I enjoy watching trees when I have a moment.
I always admire the arch of their branches stretch out to form artful lines.
For a long time, I follow its deep thought...
What is it that I can learn from a tree?
A tree has deep rooted on the ground just like a strong foundation to support the whole body. Most of the time, no matter what external circumstances, a tree would still remain strong and sturdy to stand up straight to face situations.
A tree has the patient to grow. The older and taller that it gets, the clearer and further it can see. It enjoys living into now by staying healthy and graceful in every moment.
A tree does not discriminate whether a dog pees on its root or a bird stains its branches. It takes the opportunities to serve all that it can.
A tree exposes to rain or shine, it continues to let go of having judgment to shelter those even vandalize on its skin.
A tree remains beautiful without grievances even it bears its fruit for others to take away.
It stays positively even human selfishly to practice ……deforestation.
A tree is always worthy for us to admire, isn’t it?
Friday, August 28, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Relationship
What is a relationship?
It is a rapport and trust that have built between two people. They both may have the same interest or with different interest so that they both learn from each other.
The funny thing about relationship is, some people thought that the other party should have known them so well, that they can skip the part of communication, and presume s/he would understand. They have forgotten that even siblings who were brought up in the same family also have differences.
How a mother learn about her baby communicate with her, whether the baby was hungry, unwell or sleepy? Mother who takes care of her baby so well as she knows every single move of her baby shows a sign to her of what is the baby doing.
When the baby has grown up to become a teenage boy, the quality time spends between mother and son maybe lesser. Son knows how to hide emotion from her as he was trained to be a strong boy with ‘man does not shed tears’ theory. Words and actions have become so important in order to close the gap between the mother and son. If not, generation gap was always a convenient excuse of explaining of having the huge deep gap.
Why married couples are having conflict? They assume the love one should have known and understood how s/he feeling in side. Or sometime the partner brushed off the comment or opportunity to reveal the feeling. Yes, you may say the one who always like to voice out is the woman. Women like to have someone to listen to them in order for them to feel important. Like wise, man like to be respected especially in front of their friends and family members. The excellent result produced by their children is always their trophy of having a great family.
Relationship is just like having a plant, we need to continuously water the plant (communicate) and allow the plant to expose to the sun light (allow freedom to nurture). Once in a while we may need to repot and fertilize (open to make the change for improvement), so that both partners can grow together.
Many of us are living in busy metropolitans and always think that they have Internet and cell phone to keep closely in touch of their love ones at home like concerning meals, parties and projects at hands. They have forgotten that the emotion is the core of every individual. Some live in the city for too long that they have forgotten to get in touch of their inner self and even feel uneasy or guilty to reveal their negative emotion to their partner. They feel that they are giving their partner more burden, especially with a partner who avoids getting in touch with feelings.
Eventually, we are still human with feelings. When both partners are having a huge gap and find that they could not find a way to close the gap, they would decide to split. They say they do not have feeling for each other anymore. Or it could cause by having too much of daily conflict that the negative emotion is too overwhelming for staying together.
When asked to discuss just five things what they like and do not like about each other. They found rather shocking source that they have misunderstood each other. All the conflict starts from the perception and response that they chose, from the root cause during the childhood days.
Relationships need communication to develop, patient to nurture and each other’s support to have the courage to grow together. Yes, even we have a long time relationship with our parents of forty years, we still need to work on it to keep the tie sturdy.
It is a rapport and trust that have built between two people. They both may have the same interest or with different interest so that they both learn from each other.
The funny thing about relationship is, some people thought that the other party should have known them so well, that they can skip the part of communication, and presume s/he would understand. They have forgotten that even siblings who were brought up in the same family also have differences.
How a mother learn about her baby communicate with her, whether the baby was hungry, unwell or sleepy? Mother who takes care of her baby so well as she knows every single move of her baby shows a sign to her of what is the baby doing.
When the baby has grown up to become a teenage boy, the quality time spends between mother and son maybe lesser. Son knows how to hide emotion from her as he was trained to be a strong boy with ‘man does not shed tears’ theory. Words and actions have become so important in order to close the gap between the mother and son. If not, generation gap was always a convenient excuse of explaining of having the huge deep gap.
Why married couples are having conflict? They assume the love one should have known and understood how s/he feeling in side. Or sometime the partner brushed off the comment or opportunity to reveal the feeling. Yes, you may say the one who always like to voice out is the woman. Women like to have someone to listen to them in order for them to feel important. Like wise, man like to be respected especially in front of their friends and family members. The excellent result produced by their children is always their trophy of having a great family.
Relationship is just like having a plant, we need to continuously water the plant (communicate) and allow the plant to expose to the sun light (allow freedom to nurture). Once in a while we may need to repot and fertilize (open to make the change for improvement), so that both partners can grow together.
Many of us are living in busy metropolitans and always think that they have Internet and cell phone to keep closely in touch of their love ones at home like concerning meals, parties and projects at hands. They have forgotten that the emotion is the core of every individual. Some live in the city for too long that they have forgotten to get in touch of their inner self and even feel uneasy or guilty to reveal their negative emotion to their partner. They feel that they are giving their partner more burden, especially with a partner who avoids getting in touch with feelings.
Eventually, we are still human with feelings. When both partners are having a huge gap and find that they could not find a way to close the gap, they would decide to split. They say they do not have feeling for each other anymore. Or it could cause by having too much of daily conflict that the negative emotion is too overwhelming for staying together.
When asked to discuss just five things what they like and do not like about each other. They found rather shocking source that they have misunderstood each other. All the conflict starts from the perception and response that they chose, from the root cause during the childhood days.
Relationships need communication to develop, patient to nurture and each other’s support to have the courage to grow together. Yes, even we have a long time relationship with our parents of forty years, we still need to work on it to keep the tie sturdy.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Slow Down Culture
A work partner forwarded a very interesting mail that I feel like sharing with you:
“Slow Down Culture
It's been 30 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule. Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results.
This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results. Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo , a state in Brazil .
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm , has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.
The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked,
"Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think?" Imagine my face.
Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food..
This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle.
Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week. Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US 's attention, pupils of the fast and the “do it now!”
This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means re-establishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living. It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.
In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.
Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".
Congratulations for reading till the end of this message.
There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalize world.” (By an unknown writer)
I hope you enjoy reading it as I did and find this note to have a better understanding of being at present moment. Focus on what’s at hand only with 100% commitment to produce excellent result at ease, by taking one step at a time. Now is what and all we have, so live fully and treasure it….
Thank you for sharing to whoever written this beautiful note.
“Slow Down Culture
It's been 30 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule. Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results.
This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results. Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo , a state in Brazil .
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm , has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.
The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked,
"Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think?" Imagine my face.
Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food..
This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle.
Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week. Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US 's attention, pupils of the fast and the “do it now!”
This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means re-establishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living. It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.
In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.
Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".
Congratulations for reading till the end of this message.
There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalize world.” (By an unknown writer)
I hope you enjoy reading it as I did and find this note to have a better understanding of being at present moment. Focus on what’s at hand only with 100% commitment to produce excellent result at ease, by taking one step at a time. Now is what and all we have, so live fully and treasure it….
Thank you for sharing to whoever written this beautiful note.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Be yourself...
Dilemma happens when both sides of the equation are desirable. When we have a dilemma, we tend to feel uneasy and even stress. What’s going on in side us?
The conscious mind and the unconscious mind are fighting.
Most of the time, to be yourself, the unconscious mind, is talking.
On the other hand, comfort and to be socially acceptable side, the conscious mind, persuading you what is right or wrong to do.
What do you do?
Yes, listen to your heart. We always hear the ‘but, but, but….’
You mean you are not comfortable to be yourself?
You feel uneasy just to make the decision to feel who you are?
Then how could you say you can take care of someone if you feel uncomfortable to be yourself?
How could you say you can live without anyone and yet you are not being yourself?
Most importantly, how could you stretch out to help more if you are not centered to be yourself?
Then you say ‘But, but, but, ….. the future maybe this or that…’
You can’t even handle ‘now’ to make a simple decision and why do you need to take care of the future?
What makes you think that the future would be easier?
Did you think the same way ten years ago?
The future would be easier?
What happen now as ten years later?
In the actual fact, time is just a measurement created by the human to measure past, present and future. There is no time at all and everything is just happen now.
Now is the matter.
We handle what we need to handle now and ‘now’ is all we have. Once you focus the ‘now’ and be yourself, there is no question of being in a dilemma!
We stop growing when we try to handle the past and the future. That’s when we hear people saying ‘I’m stuck!’. We evolve much faster and at ease when we just focus the now. The nature will take place to lead us to move forward. The nature will take care of everything for what is needed for us to learn within us.
Remember when we were little, we peed in our pants while we slept and we did not worry about we would continue doing that when we grow up. The nature takes place for us to learn when we need to use the washroom even in the middle of deep sleep now. Yes, you may say, our parents trained us to do that. That’s right, the nature takes place to have them to train us, and also we notice the discomfort that we have and the function of the washroom too.
Ah! I think I have been thinking too much. It is just the joy of being myself. Hahahha……
The conscious mind and the unconscious mind are fighting.
Most of the time, to be yourself, the unconscious mind, is talking.
On the other hand, comfort and to be socially acceptable side, the conscious mind, persuading you what is right or wrong to do.
What do you do?
Yes, listen to your heart. We always hear the ‘but, but, but….’
You mean you are not comfortable to be yourself?
You feel uneasy just to make the decision to feel who you are?
Then how could you say you can take care of someone if you feel uncomfortable to be yourself?
How could you say you can live without anyone and yet you are not being yourself?
Most importantly, how could you stretch out to help more if you are not centered to be yourself?
Then you say ‘But, but, but, ….. the future maybe this or that…’
You can’t even handle ‘now’ to make a simple decision and why do you need to take care of the future?
What makes you think that the future would be easier?
Did you think the same way ten years ago?
The future would be easier?
What happen now as ten years later?
In the actual fact, time is just a measurement created by the human to measure past, present and future. There is no time at all and everything is just happen now.
Now is the matter.
We handle what we need to handle now and ‘now’ is all we have. Once you focus the ‘now’ and be yourself, there is no question of being in a dilemma!
We stop growing when we try to handle the past and the future. That’s when we hear people saying ‘I’m stuck!’. We evolve much faster and at ease when we just focus the now. The nature will take place to lead us to move forward. The nature will take care of everything for what is needed for us to learn within us.
Remember when we were little, we peed in our pants while we slept and we did not worry about we would continue doing that when we grow up. The nature takes place for us to learn when we need to use the washroom even in the middle of deep sleep now. Yes, you may say, our parents trained us to do that. That’s right, the nature takes place to have them to train us, and also we notice the discomfort that we have and the function of the washroom too.
Ah! I think I have been thinking too much. It is just the joy of being myself. Hahahha……
Monday, August 10, 2009
Remember to smile to yourself too...
When was the last time you spend some quiet time by yourself?
When was the last time, you listen to your own heartbeat in the silence?
When was the last time, you feel the vibration of your own pulse?
Day in day out, we busy fulfilling chores in order to achieve our goals. We seek answers externally by wondering what’s our partner have been thinking, reading newspapers to know what’s going on in the world, watching TV or playing computer games to stir our emotion, planning surprises for our love ones,….
Have you spent time by yourself lately?
Do you keep in touch with your inner self always?
In this modern society, we keep chasing after having latest technology to assist us to save time, yet it seems not the case. Today, Internet makes wonder. We could save lots of time from going to the bank, ticket booth, bookstore, … we can even keep in touch with love ones by making video call, checking email wherever we go, … and yet we always hear people saying ‘not enough time’, ‘no time for this or that’, ‘busy, busy, busy’. That means all the inventions do not help us to save time? Or we keep adding more tasks to ourselves? Or our expectations are increasing in order to save more time?
Expectation?
What is expectation?
Customers expect service providers treat them highly. The best is, the doors of the car would be open for them to get down once arrived at the mall, then push trolley for them to pick up items, and then help them to load bags into the car before they leave. The next day, you may find another mall is competing with having mist of perfume at the entrance for welcoming their shoppers and driving them by golf carts to shop.
Soon, you may find customers have become intolerant with a slight flaw of the service providers have made. On the other hand, service providers keep improving by adding more tasks, to meet the receiving end. The gap of separation has become greater and greater. Stresses occur when we doubt about our capability and expectations not met. We have forgotten that we originally came into this world for contribution (to make this world a better place to stay) by practicing interdependency and partnerships.
This scenario not only happen in a competitive business, it also happens in relationships. Conflicts of senior needed to be supremely respected and junior expected to be pampered in the office, or woman wants to be treated like princess and man wants to be treated like a king at home.
To stay competitive, we start training our children to behave ‘professionally’ to meet expectations since young. In adulthood, we spend so much time thinking of how others treating us and who have failed to meet our expectations, or we doubt about self-competency to meet others’ expectations…
Have we spent some time to understand on how we treat ourselves?
Have we given ourselves a good pat when we have done a good job?
When was the last time you listen to yourself?
When was the last time when you feel just yourself?
When was the last time, you look into the mirror and to your eyes to say ‘I love myself’?
Remember to smile to yourself too….
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