Deserve

What have you been learning throughout the years?

We have been thought by many teachers along the way to our adulthood. What exactly have we been learning from them? Have they been great teachers? Have we been great students?

Everything happens for a reason and the reason is to help us grow to our better selves. Most often, people love to complain about the situation they are in. Are you that kind of person?

It is time to shift your mind. Think of it as such. Everything and anything around you can actually teach you a lesson. It does not matter whether or not that thing talks and tells you directly the lesson it is trying to teach you. It is all about your own realization. If you observe closely enough and put on your thinking caps, you will notice that everything changes over time. Nobody needs to explain that to you. Nobody can explain that to you. You need to realize it yourself.

Take that light bulb hanging from your ceiling right now. What do you see? At one glance, you probably think it is just a light bulb and it is functioning as a light bulb. Look closer. Observe the difference when it was first bought from the store to now. What is the difference you see? You may not realize but the light may be a little dimmer than before. There is a little more dust collected on it than before. The filament may be a little darker in colour than before. After several years, the filament may have lived its lifetime and the light bulb stops functioning.

What do you learn from the light bulb in your house? It can be bright and shiny when new. It can become old and stale over time. One fine day, it will just stop emitting light. Light bulbs are the icon for the human mind. Most often when we have an idea in our mind, it is like we have turned on the electricity and the bulb is lit. What happens when there is no electricity? What will you have in mind then? What will your life be like then?

Every human is similar. We live, we grow, and there will come a point when we get stuck. This is the turning point. This is the time when we have to decide the next path we choose to take and create. This is the time for change. Change can happen at any point of time but most importantly, change has to happen when you are stuck. If you decide to just stay where you are, you will remain stuck until you are able to see that there is a way out.

What kind of a person are you?

It does not matter how fast you can see the need for change. Most important of all, you really need to take action to change you. You must be willing to do so. When you have decided on the route you want to take, go all in. Sometimes, you may be in total darkness but if you are clear of your destination, light will find you. Somehow, someday, someone may just walk into your life and show you the way. You may or may not know the person at that moment, but it is important that you trust your own instincts.

There will be also people who will try to make believe that the old way is the best way. The stable way is the only way. They may be people you love dearly. They may be people you look up to. They may be people who are always there to hold you when you fall. They may be very important people in your life. Still, your life belongs to you alone. Nobody should have the right to control over your decisions.

What if you do not take action now and you regret later when you see someone succeed?
What if you take action now and you somehow fail to achieve success?
You have to weigh between the two most important questions in your life. Whether or not you will take action is very much dependent on your answers to these questions. Which one is more painful?

Uplift yourself. Learn what you need. Observe what you should. Do what you must. Feel you deserve everything.

 

You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

Siddhārtha Gautama (Buddha), Ancient Indian philosopher and spiritual teacher, 5th to 4th Century BCE

Organize

What do you have in mind today?

Most people will think of the things that needs to be done today. But have you forgotten about the things that are still undone from yesterday? There are so many things each person have to handle every single day. How do people get by and still have time for fun?

Are you a person who has to scramble through things every single day just to finish a task? How much time do you need to find something you need? How does your desk look like? How anyone lives through their daily lives really depends very much on the person and has got nothing to do with the aesthetics of what our eyes can see.

Some people live great in a total mess. These are called the creative bunch. We may see papers everywhere, totally disorganized and we get a headache but for them, this is their way to higher understanding. If one day, you cleared up their desk, they would have a hard time looking for that one thing that they need at that very moment. If left in a mess, it would just take them seconds. If all organized up, it would probably take them hours if not days, and in some cases, they may not even be able to locate it in their entire lifetime.

Some people need space for clarity. If things are in a mess, they cannot function at all. They need everything to be organized. You will see that their desk is often empty you really wonder how anything can get done. Where are the notes? Where are the “to do” lists? Where are the plans? Everything is just not there for anyone to look for. If someone puts something on their desk, they would be freaked and they immediately want it off. So, they get on is in the speed of light and then leave their desk empty again. There would probably be files upon files elsewhere as long as the desk is empty.

Most people are a little bit of both. You are probably the messy person when you are busy and the tidy person when you have a little time to get organized.

It is perhaps the greatest feeling of all to get things lifted off your shoulders. It makes you feel light. How you want to do it depends on the task itself and how you actually organize its route to finishing. Sometimes, drastic measures are necessary.

Humans are social animals. We need to live amongst other people and get things done together. Even if you are an introvert, there is no avoiding human contact. Even if we are all in a lockdown, there is no avoiding communication between each other. Everything needs to be planned out strategically in order for anything to work out the way it should. Time will tell that if we work together as a team, we are stronger.

A team means there is a leader. The leader is responsible to get things organized and moving. A great leader will plan small tasks for each member of the group. A great leader knows who is best at each task. A great leader gives opportunities. A great leader encourages brain storming. A great leader builds paths for exploration and enhancement. It is all about how well the person can deal with situations in a strategic way.

You may have thoughts that the current situation do not permit any organization because it is ad-hoc and of high urgency that needs to be done this very second. Sometimes, you just need to jump into action before even having the time to think. This happens all the time in stocks and business where decisions a second later can mean a total disaster. It is okay during that urgent time. Have you ever thought what needs to be done afterwards? Most people forget this. Post-mortem. When you have been stripped off your rights to think then, you think afterwards. Can it be done better? Is there another path to take? How to tackle such situations in future? These are all very important information for the entire team so that when you are not there to guide them through, they can function as they should.

Think the way successful people do. Organize your thoughts to help others help you.

 

Once you have a clear idea of your priorities – that is your values, goals and high leverage activities, organize around them.

Stephen Richards Covey (Stephen Covey), American educator and speaker, 1932-2012

Expensive

Which is more expensive?

Learning is expensive. Going to college or university or even buying a course online is expensive. Perhaps learning can be do-it-yourself (DIY) by surfing the internet. But there is just way too much information available. Which ones are legit? Which ones to learn first before the others? Things can get rather complicated without proper guidelines or coaching. You can be spending loads of precious time figuring out the how, what, when, where, who and still end up learning nothing at all. How much will your time cost?

Then perhaps you will be giving yourself more excuses. Your schedule is jam packed you do not have time to deal with all these hassle. So you just simply sign up with anyone that looks promising. You somehow find out later that the programme does not suit you. You think it is a total waste of your time and money. You get demotivated. You have made a promise to yourself that you will never ever get cheated again. You do not sign up for another course even though it is one that you really need. How much will demotivation cost?

After much hesitation, you finally made up your mind to signing up one of the many courses that came your way. You learn with all your efforts. You spend hours upon hours making notes and then, you ponder upon all the notes that you have, you still do not know where to start. There are channels through which you can ask your mentor but you are too shy of being judged. You keep everything to yourself. You tell yourself that you will figure it out on your own. How much will not knowing cost?

A year, two years, may be even five years have passed. You are still the old you. You are still trying to figure out on your own where to start. By this time, all your course mates have already done something and are happy with their outcome. Just because you did not ask, you end up where you were when you initially learned that something new. Life has changed a lot. Now, you feel you are too old to start anything new. How much will non-action cost?

You continue with your unfulfilled life. There seems to be a void but you have no idea what that void is, and you have no idea how to fill it up. Now you are already in your sixties or even seventies and you are thinking to yourself, “What have I achieved so far in life?” Now that you have retired, what are you going to do with this time? Are you going for a trip around the world? Do you have the money to go for that trip? Do you have the health to go for that trip? Do you have the time to go for that trip? How much will regret cost?

Money is something you have to earn while you can.
Health is something you have to take care of while you can.
Time is something that you can neither buy nor reverse.

Whatever it is that you want always comes with a price. The choice is yours.
The price of learning versus the price of not knowing.
The price of making it happen versus the price of not doing.
The price of challenge versus the price of demotivation.

We are all given choices. Whatever choices we make determines who we are. Whether we are just living through life like everyone else or we choose to live the life that we want, it is in our hands. Nobody else can do it for us. It is a matter of choosing the route, not so much of the value of money.

Either way, you pay. Whether you choose to pay now or later.
When you were born, you have time and health but no money.
When you are an adult, you have health and money but no time.
When you are a senior, you might have money but lack of time and probably no health too.

Time! Health! Money! Which is more expensive?
Fulfillment comes with a price. What is the price you are willing to pay?

 

Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.

Harriett Jackson Brown Jr., American author, 1940-present

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

Challenge

If someone else can do it, so can you.

Life itself can be challenging in all terms. Perhaps you are tired from school or work or that complicated relationship with family members. Since it is so challenging, why are you still hanging on to it? Perhaps you believe that someday, everything will change for the better. Or, you are actually taking the best efforts to make it better.

Change can be as simple or as complex as you want to be. It is all in the mind. The human mind works wonders. Whether or not you like it, many of times you are stuck because your mind thinks that you are. It seems like there is no way out of the difficult situation. But it really is in the mind. The only way to go about this is to have an open mind.

But how do you do that?

START it!
Everything has to start somewhere. Even the most successful people you see in magazines or on social media, they started somewhere. They took action. They believe that one day, they will make it to the limelight. There is no certainty in life. Whoever you are now do not determine who you will become.

Dream big! Start small!
People often like to dream big and then start big. This is perhaps the only reason you are not successful yet even after decades of trying. Then, you get fed up and you get discouraged. Have you ever thought that a little achievement goes further than nothing at all? A mammoth project has to be broken down into tiny achievable portions. This is how any project can be completed.

MAKE it!
But I do not have time for this. But I am not this kind of person. But… But… But…
Enough of the “buts”, just make it happen.

Change occurs one way or the other. It is just a matter of sooner or later. Why not now? What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for that big breakthrough? Just a little something to ponder upon, if you are not ready to make that change now, then when? Do you think you will be better tomorrow or the day after? If you think you will be better next year, nothing will happen. Because there is always a next year in your phrases. Instead of saying later, why not remind yourself this, “Later means never!”

ACT it!
People love to start things. You start taking up courses. You start planning. You are extremely motivated that you will succeed. You make time for it. Somehow, you get stuck somewhere and your fire gets blown out. Maybe your closest family member turns you down. Maybe your day job eats in to your time. You get discouraged.

What will you do? What can you do? Continue to take action! That is the only thing you need to do. Take action according to the plan that you have made. Continue by all means, even if you do not feel like it, even if you are feeling under the weather. Determination to continue, to stay on track is the path to success. Keep that in mind.

RUN it!
Run and continue running. At times, you may feel like you are alone. Nobody seems to understand what in the world you are doing. Perhaps they may be right. Perhaps it is time for you to halt, rest, and rejuvenate. Go ahead. It is okay to do that once in a while. Take an hour off. You deserved it after weeks of hard work. Use that one hour wisely. Listen to music, calm the mind, walk the park. Sometimes, insight comes from the unlikeliest sources, nature.

After that good rest, continue your journey to the infinite. With each step taken, you are a mile closer to achieving your goals. You are that much nearer to your dreams. You are invincible.

TEST it!
Every step of the way is a test on its own.
Your patience can be tested. Instead of losing temper, you can twist to learn from the test.
Your determination can be tested. Instead of losing hope, you can twist to accept the challenge.

Every problem can be solved. As you move on, you will soon realize that you are becoming an expert in your own destiny. All in just five simple steps. When you have achieved your goal, you can always start anew with the same steps all over. Take you achievement to the next level.

Challenge yourself today in 5 simple steps. Take the SMART route!

 

Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new centre of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.

Oprah Gail Winfrey (Oprah Winfrey), American talk show host and philanthropist, 1954-present

Implement

How many times have you made a promise to yourself to start something but somehow, it almost always end up in vain?

How many courses have you signed up but end up finding out that it is totally not suited to you lifestyle?

How many of the gurus have you followed thinking that you will take action according to what they say and dream about success but end up never having anything done in the end?

What is it that is holding you back?
When are you going to implement what you have learnt?
Why are you stuck at where you are now?

There is always an answer to a question. You do not see it? Perhaps you have not been looking far enough to reach a point whereby the answer comes naturally. Sometimes, the answer is just in plain sight but you have been so drowned in information that you get lost in them.

Information is vast. You can find whatever information you want on the internet.
How is it that some people are reaching their goals but you are not?
How is it that they make it look so simple?
How can you achieve the success that they have?

Perhaps you should first ask yourself these questions.
Are you ready to take that first step?
Are you ready to make that change?
Are you ready to challenge yourself?
How willing are you to sacrifice in the name of success?
What are you willing to sacrifice for the dream that you are chasing?

Many people are motivated the moment they see success in other people. They are always thinking that “I can do better than that!” Is it really so?
Then why are you not better already?
Then why are you not in the person’s shoes?
Then why are you not someone other people look up to?

It does not matter what industry we are in. It only matters the way we look at our lives. We can be as successful as we want. It really depends on how we look at things and how we go about dealing with situations that arise from day to day.

This world is ever changing. Somehow, majority of human beings are content to their lives. Once they have reached a certain status, they become fearful. They let fear take over their lives.
Fearful of losing that wealth they have built over the years.
Fearful of losing that health they have managed to keep over the years.
Fearful of losing that relationship they have painstakingly made possible over the years.

While fear is unavoidable, why not make fear the motivation to move forward? Whether or not we like it, there will come to a point where we have to make the decision to step out of our comfort zone.

If you are saying tomorrow, then you will always be saying tomorrow, and nothing will happen to your life. You will be stagnant where you are, always looking up on the people that you dream of becoming. You will never be able to uncover the best of yourself.

On the other hand, if you take this powerful fearful feeling and turn it into a stepping stone, you will definitely find that breaking point. Always think of a positive approach to all the challenges in life. Perhaps you say that every single time change occurs, your temper shoots up rocket high. It is fine. You are just being human. You will probably blow up that very moment you discover the problem but you can calm yourself down quicker each time you encounter such situations.

Even the hottest pot of stew can be cooled down in the refrigerator. You only need to find that point in life when you are the happiest and bring your temper toward it to cool yourself down. The more you practice, the better you become at it.

It is all about implementation.

Anyone can learn anything. It is what we do that really make the difference. No two person are the same. We can never be. No matter how well we try to duplicate the actions of others, the reaction will always be different. This is what makes us unique.

Implement what has been learnt. Make the difference you have always yearned.

 

Create your environment from your best innate tenacity.
Always embrace the abundance of an inspirational mentality.
Eliminate distractions, clutter, and work from a place of brightness.
Create a winning, uplifting, vibrant, courageous action to implement!

His Excellency Dr. Ambassador Professor Joseph S. Spence Sr. (Joseph S. Spence Sr.), USA professional military veteran, inspirational writer & speaker

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

Manage

We find that there are a hundred and one things we have to manage in our lifetime. How do we determine the importance?

There are management courses we can study from. Anybody can teach us anything. With the information at hand, we are supposedly able to handle our life in the most organized manner. However, life is as such that we soon realize we are not meant to do certain things that we want to do. How do we go about that?

At times, we may feel like we are lost. We find that we are overwhelmed by all the information and suggestions we get from everywhere. Different people seems to be educating us the way they think is best. Instead of guidance, it becomes a burden to follow suit what others say. Perhaps we have not realized that each person is different. What works for one may not work for another.

The only way to succeed in whatever we do is to get down and dirty on it. Through trial and error, we are shaping ourselves to become an entirely new person. Sometimes, we may not have even thought that whatever we do is possible. It is like a miracle, a dream come true. If we take one step off, we will find that we learn much better by experience rather than what others say.

We have to understand one very important point, that this is our life. The life that we have to live on our own terms. There may be people to guide us every now and then along the way but it is us that is walking ourselves through the end. It may be hard to stay focused with all the distractions of what is perceived as the real life, but we can choose which direction we want to go.

One way or the other, we still have to do what it takes to be the person we want to be. Perhaps we can surround ourselves with the like-minded people. Technology permits us to do so even without moving from our seats right in the comfort of our own home. Instead of spending time scrolling through other people’s livelihood, why not spend the time learning through people we want to model?

Time is all about management. Each of us have the same number of hours each day. When time is lost, there is no gaining back. It is of utmost importance that we spend each minute wisely. The choice is ours. We can choose to nose around what is happening in other people’s lives or we can choose to nurture ourselves to become better. Never ever sell time for nothing. Time is priceless.

Whatever that can be solved with money, is not a problem at all. Spending a little money to get stress off ourselves is worth a lot more than the money spent. Stress, whether we realize or not, is something that takes up a bulk of our time in life. How often do we stress on something we did or did not do in the past that makes us regret? How often we stress on something that might happen in the future?

Being stressed not only burns our precious time, it also puts us in a never-ending loop, just like listening to the same music over and over to the point we feel stuck. If not now, when? Whatever that has happened is in the past. Whatever that has yet to happen is beyond our control. All we need to do is really just to live in the moment. We can choose to continue our current ways or to change our lifestyle. The choice is in our own hands.

When we need help, stretch out to get help. When somebody else needs help, stretch out to lend a helping hand. Humans are communal creatures. We can live in a crowd and learn from each other. The only important point is to choose the community wisely. If we want to reach a certain level in life, we have to surround ourselves with people that have been there or are going in the same direction. Self-motivation can only go so far. With the support from others, we can push beyond our own limits.

Manage time, people, and ourselves wisely.

 

When you can’t solve the problem, manage it.

Robert Harold Schuller (Robert H. Schuller), American Christian televangelist, 1926-2015

Essential

What is essential?

This is a question that would probably prompt many answers from different perspective. What is essential to one may not be as essential to another. Somehow, everyone would agree that money is the one most essential thing that humans need in order to survive in this era. It is true that money can buy all the things we need for the lifestyle we yearn to have.

Some people may say that it is of utmost importance that we have a full and prepared wardrobe. There should be something for every occasion, especially that ball we have to attend. Whatever that has been worn should not reappear in another occasion to avoid being seen in the same outfit twice. While this creates opportunity for the fashion industry, it is at the cost of nature. Perhaps having a little swap party can resolve this issue.

Some people may say that they not only need to look good, they also need to smell good. We are correct to want to show the best of ourselves to the world. We have thought and used all means and ways to do so. This creates plentiful opportunity for the cosmetics and fragrances industry. The first impression is the most important because almost every human being uses the five senses to perceive something or someone. The beautiful always fair better given an opportunity.

Some people may say that a cozy home is what they need. It is a place they can go back to after a long days’ work. It is a place they can look forward to seeing and being. No matter what happens outside, it really does not matter as long as there is a place called home. The cost of living is rising faster than a paycheck. There are people who blame the exploiters but really, if we are capable, perhaps we can be the opportunist too.

When asked this question, we will usually picture all the material things that we can see and hold. It is just by perception. Many of times, we do not realize that whatever essentials we think of is actually not that essential at all if without life itself.

So what is essential?

Some people may say that wisdom is. It is with wisdom, we can grow our inner self to understand better about the universe within us. There is a little universe in each of us that we have conveniently neglected over the years. We perceive material things as essential and we chase after them with all efforts. We forget one thing, that without wisdom, we are just chasing blindly. Wise people are able to spend more time on themselves and less time in efforts but still producing the same results.

Some people may say health is. Life and health are bound hand in hand. We need to be healthy to live life. Health used to be simple. Anyone can achieve good health with healthy daily routines. The time we are awake, we choose all the healthy practices. The time we are asleep, we choose to let go of all that bothers us, let it be handled during waking hours. How many people can really do that, just let go and not be a control freak? Everyone loves to control to a certain extent.

Some people may say family and friends is. In this day and time, relationship has been brought to another level. We can find long lost friends through social media from friends of friends. We can stay in touch using voice or video calls from free platforms. We can even hold a seamless meeting using zoom calls. There are no boundaries even in the state of a global lockdown. Everyone can keep in touch with each other be it for business or just connecting.

Perhaps we are still not looking deep enough to find the true essentials that each human need to survive. Perhaps the most important things come so naturally we do not even realize that they are the true essentials of living.

How many days can a person survive without food?
How many days can a person survive without water?
How many minutes can a person survive without air?
What is of utmost importance that we must protect regardless of whether or not we live to see it?

Mother Nature is the solitary provider of all essentials; food, water, and air. Let us all protect and create a better world for our children.

 

And now here is my secret, a very simple secret, it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, comte de Saint-Exupery (Antoine de Saint-Exupery), French writer and aviator, 1900-1944

Perception

Perception is important and dangerous altogether.

Humans very commonly judge a book by its cover. Sight is most used of all senses and each time we see something, we believe it is true. While it is true at that moment, it may not be so before and after that very moment itself. When two people fight, the winner seems to be cruel while the loser gets pity from everyone. However, we do not know head or tail of the whole story. The winner could have been the good guy provoked to the point he breaks. The loser could have been pretending in order to get attention or help. How often do we arrive early for the pre-fight and stay till the end for the post-fight?

Most of the time, we will listen to the people around us talking about other people or issues, especially those that concern us. We may be skeptical at the beginning. Somehow, when more and more people are talking about the same thing, rumours turn into reality. It is believed that a lie can become the truth when it is repeated more than a thousand times. A rumour is the most dangerous silent killer. It can kill respect. It can kill trust. It can kill confidence. It can kill relationships. Worst off, it can also take a life. Before we contribute to this sin, it would be better off to verify how much truth there is to a statement.

While we are aware that what we see could only be partial of the story and what we hear could be a total hoax, whatever we do is entirely up to us. We know there are hotlines to report home violence, will we take the liberty to pick up the phone and dial that number if we become aware of one such cases? We know that Mother Nature is crying in pain, will we step up and step out to fend for her and to protect her at all costs? We know that wild or stray animals do not like to come into contact with humans unless they have been forced to do so, will we leave a crop out there for them to feed their families?

Becoming aware of something is entirely different from really putting efforts to change for the better. We are aware of many things around us, what have we done to improve the situation?

We have our own freedom to interpret things our own way. Some say we should all do good but the meaning of good is understood differently by everyone. This brings us to the most sensitive issue that not many would dare to touch, religion. We each believe teachings of our own religion is the best. We selectively believe the people who spread the teachings and seldom question their interpretation because we have the perception that they are the devotees of the almighty. We should ask our inner senses. We should ask if whatever the person is telling us to do is really the religion itself. Or, if there is a slight chance that the person may have other agenda. Nobody can force us into doing something we are not willing to.

We should believe our own interpretation, and not blindly follow the insight of others.

We are born with a special gift. One that we have forgotten because of distractions. If we look back at our younger years, what is the major change from who we were to who we are now? We used to be the child of many thoughts. We imagined everything impossible and we strongly think that we are right. Children have the purest thoughts. As adults, we are consistently worried that the child might be cheated to take the wrong path. Perhaps we have a pure heart to help them but if we are to be overprotective all the time, will the child ever grow to learn the ups and downs of life itself?

Put ourselves in our children’s shoes. How well will we fair if we had us as our parents? Being protective is the norm. Letting our children choose their own path while teaching them moral is really what parents around the world should be doing. Sometimes we learn a hundred lessons in one failure, better than any classroom can ever teach. Never cushion them when they fall, only then they will learn to heal and get up as a renewed person.

Being positive is great. Having positive perception and approach is priceless.

 

If you can change your perception, you can change your emotion and this can lead to new ideas.

Edward Charles Francis Publius de Bono (Edward de Bono), Maltese psychologist and author who originated the term lateral thinking in Six Thinking Hats, 1933-present

Early

The early bird catches the worm!

We have always been told to be early for everything and anything. This cannot be far from the truth. When the opportunity is here, we best catch it and make the best of it before it leaves. Opportunities are everywhere. It is up to us to identify which one suits us best. When we are certain of it, go all out.

Many times, we see a problem as a mere problem. Our mind is somehow locked in the problem itself and we never see the opportunity every problem brings us. It is a test. A test to see how well we cope with situations. Time can tell. We may not be able to see it now but we actually learn best in difficult situations. When there is no turning back, when there is no room for error, that is when we perform best.

It does not matter if we fail, it only matters if we learn from our past mistakes and make more educated decisions along the way.

Usually we want to be early in meetings. It sets a great impression to the person we are meeting. We show that we are keen on the agenda. We show that we respect the entire session. However, being early is not the only thing we should focus on. Preparedness is also a matter of consideration. If we are merely early, we are only showing respect to a certain extent. If we are early and prepared, we are hitting the bullseye. That is the ultimate goal we want to achieve.

Though there may be unfair advantage in some situations, we should always do our best at tackling all prospects. We always look on the bright side but should also always prepared for the worst. What can happen if we are to fail? What can happen if we are mocked? What can happen if nobody cares?

We have to have a clear mindset that nothing ever matters more than life. If we are not appreciated at that moment, it only means that we have another chance ahead of us to do better, to be better. There is always something to learn everywhere we are, in all situations. We just have to stay focused and look beyond what is clouding us at that very moment. Sometimes, no matter how hard we look, we never find. Perhaps it is time to pause. Just pause, and get out to look at the world or get in to look within. The answer is always there awaiting for us. All we need is clarity.

Everyone has the same number of hours in a day. How can we make use of all the hours we have wisely?

The human mind works best when it is quiet. The sense of pleasantness is something money cannot buy. It can only be obtained when our surrounding is serene. Serenity can come from within, or harvested from nature itself.

What do we do when everyone else is asleep?

Be different. Be unique.

Most people will drag their day to the midnight hours and tell themselves that the night is still young. While stretching ourselves beyond limits, we should actually do it wisely. Discipline is very important to achieve whatever goals we set in life. Many of times, we think that going out having fun till late nights is the way to mingle and connect with friends and opportunities. However, by doing that, we are actually selling off our time and health for a small return. We are lack of sleep and we drag our tiredness to the next day and the day after. What is it doing to our life?

If we really want to be successful, model how the top one percent (1%) of the people in the world live their life. If we really dig deep, we will find that they are all early risers. They sleep when the world is busy partying. They work when the world is asleep.

Stillness is before dawn. The air is freshest. The sky is still dark. Just as the birds are waking up. Just as the nature is beginning a new day, so are we. That is the best time to tap into our true potential. That is the best time to bring the best out of ourselves. That is the time when our mind is clearest.

Good morning early riser! The day is great and I am prepared for it.

 

The time just before dawn contains the most energy of all hours of the day. This has helped me become an early riser and an early doer. When I wake to see that it’s light out already, I feel the world has started without me.

Terri Guillemets, American author

Niche

Niche is probably one of the most heard words in this day and time.

Everyone is talking about it. What is it that makes everyone so interested in it? Why is it important to focus on a niche? How exactly do we find that niche that suits us? Everyone is probably asking the same questions.

We live in a world full of distractions. The more information there is, the more difficult it is to understand what is best for us.

The most commonly discussed topics on any search engine are the niche that we should be looking into if we are aiming to be successful in this era. The more discussed the topic, the bigger the market.

WEALTH! Everybody wants to be wealthy. Who does not? We are made to believe, since young that money matters a lot to us. Without money, we would end up in the streets begging for a piece of bread. With money, we can buy anything we want.

There are many ways to become prosperous. Somehow, when the whole world is on lockdown, wealth gurus sprout like mushrooms all over the internet. There are some who are genuine but there will always be those who are only in for the big buck. As a hungry learner, we have to be vigilant. We have to find out the history of whomever we are looking to mentor us.

Learning is a process. Once we have chosen the mentor, we must go all in. We must be committed to make things happen. We must be committed to do all the work. We must commit our time and money to really make things happen. We have to understand that in order for our life to change for the better, we have to first make the change. Doing things the old way will just leave us stagnant.

HEALTH! When we have the wealth, we can talk about health. When we are still young, we should be trading a little bit of health for wealth. This is good and bad at the same time.

It is common to see students burning the midnight oil studying or trying to finish up assignments. They are still very young, they have a lot of time to trade for knowledge. It is also common to see people who are keen to climb that corporate ladder work late nights to finish up the presentation. They are still young, they have time to trade for success. It is even more common to see young entrepreneurs working day and night in their homes. They sometimes even work with a laptop on the bed. They are comparably still young, they have time to trade for money.

Some people are very lucky. Despite having had a rough start, they are still happy and healthy in their older days. How is that possible? Perhaps there are some things that they do that we did not. May be it is a great time to start looking into health differently. Study ourselves and the people around us. What makes some people happy all the time? What makes everyone happy some of the time?

RELATIONSHIP! It is believed that people in great relationships are happier than those who are not. While this may be true to a certain extent, it is not typical.

If we look around, there are quite a huge number of people who prefer to remain single, and they are very happy people. There may be times that they will feel lonely but there are certainly some who enjoy the loneliness. Perhaps it is the freedom of never needing to answer to anyone. They can do whatever they wish, whenever they like, however they prefer. Nobody has the right to tell them otherwise.

As humans, we tend to like to compare. There are those who would compare and envy. There are also those who would compare and improve. It all depends on the personality and also the way we look at life. After several years of observation, we should understand that every human is different and unique in their own way. We should only compare with each other for positive inputs and outputs. Never ever should we lower our self-esteem in any situation.

Wealth, health, and relationship. They are all related. How do we niche down on one?

 

If everybody is doing it one way, there’s a good chance you can find your niche by going exactly in the opposite direction.

Samuel Moore Walton (Sam Walton), American businessman and founder of Walmart and Sam’s Club, 1918-1992

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