Roller Coasters

I am not a fan of roller-coasters. I had my first ride when I was in primary school at the Wonderland Amusement Park in Kallang.

Now, I have to be cautious and manage emotional roller-coasters so that I do not 'crack' and will need to bolster myself against possible anxiety/panic attacks.

As much as I am averse to emotional roller-coasters, I am also averse to celebrations. It has been tough for me to be among a crowd as they celebrate. It can be any celebration. A birthday, festivity or any form of celebration can have an affect on me somehow.

Imagine my situation, when I had to be among the lead party in my nephew's wedding. I almost 'cracked' and lost my composure. It drained so much energy that I am still struggling to maintain my composure today.

The roller-coaster occurred as I was trying to grieve the lost of my grandmother two days before the wedding. Two extreme emotions co-existing in me was a challenge. I managed to sleep off possible anxiety attacks, but still feel very drained at the end of each day.

It seems that my current uncertainties about my future has somewhat contributed to the destabilising effect.

I have difficulty breathing now. I feel light headed and occasionally feel that I am in between a dream-state and being awake. I have to make an effort to know what's real. My body aches and I begin to fell dips in moods again. I really need to rest and have my quiet time - to reflect and contemplate.

Panthers Mauled by Tigers

It has been a fruitful In Camp Training. I achieved all my learning objectives and realised that things that grew with me stayed with me. All it took was the appropriate triggers to fire my synapses. Seemingly complex operations and procedures became second nature.

My synapses must have been fired vigorously as my thinking framework has changed and my perceptiveness has improved. My cognitive senses have become heightened and I gained an increased awareness and appreciation of situation.

I feel more confident and I could control my anxieties much better.

I'm happy for this and grateful to the Almighty for such gift - the best birthday present to date!!!

A Harbinger of Unhappiness?

I was saddened by the stiffness and pain of my right leg, from my lower thigh to my upper calf. There was sharp pain and restricted mobility. I could not stretch my leg fully.: (

It must have been caused by extensive walking over the weekend and carrying a heavy load up three flights of stairs.

Now, I'm walking with a cane and a limp. I'm very drowsy from the jamu that I have consumed to speed up the recovery rate and prevent the build up or fluid in the affected area.

How will I cope with my In-Camp Training this week?

Whenever I have a physical condition, like this pain in my leg, I have to assess the possibilities for psychosomatic responses to certain triggers for my anxiety. Is this condition a sign of unhappiness that I'm encountering at work? What am I unhappy about?

Though, I have created a list of "What makes me happy here?", deep inside I know that I am not comfortable in being constraint; have my wings clipped and my ideas stifled. Should I take the risk in this uncertain times to make it on my own again? How should I go about making such decisions? Reflect, review, reorganise and respond - the 4Rs for those in cross-roads. I've been in so many cross-roads that I should be an expert by now.

Finding comfort in completion

In my fulfilling our of my academic duties, I begin to realise that I have been anxious about completing a project or task.

Now, I am reflecting on my anxiety about completion as well as my probable fear in feeling redundant. Perhaps, when I could resolve the basis of such anxieties, I may be able to change my inclinations toward procrastination.

Tightening my laces...

I have yet to put in place my plan to get back in shape. I am looking forward to feeling healthier and lighter.

As I've had a few close encounters with my anxieties this year, I began to reflect on my capacities... I've been doing the same basic thing for the past one and half years - something much longer than I'm used to.

I feel free somehow with the final submission of my thesis... a weight off my conscience.

I feel more motivated to clear my boxes and reminiscing the past through each paper I shred - my way of saying, "Let's move on...".

I may have been caught in the same complexities at work and it's recalling negative experiences... How should I deal with this, now?

I feel the urge to move, to explore something new again... something which has more promise... uncertainties abound and it troubles me when I do not have much control. I've made my achievements based on intuition and regretted some decisions which did not lead to an excellent outcome - the constant sense of "Not good enough! It could have been better!".

Getting into shape

I felt the urge to get back in shape.

Just when I was looking out for a solution, I became acquainted with someone who could provide the solution I need.

Now, it's time to put on my cross-trainers, hit the gym, the pool and manage my intake of carbs, proteins, sugar, etc....

now at 33% fat and 99kg...

Putting on bigger shoes

At a time when I am supposed to be making sense of my shoes, one of them may get bigger.

It's something that I have been prepared for and enthusiastic about putting them on.

It's something that will allow me to realise some of my aspirations for the community.

Should I put it on?

Tired of the Battles... Can I still win the war?

At this point, I'm tired of fighting.

One technique I used to overcome my anxieties, has been to suppress and numb my emotions. No emotions, no sadness, no frustration, no anxieties.

It makes me feel like a robot- something short of becoming less human.

One thing I learned from all my experiences is to be human. Often I heard of advises which tells me to do what is humanly possible. What is that?

We have gone to the moon, climbed the highest mountains, thought of great inventions... so, what is humanly possible.

Is it humanly possible to ever get out of this vicious cycle of relapse after relapse? No matter how much I've pushed the frequency of relapse, the reality is that, it will always be there.

It creeps and haunts,
it snickers and taunts.
In day and night,
In dark and light.

I thought of going away, and some say that it's not possible. Not humanly possible or not possible per se? Isn't it better to go away to some place and be able to return than to go to another place where it will be impossible to return.

As with the shoes, it may be best to send the shoes somewhere where you'll know that you'll get it back, than to throw it in the bin where you know it will end up in some incinerator somewhere.

K.P.I.s and KPIs

Last Fathers' Day, I received an SMS from my daughter, "Hi! Y so late? It's ur day n u spend ur day at work. Heh!"

I could sense her frustration and it got me thinking, especially in the following week when I conducted a Mid Year Review to assess our achievements in terms of K.P.I.s (Key Performance Indicators).

I realised that while we are often pre-occupied with our K.P.I.s we tend to forget our other KPI - Kinship-Priority-Index. How much have we placed emphasise on our kinship, especially our immediate family - my wife and three daughters?

Should all of us begin to have K-P-Is. Perhaps, when we move towards a model that emphasise work-life balance, we should include K-P-Is as part of our workplan. Staff should then be assessed on some basis of how they have balanced their life.

Economically, it would have some bearing as a good work-life balance should make employees healthier - mental, physical and emotional. Given that we are constantly conscious of providing holistic education that involves the cognitive, affective and behavorial domains, shouldn't we also emphasise health in such domains.

Not forgetting about shoes... shouldn't we think about the feet that wears them?

Which shoes should I discard?

I laid out my shoes today, evaluating its usefulness.

Are the soles strong enough for this one? How about the laces for that one? Is the other one too stiff? How about the insoles for the one in the corner? That last shoe looked old and worn, but it can still be good for another stretch.

So, which shoes should I discard? They all looked important to me.

Hmmm. Perhaps, that's the problem... the shoes are important to me. Am I important for those shoes? If I don't wear them anymore, how will it affect others who have been saying that they need me to wear those shoes... Hmmm... Should I be thinking about it? Or should I just throw all of them away.

Keep only those shoes that makes sense to me for the moment. Well, if only it's that simple... too many sentiments are attached to most of them.

S.H.O.E.S.

S. H. O. E. S.

Small Heaps Of Exotic Spices.

See How Others Engage Stress.

Some Hope On Endearing Souls.

Should Heaven Offer Entries Sparingly?

Sharing Happiness Overcomes Excessive Sadness

Taking Stock of My Shoes

It's been two years since I had my last relapse. Two very good years that saw me completing my thesis, starting a new career, and after a long time, a full-time job.

Life has been good and it could not have been better. I guess the soles of my shoes are more stable now. It should have been able to take the impacts of each step, giving me adequate rebounds to energise myself. However, the 'old' creature that used to haunt me started making appearances.

I tried to reflect on it and thought that it was a case of discarding a well-loved and meaningful shoe. A shoe that has not only served the community well but also won accolades - three at the institutional, national and international level.

Then, when it crept it stealthily in the past few weeks, I thought that it was another shoe that I chose not to wear. It was a gift from my mom and she had expected me to wear them. It seems as though she had prepared me all this while to put on that shoe. It would have been a life-changing and transformational experience if I had put on the shoe. I'm still thinking of it, though.

It always helps when we try to explain to others our complex situation. Panic disorder. What is that? Are you stressed? Are you facing difficulties? It's a disorder. It should not be reacting in an orderly way. In an orderly way, we should react when there is stress, threat, etc. It's a DISORDER - meaning that there should not be a reason for it.

It's due... and I have to face it again. How long will I have to face it? I've pushed it from a few months to two years now. Should I give up the fight now?

"I will overcome adversity with courage, fortitude and determination". With that, I will now tighten my boots and prepare for battle. While I've won several battles, I've yet to win the war.

The Purpose of "Shoes"

Of late, I have been wondering about the purpose of having several 'shoes'.

I realised that the constant conflict that I struggled with has been the lack of appreciating the purpose of having those 'shoes'.

It seems that in some instances, a few pairs were meant for seeking recognition. Another one or two pairs of shoes were driven by a need for achievement. While achievement could be gained through determination and some degree of sacrifices, recognition depends on how others respond to my achievements.

I have been struggling with a need for recognition and now realised that is has been the cause of my depressive mood swings and anxieties. Being clearer about my purpose for each task I undertake and redefining my source of motivation has made me fit into some of my shoes much better.

It will be tough and it will take lots of meditation and focus in changing my source of motivation.

A New Balance

When it comes to shoes, my choices are very limited.

The problems I faced with my frequent ankle sprains and sore feet since 1997 may have changed the physiology of my feet and ankles.

Since 1997, my shoes have to be comfortable.

My life took a turn in 2001, and I have yet to fit into any of my "shoes" comfortably. I have experimented with different roles, identity and aspirations. So far, none seems more comforting than those "shoes" that I would wear to accompany someone else on their journey.

I had a recurrent dream when I was about 5. In this dream, I was wearing slippers which would make a particular noise with each step I took. All I could recall was picking up sticks as I moved towards a huge door that was fiery red. The door must have been huge as it could be seen from very far away.

Aside from the path I had to tread on while picking up sticks, and the door, there was nothing else but darkness and emptiness.

The only other thing I noticed was another person that seems to be competing with me in this 'race' that I have no knowledge of. As I increased my pace, this other person would do the same. When I slowed down, this person would overtake me.

In this dream, I would try as best as I could to keep ahead of this other person.

After a long journey and tirelessly picking up sticks, I reached the door that was at the end of the path. The door was enormous and it was difficult to gauge its actual height. On this fiery red door, the face of something was carved. Leading up to the door were a stairway that led first to a cauldron before we reach the foot of the door.

As I look up when the door was opening, I could see light from the other side. As I stood in awe of the sight, I turned to see the other person that was competing with me. In that instance, I saw 'me' and we were both equally shocked... it was at this moment that I would wake up screaming or with a fright...

At times, the only other competitor in our 'race' is our other 'self'. Have a new balance in life, so that we would not unnecessarily compete with our own 'selves'... we should collaborate instead.

Crossroads

I begin to wonder about three types of people:

1. Those who hold the fort selflessly and do the things that mattered but received no glory.
2. Those who appear to hold the fort, excel for personal gains and clamoured for glory.
3. Those who do not appear to hold the fort, do not seem to excel and yet, are fundamental factors of change.

Somehow all three types are important for the sustainability and progress of any community. Someone has to excel in the fundamental areas, while others need to focus on how to manage and negotiate change.