Taking A STEP BACK Is A STEP FORWARD

Taking A STEP BACK Is A STEP FORWARD

Let's take a reality check.  Sometimes, Taking A STEP BACK can be hard.  BUT more often than NOT, there are pressing reasons to take BREAKS when you need to, to stop yourself from reaching BURNOUT.  And it should be fine to discuss the reasons WHY you're TAKING A STEP BACK.  Thing is, you DON'T even need to pretend to make other people feel more comfortable.  It should be OK to talk openly about your mental health.  Unfortunately, until this year 2024, there is still so much stigma around mental health issues [and maybe there will be some people WHO DON'T understand it all.  Really, it makes sense to to take space to focus on WHAT is and ISN'T making you happy.  WHETHER things in your life are right for you. Be it coming off of social media to protect your mental health, taking some sick pay from work, taking some space from the people WHO are making you feel pressured, it's A STEP FORWARD📘📙📗

Regardless of your situation now, there is absolutely NOTHING to feel guilty for, when TAKING A STEP BACK.  In fact, you SHOULDNT feel guilty OR ashamed of taking time off to focus on your health if you had a broken leg.  Oh Oh, my apologies, I hate that analogy BUT it is true and one of the best ways to open your eyes and realize just HOW you need to UNPRIORITIZE something in order to PRIORITIZE another thing, it makes such action as valid enough.  For anyone WHO needs to take a STEP BACK at the moment BUT doesn't know how, it all starts by writing a note to those you need to STEP BACK FROM.  WHETHER that's your boss, OR your family member OR your partner/spouse, sometimes things can be best said WHEN written down [verbals can create gaps and disconnects, instead of imparting the correct messaging]💢💢💢

BUT before the communications piece gets waylaid, focus on the MAIN REASONS WHY you need to STEP BACK, to TAKE A BREAK.  And make sure the BREAK you're talking is indeed reflective of WHAT you're looking to achieve.  Ask yourself, are you looking to rest?  Then, you better be sure that you will rest.  Are you looking to keep your circle small enough?  Then do communicate with the people in your life to explain your reasons [ghosting hurts!!!]💧💧💧

More importantly, DON'T unnecessarily add pressure onto yourself.  If you're finding something as either too scary OR simply overwhelming at that moment, maybe leave it at that.  BUT if you're NOT ready to talk about it, then that's OK because it's OK to just say you need to STEP BACK to protect your mental health.  Hey, you DON'T even need to justify it yourself.  Instead, LOOK AFTER YOU.  You are the most important person in this scenario and it is absolutely fine to focus solely on yourself.  WHAT we need to vividly remember is that you are important, valid and worthy and more than that, you deserve that kind of space to heal, to recuperate, to rejuvenate, OR to even soul-search💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  TAKING A STEP BACK means withdrawing from something for you to gain some level of CLARITY and understanding of that bigger picture.  And WHEN you take that time to STEP BACK, it allows you to move forward in the right direction.  In effect, STEPPING BACK is your strategic move to STEP FORWARD [at a later point, and it's NOT waving the 'white flag' at all].  At the end of the day, it's ONLY YOU who can make the judgment call that is best for you😀😀😀

When Goals Remain As PIPE DREAMS

When Goals Remain As PIPE DREAMS

Everything in this world we live in have an EXPIRATION DATE.  Even the non-tangibles like relationships, WHICH, unless you nurture and nourish, it will EXPIRE [and die a natural death].  EXCEPT DREAMS.  Yes dude, your DREAM has NO EXPIRATION DATE.  You can dream about all those endless possibilities even with NO clear idea of WHAT the immediate future held for you.  BUT When Goals Remain As PIPE DREAMS???

Through the years, we always hear THAT we should have the courage to go for our DREAMS, THAT we should trust our own instincts, THAT we should follow our hearts, THAT we should be embracing even uncertainty, THAT we should be the first one to solidly believe in our own selves  WHAT happens next, yes we end up following 'to the letter' all these 'THAT' clauses but alas, NOTHING progresses, NOTHING results positively, NOTHING good arises from our honest DREAMS.  WHY?  And that's the thing.  More often, WHEN we try something new, venturing into roads less OR even untraveled, even when we dared to take the risk, it rarely works out as we envisioned.  Alas, WHEN unexpected challenges arise, WHEN things go 'WRONG', it is THAT tempting to tell ourselves THAT we've failed,  THAT we should instead stick to WHAT we know.  Then, that throws us back to the deepest corners of our comfort zone, whew!!!

So, should we just PLAY IT SAFE and leave out our DREAMS only to those WHO have WHAT it takes?  Nope.  Nope.  Nope.  DON'T succumb to such thoughts.  DON'T let those NEGATIVE thoughts and self-doubt bring you down.  Instead, endeavor to keep your FOCUS on your goal[s] and keep going in that right direction.  Meanwhile, ask yourself, WHAT have you learned from those debacles to date?  No, please DON'T react that it's too premature to ask those questions intended as post-mortem???

Let's take real-life scenarios.  WHEN one has been working in an organization and suddenly opts to be self-employed, that is a change akin to a 'tectonic plate' shifting.  And of course, to some degree, you would have anticipated that to be self-employed would be much harder than ever BUT the bigger question, are OR where you prepared for that psychological shift it would take?  Likely NO, right?  If through the years you worked for people and pretty much done WHAT you were told, indeed to be self-employed is a HUGE change

Our takeaway:  A big chunk of things in life will take shape only once you have CROSSED THE BRIDGE.  In retrospect, had you not left that 8 to 5 job and went self-employed, absolutely you would have NOT known that.  And you'd still be working, resenting every moment, wanting to jump BUT NOT daring to do it and always wondering "WHAT IF".  Before things get stalled, CONCRETIZE and PRIORITIZE your dreams, backed up with a TIMELINED CONCRETE PLAN no less❗❗❗

How ASSERTIVENESS Will Help You In Life

How ASSERTIVENESS Will Help You In Life

For many of us [and that included moi in the past], I never gave that much weight on being ASSERTIVE.  I thought it's NOT part of our core communication skill.  BUT hey I'm grossly wrong because experts tell us that being ASSERTIVE is indeed a core communication skill.  Because ASSERTIVENESS can help you express yourself effectively and stand up for your point of view.  So, How ASSERTIVENESS Will Help You In Life???

So, WHY exactly ASSERTIVENESS makes sense?  Before we get mixed up, ASSERTIVENESS is NOT being ABRASIVE.  On the other hand, ASSERTIVENESS is based on mutual respect.  First and foremost, being ASSERTIVE shows that you respect yourself because you're willing to stand up for your interests and express your thoughts and feelings.  It also demonstrates that you're aware of others' rights and willing to work on resolving conflicts.  BTW, being ASSERTIVE means NOT being PASSIVE😀😀😀

Let's face it.  If your style is being that PASSIVE or NON-ASSERTIVE, you may seem to be shy OR overly easygoing.  You may routinely say things such as "I'LL JUST GO WITH WHATEVER THE GROUP DECIDES." True, with that kind of stance, you tend to avoid conflict.  BUT WHY is that a problem?  It's because the message you're sending is that your thoughts and feelings AREN'T as important as those of other people💧💧💧

In essence, WHEN you're too PASSIVE, you allow other people to ignore your WANTS and NEEDS.  ISN'T that off-track?  Let's take a real-life scenario.  You would say YES [without any resistance] WHEN your colleague asks you to take over a task OR deliverable [EVEN IF you fully know well that you CAN'T take more workload anymore].  True, your intention may be to keep the PEACE [BUT AT WHAT COST?]???

Our takeaway:  The assumption that being PASSIVE saves you from more trouble OR conflict is an age-old fallacy.  WHY?  Because your PASSIVE behavior OR attitude could even lead you to stress, resentment, seething anger, feelings of being a victim, desiring to exact revenge, OR worst, doubting OR questioning your very own judgment.  NOW, WHAT if you're AGGRESSIVE?  You may come across as a bully WHO ignores others' needs, feelings OR opinions.  You may think that being AGGRESSIVE gets you WHAT you want.  BUT that comes at a cost.  Our takeaway:  Being ASSERTIVE is the way to go, NEITHER being PASSIVE NOR AGGRESSIVE💥💥💥

[ADVISORY ALERT] AI Scam Is REAL!!!

[ADVISORY ALERT] AI Scam Is REAL!!!

AI Scam Is REAL!!!  YES it is.  Departing from our insightful threads, allow us to share this ADVISORY ALERT we received from numerous major newswires as to WHY AI SCAMS are indeed REAL!  Yesterday, two potential AI voice scams were averted, thanks to the awareness + consciousness of the prospective victims, an executive of Microsoft and the Founder of Y Combinator. How they averted is WHAT we'd like to share in this ADVISORY📘📙📗

Sam of Microsoft apparently was alerted by an account recovery request which he just ignored.  30 minutes later, an incoming call from a caller tagged as "GOOGLE SUPPORT".  WHAT he did was to IGNORE that call again.  Soon after, he received another alert from "GOOGLE SUPPORT" and this time he picked up the call [and it was a legitimate call from GOOGLE SUPPORT, asking if he travelled to Germany recently and when he said NO, he was warned that someone has been accessing his GOOGLE account from Germany the past 7 days [and even downloaded some data from his GOOGLE account], whew!@#$%?

Think about it.  WHAT IF Sam picked up the earlier scam calls?  God knows WHAT could have happened next.  Garry Tan, the Y Combinator Founder, ended in a similar scam, having received a call fro "GOOGLE SUPPORT' claiming that they had Tan's death certificate WHEN he was very much alive.  After that confirmation, Tan realized that last bit was a real scam as he noted that the ACCOUNT RECOVERY request was fraudulent❌❌❌

Now, the question is, WHAT happens if an UNKNOWN caller is displaying a number.  Should you right away pick it up?  NO sirrrrrrs.  Let that be a missed call and the NEXT THING you need to do is 'google search' that number because if really it is indeed a legitimate one, that '1-800-NNN-NNNN' number will show that it's a number of a financial institution or any other legitimate company.  And if MR GOOGLE fails to successfully search, it should alert you that someone is SPOOFING that field.  You can guess WHAT happens next😖😖😖

Our takeaway:  Much as we're all welcoming these AI technology advances, let us remain cautious IF NOT skeptical OR cynical about all these.  Two days ago, we received alert that 2.5 billion GMail users were alerted for an AI hack [again with scammers pretending to be 'GOOGLE'].  BUT here's a final reminder to us all.  GOOGLE will NEVER as in NEVER call you except/unless you have a premium business account [which is a paid account with GOOGLE].  Even then, GOOGLE has multiple LINES OF DEFENSES.  So, please be conscious that AI SCAMS ARE REAL❗❗❗

Being On The Same Page

Being On The Same Page

Ooooops, no sirrrrs, I'm NOT inciting domestic violence for our thread today, NOT AT ALL.  Instead, allow me to harp on this very old cliche: BEING ON THE SAME PAGE as this has been one of the most recurring ROOT CAUSE of arguments, conflicts, quarrels, squabbles, tiffs, and even crisis in life, WHETHER it's in our personal life, at work OR even in our commercial forays.  NOT so surprisingly, without complicating this thread, we DON'T even need to pick each other's brain to figure out the antidote to NOT being ON THE SAME PAGE📗📙📘

Much as we want to look the other way around WHEN we're NOT ON THE SAME PAGE with another party [he/she could be your bff/bestie, your boss, your partner/spouse, your business associate, your valued client, name it] BUT all these share that 'common denominator' of NOT being ON THE SAME PAGE.  And without being embroiled in semantics, let's 'drill and dice' things here.  Regardless of the perspective, more often, it boils down to that existing relationship between two parties.  And obviously, we yearn for that ideal relationship that is balanced and equitably fair WHERE no one seems to be 'short-changed'!@#$%?

To grab and grip the bull by its horn, let's incisively look into one-sided relationships as typically, it is characterized by one person or party investing more ENERGY + EFFORT into making the relationship work.  In that 'imbalanced' dynamic, one person puts in more TIME + EFFORT OR he ends up with less control.  You might ask, WHAT'S THE FUSS?  The problem with that one-sided relationship is that it can be draining and challenging to sustain over the long haul, contrasting it to healthy relationships characterized by mutuality in honesty, trust and commitment, all rolled into one✅✅✅

BUT let's qualify, though, that NOT all one-sided relationships mean one person is being taken advantage of BUT this situation often indicates a problem in communication OR compatibility between two people OR parties.  There's that probability that one partner may NOT feel as strongly about the relationship as the other OR maybe one party ISN'T sure exactly HOW they feel about it yet.  On the other hand, in a healthy and balanced relationship, one would know that he/she can depend on the other party/person WHERE both are ON THE SAME PAGE💧💧💧

Our takeaway:  Being ON THE SAME PAGE is NOT all about relationships, being imbalanced OR NOT.  What becomes an eye-opener here are the ramifications because one-sided relationships can come in various forms and shapes.  It might involve your partner/spouse OR even your boss OR business associate.  OR, it can also involve other interpersonal relationships including parents, friends, work colleagues.  Dude, BEING ON THE SAME PAGE is way above and beyond relationships, in fact💥💥💥

No Time? Make Time!

No Time?  Make Time!

If there's anything we share universally, it is the obvious fact that almost all of us adults LACK TIME.  BUT really?  Between the craziness of holidays, work, school, kids, grocery shopping, marriage and any semblance of social life, HOW can we [as ordinary persons]  be expected to pursue both our small and big dreams that got lost along the way of everyday life?  And HOW are supposed people to enjoy moments of silence with a quiet cup of coffee before the day begins?  YES, the answer to all these questions is right in our pocket, telling us:  MAKE TIME.  YES YES YES, that recommendation sounds easy to say BUT hard to do, sort of.  BUT the nagging question is WHY MAKE TIME?  From a scientific perspective, experts claim that it is scientifically proven to improve one's health.  I myself, I never had an extra hour for an early morning hour-long daily walk NOT until I decided to MAKE TIME.  YES,  No Time?  Make Time!!!

So, HOW can we achieve a 'ME TIME'?  While I did stumble across a lot of 'expert advice', mine are the obvious and practical measures.  

WORK TO LIVE, DON'T LIVE TO WORK - To be blunt and frank about it, it is equally important to recognize the 'END GAME'.  And that 'END GAME' is you need to live a BETTER, HAPPIER life.  BTW, sometimes a petty reminder like this is a 'wake-up' call for you to have that 'ME TIME' 

SET REAL GOALS [regardless if you're in your 40s, 50s, 60s] - To set goals is NOT pegged to your age [How pitiful when I hear 'OH I'M OLD ALREADY, I DON'T NEED TO SET GOALS !@#$%?].  It could be as mundane as reading books, committing to a modest BUT regular exercise regimen [EVEN IF it's just like mine, hour-long daily morning walks every calendar day [regardless if it's a business day, a weekend OR even a local holiday [EXCEPTION is if I need to drive out-of-town]].  

HEALTH COMES FIRST - Sometimes, it seems like putting your HEALTH in the backburner is the only option BUT you need to be diligent about preventive care [and that includes proactive medical checkups [NOT running to the doctor if symptoms begin to surface].

POST IT [NOT in social media] - Get those Post-it notes around your home to constantly remind yourself you got to have a 'ME TIME' and that you will NOT accept an answer/reaction that sounds like this I'M SORRY I DON'T HAVE TIME  

Looking back, it's true we have had clarity in our dreams and even our long-term plans were 'ROADMAPPED' for us to achieve BUT sometimes, thing go awry.  WHAT could go wrong?  Thing is, life happens and before we know it, TIME has slipped away, just like quicksilver running through our fingers.  True, we CAN'T find TIME BUT we can MAKE TIME.  HOW?  Whatever fraction of time you have, protect it so that it does NOT disappear OR dissipate, evaporating in thin air.  Worst than worse, when TIME has slipped through, we CAN'T figure it out as to WHERE did that TIME go OR HOW/WHERE was it spent?  Stating the obvious, TIME is a precious and limited commodity and YET we often feel pressured to give it away WHEN we have the ability to say NO or turn down a request.  True, sometimes you DON'T have a choice [as when your boss tosses you a task that is tagged as 'high priority'

Our takeaway:  DON'T DON'T ever let your obligations dictate HOW you spend the hours of your day.  You are in control of your own time.  Push back WHEN it's appropriate OR tactfully disengage from those people OR situations that tend to submerge your schedule and/or priorities.  I remember attending F2F the Stephen Covey course about the '7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE' wherein at the end of the course, the final pitch was:  IF WE FAIL TO SCHEDULE TIME FOR WHAT'S TRULY IMPORTANT, WE END UP BEING OVERWHELMED BY A SEEMINGLY LIMITLESS NUMBER OF POSSIBILITIES.  NO TIME?  MAKE TIME!!!

That FLOW Of HAPPINESS

That FLOW Of HAPPINESS 

Today, it's three quarters into 2024 so by this time, it might make sense to do a 'CHECKPOINT' for your progress [OR is it NON-PROGRESS?] with regard your long list of New Year's Resolutions.  BUT allow me to bet.  HOW many of you included this curt entry in your New Year's Resolution:  "TO FEEL MORE FLOW"?  I really doubt it.  For alignment, let us reference the definition of FLOW which was dubbed by psychologists as that SECRET TO HAPPINESS.  In technical terms, FLOW is defined as that 'optimal experience' that each of us can incorporate into our everyday lives.   That FLOW Of HAPPINESS📗📙📘

Stumbling across a paper by a panel of psychologists, the first order of the day in that paper was this basic question:  WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE IN FLOW?  Often, people would claim that it is like 'BEING IN THE ZONE' BUT psychologists added something more.  Apparently, WHEN people feel FLOW, they are in a state of INTENSE CONCENTRATION.  Their thoughts are focused on an experience rather than on themselves.  They would then lose a SENSE OF TIME and feel as if there is a merging of their actions and their awareness.  THAT they have control over the situation.  THAT the experience is NOT physically OR mentally taxing either💦💦💦

So, WHAT CAUSES FLOW?  The technical explanation of psychologists is that FLOW occurs WHEN a task's challenge is balanced with one's skill.  In fact, both the task challenge and skill level have to be high.  And we are reminded that we will NOT feel FLOW WHEN we are doing the dishes.  Most people are highly skilled dishwashers and washing dishes is NOT a very challenging task!@#$?  So, the next question is:  WHEN DO WE EXPERIENCE FLOW?  Studies showed that we will experience FLOW in more everyday experiences, even like competitive swimmers, chess players, dancers and mountain climbers.  Others experience FLOW via yoga, by biking, cooking✅✅✅

And with the plethora of technologies we now have, FLOW happens when people use interactive media, like playing video games.  Psychologists claim that games are obvious FLOW activities and play is the FLOW experience par excellence.  So, the next bigger question is:  WHY IS IT GOOD TO FEEL FLOW?  As FLOW equates to that 'SECRET OF HAPPINESS', experts tell us that experience can help people pursue their long-term goals.  That is because research shows that taking a break to do something fun can help enhance one's self-control, goal pursuit and even well-being.  So this explains WHEN we see video game players can hardly hear you, it's because they are very into the FLOW of the interactive media😃😃😃

Our takeaway:  The bottom line is to ask this question:  ARE YOU HAPPY?  And if your initial REALITY CHECK is negative, it means you need to spend extra efforts to improve your resilience in the face of adversity.  Part of this is because FLOW can help refocus thoughts away from something stressful to something enjoyable.  In fact, studies have shown that experiencing FLOW can help guard even against depression and burnout.  Neuro experts even claim that FLOW is associated with the activity in our brain structures.  This explains why when people are so focused on their tasks, it keeps people distracted from worry.  Setting aside medical science, it has become obvious that identifying and building your personal happiness-boosting inner strengths will make us stronger, feel more energetic and even perform at an optimal level beyond normal.  Let's keep this FLOW OF HAPPINESS unabated.  We need this, badly❗❗❗

Just Stop YOLO-ing, Will You?

Just Stop YOLO-ing, Will You?

This ISN'T about YOLO-ing our way into bankruptcy OR questionable life choices.  This is about being present and intentional with one's time.  As the famous legend John Lennon was well quoted, 'LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU WHILE YOU'RE BUSY MAKING OTHER PLANS'.  BUT hey, have we ever thought that this simple quote could totally change the way we view life. Just Stop YOLO-ing, will you?  This may sound quite morbid to say that someday we're going to stop existing BUT this world is going to keep on spinning without you, without us.  NOW, before we spiral into an existential crisis, this apparently very dark realization may in fact be the key to really unlocking another level of living📗📙📘

Let's picture out this NOT so improbable scenario WHERE we're cruising through life, following the 'supposed to be' flight plan.  That typical stereo-typed plan WHERE we graduate, get a stable job, meet a girl, get married, buy OR build your home, buy your first car [even it's a second-hand car for the first time], have kids, raise them, then retire with a gold watch.  Sounds familiar???

NOW, for the kicker.  WHETHER or NOT you're checking off those society-sanctioned boxes, life is still going on around you, and you're probably missing the good stuff, seriously.  NOW, we're NOT implying that you should ditch all responsibility and become a nomadic yak herder up there in the Tibetan mountains [UNLESS that's your style, in which case, go on].  BUT WHAT if you lived life every single day that counted?  And every single moment was a chance to make sometime matter, to connect with others, OR to just simply appreciate the goofiness that life is💧💧💧

Let me share this personal experience.  Years ago WHEN admittedly, I was your quintessential overachiever, with an extremely packed schedule that was set out enough stress to power a small city like Singapore, I was literally running from one F2F meeting to anoter, [way before that Covid-19 pandemic, virtual calls even via Cisco WeBex & Zoom was a rarity].  One morning, I crossed a small park and saw an old man feeding pigeons😀😀😀

BUT instead of getting annoyed, that made me pause WHEN the old man asked me, "ISN'T IT A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO BE ALIVE?"  And the cooing of pigeons with rustling leaves did stoke that quite epiphany, no pigeons harmed, metaphorically.  I then realized I was running to reach my targets and had completely forgotten to LIVE IN THE MOMENT.  I had forgotten to be able to enjoy the small pleasures of life, like the warmth of sunlight on my face.  Admittedly, that day CHANGED me and I realized I just needed to STOP YOLO-ing❗❗❗

What You Settle For Is What You Get

What You Settle For Is What You Get

What You Settle For Is What You Get.  I reckon this is one of the most tweaked quotes ever.  Another version with same context says:  YOU ARE WHAT YOU SETTLE FOR.  Except for 'AOG's [Acts of God] like natural calamities and the force of nature, this one-liner is very very true and super super factual.  And there's even no need to buttress this.  To quote my departed classmate WHO told me this WHEN we were still in high school:  AIM FOR THE SKY, NOT JUST THE TREE-TOP.  You might challenge me as to WHY should this be our talking point today WHEN this is stating the obvious.  Simple dude.  This is as relevant today as it was last century, last decade, last year and yesterday📘📙📗

Before I get whacked here, DON'T ask me if we're wasting our time for this thread?  NO sirrrs trust me we WON'T waste even a second of our precious time because it behooves to dissect as we have been witnessing countless [horror] stories of frustrations and failures.  Do we just turn a blind eye?  OR should we look the other way around?  Our sole intention here is modest enough to be an effective platform💦💦💦

And that intention is to right the wrong, clear up the murkier waters, to increase one's awareness and for those now on that road to redemption, to reinforce so that you DON'T loose that momentum.  True, everyone has to settle for something at some point.  Because you just CAN'T have everything and you CAN'T go on without compromising for your entire life.  Having said this, we SHOULDN'T just settle for less than WHAT makes us contented, happy and satisfied.  No one wants to end in limbo OR purgatory, right???

WHERE things get mixed up is WHEN instead of choosing WHAT we think is [theoretically] the best one out there, you need to know WHAT you really need so that your happiness, contentment and satisfaction follows suit.  Missing out on that one causes your own narrative to turn down south instead of that favorable trajectory that augurs well for you.  True, sometimes we get obsessed with the idea that people can live the lives they want instead of the lives they have.  Can we pause for a moment and examine the disconnect between WHERE people say they want to be and WHERE they are [right now]???

Our takeaway:  To a certain extent, it's true that we almost always want better than WHAT we have now.  That explains WHY we set future-oriented goals.  We strive for those things that are perceived to be missing in our lives.  We work toward achieving those things that we want, WHETHER it be for our better health and fitness, a car, a house OR an enduring and great relationship.  With that said, one too many of us end up settling for less than WHAT we wanted.  WHY?  It's because it is way too easy to get caught up in our struggles.  Even if we're expected to believe that 'MAKING A LIVING' takes precedence over life, I personally DON'T buy that baloney because it's the end that matters.  WHAT YOU SETTLE FOR IS WHAT YOU GET❗❗❗

Let's STOP Building Walls. We Need BRIDGES!

Let's STOP Building Walls.  We Need BRIDGES!

Building trust is of absolute importance in all relationships.  More than that, it is a pillar of of a persons SUCCESS, whether it be in his personal family life, business life OR work life.  The catch here is that TRUST and CONFIDENCE are NOT traits that you have BUT traits that are built, maintained, nurtured, and even protected.  And this is something many leaders have recognized.  NOT to turn this as a piece about religion BUT to quote Pope Francis, Build BRIDES and TEAR DOWN WALLS📗📙📘

And WHILE he expressed it in a religious context, to put it into practice, he suggested writing the names of 20 people you interact with frequently.  Then, with a simple chart, write down how many times you have had positive interactions with.  Then keep that table updated and it will indicate precisely WHEN you are building bridges to TRUST and in case you have forgotten someone.  Then, do the same for people WHO do NOT work in your company BUT who you should keep in touch with💧💧💧

The thing is, we DON'T and CAN'T live alone, even for those WHO want to be forlorn and desolate by themselves.  On a first person account, I know people WHO had everything in life, coming from affluent families, well-bred [and consistently graduated with honors since our school days until university days in our country's #1 top school and he can claim UNPARALLELED SUCCESS in every field and foray he went into.  From being a licensed doctor, a successful painter recognized internationally, an arts advocate WHO championed the 'lost arts' of his country and his furniture-export company was launched NOT just for profit but to wet his appetite for the arts.  Thing is, he wanted to live alone.  Sadly, he succumbed to the Big C after he [ironically] refused pharmacology, for which he was a deemed expert [alongside his family of doctors who own and run their own hospital and medical school]💥💥💥

Fact is, we just CAN'T be alone.  We always need others and we must continually demonstrate that we cooperate honestly with colleagues, even those WHO are NOT always pleasant to interact with.  Please allow me to confess that one criterion I use to assess WHETHER my day was positive OR not is based on this: Have I helped to keep a relationship of TRUST alive.  Have I been generous with my time to help others [BTW, generosity is NOT always financials].  Have I invested my 'TRUST CAPITAL', eroded it, kept it at the same level???

Our takeaway:  Everyday let's ask ourselves, DID I ADD AT LEAST ONE BRICK TO THE BRIDGE?  We have to realize that bridged [IN LIFE] are NOT built overnight.  Instead, they are built over time and gradually BUT they can last forever and they open new roads and possibilities in life.  Let us remember that most opportunities in life are tossed upon us based on the knowledge and confidence that we have built, NOT on how elegantly we have written our own curriculum vitae a.k.a. resume.  Last thing, our reputation will always precede us.  In fact, our reputation is the only thing we have in life. Yes dude, LET'S STOP BUILDING WALLS.  WE NEED BRIDGES 😀😀😀