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Stress Management Talk For Terrapinn

Posted by: lionel on Oct 01, 2011

There are many things to be stressed about in life – think tight deadlines, unreasonable bosses, traffic jams, never-ending bills to pay…the list goes on. But even if you get terribly upset over it, it’s not going to change things a single bit.

Just because you are stressed doesn’t mean your boss will increase your pay by 50% overnight. Just because you are stressed doesn’t mean God will give you an extra 24 hours each day.

So where does this all lead us? Find out more in today’s stress management talk especially for Terrapinn.

A business media company, Terrapinn deals with trade exhibitions, conferences, training solutions and electronic and print publications. Working mostly on deadlines and on project basis, it’s understandable for stress levels to escalate a little when the show is coming on.

For the enlightened, once you realise you are in control of your life, you have mastered stress.

Simply put, managing stress is all about taking charge. And taking charge is a powerful concept. Who is in charge? Are you in charge? Or is someone else running your life for you?

Filled with useful anecdotes, the stress management talk helps participants focus on taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your environment and how your deal with problems.

We all aspire to lead a healthy, balance lifestyle where we have good work-life balance. This is not impossible if we know how to allow ourselves to relax at the right time.

Try deep breathing exercises and meditation – two of the most useful stress busting techniques I recommended to the group today. Already useful separately, if we were to combine deep breathing with meditation, the benefits of it all become multi-fold.

Let's strive towards stress mastery!

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Corporate Grooming Talks For Keppel FELS

Posted by: lionel on Sep 21, 2011

Tagged in: grooming

And the completion of today’s corporate grooming talk at Keppel FELS marks the third run of this series. Originally, it was meant to be just one grooming talk for the staff. But owing to overwhelming response, HR requested me to do two more runs of it. Thank you everyone for your enthusiasm. I guess word must have gotten round Keppel FELS that spending one hour at lunchtime with me was well worth the investment.

Forming an orderly queue to register their names, the crowd filed in on time. But I must say some were turned away disappointedly as they didn't RSVP prior to the talk. Not wanting to disappoint anyone, we decided on Day 2 to allow walk-ins as well as long as they brought their own chair!

A subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd, Keppel FELS has grown from a local shipyard into a global offshore group. As a global leader in the design, construction and repair of mobile offshore rigs, there is always a moment everyday when one has to come into contact with another colleague, supplier or member of public. And that’s when projecting a positive first impression helps create positive lasting experiences in each customer interaction.

As long as we continue to learn and grow each day, we will help add value to ourselves and the organization we represent.

So it was comforting to see both men and ladies in the room. In this age and time, more men have begun to pay more attention to their dressing, grooming and poise. It does not matter if they are wearing white overalls or executive wear. There will still come a time when you need to look presentable, neat and appropriately dressed for the occasion.

Amid discussions, demonstration and hands-on practice, the three interactive sessions went smoothly without any hiccups; although I must profess my special thanks to the third group today who were super super energetic.

Thanks and looking forward to seeing all of you again soon :)

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Health And Fitness Talk At Department Of Biological Sciences, National University Of Singapore

Posted by: lionel on Sep 20, 2011

Tagged in: health talk

I’m back at the National University of Singapore (NUS) today. This time, it’s at the invitation of the Department of Biological Sciences (DBS) at the Faculty of Science. It’s the annual DBS Safety and Health Day 2011.

Already into its third year of inception, the event brings together staff and students from the department in a bid to reinforce the importance of observing workplace safety. This is not surprising as most of us spend most of our waking hours at work. What makes it even more important for the staff and students at DBS is the fact that a large number of them work in laboratories and handle chemicals. Any spillage would result in serious consequences.

This year, the committee decided to include a special segment into the programme and here I am today with one of my signature health and fitness talks “Quality Lifestyle, Quality Performance.”

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Customised to address the concerns of most people who list no time, lack of knowledge and high cost involved for not adopting a healthy lifestyle; it was an eye-opener for the crowd.

Many a times in life, it’s not about sharing difficult or profound concepts. Rather, it is simplifying concepts into simple to follow steps so that everyone can participate and integrate into their everyday lives. That to me, is the true worth of my sharing today.

And in the same manner as all my other talks and workshops, there will definitely be a practical aspect to it. Just listening to me talk is not enough as the participants must get involved as well. Once the body is involved, the mind will remember better :)

I love the energy of the audience as they didn't need cajoling. In fact, once someone got up, the next one followed and it was easy to motivate them to move their bodies along to the bodyweight exercises I introduced. For photography purposes, I even invited them to come down to the first row of seats. And they obliged!

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Including a special segment on back pain management, it was uplifting to see this was also much appreciated by the audience as they spent long hours in the lab space or in the cubicles hurrying over the tight deadlines and projects.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. And so as the saying goes, Lionel invites them to play. And play they did when all received a free massage complimentary of their colleague! It was so invigorating that I had to ask them to stop, less they continued to the end of the talk.

And the sharing of knowledge also included useful tips on how to do self-massage and stretching by focusing on the accupressure points.

I had fun, and I'm certain the audience too did, judging from the smiles, laughter and light-heartedness in the air. In fact, just to quote the head of department who also graced the event, he was envious I got them to do stuff he couldn't. And like what he shared too in his closing address, the department that exercises together stays together :)

With the Head of Department of Dept of Biological Sciences & the DBS Safety & Health Committee 2011

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Miss World Philippines 2011

Posted by: lionel on Sep 18, 2011

Tagged in: pageants

I’m back in the Philippines after the first visit two months ago. Back then, it was to meet health and wellness guru Cory Quirino for a networking lunch. Today, I’m invited as a guest to watch the Miss World Philippines 2011 live at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

There has been tremendous buzz in the Manila media regarding the Miss World Philippines 2011. Year in, year out, there will be beauty pageants one after another. But considering that this is the first Miss World Philippines to be crowned under the Miss World franchise in town, it’s definitely something everyone is looking forward to with much awaited breath.

My Row A VIP seat ticket

To be shown on the GMA network immediately after the live recording at PICC, I was immediately awed by the sheer glamour of the stage which literally took my breath away. It was regal and opulent…befitting of a new queen who would be crowned Miss World Philippines later tonight.

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Awed by the opulence of the staging...

From the standees displayed outside the venue, one got a quick glimpse of the 24 candidates. Coming from the different provinces of Philippines, this must surely also rank as one of the most cash-rich pageant I’ve witnessed thus far. With the generosity of the sponsors, the winner tonight would walk away an instant millionaire as she would win one million pesos in cash prize, not forgetting a brand new condo unit and other fabulous prizes as well.

And when the hosts Dingdong Dantes, Carla Abellana and Isabelle Daza opened the coronation night, the crowd went wild. To be honest, I simply loved the energy of the crowd. They cheered each time the name of their favourite contestant was mentioned. They shouted, whistled and waved banners, whistles and horns enthusiastically. When the girls finally appeared, the energy level was sent rising several notches higher. In short, the noise level was deafening. But for the girls on stage who saw their supporters’ love and encouragement, it was a translation of the support and much more into a strong, invincible aura of confidence as each strutted her stuff on stage…and hopefully into the hearts and minds of the distinguished panel of judges.

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Opening dance segment

The distinguished panel of judges ran the gamut from the beauty experts to the GMA folks to leading actresses to the reigning Miss World 2010 Alexandria Mills. How much grander can the panel get? But there was only one who really caught my eye and he was ten-time world boxing champion Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao. It’s one thing to read about Manny’s victories in the papers but it’s a completely different ballgame altogether seeing him in the flesh. I simply had to take a photo with him...which I did :)

A once in a lifetime photo with Manny Pacquiao

I particularly enjoyed the theme song! And mind you, it’s no mean feat having a Miss World Philippines theme song but the Filipinas did just that. Kudos! And I swear the same melody is still ringing in my ears as it’s infectious and easy to hum along.

As with all beauty pageants, there will always be three main highlights on coronation night. First up, the evening gown competition, followed by the swimwear and finally, the question and answer segment.

With this same format replayed so many times, it was little wonder each girl seemed to be well prepared as they sashayed across the huge stage and flashed their pearly whites.

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I liked it that the organisers had different designers to design and tailor-make different gowns for the girls. Just think about it – if all had to wear the same gown from one designer, how more boring can that get?

With different designers coming together to contribute different creative juices, the evening gown competition round was indeed a feast for the eyes as creativity knew no bounds. As long as the girl had the assets to carry it off well with confidence, she was already a winner that night.

As the temperature in the massive hall heated up as the girls made their turns in their swimming costumes, my eyes remained fixed on one girl. Number 13. Gwendolyn Ruais.

Seated just two rows of chairs away from the stage in the VIP box at Row A, I had an excellent view of the pageant proceedings. Judging from her body proportion and natural poise, Gwendolyn won my vote to win Best in Swimsuit. And she certainly didn’t disappoint as she claimed this subsidiary award.

If you ask me, life is always cruel and in any competition, much less a grand pageant like this one, the decision whether you stay on to compete in the next round or exit the stage is solely based on the judges. If the majority of the judges feel you deserve a chance to progress, then congratulations.

And from the original 24 girls, the semi-final round witnessed only 12 names being called. And from that same 12 names, a further wittering to the top 5 lucky girls.

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The Top 5 - one of them will be crowned Ms World Philippines...

And Gwendolyn made the cut, together with hot favourite of the night (judging from the number of wolf-whistles she received) Nicolette who looked like a split-image of the Pussycat Dolls.

Yes, they had flaunted their beauty and poise in the earlier rounds. But now to be considered winner material, one had to impress with sheer intellect. And this is usually the moment of truth as only one can be crowned Miss World Philippines 2011. And that moment of truth is which girl gives the best answer that strikes a chord with all seated on the judging table and in the audience.

The Filipina-French Gwendolyn nailed down the crown when she confidently answered her final question "What would you do with your P1 million cash prize if you win the title?" Her reply: "Part of it I will put into the bank for the future. Then I will throw a thanksgiving party for everyone who supported me in this experience. The rest I will use to put up my own charity foundation for Tuloy Streetchildren, the official foundation of Miss World Philippines."

Now who said Number 13 was an unlucky number? It certainly was super lucky for Gwendolyn as not only did she win the coveted crown, she also won 2 subsidiary titles – Best in Swimsuit and Miss Puerto Princesa-World in a preliminary event in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan last week.

Congratulations Gwendolyn…A whole new world awaits you as you fly to London to represent the Philippines in the 61st edition of Miss World 2011 pageant to be held on 6 Nov 2011.

Winners all - newly crowned Miss World Philippines 2011 Gwendolyn Ruais with the 4 princesses

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Miss World Philippines 2011 with Miss World 2010 Alexandria Mills

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Grooming Talk At Toyota Motor Asia Pacific

Posted by: lionel on Sep 16, 2011

Tagged in: grooming

I’ve learnt about the market innovativeness of this Japanese model back in my school days. I’ve also driven one of them before. And in case you are still wondering, I’m talking about Toyota.

And here I am tonight at Toyota Motor Asia Pacific for their very first grooming talk. Held in conjunction as part of the staff welfare programme, the talk kicked off with a Japanese bento dinner.

I loved the arrangement of the tables in the room in island styles as it meant plenty of interaction space between the participants and myself. Many a times, I don’t see myself as a trainer. Instead, I see my role more as a friend who helps others become more confident of themselves in my own little, non-threatening ways. And tonight was no different.

Setting the pace of the night with an ice-breaker activity, followed by the heavier materials packed behind, the crowd responded with their enthusiasm, laughter and smiles galore. The discussions and activities were attended to with precision and seriousness, just like the hallmarks of the car. In short, there was something for everyone. And their faith in me was rewarded as the hour spent was definitely worth their time.

Weaving between the male and female aspects for grooming, there was little cause for worry as the males could learn more about female stuff and vice versa. I also spotted one couple who attended together in the audience. Learning should never be rote learning. It’s about taking useful, practical grooming tips and getting the participants to put them into practice into their everyday lives.

If not for my flight to catch later tonight, I would have loved to share more with this lovely crowd who despite their long day at work, bubbled with energy and enthusiasm.

Thank you Toyota Motor! And till we meet again, for our next grooming session :)

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Grooming And NLP Workshop At MKPL Architects

Posted by: lionel on Sep 12, 2011

Tagged in: grooming

What does MKPL Architect and Lionel Lim have in common? On hindsight, there seems to be no similarity. After all, MKPL is an architectural firm while Lionel Lim is a style coach. But if you look deeper, both are intricately related as our professions revolve around looking at things with a detailed eye.

And so here I am today at the firm conducting a half day grooming workshop for the staff.

5 minutes prior to the start of the workshop, an intercom sounded. It was a reminder for the participants to gather at the training room. It’s a brilliant idea so that we can start on time!

At MKPL, the males outnumber the females. So today we had three tables of males versus one table of females. Males or females, the camaraderie among the colleagues was excellent as everyone was in a joyous mood to explore, learn and grow. More importantly, it was a pleasure to watch the participants hailing from different countries treat every aspect of the grooming workshop as seriously as their drawings. In between laughter, some even took their body measurements twice in good faith. The first time was to complete the homework, the second time was to reinforce the learning. I smiled and commented that all of them would qualify as experts in cloth measurements after today.

Recently, I have started to blend NLP techniques into my grooming workshop as it opens up a whole new world and helps additional value to the participants. And today was no different at MKPL. Expecting most of them to be visual, my hunch was proven right.

Many a times, when the learning gets fun, time passes all too quickly…Thanks for having me here today and thanks for the great, great moments we spent :)

Till the next grooming workshop, everyone!

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The Sunday Times Article: Dressed For Success

Posted by: lionel on Sep 04, 2011

Tagged in: appreciation

Many people want to step out and exit the rat race but have not summoned enough courage to do so. I can relate to this and all of the pulling back factors - chief among them strong family objection, the fear of failure and a lack of self-conviction.

But there will come a point in time when enough is enough. You just have to sack your boss and move on. Staying on would mean continued misery, false promises and a decreasing quality of life. Only upon leaving would one truly become free and fulfill one’s destiny on this planet.

This was what I experienced myself. And looking back, since stepping out and starting my own business, I’m been extremely blessed to have summoned the courage to leave, pursue my dreams and persevere.

What the last three plus years have culminated into has been an exciting journey of learning, growth and transformation beyond my wildest imagination.

This year alone, I’ve appeared on Mediacorp TV and today marks the second time I’m being featured in the national papers. What makes the article in today’s The Sunday Times extra special is that it is my first full page spread.

When I was younger, I used to admire the people who would appear in the papers for free – they had to be either politicians, celebrities, criminals or the dead. And then when the years evolved in the new economy, another category was added – entrepreneurs.

I am proud to say I am an entrepreneur. And I will help you get dressed for success, in the same way I have walked the path myself :)

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PS: Click here to read about me in The Straits Times Life : Collectors Series (20 Aug 2011)

PPS: Click here to read about me in The Straits Times Mind Your Body Fit & Fab: Mr Confident (12 Jan 2012)

PPPS: Click here to read about me in Lianhe Wanbao Health & Wellness: Resistance Tube Exercises (29 Jan 2012)

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