JL KAH

When we are in school, we worry about our grades.  When we are out of school, we worry if we can land a good job.  When we are in a job, we worry if we can keep the job.  When we are out of job, we worry about the roof over our head.  When we are ready for marriage, we worry that we might not find a partner.  When we finally settle down, we worry if the partnership will last.  When no sign of a baby is coming, we are worried.  When a baby is coming along, we worry if he will emerge healthy.   When the baby learns to walk, we worry he might fall.  When he grows up, we worry he will fall into bad company.  There seems no lack of things to worry about.

According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, ‘worry’ is defined as ‘to keep thinking about unpleasant things that might happen or about problems that you have’.  How then can we stop worrying?  How can we stop thinking about unpleasant things that might happen?  How can we stop thinking about the problems that we have?  Here are 7 easy ways as follows:

1) Keep yourself busy.  When you are occupied physically and mentally, you will not have time to think about unpleasant things and get worried unnecessary.

2) Think only of pleasant things that might happen.  Focus on the positive.  Do not dwell on things that depress you.  Instead spend your time on things that will lift you.

3) Know that worrying alone is not constructive.  You are entertaining negative thoughts and carrying excessive negative thoughts will certainly lead to health problems.  So, wise up and stop worrying.

4) Don’t worry about past mistake or misdeed.  It is already over and done with.  No matter how much you worry, the situation will not change.  Let the past be in the past.  Let it rest.

5) Likewise, don’t worry about the future.  No amount of worrying will affect future occurrence.  Whatever will come, will come.  Whatever will not come, will not come.  Do yourself a favor.  Cross the bridge only when you come to it.

6) Instead of worrying about your problem, think of ways to handle the situation.  Brainstorm and list all the possible solutions.  Go through each and every one and decide on the best possible solution.  Then, take action.  With every action and positive step, the problem will slowly but surely diminish.

7)  There may be times when you find yourself up against a tough situation and that there is nothing much you can do about it.  If that being the case, surrender and let it be.  Tell the problem you are sorry that you are not able to help and will leave it to take care of itself.  Send it away with love.

Stop worrying and start living.

How often do you find yourself saying ‘impossible’?  It’s impossible to ace the exam.  It’s impossible to get promoted.  It’s impossible to lose weight.  It’s impossible to make more money.  It’s impossible to enjoy radiant health.  It’s impossible to achieve balance in your life.  It’s impossible to do what you love.  When in reality, it’s possible.

If you always think that certain things are not possible or not within your reach, you will attract the very thing you always think of.  If you program your mind to expect dismal outcome, then dismal result you will receive.  Whatever you want, it must first appear in your thoughts, be held in your mind and most important of all, you must believe with your heart and soul and feel in your bones that you can attain.  Your external reality is a reflection of your internal reality.  If inwardly you do not believe you can, then ‘what you do not believe’ will be manifested outwardly.  Likewise, ‘what you believe’ will also be manifested in your life.

Say if you have wanted to lose weight and have not been successful in your previous attempts.  You gave up hope.  You believe that it is not possible to lose weight.  That you need to live with your weight problem forever.  Now, what you can do is to abandon ‘impossible’ and embrace ‘possible’.  Find a quiet place free of distractions.  Be comfortable.  Tell yourself that it is possible to lose weight.  That you will achieve your desired weight in its best possible time.

Visualize yourself in the desired outcome.  Picture yourself in your favorite jeans and smiling radiantly in the company of your family and friends.  Engage the power of affirmation.  You may wish to use this affirmation or suitable ones like ‘ I am fitting easily, beautifully and happily into my favorite jeans in its perfect time’.  Affirm at least twice a day, once in the morning and once before you go to bed.  Surround yourself with favorite pictures of yourself or your idol in nice fitting jeans.  Display them as screen saver and on your desk.  Stick them on your mirror and fridge.

Now that you have reprogrammed your mind to transmit the correct signal into the Universe, the latter will pick up from there, perform divine work to re-orchestrate events and re-shuffle people to help bring about your desired goal.  Your job is to take the next small step towards your goal.

There are many ways to lose weight.  The easiest way is to reduce consumption and increase metabolism.  Before you begin, make your plan fun and interesting.  Give your plan a name.   You may adopt ‘My little exciting ride from XL to M’ or any name you have in mind.  Write the name in a notebook.  Monitor your progress.  Date and record your current weight.  You are now ready for your little adventure.

Reduce consumption.  Change your serving size.  Start with 20% less against your usual serving.  Be persistent.  If you have a habit of taking excessive junk food, make an effort to reduce consumption by at least 50%.  Instead of a large pack of fries, ask for a small pack.  Instead of having a big tub of ice cream at one go, be contented with two scoops at one seating.  Alternatively, substitute your craving with healthy food or snacks.  Meanwhile, drink lots of water, at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

Get active.  Get moving.   Burn more calories.  Clean the house,  do gardening, take the stairs instead of the elevator and  create opportunity to walk some distance instead of having the vehicle sending you right to the doorstep.  Take morning or evening walks, go hiking, join aerobic, learn dancing, play a game or two or do any thing that you enjoy that requires movements.

Monitor your progress every 3 to 4 weeks.  Follow up diligently.  Be inspired by your progress even if it is showing small result.  Every bit adds.  It only takes time.  Be patient.  Reward yourself for every pound lost.  Once it reaches 20% of your desired target, celebrate and have some fun.  Keep your focus on your goal and eat and live in alignment to your goal.  Do research and find out other ways to manage your weight.  In no time, you would have completed your little adventurous ride and emerge from the train smiling radiantly in your favorite pair of blue jeans.

I am a dreamer.  With BIG dreams though.

I dream of making big money, staying in a huge house with a sea view, traveling in style around the world and soaking up luxury.

I am sick and tired of my job.  I dislike working for others.  I work day and night, sometimes skip my meals, all in the name of work.  And what do I get?  Just enough to pay my bills, put food on the table and have a roof over my head.  This is no fun.  No wonder I don’t see the twinkle in my eyes anymore.

I want to do whatever I feel like doing, and at any time.  This happens.  In my dreams.  On a lazy afternoon, I just want to sit by the side cafe and have my cup of coffee.  A piece of freshly baked cake from the oven will be perfect.  Then I can let my mind drift while others slog at work.

Maybe, I should start buying lottery tickets as I would stand a chance to win a million dollars.  Then I can fire my boss and probably do some good deeds with the money.  Wow.  Isn’t this cool?  Then again, the probability of striking a winning number is almost negligible.  I better think of something else.

What can I do?  I only know numbers.  I study Accountancy and work all my life in this industry.  I am an expert in this field.  But, sad to say, I don’t like it anymore.  No fun really.  How nice if I can do things that will make a positive impact on others?  But, how to? When age is catching up and I have a family to support, bills to pay and many other commitments.  I simply cannot afford to take the risk.

Guess I have no choice.  I often hear of mid-life crisis and how it turns out to be a blessing in disguise for many.  So, when is my mid-life crisis arriving?  Will some higher power make it happen for me or do I have to make it happen?

Let me dream… the answer may be there.

What do you always think about?

Do you always think that you are poor?  That you can hardly make ends meet?  Do you always think that you are less capable and intelligent?  That you will never get promoted or land a plum job?  Do you always think that you are less attractive and desirable?  That you will have a hard time finding a mate?  Do you always think that you are too old for anything?  That you just have to accept your lot?  Do you always think that this is all you can achieve?  That your circumstances will never get any better?

If you always harbor certain thoughts, you will always find yourself in the kind of circumstances corresponding to these thoughts.  It is not your circumstances that attract your thoughts.  It is your thoughts that attract the circumstances.  And if you continue to have the same thoughts, you will see yourself in the same circumstances.

Thoughts are energy in vibration.  Everything that is manifested in the physical world originates from a thought.  Before the Wright brothers successfully invented the first flying machine, they would already have the thought of  machines circling in the air.  What you think of often, whether lack or abundance, will be manifested in the physical world, at the right time.

Since your thoughts manifest your reality, isn’t it time to purge your thoughts?  Why poison your mind with negative thoughts?  Choose positive, empowering, supportive and loving thoughts.  Choose abundance, good health, happiness, optimism, wealth, success, gratitude, respect and loving.  Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want.  If you catch yourself having negative thoughts, think again.  But, think of positive thoughts instead.  Don’t rob yourself the opportunity to live up to your full potential and live the life of your greatest dreams and desires.

The flu bug is in the air.  You kind of feel weak.  You tell yourself that you are going to fall sick.  You lose your appetite.  Your head feels heavy.  True enough, when you wake up the following day, you run a fever.  You report sick.  You stay in bed.  You have successfully convinced yourself that you will be the next sick victim and without fail, your body programs accordingly.  And there you are, lying sick and weak on the bed.

What if, instead of negative programming, you apply positive programming?  Let’s replay the scene.  The flu bug is in the air.  You are busy with your work.  You tell yourself that you are strong and healthy and that you will not fall sick.  You also tell yourself that you cannot afford to get sick.  You continue with your work and carry on with your daily chores.  True enough, when you wake up the following day, you remain fit and well.  The flu bug did not get you.  You have successfully convinced yourself that you are strong and healthy and without fail, your body programs accordingly and builds up the necessary immunity.

What if, instead of talking your way to good health, you talk your way to great wealth and great possibilities?  You will have set the stage for great happenings.  Drums will roll.  You will start to attract the things, events and people that will help propel you towards your goals.  What you need to do is to continue talking to yourself, follow the flow and do all that is necessary to bring your goals to fruition.  If you come to a road block, don’t give up.  Continue with your pep talk.  Nothing and no one can stop you from achieving what you set out to achieve.  Stay strong when the current is strong.  Soon it will pass.  It has to.  No earthquake or tsunami will last forever.  Talk yourself out of all negative emotions and thoughts.  Talk yourself into everything positive.  When you have successfully programmed yourself to achieve great possibilities, there is only one outcome.  That you will achieve them, without fail.

I could not remember exactly when, but a powerful thought came to me when I was in lower primary.  Prior to that year,  I came in 8th in class.  There were slightly less than 40 of us, so it was not bad really, I thought.  Then, out of nowhere, there was this small voice that came whispering to me, “If others can be in the top 3, why can’t you?”  I was stunned for a moment.  Very simple, yet very true.  I could not recall what raced through my mind thereafter, but one thing for sure, I knew that I could do anything, if I wanted to and if I believed so.  The following year, I came in 2nd in class.

Applying this maxim, there were several instances that I rose against the odds. But let me just touch on one incident that occurred a few years back.  The company I was working in held a table-tennis doubles tournament.  I was a beginner then, and even had problem serving the ball.  But I was lucky in a way that my partner was a relatively strong player.  Even then, the odds were against us as I was the weaker link.  Nevertheless, I told myself that we could do it and I even started to visualize the swift, yet powerful smashes I made although I could not execute a smash properly.

As I was motivated to prove that we could, I spent time practicing.  With will power, mind power and what had we, we managed to get into the finals.  It was a very exciting match.  Our opponents were stronger as one of them was a 1st runner-up in the singles game and the other was certainly a much stronger player than myself.  We lost the 1st game, but we did not give up and continued to fight harder in the 2nd game.  Interestingly, the game came to a deuce.  We kept our cool and won the 2nd game.  The situation was tense in the 3rd game as it was the deciding one.  Again, we came to a deuce.  Although it was a friendly match, but when caught in such a game situation, it was near nerve-racking.  Nonetheless, the sweetness of overcoming the odds was well worth the momentary struggle.

It became clear to me that we are actually powerful beings beyond imagination, although the giant in us may be asleep until awaken.  Sometimes, we just need someone to remind us that we are greater than we seem and that we can rise against the odds.  If there is something that you wish to achieve in life, please remember that you are all powerful and that you can do anything if you want to.  But first, you must believe that you can.

Many of us tend to worry.

We worry about our jobs, our kids, our home, our health, the weather… and even what others think of us.

When we worry, we are powerless.  We anticipate unpleasant events or circumstances and believe it or not, the more we worry, the more we attract the outcomes we are worried about.  Worrying does not help.  No matter how much time and energy we spent brooding over the matter, the situation does not change.

If your boss has decided to fire you for under-performing, he will fire you, period.  No amount of worrying on your part can save the situation.  And if you cannot change the situation, why worry then?  However, on your part, if you put in efforts and perform to his expectations, you can remedy the situation.  And if you can do something to improve the situation, why the worry? Do remember that working hard will not kill you, but worrying much is bad for you.

Do not worry if there will be food on the table, if your kid will make the grade, if the house will be on fire, if you will fall ill, if it will rain… and what others will say.  Instead, take actions.  Ask yourself what can be done to improve the situation and just do it.   Focus on the doing, it is more fruitful that mere worrying.  In the event of a crisis, do not panic, do not worry.   Instead, see what can be done.  Take actions, even small ones on the road to recovery.

In short, it does not help worrying about the past or the future.  Live in the moment, enjoy the moment and do what you can in the moment.