Clap Your Hands When You Wake Up! :)

As adults, we get stressed out and bogged down by a myriad of challenges at work and at home. There are so many things to handle! Deadlines to meet, children to discipline and coach, bills to pay, groceries to buy and the list goes on and on! Often, we wake up reluctantly, feeling utterly grouchy, grumpy and gloomy. Oh, the Monday Blues that hangover till Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then, the weekend flashes by like a flash of lightning and disappears before we enjoy the weekend. 

I am no exception. Waking up early is a painful thing. I need lots of sleep, uninterrupted sleep. I am not a morning person and waking up in the mornings to get things done makes me quick-tempered and sulky. 

However, I am blessed to have a change in attitude towards waking up and facing the day. I believe that many of us know the children's song called "If You're Happy and You Know It". I have always found the song rather irritating in that it would repeat itself endlessly and the children would shout at the top of their voices while screaming out the lyrics of this song. 

Now, I understand the 'essence' of this song. Really, if you're happy and you know it, CLAP YOUR HANDS. Go on! Just do it! 

My son starting learning how to clap his hands properly at about 7 months old. At about 8 to 9 months, he would wake up, sit up on his mattress and CLAP HIS LITTLE CHUBBY HANDS while wearing a SUPER BIG AND AWESOMELY CUTE GRIN on his HANDSOME LITTLE FACE. 

It made my morning and my day!

Yes! Waking up to a brand new day is a gift. It's a blessing. It's definitely something to be happy about! It's a brand new day! O, Happy Morning, Yo!! 

Thank you, precious boy, for teaching mummy that waking up and being alive is truly a happy thing. Giving thanks for being able to see another day and to be healthy, strong and alive! 

So, everyone, here goes! SING WITH ME!!
If You're Happy and You Know It

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap clap)If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap clap)If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show itIf you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap clap)
If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp stomp)If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp stomp)If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show itIf you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet. (stomp stomp)
If you're happy and you know it, shout "Hurray!" (hoo-ray!)If you're happy and you know it, shout "Hurray!" (hoo-ray!)If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show itIf you're happy and you know it, shout "Hurray!" (hoo-ray!)
If you're happy and you know it, do all three (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)If you're happy and you know it, do all three (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show itIf you're happy and you know it, do all three. (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)

23 Daily Habits That Will Make You Smarter - What are your picks? :)

23 Daily Habits That Will Make You Smarter

By Maggie Zhang | Business Insider – Thu, Jul 17, 2014 1:43 AM SGThttps://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/23-daily-habits-smarter-174229976.html
(All credits go to original writer and website. Information is taken to be shared respectfully. No intentions of infringing copyrights. Please refer to websites of original author.) 
What are some of YOUR UNIQUE ways to become smarter? Which of these 23 daily habits do you agree with or like and would want to start doing? :) My thoughts and comments are in green. 

Getting smarter isn't something that happens overnight. Instead, you have to build your intelligence every day through intentional daily habits. DEFINITELY! Conscientious effort is required to gain anything worthwhile. Read post on Conscientiousness affecting Success! 

In a recent Quora thread, "What would you do to be a little smarter every single day?", readers shared their advice on good habits you can establish.

Here are some simple actions that could help you become a smarter person.

1. Come up with 10 ideas every day. Think about how to reduce poverty, how to solve a daily problem you have, interesting movie ideas, or anything. It doesn't matter what subject your ideas fall into, as long as you're working your brain and your idea muscles. Your list might even lead to a new startup idea or writing subject. — Claudia Azula Altucher

2. Read the newspaper. It will help you become more aware of the important things happening around the word. You'll learn to form your own opinions and connect the dots between seemingly unrelated things. You'll also have a lot more to talk about at parties or with friends. — Manas J Saloi YES! I think reading the newspaper is important. After all, it is good to be well-read and informed. Newspapers doesn't have to be the paper kind though. Read news online as well to get your daily dose of information and to stay abreast with what's current! 

3. Play devil's advocate. Take something you recently learned and generate a unique opinion on it that wouldn't immediately come to mind. Try to support it with evidence, and be open to the idea that new evidence will change your opinion. Repeat this every day, and you'll become much better at thinking outside the box.

If you're feeling stuck, try reading and critically evaluating the editorial section of papers . They will help you understand how other people form arguments and express their opinions. — Peter DePaulo

4. Read a chapter in a fiction or non-fiction book. Aim to read a book a week. You can always find pockets of time to read, whether on your daily commute or while you're waiting in line. Goodreads is a great way to keep track of everything you read and to also find a community of other readers.

Fiction books are great for understanding characters and getting absorbed into another perspective, while non-fiction books are great for introducing you to new topics, from politics to psychology. —Claudia Azula Altucher READING IS A MUST! Instead of watching videos on your smart phones while waiting in line or commuting, read an e-book. Read novels. Read magazines. Read something (especially something not trashy)! There is just so much to be gained from reading - widening your range of vocabulary, making you more imaginative and creative, taking you to different real or imagined places, allowing you to meet interesting characters...  

5. Instead of watching TV, watch educational videos. Sometimes, it's more fun to watch things about a subject you love than to read about it, and you can learn a lot from other people's experiences.

You can find fun, educational videos on Khan Academy or watch TED talks. You can also find good ones on Youtube's channel SmarterEveryDay. In videos, the information is often presented in a digestible, memorable way, so you can be assured they'll stick. — Hendrik Sleeckx YES! Watch to learn! Learning can be entertaining. Watch 'how to...' videos that teach you how to do a myriad of different awesome things! 

6. Subscribe to feeds of interesting information. Follow interesting voices on Facebook and Twitter, so you'll always learn something new when you look at your newsfeed or dashboard.  For example, if you want to keep up with the latest news in science and technology, subscribe to the "I Fucking Love Science" page on Facebook.  You can also follow email newsletters, such as Cal Newport's Study Hacks and Today I Found Out. — Saurabh Shah

7. Check in with your favorite knowledge sources. Ever y day, scroll through Quora, Stack Overflow, specialty blogs, or any other sources that satiate your hunger for knowledge. This is an extremely easy habit, because other users are curating the content for you, so all you have to do is follow the ones who write about topics interesting to you. Try using Pocket to save articles for later reading, and then try to get through them before going to sleep at night. — Manas J Saloi

8. Share what you learn with other people. If you find someone to debate and analyze ideas with, you can add to each other's knowledge and gain new perspectives. Also, when you can explain ideas to someone else, it means you've definitely mastered the concept . You can even share what you learn without directly talking to someone. Many people like to start blogs so they can engage others in online dialogue. — Mike Xie

9. Make two lists: a list of work-related skills you want to learn now and a list for things you want to achieve in the future. Google Docs is a  convenient way to keep track of your lists. For both, decide what you want to learn, compile sources that will teach you these skills, and then work on them each day.

For example, if you work in a computer-science related field, your first list might suggest you learn something new in Python one day or that you try using MongoDB another day.

For your second list, you can think about long-term goals, such as whether you want to go into marketing or architecture. Write down the small steps you need to take to reach that goal, whether it's by reading the experts in those fields or taking classes at a local college. — Manas J Saloi

10. Make an "I Did" list. At the end of each day, write down what you completed. This will help you feel better about all the things you accomplished, especially if you're feeling discouraged. It will also help you reflect on how productive you were and how you can re-structure your to-do lists for the next day. — Claudia Azula Altucher

11. Write down what you learn. You can start a blog or use an app like Inkpad to help you keep track of everything you learn. Not only will this be a great way to keep a record of everything you're doing, but it's also a good source of motivation to keep you accountable. You will want to learn more if you know that at the end of the day you'll have to write about it. — Manas J Saloi

12. Stimulate your mind. Going on a daily run is a great way to get your brain flowing and to keep your mental health in shape. It's also a great way to think through difficult decisions or process new information. — Rick Bruno

13. Take online courses. Check out this list of the most popular online courses for professionals. Make sure you don't overload yourself; commit to one to two and truly focus on them. The syllabi will also keep you on track, so you know you will be doing something every day, whether it's listening to a lecture or working on an assignment.   — Manas J Saloi

14. Talk to someone you find interesting. Even if they're strangers, don't be afraid to approach them. Ask about their interests and how they discovered them. Oftentimes, you learn the most from people you barely know. — Manas J Saloi

15. Hang out with people who are smarter than you. Spend as much time as you can with smart people. Every day, you should strive to have a coffee date or walk with someone who inspires you.

Always be humble and willing to learn. Ask as many questions as possible. If you are always around people who are more knowledgeable than you, you'll have no choice but to learn more. — Manas J Saloi

16. Follow your questions. If you see or hear about something cool, don't just let the moment pass. Follow up — pursue your curiosity and find the answer to your question. — Mike Xie

17. Use a word-of-the-day app. You will increase your vocabulary, which can help you in competitive tests like the SAT or GRE, or even just sound more eloquent in daily interactions.

You can also try to learn new vocabulary in a different language. Every day, try to add five to 10 more words to the foreign language you are trying to pursue. You can use LiveMocha, Basuu, or DuoLingo.  — Manas J Saloi YES! I do this too! There are just so many new words to learn! 

18. Do something scary. "Getting out of our comfort zone always makes us wiser." Every day, push yourself a little further. Try public speaking by joining a ToastMasters class, lead a meeting by volunteering a proposal at work, or reach out to someone you really admire by sending a quick letter or email. — Claudia Azula Altucher

19. Explore new areas. If you can't travel every day, at least try to find something new within your hometown. You'll meet different people, learn new facts, and understand something new about the world. It's a lot more productive than staying at home and watching TV. — Manas J Saloi

20. Play "smart" games. Some games, like  chess and Scrabble,  expand your mind. Challenge yourself when you play them. For example, play Scrabble without a dictionary. You can also solve puzzles via games like Sudoku, 2048, and Doors. — Saurabh Shah

21. Set aside some time to do nothing. Oftentimes, sitting in silence can help you get inspiration and reflect on your day. — Claudia Azula Altucher

22. Adopt a productive hobby. If you have something you can work on every day, from knitting to fly fishing, you can actively learn more just from doing. For instance, you may try to play a new piece of music every day, read a physics textbook, write a few more pages in your novel, or learn a new computer skill. — Mayank Rajput

23. Apply what you learn. If you recently learned a new coding skill or how to play an instrument, make sure you are using that skill in your life as often as possible. Learning by doing is one of the most effective ways to become smarter. — Himanshu Pal This is very important! Apply skills is practising what you have learnt. Applying skills is honing skills and mastering them! It is crucial to learn, progress and growth from strength to strength.  

My contribution is to solve puzzles and riddles to stimulate the brain and to learn to think out of the box or, to discard the box altogether in the process of solving tricky puzzles and riddles! Have fun employing the above to become smarter!! 

Be the BEST ME/ YOU/ TOM DICK HARRY #causeiamawesomemyway

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” ~ Mother Teresa.

Spoke to my boy today. I call my students 'my boy' or 'my girl' with great affection and I shall do so here as well. He is not performing well in class. He is rather disruptive and uncooperative. He feels inferior compared to his older sister who is performing superbly in school. 

Spoke to him today and said, "R, there is no need to be upset about your big sister being better than you. No one wants you to be her. We just want YOU, to be the BEST YOU. We see YOU!" 

I continued, "We want you to put in your best effort and try your best. At present, you are not performing to your fullest potential. You can do so much better if you try your very best. Let there be no regrets in the future. Be able to say that you have done the best that you could. R, be the BEST YOU!" 

I could see his face light up a little. I was heartened and I hope that he will blossom and bloom beautifully in time to come. 

Then, I reflected on what I had said to R. Isn't it true that we can only be "The Best Me/ You/ Tom Dick Harry"? We are unique and different. To quote Mother Teresa: I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things. We should strive to be "The Best Me/ You/ Tom Dick Harry" every day and live each day to the fullest, without regrets. 

#causeiamawesomemyway :) :) :) 

Scars

Scars

The open, raw wound has healed. The blood has stopped oozing. The pain is a vague memory. But, the scars... the scars, they remain. The heart-wrenching pain and the acute sense of loss - they ease. Really, they do. But, the scars... the scars, they remain. The incident has become a series of hazy images, seemingly surreal. But, the scars... the scars, they remain.

Time, they say, heals all wounds.

But, the scars... the scars! They remain.  

©Mini-Prose written by Lin MH, 08 June 2014. All original content. Please do not reproduce in any form or anywhere else without getting explicit written permission from the original writer of this piece of work. Plagiarism is a crime.

Family Resemblance by LMH (POEM)

Family Resemblance

Wow! From certain angles,
we look startling alike.

We have the same profile,
the same expressions.

Why do you wrinkle your nose,
the way that I do?

Gasp! You like coffee
with a tiny pinch of salt too?

Soulmates! We think. Until,
we realise belatedly that...

We are actually first cousins
who have not met for
the last ten years.

We stare at the family resemblance,
awed and sigh inwardly that beyond it,
we are completely unconnected.

©Free verse poem written by Lin MH, 30 May 2014. All original content. Please do not reproduce in any form or anywhere else without getting explicit written permission from the writer of this piece of work. Plagiarism is a crime.

What Your Mom Knows About Success That You Should Too by Daniel Wong

What Your Mom Knows About Success That You Should Too

May 11, 2014 By Daniel Wong

[All Credits go to the original writer, Daniel Wong. All Credits go to him and his website. All information is shared respectfully with no intention to infringe any rights. Please visit Daniel Wong's personal website for the whole article.]

[I found the article profoundly meaningful and delight in sharing his article with you. The parts that I like most are highlighted in yellow. :) Again, please refer to Daniel Wong's website for the original article and for more of his interesting and valuable posts.] 

The motherhood guide to success

These are four things that moms know, which we’d be wise to learn too.

1. People are counting on you.

Eat. Sleep. Pee. Poop. Repeat. The life of a baby is pretty enviable, huh?

Babies are entirely reliant on their parents. Babies left on their own without a caregiver wouldn’t survive. Moms understand this, and respond right away when they hear their baby’s cries. (Dads respond quickly too, but probably not as immediately as moms.) When your baby is counting on you, you don’t want to let him or her down.

In a similar way, people are counting on you too. The world is counting on you. To contribute. To learn. To grow. To face your fears. To persevere. To make a difference. To care.

It’s a quiet cry compared to the earsplitting screams of a baby, but it’s equally urgent. Although they don’t realize it, other people’s lives are worse off when we cruise along, choosing mediocrity over excellence, pleasure over purpose, the easy way over the best way. We’re not adding value to their lives in the way we would have if we’d put our heart and soul into being the best we could be.

2. The small things matter.

A couple of random things I’ve learned about taking care of a baby:

• When you swaddle a baby, you need to make the swaddle tight enough so he can’t wriggle out, but not so tight that it’ll cause him pain. It’s a much finer line than you might think.
• The angle at which you tilt the milk bottle during feeding matters. You need to get it right, if not your baby will become gassy. Not good.
• The teat size of the milk bottle affects your baby’s gassiness levels too. Who knew?!

Moms understand that these small things matter, as do many, many others. In contrast, dads tend to be a bit more big-picture—that’s definitely true for me. The difference is illustrated below:

In life, the small things matter too: proofreading a report one more time before you submit it, writing a simple thank-you note, resisting the urge to say something unkind even though you really feel like it, refusing to tell a lie even if nobody would ever find out.

I still struggle with these kinds of “little” temptations, the ones that seem so innocuous.

But I’m reminded that every decision we make—small or not so small—determines our destiny, a destiny that’s not built in a day, but rather day by day.

3. You can’t only do the things you feel like doing.

Getting up in the middle of the night to feed you, every night for months. Changing your dirty diapers 10 times a day. Soothing you when you wailed.

These are just some of the things your mom did for you, even though she didn’t feel like it. She did what needed to be done, regardless of how she felt.

This kind of attitude runs contrary to the kind of advice we often hear:

• “If you don’t like what you’re doing, quit.”
• “If you’re not passionate about it, why do it?”
• “Eliminate everything that’s making you unhappy.”
• “If you find what you’re called to do, it won’t feel like work.”

Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for being happy and discovering your passion and finding work that’s both enjoyable and rewarding. But it’s unrealistic, and even irrational, to think that finding your passion will instantly make your life fine and dandy. After all, the Latin root word for “passion” is pati, which means “to endure” or “to suffer.” Passion and perseverance go hand in hand.

[This ties in with my previous post on BEING CONSCIENTIOUS. It is paramount that we move forward, step by step; even if the steps are tiny, wobbly baby steps... Go forth. Be brave. Be determined.]

Life is often more about doing the things you don’t feel like doing, than about doing the things you do feel like doing. You might not feel like studying, or going to work, or keeping your promises, or getting out of your comfort zone, or sucking up your pride and apologizing. But these are the kinds of choices that ultimately define our lives.

4. You can waste, use or invest your resources. Choose to invest them.

Moms, and parents in general, sacrificially invest in their kids. When it comes to nutrition, education and love, they don’t spare anything on their kids’ development.

A mentor of mine once shared with me that your resources can either be wasted, used orinvested. The last option is the best, but it’s often the hardest to do because it requires long-term thinking in the face of short-term demands.

So let’s be intentional about investing our time, talent and money in ways that benefit others and add value to the people around us.

Shout-out to all moms

My mom has had a huge impact on me. She has shown by her example what it means to lead a life of kindness, commitment, courage and love. I sometimes wonder how messed up I’d be if my mom wasn’t my mom. Love you, Mom! 

For many of you, I’m sure your mom has had a similar influence in your life. So if you’re a mom reading this, I want to thank you. You show the rest of us what it takes to be successful, but more than that you show us what it means to love unconditionally and sacrificially.

Happy Mother’s Day again!

***************************

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to Living Large here.

[Thank you to the Original Author, Daniel Wong, for penning such a meaningful post that makes us think about how we can be better people by emulating the woman who has given us life after going through the challenges of pregnancy and the excruciating pain of childbirth.]

Truly, it's all about being CONSCIENTIOUS!

I knew it all along! This article just confirms that, truly, being CONSCIENTIOUS is certainly important in the journey towards success of any sort. Be it learning how to cook, playing a musical instrument, learning a new language, keeping the house clean..., it's all about being conscientious in order to reap the fruits of your labour. 

Let's celebrate the VIRTUES of DILIGENCE,CONSCIENTIOUSNESS and PERSEVERANCE! :) :) 


This Is The Personality Trait That Most Often Predicts SuccessBy Drake Baer | Business Insider – Wed, Apr 30, 2014 11:32 PM SGT
http://www.businessinsider.sg/conscientiousness-predicts-success-2014-4/#.U2kBwvQW1_c
(All Credits go to Original Author and Original Website. All Rights are respected and go to Original Author and Website.)
The only major personality trait that consistently leads to success is  conscientiousness. 

"It's emerging as one of the primary dimensions of successful functioning across the lifespan," Paul Tough writes in "How Children Succeed." "It  really goes cradle to grave in terms of how people do."

Tough says that people who test high in conscientiousness get better grades in school and college, commit fewer crimes, and stay married longer.

They live longer, too, he says. And not just because they smoke and drink less. They have fewer strokes, lower blood pressure, and a lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease.

There's a staggering amount of research linking conscientiousness with success. A National Institute of Mental Health study found that conscientious men earn higher salaries. The National Institute on Aging also found that conscientiousness is linked to income and job satisfaction. Other studies show that conscientiousness is the most important factor for finding and retaining employment. 

How do you know if you're conscientious? Conscientious people tend to be super organized, responsible, and plan ahead. They work hard in the face of challenges and can control their impulses. 

Psychologists classify conscientiousness is one of the "Big 5" personality traits, with the others being agreeableness, extroversion, neuroticism, and openness to experience. The other traits can predict certain workplace outcomes — extroversion is a great fit for highly social gigs like sales and openness to experience often leads to creativity — but  conscientiousness is remarkable for the way it cuts across roles.

Research shows that arriving on time, doing thorough work, and being thoughtful toward your colleagues helps people regardless of their job function or workplace situation.  "Being on top of deadlines is almost universally a good thing," one industrial psychologist told us.

Moreover, within conscientiousness are the narrower traits of self control and "grit," which University of Pennsylvania  psychologist Angela Duckworth has found to be more integral to children's scholarly success than IQ.

Why conscientiousness people are so successful
"Highly conscientious  employees do a series of things better than the rest of us," says University of Illinois psychologist Brent Roberts, who studies conscientiousness.

To start, they're better at goals: setting them, working toward them, and persisting amid setbacks. If a super ambitious goal can't be realized, they'll switch to a more attainable one rather than getting discouraged and giving up. As a result, they tend to achieve goals that are consistent with what employers want.

Roberts also owes their success to "hygiene" factors. Conscientious people have a tendency to organize their lives well. A disorganized, un-conscientious person might lose 20 or 30 minutes rooting through their files to find the right document, an inefficient experience conscientious folks tend to avoid. Basically, by being conscientious, people sidestep stress they'd otherwise create for themselves.  

Being conscientious "is like brushing your teeth," Roberts says. "It prevents problems from arising."

Conscientious people also like to follow rules and norms. You can spot the conscientious kids in the classroom. They sit in their chairs, don't complain, and don't act out — which also, of course, contributes to earning good grades from teachers. While conscientiousness doesn't correlate with high SAT scores, it does predict high GPAs. 

To spot conscientious people at work, Roberts says to look for punctuality. If someone shows up on time, that's a great clue toward conscientiousness, since a punctual person has to be organized enough — and care enough — to arrive on time.

The bigger, and less visible, indicator is how people deal with setbacks. Do they give up and redouble their efforts?

"The conscientious person is going to have a plan," Roberts says. "Even if there is a failure, they're going to have a plan to deal with that failure."