American actor, director, and producer best known for his roles in television series such as “Breaking Bad” and “Malcolm in the Middle, Bryan Cranston’s quote emphasises the direct correlation between effort and achievement. The quote underscores that hard work significantly increases the likelihood of achieving results that you can be proud of. It highlights the importance of putting in effort to reach your goals. Cranston points out a straightforward truth: without effort, the chances of success and personal satisfaction are minimal. The simplicity of the statement emphasises that success is often a result of consistent hard work. The quote also implies personal responsibility in achieving one’s goals. It suggests that individuals have control over their success through their dedication and work ethic.

This weekend was Singapore’s 59th National Day, marking the country’s independence from Malaysia in 1965. It is also new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s debut at the National Day Parade. I have now lived in Singapore for almost a quarter of a century and in a couple of years, I would have lived longer here than in Mumbai. I think that occasion warrants a post; I will do that soon.

And tomorrow, GG will start her second year of university. I hope and pray she has a good year, does well in school and most importantly, has fun! BB is busy with national service and he is enjoying it, contrary to most people, for whom NS is a chore.

That’s all from me this week. Stay positive and keep smiling 😀

This quote from Harper Lee, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” emphasises the importance of empathy and understanding in human relationships. The quote highlights that true understanding of another person comes from seeing things from their perspective. This involves deep empathy, where one tries to fully grasp another person’s experiences, feelings, and viewpoints. It suggests that surface judgments are insufficient for truly knowing someone. Understanding requires a deeper connection and effort to relate to their inner experiences and challenges. The metaphor of “climbing inside of his skin and walking around in it” conveys a profound level of empathy, urging us to imaginatively and emotionally put ourselves in someone else’s place to understand their actions and motivations.

This week was a good one for me. I finally restarted my walking earlier this month and this week, I have been hitting my goals out of the park. I even managed to sleep well and this translated into waking up earlier than I usually do. My job search is going nowhere and I am seriously thinking of pivoting to something else if nothing comes up by the end of the year. But this is a decision I can push back to a few more months. 

GG’s holidays are coming to an end and she needs to start putting on her student hat once again. BB is busy with his work in camp and seems to like doing what he is doing. The weather in Singapore is so hot these days that I crave for the air conditioning daily, but restrict myself to using it only for a couple of hours when it is the hottest part of the day. And wonder how those whose livelihood depends on them being in the sun manage? Those times I am very grateful that I can afford to switch on the airconditioning multiple times in a day and also have access to multiple fans with which I can cool myself.

And on that note of gratitude, have a fantastic week, folks. Keep smiling and always thank the higher energy for what we have!

I’ve decided that I’m going to stop feeling sorry for myself from now on. Where did this come from? Earlier this week, I got a notification that a position I was interested in was something I could easily do was not interested in me because they wanted someone trainable! Which I interpreted as wanting someone younger. I was upset about this and stewed for a couple of days before my revelation of wanting to stop feeling sorry for myself. 

And that segues beautifully into today’s quote. This quote from Barbara Corcoran, a poster child for overcoming adversity through determination, resilience, and a positive mindset and a prominent American businesswoman, investor, speaker, and television personality, best known as one of the original “sharks” on the ABC reality television show “Shark Tank” emphasises the importance of resilience and a proactive attitude in achieving success. The quote suggests that successful people do not dwell on their misfortunes or setbacks for long. Instead, they quickly move past self-pity and focus on finding solutions and taking action. It highlights the role of a positive mindset and proactive behaviour in overcoming challenges and achieving goals. Successful individuals are characterised by their ability to bounce back from difficulties and maintain forward momentum. The quote implies that the key difference between those who succeed and those who don’t lies in their mental approach to adversity. By minimising time spent feeling sorry for themselves, successful people can use their energy and time more effectively.

And that sums up my week. I spent a good part of the week feeling sorry for myself and then decided to stop and look at the positive side of things. Maybe the position I felt sorry about was not the right fit for me. So I will let go of all those negative feelings and trust the universe to have my back!

How was your week?

The English Romantic poet, John Keats’ quote today reflects his courageous attitude towards ambition and excellence. Keats emphasises the importance of not fearing failure when striving for greatness. This fearlessness allows one to pursue one’s highest potential without hesitation. He expresses a preference for attempting greatness and risking failure over not trying at all. The desire to be among the greatest is worth the possibility of not succeeding. The quote underscores the value of ambition and effort. Even if one fails, the attempt to achieve something significant is itself a worthy pursuit.

This week will mark the end of the second month of unemployment and about four months of my job search. To date, I have applied to almost 150 jobs, each with a targeted resume and cover letter, but have not even scored an initial interview. I am getting disillusioned with this whole process, but only the knowledge that it’s not just me, but a whole bunch of other people who are in the same boat as me is keeping me going.

On another note, an ex-colleague turned friend reached out last week asking if I was open to writing for his new employer. Of course, I said yes immediately and since then have written two short articles for him. A, if you are reading this, thank you very much for the opportunity!

Nothing else happened this week, but I soldier on and try to maintain a positive outlook with a side of gratitude. See you all next week with hopefully something more positive!

Earlier this week, BB got an award during his national service on SAF day. He was awarded the Commander’s Coin for his distinguished commitment to safety. The commander’s coin is a recognition by the unit for something outstanding an individual does. I am not sure what relevance this has in the real world, but it’s nice to have a beautifully framed certificate.

Today’s quote comes to us from Henry David Thoreau, an American essayist, poet, and philosopher, best known for his book “Walden,” a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay “Civil Disobedience,” an argument for disobedience to an unjust state. Thoreau’s quote emphasises the importance of turning dreams and aspirations into reality through practical steps.  Thoreau acknowledges that having grand dreams and lofty ambitions or castles in the air is valuable and natural. These dreams represent our highest goals and aspirations. He encourages taking concrete actions to support and realize these dreams. This involves planning, effort, and perseverance to make dreams achievable. The quote highlights the balance between dreaming big and grounding those dreams in reality through practical efforts and hard work.

As for me, my days are filled with applying for jobs and writing. Some days I am overwhelmed with not getting a single interview, despite applying to over 100 jobs in the last three months. I don’t have any specialised skills and so wonder if it is because of my age? But I am not giving up. I am applying with targeted resumes and cover letters and also working with a wonderful career coach so remain optimistic that something good will turn up soon.

That’s all for this week. Stay positive and keep smiling!