How to get through a difficult phase in life

Sometimes you felt that you have accomplished nothing after all the years that you've been through. Sometimes you felt that you've been living the same old life, stagnant...and being the same old self, boring...

Sometimes you wondered by yourself...why you have to put up with all the things that are not giving you the satisfaction that you wanted ?

And then the inevitable question would popped out in your mind, "Have I been on the right track?"

Those years that had passed, they cannot come back. They will not come knocking at your door one day and give you the chance to mend or improve again. Time is irreversible.

BUT time is also not going to wait for you.

You can't help feeling regrets sometimes. But you don't have to live with it all your life.

In life, you cannot see your future. Although you can plan it based on your interests, your capabilities and your strength, sometimes some people do not know what is their strength, what are they capable of doing, what do they want at that time. And so, you just grab whatever chance that seems to be working for you at the moment. Sometimes, it went well. Sometimes, it did not. And sometimes, you, by so far, are able to stay safe in your situation but inside your heart, you are suffering. You analyzed your situation and you found out that your options are limited. Frustrating isn't it?

But don't be sad. Yes, all task or would-be task seems very daunting to do, but if that is what you have to do right now, then you have to do it. Even if you do not like it, do it as best as you could. Work out your plan to redeem the lost years. Learn about yourself. Find that X-factor in yourself that you can cultivate and nurture for your own satisfaction. When you have found it, and when the time is right, then do not look back anymore. Go forward and pursue your true calling. And be content with your life.

You don't have to do great things to be happy.

You just have to do the things you love the most.

When you love it...you shine on it...the rest will take its own course..

and a great and happy person is reborn...

H.E.A.R.T.

Love. Fall. Deep
It came when I never expected it to come.

Isn't it exciting when we are in love with someone? Love changes a person in becoming the better version of oneself.
Love makes me see flowers as amazingly beautiful and enchanting wherever and whenever I see them.
Love makes me enjoy colours other than black and blue.
Love enhances my self-confidence and makes me happy even in my rainy days.

Love has given me someone I can trust and rely on, a confidant, a motivator,
...who can accept me as I am and care for me
...whom I can be myself without any worries.

Love makes me see myself differently, and all the while wondering why I haven't seen these qualities in me before.
Love makes me believe that I have the right to be happy, the right to be loved, that I have my own place in this world and I can do anything that I want.

But
Love tends to fade...
Love can break my heart...
Love can be challenged by all means...
by diversities...

The possibilities...the prospect of this love is too overwhelming to think.
But as long as this love exists, I'll keep it safely in my heart.

KA-CHING!!

Tell me, who does not need money? Imagine ourselves as a single dot on a piece of paper. If you don't have any money, you will be that single dot all your life. Nobody wants to keep a piece of paper with a single dot on it. That paper will end up being thrown away....or at best...being sent to a paper recycling center (conserve the nature!!). There now, if you have a lot of money, or even some, that single dot can be a line, extending and extending, turning, curving, dancing and prancing....on that piece of paper that will eventually turn into your investment certificate, or a land or house grant that you just bought, or your business license, or at the very least...your high school diploma. Just don't turn it into an IOU deal with Mr. Ah Long, please...

Along with the spirit of new year, most people would love to have a bright future with their financial management. Well, count me in...But, let's not go into the big things, the extreme measures. We will leave that to the professionals and so let's get the advice from them. For me, what I want to do for a start is to think about the way I can manage my everyday life and find that extra ringgit that I can save. 

Budgeting

First, I should have a budget, of course. I had been making budgets many years ago but I still couldn't find myself saving millions..of course, how could I save millions? But the point is, we have to be smart in making a budget. There are a lot of resources for us to find the idea of making a budget. When we have already made one, we have to stick by it.

Shopping list

    The mistake that I always do while shopping is not preparing a list beforehand, or if I do make a list, sometimes I don't follow it too much. When I don't have a list, I tend to buy things on impulse. Everything seems to be needed at that moment and if I don't buy it right away, I don't know when I will buy it again. So, I end up walking aisle by aisle, spending a lot of time, a lot of energy and a lot of money. The fact is, the things we need will always be there as long as we live. And the special sales will never stop, we can find that 70% discounts throughout the year 'cause they will make it for every celebration or anything else within reason. When we've already made the list, we have to follow it. We can have as many lists as we want, Plan A, Plan B or even Plan Z list, but it is best if those lists are not contradicting with our budget.

Munch..munch

    Oooh...the delicious aroma of freshly baked sweet breads, pretzels, roast chicken and other human creation in the food domain tantalizing all my senses as I walk along the food sections. I usually don't care about my eating time, and usually there's not much to eat at home, so I always became hungry while going out. And I used to have a thing with fast food. Now, a snack plate or value meal might not be less than RM8. Do the math and figure out the amount I can save if I satisfy my hunger first before going out. Unless your intention of going out is to eat, considering cooking 'lauk bujang' (..and I don't mean Maggi mee...), you might have spent only roughly RM3-5 per day. So, I better eat before going out. Going out with a full stomach will make me feel less tempted to try the latest menu on the dish.

Mobile extra

    The whiz in telecommunication companies are always thinking of the ways to get you spend more on their products. It's a lifestyle of modern people they say. The new way to get connected. Okay, maybe getting connected is really important, especially to those who do business by the phone, but we might be able to cut off the unnecessary service. In my case, I planned to cancel that caller ringtones I've had for many years or just reduced it to only one.

There...what else can I do? Generally, we can do many other things such as canceling magazine subscriptions that we don't have time to read, or if you have too many packages in your cable tv subscription, you can cancel the one that you rarely watch. Don't even go to the shopping mall if you have no intention to buy anything, because you will end up buying something you don't really need. Well, I have done that before. Maybe you are a movie dvd freak ( like I used to be.. ) and can't get your hands off those interesting ones every time you see them. Well, there must some of them in your collection that you only played once and does not matter much to be separated with...sell them... ( like I did..). And this applies to other things too.

So, lets re-organize our life and start anew. Happy saving.