Peaks and Troughs

Life's not always easy - like walking in the park.
Neither is it always tough - like going against the tide.

There are times of peaks and troughs!

But remember this though:
Life's not about where it leads you.
It's what you make of it.

Unleashing

I've gone back to the university - for higher education, that is.
You don't have to do what I did - but if you've got the chance, yes, please do.

There are plenty of things to learn... and lots of room for growth.
Be open and contribute to the pool of knowledge by doing so.

Then, live and share what you've learned ...
And cease not to be a learning learner, please!

Take time to study in whatever way you can ...
Because it's a pity if you stop unleashing that greatness you've got.

Good to Great

Personal Humility and Professional Will.
These are what make any entity move from Build Up to Break Through.
It's the so called Fly Wheel Concept.

Talents, achievements, positions - all these you may have.
But for real success, they're not the bottomline...
Although they do matter, of course.

Realize though it's the non-stop effort and struggle...
And acknowledgment to improve that makes it to the top.


(Ref. Good to Great, Jim Collins)

Filth

Bad memories, past humiliations, unresolved frustrations, ...
Rid of them! They're all past anyway.
They're not treasures but filth in your heart.

How? Process them once more ...
Acknowledge your share in them.
And very soon, the emotions would linger no more.

Know that emotions are always valid as they are.
They're neither good nor bad.
It's the thoughts and behavior escorting it that could be judged.

So, take a peep in your heart and recognize where you stand.

Trends

Trends keep changing.
New gadgets, new fashion... new lifestyles.

If we keep riding, we're gonna go nuts!

Choose only those that you need...
'Coz they'll be helpful for you.

The rest are rubbish...don't be enslaved by them!

Sad?

Sad? ... Why?

You're alive! And as long as you are, you can do something good.
You can change, improve, correct things. Isn't that great?

You can be happy ... for as long as you choose to be so.

Some tricks - process, accept, forgive, let go, move on ... stay positive!
You have a hold on all these. Challenge your thoughts.
'Tis the only way so you don't cascade further into your sadness.

Quiet Time

Every one needs time to look at oneself - what's happening inside.

It's not wasted time!

Objective tracking's gotta be done - one has to see oneself from outside.

Sometimes, passions are on the loose.
But you need to have a hold of 'em - before they get hold of you.

For this, spend some quiet time...

Gratitude

Be grateful!
For what?

For everything that's good and not so good.
For having families, friends, relatives...and all the people in your heart.
For your successes and mistakes - you've learned a lot from them, for sure.
For all the years that passed and yet to come.

In a word, for LIFE!

Family

There's no perfect family, I suppose.
There's only the best - and that's the one you've got!

Love them a lot...reach out to all of 'em.
And remember, there's no generic formula for all.
It's a matter of trying... and loving more each time.

You owe them a lot... for who you are and what you've reached so far!

The Heaviest Stone

Most of the time,
It's the will that's so hard to move ...
Like a boulder before you.

But still, try pushing it ...
Slowly and perseveringly ...
Ask for help, if needed.

That big stone?
Keep it out of the way -
Either the boulder or you will get stuck!

Enjoy Reading

Reading leads you to a well of knowledge.

You may not have a chance to travel and be exposed to vast cultures across the globe.
But reading can bring you to wherever you wish to go.

You may not have lived during important times in history.
But reading can turn back the clock and put you in the era you hope you had seen.

Your personal insights on specific aspects of life and sciences may be one-sided.
But reading can widen your horizon and remove your doubts.

Caution: Be careful on what you read! Not everything's gold. Some are rubbish.
Learn to assess which will lead you to grow.

Inner Peace

I just watched Kung Fu Panda 2 and these lines struck me:

"You've got to let go of the past 'coz it doesn't matter anymore.
What's important is to have inner peace now."

Wounds heal; scars fade away...

If you still don't have peace...
then, try at least envisioning you'll have it...
and so, off you've started to your road of peace.

Consistency

Consistency ... Predictability ... Dependability ... Integrity
These are all interconnected.

They make life stable for you and for others.

Of course, there'd be bits of holes ...
But what's important is a firm bigger whole.

Lights

As we acquire the habit to think through,
lights will start to shine - like diamonds that sparkle in the dark.
Catch them and learn to ponder...
they're treasures - great thoughts leading you to a path.
MATURITY - that's how it's defined.

Happy Thoughts

Anger, resentments, hurts, anxieties, doubts, fears ...
These are negative thoughts ... Dismiss them!

Gratitude, peace, love, serenity, service, hope ...
These are happy thoughts ... Choose them!

Sensing

Changes normally do not reveal or announce themselves.
One's got to be "SENSING" to match the rate of change happening around.

That means...
- constantly scanning the environment;
- being open-minded to catch opportunities;
- seeking to understand to get deep insights;
- being critical and conscious of weaknesses;
- seeing what others can't see as basis for innovation.

Sounds like a business feasibility study?
But, it's applicable to other "businesses" as well.

Timeline

My professor said, "An objective without a timeline is just a wish."

Have a schedule. A daily one would be good. If you could do it by the hour, better.

It's not about being scrupulous...it's about time management.

Accounting of time will make you see you can actually gain more time.

You'll also achieve more at a serene pace.

Don't rely on chance or luck... That's kinda "iffy."

Important - make realistic timelines and factor in your capacity. If not, you're gonna go crazy.

Support

There are days when your baggage seems heavier.
Times when you wake up with big boulders before you.

The thunder rules and the house is rattled.
There are lots of fears to be battled.

Seek support. Hang on. Don't let go.
Let someone stronger lift and hold you.

A whisper in the darkness - "Take one step at a time."
'Til you see the sparks at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks to the good guide and the big support!

Meekness

"Impatience, irritation, bad temper, and hatred."
All are displays of weakness.

Mastery of self - part of true meekness - is for the strong.
It avoids answering back too quickly, speaking wounding words...
Moves which we regret afterwards.

Know how to wait for the right moment to express judgments with conviction.
This is meekness.

The lack of it results from pride and produces "loneliness and sterility."
...And provides the reason to be surrounded by "indifference, coldness, resentment, and lack of trust."

Remember: "The meek shall inherit the earth."


Ref. Patience: The Path to Victory (Charles Belmonte)

New Life

New Year. New beginning. New resolutions.

But, why wait for the "next year"?!

One's got the "next day" (better yet, the next hour or even, the next minute!)...

It takes 365 days to count 1 year (too long!)... while it takes only 24 hours to count one day.

Don't delay...

Goodbyes

A poem I wrote way back in high school:

When we had to part and said goodbye,
I thought this feeling would easily die.
I wish there'd be others I'd find,
but still you're always on my mind.
When I remember those days that went so fast,
I feel so sad 'coz now they're just memories of the past.

Time and again, one's brought back to this trail.

The world keeps turning. People are moving.

Life's full of twists and turns!

It's a wonderful life!