Dana's Blog

A few books on my reading list

As I embark on strengthening my faith, these are the next few Christian books that I've recently purchased on Amazon—recommended by a few Pastors at my Church—and that I'm excited about reading in the next new months:

1. The Grace Awakening, by Charles R. Swindoll
2. Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, by Jim Cymbala
3. The Pursuit Of God, by A.W. Tozer
4. The Jesus I Never Knew, by Philip Yancey

Undertaking projects

Every year we undertake a few learning projects—usually around eight, and one or two very big ones.

There's two big ones that I'm currently focused on: learning about photography and acquiring a new language (Mandarin). The greatest challenge that I find so far is having the motivation to stick with it for the long-term—and not being discouraged by how far you have to go.

I must instead celebrate how far I've progressed—even though it is slow and not as fast as I could like. In other words, take things step by step, brick by brick. 

Act on what you know, not what you feel

One of the mantras that I use to guide my life includes, among others, this one: Act on what you know, and not on what you currently feel.

Sometimes, you just feel so entangled in a knot of contradictions: vacillating from strong to weak, confident to insecure, extroverted to introverted, and so on.

But to keep you on your True North, act on what you know to be true deep down—not on you're fleeting emotions at the present moment.

Trying to become a better morning person

Early bird of night owl: Which characteristic describes you more accurately? For me, I'm quite certain that it's the former, for when it gets around 11PM, give or take, my brain shuts down. Worse, I gravitate so easily—and destructively—towards negative thinking.

But, I don't really wake up early, early—well, let's just say not as early as I desire to: 5AM.

Maybe I could slowly try this method that I read in a blog from the New York Times. It recommends that everyday you wake up 20 minutes earlier than the previous day—and then try to sleep a little earlier each night, so you can adjust your circadian cycle. And also, it advises to not sleep-in on the weekends because it will just wreak havoc on your cycle, too.

It seems like it might work; at the very least, it sounds more effective than my current method: just going from 8 hours of sleep from one night to 5 hours to next night. This method has been failing me rather miserably...

Romney V Obama in 2012

I'm not American; I'm Canadian. 

With that said, though, I'm a fervent follower of US politics—and I supported (virtually, of course) Obama in his election campaign of 2008. Even to this day, I can recall how ecstatic I was when he was elected the President of the United States of America. I was filled with such hope and optimism, even amid all the turbulence in the global economy at that time.

Although Obama still has my support for re-election, it has weakened significantly in the last three years. And that is why I feel that if he deserves to be re-elected for another four years, he needs to be tested. And I feel that Romney, out of all the Republican contenders, will offer him the toughest challenge. So I want to see them two go head-to-head, and then the American people can decide.

What makes you an "adult"?

There are at least four definition of becoming an adult:

1. Biological: When you reach the age where you can reproduce.
2. Legal: When you reach the age where the law says you can vote, marry, get a driver's license, and the like.
3. Social: When you take on social roles, like becoming a parent, get a full-time job, etc.
4. Psychological: The age when you take full-responsibility for your life; for example, in decision-making.

For many people in their 20's, they might not feel like an "adult" because they only fit into the first two definitions, and not the latter two—which, in my opinion are much more accurate definitions of being an adult.

Welcoming tension in your life

Consider the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald: "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." 

When faced with two possible ideas, we're often so quick to panic and immediately settle for one alternative over another. It's the easy road: to get rid of the tension that weighs on you.

The capacity, however, to consider both options—and synthesize them by combining the advantages of both—more often than not leads to better ideas.

That is, a more creative idea—superior to each.

Going back to my beginning quote, Fitzgerald's next sentence in the essay gives us a great example: "One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless yet be determined to make them otherwise."

Two books that have changed my life

Here are two books that have profoundly changed my life:

1. The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People (written by Stephen Covey) was given to me in my late teenage years from my Aunt. It was a time when we our relationship was building stronger, and because she knew that I enjoyed reading, she recommended the book to me. And, in hindsight, I'm so lucky that she did. It was my first self-help book, and it wouldn't have come at a better time. I was at the stage in my life where I was attempting to find my own identity. Through the book, I fashioned my own life mission statement, learned to build a strong relationship with my family, and developed the proclivity to plan long-term.
2. The Introvert Advantage (by Marti Olsen Laney) was a book that I randomly stumbled upon when I visited a bookstore after a good run around my neighborhood. I don't think I was really looking for a specific book, but when I pulled it from the shelf, it instantly spoke to me. And I bought it. While I learned about introversion before in University, my knowledge was very shallow. This book really opened my eyes to both how introverted I was, and how it pervades every aspect of my life. Perhaps most importantly, I learned to understand myself: There is nothing wrong with me, I'm just an Introvert!

A great tragedy in life

One of the greatest tragedies in life is when you erroneously think that there's something inherently wrong with you—when in fact it's just that you lack self-knowledge.

But I guess if you're lacking self-knowledge, you're blind to this tragedy because you think that you're alone in what you're feeling and thinking, that you're weird, and not normal.

And you're filled with a deep sense of shame; and you want to hide away from the violent world.

I'm was very acquainted with this feeling. Past tense.

After understanding my introversion, however, it was very liberating, as if I was released form my self-imposed shackles and infused with a new, vibrant sense of being. And I pursued a renewed sense of living.

And maybe because I've traversed from this road, when I see others afflicted with this type of tragedy, I feel a dark sorrow in my heart... 

And I yearn very strongly to guide others to end the feeling of shame—and experience the freedom.

Nothing fails like success

Today I was reminded by the words of the late Historian, Arnold Toynbee, who once said that you can summarize all of history in four words: Nothing fails like success. He meant that when a challenge is met with a response that is equal to it, you've got success.

But when the challenge elevates up to a new level, the old—once successful response—becomes inadequate, and not good enough anymore.

He didn't just mean societies; but also institutions and people. And when I think of a few relationships—of which I hold most dear to my heart—it has become more and more clear that the challenges have reached a point that the previous, once successful, ways of nourishment cease to be sufficient.

There needs to be a new response.

This weekend, above all, will be one of deep instrospection—and reflection.