The Grateful Guy

Sharing my Gratitude Stories

[thegratefulguy]

Gratitude is good for me. I am grateful that I could manage boss for the skepticism he spewed again yesterday about doing something is better than nothing. It's not true. It was good though because I managed to handle it by telling myself it was good out loud while it was happening. I could see a tiny reaction of surprise on his face when I started doing that. It was awesome because it helped me take in all his criticism and sarcasm, then reframe them into insights, positives and tools to help him understand that the root (real business value) is more important than the leaves and flowers (vanity metrics). It was good because I thought I did a really good job by the end of it. After the team has left the table, and when I tried to gauge his state of mind, he joked that he is processing and that even if agrees with me, he might not want to show it. Lol. Nowz that's a win.:)

[thegratefulguy]

Tired

Tired is good. It's a sign I had completed something difficult. I had addressed the boss' concerns about speed and doing something is better than nothing. It's a flawed premise. It consumes the same amount of effort and time (arguably) to do the right things vs the wrong things and while the right things take time to manifest (the leaves and the flowers) the roots are growing healthily in the domain of purpose, right strategies, right execution, feedback loop and focus. It matters because when the roots are healthy, then the plant is resilient to grow into fruit bearing trees. If the boss wants the fruits of good sales, happy customers and famous brands, then the trees need to be healthy. This a good analogy. I am satisfied despite the fatigue.

[thegratefulguy]

Lessons from the book Seven and a Half Lessons about the Brain

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I just finished listening to the book and it took me 2 days.

The 1st new idea learned is the brain is a network. The 2nd new idea is that all of the understanding of brains so far are metaphorical, including the one that the brain is a network. The other metaphors are the brain is a house for the soul, and the famous system 1 and system 2 by Nobel Laureate, Daniel Kahneman. The 3rd new idea learned is the brain's purpose is not for thinking, it is for prediction. It is a system for budgeting the resources needed by our bodies to survive and to thrive (i.e. protect ourselves, pass on our genes, etc) and then predicting the next best move for us. Thank you Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett. Listen to Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett on Audible. https://www.audible.com/pd/1721358056?source_code=ASSOR1500219210011

[thegratefulguy]

I just noticed that the first Tower of my condo is coming almost complete now it has a top If you could see and I feel both good and excited. I feel good because there is progress and then I feel excited in anticipation of the interior design project that I need to put into place. I suppose progress is a good thing and I shall celebrate it.

[thegratefulguy]

Integrity is the most expensive gift, but it's a gift I will give myself because with integrity, I can live and love with courage, confidence and calm not found otherwise. It's expensive because it takes effort, discipline and grit to not waver, to not bend, to navigate creatively while standing firm on my values. It costs sleep, sacrifice, some friendships and relationships, and to a certain extent youthfulness. But it's worth it. I didn't lie about my whereabouts. I kept it to myself and a few close friends. I refuse to lie. I won't stoop to my critics' level. I will stand tall. If I attracted more criticisms, temptations and difficulties, then so be it. I will deal with it. I will deal with all.

[thegratefulguy]

Note to self, mentees, students & future kids:

1) Never let anyone tell you you can't do anything.

2) Keep thinking you can learn to do anything if you want to.

3) Keep learning, keep moving.

4) When you make a mistake, don't be afraid, choose courage and lesrn from the mistake. Eat, sleep, do this and repeat. Maybe throw in exercise in it.

5) I promise you, if you can do this, you will grow beyond your wildest dreams. All your desires will be attracted to you. Remember, you're a magnet not a desperate thieve or robber. You don't chase. Good things come to you. Just keep growing.

#youcan

[thegratefulguy]

Fake people are great! When they were fake, I learned to transcend and be even smarter and stronger. Thanks GG and JLR! Without you I wouldn't be the leader I am. Thank you for the opportunity to train myself for greater things.

:)

[thegratefulguy]

Feeling annoyed by the cleaners were awesome. It means I have high standards of communication and when I felt annoyed for repeating the same instructions, it means that I value efficiency and effectiveness. It's an opportunity to help them get more efficient and effective. :) Thank you!

[thegratefulguy]

Incompetent people are great! They automatically created the opportunities for competent people to thrive and make a great impact in the world. I love incompetent people! :)

[thegratefulguy]

Mistakes are good. They are stepping stones to greater heights of improvement. :) I love mistakes.

[thegratefulguy]

Loving this. 2020 mantra.

[thegratefulguy]

The first new thing that I am very grateful for is GTD in helping me manage manipulation from a junior manager from the brand team. I am grateful because since I practise GTD, I have done take all the steps and done all the actions to progress things and I have actually not dropped any ball. I am grateful because I could ride on top of marketing director and CEO's ineffectiveness in bridging desired change with actual actionable plans to support the execution of the change. The marketing director didn't involve me in her planning and thus when disconnect happen and she laid it on me, I could fight back with next steps to show it is hers and junior manager's ineffectiveness in the flow and chain of processes that created all the unnecessary waste of effort and time of the team being the waste of my time, the data analyst's time, the engagement head's time and the graphic designer's time. I am grateful that I am so advance in GTD now to be able to sieve that out. Praise the Lord. Alleluia. The second new thing that I am most grateful for is Jack Ryan the series on Amazon Prime which turned out to be really good. OMG. I am grateful because Tom Clancy's work is readily available and I can access that on Audible for fun next time. The third new thing that I am most grateful for is the Nov salary is out. I am grateful because it's the reward for my hardwork. Thank you, Abba. 30 November 2019.

[thegratefulguy]

The first new thing that I am grateful for today is morning is that loving kindness meditation as taught by Sharon Salzburg detoxified my mind this morning. I am grateful for because I woke up feeling confused, tired, disconnected and angry. But as I listened to the podcast episode on loving kindness by Salzburg, I reconnected with the feelings of calm, peace and gentleness. Thank you, Sharon! Please find the link episode here : https://www.stitcher.com/s?eid=46798471&refid=asa. The second new thing that I am grateful for is the fact that one of senior executive is staying back instead of resigning and she has reconnected with me in a deeper level. I can sense deeper level of the trust and the cheerfulness that weren't there before. I am most grateful because the journey of connecting kindly yet firmly with her has brought forth growth in her and in our working relationship. Amen. The third new thing that I am most grateful for is the fact that I am no longer worried about pushing back to others. I experienced a rude behaviour from someone I was making an initial connection with last evening after work, for a social purpose. But he demanded for something that I didn't have and was not willing to create for him. It was against my principles. He reacted with a four letter word and labeled me with a less than generous label. I just brushed it off by stating that it was lame to which he reacted with a nonsensical remark ("lame siah" which could point to a certain nationality). I saw the message this morning and decided to push back with 3 very firm remarks to make a point. We are in this world to make connections with one another for better or for worse, and there's no need for such rudeness and demands. I am grateful that I did that because I have grown out of the hole of guilt in which I have dwelled for a long time. I used to feel guilty for pushing back to difficult people. Now, I learned through experience and books that pushing back to surprise the initiator and the engage constructively is the right way to deal with them. I am grateful for my growth. 29 Nov 2019.

[thegratefulguy]

Annoyed my niece during dinner last evening. #family #love #friends #happy #fun #instagood #baby #photography #life #kids #like #photooftheday #cute #instagram #follow #smile #familytime #beautiful #picoftheday #travel #familia #nature #happiness #food #home #momlife #mom #fashion #summer #bhfyp https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Yq3NypC7S/?igshid=hjzsl6by7qh7

[thegratefulguy]

The girl who fell to earth She gets her kicks from science It's hard to see, it's not enough When you're blinded by computer love So tear it down and play it rough You don't mean to mess it up How I wish we could start over You wear your elastic heart on your chewed up sleeve First you cry and then you laugh You're like a circle, cut in half Another night of broken sleep I'll comfort you, I'll warm your dreams But you've still got time, my warrior child When the storm starts it's only on the outside At times we couldn't see the light We only wipe our tears dry I know you're there, I know it's you The girl inside is breaking through The girl who fell to earth #lifesoundtrack #currentplaylist #modernlove #looping https://www.instagram.com/p/B3130BvJpoW/?igshid=sbl118s8ed5h

[thegratefulguy]

Myanmar secret restaurant? Look for the Grab screenshot. Lol. #Explore. #Foodie. #myanmarfood #Yangon #Pansodan #MyanmarSecretRestraurant #eatdrinkbemerry #eatdrinkplay https://www.instagram.com/p/B31BAq1pQ8Q/?igshid=c7j6124j7hqi

[thegratefulguy]

#brunch #yangon #pansuriya (at Pansuriya အနုပညာဆုံမှတ်) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3oRuoDpAJB/?igshid=7bctjsgsdmzv