Resolution 2023 — Year two of read a book every month, February.

Many short stories of Buddha, Monks, shoguns and farmers.

Stories that popped.

#2 Stones That Longer to Be Diamonds – Polishing Oneself. Polishing oneself is the true secret of success. If you shine, people will naturally be drawn to you and your life will improve. If you chase after success without struggling to better yourself, you only pave the way to failure.

After all, it is crazy to keep doing the same thing to hope for a miracle. What have I done? What have you done?

#14. A Seed Not Planted Cannot Grow – The Fundamental Law of Cause and Effect.

We often think about earning more money and having a better life but what have we done in the hopes of achieving it? Those who lamented they did not strike lottery did not even bother to queue up to buy a ticket.

一分耕耘一分收获。馅饼只掉在做好准备的人身上。

#33 A Good Wife; a Bad Wife – Paying attention to feelings.

Feelings of husbands it seems. It may work when wives doesn’t work and depend on men. Say this to a working woman and there will be bound to be arguments.

#39 The Destructive Power of Speech – Killed 24 Times over deaths just because of outliving others.

祸从口出。We will never know how many people we may have injured or killed with our words. Sorry. I will be more careful with my choice of words in future.

#58 On Living Each Day. Unless you progress a step or a half-step more than yesterday, you haven’t really lived today.

My health app is showing me my average step per day is lower than last year. I should really start my running routine…

#60 Busy People Have the Most Time – The Art of Stealing Moments. There is never a good for anything because we will probably spend it doing something else.

I just started my events company and I stole moments in the day to reply that email, that message and coordinating stuff. More productive than I sit down at night trying to do a task after the little one went to bed since I am always distracted.

#63 What Tastes Best; What Tastes Worst – The Ingredients of Happiness. Health, wealth, reputation, and status are all mere ingredients of happiness. They key to true well being is being able to manage them capably.

Very often, we want more wealth at the expense of health only to realise health is wealth when it is too late.

Like many books, I don’t necessarily agree with everything. Just a good and easy read.