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.