Surviving Swimming is Surviving Life

Surviving Swimming Is Surviving Life

No sirrrrs, our thread today has nothing got to do with aquatic sports.  Instead, we'd like to deep-dive a bit and understand as to How Can You Swim To Survive in life.  First point here, our struggles in life can be best pictured out when we are 'in distress' in the waters.  Sadly, there is a very high mortality rate for those attempting to survive in the middle of the water📙📘📗

Even as swimming teaches and lends each of us many important messages, we all know the stereotypical things that we learn from swimming [although I am NO swimmer] like TIME MANAGEMENT and LIFE-SAVING skills.  BUT again, these are just doing the analogy and comparisons at the SURFACE-level.  What is most noteworthy is that swimming teaches us so many important skills that, if we are conscious enough, we should use and apply it in our life💊💊💊

At the very core of swimming is the TRUST that binds a swimmer and his coach.  That relationship is built on RESPECT, but most importantly it is built on TRUST.  If a swimmer does NOT TRUST the judgment of his coach, they will FAIL.  And for one to succeed, even the swimmer has to TRUST himself, TRUST your body and your abilities📌📌📌

Oh, I grabbed this simple logo which says it all.  SWIM TO SURVIVE.  Life is HARD as swimming is.  We push ourselves everyday to our body's physical and mental limits.  This is something that most non-athletes never become comfortable doing and are NOT comfortable with at young ages like many swimmers.  Swimming teaches us to set goals and do everything in our power to get ourselves there💎💎💎

Now comes something many of us DON'T want to talk about, that HEARTBREAK.  On the surface, swimming teaches us HOW to succeed and be happy with ourselves but more importantly, it teaches us HOW to deal with DISAPPOINTMENTS and HEARTBREAKS.  So, let's cut the crap here.  swimming darn hard is akin to living life the hard way and reaping the FRUITS of your labor towards the end✅✅✅

Dreamers Forever, Anyone?

Dreamers Forever, Anyone?

Please DON'T get me wrong.  NOTHING wrong in DREAMING.  I myself. since my boyhood days, I kept DREAMING.  Believe it NOT, as innocent kids when we were on 1st and 2nd Grades in elementary school, myself and my first cousin were trying to outwit each other because both of us dreamt to be a priest, hew!  Of course, those were childish dreams.  But as we turn around the corners in life, any Dreamers Forever, Anyone📗📙📘

The worst disconnect many of us have is this very crooked belief that it's much easier TO DO than TO THINK.  But truth is, there are tons of reasons why it's important for us to clarify our personal and professional vision.  And you might ask WHY do we need to see how big of a role our memories, past experiences and emotions play in the VISION we choose for ourself?  So, it's a given that our commitment and courage to break through our DOUBTS and FEARS, build momentum, influence powerful ACTIONS and push hard to accelerate our SUCCESS.  Seriously, it does NOT matter WHERE we are now, your age, your level of education, your lifestyle preference, your financial status, your health.  All those WON'T matter💵💷💴

Seriously, we need to clarify our VISION to accelerate our SUCCESS because our VISION is NOT what you see BUT how you see it.  Indeed it is easier said than done but it is imperative that we achieve our highest level of SUCCESS when we reflect and empower our current beliefs, values and roles in life plus discover your very own "FEAR STRATEGY" prior to clarifying your VISION.  We got to learn how to RETRAIN our subconscious mind and tame our INNER VOICE and clarify our SUCCESS strategy💎💎💎

Allow me to ZOOM-IN to my own past.  I may NOT have ended up ensconced at the CxO-level but I'm happy where I am now because I strongly feel I attained close to 95% of my VISION till to date.  But for me to reach 95% ACHIEVEMENT. it was not a WALK IN THE PARK as I had to toil the hard way, for me to inch closer until I reached the precipice of that 95%❗❗❗

So, you can bluntly ask me:  Did I ever envision myself to be a DREAMER FOREVER?  No sirrrrs, not at all.  If I had that VISION till now, I'll readily admit that I am now a classic FAILURE because rightfully, we should NOT be DREAMERS FOREVER.  If you count yourself as one of the DREAMERS FOREVER, please scamper towards the nearest EMERGENCY EXIT because you got to VERY VERY quickly map out a RECOVERY PLAN for you to get back on track, to at least give you the china man's chance to wiggle out of that trench and turn around the situation to translate into results your DREAMS.   And that has to happen FAST, PRONTO, because it seems you got a ticking time bomb❎❎❎

Is There A Chance After Failure?

Is There A Chance After Failure?

FAILURE has many faces, iterations and versions.  So, which FAILURE should we dread most?  I'l quickly quip:  I dread most that FAILURE where the chance to retry again is simply NONE, keiner [in German], aucun [in French] and ninguna [in Espanol and in one word, I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E.  You might challenge me back when I kept harping TRY AND TRY UNTIL YOU SUCCEED.  Yes you're absolutely right BUT we never guaranteed and etched on stone that those chances to retry is akin to infinity.  No sirrrrrrs.  Is There A Chance After Failure? So, for now, let me answer conditionally YES because those chances will keep popping up until such time we have run out of luck, and that's when the water would finally stop from flowing from the faucet⚓⚓⚓

So, do we have a problem at hand?  YES we do and that's how to avert hitting the wall which tells us that we've ran kaput, that that's the end of the line.  So HOW?  Primero, to quote American Essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson, NOTHING GREAT WAS EVER ACHIEVED WITHOUT ENTHUSIASM.  In short, DON'T let anything discourage you.  Interestingly, "ENTHUSIASM" takes its roots from the Greek words "en" and "theos" and it means, IN GOD💊💊💊

Segundo, TRY and TRY WITH PERSISTENCE.  Simply put, keep DOING and keep MOVING.  And most importantly, if the efforts you exerted in ATTEMPT #1 is @ gauge20, in your ATTEMPT #2, your exerted efforts should NOT just be @ gauge21 or gauge22.  'UP THE ANTE' by several notches.  A token attempt will be self-defeating📙📗📘

Truth is, many give up after they have tried a few times.  A last final try is built upon many earlier attempts and all of them go into the making of success.  Allow me to quote the respected Former U.S. President Calvin Coolidge:  NOTHING IN THIS WORLD CAN TAKE THE PLACE OF PERSISTENCE".  He added that talent or genius can take the place of PERSISTENCE💴💵💷

Lastly, we should TRY AND TRY AGAIN with that earnest HOPE.  We just CAN'T and SHOULD NOT give up HOPE.  We should HOPE for a better tomorrow.  We should HOPE that there will be light at the end of the tunnel [and HOPE that that light is NOT an incoming train].  HOPE that your attempts will finally nail down SUCCESS✅✅✅

We Should NOT Be Bothered ALL THE TIME

We Should NOT Be Bothered ALL THE TIME

We Should NOT Be Bothered ALL THE TIME but hey, we are wired to seek connection and belonging, right?  Yet sometimes, many things about others does IRRITATE us, right?  From family and friends, colleagues to communities, we crave for that SENSE OF ACCEPTANCE and validation from those around us.  BUT in the presence of others, we often find ourselves IRRITATED, frustrated or upset.  Some personality traits or habit annoy us or even trigger an insecure moment💎💎💎

When someone is always late and it bothers us, it may be because we value punctuality and timeliness in both ourselves and others and just feel that the other person is NOT respective or valuing our time.  Alternatively, if someone is very outspoken and we find ourselves getting annoyed by them, it may be because we are uncomfortable with expressing our own opinions or feel uncertain about our beliefs.  We can gain greater SELF-AWARENESS and understanding by examining our reactions to others and exploring the underlying reasons for our feelings💵💴💷

BTW, I will even admit that sometimes I do get bothered by goings-on in Geo-Politics or even in domestic and political events in my country.  BUT not to defend myself, I'll openly admit that that is just pretty normal.  When we become triggered, we must take a step back and analyze WHY these things bother us.  According to Carl Jung, the respected Swiss psychiatrist, 'UNDERSTANDING WHAT IRRITATES US ABOUT OTHERS CAN ALSO BE VITAL TO UNDERSTANDING OURSELVES'.  Oooops, we should be on heightened ALERT if nothing IRRITATES us📘📗📙

Carl Jung goes farther and opines that our reactions to the behaviors and traits of others CAN and very likely reveal deep-seated insecurities, fears and unresolved issues within ourselves.  This is troubling, right?  Because apparently, when we DON'T see the 'chinks in our armor' and instead we tend to see those 'chinks' in other people, then it's either we are so glued to a one-way mirror❗❗❗

And neither do we want to be like that gold fish in the fish bowl, right?  WHY jump from your fish bowl simply jump out for no legitimate reason other than being IRRITATED?  So, our insight for today is that, there's nothing wrong to be bothered as long as you are incisive enough to SELF-VALIDATE the legitimacy of your triggered IRRITATION.  Otherwise, we SHOULD NOT BE BOTHERED ALL THE TIME✅✅✅

Living In Our Shrinking World

Living In Our Shrinking World

It used to be, flying overseas [to any country in fact] was something like eartj-shaking and that it has to be planned many months [or even close to a year].  NOT until today when we we're Living In Our Shrinking World.  In this shrinking world today, you can even decide ON THE FLY where you want to FLY.  And the pre-requisites?  It's just your 'financial means' + willpower📘📗📙

I vividly remember the very first time I was then going on a business trip.  Our in-house travel executive was fully aware that I was a novice in business trips so she meticulously planned not just my travel itinerary [including the PROs and CONs of various layover options].  Even my travel per diem, she made sure that I will carry TC's [treasury cheques] and NOT green bucks [all because I am a travel novice]💵💴💷

Fact is, due to advancements in communications, transportation and technology, we can easily fly to New Delhi or Sao Paolo or I can meet foreigners who would travel to my country.  And when that Covid-19 pandemic hit it, it effectively confirmed that indeed we live in a SHRINKING WORLD because we can continue to lives even via ZOOM💎💎💎

I wonder though, with all these in place, are we REALLY effectively tapping the potential of a SHRINKING WORLD or still limiting ourselves to the familiar surroundings and friends to supply us with answers and advice?  Indeed we have come a long way in terms of communications the past 150 years✅✅✅

And we sometimes think that we have always been able to communicate with someone instantly but that is NOT the case though.  Alas, technology caused our world to SHRINK as it completely changed the way we communicate with each other and how we organize work.  So what's our take here?  We should NOT waste the opportunities of our SHRINKING WORLD for us to connect [even virtually and on-the-fly] if only to expand our horizons and explore for OPPORTUNITIES [even before they knock on our door].  This is about us LIVING IN OUR SHRINKING WORLD❗❗❗

Spinning BAD News To GOOD News

Spinning BAD News To GOOD News

Spinning BAD News To GOOD News, anyone?  That is neither BAD nor WRONG.  Everyone can spin around and come up with his spiel but AS LONG AS we DON'T twist things.  AS LONG AS we DON'T concoct a version of a story different from the TRUTH.  And NOT even HALF-TRUTHS.  What we're trying to pin down here is to soften the impact brought about when BAD NEWS does hit us.  Worst thing is we get floored with BAD NEWS💊💊💊

Reality is, WHEN lightning strikes, WHEN the rain pours down heavily, WHEN the floods would overflow, WHEN the lights go off, WHEN our financial coffers dry up, WHEN we get hit with health or medical issues, WHEN our current employer gives us the PINK SLIP [due to a down-sizing by the company], WHEN our cash flow goes in the RED for an extended period📌📌📌

Not to fool ourselves, a legitimate BAD NEWS is really BAD NEWS inside-out.  No need for sugar-coating there but we can soften things up.  Let me share a really BAD NEWS that happened to me in the past.  Decades back, I got involved in a major vehicular accident and since it came out that my car did hit the taxicab and the taxicab's passenger got injured, I agreed to take responsibility for the recovery of that injured passenger [and of course, my damaged car had to be repaired].  So WHAT was the GOOD NEWS I did spin for myself to digest?  I was THANKFUL that that accident happened at that time when I had TWO VERY ESSENTIAL THINGS:  #1 I had quite a ton of money at that time and #2 I had 100% free time because I just got retrenched.  Fact is, if you get into accidents, you need TWO things namely, $$$$$ and TIME.  And I had both.  If I didn't had either $$$$$ or 100% FREE TIME that time, I would have been in deep shit [apologies for this]💴💵💷

DON'T get me wrong.  I was NEVER thankful for the accident.  I DIDN'T welcome that accident to happen BUT truth is, accidents do happen.  You might be curious.  What was the aftermath of that accident?  Obviously I did heaved a heavy sigh of relief when that personal debacle was finally over.  It did teach me LESSONS but deep inside me, I felt I managed to soften the impact of that BAD NEWS📙📗📘

So, it should NOT surprise us when we hear some do take advantage of BAD NEWS.  Heard when there is a stock market crash?  Suddenly, the 'VULTURES' would FLY-IN and ready to prey and gobble up to buy those stocks whose value has plummeted.  That is another sampling of BAD NEWS turning to GOOD NEWS❗❗❗

What Leaves A SOUR TASTE On Your Mouth?

What Leaves A SOUR TASTE On Your Mouth?

No sirrrrrrrrs, our thread today has got nothing to do with health or medicines.  Instead. we'd like to increase our awareness that in our life, NOT all things we'll go through are nice and dandy.  Definitely. a big plurality of our experiences would be pleasant or even memorable but again, even the best highways in the First World countries are NOT paved to a 'T'.  So, got to figure out What Leaves A SOUR TASTE On Your Mouth❓❓❓

So, What Leaves A SOUR TASTE On Your Mouth❓A lot in fact.  As early as your school days, you might have come across a university professor who, you felt, was unfair to you.  OR you developed a friendship with a classmate whom you felt you could trust enough until, one day, that supposed 'FRIEND' Leaves A SOUR TASTE On Your Mouth.   OR here you are finally plunging as a career professional and as your job role is a customer-facing one, you would encounter 'memorably UNPLEASANT' experiences interacting with demanding and sometimes unreasonable clients 📌📌📌

So, what's our issue here?  It's the fact that some of us have been raised by responsible parents in comfy environments where anything and everything is almost PERFECT.  On a first-hand basis, I know some who have been so spoiled with their seemingly PERFECT lives such that, interacting with them is tougher than tough because of that person's very EXACTING expectations.  So What Leaves A SOUR TASTE On Your Mouth💎💎💎

Good question by our poster boy: What causes A BETTER TASTE On Your Mouth?  Quite a few tricks up in our sleeves here.  Rather than stress ourselves something Leaves A SOUR TASTE On Your Mouth, let's spin things around and figure out what could leave a Leaves A BETTER TASTE On Your Mouth📙📗📘

Bottom line here is that if something OR someone Leaves A SOUR TASTE On Your Mouth, shrug it off, dust it off, treat it as just another SPECK OF DUST and nothing more than that.  And if there is a NO-NO, DON'T blow things up.  DON'T make a mountain out of a molehill.  Treat it as an enriching experience that can make you a better person.  And let's dump out the window when something Leaves A SOUR TASTE On Your Mouth❌❌❌

Know Your PAY GRADE

Know Your PAY GRADE

No sirrrrs, our thread today has got nothing to do with salary and remunerations at all.  We just need to Know Your PAY GRADE [in life] so we can arrive at INFORMED DECISIONS instead of off-the-cuff and downright shots in the dark when aiming to hit something.  But very briefly, when I was active in the job market, surely I well Know my PAY GRADE.  WHY?  Because I need to know where I stand, HOW I compare with the benchmarks📙📗📘

When I was very young and raw, I did KNOW MY PAYGRADE.  I knew my ASKING PRICE.  And while I'll admit that I have always been ambitious enough, I always reminded myself to temper my ambitions vis-a-vis WHO I am and WHAT I am capable of.  Yes, that approach was so helpful because I was able to worm my way with my employers who were mostly from the MNCs. Global and Fortune 500s.  I was HUNGRY for experience then, so I knew what I want💵💴💷

Even in my personal life, I KNEW MY PAY GRADE.  Settling down in a new neighborhood, I DIDN'T need to keep up with the Joneses and their ilk.  WHY?  Simply put, I knew fully well where I stand when compared to everyone else.  Much as I was thirsty with my ambitions, I DIDN'T want to end up drank with misplaced ambitions💎💎💎

When I had my first car, it was a rickety old Ford Laser sedan.  WHY did I end up with that?  Simple.  I KNEW MY PAYGRADE well enough.  Much as I dreamt for that brand new car, I always reminder myself that I got to keep myself grounded.  If I loose control of my senses and start to entertain insane thoughts that will remain a figment of my imaginations, I knew that I would skidding and eventually going down south.  BUT I can't go off-track else I will loose precious time and effort I have invested in my earlier PIT STOPS❌❌❌

One thing I learned the hard way in life.  You WIN some.  You LOSE some.  And sometimes, you go on a losing streak.  And frankly, i went through that agony of losing streaks.  What made me survive those darkest episodes in my life.  I kept reminding myself that WHEN YOU'RE DOWN, THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO GO BUT UP.  And with humility, I did manage to 'RISE FROM THE RUBBLES', all because  I KNEW MY PAYGRADE❗❗❗

In Life, It's Your LENSE That Matters

In Life, It's Your LENSE That Matters

In life, It's Your LENSE That Matters whether you're taking the RIGHT or WRONG path because there are no definitions etched on stone.  As life is full [in fact, overflowing] with opportunities, the LIFE PATH we take is a sum of decisions we make.  In life, there is NO RIGHT or WRONG choice of path because your decision will only lead you to different opportunities.  It's Your LENSE That Matters📌📌📌

Your LENSE defines what is RIGHT or WRONG for you.  You DON'T choose that path towards a religious vocation if you're an atheist.  Neither do you take a medical career if you have serious trauma with blood and the medical environment.  And you DON'T choose a very laid back and conservative partner/spouse if you are a dyed-in-the-wool urbanite.  You DON'T indulge in carbo-loading meals if that's a NO-NO for you⏳⏳⏳

If there's anything most important for us to remember, it is the fact that we're already LUCKIER than a lot of people simply because we can choose our own PATH.  So, it is NOT for us to regret decisions we've made BUT instead, look ahead and embrace the challenges and chances given us.  Different paths may lead you to different experiences BUT at the end of the day, cherish and relish things because It's Your LENSE That Matters💊💊💊

Indeed we're WALKING A TIGHTROPE in life [and we CAN'T run away from that reality, harsh it may be [sometimes]].  Many years back when I was very 'RAW' in the job market YET I asked myself, do I want to 'GROW' my professional career in my home country?  OR do I want to take my chances by exploring opportunities in some other country❓❓❓

And BTW, sometimes this poster runs through the gamut of TRUTH.  We may end up taking the wrong turns or even U-Turns but that's all part and parcel of our journey down the road.  Our takeaway is for us to endeavor to take a crystal-clear view of things that get into our way [and NOT a distorted or skewed picture] because again It's Your LENSE That Matters❗❗❗

Pin Down Your 'PEAKS & VALLEYS'

Pin Down Your 'PEAKS & VALLEYS'

NOTHING is really a straight line in life.  NOT ever graphs.  NOT even our daily life.  Life is filled with PEAKS & VALLEYS.  Some days everything goes well and those are the PEAKS whereas other days are VALLEYS when nothing seems to work.  And NOT surprisingly,  sometimes the PEAKS & VALLEYS follow each other in quick succession and at times they even last for a while.  We expect the GOOD days to bring happiness and fulfillment and the VALLEYS to trigger frustration and despair💵💴💶

But way and beyond optical illusion, sometimes the VALLEYS were bathed with sunshine while the PEAKS seem to be in the shadows.  Drawing parallelism with our life, the same runs true.  It is NOT only the PEAKS that bring sunshine , sometimes it is the VALLEY.  Sometimes, it is in the VALLEY we discover the light.  Encountering our limitations and recognizing that we CANNOT solve everything by ourselves and that sometimes we must depend on others can actually be comforting📗📙📘

Indeed, it can be a relief to learn that we DON'T have to fix everything that is broken.  It is also a relief to learn that it is okay to ask for help.  This humble acknowledgment opens a new chamber within us that enables us to rise above ourselves and truly experience the warmth and light of humanity💎💎💎

It is this interchange of PEAKS & VALLEYS that enables us to appreciate and aspire to reach the PEAKS.  Let's face it.  Sitting atop the PEAK day and night loses its appeal.  Let's NOT look further.  Americans living in California and the West Coast complain about the lack of winter season.  And the Canadians?  They can only wish for perpetual summers to come.  Indeed, the GRASS IS GREENER FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE❗❗❗

So, what's the parallelism here between Californians and Canadians.  The former has an appreciation of WINTER because they got SUMMERS whereas it's the reverse for the latter.  So too in life, it is only through the VALLEYS that we learn to appreciate the PEAKS.  Unfortunately, sometimes the PEAKS are blanketed in darkness while the VALLEYS are aglow with light.  Oh Oh, it won't be too far fetched if one day, we hear people wanting to live in NORWAY to bear witness to its skies arising from the aurora borealis phenomenon.  C'mon dude, let's pin down our PEAKS & VALLEYS in our life✅✅✅