DragonCarps.com

The Connection Between Gratitude And Well Being

chunjia — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:06 +0000

There’s really no single explanation, but there’s agreement on one thing: the more grateful you are, the more positive you feel about life and about yourself, and the more you achieve.

Gratitude helps you see all things in their perspective. In the past, when you’ve felt grateful for something or someone – did you see how suddenly that thing’s or person’s value swelled and became even more meaningful to you?

If you wake up and immediately give thanks for a great, blue sky, you’ll notice that the day seems much richer. If you give thanks for your spouse, your brain has a way of picking it up and making you see even better things about them and this makes you feel happier. Happiness leads to well-being.

Gratitude also makes you focus on the things that you’re grateful for and you therefore attract more. It’s the old law of attraction, which holds that what you think about grows.

If you’re grateful for strong, fulfilling relationships, they tend to grow and therefore you’ll be happier. If you’re grateful for a strong business, it will grow and you’ll feel more fulfilled.

Does It Really Matter Why Gratitude Leads To Well-Being?

You now know that it does, so why not start to practice it. How would you gain from being able to put your challenges in perspective, faster? I was able to start making positive moves to create the outcome that I preferred.

Yes, it required a time commitment. In fact, as a busy woman, fitting “gratitude time” into my day was very difficult at first. But, I found the time because it was that important.

I discovered that if I wanted to do it, I had to set aside a time for nothing else but “gratitude time” and my journal had to be in a place where I couldn’t ignore it. After awhile it became my habit – the first thing I do before I get out of bed.

I think about and write down what I am grateful for. The more grateful I am, the more I have to be grateful for – the better I feel and the more productive I am throughout my day. What a powerful way to start your day!!

I encourage you to make a gratitude journal. Plan it in such a way that it’s in your path everyday and you can’t ignore it. You’ll find that after days, even just hours of your first journaling, your perspective will be different and you will have given yourself more time to go forward and focus on what matters most.

The treasure in each and every one of us

chunjia — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:53:46 +0000

A man who was exploring some caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled up some clay and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn’t look like much, but they intrigued the man so he took the bag out of the cave with him.

As he strolled along the beach, to pass the time, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could throw.

He thought little about it until he dropped one of the balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone. Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left, then it struck him.

He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have had tens of thousands, but he just threw it all away.

You know sometimes, it’s like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn’t look like much from the outside. It isn’t always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it; we see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy.

But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

There is a treasure in each and every one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

We do not realize there are others around us that need our help

chunjia — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:44:35 +0000

About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street.

He was going a bit too fast in his sleek, black, 12-cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child darted out, but a brick sailed out and — WHUMP! — it smashed into the Jag’s shiny black side door! SCREECH…!!!! Brakes slammed! Gears ground into reverse, and tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown.

Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, “What was that all about and who are you Just what the heck are you doing!” Building up a head of steam, he went on. “That’s my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it.”

“Please, mister, please… I’m sorry! I didn’t know what else to do! pleaded the youngster. I threw the brick because no one else would stop!”

Tears were dripping down the boy’s chin as he pointed around the parked car. “It’s my brother, Mister”, he said. “He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up.” Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, “Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.”

Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat.

Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, 12-cylinder Jaguar XKE – a long and slow walk.

Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention.

We can react in a negative way to a situation without fully realizing or taking the time to look at the other persons situation, or to take the time to find out the reason the other person has taken the action that they did.

Inspirational story: Love that is so deep

chunjia — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:57:12 +0000

From the very beginning, the girl’s family objected strongly on her dating this guy. Saying that it has got to do with family background & that the girl will have to suffer for the rest of her life if she were to be with him.

Due to family’s pressure, the couple quarrel very often. Though the girl love the guy deeply, but she always ask him: “How deep is your love for me?”

As the guy is not good with his words, this often causes the girl to be very upset. With that & the family’s pressure, the girl often vents her anger on him. As for him, he only endures it in silence.

After a couple of years, the guy finally graduated & decided to further his studies in overseas. Before leaving, he proposed to the girl: “I’m not very good with words. But all I know is that I love you. If you allow me, I will take care of you for the rest of my life. As for your family, I’ll try my best to talk them round. Will you marry me?”

The girl agreed, & with the guy’s determination, the family finally gave in & agreed to let them get married. So before he leaves, they got engaged.

The girl went out to the working society, whereas the guy was overseas, continuing his studies. They sent their love through emails & phone calls. Though it’s hard, but both never thought of giving up.

One day, while the girl was on her way to work, she was knocked down by a car that lost control. When she woke up, she saw her parents beside her bed. She realized that she was badly injured. Seeing her mum crying, she wanted to comfort her. But she realized that all that could come out of her mouth was just a sigh. She has lost her voice.

The doctor says that the impact on her brain has caused her to lose her voice. Listening to her parents’ comfort, but with nothing coming out from her, she broke down.

During the stay in hospital, besides silence cry, it’s still just silence cry that companied her. Upon reaching home, everything seems to be the same. Except for the ringing tone of the phone. Which pierced into her heart every time it rang. She does not wish to let the guy know. & not wanting to be a burden to him, she wrote a letter to him saying that she does not wish to wait any longer.

With that, she sent the ring back to him. In return, the guy sent millions & millions of reply, and countless of phone calls,.. all the girl could do, besides crying, is still crying….

The parents decided to move away, hoping that she could eventually forget everything & be happy.

With a new environment, the girl learnt sign language & started a new life. Telling herself everyday that she must forget the guy. One day, her friend came & told her that he’s back. She asked her friend not to let him know what happened to her. Since then, there wasn’t anymore news of him.

A year has passed & her friend came with an envelope, containing an invitation card for the guy’s wedding. The girl was shattered. When she opened the letter, she saw her name in it instead.

When she was about to ask her friend what’s going on, she saw the guy standing in front of her. He used sign language telling her “I’ve spent a year’s time to learn sign language. Just to let you know that I’ve not forgotten our promise. Let me have the chance to be your voice. I Love You. With that, he slipped the ring back into her finger. The girl finally smiled.

Always leave loved ones with loving words, it may be the last time you see them

chunjia — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:39:56 +0000

The man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5 year old son waiting for him at the door.

“Daddy, may I ask you a question?”

“Yeah, sure, what is it?” replied the man.

“Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?”

“That’s none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?” the man said angrily.

“I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?” pleaded the little boy.

“If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour.”

“Oh,” the little boy replied, head bowed. Looking up, he said,

“Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?”

The father was furious. “If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you’re being so selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and don’t have time for such childish games.”

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy’s questioning.

How dare he ask such questions only to get some money.

After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son.

Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00, and he really didn’t ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door.

“Are you asleep son?” he asked.

“No daddy, I’m awake,” replied the boy.

“I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier,” said the man.

“It’s been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here’s that $10.00 you asked for.”

The little boy sat straight up, beaming. “Oh, thank you daddy!” he yelled.

Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills.

The man, since the boy already had money, started to get angry again.The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.

“Why did you want more money if you already had some?” the father grumbled.

“Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do,” the little boy replied.

“Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?”

True love waits

chunjia — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:34:27 +0000

As I walked home one freezing day, I stumbled on a wallet someone had lost in the street. I picked it up and looked inside to find some identification so I could call the owner. But the wallet contained only three dollars and a crumpled letter that looked as if it had been in there for years.

The envelope was worn and the only thing that was legible on it was the return address. I started to open the letter, hoping to find some clue. Then I saw the dateline – 1924. The letter had been written almost sixty years ago. It was written in a beautiful feminine handwriting on powder blue stationery with a little flower in the left hand corner.

It was a “Dear John” letter that told the recipient, whose name appeared to be Michael, that the writer could not see him any more because her mother forbade it. Even so, she wrote that she would always love him. It was signed, Hannah. It was a beautiful letter, but there was no way except for the name Michael, that the owner could be

identified. Maybe if I called information, the operator could find a phone listing for the address on the envelope.

“Operator,” I began, “this is an unusual request. I’m trying to find the owner of a wallet that I found. Is there anyway you can tell me if there is a phone number for an address that was on an envelope in the wallet?” She suggested I speak with her supervisor, who hesitated for a moment then said, “Well, there is a phone listing at that address, but I can’t give you the number.” She said, as a courtesy, she would call that number, explain my story and would ask them if they wanted her to connect me. I waited a few minutes and then she was back on the line. “I have a party who will speak with you.”
I asked the woman on the other end of the line if she knew anyone by the name of Hannah. She gasped, “Oh! We bought this house from a family who had a daughter named Hannah. But that was 30 years ago!” “Would you know where that family could be located now?” I asked. “I remember that Hannah had to place her mother in a nursing home some years ago,” the woman said. “Maybe if you got in touch with them they might be able to track down the daughter.” She gave me the name of the nursing home and I called the number. They told me the old lady had passed away some years ago but they did have a phone number for where they thought the daughter might be living. I thanked them and phoned. The woman who answered explained that Hannah herself was now living in a nursing home.

This whole thing was stupid, I thought to myself. Why was I making such a big deal over finding the owner of a wallet that had only three dollars and a letter that was almost 60 years old?

Nevertheless, I called the nursing home in which Hannah was supposed to be living and the man who answered the phone told me, “Yes, Hannah is staying with us. ” Even though it was already 10pm, I asked if I could come by to see her. “Well,” he said hesitatingly, “if you want to take a chance, she might be in the day room watching television.” I thanked him and drove over to the nursing home.

The night nurse and a guard greeted me at the door. We went up to the third floor of the large building. In the day room, the nurse introduced me to Hannah. She was a sweet, silver haired old timer with a warm smile and a twinkle in her eye. I told her about finding the wallet and showed her the letter. The second she saw the powder blue envelope with that little flower on the left, she took a deep breath and said, “Young man, this letter was the last contact I ever had with Michael.” She looked away for a moment deep in thought and then said Softly, “I loved him very much. But I was only 16 at the time and my mother felt I was too young. Oh, he was so handsome. He looked like Sean Connery, the actor.”

“Yes,” she continued. “Michael Goldstein was a wonderful person. If you should find him, tell him I think of him often. And,” she hesitated for a moment, almost biting her lip, “tell him I still love him. You know,” she said smiling as tears began to well up in her eyes, “I never did marry. I guess no one ever matched up to Michael…”

I thanked Hannah and said goodbye. I took the elevator to the first floor and as I stood by the door, the guard there asked, “Was the old lady able to help you?” I told him she had given me a lead. “At least I have a last name. But I think I’ll let it go for a while. I spent almost the whole day trying to find the owner of this wallet.” I had taken out the wallet, which was a simple brown leather case with red lacing on the side. When the guard saw it, he said, “Hey, wait a minute! That’s Mr. Goldstein’s wallet. I’d know it anywhere with that right red lacing. He’s always losing that wallet. I must have found it in the halls at least three times.” “Who’s Mr. Goldstein?” I asked as my hand began to shake. “He’s one of the old timers on the 8th floor. That’s Mike Goldstein’s wallet for sure. He must have lost it on one of his walks.”

I thanked the guard and quickly ran back to the nurse’s office. I told her what the guard had said. We went back to the elevator and got on. I prayed that Mr. Goldstein would be up. On the eighth floor, the floor nurse said, “I think he’s still in the day room. He likes to read at night. He’s a darling old man.” We went to the only room that had any lights on and there was a man reading a book. The nurse went over to him and asked if he

had lost his wallet. Mr. Goldstein looked up with surprise, put his hand in his back pocket and said, “Oh, it is missing!” “This kind gentleman found a wallet and we wondered if it could be yours?” I handed Mr. Goldstein the wallet and the second he saw it, he smiled with relief and said, “Yes, that’s it! It must have dropped out of my pocket this afternoon. I want to give you a reward.”

“No, thank you,” I said. “But I have to tell you something. I read the letter in the hope of finding out who owned the wallet.” The smile on his face suddenly disappeared. “You read that letter?” “Not only did I read it, I think I know where Hannah is.” He suddenly grew pale. “Hannah? You know where she is? How is she? Is she still as pretty as she was? Please, please tell me,” he begged. “She’s fine… just as pretty as when you knew her.” I said softly. The old man smiled with anticipation and asked, “Could you tell me where she is? I want to call her tomorrow.” He grabbed my hand and said, “You know something, mister, I was so in love with that girl that when that letter came, my life literally ended. I never married. I guess I’ve always loved her. ”

“Mr. Goldstein,” I said, “Come with me.” We took the elevator down to the third floor. The hallways were darkened and only one or two little night lights lit our way to the day room where Hannah was sitting alone watching the television. The nurse walked over to her. “Hannah,” she said softly, pointing to Michael, who was waiting with me in the doorway. “Do you know this man?” She adjusted her glasses, looked for a moment, but didn’t say a word. Michael said softly, almost in a whisper, “Hannah, it’s Michael. Do you remember me?” She gasped, “Michael! I don’t believe it! Michael! It’s you! My Michael!” He walked slowly towards her and they embraced. The nurse and I left with tears streaming down our faces.

“See,” I said. “See how the Good Lord works! If it’s meant to be, it will be.” About three weeks later I got a call at my office from the nursing home. “Can you break away on Sunday to attend a wedding? Michael and Hannah are going to tie the knot!” It was a beautiful wedding with all the people at the nursing home dressed up to join in the celebration. Hannah wore a light beige dress and looked beautiful. Michael wore a dark blue suit and stood tall. They made me their best man. The hospital gave them their own room and if you ever wanted to see a 76-year-old bride and a 79-year-old groom acting like two teenagers, you had to see this couple. A perfect conclusion for a love affair that had lasted nearly 60 years.

Inspirational Story: An old mans beautiful heart

chunjia — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:34:09 +0000

The more hurt and pain you have gone thru in life, the stronger and more
beautiful your heart will be.

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley.

A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, “Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.” The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces missing.

The people stared. How can he say his heart is more beautiful?? they thought. The young man looked at the old man’s heart and saw its state and laughed. “You must be joking,” he said. “Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”

“Yes,” said the old man, “Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love – I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared. Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges – giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands.

The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.

The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his.

They embraced and walked away side by side.

Never give up on the people you love

chunjia — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:30:52 +0000

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling.

They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy’s tummy.

The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. Then the labor pains come. Every five minutes, every minute. But complications arise during delivery. Hours of labor. Would a C-section be required?

Finally, Michael’s little sister is born. But she is in serious condition. With siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary’s Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee. The days inch by. The little girl gets worse. The pediatric specialist tells the parents, “There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.”

Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot. They have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby now they plan a funeral. Michael, keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister, “I want to sing to her,” he says.

Week two in intensive care. It looks as if a funeral will come before the week is over. Michael keeps nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. But Karen makes up her mind. She will take Michael whether they like it or not. If he doesn’t see his sister now, he may never see her alive.

She dresses him in an oversized scrub suit and marches him into ICU. He looks like a walking laundry basket, but the head nurse recognizes him as a child and bellows, “Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed. The mother rises up strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glares steel-eyed into the head nurse’s face, her lips a firm line.

“He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!”

Karen tows Michael to his sister’s bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. And he begins to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sings:

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray…”

Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady.

Keep on singing, Michael.

“You never know, dear, how much I love you, Please don’t take my sunshine away…”

The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten’s purr.

Keep on singing, Michael.

“The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms…”

Michael’s little sister relaxes as rest, healing rest, seems to sweep over her.

Keep on singing, Michael.

Tears conquer the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glows.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don’t, take my sunshine away.”

Funeral plans are scrapped. The next day, the very next day, the little girl is well enough to go home! Woman’s Day magazine called it “the miracle of a brother’s song.” The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God’s love!

The moon is shining so beautiful every night

chunjia — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:25:19 +0000

As I sat on the park bench enjoying the cool night air and gazing at the people who were taking a break from the rest of the world, two young lovers passed me by. And I overheard the woman say, “Honey, why can’t the moon always be this full and beautiful as it is tonight?”

He replied, “I don’t know dear, but I am glad we were blessed enough to see another one together.” And that made me, well at first shed a tear at their exchanged words, but then it made me ask myself, “Why doesn’t it?”

Then, of course, knowing me, I thought and thought some more. Then I concluded, how can we ask the moon to constantly shine so beautiful night after night if we as humans can not find it in ourselves to do the same? Why can’t we find what it takes to remain illuminating creatures when we bear witness time after time of the glorious dreams we have shown to be so capable of.

Why do we so often blow out our candles and let the darkness escape to cover up a portion of our glow? Do we cycle through our emotions the same as the moon? Or why can’t we consistently find the peace and love that I can so clearly recognize in this young couple: the way they grip each others hand as if they never want to let go, the way they walk so slowly in rhythm with one another as if their heartbeats our setting the pace, and the way they stare at each other as if they have found the gateway to the soul in each other’s eyes.

Then I think again: maybe we “can” control the moon’s luster; it’s wholeness. Just maybe if we can find it in our hearts ourselves to shine with such a radiance, then maybe, overtime will we begin to notice as we look towards heaven on a clear night that we shall see the moon as full and as bright as we ourselves choose to be. Maybe we only deserve to see this brilliance so often. And maybe only when enough people can accumulate over a cycle enough love, peace, and goodwill towards one another shall the moon dazzle us in all her beauty.

So now whenever I think the moon is going through her cycle again, I will tell myself, “No… She is waiting on us to go through ours.”

5 Things Happy People Usually Do

chunjia — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:08:43 +0000

5 Things Happy People Usually Do

Express gratitude.

When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value. Kinda cool right? So basically, being grateful for the goodness that is already evident in your life will bring you a deeper sense of happiness. And that’s without having to go out and buy anything. It makes sense. We’re gonna have a hard time ever being happy if we aren’t thankful for what we already have.

Cultivate optimism.

Winners have the ability to manufacture their own optimism. No matter what the situation, the successful diva is the chick who will always find a way to put an optimistic spin on it. She knows failure only as an opportunity to grow and learn a new lesson from life. People who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times.

Avoid over-thinking and social comparison.

Comparing yourself to someone else can be poisonous. If we’re somehow ‘better’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, it gives us an unhealthy sense of superiority. What I’ve found is that the majority of the time this type of social comparison doesn’t stem from a healthy place. If you feel called to compare yourself to something, compare yourself to an earlier version of yourself.

Practice acts of kindness.

Performing an act of kindness releases serotonin in your brain. (Serotonin is a substance that has TREMENDOUS health benefits, including making us feel more blissful.) Selflessly helping someone is a super powerful way to feel good inside. What’s even cooler about this kindness kick is that not only will you feel better, but so will people watching the act of kindness. How extraordinary is that? Bystanders will be blessed with a release of serotonin just by watching what’s going on.

Nurture social relationships.

The happiest people on the planet are the ones who have deep, meaningful relationships. Did you know studies show that people’s mortality rates are DOUBLED when they’re lonely? There’s a warm fuzzy feeling that comes from having an active circle of good friends who you can share your experiences with. We feel connected and a part of something more meaningful than our lonesome existence.

Get the best iphone app for fitness and app for working out! This fitness app explores functional fitness and training at its best. Discover how to allow the body to train it was designed to move – get fitter, faster and stronger!

De-clutter your mind and de-stress with our relaxation music and meditation music app, binaural beats app! Download and install your meditation app today!

MAMA: 2011 Mnet (Mnet Asian Music Award)

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 01:45:00 +0000

MAMA: 2011 Mnet (Mnet Asian Music Award)

2AM, 2PM, GIBBAND, BEAST, F.T. Island, CNBLUE, 2NE1, Super Junior, etc

No related posts.

Legendary Amazon – Female warriors of the Yang family (Awesome!)

admin — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:32:47 +0000

I was flipping through some magazines with reviews of this movie “Legendary Amazon” and found that most writers of these reviews unable to appreciate the movie and tried comparing it to some other similar films. It was simply a matter of different perspectives. In my opinion, this is a difficult story to depict in movie format and overall, i could see the sincerity and efforts into making the movie and introducing the female warriors of the yang family to those who have never heard of them before. Most importantly, the pace in the movie is just right. The TV drama version of these group of women warriors is all the more awesome. Legendary Amazon is a Frankie Chan‘s film about the real life story of the female warriors of the Yang family who lived in the Song dynasty. These women who took up fighting after the men in their family were slaughtered in a battle. Very inspiring story!!!

Celebrities inspirational stories: Jackie Chan

chunjia — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:48:20 +0000

Not every celebrities are born with talents or even money. Even most celebrities are born with nothing when they were still young. They live in a normal life back when they were kids and managed to be a super star when they grew older. And why is that? How did they do it? Because they all have their dreams and they work hard for it. One of the inspiring celebrities who work a very hard way to get himself on top is Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan’s parents could not afford to take care of him when he was a baby. They considered of selling him for US $26 to the english obstetrician who delivered him. At the age of 7, Jackie was apprenticed at the infamous Academy of Chinese Opera. For more than 10 years from 5am till midnight, 7 days a week, he endured a brutal program of music, dance and traditional martial arts training. The training was particularly harsh and cruel. The students was beaten and starved for not performing. Later he appeared in an early Hong Kong films as a stunt man and worked his way up to stunt coordinator, then to director. When Bruce Lee died, Jackie, along with many others were picked to filled of being the bruce lee of their generation. Jackie failed miserably. It was very hard for him and instead of trying to be Bruce Lee, he decided to be himself. Jackie was born to be “steve” who was later changed to Jack Chan. Later, Raymond chow, a director changed it to “Jackie Chan”. His first break came in 197 with the movie “Snake In Eagles shadow”. Today, jackie is hong kongs biggest movie star and is currently making big in US too. Jackie’s fees are up to US$50 million a year. If you have a goal in your life, no matter what it is, even if it is impossible. If you work hard for it and create your own name, then you will be successful someday. Don’t give up your dreams, if it doesn’t work out for you, then its up for you to decide what you really want to be. Make a choice and make it possible.There is no such thing as impossible if you work hard for it, all it takes is your hopes and faith to make it come true. "Make your prayers, wishes and dreams ALL Come True!!! Extraordinary!!!" Click here for more details!

The Princess Man – so touching, colorful and beautiful!

chunjia — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:48:43 +0000

Just finished up with my new drama "The Princess Man!!!" by Park Shi Hoo, Hong Soo Hyun, Song Jong Ho, Moon Chae Won. This was one drama that I didn't expect will be worth going through, but I was hooked after going through the first few episodes! The story was touching and the drama itself is beautiful and damn so colorful. One of the best dramas of the year!

We may sometimes question god on the things that happened to us that would affect our ways of living our life. But sometimes things such as this is a way of god telling us that he is there, watching over us. As people may say, “Things happens for a reason.” And that is one true fact that we should all remember. If things are not working out for you today, or since the last few days, or probably a whole year i may add. It doesn’t mean that your life is not working out and you will be living your whole life with this kind of situation. When there are thing that happen to you, even little things that you can’t stand and make you mad. Always remember and sometimes just appreciate those annoying things because they might have possible purpose. Like an example of what happened in 9/11, the twin towers fall down and many people died. Here are some annoying little things that happened:

As you might know, the head of a major company survived the tragedy of “9/11” in New York because his son started kindergarten.
Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.
One woman was late because her alarm clock didn’t go off in time.
One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident.
One of them missed his bus.
One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.
One’s car wouldn’t start.
One went back to answer the telephone.
One had a child that dawdled and didn’t get ready as soon as he should have.
One couldn’t get a taxi.
The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.

To those people who have gone through this annoying little things and could have been inside the twin towers at that time of 9/11 when the hijacked plane crashed the twin towers. Those people are very lucky and should be blessed that god is there watching over them. We should appreciate the things that happen to us, the good or bad. Because we are here for a reason, everything has a reason and life itself is a reason. "Make your prayers, wishes and dreams ALL Come True!!! Extraordinary!!!" Click here for more details!

The best job in the world: Being a parent

chunjia — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:34:42 +0000

When we think of the best jobs in the world, we think of something like being a superstar, rockstar, owing a company, celebrity, doctor or anything you can ever dream of to be the best job for you. But if you ask your parents what their best job would be, they might not answer you straight to the point but deep inside its simply being a parent. Or maybe someday when you grow up and have kids, that might be the answer too. In every partnership between the opposite sex, when they get married. There is always that plan of having a family and that would mean having kids. Being a parents doesn’t need any special skills or talents, it just comes out naturally. Its one of the hardest thing in life that sometimes could be the easiest. Everything that is soft inside of you just comes out. Sometimes you just don’t know how to do it, and you ask advice at anyone who are best at it. You work harder for your family and things are messed up and wonderful at the same time. Its like everything that is opposites just makes sense at the same time. In short, it can’t be explain but the things about being a parent is, its the best job in the world. Why? You still work so hard, even if you don’t get paid for it. You don’t know what to do but still you end up doing it anyway. You get worried at something even if its nothing. Everything that is opposite just team up and collage into something way beyond greatness. All just makes sense in your life, and even if its hard, you still look for the hardest way to figure everything out. Love your parents even if they might get mad at something you do or disagree with you on a lot of things. They are the ones who work their very best to get you into where you are right now. You might feel worst of what they are doing to you whenever you done something wrong, but its for your very own good. And someday you will grow up and later on follow their footstep, to actually work on the best job in the world, be the best parent and that no money can buy or any salary to be paid for. Its all free. "Make Your Dreams, Prayers & Wishes ALL Come True!!! Extraordinary!!!" Click here for more details!

A Review of Drama Warrior Baek Dong-soo

matt — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 09:35:11 +0000

A Review of Drama Warrior Baek Dong-soo

Features:

A historical drama written in a complex way exactly like an onion that can bring tears to your eyes
More stories are revealed in every episode
Some age events are good for reflection for different ages
There are characters that are reversing their roles like from good to bad and the other way
Characters are well playing their significant roles in the series
This Korean drama seems to be the best among other drama series aired

Description:

This is a heroic Korean drama about a crown prince in wooden chest who was about to meet death that in the twists of events produced dramatic influence and authority beyond the story’s imagination. Set in the Joseon Dynasty during King Jeongjo’s reign, this martial-arts fusion sageuk is centered around the events involving Crown Prince Sado’s conspiracy.

Pros:

The main character delivers his role in the most dramatic yet heroic way
The series provides moral lessons to everybody
Every episode is packed with adventures of twists and turns
Some roles and story lines can be observed in real life

Cons:

You need to follow every episode to make the story whole
Some characters are just popping out from nowhere so you need to get oriented to understand their character roles
Violence in some scenes may not be suitable for minors

Recommendations:

Overall impact is good even if I have not finished the entire story
I appreciate the way characters are playing their respective roles
The series is of course suitable for everybody

A Review of Drama City Hunter

matt — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 07:54:33 +0000

A Review of Drama City Hunter

Features:

Dramatic scenes that would touch the hearts of the many
Action and romance-filled episodes that would blow your boredom away
Lee Min Ho makes every scene a reflection of real life experiences
The characters are playing their roles exceptionally

Description:

Lee Yoon Sung, a worker at the Blue House’s National Communication Network team fell in love with Kim Na Na, a bodyguard of South Korea’s president specifically at the Blue House. Coming from different walks of life, they met and started weaving the episodes of the story into a must-watch drama. Their adventure bloomed from different romantic and funny scenes that somehow strengthened their acquaintance with each other which turned into a worthy love story.

Pros:

It is wholesome to watch especially for the whole family
Every episode is a surprise twist
Romantic scenes are well-played
Some funny episodes will eliminate dull moments
You will be hooked to watch for every episode to make the story complete
If you miss one episode, you can easily watch it in the Internet

Cons:

Some scenes may seem boring and corny
Each episode is too short to watch
If you miss one or more episodes, you may not get through with the entire story

Recommendations:

It is recommended for its action and romance concept that is ideal to watch
The characters are well-suited for their roles and they made their effort superb
Some lines are so romantic that it would carry your emotions away
Overall impact is perfect. Watch it!

No related posts.

The Story of King Gwanggaeto the Great

admin — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 06:06:54 +0000

King Gwanggaeto was a Korean monarch of Goguryeo, one of Korea’s three ancient kingdoms. He lived from 374 to 413.

Under his reign, the kingdom rose to prominence and became a leading political power in the eastern part of Asia. At the time of his death, Goguryeo has established territorial and political control over a very large span of territory that includes those surrounding Amur and Han Rivers.

If we look at the modern map, the territory once covered the entire Korean landscape, Manchuria, and part of Inner Mongolia and Russia.

Although the monarch died at such a young age of 39, he was able to establish a legacy that no other Korean king has done.

His conquest of far territories is a highlight in Korean history. Never in two centuries had a Korean kingdom ruled a very vast and wide territory.

One of the most notable achievements of his rule was the establishment of reign titles. Since then, it enabled Goguryeo monarchs of the future to present themselves as equally powerful and influential to their Chinese neighbors. In the modern day, Gwanggaeto is regarded by Koreans as the epitome of their sentiment for nationalism.

To indicate the significant role of King Gwanggaeto in the country’s history, a drama with a fantasy – history theme was broadcasted on television. It was entitled Taewang Sasingi. The main story line is about the life of Gwanggaeto the Great. The lead role was played by the most popular Korean actor, Bae Yong-Joon.

Three factors made the drama a huge success in entertainment. First is the inclusion of a very famous TV actor. Second is the utilization of remarkable CGI effects, and lastly, the story itself, which until now is very important to the lives of every Korean.

Aside from this drama, there has been various films and shows aimed at telling the story of one of the most powerful Koreans in history.

Dream HIGH – FUN and Inspiring!!!

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:00:59 +0000

Loves this story from DREAM HIGH!! It’s about a bunch of students trying to achieve their dream of becoming music stars!! Inspiring, fun, and the dance and music are SOOOOO cool!

Love DREAM HIGH!

Dream High is fun!

DREAM HIGH OST!

OST#1

OST#2

OST#3

Fun iPhone app, grabs all jewels in the sky! Download and install today!

My Princess – Fun and Entertaining!!!

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 10:52:08 +0000

I like My Princess, it’s simply FUN and entertaining! A student, Lee Seol discovers she’s a princess. The grandson of Daehan Group, Park Hae Young, is put in charge of educating Seol on proper etiquette in the palace. Park is in conflicts with Seol as he might lose all his wealth if he acknowledge the existence of the princess. However, soon Hae Young finds himself falling in love with Seol, the girl who will take away his inheritance if the monarchy is restored!

My Princess OST and Review

My Princess OST

OST1

FUN iPhone game to grab ALL jewels and treasures in the sky!! Try it!

A youth with a BIG big heart!

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 07:17:20 +0000

making science fun

I love the story of this youth!

Daniel, 17, was born with Specific Language Impairment, which delayed his language development. Because of this he struggled in school, and could not speak full sentences until 5,6 years old. He pulled out o school and was home schooled. ‘As a child, you’re supposed to enjoy life and have fun. But I lost confidence in myself because some students and teachers didn’t understand me,’ he says. As he enjoyed science he decided to publish a science dictionary with colorful illustrations! Prof Chia called it ‘doodlanguaging – a very creative way of learning to make sense of the world and interpreting all the various concepts that can be found in it’. Published in 2007, the book has sold 7,000 copies. He donated $10,000 to charity. He also donated more than 3,000 copies to several charities and institutions.

Read his full story here!

Do you enjoy doodling?? Discover the joy of cartoon drawing today!

Check out this fun and brand new iPhone app!

No related posts.

49 Days OST

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:30:10 +0000

49 Days OST!

49 Days

49 Days

49 Days

Take peace over misery any day, any time. In a world of turmoil, deception, hypocrisy and insensitivity, not to mention fighting with inner demons, peace can be elusive. Believe in the power of love and peace. Loving yourself first enhances your capability to share that love with others.

Check out rare inspiring books here!

49 Days OST

Do you like 49 Days as well?
=> Click here!

What is 49 Days?

49 Days OST (fan made MVs)

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:25:08 +0000

Fan made 49 Days MVs!!!

Love this drama!!!

49 Days

Grab the chance to harness the power from the river of knowledge already flowing through your being, to take that first step to get up and move on to the next phase. Time to let go and really let go.

Hanging on to personal loss builds up powerful negative blocks; these fuel anger, grief, bitterness, vindictiveness, distrust, confrontation, erodes self-confidence, which are all negative but very powerful energies. Over time, accumulation of these take its toll on your health.

Why allow a negative influence to knock on the door? Hurtful issues tend to get remote and forgotten.over time.Why dwell on these, the negative energy gets very powerful and takes on a life of its own. What purpose does it serve? NOTHING!

Do you like 49 Days as well?
=> Click here!

Like 49 Days Korean Drama!

Shaolin spirit: human self is a temple of the Divine!

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:19:06 +0000

I’m halfway through my DVD this week which is part III of the Shaolin stories (60 episodes!). Having learned Tai Chi and kung fu myself, I’m always intrigued by dramas related to kung fu too. Certain parts of this story is a bit too dragged and slow, especially at the beginning, but if you are very patient with it, you will find it VERY entertaining and insightful too!

Spirit of Shaolin

This story took place during the Mind Dynasty and the story begins with a group of monks traveling west with government officials in order to fulfill and complete a secret mission and task given to them by the emperor of china of that time. There were a lot of beautiful and breath-taking fighting and kung fu scenes, and I’m sure kung fu lovers will like this drama!

But what attracts me to the drama is how the monks deal with adversity and difficulties along their journey and adventures. Certain parts of the stories really touched me and moved me. You know the monks are buddhists, and they cannot kill nor harm other beings in order to solve their problems, so it’s quite enlightening to see how each one of them, each with different characters and backgrounds deal with their own personal problems and resolve dangerous and difficult problems along the way.

I admire their spirit. They have their own beliefs in their hearts. And they show you that if you can always remember your kind heart and hold on to your beliefs (especially for the higher good), you can always overcome adversities and problems in your life. And of course, you have to watch this drama to see how the whole story unfolds!

The human self is a temple of the Divine.

Life goes on. You can choose to let life flow or get stuck and just keep spinning your wheels. Each day offers a chance to look at the brighterside of life and enjoy it. Each day is a chance to be connected with your divinity. Each day heralds a new beginning. You have to be part of it.

The world never stands still. Time comes when battles that were once critical no longer top the list of priorities. That is if you learn to reconcile yourself with the past, sort out the precious lessons and move on.

In life, there are inevitable bumps in any relationship, unavoidable falls and pitfalls.No problem lasts forever. There has to be a way to adjust your sails and enjoy the breeze, not get lost in the storm.

Take stock of your life. What are your illusions? What is your reality? How do you deal with failure, with disappointments and the other elements that fuel stress? Are you just coping, mostly in a crisis management mode? What can you do?

Sometimes, one’s world, one’s hopes and dreams come crashing with a big bang, a major shaking up of life. This is a chance to take a great leap of faith, to grow and strengthen your self-trust that is eroding. Move on without fear. Fear can be paralyzing. Move on instead with self-confidence. Have faith in yourself. Faith is enduring.

My favorite music today!

Dong Yi OST#1

Dong Yi OST#2

Like 49 Days Korean Drama!

admin — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 06:16:21 +0000

I really like this korean drama 49 days that I recently began watching. Unique story with a topic that i like, a soul that comes out of her body, so you get to see some out of body experiences! (astral travel is a topic that has always intrigued when i was very young!)

In the drama, the story began with a girl who met a car accident and her body went into a coma. Her soul found another girl (my favorite actress in Queen Seon Deok) and she had to find 3 guys who would shed 3 drops of genuine tears for her so that she can survive and return to her body.

49 Days Korean Drama

the magical necklace to collect tears - 49 Days

out of body in 49 Days!

Out of body in 49 Days!

I don’t know how the story is going to end yet, but somehow it moved me and got me thinking what and how life after death is, and it made me realize how precious life is!

49 Days OST#1

49 Days OST#2

Love this classic! The amazing master key!

Make your wishes ALL come true here!

Like astral travel as well? Check out these rare resources!

Extraordinary 82 years old woman never bowed to the vagaries of life!

admin — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 06:03:00 +0000

This story of an extraordinary 82 years old woman seriously touched me! In summary, she is blind, but she is capable of taking care of not only herself but also taking care of her husband (who has ditched her for 20 years!) but who is currently ill. Everyday she would create beautiful basket made from beautiful pearls. She would sell this basket and use the money to help the poor!

When she was 27 years her husband left her without a word and she was left behind to take care of her young son. Other people told her that her husband had left her for other women. 20 years later her husband came back, but was ill, and she had been taking care of him every since! You can click here to read full stories about her!

Extraordinary 82 years old woman

Kong Que Ling

admin — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 05:11:04 +0000

Just finished with my brand new DVD Kong Que Ling！ Not a bad martial arts mainland drama with a unique story line, the pacing in the drama is just right for me too, not too fast not too slow. The story is adapted from the famous author “Gu Long“.

Kong Que Ling

No related posts.