All about Lina Lifestyle

Lunar New Year 2023

I spent the first day of the Lunar New Year at the National Museum. It was a Sunday and there was a light drizzle all around the town area. Stepping into the National Museum away from all the hectic frenzy of activities was a refreshing activity that I really looked forward to.

What better way to get away from all the stress is to look at the Doremon exhibition. The exhibition was kooky and fun as I work with young children recently, I managed to catch a glimpse of what they like to see. It was also deep and philosophical especially about how the characters go into the other worlds.

I do enjoy Lunar New Year and visiting all my relatives. However, my character is one of an INFP where I prefer the quiet contemplative space and to view artworks at gallery is soothing for my rather worn out soul.

The first eight days of 2023 had been wonderful

Reflecting back on the first eight days of the year, I felt that life can be wonderful. reflected a lot on whether I should scour the jobs portal, stay open to job opportunities or continue where I am. Satisfied that life is easy. Although I used to complain that life is hard but sometimes it can throw up surprises. I decided to start the New Year by going full time in the year 2023.It was indeed a bed of roses once I came to such a decision.

We go through metamorphosis when I used to think that working in the classroom can be full of stress rather than a challenge that I relish. I went through valleys that I felt so low I never wanted to walk into a classroom ever again. I never thought it was a vocational door to open right till September 2022. It was the one and only door that opened. Right where I am fearful of. Managing a classroom full of being. Alas, it is not something I can walk out of and close the door and seek other opportunities. I often tossed and turned wondering if I could have opened other doors in the events sector that I was trained in initially.

However, end of 2022 changed all that. Indeed, once I got the hang of the challenge of working part time at classroom management, life then becomes easier month by month. Till, the only door of opportunity was to go full time. It can be both exhilarating, fun and bewildering season.

It was empowering in a way that I overcame self-doubt and fears and decided to face it head on. What emerged was a stronger more courageous tiger that I wanted to become in the year 2022. Now, I am glad that the festival Chinese New Year is coming, and I love seeing rabbits everywhere.

Welcome 2023 with open hands and heart

Welcome to 2023!

I actually look forward to welcoming 2023 as a time I am going to work closely and intimately with new colleagues and a boss. I thought a lot about remaining self-employed for a long period of close to 7 years as I felt that temperamentally I am whirlwind that needed a change of scenery in order to feel excited about work or getting out of bed at all. With that change, I decided that I should erase all past employment on my Linkedin prior to that period I felt most alive.

I took close to 4 months to go from part time to full time employment with my current employer. I remembered in my past social media accounts of how the end 2014 had been when I left a previous employer. It was filled with dread yet full of optimistic hope that I can regain my own freedom to chart a certain desired course in my career.

2023 a year of commitment

I felt that I do not want to tick off what that employer wanted in their corporate checklist but create my own chart where I can finally dream of being the writer or go on a desired course of adult education and so on. So, 2022 had been a season where my past dreams were fulfilled in a small and intimate way. As the year comes to an end as I was contemplating full time employment, it was a season of clarity, certainty, tremendous level of faith and courage to believe that I can run someone else’s business and tick off their charts. I spent hours visualizing the boss’s corporate goals and felt that it synced closely with my heart’s desire. And so, I signed on after close to 4 months of waiting and heart preparation. It took that long as I felt that a full-time commitment is going to be a tremendous responsibility and when the time is ripe you will sense the blessings from the boss where you just have to receive the gift of employment with open heart and hands.

Photo by Kostas Dimopoulos on Pexels.com

Coming to terms with my selected Vocation

After coming to terms with my selected vocation in teaching, I felt that I might be less active on LinkedIn in 2023. 2022 is interesting as I have been online where I can access social media every other time. When I am free and I come online there would be someone intriguing to view and spark conversations with.

In summary, as I reflect on 2022 I felt that I have shared extensively on my seasons of existential crisis where I did not know who I am beyond the job title.

When life throws such a curveball like given the opportunity to pursue a new thing, I thought I would really be uncomfortable. But I am glad I embraced the new growth out of my comfort zone by training in a complete different industry in events.

I met many passionate trainers whose vast knowledge inspired me to excel at assessment and they were exceptional in getting me to read beyond the syllabus.

Studying something outside my vocation really helps my self confidence and I felt a sense of accomplishment this year by having the courage to pursue the novel.

My personal growth has been an enigma to me as I do not really know myself. I spent self employment years in solitude trying to figure what my introverted self really wants and 2022 is that milestone where I felt that kind of empowerment to be true to oneself instead of projecting an ideal work self that is not authentic.

Coming to 2023, what I do know is that after a long season of self employment I have to transition to working with a group of colleagues, clients and students regularly. This is where I will have to write a new narrative of my personal identity.

What the year 2022 is like?

I experience two transitions in the year 2022. 2022 is the year of the Tiger where I started the year wondering if I have the courage to go on new hunting trails.

To be as courageous as a tiger

First Transition

The first is that I decided to step out of my comfort zone and go for training in an area that I have not experienced before. I spent six months knowing all the nuts and bolts of the Virtual Events and Production industry. Got exposed to the work of events planner. I remembered writing at length my decision to embark on this trail in the first quarter of the year.

Gaining crystal clear clarity on my desired course of action to live the best life

Second Transition

Next, I decided to move back into working for an employer for more stability after my studies. I felt that self-employment was good for a season where I get a lot of independence and autonomy to decide on my personal growth and align my career growth and interest. After spending the bulk of time going for career counselling, it is time to embark on a path of stability where the employer’s goals are aligned to my personal interest in the area of education. I believe strongly in moral education and it was an absolute pleasure to do what I believe in for a living.

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

Singapore is a Beautiful City

Singapore is a beautiful city. Somehow, I needed a reset in my perspective of life. I went to Marina Bay Sands and amazed by how aesthetically different life is when you take a new scenic route. Getting caught up in the flurry of activities this Christmas, I do wonder if I have enough time to just watch life as a tourist to my own country. Nevertheless, when I just viewed the photos I took earlier in December, somehow life seems more vibrant and beautiful when we can take a pause and recharge!

#singapore

Learning how to make Fantastic Brain Hats

I taught my students how to make fantastic Brain Hats. The brain hat consists of the left and right hemisphere. The left and right hemisphere will have to be connected together in order to form a complete functional brain. I liked how colourful the brain hats look. There are hats with labels on parts of the brain like temporal lobe, cerebellum and brain stem.

Global Vision for December

I enjoy learning all about the different countries in the world. I remembered one my favourite subject is Geography. December is a special time of the year where we can travel around.

It just happened that I felt that this season came for me to be in the classroom to enlighten young minds about the world. My students like the globe and I enjoyed illuminating their minds with more knowledge about the world.

On a personal note, on a busy day I broke my precious spectacles and lost my vision. I was so glad to have fixed the broken spectacles by replacing the lost spectacles frame with a new one.

I hope it helps my vision this December and have a global vision!

The Growth Mindset

I enjoy listening to this neuron song that I learnt.

Here are some facts of neurons:

1. A neuron is a cell of scientific fascination.

2. They receive, process and transmit information.

3. They allow us to think, solve problems and grow.

4. Thy allow us to learn the things we thought we could never know.

To have a growth mindset we need to believe certain things:

1. My abilities can be developed with dedication and effort.

2. When I find the right strategy the one that works best for me.

3. Whenever I struggle, make mistakes and correction, I am creating and strengthening my neuron connections.

4. When I am stimulating my brain and making it grow, I make room for all the amazing things I know.

Our brains have billions of neurons in a busy constellation connected by branches in a network formation. They fire in patterns electrically. Creating every feeling, thought and memory.

A touching story that moves the heart

I like the story about a glass of milk by Manuel Rojas. The story begins with a poor boy who did odd jobs to buy his daily food and go to school. One day, he ran out of water and decided to ask his neighbourhood for a glass of water. A girl opened the door for him. He said that he was thirsty and was hoping that she would be able to give him a glass of water. Instead of giving him a glass of water, he gave him a glass of milk. The boy was surprised to see the milk. As the boy did not have any money, he did not want to take it. The girl decided not to take any money. He felt better immediately after he drank the glass of milk.

Many years later, the girl fell very ill and was taken to the hospital. Tests revealed that she had a rare kind of sickness that would need great care for many months. Dr Philips promised that he would take great care of her. He visited her daily and stayed by her bedside at night and made sure that she was always comfortable. After six months, the girl was finally well and could go home. The girl was afraid that she won’t have enough money to pay the hospital bill. The nurse thought that she did not have to worry as he hospital bill has already been paid. The girl was astonished as the bill was cancelled across and it says “Paid in full years ago with a glass of milk.” It was signed by Dr Philips. The interesting part of the story comes in when the girl found out that Dr Philips was the young boy she had helped many years ago.

The moral of the story is that you never know how your one good deed can turn into another good one. So never hesitate in helping others.