FUEL: Attitude

I am currently reading our latest book program FUEL The Energy You Need To Succeed by Wes Beavis. I haven't gotten halfway through the book but I am definitely learning a lot already. The books talks about the "fuels" that we need in order to have the energy needed as we travel our way to success. Let me share some lines that I highlighted as I go along and maybe share some thoughts and experiences.

You see, I always thought before that I already got what it takes to succeed in life. And I always believed I was taking the right path. Until halfway through it, I realized how sick and tired and unhappy I was. I knew right there and then that something was wrong. I was looking. I knew deep inside that life is much more than working your way up in your career and sacrificing time for your self, family, your passion and the things that you most care about.

Something came that opened my eyes to a whole new definition of life and success. And it was a confirmation of what I was feeling that something was wrong. I was put into a new perspective and it got me really excited and looking forward to every day.

Success for me is being able to get or reach all your dreams... the things that you ache about... those burning desires. But success, as most always tell me, is not an immediate realization of the dream... it is a progressive realization of the dream. There is a journey involve, and in it comes bumpy rides. Now, what you need to prepare for the journey is "fuel" that you will use to be able to travel your way to success.

A positive ATTITUDE can change your circumstances to be more favorable for you.

Attitude is our emotional response on situations and circumstances. We can either respond positively or negatively. However we choose, it creates a change in the atmosphere. But positive attitude creates a favorable outcome for us. Before I committed myself on personal growth, I got the worst attitude. Short tempered, whiner,impatient... I can hurl criticisms anytime, anywhere. I was a perfectionist and I always thought that no once can do better than me. My ego.. my pride was so high that I needed no one. I thought I was just being strong and independent. Until I started to build myself, I realized I was nowhere near the qualities of a great person!

Fine tuning my attitude was a bumpy ride for me. Until now, I am still a work in progress. There are still times when I am faced with difficult situations or people that I am tempted to respond negatively: like hurl back negative words, criticize, bring down the person or get defensive and never admit that I did wrong too. But I am learning to become positive. When I feel like going to the other side of the fence, I read books on attitude, listen to empowering CD's or just think of good things. And now I practice to see the other side of whatever situation I am in. I learn to get out of myself and put it in the other person's shoes. Then I ask myself, will I react the way he did I am in the same shoes? At times, I look at the brighter side of things. I try to see the positive things that came out from the bad situation. It helps also to be counting the things I should be grateful for. Like the other day when I was stuck in the rain and I was running late because of our shuttle driver's dilly dallying. I can choose to pour out my anger to the person but I thought, will it make any difference at all? And what good will that make? I just might be actually hurting the person and in turn lose his respect. And i just decided, I'd better be giving time allowance for such incident next time so I won't run late again.

You see, we have a choice on how we react to situations. It is just a matter of posing for a while and checking if it will do any good if I do this or do the other way.

If you have hot buttons which "set you off" work out a mental strategy ahead of time for how to maintain calmness when one of those buttons is pushed.

One of my hot buttons is CRITICISM. I don't take criticism positively. It sets me off so much that I react negatively in an instant! But I am doing a mental strategy now wherein I pose... then reassure myself that such criticism will not make me less of a person I am now. That I should treat those words as a way for me to identify things that I should be working on within me that will make me a better person.

Bottomline is, we can choose our ATTITUDE. And with it comes our action to know what is a good attitude and what is a bad attitude.

:-)

Deeper Meaning of Success

No outside success can compensate for failure in the home.

- David O. McKay

I always thought success is climbing up the corporate ladder. And I can't blame myself of thinking so because I was raised with the belief that for me to be successful, I needed to study hard and graduate from college and then get employed by a good company and work my way up. And I did just that. Only to find out that life on career top is never as glorious and satisfying as I thought it would be. The title and the pay can never compensate the stress and sacrifices you have to make.

I became frustrated. I had no way out. What had broke my heart more is the fact that the sacrifice included the time with my then barely one year old son and my husband. My work became a priority... the sad thing is it was a choice I made... involuntarily. As much as I want to enjoy the money, the power and the glory - I was not happy nor satisfied at all. I longed more to become a better mother to my son and a better wife to my husband. I knew i was looking for a deeper meaning of success.. a deeper purpose.

An opportunity came. It was a blessing. And I realized I already have a choice.

I chose to become the best mom and wife. And many questioned the decision I made.

It was the right decision. Soon they will understand.

:-)

Share the wisdom

Eversince, I am really into reading- whether it be books, magazines, flyers etc. You can call me a geek, nerd or whatever but I really believe it is in reading where you grow on thoughts and wisdom. Many successful people give credit on reading good books and features as part of their success habits.

That is why when we learned of the education system being part of the business we are currently growing- I was hooked! The recommended books are really really great and associating ourselves with successful people had grown us, and had helped us develop the same way thinking as they are.

And so I vowed today to share a part, if not the whole, of the knowledge, principles and wisdom I got from all those books I've read. It may or may not help each one of you, but the SHARING of it will mean a lot to me.

And it will also be a great journey to me, having to emphasize such gift of wisdom and knowledge, applying them to my everyday life and activities.

“The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them” - Mark Twain

:-)

The Secret

I saw the video copy of this a year ago when I was given a copy by our business mentor. I watched it and was amazed of what I learned from it. What I did wrong is I never practiced and mastered any of it. Although I am unconsciously applying some of the principles, it never was enough for my life to take a 360 degrees turn.

And I saw it again last night. The only difference from that of a year ago is that, I am already decided to pursue my dreams and goals in life this time. Which will only mean that I have to put everything to work, for me to finally travel the direction where my dreams are already impatiently waiting. You see, I have so many things I want in life that I have to admit sometimes I keep them aside because I have too many excuses of not having them... like time and money constraints, my job, my boss, the people around me and mostly I myself. But I already got tired of blaming everything and everyone else.

And I have the principles and things to do to make my dreams a reality so why shoud I have excuses still when everything is laid out upon me and all I have to do si follow them?

So what's The Secret?

The Law of Attraction.

Simply put, you attract what you think or feel. If you feel bad about anything that is happening in your life and you just simply think it is your life and you have no choice... then you're attracting the same negative things. And vice versa.

We may say it is really hard to exude positive thoughts and feelings when circumstances around you is otherwise. But hey, it's possible right? All we have to do is make that choice. Either to nurture the bad feelings or choose to make yourself feel good. There are a lot of thoughts and activities out there that can take us out of our own misery. Like listening to a good song, thinking of happy memories or things we love etc. It is always a choice... on whether we see the bad things in everything that is happening in our life or we dwell on the positive side.

There's more principles and processes for us to master the law of attraction. The thing is they are not hard to do... it's really more on making the decision to do it that is keeping us.

As for me, I vow to apply them now... and master them until it becomes a habit. And I am confident everything else will follow...

Random Thoughts

I got a little time to spare... at least I got a small breathing space and time to blog amidst work and the business. And I am thinking now of a lot of things!

Well it's a good news the they already started the production for the Twilight Sequel: New Moon. The cast are already being seen all over Vancouver. Here are some pics I got from a Twilight forum I frequent:

Rob Pattinson is HOT as ever!

***

We will have our department outing this coming Sunday at Canyon Cove in Batangas. I'm glad we are allowed to bring our family so I really don't have any reason to butt out. It will be a very tiring weekend for me though. On Saturday we are going to our Business Building Seminar at the PICC.

***

Miggy's last session at Toddlers Unlimited will be this Saturday already, but I think we will enroll him again for the Saturday Playgroup this summer which will start on April 18. So he wouldn't really say goodbye. But I still have to consult with the husband though. But I'm pretty sure he'll say yes. Miggy enjoys going there so much that his daddy won't be able to say no. LOL. Well, we surely are facing the toddler's antics nowadays. As much as I am amazed on the things Miggy can do now, I am at the same getting hysterical that he might get hurt climbing, pulling and pushing everything. Plus there are times when I get frustrated when he is talking to me and trying to tell me something and he gets frustrated too coz I just don't seem to get it! Hahahaha!

***

Positive thought of the day: Whatever I am or I have now is the result of the decisions I made in the past. So if what I want is different from what I am or I have today, then I might as well make decisions now that will surely carve the way to what I want to be and have in the future!

***

Last night, we were at Starbucks Allegro in Pasong Tamo Ext. Makati to do a follow-up with a former officemate. Well, it really is very refreshing to talk to someone who has an open mind and has dreams and is not contented with what life is offering her for now. I just hope she makes the right decision to pursue her dreams for herself and her family. I would surely love to grow with her as a great leader in the team.

***

My brother will be arriving (from Canada) soon in time for my nephew's (his son) graduation who is graduating Valedictorian in his class. Oh wow, that kid surely got the brains from me. Hahahahaha! We are most likely going to spend the Holy Week in Ilocos so I got to start doing our Itinerary soon enough.

***

Hopefully I will get to buy myself a new phone over the summer or earlier. You see, I am really contented with my ever reliable and cheap Nokia 1100. But I must admit, its features is not helping me now with my busy schedule. I need in my hand an all in one gadget that can serve as my phone, organizer, computer and document viewer. And I think I gonna go with this Samsung i780 if budget permits.

***

Here are some few things I would need to accomplish as soon as I get out of my corporate job (which will mean we are already Platinum in the business):

1. Go to Hongkong and shop. Disneyland for Miggy of course.
2. Enroll in driving school.
3. Buy a laptop (The husband always brings with him our laptop so I think it would be best to have my own).
4. Buy an LCD tv.
5. Buy a home theater.
6. Re-decorate the house. Shop at Bo Concept or Ikea.
7. Go the the following places: Bohol, Palawan, Davao and Cebu.
8. Treat the whole family to an out of town trip.
9. Go to Belo.
10. Salon and Spa treat.
11. Spend two nights at Bed and Breakfast Boutique in Tagaytay.
12. Enroll in Multi Media Arts class.
13. Try photography which includes owning a good camera.
14. Enroll in Interior Design.
15. Buy all the Twilight Merchandise I want.
16. Pay all our loan and card debts.
17. 
    

SUCCESS THOUGHT OF THE DAY

"SUCCESS IS A PROGRESSIVE REALIZATION

OF A WORTHWHILE DREAM"

I always thought that sucess is equal to being on top of the class when I was still a student, or getting promoted until you reach the top of the corporate ladder when I started working. I always had this wrong perception that success is synonymous to power, position and authority. I was proven wrong by the words above.

A progressive realization of a worthwhile dream...

That's when I started to think, what are my dreams? They say your dreams are those when you think about it, you feel the longing and pain. Just the thought of it makes you cry and tremble. Now, I sure love being on top... I always did. I always make sure that I stand out. I thought these things would bring me success. But I was wrong. They were like drugs that I felt temporary elated... after a day or two all the heavenly feeling of being recognized, promoted and etc. is gone. I go back to where I was, exhausted, bored and wondering why I am so damn unhappy with what I am doing. Even the money cannot do something about it.

So, what are my real dreams? What makes me cry just thinking about it at night? What dreams do I have to realized for me to honestly say that I am successful?

One thing's for sure. I want the BEST of this world for my family. I am not only talking of material things but I am also talking about TIME. I want to give everything to my family - new house, car, best education, all the good things that money can buy and having to spend most of my time with them in enjoying good things life can offer. It's far far different from spending my time climbing the corporate ladder although I am giving them the best of life. What I wanted all along is not only financial freedom, but also the time freedom. I don't want to be dictated of the time I should get up, the time I should take my meals or the time I should be working. My work controls me now... I am spending more time with my boss than with my family. Is this the success I was thinking about? Wouldn't it be much greater to have all the money and all the time to do I want and what I am happy about? Such a failure in disguise to be earning so much but a slave in the truest sense!

But I am lucky to have taken an opportunity most take for granted. I am lucky that I became honest with what I truly wanted which opened my mind and heart to listen to the right opportunity fitted for my dreams.

Before my eyes opened and my vision changed, I thought I didn't have any choice but to work the rest of my life to be able to earn an income that will never ever be enough. I did not see any possibility for me leaving the corporate world. I thought of having my own traditional business, but you see, such not only takes money, but also a lot of skills and discipline. If you were train to be an employee, it will take you a lot of learning to get the minds of the successfull business persons. And that is not learned through school or through books only. The most effective is to learn from the successful people themselves. But will Henry Sy do such? I don't think so.

Now, I am on my way to the realization of my dreams. Such a blessing to be surrounded by so many successful people in a very positive environment. Such a good luck to be able to stumble upon people who mentors us and despite our shortcomings never fails to support and believe in us.

Now, what do you really want?