You and I…let's take a journey….

I am on a journey to consciously live life to the fullest.

Too often we go through life by simply ‘going with the flow’. We set our lives in autopilot, going through the motions and letting a day pass by just like the one before that.

Well, that is comfortable we reason.

That’s fine, until we have gone through another year without having done anything; we have just merely existed and have not lived life.

That’s fine, until we have reached the twilight of our lives and looked back in life then wallow in regrets.

That’s fine, until your children leave home and you realized you have missed their childhood.

That’s fine, until you are all wrinkled and gray sitting in your rocking chair going nostalgic with all the “what ifs” you could think of.

It’s NOT fine! I want to truly live life, to really experience it and enjoy it to the fullest, instead of merely surviving and living a life of mere existence. I know you do too. So let’s break free from the mold and drink from life.

Below is a list of ideas, an addition to the “I want to do list” I have posted earlier. Feel free to add in your ideas as well and together we will journey life in a conscious effort to live it to the fullest.


GET A PET or grow something if getting a pet is out of the question as of the moment. Indulge your nurturing nature, own up to the responsibility of knowing that someone/something is dependent on you for their existence.

LOVE…. Fall in love, if you aren’t already. Or fall in love all over again. It doesn’t have to be romantic. Fall in love with your family, friends, pets, babies or all of humanity. Fall in love with yourself (too a certain degree....Loving oneself is different from being self-absorb) Heck, you can even fall in love with love.

KISS IN THE RAIN…cast all your inhibitions. Seize the moment and be romantic. You will be surprise to find out that raindrops could actually taste like honey drops ;)

LIVE IN THE NOW… It’s nice to go nostalgic one in a while. Walk down the memory lane or zoom into what might the future bring, but don’t let your thoughts drift into the past or future more than necessary. Thinking of things that need to be done, planning and regretting, doing these in excess could often start negative spiral of thoughts that can last for days, a week or even years. Plan your life, reflect on the lessons you can learn from the past. But work, play and live in the moment, live in the now!

STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES …Fast food, express lane, express manicure, bullet trains, MRT (Mass RAPID Transit), the Concorde….everything moves along at such as rapid pace. It’s not healthy. Have you ever heard of healthy fast food? Slowdown…….Enjoy what you do, savor every moment. Stop and smell the roses and you’ll be delighted to discover that there is a butterfly perched in one of the rose’s thorns.

TALK TO OLD PEOPLE they have lived through life. They can tell you amazing stories. They can share to you their regrets so you can learn from them and avoid the same mistakes. They can give you sound advice on basically all things that matters (love, life, money, spirituality, etc, etc). It will make you wiser and you have made them happier because someone listened and appreciated them. It’s a win-win situation actually, so why not try it.

EXERCISE…get that butt of the couch and jiggle those muscles. I’m assuming you’re not toned enough or no muscles to jiggle. ;-) Go for a walk, run, swim, bike or hike. Whatever you do, just get active. Release those endorphins and you will feel more alive and happy. Endorphins are called happy hormones for nothing. So get up and work the sweat. You’ll love it.

CREATE A SIGNATURE DISH or perfect that awesome dessert. Beyond impressing the lucky taster, having a signature dish brings pride to the ‘cook’. Well, I’m not an excellent cook but I can order a great take-out. But if plan A fails we must be ready with plan B. Scenario: it’s Chinese New Year (in Singapore) or Holy week (in the Philippines) all resto/ hawkers/“carenderia” are closed. Armed with that signature dish and that recipe for an awesome dessert, you can whip up a meal… far from perfect, but always tasteful and presentable.

TRAVEL, the world is your oyster. You are too young not to travel. Immerse in different culture, savor an array of delectable cuisine. It’s amazingly fun. It makes you appreciate more the things you have and helps you to understand why some people do things in a certain way. It teaches you different perspective in life. Its learning spelled as F-U-N. So go ahead, pack your bags and take the next flight to….whatever place you fancy.

CREATE A MORNING RITUAL. Greet the day with a prayer. Stretch like a cat, turn on the music, dance to its rhythm, meditate, or drink a cup of coffee. Wake up early and greet the sunrise… Whatever suits you to help you set the tone for the day… Funny and ironic as it may sound, but having morning rituals helps you gain stability to face the day with spontaneity.

LAUGH AND PLAY WITH CHILDREN. “Kids, they learn to dance before they learn that there is anything that isn’t music.” So true…Just observe them, they skip and whistle a tune at the same time, when they get hurt, they really cry, when they play, they really have fun, when they ask questions, they show their curiosity unabashed. They experience everything in the moment fully. So instead of thinking that you know so much more than them, stop and think. Play with them, laugh with them and learn from them.

This is a journey so the list will keep on growing. And since it’s OUR journey feel free to share your ideas too. Together we will face life, living.