Receiving Kindness while Chasing For Bus

It was an agonising feeling to chase after your shuttle bus (last one of the day), only to see it drive off when you are so close to reaching it. However, all is not lost when an Indian lady sitting at the bus stop, who witnessed the whole scene, made a hand gesture to the driver to inform him there is another passenger behind. She doesn't need to do that but because she cares, it helped made someone's day brighter and the community becomes a more heartwarming place with pockets of kindness like this happening all around.

Giving kindness, definitely something within our means. Making a difference, definitely something we are all capable of. We need everyone to contribute, not just a small group, to create a better world together, not just for us but for generations to come.

Dish Washing Vs. Dealing With Issues In Life

What if you find yourself with a sink full of plates, pot, pan and utensils to wash? It can be a overwhelming feeling when you think of how long you are going to stand at the kitchen sink doing dish washing. In life, we can face a similar situation, be it in studies, work or issues faced in life.

What would I do? I start with the easiest task first. I will wash the utensils first before moving on to the plates and finally the bigger cookware. The idea of starting off with the easiest task is to build momentum as we deal with our challenges. We also gain more confidence as we solve the issues one after another. Very soon, all issues will be solved, just like all dishes will be washed eventually.

For friends who feel overwhelmed with issues in life or at work/studies, remember to take one issue at a time and try to solve the easiest one first. Build good momentum as you solve one issue after another. A good start will be half the battle won. Remember, all problems can be solved, just need to focus on the solutions and not the problems. All the best !

Happy 3rd Birthday To PARK !

3 years ago on this very day (22 Sept), I started Project Act of Random Kindness - PARK. The intent was to encourage more people to give kindness, instead of shaming unkind behaviors,(e.g. not giving up reserved seats). Instead of telling people what not to do, let's show people what should be done. It is a more positive way to influence people because kindness is not given out of fear. PARK's motto is to change the world, through acts of random kindness, one at a time.

3 years on, how much of the world have we really changed? I have no answer to that but I can tell you how much my world has changed. The PARK initiative gave rise to our kindness group, PARK $2 Project (P2P), which is the platform for people who want to give kindness to be informed of the ongoing kindness opportunities and for volunteer leaders to get the support and resources for their events. I have been touched, amazed and swept away by the sheer amount of kindness shown in our group, by all the wonderful people in our community, some of whom I have the privilege to befriend. Time and time again, when tragedy strikes, the fantastic people in our group rushed forward to help, to make things better for the families / individuals affected. We are generating hope, the most powerful element we need to ease all our insecurities in an ever changing environment and unknown future. I said this many times, kindness (not tons of money) will be our biggest safety net.

The journey continues to spring more surprises for me, I set up What Makes Us Happy In Singapore? to encourage friends to share their happy moments, to spread more positive vibes around. I managed to "publish" my first ebook, "Be Kind Be Positive Be Happy" ((http://tinyurl.com/jow2s48) earlier this year, to encourage more people to embrace positivity and to choose happiness, through my writings. I handed the main duties of managing P2P to my 4 capable admins and I am now into writing motivational articles, Jason Cai's Motivational Writings, which I hope can cheer you up when you are down or remind you of the simple blessings we all have, esp when you feel so unhappy with life.

The kindness journey has enriched my life in so many other ways, the more I give, the more I am inspired and the more I received. I wouldn't think I was as positive as I was today. The journey brought me so many treasures that I wish to share with every one of you and I know I cannot tell you one shot and expect you to absorb everything. This is the reason I am writing, consistently, because over time, I am reaching out to new groups of friends, setting reminders (for myself) and hopefully changing mindsets and inspiring people to create an impact.

There is no glory in building a legacy for myself, what I truly hope to achieve is to inspire more people, especially the youth, to step forward and help make a difference, even in the smallest manner. You must believe in the immense potential that is underlying in each and every one of you. Every one of us has a part of play in shaping a better future, let's give our best and be proud of what we achieve in years to come.

Using Our Resources To Benefit the World

What if you have the best kitchen appliances but you don't know how to cook?

What if you have the world's most expensive sports car but you don't know how to drive?

The resources that we have are only as good as how well we know how to use them.

Most of us are blessed with an able body and high intellect, but have we make full use of this resource to do more and add value to our community and society? Or have we thought that it is the responsibilities of others to do so and continue to let our own resources be under-utilised? If you don't know, you can learn but don't let the "don't know" conveniently become a "don't want".

The society builds us into who we are today and the society needs us to build others and help them succeed. I cannot tell you what you should do because you know best on what you are good at. We are all different, yet we can complement one another and fill the gaps, with our unique strengths and talents.

You can be that dazzling sports car in the showroom, when you raise your value through your service to others. So, make full use of your kitchen appliances and whip the most sumptuous meal for our community. The rewards will definitely be more than what you ever expected. Cheers :)

What You Don't Feed Will Not Grow Stronger

Whatever you don't feed will not grow stronger, be it fears, worries, anger, hate, obsession as well as all your positive thoughts. You are the master of your thoughts, you make decision on what to feed, not the other way round. The thoughts don't control you.

If you have not been happy, pay attention to what you are feeding in your mind, because you could be unknowingly feeding the negative thoughts that are making you sad and unhappy. Awareness is key, followed by change. You will face resistance to break out of the old habits but it is always possible to change, one small step each time. Be good to yourself and have the courage to change for the better.

Today is the Day !

If you have not been living the life you are proud of, not achieve the things you always wanted to achieve, have been lost, aimless or going through motion, remember this:

Today is your chance of redemption, your chance of turning all the wrongs into rights. Never mind how many years you think you have wasted achieving nothing, today is your chance to start it all over again. Don't worry about not having enough time to change because no one knows where their end will come. Time is relative, if you do it right, it will be long enough.

Negative People/ Emotions - The Weeds In Your Garden

Negative people or emotions are like having weeds around your favourite plant. They share the same space, absorb the same nutrients and grow incredibly fast. They are extremely hardy and feed on the slightest food source to grow. If you do not remove them, they will soon outgrow your favourite plant, deprive all of it's food sources and cause your favourite plant to wither.

Negativity can come from the surrounding (the negative people around you) or from the self (your negative emotions), they happen right in your space (workplace, home, community, cyberspace, your thoughts). They are constantly there with you, sucking in your resources (time, energy, attention) if you allow them to grow. They feed on the happenings ongoing in our daily lives, things that make us unhappy, and snowball quickly from a small issue to a big issue. For example, negative people will always there to spread more resentment, more complaints and more unhappiness. The same goes for the negative thoughts or emotions that you harbour. After thousands of years of human evolution, the world remains a chaotic place. This is the testament that negativity is incredibly hardy and will always be around.

We can do our part by giving proper care to our own land by removing the weeds. If you do your part and make sure you remove the weeds off your land as they attempt to grow, and I do my part and everyone else around us start to take good care of their lands, then we will change the world together and make it into a beautiful garden.