Blog

I wrote few more entries and several comments in the blog.. and I got this remark “ See.. this is the most active blogger”.. I was like, Duhh! You have asked us to write and all I got is cynical remark.. I like to write, and I will not stop writing.. I do not know why some people are so reserved on publishing their opinions, share their joy with colleagues while all this while they have been talking so much at the café and all. Why can’t they put it into writing? The other day I was talking to KN of GIS Lab and she said she put up an idea to put doa recitation before corporate song is played through PA system. Up till now, no one pick it up even the champion of the so-called Idea Box. Perhaps she should put it in the Innovation Blog for such a beautiful idea. Imagine starting you work with doa everyday without fail. If you gonna do it by all yourself, sometimes you forget. I am not being busybody but I sympathized with those people who has idea but reluctant to share with anyone else again after first attempt, and to those people who are so close minded of out-of-the-box idea, please grow up! I am yet to see digital signature in this office to be realized. Waste paper on things you can save a lot. Shame on us all.

 

Enough said. I am furious with the F Section, they should know that the payment should be cleared by today and not more excuses. It is already afternoon and I have finished the presentation materials and I am going to Penang whatever happens.

 

Btw, congratulations to MRS for your newborn son on 23^rd February 2009!

 

 

The smell..

I love it. Love the woodiness smell in my house last night. The furniture from IKEA finally arrived. Two Billy bookcases, two Vika tables and two Snile chairs. I managed to coaxed my DH into buying IKEA stuffs for our tiny study room. Being small, we could not fix normal tables sold at our family furniture shop at Bdr Bukit Mahkota. Too big, could not fit in. The idea of having IKEA furniture in that room was for our convenient and the smart-looking bookcases and tables made them irresistible to have one in our new study room. The slight misunderstanding in assembling the chairs did not put us down of having to assemble more IKEA furniture tonight after DH exam. The kids love our white chairs and they used them to watch TV instead of our leather sofa. Now that the study room is nearly complete, I bought stationeries for our work at home projects. We wanted to make every ‘rezeki’ halal and that include the use of our own stationeries. I have not been doing much work at home projects lately so, I did not really care but when DH said he wanted to make full use of his expertise in statistical analysis using SPSS, EViews and other bunch of softwares, for training and consultancy work, I think it is timely that I do complete organization of his stuffs, and mine too. Couple of years back, I told him to utilize his skill to get more income but the comfort zone is still there. It amazed me that he can do difficult analysis in a very short time, providing advice for his students, write long list of research papers and eventually went for his PhD. Although the postgraduate thing is a long way to be realized, I still envy him of everything that he has done. I still remember long time ago, he said being an economist is his dream since his secondary school. When his teacher asked what his ambition is, he said he wanted to deal with money, so he wanted to be an economist. Unlike me, once I dreamt of becoming a veterinarian, but I ended up being an engineer. I hates Physics but I ended up doing work related with EMC. I still like the smell of IKEA furniture, though.

 

New study room, it is a blessing for us :o)

 

 

When you are tired...

... and there is someone that you did not expect to give a fairly sympathetic remark on your tiredness, you will definitely feel cherished and happier than before. That was exactly what I felt this evening when clocking out from office. I wished I could sit down and chat but I was too tired to stop. I just gave a very faint remark 'project is closing, many work to be done' to him. On my way to the car, I remembered he wanted to tell me why he asked about the quote. This morning, we spoke about a bug in the new system but I don't really care about it. I was very busy with phone calls with the new insurance guy and getting the data from government, and put him to wait for quite a long time. I don't know when, but somehow the connection was there as I have been looking up high on his work since I became his mentee in 2001. It was such a long time. I hate it when he was in the administration department because he was the one who act like the 'pengawas'. After going back to technical field last year, he became easier to connect with. This kind of people will bring the company good, just hope that he will serve the company for many many more years.. after 19 years in service.

 

Okay that does it.. now I know that I can be easily connected to people from non-technical field and IT field. My DH is an economist, who is into IT and GPS navigation gadgets (he got Mac, nuvi, O2 pda etc), my IT guy who takes care of my beloved servers is an IT masters with an Economic degree, and this one, my past mentor also an MBA holder with a Communication degree. Talk about deja vu, I cross path with people who either involved in counting stock price, or working with gadgets. Oh yes, another one, my immediate boss who is an inventor. Not much varieties, I suppose. These people make me wonder all the time, how on earth they can work with those machines as if they are talking to them. Hahaha...

I just remembered that I need to write about my love story to the magazine. Hope to be paid this time round. Good nite!

Of determination, close monitoring and self reflection..

I received a call from IT department on the new Enterprise system that I tried last two weeks. I did not report the problem but somehow they detect that I am having data entry problem on the system. Wow, talking about monitoring, this one example of active monitoring. I wish I can do that for my server to external customers. But at the same time, I am very worried if they detect me doing recreational surfing during office hours. I always do that while having my ‘doldrum’ period of low motivation to do work effectively. From now on, I better be careful to enter non-work related website during rest time only, that including shopping sites. Haha. Well, I will be having very busy month ahead anyway. People are pushing more work on me, to finish up on time, to response quickly and accurately and to be as cheerful as I was everytime I meet other people. It is not easy to please everyone but I have been very honest in doing my work. I could not finish faster, with the amount of work that people are putting on me. Being a Muslim, everything has its place and everything has its right. There is reason that things happened the way it is. I am still being positive to take challenge on faster results and at the same time, imagining that the project will be closed on time, the reports will be ready on time and the customers are happy with the deliverables.

 

It is tough, but it can be done. So, just do it!

Dyslexic

My Alumni e-group sisters started a discussion on Dyslexic children some time last week. I read with interest as I am beginning to pay more attention to my girls’ studies even though they are only 5 and 4 yr old.. well, you can expect them to play more than read ;o) but still better equip myself with knowledge on the condition. This note was from Kak Hani, who shared her experience caring for a dyslexic child (thanks k.Hani!).

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The most obvious thing about dyslexic children is that they look and act extremely bright but cannot read and write. Basically, if they are bright, they should be able to write and read. Their brain functions are wired differently. There are many studies done. For instance, when they test the brain of a dyslexic child the parts of the brain that they use when reading are different from a normal child - this could be seen in the brain scans that they do. But when it comes to thinking out of the box, they are very good in it. They see things in a different way that we do. And this helps when trying to solve a problem, they can come up with pretty good creative solutions. Because their brain is wired differently, they see words as we see it in the mirror. They have a mirror image vision and therefore writes alphabets the way they see it. You can see that they write b as d, their z and s are switched. Once you teach them the skills to write as how they hear - they write cute as kiut or cyut. Lazy as lezi or layzi. House as haus. There are also other psychological and social behaviour involved as well, like unable to organize well, slow, forgetful etc. In some extreme cases, they cannot mix around well especially with peers of the same age, difficulty in fitting in groups, making friends... Some adult dyslexics even cannot find their car when they park in the mall. But we must teach them coping skills to help them through their lives. Tom Cruise, Lee Kuan Yew, Albert Einstein and many other successful personalities are dyslexics. Never give up. Keep on coaching the kids and encourage them to face reality and to go on to continuously find ways to cope.

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Side note: It is all in our minds. If it happens to my child, I hope Allah will give me strength, courage and patience in caring for them. Amiin..

Reflection..

I received news that DH contract was not renewed. We have known this fact for months, I was not that surprised. About the same time, I approved evaluation to absorb my technician to be a permanent employee. Strange isn’t it? Someone gain is someone else loss. That is how the world works. What comes around goes around. It is a sad day, but a new beginning. Without a new contract for the next two months, I’m gonna take cost cutting measures from dining to shopping etc just to make ends meet. We have not being very thrifty for the past one year because our finances were getting better and the kids deserved a better education. The perfume business will stay same goes with the kids’ education, insurance policies and savings. Last night, while cleaning up I had time (and the whole house to myself) to reflect on what exactly I am looking for in this world. Yesterday, I had a blast Monday celebrating big Bossed birthdays and KHC did mention that family is important for us to move forward. He is correct, very true that at some point I felt guilty not telling DH exactly what I am planning to do with my outstation work and we always discuss the best way for everyone when I am planning for outstation work. I quietly reflect at some point I broke into tears thinking how I am going to handle the kids with so little fund, with their tantrums and all but eventually I managed to get past all of those things with DH help. Want I really wanted was a happy and blessed family to fall back into while I’m in trouble with a good career for intention of helping my husband as the breadwinner. So, this time I’ll help him go through the mid-life crisis again so that we can continue our life as khalifah di bumi Allah, custodian of our precious children and caretaker of our old age parents. Insyaallah.

Productive time of the day

Many people that I met said I need to find time that I am most productive to do work that is important to me like my technical competency development and my Masters’ work. I like to write, and I write fast. When the ideas come, I cannot stop writing like right now. And it is so coincidently that my best time to write is in the afternoon session when everyone else is ready to go home at 5:15. What a shame, for me at least. I have been observing my working pattern for several months and today I decided that I need to capitalize on this recent development of my interest in writing is mainly due to the lack of people disturbing me asking for ‘urgent’ things during the day. I managed to brainstorm a new paper idea in less than an hour and started writing almost immediately. Coordinating on project task at the wee hours and now, I am thinking of my comments to support my technician contract renewal.

 

It is all about motivation. And reading one page of motivation article before start working this morning really helps me get through the day and being a productive person.

 

Note: Still owe Ng’s report, Hafizah’s review report and Prof. Liew’s report. Three reports in a row. Helpppp!!!

Of loyalty and passion...

After 3 days, 4 nights of holidaying at home, it is time to work again. I have been procrastinating a lot at home eversince my doldrums started. I could not start working, low motivation and too much work kill my creativity. I could not focus but trying very hard to plan in doing the work according to its schedule. At the end, I ended up watching 4 episodes of Desperate Housewives (episode 14 was online video) two nights in a row. It was bliss. I did watch CSI:Miami half way, and House S5:E1.. hehehe.. I had quite a drama with my two girls on Sunday evening; I hoped I did not yell too loud because she seems to understand each word that I say that evening. We had quiet dinner at Rasamas Bangi, and they ate a lot. Today I am in the office missing them already and could not decide on dinner menu tonite. I may skip dinner if I eat Jus Diet Mate 5 that I bought on Saturday, but if I did not drink it, I’ll be starving thru the nite.

 

What I really wanted to write was on people expectation on me and my work. Today I knew that someone is closely watching my performance from afar and he was happy for me that I got the Award. He is my long time mentor while I was merely an industrial trainee at this office back in 2000. I forgot that some people do recognize my work. When I told DH about the nomination and the acceptance, he did not say a word. Or smile. Or do anything. I reluctantly told him about it all, although deep inside me I wanted him to achieve something that he is proud of. But I knew he is proud of me, just that I am not too sure. On Saturday, DH spoke to Ivy about me getting some Award from the company. Well, there he goes at last, saying something of my achievement. At least I knew that he is proud of me. People rarely know about me if they don’t work with me. I seldom was seen as popular or with glamorous clique, because I am not. I talked to people at lower working level trying to get away from my usual work and listen to everyday housewives tell tales. But I don’t like office politics; I am trying hard to stay away from it. I talked to janitors, cleaners, gardeners, dispatches etc because I knew without them the office cannot function the way it is now. They clean and tidy my place to work in. I am just being myself, and I know there are people who will talk behind my back when they knew that I got this Award.

 

Life goes on. I started knowing this company in 2000, and now it is 2009. Talk about loyalty and passion; I think I am in the right place.

Of friends, enemies and annoying people...

What is a friend? I do not know for sure. For me, my friend is someone that will listen without judgement and to help without asking anything in return. In my case, I have few true friends that I can rely on. Maybe because I am used to be a loner and been living independently since I was 12 years old when I was sent to boarding school far from home, from my parents. Most of them are my colleagueas, that competes with me in the quest for successful career and recognitions. I have no enemies that I know of, but friends that actually enemies behind our back are the most dangerous people. Then, came annoying people who just barged into your life offering advice that you don't ask for. I don't know about other people, but that are my opionions about friends, enemies and annyoying people. So today, I removed two people in my FB list because they are annoying. One lady was totally head over heel about his boyfriend that she constantly writing that she misses him.. bla.. bla.. bla.. So, bye-bye lovebird, nk termuntah reading your status. Another lady was a stranger but I added her because I like to browse Japanese Cottoon designs that she is selling (but I never buy any yet). She simply annoyed me with her judgemental remark that I need to be more positive in life and 'RESET' my mind if I am having stress. Duhh. What I am writing that morning was 'I think exercise is imporant now that I am constantly in stress'. For her, I was not being very clever to do that, but all I am saying is that exercise is one way that I channel my stress for something useful and beneficial. Instead of putting other people as victim when I am in bad situation, doing physical activities help me rejuvenating and think clearly of what is ahead of me. So, I removed her. Then, she sent me email wondering why she cannot reply to my online status, and how she is concern about stress that killed her friend that cannot handle stress. Well miss annoying Japanese Cotton seller, you are out of my list and I am not someone who cannot handle my stress, I have been through thick and thin of life for 30 years and I survive my career, family and dreams, and still going strong. I just hope that she will not simply comment on other people status with her cynical remark whenever she like to.

 

Some story for Saturday afternoon, while the kids are sleeping...

 

Note: The Award was actually real. They had my nama engraved on the Award last Friday. Now, is that enough evidence that I can handle my stress independently? Haha.

Passion Test..

My FB friend, Sayed Danish Ahmed recommended this test, so I took it just to see what other ppl say about me... read on..

The Passion Test Profile - Results

Here are the results of your Passion Test Profile. Read through the results carefully to see where you are aligned with your passions and where there is still room for growth.

Question 1:
I am excited about my life and turned on by the things I get to do each day.

Your Answer:
Never

You have been denying your deepest heart's desires. You may have told yourself that you are doing what you're doing for your family, or to make the money you need to do what you love some day, or for some higher purpose.

In the meantime, you are miserable and just getting through each day. When someone asks you what you are passionate about, you probably feel numb, and can't even think of anything.

You are at a critical turning point in your life. You need to take The Passion Test as soon as you can and begin making decisions based on what you care about.

The good news is that it doesn't have to be hard, or take a long time. You will probably need to take The Passion Test frequently even every day for the first few weeks or so, because you are not used to thinking about what it is you really love. But each time you take The Test, you will go more deeply within and you will have a clearer idea of what matters most to you. After a few weeks you'll discover that the list of your top five passions are fairly stable.

You may have some old habits that persist for a while. It takes about 21 days to create new habits. Just commit yourself to choosing in favor of your top five passions from your Passion Test, and your life will begin to shift. You will find you are happy and enjoying your life more and more all the time.

This is your time!

 

Question 1:
I am excited about my life and turned on by the things I get to do each day.

Your Answer:
Rarely

You've been denying your heart's desires. You have probably had good reasons: you are supporting your family, or raising your children, or making the money you think you need to do what you love some day.

In the meantime, you're pretty miserable. Life is a drudgery. Every once in a while there is a little ray of light, but for the most part, life sucks.

It's time for that to change. You took this profile because you know that. Get The Passion Test today and go through the process of identifying your top five passions. Then begin making your decisions based on the things you've identified are the most important in your life.

Take this profile again in six months and see how your experience of life has transformed. You deserve to live a life of joy and fulfillment. Use The Passion Test as your user manual to move your experience into that kind of life.

Question 1:
I am excited about my life and turned on by the things I get to do each day.

Your Answer:
Sometimes

You are torn between the desire to follow your heart and your beliefs about what you think you HAVE to do. You may feel that you can't do what you love because you have responsibilities, or others who need your help, or because you need money. These are all beliefs that are keeping you separated from joy and fulfillment.

You may find yourself doing things so you can convince yourself that you are a good person. So you sacrifice your own needs and desires to serve others, because that's what good people do.

The reality is that the greatest gift you can give to anyone is being filled with joy. When you are doing things out of sense of duty, or responsibility, rather than out of a sense of joy, how do you feel?

Do you get irritated, frustrated, and short-tempered? Do you take your unhappiness out on those around you?

If this is the case, are you really serving anyone else? The truth is, if you don't feel joy in caring for others, in looking after them, or supporting them, than you are doing a disservice to yourself and to them.

When you do what is best for you, you are simultaneously doing what is best for others. When you clarify the things that mean most to you in your life, and then make your choices based on what will allow you to align your life with those things, then you will not only enjoy your life more yourself, but others will also enjoy being around you.

You are at a turning point. This is your chance to permanently shift your life in the direction of joy and fulfillment. All it requires is making the commitment.

The first step is to get The Passion Test book and go through this simple,  yet powerful process for aligning your life with the things that mean most to you.

You may find there some old habits which have to change. It takes about 21 days to create a new habit. So, begin now, and use The Passion Test as your user's manual to create a whole new life for yourself. 

Question 1:
I am excited about my life and turned on by the things I get to do each day.

Your Answer:
Most of the time

You have been waking up to the reality that only following your passions will bring you the fulfillment you deserve in your life. Now it's just a matter of having the courage to go full out.

It can be scary sometimes to choose in favor of your passions. You can't know what will happen or how things will turn out. But you live in an abundant, loving universe which is ready to support you in every way.

The key now is to notice. Notice when thoughts arise that create unhappiness or dissatisfaction. When you notice, turn those thoughts around and begin to consciously create the life you choose to live.

Notice when you are making choices that do not support our heart's desires, and be gentle with yourself. Living your passions is a process. It's enough to notice and as you do, each new decision will become more aligned with your true passions.

We learn from our experiences in life. The key is learning to trust that things really will come together in a way supports your joy and deepening experience of life.

You are well on your way. You may find The Passion Test process to be a valuable tool to help you take those final steps. It will help you identify those parts of your life that are very important, yet are still not 100% congruent, just as it did for Jack Canfield.

Afer taking The Passion Test, Jack realized there was a part of his life that was very important that he hadn't been giving near enough attention to, and he said, taking The Passion Test, it "changed the way I've lived my life this past year."

Congratulations for coming this far. We are here to support your journey when you need it as you step into the life you were meant to live.

Question 1:
I am excited about my life and turned on by the things I get to do each day.

Your Answer:
All the time

You have learned one of the most important lessons of life: When you choose in favor of your passions, life becomes an ongoing miracle. Congratulations for making decisions that allow you to give your special and unique gifts.

Now you have the opportunity to look more deeply. The Passion Test is such a valuable tool because it allows anyone to see anywhere in their life that is not yet completely aligned with the things they love the most.

Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, was just like you when he took The Passion Test for the first time. His life was on fire, he loved what he was doing and looking forward to each new day.

When he took The Passion Test, it confirmed that he was inded aligned with the things he loved the most, and it also showed him there was one area that he had been completely ignoring. He realized that for years he had wanted to be part of a spiritual leaders' network and it was no where to be found in his life.

As a result, six months later he founded the Transformational Leadership Council which today is composed of over 100 top speakers, authors and teachers. Chris and Janet Attwood are founding members of TLC and other members include many stars of "The Secret", Rev. Michael Beckwith, Lisa Nichols, James Ray, Bill Harris, Marci Shimoff, John Gray, John Assaraf, among others.

What will your Passion Test reveal to you? Whatever it is, keep doing what you're doing and remember that "what you put your attention on grows stronger in your life."

Question 2:
Others comment on how happy I am and what fun it is to be around me.

Your Answer:
Never

There are two possible things going on here. Either you are denying yourself the things you really love, or you are naturally an inward-directed person.

If the latter is the case, then you love spending time by yourself. Your life is characterized by a deep inner peace. The life of a monk or a nun is very appealing to you. You may enjoy long periods of reflection or meditation, and you don't need a lot of outer stimulation to be happy.

If this does not describe your life, then something else is going on. You are caught in the illusion that you can't do the things you love for one reason or another. Maybe you think you can't make a living from your passions. Or maybe  you have the idea that following your passions would be irresponsible.

Whatever the concepts are, they are keeping you from your joy. It's no accident you love the things you love and as long as you continue to believe you can't do what you love, you will be more and more miserable.

Fortunately, the solution is easily accessible. Take The Passion Test to identify the things you care most about, and then begin choosing in favor of those things, whenever you're faced with a choice, a decision or an opportunity.

The odds are the people you spend time with are not very happy with their lives either. If you really want to shift into experience more joy and fulfillment then you have to surround yourself with people who will support you in following your passions.

Give copies of The Passion Test to your family and friends. Create a group who practices applying the principles of living a passionate life. If the people you spend time with aren't able or willing to make the shift, then hang out with different people.

This is your time. It's your time to wake up to the reason you were put on this earth. You have unique and special gifts which no one but you can give. Use The Passion Test to begin discovering your passions and start living the life of fulfillment you deserve.

Question 2:
Others comment on how happy I am and what fun it is to be around me.

Your Answer:
Rarely

If you are a very inner-directed person, then it's not surprising that not many people make comments because you don't spend much time with other people. You are at peace and you prefer to be alone.

However, if this does not describe you, then something else is going on. You have been denying yourself the things that matter most to you. You have been holding on to beliefs that are keeping you separated from the joy you were meant to have in this life.

Those beliefs may be that you can't earn a living following your passions. Or they could be that you have responsibilities that don't allow you to do what you love. Or you might be thinking you're too old or too young or you don't know enough or you're not experienced enough.

None of these are true. Look around and you will find lots of evidence of people who have followed their passions with far more challenges than you have.

All that's required to change your experience of life is to commit yourself to following your passions. Take The Passion Test to clarify what it is that really matters to you. Then begin choosing in favor of those passions, whenever you are faced with a choice a decision or an opportunity.

You'll find your life is changing in ways you could never have imagined. And you'll notice that others are commenting on the change as well.

Question 2:
Others comment on how happy I am and what fun it is to be around me.

Your Answer:
Sometimes

You've begun the journey toward a life of joy and fulfillment. Now it's just a matter of consistency.

Take a look at your life. When do you do things because you think you're supposed to do them? When do you beleive you can't do what you really care about because of this or that or the other thing?

Take a look and notice when your beliefs keep you separated from the people and things that are truly important to you.

The Passion Test will help you identify what it is that really matters to you, right now. The next step is to consciously choose in favor of those things when you are faced with choices in your life.

Following your passions requires commitment. That commitment is born of the knowledge that as long as you put off, or bury, or find reasons not to do what you love, or be with the people you love, you will never live a fulfilled life.

When you commit to joy, then you will experience joy.

And that doesn't mean it will be a bed of roses. Your commitment will be tested. And when it is, you will come to see what it is that is truly important to you.

Question 2:
Others comment on how happy I am and what fun it is to be around me.

Your Answer:
Frequently

Consciously or unconsciously you have realized that the path to fulfillment is making the things that matter most to you a priority in your life.

Joy can't be contained. Whether you want it to or not, it just bubbles over and others are affected by it.

That's why you get those comments. We're all connected and we all affect each other.

Now, just ask yourself, are there some times that you still do things because you think you're supposed to do them? Are there any areas of your life where you still hold yourself back?

Take The Passion Test and you may find, just as Jack Canfield did, that even though you are living many of your pasisons, there are still some areas that have been ignored.

Use The Passion Test to get clear about you love, and Score Your Passions to see what things that matter to you have not been getting the attention they deserve.

Then continue the habit of choosing in favor of your passions whenever you're faced with choices, decisions, and opportunties, and you will find that it just keeps getting better all the time.

Question 2:
Others comment on how happy I am and what fun it is to be around me.

Your Answer:
All the time

"Happiness radiates like the fragrance from a flower and draws all good things to it."  - His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

You have discovered the secret of chooing in favor of the things that matter most to you in your life. People love to be around you. You find opportunities in every experience.

If you have down days, you don't take them too seriously. You know they will pass and there is nothing that can keep you from doing the things you love.

When you take The Passion Test you won't be surprised to find that you are living many of your top passions. But if you're like Jack Canfield, you may discover there is one or more areas in your life that you have been forgettting about.

Jack is the author of "The Success Principles." He teaches people how to create success in their lives. Here's what he said about gong through The Passion Test process:

"When I did the work on discovering your passion with Chris and Janet in a workshop, I didn't expect that much to happen because I am already living my passion -- teaching others about how to become more successful. However, their powerful process took me to an even deeper place where I realized I was not spending enough time with my true, number one passion, my family! That realization and the other work they did with me, has changed the way I have lived the past year."

You know the power, and the fulfillment, that comes from being connected to the things you love most. You may discover, as Jack did, that there is still opportunity to expand the joy in your life. 

Question 3:
I get upset and thrown off track when unexpected situations and circumstances arise.

Your Answer:
Rarely

You have an easiness and comfort with yourself and your environment that others only wish for. You have the wisdom to see that change can be good and that staying open allows you to discover that good.

On those rare occasions when you get thrown off track, notice the beliefs that are causing you to think that things should be other than the way they are.These are things which cause your unhappiness, nothing on the outside.

One of the most powerful tools we know for undoing the beliefs that cause suffering is The Work of Byron Katie (http://www.thework.com/). Through a simple process of investigation, with just four questions and what Katie calls "the turnaround," you can unravel the attachment to beliefs which don't serve you. With this, you will find yourself enjoying each new phase of life, whether you were expecting it or not.

Congratulations for already being so open to the gifts which are appearing in your life. You are on well along the path of living a passionate, fulfilled life.

Question 3:
I get upset and thrown off track when unexpected situations and circumstances arise.

Your Answer:
Always

You love safety and security. You've done your best to organize your life so that you can depend on the people and things in it.

The problem is that you can't control your life. Things are always changing. There is no dependable security on the outside.

Until you discover the source of stability and fulfillment inside of you, there will always be the danger that your life will be turned upside down. Real security comes only when nothing can happen that can disturb the inner peace and fulfillment you experience.

Albert Einstein once said the most important question you can ask is, "Is this a friendly universe?"

As long as you believe that it's not, you will find the evidence to support your belief all around you. But you know what's interesting? People who come to believe the universe is friendly find the evidence for that all around them too.

You have a choice. You can look for the danger and challenges in every situation, or you can look for the gifts and opportunities. Whichever you look for, you will discover that.

One of the key principles of living a passionate life is "Staying Open." Life will not appear the way you think it should. There is a bigger, grander plan for your life than you can even imagine.

So, look for the gifts in your life and you will discover change is much easier to take.

Question 3:
I get upset and thrown off track when unexpected situations and circumstances arise.

Your Answer:
Never

You are "in the flow." You are open to the gifts that life has to bring. There is always a greater good than anything you can imagine, and your steadiness allows it to come to you.

You are the anchor for those around you. By remaining open you have the ability to discover opportunities others miss. Your adaptablity gives you the advantage of being able to respond quickly and appropriately.

When you are faced with choices, remember to choose in favor the things that matter most to you, even in the face of others' judgments.

"Clarity is power." - T. Harv Eker

Clarity is the power to create what you choose to have in your life. The Passion Test will give you that clarity to respond appropriately to every situation you may face.

 

Question 3:
I get upset and thrown off track when unexpected situations and circumstances arise.

Your Answer:
Sometimes

You are holding on to your concepts of the way things should be. As long as circumstances fit with your view of reality, you're fine. But when reality doesn't match the way your view, you are thrown off track.

"When you argue with reality, you lose, and only all of the time."
- Byron Katie

When you notice that you are arguing with reality, stop. Take a break. It's no fun banging your head against a brick wall. You can never win when you try to convince yourself that things should be other than the way they are. This is simply the path to misery and unhappiness.

When you hold on to the way you think things should be, you will feel contracted, shut down, closed. These feelings are just the signal that it's time to be kind to yourself, to be gentle with yourself.

There is no need to be any way other than the way you are. Breathe deeply and feel the feelings that come up. When those feelings settle down, do those things which allow you to feel more expanded, more open. Listen to music, go for a walk, work out, dance, read a good book.

And when you are ready to look at the beliefs which have caused your unhappiness, use The Work of Byron Katie (http://www.thework.com/). Katie's simple process of investigation is the most powerful tool we know for undoing the thoughts which cause anyone to suffer.

Through her four questions and what she calls "the turnaround," you will come to see that what you held to be so true, so immutable, has another side to it. You will begin to open up to the possiblity that there may be another way of looking at the situation which brings more joy and fulfillment.

Question 3:
I get upset and thrown off track when unexpected situations and circumstances arise.

Your Answer:
Frequently

You spend a good deal of your time attempting to force your model of reality on the world outside of you. It's hopeless.

Life is always changing. It will never appear the way you think it should. As long as you try to impose your will on the world, you will only bring yourself misery and suffering.

The key to happiness lies in the recognition that life is your teacher. A certain humility is required. You have to admit that you may not have all the answers.

When you begin to let go of your attachment to the way you think things should be, you will discover there is a whole new world waiting for you. It's a world of wonder, of new possibilities.

As long as you argue with reality, you will lose, and only 100% of the time. So, when you notice yourself, arguing, stop. Take a break. Allow yourself to feel the feelings that are coming up. When they begin to subside, do things which help you feel more open, more expanded. Take a walk, exercise, listen to music, read a good book.

And if you would like to learn how to embrace reality, rather than arguing with it, we recommend The Work of Byron Katie (http://www.thework.com/). In Katie's simple process of investigation, you will discover a new way of looking at the situations and circumstances in your life.

You will begin to realize that there may be other ways of looking at things which bring you more joy and cause less pain.

The Work is just four simple questions and what Katie calls "the turnaround." Investigate the thoughts which cause unhappiness, and you will step into a world filled with peace and overflowing with delightful surprises, surprises you never would have dreamed were possible before.

Question 4:
I am very clear about the top five passions in my life, those things that matter most to me.

Your Answer:
Not at all

Odds are, you feel a victim of your life. Others tell you what they need you to do or be, and you feel impelled to respond.

You may enjoy parts of your life, but there are big parts you don't enjoy at all. It's likely that you don't love your work, and you are stuck in a 9-5, TGIF world.

It's not hard to change this situation. What's required is greater clarity about what really matters to you.

"When you are clear, what you want will show up in your life, and only to the extent you are clear."

The whole purpose of The Passion Test process is to help you get a level of clarity that you have the power to create whatever you choose to have in your life. You will come to see what your top 5 passsions are and how to keep your life aligned with them.

Suffering in life is optional. All that is required is an unwavering commitment to make choices that allow you to align your life with the things that matter most to you.

Question 4:
I am very clear about the top five passions in my life, those things that matter most to me.

Your Answer:
A little

You feel pretty confused about life. You'd like to change your life, but you don't know how. Most of the time you feel pretty beat up and don't know which way to turn.

Your beliefs about what you can or can't do, what is or isn't possible, what should or shouldn't be true in your life, have been keeping you in a state of misery.

The good news it isn't hard to change that. It mainly requires a firm commitment to make the change.

Take The Passion Test and clarify your top five passions, the five things that really matter most to you in your life. Be warned. You may not be used to going deep inside, so be prepared to take the Test a number times over the coming weeks.

Keep taking it as long as your top 5 keep changing. Once they become more stable and you end up with the same ones after taking the Test three or four times, then put them on cards where you can see them and refer to them.

Make the commitment to yourself that whenever you are faced with a choice, a decision or an opportunity, you will ask yourself, "Will making this decision help me come closer to living these five passions, or will it take me farther away?"

Sometimes those old beliefs and concepts will pop up again. You won't know what to do, or which way to turn. Don't try. Let go and notice how you feel inside. When you start to feel expanded, excited about a direction, then begin to move in that direction.

When you notice you're feeling contracted again, shut down, or unhappy, then stop. Reevaluate. Take a break.

Take a look at the thoughts in your mind. Go to http://www.thework.com/, and use Byron Katie's simple process of investigation to examine those thoughts. You will discover there is more than one way to look at anything.

Then when you begin to feel expanded and open again, move forward once more. Go step by step, and as you choose in favor of those things which you care most about, you will find your life becomes more and more rich, more and more full of joy.

It's Your Time! It's time for you to begin giving your special gifts. No one else can.

Question 4:
I am very clear about the top five passions in my life, those things that matter most to me.

Your Answer:
Somewhat

You struggle through life, not knowing what direction will bring you the fulfillment you want. You have some  idea of what matters to you, but you are inconsistent in prioritizing those things in your life.

As a result, you spend a fair amount of time in regret, wishing you had done things you did not do. You feel guilty frequently. You know life could be richer, but you don't know how to make it so.

Clarity is the key to having what you choose to have in life.

"When you are clear, what you want will show up and only to the extent you are clear."

The Passion Test will give you the clarity that you presently lack. Take the Test frequently in the beginning until your top five don't change much each new time you take it.

Then beginning using these top five passions as a filter to guide you in choices you make in your life. When you have a decision to make, ask yourself, "Will this help me be more aligned with my passions, or will it take me farther away from them?

As you make small choices, day by day, you will begin to see your life changing. It may be almost imperceptible at first, but with time, you will discover that you are living a passionate, purposeful life, without much trying.

Question 4:
I am very clear about the top five passions in my life, those things that matter most to me.

Your Answer:
Quite clear

Your life is on track and moving in the direction of your dreams. You have learned the value of following your heart. You pay attention to what adds to your happiness.

You've taken time for self-reflection. You give yourself permission to do things that you enjoy. You embrace your life and are ready for more good to come to you.

Your biggest challenge is deciding where to put your attention. Your opportunity is to gain an even greater level of clarity so it becomes easy for you to make decisions and choices in your life.

It's no accident that you found your way to The Passion Test. This is just the tool  you need to create the clarity that's been missing. This simple process will help you discover which of all the things you love are most important to you and with that, you will have a tool for guiding your decisions and choices.

Your life is getting fuller all the time. Now is your chance to take it to another level.

Question 4:
I am very clear about the top five passions in my life, those things that matter most to me.

Your Answer:
Crystal clear

Your life is full and purposeful. You have a clear sense of direction. You know what you want and you are creating that.

Opportunities abound in your life. Your biggest challenge is choosing between them. Others want to be around you and you receive offers and invitations all the time.

You enjoy success in the most important parts of your life. Whether it's in your relationships, your health, your financial life, or your career, others see you as a model to emulate.

Because of your clarity, you might think you don't need to take The Passion Test. If that's the case, remember the experience of Jack Canfield. He's just like you, successful, happy, on fire and living his passions.

Yet, each time Jack has taken The Passion Test he has gained new insights which have allowed him to create even more joy in his life. We predict that will be your experience as well.

Congratulations on creating a life worth living. Continue the process of increasing clarity as you choose in favor of the things that matter most to you and you will be amazed that just when you thought it couldn't get any better, it does.

Question 5:
I make decisions based on what will help me live my passions most fully.

Your Answer:
Never

Life has been rough for you. You have denied the things that matter most to you in order to please others, or because you've been taught you can't have everything.

You feel like a victim of the situations and circumstances in your life. You may feel bitter, angry, or just depressed. You experience life as difficult and you are waiting for others to change.

The path you are on will never lead to fulfillment. You have the power to change the direction of your life and it will take a commitment to changing the beliefs that have led you to where you are today.

It begins by getting clear about what matters most to you in your life. This is the purpose of The Passion Test process. You are not used to looking within, so expect to take The Test many times over the coming weeks and months.

In the beginning, you'll find your top five passions change and shift. Keep taking The Test and each time you will go more deeply into what it is you truly care about. As that happens, there will come a point where your top five seem to be more stable.

From that point, keep your top five passions where you can see them, and whenever you are faced with a choice, a decision or an opportunity, ask yourself if this decision will help you live your passions more fully or take you farther away from them.

If you find you're unable to choose in favor of the things on your Passion list, then something else is more important to you than what you wrote down. This is the sign to take The Test again and clarify what it is that really matters to you.

You are here for a purpose. You have special gifts to give. It's your time to begin giving those gifts. The Passion Test will help you get started.

Question 5:
I make decisions based on what will help me live my passions most fully.

Your Answer:
Rarely

Life has not been easy for you. You have done your best to make others happy at the cost of the things you care most about.

You have felt bound and constricted by the commitments you've made and the expectations of others. You may even have thought sometimes that it was just too much to continue.

Now you are ready for that to change. That's why you came to this website. You may feel discouraged and not very hopeful, but you are here.

It is possible for your experience to change dramatically, and it doesn't have to take a long time. It doesn't require jumping off a cliff. You don't have to quit your job or abandon your family to begin following your passions.

You just have to get clear about what it is that is really, truly important to you. That's what The Passion Test is for.

Your first step to a new life is going through The Passion Test to discover your top five passions, the things that matter most to you.

After that, it's using these five passions as the basis for making your choices and decisions. When old fears raise their heads, when you find yourself choosing to do things, not because you love doing them, but because you feel you have to, then use The Work of Byron Katie (http://www.thework.com/) to unravel those limiting beliefs.

You have the power to change your life. It just begins with the commitment to make choices that bring you closer to the things you love. It begins now.

Question 5:
I make decisions based on what will help me live my passions most fully.

Your Answer:
Sometimes

You've wanted to change your life, but it hasn't been easy. You still feel bound by responsibilities and other people's expectations.

Have you noticed that when you make choices in favor of your passions, the things you really care about that you feel so much better?

That's because that is the direction that will bring you the greatest fulfillment. The unhappiness you feel when you make choices that don't reflect your heart's desires is there to tell you this direction is not the right one for you.

Yet, all of us have been so indoctrinated into certain beliefs about what we're "supposed to do" that it is often hard to choose for things that go against those beliefs.

This is your time. It's time to step into a new life of joy and fulfillment. It's no accident you love the things you love. It's no accident you care about the things you care about.

These are the things that will lead you to fulfill your unique and special purpose. The first step is to clarify what it is you care most deeply about.

Take The Passion Test and discover your top five passions. Then use these as your basis for decision making. Whenever you are faced with a choice, ask yourself, "Will this help me be more aligned with my passions, or will it take me farther away from them?"

You are immensely powerful. You have the power to create the kind of life you have always wanted to live. This is the time.

Question 5:
I make decisions based on what will help me live my passions most fully.

Your Answer:
Most of the time

Your life has been getting better and better as you have increasingly based your decisions on the things that matter most to you. It's still hard sometimes because others have their own expectations, but you have been making progress.

If you haven't already, surround yourself with people who will support you in following your heart's desires. The world is filled with people who don't think it's possible to follow one's passions and still meet your responsibilities.

Those people won't help you live a happier, more joy-filled life.

Find the people who know that life is meant to enjoy. Find the people who will help you make it through those times when you have doubts or disappointments. Find those people who will make it easier, not harder, to make the difficult choices that lead you to the kind of life you deserve to live.

Taking The Passion Test will help you get even greater clarity. Use The Test to clarify your top five passions and then use these to support your decision making.

Go to The Passion Test web site (http://www.thepassiontest.com/) and participate in the Passion Test Forum to connect with others who are also traveling this path.

None of us can do it on our own. We all need support. We need people who will reinspire us when we get discouraged.

You are on the right path. Stick to it, and you will find yourself living the kind of life you have always dreamed of.

Question 5:
I make decisions based on what will help me live my passions most fully.

Your Answer:
All the time

You are living an extraordinary life. You do the things you love and you have made the commitment to follow your heart when tough choices arise.

You are model for others and part of your role in the world is to inspire others to live the life they were meant to live.

Taking The Passion Test will be fun for you. Even though you have been making choices that favor the things you are most passionate about, the odds are you will find some surprises.

Even the most passionate people who have taken The Test have discovered one or two areas of their life that they really care about that haven't been getting much attention.

You may even find that you have a gift for inspiring others to live their passions. If that's the case, we encourage you to consider becoming a certified Passion Test facilitator (www.passiontest.com/cert).

Teaching others the principles of living a passionate life is one of the most fulfilling activities for someone who knows that value of following your passions.

But however it is expressed, your life is a model of what it means to live a full life. As you choose in favor of those things that matter most to you, you will be showing others what is possible for them as well.

Question 6:
I spend my days doing things I love, surrounded by people I love.

Your Answer:
Never

The theme is the same. You have been denying yourself the life you deserve to live. The beliefs and concepts you acquired along the way have kept you disconnected from what's most important to you.

But that is going to change now. It doesn't have to be hard. It just requires your sincere intention for things to change in your life.

In the past you've gotten discouraged, even depressed, and then you withdraw from the world. That's OK. That's what you needed to get you to this point.

Now it's time to get clear about what really matters to you and begin making choices that support you in giving your special gifts.

The first step is to take The Passion Test. Read the book, and then go to The Passion Test Online at http://www.passiontestonline.com/. You'll be asked to make a $2 donation to support others in need, then over the next 30 days go through all the exercises in the Passion Test Online. Create your Passion Plan and print it out.

Take the Passion Test again and again in the coming weeks. Take it until your top five don't change much each new time you take The Test. Then use these five as your criteria for the decisions you make in your life.

Whenever you have to make a choice, ask yourself, "Will this help me be more aligned or less aligned with my passions?" And if for any reason you can't choose in favor of the things you wrote down, that's the signal that something else is more important to you. Take The Passion Test again and clarify what it is that truly matters to you.

You are incredibly powerful. Only your thoughts keep you from knowing that. Be easy on yourself. Be kind to yourself. And accept the help that is coming to you now.

Question 6:
I spend my days doing things I love, surrounded by people I love.

Your Answer:
Rarely

It's been hard for you, hasn't it? You have denied yourself in order to make others happy. But how can you ever make others happy when you are not happy?

Happiness is like the fragrance from a flower. It radiates and draws all good things to itself. To make others happy, requires becoming happy yourself.

Have you ever noticed that it's more fun to be around people who are happy? Becoming happy and radiating that happiness to others is one of the greatest gifts you have to give.

The way to become happy is by aligning your life with the things you love, the things you care most about. These are what we call your "passions."

The Passion Test is a simple, yet powerful way to discover what those things are. Take The Test, and take it again and again, until your top five passions don't change much.

Then begin making decisions in favor of those top five passions. You'll discover your world begins to change.

It doesn't require jumping off a cliff. It just requires the commitment to choose in favor of your passions, day by day. As you do this, your life will become more and more joyful, little by little, bit by bit. Until one day you'll wake up and realize that you love your life.

Question 6:
I spend my days doing things I love, surrounded by people I love.

Your Answer:
Sometimes

It's time to make a decision. You know how good it feels to be doing what you love, surrounded by people you love.

You've had a taste. Are you willing to give yourself permission to experience that all the time? It's possible. It's just your choice.

The only thing that prevents you from having that wonderful experience every day, all day long, is beliefs that it's not possible. For one reason or another, you have convinced yourself that you can't have joy all the time.

Those beliefs aren't true, yet they may seem impossible for you to deny. Can you entertain the possibility that there could be another way of looking at things?

One of the best ways to overcome limiting beliefs that keep you separated from a life of joy and fulfillment is to look for evidence that a different perspective could be as true or truer.

For example, if you have held the belief that you can't support yourself following your passions, look around and see if there is any evidence you can find of someone who has been able to support themselves with a similar passion.

If you have a passion for chatting with others, is there anyone you can think of who has done well with that passion? Oprah Winfrey comes to mind.

If you have a passion for baking, has anyone done well with that? Mrs. Fields comes to mind.

Even if you think that your passion is unique, can you find evidence that anyone has ever been successful doing what no one had ever done before?

You can have a life doing what you love, surrounded by people you love. It begins now. Take The Passion Test, clarify your top passions, then make choices which support you in living those passions fully.

Question 6:
I spend my days doing things I love, surrounded by people I love.

Your Answer:
Most of the time

Doesn't it feel great to do what you truly love? Isn't it the best to do it surrounded by people you love and appreciate, and who love and appreciate you.

The only question now is, what's keeping it from being 100%? What is holding you back from living this life of joy and fulfillment all the time?

There are just some parts of your life where you still lack clarity.

"When you are clear, what you want will show up in your life, and only to the extent you are clear."  - Chris and Janet Attwood, The Passion Test

When we aren't completely clear, then we find ourselves going first one direction then another. There are those times when we find ourselves doing things we don't really love, or spending time with people that we don't really enjoy being around.

The entire Passion Test process is to help you get crystal clear about what is really important to you. Then, with this clarity, it becomes easy to make decisions that support you in living a full and rich life.

You are well on your way. As you take The Passion Test, you'll notice some areas of your life that are very important to you that you have not given much attention to. Now is your chance to begin giving them attention and living a life of joy, all the time.

Question 6:
I spend my days doing things I love, surrounded by people I love.

Your Answer:
All the time

Isn't life grand?! There is just nothing better. You have learned the importance of honoring yourself, and making choices that allow you to be surrounded with love.

It doesn't mean there aren't still ups and downs. Those are what make life interesting. The important thing to realize is that whether you feel expanded, open, excited, passionate and turned on, or contracted, shut down, disconnected or uncomfortable, neither expansion or contraction are either good nor bad.

Each is just a signal. When you feel expanded, this is the signal to go forward, take action, fully engage.

When you feel contracted, this is a red light. It's time to stop, take a break, be kind to yourself, take a look at the situation, and go slowly. This is the time to be easy with yourself, and do things which bring you joy.

In The Passion Test this is what we call Nature's Guidance System.

As you come to see that both expansion and contraction have their role to play in your life, you will soon discover that both have their own joy. Expansion brings the joy of new possiblities, new opportunities. Contraction brings the joy of rest, of taking it easy, of doing things that are fun, just for their own sake.

As this realization becomes fully established, what is left is a life of joy, all the time. And this is the way life was meant to be lived.

Question 7:
Life is confusing for me. I don't have a clear sense of direction in my life.

Your Answer:
No sense of direction

You have been trying to do what you think you are "supposed" to do instead of what you love to do. You have many reasons why it's not possible to do what you love.

As long as there is a tug of war between what you think you "should" do and what you love to do, you will feel divided. Confusion arises from a lack of clarity.

When you are not clear about what it is that really matters to you, then you get pulled first in one direction, then another. After some time, it's hard to know what direction to go. Motivation drops, and life isn't much fun.

When this happens, you look for ways to dull the pain. Whether through alcohol, food, drugs, or some other diversion, dulling the pain doesn't solve the problem. In fact, these things create their own problems.

Relationships become more difficult, your health suffers and what was already bad, gets worse.

T. Harv Eker, author of the #1 NY Times bestseller, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, says "Clarity is power." Clarity is the power to create what you choose to have in your life.

The Passion Test process is a systematic way to go deep inside and clarify what it is that really matters to you. Having done this, you are now in a position to make choices that support you in following your passions.

It doesn't require making major life changes all at once. Just by consistently making decisions in favor of the things that matter most to you, your life will begin to shift.

You will discover yourself having more fun, you'll begin to feel a sense of purposefulness, and you'll start looking forward to each new day.

It doesn't have to be difficult. It just requires getting clear. You have the power to create what you choose to have in your life. Just start from where you are, and begin now.

 

Question 7:
Life is confusing for me. I don't have a clear sense of direction in my life.

Your Answer:
Very little sense of direction

You've been taught all your life what to do to be happy and successful. But when you do the things you've been taught, you are miserable. What's wrong with this picture?

When the things you've been told don't bring the promised result, what do you do? What direction do you turn?

You find yourself living for Friday and dreading Monday. You find yourself searching for an escape from what has become a humdrum existence.

If you've married, then there was some hope and sense of purpose for a while, but then it wasn't enough. Something was missing.

The missing piece is the connection to your own heart's longing. Your heart has been trying to tell you the path to fulfillment, but your beliefs about what you "needed" to do have drowned out that voice of passion inside.

As a result, life lacks a sense of purposefulness. Purpose arises from being connected to the things you care most deeply about.

All that's required to recover that sense of direction is clarity. Take The Passion Test and uncover the passions that lie deep in your heart. Get clear about the things that really matter to you.

These are the things that are leading you to fulfill your purpose in life. As long as you deny them, you will feel like you are on a ship without a rudder--first being pushed this way then that way.

But when you identify your top five passions, and then begin making choices which allow you to live those things more fully, you will find your life naturally begins to be filled with a sense of purpose.

You don't have to try hard. You don't have to wait for lightning to strike and awaken you to your life's purpose. You just have to get clear about what you love, and then align your life with those things.

The results will seem almost magical. You will begin to experience things that seem like miracles. And you will be filled with a sense of your personal mission, without even knowing how you got there.

You are unique. You have special gifts. No one else can give the world the gifts you have to share. It's your time, now.

Question 7:
Life is confusing for me. I don't have a clear sense of direction in my life.

Your Answer:
Some sense of direction

You are at the door of an incredible opportunity. You are ready to step into a new life. You have a sense of it, but it hasn't been completely clear.

Now, it's your time. It's time to step into the life you were meant to live. It's time to give your unique gifts.

Direction comes from knowing what really matters to you. When you make decisions that bring those closer to you, you feel joy. Life feels good.

When you make decisions that take you farther from your passions, the things you care most deeply about, then you feel more and more unhappy.

Why is that?

What you love and  the purpose of your life are completely intertwined. Life is here to enjoy. The loves of your life are the pathway to the fulfillment of your purpose on this earth.

As you gain a clearer sense of purpose, you will feel stronger, more complete, more whole. The path of purpose is the path to knowing yourself more fully. The more deeply you know yourself, the more complete you feel.

The Passion Test provides a process of gaining clarity about the things that matter most to you. As you go through the exercises, you will gain a greater understanding of who you are.

There have been many great ones in the world. Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the list goes on and on. All of them followed their passions. You can never do Gandhi as well as Gandhi did. You can never Mother Theresa as well as she did.

And no one can do you as well as you can. All that is required is your commitment to go for it, no matter what anyone else thinks.

This doesn't mean you have to abandon everything in your life to follow your passions. It just needs you to clarify your top passions, and then step by step, day by day, make decisions that will support you in living them fully.

Question 7:
Life is confusing for me. I don't have a clear sense of direction in my life.

Your Answer:
Pretty clear sense of direction

You feel happy with your life and where you're headed. You are motivated and your sense of direction gives you a feeling of purposefulness.

Your biggest challenge is to stay open. Life will not show up the way you think it will. If you hold too tightly to the way you think it should be, you will find yourself beating your head against a brick wall.

Create your plans and follow them, and be prepared to be surprised. The best opportunities often arise when the best laid plans go awry.

When you are clear about the things that are most important to you, then change can come and go without destroying them. Your passions serve as the filter through which you make decisions and these move you inevitably on to fulfill your purpose.

This is why we call The Passion Test, "the effortless path to discovering your destiny." Your destiny will naturally and easily unfold as you choose in favor of the things you love most in your life. After some time you will look back and say, "Wow! My life feels so purposeful and the direction is so clear, yet I hardly did anything."

You are creating a rich and rewarding life. It all begins with gaining clarity about what you truly love most--your passions.

Question 7:
Life is confusing for me. I don't have a clear sense of direction in my life.

Your Answer:
Very clear sense of direction

You are on fire and know where you are headed. Your life feels meaningful and you look forward to what is coming next.

Be alert that you are not holding too tightly to the things you think you want.

Staying open is one of the keys to a passionate life. As long as you remain connected to the things you love most, your passions, then change can come and go without throwing you off course.

Your passions, the things you care most deeply about, are drawing you on to fulfill your mission in life. You can be sure that things won't show up the way you think they're going to. If you hold on too tightly to your concepts of how you'd like your life to play out, you'll miss the greatest miracles.

The way you can tell is when you feel contracted. If things aren't going as you thought they would, you'll feel some reaction--disappointment, frustration, fatigue. This contraction is the sign to take a deeper look.

Stay alert, and notice when contraction comes. Treat it as a friend, warning you that continuing in the direction you were going will bring danger. Be easy on yourself in those times. Nothing is needed from you then except to go inside yourself and pay attention to what you are experiencing.

There will always be an opportunity, a new direction, or a new idea that will give rise to the wonderful feelings of expansion again. You'll feel excited, turned on, and again feel that sense of purpose. This is the signal it's time to move forward, to take action and continue the journey to fulfill your unique and special role.

You know, 80% of the population is lacking that sense of purpose and direction you are blessed with. They have an effect on you. When you meet them, give them a copy of The Passion Test. When you are surrounded by people who support you in living your passions, your life becomes richer, fuller and a lot more fun.

This is your time. Take it and enjoy it. By giving your special gifts, you are creating a better, more fulfilling world for all of us.

Congratulations! You have completed your Passion Test Profile. What did you discover? It's interesting to examine your life and to see where you are on or off track, isn't it?

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Ok, I am done with the test. Some are true indeed and maybe I think about something out of this to make sure I am working for things that I am passionate about.

Cold Office...

On this particular day, I decided to get out from the 'cold' office and work at home, which is warmer. I was quite surprised that I can finished up all the instruction stuffs in an hour! Very efficient I would say, but the office is too cold.. and I am having stuffy nose already because the air conditioner is cold like a freezer. Well, before I get sicker it was a good choice to stay away as much as I can from the office. No meeting, no discussion so I went home and work. It was better actually as I can eat my breakfast while looking at my emails without feeling very very cold. And I do not have to wear thick wool jacket everyday, every hour. I actually punched out early and I need to fill up those stupid form saying that I am working at other place because the office is too cold!

Doldrums...

Finally, I got over with my working doldrums. Doldrums are areas where the ship stood still as there is no wind to push to help it sails. I have been in doldrums for a week or so, knowing well enough that I have handful of work but I did nothing about it. I read, I read and read. I did my project work but not other work. This morning, I rushed to take a bath and pray, then quietly but quickly did ironing, jemur kain, washing dishes, and prepared the kids clothes. They seemed quite contented this morning as adik waved me good byes so many times, and kakak was enjoying her morning with her daddy. It was a good start which makes me think, I should be doing my work more efficiently this morning. Today is better than yesterday. I hope so.

 

I managed to write out the amendment letter, pass it to my boss. Then I looked at my technician work in the lab. I talked to one of my researchers on the progress of the mapping and found out that she is holding a class on how to read nautical map. In just 2 hours, I managed to do that. My doldrums are finally over. I am going to write some more on the project work and maybe will blog on my trip home alone with the kids during lunch.

 

Side note: My venture on aerobic class came to no avail. I decided last nite to have a gym workout every available Friday at Uniten instead. My perfumes are selling okay with DH help at his office. I need to loose some weight as the awards day is just around the corner. Could not spend lavishly now that DH contract is on the verge of toppling. Emm..