Enemy Inside Me

Too many activities have made me busy and distract my mind to only think about college and work. It is tough when I realize that almost all of my life I have spent my time for school and work. I have nothing to pursue my dream now, but I feel so lucky in several occasions. One occasion I was worried about book cost for study, another one about transportation cost. Luckily, my friend lent his book (thanks to mricky), and I've also got free-ride on the way to campus or going back home (thanks to marlen and yunita). They have become bless for me.

Break The Limit

Sometimes I give up on chasing one of my dreams. Often I think that I don't have talent to make it real. It seems impossible for me so I only try a little just for fun. But when I found this fact, I did feel ashamed. Let's take a look these real stories.

First, He Ah Lee. She was born with a lobster claw syndrome. She only has four fingers but she can play piano as well as normal people or even better. She considers her weakness as special gift from God. Her first piano teacher said that don’t act as disabled people, but play as normal one. She practices piano about 5-10 hours/day for 5 years.

Second, Jessica Cox. She has no arms. She can write, type, drive a car, brush her hair and talk on her phone simply using her feet. She flies planes and she can type 25 words a minute.




Third, Andrea Bocelli. Born with poor eyesight, he became totally blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident. When he wants something, he has to do it. He said, "Whatever happens in life, however sad or terrible, there are still thousands of reasons to go on living this life fully."




Now, think about your limitation. What would you do to break your limit?

Take a look this video and see our similarity with the player in this video. Pay attention to what the player and the coach say.



From their stories, we can learn to keep our spirit and never give up. Never pity ourselves and turn negative mind into the positive one. Never see boundaries in yourself or it will bind you as limitation to do many great things that you haven't imagined before.

Let's make our dreams come true by breaking the limit.


References:
http://jarpus.blogspot.com/2009/08/four-finger-pianist.html
http://www.oddee.com/item_96763.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Bocelli
http://www.youtube.com

Anger Management

There was a moment when I was feeling down, there was no one around, only me... caught in the emptiness. I'd just lost something precious and most important thing in my life. It was my relationship with my best friend. I never knew how precious my friend was until the relationship was broken. What is your precious one?

I used to be a hotheaded person. It's already in my blood, lust of anger that told you, "Don't make me angry, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry." When I was getting angry, I used to hurt my best friend with my body language and sometimes sharp sentences just because small thing. It didn't hurt outside but it did.. hurt inside. It might not be physical, but it wounded my best friend heart. If I look back to the past, I feel so fool and ruin everything good when I'm angry. Have you ever experienced moment like me?

Since I lost my best friend, I had set aside time to think. I didn't want this moment happen for the second time. I pray to be a better person then I found a way to manage my anger. Whenever I've gotten angry, I drink water a lot (cold water would be better), I keep the distance with the others, not much talking, and find some place to be alone. I don't want someone get hurt because of my anger. If I angry to the person I know, my heart will say, "If you love him/her, don't be angry. You don't wanna lose him/her right?" And I always keep in mind that never let the sun goes down before your anger fade away. If I tired controlling my anger, I will release the heat through sleeping. And when I wake up, I've already forgotten those anger feeling. Well, this work for me.

It's not always me who get angry. Sometimes I have to deal with other person who gets angry. Tips to face angry person are be patient, keep calm, act in manner way, talk tenderly, and understand what the problem is. If the problem can not be identified, keep the distance from that person.

Anger is not always negative. If someone stealing or doing criminal things and you're angry to that criminal action, it means that your conscience is still working. In that case, what makes anger become right or wrong is how you react to anger feeling. Commonly, anger is manifest in negatives way. Control the anger and get back your joy.

Other quotes that I remember to overcome my anger:
"When you are angry, count till 10 before you start talking"

Sense of Happiness

Today before the dawn, I woke up because of sneezing. I couldn't sleep again so I turned on my laptop and connected to the internet. "You've got 2 new messages", who's sending me emails? I was surprised, it is an old friend of mine. I replied her email and not long after that she replied my email. She hadn't slept too. In this early morning, we had some little chat.

My friend is a nurse and working at the hospital now. I haven't seen her for a long time. It seems both of us had changed a lot.

In our chat, I told her that lately I felt boring with my work, my routine, my life. I felt lack in spirit. And then she asked me, "Why do you bored with your work?" I couldn't tell her why do I feel that way. She added her sentences, "Once I felt bored with my work, my friend gave me good advice. When you feel bore, try to remember what is your purpose to work? the reason you want to wake up early in the morning? and for who?... In my heart I replied, I work and come earlier in the morning not only just for myself but to see my patients shining faces after I help them fulfill their needs. I work to make people happy."

Her words awaken my spirit. Her words are important things I had forgotten. It is sense of happiness when I'm helping other people.

The Art of Speaking (Part 4)

You learn nothing when you are speaking, but if you want to learn, you must do it by listening. Ask questions that people love to answer it, everything about them, their great achievement, etc. Remember, someone who have toothache is only thinking about him/hersefl rather than tsunami which killed million people in some region of the world.

When you are listening, make eyes contact. People will feel you pay attention to what they are talking about if you keep eyes contact, they also will be feel respected.

For Larry King, body language is just like verbal language. Body language is natural part of conversation and communication. If it happened naturally, body language will become effective form of communication. If it just pretended, it will look like its original -> fake. Act natural and speak from your heart.

Book Reference :
"How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere : The Secrets of Good Communication" by Larry King, Bill Gilbert

Private Laptop and Barking Dogs

Nowadays, most of us working at the office using computer. Hard to imagine working without computer. We input some data into computer then computer process it and the output maybe result in screen display, loud speaker, or print out. We also can store data in computer memory. If we don’t use the data in computer, we can erase and send it to recycle bin. Computer is great, isn’t it? Bad news is if your computer attacked by virus. It will make your computer work unproperly. Different from that, if you input invalid data, it will result in error output.

Here is the concept. Computer work just like our mind. Mind is just like a laptop with big memory. You can bring it anywhere you go. Along the road, you are saving information in it. People that you met. Object that you see, hear. Good or bad is become input of your mind.

As a human, naturally we act based on things that dominate our mind. Maybe this explain why rape happened after men watch porn, murder happened because young teenager see lots of movie with violent content inside. That’s why we must discipline and know what we invest in heart and mind. Remember GIGO principle, “Garbage In Garbage Out”. No matter you are adult or just a kid, your heart and mind like bank account too. You can only withdrawal what you have saving. The problem is, “What have you saved in that account ?”

There is story about a girl who lives in Alaska. Half part of her want to do right thing, half again want to be rebel. One day, she went to meet a priest and explain dilemma that she facing on. She said it just like there are 2 dogs barking and fighting inside her, one good and the other evil. She felt its pull strength all day long. Each dog try to control her. Finally, the priest ask, “Which dog is stronger?” She thought for a while then answered, “I think the one which I feed the most.”

“Your heart radiate your life”

Book reference :

Habitudes: The Art of Self Leadership by Dr. Tim Elmore

Get Up Even When You Can’t

Problem always present every day. Pressure, depressed, miserable, unhappy, dejected, anxious, confused, those are feelings that coloring life within problem. Life without problem isn’t life at all. Problem presents to grow us. Problem and its difficulties are lessons we have to face in order to up grade class in the school of life.

Never pity yourself above any tragedy in your life. Never compare yourself with someone’s fortunate. But look, there’s still many people unlucky than you. He who knows everything never give you problem more than your strength. If you face on problem, try to motivate yourself just like you motivate other people. I know this is hard, especially if emotions controll logic. Place your position outside the problem and look deeply that problem from other people point of view, then give advice to yourself. Besides, you also can ask advice from people close to you. One more thing, if you feel that problem larger than your strength, hand over that problem to the Almighty and believe, there is power in the pray of the righteous.

The Art of Speaking (Part 3)

Question “yes/no” is an enemy of warm conversation. That question resulting answer only one or two words. Example :

• Do you think this hot weather is annoying ?
• Is America going to recession ?
  
• Will England become world football champion this year ?

Conversation could be stop if you ask those questions. Instead, try :

• This hot weather makes me think, is there any caution that relate this with global warming ? What do you think ?
• Economy in America is unstable because of war, inflation, oil price up, House Owning Credit. You think, how many possibility America going to be recession ?
• Lots of great football player come from England. What do you think England opportunity this year ?

The second way asking will raise long wide answer and automatically create better conversation.

You Have The Power to Create Love : Bless The World With One Thing

Bless The World With One Thing

Someday, a bird, a squirrel, a fish, and an eel come together. They decided to start a new school. Normally, a bird persist start flying school. But squirrel disputed for its will establish straight climbing course. And the fish, it want swimming high school.

This hot debate looked like going to be on and on until the eel propose a compromize : “Why don’t we let all of this include in our curriculum?” And so the school officially opened, all student follow all course that available.

Bird looked amazing when flying but failure in swimming. It didn’t take a long time, its wings broken because free style and chest style. Finally bird got C in flying class, and F in swimming.

Squirrel jumped from the highest tree and shouting “Superman!” It didn’t work. Squirrel had broken its bone when trying to fly.

And the fish? It hardly breathed when it tried to climb or fly. Until it had brain damage and even not the best swimmer at last semester.

Guess who’s the best in the class ?

The eel. It did everything half way. In climbing, it did wiggle up. In swimming, it did wiggle in watter. In flying, it did snap. So it got C in all of its courses and become the best in the class.

Life isn’t about trying to be an expert in everything. Life is becoming an expert in one thing and tribute it to the world. You must find one thing which you can do best, then you are one step closer to the fun, happy, and peaceful life. What is one thing that you can do for the world ?

Book Reference :
You Have The Power to Create Love by Bo Sanchez

You Have The Power to Create Love : Discover Yourself

Discover Yourself

In lots of party, you will find general ritual at karaoke place. First, someone is persuaded to sing for his group. This person first will refuse hardly as if he will be elected as a president candidate. He will point out another person who can sing better. But, if for some reasons people could persuade him no more, you will see this person go home sadly and maybe he’s going to hang himself.

But let’s say that ritual continue and people keep insist him singing. This singer nominee now will refuse with humor and shy (inviting them to more insist him). He says something stupid like “I don’t wanna sing, because if I sing I’m gonna be a star.”

When the singer took microphone, he will said “I’m ready, play the song!” After he sang, everyone will praise him and ask him to sing again (no matter his voice made everyone has short experience of earthquake). His audience will say, “There should be a producer who sees you, you can be famous! Your voice as great as David Archuleta.”

Let’s focus on one thing of this ritual, it’s all about “found” by producer and become famous. In this life, believe that found by someone is not as important as you find yourself. You will find beauty, noble, extraordinary, miracle which is You!

“Popularity is when people like you. Happiness is when you like yourself.”

Book Reference :

You Have The Power to Create Love by Bo Sanchez

The Art of Speaking (Part 2)

Most of us usually shy or nurveous when talking to them whom we haven’t met before. Especially first time we speak in front of public. To remove this feeling, keep in mind that people you are talking to are as shy as you. Remember, people you are talking to will enjoy their conversation if they know you enjoy it too. Try to make them feel comfortable doing conversation. If you can dismiss your worried, you will be a good speaker.

To open conversation with someone new, you can use unlimited topics. But if you already knew them, you might look some topics. Try to look around you and find relevant topic. Maybe about nowadays event like football, politic, entertainment, or other which is rich of information. Or.. if you are in the party with great setting you’ll find something to talk. Just look around you and let it flow.

The Art of Speaking (Part 1)

Talk is like playing playstation, drive a car, or cooking. More often you do it, more skilled you become. But first, you need to know the basic.

For some people, talk is a nature gift. But aren’t they who have it also need to develop it? Change their talent to be an expert? Luciano Pavarotti was born with a beautiful voice, but he still has to learn singing. Larry King, one of the most wanted and exclusive public speaker in America had passing through a lot of event where talking is not easy as now. I will tell you Larry King’s key of public speaking from the book I’ve read.

You need to be honest when talking to other people. Put peoples position who listening to you in your position. If they know your condition, they will understand you and it will make you more confidence. Make them part in your experience.

You must have willing to talk. Focuss on your mind and practice your talk. To be a public speaker you need to give attention and open to other people. It doesn’t mean you talk about yourself all the time or tell your private secret. Treat other people as you want other people treat you.

Forgiveness

Once upon a time, there’s a child who stand in front of wood fence. His father said, “Son, never nail that fence because it’s already look great.” Yet, the child didn’t listen to his father. That wood fence has been nailed several times until his father saw and stopped him. His father then revoke the nails and showed him what happened to the fence. His father said, “Son, look what you have done. This wood fence now has a lot of hole. Even if you try to mend it, still it will left a mark.”

Same as human heart, when it hurt or dissapointed, it will left a hole although event that triggering those feelings had past. How good we try to mend a broken heart, still the marks will left inside. That’s why, you may never hurt someone’s heart.

If you ever had experience family, friends, lover, or working partner betrayed, disloyal, dishonest, etc., that thing must be stay in mind and scratch the pain in your heart. Feels so hurt when you’ve been dissapointed by someone especially someone that you love the most. If you are in that position, forgive him/her. To forgive someone is not easy. Pain in your heart same as physical pain, need medicine to cure it. Forgiveness is the medicine for broken heart. When you imagine someone who has dissapointed or hurt your heart, forgive him/her every time you feel the pain. As long as the pain still felt, that long you have to take the medicine. Don’t be afraid to take the medicine, this medicine has no side effect. Only the brave one who has great love dare to take the medicine.

Lift Your Fear

Day by day, always rise new problem. Whether it's family conflict, finance problem, school, friends, etc. These problems could be a burden in your mind and feeling every time. When you want to do something, you may feel fear for stepping in wrong way or making wrong decision. At the time when the problem couldn't be solved, we would be affraid of consequences that might be happened later.

If you have fear because of what's in your mind, try to reflect these words :

"Peace is fear that pray"

Human is weak. Feel the fear won't solve any problems. Hand over problem that you can't handle to God. He will give His hand pleasantly :)

Success Category

What is your definition about "success"?

Some said if you achieve what you want in this life or get rich like Bill Gates. But for me success is live your life happily :)

There are 2 category of success :
1. Success in the right way
2. Success in the wrong way

Many news tell us about corruption, money laundry, criminality, fraud, etc. Do people who did that can be mentioned success? i called it temporary success. Wrong way to get success will meet dead ends. Like rotten fish, wherever it hidden it will found from its smell.

Whatever your job is, never did anything that break rule, norm, or conscience. What mistake could be found in you if you're always doing right things? Always loyal to the right one and God will bless you all the time.