Recently, I felt a consolidation in my life. What do I mean by that? In market terms, it means that the prices fluctuate around a range while the fight between the bulls and bears continue. Whilst the two forces are fighting, the prices reflect the impasse created, so it neither moves up decisively, or down.
In my life, consolidation just means that I spend a lot of time waiting. Calls go unanswered, sms takes a very long time to reply, a lot of last minute cancellations and last minute re-scheduling. All these are very frustrating to me, because it adds up to the work that I have to do yet it doesn't give me any satisfaction nor monetary rewards. In fact, if I don't do these work, I might be paid even less because unlike most people, if I don't do work, I don't get paid. I hate such periods of consolidation - it's always an exercise in futility.
I remembered a long time ago when I was in a spate of bad luck and was also in depression. I spend quite a long time in the library. It was a quiet place and it's very conducive for me to meditate and reflect upon life and well, basically read myself out of the depression. It was there that I chanced upon a bookmark that basically lifted me out of the blues. It's one of those magnetic strips folded in half, so that when both magnetic strips sandwich a page, it is secured and serves as a bookmark. I found it inside a book whose title I had long forgotten. Out of so many shelves of books in the library, I had to find one with the bookmark with such a meaningful inscription on it.The inscription on the bookmark reads, "Good courage breaks bad luck".
Time just froze when I read that. I knew life would not be the same again after this. These five words mean a lot to me and I always remember them when I'm feeling down. By not giving up and fighting harder, there's only one way to go after the consolidation period is over - up.
I still carry the bookmark whenever I go.
22 comments :
Nice phrase.
I have been consolidating for the longest time too. I am now waiting to break out of my shell and hopefully embark on a new phase of my life.
I hope you get past this consolidation smoothly.
LP, once in a while i revisit what this guy said in a speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc and always come away with a different mindset.
Oh, so that's where I left that bookmark... ;-p
Sign of browning out in your job?
Hi FF,
I do hope yours is over as smoothly as it can be too. Consolidation time is the best to do personal reflection.
Hi anon,
Thanks, I re-watched it. It did help :) As always, that guy is an inspiration in how he lives his life.
Hey Ak,
Very clever remark :)
Hi bro8888,
Yes, a little. Plus the stress of life in general.
To the person who sms me earlier after reading the blog,
Thanks, touched by your simple gestures :)
If there aren't bad times, how would you cherish the good?
Hang in there! It will 'trend' soon!
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
Sometime it is good to give up instead keep trying harder in the same way. Change your mindset and change your strategy.
Hi alvin,
Thanks for your encouragement :) Hopefully it's uptrend!
Hi bro8888,
It's hard to decide whether a situation requires one to be stubbornly determined, or when one is to run and fight another day.
I do not have the wisdom to see if my goals are too much for me to handle using my current methods. I'll have to give it a try first. And try hard I would :) If it can't be done, I would give up then.
I would never give up because it's hard work.
Well, you know what they say, LP. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. :)
I add oil for you. ;-p
Hi LP,
It reminds me of a quote I often used on myself "Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid nor dismay, for the Lord, your God is with you whenever you go" that is from my lifeline. :)
Lately I think I am also consolidating, :( it doesn't help to have frustrations. Too many noises, I can't keep still while waiting.
I nearly forgot a quote I used to remember, a kid reminded me today "Be angry but do not sin, do not let the sun goes down on your wrath, lest the devil gains a foothold"
Thanks to great quotes!
oh yes, the quote by CH spurgeon I took away from the funeral is "Have good character, engrave your values on hearts, which is the best tombstone. not marble" something like that, I need to check :)
Cheers to downtime!
HH
AK,
Thanks for the extra calories :)
Hi HH,
These days, I've been reading quotes too. Short simple phrases of beauty that motivates and inspires me :)
Looks like everyone is consolidating, haha
Hi LP
Tough times don't last but tough people do.
Thanks for sharing about this period of consolidation in your life. I believe for many of us who are in this journey towards financial freedom, we do hit obstacles now and then which challenge our ability to overcome them.
I recall working a year in an organisation where the team was verbally abused (on Mondays and Thursdays) by an autocratic boss who ran the office as a personal fiefdom.
I endured it for almost a year before telling them to ship me out to an outpost or I quit. They decided it's better to ship me out to another department.
Eventually I left that organisation when I was shipped back to the HQ where the same boss was around.
I am now quite happy with my current organisation and credit some of my happiness to the shitty environment I was in 3 years back. Anywhere is heaven compared to a place where verbal abuse is served weekly.
Endure and excel!
Be well and prosper.
Strange. No one report the matter to his boss? He doesn't own the company, right?
Hi PG,
Thanks for sharing your story with me too :)
I'm getting so much better already :) These days, when classes are cancelled, I just go to relax, haha :)
You must be much happier now that you don't have to take shit from your boss again :)
"Success is just around the corner." If you give up just yet, what if the next try is where success lies?
"The steeper the slope, the closer you are to the summit." When the going gets really tough, you know success is near. Endure, soldier on!
"In the darkness hour, the Light will shine." Without darkness, the light will not be bright. Without hardship, you can't taste the sweetness of success.
All these have pushed me on in life, each time without fail. Look up, be happy, it's just a journey. :)
Hi Oracle,
Thanks! It feels warm that so many people are encouraging me :)
I'll remember the quotes! They shall be my beacon when the going gets dark :)
@Createwealth8888
The boss is good at relationship management with her own boss. Hence, she can be as autocratic as she wants because she can deliver and is very good at managing upwards.
@LP
Life is a long journey, just like financial freedom. Every step can feel as light or heavy as circumstances make it. But we can do the best that we can with what we have.
Be well and prosper. :-)
Good day sir.
I'll just add a quote that I like, and very true:
"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed on an equal or greater benefit. - Napoleon Hill"
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