There has been some devastating news that hit close to home recently, and this not only shook the entire community, but shook many people around the world. You may have heard about the Oakland warehouse fire that happened last week that resulted in 36 deaths. According to SFGate, “Ghost Ship” an artist collective warehouse erupted into flames on December 2 around 11:30pm. It happened during a party that was being held there. The warehouse as described were cluttered full of furniture and art— a fire hazard, as many of those items were wooden. Partygoers were trapped on the second floor of the building, as the makeshift wood-pallet stairs disintegrated in the fire. 36 people died that night. Though I don’t personally know anybody who was a part of that tragedy, I can’t help but feel extremely devastated as I read through articles, and hear stories of the victims that perished. I can’t imagine what the families are dealing with, as I myself cannot focus on anything else but to think about this event. Especially now during the last two weeks of school, it’s hard to focus on something as trivial as finals when there are families who have lost their loved ones. But what happened motivated me to write a post about how to stay motivated during difficult times. I mean, we all have problems from time to time. Big or small, sometimes it’s hard to ignore it. And this definitely doesn’t help when we also have other important things on our mind (like deadlines). Deal with it in a way that is right for youWhenever a difficult situation arises, I tend to deal with it by distracting myself with a ton of work so that I don’t have time to think about it. But this obviously won’t work for everybody. Everyone deals with things differently, and it’s not up to anybody else to decide how to deal with a situation except you. Life happens. And unfortunately it’s going to happen during the most inconvenient times sometimes. Nobody has the right formula as to how to fix it in the best way, only you know that for yourself. So whether you want to cry about it, or distract yourself with other things, make sure it feels right to you. Allow yourself time to deal with the problemHaving said that, it’s important to have some time to deal with the problem. You can avoid it all you want but just know that it will eventually arise at a later time again if not dealt with. I always set some time to meditate on the issue and when I’m done, I usually feel more at ease about it. Let yourself have the time to deal with the problem, and then when that’s done with move on to your next priority. Remember that if you don’t deal with it, the problem will come up in a different context later on. Talk to somebody & get support from othersFind somebody you trust, and just talk to them. Sharing thoughts and concerns with one another can help make the situation much easier to handle. Support one another as needed and you can quickly move forward. Find an outlet to express your thoughts and feelingsScream into your pillow, meditate, go for a walk… find a healthy way to express your thoughts so that you don’t bottle up your feelings. I like to journal, so whenever an issue is holding me down, I make sure to write it down. I find that it’s extremely therapeutic when I write, and as soon as I’m done, I feel much better and can look at the situation in a different perspective. Again, by setting aside that time to deal with the problem will get you through it much quicker. The idea is not to entirely fix the problem or even get rid of it, but being able to deal with things in a healthy way so you will recover as quickly as possible. Everyone deals with problems everyday, and if people let problems take over we would be living in a very negative frequency. So next time if something is bothering you, just know that it’s okay to be upset and take a breather, as long as you are able to bounce back from it. Click here to donate to the Oakland Fire Relief Fund.
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Growing up, my family weren't rich. But we weren't poor either. We simply had enough to get by. My dad is a popular furniture upholsterer in Toronto. His company supported our family of six ever since I was born. Sometimes I don’t know how he does it, but he manages to ensure that we’re all comfortable and happy. One thing I remember though, is my dad constantly working. Holidays, weekends… he works everyday. And for 30 or so years that he started his business, he never stopped working. Those 14 hours a day paid off. As successful as he is today, a couple things remain the same: his humility and work ethic. I still don’t consider him to be rich, but he has everything he has ever wanted. (And so do I) My dad came from humble beginnings as a teenager who had escaped the war in Vietnam. Coming to Canada at 19 as a refugee, with no money, no education, no parents, and no spoken word of English is no easy feat. Having to learn everything on the spot as a teenager seems impossible knowing that I would never have been able to accomplish that when I was 19. (I was still trading Pokemon on my gameboy at 19!) But he is living proof that you can make something of yourself if you worked hard enough. Everything my dad has ever wanted are inexpensive things that are convenient. His delivery van is a second hand 2008 GMC Safari, which is also our family car. He wears no name brand clothing — $5 polo t-shirts with the pockets and $20 jeans. He needs pockets so that he can put his work supplies in them. He’d trade the most expensive shoes for efficient work boots — because that is more important to him. With him, living below his means plays a huge part in his success. He tells me all the time that one day, when I become successful and make a lot of money, I can buy him a nice watch or a nice car. But for now, he is okay with his $5 Walmart t-shirts. I take that to heart. And have learned that living below your means will benefit you in the long run. You don't need the latest clothes or the best looking car in order to feel like you've made it. If it weren’t for him I wouldn’t be here today. Work hard and save money so that you can invest in something greater in the future. Check out my dad's cool shirts here.
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AuthorFull-time advertising student. Part-time freelance designer.. Always busy. Archives
December 2016
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