Joie de vivre

I couldn’t just blog once about the enjoyment of life and stop! Where’s the joie de vivre in that?! So I had to write a follow up to the previous blog post…about what I said about enjoying work. Now let’s face it – to most people work is not enjoyable if it’s working for “da man.” Two important elements missing from this equation if you’re having a ball of a time everyday at the salt mine: either you absolutely LOVE what you do for a living or you work for yourself. The latter is twice as much the work but to know that it is yours, you tend to give it your all because 1) you’re comfortable within your own surroundings and can work as late or early into the wee hours if you so desire and 2) you want repeat business through word of mouth and the pay is good…hey you’re your own boss! You can afford to give yourself a raise this month and then next month rough it and skip a salary altogether…. it’s flexible that way. A lot of people strive for that sort of freedom where and when they can break free from the mental and financial bondage of the "rat-race." Someone was saying just today that you spend 8 hours sleeping, 8 working for “da man”, 4 in commute (usually in traffic especially with all the rains and floods we’re been getting these days, on a day like today where people waited till nightfall just to avoid gridlock traffic outside their door) and the other 4 involved in miscellaneous activities part of which consists getting yourself ready to face the next day which usually begins with more traffic.

So if you can’t go off on your own just yet, we must find something we’re good at and love to do and find a way to get paid for it. Sometimes the money is not important once you get fulfillment from your job or make a difference somehow in the lives of others or made someone else happy...better yet if your work has brought about the improvement in the quality of daily life. To hear that you made another’s day or maybe saved a life or allowed someone to live their dream is fulfillment in itself and priceless beyond words. And each of our jobs are important and at times we don’t realize it and don’t give it our all. But don’t get me wrong…we all need $$$ to survive so you don’t want to give away your talents, skills, time and resources for free unless you have a back up plan…maybe a wealthy great uncle or a money tree in your back yard. Cos everybody needs the paper to survive and live a decent life. It doesn’t make us happy but without it we would be homeless, hungry and deprived of things needed to make life comfortable and livable for our family and ourselves. ©

So the moral of the story is: Find something you love to do and you never have to work a day in your life. You would be opulent in all the ways that are important to mankind.

Live life to the fullest!!

Photo credit- harmonicflow.com

It just dawned on me that I haven’t blogged yet for the month of October….so here I am. The months just seem to be flying by…to me summer just ended and now October is almost thru…wow! I have family visiting again and sometimes it’s nice just to get away….it’s refreshing. I was just telling a friend that there’s so much I wanna do with my life…. and it’s just finding the time and resources…life is so exciting to not enjoy it. I don’t know how some people can get bored with their life. Life is made to be enjoyed to the fullest....I just love it!!! And it’s not because I have the most exciting life…but it’s because I get pleasure from the simplest things in life. Every little moment is made to be savoured….music, the outdoors, animals, work, travel, hobbies, people: family, friends…LIFE! ©

So people enjoy it cos you’ve only got one life to live! Live it up to the max:D

When I Grow Up...

Photo credit - picture-book.com

How many times have we wondered where we’d be in 5, 10, 20 years time. Wow! Are we there yet?! The progression of the proverbial time line of life is one to be marveled at. When I was a child I thought all grown-ups were old…now I’m a grown up! My, oh my! Did I live up to all of my childhood expectations? Do all of the tangible things make my life a grown-up fantasy to some child or teen looking on? Or do I need to conform to the societal norms to be an adult? Do I need to have a child of my own to arrive at some sort of shared place where adults cohabitate?! Maybe I’m not making any sense to those that are already there, but hey blogging is liberating. Not one day goes by without one of my co-workers or acquaintances trying to convince me that you haven’t lived until you have bore your own offspring and dare they say aloud: doomed to a lonely life without that little person completing you and fulfilling your role or destiny in life. I can’t help but beg to differ. Whether I decide to do this or not does not dictate my fulfillment in life. I affirm that my destiny is contingent on me making myself and others happy… making a difference by touching another life by living my own… whether it is a spouse or family, friends, a child or another body in need of comfort, reassurance, consolation, mentouring, guidance or hope through my daily interactions, travels or my life’s work. Sometimes you fulfill your destiny by deviating from the norm or if you so desire - conforming to the norm. Most times you have to do what’s right for you at any given moment. Life is a choice and you can’t surrender your right to choose which path your life should take. There’s no right or wrong. It’s through it all you learn to make it better and grow wiser each and every day. It’s a mix of destiny, chance, free will and choices. ©

What’s your choice this day?





Re-think, Re-group, and Revamp!

Well I changed the look of my blog and boy am I loving it! It makes you feel good sometimes to try something different whether it is re-arranging a room, a new purchase, a new haircut or something like this. The time will come when you feel the need to also rethink your position about things in your life. Simply your direction and where you're headed; the things that are important to you and the lengths you would go to achieve and maintain them or who you thought were real but really wasn't. With most of the year already behind us, we tend to look back and determine if we need to regroup in order to get where we are going. What is really important to us? Are we willing to sacrifice our position on matters or our ideals to get ahead? Or do we stand up for what we believe in and wait for the right opportunities to come along where we can really exihibit our true potential? Is it worth it just to "tow the line" until something better comes along? Or do we abandon ship in search of that dream? Each of us will answer differently to these questions but whatever we choose, we must ensure that it's the right decision for us at the point in time. How many friendships, relationships and acquaintances have been lost along the way this year? We also need to look inside and examine what makes us tick, our likes and dislikes, our strengths and weaknesses. I think I heard on television once that sometimes what we can't stand in others is the very thing that we ourselves are guilty of.

Photo credit - tearstantrumsandjoy.com

We need to look at that and only then will be able to move on and grow; see where our shortcomings lie and decide who we want to keep around us. There be many temptations around as well luring us back in, but sometimes it is wise to just to say "no" to people who are just not healthy to be around. With that in mind, we look to the future with a focus on trying to maximize the next few months before year's end as much as possible to see where we can mend fences with someone (if we think it's worth it) or just finishing up a project or being that one step closer to achieving a dream of ours for 2010 because it's not too late! © 

Whatever it is, we just need to affirm to ourselves and the universe: Watch out world...here I come!

September is here!

This is a post just to mark the day...couldn't let September 1st go by without blogging. Summer vacation has officially ended, we have celebrated Independence and another year has almost come to a close. I hope we are that one step closer to accomplishing what we set out to do when the year first began. It's easier said than done but sometimes you just have to put your mind to it and don't let anything stand in your way. I can't say I have any complaints, I have met some of my goals, I got to catch up with family this year and I travelled to a new land. On the personal front, I have wrestled with some demons and came up the winner. As human beings we are always striving for new ways to transcend our limitations and surpass our previous record to make this journey more exciting and fulfilling. Seldom do we want to remain in one position but rather constantly evolving into a state where we find ourselves content and free. The only thing constant is change and change we must in order to survive in a fluid world full of emotion, energy and motion! ©

Happy September all :D

Big Ben, River Thames-London/July 2010

Memories to keep you warm 

Sandcastle fun 

Sun, Sea & Sand/Summer 2010

The world that surrounds you

Photo credit - jeffbeebe.ning.com

Time is a marvelous thing. It allows us to grow and evolve into beings capable of adapting to any situation; to look at life from a different perspective; to heal our wounds and angst at times. Time makes us appreciate what we have in our life and be present for all the things happening at any given moment. Yesterday a very wise person told me that sometimes, perhaps something you were hoping to happen did not, because you were not ready for it to occur and maybe you needed to rid yourself of something for it to happen. It added a whole new twist on the saying: “nothing happens before its time.” At first I was like: “what are you really saying…that is not true!” I always thought: “what is for you, is for you” but then I figured that this young guy maybe really knew what he was saying! Mind you this hasn’t the slightest hint of anything remotely romantic or sappy as that! All I am going to say is that time after time we think we need to be in the right place at the right time or know the right people but sometimes it’s just your aura and what you project. Sometimes what you are putting out into the universe is greater than anything physical. You may have all good intentions to get where you’re going but sometimes something subconscious that you haven’t dealt with as yet is preventing that connection between what you want and you. ©

Food for thought: Sometimes we need to clear ourselves of the clutter in order to make room for the surpises. What you give is what you get.

Milestones



Photo credit - theaccidentalcommunicator.com



We often think of milestones as that one big achievement…that once in a lifetime dream coming true…but these can be found in almost everything we do in life. Whether it is the birth of a child, landing our dream job, visiting a new place, owning our own home or living to see another birthday. For most of us, we want to revel in our achievements - to savour its sweetness so the memories linger on. But others try to downplay its importance and deprive themselves of feeling that joy. Maybe because of the fast pace of life, we forget to give thanks for all of our accomplishments and then the moment is gone. It is important to give conscious thought to everything around us and experience life for what it is: a precious gift to behold. Even if you think there is nothing to be thankful for, the mere fact that you have sight to read the words on this page or enjoy a breathtaking sunset; to smell a rose, the aroma of a loved one’s cooking or the scent of rain on a newly pitched road, we must be grateful. The ability to walk or talk; if you have a talent to sing, dance or play an instrument, we must be appreciative for there are many others that can’t do any of those things and long for our blessings. Sometimes we go through life searching for that one big thing that would make us feel satisfied or keep us on par with the Joneses, but we ought to remember to be aware of our blessings and do what is right for us. Satisfaction can be found in the gaze of a small child or a hug from a friend that you haven’t seen in years. It can be found in our daily activities at work: making a customer’s day or completing a project that would enhance the quality of life of others. I recently saw a baby on a flight that almost brought tears to my eyes…I sat and I stared in awe and smiled peacefully to myself, for children are one of God’s greatest gifts. So behold the world around you: the people, places and things in your life. Ask yourself if it was taken away, which one you would miss the most and why. Give thanks for them all. Preserve your talents, skills and abilities. Cherish your youth and don’t waste it. Make the most of your privileges and never take anything for granted. Do what makes you happy and you will always have inner peace and strength to make it through to the end.©

“Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching.”

Satchel Paige (1906 – 1982)

A Look Within

They say time flies when you're having fun. But I wasn't having nearly as much fun because I was neglecting my blog...but I'm back. So many things going on, personal and otherwise. The old folks used to say, "after one time is two" but I never really understood this until recently. Things that you thought mattered so much before, feelings you experienced, people you encountered in your life: are all but points along a journey. They come and go and never stay the same as you progress through life. Every day we evolve a little bit more, events happen in your life, you meet new people, you run into old ones you knew at another time, you experience new things (perhaps old things in a different way), encounter new opportunities that changes how we perceive the world.  As our world view changes, we step out of our little private (comfort) zone and it influences how we react to certain situations...things that may have bothered us at an earlier time. Perhaps it opens our eyes to something we were blind to before and allow us to wake up to a new reality. Maybe it enables us to learn something new about ourselves, our environment or the people around us. Whatever the outcome, we need to slow down and be cognizant of the situations that present themselves in our lives. After all, if we believe in the reasoning that everything in life happens for a reason, we would stop to take note of every single moment that we experience daily, for it is then that we are able to truly understand ourselves, our relationship with others and our purpose on this journey.

"Lost time is never found again." Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

One Step at a Time

This a follow up to the previous post...

a journey to my fitness goals...

Join me by clicking on the title link to read more.

On exercise:
"...But without that inner desire and strength to do it on your own and cognizance of your purpose for doing it, you will fall by the wayside and it's even harder to get back going again. It is indeed a lot of work and although it's not one of my favourite things in the world it's worth it in the end, as you reap not only physical benefits but overall well-being..."