Let's Snap Out Of It!

A few days ago, I was out on a lesson spree with Elango (http://elangothiyagu.com / http://et-ideas.com) together with Valsala (http://observersdeck.blogspot.my / http://globetrotterconsultancy.com.my), and as we all know, the whole world is a teaching ground for him. 

I didn't feel so good that day and I didn't feel like myself too. I kept quiet, not realizing I was falling into the 'drama' trap of wanting someone to ask me if I was okay in order to continue being in the not-okay mood. 

There were points of time when I did realize I was creating a drama through my tone of voice, my gestures and facial expression. But it felt like I couldn't take control of myself and stop the drama. Instead, my mind told me 'It is okay to go on with the drama' and foolishly, I followed my mind.

I'm sure lots of you have gone through this 'drama' that I'm talking about. The weirdest things that we do using our body language, tone of voice, gestures and etc; with or without realizing that we are causing the drama but insist on staying in it, just to get some attention.

For example, when you are angry at someone, instead of telling the truth to the person, you give short answers to their questions, sometimes not even answering the question, slamming the door, raising your voice and other 'funny' gestures. All these because you want the other person to know you are angry with them and you need their attention to solve it. 

But these are what Elango call 'dramas' because something simple like saying "I am angry with you because... ", becomes a riddle to be guessed by the other party. (Check out AscendancePro.com to understand more of Elango's explanations.)

So, coming back to my story of not being okay, since I did realize that I was not being myself, I thought it is a good realization that could lead me into telling the truth. But then, my mind interrupted by saying I would spoil the conversations and the mood's of the rest of them if I told the truth.

Here's where I got it wrong! My mind doesn't want me to tell the truth so that it can grow in the dark and keep on building the feeling that, since nobody asked me if I was okay, it means nobody cared about me. Remember wanting attention? It all relates to that.

But as time passed by and as I saw what I was missing out on - the good conversations and mostly, the lessons, I decided to tell Elango that I was not okay.

I expected replies like, "Why are you not okay? What happened?" or etc, but instead he told me, "You can choose to switch if you want. Or you can remain in your not-okay mood". 

First I was blur. Then the realization hit me. DRAMAS! I'm creating dramas! And if he said I can switch to my original self and come out of the 'drama', then I can do so. 

It is weird how you actually have this magical ability to switch if you really really wanted to and if you take the effort to, that my mind shrugged and gave up on continuing the petty 'drama' which I don't even remember what caused it.

But as much as I decided to switch, I got a lot of help from my senses this time. 

It's a little bit contradicting from what Elango quoted from someone saying, "The senses are the five devils".

But here's why my senses helped me at that point of time. Because my sense of sight was watching Elango's respond to my 'drama' which is basically nothing apart from being himself, laughing and having fun. This in turn got my subconscious very confused because I was not getting the reaction that I'm supposed to get to continue with the 'drama'. When I told the truth and Elango gave me options to switch or remain in the drama, it confused me even more as that is not the typical reply that most people would have given.

His reply reduced my emotions as my intellect now had something to think about and when I got out of it, my spirit was happy because it can get back to the awesome conversations once again.

Well, as much as our senses has been trained wrongly which causes most of the problems that happens in our lives, but by being surrounded by people who respond instead of react (like what Elango did), gets absorbed into our subconscious mind. This in a long run, being in an environment which consist of people who respond, refines our subconscious programming to respond too!

That's not my explanation but my understanding of Elango's teaching after I snapped out of my 'drama'. Which also comes to the point that, if you are creating 'dramas' or are in the state of negative emotions, it is most of the time, difficult to learn the lesson as you are busy entertaining your ridiculous 'dramas'. 

Obstacles Isn't The Full-stop To Success

I had a video shoot last night for a project that I am currently working on when I remembered an incident that occurred few years back. Just to note here, I work behind the scenes when it comes to 'video shoots', where I work to materialize the crazy ideas which I have in my head.

Last night's video shoot

Coming back to the incident that occurred few years ago, it was during my Diploma days where I was struggling with this particular subject which was about videography. I'm not too sure if I wasn't interested in the subject but it was more to not knowing how to go about certain things related to videography and I found it very hard to get things right.

I wasn't very good with the video editing software's as well that as much as I found it somewhat interesting, I kept grumbling about the assignments I was given to at that time. There was one assignment that made me change my perception about videography.

We were told to come out with a movie trailer and it must be accompanied with the appropriate sound effects and music.

I was already struggling with the video editing software and on top of that, I was given an assignment I had no idea how I was going to do. 

I tried doing the assignment, after procrastinating a long time and realizing the deadline was getting closer. Somehow, I manage to complete that assignment.

Then comes the time to present it to my lecturer. I expected to show it to my lecturer privately as then nobody would know if there's anything wrong with my trailer. But my lecturer requested us to show the trailer's while my classmates was around. 

It was my turn and I hit the play button and the trailer started playing. It wasn't exactly what you would call excellent as I did it last minute but I thought it was 'okay'. Unfortunately, my lecturer did not have the same perception as me.

He criticized me in front of my classmates for not doing a good job with the trailer. It might be the fact that I was really really embarrassed of the whole situation that I told myself I would never again do anything that has got to do with video.

Well, things often take a different turn every now and then. Just two years back, I was offered to host a program called, ET Youth, where my job not only encompasses talking in front of the camera, but also other behind-the-scenes like working on video editing software's, discussing with the team about camera angles, video shooting equipments and many other things. 

ET Youth on-screen and behind-the-scenes

Then last year, it progressed into making Corporate Videos for companies to promote and market about their products and services; which got me involved in voice-overs, scripting, getting the cast to stick to the scripts while still not losing their true personality, tons of retakes of scenes and monitoring all of these with my awesome team. 

To me, it was odd that the very thing that I told myself I would never do turns out to be the very thing that gets me excited and wanting to do it again. 

Working on Corporate Videos

But I also realized that just because I get hit with some obstacles (like struggling with the video editing software's) or just because someone criticized me or just because I felt like the whole world was looking down on me which made me very embarrassed, that doesn't mean I can never do it.

This is a small lesson learned from my little little experiences and a lot from my mentor correcting my mind into believing my own capabilities. 

I still remember when I told my mentor that I don't want to go for my very first project of a video shoot, he sent me a text with a picture as below:

As much as I was so annoyed with the message, 'just doing it' made a lot of difference after that day. ;)

Follow your Heart. And enjoy it!

Recently I went on a one-day trip to Genting for a concert. 

I was very excited when Elango invited me for it. Since I didn't know much about the concert, I Googled it!

Turns out, it is a concert about this guy called Kenny G who played the saxophone.

Skeptical because I've never been to an instrumental concert, I decided to listen to his music. His songs was indeed impressive and very calming.

Kenny G, signing autographs, half an hour before his concert.

Elango got us pretty good seats near the stage. And at 9pm, the concert began.

Kenny G played his saxophone walking from the crowd to the stage as they cheered and clapped for him. He sounded truly amazing!

He waved his hand to every section of the audience while he played his instrument on the other hand. He was just like a kid. Smiling while playing. And at times moving his body to his music.

He only spoke after a few songs saying he was very happy to be here with all of us - in the Malay language. I thought that was very sweet of him.

He continued playing more songs and though I didn't really know his songs, I'm pretty sure anyone would fall in love with it, even if you are just listening to it for the first time.

His band was very good entertainers too, taking turns to showcase their talent as well as complementing Kenny G's songs.

Two hours passed just like that. All eyes were consistently on him. Glued to him actually. I went out of the concert hall feeling mesmerized.

Elango was saying about how impressive Kenny G is for getting the full-packed hall immersed in his music without the help of any other performers. I actually thought it wouldn't be possible but it was.

Well, here's something Elango often told the group of us at ET Ideas (http://ET-Ideas.com). That as long as our heart wants to do something (example, a career), we will always be having fun and will enjoy doing it.

Kenny G is 59 years old. Didn't look anything like his age but so much more younger. Played his instrument like its the best toy he has ever received. Like a kid, waltzing with his music, enjoying it.

It was a pleasure to watch his performance. A vibe that felt like follow your heart. Do what you love and enjoy doing it.

After writing this blog post, I got to know that Elango also wrote his experiences from Kenny G's concert and he related it back to his experiences about 'Doing What You Love...' And I thought that would get all of you to understand better about following your heart and enjoying the flow of it!