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Right Rejection and Happy Acceptance

Once upon a time, Buddha, with his monk disciples, stopped by a village. His intentions were to deliver sermons and spread the message of righteousness and liberation. Some of the villagers however did not receive him well. They called him an atheist, used abusive language and asked him to leave the village. Buddha, however, remained quiet and peaceful as ever. He did not respond to any of the verbal abuse. His face expression did not change.

His disciples could not bear their master being abused, they could not see him treated that way. They felt bad and hurt. Taking cue from their master, they chose to stay quiet however.

The disgruntled villagers left after a while. Peace ensued. Only Buddha and his disciples were left there.

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5 Items that Should be on Every Bucket List

Once again, those “100 things to do before you die” lists are making their rounds on Facebook. You know, the “100 foods you should eat before you die” or the “100 places to visit before you die.” I admit that I try to cross as many as I can off the list, but inevitably, I fall short. I’ve only eaten 32 out of 100 foods against the average user at 45, and 15 places, where the average user sits at 21. Even among my friends, I generally am the least well-rounded as far as foods and traveling goes.

Of course, these lists are just for fun, but still, it got me thinking. Everyone’s got his or her own bucket list, and they must vary wildly from person to person. Is there a universal list of things everyone should try before they shuffle off this mortal coil? I would argue for the following:

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Do You Have Cheerleaders or Dream Stealers Around You?

For those of you that haven’t seen Woody Allen’s Midnight In Parisyet, here’s one big reason to see it: this movie isn’t really about Paris, although that’s the setting for the story. It’s really about one person’s search for his true passion.

The lead character, Gil Pender (Owen Wilson), and his girlfriend Ines (Rachel McAdam), find themselves in the City of Light as they tag along with the latter’s parents who are in Paris for business. Currently, Gil works as a very successful Hollywood screenwriter. However, he is not completely happy with this. His visit to Paris awakens a deep-seated yearning and he begins to seriously consider going back to his roots as a writer of serious prose.

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Nothing is Wrong! You’re Just Growing. Or How to Live Life like a Big Wave Surfer

Have you ever noticed how your whole life expands whenever you grow and change in any one area of your life?

I do. It’s like I’m different. I act different, I think different, I respond differently, and things that didn’t used to work start working. I get functional. I get fluid. I get solid. Things I’ve been looking for can find me. Opportunities show up. Doors open. Everything clicks. Life feels easy.

It’s like catching a big wave and riding it all the way in to shore.

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Paying the Price For Your Dreams

What does it take to get what you want out of life? Is it good looks? Talent? Charm? Start-up capital? Luck?

In my case, I had two gifts that were potentially worth something: a good eye and a knack for writing. Unfortunately, it took me a long time to figure out how to capitalize on them. I graduated with an Economics degree but didn’t know what to do with it. Fortunately, I got involved in an education business that gave me some valuable business insights and experience. It also during this phase of my existence that I discovered one of my biggest passions:

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The Power of Uncertainty

“Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life. Don’t let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity.” – R.I. Fitzhenry

Uncertainty can be challenging but ultimately it’s what keeps life meaningful. Uncertainty is…

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Under-Promise and Over-Deliver

I hate car shopping. I’m one of those people who will wait until my car is more rust than machine before trading it in. It’s not that I hate new cars. I will just do anything to avoid the car salesman pitch: Buy this car now! It’s the best deal on the lot! Hurry! It could be gone tomorrow! I know it’s part of the car-buying dance, but honestly, I’d rather sit this one out.

The vast majority of marketing we encounter is overblown. Everyone claims to be the best, whether it’s your real estate agent down to your toothpaste provider. We’ve become jaded to the promises we’ve heard through advertising, to the point where many of us actively block it whenever possible. I mean, Super Bowl aside, who gets pumped about watching ads?

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I Didn’t Do Anything Today!

“I didn’t do anything today!” I always end my day with this frustration. There is too little time and too much I want to achieve and too many people to see.

Before going to bed, I think about all the things I have not done: I did not practice my taichi, I did not practice calligraphy, I did not run, I did not write a blog post, I did not check in with my doctor, I did not reply to emails…

I live with fear that I’m wasting my time being ill, that people are passing me by every day, surpassing me, and they will get to where I want to be before me. I compare to the extreme and I beat myself up for not doing what everyone else is doing i.e. having a respected job, earning the big bucks I used to, and getting on with life.

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