Category: Habits

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Habits of Getting Organised

“Organizing is a journey, not a destination.”

The other day when I was having a meeting with my friend and also accountant, I realised that I really need to learn to be more organised. I believe there are a lot of benefits when we are more organised.

Some of the benefits of getting organised are:

  1. Reduce the feeling of having too much and overwhelmed.
  2. Get more done in less time.
  3. Having a sense of control.
  4. Better branding for self-leadership.
  5. Less clutter, less stress.
  6. Calm and more relaxed, knowing where things are.
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Then I sat down and started thinking about this topic on “Getting Organised”… And I came up with the diagram below or more of a doodle.

Let’s start from the top left…

Set up an information centre for work and family; something like a notice board to remind on certain actions or activities… road tax renewals, bills and all of that sort. It can be a magnetic white board or the pin-up type of board. At least when any of your family members want to refer to certain important information, they have a central point of information.

Remember to back up your files and important documents; photos, videos and scanned copies of documents. For photos and videos, you may consider Google Photos (unlimited space if you save to their default type or quality), if you do not mind putting in a cloud system. Some people may have the thought on privacy… or you can setup your own storage systems and make it exclusive for your own access.

I do not know about you… every time I do housekeeping (clean up) of my table or closet… the after effect is really fantastic! A sense of achievement and control plus getting rid of stuffs that are taking up space. At times you may find things that you thought are lost… interesting. Schedule some time to do housekeeping.

Use web or mobile Apps to help you to get organised. My favourite will be Google Calendar for all my activities, appointments and reminders. Trello as my to do and project info app and notes in my phone to keep important information that I can refer to when needed. I am sure there are a lot of great apps out there. What are the apps that you use? Please share with me, so that I can learn to use the app as well.

Certain tasks can be delegated. Before delegating, we have to ensure that the person we are delegating the task to, knows what to do and is ready to take on the load. Show concern by following up and have constant communication (not micro-managing) to see if any help is needed.

According to David Allen from his book Getting Things Done…

https://gettingthingsdone.com/books/

You can find out more about the book from the link above 🙂

Anything that can be done in 2 minutes or less… do it NOW! Be productive and just do it, not procrastinate.

Keep inventory of your stuffs… books, gadgets, cables, work props, etc. Before buying any extra stuffs, go through your inventory check list. Practice the “one in, one out” approach. Anything that you are going to buy, before buying, get rid of one item first… (I am still building my habit around this, not easy and it really make sense!)

To add-on to inventory, when you have stuffs in boxes… it will be a good practice to label the boxes on what is inside the box. Labelling can help us to be more organised and knowing how to group the stuffs that can be grouped in the same box or area.

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Make your life simpler by UNSUBSCRIBING the newsletters, emails or marketing campaigns that you do not really read or want to waste time on. Just learn to say no and you will be surprised by how much time you can save in doing that. Not to worry, you can subscribe again to any of the ones you have unsubscribed earlier, correct?

Last night, my wife mentioned to me that there is a lady (that she followed in Instagram) who practiced having a box by the door and anything that she feels she is not using often or want to give away, she will put them in the box and when the box is full, she will donate the things away. Learn to discard and donate the things that you do not really use. Make some other people who need the things happier.

There is a place for everything… make it a good habit to allocate places for your things. Example; wallet, watches, spectacles, keys… they have their rightful place. I save a lot of time and have a peace of mind, knowing where the things are…

Getting organised, in my humble opinion, starts from PLANNING. Having clear thoughts, putting it on paper (will make it clearer) and having a check list to pack for travelling helps to avoid not having important things for the travel… like one of my mentors shared with me, “a short pencil is better than a long memory…”

Anyway, as we are humans, we may some times overlook certain things… just enjoy the journey and learn to better continuously. Start with one or two tips above and discover how your life can be better by being organised. I am also learning to be more organised, let’s DO IT TOGETHER!

“For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.” 

“Your habits, your future!”

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Travelling Habits

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide

Due to my work, people have this perception that I travel a lot… in actual fact… I do travel and not as much as some other people. My wife is the one, who loves to travel for holiday, for me… I travel when I need to.

This blog is dedicated to you if you travel often for leisure or work. I believe there are some learning and sharing here for everyone.

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 “Remember that happiness is a way of travel – not a destination.”
– Roy M. Goodman

Please find the important and good habits that I wish to share with you as below. If you have any other great habits to share, please comment. Thank you and happy travels

(1) Save a copy of your original travelling documents

Scan or photocopy your passport, identification, tickets, hotel bookings and any important documents that you need for this trip. Upload them somewhere you can access when needed; not only in your phone. Just in case if you need them.

(2) Be early

It is a good habit to arrive early. You never know, how many people are travelling that day. It happened to me at least once where I was travelling with one of my partners and due to he was late, we cannot checked in and have to buy new tickets. Be prepared for any unexpected events and when we are early, we can handle the issues with more time minus the anxiety.

(3) Bring a sweater, jacket or scarf

Bring one that is lightweight and have it with you in your hand-carry / laptop bag. At times when the airport or plane has less people, it can be cold. Be stay warm then get yourself catching cold (really hate it when I have runny nose!).

(4) Pack essential medication and vitamins

Have your supplements and medication (not asking you to pack the whole pharmacy… just the essential ones that you normally need). Stay healthy and remember to eat your vitamins… and choose your meals wisely and keep them balanced.

(5) Review your travel plans and packing list

Good to plan your travels and what you need to bring with you. You do not want to over-pack nor under-pack. I believe that when we plan (with the help of visualization), we can pack better. For business travels, at times, some hotels will bundle laundry services as part of the package, thus, less clothes to bring – travel light is definitely preferred. Remember your adapters, cables, chargers and battery packs / power bank (cannot check-in, have to be in your hand-carry bag).

(6) Keep your healthy and wellness habits

Travelling is not the reason for not exercising nor eating healthy. We always have the choice. Please make the right choice – this also serves as a reminder to myself… some times it gets really hard to adapt to new places and practicing our routine. Just do our best to stick to the good habits.

(7) Spend wisely

If you plan to go for any shopping, please do some research and compare pricing. Remember to give yourself a budget on how much you can spend. Prevent from over-spending and then regret later. No point crying over spilt milk! Check the exchange rate to see if the price is fair and not overdoing it.

(8) Take good care of your own personal and important belongings

Be mindful and alert, especially when taking out money and using the mobile phone in public. Use the hotel’s safe to store any additional money and travel documents. Just bring with you what you need to spend for the day or use credit card (also beware of scammers and theft) if the outlet is able to accept them.

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Everyone has their own way and preference when it comes to travelling. Experiment different ways and go with the one that you are happiest with. My style of travelling… having my music and book (e-book)… drink coffee, relax before boarding the plane and enjoy the journey.

Whether travelling for fun or work… we are still creating memories for ourselves and the journey is the reward!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
– Helen Keller

Have FUN!

“Your habits, your future!”

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Sleeping Habits

“Tired minds don’t plan well. Sleep first, plan later.”
– Walter Reisch

There was a time when I was sleeping very early… yeah, early in the wee hours of the morning like after 2:00 A.M. That’s early, right?

Then I developed this new habit of sleeping before 10:00 P.M. Well, this new sleeping habit definitely working for me. Not all will agree with me, there are some who prefer to sleep late as they can work better late at night or they can think better?

This is not an easy topic to write as some may or may not agree with what I am writing. I am writing for my own reference and sharing to those who can resonate with me… no offence to those who cannot agree. One man’s treasure is another man’s trash…

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Why sleep?

For me, when I have enough sleep, I felt that I can perform better the next day. I can think clearer and my mind works faster than when I am deprived of sleep. I am no professor who is doing any research on sleep. I just felt that sleeping is part of our lifestyle… anything to do with lifestyle is a journey in life and it is somehow linked to our habits.

Please take some time to read the extract below from this article:
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/sleep-deprivation-and-deficiency


== QUOTE ==
Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

The way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while you’re sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.

The way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while you’re sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.

The damage from sleep deficiency can occur in an instant (such as a car crash), or it can harm you over time. For example, ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems. It also can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.
== UNQUOTE ==

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There are a lot of articles and sharing in the web on the health benefits of sleeping and the consequences of sleep deprivation. I will not go into the details of that… Just know yourself, in terms on how many hours will be enough for you. You will need to experiment the right amount of sleep time. I believe at different age, our needs will be different…

Can you imagine… there is a body called the “National Sleep Foundation”… I wonder what do they do there? Sleep? Jokes aside… they came up with the research on sleeping time… I am referring to the majority here, not to those super man or woman who may not need to sleep. Please refer to the link as below for more information:
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times

About the National Sleep Foundation

The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving health and well-being through sleep education and advocacy. Founded in 1990 by the leaders in sleep medicine, NSF is the trusted resource for sleep science, healthy sleep habits, and sleep disorders to medical professionals, patients and the public. For more information visit sleepfoundation.org or sleep.org.

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Some tips on How to sleep better at night:

  1. Spend some time outdoor to get some dose of sunlight. Make time for the exposure.
  2. Reduce blue light exposure in the evening and your body may be tricked that it is still day time. Rest one hour before snooze time.
  3. Heard from some experts… less or no caffeine late afternoon or evening.
  4. Monitor your nap time. You can practice power naps… experiment the dose of naps needed.
  5. Be consistent with sleeping and awake times. You body needs time to adjust; consistency is key.
  6. Movement and exercise can help to relax those tight muscles, plus it will help to provide better quality sleep at night.
  7. Alcohol sounds good to some people to help with sleep but according to some smart scientists, it does not help but disrupt sleep patterns.
  8. Bedroom is a place for sleeping not watching movies or playing games… ensure the environment is optimized for sleeping. And not forgetting the temperature too.
  9. Avoid from over-eating or supper at night… instead of sleeping, your body is digesting the food and disturbing your sleep.
  10. Place all your worries on paper… or somewhere you can refer to the next day. Sleep is more important than your problems… you need a fresh and active mind to solve problems.
  11. Take a good, relaxing and warm shower to relax those muscles of yours to get better quality sleep.
  12. Ensure your bed is good to support you and you are comfortable with the bed… remember about those pillows and bolsters too.

Pssstt… there are also good talks from www.ted.com as below for you to learn from:
https://www.ted.com/playlists/223/talks_to_inspire_you_to_go_to

“Sleep is the Swiss army knife of health. When sleep is deficient, there is sickness and disease. And when sleep is abundant, there is vitality and health.” – Matthew Walker

Should you have any great tips to share on sleeping habits, or any good resources for reference. Do let me know… till then, I am getting ready to sleep as tomorrow is another great day. Good night!

“Your habits, your future!”

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Eating Habits

“One cannot think well, love well and sleep well if one has not dined well.”
–Virginia Woolf

This topic will resonate with most people. Do we eat to live or live to eat?

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How can we maintain a healthy lifestyle through eating? As a person who loves to eat myself, I find it hard to resist good food and especially when there is great company to eat with… I tend to eat more. Therefore, I have been thinking about whether to write on this topic or not?

There are a lot of areas to discuss when it comes to this topic on eating… this time I will focus on eating healthy as part of our daily habits and if you have any ideas, please do share and write to me, thank you.

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“The chief pleasure in eating does not consist in costly seasoning, or exquisite flavor, but in yourself.”
– Horace

I believe when it comes to eating, it boils down to making choices. It is definitely not easy as our emotions will be stronger than logic. We know we have to eat healthier food options, just that at times, the craving for not so healthy options will take over and we gave it to the craving. Then regretted for that action… who have not experienced that before?

Please find some sharing on how we can be more aware and to have better plus healthier options when it comes to eating…

It starts with WHY?

What is your compelling reason for eating healthy? Why do you want to eat healthy? First things first, it starts from within us. Who are you and what identity do you want have to embark in this journey of healthy eating?

How can it be done?

Everyone is unique and requires different calorie count per day (to lose or maintain weight). That means, you will need to do some research on your own lifestyle; what will your daily activities be and how much energy do you need to get through your day? How are you keeping track on the food that you are going to eat? What is your plan when it comes to your meals? How about rituals (drinking water, eating fruits before meals, etc.) and supplements (vitamins and minerals)? If you are cooking, how do you plan your menu… weekdays, weekends… special days.

What are some of the TIPS?

  • Research on the types of food that is good for you
  • Eat lots of vegetables (leafy ones) and fruits (I believe everything in moderation… haha)
  • Eat more fish (brain food), of course fresh ones, oily ones (salmon, sardines, mackerel) and not so oily ones (tuna and local fishes)
  • Cut down on sugar and salt intake (processed and non-processed ones as well) and especially processed food – biscuits, cakes, sausages, canned food, fizzy drinks, pastries, cereals
  • Eat whole and fresh produce / food
  • Get properly hydrated… drink that H2O and not get thirsty; water is a better option than sugary drinks even fruit juices!
  • Have proper meals and not get hungry, snack healthily when necessary (as when we get hungry, we tend to over eat…)
  • Check the nutrition label, learn how to read them
  • Eat mindfully and be aware of what you put into your mouth (this is also a self reminder to me…)
  • Just be flexible with yourself… at times we need to indulge and when we do… do it responsibly and mindfully…

Anyone who has just started will feel the difficulty to sustain as it is not going to be easy in the beginning. As what Jack Ma of Alibaba said…

Image result for jack ma on messy in the beginning

“Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.”

Let’s all start today and be rewarded tomorrow.

“Your habits, your future!”

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Essential Coaching Habits

“Coaching is leading with curiosity…”

Since I started with coaching certification training, executive coaching and group coaching journey… there are many questions on what a coach should do and what are the best practices for a coach to follow?

There are many school of thoughts when it comes to coaching and there are also many professional bodies around this subject on coaching.

I am not here to say that what I know is the best, whatever I am sharing is just my own thoughts and opinions. Please feel free to make any changes to your own styles and practices. My intention is to add value to what you have already known and practicing. Contact me and we can have further discussions and who knows, I can also learn from you as well. I have this believe that, as leaders, we are constantly learning new things in our journey in life or at work.

“It’s important to work hard, stay humble, and not let the criticism or the compliments go to your head.” – Jessica Sanchez

Anyone or any organizations that are practicing coaching, this article is dedicated to you… based on what I have learned from many gurus, practitioners and learners. Even a coach needs to be coached. As long as we are learning, we are growing, improving to be a better leader.

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I would like to make it simple for all of us to remember the key habits when it comes to coaching. Let’s focus on the three -(3) key habits, the Essential Coaching Habits…

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YES! Only three -(3) key habits and here they are;

Habit #1: INTENT

What is your intention and purpose to coach this client / coachee / person?
We can learn from Simon Sinek from one of his great books…

As a coach, we need to ensure that our intention is right. When our “WHY” is right, the “HOW” and the “WHAT” will be in place.
In my humble opinion, this Habit #1: INTENT is the starting point to any coaching success. As a coach, our main INTENT is to make our client / coachee successful. It is all about them and our role is to be focusing on their goal(s) and partnering (accountability) with them to their journey in accomplishing their goals to results realization. At the back of our head, with the INTENT, the questions that we ask will be somehow pointing to their goal(s) and that is what is we want. Then comes Habit #2.

Habit #2: CURIOSITY

“Be lazy, be curious, be often…”
– Michael Bungay Stanier

A lot of times, as leaders, we tend to tell (advise, guide, share experience) our people what to do and that is more of mentoring. Even during coaching, we have some hard time adjusting to this new habit of asking questions. We cannot stand silence and the quality of questions we asked were towards leading the client / coachee to the path that we want them to journey on.

Many of the participants who attended the coaching certification program have asked me, “What are the tip for asking great questions?”

That is why this Habit #2: CURIOSITY is the key… when we have the right INTENT and combined with CURIOSITY, the quality of questions asked will be great. As coaches, we want to help and support our client / coachee to be more successful in getting results and we are curious in terms of how they can achieve their goals and what they are going to do to accomplish them.

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YES! Leaders are learners… we want to learn about our clients / coachees. How to make them more successful. When they get the results, the will be MORE MOTIVATED! That leads us to Habit #3: OUTCOME

Habit #3: OUTCOME

Image result for success cycle tony robbins model

What we can learn from Anthony Robbins’ Success Cycle model… when the client / coachee achieve results, their belief / certainty (motivation) will increase. If you can see from the illustration above, what leads to results will be ACTION and as what Tony mentioned, “MASSIVE ACTION!!”

Then as a coach what is our role? Habit #3: OUTCOME is all about us coaches having the right INTENT with CURIOSITY, asking the right questions to assist our client / coachee to obtain the OUTCOME which will be ACTION STEPS. When both the coach and client / coachee are clear about the goal(s), the questions that we ask will point to HOW and WHAT the client / coachee will ACTION to get the results or moving them on the right path in achieving the results. Automatically when the client / coachee is moving towards their direction in achieving their goal(s) or best when they achieve results, they will be more fulfilled, motivated and happier.

“Success is a science; if you have the conditions, you get the result. “
– Oscar Wilde

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There you go… the Essential Coaching Habits. I strongly believe that if we are able to practice these three -(3) Coaching Habits;

Habit #1: INTENT
Habit #2: CURIOSITY
Habit #3: OUTCOME

We will be able to help more people to be SUCCESSFUL. Like what I normally share with my client / coachee / participants…

“When you are successful, I will be successful too…”

“Please DO NOT FORGET ME when you are successful… hahaha”

Thank you.

“Your habits, your future!”

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Conversation on Positive Mindset

“Live life to the fullest, and focus on the positive.” – Matt Cameron

Happy Lunar New Year to those who are reading this blog. This year, I am taking a longer break from work to focus on one of my passion, cooking… rest, relax, cook, eat, chit-chat and repeat again for the past few days. So far, I am enjoying it.

Why writing this blog when I am on a break? I felt that I have to share this conversation / experience that I had with my father-in-law. The conversation was yesterday before dinner time.

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It is never easy for anyone to go through challenges and difficulties in life. Especially when you suffered stroke twice! I have to respect my father-in-law for being a fighter and survivor.

Compared to his first dreadful experience, where he was really determined to get back to his normal routine (walking, writing and driving). In the early of his stroke-stricken days, he was unable to perform his normal routine; where we could see and sense that he was really frustrated. That did not stop him from being determined to fully recover. He was really hardworking and disciplined to practice, go for physiotherapy and having a strong sense of purpose – to recover and get back to his normal routine. Ultimately, he was successful; being able to write (sign his name), walk and drive to his favorite food stalls and restaurants to eat.

As what Simon Sinek shared in his book, “Start with Why”… having a strong WHY will lead to the HOW and WHAT… as shared in the earlier blog on his “golden circle”… as below, just in case, you have not seen it before;

Image result for simon sinek the golden circle
https://startwithwhy.com/find-your-why/

“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” – Willie Nelson

Yesterday during my conversation with him, I sensed that his enthusiasm was low, did not show any eagerness and from the feedback gotten from my mother-in-law, he is not as determined and disciplined as before… somehow, given up and letting go of his exercise. I believe that he has lost his “WHY”; no reason and real purpose for him to recover fully.

Doing my part to share with him on having a sense of purpose… to have a “WHY” is important and needed now, especially when you do nothing about the current situation, it will somehow further deteriorate. As what I have learned from Tony Buzan’s seminar some time ago… “If you do not use it, you lose it!”

I shared with him that similar to our brain power, our muscles in our bodies, when not used… will be useless sooner or later. It can be seen that immediately he was motivated and started moving his arm. Part of the advice shared with him, was to allocate a certain time to move, stretch, stand… as long as he is moving his muscles – I really pray that he does the exercises for his own good and wellness.

To learn on Positive Mindset, you can visit this site:

https://www.success.com/7-practical-tips-to-achieve-a-positive-mindset/

The behavior model from Dr. BJ Fogg is also worth learning:

https://www.behaviormodel.org/

According to Dr. Fogg, (based on my understanding), the important part of the equation for behavior change will be the “trigger”; we all have the ability and motivation to change… what’s missing is the “trigger”.

There is an urgent and important need to “trigger” my father-in-law.

“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” – Lyndon B. Johnson

“Your habits, your future!”

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The Golden Rectangle of Reading Habit

“We read to know we are not alone.” – C.S. Lewis

Hello there! I have been thinking of what to share this round and this thought came to mind… we got to know from Simon Sinek on the Golden Circle from his book, “Start with Why” and how about if I come up with the Golden Rectangle of Reading Habit? I will be sharing in black and white though (haha).

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This Golden Rectangle of Reading Habit is based on my own views, observations and experience. Please contact me direct if you have any questions or need more information.

Here it goes…

“The only important thing in a book is the meaning that it has for you.”
–W. Somerset Maugham

Let’s start with “Why reading is good?” then go on to “What are the strategies?’ and finally “How to make it a habit?”

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”
– Joseph Addison


“A man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people.”
– Will Rogers

So my friends, what is stopping you from starting to read?

“Your habits, your future!”

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Habit of Asking Questions

“Asking questions is the first way to begin change.” – Kubra Sait

Happy New Year 2019!

Today I have been given the opportunity by my mentor, coach and a friend to share with his team on the topic… “Questioning Techniques”.

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The session went well… how do I know? I believe when the participants (almost all of them), came to me at the end of the session and shook my hand… it was a good feeling. I have given my best with the available resources that I have during the session.

Why ask questions? I have shared with the participants, asking questions mean we have to learn how to listen, understand (empathize) and learn about the answers from the people that we are engaging with. Especially when you want to be a better leader / coach.

I did an activity on asking closed questions and from my observations, they looked irritated as they could not get to the bottom of the story. Closed questions can only provide partial discovery and will take a long time to get to the point of full discovery. Hence, it will be better to learn how to ask more open questions to get the overall picture and mixed with closed questions to clarify any uncertainty.

“The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge.” – Thomas Berger

Shared with the participants two good books that I have read on asking questions…

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Are you getting the results you want in business and in life? How about a higher income, improved health, more productive relationships? Could asking questions be the “magic bullet” that enables you to achieve the success you’ve always wanted but may have never believed possible? 
In Just Ask! renowned peak performance expert Bill McGrane III teaches you how to…

Ask the five most effective types of questions.
Move forward by first asking yourself the right questions.
More effectively influence and lead others.
Decrease rejection and increase productivity.
Improve communication personally and professionally.
Dissolve conflict and improve relationships.
Use the Colombo Close…and much more.

Master the art of asking questions and you’ll have developed a powerful tool for creating more successful, mutually beneficial relationships. You’ll build rapport more effectively than ever – bolstering your persuasive power, creating greater success.

Source: https://www.amazon.com/Just-Ask-Bill-McGrane-III-ebook/dp/B00267RU4Y

Image result for change your questions change your life marilee adams

Questions are at the core of how we listen, behave, think, and relate–as individuals and organizations. Virtually everything we think and do is generated by questions. Questions push us into new territories. The future begins with our thinking, represented by the questions we ask ourselves.

“”Change Your Questions, Change Your Life”” shows readers how to consistently choose the questions that can lead them to success, both personally and professionally. This technique, called “”QuestionsThinking,”” stimulates innovation, accelerate productivity, and create more rewarding relationships.

“”Change Your Questions, Change Your Life”” is a personal growth fable that tells how a seasoned executive, Ben Knight, uses QuestionThinking to move into a higher leadership role and how the same methods of change help him and his wife, Grace, enrich their marriage.

Source: https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Questions-Life-Institute/dp/1576756009

Happy reading!

The participants have a lot of potential yet to be unleashed. I really look forward to them perfect practicing what they have learnt from the short workshop session today.

“Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” – Voltaire

There is so much for us to learn, we just need to have the habit of being curious.

“Your habits, your future!”

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Habit on Developing a Healthy Perspective


Source: pixabay.com

“The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective.
You don’t have control over your situation. But you have a choice about how you view it.” – Chris Pine

I believe most of us have encountered events; positive or negative ones from time to time. Some of the daily events; traffic conditions, weather, dealing with people, news, unexpected happenings, not getting the promotion and many other events that have happened before or may happen some time in the future… most of the events are not within our control. 

What I have learnt from my mentors and coaches, the events or happenings may be perceived differently from people to people. Some may see it as negative, others may be glad and view them as positive. It is depending on the PERSPECTIVE on the person experiencing the event.

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Jack Canfield (author of the Success Principles and series on Chicken Soup for the Soul) mentioned that Success Principle #1; “Take 100% Responsibility of your life” with the formula:

E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome)

Whatever the Event may be, depending on the Outcome we want (positive or negative), we Respond accordingly (think and action). Please read the article as the link below to learn more about the formula:

https://www.jackcanfield.com/blog/the-formula-that-puts-you-in-control-of-success/

“There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” – William Shakespeare

In this blog, I would like to share some pointers on how we can develop the habit of healthy perspective (inspired by Jeff Keller) in my own words, understanding and suggestions, please feel free to share your thoughts with me;

  1. The challenge(s) that you are experiencing versus your entire life journey. What will this matter 10 days / 10 months / 10 years from now? Of course the issue at the moment you are experiencing it may seemed enormous, just bear in mind that it is not the end of the world. It takes practice on awareness (mindfulness) and decision to NOT let the issue cloud your mind for the day(s).
  2. What is your end in mind? As this is the journey of your life, there are roadblocks and distractions along the way… focus on your mission and keep going. As one of my mentors said to me… “Don’t sweat the small stuff… look at the big picture!”
  3. As long as we can wake up in the morning, we should be HAPPY. The attitude of gratitude and not taking anything for granted is important. Decide to be glad and celebrate life.
  4. Have an open mind to events, adventures, experience, people around you and all the happenings have learning to teach us to be better. We have the power to reflect, observe and learn from the experience. What can we learn? How do we want to learn?
  5. Help others, pay it forward, do as much as we can (with any means necessary) without any expectations. Whenever we are able to give, it is a blessing and as long as we are able to serve and give… we should be counting our blessings that we are able to do that. Moreover, by focusing on others, we do not have time to think of negative events… giving ourselves to others will make us whole (sense of fulfillment) and happier.
  6. Birds of the same feather, flock together; choose your friends wisely. In this case, we have to be selective in choosing the right, positive and worthy friends. Whether we like it or not, people surrounding us will somehow influence us (no matter how strong your will power is). Better to be around people who are positive, spreading joy and happiness.
  7. Decide to view every events as an opportunity to learn, grow and be better. Of course by certain events, we may feel the pain… let’s put it this way, the reason we are feeling the pain, is because we are still alive (isn’t that something to be happy about?).
  8. Words and phrases have energy (positive or negative) effect on people. Be wise and choose the right words / phrases to use with people; not forgetting our own self-talk. Train your brain, make it a habit to talk more positives.
  9. Practice spiritual connection as people with strong spiritual beliefs tend to have healthier perspectives. Especially when we have strong beliefs and purpose, most of the time we are more resilient and focus on the big picture. We tend to be more grounded, having sense of confidence and knowing that things are in order.
  10. Leaders are the combination of the word “Learner” and “Reader”. Like what Zig Ziglar mentioned, motivation is like taking a shower, you have to do it everyday… How? one of the best ways, by reading. Hence we can earn more knowledge, skills and better perspectives.
  11. Exercise and move more. I strongly believe that we are built to move… get that body moving, heart pumping and release endorphins (neuro-chemical) that helps with making us feel good (fighting stress). When some of the people I met said to me… “I don’t have time to exercise…”, what I am hearing is that, exercise is not their priority! If it is very important to you, I am sure you can find time to exercise.
  12. Laughter is the best medicine… when you laugh, blood circulates better as your heart is pumping when you laugh. In India, there is an exercise known as the “laughter yoga”… you may find out more and do some research on this yoga to experiment it.
  13. Learning to say “NO” to activities that are not helping you to get nearer to your goals, mission or dreams. As we have limited time and time is a very precious commodity… we have to be selective to activities that provide us balance and getting us nearer to the results that we want.

“Each person does see the world in a different way. There is not a single, unifying, objective truth. We’re all limited by our perspective.”
– Siri Hustvedt

“Your habits, your future!”

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Habits on burning calories

“To enjoy the glow of good health, you must exercise.”  ~ Gene Tunney

Photo by Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash

“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.”
~ Hippocrates

What does it take for us to be healthy, my definition of being healthy is being self-reliant, being able to move (walk, jog, run, cycle, swim) and enjoy every moment of it versus being out-of-breath, lack of stamina, feeling tired and immobility (you know what I mean).

I believe there are a lot of people out there (I am one of them), who are wondering, how and what are the activities that we can do to stay healthy and especially if one is a food lover… how to maintain (or lose the extra) weight while enjoying the lifestyle of having good food plus drinks.

There is no easy way out, it takes a lot of hard work, discipline and determination (at first). Sooner or later, should we be consistent in practicing the exercise as part of our lifestyle, it gets easier and more enjoyable.

Image result for exercise meme

This sharing is not the ultimate guide to having the best body nor quick weight lost program… it is just some of the activities that I find useful and you may consider in practising them as good habits (daily)…

“It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” ~ Socrates

Please find the things or activities that you can experiment to make them part of your lifestyle habits:

  1. You can invest in an exercise ball to sit while watching television or as an office chair. By balancing, sitting up straight, it will help strengthening the core muscles. Or you may opt to do planking (this can also strengthen the core muscles).
    What I have discovered, more muscles, more calories burn efficiently.
  2. Sitting and sedentary lifestyle is the new enemy. With technology, which makes our lives easier, we tend to sit more that move about. Take some breaks in between to stand or move to the pantry to grab a glass of water to drink. Be aware, practice mindfulness or set an alarm to remind you to move after 20-30 minutes of sitting down. Another idea is to walk around when taking a call; that will burn about 100 calories if you walk and talk for 5 minutes (how about that?)
  3. When there is a need to discuss or brainstorm, walk to your colleague rather than sending an e-mail. It is better to send the message in person (if you are not geographically challenged), as that can help you put extra steps to your pedometer and get your blood flowing to get extra oxygen to freshen up your brains. Imagine if you burn just 50 calories a day… in a year, it really adds up.
  4. Chunk the activities down; if you cannot have 30 minutes in a stretch for exercising, you can deliberately set 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at lunch (find a place further from the office to have a meal) and 10 minutes in the evening (after dinner as a bonding time with the family?).
  5. Find ways to take the flight of stairs; not that you cannot take the elevator, how about taking the elevator half way or three quarters of the way and the rest by stairs, will that work for you? At least you get your heart rate up to burn some calories. You know yourself better, please do not over exert yourself. Be mindful of your own health, best to go for check-up and find out your level of fitness.
  6. Shopping therapy can be one of ways to get extra steps and burn some calories. You may use your mobile phone (install some apps to help keep track of your steps) or invest in smart watches or pedometer to monitor your daily steps. You can also set goals for yourself or have fun by getting an accountability partner or community to challenge yourself.
  7. Perform some strength training; add some extra weight to your backpack or take the dumbbell or water bottle when you go for your walk, jog or run. Building muscles help with metabolism rate and burning the extra calories. Everything in moderation, bit-by-bit and remember we are not focusing on intensity, the key here is consistency.
  8. Pet lovers especially if you are having dogs, you can go a walk or jog with your dog. This can be a good activity to pursue with your family as well, instead of delegating the task to other people. Have fun by going for different routes.
  9. If you have a bicycle, you can always have this extra activity as a variety to your daily exercise activities. Just be extra careful when you cycle on the road; get the proper gear for safety (helmet, gloves, lights, etc). Or join a cycling group for more excitement. At least it is not only walk, jog or run… now you can also cycle!
  10. Some people like to swim; if you are one of them or the property you are living has the pool facility or if you have a club membership (which has swimming pool), this is also a good exercise to burn calories and release stress. As long as you move, keep the heart pumping (at least Zone 3 and not over Zone 5; please do your own research on your Heart Beat Rate zones; for some information, you may refer to this site, please also check with your physician before doing any activities that may cause any harm to yourself, https://www.physiotherapy-treatment.com/karvonen-formula.html)

In my humble opinion, different activities for different people. You have to find the right ones for yourself. As for me, depending on where I am and what I feel like doing… apart from doing all the activities mentioned above, you may also want to look into your own passion projects (for motivation, joy and fulfilment).

“We do not stop exercising because we grow old – we grow old because we stop exercising.” ~ Kenneth Cooper

 

“Your habits, your future!”