Life- Simplified for 2009 & beyond

I know, by this time of this year, loads of people will be asking, what the heck, where has all the time gone? It's another New Year's Eve again!

As usual, ever since I left the employment world more than 5 years ago, my yearly routine would be to reflect (gasp! gasp! gasp!), review, and plan for the next year.

But, I never do New Year Resolutions, it's always a joke & a slap to me coz I treat them as carelessly as I wrote them down.

More often than not, I always do my planning in Jan, coz I always work right up till end of the year.

But since this year, I now disgust myself by being a slug bum since early Dec 08, my 2009 plan was done on 29th Dec 2008.

It was easy enough as my focus is only on business planning and direction.

I find that with practise, with reading habit, attending selected seminars has helped my thinking process tremendously.

This year, back in my hometown Penang since 24th, I managed to selfishly hogged a few quiet hours to be by myself. I must admit, I'm getting a bit flustered at how fast the year is catching up, and I need to calm my crazy mind down!

A cluttered mind has no clear direction nor great ideas. The clarity you can get when you quiet down your mind is great! So, always allow yourself time to quiet down and think.

Foggy vision only lands you in a ditch.
However, vision without definite action plan is equally suicidal!

I find that if you ask yourself the right questions, you will have answers to a lot of things.
More often than not, we jammed ourselves into a corner, fretting & fussing.
Or worst, trapped in a vicious cycle of indecisiveness, grudge, arguements...simply because our mind is fogged up!

So, I always start with the big picture before zooming into details.

And it's VERY EASY to do this, just ask yourself questions. It works for, I dare say, almost anything. Your business, your career, your relationships, your health...

Be as elaborate as you can, let your mind wander, brainstorm, just write down anything, DON'T SELF CENSOR your thoughts at this point!! This is a time for you (yes, you thick headed skull you) to listen to your HEART. For it always tells you the right thing, though our adult life tries to rationalized otherwise.

It's not hocus pocus, but if you give yourself a chance to be true to yourself, you will agree that it pays to listen, and it is very powerful what you can get out of it.

Ready to quiet down? Here it goes, ask yourself:

What do I want? (in your biz, in your career, in your family, etc)

What do I don't want? Though I find it's more pleasing to focus on what do u want rather than don't.

How do I get what I want?

What can I do now?

Where is the balance between (eg: income) and (eg: dreams)?

When do I want to achieve what I want?

Fill in your own questions...

Just remember to let your mind flow, be really elaborate, write it down, write it down.


Wishing you a rich yet simple life, and a beautiful 2009.

Happy new year to you!

xx

Devoted to pink

Isn't this the happiest shoe ever?

Even Princess Pink Poodle Pea agrees!

Ok...obviously I'm in one of those giggly, gimme anything pink, glittery, furry mood again.

Ask questions, for questions are answers

Just had an intense debate with a 'good intention' friend of mine.

This is one serious topic of -Do what you enjoy to do.

Let me elaborate-

I'm saying, many are living years of their life doing something that they don't really believe in, or they don't really like, it's not something they view with excitement.
And they said, of course, who likes to work?

Now, that very statement is a danger sign in itself, for if you love what you do, it'll never be work to you.

But she protested, well true, many people can't do what they like, it's normal. But you can work at SOMETHING YOU DON'T REALLY LIKE (be true to yourself when you ask), earn the seed money, then go and do something you really like, she shared.

I'm like, I don't want to die and die doing something I don't feel passionate about.

I'm not a charity crazy girl, or have a rich background, so I KNOW the importance of money in our modern life. And I'm not crazy enough to go off and do something that I like, but it doesn't generate any good money!! No!

But I've tried the rationalizing to myself for years doing a biz that I kinda like, sort of, but I'm not crazy about...yeah. Rationalizing to myself that this brings potential good money, then I can bugger off to chase after my passion.
So, I ended up chasing money first. Putting $ first before my heart's desire.
Where did it get me?
Nowhere.
Money are like butterflies, the more you chase them with a net, the more they run away.

The SCARY thing is, it seems to be the norm for the middle class masses, which is the category I'm in, to think that it's a dreamer's job to go after passion. Hey, no money no talk lar, money first. Be realistic! Nobody gets to follow their heart.

Look at almost all billionnaires, millionnaires, do you think they get to where they are by doing not what is true to their heart?
Do you think without PASSION, they can even get to base 1 of where they are now?
Without passion, do you think they want to work their ass off, harder but smarter than any middle class people work??

My apologies, I'm sorry for 'classifying' people, but as i say, at my networth, I belong to that category. But one thing for sure, my attitude and mindset are not.

I got to the clarity of thought that I have now by asking myself questions. I have to drag myself out of my denial and ask lots of questions. Seeking for answers.
Questions that I dare not asked myself, and heaven forbid, even answer. Coz deep down, I knew the answer. But, I rationalized myself to accepting my career choice.

Do you know why many people are unhappy? It's because they are not true to themselves.
If you can't even answer to your heart, will you be truly happy?

So, in this context, ask yourself these million dollar questions. Bear in mind, it's easy questions, but it's very tough coz we are conditioned to surpress our inner voice.
Give yourself a quiet time, and ask:

1. PASSION- do you enjoy what you do? (I'll bet my whole networth that loads of people will already fail at this question)

2. PROFFESIONALISM- R u good at what you do?

3. PROFITABILITY- Will people pay you for what you want to do? (See. I told you I'm not crazy, you do have to take the profit into the equation. But the order is passion first.
The business set up that fails always have a common trait- when you ask them why you want to do business? To make money lor! Wrong!)

4. PROCESSES- Are there any system for what you do? (have you set any system for it? A repeatable process)

5 PURPOSE- Do you know why you do what you do?

If you can truthfully answer the above with a tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. Congratulations! You have an optimal career/ business.
If not, then may you wonder why are you not doing as well as you wanna be?

I like this simple statement, it really works for me when life sucks, things sucks. Instead of complaining, which doesn't help, it only makes you feel worst after you complain. Remember this :

Happy people ask themselves what do they want, and how they can get it.
Unhappy people complain, and look for others to blame.

What a girl wants, what a girl needs

A polished feet...

and hands...colourful, glossy, glittery nails are one of the way to a wonderful girly girl feel.
Oh yes, I lurvvve my mani & pedi sessions. Especially when they have a promotion! :-D