Mr. Kong started sharing how he is also working from home just like us and that he only goes out to visit the dentist, see his grandchild, and most especially when he had his vaccine shot. Now that we are working from home, we may not have noticed that it has already been more than a year since the start of the pandemic. “Time moves slowly, but time passes quickly,” as he mentioned.

Things are changing; the world is changing; this pandemic has changed a lot in this world, such as the way we work, live, and even look. Change is non-linear; it comes in waves. With the pandemic happening, we need to be very careful. “The ability to withstand trials and difficulties depends on our ability to carry a healthy perspective on how we are to see things as they emerge,” said Mr. Francis Kong. We have to learn how to co-exist with the virus by simply doing social distancing, proper hygiene practice, and wearing masks. Maybe soon, if we could all participate and do our part to battle the virus, we could be back to normal.”

Here are each of the lessons that Mr. Kong has given us to know How to Live Meaningfully in these trying times. 

#1 BE MOTIVATED, STAY MOTIVATED (THE SCIENTIFIC WAY)

During these trying times, it may sometimes be hard to be motivated and stay motivated. With all the noises around us, we should respond positively NOT to the noises but to the voices surrounding us every day. But what are the voices that we should listen to?

The five voices that are speaking to us all the time:

Compulsion. This is our internal voice — the voice of urging. According to Mr. Kong, “The first thought that enters your mind when you wake up in the morning defines your theme for the day.” Every waking day is a gift; that is why we should try out new things and make ourselves productive with our time.

Interpretation. While the voice of Compulsion is our internal voice, interpretation is our trusted voice. Your urge should be supported by trusted information. Trustworthy news, NOT fake news. Mr. Kong has discussed some points that we should be avoiding, such as: 

• Do not let negativity occupy your mind-space
• Be informed but do not be consumed
• Do not participate in social media bashing and ranting

Nowadays, mass and social media can easily influence our way of thinking, so it is essential to filter and process information that is both true and reliable.

Transformation. Now that you have Compulsion and Interpretation, convert them into action. Transformation is our compelling voice. This is the perfect time to strategize and create a plan. Without action, the voices of Compulsion and Interpretation have not gone through you yet.

Faith. This is our voice of hope. The thoughts in our minds are more important than the things in our life. Continue to see and find hope when there are challenges and obstacles along your way because these challenges make us improve in our personal and professional lives. Hold on to hope, just like how you hold onto your dreams and goals.

Courage. This is our voice of bravery. Based on knowledge and strategy, you can already do an educated risk. With the voices of Compulsion, Interpretation, Transformation, and Faith talking to you, the only thing that you need now is Courage. Be brave to execute all your plans and strategy while having hope and credible information in you.

#2 PURSUE PASSION, PURPOSE, AND PRODUCTIVITY

Now that we have the motivation, pursuing our passion, purpose, and productivity is next to knowing How to Live Meaningfully in these trying times. 

Passion. To begin with, what does “passion” even mean? Coming from the Latin word “passio,” it means to suffer. “The willingness to suffer inconveniences in doing the things we need to do to achieve the goals we want to achieve, to bring us from where we are to where we want to be,” said Mr. Kong. There will come a time when we all have to suffer to get past where we are right now.

Productivity. With the passion that we have, this could lead us to productivity. Being productive helps us build competence within ourselves. Another saying from Mr. Francis is, “You’ll never be happy unless you are productive.” 

Purpose. We are all created to work and provide meaningful work. From Mr. Kong’s discussion, “Work is the expenditure of energy that adds value to someone or something.” An example would be a mother without a job. We may think that she is not working, but in fact, she does work for her children. Her work exhibits the expenditure of energy she gives to her children. When you’re working, you’re becoming a better person, learning, and developing your attitude and confidence. So, let’s ask ourselves, what truly is our purpose in life?

#3 CULTIVATE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

This line may sound too deep, but in simple words, it is: “Live in the moment, be thankful.” There are so many things ahead of us that we can be thankful for. Learn to be grateful at all times. “If you are feeling anxious, interrupt anxiety with thanksgiving,” advised by Mr. Kong. The past, that’s your lesson, the present it’s your gift, the future is your motivation and hope. Enjoy new opportunities that will open up because “Everything happens for a reason,” right?

Mr. Francis ended the talk by sharing a quotation from a KDrama that he watched entitled “Romance is a Bonus Book”: “Your aspirations for the future should always surpass your regrets from the past.”

If you’ve reached this part, you may now know what to do when you’re figuring out How to Live Meaningfully through these trying times.