Life's Lessons

Today is a day of coincidences. I received a Facebook message from an acquaintance telling me how well she could relate to some of my blog posts and how comforting some of my musings could be at times. And then a bit later, a chat with another acquaintance touched on how life throws us curve balls every now and then, and the fact that the only way to respond is to face these challenges head on and move forward. He is quite right indeed.

I call it a coincidence as all three of us seemed to be rather philosophical today. Sometimes, these little chats come in handy. Another friend of mine would likely conclude that it is the universe sending us a little 'pick-me-up'. I tend to think so too. Perhaps we send out subliminal signals and in turn come these encounters that help us keep the faith.

We all need some reminding that come what may, life goes on. Be appreciative and grateful when good comes our way. Do good too in return. Pass it forward as they say. But when the not so great hit us, we ought to be prepared to stand our ground and work towards overcoming the challenges that we find ourselves face to face with. Doing so only makes us stronger. It helps us build self belief and augments our self esteem. And then we'll be ready to live life to the fullest, without any regrets.

Photo of desserts at Evason Hua Hin in Thailand.

Gratitude

I was having tea with a friend today, my financial planner to be exact. We always have lots to talk about. Funds for the future. Enjoying life in the present. And reminding ourselves to be grateful for what we have in hand.

Being grateful for all the good things in our lives, appreciating what life has to offer, putting into practice the law of attraction indeed. Good attracts more good. Better experiences. More exciting travels. Greater fortune. Much more joy, happiness and love. Better health. Fulfillment of aspirations. Putting ourselves in a positive frame of mind, ready to attract and accept more good in our lives.

Having said that, we are human after all, and sometimes we go off tangent. Impatience. Having a short temper. Anger. Dwelling on bad experiences of the past. I am certainly guilty of all these. The important thing is to recognise these shortcomings and then keeping them at bay. So here I am once again, telling myself to be a better version of the old me, an enhanced, improved version. Aye to that!

Alfresco dining at Evason Hua Hin in Thailand.

Nothing Good Comes Easy

Sometimes we encounter perplexing situations which seem difficult to comprehend. A friend recently posted on her Facebook profile 'Why ah? I wonder what happened?' and we ended up commenting on how difficult it can be to understand a sudden change of events that we didn't see coming. Human nature will have us try to rationalise the situation but sometimes it is best to just let it go and move on.

I was also having a conversation with an uncle of mine, well an uncle by rank, but more of a contemporary in age, a while ago. Our chat led to a discussion on how we ought to look for a silver lining in every lousy circumstance that we find ourselves in. 'Everything happens for a reason', he said, 'we just need to find the reason'. What I took away from this conversation is that we must keep the faith, no matter how jaded we may be.

Whenever I myself am in a state of confusion, my friends will always tell me to forget about it, move on. Better things are to come. But I am stubborn. I always want to get to the root of the problem, the ripple that led to my being dumbfounded. I also don't give up easily. I am often of the belief that bad situations can be remedied if we try hard enough, and that nothing good comes easy. Only after doing my best but to no avail will I concede defeat. And when I find myself resigning to the fact that even my best was not enough, only then will I entertain the idea of throwing in the towel. And then my uncle's words will ring true, everything happens for a reason, and a silver lining I shall look out for in time to come.

Beautiful setting at Evason Hua Hin in Thailand.

Initiative

Initiative is something that I have become accustomed to. I take the initiative, whether for work or if it revolves around my personal life.

The good thing about taking the initiative is that one is in control to a certain extent. I know what I want to achieve and I go for it. Fair and good when one is in full control, where the resultant outcome of one's actions solely depends on the latter. It becomes a bit more tricky when there are other individuals involved, be it co-workers, friends, family members, a loved one, whose actions, inaction or lackadaisical response contribute partly to the outcome. As some of my friends would say, here is where one has to be patient. There are some areas of life that are beyond one's control. It's best to do what is necessary, to the best of one's ability, and then leave the rest to unfold, whether favourably or otherwise.

Patience has never been one of my better virtues. And being somewhat of a control-freak at times, alright I concede, most of the time, makes me easily frustrated when desired outcomes take too long to manifest. This is one aspect of my life that is a constant struggle, and one that needs constant improvement. I understand it rationally, but putting the good into practice can be difficult emotionally. Fortunately, I have good friends who know me well. I accept it graciously when they tell me off, when they give me a lecture when I exhibit signs of being unreasonable or insecure, when I gripe one too many a time. I appreciate their concern, their words of advice, their kind intentions. I listen and I try to improve. And occasionally, I succeed in feeling better and more upbeat. The challenge now really, is to get from occasionally to often.

Relaxing by the pool at Evason Hua Hin in Thailand.

Hua Hin

I've just spent a couple of wonderful days at Evason Hua Hin. Approx-imately three hours by car from Suvarna-bhumi Airport in Bangkok, half an hour from Hua Hin town centre per se, the resort is relatively private and a great place to chill and relax.

Days spent lazing by the pool, soaking up the sun, an ice cold drink or ice cream every now and then whilst on a sun-lounger, a state of bliss really. Quiet dinners with good company, the soothing sound of the waves, the hush of the sea breeze, what more could one ask for.

It is during such times that I take time to reflect on how fortunate I am. Fortunate to have the opportunity to travel, fortunate to have the chance of a stay at Evason Hua Hin, fortunate to have good weather, fortunate to indulge in delicious meals, fortunate to be in good company. Appreciation and gratitude lead to even greater experiences in the future. This I do believe.

Photo of the pool and beach at Evason Hua Hin, Thailand.