Do you know you are special?

I’m Special - Author Unknown

I’m Special. In all the world there is nobody like me.
Since the beginning of time, there has never been another person like me.
Nobody has my smile. Nobody has my eyes, my nose, my hair, my voice.
I’m special.
No one can be found who has my handwriting.
Nobody anywhere has my tastes – for food or music or art.
No one sees things as I do.
In all of time there’s been no one who laughs like me, no one who cries like me.
And what makes me laugh and cry will never provoke identical laughter and tears from anybody else, ever.
I’m the only one in all creation who has my set of abilities. Oh, there will always be somebody who is better at one of the things that I’m good at, but no one in the universe can reach the quality of my combination of talents, abilities and feelings.
Like a room full of musical instruments, some may excel alone, but none can match the symphony sound when all are played together. I am a symphony.
Through all of eternity no one will ever look, talk, walk, think or do like me. I’m special. I’m rare.
And in rarity there is value.
Because of my great rate value, I need not attempt to imitate others. I will accept, yes, celebrate – my differences.
I’m special. And I’m beginning to realize it’s no accident that I’m special. I’m beginning to see that God made me special for a very special purpose. He must have a job for me that no one else can do as well as I. Out of the billions of applicants, only one is qualified, only one has the combination of what it takes. The one is me. Because ... I’m special.

HAPPY NIU YEAR

They all say this is going to be a difficult year.
This is what we don't like to hear,
Because it instils not confidence but fear.
But cheer up, just lend me your ear.

Dont be mentally muzzled by your sacred cow.
It's time to change your paradigm, change it NOW.
For with bovine strength you can plough
Through the field of adversity; you will not bow.

The soil from dawn to dusk you till;
Your daily tasks, for your own sake must fulfil.
Lest you the Golden Egg Goose kill,
Abstain from lavishing on Prime, Kobe beef and veal.

There may be insufficient cash in your purse,
So your resources you must preserve, conserve and reserve.
No bullshit, save the cow dung for fuel to convert,
Following the adage of 'Waste not want not.'

No matter how tough, never be cowed into yielding,
Cos' 'When the going gets tough, the Tough gets going.'
You wiil have to trust your heart and tripe feeling
At all times, keeping at the bullseye focusing.

And when you pull through, you can the Victory shout.
Your success is actually failure turned inside out.
Your limited cow sense might have caused you doubt,
But you persevered with bull strength for success to come about.

Training Students

Posing with some of the Happy and Fun Students

I was among 10 other trainers from a training company which we are associates, training the students in a girls school of Secondary 4 and 5 teaching them study skills for 2 and half days recently. It was fun and at the same time gruelling for me. It was not easy to engage the students for long period at a stretch. The class of girls I had numbered 38. Many of them are interested with some occasionally distracting the class by talking to each other. Overall girls tend to behave better than boys. That is my observation in my experience also with several other schools I have trained.

In this particular school the behaviour of the teaching staff, mostly ladies and the students behave indifferently to each other. I observe that the students do not pay respect to the teachers nor acknowlege them. We who are visitors are also treated likewise. The teachers and students treat us as strangers. Indeed we are strangers because we are visitors. The security guard has more respect for us strangers. His EQ is higher than the educators and educated of the school.

This is the sad state of affair in some schools in Singapore. These same girls will go out into society and treat people around them with indifference, because they are not taught the importance of good manners. One girl removed her shoes and sat cross-legged, while I was teaching and in the presence of a teacher observing the class. The teacher was not bothered about such a display of rudeness by the student. I had to ask the student to put down her legs and wear her shoes. It will not be easy to teach them decorum and manners after they leave school.

Christmas Greetings

Aaron Boutillier's Book Launch At Hyatt Hotel

Wai Ching, Thomas, Angeline and Justina

With Aaron Boutillier and Lee Wai Ching

Aaron Le Boutillier has recently written a book 'And Then One Morning' and had it launched in Singapore at Hyatt Hotel yesterday. The book recounts his narrow escape from death in the 2004 Tsunami when he was in Koh Phi Phi Island in Southern Thailand. The book is published by Big Waves Publications which website is: http://www.bigwavepublications.com/index.html
I was delightfully surprised to meet some crew and ex-crew, in particular was Lee Wai Ching who left SQ in the 80s.
I have known Aaron since he began training the Singapore Airlines Cabin Crew in 2003 in the REACT programme. Whilst training the Cabin Crew, he would often pop in my desk to chat, during his breaks. The crew enjoy his training and he get along very well with them. He is well liked by the crew.
One morning after surviving the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004, Aaron and I were discussing about deaths and suicides at our work place, I told Aaron that I had a theory about suicide. I told him that if you have a mother to love, you cannot commit suicide. His eyes brightened up and he began to recall his near death encounter with the Tsunami. He said, "Yes I agree with you. When I thought I was going to die, I thought of my mother and said silently, 'I'm sorry Mum.'" He mentioned about this apology to his mother in the book.
To those of you who know Choice Theory, what are your views about my theory of love for mother in preventing suicide? I think that this Love and Belonging need is extended even to a pet that you love enough could prevent you from suicide. Is it not true that many who commit suicide has nobody in their Quality World?

Audio Podcast on Reality Therapy

Listen to JONATHAN B. SINGER, podcasting on Reality Therapy. He gives a very clear explanation of Reality Therapy based on Corey's book 'Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy' 7th edition. This talk will benefit people in counselling practice and those interested in Choice Theory.

My Next Talk On "A Happier Choice Marriage"

My talk today on "A Happier Choice Marriage" at Suntec City was very well attended. The conference room in Wangz Business Centre was filled to capacity of over 50 people. Those of you who missed out on the talk can come to attend my next talk to be held on 6 December. As a service to the community, I am charging only $10 per person for the 2 hour talk. The details are below:

Date of Talk: 6 December 2008 (Saturday)

Time of Talk : 3 pm to 5 pm

Fee : $10 per participant

Venue : Sengkang Community Club. ( 5 minutes walk from Sengkang MRT Station and Bus Interchange )

Please call me early at 98336663 or email me at etayetay@singnet.com.sg to register. Places are limited.

You may also register at:

http://www.ourcabincrew.com/

The Quality World

'A Happier Choice Marriage' talk at Suntec City.

I will be giving the one hour FREE Talk on 14 Oct 2008, Tuesday.

 

Time: 12.15 to 1.30pm

 

Venue: Wangz Business Centre

            The Penthouse, #44-01 Suntec City Tower 1

 

Please visit http://www.timeout.org.sg/timeoutHome.html to register a place and complimentary lunch.

  

About the topic:

 

The problems of an unhappy marriage can be narrowed down to one common cause - External Control Psychology. The consequence of an unhappy marriage can result in divorce which affects many people, with the worst hit being children. 'A Happier Choice Marriage' seeks to address this relationship breakdown by eliminating External Control Psychology through understanding Dr William Glasser's Choice Theory. This talk will benefit the married, to be married, to be divorced or divorced, as well as singles.

Introduction to Choice Theory by Bob Hoglund