How's Your WATER MARK Level?

How's Your WATER MARK Level?

As always, life is full of UPs and DOWNs.  One day, you may feel like you have it all figured out.  Then, in a moment's notice, you've been thrown a curve ball.  You're NOT alone in these feelings.  Everyone has to face their own set of challenges.  Learning HOW to overcome challenges will help you stay centered and remain calm under pressure.  This brings us to our thread today because for us to hurdle and survive all the challenges in life, the question we need to answer is How's Your WATER MARK Level❔❔❔

True, everyone has his own preference[s] for how to face the challenges in life.  This brings us back to the need to establish a HIGH WATER MARK level.  WHY?  For so many reasons:

To reinforce your RESILIENCE

To pre-empt possible CHALLENGES

To improve your SURVIVAL CAPABILITY

You might pester me RIGHT NOW.  So, HOW do we increase our WATER MARK if it is a level NOT acceptable RIGHT NOW?  Let's go through these bare-knuckles BASICS:

• MAKE A PLAN - Look at the patterns in your life and see WHAT challenges you've struggled with.  Assess the optimal outcomes and make a plan HOW to achieve them.
• KNOW YOU'RE NOT ALONE - We all have our LOW points.  WHATEVER you're going through, others have been there.  Reach out to them, whether they are family or friends.
• FEEL YOUR FEELINGS - By masking your feelings, they WON'T go away.  Instead, feelings become TRAPPED energy.  DON'T ignore it.  Take time to feel it.

• THINK BIG - It can be easy to let yourself think small because of the fear of failure OR even the fear of making a decision.  Be open to take risks.
• POSITIVE MINDSET - WHAT you think becomes your reality.  Train your mind to think positively.
• DON'T GIVE UP - When a challenge arises, persistence is a huge key to overcome it
• WORK SMART, NOT HARD - Generally, there is more than one way to get something done.  However, there's always just one optimal way OR best way of doing it

Our takeaway:  To set our HIGH-WATER mark itself, this will need dogged determination to lay down the most basic foundations.  Bottomline is to ensure that when the water level goes up and pressure builds up, the level of our HIGH-WATER mark will NOT bring us down.  Many times, it's HOW we pre-empt problems that will make OR break us.  HOW'S YOUR WATER MARK LEVEL❓❓❓

WHEN To Speak? WHEN To Keep Mum?

WHEN To Speak?  WHEN To Keep Mum?

The virtues of SILENCE have long been recognized.  The popular saying 'SPEECH IS SILVER BUT SILENCE IS GOLDEN" has been traced by historians to dayte as far back as the ancient times in Egypt.  It probably means that in some circumstances the LESS you say, the BETTER it is.  I can imagine that WHEN you are in the company of strangers, discretion would be more appropriate than discretion.  In fact, based on norms and values, keeping a secret can be a form of SILENCE that is highly ethical.  So, WHEN To Speak?  WHEN To Keep Mum📗📙📘

In many democratic countries, SILENCE in some cases is  a legal right  You could have heard it in western movies wherein the police or legal authorities who arrest a suspect is advised that he/she has the right to remain SILENT.  In the United States, the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution permits a person NOT to answer any specific question IF and WHEN, by answering it, you will be incriminating yourself.  Sometimes, SILENCE is even deemed as an OBLIGATION as when its purpose is NOT to disturb the tranquility of others such as in the library💦💦💦

Experts do highlight that SILENCE can be used in sending a powerful message.  Studies also show that moments of SILENCE are used in contemplation, reflection and in remembrance of loved ones that we have lost.  BUT this is NOT an 'ALL IN' answer to the question because there are times when to be SILENT is to behave in an unethical manner.  WHAT we should be cautious is that our SILENCE is NOT deceptive, allowing others to believe WHAT we know for certain is NOT true💧💧💧

Psychologists also claim that remaining SILENT can also represent a risk and the experts declare that SILENCE is the most toxic strategy to reputation and integrity.  And if we remain SILENT, someone else will fill the void with more made-up chatter and misinformation.  So, the challenging question is:  HOW THEN SHOULD WE DETERMINE WHEN IS THE TIME TO REMAIN SILENT AND WHEN IS THE TIME TO SPEAK❓❓❓

Our takeaway:  Let us piggy-back on what the experts would advise us, namely:

• Will my voice make a DIFFERENCE?
• Does engaging this time mean I will be more OR less effective the next time?
• HOW will I see myself [many years from now] if I DON'T speak up?

Dude, let's work on these habits😀😀😀

It's PROGRESS [And NOT Perfection] That Matters

It's PROGRESS [And NOT Perfection] That Matters

WHO does NOT want PERFECTION?  I'll be the first one to embrace PERFECTION because I DON'T have any qualms about it.  I'm all for it.  BUT hey hey hey, let's NOT get off-tracked all because of the ideal things in life.  BTW, what incites you to rise up instead of hitting the snooze button when your alarm makes noise? WHAT influences you to ignore the cakes and donuts and all those tempting pastries?  WHAT pushes you to take your morning walks instead of remaining in the softness of your pillows?  Surely, the common answer to all these questions is that It's PROGRESS [And NOT Perfection] That Matters,  WHETHER it is about your health, your deliverables at work, your commitments to your family, much as PERFECTION is the ideal state, It's PROGRESS [And NOT Perfection] That Matters📗📙📘

Most of us WOULD say that results, success and achieving goals are the driving force that creates motivation, drive and momentum.  I beg to defer.  I totally disagree with that though because I am more for PROGRESS because for me, PROGRESS is POWER.  You must continuously work towards your goals and slowly inch closer to them before you ever taste the reality of actually achieving them.  There's NO better feeling than hitting your goals BUT hitting GOALS take time.  It can take anywhere from a few months to a few years and sometimes even a few decades to really realize and achieve your goals.  If someone would argue with that statement, I'll welcome such arguments💧💧💧

Indeed that is a long time and that proposes the question, DOES ACCOMPLISHING YOUR GOALS DRIVE YOU?  Is it single handedly the most influential factor to your success?  OR is it something else?  I believe that beyond everything else, PROGRESS is the most influential factor that drives you to meet your wildest dreams.  It is the secret ingredient that will fuel the fire for you to accomplish greatness.  Let's NOT look far out in the past.  Do you have the same observation that two to three weeks into the new year, people would EASILY give up on their New Year's resolutions❓❓❓

Sounds familiar but surely, that notion is applicable to even weight loss, running a business, excelling in a career, changing your eating habits, and anything else that might be working towards.  IF we DON'T see some form of results often times, we tend to quit.  To quote Benjamin Franklin, the recognized 'FOUNDING FATHER' of the United States, WITHOUT CONTINUAL GROWTH AND PROGRESS, SUCH WORDS AS IMPROVEMENT, ACHIEVEMENT AND SUCCESS HAVE NO MEANING'.  Well said.  For now, can we align as to WHAT IS PROGRESS?  PROGRESS is being better today than you were yesterday.  It is the feeling of accomplishment after working really hard at something and finally being rewarded for it😀😀😀

Our takeaway:  PROGRESS is that feeling of anticipation created when you are getting closer and closer to your goal.  An example of this would be feeling a little less snug in your tightest pair of jeans OR generating more sales leads in the last 30 days than in the last two months combined.  PROGRESS is 'BABY STEPS' in the right direction.  Replacing your usual fast food with a healthier alternative and noticing that you have more energy throughout your day is PROGRESS.  IT'S PROGRESS [and NOT PERFECTION] THAT MATTERS✅✅✅

Do You Need To Explain It [REALLY]?

Do You Need To Explain It [REALLY]?

Have you had that 'memorable' experience when someone kept asking you WHY until your response was followed with another WHY till you patiently retorted back and another WHY was all you got?  UNTIL you would reach a point wherein you would realize that you DON'T owe any further explanation because WHAT you said was in fact, MORE THAN ENOUGH yet you did bite the bait and still you kept responding back to someone who seems to pester you no end.  Do You Need To Explain It [REALLY]❓❓❓

Adolph Hitler, one of history's most infamous personalities was quoted:  'IF YOU WIN YOU NED NOT EXPLAIN BUT IF YOU LOSE YOU SHOULD NOT BE THERE TO EXPLAIN'.  I can disagree with Hitler for ten zillion other reasons BUT I totally agree with his one-liner here.  BUT the biggest reason WHY we are sometimes stuck up with the vicious cycles of WHY is because we do fall prey to it, [wrongly] thinking that it's rude [?] NOT to explain and worse, it is NOT consistent with our civilized culture of openness and transparency.  BUT hey, we DON'T have to compromise ourselves!@#$%?

As I myself got into that conundrum a few times in the past, it got me thinking about the need to go deeper with others just to be nice.  The need to explain yourself, yes we all do feel this need SOMETIMES [but SOMETIMES should NOT be ALL THE TIME].  Those minor personal debacles did remind me that I DON'T have to explain myself and my choices to anyone WHOM I DON'T know [from Adam].  And I DON'T even need to justify something WHICH is very meaningful to me.  In fact, my realization during those times was that I DON'T have to justify anything and I DON'T need to seek the stamp of approval for my decisions from anyone UNLESS/EXCEPT...

You might wonder WHAT are those UNLESS/EXCEPT clauses?  Here we go:

• UNLESS such decisions I make will impact my commitments either with my family, at work OR in business
• UNLESS such decisions carry some amount of bad faith OR guilt, in which case I owe it to myself to revisit such

Our takeaway:  It is true that it is human nature to want to be understood and helpful WHEN people understand us.  Nonetheless, WHEN we put comprehending WHERE they are coming from at the top of our agenda, we gain far more than striving to make them see our point of view.  The problem with sticking to our goal of being understood is that sometimes we turn a deaf ear and we tend to focus on our needs and desires at the expense of hearing others.  So, dude, we really DON'T NEED TO EXPLAIN [always]❗❗❗

Unlocking YOUR Potential

Unlocking YOUR Potential

Sometimes, simple things evolve to become quite complex because we seem to have over-simplified things.  Like Unlocking YOUR Potential.  For some, it's NOT even a talking point because to them, a POTENTIAL is a POTENTIAL, period.  BUT dude, there lies the huge disconnect because one can have the POTENTIAL to be a foot soldier while another one can have that rare POTENTIAL to become a general someday📗📙📘

So, there's that huge GAP because the disparity between two possible POTENTIALs can be as wide as the ground versus the sky.  BUT if there is some semblance of commonality, most of us really do want to unlock our POTENTIAL.  To share some quotable quotes from famous names, UFC champion Connor McGregor said that he's WILLING TO DIE IN THE RING [and he means it].  Same one-liner was quoted from Will Smith who was quoted that he's WILLING TO DIE FOR IT if he believes in it💧💧💧

Now, have you heard of LAW OF ATTRACTION?  THAT if you believe in something that deeply, it will come into your life?  And I squarely stand behind it because I firmly believe that's WHAT unlocking one's POTENTIAL is all about.  BUT taking that path is akin to threading a mine-filled road.  BUT, first things first, we got to eliminate and dump out in the window even the slightest manifestation of NEGATIVE THINKING💥💥💥

And along a GROWTH MINDSET, change our SELF-TALK because doubt BREEDS more doubt whereas success BREEDS success.  So, first off, let's eliminate NEGATIVE THINKING and close to the heels after dumping that NEGATIVITY, we are encourage to practice GRATITUDE.  To quote psychologists, when we are GRATEFUL, FEAR DISAPPEARS AND ABUNDANCE APPEARS.  And WHEN you think of everything you have, you begin having MORE.  And that's the LAW OF ATTRACTION in action.  WHAT explains the network of Bill Gates to constantly gallop in quantum numbers through the decades?  And WHAT explains the streak of successes by Elon Musk?  Theirs cannot and should NOT be attributed to simply a streak of luck or that alignment of the stars [which is nothing BUT  a figment of our imagination].  Instead, let us think WHAT you want most in life.  WHAT kind of person you wannabe???

Our takeaway:  Let us get embedded in our mantra the MUST-DO to unlock our POTENTIALS by turning around all 'SHOULDs' into 'MUSTs' and in parallel, creating that ultimate belief in yourself.  Fast-forward, somebody said, let's use the rocking chair method by imagining yourself, old and gray, looking back life and asked WHAT did you miss?  WHAT are your regrets?  Those are your MUSTs because achieving them is the ONLY way to know that you lived a full and extraordinary life❗❗❗ 

BURNOUTs Are Blessings Too!

BURNOUTs Are Blessings Too!

WHO wants BURNOUTs?  NOT me!  Although admittedly in the past, I did get hit with BURNOUT [as an aftermath of those 2-3 P-1 calls I had to host in the wee hours of [almost] every morning] in the past. BUT, on the flip side, I did pick up realizations WHICH I absolutely value in my life till to date, realizations WHICH I would NOT have picked up from anyone or anywhere else, NOT even from anyone, NOT from my parents, my family, my coterie of friends, mentors or counsellors.  YES, BURNOUTs Are Blessings Too!!!

There is a caveat though.  BURNOUT can be your biggest teacher ONLY IF you are open to it.  Try to pull down all your shutters, you WON'T pick up any lessons from BURNOUTs.  BUT I have to be brutally honest here.  I certainly DIDN'T see my BURNOUT experience as a BLESSING WHEN I was in the thick of it.  At hindsight, I told myself I should have known better.  And I told myself that if I had done better, I could have avoided the fallout of my BURNOUT and prevented the negative impact on others💧💧💧

True, WHEN I did hit rock bottom along those dire straits, I was in that spiral shame for quite some time and it took a while for me to come out of that.  BUT how did I extricate myself out of that morass?  First off, I 'RECONNECTED' with myself.  The very first blessing of my BURNOUT was learning to connect with myself.  BURNOUT taught me that I had disengaged myself and was living through WHAT I thought I should be doing rather than WHAT I needed in the moment💦💦💦

The next realization I did embrace was to LIVE A LIFE through my consciously chosen values.  Leading up to BURNOUT, I was kind of living a life of fear, a fear driven of being perceived by my external clients/customers as 'NOT ENOUGH' .  And to complete the picture, at that time, I was like parachuted into a foreign land, feeling all the pent up pressure to adjust and acclimatize to an entirely new culture, new country😀😀😀

Our takeaway:  If there was one adjective that can aptly described that time I had that scary BURNOUT, I felt like I ran out of SPACE.  Realizing that I needed SPACE, that SPACE to process, I realized I had NO room in my schedule to process the inevitable emotions that come with the work OR even my personal adversities that did transpire in my life then.  BURNOUT did teach me that to do this vital work and thrive in this human life, I had to create SPACE in my schedule for the activities that support my well-being, and that encompassed my basic needs to rest, nutrition, and even socializing and fun. So, this should be a no-brainer, that BURNOUTS ARE BLESSINGS TOO❗❗❗ 

How $$$$$$ Really Works

How $$$$$$ Really Works

How $$$$$$ Really Works.  Most of our problems would solve if we just made some EXtra effort to understand how $$$$$$ really works.  Many times we think $$$$$$ DOESN'T buy HAPPINESS.  True most of the time.  BUT dude, $$$$$$ buys us freedom, right?  And that freedom buys us a LOT of choices, which eventually makes us happy to earn more $$$$$$.  So, $$$$$$ is more about psychology than just numbers.  And the sooner we get to understand this, the faster we are able to take charge of our $$$$$$.  We DON'T need to look far.  Let's look at Tier-1 of society.  The Elon Musks.  The Paul Zuckerbergs.  They DON'T need to work like a donkey all day BUT they have something that puts them aside from the rest of the world📗📙📘

This is WHERE every motivational speaker is 'SPOT ON' when preaching the importance of having a PURPOSE IN LIFE.  Everyone of them will tell us that a LIFE WITHOUT PURPOSE is NOT the right way to go.  And yes, none of them is wrong at all.  In fact, 100% of WHAT they say is really damn TRUE.  BUT it's NOT the easiest WHEN you're struggling to find the motivation that you need to find a PURPOSE💧💧💧

Indeed, it takes a lot to take a step out of your life without PURPOSE to change the way you live and think.  So, WHAT bigger motivation can there be than to tell you all the reasons WHY a life without a purpose is hurting you.  BUT we got to carry on, right?  Because in the first place, a life without a PURPOSE has NO meaning.  Have you ever dreaded a lifeless life?  If NOT, you probably DON'T know HOW excruciating such an existence is.  Imagine 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.  The lack of emotions is nothing to look forward to📌📌📌

Yes, WHAT else you would feel BUT that kind of depressing life WHEN you feel a life with NO purpose.  The long and short of it is that a LACK OF PURPOSE means a LACK OF GOALS.  This means nothing is leading you to an imaginary final destination.  You literally have nowhere to go, you find it absolutely torturous to be on the way, and you DON'T even like the route.  WHY then would you even want to carry on with that journey?  Even if you had goals, WHAT IF they are haphazard?  LIKE one goal contradicts the other.  You're all over the place with NO sense of direction at all.  A life without PURPOSE is as meaningless as this❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  Motivation is a long-lost dream.  One thing that pretty much every human WHO wants to be successful needs is a lot of motivation.  Let's look at it from the perspective that you do have defined purpose in life.  You trust in every way that life leads you to.  WHAT does that do?  It boosts your brain to work harder.  Every step of the way makes you feel closer to your final destination.  This automatically encourages you to perform better.  HOW $$$$$$ REALLY WORKS is perplexing!@#$%?

How NOT To Age So Fast

How NOT To Age So Fast

Frankly, AGING should never part of any discussion OR thread because essentially, AGING is part of our lifetime process.  No choice bro.  BUT WHAT is quite alarming [even for a non-expert like me] is WHEN PREMATURE AGING happens much faster than it should.  And quoting experts on this, let's blame it on numerous environmental and lifestyle factors.  BUT before getting into specifics, there is a widespread consensus that HEALTHY LIFESTYLE habits can help STOP and even prevent further PREMATURE AGING. How NOT To Age So Fast is WHAT matters most to us right now📗📙📘

At this point, we WON'T waste our time listing all the symptoms of PREMATURE AGING, everyone know them well enough.  Instead, WHAT matters most to us is to figure out WHAT are the possible causes of PREMATURE AGING but experts say that in most cases, numerous factors are controllable and even preventable.  And the technical jargon for this is EXTRINSIC AGING.  Topping the list is undue sun exposure💧💧💧

I WON'T get into the specifics but simply put, blame it on the ultraviolet [UV] light and exposure to sunlight.  And dermatologists call this "PHOTOAGING", which then causes approximately 90% of visible changes in our skin.  WHILE the remaining 10% is attributed to the high-energy visible [HEV] and infrared light.  NOW, lets go for the "MORE INTERESTING" causes:

• SMOKING - WHY?  Toxins in nicotine alter your cells
• UNHEALTHY DIET - WHY?  Sugar and refined carbohydrates are the primary culprits
• ALCOHOL - WHY?  It dehydrates our skin over time
• POOR SLEEP - WHY?  Your cells will age faster
• STRESS - WHY?  Your brain pumps out CORTISOL [a STRESS hormone] WHEN you are stressed

So, WHAT can we do to stop OR prevent premature AGING?  No-brainers folks.  

• AVOID SUN EXPOSURE [where possible]
• STOP SMOKING [as in STOP]
• EAT MORE FRUITS & VEGGIES
• CUT BACK on ALCOHOL
• EXERCISE EXERCISE EXERCISE
• LOWER YOUR STRESS LEVELS - that's obvious
• IMPROVE QUALITY/QUANTITY of SLEEP

Our takeaway:  We DON'T need to be at the level of the rich and famous for us to prevent OR stop PREMATURE AGING because they DON'T have a monopoly of this very unique luxury in life.  If techies would preach that GARBAGE IN equates to GARBAGE OUT, this is as relevant when it comes to PREMATURE AGING.  WHAT we do, WHAT we eat, WHAT we practice will dictate WHETHER we will AGE FAST or NOT.  Challenge for you dude💥💥💥

Savoring Everyday Life

Savoring Everyday Life

Is Savoring Everyday Life worth our time today?  I think so, with certainty.  WHY?  Because a plurality of us [if NOT a majority] are NOT savoring life the way it should happen.  BTW, we DON'T need those 'gratitude tools' to be SAVORING life.  Although we do understand that it is challenging to focus on the bright side while living in a fast-paced world and being immersed in an influx of information heavily centered on negative events💥💥💥

And while adversity is part of our humanity, it does NOT mean that there is NO space for brighter things to happen.  Intentionally placing our attention on positive events and prolonging the positive feelings that arise can buffer against those NEGATIVITIES that wreaks havoc in our daily life.  For alignment, let us agree on the definition of SAVORING which, simply put, is appreciating and enhancing positive experiences that occur in one's life💦💦💦

Ooops, even our pet dog does SAVOR the everyday life but for us, SAVORING would refer to both the past, present and future.  And SAVORING itself can happen from different perspectives, namely:

• SAVORING experiences
• SAVORING processes
• SAVORING responses

Our chronic problem is, we have been so pampered and spoiled in life such that for us, SAVORING is equated for the high-impact events, the high-profile experiences, those 'high moments' after romping off with a major plum, a well-deserved promotion OR even winning the Lotto jackpot.  BUT dude, the probability for those samplings are a drop in the bucket.  99% [or probably 98%] of our daily life is peppered with SMALL MOMENTS, and many of them are SMALL QUIET MOMENTS, like enjoying your everyday early morning walk with your partner/spouse, appreciating the aroma of that hot coffee during breakfast OR even waking up with the sun shining out there, ready to give us the sunlight we need in our health.  BUT for us to develop that SAVORING ability, it is imperative that we are able to connect to the present moment, and seek out the freedom from those urgent responsibilities and acquire that mindfulness and awareness of our positive moments😊😊😊

Our takeaway:  For us to appreciate the need to be SAVORING our everyday life, let us drill down on its obvious benefits starting with positive emotions as it can expand our thoughts and behaviors, promote creativity amongst others.  And studies have proved that it counterbalances the experience of unpleasant emotions in stressful moments.  And predictively, SAVORING has been proven to help increase life's levels of satisfaction, happiness and perceived control.  And conversely, it decreases depressive symptoms while even reducing levels of depression and anxiety and in the end, it relates to higher levels of positive life satisfaction.  All because of SAVORING EVERYDAY LIFE❗❗❗

Your Health Is Your BASELINE

Your Health Is Your BASELINE

Can we equate Your Health's BASELINE to your life's BASELINE?  Absolutely.  They run in parallel, akin to Siamese Twins.  NOT to delve into the medical field [because that's NOT my domain], still, I firmly believe in the significance of understanding our health BASELINE and equate that to our life's BASELINE.  Although even doctors declare that every human body is unique by itself, it's primarily because NONE of us eat exactly the same, exercise to the same degree OR live identical lifestyles.  Instead, medical experts enjoin us to determine our personal health BASELINE.  In case you are NOT sold [yet] to the need for our health's BASELINING, let's dissect with reference to WHAT the SME's [Subject Matter Experts] say💦💦💦

Culling from the layman's version from the experts, a health BASELINE is a breakdown of our basic health level [which is gleaned from both BASELINE tests and from analyzing certain aspects in our life].  In many cases, health BASELINEs are used to determine whether you are suffering from one OR more chronic conditions OR if you are at risk for developing chronic conditions in the future.  In many households, I observe a disturbing eerie silence when health BASELINE becomes a topic💥💥💥

Simply put, we are espousing a proactive approach towards establishing one's health BASELINE for one compelling reason, i.e. we want to drastically reduce that probability of someone suddenly falling seriously ill OR worst, fatally losing one's life because of a chronic and fatal illness that sprung out of nowhere.  The past 6 months alone, at least 6 people whom I know first-hand, lost their lives.  And WHAT's their commonality?  They DIDN'T have a health BASELINE and a sudden illness knocked them off❌❌❌

Should this raise the alarm bells?  Absolutely.  Because unless we have the BUY-IN from everyone towards a establishing a no nonsense health BASELINE, these HIGH RISKS will be untenable as there will be little leeway to mitigate them.  And at best, we will end up handling things in REACTIVE mode, e.g. rushing to the medical specialist to report an unusual manifestation, taking emergency medical lab test and diagnosis😌😌😌

Our takeaway:  If one will take this piece seriously today, I would expect someone [reacting within himself] that, HEY IT'S TOO LATE to make a move.  And I won't agree less on that BUT as the old cliche goes, BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.  In short, understanding our body is the very first step towards optimizing our health.  A health BASELINE takes the guesswork out of WHAT can help you feel even better.  Moreover, it can even help you get preventive [and that's PROACTIVE] care before conditions develop OR you end up experiencing symptoms from chronic issues.  Yes dude, establishing your health BASELINE is 'non-nego', dude❗❗❗