All About Living With Life

Are You Managing Your Personal Finance Effectively?

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

According to a worldwide survey conducted by HSBC in Malaysia:

· 49 % of those between the age group of 30 to 39 are without any short term savings

It means they do not have emergency fund to cope with unemployment or meet unexpected cash outlay such as major medical expenses. It is essential to save for a rainy day so that you can carry on living without hardship.

· 48% of parents are without insurance

These parents are not prepared to meet uncertainties in life. In the event of an accident or a critical illness you are disabled and cannot going on working, who on earth is going to compensate you for the loss of your potential earning power? Be adequately covered by insurance so that you and your family are protected financially when you are temporarily or permanently disabled.

· 28% of those between the ages of 50 to 59 are without retirement fund

Retirement means you stop working and there will be no recurring income every month. You have to rely on what you have saved throughout your working life. If such fund is not available, who is going to support you? There is no guarantee that your children are able to adequately support you financially during your old age. In the survey, 19% of the respondents want to live with their children and family when they retire. Among the 17 countries surveyed India top the list with 32% and Malaysia is in 5^th place and UK is at the end of the list with 3%.

· 85% of these who have retired are without wills

To live effectively is to prepare and plan ahead. Likewise, it is also necessary to prepare for your departure from this world. To draw up a will is to allocate your wealth according to your wishes to those you love dearly. It is a hassle-free way to allow those close to you to inherit your fortune.

Are you one of them? Manage your personal finance wisely to avoid getting into debt and financial difficulties.

10 Effective Ways to Live With Life

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.

William James

A wonderful life will not just happen to you. You have to create and work for it to live the life you want. Here are the things that you can do to design your life:

1. Live your dreams: Discover your passion and get to know what you want in life. More often than not life is fulfilling and worthwhile only when you can do good for others. A meaningful life requires great effort to produce value.

The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.
Oprah Winfrey

2. Plan: Wishing and hoping will get you nowhere. Like building your dream house, you make choices and plan. You decide what and how you want to do to live your life. There is a direction in life and life becomes hopeful.

Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.

Napoleon Hill

3. Just do it: Once you have made up your mind, do not hesitate but go ahead. Life is about taking risks and going beyond your comfort zone. To fail is not a problem, not trying is. In a way you will not regret later in things that you have not done. You can’t create you life if you don’t take action.

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

4. Move on: Life is about doing what you like every day; however, you have to monitor your progress from time to time. Making changes is essential to move forward and get better in life.

Life belongs to the living and he who lives must be prepared for changes.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

5. Focus: Keep your goals in sight. Do not allow setbacks and failures to discourage you. Deal with challenges in life positively to build your confidence and carry on in life.

One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.
Tony Robbins

6. Be lighthearted: One of the purposes in life is to be happy. Get up early and feel good about yourself. Fill your heart with kindness, forgiveness and love. Be grateful, contented and satisfied with what you have in life.

The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it's all that matters.
Audrey Hepburn

7. Be present: Life is to live one day at a time. When you live, go slow. Observe and admire every single little thing in life like you are only given sight for just one day. Always start a new day afresh and don’t let the past to tie you down or the future to worry you. Live every day like going on a holiday; be excited, energetic and enthusiastic.

Life is a great and wondrous mystery, and the only thing we know that we have for sure is what is right here right now. Don't miss it.
Leo Buscaglia

8. Keep learning: Be curious about things in life like a child. Learning stimulates the mind, broadens your horizon. Read ever day to gain insights and be knowledgeable.

To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.
W. Somerset Maugham

9. Be free: Be free from debt. A carefree life is about financial independence. Always do the right thing so that you are free from guilt feelings. In the end you get peace of mind.

If we wish to free ourselves from enslavement, we must choose freedom and the responsibility this entails.
Leo Buscaglia

10. Be connected: Life is about talking to your partner sharing the ups and downs in life. Life is also about telling jokes and laughing out loud with your friends. To be connected is to share and care for each other. Life needs mutual support to carry on living.

The world is not a pleasant place to be without someone to hold and be held by.
Nikki Giovanni

Have you found your life yet? Create and go for it.

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.
George Bernard Shaw

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10 Powerful Words to Inspire You at Work

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Do you want to start the New Year with a bang at work? Here are 10 magical words that spell success in your career. Be inspired and be ahead at work with these encouraging words:

1. Adaptable: Are you flexible and willing to accept changes for the better? Can you accept constructive criticism? Be ready to embrace changes to stay ahead or you will be forced to change.

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. ~Evers Charles

2. Confident: Believe that you will be able to face challenges successfully and get things done.

Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. ~Norman Vincent Peale

3. Energetic: To be energetic, you have to be healthy and fit. Exercise daily to promote robust energy. You will work with drive to influence others positively

The world belongs to the energetic. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

4. Organized: To plan ahead and work according to your plan is the least stressful way to get a day’s job done.

No business can succeed in any great degree without being properly organized.
~James Cash Penney

5. Passionate: When you are passionate about your work you are committed, enthusiastic, excited and motivated. You enjoy what you do and it gives you satisfaction and happiness.

If you're passionate about your work, it makes the people around you want to be involved too. ~Wanda Sykes

6. Positive: Focus on your goals and get things done. Do not allow negative thoughts or fear to enter into your mind.

"People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success."~ Norman Vincent Peale

7. Productive: To be productive is to avoid complication and work a simple way which is efficient and effective. This is the way to do less but get more done in less time. At the end of a day it is your performance that counts.

The least productive people are usually the ones who are most in favor of holding meetings. ~Thomas Sowell

8. Responsible: You are a responsible person when you care about your reputation at work. You take pride in what you do and you are determined to do your best.

Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else. ~Les Brown

9. Skillful: You are employed for your skills. Sharpen your skills to be more valued at work. The most important thing is to learn continuously.

Learning how to learn is life's most important skill. ~Tony Buzan

10. Trusted: Trust is an important issue at work. Building trust takes time and it can be destroyed instantly. Keeping your promises and meeting deadlines are all part of upholding the trust of others in you.

Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either. ~Albert Einstein

Wish you success at work.

7 Goodness about Chinese New Year

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, Chinese New Year is about giving 红包 (hong bao) or red packets to those who are not married and it does not matter how old you are, you will continue to receive as long as you stay single. Hong Bao only brings joy and happiness to children; I am talking about more serious and meaningful issues:

1. Family value: it is the old tradition of Chinese people all over the world to treasure reunion with the family on the eve of Chinese New Year. The three Chinese characters 团圆饭 (Tuan yuan fan) mean togetherness for the first word, round or perfect for the second character and rice for the last character. It is a good thing to do not only once a year but more often if possible to meet and express your affection to your loved ones at home when you are living far away. It is necessary to do so because you never know how soon is too late.

2. Start afresh: The Lunar New Year ushers a fresh beginning for the Chinese. I think it is good thinking because you don’t want the past to hold you back. So you start anew with confidence and determination.

3. Bright outlook: You see only bright colors during Chinese New Year. The most outstanding color is red. It signifies a bright future and optimistic outlook. It is an excellent attitude to look at life positively and go forward boldly.

4. Best wishes: I am not talking about words relating to money though these are common words used to greet others when you meet during Chinese New Year like 恭喜发财(gong xi fa cai). I find the following wishes more motivating and meaningful:

· 新年快乐(xin nian kuai le): It means happiness for the New Year. Happiness is one of the important aims in life. However, it is not good for those working in the stock broking firms because it sounds like 新年快落 (xin nian kuai luo) - going down quickly during the New Year.

· 心想事成(xin xiang shi cheng): It is similar in meaning to what your mind can conceive you can achieve.

· 步步高升(bu bu gao sheng): It is especially good for those who are employed. It means you go higher up for each step you take. Such encouraging words!

· 龙马精神(long ma jing shen): Literally it is the spirit of dragon and horse. The true meaning is to wish you an alert and energetic New Year.

5. A clutter- free home: It is spring cleaning time before Chinese New Year. The house is spick and span. It is also more spacious. While it is good to tidy the house, the Chinese people believe that a clutter-free home will encourage positive flow of energy.

6. Things to avoid: During Chinese New Year, you have to avoid breakage especially china and glassware. It brings bad luck but more importantly it is a good lesson in life to be careful in what you do particularly while you are on the road. The other point is that you don’t start a quarrel or fight on such auspicious days. The take-home message is that in life you exercise restraint, patient and seek understanding.

7. Gratitude: To usher the Dragon Year or any other Chinese New Year, the Chinese people express remembrance, thankfulness and appreciation to those living far away by sending them greeting cards. Now you can send messages quickly and more often in this technology age. When you touch another person’s heart, you bring joy and happiness to yourself too.

And so I wish you:

新年快乐( xin nian kuai le)

心想事成 (xin xiang shi cheng)

步步高升 ( bu bu gao sheng)

龙马精神 (long ma jing shen)

Chinese New Year and Road Safety - 5 Safety Tips

The reunion dinner of the Chinese people

10 Things to avoid on the First Day of Chinese New Year

7 Effective Ways to De-Clutter the house Before Chinese New Year

7 Characteristics of Success

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. ~Abraham Lincoln

Today is the first day of Chinese New Year. This is the year of the Dragon. Do you want to start the New Year right and breed success? Develop the following characteristics of successful people:

1. Passion: Find something that you love to do because getting success is passionate about what your want to do. There is a fire burning in you so that you are self driven and motivated to get things done.

Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally. ~David Frost

2. A clear goal: Know what you want in life. Be very sure it is your heart’s desire. It is something you enjoy doing; it’s good for you and beneficial to others. Decide wisely, and plan ahead. The most important thing is to write it down. Look at it every day and stay focused.

Success is the progressive realization of predetermined, worthwhile, personal goals. ~Paul J. Meyer

3. Lifelong learning: The thirst for new information and the urge to learn new things are the ways to go forward in life. Read a lot and mix around with intellectual people to update your knowledge. When you learn you grow and be more resourceful.

4. Persistence: Do you have the determination to follow your dream? Do not be discouraged by defeats and failures. Get up and move on. Be brave and creative to make changes when things do not work out as planned.

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. ~Dale Carnegie

5. Moral values: Do what is right, do not cheat and cause harm to others. Provide real value and avoid cutting corners. Be honest and give your best to protect your reputation.

Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time.
Arnold H. Glasow

6. Hard working: It is not because it is the beginning of a New Year things will just turn out in your favor. Nothing is going to happen until you take concrete action and work hard for the things that you want out of life. It’s not just working hard once in a while it is your daily effort that counts. Overnight success is only the exception and not the rule.

Success is dependent on effort. Sophocles

7. Belief: Be confident that you will gain success in your endeavor. Free yourself from the past and be positive about what you can do. Think more about your achievements to boost your self-esteem.

Make it your New Year’s resolution to be successful in life.

Quote

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness.

James Thurber (1894-1961)
Humorist

Reader’s Top 30 Favorite Evergreen Posts in 2011 (Part 3)

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

21. 10 Wonderful Ways to be Appreciative

Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more.
If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough. ~Oprah Winfrey

Most of the time you think more of those things that you do not have and take for granted for those things that you have. You are not happy or satisfied because what you have is not treasured or appreciated. Be appreciative and be happy.

22. Healthy ways to live

Healthy living involves your physical, spiritual and mental well-being. There are many ways to live healthily and happily.

23.What Are Your Positive Qualities?

What are your strong personal qualities that people admire? Consider the following characteristics:

24. 10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 3)

Here are 10 positive words to provoke your thinking profoundly:

25. 10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 5)

Here are 10 more words to inspire you to live life positively:

26. Effective Ways to Concentrate at Work

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus. ~ Alexander Graham Bell

There are many things you can do to concentrate on your work. Here is the list:

27. How to be More Productive

These successful people have something in common: Michael Sliwinski, editor of Productive! Magazine, Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson, Pat Brans of Master the Moment, Christopher Edgar, author of Inner Productivity: a Mindful Path to Efficiency and Enjoyment, and Leo Babauta, author of Power of less. They are productive and here are their secrets of their productivity:

28. Effective Ways to a Happy Family

“When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses.” -Joyce Brothers

Success is not just measured by the position you occupy in a company or the wealth you have accumulated over the years. If you have a broken family, you are not successful.

Success is a balanced life and family comes first. How do you promote a happy and united family? Here are some useful tips:

29. 10 Effective Ways to Save Money

The time to save is now. When a dog gets a bone, he doesn't go out and make a down payment on a bigger bone. He buries the one he's got. ~Will Rogers

What are the smart and effective ways to save money? I can think of the following:

30. 10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 2)

Here are 10 stimulating words to excite you.

5 blogging Lessons to Learn from the World No 1 Badminton Player

2012-01-20T00:00:00.001-08:00

Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia started the New Year with a bang by beating nemesis Lin Dan of China in the Korea Open final and Chen Long of China in the semi-final and Kenichi Tago of Japan in the final during the Malaysia Open recently. It was sweet revenge for him to beat the top two Chinese players. I can think of five blogging lessons to learn from the No.1 player in the world.

1. Be active: Chong Wei cannot rest on his laurels. He has to keep playing and taking part in tournaments to maintain his No 1 ranking in badminton. Similarly, as a blogger, you need to produce articles on a regular basis to sustain your various rankings in the blogosphere like PageRank, Traffic Rank and Technorati Authority Rank.

2. Be persistent: Chong Wei does not win in all matches. When he is beaten, he is not dejected. He is determined to succeed and not be discouraged by defeats. What he does is that he will focus his energy on the next game and be a better player than before. As a blogger, do not give up easily when things are not happening as expected. For the first three years of my blogging, nothing is happening. It is only in the fourth year that I begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

3. Aim for the best: Chong Wei always aims for the No.1 spot. When you aim high, you will not fall far behind. The results show that if he is either in No1 spot or at No.2 slot. As blogger you should always doing your best to produce quality articles. Associate with the best bloggers in your niche and be influenced by them so that you will be among the best

4. Do what you are good at: He is good at badminton, so he puts his heart and soul into it to produce brilliant results. As a blogger you should be writing about things you are interested in and good at in order to produce outstanding articles. It is easier to hone your expertise than to correct your weaknesses. You get better when you continue to do what you love and know best.

5. Seek improvement: He develops mental toughness to overcome defeat and failures. He is creative to vary his strategy and tactics to turn around a game in his favor. Technology is evolving at a very fast pace, as a blogger it is essential for you to keep learning and be updated. Learn from other successful bloggers what it takes to make a blog popular and successful. Be creative and be different to move ahead.

Lee Chong Wei is always an inspiration for me. Be active, be persistent, go for the best and keep learning.

What can we learn from the downgrade of France’s Credit Rating?

2012-01-19T00:00:00.001-08:00

Productivity and the growth of productivity must be the first economic consideration at all times, not the last. That is the source of technological innovation, jobs, and wealth. ~William E. Simon

Recently, France’s credit rating was downgraded from AAA to AA+ by Standard & Poor. The downgrade has something to do with the productivity of the country.

According to a news item, French are the laziest people in Europe because they work on an average 1679 hours a year and work the least numbers of working hours among European countries. It is less than German by 225 hours, British by 177 hours and Italian by 134 hours. These figures are given by Eurostat. Over a period of 10 years, full-time workers in France have reduced their working hours by 13.9% while German people have reduced by only 6.1%

In another article by Dagong Global Credit Rating Co. Ltd , it is stated that recent years have witnessed continuous reduction in France’s economic competiveness; due to many domestic structural problems the economy is inactive as shown by a decline in both export market share and high-tech export share, gradual increase of current account deficit, slow economic growth and high unemployment rate.

Take –home message

To be productive is to work efficiently and effectively. It is also about working hard and smart on a regular basis and not just once in a while. Working diligently is the way to stay ahead and be competitive.

Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort. ~Paul J.Mayer

What Can We Learn From Credit Rating and Foreign Exchange Rate

How I Get Things Done in 3 Simple Steps

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

In a day we have too many things to do in too short a time. We have to prioritize and do what matters the most to us. Here are the three simple ways that I get things done in a day:

1. Do it now: The easiest way to get things done is to do it now. It is especially so when there is an interruption in what you are doing. There is a telephone call asking for something, I will do it right away if it takes only a few minutes. Do it now and get over with it and carry on with what you are doing. When I cannot do it immediately, I will

2. Write it down and do it later: If I don’t have the habit to write things down I may not remember to do it. When I know it will take a while to get something done, I will do it as soon as I have completed the task at hand. I don’t wish my train of thought to be interrupted and my work disrupted. Things still get done on the same day because it is in writing right in front of me. What happens when the task is not supposed to be done until a future date, I will

3. Schedule it: There are many ways to do it. You can record the message in you management diary, electronic diary, your smart phone or iPod on the day when you are supposed to do it. For personal things, I jot down in my dairy on the day that I have to take action. If it is relating to my work in the office, I will transfer it to my tickler file. It does not matter if it is to be done next month or next year, it will be executed in due course because I look at the file every day first things in the morning.

How do you get things done effectively? Please share your ideas here.

What Can We Learn From Credit Rating and Foreign Exchange Rate

2012-01-17T00:00:00.001-08:00

There is a correlation between a country’s credit rating and its foreign exchange rates. For instance the credit rating of Malaysia, according to Standard & Poor, is A-. The foreign exchange rates fare poorer against other countries with better credit ratings:

1 Australia Dollar = RM3.306 (AAA)

1 Canadian Dollar = RM3.165 (AAA)

1New Zealand Dollar =RM2.517 (AA)

1 Singapore dollar = RM2.477 (AAA)

1 Sterling Pound =RM5.022 (AAA)

1 Swiss Franc =RM3.384 (AAA)

1 US Dollar = RM3.199 (AA+)

Selling rates of currency notes as at January 6, 2012 as quoted by Maybank

Credit rating by Standard & Poor in bracket as at 29/11/2011

What do these countries with strong credit rating have in common? The answer is E.S.P. It is likened to be their extrasensory perception:

· Education

· Skills

· Productivity

Education

Most top-notch universities are found in these countries such as United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and United States. Education is the number one priority in these counties. Education is to gain essential knowledge and knowledge is power. The more educated the people, the more knowledgeable and resourceful they are. Education supports the next generation to support the growth of a country.

Here are the Time Higher Education World University Rankings :

Overall Ranking 2011

1. California Institute of Technology (United States)

2. Harvard university (United States)

3. Stanford University (United States)

4. University of Oxford (United Kingdom)

Asia Ranking 2011

3. National University of Singapore (Singapore)

Australasia Ranking 2011

1. University of Melbourne (Australia)

2. The Australian National University (Australia)

3. University of Sydney (Australia)

4. University of Queensland Australia (Australia)

5. Monash University (Australia)

6. University of Auckland (New Zealand)

According to Phil Baty, Editor of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, universities are the key to driving the knowledge economy. They can be the key to future national economic prosperity and global competitiveness, through the education they give their students…

Skills

These counties are always scouting for talents. They look for skillful people with expertise in various fields and it does not matter where they are from. When they can perform and contribute to the development of a country they are most welcome.

Productivity

Productivity is the creation of a simple solution which is efficient and effective. As an example, getting in, going out and looking for a parking lot at the AMK Hub Car Park in Singapore is a breeze because it has an automated ERP-like parking system. When you are at the parking bay, just look up and look ahead for green lights (vacant lots) among red lights (occupied). You can easily spot one green light without going round and round and wasting time. This is the result of getting IT education and the skillful application of technology to achieve productivity.

Take-home message

· Value continuous learning: To stay ahead in this competitive world it is essential to learn and update your knowledge. There is always something new to learn.

· Up-date your skills: You skills may be outdated, it is necessary to make changes with the time to acquire the latest technology and embrace it.

· Performance counts: To perform well, you must possess the latest information, know the latest technology and apply what you know to perform productively.

7 Ways to be Responsible at Work

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Responsibility finds a way. Irresponsibility makes excuses! ~ Gene Bedley

What is your attitude at work? Do you take ownership of what you do? You may not own the company, but you own your career. The right way to work is to hold yourself responsible in what you do at work. Here are the 7 ways to work with responsibility:

1. Take pride in what you do: Do you enjoy working? Do you look forward to a new day with enthusiasm and eagerness? It is important that you are proud of what you do so that you are committed to do your best.

2. Provide value: Do you see the importance of your work? Are you appreciated in what you do? When you can contribute by doing a good job, you provide value.

3. Achievements: Are you happy with your output at work? At the end of each day have you got a feeling that you have achieved something? A sense of achievement is a positive confirmation of your ability and skills at work.

4. Obligation: When you are paid to do a job, you are obliged to deliver as expected. You are part of a team to achieve the goals of the company. You are also paid to solve problems. When you are obligated, you have to perform.

5. Care and concern: When you care about your career, you also care about your work. When you care, you will act in the best interest of the company. You will meet deadlines and deliver as promised to ensure a smooth operation in the company.

6. Find meaning in your work: How do you look at your work? Do you work with your heart? Do you look for better ways to get things done? Do you find your work fulfilling and satisfying? You will find meaning in what you do when you take ownership of your work.

7. Protect your reputation: Looking after your reputation is looking after your career. Your reputation is closely linked to the trust of others in you and trust can only be earned. When you perform as expected over time, you gain trust. One important question: What do you want others to say about you in your absence?

To be responsible is to be successful.

It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do.

Jean Baptiste Poquelin Moliere

7 Effective Ways to De-Clutter the house Before Chinese New Year

2012-01-14T00:00:00.001-08:00

It is the custom of Chinese all over the world to spring clean the house before Chinese New Year from top to bottom. The whole idea is to usher the New Year with a brand new beginning. You will get new furniture, do a new cost of paint, get new decoration in red and for people, new hair- do, new clothes including new underwear in bright colors and new shoes. Not only that, you will also buy a lot of yummy food for your family and visitors which you normally do not buy during ordinary days.

It is a good habit to do it once a year but you can always do it at anytime to de-clutter the house. Here are seven ways to do it:

1. Clean: To spring clean your need to vacuum, sweep, dust, wipe, mop, scrubbed every nook and cranny and apply a new coat of paint. Enlist the whole family and do it on a Sunday. When it is done you can go about decorating the house.

2. Throw or give away: Items that you do not need any more; it is high time to discard or to give away if it is in good condition.

3. Tidy: It is also appropriate to rearrange and store your household goods appropriately. I have to arrange my books in the book shelf because they are now in a mess.

4. Delete: Look into your computer files and delete files you no longer need. It is easy to look for what you want with fewer files.

5. Avoid: When you have your house in order, do not bring in and add more things. It is good to follow the rule of getting one new one in and throwing one old one out.

6. Maintain: If you don’t keep an item where it belongs you will soon clutter the place in no time. Make it a habit to store or file it away after use.

7. More space: The idea of a house is space. Chinese believes in bringing in positive flow of energy into the house. Clutter in the house disrupts the flow of positive energy. It is important to create more space in the living room and bed rooms. Just imagine if you cannot move around easily with many things around, you will feel suffocated.

The first day of Chinese New Year is on January 23, 2012. This is the year of the dragon. It is earlier this year because Chinese calendar has fewer days in a year. By the time you read this article I hope you have already made over your house.

Related articles:
Chinese New Year and Road Safety - 5 Safety Tips
The reunion dinner of the Chinese people

10 Things to avoid on the First Day of Chinese New Year

Reader’s Top 30 Favorite Evergreen Posts in 2011 (Part 2)

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

11. Positive Attitude For Success

A 'positive attitude' is definitely one of the keys to success.
My definition of a positive attitude is a simple one:
Looking for the good in all circumstances. Catherine Pulsifer

Attitude is an expression of your thoughts and inner feelings. It is reflected outwardly by how you behave and do things either positively or negatively. Here are ways to develop a positive attitude in you and be successful.

12, 7 Effective Ways to Manage Your Debt and Boost Your Credit Worthiness

A man in debt is so far a slave. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Standard and Poor's has downgraded the U.S. credit rating for the first time ever from AAA to AA+. S and P said it lowered the rating because the deficit reduction plan Congress passed on Tuesday did not go far enough to stabilize the country's debt situation.

On a personal level, how do you manage your debt and avoid an erosion of your credit rating? Here are 7 simple ways to do:

13. 10 Effective Ways to Establish Your Credit Worthiness

Now that America is out of the AAA list, there are only 15 countries in the world with AAA rating from S and P. Singapore is the only Asian nation with such a prestigious rating. China is only rated AA-. How do you establish a personal rating as good as triple A? Here are the 10 ways to get it:

14. Getting Positive Attitude At Work

Success or failure in business is caused more by the mental attitude even than by mental capacities. ~ Sir Walter Scott

Your attitude determines your happiness and success at work. A positive attitude is the right way to work and it offers you many benefits and advantages:

15. 10 Negative Attitudes to Avoid

You must start with a positive attitude or you will surely end without one. ~Carrie Latet

Positive anything is better than negative thinking. ~Elbert Hubbard

Your attitude makes a difference between success and failure at the workplace. Stay away from the following bad attitudes and make way for success to enter into your life.

16. Are You Feeling Good?

Are you feeling good about yourself most of the time? Feeling good is not a luxury; it is a necessity and the right way to live life. Here are the things that you can do to feel good and be happy.

17.Do You Know Your Bank Balance?

Have you ever issued bounce checks? Do you know your available bank balance before you issue a check? Do you maintain a daily record of your banking transactions? The only way to have a trouble-free relationship with your bank is to keep your bank accounts in order. The only way to do it is to keep your own record and reconcile with the monthly bank statements. Here are the things that you can do so that you are in control of your own bank accounts:

18. 7 Advantages to Continue Working When You Retire

According to an article, As First Baby Boomers Retire, Many Facing Personal Finance Disasters, more than 10,000 baby boomers a day have turned 65 since January 2011, a pattern that will continue for the next 19 years. However, 60% of baby boomers don’t have enough for retirement.What can you do to fortify your financial independence and make ends meet? The only viable solution is to continue working. There are several benefits when you delay your retirement:

19. Are You Managing Time Effectively?

Spending time effectively is about living life meaningfully, doing things that you are interested and enjoying what you are doing. Here are the tips to organize your life and time productively:

20.5 Ways to Achieve Greatness

Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. ~William Shakespeare

Successful and famous people are remembered for what they do for mankind. Here are some of them: Thomas Edison, Mother Teresa, Bill Gates, Helen Keller, Shakespeare, Beethoven, Alexander Graham Bell, Napoleon, George Washington, Columbus, Albert Einstein, Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln and Louis Pasteur.

Do not worry about what you can do. You can do something in your own way to attain greatness. Here are the ways to do it:

5 Ways to Live With an Attitude of Gratitude

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

GRATITUDE UNLOCKS THE FULLNESS OF LIFE. IT TURNS WHAT WE HAVE INTO ENOUGH, AND MORE. ~Melodie Beatty

An attitude of gratitude is good for your health and happiness. How do you develop a habit of thankfulness and appreciation? Here are five ways to do it:

1. Focus on appreciation: Think of what you have got such as your car and house. Think of what you are doing well such as a satisfying and well-paid job. Think about your financial situation. You are debt free and no one is bothering you for money. Think of your health. When you are fit and energetic, you are living in abundance. You care for people and people care for you. Life is worth living when you are related and closely connected.

2. Choose gratefulness: Think of what others have done for you. Express your gratefulness in a thank you letter. Happiness is knowing that others are paying attention and care about your well-being.

3. Gratitude journal: Write in your diary at the end of each day about things which have happened and created a positive impact on you. The more you can recall the goodness in a day, the more blessed you are.

4. Be positive: Always look at the bright side of things. When you wake up to welcome a new day, be thankful that you are given another great day to live and enjoy life. React to negative events in life as challenges and resolve to overcome them with determination and confidence.

5. Be polite: Be sensitive to people around you. Make people feel good; say please, thank you and excuse me. Look for ways to compliment others. Do random acts of kindness and acknowledge and greet others you meet with a smile. When you are kind and do good to others, you feel delightful yourself.

If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice. ~ Meister Eckhart

Are you living with an attitude of gratitude?

An attitude of gratitude

7 Effective Ways to Go On a Stress-Free Holiday

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

A holiday is supposed to unwind, reduce stress and gain sanity. Don’t go to the wrong places, do the wrong things and get yourself more stressful while you are on a holiday:

1. Plan ahead: Prepare a list of essential items to take along such as your passport. You don’t want to rush about to retrieve your passport and miss your fright. Travel light is the best way to enjoy a stress-free holiday. Lugging too much luggage on a trip is the cause of stress.

2. Go slow: When you are driving on a holiday trip, take your time and go slow. You will reach your destination sooner or later; just enjoy the scene along the way.

3. Disconnect from technology: Don’t do work while you are on a holiday. Don’t take along your laptop or iPad, you will start to check emails and get into a working mood to spoil your holiday.

4. Do nothing: You don’t have to plan what to do during a holiday. Just do it when the mood strikes you. A holiday is supposed to be carefree.

5. Avoid crowded places: One way to be stressful is to go to places where there are a lot of people. It is just like going to work with people rushing about everywhere.

6. Shop less: Trying to do a lot of shopping during a holiday is a sure way to get stressful and tired. The place is normally crowded. It will take some time to pick an item and pay for it.

7. Go to the right places: The best places to get peace of mind are beach and hill resorts. You get closer to nature and away from the madding crowd. You are in a tranquil setting to sooth your senses. Select the right places to get the full benefit of a stress-free holiday.

Did you have a stress-free holiday recently?

How Many Bank Accounts do You Need to Manage Your Personal Finance?

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

One of the aims of personal finance is to control your spending according to your budget. It is also part of your financial plan to save sufficiently. An effective way to achieve your goals in these two areas is to maintain three separate bank accounts.

Account No.1

This is a receiving account. This is the account to deposit your regular monthly pay. Your income for your monthly budget is based on this take-home amount. If you do receive additional income not budgeted, it should go to your account No.2. It is always a wise move to save extra amount earned and not spend it.

Account No.2

This is an important account. Your financial independence starts here. The amount that you have budgeted for savings should be taken out from account No. 1 and deposit here. This is the account to build emergency fund, savings for big ticket items, accumulate fund for investment, children education and retirement. This is also the account to save enough down-payment for your car and dream home. Your financial goals should be a strong motivating force for you to deposit regularly the desired amount into this account.

Account No.3

This is an expense account. This is the account that you transfer an amount from account No.1 that you have budgeted for spending for the month. In this way you will know in advance the amount you can spend in a month and you just have to keep your spending limit to that amount. This account is to cover your household expenditures, credit card bills, standing orders, utilities, children‘s pocket money, petrol, insurance, installment payments and the like.

Debt settlement before Savings

When you are in debt, it is a wise move to settle your debt fully. The interest you earn for the amount saved will not be enough to cover the interest of your outstanding debt. When you are debt free, you are stress free and you can save even more.

Do you think it is a good idea to maintain three accounts to manage your money?

P.L.E.A.S.E. Spend Time with Your Child

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

The family is both the fundamental unit of society as well as the root of culture. It ... is a perpetual source of encouragement, advocacy, assurance, and emotional refueling that empowers a child to venture with confidence into the greater world and to become all that he can be.
MARIANNE E. NEIFERT

This is the front page headline from a local newspaper, New Sunday Times, in Malaysia:

CRY FOR HELP

FORSAKEN: The many calls by depressed children to 15999 childline show that parents are not giving them the support they need.

According to the paper, it’s worrying because it is a reflection of parental neglect. The majority of calls to childline came from children seeking support for depression, loneliness, emotional neglect, stress and boredom.

If they can be supported by a stranger thorough a telephone conversation, you, as parents, can do much more. It is easy and effective. All you need to do is to change your daily habit. Just do it P.L.E.A.S.E.

Present: Are you spending time with your child? Think of a balanced lifestyle and don’t take work home. Your family always comes first. Devote quality time with your child. Your presence allows your child to talk and confide to you easily.

Listen: When you child is talking to you, leave aside what you are doing and listen attentively. You child just want to air his or her grievances. You child will be happy if you just listen. They know you care when you listen.

Eat: Eating together is a sign that the family is happy together. It fosters closeness, warmness and harmony. Your child will love it. Eat talk and laugh together is the simplest thing and the best thing you can do at home for your child. Moreover, eating simple food at home is good for health.

Appreciate: Show appreciation in what your child can do. Reward him or her for doing the right things or putting in effort to achieve better results at school. In turn, you help develop self-confidence in your child. It is an effective way to pay attention to your child and telling them what is right or wrong. Your child will not feel neglected.

Switch: Turn off technology at home. Switch off the TV, internet connection, smart phone and other gadgets. Instead, read while your child is doing homework. You are giving moral support to your child and show your care for them. You can also assist in the homework to reduce their stress.

Encourage: Speak positive words to boost his or her confidence and praise them for their achievements. These are what you can do to support them in what they do. Your child will know your care because you take note of their progress in life.

Do you think you can do it for your child, P.L.E.A.S.E.?

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2012-01-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
Philosopher and writer

What Is the Difference Between a Journal and a Diary?

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, journal is a written record of the things you do, see, etc every day. Diary is a book in which you can write the experiences you have each day, your private thoughts, etc. Both words come from the same Latin word dies ‘day’.

I have been writing diary ever since I was young. At the end of each year I will go to Popular Book Store and buy one. It is written on the cover 我的日记 (wo de ri ji – My Dairy). I write about the happenings of the day plus my personal thoughts and feelings on things which affect me.

I do not see any differences between the two:

1. A daily record: Both are a personal record of events for a single day. You write about things that have happened to you and around you which have created an impact in your life.

2. Written in the evening: I write my daily in the evening before I go to bed. It is the best time to recall and review the events for the whole day until bedtime. Even when you are writing a gratitude journal, evening is still the best time of the day.

3. No rule to what you should write: You write freely, nobody ever tells you what you should write. You write from your heart. It is an effective way to offload your grievances in writing. You feel so much better for what you have written.

4. Bothe can be shared or private: Personal thoughts and secrets are for your own consumption only. Nobody can stop you if you want to share your inner world. It is up to you.

5. The only difference: Journal is a more popular word. I prefer diary. Perhaps I get used to it for a long time.

What are your thoughts about these two words?

7 Effective Ways to Influence Others Online

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

While Klout measures your influence online. How do you influence others? Here are the things that you can do:

1. Do favors: When you do a favor for another person, he or she is most likely to return a favor to you because they do not want to feel indebted. You can write an article about the other blogger’s website, comment and offer value on one of their articles or you can write an article and provide a link to one of their articles. You will at least attract the other blogger to visit your blog. This is the rule of reciprocity.

2. Be consistent: Post articles on your blog regularly and consistently. Others will visit your site more often when they know what to expect and they will not be disappointed. You are building trust.

3. Getting many followers: This is the rule of large numbers. Build large followers to your blog so that more will be attracted to join as well. It has a viral effect. You will more likely to go to a restaurant where there are a lot of people instead of eating at an outlet which is deserted.

4. Do what others like: People will come when they like and enjoy what you can offer them. Similar to Facebook, they will “like” it when they do.

5. Be authoritative: Be part of the niche community where you belong. It is similar to be a member of an association of accountants when you are one. Provide useful information and link to reliable sources. Write about topics you are good at. You will build authority over time.

6. Offer advantages: When you are selling online, you have to offer advantages to customers. Offering an item which is a limited edition will be attractive. Offering an item at a discount for a limited period is also another good deal.

7. Build relationships: Get to know more of your readers, be friendly. When they are treated kindly, they will, in turn, tell others about you. When you have more new readers and you do the same to them, it will go viral.

What can you think of to influence others?

7 Effective Ways to start the New Year

2012-01-05T00:00:00.001-08:00

New Year is a good time to make positive changes in your life. You can make a difference in your life when you adopt the following good habits and avoid bad habits:

1. Spend more time with family: Did you bring work home? You are at home, but you are not spending time with family members. Can you leave work at work? A balanced life is about working smart without working overtime and just interacting with your spouse and children at home. Start today and be more active at home. Help your children in their homework, do the household chores and stop watching TV.

2. Exercise more: When you replace the time to exercise instead of watching TV, you reap tremendous benefits. You are more energetic, alert and fit. In this New Year start an exercise regiment to live life fully. An active lifestyle is an effective way to feel relaxed and reduce stress.

3. Give up bad habits: Be an early riser instead of getting up late and rushing about. Go to work and meetings on time. Go slow to marvel the wonders of nature. Give up smoking and drinking to be in better health. Avoid greed by not gambling your money away.

4. Get out of debt: A person without debt enjoys peace of mind, sleeps restfully and lives without stress. Make up your mind to clear your debt this year to secure your financial future.

5. Eat healthily: Eating out less and more often at home with family is good for your health and your relationships. Drink plenty of water instead of sugary drinks. Get out of your office and take your lunch break. It is not healthy to work and eat at the same time.

6. Learn more: How many books have you read last year? Start the New Year right by reading more at home while your children are doing their homework instead of watching TV. Learning is to enrich your mind and be more knowledgeable.

7. Be more productive: Were you able to live orderly in the past? Getting organized is the best way to reduce stress, get more done in less time. From now on get into the habit of preparing a to-do list in the evening for the following day.

Change you habits and transform your life.

10 Effective Ways for Baby Boomers to Live a Meaningful Life

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

As we grow older, we must discipline ourselves to continue expanding, broadening, learning, keeping our minds active and open. ~ Clint Eastwood

For baby boomers, you may have retired from work, but you don’t have to retire from life. Fill your life with new opportunities and fulfillment by staying active. Here are the things that you can do to be productive and happy:

1. Stop complaining: First of all, avoid negative thoughts such as life is unfair to you or you are neglected by your children living far away. Complains lead to resentment and it is no good for your well-being and peace of mind.

2. Change your mindset: You decide the way to live and not influenced by what others do to you. If you want to be happy, be it. If you want to enjoy life, just do it. Be yourself and do the things you like the most.

3. Be active: Don’t just sit around all day. The key to a happy life is activities. It is the best way to avoid emptiness during your golden years.

4. Socialize: The best way to fight loneliness is to reach out to people. Have fun, go places, share jokes and laugh out loud.

5. Take up hobbies: What do you like- gardening, pottery, carpentry or bird watching? Develop an interest in something you like and indulge in it.

6. Be active in the community: The most fulfilling activity is to help others. Join community projects and serve humanity. You light up people’s life and you feel good yourself.

7. Continue to work: It has many advantages when you decide to continue working. You will have less worry about finance and working life will keep you busy and useful for many years to come.

8. Learn a new language: One of the ways to keep your mind sharp and alert is to learn a foreign language. Do it slowly as you have all the time in the world. Better still, join a class and get to know many more friends.

9. Take time to exercise your body: It is important to move your body and keep fit. Walking, by far, is the best form of exercise. Do it daily at the park or in the field. You take in fresh air and bathe in the setting sun. It is the best thing you can do in the world.

10. Spend time outdoors: It is the best time to go slow and appreciate nature. Go up the mountain, down in the valley or by the beach. Mother Nature is awesome. Be observant and feast your sight.

You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. ~ Michael Pritchard

Are you living an active lifestyle? Be active, be happy.

10 Effective Ways to Stay Young While You Are Growing Old

Reader’s Top 30 Favorite Evergreen Posts in 2011 (Part 1)

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

1. How to Be Happy At Work

Zappos is a company which believes in happiness at work. Workers are provided with free lunch, free ice cream and free massage. The company thinks that excellent customer services starts with a happy workforce. Even when you decide to leave the company, you are paid $4,000/=. It is better that you leave when you are not happy working there or the morale of the staff will be affected adversely. A happy environment can be created for you, but how do you create your own happiness at work?

2. How to Grow Your Career

All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort mean work. ~ Calvin Coolidge

If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living. ~ Anatole France

Are you feeling restrained in what you do at work? Are you able to develop your talents? It is important to work at a place where you can make changes, be progressive and see growth in your career. How do you know you are able to do your best? Check out the following:

3. 7 Effective Ways to Avoid Poverty

According to the Census Bureau one in every six Americans is living in poverty. The population of Malaysia is more than 27 million but there are 47.8 million people struggling in America. How do you deal with poverty effectively?

4. 7 Productive Things to Do Online Effectively

The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. It lets people learn things they didn`t think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential. ~ Steve Ballmer

5. Develop Effective Communication Skills

Effective communicating is a powerful tool to get information you want, establish a closer relationship with someone and motivate others to take action. Here are ways to develop your communication skills

6. 10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 1)

Here are ten simple and yet powerful words to provide the spark and keep the fire in you burning:

7. Getting Positive Thoughts Be Successful

Have you ever thought of the degree of your success in life is determined by your thoughts? The amount of effort you exerted is correlated with how much you think you want to achieve. The more you want to get, the more effort you will put in. Your thoughts are powerful. It is wise to harness the power of positive thoughts to propel you to greater height. Here are the things that you can do to tap into the unlimited power of your thoughts:

8. Live Life Fully Every Day

Welcome every new day with joy and happiness because the present is the only time that you can live fully, to live the way you want, do the things you want and connect with people you want. There are many ways you can live fully every day. Here are the tips to live a satisfying life.

9. Be Enthusiastic Be Alive

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Are you enthusiastic? It is very easy to find out. When you wake and get up immediately very early in the morning even without an alarm clock, you are definitely enthusiastic. There are ways to fire up your enthusiasm:

10. 10 Healthy Eating Habits

We should eat to live and not live to eat, but we should enjoy eating to sustain our health and well-being. Here are the ways to eat healthily:

All About Living With Life

Are You Managing Your Personal Finance Effectively?

10 Effective Ways to Live With Life

10 Powerful Words to Inspire You at Work

7 Goodness about Chinese New Year

7 Effective Ways to De-Clutter the house Before Chinese New Year

7 Characteristics of Success

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Reader’s Top 30 Favorite Evergreen Posts in 2011 (Part 3)

5 blogging Lessons to Learn from the World No 1 Badminton Player

What can we learn from the downgrade of France’s Credit Rating?

How I Get Things Done in 3 Simple Steps

What Can We Learn From Credit Rating and Foreign Exchange Rate

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Top 3 Posts in December 2011

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10 Things to avoid on the First Day of Chinese New Year

Reader’s Top 30 Favorite Evergreen Posts in 2011 (Part 2)

5 Ways to Live With an Attitude of Gratitude

7 Effective Ways to Go On a Stress-Free Holiday

How Many Bank Accounts do You Need to Manage Your Personal Finance?

P.L.E.A.S.E. Spend Time with Your Child

Quote

What Is the Difference Between a Journal and a Diary?

7 Effective Ways to Influence Others Online

7 Effective Ways to start the New Year

10 Effective Ways for Baby Boomers to Live a Meaningful Life

Reader’s Top 30 Favorite Evergreen Posts in 2011 (Part 1)