My Source of Happiness

          What really is happiness? This is a very relative matter in the sense that what could be your source of being happy may not be true for the other person. Somehow it is but essential for us to be aware of those things that can make and give us true meaning of happiness. 

To give us further insight on what happiness is, let us share these thoughts:

"Psychologist Martin Seligman asserts that happiness is not solely derived from external, momentary pleasures,^[11] and provides the acronym PERMA to summarize Positive Psychology's correlational findings: humans seem happiest when they have

1. Pleasure (tasty food, warm baths, etc.),
2. Engagement (or flow, the absorption of an enjoyed yet challenging activity),
3. Relationships (social ties have turned out to be extremely reliable indicator of happiness),
4. Meaning (a perceived quest or belonging to something bigger), and
5. Accomplishments (having realized tangible goals)."- from Wikipedia- the free encyclopedia

          From the above thoughts, it is obvious that happiness differs from one stage of being to the other. I know of some people who are happy by just being alone with themselves. They don't want to be interfered in their activities which for them are the ones that give them source of meaning in life.

imagecredit: http://www.toasto.com/free-photos/nature-and-scenic/sky-and-clouds/approaching-storm-clouds/

          There are also people who are happy with their titles like being managers, CEOs, COO, and the like. That when others devoid  them of any recognition and admiration of these titles, it seems their days are incomplete and they feel that they are not worthy. In some cases, what is worst is when they tend to vent their ire on others as if they already lose their sense of being human persons merely due to subordinates not addressing them with their titles. Sometimes, the real cause of this feeling of being unhappy is the sense of insecurity of oneself. 

          On the other hand, others are made happy by their achievements and the accolades that go with them. Moreover there are those who find happiness by being with their loved ones and no matter what their state of life is, they are still happy being with their significant others.

          Hence, in the midst of these various realities, it is important for us to recognize what are those things that make us real happy and how could we also radiate the same happiness to others. No matter what adversities we have in life, there would always be reasons for us to stay happy and be optimistic.

 
                                       

How To Grow One's Business?

            In any business setting, at the end of the day, what is accorded with foremost priority is the benefits gained out of it. Somehow the question at the closing of each day is that "does the organisation gain or loss this day?". In the middle of the challenging nature of every business entity today, being streamlined with the latest trends on the Human Resource management (HRM) plays a very important role. 

          Having performed such role for years before (Human Resource manager), I know beforehand how critical the role of HRM in managing the affairs of the organisation. Every organisation is made of of entities most importantly of people who carry along with them unique qualities which should consistently be reckoned with. 

imagecredit: 

          At times, the thrust of the organisation is unsure between people and profits. However when things become complicated like having people who been working with the organisation for such a long time over the emphasis of the organisation to grow thus it might think of ways and means to reduce costs including removing old termed people. 

          Which is now more prioritise in terms of resource? Is it people over profit or the other way around? The answer may not be the same with different people and various approaches. However what could have been ideal is gaining positive outcome both for the organisation as well as for people. How then would you want to grow your business? Is it by reducing costs through removing old employees and hiring new ones (equals savings for the organisation) or by keeping them then resort to some other solutions like making savings from operational costs?

                                             

Life is Such a Great Gift

          It's Sunday and another week will soon start. If I look back on my previous week, indeed I could say that life is so good to a great degree due to everyday blessings we receive. The grace of our life is the greatest one and somehow it also entails from us a challenge to sustain, maintain, and improve it to the best of our capacity.

          Aside from that, we also receive the gift of friendship with other people whom we daily encounter in our home, workplace, surroundings, community etc.. These people allow us to appreciate more life's wonderment. Somehow, there are others whom could never become our close buddies or friends maybe caused by differences in life's views, cultures, beliefs and many more. At times, others might endow us troubles or stresses but we should learn to humble ourselves before them then focus our energy on what is good and positive instead of complaining about it.

imagecredit: Jozh Tuballa

          Everyday we also receive the gift of good health that allows us to proceed with our day to day endeavours and responsibilities towards our families, communities, workplaces etc. At the same time, we are also asked to take care of it by maintaining positive lifestyle and daily exercises then keeping away from vices especially drugs, alcohol and other negative activities that may result to destruction of life.

          Thus, let us also keep our life is a straight path and hopefully it will lead us someday to its fulfilment no matter where and how that could be attained.

                              

Each One's Uniqueness

          As I study on Organisational Behaviour, the more that it becomes clearer to me the interrelationship between an organisation and society. Both are made up of group of people whom each one carries with him/her the unique attributes which make him/her stand out among the others. 

          On organisational behaviour, it mainly rests as well on human behaviour. As we all know, people have various ethnic backgrounds thus bringing along with them their own cultures, practices, taboos, rituals etc.. Each individual therefore has his/her own learning capacity and responsibility. 

          So vast is the complexity of each individual yet what struck me most out of this given complex element is the uniqueness that each individual carries along side with him/her. How unique one is from the other at times makes it difficult to achieve self satisfaction and in certain circumstances, may lead to one's disowning of oneself. 

          What then is your behaviour when it comes to your own uniqueness? Are you basically aware of it or not? Just like any organisation, there is no such "one best way" to approach this individual uniqueness but rather, the focus must be shifted to one's humbling ownership of such "giftedness". 

          Moreover, let us all be constantly aware how we are unique from each other and let us make use of this uniqueness to extend positive things and gestures to others. Thus, we should consistently complement each other until such time that we reach our own wholeness if there is such state in life. 

                                                

Why Do We Connect With People?

          As human as we are, it is but natural for us to seek connections. Indeed, it is such a very basic need that for anybody, no matter who you are and what you are, it is but a very basic need to be connected with others. In this regard, allow me to share with you this video from Youtube on this discussion and we will all together find out some of the interesting reasons why we need though connections.

                            
                                       videocredit: https://www.youtube.com/user/shellterrell

          From our early years, we are already starting to build up connections. From the very significant people in our life like our parents and siblings, we then start to develop our ability to cope with the demands of our environment. Then later on, we start to connect with people outside of our comfort zone like neighbours, friends, relatives etc. Afterwards, we continue to build up our connection with people we meet in school, in our neighbourhood and in other places.

 Meanwhile our featured video here will show us some reasons for us to have connections. To enumerate some of them, here they are:

1. to learn (anytime, anywhere)- that's true. Interacting with people enable us to learn new things. And the beauty of this one is that it then becomes a two-way process. We will learn from others and they will also learn from us.

2. to knock down wall---learning from the classroom will allow us to be ready to face squarely the world out there....this world which is so full of surprises.....so full of anonymity.....of being so unpredictable thus it is but fitting for us to get ready to face all these surprises.

3. connect to share resources and ideas- the splendour of life is on its gift of being able to be shared with others thus let us all be reminded that we are also called to be generous donor to each other and this calls for us to extend to others whatever gift that we have. Sharing is connecting lives.

4. to help us all achieve our goals- another wonderful element of being alive---when we are able to help others to reach their potentialities.

5. to get inspired and to create

6. to get in touch  with friends and families

          These are but some of those reasons why we choose to connect with others. Can you identify your intuition the first time you meet a new friend? What exactly connect you with that person? Hence let us all open our arms and embrace anybody who comes our way. Let no race, colour, talent, skill etc hinder us to connect with others. 

 
                                         

The Joy Of Travelling

          Are you one of those people who love to travel from one place to the other? What are positive and negative points that we then can get from travelling? In this post, I will share with you my thoughts regarding the idea of travelling since this activity is so loved by many among us.

          For the downside of this activity, one of the important considerations when somebody is thinking of visiting a place especially if it is abroad is its accompanying expenses like the cost of the plane tickets,  accommodation, food, etc. What if you are travelling alongside other members of the family or any group? That adds to the total amount of the budget of the whole travel. Another impediment is what they termed as the "culture shock" and this happens when you submerge yourself in the culture of another country or nationality. Have you heard before of different misfortunes that happened to certain travellers due to this reason? 

                                         imagecredit: Michael Jastremski for openphoto.net

          Enough for those downside elements of travelling, now let us know what are the benefits that this activity can endow to you and me. And with these reasons, those downside elements mentioned beforehand will be delegated to the sidelines. If one's way of life is geared towards his/her fulfilment of all the potentialities as a human being, then let all resources be scrutinised so that more positive things can be realised.

          First, on budget- this could be prepared smoothly if proper procedures would be implemented like making a run down of all accompanied expenses of the trip then afterwards, setting aside extra money from the pocket so that within the desired goal (a year or two), the budget for the aimed travel will be achieved. When it comes to mingling with other cultures, ye it is understandable that frictions can possibly happen. However, if we will take a positive look, this is also the possibility that frictions can be avoided. 

          Instead, the traveling opportunity will allow for those involved the chance to meet new friends and connections. Alongside with it is the richness of the interactions when two or more cultures meet and evolve as one. Thus, I believe that there are more positive points that we can acquire when we allow ourselves to go to other foreign places therefore broadening our horizons and our connectivity with people as well as culture.

                                       

Dream Dreams.....

While on board on somewhat a floating cottage made of bamboo.....floating at the middle of the ocean....alone.....I was lying peacefully on the floor....with just a handful of food selection with me such as bread. salad made of vegetables which I am not really fond of, bottle of water, baked noodles placed on a plastic container, a bag of rice......on a small table beside me lies a diary, and a pendant .....as I stare aimlessly on the blue sky above me, I say to 

                                   

                                              imagecredit: Michael Lane for openphoto.net

myself, " How wonderful this world could be......so immense...limitless" .....after a while, I soon realise that I am left alone and at the middle of an ocean....yet deep inside, there is that feeling of serenity, of completeness (though I would never be a complete or should I say a perfect human being...nobody is).....I try to jot down on my diary what I observe on the surroundings....finally, I take a long and steady glance on my pendant with pictures of my two other precious gifts in life: that of my wife Yanyan and my little boy Kurt Kristoff.......as the day starts to come to an end..soon darkness will arrive......

Till then, I woke up and realised, "I've got a dream..."

         Whew..what indeed a splendid dream that I recently have. Well, all I can say in that dream is that it involves significant things and persons in my awakened life. Of course, it will take  me a long time to share with you the significance and impact of those dream elements. 

          In summing up, I would say that our dreams allow us to befriend further our inner "self" hence we need to listen and be attentive to them. In a single day, it is said that every one experiences not just once, twice, or thrice but multiple dreams yet due to our pre-occupations and priorities, we neglect to spend time to look at them and their impact on our waking life. However, if we start to mind them, we will gradually discover little by little their individual relevance to our life. 

                                     imagecredit:Sarah Klockars-Clauser for openphoto.net

          Just to cite one example with that dream above, the pendant with those pictures of my special possessions means to me as a reminder and a symbolism of their concrete presence in my life. That day by day, they make me more positive and determined in life. And no matter how things become so complicated in certain occasions, nonetheless with their inspirations, I will always be ready and willing to move one step at a time. 

           Accordingly, treasure every dream that comes to you for it reveals an essential part of you- continue therefore to dream dreams.

                                          

Don't Be Afraid

          While thinking for something to write on, this statement dwelt on me, "Don't be afraid..." and it made me reflect for a while, at another time looked back on my life......tried to think of those times wherein this fear (whatever was it) lived inside of me.

          Yes, everything boils down to one's sense of owning all of him/her including those fears. How about you? Have you asked yourself what are those fears in your life? 

Don't be afraid of failures.....

Don't be afraid of attachments.....

Don't be afraid of becoming a parent....

Don't be afraid of commitments......

Don't be afraid of the unknown....

imagecredit: http://www.freemediagoo.com/free-media/beach/image/?filename=o_dscn1050

Don't be afraid of death......

Don't be afraid of fame.....

Don't be afraid of travelling....

Don't be afraid of another day, month, or year.....

Don't be afraid of rejections.....

          At times, our fears disable us and hinder us to unfold further ourselves-all our potentials, our capabilities, our giftedness, our aces.....

         At times, the fear of this feeling of being afraid moves us to resort to denial, suppression, regression etc.. Consequently, we are no longer interested to put one foot forward for what is reigning now in our mind is the fear of falling down.

          Yet this is not what this life is all about. Our life is such a wonderful gift that it deserves to be celebrated with others. This life is so special that genuine attention and extra care should be extended to it. Remove all those fears and exult in jubilation for we are fully alive. Share life and learn to tame any fear that comes along your journey. Don't be afraid. 

                                             

My World of Blogging

          Blogging started on the early 90's and since then, it has grown into a very popular activity for anyone. Much have been said about this writing on the net and elsewhere, it continues to evolve into a powerful platform for people to communicate online their thoughts on many matters. 

          If we look at it, we could say that blogging really is not that old in existence yet it has become so popular that even the powerful worlds of advertisements and consumerism are tremendously affected by it.  The rise in popularity started in 1999 especially with the arrival of self hosted blog tools. 

• "Bruce Ableson launched Open Diary in October 1998, which soon grew to thousands of online diaries. Open Diary innovated the reader comment, becoming the first blog community where readers could add comments to other writers' blog entries.
• Brad Fitzpatrick started LiveJournal in March 1999.
• Andrew Smales created Pitas.com in July 1999 as an easier alternative to maintaining a "news page" on a Web site, followed by Diaryland in September 1999, focusing more on a personal diary community.^[22]
• Evan Williams and Meg Hourihan (Pyra Labs) launched Blogger.com in August 1999 (purchased by Google in February 2003)"- Source: Wikipedia- the free encyclopaedia

          As such, many users of the online world soon become members of the so-called blogosphere - the world of bloggers. Indeed, it is on this online world wherein bloggers come and share the joy and success of blogging. On the other hand, they tend to give and get support from one another. This kind of world that is devoid of any discrimination, boundaries, exclusivity and the like. And count me in as one of those people who make use of various platforms to express my thoughts. 

imagecredit: http://www.gratisography.com/pictures/86H.jpg

            Presently, I maintain a couple of blogs to express my thoughts and inspirations on certain topics and sharings. Enumerated below are examples of them- my sources of communicating my thoughts with you all. 

1. Every Day is a Gift- my blog which focuses on daily inspirations and human interests. On this blog, I share with the readers my thoughts on subjects that touch our daily lives and correspondingly affect our day to day journey;

2. Promoting Strong Future International- my online marketing business. Here, Strong Future International (SFI), being my first and foremost online marketing business since I have other sources as well, is constantly promoted and shared. Methods and updates on this company are displayed and extended to others most notably to those who would also be interested in putting up their own online marketing business;

3. My Life Journey- a blog on my life journey and on other people's lives inspiration. Beforehand, I am aware how my life is interwoven with other people's lives especially to the significant people in my life- my wife and my kiddo, Kurt Kristoff.  Conscious of the influence given by these special people as well as that coming from all others whom I encounter every now and then, I share my thoughts from those bonding moments with them through this blog;

4. Sports Diary- being a highly sports minded person,  I came up with this blog sharing with the readers news and updates on the sporing world. Sports plays a significant impact on people's lives since this field involves lots of facets such as discipline, consistency, moderation etc. to excel in such a way that I am also inspired by all those examples set by these sport characters.

5. Come and Share Our Fun (Jugan Clan)- a blogger who belongs to a big clan originally coming from Cebu Province, it is on this blog that I shared the history, developments, events, accomplishments and others as experienced by the members of our family. It is the intention of the writer to share our family members'  inspirations and hard work not only within the family yet to other readers also.

          Thus, with all those blogs and a couple of which I would still continue to develop, it is with joy and pleasure that I extend my thoughts and aspirations with all those who have encountered and who will be reading them.  A heartfelt gratitude for all my readers and a warm welcome for those who will one day encounter any of my blogs.

                                                     Monetize your site with TrulyShare


                                                       

Goal in Working: Is It Earning or Satisfaction?

          People go to work not only because they want to earn income but somehow, they also seek  job satisfaction. Working the whole day is such a boring thing yet it could be the contrary when somebody treats the workplace as a second home. Henceforth, certain factors must be considered in order to stay long and sustain any whole day at work. A couple of these are the harmonious relationship between workers and employers as well as sufficient salary depending on one's contributions.

        Relationship is a fundamental factor that a workplace must have. Otherwise regardless of how high a salary can an employee is receiving but without the understanding and cooperation of everything, the job then is unfulfilling. There's no one who can be successful on his/her job without the cooperation of everybody. 

imagecredit: Jozh Tuballa

          Being an essential contributor in a company, an employee is entitled to receive enough salary. It is one thing that motivates him/her to work harder and to look forward from the company. In effect, everyone is happy and satisfied since he/she can provide for his/her needs.

co-writer: Myra Jugan



                                                  

What is your Perception of the World?

 In life so frequently it is our own perspective that causes us pain or pleasure. As we go through life “feeling” the world with our fingers, if our finger is broken, naturally we will experience pain everywhere.

We make the mistake of blaming the external world for our ailments: “My job is over-taxing, my husband is too demanding, my wife nags, my children are disobedient, my in-laws don’t understand me, and so on.” Fr. Bel R. San Luis, SVD

          As I read this article by Fr. San Luis, I tried to recall back those times wherein I became like that of what he mentioned in his example. There were exactly times wherein I unceasingly complained about what was happening around me that I was blinded to see my own contributions to what has happened. Consequently, I joined others who have failed to remedy the situation. Think of the times that you focus your ire, dissatisfaction and upset  on outside factors except yourself.

imagecredit: Alex Vidal

          What is invited from me and you is a so-called paradigm shift- a change and a turn around from the way we perceive both things and  ourselves. That instead of complaining much on external forces and factors, we better check initially within us if what are those things that need to be changed for the better. Shifting gears especially an internal one entails a long process and it requires consistency as well as discipline so as to fully reap positive fruits. 

          One common denominator among us is our perception of the world being a complicated one yet at the end of the day, if we ever change this perspective then most probably, when we wake up the next day, we feel better and further dignified to get ready and to continue one's life journey. 

          Thus, let us allow ourselves to undergo self-transformation for the betterment of our future and for us to have a solid grasp yet joyful relationship with everything around us. Peace within will also eventually lead us into a tranquil world so worthy to live in.

                                              

Are You Ready for This New Month?

          June 2014- welcome to this new month and the last month for the first half of the year. Have you realised how quick those first five months go? What were the memorable events that have come into your life since we started this year? Have you done one extra ordinary thing to a neighbour or a friend or maybe even to a stranger? Or have you made one person's life miserable for those past months? 

imagecredit:hyena reality, published on 11 February 2014
Stock Image - image ID: 100235636

          Looking back and trying to re- assess our past activities is somehow one positive thing to practice since it gives us a right perspective on what particular way we should be trekking in life. At times, due to our hectic schedules, we tend to neglect in minding our daily actions and even our dealings with our loved ones. Quality time is one of those things which is very instrumental in promoting our relationship with them and with others. 

          Thus, as we begin this new month, can we ask ourselves, "Are we ready to engage in activities that are worth remembering and life promoting?" As often as we are, we consistently make priorities everyday. Aside from these priorities, we also constantly involve ourselves in a decision making activity. With all of these matters being noticed, we can expect a more favourable interactions with other people, both known and unknown to us. Apart from that, it is also wonderful if we learn to express gratefulness for each day's blessings.  

                                              

Dreams are Sources of Strength and Motivation

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

           So powerful....moving......challenging....these are but some of the words that came out of my mind when I read this quotation by Eleanor Roosevelt. In this world, what holds us firmly is unending search for the future. The future that would lead us into a more meaningful state of living...a future that will bring us and all our loved ones in a state of closeness, bonding, happiness, strength, satisfaction and peace.

imagecredit:http://www.freemediagoo.com/free-media/beach/o_dscn1050-high.jpg

          Yet we also need to believe that reaching this future is something that we can do and accomplish. Day by day, we experience no two exactly similar things. All of these experiences, big and small, will enable us to gradually mould our dreams---- those dreams that will give us strength to wake up each day and face life squarely. These dreams may vary from me and you yet they all have one thing in common----these dreams will lead us into self fulfilment.

          Happy are we who have embraced our dreams and live them day by day since they will guide us into becoming self directed individuals. Accept wisely those times of falling and learn from them yet never do them twice or thrice since that will result to one's stupidity. As each day comes to its end, let us all be grateful for all the realisations and the opportunities that will move us closer to our dreams. 

                                       

How To Free Oneself from Insecurities

“Insecurities have the ability to shape and mold our minds to live with everything that’s bad; like crying on the inside, while smiling on the outside…thus creating pain…but, alas, I have the answer; forget about what you thought and enjoy (embrace) what you feel” 
― Jeremy Aldana

          One of the famous quotes that I greatly like since it hits me at times in the inside.  What then is insecurity? Others would put it as if it is an evil that continues to hound us wherever we go. There are moments in our life that we feel helpless against it. Some manifestations of our insecurity come into this way. Have you noticed that at times, we feel envious to other people's skills, talents, gifts etc disregarding in the process to appreciate our own giftedness. 

imagecredit:

Country Path

ID: 246410© Dainis Derics | Dreamstime Stock Photos 

         And it doesn't end there. Somehow, knowingly or unknowingly, our basic relationships are at times affected. Our dealings with people begins to be tainted with black colours with such flavours that left us hanging in the air. The more insecure we tend to become, the more distractions that come into our life. Consequently, we become suspicious of people and we feel ill at ease when mates group together then chat among themselves. It is as if we become the subject of their conversation. That's how insecure we seem to become.

          Our minds become so restless that we easily get agitated and irritated by our peers' limitations. There could have been times wherein we feel so bad at the end of the day and it seems that we have wasted one whole day. 

          How then could we resolve this stumbling block to growth called insecurity? The process would always be lifetime yet we could always start from the very deep within us. Allow every moment to be a time of grace rather than just limiting our focus on what is not perfect. Furthermore, let us learn to appreciate our own uniqueness and be humble enough to acknowledge other people's positive qualities. In my previous post before, I mentioned it there that one of the reasons why we then are created unique from each other is for us to learn to value the presence of others. 

Thus, to grow in a positive way is to allow ourselves be freed from all our insecurities. Continue to have that good vibes with people and with things around us. After all, life is a constant journey and in spite of our having various directions in this journey, the end is the same for us all---that is to be happy and contented in this life. 

                                           

Popular Attractions On Kho Phangan

Koh Phangan, also known as Koh Pha Ngan, is an island located in the Gulf of Thailand and is a part of the Chumphon Archipelago. The island is in the Southeastern part of Thailand, in the Surat Thani Province. A popular tourist attraction, the island is conveniently located halfway between the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Tao, and is popular for the full moon party at Haad Rin Beach. The island is known as the location for the 1996 famous novel "The Beach" by Alex Garland, which was later, adapted into a film, with Leonardo Di Caprio cast in the leading role.

Koh Phangan has an estimated perimeter of approximately 40 km, which takes about 10 hours of walking time to cover and the distance to Koh Samui is about 15 km, whereas to Koh Tao is about 35 km. The main town and the administrative center of the island is Thong Sala, which also acts as the islands main ferry port.

Here is a list of popular attractions on Koh Phangan:

Ao Nai Wok
This small bay, also known as Baan Manali Beach, is a popular tourist beach, featuring a pristine white strip of sand. The location is particularly attractive for windsurfing, kayaking and sailing, as well as snorkeling or other extreme sports. Tourists can go on kayaking trips all the way to the wild islands of Ko Tae Nok and Ko Tae Nai, located within a 10 minute paddling distance.

Haad Chao Phao
This small, quiet beach is located on the western shore of the Koh Phangan island and is very sought after by tourists who want a secluded, relaxing spot to unwind. There are bungalows that are available as housing accommodations, offering budget rooms with complete facilities. Several small restaurants and bars offer drinks and meals even during the night. A famous location is the Pirate Bar, that regularly hosts the Moon Set Party, just a few days before the Full Moon Party.

Haad Yao
Located just within a stone's throw from Haad Chao Phao, Haad Yao is a slightly more developed beach area. It has numerous bars, restaurants, 7-11 stores, ATMs and a handful of resorts. The beach is sandy and the water is sparkling clean, offering plenty of snorkeling spots where the bottom becomes rocky (there are also a lot of sea urchins and caverns). Accommodation in Haad Yao starts from 150 to 200 baht.

Haad Salad
This idyllic cove is littered with high-end resorts for tourists arriving with their families. The beach features white sand and the water crystal clear. Also, the beach has plenty of shadowy areas, where children can play safely, protected from the hot, tropical sunlight.

Haad Mae Haad
This white sandy beach is joined to Ko Maa, a national marine park and features some of the best snorkeling and diving spots on the island. As an accommodation, tourists can check in to the numerous resorts and bungalows. There is also a small village which has a variety of restaurants, bars and souvenir shops. The beach is surrounded by a dead reef, offering spectacular coral growth.

Haad Khuat
Haad Khuat, also known as Bottle Beach, is one of the most secluded beaches on the island and is only accessible by longtail boat. Tourists can also reach the island after a 2 to 3 hours long hike from Haad Khom beach. The beach has little accommodation options, but the prices are very affordable, ranging from 200 to 300 baht for a bungalow. The water is very clear and is good for swimming even during the dry season. Unfortunately, due to its isolation, the beach doesn't have ATMs, restaurants or convenience stores.

Thong Nai Pan
This scenic area includes the beach resorts of Ao Thong Nai Pan Yai and Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi, which are two small bays featuring mind blowing beaches. The area is very sought after by couples or families with children. The beach has a range of local Thai restaurants, to international 4 star cuisine restaurants.

How to Get There
The easiest and cheapest way to travel to Koh Phangan is by a ferry from Koh Samui. You can check the schedule and buy tickets online at www.ferrysamui.com.



Guest writer: John Chen is a travel writer currently located in Bangkok, Thailand. He likes writing about Thailand and he writes not only about traveling in Thailand, but also about business, culture, education economy and food.






                                                       

Have You Been Deceived in Your Whole Life?

          One time, while I was reading the newspaper, I got a chance to scan about a story of a woman who pretended to be a disable person for such a long period of time so as to receive assistance from the government. As I discovered more details about her story, I later found out that she was so used to such situation that she survived years being in her modus. 

          Until one time that she came into a personal altercation with her neighbor. Consequently, this neighbor was so furious with her that she started to make a discreet spying on her everyday activities till she found out about her activity- that she received allowance for being a disable person when in fact, in reality she is very much fit and is able to apply for any job. 

imagecredit: 

                    

          Driven by her desire to get even with her neighbor, she recorded some of her activities and then the truth came out. In life, there comes a point wherein one makes a white lie so as to preserve a situation. However, making false accusations and claims to gain something in return is an irresponsible act and it denies the development of a true relationship with another person.

          For sure, one's inner person includes a sense of compassion and it only takes one's humility to realize that he/she needs another person to help him/her in that lonely or discouraging situation. Remember then why we are created unique from one another? One of those reasons is for us to realize that we need each other and that we don't need to deceive and exploit the other. The challenge therefore for you and me is how to be a positive contributor to the growth of the other person. Hence, we need to promote more compassion rather than exploitation.  

                                          

Down But Not Out

         In life, many events either make or break us. And I heard and listened to so many stories of friends, relatives and more about their struggles, trials, crosses, difficulties whatever you may term them. However, what is so enlightening among these experiences is the seemingly positive spirit that many of them were showing in the midst of those encounters.

          A friend of mine shared with me that he felt terribly wrong and lost in life....felt so betrayed and despised. Losing his partner whom he has loved and given all was for him the most painful experience he ever had. All his savings were gone....his everything even his meaning of life. What was most painful ..an excruciating one...was the realization that the trust that he invested for those years was not returned back.

imagecredit:
http://www.freeimageslive.com/galleries/nature/views/pics/rainbow.jpg

          Then he told me that he now finds it difficult to trust anymore any girl. What was done to him made him a bitter person. All throughout those years, I have known this friend and I have emphatized with him during that challenging time of his life. All I said to him was "learn to forgive the person and forget the past".....however knowingly, I know that if I am on his shoes, doing that is not an easy thing to fulfill. Since as we wake up everyday, there would always be times, situations, persons and others that will remind us of the pain.

          Hearing and recalling back this story, you can pick up various areas for growth like not giving up, learning to forgive and forget, moving on and many more. However, allow me to just focus on this element of acknowledging first the pain within us so that we will be able to move on from a painful experience.

          That's exactly the words that I shared with my friend. I told him learn to own your pain and don't ever put then bury it on the deepest part of your self since in so doing, it will stay there for a while maybe for months and years however, somehow a time will come that it will re- occur in a form of a negative behavior like you being terribly irritable or impatient with others and with oneself. Thus it is as if you unconsciously building a volcano inside of you then without your knowledge again, allowing it to erupt causing much havoc to others and to yourself. 

          Hence, first stage of self- healing will be the owning of the experience and of the pain. Allowing yourself to own that this experience has become a part of you furthermore realizing that this is not yet the end of everything for you. Moreover, what you all need is to hang on to life and move on. 

          P.S. Lately, I heard again from that friend and he expressed his gratitude to me for all those positive words I shared with him. At the moment, he is now happy moving on with his life with another girl. Congrats bro.....keep up the spirit...

                              

Cherishing Wonderful Memories

       Memories allow us to re- live and look back all those past events in our life. Some tend just to occupy a skin- deep level of our consciousness that we easily forget and leave them behind. While others seem to linger the more in our minds and allow us to positively harbor every minute of the experience. 

          Every moment then becomes an important  chapter in our individual book of life. As I rekindle each chance of communicating with our little boy miles away from us, I can't help myself but recall to mind as well my childhood memories. Though I could hardly remember some events that I had exactly when I was in my boy's present stage, however, the feeling of being loved and given importance by my own parents continued to stay in my awakened state.

imagecredit: http://www.freeimages.co.uk/galleries/nature/underwater/slides/mushroom_corals_2684.htm

          On the other hand, when we transfered to another house recently, it allowed me to temporarily end that particular chapter of my book of life in that previous place then commence a new and fresh chapter in this new neighborhood. I say temporarily end since I know that on any event, I just can proceed that recently concluded chapter of my journey. Thus I am grateful to all those people who have accompanied me, my wife Yanyan and our most treasured gift, Kurt Kristoff, in that place. To name names, thanks a lot Charlie, Linda, Titing, Pepay, Dundee, Michelle, Jojo, their two lovely daughters, Dina, John, Gabriel, Santos and some other unmentioned names yet they similarly are merited with the same gratefulness.

          This book of life called life journey is such a wonderful one and it is made to evolve into a more meaningful event when we meet and cross paths with remarkable people as mentioned beforehand. Thank you guys and see you one of these days.