LiveRichDreams

Healthy Living for the New Year - Flat Abs

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:30:00 +0000

As far as I can remember, I have always, always envied those beautiful beings with flat abs. I have wished for them (the flat abs, I mean) since ...God knows when. Healthy living in the New Year, I am figuring, would surely include flat abs. Yeah, sure.

No, I am not fat or overweight. I am told that I have the right weight for my height; the only thing though is, I have a waist that is a wee bit too thick. So, I thought I'd do something nice and good for me in 2009: strive for that flat and sexy abs. And since I spend a lot of time punching my keyboards, and having finally settled down to get things started in the New Year (sheesh...it's already 13th January 2009... how time flies!), I thought I'd check around to see whether there are some materials newly posted that could help me at least try to achieve one of the New Year's resolutions.

Well, I stumbled on a few good materials ..out of which I picked this article (copied & pasted) below. It seems to give specific instructions, and comes with a video, simple enough for a lazybone like me! How difficult can it be? So, if any one is as lazy as me, just copy and paste (we are not breaking any rules here, right? since I quoted the writer's name and source).

Let's see whether we can have that sexy abs at year's end...

Uncover Sexy Abs Without Crunches!

By Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief - Posted on Thu, Jan 08, 2009, 8:50 pm PST

Bathing suit season is a bit far off, which means it’s the perfect time to start developing the flat, sexy tummy you swear you’ll work on every year. Even if you loathe crunches, you’ll love the following easy, no-equipment moves. Work a few of these moves into your exercise routine three times a week (easing them in minimizes soreness), and then after two weeks, do them all together in one session. Then don’t be surprised if you find yourself surfing the web for bikinis, preparing to reveal your sleek new abs surfside.

Plank pose
Balance on toes and forearms (or palms) for up to a minute, pulling belly button to spine and keeping back straight.

Standing bicycle
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands clasped behind head and elbows pointed out to sides. Straighten left leg as you lift right leg, knee bent, thigh parallel to floor. Keeping knee lifted and steady, twist torso toward right. Return to start. Repeat on other side for one rep. Do 10 reps.

Side winder
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands clasped behind head and elbows pointed out to sides. Lift right leg to side, knee bent, thigh parallel to floor. Keeping knee lifted, bend torso to right side, bringing elbow and knee toward each other. Do 10 reps; switch sides; repeat.

Seesaw
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands on hips. Lift right leg, knee bent, thigh parallel to floor with foot flexed. Straighten right leg, pressing heel toward floor, as you lean torso backward. Return to knee lift position and repeat five times. Switch sides and repeat.

Forward bend
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, arms overhead with palms facing in. Lift right leg, knee bent, thigh parallel to floor. Keeping knee lifted and arms raised, bring torso and knee toward each other as close as you can. Return to start; switch sides and repeat for one rep. Do 10 reps.

(Source: http://health.yahoo.com/experts/healthieryou/7481/uncover-sexy-abs-without-crunches/)

Power of Emptiness

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:51:00 +0000

Few weeks back, I found among those daily fwd's that crowded my inbox a ppt file that a friend had emailed me. The ppt was titled "Power of Emptiness", and the text quoted from Joseph Newton's "Principle of Emptiness".

I was attracted to the quotes from Newton's "Principle of Emptiness". Indeed, they struck a cord deep inside. They seemed to be directed to me, these words:

If you are in a habit of hoarding useless objects, thinking that one day, who knows when, you may need them? ...

And inside,

Have you got the habit to keep reproaches, resentment, sadness, fears and more?

Yup. That's me alright. My office is basically clusters of old work files, notes, old books and magazines, and piles and piles of used papers and old newspapers which I intend to send for recycling. And my home, yep, not much different there ... my drawers, closets and corners are stacked with old, useless stuff, from clothings to old tools to old magazines and newspapers. They are all there because...who knows, I might need them one day...

Of course, that one day never seem to come...

More often than not, I'd forgotten what I had kept and hoard. So I'd just go buy new stuff anyways... And the things just seem to pile up ...year after year.

Receiving my friend's email with that ppt presentation hit me hard with the realization that yes, it is true what is said in the "Principle of Emptiness".

Hoarding useless and old things will take up all the space around you and inside of you. And keeping old emotions especially the hurt, the pain, the reproaches, resentment and anger, and hence, nurturing them, will take up every bit of space inside your heart, inside your soul. Thus, you will not be able to receive and accept new emotions from new events and relationships that are emerging and developing around you and happening to you everyday.

The fact is, the very act of hoarding and keeping the old goes against the nature of prosperity. Newton's principles further says:

'That it is necessary to make room to leave an empty space in order to allow new things to arrive to your life.

It is necessary that you get rid of all the useless things that are in you and in your life, in order for prosperity to arrive."

These Principle of Emptiness works alongside the Law of Attraction, if not enforcing it. Getting rid of the old and the useless, and leaving room and space for the emerging and the new is, indeed, enforcing the Law of Attraction. Creating space and emptiness is essentially expecting and making allowance for new and emerging things to arrive. As the Principle further says:

"The force of this emptiness is one that will absorb and attract all that you wish."

The Principle of Emptiness enforces the Law of Attraction. Creating emptiness and space without and within me will attract all that I wish. The existence of space and emptiness around you and inside you signals to the universe that you are amply ready to accept and receive prosperity and all that you wish for.

I found exactly the same video as the ppt presentation and post it here. By sharing, I hope I can help some souls out there in much the same manner as it did me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbWT3Gmn7jg

Why Are Lucky People Lucky?

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:39:00 +0000

It is hard not to be envious of lucky people. For one thing, being envious is already depressing in itself. And as if that is not enough, you cannot help but compare yourself to them lucky buggers. That can be very depressing. I am sure each and everyone of us have those lucky people around us making our lives even more depressing as it is. Rather than dwell on depressing, perhaps, we should look at those lucky people from a different angle, a more positive angle. That, if we study them and we learn from them...perhaps their good luck will rub on us. We got nothing to lose, right? So instead of wasting energy on being envious of lucky people, why not we use that same amount of energy and expend that energy in analyzing lucky people and learning from them.

I came across this wonderful article by Charles Burke "The Seven Simple Secrets of Naturally Lucky People". I am so impressed by the article that I reproduce it here...lock, stock and barrel. It is for my own convenience and benefit as I intend to read it over and over until I internalize those characteristics of lucky people. I only hope the author doesn't mind.

Charles Burke's article is a reproduction from here: http://www.powerattunements.com/article80.html.

We've all seen people who are just naturally lucky.

They're the ones who manage to sail through life with more unexplainable "lucky breaks" and fewer disappointments than most people get. Success just seems to come easier for them.

Where most folks have to struggle just to get ahead, lucky people regularly have opportunities just plop down in their laps. Of course, they work hard, but that doesn't fully explain the special treatment that life seems to reserve for them.

It almost appears that they were born with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouths. Or born under a luckier star than most mere mortals.

Well, cheer up; neither stars nor spoons are at work here. All they have is seven simple secrets.

These secrets are easy little things that you can begin applying in your own life. And when you do, things will start to change for you. Your career will begin to blossom in unexpected ways. And one day you'll realize that now everyone has started calling you naturally lucky, too.

Ready to command more luck in your life? Here are the seven simple secrets of naturally lucky people.

Secret #1. Lucky people don't believe in luck.

I recently interviewed ten unusually successful business people for a book I was writing about the role luck plays in the lives of successes.

Nearly every one of them stated plainly they don't believe in luck.

In the next breath, however, they told about unending streams of "serendipitous" or "synchronistic" events that routinely happen in their daily lives.

I believe they don't like the word "luck" because it implies there's no way to control it. They've learned that there is.

If you prefer to call it serendipity or synchronicity rather than lucky, that's okay. The message here is not which term to use. It's about what you can do to get these kinds of things happening for you. When they do happen, you can call them anything you want.

I've chosen to use the word "luck" because when I say it, people have a fair idea of what I mean.

I try to avoid radical new terms when we've already got a perfectly good word.

If someone walked up to you and said, "I help people learn to cause pleasant improbabilities to occur more frequently," you'd probably look around for the exit.

On the other hand, when I use the word "luck," you and I are in the same ball park, concept-wise.

It's okay if our definitions differ slightly. This happens to us all the time anyway. Ever seen a husband and a wife agree on what "shopping" means? Or "one hour"?

Most of the time, even though there are differences, we're close enough for useful communication.

And that's what we're doing here. As you read, you'll gradually find that my definition of luck includes a steering wheel and an accelerator pedal.

Secret #2. "Bad" stuff happens to them too.

There are several ways to have good luck.

The most common (and the most useful) is to find opportunities in problems.

A friend of mine says: "There's always a miracle in a mess."

Let's say you and I are neighbors, and our whole city has a common problem. Maybe it's infestation with insects. Or it could be a serious pollution problem from a nearby plant.

While almost everyone is griping and complaining about the problem, you might decide: "Hey, if I can solve this problem, it will help my neighbors, and it can also make a profit for me."

Your neighbors only saw the problem, but you looked deeper and found an opportunity.

All great fortunes have been built upon solving great problems. From the huge railroad empires of the 19th century, to the communications networks of the 20th, and now the software giants of the 21st, they have all solved problems for people.

Was Andrew Carnegie "lucky" that he foresaw a huge need for steel in the 1800s? Some say he was.

But I say he simply knew how to recognize a widespread need and turn it into a giant opportunity.

The same is true of Bill Gates. Many people criticize Gates for his business practices, but whatever else you believe (either way) about the man, you have to admit, he saw an opportunity before most others did, and he acted.

That's probably the most common and the most controllable way to generate your own luck.

Secret #3. More people quit than lose.

If you knew ahead of time without a doubt that your success was guaranteed, how much would you go out and do?

Would it make any difference in the kind of things you would attempt? How much higher would you direct your aim?

Well, a funny thing happened to me a few years back. I was sitting and feeling sorry for myself one day because of all the failures that I had been through.

Then it suddenly occurred to me that one particular case hadn't been a real failure. I admitted to myself (reluctantly) that I had simply quit too soon. I had quit before I'd really had a chance to fail.

Then I thought of another non-failure.

Then another.

And before long, I was buried under an avalanche of similar cases. In fact, I couldn't think of a single time when I had actually kept on trying long enough to fail. In other words, I had never experienced failure in my entire lifetime.

Only quitting.

A realization like that will realign your reality.

After that, it's hard to consider yourself a failure because you've never failed. Who knows what you might really be, down inside?

I began to wonder: what would have happened if I had stuck with even a few of those situations just a little longer? What if I hadn't been quite so ready to quit? More to the point, what about today and tomorrow? What if I stopped being so ready to throw in the towel and surrender too soon? Would I start seeing the number of clear successes in my life begin to grow?

The more I played with that idea, the better it sounded.

I'd like to report to you that my life instantly and dramatically changed that day, but it didn't.

Oh, it did BEGIN changing, but it wasn't the dramatic turnabout that you read of in books or see in movies.

Instead, each time I'd find myself in a discouraging situation, I'd start thinking of all those times I had just simply quit trying too soon. And gradually, over time, I began developing a new mental toughness that didn't take temporary setbacks quite so seriously.

I started finding a new resourcefulness within myself. My "keeping-on" average began to go up, and my "failure" average started declining.

I count that one realization among the most important in my life. Not because it solved a problem, but because it identified one.

Once I could see that the problem wasn't even what I thought it was, I was then able to work on doing something else instead.

And you know what? My luck began improving.

Secret #4. Betting on losing hands makes losers.

Successful poker players don't play every hand they're dealt.

If you keep count, the hands they fold far outnumber the hands they hold.

That's because a good card player knows the odds for every possible card combination. They know whether a flush beats a full house and which is more likely to occur.

And they only bet their money on likelihoods.

They love to play with amateurs because amateurs play for "the juice," the emotional charge they get from throwing money out on the table, whether they win or lose.

Good players don't bet on risk, they bet on probability.

Lucky people are very similar. They know longshots when they see them, and they may bet, but it's a calculated bet.

Lucky people are some of the most tenacious people on earth when it's appropriate.

But they're also some of the quickest quitters when the odds don't favor them. In fact, they'll usually opt out of most situations before they even begin because they have learned to recognize and rank opportunities.

What makes a good opportunity? First, does it solve a WIDESPREAD problem? Second, do the people with the problem have enough money to pay for solving that problem? Third, is it easy to reach the people with the problem? Fourth, is the solution a really good one?

If they don't find all four factors, a lucky person will walk away because they know it's a losing hand, no matter how much they personally love the idea.

So if a lucky person sees he's holding a losing hand, he quits quickly and cuts his losses.

Secret #5. Most good luck comes through other people.

Good luck almost never happens in a vacuum.

Several years back I read a book by Max Gunther titled "The Luck Factor."

Most of the details in that book have dimmed, but I've never forgotten the core idea: Most lucky breaks are brought to you by other people.

Few people find significant amounts of money on the street or buried in the backyard. Perhaps even fewer win lotteries.

Instead, luck comes more often in the form of opportunities.

You're with a group of ladies (or guys) who are sitting around complaining about how it's hard to find respectable men (women) to date. Everybody is really getting into the problem.

The person next to you leans over and whispers, "Don't you wish everyone would just quit whining?"

But instead of complaining about all those complaints, a little lightbulb clicks on in your head. You realize a good computerized screening service for romantic introductions would fill a real need here.

You don't say anything, but weeks later, when you announce the new service, and you're flooded with calls from singles all over the city wanting safer introductions, all your friends whisper, "She's so lucky. Where did she get that great idea?"

You know where the idea came from, but you're not telling.

A great deal of "good luck" is manually created out of discomfort often someone else's.

Secret #6. Good luck favors those who have prepared.

Let's say you're appearing in an amateur play in a little theater in your neighborhood.

A big-name producer from Hollywood is visiting a sick relative, hears about the play, and for a bit of distraction decides to attend.

She sees a spark of something special in your performance, asks to meet you, and offers you a screen test.

Okay, freeze the frame for a second.

Are you prepared for this big break?

Have you done all the study and the practice and the foundation work it takes to be a professional? Will you have the technique and the skills necessary to do the job?

Or are you going to try and fake your way through it?

If you're prepared, you're likely to do well. This means a giant step toward your dreams.

And if you're not prepared... well, good luck with your day job.

Secret #7. You can attract good things, too.

All this talk about finding opportunities in "bad" events and developing your skills is important, but there's a more sunny side to luck as well.

Internet entrepreneur Joe Vitale terms it his "Magic Escalator through Life," and award-winning author John Harricharan has titled it "The Power Pause."

I interviewed both of these men recently, as well as eight other fascinating people, about how they manage to stay so consistently successful.

Every single one of them has techniques for keeping their mind tuned to the things they want. And they attend to this "mind tuning" every day. They're not casual about this. Oh no, they put regular effort into it. Their successes and their luck are not accidents.

If you're tempted to greet this with a dismissive, "Oh yeah, I've read those positive thinking books," then you need to think again.

Yanik Silver, an up-and-coming star on the Internet tells how he starts every single morning with a 15-minute session in which he goes over his "values and goals."

Every morning - no exceptions.

Stacey Hall and Jan Brogniez go even further. They teach their clients to attract what they've labeled "Your Perfect Customers."

In every case, they start with their thinking. What they put into their mind has a direct one-to-one relationship to what appears in their life.

Secret #7- Taking responsibility for the bad stuff in your life.

If you've got uncomfortable situations right now, you'll never have the power to change them until you accept the fact that you created that mess... exactly as it is right now.

Admit to yourself that you created your own problems, down to the last tiny detail, and only then will you take command of the power to change those problems.

Fortunately, it's not as impossible as it sounds at first.

Your mind is like a bucket. If the bucket is filled with muddy water, all you have to do is start a steady flow of clear, fresh water into the bucket.

Soon, the bucket (or your mind) is filled with clear, fresh contents.

Steady daily input of clear, fresh thoughts will change the things that appear in your life, without the need for major renovation. It just happens. You work on the inside, and the outside takes care of itself.

This means you don't fight the old thoughts. You give them minimum energy. You don't resist, you don't struggle. Instead, you put your attention as much as possible on the good things you want to appear in your life.

The lucky things you spend your time thinking about just start happening for you, and one day you wake up and realize, "Hey, I'm a pretty lucky person now. When did that happen?"

Does this mean you won't ever have to make any hard decisions, or deal with any stressful people?

No, but you'll find yourself handling difficult decisions and fussy people more easily because you'll have a clearer vision of what lies on the other side, after you've gotten past them. They just won't loom so large in your path any more.

So these are the seven secrets that naturally lucky people use to keep their life moving forward:

They don't believe in (or wait around for) random luck. They take charge of generating their own luck.

They look for the opportunity that's always embedded in life's inconveniences.

They don't quit when they're holding a potentially winning hand.

They drop a losing hand as quickly as possible. And they know the difference.

They polish their people skills constantly because most opportunities are brought to us by others.

They develop a wide range of professional skills so they're prepared for any opportunity to knock.

They fill their mind with thoughts of what they want, because they know they get what they fill their mind with, whatever that is.

Other than these seven simple things, however, naturally lucky people don't do anything special at all.

--Author-Charles Burke

How to Stay Grateful: Stop And Smell the Roses

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 05:18:00 +0000

Stop and smell the roses. That is how we can feel grateful.

It is hard to stay grateful when everything around you is falling apart. At normal times, end of the month means struggling to pay the bills and monthly loan repayments on time. Now in times of rising prices such as the one we are facing, increases in fuel price automatically pushes up the price of other things, especially food and transportation prices. It goes without saying that prices of other consumer goods will also go up, eg., utilities, clothings, construction materials, etc., etc., which will surely hit hard on consumers. But what concerns common people like you and me most are the rising prices of food and fuel for these are our basic daily necessities.

Even as I write, common people on the streets in many countries have held and are planning to hold street protests to convey their anger and frustrations to their respective governments over the rising prices of fuel and food.

So, in the face of all these, how can we remain grateful?

Of course, it's hard. It is hard when our pay doesn't last even till three-quarters or even half the month, and we are perpetually indebted to credit card companies, loans sharks, friends and families. So, how to stay grateful, much less hopeful, on a day-to-day basis?

Well, my take is this. We actually don't have much choice but to be grateful. We have to feel grateful at where we are at, so that we have the strength to look forward to tomorrow, to have the hope to go on living.

The more you complain, the more you feel bad. The more negative thoughts you have, the more bad and stressful things will come your way. Since we expend more or less the same energy on 'giving thanks' as we do on 'making complaints', why not spend our precious energy on giving thanks and feeling positive? By being thankful and feeling good, we will attract more of the same positive feelings and good vibrations to us.

Yes, we just have to be grateful for what we have and where we are in life. How can we do this you may ask. Well, for one, just feel grateful. What I am saying here is...make yourself feel grateful. Of course, you can't force yourself to be grateful. Because the more you force yourself to do something, the more you will rebel. What I am saying is...make yourself feel grateful. You can actually do this. How?

You can start by taking stock of your own life. Of course, you cannot be taking stock of your life when you are on the go, or running around doing errands. You can only look at yourself and take stock of what's in your life by taking time off. I don't mean a vacation, or going off to some expensive getaway or retreat. What I mean is something close to what the old adage tell us: stop and smell the roses.

STOP...

To me, stop means take time out. You take time out, just sit still & breathe or you can meditate, your choice. You can actually do this everyday. The best time, for me, is to take about half hour off in the morning to meditate. You have to plan and accommodate for that half or one hour that you need to sit still or meditate, meaning, your alarm has to be set for that amount of time earlier. I am a working person. Every morning starts off with a rush, getting ready to work and the kids to school. That's routine; there's no escape. Now once everyone gets dropped off to where they should be, that's the best time I have to myself, that is until I reach my work place where all the madness starts again.

So I have this half hour or so to myself. And there is this tiny chapel on my way to work. So, everyday of the week, I stop by, say a little prayer, and meditate. When I say meditate, I don't mean those complex meditation and exercise that you have to pay good money for. What I mean is just sit still and breathe for a few minutes. I read somewhere (can't remember where exactly that most of the problems people have arise from their inability to sit still and and breathe for a few minutes.

You can perform this simple meditation by just sitting still and breathe, at first. Continue to do so for a few minutes, and then slowly, you can feel a stream of energy flowing towards you, and all you have to do is rest back into it, allow it to flow into you and accept it. Rest into this natural state of being. You will start regaining your energy and feeling refresh after a few minutes of stillness and silence.

Stillness and silence will give you the time and space that can lead towards this phase of returning to yourself...and finding the peace within. Peace of mind will allow you to give thanks.

...AND SMELL THE ROSES

Smell the roses just means appreciate life and give thanks. Be grateful.

How do you create gratitude? A feeling of gratitude can only come by look at things...at all things in life... in a positive way. Make the effort to see the good things in life. Appreciate the people and things in your life. Notice all the positive things that have happened to to you, and see all the beautiful things around you. Then give thanks to God or the universe (whatever your religion professes) for all the small miracles and goodness of life. Giving thanks is inherently appreciating life and being grateful.

You need to be grateful, grateful not only for all the positive things that have come to you but also for all the good things that will be coming your way. You can actually will the good things to come your way by giving thanks that they will come your way. In other words, be grateful also for the things that have not happened yet but are on their way to you. Gratitude will attract more good things to you, and will add to and accumulate more and more feelings of gratitude in you.

You see, you need to feel gratitude. Because feeling grateful will put you in the right frame of mind to enjoy life to the fullest.

Moments in Silence

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:22:00 +0000

Today, I just want to focus on 'moments in silence' ... my newfound addiction to heal the body, mind and soul.

It's been close to two months since I last posted. Been busy with a few things: keeping up with the political scenario at the local (read: state/national) level, hence, been busy updating my other blog that muses on community and socio-political issues; working to put food on the table; and, equally as important, gifting myself with moments in silence.

These days, somehow I find myself taking the time to seek out moments of silence wherever, whenever I can. Moments of silence can be very addictive...to me, at least.

Such moments of quiet and solitude, though becoming rare, can be found in many places, one just needs to make the effort to seek them out. Such moments of silence could be found possibly in one's own backyard, a quiet corner to be all on you own; or a quiet spot in your orchard if you are one of those lucky to own one; or in your bedroom, living room, or office; or maybe, in a chapel on your way to work.

Obviously, silence in nature can only be afforded by nature walks or, for the adventurous ones, jungle treks. If none of these are accessible to a city soul, then your own backyard or a walk in the park could do the trick. But the best of the best moments of silence are the ones where one can bask in Nature's sacred setting. For it is only here in Nature's abundant diversity can we learn of Nature's gifts of peace, harmony and renewal for us mere mortals.

These are my favorite, the nature walks or jungle treks. Here is where you can bask in the beauty and splendour of God's creation.

Upon entering into the Silence of Nature, one can immediately feel the cool stillness that brings a deep sense of serenity into the heart and that breathes an energy force into one's body.

Here in nature's tapestry of life, we can see how interlinked, interconnected, and intertwined all creations are with one another - flora, fauna and man. There is wisdom in the learning of this, how each and every living being sustains and live off one another.

When we understood this interplay among all creations, only then can we have a deeper sense of reverence of our own lives and the lives of every living matter or being, no matter big or small, that surrounds us and sustains us. There will also be a heightened wisdom when we understand life and source of life.

The wondrous thing about such times of silence in nature is not only the peace one savours when basking in such solitude but also the memories of these scenes imprinted on one's mind.

For there are times when in frantically running daily errands, either fighting traffic in the bustling city or walking the block to the bank under the hot sun, my mind flashes back to these nature scenes, and all at once, the cool stillness of nature calms my mind, cools my body and soothes my soul.

Many a times, I believe these scenes from my 'moments in silence' could have saved me from just breaking down from the pressure of the everyday work and family stress.

These imprints of silence-in-nature are the ones that I use to fall back on in my times of stress at work, at home or fighting traffic in the midst of a jam. Falling back on these soothing imprints could probably have been my saving grace. I have no way of knowing except here I am today, still sane, still alive and kicking. And today, I share them with you.

Malaysians Maturing Politically

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:55:00 +0000

In my last post I concluded with "Malaysians have lived through a number of these abuses for a while now. It would be interesting to see how fed-up we, Malaysians, are of the such political abuses and stupidities. I wonder whether Malaysians are desperate for a change?" As we've seen, by the early hours of 9th March 2008, Malaysians showed they are immensely FED-UP with the going-ons in the country lately. Earlier on, one could actually feel the ticking of a time bomb ready to explode, the 'desperation for a change' being the time bomb. Most thinking Malaysians felt it. Only the BN ruling coalition didn't. And the coalition paid dearly.

Lucky for the ruling coalition, the explosion was not a total annihilation. It merely dented the ruling coalition rendering it nearly ineffective by denying it the two-thirds majority that it so desperately needed to continue with its merry-way of governing. The time-bomb also took down 4 crucial and the richest states in Malaysia in addition to the long-time opposition state of Kelantan. This is a first in Malaysia's history, and it shocked all Malaysians and onlookers.

Many seasoned politicians and long timers were toppled and sent off to political retirement by green horns and first-timers. I know a great number of Malaysians were jumping for joy in the wee hours of the morning of 9th March 2008 as Malaysia woke up to a 'New Dawn' as Anwar Ibrahim, the founder of Malaysia's first multiracial party, PKR, puts it. Congratulations and our profound thanks to Anwar for orchestrating a well-coordinated opposition, uniting them and putting up a great battle for oppressed Malaysians. You gave Malaysians hope when we thought there was none. We salute you, Datuk Seri!

Uniting different races within a single party is in itself a daunting task. That Anwar could galvanize the the different racial parties which represent differing extremities is just mind boggling. But the time must have been right, too. Malaysians have advanced and matured. Many factors contributed to this. Malaysians are more educated, we know good governance when we see one. Being more educated have opened the Malaysian minds; when you know more, you understand more. When you understand more, you become more understanding, more tolerant. And tolerance is the cornerstone that keeps Malaysia's multiracial society intact. We have always touted our multiracialness, but never before has this been put to test till now. It is a wonderful feeling to see that Malaysians can pass the test - Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazan, Dusun, Bajau, Iban, Dayak, etc can actually work together. Yes, Malaysians have passed the test, but beware, it is only the preliminaries. Malaysians have shown that there is hope for unity; we can be united if we desperately want to. The daunting task lays ahead. Our biggest task yet is to be committed to our cause to stay united. To stay united, Malaysia must have the political maturity in order to rise above petty racial and religious disagreements. By last weekend polling, it is obvious that Malaysian have come a long way...Malaysians are becoming politically matured. And as we progress, let us work towards a more heightened political maturity.

Technology contributed somewhat. The media and the Internet not only give us better access to information and knowledge but also offer more avenues whereby to voice our thoughts, our beliefs, our frustrations. But the media and Internet are but mere tools, we still have to fall back on our political maturity to make rational and cautioned use of such tools at our disposal so as not to antagonize and anger people like some quarters did in the last campaign.

The game plan is to stay united so that the Alternative Coalition or as Anwar puts it, the 'Government-in-Waiting' will become the Government of Malaysia come next elections. The Alternative Coalition has only succeeded in the easiest task. Now, comes the difficult part: fulfilling the promises you have made, and delivering to the people. Keeping your promise and delivery will ensure the people's solid support. Because if the Alternative Coalition can commit, serve and deliver effectively, then you would have, in essence, practised fairness, transparency and great political maturity in good governance.

Of Elections, Exercising Our Rights & Voting Wisely

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:39:00 +0000

The time has come again for us to exercise our right to vote in Malaysia. The past few weeks have been hectic cos I was co-opted to focus a bit on the elections via my job. Somehow, I have come to believe that politics in my country, and especially the state where I live, brings out the worst in people. Maybe it's the same everywhere, maybe it's just here. Still, politics puts so much power in the hands of a few, and everywhere which way you turn, you see the greed, the abuse, the corruption, the money-salivating politicians at their worst.

I often wonder why politics have to be so dirty, so negative, so evil. Am I just being a simpleton for wanting politics to be good for people? Let me rephrase, politics per se should be good because politics is the art or science of government and works for the people. Hence, it should be good because anything that serves the people has to be good. Then how come politics in this modern day and age reeks of everything negative and stinky under the sun? Answer, politics is a good art/science, only the politicians, the humans, make it bad. Through politics, we put power in the hands of a few, and humans are the only creatures on the face of the earth capable of abusing power in every single way.

But lucky for us, i.e., those of us living in democracies, we are given the right to choose the government, and to exercise that right every 5 years or so in the election process. However, even that simple right doesn't amount to much when ingenious politicians cheat and tamper with justice within a democratic system of government. Where I live, the word 'Election' only conjures money politics, political frogs that can be bought, and ghost voters (mostly from neighbouring countries and given citizenship so that they can tilt the elections results whichever way according the the whims and fancies of the powers that be).

Still, elections work most of the time. We have been able to brings down dictatorial Goliaths in the past. The feeling is great when simple village folks are able to overthrow the government once in the while. But then again, this democratic process can't run away from, again, the human factors in terms of emotions, emotional, racial and religious affinities. These human factors are what can ruin justice. So, there are many, many cases here where the simple folks keep on voting the same politicians and keeping them in power for decades when as their so-called representatives, these politicians had not done much to bring progress and development back to the people. The voters keep forgiving them over and over again because they share the same race or the same religion. I hope this country will change the law to allow the head of the government, both state and national, to serve ONLY TWO (2) terms. This has worked well for the USA. It should be used by countries like Malaysia and Indonesia where apparently it is most need. Allowing the head of government to serve only 2 terms will surely do away with a great deal of political evils such as nepotism and cronyism, and make politics become the good art/science of government that truly serve the people.

Polling day in Malaysia will be on 08th March 2008. I have not voted in the last two elections because the results are predictable, the same government will remain in power. But like I said, if you let the same government have staying power far too long, so much negativity will ensue. Abuses such as nepotism and cronyism will allow people in the corridors of power, the Executive, to even influence, impact and control the Judiciary. The country's Executives can easily pick and choose their own to control the judicial system. It goes without saying that a government having power for too long will monopolize and mismanage the country's finances and economics, keeping the money for themselves and their own.

Malaysians have lived though a number of these abuses for a while now. It would be interesting to see how fed-up we, Malaysians, are of the such political abuses and stupidities. I wonder whether Malaysians are desperate for a change? Come tomorrow, let's exercise our right to vote and vote wisely.

In Silent Prayer My Soul I Bare

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:54:00 +0000

In Your Chapel, the quiet consoles
Bowed in silence, my prayer just flows

In silent prayer, my soul I bare
This is me, my Lord, I went astray
But I am here now, no need to explain
You’ve always been there through all of my pain
Twas me who turned away
Lost for a long while, now seeking your way.

This simple act to bare my soul, easy it should be, or so I thought
But tis hard, my inside wrought
I have closed up for far too long
Let nobody in, been crying alone

How hard it is to open up my pains
To lay bare my sorrow for everyone to sense
Tears swell and roll down my cheeks, soothe my skin
They wash away the hurt, the ugly pain
The resentment, the bitter anger bit by bit go wane.

I can still recall the bitter, bitter taste of anger on my tongue
I now shrug off the hurt that still remains, lesser now, much less in time
I had backed away from You in anger
My cries You did not hear
I had stopped praying, stopped coming here

I had ranted, why don’t You change his waywardness?
Why do I have to go through this pain? Why let me suffer the ugliness?
Why me? Who have I wronged to deserve this, who?
To do good, I tried. To be good, I did, too.
A normal being I try to be, I did not steal, I did not kill, I did not disobey
Then why torment a suffering soul this way?
Why? Why? Oh why?

So many questions, so many years
No answer came for five and twenty years.

Then You beckoned, this third day of the Year
Your Chapel seemed welcoming, come revere
Felt tired for far too long, I sigh
Just needed to stop and rest awhile…

Silence...Sublime silence
Grant me refuge in Your comforting silence.

In silence, I bow my head down
My torment, my pain I lay them all down
Your forgiveness I seek in silence deep
Protect and guide me henceforth, I beseech
Pray, grant me forgiveness, heal this lost soul
In silent prayer, I lay bare my soul.

‘Silence and Soft Speech’ Attract Abundance

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:20:00 +0000

Gosh! This stuff really works! Silence and soft speech can indeed attract abundance. Call it what you may, but all I care is that this is the real deal! How else can I explain the many small abundance that I have been blessed with since I started practicing this on the third day of the New Year. And tonight, I found out I won close to two thousand in the local lottery! I have a feeling more abundance are on their way to me! Thank you, thank you, thank you Universe!

It’s been two weeks since my last post entitled “Attract Good Fortune in the New Year through Silence and the Practice of Soft Speech”. And I have had many small fortunes since. Except for small lapses here and there (I am human, still), but overall, I feel much calmer, at peace with myself and grateful to the universe for everything good in my life. So I’m like making a promise to myself to practice ‘silence and soft speech’ on a daily basis simply because I am experiencing notable changes in my life that are wonderful. I simply just feel good about me now!

From Edginess to Blessedness

Overall, my lifestyle has not changed much. I follow the same work and home routine still, everyday. Usually (especially the past year) by this time of the month (I am a salaried worker, btw) after paying the bills, I would be walking on edge as I usually don’t have much cash on me or in my savings. I don’t know about you but, somehow, having money on me makes me feel secure and confident going about my business. With money, I don’t have to carry around the feeling of dread and insecurity that comes with knowing that you have no cash in hand and you have busted your credit card limit; you know, that dreaded fear that the car will suddenly give way and you have no cash for urgent repairs, or you might bump into old friends and you couldn’t even buy them coffee, etc, etc. I dislike that feeling of dread and edginess that come with the lack of money. Money gives me security and confidence.

Since the start of the year, I made sure I practice simple forms of meditation everyday. I observe moments of silence as much as possible, whenever possible, and I try to speak much softer than I usually do. The past three weeks, I am filled with this feeling of abundance and confidence. Why? Because I have a few thousands in savings, and a few hundreds on me (and now the nearly 2k that I won tonight), which is more than enough to give me the feeling of security,confidence in going about my day, not to mention a wonderful sense of calm inside. And, I have even booked air tickets for five in my family for us to go on vacation in March. Call it coincidence, or whatever. But I call these small miracles brought by the wonderful practice of silence and soft speech .

So what exactly is Silence and Soft Speech, or the practice of it?

Silence

Silence relaxes the mind and body. By practicing silence, we gain and preserve energy and vitality, but there are also many benefits to be obtained by silence. I stumbled upon an article on the 'Power of Silence' by wahiduddin which I am recommending to anyone interested in the topic.

To practice silence, everyday of the week, if possible, I make an effort to retreat from the noise, demands and expectations of the world around me for half an hour or so. I close myself in, and get in touch with my inner self to find the peace within. I practice silence by doing a few things that I now recommend:

1. Observe moments of quiet and stillness

Sit in a comfortable chair for a few minutes, close your eyes, breath slowly and just stay quiet…relax.
Focus all your attention on a soothing object for a few minutes: it could be a water feature on your office table or room, a poster on your wall, anything that gives you a sense of tranquility.
Find a quiet spot outdoors, better still on a hill or a building top, and just close your eyes for a few minutes and feel the cool breeze on your face. The high you get can be addictive.

2. Spend Solitary Time-outs:

Take a bath: a few minutes of showering or soaking in the bathtub, just feel the water caressing your skin into total relaxation.
Go for a relaxed walk in a quiet park for no specific purpose.
Sit in the park watching the birds, or people pass by or children playing.
If you live or pass near a church or chapel any day of the week, just stop by and sit for few minutes, and just enjoy the healing silence in His presence.

3. Meditation

I would go for simple meditation that one can easily learn from many sources, library, online, etc. For a simple meditation, just sit in a quiet and comfortable position, start with a few deep breaths and count down slowly from 25 to one to relax your whole body totally, release all stress and tension, and just go into your inner self, and focus on the stillness within. You may want to repeat some affirmations if you want to, and/or strengthen that further with visualizations.

Or you may want to learn yoga. There are plentiful resources out there.

Otherwise, you could go online and seek out the numerous free courses on meditation techniques. I came across a good meditation system, the Silva Life System which I am currently using. It’s great and works for me. No harm in checking out the Silva Method.

Soft Speech

Silence has healing properties for the mind, body and soul. The more moments of silence we observe, the more revitalized and tranquil we feel. Of course, being part of the human race we cannot continue to be silent for long. Speaking and/or communicating are part and parcel of living. However, we can keep speech to the bare essential at crucial times. And speaking in soft tones is always soothing to a listener. The many mistakes we make are by opening our mouths too much. Most of us have this need to be heard, to make a point, to contradict and to criticize. Often, talking too much allows us to say foolish things. We offend and hurt people through speech, and by speaking too much we give out secrets that we later regret.

One just needs to recognize the pervading goodness of silence; that it is in silence that we can do our best work because all our energy and willpower become concentrated and intense in silence. And the best part is, silence is spiritual and brings us closer to our God.

Attract Good Fortune in the New Year through 'Silence' and the Practice of Soft Speech

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 08:48:00 +0000

It’s been a week into the New Year 2008. The past week, I have been struggling with what will be my first post for the year. I want to write about something special, something that touches deep and will bring good for the rest of my life. I actually had a problem deciding what to write, especially after a rather difficult 2007. My main concern is how to make 2008 a better year than the last. I somewhat panicked cos some Feng Shui foreseers say 2008 may not be quite fortunate for those born in my ‘animal’ year (which is the year of the sheep, likewise with those born in the year of the rabbit and horse). But I do not choose to believe them. They said year 2007 would be a lucky year, and looked what transpired. 2007 was not that fortunate for me, after all.

I BELIEVE my fate lies in my hands.

So while struggling the past week, I did a bit of rethinking, and reading here and there. I came across something that struck a cord within. It was some articles I read on the virtues of silence, calmness in adversity and ‘soft speech’ and how these can bring you inner peace and wealth, in all sense of the word.

Wagging Tongues and Loudness Brings Bad Fortune

At the start of 2008, instead of feeling energized, I had actually felt tired and spent after a stressed-out 2007. I suddenly realized why I felt this way – I have actually been talking too much the past year. As far as I can remember, the past year was really a bitch! (pardon the language). Never before had I spent so much energy bitching, gossiping, resenting and basically just complaining, complaining, complaining. Come to think of it, I was basically a raving lunatic the past year for reasons only known to me. I spent so much energy wallowing in self-pity and resentment. For trivial reasons, I shouted at my colleagues and screamed at the kids. No wonder, I felt so tired. Believe you me, the law of attraction was hitting me right between the eyes, and I still couldn’t figure out why things just went from bad to worse simply because I was too busy bitching and being angry. And worst, alongside all the anger and resentment; my position at work suffered and my finances just went down the drain. My debts were piling, and money that should have come my way, never came. By year’s end, I knew I had to rethink my handle on things or lose control of my life.

The articles on silence and ‘soft speech’ caught my eyes 3 days into the New Year. And at that moment, just the very thought of silence and soft speech brought a sense of calmness over me. And, think, if I were to actually practice silence and soft speech on a day to day basis, will it not be highly possible that I can have inner peace, serenity and attract good fortune? It’s been barely 5 days into this practice of silence, and I try to talk less and low. My heartbeat seems calmer. I was not angry at the waiter for forgetting about the breakfast I ordered this morning. Is it coincidence that I received just today the 5k that someone owed me nearly 2 years ago? Maybe it is, I don’t know yet.

Silence is a Virtue

Silence is a virtue, indeed. One thing is for sure, we can stay out of trouble if we just keep our mouth shut. Use wisely in everyday life, silence is an excellent tool in daily conversations and to make negotiations work our way. But many of us fear silence. We find silence awkward, uncomfortable. And to break the awkward silence, many of us make the mistake of opening our mouths and making even more mistakes. This happens often in business negotiations. Some Asian cultures have used silence as a business tool to their advantage.

As pointed out by Tim Berry in his post using_silence, silence is one of the most powerful tools in conversation, and, perhaps more to business negotiations. “…sometimes a Japanese person will win concessions from an American simply by not fearing silence. For example, the American breaks what seems like an awkward pause by lowering the price, thinking that the silence is disapproval. The Japanese person, however, was simply respecting the importance of the offer.”

In business, in order to make effective presentations, one of the tips given by Guykawasaki is "don't overwhelm the audience. Be entertaining but use moments of silence, soft speech, and slow cadence."

On a personal level, Roy Posner on gurusoftware said “If we speak too much, these energies are squandered, which tends attract corresponding negative results from the field of life. However, if we conserve our energies through reduced speech - or, better yet, by completely remaining silent - the energies are fortified and strengthened, which tends to attract sudden and abundant good fortune from the world around us.”

From my own experience, I believe this last quote to be true. When one bitches, rants, and raves, one drives away all positive energy and attract in its stead bad vibes and unfortunate events. The law of attraction, remember? Therefore, if we conserve our energy by keeping silent, the inner peace and spiritual harmony and goodness we feel will infuse into the space of life around us and attract more good vibes and abundance of good fortune.

In silence, you are more in contact with your own reality by calming the senses and controlling the mind. There is a voice that you can hear in that silence, the voice of your own soul. You will feel the Divine presence when silence reigns.

How to Stay Positive? Just Stop Those Negative Thoughts!

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 08:47:00 +0000

There are many articles, newsletters and sites that tell us how to be positive and stay happy. They all give more or less the same “how-to’s”. These are all good and usually comprise a long list of tips such as looking inside yourself and appreciate who you are, think happy memories, get motivated, develop a gratitude journal, determine why your life sucks, etc, etc. Some tips are good instant ‘fixers’; some ‘fixers’ take some time to develop and put to practice, while others do not do much, to say the least.

I prefer tips that give immediate results but with permanent good effects. In this particular situation, I especially avoid those that tell me to analyze myself and to determine why my life sucks. Really, I don't have the time for that especially when I am already on this train of devilish thoughts that’s rapidly heading me straight to derailment. I want instant fixers which can be developed into good habits and give me a happy perspective on life.

How to Feel Good

So when you feel your day is about to go terribly bad with a negative thought lodged in your head, just shrug off that bad thought and replace it instantly with a positive thought. How can you do that? I have come up with a list of 5 good fixers to make my day chirpy. They have worked wonders for me.

Feel Grateful
Start your Day with Laughter
Smile a Lot
Read Inspirational Quotes/Articles
Be Hopeful – Look Forward to Tomorrow

Beware the Law of Attraction

Take caution, though. It really is true about the law of attraction. Positive thoughts attract an abundance of positive thoughts. By internalizing these wondrous feelings – gratitude, happiness, cheerfulness, inspiration, and hope – that come with practicing the 5 habits I mentioned, you will attract an abundance of happy feelings. Be cautious, therefore, on the flip side. For, if you start on a negative thought, you will attract more bad feelings and situations. Been there, done that. Just one bad thought, like bitching about the boss or that dumb-dumb colleague who got promoted, will attract bad events and situations - you may be bypassed in office promotion, or relocated or transferred.

I have gone through bad patches in life where I took some things badly, and nurtured the anger and hate inside. I even took it further, and send out smses to spread bad stories about the target of my anger. Long story short, I suffered the consequences for more than a year, things just went from bad to worse. I then realize that the only way I can make good is to stop those bad thoughts, replace them with good ones, look at the target of my hate in a positive light, and be happy for them. And then, things started to change for the better. So really, I am learning and re-learning every time.

The 5 Tips to Stay Positive

I will briefly share the 5 things I do to stay positive and to hold on to that happy feeling inside.

1. Feel Grateful

The quickest way to get rid of that bad thought that keeps bugging you is to shake it off literally, and instantly replace it with a grateful thought. No matter, how trivial that good thought is, just feel grateful about anything good that’s going on in your life. For instance, be grateful that you can afford a car and can drive to work in comfort. Glance at the bus station if you drive past one, and be grateful that you don’t have to stand in the rain, cold or heat to catch a bus to work. Be grateful that you even have a salary, for you are more fortunate than a jobless person or that homeless person out on the street. Hold on to that warm feeling of gratitude and continue to feel it, for it will make your day get better and better.

2. Start your Day with Laughter

I love to sit down for morning break with my buddies at work and just laugh at some old jokes, or at the recent antics of our 5 or 6 year-olds, or just laugh at our stupid selves sometimes. It is true about laughter being the best medicine. When you laugh till you cry at some good jokes, the rest of the day will just be dandy, and need I say that the rest of the year will just be filled with laughter.

3. Smile a Lot

There is something about a smile that gives people that warm, cozy feeling. When a person’s face lights up with a smile at you, it is hard to resist giving back a smile and you can even feel your stress evaporating. A smile will launch a thousand smiles,no doubt, and remember, a smile can lift that droop on your face, making you look years younger!

4. Read Inspirational Quotes/Articles

There are some days when I don’t seem to have much to look forward to. So I will deliberately look up some inspirational books to read. And these days, it is made so much easier with the internet. I just go to any of the sites that can make you feel good about life, and read some inspirational stories. These are easy to find, you just google for sites on how to be happy, on being healthy, or on getting rich. One of my favorites is the science of getting rich site, where the articles, forum and related activities have helped make good my day every time. In addition, I maintain a link to a quotations page that provides a daily update on motivational quotes (see bottom of this page) which keeps me having that 'feel good' feeling everyday.

5. Be Hopeful – Look Forward to Tomorrow

Hope has made its share of numerous miracles in life. Having hope has kept many alive, literally – spiritually, emotionally, physically. We’ve heard tragic stories of people giving up hope and just curling up and die. And many more stories about people who have been cured and brought back from the brink of death because they never gave up hope. To believe in hope is one of the secrets to creating miracles in our lives.

So, there, the five simple tricks to keep you staying positive day after day. Try them, and better still, make a habit out of them. They cost nothing. In fact, you will have nothing to lose but everything to gain. They will bring many, many small miracles every day into your life!

How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 08:31:00 +0000

The New Year is round the corner. Like most people, I come up with a list of my resolutions for the New Year. And probably like most people, I start the New Year enthusiastically with my New Year’s resolutions but come my birthday in February’s end, most of my New Year’s resolutions may have turned into New Year delusions.

I have made some progress in the past with goals I listed as my New Year’s resolutions, like getting a higher education, traveling to other countries, see more of the world, and spend more time with the family, my mum and siblings. These get dropped off my list, but not necessarily making my list shorter as I always add new goals as I progress along. I do notice, however, that I seem to be making some of the same New Year’s resolutions year after year. But I figured if I don’t give up year after year, I could successfully achieve everything on my list, no matter how many years it would take; the very least, I develop the habit of planning for a better and more enriched life.

So, here I go again, listing out my New Year’s Resolutions according to my priority for the New Year this time around:

Pay off Debt
Save Money
Exercise More
Lose the Bulge
Learn Something New - learn a new skill, travel more
Help Others – Volunteer more

Why even bother having a list of New Year’s resolutions if one can never keep them anyways, you may ask. I keep asking myself that, too, year in, year out. I have partly answered that already.

Essentially, it is all about planning ahead, and keeping check of your life. When you plan ahead, you basically have a plan of actions or strategies or steps to reach your goals. Having thought out and written down your action plans gives you the advantage of checking your progress, and if your resolutions remain unresolved, this allows you to revisit and review your action plans for any shortcomings or even refine any of your resolutions which may be unrealistic.

Here are some tips I have gathered to help keep your New Year’s resolutions.

1. Be Realistic

To avoid falling short of your goals, your New Year’s resolutions must be attainable. Ensure that they are all reasonable and not ‘all or nothing’ resolutions. The goals you set should be achievable in steps or phases so that you will have better chance in realizing them.

2. Plan Ahead – Create Your Plan

To achieve your resolutions, put in some thoughts on your goals and plan ahead. Create an outline for your plans. You will be more successful if the resolutions can be translated into clear steps that can be put into action.

3. Remind Yourself Everyday

One has to think ‘year round’, not just the New Year. Nobody can accomplish anything big in one day. Although the resolutions are set in one day, but you can only accomplished them by taking many, many tiny steps throughout the year. Your list of New Year's resolutions should be nothing more than a starting point. Stick to the plan of action that you have laid out, and create reminders for yourself when it's time to work on a given task or start onto the next step.

4. Talk About It or Get a Resolution Partner

You will need to create a support group among friends and family members who can support your resolve to change for the better. Your best bet would be your best buddy or a sibling or daughter/son so that you can motivate each other.

5. Seek out Resources

You can do some research by looking up resources on the Internet if you are lazy like me to go to the library. Your local dailies and magazines could be other sources of information. Or you can always inquire and discuss with friends or family members to explore resources to educate yourself on approaches that can assist you in reaching your goals.

6. Monitor your Progress

Monitoring your progress can keep you focus on your goals. Keep track of each small success you make when following the steps you have laid down. It is the small accomplishments that will help keep you motivated.

7. Reward Yourself

Make a decision to reward yourself for the small accomplishments you have made; make it something personal and special. It does not need to be luxurious or expensive; maybe something simple like a one-hour massage, or a weekend getaway. Pamper yourself; treat yourself with little rewards every time for sticking to your resolutions.

8. Never Give up

If you run out of steam couple of months in the New Year, don’t despair. Refresh yourself on your resolutions. Recap why you even bother to list those goals as your resolutions; your earlier enthusiasm could motivate you on. The resolutions are for the whole year long; you can always pick up where you left off on your steps of action. Stay positive and, more importantly, remain grateful that you still have the resources and capability to pursue your goals towards your own success in life.

Blogging Ethics: Of Bad Blogging Practices, Blog Libel and Cyber Bullying

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 10:51:00 +0000

I started to blog when I saw that blogs can enrich humans – both the mind and the pocket. The attractive part was how you can monetize your blog; blogging to riches, everyone says. But as in everything else in life there are two sides to everything: the Good and the Bad. Guess blogging is no exception. There in blogosphere, slowly but surely, things negative began unfolding, from mild but irresponsible paid reviews, blog libels to cyber bullying and its tragic consequence.

It is good to be kept informed of these matters so that one would not stumble into dangerous territory.

Cyber bullying

It is observed that although online bullying especially involving teenagers may be mild but some say it is on the rise. It is raising concerns especially on the heels of a widely publicised case in Missouri that led to the suicide death of a 13-year-old girl, Megan Meier, in October 2006. What’s troubling is that it is a story of an internet hoax, a blog impersonation it seems, that ended in a tragic teen suicide.

According to a 3^rd December 2007 report on eSchool News.com:

“Last month, officials in the Missouri town of Dardenne Prairie made internet harassment a misdemeanor, in the wake of public outrage over the suicide of a 13-year-old resident there last year.

The parents of Megan Meier claim their daughter, who had been treated for depression, committed suicide after a teenage boy who flirted with her on MySpace abruptly ended their friendship, telling her he heard she was mean. The story gained national prominence when it was revealed the boy never existed—it was a prank allegedly started by a mother in the girl’s neighborhood.”

The twist to the story was that the teenage boy, Josh, never existed; he was created by the mother of one of Megan’s former friends who live down the street. The hoax was created by the 47 year mother, Lori Drew, who by now has earned every vilest label a mom can ever have. The even bizarre twist to this is that this most hated mom in the world has allegedly set up a blog meganhaditcoming recently to explain her actions, causing another outpouring of rage and venom.

Problem is, people are not sure if this blog is a fake. Looks like another blog impersonation because I would like to believe that no mother in her right mind would go publish a blog after the fact and remain remorseless. It just baffles the mind. But then again, we don’t know what a human mind, worse an insane mind at that, is capable of doing.

A scary thought now crosses my mind: Blogs can actually become powerful, it can kill.

Blog Libel

In Malaysia, blogsites owned by Malaysians are being investigated by the authorities. The Dewan Rakyat (literally "People's Hall") or House of Representatives which is the lower House of the Parliament of Malaysia in its 5^th December 2007 sitting discussed the issue of blog libel. The House was informed that the “Malaysian Government takes a serious view of blogs which twist facts and pose a threat to public order” (as reported widely in local dailies the following day). House members were also updated of an arrest made in connection with the investigation by local police of five cases of alleged libel involving blogs. As reported, Malaysian “bloggers who abused their blogsites to disseminate libel or twist facts can be subjected to action under the Sedition Act 1948, Penal Code and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998”.

‘Twist facts’? What if the bloggers were merely untwisting twisted facts? Okay, enough of that one. I’d like to say more …but suffice to say, as long as one doesn’t ‘disseminate libel and twist facts’, I guess one is safe.

Paid Review Dilemma, Blogging Ethics, Blog Etiquette

Doing paid reviews has become a tricky area for bloggers. Who doesn’t want to get paid and get freebies? But it’s hard after that to remain totally objective and be critical of the hand that feeds you. In the travel industry, with so many offers of freebies or free travel junkets, it is easy to see why many said that the judgment of travel bloggers who accept freebies are compromised. Problogger posts an a good article blogging-ethics-and-sponsored-reviews by Melissa Petri who talked about staying ethical despite the dilemma.

On blog etiquette, sueblimely wrote quite a bit on what she call ‘Betiquette’ about the relevant behaviour in attracting and maintaining readers, which is worth reading. But I particularly like the excellent and sharp pointers Chris from Blog-Op gave on blog etiquette posted on destyonline :

Never, ever steal content, period.
Don’t be afraid to give credit - Even if another blogger only gave you the basic idea for your 4000 word original post, it doesn’t hurt to link back.
Link often, but only when relevant. Don’t feel you have to get hitched onto a link train if you don’t want to.
Don’t write for Google, write for humans.
Don’t hotlink images.
Never write in a comment, what you wouldn’t say to someone’s face.
Don’t accuse another blogger of anything without rock hard evidence.
Don’t use the email address you gather for comments, for spam purposes - A personal message is fine, but when I get a ‘Dear friend - please Digg my blog’ generic type email it gets marked as spam and deleted.
Treat others as you like to be treated.

I listed Chris’ pointers in total as I intend to keep them here as refresher for me to visit every now and then, to keep on the straight and narrow, in blogging at least.

Parent's Wish - A Tribute to Parents Everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 03:45:00 +0000

With our busy schedules, we very often lose touch, forget or simply ignore our parents. At times, we just hate them. I'd like to take time out here from talking about what I normally talk about here and make a gentle reminder to us all to remember and pay tribute to our parents, be they both parents (in which case, you are among the luckiest), single dad or single mom. There no special event, really. We do not need any special occasion or special day to pay tribute to our parents. Pay tribute to parents everyday, if we can, for their time with us is short.

I am actually prompted to post this after reading an email a dear friend send with a beautiful powerpoint presentation about Parent's Wish. It touches so deep that I had to post a link to the site:

http://parentswish.com/index.html

Please take time to visit the site, listen to the presentation so you will not easily feel irritated or angry with your parents. I know, we are all guilty, at some point or another, of feeling irritated, angry, and even ashamed of our parents. I know I did, many times that I won't talked to my mom for months. But every single time, I am drawn back to her, we make peace, and it's back to the parent-child 'love-hate' thing again. But , it's good, at least we talk and listen to each other as much as we can.

It is very relevant to everyone, yes just about everyone, irrespective whether you have (both) parents or just a single dad or single mom. So do find the time to visit the site and send an email to anyone you know. I can be sure that the presentation will bring tears to your eyes, unless or course your heart is made of stone. And parents please forward to your kids, too, just as a gentle reminder for them to respect not only their own parents but parents everywhere. My fervent hope is that, after reading it and living it, this world will be a much better place to live.

How I Make Me Feel Good Today

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 13:15:00 +0000

There are days when I wake up in the morning and just don’t feel like getting out of bed. It is going to be another day at a job that I am beginning to hate. Worse, the bank just called the previous day to demand last month’s payment for the house. My credit card debts are piling higher and higher. I am down to my last 20 on which I have to survive for the next 2 weeks. I just want curl up in bed and die a painless death.

But the kids need breakfast before going to their daily activities, school and what not. Dragging myself out of bed, Robert Frost’s rhyme came to mind. ‘...The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep’. So I will make myself feel good today...feel good about me, about people around me, about things around me. Just feel good about everything under the sun. So how do I make me feel good today so I can go on with my day? I have a few daily mantras which kept me going. I followed through these five mantras as much as I can each day, and they have worked for me:

1. Be Grateful

· Be grateful that I am alive and healthy – I can breathe, walk, run. I am healthy and the good old heart is pumping great today. I am thankful that I am capable of working and earn money for my loved ones.

· Be thankful for my family and friends – I try to see the wonder and miracle beyond my little urchin’s face as he goes through his daily ritual of refusing to brush his teeth and eat his breakfast. My friend just had her first baby and another just got married, I will call and congratulate them.

· Thank God for his glorious creation all around us. This is the easiest to do. I just look around me, the sun is just showing its first rays and the morning wind blows in fresh and sweet. And I see in my mind’s eye some of the favorite scenery pictures that I treasure of God’s glorious creation.

2. Put Forth My Intentions

I take about 5 - 10 minutes just as the sun is rising, in the quiet of my bedroom, sitting in a relaxed state, and I put forth my intentions to the universe. It’s like a prayer. Usually it works for matters that needed to be resolved urgently, like I need to pay up an outstanding payment to the bank by a certain date. So I announced that to the universe. And somehow, from somewhere, someone pays up some money owed to me, or some claims get approved. Usually it is just enough to make a particular payment. It works each time. Coincidence? Maybe. No matter, what's important is that warm feeling of gratitude inside as I say my thank you(s). However, I find that it does not work when I ask for extras…like striking that million dollar lottery. Hell, I tried; it just doesn’t work that way. No way will it work if I start getting greedy.

3. Stay Positive

Having announced my intentions to the universe, I endeavor to stay positive. It is going to be tough the minute I walk out the bedroom door. But I focus on the positive. I find it easier to be positive if I hold on to that feeling of gratitude. I try not to get derailed when the going gets tough. I know it is easier said than done. But this is crucial. From my own experience, I find that if I am angry or I stay mad at somebody, my intentions or prayers are never answered. And I could stay in that bad patch for months, even years, until I blessed the person whom I thought had caused me misery.

4. Do Good and Keep Busy

Just do good each day, no matter how big or small. I am a firm believer of karma and 'What goes around come around', and also in the universal law: “Do unto others what you would that they do unto you”. I know a man who tried to molest his young sister-in-law. Years later, his own son-in-law tried to molest his younger daughter. Bad karma, it hits you back in exactly the same manner and where it hurts the most.

And I keep busy. Weekends, I tend my small orchard. My job is becoming boring…so I blog. I now look forward to tomorrow.

5. Believe and Receive

Having released to the universe my intentions, I believe that I will receive one way or another. I have faith that what I have asked for is on its way to me. I believe and I receive.

These are the five simple steps I follow to make me feel happy. Except when I get derailed, and that could be for months. But more often than not, they have worked for me. I hope they will for you, too.

Blogging Tips for Beginners - Steps Closer to Making Money

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 08:17:00 +0000

Hordes of wannabe bloggers around the globe are now venturing into blogging as a business either full-time or part-time. The buzzwords on the current trend are increasing as we speak: 'blogging to riches', 'monetize your blog', 'blogging to the bank', 'blog & make money online', and so on and so forth. By the look of it, one can generalize that blogs are moving away from being purely personal journal or diaries and are now increasingly becoming money making machines.

For newbies trying to break into the biz, especially those not too IT savvy, the starting line can be a scary place to be. But the money is just too tempting! Luckily, there are hundreds of sites out there sharing and give out tips and guidelines for beginners for free. Not purely out of the goodness of the heart but more to lure in traffic, of course, because that is the bloodline for this type of business. Irrespective, beginners can't be choosers and have to start from scratch... somewhere. I found a good starting point on Wikibooks which I would recommend for beginners:

Click here

Adding on to your wealth of knowledge especially on how bloggers can earn money, Problogger gives helpful tips:

HelpingBloggersEarnMoney

I'd like to particularly mention a very helpful website - Blogger Tips and Tricks - by Peter Chen who gives a very easy to follow instructions. Beginners might find it easy to follow:

Blogger Tips and Tricks

There are hundreds other sites to learn from and purchase information from. But newbies should take it slow. Learn one thing at a time and just enjoy the process of learning, knowing that at the end of the day, we can sit back and watch the money flow in.

Obsession with Money

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:01:00 +0000

Everyone I know is obsessed with money. Except for my parish priest (s), of course. But then again, they can afford not to worry about money. They get so much donations from the faithful, and have more than enough from Sunday church collections for the their upkeep and expenses of the church. You bet I've been counting how much they get in weekly collections - they publish it in their weekly bulletin. Holy cow! those guys get about the same in a month as 20 lowly paid civil servants put together! Tax free some more. Talk about vocation! If only I'd known...

Still on money. Growing up, many of us are told 'Money can't buy everything', 'Money can't buy happiness' or 'Money is the root of all evil'. Yeah, over and over, they stuffed it down our throats and pound it into our tiny brains. And we believe them (whoever the authorities over us were then, parents, grandparents, teachers, priests, nuns, the whole lot). At least, I did, believed them. Money became something that I should never have much of or seek or ask for because money can make me a bad person. But growing up, I realise that the exact opposite is true. Money simply became more and more important and very,very much needed. I saw my father worked himself to his grave just to get money to feed us. My mother scrimp every extra dollar she can and keep them under her bed, inside her pillowcase (even to this day) or behind pictures on the wall. (This became such a habit to her so much so that when the many times she forgot about her hidden stash, my siblings and some neighborly kids have such a thrill finding lost treasures under her bed!)

Contrary to what we were told about the 'evils' of money, money soon came to mean almost everything in life. Money means food, clothings, schooling, going to work, curing the body of illnesses, and buy you things that make you healthy. These are the basic necessities that money could bring to our simple lives when I was growing up.

Today. Oh, today, I can no longer go through a single day without the thought of money tripping me up! The minute you open your eyes each day: oh what's for breakfast, you asked, and that's money spent; you turned on the bathroom lights, that's money spent; turn on the water, money spent...and so on and so forth, the car, the house , the kids' education; it just doesn't stop, does it? Then some smart Alec comes by and say it right to your face..."well, that's life! So get on with it or stay in your cave!"

So, what do I tell me today? That Life is all about making money so I can live a good life and be happy. Well, for now, I believe that much is true. So, Universe, tell me otherwise...

Make Money and Buy Happiness?

noreply@blogger.com (aljo) — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 04:47:00 +0000

Today

Today, I begin to document my journey to finding my success and riches in life. I am told that it is my birthright to be rich. All I have to do is ask and receive. I have listed down all my goals of being wealthy. I have written affirmations, set the time frame, and ask the universe, and I am ready to receive. I waited...and waited. Well…nothing. Nothing seemed to work for me. I am sinking more and more into debt, all stressed out and close to penniless and depression.

We live today in a world without boundaries, the global village where so much information can be passed around in a blink of an eye via the internet and other ICT devices man has created. In today’s virtual world, I am inundated with an avalanche of systems, books, and e-book on the secrets of success, how to make money and be really, really rich and happy that now I am as confused as ever and nowhere even close to living my dreams of being rich. Through all the confusion, the scams, the truths, the lies, the jungle of information to finding my success, I remain today, as depressed and penniless as I was when I first started out on my own.

The Exposure

I had traveled a bit: studied in the US of A, holiday in the Gold Coast and Sydney, Australia, traveled to Thailand. Life is great traveling, learning about people and places. Otherwise, it’s all work, work, work…pay the bills and work, work, work, some more. Don’t even have time to check my email at times. Then, suddenly I have more time on my hands. I am still working though but I now have more time on the computer, traveling the virtual world. But that’s the only thing I have more of now…time. Oh, I forget…my debts, the other thing that I have more of. Still not much money. I just gotta do something about this. Maybe, this online thing can help...

Ahh…the Internet. The Internet has created so much yearning and dreams for people like me. It has caused me to see that life is more than this slow comfortable paced, day in-day out working from 8 to 5, waiting for end of the month salary to pay the bills. The Internet bombarded our lives with so much information about anything on the face of the earth. I can read and see much more of what’s happening out there …from the rich and famous to the hardcore poor and downright ugly. I now see that there is more to life than just sitting at work in front of this computer, creating some nonsensical action plans for my local government telling them how best to do their jobs. There should be more to life than this! And I’ll be damn if I want to retire, just simply noted on my employment record as a so-called expertise for local decision-makers and politicians, assisting them in their job to do good for the people …whilst in reality, I remain heavily in debt and still close to being penniless except for some retirement funds which could be gone in 60 seconds the day I retire. Armed with curiosity (hope I don’t get killed like the cat!), actually more of a hunger in wanting to get rich and live my rich dreams, I had started on this journey to find the answers to the question, “Can I really get rich, live my rich dreams and find happiness?”

The Search

Along the way, I am told that there is a science of getting rich, a science of being well, that there exist a universal law of attraction, that the universe will manifest all that you want if you only ask for it, and that the secrets of success and happiness can easily be found. Specifically on money, I read about how you can easily be a money magnet, about secrets of a millionaire mind, making money online, multiple streams of income, passive income, and so on and so forth.

In trying to find out which are genuine and which are scams, I am further bombarded by hundreds of books, ebooks, ezines, newsletters and sites telling me how to get rich and make money online if I buy their cash machine packages, their ‘business in a box’, their how-to guides. Get this special offer, this one time offer, they say, and you will be rich beyond your wildest dreams!

Today Still

Today, here I am still, lost in this jungle of ‘make money’ offers but very much obsessed with making money. After all the questioning and searching, here I am, still heavily in debt, even closer to penniless, and worst still now, I am very much lost and even more confused!

Will I ever get out of this, I wonder? Will I ever get out of this jungle, filthy but rich and smelling of success, and happily living my rich dreams? Is money equals success? I wonder still. I am nowhere close to getting the answer to the big question above. So my journey continues…