Living with Style and Spirit: An Everyday Thing

Some time ago, someone sent me an email about “How to Find Balance in Your Life”.

I’m not sure who the original author was, but I really liked it, and I thought it would be fantastic to share with everyone.

I also found a report on Times Online, about how scientists in the UK did a study and found the “5 Steps to Happiness and Wellbeing” or something like that.

I combined them and added a few ideas to share below.

So this is my list of 5 Things To Do Everyday:

1. Do something enjoyable.

Enjoyable things can be simple acts that are easy to do, don’t cost very much, and don’t take much planning.

Just sitting quietly in my garden and enjoying a cup of tea is very enjoyable for me! I love baking. I like to paint my toenails. Read a chapter of my book. Chat to a girlfriend. I like to plan to visit a new place, and discovering something new and cool. I really enjoy journaling and writing.

Of course, a girly pamper is always nice – facials, haircuts, manicures, pedicures, massages.
Take time to really enjoy them. Allow yourself to glow with happiness each day.

2. Do something active.

Spend 30 minutes of your day working up a sweat! Get your heart rate up! Skip. Swim. Run up and down steps. Go for a jog. Ride a bike. Find a step, turn on some music, and do a step workout. Do squats and leg lunges. Go to the beach and have a run. Take a stroll. Do some gardening. Kick a ball in the park with your pet.

Try playing a sport like squash, tennis, soccer, badminton, netball. Sign up to an exercise class, yoga or pilates. Try body jams, or kickboxing just for fun.

3. Do something brainy, challenging or intellectual.

Spend at least 30 minutes a day exercising your brain! Read a book. Read a newspaper. Watch the news. Write a letter. Memorise a song. Do a puzzle. Go to the library and pick up a book in a subject that has always fascinated you. Learn something new each day.

Learn a new skill. Try sewing. Try fixing something. Try making something. Try cooking something. Try organising a lunch for friends on the weekend.

4. Do something good for someone else.

Call up a friend. Offer to help in some way. Bake some cupcakes for a girlfriend and bring it around.

Smile or say hello to a stranger. Let someone with less shopping into the queue in front of you. Do a good deed. A small kind act. Spread some happiness.

You’ll find that if you go about your day thinking, “How can I be nice to someone?” you’ll often find many unexpected opportunities to do so.

5. Take one moment to savour life and your surroundings.

This is my favourite. Whether you are in the car, or walking along, or at home – take a moment to think about something good in your life, or in your surroundings.

Take notice of something beautiful. Look at the details of a building you walk past everyday. Look at the shape of the clouds, remember them, and compare them with the clouds the next day.

My life in point form

Argh..I've been SO BUSY.

I've been taking up two difficult task at same time and going for 2 important interviews in next month. It's gonna be tough. *pray hard*

I've bought myself a new hand phone finally! *grin* I bought another cheaper hp instead of my dream I-Phone due to my "big head prawness". Well, my highest record was losing 2 hand phones within a year. Ahem... so I'm very proud of the wise decision that I've made, and I just love my new hand phone! It's adorable, it's printed with beautiful floral and it's white!

I am having bad flu since last week, it still doesn't go away after taking the medicine. And I think I can't live without ice and ice and ice.....cream! When can I hear my sweet voice again? I'm just sick of my husky voice now!

I'm going to take part in another marathon in December. It's fund raising event for my primary school, anyone who is interested just pop me an email. And I shall sent you a link.

Christmas is at the corner, time really flies. I still thought of my last warmest white Christmas in Winter Korea. And I've started to prepare all the Christmas prezzies! My heart and mood is swinging with the jingles and bells in the air! ^^

And I'm leaving to Bangkok in Christmas for one whole week! Yay!

Sassisam for Pink Ribbon (and Christmas!)

I absolutely love that the whole of October is dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness. Everything is PINK! Everyone is donating money for cancer research! And everybody’s getting on board - I reckon it’s just marketing genius!

October also means that it’s only 2 months til Christmas (eeek!). So over the next few months, I’m going to be featuring lots of products that make great gifts for your girlfriends, boyfriends and yourself!

First up, Sassisam have a nice selection of quality Pink Ribbon products, where part of the profits go to help Breast Cancer awareness and research.

Here are some of my favourites:

Aluminium eco-water bottles and Damask Card Case.

Pink Ribbon Card Case and Keyring of Hope (includes charms)

Pink Ribbon FOB Keyring and Damask Compact (silver-plated double mirror).

xox Enjoy!

Love

These last few days, I’ve been thinking about my relationship.

Yes, we’ve gone through some trying times. But despite all that, him and I, our relationship, it’s pretty damn amazing.

Loving. Full of happiness. Full of massages. Love songs before sleep. Meaningful conversations about things that matter. Daily giggles about random silliness. Delicious food and healthy living. Long hugs. Quiet moments. Lots of laughter. Mutual adoration, honesty and support. The highest regard for each other. And a passion for living.

Everyday he makes me want to be a better person.

I’m crazy in love.

In terms of our temperaments and personalities, I believe we’re very different.

But we share the same values, feelings and goals towards things like family, friends, health, work, money, stress, holidays, how we spend out time, our future plans.

Everyday he tells me how much he loves and cares for me, and loves his life with me. Sometimes it’s silly, sometimes it’s random, and sometimes it brings a tear to my eye.

I’m indeed one lucky woman.

Joanna Wang

Absolutely fall in love...

With her voice long long time ago..



Joanna Wang, another lovely Chritmas song sang by her.

Ahh..Chritmas is around the corner, Yay! =)

Celebrating Joey's 27th Birthday~

Celebrated Joey's birthday on last Thursday at Jaya One with some long lost friends.

Darling Joey, the birthday girl~ *cute*

The Girlss

And the boyzz

Lovely Addy & Joey~

Cass, Joey and Adeline

J & J

Oh..It's the biggest beer that I've ever drink!




Such a lovely night out.

Happy Birthday darling~! ^^

How to Stay Sane!

I decided to write up a list of all the stuff that I do to keep my life balanced and sane. Most are painfully obvious, but a list is a list, and I do actually stick to every single one of them!

1. Get a hobby. Something to dabble with for one hour a day. Blogging. Reading. Stitching. Gardening. Something easy to pick up and put down. Do some night classes. Don’t let your brain turn into mush!

2. Keep like-minded friends. I believe you need to regularly hang out with people with the same values on life interests.

3. Create a routine. I keep to a weekly routine which I try to balance with varied activities, for myself.

4. Break the routine! Don’t be afraid to drop the routine everyone once and a while. When things get tough, don’t be so hard on yourself. Don’t be so rigid all the time. Relax!

5. Keep a full schedule. I know it sounds weird, but I even need to schedule in playtime. My worst days come about when I’m feeling unmotivated to organise a playdate or activity. I end up dictate what to do and… it ALWAYS goes bad.

6. Find some alone time, weekly. This is an absolute must. Go shopping. Sit in a cafe. Get your hair done. Meet up with girlfriends.

7. Find alone time with your partner, weekly! This is another absolute must. Take a walk. Sit in a cafe. Go out to dinner. Watch a movie. Look into their eyes, and remember why you decided to be with this person in the first place.

8. Be active. Get out of the house at least once a day. Kick a ball around. Ride bikes. Water the garden.

9. Look for things to do in your community. Find cool parks, cafes, restaurants, new places to hang out..

10. Look after yourself! Exercise, keep up your dental and hair appointments, buy new clothes. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of dressing sloppy when you go out. But it’s so surprising what something so simple – like new underwear – can make you feel!!


What do you do to keep things sane? Let me know, and I might add it to the list!

Hon Hiew

My white little pup passed away on Friday night.

I was very upset.
I was surprised at how much i cried.

I just bought him a new blue necklace on last Monday, thought of giving him a little prezzie for being new and part of our family.

Although he's just a month with us, but it's been lotsa sweet memories, laughters, mishevious him, cute, funny, loving, and his warmest way to welcome us home..

Now, a few days later, I still feel numb.
My soul seems to lack feeling. Nothing, just heaviness.
A weight of sadness.
It doesn’t seem real.
I can’t believe he’s gone.
I miss him heaps.

Golden Linguistic Moments

My 3yo student has a rather interesting way of interpreting the English language.

He calls spaghetti – Mister Getty.

Important is Port Tenant.

Comfortable is actually a Comfy Table.

Dessert is Berserk.

And Pistachios are Moustachios.

And sometimes, just for fun, I like to make him say them all in one sentence.

Personal Goals - August 2009

Hey, we’re up to month number 8 already!

So once again, here are what I'm doing and what I'm trying to achieve for this month.

1) Look After My Skin

i) Wear sun cream. Use a good quality moisturiser with at least SPF 15+. Apply in the morning and re-apply in the afternoon. I’ve switched my day moisturiser, tinted-moisturiser and foundation to products with SPF.

ii) Cut down on chocolate. Too much sugar is really bad for skin. I have to be honest with myself, there are only 3 days in the month that I actually NEED CHOCOLATE. So there is a complete ban on chocolate for the other 28 or so days! Wish me luck!

iii) Give up coffee! Too much caffeine is absolutely evil for your skin and body! So I don’t touch the stuff any more.

iv) Drink more water. I’m always reluctant to drink more when it’s too busy and cold.

v) Get more sleep. Most of the day I’ve been getting to bed only after late night. Trying to get to bed earlier, say like 11pm/12am and get up by 6am for morning runs.

2) Improve my fitness
I haven't been sweating much for weeks, arghh I need to do some swimming and runs!

3) Get Organised!!
I’m all over the place! I have so much happening these next two months!!!

4) Find 5 things to be thankful for.
Some days I am skipping with happiness or energy. Other days I’m miserable with despair and frustration. I’ve found a nice habit to do – whether it is a good day or a bad day – to find 5 things to be thankful for.

5) Re-energise myself daily.
I try to get some rest during the day. I can’t nap. So instead, I find some quiet time to lie down for at least 30 minutes each day.

6) Save money!
I’m being much more mindful about the money I spend. Eep!