This morning on a Chinese New Year Holiday, I came across an article by www.success.com dated January 1 of 2017 entitled, “January Action Plan: 10 Tips to Build Your Best Future“. The tips in bullets were encouraging enough that I would want to remember these to munch for the year 2017. These tips were to be done monthly. In order to make a habit out of it, I assigned books I have read to remember each tip easily. It said:
- Live courageously.
Katniss Everdeen had been such an icon of this statement. Suzanne Collins had written about her courage on a trilogy entitled, THE HUNGER GAMES.
- Articulate your happiness.
The Happiness Project
Let Gretchen Rubin be an example for this pointer. She had done this by specifying what would actually make her happier. She was not necessarily unhappy but she knew there was something lacking in her life so she listed down things that she wanted to work on and had written about it. Then it eventually gave birth to her first book, THE HAPPINESS PROJECT . She organised all of them into a 12 month period trying to make changes with her habits, prioritising her relationships and just simply breathing. Applying some of the lessons that this non-fiction book was actually talking about was helpful. It is a good guide.
- Alter your mindset.
The book that actually brought me into a lot of realisations is Robert Kiyosaki’s RICH DAD, POOR DAD. It is about financial education but what interested me the most is how he emphasised on time being the most essential commodity known to man. Ironically, it diminishes as it passes by. This book made me a better person in terms of priority setting, time management and just being an adult. It emphasised on the power of forming a habit. It explained how much of a prison having an 8 hour job is and it opened me to the meaning of financial freedom. All in all, it was very inspiring.
- Practice deliberately.
As soon as I knew my baby’s auditory senses were starting to develop while I was pregnant with my daughter, I aimed to read to her so that she would be introduced to my voice. With a hope that it gets imprinted in her subconscious, I chose the book, PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE by Rick Warren. This book assigns a per-day-reading exercises for a daily nourishment of the holy scripture.
After each reflection in the end, it developed a good habit in me. It made me see life in a whole new light. I knew that by the time my daughter comes in this world, she would be my purpose. But this book denoted a deeper meaning to that statement. It just follows up this saying, “Practice what you preach.” because there’s an exercise after each chapter.
- Reflect
In FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN my reflections on sacrifice, letting things go, finding the reason for my existence the hidden treasure in each connection we make with people and most of all, falling in love and lastly are given justice.
- Find your strengths.
Because Adeline Yen Mah’s pursuit for her family to accept her, she had fallen into despair. But from such frustration, her gift in writing had emerged. From then, her life inspired the world, including mine. She held on to the things that she’s strong in that at an early age, she managed to survive. It is just but remarkable because the challenges were not just simple things but they were war, abandonment and detachment. It also gives out a great deal of Chinese culture along side the book’s story that will make you understand how a local family in China actually thrives.
- Choose Wisely
Put your resources to something worth it. Aim to have no regrets. Though mistakes are part of growing up, you can still avoid them by being cautious. Weigh your reasons and choose wisely. Listen to the experienced.
A good humorous book that may give ladies out there a no-filter guide about getting and keeping their men is WHY MEN MARRY BITCHES. I’m not a feminist but I dare men to read this too just to have a glimpse of Venus’ world.
- Impact Others
Late last year, a good friend of mine encouraged me to read THE STEVE JOBS WAY by Jay Elliot because of the fact that there were a lot to learn about leading and handling a business from it. He was right. Jay Elliot, the former senior vice president of Apple described how, upon meeting Steve Jobs, his life was blessed by an opportunity beyond imagination. They were just both waiting in line for a seat in a restaurant, holding the same newspaper, reading about the same thing when a way of witnessing a remarkable global change paved his way. Steve Jobs is the man who transformed the way we connect, consume and communicate. How about you? What impact do you have in others?
- New you
Having a new look to start the Year of the Rooster is a great idea. In the book, HOW TO LOOK EXPENSIVE by Andrea Pomerantz Lustig, a simple stunning you is yet to be unleashed. She gives out the ideal way of beautifying yourself with an option (and an encouragement) of making it happen without costing you so much. She gives out all the secrets every woman should know from head to toe like what’s the best hair color to match your skin tone, what are the cosmetics that are worth paying big bucks for and what should every woman invest in when it comes to pampering herself. This book is the bible of reasonable services and one-of-a-kind beauty tips from famous hair dressers and make up artists that are personal contacts of Andrea. And when I say famous, they are the ones that handle celebrities in fashion shows, the red carpet, and the shooting sessions. May I suggest you read this book first before you try any new look.
- Be accountable
With your finances, decisions and relationships, be accountable. If you have a loan, pay it off; if you need to cut a toxic relationship, do it a.s.a.p.; if you need to decide between time and money, always choose time. Learn how to act responsibly. And may I recommend this book, THINK AND GROW RICH by Napoleon Hill as the first thing that you read in becoming an adult. Because you are at an utmost deliberation of your attitude in two ways: when you have everything all at once and when you have nothing. This book will teach you how to live in abundance.
There you are folks! This year is a year of action. Whatever you had been wanting to do, whatever you had been wanting to achieve, make it happen!
You might want to read these also:
- 11 THINGS YOU SHOULD LET GO OF TO START ANEW. – Decluttering is key for an organised 2017. Read this post to know what is considered clutter in the first place.
- BUCKET LIST – Considering making one? Here is mine.
- MEMOIRS OF 2016 – I kept a record of phenomenal photos taken at Hong Kong Disneyland. Check them out here!
