Dreaming Is The Beginning Of Your Success

No matter what you read and who you speak to about how to succeed, they've all advised me that having a vision or a dream is always the starting point that we need to have in order to achieve our goals.

According to experts, our mind is extremely powerful and the way it works is by being told often enough about something until the idea is manifested subconsciously, which will then order all parts of your body to act towards the goals you want to achieve.

So... if we tell ourselves negative ideas or thoughts often enough, our brain will tell our body to generate negative energy to act towards those negative thoughts, hence negative results.

On the contrary, if we tell our brain what we want rather than what we don't want, i.e. good and positive things all the time, our brain will order our body to generate positive energy to act towards those beautiful things that you want.

My suggestion is, rather than sitting there and under minding this idea, why don't you try doing it, start doing it with little things and prove it yourself. The key to it is by believing in what you are thinking and saying. Start with a little or simple thing like wanting to get a car park at a certain spot, test it and see if you achieve it. If not, usually because you are not believing in what you are asking for.

Basically, get in a habit to think positively and to believe that only good things would happen to you, while at the same time, stay faithful about the reality of life, so when things don't turn out as you expect it, you know that it's nothing bad, it's just part of life. That way you will always be happy with whatever you get but you will also keep attracting good things in your life, so you won't even notice when things don't go quite the way you want it because nothing will bother you.

Accept the things you cannot change, have the courage to change the things you can and have the wisdom to tell the difference.

Most of all, embrace good things and show gratitude for this beautiful life.

Take care and smile....:)

Thought Of The Day - 4

Character is what you really are; Reputation is what others think you are. Reputation is from others; Character is in you.
Anonymous.

Thought Of The Day - 3

It's not the amount of time you devote, but what you devote to the time that counts.
Anonymous.

Thought Of The Day - 2

If you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all.

Thought Of The Day - 1

PREDICT another good day for yourself. Expect something great to happen.
Anonymous.

Being Grateful For Simple Things In Life

Have you come across people who complain a lot, even if they were actually luckier than those people who are more disadvantaged with poverty, permanent illnesses, disabilities, natural disasters, wars, lack of natural resources and lack of development?

I feel sorry for those people. Can you imagine feeling miserable and frustrated just because the weather is a little warmer or cooler than how you wanted it to be? or just because you have to go to work every day to earn a living? or just because your computer is responding a little slower? or just because your dinner is a little cold or burnt?

Some people out there can't even get clean water to drink without boiling it or lucky enough to get one meal of a small bowl of rice porridge in a day. They don't have hot or cold water on tap, they don't have a job to go to knowing that they will get paid to pay for rent, bills and food.

So..... remember to be grateful for what you have, even the simple things in life such as the sun shine, water, clean air and life itself.

Be thankful and smile..:)

Great Minds Talk About Ideas

I read a quote in a magazine saying "great minds talk about ideas, average minds talk about events and small minds talk about people." I smiled when I read this quote, as I have come across many people in my life time who love talking about people or events. Does that mean that they are more people around us with average and small minds? who knows? but we can do something to train our minds in becoming better or greater.

So, next time you have a chat with someone, think about what you talk about. If you find yourself gossiping about other people, bite your lips or your tongue and change the subject. Talking about events would be better and talking about plans and ideas is even better.

Talking about ideas is certainly much more useful then gossiping about people. Ideas help all of us gaining better results but gossiping causes a lot of harm.

Think before you talk and come up with some great ideas. Better again if you can share your great ideas with others.

Positive Minds

I don't know about you? but I do find myself becoming more positive and content as I am growing older. The down side I am finding is feeling frustrated being around negative, pessimistic and miserable people, so my next goal is actually accepting or ignoring those who choose to be negative, pessimistic or miserable unless I can help them to become more positive, optimistic and happy.

I do find some people are so set in their ways to be extremely negative, pessimistic and miserable all the time, even when things are good, they tend to manage to find ways to turn things into the negative side. These people are almost hungry for bad news or negativity. They don't seem to believe that things can be good for them. They almost search for negative things to talk or think about. It's bizarre that they can be like that. I just don't understand at all.

I often feel sad for those people, the only trouble is, I don't think they feel sad at all, they actually seem to be happy being negative and happy to bring other people down with them. One says: "misery loves company."

I actually know people whom I avoid to see too often. This is simply because I am not prepared to feel miserable with them. The reason being, no matter how hard I try to help them becoming more positive, I usually struggle and we always end up having disagreement rather than positive outcome, this is because they stubbornly refuse to see or accept my positive view points, sad... hey..!

It's sad that negativity seems to spread more easily than positivity. Negativity is like a contagious disease and when it becomes a culture it's way too hard to break. This is why I love to talk, write and publish positivity, so I can stay positive and hopefully bring others into my positive world. I hope you agree with me and enjoy reading this blog.

So... how can we stay positive? Here are some tips:

• There are always two sides to every story, the bright side and the dark side or the positive side and the negative side. Find the bright side and keep that thought in your mind for as long as you can. Get in a habit of seeing the bright side of everything and keep doing it, no matter what. Listen to your positive mind and ignore external negative influences.

• Read, watch or talk about comedic (funny) things or events and enjoy it. Even when they are not supposed to be that funny, try to find the funny side of things and laugh or smile.
  

• Make time to relax and spend quality time with family and friends or by yourself if that's preferred. You can spend time with family and friends over meals, coffee and cake, a glass of wine ("I mean a glass") or doing activities together such as walking, cycling, skating, swimming, playing team sports, cooking, gardening, anything that you can enjoy. Do this regularly, weekly or fortnightly.
  

• Have fun with whatever you do, including work and chores. Think of them as just things to do, rather than chores or duties. Living human being do things, only dead people do nothing, so be thankful and grateful that you have the energy, the capacity and the capability to do things. Show gratitude and don't complain about doing things in life, you could have been ill, disabled or even dead.

• Don't think too much about what you have to do, just do them.
  

• Have faith in whatever you believe in and accept things you cannot change.
  

• Dream...! and then keep making affirmation of your dream everyday. Imagine that you are already living your dream. Convince yourself that you will become what you want to be or achieve what you want to achieve. I don't mean dreaming yourself silly and not willing to take action on the work to take you to your destination. I mean dream consciously, repeatedly and frequently, so you will manifest your dream into your subconscious mind. You and your dream will automatically generate powerful or magnetic energy to attract each other until you turn your dream into reality. This will certainly keep you positive and make you happy, don't you think?

Stay positive, stay safe and enjoy life..!!!

Being Happy At Work

Whether you work as employees, employers, business owners, investors or freelance artists, we still spend a lot of our time at work if not most of our time. So if we are not happy at work there is not much time left for happiness, right?

So what do we need to do to be happy at work?

1. Put a price tag on everything you do at work, just remember that you do get paid to do what you have to do at work and most importantly you want or need that money, so there is no point complaining, you get paid to do your work.
   
2. Always find the positive side of what you do. Most jobs involve doing something for other people. Instead of seeing it as a chore, think of it as helping others, whatever that makes you feel better. At the end of the day, you decided to work where you work, no one forced you to work where you work. You probably put a lot of effort to get that job, so respect your employers and your colleagues, do the right thing and put commitment in what you do at work.
   
3. If you cannot enjoy your job at all, don't just complain and drag everyone around you down, find out why and make a decision to take action to change jobs or leave, don't waste everyone's time, it's not cool and it's unfair on others.

Life is too short and your workplace is where you spend a third of your time. So, enjoy your job and be happy at work.

Respect others around you by being committed to what you do where ever you are.

Best Regards,
Tenny

Kidney Bean and Carrot Soup

This is another popular West Javanese dish that my family likes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of kidney beans
• 2 large carrots - slice thinly
• 2 cloves of garlic - crush - this is optional
  
• 4 shallots (Asian Onions) - slice thinly - these days, they can be purchased at a normal Supermarket. If not found, they be purchased at an Asian Grocery Store
  
• 2 stalks of spring onions - cut at 1 inch length
  
• 1 large fresh tomato - chopped into small pieces
  
• 4 Dry Asian bay leaves - can be purchased at an Asian Grocery Store
  
• 2 pieces of dry or fresh galangal root (look like ginger but harder, larger and smell different) - can be purchased at an Asian Grocery Store
• 2 table spoons of shaved Asian palm sugar
• 2 tea spoons of sea salt
• 1 tea spoon of white or black pepper
  
• 1/2 tea spoon of pured tamarind - you can purchase this at a normal Supermarket. If not found, it can be purchased from an Asian Grocery Store but often sold in slabs rather then pured in jars
• 1.5 l of boiling water
  
• 1 table spoon of cooking oil
  

Method:

• Saute sliced shallots and crushed garlic in oil until soft and sightly brown
  
• Add sliced carrots, kidney beans and boiling water
• Add chopped spring onions and tomatoes, then all the herb and spices listed above
• Boil until all ingredients and spices blend into a tasty soup

* Serve with hot jasmine rice, crispy split anchovies, plain omelet, salt and pepper tofu and Tempe and Asian crackers*

Enjoy..!

Semur Daging (Beef in Soy)

This dish is a favourite West Javanese dish that became popular in my Western mix family, as it is tasty but still mild (not spicy)

Ingredients:

• 1 kg bolar roast beef - cut in 3cm cubes
  
• 10 cocktail potatoes - wash
  
• 2 large carrots - peel and cut in 3cm length
  
• 1 large onion - chop in small cubes
  
• 3 cloves of garlic - crush
  
• 3 cm ginger root - peel and slice thinly
  
• 2 large fresh tomatoes or 1 can of sliced tomatoes - if fresh, chopped in small pieces
  
• 1/4 cup of sweet soy sauce (ABC kecap manis)
• 1 tea spoon ground black pepper or less if preferred
  
• 1/2 tea spoon of salt or less if preferred
  
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 1 - 2 table spoon vegetable cooking oil
  

Method:

• Saute sliced onion, crushed garlic and sliced ginger until soft and slightly brown in a large sauce pan
  
• Add beef and stir until the outside is slightly brown
• Add potatoes, chopped carrots, chopped tomatoes, soy, salt & pepper, nutmeg
  
• Stir and bring to the boil
• Turn heat down, put the lid on and simmer until everything is well cooked and soft

Serve with hot cooked jasmine rice, cucumber and Indonesian crackers or prawn crackers.

Enjoy...!

Easter Holiday

Hi Everyone,

First of all, I wish to say "Happy Easter" and may God bless you all.

It's been one of the most beautiful Easter Holiday for my family. We are spending such beautiful quality time together without having to rush around much at all.

Today is the third day of the 4 day weekend and it has been one of the most peaceful break for me.

Walking to the beach near our home with my husband each morning has been the highlight of my holiday. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, just the right temperature for me, reaching the maximum of 27*c. The sea water has been extremely calm and clear with just a few people fishing on the jetty, as most people would have gone away this weekend. Many would have probably gone up to the Flinders Ranges where my husband and I love to go as well, but we usually avoid going during the busy season like this weekend.

Spending quality time with our eldest daughter has been the best experience as well, as she has lived such a busy life all her life normally. Our younger daughter is still very busy with her music study and activities in another state at the moment.

Oh... I am just feeling so... happy about my life right now and have been most of my life. Despite many negative external influences, I am still feeling good about my life. Instead of allowing negativities letting me down, I prefer to use my energy to do constructive activities such as helping those in needs.

Anyway, I have to chat to my daughter on the skype now.

Will write to you again later.

Childhood Dreams

Famous Quotes:
Victor Hugo: "There is nothing like a dream to create the future."

Do you remember those days when your dad, your mum or your teacher asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up? or when you said it to yourself what you wanted to be?

Growing up with 10 siblings and having parents who were so... proud of their children, I grew up with my dad asking us frequently what we wanted to be when we grew up.

The funny thing is, in my case, I can't remember what I used to say I wanted to be exactly. I think I used to just come up with anything fancy like becoming a doctor or a lawyer or something just to please my dad. My dad used to help me out in making my decision about what I should be or what I wanted to be. He used to say that I would be a good lawyer, ha...ha..., although I was clear in saying that I didn't want to be a teacher, as I used to get very frustrated teaching or helping my younger siblings doing their homework.

I was the most impatient person around when it comes to teaching. The funny thing was though, I got a scholarship after high school to study to become a teacher at the University of Education where people study to become teachers. I didn't take the offer of course, as I didn't even apply for it, my teacher who was very proud of me applied for it on my behalf and he did it as a surprise for me, not knowing that teaching was the last thing I wanted to do.

About my childhood dream, I am sure I used to just say to my dad that I just wanted to become somebody useful and helpful or a wholesome person. That probably explains it, because all my life I've loved learning about everything and I've loved just putting so much effort in being productive and being self sufficient while helping others whenever I can. I think and plan ahead about what to do next all the time.

I used to be one of these kids who was very serious and studied a lot. I used to do so much school work, music practice and doing extra curricular everyday, even my mum used to try to stop me studying too much, as she thought that it was unhealthy for me to study as much as I did without playing enough like other kids. What she didn't realise was that studying and doing things or making things were my enjoyment rather than chores.

I am one of those people called "jack of all trades, master of none." Instead of being a master or a doctorate of a particular subject matter, I've obtained about a dozen different Certificates and Diplomas in different subjects such as Secretarial, Foreign Language, Computing, Accounting, Marketing, Training and Workplace Assessment, Counseling, Government (Compliance and Fraud Investigation), Government (Management) and Coaching. I have also attended many independent seminars and read best sellers books related to business practice and personal development.

After learning and working most of my life time so far, a few years ago, I've only just discovered and confirmed exactly what I wanted to be, which is consistent with what I used to say to my dad and with what I've been learning and experiencing through out my life.

My study and my jobs have always been related to helping people and working with people. I've also received many feedback from others that my forte is motivating and coaching people. Without knowing exactly or specifically what I wanted to be then as a child, I must have known exactly what I wanted to be, as everything I have studied and done are the subject matters that were evolving to who I am today. This is the reason why I love my current job as a Team Manager to a group of people who provide service to the public. I also love writing articles that are positive and beneficial to the readers. Thanks to "Google" for providing me with a magnificent tool to share my positive thoughts with you. I hope you enjoy reading them too.

So... enough about my story, how about you? Do you remember those days as a kid when you were asked or when you thought it yourself what you wanted to be when you grew up?

• Do you remember what you said or thought you wanted to be?
  
• Did you have anything specific what you wanted to be?
  
• Have you thought about that childhood dream regularly?
  
• Have you been doing the things to take you to that childhood dream?
  
• Have your parents or other adults around you helped or supported you in achieving your dream?
  
• Have you broken down your goals into smaller ones?
  
• Have you achieved any of your smaller goals or are you on the path to get there?
• How close are you to achieving that childhood dream?
  
• Do you think it is achievable?
  
• What are the barriers that stop you getting there?
  
• What options do you have to get you there?
  
• What assistance do you need to get you there?
• How can you identify your potential?
• How can you take action?
  

I hope you got your answers to all of those questions above. I hope this article helps you to think and to identify your childhood dream and I hope this motivates you to start planning more structurally and to take action.

If you need assistance you can comment on this blog and I will contact you.

Keep dreaming and create your own future..!

Best Wishes,
Tenny

Family Favourite Winter Dish - Chicken and Vegetables Soup

Hi All,

Summer is almost over in Australia and Autumn is coming. We are starting to have cool nights and healthy hot soup is always popular in our family.

As my children were growing up, they used to love my home made chicken and vegetable soup and they still love it now. My husband loves it too. So here is the recipe. Enjoy..!

Ingredients:

• 1 - 2 large chicken breast
• 1 large brown onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 medium potatoes
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 large stick of celery
• 2 medium florets of cauliflower
• 1 cup of chopped green beans
• 1 can of creamed sweet corn
• 1 can of 3 or 5 mix beans
• 1 fresh tomato
• 1/2 cup of chopped spring onions
• Salt and pepper to taste
• vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 l of boiling water
  

Method:

• Chop chicken breast and vegetables into 1 cm cubes and crush garlic.
• Saute chopped brown onions and crush garlic, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, stir until soft.
• Add chopped chicken breast and cook until brown.
• Add chopped vegetables and cook in about 2 cups of boiling water until slightly soft.
• Add canned beans, sweet corn, chopped tomato, chicken stock and more salt and pepper to taste, cook until all vegetables are well cooked.
• Add chopped spring onions, put the lid on.
• Serve with croutons or toast.

If you wish, you can use broccoli, sweet potatoes or any other vegetables you like.

Try to make this soup this autumn and winter and see if your family likes it.
Enjoy..!

What a magnificent picture..!!!

Happiness is within YOU..! You'll find it..!

The word "happy" is used by most people or almost everyone. We all like the word "happy" and we all want to be happy.

The feeling of happiness is relative and everyone has different perception, ideas, measures or reasons what make them happy.

I've met a lot of people who owns an enormous amount of material possession but don't seem to be satisfied, content, calm, peaceful or happy, while on the other hand, there are people who owns next to nothing other than their basic necessities such as a little bamboo hut, a few clothes and being able to eat each day, yet they seem to be happier. So material possession doesn't always make people happier.

Is it because some people don't know any better and never owned much than their basic needs, so they appreciate the basic things? OR is it because they are actually more educated and more grateful for what they possess? What do you think?

I think TRUE HAPPINESS comes from the possession of inner maturity, acceptance and gratitude.

These three things cannot be achieved lightly. One would need to be highly mature and educated in one way or another to possess these behavioural values. They may not necessarily have to be academically educated with universal formal qualifications such as a master or doctorate of a particular subject, however, they would most likely have to be focused and keen to educate themselves in becoming a better person in carrying out their day to day life activities.

I feel that having high interest and taking action in self development would be one of those education that allows people to grow, becoming more mature, accepting and grateful.

Many people develop themselves through formal education, religious activities, cultural activities, or simply learning from their day to day basic activities. The most important thing is learning from what we do, see, hear and encounter, particularly from our mistakes.

People who have fear of making mistakes don't usually do much in their lives and they don't learn much either. They often become the narrow minded types who judge or blame others a lot rather than utilising their energy to learn from others, do positive things and become a better person each day.

So... enjoy life, smile, be proactive to do positive things, learn from others and simply explore everything all the time. Most of all enjoy what you do and stay safe.

While it is always wise and important to think and calculate before you act, get motivated to educate yourselves to become the expert of something and to become a better person, try new and different things, take a bit of risk but be prepared to accept the consequences and don't hesitate to live your life to your full potential.

We only live once and life is not a dress rehearsal, while it is important to be mindful, careful and calculated, do what you love doing and don't forget to smile.............!!!

Famous Quotes:
Robert F Kennedy: "Only those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly."
Publilius Syrus: "No man knows what he can do till he tries."

Take Care,
xx

Public Holiday is a Relaxing Day for me......

I normally work five days a week, so the first thing I normally do each morning is getting ready for work and when I get to work, I work and work and work, which what I like doing.

I've been working in an office environment for about 30 years with a couple of years break when I had my first daughter who is now 24 years old.

I had a choice to be a stay at home mum when we started a family 25 years ago but I couldn't cope with a thought of not having a job or something that fully belongs to me, giving me assurance and confidence about myself. Doing what I love doing and what I am good at is like my identity for me. That's why I've always been working, and the extra money has certainly given my family a much better life style and education, so having full time and permanent job has been the best thing for me.

Despite the fact that I love working and I am so... used to working, I really cherish public holidays and today is one of those public holidays that I really enjoy because it's an Easter Holiday when most people around are happy and peaceful.

When I woke up this morning, the first thing I noticed was the calm and bright day. It was so... quiet and peaceful, so I asked my husband if he would like to go for a walk on the beach which is five minutes walk from our home.

Oh..... you wouldn't believe... how beautiful it was by the sea..! The water was so... calm and blue. It was low tied and the water was so... clear, you could see everything in the shallow sea water. We could see the star fish on the reef and there were a lot of fish in the water this morning.

Another good thing about today was, when we got home from our beautiful walk, my daughter made us the best cooked breakfast. We had croisant, egg, tomato, mushroom and baked beans. It was the best cooked breakfast I've even had because my own daughter made it for me and she cooked and served it with love and flair. What more would a mother want?

The calmness was so... shooting and relaxing, just unbelievably blessing..!

So... during this holiday, if you have opportunities to do something peaceful, calming and relaxing, don't miss out, enjoy the break from the busy working days.

Make sure you stay safe too......!

If you know that alcohol affects your well being and behaviour, stay away from it! it's not worth the risk for yourself and/or others around you. Try to enjoy your break without too much alcohol. The weather is magnificent so far, so enjoy the sun shine.

xx

Another Beautiful Day..!

We had another beautiful weather in Adelaide today. I went for a walk in the sun with my friend at lunch time and it was great.

Whenever you have a chance to go for a walk, make sure you do it, it's a very healthy activity, you can think and talk effectively while you walk in the fresh air. Walking is one of the cheapest and best exercise you can find, just make sure you don't block your hearing with loud music if you walk near traffic, it's dangerous if you can't hear the traffic.

I live near the beach and feel blessed to be able to walk on the beach when I can, usually in the afternoon or evening after work, as I don't have time to go in the morning. I walk in the morning on the weekend with my husband and we both love spending quality time this way. We can talk pleasantly and get healthy exercise.

We both love working and feel blessed to have jobs, so don't complain about having to be at work everyday. It's just part of our life and we've had a great life so far. We've been able to buy a family home, sending our children for good education and go on holidays every year, sometimes two or three times a year, so having to go to work is not a problem for us. We love our lives and we wouldn't do it any other way.

We also love our children and we would do anything for them.

Good night for now.
xx

Staying Positive and Motivated

Following the daily news is a good thing, so we know what's going on around us, nationally and globally. Just be careful what you take in from the news. Especially when you keep hearing too many bad news day in day out. That's dangerous for your own well being.

While it is a good idea to know what's happening and it is not a bad thing to feel empathetic and sympathetic towards others, try not to treat those bad news as if they are part of your life. If you want to make a difference, do something constructive such as giving to charity, helping voluntarily or simply cheer people up.

No good being negative, feeling miserable and dragging yourself or others around you down. Life is too short and it is not a dress rehearsal. Be positive and do good things for yourself and others around you.

First of all smile, enjoy the sun shine and say something nice to someone every day.

Things happen, life is unpredictable and illnesses are not prejudice. While we have to make every effort to maintain our health and well being, we might still be unlucky sometimes, running into something negatively unexpected.

The right attitude, goes a long way, so stay positive and motivated. You will achieve your dreams.

Health and Resilience

Yes, that's right..! I can't believe that it's been over two weeks since I last wrote and unfortunately my lingering headache is still lingering on and off. It's so... odd. It felt as if I had some kind of virus but I started feeling much better since yesterday.

Despite a little discomfort due to illness, I continued to attend work and I managed to still get a lot done. I was glad about that and it made me feel good knowing that I have the strength to maintain my resilience and my interest to do what I enjoy doing.

I have been spending a lot of quality time with my husband and my daughter and it's been great.

I had a lot of time reflecting on my life and the life of others that happen to encounter through various forums such as work, social interaction, news, movies and articles I read.

This week's highlight has been the discovery of my ability to deal with difficult people and difficult situations.

Since I started working as a Team Manager to manage 15-16 staff members in a complex workplace and client base over the past 2.5 years, I feel that I have become quite professional and resilient when dealing with difficult people and difficult situations.

The key to develop resilience in this area is to be in a position of having to deal with them, to take action when difficult situations arise and to continue experiencing the process no matter how tiring and/or frustrating some of them may be.

It is now 2:30 AM and I am feeling really tired. So... good night, sleep tight.