Applied Psychology

It’s Not Easy being a Rock Star.

May 9, 2013
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It’s Not Easy being a Rock Star.

I mean a K-Pop Star. Fortunately or unfortunately, many of the rehearsals go on in full force until there is a few minutes left to the start of the show at Seoul Fashion Week. It is usual for security to forbid access at the designer or the producer’s request, but Big Park was gracious enough to let some of us in, which I personally see as a great marketing opportunity for the designer house as it’s another chance to be “exposed” to public (through a media coverage such as what you are reading right now, but it is acknowledged other perspectives exist as well in which the concern is they prefer to keep the collection and production secret and unreleased until the official start of the show). While I always enjoy watching the rehearsals as observing group dynamics is my natural inclination and a forte, Big Park‘s show carried...

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Finding small pleasures in life

February 26, 2013
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Finding small pleasures in life

Through the years, I’ve learned to appreciate and find happiness in little things in life. I was talking to someone the other day and realized that physical illness stems from what occurs inside, something people call “stress,” which got me thinking about the matter in relation to Psychology. ‎”Stress reduction is important, but the real value comes in the ability to step out of whatever reaction you’re having — which is usually habitual or automatic — so you can do something different”- Professor Hunter, assistant professor of practice at Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University People often wonder how having an advanced degree in Psychology has benefited me in different facets of my life. While it has proven to be directly related and applicable to the job itself (I’m in marketing), I must say that it’s helped me greatly in my social life as well as managing stress...

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D.GNAK by KANG.D: Pursuit of Happiness

December 13, 2012
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D.GNAK by KANG.D: Pursuit of Happiness

As someone whose childhood dream was to become a fashion designer, perhaps it’s only natural that I have a great admiration for those successful in the profession. Nevertheless, I never thought that I’d be sitting in a room chatting with them for hours, not to mention befriending them at one point. It’s funny- when I was in college, I was that annoying student who found joy in having an interrogation session professors, one who always sat in front of the class and asked all the strange questions. It was the incessant curiosity that kept me thirsty for knowledge which eventually led to more schooling. Once I got hooked on psychology, I had no choice but to dig deeper and deeper… only to realize that more studying would only require more studying. Learning really is a never ending venture which at the same time is what makes it so intriguing....

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Culture Shock

January 26, 2012
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Culture Shock

The more I learn about the Korean culture, the more my heart breaks. 5-year old kids who are sent to English classes, single ladies who would do anything to get married (including plastic surgery, studying their butt off to get into a good college, etc.), the guys who max out their credit cards to buy American things, kids starting to compete against each other at a very, very young age because there is no way they can survive otherwise… The sad part is that this all stems from their wanting acceptance whether by their peers, family, or the community in general. I’ve noticed that Koreans tend to pay a lot of attention to what others are doing, especially on those whom they have some type of relationship with, or ones they know even slightly. This is much more prevalent in small towns as everyone tend to know everyone which...

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Time is Gold… or is it Diamond? Well, you get the point.

April 20, 2011
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Time is Gold… or is it Diamond? Well, you get the point.

It’s only Tuesday but it already feels like Friday. I can’t believe that I will be in another country a week from now. What a crazy thought. I’ve been to Europe before but it’s a different story when it’s a country you spent your childhood in. I don’t know. We will have to see… I honestly have no idea what to expect, it almost feels like I’m visiting a foreign country (which technically is). Anyhow, packing has been initiated and now it really feels like I’m going away. It’s crunch time! On another note, I came across an interesting article about happiness today titled, “If Money Doesn’t Make You Happy, Consider Time” by the Stanford Graduate School of Business News, in which the author makes notable points about the importance of time. While some of these may seem common sense to you, some are definitely enlightening and can easily...

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fly me to the moon

December 16, 2010
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fly me to the moon

It looks like I’ve got some explanation to do regarding my previous post on the concept of flow. I understand it holds many different meanings but the one I specifically was referring to is the one that which a person becomes completely absorbed into the task at hand that he/she loses the track of time. Basically, I meant to say that I wanted to be always be doing the things that puts me in that mental state, the things that make my heart skip a beat, put butterflies in the stomach, the things that make me forget about the basic necessities of life (ie food, sleep, shopping, etc lol). Those who get to enjoy this state regularly are athletes and artists. As someone who grew up as an artist, I know exactly what this feels like. I once worked on a fashion design portfolio for hours without getting any...

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get in the flow

December 14, 2010
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get in the flow

One of the most interesting and intriguing courses I took in graduate school is the one about “flow”. I have written about this concept before but nowadays I just can’t seem to stop thinking about its importance and prevalence. I’m at a point in life where I’m constantly trying to identify the meaning of true happiness and how it can be achieved. As end of the year approaches (as well as my birthday!), I’m contemplating what my real purpose in life is and whether I’m doing everything to fulfill it. To be honest, I’ve always been more of an adventurer. I like trying new products, visiting new places, and eating new food. I also love learning and consider myself a lifelong learner. I’ve tried different jobs, traveled to and lived in foreign places, and studied various subjects, some in great depth (I have a Masters in Psychology), yet I...

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Say What?

September 9, 2010
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Say What?

You know that guy… one that’s fresh off the boat but wishes he weren’t. He acts like he understands everything you say but in reality, it’s all jibberish in his ear. You kindly offer to help when he places an order at a burger joint but he refuses, just like the other “cool” FOB dudes, often with passion.. and the next thing you know, they are ordering a “Cock” instead of “Coke.” Fail. Sad thing is, these folks not only exist in outer space but in the office jungle, too. And I’m referring to ones who literally landed from their motherland not too long ago on an assignment, usually as a high ranking officer. Yeah, those are the funniest. Imagine you are sitting in a board meeting, bored out of your mind, but don’t worry, cause you’ve got some major entertainment coming your way. Just when you are about...

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Fear is the Enemy

August 24, 2010
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Fear is the Enemy

I have an anxiety disorder. Call it Mysophobia, Bacteriophobia, Germaphobia, or OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), I’m just freaked out about getting myself getting into contact with bacteria or getting infected with a virus. What’s funny is that I didn’t know that this was a disorder until recently. I thought everyone was fearful of bacteria. I thought everyone washed their hands ten times a day. Since quite a number of people find it amusing that I’m such a way, I thought I’d take the time to observe and analyze my behavior for which I was able to come up with a following list: 1. I worry about germs transferring onto my pants and hair whenever I’m at a movie theatre. I think about the people who sat before me: ‘Where were they before sitting here?’, ‘Were their clothes washed? What if they were sweaty?’, ‘I wonder if they had washed their...

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