Do We Have LIMITING BELIEFS?

Do We Have LIMITING BELIEFS?

Do you ever feel like you're NOT quite living up to your full potential?  OR that there's some kind of MENTAL BLOCK standing in your way of truly listening OR understanding another perspective?  If so, you might be experiencing that phenomenon of LIMITING BELIEFS.  So, for alignment, let's agree LIMITING BELIEFS are those deeply ingrained perceptions or assumptions about ourselves, others, and the world that restrict our potential and even hinder our personal growth📗📙📘

Sadly, these LIMITING BELIEFS can cover a broad range of aspects, such as HOW you think about HOW the world works, interacting with people, WHO you are and more.  Some of these LIMITING BELIEFS are as follows:

IT'S TOO HARD

I DON'T HAVE TIME

IF YOU WIN, I LOSE

I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH

YOU CAN'T TRUST ANYONE

So, WHAT's the downsides of these LIMITING BELIEFs?  It is when they either STOP you from going after your dreams, OR PREVENT you from developing relationships with people OR PREVENT you from creating healthy changes in your life.  LIMITING BELIEFS can further arise due to various situations in your life.  They may come from family VALUES, BELIEFS, education and/or life experiences💎💎💎

Most often, though, LIMITING BELIEFS keep us within our COMFORT ZONE.  They STOP us from branching out, from changing WHO we are, and from plenty of PERSONAL GROWTH.  While we might set goals, our LIMITING BELIEFS can stop us from achieving them.  So, HOW can we grow past what LIMITS you can achieve more than you ever thought possible❗❗❗

So, what's our takeaway for today?  Primero, let us REFLECT and be conscious enough of your LIMITING BELIEFS.  Then write it all down.  Then, here comes the hard part.  write down your CHALLENGES like, CAN YOU CHALLENGE THESE BELIEFS?  WHAT DIRECTLY OPPOSES THEM?  WHAT IF YOU WERE WRONG ABOUT THEM?  And while challenging them goes a long way in overcoming these LIMITING BELIEFS, we need to have enough courage to realize that LIMITING BELIEFS is just a thought OR state of mind that you think is the absolute truth and stops you from doing certain things.  And these LIMITING BELIEFS don't always have to be about yourself either.  So, DO WE HAVE LIMITING BELIEFS❓❓❓

What Else Do We Need To Be Satisfied In Life?

What Else Do We Need To Be Satisfied In Life?

What Else Do We Need To Be Satisfied In Life?  We are all neck-deep in the clutches of consumerism such that MONEY has become the currency of VALUE. MONEY can get you anything.  And that is WHY everyone runs after MONEY.  BUT can we agree that beyond and besides that stack of CASH, there are many other things in life that can bring us SATISFACTION?  Topping our list is EMOTIONAL INDEPENDENCE.  Let's look at our everyday life where we generate gazillion of thoughts BUT not all of them are doing good to us and our body, right?  But WHAT IF we say that it is possible to train our minds NOT to think bad thoughts?  WHAT IF we said that it is possible to NOT react in anger WHEN someone hits your car by mistake.  WHEN someone calls you cuss words.  WHEN someone shouts at you.  That is EMOTIONAL INDEPENDENCE no less📗📙📘

Thing is, our reactions DON'T depend on situations and people.  It only depends on you, on us.  And if we had to choose between emotionally independent and getting a million dollars, I'll admit I'll choose the former.  NOT because I DON'T want MONEY.  BUT because if I have emotional independence, I can earn and make ten times that amount❗❗❗

Segundo, GOOD HEALTH.  I'm sorry I DON'T buy the one-liner that HEALTH IS WEALTH.  It is NOT.  Because it is MORE THAN JUST WEALTH.  And nobody knows this better than us because I am quite sure, many of us have had their fair share of woes and challenges with regard failing HEALTH happening within the family.  Frankly, this is like buying QUALITY FOOD and investing in our HEALTH no less💎💎💎

Tercero, let's have that PASSION.  When I was studying hard back then, sometimes I pitied myself thinking I would NOT have to put in those efforts had my family been WEALTHY!@#$%?  BUT as I reflect now, I feel lucky NOT to have generational wealth.  Because it taught me the importance of working hard.  It taught me to be passionate enough about my goals so I can achieve anything I want📌📌📌

Today, I CAN'T fathom living a life without the PASSION that I have.  And as I type these words, I am thankful for having found my latest PASSION - writing.  NONE of which MONEY can buy.  Cuarto, that FREEDOM FROM WANTING.  Essentially, things for which I have to depend on the outside world, I DON'T want to want things from others.  What Else Do We Need To Be Satisfied In Life❓❓❓

Cover Your Tracks, Dude

Cover Your Tracks, Dude

Much as we should live life freely, with no qualms, I guess everyone will agree that regardless, in life, we got to Cover our Tracks.  Oh yes, this thread is most common in the technology space.  WHERE we're reminded NOT to use personal credentials in shared or public computers.  WHERE we're discouraged from connecting to UNSECURED access points [a.k.a. WiFi].  WHERE we're told NOT to access banking and financial accounts besides your own computer.  BUT for our thread today RE 'COVER YOUR TRACKS', this goes beyond technology💵💴💷

In the past, I did come across published articles on HOW TO TRACK A HUMAN IN THE WILD.  But WHAT do we do if the shoe is on the other foot, and you're the one being HUNTED?  Of course, if for whatever reason you find yourself evading a band of marauding outlaws in some dystopian future, you'll want to consider counter-tracking measures to evade them📗📙📘

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Even if you never end up being the one pursued [and I fervently hope you never do because that means something has gone terribly wrong in your life], understanding counter-tracking measures will make you a better tracker as you'll know WHAT to look for in targets trying to evade your pursuit👣👣👣

NOT to scare BUT again when we are in peril, it's true we can run BUT it's really difficult to HIDE.  In the internet world, we really got to PROTECT ourselves and the information you access online from a perpetrator finding out.  Websites and technology itself are commonly exploited by perpetrators to find information and for them to maintain control and track your movements.  Without pushing you to be a techie, it is imperative to have the sound fundamentals of internet❗❗❗

Let's wear the hat as an Internet 101 coach for now.  First and foremost, know what BROWSER are you using, e.g. Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, etc and in most of these browsers, Go To TOOLS to enable your 'IN-PRIVATE' browsing.  In Chrome, it's "INCOGNITO" browsing.  Caution:  Even if you are in that "IN-PRIVATE" or "INCOGNITO" browsing, internet browsers keep a record of all the web pages you visited.  That is the browser's "HISTORY" which you got to invoke.  BTW, even TOOLBARS, e.g. Google, AOL, and Yahoo, they keep a record of your SEARCH WORDS you typed in the TOOLBAR search.  Now for the most critical reminder.  If ever you login using your own credentials, ALWAYS LOG-OFF.  COVER YOUR TRACKS, dude✅✅✅

How Are JOYFUL People?

How Are JOYFUL People?

Everlasting JOY is our innate quality and it's NOT an external accomplishment.  So How Are JOYFUL People managing things? We're always chasing something, be it a promotion, a new car, OR a significant other.  This often leads us to the belief that "WHEN ____ HAPPENS, I'LL FINALLY BE HAPPY".  And it's true.  While those major events do make us HAPPY at first, research shows this HAPPINESS doesn't last💴💷💵

A study covering major winners of large lottery prizes to measure their level of HAPPINESS versus a group of regular people.  Lo and behold, the researchers were surprised to discover that the HAPPINESS RATINGS of both groups were practically identical.  The mistaken notion that major life events dictate your HAPPINESS and SADNESS is so prevalent that psychologists have tagged a name for it:  "IMPACT BIAS".  The reality is, event-based HAPPINESS is fleeting.  In fact, HAPPINESS is synthetic.  You either create it OR you simply DON'T📗📙📘

So, let's take a leaf from the pages of HAPPY people who shared how they do manage such HAPPINESS.  Primero, they are one in unison to declare that they SLOW DOWN to appreciate life's little pleasures.  By nature, we fall into routines and in some ways, this is a good thing.  It saves precious brainpower and creates comfort💎💎💎

BUT sometimes, we get so caught up in our routines to the extent that we fail to appreciate the little things in life.  HAPPY people knew how important it is to savor the taste of their meal, revel in the amazing conversation they had, OR even just step outside to take a deep breathe of fresh air.  Secondly, they surround themselves with the RIGHT PEOPLE📌📌📌

HAPPINESS spreads through people.  Surrounding yourself with HAPPY people builds confidence, stimulates creativity, and it's flat-out FUN.  Hanging around NEGATIVE people has the opposite effect.  They want people to join their PITY PARTY so that they can feel better about themselves.  If a person was smoking, would you sit there inhaling the second-hand smoke?  You should distance yourself, right?  And gravitate towards JOYFUL PEOPLE✅✅✅

When NEGATIVITY Becomes Pervasive

When NEGATIVITY Becomes Pervasive

Many think that NEGATIVITY is just another 'fly in the ointment' BUT it's NOT.  Factually, let us realize that NEGATIVITY has become so pervasive.  It cuts across cultures, social strata and it's all over the place whether you are from the First World OR Third World.  And surprisingly, some of us [wrongly] think that a disease OR illness are the reasons for your tired body OR prolonged aches, BUT have you ever thought that thinking NEGATIVELY could be the reason?  In fact, various researches resulted in the common conclusion that pervasive pessimism affects more than just our emotional health

In medical studies, doctors have found that people with high levels of NEGATIVITY are more likely to suffer from degenerative brain diseases, cardiovascular problems, digestive issues, and recover from sickness much slower than those with a POSITIVE MINDSET.  So, WHAT causes NEGATIVITY? Generally, studies show that it is a product of INSECURITY or DEPRESSION

Studies also showed that it can stem from illness, life events, personality problems, OR substance abuse.  Like many things in life, NEGATIVITY too can [alarmingly] become a habit.  Frequent criticism, cynical thoughts, and denial can create "NEURAL PATHWAYS" in the brain that would encourage SADNESS.  These NEGATIVE tendencies can cause our brain to distort the TRUTH and make it even more difficult to break the NEGATIVITY❎❎❎

BUT here's the GOOD NEWS!  Experts claim, or so, that like most habits, we can break this NEGATIVITIES if they are so pervasive till now.  HOW?

• STOP being CYNICAL
• STOP being HOSTILE 
• STOP FILTERING - only noticing BAD stuff
• STOP JUMPING to conclusions
• STOP BLAMING others
• STOP EMOTIONAL reasoning

So, let's hear from the medical experts as to HOW NEGATIVITY affects our body.  Alarmingly, they say that headache, chest pains, fatigue, upset stomach, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and even drastic changes in metabolism [e.g. over-eating] are some of the common effects of NEGATIVITY.  So, if and when NEGATIVITY becomes pervasive, it's ON US to rectify it ASAP and DON'T let it go from BAD to WORSE❗❗❗

That Thing Called 'LONELINESS'

That Thing Called 'LONELINESS'

That Thing Called 'LONELINESS'We human beings are SOCIAL CREATURES.  While it's normal to feel LONELY sometimes, we thrive within relationships and communities of people.  WHEN you feel isolated and cut off from others, it can take a toll on both your mental and physical health, sending your stress levels soaring, triggering anxiety and even depression, and worse, increasing your risk for heart disease and worst, stroke.  That Thing Called 'LONELINESS' is something most of us have to deal with at certain times.  You may have to quarantine away from loved ones for health reasons [during the recent pandemic].  Just one too many scenarios for That Thing Called 'LONELINESS'💴💷💵

In other circumstances, you may find that you have a number of casual acquaintances BUT no friends close enough to make you feel understood OR cared for.  WHATEVER the reasons for your feeling LONELY, know that it is a normal human experience and there are steps you can take to alleviate that LONELINESS predicament📗📙📘

So, HOW do we fix this seemingly casual concern?  Primero, find creative means to KEEP IN TOUCH.  Studies show that during in-person interactions, your body releases hormones that reduce stress and stimulate positive emotional responses.  That's WHY face-to-face contact with friends and family is so integral in our MENTAL HEALTH💎💎💎

BUT let's face reality here.  It's NOT always possible to connect in-person with loved ones whenever feelings of LONELINESS would creep in.  Whether you're travelling with work, living far away, or kept apart for another reason, there are other ways of staying CONNECTED and avoiding ISOLATION.  These days when technology and social media are right on our finger tips, there's just NO excuse on this❎❎❎

Segundo, engage with communities and that could include volunteerism.  WHEN I lived in Singapore and LONELINESS did strike me, I became a Volunteer Probation Officer of the government's Ministry for Community Development and Services.  And I can attest that drastically softened the impact of LONELINESS.  WHY?  Because I became busy, period.  I just had NO time to sulk, NO reason to be cynical, NO chance to further push myself down in a deep morass.  With my hands full, I was literally, engaged with my volunteerism.  THAT THING CALLED LONELINESS, let's shed that off❗❗❗

How's Your ELEVEN O'CLOCK Performance?

How's Your ELEVEN O'CLOCK Performance?

'PEAK MOMENTS' is an all-encompassing term used to describe the flow of performance, normally in our productive activities either at home or at work and this has become more popular in competitive sports.  BUT how about that ELEVEN O'CLOCK Performance?  BTW, this was coined from the musical theaters where the prime number starts around eleven o'clock in the evening.  You can guess what's the energy level of the audience when eleven o'clock kicks in💴💵

BUT from a theater perspective [think about Broadway scenarios], the audience's feedback will revolve as to How's Your ELEVEN O'CLOCK Performance.  Imagine ourselves being part of the audience, so before eleven o'clock, you could be yawning, falling asleep OR at the very least, getting either fidgety OR bored, so that explains the utter importance when eleven o'clock kicks in.  As you're getting bored, the performer is in his final phases of rehearsal and 'final preps'📗📙📘

Otherwise, if you're into your other productive activities, like an F1 formula driver, your "eleven o'clock" moment kicks-in when you're a few pit stops away from the FINISH LINE and you're within striking distance of the leaders from the first pack, such that all you need is the final adrenalin rush💎💎💎

In a work setup, whether you've peaked already or still about to peak, obviously we as workers are expected to be on a 'constant peak' because we CAN'T be like a 'flash in the pan'.  Regardless though, even as workers, we got to manifest that "eleven o'clock" performance, even if it means, constantly.  Otherwise, it is inexcusable and acceptable to our bosses and clients if we'll claim that we've already peaked at eleven o'clock❓❓❓

WHAT's our takeaway today?  It just behooves that we all should ALWAYS endeavor to give an "ELEVEN O'CLOCK" PERFORMNCE, NOT JUST by "ELEVEN O'CLOCK" but as much as possible from end-to-end, from the time the game's buzzer sounds on till it sounds off because the expectation from us is to be 'almost constantly' at the level of an "ELEVEN O'CLOCK" PERFORMANCE❗❗❗

Anyone In The BLAME GAME?

Anyone In The BLAME GAME?

Who hasn't played the BLAME GAME?  While blaming is a part of human nature, it often works against us.  And quite often, it can work either way.  Sadly, life is full of BLAMERS, and there is plenty to BLAME to go around.  Do you remember hearing someone blaming the weather, your partner/spouse, your job, kids, parents, government, OR even God? So, Anyone In The BLAME GAME❓❓❓

So, BLAMING is easy to do. Too easy in fact.  So, does this make it right?  It really depends.  Now, before we ger embroiled with a to-and-fro thing, let's align as to how BLAME is defined.  Simply put, it is to assign responsibility for a FAULT or WRONG.  And finding a good use of BLAME is a rarity, if at all.  BUT let's qualify things that there are situations in which it is OKAY to BLAME when done correctly: 

• WHEN accepting BLAME
• WHEN BLAMING yourself

We are often told that whenever you point your finger at someone, three other fingers are pointing back to you.  Yessss, there's a lot of TRUTH in that old saying.  However, WHEN you accept BLAME or BLAME yourself, it becomes a different story.  BLAMING yourself in the wrong way can be harmful.  HOW?  It can shut down your ability to learn.  Should you have a good reason to BLAME yourself, be willing to take responsibility for it and correct it moving forward.  Thankfully, this kind of BLAME is usually short-lived📌📌📌

An example of BLAMING oneself and learning to accept it during one's career can cause one to blow his top till things will definitely worsen, with protagonists unloading their barrels [FIGURATIVELY speaking].  BUT when things would have simmered down, that's the only time you will regain your senses and a terrible feeling settled in.  And by the time you realize your mistake, a regretful feeling will then weigh in heavily on oneself❌❌❌

So WHAT's our takeaway today?  It's the fact that nobody walks a perfectly straight road, lined with gold.  Sometimes, the fork in the road is pleasant and easy to travel.  BUT life is full of crisscrossing OR intersecting paths, twists and turns, and ups and downs.  And huge mountains, unexpected holes, potholes, trenches, clouds, pools of darkness and vast dark valleys would also surface along the way.  Given those realities, just DON'T 'crucify' OR blame yourself for WHAT you do to yourself, OR for the state of the world, OR for someone else's UNHAPPINESS.  Just DON'T get angry with yourself for NOT being perfect. And it's our human fault when we tend to BLAME ourselves so quickly for wrong things that would unexpectedly surface.  NOT TOO FAST, dude❎❎❎

Should Our Life Be An OPEN BOOK?

Should Our Life Be An OPEN BOOK?

Many of us say proudly that our life is an OPEN BOOK and that is perfectly fine.  NOTHING is hidden.  WHAT you see is WHAT you get.  And that's laudable.  And no less than celebrities live their lives like an OPEN BOOK.  Except WHEN they opt NOT to.  And again, that's perfectly fine.  BUT the question that bothers me is HOW FAR and HOW OPEN should our book of life be?  And I'll quickly quip:  This may sound awkward BUT NOT ALL please.  NOT all our 'private parts'.  Now, we can argue days and weeks on this.  Should Our Life Be An OPEN BOOK💵💴💷

With social media all over us, we CAN'T be totally blamed but again, it's our own judgment call and prudence dictates that we leave some things in our life within our own confines.  WHY?  Because sometimes people might dare to make trolls.  Because sometimes we have our own dark or darkest parts in our life which are left to be kept as such.  So, YES, no problem for us to be an OPEN BOOK but be selective enough about choosing the area where you should OPEN UP and WHEN NOT. It's true most celebrities live life like an OPEN BOOK but let's NOT put ourselves alongside their pedestals📗📙📘

Looking at many sharings across our iives, we should NOT be an OPEN BOOK everywhere even we can be wrong WHEN trust creeps in because 'snakes' can be hidden inside of any person and when they mess, it's likely they might bite you and that bite could be poisonous like snake bites so we need to be careful to trust someone around us.  This is NOT always necessary to be open up so try to avoid being an OPEN BOOK and be one, ONLY IF NECESSARY📌📌📌

If there is one place WHERE being an OPEN BOOK is never going to be bad OR worse, that one place is our own prayers to our respective Gods, WHERE nothing is hidden.  Frankly, it is a fact of life that sometimes people around us sometimes get jealous seeing our HAPPINESS and burst out with jealousy. That's the mother of all ironies.  After we become transparent by becoming an OPEN BOOK, we will end up bearing the brunt of jealousy from others.  Sometimes when we share sorrows, a 'hater'  masked as a 'friend' can seem to commiserate with our woes BUT deep inside, your guess is as good as mine❎❎❎

BUT things have really gone BERSERK.  Many of us just CAN'T save things within.  A hot date.  A recent promotion.  OR even the weather.  Whatever it is, people will always tell others too much.  This may seem fine on the surface BUT it isn't.  We shouldn't tell people EVERYTHING.  When we tell people things WITHOUT A FILTER, you're putting yourself in a vulnerable position.  How many lives have been ruined by unexpected betrayals?  The uncomfortable answer is 'A LOT'.  So, please do re-think things a hundred times SHOULD OUR LIFE BE AN OPEN BOOK❗❗❗

Mental Toughness, Anyone?

Mental Toughness, Anyone?

Have we ever wondered WHAT makes someone a good athlete?  OR a good leader?  OR a good parent?  WHY do some people accomplish their GOALS while others fail? WHAT makes the difference?  Usually we would answer these questions by talking about the talent of top performers like, HE MUST BE THE SMARTEST SCIENTIST, SHE'S FASTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE....Mental Toughness, Anyone❓❓❓

BUT I think we all know that there is more to the story than that.  In fact, WHEN we start looking on it, your talent and your intelligence DON'T play nearly as big of a role as you might think.  This research result is a shocker:  INTELLIGENCE ACCOUNTS for 30% of ONE'S ACHIEVEMENT.  BTW, that number is at the upper end.  So, WHAT makes a bigger impact than TALENT or INTELLIGENCE?  Yesirrrrs, MENTAL TOUGHNESS it is💵💴💷

Research studies are starting to reveal that your MENTAL TOUGHNESS a.k.a. GRIT, plays a more important role than anything else for achieving your goals in life, in health, in business.  Certainly, this is good news for us because we CAN'T do much about the genes you were born with, BUT you can do a lot to develop your MENTAL TOUGHNESS📗📙📘

So why is MENTAL TOUGHNESS so important?  Primero, it's because MENTAL TOUGHNESS, like any other skill, is a perishable skill.  You gotta practice it regularly.  Segundo, it only takes one second for us to FAIL at WHAT we are pursuing.  So, DONT let your mind take control of you within that one second, NO WAY❎❎❎

Tercero, NEVER be ashamed of anything you have done in your life, including your slip-ups, your blunders.  Simply FACE IT, FIX IT, and make it better.  BTW, most successes in life actually is avoiding failure.  And you DON'T become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror BUT by having a stack of undeniable proof that you got a DOG IN YOU, that you gotta be your own motivator❗❗❗