Countdown 2025

Thirty more days and it'll be the new year! 

Time to consolidate my thoughts and prepare for my end-of-the-year reflections. I think it will be rather straightforward this time round as I have done that recently in September. I will just need to update it to cover what happened over the last quarter.  And of course, I have already decided to christen 2024 as a year of Reinvention! In perspective, this was something I had set off to do and I had focused much of my energies around it! I will, nonetheless, need to reflect on how well I have achieved it, the lessons learnt and what more to do ahead! 

:-)

Urologist review

I visited the urologist for a review of my kidney stone situation. The review showed that the 2 stones lodged in the right kidney had remained somewhat unchanged. It also did not show any signs of kidney stones in the left kidney (which was good). With this, the urologist decided that the next review can be done in 2 years' time.

So, it's all good. For now...

:-)

My income sources & goals for 2024

The thing about coaching is that one gets to learn about lots of things from their clients. For me, one very important thing I learned is about income sources. Specifically, about the need to frame and diversify our income sources in three categories:

• A predictable income source: This is the most crucial of the three, as predictability ensures stability. Predictable income covers essential needs like bills and living expenses. Examples include a salaried job or consistent passive income, such as renting out a spare room.

• An unpredictable but flexible income source: This type of income acts as a safety net during challenging periods, such as job loss. With effort, it can even evolve into a primary income source if it grows significantly. Examples include side gigs, freelance work, or dividends from investments.

• An opportunistic income source: These activities help fill free time and may occasionally generate income, though not consistently or significantly enough to rely on. An example could be selling potted plants grown as part of a gardening hobby.  

This framework resonates deeply with me, as it shifts the focus from jobs to income sources, offering a broader and more flexible outlook. Reflecting on my current activities, I’ve mapped them to these categories:

• Training & renting out of my spare room: Training engagements, though somewhat unpredictable, is totally within my direct control and thus I framed it as a predictable income source. I just need to give the companies time for the administration and onboarding etc to be completed. Similarly, room rental is contractual and thus predictable.

• Coaching: This aligns with the second category. While coaching opportunities depend heavily on client initiation, referrals, and word of mouth - factors outside my direct control - investing in building a client base can increase its predictability over time.

• Other activities: Dog sitting align with the third category as they are adhoc and not related to income streams per se.  

This clarity has helped me manage earlier frustrations and focus on what I can control. My immediate priorities should be:

• Preparing for my coaching exams: Passing the credentialing exams is essential to affirming my credibility and contributing to expanding my coaching opportunities.

• Honing my training delivery skills: This includes mastering face-to-face and virtual formats, staying updated on emerging learning technologies, and adopting tools like generative AI to remain competitive.  

I’ve embarked on a journey to reinvent myself this year, and I’m still on track. Next year, my priority will shift to generating sustainable income while giving myself the time and space to achieve this. Push on!

Getting back on track

My schedule is finally filling up from January onwards, which is a relief.

For context, I’ve been feeling quite stressed lately. My coaching work slowed down significantly last month, and now I’m only coaching one or two clients a week, compared to two or three a day before. The training side has had its own challenges; onboarding was slow with one company, and with the other, I was only allotted one training session out of the five or six I bid for in January. This shortfall means I won’t generate the income I’d hoped for in the new year. On top of that, I had to complete several train-the-trainer sessions and observations before I became eligible to bid for additional course slots.

With all this extra time, I started feeling lonely and wrestling with self-doubt, particularly with the worry of not earning enough next year. My tendency to overthink only added to the stress, leading to many sleepless nights. Thankfully, things began to turn around a couple of weeks ago. Although my coaching frequency hasn’t picked up, I now have a confirmed exam date, giving me a concrete goal to work toward. Plus, my training onboarding is picking up, and my schedule is set, with several courses lined up each month starting in January.

At last, things are moving in the right direction, and I’m hopeful they’ll stabilize soon so I can fully get back on track.

9th Anniversary

Today marks the 9th anniversary of my mum's demise. Had made the trip to the columbarium to pay my respects to her last weekend in order to avoid bumping into my brother.

Time flies indeed.

Finally... dog going home

The dog owner will be picking up the dog in an hour. Whew… it’s been three weeks and two dogs! What an interesting few weeks. The two dogs couldn’t be more different in temperament. The first was edgy and reactive, while the second has been gentle and calm. I'm grateful the second dog got along well with my tenant.

During the last week, I noticed how “clingy” the second dog is - his owner calls him “velcro” - because he follows the people in the house constantly. When I’m home, he sticks to me everywhere I go; when I’m out, he attaches himself to my tenant. I also discovered he cries when left alone. I found out one day when I came home to hear him howling, only stopping once I opened the door. The next day, my neighbour even mentioned it to me! These behaviours show he’s very insecure, and knowing he cries when left alone made me feel like I had to rush back every time I left the house.

Soon, this gentle giant will be on his way, and I'll finally be able to move around without worrying about a dog at home. But first, I need to clean up - mopping floors, clearing fur, and scrubbing drool stains - to get the place back in order before heading off to KL early tomorrow morning.

:)

KL trip

I will be heading to KL this coming weekend. It will be a 4-day trip. I needed an overseas trip to recharge and refresh. I have only 4 days and had considered locations such as Taiwan, HK, China, etc. After considering factors such as cost, fuss, comfort-level, etc, I concluded that KL would be the best option.

I have not planned annything and am letting things be spontaneous. I have visited KL so often I am not longer excited about the usual touristy stuff. In fact, I might just end up staying in my room or doing some simple shopping. 

Let's see how things go.

Dog-sitting

I've been dog-sitting for the past three weeks, starting with a female Singapore special (mongrel) owned by a couple who went on their annual vacation in Europe. This dog has stayed with me before, so she’s familiar with my place. However, this time was a bit different since I now have a tenant. Initially, things were fine - she even got comfortable enough to sleep under his bed (in his room) and he allowed her to do so without any complains.

Now, this Singapore special is a highly edgy dog, and she can become aggressive when she feels uneasy or threatened. It took months for her to warm up to me, and even now, she occasionally reacts by biting my hands, likely when she's startled. When this happens, I would scold her. And I always stay cautious around her. Like most dogs, she's tempted by food smells, and she often heads to the kitchen when my tenant cooks, which can be annoying. And to avoid any untoward incidents, I had to tell the tenant not to feed her, iterating that she has specific diet requirements as instructed by her owners.

One evening while I was out, my tenant called, sounding upset. Apparently, the dog bit him while he was washing up in the bathroom, which left him shaken. He showed me the bite marks, claimed they were quite painful, and wanted to see a doctor. I reassured him that her shots were up to date, so there was no rabies risk. Though I didn’t see obvious bite marks, I had to play along to appease him. Tbh, I don’t believe dogs would turn aggressive towards any individual suddenly and have my own suspicions over how he had treated her when I was not around. But I didn't press further. 

Following this incident, my tenant became extra wary of her. He would walk around the house with extra caution, making sure she was not around before he move around. I must admit his behaviour was quite upsetting for me. As for the dog, she would try to sniff and often a time, barks at him when she sees him. To prevent any further unfortunate incident, I kept her in my room whenever my tenant was at home. She returned to her owners two days ago, and things have since settled down.

Now, I’m looking after another friend’s dog - a gentle, large labradoodle whose owner is away for a week in China. Since my friend knew I’m comfortable with dogs, she asked if I could dog-sit. This dog is much calmer and friendly with people, but I am still a bit nervous about how he’d interact with my tenant. Thus far, my tenant felt comfortable enough to pet him. And just like the first dog, he’s started visiting the tenant’s room when I’m out. I didn’t say much but ensured the dog keeps a distance whenever I’m at home.

Here’s hoping things stay smooth and there’s no repeat of the last incident! Fingers crossed.

Interesting times ahead

5 Nov came and went. Since then, the world felt a little different.

There was a time when values and character would make or break a person's public life. Not anymore. But let's just leave it as that. My thoughts and opinions are not going to change anything. The sad part is that the world will likely end up in a worst state as a result.

Interesting times ahead...

60 days

60 more days to 2025. Time moves faster when one gets older. Agree?