Give Love To the Children Inside All of Us

Children need lots of encouragement and so do adults, because the child lives inside all of us. Deep down, all of us need love, support and encouragement from the people around us, without which there is very little motivation to keep going. That is also why love always win and hate will only generate more hate.

Don't stop at being just a friend, be an encouraging one! Give love, give support to someone who is trying to make a difference, someone who is trying to improve lives, someone who is chasing dreams. Sometimes, your smallest action can be the spark to ignite something really amazing and wonderful. When that happens, the world benefits.

Be the one who heal wounds and give hope, because the world needs more of that. We are not going to live forever, but what we build today, can be the best presents we give to our children and many generations to come. You may not see the day the tree grows to bear fruits and provide shade but you will always be remembered for planting that seed many years ago.

Admire The Sunset With Your Loved Ones

No matter how beautiful the sunset is, it will be meaningless if there is no one beside you, to admire together with you.

Our loved ones are the reasons we work so hard for, but they are also the reasons why we should not overwork ourselves. It is our responsibilities to preserve our health for as long as we can, so that we can be there to take care of our loved ones and to enjoy Life's best moments with them.

The world is moving at a fast pace, work may get more demanding and challenging, stress level will go up as well. However, we must always bear in mind, what is most important to us, that is our health and our loved ones. No one is indispensable in any organisation but you are indispensable to your family. Always remember that and strive to strike a balance, there is a time to work and there is a time to rest.

Be A Good Passenger Of Life

Imagine this:

The bus is half filled with passengers.

Every passenger start to put their bags on the empty seat next to them, the bus will have no more seats left.
Now, if every passenger start to vacate their seat and move to a common standing area, so that someone more needy can take their seats, the bus will have full seating capacity.

This is the difference between being kind (full seating capacity), doing nothing (bus half filled) and being inconsiderate (no more seats left).

Every passenger has a part to play and every decision makes a difference. We are afterall passengers of Life.

See the Positives In Every Situation

Super heavy rain with thunder but I am safe in the comfort of the SBS bus, fully covered, with aircon, almost full phone batt and ample mobile data left for the month. What more can I ask for? See the positives in every situation & stay safe, my dear friends :)

Part 2: Brave the rain to search for a food stall with rave reviews but it was sold out when I got there, but I managed to find a shop selling pastry like lao po bing, which I dont see quite often outside.Thankful for all the surprises at Life's every corner :)

Be The Positive Keyboard Warrior

Thank you my dear friend, Wei Yang, for the flattering words you wrote in this post:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1437902803105381/permalink/1829444890617835/

I am nothing more than just a "keyboard warrior", the term so infamously used to describe people who hide behind an anonymous profile on the Internet to attack, flame and abuse others while at the same time incite hate and anger.

I am determined to send a message to these people, that for all your high intellect, excellent command of the English language and ample free time, you can do so much more than just attacking people and inciting anger. Use your talents and strengths to create an positive impact on the society. Help make a difference in the most heartwarming way, not causing further misery and suffering. The society needs you, just as it needs everyone, to come together to change things for the better. Don't just talk (or type) and do nothing (no actions).

For the shy, introverts and not so outgoing friends, the world today is so much different and the cyber space is as real and you can create a positive impact even at the comfort of your home, office or school. Grab this opportunity to make a difference to the lives of others. I hope I give you a good reference point, cheers :)

Finding Cheap Happiness

If you think that to be happy means you must have lots of money because money can give you a sense of security, money can bring you to places, travel the world, luxurious hotel stays, VIP treatment and elevate your social status, then hey you are probably right! Because that is your definition of happiness, but till the day you earned tons of money, you probably wont be happy. You will also probably be stressed up by your high standards of happiness.

Happiness to me is simple and cheap, and at times free. When I am able to help someone and make that person happy, I am happy. Everyday I feel grateful for so many blessings in my life, I am happy. As I write these posts, and it cheer your day or gives you that tiny bit of positive energy or morale booster, I am happy.

It is a virtue to strive hard and work for a better future but there is a difference between needs and wants. This difference is proportional to the amount of happiness we get in life.

Giving Directions, Giving Kindness

Saw this lady in front of me, she looked lost and was asking around for direction, she approached two ladies who were unfortunately unable to help her as there were Japanese tourists. As I walked past her, she was speaking to an Auntie, whom seemed not very sure on how to guide her. So, I approached her and asked where she wanted to go and gave her the directions. She was very thankful. I went to grab a drink and saw the two Japanese ladies, who were looking lost also, so I again approached them and offered to give them directions. They were surprised but very thankful, judging from the smiles on their faces.

I know some people may think I am very kaypoh but it is okay, they are entitled to their own opinions while I do what I think is right. There are always opportunities to give kindness and if I see one, I will try to give, because I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end. If we have more people helping one another or looking out for one another, it will definitely make our community a more heartwarming place. Simple gestures which takes minimal time and effort can touch another person and brighten his/ her day. Be the one who is big-hearted enough to give love and kindness, it will change your perspective of this world and make you happier, cheers :)

Enriched with Every Tough Experience

This morning as I woke up feeling sleepy and tired, I looked out of the windows and saw many staff at the supermarket under the opposite block already hard at work. If I am one of them, I have to wake up much earlier.

I recalled my working experience as a NTUC cashier many years ago. The working hours were long because of this rule whereby cashiers need to arrive an hour earlier and knock off an hour later, to verify the cashbox accounts. The meal hours were at odd hours, e.g. lunch at 2pm or dinner at 3pm. The pay was peanuts and you meet nasty customers quite frequently, esp. during the festive season. Somehow, to some people, the long queues were because of cashiers' inefficiency. If sitting the whole day at your desk is tough, trying standing the whole day as a cashier.

While it was not the most enjoyable working experience, it had certainly enriched me in other ways. It made me better appreciate what I have now. Everything in life happens for a reason, every experience, good or bad, serves to teach us some valuable lessons, to help us grow, become stronger and better persons.

Wishing everyone a fantastic week ahead !

Give Kindness Through Love and Support

For Life may not always been smooth sailing.... When you are troubled or facing issues/ difficulties, it helps greatly to have supportive people around you, the people who can carry you through the most challenging times and encourage you to get better.

For that is what Kindness is all about....
When there is no Love, there is no Hope and people lose faith in humanity. But the seed of love is inside all of us, it is absolutely humanely possible to grow it, through acts of kindness, one at a time. Kindness is not just for the needy/ underprivileged families, it is for everyone, your family, your friends or anyone who needs it.

For the broken....don't feel ashamed to ask for help when you need it. Someday when you get out of your woes, you can always pay the kindness forward. We help one another get further, that is how the community works and that is what Humanity is all about.

If you ask me, "Why be kind?" Then my reply would be, "Why don't you try to give kindness and see where it can take you to?"

Happiness Is A Habit

Simple things in life make me happy, like going to the movies, catching up with friends, enjoying good food or helping people. Maybe it is because I am blessed with a happy-go-lucky personality and easily contented nature, but I think it is also because I make a conscious effort to remain happy. I am not immune to negativity ongoing in my environment but for every reason of unhappiness Life throws at me, I try to find another reason to be happy. I choose to be happy because of the simple things that I get to enjoy in Life. I choose not to raise my expectation so high that it is difficult to make myself happy. I choose happiness because I am deserving, I deserve to be good to myself, and so do you.

To all my friends who are pessimist, natural worrier or continually harboring negative thoughts, I want you to know that happiness is a choice and most importantly, happiness is a habit. There is resistance to change to adopt this new habit but I assure you that the effort is absolutely worth it. Just with all other new habits, it takes time but soon you will perfect it.

To all my friends who are optimists, positively charged happy people, do you know that you and I hold great responsibility to spread the positive energy and happiness around. Don't just stop at being positive in your own life, encourage the negative people around you to embrace your positive spirit as well. Show them that they can be as happy and positive as you too. Together, we can spread more positive energy around and help more people lead meaningful lives by finding their source of happiness.

Life is so much more than the Regrets

When you can only choose either one of your favourite food, are you going to dwell on what you miss out or are you going to fully enjoy what you have on your plate?

Life is full of hits and misses, if we keep thinking about what we have missed out, when we keep thinking about our regrets, then we waste precious time to enjoy what we are really blessed with. Dwelling on the negative thoughts will not solve any issue, nor will it bring us the things we want, yet it deprives us of the opportunities to take actions to change and it makes us unhappy. So, why engage in such a meaningless and unconstructive activity?

The next time your "regrets" come knocking, tell yourself this, Life is not perfect, you cannot have the best of everything and most importantly, your life is so much more than just the regrets. Your life is defined by what you achieved and not by what you did not. Cheers

Be Inspired By The Inventions Around Us

When I put down my phone and looked around, I realised I am in awe with so many things that I see. The roads, the buildings, the vehicles, all of them are built from scratch, using the raw materials gathered from Nature. We are surrounded by so many inventions and innovations that brought great convenience and comfort to our everyday lives (think aircon, water heater, lifts...etc). All these wouldn't be possible without the brillance of men, not just one man but many men.

If these inventors had not believe in change, had they not believe in improving quality of life for others, had they not believe in their own abilities and that they could make an impact, then we would all still be stuck in the Stone Age Era.

If we take a leaf out of the inventor's book, let us also believe in the potential that lies in each and every one of us and that we can all create an impact in the lives of others. Our lives will be meaningful when we add value to the people around us. Changing the world seems such a big thing and requires plenty of effort, but have we realised that the world is changing everyday? Let's make it better !

"What Are You Grateful For?"

Want to know a secret of happiness? Continually engage your mind with this question, "What Am I Grateful For?"

For example, this morning, I had to travel to far away place for a company event and that meant having to wake up an hour earlier and taking the long journey there. These are my reason of unhappiness actually, but I choose to focus on what I grateful for.

I am grateful for so many things, firstly to be able to wake up and earn another day, I am grateful that my residence has a shuttle bus service to bring me somewhere near there, I am grateful that the shuttle bus uncle was kind to drop me off at a place near my event venue though he was not obliged to. I am grateful that I don't have to pay for some of my meals today (lunch and tea breaks catered). Above all, I am grateful for my health, to be able to see, hear, walk and breathe, all these should not be taken for granted. I am also grateful that I am surrounded by so many lovely people, my family, my friends and all the beautiful strangers whom I have never met, yet put so much trust and faith in me.

You see when we continually ask ourselves this question, it shifts the mind focus to something positive, we give ourselves reasons to be happy through the things we are grateful for. The same goes if you ask yourself what you are unhappy with, the mind shifts the focus to the negativity and you feel unhappy. However, we don't have to consciously do that since negativity is all around in our environment. The state of positivity is more difficult to achieve so we must be proactive in seeking our own happiness. So, make it a habit to ask yourself this question from time to time. You will feel happier this way

Own Your Happiness

We are the true owners of our own happiness. In every circumstance we are in, we can give ourselves reasons to be happy or reasons to be unhappy. When we are angry with someone, when we harbour hate inside us, when we feel negative, we surrender a part of our happiness ownership to them. The more we dwell on the negative thoughts, the more of the happiness ownership we transfer to them. In the end, we start to blame the people who have hurt us, the people who make us angry and the people who cause us so much misery. This results in more hate, anger and frustration, especially when we think that all these sufferings are out of our control. When that happens, we have basically surrendered all our happiness ownership to them. We have no control over our happiness as our mind is obessed with the negative thoughts.

This is not true, we have absolute control over our happiness. While there may be people or events that create the negativity in us, we do need to transfer the ownership of our happiness to them. There is no benefits doing that because we get more negative and in the end, the ones who suffer most are ourselves. So, take ownership of your happiness, don't play the "blame" game and choose all the reasons to be happy. The people/ events who are taking control of your happiness are not worthy to be the master of your happiness, only you are worthy, so don't give it to them.

The True Spirit of Winning

While others are crying foul over rigged results, the man himself (Nathan Hartono) was reflecting on the biggest adventure and achievement of his life. That is the spirits of a true winner. It may seem a pity that "he got so far" but "did not win the biggest prize" but why does success always has to be defined by "winning the first prize", rather than the process of "getting so far"?

You win not because you finished first or took the gold medal, you win not because of the As, you win because you have put in your best efforts, you win because you kept raising the bar for yourself, most importantly you win because you enjoyed every bit of the journey and find meaning in the whole competition, the end results are just secondary. The same goes for Life, how do you define if your life is successful? Is it because of all the assets you owned, the cash you have in the bank? Or is it because the journey was memorable, you enjoyed every moment and it brought you joy and inner peace?

Maybe history will not honour the silver medalists nor will it remember the one who almost made it, but the people you have touched and inspired will never forget what you taught them, that is the power of dreams. You can be anything you want, if you dare to dream, the final outcome may not be what you imagined initially but to be able to live the whole experience makes you a true winner.

Thank you Nathan for the inspiration !

Find The Sun or Be the Sun !

Molds grow in dark, moist areas where there is no sunlight. Other than being unsightly, molds can cause health problems if they are allowed to manifest in the house. Negative people/ emotions are just like molds, a few of them probably will not hurt you, but if you allow them to grow, your environment / your mind will become toxic and this will harm you.

To prevent this from happening, seek to find the SUN, be around people who are optimistic and positive. Be around people who can help you deal with the negative emotions, the people who can make a situation better and people who do not spread the hate and anger. If you can't find that person, then take the bold step to be that person, be the sun to eradicate all the molds around you. Make a difference and positive impact to the people around you. Be the change you always wanted to see.

Live For the Memories

The way we take photos have changed over the years, from analog photography to digital photography.

The way we share photos taken have changed over the years, from printing out hard copies in photo albums to online through social media and the Internet.

The number of photos taken has also changed, from the limited numbers on a roll of film to the thousands that the memory card can store.
One thing that did not change is we still love taking photos, and are taking more photos.

Why is that so?

Every photo capture a part of our lives because every photo is a piece of memory. When we capture plenty of photos all through our lives, what we really want to safekeep are our memories, because that is what Life is all about. Memories tell us that we have a lived a Life filled with happiness and meaning.

When you grow old and there are 2 items on your desk, a thick photo album full of photos of you and your loved ones, and a file containing your bank statements, shares statement, which one would make you happier?

*** Inspired when looking through my old photo album ***

Kindness Is All Around Us

An elderly Malay Uncle with walking difficulties took a very long time to cross the road, so long that the green man had turn red. No one car on either side moved, no one sounded the horn, everyone just waited patiently for him to cross.

Some think that Singaporean drivers are impatient, don't give way and get angry easily, but this is what we are all made up of, the seed of kindness lies in every one of us. Our fast paced competitive society may not be the perfect environment to nurture this seed, but we can start to make a change and encourage more kindness among us.

I believe in the good in all of us, do you?

Make Life Tiring Fun !

Life can be tiring or tiring fun. If we can find joy and meaning in what we do, then all the tiredness is worth it. We don't just get through the different stages of Life because everyone else is doing it. Every stage of Life brings a whole new experience, with lessons to learn and pleasant surprises awaiting. We are all privileged to given this life to live, love and grow, so make full use of this opportunity to create beautiful memories, for yourself and for the people around you. Make the hard work you give, reap great rewards for you !

Life, Problems, Meaning

Life is a series of problems, you solve one problem, another problem crops up. Can we not have problems? Can we not have worries? Can we not be afraid? Can we not be angry? Can we not experience loss? Can we not be sad? Can we not have negative thoughts in our head?

When Life is smooth sailing, with no issues, no challenges, with everything mapped out nicely for you, Life will gradually lose it's purpose. If we have not been afraid, how would we be given the opportunity to overcome our fears and build our courage? If we have not experience sadness, how would we treasure our happy moments? If we have not experienced loss, how would we appreciate the time we had with our loved ones?

Every problem/ issue faced in Life gives us the opportunity to come out of it stronger and to improve ourselves or our relationship with others. Don't be afraid of problems, stay focus on the solutions and get the best out of every situation you are in, good or bad, for that is what makes Life interesting and meaningful.

"Singapore workers unhappiest in South-east Asia: Survey"

"Singapore workers unhappiest in South-east Asia: Survey"

This is an article published just yesterday and when I read the headline, the reasons on what could have caused the unhappiness had already popped up in my mind, perhaps coming from my own experience at work.

The train is crowded, the boss is uncaring, the work is overwhelming, there is no sense of purpose at work. While these are all valid reasons to be unhappy, have we conveniently forget the reasons to be happy?

The train system may be crowded but with Circle Line and Downtown Line operational, we save up so much time traveling from one place to another (think Bishan to Bouna Vista using NS & EW line compared to circle line). Traveling to work is now faster as compared to few years ago.

Work may be overwhelming but I still get to enjoy the weekend, like right now writing down my thoughts, while there are people in the service line working over the weekend. Some hawkers start work as early as 12 or 1 am and only stopped work at noon, a taxing almost 12 hours of shift, most of them are not young anymore. The policemen or army regulars could be working round the clock to solve cases or be involved in military exercises, they have to spent time away from their families because of their work commitment.
I may not play a big role in the organisation so my sense of purpose at work is not that strong but my income allows me to fulfill my wishes and achieve some of life's milestones with my loved ones, that is my purpose of work.

The environment can always spark off negativity, as it seems like a norm to gossip and to talk about the unhappy stuff, but don't let it disrupt your inner peace and make you spiral downwards. If there is a problem, focus on the solution, not the issue. We must take responsibilities of our happiness and not blame our unhappiness on others. For every reason to be unhappy lies a reason to be happy, find it and be good to yourself.

About Death & Life [Excerpt]

Beautiful Writeup:

"I realized that the most important thing about death is to ensure that you leave this world a little better than it was before you existed with your contributions.

We care so much about the health and integrity of our body that until death, we don’t notice that the body is nothing more than a box – a parcel for delivering our personality, thoughts, beliefs and intentions to this world. If there is nothing in this box that can change the world, then it doesn’t matter if it disappears. I believe that we all have potential, but it also takes a lot of courage to realize it. You can float through a life created by circumstances, missing day after day, hour after hour. Or, you can fight for what you believe in and write the great story of your life.

I hope you will make the right choice. Leave a mark in this world. Have a meaningful life, whatever definition it has for you. Go towards it. The place we are leaving is a beautiful playground, where everything is possible. Yet, we are not here forever. Our life is a short spark in this beautiful little planet that flies with incredible speed to the endless darkness of the unknown universe. So, enjoy your time here with passion. Make it interesting. Make it count! Thank you!"

Excerpt from "Powerful Advice From a Dying Man":
http://tranquilmonkey.com/advice-dying/#

Similar Situation, Different Perspectives

When the weather gets too hot, I am thankful that there is aircon in the office, shopping malls and in our public transportation system. When the aircon in the office gets too cold, I am glad that I am able to go out and get some fresh air, sunshine and warmth.

In a similar situation, I could have felt frustrated, complained about the unbearable heat and wished I was somewhere else, maybe in a country with a cooler climate. However, will it make me happier if I were to think this way?

We all face challenges and constraints in life, our perspectives determine whether we come out of it feeling happy or unhappy. The situation may not change easily (like how do you make Singapore's climate to be cooling all year round), but we can certainly adopt a more positive mindset when dealing with the challenges and issues. Because by doing so, it will make us happier people.