Work To Live or Live To Work?

You must always find your balance. You must always remember that you should never get too busy earning a living that you will tend to forget to make a life.

As Confucius one said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

Here are a few Dos and Don’ts on achieving a balance:

DO:

·         Without rushing, be sure to set your alarm to wake you up earlier so you will have enough time for breakfast which is the most important meal of the day.

·         Prioritize your work. Work smart and not hard.

·         Never skip your lunch. Be sure to take at least a 30 minutes lunch break and try to eat healthy. Head out for a walk, if possible, even if it is for 10 minutes. It is nice to get some fresh air and sunlight.

·         Never be afraid to speak up and say no when your workload gets too much.

·         Best to disconnect from any work related communications, be it text or email, after work hours. If you have to work past your normal work hours, be sure to set an allocated time for it and never let it eat in to your leisure time.

·         De-stress. Best way to do so is to exercise. This would not only de-stress you but allow you to keep fit. Try allocating at least 3 – 4 hours each week for exercise.

·         Plan fun things to do such as a holiday. This way you will have something to look forward to.

·         Head to bed early so as to feel refreshed the next day.

DON’T:

·         Have an on-the-go kind of breakfast. Don’t stress first thing when you wake up and start checking or replying emails and texts. Unless it is of a very important nature.

·         Hop from one task to another.

·         Over work or work through your lunch hour or to keep/eat unhealthy food at your desk.

·         Take on too many responsibilities and try to prove anything. Always be sure you have plenty of time to finish your current workload.

·         Take home work if possible and don’t stay back too late to finish your current project unless it has a set deadline and you have to complete it.

·         Put off your exercise routine because you are too busy.

·         Be afraid to book vacations because you are afraid of the amount of work you will miss.

·         Stay up late, working through the night as it will leave you feeling exhausted the next day.

Being Healthy is a Lifestyle

Not too long ago, I'd say about 4 years ago, I weighed almost 200 pounds (90.9kg), 198 pounds (90kg) to be exact. I never did exercise, I ate whatever I wanted to eat and whenever I wanted to eat, I simply did not care.

I did consider losing weight a few times when I got tired of people telling me how much weight I have gained and when I could not find any nice outfits that would fit me. I tried to eat healthy and not as often but I loved food too much, and the thought of exercising was just not exciting at all. I did not have the willpower to stick to it. And to be honest, those tries actually made me gain more weight. I just wasn't blessed with good metabolism.

One day, I decided to step on a scale and I was shocked to see that I was 2 pounds shy of being a whopping 200 pounds!! That really woke me up! Not to mention that my career was also determined by how you look and not forgetting stamina. But the biggest motivation to change was the fact I had two little ones who needs a mom and a mom to be healthy so she can stick around for a long time.

I wanted to better myself. I wanted a new ME. I wanted to do it mostly for myself instead of someone else. I wanted me to be healthy so I can set a good example for my kids and that I could take care of them better.

I started with Zumba. That was a huge change. Shy with 2 left feet and no rhythm, and there I was, dancing up a storm. The class was definitely fun. However, I wasn't losing the weight as fast as I had wanted to. So I started brisk walking twice a week. After a couple months, I was jogging 6km (3.72 miles) in an hour. Still, the weight was only gradually going down. I will be honest; it was starting to get very demoralizing. However, I guess I wasn’t losing it as fast also because even if I had cut down on my eating, I was still eating more than I should. So can you imagine how much I was really eating before??

Not too long into the exercise routines and salads, etc, I learned of Juice Cleansing. I gave it a shot. I started with a 7-day juice cleanse. I had nothing to eat, just 3 juices a day and water. The first 3 days was a struggle but after, it was easy. Weigh in after 7 days and I had lost 10 pounds! That was motivation to keep at it.

Oddly enough, I think all I needed was that juice cleanse. My body got acclimated and it started accepting healthier food. I cut on carbs and I started experimenting with healthy recipes. I continued to jog and did a juice cleanse each month.

Eating more fruits and veggies did not sound disgusting anymore. In fact, the thought of sipping soda made me sick. I stuck to water, juice or oolong/green tea. Overall, my diet has changed drastically.

I won’t lie. I still have issues with my willpower. But each time I think of indulging or treating myself to an extra sweet dessert, I remember how far I’ve come. I think of all the hard work I’ve done to get to where I am so why would I allow myself to go back to where I was before?

As of today, I weigh 44 pounds (20kg) less than when I started my journey and it has made a big difference in my life and in my career. I still have a bit more to lose but I will gradually work on it as long as I continue to follow this healthy lifestyle.

Aside to everything else, CONFIDENCE has been the biggest benefit from this journey. I am more secure about myself. I feel comfortable in my own skin now.

So before making another unhealthy choice, always remember when your clothes didn't fit, when your body felt sluggish, your skin didn't glow, you didn't have energy, and how you wanted to feel beautiful.

Being healthy and fit isn't a trend. It is a lifestyle

SELF WORTH - Affirmations

Did you know that self-esteem is the most important thing for success? And if you think you have low self-esteem; affirmations can help you restore it. You can be successful in anything you set your heart to if you have lots of self-worth.

Affirmation can keep you positive and improve your attitude and how you look at life.

In short, in order for you to build your self-worth, you need affirmation. And how the human brain works is that if you keep repeating said affirmations over and over again, you will slowly start believing it and you will then notice the change in the way you behave.

In order to create positive affirmations, start with the words “I am”, keep it brief, make it specific and use present tense.

1.       I am choosing happiness

2.       I can and I will

3.       I trust myself

4.       I am enough

5.       I am worthy of the best life has to offer

6.       I am happy

7.       I am taking my mistakes as stepping stones for success

8.       I am beautiful

9.       I honour every decision I make

10.    I refuse to give up

11.    I am proud of myself

12.    I am unique in my own way

13.    I will surround myself with positive people

14.    I won’t worry about the small things

15.    I have the power to create the life I choose

16.    I believe in myself

17.    I choose positivity

18.    I appreciate all I have

19.    I will release anything that does not serve me

20.    I am whole and complete

Always Believe in Yourself

Get to know yourself;

What you can do

and what you cannot do..

For only you can make

your Life happy.

Believe that by working,

learning and achieving;

You can reach your goals

and be successful.

Believe in your own creativity

as a means of expressing

your true feelings.

Believe in appreciating life.

Be sure to have fun every day

and to enjoy

the beauty in the world.

Believe in love.

Love your friends,

your family,

yourself

and your life.

Believe in your dreams

and your dreams can

become a reality.

-- D.P. –

I Had a Dream

I had a dream once… in it I saw you.

I love this dream and wished that I’d never awaken… But I did.

When I opened my eyes, you were gone.

I shut my eyes again and saw you standing before me.

You were so gorgeous.

You were a true sign of love.

Your hands crossed over your heart, as it slid slowly down the front of you.

They came to a stop half way down as you reached out for me.

I came to you in a state of vulnerability.

My eyes opened again.

I looked for you buy you were nowhere around.

I gently forced my eyes closed again… but you were gone.

I looked for you but you were nowhere to be found.

Tears welled up in my closed eyes and rolled down the sides of my face.

From that day I could not close my eyes without a tear forming… not even a blink.

Except for one time.

One night I lay down and once again closed my tear stained eyes.

Again, I did not see you… but the tears stopped.

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling hoping,

Hoping that when I closed my eyes again you’d be there.

I closed my eyes once more and still the tears did not come.

I slowly opened my eyes again and rolled over in bed.

I smiled to myself…

Then…

I gave you the gentlest kiss I could possibly conceive.

You And I

I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would find

the one I've searched for all my life, while just being here

on social media. 

But then your words before me, as peaceful as a dove

reached out and touched my heart so deep, 

and filled it with it's love. 

You had me in your power, my soul you hypnotized.

It's then I had the feeling, it's then I realized

these words that were before me seemed honest and so true

and before I knew what hit me, I fell in love with you.

With each and every passing day, this feeling deep inside

renewed my faith in happiness, this cannot be denied.

Although we've known each other for a short period of time, 

I feel I've known you always, in oh so many ways. 

My life before I met you seemed empty, cold and grey.

But since you've come along, my love, what more is there to say?

You are the one I've needed for oh so many years,

you are the one who has the power to wipe away my tears.

I need you now and always, until eternity.

I pray your love will bring me peace and serenity.

I love you now my darling and know, right now, 

that I will always love you faithfully, until the day I die.

I want to spend my life with you and share the joys and woes,

the ups, the downs, the good, the bad, and all the highs and lows.

Together we can make a life that's filled with hope and love,

a life of endless pleasures sent down from up above.

Hobbies you can start for free!

Are you looking for a new hobby or hobbies? Are you worried about it costing a fortune? Here's a list of that would not cost much or anything at all.

1. HIKING

How about exploring a nature reserve or a park to enjoy some fresh air and scenery?

2. READING

Visit the library and get access to all the books you can read.

3. VOLUNTEER

Volunteer your time to your community for a good cause. How about the SPCA if you’re an animal lover?

4. CREATIVE WRITING

Starting a blog or get out your pen and note book, and start writing for an hour or two each day. You may never know what you will come up with.

5. ORIGAMI

Watch tutorials on YouTube or borrow an origami book from the library and start making some lovely origami creations.

6. SIGHTSEEING

Discover hidden gems in and around your country. Explore.

7. YOGA

How about exercising your mind and body? If you’re new to Yoga and do not wish to invest so much money into it, you can always get on YouTube to follow tutorials for beginners.

8. KNITTING

Don’t know how to knit but have been dying to learn how? Thank goodness for our world of technology and knowledge at the tip of our fingertips. Spend just a few dollars on wool and needles and look up knitting on the internet and give it a whirl.

9. ILLUSTRATING

Again, you can look up tutorials on YouTube for tips!! Get your creative juices flowing and learn to illustrate. You might even surprise yourself.

10. RUNNING

Get fit and healthy? Run at a reservoir or a nearby park or how about running at the beach?