What’s new with Reason-4-Smile Weblog?
January 31, 2008
Some updates in Reason-4-Smile Weblog…
The first update is the most obvious one, the theme. I’m using Wordpress Revolution theme right now, thanks to Chris and his link-up contest. The post that made me win the competition is the announcement of the new category I created few weeks ago, the News category, for the value I would like to give more to my reader and subscribers through short articles, comments on the recent news, in a form of quote or inspiration of the day.
Right now, this theme is still pretty raw, many features in my previous theme that I haven’t put in. More changes will be added in in the future, keep on updated!
The second update is the Insights category, this category is the companion of the News category, representing my pillar articles, longer articles that is summing up the insights and inspirations I have gained from various sources. Insights also represents the articles that I put in series, looking at the insights category will allow you to see the articles in the series clearly.
Popularity: 36% [?]
Be comfortable with who you are
January 28, 2008
“Be comfortable with who you are!” That’s the title of the Podcast from Joel Osteen, my favourite message that I have listened over and over. The message is about how we can be comfortable with how God made us to be!
Have you ever felt not belong to a certain community? Feeling as if you’re an ugly goose in the middle of ducks, an introvert in the middle of extroverts.
That’s what I felt recently, an introvert in the middle of all my housemates who are extroverts. While I’m so tired after work and relate with people, I have to see all my flatmates are in the happy mode enjoying talking and laughing to one another. Most of the time, I can’t keep up with them and staying by myself in my room. Sometimes, the inferior feeling is just overwhelming.
Should you feel inferior just because you’re an introvert?
Popularity: 44% [?]
Lesson from President Suharto
January 27, 2008
On the news: The former president of Indonesia, Suharto has just passed away today. He ruled over Indonesia for 32 years. In the most of the part of his office period, he has developed Indonesia a lot, but sadly he didn’t end it very well. He tempted to misuse his power and influence to be consumed by greed, corrupted millions of money and favoured his family and friends for many economic projects. He ruled Indonesia from 1967-1998, period of 32 years but ended where he was forced by public mass to go down from his throne, after so much riots impacted by Asian economic crisis on 1997-1998.
He started well, but he did not finish well, he chose riches and money for his family over his character, integrity and trustworthiness. A reflection… will you do the same when you have that power and influence?
Popularity: 28% [?]
Confession of an extrovert salesperson
January 26, 2008
How do you think you can influence a person?
Yes, it’s the news on what I have learned today! I got to know a new friend today, an Indonesian named Leo. We met up when we played badminton this morning. He is working in IT security company, even though his position is Project Engineer, his responsibility is very much sales, deals a lot with presentation and sales pitch to sell his product/solution.
I can tell that he’s an extrovert, as he enjoyed very much to be with people. He played badminton not only 1-2 times a week, but 5-6 times. And his motive is to be with people, he enjoy meeting new people and get to know more and more friends. Being with people does energize him.
From his personality and capabilities, I can see that his job match his personality very well. As an extrovert, he should not find speaking is any difficulty, being with people is something that certainly he enjoys and being energized with, but surprisingly those are not the same with influencing people…
Popularity: 35% [?]
The five myths about finding a mentor
January 25, 2008
I’m learning a lot about mentor in the book DNA of Success from Jack M. Zufelt (check below). It’s about being successful with the help of mentor. Journey of success is a journey of learning. But… will book enough for you to learn to be successful? A reminder quote that I got from the book…
A single conversation across a table from a wise mentor is worth a month’s study of books.
- Ancient proverb
I’ve never got someone that I officially call as ‘mentor’, my first impression of reading a message about finding a mentor is a kind of self-pity, something like finding myself having no mentor, assuming that it is very difficult in having a mentor. But is that true?
When I think again, I may not have someone that I’ve ever officially called or asked to be my mentor, but I do have few people that I am very thankful of to be connected with, people with whom I have learned so many things in life…, some through teaching and inspiration, some through encouragement, and some through questions that make me think.
With this perspective, rarely any of us will find difficulty finding a mentor. Here are five myths about mentor that you need to debunk to find it easier to have a mentor…
Read more
Popularity: 60% [?]
It’s your discovery day!
January 24, 2008
The news today? It’s your discovery day!
Do you often feel yourself bored? Or worse, do other people find yourself boring?
Many introverts may think that their life is not interesting, or find it too boring to share to other people.
For those that feels that way, here is a simple quote I’d like to share…
Everybody can have creativity at the personal level and make his or her life more interesting and more like a process of discovery.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Univ. of Chicago Professor and Author
It’s really wonderful to know that we have seeds of creativity within us, we have the potential to make our life more interesting. How to do it? Make today as your discovery day! And Mihaly, pointed a very important point, the creativity at personal level, people may disagree with you, people may doesn’t like what you do, in his words..
Read more
Popularity: 14% [?]
What you have to do with your decision
January 22, 2008
I’ve written a series of post on decision making. In concluding the series, I would like to share more about the important thing after you make your decision.
You’ve got your decision made, you’ve chosen to go, against the storms outside to pursue your dream, purpose and passion, so what’s next?
In short, be thankful with your decision! Gratitude is especially important for us to not staying in the past, moving forward and making another decision to pursue our dream.
This post is posted as a part of the Gratitude Project, initiated by Akemi Gaines from Gratitude Magic.
I’ve been sharing the series on decision making, being a leader or being successful you will need to do a lot of decision making, and for many of us, decision making is not easy. And even after we made our decision, being confident about our decision is not an easy task as well. Here is what I learn about the decision we made…
Learn to get stuck with your decision…
I watch a very good video from Dan Gilbert, when he shared his idea in TEDTalk. His presentation talks about the synthetic happiness, the happiness that we made even when we don’t get what we want. It’s said about the joy of being stuck.
"How to make better decisions" articles:
Popularity: 44% [?]
Limited mindset of introvert
January 21, 2008
I’m not a good speaker, I don’t think I will be successful!
She is so good with people, having so many friends and connections, future seems so bright for her!
I’m not attractive, people don’t like me, I’m too deep and people find it bo…ring!
Sounds familiar? I believe this relate to an introvert with lower self-esteem very much! Introvert who reflects too much, complaining about not having other people’s capabilities, and being jealous towards others, especially those who are very different from them. This is what I say the limited mindset of introvert.
We need to be aware of this mindset, having this mindset, hardly you will be successful. Whoever you are, you can be successful! Here is quoted from Jack M. Zufelt in his book DNA of Success…
Your mind-set may be that you must be an extrovert to be successful. Although extroverts can be successful, so can people who do not like the limelight. Some of the most quiet, laid-back people I have known are extremely successful.
Jack M. Zufelt
Popularity: 40% [?]
Do you keep your boomerang?
January 20, 2008
On the news: Boomerang do come back! A boomerang has been returned after 25 years ago being stolen. It comes with the following note…
“I removed this back in 1983 when I was younger and dumber,” said the note, according to Mount Isa Mayor Ron McCullough. “It was the wrong thing to do, I’m sorry, and I’m going to send it back,” said the note.
It’s a wonder to see how someone can keep the guilt for 25 years, how can he live with that boomerang, the guilt in his life.
Popularity: 16% [?]
The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney, Psy.D
January 20, 2008
This is the book that opens my eye about introversion. Many times we think that introvert is bad, abnormal, or introvert is unlikely to be successful or introvert. From this book I got a lot of insights about introversion which we actually can consider it as advantages instead of limitation. Really a must read for introverts!
Popularity: 22% [?]
