Darkness Dawns

Sun shines.
Rain drops.
Lightning strikes.
Wind blows.
Moon light.
Star twinkles.

In darkness, all eyes gaze at the moon light.
In stormy darkness in the ocean, all eyes search for the star twinkles.
In sudden lost where darkness engulfs, let our eyes gaze at the moon light.
In triple lost where darkness entraps, let our eyes search for the star twinkling light.
Gaze not at the darkness,
However dark is the darkness,
However painful brought by the darkness,
However confused caused by the darkness,
However powerful is the darkness.

What is this darkness?
Darkness just falls upon the land when the time has dawned,
Darkness does not forewarn the specific moment when it covers the land in darkness,
Darkness may give hints and signals,
but the exact moment, only darkness knows

Darkness is about setbacks,
temporary setback,
reminding oneself, this too shall pass.

Darkness is about ground zero,
this too shall pass.

Darkness is about sudden lost,
this too shall pass.

Embrace the darkness,
into the heart.

Because unless one embrace the darkness that falls upon one's life,
the shadow of that darkness shall follow.
In the opportune time, the shadow becomes stronger
because we let the darkness cast a lengthy shadow in our heart.

Embrace the darkness is about
courage - to face the brutal fact as it is,
grief - shedding tears
transit - getting out of the darkness into the light
hope - there is a way out

When?
...
Your heart will know when the light of hope will dawn.

Reflection from the life of King Saul

Dear friends, this reflection is about King Saul. His story is extracted from the Bible, 1 Samuel 9 – 15.

The prophet Samuel anointed Saul was the first king under the command of the LORD. Saul was the first king in the land of Israel. Judges or delivers ruled for a few hundred years. The last judge / deliver is the prophet Samuel. Many nations surrounding Israel have kings yet the king in Israel under the lordship of their LORD God.

Saul has no experience to rule as a king. He has no experience as a judge. He lacked expertise as a commander. He did not have the experience of hearing from the LORD God of Israel personally. But he has the prophet Samuel.

Samuel had the Word of the LORD God of Israel. He was a judge/deliverer. He subdued the Philistines. He was a prophet. He knew the Covenant of the LORD God of Israel. He was a man of experience.

Yet why Saul did not take advantage of Samuel’s treasuries as he embarked on the journey of becoming the first king of Israel? He made serious blunders. He was given a second chance but he went his own way which led to the lost of kingdom and family.

I remember my coach, John Ng, president of Eagles Leadership Institute Singapore says, “A position does not make one a leader instantly. It is the person that makes good the position.”

Let us remember a promotion is recognition of our current capability, and our new responsibilities will stretch us further. It takes humility, a tough choice to exercise humility by asking for help, especially from the peers or subordinates.  Some may it a challenge to ask the seniors of the same organization. Is there no risk of me asking the seniors or my peers after my promotion? Politics at the workplace call us to exercise wisdom and discernment on whom to ask.   

Have we looked outside of the organization?

Today world is dynamically complex; it is wise to look out for mentors, coaches who have travelled before us, especially in the journey of exercising leadership and management-ship in the corporate world. There is little room for mistake in that place.

Let us learn from king Saul.

You may gain more by seeking the wisdom of the mentors and coaches.

 

In my days, they are called elders.

 

Today, I seek out my elder mentors on life important matters: life long relationships, career choices and challenges of life. I have peer-to-peer mentors on similar matters. And my life is enriched by their insights and wisdom shared with me.

Go look out for mentors and coaches, wisely.

 

 

 

  

Stepping Out ...Facing Fear...Trusting

Few days ago, I have the privilege to do a coaching session with the youths after the completion of i-Succeed, Becoming Better Leader for Successful Future. We started with an interesting learning experiential event where all participants were blindfolded. They were given a goal. Initially, some participants stayed where they were. Some moved about wildly. Some held tightly onto someone. As time passes, they explored alternative means of communication. Slowly, one among them took the leadership, influenced all to follow his leadership and met the goal of the learning event.

Stepping out into the roller coaster world, there will be unexpected twists and turns in the dynamic world. Confusion, distortion, anxiety, doubt and fear storm against us. In the midst of such dark storms within, we need to make a choice to step out still. Yes, it is alright to stay where we are for a while as we step out. Yet we cannot stay there for too long because it is likely to cripple us.

How do we get out of it then?
Remember your life goals.
Remember your strengths.
Remember, Learned-Unlearn-Relearn is an ongoing process, almost all of the time, an essential cool spirit to stay fit in the ever changing and challenging world.
Look around us. Open wide our eyes.
Get hold of a coach or mentor that will be your light during this phase of stepping out.
Process the feelings, shape the beliefs and strengthen the skills, focus on strengths to go forthward.
"Don't give up. The beginning is always the hardest."

It is good to have someone who has gone before, to come alongside at this phase.

Stay, Shape Up, Ship Out

When someone in authority built a dungeon for you, knowing one has done the right stuff, almost all things are done right  and yielded good result, but one is placed in a dungeon because one stood firm on what is right. If you were the one, what would you do?

I guess they are 3 options available: stay down, shape up and ship out. When we mix and match these 3 options, we have more than 9 options combinations.

Is staying down means one is lacking courage?
Is shaping up, i.e. staying strong in the dungeon is a courageous act?
Is shipping out of the dungeon is a sign of bravely?

It depends where one is in the stage of life.
One who were once strong choose to stay down in the dungeon for the sake of providing for one loved ones, for a time.
One who were strong then, choose to shape up while in the dungeon, to move up and out of the dungeon in due time. Is this act ethically right? Some say yes. Some say no. Some ask, what reason to put this one in the dungeon? Is the issue lies with this one? Is the issue rests on the another one? Pause. This one chooses to shape up while in the dungeon, seize the moment of opportune time to break out of the dungeon.
One who have contributed much good, choose to ship out of the dungeon immediately. Is this one brave? Is this one wise? What reason to ship out when the one in authority places this one in the dungeon because this one did what is right, told the truth and desire the best for all.

Well, let us focus on the one.
If we have been like the one who stay down almost all the time, rethink.
If we have been like the one who ship out almost all the time, rethink.
Both options are useful.
Yet when these options are the norm for us, then there are lessons we are meant to learn but we skip the classes for now. Sooner or later, we will re-enroll on the similar lessons again in the future because we yet to cultivate the willingness to go for option 2.

In reflection, i have been using option 1 and 3 for many, many years. i was tempted, very much tempted to apply option 3 & 1. Then ... something unexpected happen and option 2 was 'forced' upon me. I went through the dark night of the soul when this choice of 2 went against my norm of 20 years. In hindsight, i was glad and i thank my Creator God for giving me grace to practice option 2. I have been running away ... but now, I find option 2 is meant to build strength of character, to forge steeliness in my heart and strengthening my resolve to stay focus on my goals. It is also breaking free of the habit of running away which is a dungeon for my life for the past 20 years, I thought I was running free...yet in true, i am running away... Now, I run to face the brutal facts and shaping up to break through the dungeon of my heart, soul, mind and strength.

Yet, it may take years for one to realize option 2 is the better option because option 1 and 3 have yielded precious lessons.

Stay down for a time.
Ship out for a time.
Shape up all the time.

Stay down, Shape Up and Ship Out is one of the keys to break free from dungeon of fear, doubt and timidity, and leaping forth towards to act on plan towards achieving the desired goals.

Get Going, Get Doing, Get Working - Key to Overcoming Uncertainty and Doubt

¹⁴ “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,^[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷ So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. - The Parable of Bags of Gold, Matthew 25:14 - 18

I am in transit. I am in the change - saying goodby to the old and embracing the new. Deep inside me, there is an upheaval, a storm is raging, Darkness dawns. Then I read Matthew 25:14 - 18 in the Good News. Suddenly, the Light dawned upon me, darkness flee as I received the key to break away from the darkness within, and walking into the Light.
What is the key from this parable?
I have read this parable many times. I taught it many times. In the midst of the stormy darkness seeking to engulf me in the slimy pit, God has opened my eyes to receive the key to unlock myself from heading towards the dungeo of darkness.

What is the key from this parable?
went at once and put his money to work and gained ...more
went at once and put his .... to work and gained ... more
went at once and put his ... to work and gained  ... more
went at once and put his ... to work and gained ... more
went at once and put his ... to work and gained ... more
went at once and put his .. to work and gained ...more.

Get up and get going and get doing, reminds of when going get tough, the tough get going.
Now, now is the time to get up and get going to do what you can do.
Yes, get up. Yes. get going. Yes, get doing. Now.
Work at it... work at it... worked at it,
and then the reward will come.
more.. more than one's imagination.

Yes, the key is get going, get doing, get working now.
Yes, get going, get doing, get working and reward shall come.
Is this the key to break through the darkness of doubt, anxiety and fear within in the midst of the unknown and uncertainty?
Yes, get going, get doing, get working.
Following "go at once, put to work and gain" belief, there is a possibility of light dawning, and brighter days ahead.
The choice is ours to decide:
servant given 5 bags of gold, and then gained 5 more
servant given 2 bags of gold, and then gained 2 more
servant give 1 bag of gold, and then he lost his gain.

Remember, whatever situation we are in, we have what it takes to overcome and brighter days ahead, because God has given bag of golds according to our ability.
Since we have the bags of gold given us, 
Get going
Get doing
Get working
Get rewarded.

In ending, I have heard two individuals telling me, "Work hard. Willing to learn. Willing to humble. Then receive the rewards."

So, i put my experience, in writing, because God has given me the talent to write. I put the writing to work, and I will gain as sharpening my skill along the way.  
 

Craby Unnatural Instinct:Conform or Transform

A young boy was walking by the beach.
From afar, he saw an old man.
As he drew near, the old man was catching crabs.
He watched him putting the crab into an open basket.
The boy did not believe what he saw with his eyes.
He cried out, "Unlce, Uncle. Crabs are going to climb out from the basket."
The old man, turned around, with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes, said, "Young boy. Do not worry, They will stay there."
"How come?" asked the boy.
"Watch the crabs."

The boy watched the crabs.
A crab was reaching the top of the basket openning.
The boy whispered in to himself, "Now, who is right?"
Suddenly, that crab was pulled down...
by another crab.
As this crab reaching the opening,
Another crab pulled him down.
Then, the boy knew what the uncle said it's true.

What can we learn from this story?
In the real world, there are "crabby" people around.
If the reader has found himself surrounded by the crabby people, this person has a choice:
to be like the crab
different from the crab, be like the old man.

In the market place, holding true to the values of integrity, honesty, mutuality and excellent may cost dearly when the crabby persons are hidden beyond our sight.
Yes, the reader wants to hold true to noble values and practices.
Yet, others may hold true to the crabby values and practices.
Who is right?
Well.
In the market place, the one has the ring of power, makes it right.
So, if the reader is beyond the ring of power,
then... what options are available?
Stay true to your noble nature,
be wise or shrewd like a serpent,
and harmless like a dove.

How to be wise?
Good question.
Go through the crabby experiences.
Reflect.
Ask questions.
Learn.
Morph to be different person along the journey.

So,
Conform...
Transform ...
You make the call.

It is Not What is Happening about You, it is What Happening within You

Have I experienced someone whom I have helped to think differently, make more gains and then cast sand into my rice bowl?
Have I experienced turning the business processes the right side up, and then being shown the exit door wide open?
Have I not thought deeply about short or long term prospect over a relationship, and gathered the courage to go for the short term pain that cost me?
Have I not made mistakes that stirred regrets and guilts within my heart?
I am a man of weakness.
I am a man of strength.
I am a man of brokenness.
I am a man of blessed brokenness.
Yes, i am a man of blessed brokenness.

Life is not fair.
What is the big deal about life is not fair?
What is the shape of the earth?
Is it a level ground all over the earth?
When we rethink, it is a fact that the earth has no level ground.
It is an illussion.
Since the earth is unlevel,
the world is never flat.
So, life is on the level ground,
it depends on:
Why we think how we think?

Why do i say blessed brokenness?
What is the other side of blessed brokenness?
Bittered brokenness, which lead us no way forward.

What is blessed brokenness?
It is about seeing one's life challenges, unfair level groud as a reminder about:

• our humanity
• our humility
• our resources
• our strength
• our passsion

In life, in early life we have been taught: We win. We lost.
Yet in life, there is only winning and learning,
when we learn, we earn,
that is blessed brokenness.

When we place our brokenness under the blessings,
we transpose the brokenness into betterment of ourselves
and turning it into one of the stones that allow us to stand higher, see futher and soar higher.

What is blessed brokenness?
In a specific condition, 4 - 1 = 5
Then you will see power of placing brokenness under the blessings.

4 - 1 = 5?

Lost Time

As we look back, there is a tendency to lament over the lost time in our lives.
Tears.
Anger.
Regret.
Guilt.

Whatever the reasons, let us choose to free our heart, soul and mind from the emotional hangups associated with 'lost time'.
Let the inspiring memories before the 'lost time' occured stay with our hearts, let them move us forward to treasure the time now and then.
We cry out, "I wish to turn back the clock."
Put it away.
Put on the cry, "I will learn to gain time."
How do gain time?
Learn about oursevles from the past 'lost time', asking:
What did I do well?
What I can do better?
What lessons did i learn?

When we learn to do better, we will gain time, and the time gained will wash away the pain of lost time.

Because we learn to treasure time,
we treasure life,
we treasure our loved ones,
and we make time for them,
then we have joyful memories of the 'gain time', which slowly erodes the pain, the regret, the guilt of the 'lost time'.
There are 'lost time' that will stay with us, yet let us transform the pain of such times for the good of those you love,
and those loving you.
They are here now.
The lost time is in the past.
You are here now.
Why on earth you are living in the 'lost time'?
Live in the present, now.
We can make a change now, for tomorrow.
So, go forth to gain time,
and make time for those you love,
for they love you too.
Now.
Today.
This moment.
Present.

Feelings. Choices. Mindset. Action.

Today.
Yes, today.
Tears, like the broken dam
gushing forth.
Pain cut through my soul,
as i pull the fiery darts out of my heart,
as if my heart is going to bleed unceasingly,
as if my heart is going to be weakened,
as if my heart is losing its life...
i thought so.
Yet when each dart is pulled off of my heart,
my heart felt relief,
the very place is healed, and restored.
And then, i pulled out another dart,
the same happens...
In hindsight,
i have believed in a lie,
the lie of darkness,
that kept me in the darkness,
for so many years,
many, many years.

Today, as the darts are pulled out,
i gain strength,
to move on ahead,
to a new venture,
new beginning,
new dawning,
to create a beautiful life for the days ahead.

Readers,
when we walk through the shadows,
some may experience what i have gone through.
I encourage:
Do not fear.
Do not lose heart.
Keep going.
Hope arises.
And the light will dawn,
yes,
morning light will dawn upon your heart,
soul,
mind and strength
and you know
Yes, you know,
you have what it takes within you to go on,
go forward,
go forth,
into the Light.

Face the Shadows

Face the shadows,
Call them by their names,
Walk through them,
Yes,
Walk through them,
Keeping your eyes focus on the light,
the little light
however dim it is
It is the Light that will shine brighther
when we focus on that light.
Let the voices of the darkness pass away,
Attend to the Voice that calling your forth into the Light,
Yes, the Voice calls for you,
Yes, you can hear,
when you listen with your heart,
though it seems too far away,
yet the Voice is always near your heart,
it is we who are too far away from that Voice of Light
Stay focus on the Light

Yes, face the shadows,
walk through the fears,
Yes, take the bull by its horn
Yet, let the light within shines
as you believe
as hope rising
and you will see the dawn of light
in the days ahead.

You ask, "When?"
You know it when the Light has dawned upon you.
Face the shadows,
run towards it
lift up your sword of truth,
pierce the darkness
with the Light of life,
and you will never be the same again.

Morph Pain to Purpose

Shadows envelop us in  fear,
Shadows pierce our hearts,
Shadows drain our strength,
Shadows fill our soul with doubts,
Shadows imprison us.

Who is the prisoner?
It is I.

Who is the prison guard?
Is it the shadow?
Is that a yes?

Nay.
I.
Yes, it is I.
I allow the shadows to imprison I in the prison cell.

Walking through the shadows,
It is too painful, you don't understand.
Yes, i admit, i don't understand the pain you felt.
By the way, do you understand the pain in my heart.
Pain is too personal.
And my words fail to reach you from the outside.

Yet, look at ourselves today, TODAY.
Are we living out the future in the present NOW?
Are we living in the past shadows everyday, TODAY?
And we wonder what is the life purpose about.
And we wander...
Why do we wander?
Why do we wonder?
We are in the shadows of the darkness.

Why lived out the shadows of the past today, everyday?

Shadows

As we walk towards the light, letting the light within us glow stronger each moment,
the shadows come upon us stronger,
wanting us to believe the darkness can overwhelm the dim light within us.

Circumstances seem to turn against us.
We seem to encounter difficult people around us.
Voices of doubt and timidity assails our hearts.
Our hearts seem to be sank by the arrows
of disaapointment,
misunderstanding,
dashed hope,
broken promises,
and left alone.

Our strength weakens,
our will waver,
our resolve is shaken,
 our arms grow feeble,
our knees give way,
our spirit diminishes...

What I am suppose to do next?
Endure...
Persist...
Keep on moving forward...

"I can't" whisper the little voice that sounds so real.

Yes, you can.
You can.
You have too.

It is your life that matters.
Once your light shines through the darkness,
and the light dawns,
and your heart is filled with light,
your heart is filled with hope
and you impart hope to those around you
and you will light up many lives along the journey of life.

You got to believe in yourself that you can...
You have too
and you want too

Out of the Shadows into the Light

Shadows...
Shadow of the past regrets
Shadow of "If..."
Shadow of gossips and rumours
Shadow of betrayals
Shadow of guilt
Shadow of broken promises
Shadow of shattered dreams
Shadow of doubts and fears
Shadow of loneliness
Shadow of rejection

Two options:

Stay under the shadow of darkness

Soar towards the great shadows, reaching for the Sun beyond the shadows

What's on the mind?
The shadows are too powerful for me to breakthrough

I guess you may need to refocus.

I love walking in the greens.
On an early morning, i was walking on the well troden track in the green.
Darkness surrounds.
So i decided to look straight ahead rather than looking down for the right spot for my feet to land safely... yet uncertainty gripped my heart. "What if..."

Suddenly, i decided to look further ahead.
Morning light was dawning
Then i stayed my eyes on that light ahead
Amazingly, i found myself walking steadier
My feet landed on sure ground in the midst of the uneven ground, roots and branches
And I walked straight ahead
And reached the destination,
Walked up the watch tower,
and soaked in the lightness of the morning sun

When we walking through the shadows,
our eyes focus on the light ahead.
This is the beginning of the breakthrough.

The queston:
What do you see first in the core of your mind when walking through the shadows?

Does Our Life Have a Limited or Unlimited Horizon of Success and Possibility?

"Researchers in the neurophysiology of the brain are beginning to give us some profound insights into our real potentiality. Using conservative estimates, researchers have projected that there are 100 trillion neuron junctions in the human brain. That means that our possible mental sates are more than the total number of atoms in the universe. Think about that... our brain potentially an find more possibilities that there are atoms in the universe. Is it possible for us to comprehend infinity? Maybe. Is our field of possibilities vastly larger than we think? Definitely.

Excerpt from: Kevin Cashman, Leadership From the Inside Out,  167

Yes, our life have a unlimited horizon, i wish to add: within reason.

How come?

Imagine the rabbit and the segull  on a running competition. If the rabbit stays focus and keep on walking with leisure, the rabbit will win the race on the ... earth.

Imagine, when the compettiion is on water, who will win the race?

Do you know who you are?

If the seagull knew who he was, he will gain higher degree of self-awareness, "I am meant for the sea. What reason to compete with a rabbit who is a fast runner on the earth? Each has its own gift and talent, i will focus on what i am meant to do and do it best. I knew my place."

Do you know your playing field?

Mind in the World, World in the Mind...Balancing Art

Mind is the world, expanding horizon.
World in the mind, expanding creativity.
Balancing the two calls for humility, honesty and harnessing these two paradigms to move on ahead.

Humility because there are new horizons yet to be discovered, i.e. there's more ahead.
Honesty because what i have known is like a little drop of water in the vast ocean, yet I admit what I know is a bit of the byte in the days ahead.
Harnessing both will develop within gratefulness within us.
Gratefulness conditions our hearts towards openness to receive and to give.

And humility wins a helping hand.
Gratefulness wins friends.

The World Contains the Mind

Yesterday, we consider the mind contains the world.
Now, let us think about "the world contains the mind".
What does this statement mean?

Look up and we see the sky.
Beyond the sky is the Ozone layer.
Beyond the ozone layer is the universe.
Universe beyond universe and beyond universe ...

What does this mean to me personally?

We may have heard the saying, "The sky is the limit."
When we perceive the sky is the ceiling of the world, then how does this paradigm impact the way we forge ahead through the challenges of life?

When we perceive the ozone layer is all that is to the world, though we have an expanded horizon, yet how does this impact us again when we meet with greater challenges in the pursuit of our dreams? Some may exclaims: If we break through the ozone layer, we vanish.

When we see the world contains universe, universe and universe, then what does this mean to us in facing the brutal facts of reality about us, about others and about the world around us?

I hear you say, "Now i see."

Yes.

Possibilities.

My Mind Contains the World

What does "My mind contains the world"?
There are many possibilities.

My mind is creative.
My mind is colorful.
My mind possesses the solutions.
My mind is a mystery, yet to be unfolded in its fullness.
My mind is a many beautiful things.
And I believe in possibilities.

Or

My mind sets the boundary of the world.
My mind is like the frog looking at the sky in the well.
My mind is closed to thinking about possibilities.

Everyone desires to change for the better, taking a leap into the light.
Yet, the greatest leap is: What is in the wall of self-limiting beliefts to be demolished?
Ready to cross-over?

Leap into the Darkness yet the Light is Breaking Forth

One reason resisting to embrace the brutal fact about ourselves is: we are immobilized by the fear of darkness engulfing us.
Let us pause and ponder: Why is it we are fearful of the darkness engulfing us?
Read slowly: The darkness is most fearful when we are aware of its presence and power over our lives. And it knows its power over us is passing away.
Awareness is powerful before change.
The fact that we recognize the power of darkness means the Light has broken forth within us, broken forth the darkness, and the darkness is overcome by the Light.
Therefore, the darkness does all it can to make us believe that it is powerful to control us, making us fearful to leap into the darkness where light await.
This is a lie of the darkness.
As you allow the Light to shine brigher each moment, which require persistence, persistence, and persistence, you will experience the Light giving you greater light increasingly, a little here, a little there.
Why persistence? We have been in the darkness for far too long. And it takes persistence to like the little light within burn brighter each moment of life.
Remember: keep the light burning... it does not matter where it is a little flame.
The day will dawn where the little spark will set you ablaze in the Light.
When you take the leap into the darkness, you are amaze to discover one thing:
You are taking a leap beyond the darkness into the Light.

Cross Over

Working out one's dream requires a cross over within our inner world. There are derailing beliefs that we don't know about them yet we can choose to know them by the fruits of our lives. Choosing requires courage to face the brutal fact: I am responsible for where i am today. I am responsbible for my character today.
Have I discounted the external stimuli upon us every single day?
Our external environment is beyond.
There is one thing that is within our reach.
Choice.
What is responsibility?
It is the ability to respond.
You and I have the ability to respond to the external challenges when we are willing to reinvent our inner world of thoughts, feelings and choices.
In other ords, we got to have the courage or boldness to face ourselves: the good, the bad and the ughly.
My student Sam said, "If a person gives an excuse, it is a cover up which results in nothing coming forth for him." 
Making dreams a possibility requires cross over in us: Face our self, the good, the bad and the ugly. No excuses. No blaming. No justification.
Say: I am responsible for my choices. Period.
Are you ready to cross over?