Change

The first 2 days at new workplace is hard. There are so many things to learn and so many unknown. It is a dauting task. That is probably why I stayed with the old job for so many years. Getting out of comfort zone is difficult. Stressed.

The key is to focus and not rush. Have a cool head. Always try my best. Believe in myself. Treat everyone with respect. There is no turning back. Success or failure depends on many different conditions coming together. Try my best and be peace with the outcome. Things are always fine as it is at this moment. Do not struggle with the present. If things are good at the moment, great. If not, it will get better. There is nothing that I cannot handle. Use this challenge to practice patient and virtues.

Look at things from other's angle. Do not take thing personally. Who is this I? It is the ego. Do not get on the cycle of suffering.

I am the master of my happiness

We cannot control what will happen to us and how other will behave toward us. One day, you could get warming interaction with other, another day, hostile interaction comes you way. A seemingly rude email, un-called for finger pointing or even bullying. It is easy to get upset and have our blood pressure shoot through the roof and get all tense. It may ruin our day. This is so unpleasant.

It does not need to be that way. My happiness is totally under my control as long as I can look at the things I cannot control in a different way. The rude email may have merit or may not. It is not directly at me. Who am I anyway? It is the ego at work. The person may or may not try to hurt your feeling or get back at you so they feel better. Let's them be. As Buddha said "if a person does not accept the gift, the gift belongs back to the giver". Same apply here. Don't accept it. Otherwise, it fall into that the other people wanted, to hurt your feeling or whatever way to harm you. A couple simple step when we are in these situation:

1) Recall Buddha's teaching about the "gift". Say to yourself, I don't accept it, now it belong back to the sender.
2) Feel a sense of accomplishment that you have help the other person to vent or make them feel better, at no cost to you. In fact, it provide a way for you to practice.
3) Feel compassion of the offender that the person is trapped in anger and ignorance.
4) Don't let revenge over power you. It is the worst that could happen.

That is all. I am the master of my happiness.

We make it up! Like child's play.

At work, we are driven by mandates from the big boss. Got to get the bug count to zero by this Friday. Got to resolve all the violations and pass all the tests by this weekend. All these translate into actions and drive people's schedule, mental state, stress level and even family life. Got to work this weekend to make the deliverables. This constructs the world we live in, affect the world of people around us, we are boxed in.

It is clear this is just someone's mandate that construct the reality that we perceived. Have he in a different mode, we may not have the weekend deadline. This is all make up, for reason, of course. The point is, every other thing we know are make up like this. The upcoming holiday, we feel happy, it is make up in my mind. Why December is special? If you like, you can make July feel like Christmas. Why passing of a relative make us sad? Sure, we can be with them anymore. But do we really understanding the truth of someone passing away? Is our feeling the same conditioned one like Christmas in December?

Why should you feel mad when someone honk at you for no good reason? Why should you feel stressed with the tight deadline that need you to work weekend? It is all make up, by ourselves or others. There is no inherent truth to this. That being said, we still have to live in this worldly world and operate. How do you face such challenges? Well, as long as you understanding that as long as you have tried your best with best intention, whatever happen or come your way will be ok. Everything is just as fine as it is, even adversity comes, accept it.

Zen Presentation

Interesting book. Some good points even the book itself is not present very well. Zen, it's application to presentation. There must be more areas that Zen is applicable. Idea for writing a book? May be:)

Presentsion cannot be by ppt itself. It is a combination of ppt and the delivery by you. So, the ppt should only have enough content to attract audience's attention, not clamped with all the detail. If not, it is just the ppt is enough, we don't need you for the delivery. Memorable picture with few word is a good one. The detail comes from your delivery.

Keep it simple. No transition, no flip, no flash, just plain and simple to focus on the message without any unnecessary distraction.

It is not just the fact. Presentation conveys insights. It unleashes pattern between relationship and makes it obvious to the audiences. If you cannot explain complex topic in a simple form, you don't understand the topic well enough yet.

It is not the software. It is the content.

Think about death everyday

Steve Jobs said if you realize you are going to die, you know that there is nothing to lose. You are already naked. I agree with that. So often we care about how others will think of us. The expectation of others drive our actions. Is that really want we want to do with our lives?

If we drive a new flashy car, people will envy us and we feel good. How often do this drive our buying decision? Yes, we are social animal and look for validation of others. But we are going to die anyway, will that matter? I should ask myself every time when I face a decision. Is this decision influenced by how other will perceived of me? Am I doing what I think is right?

This Moment

It was a beautiful ride before sunset. I sat at the bench, observing the tranquil setting of the bay. Water flow slowly from the bay leading inward to a lagoon. Soft wind sway the golden grass in the wetland. A group of seagull flew by peacefully. The water is blue, the sky is clear, the wind is pleasing, the quietness is just what I would call a perfect setting for relaxation.

I am in the moment, absorbed deeply at the current moment. I felt this before. When I am really into what is happening at the moment, whether iit is about work, leisure of even chores, the feeling is hard to described but felt satisfying. Yes, cycling is one of them. Especially on a long ride. The focus on the moment, the care free setting, there is very little other thoughts or worry.

I was reflecting. This is a million dollar view. Being able to enjoy this is a privilege. Isn't this what I want went I retired and become financially secured. Probably in another 10 years. But wait, why do I have to wait. Isn't all here right before my eyes. Sure, I still have to go to work tomorrow. However, why can't I feel the satisfaction as if I am retired and financially secured right now. What is the difference? In fact, even for someone that have to worry about where their food will come today can enjoy the same satisfaction of the setting at that very moment. I realize that the difference is make up in our own mind or dilution. We are what we think, it is so true. We bring all the suffering and worry to ourselves. There is no one to blame.

Expectation of others

I was expecting so kind words after years of distinguish service. I was expecting sincere appreciation and well wishes after being a good boss and mentor of others. Some came and some didn't. I was disappointed, but not bitter.

Having expectation on others is suffering. This is like trying to control something that is out of your control. I realize that just do your part, the area within your control and let it happen. If it come, great. If it does not come, that is fine too. In this case, I would say if the appreciation does not come, I won't be upset, I need to practice being humble anyway. So, without that expectation, I won't suffer. Really, nothing really change with or without the appreciation.

In often see parent that have high expectation for their children suffer. However, this does not mean we do not help and push our children to do their best. We should. However, just do the best we can and let the result land where it may. We have done the part we have control of and let the expectation go.