ELEVEN TELL-TALE SIGNS THAT IT’S TIME TO TRAVEL

Floating in the clouds, admiring the strange constellation of fluffy structures yet scared as if  the sky’s about to fall. Whoosh, that feeling of being up high in the sky.
The favourite time of the year- Summer- is here again (if I say so myself), and it’s time to lighten the bucket list. Let’s kick-start this infinite movie called traveling.

1.You’re  bored with the repetitive cycle of school or work: Sometimes, a welcomed break is all that your tired, overworked and overstressed body needs. Relax and reward yourself. Like they say all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. What a better way to do it than by travelling.

2. All your friends  are travelling: I don’t know about you, but my travel alarm begins buzzing loudly when everyone around starts packing and leaving; soon enough I'm on the next flight.

 3. You miss travelling: Memories and nostalgia has got the better of you. And Going through old travel photo has become the new hit habit.

4. Not to mention the unquenchable 'thirst' that the innocuous act of looking at travel vlog, posts and pictures erupt.

 5. You daydream about locations: It feels whimsical to be lost in the wonder of admiration of places-  the beaches, the hikes, museum, restaurants, etc.

6. You delight in comparing flight fares, sponsored travel deals and practically every travel opportunity.

7. You yearn to study abroad: The perfect way to be an explorer of nations and immerse yourself in a new language.

8. You crave for adventurous ways of celebrating the new and/or old:  If it's your anniversary, birthday or honeymoon and you desire for it to be special, breath-taking and memorable, then I highly recommend a trip to the Maldives, Zanzibar or Bali in Indonesia

9. The map is your best friend for now: Some choose to call it the travel bible. A sudden obsession with finding “unknown” continents is a sign that perhaps home is the next destination.

10. Curiosity: If you’re physically fit, enthusiastic and hungry to explore the world, wait no longer. As the Asian proverb goes it is better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times.

11. You are reading this; and it’s relatable!!!


The best education you will ever get  is travelling. Nothing teaches you more than exploring the world and accumulating new experiences. - Mark Patterson
Where is your next travel destination?

Still smiling in the dream world...
Xx, Liz.

THE LITTLE THINGS

The sound of laughter and giggles that filled the room was louder than the blast of a grenade. The smell of hot chocolate, fresh pancakes, the savoury pizza... It was the perfect homemade buffet! Call this the gathering of generations and you are not far from right. It is amazing how the festive season has a way of drawing us all together. And it is these little things light happiness.

Watching the raindrops fall with perfect dexterity, I realised how the little things could have the most profound impact on us: how smiling to a child turns to a therapy; how listening to music triggers our senses; how meaningful hugs and hand holding create the perfect attraction; how genuine acts of kindness give us a reason to smile and how recounting memories make us laugh.

I remember clearly how jogging down the road one morning gave me a deeper appreciation of nature. The freshly cut flowers, the crystal blue sky and even the misty dew sparked an inspiring sense of awe. It is easy to lose sight of the simple things in life, but when we become truly objective and begin to appreciate the little things in our lives that signifies the birth of great transformation.

Enjoy the little things in life because one day, you will look back and realise that those are the big things.

Still smiling in the dream world...

ONE OF LIFE'S GREATEST TREASURES

The sun beamed through the small openings through the blinds signalling the birth of another day of adventure. As part of my morning routine, I love to turn up the music to kick start my day.
While listening to the 1960s respect song by Aretha Franklin, the philosopher in me sought to dissect its lyrics. The climatic break near the end of the song:
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Connotes the idea that inherently we all have our own definition of respect. But perhaps the perfect definition of respect is found in the words of Laurence Sterne: ‘Respect for ourselves guide our morals, respect for others guide our manners ‘. Respect, in essence is the value we place on ourselves that which translates in our action.

It is not hard to see why respect is so important to our existence. I take this cue from Marilyn Monroe who said: “respect  is one of life’s greatest treasures. I mean, What does it all add up if you don’t have that?”

It is almost ironic that as we grow older that is when we give an appreciative nod to the cultivation of respect in the young.

Shopping for fruits in an unfamiliar market during the day, I selected only the best looking ones which signify quality. In a similar vein, the respect we give to others that signify the quality of our character.

I was curled up in the market as it was pouring buckets outside unexpectedly. There was this tempting desire to step out and dance in the rain barefooted, but I busied myself with the mundane task of scanning through the book titles in the magazine section. That was when I caught sight of the book, the power of respect: benefit from the most forgotten element of success by Deborah Norville.

In her book, she talked of the tangible benefits of respect based on research. Deborah found that showing respect has positive results: In business, showing the proper respect can save about $64 billion dollars by not having to replace professionals and managers who quit because of perceived unfairness. Also, workers have been found to be more creative and enthusiastic about their jobs. In marriage, respect has repaired troubled marriages by helping couples see past their differences and appreciate each other. In school, teachers in school were respect is the standard have reclaimed 17days of teaching time, time that have previously been wasted by writing discipline reports and sending kids to the principal office.

Even though the fast pace nature of today’s society cause us to sometimes overlook the power of respect, let’s consciously remind ourselves that it is what compliment our existence.

Treat people the way you want to be treated. Talk to people the way you want to be talked to. Respect is earned not given. – Hussein Nishah
What is your definition of respect?

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The artist unearths magic! Just like the painter who dreams his paintings, then paint his dreams; our quest in life is to turn our dreams in to reality. And to fulfil that reality, we are to use the opportunities that come our way to paint our story. Like Walt Disney brilliantly said, "all our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them".

 2017 is our new canvas, let’s fill it with colour; turning our dreams in to reality. Begin to paint the picture of love and hope.
Persevere, sparkle, shine!

Throughout this year and beyond, let's mull over our choices and actions. But most importantly, let's filter out the noise, let the little worries ebb away, let's focus on the bigger picture.

...still smiling in the dream world.