Visit my website at ikigaisimplicity.com

Today, I purchased Leo Bautista's book, the Zen Habits. Hence, I am working my way to create a habit. I am using this personal blog of mine to document my progress. I am starting a habit and that is, writing in my website everyday in the morning. This is my 30 Days challenge this December 2016 - writing in my blog daily.

My blog is about minimalism and simplicity. I am also learning about goal setting and habit forming. I know that I want to do a lot like learning a new language and learning to sew. For the mean time, I will start with reaching my goal. I want to create a trustworthy website where Filipinos can read. I focused my blog for them because there are a few blogs targeting them and I want to impart my knowledge and things that I learned to them in a language that is widely understood by many.
So, this is my report for today and I am hoping for a great day!

Cheers!

It is an accomplishment to learn a new language, right? I decided that I want to learn two languages this year Korean and Japanese. I want to learn Korean because I want to tour Korea with my sister next year (I pray to God). I want to learn Japanese because I love anime and I want to watch without reading the subs. Now, I am using you tube, Koreanclass101 and Japanesespod101 to learn these new languages. I am crossing my finger for this.

I started my lesson with their alphabet, Korean alphabet is easy to learn because it is simple and straight forward. Korean alphabet is hard and many, I am still less than 1/⁴ in learning it.

I have been worried about many things lately:
1. I was afraid of the future
2. I am thinking about money so much
3. I am having trust issues with someone
4. I am having a problem with my patience lately

How did I deal with them? 

1. The future - Are you afraid of the future? Well stop and imagine that your future is a mirror. Enjoy the moment that you have because that is the only thing you have for sure. If you are afraid of the future look into a mirror and enjoy what you have.






2. The money cycle - Lately I was worried about how much money will I pay the customs for the tea I  imported online. I read many negative feed backs where they were required to pay more than their purchase. Then I saw this money cycle. The money keep on spinning, you can not hold on to it, If you do you will be dragged into its eternal spin and it will just drive you crazy. Why not let go of the bill and watch it turn. You will shell out some money and it will return back to you and will go again. That is how money goes it is an ever ending cycle that no person can hold, Just let it go because it will eventually return to you. The money that I spent will go to the farmers and pickers of tea, the packaging company, the transportation company, the employees and the government, and I will receive my tea and be happy. Then that money will have its own cycle in their lives. By releasing that money I was able to help many people feed their families. Big companies will pay their employees, these employees will bring this money to their family and their family will have food on their tables. Even if some people will say that their are some who will pocket the money, at least they will spend it and that money will benefit many more people. I realized that being very stingy is depriving others of what they might need. I am not saying that you should spend all your money away, you can still save and secure your present and future (mirror) by not buying unnecessary things. However if spending cannot be avoided do not think about the money you will spend, let it go in its eternal cycle and benefit those who are waiting for its return.


3. Trusting issue, I reconciled with a person that I did not speak with for six years after I felt betrayed. When we reconnected I already forgave our past and wish to develop a great friendship with him but I still have this thing in the back of my mind that this person cannot be trusted. Well, think differently think of walking in a path together, he may be by your side or behind you. Count on it that when you will look back you will still see that person. If he strays to another road then God will just ring him back to your road. Let God be your Shepherd.

4. Patience - I am sad and frustrated when my family cannot get me -Well, maybe it's time to look at your own self. You are probably selfish and loves to impose your beliefs to others. Well you cannot do that every time. Understand them and be the one to adjust.

Marami sa atin ang naeengganyo sa promo ng mga network companies kung saan may "libreng" cellphone daw ang kanilang post paid plan. Naisipan mo bang mag apply ng post paid plan dahil akala mo e makukuha mo ang cellphone na sabi nilang libre pagkatapos ng plan mo? Kung oo ang sagot m, nagkakamali ka.

Pagkatapos ng plan mo ay madedeactivate ang "libreng" cellphone mo at hindi mo na ito magagamit kahit dalhin mo pa sa mga repair shop. Magiging dead phone na siya. Dahil ang totoo, gumagana lamang ang mga cellphone na sabi nilang libre habang epektibo ang plan mo.

Halimbawa, nag apply ka ng post paid plan para sa latest iphone na sabi nilang libre. Mayroon siyang lock-in period na 24 months, ibig sabihin kailangan mo na magbayad every month. Pagkatapos ng 24 months at hindi mo nirenew ang plan mo, ang iphone ay ibloblock na ng network at hindi mo na magagamit. Kapag pinunta mo sa mga repair shop e sasabihin niang sa network ka dapat pumunta.

So, ang dapat mong malaman bago mag apply ng post paid plan ay hindi talaga libre ang phone na sinasabi nila.

Today, we are living in a fast paced world. We rush everything and that gives little room for our real happiness. It makes us chase so many things that we lose focus to what are really important. Minimalism and zen living help streamline our daily activities so that we will only focus on things that make us happy. So, how does this work? Here are some lessons that I learned from my research on minimalism.

1. Set a maximum of three goals that you really want to achieve. Having at least three goals will make you really focus on those things. Think of why you want to achieve it and what will happen if you do not  achieve it. List it down so that it will motivate you to move forward. Now, think of how you will achieve it.

Take note that reaching a goal is not instant, it is done with baby steps. Imagine that your faucet is dripping with few drops of water every hour, if you put a cup under it you will be able to collect a cup full of water. You just have to wait for the drops to fill up the cup. That is the same with goal setting, little by little will result to something big in the long run.

2. Remove unnecessary activities from your life that robs your time. What are the things that are truly important to you? Your family, career, friends? Then prioritize them by rejecting activities that are not really necessary. If a co-employee requested you to do something out of your job description, reject him and tell him that you are busy. It is not bad accepting requests but you should say no more than you say yes. It is your time that they are using, doing activities that deprive you of the things which are essential to you will not help you.

Example, a friend of you requested you to do his report for him, you did that report instead of helping your child or sibling do his or her homework. Is it more important to accept a request from a co-worker than bond and help your own family? Time to look at your goals and those that make you happy.

Many of us asked this question, why are we here? There are so many theories from science explanation to complex ideas. The simple reason is because God created us to share his love. It was said that God is love, and He wants to share the feeling of love to us all.Love is beautiful, our family, nature, pet or anything. His original plan is for us to feel love without the sufferings that we are feeling right now. This plan, however, was interrupted when the first couple disobeyed God. Despite this, the original purpose of God never ceased. He made a promise to us all that He will save us and we will live again like He intended for us to live. To experience love without sufferings.

How is that possible when all around us is chaos?
Because of the couples disobedience, Satan became the temporary ruler of the Earth. He poured sufferings and disaster to this world to destroy mankind. Why does he wants to destroy us? Because he is envious of the humankind. The Living God said that the Human Being is greater than angels. Satan, who was an angel, cannot accept that a powerless being is greater than a powerful angel. H then rebelled against God and wanted to prove to God that these human being are useless.

Did Satan win is his pursuit to destroy mankind and show that God is wrong when he said that a human being is greater than angels?
No, Satan was defeated. Jesus Christ was a human being just like any of us who faces the same evil within us. Greed, Lust, Anger, Hatred, Envy - He can experience them all but was able to resist it. Despite His easily corrupted body, He was able to rise above everything and remained faithful to God. Despite the numerous attempt of the devil to discourage Jesus from serving God, He resisted and remained faithful even if His death is the result. After His death, God raised Him and placed Him at His Right Hand. An entity in a human flesh was made the High Priest greater than angels. God's prophecy came true that a humanbeing can rise above angels. (read the HEBREWS chapter)

What then is the importance of the death of Jesus Christ?
His death was a sacrifice. It was compared to the traditions of early Jews where in they will offer an animal and spill its blood to forgive their sins. Jesus' death was a sacrifice for our sins to be washed. His blood purified all of us, and according to Apostle Paul, there is no other sacrifice that can be greater than this because Jesus Christ purified us all. We are already clean and any other sacrifice is useless because there is nothing else to clean. All of us can be saved if we turn to God. You do not have to ask, "why will God save me? You no longer have to ask that because your sins were already forgiven when Jesus Christ died for us. So, we are all saved, we only have to Learn to have faith to the true God.

(Referrence: Book of Hebrews and Genesis)

I first encounter the Minimalist way of life from the website "into-mind" and then I expounded my knowledge about simplicity from reading the blog zen habits. Based on what I read, I summarized some key ideas on how to live the minimalist way without compromising your happiness, instead it will add value to your life.

1. Minimalism is not about owning less but owning only necessary items. Contrary to popular opinion, Minimalist do not live with less, instead they live with only the useful and important things that improve their lives. Zen habits said that "necessary" items are things that makes you happy and adds value to your life. He used his kids as an example, for him these kids are necessary for him to be happy. However, providing them happiness need not be expensive. Instead of buying gifts for them, take them to the park instead. In fact, I remember the childhood memories I spent in the free public park than gifts that my parents gave me. Take note these necessary material things should be useful and that you really use it.  You should not end up with things that will only stay at the back of your closet for years.