SKY JUICE

"Sky Juice"

for your new week and

Christmas!

Henry and I were having dinner in an Indian restaurant, the waiter came and gently asked " Would you like to have some drink?"

" We are great, thank you so much!", I smiled.

"Oh, you are drinking sky juice, that is the best drink!", with a big grin the man pointed at my bottle of water on the table.

"Haha, we love it. It is the best juice", Henry and I were excited and said.

The man then made a joke. He explained 'why the sky juice is the best juice' by emphasizing how patient we had to be to get the "juice" from the "sky" when it was raining to fill up the bottle. He then wished us a great meal and didn't forget to say a very Merry Christmas to our family.

The phrase "Sky Juice" became the phrase of the day for Henry and I. The phrase itself and more than that the smile and kindness of the man made our day!

Hope it make your day too!

Merry Christmas my friends with some sky juice - smiles and kindness!

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KINDNESS is the most powerful fuel of energy!

"A 2018 study focused on employees at a Spanish company. Workers were asked to either a) perform acts of kindness for colleagues and count the number of kind acts they received from coworkers. The results showed that those who received acts of kindness became happier, demonstrating the value of benevolence for the receiver.

However, those who delivered the acts of kindness benefited even more than the receivers. That’s because not only did they show a similar trend towards increased happiness, but they also had an boost in life and job satisfaction, as well as a decrease in depression."

Maybe YOU KNOW:

1. Kindness releases feel-good hormones

2. Kindness can reduce anxiety

3. Kindness may help alleviate certain illness

4. Kindness can reduce your stress levels

5. Kindness connects people

HOW TO PERFORM AN ACT OF KINDNESS

It can start with simple actions everyday:

1. Say hi to a stranger

2. Say thank you

3. Acknowledge someone who does something well

4. Help out someone to carry stuff

5. Listen to others

6. Share what you learn

Have a great week with an act of kindness per day my friends!

Finish 2021 strong with excitement

4 STEPS TO ACHIEVE THE YEAR STRONG WITH EXCITEMENT

When we end a year or a week strong, we start a new year or a new week strong.

When I did a seminar on how to end a year strong in 2017 in the UK, it was 7 days before the year ended, I was super pumped when a lady texted me right after the event that she just finished what she delayed for a year - getting her driving license. She felt a sense of control for her coming year after that. Yes, it can be getting your driving license or becoming a member of a community or giving your first attempt to speak up - if you can finish it strong, you gain the feeling of being capable and proactive rather than being passive.

4 steps can help us to finish the year strong:

- Step 1: List out all things that you plan at the beginning of the year but you haven't finished yet

- Step 2: Choose one thing which is the most important thing for you or the thing that you have delayed too long and no matter what you still need to do it

- Step 3: Write into 2 columns of a paper: what has made you not doing that thing (in step 3), write on the other column the first step you can take today to get it done

- Step 4: Just get the first small step right after you finish step 3

What is the thing you are going to finish strong today?

#happyhighperformancehabits #jencoaching @growthwithjen

https://youtu.be/ZJflzGvU1Cs

Teachers

20 TEACHERS

"Everyone is a teacher..."

(The one who said that, certainly, is a great teacher too. Thank you)

It is teacher day in Vietnam, 20 Nov 2021; thanks to everyone, you are a teacher of someone in one or another way.

I am particularly thankful for my 20 teachers What are yours?

1. My younger sister & GRATITUDE: my younger sister passed away when I was young, she was a secret for me and she taught me to be curious to discover life and be grateful to be alive

2. My second elder sister & OPTIMISM: my second elder sister, despite facing different tragedies, she always brought the OPTIMISM about a better future for me

3. My eldest sister & UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: each day, she would ask me if I am doing great, she taught me to LOVE unconditionally

4. My elder brother & COURAGE: he taught me to fish, tame the buffalo…, he stood by his own two feet, working to support his education; he taught me to have the courage to work on my DREAM

5. My nephew “Hello” & HOPE: Hello is the English name I chose for my nephew – the first son of my second elder sister. My sister wanted to have a baby in the same dragon year as me, she chose to arrange to give birth to Hello on the dragon year ^^ I saw Hello, I saw HOPE

6. My father’s friend & FORGIVENESS & POSSIBILITY: a friend of my father told me once that I could not do what I wanted to do, going to a science university or going abroad, I, later on, reflected and realized he was just saying what others often said but I had that limiting belief in me so I felt bitter; it always helped me to try better to make it possible. He taught me to forgive myself and anyone who by accident said something that was not empowering to me. And he taught me anything is possible if it is important enough to us to do, we do it, commit to it

7. My teacher in university and VISION: I had some doubts about myself, very deep down, without knowing it…I remember my math teacher used to tell me “ I can see you can do something very big…” I was not the greatest student in the class, but hearing that, I felt a bigger vision for myself

8. My teacher at university and I CAN: I had a deep-down thought inside me that I was not good enough, and this voice made me not believe I could go abroad as other talented friends; my sister once time told me as it is something obvious “Sure, you can do too…” It awakened the giant within me, believe that I could

9. My friend Paul and PASSION: I met Paul in a public speaking club when I was a student, Paul helped me to join his journey of starting my very first community-based business, I discovered my passion in a new career by helping others

10. My mentor in Malaysia and BE MYSELF: as I grew up, I left my hometown, I turned from a quiet kid to an outgoing one, I went to public speaking clubs, and often gave a speech. I used all chances to speak up for myself, I spoke aloud. Sometimes people came to tell me to lower my voice…but my mentor always reminded me “Keep that energy, keep that awesome energy, don’t let anyone tell you to limit you. They may not get that energy yet”

11. My teacher in Spain & SLOW DOWN: I was always rushed, I am now sometimes still because I wanted to finish, I wanted to create results…When I was in Spain, I admired my professor because of his fitness and wisdom. Before I left Spain, I asked him “one thing I should do differently?” he told me “Slow down…” I went to the yard of my university and lied down, and just smiled and talked to myself “slow down”

12. My professor in the UK and CURIOSITY: I was told by my professor that a why person, I kept asking questions, a lot of questions, sometimes he couldn’t finish his teaching plan because I asked so many questions….Also because of that, he later gave me lots of opportunities and keep encouraging my dream

13. My “Sư Phụ” & SUSTAINABLE IMPACT: he taught me if we choose to do anything, we do it with excellence and sustainably, passion has to come with practical impact

14. My “Sư Huynh” & NURTURE: he is always there for me, going with my craziness, naughtiness; he gave me opportunities to do bigger things with bigger impact

15. My close friend from Spain & PERSPECTIVES: he was always against what I had to say, but all in all to make me better; he taught me that I could always do better

16. My mentor Stuart and BIG THINKING: one time, Stuart asked me if I played safe? I could do more than what I did, working from the future, not from the fear

17. My team & COLLABORATION: my team taught me that there is a place of happiness and fulfillment and greatness when people work toward the same goal…it seems a challenge still for me, but it is a practice

18. The stranger in a coffee shop in the UK and THE SIMPLE BEAUTY OF LIFE: I was coming back from a conversation with a psychologist, thinking about what I was doing…the stranger stared at the painting, I thought he was a traveler…it turned out he just saw it daily but felt it beautiful

19. The stranger in the coffee shop in Malaysia and KINDNESS: he gave up the seat for me, his kindness made me get back to life – there are always things to feel grateful for

20. Now: any moment of now is a great moment

THE INFINITIVE SUCCESS AND FULFILLMENT

When everyone succeeds, we have bigger success and happiness.

(from The Power of Nice book”)

"Tony Hassini recalls the day he received a phone call from a then-unknown magician named Doug Henning. Hassini, a magician himself, possessed the blueprints for some of the

world’s most stunning illusions. “Henning had called several times before we were able to speak. When we did talk, I knew he was a magician who possibly might compete with me. My initial reaction was to be nice to him but not share any well-guarded secrets. I had spent ten years and a great deal of money to gather these blueprints, and I wasn’t about to give them to anyone,” says Hassini.

But he maintained a friendly phone relationship with Henning. “I gave him some information (nothing major) and some ideas, just to keep good relations between us,” says Hassini.

It wasn’t until the fifth or sixth conversation they had that Henning explained that he was working on a very different kind of magic show, a musical that would have a very intense storyline around magic and—most important—would do away with the old “top hat and tails” image.

Instead, Henning would have long hair and wear brightly colored clothes. “The more I listened to him, the more I thought he had a chance of succeeding,” said Hassini.

So Hassini sent Henning fourteen blueprints. “I could have charged him a good deal of money for these well-kept secrets and for my consultation. But I decided that I’d gain more from our relationship if the show was a success,” says Hassini.

Of course, Hassini’s gamble paid off. Henning’s show opened in Toronto and broke box-office ticket records in that city. The show then moved to Broadway, where it ran for four and a half years, eventually becoming the basis for a series of phenomenally successful television specials.

Henning happily shared the pie with Hassini, offering him lucrative consulting contracts and helping him promote Tony’s organization, the International Magicians Society.

The collaboration did not just enrich Henning and Hassini—it raised the profile of all magicians. Before Henning, the stereotype of the magician was a man in tuxedo and white gloves, pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Now magic was hip—which meant magicians everywhere were getting more work.

Life is not a zero-sum game: If the other person wins, I lose, or vice versa. There’s no need to squabble over Bake a Bigger Pie who gets the biggest piece of pie—we just have to bake a bigger pie.

WHEN EVERYONE SUCCEEDS, OUR SUCCESS IS BIGGER.

(Page 17, The Power of Nice)

What i know for sure

WHAT YOU KNOW FOR SURE?

What I know for sure

- when you are vulnerable, true to yourself, you become more free and stronger; when you are grateful, you have it all.

One day, a friend asked me "what is special to me today?"

What I know for sure was the answer.

That morning, I listened to Oprah's book in which she told her story of being shame for a decade because of being sexually abused at her early age. She kept that shameless within her thinking others would judge her. And when she revealed it, she became totally free and everyone still love her as they have done - because they love what she stands for - empowering others through her work.

I looked back at what I felt shame for to share with u ...Maybe you can think of what made you feel shameful for?

When I was a kid, people told me I was ugly but then there were someone trying to take advantage of me. I couldn't remember clearly how was that but it also hindered how I reacted in my relationship later on. I told my boyfriend at that time and he said sorry to hear that, it didn't change how much he loved and appreciated me.

When I was studying in the UK, I got some difficult time regarding finance that I had to go to find more work. But my visa was almost running out of so it was difficult to be accepted. And even people told me I was more qualified than the job I applied (e.g., working in a restaurant).

I remember after one week consistently looking for more work, I walked past by an Arabic restaurant, I saw a recruitment sign.

I walked inside and saw a tall smart guy making pizza. I asked him to help him.

He said "sure".

And he told me to come to another day where he could teach me make falafel and if I could then he would like to have me working there.

I learned fast making falafel, pizza and helping to manage the restaurant.

He was really strict to me. He required me clean every little thing carefully, put each thing carefully nicely and he also taught me all of his recipe for making better dishes.

Sometimes I was thinking to the comfort moments of my engineering life before, being in luxury hotels when traveling and working in modern buildings - I felt a bit bitter with my own situation when choosing my new career of writing and training. I was shameful to tell my coaching clients or people who came to my seminar about my part time job at the restaurant. I kept it for myself.

And one day, a client walked past by the restaurant, he came to me smiling cheerfully, excited to see I could make falafel. At that moment, I realized there was nothing to be shameful of but my own thinking. I realized I learned so much about patience and food^^.

I then asked all people I used to feel scared of if they would know me to come and try falafel i made. It was a JOY.

The shame became a JOY.

Shame is just a delusion of our own self that we think less of ourselves. Our true values are what matter!

WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE is what I stand for - empowering others - the rest is just secondary.

WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE for you is that you have values that if you value them, they matter to others. And that is the only thing matter, not your past, your current situation.

What I know for sure is you are great! Don't let anything happening before limit you!

Love you!

#Growthwithjen

Change can start with a question to understand "why..."

YOU &

CREATIVITY

“We all create our lives every day…Some express creativity more than others but we are all creative.

Maybe some people believe that you must be an artist to be creative but it is just one of the forms of creativity..." We can exercise our creativity in every corner of life. We can choose to be creative in creating our thoughts; our behaviour; our bank accounts; how we talk to others… ( Louise L.Hay)

These words of Louise Hay in her book, "I can do it" made me see creativity in a simple and inspiring way that we all can do as well in our own ways.

Changing our foundation belief about creativity is the starting point to find ways to embrace it in our daily life. When we see creativity, it is something we all have within us although some express it more than others.

- We can be creative in how we start our day.

- We can be creative in how we write an email.

- We can be creative in how we do exercise.

...

What else? I am thankful for discovering more from these creative great human beings in this event.

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Take the difficult choice

EXPERIENCE ANOTHER GREAT DIMENSION OF YOURSELF AND YOUR LIFE = MAKING A DIFFICULT CHOICE.

To say thanks and to wish many happy returns to Mohammed Qahtani, I re-share this recap that we did after a conversation with him - the world champion of public speaking in 2015. Today is his birthday.

The quality of our lives comes from the difficult decisions we make - doing things that are challenging, but we know that we will grow as a result of them...

What will be the difficult choices that you make next week to experience a new great dimension of yourself and your life?

Beauty

BEAUTY of life...is in every corner...my neighbour on the right side

 

Each morning when I woke up, I went for a run (when I was not in lockdown). My neighbour on the right side of my house – a skinny lady at the age of 70 - woke up and did some stretching.

She looked at me, I looked at her as we both often went out of house at the same time. Her serious face persuaded me not to smile at her although it was my very nature to do so…

Time went by, I even forgot about it – to smile and say hi, I just focused on going for a run. It became normal for us to not greet each other when seeing each other.

We went into lockdown in recent time, for more than 1 month in Vietnam. I only could do exercise inside my house. I opened the door each day to welcome the fresh air for my in-house exercise, and she also opened her door to stretch in the morning.

One day, she walked by my door and smiled, ”In-house exercise can also be good,” she said, to my surprise.

We started smiling and saying hi to each other since that day. Each morning, I opened the door, I smiled and said hi to her. Each day, she opened the door, she smiled and said hi to me. Sometimes we just simply smiled.

It is my beautiful neighbour on the right side of my house.

 

It is our human nature, wanting to connect and willing to connect despite situations. Beauty happens in every corner of life, can start with a smile…to a stranger next door…

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