Yes, You Can Take A Break BUT....

Yes, You Can Take A Break BUT....

We live in a cross-cultural environment [globally in fact] that values being BUSY, where HARD WORK means working long hours and working all the time.  How many times have you bumped someone on the street and you ask them HOW they're doing and they sigh and say, "OH BUSY".  So, indeed, being BUSY seems to be the NEW NORMAL.  And it seems that because of this, WHEN we're NOT busy, we feel like we're doing something wrong.  So, what's the antidote? You Can Take A Break BUT NOT FOR LONG.  Why do we caution you up front that your BREAK should be NOT FOR LONG?  Because I can attest I have witnessed many people I know first hand WHO went on a break that ended up as a sabbatical.  WHERE ARE THEY NOW???

BUT before you get so excited and start to arrange all your travel logistics, let's be proactive to ensure that your BREAK is NOT FOR LONG.  So HOW?  

CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN - This is NOT to say that you got to work 60 hours a week so you feel OK taking the next week off.  Instead, WHAT we meant is to do some planning so you feel more comfortable taking the time off.  Are there tasks you can delegate WHILE you're away so all that work ISN'T waiting for you WHEN you get back to your desk?  Can you enable your Outlook out-of-office?  Are there meetings or calls that can be rescheduled💥💥💥

It's true our brains love to feel being comfortable and in control.  A bit of prep work can help you feel a bit more confident that the world ISN'T going to end if you're away from your emails for a few days.  And moreover, it is imperative that at work, we should develop someone who will be our 2IC [2nd in command].  Preparing your 2IC to ensure his readiness will go a long way in keeping you calm and NOT apprehensive that in case you to take a leave off from work, there is a co-driver who will remain in the steering wheel, rather than grounding to a halt💧💧💧

GET YOUR BRAIN TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX - Remind yourself of the benefits of taking a break when guilt creeps back in. Culling from my past experiences, these are the 'low hanging fruits' I did reap through the years:

• My brain got the chance to REST/RECHARGE
• My body did rest as well and RE-ENERGIZED
• I became MORE creative if I'm NOT stressed
• My motivation had a 'shot in the arm'
• I was able to come up with trailblazing ideas
• Yes, I managed to achieve that work-life balance that was elusive for many years.  From that time on, I managed to give the quality time in my personal life, which for the longest time I was guilty of

Our takeaway:  DON'T take a break way far too long because:

1. You might lose the MOMENTUM
2. You will lose that enertia, for sure
3. You will lose the tempo that keeps you going
4. You may get misguided by spending more time for your REST [far way too long]

At the end of the day, WHILE we do deserve a BREAK from our frenetic pace in life, let us ensure that we get back and roll up our sleeves as soon as we got re-energized 😀😀😀

Bothered With OVER-THINKING?

Bothered With OVER-THINKING?

Bothered With OVER-THINKING? Or is OVER-THINKING not that bad, not worth our time today?  True, on the surface it seems there is NOTHING worrisome but hey dude, when we OVER-THINK, our judgments can get 'CLOUDY' and even your stress levels get elevated.  You end up spending too much time in the negative.  In the end, OVER-THINKING is difficult to act on💴💷💵

So, you might ask, can we avoid OVER-THINKING?  YES and NO.   YES if want to.  NO if we are NOT fully committed to a 'YES'.  So, where do we start?  That journey starts in our AWARENESS.  Unless we are AWARE, we can't even take the next first step.  In many cases, OVER-THINKING is caused by a single emotion spelled "F-E-A-R".  When you FOCUS on the negative things, it is quick and easy to become paralyzed📗📙📘

Next, let us DISTRACT ourselves into HAPPINESS.  Sometimes, it is helpful to have a way to DISTRACT yourself with happy, positive and healthy alternatives.  Things like mediation, exercise, learning a new instrument and other activities of interest can help DISTANCE you from issues enough to shut down that OVER-THINKING, OVER-ANALYSIS❎❎❎

As you start to get a direct handle of things, PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.  It is always easy to make things bigger and more negative than they need to be.  The next time you catch yourself MAKING A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL, ask yourself how much it will matter in five years.  OR, for that matter, next month.  Just this simple question, changing up the time frame, can help SHUT DOWN OVER-THINKING.  And if there is something you must STOP PRONTO, STOP WAITING FOR PERFECTION❌❌❌

Waiting for PERFECTION is a 'big one'.  For all of us WHO are waiting for PERFECTION, we can stop waiting RIGHT NOW.  Being ambitious is great BUT aiming for PERFECTION is simply unrealistic, impractical, and debilitating.  The moment you start thinking 'THIS NEEDS TO BE PERFECT', that is the moment you need to remind yourself that you got to dump OVER-THINKING pronto☝☝☝

Which One Should Prevail: THOUGHTS Or FEELINGS?

Which One Should Prevail:  THOUGHTS Or FEELINGS?

Which One Should Prevail:  THOUGHTS Or FEELINGS?  Before we deep-dive into THOUGHTS and FEELINGS, let's align here.  It is HOW we see something OR someone and WHAT we think about it OR them that really influences HOW we feel.  It is our THOUGHTS and BELIEFS about an event that significantly influences our emotions and actions.  WHAT is quite perplexing here is to understand the co-relationship between THOUGHTS and FEELINGS.  WHAT really makes us feel and respond the way we do, is often NOT the situation OR the words and actions of another person BUT how we perceive that situation OR that person's actions.  It is HOW we see something OR thoughts and beliefs about an event that significantly influences our EMOTIONS and ACTIONS💵💴💷

It is often difficult to know exactly WHAT we are feeling and sometimes it can also be difficult to put it into words.  Now, things will get trickier WHEN we consider those 'AUTOMATIC THOUGHTS'.  Just as we are NOT always conscious of the way we walk OR how we drive a car, we are often NOT aware of our THINKING.  Some of our THINKING becomes so habitual in the sense that it seems to become AUTOMATIC, and just like driving, WHEN things are AUTOMATIC, we might NOT be conscious of them✅✅✅

Sometimes, our THOUGHTS become much more complex because at times we will have CONFLICTING THOUGHTS and that exactly is the kind of internal battle within us.  Internal conflicts or CONFLICTING THOUGHTS are often the result of frustration towards something.  Because you CANNOT choose WHAT to do and WHAT NOT to do, we often end up having two options on that thing📗📙📘

Thing is, there are multiple situations in our lives WHEN we particularly feel torn apart within ourselves.  We then feel confused, unconfident, upset over HOW our brain and heart have been at war at each other.  It then becomes quite too overwhelming to be the TERRITORY over which these 'TWO RULERS' fight.  Sometimes our HEART wins, and sometimes our BRAIN prevails✅✅✅

And when we have conflicting THOUGHTS, sometimes the situation tears us apart more.  This explains WHY it is imperative to know about these internal conflicts and to recognize them so that you can make the right choices and make it out of this 'horrendous storm'.  Quickly, the common causes of CONFLICTING THOUGHTS are DISSATISFACTION, LACK of TOLERANCE, LOW SELF-ESTEEM.  Listen dude.  A lot of times we find ourselves amidst a tough competition between various parts of ourselves.  We got to make the JUDGMENT CALL, dude❗❗❗

Achieving Our Dreams

Achieving Our Dreams

You can be a DOER, an INNOVATOR, name it BUT..... from time to time, you fall short in Achieving Your Dreams.  Oh Oh, I can relate to that, that feeling of falling short to achieve our goal.  BUT hey, no matter how daunting your dreams look like, NOTHING is too big to achieve.  HOW?  Again, there is no hard and fast rule and proven formula but if you thread along these best practices, you are NOT far off that path towards your goal💵💴💷

Primero.  DREAM BIG.  Nothing is more stressful than that 'so, where do you see yourself in five years' conversation, especially if you AREN'T quite sure WHAT path you want to pursue.  Thinking about the future can be that intimidating BUT don't limit yourself to WHAT seems MOST practical or conventional.  You have so much potential and the possibilities for you are that ENDLESS.  Think outside of the box and create your FUTURE📗📙📘

Segundo. VISUALIZE YOUR GOALS.  True we should DREAM BIG but turning those dreams into reality is much harder if you DON'T have a clear picture of WHAT you want.  Consider having a VISION BOARD, any aid that will help you visualize your goals.  That should serve as your guide to your future and anytime you can tweak it to as nothing is cast in stone❎❎❎

Tercero.  Consider to TAKE BREAKS.  It's NOT as you wish BUT you really need to TAKE BREAKS.  There's just too much pressure in our DAILY GRINDS.  If someone says there is NO pressure in his/her daily life, I'd like to live that life but that's the reality though.  Taking a moment to pause is our BREAK and RESPITE✅✅✅

As motivational speakers say, if we want to achieve our dreams, we got to be that relentless about making them happen.  It takes a lot of FOCUS and DRIVE to achieve one's goals.  That's because our DREAMS are usually out of reach.  WHY else would it be a DREAM?  That's because it's NOT easy and there's a HIGH PRICE to pay for pursuing our dreams.  That explains why 'CRAZY, DRIVEN PEOPLE' more often end up SUCCESSFUL in their DREAMS❗❗❗

What Really Should Be Our FOCUS

What Really Should Be Our FOCUS

FOCUS seems like a boring topic, IS IT?  No sirrrrrs, I feel this deserves our space today.  So, What Really Should Be Our FOCUS?  Indeed, the power of FOCUS affects all aspects of our life.  We can FOCUS on goals at work, in our relationships, OR on our personal goals even inclusive of emotional health and even our fitness.  And YESSSSSSS, we can manifest those of goals into fruition💴💷💵

BUT our huge LIFE GOALS we have are made up of SMALLER wins, SMALLER accomplishments.  And learning how to FOCUS on the task at hand and complete each step toward living the LIFE we desire is the ONLY way to achieve greatness.  Most people are able to FOCUS at least some of the time, a fraction of the available time.  And if we're doing something we enjoy, OR exercising and moving our body, we're likely to get "IN THE ZONE".  BUT sometimes, we just CAN'T seem to figure out how to FOCUS📙📘📗

We're at work, and we know we need to get a task done BUT we tend to keep browsing.  We're in a meeting and find our mind wandering.  Maybe we're even with our family at the dinner table BUT don't know WHAT your 'significant other' just said.  Learning how to FOCUS better is vital to achieving our GOALS.  FOCUS makes our family and our partner/spouse feel important and valued [and it's the only way to get things done.  At work, the fact that we're an integral part of our organization, even if we're still in hybrid work-from-home, it behooves that we put on the FOCUS as consistent as ever✅✅✅

SO HOW?  GET INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT [of your life] and buckle up].  As human beings, we like to be in CONTROL.  IF we're driving a motorcycle, we tend to be comfortable with the direction BUT the fact is, most people LIVE THEIR LIFE 'on the back of the motorcycle' and WHO'S driving the front of it is all the demands in their life.  So, ARE YOU LETTING THE DEMANDS IN YOUR LIFE DETERMINE YOUR LIFE'S DIRECTION?  Dude, it's time to ask WHY.  The key to concentration DOESN'T come from outside yourself❗❗❗

The most powerful factor in FOCUS is our own state.  If we're wondering how to FOCUS, the first step is to honestly evaluate your current state and learn WHAT DRIVES YOU.  Only then can you make the necessary changes to take charge of your life.  Another think to revisit is your pre-set standards.  Do you prefer doing a task for the sake of doing it?  Do you deliver an output for the sake of delivering it?  So WHAT's our take today?  Ask yourself, WHAT SHOULD BE MY FOCUS IN LIFE❓❓❓

Sure You Want To Be the Person You Want To Be?

Sure You Want To Be the Person You Want To Be?

We all have dreams.  You're in for a shocker with my confession.  When I was in my grade school, me and my first cousin would always talk about our future plans and NOT surprisingly, we both boasted to each other that we'll become a PRIEST who will build an airconditioned church.  BUT that was child talk.  Question is: Sure You Want To Be the Person You Want To Be❓❓❓

As I reached High School and setting my sights for the university level, this time around, it was quite believable to hear me blurting that I wanted to be a lawyer.  To cut the long story short, I did attend law school [but only for a year because, for practical terms, I veered away from my original FLIGHT PLAN and took a 90-degree turn to get into the information technology.  So, everyone's dreams of becoming the very best version of themselves, that's a given📗📙📘

You want to be a successful career professional.  You want to be a highly paid basketball player in the NBA league OR simply the best parent you can be.  Achieving your full POTENTIAL can seem like a tall order, a mighty task to undertake BUT it's possible once you release all the unhelpful traits that are holding you back.  Take a 'no holds barred' inventory of your INNER TRAITS to start moving towards being the person you want to be.  And DON'T miss out to recognize that you are already the person you want to be.  The secret to becoming all you want to be lies in remembering that YOU ALREADY ARE.  You already are the very BEST VERSION of yourself.  You just need to know how to be this person.  Everything you desire is already inside you and all of the resources you need to create it are inside of you📌📌📌

What we often miss out is the fact that more often than NOT, WHAT you are looking for is NOT out there in the world.  If your level of SELF-LOVE, confidence OR abundance is dependent on circumstances that are external to you, then you will live in constant fear of them being taken away.  True inner power comes from believing that the source of all that you desire to become is WITHIN YOU.  And as you trek your path, look for ROADBLOCKS❎❎❎

There's a very old quote which runs this way:  THE ONLY THING HOLDING YOU BACK IS YOU.  This CAN'T be farther from the truth.  However, you must take stock of any attributes OR habits you have that do NOT reflect the person you want to be.  This may even require speaking to a few loved ones and asking them if they notice any unhelpful attributes that may be holding you back.  And from my travails, two common attributes that may be holding us back are:  SELF-DOUBT and PROCRASTINATION.  While the former is an attribute that can leave you immobile, never changing and never reaching your true potential, the latter is an undesirable trait that generally comes down to your SELF-TALK.  You tell yourself you work well under pressure, OR that the task WON'T take that long so you DON'T have to do it right now.  Sure You Want To Be the Person You Want To Be❔❔❔

Living Life Without A PURPOSE

Living Life Without A PURPOSE

What's our daily life like?  We eat the food that tastes good to find a short escape while regretting it minutes later.  We stay friends with people we DON'T like yet we continue to sit and laugh with them because we want to FIT IN and DON'T want to be LEFT OUT like a weirdo.  We come back home tired.  Instead of making a little effort to relax, we bombard ourselves with social media and Netflix until we are mentally tired.  Is this Living Life Without A PURPOSE💵💴💷

At end of day, we go to sleep [sometimes regret, complain, and cry over the life we are living] just to repeat the process everyday.  Such a shallow, unsuccessful, unhappy and boring life, right?  BUT what's the irony of all these?  We do all these because we think this is the road to SUCCESS.  Guess what?  It's NOT.  This kind of life is just a silent struggle to survive and do WHAT you can to convince yourself that you are about to SUCCEED📗📙📘

Now, you would agree with me that every motivational speaker preaches the importance of having a PURPOSE in life.  They all tell you that a life without a PURPOSE is NOT the right way to go.  None of them are wrong.  In fact, what they say is 100% TRUE.  BUT it's NOT the easiest when you're struggling to find the motivation that you need to find a PURPOSE📌📌📌

Honestly, it takes a lot to take a step out of your life without PURPOSE to change the way you live and think.  What bigger motivation can there be than to tell you all the reasons WHY a life without PURPOSE is hurting you?  So WHAT gives?  Can we agree that a life without PURPOSE HAS NO MEANING?  Have you ever dreaded living a LIFELESS life?  If NOT, I don't know how excruciating such an existence is❌❌❌

Imagine that dilemma of NOT wanting to wake up every morning BUT also NOT wanting to go to sleep at night.  NO will to work, NO excitement to spend, NO friends' company to enjoy, and NO reason to continue living.  A blank mind with NOTHING to think about.  So WHAT's our FIX?  Have a CLEAR IDEA of WHY YOU'RE LIVING.  Get a CONCRETE IDEA of the bigger outcome you can look forward to.  Even the strolls will be become enjoyable because you know they're leading you to WHERE you're supposed to be.  Dude, dump that contagious illness that continues to hound you because you got to dump LIVING LIFE WITHOUT PURPOSE❗❗❗

Slowing Down In Life

Slowing Down In Life

Slowing Down In Life isn't just becoming popular these days but it has become a trend, in fact.  BUT if at all, the basic message resonating around is more about consuming LESS and taking a slower approach in our everyday life.  And that SLOWDOWN is becoming an unabated trend.  We see fast food outlets now offering vegan menus and both AppsStore and PlayStore are offering apps about meditation and about reducing our screen time💷💵

In fact, to dissect this trend, SLOWING DOWN in life is becoming a lifestyle that encourages a lower approach to everyday life.  From my personal experience in SLOWING DOWN so far, I've found that it had helped me connect with myself deeply and even increasing my self-awareness.  Obviously, it seeps and spreads into other areas of my life impacting them significantly and today, let's take some time to look at all the areas it can touch and impact generally.  It can and does look different for everyone📘📙📗

So, let's rattle off the most obvious UPSIDES when we SLOW DOWN in life.  That elusive LUXURY OF TIME.  This goes without saying, the moment you slow down, you begin to see the amount of time you have at hand in your day and life in general.  It also allows you to make more intentional use of your time while leaving enough for life's UNPLANNED moments and spontaneity💎💎💎

Your IMPROVED HEALTH. We've all at some point come across the downsides of hustle culture.  Slowing down gives us both the TIME & SPACE to focus and work on our health, take a breath from the constant rush in our daily life and even practice SELF-CARE.  It also gives us a window to really embrace the SLOW LIFE as it impacts our health❎❎❎

BOOSTED PRODUCTIVITY.  This is one of the first noticeable signs when we indeed SLOW DOWN.  It keeps away stress, anxiety and overwhelm.  And when we're focused on the task at hand, it becomes easier to complete the said task efficiently as opposed to being bogged down by doing everything at once.  Lastly, fostering meaningful relationships is a beneficiary where no costs and little effort is needed from our end.  Talking about SLOWING DOWN IN LIFE❗❗❗

The Pitfalls Of TRYING

The Pitfalls Of TRYING

How often have you tried to change a habit OR achieve a goal, only to fall short time and time again?  The thing is, no matter WHAT it is you're trying to do in life, it is pretty much a guarantee that it will take a ton of hard work, focus and commitment.  Nothing worth doing comes easy, and you're going to have to be prepared to overcome any number of obstacles in your path as you pursue your goals.  What we need to be aware of are The Pitfalls Of TRYING📌📌📌

This is something that we're all told pretty often, BUT it can still be frustrating and discouraging when we stumble and seem to lose PROGRESS.  Sometimes, it can feel like we're NOT getting anywhere at all, and that can prevent us from moving forward.  NOT all obstacles are created equal, however, and there are some PITFALLS that we can learn to avoid as we're pursuing our dreams💴💷💵

Let's start with IDEAS.  How many IDEAS have you brainstormed, feeling energized and eager to start, only to feel your own MOTIVATION slowly dissolve as procrastination kicks in?  Indeed, CHANGE is hard.  BUT what if it DIDN'T have to be so hard?  WHAT IF there was a simple mindset shift that could help you finally break through BARRIERS  and manifest CHANGE📗📙📘

 With regard the Pitfalls Of TRYING, we often seek CHANGE through EFFORT, even summoning willpower.  BUT relying on sheer effortful striving is an exhausting way to live.  It's constantly white-knuckling, hoping our determination outpaces our cravings OR inertia.  So, the cycle goes like this:  We start STRONG, applying the rules and restrictions meant to curb the bad and accelerate the good.  That initial excitement and enthusiasm carries us BUT only for awhile though❌❌❌

BUT before we know it, we're back to square one, left wondering WHERE to find motivation take two.  BUT WHAT IF there is another way?  Instead of disciplined effort, WHAT IF lasting CHANGE was the natural consequence of our conscious commitment?  This approach flips the script by shifting first NOT our behaviors BUT our beliefs.  In Psychology, this is also called the 100% RULE when we make wholehearted commitment without caveats OR compromises.  That snaps off the PITFALLS of TRYING, dude❗❗❗

We CAN'T Control The Wind BUT We Can DIRECT THE SAILS

We CAN'T Control The Wind BUT We Can DIRECT THE SAILS

We CAN'T Control The Wind BUT We Can DIRECT THE SAILS.  This is one of the most widely quoted one-liners.  To date, it is credited to Dolly Parton, Jimmy Dean, Thomas Monson, Bertha Calloway and several others.  indeed, to take a leaf from the 1859 quote from spiritualist Cora Hatch, YOU COULD NOT PREVENT A THUNDERSTORM BUT YOU COULD USE ELECTRICITY.  YOU COULD NOT DIRECT THE WIND BUT YOU COULD TRIM YOUR SAIL SO AS TO PROPEL YOUR VESSEL AS YOU PLEASED, NO MATTER WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS💴💷💵

Indeed, everyday is an ADVENTURE .  Everyday life gives you a different perspective, leading to another experience.  We DON'T know exactly WHAT it will bring us today, OR tomorrow.  We might influence some things based on our previous experience.  BUT the totality of it is something we CANNOT control.  And BTW, that is just OK.  Having less to control OR even NO control over what will happen is definitely OK.  We DON'T want to handle everything because we DON'T know everything.  Having less to NO control DOESN'T mean though that we DON'T have control in our lives.  WE DO📗📙📘

The CORE message here is that WE ARE THE CAPTAIN OF OUR OWN SHIP.  We are the OWNERS of our life.  NO one lives on this body scientifically.  It is just us.  Like the captain of the ship sailing his own ship, he DOESN'T have control over other elements that might interfere with his adventure.  BUT, he does his best to control the ship.  The captain does his best to manage the ship and to NOT try to control the external elements.  BTW, what's outside of us CANNOT be controlled.  We can influence it BUT we CANNOT control it💎💎💎

It is the nature of life and it's supposed to be that way.  A little bit my way, a little bit your way.  That metaphor of adjusting our SAILS is a particularly apt one, as it suggests that SUCCESS often requires flexibility and adaptability.  Just as a sailor must constantly adjust their SAILS in order to take advantage of shifting winds and changing weather conditions, we must be WILLING to adjust our approach as circumstances change✅✅✅

So what's our takeaway today?  THAT we need to be OPEN TO FEEDBACK and/or constructive criticism, and being willing to make changes to our plans as we learn and grow.  It might also mean being PATIENT and PERSISTENT, even when PROGRESS seems slow OR setbacks would hit you.  On the same breadth, to adjust our SAILS also means being PROACTIVE and taking CONTROL of our own destiny.  We CAN'T control the wind BUT we can choose the direction we want to go and then take deliberate steps to move in that direction.  Ultimately, the key to SUCCESS is NOT in having PERFECT CONDITIONS or a foolproof plan BUT in being able to adapt and adjust as needed.  By doing so, we can stay FOCUSED on our goals and achieve our dreams, regardless of the challenges in our journey❗❗❗