Tag: inspiration

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How to Stay Motivated for the New Year 2025

As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to set intentions and recharge our motivation. The new year is like a blank page—full of opportunities to grow, achieve, and thrive.

But how can we maintain that fresh-start energy long after January?

Over the years, I’ve gathered these strategies from experts in personal development, including insights from James Clear (author of Atomic Habits), Dr. Angela Duckworth (author of Grit), and the wisdom shared by life coaches and psychologists in various workshops. Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Set Clear Goals

Define what success looks like for you this year. Break big goals into smaller, actionable steps, and celebrate each win along the way. James Clear emphasizes that “systems are more important than goals”—focus on daily habits that align with your vision.

2. Focus on Your “Why”

Motivation flourishes when you have a strong reason behind your goals. Dr. Angela Duckworth’s research highlights the power of purpose in sustaining grit. Ask yourself, Why do I want this? Keeping your “why” front and center builds resilience.

3. Build a Positive Routine

Consistency beats perfection. Start your mornings with habits that inspire you—a quick workout, journaling, or savoring your coffee without distractions. James Clear advises starting small and building momentum, proving that tiny habits lead to big changes over time.

4. Surround Yourself with Positivity

Your environment matters. Life coach Tony Robbins often emphasizes the impact of those you spend time with. Surround yourself with people who encourage you, inspiring books, or motivational podcasts. Positive energy is contagious.

5. Embrace Flexibility

Life is unpredictable. Instead of seeing obstacles as failures, view them as detours to learn and grow. Experts like psychologist Carol Dweck advocate for a growth mindset—an attitude that helps you adapt and thrive.

6. Reflect and Recalibrate

Check in with yourself regularly. Are your goals still aligning with your values? Reflection keeps you focused and ensures you’re heading in the right direction. Many high achievers, like Oprah Winfrey, stress the importance of self-assessment to stay motivated.

As 2025 unfolds, remember: motivation isn’t a constant—it’s something you cultivate. Show up for yourself daily, and by the time 2026 rolls around, you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come.

Happy New Year! 🎉

Binh

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Unleashing Strength and Confidence: Lessons Learned from Four Levels of Pole Fitness

Embarking on a journey through 4 levels of pole fitness since June 2023, I discovered it’s much more than a physical workout; it’s a transformative experience that reshapes your body, mind, and soul.

As I swung, climbed, and twirled, I gleaned profound lessons that resonated beyond the pole studio walls. Here’s a reflection on the invaluable insights gained from this exhilarating journey.

  1. Courage: Facing Fears Head-On

Pole fitness, inherently challenging and often daunting, demands a significant amount of bravery. Initially, the very thought of performing a complex move high off the ground was nerve-wracking. However, each class, each attempt, and each fall taught me the essence of courage. It’s not the absence of fear but the determination to face it and rise above. The more I embraced the challenge, the more my fears diminished, and confidence took its place.

  1. Breaking Out of the Comfort Zone

Each level of pole fitness pushed me into uncharted territories. What seemed impossible in the beginning gradually became achievable. This journey was a constant reminder that growth lies in discomfort. Embracing the unfamiliar – be it a new spin or an upside-down manoeuvre – was empowering. It taught me to apply the same principle in life: to grow, one must dare to step out of their comfort zone.

  1. Letting Go: The Art of Trust and Surrender

Pole fitness is as much about mental strength as it is about physical prowess. It taught me the art of letting go – trusting my body, the pole, and the process. Whether it was releasing a hand during a spin or relying on my own strength to hold a pose, each step was a lesson in surrender and trust. It’s a powerful metaphor for life – sometimes, we need to let go and trust that we’ll land exactly where we’re meant to be.

  1. Practice: The Path to Mastery

Pole fitness reiterated the adage: practice makes perfect. Mastering the art didn’t happen overnight. It took consistent effort, dedication, and an unyielding will to improve. With each practice, I not only refined my technique but also built resilience and determination. This journey instilled in me that perseverance and consistent effort are key to achieving excellence in any field.

  1. Connections: The Strength in Community

Perhaps one of the most beautiful aspects of this journey was the sense of community and connection. Pole fitness brought together individuals from diverse backgrounds, each with their own stories and struggles. The encouragement, support, and camaraderie experienced within this community were heart-warming. It emphasized the power of connections and how they can uplift, motivate, and inspire us in our endeavours.

As I reflect on my pole fitness journey, I realize it has been a profound journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Each level not only sculpted my body but also fortified my mind and spirit.

The lessons learned here – courage, stepping out of the comfort zone, letting go, the importance of practice, and the power of connections – are universally applicable. Pole fitness, thus, is more than a sport; it’s a conduit to a stronger, more confident, and connected self.

Here’s to more learning! 💪🏽

Level 5 here I come!

Video: my pole school Pole Athletica

https://poleathletica.com

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A bottle, an experience

Tonight when I opened a bottle of wine… 🍾

It brought back my memory of being a waiter for many years in Brisbane.

You see, back then, I was a uni student and needed to work for pocket money. I despised my work as I was bossed around and paid a minimum wage.

100’s of bottles later, I’ve grown to be the person I am today. I learnt to serve people, work at the speed of light (as my boss used to say), and most importantly, cope with what life throws at me. For that, I am thankful.

What about you? Which life experience has helped you grow?

Cheers to that🥂

A bottle. An experience.

BD

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Explore. Dream. Discover.

Yesterday, I rediscovered one of my favorite hobbies as a child – #origami.

There’s something magical and meditative about folding paper.

This boat also goes well with my favorite quote from #marktwain about life.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do, than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ” ⛵️😍

Which childhood hobbies will you rediscover? What dreams will you dream?

paper #art #inspiration #life #quotes #marktwainquote #motivation #lovelife #livelifetothefullest #origami #dream #goals #beyou

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Rest / Unplug

When you’re hungry, eat.

When you’re thirsty, drink.

When you’re tired, rest.

Even your phone needs to recharge.

Rest is a fundamental part of health, happiness and success.

Rest helps us heal the body, boost creativity, reduce stress, improve productivity, and enhance decision making.

Take short naps throughout the day.

Close your eyes & take some deep breaths.

Take your eyes off the screen for awhile (phone, laptop…).

Connect with nature.

“Rest and self care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” – Eleanor Brown

Rest well!

❤️😌 😴🙏🏽

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If you don’t like where you are, move. You are not a tree. 🌲

For me, this quote is deep-rooted (no pun intended) in my life motto.

At 15, I wasn’t performing well academically and didn’t like the school where I was at, so I asked my parents to move me to another school – in Australia. That shook things up and I had no choice but trying my hardest to study English and a whole new system.

Last year, I was part of a volunteering team where I was disrespected and humiliated in front of many people by my supervisor. We were meant to work together as a team. I left the next day after telling them how I felt.

My brother and I went to see a movie where the people behind us were talking loudly. We’d politely asked them to keep the noise down and they continued to talk to each other. So we moved to the front where it was quiet – after checking to make sure that the seats were available.

At times it feels like we have no choice but staying in the same job that we don’t enjoy for many years, being in the same living condition that is uncomfortable, having the same circle of friends that we’ve grown out of, speaking up for ourselves and others etc. We are afraid of leaving as we fear of the unknown or people might judge us.

But we always have a choice – a choice to be happy in doing what we want in life!

Definitely not a tree!

Bình

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Be water

What is water?

Soft & flexible yet strong & powerful.

The driving force of all nature.

Takes the shape of its container.

Cuts through rocks because of its persistence.

Comes in various forms liquid, solid & gas.

You – are made up of water.

Take all the time that you need to think about that. 💧💙

Bình

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Flowers 💐

You can buy yourself flowers. And enjoy them too!

How often do you bring flowers to others to show your love and appreciation.

What about yourself?

You too deserve all the love and appreciation that you give to others.

Go on, buy yourself some flowers, today.

Bình

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Listen to the rain

It’s raining in Sydney this morning.

My options: 1. wishing the weather was better 2. listen to the rain.

I choose the second.

In life, there are things that we can control e.g., how we feel about the situation & things that we cannot control e.g., the weather.

Fussing over things that we can’t control brings on frustration.

Learning to breathe and manage how we feel about the circumstances puts us in charge.

Last week, it also rained. A child turned up to my clinic for his speech lesson in his rain boots. “I’m ready to jump in some puddles after this.” he said.

The joy! ☔️

Be like that kid! 😃

Have an awesome day!

Bình