#46 - This Happened to Me in 2023: Year in Review

Hey friends!

I'm really excited about this issue because.... this will be the last issue for this year.

I will be spending more time to chill and enjoy the rest of 2023 before it goes away in a few more blinks.

See you back in 2024!

There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in. - Desmond Tutu

This week's edition:

• ✍️ This Happened to Me in 2023: Year in Review
• 🎧 Work It - Can a leader lack charisma and still be successful?
• 💡 Stickies - Post its for your Windows desktop

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✍️ This Happened to Me in 2023: Year in Review

Hey, you. Yes, you. The one who is reading this blog post right now.

How are you doing?

How was your 2023?

Was it a good year for you? Or was it a bad year? Or maybe somewhere in between?

Whatever your answer is, I’m glad you’re here.

Because I want to share with you my 2023.

The good, the bad, and the ugly. The highs, the lows, and the in-betweens.

The achievements, the challenges, and the lessons.

Why do I want to share this with you?

Well, for two reasons. One, because I think it’s important to reflect on our past and learn from our experiences.

As the wise philosopher Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living”.

And two, because I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire you, motivate you, or at least entertain you.

So, are you ready to hear my 2023 roundup? Then buckle up, grab a snack, and let’s go.

My Goals and Achievements in 2023

At the start of 2023, I had three main goals: to focus on my health, family, and business.

These were the same goals that I had in 2022, but I wanted to continue and improve them in 2023.

After all, they say that consistency is the key to success, right?

So, how did I do with these goals?

Well, I think I did pretty well, considering the circumstances.

Let me tell you more.

Health

Health is wealth, as they say. And I couldn’t agree more.

Especially after the pandemic that shook the world in 2020 and 2021, I realized how important it is to take care of our physical and mental well-being.

That’s why, in 2023, I was kinder to myself and more mindful of my health.

I reduced the items on my calendar and learned to chill more.

I realized that chilling is a good way to boost my creativity, which is essential for my work and life.

I also tried some new things to help me focus better at work, such as running a scented diffuser at my work station and listening to music crafted to put you in the zone.

Did you know that aromatherapy and music therapy can positively affect your mood, memory, and productivity?

Of course, I also did the usual things that are good for my health, such as eating well, sleeping well, and exercising well.

Well, maybe not so well on the last one. I admit that I sometimes overdid it with the exercise, which caused me some physical ailments.

More on that later.

Continue reading...

🎧 Podcast

Work It - Can a leader lack charisma and still be successful?

Increasingly soft skills in leaders are becoming as important as hard skills. But what exactly are the soft skills needed and what if top managers lack these? Yeo Chuen Chuen, Managing Director of ACESENCE Agile Leadership Coaching and Training, who coaches Fortune 500 leaders, is our guest. 

💡Recommendations

1️⃣ Stickies - Post its for your Windows desktop

I see the merits of physical post-its but find them to be so wasteful since they are designed to be thrown away soon after.

Instead, I use Stickies to be my digital post-its.

They are not meant to replace my full-blown note apps like Apple Notes or Notion but do the best job for the occasional short-term scribble you need to be reminded of on your desktop.

2️⃣ ULANZI desktop fill light

As someone who dabbled enough in YouTube videos, I know enough that lighting is the most important piece of equipment you need for any video, whether a Zoom meeting or a video recording.

And many people still cannot get the lighting right. They think their ceiling lights are good enough but are usually not positioned optimally to light your face.

If you want to be well-lit and have little space to play with (just like me), check out ULANZI desktop fill light.

I have a pair of them clamped to my desk, so it takes little space.  Just position them at each side of your 45 degrees and you will be amazed at how you look in video from now on.

3️⃣ EXPAND 40 Series

I love ANC functions in headphones.

They are especially useful now since it is the school holiday and I share the study room with my kids.

But wearing a headphone 8 hours a day is just too much, even if they were to use unicorn leather for the ear cups.

But laptop audio usually sucks.

A better option is to invest in a Speakerphone. Which means it also has a microphone.

It can also be wireless so you can be far away from your computer if you need to.

🙏Thanks For Reading

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