2011 has long ended, with today being 18/2/2012, being approximately 39 days since 2012 had begun...yet, I think, it's only right and good when I reflect on the past, reconcile with it, and move on, to have a proper transition to 2012. For me, as a person, 2011 went by pretty quickly.
In January 2011, we launched our first physiotherapy and hand therapy clinic in Joo Chiat, renting it for a good price and having the option to stay in the east at the same time. It was a very good experience, and staying in the east near east coast road, joo chiat road and eunos mrt was fun in the sense that there is a lot of community love, communication, and a lot of food. We stayed there from January 2011 to August 2011, and had to move out and stop our clinic there because of termite infestation.
What was not so good was because the landlord had hidden the problem of termite infestation under a new coat of paint and wooden floors, and had held that information from us...until the termites became super inflamed, active and aggressive - we could hear the un-ceasing "clicking" at night (which shows that the termites were not only very near to us, but also very aggressive in burrowing and eating). The wooden floors on the second level started becoming soft, and furnitures were starting to SINK into the softening floors. I hadn't realized that until I was sweeping the floors, that's when I realized.
Though we got in the pest controllers, they couldn't do much but sprayed chemicals and medication that didn't seem to take away the problem, and I decided against staying there any longer, because that would only compromise not only our safety and comfort, but also patient safety. Because of the situation, we had to move back to our own flat which was rented out, and the tenants were understanding in our predicament and they moved out supportively, a gesture that I will forever appreciate. Because of this episode, this has made me appreciate my own home so much that I don't feel or want to move to any other rented space anymore in terms of lodging.
I thank my wife who's been supportive for all the mobility and nomad-style living, she's an amazing person and I'd like the best for her. So two thirds of 2011 was dealing mainly with the Joo Chiat clinic, its operations, marketing and dealing with clients. We made lots of friends and got to know many referring doctors, and are very sorry to leave, but not much of a choice, actually. The last one half of 2011, overlapping with the joo chiat clinic, was our next physiotherapy and hand therapy clinic in Paragon Orchard, in a joint effort with Pacific Healthcare Specialist Centre. The energy here is amazing, and the amount of teamwork, support and help received here is very different, as compared to how we worked before, but it is a refreshing change to our solo-style working previously.
The doctors welcome us on board, and the management has been helpful in introducing us and working alongside with us. =)
In fact, 2011 was a breeze. It happened so fast, I can't fathom what happened. It was just so quick that time passed by. Opportunities to grow in the business came, as well as much opportunities to grow personally came, sometimes as a byproduct of decisions made or not made. It's an interesting year, an interesting time. My father had a slipped disc, and I spent much time speaking and sharing with him over the phone, and because he had his operation in Kuala Lumpur, and I was in the midst of the clinics and shifting, we didn't manage to visit him.
Looking back, I regret not doing so. I regret not taking the time out to go visit him wherever he was, to spend some time with him, teaching him the exercises he needs to do (we are both therapists who deals also with people with slipped discs), and help to ease him through the period of healing and rehabilitation. You know what, actually I love my family members very much, as well as Louise's family, and I actually don't want to be apart from them, working so hard and so fast, that time blurs and disappears entirely. This is one of my regrets of having a business that still requires time for it to grow before we can expand, delegate and outsource. For this, my personal wish to make my current business in physiotherapy and hand therapy expand and run on passive without us, so that we can spend time with our loved ones, just spending time with them because we love them, being there for them in time of need, and just being there for them.
That's very important to me. Why are we not getting there?
I think because we have lots more to learn to bring it to the stage we'd like it to be, and the learning curve takes time, effort, experience, and definitely a lot of guts and God's blessings. Send good vibes to me, pray for me and be with me as I continue to refine myself, my business and NigelChua.com. Now, on 18/2/2012, I've effectively relaunched NigelChua.com as a personal development publication site, specifically to help people like you and I in our every journey of bettering ourselves, personal growth and personal development. Initially I started it off as an internet marketing and make money online site, but after thinking for some time, I realized that I don't really like that industry as much - I just was fascinated and enjoyed the tools.
Then, as I threw myself into learning the business and clinical segment of my physical business, I was fascinated with business and entrepreneurship, and it reflected in NigelChua.com, where I would write articles on entrepreneurship and small business, and it was fun! I still like it, but as in the make money online industry, I enjoy it as a tool, and experience, but nothing more. Gradually, in 2011, as I took time out to meditate, think, and correspond with different individuals and people in my life, I begun to see a pattern and picture emerging, about myself and my life. Now, in writing, it may seem like a boast or self-love article, but I assure you, there's nothing to boast or show-off about - I started to develop more insight about myself, who I am, what I like, what I don't like.
I also started to be more honest with myself and with people (with tact and sensitivity, of course). I "allowed" myself to be more open, more vulnerable, more real...and in the course, I became more aware of myself, and them, and their needs, and their directions. I started being able to communicate and share with them who I am, who I'm being, and who I'll be, and that they too, have their own journeys of personal development, self growth and development. I asked myself lots of questions, often pondering about life, God, relationships, friends; not that I question them, but it's more like I start to look for the significance, the importance, the meaning in them. In those where I found significance and importance, I started to cherish them more. I spent more time with them. Those that aren't so important, are less spent time on, ignored, and left. That would also explain why there are so much changes in my life in deleting and stopping the activity of playing iPhone games in my life - I'd rather be in the here-and-now with the people right in front of me, or whoever I'm with, or with whatever I'm doing, instead of spending time doing "filler-activities", which really is a time waste.
Why fill time with activities that are meaningless?
I'd rather fill them with activities that are meaningful to me, and significant. Likewise, I don't want to waste time doing silly things such as checking my letterbox/email inbox every day, so I chose to batch them into a weekly event, on a friday, so I can process them over the weekend. For emails, I still deal with them about twice a day, but I've started to unsubscribe from many subscription that doesn't make sense anymore, or aren't as important anymore. In 2012, it is the year of focus, of significance, of relationships, of meaning. I'm choosing to focus on things that are important, and refusing things that aren't. It can work both in the direct way e.g. something not important that can be removed or minimized - they are removed or minimized. But also, the indirect also is true - if there are hurt important relationships or situations that are yet rectified, I've taken the decision and initiative to rectify them. Of course, in relationships, it takes two hands to clap, and sometimes, the other party may, in their own minds and hearts, "overthink" and assume negatively, but I do believe, with consistency, it will go well.
So far, things are looking positive. I am "in the moment" more often, and try to consciously "not take things for granted." I "be" more often. I am consciously exploring this new experience and approach, and I think it'd bring me closer in my journey of personal development.
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Take action TODAY: One year from today, you'll be one year older. What would you have done by then?