Anime = Reality

I don't have the perfect family. In fact, all of us dont. Some are a bit better, some are slightly worse, but none are perfect. We cannot change the fact that we are born into that particular family, but we can choose to accept it and make the best out of it. People think i have the perfect family, the truth is i dont. But I accept my family, and I love them with all my heart. I love my parents and my siblings because without them, i won't even be typing this status. There is no greater bond. Some people may not have what i have, but i say the same to you.....you have what i dont. So, whatever differences that we have, we must learn to accept it, and try to get the best out of it. People say watching anime is a waste of time, and guess who reminded me on how important my family is to me? NARUTO.

There is hope! Even if you are suffering from ANXIETY Disorder.

I saw a post from a page i liked on Facebook. It's an anxiety page, for people with anxiety disorders. Cause apparently i have it. So there is this post asking for opinions relating a certain drug, an antidepressant, whether it's effective or not. Well, i left a comment saying they DONT NEED it. Cause I was on it, and I'm now off it. I wanna let them know that they too can do the same. They just need to rely on their heart and have a stronger mind. Of course it is easier said then done, but with the right kind of support, it can work. It's worth a shot. I can manage my anxiety without meds for about 5 years now. A handful of people agreed with my comments, but some of them think I am being ridiculous and ignorant. But in all honesty i was trying to help them. They say I don't understand and they need meds to survive. I know everyone is different, i'm not saying they shouldn't take meds, I'm just saying that there is an alternative. How can i be ignorant when i myself have experienced all those horrible symptoms. I've been there myself, in the darkness. The only difference is, i forced myself to stop meds because i didn't want to rely on it FOREVER. I forced myself to become stronger. It was really difficult. Quitting meds cold turkey was a horrible experience, but i succeeded. Until today, i still suffer from it, but the difference is I understand it now, and i learned how to have control over it. Sometimes i struggle, but i never gave up. I don't really feel normal anymore, but I am trying to get back to my normal self. At least I am putting in a fight! Anxiety disorder is a sickness of the mind. Not the brain, but the mind. Unless you have brain cancer or damage to the brain then definitely meds are required. But if you are not born with it, and your mind developed it, you can certainly overcome it. Cause what comes from the mind, can be overcome with the mind. It's sad when they say I don't understand, that I am ridiculous. I just want them to get their life back. I want the best for them. Well, it's their choice. If they wanna be on meds forever then that's their choice. I wish them well. But for me, I tell my anxiety, BITCH! Get out of here. this is my body, my mind, and there can only be one boss in here, ME. So yeah i still have it now, I am still able to do the things i love, but sometimes, i struggle with certain things. However, it has made me a stronger person, a whole lot wiser too. But to be honest, what made me cope with it is my family, my friends and God. The power of LOVE. If you have that, then it would be so so much easier. Some say they've tried going on without meds and failed. Well, if you don't have the right support, enough love, It won't work either. If you want to battle anxiety without meds, make sure your mind is ready to fight till the end. And most importantly the right support from the right people. Last but not least, LOVE. If you are suffering from anxiety, I pray that you find a way to overcome it. Good Luck and never give up!

You must be You.

7 billion people in the world. What are you going to do? Just be yourself. There cannot be another you, unless....someone decided to clone you. So love yourself, even if you have reasons not to. I have always loved myself. I have always accepted me for who I am.  Because I believe I have the right to. Nobody should tell you what to do, and who to become. Apparently, not everybody is right. As long as you are not committing any crimes, that should be good enough. Give yourself something to be proud of.

The real world can be a cruel place. People can be harsh. You need to develop your own ego to counter them back. So if people tell you that you are no good, let them be. Be the better man, and walk away. Just keep believing that you will one day silent their critics. Time is different for each and everyone of us. Some people may be successful right now, but that doesn't mean they will always be successful. Not if they have a stinky attitude. You see, people can look down on you now, because they are more successful than you. But that doesn't mean you will forever be a loser. Your time will come, if you keep believing in yourself and God. Always be the nice to people. Be kind, be helpful. Even if you have no talents, being nice can make a whole lot of difference. God will reward you for your actions. 

I am grateful for the life that God has given me. I will always want to be me. I don't dig the idea of becoming someone else. I am a stubborn person. I refuse to change my ways. People keep telling me, "oh! you should do this, you should do that". But I never really give a damn. As long as I am happy with myself. That is all that matters. You see, there is an advantage being yourself. Uniqueness is something that attracts people. By just being yourself, you can and will attract people. You don't have to change just to fit into society, and become something you are not.

Take me for example. I am currently unemployed (for a year and a half now), and I am quite picky about my job. I applied for some posts that suits my taste, but then nothing happens. NO feedback. People say to me, you are so picky, you will never get a job. You will never get anything because you are so picky. They have a point. I may not get a job if I keep being picky about my job. I maybe picky, but I've always believed in myself. I know I am talented, and I am that good. I refused to change who I am. Being stubborn and picky is  a part of me, it defines me. I cannot say that I will ever get a job, but I will keep believing and keep applying for jobs that suits me. Eventually, someone out there will spot my uniqueness. There must be a market out there for me. Anything that is unique, will surely have it's market.

I am lazy person to be honest. But I am not stupid. I know what I want.  If I want something so badly, I will try my best to get it. Even if it takes time. Rome wasn't built in a day. It doesn't really bothers me if people think that I am useless, lazy, picky or whatever. I know that I am capable of doing something, and that I will do something with these God given talents of mine. Besides, I want a job that I am happy with. If I am happy, I will give my 100%. If not, you are lucky to even get 20% from me. I resigned from my previous job because I wasn't happy with how people treated me. People say I am weak because resigned, that I am unable to handle stress, that I am not a professional, that I won't go far with that attitude of mine. The way I see it, there are two possibilities. 1, They are right, 2, They are wrong. They might be right, they might also be wrong. Yes I am weak, but I don't want to DIE of stress thank you. I have enough stress already. So I am just going to enjoy this short life of mine. Those who criticized me, I thank you. But I couldn't care less. I refused to be like them, and I have every right to do so.

So yeah, I guess that's about it. I maybe lame but I understand the situations that some of you are going through. Continue to believe in yourselves. Self belief is one of the greatest weapons ever given to men. Give a Jedi a light saber, he would probably be just a Jedi. Give a Jedi self belief, he would definitely be a Jedi Master and probably rule the whole Galactic Empire, if he wishes.

I will leave you with an awesome quote, from a very awesome movie, Rocky Balboa.

"You ain't gonna believe this, but you used to fit right here. I'd hold you up to say to your mother, "this kid's gonna be the best kid in the world. This kid's gonna be somebody better than anybody I ever knew." And you grew up good and wonderful. It was great just watching you, every day was like a privilige. Then the time come for you to be your own man and take on the world, and you did. But somewhere along the line, you changed. You stopped being you. You let people stick a finger in your face and tell you you're no good. And when things got hard, you started looking for something to blame, like a big shadow. Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you! You're better than that! I'm always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens. You're my son and you're my blood. You're the best thing in my life. But until you start believing in yourself, ya ain't gonna have a life. Don't forget to visit your mother." -Rocky Balboa (2006)

-Ian V

FRIENDS.

The Fellowship of The Ring is a good example portraying the importance of friendship.
True friendship can overcome any obstacle in life. 

Every single one of us needs a friend. We humans are social beings. We are made to socialize. If you do not have a friend, not even a single one, then I supposed it is time to make one. People who are depressed and sad probably do not have many friends.  Friends are important as they can help you persevere through tough times. Therefore, try and make as many friends as you can. More importantly try to make real friends. Real friends are friends that will stick with you through thick and thin. However, real friends are hard to find. You need to be careful with who you are making friends with. Make sure they do not bring in bad influences. If you make the right friends, you will find that the world is a way better place to live in. But if you meet the wrong type of friends, it could spell disaster. Some people don’t consider friends important. But I do. I know that friends play an important role in shaping our lives. They can motivate you and guide you to success or they could spoil you thus bringing you down. Most of the time, friends are a blessing. But sometimes, they can be like a curse. That is why it is important that you make the right kind of friends. You need someone to be there for you, to catch you when you fall, to cry with you when you are sad, to laugh with you when you are happy, or to take care of you when you are sick.  

Is it important to make friends? well duhhhh!! The answer is Yes! If you don’t, you will travel a lonely road. It’s like being the last human survivor in a zombie apocalypse and that ain’t good. Unless you want to be that last human survivor then you have every right not to make any friends.  Like any zombie apocalypse, the more human counterparts you have, the higher chances of survivability. Going alone against an army of zombies is just ridiculous. You won’t stand a chance. It is the same with life. You need friends, or you will have difficulties living your life. People have problems. I have problems. You have problems. ohhh!! that's right :) even Animals have problems (Malaysians will get this joke).  We cannot run away from problems. The only people without problems are the dead. We need help with our problems, and friends can help us. You should definitely start counting your friends, rather than counting your money. Look, even super heroes need friends. Take the Avengers for example. We have Ironman, Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow teaming up together to battle evil forces. If you are not a fan of the Avengers, take the Justice League as a good example, we have Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, The Green Lantern and many more working together as a team to preserve world peace. Most importantly they developed strong friendship ties. Now how cool is that. You too can become just like those superheroes, teaming up with your friends to fight problems together.  You will then realize that this world is not that bad as you think it is, once you have friends :) 

I can say that I am pretty lucky because I have a lot of friends. I cannot imagine a world without friends. I might get lonely, depressed and bored. I will have no one to hang out with and no one to share my problems with.  But thank God, I have friends, and my friends have me. So whenever I am feeling down, or I need help, my friends are there to aid me. And when my friends need help, I will try to make myself available and try to help them with their problems. Friends are special people. I feel blessed as I have friends from several different countries. That makes life even more interesting as you can learn new things from them. You get to learn about their culture, their country and their lifestyle. It’s interesting. You should always have the urge to make new friends every time. I make new friends all the time. You’ll never know how much they could mean to you.

I think it is better that you count your friends rather than counting your wealth. Money doesn’t usually last, but friendship does. Some of the best moments in life are the moments you share with your friends. They make you laugh. They make you do crazy things. They make you do fun things together. When was the last time you had such wonderful time with your friends? Can you remember those wonderful moments? If you often have friends to hang out with, then you are on the right track. But if you have no one to hang out with, then you better start making friends or risk living a lonely, sad and boring life. Remember, if you want a good and exciting life, you must have friends. No human being is an island. We all need friends. Even if you only have one friend, it is still be better than none. Now what are you waiting for? Go give your friends a call, ask them out for a drink, movie, or something. Cheers. 

-Ian V.