A matter of choice

“It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart.” – Author Unknown

I remembered a long time ago when someone commented that I’m not ambitious enough. He said that if I am always to compare myself with someone mediocre, I would never be able to achieve great success.

Perhaps some people may think that I’m living in denial and that I may not be ruthless enough in this dog-eat-dog world. But I’d like to believe that each and every one of us should be thankful for what we have instead of always reminding ourselves of what we don’t have.

I’m not trying to say that love and only love itself will keep us alive because we need food, clothes and a roof on top of our heads to survive – which means that money is essential but should not be made the ultimate goal in life.

Recently, I kept saying to mom that having more money is always great but you can never carry them to your grave – so once in awhile we just have to keep our priorities in check.

***

I think I’m the type of person who prefers to look at the brighter side of life, no matter what the situation is. Each time I’m faced with difficult circumstances, I will always remind myself of the lowest point in my life and how I’ve survived it – in my heart, I know that since I had managed to get past that, chances are quite high that I’ll be able to sail my ship through the present rough sea conditions.

After all, it’s not terminal cancer I’m facing. And even if it is, miracles sometimes do happen.

If things don’t work out the way that I’ve wanted it to, I would always tell myself that maybe it wasn’t meant to be and that God has other more wonderful plans in store for me.

I’ve neither asked for more wealth nor a higher rung on the career ladder – maybe because deep inside I know that asking God for these kind of stuff without working for it would be like asking to strike the lottery when you haven’t even made the effort to purchase it.

To me, if you’ve worked hard, it doesn’t seem necessary to ask God for such things, those that are actually within your control. If it seems to you that you’ve work your a** off and it doesn’t seem like you are anywhere near the top prize, maybe something is seriously wrong with your superior. Or the problem lies within yourself but it’s just that you, being the human being that you are, are to proud to admit it.

***

The glass of water is there on the table and it’s up to the individual to perceive it as either half full or half empty. Whatever makes you happier because at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.

Unless you enjoy living a life full of misery, always remember that there is and will always be a choice – your choice.

So for this Lunar New Year, I’m praying for good health for my family, the love of my life + his family, my brilliant friends, loved ones and last but definitely not least, myself.

“What if you gave someone a gift, and they neglected to thank you for it – would you be likely to give them another? Life is the same way. In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer, you must truly appreciate what you already have.” – Ralph Marston

A grateful soul,

Spooked

Virgo

Saturday, 10 January 2009

Your Week Ahead: Little things can sometimes make a big difference. A small gesture, a passing remark, a finishing touch, a decorative twist. You wouldn't think such trivia would be crucial, but if it happens to resonate with some old memory, it can make all the difference between feeling comfortable or awkward about where you are, and who you are with. This week, many questions arise but no matter how different or disparate these may seem, they all connect to one essential uncertainty. Where do you really belong? You will soon be shown the answer very clearly. Then fear will turn to inspiration.

Week Ahead Part Two: It's funny how some things are absolutely fine until we start to find fault with them. Then suddenly, almost overnight, they're completely unacceptable. Little questions lead to big doubts. Small uncertainties become major misgivings. In moments, years of acceptance can be undermined. No matter how things were in the past, they can't be that way again. In your life lately, an affiliation has been challenged. It's not so much that you have reached a point of personal change, more that somehow, someone has behaved in such a way as to cause you to wonder. Yet, elsewhere in your world, there's a beckoning finger - a warm, real and genuine invitation. Follow that and don't worry.

Excerpt from: http://cainer.com/

Was reading this awhile ago.

This is written for all the Virgoans out there and yet, I felt as if this was meant especially for me. Although I can’t deny that I’ve always loved reading Jonathan Cainer’s forecasts since my uni days – not so much for its accuracy but more for the phrases and the fluidity of words in his writings.

I guess it depends on how each individual interprets it to suit their liking since most of these horoscopes are written in general.

We only believe in things we want to believe, hear things we prefer to hear and see things we wish to see when the truth is actually not what we presume it to be.

The brain is indeed an extremely compelling tool.

Life is about making choices

& living with its consequences,

Learning to play by the rules

After so many months, yesterday was actually the first time that I had doubts as to whether I truly belong here.

The truth is that I’m too soft-hearted.

Told my man about the whole incident and he said that I should neither lose sight of my objective nor be easily swayed by other people. No matter who they are or what they say, when it comes to business, it’s always every man for himself.

He asked me what I think my competitors will do if the tables are turned and I know well enough what the answer is. Somehow, I can’t help but feel that this is an extremely cruel dog-eat-dog world.

Maybe it’s time I learn to toughen myself up because it is and will always be about the survival of the fittest.

“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.” – Albert Einstein

Too sentimental,

Love is never rational

When we fall in love, for the first couple of months, we are on cloud nine and see the world through rose-tinted glasses.

After some time has passed and reality kicks in, assuming that the relationship is exclusive (and depending on our age band, of course), we ask ourselves if this is the one person that we want to spend the rest of our lives with. This reminds me of this quote I came across last night:

“Opposites attract, but after marriage, opposites attack. Most of the time, we are attracted to people who don't have the things that we have. Incompatibility is why we get married, but it's also used as a reason to divorce.” – Author Unknown

It’s not that the relationship has become stale or that the other person has changed drastically. Actually, the truth is that everything is still the same. It’s just that you have made the decision not to get blindsided by the whole love thingy and decided to think rationally for once.

The process could repeat itself a couple of times before a final conclusion is made. And this is the moment when some hearts will be broken.

Is this necessarily a cruel decision?

To me, the answer is no.

Most of the time, the cracks are already visible in the relationship but some people just simply refuse to acknowledge it and prefer to think that they are just going through the motions. They assume that if they just ignore it, everything will return back to the way it used to be.

Denial is and will never be a solution.

Heartbreak may take months or even years to heal and you may think that your ex is heartless b**tard/ b*tch but this could be the best decision that he/ she could have ever made for the both of you. It takes two hands to clap and the relationship will no longer be meaningful if only one party is happy whilst the other person spends most of his/ her days being miserable. In long term, something ugly is bound to happen if everything is not brought out into the open.

Hence, it is always of utmost importance to be honest with each other instead of just keeping all your feelings bottled up inside for the sake of avoiding any sort of altercation. By being silent, you are actually doing the relationship more harm than good.

If your partner loves you, they will never want to see you unhappy. But if he/ she just brushes it off and thinks that you are making a mountain out of a molehill, perhaps it’s time for you to question his feelings towards you.

Sometimes, the truth is indeed hard to stomach but always bear in mind that whatever that does not kill you will only make you stronger.

That is, unless you decide to kill yourself first.

“It is impossible to fall out of love. Love is such a powerful emotion, that once it envelops you, it does not depart. True love is eternal. If you think that you were once in love, but fell out of it, then it wasn’t love you were in. There are no ‘exit’ signs in love; there is only an ‘on’ ramp.” – Author Unknown

I'm a believer,

New Year Resolutions

1. Always remember my priorities in life and never lose sight of the big picture

2. Be more patient and keep those emotions in check

3. Be more thoughtful when it comes to loved ones and friends

4. Stop procrastinating

5. Be less of a perfectionist and stop worrying about things that are beyond my control.

Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be.

6. Be more flexible

7. Hit the gym at least twice weekly

8. Eat more healthy stuff

9. Refrain from accumulating too many material things

10. Finish at least one (1) book every quarter

Well, goals have to be realistic and within reach, right?

11. Have more faith in myself and not forget to count my blessings each day

12. Last but not least, blog more!

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.” – Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Happy New Year, guys.

XOXO,