I met my high school classmate today. It's been a while. Sad to say that we have grown up to become those adults who succumbed to the "hey, let's meet someday" wherein for some odd reasons, we just put it off until "someday" never happens.
Fortunately, we made it today!
That’s a very interesting question and I was taken aback because I often have similar thoughts but I’ve never asked it out loud in a conversation as bravely as she did. Afraid of being judged as a weirdo or also afraid that I might make people uncomfortable, I usually only read about such topics on Reddit or watch Youtube videos about them.
I replied, “No, I don’t think so”.
How pathetic I was back then (in hindsight)! However, when I was within that state, I had 1000 reasons to support my theory, such as:
- these are investments in myself
- life is about working hard and buying all things you like
- what is the use of saving money if you will never spend it on the things you like
There were many underlying issues for me to act this way, but I did not have the awareness to notice let alone admit them to myself.
✎ I was feeling lost in life, so I used “work hard, shop hard” as a form of motivation to have something to look forward to.
✎ I had low self-esteem, so I thought all these brand names could act as a shiny armor to protect me from my imaginary condemnation coming from everyone that I could be meeting.
If I could identify the root cause back then, I surely wouldn’t have bought so many bags and clothes that I ended up throwing and donating, as well as the time spent shopping. I could have been richer by a few grands by now if I could reverse those unwise spending. Because at the end of it all, it’s not about the physical objects themselves that I was chasing after, but a specific feeling that I associated upon purchasing those objects, such as feeling controlled, feeling the adrenaline rush even if it’s temporary, feeling great about myself when I wore it for the first time and so on.
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Dirty laundry #2:
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Fortunately, we made it today!
As we slowly finished our food, we caught up with one another’s recent life updates. In our conversation, there was a part where she asked me, “do you think people are honest with themselves?”
I replied, “No, I don’t think so”.
Humans are fascinating creatures. I can’t help but wonder how God set his auto programming when designing humans. How complicated would His system or software be to create homo sapiens along with their individual emotions, psychology, and personality. Because I find it so darn fascinating that humans have this “talent” of lying to themselves, which whatever humans do actually stem from psychology – isn’t it?
Mind you, I’m not coming from a place of “holier-than-thou” but rather I’m a real-life example.
The thing is though…we humans talk about other people/we talk about ourselves, but we seldom talk to ourselves. Even if we do, it’s more about finding excuses or coming up with seemingly rational rationales to protect ourselves from anything that our brain perceives as dangerous or discomfort.
Self-awareness is the key here. Oftentimes, I feel this word has been thrown around too excessively that people don’t even take the time to reflect on themselves or even to figure out what this self-awareness deal is all about anyway.
Or rather, people don’t even know who they are, let alone be honest with themselves. I mean…think about it, if you don’t know who you are, what are the things that you like/dislike, what are the things that you truly desire and would like to go after without fear, what are your strengths and weaknesses, etc, it is hard to be honest with yourself.
For the sake of this blog post, I will use myself as an example because where’s a better place to air my dirty laundry without shame other than my blog xD
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Dirty laundry #1:
When I first stepped into the corporate world, I was so fixated on buying material items. Not just things per se but branded items. Thank god I wasn’t too reckless with my finances back then but looking back, I could’ve/should’ve/would’ve done a lot better.
I had this rule, or should I say distorted mindset that “now that I am a working adult in the corporate world, I have to only wear and use branded things so people can take me seriously”.
- these are investments in myself
- life is about working hard and buying all things you like
- what is the use of saving money if you will never spend it on the things you like
There were many underlying issues for me to act this way, but I did not have the awareness to notice let alone admit them to myself.
✎ I was feeling lost in life, so I used “work hard, shop hard” as a form of motivation to have something to look forward to.
✎ I had low self-esteem, so I thought all these brand names could act as a shiny armor to protect me from my imaginary condemnation coming from everyone that I could be meeting.
If I could identify the root cause back then, I surely wouldn’t have bought so many bags and clothes that I ended up throwing and donating, as well as the time spent shopping. I could have been richer by a few grands by now if I could reverse those unwise spending. Because at the end of it all, it’s not about the physical objects themselves that I was chasing after, but a specific feeling that I associated upon purchasing those objects, such as feeling controlled, feeling the adrenaline rush even if it’s temporary, feeling great about myself when I wore it for the first time and so on.
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Dirty laundry #2:
Another way people lie to themselves might not be intentional as it is a form of self-protection that was stimulated by the brain. Because humans are programmed to avoid danger, risk, discomfort, and pain.
I was a victim of this too most of the time – from small to big things.
It might sound like procrastination for the “small” things, but the underlying theory is the same.
✎ I do not have the attention span and time to read routinely.
Puhleaseeee, you have time to scroll through Instagram reels watching cats and hamsters for 2 hours straight, you are saying you don’t have the time.
✎ I’m feeling tired today, so let’s just skip the workout.
I end up watching 3 movies in a row till midnight after telling myself that excuse.
(Believe me, I know I’m not the only one with this whole I-do-not-have-time bullshit. You could be guilty too in some areas of your lives. But hey, there’s no shame in this alright?)
✎ Oh, not forgetting my biggest one:
I am not ready to trade (forex) because I haven’t learnt enough – even though I spent so much time and effort making notes, watching videos, and learning from different mentors and friends. I’ve been trying to learn how to swim while keeping myself dry by reading a book. Good job Fion.
✎ Another big one that cost me a fortune, literally:
As a short-term trader (not an investor) cutting losses quickly is the number one rule in this survival game. However, I often ended up trying to persuade myself to not do that with some seemingly logical reasons, such as:
“This is a fundamentally good company, it’s fine to hold onto the stock until it comes back up.”
“The overall trend is still healthy, I’ll remove the stop loss and see how it goes.”
Traders do not cling onto something for the long term, that’s an investment thing. I brought snorkeling equipment to scuba dive. That’s why I drowned in the sea.
✎ I do not have the attention span and time to read routinely.
Puhleaseeee, you have time to scroll through Instagram reels watching cats and hamsters for 2 hours straight, you are saying you don’t have the time.
✎ I’m feeling tired today, so let’s just skip the workout.
I end up watching 3 movies in a row till midnight after telling myself that excuse.
(Believe me, I know I’m not the only one with this whole I-do-not-have-time bullshit. You could be guilty too in some areas of your lives. But hey, there’s no shame in this alright?)
✎ Oh, not forgetting my biggest one:
I am not ready to trade (forex) because I haven’t learnt enough – even though I spent so much time and effort making notes, watching videos, and learning from different mentors and friends. I’ve been trying to learn how to swim while keeping myself dry by reading a book. Good job Fion.
✎ Another big one that cost me a fortune, literally:
As a short-term trader (not an investor) cutting losses quickly is the number one rule in this survival game. However, I often ended up trying to persuade myself to not do that with some seemingly logical reasons, such as:
“This is a fundamentally good company, it’s fine to hold onto the stock until it comes back up.”
“The overall trend is still healthy, I’ll remove the stop loss and see how it goes.”
Traders do not cling onto something for the long term, that’s an investment thing. I brought snorkeling equipment to scuba dive. That’s why I drowned in the sea.
Thankfully, I learnt my painful lesson last year. I have been disciplining myself this year after taking a hiatus – because those lies that told myself ruined me not just in trading but my self-confidence and self-esteem. The domino effect of not being honest with yourself is deadly. No pun intended. I could even use the word 'literally' at this point because it nearly ruined me.
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All in all, being dishonest with yourself often comes with a price. You either pay it right away or you pay it later.
And let’s be honest about this:
When you are trying to avoid the short-term discomfort, pain, loss, or anything that comes with a negative feeling, you aren’t really avoiding it entirely. It still bugs you somewhere within your head. For me, it was losing sleep, feeling lethargic every day, regular headaches, insomnia, and occasional panic attacks.
Anything that costs you your health and sleep means it’s costing you too much.
Sometimes, it also badly affects the people around you – people who you should be showering love and care for but because you are too blinded by your own bullshit, you aren’t giving them the best version of you. On the contrary, most people leave the worst of the worst version of themselves for their loved ones.
Bet you have heard things like these:
✎ I can’t change because that's how I always am.
So, does that excuse automatically give you a right to speak in an inconsiderate manner, hurting people's feelings yet condemning people for being too sensitive?
✎ I can't take care of my diet. It's just too hard.
That statement translates into: I'm happy being fat and I will condemn whoever tells me I am fat (even if that person's a doctor) and tell people that this is self-love.
In conjunction with this topic, I'll quote my friend @pohhuexp (on Instagram) who's a Precision Nutrition Certificed Coach:
Body positivity is loving yourself no matter what society thinks - you don't need abs to be sexy and healthy. The part I disagree with body positivity is when people use it as an excuse to be overweight and call it healthy. Being overweight isn't healthy. It's fine if you personally choose and prefer to be at a certain weight, but don't promote that as healthy scientifically, it's not.
✎ I will do anything to get my ex back because I love him/her. Then, you proceed to do 'ugly' things like threatening, begging pathetically, harassing over the phone, stalking on social media everyday.
I challenge you to look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, "is this love? am I really acting out of love?"
Bet you have heard things like these:
✎ I can’t change because that's how I always am.
So, does that excuse automatically give you a right to speak in an inconsiderate manner, hurting people's feelings yet condemning people for being too sensitive?
✎ I can't take care of my diet. It's just too hard.
That statement translates into: I'm happy being fat and I will condemn whoever tells me I am fat (even if that person's a doctor) and tell people that this is self-love.
In conjunction with this topic, I'll quote my friend @pohhuexp (on Instagram) who's a Precision Nutrition Certificed Coach:
Body positivity is loving yourself no matter what society thinks - you don't need abs to be sexy and healthy. The part I disagree with body positivity is when people use it as an excuse to be overweight and call it healthy. Being overweight isn't healthy. It's fine if you personally choose and prefer to be at a certain weight, but don't promote that as healthy scientifically, it's not.
✎ I will do anything to get my ex back because I love him/her. Then, you proceed to do 'ugly' things like threatening, begging pathetically, harassing over the phone, stalking on social media everyday.
I challenge you to look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, "is this love? am I really acting out of love?"
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I read this quote somewhere that says:
Saying “this is who I always am” reflects a person’s EQ, stupidity, and selfishness. It leaves the other party in a state of “take it or leave it” because you are not mature enough to deal with your own shit. Address the elephant in the room by being honest with yourself, not by protecting your stupid ego at the expense of your loved ones, or even yourself!
Carve a bit of time out daily, sit in silence alone and ask yourself:
"Am I truly fine with all these?"
"Do I love this version of myself?"
"Am I genuinely happy?"
Saying “this is who I always am” reflects a person’s EQ, stupidity, and selfishness. It leaves the other party in a state of “take it or leave it” because you are not mature enough to deal with your own shit. Address the elephant in the room by being honest with yourself, not by protecting your stupid ego at the expense of your loved ones, or even yourself!
Carve a bit of time out daily, sit in silence alone and ask yourself:
"Am I truly fine with all these?"
"Do I love this version of myself?"
"Am I genuinely happy?"
Dr. Joe Dispenza said that one thing humans don’t pay enough attention to is the skill to control one’s mind and thoughts. Like training a horse, you can’t let it run wildly – you’d get thrown off the horseback for sure. You gotta sit it down, tame it and then command it to listen to you.
The way to do just that is to start by being honest with yourself. Only when you can be honest with yourself, then you can set up a comprehensive set of calls to action, if not you will just be going around in circles in pure vanity – like a hamster.
At least hamsters are innocently adorable. But being dishonest with yourself is nowhere near cute.
That is a hard pill that I am learning to swallow too on an everyday basis. When in doubt, I’ll look at them and think “I can do a lot better”.
Thursday, June 9, 2022
Since 2020, I started ditching physical books and went on to be a digital reader. I didn’t like the fact that I have to face a dilemma of whether to keep or throw a book after I had finished reading it, particularly a book that sits on the fence with my liking (side effect of Konmari). Not only does reading digitally saves me space and money, I also started appreciating the convenience of audiobooks that save me so much time - perfect for a multitasker like me.
However, reading off my laptop has not been the most convenient approach. It works and I love my Macbook with all my heart, just that (1) I can’t bring my Macbook everywhere with me without feeling the weight (2) the computer screen strains my eyes after reading several pages.
A few Youtubers that I follow (like Jenn Im and Ali Abdaal) constantly rave about their Kindles, but it's such a challenge to find one in Malaysia, physically. I wanted to see and feel it with my own hands before deciding if it's my cup of tea (another side effect of Konmari: I wanted to make sure it will spark joy).
During the Lunar New Year at the start of February this year, my cousin showed up with a Kindle in her handbag. I finally got to try it out - and yes, I liked it right away. So when my mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday, which was on the 12th of February, I asked for a Kindle.
However, reading off my laptop has not been the most convenient approach. It works and I love my Macbook with all my heart, just that (1) I can’t bring my Macbook everywhere with me without feeling the weight (2) the computer screen strains my eyes after reading several pages.
A few Youtubers that I follow (like Jenn Im and Ali Abdaal) constantly rave about their Kindles, but it's such a challenge to find one in Malaysia, physically. I wanted to see and feel it with my own hands before deciding if it's my cup of tea (another side effect of Konmari: I wanted to make sure it will spark joy).
During the Lunar New Year at the start of February this year, my cousin showed up with a Kindle in her handbag. I finally got to try it out - and yes, I liked it right away. So when my mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday, which was on the 12th of February, I asked for a Kindle.
I chose the Kindle Basic (10th Generation, released in 2019) because I just don’t see a point in paying so much for a Kindle Paperwhite. I could basically get 2 Kindle Basics if I were to go with the Kindle Paperwhite, so nah.
After comparing for a really long time, I eventually bought my Kindle from this seller. I bombarded them with a bunch of questions and they answered me patiently. Also, this seller offers 1 year of warranty at the most competitive price (MYR 359). They shipped out in 2 hours after the payment was completed. The delivery was shockingly fast too - less than 30 hours to arrive in Penang from KL.
* Due to the fact that Amazon doesn't ship to Malaysia, the majority of the sellers in Malaysia import their Kindles from Amazon Japan. The warranties are not provided by Amazon but by the sellers themselves. While browsing the Internet you can see sellers pricing the same model of Kindle at different prices depending on the length of warranty that you are comfortable with.
After comparing for a really long time, I eventually bought my Kindle from this seller. I bombarded them with a bunch of questions and they answered me patiently. Also, this seller offers 1 year of warranty at the most competitive price (MYR 359). They shipped out in 2 hours after the payment was completed. The delivery was shockingly fast too - less than 30 hours to arrive in Penang from KL.
* Due to the fact that Amazon doesn't ship to Malaysia, the majority of the sellers in Malaysia import their Kindles from Amazon Japan. The warranties are not provided by Amazon but by the sellers themselves. While browsing the Internet you can see sellers pricing the same model of Kindle at different prices depending on the length of warranty that you are comfortable with.
Let's unbox with me!
To my surprise, this Kindle Basic comes in a really small box. There’s a tab to be teared off to prove that it’s a brand new product.
In the box, there’s a plastic sleeve, that holds the Kindle, its cable, and a small instruction guide.
I accidentally included my black kitty cable organizer in this photo xD
I bought my Kindle cover from this Shopee seller (link here) at approximately RM16 with free shipping from China. I recommend choosing something with a strap that makes holding your Kindle easier while reading.
This Kindle Basic weighs less than 200g and is 6 inches in size. Even my small handbags could fit it in. It has a lower screen resolution (800 x 600 pixels) in comparison with the other Kindles but it does not matter to me because I only read texts. If you are a fan of comic books, maybe you should consider something with a higher resolution and perhaps a bigger screen.
My favourite function is this:
If you’d like to look up a word, just press on it. A toolbox will pop up.
If you’d like to look up a word, just press on it. A toolbox will pop up.
There you have, a built-in dictionary. I can finally leave my phone aside while reading now.
Swipe right for Wikipedia.
Swipe right again to translate that specific word to another language of your choice.
Unfortunately, I have to sacrifice my love for colourful highlights.
Highlighting only comes in grey on my Kindle due to its e-ink display.
Highlighting only comes in grey on my Kindle due to its e-ink display.
Most would argue that spending money on a Kindle is kinda stupid when you could choose an almighty iPad. For me, the whole e-ink technology is the main reason behind my purchase. I spend a lot of time in front of computer screens. Therefore, when I get off work to chill, I prefer to find something that doesn't strain my eyes, which is the benefit of Kindle's e-ink display.
That said, I don't recommend buying a Kindle right away if you are never a reader, to begin with. It's like buying a whole closet of Lululemon or Adidas thinking those gears will make you a fitness enthusiast overnight. If you are someone who reads on a regular basis and has no problem reading digitally, I really do recommend getting at least an entry-level Kindle like this. I enjoy it a lot myself.
For Malaysians who are thinking to get a Kindle, the receipt of your Kindle purchase could be used to make an income tax claimant. Just talk to the seller and get a receipt issued under your name. Now your Kindle will be even more cost-effective than it originally is!
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
I first added this book into my to-read list after Jenn Im recommended it on her Youtube channel. However, I just never got to it. Until Erin May Henry posted on her Instagram story captioning it as that one book she thinks everyone should read. So, without further a due, I knew I had to get to it immediately.
This book is written in seemingly simple English and broken down into short chapters. It has a lot of bullet points instead of long passages. Although it doesn’t consist of deep English vocabulary, it took me longer than usual to finish because it required some thinking and self-reflection in the reading process. Skip this book if you are not ready to face your internal bullshits and not willing to do some inner work - because it will just be a waste of effort and time to even sit through the book.
I agree with Erin May Henry that this is hands-down one of the books that everyone should from time to time come back to. It is such a powerful pick-me-up and the author covered most aspects of our lives with brutally honest wake-up calls. I read it during the Lunar New Year holidays (including my birthday and Valentines' Day), and it got me
Side track a little:
I decided to add a new section to my blog where I talk about books that I personally read. Recently, I heard a podcast that said, “creating an output of the things you learn will double the effect of the initial input”. Thus, here’s #FionReads where I will share my thoughts and some book excerpts/quotes that I picked out during the reading process.
♠You needlessly create problems and crises in your life because you’re afraid of actually living it. The pattern of unnecessarily creating crises in your life is actually an avoidance technique. It distracts you from actually having to be vulnerable or held accountable for whatever it is you’re afraid of. You’re never upset for the reason you think you are.
♠ Fear means you’re trying to move toward something you love, but your old beliefs, or unhealed experiences, are getting in the way.
♠ Discomfort is what happens when we are on the precipice of change. Unfortunately, we often confuse it for unhappiness and cope with the latter while running from the former. It usually takes a bit of discomfort to break through to a new understanding, to release a limiting belief, to motivate ourselves to create real change.
♠ Nobody wants to believe happiness is a choice, because that puts responsibility in their hands. It’s the same reason people self-pity: to delay action, to make an outcry to the universe, as though the more they state how bad things are, the more likely it is that someone else will change them.
♠ Most common root of discomfort: the space between knowing and doing.
♠ Emotional intelligence is the ability to feel, express, and interpret your feelings productively; self-esteem is believing you’re worthy of loving and being loved despite not being supremely, completely “good” all of the time; happiness is a product of how you cope with your problems and whether or not you see them as the opportunities they are.
♠ The confidence people have in their beliefs is not a measure of the quality of evidence, but of the coherence of the story that the mind has managed to construct.
♠ “What do I want?” is a question you need to ask yourself every day.
♠ We make assumptions based on what our current circumstances “mean” about us, and then also begin to believe that things will always be the way they are—hence why tragedies feel so insurmountable, yet happiness feels so fleeting (in fearing that happiness won’t last forever, we lose it—in fearing that grief will last forever, we create it).
♠ Discomfort is in avoiding the pain, not the pain itself.
♠ Take an honest look at your life and evaluate how much you’ve constructed as a means to avoid pain, and decide whether or not those fears are even valid in the first place
♠ Choose to believe that everything is here to help us.
♠ You’re mentally lazy. You know you should be more present, but you won’t put in the effort to practice it.
♠ Losers wait to feel motivated.
♠ Everything in your life does one of three things: shows you to yourself, heals a part of yourself, or lets you enjoy a part of yourself.
♠ Ask yourself: “If the whole world were blind, how many people would I impress?”
♠ It may not be your fault, but it is still your problem.
♠ Trying to make sense of your life is what’s actually holding you back.
♠ Anxiety is usually bred out of inaction.
♠ What you most dislike in others is, in some variation, true of you: You just haven’t been able to acknowledge it yet. The more angrily and fiercely you respond “no” to that idea, the more intensely you are trying to avoid it. Anger = recognition. You don’t lash back at things you don’t, in some way, regard as being real. So figure out what you most need to heal within yourself by seeing what you most want to change in others. Doing so will free you in a way you can’t imagine. Doing so is a necessary piece of the life-you-want puzzle, because all the energy you’re using trying to avoid, deflect, delude your way into not acknowledging what you need to heal/change/deal is being wasted, at best, and is actually actively keeping you from the life you want, at worst.
♠ Whenever there is a problem in your life, there is a problem with how you are thinking, reacting, or responding.
♠ I decide. My circumstances don’t.
♠ All things are good, because all things serve us in the way of growth and development.
♠ Anything that exists in your life exists because you created it. Anything that persists does so because you are feeding it.
♠ You are not in the world; the world is in you.
♠ Being fearful of moving forward and more fearful of going back—is the only guaranteed way that it will ruin you.
This book is written in seemingly simple English and broken down into short chapters. It has a lot of bullet points instead of long passages. Although it doesn’t consist of deep English vocabulary, it took me longer than usual to finish because it required some thinking and self-reflection in the reading process. Skip this book if you are not ready to face your internal bullshits and not willing to do some inner work - because it will just be a waste of effort and time to even sit through the book.
I agree with Erin May Henry that this is hands-down one of the books that everyone should from time to time come back to. It is such a powerful pick-me-up and the author covered most aspects of our lives with brutally honest wake-up calls. I read it during the Lunar New Year holidays (including my birthday and Valentines' Day), and it got me
Side track a little:
I decided to add a new section to my blog where I talk about books that I personally read. Recently, I heard a podcast that said, “creating an output of the things you learn will double the effect of the initial input”. Thus, here’s #FionReads where I will share my thoughts and some book excerpts/quotes that I picked out during the reading process.
♠ Fear means you’re trying to move toward something you love, but your old beliefs, or unhealed experiences, are getting in the way.
♠ Discomfort is what happens when we are on the precipice of change. Unfortunately, we often confuse it for unhappiness and cope with the latter while running from the former. It usually takes a bit of discomfort to break through to a new understanding, to release a limiting belief, to motivate ourselves to create real change.
♠ Nobody wants to believe happiness is a choice, because that puts responsibility in their hands. It’s the same reason people self-pity: to delay action, to make an outcry to the universe, as though the more they state how bad things are, the more likely it is that someone else will change them.
♠ Most common root of discomfort: the space between knowing and doing.
♠ Emotional intelligence is the ability to feel, express, and interpret your feelings productively; self-esteem is believing you’re worthy of loving and being loved despite not being supremely, completely “good” all of the time; happiness is a product of how you cope with your problems and whether or not you see them as the opportunities they are.
♠ The confidence people have in their beliefs is not a measure of the quality of evidence, but of the coherence of the story that the mind has managed to construct.
♠ “What do I want?” is a question you need to ask yourself every day.
♠ We make assumptions based on what our current circumstances “mean” about us, and then also begin to believe that things will always be the way they are—hence why tragedies feel so insurmountable, yet happiness feels so fleeting (in fearing that happiness won’t last forever, we lose it—in fearing that grief will last forever, we create it).
♠ Discomfort is in avoiding the pain, not the pain itself.
♠ Take an honest look at your life and evaluate how much you’ve constructed as a means to avoid pain, and decide whether or not those fears are even valid in the first place
♠ Choose to believe that everything is here to help us.
♠ You’re mentally lazy. You know you should be more present, but you won’t put in the effort to practice it.
♠ Losers wait to feel motivated.
♠ Everything in your life does one of three things: shows you to yourself, heals a part of yourself, or lets you enjoy a part of yourself.
♠ Ask yourself: “If the whole world were blind, how many people would I impress?”
♠ It may not be your fault, but it is still your problem.
♠ Trying to make sense of your life is what’s actually holding you back.
♠ Anxiety is usually bred out of inaction.
♠ What you most dislike in others is, in some variation, true of you: You just haven’t been able to acknowledge it yet. The more angrily and fiercely you respond “no” to that idea, the more intensely you are trying to avoid it. Anger = recognition. You don’t lash back at things you don’t, in some way, regard as being real. So figure out what you most need to heal within yourself by seeing what you most want to change in others. Doing so will free you in a way you can’t imagine. Doing so is a necessary piece of the life-you-want puzzle, because all the energy you’re using trying to avoid, deflect, delude your way into not acknowledging what you need to heal/change/deal is being wasted, at best, and is actually actively keeping you from the life you want, at worst.
♠ Whenever there is a problem in your life, there is a problem with how you are thinking, reacting, or responding.
♠ I decide. My circumstances don’t.
♠ All things are good, because all things serve us in the way of growth and development.
♠ Anything that exists in your life exists because you created it. Anything that persists does so because you are feeding it.
♠ You are not in the world; the world is in you.
♠ Being fearful of moving forward and more fearful of going back—is the only guaranteed way that it will ruin you.
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Being a 'professional' house cat, I am good at keeping myself entertained. My biggest habit is always having something playing in the background no matter what I am doing - be it podcasts, audiobooks, music or guided meditations. Hence, earphones play a very important role in my life.
Established in 2012, SUDIO is a Swedish brand that strives to utilize the latest technology to create premium and minimalist portable audio devices.
Recently, I have been loving this pair of NIO bluetooth earphones by Sudio.
Now let's unbox with me.
I love how delicate and minimalist all these pieces are.
Out of the 6 available colours for NIO, I picked the colour sandy.
I never allow my electronic devices to go around naked. Everything needs some sort of protection because I tend to bang around here and there carelessly. This vegan black leather-textured case is made out of apple skin from the northern region of Italy, specially for the NIO series earphones.
I just wish that Sudio could've done an embossing of their brand name on this case for more sense of exclusivity.
In comparison to in-ears, I prefer ordinary earphones that sit at the edge of my ears. I don't like how earphones get stuffed deeply into my ears and to some extent, the whole messy ear wax situation is a little gross to even think about. Ear wax is a natural thing and everyone has it - so I'm just being realistic!
Sudio NIO comes with 4 pairs of interchangeable wingtips to provide optimal comfort and stability for different ear shapes. I tried doing burpees and jumping jacks while wearing these NIO earphones and they passed the test without falling off my ears! Plus, these wingtips make the whole cleaning process a lot more convenient (I do try my best to clean it after every use specially after a sweaty workout).
Features of Sudio NIO:
- touch panel control and automatic pairing
- up to 20 hours of battery life
- adaptive dual-microphone technology
- IPX4 splash-proof protection
- 3-year warranty with Sudio Sphere
If you are seeing this post, I have a good deal for you!
Friday, September 10, 2021
Ever since I started working out back in 2016, I had always wished for a chance to collaborate with a fitness brand. It was such a far away unreachable dream back then but somehow, years later, Vimour made it happened!
Vimour is a portmanteau, a made-up word coined from the combination of the words vim and vigour. Based in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Vimour is a yoga-inspired athletic apparel brand owned by LYR Global.
For this collaboration, I picked out their lavender-blue set. I was quite inclined to stay with my usual black-or-white choices but this colour tone is too special to resist. I just had to get it for my collection.
Vimour's workout pieces are all carefully crafted with the Mojoyo fabric technology that provides:
⊛buttery-soft cotton softness
⊛noisy rub phenomenon controlled
⊛moisture-wicking for quick drying
⊛medium compressium for air lifting
⊛4-way stretch fabric for 360° movement
Top: Backless Halter Yoga Sports Bra (Lavender Blue - size 2)
I really like the bareback cutting because I don't have such design in my collection. Inspired by the Chinese ancient bra "Du Dou 肚兜", this bra that comes with removable padding is flattering for sure.
Bottom: Cross Waist Bike Short Women's Yoga Pants (Lavender Blue - size 2)
Had a hard time deciding whether I should go for this bike short yoga pants or the flared boot cut long pants. Ended up going with the short pants because it's more practical in this hot Malaysia weather. When it comes to choosing a workout tights/pants, butt-sculpting is always a big key determinant factor. Girls, you know what I am saying! This one passed the test. I can say that honestly because I haven't been working on my booty diligently lately, yet after putting this pair of yoga pants on, I feel I do have a mini peach emoji there!
For more designs and colours, check out Vimour's online store here. Happy shopping!
Friday, July 16, 2021
The only fortunate thing was that we actually had a couple of months of freedom (from February to Mid of May - right after I celebrated Mother's Day in advance). If not, I'm sure that most people would've gone crazy by now.
April: Catching up with friends
Hang out with my girls at 815 Paliro after not seeing them since my birthday in February. Cute desserts are always necessary for a girls' date.
Took me 6 years of working out to reach the same weight as my goddess Hyuna. I remember when I first started working out back in 2016, I had her as my body goal (she still is anyway) and this number on the scale was like an unreachable land for me. How surreal this journey has been!
Celebrated our big sista, Vernice's birthday with her. I dressed up with makeup and heels specially for her.
Grandpa brought us to Seven Terraces after a family lunch to check out the wooden carvings that he did for this heritage hotel. He had been talking about bringing me there for a little tour since I was still in university (it's been yearssss) but we never made any deliberate plans. So that day, during lunch right there and then, I was like "let's go today, it's now or never!"
All the gold-coloured woodwork in those photos above were single-handedly done by him. Just look at how majestic the golden phoenix on top of my head is!
May/June: life in lockdown & shitty market
Brought mom out for dinner one week prior to Mother's Day at Nada Natural Farming. Little did I know that was the last time we were allowed to dine-out.
No more social life and no more going out because the Covid-19 cases skyrocketed in Malaysia.
So, I ended up just spending a lot of time in front of my charts.
Bought this book after watching Ali Abdaal's video. Don't be fooled by the title, it doesn't do the content justice at all (sorry Ali)
At the same time, my remisier also told me to get a hobby out of trading just to maintain my sanity in the long run. 3 things came into my mind when he suggested that - fitness, reading and blogging. Among all these, blogging is the only thing that I have not been putting much effort into.
My friend Poh challenged me to upload one blog post every Monday - at first I thought it was a wild idea but after thinking about it for a while, I thought "why not take the challenge and do it properly again, at least till the end of this quarter".
Baby step first, starting from this blog post.
Baby step first, starting from this blog post.
Hopefully, this will be the last lockdown for good. I haven't seen my besties for such a long time. And I just wish that I can stop having my cappuccino orders in takeaway cups.
I'll end this blog post with some simple intention settings for Q3:
- study Forex more diligently
- be patient about the macro
- appreciate the little things + celebrate the tiniest wins
- read at least 3 books
So I'll see you every Monday from now onwards then! Tata!
Monday, July 5, 2021
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, hand sanitizers have become a necessity in everyone's lives. Well, that goes the same for masks as well. My skin tends to get dry and sensitive really easily, thus I am really picky when it comes to masks and hand sanitizers. I've tried several hand sanitizers that advertised themselves as non-drying but most of them just left me in disappointment until I came across Dfenze, which not only does its job and is definitely worth the value of money.
As much as we wish to sanitize every single thing in our lives, not all items can come into contact with alcohol - which is the main ingredient in most of the sanitizers and disinfectants out there. Not only does it dry my skin out big time, I am also wary about the fact that it may damage my leather wallet and electronic devices (laptop, mobile phone and earphones) in the long run. My old yoga mat started peeling after I innocently sprayed a bunch of 75% alcohol IPA on it *eeeks*
This is where Dfenze comes in handy with its active ingredient hypochlorous acid (HOCI) that is produced via electrolysis-treated salt brine solution along with food-grade salt and purified water.
What is HOCI?
HOCl is a powerful and effective oxidizer and de-proteiner which has good microbial activity within these cells. Based on biological aspect, HOCl is the chemical naturally generated by our body to combat and ward off any types of infections. Harmful pathogens (bacteria, spores and viruses) can be found all around us in the air, on food, plants, animals, and on inanimate surfaces. The human body uses innate, non-specific mechanisms as the first line of defense against injury and infection. The skin itself, and mucous secretions at epithelial membranes are both important elements of innate resistance. But when these are breached, HOCl is immediately generated in response as the key chemical component of innate immunity.
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| image from dfenze.my |
What is HOCI?
HOCl is a powerful and effective oxidizer and de-proteiner which has good microbial activity within these cells. Based on biological aspect, HOCl is the chemical naturally generated by our body to combat and ward off any types of infections. Harmful pathogens (bacteria, spores and viruses) can be found all around us in the air, on food, plants, animals, and on inanimate surfaces. The human body uses innate, non-specific mechanisms as the first line of defense against injury and infection. The skin itself, and mucous secretions at epithelial membranes are both important elements of innate resistance. But when these are breached, HOCl is immediately generated in response as the key chemical component of innate immunity.
Dfenze HOCL Sanitizer & Disinfectant is a versatile solution that is natrual, soothing, biodegradable and safe to be used which also have the features as below:
- pH 5.0-7.0 Free Available Chlorine: 150 ppm Kill broad spectrums of pathogens
- Kill 99.99% Influenza Virus H1N1 (Tested by Gmicro Testing)
- Kill 99.99% of bacteria and germs (Tested by Chemical Laboratories Sdn Bhd)
- Kill pathogen 80X more effectively than alcohol and bleach sanitizers with the same concentration
- Non-toxic (Tested by SIRIM Berhad)
- Non-irritant (Tested by SIRIM Berhad)
- Physical Characteristic Test (Tested by Gmicro Testing)
Knowing that HOCI is the safest and the most natural sterilization function, I now use it on nearly everything. Now that I have a 500ml one, I spray it on my yoga mat, sofa and even my wooden tables and chairs without worrying that it will cause any damage to the materials.
You can also spray it all over yourself like holy water if you are too lazy to shower after coming home from the outside. This was already a pet peeve of mine before the whole pandemic thingy, just imagine how it disgusts me even more in this critical period.
(Always remember to not bring any viruses back home with you for your own sake and your loved ones)
(Always remember to not bring any viruses back home with you for your own sake and your loved ones)
Dfenze products come in various shapes and sizes. No harm buying in bulks or in bigger bottles because these things run out really quickly anyway. Not only can you use them to spray on your hands and objects, but they can be used in air humidifiers and for cleaning food, and even on your pets as well!!
My personal favourite will be this small pocket sanitizer. It fits perfectly into my smallest handbag and I can even slide it into my wallet. Swear to god that I'm definitely bringing this everywhere with me.
Before I end this blog post, just in case you are wondering if Dfenze's products are legitimate, you can click on this link here to view their certifications for various lab tests.
Dfenze offers a 14-day guarantee on all their items. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you can return for a replacement or refund with the original receipt. Click here to shop at Dfenze right now.
Dfenze website: dfenze.my
Dfenze Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dfenzemalaysia/
Dfenze Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dfenze_malaysia
Dfenze Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dfenzemalaysia/
Dfenze Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dfenze_malaysia
Tuesday, June 29, 2021
短短幾天里竟然跟不同的朋友聊到同樣的話題： ［底氣］。這個真的是一個容易懂但是很難體會的詞。
很多時候我們都是用很狹隘的眼光看待當下，所以會把情緒和問題放大100倍來看，那是因為我們身在其中，當局者迷。 驀然回首，那些看似風風雨雨的日子也不過如此。努力地熬出頭的我們，擁有了淡定，更收穫了底氣。
底氣就是我不再因為一些外在的因素或废屁事懷疑自己；我给了自己更多選擇權和自由，可以任性取捨，也敢從新開始。
以前20歲出頭的時候，總會害怕別人的評價，怕別人不喜歡我，怕別人看不起我，怕別人議論我。
大学第一年，有个我把她当好姐妹的朋友某天突然跟我說，因為你手裡拿的包不跟我們其他人同樣等級，所以我們不能一起出门。有一度，我疯狂买包买衣服，因為怕別人瞧不起我，不把我當一回事。現在的我，覺得有現金比有包好。简单几件百搭的单品更方便。如果當不當得成朋友取決於我拿什麼包，那我寧可沒有這種朋友。這是自我提升和成长之後換來的底氣。
當年，有位面試官說我長得不好看，連看我的resume都是浪費時間。那時候的我52-55kg，常常以為需要靠濃化妝才能夠見人。現在，本小姐44kg，21寸水蛇要加馬甲線，而且常大素顏見人（就算化妝也是眼妝而已）。雖然不是美女路線，但是我知道我不醜。這是努力護膚、減脂、健身給的底氣。再想想, 任何一個有文化和教養的正常人也不會隨便評論別人的外貌吧！
曾經因為說著一口馬來西亞腔的英文而被同事客戶嫌棄、取笑；現在的我，就算說不出什麼莎士比亞等級的/深奧的英文單詞，但是因为口音已经彻底被我改了，也沒有人會說我的英文不好了。身在馬來西亞的我，現在偶爾會被人家說我很作，但是那三言兩語已經不會影響我了。因為只有我知道我花了到底多少時間，一個人在房間裡大聲朗誦了多少本英文書加上用了數不清多少個podcast來練習聽力。这些没人看见的苦功背后换来的就是所谓的底氣。就連炒股，一年前的我會坐在電腦面前不知所措地哭。那時候任何買賣都不敢，認為自己不管怎樣都是失敗的。現在的我，虽還沒突然一夜暴富 （我還是希望這天會到來），但是亏钱之后也不再懷疑自己是否不能翻身了。我再怎么fuck up，我也知道哪里是个end point。就像我大师兄说的：【炒股不要看你当下赚了多少钱，你的底气应该来自于扣了犯傻的亏损之后，那个你能赚到最低的nett profit】。壓力迷茫肯定每时每刻都有的，但是現在的底氣是這一年半裡的起起落落、虧損💸、眼淚、壓力、无数个失眠的夜晚/Panic attacks換來的。只要青山还保着，这就还是一份完完全全属于自己的小事业。我是我自己portfolio的小老板。
今天听到很暖心的话，是閨蜜跟我說的：【想當年的你肯定受創，但是現在的你可以一笑而過】。
雖然偶爾會cry-baby一下，但是很快又自我療癒了。很多事情我都能在短時間內代謝掉。因為limit down的點就是 「大不了再熬過一次罷了嘛！」
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
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