Archive for the ‘work’ Category

Eye-openers

May 15, 2011

Went to a former church friend’s wedding on Saturday and I was really glad to hear a refreshing message from the pastor on marriage – a reminder to look on it as a OUTWARD-looking partnership. He illustrated this by comparing 2 lakes in the US, Salt Lake in Utah and Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada. Salt Lake is a lake that has no outlet, and simply accumulates water and stagnates. As a result, it stinks. Lake Tahoe, on the other hand, is high up on the mountains with many outlet streams flowing out. It is crystal clear as as a result. Simple but vivid takeaway – look out, not in.

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Also read this passage in Haggai yesterday that kept me awake for a while, which hits so close to home in the marketplace:

 3 Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 4“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”

 5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

 7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD. 9 “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the LORD Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.”

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More recently as well, I am seeing that God really knows exactly what I need, and has been more than generous in providing, in His perfect timing :)

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New reads

June 29, 2010

I got 2 new books yesterday: The Idea Book by Swedish speaker Fredrik Härén (who’s known for his talks on creativity) and Working for You Isn’t Working for Me by Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster.

I am fond of books with new ideas. The former is the typical sort of book I like to read (i.e. books about thinking out of the box), but I found out about Working for You Isn’t Working for Me through the newspaper. It’s a book about managing difficult bosses. I’ve read the first chapter so far, and I like it for its fresh, practical advice that can be put to use immediately. My 4 takeaways:

1. Don’t sabotage yourself. Even if it is tempting to act out in response to a boss’s (insert suitable adjective) behaviour, I have to remember that being unprofessional gets me nowhere. In acting out, the only one that loses is myself. Furthermore, if your boss loses, usually you lose too. One has to stay in perspective and focus on the job.

2. Take charge of what you do have control over. I can’t control my boss’s behaviour, but I can control my own- both in and out of work. At work, I can still strive to do my best, with or without my boss.

3. Which leads to: Take care of yourself. I can control my life out of work. Dealing with the boss will require a great deal of energy- all the more I must take care of myself, both emotionally and physically. This means spending time with positive people, keeping healthy, and putting aside time to work on what I love.

4. Fears are not facts, but False Evidence Appearing Real. I’m not a fan of acronyms, but this made sense. Insecurities as a result of a negative work relationship of not being able to do well at work just leads to a vicious self-fulfilling prophecy. Positive self-talk needs to be worked on. Also do more apparently challenging new tasks at work- the more I do, the greater my comfort zone and in proportion, the fewer my insecurities.

The book seems comprehensive and practical, and I’m excited to get through it!

In lieu of Point 3, I went to the gym during lunch today. It’s the first time visiting the gym in a loooong time. I had to rush quite a bit and it was a little tiring walking back and forth in the glaring sun today, but exercising at the gym did have a calming effect. Aside from feeling a wave of nostalgia being back in school, it felt good to get my butt moving again, even if my muscles were screaming in protest. And I was very alert for the 2nd half of the day so it’s all good! :) Here’s to regular exercise in the weeks to come!

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8 Ways To Bring Your Creative Passions to Work – Stepcase Lifehack

June 25, 2010

Wow, I severely needed to read this. Thanks, Lifehack.

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June hols

June 10, 2010

June holiday programme that I’ve been helping to organize is over. My key takeaway? Children are the best customers- they are the only ones who will give you a straight up honest feedback, no holds barred. And that feedback is to be valued.

I also realized that dealing with children is, after all, not too different from dealing with adults. Both require passion about what you are doing, the effort to relate to the customer involved, yet to be extremely firm.

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August 4, 2009

I met my Truth Living group today. Most of them seemed rather quiet and shy at first, but once we got talking, I sensed deep conviction in them that was truly inspiring. There was a lady, who though avoided eye contact most of the time, spoke sincerely of her purpose was and how she was doing it. Never shying away from responsibility and remembering to be a good testimony to her parents. I was truly encouraged.

And again 1 Samuel 16:7 rang out to me, the verse we always think we understand but never really the fullness of it: “the Lord looks at the heart.” It reminded me of of my own superficiality. How I spend way too much time with impression management, rather than heart management. I was reminded of how unique and special God has made each of us, and to stop my natural tendency to put people into boxes.

It’s so important to me to keep meeting people different from me, and from all walks of life. It’s a big fear for me now to get too used to any social construct. Sometimes I wonder if being in SMU has made me a more superficial person. Because whenever I meet people outside of this system, when all the appearances and talk are put aside, I am forced to remember what is truly important in life. I am grateful for SMU in a great number of ways, but sometimes it bothers me because being in it too long makes one start to think that you have to be a certain type of person in order to “succeed”, whatever that may mean, and fixed ideas of what gives a person value.

That’s why I’m grateful for my job, because it caters to this need: I will be having to meet and work with people from a variety of backgrounds; never allowing me to feel either superior or inferior, among constantly overlapping social constructs- but just what God made me to be.

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Thanksgiving Monster Post #2

July 28, 2009

This break also included the Forging of the Girl Fellowship, for lack of a better name. Started as a Facebook online bible study group that never got off the ground. :b It’s now a accountability/cell group of sorts where we come together to make sure our hearts are in the right place, discuss relevant topics, and simply to enjoy each others ‘ company. Ning, Alaska, Helen- I’m so glad we decided to finally to do this! You are much loved. (:

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A new chapter

July 22, 2009

I will be starting work soon. I need to remember to focus on the task ahead and not on myself. I tend to think too much about what people think of me, whether I’m disappointing them, working up to standard. I need to focus on being other-centred; on being cause-centred.

I also need to be more open about who I am, and be sure and comfortable with it. This is a challenge for me because I tend to think that I am a constant work in progress. Or perhaps, it means fear of commitment? Whatever the reason, it has to change.

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