Hi readers,
I will like to share with you an inspirational and empowering video.
Be inspired and finish strong!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
A Wise Donkey
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.
Finally he decided that is was not worth retrieving the donkey as the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway.
He invited his neighbours to come over and help him. They each grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realised what was happening and cried horribly.
Then, to everyone's amazement, it quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw.
As every shovel of dirt hit its back, the donkey did something amazing. It would shake it off and take a step up.
As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, it would shake it off and take a step up.
Pretty soon, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off to everyone's amazement!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you-all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of a hole is to shake it off and take a step up.
Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest holes just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!
Finally he decided that is was not worth retrieving the donkey as the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway.
He invited his neighbours to come over and help him. They each grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realised what was happening and cried horribly.
Then, to everyone's amazement, it quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw.
As every shovel of dirt hit its back, the donkey did something amazing. It would shake it off and take a step up.
As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, it would shake it off and take a step up.
Pretty soon, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off to everyone's amazement!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you-all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of a hole is to shake it off and take a step up.
Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest holes just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Woosh 27 - Mod 1
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This was my first time for being a coach for Patterns of Excellence. It was awesome experience throughout the 4 days of workshop.
I had learnt so much not only from Adam, Stuart, senior coaches like Ee Yan, Lois, Shawn, Loke, Pete, Adelene and Oliver but also from the sharing of the participants' experience.
Congratulation to all the participants who had graduated from POE mod 1. I believed each of you had achieved tremendous breakthrough during this 4 days of workshop, feeling empowered and motivated. I was happy to see the kind of bonding all of you were demonstrating during the games.
Thank you all for allowing me to be your coach. Being a coach really stretched me besides having lesser sleep than the participants.
I wish you all the best in your journeys and see you in mod 2.
I had learnt so much not only from Adam, Stuart, senior coaches like Ee Yan, Lois, Shawn, Loke, Pete, Adelene and Oliver but also from the sharing of the participants' experience.
Congratulation to all the participants who had graduated from POE mod 1. I believed each of you had achieved tremendous breakthrough during this 4 days of workshop, feeling empowered and motivated. I was happy to see the kind of bonding all of you were demonstrating during the games.
Thank you all for allowing me to be your coach. Being a coach really stretched me besides having lesser sleep than the participants.
I wish you all the best in your journeys and see you in mod 2.
FAITH - The Two-Legged Wonder Dog!
A dog named Faith was born on Christmas Eve in the year 2002. He was born with 3 legs - 2 healthy hind legs and 1 abnormal front leg which need to be amputated. He of course could not walk when he was born. Even his mother did not want him.
His first owner also did not think that he could survive. Therefore, he was thinking of 'putting him to sleep'. By this time, his present owner, Jude Stringfellow, met him and wanted to take care of him. She was determined to teach and train this dog to walk by himself. Therefore she named him 'Faith'.
In the beginning, she put Faith on a surfing board to let him feel the movements. Later she used peanut butter on a spoon as a lure and rewarded him for standing up and jumping around. Even the other dogs at home also helped to encourage him to walk. Amazingly, only after 6 months, like a miracle, Faith learned to balance on his 2 hind legs and jumped to move forward. After further training in the snow, he now can walk like a human being.
Faith loves to walk around now. No matter where he goes, he just attracts all the people around him. He is now becoming famous on the international scene. He has appeared on various newspapers and TV shows. There is even one book entitled 'With a little faith' being published about him. He is even considered to appear in one of Harry Potter movies.
His present owner Jude Stringfellew has given up her teaching post and plans to take him around the world to preach that even without a perfect body, one can have a perfect soul'.
In life there are always undesirable things. Perhaps one will feel better if one changes the point of view from another direction and see things from another perspective. I hope this message will bring fresh new ways of thinking to everyone and that everyone can appreciate and be thankful for each beautiful day that follows. Faith is the continual demonstration of the Strength of Life.
Believe in yourself! Never lose faith!
Friday, March 13, 2009
The Emperor's Seed
An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided something different.
He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."
The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today, one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"
One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully.
Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about 3 weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. 6 months went by; still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing.
Ling didn't say anything to his friends. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection.
Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot but his Mother said he must be honest about what happened. Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his Mother was right.
He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful, in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try."
When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!"
All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"
When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down.
He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?
Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you.
Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring the emperor a pot with the emperor's seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"
The Morale behind this Story is:
If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
What u sow is what u really reap...
What are u sowing today?
He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."
The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today, one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"
One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully.
Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about 3 weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. 6 months went by; still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing.
Ling didn't say anything to his friends. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection.
Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot but his Mother said he must be honest about what happened. Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his Mother was right.
He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful, in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try."
When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!"
All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"
When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down.
He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?
Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you.
Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring the emperor a pot with the emperor's seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"
The Morale behind this Story is:
If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
What u sow is what u really reap...
What are u sowing today?
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Surviving Hard Times by Matt Rawlins
HOLOCAUST survivor Viktor Frankl studied prisoners in the Nazi death camps he found himself in during World War II.
He wanted to understand how people dealt with pain and suffering. He observed how some of the prisoners just gave up and died while others hung on and made it through incredibly difficult situations.
He theorised that one of the primary differences between those who survived and those who perished had to do with finding meaning in pain, suffering and life. Those who saw no meaning or purpose to life or pain and could see no good coming out of it, lost hope and quickly died.
There were others who persevered, who would not give up, who believed that good could come out of extremely painful situations. They were able to look beyond the "moment" of suffering and into the future. These people had a higher chance of surviving and moving on.
Very few of us will be confronted with the depth of painful choices those prisoners had to make, but we all face difficult situations of one kind or another.
An example of this is the current financial crisis, which has already affected so many lives. People have lost their money, jobs and homes and the worst, we are told, is still to come.
How will you deal with it?
There is an anonymous quote that says: "Every time I find the meaning of life, they change it."
This can be true only if you have never personally found the meaning of your own life.
The meaning of life in its beauty and wonder is rarely discovered in financial and career success alone. It is suffering and hardship that seem to teach us about the meaning of life with its truth and beauty.
I know many successful professionals who look back at the pain and suffering of different seasons of their lives and remember the lessons they learned in those times. The common response they give is: "I wouldn't change any of it, because it made me who I am today."
Here is how you can find meaning in the midst of a potentially painful time in your life:
Value yourself
Remember, your meaning and value as an individual is not linked to a job or a relationship. It is not linked to success or wealth. Your value is in the very nature of who you are as a human being. Nothing can take that away.
Room for growth
See it as the beginning of new opportunities for growth, greater self-awareness and a new season in your life. Remember, you are probably still better off than two-thirds of the world right now.
Count your blessings
Here is a simple secret of happiness - learn how to be thankful for what you have. A thankful heart is like medicine to a suffering soul. It can heal you of bitterness and negativity.
Be people-centric
Reconnect with those you have been too busy to spend time with. Fulfilling, joyful relationships are a great source of personal happiness. Very often, we get so distracted by our busy schedules that it takes a crisis to remind us how important our loved ones are.
Slow down, go for a walk, laugh and let those key relationships "catch up" with you.
He wanted to understand how people dealt with pain and suffering. He observed how some of the prisoners just gave up and died while others hung on and made it through incredibly difficult situations.
He theorised that one of the primary differences between those who survived and those who perished had to do with finding meaning in pain, suffering and life. Those who saw no meaning or purpose to life or pain and could see no good coming out of it, lost hope and quickly died.
There were others who persevered, who would not give up, who believed that good could come out of extremely painful situations. They were able to look beyond the "moment" of suffering and into the future. These people had a higher chance of surviving and moving on.
Very few of us will be confronted with the depth of painful choices those prisoners had to make, but we all face difficult situations of one kind or another.
An example of this is the current financial crisis, which has already affected so many lives. People have lost their money, jobs and homes and the worst, we are told, is still to come.
How will you deal with it?
There is an anonymous quote that says: "Every time I find the meaning of life, they change it."
This can be true only if you have never personally found the meaning of your own life.
The meaning of life in its beauty and wonder is rarely discovered in financial and career success alone. It is suffering and hardship that seem to teach us about the meaning of life with its truth and beauty.
I know many successful professionals who look back at the pain and suffering of different seasons of their lives and remember the lessons they learned in those times. The common response they give is: "I wouldn't change any of it, because it made me who I am today."
Here is how you can find meaning in the midst of a potentially painful time in your life:
Value yourself
Remember, your meaning and value as an individual is not linked to a job or a relationship. It is not linked to success or wealth. Your value is in the very nature of who you are as a human being. Nothing can take that away.
Room for growth
See it as the beginning of new opportunities for growth, greater self-awareness and a new season in your life. Remember, you are probably still better off than two-thirds of the world right now.
Count your blessings
Here is a simple secret of happiness - learn how to be thankful for what you have. A thankful heart is like medicine to a suffering soul. It can heal you of bitterness and negativity.
Be people-centric
Reconnect with those you have been too busy to spend time with. Fulfilling, joyful relationships are a great source of personal happiness. Very often, we get so distracted by our busy schedules that it takes a crisis to remind us how important our loved ones are.
Slow down, go for a walk, laugh and let those key relationships "catch up" with you.
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