Because dreams can amount to something

http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/south-asia/i-was-one-of-indias-unclean-dalits-now-i-am-a-millionaire
As far back as he can remember, people told Hari Kishan Pippal that he was unclean, with a filthiness that had tainted his family for centuries. Teachers forced him to sit apart from other students. Employers sometimes did not bother to pay him.

Mr Pippal is a Dalit, a member of the outcast community once known as untouchables. Born at the bottom of Hinduism's complex social ladder, that meant he could not eat with people from higher castes or drink from their wells.

He was not supposed to aspire to a life beyond that of his father, an illiterate cobbler. Years later, he still will not repeat the slurs that people called him.

Now, though, people call him something else. They call him rich.

i find that once again I'm being called to stand up for what i believe in, not just in what i do, but my attitude towards things in life and friendship.

not that i have been ostracized or outcasted, but sometimes, it sure feels that way.

being in this industry naturally raised some eyebrows amongst friends and relatives. after all, i'm a degree holder of the pioneer batch of courses at one of the most prestigious universities in singapore. i did the tried and tested junior college then university route. and my family, although not as well of as one might deem to be "affluent", is not shabby at the least.

and right before insurance, i was in a bank.

some might say that is the goal in life of an average singaporean. work in an MNC and get paid a wonderful salary with an even more wonderful bonus.

but now i face the constant rejection and disappointment associated with people of my business.

this article is just a wake up call for me to stop feeling sorry for myself and just - "credit (my) own success to hard work and ego."

time for me to wake up and get back to work,
Jessica

Pledge for LIFE!

When was the last time you made a promise to yourself or to a loved one, to make some improvements to your lifestyle be it taking up a sport to get healthier, quitting smoking, striking a work-life balance by having some quality ME time, being a volunteer for a charity or spending more time with the family?

How committed are you to these promises? And would you like to get the support of colleagues, friends and family to continuously motivate you to keep to your promises.

Let us help you to be committed to your pledge and here’s how:

Step 1: "like" the AIA Singapore facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/AIASingapore/

Step 2: Use our L.I.F.E app to make a pledge

Step 3: Invite your friends to support you and win a prize!

Step 4: VOTE for the most inspirational pledge!

Thinking of the ones that love us the most.

When we were young, our parents took care of us, they fed us, clothed us, even wiped our asses when we didn't know we needed to. so i know that if it comes to that, there's dignity and respect in giving back to the ones who love us.

What would you do to show your parents that you love them?

and then...

along comes a prospective client that just demolishes all the stereotypes you ever thought there was and totally makes your day :)

thank you for being so nice to me and for restoring my faith in speaking to strangers about insurance.

Rejuvenated,
Jessica

it's the same old thing, just on a different day

and i'm sure most of you have heard the more vulgar version.

i just feel under appreciated. i was telling my friend that so many of my clients think they can run right over me and keep me hanging on a thread for their every word.

and he replied very aptly "some clients take for granted that we do the extra mile for them in service. we don't have to do some things but we just do, as a friend and as an 'employee' to them. it's all about educating them that we are not dogs."

now how am i going to go about doing that?
Jessica

Cherish your Soul.

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He’s very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant’s confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now, the merchant’s 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, “Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I’ll be alone. How lonely I’ll be!”

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, “I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No way!” replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant’s heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, “I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No!” replied the 3rd wife. “Life is so good over here! I’m going to remarry when you die!” The merchant’s heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, “I always turned to you for help and you’ve always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?” “I’m sorry, I can’t help you out this time!” replied the 2nd wife. “At the very most, I can only send you to your grave.” The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

Then a voice called out : “I’ll leave with you. I’ll follow you no matter where you go.” The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, “I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !”

Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives
a. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it’ll leave us when we die.
b. Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.
c. The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we’re alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
d. The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it’s a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we’re on our deathbed to lament.

Sometimes I really wonder..

Why I even Bother.

recently, i've bene talking to a number of new prospects, and for some reason, i get the feeling that they hear me, they understand me, but they can't get themselves to commit to policy or a plan.

when i talk about insurance to someone, i endeavour to be the most ethical i am, and suggest what i would really do if i were the one considering insurance at that point in time.

i had a friend tell me that "you know, your job is to inform people of the benefits and explain the consequences, but the ultimate decision lies in the consumer" and i KNOW that she's right. but i don't know why or how i end up getting so involved that i feel so dejected when a person chooses not to take a step towards better protection.

currently i'm also facing the problem of balancing between chasing too hard and "subtly" reminding them that they need to DO something about their lack of cover. but the more i try and talk to people, the less appreciated I feel. even more so when it's a friend that i've been speaking to.

is there ever a mid-point between showing how much you care and getting the job done?

upset and depressed,
Jessica

Power to the women

and anyone else who have been through an experience and lived to be stronger..

English translation from Portugese
" I had Breast Cancer and now I have THEO"

what would make anyone feel better after something like a catastrophic event? i can't imagine in that moment or even period of one's life, could anyone be thankful for what they has happened to them.

for someone to pick themselves up and live life after with a smile on their face, that takes true strength.

would protection help? noone would really think about the financial aspect of it til much later. but it WILL help. noone wants to worry about it with trying to come to terms with it. the peace of mind that one of the potential issues is settled is priceless.

be protected EARLY!
Jessica