Sam Berns' Philosophy for a Happy Life

While Sam Berns had passed on, the legacy of his life lives on in those who know him personally or are acquainted with him through the mass media.

In the following TEDx talk, he shared his insights for a happy life which are summarised as follows:

1. Be OK with what you ultimately can't do, because there is so much you CAN do.

2. Surround yourself with people you want to be around.

3. Keep moving forward.

Photo by Denise Jones on Unsplash

Click here for My philosophy for a happy life | Sam Berns | TEDxMidAtlantic

Watch the clip till the end and Sam will give you a fourth piece of advice.

While being brave may not come easy, we gotta take a step of courage and move forward. Sam did so notwithstanding that he was diagnosed with progeria at the age of 2.

Thank you, Sam, for sharing your life story and making a difference.

Everyone is No. 1

What is your favourite number? Chances are it will not be the number 1. But, at the very least, it would be chosen before the number 0. By the way, the most popular number is probably 7. Click here for "Here’s Why Your Favorite Number Is Probably 7" by Brandon Specktor.

What if you rephrase the question to: How would you like to be number 1? For sure, you will now receive an enthusiastic response. Of course, the modest ones would say that they would rather play second fiddle and settle for less limelight and pampering.

"Everyone is No. 1" may not be a number 1 song but it gives us a peek into  dealing with and overcoming disabilities. Click here for Andy Lau - Everyone is No. 1. 

For the lyrics translated into English by Dedi Budiman, click here.

Come to think of it, what if we start treating another person as No. 1 in a dignified and honouring manner beyond an obligation to be nice or courteous? Jestingly, we could impose a fine on everyone who has treated another person unkindly just so that people are forced to treat others decently.

Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash

When everyone shows each other understanding and acceptance for who someone is and who someone is not, we will all reap the benefits of gracious living where "Everyone is No. 1". You would feel that other people appreciate you as No. 1, and vice versa. 

Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash

When we treat others as No. 1, nobody is left out or disregarded. We would then reach a new vista on what it means to be humane with more refinement. 

United Nations Covid-19 Response 

Does God want you to work hard?

You are not alone if you ever dreamt of living a life of bliss where everyday is a holiday without toil. The closest some of us get to it is working in a holiday resort or as tourist guide.

Work is not evil or something to be disdained. We are created for good works and work gives us a good sense of accomplishment in helping others while helping us to put food on the table.

As we commit ourselves to improve our work, it will in turn improve our lot in life as we get promoted or land new opportunities to spread our wings. Let's not be double-minded or lackadaisical with our work or our profession. Take pride in your work and own it as your true north.

For instance, you don't have to guess who has worked hard to bring us the following two fresh northern produce which have been transported all the way to Singapore.

What is the opposite of hard work? Did you say the 'L' word  -- laziness? That is the hard truth for us to confront when we lose our enthusiasm or our equilibrium in life and start finding fault with work and the work that is before us.

The work is always there; it is the worker who needs to get his own house in order and approach work with a healthy mindset.

How would you like to learn how to get out of your mire and get back on your station for some definitive work?

If you are keen, click here for "Prophetic Word: Live In The Instant" by Jamie Rohrbaugh. God can change your life in an instant as you obey His words.

Solving Problems with Happiness

One of the best key to problem-solving is paradoxically: Happiness.

At the onset nobody is happy with a problem to be solved. Given a problem which is already there and staring at your face, you are not about to procure a magic wand from anywhere online or offline so that you can just make it vanish. 

Yes, you have already heard that life dishes out problems so that you can learn some valuable lessons and live to tell the tales like cats in the neighbourhood who have nine lives. 

Think of your problem as running a marathon where the objective (problem to be solved) is reaching the starting line and crossing the finishing line. If your car breaks down or you are down with flu, you won't even make it to the starting line.

Photo by Michael Carruth on Unsplash

Here is the thing: A marathon runner who has trained for the race for a length of time and appear unhappy at the starting line is an oxymoron. On the contrary and true to form, he would be raring to launch off and tear down the road.

Taking a leaf from our disciplined runner, why not make your problem a healthy problem and put on a smile that this too will come to pass? As you make the switch to the positive, your body will align with your thoughts and release newfound energy to get yourself ready at the  starting line. 

You will be amazed how this little adjustment makes you stronger for the road ahead and you begin to see yourself pounding the road progressively with every stride you make. 

It ain't easy, but you got started without having to deplete your energy to answer the question of 'Why does this problem has to hit me?' or negate your strength through complaining, moaning and groaning. 

Unmask your ability with a happy heart to find your happiness as you cross the finishing line and see that your problem is resolved in good time.

By the way, there are many fellow marathon runners out there; you are not alone. Problem is no respecter of any one nor does it discriminate anybody.

May you find many good times to share with us as you use Happiness as a vital key to resolve problems and challenges. 

Thank you for reading and sharing Daily Refreshing. 

 

Strudel On The Ritz

'Do not judge a book by its cover'. While that may be true of books, when it comes to good tasting food, it is generally true that food with the looks would go down well with the stomach.

Apple strudel (not a good-looker) is a pastry that has not caught my attention and I often wonder why anyone would crave for it, let alone, build a business around it. That is until I took my first bite of it, unwittingly.

What happened was I had bought a small apple strudel from Ritz Apple Strudel  & Pastry knowing that there is someone at home who loves apples. However, it was left unconsumed in the fridge. 

When I sunk my teeth into it, the light crisp crust melted and gave way to sumptuous chewy bits of glazed apples which still have firmness in them. This experience has elevated my ranking of the strudel above both the pie and crumble varieties.

That said, not all apple strudels are created equal. The ones at Ritz Apple Strudel  & Pastry give me a happy tummy and garner my double thumbs up. 

The following is a blurb from their website:-

"It has been almost two decades since we launched our first outlet at Bukit Timah’s Sixth Avenue in the year 2000. We now are serving our fellow Singaporeans in several locations across Singapore in shopping malls including Bugis Junction, Tampines Mall, and Bedok Mall; counters at road shows; and features at food festivals. We take pride in researching and creating new pastries to better delight our fans. All of our products are made without lard, alcohol, trans-fat, preservatives, or artificial sweeteners."

Click here for more on Ritz Apple Strudel & Pastry.

The Quiet Revolution of Brompton Bicycle

The founder of Brompton bicycle, Andrew Ritchie, named his invention after a nearby church. There are many Bromptons around the world, but in the world of bicycles and foldable ones, in particular, you can't miss the iconic Brompton.

The big deal of a Brompton is that it has three folds which makes it really compact with a nifty design that you don't have to grapple with like a bulky sack of rice. It is thus convenient to store and bring it to your desired locations for your rides.  

The company's obsession with making their bikes better and dedication to innovation gives you an insight on the quality and sustained value of a Brompton that is built to last with safety and performance in mind.

This two-wheeler is making a difference to urban life beyond the conversation-starters and unwitting attention that it generates with its groundbreaking design since 1979. It makes biking so much fun and practical; you can ride it without having to don some Lyra tights so as to make you look the part.

 

Click here for Long-term Review of the Brompton folding bike | What makes it SO SPECIAL?

Click here for Will Butler-Adams, CEO of Brompton Bikes | Talks at Google

Click here for Patagonia Cycling Tour on a Brompton Bike

Adventure on Two Wheels

Life is like riding a bicycle; it is all about balance. If you are a student, it would mean finding a balance between studies and play. For working adults, you would wanna find work-life balance. And, for retirees, you exercise and watch your recommended balanced diet for your particular health condition like a hawk (and take your medication stringently).

Regardless of your age, one of the coolest thing that you can do is to ride a bicycle regularly for both commuting and recreation, if not already doing so. Learning to ride a bicycle is a one-off learning process. It was tough at the beginning. Remember the training wheel and your patient or not-so-patient instructor who said that it would be a piece of cake?

Bicycling could well be an overlook mode of transportation. When travelling short distances, the first thought would be to drive, grab a car through an App or take public transport like taxi and train. Why not cycle instead if your urban setting has the infrastructure to support it? 

Riding a bicycle is cool in that you are seated like on a chair and travelling while seated. So saddle up and head out to the parks for a joy ride. It would help you exercise your muscles (good preparation for a stronger body to cope with old age to come) and help you get back to Nature with its attendant benefits for a healthy life.

When you have like friends who enjoy biking, it would be a grand avenue for social interaction and help you stay engaged in relationships. You can listen to all kind of stuffs communicated to you and understand them all, but making a connection with another person takes the beef.

So why are you not cycling? There are subtle barriers, I guess. Maybe your immediate environment is not conducive for cycling, the park is just too far away or you don't have the luxury of space (for a mountain bike or racing bike).

No problem. There is a solution for this if you are looking at cycling on un-rugged terrain. Go for a foldable bicycle that rides like a real bike. 

The advantages or practicality of a foldable bike is that it is compact enough for you to transport to your parks and for your to be able to store easily at home without it being the centrepiece. You may have to pay good money value for a good one though, but in the long run it will go the distance to make your life that much better with the accumulation of the little betters from each day.

I do not own a bike. The bikes that I ride are typically rented. But, I am dreaming of a Brompton foldable bicycle. More on the Brompton in the next post.