Thanks to the power of traditional and social media, never in my life, I have been sucked into following the General Election like this. Even yesterday, a supposed chill-up dinner gathering, turned into a political debate.
This year, GE, will be my 2nd time voting and I finding myself in a deeply concerned situation.
After hearing various rallies online from most parties, I can’t help but to remain worried and equally lost to whom I shall vote when the sacred 7th May arrives.
And I do believe the main reason for my uncertainty is that, I still don’t have a single clue and I didn’t hear, see or feel any parties who can or are offering solutions to completely build the democratic society that we often recited in our pledge. A society that is built based on justice and equality where happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation can be achieved at the same time.
Those reports, write-ups and all the ongoing debate have had all about the good and bad about our current government, its past achievement and shortfalls, and the constant “bombardment” on each other.
Yes, I do hear the need for opposition parties to be in the government in order to build democratic society as mentioned by Mr Chiam and Yes, I do hear about what the government had achieved and provided for us in the past histories as mentioned by the PAP and Yes, I do hear that Singaporean must start to speak out for themselves as the voice of the citizens as mentioned by the other oppositions parties and etc, etc .
But among all that, I have yet to hear any concrete solutions to how can we totally unite the further improvement and its future growth of both the country and its people. I have enough of hearing the promises and solutions beyond the lift upgrading, covered walks, more bus or taxi or plans to reduce the house price and standard cost of living. Aren’t those issues had been going on for years and they are issues that must be attended to, regardless of which parties are going to be in charge.
I believe I need more than that, and I think the rest of the Singaporean should realise that they too should need more than that.
I need to know who can truly and really be the next leading parties that can build a country that can continue to build and sustain a world class government.
I need to know who can create and groom world class citizens that are able to unite as one people that can totally love, care, support and stand for one another.
I need to know how are we going to come together both government and its people to form as a single unit, regardless of race, language, religion and parties to continue to break through challenges and creating new horizons from time to time.
I need to know which parties is brave enough, safe enough, smart enough, care enough, authentic and faithful enough to its people in giving them the best and truly creating a community that all Singaporean are proud and happy to be in.
Yet till now, none of the parties had truly addressed my concerns and had captured my vote. Unless, for the remaining days before 7th May, some parties managed to touch on my needs and concerns, if not, the thought of casting an invalid vote is definitely an option.
Happy New Year People!!! Have a great new year ahead!! I know, I know, it’s kind of late to have that kind of wishes now, especially we are already moving into the month of March of 2011.
Oh mine, that’s means 2 months have already passed and I guessed it is also time for me to post something up once again. The past 2 months for me had been focusing mainly on relationship building, where there were the new year and the lunar new year for us to celebrate.
It was a great 2 months, lots of gathers, laughter and food, to top it up, I went for a Taiwan holiday with my family which needless to say, it was a GREAT Trip! Great Scenery, Great Shopping, Great Company and of cos Great Food that results me putting on 5kg after the trip, yikes! (Better to start excercising I guess. LOL!)
Hmmmm, one must be wondering why am I writing about my activities for the past 2 months with doesn’t have a link with my post title?
Well, just let me continue, I have begin the post by sharing what I have had been doing for the past 2 months were mainly focusing OUT, mainly on relationship, creating great memories for others both during my work and personal time. There was almost “zero” time spent on myself for the new year.
It was only when I had a MSN chat with a lovely friend of mine, where she asked me, “Hey, you been pretty busy running around for others, have you had time to run some stuff for yourself, things like preparing yourself well for all the opportunities and challenges for the new year?”
So, she asked again, “Why don’t we start from our own awareness of ourselves?” and hence, she posted a challenge of the “50 strengths that I know/ don’t know about me” exercise. I thought it was a good idea and at the same time I was wary too, as I thought to myself “Gosh, 50 strengths? Do I have that many?” and to handle that thought, I gave myself the answer that the only way to know is to list it all out, and if I can’t get 50 on my own, I could also asked for more help from people who know me.
So here goes, let’s see how many can I get….
Jones’s 50 strengths are; 1) Creative 2) Demanding 3) Ability to Provide Different Perspective 4) High Awareness 5) High Sensitivity with Iissues Presented to him 6) A Thinker 6) Filial 7) Dependable Good Listening Skills 9) Fast Learner 10) Risk-Taker 11) Courageous 12) Fun-loving 13) Independent 14) Survivor 15) Responsive more than Reactive 16) Neutral 17) A Fighter 18) Resourceful 19) Sociable 20) Friendly 21) Confident 22) High Endurance 23) Ability to Draw Reference to state a Point 24) Helpful 25) Teachable 26) Knowledgable 27) Humble 28) Respectful 29) Problem-solver 30) A Leader 31) A Good Motivator 32) Strong in Holding Context 33) Posses a Good Network of Friends 34) A Good Team Player 35) Keep Agreement and Promises 36) Values Friendship 37) Loyal38) Rational 39)… … 40)… … 41)… … 42)… … 43)… … 44)… … 45)… … 46)… … 47)… … 48)… … 49)… … 50)… …
Erh ok… that’s 38. Thats all I can come up for now. Ha, interesting! Didn’ treally I acutallythink that I can list that many… well, better late then never it is never too late to take notice all that in me.
The question now, that is only my point of view, what I really like to know are whether, my friends see that in me too. Or even, my friends can help me identify the remaining 12 strengths.
So any kind soul out there willing to give me some feedback and help me get to the big number 50??
"There's somewhere else, I should be" "There's someone else, I can see" "There something more I can find" "It's only up to me"
What will be a good song to mark the new start for the new year… As I was searching for such songs on youtube, I came across this singer, Paul Weller.His “Brand New Start” to me fits in perfectly on this new year eve day. Brilliantly written, beautifully sang. Do allow me to dedicate this song to all of you and also my card-creation above as a gift from me to you for the new year. Cheers! Do listen to the song and have a great 2011.
This is it, is the final day of 2010!!! So is it a last day to go after your goals or is it the day to slow everything and use today to really savour the time past. For me, I will choose the latter.
2010 had been a interesting year with lots of incident that been popping up here and there affecting every aspect of my life. From mentoring a group of stranger to success, to a point of sense of lost, to embarking a search of myself, to become an official “Uncle” (my lovely niece was born), to a holiday trip to visit a old friend, to quitting a job that I love, to be a unemployed for months, to watch my fav. football team losing in a biggest competitive final in the world, to getting a job, to face the lost of life of yet another friend, to attend numerous weddings, to be a “brother” for one good friend’s wedding, to getting injured, to losing my physical health, to going out for dates, to making new friends and finding old friends back and many many more. It must be a crazy year!!
I must say, it was indeed a “happening” year but it was quite a challenging year as well. I will not say that I had thoroughly enjoyed 2010, in fact, if I use a happiness scale from 1-10, I think I scored an average of 6 or 6.5. (see chart below).
How happy is Jones??
It was and have been a tough 2010, especially when I compared to an eventful 2009. On 31st December 2009, I could still remember feeling proud and excited for the new year. However, today, I do not feel the same. Happiness and Excitement are NOT the emotions I’m experienced now.
Peaceful, groundedness, calm and even hopeful are the words that can be use to describe the feelings that I am experience right now. Glad is another word too. I really glad that 2010 is coming to an end. I am also glad that my 2010 journey is coming to end. It was tough but at the same time I felt it was needed for me to go through.
I’m always a believer that all things happens for a reason. I believe the reason for me to live through 2010 the way it was, is to prepare me for the bigger things to come in life starting from the very first day of 2011.
I am prepared to put everything in the past, to start everything afresh, be it for health, work and relationship. I have acknowledged my weaknesses and strengths, my fear and desire and my thoughts and my emotions. I am ready after all these years to move on and climb up from my slump and to create the stage that I want to be in. To work hard and to create the love and wealth that I deserved.
Nothing is free in this world, and no one deserved anything for free. We can only get the life we deserved by we working on it. The things I know that is free now, are a chance and a time.
Today, on the last day of 2010, 31 December 2010, is a chance for a brand new start and a time for a brand new year.
So my family and friends, do allow me to invite you to the new year and allow me to wish everyone a Happy New Year!!
Another weekend is going to end, how different is it for you this time round? For me this weekend was a week of self-pampering ha! It had been a long time since I went out to shop and buy stuffs. Well, to some of you it might not be anything special, but for me, it was and it was about rewarding myself ha!! I had been working hard for the past few weeks man!!
Not that I bought a lot stuff, in fact I only bought two items, one was a German brand, Bauerfeind, clinical designed ankle support that’s priced at S$158.00 and an Sennheiser/Adidas sports earphone priced at S$139.00.
Bauerfeind MalleoTrain
Adidas/Sennheiser Sports Earphones
Hahaha, sounds a bit expensive isn’t it? And yes, you are right, I did get some nagging from family members. Yikes! :p
Honestly, I did think it was on the steep side, but then again, I got really tired of buying stuff that was cheap but not lasting!!
Both items might not be essential for some of you and but these two items have been part of my lifestyles for a long long time.
Number one, the ankle support, I need it because of my bad right ankle which has not ever fully recovered since secondary two. Ever since then, I have been wearing an ankle support to my ankle whenever I’m playing sports or running. I have had used and thrown plenty of ankle support over the years. In fact, if I was on a heavy frequency of running, the S$20 something ankle support that I used to buy could only last 2-3 months and then I need to get a new one as it will become loose and totally lost its function. Based on last year, where I was more active in running and soccer, I used up 4 ankle support.
Number two is the MP3 earphone, for this, I have to admit, the wear and tear was mostly due to be the way I use my earphones and I used it everyday! I love listening to music. I like and do enjoy good quality of sound, so a good earphone is a must. So once again, the S$20 something earphone doesn’t last long too, especially when I used it during my runs as well. A pair of those could only last me 3-4 months. This year alone, I had change earphone 3 times!!
SO… enough is enough, is time to try something different and to take a change to put the following statements to test. as they often says “You pay for what you get” , ”一分钱一分货” or even ”好的东西不怕贵“.
So I decided to invest on both items and see if it really does worth the money and see if it can last and provide the support and quality I need and thus relieving me from my agony of the need to getting a new support and earphone after every few months.
And by the way, interestingly, both the Bauerfeind ankle support and the Sennheiser earphone comes with 1 and 2 years warranty respectively, something that the S$20.00 something items doesn’t provide. Ha! so, wish me luck for a long time usage!!
In the beginning of this month, I received an unexpected call from a almost forgotten place that I once set foot in.
The place is an organisation where people can seek for assistance, help and ask for support regardless how old they are or at what stage of their life is. It is also a organisation for people to come and guide, help and give support regardless how old they are or at what stage of life they are at.
It was an organisation where I received help once before where they assisted in my journey of getting my A* for my PSLE Mathematics back in 1993. It was also a place, where I went back 14 years later in 2007 to deliver a character building and training program to students from all over Singapore that were receiving help from this organisation. Till today, they are continuing to give out endless support to ensure that everyone has a place to begin, a chance to re-start and a support to maintain the life they want and sometime deserved.
Me too, had started my own journey with them, and since then, I had embarked various journey of my life and I still walking on yet another new journey of mine.
It is funny and interesting that every path you took, every decision you made and every impression you created would not be gone unnoticed. Someone, somewhere and sometimes, people would remember your action and might intentionally or unintentionally had followed your growth and development.
Another interesting point that I found out was that, sometimes when we either forget the stuff that we did or didn’t think that the stuffs we do have an impact on others. We may have forgot but someone do still remember, and sometimes it is this people that make us pause and make us realised that we have actually come so far to where you are today.
After so many years when I looking back, I realised that where am I today is really not by chance. I am here today is because of all the paths I taken and the decisions I had made in the past both, unintentionally and intentionally. And of course that it is also because of people who are always there who had watched you, supported you and believed in you.
So thank you CDAC – Chinese Development Assistance Council, thank you for inviting and interviewing me and the two other past students, thank you for remembering us and giving us the chance to make us realise that we, to each of our own had came so far to where we are today and making us realise that we still have many of our own journey to travel from here. Thank you. And I promise there will be more new results and journeys to come and be shared!!
Have you ever wonder, why are we doing the things that we are doing? what are we actually doing day in day out? for what purpose are we going through and living day by day? Do you know? Do you really know?
Or ever you wonder, who you will become? What can you become or you don’t have a clue what will you become one day? Are you scared of who you will become or are you afraid of not becoming what you could be? Do you know? Do you really know who you are?
I do and I know , I will become, what I know I am.
Look me in the eyes.
It’s okay if you’re scared,
So am I.
But we’re scared for different reasons.
I’m scared of what I won’t become,
and you’re scared of what I could become.
Look at me.
I won’t let myself end where I started,
I won’t let myself finish where I began.
I know what is within me,
Even if you can’t see it yet.
Look me in the eyes.
I have something more important than courage,
I have patience.
I will become,
what I know I am.
In a classroom or a meeting, when one are shown a glass with water and being asked what do they see? One may answer, “I see a glass with water.” The other might say, “It is a half-emptied glass”, and another might just disagree and say “No, it is a glass that is half-filled.” And sooner or later, the debate will go on and on.
I know the above example might sound old and the metaphor had been used so many time, to touch on the different points of view that people have, or the different perspective that one can choose to see.
To me, understand there are different perspectives surrounding a thing, an item, an issue, a situation or even a challenge is simply not enough. Most people I talked to, understood and acknowledged the presence of different perspectives, however not many know how to make use or even harness the power of perspective.
Most of the time, when one being shown a new perspective, the most common reply I get is” Yar, I understand where you are coming from, BUT… …” The word “BUT” just simply kills off the power of perspective.
The word “BUT”, what it really does is once again re-enforcing the understanding and acknowledging the presence of different perspective. People just accept the presence, instead of questioning and reflecting on the new perspective or even dissecting and investigating what the new perspective can bring and offer to the issue or environment. The word “BUT” just simply brushed the new perspective off.
If one know how to go deep to analyse, reflect, question a new or even own perspective, he/she will be able to access to all the different sensing, thought-processing, problem-solving skills, creativity, values, ideas meaning or beliefs that are made available by the perspective. From there, one can then see, listen, felt and use the most relevant and most useful perspective that is applicable to their life.
By taking those efforts, the process allows one to break away from the myopia-vision and gain access to further understanding, knowledge and wisdom. Thus, allow him/her to create and have choices available for her to choose to deal with certain issues and that is then the real power of what perspective can do. We just need to learn how to really harness it and then use it. But how can we learn?
The good news is that, recently, I was introduced to a new coaching game called “Points of You”. The game was launched in Israel and in a few years, the game had been used around the world by individual and professional coaches around the world.
It is a game that really harness the power of perspectives. The game allows us to enage in the process of going deep into our thinking or perspective where we can reflect and create new awareness and possiblies. Using its beautiful picture coaching cards, interesting short stories and qoutes combining together with its coaching mats, we can discover and explore different points of view on any issues in a safe and fun way.
The other good news is…
I had bought a set of
“Points of You”!!!!
having said that, I’m really happy that I had gained a very power tool that can accompany and guide me through my future. Not only had I played on my own, I had played it with a few of my friends, and most have really gained new insight from it. So over here, I do want to invite you to come, experience and share the power of perspectives with me for you.
“Here come the chance for Jones to tie the score!!! An overhead forward smash!!! and Jones tied the score at 12-12!!!…. and OUCH!!!!!!” “Crack’… and goes my arm and shoulder saying goodbye to each other… …
“Damn” was the first word that come to my mind, and instantly, I knew I had dislocated my arm. Thankfully, my colleagues and friends were quick to react and soon they sent me to the hospital for treatment. (not immediately though, there’s another hidden story before i reached the hospital )
After about 4 hours of saga, at about midnight, I left the hospital with my swollen right shoulder and right arm in a sling, suffering from the aftermath of a dislocated arm and displacement of shoulder plate from a overhead smash shot during a pickleball game.
And do you know what was the “best” part? The whole incident happened on the eve of a long weekend!!!, there’s goes my party night on Friday, my wake board session on Saturday, my soccer match on Sunday and maybe missing out on some other social events. So much so for looking forward to an eventful weekend. Now all the plans have had gone down the drain…..I guessed ”Disappointing” and “Frustrating” are some of the words best described the mood and it pretty much a common reaction for all normal people…
BUT BUT… … since, I’m aware of the difference between Reaction and Response, knowing it, gave me the ability to choose my feelings and follow-up action…
Instead of feeling disappointed and angry, I choose to feel calm and relax. Instead of starting to curse and swear, I choose, joke around and make fun of the situation.
Instead of mourning about the lost of opportunities on those planned events, I choose to look at the other opportunities make possible by the current situation.
So, at this moment because of my dislocated arm, it has created,
An opportunity for me to practise my ability to response.
An opportunity for me to stay present and make new plans for new events and activities for the weekend
An opportunity for me to stay at home to rest and recuperate fully, not only my arm but also my body, mind and soul.
An opportunity for me to catch my DVD movies that I had bought but got no time to watch.
An opportunity for me to finish up the book that I put on hold.
An opportunity for me to do something different like using my left hand to do things (it is actually quite fun to brush my teeth with my left hand, ha!)
An opportunityto experience instense care and concerns from family and friends and be grateful for it.
An opportunity to enjoy mum’s old time nagging on getting injuries from sports and reminded my first injury to my ankle experience 18 years back with the same style of nagging from mum.
An opportunity to share my thoughts and story with you right now.
and of course a great opportunity to discover more about myself, like my tolerance level of pain, my responsiveness, creativity and many many more .
So, I guess encountering an incident might not be that bad afterall…
Hence, people just remember that whenever or whatever ”S%#Ts” happened to you in the future, just take it on. Respond instead of react, and see what opportunities can come up for you. Life will never be that bad once we can be aware and choose!!! So have a great weekend people!!! And I shall dedicated the long weekend as my personal time for growth then. Have fun people!!
(p.s. this blog is typed out entirely by my left hand only, and it took me close to 45 mins to complete this post, guess my left hand is quite capable of doing lots of things too.. .interesting!!)
TWO weeks had past since I graduated from my mastery course and a pretty, sweet young lady then asked me to share my learning and thoughts on mastery about a week ago. And I was thinking why not, since it is true that from the 4 days spent in the course, I indeed had learnt and gained alot… alot… so I’m here to share once again
So after learning so much from mastery, come the question…. had my lifereally changed?
The answer will be a big “NO” but I will answer that question with the following statement, “My life had not CHANGED, it is CHANGING….”
However, the funny thing is that when I have had shared that with people in my life, not many seems to get what I’m saying, they will make comments like ” Jones, you are still the same, you are still working for people, you are still single, and your financial situation is still the same, how can you say that your life has changed?” and I replied, ” You are right, I have not changed but I’m changing.” with a big smile on my face.
All I want to say that, understanding the word “Mastery” is one of the best thing that had happened to me in my short training and personal development journey, and I’m so glad I was given the chance embarked on this journey.
Mastery to me, in my own words, is nothing about the beginning nor is about the end. It is about the present, the moment and about the way we See, Look, Touch, Hear and Taste things in life. It is also about how we feel and what we think about things itself and keep asking and questioning ourselves on what does all this means to us.
Only when we able to do that, we can then create awareness and clarity for ourselves and so as to start embarking on our journey of life mastery. And of course mastery is also about moving forward and getting results in life but the most important is to live the life!
Then again, Mastery is not as easy as it sounds, it requires discipline, awareness, practice and definitely clarity. The aim is not to become an expert or a master but to to BE the expert and the master, where their journey is never ending. In order to do that, we will then have to accept that our journey “had begun”, “had ended”, “is beginning”, “is ending”, “it arriving”, it is not arriving”and it is “going on” and “on” and “on”.
For, me, being in mastery, has so far brought into me lots of calmness, happiness and joy and I’m really pleased that journey is still going on and it will never end. In Mastery, the possibility is endless, and the good part to it, is that we are clear, we then can get to choose and live the life that we want and in the way that we want. Like how, i can choose to live my life in the happiness that i want and doing by the way where I can hold my integrity and pride.
Mastery, can really only happen when one’s self- awareness is there to choose, decide and to create the possibility for everything in our life. So, I hope, people that is reading this can soon, embark on the discovery journey of life called, “Mastery” with me, as you don’t have to do it alone….
Good Listening Skills 9) Fast Learner 10) Risk-Taker 11) Courageous 12) Fun-loving 13) Independent 14) Survivor 15) Responsive more than Reactive 16) Neutral 17) A Fighter 18) Resourceful 19) Sociable 20) Friendly 21) Confident 22) High Endurance 23) Ability to Draw Reference to state a Point 24) Helpful 25) Teachable 26) Knowledgable 27) Humble 28) Respectful 29) Problem-solver 30) A Leader 31) A Good Motivator 32) Strong in Holding Context 33) Posses a Good Network of Friends 34) A Good Team Player 35) Keep Agreement and Promises 36) Values Friendship 37) Loyal38) Rational 39)… … 40)… … 41)… … 42)… … 43)… … 44)… … 45)… … 46)… … 47)… … 48)… … 49)… … 50)… …
) 
so I’m here to share once again
Recent Comments