New Beginnings

Hi Readers,

A stinker of a day here and way too hot to be doing anything outside, so what better opportunity to put you to sleep than by banging out another post!! Plus, I'm still couch bound after my ankle surgery, just under 5 weeks done so far, hopefully only 3 more to go 🤞

For the past few days I have had a few ideas swirling around in my mind, but I just couldn't quite commit to any of them. Then, as I've mentioned in previous posts, how is it that some things just fall in your lap just when you need them?

I was browsing through the news this morning online and I came across an article that really resonated with me.

It was basically talking about now that we are at the end of the year, we start thinking about changes that we would like to make for next year, or beyond.

We all hear about, and often make those dreaded "New Year's Eve Resolutions" which always sound good at the time, but in reality never get achieved, or just fade from our memories within a few short days.

Why?

Often because they are too ambitious, a bit out of our reach or just too unrealistic to start with. I think I touched on this in a recent post, please forgive me if I travel over ground already covered.

I could name some of the usual culprits...

• lose some weight
• get fitter
• save  more money
• buy a new... ( house, car, investment etc)
• travel more
• work less
• discover "who I really am" ( there you go, I'm catering for those who sit cross legged in a tent wearing a kaftan and drinking fermented yak milk and burning incense from the foothills of the Himalayas!!)
• etc

I know I made light of the 'discovering who I really am' comment, but I must admit that this article did delve quite deeply into becoming motivated by indulging in a bit of self discovery to start with. So when I do joke about it a bit in this post, please don't misinterpret it as making fun of it, I'm not. It's just that I'm poking the bear a bit at those who go overboard with it to the point we cannot help but laugh about it. 

For example, with the things that I've experienced this year, I had an experience one day when a person came up to me, grabbed my hands and looked deeply into my eyes and said something like "And what have you learnt about YOU through all of this?" The last thing I wanted to talk about was this question, which helps to explain why I tend to still laugh about some things. Others have been much more casual and less confronting when asking questions along a similar vein which I have found so much more easier to deal with.

I hope that explains in some way that I'm not dismissing the 'self discovery' concept, but at the same time I won't be approaching it with the same cult like fanaticism that I have seen others do. I hope I can meet you somewhere in the middle.

One of the examples mentioned in this article talked about how hard it is to stay motivated to achieve the new goals that we set for ourselves. In previous years I'd always say that I wanted to run another marathon this year, or even more.

With my current physical state I have had to reconsider this immensely. Now, if I said that I wanted to go for a 5km run this year I'd still be over estimating my ability, so at the moment I'm just aiming to be able to walk properly and pain free. Anything beyond that will be a bonus. I'm not complaining for a moment, I'm just being realistic and stating what will most likely be achievable for me, and not beyond my expectations, ambitions and capability.

To aim for much more than that would mean it's most likely that nothing will happen, so what is the point in the first place? I am someone who always needs something to aim for, so if that means doing things that in the past were a walk in the park (pardon the pun) then so be it.

I clearly remember saying to Jen a few years ago that I'd never be someone who goes for walks, as they just weren't energetic enough for me. Now I'd crave to be able to do it. It's just amazing how quickly things that we take for granted can be so quickly taken from us.

In more ways than one.

By working slowly towards the things that are important to us means that the achievement becomes more meaningful, and hopefully drives us further to achieve other goals that we have.

A personal example for me is as simple as referring to this blog. I'd always liked writing, but never really had any purpose or intent for it, except for work or study reasons. Then for some reason a few years ago I stepped into it again as there were quite a few readers tapping in from overseas and now I had an authentic audience to write for. Since then I have continued to tap away at the keyboard and hopefully the standard, quality and content of my writing has improved since my first posts all those years ago. More than anything, I enjoy it even more as I took my time in trying to develop it further, meaning that the benefits to me have been long lasting rather than a flash in the pan. It still takes a lot of motivation to keep doing it, but I find that the benefits far outweigh any parts of it that may seem as a chore.

An author quoted in the article sums it up when she says "Seeing that seed of an idea become a finished product is so motivating", and I couldn't agree more.

I wonder how may novelists started out the same way? Don't expect me to write a book though, that is definitely not on the radar!!! Everything just has to start somewhere.

Another interviewee in the article mentions that it can be major life events that trigger greater motivation in people.

This I can completely relate to. Prior to this year my blog posts were generally bland and diary like. You might be saying to yourself that nothing has changed!!!

But going through the ordeal of Jen getting diagnosed at first with leukaemia, then getting the all clear, only to suffer the beginning of a more serious problem an hour later meant that the style of my posts changed dramatically, reflecting how my own mindset and motivation changed as a result. This event has affected me profoundly in so many ways, and most likely in ways that I am still yet to identify

It feels that I think more deeply about what I am going to write about as this year has been one of constant reflection and anguish, and perhaps this blog has been a great outlet for me. I know that after each post I feel a sense of relief that I have cleared my mind a little.

Also, the feedback has been so affirming, further adding to the motivation to try and produce something that encompasses any elements of literary competency that I might have bubbling away somewhere!

In this article it was suggested that when you hit rock bottom it gives you greater opportunity and motivation to make a change in order to lead a more functional and resourceful life. I suppose when things hit the fan we have two choices - do nothing, or do something, and it has been my desire to try and do something that becomes life giving, hence the more personal approach in my posts. 

As we all know, the grind of daily life can consume us at times, to the point that we just go through the motions and life can become a type of 'Groundhog Day' experience. The levels of motivation can easily wane if we fail to find ways to see things differently or approach things with a different mindset. Just like keeping the nose to the grindstone, so to speak.

An approach mentioned was to get in order the basic things that we need and require in our day to day existence. Food. Shelter. Rest. Safety. Connections with others.

Once these are sorted we are then more open and receptive to chasing down other things that we'd like to give our attention to. It's a bit like the scaffolding we approach our teaching with - you know - building on what has already been established, is known or understood. Build the base or foundations so that we can then begin working on what motivates us. The little things can often consume so much of our time and leave us with less time to devote our energies to the bigger and more important things in our lives. Maybe we spend so much time on the trivial things as they are easier to handle, but in the end they steal the time needed to address what is more important to us.

This short clip really explains how to address the little thing and big things in life.

Yes, we can still deal with the little things, but not at the expense of the more important things that really matter.

So, today.

Does it really matter that I've got crappy clothes pegs and that I need to buy some more, but need to wait until I do my next online groceries order? Or is it more important that I get ready to welcome back into my home my son, his fiance and their perfect grandson who are due back here soon? Not a hard decision for me that's for sure.!!

Does it matter that I've got a sore leg, or is it more important that I keep in touch with our 3 sons as we all live away from each other? Once again, not hard. Maybe instead of waiting for them to ring me, I pick up the phone instead. Similarly with other family and friends.

Well Readers,

I've gone off on my diversions and tangents again, but you must be accustomed to that by now if you are a regular reader 🙄 All I'm suggesting today is that we stop and think about how we might identify things in our lives we'd like to change, begin or completely obliterate! 

But dreaming within our own capabilities and setting goals or targets that are gettable.

Where to from here? 

In a few weeks I'll be heading back for the start of the school year and hoping first of all that I can put together a complete year in the classroom, as the past two years have only been 1/2 year efforts due to circumstances. That is my first goal. 

Anything that happens in that time will be up to me and how prepared I am to make it work, but needless to say I'll be striving to generate reasonable expectations that I and the kids in my class can achieve. The little things will take care of themselves to a large extent so I needn't trouble myself overly with them. It's the bigger concerns and needs of the kids that will need to be identified and hopefully I'm up to the task.

Reading back through this post I'm not totally sure I've explained myself as clearly as I'd hoped to. Maybe that's something for me to work on in future posts. In the meantime I have a few more weeks on the couch with my leg up so perhaps I can put that time to good use and refine my writing skills!!!

I just hope I've left you with something to ponder.

Until my next post,

Cheers 😁