40 Quotes that we can refer in future.

I saw this on Facebook today, and it's a good reminder not just for the boys but for myself as well in tough times like now. We all go through challenges, but let's be positive and face them bravely. Don't give up, sons! 💪🏻

Teach these 40 phrases to your sons and daughters so they can be more resilient, successful, and confident in life.

1. Where there's a will, there's a way.

2. Good manners don't cost anything.

3. Always ask. They can only say no.

4. You're not marrying one; you're marrying the whole family.

5. Find the good in everybody.

6. Don't cry before you try.

7.  There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.

8. Pretty is as pretty does.

9. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

10. You can't control what others do, only your own reactions.

11. Don't buy what you can't afford.

12. Remember that things don’t make you happy, people do.

13. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

14. Two wrongs don't make a right.

15. Watch what you step in.

16. Cow turds are a cattlemen's dollar signs. It all depends on how you look at it.

17. Teamwork makes the dream work.

18. Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

19. What we think determines what happens to us, so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds.

20. Fair? The fair is two weeks in the fall.

21.  One man's trash is another man's treasure.

22. The greatest day in your life is when you take total responsibility for your attitudes. That's the day you truly grow up.

23. True freedom is understanding that we have a choice in who and what we allow to have power over us.

24. You're only as old as you feel.

25. A rolling stone gathers no moss.

26. Early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise.

27.  Happiness is not by chance but by choice.

28. If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.

29. A rising tide lifts all boats.

30. Don't judge a book by its cover.

31. You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.

32.  The early bird catches the worm.

33. Each day comes bearing its gifts. Untie the ribbon.

34. Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian.

35. Confession is good for the soul.

36. You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

37. The grass is greener where you water it.

38. The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.

39. There is no single recipe for success. But there is one essential ingredient: Passion.

40. Never lose hope. And never underestimate the power of prayer.

Our Memorable Holiday to Japan

We just completed our 2024 holiday in Osaka/Kyoto. I'd thought of going to Japan last year, but due to the low price of the China Shanghai/Jiangnan tour packages, I opted for that instead and so that Ye Ye and Nai Nai could accompany us back then, too.

This time around, more planning was involved when we were creating our own itinerary. Daddy and Mummy had sacrificed lots of time from our busy schedules to plan this trip, which is essentially for both of you. I'd spent many late nights researching hotels, searching for low airfares, good food to eat and places to have fun. I also have to study how to go to all these places and how much time to spend there, etc... This is why I've requested both of you to help out. I was particularly proud that Josiah did some homework for me, too.

I initially asked Mummy to go to Mexico and Las Vegas with me back in September and skipped this Japan trip to save money. A Desaru, Bintan, or Genting Trip for you guys should suffice. Mummy insisted that it had to be a family trip, and I wouldn't want Mummy to go to Bintan. This is how Mummy loves you guys. 

Despite a few incidents that you guys frustrated me and mummy, we enjoyed the trip, though we can no longer remember the details. Planning the entire trip took effort, and executing it involved a certain stress level, especially while we were preoccupied with work during our holiday.

At your age, you can help push our luggage. I was particularly unhappy when you guys liked jumping on the luggage and rolling with your bodies. You can also help us take photos. I was again particularly unhappy when you took 20-30 pictures in one shot just to have fun. We are also less worried about you getting lost in the crowd.

However, we still love your childlike nature when both of you happily carry the Yoshi and Bowser you bought at USJ wherever you go for the entire seven days and even sleep with them in the hotel.

Over the past eight days, Felin and I have given both of you our undivided attention and have built a stronger relationship with you. We created memories together that I hope will last a long time. One thing I need both of you to know as well. After every trip, we were left with plenty of laundry and unpacking, and it easily took us another day from work.

Daddy is taking a big leap of faith to step out of PIAS

As I continued writing this blog, I realized that I can no longer portray the boys as playful or mischievous as I once did. They are growing up and now understand what I am writing, so I need to consider their future feelings when they read this. I also have to think about how others might perceive them when they read my blog one day.

I want to emphasize that it’s unlikely they will see this blog in the near future unless, of course, there comes a time when I am no longer around. I’m not predicting that I’ll leave them anytime soon, but I believe in being prepared for the “what ifs.” What if I were to have an accident or suffer a heart attack or stroke that prevented me from sharing my thoughts with them anymore? That is why I believe in obtaining adequate insurance and have completed my wills and power of attorney.

Today, I want the boys to know that Daddy took a risk by stepping out of my comfort zone to leave a company where I have worked for the past 16+ years. I have been comfortable at PIAS and have been blessed with a good income over the past decade, even achieving my Lifetime MDRT this year. However, I felt stagnated in my career and frustrated that I could not break through to the next level.

As I write this, I am only 10 days away from my last day at PIAS. I am worried and feeling stressed about whether I can accomplish what I achieved over the last 10 years. Ten years ago, I was younger and had more energy, and at that time, both of them were not yet in my life, which allowed me to focus entirely on my career. Today, my energy levels have decreased, my memory is clearly not as sharp, and I must also be concerned with their well-being, schoolwork, and feel guilty for not spending enough time with them, etc...

Despite the challenges I face, I have stepped out of my comfort zone. I am eager to push myself further and believe that I am not just a one-time success. I want to overcome my imposter syndrome and acknowledge my fears and doubts in life. My message to them is this: "Do not be fearful. Trust in the Lord and have faith in Him."

Today's church sermon focused on 1 Chronicles 4:10, which talks about the prayer of Jabez. It resonated with me because my intention in moving forward is to expand my territory by grooming new consultants in the field to benefit more people in life. I must always remember three key things:

1. All blessings come from God.
2. We need God's hand to be with us.
3. We can trust God completely.

In addition to recording their childhood, I am now considering transitioning to share my life journey with my boys, including my struggles and how I have overcome each challenge. I hope both of them can persevere in life, be caring and sensitive to the people around them, and love God. I want them to know that Daddy is not perfect and that I am still learning to be a good Dad, good son and a good husband.

I am writing all of this because I love my boys and Felin. This is one small way for me to show my love, and I also use them as motivation to become a better person every day. Thank you boys as we journey life together and be better together.

The boys' reminder to expect lesser from them and to start loving myself more

Seven months had passed just like this in a flash since my last update. The boys are entering their fourth school term and taking their first year-end examination. I honestly am not expecting much from them and have learnt not to expect anything from them anymore. I know that the more I expect something from them, like hoping for them to be more well-behaved, hardworking, disciplined, gritty, filial, empathetic, etc., the more disappointed I will become.

I need to be patient and wait for them to grow up, and hopefully, they will have that light bulb moment to realise that life is not just play and that everything is being provided for. They can stop complaining when a small task is given and stop the daily bickering over the silliest issues. (Okay Okay! I should not expect anything!!! I had forgotten!)

Felin is better than me in these aspects of encouraging them when I was many times so tempted to just take a cane and whack them. Luckily, we never have a cane at home for me to fulfil this temptation.

Whenever I see the boys, I also see some reflection in myself. When they are not willing to do their homework and just hope to play their games or watch anime, wasn't I the same? I am slow in doing my work and am distracted by playing my Shopee game and visiting social media sites every now and then. Wasn't I the same when they were not determined to learn a skill and gave up halfway? I told myself to learn presentation skills, to read up thoroughly on CPF, to polish my investment soft skills, etc... I had not done anything to improve myself either. I suspect the anger came from within me because whenever I saw them with certain behaviours, I saw the things that I wasn't happy with myself at the same time. I realised that I must first love myself and expect less from myself before being able to fully love my children.

I am in a period of deciding to change my work environment, and it has been bothering me for a few months. I was worried that a change in work environment would affect the amount of quality time I could have with my family in the near future. I am afraid of what if I fail, what if my health turns sour, what if I am not intelligent in the first place, etc... (All the imposter syndrome issues or low self-esteem issues that were deeply entrenched in my veins all these years!)

Then I told myself that I wanted to let my kids know that Daddy had once taken a risk to move to something he wanted to do. Daddy is a risk taker, not someone who fears and hides behind a comfort zone. I want them to be daring and learn to "Make a decision right" and not just about "Making the right decision". There is a difference! Even if I'd made an incorrect move, I would take it that God wants me to do something out of it and make the best of a possible failure to continue to let God Shine. I want to be a Daddy that my boys will be proud of when I am weak and frail. I want to tell them I persevere despite my age and being "Not so intelligent". I will do my best and be a better version of myself daily.

To end today's post, I just like to share my genuine thoughts... One thing that can teared me is seeing my boys being serious about learning something. Their attitude is not "Do everything because Daddy or Mummy told them so". It should be because they want to improve and show grit and determination. I don't know when I will shed such tears of joy, but I suspect that I will cry and not just drop some tears when that day really comes. I can only pray...

I am reminded that they are blessings from God and that I should love them unconditionally...
(To emphasize... They are actually sweet boys (on good days). I just need to expect less and learn to love myself first.) Okay... Thoughts for the day. 😊

Chinese New Year and Edusave Award

 I would just like to record some pictures for our CNY 2024 for memories. We had spent 1st Day of CNY in Singapore and 2nd-4th Day in Malaysia. The atmosphere in Malaysia is much more vibrant than in Singapore. We enjoyed our time together.

I would also like to mention Joshua's Edusave Award on 18th Feb. If I say that I'm not proud of it, I'll be totally kidding myself. Even if it's a Good Progress Award, I'm really happy for him. It was a proud moment for Felin and me when we walked up the stage to take photographs with our MP Desmond Tan. It also lets us know that our boy is in the top 20% or 25% and had good conduct. I'm secretly hoping that both of them will get the Merit Award next year together, and we can go up to the stage with both of them as recipients.

Though we will surely not pressure them over this, we know there is a lot of hard work on the side of parents and children to achieve such awards. It takes two hands to clap. Most important, the kids must be willing and motivated to learn. Please do not give up, okay? Remember this proud little moment today and try again next year. I hope Josiah will not be discouraged too and he will do his best as well.

Thank God for today's moment. I'm grateful. 

What a blast in just first week of January 2024

We visited Yip Yew Chong's art exhibition on New Year's Eve and managed to take a picture with him. I was nearly touched to tears by his artwork because of so many familiar scenes, and seeing so many older folks sharing stories with their kids or grandkids brought so much warmth to the art hall. Hope my children will know him one day by looking back at this photograph. For this year's New Year, Josiah stayed up to see the Tampines Hub Fireworks with us.

On New Year's Day, Mummy went to celebrate Tracy's birthday in Orchard Road. I brought the boys to the Bugis area to eat ice cream at Tom Palette, Daddy's favourite Ice Cream joint, as well as brought them to play Kiap Kiap in Bugis Plus. Josiah is so happy to catch one big plushie, and he gives it a name right after. I can't recall the name now. Think only Daddy will do such a thing. Joshua was scared of catching and kept asking my opinion for every attempt. I told him that he needs to learn to take risks. If he gauges that it's a good chance, just go for it and learn from it. He was disappointed that he couldn't catch any after spending about $16, but at least he was not jealous that his brother had caught one. I'm proud of him for this. We had Yakiniku dinner that day and its Joshua's favourite.

On the 3rd of January, it's finally back to school for the boys. During the walk to school, Josiah told me that he didn't like exams and felt stressed over them. I told him that an Exam is only a check to see how much you have learned and how much you did not know so that we can re-learn what we are not so good at. It is not a test to determine how clever you are. Sometimes, I did share with them that Daddy didn't have good results and had a poor memory, but here I am, still surviving and happy in this world, right? Hope this will not be a motivation for them to be lazy in future. All the best for your new journey, and do remember that both of you are still holding Dad's and Mummy's hands during the walk to school.

Finally, it's 6th Jan. I booked the function room more than 2 months ago, and I have been planning a birthday party for them. Been planning what theme and decorations, what to put in the goodie bag, what games to play, what prizes to give, what to prepare as snacks and what for dinner, what cake to buy, messaging the parents, reminding them, etc... until the actual day. 

It's a lot of work, actually. But the kids had a blast. Despite all the planning, they enjoyed the Nerf guns best. I'd prepared 3 guns and ended up with 7 as 4 were given as presents to them. We played 3 out of the 5 games that I'd planned, and the timing was perfect while Felin and Ann prepared the food. It's impossible if I am to do it alone.

The actual birthday is 12th Jan, but I just like to wish both of you a very Happy 9th years old birthday. The thing I'll really ask from both of you is to love God and love each other. Both of you will face more challenges in life, and you need to have the perseverance to see your personal success. Trust God and pray to him regularly. Of course, remember to love your family and people around you too. Daddy and Mummy will do our best to bring the best out from both of you!!! Jia you!!!