Just Another Cold, Wet, Windy, Rainy Day In Melbourne

 

Write Something If You Can't Sleep

It's 6:09AM Melbourne time, the usual time that I wake up everyday. Only difference is I'm currently in Penang, Malaysia where the local time is 3:10AM. Still struggling to adjust to the weather and time here after arriving here for almost 1 week already. There is noise everywhere even now in the early morning, I can still hear traffic 27 floors below me on the streets in Pulau Tikus and Gurney Drive. 

The skyline at Gurney Drive has changed quite drastically since I was here 3 years ago. The tallest hotel is currently under construction and has already topped out dwarfing all the other towers which were previously the giants along Persiaran Gurney. Gurney Wharf has been fully reclaimed and construction is currently underway in full capacity to catch up with lost time due to Covid-19. The landscape has certainly changed.

Besides changes to the physical appearance of the place, I noticed that there is another change which is more substantial in terms of its impact to people's lives. Prices for dining out have increased unreasonably, double at some places. A plate of Char Koay Teow is now RM10! This is something unforeseen just 5 years ago. Inflation has affected the whole world and Malaysia is no exception.

So far, my first week has been quite pleasant, get to eat most of the food on my list (my very own Michelin list, not the official one).

I'm looking forward for another 5 weeks of eventful holiday in Malaysia. Today is Christmas Eve, tomorrow is a special day for all Christians. Merry Christmas!

Kita Boleh

Finally Malaysia has a new Prime Minister on 24th November 2022. Much to the excitement of most Malaysian, Anwar Ibrahim has finally the leader of the country after waiting for 24 years!

After almost three years of lock down when hope diminishes by the day, the country has now emerged with a glitter of hope. A big step forward towards a developed nation status. Wawasan 2020 has passed for two years now and we are still a developing nation. If Anwar took over from Dr. Mahathir during the 90s naturally, there is a big possibility that we may have achieved the dream. In reality, it is as if the 24 years were stolen away from us. 

But such is the way how things should be. Man has no control of what will happen tomorrow. Only GOD knows as HE is the only one that can see the big picture.

We have waited for 24 years, what other thing can trouble us.

Kita Boleh!

#anwaribrahim

#anwar

#malaysia

#kitaboleh

Colourful Autumn in Melbourne

Melbourne truly has it all, from snow capped mountain to beautiful beaches to colourful city, no wonder it was ranked the most livable city for multiple times.

This time we travel to Mount Macedon, about an hour's drive from the city to enjoy the colourful autumn wonderland this place has to offer!

10 Minutes Relaxation Music

Set aside 10 minutes each day to calm down your tired mind, release tension from work, close your eyes and listen to this relaxing music.

Advice From People Who Have Been Through It

It's normal reaction to see psychiatrist for anyone who suffers from depression. There is another equally effective way that is to listen to those people that actually struggled with and successfully overcome it.

Some of the advices are as follow:

- 'For anyone out there who is struggling, know that you're not alone, there are others out there going through what you are going through too.'

- 'What you feel is real and it matters. Give yourself a break, take some time off even if it's just a day on the weekend.'

- 'Get off the couch, force yourself on a walk. Make sure you're moving your body. It doesn't matter if it's dancing or joking, just move that body!'

- 'Be good to yourself, forgive yourself, be kind to yourself, you deserve it.'

- 'Write down things you are grateful for everyday. Whenever you find yourself in those dark places, stare at the list that you have written and read it out loud until you believe it. It's going to be OK. You have so much more to live for.'

Conquer Your Fear

What makes us feel what we feel? Is it the weather, news or the people around us? The fact is all of these affect our mental state at a particular moment of time. So does it mean that if we distance ourselves from all these by hiding deep into the mountain, things will be different? That’s the practice of Buddhist monks where they believe that the only way to set themselves free from the entanglement of the world is to live a reclusive lifestyle away from the world. This may work but it comes at a tremendous costs. It means that they can’t be married and have families. They must cut off all their links to this materialistic world and devote their whole lives in seeking enlightenment.

But it does not make sense that the purpose of arriving to this world is to escape from it. We are here for a reason. If living in this world means suffering, so be it, we just need to learn to live through it. We need to experience every good and bad moments to learn from it. Some experiences may be unpleasant or even unbearable but the best way to overcome it is to face it head on and find the best solutions.

I feel very uncomfortable whenever there is something lingering at the back of my mind. It worries me because I can’t see it clearly when it stays in my mind. For example, there is a task that I need to accomplish today and I woke up in the morning thinking about it. The more I think about it the more I feel uneasy because there is zero progress by just ruminating about it. As soon as I spread it out on my desk and look at the problem in front of me, instantly I feel that I’m back in control. Calmness then overcome anxiety in that moment.

Nelson Mandela said it beautifully: “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”