Stop Waiting!

Stop Waiting!

I'm NOT into poetry but I stumbled across this:  SPRING HAS PAST, SUMMER HAS GONE, AND WINTER IS HERE.  AND THE SONG THAT I WAS MEANT TO SING, REMAINS UNSUNG, FOR I HAVE SPENT DAYS STRINGING AND UNSTRINGING MY INSTRUMENT.  WHAT this means exactly is that WHENEVER you go in search for something, in a way you are implicitly reminding yourself of WHAT is missing.  Dude, we got to Stop Waiting📗📙📘

In simpler words, if you're seeking, you're simultaneously experiencing absence.  Your quest is to fill this void.  BUT hey, that's NOT how things work.  Instead of filling the void of WHAT you lack, you knock yourself further out of balance.  You continue to to experience the lack because you're weighed more heavily in that direction. So, if you're constantly thinking about getting something you want, you're kind of implicitly and simultaneously thinking about your lack, so it grows.  And this is huge and recurring problem because many of us NEVER stop looking for WHAT we want.  BUT is it more 'palatable' if we become an 'embodiment' of it instead.  In the shortest words, let us consider to detach ourselves from the outcome and ENJOY THE RIDE instead💧💧💧

America, the very bulwark of democracy has shown how their educational system have always encouraged students to get challenged very early in life, even setting up job fairs for them to consider those employment lotteries even in school.  In short, they are shown exactly WHAT to do, every step of the way.  And they clarify that it's NOT that the American students DON'T work hard.  BUT what they amplify here is that there's a huge difference between working hard and figuring out WHAT to do for yourself.  And people WHO go through their system never learn to figure something out for themselves.  Instead, they learn that WHATEVER it's time to go to the next level, a mentor shows up at the right time✅✅✅

In our age of corporate careers and lifelong positions, all you had to do was get your first job and then ascend through the ranks at WHATEVER company you choose.  WHENEVER you wanted a promotion, you pursued your boss and asked him WHAT you needed to do.  Thing is, we DON'T live in that day and age anymore.  Instead, we live in 'gig' economies WHERE people in their twenties today will work many jobs or more, WHERE an increasing number of positions are either contractual OR remote OR both.  Instead, in our economies these days, the ability to figure out WHAT you need to do and figure it out yourself, even without a mentor, is WHAT makes the difference between lifelong wealth and even poverty😑😑😑

Our takeaway: By analogy, many of us are like miners trapped in the deep mines of the earth where an avalanche blocks them off from going out and apparently, their only option was to WAIT.  BUT that example is a far stretched hypothetical plot that may NOT even happen in our lifetime.  Instead, we are all guilty if more often than NOT, we get stalled, NOT because our engines conked out BUT because we tend to keep waiting for the 'MORE PERFECT' time before you take a step forward.  BUT how often do we realize that things will be far from perfect and definltely far from becoming ideal. So, before things turn from bad to worse, let us STOP WAITING and instead move ahead with our endeavors💦💦💦

Turning IDEAS Into REALITY

Turning IDEAS Into REALITY

How many times you were 'cooking' an IDEA in your mind?  Surely, it's a zillion times.  That was the bonus question.  Now for the challenging ones.  WHAT's the 'SUCCESS PERCENTAGE' of those IDEAS turning into REALITY?  Surely, that's a damn super-duper tough question.  At work, HOW many times have we heard someone blurt out "THAT'S A GREAT IDEA".  BUT we run a full circle and ask the same question.  WHAT's the 'SUCCESS PERCENTAGE' of those IDEAS turning into REALITY?  Surely, it is a very minuscule number, which, WHEN rounded off, will turn out to be an extremely negligible number to even talk about📗📙📘

And those harsh realities are NOT far different even at the workplace.  That explains WHY at the workplace, once commitments have been secured [both executive support and financial] for a possible project, it gets stamped as a new project and a project manager gets assigned.  NOW, here's a bomb about to be dropped.  Do we know that, on average, between 20-60% of projects are considered unsuccessful based on basic criteria like budget overruns, missed deadlines or failure to meet the project goals💚💚💚

In short, WHAT's the prognosis?  First off, WHY do IDEAS remain as such?  WHAT typically happens?  Most of the time, NOTHING, to be blunt about it.  Many great ideas remain dormant because people either DON'T have the courage, resources, time and/or money to take action.  And If I may add another crucial variable, it's WILLPOWER.  BUT let's step back.  Assuming approximately 50% of IDEAS do take off, WHAT happens next❓❓❓

Unfortunately, for those eventually taking ACTION, most are unprepared to say the least.  And they end up finding themselves spending their valuable time and money on a dream that simply goes astray.  BUT to put things into perspective, converting an IDEA into a reality [regardless of the required budgeted time + money] is never an easy task.  Just last week, WHEN on the fly we thought to catch fresh air in the countryside, I had to scramble for all the logistics [including finding the hotel with the amenities we need]💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  I remember this quotable quote.  'GIVING IDEAS LIFE' is akin to giving birth to a child.  You must own that singular responsibility regardless of the circumstances at hand.  NO one will ever understand your idea OR the dynamics associated with it like you do.  In that regard, you are on your own and the journey will require you to learn about yourself more than anything else.  As the old saying goes, "IF IT WERE EASY, EVERYONE WOULD DO IT".  Time to TURN IDEAS INTO REALITY, dude😁😁😁

Downtime = Uptime?

Downtime = Uptime?

Does Downtime equate to Uptime?  Me thinks that way from a specific perspective.  And I'm referring to planned DOWNTIMEs.  That explains why all infrastructures with sound management would always include scheduled preventive maintainance a.k.a. DOWNTIME.  If machines and infrastructures need DOWNTIME, we humans are entitled to it as well📗📙📘

'Tis true, we all know that just leaving our work premises DOESN'T stop our mind from racing.  Our brains just happen to be constantly working BUT there's a huge difference between the kind of work we do for money and the way our brains work to support us in our daily lives.  This explains why all experts say that DOWNTIME is crucial to a balanced life and a productive workplace💧💧💧

So, the bigger question is HOW do we make that tough switch once you call it a day at work?  And WHAT activities should you try to give yourself a break?  Experts tell us that the answers lie in neuroscience.  So, WHAT do experts tell us as regards the impact to our brain WHEN we get stressed at work?  WHAT's tricky here is that when we need some DOWNTIME, how can that possibly be if neuroscience tells us that our brain is NEVER NOT WORKING [even when we're asleep]💥💥💥

Let's look at real-life scenarios like scrolling through Instagram, chatting with a friend, and taking time for your hobbies all require brainpower BUT here's WHAT experts are intervening.  They can also your brain rest from work because the required effort is different.  They advise us that intentionally taking BRAIN BREAKS from work can help our brains do the repairing and restorative activities it needs to do that will ultimately help us function better💦💦💦

Our takeaway:  WHAT the neuro-scientists are telling us is that a real DOWNTIME is a 'TRUE BREAK' where there is an absence of responsibility and the pressure of DUE DATES and TIMELINES.  BUT we know that the truth is, it's NOT an easy time to carve out BUT it's necessary to have some time in your day WHEN you're NOT thinking about WHAT needs to be done.  And HOW you spend the time you have in that zone is up to you.  YES, DOWNTIME=UPTIME😀😀😀

Containing FAILURES in Life

Containing FAILURES in Life

News flashes.  Breaking news.  There's more news about FAILUREs than any other stuff. Yet, many of us talk about FAILUREs in the past tense, like it's somehow okay to discuss once we have transcended, made meaning, and are back on the come up.  BUT let's face it.  WHEN you get hit with a FAILURE in life, it can be difficult to feel motivated and identify the meaningful messages we are intended to learn, probably mostly because we are too angry, exasperated OR call it 'broken hearted' to look for them.  Feeling like a FAILURE in life even seems to be energy-consuming and it takes many forms and shapes.So, it seems, the only guarantee in life is that we will, in fact, FAIL.  We will do so separately and when FAILUREs compound, it can feel like tje Earth is crumbling down.  Containing FAILURES in Life📗📙📘

I'll volunteer myself as to how my past FAILUREs did look like to me.  Imagine when either you're financially strapped, given the pink slip by HR, missing a promotion, getting ghosted, [and I'm guilty of this], breaking diet, going through separation [coupled with anxiety], standing by WHEN you wanted to stand up, failing to complete a major goal OR just a daily task list OR doing everything right BUT still losing WHERE it seems to count OR something you poured time into coming out all wrong, just one too many shortfalls💦💦💦

BUT rather than sulk in the corner, let us peruse the merits of FAILURES because in the first place, there is merit in trying.  If you have FAILED, the underlying truth is that you must have tried to be in that position.  The fear of FAILURE runs so deep that many people choose NOT to try just to avoid the possibility of FAILING.  And if you have found yourself feeling like a FAILURE, then it means you summoned the courage to do something hard.  And do remember that same courage hasn't disappeared just because it DIDN'T work out the way you hoped.  Instead, celebrate your willingness to try and note that this is the same spirit that will fuel you as you move forward and try again OR try something new💧💧💧

Oh, NOT to forget, FAILURE humbles US if we DON'T give it too much power.  If we give our FAILURES too much credit, we tend to memorialize them as predictors of future inevitable FAILURES.  It's AS IF by FAILING at something in life, you can never succeed in that area again.  In the end, we tend to catastrophize our FAILURE, then widen its scope and turn a single moment in time into a self-fulfilling prophecy we tend to replay😀😀😀

Our takeaway:  At the end of the day, WHAT'S done is done.  Reliving our FAILURE moment serves nobody, seriously.  "WOULD'ves", "COULD'ves", and "SHOULD'ves" rush through our minds as we consider all of the ways things could have turned out differently, if only.  BUT the truth is that the time we spend in this place of unnecessary replay could be better spent working to take full ownership of the parts we had control over that led to the FAILURE.  This is all about CONTAINING FAILURES IN LIFE 💥💥💥

You GET What You GIVE

You GET What You GIVE

I believe this is the most effortless one-liner we can raise because by itself, this puts to rest by stating the obvious.  Having said this, you might blurt, WHY bother to have this as our thread for today?  Simple.  You GET What You GIVE has been given lip service more often than NOT.  As much as we all hue to it, in real life, it DOESN'T consistently happen.  If at all, sporadic and random GIVES is the best frequency📗📙📘

As we hear this often, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SOMETHING FOR NOTHING.  That old way, old school of thought that other people will help you OUT OF PURE BENEVOLENCE, may be manifestations of our surefire sign of immaturity, to be blunt about it.  We just need to dump that out of the window because in life, relationships thrive WHEN each person gives of themselves to others.  Personally, I witnessed this evolution of human relationships through the years💧💧💧

Through the years, as part of my maturity, I grew to have a much better understanding as to how relationships worked BUT admittedly, I still lacked the requisite self-awareness necessary to provide some value in return to the person giving to me.  NOT surprisingly though, it seemed quite sudden, the kind of 'breaks' and opportunities I was used to receiving seemingly began to 'dry up'.  And then, during those times, I started to wonder, WHY?  Indeed, those were quite harsh lessons for me to understand how the 'WORLD WORKS'.  Fast-forward to today, as we look at ourselves and living the life we desire, let's humbly ask ourselves the question:  WHAT VALUE CAN WE GIVE TO OTHERS [with NO STRINGS ATTACHED, please]???

Frankly, it should be a no-brainer for us all that RECIPROCITY in relationships is the mutual exchange of energy and/or support between people.  Obviously, there are different types and levels of RECIPROCITY but let's NOT discuss from a business or commercial perspective BUT instead limit it within personal relationships.  To quote the late famous singer John Lennon:  WE'VE GOT THIS GIFT OF LOVE BUT LOVE IS LIKE A PRECIOUS PLANT.  YOU CAN'T JUST ACCEPT IT AND LEAVE IT IN THE CUPBOARD OR JUST THINK IT'S GOING TO GET ON BY ITSELF.  YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP WATERING IT, LOOK AFTER IT, NURTURE IT💥💥💥

Our takeway:  WHEN we hear people speak about values like consistency, hard work and perseverance, they speak of these things because these are the attributes required for us to continue honing, cultivating and even elevating our talents in use of your unique gift.  And WHEN we fail to do so, we end up doing more than just damage to our future prospects.  WHEN we let down others, WHETHER we realize it OR not.  WHY?  Because our own talents are MEANT TO BE SHARED.  Chances are, your talent is likely NOT your words-to-minute ratio of the speed and precision with which you send out a text [SMS] message.  At the end of the day, YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE, dude😀😀😀

Those 'TINY MIRACLES'

Those 'TINY MIRACLES'

WHO DOESN'T believe in MIRACLES?  I do.  I do.  I do.  NOT because everyone loves MIRACLES.  BUT it's because I have been the fortunate recipient of those 'TINY MIRACLES' which very few in us believe, if at all.  BUT, how hard is it to sway and convince everyone that TINY MIRACLES are NOT just a figment of one's imagination?  These are REAL DEALS because they happen.  And as a personal attestation, TINY MIRACLES have happened in my life through the years.  NOT because I am pious [because I'm NOT] BUT because I am one WHO will never miss out to appreciate every single tiny thing, even if it is a single drop of drizzle on a scorching summer.  OR even one short gulp of water WHEN I am so damn thirsty and there's NO water anywhere📘📙📗

My grabbed posters here may look redundant BUT please allow me to do so, if only to accentuate that in our daily life, there will always be TRYING TIMES and worst, many times, those TRYING TIMES can lead us to frustrations or worse, even failures.  BUT should we just sulk in the face of all the frustrations OR worse, those failures?  HOW about asking ourselves, 'WHAT WENT WELL TODAY?'  By asking that inquisitive question, it becomes a positive way of looking at things.  It's akin to looking at a glass with half-water as HALF-FULL instead of HALF-EMPTY.  BUT, HOW often do we recognize a glass as indeed HALF-FULL [even in the midst of challenges we face in life]?  Maybe rarely, if at all💧💧💧

In short, NOT to overblow up things BUT in our daily life, there are many more TINY MIRACLES and this is all about opening  ourselves up to seeing those TINY MIRACLES.  In my case, in the past [and till now], I would look for them and focus on them to help me cope up.  Seeing WHAT's going well and finding the GOOD points us in the direction of GRATITUDE.  And GRATITUDE is a huge factor in living well and in our well-being💥💥💥

More importantly, it is our very coping tool that DOESN'T take away the bad BUT instead, it makes it bearable.  So, HOW do we build that 'MIRACLE' muscle, our muscle that can flex toward the things that are going well?  Sadly, we CAN'T see a miracle now if we're worrying about the future OR all the WHAT IFs.  As the literary prose goes, THE FLOWER IS OPENING NOW TO ITS FULL BEAUTY.  TAKE THAT AND HOLD IT.  Let us be present, FOCUS on the HERE and NOW.  We tend to miss out on the FULL now if we're in the TOMORROWs.  WHEN we're in the shower and focusing on the hot water feeling so good as it's streaming down on us, we appreciate having it✅✅✅

Our takeway:  Let's take the cue from psychologists WHO encourage us to write down a few things you're GRATEFUL for to train your mind to bend toward a more POSITIVE bias.  It can be the seemingly smallest and most ordinary things in life.  It could be just a mug of deliciously aromatic coffee OR a conversation with a good friend.  WHEN seeing a rose, do you home in on the beautiful flower OR the prickly thorns around it?  Recently, I drove out 4 to 5 hours to have a whiff of fresh countryside air and on the way home, our host [WHO was financially strapped] handed us small quantities of token foodies.  As they say, IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS.  That was the latest TINY MIRACLE I am blessed to receive😀😀😀

Sometimes, CORRECT Decisions Are UNPOPULAR Decisions

Sometimes, CORRECT Decisions Are UNPOPULAR Decisions

Regardless of your calling or vocation, from the time you wake up, experts say that on average we have to make around 35,000 decisions PER DAY, whew!  Assuming people spend around seven hours per day sleeping [and thus, blissfully DECISION-free], that makes roughly 2,000 decisions per hour or one decision EVERY two seconds, whew!  So, can we agree that we have a recurring challenge at hand wherein sometimes, CORRECT Decisions Are UNPOPULAR Decisions📗📙📘

Early in my career, I [absolutely wrongly] thought that a great DECISION was one that attracted widespread approval.   When my expat bosses and even my colleagues smiled and nodded their collective heads, it reinforced [at least within myself] that I was 'spot on' in my DECISION-MAKING.  BUT here's the BUT.  As time wore on, I saw the fallacy of my approach.  Seeking broad consensus requires considerable compromise to incorporate each person's perspective.  The eventual result is a DECISION that is the lowest common denominator, a choice that everyone can live with  BUT no one is really happy with💦💦💦

Worse of worse, consensus-seeking is almost always excruciatingly slow, and the higher up a leader does climb, the less often they are afforded the luxury of time.  Through my years with global and MNC entities, I was often asked to make quick and critical decisions in response to sensitive events wherein the bottom line was NOT to miss out our contractual commitments to our 'encircled' super-valued clients.  After making such DECISIONS, I would do a personal 'post-mortem' and since many DECISIONS were made under pressure, I felt they were 'GOOD ENOUGH' if no better.  BUT to me, 'GOOD ENOUGH' is, honestly based on my stringent standards,  NOT GOOD ENOUGH❎❎❎

Key thing here is HOW to minimize conflict WHEN making unpopular DECISIONS.  WHEN the Covid-19 pandemic hit us all, the typical decisions of leaders have gone overboard, way beyond the conventional areas of expense budget and staff training.  Suddenly, thrown into our laps were DECISIONS about masks, vaccines and testing.  In short, the types of DECISIONS we are making have a broader impact😐😐😐

Our takeaway:  Times have changed way too fast, from complicated to extremely complicated cases.  WHETHER our decisions are for our family OR our organization, we are not shielded from grappling with DECISIONS that even touch on an employee's possible autoimmune disease.  HOW do we then support our family especially when a family member, like a parent at an advanced age, needs your attention?  WHEN do we make exceptions to the rules we agree upon?  Given these realities, it's NOT surprising that those affected by your DECISIONS are more vocal in expressing their opinions and pushing back than in the past.  So, sometimes, CORRECT DECISIONS can be UNPOPULAR DECISIONS❕❕❕

When Was The Last Time You Were 'ON A ROLL'?

When Was The Last Time You Were 'ON A ROLL'?

When Was The Last Time You Were 'ON A ROLL'?  For alignment, let us do a lookup with Mr Webster's definition wherein it means it refers to that process of rolling, just like the wheels [and NOT a bread-roll].  In short, it means moving forward, with a 'streak of success' or an intense activity.  It can also refer to a period of GOOD LUCK or GOOD PROGRESS.  So, back to my question When Was The Last Time You Were 'ON A ROLL'?  Which reminds of this blonde joke from Quora.com posted by Lucia B.  A blonde sits down on a plane and starts to read a book but the guy next seat won't leave her alone.  Then he asks, LET'S PLAY A GAME.  I'LL ASK YOU A QUESTION, IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER, YOU OWE ME FIVE DOLLARS.  THEN YOU ASK ME A QUESTION AND IF I CAN''T ANSWER, I OWE YOU A THOUSAND DOLLARS.  And the blondie says 'OK'.  Guy starts "WHAT'S THE DISTANCE FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON?"  Without a word, the blondie hands him $5.  She then asks, "WHAT GOES UP THE HILL ON 3 LEGS AND COMES DOWN ON 2 LEGS?"  Guy gives up and hands over $1,000.  Blondie accepts and keeps it in her purse then resumes reading her `book.  The guy asked, "HEY WHAT's THEN ANSWER?"  Without a word, the blondie opens her purse, takes out $5 and gives it to him📗📙📘

And although Physics has never interest me, I remember Newton's first law of motion which states: AN OBJECT AT REST REMAINS AT REST.  AN OBJECT IN MOTION REMAINS IN MOTION AT CONSTANT SPEED AND IN A STRAIGHT LINE UNLESS ACTED ON BY AN UNBALANCED FORCE.   Obviously, he was talking about Physics here but in productivity, people WHO spend time thinking about more efficient ways to get things done have started applyiing his wisdom.  Indeed, this is when you're ON A ROLL💧💧💧

So, WHEN was the last time you were ON A ROLL?  It could be as simple as you started doing 'spring cleaning' at home, till you end up cleaning up the garage, then going over to your garden till it was sunset, till next day.  In life, we need to increase our awareness and frankly, why DON'T we consider applying Newton's law on productivity.  Some researches covered as to how adapting a mindset of getting into and staying in motion can help us to be more productive.  And the studies advise that the trick ISN'T staying in motion BUT getting into it💦💦💦

Heeding the advice of experts, they encourage the "TWO-MINUTE RULE", that practice of immediately doing something if it will take two minutes OR less.  If an email comes in, respond to it right away.  If you need to take thrash out, do it the minute you notice it.  if you have to cancel an appointment, call that very second.  Getting into the habit of doing smaller tasks immediately can help you build momentum.  Yes, IT WORKS FOR ME💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  How IT WORKS FOR ME?  Through the years, I 'front-load' my to-do list with simple tasks instead of option for that 'eat the frog' approach, which calls on you to do your biggest and most demanding tasks first.  True, sometimes I commit hiccup with my task management from time to time but that's far few and in between.  So, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE ON A ROLL, dude😀😀😀

When Do You 'TURN ON THE JETS'?

When Do You 'TURN ON THE JETS'?

So, When Do You 'TURN ON THE JETS'? When your country's defenses detect an aerial intrusion?  And that's the time you SCRAMBLE THE JETS?  The answer for this question is a firm AFFIRMATIVE.  YES and YES, you SCRAMBLE and TURN ON THE JETS at the earliest detection OR even suspicion of a territorial intrusion.  BUT how is it in our personal life?  When Do You 'TURN ON THE JETS'? Is it WHEN your back is against the wall?  Is it WHEN you're up to an emergency situation???

So, WHEN do you exactly kick the sands to the get the most out of your life?  MAYBE you aspire to do a satisfying work that will allow you to gain a head start?  OR MAYBE you're looking for a fulfilling relationship that will bring you that elusive joy in your life?  OR MAYBE you've been dreaming to be fit and healthy and YET you have hardly inched even for an inch of progress?  OR MAYBE you're hoping to eliminate a personal stress that keeps on draining you day-in day-out???

Instinctively, we would think that our problems could be fixed if there was MORE of that one thing in your life.  MORE of WHAT?  MORE money?  MORE things?  MORE food?  Simply MORE?  BUT if you just CAN'T pinpoint WHAT it is exactly BUT you do know that you want MORE of something in your life, it could probably be a case of instincts being OFF.  Boiling it down leads to one thing:  PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF LIFE!@#$%?

RULES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN - decades back when I was taking a huge leap of faith by flying off to Singapore and explore the job market [and yet, tendering my resignation from my local job, for courtesy sake], I DIDN'T mean to break my country's labor laws BUT at that point, I told myself, NO WAY JOSE, I just WON'T like to curtsy because while my country's labor laws require foreign-bound workers to register with the agency, at that point, I was NOT yet a full-fledged foreign-based worker.  So, WHY should I💥💥💥

WHAT were my other 'triggers' that pushed me to TURN ON THE JETS?  First off, I knew that I was INFERIOR to no one.  Others may have more powerful brains BUT I kept reminding myself that they were NOT blessed with a skill set that I myself COULDN'T develop.  So, do you really think that successful people got WHERE they are today by sheer luck?  No sirrrrrrs.  I firmly believe the success stories of today have this singular commonality:  They knew HOW and WHEN TO TURN ON THE JETS😀😀😀

Stop Wasting Our LIfe!

Stop Wasting Our LIfe!

No sirrrrrrs, I'm NOT here to pick up a fight.  Instead, I simply want to scratch the surface to subtly remind us all to Stop Wasting Our LIfe!  NOT to insinuate that we're wasting our life.  NOT to imply that you're hooked up with unhealthy hobbies bordering on addiction.  NOT to mean that you're engaging [a.k.a. WASTING] your time on some meaningless [a.k.a. USELESS] activities [because surely, most of us are mature enough to engage in meaningful day-to-day engagements📗📙📘

Thing is, deep down, we are all conscious and aware that we want our life to be meant for something more.  So, it's NOT surprising if sometimes you self-talk and ask yourself, 'IS THIS ALL THERE IS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN MY LIFE?'  Of course, at the outset, it seems idle curiosity.  BUT over time, that innocent little thought starts nagging, starts making you doubt WHAT you're doing in life.  Just a little at first and then, slowly, your doubt gradually creeps and spreads out💦💦💦

Without raising alarms, like a disease, that tends to contaminate all over your thoughts and leads you to question them too.  Until no longer are you so sure about WHAT you're doing OR the choices you've made OR WHERE your life is heading to.  One moment, you thought you were doing OK in life.  And then the next moment, you seem to be desperately trying to shake this scary thought from your head, like:  WHAT IF MY WHOLE LIFE IS A WASTE?  NOT wasted in the sense like committing a crime and spending the rest of your life in prison, NOT that path💢💢💢

Instead, it is that somewhat insidious wasting of a life that takes place over years with many seemingly small, harmless habits and decisions [and sometimes, INDECISIONS!].  And surely, at some point, we will come to realize that that process of WASTING LIFE is so slow and it DOESN'T happen overnight BUT the long-term implications [call it ramifications] will be seriously impactful at some point down the road💧💧💧

Our takeaway:  TIME FLIES and it does FLY in a fleeting manner.  From my university days [when I was moonlighting in office work to be able to financially support myself] till I finally bagged my first 8am to 5pm job, I thought it was fine that I was "PUTTING TIME"  and simply waiting for something BETTER to come and happen.  BUT here's I'll whack myself.  If that's NOT WASTING life, I DON'T know WHAT it is.  So, could the same thing be happening to you?  Are you WASTING your life?  It's never too late dude for this WAKEUP CALL to let you rise from your deep slumber💥💥💥