Grace

 Grace truly comes from the mind,

Most times we are not being mindful of or to find. 

Grace more importantly springs from the heart,

To try to articulate it in doing our part. 

Grace makes us realise we try to give and not just wait for it,

for what we share comes back to us in heaps. 

Grace does change how we  look at situations and things,

Thank you for helping raise me up on such new wings. 

#yongkevthoughts

Blog 18th Anniversary - As Seasons Change

 Now the air is still crisp,

but with not so much of a bite.
What do we choose when things take a flip,
The right path, even when so dark, is when we do see the light.

It can be the best time of year, to have blooms and buds on shrubs and trees,
when gentle becomes the night.
There can always be so many things to do with busy bees,
and the most joy is to see what is deeply bright and just right.

The mood lifts, or is it just me,
As we ignore fights and diversionary might,
Grow upon our journey forward to be truly free,
To open our hearts without fear or fright.

Time we have can be just spent like a passing night,
like a ship that goes out of sight.
We are born with a fresh page and delight,
We leave behind a trail of memories and likes.

#yongkevthoughts

Blog 18th Anniversary - Choosing To Be Happy

 Letting ourselves choose to be happy.....

I can hear the pitter patter of an increasingly heavy rain downpour.  Now, in the hour after sunset, nestled between the hills to the west and the ocean to the east.

I choose to smell the refreshing moisture in the air. I choose to slowly unfurl at this hour to close the day.  Soaking in water reinvigorates the body.

I choose to anticipate the toast I am having for breakfast, uhm, tomorrow.

I choose what uplifts me.
I relish in getting my body break in sweat running up that hill - or soaking in the salty winds along the beach.  I put my fingers to run over the bark of stately trees that stand like a sentinel of a friend looking over me - or breathe in the oxygen exuded by leaves as they make their chlorophyll.

Tucked in bed, in a totally darkened space, my eyes look at the emerging stars across our Great Southern Sky.  There is a lack of reflected artificial light, so the Universe up there becomes so much easier to discern and enjoy a view of.

I choose to make more sense of all the episodes and incidents paraded in society, to find a more meaningful thread to explain such things.  I choose to recognise causes rather than symptoms.

I choose to ride on beneficial outcomes out from roadblocks and irritations, no matter how big or small they are.  For example, looking for a safety pin made me more organised as to where to easily find a stand by first aid pack.   Movement restrictions imposed by authorities made me more focused and less distracted.  Misinformation led me to realise the truth.   What looked like deprivation, disrespect and dissolution initially can lead to true personal liberation.

I choose to see what can be, rather than what cannot.  I choose to laugh, even if I may hurt.  I choose to understand, even if there is nothing to start with. I choose to try.  I choose to continue, towards where I want to go. I choose to go forward.  I choose to continue heading to where I am meant for.

#yongkevthoughts

Blog 18th Anniversary - Covid 19 Times

 

Many significant matters in our personal lives, and that of the world, seem and are at the same time put on hold, as if in a freeze-frame of photography -  as media, politicians and commercial medical providers overcrowd our attention to a virus we cannot even see.

And in the rising din, underlying panic and ever changing positions generated by various parties in this on going circus, of how to best manage this c19, it seems to me that things can just be plucked from the air and covert intentions not fully disclosed to the public.  There can be too much talk and too little meaningful action which brings results.  Politicians change their directions increasingly to serve their survival, rather than the health of their voters.  Medical bureaucrats can be under unstated pressure by the powers that employ them.  There are increased concerns in the militarisation of the public management of this Coronavirus. 

The connundrum between choosing lockdowns or vaccinations is the latest dilemna faced by governments.   Are vaccinations encouraged with creating a false positive sentiment as elections draw near?   Why has there been no progress and communication by Big Pharmas in developing a treatment for c19?   Canberra has made serious mistakes in over depending on only two types of vaccines - and looks like only going to over rely on Messenger RNa vaccines in the future. 

Several nations are beginning to stare c19 in the face, as they cannot maintain a zero tolerance approach in snuffing out c19.  Movement restriction, if continued for too long, is increasingly impractical.

Individually, each of us has to grab the proverbial bull by the horn and tame the beast .  For around 18 months, no reassuring results have been achieved by those who rule us - if this was a Board and senior executive of a listed conpany, they all would been sacked at an extraordinary General Meeting.

How I cope is to follow and implement the four principles of self preservation and personal development.

P - Presence of positive spirit and mind is always good to be conscious of and practice.

A - Agendas, good and bad, are to be discerned between the lines, exhortations and varying policies we are put up with.

I  - Intelligence, not Inoculations, is the primary tool we possess to counter this Delta spread.

N - Negativity is to be avoided, so that we can maintain our own clarity and purpose in our journey amidst distractions, deflections and devastation.

Oscar Wilde is reputedly quoted with " Suffering is nothing, when there is love."

The suffering imposed on each of us, in this challenging time, can not be accompanied with empathy, humaneness nor concern by the people and organisations we put in power to take care of us.

So I say, "Suffering is nothing, especially when we just take more care of ourselves."

And I am no Oscar Wilde.

#yongkevthoughts

Blog 18th Anniversary - These Still Apply

 Pay more attention to what they actually do, than what they say.

Pay more attention to what they omit saying, rather than what they overly recite like a script.

A dog's breakfast of opinions from governments, varying views from experts and whether the whole truth is told to each of us.

Maybe the truth is just there for us to see and judge, rather than what is told to us.

Often we can be hidden from the truth, but that is all right, for it forces us not to readily accept spun truths and cherry picked untruths.

I enjoy more of reading between the lines.

#yongkevthoughts

Autumn Again in the Antipodes

 A Moment of Reflection.

Autumn is a wonderful time in the garden.

Growth may slow, but the flora take stock as the weather cools and take a hiatus from normal activity to restore.

Weeds disappear, the sunlight hours restore and plants prepare for spring.

Not a time to fertilise or induce the soil.  The moon shines brighter and the sun reduces its intensity.

Fauna prepare for the coming winter.

#yongkevthoughts

Professions, Politics and Your Personal Choice

At times I do wonder...... So called professions impose a strict regime on the entry of members to their groups. The rules, policies, examinations, continuing training and unspoken traditions can be viewed, at the very best, as maintaining or enhancing the quality of admitted members. At the other end of the scale, it also works to limit the quantity of practitioners, imbue them with a privileged sense of exclusivity and pull into better consensus as to which future directions the profession's core wants.

 Is politics a profession? If it is, there do not seem to be the same formal admission processes required otherwise of most trades and professions. The clue is in the nature of the beast - politics essentially thrives on informality, flexibility, relationships, strategisation and personalities. Yet the stark difference is that one does not have to obtain academic qualifications to enter politics.

Politics can be compared to fulfiling tribal tendencies and imperatives of human nature. Power - and the ability to exercise it - can be the most attractive feature captivating to those individuals and parties who have tasted it. And this political power reigns supreme to direct, manage and control the lives of other individual human beings, who can have much better attitudes, talents and skills than people in politics.

The Achilles heel in so called contemporary democratic systems is that in the extreme, radicals, fools and those with the loudest voices - and not necessarily with the best qualifications -find they can exploit the system to enrich, empower and elevate themselves without care or concern. The inherent and actual power of politicians can embed society into collective consequences which voters do not deserve. Politicians influence the investment climate, the working enviroment of medical frontliners and the very basis of a progressive civilisation - the law. Just to name a few. It disturbs me that so called enlightened human beings allow such a risk to continue to manifest itself. 

As I am told, do not blame anybody else, if I allow the corrupt, the hoodwinkers and the hypocrites to be my political leaders. To be fair, not all politicians are negative. Yet, for example, most professional bodies do not demand improvements in the political sector - and are left to be subject to the vagaries and whims of the ruling political power, good or not so good. Perhaps professional bodies can learn more from political parties - to be more savvy in networking, to improve its image and communications, to form alliances with bodies outside its niche profession and to help develop society in its broadest possibilities. Those who remain overly quiet can be relegated to the sidelines. Those who speak out can be effective, if they are persuasive, address needs and have connections. Those who speak out with over the top vibes and misleading agendas can become obvious as to intent. For anyone, with or without membership of a formal professional body, what is your choice?

Do not let misleading politicians of not so desirable intent insult our inherent intelligence.

 Every action of ours is important, when we make it so. This is not just applicable for professional and political bodies. #yongkevthoughts

Spring in the Air

 Spring time is near for the Northern Hemisphere 

Now the air is still crisp,

but with not so much of a bite.

What do we choose when things take a flip,

The right path, even when so dark, is when we do see the light. 

It can be the best time of year, to have blooms and buds on shrubs and trees,

when gentle becomes the night.

There can always be so many things to do with busy bees,

and the most joy is to see what is deeply bright and just right. 

The mood lifts, or is it just me,

As we ignore fights and diversionary might,

Grow upon our journey forward to be truly free,

To open our hearts without fear or fright. 

Time we have can be just spent like a passing night,

like a ship that goes out of sight.

We are born with a fresh page and delight,

We leave behind a trail of memories and likes. 

#yongkevthoughts

Thoughts in the Course of Life

 The coverage of news and communication powerfully funded media dishes out to us can be fickle, ever changing and held captive by selfish interests.

Freedom of access to what we need to know, has been replaced by manipulation, of such a freedom, to that of us being subject to propanganda, political brain washing and strongly vested interests.

Here are some of the news that we are rarely reminded of.

That things and experiences we seem to get for free and access so easily rob us of more significant personal costs.

That promises to reimburse us, upon the occurence of specified events, regularly drain us of our earnings as cash cows.  Such parties can play on the emotion of fear, risk and misplaced assurance.

That repeated behaviour of consumers can be the most rewarding of revenue source to parties that sell products and services to them.

That market capitalism and privatisation increasingly do not work in the interests of ethical behaviour.

That nutrition, medicine and health treatments can start with what you regularly consume and your lifestyle -  ending up with what only takes care  of symptoms and not the cause of it all.

That constant reinforcement of beliefs, right, wrong or dubious, emphasised on to the public can eventually work.

Just reflect more of these in your personal and family experience.

#yongkevthoughts

Renewal Revisited

 Renewal is the key word, no matter what day or date it is.

Renewed energy, renewed love, renewed purpose. 

Reinvigorated faith in what works.  No need to tweak or experiment again. 

Restored belief in the healing that comes after an unexpected rupture.  Renewed health, repairs and dreams.

Rationalisation in a cause, no matter how hidden, for a symptom - and it does also cover positive energy outcomes.

Readiness to conquer an ever changing
world, as we can still rely on consistent practices and attitudes even if we renew.

Reciprocation of give and take is part of the renewal process - and feeds into the practice of consideration, healing and regrowth.

Regrowth is necessary to discard the debris of what life can throw at us, some unimportant and others teaching us valued lessons.

Revocation and rejection are necessary steps when we let go of emotions, priorities and matters that no longer matter.  Allow space for our inner joy and journey ahead.

Realisation is part of renewal, before and after.   Each of us is a different and unique being on an evolving journey towards higher awareness, potential and characteristics.

Satisfactory reputation is the outcome of renewal.  We are put through encounters with different people, sensations and experiences - have we learnt from each?

Requisition of nurturing attributes is definitely more significant than acquisition of material goods and commercial experiences.  As we grow older, renewal means the greater ability to see shallowness and less meamimgful matters, things and diversions.

Relationships strive on renewal.  We meet and get to know new personalities or characters with whom we connect with pleasure.   We let go of acquaintances as it is obvious there is not enough purpose to carry on. We are grateful that we have relationahips with those that always make our day so to speak.

Renewal is what we go through that fuels our personal journeys.  It is a process, a tool, a result, an aspiration and an inspiration.

#yongkevthoughts

Keeping In Touch

 So the Calendar marks another close of year.  For me, my posts here have reached their sweet seventeenth year.

I appreciate the contribution of friends and family around the world who have directly shared various valuable links and posts with me - theirs is such a rich tapestry of what concerns and inspires them.   Their taking time and effort to reach out to me is never to be underestimated.  At times we may have nothing to say, but such links and posts are just a valued way to keep in touch.

At the same time, have I sent to many Whats App messages, posted unnecessary photos or videos and spent more time on screen instead of doing other things?

It can be disappointing and sad that on the other hand, despite more effective ways of communicating in this technologically more advanced world, the world can witness less hellos, less reaching out, more scamming and more silence in varying levels of personal interaction.
Only messaging text adds more burden to the eyes, loss of social verbal skills and over use of light emitting screens. 

Social media in the worst criticism can be dominated by relentless flouting of divisive views that refuse to compromise,
dodgy video clips that may contain intrusive viruses and signs of personal boredom.  The beast can be addictive, all consuming and trivial in the end - we have to be mindful of this.

The sole reliance on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Tik Tok posts assumes everyone else spends time to check your posts.   The cyberspace can be full  of overloaded data like the debris circulating over Planet Earth.  Something can be amiss if one has not spoken to a Facebook contact in years - it can be obvious.  Individual brains can be transformed by the daily use of clicks, deletes and scrolling on a screen - are we becoming less patient, getting more sucked in on our stubborn beliefs and feeding on a dangerous addiction?

Getting connected in person is a different dish from broadcasting on Facebook, Tik Tok video clips or WhatsApp chat groups.

Apart from the agendas of obvious influencers social media mechanisms are often utilised by many to be a record of personal and family lives.  This virtual record is now dependent on wifi and external parties, instead of just the retro but independent photo album.  Many contacts can just be not interested in your personal or family records.  Those who truly are interested in you usually keep in touch in varied other ways.

Time is a personal asset that can never be replaced.   When someone offers you that, it is priceless.  Never take for granted when someone uses time, energy and interest to keep directly in touch.  Their time is an opportunity cost which can otherwise be used for their own personal development in their continuing journey of life.

#yongkevthoughts

Fav Quotes from the Buddha

 The Quieter you become, the better you can Hear. 

Be Open to consider everything - but become less Attached to anything. 

There is no path to happiness.

Happiness is the Path. 

You only lose what you Cling to. 

Pain is certain, suffering is Optional. 

If you shine a Lamp for Someone, it will also brighten up your path. 

If you want to Fly, give up everything that Weighs you down. 

Love does not need to be Perfect, just True. 

The Behaviour of Others is their Own Karma. Not giving a Reaction to Negative People keeps our Distance from them. 

Take care of your Thoughts when you are by yourself.  You Are what your think. 

Take care of your Words when you are with company.   Right Speech, Right Action. 

The only constant thing in Life is Change. 

Life is an Echo. 

My fav quotes from the Buddha.

#yongkevthoughts

The Delusions of Yesteryears

 

So I am told by the elderly, that volunteering to enlist for World War 2 in the mid 20th century was seen as obligatory by most to do their duty to nation and society - but in those times it was also an exciting adventure like opportunity to see the World.  Millennials, Gen Z and those following behind the Baby Boomers have had peacetime opportunity to explore overseas without the accompanying dangers of battle.

We have been given authority like advice on the health risks of eating eggs, desired blood pressure points and the benefits of health supplements.  Dissenting voices now appear in cyberspace to counter or modify such advice.  Every one has an individual uniqueness health wise - and to be subject to population averages can be missing the mark.

Many of us must have reflected on the serious loyalty and passion of sitting down to watch and hear the news telecast.   As the internet liberated the expression of and accessibility to information, it has become so clear and evident of how such news content has been cherry picked and emphasised according to the powers of the day (financial, geopolitical and more).  Now the equivalant Town Hall megaphone pundits are doing it by clicks, social media and more.

Nothing is forever.  The impermanence of Things pervades more than ever, despite the tech advance, the addictive distractions and new ideas.   Strive and enjoy the Moment.  A promise can be fulfilled and yet disintegrate due to the consistency of Change.   Excessive attachments interfere with true happiness.  Flora bloom, rot and regenerate.  Politicians come and go, together with whatever inspiration, lies and mediocrities.  The Cloud demands your money payments after you get comfy storing your data having access to it from any device.  Pets die.  And yet we have to carry on.

When young, our brains and inner soul absorb the wonder and fascination of what we are being fed in all respects.   Only later do we realise the half truths of the geopolitical game.   That Prime Minister we honoured in our childhood turns out to be a scroundel.   The public or commercial institution we use has mismanaged our data.  Customers long loyal to a specific entity get rewarded by being screwed with higher charges and bad service.

The romanticisation from movies, travel brochures and legends have hidden realities.   Exotic locales can mean suppression of Indigenous peoples.   History is always recorded ignoring the contributions from humans and human structures not useful to the World as it is According to Those In Power.

When we have been brain washed through the years, essentially we can still hang on to myths, tampered propanganda and blurry impressions of the past.

Were historical leaders that good?

Where we witness a mass of people wailing at state funerals, do we remember the dark side and acts of the deceased indivudual when he or she was in power?  Human beings are easily swept over by overwhelming public emotion.  To realise the truth, even if not downtrodden, is a liberating experience.

The distractions of the past also point a way to better manage the continuing delusions of the present.
If you look close enough, history does repeat.   There are similar characteristics in the personality and pyschological make up of humans and entities out to delude us all the way to the future.

On the bright side, delusions experienced are only a necessary stage on your journey to realisation and awakening.


#yongkevthoughts

Eating Choices Revisited

 I am not sure if public service hygiene inspectors anywhere cover dietary and nutrition aspects.

I do home cooking most of the time.  When eating out across greater Sydney, 

I do find I get more thirsty an hour or two after eating out.

Aussie society is caught up with the American obsession for fast food.

Unhealthy food in Aus is generally accessible, cheaper and made addictive.

Creative ways of making salads using fresh produce are available in my side of the woods at home and when eating out.

It was reported recently that the intake of fruits and veg has fallen amongst kids in Australia, despite the blessings in this continental island for produce from tropical to temperate climes.

Aus styled barista made coffee tastes better than coffee in other western societies.  As such, coffee drinking obsession is evident in the mornings anywhere across Australia.  

How healthy is drinking too much barista made coffee?  The jury is still out.  

What is definitely

unhealthy is the Aussie penchant for having bacon and other processed small goods in their daily intake.  Every society has a historical culinary addiction to preserved, pickled and processed meats like sausages, condiments and marinates.

When not taken in moderation, they can spell trouble for the human body, especially when consumed regularly over as many years.

Another main culprit is deep fried dishes, by whatever label they come to us - crispy, oil soaked or battered.  Southern Chinese Yum Cha has its fair share of deep frieds if one avoids the steamed versions.  Banana fritters, 

deep fried chicken bites, fish and chips in the Anglo tradition, Japanese tempura and supermarket snacks are just some examples. And yes, I got my KFC deep fried chicken wings yesterday.

The ever persistent danger is the sugar level in our constant diets.  Sugar is so cheaply available and can be said to be added in varying amounts in things we eat outside, whether they are, for example, in Thai dishes, French patisserie offerings, Taiwan  bubble tea drinks or in the obvious Krispy Kream doughnuts.

 Supermarkets are stacked aplenty with items "trying to balance" between sugar, salt and fat.

#yongkevthoughts

Pausing to Reflect on Our Contemporary Society

 Just like inside the proverbial witches pot, let us reflect on the contemporary world to muse on what has been brewing for some time now -  and can potentially cook more in this third decade of the 21st century. 

The past is not a sure guide for the future, but currently reading the key leaves hanging from the prediction tree is not a wasted exercise. Why wait until the typical and reactive hue and cry when the pot does boil over? 

In geopolitics, we have witnesed how endless banter and chat in halls of distinguished looking human beings do not do much in resolving matters of any severity.  Where there is no empathy in wilfulness - and where controlling mindsets are embedded in selfishness and divisiveness - problems get multiplied. 

Increasing control in the background by truly powerful interests around the world - whether in finance, politics, arnaments, technology or emotional articulation of self entitled beliefs - will impact on a world run on short termism, less supporting resources  and increasing manipulation of the way the masses think and react. 

There are events that can spring a

surprise, but there can be related causes that many of us have wilfully ignored or are in long denial, for whatever reasons, justified or not. 

1.  Continuing down trodding of and discrimatory treatment in practice of specific groups of people in an age of supposedly human enlightenment. 

2.   Blurring of facts, opinion and lies in matters of science, health and medical norms. 

3.   Significant breakdown in the regulatory environment where 

organisations and individuals who breach know they can mostly get away scot free. 

4. Dehumanisation of commercial, institutional and other human interaction transactions. 

5.    The loss of inner meaning for human beings despite experiencing improved physical facilitation, greater mobility and the growing availability of instant gratification. 

6.   The debasement of original meanings of specific phrases as they are publicly misused and quoted by parties with a negative intent. 

7.  Increasing distraction of humans with trivial and temporary matters by the powers that be with addictive methods, gadgets and overly processed consumption. 

8.  The increasing failure to develop and implement innovation in the way societies and economies are run, especially with larger populations who have higher expectations. 

9.   The pervasive and lingering preoccupation in media with rather negative matters rather than appreciating the positive ones to balance the full and overall picture. 

10.   The dire need to better manage the vast amount of accumulated and future data by individuals, governments, on line data banks and other parties. 

When you next get an opportunity to observe matters, do any one of the above ten dotpoints apply? 

And please do suggest another dot point on your mind to the list above, thank you.

#yongkevthoughts

Whatever Will Be, Will Be

 When I got to vote, 

l asked my Missee, 

Will I now kick off the rogue

who's been fooling me? 

Will I be truly free, will I feel neat?

Here's what she said to me. 

Que Sera, Sera,

Whatever will be, Will be.

Politics is just not for thee,

Que Sera, Sera,

Whatever will be, Will be. 

When I paid my dues and joined the Melee,

I asked my Party what lies ahead?

Will we have rainbows day after day?

Here's what my Party said to me. 

Que Sera, Sera,

Whatever will be, Will be.

Politics is just not for thee,

Que Sera, Sera,

Whatever will be, Will be. 

Now I have a Branch of my own

Members ask their Mentor what will they be,

Will they have power? Will they be rich?

I tell them tenderly, 

Que Sera, Sera,

Whatever will be, Will be.

Politics is just not for thee,

Que Sera, Sera,

Wharever will be, Will be. 

- Lyric variation by KY

Que Sera Sera was a hit song by Doris Day,

featured in the Alfred Hitchcock movie,

"The Man Who Knew Too Much."

That Time of Year - End of 2023

 So it is that time of year to clear the rafters. 

Calenders are human devices, but they sort of sync with the movements of Earth, the change of seasons and the connections of the human pysche with the Universe. 

Significant social, cultural and sentimental triggers are also kicked off before closure of the year.

What have we achieved, what we have not, what close shaves did we have and how grateful we can be. 

Moving away from all the commercialised distractions of year end, what really matters? 

I reckon it is people and how they have made you feel, inspired, discouraged or anything in between.  It is also how you have treated others you come across - given a free smile, learnt something, enjoyed discussing something or made a stand in differences of opinion.  True and lasting friendships go through the hard yards with a deeper appreciation and understanding.

What is not worth it can be let go thankfully with hindsight and relief. 

No matter where and how our station in life is on several fronts, what also is significant is to take a pause and acknowledge things  fortunate in our own platter.  

There is no need to succumb to societal pressures to compare ones self with others.   It is more important to compare your past self with your current self, to motivate yourself to an even better future. 

Each of us human beings do have a limited shelf life.   The arrival of another year means getting nearer to that best by and the separate ultimate date.    So the resolution for each New Year is more importantly, how are you going to make the best of your time, which can never be recouped, refunded or returned. 

The stroke of midnight on the last day of the old Year is just an artificial demarcation.   Every one carries on with mostly the same habitual mindsets, practices and comfort zones.  The trick is to discern better which are temporary pleasures and addictions, to sift them like unwanted chaff from what truly matters. 

So we come to the most important point in managing the transition from 2023 to 2024, how best to navigate change.    Change is the ever constant - and how to gracefully and effectively navigate its nuances is the best gift of ability of all. 

Confronting change can reaffirm your everlasting inner values, but also needs agility to approach things in a different way.   It can require new techniques to steer your personal ship.  It requires one to adapt, innovate and rethink.  Change best makes us to anticipate better, not just react but optimise risks lurking in every part of our personal journey. 

Change is best handled by managing our intensity of expectations.    Change is facilitated by being able to see and understand things that others cannot.   Good change is not 

spectacular, but consistent and gradual, like shepherding your next generation, like moving on when it is positive growth and not just rearranging the proverbial tired old furniture. 

To best change, each of us has to be mindful of our inbred attitude.

#yongkevthoughts

The People We Come Across

 Very rare and perceptive is the one

.who can see the reason behind your silence.

.who can feel the pain behind your smile.

.who can understand behind the depth of your eyes.

.who can lift your inner self up without you having to ask.

.who sends you the vibes you need, even from afar.

.who stands with you in both good and not so good times.

.who listens more than unnecessarily judge.

.who encourages you and inspires you, even if you may not deserve it.

.who gets into touch when you need it most without you having to ask.

.who sparks you to better take care of yourself.

.who makes you helpfully see the big picture and not drain you of your personal energy.

.who makes you to want to get off your personal comfort zone.

.who makes you better discern what is priority in a world of distractions.

.who shares what cannot be reimbursed by commerce or money.

.who abandons you once they no longer find you useful to their selfish needs.

.who can appreciate the love behind your concern.

#yongkevthoughts

What is your Plan De Vida Today?

 Singapore is so urbanised and densely populated, much more than the popularly identified current Blue Zones of age longevity - Ikaria on Greece; Loma Linda in California; Nicoya in Costa Rica; Ogliastra in Italian Sardinia and Okinawa, south of the main Japanese islands.

Yet Singapore has attained number 5 in the world rankings for age longevity.

I reckon each of the so called Blue Zones has unique characteristics that contribute to humans living longer than most. 

Strong family relationships give inner joy. However, we cannot choose our relatives and how they behave - good or not so good - is not our personal responsibility.  Overseas migration has destroyed the safety of having family nearby.

So the saying is true that having a good neighbour or friend is more important when family is living so far away. 

Most of the Blue Zones see its people having their share of restorative hours of night time sleep and afternoon naps. 

In Singapore, most residents do not drive private vehicles as they can be costly to buy, maintain and run (especially for essentially depreciating assets).  This translates to the common person on the street having to walk more each day as part of their regime, instead of being seated for too many hours driving ( as in the the  capital cities and rural regions of-  Australia). 

Having a strong purpose in life at whatever age - and keeping busy each day with such a purpose is an important characteristic to have.  Call it whatever, such a philosophy and practice is not confined to the terms Ikigai or Plan De Vida. 

Growing and having access to your own plant based sources of food is vital.  You do not have to solely depend on commercial shops to get your daily intake of greens when you can pluck them from what you grow in your own abode.  This is not easy for Singapore. 

On average, the serving size of food provided in Singapore eateries is less than those sold as the norm in nations of the Anglosphere.  Reflect on the ridiculous size of Big Macs, huge chunks of grilled meats and towering sandwiches that would not fit most mouths.  In the identified Blue Zones, most people eat only to statisfy half fullness of the stomach, except in Singapore. 

Dietary habits and nutrition are naturally factors contributing to sustainable overall health, immunity and anti-inflammation levels for each person.   The norm in societies like Nicoya, Okinawa and Ikaria  is not to overeat - and eat less processed foods.  Such consumption patterns contrast with other societies over fed on fast food, canned products and stuff overladen with salt and sugar, resulting in high case numbers of obesity, mental depression and medical drug addiction.  When you go to so called supermarkets anywhere in the world, most things along their aisles are over processed, supplemented with things to extend shelf life and with many ingredients altered from their natural state. 

A so called higher standard of living as measured by GDP per capita by itself is not a good indication of factors optimal for living longer.   Such economic measures omit or deemphasise the role of significant contributions to a quality long life. 

Social cohesion and networking effectiveness are important to giving most meaning when living longer.  A system embedded to encourage continuation of lifetime long friendships from childhood, like Moai in Okinawa, Seventh Day Adventism in Loma Linda and the Kopi Tiam gatherings in Singapore, helps. 

Over commercialisation of lifestyles in urbanised areas can translate to feelings of personal isolation even in crowded neighbourhoods.   Aged care can become dehumanised when delivered by paid agencies and robots instead of by family members. 

The dominance of monetary achievement, competitiveness and vibrancy is not observed in the five Blue Zones, except in California. 

Cultural norms practising and prioritising shared values, instead of auto relying on litigation, adversity and obsession with 'me' instead of 

"us", add to better conditions when living longer.  Village and communal practices, handed down through the generations to ensure survival and togetherness, or in the form of positive religious and cultural traditions, can provide better mental and physical environments. 

Most contemporary cities and nations, that fall prey to manipulating politicians and social systems that divide and rule, are bound to be stuck in strife, uncertainty with negative change and never ending geopolitical rivalry. 

Having the optimal size of community and ease of access to life's basic essentials in the rituals of daily life also smoothens out the experience.  It is interesting to note

that most of the Blue Zones do not have the best medical facilities, unlike in Singapore. 

No matter where you are, each person has to make effort and time to have a better quality of time extended to us on Earth. It is our own personal attitude in all aspects of life that determines whether we create our own Blue Zone. 

So what is your Plan De Vida for today? 

#yongkevthoughts

Another Ever Spinning Wheel

 

Round and round on an ever spinning wheel?

A long weekend in Australia can mean different things to different people.  It can be an opportunity to do something away from routine. It can also be an option to enjoy a cooler or warmer clime.  Hobbyists prefer to utilise the freed up time to further indulge in their passions. Leaders of organisations can use the occasion to framework new ideas, strategies or paths.  Small businesses may take a break or get more busy.

Catching up, taking a sabbatical or getting in touch more with our inner selves.  The shorter daylight hours in the southern Hemisphere can mean spending more time by an outdoor fire. Eating out can be combined with dressing up.  We tend to somehow let go of being too aware of time or schedules - and heal our selves with not being tied too much to the clock.

Social restrictions are but a memory from the Covid tainted years of 2020 and 2021.  However, the value of any personality, who enjoys downtime, with crowds, someone else or just in her or his own company, 
cannot be underestimated.  Variety in this respect is truly the spice of life.

Taking a conscious break from gaslighting politics, overwhelming media and dished out distractions can be heaven sent.  To read or digest something meaningful, or to discover an unplanned delight, rewards each of us with unexpected positive vibes. 

What is it they say about not over planning, whether they are functions, trips or getting away from boredom?  The beauty is to enjoy the journey as well, not just the destination.

Having a relaxed embracing attitude of come what may adds to riding on more joy than being preoccupied with obstacles. Let the winds blow away.  When we let go of expectations, we allow other types of happiness to come in.
No lettuce, no tablets, no problem. 

We listen to our choice of music.  We choose to alllow more music, in all sense of the phrase, come into our personal lives, on that ever spinning wheel.

#yongkevthoughts