Different Perception

A father who is dying gave 2 advices to his 2 sons:
1. Never ask money back from people that owe you.
2. If you go to shop, never let sun shine on your face.

Time passes and few years later after the father died, the eldest son become richer but the youngest son become poorer.One day the mother asked what happened to both of them.

The youngest answered:"This is because I follow what Dad told me. Dad said that I can't ask people to return back my money if they owe me.And because of that my asset keep decreasing because people never pay me what they owe me."
"Dad also said that if I went out or come back to work, I should not see the sun. And because of that, I have to take vehicle to work even tough I can walk, and that made my expenses keep increasing."

When the mother asked the eldest son, he answered:"All these because I kept father's advice. Because dad said not to ask money from people who owe me, I never owe people money and because of that my asset never decrease."
"Dad also said not to see the sun when I go and come back to work, and because of that I open my shop earlier than other shops and close only when other shops close. And that habit cause people recognise my shop and my business is good because of the long opening hour."

Morale of the Story:
The story above shows how a sentence can be interpreted with different perception.If we look at it with a positive attitude, every difficulty can be a journey that lead us to a success but we can also be swept away with the difficulties because of our routine.

"Do ordinary thing with an extraordinary attitude"

Stress Management

I received this from a forwarded email and I thought it's a very good to share with all of you.
A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked 'How heavy is this glass of water?' Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.
The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.' He continued, 'And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. ''As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.'' So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home.You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.'
So, my friend, Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now.Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.
Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
- Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
- Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
- Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
- Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
- If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
- It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply be kind to others.
- When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
- Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
- You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
- Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
- A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle"
- Albert Einstein -

The Donkey

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly.
Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step upAs the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of t he deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.
2. Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.
3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less

"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.”
- Marie Curie -

Things Aren't Always as They Seem

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied..."Things aren't always what they seem".
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel "how could you have let this happen!? The first man had everything, yet you helped him," she accused. "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die."
"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave her the cow instead.
Things aren't always what they seem."Sometimes this is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way you think they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later

"He who has faith has... an inward reservoir of courage, hope, confidence, calmness, and assuring trust that all will come out well - even though to the world it may appear to come out most badly."
- B.C. Forbes -

What Is Important to You?

A Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening.
Suddenly, the Native American said, "I hear a cricket."
His friend said, "What? You must be crazy. You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!"
"No, I'm sure of it," the Native American said, "I heard a cricket."
"That's crazy," said the friend.
The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed.
"That's incredible," said his friend. "You must have super-human ears!"
"No," said the Native American, "My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you're listening for."
"But that can't be," said the friend. "I could never hear a cricket in this noise."
"Yes, it's true." came the reply. "It depends on what is really important to you. Here, let me show you."
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn, and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs.
"See what I mean," asked the Native American. "It all depends on what's important to you."

"The things which are most important don't always scream the loudest"
- Bob Hawke -

The Dash

A man stood up at his wife's funeral and spoke. They had been married for more than fifty years. This is the core of the husbands' speech:
"On the tombstone you will notice there are two dates. The first is the date of my wife's birth the second is the date of her passing. What we often forget to notice is that there is a dash between those two numbers. This dash represents her life."
That dash is what makes us who we are. It is what took place in between those two dates. There are many lessons learned, many tears of joy and sorrow, much love shared and many lives touched; all portrayed within that simple little dash.

Just like the story above, everytime I walk pass a graveyard and look at the tombstones, I'll always be reminded about how we should live our life. What will be your epitaph?
Epitaph is a commemorative inscription on a tomb or mortuary monument about the person buried at that site.So what is your epitaph? What will other people remember you for? Will you be remembered for?

(epitaph of Mel Blanc)

When we are born you are crying and everyone is smiling. Live your life so that when you die you are smiling and all those around you are crying. Put more dash in your life, and may it be a very long dash indeed.

"To me, my greatest achievement in life will be seeing more lives being changed for the better because I was once on this earth"
~ unknown ~

Two Wolves

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life...
He said to them, "A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
One wolf is evil -- he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.
The other is good---he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.
This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."
They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee simply replied: "The one you feed".

"Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples don't count on harvesting golden Delicious"
- unknown -

Life Lesson from Horse Riding

I used to read a Manga about a horse named "Sylphid". A young horse with a pair of weak leg which eventually trained and turned into a fastest racing horse. I'm not going to share how can a weak horse turned into a powerful racing horse, but throughout the process and even in the racing arena, there are some life lessons that we can learn from riding a horse:

1. Always look where you are going. If you must take a circuitous route, don't run over the instructor. They tend to get very upset when a thousand plus pound animal is coming at them out of control. This applies to the people you meet daily. Don't run over them out of control.
2. Keep in balance. Everything will flow together in harmony if you simply allow it.
3. Plan ahead. This means have respect for another's personal space. No one likes it when you run up behind them and stay there. They are moving at the pace that is comfortable for them. Make allowances. Honor their right to be right where they are. (Refer to number 1.)
4. Know your stride and be ready to adjust it if necessary. (This refers back to number 1 and 3.)
5. Forward! Always forward! This is a dressage term that means even when it is necessary to back up the momentum is still going forward.
6. When navigating any obstacle focus upon the next obstacle. Consider the obstacle as merely a step in the overall course.
7. When you fall off, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, understand the mistake you made that caused you to fall off and then get right back in the saddle.
8. Teach and train; not punish and blame. This is used in dog training. Prepare yourself through learning and understanding. Ultimately the choices you make are based on learning and understanding. Take responsibility for your actions and feelings. Should you find your understandings and actions no longer serve you, change them. Change your actions and thought and you will change your life and world.

May all your falls be gentle ones and your mistakes little ones. May you learn to walk in Balance and fly over obstacles.

"Change of life starts with change of mindset followed by change of action"
- unknown -

Young at Heart

Recently, I received an email and it's a very interesting email because it talked about how to stay young and I believe the 'young' here is talking about young at heart. Everybody will grow old in terms of age and look, but not everybody can stay young on the inside.
You can be young on the outside yet old on the inside, you are pessimistic, lost of hope, no future to look forward to, etc. On the other side, you can be 60+ or 70+ years old, but you are still energetic, optimistic, full of confidence and hope. The difference is on the choice that you made.
So, here are 10 things you can do to stay young at heart:
1. Throw out nonessential numbers
This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That’s why you pay them
2. Keep only cheerful friends
The grouches pull you down. (Keep this in mind if YOU are one of those grouches.)
3. Keep learning
Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, and whatever. Never let the brain get idle. An idle mind is the devil's workshop. And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!
4. Enjoy the simple things
5. Laugh often, long and loud until you gasp for breath
And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with HIM / HER.
6. Surround yourself with what you love
Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, or whatever.
7. The tears happen
Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us in our entire life, is yourself. LIVE while you are alive.
8. Cherish your health
If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, GET HELP.
9. Don't take guilt trips
Take a trip to the mall, even to the next country, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.
10.Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity

"I promise to keep on living as though I expected to live forever. Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul"
- unknown -

The Cracked Pot

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After 2 yrs of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts."

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life!

"Sometimes our greatest strength come from our weakness"
- Unknown -

Person of Strength

A Strong Person vs A Person of Strength
A strong person works out every day to keep their body in shape.
A person of strength builds relationships to keep their soul in shape.

A strong person isn't afraid of anything.
A person of strength shows courage in the midst of their fear.

A strong person won't let anyone get the best of them.
A person of strength gives the best of themself to everyone.

A strong person makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future.
A person of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be unexpected blessings and capitalizes on them.

A strong person wears a look of confidence on their face.
A person of strength wears grace.

A strong person has faith that they are strong enough for the journey.
A person of strength has faith that it is in the journey that they will become strong.

"I can handle anything that life throws at me - I may not be able to handle it well, or correctly, or gracefully, or with finesse, or expediently - but I will handle it. Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!!!!!"
- Unknown -

Obstacles in Life

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

I've read this story many times, but everytime I read this I'll get motivated knowing that every problem that I'm facing right now is working for my good and it'll slowly mold my character to be a better person. And I believe that's the attitude that everyone of us must have. It's true that life is challenging and it's never an easy path, but because of these problems our life can be more interesting, they somehow added color into our life. So never expect life to be smooth, it will never happened! And even though it did happen, I think it'll be a pretty boring life. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If we to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!
So for those who are facing problems right now be it big or small, let's show our courage and stand strong to overcome it. You'll eventually emerge as a winner over the problems!


“If you trust the winner within you, you will win.If you can keep your courage, you will go so far.If you follow your ambitions, your course will guide you toward a ladder that you can climb to your stars.”
-unknown-

Happiness in Making Others Happy

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his life would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

"There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you have that money can't buy"
- Unknown -

Be Patient

This is a true story which happened in the States. A man came out of his home to admire his new truck.
To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint.
The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy's hands into pulp as punishment.
When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital. Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy's hands.
When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, " Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck." Then he asked, "but when are my fingers going to grow back?"
The father went home & committed suicide.
Think about the story the next time u see someone spill milk at a dinner table or hear a baby crying. Think first before u lose your patience with someone u love. Trucks can be repaired. Broken bones & hurt feelings often can't.
Too often we fail to recognise the difference between the person and the performance.
People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.
Pause and ponder. Think before you act. Be patient. Understand & love.

"If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow."
- Chinese Proverbs -

Stay Focus

We stood in the kitchen talking. I was discussing my upcoming change in lifestyle. I was excited yet hesitant as I talked about it.
We set a goal many years ago to change our lifestyle from one of the hectic city life, working to pay the bills... to one of a slower country pace, working on our "wanna do's". Yet as I talked to my friend about this, there was hesitation in my voice. Leaving a company where I had worked for over 26 years, leaving friends who have become like family to me, leaving a province where I had lived, raised my children and worked for the last 16 years. I expressed my concerns of leaving a steady paycheck for a much, much lower income. As I talked, that little voice in my head was saying, "what are you doing, will you be able to make it?"
My friend left the room and came back carrying a bag. "This is for you," she said smiling.
I opened the bag and in it was a plaque with the following poem:

Believe In Yourself
And in your dream though impossible things may seem,
Someday, somehow you'll get through to the goal you have in view.
Mountains fall and seas divide before the one who in his stride
Takes a hard road day by day sweeping obstacles away.
Believe in yourself and in your plan.
Say not - I cannot but, I can.
The prizes of life we fail to win,
Because we doubt the power within.

As I read the poem, my hesitation disappeared, my confidence restored, I knew it would be all right. I did have a dream, and although, at times it appeared impossible, I set my goal and never lost sight of that end goal. Yes, many times as I worked towards that goal I had setbacks, and faced many challenges.
When I faced those challenges I always remembered the quote: "persistence prevails when all else fails". I never lost focus. I believed I could do it. And, as I reflected on the poem I knew, tomorrow will work out. I have come this far and faced many obstacles and challenges, but I overcame them.
What are your dreams? Do they seem impossible? Set your goal, don't give up when you face challenges, and stay focused, as the power within is truly amazing!!

“Our thoughts create our reality -- where we put our focus is the direction we tend to go.”
-Peter McWilliams-

Change For The Better

Don't spend major time with minor people. If there are people in your life who continually disappoint you, break promises, stomp on your dreams, are too judgmental, have different values and don't have your back during difficult times...that is not friendship.
To have a friend, be a friend. Sometimes in life as you grow, your friends will either grow or go. Surround yourself with people who reflect values, goals interests and lifestyles.
Over the years my phone book might has changed because I changed, for the better. At first, you think you're going to be alone, but after awhile, new people show up in your life that make it so much sweeter and easier to endure.
Remember: "Birds of a feather flock together. If you're an eagle, don't hang around chickens: Chickens can't fly!"

"If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it."
-Mary Engelbreit-

Appreciation

Showing an appreciation is not something that can be done easily, especially to the person that we do not like. Nevertheless, it is the most powerful act that we can do if we need to have friends in our life. Everybody needs to be felt appreciated. You'll never know that a small praise of yours can brighten someone's day. So don't be a cynical person, don't be too quick to judge without knowing the facts.
Here is a story about a barber who is very cynical and hope we'll learn something from it and start to show appreciations and praises whenever we can.

A man was getting a haircut prior to a trip to Rome. He mentioned the trip to the barber who responded,"Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty and full of Italians. You're crazy to go to Rome! So, how are you getting there?"
"We're taking TWA," was the reply. "We got a great rate!"
"TWA?" exclaimed the barber.
"That's a terrible airline. Their planes are old and their flight attendants are ugly, and they are always late. So, where are you staying in Rome?"
"We'll be at the downtown International Marriott."
"That dump! That's the worst hotel in the city. The rooms are small the service is surly and they're overprices. So whatcha doing when you get there?"
"We're going to go see the Vatican and we hope to see the Pope."
"That's rich," laughed the barber.
"You and a million other people trying to see him. You'll be at the back of St. Peter's Square and from that distance he'll look the size on an ant. Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You're going to need it."
A month later, the man again came in for his regular haircut. The Barber asked about his trip to Rome. "It was wonderful", explained the man. "Not only were we on time in one of TWA's brand new planes, but it was overbooked and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful and I had a beautiful 28 year old stewardess who waited on me hand and foot. And the hotel was great! They'd just finished a $2.5 million remodeling job and now its the finest hotel in the city. They too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us the Presidential Suite at no extra charge."
"Well," muttered the barber, "I know you didn't get to see the Pope."
"Actually, we were quite lucky, for as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder and explained that the pope likes to personally meet some of the visitors, and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me. Sure enough, five minutes later the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt down as he spoke a few words to me."
"Really?" asked the barber.
"What did he say?"
He said, "Where did you get the ugly haircut?" !!

"Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well."
- Voltaire -

Excellence

To live your life to the fullest, you need to develop a thinking with excellence. In everything you do, you need to think how to do it with excellence.
A good description for excellence is "To be superior in QUALITY, greater in QUANTITY, to TRANSCEND your job description, and to OUTDO yourself each time"
And I believe that everytime you do something with excellence, you'll enjoy life more. The reason why people are bored with life is because they let everyday passes by with the same motivation and same action. Boring people will do the same using the same method achieving the same thing again and again. The moment you think with excellence and do thing with excellence, your life will automatically be changed.

Below story is an example of a person who has a spirit of excellence.
One day, the boss of Mercedez Benz had a problem with his wash basin. The pipe was already broken and water keep flowing out to the floor and he afraid it will be dangerous to his kids.
Upon his friend recommendation, Mr.Benz called up a plumber to fix it. The plumber make an appointment to fix it 2 days later because he is quite busy. The plumber has no idea that the caller is the boss of the largest car company in Germany.
One day after called by Mr.Benz, the plumber contacted Mr.Benz and thanked him because he has willingly waited for one day. After fixing the broken pipe, the plumber then received the payment for his service.About 2 weeks later, the plumber contacted Mr.Benz to check if the pipe was well fixed or there's some problem that he need to come down and fix again. Mr.Benz thought that this person must be a great man even tough he is a plumber. Mr.Benz answered on the phone and said that the wash basin is working perfectly fine and thank the plumber for his service.
Few monts later, Mr.Benz recruited this plumber to work in his office? Yes, his name is Christopher L.Jr. He is now a General Manager for Customer Satisfaction and Public Relation in Marcedez Benz!
Always add cheese and best service even if it's not required from you!

Excellence is not a skill, it is an attitude. That means everyone can excel in everything they do. So, let's start to have excellence in whatever you do.
Excellence can be obtain if :
...care more than others think is wise;
...risk more than others think is safe;
...dream more than others think is practical;
...expect more than others think is possible.

"Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-John W. Gardner-

Attitude towards life

Recently I received a video link from my friend. The video is basically about a last lecture given by a professor in America who is dying from pancreatic cancer. I was totally amazed by the attitude he has towards life. Even tough he only has months to live, he didn't live in self pity. Instead he uses the remaining time he has on earth to inspire his students, the people around the world and especially his 3 children with his last lecture on how to live life.
And I believe that's the attitude that everyone of us should have. Imagine if today is your last day on earth, you will have lots of things to do and you will do everything that you can with excellence.
Below is the 10-minute length video of professor Randy Pausch. Hope all of you will be inspired.



"Live everyday as if it is your last day on earth."
- Unknown -

Build your Confidence

All of us want to start the year right. But along the way, we might find it more and more difficult to achieve the goal that we have set early of the year. And very often, we may lose our confidence to continue pursuing our goal. We start develop a view of low self-esteem about ourselves,that we are not good enough, we should not do this and that. Eventually we lost our self-confidence.
I was someone with a low self-esteem and afraid of doing anything new. I was totally afraid to talk to strangers. There was a time that my Dad asked me to buy medicine from a pharmacy.I was so afraid that I just told the seller the medicine that I wanted, passed the money, and get the change without asking how much the medicine actually cost. I was so afraid that the seller will argue with me if I said something.
If you consider youself as a low self-esteem or no self-confidence person, I hope following guidelines can you build up your self-confidence.

1.Create a positive view about yourself
Steve Chandler said that the best way to change your belief system is to change the truth about you.Some ways you can do to create a positive view about yourself are:
- Make a positive conclusion/opinion about your ownself. "Positive" means something that build up not pull down.
- Learn to look at positive sides/strength that we have. Even if washing dishes is your skill, because not everybody can washing dishes well.
- Open a self-dialog on positive things that can be done. From the smallest and something that we can do today.Other than that, you need to stop all negative thoughts that coming into your mind, e.g: I don't have any skills, I'm useless, I'm good for nothing, etc. After stopping the negative, we need to replace it with positive and constructive thoughts.

2. Fight for positive will
Next is to come out with a program or agenda for self-contructive action. This can be in the form like having a new goal that we want to accomplish and can be done.It doesn't matter big or small, the main thing is that there must be a change or upgrade to a positive side.The more positive things that we can do, the stronger our self-confidence.

3. Handle problems positively
Self-confidence can be strengthen by telling ourselves that we can overcome our own problem.The more problems we tackled, the stronger our self-confidence. Eventually, we become a person that are not easily give up when problems come.

4. Have a basic positive decision
Nobody can always be confidence that one can handle all problems well.Even Mahatma Gandhi was stumble when his reality changed. But there is something in Gandhi that we can learn from.He said, "Remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS."This means, Gandhi self-confidence booseted up when he knew that his path has been laid with a right principles.

5. Have a positive role model
Another important thing is to find someone with positive attitude that we can learn from.This will always required us to continuously open up our eyes and look at those people around us that we can learn from.Someone said we can improve ourselves by learning from 2 things:
a. Life experiences, and
b. Duplicating (learn from other people)

"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not."
-Author Unknown-

Get along with people

Getting along with people is one of the most important principle that we need to have, yet it is the harddest thing to be done. Not many people can get along with other people, some people just find it hard to get along with others. The fact is that we as human are social being and we need to relate to others even to those we find hard to get along with.
Once we know how to get along well with other people, we will find ourselves surrounded by many friends. No wonder those who can't get along with other people will tend to be alone and with no friends.
So here are the Ten Commandments of HOW TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE by Ann Landers, and I think if we can learn to do all these we have already upgraded ourselves to be a better person that people can get along with.

1. Keep skid chains on your tongue. Always say less than you think. Cultivate a low, persuasive voice. How you say it often counts more than what you say.
2. Make promises sparingly and keep them faithfully, no matter what the cost.
3. Never let an opportunity pass to say a kind and encouraging word to or about somebody. Praise good work, regardless of who did it. If criticism is needed, offer it gently, never harshly.
4. Be interested in others---their pursuits, their work, their homes and families. Make merry with those who rejoice, and weep with those who mourn. Let everyone you meet, however humble, feel that you regard him or her as a person of importance.
5. Don’t burden or depress those around you by dwelling on your minor aches and pains and small disappointments. Remember, everyone is carrying some kind of burden, often heavier than your own.
6. Keep an open mind. Discuss, but don’t argue. It is the mark of a superior mind to be able to disagree without being disagreeable.
7. Let your virtues, if you have any, speak for themselves. Refuse to talk of other’s vices. Discourage gossip. It is a waste of valuable time, and can be extremely destructive.
8. Be careful of another’s feelings. Wit and humor at another person’s expense may do more damage than you will ever know.
9. Pay no attention to disparaging remarks. Remember, the person who carried the message may not be the most accurate reporter in the world, and things become twisted in the retelling. Live so that nobody will believe them.
10. Don’t be too eager to get the credit due you. Do your best, and be patient. Forget about yourself, and let others “remember”. Success is much sweeter that way.

“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.”
- Theodore Roosevelt -

Balance

To me, balance is one of the most important aspect in life. Without balance, you will find yourself living in a terrible world, you will not be able to find happiness and you can't live your life to the fullest.
There must be a balance in everything that you do, your work, study,family,service,rest. Once you have a balance life, everything that you do will seems more meaningful and and you will be full of purpose.
I've heard of lot of young business man too busy with their work that they neglect their family, a lot of students too busy with their study that they neglect their health. They end up divorce, broken family, sick in their body, and worst they went insane.

Who we are, is NOT what we do to make a living. Who we are is a balance of our family, our work, ourselves!
There are times when we have to lose balance - a special project at work, or a family matter at home - but consciously focusing on balance keeps everything in check.
Catherine Pulsifer said, "While all aspects of our life are important, without a balance, you become addicted and like all addictions you lose."
* No balance with your family - you lose them.
* No balance with your work - you lose your perspective and you actually lose focus on the important aspects of your job.
* No balance with yourself - you forget who you are and when you retire you have nothing!
Even Bill Gates said this, "In my 20s, I worked very, very hard. I have a much more balanced life now."
So, there should not be an excuses like, "I don't have enough time", "If only I have more time in a day", "If only my job is not so demanding", "I wish I can multiply myself", etc. The fact is that all of us have the same hours in a day. Start to to find a balance in your life. List down what are the important matters and the effect of not doing it, then do the first thing first.

"Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some."
- Robert Fulghum -

Quiz

Let's start with a quiz:
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the countries that won World Cup for the past 20 years.
3. Name the top five female tennis player.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.
These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies.
Awards tarnish.
Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials... the most money... or the most awards. They are simply the ones that care the most.

"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."
- John C. Maxwell -

Valentine's Day

All I am, all I'll be
Everything in this world
All that I'll ever need
Is in your eyes
Shining at me
When you smile I can feel
All my passion unfolding
Your hand brushes mine
And a thousand sensations
Seduce me 'cause I

I do cherish you
For the rest of my life
You don't have to think twice
I will love you still
From the depths of my soul
It's beyond my control
I've waited so long to say this to you
If you're asking do I love you this much
I do

In my world, before you
I lived outside my emotions
Didn't know where I was going
'Till that day I found you
How you opened my life
To a new paradise
In a world torn by change
Still with all my heart
'Till my dying day

That's the lyric from 98 degree's song titled 'I Do Cherish You'. Anyway, please do really cherish the people you love; your family, your buddies, your boyfriend, girlfriend, your husband, wife, and everyone around us. Because you do not know what you have until you lose it.
So, Happy Valentine's Day to everyone =)


"When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible"
-Harry Burns (When Harry met Sally)-

Railways

A group of kids were playing nearby two railways. First railway is active where a train normally passes by, while sedond railway is no longer active.There is a kid playing at the inactive railway, while the rest are at the active railway.
Suddenly there is a train approaching in a high speed, and you are at the train control station and in charge of controlling the direction of the train.Will you shift the train to the inactive railway and save a group of kids playing at the active railway, but this means you are sacrificing the life of a kid that was plauing at the inactive railway.Or you will keep the train at the right railway where the train suppose to be at?
Let's take a time and think what kind of decision shall we take.
Most people will choose to shift the train direction and only sacrifice a life of one person.May be you have the same choice because by saving the life of many kids and lost a life of one kid is a rational decision and it's allowed morally and emotionally.
But do you realize that the kid that choose to play at the inactive railway, is making right decision because he choose to play at the safe place.Beside that, he must be sacrificed because of the carelessness of the other kids that were playing at the dangerous place.
This dilemma happened around us almost everyday. In the Office, society, politics and especially in democratics environment, minority has to be sacrificed for the need of majority.A kid's life that choose not to play with his friends at the dangerous railway has been ignored.and may be we might not regret that this incident happened.
Someone said he will not change the direction of the train because he believes that the group of kids that were playing at the active railway know very well that the railway is still active.So they will run once they heard the sound of approaching train.If the direction was shifted to inactive railway, the kid that were playing at inactive railway will surely die because he never thought of a train will pass by that railway.Beside that, the reason a lane was being deactivated was probably the lane was already unsafe.If the direction of the train was changed to the inactive railway, we have put the lives of all the passengers in danger.And may be the step to save a group of kids and sacrifice a kid, will end up sacrificing hundreds of lives in the train.
We have to know that life is full of difficult choices and decisions to made.And may be we might not realize that a quick decision may not always be the right decision.


"Something that is right may not always be popular and something that is popular may not always be right"
-Anon-

A cup and a lake

A teacher came to her student, Tom, who has been looking gloomy lately and asked, "Tom, Why do you look so sad? Isn't the world such a beautiful place? Where has your smile gone to?"
"Teacher, I have a lot of problems recently and it's very hard for me to keep smiling. It seems like the problem will never end." Tom answered.
The teacher smiled back and said, "Tom, bring me a cup of water and two handful of salt, and let me cheer you up."Tom went with low-spirit and brought back what his teacher asked him to do.
"Now, try to put a handful of salt into this cup of water," said the teacher."Then, try and taste the water." Tom did and he grinned because the water was very salty."How does it taste?" the teacher asked."It' salty and my stomach feels queasy" Tom answered with a grinned.
The teacher then brought Tom to a lake nearby."Take the remaining salt and pour it into this lake." the teacher commanded.Tom pour the remaining handful of salt into the lake, without a word.
"Now, try to drink the water from this lake," said the teacherTom slowly kneel down and using both hand forming a small cup, took the water from the lake and put it into his mouth.While he was drinking, the teacher asked "How does it taste now?""Fresh, it's very fresh" said Tom while wiping his mouth."Do you taste the salt that you poured in just now?" the teacher continued "Not at all" Tom answered.
The teacher then said, "Tom, every problem in our life is like a handful of salt. It's just as simple as that.Much or little pain that you experience in life has been determined for you. It is fix, it will not more or less pain. This applies to every human being born in this world. There's no one, even if he or she is a guru, can be free from pain and problems in life.
But, the 'saltiness' from the pain that you experience is very much depend on the size of the 'heart' that contain it. So, in order not to feel miserable, stop being a cup. Expand your heart to the size of the lake."

"A person's world is only as big as their heart"
-Tanya A. Moore-

Priority in life

One day, an expert of time management was speaking to a group of business students and to drive home a point, he used an illustration I'm sure those students will never forget. As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered over achievers, he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon jar and set it on a table in front of him. He produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is the jar full?"
Everyone in the class said, "Yes."
Then he asked, "Really?"
He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.
Then he smiled and asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"
By this time, the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered.
"Good!" he replied.
And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in, and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.
Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"
"No!" the class shouted.
Once again he said, "Good!"
Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?
"One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"
"No!" the speaker replied. "That is not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."

What are the 'Big Rocks' in your life? Time with your loved ones? Your faith, your education, your finances? A cause? Teaching or mentoring others?
Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all.
As we step into a new year of 2008, all of us want to start everything right, prioritize our schedules right. Take time to reflect on this short story. Ask yourself this question: What are the 'Big Rocks' in my life? Family or business? And remember to put those in your jar first.

"Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keepit, but you can spend it. Once you've lost ityou can never get it back."
-Harvey MacKay-

Failure, a stepping stone to success

All of us want to have success and we will welcome success with open arms. On the other hand, many people are trying hard not to fail and they are afraid to be a failure.The truth is that success and failure come in as a "package" which can't be seperated.How can you experience success if you never experience how it is to be a failure, right?Only when you triumph over your failure, you can tell yourself that you've achieve success.

When we make a mistake or fail in something, we will feel disappointed,sad and confuse.Very often we are angry to ourselves.If we have those kind of feelings, it is alright for us to express our sadness through tears, sharing with family members or friends that we trust, may be shout aloud at an open field or any other expressions.All of that are normal because as a normal person, we all have feeling and emotion.
What's not right is when we put ourselves down into continual sadness and depression.And we can't bring ouselves up to move on, We become afraid of more failures to come if we move on.

We should not be afraid when failure come, because we know that failure is part of success and failure is the best teacher. More than that there are many positive things that we can learn from our failures.
We all heard of these sayings many many times, in fact so many times that we treat it as void. We didn't really value what is the real meaning behind it.
Of course it is always easier to say than to do it. But remember that We should not be afraid of failure. Instead, we need to know how we should react when failure come.Let's really take some time to ponder on few things that we can do:

Admit.
First of all we need to admit that we are failing.
Because if you don't, it's impossible to move on to the next step.You won't be willing to listen to any other advise because you think you are still going to success when you know exactly that you are failing.There are many signs when we are failing, for example: bad performance review, communication problem, relationship problem, temper problem, etc.

Evaluate.
After admitting that we are failing, next step is to evaluate ourselves, where we have done wrong.Evaluation can be done by looking back at things that we have done and then analyse where the problem lies.

Correction and Change.
We then study the result of our evaluation. Write down some corrections and necessary changes that we can do to help us get up from our failures.

Planning.
Then we can make a proper planning. Plan to anticipate possible problems that can occur, and if possible use them as a stepping stone to achieve our success.

Action.
A proper plan have to be executed. Planning without action have no value. So, having planning all, next step is to execute it, that is action.
Life goes on even if you fail, so Let's continue to move on after every failure.

Many famous people around the world, people who change the world's history are people who achieved their success after a few failures. They have proven that failure and success come as one package.They have learned something important from their failures. So, if failures come, don't lose heart, don't be discouraged, learn something out of it and use it as a stepping stone to achieve your next success.

Many wise people use failures as a motivation to reach their success.When failures come, they didn't sit down, look around, and regret their life. But they stand up and try to fix their mistakes until they achieve what they wanted.
How about you?


"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall"
-Oliver Goldsmith-

Anxious for nothing

You can't change the past
But you can destroy your now by worrying your future
If you fill your heart with past regrets and future worries
You'll never be grateful for your now
If you think about yesterday without regrets and tomorrow without fear
You are on your way to success

Don't wait for the perfect timing to start doing something
You may never start doing something at all
Start today
Start from where you are and with what you already have
Never think why we choose someone to love
But know that it's love that choose us to love someone

Friendship one soul in two different body
True friendship is like health
We will only appreciate it the moment we lost it
A friend is one who can listen to a song in your heart
And sing it out when you forget the lyrics
Friends are God's hands protecting us
Respect must not always end up into friendship
But never regret to meet a stranger
Regret only if the person regret to meet you
Make friends with those who value justice
They are the light in your joy and your shield in your pain
But you'll never have a friend
If you are hoping for someone without mistake

Because everyone is a good person in nature if you can see their kindness
And everyone is interesting if you can see their uniqueness
But everyone will look boring and ugly if you can't see both
It is the same with wisdom
It is like a fluid
It will be useful if you use it properly

Smart people can fail because they think too much
But you'll be succesful if you do the right thing at the right time
And true wisdom does not only come from our mind
But from our heart

Nobody is perfect
Those who want to learn from mistake are wise
It is sad to see people who insist that they are right
When they know themselves that they are wrong

What has happened in the past and what is going to happen in the future
Is nothing compare to what we are going to do now


"Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere."
-Glenn Turner-

Welcome to wherever you are

Maybe we're all different

But we're still the same

We all got the blood of Eden running through our veins

I know sometimes it's hard for you to see

You're caught between just who you are and who you want to be

If you feel alone and lost and need a friend

Remember every new beginning is some beginning's end

Welcome to wherever you are

This is your life; you made it this far

Welcome, you got to believe

That right here, right now you're exactly where you're supposed to be

Welcome to wherever you are

When everybody's in and you're left out

And you feel you're drowning in the shadow of a doubt

Everyone's a miracle in their own way

Just listen to yourself, not what other people say

When it seems you're lost, alone and feelin' down

Remember, everybody's different; just take a look around

Welcome to wherever you are

This is your life; you made it this far

Welcome, you got to believe

Right here, right now you're exactly where you're supposed to be

Be who you want to be, be who you are

Everyone's a hero, everyone's a star

When you want to give up and your heart's about to break

Remember that you're perfect; God makes no mistake

Welcome to wherever you are

This is your life, you made it this far

Welcome, you got to believe

Right here, right now you're exactly where you're supposed to be

Welcome to wherever you are

This is your life, you made it this far(I say welcome)

Welcome to wherever you are

This is your life, you made it this far(welcome) you gotta believe

Right here right now, Welcome

When I heard this, I can't believe that this is Bon Jovi's song. I must admit that I have to give credit to him for writing such song. Hmm...actually I'm not very sure if he wrote this song tough, anyway the lyrics are simply amazing and meaningful. You may not like the song but no matter who you are you will find hopes just by reading the lyrics alone.

For anyone who feels lost, down or feels like they don't fit in...just a reassurance that everyone has a purpose. Let' be a more positive person, have a positive attitude towards life. Someone once said "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going!". What truly helps us get through the tough part is our determination and everything we've gone through up until now has made us who we are, and we are welcome as we are.

"Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."

- John Maxwell -

Blessed to be a Blessing

This has been my personal motto in life that to life a live as a blessing to others. I've seen especially in this modern era many people are living a life without considering others' feeling. Have you ever imagine what will happen to this world if everybody just care about their ownself? Everything that you do is for your own purpose and for your own good? In other word, living a selfish life.There are times we'll meet such people or may be we have such friend or worse without realizing it, we ourselves are a selfish person. You may said that you are not, you may said that you are providing for you family, your wife/husband, your kids, and your little dog. But, what about providing those orphans, elderly, disabled, etc?

To me a selfish life is when you feel it's convenient to help or provide to those that you've already known but it's inconvenient to help those that you do not know. I've always believe that God bless us for a purpose and that is to bless others. Yes, we might start from our own family and relatives but eventually we need to be able to bless those outside our circle of influence, and that to me is an even more blessed life. Our blessing might not always be in the form of money, we can bless others with our words of encouragement, our actions, our time, our skills and abilities, and so on as long as all that we do bring smiles on their face. And the moment you see the smile on their face, you can't help but to smile back and that will lift up your spirit and brighten up your life. So, if you think that life is boring, why not start by blessing other people today and you'll find that there are more to explore in life!

"We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count"
-Neil A. Maxwell-