Little Things That Matter

Learn From The Past, Live The Present and Have An Open Mind to Face Tomorrow

The Essence Of A Simple Life

By 2 Comments

Photo Credits : Lalita Raman

Photo Credits : Lalita Raman

The sun shines brightly, the sky is blue, the wind blows gently on your face and November – March is the best time to have several dates with nature. I enjoy hiking and being up, close and personal with nature.

I went on a hike on Sunday and it was up one of the shortest but steepest peaks in Hong Kong. The path was gravelly with the downhill more challenging than the uphill.

With each of these hikes along a gravelly downhill path, I can’t help but think about life and the challenging moments she throws at us.

I tread the path downhill with care, caution yet overcoming the fear that I will go tumbling down. That is where focus, mindfulness and believing in myself helps a lot. How similar is this to life in the down and out moments?

I have also observed that people whom I meet in these hikes are friendly, smiling, willing to help and appear more relaxed and filled with eagerness to reach the top of the hill and explore their own fitness or new routes or adventures. You’ll most likely have an exactly opposite experience in the hum drum of the city if you were to bump into the same person on a week day near the office.

How can we bring this human touch to a manic day ?
How do we live life and enjoy the moments that she blesses us with ?
What has each reconnection with nature taught me ?

  1. Saying “please”, “thank you”, “sorry” honestly, sincerely and spontaneously. Smile because you don’t need a reason.
  2. Give honest and sincere appreciation to people whom you work with and to your near and dear ones.
  3. Replying to emails or returning phone calls because you care and you can show you care.
  4. Walking away when a negative emotion arises and not falling prey to that vulnerable moment.
  5. Forgive even when someone has hurt you not for them but for you to heal.
  6. Challenge yourself, step out of your comfort zone, grow and develop but learn to be compassionate with yourself.
  7. When you are alone watch your thoughts and when you are with others watch your words.
  8. Being committed to your word to others because you care for your character.
  9. Recognizing your ideal self and invoking essence of hope and compassion.
  10. Doing a random act of kindness to another human being or creature.
  11. Reading a good book as a regular habit.
  12. Spending time with Nature in the form of hikes, treks, swimming, rafting, sky diving and various other outdoor activities.
  13. Spending quality time with family and friends and doing it often.
  14. Lighting aromatic candles in your home and decorating your home with bright colors.
  15. Listening to understand and not to respond.

Each downturn or challenging moment in work or life although similar to the gravelly narrow path downhill seems to be more stressful. Whilst what life throws at us is not entirely within our control the attitude we take is entirely within our control.

I remind myself of some of the 15 points that I have mentioned, in my down and vulnerable moments.

→Resonant leaders are those who are emotionally self-aware, socially intelligent and have the cognitive intelligence.
→What do you do to not fall a victim to your moment of stress ?
→How are you becoming resonant leaders?

For Coaching, Facilitating and Speaking Connect. About Lalita Raman

“Be My Valentine – 1 Billion Rising”

By 1 Comment

As I’m writing this in the wee hours of the morning, before the crack of dawn, Valentine’s Day is slowly but surely rolling out.

The Valentine Day fever or retail mania has started off a week to 10 days back even in the non Western world. From India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, China and various nook and corners of Asia, it is almost impossible to miss the fervor of this special day.

What is Valentine’s Day ? I won’t bore you with details but for the curios mind, you can check the link.

The significance from what I have read and understood is that it marks the Feast day of Saint Valentine; the celebration of Love and affection.

In my view, love and affection can be to your mother, wife, girl friend, boy friend, spouse, friend, brother, sister, father, child or for that matter to any human being.

I’ve never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day because the true meaning has been lost over the years in the way it is commercialized and has in my view become one of the biggest money-making business. One loses their peace of mind with advance restaurant bookings, retailers wooing you with the Valentine’s Day clichés, set menus in restaurants with no choice left to you to choose what you desire to eat.

On this Valentine’s Day and going forward ask yourself 

  • Is this all that Love and Affection is about ?
  • Are you further victimizing a woman who has already been sexually assaulted by your attitude and lewd comments ?
  • Do you find power in degrading a woman mentally and physically ?
  • Are you not ostracizing woman when you make statements to the effect that woman walk in perpetual consent when they dress the way they want?
  • Are you not being an oppressor watching a rape or sexual assault silently ?
  • Are you not contributing to violence against woman when you watch TV shows and movies that show woman as a commodity ?
  • Are you not being a sexist when you engage in verbal sexual assaults or silently watch the same against a woman ?
  • Are you not bringing disdain to love and affection when you decide to abort a child when you determine the sex of the child is female ?
  • Are you not aiding and abetting with the oppressors when you don’t raise your voice against Female Genital Mutation, sexual abuse or harassment or female feticide or any other form of violence against women. 
  • For anyone who thinks women should ignore online harassment, and not react, would you do so?  Would you ignore it if you are abused, and threatened on-line ?
  • Why do you as society victimize a female and view her with a cacophony of distrust ?
  • Are you treating the woman in your life with love, affection, respect and care? 
  • Are you being human while dealing with a woman ?

Key Highlights from onebillionrising.org. Watch the Video  http://t.co/uK97Qnko.

“ONE IN THREE WOMEN ON THE PLANET WILL BE RAPED OR BEATEN IN HER LIFETIME.

ONE BILLION WOMEN VIOLATED IS AN ATROCITY

ONE BILLION WOMEN DANCING IS A REVOLUTION

On V-Day’s 15th Anniversary, 14 February 2013, we are inviting ONE BILLION women and those who love them to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to this violence. ONE BILLION RISING will move the earth, activating women and men across every country. V-Day wants the world to see our collective strength, our numbers, our solidarity across borders.

What does ONE BILLION look like? On 14 February 2013, it will look like a REVOLUTION.

ONE BILLION RISING IS:

A global strike

An invitation to dance

A call to men and women to refuse to participate in the status quo until rape and rape culture ends

An act of solidarity, demonstrating to women the commonality of their struggles and their power in numbers

A refusal to accept violence against women and girls as a given

A new time and a new way of being.”

Change starts with you, with your family. If you change your mindsets and attitudes, and every member of your family did the same, this world will no longer have woman who are treated as a Sexual Commodity to be harassed, tortured, raped, humiliated or killed. 

Start now, start today. Speak up, spread the good word of Be A Human and a Woman is Human. Raise your voice as a human being and bring Violence Against Women to an END. 

Image Source 

Top 5 Places To Visit in Hong Kong

By 1 Comment

When you travel to any place, things that most of us look for are the beauty of the place- natural or historical, good food, hotels, shopping, and warm hospitality. The below 5 spots have been chosen by me as my Top 5 favorites which encompasses these features.

As you leave the airport and either take the train or taxi, you will see the magnificent Tsing Ma Bridge, , the world’s longest span suspension bridge carrying both road and rail traffic, is the key connection between Hong Kong and its international airport on Lantau Island.

For further information please click on

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/attractions/nt-tsingma-bridge.html

I.Lantau Island and Giant Buddha Day Trip from Hong Kong

Take a day trip to Lantau Island, Hong Kong’s largest island, and you can discover & enjoy pristine serene beaches, in an otherwise fast pace city, traditional fishing villages, lush valleys, soaring mountains (for some lovely challenging hikes) and spiritual enlightenment. A full day tour includes a guided visit to Po Lin Monastery, the Giant Buddha Exhibition Hall and a 5.7 kilometer cable car journey offering spectacular views of Lantau Island and the South China Sea.



The beauty of Lantau needs to be seen and sensed. Lush greenery, peace and serene valleys is a treat to a City that never sleeps.

For more details on Lantau Island http://www.hkoutdoors.com/lantau-island/lantau-surprises.html

II. Victoria Peak


Victoria Peak is a major tourist attraction for any visitor to Hong Kong. This is the highest point situated on the western side of Hong Kong Island with splendid views of the harbour and the city. One can take a taxi, drive , or take the peak tram from Central. The peak tram is a tram that starts from Central and is a ride that must not be missed especially on the way down. Victoria Peak offers panoramic views of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the surrounding islands and the views are spectacular especially on a clear day. There are 3 very good restaurants (with one of them with out-door seating) and some quaint shopping for souvenirs.

From there one can go to the famous fishing village of Aberdeen, Deepwater Bay, Repulse Bay and Stanley. The ride up to these places offers some spectacular views of the greenery in the concrete Hong Kong. You get a view of some of the most beautiful homes and sky rise buildings.  The sky rise apartments are work of one of the best designs of architecture.  Stanley Market in Stanley is one of the must-go places when you visit Hong Kong.  You will find an interesting array of little shops selling silk garments, sportswear, art, Chinese costume jewelry and souvenirs.  An once your are done with your shopping, you can treat yourself  with a good lunch at one of the many restaurants with some of that offer outdoor seating, which is a rarity in HK,

III. Lan Kwai Fong and Soho & Shopping

Lan Kwai Fong on Hong Kong Island is the perfect venue for a night full of fun and pleasure. Jazz clubs, bars, upmarket bistros and pleasant restaurants line the streets.  Lan Kwai Fong is a small square of streets in Central, Hong Kong. The area was dedicated to hawkers before the Second World War, but underwent a renaissance in the mid 1980s. It is now a popular expatriate haunt in Hong Kong for drinking, clubbing and dining. The street Lan Kwai Fong is an L-shape with two ends joining with D’Aguilar Street.  The crowds during special occasions such as Halloween or New Year’s Eve put the place at a literal standstill with the large numbers.

The Soho district in Hong Kong is an entertainment zone located in Central and bordering Sheung Wan, within Central. The name is derived from its location: South of Hollywood Road. Some of my favorites Casual dining places are located in Soho.

The Central-Mid-Levels escalator was built-in 1993; the now vibrant character of Soho is attributed to the creation of the escalator system, which at the time was the longest escalator system in the world. Prior to the escalator construction, the area was populated by many elderly locals, old go-downs and porcelain shops.

Perhaps considered one of the city’s stranger attractions, the Hong Kong Central-Mid-Levels Escalator is used to ferry thousands of workers between the bedroom community of Mid Levels and Central Hong Kong. Built in 1994, the Hong Kong Central -Mid Levels escalator now carries upwards of 60,000 people a day. This is one ride I would not want to miss.

No visit to Hong Kong is ever complete without the shopping. Best places to shop in Central & Admiralty are IFC, Pacific Place, street shopping at Granville Road, Mong Kok, and Causeway Bay for some street and off shoot items.


IV. Ocean Park

Ocean Park Hong Kong is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, animal theme park, situated in Wong Chuk Hang and Nam Long Shan in the Southern District of Hong Kong. Founded in 1977 by the then Governor of Hong Kong Sir Murray MacLehose, Ocean Park has now grown to about 35 attractions and rides. The park has won several awards, including The World’s Seventh Most Popular Amusement Park and 33rd Most Visited Tourist Attractions in the World by Forbes. For further details please click on

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Park_Hong_Kong

For those of you who enjoy rides and water wold, Ocean Park is one I would highly recommend over Disney Land, Hong Kong.


V. Hikes

Hiking and Hong Kong??  You say no way… Surprisingly Hong Kong is a marvelous place for hiking. I would recommend the easy hikes of Hong Kong Island: the Peak, Mount Butler, and Dragon’s Back. Each of these offers some spectacular views of Hong Kong, Kowloon & Lantau Island. For further details, please click on

http://www.hkoutdoors.com/hiking-and-biking-in-hong-kong/hiking-in-hk.html

There are various other treks and hikes from moderate to difficult and difficult to very tough which I shall not mention for this post.

I hope you enjoyed the virtual visit to Hong Kong and will consider visiting a city that has character, attitude, and a personality.