Do We Really LISTEN Enough?

Do We Really LISTEN Enough?

Do We Really LISTEN Enough?  Problem is that we, in general, do NOT know how to listen.  We do have ears that listen very well but seldom have we acquired the necessary aural skills which would allow our ears to be used effectively for LISTENING.  Extensive tests were also initiated by experts for testing the ability of people to understand and remember what they hear.  Those tests led experts to conclude that when the average person listens to someone talk, he remembers only about half of what he heard📘📙📗

Oh Oh, those studies pushed my curiosity farther.  So I surmised, WHAT HAPPENS AS TIME PASSES?  Studies show that two months after listening to a talk, the average listener will remember only about 25% of what was said.  Apparently, we tend to forget from one-half to one-third of it within hours. Indeed, this is startling to realize that frequently, we forget more in the first short interval💵💴💶

I can attest, as a first-hand account, I have interacted countless times with 'ME' people, those folks who would tirelessly talk about HIM, HIM HIM.  And when I'd interject a bit about me, immediately, he quipped YES and then he resumes his ME ME ME narratives.  Lesson here is that many of us would rather TALK than LISTEN.  While per se there's nothing wrong about it, a chronic practice just leads to an unhealthy one-way communications

Let's walk back down memory lane when we were all in school.  What's the top favorite one-liner of our teachers?  PAY ATTENTION!  LISTEN!  Certainly, our teachers then feel the need for good LISTENING.  Yet, why is it our education systems [whether it's in First World or Third World countries] fail to develop and harness our learning more to LISTEN❓❓❓

I'm wildly assuming though that probably, our educators, our systems assumed that the LISTENING ability depends largely on intelligence, that 'BRIGHT' people LISTEN well and that the 'DULL' ones poorly.  C'mon, when can we realize that the most effective way for LEARNING is to WATCH & LISTEN✅✅✅

When Wealth Gets In The Way Of Wisdom

When Wealth Gets In The Way Of Wisdom

Before I get hit with brickbats, allow me to categorically state that I am neither Pro-POOR nor Anti-RICH.  Admittedly, if I receive a million bucks right now, I'll walk off and just lead a placid life by the beach and mountains.  BUT that's day-dreaming though.  Instead, we'd like to spend a bit of time When Wealth Gets In The Way Of Wisdom because that throws a monkey wrench in our life💵💶💴

Now, let's admit it, much as we're awash with knowledge, do we think that our general level of understanding is greater?  OR that we're wiser?  Now, I am NO voracious reader but the Book of Proverbs left a bit of an imprint in me because it was top-heavy when it comes to 'financial wisdom'.  References to financials would zero-in on money, riches, wealth, prosperity, poverty and even fulfillment beyond the material things✅✅✅

And while it's quite challenging to sum up what I could have absorbed, it boils down simply to a hypothesis that RIGHT ACTIONS that are pledged to lead to prosperity and WRONG ACTIONS that lead to poverty.  But before we get embroiled with proverbs, let's align that proverbs generally read like PROMISES, but in its interpretations, they are probabilities📗📙📘

Of course, let's admit there are those who have prospered despite what many would consider as LAZINESS and those who are seen as hard workers who have struggled to amass wealth.  What I did bear witness though is that those who cling tightly to their material possessions may often find them slipping through their fingers at some point while those who open their hands freely to give may often find themselves to receiving more✅✅✅

Looking back, I've seen a super-rich ancestor whose net worth was in the hundreds of millions.  Fast forward three to five decades, each of the heirs had net worth's ranging from 1 to 5 million.  WHAT HAPPENED?  In many cases, this can be best explained by the fact WHEN WEALTH GOT IN THE WAY OF WISDOM.  The heirs were so awash with wealth such that the need to enhance their WISDOM was relegated at the backburners.  Oh Oh, we DON'T want that to happen to us, right, dude❓❓❓

We Learn MORE From Defeat Than From Victory

We Learn MORE From Defeat Than From Victory

We Learn MORE From Defeat Than From Victory but is everyone on the same boat on this?  I doubt it.  Few ever truly appreciate their good health UNTIL they become sick.  If we never faced torrential rains and storms, would we truly value those sunny days [considering that when it's sunny, we would complain with that blistering heat of the scorching sun.  We have never recognized too a successful woman whose SUCCESS was NOT dependent on FAILURE of some kind📗📙📘

Let's admit it, the majority of people WHO have earned SUCCESS will share with you that just when they had finally attained a level in their life in which they had committed to, circumstances put them back at ground zero [and NOT just once but quite a few times].  Those individuals with that dogged persistence do obtain the REWARDS💎💎💎

Successful people are those whose purpose and mission is so compelling that they work hour after hour to accomplish their vision and they are NOT working on their vision, they are thinking about it.  So, when it comes to SUCCESS, whats makes us delighted is really beside the point.  It is all about the HIGHER PURPOSE and persistence before FAILURE creeps in.  And once we see a fissure in that HIGHER PURPOSE and perseverance we believe in, we tend to become fearful.  As a result, we take it upon ourselves to correct it💊💊💊

Let's swing over to those stones out in the waters.  True there is a risk each time you step forward to the next stone.  Risks are there because those stones can be slippery BUT the practical advice is DON'T LOOK far ahead.  The reason many of us end up stumbling early in our 'journey' is because we're looking way out there✅✅✅

Swinging over to my life, I have to openly admit that many times I FAILED. BUT, with all humility, I can openly share the fact that I have a fair share of SUCCESS stories and until today, I firmly believe I would have not achieved those MILESTONE SUCCESSES where it NOT for the FALLS and FAILURES I had to endure along the way.  Tough life behind me but I admit I savored well enough my SUCCESSES❗❗❗

Expect To Fall On The Floor

Expect To Fall On The Floor

No sirrrrrrs, this is NOT to stir the hornet's nest.  Neither am I trying to be a soothsayer OR a Nostradamus in the worst case.  Instead, we'd like to simply state the obvious because some of us DON'T seem to Expect To Fall On The Floor [anymore or at all] which is either ridiculous or mind-boggling to say the least.  Truth is, there is a small slice of our population who either hate to FAIL or simply fear to FAIL at all.  We should NOT be peddling for this obvious truth but truth is, I've known and I've witnessed some who dread or fear to FAIL.  To them, it's like the whole world crumbling💊💊💊

Accept it or NOT, believe it or NOT, FAILURE is part of our life.  It is here to stay with us.  You get knocked down by life sometimes BUT how you react is really WHAT matters.  And DON'T limit yourself because of the FEAR of FAILURE.  Jamaican world sprinter champion USAIN BOLT said "I DON'T THINK LIMITS".  And I can't disagree with that because the FEAR of FAILURE limits lots of people who might have been successful if they tried📗📙📘

As in every process of reaching our goal[s], we will encounter challenges, that is a GIVEN.  Sometimes, NOT all challenges lead to SUCCESS but when you ACCEPT FAILURE as part of that process, you will likely get encouraged to NEVER GIVE UP.  Try again and again and again until you reach your goal.  As the old cliche goes, "IF YOU HAVE NEVER FAILED, YOU NEVER LIVED".  Issue here is that quite many people [I even know up close] are afraid to FAIL or even talk about their FAILURES but truth is, everyone FAILED and will definitely FAIL again📌📌📌

So WHAT do we do when life knocks us down or when we momentarily FAIL in our initiative or ongoing plan[s]?  We need to learn to become better.  And just DON'T JUMP SHIP at the first alarm.  Instead, do endeavor to improve your skills and develop yourself until you are much more ready to achieve your goals✅✅✅

So, what's our FIX[es] to our FAILURES?  Primero, REMAIN POSITIVE.  Your mental state is important for you to pick yourself up after FAILING.  Segundo, APRECIATE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.  Whether it's your partner/spouse or your team at the workplace. you'll need your partner/spouse OR your team more than they need you.  BTW, when you FAIL or FALL on the floor, RISE UP and pick up the pieces, pronto❗❗❗

Post-Vacation Syndrome, Anyone?

Post-Vacation Syndrome, Anyone?

For a year, you worked like a 'DAWG' [and that's fantastic but sooner, you planned out in detail your next vacation].  BUT after coming from a vacation, am I correct to guess that somehow you had to go through a Post-Vacation Syndrome?  Now, if you did go through that, please, NOT to despair because we all go through that Post-Vacation Syndrome📗📙📘

Coming back to work after a long holiday break has never been easy for any of us. And this year, as an aftermath of that long drawn pandemic, holidays have been quite different than usual for everyone.  Imagine we got stuck in our homes for close to three years, whew!  So, while some people have decided to spend their holidays in a 'staycation' mode, others did travel📌📌📌

Regardless of the type of vacation we would eventually plunge in, getting back on track can be challenging, and on some occasions, there may be cases of what we know as Post-Vacation Syndrome.  So, let's deep-dive into what is commonly known as 'holiday blues'.  To be aligned, Post-Vacation Syndrome is defined as that 'LOW MOOD' which appears after a period of intense emotion or stress💎💎💎

Some of the main symptoms of this Post-Vacation Syndrome are insomnia, low energy, short temper, lack of concentration and anxiousness.  Post-Vacation Syndrome can be described as the result of a sudden release of stress hormones after an important event, like vacations and holidays.  Would you believe, a survey showed 87% of working employees admitted going through the Post-Vacation Syndrome✅✅✅

So, what's our FIX[es]?  First off, ORGANIZE YOURSELF to smoothly transition back into 'WORK MODE', consider organizing things before fully immersing yourself in your daily routine.  Secondly, on your first day back Post-Vacation, plan an 'EASY DAY'.  Transitioning back on DAY-1 with a full-day of tasks with back-to-back Zoom meetings with frenetic pace it will be so overwhelming.  Ooooops, this is NOT the end-of-the-world, though.  Chill, dude❗❗❗

YOU Create Habits UNTIL Habits Create YOU

YOU Create Habits UNTIL Habits Create YOU

YOU Create Habits UNTIL Habits Create YOU.  I hope this is non-debatable.  In our formative years in life, we CREATE HABITS unconsciously.  We open closets and WE LEAVE IT AT THAT.  We open the shoe boxes and WE LEAVE IT AT THAT.  We take our meals on the dining table with condiments all over the place and WE LEAVE IT AT THAT.  We take our shower and the whole place is a mess and WE LEAVE IT AT THAT

BUT supposedly, my habit samplings are petty enough BUT then, YOU Create Habits UNTIL Habits Create YOU and by then, you will be hard pressed to break it simply because those HABITS are deeply embedded within you.  Thing is, habits, discipline, consistency and HARD WORK are everything regarding growing and improving in any area of our life

Now comes these studies which tell us that there are 7 habits DAMN HARD to do BUT they payoff FOREVER, namely:

YOU Create Habits UNTIL Habits Create YOU.  

• DELAY GRATIFICATION
• BREAK PROCRASTINATION
• SAY "NO" [if needed]
• FEEL THE FEAR & FACING IT
• BE CONSISTENT
• SEEK FEEDBACK [from your bosses, from your partner/spouse, from your business partners]

To quote Susan Powter, the well-known Australian-born American motivational speaker: "THE HABITS THAT TOOK YEARS TO BUILD DO NOT TAKE A DAY TO CHANGE".  This NOT need any clarification, quite straightforward enough as this reinforces the fact that once your habits are embedded within you, it will be part of you UNLESS/UNTIL you will allow it to wither, waver and weaken over time.  Indeed, YOU CREATE HABITS UNTIL HABITS CREATE YOU❗❗❗

When The Character Of A Man Is Not Clear....

When The Character Of A Man Is Not Clear......

Please allow me to quote this Japanese proverb When The Character Of A Man Is Not Clear because although it sounds hallow, take a minute to pause and I'm hopeful you can digest its very message because it is straightforward enough.  This is NOT to imply that if a criminal is close to someone else, all his associated friends are deemed criminals.  Instead, the very persona and background of a person may likely give us a fairly good indicative view of the other person's background or persona, without imputing ill-advised speculations to cast aspersions on someone💊💊💊

Truth is, as mostly we live in multi-cultural environments, it is but appropriate for us NOT to stereotype people either by culture, race or even religion.  On the other hand, this Japanese proverb is akin to the old American expression which says TELL ME WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE, AND I'LL TELL WHO YOU ARE.  Again, we're NOT here to pre-judge people but what this tells us is we need to be cautious and mindful when associating ourselves with other people.  In fact, people who end up to be close amongst themselves normally have similar hobbies or areas of interests.  For women, the more vain ones seem to flock together.  Same thing happens for LGBTQ📘📗📙

Someone who's actively into sports will likely associate him/herself with sports-minded folks as well.  But there is a thin line that we may end up breaching once we get associated with someone.  It is possible that you get tied up to that other person or group until things become so deep-seated such that when one party veers into the risky or doubting areas of life, you may be vulnerable to become complicit💎💎💎

As the old cliche goes, SAME FEATHERS FLOCK TOGETHER and that truism can't just be shot down because even literally speaking, it remains a truism.  Like we DON'T expect a parrot to be co-mingling with an eagle.  Now I trekked back my MEMORY LANE and I remember way back my 1st Grade School, two or three of my classmates seem soft and effeminate.  After several decades, it's reconfirmed they're a part of LGBTQ community [BTW, there's nothing wrong with it]❗❗❗

Bottomline, it is perfectly fine to be associated with someone else as long as you confidently and comfortably feel to be on the same page or within the same wavelength with the other person you're being associated with.  Lesson here is be cautious, circumspect, guarded and heedful before you decide to be associated with others because WHEN THE CHARACTER OF A MAN IS NOT CLEAR, THEY WILL START LOOKING AT YOUR FRIENDS✅✅✅

Forgetting The Shades Of The Trees

Forgetting The Shades Of The Trees

Remember when we were struggling through the blistering heat of the sun, that sweltering summers where we [wrongly] thought we can't gasp enough air to breath not until we came across those Shades Of The Trees.  But after it was way past the scorching heat, how was our awareness of those Shades Of The Trees at that point.  My guess is, almost everyone of us forgot about that tree📘📙📗

How many hundreds of thousands, if not millions, have dreamt to become U.S. immigrants?  And although I never took that path, I am on the same page with would be-immigrants because more than a decade ago, I did bear witness to thousands and thousands of would-be immigrants in Singapore.  So, I can empathize with all the hardships and stretched patience of aspiring immigrants.  BUT alas, there is a small minority who, upon hurdling all the immigration challenges and finally become permanent immigrants [or even citizens], some of them would seem to have shortened memories, forgetting with whom he/she took refuge during those trying times📌📌📌

We have also heard the African diaspora and thanks God, many Africans are now residents [and citizens] across EU countries and for the African Jews, they migrated to Israel.  BUT the key message here is that, after we have hurdled all the difficulties in life, let us NOT forget WHO extended a helping hand for us, be it financial or even sheer inspirational because we never know, that kind of HELP could have tilted things either in our favor or NOT at all💎💎💎

There's an old cliche which says if we fail to look back from where we came from, we may NOT be able to reach our eventual destination.  Whereas, for those who continue to keep that sheer indebtedness even in their hearts, a simple 'Hi' many years after to someone who was instrumental to HELP you in the past, that would be appreciated❗❗❗

Besides that moral indebtedness that we need to keep within ourselves, remembering those SHADES of TREES which protected and sheltered us from the blistering heat of the sun will help us remain grounded with both our two feet.  Moreover, we need to be mindful that there is NO guarantee that those 'difficult' moments, with us struggling under that scorching heat of the sun, there's just NO guarantee that those 'low moments' will NOT hit us again down the road.  Being constantly grounded and mindful of the unpredictability of life should help us sustain that resilience, for us to 'weather storms' all over again in the future, NOT FORGETTING THE SHADES OF THE TREES✅✅✅

If You Don't Like Something, Then Do Something

If You Don't Like Something, Then Do Something

Former U.S. President Donald Trump may be a polarizing public figure but if he stands out in a mammoth crowd, it's because he vociferously WALKS THE TALK especially If You Don't Like Something, Then Do Something.  Even prior to his White House term of office, he hosted THE APPRENTICE [American Series] for fourteen seasons.  And when he perceives a contestant as a LOSER, out he steps OUT before the show ends👏👏👏

While I am not an ardent follower of Former U.S. President Donald Trump, I admire him for his FULL TRANSPARENCY.  While he has his cordon sanitaire, his coterie of closest and trusted advisers, once someone falls short of his expectations, he would give that confidant the pink slip soonest.  And to cap it all, he can go to Twitter and share that decision⏳⏳⏳

When nothing sounds good to you, and even well-intentioned suggestions from loved ones might make you a little cranky.  It's just absolutely natural to feel this from time to time, especially during times of STRESS or when you end up busier than usual.  When this loss of interest [a.k.a. APATHY] or reduced pleasure in the things you usually enjoy persists, it may suggest something more serious.  BUT usually, this feeling is only temporary and WHAT we want to do now is explore ways and means to SHAKE IT OFF💴💷💵

So, with that WHAT IF situation where you just CAN'T withstand it, WHAT do we do?  Yessssirrrr. as this poster seems to scream, YOU CAN GET OUT.  Frankly, you can TAKE A BREAK.  Sometimes, NOT wanting to do anything is your mind and body's way of asking for a BREAK.  If you tend to push yourself to your limit more often than NOT, respecting your NEEDS for a rest can help you avoid BURNOUT.  Self-compassion is key in this situation. Acknowledge your HARD WORK, and then give yourself permission to take some DOWNTIME.  Take a nap, scroll through your favorite social media app OR do whatever feels relaxing📗📙📘

TAKING A BREAK can help us recharge mentally and even physically and in the process, be able to think more clearly and even perform much better.  On the flip side, it can help us to avoid committing mistakes [especially at work] when we are even in a 'mild internal turmoil'.  Once we TAKE A BREAK, try GETTING OUT for some light physical activity  even if it's just a 10-minute walk around the block.  Frankly, it can even RESET OUR MOOD💎💎💎

Taking a lift from the 'old school', it teaches us to try JOURNALLING as it can help us sort through our emotions and exploring our emotional state may shed some light on WHY we DON'T want to do anything OR get involved with a particular task OR activity.  This can be particularly helpful if we HAVEN'T felt like doing much for more than a few days.  Unfortunately, emotions can occupy our thoughts and make it hard to think about doing anything else.  As a starter, we can try 'LIGHT JOURNALLING' even if it DOESN'T make it hard to think about doing anything else📌📌📌

WHAT'S our takeaways here?  Primero, DON'T push yourself on something you yourself are resisting [and aghast] to do because you WON'T progress and in case you do it, you can miserably FAIL.  First things first, BAIL OUT, reach out for your parachute in life because that's the safest WAY OUT IF YOU DON'T LIKE SOMETHING, THEN DO SOMETHING❗❗❗

Nothing Is Impossible!

Nothing Is Impossible!

After taking my warm water as the first order of my day, I was skimming through ChannelNewsAsia, I stumbled across the news about that 4,800 kilometer trek of Victor Atencio who escaped from the difficult life in his native country of Venezuela and finally reaching the United States.  His was a story that really floored me because of that feat he has shown from the time he left Venezuela on foot last July 30th.  Really, Nothing Is Impossible❗❗❗

Literally on bare foot, he trekked through the jungles of Colombia, Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua until he reached Mexico where he had to cross and survive the currents of Rio Grande to get through Texas, finally setting foot on U.S. soil.  And while he admitted that the most difficult part was surviving through the jungles, what was a real eye-opener were the urban jungles where all kinds of criminals and gangs did gang-up on him, extorting and robbing him of all his monies. Picture source: Channelnewsasia, SEPT 24 2023💎💎💎

The one-liner from Victor Atencio which I never heard or read in the past was his realization that "ANIMALS BEHAVE BETTER THAN MEN".  My God, what a testimonial but we got to believe his words because he just went through that almost 5,000 kilometric-journey that exposed him to the worst tests one can expect in life💵💶💴

For the curious ones, here's the link to my source regarding Venezuelan Victor Atencio @ https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/endless-one-venezuelans-arduous-odyssey-us-3795646.  What this tells us is that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, and even if you have NOTHING.  As long as your resolute pursuit is NOT hollowed one and you remain focused, YES YOU CAN📗📘📙

While we shared this very admirable feat of Victor Atencio, let's take a long at that achievement of India to have its lander named VICRAM finally land on the moon last August 23, 2023.  It used to be that realm was the monopoly of the United States.  So, how can a Third World country like India get through that breakthrough similar to a behemoth like the United States?  By sheer coincidences, the Venezuelan I featured today is named VICTOR while the Indian Lander is named VIKRAM.  No pun intended, VICTOR and VIKRAM both ended VICTORIOUS as they proved NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE✅✅✅