, but may not be so in most. We have to remember one thing that we are all built differently for a reason.

Many people forget that there is a third choice that is the most ignored choice but is also the wisest choice. Amidst all the learning over the years from machine or other humans, we are ourselves. We can only learn so much to be someone but it will only make sense if we look deep within to find ourselves. We are so immersed in the outside world we keep forgetting that the most powerful source of energy is from within. The sun is the mother source of all energy on earth but our minds is the ultimate source of all energy in the universe. There is a universe within us.

Living through life over the years seem to be great. Day in day out we do the things that we think is for the best of ourselves and the people around us. With each challenge we face, we learn a little bit more. However, we forget one very important action, to have checkpoints.

Each one of us should have checkpoints every now and then to measure ourselves as a whole. We love to live day by day thinking that our life is perfect. Just because we managed to solve all the problems that arise along the way. Just because we went through each challenge easily. This only means that we are able to overcome life as we live by. Have we ever stop and take a look at ourselves every now and then? Have we ever taken the liberty to just remember to check-in to ourselves to see how we are doing? Have we ever taken time to understand ourselves the way we should?

There is a calling. A wakeup call. This is not the usual wakeup call in the morning to make us get out of bed. This is one that we really need to wake up to see that we need to change and start anew. The current life is great but we have forgotten to check in. This checkpoint tells us that we have not been taking good care of ourselves. This checkpoint is the result of our misunderstanding in life. This very checkpoint is the turning point that makes all the difference, it is a matter of life and death.

Search within to find your calling. It is time to start anew.

 

I always liked the story of Noah’s Ark and the idea of starting anew by rescuing the things you like and leaving the rest behind.

Zachary Israel Braff (Zach Braff), American actor, 1975-present

Objection

Can I be a public speaker if I’m an introvert?
Can I run my on business if I’m a slow thinker?

We are humans and with our humongous brains, we tend to overthink things. Sometimes, totally irrelevant things. We love to worry about anything under the sky that has got nothing to do with the situation we are in. Why is that so?

With such a massive brain, we should be geniuses creating magic around the world and yet, we just keep getting comfortable in the same place every time. We keep giving ourselves lames excuses not to venture into new realms. We keep having objections that do not even exist at the time we are faced with the opportunities. We love to just give up without even trying. Why is that so?

Everything happens for a reason.

I keep insisting this very point. If something is happening to you at this juncture, there is always a reason behind it. Perhaps you do not see the good in it right now but it surely will bring you value at some point of time. You just need to be open-minded to see for yourself the great things that are coming your way. If you just keep yourself in the little box you have been in the whole time, nothing will be able to penetrate through to you. You do not learn from mistakes. You do not get value in return from your wrong-doing.

It is your own obligation to acknowledge your failure in order to improve yourself. It is your own obligation to see that you learn from your past to create your better future. It is your own obligation to start something new to change your life, and see through to it. It is only when you are determined enough to do whatever it takes and believe that all actions you have taken is to help you reach your goals, you will succeed in life.

Even if you fail now, it does not mean you are not progressing. You learn along the way. You learn from your mistakes. You learn to make better choices.

If you fall into a ditch, it is okay. You get drenched in through and through. You get down and dirty. You are totally soiled and demotivated. What do you do?

You can get up, climb out of that filth, and start anew.
Or, you can go with the flow, get washed into the deep ocean, and drown.
Or, you can swim across oceans to find the best island to settle down.

Whichever way you choose is not important. What is important is how you look at whatever situation you are in. Some people get up easily which is great. Some people just give up and give in. Some people are slower in making decisions but they have set up high ambitions and make it happen. Which kind of person do you choose to be?

There is no right or wrong in whichever path one chooses. There is only the question of whether or not you will regret your non-action when the time comes for you to take your last breath. We will all die one day. Perhaps the only question we should ask ourselves every single time we reach a decision juncture is, “Am I going to regret it?”

Each of us has a limited time in this life. While I do believe that our soul lives on as an energy mass after death, I still would like to make the best out of this physical body of mine right now in this life. What I do with my limited lifetime here is entirely up to me. What you do with your limited lifetime here is entirely up to you. There is no need to compare to one another. Never ever let anyone else control the way you should live your life. You deserve to make your own decisions. You deserve to be your better self. You deserve the freedom to choose.

When someone else tell you no, you only need to tell them “OBJECTION, this is my life! I choose my own path and I will be responsible for every action that I take.”

 

I should have no objection to go over the same life from its beginning to the end: requesting only the advantage authors have, of correcting in a second edition the faults of the first.

Benjamin Franklin, American polymath and inventor, 1706-1790

Create

Why now? Perhaps the question one should be asking is why not now, instead of why now.

Now is a good time. Considering the situation around the world right now, it is a good time to start anything that we have been dreaming of doing. This is a calling. A calling for something to change.

All along, we are just living the life we thought was the life that is. Day in day out doing the same routine over and over. Life is just as is because it is just as is. There seems to be no way out of the situation at all. Life seems to be fixed, whatever life we are living.

A farmer seems to be just living the life of a farmer. Wake up, head out to the farm, sow seeds, water the crops or harvest the crops. Send the reaps of hard work to dealers and get some money in return. During the lockdown, people are just not allowed to move around too much. Though categorized under essential services, because of the lockdown, a large number of harvested crops are left to rot. Farmers have no choice but to take another route. They go online. Now, consumers can directly purchase from them at a cheaper price, while they are making higher profits without the need to go through middle men. It is a win-win situation.

As for the middle man. Life was great prior to the lockdown. They source for good stuff, then they resell to the end user at a marked up price. There is no need to produce anything to sell, they only need to know where to find something to sell and where to market it to the right audience. However, during the lockdown, many things cannot be done. Perhaps it seems like efforts lost in translation. If they do not change the way they run their business, there will be no business to run after this ordeal. When people can no longer move around like before, it is a good time to bring the business online.

When everyone goes online, this will mean the initial online businesses will be affected because the pie has been cut into way too many pieces. Perhaps this is a great time to think out of the box. What else can you do differently from all the other businesses out there? How can you differentiate yourself from the norm? How to find your perfect niche within an ocean full of sharks.

Some may say that it will be easy for things that people will definitely need to buy to do business. How about those things that are considered redundant?

Nothing ever is redundant. It is the perception of people that makes things useful or not. There are more than 7 billion people in the world. There bound to be people finding something that you are offering. You just need to know where to market and how to market. Knowing the where and how is of utmost importance for any business, regardless of whether or not you are in an industry that many say is dead now.

Take tourism for example. Many companies have ended their business because it is impossible for sustenance when nobody is allowed to travel around. Perhaps it really is the right time to think of something else. Perhaps tourism is not the right business for you. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to change your business model. Every business should be able to sustain even if they are running for at least 6 whole months without any income. If the business is running on a day to day basis, then there must be a weak point in the business model itself. If you are still holding on to it, you will just end up stressing yourself about it right till the end.

It does not matter what life throws at us. It only matters how we look at life. When you know that something is not working well, stiffen your heart, cut loss, and let go. There is no reason to keep hanging on to something that you know will end up nowhere.

The old you will have to first die to create the better you. You do not die literally, you just let go of everything that are pulling you down, and you start anew.

 

To create is to live twice.

Albert Camus, French-Algerian philosopher, 1913-1960

Self-Awareness

What is the ultimate advice one can have in order to succeed in life?

Everything comes down to just one thing. Self-awareness.

We are all individuals. We can never find another individual with the exact same features as we are. No matter how determined you are to find, it is just not there. We are all unique in our own ways. We can have the same face but we have different characters. We can have the same upbringing but we take different paths. We can have the same education but we venture into different careers. We can have the same job but we do things differently. We can have the same materials but we live life in our own ways.

What is it that makes us who we are?

Some say it is very much got to do with our upbringing. This is true as the first few years of our lives is the time when we are like a blank sheet of paper. Whatever our guardians feed us is whatever that is written, hardwired into our minds. There is no erasing, no correction. Sometimes, we even feel like life is just as is, that there is no other way except for this way that we definitely have to go through.

Love is the strongest of all feelings. With love, anything can be made possible. It is with love, we conquer all fears. It is with love, we thrive. Sometimes we become so immersed in love that we have forgotten the reality of it.

Remember those times when you were in love, how are your days? Are they full of vibrant colours? Are they full of excitement? How do you feel? Your heart pumps so fast it feels like leaping out. Your brain goes blank you become speechless. Your body takes action in the way you would never imagine possible. The urge you have to make it happen is bigger than your fear. You are no longer your usual self. You are not shy to show your feelings. You are not worried that your actions may cause others to feel uneasy. You are determined to do what you do and you make it a point to do it. You do not know what the outcome will be, you just do it.

Then you get rejected. What do you do? Do you just give up? Or do you find other means and ways to get through with what you want? How are you going to get what you want? What are you willing to sacrifice for what you want? Are you willing to change yourself? Are you willing to do whatever it takes? Are you willing to fail again and again until you finally reach the point of success? Are you willing to face the consequences of losing hope? Are you willing to be different from the norm?

Keep that feeling at all times. Remind yourself of you. Stay true to yourself.

Whatever that is behind you is history. In front of you, there are only two paths. One is made up of golden bricks that is easy to walk but leads you nowhere. Another is made up of sticks, pebbles, and stones, probably with potholes everywhere that looks like a horrible path to cross but leads you to the infinite pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Which path will you choose?

There is no right or wrong in the path you choose. There is only the awareness within you.

Many times in life, we tend to choose the easy way out. The way that everyone agrees to be the right way. The way that is easy to access. But what kind of feeling are you getting while taking the easy way? Do you feel like life is a bore? Do you feel like you are just another being? Do you feel empty?

Every one of us feels differently. Some of us chase more than just dreams. Some of us chase more than just money. It is the feeling of satisfaction within that counts. Look no further. Ask yourself, the answer you need is within you. Deep within you. You have to be aware of what fills the voids in your life. You have the strength to fill the voids on your own.

Self-awareness is a simple yet complicated tool to find satisfaction.

 

Strong people have a strong sense of self-worth and self-awareness; they don’t need the approval of others.

Roy T. Bennett, author of The Light in the Heart

Complicated

Life is complicated is just an opinion.

Thanks to the extraordinarily huge human brain size, we love to complicate things. Even the simplest things in life gets labelled mistakenly for being difficult. Is it really that difficult or we chose to see it so?

Whenever we are in a situation, we usually only see the negative portion of it. It comes automatically. There is no doubt that there surely is a problem to it but is that really it? Only problematic? Or is there more to it? Why are we just thinking on one side of it?

Old wise people will tell you to listen to both sides of the story. Yes, there is always two sides to a story, sometimes even more. Why are we almost always listening only to one side of it? Why are we only focusing on the same side, the side where we first heard of?

Perhaps our big brains have given us the power to better memory but we have forgotten the more significant use of our brains, to decipher information and make decisions. Are you a memory logger or a flesh and blood living being? Are you a computer or a human?

Think before jumping into conclusions. The first information you get may be correct but may not be necessarily the only correct information there is. Any other information that seems to clash with the first information may be wrong but may not be necessarily wrong in its entirety. Always find out before jumping into conclusions, which most of us just love to do.

I always remember this story which was shared by a family with a loving dog several years back. They heard their baby scream and they ran into the room. They saw their dog’s mouth covered in blood and their baby by the dog’s side. They jumped into conclusion that their dog harmed their baby. The man of the house ran out to get a gun, luckily before he took the shot, the lady of the house saw something on the floor. There was a snake in the room. Nobody saw the snake at first look because everyone was so focused on the bloody mouth of their dog. Their dog protected their baby by killing the snake.

It does not matter whether or not you are an animal lover. It only matters what you learn from this true story. Sometimes you just need to look farther and deeper.

If you jump into conclusion too early, it could be a matter of life and death. Even if it is not as serious as this, it could actually affect someone else’s life, sometimes to a permanent extent. Before we decide if anyone is guilty of something, perhaps we should look at the boarder picture. Never to only focus on what catches our attention at the very beginning.

Take it from this pandemic. As humans, we think that it disrupts our livelihood. Our plans are gone, our money is down to the bottom, our job is insecure, and on and on we complain. We cannot travel the world. We are separated from our families that live in another state or country. The whole lockdown worldwide has caused many businesses to crumble.

On the flip side, we ought to see something that should have been done decades ago. A lesson to teach humans to get out of their everyday lives and see the world in a different perspective. Life is not about waking up to that 9 to 5 job. Life is not about chasing after materials. Life is about living life.

It is time for us to wake up. Mother Nature has suffered a huge loss in the past centuries due to human evolution and exploitation. We become better at our inventions. We become better at using resources to the max. We become so good at development and yet we have forgotten the one most important thing, our roots. There is only one place we call home. We are not made up of nations. We are in fact actually only one unified world. If humans are able to work together for the better of the world, this would not have happened. Do not blame others. Look within yourself. Ask what you have done to protect your home.

Life is simple. It is the human minds that decided to make it complicated.

 

The more complicated and powerful the job, the more rudimentary the preparation for it.

William Frank Buckley Jr., American public intellectual and conservative author, 1925-2008

Inspiration

Anything can be inspiring when you have an open mind.

We have mostly forgotten about what nature brings us as we get through our day to day busy lives. Our daily routines are the usual wake up, clean up, eat up, rush up, work up, then back home, settle down, and finally rest. Sometimes we end up sleeping late and everything gets delayed the next day to the point that we can no longer handle. We skip that first meal of the day because we do not have time. We get stuck in traffic because we left our homes later than usual. We cannot finish our work because we arrived late in the morning. When we finally get home, we have very little time to settle our mind that causes us to not get the good night’s sleep that we needed after a long day of work. Then we wake up late again the next day. It is a vicious cycle.

Has this ever happened to you? I know it has for me.

Perhaps this is life, you say. But there is always a way to a better life. Well, it is easy to say. Plan it. Schedule everything you want to do. As you tick it off your daily routine list, perhaps you will feel better. Just perhaps, you will be able to stick to that routine you have planned so nicely. That perfect routine for your day to day life.

Majority of the people on this planet have similar mindsets because they have been brought up to believe so. They are living in the environment that tells them this is their life and there is no other path for them to choose from. Is that really so?

Open up your mind!

Your mind is the one most crucial asset you have from the beginning till the end. Everyone has a choice whether to waste all the space in the mind thinking that life is as such or to use it wisely.

Planning is great. But there is always another way. We can incorporate something different into our daily routines. There are more than seven (7) billion humans beings in the world and the numbers are probably increasing by the minutes. There are more than seven (7) billion minds out there waiting to be tapped. Knowledge and wisdom is in abundance.

Everyone has been brought up differently. Everyone is able to give you some insight one way or the other. It could have been that neighbour who introduced to you the beauty of meditation. It could be that other person on the internet that has enlightened you in certain ways. There is no limit to how and where. That person may be half way around the globe, with technology, no place is too far to reach.

In your weekends, do something out of the norm. Get back to nature. Reconnect yourself with nature. You have worked hard all your workdays. Unwind with every chance you get. There is no need to look far, nature is around us.

People may have the idea that it is difficult to do many things with young children or pets around. Says who? It is all in the mind. It is all limitations you tell yourself. Everything can be done. You just need to look for the how. Find ideas from everyone else. Include your children and pets in your activities. Yes, you may face difficulties but if you never take the first step, you never know.

Just give yourself a chance to make things happen.

My personal experience. I always like to bring by dogs around wherever I go whenever I can. But because the country that I live in do not permit pets in many places, I had to search high and low to find those that allow pets. They cannot follow me to work. They cannot follow me to the shopping mall or the market place. Even places of nature has restrictions on pets. It is really difficult. It is okay. There is the internet. It allows me to find what others are doing with their pets during day offs. They give me ideas I could have never thought about on my own. Little by little, we figured more we can do with our beloved pets.

Life is when you open up your mind and let inspiration find you.

 

Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (Ella Fitzgerald), American jazz singer, 1917-1996

Change

Change is inevitable whether we like it or not.

Everything in the world we know changes over time. Everything from the biggest buildings down to the tiniest speck of dust. Though they do not seem to change, but change does happen. Though they are not alive, but change is present in ways that we cannot see with naked eyes.

No matter how beautiful the building looks like, with the changes in wind and weather, they too age. No matter how sturdy the building seems to be, with the movements of earth, they too will one day crumble. We may not live to see that day but it will happen one way or the other. Even if they do not crumble over thousands of years, there will be new lifeforms taking over the entire built up. It is evident with many of the historical civilizations that we have uncovered thus far.

Dust, on the other hand, is so small that we cannot see them unless they settle onto surfaces. Dust is something that is created whether or not with the existence of lifeforms. It is so tiny that it is easily brought over to many places by the wind. No matter how tight we try to seal hour homes, dust exists somehow or the other. There is no avoiding the existence of dust. We can only cleanup the surfaces that we see is lined with dust. This moment, they can be joyfully floating in the air, the next moment they end up on the table. If they could relate to us their feelings, perhaps they would have told us that they are stuck in that spot forever. Somehow, we picked up a cloth and wiped them off the table. We clean the cloth and they get washed down the drain. They will end up as sediment somewhere. Over a period of time, life grows and this sediment becomes the food that nurtures life.

Things that seem may not be so.

No matter how much we try to believe that everything we have now is the best, there is always something better elsewhere. There is no one best thing that happens to anyone or anywhere. Everything can never avoid change.

Humans are very strange creatures. We love to think that we are the superior species above all species. While this shows confidence in ourselves, we really do not know what our thoughts are doing to us. Confidence is great. But being over confident brings in a problem, arrogance. When we are too proud of ourselves and our achievements, we tend to think that we have reached that level of success that we yearn. And because of our arrogance, we brush off everyone around us as being a level below us. We only listen to our foolish self for the things that sounds right in our ears. Whatever advice we get from others seem unimportant.

Sometimes, this arrogance will hinder us from advancing. We already have everything we need, why would we want to make the change? Change is dangerous. What if we lose everything after making that small change? Perhaps we are too comfortable in our current situation to admit that it was change, in the first place, that brought us to where we are now. It was change that gave us a better life.

We have been living through huge changes from the day we were born. When we were infants, we needed help on everything. As we grow, we learn, we stumble, we fall, and we get back up. If toddlers can do that over and over until they succeed in walking independently, why not us? Perhaps we believe to keep the achievements we have thus far and stay happy with it. Perhaps we believe what we have now is the best we can achieve in our lifetime. Perhaps it is true that if we make, even one small change, our life will tumble down. So what?

Perhaps we have been made to believe so. Have we asked ourselves this question? What happened to the courage and determination that I had when I was young and daring?
What happened to the toddler in me?
Where is that rebellious teenager hiding?
Why are we ignorant?
Who are we listening to?
How did I become who I am today?

Wake up fool! It is time to make that change.

 

Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.

Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (Jalaluddin Mevlana Rumi), Persian poet and Islamic scholar, 1207-1273

Special

We are all special in our own way!

Everyone is born for a reason and the reason is to be our self. How many times have we looked at other people and admire them for who they are? We sometimes envy them for what they can do. Then, we look down on ourselves for not being that healthy or wealthy person as we see.

The world is changing every minute. Technology permits us to get free information easily. We can get whatever materials we want to be the person we want to be. Instead of looking up to the other people and think small of ourselves, why not just take the first step in making the change in ourselves? What is pulling us back from chasing our dreams?

Everyone has a dream. There is this one dream that we want to achieve but have no idea where to start and how to start. Information is vast and we find it difficult to digest every bit of it. So where do we start? How do we do it like those successful people out there?

Some people are born lucky. Without any effort, everything is given to them. There are not that many people who are successful by chance or luck. Most reach the height by effort.

It takes effort to take that first step. We can search. We can look. Whatever it is, information is worthless if never put into action. What works for one may not work for others. While we feel like drowning in the World Wide Web, there are pieces here and there that we can use to path our own way.

It takes courage to move forward. Trial and error is hard way and takes time but it is also the foolproof way to learn the path that suits us best. We have signed up for a dozen courses and searched for a thousand ways to go about chasing our dream. People can tell us anything but if that does not suit us, then we might as well be different.

It takes perseverance to bring ourselves to the next level. Normal people tend to give up half way saying that it is impossible because we have not seen results past all time and efforts put in. Perhaps we have been looking at things the other way around. The goals can be set high, but the steps have to be laid. Unless we have wings, otherwise we still have to take one step at a time.

If we find it really hard to believe the toughness in life, perhaps life really is simple. We just do not see it yet. Whatever material things that we chase after are just things that matter now, but not later. Time is playing a trick on us. Nothing in this world lasts forever.

If we can understand that life means change, and we take action to change, then we are definitely one step closer to realizing our dreams. If we change now, there is a chance that we will succeed one day. If we refuse to make the first move, then we are definitely stagnant in the same spot till the end of our days in this life. Change is inevitable.

We will never know where change brings us. We will never walk the exact same path as any other person in this world. We each have the right to create that special path for ourselves. With all the information we have, with all the lessons learnt along the way, we soon will notice that we are special in our own way.

There is no room for comparison. There is only idols for us to model upon. Creating something entirely new can be hectic. It takes such a long time to reach a checkpoint. Instead of envying other people, why not ponder upon them? What is it that the person is doing that I am not? What makes that person special that he is looked up upon? What can I learn from the person to make my life easier?

Look beyond what we can see. Appreciate the differences.

 

We’re all different. That’s what makes us special. We have to love each other and get on with each other. It’s not up to me to judge anybody.

Carrie Marie Underwood (Carrie Underwood), American singer, 1983-present

Volunteer

Volunteering sounds like doing charity in the absence of money. It is, and is not.

What is it in for me when I volunteer for something?

This is a good question, probably the best question in our lifetime. While everyone is busy with making money, we would think that volunteering ourselves to do something free of charge is just a total waste of precious time.

We have been brought up to believe that everything we need to learn, we get from the mouths of teachers and lecturers. We have already paid enough of our younger years studying and learning. Now is the time for money generating. We do not do anything for free. We are graduates and we should be paid highly, worth of all the years we spent in the university.

Mind conditioning is such an important way to ensure that there are more workers than employers. This is how the minority rich, the top one percent (1%) of the people manage to keep the rest of the world under their control. Their minds work differently from the norm. They may even drop out of school because they understand one fact, that school literally does not teach people how to make money in the real world. Money can only be made by working and climbing that beautiful corporate ladder. This is what we have been made to believe all the while.

But life is not as mundane. Life itself is volatile. Everything changes all the time. If we are to rise above and become that one percent (1%), we have to think differently from the rest of the world. We have to think like them.

We can do that by having determination. We can do that by having motivation. It is easier said than done. Many self-help gurus out there say the one same thing. If you want to be on top, you have to stand out and be different. If you want to achieve your goals, you have to be willing to take the first step out of your comfort zone. If you want to accelerate your achievements, model from the people who are already there. It all comes back to self-willingness.

Some people will just stop at the word “BUT”. There are always buts in whatever we do. But it is impossible. But I do not have the capital. But I do not have the time. But I am nobody. But I am shy. But I am an introvert. But I do not know how to sell. We have so many reasons to comfort ourselves to just stay put where we are now. When are we going to step out and step up to chase our dreams?

Time is something that cannot be refunded if we are not happy with the outcome. Time is something that money can never buy. If this is not the time to start doing things the way we want, then when? If this is not the time to work towards our dreams, then when? When is the right time?

We can have many reasons to stay put where we are. We only need one reason to step out of our comfort zone. We only have one life. Live life to the fullest!

We have not met that mentor that we are looking for, then it is time to find one.
We have not the money to join any courses to bring us to the next level, then it is time to find ways.
We have not the time to do anything with all the family commitment, then it is time to make time.
We have not the courage to do things differently, then it is time to start something new.
We have not the discipline to stay on course, then it is time to insist we do.

There is more than a handful of successful people in the world we can model from.
There is a possibility to volunteer in exchange for insight and knowledge.
There is an alarm clock that can wake us up an hour earlier for what matters most.
There is always a way to build courage if we surround ourselves with empowering people.
There is willpower within us to ensure that we keep achieving to make us happy.

Life is about being better. Volunteer to make things happen. If we are not willing, nothing will ever do.

 

Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.

Anonymous

Do

Do is one of the shorter words in the English language but it is also one of the most used words by people around the world.

Just Do It! This is the tagline used by Nike, the most famous brand in sports. The name is short, the logo is simple, and the tagline is motivating. This is by far the best branding ever created that I know of that made such a huge impact. This is by far, even though those who cannot afford to buy anything from their stores, will get something from them, insight. It is a brand that everyone models upon.

In life, we always adore the people that have a great life, or seem to have a great life. We only see what is in the limelight. We will almost never know what they have gone through to get to where they are now. We will never know what they are going through now that makes them who they are. Perhaps the only thing we know is what they are willing to let us know.

Successful people are influential. But they were not born with success written on the foreheads. Nobody can tell if the person will be successful before they even live their life. They may be born with a destiny of becoming a ruler. It takes more than just destiny to make them successful. They will end up being a ruler one way or the other. Whether or not they are great rulers is another matter altogether. If they are great rulers, their empire will last for centuries. If they are not great rulers, their empire will crumble in just years if not months within their ruling.

We are be born talented in our own way.

We may be talented at talking. If we do not take action to develop the skills to take it to the next level, we are just being talkative. If we are to learn from the masters, we may one day become the world’s greatest speaker that makes the difference in other people’s lives.

We may be born talented in music, be it singing or playing instruments. If we do not take action to practice and keep practicing, we will not forget how to do it, but the skillset that we have will deteriorate over time. By then, we would be demotivated to do anything about it. If we are to continue our efforts to improve our skillset, we may one day make an impact in other people’s lives. We know that music creates the ambience for clarity and motivation.

We may be born talented in more subtle skills that we may not be aware of. We are reserved. We love to be alone to create art, be it writing, drawing, or painting. If we do not take action in developing our passion, we are just a normal person like any other person out there without such talents. Just as I have wasted much of my earlier years whining about how life being unfair to me. I was just a regular person like all my other peers out there. I hidden my creativity.

Somehow, this year, I decided to finally do it. To start my own blog. To write in my own words. To design with the help of the latest software. I have taken the first step. I do not know where this will take me but I am determined that I am able to make a difference in the lives of others because I am making a difference in my own life. I feel more motivation. I feel more accomplishment.

Anybody can tell us to do or not to do something. Everything happens for a reason. It is up to us whether or not we want to action on the things that is bothering us. If we take action upon it and failed, it is a precious lesson in life. If we do not take action, we have failed in life because we never learnt anything. “Either way, we pay.” This is a phrase I picked up from a training by Peng Joon. He is the person that is capable of making a difference in my life. He is the only person that has managed to empower me to take it one step further. I am grateful to have encountered him. Thank you.

Just do what your heart tells you! I may be small but I am capable of making the difference, just like the word “DO”.

 

He who waits to do a great deal of good at once will never do anything.

Samuel Johnson (Dr Johnson), English writer, 1709-1784