The Happiness of Sharing

Recently, I was quite busy and stressed at work. When I was showering, I kept thinking about work. At times, I felt lost and forgot to ask why am I doing what I am doing? Would I live differently if I am going to die in 3-5 years time? Am I making the best use of my limited time?

I might not be sure of many things, but I am certainly sure about the the Happiness of Sharing. And these are the 2 things that made me happy this week:

Drawing of my sponsored kid. =)

I was checking my personal email after a long day at work. I received the academic report of a child I sponsored in Myanmar. Instantly, it brought a smile on my face. Happy that I could help a child to continue to study. 

A surprise Birthday Celebration

One of the HIV/AIDs patients was spending his remaining days in the hospice. My group of volunteers decided to give him a surprise birthday celebration and I remember that he loves durian. So I bought the best durian I could find (knowing that this might be his last time tasting durians), and the sight of him savouring the durian was priceless. He was really happy, and it made me happy too.

(Note: The patient passed away on Feb'14. I am very happy and glad that we provided moments of comfort and happiness to him.)

Sharing brings Happiness.

There are many ways to use money.

Sharing with somebody else is definitely worthwhile.

Book: Second Suns: Two Doctors and Their Amazing Quest to Restore Sight and Save Lives

I enjoyed reading about the amazing lives of these 2 doctors - Dr. Geoffrey Tabin (Harvard trained doctor who is the fourth person in the world to complete the seven summits) and Dr. Sanduk Ruit (Top eye surgeon, who came from a humble background). Both doctors are compassionate human beings who brought light to so many poor blind people who have no access to/can't afford medical treatment.

Unfortunately, the author David Oliver Relin committed suicide last year. He did a great job sharing the stories of these 2 doctors.

Below are some quotes taken from the book that resonated with me:

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About Dr. Sanduk Ruit motivation to study hard to become a doctor and help many other poor people. Ruit's younger sister who died in her teens due to TB. 3 out of  his 5 siblings died young due to fever, diarrhea and TB.

"A fifty percent survival rate. Unacceptable, unacceptable, unacceptable. The more I (Dr Ruit) thought about it, the more I realized Yang La didn't have to die. None of my brothers and sisters had to die. They died because resources the rest of the world had were not available to us. And after a month or so of spinning around with my thoughts, suddenly I saw the path I had to follow. It was straight and clear. I realized I had to become a doctor. I had to become someone who could go out and get those resources. I had been working hard, but I had to work harder. Real Study began after that"

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Tabin said "my heros weren't the people who asked "Why?". They were the ones who asked "Why not?".

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Dr Geoff Tabin, at the peak of his climbing career, became the 4th person ever to complete Seven Summits. The comedown from such a monumental achievement can be disorientating, even depressing.... Tabin kept picturing the ecstatic face of the no-longer-blind sherpa woman and realized he wanted to help others like her more than he wanted to climb any mountain.... he aims for an achievement not of an individual nature, but of a more universal, more meaningful sort."

Tabin did have time to refine his priorities. None, he realized, ranked higher than to alleviate suffering

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Dr Ruit encounter with His Holiness the Dalai Lama

"But you humble me, Dr Ruit", the Dalai Lama said. "You humble me with your compassion. I am just a simple Buddhist monk. I often wish I had some technical skills, so I could be of greater use."

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A quote from Lao-Tzu

"Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill.

Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.

Chase after money and your heart will never unclench.

Care about other people's approval and you will be their prisoner.

Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity"

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These 2 gentlemen certainly inspired me by their compassion and sacrifices.

Do support them at at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayan_Cataract_Project

More information on this book: http://www.cureblindness.org/second-suns-book/

Certainly, there is a mis-allocation of resources in the world.

Certainly, the world is not fair.

However, we can do our small part to make it better.

Travel: Italy & Greece (Jan 13)

Italy & Greece (Jan 13)

Article: 15 Wildly Successful People Who Overcame Huge Obstacles To Get There

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/25/successful-people-obstacles_n_3964459.html

You've heard it before: "If at first you don't succeed, try again." Sometimes you may feel like that's just a saying, but it is absolutely not. The 15 incredible stories below show how even horrible tragedies and setbacks can help fuel a drive for success.

From Oprah Winfrey's scarred childhood to Bill Gates' failed business ventures, these people have been through the grinder, and came out even better than before. Their stories stress one of the most important lessons of all: Never ever give up. Scroll through the list for some serious inspiration.

Bill Gates' first business failed.

Yes, the richest person in the whole world couldn't make any money at first. Gates' first company, Traf-O-Data (a device which could read traffic tapes and process the data), failed miserably. When Gates and his partner, Paul Allen, tried to sell it, the product wouldn't even work. Gates and Allen didn't let that stop them from trying again though. Here's how Allen explained how the failure helped them: "Even though Traf-O-Data wasn’t a roaring success, it was seminal in preparing us to make Microsoft’s first product a couple of years later."

Albert Einstein didn't speak until he was four years old.

Einstein didn't have the best childhood. In fact, many people thought he was just a dud. He never spoke for the first three years of his life, and throughout elementary school, many of his teachers thought he was lazy and wouldn't make anything of himself. He always received good marks, but his head was in the clouds, conjuring up abstract questions people couldn't understand. But he kept thinking and, well, he eventually developed the theory of relativity, which many of us still can't wrap our heads around.

Jim Carrey used to be homeless.

Carrey revealed to James Lipton on "Inside the Actor's Studio" that when he was 15, he had to drop out of school to support his family. His father was an unemployed musician and as the family went from "lower middle class to poor," they eventually had to start living in a van. Carrey didn't let this stop him from achieving his dream of becoming a comedian: He went from having his dad drive him to comedy clubs in Toronto to starring in mega-blockbusters and being known as one of the best comedic actors of an era.

Bethany Hamilton had her arm bitten off by a shark.

Hamilton started surfing when she was just a child. At age 13, an almost-deadly shark attack resulted in her losing her left arm. She was back on her surfboard one month later, and two years after that, she won first place in the Explorer Women’s Division of the NSSA National Championships. Talk about determination.

Benjamin Franklin dropped out of school at age ten.

Franklin's parents could only afford to keep him in school until his tenth birthday. That didn't stop the great man from pursuing his education. He taught himself through voracious reading, and eventually went on to invent the lightning rod and bifocals. Oh, and he became one of America's Founding Fathers.

Richard Branson has dyslexia.

Branson was a pretty bad student -- he didn't get good marks and he did poorly on standardized tests. Instead of giving up, he used the power of his personality to drive him to success. Today, Branson, known for developing Virgin Records and many of its more technologically advanced spinoffs, is the fourth richest person in the UK.

Stephen King's first novel was rejected 30 times.

If it weren't for King's wife, "Carrie" may not have ever existed. After beingconsistently rejected by publishing houses, King gave up and threw his first book in the trash. His wife, Tabitha, retrieved the manuscript and urged King to finish it. Now, King's books have sold over 350 million copies and have been made into countless major motion pictures.

Oprah Winfrey gave birth at age 14 and lost her child.

She is one of the most successful and richest people in the world today, but Winfrey didn't always have it so easy. She grew up in Milwaukee, Wis. and was repeatedly molested by her cousin, uncle and a family friend. She eventually ran away from home, and at age 14 gave birth to a baby boy who shortly died after.

But Winfrey's tragic past didn't stop her from becoming the force she is today. She excelled as an honors student in high school, and won an oratory contest which secured her a full scholarship to college. Now the entrepreneur and personality has the admiration of millions and a net worth of $2.9 billion.

Thomas Edison failed 1,000 times before creating the lightbulb. 

Although the exact number of tries has been debated, ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 attempts, it's safe to say Edison tried and failed a whole lot before he successfully created his beacon of light. His response to his repeated failures? “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”

Kris Carr turned her cancer into a business of hope and healing.

In 2003, Karr was a 32-year-old New Yorker just enjoying life. But then, a regular checkup at her doctor's office resulted in a diagnosis of a rare and incurable Stage IV cancer called epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, existing in her liver and lungs.

Instead of succumbing to the disease, Carr decided to challenge her diagnosis head on. She attacked her cancer with a brand new nutritional lifestyle, and turned her experience into a series of successful self-help books and documentaries. Eventually, she launched her own wellness website, which is followed by over 40,000 people. Today, Karr is celebrating a decade of "thriving with cancer," and is now revered as one of the most prominent experts on healthy living.

Jay-Z couldn't get signed to any record labels.

No one can stop Jay-Z. He came from a rough Brooklyn neighborhood and had big dreams to make it big as a rapper. Unfortunately, the rest of the world didn't agree with him at first. Not one record label would sign him. Yet that didn't stop him from creating his own music powerhouse. His label would eventually turn into the insanely lucrative Roc-A-Fella Records. Here's proof Jay-Z is on top: Forbes has estimated his net worth at $500 million, and TIME ranked him at one of their 2013 Most Influential People In The World. And he's married to Beyoncé.

Vincent Van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime.

Van Gogh is considered one of the greatest artists of all time, yet the poor guy only sold one painting the entire time he was alive: "The Red Vineyard at Arles (The Vigne Rouge)," which is now in the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow. Even though he made no money, he still painted over 900 works of art. Though his persistence went unnoticed when he was alive, Van Gogh proves you don't need external validation to be proud of the work you create.

Franklin Roosevelt became partially paralyzed at 39.

After vacationing in Canada, Roosevelt developed polio, which eventually left him paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life. Even though he couldn't walk, he went on to lead the country as one of the most respected and memorable presidents in history.

Simon Cowell had a failed record company.

By his late twenties, Cowell had made a million dollars and lost a million dollars. Cowell told The Daily Mail in 2012, "‘I’ve had many failures. The biggest were at times when I believed my own hype. I’d had smaller failures, signing bands that didn’t work, but my record company going bust, that was the first big one." Even after such a momentous loss, Cowell picked himself up and became one of the biggest forces in reality television, serving as a judge for "Pop Idol," "The X Factor," "Britain's Got Talent" and "American Idol." Forbes has estimated his net worth at $95 million.

Charlize Theron witnessed her mother kill her father.

When Theron was 15, she witnessed her mother shoot her alcoholic father in an act of self-defense. Instead of letting the trauma immobilize her ambition, Theron channelled her energy into making a name for herself. She would eventually become one of the most respected and talented actresses, becoming the first South African actress to win an Academy Award.

Steven Spielberg was rejected from USC, twice.

You read that right. One of the most prolific filmmakers of all time, the man who brought us "Shindler's List," "Jaws," "E.T." and "Jurassic Park" couldn't get into the film school of his choice. Maybe, just sometimes, education can be a little overrated. In the end, Spielberg would get the last laugh, when USC awarded him an honorary degree in 1994. Two years later, he became a trustee of the university.

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I keep this post to remind myself that even though I don't like failures/setbacks/problems, these are opportunities for growth and improvement. 

At the end of the day, I try to find peace and solace in that I have given my best. Certain things in life are beyond my control. At least, I have not let myself down by not trying or putting in effort. 

Annica Annica Annica. Thank you Teacher Goenka.

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._N._Goenka 

Satya Narayan Goenka (January 30, 1924 – September 29, 2013) was a noted Burmese-Indian teacher of Vipassanā meditation. Born in Burma, he followed the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin, under whom he trained for 14 years. In 1969, he shifted to India and started teaching meditation, and started a mediation centre at Igatpuri, near Nashik in 1976. In time, he became an influential non-sectarian teacher of the Vipassana movement and a pioneer of the Vipassana meditation in India.^[1] He trained more than 800 assistant teachers and each year more than 100,000 people attend Goenka led Vipassana courses.

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Annica Annica Annica

(Impermanence Impermanence Impermanence)

I went for my 10 days Vipassanna Meditation last year. 

It was a period where I try to let go of the past and future.

I always look forward to the end of the day to listen to the pre-recorded teachings of Teacher Goenka, which is full of wisdom. Mr Goenka said that there are 2 yardsticks to measure if you are progessing well on the path:

1. Compassion 

(Are you more willing to serve others? Are you more willing to help the weak and needy? Are you giving without expecting any return?)

2.       Gratitude 
(Are you feeling more grateful for everything?)

Thank you Teacher.

Article: Ray Dalio Explains the Economy

http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2013/09/23/ray-dalio-explains-the-economy-for-free/

Ray Dalio would like to explain the economy to you.

Mr. Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates and whose $13 billion net wealth placed him 31st on the Forbes 400 list, produced the following half-hour video. He explains debt cycles, booms, busts, bubbles, recessions, deleveraging, and how the economy gets itself into trouble. This take on the economy, Mr. Dalio tells us, is what he uses to help guide his investment decisions.

Seeing as Bridgewater is the biggest hedge fund out there, with roughly $150 billion in assets under management, this is quite the insight into what makes it tick. He put it up on YouTube for all the world to see:

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Financial education is so under-rated in our education system. Lotsa things I learnt in school & university (science & engineering background) are pretty much useless. I got to learn about financial and investment 1 year after my graduation and I am hooked to it. I regretted that I started late, but at least, I found what I enjoy. 

This video is concise and simple to understand. It is a very good use of your 30 mins. 

Embrace:the gift of life

Last week was busy (meeting ex-colleague, working late in office, attending conference, sending parents to airport, mid-autumn festival), but the most meaningful event was my volunteer work at Patient Care Center (for HIV & AIDS patients) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. 

After the visit, I was feeling a bit sad and down, as I saw one of the patients getting weaker and thinner. He was suffering from bad diarrhea (wearing adult diaper) and was frustrated with his doctors/nurses/children etc... He was suffering and very unhappy. As volunteer, there is nothing I could do, but to lend a listening ear. 

I received a text from a fellow volunteer below:

A record of his conversation with other patient.

I am happy to know that our insignificant work could bring comfort and joy to the patients. HIV and AIDS patients are highly stigmatized. For cancer patients, their photos could be posted and received tremendous support from the society, but for HIV/AIDS patients, they had to suffer in silence & in shame. To protect them, I can't post their photos online. There are many stories behind these silent sufferers, and who are we to judge. Everybody makes mistakes.

"Embrace" 

The theme of the Charity Dinner that I attended on Saturday for Patient Care Center. Indeed, a lot of patients need acceptance from their family, friends and the society. 

We need a more compassionate society.

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Below are news article about PCC and volunteers:

"click to enlarge"

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” ― Plato

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” 

― Plato

Last 2 weeks when I met up with my friends, I realized that different people is fighting different battles. There are so many problems like marriage, health, career, money... so much fear, unhappiness, stress, sadness, hurt, losses, uncertainties... 

Be kind to people.

Be kind to yourself.

There are just too much sufferings.

Personally, one of my stock investments plunged 50% within 2 hours and halt from trading due to fraud accusation. I could potentially lose all the money. I was unhappy for the first few days - thinking what went wrong, where did I analyze wrongly, how this money could be used (ie. traveling around the world for 1 year), how long will it take for me to earn back this money etc. I felt even worse when I recommended my parents to invest in this stock. It was stressful.

I found the root of my suffering (ie. stress, unhappiness).

It is my attachment to my possession (ie. my money).

I know the antidote to my suffering (ie. letting go of my attachment).

It was hard to let go.

Time is a wonderful thing.

At the end of the week, I was mentally prepared to write-off the whole investment.

There is nothing better I could do, but to remember the lesson. 

I felt more balanced and at ease.

Fortunately,  a week later, the stock price rebounded when it started trading.

I made a small profit instead of losing the whole investment.

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Life will never be easy.

There will be more challenges in the future.

It is my attachment to the world that bring so much sufferings.

If I am attached to my money, I would be unhappy if I lose money.

If I am attached to my health, I would be unhappy if I lose health.

If I am attached to my relationship, I would be unhappy if I lose relationship.

If I am attached to my possession, I would be unhappy if I lose possession.

If I am attached to my EGO, I would be unhappy if someone hurt my EGO.

It is not easy, but the antidote is letting go.

Why learn to let go?

Life is Impermanent.

This is the Truth.

I am still learning...

For the time being, I choose to kind and grateful before I bid farewell to everything.

Below is one of my favourite quotes:

“Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.

Almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. 

Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. 

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet, death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it, and that is how it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It's life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.”

― Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

Travel: Kilimanjaro & Serengeti Jul 2013

http://boon-kili.blogspot.sg/

Lee Kuan Yew's "One man's view of the world".

Without a doubt, Lee Kuan Yew is the founding father of modern Singapore. National day was 2 days ago and Mr Lee appeared to be frail, and I was feeling a bit concerned for him. I read Straits Times' article on his new book "One man's view of the world", and I had 3 key takeaways:

1. Discipline

Mr Lee is extremely discipline (a common trait among highly successful people). He exercises daily (jogged 3 times a day and swim daily) to maintain good health, even now at the age of 89 years old. 

2. Practical

He signed the Advanced Medical Directive, which means that he would not be put on life-support equipment if he is very sick beyond any hope of recovery. 

He did not believe in God (at least not in the Abrahamic Faith sense), and cited Darwinism, but he did not totally reject the idea of God or afterlife. 

3. Meeting New People 

He mentioned the importance of meeting people from different backgrounds (diplomats to ordinary people). This keeps his views of the world updated and balanced. 

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I wrote these down to remind myself that the importance of instilling self-discipline, being practical and taking the initiative to meet new people. 

  

Lamrim Meditation Retreat

I went for a short meditation retreat (A Tibetan Buddhism Tradition - Lamrim)

I did not complete the retreat (again!), but I left early with some good lessons & reminders.

Be grateful.

Be grateful to be born as a human being.

It is not easy being born as a human being (both on a spiritual and evolution point of view)

There are many things to be grateful about too.

Practice gratitude.

Seeing the Truth: The Impermanence of Life.

My life is impermanent, I will definitely die.

My health is impermanent, I will fall sick and die. 

My relationship is impermanent, I will say goodbye to my family and friends eventually.

My wealth is impermanent, I will part with it eventually.

My identity is impermanent, I am always changing.

Even my suffering is impermanent too.

One of the sufferings is attachment.

The antidote is letting go (by recognizing the Truth).

I hope when it is time for me to go, 

I would be at peace and be willing to let go.

May you be at peace too.

Visiting Yogam Center in Singapore

I attended an introduction on root pattern analysis at Yogam center in Singapore. I have been to many different religious meetings previously, but I have never been to a religious/spiritual meeting that is centered around a Swami (Indian holy man).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swami_Nithyananda

Being naturally inquisitive, I decided to find out more about this Swami, unfortunately, I found scandal of this Swami. Despite of this, I told myself that I should try to keep an open-mind and be respectful.

As I have attended many religious meetings, the techniques applied to convince people are quite similar:

1. A successful person who was skeptical previously and saw great improvement in life after embracing the teaching. (In this session, the instructor was introducing herself as someone who took care of US$75m Microsoft business in USA.)
2. Interviews and examples of people whose lives transformed after this adopting this technique/teachings/beliefs.
3. Introducing fears. If you do not embrace this teaching/technique/beliefs, your life will not improve or even worse, something negative will happen to you.
4. Selling hopes. Your life will improve tremendously, or life of abundance should be your birthright etc…

I always advocate that everyone should apply critical thinking. Embrace the technique/teaching/belief only because it makes sense to us. And not because someone else who is successful embraces it.

One of the exercises is that you have to think about a negative experience, and ask yourself 3 questions:

How do you feel about yourself? What is your view of the world? How do you cope or react to it?

My answers: I felt incapable and unknowledgeable. My view of the world is it is tough and very competitive. My reaction is acknowledging that I have my limitations, but at the same time, I also have my strengths. As long as I have put in effort, I should not be too upset.

When some participants started to share their experiences, I realized that many people felt that they are not good enough, even professionals like currency trader and lawyer (on the appearance, they looked so confident).

My conclusion is that it is okay to feel that we are not good enough. We are all work in progress. =)

While it has been an interesting experience, I figured that this technique does not suit me. We were supposed to let out this sound (like OM..) and feel the energy in the room. Those folks who were initiated by Guru was overwhelmed by energy and started to jump while seated. The energy that I felt was headache and I can’t wait for them to stop.

There is no absolute right or wrong. It is a matter of suitability.

I am thankful for the experience and look for to other experiences. =)

Below is a youtube of the Swami and his jumping followers:

Article: 13 Ways to be Happier

Letting go is an antidote to many unhappiness.
Letting go is a path to freedom =)

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Source: http://worldobserveronline.com/2012/04/25/15-things-you-should-give-up-to-be-happy/

Without realising it, many of our thought habits get in the way of our happiness and cause us to get stuck into negative patterns of thinking. Below we will look at 13 ways we can rewire our thoughts and minds into allowing ourselves to feel the happiness that we deserve, freeing us to live, love and be happy. We will look at how we can liberate ourselves from those thoughts and mental habits that hold us back and hold us down, we will look forward to a better, happier and more positive new us. Follow this advice and not only will you feel better but those around you will too, after all, only a lit candle can light other candles.

1. Let go of your complaining
Throughout the day we could potentially find countless things to complain about, the weather, the traffic, the service we got at a restaurant but how does this constant whinging make things any better for us? Does it make things better for us? Does is make us happier? Or does it just put a downer on our mood and make us feel unhappy, low and depressed? Our mood is in our hands, we can choose to react to any situation however we want, we can allow ourselves to sucked into a negative state of mind or we can rise above that and be happy despite the traffic!

“Tell the negativity committee that meets inside your head to sit down and shut up.” Martin Seligman

2. Let go of having to always be right. 
Many of us struggle with the even the thought of being wrong and will go as far as falling out with dear friends or loved ones solely for the sake of being right. Letting go of this habit will lead to better relationships for all. A sense of serenity in knowing that even though you may have been right, you’ve saved yourself and those around you a great deal of stress, worry and tension in not having to be right or have the last word. Wayne Dyer wrote “Would I rather be right or would I rather be kind?” Think about that next time you find yourself fighting this habit!

3. Let go of any self defeating ideas
Most of the hurdles we face in life are actually ones that we have concocted up in our minds, they are imaginary, unreal and they are what prevent us from moving forward, not our actual circumstances. These imaginary hurdles warp our ideas about what we can and cannot do, what is and what is not possible. We need to learn to see through these hurdles. Then we will be ready to spread our wings and fly!

An entire sea of water can’t sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. Similarly, the negativity of the world can’t put you down unless you allow it to get inside you – Goi Nasu

4. Let go of your fears
What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail? Our fears are unfortunately hindrances that we create for ourselves. Imagine all those hindrances had vanished, how would you feel? Close your eyes and imagine that for just a moment. Feel good? Now try living that way.

Being kind to yourself in thoughts, words and actions is as important as being kind to others.

5. Let go of attachment
Attachments create an atmosphere of fear. You are not reliant on things and allowing yourself to think you are will prevent you from being happy.

6. Let go of making criticism
Refrain from criticising anything and everything that you don’t understand. We are all different and that’s what makes life beautiful; what a boring place this would be if we were all the same. Allow people and things to be different, don’t see difference as an excuse to criticise. We all want to be happy, let’s allow ourselves to be happy and lets allow others to be happy.

7. Let go of blaming 
Stop trying to find reasons for why things are what they are, in looking to explain things away we often try and find fault in something or someone, this negativity harms those around us, but more than anyone else, it harms us!

8. Let go of trying to impress other people
There are so many more important things in life than worrying what someone thinks of our shoes, what you do for a living or the car you drive. These things are not that are going to nurture healthy relationships. What people want from you is to be real, to be yourself, when you drop all pretences you’ll realise that people appreciate you for who you are and you’ll find your relationships are now stronger and deeper.

9. Let go of your excuses
Sometimes we get into the habit of making excuses for the sake of making excuses. We have all the time, resources and energy that we will ever have. We need to take advantage of our youth, good health, wealth, free time and most of all, our lives while we have them!

10. Let go of trying to always control
Situations, events, people; as much as we may try, much of what happens around us cannot be controlled by us and so we must spare ourselves the hassle of trying to think that it can. Let everyone and everything around you just be and you will feel much more relaxed and happier.

11. Let go of the past
Keep things in perspective, never dwelling on the past or being anxious about the future, rather enjoying these precious everyday moments. Today is all you have. Tomorrow has not been promised to you and yesterday has passed you by. So be present in all that you do. Remember, these are the good old days, happiness is not something you can postpone for the future.

12. Let go of resisting change
Every life process entails change. As human beings we often enjoy familiarity and once we become comfortable we become resistant to change. But very little lasts forever and so we have to alway be ready for change, that doesn’t mean we fear it, rather we embrace it whenever it comes knocking at our door, we welcome it in and see it as opportunity, opportunity for something new and better.

13. Let go of living life to other people’s expectations
Too much of our lives is spent trying to fit into social archetypes. We allow the expectations of others determine the job we do, the car we drive, the clothes we wear and much more! How much happier would we be if instead we followed our hearts and did things the way we wanted to do them. We allow our loved ones to dictate to us, our parents, siblings, partners and often we allow influences such as the media or government to dictate to us how we live our lives. We are all talented individuals, we all have something to offer, something unique. Each one of us is gifted. We need to nurture our talents and gifts and contribute through doing what we do best, doing what we love, rather than doing what we think is expected of us.

Article: The Daily Habit Of These Outrageously Successful People

More benefits of meditation.
If I do not meditate for a certain period, I found myself to be less tolerant and more reactive.
My emotions is easily affected by the external environment and factors.
It is like a ship without an anchor.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/05/business-meditation-executives-meditate_n_3528731.html

"Meditation more than anything in my life was the biggest ingredient of whatever success I've had." That's what Ray Dalio, the billionaire founder of Bridgewater Associates -- the world's largest hedge fund firm -- explained in 2012.

Dalio is in good company. More and more leaders in the corporate world have been taking note of the benefits of meditation, which include lower stress levels, improved cognitive functioning, creative thinking and productivity, and even improved physical health. A number of Fortune 500 companies, including Google, AOL, Apple and Aetna, offer meditation and mindfulness classes for employees -- and the top executives of many major corporations say that meditation has made them better leaders.

Ford Motor Company chairman Bill Ford and former Google.org director Larry Brilliant are also among the executives advocating the mindfulness practice. Here are 10 influential business leaders who say meditation has helped them achieve (and sustain) a high level of success.

1. Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO, News Corp

The media tycoon said on Twitter in April, "Everyone recommends, not that easy to get started, but said to improve everything!"

2. Padmasree Warrior, CTO, Cisco Systems

In her previous role as Cisco's head of engineering, Warrior oversaw 22,000 employees, and she told the New York Times in 2012 that taking time to meditate and unplug helped her to manage it all.

“It’s almost like a reboot for your brain and your soul,” she said. “It makes me so much calmer when I’m responding to e-mails later.”

3. Tony Schwartz, Founder & CEO, The Energy Project

The Energy Project CEO Tony Schwartz has been meditating for over 20 years. He originally started the practice to quiet his busy mind, according to his book What Really Matters: Searching for Wisdom in America. Schwartz says that meditating has freed him from migraines and helped him develop patience, and he also advocates mindfulness as a way to improve work performance.

4. Bill Ford, Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Company

The Ford Motor Company chairman is a big proponent of meditation in the business world, according to Inc. Magazine. At this year's Wisdom 2.0 conference, Ford was interviewed by leading American Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield. Ford told Kornfieldthat during difficult times at the company, he set an intention every morning to go through his day with compassion. And to lead with compassion, Ford said he first learned to develop compassion for himself through a loving-kindness (metta) meditation practice.

5. Oprah Winfrey, Chairwoman & CEO, Harpo Productions, Inc

After a meditation in Iowa last year, Oprah said, "I walked away feeling fuller than when I'd come in. Full of hope, a sense of contentment, and deep joy. Knowing for sure that even in the daily craziness that bombards us from every direction, there is -- still -- the constancy of stillness. Only from that space can you create your best work and your best life."

6. Larry Brilliant, CEO, Skoll Global Threats Fund

In his 2013 commencement address at the Harvard School of Public Health, Brilliant emphasized the importance of peace of mind, wishing the graduates lives full of equanimity -- a state of mental calm and composure.

7. Ray Dalio, Founder & Co-CIO, Bridgewater Associates USA

Dalio said that meditation has opened his mind and boosted his mental clarity.

"Meditation has given me centeredness and creativity," said Dalio. "It's also given me peace and health."

8. Russell Simmons, Co-Founder, Def Jam Records; Founder of GlobalGrind.com

"You don't have to believe in meditation for it to work," Simmons wrote in a Huffington Post blog. "You just have to take the time to do it. The old truth is still true today, 'God helps those who help themselves.' My advice? Meditate."

9. Robert Stiller, CEO, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc.

"If you have a meditation practice, you can be much more effective in a meeting," he told Bloomberg in 2008. "Meditation helps develop your abilities to focus better and to accomplish your tasks."

10. Arianna Huffington, President & Editor-in-Chief, Huffington Post Media Group

"Stress-reduction and mindfulness don't just make us happier and healthier, they're a proven competitive advantage for any business that wants one," she wrote in a recent blog.