Think and Grow Rich - Join Me!!!

GOAL STATEMENTS

“A quitter never wins and a winner never quits!”

I will earn $XX,XXX by January 1, 2017 by getting hired in a good IT position and excelling in my career. I will gain my A+ and Network+ certifications by January 1, 2017, and earn supplemental wages through the Internet. I will read at least 1.5 hours of personal development or educational material a day and maintain a positive outlook in life.

I will lose 11 lbs. (to 135.6 lbs.) while adding muscle weight by April 6, 2016. I will gain a full six-pack by September 4, 2016. I will cut what I normally eat in half, use a low calorie & high protein diet, and I will exercise for at least 40 minutes a day. 

______________________________________

I won't even mention my goal for paying off my student debt yet. Just trust me, it's ridiculous.

These are just two of the concrete, measurable goal statements and plans I've set up for myself. I've actually printed them off and posted them to the drawer next to my bed as a daily reminder and motivator. Now I'm simply looking for like-minded people who's willing to collaborate and embark in a journey of self-improvement with me. I'll create a Facebook group later so those people who wants to join can join, and those who wants to ignore it can ignore it. Physically write down and/or share your goals, no matter how small or how grand they may be. Maybe you've already started a long time ago - if this is the case, then I'll be the one joining you! But in case you haven't, I genuinely want you or anyone to try this with me --- there's power in numbers and it's actually kind of fun! I'm only on day 3 myself so I hope that we can support each other in achieving our goals.

On a side note, my contract with Intuit recently ended so now I'm officially unemployed. This makes the monetary goal a long-shot, but I'm enthusiastic about the job hunt! I'm also reading Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill, which helps put me in this mindset. I'm only on the first few chapters, but I already recommend it!

To Lose Weight & Get Some Abs with the Slight Edge

My one and only New Year's resolution I actually made this year is to lose weight. It's already February 6, but I guess it's better to start late than never! I'm 5'5" and 146.6 lbs, which is 11 lbs over my ideal body weight. I've been slacking a lot lately so I really need to shape up. I've recently finished a book called The Slight Edge and I really recommend it for anyone who's looking for a good read. It's a great picker-upper if you're feeling down in the dumps, and it's chuck-full of common sense wisdom that we need to be reminded of every now and then. And like any good self-development book, it advises you to write down your goals and your plan to achieve these goals.

My goal is to be around 135.6 lbs while adding muscle mass by April 6, which makes this a 2-month challenge. My more challenging secondary goal is to gain a full six pack by my birthday this year, which makes it a 7-month challenge. My plan for these goals is to cut what I normally eat in half and use a low calorie, high protein diet. I'm a glutton, so this will be extremely difficult for me. I'm also planning to exercise for at least 40 minutes a day. I'm hoping that by making it all public, I will hold myself more accountable to my plans and goals - so wish me luck!

"The slight edge is relentless and cuts both ways: simple daily disciplines or simple errors in judgement, repeated consistently over time, make you or break you."

·         

Timeless Philosophers - Musicians

There are philosophers by occupation and there are philosophers who share their philosophies through their occupations. An example of the latter would include music artists.


One of my all-time favorite music artists is Jason Mraz. I don't know much about him or his personal life, but his music speaks volumes to me. On the surface, it seems like he's just another dude with a carefree approach to life, but I think that there is so much more depth to his words than people give him credit for. 

At the very least, I feel that some of his tracks make for great theme songs as I stroll by this road we call life. I personally consider him as one of the greatest lyricists of our time, and subsequently, one of the greatest philosophers of our time. Lady Gaga would be a close second. Hah.

Here are a few of my favorite tracks:

1.  Live High
2. Only Human
3. I Never Knew You
4. Love for a child
5. Living in the Moment

Little Floater Miracles

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." - the Little Prince

On some afternoons when I am at the backyard, I just relax on my chair and stare at the sky. I enjoy the sight of the floaters I don't normally see - the squiggly circular worms that follow my gaze - and more.

This year, I've noticed even more beyond the regular floaters. I noticed the tiny microbial dots constantly moving around, illuminated by the sun's light. They really do look like dots, but they shine like stars. I feel like I'm actually star-gazing during the day.

It's like our eyes are the microscopes, and we can can observe another world living in the normal flora of our eyes' vitreous humour. It's like there are stars dashing around in seemingly random patterns in an invisible universe.

Just knowing that they're there is a beautiful and an amazing thing for me. Now I can go stargazing anytime I want to, whether it be day or nighttime.

Love Love Day! - Valentine's Day 2014

I don't think Valentine's Day is stupid. It's up to you whenever you want to celebrate your relationship this day or not. Heck, you can celebrate it daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly if you want. I say that any reason to celebrate is a good reason to celebrate.

Anyway, here is one of the things I did for my Valentine this year.

I gave her one of her favorite perfumes called "Modern Muse" by Estee Lauder, and clipped out some 2-hours worth of home-made massage coupons. A little corny, I know, but I was hoping she liked corn.

 

I folded the massage coupons with personal notes and hid them around the house. 

 

 

We didn't get to eat out and watch that new Lego movie like I planned, but overall, I think that the night went very well. :-)



Peaceful Driver Challenge

CHALLENGE

Drive defensively. Even if someone drives recklessly, just keep calm. When they honk at you, cut you off, or flip you off, just let it go. Smile at them and send them happy thoughts. DO NOT curse at all. Keep the peace and drive on.

This was a particularly difficult challenge for me. I've always loved driving, but I picked up some bad driving habits along the way. Over time, I've developed some unhealthy automatic reactions that I noticed I needed to change. I remember Lisa saying something like 'driving angry is like a poison that eats away at your organs while the other driver is happily driving along, oblivious to your pain.' It was relevant to me because I used to stress myself over reckless drivers. It was like I was telepathically asking them "How the hell did you get your license!?" while giving them the 'stare.' I'm glad I've changed. Now I love driving even more.

The Tree Thing

Here is a simple way to help keep yourself happy. Just do the three thing.

The Tree (3) Thing

1. When you wake up, name three things that you are thankful for.
2. Say three positive things about yourself.
3. Say three positive things about nature.
4. Say three positive things about someone else.
5. Before you sleep, name three things that you are thankful for.

Make this a daily thing. Make it a habit. Do the tree thing whenever you see a tree.

* Once you master this, you can easily mix or add 3 things on each step. For example, you can add three goals you want to accomplish on step 1.