Self-Help Book- How to Benefit from it?

Dear Friends,

I am currently reading a book called "Happy" by Ian K. Smith, M.D., a #1 New York Times Best Selling Author. It is a very easy read and I am really enjoying reading the book. It is not that I am sad and miserable that I needed to read a book call "Happy". I feel that even though you may be happy and good, that does not mean you stop there. You can make things even better by learning from others especially respected Motivational Speakers who have a wealth of information to share in their books and seminars. Of course you need to be careful not to be sucked into some of these motivational speakers attempts to up-sell courses that cost thousands of dollars.

I have listened to many Motivational Speakers and read several books. You and I connect with different authors and motivational speakers. But there is no need to buy all the books that are out there. Pick one or two self-help books and read it over and over again. Then pick up 5 or 10 points from the book and apply it in your life daily until you form a positive habit or change in your life.

Here are somethings I hope to apply from the book "Happy":

1. Have some "Me Time" on a weekly basis. My suggestion, at least 3 hours to 1/2 a day or one or two days a month. Do things that you want rather than for your Boss, Wife, Kids, Friends, etc.
2. Learn to disconnect from your laptop, handphone, TV, iPads, etc. Enjoy the freedom away from the control of these electronic devices.
3. Have friends who are happy and positive as they can influence your mincdset, mood and attitude.
4. Simplify your life.
5. Identify 3 of your passions and spend an hour on it.

And yes, do write out your New Year Resolutions for 2015. If you have no clue, please read one of past blog entries- https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7228704288843632860#editor/target=post;postID=1803171724208245842;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=26;src=postname

Good Luck!

Merry Christmas &  a Happy New Year!

Cheers,
Mark
http://exercise2energize.blogspot.sg/

Who is Bill Cosby Really?

Dear Friends,

I am sure many of us have grown up watching The Cosby Show. Recently, we have been watching re-runs of the iconic show about the wonderful Cosby Family. We respected the indomitable Bill Cosby who made us laugh and made us forget about our worries and fear.

But now, in light of the accusations and stories that are coming out of the woodwork, who is the real Bill Cosby? His silence is making the accusations more and more credible. There is no smoke without fire as the saying goes. I wish the story about greedy women trying to make a quick buck were true but I doubt it. Not many women would want to embarrass themselves by coming out to accuse one of the most respected people in showbiz unless it was really true! And given the history of powerful men wanting to have control over women, Bill Cosby may not be exception. We have seen it with Bill Clinton, Tiger Woods, Arnold Schwarzenegger and many other powerful men in politics, showbiz and sports. 

I was a big fan of Tiger Woods before his fall from grace. He has never been the same man since his shenanigans became public. I did not "hero-worship" him by having huge posters and adorn my home with memorabilia of Tiger Woods. But I wanted to play golf like him. What I liked about him was his dedication to his chosen sport -Golf and he was loving family man until the truth came out. Then everything fell apart.

Since then I have been advising people to stop "Hero-Worshiping" stars. We all need role models to look up to. But take the good qualities that they have to offer and learn from it and ignore the rest. We are not saints so we shouldn't expect these stars to be the same. Hollywood is the worse place to find heroes and role-models. There are some good souls who are really nice. But they too may have their faults.

I like good men and women who are genuine and sincere and who like to help others. Hence, I still cannot come to terms with the fact that the funnyman Bill Cosby is really a bad guy who mistreated women and raped women who trusted him. I feel sorry for the women, his wife and kids.

So try not to  "hero-worship" any stars. You can be a fan but if there is anyone you should hero-worship, it should be those who are closest to you which can be your father, mother, grandfather or grandmother or a friend, etc., because these stars do not care about who you are, They only care about themselves but your family and friends do and they are most likely to have sacrificed a lot to care for you and bring you to where you are today. So, if there is anyone you should worship other than God, it should be those closest to you. 

Have a Great Week! God Bless!

Cheers,

Mark

Treat Everyday as Friday!

Hi Friends,

I keep hearing people getting stressed about Mondays, about Work, about Money, about Relationships, etc. Well, there is a simple solution to all these stresses. Look for the solutions rather than looking only at the problems.

One way to overcome Monday Blues is to "Treat Everyday as Friday". Everyone looks forward to Friday when you get off work, hope to spend money to buy a weekend of good time, spend time with friends, boyfriend and girlfriend and family. If you learn to see everyday as Friday, that will put a smile on your face and that will reduce your stress significantly. It does not mean that you have to drink everyday.

One should learned to chill. Don't take yourself too seriously. You need to learn to take the "chill pill" and be positive. Its good for your health and you will be productive at home and at work. I read of the 100 year old men who learned to look at all his problems as simple problems. Hence, he was able to live a relatively healthy and peaceful life.I think we can take a leaf from the old man's book.

The modern man faces a lot of new health issues because of stress both internal and external. The internal stress can be managed when start think positively. I good book to read is "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" by Richard Carlson. The external stress can be managed to a certain extent. For example, "work". If don't like your work then change your job. First, you find a job and next throw in the resignation letter. If possible take a short break to clear your mind and start the new job on a positive note.

If money is the cause of your stress, then sit down and write down how much money you have, how much you earn and how much you spend -include your housing loans, car loans, meals, household expenses, entertainment expenses, children's school fees and clothes, healthcare expenses, etc. See where you can cut down your expenses and where you can increase your savings. If you can save enough money, then learn how to invest so that you can have some kind of passive income and you can grow your wealth. Don't spend with the hope of making more in the future. "Live within your means" and your money stress will dissipate.

Don't Worry, Be Happy! Treat Everyday as Friday! And don't forget to "SMILE".

Have a Great Week!

Cheers,
Mark
http://exercise2energize.blogspot.sg/

Help Yourself N Help Others: Don't be Too Kind to Your Bosses

Help Yourself N Help Others: Don't be Too Kind to Your Bosses

Love What You Do!

Dear Friends,

Many people hate the job they are doing! Sad but true. They get on the treadmill of work everyday and they drag themselves to work just so they can earn a salary. There is no work life balance. The stress is harmful to your health. 

But if you do what you love, you will love what you do, It is a choice we need to make if you want to be happy. We all have a choice. But some of us are scarred to make the choice for fear of losing their security. My point is that I always believe that if do not try, you will never know. 

The best way to decide whether you should change or remain in your current job is to do up a check list. The list should contain "PROs" and "CONs" of leaving the job. Then do a list similarly for the job that you love to do. Give weightage to each point based on certain criteria. 

Talk to a friend or a counselor. Air it out so that you can get a clearer picture. You need to bounce this of someone else. But at the end of the day you have to decide.

Good Luck!

Cheers,

Mark

Job Well Done!-SIET Charity Golf 2014

Hi Friends,

Just a quick update on the amount of money raised for SIET Charity Golf 2014. My friends managed to raise over S$65,000 or more this year. There were 32 flights of golfers and there were a lot of generous cash donors. God Bless all those involved.

The good news is that more Indian Students who need help with their education will benefit from this exercise. Those who would like to donate can contact SIET-Singapore India Education Trust- http://www.siet-trust.org.sg/ .

Have a Blessed Weekend!

Best Regards,
Mark

Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET) Charity Golf 2014

Dear Friends, 

A friend of mine is organizing together with some friends the Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET) Charity Golf 2014. The event is being held in Sembawang Country Club on 29th  August. All proceeds will go to the Trust’s financial assistance programs supporting the education of needy students of the Singapore Indian Community. 

ABOUT SIET

Established in 1967, SIET is an approved non-profit community based Charitable organization.  The Trust is funded by donations from the public and endowments set up by benefactors in the name of their loved ones or their organizations.

The Trust’s primary objective is to help needy and deserving students who have difficulty achieving their educational aspirations due to financial difficulties. Financial assistance is provided by way of bursaries and interest free study loans. Besides financial assistance, all beneficiaries also receive mentoring, and other motivational program support. Many recipients of SIET’s financial assistance have recounted how the bursaries or study loans they received helped them at a critical juncture of their lives. Without the timely help, they would have missed out on the opportunity to pursue higher levels of education. 

You can support by buying golf flights, sponsoring prizes or cash. You can send the cheque to “Singapore Indian Education Trust” ,  c/o 1 Beatty Road, #04-402, SINDA Building, Singapore 209943

Please support the event and share details about the event and about SIET with your friends. If you need more information please contact Shan, email shantana25@gmail.com .

Thank you for your support! God Bless!

Have a Great Day!

Best Regards,

Mark

Children Action Lanka!

Dear Friends,

I recently went to Sri Lanka. It was my first trip there. It was a thoroughly enjoyable holiday. It is a beautiful country with many attractive places. But at the same time it gave me a reality check. I met beggars both young and old. A small boy stopped a van we were travelling, to beg. He risked his life to beg. He wanted money to buy shoes. I don't know if the story was true but it was sad that instead of being in school the boy was on the street begging and risking his life stopping cars by standing in front of it. There was another boy who ran down a hill, about 5 or 6 bends on a hill just to sell flowers. He was always faster than the van we were travelling in. We did not want to buy initially but we were touched by his perseverance. If only he could put the same amount of effort in his studies, he will really do well in school.

Just to put things in perspective, a tea plantation worker who has to work rain or shine earns about Sri Lankan Rupees 18,000 which is about USD144 a month. That is how much they make while the tea plantation owners make tons of money. Such is life in Sri Lanka. Things are worse in Jaffna which has been ravaged by the war with the Tamil Tigers but Jaffna has not been given much attention since the war ended.

I had a chance to visit some children in Child Action Lanka in Kandy. They had street kids whose parents cannot effort to look after them as they needed to work. The children's age ranged from two months old to 18 years old. Child Action Lanka depended on support from Volunteers and Public Donation. The Churches also supported them. But the place they were based in is not the most ideal and it required a lot of work. One Volunteer named Tom from United Kingdom was there for two months during his University break to help the Centre. He was only about 20 years old. Another local girl aged 17, was there to help look after a toddler. Despite coming from a privileged family she was down to earth, caring and dedicated. Apparently, she had done very well in her "O" Levels. I was impressed by her devotion to the cause.

If you would like to help either as a Volunteer or donate cash, food or clothes, here is the link to the "Child Action Lanka"- www.childactionlanka.org or chilldaction@sltnet.lk or call them Tel- 077 9021730.

Thank you for your support in advance.

God Bless!

Best Regards,
Mark

Earth Hour 2014

Dear Friends,

Looking at the weather pattern around the world, it is quite scary how things will change in the next 50 to 100 years. Singapore faced the driest month in the last 100 years in February 2014. Drought in Malaysia is forcing them to ration water in many states. There are man-made fires in parts of Indonesia. In other, parts of the world, there are floods and landslides.We need to do something now to slow down and prevent major disasters.

Earth Hour is happening 29th of March 2014. Please do your part for the event by participating and spreading the message of being environmentally friends everyday of the year. Take 4 simple green actions:

1) Turn air-conditioning up by one degree
2) Switch to LED light bulbs
3) Use fewer plastic bags
4) Take shorter showers

"Spider-Man and stars to lead WWF’s largest Earth Hour event from Singapore". Please visit this website for more information : http://earthhour.wwf.sg/2014/

Attend the Global Earth Hour Event on 29th March (Saturday) @ The Float Marina Bay from 5 pm.

Lets do our part to save the Earth.

Love All, Serve All!

Best Regards,
Mark