30 Year Old me writing to remind myself

Yesterday, I celebrated my 30th Birthday. 

Went to a brunch date with hub while Aedan was in school. Fetched him at noon and we went on a shopping spree. Blew the candles with family at night. 

It was a simple and good one. 

After Aedan fell asleep, I read all the birthday messages and wishes from friends and they filled my heart. 

I love the age 30. 

It has been a good thirty years of memories. 

Many changes had happened in the past few years...pregnancy, child birth, quit my job, moved to a foreign land and now back. 

While I was living in Israel, my mind was free so I thought a lot, reflected on my past while searching the future. 

When I was a child, I used to fear many things and the world does not seem like a good place to be in. 

As I grow up, I learnt to overcome my fear and see fear as weakness for progress and greater thing. 

I got to realise that life is tough at a young age, I worked hard to make improvement to my life. Education is the key to change one’s life and so I studied hard. 

I was lucky, as my hard work paid off. Not all people work hard and get what they want but I always get what I want when I work really hard for it. 

I continue to work hard in my twenties and I always thought I will work like this forever. 

But life gave me an opportunity to change my direction in life. To see life more than just work and achievements. To discover that there are so much more in life than chasing accolades.

I think I am really a blessed one. 

When life was difficult, there was hope. 

When life was stressed, there was love.

When I got lost in chasing the illusion, life brought me to see the real. 

Life is unpredictable but there’s always something to learn along the way. 

From chasing grades to chasing KPI, it was always about the results. I used to think that result is the important but now I think process is much more important than result. 

I used to care more about self achievement. Now I hope to make a difference in other’s life. 

I used to place work above family. 

Now my family is the most important. 

At some point in life, I used most of my time to buy money. And at some point, I realised that money can’t buy back time. 

Time is our limited resources. 

While money can buy us many things, there are also many things in life which money can’t buy. 

With the limited time we have, love our family, spend time, be kind, serve one another. 

Make no room for regrets.

Tomorrow is not promised and today is short.

Back to this fast-paced society, it’s easy to forget what’s truly important. 

This 30 year-old me writing to remind myself. 

With love, 

Evelyn

 

Repost: 从容品尝人生的滋味

Repost. I have read this article "从容品尝人生的滋味" and find it really meaningful. 

 

从容品尝人生的滋味

酸甜苦辣是人生的常态，得失是人生的必然，你选择用什么样的方式来面对你将会收获什么。

　　从容，是因为内心镇静而沉着地面对人生，哲人说，从容，是一种聪明的糊涂。万事万物都有自己的存在状态，不必问其究竟。雨有雨的润泽，雪有雪的悠然，冰有冰的晶莹，春有春的生机，夏有夏的炽热，秋有秋的丰实，冬有冬的冷峻。

　　面对宇宙的浩瀚，星空的无限，纷杂的万物，芸芸众生，我们真的不必要事事弄清楚，凡事问个究竟。其实，苦累与哀怨都是自我寻找的烦恼，在能力范围内的努力是积极的，而超乎能力的只是一种臆想和渴望。因此，我们只有以平和的心态面对世界，才能摆脱纷纷扰扰所谓的“烦心事”，善待自己，善待人生！

　　从容是一种稳健的进取。我们难得糊涂，但不能因此借口而一味束缚自己的想象空间和创造潜力，应该以平常的心用理性思维明辨是非，克服局限完善自我抛弃痛苦，乐观面对人生。

　　从容是个性发挥的最好表现，我们应该在保留个性的同时学会适应环境，以适应环境的状态保护个性。这是获得从容的基本条件，也是保证自我进取得成功的重要的助推力，其实，现实生活中的人们，不妨把许多事情换一种思维方式来思考，这样可以给自己打开一扇窗或一扇门，这也许就足大家常说的另一种境界。

　　从容不是故作姿态的镇定，不是矫情刻意的悠然，不是为表现而表现。真正的从容是疾管里飘逸出的袅袅低吟，是处惊不变临危不乱的自如应变，是青山绿水间信然踱步时流溢的生命柔情。

　　人们或许认为从容过于自在与无为，缺乏动感的能量。其实真正的从容无不蕴涵长河激浪的力度与大漠落日的气概。从容是一种“度”的把握，是人性的收敛与张扬合理平衡。

　　从容看似处事中的简单情态，其实是人的深度和厚度自然流露。没有文化的积累情操和熏陶，修养的升华就没有一个自然的你优雅的你，张弛有度的你，从容也就无法谈起。

　　从容并不意味着对速度的放弃和对激情的违悖。追求一种对急遽局势的从容处理，追求一种对焦灼的心态的从容间离，获得的往往是更有效的速度与更合理的心态。从容反映出你对进与退，拥有与放弃的理想与把握。

　　从容结缘的是理性，理性是从容的基石。一个从容的人不会没有困难，但他不会困窘，一个从容的人不会没有危急，但他不会急躁。学会用从容的步履走漫漫人生路总有春风拂面总会一身轻松。从容是一种成熟从容就是人生舒缓而美丽的心境。

　　从容的确是一种超然的境界。它可以把一切苦与悲看成顺其自然的常态，因为“悲欢离合”，才有了“天长地久”；因为“落残雨寒”，才有了“人间温暖”；因为“酸甜苦辣”，才有了“丰富人生”。所以，从容是筛选善恶的漏斗。

　　讥讽、指责、嫉妒、恭维、冷漠、虚伪；关心、微笑、帮助，我们都应以良好的心态全部面对，安静地感受从容地接纳和筛选，这样我们才会在“列车”的旅途中真正拥有一份独具宁静的心灵和真正享受恬淡舒适的人生！

With love,

Evelyn 

What's ur better choice?

Reading is like feeding supplement to my mind and soul.

I have been reading a few books recently, staying late night reading, and it feels really good. 

There are times in life when we may be lost or not sure of our direction ahead. While reading, allow me to open my perspectives and ponder on questions in life. 

Life is between a start and an end. We are all born to live and one day, we will die. 

So between this, it's our journey in life. 

Our life is full of possibility of different outcomes and these outcomes depend on the decisions/choices we made at each deciding junction. 

While making choices, people often want to make sure that a "better choice" is made.

"better choice"?  

are subjective. 

What consider "better" to one may not be "better" to another. For a person who love wealth and enjoy material satisfaction, a high paying job with no work satisfaction may be "better". But for a person who enjoy living a stable and fulfilling life, a job that provides work satisfaction and work-life-balance may be more important and hence "better". 

As such, it is important for us to know our priorities and wants in life in order to make better decision which will lead us to our desire outcome. 

However, often, people are led by influence, wealth, materials and immediate satisfaction, but not know what's their ultimate goal in life. 

And more often a wrong direction will lead to one working hard to achieve results which is not one wants. And this is when people get unhappy and unbalance.

I personally believe in striking a balance.

Finance, 

Work, 

Health and 

Relationship with love ones. 

All are important and cannot be disregard,

Some people may spend alot of their time in work and focusing in building wealth, in the expense of health and time with family and friends. 

Balancing all four components is not easy and it takes consistent effort to remind ourselves. 

It's important to live happy, healthy & whole.

That's what I believe. What's urs?

With love,

Evelyn