Life Improvement Tips For The Wise Few

Yesterday, I was in the Festival Village, the new Carnival Village, and I must admit that the village has a professional look. It is a real attraction. I am a Carnival fan, and for the past years, I have been trying to slack off and not attend as much as I used to. Commissioner Theo, big props goes your way, this is one land mark that will be with us for years to come.
I used to take two weeks vacation, would spend my vacation going to all the shows, I really looked forward to Carnival in St. Maarten. It was part of my life, I would do nothing for those two weeks, but enjoy myself.

The shock I got yesterday was seeing the amount of locals that attended “The King of Kings” show. I am glad to see St. Maarten people supporting the local shows, it used to bother me, because I always wondered why they never support their own, even though the price was set much, much lower than the other shows, but I can’t say that anymore. Like “King Bobo”, the winner said, we have to fight, and I can see St. Maarteners are starting to fight and support each other.

KIng Bobo was the winner, 1st runner-up, the “The Mighty Dow” and “Stunky” placed third.

For those of you who haven’t been to the festival village, please do make some time to visit, it will be worthwhile. The village will put St. Maarten on the map for the quality of shows that will be held in the Festival Village.

The show was really great, and the crowd was really participating and enjoying, it was like a mini version of Trinidad Carnival. I did say Mini, but, we getting there.

I don’t like the idea that the Children parade is right around the corner, seeing that Carnival just started, it’s as if we ain’t fully warmed up and have to go into a parade already.

I know your wondering what this has to do with personal development, but this is just me ranting away on what I did for Carnival, but the key point will follow soon. It is part of enjoying yourself and not building a one track minded type of life where I do nothing but try to keep people motivated and inspired to face life. NO, I do have fun and enjoy the shows at the village, and mostly enjoy beating the crap out of those so called Dominoes players in St. Maarten.

If you didn’t know, well now you do. I am a fan of the game, if your ever on the Island or in the Village, come over to any booth and ask where the Dominoe players hang out, and you will find me. If you can play, them just have a seat and take a couple of “Shits” at the same time. Oh, for those who don’t know what a “shit” is, it’s when you don’t get any points during the game.

The sad part of Carnival that mystifies me each year is the amount of kids that are on the village during the wee hours of the night, and I do mean kids under 13 years of age. That image will always bother me, no matter how much I love Carnival. It is a very poor image and show lack of parenting skills. My advice: If you really want to attend the show, then find someone to baby sit or ask a friend to look after your kids, who isn’t going to the show.

Another touchy moment is when you see, those teenage girls, around 14 to 17 years of age hanging out in the village with boys at them funny hours. I can see why Carnival contributes to much of our teen-age pregnancies. As parents, we should attend the shows with them, but when we are leaving, they should leave at the same time. If you believe your kids is responsible enough to be out that late and all alone, don’t see how you can even think that, then talk to your kids, and give them deadlines to be home on time.

Carnival is what I call predator season, it is when Alcohol gets the best of everyone and they go wild drinking and partying all night long. Some folks don’t leave the village until late hours, even after the shows are finished, you still see people hanging around.

As parents, we have to make exceptions and be different, let our kids know what times is normal and stick to those times.

When I do go to any show with my teenage kids, I make sure each one has their cell phone, I tell them where to meet if they should get lost in the crowd, I also make sure to tell them to hang-out with only friend their age. They have freedom to roam the Festival Village, I make sure each one of them have 20 dollars in their pocket and give them a time limit as to when we will meet up.

Time limits is set, and I don’t care what time the show runs, I stay with them until we all leave together and around one o’clock is the latest. It works out just fine, that way they get to see what it’s all about and I make it no habbit, they get to go to only one show for the two weeks. The only other activities we watch is the parades, and we watch them together, eat BBQ chicken/ribs and drink until we have little pouches in front of us.

To all whom will be taking part in our Carnival activities at the Festival Village, keep it safe and enjoy your Carnival. It takes two to tango, so walking away is a wise thing. Have a safe and enjoyable St. Maarten Carnival to all our visitors as well.

Many times I meet people and is very much impressed by the way they speak and go about life. The one thing that stands out is how they dress, and the neat way they are groomed. For the same reason, I know you can relate to this, is when you meet certain people that are an immediate turn off because of how they dress and carry themselves.

And then… the big moment comes and you finally get to visit that impressing personality and visit their home, office or place where they work. And the first thing that hits you, smack in the face, is the clutter. For some it means nothing, but the way I see it, is that it’s just another a very unorganized person. They give excuses right away and say that they are swamped with work, without you even asking about the clutter. But, guess what? If you return every other day for one week, you will notice that nothing changes. They are just sloppy, a sign that is very easy to spot. And I can guarantee you, this is the same clutter you will find in their home and in their life.

If I can give you one piece of advice, that would make you a more successful person, would you listen and trust and believe in these two little words?

Organize Everything

Yes, those two words is what you have to live by. You have to organize your life, organize your home, organize the clutter and all that organizing can be summed up in two words: Organize Everything!

Have you ever been to a cluttered home or office? Did you ever lend or gave that person a document and notice how they start shuffling through papers on their desk first, and then randomly trough many draws and then saying: It was just right here… How the heck, do they expect to find anything in the rubbage. And to top that off, if you come back later with a new document, they just dump it in the same pile. If this is you, then it’s time to change your life.

How To Change Your Life?

Maybe I should have named that headline; “How To Organize Your Life?”

As far as I am concerned, you will be doing both at the same time, to be organized means less stress and a more professional look. On the JOB, many of my colleagues always turn to me for anything that they are missing, because they know that I keep my stuff organized, but you know what? They have the same skills, and can do the same thing.

Here is a short list showing you how to get organized:

1. Organize your home - Get rid of all the old clothes you no longer use, give them away to charity or some organization close to you. And the same goes for old items in your home.
2. Organize your work space - Get rid of everything on your desk, put them away in drawers with labels, so you can find them later.
3. Complete that document on your desk - Handle a document that comes to you only once, complete that task, if it can’t be done file it away in a review folder.
4. Get a Professional Organizer - If you can afford it, get a professional organizer, if you can’t, get a sheet of paper or a small book, and keep a daily to do list.
5. Organize your bed room - Keep your room clean at all times, where you sleep should be like heaven, it is the place you come to for peace and a sound and solid rest.
6. Organize yourself - Start making small changes to the way you look, just start dressing different, a new hair do will work miracles.
7. Organize your kitchen - Make everything easier to find, and add whatever is missing.
8. Plan Your Day - If your going to cook something, make sure you take a list with you. Do what you say you would, and don’t use no excuses.
9. Organize your emails in-box - Yes, you also have to create a filing system for your emails, read a email once and file it away, either by name or by groups. I saw that my 12 year old daughter has her MSN-chat organized, she has a group for people she don’t like… Wonder who all is in that group?
10. Organize your clothes press - When your done washing, fold your clothes and put them away.
11. Just remove the clutter, and start to focus on a new you.

Many of you will think that this is some freaky stuff, and it will make you into some kind of a cleanse freak, but the truth is far from that. It is the first step in becoming a more organized person. Don’t act like a cleanly freak, just do it for yourself. When you confront people with clutter, don’t say a word. Just smile and know that your different.

Remember, whatever you do in life has to be fun, and you have to make sure your doing it for yourself. Obsession is something you want to avoid. So don’t become obsessive about cleaning.

Your reward for being a neat and organized person is the joy you will feel and have when you get home to your little paradise, where you know exactly where everything is and where you can find exactly what your looking for.

As you get closer to ending this school year, many of you will be sitting exams, sorry, but this article goes out to the students of the world, who are in their final stage of their final exams. For those that were working all through the year, congrats, there is no doubt that you have a big smile on your face, your sure that failure is not an option for you.

But, what about those that are still struggling?

For those who are having a hard time, I won’t say I told you so, or I told you to work hard from the get go. You already knew that. Sometimes, you let things slip through the cracks and get lazy and you end up paying the price with another year. But, look at the bright side, to fail means you get to start all over again, now isn’t that fun, isn’t that what we call seeing things from a positive point of view.

Now, to be honest, I hate failing as much as I hate repeating a class. In my life I had to repeat the fourth grade, and you know why? Because of attitude and over confidence. I had a great report but the teachers told my Mom that it would help him to stop touting his own horn. Did it really work? I can’t say for sure, but it did slow me down, but it didn’t take away any of that positive belief I had in my own abilities to get things done.

Many of you out there look at failure totally wrong, I got a chance to repeat the fourth grade and made it sure that I would plan better. Did I hate my Mom for her decision? Hell, I can’t even recall what I did, I was only nine years, and I honestly don’t know what took place. All I know is I was repeating that class. I can’t say it happened overnight, it all started when I was 20 years old.

What did I do to turn things around?

I created a more fail safe secure environment that would guarantee I pass all my classes. I adopted a go getter attitude, not the geek type, but that of a more calculated person, who did calculate his average score for all his grades, and decided before hand, exactly what grades I needed to pass, and what grades I would go slow on.

Let me give you an example: If I had three tests, depending on how many the professor had scheduled for that school year, usually the amount was very low, no more then six. I would calculate exactly what grades I needed to pass with just two test based on three, and then would work really hard for the first two, and then pay more attention to other subjects that I was weak in, yes, you will always have one or two your not good at.

That way I was always sure all would work out, and I was in control, and it always did.

Now, let me run this by you, today I got an email from “Lilo”, and she stated how well she was doing, how much fun she was having, happy belated B-day by the way. And to be honest, that really touched me! She is one of those persons that has the ability to achieve so much, but she got lazy, she began to complain. Her attitude was set for catastrophic failure. All she did was complain and blame everyone for all that was going wrong in her life, she never took responsibility for anything, and would never look within for her own faults nor flaws. Why she complained so much, I don’t know, but what I do know is she won’t ever forget the words I spoke to her on my dining table. hey No hard feelings “Lilo”, I love you just the same.

Much success to you “Lilo”, like I said I believe in you, and know now, you believe in yourself even more. Go for gold and have fun, leave complaining to those who don’t know that: “To fail means that you get to start all over again.”

It doesn’t matter if you fail, once you don’t blame yourself and call yourself a failure, you can never fail, it is either the system that fails or your plan that failed. Talking about plan, make sure you have a plan while studying, if you don’t know how to study, ask your neighbor, just kidding, ask someone who is doing great in your class how they study, it’s that easy.

And read my article: Studying For Success.

Many of you will be all nervous and banging your head against the wall right now, but you have to learn how to relax and get a grip of yourself. You can still make it, and you know the other option, it was mentioned above. Just tell yourself, I don’t give a dawn if I fail, I knew I worked hard and did my best. Now, don’t fool yourself if you been doing nothing, because you will fail.

Pay close attention, I will only say this once…

…if your grades are shaky, and you still feel you have a chance, then here is what you have to do. First , thing first… Carnival is right around the corner, you will have to make up your mind and tell yourself; “I will miss out this year”. Lucky for me, I can’t afford to miss out, but, your the one with the plan, and who is still in school, so you have no choice.

And from the minute you finish reading this article, you will start putting a schedule together with all your subjects, and decide how you will tackle all those subjects, You have to study for one hour, then take a half hour break, and then study for another hour. Then take a hour break,  eat a meal or something to much on, and then back at it. Don’t take no long breaks until after you have studied for at least two to three hours. Do this for at least four consecutive hours. Ever time you have studied a chapter from one subject, you switch subjects. At least two subjects per day.

The objective and goal your thriving for is to prove that failure is not an option. You can only fail if you quit, and no one reading this blog is a quitter. Sorry for those who haven’t found this blog yet.

Don’t allow no distractions, no internet, no girl friend boy friend, blah, blah, and if your studying in groups or with a friend, make sure you stick to your time limits, no “pussy footing” (just wanted to write that word, don’t know why, it just sounds great), nothing that will keep you from your books. You now have a plan, and it’s better than no plan at all. Your MIA for a couple weeks, Missing In Action. You have to eliminate that single point of failure and study every subject, even the ones you dislike.

Follow this routine religiously for the next 4 to six weeks before exams and you will be on your way to a nice and secure fat payday… your “Diploma”. Did you hear me say it won’t be stressful? Nope, it will take a lot out of ya, but nothing in life will ever be easy, so learn to live with that idea in your head. And if it was easy, everyone would be able to do it, your not everyone, your you, and that means your different.

I notice something wrong here, your still reading, didn’t I say ” No Internet”, get off the computer and go study… duh, duh… (got that from my kids)