Soup For Life

Loving Yourself For Loving Others

2011-09-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

Do you constantly worry about your relationship? Do you doubt your partner's feelings for you? Are you withholding love because you're afraid to invest in a relationship you feel may not last? Do you feel suspicious and anxious when your partner fails to meet your demands?

One of the basic tenets of a healthy, loving relationship is "Thou shalt trust thy partner". Feeling insecure about a relationship is not a good sign; in fact, doubt and jealousy can very often kill a relationship even without a third party.

If you're feeling difficulty in trusting your partner, ask yourself whether you even trust yourself. Do you believe in your value? Do you respect and love yourself? Insecurity about a relationship and about our partner often stems from our own insecurity about ourselves.

When we don't love ourselves, we don't believe that we deserve love. That's why we doubt our partner's feelings for us. We think that it's too good to be true. And so we try to validate our suspicious. Instead of investing love into the relationship, we make demands. We rationalize it by thinking that if our partner truly loves us, they'll do whatever we want. But that's not love; that's slavery.

Try imagining things the other way round. How would you feel if your partner kept asking about your whereabouts, about your friends, and what you're doing? How would you like it if your partner kept doubting your feelings for them? How would you feel if every little mistake you made them suspicious or angry? Nobody likes someone breathing down their necks, monitoring and questioning their every word or act.

Trust between partners is essential for a happy, healthy, lasting relationship. But first you have to learn to trust yourself. Trust in your own attractiveness and abilities. Trust that you're good enough to be loved and appreciated and that your partner is not going to run off with some hot hunk or babe the moment you're not around.

You may not even be physically attractive in the popular sense, but a couple stay together for much much more than just physical attractiveness. You have to develop a healthy sense of self-worth in your own uniqueness. There is only one You, so work on what makes you special. Your family loves you. Your friends love you. Your partner loves you. How could you not love yourself?

Look into their mirror today and embrace yourself. This is the only person you'll ever be, so enjoy it. When you're happy with yourself, it shows. Self-love is radiant and attractive. Remember, a happy relationship requires two self-assured, emotionally-independent, mutually-trusting partners.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

The Power of Asking Questions

2011-06-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

You've probably heard the joke about how men can never ask for directions while driving. You know, how they will drive round in circles, hopelessly lost, yet are maddeningly confident about where they're going - "Don't worry dear, I know it's just after the next turn". How they will sooner eat their foot than admit they are lost and consult a passer-by?

Well, I don't know how true this is - only a woman passenger can know. But I do know that in being afraid of asking questions, one loses out on the opportunity to learn something, to improve oneself, to make things better.

Asking questions is an essential way we all learn - after all, a Chinese proverb goes "He who asks is a fool for a minute. He who doesn't ask is a fool forever". But the power of asking questions goes beyond simply asking other people questions. Asking ourselves the right questions can also have a dramatic impact on our self improvement, success and happiness.

Abha Banerjee (known as the Asian Oprah) was on my talkshow recently and shared the 5 essential questions we all should ask ourselves when trying to work through difficult issues:

1. What is the issue? Is it real or imagined?
2. What action can I take to resolve it?
3. What are the resources I can use (media, internet, people)?
4. What results am I anticipating?
5. Was it so important?

The first and last questions are especially useful because we often make events out of trivial issues. Learn what to deal with and what to forget about and let go.

We all experience events that seem too overwhelming to deal with, and there is a great deal of valuable information available to help in these situations. But in almost any situation, no matter how bad it may seem, there is usually something positive that can be found.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Grievances of the Mind

2011-05-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

In life, there will be great misfortunes that require immense effort to deal with. And we sometimes suffer grave injuries that take a long time to heal.

For some of us though, the grievances that exhaust our energy, spirit and time are trivial ones - petty hurts that are really any bites on the soul, yet can cause a lot of physical harm and mental anguish.

Perhaps we find a co-worker irritating. We expect something of our partner and he or she does not deliver. Someone we help turns out to be unappreciative, some insult about our appearance or intelligence is passed, or some reward we think we deserve is denied us.

Our mental tranquility is upset, our work gets affected, we lose appetite and sleep, we sulk and become listless. And because these little hurts are common, they quickly accumulate in our minds, and grow huge and irrepressible from constant brooding.

As a result, we lost many precious hours pondering and fretting over things that have no real bearing on the quality of our lives - things, that in a month, a day or even a second, may matter little, if at all.

Besides, if we take the time to contemplate these perceived trespasses, we will come to realise that most of them only happen in our minds.

Think about the last event, situation or person that upset you. How much of that stress was really just taking place inside your head? How much of it was over-embellishment and loss of focus due to hours of excessive analysis?

Instead of indulging a mind on overdrive, force yourself to distil what's truly stressing you and write it down. What is the thing that upsetting you?

Once you have that written down... ask yourself... is it true? For example, if what your partner said this morning made you question his or her love for you, think about it rationally. Is it really true? Do you absolutely know it's true? How did imagining this "truth" make you feel? How would you be feeling if you didn't indulge this negative thought?

Would you be happier, more loving, more forgiving, more capable of appreciating the good?

I wouldn't go to say that all our grievances happen only in our minds. But most of them do. The next time you find yourself getting upset with something or someone, do yourself a favour. See the truth... don't over-think it.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Managing Disappoitnment

2011-05-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

We often create expectations concerning what we will receive from others, life or even from ourselves. And when we don't get them, as sometimes the case, we are disappointed. Occasionally, when what we want is something we deeply desire, we can be mortally upset.

We can also feel that we've been "had", been "used" or cheated.

We feel this way when things do not happen the way we expected, or more often, when others are not who we expected them to be. We develop expectations, and then feel cheated when we they are not fulfilled.

When we succumb to such emotions, we often give up making any further effort, which stunts our growth. Sometimes, these feelings of "injustice" can lead us to destructive thoughts or behaviour.

In order to manage disappointment, we have to first understand that we are all in a process of evolution and that no one is perfect. It is unreasonable to expect or demand perfection from ourselves or others. We would not be here in this... let's call it "work in progress" if we did not have much to improve.

Have faith in the flow of life. There is a greater wisdom that drives this world... in fact, other "world" as well.

We may never fully comprehend how that wisdom works, but there's no doubt it's here. What we know as chemical science today was once deemed magic or witchcraft. Many of our gadgets today would make us appear like gods to ancient societies. And what we sum up to "positive thinking" or new age hocus-pocus today could one day reveal themselves to be the work of actual brain waves or physiological energies that are perfectly grounded in science and fact.

When we are independent, we need less from others and will expect less from them And when we expect less, we appreciate more. And we naturally experience less disappointment.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Pitfalls to Communication With Your Partner

2011-05-09T14:34:00.000-07:00

It'd be nice if we could read out partners' minds, wouldn't it?

Then we wouldn't have to guess or presume.

Telepathy though doesn't come naturally to most of us, and the inability to see our partner's point often results in many a harmless conversation turning into an unsightly quarrel.

What are the secrets of effective communication? How do we truly get what we want while also giving our partners what they need?

Dr Brenda Shoshana give us the top three communication problems that most couples have, and the solutions to them in their article "The Relationship Saver".

Pitfall number one is communicating to manipulate. Sometimes we communicate solely to get what we want, regardless of whether the person can fulfill the request or not. We sulk, cajole, pout and do whatever we can to make the other person feel bad. This kind of communication, though temporarily effective, has a terrible effect on the health of the relationship in the long run. Give it up, and respect what the other person has to offer. Try and see whether you can meet your own need.

Pitfall number two is communicating to deceive. Needless to say, this is one of the most dangerous kinds of communication as it destroys many relationships. Lies, exaggerations, games, and general deceptions all cause confusion and pain. They shake the foundation of a relationship and eventually cause a deep breach in trust. If this is something that sounds familiar to you, address it, for when you are honest and forthright, you will no longer be willing to accept deceit from others.

Pitfall number three is communicating with double messages. Saying one thing and doing another is a very prevalent form of deceit. This can also take the form of promising something either with actions or words and not delivering. Double messages cause a great deal of confusion. Always pay attention to a person's actions. Actions are always more aligned with the truth than their words. Try and understand people who don't deliver what they promise as they are probably just as confused as you are at their reactions.

Love cannot build a strong foundation when it's trying to set up camp in an earthquake zone. Keep the eruptions to the minimum when possible, talk in love, and be truthful and sincere. Then you will see a relationship being built out of mutual respect of each other's flaws and a gracious partnership based on true knowledge of your other half.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Eliminating Irrational Worry

2011-04-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

Worry has a terrible reputation. It's often blamed for disrupting our peace of mind and robbing us of our happiness. But most of the time, worry gets an unfair bum rap.

After all, if worry didn't set off alarm bells every once in a while, we'd be waltzing blindly into dangerous situations.

Worry is an instinctive self-defense mechanism. It exists to help us avoid trouble. Unfortunately, for many of us, we simply allow worry to cripple us. We allow it to grow into an irrational fear without taking positive action. That's when worry becomes harmful - when we allow it to paralyse us; when we do nothing to counter the damaging stress hormones it produces.

The first step towards eliminating irrational worry is simply to do something! Instead of just sitting around fretting, get up and do something about it. You may not be able to solve the problem right away but by doing something, you're forcing your mind to take its focus off the problem and concentrate on something else. Besides giving you some reprieve, this also releases pent-up energy and exposes you to external stimuli that may trigger ideas for a resolution. So hit the gym, spring clean your room, do the laundry, go for a walk, whatever, just do something.

Next, evaluate what's bothering you from a rational, logical standpoint. If this was something to a friend, what would you tell him or her? Write the challenge down and list the possible solutions. There is often plenty you can do to alleviate the problem, even if you can't resolve it immediately.

Very often, doing nothing is what causes the worry to deepen - the wavering between "Yes" and "No". So examine your options and make a decision. Remember, not making a choice is also a choice and often the worst one of all. So make a decision and move on. We all make mistakes but the important thing is to learn from our mistake and move on as better people.

Whether it's a person, thing or even that's fuelling your worry, confront it head on. Very often, our worries are just products of our imagination and confronting the challenge in question will make sure the ghosts are exorcised once and for all.

So make that phone call, meet that person, do what you fear now.

When we're stressed, our body produces a destructive hormone called cortisol. If not regularly manages, cortisol can lead to several major illnesses. So if something is bothering you, breath! Take a deep breath and relax. Take a warm shower, mediate, listen to soothing music, go for a slow walk, read a feelgood book.

So the next time worry's got you in spin, don't let it push you around. Take charge and take action.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Enhancing Your Effectiveness

2011-04-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

"Time is precious."

"Be thankful for each day."

"Make the most of each moment."

Most of us have heard these phrases and philosophies and on some level, we understand what they mean. Yet, many of us still spend our time like drifting nomads, allowing the weather, availability of resources or whatever to dictate where we go instead of planning our destinations and charting our own routes.

This can happen when we get lulled into the humdrum of modern life.

Especially if you're in a job you don't have a passion for. After some time, you become numb, working purely for the pay and everyday seems to drag on without expectation or intention.

How can we find the spark again and enhance our effectiveness and verve?

Well, make it a habit to make everyday as productive as you possibly can. When you are productive, you feel vital and useful and this is a very empowering feeling. Be deliberate about it. If there's nothing of significance on your to-do list, find something. Decide on one main purpose a day. Make that your priority and make sure you do it. This gives you the feeling of always moving ahead.

In life, we will sometimes be called on to perform tasks we wouldn't normally find engaging, but put your heart into them anyway and you will be surprised at how interesting and satisfying they can become. Rather than sighing your way through another routine assignment, try looking out for something different, something hidden in the details. Try doing just a bit more, asking a few more questions, giving a little more value. You'll probably discover a lot of value you never realised was inherent in the task before!

Opportunities are present every day... at every moment, even. You only need to look out for them. Most of us are so used to brushing off opportunities that we're missing out on them on a daily basis without even knowing it. Just try an experiment - for one day, make a note of anything of remote interest, from the media, from your colleagues, from places and so on.

At the end of the day, go through your list and think how each of them can make you more knowledgeable, more valuable or more efficient. Mix them around, combine them, brainstorm some ideas! There's probably a great business or work idea in there somewhere.

Don't allow tedium and routine to take root in your life. Take control of the reins and lead your life with more joy and expectation!

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Stuck in a Bad Relationship

2011-03-31T14:44:00.000-07:00

Deep down, you know your relationship is not working. When you're along, you harbour desires of calling it off. Yet, when you're with your partner, you can't seem to say what you want. you know that your partner's behaviour is causing you consistent disappointment and grief but you can't seem to let go and move on.

If this sounds familiar, you could be trapped in a bad relationship.

Some people are just naturally attracted to bad relationship. Others are clinging to false hope. Some are simply in denial; they just cannot believe how "heaven" so to speak has degenerated into such a "hell".

One common fear compelling a person to stay in a bad relationship is the belief that if you end the relationship, you will never find anyone else who could be interested in you or love you. You have grown so attached to your partner that you've forgotten your life before him or her, making you feel fearful of being on your own and having to take care of yourself.

Fear of criticism is another reason many people remain in bad relationships. They are afraid of what people will say, believing that ending a relationship means that they are a failure and being alone is unacceptable and terrifying.

Other reasons may be financial support that you are receiving from a partner, making you feel that you should tolerate bad behaviour since he or she is supporting you. Having a child together can also cause you to deny a bad relationship, making you feel guilty for leaving your child's mother or father.

On a deeper level, you could be stuck in a disappointing relationship due to your upbringing or experiences as a child yourself. Perhaps you were not nurtured or loved enough and you now think it is normal to be denied love, concern and understanding.

So how can you get out of this destructive relationship?

First of all, you have to acknowledge that your relationship is a distorted one, one that you would do better to be rid of. Stop holding yourself hostage because you don't have to.

Stop making excuses for your partner's behaviour. simply hoping for him or her to change is pointless. what you can do is confront him or her about the problem and see if the relationship can be save.

If not, then you must muster the courage to end the relationship. The initial stage will be difficult and you can expect to feel some mental and physical discomfort. But that feeling will pass. the new freedom and empowerment you will gain will erase any bad feelings of the past.

Remember, you deserve better.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

The Bottomless Pit of Self-Pity

2011-03-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

When we run into problems or extended problematic periods, it's common for us to feel sorry for ourselves.

This kind of self-pity can be seductive and addictive because it can reward us psychologically and emotionally.

For instance, we might imagine that our dramatically-expressed misery is a kind of punishment to the one who has hurt us; that we can make him or her feel bad that we are feeling bad.

We also feel that by remaining incapacitated, we're demonstrating just how helpless we are to make things better, therefore justifying even more helpless, self-pitying behaviour. This can quickly become a vicious cycle that keeps feeding itself.

While in the grip of self-pity, we also tend to exaggerate the role of the aggravator and selectively selectively block out our own responsibility to improve our own life.

Chances are there will also be plenty of well-meaning friends and relatives who will come around and cry along with us and nod enthusiastically and supportively when you tell them how terrible you feel, how hurt you are and how hard your life is.

The thing about self-pity is that it makes us believe that we are the victim and so can't help being and feeling abused. It encourages us to remain in a miserable state. It places the blame solely on other people and circumstances so we can sit around and do nothing.

So how can we wrest ourselves from the powerful talons of self-pity?

Well, first, get your friends and relatives to stop feeling sorry for you.

Tell them it's really not helping. Avoid people who, despite this, still feel they should be your brooding buddies.

Then, break your chain of self-pity thoughts by shifting your focus to something else. Immerse yourself in new experiences! Read inspiring literature, look for fresh perspectives.

And resolutely look towards tomorrow. it can be hard to see but there is a better future for you. Yesterday is gone but tomorrow holds endless possibilities.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Focusing More On Ourselves

2011-03-23T16:37:00.000-07:00

Most of the problems in the world today stem from a fundamental malaise of Mankind that the centuries have not been able to cure. Our tendency to be overly-concerned about other people - their flaws, their injustices, their immorality - and not caring enough about our own weakness and what we can do about them.

Murder, racial and religious intolerance, revenge attacks, bomb blasts... these all have roots in our refusal to critically examine ourselves first before judging others. Leader of the world continue to condemn these acts and the perpetrators continue to justify their behaviour, but we are no close to resolving age-old conflicts.

The truth is, the world has always been torn by strife and clashes, civilisations rise and fall, good intentions get corrupted by self-righteousness, greed and power and revenge continues to breed more and more revenge. In fact, the history of Man has been a history of repetition. We come, we conquer, we plunder, we use up, then go find some other place to feed our cravings or someone else to blame.

If we could all stop thinking about the blaming others for our problems and begin to focus more on ourselves and and our self-development, I'm sure the world would be a much better place. The problem with focusing on others is that it's a convenient distraction from our own flaws. While we are preoccupied with others, we don't have time to think about our own shortcomings and therefore don't have to do anything about them.

It's weakness of character, because it takes courage to look within, discover our own flaws and work towards improving ourselves.

If we want others to change, we must first change ourselves. We can only lead by example. This is as true of parent and child relationships as it is with politician and citizen, boss and subordinate, believer and non-believer. Nothing will make others see our point of view unless we can prove just how clearly we see it ourselves. Whether you believe in God or not is a personal choice - only you can see it, only you can feel it or not; you don't need anyone for that. And why should it matter to you how others think as long as it doesn't affect the way you think?

Starting now, try to shift your focus from other people onto yourself. Think about how you can be a better person. How you can reach for that deeper humanity in you.

As respected author and speaker Stephen Covey once said, "We immediately become more effective when we decide to change ourselves rather than asking things to change for us."

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Don't Let Stress Destroy Your Health

2011-03-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

The stress of modern life is something all of us are familiar with.

And we also know very well that stress can adversely affect our health.

High blood pressure, migraines, heart problems, all these and more commonly stem from frustration and anxiety.

Many of us though, still can't seem to relax. It could be upbringing, character, mindset, obligations or simply the routines and habits we've locked ourselves in, these people feel they always have to be in control or they have to be productive all the time or there's always some issue they can't seem to let go of.

These people are at high risk of developing serious health problems.

Are you perhaps also potentially stressing yourself ill?

Well, do you usually feel an urgency to accomplish more and more things in less and less time? Are you easily frustrated by people or systems which don't seem to be operating at their maximum efficiency or to your standards?

Do you often bring work home?

Do you feel you have to be in control all the time?

Do you feel you have to be right all the time? Do you always feel the pressure to win?

Many people who are in danger of developing stress-related health problems don't even know that they're doing real harm to their health.

There's nothing wrong with seeking perfection and striving to do your best, but it's also important to know how to relax. You can achieve so much in your life but if you eventually lose the good health needed to enjoy the fruits of your labour, then it has come to naught.

So stop, take a breath and critically examine the areas of your life you can back on.

Include some relaxation time in your daily schedule.

If you think your loved one is at risk, arrange more opportunities for you and him or her to spend some relaxing times together.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Restoring the Wonder in Your Life

2011-03-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

If life has stopped being wonderful for you, it's because the wonder has gone.

The things that you once considered wonderful, you now take for granted.

In fact, the process of growing from an infant to an old person is the gradual but certain loss of wonder.

Being able to see the wonder in things around us is one of the ways we make our lives more meaningful and enjoyable. Just look at children for a quick lesson on how to be happy. Almost everything fascinates them, triggers ideas, generates excitement.

How can you get that vibrancy back?

While we can all certainly experience wonder in new things - new locations, new experiences, new books, new ideas, you can also re-capture past wonder and find new wonder in the things you do each day.

Think about things that have become habit for you. The next time you do them, do them as if you were a beginner again. Start with your drive or commute to work. Make it an exercise in finding wonder. Look at things with fresh eyes. Be curious. For example, you can breathe in the aroma and savour the taste of your coffee, really get lost in it.

The heat, the bittersweet taste, how it makes you feel. How does it work?

Make a list of things you found wonderful at different stages in your life.

How can you re-experience those things? And make a list of wonders you find each day or week. Start a "wonder" journal!

Plan a mini-vacation or a day trip to someplace wonderful for you.

Or go to an old event, focused on different things.

The next time you go to a movie or a game, focus less on the action and more on the audience, the way the whole thing is setup, the dynamics of the event.

Go shopping for something entirely different than you usually would. You get the idea.

Make life "wonder-full" again!

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Effective Goal-Setting & Realisation

2010-12-09T17:08:00.000-08:00

We often hear people talk about goal-setting and why it's important.

Less commonly-discussed though is how to effectively set your goals and how you can actually achieve them.

Most of us are hindered by the Big P - Procrastination.

Yes we know what we want but we think, "I guess that can wait till tomorrow". Which becomes "next week", "next month", "next year" and eventually... "never".

Many people also find themselves encumbered by fear, self-doubt or plain laziness and so put up all sorts of imaginary barriers like perceived impossibility of the dream becoming reality, lack of time or money, lack of ability, the absence of opportunities.

You know we can be very creative when it comes to finding excuses why we can't.

This is because although we do have goals, we don't have compelling reasons or motivations to make them happen. We're just now that excited about them.

Let's say one of your goals is to double your income or to cultivate a steady side income. Sure, you want more money, but why do you want it? Many people have very general or superficial reasons like "so I can buy more things" or "so I can be financially free".

You see, to make your goals exciting enough for you to actually manifest them, you've got to get down to the nitty-gritty and what's really important to you.

How exactly will the extra money improve your life? Perhaps it's so you can give your loved ones a better life - a nicer home, better insurance cover, treat them to an expensive holiday every year maybe.

Is it to invest in real estate or stocks so you can scale down your workload and still have a healthy income? Or perhaps you envision opening a small business you're passionate about that you can run in your later years?

Once your motivations are solid enough, you'll naturally want to take action to achieve your goals. But does the task seem too daunting? Well, start by finding out how exactly you're going to get to where you want to go. You've got to do the math, the research, get the practical know-how. If you've got an idea for that killer app that everyone will want to buy, then you've got to first learn how to actually create one.

Once you get into it, you'll find that it wasn't as complicated as you thought.

Like completing a marathon, if the length of the race already makes you weak at the knees, then break it down and just focus on the first few kilometers,

Get through them, then aim for the next leg.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Dealing with a Mid Life Crisis

2010-12-08T14:45:00.001-08:00

So you've been feeling off-colour lately.

Everyday you wake up to a life that seems increasingly monotone and remote to you. The job that used to give you so much satisfaction now seems like a chore.

You're questioning your value both at work and at home - are you getting better at your job or have you plateaued? are you a good father? are you a good wife?

It's as if you've suddenly lost touch with the world.

You're tired most of the time and you don't seem to be doing anything right.

Is this what they call Mid Life Crisis? Well, it's hard to say, although it's more likely that your soul is telling you to get your life aligned with your values.

In the past, you've pursued the things you believed you needed - things like that car, that club membership, partying every other night, maxing out your credit card on designer labels and having as many romantic trysts as possible. You were young, you weren't worried about health, money or what's going to happen tomorrow; you were just living life!

But now, these things don't seem to give you the gratification they used to. Your relationship with your partner, your family members, your colleagues are all not too good. You feel that you're missing something and that life will continue to feel empty until you find it. So what can you do?

Start by writing a list of 20 items in your life which you are not completely happy with, covering things like relationship, career, family, health, wealth, personal, friends, habits and son. Once the list is completed, rank each item for the level of dissatisfaction this particular item provides.

From the list, choose the 6 items which frustrate you the most. Write a detailed description of why, how and when these issues arise. Describing also how you feel when these issues are active.

Next, review those parts of your life which bring you true happiness. Rank them in order and pick out the 6 items which give you the most satisfaction. Also write why, how and when they arise.

Look at both lists and think critically about how you can lessen the dissatisfaction and increase the joy in your life by doing more of certain things and less of others.

The more detailed and honest you are, the most successful you will be in crystallising a blueprint for your life ahead that will reduce your stress and bring you more happiness and satisfaction.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Building Self-Confidence

2010-12-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

Very Often, before other people start to have faith in you, you have to have confidence in your own abilities. Self-confidence is a very powerful state of mind that other people quickly notice and easily respect. So how can you develop a high-level of self-confidence?

Consider these steps:

First, choose to concentrate on your strengths rather than on your weaknesses. Confidence comes from within. You have to concentrate on the positive things about yourself. Remember the past if over; you can only change the future.

If you have trouble doing this, write down ten positive things about yourself. People often find it very helpful to actually see the words.

Concentrate on your potentials. These are the reasons why you should love yourself and believe in yourself. Give yourself credit for every successful or good thing that you do.

Next, remind yourself of past successes. Confidence builds on past success. The more you do this, the more convinced you'll be that it's possible to succeed again. Most people unfortunately can't help focusing on what they did wrong in the past. This failure to forget and let go damages their self-confidence.

Also, learn to take risks. Risk is a crucial part of life: it is necessary before any great success can be achieved. If you spend your life avoiding risk, you will never experience all that life has to offer.

Cultivate an enthusiasm for trying out new things. Once you get past that initial barrier, you will find that's it's very empowering. Yes, you will fail sometimes but the lessons and experiences are invaluable. As you do and try more, your confidence level increases because you realise that you become more and more knowledgeable.

Approach new experiences as opportunities to learn instead of occasions to win or lose.

Next, use self-talk as an opportunity to contradict destructive beliefs. For example, if you catch yourself expecting perfection, tell yourself that you can't do everything perfectly; that it's only possible to do your best.

And visualise your future success. Our minds cannot distinguish the difference between something real and something vividly imagined.

What will your future look like, smell like, taste like, and feel like?

Who will be with you and where will you be? How will you be feeling?

Placing this much vivid detail into your mind increases the likelihood of success and supports greater confidence!

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Effective Time Management

2010-12-05T15:05:00.000-08:00

Time is one of our most precious resources.

Each of us is only given a finite amount of it and how we choose to use that time makes all the difference.

Consider these questions:

Do you know where your time is being spent?

Do you know where you are maximising your time and where it is simply being wasted?

are you spending more time on the things that take you closer to your goals?

Do you prioritise your activities in order of importance or impact?

Do you focus on one thing at a time instead of trying to do many things at once?

People who feel like they're stuck are not fully aware of where their time is going or going into. They don't prioritise their activities and tend to spend most of their time on things that don't bring about any positive change.

The passage towards their goals is often derailed by distractions. And they try to cram as many tasks as possible into a period of time, often ending up with mediocre or even below-average results.

The first step towards taking control of your time is understanding what it is exactly you are spending it on. Keep a record of how much of your time each day is spent doing what.

You might be surprised at just how much of your life is being wasted on activities that essentially don't benefit you at all.

Gradually scratch those things off your schedule and replace them with what I call "actuators" - activities that get you ahead in terms of your self-development.

Next, identify the activities that give you the greatest mileage and spend more time on them. For example, would shifting your gym training to before you go to the office make you more alert and efficient?

Would it give you more time later to tackle unforeseen tasks and finish your work properly?

What about focusing on clients who demand better quality work but also pay better, rather than accepting every job that comes along?

Always prioritise your tasks and highlight the top or top two jobs that absolutely must be done by the end of the day. This way, even when contingencies crop up (as they often do), you will be sure that you got the most important things covered.

As much as possible, focus on one task at a time and strive to give it your best. Too much emphasis is put on multi-tasking these days and it's highly over-rated.

If you can do several things at a time but only produce average results, you're simply a robot in a factory line.

It's the ones who can do one thing but excel in it who are most valuable.

And finally, even if the Internet seems like the only thing you will need these days, it can be one of the biggest time-wasters.

Things like email, instant messaging and social networking can easily take up a huge chunk of your day if you don't limit the time you spend on them.

So give yourself a quota. One or tow hours a day and that's it.

There is more to life than Facebook.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Asking Questions

2010-12-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

You've probably heard the joke about how men can never ask for directions while driving.

You know, how they will drive round in circles, hopelessly lost, yet are maddeningly confident about where they're going - "Don't worry dear, I know it's just after the next turn".

How they will sooner eat their foot than admit they're lost and consult a passer-by?

Well, I don't know how true this is - but I do know that in being afraid of asking questions, one loses out on the opportunity to learn something, to improve oneself, to make things better.

Asking questions is an essential way we all learn - after all, a Chinese proverb goes, "He who asks is a fool for a minute. He who doesn't ask is a fool forever".

But the power of asking questions goes beyond simply asking other people questions. Asking ourselves the right questions can also have dramatic impact on our self improvement, success and happiness.

There are times when we find ourselves in difficult or uncomfortable situations or even in a position where we feel completely overwhelmed.

It can be very easy to say 'what have I done to deserve this?' or 'why does this always happen to me?'

However, these questions are destructive and only serve to prepare us for future disappointments. In fact, they can actually guarantee it! The questions we ask ourselves reflect our state of mind, reinforce our beliefs and have a huge impact on our results.

We all experience events that seem too overwhelming to deal with and there is a great deal of valuable information available to help in these situations.

But in almost any situation, no matter how bad it may seem, there is usually something positive that can be found.

Actually asking the question 'what can I learn from this situation?' is a great starting point, even if you only learn what not to do in the future.

But you can go much further. It has often been said that when one door closes, another opens and that in every setback lies opportunity.

Don't just stare at the closed door - why not try asking yourself what opportunities are now available or what doors have just opened for you?

It will improve your state of mind and may just change your life.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Active Focusing

2010-11-23T18:59:00.000-08:00

You attract what you focus on.

This principle works by charting a new direction for your mind.

You begin to see improvement, more opportunities and have more enriching and blissful experiences simply because you choose to look out for them.

Where previously you tended to expect negative things, now you are more confident and optimistic. When you actively focus on good things, your mind propels your entire being to search for them.

If you want more beauty in your life, for instance... you then actively seek out whatever is beautiful to you, focus on it, take it in and give thanks for it.

Notice the next picture you come across, the next person, the next line in a book, how the puddles glisten in the sun after the rain and bless the beauty inspires in you.

What about good ideas? Kind acts? Could you choose to focus on the positive qualities in life and bless them as well?

You will find that the more you do this, the more good things will be revealed to you and seem to "magically" come your way. There's no magic here though... you are seeing them more often because you are seeking them out more often. You are choosing to pay attention to the things you used to overlook and ignore. And it's natural also for other people to give you more good things because you seem to appreciate them more!

Unhappy, discontented people typically choose to do the opposite. They think poorly of themselves and do not expect to achieve more success. They anticipate disappointment and failure. It's no surprise that they are consistently disappointed!

An unhappy, unfulfilled person also tends to see a good thing and be envious of it, coveting it, bitter with his inability to own it.

If you choose to actively focus on positive things though, you will see a good thing and celebrate it. You will want to get to know it, understand it, learn from it and see how you can emulate its strengths. You will be nourished by it instead of being threatened by its brilliance.

When choosing to focus actively on the positive though, it's crucial to understand that though it involves a seemingly straight-forward switch in mindset, it's not something that happens overnight or is turned on like a light.

Many people are disappointed that they don't get instant results or are put off by the pomposity of affirmations like "I am confident!", "I am successful!", "I am beautiful!" and so on.

So go easy with it. Say "I'm getting more confident", "I'm increasing my chances for success", "I'm beginning to see more beauty in me".

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Dealing With Aging

2010-11-22T13:24:00.000-08:00

Humankind has always been obsessed with living longer, even forever, with stories of kings commissioning the Elixir of Life, and countless anti-aging treatments, herbal remedies and cures.

And there're medical experts who believe that the causes of aging have cures; they simply haven't been found yet.

Well, who can blame us? Given a choice, we'd all want to stay youthful forever. Impossible... but that's not going to stop us.

The good news is... gerontologists do claim that 70 percent of the aging process is controllable with the right lifestyle choices. The traditional aging process that our society has adopted unnecessarily relegates middle-aged people to early decline.

Aging is inevitable but getting old is strictly an option. You don't have to buy into society's model for how people age. Take charge of your life and refuse to shrink into the typical fossilised old age we've come to accept as normal.

Observe old people. What is it about their "oldness" you would like to avoid? How strong and flexible are you, mentally and physically?

Keep and improve what you can, while you can! You know, youth makes us arrogant.

Everyday we look into the mirror and see a seemingly unchanging image. We like what we see, so we do nothing. By the time we start worrying, it might be too late.

Also, plan your financial future. Health is paramount, but wealth helps a great deal.

And avoid the ultimate social disease. It's called retirement. Once you internalise that you are no longer productive, that you no longer have goals, decline sets in very quickly.

Everything slows - movement, reaction time, thinking, walking, talking.

The mind and body go into a shutdown mode in preparation for the final event - death. So, even if you stop working, continue contributing and being useful. Re-wire your life to embrace new activities and ambitions.

Immortality might still a pipe dream or a nightmare, depending on how you look at it but it's in our best interest to try to stay young and productive for as long as we can.

Reach out and savour the best of life!

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Dealing With Criticism At the Workplace

2010-11-21T15:59:00.000-08:00

Nobody likes to be told off. Not really. Some people appear to take it very well, but that doesn't meant they enjoy it. No, criticism is tough, especially if it comes from someone you are not close to or necessarily respect.

At the workplace particularly, we can find ourselves in the firing line.

Whether it's our supervisor, a co-worker or a business associate, there will times when someone will disagree with some aspect of you or your work and express that view, sometimes not in the most pleasant of terms.

So what do we do? Do we counter attack? Do we defend ourselves vigorously? Or do we let it slide?

Well, first of all, consider if the disapproval is worth reaching to.

People often say things without thinking, sometimes to distract others from their own shrinking egos.

If you think the remark warrants some self-defense, then do so briefly and calmly. Sometimes, an attack is launched simply to provoke an emotionally charged reaction that may work against you. Generally though, don't take these jibes personally - you are not in a soap opera, you are not in primary school.

Criticism is a fact of life and as mature adults, we should take it sensibly and in our stride.

Next, remove the messenger from the picture and consider the criticism objectively.

Is there a modicum of truth in it? Sometimes, it takes an external party to zero in on that microscopic clot that may one day turn into a stroke. So be thankful that someone has pointed it out. In fact, actually thank the person who made the criticism. This shows that whatever sinister ploy to hurt you has failed and that you are sensible and mature person who can admit his own weaknesses and take steps to improve himself.

And do take the opportunity to improve yourself. Become all the better and stronger for it.

You know, not all criticism is meant to bring you down... sometimes, the aim is genuine problem-resolution. Sometimes, the other person is simply taking an objective stand.

Sometimes, he really has your interests at heart, but just doesn't employ the most tactful delivery. It's really in your benefit to be grateful that someone cared enough to let you know where you are going wrong or what you need to work on.

If you do think the criticism warrants a response though, then do so decisively.

Don't sweep it under the carpet or ignore the big elephant in the room.

Misunderstanding or not, a mature face-to-face talk will clear the air and help diffuse tensions.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Humour for Happiness

2010-11-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

What is this thing called humour?

We understand laughter well enough. And we know when we find something funny.

But what makes something amusing? What do we mean when we say someone has a good sense of humour? And how can we use humour during tough times as instant pick-me-ups?

Besides feeling good, humour can be a powerful motivating tool. We may not be able to laugh our way through adversity, but a sense of humour can lessen anxiety, alleviate tensions and help us adapt when stressful changes occur.

Besides, laughter contributes to good health, which you probably know by now.

You could think of humour as a way of existing in, interacting with and perceiving the world. It immediately lightens the mood and gives you a fresh view.

Having a sense of humour is being able to take the Mickey out of Stressful people, demanding situations and the ugly side of life. It is the ability to nimbly sidestep potential flashpoints. It's about disarming, then surprising. It's a weapon of the underdog.

Job stress is something many of us face. Just remember that when it comes to work, you are not your job.

No doubt you should take your work seriously, but your job is what you do. It's not who you are. Never let your job become your life.

A good and simple way to develop a sense of humour is to collect and remember things you find funny. Jokes that comes to you via email, a humourous quote you come across in a magazine, a mis-spelt word on a sign, a comic strip or even a photo that cracks you up.

Look for the ironic and satirical in people and in events. Turn in person who annoys you at work in a comedian. Then it's comic relief each time he or she tries to frustrate you.

I say collect "things", but you know, people can be funny.

Make friends who tend to make you laugh! Try to laugh as much as you can everyday. Make others laugh too. Humour is never having to apologise even you are being corny.

Make your environment filled with fun and laughter.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Accepting Terms of Life

2010-11-08T13:40:00.000-08:00

It's been said that in order to live a peaceful life, one must learn to accept the things one cannot change.

Many of us continue to struggle because we choose to challenge these truths or simply are not aware of them.

One of these immutable terms of Life is that you cannot make everyone life you. People will not accept you for who you are due to whatever reason and there is usually nothing you can do about it.

Often, the reason is unknowable, influence by an endless number of factors and probably doesn't even have anything to do with you per se.

Don't take these people's words or behaviour personally. Just be true to yourself.

Another of Life's truths that we have to understand is how the world is a reflection of us. To actuate any positive change in the world, we must first positively change ourself.

If we consistently bemoan the state of our life and complain about every little thing, our world is likely to seem miserable and pointless.

But if we adopt a positive attitude and see every experience as a teacher, we will find the world rich, wondrous and full of new knowledge.

Similarly, if you are friendly and helpful towards others, they are more likely to respond to you in a similar way. Reacting towards violence with violence will only escalate the hostility.

Then there is the perennial spectre of suffering, misfortune and calamity. No matter how much happiness, comfort or success you manage to achieve in your life or for your loved one, you will always hear about people dying in wars, perishing in earthquakes and floods or beaten down by a bad economy.

To our eyes, Life will always appear unjust and unfair.

People we love will pass away and misfortune may strike us even if we are the most loving, good and kind people we know.

We can only do what we can and trust that there is a higher consciousness that moves this world the way it does.

Also inevitable in Life is change.

Many of us prefer our boats not to be rocked, but change need not be bad. It can seem disorienting, frustrating, even painful. But change leads to unforeseen benefits. Trust in change and go with the flow. Learn what you can from the experience and make the most of what results from the change.

And those are some of Life's terms that we have to accept if we want to maintain peace of mind.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Making Good Memories

2010-11-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

Nothing in life is constant. Changes occur at every moment.

Things happen to us, wonderful or painful.

People enter and leave our lives - some strangers, some casual acquaintances and a few of them leave indelible impressions on our hearts.

Most of these people we will not be able to hold on to. Memories of them, however, stay with us our entire lives, lying dusty and dear in the attic of our hearts.

Each moment presents an opportunity for us to take a mental and emotional photograph that we can store in our minds and hearts. If we lives our lives consistently taking photographs filled with negative feelings, we'll end up with an album full of unhappy images.

The memories we choose to make today can either summon a swell of regret or s surge of sweet nostalgia tomorrow.

It's therefore crucial to remind ourselves always to make good memories.

Our loved ones are simply on loan to us. They can be taken from us at any time.

Think of the last time you were with a friend or a loved one. Was it memorable?

Do you still remember the little details? Did you make an effort to capture a good memory? Or did some trifle or personal agenda get in the way?

Maybe you were too busy with something else to really listen to them.

Perhaps you were so concerned with getting your own thing done that you slightly resented that they needed your help.

Maybe you thought there would be another chance to show them that you love and care for them. Perhaps you were embarrassed that there were other people around.

Maybe you were too tired to smile, too lazy to say a nice thing or too busy with your work to make the moment special.

Memories are the only things we accumulate and keep throughout our lives.

Isn't it worthwhile to make an effort to consciously make good ones?

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

Seeing Failure As Success

2010-10-13T14:32:00.001-07:00

We all know that in life, we can't avoid failing.

Yet, there's a way of viewing failure that might actually make it empowering for us.

Author Laura B. Randolph once said that "failure is success if we learn from it".

Following this logic, we can take it that Life's upheavals are not meant to defeat us. they are intended to make us stronger. Every failure presents an opportunity to learn something that would benefit us in future.

With this view, we no longer need to see failure as a setback.

So if you are going through a bad patch, instead of spending your time moping, think critically about what could have led to your situation. What could you have done better? What new knowledge did you fain from the experience? What are your options now that can take you to a better place?

Look forward. No storm lasts forever. And though life's potholes can slow us down, even break us a bit, they can always be breached. And we can heal and improve. Humans are the original upgradeable machines.

In life, there is only one dead end. But the rest of the time, your life is still ahead of you, no matter how bleak present circumstances seem. Even the apparent "dimness" of your present plight is a matter of outlook. Don't allow a setback to limit your view and prevent you from enjoying the rest of what life has to offer.

Too many of us focus on the negative aspects of life. Seldom do we savour and cherish the good parts of life. We simply take them for granted until they are no longer around.

Similarly, we often view failure with derision and disappointment. But it's time to change this mindset.

Make failure a stepping stone and it will nudge you towards your eventual goals.

Let's learn from the words of author Laura b. Randolph... if we learn from Failure, it really is Success with another name.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd

The Power of Giving

2010-09-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

In such a competitive society, a lot of emphasis is placed on winning and taking as much as we can.

But what do we really gain by taking all the time? And how much of what we take can we really hold on to?

Unlike taking, whatever we give away takes on a life of its own. It spreads and multiplies and finally finds its way back to you. It probably won't come immediately, nor will it come from the source you expected. Most likely you would have forgotten all about your gift when its impact finally comes round to you. But have faith that this law applies unfailingly.

This law also applies to any negative deed or words you send out. Whatever you feel about someone, be it concern, love, respect or be it envy or hate will surely come back to you in some clear or unseen manner.

If you speak well of someone, this positive energy will have a chain reaction, and many more will speak kindly of you. But if it's spiteful words you send out, this negative energy will also be reflected back to you. Kind words encourage and inspire... hateful words only breed resentment and revenge.

Our thoughts and actions are a reflection of our soul. Kind and positive ones come from underlying happiness and contentment and only serve to enrich our souls even more. Unkind thoughs come from petty, unhappy souls and only serve to bring us more pain.

think of giving as a mirror. Whatever we send out, we get back. Smile kindly and you will be greeted with the same. Positivity begets positivity. Kindness begets kindness. A hateful scowl only chases love away.

As you start or end this day, remember that kindness comes to those who first are kind. If it's friendship you want, first be a friend yourself. If it's respect you crave, be respectful towards others. If you want to be accepted, embrace others fully. If you want to be loved, you must first be loving.

Many things in this life are temporal and fleeting. Money, power, position, fame, youth... Attachment to these things ultimately contribute to the emptiness in our hearts.

However, the good things we do for others, and the love and concern we give away are the only things that will remain with us.

Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd