Wanders and Meanders

I’m a sleep lover. If sleep can be considered as a hobby, then it definitely belongs on the top of my favorite things to-do list. I like the comfort that I feel every time I’m lying in my soft bed, embracing my fluffy pillows. It’s like I don’t ever want to get up anymore!

Despite my passion for sleep, my body clock’s been haywire for several years now. I have very poor sleeping habits; I get different hours of sleep each day and sleep at no definite time of the day. Some days, I would be up the whole night and sleep at 5A.M. until 1P.M. Other days, I would only get two to three hours of sleep a day or would be asleep almost the whole day.

This type of sleeping pattern is unhealthy. Ideally, we are supposed to have 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. But there are circumstances like work and other psychological factors that would sometimes hinder us from getting the right amount of sleep. There are studies that say depression and sleep are connected. Abnormalities in sleeping is one common symptoms depression. Most of the time, however, the reasons why we are unable to get adequate sleep is because of external factors like uncomfortable temperatures, noise, lights as well as inadvisable practices like taking stimulants (e.g. caffeine and nicotine) shortly before going to sleep or doing activities that keep you alert (e.g. watching TV, using the computer - in my case, actually).

An interesting thing about sleep is that it is commonly thought as state of being inactive where in fact it is a very active process. There are two stages of sleep called Non-REM period and REM period. It is said that it is during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) period that our brain’s activity is the same as when we are awake; this is also the period when dreams occur.

Sleeping is the time when our body is regaining its strength from fatigue after a day’s full of physical and mental activities. When we sleep, we are actually treating and rewarding ourselves. So be kind to your body, get enough sleep.

Everyday, people are being faced with decisions of all sizes.

Some are easy and straightforward, like deciding what to wear for the day or choosing which TV channel to watch. Some are fairly difficult and require few considerations, like when selecting between Qatar vs Emirates airlines should you fly to the Middle East to work or when deciding to hire Markham travel agents should you visit Canada for a vacation. Others are more complex and call for some level of contemplation, like when deciding whether or not to leave your normal job to pursue your passion.

Decision making is not always a simple task. A lot of things need to be considered for the difficult ones. We would need to do some research and ask for people’s opinion. Find someone who has encountered a similar dilemma and learn from their experience. It is also wise to weigh the pros and cons first. Think which is better among the options before making up your mind. Never decide especially when it is driven by greed or by a strong emotion because most likely you will regret it in the end. Unless you are in an urgent or time-constrained situation, take your time when it comes to bigger and life-changing decisions.

Sometimes, there are no best or worst decisions, only the right decision for that particular person. If coming up with a final choice becomes tough, you can always trust your instincts. Don’t be too hard on yourself if ever you make the wrong decision. You can always learn from your mistakes. Mistakes will make us wiser decision makers in the future.

Trust is the foundation of all relationships, be it in love, family, friendship or business. Deception and betrayal ruins trust. Nobody wants to be cheated, especially by people who matter to them (see sayings about deceit). It takes just seconds to destroy trust but a long time to build it.

In business, establishing rapport with clients and customers is extremely essential for you to be successful. The customers are the reason for your trade; without them, you will be nothing.  That’s why, it is very important that clients are treated well. We need to gain their trust so that we will have their loyalty in return (see quotations about entrepreneurs).

But there are times when we are tempted to exaggerate and stretch the truth a little in order to get sales.This can work but the results will only be short term. Eventually, the truth will reveal itself, and this might cost us more by losing clients. It is still best to be honest. In the long run, honesty will pay us off better than what we expect.

One way to be honest to our customers is by keeping them informed. Let them be aware of the things that they have to know about your product or services so they will feel that they are taken care of (see sayings about awareness). Through this, it will show that you are sincere and that you only want to provide them with the best that you can offer. When your customers are satisfied, they will share their great experience with other people. As a result, you will gain more customers and your business will progress and grow.

Trust is critical in order for strong connections to be formed. Once it is present, all of its advantages will follow through. But what is more important is that we must always value trust to maintain a good and healthy relationship with others.

A person can become famous through two things: one, when he/she accomplishes something great and remarkable or two, when he/she does something appalling and disreputable. Fame is nice but not everyone desires it. As much as possible we want to be associated with something positive, something we can be proud of. Who would want to be known for something that is negative? We definitely don’t want that, do we?

People with great talent, exceptional capabilities and strong conviction are likely to gain approval and admiration from many (see famous Americans). People in history like inventors, philosophers and founders, those who are first to discover things or establish knowledge that are of great use and importance in our world today, are famous for their brilliant minds. Revolutionist, people who upheld equality for all and who fought for their rights and belief, are admired for their courage. Individuals who have excelled in their craft such as arts (see famous architects), literature, sports (see famous boxers) and the like are praised for their skillfulness.These people became famous because they have made a difference and contributed something that we now benefit at present.

On the other hand, there are also those who have become famous because of notorious acts like crimes, terrorism, slavery and other disgraceful doings. These people only seek for their own personal gain and interest. Their actions have left some level of physical and emotional scars to our world and to the people affected by it. However, because of it we have become smarter and stronger people just like when we go through hardships in life.

Fame is not all glamour. It has its price depending on how you acquired it. You will either be loved or hated for it.  But one thing is sure with fame, whether you attained through good or bad, you have somewhat left a mark and became a part of history. You have made an impact on people, places and time that forever will linger.

“Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?” ~ quotes by Bob Marley

Quotes are popular for quite some time now. They are rampant in text messages as well as on the web. Before, I was really fond of browsing blogs that post interesting sayings about life, love, dreams, basically anything inspirational. When I read novels, I’m also always on a look out for those striking lines and quotable quotes.

We all have our own favorite words to live by. I bet every one of us has posted a quote on their profile in social networking sites or has forwarded a saying thru SMS at one point or another.

Nowadays, quotes not only come in a form of plain text that can be copied and pasted to your status on Facebook or Twitter. There are now such things as image quotes (the words are just simply added on to a cool, catchy photo or are created and designed from scratch). Image quotes are a trend on blogs like Tumblr; they are being posted and re-posted by many.

~quotes by Marilyn Monroe

So, why do we love quotes? Quotes play a significant role in our day to day life. They inspire and enlighten us in times of darkness and uncertainty. They can also motivate and drive us to keep going when we seem to lose hope and are about to give up.

Quotes are relatable to both the young and the old. There is always something for everyone no matter what age group you are in. Another reason why quotes are popular is because they express things that are true and are happening in reality. They may tell something about an experience that we have encountered in the past or something that we are going through at present.

“Our life is a long and arduous quest after truth and the soul requires inward restfulness to attain its full height.” ~quotes by Mahatma Gandhi

Words by public figures or by people whom we look up to have a special influence on us. Quotes can be really powerful. They have the capacity to set one’s mind or change one’s perspective. They have the ability snap us out of something and make us realize what are the more important things in life.

Cinderella walked on broken glass.
Sleeping Beauty let a whole lifetime pass.
Belle fell in love with a hideous beast.
Pocahontas risked her life for a feast.
Jasmine married a common thief.
Mulan was given disbelief.
Ariel walked on land for love and life.
Snow White barely escaped a knife.
It was all about blood, sweat, and tears,
because love means facing your biggest fears.