JOSEPHINE LUI AICI, CIP

Principal & Chief Image Educator First Image Training, Malaysia

I was invited to a ME Space workshop conducted by my much respected ex colleague. Such was an unbelievable experience to discover oneself and deep dive into the true core who we really are and what we really want. A simple photo therapy, 3 photos were given, each with a different question.

This was my 1st photo:

The question was:

(I thought to myself… this word DIFFICULT resonates with me as each time I play facebook games, I am always described as strong and resilient!)

What a picture! Plunged into a mud pot and one is supposed to be grateful? Oh YES definitely!

Why?

Only if I have been in difficult times will I know how tough life was. I am grateful as nothing can be more devastating now that I have been through it. Having tasted bitterness, sadness of losing my dearest siblings, bowing my head low, no more luxury lifestyle and no longer feeling as tall as before, how else can life be more detrimental! I was thrown off my corporate job at the middle age crisis of 48 although people termed me as the most hardworking Manager of all. That was a big blow. 25 years in the corporate world, getting a stable salary at the end of each month to pay all bills was suddenly deemed unsecured. I cried so hard, why me?

Adrift, I remembered, my first name card was ‘make-up artist’. Ironically, I had more than 100 make-up artists report to me before! After wondering for 3 months, I finally found my passion. Packed my bags to Hong Kong and graduated from an International Image Certification! Seemed fabulous but that means 50% of my savings have been depleted leaving behind almost nothing after I began a start-up of this new business. Scarred and lost, I cannot or dare not look into anyone's eyes and I can tell people are upset looking at me because I can never focus on their face lest eyes when we communicate. They shun away from me. In classes, they don’t wish to have me as their partner to work together. They chose others unless the Trainer assigned me to them.

At 48 unsure of business, my savings were at rock bottom. Too fearful, I got pneumonia. I can fully understand when lungs are flooded with virus, how is that situation of struggling for oxygen to stay alive. Each breath was a bonus until I could breathe harder and deeper. Grateful.

Next, was even a bigger blow when siblings went into squabbles and for that I lost my co-shared house and a brother who had misunderstood me for some wrong reasons till the day he passed away. Luckily I had my everyday therapies, feeding stray dogs on the street gave me really good vibes in return.

With very little money I bought an apartment and now a landed property. I started as a ‘freelance’ image consultant and did not waste my time being in the late 40s, quickly got my Certified Image Consultant and subsequently upgraded myself to a professional level now, a CIP (Certified Image Professional). To date, with 13 years in this profession, I am glad to have more than 20 faithful graduates under my image school which I built from the day I achieved my CIP. I have never been to a University, as I grew up in a very poor family. I made my parents proud, I hope.

And the feeling of that gush of water washing away the mud aftermath is totally refreshing, what a good feeling!

Rejoice!

This 2nd picture dawned on me.

The Question:

es, many including my most recent failure in achieving my life achievement for a master degree in image. Results from my business aren’t good coupled with 1.5 years through the pandemic deteriorated success I craved for lest diminishing every single dollar saved. But I have never stopped working since day 1 of the outbreak. Constantly strategizing, relentless learning be it new technology I am unfamiliar with tasks or knowledge, I kept going. I could never believe I could accept my face in front of the camera and edit my own videos, pandemic gave me the break to learn this task.

This the last card:

Question:

Immediately I broke down this picture reminded me of my 2 brothers who have passed on. Brother Spencer and Matthew, one after another, especially Matthew who had been my pillar of hope. It was too painful to see him leave for heaven. I miss him dearly.

Someone told me before “Do not miss them and cry but think of them and smile”

Quickly, I wiped my tears and focused on the question.

I took a closer look at these boys. They are joyful and young. Yes, I want to be as youthful as them and rejoice each day given to me. With joy, I want to share with as many people in a big way or small way, any way I can.

Why and how can they be so joyful and happy?

They are not draped with layers of clothes nor adornment, just natural sand that envelops them! Light and easy. In life, if we want to be free of stress and challenges, do not carry along unnecessary grandeur, stay humble, be sufficient. That means, we may need to reframe our goals, wants and expectations.

Being slow is not a deficit, but steady and sure. It brings more satisfaction and less regrets. Take life one small step at a time. What is given to you, do share. What is not don’t, expect. Do not be selfish with love. Manifest happiness to all beings, not forgetting animals, God sent us.

Life begins for me at 60 now! I will stay as fabulous, youthful and joyful to myself. I will continue to share my teachings wholeheartedly and be an ideal role model until the world needs me not.

Josephine LUI, AICI CIP Principal & Chief Image Educator First Image Training Malaysia

Josephine LUI is the Principal & Chief Image Educator of FIRST IMAGE TRAINING. She offers individual consultation and master corporate training in business image, personal and professional presence, business protocol and communication skills. The company’s focus is on corporate image trainings and an academy for international image certification.

She was the President of AICI Malaysia (2014-2016) and is one of the Panel of International Speakers at AICI 2010 Global Conference in Vancouver. In 2015, she received the honourable AICI Global Excellence Award in Washington. In 2016, she was appointed the Advisor of AICI Asia 1st Conference in Hong Kong and is the Proctor of Certified Image Consultants Certification (CIC,AICI) in the same conference and in Guangzhou in 2019. In the Learning With Experts in Chicago 2019 AICI Conference, Josephine delivered her presentation on “The Power of Two Or More: Sustaining Creative Business Collaborations”.

She is an Educator who believes in Integrity and Commitment as PRIME to exquisite Quality.

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