Motivational Stories
Based on Real Life Experiences
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Activities that you could do over the long weekend that won’t break your wallet
Activities that you could do over the long weekend that won’t
break your wallet
Some people say money is everything
because everything needs money. However, not having enough money shall not be
made an excuse to waste our precious weekends. There are so many activities
that we can do on weekends which do not require us to rob a bank.
The first activity is reading. For
those of you who do not like to read, let me share with you a few health
benefits of reading. Before that, let me remind you about one important fact of
life. All of us will become old and weak whether we like it or not. In order to
keep the mind young and sharp, reading is the only remedy. When you read a book
especially a novel, that imagination of yours while reading every word will
keep your mind young and active. When you read the newspaper, some
controversial topics will keep your mind busy arguing with yourself in your own
mind regarding the issues. On the other hand, those who love to read have a lot
to share with others. Their general knowledge is awesome.
Pot-luck is one of the most
economical but fun activities that you could do on weekends while watching your
favourite movies. You may decide which family or which friend will come up with
a particular menu so that you will have a variety of dishes at home. In your WhatsApp
group, you can also propose the type of movie that you want to watch together
that night. This two-in-one activity will definitely leave meaningful and
wonderful memories for each of you especially your children.
To be religious is not something that
is easy to achieve but doing good deeds at religious centres is something that
everyone can do. Whether you are a Moslem, Christian, Buddhist or Hindus, there
must be something that you can do at your own places of worship. Taking care of
the traffic, mopping the floor, cleaning the toilets and cleaning the
cemeteries are some of the charity work that you can do at the mosques,
churches and temples on weekends. On the other hand, for those of you who are
good at technical work, you may help to replace the malfunctioning lights or
fans or perhaps fix the air-conditioners.
If you have friends who love
adventure, climbing mountains or exploring nature is one of the most meaningful
activity that you can do on weekends. Not only it is good for your overall
health but nature has its own unique way to heal our feelings especially when
we feel down. At the same time, taking pictures of nature can give you an extra
income if you submit them to certain websites that appreciate good pictures. On
the other hand, as you get older, the only thing that you will have will be
those pictures of you and your good friends and loved ones hiking mountains
together. Those pictures will give you a long smile as you travel back to the
past as the old saying goes “ a picture is worth thousands of words”.
Blogging is also another activity
that you should keep in mind. You can either use Blogger or WordPress as your
first platform as they are free to use. You may write anything you wish. If you
love gardening, you can write about tips about gardening and fruits at your
garden. If you love cooking, you can share your secret recipes and pictures of
your own personal delicacies. If you love to motivate others, you can help
others online. You may meet some new people who could be your online friends or
fans. You can exchange points of view about certain topics which may make you
more knowledgeable or wiser.
In conclusion, weekends are short.
Therefore, make it as interesting and as wonderful as possible so that Monday
would stop bothering you. ( 642 words)
How I learned to deal with my own self-doubt and make the best out of it
How I learned to deal with my own self-doubt and make the
best out of it
Self-doubt is a social disease that
is experienced by everyone because the biggest battle on earth is the battle
between the mind and the heart. Sometimes the heart is full of doubt while the
brain is strong in faith and vice versa.
The best way to deal with self-doubt
is to face it. Take life by the horns. A collection of experiences will
definitely help to reduce self-doubt because the knowledge that we get from the
experiences will help with the self-preparation. For example, if you are not
sure whether you can be a good writer even though you have the talent, just
join any writing websites or competitions. Listen to the ones who criticize
your essays as their factual responses will help you to understand where you
stand as a writer especially your ranking in the cyber world. If you doubt
yourself when you want you pursue your career as a chef, just try any recipes
that you can download from the internet especially YouTube. When you have tried the recipes, choose your
audience carefully especially the ones who are good at cooking. They will tell
you honestly about how far you can go if you were to be a chef. Getting used to
their criticism will help you to face the real world especially your potential
customers who could be the meanest person on earth due their level of
perfectionism as you shall not undermine the complexity of a person’s taste
buds.
Another way to deal with self-doubt
is get rid of naysayers. There are two types of negative people. The first one
is meant to help you no matter how bitter the truth is in what they say while
the second one is meant to drag you down. You shall keep a distance away from
the second one as they are the ones who are governed by self-doubt and your
success is their worst nightmare. You shall not be too hard on yourself when
you have decided to get rid of the negative naysayers as they could take you
miles away from your dreams as words can either build or destroy us.
Having a long meaningful conversation
with your good friends or the ones that you can trust is also an effective way
to reduce self-doubt. Talk about what you want to achieve in life and share the
hurdles that you are experiencing. Perhaps they have something valuable to say
that you might not have thought of before. The best thing about this kind of
conversation is you are free to express yourself in your own unique ways. You
will not be scared to be yourself throughout the conversation. In addition to
that, that conversation feels like you are at home. The presence of threat is
absence.
Reading books which are related to
your self-doubt is compulsory if you are committed to reduce your self-doubt.
Books such as Awaken The Giant Within by Tony Robbins and 7 Habits of Highly
Successful People by Stephen Covey shall be made your permanent companion.
These books will help you to see the real power you have been keeping inside
and how you can develop that power to turn you into a new you. Another book
that you should read is Chicken Soup for The Souls. This book is great because
it helps you to do a long self-reflection about your own self-doubt because
this book offers a collection of real life experiences which could make you
think and reflect on many things.
The last one is prayer. Whether you
believe in God or otherwise, there are so many things in this world which
remain a mystery in which there must be a superpower that has been governing
this universe. Even death is not a full stop. Even our knowledge about
afterlife is limited. Prayer may change the whole thing overnight but the soul
needs divine intervention because only the unseen can really understand the
depth of your self-doubt. (662 words)
Originally written by Mr. Mani Jack
Why being an early riser made me a changed person
Why being
an early riser made me a changed person
Richard
Whately once said, “Lose an hour in the morning, and you will be all day
hunting for it.” It is a beautiful quote
but the regret is ugly as we can never take it back, even a second of the lost
time. If you are always looking for ways to improve yourself, your first battle
is your ability to wake up early in the morning.
Waking up
early has many benefits but it takes a solid self-discipline to turn words into
reality. The first benefit is you will have a lot of time on how you should
start your day. In other words, if you wake up early, you control the time. You
become the boss. Time is technically your slave as you are ahead of your old
self. As you head towards the bathroom, you will have a lot of time to do a
long self-reflection on how today should be better than yesterdays.
Doing
physical exercises can also be done if you wake up early. If jogging is too
much for some, taking a walk or cycling at the nearby park is good enough to
boost your mood throughout the day. If that is not your cup of tea, sitting at
the park while listening to the voices of nature Furthermore, improving your
relationship with nature is very good for your overall health.
Of all the
daily meals, having breakfast of high quality early in the morning is
paramount. As the old saying goes, breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen
and dinner like a princess. If you miss breakfast, mentally you will not be
able to stay focus throughout the day and emotionally you will be too sensitive
in which everyone or anything could annoy you by accident.
Nature is
beautiful but if you wake up late, you will miss the first chapter of the
lovely morning. As an early riser is you will be able to contemplate the beauty
of sunrise. That is actually a very beautiful experience as having the chance
to witness the sunrise serves a very good starter for a positive day. You will
also be able to be more grateful for your surrounding that you might miss if
you wake up late. Your senses could be utilized to the maximum when you wake up
early as you will be able to smell the morning breeze and the sounds of the
early birds which serve as music to your ear. Nature will be very clear to you
when you wake up early as you become more observant of what is happening around
you.
Nobody loves
accident especially car lovers. Being among the first to hit the road in the
morning, you will be able to drive in peace. In other words, you don’t have to
be an angry bird early in the morning. Moreover, you don’t have to shout or
curse at other drivers or condemn the traffic jam. Obviously, you could
consider yourself a little saint that day as you manage to bite your tongue. On
the other hand, you can also avoid unnecessary accidents as traffic jam can
cause anyone to lose control over their anger or some may drive over the
legally suggested speed limit. Being trapped in the traffic jam is the last
thing that you want to happen to you as traffic jam can take away most of your
precious time.
One of the
best things of being an early riser is, when you are the first to reach the
office, you will have the chance to plan your day well as you flip through your
files on your busy desk. You will be able to reflect on yesterday’s progress or
weaknesses to make today better than yesterdays. When you have extra time to analyse the
expectations that you have to deal with on that day, you will have a clear
picture on your personal priorities. If this becomes a habit, being
well-organized will also become a part of your life.
I know it is
not easy to redesign our daily routine but a journey will always begin with a
single step. ( 694 words)
How to balance and compromise your own principles in a relationship
How
to balance and compromise your own principles in a relationship
Ego is the main culprit in any failures of
relationship. Sadly, ego is human nature. It is a part of us. We cannot delete
it as it is biologically there. However, we can reduce it if the love for that
relationship outweigh our personal ego.
Relationship is about two different souls who are
attracted to each other. Some may look physically compatible, but there is no
chemistry between them. Sometimes, even if the chemistry is there, if the
amount of ego is excessive, that relationship will also fail.
When a man decides to have a serious relationship with
a woman or when a woman decides to be committed into a serious relationship,
they can’t avoid the collision of principles. Each of them comes from a
different family background. Each family has cultivated or embedded a different
set of principles which create tension between a man and a woman when they take
their relationship to a another level. Therefore, if both of them refuse to
compromise on their principles, that relationship will be short-lived because
it takes years to build those principles in a person.
Let me share a few principles which could threaten a
relationship. Let say this man has a few of good friends that he loves to hang
out every weekend. These friends are very important to him perhaps they have
helped him a lot in the past. When this man gets into a serious relationship
with a woman, he insists that he will preserve his friendship and will continue
to spend time with his friends every weekend. This belief may make the woman
thinks that she is not important. If she feels unwanted, she may want to say
goodbye early to this man. Therefore, a compromise should be held between this man
and his woman. They should have a thorough discussion about this collision of
priorities. In this case, the man must explain why he treasures his friends so
much and how they have shaped him into a successful man today. His woman must
also acknowledge the man’s need to appreciate his friend’s good deeds.
Regarding the weekly gatherings, they can kill two birds with one stone. They
can also hang out as usual as they have 24 hours a day. A win-win deal must be
achieved at the end of the emotional deliberation. Most importantly, that man
must not make his woman feel that she is not important in his life.
Another principle that could jeopardise a relationship
is no one shall bring problems at workplace home. Perhaps the woman does not
like it when his man brings any issues at workplace home. This principle may
challenge the man’s ego as he may believe that his loved one must know what
happens at the office. Conflicts arise when the man assumes that his woman is
not interested to know about the challenges that he faces at the office. In
this case, perhaps, the man must learn to cool down himself before he reaches
home. Maybe the woman may feel uncomfortable when his man comes home with anger
and frustration. Anger and frustration may cause the man to say certain things
that he should have never said and perhaps these two negative elements may
cause the woman to feel emotionally unsafe at home. Therefore, that man needs
to find a place to reorganize his fiery thoughts due to too much pressure at
the office before he comes home so that he can share anything that bothers his
mind in a manner that does not hurt the feelings of his woman.
No one can avoid conflicts in a relationship because
it is a normal process between two different souls who are trying hard to get
along well with each other. Conflicts are meant to make us more mature.
However, the ending of a conflict depends heavily on each party’s willingness
to reduce their ego because the love for our partner shall always be more
important than our selfish and destructive ego. (673 words)
How to handle grief without disrupting your responsibilities
How to
handle grief without disrupting your responsibilities
There are certain things in life that we can never
avoid such as death, failure and sickness. If we are so healthy today, one day,
sickness will knock at the door. If we are so happy to be alive, angel of
death, sooner or later will come for a compulsory visitation. If we are so
excited with continuous success, failure may come unexpectedly as that is a
rhythm of life. Of all these predicaments, grief is the most painful as today
continuously becomes yesterday as not everyone is emotionally strong enough to
handle grief especially when we lose the ones we adore and treasure so much.
Some people may look okay after they have lost their
loved ones but deep inside them is a buried sadness which is beyond
description. Some may choose to live in illusion believing that the deceased is
still alive. If we refuse to accept the fact that that person is gone, waking
up in the morning is the last thing that we want to do and having a sleep at
night becomes more difficult as the mind is flooded by thousands of tears and
the heart is burdened by the sweet memories with the deceased. I know it is not
easy, but we have to gradually remind ourselves that life on earth will always
be temporary. The next journey after life on earth is a subject that is too abstract
for our mind to comprehend. In other words, letting go is an agonizing process
but if we don’t learn to let it go, that grief will take our body and slowly we
will be lost in our own seas of past in which today is no longer a present that
we should have cherished the most.
If we look at volcanic eruptions, that process has
everything to do with the buried sadness that we have been keeping within. Some
people may shut down themselves after attending a funeral. Their wrinkles are
growing due to repeated frowns. They lost appetite to enjoy their favourite
meals, movies and hobbies. In other words, they are dying as emotional struggle
can badly affect one’s physical appearance. It is impossible to enjoy life in
one week after losing someone. However, we need to make efforts to redevelop
our love for the things we love as I don’t believe that the deceased wants us
to destroy our lives. If we expect the deceased to rest in peace, we should
also learn to live in peace.
The rate of our success in handling grief depends on
the many things that we have to do quickly as a day wasted is equal to wasting
the whole life because tomorrow is just an illusion. Every day should be
treated with love and self-appreciation. Good friends and close family members
should be the first shelter that we look for if we were to handle grief
effectively. They may not be able to offer you a permanent relief but a
constant communication with them including lots of hugs will definitely heal
the invisible wounds that have been stealing your smiles for so long. If you
want to cry in front of them, just do it. The one who does not cry suffer more
than the one who decides to release that pain through every drop of the tears.
Your eyes might be red but at least your heart is able to breathe the air of
happiness again.
Some people may question God in anger when they go
through a grief. It is common to vomit that dissatisfaction on the altar as we
are emotionally and spiritually too weak to understand things which do not
offer quick answer and explanation. Prayer may not be able to put ice on that
anger because letting go takes time as time heals everything. Some people may
take more time than the others as our emotional wounds are different. We may
lose faith sometimes but a second thought about coming back to Him is
obligatory because the shouting heart can only be understood by the divine
element as human beings can only hear but God has the power to listen but it
takes faith to believe that everything happens for a reason. (707 words)
How do you save for that dream vacation of yours?
Title: How do you
save for that dream vacation of yours?
Daydreaming is everyone’s hobby especially when we
think of the beautiful places that we always want to visit once in a lifetime.
The ones who could turn dream into reality are the ones who have clear plans
and a solid determination which is supported by concrete actions while the ones
who can’t make it stay as daydreamers as they refuse to embrace the number of
commitments of a complicated plan.
Thinking of your dream vacation is not enough. You
need a special diary for you to list down everything you need to know about
that vacation. You may print the pictures of that place and keep them in your
diary. If physical diary is too heavy for you, digital diary could be the best
option as your pen-drive can store almost everything you need to know about
your dream vacation including videos of those who went to that place. Their
testimonies will be your best guidelines.
If we take more than we can chew, the plan may fail
miserably as we need to dive deep into the mirror of self-reflection especially
the amount of money that we earn monthly. Even if you do a business, without
self-discipline, the flow of cash is vulnerable to your big appetite. In other
words, the place that you want to visit must be compatible with your wallet. If
you earn RM 1200 a month, I don’t think that you can afford a trip to Bali.
Even if you are single, you need to wait for at least 24 months if you insist
on going to Bali provided if you are willing to save RM 50 a month as you need
at least RM 1200 if you were to stay in Bali for three days including the
flight tickets. It is better to have extra in your pocket. Otherwise you might
end up as beggars in a place where friends and relatives are nowhere to be
seen. It is okay to dream big but we have to acknowledge the bitterness of the
reality of our wages as greater thing comes with a greater price.
As the old saying goes, the world favours the ones who
are prepared. If you really want to turn that dream vacation into reality, you
must act like an FBI agent. You need to gather the intelligence regarding
everything you need to know about that particular place including the expected
and expected cost. You also need to think of an extra budget should something
go wrong throughout the trip as it is better to be safe than sorry.
Everyone can make money but not everyone can save
money as not everyone is taught about financial intelligence or not everyone is
taught about money management at a very young age. Now let us talk about the
amount of money that you are willing to save every month. Let say your vacation
dream may cost you RM 2500 and you want to be there in next December. Basically
you have about 5 more months to go if this August is your starting point.
Technically, you need to put aside at least RM 500 a month. If this proposal
sounds impossible, how do you make it possible? First, you have to study your
daily habits. Do you dine outside three times a day? Do you go clubbing on
weekends? Do you hang out with your friends every weekend? Do you buy
unnecessary items twice a month? Can something be done to reduce the money you
spend on gas? Are you obsessed with online shopping? All of these questions
have to be scrutinized first so that you will know specifically which “luxury”
that you want to sacrifice in order to help you achieve your dreams. No pain,
no gain.
Life is all about creating sweet memories. However,
those sweet memories need careful plan, self-discipline and some money. If we
hate being prepared, don’t whine about ordinary memories. Good luck. If the
other travellers can do it, I believe you can do it. (689 words)
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Top 5 TED Talks That Would Change Your Life Perspective
Top 5 TED Talks That Would Change Your Life Perspective
The speakers are excellent because they help to rewire
the way we think and act. I have watched the top 5 videos and all I cay say is
their words are very inspiring. We think we already know that subject but these
experienced speakers push us further into the horizon of our own thoughts.
The first video entitled How Great Leaders Inspire
Action ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4) is about great leaders and innovators such as Steven Jobs, Martin Luther
King and Apple which have great impact on many aspect of our lives today. These
influential figures use the golden circle which incorporates the critical wh
questions such as “why”, “how” and “what”. Ordinary people focus on “what” in
business world. In other words, they focus on what they are going to sell. Some
may only focus on how we are going to sell a product. On the other hand, great
innovators and leaders focus on the word “why” first because they must find out
the solid reason on why they have to do or create something. This word “why”
will drive us further into the future as we need to understand the effects of
our actions today whether it benefits mankind or otherwise. For example, why
must a teacher gives the best in his classroom? He must find the best reason he
has to give the best because the consequences of not giving the best will
definitely haunt him in the future as this failure will depicted clearly in the
society.
The second video was about what makes a good life
based on the longest study about happiness. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KkKuTCFvzI) This video helps me to improve the
time that I should have spent with my family and good friends as these two are
the most valuable assets in the world as they are what makes us happy. For
examples, a house can never be considered as a home if your loved ones are not
at home. In addition to that, it is important to keep our good friends as long
as we live because our family and good friends play different but important
roles to keep us happy and healthy. As a father, my presence is more important
than the presents that I have given them as time is the most precious present that
should give generously to our loved ones.
The third video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM4Xe6Dlp0Y) is about the habit of judging a book
by its cover. We tend to think that beautiful people are happier than us.
Actually, if we get closer to them or be one of their friends, we will be
surprised to find out that they are the most emotionally insecure people on
earth. The speaker who is also a model really touches the heart of the audience
with her real life experiences. Furthermore, being a model is just like being a
dead object as they are only valued because of their physical beauty for the
sake of selling magazines like hot cakes. Last but not least, if you are happy
for who you are whether you are physically beautiful or less attractive, that
is more than good enough in this fake world.
The fourth video is about the art of conversation. This
video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6n3iNh4XLI) is so powerful because the speaker shared authentic experiences about
this topic which makes reflect on the way we communicate with our friends,
colleagues, parents, children and strangers. The most beautiful and meaningful
line from that video is “ we always listen to respond” which is completely
wrong as it retards the speaker from vomiting everything that he or she wants
to say. This annoying interruption stops the flow of a conversation. Advice should
only be given when it is asked. If they don’t ask for it, just sit there and
listen attentively. I really admire one of her sentences when she said
“everybody is good at something”. Therefore, we shall not judge somebody before
he or she finishes what they want to say because every conversation is a golden
opportunity to learn.
The last video is about the secrets to be happy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78nsxRxbf4w). I
personally believe that it is not a secret because we know about it long time
ago but due to too much ego and ignorance in us, we refuse to acknowledge how
important this opened secret is. According to the speaker, our happiness is
determined by how well we respond to everyday challenge or stress. We can
either let stress build or destroy us because stress is a part of life. It cannot
be deleted like deleting folder in your computer. We just have to face it and
find the causes of stress to prevent the stress taking over our lives. For
example, if financial stress is bothering us, we should study our spending
habit. If the spending habit is good, perhaps it is time to look for second
income.
These videos are full of wisdom as the sharing
sessions were based on real life experiences and validated study. You should
watch it more than twice or keep it as occasional reminder as human is
naturally forgetful as we can easily be off track sometimes in life.
Click the picture. Thank you.
Where and how I find inspiration to work harder.
Where and how I find inspiration to work harder.
Home is the first place where I find inspiration to
work harder. When I look at the kids, I know their needs will grow with their
age. Their needs will require extra financial support in which as a father, I
need to diversify what I can do to make more money instead of piling up debt,
applying for personal loans or playing with ambitious wishes which may not
guarantee success. My kids will drive my mind to find ways on how I can build
my second or third income as it is my responsibility to help them financially
as begging for other’s help in the future is a very risky option as not
everyone will lend a hand when the going gets tough.
Hospital is the second place that inspires me to work
harder. When I observe the nurses, medical assistance, pharmacists and doctors
working based on shift, I realize that this body can afford that indescribable
pressure if I learn to get used to it. Some of them have learned to embrace the
nature of their work even though the expectations can be too much to swallow
sometimes. Even though they are mentally exhausted and emotionally hurt, some
can still afford to give a smile to the helpless patient. Some even walk as
fast as a horse as if they are not tired. Only God knows how much they miss
their bed at home and the chance to let go of the burden they have gone through
that day. That heavy responsibility has always challenged me to give more than
expected. If we give less than expected, that day will not be worth it to remember
because giving more than expected means we have done our duty to our best for
our fellowmen and our country. Even though good deeds are not continuously
rewarded, we should practice self-reward
to save ourselves from questioning our sanity and because sooner or later,
giving more than expected will always be rewarded in many ways.
The church is third place that inspires me to work
harder. When I go to the church, it reminds me that my time on earth is
unclear. I don’t know when I will say goodbye to this world and my loved ones.
Due to that thought, I have to work harder to improve myself as a worker,
father, son and a husband as working hard is not just about what you can do at
your workplace.
The beach is the fourth place that inspires me to work
harder. When I sit by the beach, the sounds of the waves help me to dive deeper
into the thoughts of my personal self-reflection. I would mentally travel far
into the past to question everything that I have done for myself and my loved
ones. If I could do extra work, that means I can earn extra for myself, my
family and my good friends. This extra money can financially help me to bring
my family for a vacation or a night a two at the nearby resort. That extra
money can also be used to have barbecue with my good friends. Last but not
least, I can also share that extra income with my parents. It may not be much
but a gift of love means a lot for parents who speak with their eyes.
Working harder than yesterdays will always be my daily
goals but I will not sacrifice the time that I should spend with my family and
my good friends. It is important to work harder but one’s health and our loved
ones shall always be made priority as working harder is pointless if our loved
ones become strangers and our health turns into our worst enemies.
Click the picture. Thank you.
My stand on Plant Based Living and Why I am Not A Vegetarian
My stand on Plant Based Living and Why
I am Not A Vegetarian
According to the famous American clergyman, Billy
Graham, your body would grow weak if you don’t eat a balanced diet and the
failure to do so will cause you to suffer from other serious illnesses or
disease.
I always believe in a balanced diet as good food is a
natural medicine to maintain the health of our body. Our body needs more than
vegetables to be physically strong as long as we can stay away from the
destructive addiction to meat. Furthermore, what is the point of having the
food pyramid displayed in hospitals, clinics and schools if being vegetarian is
the only way to be healthy?
Let me share with you a true story about a friend of
mine who always had breakfast with me every morning for the past 8 years. Every
time we had breakfast, he would talk about the beauty of being vegetarian
together with strict religious reminder and verses. He even gave me a book
about reincarnation and karma. As he was much older than I am, I just nodded
reluctantly. He talked about it based on religion’s point of view as according
to his religion, even killing a mosquitoe was considered as a heavy sin. For
many years, I didn’t want to argue with him about that because I always believe
in the power of turning point.
Early this year, I noticed that his health was rapidly
deteriorating. His muscle was sagging and he looked older than he was supposed
to be. In other words, he was dying. Somewhere in March this year, he had no
choice but to meet a doctor regarding his health. The doctor said that he must
take meat in a moderate amount to maintain his health. Otherwise, he would
suffer from other complications. The morning we met when he talked about the
doctor’s advice, I could see that he didn’t feel comfortable talking about
something that was against everything that he said about being a vegetarian
many years ago. I wish I could mock him but I bid my tongue as I know no matter
what people or religions say about being a vegetarian, we must always listen to
our body first. The body can’t talk but our physical appearance is enough to
trigger the alarm that we should do something to save our body.
Anything that is too much can hurt us. If we take too
much meat, we may suffer from gout. If you are suffering from gout, even some
vegetables can make your gout worst. If you take too much meat without doing
any physical exercises, that protein will not benefit your body. If you want to
build your muscle, you need meat not vegetable. Protein is essential for
building and repairing muscles.
If killing animals is the main reason to be a
vegetarian, will torturing yourself make you happy?
We have always been exposed to many types of advice
from the books that we read and people that we met who shared with us many
types of experiences regarding their health which may gradually influence what
we commonly eat every day. Even the advertisements on fast food can affect our
daily diet.
If you wish to stay as a vegetarian, I have no problem
with that as long as your body has no problems consuming vegetables for the
rest of its life and as long as you don’t give the wrong advice especially
exaggerated religious advice about the deadly sins of eating meat. We have to
respect anyone’s decision whether to be a vegetarian or otherwise. On my part,
a balanced meal is crucial to maintain a good health as long as animals or fish
are not killed unnecessarily or excessively. We can’t stop killing of animals
as our body needs protein but we can always practise self-control in which
having a balanced diet is the best answer.
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Why your 20s is the time to learn to be comfortable with who you really are.
Why your 20s is the time to learn to be comfortable with who you really are.
As the old saying goes, trying to please everyone is
the ultimate key to failure. When you are 20 to 29 years old, you should feel
happy for who you are because at this age, you are supposed to know exactly
where you are heading. You should feel happy and comfortable with the roads
that you have chosen or the decisions that you have made because you are fully
responsible for your own life.
At 20s, you already have your own set of beliefs or
principles. It could be anything which is related to your mindset, characters
and attitude. As you have your own principles, don’t worry about the circle of
friends that is getting smaller as quality should always outweigh quantity. If
you feel happy with a few friends you have now, keep them well as when you
reach 30s and above, these good friends have important roles to play.
This is also the right time for you to do a long
self-reflection about your personal goals. Perhaps you may want to get married
when you are 24 or 26. If you you wish to remain single before 30, it is the
right time to socialize and look for the right one. If you can’t find the right
one, maybe you should try to be the right one. Who knows it might attract the
one that you have been looking for. On the other hand, at this age, you have
all of the opportunties to study about someone’s marriage who is older than who
you are and that observation may serve as valuable guidelines for you to make a
decision on what kind of man or woman that you want to spend the rest of your
life with. Last but not least, try your best not lock yourself in your room
while looking for the right one as virtual love is not the same with reality.
You have to get out of that room of yours including your restricted thoughts
and start bulding the number of high quality acquaintances. Your family may
introduce you to someone as your life partner, but you are the only one who
knows exaclty the inner qualities of a man or a woman which are compatible with
yours. Furthermore, you should feel comfortable saying “No” in a polite manner because
that kind of decision could be the mother of all the consequences that you will
face in the future.
Graduation is a normal stage in life. Whether you have
a diploma or first degree, this is the time for you to decide about which stage
that you want to pursue next. If you feel like you want to start working, go
ahead because theory is nothing without experiences. On the other hand, if you
have minimial responsibilities especially if your parents are financially
strong and your siblings can manage themselves well, it is okay for you to do
your master or perhaps phd.
When you are 20 to 29 years old, this is the best time
for you to redefine what you want in life. You have the absolute freedom to
find the very meaning of your existence before you embrace new commitments when
you reach 30 years old and above. Try to spend your time and money in other
countries or places you have never visited to diversify your perspectives
about yourself.
Life is not supposed to be a rat race. You shall not
please the society that only cares about temporary perfection. Your inner
happiness should always be your main priority. Learn to slow down at this age
because this stage of life does not come twice. Enjoy it but learn a lot from
it through daily observations and self-reflection.
Click the picture above. Thank you.
Motivational Stories based on Real Life Experiences: about determination, faith, hope, miracle, turning points, blessings, sacrifices, love
Click the picture above. Thank you.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Monday, August 26, 2019
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Sunday, April 7, 2019
6 powerful quotes to make you happy again
1. If we expect the world to care about us, we will die even though we are still alive because we should always take good care of ourselves first.
2. No matter how positive the mind is, if the heart is not happy, you cannot be happy.
3. We define happiness in many ways but the ones who are prepared will always be happier.
4. Sometimes our happiness is stolen by the distractions that are created by ourselves.
5. If there is an emptiness in our heart, let God fill in that blank because ordinary human being cannot really understand things that we cannot see.
6. If we depend on others to make us happy, that means we are not happy with what we have or what we are.
All of these quotes are originally written by
Mani Jack.
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
9:25 PM
By pen2inspire
In: awaken the giant within, poor dad rich dad, the magic, who moved my cheese
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By pen2inspire
In: awaken the giant within, poor dad rich dad, the magic, who moved my cheese
No comments
Four powerful motivational books that you must read if you are serious about changing your life.
Who moved my cheese
Awaken the giant within
The Magic by Rhonda Byrne
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
Monday, March 25, 2019
Real life experiences about turning dreams into reality
How to turn dreams into reality
by Mani Jack, M.J.
Chapter 1
I am not sure if magic
does exist but our mind is very powerful if we were to stay focus on what we
want in life. Is it possible to turn dreams into reality by focusing your mind
towards what you want? Let me share my own experiences.
When
I was 16 years old, going to the school canteen during the recess time was not
an activity that I adored because I didn't have enough money to buy enough food
to feed my stomach that didn't know how to spell the word "full". I
would just normally buy a bun and walked away quickly from the canteen as I
couldn't stand looking at others who were enjoying their luxurious meals.
However, I always imagined having my best meal at the canteen. That visualization
had kept my stomach full. One day, my naive classmate was bullied by some
students. I was not close to him because I was new at that school and
that boy lived in his own world but there was a voice in my heart telling me to
do something. So, I suddenly became a lion. Right before the bully approached
him, I stood up and said "Try me instead of him". The crowd was
shouting frantically, asking the bully to start the fight. The bully didn't
dare to look at my fiery eyes and finally sat down. He was as silent as a
stone. The crowd was disappointed but that was the end of it. Starting from
that day, no one had ever bullied that boy who finally became my good friend
until today. As we got closer, unexpected opportunity came in. He asked me to
join him to work as a part-time waiter at one of the 5 star hotels in the city
at night. I was speechless. It looked like God, the universe, the small
deeds and my focused mind and continuous visualization were working together to turn my
dreams into reality. It was a very tiring profession but I finally got the
amount of pocket money that I have been thinking of for so long. Since
then, he and I began to enjoy our breakfast to the fullest at the
canteen.
While waiting for my SPM result (SPM is a
public exam for form 5 students/high school in Malaysia), I was hoping that
I could continue my study as a form 6 student. Deep in my heart, I was not sure
whether I could achieve it or not but I kept thinking about it because that was
the cheapest way before I could do my first degree but it was also the riskiest
path. I knew that I would not pass my SPM result with flying colours because I
was too busy working at night as a waiter to support myself and my family and
the worst part was I could only afford to buy the reference books for each
subject a month before the exam. It was a very last-minute preparation. When
the result was announced, it turned out to be better than my worst fear. It was
neither excellent nor bad. It was good enough to help me to register myself as
a form 6 student. Once again, God, the universe, the small deeds and my
focused mind and continuous visualization were working together to
turn my dreams into reality. However, the journey was quite challenging. My
application to be a form 6 student was rejected by a few schools. Finally, one
school gave me a chance, a chance of a lifetime. A chance that I will treasure
for the rest of my life.
When
I finished my form 6, I began to think of my life as a university student
together with specific visualization. At that time, I knew it was impossible
for me to do my first degree because my family couldn't afford it. However, not
a day went by that I didn't think of that dream because I knew that God was
watching and listening. I worked as a waiter at one of the high class cafes in
town in which every day I had a chance to meet many types of tourists from all
over the world. Everyday I gave my best to my customers and my colleagues.
Every customer was treated like kings and queens. I helped my friends at the
kitchen even though that was not my job. I tried to get myself busy
while waiting for any good news from heaven above. While serving the tourists,
I loved to observe how they spent their lives and their money. Sometimes it
really broke my heart when I saw them paying the bills because the price of the
meal was equal to my one-month salary. I was terribly underpaid. I talked to
myself every day when I was alone regarding my financial status and who I
was in the eyes of the society. I told myself that I couldn't work like this
for the rest of my life. I must do something to change my destiny. Suddenly in
the year of 1999, the government offered a study loan to any students who would
like to pursue their tertiary education. My heart was smiling in tears. I believed
that I was the luckiest man on earth on that day. I filled in the
application form and I was ready to fly. However, a lightning struck my way. My
sister asked me to postpone my dream because she wanted me to wait until
she had graduated. I ran amok. I burnt the form and locked the
door. After doing a long self-reflection, I began to accept the fact that
I had to sacrifice first before I could taste victory. I could not be selfish
as we depended on each other due to poverty. I accepted her request and had to
wait for one year. When she had graduated, it was my turn to turn my dreams
into reality. I filled in the application form and quickly wrote the courses
that I really wanted. My first choice was a degree in law because I really
wanted to be a lawyer while the second choice was a degree in TESL. While
waiting for the official reply, I spent my days diving into my funny
imagination about my life as a university student. When the offer letter
reached my house, I was like a kid who was celebrating his first birthday. I
tore the envelope quickly as I wanted to know if I got the first choice. When I
opened the offer letter, I was offered to do my first degree in TESL which was
my second choice. I was silent and wondered why God didn't give me the first
choice. I tried to comfort myself saying that one day I would find the answer.
Nevertheless, I was grateful because once again, God,
the universe, the small deeds and my focused mind and continuous visualization were
working together to turn my dreams into reality.
I am
sharing this story because I want those who read these true stories of
mine to continue to fight for your dreams even though everything seems to be
impossible. Good luck. I will be writing the second chapter soon. May God bless
those who helped me before with lots of blessings every day. Amen.
A
focused mind is a mind that opens the unexpected doors. M.J.
5 practical tips to keep your marriage happy
How to make your wife happy or how to be a good
husband.
1. Money management
Whether you are the single income earner or both of you are working, your wife needs emotional security. In other words, as a husband, you must know how to manage your money well. It does not have to be perfect but as a husband,you have to make sure that the money is enough to pay for the bills, food and pocket money. If a husband doesn't know how to manage his money or the family's economy well, this could create unnecessary conflicts between husband and wife.
Before you came into her life, she was raised by her loved ones she calls
family. Her parents and her siblings mean a lot to her. Her family
perhaps represents half of her memories. Trying to prevent her from seeing her
family is just like taking away half of her soul. As a daughter, she has
unfinished "emotional debt" with her family especially her parents.
She needs to be given the freedom to pay back everything that her parents or
her siblings have done for her. She may not be able to pay back everything that
her parents have done for her but at least the time spent for her loved
ones will give her peace of mind and heart. No matter how old your wife gets, she
is still a daughter to somebody she calls parents. As long as her parents are
still alive, give her as much time as possible to spend with her family.
3. Help her with house-chores.
A man doesn't to have to do everything at home but small
deeds done with lots of love will keep your wife happy. There are a few things
that you can do as a husband at home such as cleaning the fans and the toilets,
changing burn-out bulbs and etc. However, I think the one that a wife loves the
most is when the husband is a good chef. If you don't know how to cook, learn
how to cook. No excuses. You may fail hundreds of times but as time goes by, as
you will be very good at it and addicted to it. In other words, you are
actually adding more flowers into the gardens of your marriage.
4. Learn to say "I am sorry".
Man's main problem is his ego while woman's main problem is overthinking
or over sensitive. If the relationship is more important than your ego or
overthinking, learn to say sorry as fast a possible. Being silent for more than
2 or 3 days or perhaps one week will create more negative thoughts in the minds
of both parties and more fire in the hearts of both parties. It is not easy but
if she means everything to you, start with a friendly gesture, say something
nice and ends with "I am sorry".
5.
Don't try to make a woman a man.
Woman and
man are two different creations. You have to be very observant because their
facial expressions represent many things. Use your instinct wisely because your
wife's smile or eyes have something to say even though they say nothing. If you
could notice all of these changes, your wife will appreciate you because you
notice her tears and worries. In other words, it shows how much you care about
her.
"If she feels comfortable with your
presence, you are the one." M.J.
4 effective tips to deal with negative or toxic people
How to deal with negative people
by Mani Jack, M.J.
There are
many types of negative people.
1. The
first one is the one whom we call fault finder.
There are many reasons why some people become a very
negative fault finder. The basic cause is negative family upbringing in which a
parent or both parents who hardly compliment their own children for every
effort that their children make. In other words, this child has never been
recognized for his or her efforts. Last but not least, the parents are only
interested to highlight the mistakes made by their children and sometimes make
fun of the mistakes which gradually destroy the self-esteem of the children.
These parents who are extremely too perfectionist will always be too critical
on their children's performance or characters which will develop the culture of
fault-finding in their children. As they grow up, they will become a very
negative adult who will not be able to see the good sides of others as they
thought that they were right or perfect. All in all, this kind of parenting
skill is driven by the fear of failure.
If this fault finder is your boss, that means he or she is
not interested to help you to grow in that company or organisation. He or she
is only interested in the profit or the fame of the company or the
organisation. In other words, it is all about his or her personal interest. You
will never move forward no matter how hard you try to please your boss. If you
refuse to leave the company or organisation, create your own island of
happiness. If you have a chance, leave but make sure you have learned a lot
from that company. wake up in the morning and stay focus on new things that you
can master from that company or organisation.
If the fault finder happens to be one of your colleagues,
assume that he or she does not exist or assume that he or she has never been
relevant in your life. You can either choose to be the fault finder to teach
him or her a lesson or you just focus on the other colleagues who have made
your life wonderful and positive every time you go to work. Don't allow them to
bully you. Be firm and speak your mind.
If the fault finder is one of your family members or your
relatives, just stay away as much as you can if you cannot stand the heat. Let
karma do the work. One day, life itself will teach them a lesson and if you are
lucky enough you will be the first to go there to lend a hand or to enjoy the
scenery. Perhaps, a tragedy will change him or her and if you could forgive
them, perhaps it is time to start the relationship all over again.
If the fault finder is one of your friends, delete his or number
or unfollow his or her Facebook page because your mind and your heart deserve
peace. You deserve to be happy.
2. The
second one is the one who is too selfish.
At certain point, selfishness can be good for our
mental and emotional health. However, being too selfish can be very destructive.
A selfish person is the one who thinks that he or she as the only person on
earth who has more burden, more commitments, more stress, more pressure, more
workloads and etc. than others. This kind of person will always think that this
world owes them everything. This kind of person is only interested in getting
you to listen to their drama but refuse to do the same when you need them to
listen to your problems. How to deal with them? If he or she is your boss, just
mind your own business. Let him or her wonder why everyone is ignoring him or
her. If he or she is one of for family members, don't give them any attention.
They don't deserve it. If he or she is your friend, stop entertaining them. Let
them think. Let them do a long self-reflection about themselves. They are only
interested in receiving.
3. The
third one is the one who is a hypocrite.
This kind of person is one of the worst. They talk
about what they hate but they forget that they are doing the same thing. For
example, if they publicly talk about animal abuse, at home they also silently
hurt their own pets. If they talk about religions, their actions and words in
real life are full of arrogance. If they talk about betrayal, they forgot they
also did the same in the past. If they talk about honesty, they themselves
can't be truly honest for the rest of their lives. If they talk about injustice,
they themselves forget to be fair with their own family members and friends. If
they talk about world hunger, they themselves forget that they have not been
concerned about their own neighbors who need help. If they talk about other's
bad behavior, they forget to look at themselves in the mirror and believe that
the ones they see in the mirror are correct, right and perfect. If you choose
to stay, you will be the victims of his or her scrutiny as hypocrites have the
tendency to be judgmental. Cut all ties. There are so many new friends that you
could choose from out there.
4. The
fourth one is the one who is ungrateful.
This type of negative person is the most dangerous. Why do I
say so? First, they are lazy. They refuse to develop their own gift and talents
to improve themselves. They always consider other's achievements, success
or happiness as threats. The second reason is they refuse to appreciate what
they have. This lack of appreciation will cause them to be angry and restless. The
third reason is they can be dangerously envious. They may destroy what you have
because they can't accept that you are ahead of them. The last reason is they
love to sigh, whine and complain about things that they don't have, things that
make them angry or other people. You can't help this kind of negative people.
They have to help themselves. Let them find their own turning points. If you
get too close to this kind of negative people, their words and actions will
take away your inner peace and may prevent you from improving yourself.
We can always help to motivate the negative people
but they themselves must make efforts to improve themselves. However, if we
help them too much, they might be too dependent on us which may cause us to
lose ourselves or perhaps they might use us as their permanent punching
bags.