How To Stick To Your Dream

It’s nice to have a dream you’re passionate about, and ready for any hardships along the way. After few years, changes happens, and your heated passion got cold, and no longer pursuing your dream, or you simply forgot about it. When you realized this, you’ve already passed a long road  to get where you are, and it’s hard to let go or start new path. But don’t worry.

I will share my story for you. when I was younger, drawing and manga was my everything. Even though, a had a busy school, a blog and other things, I did my best to manage my time so I won’t neglect my drawing routine, and I was ready for anything to make my dream come true, to be a manga artist. When I had the chance to study abroad in Japan, I was ready for it. So I flew there and started my language course. Settling in a new lifestyle was a bit difficult, but I made it work. The few couple of weeks, I was on top of everything, I was editing videos, updating my blog and drawing. As time flows, I started enjoying my life here, which is a good thing but; I forgot about drawing.  I always knew what my dream was, and how many time I said I’ll do anything for it but never do. “Later” has become forever. I just never found any motivation to draw, or to watch anime, which was my biggest source of motivation. Drawing videos was the same I found boring to me.

After entering uni, I’ve been taking drawing classes, which I was really excited about. I was in a very hard artblock that I never come across in my entire life, and questioning about my dream. So I thought this class is going to help me to get rid of my artblock. It was SO DIFFICULT to be surrounded by an amazing talents in the class, I’m not jealous or anything, but I was so upset for not drawing for so long, and I was really upset for not having any motivation. I truly regret all the free time I spend doing everything but drawing or polishing my skills. This class made it clear to me that I was so behind everyone and I need to catch up. But I still don’t have the motivation to do, and here we go another reason to be more upset and desperate. I tried so hard to get myself motivated my watching other people draw, drawing, and never worked out for me, it started to feel really BORING. Here I really needed to be myself and think. I needed to speak with my thoughts, and I encourage everyone who lost motivation or a passion to ask themselves these questions, and communicate with their thoughts.

• What is my situation right now?
• How did this happen? was because of new changes in life, or it’s because of me? Is there really someone to blame, or to be blamed?
• What was my situation before, and how I dealt with it? And does these methods works now, or not? and why?
• Do I remember the feelings I had when I was really passionate, or have I forgotten? why I do lack them now?
• Am I really happy now? why? and if not, why?
• what did I do to make it here?
• If I continue this will I truly reach my dream?and if I did, will I be happy just because I wanted to reach it?
• Do I still like and love my dream?
• Do I even care about it anymore?

After asking myself and answered really honestly, I finally found an answer.

I really love drawing. I can’t image myself working in job or a profession that doesn’t involved drawing or at least designing. I work really hard to improve my skill and I will continue doing so. I want to feel the same feelings when I was really passionate again. My classmate now are my motivation to be a better artist, I want to catch up with them not because I was left behind, because I wanted to ENJOY what I was doing, moreover, they might be my motivation, but they’re not my CRITICIZERS, and everything I do is for MYSELF and my own GOALS and they have nothing to do with it. so getting upset about it really pointless now.

I think the reason I had an artblock was because I lost finding the joy in it. I always wanted to be a good artist, and that thought pressured me to be a better artist, to be like everyone else, not because I love it, or enjoy doing it. When one of my classmate asked me why did I came to Japan to study, I said because I like Japanese anime and manga, which is true, then he said that I was amazing because he will never study abroad because of this reason. When I thought about it, I was yeah me too, who would do that? why did I come here again? That moment was shocking to me, how on earth I forgot about that?

I might not have the same heated passion I had before, but I still have a passion. You know, dreams can change and there’s nothing shameful about it. But are ready to put your current dream aside, or letting go? Remember you can have as many dream as you want, you’re not strict to follow one dream. To have a many dreams to follow is such a wonderful thing.

Have a nice evening and I shall come back to you soon

~Mikan

How To Find Your Dream

Everyday we would dream, and every dream we add our imagination; making a dream something more than it is. We always dream, we never once stopped dreaming, but in the same time we never thought what true dream truly is.

There is a differences between a dream and a wish. The meaning of wish according to google is feeling or expressing a strong desire or hope for something that probably will happen /not happen, which mean every day we say a wish, that’s obvious. However why some people cannot differentiate between dreams and wishes?

Dream is a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal. That is mean a wish is like wanting something you want to happen or not to happen without any physical interruptions, while dreams is something you want it and you physically and mentally work hard to earn it and make it happen.

Once you know that, the difficult part is how am I supposed to find my dream?

That is a hard question without doubt. It may takes months to discover what you truly want and ready to stick with it for a long term. If have not found it yet, or you don’t need dreams to follow, then please think again. Dreams are unique experience in every person life, it will open a whole new chapter in your life, and you will learn and experience new staff. Don’t let this chance flee from your hand, it is never too late to start now.

I struggled a lot finding my own dream, I actually spent almost a year or so to figure out what I want, I will be sharing my experiences with you and hopefully it will work out just fine. Remember the process will take a very long time, you just have to believe in yourself and be passionate.

The very first step you want to do is basically jot down everything you love, when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING, even if is not related to dreams and future jobs. After writing, go through everything you wrote and ask yourself:

• Is this going to help the society?
• Do I really want to help people in ……………? Ex: hospital
• Am I ready to face the struggle in ……….?
• Does ………. make me happy? Does…….. make people happy?
• Do I really want it?

If asked yourself these question, you will limit your options, and you will probably have only few options left.

With the fewer options you have now, put them in a schedule. Write under each column all the benefits, positives and negatives of that option as many as you can. This is actually the longest part of the process, you will think thoroughly, and thoroughly every option you got real good. To be honest, no one can help you figure out your dream, only you can do it. Have faith in yourself and keep believing in yourself.

You still can limit your options, but if you are unable to limit your options, all you need is take one option and look information about it and try to work a bit.

For me I did limit my options and I get a manga artist, patisserie and interior design.

In order to limit my options I had to try them all, and see if I can keep up with it.

I started with patisserie. I hate cooking, but making sweets is fun. I barely make any sweets yet I love watching people doing sweets, so I gave it a try. I studied making sweets, yes I studied hard through Joe’s pastry blog: http://www.joepastry.com/

I did a couple of recipes and every time I take notes like the techniques I used and I did not use, the mistakes…etc. But I have to make sweets every week or two to practice the texts, articles, and books, or else it will be meaningless. However regardless of wealth, we still have a budget. I cannot use all the ingredients myself, other family member needs it to make an actual food. So it didn’t work out for me.

It was fun, but I did not make it with heart, so it was not so fun. I was only pushing myself to learn a new techniques and practice it.

Then I studied interior design. The same as before I worked really hard, but it was so hard to self-taught and it was so boring, literally boring so I gave up.

Finally manga artist, before even I want to know my dream, deep down I always knew. I just need to confirm everything around me. I enjoyed drawing coloring more than anything, it seems childish, but who cares? The most important thing that you accepted, and made you happy before you make people around you happy.

The most important thing is you and only you. If you happy with your choice then other people gossips and opinions are no longer important, they can say whatever they want it doesn’t matter, your dream is for yourself, you rule it! not other people. What matter is your hearts and feelings, as long as you have them and keeping them safe and strong, no creature is able to stop whatever you doing.

Stay strong.

Have faith in yourself.

Believe in yourself.

Believe in hope.

~Mikan

Put Your Dream to the Test -Book Review-

  Put Your Dream to the Test

10 questions to help you see it and seized

-Book Review-

As the title clearly says: This is a self-education book written by John C. Maxwell. The book will give you 10 questions to answer: ownership, clarity, realism, passion, strategy, partners and people, cost, perseverance, satisfy, and lastly significance. The book have ten chapters per question, and 334 pages long.

Simply the book is about something all the people are vague about: Dreams. How many of us knows the differences between dream and wish? How many of us are ready to sacrifice in order to fulfil their dreams? How many of us are 100% sure that this is the dream you want to choose? So many questions with no answers. This book was written to help people find the right answers, and take informed decisions. It can show you how efficiently you can reach your dream with perfect well thought strategies that lasts for years, it will teaches you how much your dream will cost and what sacrifices are needed . In the prologue there are the ten questions you need to answer before reading the first chapter, which will clarify so much later on.

This book helped me to discover that dreams aren’t an easy game, it’s one of the biggest serious decisions in a person life. I’ve learned a lot on my own before reading the book like ownership. I already know my dream, and I put really simple plan which is functional, I thought I’m getting closer, but in fact, I’m pulled away from it. As I grew up, the image of my dream started to fog up, I didn’t understand what I should do next. The unknown future became my top one anxiety, I always thought future is so scary, up until now.

However this book saved me, and helped me to find all my wavering questions. He gave me confidence, inspiration. I truly enjoyed reading it a lot. John truly covered every single aspects of the ten questions, which will clarify everything you need to know to discover your dream and make it a reality. Maxwell writing style was the best, I liked the sequences of the topic the book discussed, how many inspiring quotes and stories. I bet anyone who read the prologue only will get so many positive vibes.

The key to every self-education book is to work not only read. Reading will do nothing to bring your dream closer.

I’ll share my way for using this book.

Every time you read a chapter, keep pen and notebook (pencil / Highlighter if you like to highlight) and page flags.  Some chapters has a simple questions or things he ask you to do it, do not skip it and do it right away in your notebook. For an example, in chapter two: Clarity, there’s a question you have to answer about yourself: What your feelings tells you, what your intuition tells you, what’s happening around you, what the other people says about your dream, what your mind and Instinct tells you. Just by answering these questions, you will discover a lot about your dream, perhaps gain more information about it. In the book there are very inspiring quotes, stories, or even the writer words, you could write in your notebook, but I prefer to flag my page. It will help me a lot when I read the book again, and find what I need.

Once you read the book, don’t put it in a place you wouldn’t look at, have it around your room, a place you always spend time in it so you can see it. I put mine in a small shelf on my desk, so I’ll remember it, I would never forget the knowledge I gained which helped me to discover my dream, and taught me how to reach it.

Remember the process will take years, it won’t come in a blink of an eye. You have to be patient and work hard!

I recommend to buy this book right now! It will worth your money. Keep it everywhere with you, and read it once in a while, it may remain the things you forget or updating your strategies.

“You may succeed if the other believed in you, but you will never succeed unless you believe in yourself”

ــــــــــــ John C. Maxwell

~Mikan

How To Make Motto

 

Have you ever thought how mottoes changes you?

Mottoes hold a very strong power than you imagine, it doesn’t have to be yours, it can be said by someone else, or you red it in a book. Mottoes is a saying you always repeated and take an action to implemented in your life style. Pretty much like repeating your favorite quote and implemented in you life.

I shall teach you today how you create your own Motto. I do have some as well.

Step 1: Understand why you need a motto.

Even if your life is great, you don’t have any problem, lots of friends to support you. There’s absolutely nothing bad if make you life better, and to make yourself happier more than you are now. Perhaps someone will learn from you, and that’s really great thing.

Step 2: What my motto will be about?

It can be anything. Love, Happiness, study, lifestyle…etc. anything will inspire you and make motivated.

Step 3: How to build a motto.

Play with words to create a sentence represents or reflect you in the side you chose what is about. for an example, my motto is: ” Everyone inside a story, and the in every story a hero, and that hero is YOU”  so this motto is about giving your all, working hard, giving your best…etc. so I’m a heroine in my story, and I want my story to be great, so my part is working hard to reach my dream. What kind of heroine/ hero are you?

so that’s it! Trust me it’s so fun to make these on your free time. Not just for fun, for inspiration and motivation for better life, and bright future.

Hope you liked this.

I shall write to you soon.

 

~Mikan~

In order to achieve your dream, is potential and talent is required?

People often think about their talents and potential when it comes to dreams and goals, and fell upset and disappointed when they don’t have the talent or potentials to make it true.

Someone commented long time ago on one of my drawing saying how he is amazed by my art and he can’t become like me. Well to me, to achieve your dream talent ISN’T required. It’s not a must to have talent. Unbelievable isn’t?  I thought it was a lie who told by big fat liar in the internet, but I found it actually true.

To be honest I don’t know the difference between talent and practice, but in my own experience, I’ve been drawing almost every day back in the middle school, it’s true I don’t draw much now, but my art and skills improved so much.

I’m gonna talk about potentials in general, if are serious about your dream, have faith in it. Work hard to earn that potential you need. Whatever it was tools, education, money…etc. I promise you if you work hard and conscientiously, you will have it.

So my point in this post, is simply working hard in order to achieve your dream and practice whatever you want to have. Want to be an artist? Practice drawing. Want to be a math teacher? Solve and practice more problem. Want to be a surgeon? Practice surgery, and so forth.

Your goals and dreams won’t come to you, you have to earn it! You have to work hard! Otherwise, you will be living a lie created by your obsessed mind only obsessed to get your dreams and goals in dish of gold.

“I can’t draw like you”

“After seeing your skills, I gave up to be doctor. I’ll never be in the same level as you”

Let’s be more realistic guys, you’re throwing yourselves in pool of despair by your own will. Let’s stop these negative feelings and start with more positive and optimistic feelings, it plays a very big role in your dream as well as your life.

DON’T GIVE UP.

DON’T GIVE IN.

-Mikan-

Are You Running Toward Your Dream, Or Your Family Expectation?

I’ve read and heard many stories from people who aiming to be the best in collage or specialization, not because he’s an ambition person, but he had no choice but to live his family expectation.  First of all, it’s absolutely fine to make your parents happy, in fact it’s YOUR duty to make them happy, and I don’t see anything wrong for obeying your parents in order to make them happy and proud of you.

But to me I think making you family happy is important as your futures and dreams. Your future is controlled by you only! No one should be deciding your future. You have to be the one who decide as long it’s good and you can help your society.

Living for expectation is tough, not only for choosing your dream and future, but in school, work, contests, business…etc. honestly, almost everything. But when the time comes to sensitive or critical times related to your dream and future. This has to stop.  

I guess you can be rebellious for a while, but please control yourself. I’m 100% positive that they will accept or acknowledge your decision eventually. Do not overdo it; it will only bring negative result. Do not rise your voice, or use obscene words, or disobey them, and of course do not use violence!

The best way to make them understand is: Talking. Talk about your dream, explained to them, what this dream positives, why you choice this dream, how can you keep on living on this dream, Is there a job? Can you earn money from it? Can you make people happy? Does it need to travel to another place? You won’t regret it?  Talk to them hundred time in day. Do not stop even if they ignore you. Try to show them your abilities, work hard in front of them and show them your rewards and hard work.

DO NOT GIVE UP OR GIVE IN! It may take time but as long as you work hard and wait patiently, they will accept your dream.

I live in very supportive lovable family –Alhamdulilah (I thank god for that) – But I believe me I do consider the people who live in strict family, or they have a strained relationship with their family, actually not their family only, friends or “Co-called friends” they do play an important role by supporting that person or betraying and mocking that person. Some people are caring the world’s weight on their shoulders. There’s so many kind of people and problems. But still in my opinion talking is the best choice; you know your family and your situation the best. You have to figure out a way to grab your family and parents attention.  If you believe that no one on your side, then you are wrong.  Even if the whole world stand against, there’s still hope, as long as you believe you’re not alone, supporters will appear. The first supporter is your god, who created you, you can pray anytime anywhere.  Even if your friends aren’t helping you at all, you still have me. You still have this blog.

I know it’s hard to trust someone from internet, which doesn’t show her real name, or face. But it doesn’t mean I can’t help you. You’re completely free to talk to me or any author in this blog or not talk to us. We all have the same goal and thoughts, we want YOU to reach your dream, and we want to help YOU to fly to your dream land. This whole blog created for only YOU. I also have a dream, you know? I’m still walking till a reach my dream land to make my dream a reality. But I do have the ability to help people pursuit their dream as I, So why I don’t help them too? I don’t care about your name, age, nationality, knowledge, white or black, ugly or pretty. I don’t care as long as I can help you.

Do not hate your family they do care about you in their own way, they reject your dream because they want the best for you. All you have to do is persuade them to accept it. It does take a while, it depends on your parents, but I promise they accept it one day. You have to be patient.

I hope this will help you a little. Remember we are always here, we will never abandon you; be sure we will help you. But all the action goes to you in the end.

~Mikan~