Reality Check

Our goals in life are usually influenced by a lot of factors. These would include our interests, the significant people around us, our environment, and even our exposure to the various communications media. Just like you, my earlier ambitions were mostly shaped by what I saw on television. I thought they were cool. saving the world was exactly what I wanted. As we grow older, our ambitions are tempered by reality. We begin to realize that we to take into consideration a lot of things such our financial capacity, our skills and capabilities and employment opportunities.

You are still young. You have very supportive parents. You can explore the world and find out where you are really suited. Go for it.

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On Failures

Don’t lose hope. One failure does not mean it’s the end. Rather it’s the beginning of another opportunity. Consider it as a learning experience. Failures are there to remind us that we are not almighty and powerful. It does not mean though that we wouldn’t do anything to overcome it. Sometimes failures are present in our lives to rattle us from complacency, to shake the core of our existence and tell us to take action. It provides us with the challenge to make ourselves better and to exceed our past performances.

Competition: Good or Bad

There would always be some sort of competition wherever we go. It can be between siblings, between friends, schools and even companies. Healthy competition can produce positive results but unhealthy ones can make an individual or institution rabid and fanatic. It can become detrimental to one's growth or relationship. A healthy one can make a person strive to become better and develop himself more. Competition is good unless it becomes destructive.

Living With Someone

Living with somebody entails a lot of adjustments. It is not very easy to share a place with somebody whom you are at odds with. Furthermore, things can be very uncomfortable if the people around you are the very ones that you also work with. I guess, I am blessed to have had room mates who were flexible and understanding enough. The dynamics was really interesting because our personalities were very different. Each of us had our quirks just like with me, it’s having books strewn all over my bed. We had somebody who was obsessive-compulsive and there’s one who was a slob. One doesn’t want to be disturbed and holds Saturday mornings sacred. Some would wake up so early in the morning while others tend to wake up at noon. Trivial matters were ignored in order to preserve good relationships. In the end, there should be a concerted effort to make it work.

Danger? Where?

Danger lurks everywhere. Seemingly harmless people and situations can go out of hand and prove to be very dangerous. Oftentimes terrorists are the ones considered as the culprits who cause havoc and terror in the society. But we overlook the fact that there are sometimes even more dangerous people around us. Perpetrators of heinous crimes are often people who don't look like they are capable of committing such horrible things. Investing in certain countries might be considered risky but then again who would ever think that the 9/11 crisis would happen in the US which is considered to be a bastion of freedom and is impenetrable.

Taboo?

What is considered pornographic or indecent is a very sensitive subject for what may be a work of art for others may be considered scandalous by others. Basic decency is a personal value. Just like what personal perception we may have will be dependent on our value system, culture and outlook. In the past it was considered taboo to talk about such matters but reality dictates that it should be tackled and explained to young people to avoid misinformations. Open communication begets a healthy attitude.

Communications

Mass media is a very powerful means of communication. It can reach far and wide. Television, radio, movies, magazines and newspapers reach millions of people. Internet is also equally powerful because all sorts of information and data can be posted or accessed. The different means of communications may have its advantages but it also carry some risks especially if the information will be used for the wrong purposes.

Challenge Yourself

Constantly challenge and stretch yourself to the limits. Exposing yourself to formal and informal English (written and oral) will be advantageous for you can never be sure of the manner of communications of the people you'll get to meet in your line of business. You do not have to be very literal and memorize every sentence or get to know the definition of all the words. The mere fact that you comprehend what you read is good enough. To be able to explain it and state your opinion about the topic is even much better.

Of Men & Women

Men and women's traditional roles vary in different societies but a prevailing practice is for the women to take care of the family and kids while men go out and hunt or work to earn enough for the family's provisions. This archaic concept is slowly disintegrating in the present generation. It is very common nowadays to see both men and women working as equals on the job. Women have flourishing careers while men sometimes become househusbands. The roles of both sexes are usually defined by society and culture but also influenced by the economic status of the family or community.

Towns & Cities

It used to be that small towns were very active communities bustling with people young and old. Memories, good and bad, of times spent in this place where it seems like everybody knows everybody will forever be kept in our hearts. Unfortunately, with the advent of time, younger people migrated to the big cities to seek better opportunities. This phenomena left the towns with people who are contented with the languid pace of life in the countryside. Though there is still that hope that the younger generation will be able to discover the serenity of the these small towns.

On Learning

I used to equate learning with memorization of formula and other data such as dates, grammar rules and the ability to decipher complex ideas. It meant going through school for more than a decade. I am not undermining formal education but rather stressing the fact that it can be enhanced by the myriad of experiences gleaned from the exposure to life outside the classroom. Mere conversations with other people can result to a lot of realizations while observing how people interact with each other in social gatherings can show the dynamics of society. The process of learning can happen anywhere, anytime but it takes openness to welcome new experiences and the willingness to exert effort to discern the facts of life.

Rest

Weekends are opportunities for us to recharge and regroup. Working on weekdays can place such demands on a person's physical condition and there is that need for each to have a time to just slow down and rest. The stamina is built and and an energized individual emerges.

Leisure

Having enough rest is vital to our well-being. Leisure activities such as visits to amusement parks may create a sense of enjoyment which cannot be given any monetary value. Sometimes we work too hard and would keep pushing ourselves to the limits in the quest for wealth, promotions, etc. without realizing that in the end we would never have the chance to enjoy the fruits of our labor for we have become too weary. We might become sick as a result of overworking and too much stress thus depriving ourselves of that opportunity to bask in the material gains which we have accumulated throughout our lives.

Calamities

Disasters, natural and man-made, may have catastrophic effect on the lives of the victims but also to those who have witnessed such tragedies. But behind these events emerge stories of heroism and goodness. There will always be situations which are beyond our control. Let us not dwell too much on these because there's nothing that we can do about it. Instead, let us all have a proactive stand and focus on where we can be of help.

Jobs, et al

The jobs we have entail responsibilities which we are bound to fulfill. Being on top of the situation , whatever it may be, is part and parcel of the management side. At times, it would mean an actual visit to the site itself just to be updated about the situation or even just to make our presence felt is vital. But it is also important to be able to have time for ourselves...a time to relax, a time to be energized and a time to contemplate what we want out of life.There should be a balance between work and leisure to keep things on an even stance.

Directions

Goal setting has always been a vital process done in companies but it can prove to be of benefit if done on the personal level. Setting directions and timeline for one's personal life will give an individual the necessary focus. This means a more efficient and effective use of time and resources.

Friends & Travels

Traveling with friends or family members is enjoyable. It provides an opportunity to renew and strengthen the relationship. It’s also a good to discover the culture of other people. Learning is also facilitated by travels for it provides a veritable classroom which is even more interesting.