5 reasons why reading is important

In this digital age, reading books will slowly be a thing of the past. With audiobooks, kindle and online videos of "how to's" readily available.


I haven't really tried audiobooks nor kindle because I am still sticking on the old way of buying actual books to read.


Most of the books I read are non-fiction books with a wide subject about selfimprovement. I try to read 30 minutes a day.


Here are my 5 reasons why reading is important:


1. Mental sharpness

While reading can help you build a broader vocabulary, study shows that a constant reading habit builds mental sharpness. You will be surprise as time goes by you will see improvements with how you can quickly pick things up compared to when you dont have the habit of reading.


2. Improves concentration

Find an interesting topic that hits you. Self help, educational, novels, even comic books. Since you are immerse in reading, you will notice your concentration improves. Think of it like a laser beam. A laser beam is a concentrated light and has a powerful use for cutting through objects.


3. Helps when socializing

As you find other topics to read, you'll have a very good supply of things to say to your next reunion. Learning new things by reading increase your knowledge, thus increasing the things you can say. The next time you will be introduce to someone, you are ready to do short talks with ease.


4. Reading is a basic skill

While writing is also a basic skill, my vote goes to reading as an important skill to master. Great men write their golden knowledge, share them, teach them. Although you can listen, reading is far better because you can pause and think about it and embrace it.


5. It's fun to learn

Some things can be learn by reading. There are people easily convince when they hear someone preach about a certain topic. But in reading, the only voice you can hear is your mind. This is how your mind can truly realise a good thing and soon enough you will enjoy the affirmation that your own voice tells you.


To sum it up, reading can be a fulfilling habit because of its benefits. It release feel good hormones and you won't feel out of place. 


Additional readings:


Why To Read: 10 Reasons Why Reading Books Will Save Your Life

http://whytoread.com/why-to-read-10-reasons-why-reading-books-will-save-your-life/


Why Is Reading Important?

http://www.learn-to-read-prince-george.com/why-is-reading-important.html


Image credit:

Palomar college

Harness The Power of Intangibles

As effective as we are in this turbulent times, we somehow manage get results we wanted.


Whether in work, school or at home.


Question is "at what cost?"


If our mind is set to an unhappy state, we will get a result that are not needed.


In short, the intangible state of our mind is directly proportional to good result.


Something we easily miss out.


A couple of weeks ago I became worried. We will welcome our first child a few months from now. Work is hectic. Money is also a problem. I became counter productive because I mismanage not only my emotions but also my health.


My mind is the only thing I relied to. It always encourage me to "fight the good fight".


It wasn't enough.


Then came a breaking point. I was out for 7 days. Stayed in the hospital for 3 days and 4 daya at home. I felt bad.


Yet I recovered quickly by maintaining the "fight the good fight" attitude, healthier lifestyle and smart financial budgeting.


All fell into place as I performed better at work.


My suggestions to all who felt the same way as I have are,


No your Limits. It may sound negative at first but you are just being true to yourself. If you know (and admit) your weakness and strength then you are in the right direction. The key here are the little things inside of you that stops you from reaching a goal.


Ask for help. There's nothing wrong with asking for assistance. Even the strongest person has an ally. A very strong support group like families and friends are where you can start.


Provide help. If asking for help is a good thing, helping is better. You will notice a surge of 'feel good' feeling after you have helped someone in need. It doesn't have to be a burning building saving life situation.


Embrace stress. In this high times, stress is everywhere. It is how you react that matters. If you can make an action plan whenever a stressful situation happens then that's better. Imagine in your mind a stressful scenario, then imagine how you will react.


The unseen things around us are the tools that made up what we see now. Don't underestimate the power of the intangibles. They matter as much as the results.


For continuous reading:


5 Qualities of Great Leaders

http://www.franksonnenbergonline.com/blog/5-qualities-of-great-leaders/


Leadership Dyanamics

http://www.managingdynamics.com/leadership-dynamics.asp


(Not affiliated with the websites)

Victory is patiently waiting

Day by day, efforts made to reach a goal is the only way to achieve victory. It's comforting to know that victory is just waiting for us. 

Even if a couple of bad days had pass, and a couple more. Destination will still be the same. Because everyone will get what they deserve. 

Yes, worries are inevitable. Because somethings are wanted badly and we can't wait. Trust that you'll get there is one of the few mindset that is easily overlooked. 

Reasons why you're not there yet or you won't reach your desires must always be in our minds too. Successful people know that. 

That's why most of them are risk takers. Because they know patience and acceptance. 

They know when the time is right and the alternative results of their actions. They see defeats as lessons instead of road blocks. 

If you're aspiring to be victorious, go out and win small battles everyday. Battles that you know are needed to be won before you reach the ultimate price. 

Those defeats and wins will make you ready for the big one. 

Remembering Heroes: A Tribute to The Selfless

Heroes are remembered, loved and provide a sense of comfort. 

I got your back. 

History of heroes are inspiring as they (mostly) came from zero beginnings. Nobody notice them until they have done something amazing. 

They battle their way to be victorious for the common good. Putting their personal interest at the bottom of their list. 

Sacrificing what they long for. 

In exchange to save others. 

Even for a complete stranger. 

Looking back 

Back then, heroes were celebrated after victories. They were remembered as the one who saved the day. 

Object of appreciation such as medals, clothing, even monetary equivalent were provided. 

Surprisingly, they had no expectations of such gesture. 

They simply knew the need to step up, use all their power, and make sure after every struggle there is harmony for EVERYONE. 

They just have this 'I have to do something about it' attitude. And they are really hardcore about it. 

"Hard times don't create heroes. It is during the hard times when the hero within us is revealed." - Bob Riley

How about now?

Now, during our 'civilized' age, it's uncommon to be a hero. 

You get laugh at. 

Be criticized. 

No support. 

And worst, left unappreciated. 

That's the society we live in. We don't feel any threat and we don't need anyone helping us. 

Stubborn people. 😀

Well, a few things happened that's why. The war ended about 70 years ago. Countries learned to get along. People became independent. And we got a sense of comfort knowing that being alone is better than to work with others.

We got our own backbone. 

We became our own heroes. 

Moving forward 

Hopefully, peace will be consistent. Laws are abided. And common respect will be a day to day thing. 

Heroes today live within us. Those are the 'stop' behaviors before misbehaving. 

And a sense of guilt if we can't help (or won't) others in need. 

We became self protecting that we won't be needing a hero to help us. 

We don't want to feel helpless and miserable. 

We fought little battles within that avoids bigger ones.  

Luckily, that seems to keep a harmony for now. 

Additional Reading and Resources:

New York Post: The Amazing Moment Mystery Hero Pulls Crash Victim from Canyon Wreck:

http://nypost.com/2015/04/16/mystery-man-rescues-driver-from-suv-dangling-over-canyon/

Wikipedia: Hero

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero

Throwback Thursday: Remembering ‘Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back’ 35 years later

http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/throwback-thursday-remembering-star-wars-the-empire-strikes-back-35-years-later/#/0

Artwork by Will Murai

Hero of Iroas

http://www.willmurai.com/Hero-of-Iroas

Lift The Heaviness: Personal Thoughts About Over Doing

Along the way, as we get things optimized, we are left with a lot of things in our mind. We feel a certain heaviness because of our tendency to overthink. 

Most things that we do (including thinking) must be moderate. 

Over analyze. 

Burned out. 

Over fatigue. 

Over slept. 

All that we do 'over' creates a big bowl of demand that 24 hours is not enough. 

Mortality is true and we do need to think of the past, present and future. 

Just don't overload. 

Try to notice for the sake of unloading worries. How many times have you thought about a problem (no matter how small or big)?

I bet you might have done it more than 3 times. 

And let me be silly for a second that you might have Googled the answered amd read an article or two. 

And to add up to my craziness, you might have had the answer inside all along. 

I'm one of those guys who is a professional procrastinator. 

It has roots from the environment I have grown up from, places I have been, books I have read and so on. 

Name the influence and the product is our own behavior. 

A couple of weeks ago, an elder from our family half joked someone that cooking a meal is just common sense. 

I know that he was joking but from the tone and timing, he must have conveying a deeper meaning. 

Yup, common sense these days aren't as common as it was. 

Why?

Because of all the sources of 'answers'. The fear that what we know already must be wrong. 

Our undying anxiety that we are not good enough. 

That if we can't do something or we don't know something becomes a handicap. 

I am a victim of that. 

When I'm already good enough I still worry. 

Then how the heck you lift the heaviness?

It's gonna be down to the basics. To learn the common sense is really and should be common. 

Tell yourself everyday that you're good enough!

Be the first person to love yourself. 

It has to start somewhere and that place should be inside your soul and heart. 

Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation. - unknown source. 

Additional reading and sources:

Our Daily Bread: Don't Worry!

http://odb.org/2015/04/14/dont-worry-2/

The Art of Manliness: Stop Hacking Your Life 

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2015/04/13/stop-hacking-your-life/

Artwork by violator3: An Unpleasant Sense of Heaviness

http://violator3.deviantart.com/art/AnUnpleasantSenseOfHeaviness-60483428

The flexibility of human foundation

As time goes by, most buildings will suffer wear and tear. It's a universal law and not even the strongest is exempted. 

It applies to us too. Well things like that won't cross your mind for the next 30 or 40 years from now. 

But it's not a bad thing to just have a mental note. 

When you look back to make sense of what you have become it will reveal that there are key foundations that you're not aware about.

Maybe because you just got used to it. 

It also answers the question why history is so important. 

Even if we know that in reality that we all have mortalities, it's also true that we can look back and make amends. 

Just a single seed of urge to change to avoid the same outcome will have a huge impact. 

It won't happen overnight. 

Foundations are meant to be the strongest part of a standing structure. 

Good thing for us, we can rebuild it any time. 

What you need: the battle between needs and wants

I have to admit, most of the time that I think about my future, i end up re-writing my goals. 

I want to have this...

I need to have that...

That's a better idea...

I need to stop this...

Just a few thoughts to challenge what is ahead. Well it's good to innovate ideas, but it needs to have a good reason. 

The battle between needs and wants will remain constant. You just need to choose your side. 

What is so stressing about choosing the need is that it takes too long to achieve. That's where the virtue of patience is truly tested. 

What's good about the wants is that it is easy to get. The rewarding feeling is instant. And you can easily touch and see it. 

That's the battle.