27/6/05

I'll just talk abt the highlight from now on haha. No body will be interested in how i wake up, how i eat, how i walk from here to there.

I went to WEstwinds early to help to carry the instruments to esplanade. The rehearsal was ok, not that hateful, not very enjoyable too. It seems like all the conductors like loud loud band sound. Well, thats ok by me because the hall is very big. Just hope i can have enough endurance. I need to buzz my mouthpiece everyday to maintain my chops. I'm still thinking abt the idea of leaving that place. Its a big waste actually. Staying in there will entitle me with great chance of more performance. If the only thing i hate is the loud sound, then I'll join them. Someone said," If you can't beat them, join them." I totally agree.

Slice of Life

Staying Empowered During Stressful Times

It happens to the best of us. No matter how adept we become in handling difficulties, solving problems, and staying optimistic, there will be times when the once brightly-lit road becomes foggy. We can't perform at 100% 100% of the time. Sometimes we trip, and occasionally, the mistake can feel so severe that it gives our previously rock-solid confidence a resounding crack. So what do we do when we start to feel lost? How can we remain empowered and positive through stressful times?

Well, firstly, many people think that asking for help or guidance is a sign of weakness. It's needy, they feel, something that the truly capable will never request, even though they may really need the support. This is a mistaken view. The giving of help need not be a simple handout. When we give, we also receive. And if we are open to the gift of help, we may yet gain the strength that we can use to help others in future. You don't have to be the victim in need of charity. Make it a partnership; something that benefits all parties involved either immediately or in the future.

When our confidence takes a beating, we may feel like withdrawing from society, from the communities in which we used to participate. But this simply strains your self-worth even more. So, even if you're in a particularly stressful state, continue to tap into any groups of people with whom you have positive, interactive relationships on an ongoing basis. Sometimes, when everybody expects you to shrivel and disappear, simply showing up will be enough to give you and your community that much-needed boost.

During nerve-racking times, it's also important that you remain real and true to yourself. It's easy to feel as though you've become half the person you used to be. But staying positive and re-connecting with your passions and life purpose will help a great deal. Stay centred and self-respecting, but be careful not to overdo it as to appear arrogant or delusional.

When we're at our lowest ebb, when we're feeling so deflated that we think we cannot possibly have anything more to give? we can very often surprise ourselves. Mountaineers, long-distance runners, and other endurance sportspeople know that even if it feels as if we have only one remaining breath, if that breath is spent giving ourselves one final push, we can often achieve the seemingly insurmountable. So give of yourself.

Do what you can to still help others. The joy of giving from the heart may just be enough to bridge that gap between stress and joy, and give you a whole new positive direction.

And remember to always turn towards love. Grow towards greatness. At the end of the day, there are only two choices - love or fear. If you can love without fear, you will never be beaten.