Joy

Happy Monday! I had a problem with dreaming big. When I was younger, people (managers, mentors, friends) attempted to make me dream big. I refused. I want my world manageable, not big. I want my life's work to be conscientious, not mind blowing. I want my possesions to mean something to me and "MANY" is confusing for me. So why am I posting this here then? Because along the way, (yes, now that I am older), life has ALSO taught me that you GET what you dream of. I repeat. You will get what you dream of. If you are built for it, if you are always walking in the right path towards your life's purpose, if you work on being ready, you will encounter opportunities that will fulfill your dreams. Our minds create a synchronicity that manifests what we want in life. Always thinking of a burger you missed, voila! Next time a friend asks you out, guess where he wants to take you? Been wanting for an opportunity to open up but dismi...

Happy Monday! One task at a time. Disclaimer: I'm not anywhere near this yet. Seriously. I am surrounded by multi-taskers and I myself take pride in doing many things. Nothing wrong with that. However, what seems to be exhausting me is the back and forth and lack of concentration that results from thinking of two or three things at a time. Moving from one task to the other without completely finishing what I can with what I have at hand. Note: Trying my hardest to finish this article in one go without minding message alerts, my stomach or whatever is in my sink at the moment. Ichigyo-zammai is a Japanese term that basically means full concentration on a single act. This is a discipline that I would like to have. Not only because being distracted is counter productive but mostly because I feel that my brain is getting used to distracting itself. How then? 1. Take your list seriously. I say this because I do have a list. But I move up and down my list...

Happy Monday! Decisions, decisions, decisions. They are the thread by which we weave our lives. The final tapestry you end up with will come from the big and small decisions you made with the days you were given. But how much of your decisions do you feel completely accountable for? Freedom and accountability are like salt and pepper. They come together. Decisions made with full accountability are liberating. They make us realize how much power we have in our hands to affect our lives and that of others. You know how the young generations (oh and many older generations as well) are so hung up with   # adulting ? How does that really happen? It happens at that moment (or even moments) when you choose an option among many and say, "I'll stand by this, no matter the consequence, no looking back." I will move out of the house, of not. I will start a business, or not. I will move out of the country, or not. I will invest all that i have on t...

Happy Monday! Imagine the feeling of freedom if only you could say what you REALLY mean? Yes, that would be a relief. It would surely make your hearts lighter. I wish to say its gonna make your life less complicated, but maybe it won't. Nonetheless, it is worth the try. I guess we have been asked to be careful what to say for so long that 1 of 3 things usually end up happening: 1. You manage to get your message across tactfully. 2. You were tactful but was too careful you lost the real message. 3. You do not know how to be tactful and give up on saying it altogether. We do not like to oppose, be bearers of bad news or feel friction in our conversations. Yet, there will always be oppositions, bad news and unpleasant realities all around and we should be prepared to face them when needed. 1. Rectify your intention. Empathize. You want to manage your tone? You want to say the correct words? You want to gather the courage to say what is difficult to say? Lo...

Happy Monday! It is (inevitably) September again and we have ahead of us the last few months of the year. Sometimes I feel I just could not keep up! In many ways, really: the number of certifications that are being invented, the number of associations available to join, the number of countries in my ever-increasing bucket list, the random (albeit disputable) expenses and needs. In reality, however, over and above all these external things happening around, I just need to keep up with myself and my ever changing mind most days.  :) Its hard to quiet the mind with all the sensations and stimulus around us. There are times, you just have to pin your head down to focus. Some things I try instead of that though, are these: 1. Define what is important, in general. Is it your relationship with God, then family, then meaningful work? Revisit your past week and see how these values/ priorities played a role on your activities. Look at your schedule today and see ...

Happy Monday! How important is trust to our happiness? It sounds fairly simple that when you are in a safe place, in a safe job, in a safe situation, it is easier to be happy. So let us just put that aside for now. I'd like to talk about the other side of the equation - the ability to trust and how it relates to our happiness. They always say that trust is earned. I however had experiences with people whose trusts are either too expensive or fragile that there seems to be no way you'd earn it. Those relationships are just... sad. I have three points to keep in mind regarding our ability to trust. 1. Do not pile up trust issues from past relationships with the new ones. I know we want to learn our lesson from past experiences. However, imagine fortifying yourself after every relationship that has broken your trust, and you won't only get a wall but a moat to protect you as well. You'd be so emotionally guarded there is no way a trusting relat...

Happy Monday! Lately I have been attending event after event of groups of people who make a difference. I mean it. Institutions (made up of wonderful selfless people) that finance projects to send scholars to school, build schools, support communities, teach people skills to make them productive or to leverage a cause... I am blessed to be surrounded by them. I'll let you in on a secret. As I write this, I was suppose to say I do not actually do as these organizations do. I do not have a social enterprise, I do not work for a foundation, I do not yet run a big community. I just go with the flow. I participate when I can. I lend a hand here and there. I say yes to invitations to do things. However, even I have to admit that because I make myself present, no matter how little I contribute (time mostly) to the causes these organizations work on, I am already making a difference. Accidental I must say, but nonetheless contributory. I make myself available so t...