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23 years old. Pursuing Public Policy and Global Affairs in School Of Social Sciences at Nanyang Technological University. Thank you for the taking the time to visit and read some of my posts. I hope that you will be able to take away some insights and perspectives on various topics discussed within my space at the end of the day. I will continue to pen down my thoughts as it has always been my pleasure to do so. Any feedback are warmly welcome and can be reached me through the contact form.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

10 Quotes For When Times Are Difficult

Difficult moments are just part and parcel of our lives which everyone has to go through from time to time. There is no running away from it. No one likes it when it happens to them. However, we should not be too disheartened about it. As Matthew Henry once said, “After a storm comes the calm”. 

I got to admit that I am really guilty of seeking motivation quotes when times are hard for me. Simply because when everything is wrong, the quotes tend to lose its meaning and purpose for me. Nevertheless, these quotes indeed do have a meaningful and purposeful message to be sent across to you and it does helps to ease your hard times to a certain extent. 

Today, I’ll be sharing 10 motivational quotes with everyone and hope that you will find it meaningful.

      1.    Accept Your Hardships



You can say that hardship is a test to figure out our own limits. Every struggle in life makes us realize our own strengths and weaknesses. And it carries multiple lessons to be learnt at the end of it. We should strengthen our strengths and improve upon on our weaknesses. Don’t be afraid to deal with hardships because tough times are only temporary yet the valuable lessons in there to be learnt will stay permanent in our heart. It is a good exchange.

    2.     Forget about your past



The simplest way that I can convince you to forget about your past is that life is neither created nor meant to be travelled backwards. The past is definitely worth remembering, but not when it takes up your energy and happiness away. The only things that you should remember from your past are the lessons that were once learnt.  

     3.     Always hope for the better



We should hold on to the hopes that everything will be better eventually. It is just a matter of time. As Matthew Henry once said, “After a storm comes the calm”. Our hopes are often crushed because many things do not appear to be in our favor, but things won't stay the way it is forever. We must not give up in critical moments.


     4.     Keep moving forward



You wonder why some of your friends have left you without any spoken reasons. And you are all set to seek for logical explanations. Their departure has made your life bitter and tough. I hope this quote will be of help to you in times like this. Just leave it to fate sometimes.


     5.    At least you have identified your true friends



Hardships have at least provided you with true friends. After all, friendship isn’t about whom you have known the longest but it’s about who came and never left your side. These are the friends that you have got to treasure and love for your entire life time. 


     6.    Never allow yourself to be one of the many Obstacles




No matter how bad things or situations are, you can always make it worse. Don’t think of the negative things which will only worsen the situation you’re in. Instead, think of the positive things so that it will give you the strength required to overcome your struggles and to carry on in life.

     7.    It’s never the end



It’s definitely not the-end when times are tough. No matter how rough the storm may be, there is always a little piece of you that says, “NO, you’re not done yet! Get back up!” Always remember, tough situations don’t last but tough people do! Stay strong! 

     8.    Be forward looking



There are many things to look forward to and to be treasured in life. Never allow yourself to stay in the stormy situations for a too long duration because you may be missing many beautiful things that are happening around you all the time. Step out of the stormy weather and see what is in store for you. 

     9.   It nurtures you to be a better person



See that hardships make us understand life better through a bitter way. No matter how much hatred we have for difficult times, we should always remember the lessons learnt at the end of it because it makes us become better people. 

     10.   Love the life you live



Spend your time doing your favorite hobby, with your friends or anything else that will make you feel happy. Be positive and look at what life has got to offer you. No matter how dim things might be, there is always a light at the end of a tunnel. Occupy your mind with the good and learn to love the life you’re living. 



That's all I have got to share with you! Hope that you will find it meaningful. Share the post. Spread the joy! :) 



Friday, April 4, 2014

7 Ways To Figure Out What You Want In Life



Life is full of mysteries and lessons that are waiting for us to unveil as we explore the various options that are available to us. Often, we are afraid of where this option or route will bring us to or what will be its outcome. As a result, we have become more hesitant, more wary and more fearful when it comes to selecting which option can really do us the best. We will never be definite on which option will do us good and making us feel comfortable in life, but it is possible to figure out the chances of how good the option is going to be for you.

Today, I’ll be sharing 7 ways on how you can find out what best suits you in life. 




         1.          Find out what you really need in life

Ask yourself, what are the things required in order to make you feel happy? Always remember that your happiness holds a great significance to your loved ones and for your own mental wellbeing. Next important question to ask yourself – are these things going to matter to you in the near future? These things may include love, financial security or family. Once you have the answers to these questions, you will have a better perspective or feel of which option will grant you a fulfilling and happier life.

         2.          Think of where you will be in 5 years’ time

This is a very important question to ask yourself. It’s going to be easier and more realistic to picture your life 5 years into the future than compared to 10 years.  If you are still studying 5 years later then probably you can start thinking what field of study and where you want to go for your further studies. If you can’t picture what you are going to do in the next 5 years – think of what kind of skills you will like to develop and what is your ultimate goal or passion in life? These questions will help to decide on which direction you should best take. 

         3.            Decide on what really bothers you

It’s time that you spend effort to understand yourself. Only from here, then will you make the best decision for yourself in life. What are the things that you hate? What are the things you can’t live without?  You can list down these things and they will serve as reminders or indicators for you to decide on the direction to take. From here, you will be set to go in the path that is quite unlikely to take away your happiness. 


         4.      Talk to someone that is reliable & you trust.

We can be really lost when we are left on our own at times. When this happens, confine to someone your concerns and thoughts and hear what the other party has to say. This person can be any of your family members, your best friend or your teacher. Consider whether their advices are relevant to you and make the final decision on your own. Since no one can make better decisions for you other than yourself.  

          5.     Consider your dream in life

I believe everyone has a dream to pursue. No dream is too big or too small, and this dream of yours shall be the proudest moment in your life when you achieve it. Just remember whenever you are clueless or lost on what to do next, think and consider your dream. Because sub-consciously you will be planning step by step on how you are going to achieve it. And I believe you will have a plan that best suits your own life. 

          6.     Find out the things you truly enjoy doing

Never place yourself in a situation where you have to force yourself to do something. Many of us have experienced how it is like to be when we are forced to study subjects that we hated in primary and secondary school years. We did not have a choice back then. So what I am trying to say is that find something that really interests you and as well as, it wouldn’t bore you even if you have to do it for long hours. In other words, find your passion in life. Give your best in it. Only then you will have a more satisfying and fulfilling life journey.  

         7.      Get a hobby

Starting on a hobby can allow you to realize what really suits you and to discover some unique points about yourself. Just try out different hobbies from time to time to see what really suits you. This may make you to re-evaluate your priorities set previously.  You will be probably making time out for your favorite hobby.  As Marian Schembari once said, “you can't discover what you want to do with your life if you don't take advantage of everything life has to offer”. 


If this post has been helpful to you, share the post! Share the joy! :)


Thursday, April 3, 2014

7 Bitter Life Truths You Have To Know



Life as we know it is filled with countless number of bitter truths. One thing undeniable is that we all have encountered some of these truths at least once or many times in our life time.  More often than not, we hear success stories from successful people, but little did we know what handicaps did they have before achieving their well-deserved success?


Tonight, I’ll be sharing 7 bitter truths about life and I believe these pointers are going to resonate with everyone very well. 

          1.      Life Is Never Fair

Admit it, we all have said this few words many times in our lives. Indeed, life has been unfair to start with. The most oft-seen example will be some people are born into a wealthier family while some are not. This applies very well to our school lives as well – When your friend gets the same grades as you although he has put in less effort than you. It is true that we will experience this in our entire life time. And unlikely will there be any escape from this bitter truth of life. However, don’t be too disheartened about it, because you can possibly recall that in some ways life has also been kinder to you that others would wish for. 

         2.     Pain is a necessity

There are many forms of pain. Be it either is the pain that one has to go through before achieving success or the pain felt from the love relationship – it is inevitable. The most oft-quoted phrase, “No pain, no gain” has indeed further strengthened my main point here. Everyone hates the feeling of pain, no one likes it. We all know pain is never a good thing or feeling to us. However, we also know that it is only through pain then will we learn and remember our mistakes once and for all. Pain is therefore our necessary ally as it makes us grow to become stronger. 

         3.    People will always judge

We are all familiar with this truth of life. There is also little can we do to stop this. People are always going to judge you based on your actions and words. No matter how nice a person you are, you are still going to be judged for that.  And no matter how right you may sound or may seem to be, people can still choose to only remember the bad about you. This is just the bitter fact of life. We can only remind ourselves not to be too caught up with what others have to say, and never let these judgements define our personality or value.   

         4.    Not Everything Goes Your Way

We all have experienced this many times in our lives. It’s true that we never always have it our way. If you have not realized – We have even encountered or experienced this during our kids’ years. Parents do not always buy the toys or books that we loved or wanted.  Now, this point is even further experienced throughout our school years, in competitions or at work. Perhaps we just have to resign to fate that some things are not meant to be ours. And if you are constantly seeking for explanations or reasoning, sometimes there isn’t any …

         5.    Your best does not guarantee your success

No matter how sad this truth may appear to you, it is one that we encounter from time to time. It is never a good feeling when this happens to us. Of course, it is our nature to feel sad or depressed when we encounter this. But we must stand up and carry on with our lives as soon as possible when we encounter it. As Lee Kuan Yew once said, “If you don't carry on with life when you face setbacks, you will just degrade over time”.

         6.   Dilemma will always be a problem of yours

There are many times you are thrown into a situation where you are "damned if you do, and damned if you don't”. And I believe it stays clear to you that either of the options will be accompanied with certain unforeseen consequences. It is just a matter of how severe the consequences would differ. Unfortunately, dilemmas will always be part of your life. Some has said, “The only way out is to transform your perspective to a place where the dilemma no longer exists. This is possible”. 

         7.    Sometimes we just have to accept things as it is

That’s life. No matter how much hatred or discontentment you have for a particular thing, there is nothing much you can do at times. You can either choose to complain or rant about it the whole day or come to a decision to accept the things or situation the way as it is. You just have to recognize that life is never perfect but you do have the abilities and tons of opportunities to always make or gain the most out of any situations. You just have to put aside your emotions and think hard, logically and rationally. Trust me, it is possible.



These are just my two cents worth. I understand that everyone would have different bitter truths about their lives. However, there are some universal truths that we share definitely. 

If you enjoy reading it, share the post! Spread the joy. :) 


Wednesday, April 2, 2014

7 Ways To Fake An Outgoing & Friendly Personality

I know it can be really difficult to open up or be seen as an outgoing and friendly person on occasions such as orientation programs, bonding activities, functions or social gatherings. You may appear to be shy & quiet, but there's nothing wrong about it. Not everyone is a natural born extrovert. In fact, I believe I am born towards more to the introvert side – are you surprised? Friends who know me when I was really young will know about this.  

Here are 7 ways on how you can fake an outgoing & friendly personality. I believe some of it which I am going to mention are already familiar with you all; but I'll be elaborating more to convince you to try it out. Because it has worked for myself on several occasions. 



          1.       Remember to smile

I believe this is familiar with most of you. Always remember to give your truest smile to others. This is especially important during your encounter with new people. Your smile will show that you’re friendly and approachable.  Moreover, you will be seen as a confident person. Believe me in that by smiling - people will be real quick to approach you to be friends with them. As often quoted, “Your smile is the biggest asset to anyone”, so do not be afraid to smile always! 

          2.       Say the magical word, “Hello!”

Personally, I find this difficult at times too, since having mentioned that I was born towards more the introvert side. However, I must say this is actually really easy! I know it does not come naturally to you to speak to someone first & also probably you’re waiting for the other party to make the first move. In that case, the atmosphere may get really awkward. So why not try to make the first move? You just have to force yourself to do it. Believe me; it’s not as hard as you think it would be.

          3.       Laugh along with everyone

Everyone has a different frequency to start with. We all know that. You may not find a particular joke funny at all. But the rest are all laughing from it. Be it you consider yourself more mature than them or their jokes are lame, if you want to appear outgoing & friendly – then you have to join in the laughter! Trust me that once you have tried laughing along with the rest, there is a high chance you would find it funny as well. Just try to loosen yourself up & the remaining times will be quite enjoyable! It's really true. 

          4.       Be in the moment

This will not be easy for people who are born towards more the introvert side. More often than not, they will be dreading to quickly go home to watch their favorite shows or to read a book. The tendency of them to not be engaged or focused in the occasion itself is quite high. But that’s just them. If they like to be seen as an outgoing and friendly person, try to be in the moment. I have learnt from this point my friend & it works really well! You will truly enjoy yourself. Others will also get the impression that you are well received & easy to talk to. 

          5.        Put yourself out there

Go for the extra mile! You can start telling jokes or share stories with some people. Do not worry so much that others may judge you for it. The point here is that you interact with others so you are seen as part of the group setting. It's not going to be easy for someone who is not naturally outgoing & friendly but it will really help someone to look like a extrovert. 

          6.        Be the “Mr/Ms Ok” guy

Be the person to be okay with anything, so long it is not against your morale or making you feeling uncomfortable. After all, it is just a day or maybe a few days event. Try to be easy-going with everyone. You will make your life & the life of everyone easier! People will also have an impression that you are nice & friendly. 

          7.         Give yourself a prep talk or reminder

Before you go into a situation where you have to fake being outgoing and friendly, give yourself a prep talk or reminder that you can do it. This will help to increase in your confidence level before you go and meet people. Also, think of it as only a few hours or days of interactions & it will pass by very quickly.  Be sure to remind yourself of the reasons why people would love you. I believe that the positivity in you will help to make things a whole lot easier.



If you think this post has been helpful to you, share the post! Spread the joy!  :) 


Tuesday, April 1, 2014

10 Things Your Partner Never Says, But You Need To Know.

I believe communication, understanding and trust are the fundamental prerequisites to establish a healthy relationship. Unfortunately, communication can lead to serious conundrums at times. All it takes is just one partner not telling the other - his/her feelings or thoughts truthfully or at all. 

This post will be more interesting to the female readers out there today. As I will be writing the 10 things you should know about your male partner.

For the male readers out there, you can play a part too by agreeing silently in your heart 
with what I have to say. 



          1.      Men are sensitive too

Perhaps, in your entire life time – you would never hear your partner admitting to that they can be sensitive too. I know I may sound a little exaggerated here but this is true for all men. They may appear tough and manly most of the times, but underneath that tough and manly exterior, there will always be a sensitive spot. Men dislike showing too much of their sensitive side to their partners.  So my few words of advice to girls is that, if you’re going to say something mean to him, be aware that your words may just succeed in leaving some ugly scars in his sensitive spots. 

         2.    He compares himself with your ex-boyfriend

You may find it shocking that this point has surfaced. But trust me, majority of the men does that. Most men want their partners to be happy.  They will be interested to learn about your past and as well as, to avoid committing the mistakes that your ex has did. After all, they want to become better partners than your previous ones.  

         3.    He is unsure of himself at times

Most of the time, men can appear confident, clear on what are their goals and how they are going to achieve it. Needless to say, this applies to the feelings for their partners as well. However, this is not quite true at times.  In fact, if you could read your partner’s mind – you would be shock to find out that he can gather together a list of personal comments on his physical appearance, his school life, his work life & his relationships. So just pay attention to what he is saying especially when he is not in the serious mood. You can actually find out what are the things that really scare him. 

        4.     He invites you to meet his friends

Be happy when you boyfriend does that – because chances are you will be his partner for a long time.  For one to do this, he must have considered and gave many thoughts to the concerns and future of this relationship. And right now, he finally wants his buddies to get along with you & take a good look at his potential wife. This is a good sign.  

        5.        He needs his personal space

Men usually do not tell their partners about it. They always place their partners above anything. Even if he is annoyed or angry about not having his personal space, he will not mention or show it straightforwardly. So it is good to maintain a balance between spending time together and his personal space. Whether he plays video games or gyms during his personal time, he enjoys & it relaxes him. You should always encourage him to pursue his interests,passions & do what he enjoys, even if it means less time will be spent together. 

        6.        He will like what you like

This is true. I know it is difficult for the girls to find out whether their partners truthfully like what you like. That is because the males’ lips are always sealed.  They do not confess it out. However trust me – because they love you, they would not mind at all. Your happiness is all it matters to them.  He will like the things you like too. 

        7.         He only wants you to be happy

Every man will definitely have this thinking instilled in their hearts. He genuinely cares & stays commited for you. He may not get you the correct gift for your birthday or even forget the anniversary, but look at the small little things he has done for you in the relationship.  He may not exactly know how to please you, but as long as he is trying with his most sincere efforts – that’s all it matters, right?

        8.     He will do things specially for you

Men will always remember what you like to eat, what games you like to play and what genre of movies you love watching. So when he asks you out, it may appear to you like a simple and last minute outing. But trust me, he has it all planned out for you. This may appear subtle to you and is only because of one reason again – his lips are always sealed. Then of course, you will never know unless you can feel it.

         9.     Men love to look themselves in the mirror

Most men will deny that they often look themselves in the mirror. It may come shocking to you, but is true! They do care about their looks more than you would have expected. Looking presentable is also a must to them. At times, they like to check whether their face has become cleaner as a result of the use of facial products. For whatever reasons a man looks in the mirror, they can’t deny that they do not like to see themselves in the mirror. But one thing certain is – definitely not as much as the females do. 

        10.       Men like to be pampered at times

Never will they admit this point to the females. Most men do really appreciate the small little gifts or outings planned by their partner.  So striking a balance between giving and receiving here is the key to maintain an active, vibrant and healthy relationship. As this serves as a reminder to both parties still stays fully committed and loving to one another.  


If you think this has helped you, do share this post to spread the understanding and joy of relationship! :)