Its Always Darkest Before the Sunrise...

My parents gave me this picture when I was young, and it was always on my bedroom wall while I was growing up. My dad always said that "everything happens for reason, the good, the bad and even the ugly all have a distinct purpose for your greater good and that your Guardian Angel, or God will always guide and protect your path throughout life."

Recently, since my life, travels and other aspects of my current circumstances & responsibilities have been more than a full load to handle, (those that know me personally have had a glimpse of the curve balls that have been thrown my way in the past 12 months)

But interestingly enough, I found this 'stress test' online ** http://www.stresstips.com/lifeevents.htm ** (that I suggest you do) that I will post on my blog here soon that talks about all the stressful life events that a person goes thought, and the average person should score around 150 using this self assessment system they created to judge how 'stressed' someone is or could be.

My score was 560!

Meaning, I have encountered almost 5 times the maximum stress load of the 'normal' person, in just the last 12 months alone.

They base this score upon recent changes in your life focusing on the lat 12 months, and since then I have moved countries multiple times, plus moved apartments more times then I can recall, started new jobs, a breakup / ended a relationship, started investing in a new risky market, had to deal with 2 deaths in my family while overseas (my uncle and my grandma only 1 week apart over Chirstmas), had 2 court proceedings; one for a rental property I manage and the other most importantly re negotiating and improving the custody agreement of my son as his mother and I are really working things out in a positive way which is a huge relief, and that is all that really matters, (and for those of you who are wondering, since I have been overseas working its ironic but both the relationships with my son and his mother have really strengthend and improved more so when we were in closer living proximity, we have Skype video webcam connections a couple times a week and it is a healthy balance).

However, in saying that, I really can't wait to be back with my little man asap :)

Also, my parents, being the great people they are, just re sent this picture above that was in my old bedroom to me, along with this poem that really is quite fitting especially considering this past 'transition' period of my life...

This poem made me realize that everything that not only happens, happens for a reason, but it happens because God allowed it to happen.

A big distinction there...
 
Me: Promise You won't get mad
God: ......I promise
Me: Why did You let so much stuff happen to me today?
God: What do u mean?
Me: Well, I woke up late
... ... God: Yes
Me: My car took forever to start
God: Okay
Me: at lunch they made my sandwich wrong & I had to wait
God: Hmmmmm
Me: On the way home, my phone went DEAD, just as I picked up a call
God: All right
Me: And on top of it all off, when I got home ~I just want to soak my feet in my new foot massager & relax. BUT it wouldn't work!!! Nothing went right today! Why did You do that?

God: Let me see, the death angel was at your bed this morning & I had to send one
of My Angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that
Me (humbled): OH
GOD: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.
Me: (ashamed)
God: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick & I didn't want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn't afford to miss work.
Me (embarrassed):Okay
God: Your phone went dead bcuz the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call, I didn't even let you talk to them so you would be covered.
Me (softly): I see God
God: Oh and that foot massager, it had a short that would knock out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn't think you wanted to be in the dark.
Me: I'm Sorry God

God: Don't be sorry, just learn to Trust Me.... in All things , the Good & the bad.
Me: I will trust You.
God: And don't doubt that My plan for your day is Always Better than your plan.
Me: I won't God. And let me just tell you God, Thank You for Everything today.
God: You're welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I Love looking after My Children...

So I guess the life lesson is, what appears to be 'bad luck' or circumstances, can actually be a blessing in disguise..

I have realized my most important priorities in my life are broken down into the Four F's:

Faith

Family

Finances

Fun (and these days "fun" for me means surfing)

Here is a collage I made to represent them and keep me focused on them...

I sincerely hope this poem passage helps put things or troubles in your own life in perspective for you, as it did for me.

All my best,

Quinton

50 Simple Ways To Reduce Stress at Home and at Work

I agree with these items I found from the article below on how to reduce stress...

1. Breathe, when you feel tense, take 10 slow, deep breaths in through your nose, out through your mouth.

2. Touch, hug someone, hold hands, stroke a pet, make non-sexual physical contact with people, brush your hair.

3. Communicate, be honest with your Self and others. Ask for what you want. Express your true feelings when they occur.

4. Drink at least eight, 8 oz. glasses of good water a day. This flushes toxins out of our body.

5. See the humor in life. Laugh at your self and life. Have fun and "play" at life.

6. Meditation 15 minutes a day. Take time to relax, sit, breathe deeply, quiet your mind. Record In-sights and dreams in a journal.

7. Be Human. Let up on yourself. Forgive your self and others. Slow down and enjoy being alive.

8. Communicate with friends. Spend time with each other. Share the good stuff.

9. Hug three people each day. Relax and enjoy the feeling of

10. Quit worrying about the Future. Concentrate on what you can do NOW.

11. Make a TO DO list of your agreements for each month. Schedule both play time and free time, and do both activities.

12. Write it down. Make notes to yourself. Make a list. Write special dates down on your calendar. Put it on tape.

13. Say "NO" Allow yourself to say "NO" to some requests. Don't over commit yourself. Put yourself first; say YES to you.

14. Clean it up Recycle old junk and papers. Clean your physical and mental house of old garbage.

15. Wear comfortable, clean clothes, that make you feel good about yourself.

16. Avoid doing anything to excess, even having fun.

18. Express and receive love as often as possible to yourself and others.

19. You always have choices in life. Re-Order your priorities. If you are not happy, choose some- thing new.

20. Express your anger to the person involved the moment it's experienced.

21. Be honest with yourself con- cerning your fears. Ask for more information or assistance.

22. Crying is nature's way of releasing toxins from the body, releasing stress, or expressing joy.

23. Change is constant. You can choose to change your choice anytime you want to do so.

24. Trust your Self, and value your needs and choices. Follow your own intuition.

25. Live in the moment. Stop fanta- sizing about "What If ". Choose from what IS available, Now.

26. Feel good about yourself and your choices in life. Value what you Believe in. Walk your Talk.

27. Forgive yourself and others. Withholding Love does not nurture relationships.

28. When you do not love yourself first, you can not be satisfied by loving and doing for others.

29. Make a commitment to expand your Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, and Physical well-being.

30. Your most valuable and limited resource is your time. Value it, so others will.

31. Obtain a written job description from your boss. Make any changes needed to keep your agreements.

32. Take pride in your work. You only get One First Impression! 33. Be responsible for your work. Do your best with every opportunity.

34. Only do your job. Do not get conned into permanently assuming another person's job responsibilities.

35. Do not play office politics. Be open and above board in all your relationships. Honor your Integrity.

36. Do not listen to, encourage, or spread gossip. It damages your credibility and others.

37. Talk with your co-workers about how to work together to solve problems.

38. Don't be a "fix it " person for people's problems.

39. When you have a problem, go to the person who can solve that specific problem. Ask questions.

40. Ask questions. When you are not sure, or don't know, get information before taking action.

41. Contribute Become a solution provider for problems, not just a problem discoverer.

42. Leave work. When you go home, Go Home ! Work can be a part of your life, not your whole life.

43. Put your family, career, and Self in perspective; know which is most important and nourish it.

44. Value your emotions. Feel your feelings. Allow yourself to express them appropriately as they occur.

45. Express your anger directly with clarity. Indirect or covert anger only prolongs distress and distrust.

46. When asked, always tell the whole truth to yourself and to others.

47. Respect your own ideas, and have respect for other people's feelings, ideas, and choices.

48. Exercise, walk, stretch, move about. Staying physically fit keeps you mentally fit, emotionally calm, and at peace.

49. Eat healthy foods and chew well. Don't eat just because you are bored, unhappy, or angry. 50. Experience and express joy at being alive, at having choices, and at the opportunity to explore loving relationships.

Business as UN-usual

Interesting to see the worlds 'six degrees of separation" working in this video as Yanik Silver, (who I met during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics) here is a shot of Grandville St

Yanik grills Brandson with some good points on business, on life and having fun...

Connected...But Alone (phones are robbing us, from us)

I took this photo earlier when I was coming home from my weekly b ball game at KSU heading back to Jangsan on a subway here in South Korea.

Living in Asia for over a year now off and on, it is clear that one this is more important than anything else: technology, (and education / studying of course).

For example, there are more cell phones in Korea than people, for real, apparently there is 1.5 phones per person (including kids).

Not to mention that almost ALL my students (under 10 years old) have smart phones, and they use them in class, playing games, texting, and using online dictionaries.

Its crazy.

Some of these phones are almost bigger than they are.

You know hat else is crazy?

Just the other day I counted the messenger apps on my phone...I have 7!

WTF?!

No wonder my iphone is always vibrating and beeping with apps going off all day and night like:

Skype

Twitter

Facebook

Facebook chat messenger

Whatsapp

good ol fashion text SMS

and now I have the Korean messaging phenomenon called "Kakao Talk" that is the main means of communication between everyone over here.

This TED TALK is a great insight on how we are more connected, but also more alone than ever and how it is going to get worse, before it ever gets any better.


Now, what many are saying is the next biggest threat to our society is (and a warning to you all) to NEVER install a 'chip' into your body...it may seem 'way out there'...

But this is apparently the next step in the "Tec Evolution".

Doing that, installing a robotic chip in your body for banking, personal contact info, and tracking would be the beginning of the end, in more ways that you would like to know.

We already have apps that can trace where you are, 'check in' on FB to show your location, its getting pretty creepy if you ask me but becoming mechanical instead of just flesh and bone like we were created is crossing the line of human and robots as the lady spoke of in her TED TALK above...food for thought to be aware of.

Recently, I was pretty shocked & disappointed when my 7 year old son told me that his mom got him a cell phone.

I didn't have a cell phone until I was 21 in my 3rd year of university.

When I was 7 all I wanted to do was color and play soccer.

Times are definitely changing...

And a big part of me doesn't think its for the better.

Isn't all this technology designed to make our lives easier and bring us together?

But just try to remember, when is the last time you had a deep, meaningful, uninterrupted conversation with someone, in person, without touching, texting or talking on your phone for over 30 mins?

Harder than you thought, right?

Next time your out in public, take a look around and see how many people are clutching their phones as if it is their life line...cause in a way nowadays, it is.

Right on cue, as I typed this last sentence, my phone beeped.

Ironic.

Damn you Kakao Talk.

**PS, I wanted to update this post and ad this video below because not even a week after I posted this initial video and article above, a reader of mine just emailed me this video below by Google.

I was totally creeped out by it and had to post it here to add to the content above...

Google's latest "Project Glass" product video just sent chills down my spine, (not in a good way). It should be called what the project really is: creating the "human cyborg robot"...

If this is the future of 'communicating', I want no part of it.

Hong Kong

Help Quinton and Max win a trip to Hong Kong! from Maxwell Gustaitis on Vimeo.

Here is the photo logo we created for a new Asian Arilin, called Air Busan.


To Vote Click -> www.busanhaps.com/photo-contest/classroom-shenanigan

Here is an awesome video of this city
http://www.airpano.ru/files/Honkong/start_e.html

PS regardless if we win the trip or not, I'm gonna go to HK after my time here in SK.

See you along the journey...