importance of a good mentor

sometimes it is much easier to go through life with a mentor to show you the ropes, share valuable experience and encourage you when you feel demoralised. if you find yourself easily discouraged and don't feel good enough, then maybe you need to work on confidence and self esteem issues. but often, a good mentor that is willing to guide and support you through can be very beneficial. someone more experienced can see your potential and encourage you not to give up when you feel like nothing is going your way.

emphasis on WILLING and wanting you to improve and do well

not right

something's not right when you have no reason to wake up in the morning
your dreams are about running away and hiding from some people trying to kill you
the days seem meaningless to experience
the nights feel too long and lonely
celebrating your birthday doesn't excite you
the thing that once motivated you feels distant
you just want to be left alone by the people closest to you

i dream of being on the cover of FHM

I think of the Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice and how she became so famous after winning a gold medal at the recent Olympic Games. She did a lingerie spread in a magazine and was really hot because she's a swimmer ! 

heehee i've also been inspired by the Korean singer Lee Hyori who at the age of 31 looks really really good. similiar to Vivian Hsu who just gets more and more sexy as she gets older. I aim to be a famous Singapore golfer and one day get onto the cover of FHM. even though i often look at the girls on the cover and think 'they're not that hot' , it's still an amazing feat to be there. 

you can be fit and toned shuyan ! awesome hot golfer on the cover of FHM COME ON ! haha 

I HAVE MY DRIVING LICENSE !!!!

ok not the real card yet but they gave us this slip of paper that says ' you are allowed to drive while waiting for your driving license' lol

i'm so pleased with myself for passing on the first attempt and only getting 8 demerit points !! muah haha i was quite worried because i didn't do a U Turn and went back to school. i thought it was a sign that i failed and didn't need to finish the test route. so my heart was beating like crazy while waiting for the result. tadah !! he came in with a big smile !!!!!!!

yupp yupp maybe it's cos they are nicer to girls and thanks to tong who advised me to dress 'more hot' (his words not mine)
woke up especially early to get ready and get myself settled for the test.

the tester was actually quite nice, not like the mean ones you often hear from other people who fail. i'm just so lucky ! no correct that, i'm such a good driver :)

neo passed me his extra P plates so i was lucky enough to get them by today in time to drive everyone for dinner and home ! didn't park the car in the house yet. dad says i have to practice in the day time first.

my dad is so cool ! he wants me to learn the singapore map first before i'm allowed to drive out. testing me tomorrow. hmm hope there's no trick questions lol

i regret not paying more attention to learning the expressways during geography class. grrr

i'm sounding so disorganised but i'm just so overwhelmed with excitement on passing the driving test !! yayyyy
can't wait till i'm confident enough to drive by myself :)

i feel like a new person, the new shuyan with a driving license !! everything is so exciting and fresh again ! there is new found energy :in my life !

You are not defined by your personality

I've been reading this book called 'Reinventing Yourself' and i really like how he describes that people do not need to be their personality. They can behave in any way they want at any time. I thought about it and find it true because although i'm usually an optimistic person, there are times when i feel like a total grouch and wallow in self pity. I try my best to become more positive and change my negative energy into motivation to do something else.

Therefore, instead of saying that I have different personalities in different situations, which sounds a bit schizophrenic, i would like to be an inspiring person no matter how i choose to behave or think. I hope that even when i am in a bad mood in front of other people, they can be inspired by the way i bitch about something but get over it quickly, accept that it has happened and then move on. Inspire people by the way i try to be a sunshine to the people around me.

The analogy used is when you bump your knee hard against a table and there is a painful bruise.You don't let the pain consume your existence from then on, you endure the pain and carry on with what you have to do. You don't go around saying you are a bruised knee. You accept the pain and move on. Treat anything you are unhappy with in your life that cannot be controlled like the bruised knee. If you focus on it and sit down and cry, the pain will still be there but at the end of the cry-fest you would have accomplished nothing. When you accept the pain and continue with your normal activities, you find the pain soon becomes bearable or even goes away.

What you focus on gets stronger. Would you rather focus on pain or on things that make you happy?
They could be just small things but find time to be grateful for them and you too can become a more inspiring person.

SMILE !

direct reflection

i think my blog about golfing is a direct reflection of the way i feel about golf. when i'm enthusiastic about playing and practicing, i update alot and even have inspiration to create polyvore collages. somehow the passion has been waning and it shows in this blog :( i don't update as often or as much as i would like.

i try to ask myself what i want to do from here on but i really don't know. i feel like i've gone back to a time when i don't even feel like being awake because i don't know what to do in my life. Making my whole life just about golf didn't make me happy, but not playing golf at all doesn't make me happy either.

My one motivation now is to get my driving license on Friday. That's in 2 days !! i'll have a new sense of achievement that will jumpstart me to create new desires.

One of my backup plans if i don't play professional golf was to become a golfing coach. I need to spend some time thinking over if it is something i will enjoy. sighs

the study system has made it so difficult for us to decide what to do in our lives. We work towards achieveing a qualification. good grades that we think can help us figure out what we are good at so we may go into that field in the future. but it doesn't allow us to seek our passion.

Speaking for myself, i did my degree in Finance and Marketing which i had no idea about before i started the course. I chose it because it sounded interesting and fun but i don't even know if it is something i like that much and an area i would want to work in.

Maybe it was the choices i made in secondary school. maybe most people are lost like me. everyone probably goes through the same process of discovering themselves and their goals in life. they just don't announce it to the whole world.

smile shuyan ! i am slightly lost right now but that does not define me. i know that i will be fine as long as i am happy.

never give up it's such a wonderful life !

this is the original video of the song 'wonderful life' by hurt. the new video is more expressive but i like how the original video just captures the essence of the song and lets you get lost in the lyrics. although the dancing isn't as smooth as the new video, you get a very different feel from watching this one.

truly inspiring when i listen to the chorus
'don't let go, never give up it's such a wonderful life'

i always remind myself that i have to encourage myself but sometimes it gets hard to believe in yourself or even find the meaning to carry on

but being alive is such a wonderful thing ! there are endless opportunities and things to explore in this life. i know that no matter what, my life will be fulfilling and fun. even on days where i feel like i've lost my soul and essence.

Improve Your Putting Today

I think i used to be a really bad putter. I would stand over a 3 footer and fear missing it. I was only confident of putts that required me to tap into the hole.

I feared going on the putting green because I knew there was a risk of 3 putting and getting a bogey if i didn't get my first putt near enough. Hitting greens on regulation didn't ensure me hitting pars and a good score at the end of the round.

Ever since i resolved to improve my putting and remove the fear of using the putter, I've been shooting scores in the low 80s and even a 79 on a good day !

I now have a new site dedicated on how to putt better providing putting tips for the golfer that wants to lower their golfing scores.

check out http://howtoputtbettertoday.blogspot.com/

Love being outdoors

I love those moments where you're doing something and you just get this super nice feeling. This heartwarming feeling inside of peace and serenity. One such moment i hold dearly in my heart is when i finally got to play a round of golf after 2 weeks of rushing assignments and studying for tests. The freshness of being outdoors in the sunlight and surrounded by greenery made me so happy ! To be one with nature, just doing something simple as swinging the golf club and seeing the ball go in the direction you want it to gives you such a satisfaction that only a golfer would understand.

I want to find back that feeling. The anticipation of going out to the golf course and battling the conditions internal and external, feeling content that even if you don't do anything for the rest of the day you went out and played a good round of golf. That's all i'm looking for now, the excitement to wake up in the morning and play golf, improve that pitching or get more confident with my putting.

excited lim is back in business !!!

whoo !
been in a slump for like a month (i'm guessing because that's how long it's been since my last post) but now i'm back in action !
no more distracted by random new 'interesting friends', no more feeling lousy about being unable to achieve goals because they were unrealistically set.

it's the new and improved me ! my new name is excited !
although i'm still figuring out my next step of action, i know that whatever i aim to do, i can !

I GET WHAT I WANT !

its raining !

3 tips on playing golf in the rain

the dark clouds have been gathering all morning. i could feel the heat and humidity this morning and knew it would rain before noon. now i'm wondering if it will still be raining when i head out to play golf later. so here are 3 tips on how to maintain your golf game in the rain and wow your competitors by your nonchalance towards adverse weather.

1. prepare your wet weather gear
most importantly, a rain coat, an umbrella and a hat to protect you from getting too wet. it is important to keep yourself as dry as possible. you don't want to catch a cold halfway through the round. also avoid light colored bottoms because the ground is wet and you don't want to get mud splattered on your pants from walking or flying divots.

2. don't rush your putts
maintain your pre-putt routine of checking the break and adjust for whether the green will be faster or slower due to the rain. then make sure you are relaxed before putting. most people tend to ignore reading the break like they would in normal weather and try to hurry up so they can take shelter from the rain under the umbrella. doing this will see yourself 3 putting on more holes

3. enjoy the beauty of the rain and get more connected with nature
rain is all part of the water cycle. evaporation, condensation and then rainfall. a simple concept we learned at a young age that connects the earth (soil and plants), sky (clouds) and the sea. it is such an amazing process, yet we are too caught up with the rush of life that we take this for granted. rain brings water that is essential to our lives and without it the earth would be a sad place. i think of the places that are in drought and appreciate the weather in singapore. thank you rain for cooling our city !


follow these 3 tips of playing golf in the rain and you will see that your golfing score does not drastically increase from your usual score so you win your competitors !

working towards my next goal

having achieved my goal of breaking 80 in a competition, i am starting to see the importance of setting goals because of the satisfaction you receive when you achieve them. although i still haven't fully gotten over the fear of setting goals because i fear i won't be able to follow through on them.

i am now working on my new and improved goal of playing a gross score of 75 and to make it more exciting, i set my goal to play 75 in the upcoming Singapore National Amateur Open.

i will do my best and focus on each hole instead of the outcome. whether or not i make it into the top 8 is irrelevant. taking it one shot at a time is more important. i can't allow myself to give up after the first 6 holes. even if i hit a bad shot, i will still do well. concentrating on connecting my conscious and subconscious to allow myself to get the ball to the target is the most important. i play my best by taking control of my thoughts and bringing myself into the zone to play my best !

i can do it ! it will be so awesome when i achieve my goal !

school rumble

this is the ending song of school rumble season 2

i think its so cute and upbeat !
listening to it brightens up the dark sky that is getting more and more ominous

if i ever forget you i'm sorry

buffets give you power to play better golf

i've been seeing all the advertisements for the new variety show on channel 5 called 'buffetlicious' and the food just makes my mouth water. sad to say, i haven't caught any of the episodes but i guess the idea of going to buffets have been feeding into my subconscious mind so this week i went to 2 buffets. i probably have the over-indulgence on good food to thank for my ability to hit the ball so well on saturday that led to my first time playing below 80 in a competition !

thursday night i enjoyed the crystal jade steamboat buffet, or more well known as the xiao long bao (xlb) buffet with the 'rojaks' ate 2 longs of xlb = 10 xiao long baos and super alot of other steamboat-y foods. i almost burst from the full-ness

friday night my mom treated me to the lobster buffet at the ritz carlton. i ate so much lobster, prawns, sashimi that i had to keep loosening my belt lol

people tend to really overeat at buffets thinking they must stuff themselves with as much food as possible in order to eat their money's worth. i find that i have devised a way to eat a large amount of food at buffets by eating slowly such that i am one of the last few people still eating dessert while everyone else is clutching their stomachs.

so if you are looking for a quickfix way to improve your golf score in an upcoming important competition, do consider stuffing yourself on buffets starting 2 or 3 days before the game.
you should see some improvement in that you will be able to hit your driver that 5 to 10 meters longer.

trust me.

goal 1 achieved ! broke 80 in a competition in august

whoo hoo !! i'm so so so excited !
i bogeyed the 18th hole to finish with a gross score of 79 in the august monthly medal ! it feels wonderful to achieve one of my goals in just the first week of august !!

so many external reasons i can attribute to my wonderful score such as good weather, relaxed pace of play etc but i think the best part was that i was very focused on my game and was able to hit good shots, chip well and best of all i was putting really well. i will share the specific thoughts in the next few posts !

this is solely dedicated to celebrating my performance ! i went out and treated myself to these 2 beautiful rings that i've been eyeing since umm 3 days ago haha at least now i don't feel so guilty for buying them because i played well ! i look forward to lower and lower scores and aim to break even par soon :)

all the struggles have been worth it ! all the hard work is paying off and i am seeing myself achieve more and more of my abundant potential ! no longer does playing under 80 consistently sound like such a distant dream. i just need to recreate the conditions (internally especially) needed for myself to perform at my BEST !

keep going girl ! there can only be more and more steam to push forward !

this blog is funny !!

fairwayfoxesblog

its dated 2006 but i think what is written is valid and humorous. check it out.
i especially like the part on choosing a beautiful caddy in thailand

"If you are bold enough, when you drive up and see a caddie you like, you can ask the starter if you can have that one. But come on, this is not a massage parlor."

check it out to see what i mean. if you are as humorous as i am, you will be laughing in your seat !!

3 ways to make golf improvement fun

1. be kind to yourself

Einstein did not invent the lightbulb within one day. he worked and worked at it till he succeeded ! we are not robots. don't expect to see drastic improvements in one day. don't be so hard on yourself if you are unable to make changes immediately. feel happy that you are improving a little at a time. don't scold yourself, but instead give encouragement ! you are your best motivator !

2. play golf with a friend who is also committed to improving their golf and having fun at the same time

Majority of golfers complain about how lousy their golf is. they have a competition on who has the worst golf swing, who has the worst yips on the putting green. it is easy to sink into self pity when surrounded by people who only want to whine but do not want to do anything to improve their golf. try to play golf with someone who is encouraging to have fun together on the golf course ! it is more fun to work on improvement with someone going through the same things as you are.

3. eat and sleep well and keep hydrated

Dehydration, hunger and tired-ness are the big killers of patience. when you are thirsty, tired and hungry is when you are most likely to get angry and annoyed when you hit a bad shot or miss a short putt to win a hole. little do you know that the outburst of anger was due to the inability to control your emotions when you do not have enough fuel in your body to maintain the balance of emotions. eat 1-2 hours before your golf game, sip water every 3 holes or so and make sure you have enough rest at night to say good bye to crankiness !

have fun !!

how to make golf improvement fun part 2

if you still do not agree with the importance of making golf improvement fun, this reason will blow your mind !

when you make golf improvement FUN, you are associating positive emotions with the process of working towards a lower golf score ! strong associations with a particular thing or emotion help you remember things better. you remember the way something makes you feel and if you feel strongly about it, then you will remember what caused that emotional reaction.

think of a particular restaurant you've been to recently. do you remember your experience there? was it because you enjoyed eating there or because you hated it ???
you can either have good or bad associations with the food, ambience and service at a particular food outlet. they may be equally strong. but wouldn't you prefer to have good thoughts in your mind. negative experiences stick with you and don't make you feel good. even recalling them makes you shudder and shake your head.

so the ideal is to have fun and create positive associations on your journey to playing a better golf score. especially if it is a long term goal that you have set to achieve. you would be much better off treating it as a fun and challenging game that keeps you hooked on seeing how good you can become !

we all enjoy doing fun things ! read on to get the 3 steps on funfy-ing your golf improvement

how to make golf improvement fun

let me share 3 tips with you on how to make golf improvement fun !
when you introduce fun into your life, you feel better and you make it more enjoyable for the people around you. no one likes to spend time (even playing golf together) with a whiny golfer who complains about their golf game.

i understand truly how tough it is to work on a particular thing in your golf swing, or on pitching and see no results (or even see yourself deprove) it is very frustrating ! but when you get angry at yourself and the inability to make changes immediately, your body actually tenses up which makes it even harder for you to move your body differently. when your body is more flexible, it can rotate more easily and you are able to use the natural rhythm and grace of your body to swing well. when you are rigid and stiff, you are more susceptive to injury as well as aches and pains.

want to learn how to funfy your process of golf improvement ?
read on to my next post 3 ways to make your golf improvement fun

new word of the morning : funfy

new word of the morning: funfy (fun-fy)

pronounced fun fie
(same way as in the end of satisfy)

definition: make something fun

used in a sentence:
it's so boring ! lets think of how to funfy this process !
lets funfy the morning by singing along to 'KINGS OF LEON'


hahaha i feel especially creative in the mornings after having a nice breakfast :)