August 2011
2 posts
3 tags
The Tree Of Life
LIFE. The best depiction of life is by looking at a tree. A strong foundation with numerous hanging branches and leaves. Some of the branches flourish more than others and the longer it is around, the thicker the branch becomes. Then there are other branches that wither and eventually fall off. The strong foundation of a tree represents who we are. Our core selves. Our morals, thoughts, and...
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Are You Chasing Something Worthwhile?
Take a moment and sit with me. Relax. It’s time to reflect on your life. Think about what your short and long term goals are. Now think about what you do on a daily basis. What’s your daily life consist of? Are you happy? Or are you sad? Are you just okay? If you’re truly happy, great :D If you’re anything less, why? Is it because you’re not living the life ...
June 2011
3 posts
2 tags
Your Perceptions Determines Your Own Reality
What we determine to be the realities of our life is actually how we choose to perceive it. How we perceive our own actions may be completely different than how somebody else may interpret the same exact actions. Your intentions may be good, but there can always be somebody who may take it the wrong way.
The spark to this article came about when I recently saw a man holding his significant...
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Keep Your Thoughts to Yourself...To Save Yourself
What the heck does that even mean? How do you save yourself by keeping your thoughts to yourself? Let’s start off with some questions: What is one of the first things you do when you get angry or annoyed at a situation? Do you call or text your friends to vent? Do you get your closest friends together and update them all at once? What happens then? Of course since they’re your...
2 tags
Abundance
By Diane Lang
As I sit outside in my backyard on this lazy June day, I become mindful of everything around me. I realize all that I have is with me right here and now. I realize that on days when the glass seems half empty I should realize how full it is by pouring in some gratitude and appreciation for all I have. So, I sat still for about fifteen minutes and soaked in all that life has to...
May 2011
1 post
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April 2011
1 post
2 tags
Imperfections Produce Humility
We seem to live in a society that likes to nit-pick at one’s imperfections. Look around and see how critical the world is. Listen to the harsh words that are said by everyone around you, as well as the media. It is quite a mean playground we live in. But why should imperfections be a bad thing? And how often are they truly “imperfections”? Who determines your...
March 2011
3 posts
2 tags
Strive to be the best YOU Possible!
I always emphasize on the importance of self-improvement in one’s life because there is absolute truth that being satisfied in who you are as a person is one of the biggest attributable factors to one’s personal happiness. We owe it to ourselves to be the greatest at who and what we are. That’s not to say that we have to be the BEST overall; it’s not a competition...
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Always Evolve Yourself - Stay Dynamic!
Meet “Freak-out” Fred:
“I can’t believe this didn’t go according to plan. I had the next few years of my life mapped out. I’m freakin’ out!”
And meet “Stagnant” Sally:
“I’ve had the same expertise ever since I graduated from college. I was doing really well in my field until the need started to become obsolete. My...
February 2011
4 posts
2 tags
Don't Let Negativity Rain On Your Relationship's...
As with most aspects of our lives, it is easy to let the negatives of any situation overwhelm the positives. The negatives stick out the most in our minds and it is hard to let go of it. Once it settles in, the only way we feel like we could feel better is by just letting it all out. Purging your emotions and feelings unto others. However, by letting the negatives overshadow the positives,...
2 tags
Happy Valentine's Day...Now Let Go Of That Bad...
Pride is a natural characteristic we all have. We need to have some sense of pride in order to know who we are and what we are proud of. Our pride is a part of our identity in which it helps to shape our values and show others our views on the world. However, when do we reach a negative aspect of pride? We’ve all heard the phrase “don’t let pride get in the way” and...
3 tags
Don't Be Blinded By Your Own Expectations
Expectations. We all have them. The reason why we have expectations is because we would just absolutely love it if everything went our way. Expect it and let it happen. Unfortunately, the real world does not work that way, especially in relationships. We all want to find that ideal person that fits us perfectly and meets all our expectations but that’s exactly what it is: ideal. In...
2 tags
Past Relationships Can Help You Find True Love
It is officially February and it is the month of love! This month will consist of four weeks of articles about love, the good and bad. Love is something we can all relate to, whether we have experienced it directly yet or not. It’s a feeling that is unmatched. A feeling so powerful that anything can happen when two loved ones join together in harmony. But to get there, more likely than...
January 2011
3 posts
2 tags
Creating Work-Life Balance
By Diane Lang
1. Career Vs. Job- do what you love. Imagine you have a job where you work as least 40 hours a week then add an hour commute each way, that’s a lot of time to spend doing something you don’t like. If your parent then you have 2 jobs. Parenting is a 24 hours, 7 days a week, no holidays or vacation time job. So, you better like your job outside of the home or it will make a...
4 tags
Forgiving & Forgetting Will Give You Liberation
In our lives, we have all experienced betrayal. This is inevitable. Unfortunate, but true. However, how you handle the betrayal is what determines your character, as well as your future. Here’s a scenario:
Your friend does something that you take as a betrayal. It involves a third party as well. Now you refuse to be friends with either of them. Fine, no problem…right? Well, sort of....
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Second Chances: We Can Help Those In Need Succeed
::in a deep announcer voice:: Well, hello and good morning to all the readers of alan-kong.com! I’ve been given a second chance at life and am fully embracing it. Will you do the same when your second chance comes?
Second chances in life do not come by easily, especially if you really mess up your first chance. Those individuals who fall to drugs and crime who wind up in prison or...
December 2010
3 posts
1 tag
Keep On Keepin' On
By: Joseph Kolodziej
Tell me if you’ve been here: You open your eyes and you have just gained consciousness after a frustratingly up-and-down night of sleep and before you even realize that you have the chance to embark upon a brand new day, you think to yourself, ‘here we go again, another day to deal with.’ Has this been you? It’s certainly been me more than I...
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Quit Acting Like A Zombie!
You are bored out of your mind, but you may not even know it.
It is time to break out of the monotony of living a zombie life. What is a zombie life? Well, you live life doing the same routine over and over, just like how zombies walk around aimlessly over and over. It is boring. It does not stimulate your mind, body, or soul. Routine is comfortable, but is not the most fun. So spicy up your...
November 2010
7 posts
4 tags
Volunteering - Why It's Important!
By: Diane Lang
All you hear about is the recession. Every time you turn on the news, you hear bad news. Unemployment is at its highest in years, too many foreclosures to count, Wall Street doing horribly. It’s hard to keep your head above water financially and your mood positive during these times. But there is one sure way to help both your mood and others- Volunteer. During these tough...
3 tags
Let Courage Lead Your Life
“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” - Vincent Van Gogh How often can we say that we had the courage to attempt a big feat? One that required a tremendous amount of courage. More likely than not, majority of us can’t recall many times in our lives when we have demonstrated this. Often, we fall too deep into our comfort zone. It does not take much...
3 tags
Making Mistakes
By Diane Lang
We can’t be successful without taking a jump- a leap of faith within ourselves.
Well, recently I learned the hard way that jumping doesn’t always lead to instant success but what it does lead to is a sense of accomplishment for trying. A sense of strength knowing fear didn’t stop you and the knowledge that we are all human and as many times as we jump is...
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There's No Power Like Teamwork
Everybody knows that teamwork is one of the major foundations to success. One can only reach so far on his/her own. The beauty of teamwork is that a goal can be reached faster, more efficiently, and the skill sets of each team member can be fully utilized. However, one must also realize that in choosing team members, there has to be a naturally similar desired goal in mind. A team can literally...
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Part 3: Why Do People Fail?
A friend is always there for you. A friend will also make you into a stronger person. In addition, a friend will also teach you a lot about yourself, the good and bad. Finally, a friend defines who you are.
Failure is your friend.
Replace “a friend” with “failure” in the above statements and you will quickly see that failure will always be around for you! But, it will...
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Part 2: Why Do People Fail?
In the previous post, it was discussed how one can avoid failing before ever even starting. Failure from the beginning. However, this is probably the easiest hurdle in trying to overcome failure. It is easy to be motivated and inspired, in the beginning. Big plans, big dreams. It is relatively easy to get started. But, multiple failures are guaranteed to be ahead as you decide to embark on the...
3 tags
Part 1: Why Do People Fail?
An anonymous question was submitted asking, “Why do people fail?”
Well, people fail for many reasons. The biggest and absolute reason for failure is that people allow failure to be an option. If you firmly believe in your goals, then failure should never be an option!
People fail at different checkpoints in achieving their goals. Failure is always looming, but for any and all tasks...
October 2010
7 posts
2 tags
The House Company Motto: "Attitude"
I ordered an item from www.the-house.com about a week ago. With my item came a great message from the company and I would like to share it with all of you:
Attitude
“In addition to friendship, attitude is one of the few things in life where we have a true choice. We cannot change what is fated to happen or the actions of events or other people.
What we can change is our reaction to such...
5 tags
You Can't Judge Me, But I Can Judge You
To judge people we don’t know, most would agree, is wrong. It’s mean and unnecessary. Unfortunately, it seems to be a characteristic that is developed as we grow older because society tries to force us to base people’s lives by their appearance. We certainly weren’t born with this innate characteristic. When we were children, we didn’t judge others. We were friends...
5 tags
Natural Talent vs. Hard Work
It’s time to put an age old argument to rest. What enables one to become successful? Is it natural talent? Or is it hard diligent work?
Natural talent is great. If one is naturally smart, then the ability to learn and apply its principles is very useful. If one is naturally athletic, then the ability to learn sports and become a great player is easier. However, even if one is a natural at...
3 tags
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Use Your Skills To Help Others Grow
Above is a random picture from the Internet. It’s silly. It’s cute. But like people say, a picture is worth a thousand words and here’s how you can use this picture to help yourself and those around you grow.
Everybody, absolutely everybody, has a set of talents that they are meant to be shared with the world. Whether it’s a keen business sense or just simply having a...
4 tags
Arguments & Debates Without Meaning
Guy A has his opinion about a subject matter. Guy B has a completely different opinion about the same subject matter. Both have their reasons as to why they are right. Their debate turns into an argument, unnecessarily for that matter. Even if one of the individuals makes a valid point, the other has too much pride to admit it. There will be no winner in this argument. Just frustration,...
5 tags
September 2010
7 posts
4 tags
The Launch of the Smile U R Loved Movement!
It is official…the Smile U R Loved Movement has begun!
We all know that love is a very powerful emotion. At many times, we do not express it enough. We want to use this movement as a way to remind you that if you love someone, you should show him/her that affection. It will help you, and them, to re-affirm that feeling. What better way than to start off with a big hug!
The Smile U R...
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Don't Chase Money, Chase What Matters: Happiness
I was speaking to my younger cousin, Jesica (yes, one “s”, in which she discovered herself when she was a teenager!) who just started college as a freshman this fall. She said, “I’m having a hard time figuring out what I want to do. It’s great to make money in the future, but I don’t want to have a career in something I don’t like.” Majority of the...
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Morality & Art: We Are All Life Artists
Morality and art. Have you ever really connected the two?
Art is a function in life that, essentially, supplements the morality in all of us. Morals are deep within us; it is innate. No matter what our life situations may be, we all have very similar morals and we generally could agree on what’s right and wrong, especially early on in life. However, art is the function that will differentiate...
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What One Generation Knows…The Next Generation...
Nowadays, there seems to be a major generational gap between Generation Y (born 1983-current) and the Baby Boomers (born 1946-1965) about morals, loyalty, and hard work. Those who are categorized in either Generation Y or Baby Boomers will always think their generation has the right mindset. Each will look upon the other and be confused about how (and why) they became that way. Well, there is a...
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Rejection Is Great?
When we get rejected, we naturally feel very small. It’s as if the world has turned its back on you and decided to come after you. You begin to feel negative about everything that surrounds you. Nothing is able to pick up your mood on that day of rejection. At many times, the one day of negativity becomes several days. For some, the rejection is taken so hard that it becomes an all...
3 tags
Do You Embrace Each & Every Day?
John Doe wakes up Monday morning to go to work. First thought: “Ugh, I don’t want to go to work.” But, he manages to keep going and it quickly becomes Wednesday. John Doe thinks, “Yes! Halfway through the week, the weekend is almost here.” And now John starts to count down the days until the weekend officially arrives. On Friday at 5pm sharp, John thinks “The...
August 2010
7 posts
1 tag
Never Back Down
How does one go about achieving his/her dreams? By never backing down. By never giving up. By refusing to accept any other alternative.
What about when we have a dream we want to accomplish…but it also comes with a backup plan? Aren’t we essentially willing to accept an alternative to our dreams then? Out of all things, our dreams is the last thing that we should create an...
3 tags
Small Group + Big Dreams = Global Reach
Usually when we finally take a step towards participating in community service, we go directly into our neighborhoods. “What can I do to impact the immediate area around me?” is the question we ask. But what happens when a small group of individuals in Closter, NJ had bigger dreams? They’re reaching their goals…on a global scale.
The Supply Education Group’s main...
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Are You Owning Your Spirit In The Workplace?
Working on weekends and holidays when it’s not necessary. Unresponsive bosses. Co-workers on power trips even if you’re practically on the same level. Office gossip. Maybe even some back-stabbing to get ahead.
The workplace can be a very vicious arena. It’s almost as if you have to battle your way to the top leaving people wounded along the way. Say in due time you become that...
4 tags
What Gives You Hope?
We all come from different backgrounds, whether ethnicity or social statuses. That is what makes us unique and different from one another. But while we are our own individuals, there is one emotion that will always bring us together: HOPE.
When a major tragedy happens (such as a big earthquake or tsunami), hope brings us the power to band together and work with one another to make a change....
2 tags
Take A Leap Of Faith...By Believing In Yourself
We’ve all taken leaps of faith throughout our lives, from infancy to now. You just may not have realized it. When you first learned how to walk, you built up all that courage in that tiny little heart and decided that you wanted to join the ranks of those who walked on two feet. You took that leap of faith, and although you kept falling, you believed in yourself and you ultimately achieved...
4 tags
Mid-Twenties Crisis??
What do you want to do with your life? We were all asked this question from the time we were able to speak. As we grew older, we began to answer the question, but our answers never seemed to feel definitive. Times flies by…and cue the mid-life crisis.
Now, in the days of Generation Y and a society full of entrepreneurs, it seems the “mid-life” crisis has come earlier for most...
3 tags
Choosing The Right Friends - Part 1
We all know that friends are important. I read somewhere that who you are is a compilation of the five people that you interact with the most. So have you chosen the right group of friends to surround yourself with?
The right friends are there to always help you grow. One is never better than the other as we all have a lot to learn from each other. A friend should never think that he/she has...
July 2010
5 posts
1 tag
3 tags
Encouragement Keeps Us Moving
“Excellent job out there, keep up the good work!”
“You’re one hell of a friend, I appreciate you.”
“Thank you…for everything that you have done for me.”
“You’ve got a gift and great potential, you shouldn’t be afraid to share it with the world.”
We’ve all heard these words at one point or another in our lives. How...