Ideation Without Execution Is Mere Delusion

Most of us have grand ideas about the things we need to do to improve our personal, professional, social, financial and spiritual status. Some of us also manage to go one step further and maintain a laundry list of these ideas with a time-bound plan of action for their implementation. But only a miniscule percentage of us actually get down to executing the ideas, and thereby, have a shot at success.

Unfortunately, execution alone does not guarantee success... FLAWLESS EXECUTION is more likely to help us achieve it.

Any wonder then, that success seems so elusive?

The secret to success, therefore, is not great ideas... but great ideas WITH great execution!

As Robin Sharma says, "Ideation without execution is mere delusion".

Happy New Year Folks! To a year when great ideas will not only be born, but also flawlessly executed!

“Now and then it’s good to pause in your pursuit of happiness and just be happy.”

The other day I came across a quote on Instagram that really struck me –

“Now and then it’s good to pause in your pursuit of happiness and just be happy.”

 Sometimes, we get so caught up in the everyday haze of our lives — obsessing over our next goal or training endeavor, the next “big thing” we’re working on, and so on and so forth — that we forget to just live and most importantly be happy.

Our lives can be lived a little bit better; each day a little sweeter if we stop and appreciate what we already have. It can be a difficult thing to do, but living in the present moment and focusing on happiness is important. It really makes a difference in overall well-being and health.

From a personal standpoint, I’ve realized that once I started to prioritize living in the moment and stopped always obsessing and planning what would happen next (especially over the last few months), I became a much happier person. That’s why this quote struck me so much.

This life is amazing. And there are so many things that we can do with it. Once we realize that and stop obsessing over what’s to come — by pausing in the constant pursuit of happiness — lots of great things can come with it.

What can you do in your everyday life to pause — even for a moment — and just be happy?

30 Things To Start Doing For Yourself. #4 Is Absolutely Vital

I stumbled upon this list and it really inspired me. I'm sure it will inspire you as well.

Marc and Angel are the authors of 1000 Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently. Here’s their amazing list of 30 things to start doing for yourself. If you enjoy this, be sure to visit their website for more inspirational advice and tips for life.

#1. Start spending time with the right people. – These are the people you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and who encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways. They are the ones who make you feel more alive, and not only embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be, unconditionally.

#2. Start facing your problems head on. – It isn’t your problems that define you, but how you react to them and recover from them. Problems will not disappear unless you take action. Do what you can, when you can, and acknowledge what you’ve done. It’s all about taking baby steps in the right direction, inch by inch. These inches count, they add up to yards and miles in the long run.

#3. Start being honest with yourself about everything. – Be honest about what’s right, as well as what needs to be changed. Be honest about what you want to achieve and who you want to become. Be honest with every aspect of your life, always. Because you are the one person you can forever count on. Search your soul, for the truth, so that you truly know who you are. Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of where you are now and how you got here, and you’ll be better equipped to identify where you want to go and how to get there. Read The Road Less Travelled.

#4. Start making your own happiness a priority. – Your needs matter. If you don’t value yourself, look out for yourself, and stick up for yourself, you’re sabotaging yourself. Remember, it IS possible to take care of your own needs while simultaneously caring for those around you. And once your needs are met, you will likely be far more capable of helping those who need you most.

#5. Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly. – Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are. Be yourself. Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else. Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms. Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.

#6. Start noticing and living in the present. – Right now is a miracle. Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. So stop thinking about how great things will be in the future. Stop dwelling on what did or didn't happen in the past. Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s happening. Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right now.

#7. Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you. – Mistakes are okay; they’re the stepping stones of progress. If you’re not failing from time to time, you’re not trying hard enough and you’re not learning. Take risks, stumble, fall, and then get up and try again. Appreciate that you are pushing yourself, learning, growing and improving. Significant achievements are almost invariably realized at the end of a long road of failures. One of the ‘mistakes’ you fear might just be the link to your greatest achievement yet.

#8. Start being more polite to yourself. – If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend? The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. You must love who you are or no one else will.

#9. Start enjoying the things you already have. – The problem with many of us is that we think we’ll be happy when we reach a certain level in life – a level we see others operating at – your boss with her corner office, that friend of a friend who owns a mansion on the beach, etc. Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when you get there you’ll likely have a new destination in mind. You’ll end up spending your whole life working toward something new without ever stopping to enjoy the things you have now. So take a quiet moment every morning when you first awake to appreciate where you are and what you already have.

#10. Start creating your own happiness. – If you are waiting for someone else to make you happy, you’re missing out. Smile because you can. Choose happiness. Be the change you want to see in the world. Be happy with who you are now, and let your positivity inspire your journey into tomorrow. Happiness is often found when and where you decide to seek it. If you look for happiness within the opportunities you have, you will eventually find it. But if you constantly look for something else, unfortunately, you’ll find that too. Read Stumbling on Happiness.

#11. Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance. – In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance. You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work. Most of the time you just have to go for it! And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.

#12. Start believing that you’re ready for the next step. – You are ready! Think about it. You have everything you need right now to take the next small, realistic step forward. So embrace the opportunities that come your way, and accept the challenges – they’re gifts that will help you to grow.

#13. Start entering new relationships for the right reasons. – Enter new relationships with dependable, honest people who reflect the person you are and the person you want to be. Choose friends you are proud to know, people you admire, who show you love and respect – people who reciprocate your kindness and commitment. And pay attention to what people do, because a person’s actions are much more important than their words or how others represent them.

#14. Start giving new people you meet a chance. – It sounds harsh, but you cannot keep every friend you’ve ever made. People and priorities change. As some relationships fade others will grow. Appreciate the possibility of new relationships as you naturally let go of old ones that no longer work. Trust your judgment. Embrace new relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory. Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.

#15. Start competing against an earlier version of yourself. – Be inspired by others, appreciate others, learn from others, but know that competing against them is a waste of time. You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself. You are competing to be the best you can be. Aim to break your own personal records.

#16. Start cheering for other people’s victories. – Start noticing what you like about others and tell them. Having an appreciation for how amazing the people around you are leads to good places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places. So be happy for those who are making progress. Cheer for their victories. Be thankful for their blessings, openly. What goes around comes around, and sooner or later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.

#17. Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations. – When things are hard, and you feel down, take a few deep breaths and look for the silver lining – the small glimmers of hope. Remind yourself that you can and will grow stronger from these hard times. And remain conscious of your blessings and victories – all the things in your life that are right. Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.

#18. Start forgiving yourself and others. – We’ve all been hurt by our own decisions and by others. And while the pain of these experiences is normal, sometimes it lingers for too long. We relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go. Forgiveness is the remedy. It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened. It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.

#19. Start helping those around you. – Care about people. Guide them if you know a better way. The more you help others, the more they will want to help you. Love and kindness begets love and kindness. And so on and so forth.

#20. Start listening to your own inner voice. – If it helps, discuss your ideas with those closest to you, but give yourself enough room to follow your own intuition. Be true to yourself. Say what you need to say. Do what you know in your heart is right.

#21. Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks. – Slow down. Breathe. Give yourself permission to pause, regroup and move forward with clarity and purpose. When you’re at your busiest, a brief recess can rejuvenate your mind and increase your productivity. These short breaks will help you regain your sanity and reflect on your recent actions so you can be sure they’re in line with your goals.

#22. Start noticing the beauty of small moments. – Instead of waiting for the big things to happen – marriage, kids, big promotion, winning the lottery – find happiness in the small things that happen every day. Little things like having a quiet cup of coffee in the early morning, or the delicious taste and smell of a homemade meal, or the pleasure of sharing something you enjoy with someone else, or holding hands with your partner. Noticing these small pleasures on a daily basis makes a big difference in the quality of your life.

#23. Start accepting things when they are less than perfect. – Remember, ‘perfect’ is the enemy of ‘good.’ One of the biggest challenges for people who want to improve themselves and improve the world is learning to accept things as they are. Sometimes it’s better to accept and appreciate the world as it is, and people as they are, rather than to trying to make everything and everyone conform to an impossible ideal. No, you shouldn't accept a life of mediocrity, but learn to love and value things when they are less than perfect.

#24. Start working toward your goals every single day. – Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Whatever it is you dream about, start taking small, logical steps every day to make it happen. Get out there and DO something! The harder you work the luckier you will become. While many of us decide at some point during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only an astute few of us actually work on it. By ‘working on it,’ I mean consistently devoting oneself to the end result. Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

#25. Start being more open about how you feel. – If you’re hurting, give yourself the necessary space and time to hurt, but be open about it. Talk to those closest to you. Tell them the truth about how you feel. Let them listen. The simple act of getting things off your chest and into the open is your first step toward feeling good again.

#26. Start taking full accountability for your own life. – Own your choices and mistakes, and be willing to take the necessary steps to improve upon them. Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will. And when they do, you’ll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own. You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life. And no, it won’t always be easy. Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them. But you must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles. Choosing not to is choosing a lifetime of mere existence.

#27. Start actively nurturing your most important relationships. – Bring real, honest joy into your life and the lives of those you love by simply telling them how much they mean to you on a regular basis. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people. Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like royalty. Remember, you don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of.

#28. Start concentrating on the things you can control. – You can’t change everything, but you can always change something. Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation. Invest your energy in the things you can control, and act on them now.

#29. Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes. – The mind must believe it CAN do something before it is capable of actually doing it. The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful. Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Regardless of how a situation seems, focus on what you DO WANT to happen, and then take the next positive step forward. No, you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you react to things. Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects – whether or not you’re happy and successful in the long run depends greatly on which aspects you focus on. Read The How of Happiness.

#30. Start noticing how wealthy you are right now. – Henry David Thoreau once said, “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” Even when times are tough, it’s always important to keep things in perspective. You didn't go to sleep hungry last night. You didn't go to sleep outside. You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning. You hardly broke a sweat today. You didn't spend a minute in fear. You have access to clean drinking water. You have access to medical care. You have access to the Internet. You can read. Some might say you are incredibly wealthy, so remember to be grateful for all the things you do have.

This is such a wonderful list. If we take little steps every day and practice these things, we can make great improvements in our lives. Share this post with your friends and loved ones. 

Credits: 

marcandangel.com

lifebuzz.com

whydontyoutrythis.com

Making realistic New Year resolutions

According to a poll on what Kenyans want to achieve in 2014, 23% want to save more money, 16% want a job, 14% want to go to school, 13% invest and of course 2% get babies.   

In my history of making resolutions, first of all, New Year resolutions are jinxed. First of all, January  is not the time  to make serious decisions. Make resolutions on your birthday. In any case that’s when your year begins. Unless of course your birthday is in January. I make my resolutions in September. That is when my year starts. Because that's when I was born. 

The only valid resolution in the above list is the 13% who want to invest.I think  that is thinking right. Why would one want to save more money instead of investing, for example?

I think that when people can’t change, or can’t sustain the change, it’s because they are using an improper approach. They kind of set themselves up from the start to not succeed. I love this Mark Twain quote: “I don’t know why people say it’s so hard to quit smoking. I’ve done it hundreds of times myself!” This idea that, actually you can change, but it’s sustaining the change that matters.

 The new year indeed gives us a fresh start almost literally in that you can be able to chart the months ahead with precision.

So in order for your resolutions to stick: whatever time of year you make them, they should have these qualities:

Be Realistic: Let's face it, you are not going to lose 10kg. At least not unless you get yourself cast on The Biggest Loser or amputate a limb. You are also not going to go to the gym everyday. You might go to the gym—as in attend the gym one time on January 2—but you will not go to the gym every single day for 365 days. You need to pick something that you will actually be able to accomplish. Set your sights lower rather than higher. Say that you're going to lose 5kg. You can do that by switching from soda to water and peeing a lot. With all the good mojo you've ginned up losing those 5 kg, you might motivate yourself to lose another 5. Keep it real and you won't be disappointed.

Think Incrementally: Since we're being realistic, you are not going to just up and quit anything—smoking, drinking, biting your nails, chewing gum—overnight. It takes a long time to break a habit. Instead of setting one unreachable goal, try to break it up into a few easy steps. Say, "I'll get down to one pack a day by February 1," "For two weeks I'm only going to bite the nails on my left hand," or "By March, I'll only chew gum on weekends." Once you've achieved that goal, go on to the next one and work your way down until you've quit altogether. It might take a bit longer, but you have a better chance to succeed. 

Incentivize: Most people fail at their resolutions and punish themselves. Skipping out on a vacation because you didn't lose your 10kg is stupid and only going to make you more depressed, which will make you eat more and lead you in the totally wrong direction. Instead, set yourself up to receive a reward for good behavior. "If I'm not mean to one child on the bus this week, I can buy a new pair of shoes!" Just don't make your reward something contrary to your goal. "If I lose 5 kg., I can eat plenty of ice-cream" is not only a very bad idea. And if you're that stupid then you deserve to fail.

Misery Loves Company: If you're going to have to suffer, get a friend or loved one to suffer with you. If you're trying to go work out more, get a gym buddy. If you're trying to stop using the word "fail" as a noun, force your coworker to do the same. That way you'll have someone to call you out if you backslide, encourage you to move forward, and motivate you when you want to call your new boss' hair a "combover fail." Also, you can bitch about how much life sucks to each other. That's not productive, but it sure feels good. If you can't get someone involved in your plan, at least talk to your friends and family about your resolution. You're probably used to disappointing yourself, but the thought of upsetting your mother if you don't finally get your grades up is enough to keep you hitting the books.

Pick Something Within Your Control: You can only control your behavior, so don't try to choose a resolution that involves the decisions of others. Therefore, "I'm going to find a new job this year," or "I'm going to get married by 2015,"  are all really bad ideas. You don't make the hiring decisions, you can't force someone to propose to you, so you're setting yourself up for failure. However, you can still work towards these in other ways. Why not plan to apply for one job a day (or one job a week). You may not get one, but at least you did the work to try to get there. If you want to meet a partner, resolve to join an internet dating site, try to go out more, or stop asking prospective beaus for drug tests before you go out with them. Sure, you may end up with a junkie, but at least you won't be alone! (I kid, I kid!)

Be Resilient: If your resolution is to go to the gym every Tuesday and Thursday and you skip a Thursday, don't fall into a shame spiral and sit on the couch with a tub of icecream and a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills marathon and give up your resolution altogether. Allow yourself a few missteps. No one is perfect—well except Oprah, and you can't be her. If you fall off the wagon, don't wallow in the dirt. Just get back up and keep on going. One mistake isn't worth ditching the whole endeavor. Unless the mistake leads to your imprisonment. Then you're screwed.

Have a fantastic year ahead folks!

God's Creation Under the Sea

When I think of the first glimpse of Heaven, I think of the first time I went snorkeling. It was absolutely breathtaking. There were thousands of fish of every shape and size and color, and just when you think you’ve seen the most beautiful creation, here comes another one. It’s endless. (I've included a couple pictures my sister Emily took of us snorkeling.)

Firstly I was terrified of the idea of having to get into the ocean and swim with the fish. The thought of coming face to face with fish of all sizes was quite perturbing. I was honestly very comfortable feeding the fish from inside the boat. But after my sisters and friends all got into the ocean one by one and I was almost the only one left on the boat, I decided to give it a try. 

Feeding the fish

                   

The fish under the boat

Getting used to the idea

     Finally got the hang of it

                           

The water was so clear I had the sensation of falling, and I could see fish and coral on the bottom as if just a few inches away.  

Corals are marine invertebrates in the class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton. (Now before you think I did Marine Zoology or am in a certain category of genius, I have to admit I got this definition from Wikipedia).

For most of my life I had seldom thought about that other world under the water. But I fell in love with that other world, and often find myself thinking about it even now.

It’s exhilarating, even worshipful, to be immersed in a God-made world normally beyond our reach. I felt closer to God during that thirty minutes than at nearly any other time in my life.

With photography as one of the hobbies at the top of my list, I’d love to film underwater stills and some decent videos which I was not able to do since I do not have a waterproof camera as yet, but that will be one of my next purchases before I go back snorkeling again. Nonetheless I'd love to be back to swim with the fishes as I just discovered exquisite underwater sights.

Williams Hill Day Hike

It was a warm sunny Saturday morning, a welcome change from the liquid sunshine that we had experienced for the previous week over Nairobi with the onset of the short rains.

We set off by bus to the small Italian Church on Mai Mahiu road where we were all set to start the day.

Today I want to share a few images from the trip and hike and some of the amazing views from atop the hill.

This pentagon-like shaped church is located on the busy Maai Mahiu-Rironi road and is made up of red tiles, stones, wood and even metal.

The interior has four small wooden pews, an altar with a pulpit and measures approximately 15ft x 8ft. It also has three normal doors for access. It is among the smallest churches in the world which also includes Our Lady of the Pines that accomodates 12 people and measures 12 x 12ft which is in the United States.

                                         It has colourful stained glass windows.

This signpost at the entrance/ exit of the church which indicates that it was built in 1942 by Italian prisoners of war.

 Th trail to the base of the hill was flat terrain and made for an easy walk. These acacia trees were homes to several birds as can be seen by the nests.

 I couldn't help but dip my feet in a stream as the YOLO effect took to, which is actually an acronym which I usually love to hate (post for another day).

                                               These Maasai cows were resting along the trail.

After a 10 minutes walk we came to this beautifully kept secret at the base of Williams Hill, Osotua Camp and Cottages

The rooms were neatly kept and had a nice African feel to them.

            This little kitten took a cute pose just for me!

  Then the real climb began. 

                                  A Maasai traditional homestead on the route.

                     The terrain was rocky and it took a liitle bit of getting used to at first.

               I particularly loved this shot showing how the clouds cast a shadow on the ground.

From this vantage point on the hill, I was actually viewing the Great Rift Valley Viewpoint and the cars on the highway.

I couldn't help but pose with the clouds at the top of the Hill, after all the torturous climb to the top had earned me the bragging rights. Oftentimes its easy to forget how difficult the climb to the top is once you're there and its time for lunch.


On the way downhill, we took the longer but less steep route which was reeaaallly long.

              To wrap it up, I had to take a shot of this tree.It was so picturesque.

Happy with the results, it was time to officially end the trip. I was extremely exhausted but happy. 

Looking Back, Giving Thanks, Pressing Forward

Hey folks, so after a long abatement (new word I learned 3 days ago that means – an interruption in the intensity or amount of something… You know I had to use it.. Ahem) I’m back with a new and exciting post.This post should actually have been up over a year ago. But then again I had a writers block and had shelved my blogging. But am back!Well, last year September I was in Helsinki, Finland. Helsinki is the capital city of Finland and I traveled there via Istanbul, Turkey. The flight there was breathtaking.

           I loved how dramatic the clouds over Istanbul looked.

                My dinner in the restaurant above the clouds.

The table was set, the munchies sizzling and the scrumptious meal of pure gorgeousness was before me (and my trusty camera) so I clicked away.. These were some of the results…

                                  This was one of the beauties at Vantaa Airport.

                                  The Cathedral at the Senate Square in Helsinki.

A distinctive landmark in the Helsinki cityscape, with its tall, green dome surrounded by four smaller domes, the building is in the neoclassical style. It was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel as the climax of his Senate Square layout: it is surrounded by other, smaller buildings designed by him.

                                                     Kamppi Chapel of silence

The wooden building in this picture is a very modern church. Kamppi Chapel is situated in the mall square and made entirely from wood. I would have never guessed that it was a church by looking at it.

                                                Kamppi church from the inside

The inside of the chapel is all wood with no paintings or decorations. It is curved. Staring at the wood almost looks as if you have fallen into some wooden (black) hole, it has a strange affect.

                                  One of the magnificent buidings in the city

             I particularly liked this fountain and the statue at the end of it was magnificent.

                                                     This little dog caught my eye.

                     The trams were so convenient for transportation around the city.

                   Was tempted to take a cruise to Sweden but duty called back home.

                            The prices at Stockmann were well out of this world. 

                          This is where the Open Knowledge Festival went down

                                               I had some 'I believe I can fly' moments

                                                And some random poses in the city

                                            More randomness in my hotel room

 

 Absolutely enjoyed my stay at the OmenaHotel…Omena  means Apple in Finnish

                                                               Checking out!