5 random Books that unexpectedly have Changed my LIfe

Talking about self-help books, I normally search for its review or rating before buying or reading it. Often times I seek the books from popular authors like Tony Robbins, Steven Covey, Malcolm Gladwell, or Dale Carnegie. The following books come from none of the authors mentioned above, which I coincidentally read, yet have transformed my life for the better.

1. 18 Minutes (Peter Bregman)
I grabbed this book randomly in my campus library without any intention to read it thoroughly. I was so bored at that time and didn't know what to do. So I simply read the first page and didn't realize continue reading it till the end of the first chapter. This book is so engaging that it kept me reading it the next days till the last page. I caught myself laughing in every chapter. The author sprinkles humor and metaphor in every chapter that I can easily relate to my own life experiences. He also ends each chapter with a short message to wrap up the chapter. Each chapter only consists of view pages that take like 18 minutes to read. It's a good chunk of valuable information, which eventually has enlightened my heart and my mind.

2. How Life Works (Andrew Matthews)
This book refines 'the law of attraction theory' in a practical way. I watched Byrne's the Secret movie a long time ago, and it affected the way I see myself and the world surround me. I began to implement it as what the message implies. But as time goes by, I still end up with a miserable life. View months ago, I found this 'Matthews's book', again, in the library. I initially did not interested to read the whole pages once I discovered he talks about 'law of attraction'. But since I have nothing better to do, I started to scan the pages randomly, only to spot the caricatures illustrated by the author. I began to spot some information that is apparently missing in any 'law attraction' books I've ever read. It eventually leads me to read the books completely. This book has given me the answer to why my life is still miserable despite having known the Secret of Life.

3. The 5 Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die (John Izzo)
"When you are young, 60 years seems like an eternity. But after you have lived it, you realize it is but a moment. We believe we have forever, but soon we realize this is not so." This is one of my favorite quotes from the book that hits me. This book tells me wise massages of a happy and fulfilling life from 200 elders whom the author interviewed. I grabbed this book from the library shelf, simply because it's thin. It only took me view days to finish it. Yet, it unpredictably has given me a long term positive effect. As I read this book, I felt likewise grandparents were sitting next to me, telling stories and pouring me advise. It was so engaging that brought me to tears.

4. The Power of Your Subconscious Mind (Joseph Murphy)
This is another book I grabbed from the library. I solely borrowed this book to find out if there's any content I can cite for my research report. However, as I go through page by page. I found so many profound explanations about how our mind works, which in turn, changed the way I see myself and others.

5. Play Your Brain (Anette Prehn & Kjeld Fredens)
Besides picking books randomly from the library, I occasionally buy random books at a bookstore, just like this one. I have read many books and articles about the human brain. But this book seems quite unique, as it associates the brain uses with the piano. However, it took like more than a year sitting on my desk without even reading it. Until I found a moment where I felt confused about my life purpose. I picked this book and coincidentally open chapter with the title 'Values'. I started reading the chapter, and it guided me to discover my core values. I did all the exercises the book told me to do and didn't believe what I found. I now have a determination about things that I want and should do in my life.

One important thing, how these 5 books have given me a sustainable positive impact, I took notes on every point that I found really valuable for me, and highlight the most valuable on my notes. I read it any related part whenever negative thoughts come to mind, and it heals me. As I read it over and over, I feel like my old negative thinking patterns have been banished gradually.
I believe, there are many other great books that you might have read. Nonetheless, so many people admit that they have reading great books, and yet still find themselves with the old undesired life patterns. Why is that?
Well, our habit is formed by repetition throughout the life we have gone through, so if we want to change the old pattern, we also have to change it with something that we do repeatedly to replace/bury the old one.
Let me wrap up by quoting one example from Matthews' book:
Fred has lived for 20 years on junk food and soft drinks. He overweight & exhausted. Then he discovers a book that says "what you put in your mouth matters." He then eats some fruit and vegetable for 4 days.
After 4 days, Fred says, "I feel no better & I'm always hungry!" Fred goes back to junk food. As almost everyone knows, 4 days of salad is good to start, but it can't reverse 20 years of junk! It is the same with our thinking.

Movies that Have Changed my Life

1. The Pianist

The most touching emotional expression ever

Setting in World War II, this movie is based on the autobiography of Wladyslaw Szpilman, who worked as a pianist in a radio station. When the first German bombs fell, he and his colleagues were broadcasting live. Ever since the war blew up, he was struggling to escape from one flat to another, to avoid being killed. The plot might sound simple, but I would drown into the scenes played by actors with their tremendous acting. It is not surprising to me seeing the fact that Adrien Brody, behind Szpilman character, won oscar as the best actor.
This movie has inspired me to pass through adversity phase during my final year in an overseas university. Trying to survive to live everywhere around campus with uncertainty. No home, no family, and no job. I merely possess an amount of money on food by spending it as cheap as possible to stay alive until finishing my study.

2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 

The best transition I've ever seen in the film history

This movie reminds me of my long-term heartbreak. Back in the day, I used to envision getting my ex's erased from my memory, thus I did not need to over dwelling him anymore and could move on easily. But now I realize that this memory has taught me a lot of things about life and has shaped me as a better individual. If only I erased the memory, I would do the same mistake and never learn anything.
This is one of the messages the movie is trying to convey. Watching it, not only would make me drawn into the story but it would also make me feel rapture from the creative visual effect and the actors who showed their totality and made the flow so realistic.

I have watched some other so-called 'life-changing movies', but so far, these only two that have brought significant transformation into my life. Sure I will update once I have another.

First Time Visiting IKEA

I firstly came here for the food. In Malaysia, where I live in, they sell curry puff (a.k.a karipap in Malay) which is famously yummy. My friends took me here to take away some pieces of curry puff, and having a dinner. When I got to the IKEA restaurant, I was just amazed with its unique self service style. 

They have the trolley to carry up to three food trays, All foods are displayed in order, and the drinks is free refill. The price is reasonable, I can even have the food for less than 1 buck. And the taste? It's good. The meatball is one of the best seller here. And most of the food also have the frozen version, so people can buy them and prepare it at their home. Owh ya, the ice cream and froyo? it's so cheap and yummy, especially the froyo, and it's again self-service. Once you pay, the cashier will pass IKEA coin and have it on your own.

After having our dinner, we walked through the furniture display, which I found captivating. I heard that some customers bought the whole furniture in one display and follow the layout just exactly like it. Talking about quality and designs, you can count on IKEA stuffs. 

Natto vs Tempeh, Fermented Soybeans

Natto and Tempeh, they have things in common. Both products are made from soybeans fermented with beneficial bacteria. They are indeed very healthy for our body. However, they also have significant differences. Visually, Natto is slimy, while tempeh is dense like a cake.

How about the taste? Well, I found some people dislike Natto because it smells strong and tastes weird, but some can tolerate the taste. Tempeh basically has a plain taste because the product is needed to be cooked before consuming it. And it has various flavor based on how you prepare it. But it mostly tastes acceptable to your mouth. 

Here is the list of comparison between Natto and Tempeh.

Sources:

bodyecology; japanguides; manfaat; meguminatto; popsugar; simpleveganblog; whfoods; wikipedia 

Why Lifelong Learning Matters?

Why keep learning when we are no longer in school? This question came to mind when I've just graduated from college and started my career. I have spent much money for school, and now it's time to earn it. For me, career was all about earning money and getting rich. They say the more money you earn the more successful you are. I didn't care whether I like my job or not, as long as I have a high salary, then I would be happy. Indeed, spending money for anything I'd been wishing for, have brought cheers into my life.
Unfortunately, it didn't last long. Turns out, after a few years doing the same thing over and over again on my job, I started to feel empty and bored. All the cool stuff I bought was no longer make me happy. Even though I bought new cool stuff monthly, the sensation was still the same. It's only cheered me up in the first week. Afterward, they're turned to be priceless.
I then started questioning myself "Do I have to buy cool stuff every single week to keep me being happy? What happiness is all about? I always hear people say "I will be happy when I get rich" or "..when I get married" or "..when I succeed, yata.. yata.. yata..". But when they reach those conditions, they're not as happy as they have wished to be. Why is that?
Well, Viktor Frankl, the author of 'Man's Search for Meaning', says "For success, like happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue." But how to let happiness happen when there's no trigger? Take the famous 'half empty half full' philosophy. There are two main responses when things happen to us.
Whether we want to see the dark side of the bright side of it. And how we respond, determine the outcome in our life. So, it's not about what happened to us, it's about how we react to what happened.
Similar to mistakes or failure we did in the past. Instead of regret it, why not learn from it. This is what I call learning. It's not just about going to school or pursuing further studies. Oprah Winfrey says "If you are in a bad relationship, then you are a student to have better relationship. If your boss treats you bad, then you are a student to become a better boss." So, never stop learning, because life never stops teaching. "Once you stop learning, you start dying" Albert Einstein.