It's the holidays. I love how I don't have to shop for anyone; my family doesn't exchange gifts.
Definitely a time to reflect. There are so many things on my to-do list. Time to invest some resources on those things: Spanish, swimming, better health and most importantly, spirituality.
More and more, I see how all my deepest wishes have come true because I always kept an open mind as to what should be the final outcome.
We are not suppose to have the answers. By posing a sincere question, the universe answers in its own way.
For instance, in my community relations work, there is an artist to whom I wish to send a holiday card. She is a successful artist, one who manages to sell enough art work to sustain herself and her family. For some reason, I just couldn't find her physical address.
She had invited me to one of her recent shows, but it's almost an hour drive away. As luck would have it, the gallery is near my parents' home, so I was able to view the show during one of my visits home. Just in time as the show closes this week.
As part of the introductory material, this artist had include her business card with her physical address on it! I was able to write her a nice note that very afternoon.
Life is full of these small wonders. A book that speaks to this wonder is When God Winks: How the Power of Coincidence Guides Your Life. I am not religious, but this book describes exactly my belief that there is something greater than ourselves.
The key about spirituality is the power it gives us. I have complete faith in myself, and that is significant considering that I wasn't always so sure of myself. When I care about someone else, that is the same power that I hope to bestow onto them. To know that whatever happens, I will be all right is pure joy.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
cause and effect
Blogging has changed me in a fundamental way. The habit of just freely speak my mind has infiltrated every aspect of my life. It used to be that I share my life with just a few select people and have many peripheral friends. Now that I have been writing freely for nearly a year online and for the last 20 years via a journal, I am truly myself all the time.
The one positive externality of open self expression is that I can see everything so clearly and adapt accordingly. For instance, today during yet another long mediation session, I was able to see how everyone else's complete absorption in the litigation created so much unnecessary stress. The mediator told us that he woke up at 5 in the morning thinking about the case!
I just cannot get stressed out about work any more. Like the dating, it's just another natural cycle of life that will come and go.
Of course, the best part to the mediation session is flirting with the attractive environmental attorney. It's fun to have a crush on someone. The crush will too pass, but it certainly has been a delicious rush interacting with him.
Psyched that I beat out jet lag completely from the trip. The trick is to not sleep or sleep very little the night or two nights before and use the travel time to sleep to the time of the destination. That and fueling with healthy diet throughout the trip and after arrival!
The one positive externality of open self expression is that I can see everything so clearly and adapt accordingly. For instance, today during yet another long mediation session, I was able to see how everyone else's complete absorption in the litigation created so much unnecessary stress. The mediator told us that he woke up at 5 in the morning thinking about the case!
I just cannot get stressed out about work any more. Like the dating, it's just another natural cycle of life that will come and go.
Of course, the best part to the mediation session is flirting with the attractive environmental attorney. It's fun to have a crush on someone. The crush will too pass, but it certainly has been a delicious rush interacting with him.
Psyched that I beat out jet lag completely from the trip. The trick is to not sleep or sleep very little the night or two nights before and use the travel time to sleep to the time of the destination. That and fueling with healthy diet throughout the trip and after arrival!
the best vacation ever
I came back from a week-long vacation, and it was what I needed.
Being relaxed completely was so nice. Mostly, I spent time with family, ate, slept and read. Most importantly, my soul got a break to rediscover what is truly important to me.
So silly that I have been caught up by work and my emotional responses to work that I forgot that my life has never been just about work. Taiwan has a Lemmings culture, where everyone has similar outlook. That similarity reminded me that I was trying to emulate a lot of workaholics I know.
I have never been one to follow the norm. It's okay to have my own rules about work and play. I'll probably not be rich because of my insistence on having fun, but I will continue to be happy.
This was also a trip to focus on financial goals. Need to start to think about how to finance my dream to take a year off and live in South America in the next five years!!
Being relaxed completely was so nice. Mostly, I spent time with family, ate, slept and read. Most importantly, my soul got a break to rediscover what is truly important to me.
So silly that I have been caught up by work and my emotional responses to work that I forgot that my life has never been just about work. Taiwan has a Lemmings culture, where everyone has similar outlook. That similarity reminded me that I was trying to emulate a lot of workaholics I know.
I have never been one to follow the norm. It's okay to have my own rules about work and play. I'll probably not be rich because of my insistence on having fun, but I will continue to be happy.
This was also a trip to focus on financial goals. Need to start to think about how to finance my dream to take a year off and live in South America in the next five years!!
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