How Do You Look at Failures?

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 Let me share to you a short story.

Background: I'm working in a BPO Company in the Philippines.

Working on a night shift has been a struggle for me. I've been working on a day shift for 6 years and when I transfer to a BPO company, I found it really difficult to keep myself awake at night to work. But due to financial needs, I need to condition my mind, health and body to work every night.

A great opportunity came in the first quarter of 2012 where there's ramp in one of the line of business of our company and they would  be needing few selected individuals to work on a day shift. "Yey! It's my chance to work on a normal basis again," I thought. The candidates would be qualified based on the result of the interview that will be conducted by one of the Operations Manager.

Here comes the interview day. I thought I was ready. I prepared answers to the commonly asked questions during interviews. The interview was scheduled from 4AM-6AM.

At 3AM, my team lead approached me and told me that she had something to tell me. I discovered that I had an escalation. Escalation is an incident where the clients reported directly to your manager because you committed mistakes or you did not meet their expected results. I was so depressed. I felt that I was so dumb and stupid. I lost my concentration on the interview because I was so focused on my escalation.

My schedule of interview came. The first question was raised.

Guess what happened?

There were no words coming out from my mouth.

I can't answer the question. I maybe knew the answer, but I found it difficult to express it.

I was so nervous.. until I answered the question in Tagalog (which is not a good practice and really sounded funny!)

Of course, you know the result of the interview. I didn't get the day job.

Again, I felt so depressed. I was asking myself, "Am I really that dumb?"

Then one day, a talk was given to the church about facing failures. The preacher said "Your failures are temporary."

Those words hit me. Then I realized that it's really true. I might fail now but it's not yet the end of the world. I can still do something, I can still do better. I can still be the best.

I realized that I should not be worried too much on my failures. I should take failures as an opportunity to act more intelligently. Failures are better than successes, because they are the main sources of our most important lessons in life. 

Have you ever learned a lesson when you are at a peak of success? Maybe yes, but only few.

When you fail,

You start to think.

You start to ponder.

You start to feel pain.

You start to ask questions - Why did I fail? What can I do so this would not happen again?

If you are wondering what happened to me after I had an escalation and did not get the position for the day job - I started to improve my work. I became very eager to learn. I could not forget these failures, that's why I did my best to perform well on my job. I began to ask questions when something was not clear. I began to engage in training and activities so I can get more skills.

Guess what? After 6 months, I was awarded as the best employee.

Failures are really blessings. They teach us the most important lessons of victory.
It doesn't matter how many times you fail, what's important is you don't give up and you keep doing what is good.

How about you? How Do You Look at Failures?

Your Online Life Coach,

Maya

Are You Allergic to the Unchurched?

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Do you get annoyed by green jokes of your officemates?

Do you feel that you can't stand anymore the cursing you're hearing from your friends?

Are you upset everytime you hear your friends gossiping or bullying someone?

Do you stay away from these people because you think these people are not holy enough for you?

Maybe you're taking the wrong path.

According to studies, the more a person attends a church, the more he isolates himself from the unchurched. He becomes more allergic to the non Christians. He easily gets annoyed to the wrong things done by people around him.

But is this really the proof of growing spiritually- being annoyed to the wrong acts of people?
Come to think of it, how can we multiply God's disciples if we will condemn people?

How would you know that you are REALLY spiritually growing?- When you commit yourself to accept the unchurched. When you become non-judgmental to the sinners. When you maintain to be friends with the sinners so you can also help them become God's disciples.

Do you have friends who have addictions?
Do you have friends who commit adultery?
Do you have friends who do not even believe in God?

Don't condemn them. 
Stay friends with them and inspire them to be a disciple. Not by reading bible verses with them. Not by praying with them. Not by forcing them to go to church.

But by showing to them how life could be so great if they only follow Jesus like you. Show them you love them and you won't condemn them no matter what sins they commit. Love like Jesus.

Make disciples by being a loving friend. 
And you will be surprised on how would that kind of genuine friendship bring your family and friends closer to God.

Your Online Life Coach,
Maya

Will You Be My Valentine?

This is going to be short, because I know everybody is going to be busy on this day.

It's Valentine's Day again, what are your plans?

I was listening to a Christian talk few minutes ago and I got a very good tip for fathers out there who have a daughter.

Fathers who have young daughters - send flowers, give chocolates, or just give something to your daughter every Valentine's day. Let you be your daughter's Valentines while they are young and still studying. Make them feel special on this day. Why? Because if you don't, they will find it elsewhere and you would not want that to happen.

Couples - Continue to let God be the center of your relationship.  Prepare something special for your spouse today. Husbands, exert some efforts to make this day special for your wife. Prepare a surprise romantic dinner date. Give her flowers. Sing a song for her. Dance for her. Do anything that would make your wife remember this day. Wives, appreciate your husbands. Tell them how much you love them everyday. Affirm that you appreciate every little thing that he does for the family.

Singles with Special Someone - Let God guide you in your relationship. Please avoid premarital sex. I know it's accepted nowadays by many. Always remember, not because it's done by many, you can follow them. You can make a decision to be different. You can make a decision to follow God's words. You can celebrate this day in other ways. Explore each other's minds, not each other's bodies.

"We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day"

- 1 Corinthians 10:8 

Singles without Special Someone- Expose yourself to the right kind of people so you will also be seen. Join Church ministries, but don't let the exposure just be the reason. Discern the right kind of man/woman for you. Don't be depressed if you still have no date this Valentine's day. I'm sure God is preparing someone for you. Just wait and be patient.

Most of all, on this day, please remember that someone loves us so much that He even gave His son to  save us. Nothing can beat that LOVE.

Enjoy this day everyone! 


Your Online Life Coach, 
Maya

Let Giving Become Our Lifestyle

 This happened few days ago.

Since I'm starting to manage my finances properly, I decided to fill up may emergency funds first in the bank before I make some investments. I said to myself "By this salary cutoff, I should have at least P10K in my savings account for my emergency fund. (Don't laugh at me if it's still too low, I'm just starting. hahaha!) There should be no instance that the savings would be lowered to P10K. 

Thank God I reached that! I had P10K in my savings account! Yey! I was so happy.

Then one day, one of my friends texted and told me that he needed some money because his mother was suffering from severe joint pains and that he needed to bring her to the hospital. I knew I had money to give, but I had second thoughts because of my rules of having at least P10K in the bank, and I had no other money to give other than my savings. Giving some portion of my savings would lowered my target amount of savings this salary cutoff.

I prayed and asked for God's guidance. Then, I asked myself "Why am I saving money for emergency funds? Isn't it this money really meant for emergencies like this?"

I just realized that my emergency funds was not really meant for "my emergency funds" only, but also to other people who need it. And yes, I decided to give the money and I didn't care anymore about my target amount of savings fund in the bank. I know I can earn that amount again.

What did I get from giving?

Tremendous amount of fulfillment and happiness. No amount of money can exceed that. 

There are things we can give which are more valuable than money.

APPRECIATION. SMILE. HUGS. LOVE.

What have you given today? 

 
 Your Online Life Coach,
Maya

Be Smart: Don't Gossip

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If you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all.

If you think your words can hurt others, please keep it to yourself.

Don't gossip just for the sake of having a topic for your conversations. You are smart enough to talk about wisdom, ideas, events, and knowledge, instead of people.

When you are in a group where the members are ridiculing about a person because of his clothes, style, physical attributes or for whatever reason,

Or you are in a middle of conversation where your friends talk about what's happening negative to other people's life,

Make a decision to stay quiet, analyze the real situation and hold your judgment. 

Only fools can make impulsive judgment.

If you can, redirect the conversation to other meaningful topic.

Yes, it's difficult to avoid gossiping.

But why do we have to do this?

Because we love God and we love people.

If we are willing to make a difference by being a wonderful individual, we can do it.

It's just a matter of practice.

Try to avoid gossip beginning today - to your home, to your office, to your school, wherever you are.

And you'll be amazed by the sense of fulfillment that you will feel.

That you overcome the bad habit.

Make a difference.

Your Online Life Coach,
Maya