Motivation

Reflections from the World Refugee Day

Mush Life, Motivation

Sara wrote this inspiring piece on her website a couple of days ago…

How many of us are aware that there are more than 6,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Hong Kong at the moment? How many of us realize that even within HK there are still people suffering, people who are in limbo, who have no country to call their home, people whose lives’ are controlled not by them, but by government. Then there are those selfless people, who are blessed with goodness and purity, who within this ridiculous money-driven society are still willing to give their all – their efforts, their time and devote their lives to improving other people’s lives, without ever asking anything in return! But they are rewarded, with the gratefulness and the prayers of the lives they touch every single day with their passion and their commitment!

The World Refugee Day 2010, was organized by Christian Action Hong Kong’s only drop-in service centre for refugees and asylum seekers. It’s a place of love, laughter, healing and more than anything else… it’s a place of hope. Along with providing all the basic necessities of everyday lives – things that we so easily take for granted such as food, clothing and shelter, these people ensure that none of these refugees and asylum seekers ever feel alone. They provide them with something us humans need the most – love, care and affection.

Doing henna at the World Refugee Day really opened my eyes Continue reading →

Power of Positive Affirmations

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We all need to do this every day!

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Over 100 million homeless people!

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Over 100 million people are homeless throughout the world, the majority of them women and dependent children. Overall, at least 600 million people live in shelters that are life threatening or health threatening in developing world cities. Every day, some 50,000 people die as a result of poor shelter, polluted water and inadequate sanitation. Some 70 million women and children live in homes where smoke from cooking fires damages their health. There are over 23 million refugees worldwide, and 27 million internally displaced people- within their own countries.

Please remember this, the next time you feel like complaining for lack of space. Another reason to be grateful.

[Photo taken in Bangkok yesterday]

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Be Grateful for Being You!

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This is supposed to be one of the chapters that was edited out of ‘The Secret’. Quite inspiring!

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Follow Your Passion: Roz Savage rowing across the Pacific!

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Five years ago, Roz Savage quit her high-powered London job to become an ocean rower. She’s crossed the Atlantic solo, and just started the third leg of a Pacific solo row, the first for a woman. Why does she do it? Hear her reasons, both deeply personal and urgently activist. A very inspiring video about following your passion, finding your purpose, getting out of your comfort zone, challenges and achievements!

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Who is Making You Unhappy?

Mush Happiness, Life, Motivation

I faced a stressful situation today, and reminded myself: There’s only one person who is responsible for any stress in my life, and that’s me. And guess what, my stress vanished.

There’s only one person who is responsible for the quality of your life, happiness, health, relationships, motivation, job satisfaction, wealth and well being. And that’s you!

And the person who makes you unhappy, unhealthy, stressful, disappointed, frustrated, angry, lonely, lazy or poor is also you!

Who will you choose to be?

10 Inspiring Birthday Quotes

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  1. May you live all the days of your life. (Jonathan Swift)
  2. From our birthday, until we die, is but the winking of an eye. (William Butler Yeats)
  3. Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again. (Menachem Mendel)
  4. Very early, I knew that the only object in life was to grow. (Margaret Fuller)
  5. Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional. (Chili Davis)
  6. To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am. (Bernard Baruch)
  7. When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it happened or not. (Mark Twain)
  8. If I’d known I was going to live this long (100 years), I’d have taken better care of myself. (Ubie Blake)
  9. Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you have got to start young. (Fred Astaire)
  10. And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that counts. It’s the life in your years. (Abraham Lincoln)

Which one do you like best? Please share your favorite quotes through comments.

Also see 10 more inspiring birthday quotes.

For more inspiration, check out my newest book: Dhinchak Life

How I lost 3 kg in 3 weeks!

Mush Health, Motivation , ,

I don’t believe in short-term weight loss programs. Even if you are successful in losing weight through a few weeks or months of a diet or exercise routine, you put it back on as soon you go back to your ‘normal’ lifestyle. That’s why it’s much better to make long-term lifestyle changes that you can live with, for example:

  • Eat more fruits and vegetables; cut unhealthy fats and sugars, reduce processed food; eat slowly and in small portions…
  • Make some exercise part of your routine, whether it’s walking, jogging, swimming or playing your favorite sports a few times every week…
  • Learn to sleep well; reduce stress; maintain good posture…
  • Know your ideal weight, considering your height and structure, and figure out the calories you can consume, considering the amount of exercise you can do. (Tough one!)

Having said all that, there are times when one needs to get rid of a few kilos quickly. I usually maintain my weight at 75 kg. But every once in a while, I find myself guilty of putting on an extra kilo or two. And for such occasions, I have figured out a diet that helps me lose one kilo per week, without starving or Continue reading →

5 Motivational Quotes!

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Everyone needs motivation. Here’s a collection of five very motivational quotes to keep you going for the week:

  1. “The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart, this you will build your life by, and this you will become.” (James Allen – As a Man Thinketh)
  2. “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” (Helen Keller)
  3. “I do not have superior intelligence or faultless looks. I do not captivate a room or run a mile under six minutes. I only succeeded because I was still working after everyone else went to sleep.” (Greg Evans)
  4. “You got a dream, you gotta protect it. If people can’t do something themselves, they wanna tell you, you can’t do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.” (Will Smith in the movie: Pursuit of Happyness)
  5. “The greatest achievement was at first, and for a time, nothing but a dream.” (Napoleon Hill)

Which one did you like best? Please also share your favorite motivational quotes through comments.

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Inspiring Quotes: Life, Enthusiasm and more…

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“We are in such a hurry to grow up, and then we long for our lost childhood. We make ourselves ill earning money, and then spend all our money on getting well again. We think so much about the future that we neglect the present, and thus experience neither the present nor the future. We live as if we were never going to die, and die as if we had never lived.” (Jaime Cohen)

“Lord, give us enthusiasm, because enthusiasm is what binds us to the heavens and to earth, to grown-ups, and to children; it is what tells us that our desires are important and deserve our best efforts. It is enthusiasm that reaffirms to us that everything is possible, as long as we are totally committed to what we are doing.” (Paulo Coelho)

“We see the evil in others because we know the evil in ourselves. We say the painful truth to others because we want to hide it from ourselves. We show our strength because, so that no one can see our frailty. That is why, whenever you judge your brother, be aware that it is you who is in the dock.” (Okakura Kakuzo)

[Photo from Mui Wo Ferry Pier, during a bike trip this morning]

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3 Life Lessons from Traveling

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This post was inspired during my recent 24-hour journey from Hamza’s place in Cardiff to my home in Hong Kong. Multiple connections combined with various modes of travel always result in exciting surprises. And then the movie, ‘Up in the Air’ provided some more impetus. Many frequent travelers learn a few ‘tricks of the trade’ and develop certain attitudes that help them deal with the stress of traveling and keep sane. And I believe some of these provide useful lessons for life:

  1. Travel light. It’s perhaps the most important advice on traveling. Packing a smaller bag requires planning, discipline and focus on the essentials. It saves time at check-in counters. It’s easier to unpack. Less clutter means better focus, and fewer chances of leaving something behind. You can also move on at short notice. Doesn’t that apply to life too? Whether it’s your desk/desktop, wallet/purse/bag, wardrobe or the house… fewer things mean less clutter, less time wasted on finding stuff, less energy on the maintenance. The same applies to having thousands of ‘friends’ on Facebook, receiving tons of junk mail, maintaining dozens of credit cards… the list goes on. Less is more; lighter the better; quality over quantity.
  2. Be prepared for surprises. You learn during traveling that everything is not in your control, and things don’t always go as planned. Flights can be delayed or cancelled; your special meal onboard is often mixed up; bags don’t always make the connection; hotels can be over-booked; Internet doesn’t always work… And it’s not because the world is conspiring against you and everyone is out to get you. You can accept these situations with calm or fight and argue and get upset. I often remind upset fellow passengers: There are usually three reasons for a flight to be delayed: there’s something wrong with the plane, or the pilot, or the weather. And I am glad they have found out while we are still on the ground. The same applies to life. Despite great intentions and excellent planning, things do go wrong. And we have to learn to distinguish between situations (that can’t be changed) and problems (that can be solved). Unfortunately, so many people waste so much of their time and energy fighting with situations.
  3. Enjoy the moment. Just like the unpleasant surprises, there are often unexpected pleasures in traveling. It can be the most beautiful sunrise over the horizon from your window seat, a divine local meal, an unforgettable encounter with a stranger, and other memorable unplanned experiences. At such moments, you don’t want to continue reading the book or checking your email on the iPhone or responding to an SMS. In an age when electronic communications enable us to be permanently connected to (and distracted by) the virtual world, there’s a thrill in throwing yourself into a single place, a single moment. When you travel, you get to embrace the privilege of witnessing life as it happens before your eyes. This attitude need not be confined to travel. For all the pleasures of the virtual world, there is no substitute for real-life conversations and connections with the people and places around you. Even at home, there’s good reason to unplug from the world and really connect with the people you love.

Do you have any interesting experiences from your travels? Or any tips for life? Please share through comments.

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Inspiration from Nana

Mush Happiness, Life, Motivation

Nana is the Urdu/Hindi word for maternal grandfather. Every time I go to Dubai, I visit my 97-year old nana who lives with my uncle. We have all envied his health and fitness levels for a long time. Until recently, he used to wake up before dawn for his morning prayers and rituals; he read newspapers and went for walks; he traveled on his own between Bhavnagar (India) and Dubai.

Every time, I would learn about a different part of his life – and each one more inspiring than the other e.g.

  • He never went to university, but was one of the most learned men of his time. He never stopped reading and learning. He could speak more than five languages.
  • He started his career selling metal at the age of 18. And when he retired at 50, he owned a huge metal business and few shops.
  • Soon after retirement, he started working with a few philanthropic organizations. He traveled across India and Africa for fund-raising and built hundreds of schools in poor neighborhoods.
  • He had four wives; he remarried after the deaths of each one, except the last one who died about ten years ago. My mom was born from the second wife.

I saw him last week, and he is not the same anymore, physically. He is now bed-ridden, but insists on walking to the bathroom. He can only take fluids, so he is getting weaker by the day. He can’t see properly, or hear or talk. And he doesn’t recognize anyone. He felt my face, arms and biceps. Then he smiled and made a gesture with a punched hand – meaning ‘you seem fit’. When I realized his mental alertness, I tried to say ‘let’s get up and go’ through my body language. He quickly responded through his hands and expressions which I interpreted as, ‘I am done with this life; I am too tired now; I am ready to go’.

I think people have two kinds of thoughts on their deathbeds: I wish I had done this and done that; if I could live my life again, I would  do this and that differently. Or I am glad I did this and that; if I could live my life again, I wouldn’t change a thing; I had the best life! And what we would be thinking on our deathbeds depends on how we live our lives today.

[Updated on 2nd April: Nana passed away today. May his soul rest in peace]

35 Steps to an Enhanced Life

Mush Happiness, Health, Life, Motivation, Productivity, Relationships , , , , , ,

We all want more happiness, better health, increased productivity and improved relationships. We want to be able to motivate ourselves to do the things we know we should do to enhance our lives. I try to help myself and others to achieve all that through this blog.

Here’s a collection of posts from the last couple of years that I consider to be the best, considering the popularity and comments from the readers. Most articles are short, and take only a few minutes to read. Please let me know through your comments if this collection could form a useful ebook…

Happiness:

Health:

Productivity:

Relationships:

Motivation:

Please take a few minutes to tell me about your most favorite articles, through comments below. Thanks.

[Photo of Kuk Po hike near Tai Po in Hong Kong, taken last week]

Teaching Kids “I CAN”

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Another very inspiring video from TED. Kiran Bir Sethi shows how her groundbreaking Riverside School in India teaches kids life’s most valuable lesson: “I can.” Watch her students take local issues into their own hands, lead other young people, even educate their parents. As Kiran said, “Contagious is a good word!”

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Linchpin: Be Indispensable, by Seth Godin

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This was my first experience with an audiobook that I mentioned in my post about pros and cons of audiobooks. Whether you prefer the audiobook or printed version, I recommend it to anyone who reads my blog (is interested in enhancing life). In the words of the author:

“I didn’t set out to get you to quit your job or to persuade you to become an entrepreneur or merely to change the entire world. All I wanted to do in this book was sell you on being the artist you already are. To make a difference. To stand for something. To get the respect and security you deserve. If I’ve succeeded, then you know that you have a gift to give, something you can do to change the world (or your part of it) for the better. I hope you’ll do that, because we need you.”

And I think he has done a great job of it. A linchpin is someone that is remarkable. They bring the emotional labor to their work. They pour themselves into what they do because they know it is the right thing to do, and they become better people for living and working this way. This also makes them very scarce, and that scarcity makes them valuable – indispensable. I love what Seth says about art:

“Art is a personal act of courage, something one human does that creates change in another. … I think it’s art when a great customer service person uses a conversation to convert an angry person into a raving fan. …Nobody cares how hard you worked. It’s not an effort contest, it’s an art contest. As customers, we care about ourselves, about how we feel, about whether a product or service or play or interaction changed us for the better.”

Seth also explains the lizard brain and resistance – part of the answer to my questions in the post about Contradictions. You can read more reviews here.

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Contradictions

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Lately, I have been wondering about the contradictions in our thoughts and actions:

  • We want to be slim but we eat too much
  • We want to be smart but we miss the class, or don’t read the books
  • We want happy relationships but we sabotage them with our actions
  • We have dreams but we don’t set goals
  • We want to achieve our goals but we don’t plan
  • We plan but don’t take the action
  • We worry about retirement but we don’t save
  • We want to finish the project but we don’t stay focused
  • We want to wake up early but we don’t go to bed early

The list goes on. Are human beings lazy, indisciplined, indecisive and stupid by nature? Do our genes not have the willpower to fight temptations, to persevere, to do the right thing?

What do you think?

Be The Best You Can!

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“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

“Do the best you can, where you are, with what you have, now.” (African-American proverb)

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” (Leonardo da Vinci)

“Make the most of yourself, for that’s all there is of you.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

“Doing the best at this moment, puts you in the best place for the next moment.” (Oprah Winfrey)

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Quadriplegic Sailor Crosses Atlantic!

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Geoff Holt, is the first quadriplegic (paralyzed of all four limbs) yachtsman to cross the Altantic Ocean in a 60-foot, purpose-built, wheelchair accessible, catamaran called the Impossible Dream.

Holt had suffered a spinal cord injury in 1984 while diving in shallow water, which left him paralyzed from the chest down. In 2007, he was the first disabled yachtsman to sail single-handed around Britain.

“It’s not about being disabled. It’s not about sailing the Atlantic Ocean. It’s about demonstrating that disability need not be a barrier to achieving something positive in your life.” He said. You can read more about him and his voyage at his blog.

The next time I find myself shying away from a challenging goal, or finding excuses for not following through on a plan, I am going to think of Geoff Holt.

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Prayers, Thoughts and Quotes for the New Year

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I turn to you because you know everything, even what is hidden. If what I am doing is good for me, for my life now and hereafter, then let that task be easy and blessed. If what I am doing is bad for me, for my life now and hereafter, then remove me from that task. (The Prophet Mohammed)

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Jesus – Mathew 7:7-8)

If there’s to be peace in the world, the nations must live in peace. If there’s to be peace among nations, the cities must not rise up against each other. If there’s to be peace in the cities, neighbors must understand each other. If there’s to be peace among neighbors, there must be harmony in the home. If there’s to be peace in the home, we must each find our own heart. (Lao Tsu)

In the new year, I will live one day at a time. I will make each day one of preparation for better things ahead. I will not dwell on the past or the future, only on the present. I will bury every fear of the future, all thoughts of unkindness and bitterness, all my dislikes, my resentments, my disappointment in others and in myself, my gloom and my despondency. I will leave all these things buried and go forward, in this near year, into a new life. (Thought for the day. Twenty-four Hours a Day)

[Photo of The Prophet’s Mosque, the second largest in the world, taken in Feb. 2004]

Happy New Day!

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What if we had new month resolutions at the start of each new month, instead of new year resolutions? Could we have a better chance of fulfilling them, knowing that we only have 30 days?

What if we celebrated every new week, instead of just the new year? Could we not be as excited about the challenges and surprises that each new week brings?

What if we welcomed each new day with the same gratefulness, cheer and optimism, as we greet the new year? Could we not wish each other a Happy New Day, every day?

That’s part of my new year resolutions – to celebrate each new day and be grateful for every moment of this wonderful life. Let’s see how long does that last!

Would you like to share your new year resolutions?

[Video of fireworks in Hong Kong a few hours ago, taken by Sara from the Peak]

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