QOTD - 18 October 2018

There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they
exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them ~ Denis Waitley

Oh my goodness... Could the Universe get any louder!?

The message has been well and truly received. And I know that it has finally sunk in because this morning I woke up ready to tackle the day, and I have had a pretty productive day.

I am ready for the take the responsibility to change the current conditions.

I am ready to stand up for myself and get the training I need to be the best I can for the new chapter in my working life.

I am ready to enjoy my work again.

I've got this - BRING IT ON!

{Picture found here}

What challenges have you risen to recently?

Quote of the Day - 17 October 2018

Don't go through life, grow through life ~ Eric Butterworth

Welp, following on from yesterday, this is another apt quote for me.

I recently started a career planning course at work, and as part of the process met I with another participant today to go through some of the homework together - a great way to keep myself accountable, and actually do the work.

After quick introductions, we were soon talking about our roles, the things that drive us, and why we were doing the course. During the course of our conversation, she noted that whilst the changes were unpleasant, they were an opportunity for growth... and could also lead me towards something that I never knew I could do.

So I don't just have to "go" with the new working life that has been presented to me. I can grow through it; learn new skills, become more employable and even potentially find something that makes my work soul sing.

So thanks to a new connection I made today,  I've decided that I'm going to dive in and make the most of what has been put in front of me - wish me luck!

Did this quote resonate with you today? 

Or do you have another quote that you would like to share?

Quote of the Day - a new beginning

Internet browsers. Everyone has a favourite, and it can be nigh on impossible to get someone to change their mind about which one they prefer. Me? I'm a Chrome girl through and through.

For the last 3 years, I have been using a dashboard called Momentum, which I found on the Chrome web store. It has daily background photos and quotes that appear when you open a new browser tab. There's also a whole bunch of other tools to help you manage your day: to-do lists, countdowns times, world clocks, weather, and heaps more.

If this sort of thing is right up your alley, please check it out!

(This isn't a sponsored post! I just love using Momentum and wanted to tell you about it. Feel free to look into it, or not... it is entirely up to you)

I love it primarily for the photos and the quotes. Almost every picture I've come across has been stunning and for the ones I don't like so much, I can change them with a click of a mouse button.

I have also been writing down all the quotes that have had some meaning to me on a post-it note and sticking them on the wall of my office. Just as a little bit of daily motivation and something to perk me up when I'm feeling flat.

{image from here}

For something a bit different on this blog (and as a way to get me into the habit of writing regularly!), I want to share the daily quotes with you and offer some insight as to if, how, and why they are relevant to me on that particular day.

So, let's get started!!

Today's quote:

Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly ~ Robert H. Schuller

{picture found here}

This really resonated with me today; I returned to my old workplace last week (I had been on secondment in a different department for nearly a year), only to find that my role had been completely overhauled with very little consultation with me. I'm working through my thoughts and feelings about it - trying my hardest to see it as a positive thing and not to take it personally. It's using up a LOT of energy. And during this process, I've been understandably feeling pretty demotivated.

As soon as I read the quote, I had a whole bunch of feels. Which rather than pushing down the feelings to deal with later (much later, and preferably with a glass of wine!), I decided to sit with them... and yes, there probably was an element of procrastination going on! ;)

I realised that there is a lot of fear inside me around these changes. They were not of my doing, they were not what I wanted, and I am completely out of control about what my job is. It doesn't help that I'm not getting a whole lot of direction either.

Once I had sat with that idea of fear, and acknowledged that it was valid and had a right to be there, the feeling then turned into a bit of excitement. I have an opportunity to make this into a great role; one where I embrace all the changes and tackle them head-on. There will be chances for training and upskilling, and when has that ever been a bad thing?!

I have been talking about and been grumpy about these changes for nearly a week. And I have continually said to myself "I just need to reframe my thinking about this". Well, today I think I have turned a corner in how I think about this situation. I think I am now the start of the path to acceptance.

I think that today I have discovered the grace to accept that which has been handed to me, and I can feel the stirrings of the courage that I will need to stand up for myself and to make the changes required to help me be happy and fulfilled in my role.

If for some reason it isn't possible to do that, then I can look for a new job - and that is something I do have control over.

Did this quote do anything for you? Did you hear another quote today that inspired you, or helped you come to a realisation?

Tell me all about it in the comments below!

Microprose #386 - How quickly we remember

In that initial moment of being awake, laying in bed with her eyes closed and the sun shining through the curtains, everything was exactly how it should be. But with her first conscious breath, the obscenity of life moving on hit her. And grief swallowed her once again.

The prompt for this can be found here

What sadness can bring

Mr M lost a very close friend a week ago. It was an unexpected and tragic death, and he leaves behind his wife and toddler, and a small community of family and friends struggling to comprehend what's happened.

Death and grief are two of my all-time least favourite subjects (and I don't think I'm alone in this). I have a tendency to run away from death and grief in the hopes that they will never touch my life; I know, I know, dumb and impossible.

But, Mr M has been utterly devastated by this loss and I am proud to say that even with my aversion, I have fully stepped up to help him through this sad and painful time.

I NEVER confront death. If the thought of it enters my head, my brain scrunches its eyes shut tight, holds its hands up to its ears and sings "LAH LAH LAH, I CAN'T HEAR YOU" ever so loudly. But this time, I told my brain to stop. I'm not wallowing in my emotions, but I am sitting with them; welcoming them into my heart, acknowledging them and allowing them the time to be processed appropriately. I respect this man too much to ignore my hubands (and my own!) feelings on the sadness of his passing.

(Huh. It seems that I may have grown up somewhat... well, that and a few years of therapy!)

With this newfound sense of acceptance, I have also broken through my fear of visiting with our friend's wife. I was terrified that I would do something wrong, or say something stupid and thoughtless in my awkward uncomfortableness with the enormity of the situation. But in the face of her all-consuming grief, a grief that I cannot even begin to fathom (thanks to my never entertaining the thought of such a loss), I stared down my fear and reached out to her with an gigantic hug and a heart full of love. And from her reaction, I did good.
Side-note: I'm a great hugger, it's kind of my signature move.

~*~*~*~*~

As usually happens in the aftermath of a tragedy, the truly important things in your life tend to pop out in stark contrast to the mundane and ordinary things; the things that seem to consume all your time and energy but aren't really as important as they pretend to be.

Through the (far too) few times we have spent time together, and stories from Mr M, I know that his friend was funny, insightful, spiritual (though not religious), a very devoted husband and father, generous - he was a giver (of time, energy, and things when required), a super talented cinematographer, a writer, a refugee, a pain in the ass sometimes (aren't we all!), a dream chaser, a lover of animals, open-minded (and even when he was being a judgmental jerk, he was still open to the alternative view), an amazing friend to Mr M (with a fantastically eclectic bunch of friends), and a real go-getter; if he said he was going to do something, he went and did it. No exceptions. And everything that he did, he approached with an open heart ready to accept the adventure ahead.

Because of his friendship with Mr M, and with his passing, this man has become an inspiration to me. His heartbreakingly early death has reminded me that life is waaaaay to short to be fucking around with things that make me feel "meh" or make me unhappy. He was prolific with the work that he created, writing a feature film about his family's life and their ordeal to seek asylum in Australia in the 70s, whilst at the same time working on a documentary about an orchestra from his home country, and filming artistic adverts for international fashion houses.

He was living every single, day doing what he was passionate about and enjoying every moment. Yes there were bad times for him, and unpleasant interactions that impacted on him. But they never stopped him from pursuing what he wanted.

A few days after his death, I wrote a list: "Things that need to happen". Some of the things on the list are chores that I should have done ages ago (contact a financial advisor); some are things that are super important to do ASAFP, especially now that I know that any moment could be my last (write a will! This also falls under the should have done ages ago section); and some are things that I have been meaning to put effort into, but just never find (make!) the time to do.... such as writing and finding a side hustle.

To honour the life of this talented mo-fo, I have decided to live my life more fully. Concentrate on the things and people that fill my heart with love and joy. Dedicate some time each day to writing, and to find the joy in learning the craft. And together, Mr M and I have decided to live the life that we want to live; to pursue a lifestyle that results in our family's happiness.

Hold your loved ones close, and connect with those who mean the most to you, tell them WHY they mean so much to you. Try not to take anyone for granted, for who knows when they won't be there anymore.

Big love.