I heart 2011 (5 Key Takeaways)

It has been a blast. I will always remember 2011forever. This has been an eventful year for me as I made the biggest decision of my life to take a break from my former corporate job. Irrational as many would say. I'm a rebel in this regard for those who knows me. Life is too short for us to over think and ponder too much. It wasn't a hasty decision nonetheless, but one major decision I thought hard and thorough. I know I need to discover life further, beyond the regular paychecks and familiar terrain of Singapore in a comfort zone - Eat Pray Shoot Journey.

What are the takeaways from this year? There are a few key lessons I learnt so far.

1) Don't be afraid. Believe in your dreams. (Of course make a plan and not a half baked plan).
Remember no matter how much you plan, things do not go according to your A Plan. That's life! There were times I wondered if I have made the right choices. Sometimes the people who care about you  the most are often the most critical ones. It is not as easy to be different in Singapore given the practical realities in Singapore (i.e 6th most expensive city in Asia!!!) and if you are not into getting the usual 5Cs you are different from the Usual Gang. Can you deal with the questioning and the look-of-wonders (Sometimes they even shake their heads!!!)? Hang on there, believe in your dreams. there will be other people who will back you up. Perhaps the dream will not be realised so quickily. We just have to have  faith in ourselves! (Okay I know its easier to verbalise than to practise it in reality!!!)

2) Creativity doesn't have boundaries.
You are the only one who can limit your own creativity. I put an idea into place and came up with Peakstarz. I made 250 cards in the past 3 months (I tried not to repeat designs!). I played with different product ideas and still in the midst of doing so. Play with the idea and just do it. Don't try too hard squatting in the toilet for hours and hope that one good idea will come out of the squatting. You just have to take a walk or make a trip to somewhere. Sometimes I think of a card design while I am showering. (Please don't visualise that scene! Haha)

3) Keep talking to people about your ideas. 
Network is key. I met many different people this year. In my old job, I would easily meet about a few hundreds of people in the finance industry. I didn't try too hard to find out more about things I would love to do and explore more options. I did in this break. Made new friends from all over the places I had visited (e.g Smart IT-Geeks, Artists, Bummers, Hostels owners, Designers and many more). Somehow you will realise when you try hard enough to convince people about what you love to do, they will help you out by pointing to a possible direction. Remember to listen to feedback as well! (Screen through them though as everyone always has something to say and perhaps more naggings :))
Note: Remember point #1. You reinforce the idea further!

4) Social Media is the way forward.
We have seen so many social and political transformations within this year. If you do not bother to learn the tools to stay connected and to be seen and heard, that's too bad. This is your personal choice. I am trying hard to stay connected as it helps me with Peakstarz and sharing my ideas across. Be heard or be left out. Take your pick!

5) Do not be  a lazy bum. 
Let me tell you that it is so easy to waste your day awake. I am guilty of that. I made several plans and sometimes due to external and environmental factors, plans did not materialise. If I were to do a break once again, I would plan it slightly better and perhaps set myself with more realistic goals. Of course everyone is free to do whatever they want in a break. The key point is to ask yourself what do you want to do out of this break? If you purely want a good rest, make sure you indeed have a good healthy rest and not make your body more tired with nonstop clubbing and late hours doing whatever that isn't helpful to your body. Glad I have different motivators who constantly remind me to do things that are important (according to my so-called plans). I must thank you guys for being the bad guys and nag at me nonstop. This is important as I know I would curse at myself for wasting time away once the break is over.

TBC->(Watch out for  my next few entries on my memorable journey this year!)