Walking On

“It’s always necessary to know when a stage of one’s life has ended. If you stubbornly cling to it after the need has passed, you lose the joy and meaning of the rest. And you risk being shaken to your senses”. - Paulo Coehlo, The Fifth Mountain.

In our life we face many times when we enter a state of transition; the passing of a sweet relationship, the farewell of a loved one, the loss of a job. Surely we have had our fair share but I’m sorry but there’s more to come. Because life is as such, it’s about keeping up that gait of yours till the final passing.

We all hate goodbyes, dang I even hate birthdays cause each birthday and each good bye is bidding farewell to the stage of life that has just past. I look back and I think: has the time I spent been a total waste or has it? Were there any life lessons I could pick up to help better my walk? If I could have done better, how then can I do it?

This state of transition that we’re in is an opportune time to take some time off the ever flowing pace of life and just close your eyes and reflect. Think of your current pace of life, contemplate your next step, and if you’ve got a lot of time, do something you’ve never done before but always wanted to do. Go celebrate life for each passing of a stage is the entry into another.

Please make sure you have closure for the stage that has passed. Throw a party, go for a getaway, do something stupid, just do something that can signify you leaving the past because when you enter the next stage in life, you don’t want weights from the past still pulling you back. When baby eagles learn to fly, they just drop out of their nest, off the cliff and they drop at least 10 feet. What a way to signify the passing of their youth; They then open their wings and fly. Those that didn’t leave the nest never did survive.

I wish I could have relived many parts in my life again, then again when I thought about it, it could have progressed differently if i tried again and no amount of trying would have resulted in a more perfect memory than the one that has just past. Smile and keep walking. I have always liked this advert and it shall end this post.

Smile!

The Chains that Bind

Like invisible hands they clutch around your throat,slowly squeezing the life out of you until you're nothing but an empty shell. Ever felt like that?

Expectations; they come in many forms,obvious and transient. We all experience expectations every day,from our parents,friends,lover,the environment we grow up in and of course ourselves. They are there to guide us and inspire us to excel. But sometimes,having too much of it just constricts us with it's invisible tendrils. That's the feeling we get when we don't live up to expectations.

The problem is we have been educated since we were young that expectations are ok and they form part and parcel of our life. Yet our parents do not know that the feeling of disappointing them by not fulfilling their expectations is so painful,like a blunt knife slowly cutting into us. Where else can we go to express such pain without getting looked down on but hiding it within ourselves?

At this point,for some,depression slowly creeps in. Like water seeping through your clothes it slowly crawls up your skin. Let's spare our friends and family of this torture.

Parents,please don't place too high expectations on your children. I know we all want our kids to be the next einstein or bill gates. But sometimes giving them space and freedom to explore and find the path that they really enjoy venturing on is much more beneficial than to nag at them about being a doctor or a lawyer.

Break free of expectations that bind you. They are like heavy lead weights tied around your ankles. Let them go. Take a breather. Get away. Smile :)

When kinks appear

Sometimes in our work,just as we expect things to sail along just fine,little road bumps appear to dampen our morale. People telling you that you can't make it;you don't have what it takes;it was all pure luck etc.being human,such talk will withou a doubt waver our heart strings.

Most people gets so affected they stop altogether. Well,it's times like this that differentiates the people with calibre and those without. Ask yourself:"have all my hard work been really wasted?was it Really pure luck?or was it results from pure hard work and effort?

What ever your heart tells you,always look forward. Having not met people's expectations is a sign that you have much to work on. Having been misunderstood is a sign that people are paying attention to you and you are creating some effect on them. Stand firm and resolute with what you do. If trees were afraid of rain,they would never grow.

Resolute Resolutions

As the passing of 2008 approaches in the next few hours, please look back at your year and list down the number of meaningful events that has happened to you. Be it meeting someone special, attending a special occasion, having a special occasion or marking a new journey in life etc. list it all down. Then write down a list of things that you have learnt from these events and how you can improve on them. Having done that, prioritize the list into which things you want to improve the most and so on.

From there on, list down your goals and new year resolutions. Now please bear in mind that you have to write them down realistically. When I was 5, my new year resolution was to grow wings and fly. After so many new years, it has never been realized and I was some what disappointed by it. So please don't disappoint yourself! Make realistic resolutions! Then give yourself a time line as to when you can accomplish or see the resolution take effect.

Don't hesitate! The hour of 2009 is near!

Auld Lang Syne!

Tis the Festive Season to be JOLLY!

Yes!

This is THE festive Season to be jolly. Feeling down in the dumps? Feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders? Feeling un-loved? Throw all of that away! With a mighty HO HO HO, laugh away your troubles for this is the season to be jolly. It is the time of giving and forgiving.

Why are people exceptionally happy in this time of the year? It's because they receive presents and GIVE presents. Giving presents in fact brings more joy than receiving. Why? Because going through all that hard work and finding a present for that special someone, then seeing that smile creep in onto their face when their tear open the wrapping before finally erupting into a ear-to-ear smile is just.....satisfying. Immensely satisfying! Nothing feels better than making other people happy. We all like to give love, its in our genes, we are social animals.

So how can giving help bring you out from the dumps? Firstly, finding the present is tough and it will redirect attention and keep bad bad thoughts out of the head. Secondly, having the intention of making another person happy causes unseen changes in us; minute, invisible forces work in our bodies and soon we find that we start, bit by bit to get happier. Finally, we all like to have some shopping therapy once in a while don't we?

This is the time of the year dear readers, so go out there, immerse yourselves in Christmas carols, meet up with long lost friends, rekindle extinguished flames, spread the love.

Jingle Bells Jingle Bells Jingle All the way!

Music and Life!

From Ages past to the present day, Music has been part and parcel of every day life.

Every single culture on this planet has a musical chord in their blood. From the violins and pianos of Europe, the Angklongs of Indonesia, the Dijeritoos of Australia to the Berimbau of Africa. It is in us as it is in Nature. In the day, birds chirp, monkeys shrill, Hippotamuses give a strong bass, Lions with a roar; At night, crickets chirp, bats squeak, owls hoot, the air is alive with music!

Since birth, we have been accustomed to sounds , rhythms and music. Even in our mother's womb, we hear an orchestra of sounds; the dub-dub heartbeats, the slushes of blood pumping through the vessels, the digestive groans and grunts of the stomach, the squelches of the intestines. We have developed rhythm since we were young and have embraced it in almost every thing we do. When we walk, if you take note, every one walks to a certain rhythm. When we talk, we talk with a certain rhythm too! So even if you have not learned a musical instrument in an institute, be not discouraged, for your body has two instruments too! Your Voice and your hands. Clapping is used in many cultures as a bass rhythm. You see, music is just in the air.

Music has always been used in ceremonies and celebrations. It uplifts the mood or brings you to a solemn state. It holds that power to lift you up when you're down. Songs like Ave Maria lets people feel awe and get touched by the holiness. There are just so many songs out there with so many benefits.

How can this help you? Well, to simply put, when you're feeling down, try playing a song that you like. When you're feeling stressed, play some soothing songs in the background quietly. Soon with experimentation and patience, you will find your song.

Sports Excellence!

How many of you still exercise regularly every day? How many of us are watching that belly of ours slowly bulge an inch every week?  I apologize but have to blunt here, lives are at stake; You will most likely fall ill sooner than your counter parts and then pass the remaining days of your life in torment.

Run! Swim! Play ball! Just do something! Our Ministry of Health has suggested 5 times a week and 30 mins each day. I know of someone who has polio yet swims regularly. Why not you with healthy legs? Don't wait till you can't see your toes...act on it!

Regular exercise has been shown to improve your sleep, reduce stress, give you better confidence, give you better skin, uplifts your prone-to-sag body parts and most of all, look good. 

Don't know where to start? Visit your local park and just run or visit your community center to take part in activities or join some alternative sport such as Rock Climbing , Capoeira or even Martial Arts. Most importantly, find something you like and enjoy doing. After all, paying for your health is the BEST investment with the MOST returns.

Here are some links to some sports you can take part in:

http://www.zambiacongo.com.sg/ (A Local Brazilian Martial Art Group)

http://www.womenandsports.sg/  (A website meant for sports for women)

http://www.ssc.gov.sg/publish/Corporate/en/our_services0/courses/learn.html ( Listings of activities in Sports and  Recreational Centers)

http://www.fightg.com/courseindex.htm ( A Local Martial Arts Gym )