Every day, do something you have never done before.
Once a day, do something which you habitually done regularly but do it in a different way.
Yes, do this simple exercise for 30 days and record down the activities. Start today.
You will see improvement in your creatively thinking if you maintain this exercise for 30 days. Furthermore, you many continue with it when you find yourself having fun with it.
For example:
You can list down the animals or birds you saw on your way to school or work.
If you love listening to music but only listen to particular category, then sit down and listen to a different category, listen deeply and fully.
Or the next time you brush your teeth, do it with the opposite hand.
Today, I start to write down on paper and then update this blog to keep myself accountable.
Day 1 (07 Jan 2019)
Started this creative action program by writing it down on paper and online.
Day 2 (08 Jan 2019)
This morning, I chose a different path while walking towards the MRT. As I pass the first playground, saw four teenager students playing in the children play ground. As I pass the second playground, heard some radio music and saw a man lying on the playground bench enjoying his music. As I am not too familiar with this new path, I walk behind a NS men whom I assume who is also going towards the MRT. Guess I was right and found a new path towards the MRT through the car park which I have never walk pass all these years.
Day 3 (09 Jan 2019)
Visited ITE website https://www.ite.edu.sg to find out if there are any part time courses which I can take. This is a struggle for me as I have not upgrade myself for many years. Will look for courses around ITE College West (Choa Chu Kang) as it is near my place. Considering the Smart Phone – Develop Android Apps (Beginner). Time to make use of my Skills Future fund.
Around 4 pm, I called up ITE to make enquiry about the Android Apps (Beginner) and they told me that it was cancelled. Maybe it is just the beginning of 2019 and nobody interested to take go for short courses. Will check out again on the next term.
Day 4 (10 Jan 2019)
Visited the National Library ebooks site https://nlb.overdrive.com/ and borrowed the ebook Mind Over Minds by Andrew Weil. Normally, I don’t like to read health and medical books as I find them quite boring. For this project, I had to do something different, so decided to try reading it. Maybe I can pick up some good tips on some medication that I have previously consumed.
Day 5 (11 Jan 2019)
Instead of spending the same time watching drama, I read the ebook “How To Turn Your Ability into Cash” written by Earl Prevette. Reading is good for acquiring knowledge and learning some good tips from the author. Watching drama or movies is kind of relax the mind and it is easier to do. Hope to spend more time reading from now onwards.
Day 6 (12 Jan 2019)
My Samsung S7 edge tempered glass kept coming off after sometime and I suddenly have an idea to use the double side tape for its four corners. Seem like it was able to stick better now, will continue to monitor.
Day 7 (13 Jan 2019)
Bought this honeycomb from my Turkey trip and notice it was rather sticky when I mixed it with water. After drinking it, the honeycomb seem to stick on the side of the cup and it was rather hard to wash it. After a few days of washing the sticky cup with lots of water and scrubbing, a thought came into my mind which suggest why not use disposable paper cup instead. Today, I went to the mall where there is a shop selling birthday celebration products and bought a pack of 50 hot paper cup at 6.30 SGD. In the evening, I tried making a cup of honeycomb and sure enough, it get sticky on the side of the paper cup which I throw it away after finishing the honey drink. I am only left to wash the sticky spoon which is much easier.
Day 8 (14 Jan 2019)
Start to practice some yoga stretch in the evening. Normally, just eat, sit and watch. Typically Singaporean bad way of living after a day of hard work. Lack of physical movement except our mouth seems to be the root of all health problem. Daily yoga stretch is a must from now onwards.
Day 9 (15 Jan 2019)
Today, I admit temporary defeat that doing something new daily or doing things differently from what you habitually do is not easy. This is the first time I admit defeat openly in my blog, does it consider to be something new, I think it does not matter. What is important is that I continue with this exercise and hope to finish this 30 days project which I have task myself.
Day 10 (16 Jan 2019)
Since I started this exercise, I realized I have been writing consistently since day 1. Normally I do not write every day and I think it is good that I should continue to create new exercise plan for myself so that I can continuously learn new stuff. Overall, it is a good start for me in 2019 and I want it to be better than the past year.
Day 11 (17 Jan 2019)
Create a new topic, 30 ideas to start your own website. This is what they called an idea will sprung out another idea if you take action first and the universal mind will help you along the way as you continue to think about that focus niche subject that you intend to do. A past wisdom I once read, the perfect time to start something was yesterday and the next best time is today.
Day 12 (18 Jan 2019)
Started to pay attention to the things around me since I begin to write this post because I need to keep track of things to know whether I am learning new things or when I try to change a daily habit. If you work in a company, you are always asked to do things that can be measured. Companies that have measuring data can evaluate their performance and improve things. Individuals who wish to seek constant improvement need to collect data on themselves too. Although I realized late on this, it is still never too late for me to start doing this from today onwards.
Day 13 (19 Jan 2019)
Once I read that successful people break things up into small pieces to accomplish the big task. Begin to understand the statement more clearly now as I begin writing small paragraph of 50 to 100 words daily during the past 12 days. From now onwards, I am prepared to write regularly in small batches as to complete a full article. Previously, I used to write the full article in one goal and it had kind of made me dread writing unconsciously. So, if you wish to start a personal blog, seek ways that let you write without pressure while enjoying the process.
Day 14 (20 Jan 2019)
Disciple in completing the important task first. Several years had gone since I wrote anything and I somehow rekindle it in 2019. Since I begin this creative action program exercise, I had disciple myself to write at least 50 words first before I relax myself and do other time wasting stuff like watching online videos. When a person does not set priorities for doing the important things first, then that person is likely to waste the time on something else that let the limited time we have on this earth passes by.
Day 15 (21 Jan 2019)
Made a change on the usual weekly update of the STI index to wordpress and will now only update my buy, sell and dividends received from those listed companies listed in the Singapore Stock Exchange.
Old: https://www.gotothings.com/singapore/
New: https://gotothings.com/blog/index.php/category/sg-stocks/
Day 16 (22 Jan 2019)
I never cook anything before and try to boil an egg with my Mayer XL Air Fryer 3.5 Litres MMAF88 which I bought recently. I learn from my father who also has a Mayer Air Fryer of a different model that I need to set it to 180 degree celsius for eight minutes. This evening, I wash an egg and put it into an aluminium bowl before putting it into the Air Fryer to try out just for this project. The result was perfect.
Day 17 (23 Jan 2019)
Went to youtube and watch a smartphone photography video on S7 edge. Learn some features like wide selfie, the odds, symmetry and some camera tips on how to take better photo using my smartphone.
Day 18 (24 Jan 2019)
Search and found an alternative screen capture software called Greenshot as I found that the Windows 10 Snipping Tool is quite poor. Greenshot work much better as a screen capture software and it is free.
Day 19 (25 Jan 2019)
On and off, I do invest money on SGX. For 2019, will try something new by investing based on technical charting only. No reading of financial news as it usually made me doubts whether to put money into a certain share of a company.
Day 20 (26 Jan 2019)
Again, this is on stocks investing but it is about cut losses. Going to learn to be decisive and cut loss quickly for those wrong decision instead on hanging on and hoping which resulted in more losses in the end.
Day 21 (27 Jan 2019)
Was thinking how should I clean my living room windows and after some thoughts, decided to purchase this KingJet Pressure Sprayer 5.0 Litre which can help to reach the outside windows where my hand cannot reach and I can’t climb out of the windows.
Day 22 (28 Jan 2019)
Create a new post on the Nas Daily Earnings as I was curious how he made his money online. It go to show that there are still money to be generated on the internet if you are willing to put in the effort to learn a relevant online skill and then show it to the world on social media like Facebook.
Day 23 (29 Jan 2019)
I always hate the traditional mop and was seeking ways to simplify it using technology. Managed to find this Xiaomi Deerma Instant Heating High Temperature Sterilization Steam Mop which is light and easy to use. Not that perfect yet as it is not wireless, but it does simplify my housework task for now. Mopping technology is still in is its infant stage and the company that is going to perfect it will be the next Dyson.
Day 24 (30 Jan 2019)
First time on my own initiative, I went to attend the fair organized by the SkillsFuture fund where every Singaporean were funded with SGD 500 to allow them to learn any new skills. Surprising till now, only 10 percent of the population have used the SkillsFuture fund, it happen that I am also one of them. Maybe Singapore employees are too busy to learn another new skill.
Day 25 (31 Jan 2019)
I am an introvert by nature and today I try to talk more with my colleague when I met him. Not much but at least a good start for this exercise. Hope to continue doing it by opening my golden mouth more often although talking is not my cup of tea.
Day 26 (01 Feb 2019)
Trying to learn how to plant cherry tomatoes outside my HDB. Search youtube to get some ideas on how to extract the seeds and then soil it into the planting pot. The steps looked quite easy and hope that it will grow.
Day 27 (02 Feb 2019)
Although I put my bank card right to the end of my wallet and ezlink card right to the front, I still get scanning errors even though in the middle I put those non-tap cards like IKEA, Popular cards etc. Google for some info and it was mention that if you cut some aluminium foil and put it in the middle of your wallet it will prevent the double scan error. To me, it looked kind of ugly, so I just bought some RFID sleeves and put two in the middle of my wallet to stop the ezlink card double scan error. It works.
Day 28 (03 Feb 2019)
OMG, I made myself watch a youtube video on how to cook vegetables. Choose a simple cooking video where you just need to pour a spoonful of oyster sauce and sugar on the plate first. Then cut some garlic and fried it using cooking oil. Pour the fried garlic and some amount of the boiled cooking oil onto the same plate. Next, use a cooking pot and boil the water with two spoonful of salts. Once the water is boiled, put in the vegetables such as xiao bai cai and then cook it till it is dark green. Once dark green, filter away the water and arrange it nicely onto the same plate.
Day 29 (04 Feb 2019)
Was trap in our company cargo lift and I observe that the cargo lift door does not close all way tightly due to safety reason. From the little gap at the bottom, I use some strength to push the door up and it seems to work. Recommended way is to call their 24×7 service helpline and wait for them to save you, however, in critical time, you may need this knowledge to save yourself.
Day 30 (05 Feb 2019)
Today is the 1st day of the Chinese Lunar New Year and it happened to be my final post for this creative action program exercise. During the past days, have learn the important of planning as it help you to focus on the project on hand. There is an old saying which said that if you failed to plan, then you are planning to fail. Will be making more plans from now onwards.