Be Inspired NOW!

Thought for The Day

2010-11-17T03:57:00.002+08:00

Here's something to think about today...

Hope never abandons you; you abandon it.
~George Weinberg~

Have a good one!

I've Moved To Vancouver!

2010-10-15T23:40:00.001+08:00

Welcome from Vancouver!

I've been away a few weeks -- too busy with all the packing, repacking, travel plans and all. Moving is not an easy thing to do. And, no matter how early I started or thought I started, there really were so many last minute things to think about.

Today's THOUGHT FOR THE DAY is very appropriate ... so here it is...

"Time and health are two precious assets that
we don't recognize and appreciate
until they have been depleted."
— Denis Waitley: Motivational speaker and author

Perfect Timing!

2010-10-04T18:31:00.000+08:00

I believe that God's timing is ultimately perfect. It may not seem that way for us while we go through the struggles and challenges of our lives, but having gone through a number (without revealing my age!) I can say that everything works out in the end.

Talking to a friend of mine about that the other day, I said ...

If we are assured of an ok ending, then why not just enjoy the journey to it or get the most learning out of the experience?

Imagine watching your favorite movie for the 2nd time around. You know the ending, yet you watch it over and over. The reason it's so fun is it's the getting there that makes the movie. I think it's very similar for us in our lives.

Have a great day!

Put God In Charge (email)

2010-09-29T07:57:00.000+08:00

Here's an email I received the other day ... Some excellent reminders for us all!

Learn from yesterday, Live for today, Hope for tomorrow…

An Angel says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.'

1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns . If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety . If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19 Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you Jesus .'
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.

'If God is for us, who can be against us?'

(Romans 8:31)
My instructions were to send this to four people that I wanted God to bless and I picked you. I decided to send it to more than four, because I didn't want to limit blessings.

Start Your Day With A Dose of Thankfulness!

2010-09-14T10:20:00.000+08:00

Everyone's got trials and challenges. It's easy to get sucked in to the whole cycle of wishing things were better. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's quite normal.

However, many times, people forget how good things actually are. If you actually list the good things side by side with your wish list, the good side would be so much longer. So, start your day positive. Say "Thank you!" first for everything you have before thinking of everything you don't have. Say "Thank you!" for everything that is, rather than thinking of everything that isn't as you would like it to be.

It reminds me of this one email I received a long time ago. I'll edit this post when I find it. It basically says, When I think about my chores and cleaning the house, I'm grateful I have a home. After a long and tiring day at work, I'm grateful I have a job. And it keeps on going listing the most common complaints of each of us.

But the essence of it is this. Turn that sentence around to a positive statement of gratefulness. During this troubled global economy, when there are so many people struggling in so many ways, it should be easier to see how there are people who would rather have our problems because theirs are so much more challenging.

Let's start our days with a big Thank you! This day is going to be Great!

Tribute to Arturo Carlos, Founder, IMI

2010-08-28T11:12:00.000+08:00

Hope - Jeremiah 29:11

2010-08-13T10:19:00.000+08:00

Someone shared this video on Facebook, and I traced it back to Youtube. I'm sharing this with you and hope you share the message of hope with others!

Credits go to:
FaithClipart for posting on youtube
Script: Tim Blair
Animation: Nate Vander Plas
Music: Willem van Wyk - http://www.willemvanwyk.com

Leap of Faith

2010-07-31T17:05:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since my last post. It's not that I've had nothing to post about ... in fact, there have been so much. I've just been so busy, and still am! I decided to post today about one insight ...

It's amazing how, once you set your goals firm, things seem to fall in place just like when completing a puzzle. And, it's amazing!

You know you're on the right track when things start clicking into place. It's surreal, dumbfounding, and amazing all at the same time! That's the power of your vision and persistence at work.

Never give up. Never stop hoping. But even more than that, KEEP BELIEVING!

With all of that in place, there's not much left but to take action and JUST DO IT!

Food For Thought

2010-05-07T12:21:00.001+08:00

Here's another e-mail message I received that's worth sharing...

Take into account that great love & great achievements involve great risk.

When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

Follow the three R’s: respect for self, respect for others, responsibility for all your actions.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.

When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

Spend time alone everyday.

Open your arms to change, but don’t give up your values.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good honorable life. Then when you get older & think back you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation of your life.

In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.

Be gentle with the earth.

Once a year, go some place you’ve never been before.

Remember the best relationship is one which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to getting it.

Approach love & cooking with reckless abandon.

How to stay young n happy...

2010-05-07T10:49:00.000+08:00

I received this via email from our HR supervisor. No idea where it originated from. Thought it good to share with all of you!

The Importance of Balance

2010-03-25T08:46:00.002+08:00

Remember when we were young, we were always encouraged to be well-rounded?

Well, in today's speedy, hectic, hyper-connected world, it is even more important to stay balanced ... and that is nothing more than making sure you remain well-rounded. It is so easy to get caught up in everything that needs to get done at work or at home that many times we forget we also need to take time for ourselves.

I'm not simply talking about "me" time. Everyone needs to work on his or her personal development. Have some goals for yourself. It doesn't have to be big, but it should be a stretch from where you are. And, you should have goals for the various roles you play -- for yourself as an individual, a professional, a partner/spouse, a parent, a friend.

Remember to work on the TOTAL YOU, rather than just one aspect of yourself.

Blogging For Your Own Good

2010-03-02T22:40:00.000+08:00

I recently read a blog -- The Change Blog -- that had an article that blogging is good for personal development.

I totally agree, but I think that blogging can be a vehicle to inner peace, as well.

Recently, a friend of mine put up her blog after so many years. A few posts here and there. But, what is interesting is that because of that outlet ... having a space of your own out there ... she found a place where she could write about herself and the things that are important to her.

Technology was supposed to make things simpler. And, in many ways, it has. The funny thing is we humans seem to have taken that and whisked it around and said "Gee! Now we can do so much more!" And, so we have. It's come to the point that people are working longer hours and working with so much more stress as metrics are being taken on targets and performance. What a frenzy our global economy has gotten us into, when you come to think about it. The consequence of this seems to be a feeling of detachment, especially when work demands more and more time in the office, and less time on relationships -- be it family and / or friends.

Take my friend, for example, who works for a global bank. Pulling in some 12- to 15-hour days is a regular thing. It's not just her. It's practically the whole office. Sure, there is time for personal interaction throughout the work day. And, many of her friends are her colleagues. The problem here is that after a while, everyone is talking about work. So, in reality, it isn't really just 12-15 hours, is it?! Yet, her inner self screams to be heard ... her frustrations, her insights, her joys, her interests ... all those things that have nothing to do about work.

Given the hectic schedule, though, how much "me" time to these people really have? It's almost got to be scheduled! Perhaps that's not a bad thing, as a discipline. But the reality is, there is joy in spontaneity.

So maybe she's got the half hour before falling asleep to let it all out -- whatever it is. She's started blogging about anything really. And honestly, it's that one place where I can hear her talking about herself -- not work, not kids, not colleagues.

All I can say is it may not replace human relationship, but blogging is an outlet -- that little 5-inch space out there that's all about you. So, do it! Go blog!

Relationships: The Essence of Our Lives

2010-02-18T20:41:00.001+08:00

Nothing like a death in the family can bring one to a level of introspection and brutal self-honesty.

My aunt died on Valentine's Day. I was not very close to her -- surely my other cousins were much closer to her. But, even though we did not see each other often, I was always so excited to see her. She represented to me warmth, sincerity, integrity, and great nationalism -- something not often found in people these days. She was a woman of conviction ... she stood up for what she believed. People may not have shared her position on issues, but they respected her. That is the person I saw her to be ... the person she was to me.

During the number of eulogies said this afternoon, there were many "Sorry"'s that were said. What struck me most is that many of the regrets of those left behind were basically framed around allowing a divide in their relationship. And, that got me thinking.

What are we here for anyway? And, there was but one answer that came to me at Church today.

We are here to love each other. Period.

At the end of our lives, or the lives of those we know around us, we really have to ask ourselves what matters most. I looked at those around me today, and for some I saw great pain, for others a sort of numbness. And, I asked myself if allowing the disagreement to divide was worth anything at all. And, the answer was NO. Nothing can be worth crossing another person out of your life out of anger or resentment. In the end, all that negativity eats you up, as well. And then, when the other is gone, you look back and it seems so meaningless.

Writing now, I do not want to present myself falsely ... that I don't fall into the trap of allowing division between me and those I love. I am guilty of that. We all are. But, what I have learned ... or better yet, relearned ... again today, is we are here to love one another.

Now that does not mean to be a doormat. By all means, everyone must stand on some ground of belief or opinion. But, taking a stand does not have to equate to creating a divide. It's tough. But, I think it can be done with grace.

Get The Edge by Anthony Robbins

2010-02-12T16:58:00.000+08:00

Years ago, I wanted to buy this audiobook title of Anthony Robbins called Get the Edge. It was a bit too pricey for my wallet, so it remained on my To Buy list. The funny thing is that year, I went to the U.S. to visit my sister. Browsing through her library one day ... there it was! I was so shocked that she had it. I asked to borrow it to listen to while I was visiting and she was just all too happy to give it to me. Soooo happy!

So, I returned to the Philippines, and listened to it while at work. For 7 days, our graphic artist, Dennis, and I listened to this. He didn't really have a choice because his desk was in one corner of my office.

I've started it up again just the other day. So far so good!

The funny thing about old programs and new programs is the old cobwebs really have a way of creeping back into your life. A healthy life requires work and vigilance. If you don't pay attention and devote time and energy to making changes in your life, you end up falling back into old patterns.

The good thing about it is, every day, every moment you are alive, you have the opportunity to make things better. Now, the only thing that matters is how much you really want to make these changes in your life. And, if you really want it ... as in REALLY WANT TO CHANGE, then it's time to kick your rear into gear!

Thought For The Day

2010-01-20T11:23:00.000+08:00

"Believe Big. The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think big goals and win big success. Remember this, too! Big ideas and big plans are often easier -certainly no more difficult - than small ideas and small plans."

~David J. Schwartz~

Have a great day, folks!

Thought For The Day

2009-11-24T10:53:00.000+08:00

"The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions. " ~ Confucius

The Importance of Centering

2009-11-18T13:33:00.000+08:00

Leaders are called to many tasks ... and those come in all shapes and sizes. One huge task that we have to make though are the tough, and difficult decisions and talks that well, are not popular or you know will disappoint others.

A good leader makes the tough and unpopular decisions when he knows it is the best course of action ... even if people will get hurt.

There are many ways to go about this, and over time, I've probably swung from one end of the spectrum (not wanting to make a decision at all) to the other (making the tough decision and just being callous about it wanting to get it out of the way). Either way, people get hurt more... and I have learned that there is a better way ... that is the way of compassion.

Compassion is defined as "a deep awareness and sympathy for another person's suffering". For those of you who are Christian (and I say this only because I am and cannot speak for other religions), you know this well, because this is taught from the very early stages of religious teaching. To act with compassion is to consider another person's suffering as if it was your own.

I have found that to speak or deliver bad news ... make the tough decision as early as possible ... can be done with compassion, and doing so makes it easier for you and the person who is on the receiving end of the difficult decision. Making tough decisions is not easy and it probably never will be. Honestly, I prefer it that way. I ought to worry when making tough decisions becomes an ordinary event. I wouldn't want to ever be that way.

The key to being able to do this, for me at least, is quiet. Remove yourself from the noise, to an extent, isolate yourself and meditate. Spend the time and effort necessary to go through the impact of your decisions, so that when you actually deliver the sad news, you speak sincerely with compassion, and are better prepared to act and accept the response from the other side.

Some guiding thoughts...

Have a great day!

Make Changes ... One Day At A Time

2009-11-12T08:28:00.000+08:00

People are a resilient bunch. We tend to be faced with changes, and it takes a while before we respond. There remains that part of us that denies to ourselves that change is happening. I'm not going to enter into a discussion that early recognition and response is better than later. I'm just telling it as I see it.

Change happens. One day, we open our eyes, and say to ourselves, things have changed. Now I need to change to respond. These changes don't need to be huge changes. Think weight gain. Think road rage. Think your messy desk. Or, it could be larger more life impacting things like a change in your relationship with a loved one, or perhaps your level of satisfaction at work, or even your performance at work.

So, you wake up one day and you find yourself so far away from where you were ... or where you want to be, and you tell yourself, I'm going to change. Good! That is the first step.

But, as we all know, it's tough because once we set out with a roadmap, the next question is how to make the "new" whatever you are doing into a habit. Everyone seems to say that 21 days is the magic number for creating habits. I know this is tough. But, here's what I keep telling myself day after day after day.

Just one more day. And, just like listening to a child who is first learning her numbers ... eventually, you hit 21.

Just one more day. That's all you have to do today.

Have a great day everyone!

Thought For The Day

2009-11-11T22:44:00.000+08:00

"Ideas are elusive, slippery things.
Best to keep a pad of paper and a pencil at your bedside,
so you can stab them during the night before they get away."
— Earl Nightingale

This is absolutely true. There are times (even waking hours) when I find myself busy doing something routinary (like filing or putting things away) when I get one of those flash bulb moments. You know the feeling ... here you are with basically nothing on your mind, not really concentrating on anything at all because you're performing a mindless task, and there it is! Like a flash, you get a thought. It's brilliant, you think! Should I act on it now? Should I write it down? And you tell yourself ... nah! it's so good, how could I ever forget it? And, for a while you relish in this brilliant idea ... you play with it and develop it. Then, just as quickly, someone enters the room and poof! that idea is gone. At first you're in shock! How could that be, you ask yourself? It was fantastic! But, search search search, and it won't come back ... well, not immediately anyway.

That's the wonder of these thoughts. They come out of nowhere and go wherever. And, I DO man wherever. These ideas, I call them opportunities. Someone once said that an idea is a dime a dozen. I believe that's true. The universe sends these things out ... and depending on what our inclinations are, I believe they find someone attuned to those thoughts / ideas. But, the proof is in the pudding ... the ideas work for the people who not only nurture them, but ACT on them. So, act we must ... but, since I'm filing or folding shirts, let me write it down first!

How to be Happy Book - free eBook download

2009-11-11T10:54:00.000+08:00

Happiness.

It's the single most sought after "thing" of all time. So many have written about it. A class at Harvard University has been created with overwhelming popularity. A Happiness Index has even been formulated, though I can't imagine the algorithm involved in translating this "feeling" into a measure or number.

So, what is it and how do you keep it?

The other day, I was surfing on the net about happiness, and I stumbled upon this book "How to be Happy and Have Fun Changing the World" at www.howtobehappy.org. This site is created/owned by the book's author Michael Anthony.

I'm enjoying reading this book. It's filled with information and is written in a very relaxed style.

Now all I need to do is import it into my iTouch for pocket reading. :)

Thought For The Day

2009-11-11T09:56:00.000+08:00

THOSE WHO CREATE GOOD FELLOWSHIP AMONG OTHERS
WILL NEVER BE SHORT OF FRIENDS.

Can't really stress this enough. You know how there are those people that are just fun to be with? ... who, when you are with them, leave you with a feeling of positiveness and goodness? There is so much discord in this hectic and stressful world. Be the difference and help forge friendships and strengthen relationships whenever possible!

Have a great day!

Thought For The Day

2009-11-04T12:43:00.000+08:00

Remember that the tone of your voice often conveys more accurately what is in your mind than do your words.

This is so true. I find it incredibly useful to center myself with a few minutes of quiet before speaking to someone about sensitive matters. In this way, I let go much of the personal emotion first, allowing myself to be more objective and choose the proper words to convey the message correctly. Many times we forget that communication happens in so many levels, words being the more superficial.

Have a great day!

Thought For The Day

2009-11-03T18:24:00.000+08:00

“Don't dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer.” ~Denis Waitley~

When things go wrong, there are those people who get stuck asking why. Now I'm not saying that it's wrong to know what went wrong. Indeed, you should take stock of the mistakes that resulted in any undesirable outcome. You really shouldn't make the same mistakes twice. It's worth the long hard and sometimes harsh truth to figure this out. But believe me, after you've figured it out, decide not to make the same mistake again, and move on!

I've been among people, some close friends of mine, who often find themselves stuck at the problem, rather than the solution. What a sad place to be, really. It's a waste of time (theirs and those of us who have to listen to it) especially when the person/people doing this are leaders.

If you find yourself there, remember this quote, and move on. Otherwise, you'll be stuck in the past, and you already know where that lead you to.

Have a wonderful and positive day!

Thought For The Day

2009-10-29T11:29:00.000+08:00

I subscribe to a bunch of daily blasts of positive thoughts. They help center me at the beginning of the day and give me something to think about while I go about my day at work. Every now and then, I get messages that "fit" together. It never ceases to amaze me how that happens ... and further reinforces my belief that we are all connected.

Here are the messages I received when I opened up my email.

The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread. - Mother Teresa

A friend is one who knows all about you and still respects you. (credits: Napoleon Hill Foundation)

Have a great day!

A Life Goal

2009-10-16T09:15:00.000+08:00

Every now and then you think to yourself ... What is this all about?... What am I all about?

And, at different stages in my life, my personal goals have changed. There is ONE, however, that hasn't.

I want to live my life to have positively impacted my sphere of influence as much as possible, and leave this world a better place then when I arrived.

What's your life goal? What are you doing today to make it real?

Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk

2009-10-14T16:09:00.000+08:00

I just read the first chapter of Gary Vaynerchuk's new book, Crush It! which is available through Amazon.com

Crush It! is about living your passion and how today's technology is making it possible for everyone. You just have to figure out what you want, want it enough, and then do it! The paradigm of doing business has changed. No one has to be stuck doing something they don't want to do. Technology has changed how money is made and how money flows. The models have changed. Where power resides has changed. Technology has changed that.

This looks like a great book!

Gary Vaynerchuk talks about exactly the reason why I decided earlier this year to just follow my passion. There is absolutely no reason to be stuck doing what you do not enjoy ... being at a job that does not make you happy. When I stepped back last year to see the momentous changes that were happening on the social networking sites, I saw precisely the changes he discusses. Other than just the message to yourself to start making changes in your life and living the life you want; another interesting insight for businesses is that this change has already started and there is really no stopping it. If you want your business to survive ... to be able to continue to compete, it is imperative that you change your business too. Time has gone where the company owner, corporation, organization can hide behind a face or image. In this day and age, you have to interact. You must be transparent. That's my view, by the way. Let's see what he has to say about that (if at all) in Crush It!

Here's a video link to Amazon.com of Gary Vaynerchuk's message.

Thought For The Day

2009-10-13T11:14:00.000+08:00

The key element to attracting into your life what you want most begins in an intense desire for it.

Think back to all the events in your life where you got something you wanted. It could be that bike when you were a kid. Perhaps it was your first car. Your job. Maybe even the relationship you wanted. Anything. Then, reach even further back, and you will see that it all began with that spark of emotion of desiring it in your life. Emotions are what separate a simple want from something you REALLY want. It differentiates that urge for a burger from the kind of desire that makes you think and positively work towards that particular goal. When that emotion is tapped, you send out an energy from within yourself that works to bring that want into your life. So get excited about it, dream of it, and with gratefulness, accept it!

My First Post ... Hello World!

2009-10-06T07:40:00.000+08:00

Hello World!

I'd been considering putting this blog up for years, but never really got around to doing it.

This blog is a journal of sorts of a journey through life ... a journey I share with everyone ... especially now that we are beginning to realize just how interconnected we all really are.

It seems almost appropriate that I got my act together now that in the last week we have all been reminded about climate change and our participation in all the disasters that have been happening around us.

But ... as in the Home Project video launched in June 2009 ended ... It's too late to be a pessimist...

There are just too many positive and inspiring things happening around us that give us something absolutely concrete to hold on to.

So, let's all BE INSPIRED NOW!