Be Not Average

How's Work?

2009-04-17T17:17:00.003+08:00

I once asked a friend, "how's life?" Her reply was not-of-that-of-the usual. Her reply goes:

Work is not a punctuation, it is a capital letter
Work is what i live for, living with a toast of life
Work is what i am paid to do, I just work
Work is my life, i got to be crazy
Work is fun, i got to be crazy
Work is a joy, crazy becoming sane
Work is nothing good, it is something better
Work is a pleasure, never a chore
- Elizabeth Lim -

Isn't that what life is all about if we care to look at it a little closer?

Sounds Like An Opportunity

2009-04-15T03:17:00.005+08:00

Joan: Can I get a refill?
God:
Coming right up.(turns around but turns right back)
Excuse me, but are you alright?
Joan: Yeah (hesitantly pauses)
No, it's a long story.
God:
I like stories. I'm considered a bit of a storyteller myself.
Joan: My husband, you've heard of New York's Noah?
God:
(laughs)
The guy who's building the ark.
Joan: That's him.
God:
I love that story, the one about the ark. A lot of people miss the point of that story. They think it's about God's wrath and anger. They love it when God gets angry.
Joan: What is the story about then, the ark?
God:
Well, I think it's a love story, about believing in each other. You know, the animals showed up in pairs. They stood by each other, side by side, just like Noah and his family. Everyone entered the ark together, side by side.
Joan: But my husband says, God told him to do it. What do you do with that?
God:Sounds like an opportunity.
(Joan looks at God puzzled) Let me ask you something.
If someone prays for patience, do you think God gives them patience? Or does He give them the opportunity to be patient?
If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does He give him opportunities to be courageous?
If someone prayed for the family to be closer, you think God zaps them with warm, fuzzy feelings, or does He give them opportunities to love one another?
God:Well, I got to run, lots of people to serve. (pointing to the basket in front of the Joan, which has miraculously replenishes) Enjoy!

Amazing how we look at things sometimes. I believe in Christianity, but watching Evan Almighty again, it shows that there are times where we ask for things, but fail to see the opportunities that God has put in front of us to give the opportunity to exercise our ability to get what we want.
Just like what was shared, if we pray for courage, God gives us opportunities to be courageous, and to continually grow our ability to be courageous so when we need to call upon courage, we have it within us.
Let us look upon the trials we have not as roadblocks, but as opportunities for us to get to what we want to be, and where we want to be.

Power to Change Someone's Life

2009-01-13T09:41:00.004+08:00

Ben Thomas:
It is within my power to drastically change his circumstances, but I don't want to give that man a gift he doesn't deserve.
Quoted from the movie, Seven Pounds

How often do we have in us, the power to drastically change the circumstances of the people around us, yet so often do we give them to the people who deserve them the least? Do we judge accordingly on whom best deserve the gifts we provide, or do we often make the mistake of making people priority in our lives, when often we are just an option in theirs.

The next time you see a colleague struggling to finish their work, a friend looking to better his business, an enemy in need of a friend, remember ... we have the power to drastically change their circumstances, if only if we choose to. Like in the overly quoted statement, with "Great powers come great responsibility". Be responsible in choosing whom we choose to use our powers to change someone's life today.

On Living With a Full Heart

2009-01-05T00:19:00.002+08:00

When one is too hurt one cannot see others' pain, is too blind with one's own.
When one has many weights to lift, one cannot enjoy life.
When one has many expectations, one cannot be patient with others.
When one has fear, one cannot enjoy life.
When one does not give, one is making the heart lonely.
When one does not take, one is making the heart feel inferior
When one does not hope, one is shutting oneself into a tight closet.
But when one does not love, one is killing one's self.

* Quoted from 12-year old Olivia, Berkley, California

They always share that one should not look at life in a negative way. Especially for myself who works in HR systems, getting anything done sometimes is almost impossible. The realm of impossibility is stretched to such extents that sometimes it gets so frustrating to do anything.

Thus in life, I feel we should all live life, looking at how we can do something, and stop saying no so often. Let's start right now, by deciding that it's possible, and that it CAN be done, only if we want to.

Mantra for 2009

2009-01-03T15:54:00.003+08:00

It's a great powerpoint slide that a friend had sent to me via the email. True, it's one of those "you-need-to-send-it-out-within-96-hours" thingy, but if you ignore that fact, and read the points, it helps open up some thoughts on how we would want to live 2009.

Here are a list for those who can't open the document:

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
3. Follow the 3 Rs:
a. Respect for Self
b. Respect for Others
c. Responsibility for all your actions
* I so need to make this my own new year's resolution
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful thing.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
7. When you realise you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don't give up on your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think it back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge, it is a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the Earth.
16. Once a year, go some place you've never been before.
17. Remember, the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

No One Is Responsible for Your Happiness ...

2008-12-31T00:10:00.002+08:00

It has been a long year of 2008 for me, and many a times, I've taken it upon myself to ensure the happiness of some people very close to me. A number of times this year have I put aside my choice of happiness to try and help someone else be happy. What have I found out? It doesn't work.

A friend once shared, "Don't allow someone to become a priority in your life ... when you are an option in theirs". Just like although friends can try to pull us out of unhappiness, only we ourselves can truly be happy in whatever situation we are. Same goes for others... friends whom we try to so hard to do what we feel would make the person happy, may not necessarily make them happy. In fact, sometimes, it may just have the opposite effect, depending on how the person has their views on you.

Forget about the responsibility of making people around you happy. Be happy first, and let that spread and share to others. The subtle happiness irradiating from you will do more, than the intentional acts of trying to please everyone.

There's NEVER Nothing Going On ...

2008-12-26T00:58:00.006+08:00

There's NEVER nothing going on ...
There are NO Ordinary Moments ...

* Extract from the movie, "The Peaceful Warrior"

How so little words can have so much meaning. How often do we have trash in our head thinking about what happened in the past, or worries of what the future would bring. How often do we forget to step back and take a look at all the things around us?

Do we take time to notice the little gestures of love our family members do for us (including mums nagging us to go to sleep at more godly hours), or the courteous gesture of others when they say "thank you"? Or do we spend time analyzing and deciding how fake these people are, trying to understand the motives of people, or to simply look beyond the simple innocence of a person's intention, and prefer to dwell in the more complex, deceiving attitudes of the world?

There is NEVER nothing going on. There are NO ordinary moments. Whether or not we choose to see it, that is up to us to choose.

Those Who Get Things They Want ... Are the Ones Who Show Up To Get Them

2008-12-21T23:32:00.004+08:00

Rock:
This is a nice place you've got here.
I'll have me a spot like this someday. Someplace clean.
Dulaine:
You can get whatever you want, Rock.
Rock:
Nah, only some people get the s**t they want.
Dulaine:
That's true.
Those are the people who show up to get it.

A Little Bird on Your Shoulder

2008-12-19T13:51:00.002+08:00

Morrie:
Don't look so sad because I'm going to die, Mitch.
Everybody is going to die. Even you.
But most people don't believe it.
They should have a bird on their shoulder. That what the Buddhist do.
They used to imagine a little bird on your shoulder, and everyday you say,
"Is this the day I am going to die, little bird? Am I ready?
Am I leading the life I want to lead? Am I that the person I want to be?"
If we accept the fact that we can die at any time, we would live our lives differently.
So everyday you'd say, "Is this the day? hmm?"
If you did have a bird on your shoulder, you would not put off the things closest to your heart.

* Extracted from the movie, "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom

Is there anything in life closest to us that we require to do? Things that we may have always left one side, because we'll have time for it one day? Something for our family, something for the people that we've taken for granted? If we did see each day as the last day of our life, it is true, we may see things differently... Think about the things you need to do ... list them out and see what can be done in 2009 ... the year of 2008 may be over, but let life begin today.

Vivir con miedo, es como vivir a medias

2008-12-17T09:10:00.002+08:00

Vivir con miedo, es como viri a medias ...
A life lived in fear is a life half lived.

* Extracted from the movie, Strictly Ballroom

We are all scared by things in life. Some of us have fears of the dark, some of relationships with other people, some with just about everything in the world. To live in fear is nothing wrong, but to allow the fear to rule our lives, to make us give up the things we want ... things that are the world to us, makes us live a life half lived.

Just like in the movie, "The Prestige", where Christian Bale plays the twins Alfred & Fallon are actually twins, but to create the ULTIMATE magic trick ("The Transported Man"), where they both had "half of a full life". It is better to live half a full life, then a full life half lived.

Beige Should Be Your Least Favorite Color

2008-12-16T12:33:00.000+08:00

Never try to defend your present position and situation. Choose to be a person who is on the offensive, not the defensive. People who live defensively never rise above being average. We're called, as Christians, to be on the offensive, to take the initiative. A lukewarm, indecisive person is never secure, regardless of wealth, education or position.

Don't ever let your quest for balance become an excuse for not taking the unique, radical, invading move that God has directed you to take. Many times the attempt to maintain balance in life is really just an excuse for being lukewarm. In Joshua 1:6, 7, 9 the Lord says threes times to Joshua "Be strong and courageous". I believe that He is saying the same things to all believers today.

When you choose to be on the offensive, the atmosphere of your life will begin to change. So if you don't like the atmosphere of your life, choose to take the offensive positive. Taking the offensive is not just an action taken outside a person; it is always a decision made within.

When you do choose to be on the offensive, keep all your conflicts impersonal. Fight the issue, not the person. Speak about what God in you can do, not what others cannot do. You will find that when all of your reasons are defensive, you cause almost never succeeds.

Being on the offensive and taking the initiative is a master key which opens the door to opportunity in your life. Learn to create a habit taking the initiative and don't ever start your day in neutral. Every morning when your feet hits the floor, you should be thinking on the offensive, reacting like an invader, taking control of your day and your life.

By pulling back and being defensive usually you enhance the problem. Intimidation always precedes defeat. If you are not sure which way to go, pray and move towards the situation in confident trust.

Be like the two fishermen who got trapped in a storm in the middle of the lake. One turned to the other and asked, "Should we pray, or should we row?" His wise companion responded, "Let's do both!".

That's taking the offensive.

* Extracted from "An Enemy Called Average" by John L. Mason

In the beginning ...

2008-12-16T12:30:00.000+08:00

In the beginning ...

It started with drawings ...
Drawings turned to pictures ...
Pictures turn to graphical representations ...
Graphical representations turned to characters ...
Characters turned to words ...
Words became sentences ...
And the medium of passing wisdom lay in those ...
Who said the most with the least number of words.

This blog is dedicated to the nuggets of wisdom that I hope to find through my searches in books, the Net and from friends ... Feel free to share, comment and contribute your own insights, so we may all benefit from the collective wisdom of all.

Cheers,
Justin Paul