Surfing With One Arm Only

In his book "Limitless", Nick Vujicic cited Bethany Hamilton (http://www.soulsurfer.com) as an example of someone who has triumphed over tragedy.

Although Bethany lost her left arm when she was 13 years old due to a shark attack, she pursued her passion and is now living her dream as a professional surfer. 

Bethany Hamilton  (Photo credits: www.soulsurfer.com)

More than that, she is now a source of inspiration to people everywhere that when we pursue our passion, we can achieve our dream even with one arm!

May the following YouTube clip refreshes you to fuel your passion with added zest.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04jACEVTltw

You can create your own magical Disneyland, but it is not going to appear by magic. It takes vision, courage, passion and a lot of hard work to turn it into a reality. 

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." -- Nelson Mandela

"Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway." --John Wayne

P.S. Thank you Nick Vujicic for introducing Bethany Hamilton to Daily Refreshing and its readers.

What Is Happiness?

Happiness is what you define it to be. In other words, what is happiness to you need not necessarily be another person's fancied cup of tea, so to speak.

Even if your choices are limited, you could still choose to be happy and nobody can take that away from you. Happiness is thus  a perspective of life

And, if you are clueless, fret not. There will be others who are more than happy and ready to proffer their win-win take on happiness, yes, even with just a bowl or a cup!

Now, I think, if you can have your cake and eat it (meaning you can afford it, have the time to consume it leisurely and be in a good state of health enough to eat to your heart's content) that's a moment of happiness to savour!

True Prosperity

With the Lunar New Year looming, the buzzword is "Prosperity" which encompasses wealth and the rudimentary 'Health is wealth.'

Well, the following take on prosperity is, in my humble opinion, truly commendable and give us some food for thought whether we are dining-in, doing a take-away or merely passing-by.

And, my mind you, it's not just for the birds (see those pigeons up there on the balcony).

TRUE PROSPERITY IS A HAPPY FAMILY. Truer words have not been spoken by another restaurant in my limited sojourning.

  

What Are Your Core Values?

Our core values determine our character. 

As often-quoted from Charles Reade, "Sow an action and you will reap a habit, sow a habit and you reap character; sow character and you will reap a destiny."

For your refreshing, the following core values are gleaned from a corporate calendar and it does appear, incidentally, to bear some semblance to a vase of flowers -- whether or not intended.

CORE VALUES

Honesty

Trustworthy

Integrity

Reliability

Excellence

Focus

Determination

Responsiveness

Commitment

Promptness

Efficiency

Empathy

As individuals, we bear in mind that character is the foundation of excellence. In his book "Excellence in Character", Dr. Robb Thompson gives this insight:

A man's character is a prophecy of his destiny.

Values Can Stand The Test Of Time

Some weeks ago a lighted advertisement with the words "Time changes everything except our values" caught my attention. Alas, before I could take a photograph of it, the next advertisement and series of advertisements had appeared. I waited for a full five minutes with so many other advertisements appearing and re-appearing, but that particular advertisement never came back and I had to move on and left it at that.

After two weeks or so, early one morning while I was passing by the foyer of UOB Plaza, I was pleasantly surprised to see a gigantic version of the advertisement which I had so missed previously. It was a godsend morning surprise (yes, you can see the blue hues of the sky before daybreak at the top left and right of the photograph) and I felt validated by UOB that this advertisement is outstanding and noteworthy of being magnified.

In a similar drift, the following photograph shows a replica of the facade of UOB's flagship building of old bedecking the glass panels of it's ultra modern main branch building and emphasising it's timeless value.

Values define and distinguish us; they represent and depict who we are to the world at large. With values we make a stand for the things that we are gonna to uphold not just yesterday and today but forever, constantly and consistently.

The following two quotes on value are for your further contemplation and refreshing:-

"Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it." --M. Scott Peck

"The lessons I learned from the dark days at Alibaba are that you've got to make your team have value, innovation, and vision. Also, if you don't give up, you still have a chance. And, when you are small, you have to be very focused and rely on your brain, not your strength." -- Jack Ma

  

"10 TIPS For A Good Night's Sleep" by Sleep Health Foundation

(Source: Sleep Health Foundation)

1. Have a regular sleep pattern. 

Try to go to bed at the same time every evening and get up at the same time every morning. This will help your body to work out a healthy sleep routine.

2. Spend the right amount of time in bed

Most adults need about 8 hours sleep every night. Some require more and some less. Many poor sleepers spend much more than 8 hours in bed and this makes fragmented sleep a habit. Except if you have lengthy sleep requirements, limit your time in bed to no more than 8.5 hours. If you often take hours to fall asleep, go to bed later. Remember that children need more sleep than adults.

3. Bed is for sleeping, not entertainment. 

Television, computers and other distractions can interfere with your sleep. It is better not to sleep with your TV on. Your mind needs to be in the habit of knowing that if you are in bed, you are there to sleep. Don’t stay in bed if you are wide awake.

4. Wind down and relax before going to bed. 

Have a buffer zone before bedtime. Sort out any problems well before going to bed. This may mean setting aside a ‘worry time’ during the day. Use this time to go over the day's activities and work out a plan of action for the next day. Try to avoid using your computer within one hour of bedtime as the blue screen will suppress the hormone that makes us sleepy. Exercise is fine, but not too late in the evening. Find a relaxation technique that works for you.

5. Make sure your bedroom is comfortable. 

You should have a quiet, dark room with comfortable bedding and good temperature control.

6. Alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes – to be avoided

Alcohol may help you to get off to sleep, but will disrupt your sleep during the night. Caffeine (tea, coffee, cola drinks) and the nicotine in cigarettes are stimulants that can keep you awake.

7. Avoid daytime naps. 

Sleeping during the day will make it much more difficult to sleep well at night. If a nap is absolutely necessary, for example because of a late night, then limit this to about thirty minutes. Make sure that you are awake for at least 4 hours before going back to bed. Don’t allow yourself to fall asleep in front of the TV – not even for a minute.

8. Don’t lie awake watching the clock

Watching the time on a clock just makes you anxious about not being asleep. If possible take the clock out of your bedroom. If you need the clock for the alarm, turn it around so that you cannot see the time.

9. Avoid sleeping pills except in exceptional circumstances. 

They do not fix the cause of your sleeping problem.

10. You may need professional help

If you are still having trouble sleeping, if you have persistent problems with mood, restlessness in bed, severe snoring or wakening unrefreshed despite what should be adequate length sleep, make sure that you go and see your doctor. (See also our other Information Pages).