An Article from the Psychology Today about exercise and health

Psycholo

Christopher BerglandThe Athlete's Way

Regular Exercise—Along With Standing—Is the Key to Longevity

Regular exercise reduces your risk of heart disease in a "dose-response manner."

Posted Jan 18, 2016

Source: DittyAboutSummer/Shutterstock

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Last year, 611,105 American men and women died from cardiovascular diseases. The annual financial price tag of coronary heart disease in the U.S. is $108.9 billion. Obviously, the emotional and psychological toll of cardiovascular disease cannot be measured in dollars and cents.  

In recent decades, a wide range of studies have found that regular physical activity dramatically reduces a person's risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, only about half of U.S. adults meet the federally recommended guidelines of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous, high-intensity exercise. If you are someone who doesn't meet these guidelines, hopefully this blog post will inspire you to exercise more, sit less, and help you stay alive longer. 

Regular Exercise Is Critical for Heart Health and Longevity

Source: Dirima/Shutterstock

A new report(link is external) by the American College of Cardiology Sports and Exercise Cardiology Council (ECC) analyzed recent research and concluded that physical activity is an effective method of preventing heart disease. The January 2016 analysis was published in the The Journal of the American College of Cardiology(link is external).

According to the council, small amounts of physical activity—including standing—are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The ECC also found that larger doses of exercise can lead to an even greater reduction in risk of death from cardiovascular disease in a dose-dependent manner, up to a certain point. 

For this report, the researchers analyzed the volume and intensity of aerobic exercise required for favorable cardiovascular health. They also addressed the question of whether or not there is an amount of endurance aerobic exercise that might backfire and actually increase someone's risk of cardiovascular disease.

The council concluded that moderate and vigorous intensity exercise in amounts lower than the 2008 Physical Activity Guideline recommendations can lower mortality risk in the broad population. In a press release, JACC Editor-in-Chief Valentin Fuster(link is external), M.D., Ph.D., said,

"The evidence with regard to exercise continues to unfold and educate the cardiovascular clinical community. The greatest benefit is to simply exercise, regardless of the intensity, while the danger is twofold: to not exercise at all or to exercise intensely, without due preparation."

When It Comes to Exercise, More Is Not Necessarily Better

Source: Rangizz/Shutterstock

The researchers found that increasing your amount of moderate intensity exercise reduces the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. However, the cardiovascular mortality benefits from vigorous intensity exercise level off at a certain point.  

The council concluded, “There is no evidence for an upper limit to exercise-induced health benefits and all amounts of both moderate and vigorous intensity exercise result in a reduction of both all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality compared to physical inactivity.”

Based on my personal experience as a former ultra-endurance athlete, I can attest to the fact that more isn’t always better when it comes to endurance training or competitions. Although I managed to break a Guinness World Record(link is external) by running 153.76 miles non-stop on a treadmill when I was 38, I retired after that event because it almost killed me. Exercising for 30-60 minutes, most days of the week, is great for your psychological and physical well-being, running non-stop for 24 hours is not.

My personal experience of the potential backlash of too much intense exercise was corroborated by a recent New York Times article, “His Strength Sapped, Top Marathoner Ryan Hall Decides to Stop(link is external).” The author of this article, Lindsay Crouse, wrote:

“Hall, 33, who was one of the last remaining hopes for an American front-runner in this summer’s Olympic marathon, is succumbing to chronically lowtestosterone levels and fatigue so extreme, he says, that he can barely log 12 easy miles a week.

“Up to this point, I always believed my best races were still ahead of me,” said Hall, who has faced a series of physical setbacks since the 2012 London Olympics. “I’ve explored every issue to get back to the level I’ve been at, and my body is not responding. I realized that it was time to stop striving, to finally be satisfied and decide, ‘Mission accomplished.’”

That said, the researchers still say that high volumes of aerobic exercise aren't nearly as bad for cardiovascular outcomes as no exercise at all. According to the council, "the possibility that too much exercise training could be harmful is worthy of investigation, but research results show that even for the very active, lifelong endurance athletes, the benefits of exercise training outweigh the risks."

In a press release, Michael Scott Emery(link is external), M.D., co-chair of the ACC Sports and Exercise Cardiology Council, said, "The public media has embraced the idea that exercise may harm the heart and disseminated this message, thereby diverting attention away from the benefits of exercise as a potent intervention for the primary and secondary prevention of heart disease."

Standing Improves Your Heart Health

Source: Dirima/Shutterstock

One of the most interesting findings of the new report is that standing can also help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. How many hours a day would you estimate that you spend sitting? If you spend the majority of your day sitting, you are not alone.

Sedentary behavior and a chronic lack of physical activity—also known as "sedentarism"—have become a national epidemic. The statistics on sedentarism are alarming. The average American sits for 11 hours a day. Sedentary lifestyles are related to $24 billion in direct medical spending. 20% of all deaths for people over age 35 are linked to physical inactivity and sedentarism.

"Sitting is the new smoking," according to Dr. James Levine(link is external), of the Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University Obesity Solutions Initiative. Levine is the author of, Get Up! Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do About It(link is external), and the inventor of the treadmill desk. Levine believes that excessive sitting is a more serious public health problem than cigarette smoking. Luckily, the detriments of sedentarism can easily be remedied by standing up and becoming more active.

Conclusion: Sitting Less and Exercising More Reduces Heart Disease Risk

Source: Andrey Burmakin/Shutterstock

I’ve dedicated my life to trying to find ways to motivate people from all walks of life to be more physically active. If you are currently sedentary or inactive, hopefully these findings will inspire you to be more active. My father died prematurely of a heart attack. Like the majority of Americans, my dad didn’t make exercise a priority and was sedentary during the final years of his life. I believe that too much sitting and not enough exercise was the leading cause of his death. 

I'm a 50-year-old parent of an 8-year-old daughter. My prime driving force and source ofmotivation to exercise regularly, and to sit less, is my daughter. I don't want to die young and leave her fatherless . . . like my father inadvertently abandoned me and my sisters. Regardless of whether or not you're a parent, staying alive for your family and loved ones can be a strong source of motivation to sit less and exercise more for anybody.

From a healthcare provider standpoint, Emery concluded, "The available evidence should prompt clinicians to recommend strongly low and moderate exercise training for the majority of our patients. Equally important are initiatives to promote population health at large through physical activity across the lifespan, as it modulates behavior from childhood into adult life."

Reference:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201601/regular-exercise-along-standing-is-the-key-longevity

Islands and Forest-quoted from William James

In this essay, published in the American Magazine in October, 1909, James wrote: “Out of my experience, such as it is (and it is limited enough) one fixed conclusion dogmatically emerges, and that is this, that we with our lives are like islands in the sea, or like trees in the forest. The maple and the pine may whisper to each other with their leaves. . . .But the trees also commingle their roots in the darkness underground, and the islands also hang together through the ocean’s bottom. Just so there is a continuum of cosmic consciousness, against which our individuality builds but accidental fences, and into which our several minds plunge as into a mother-sea or reservoir.”-by William James
I found the above quote worth of pondering and thinking it over or better to be reflecting if one is on meditation mode. What helped me to think is like this:
old souls vs new souls,
God's creation therefore all comes from one person, what others went through I might have had it before or will have in the future. All is equal in a sense.
It helps one to be more humble and empathetic.


Reference:
http://hcl.harvard.edu/libraries/houghton/exhibits/james/psychical/7_8.cfm

What’s Your Next Move?

What’s Your Next Move?

            “What’s your next move, Mei-Wan?” This is a question from a dear friend whom I had dinner with last night. After the tasty dinner, per my suggestion, the group of us went to a Starbucks coffee shop right across the public library where we call our work home. When she said she would buy me a cup of coffee, my spirit simply was enlightened. I like someone to buy me a drink. It’s a hidden secret I didn’t even know I have had until recently. I told her the latte she bought me the other day was still occupied my mind and I couldn’t forget how delicious a cup of coffee could be. Strange, isn’t it? It’s a question lurking in my mind since that Wednesday afternoon. Thank you, PP.

            At the coffee table outside the coffee shop, the five of us easily got into casual conversation. Topics varied: from work to life itself. Then PP asked me that question. It’s a good one for I have been thinking of the same thing recently. What’s next? Do you ever ask yourself such imploring question? It’s also a scaring question. It intimidates me for if I do discover the answer I feel I am going to make certain commitment and that means I would be hooked and it’s a difficult road that I have to take to someplace new and unknown. So, do I know what’s next? Or do I even want to get an answer to scare myself?

            Talking is thinking loud. As I looked at my dear friend while she was talking a light came through. I know what I would like to do, or at least, I would like to give it a try.

One of the questions in Allison DuBois’s book “Don’t Kiss Them Good-bye” is: Have you made a difference in someone’s life? This question is pretty strong, riveting, and provoking. It got me thinking.

            It doesn’t matter what’s my next move? For time flies and flies forward. If only I could keep this good question in my mind as if it’s a navigation system guiding me and forcing me onto the right track then whatever I do won’t be too far from the track. Public library is a place welcomes everyone, I mean everyone.

It’s a perfect place for someone seeking self-improvement. Almost every night, after my shift is over, I would reflect what’s happened at work and talk about it with my family. As I talked I also did some pondering. This kind of communication assists me to become a better person. Forget and forgiveness is an art I personally consider very hard to acquire. Forgetting the bad happenstances is a sure way to have a fresh start. To forgive, one needs a soft and strong heart. Both come hand in hand. For some people, the hardest person to forgive is the self.

            So what’s my next move? To help someone I guess. Witnessing someone’s hard earned accomplishment is a joy that would make me smile big, the kind of smile that makes my heart tremble and goose bumps decorate everywhere along my body. 

            Yes, I like that picture.

Go the Extra Mile or …

Go the Extra Mile or …

            Ever since I became a public librarian, once in a while, I would hear people tell me that I would go the extra mile to serve my patrons. From the beginning, I didn’t know about the meaning of “the extra mile.” Then I got the point later on when more such comments came to me. To me, every case is the same: to meet a patron’s need and to satisfy my curiosity and my own standards.

            I have the book “L’etranger” by Albert Camus on my desk at this very moment. It’s a request I did for a young lady last week. A branch called first for a shelf check. After I found the book and had it ready at the circulation desk, the patron came. She didn’t have a library card. All she wanted was to read the book in the library. The problem was she would like to read the earliest version by a specific translator at the year of 1946. We have the book. Still she was not satisfied. According to her, these translated works are not the same as the original work. So I looked up at the catalog, found the book in French, and called the floor in which has the book.

            “I am sorry to tell you that I didn’t find the book. Still, please go ahead request the book in hope that we will locate it later.” And that’s what I did; I used my own card to place the request. The moment I got the book I email this young lady to let her that the French version is here ready for her to read in the library. The joy and excitement at the sight of the book were still with me. It is the cooperation between branches that made such mission completed.

            How do you spend your time at work and what’s your expectation from you at work? The sense of accomplishment drives me at work. Ever since I was a page whose primary task was to shelve books I enjoy working in the library. There are plenty of opportunities to exercise my brain, my head, and my heart. No one asked me to write or submit any report. Still, I designed my own format of reports and submitted to my supervisor and the branch manager to state my progress, map the areas I had done shelf reading, and share interesting finding and helpful ideas. Once in a while I even sent them articles about how to become more effective and efficient at work detailing how and what I have done. To me, autonomy is demonstration of mature adulthood; it’s a product and merit from different educations I have acquired over the years. No one needs to tell me what to do to gain excellence; excellence becomes my guideline and personal evaluation.

            Do you go the extra mile to satisfy your curiosity and, then, hopefully to fulfill a person’s need? If role switches are possible, what kind of expectation you would hold to get assistance from the other side of information counter? Questions help me think, ponder, and reflect. Do you have any question of your own? I do, plenty of them.    

           

Some thoughts

            Recently I read two articles originally published in a popular business magazine and found them inspirational and encouraging; the stories stroke a chord and reminded me why I like to be public librarian and a good one.

            The most recent one was a story about a young lady working and positioned as certain executive in a successful restaurant chain stationed in Taiwan. She describes how she has worked hard not only with both hands but also her head and heart. From the start, she was hired as a dish washer; she had to wash a variety size of dishes and did it quickly to catch up with the flow of customers and the seemingly never ending of rush hours. Based upon the demand of efficiency and effectiveness, she has learned how to sort and place the dishes in order to clean them fast and have them ready for the next customers.

            Once the experiences became successful, she challenged herself more. By observation she has learned how to get the dishes done as fast as possible and how to have the employees work to their best. Rung after another, she climbed the ladder of promotion faster than anyone else. She, herself, is a hard worker and expects the best from her colleagues and employees. She said: there is no need to become buddies with the staff to be a good manager as long as the manager treats everyone and everything right and fair. If issues are presented on the table, in the open, then it’s a fair game. To her, management is about do the right thing and do the thing right. Such philosophy matches to one old Chinese say: dealing with the issue at hand instead of the people involved.

            Another article was about a publishing owner and the way he treats his employees. At five o’clock in the afternoon, this owner would patrol his company and send everyone home. No overwork is allowed in his company. Actually the company is the first to launch the idea of working four days instead of five per week in Taiwan. In addition, joy and excitement are infectious as the company’s employees talk about their annual trip to different places around the world. So far they have been to Turkey, Egypt, Holland, other countries and continents.

            When asked about how he manages his people and business, the boss said: I would continually ask myself to see if my service to others would make their life better and happier. It’s as simple as that.

            At the public library, I have the privilege to witness life of others as they walk in the library and provide me opportunity to serve their needs. The other day I got into a conversation with a lady who was checking out some books about two European countries. Curiosity got the better of me and I asked her if she was going to have or plan a trip. Yes, she was going to spend two weeks in Europe. From there I learned about her life and her plans at present and in the future. I admire her adventurous spirit and courageous heart dealing with difficulties in her life.

            It’s my customers who inspire and encourage me to aim for excellence and expectations beyond my imagination. I love public library and what it could do in my life.

Making Every Challenge and Risk into an Opportunity

            What’s an opportunity to you? To me, each open opportunity is adventure and promise of surprise, satisfaction, and joy. It’s not the outcome or result that excites me. Instead, it’s the path and road to promise land in which enable me to see what’s hidden inside of me or you can say what potentials or talents I was born with. No doubt the positive outcome is important for that’s the bait and desire I wish to acquire. On the pavement to successful results, there are many scenarios I am sure would encourage and sabotage my confidence and my determination to reach my destination. The excitement is my fuel and needed energy to pursue and seek answers, solutions, and positive results.

            How do we transform a challenge or risk into an opportunity? First, one has to be awake and conscious that, in addition to the obvious danger and threat, there are unseen and intangible rewards waiting for the committed souls. For instance, what’s your response at the news that there would be shortage of staff? The first image came to me was to assess the current situation and status of the house: how bad was the environment and how many hands did we have today? Then the application of scheduling and task assignment would become tool assisting me to better distribute the owned hands. It’s the question of how to bring out a person’s best, favorite, and likes to control the situation. Balancing the skills, experiences, and knowledge is the leverage a person could exercise to transcend the overwhelming situations.

            Once a person’s mind set is transformed, all one sees is opportunities and chances to self-actualize, to achievement, and reach sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. Are you the kind of person wait and see what’s next? Or are you the kind whose curiosity would be piqued when you feel a challenge coming your way? Do you want to know why things happen this way not that way and once you know what’s happened you would have the vision about the near future? Basically speaking are you responsive or proactive or even preactive?

            It doesn’t matter if you see your life as a game, battle, or struggle; it’s your vision and mindset that matter the most. If you are able to see and know who you are, what you want, where you go, and why you go there then you are able to somehow and sometimes turn around the table having the direction changed to your wishful way.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed fair or promised to go to your favorites; there are natural rules running in our life. Look at the changes of the seasons. There are usually days of thunderstorm and lightning announcing the possible change of seasons. The awake minds would be conscious about the season changes and take opportunities to do about their businesses; their sense of opportunity is strong and might become their survival skills and tools of thriving.

How do we make every challenge and risk into an opportunity? It’s your mindset and attitudes determine the transformation. Positive thinking would take you into the bright sides of a situation and encourages you to reflect and ponder upon what’s important or what matters. Attitudes come from who you are; are you a person of giving or are you a person of self-centered? A giving soul would be a person who likes to share and is willing to be of help. To be able to help, one has to discover ways to become helpful. That’s where opportunities reside.     
Reference:
image source: vectorstock.com

It warms my heart

"There is no finer feeling than being warm inside when it's cold outside."
A touching true story caught by a picture.

The bus driver carried the 90-year-old passenger on and off his bus

The Power of NOT Giving up Too Soon

            Today the library got another perfect score on the Request To Fill list; every item on the list was found, processed, and placed in the according outgoing tubs. How did we manage to do that again and again? We didn’t give up too early or too soon; as long as there was time and energy left during the day we gave it another try. Such positive attitude and determined mind set help us to meet patrons’ needs and take home sense of achievement, sense of honor, and sense of pride. The aforementioned three senses are values and foundations of happiness and joy that money is not able to buy or purchase. They might not be visible and tangible yet their existence follows as tasks are well done. Similar to the air and the wind, we can’t see them yet we need them to feel our own unique presence and sense of the Self.

            As a person grows, develops, and gets older, the innocence, the most valuable Being as a human being, gradually leaves this person. Over the years, people we met, events took place, or places we had our feet in changed us. We have learned how it felt when encountering an embarrassing situation, how failures meant, or what we have disappointed ourselves. One frustration after another, a person gets tired, physically, mentally, and spiritually. When similar conditions or circumstances present themselves, we have learned from experiences how not to get bad feelings about ourselves. Instead of doing or even trying, we simply stopped taking any action. If it was ordained to fail, why should we waste our time, energy, and resources? Indeed, things happen, no doubt. But…

            Did you ever think of yourself, in why way, is different from others, especially from those who you see and feel not as good as you are? Each and every person was born with different gifts. Over the years as one grew, educations from family, school, people, and the society equipped a person with learned knowledge, earned skills, and talents buried, hidden, then discovered. There is no shortage of learning opportunities. So what are the problems or obstacles blocking the way for a happy life, a life decorated with joy, successes, greatness, and things making a person happy and fulfilled? Who are you? What are you? Did you ask ever?

            Habits are repetitive behaviors reinforced by autopilot and lack of reflection. How to break a bad habit? Personal experience told me it could begin with a wakeup call on self-awareness. First you ask questions; thinking and pondering empower a person to face the inner self, the self that is deeper than the skin. Answers wouldn’t come too easy for the majority of us are not sages, or saints. There are demands of ego needed to face and take care of. Be realistic.

            Gradually, questioning would bring out lights; they are the guides for promising paths. They are guides meaning you are the one who walk the roads of life. One has to walk the paths and shed sweats to discover the answers. The path never ends.

            Don’t give up too soon. Assistance and help from the Heaven would come only if one does the work first. The beauty of not giving up is one could feel one’s unique existence on earth. Similar to pain that sharpens our senses, difficulties and challenges would bring out our hidden talents and super power.

            Move on, my dear friends. Who knows what’s waiting for you at the next corner of the road you are walking on? It may be another perfect score or opportunity you have desired for. Maybe…So why not?

Oslo and Heather

            I met a new friend today; his name is Oslo. Though I saw him many times at the library never did I have the chance to introduce myself or say hello to him. Something magical must be loitering in the library for out of no blue I stopped by the table, found the courage, knelt down, and said hi to this new, cute friend. Oslo is nine months old and he is a dog with shiny a black fur coat. I knew he must be a guide dog for there is this special collar around his neck and he is always leashed whenever he is in the library.

            Heather is the name of Oslo’s trainer. From the beginning I thought this young lady is some kind of tutor or a teacher for she is always with some kid working at a table in the house. Distracted by friendly and playful Oslo I forgot to ask Heather. Heather is a volunteer dog trainer. She told me there will be another 5 to 6 months for Oslo ready for next training. Then Oslo will become a trained guide dog for the blind. I gained plenty of messages and knowledge from the conversation I had with Ms. Heather. There are dog raisers, volunteer trainers, and well raised and trained dogs served for the disadvantaged people. This bright side of human beings and creatures is the reason keeping me happily working in the library. Benevolent acts and generous and giving hearts are always in need and their silent yet powerful and positive forces bring more best out of people.

            A dog, systematically and skillfully trained, can make a poor person live in richer condition and status. If an animal, like a dog, can give a hand to the poor, we, as the human beings, are surely capable of helping our own fellow beings. Working in the public library offers me immense opportunity to exercise the lesson called humanity on people around me. They are my coworkers, supervisors, patrons, and friends.

            Positive thinking helps me overcome threats from negative forces. Instead of being dragged down or feeling sad I have pity on people with negative aura. Seeing and observing with my own eyes and heart, I have been learning how to hear and listen to people. Sometimes I would walk a patron to the door exchanging goodbyes even when this is my first time meeting this person. On the other hand, there are others whom I have known for quite sometimes and I still didn’t know who they are. Is it instinct or something else driving me to behave certain way to different people?

            Life is beautiful for there are so many mysteries to meet, divide, and conquer. Thanks to people, known or unknown, my life is like cooking a special dish with a variety of materials, ingredients, and spices. Yesterday I might have something bitter, today something cold and tasted funny, who knows what’s waiting for me tomorrow? If something bad happens it’s my own choice not to savor it. Forget about it, let it pass and move on. If something good takes place it’s also my choice to share it with my friends and family and register it to my memory. Choice is optional for you are the one to make the decision which side you will take.

            Spicy, warm, or very green on your plate today? You decide!  

Sense of Achievement

            “Are you ok?”

“Physically, I am exhausted. Mentally? I am excited and I enjoy the challenge.”

This was a conversation I had with a dear and close friend who just changed his career from one field to another that was new to him at the age of 53. How challenging and demanding is the new job? At and from the second week of his assignment he had to stay up late in his office after 11 pm and worked on Saturdays or Sundays. It seemed a norm for him to skip lunches and stay late working nonstop, even on weekends. One could tell from his voice that he was pooped and fatigued. Yet, his eyes, though puffed with big black bags under, were sharp and bright with expectations as if they were pondering upon some unsolved mysteries.

Do you have a friend like this? Or are you such a person? If you think this kind of person is a fool, you are right. But, in my eyes, they are happy fools. Happiness can’t be bought or borrowed; one has to understand how happiness is created or where it comes from to truly feel and enjoy it.

Yesterday, at lunch, another dear friend of mine told me that money can’t buy everything; it’s simply a tool. Most of people pursue their dreams to make more money or to generate fortune as if numbers and figures at one’s bank account(s) are goals and possessions towards happiness, joy, and wonderland. But is it true? How many sad news articles did you read from the mass media about wealthy people’s tragedies? Fame and power were acquired and gained. But there was no one to teach you what happiness really feels like. You might own the tool but do you know how to apply or use it?

When my close friend told me though his body was tired he was not mentally tired I could fully understand what he meant. I have been doing the same thing at work. The first day I worked in the library I called home and told my family that I felt dizzy and nauseate. No one at work told me which section or area was my responsibility so, after I assessed the shelves I took the 900’s books, fully loaded them onto a big truck with three layers. I shelved nonstop and I got tired; it’s my first job and first day at work. Do you know why I took the 900’s area? Because that area held the most books; the shelves were packed and crowded. Years later, I came to understand the reason why I did that.

People tend to take the easier and less difficult tasks at work. It seems to make sense for if there is no commission, bonus, benefit or advantage offered or provided why should a person be willing or voluntary to undertake a heavier or complicated job? Only a fool or stupid would do such thing, right? Actually they are not fool; they are happy giving souls. In addition, to me, it’s an ability to take over tasks that no one enjoys or likes doing. An ability that drives a person to bring out his/her best and potential, to meet his/her goals, and to earn a sense of achievement, a feeling and sensation gained through strong will, positive mind set and muscles works.

No pain, no gain. It’s so true. It’s like drinking water; until you savor it yourself, you won’t know if the water is cold, lukewarm or hot. Sense of achievement drives me to face difficulties and challenges with a positive mind set and attitude. Sherlock Holmes used to comment that solving a case itself was his reward. It’s better than any monetary reward or fame given by others. Sense of achievement comes within; it is generated without any invitation or asking for it comes from inside. Autonomy comes from passion, enthusiasm, and love of others.

What drives you to wake up, walk out your house, and walk in your workplace every morning? Paycheck? A place you feel you belong to? Tasks challenging enough for you to conquer? Doing a meaningful job? Teamwork that without others won’t work out? Sense of achievement? Or reasons only you know? There must be something keeps you doing the same thing again and again, day after day. Did you ever ask or find out what yours is or yours are?

Asking Questions makes me feel I am growing and living. Sense of achievement, though coming from hard work, allows me to sleep sound and well at night. If you want to know the connection between happiness and sense of achievement, try to do things differently at work or at any place you might influence others and others’ lives.

Good luck!

Whispers of Trees

            At my lunch break, if weather allowed, I would have my warm lunch box with me and dine in my car at the library’s parking lot. After satisfying my hunger, I left my car, locked it and moved to the farthest corner of the parking lot to sit and do some arms exercise under shades of trees. Eyes closed, I relaxed myself and focused my attention to my two arms. At the same time, I reminded myself to breathe in the precious flowing fresh air not only through my nose but also to take in the air by my exposed skin cells.

            Today, as I walked to the my usual spot, I noticed the line of trees moving in colors of autumn as if groups of ancient beautiful ladies were dancing with their narrow and slender waists swinging back and forth along with the flow of winds blowing this way and that way taking turns to be in harmony with the beauties. As I watched I could feel my own neck and head moving sideways as if hypnotized to follow the gorgeous golden dancers. And don’t forget the delicate music played by the trees and winds.

            Calling it music for I truly was short of vocabulary to describe to what I was hearing and listening. If the waving and swinging of the trees with rich autumn colors was the feast for the eyes, then the whispers of trees were melody coming from paradise, a heaven lack of human’s activities. The rhythm made by trees caressing each other was simple yet appealing to my ears. Simplicity is the beauty of things important to a person.

            Today as I sat and felt the work of Nature on me a simple peace and calm came to me as the sound of people coming and going reminded me I am not living alone; no one is truly independent walking the roads of life. Complexity or simplicity, sometimes, is just a thought of a person’s own perspective. If anything I could have control of or be in charge of, it would how I think of this world. I, not you or others; I am the one responsible for and take the lead of my own life.

            Sometimes, I wondered as I sat at my usual spot where the winds come from; the mystery of their origin intrigued me. Then I saw farther by looking up at the immense of the sky and the moving clouds. The blowing winds are invisible yet seen by the movements of trees or should we say the trees’ leaves. Leaves?

            Then I found certain part of me awaken by the thoughts of winds, trees, and leaves. The whispers came from the leaves, not the trees themselves. Trees are trees: stern, stable, and solidly rooted underground. They were not moved at all; it’s the leaves who danced along the blowing of the winds. The trees stay calm and in peace.

            To me, trees represent serenity and a sense of evenness of mood. Leaves are like emotions, senses, and feelings. They could be moved or changed by stimulus from outside world. The interactions would cause noises and sounds, pleasant as well as unpleasant ones. If one’s mood is up it’s melody to our ears. It would be noisy if one’s mood is foul.

            Lessons I learned from the trees I watched and listened to were precious: don’t forget my root and the tree I have grown. I am a tree of my kind. What kind of music or melody I would like to listen to or play depends upon how I see, feel, or decipher things. Perspectives and thoughts are originated from the interaction I deal with people, things, or any circumstance. Solidly and sternly rooted where I stand I would know that the directions I walk, follow, and lead are full of hope, promise, and greatness.

            Nature is the best mentor a person should follow and listen to.

The Meaning of Life

            Earth is filled with people who feel an empty hopelessness toward the meaning of life (Newton, 1996, p276). At the last page of the book, the author, Dr. Newton stated the above. This statement got me wondered if the wording is a bit too strong, or sensational though I agree with his point of view. Always curious and seeking answers, I asked one of my coworkers to see if she agreed with the author by telling her that statement. Without hesitation, she told me she shared the same feeling that, indeed, lots of people simply walk the roads of life not knowing the purpose or meaning of life. “Empty” is the right word.

            Talking about purpose of life, one of the dogmas I learned from school at youth stated: To serve others is the purpose of life. Whoever came from the same education system would recite this and other principles about life without any difficulty; it’s as easy as if one was fetching a certain document from a dossier. At youth, that dogma was simply something I had to remember; it was just a statement the teachers and schools taught and gave. Words were just words without density, depth, or intensity.

            The drive to excel is internal to each soul. This sort of self-actualization of the soul identity is the purpose of life on any world (Newton, 1996, p179). Self-actualization is to develop and achieve a person’s full potential, according to the definition of dictionary. The teachings from the East where I was educated told me to serve others is the purpose of life and root of happiness. Self vs others? Conflict?

            Years ago, the wave and impact of the staggering economy reached the public library causing some dramatic changes, and daunting challenges. Confused and lost as if a ship floating in the immense ocean with a broken compass, I felt frustrated and wondered if this would be the end of my working in the public library. One night, physically exhausted and mentally defeated, I voiced my doubt and frustration to my coworker whom I was following to the lobby area to close the building at closing hour. “What’s next? What should I do?” “To serve the public.” Just like that: simple, straightforward, and to the point. And, thanks to this short conversation and inspirational encounter, not only did I go back to school, earn a degree, become a librarian, I also am able to enjoy everyday at work, a place I nicknamed “my playground.”

            Getting older helps me to make the connection between the self-actualization and serving the others, the public. Development and achievement of one’s talents, skills, and potential are the means and tools to fulfill the goals of helping others. I had no clues that what I believed so-called common sense, instinct, spontaneous responses, and natural acts were hidden potential I have owned.

As if peeling off a raw onion, conversations, happenstances, and events were layers had to be exposed then removed to see the staunch, innate core of that stubborn onion. Naturally strong odor and spicy, the onion would become pretty sweet and tasty after cooked properly and skillfully. I felt as if I was the headstrong and stubborn smelly onion secured and protected by its crispy and brown skin years ago. Once the resistant façade was taken away, the process of growth and development began.

As if I were an addicted, obsessed with and fascinated by the positive responses and kind comments from the patrons, the urge to serve and the drive for excellence silently and gradually led me to walk out the shell I hid for years and to step out my comfort zone. Inexperienced, hesitant, and shy, I tried, learned, experimented, failed, and tried again to make progress. Lack of training opened the doors to self-educate, self-develop, and self-fulfill. Whenever there was an unpleasant news or a coming challenge, my heartbeat increased, my mind started to race with ideas and scenes swimming and floating in my head as if fish struggling to get out of the small tank to jump into the ocean to enjoy the immensity and freshness of waters. Bells of opportunities were made waiting for me to follow and to catch the meaning of the sound and melody.

The meaning of life is not too hard to understand and comprehend. Sense of achievement and happiness are the manifestation of it. If a person is not great at work the chance for this person to be great at home is slim, and vice versa. No need of social status, stratum, power, or wealth to meet the goal and fulfillment of the purpose of life. All one has to do is to inspect and reflect what’s important in her/his life and that importance is related to and influential to other’s well-beings and benefits. No one is really independent living on earth. Food, clothes, and other necessities in a person’s life come from other’s hard working.

Like a drop of water onto a borderless lake, the depth, intensity, and breadth of ripples are determined and measured by the force and dimension of that drop of water. How sincere is your attitude at work? How hard do you work? How genuine is your heart dealing with people? How much effort and contribution do you make to have your team work and work together? Ask these questions, reflect your answers, and you might be able to understand what’s the meaning of life.

Every person has her/his influence and impact upon people around her/him. Negative or positive of yours? The answer for the meaning of life is just a question away.  

           

             

Reference:

Newton, M. Ph.D. (1996). Journey of souls: Case studies of life between lives. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications.

A Day at Work

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埔里酒廠

日月潭九族文化村

           Working in another branch usually would make me anxious and worried for it’s out of my comfort zone and the combination of different clienteles and environment amplified the degree of negative feelings. Not today. Maybe I was concerned at the beginning when I failed to locate plenty of items on the RTF list. Mustering my courage, I went to the manager and asked if it’s a norm not to fill the requests for, be honest, I shyly explained and told him I consider myself a good hunter and rarely did I fail to locate and find my targets. He said not to worry about the requested items for they might be placed somewhere at the back on some squeaky trucks. Courtesy to the patrons who would like to have a quiet place at their staying we could have them done later when we were not that busy as day went by. Understood the situation, I set off and enjoyed the activity I like the most at work: treasure hunting.

            It turned out that it’s a busy day according to the floor manager/department leader. During those five hours, people came and went, some stayed longer and some sat enjoying the music playing by the library’s wonderful machines; it’s my first time to see those players at work. The sight of their tops reminds me of a salon with perm services. It made me smile as I remember the few time I was with my mother at an old fashioned salon at my childhood. It’s a beautiful picture; I felt I almost could smell that specific olfactory-challenging odor of things applied on a customer’s hair as she was quietly sitting in a chair with her hair and head covered by a funny looking transparent “hat.”

Then an episode reminds me the second question and the answers in one of the books I read recently; the question is: Where are you and why are you there?

            It’s my like and routine to walk a library where I work during operation hours. Today, though it’s not my own branch, I did the same building walk. As I passed this table, the person started to mumble then speak a bit louder complaining that he was trying to read. At first, I didn’t understand what this person said. So I halted, stopped, and looked at the direction of the voice. Heard and understood what just happened, I mumbled my apology, then turned and went on my walk. Later, the manager told me it’s fine; nothing wrong. “I understand.” When I said I understood I really meant what I said. It’s life.

            The more similar situations I ran into the more I accepted and understood what life is about; it’s a journey of souls, souls of others and soul of mine. Our soul is unseen yet we all know each and every one of us owns one. Our soul is weightless yet we know how heavy it could be as one is facing obstacles and/or forks of directions and one doesn’t know which path to choose. Our soul is colorless yet we would recognize the color’s hue and shade of a person’s: it would be dark when we “feel” negative forces and the color would be bright when a positive energy is present and detected. Our soul stores who we are, what we are, and memories of many lives from various times and places the soul has lived. Today, as I briefly stood there listening to the person’s protest I didn’t feel any negative energy. All I saw and felt was another soul, a decent human being, a fellow of my kind: we are the same breathing, walking creatures given this body to roam this land called Earth.

            This understanding came as I walked the second round of the building and this time I detoured and tried not to invade the person’s territory. But I took time to watch the back of the table and smiled: this is where I am, a place called public library, and it’s my playground. I like to serve the purpose of public library.

            Another encounter with a patron had the similar impact on me; I spent quite some time on this young man whom I have helped work on some school project. The function he asked for was new to me for I never used it before. Together we found it and had it worked on his due paper. As he was leaving and said ‘thank you’ to me I said something that kept him talking to me. My curiosity was piqued by his chosen major. From that major we talked about his future career and life itself. In between and at the end of the conversation I requested some books we talked about for him to read in the future. From his expression and his response to what we have exchanged today I almost could see an eager, aspiring, and hard working missionary, a missionary of faith and life.

            The things we have talked about are the meaning of a successful profession and purpose of life. Two elements, during our conversation, I repeated the two elements for a successful career. They are: To create values for other people and to touch people’s lives. If these two elements are exercised as one serves at work then the sound of happiness is singing and it comes to you as naturally as if you are breathing in another stroke of flowing fresh air. Happiness comes and follows you as you have done a good deed. You sleep well at nights; you walk with a straight spine, and you feel good about yourself, being yourself. The reward is valuable and priceless.

            Working at a public sector provides me valuable opportunity to discover who I am, what I am, and why I am there. To me, life is not a difficult mystery though still an interesting mystery deserved to seek solutions and answers. I came to understand that if I go on questioning, reading, and serving the public, one day I might be able to swallow my last breath without doubt and question. One day…

Power Walk

            Jennifer joined me today! First, it’s the sound of door opening caught my attention as I strode and walked at the parking lot. Following the sound and the door I saw Jennifer, in pink T shirt today, walk out the library and come to my way. Without stopping I went on walking as Jennifer joined me walking along at my right side. “Bravo, Jennifer!” Silently, to myself, I thanked everything happened between Jennifer and me; because of Jennifer and her continuous and incessant hard work I was able to “feel” and own a sense of companionship, friendship, and a sisterly love that becomes stronger as time goes by. The touch and feel of her cute face the other day were still vivid and warm as if I passed the like and love of a big sister to a cute little sister lost and found. The sight of and walk with Jennifer this afternoon brought back the memory and feeling of the sisterhood.

            Walking at the parking lot at my break becomes a routine I enjoy and look forward to the most at work. As clock clicks and changes the hour, the expectation grows and becomes stronger. When it’s time I would put on my straw hat I bought from my hometown complete with a pair of sunglasses to protect my eyes. Instead of walking shoes bought from SAS I have on a pair of sneakers. When gears are put on I would take off my name tag. With my key in my pants’ pocket off I go to the inviting outdoor world.

            Some patrons would tell my colleagues that there was this woman in straw hat walking in the sun with three digits temperature. She must be crazy! Well, I consider that’s a compliment for if I was not crazy sometimes, greatness or wonderful things wouldn’t come to enrich my life. It’s the degree of craziness that makes a person who s/he is. The enjoyment of walking and feeling of active and living transcend any negative factors. It’s like the creation of this blog and publishing of my posts. As obvious as black vs white, my language skills can’t compare with the native. Still, the joy of sharing and call of self-growth push and encourage me to overcome the barrier and cross the threshold inviting readers to enter my world. The posts are my voice, voice of heart. If you could comprehend my “points” allowing them to go through and recognize my voice, then you understand who I am, what I am, and you might, at the same time, find and discover who you are and what you are.

            Jennifer told me it felt so good to be able to be outside and breathe the cool autumn flowing air. “It’s so fresh.” “Yes, isn’t it pretty and wonderful?” Watching her face as I turned and listened to her talking about work and personal life I saw the sun from the western horizon shine on her young, pretty face. It’s just a glimpse but it took a long time for me to be able to see this face at the parking lot walking under the stretching, immense sky. I have been calling Jennifer to join me from my heart voicing my invitation by nonstop walking at the parking lot, waiting, waiting patiently. Today, Jennifer answered my call! I thank you, Jennifer.

            At break, one is allowed to do whatever that would please the self. There is thirty minutes of free will, a gift given from the Creator. Of course, there were times and days kept me away from walking: deprivation of sleep from the night before, fatigue from constant walking and maneuvering of items coming to the library, or bad weather. Whenever it’s time to walk, I am feeling the heaven is calling. The heat from the hot sun in the Texas summer can’t take away my joy; comparing to the hot and humid climate of Taiwan Texas’s scorching summer feels like heaven with gentle yet flowing breeze touching my sweating face. Mind set is everything!

            Walking alone is a time for me to ponder, think, and reflect. Sometimes the walking serves as filtering process to get rid of cumulative toxin out of my body, my mind, and my spiritual world. Whenever there was sweat pushed out of my skin happiness came for each bead of sweat was toxic washed out of my body. The joy increased as the sweating became profusely. Walking with someone like Jennifer feels like constructing and strengthening a special relationship. 

            Reflection time by walking alone allows me not to feel lonely and building a relationship by walking with someone like Jennifer allows me not to feel alone and invites a healthy companionship. Both are enchanting and fruitful.

            Power walk? Unless you give it a try power walk won’t be a walking and working power.

            

ING...

            Do you ever consider, at your age, how adventurous you would like to be in your life?

This week is the first week of my lifelong best friend, Johnson, working at his new company, a high tech firm. At the age of 53 he is still energetic, enthusiastic, passionate, and adventurous at the field he enjoys so much that, ever since his graduation some twenty years ago, he keeps this habit of studying and coding at least three hours every day/night nonstop. What he usually reads and studies after work are programming languages, technologies, or knowledge that he thinks would boom and be popular in the future. Thanks to his A genes, he is about to be right at the trends almost every time. My admiration comes from his unusual young spirits, longtime developed passions, strong determination, perseverance, and commitment to his belief, to who he is.

            Johnson’s life is an ING. ING means a person is always on the move (be vs being); there is always something going on in his life that s/he would be engrossed herself/himself at to enjoy the life to its fullest. When others spend time and money on TVs, entertainment and its equipments, tools of enjoyment possibly acquired on the market Johnson devotes his to improving his skills, knowledge, and education. Schooling is not for a degree to him; instead he goes to school because the learning experience itself keeps him fresh, new, and available for next potential career, next new field he finds interesting and of challenge. Johnson is a person not afraid of change.

            At the field of public library, the thing I enjoy the most is to talk to people: asking questions, suggesting something I have tried before and workable, or simply chatting with patrons to allow them to be comfortable with me. Sharing something with people thrills and excites me. This past summer was a season I wouldn’t forget for it’s my first try to see if I could be good at selling and marketing; I consider the library is a business entity providing services for the well being of its patrons. To be a successful salesperson, I have to overcome the embarrassment and fear when a potential customer says NO to me. Once I understood what I wanted and knew my goals I set daily goal/number to challenge myself. The moment the number was met another number was ready to be beat. It’s an ING, a game never stopped to be played until the end of the due date. Though, at the end, I became a bit disappointed to learn that my branch was the second branch for this program, next year’s goal was set and a plan was formed in my mind. No matter if it’s a success or a failure, they are in the past became history. What I have to look forward to is tomorrow, the unknown and exciting future.

            A good librarian is also a good salesperson for s/he is selling helpful services to the public. Don’t waste any handy or coming opportunities I constantly warn and remind myself of the reasons why I like to work in the public library. It’s a safe place and a promising land for someone like me who cherish and admire the values of sharing and hard working. Every book I touch holds future, dreams, and promises for whoever needs it. I have learned from a mother that because of a biography a young girl read at her childhood this young lady was inspired, made up her mind, and went to the prestigious West Point Academy to pursue her dream being an officer. Who knows if this person I have served will become a world known leader? Or the book I have helped reserved or checked out to certain patron would inspire and influence this person allowing her/him to be SOMEBODY, some great mother, father, successful CEO, or a great person of his kind. It’s this potential, challenge, and opportunity that excite me at work. Unknown and uncertainty, though daunting and scary, hold hopes, promises, and paths to greatness and successes.

            Are you a person of ING or is your life is an ING? It’s never too late to become one or have a life of ING. Do you ever ask yourself what heaven looks or feels like? To me, heaven is the present, NOW. It’s not a place in the unknown future or afterlife. It’s your mind set. Living at present, NOW, you know you are alive, living, who you are, and what you are. What happened belongs to history and won’t come back. The future is unreal for it’s not here yet. Now, you hold the keys for answers, hopes, dreams, promises, and a well-considered and plotted future. What you decide and act now is the path toward tomorrow; a future leads to adventures, excitement, enjoyment, and more heavens.

            ING could be a concept if you like it. ING could be wheels riding you to places, status, anything you want to visit, go, or seek. Better yet, ING could be YOU.