Just Do What You Love!

So what do you think of the "do what you love and the money will follow" line of thinking?


There are many thoughts on this, I know. And almost everyone will have a different answer.

Here's my take.


We pretty much all have to work, yes? (I have thoughts on this too but that's another post). So when you wake up every morning, how do you feel? Excited, happy and motivated?

Or sluggish and dreading the day ahead...


I've been there. In fact I recently left a job purely because I hated it. I Itried to turn around my thinking in regards to the position, but I just couldn't do it. Every fibre of my being was against me.

I believe in taking the time to listen to my inner self - she knows more about me than anyone else around! I don't believe in making myself miserable for a job.

And when it's just a job, then I can do without it. I can make the choice to go without the flashy stuff, because my inner well-being means more to me.
It has taken me some time to reach this stage, and my kids can be quite disagreeable with it. I take the stance, however, that it's not necessarily a bad thing for kids to not get everything they want!

To be perfectly honest with you, I would rather think outside the box on this one. I believe we are here to enjoy ourselves, not work ourselves into the ground because society says so.
If you enjoy your line of work, then life has more flow, and you are happier.

Why wouldn't you do what you love? Why would you continue to do what makes you miserable?
It differs for everyone. I wouldn't expect you to love the same things I do, and I also wouldn't expect you to judge the things I love to do. I'll afford you the same courtesy.

Food for thought.

Self-Motivation

You know, I'm a pretty ordinary type of person. I'm not really "out there." I lead an ordinary lifestyle. More so than I would like actually.

All over the internet, there are these exceptionally motivated people making bucket loads of money on a daily basis. At least that is what they would have you believe.

Honestly, if they are I think that is fantastic.

What I love most about the world wide web are the opportunities for sharing and learning. You can find out how to do pretty much anything you want. And I love the fact that these days, successful people are happy to share their "secrets to success" if you will.

Like I say, I'm an ordinary girl and my motivation and enthusiasm waxes and wanes. But I have learned a few things over the years, and the older I get the more it all makes sense to me (I'm a slow learner!).

So here's my version of the road to success...

• Think. Long and hard. Think about what it is you really love to do. Work out what brings you joy. This could take a while - in my case years, but I think that's normal too.

• Plan. This involves more thinking. And lots of writing. And lots of scratching out and re-writing. Talk with your loved ones. If you don't plan, life just happens to you, and that's not usually a path to a fulfilling and joyous life.

• Take steps. Baby steps to start with if you need to. Look for information. Find others who do what you want to, or are where you want to be. Learn what they know. Go to school if that is what you need to do. Make every decision a part of your path to a joy-filled life.

• Keep moving toward and reviewing your goals. If you aren't moving forward then you're either standing still or going backwards, neither of which is a good thing. Constant thought about your goals brings them into focus and makes you more likely to achieve them.

• Keep thinking. Once you reach that first goal, you are going to want another and another.

It sounds simple doesn't it? And yet so many of us find it difficult to stay on track, we get discouraged and eventually give up.

I don't really know how to fix that, but I believe the more passion you have about your goals, the more likely you are to reach them. Which is why thinking long and hard about what you want is probably the most important step in my mind.

I am currently following my own advice. I am at the baby steps stage. And I'm excited and passionate about it. I'm ready to thrive. Are you?

On Feeling Let Down and a Little Silly

So, how do you cope with disappointment?

Not heartwrenching, change your life stuff, but those little things that you really hoped would turn out great. The closing off of possibilities I suppose you could call it.

Is it you that disappoints you, or is it other people?

I have very recently had an experience with disappointment which has caused me to stop and think about what I project. About what I put "out there."

About exactly what I'm attracting into my life.

Actually this disappointment has been ongoing for a while now, and that is because I'm the type of person who likes to hold onto things til the bitter end. Even when I can see it's not working for me. Something I would like to change in my personality, by the way (I'm working on it).

After some thought, I realise that I chose to look for the possibilities only, rather than open my eyes to what wasn't there. Isn't that a set-up for disappointment?

I think that when something that seems full of promise sails into our lives, we need to take a little time to get to know it, rather than jumping on board all gung-ho. If we don't inspect the vessel, we could end up sinking in the middle of the ocean.

I was lucky, I hadn't even made it out of the harbour before my boat capsized, but I could have been in way over my head had I been given the opportunity. Dangerous.

And how do I cope with all of this? By this - thinking about it, working out that it was me, not the person/situation. That didn't change, it was my hope for it that created my disappointment in it. By taking responsibility.

The lesson I have learned:

• Feel blessed at the joys that come into your life.


• Take the time to really look, not just at the possibilities, but at the lack of them too.


• Turn everything over in your mind slowly and more than once.


• If it's not what you want, walk away. Don't keep hoping the situation will "change" or "get better."


• It is what it is.


• Be thankful for the lesson.

Post It

I've been thinking. You might have gathered that I like to think and you're right. I do it a lot, and it's something I'm very good at!

Anyway, this time I've been thinking about mail. As in letters in the post.

I don't believe there are enough of them, and it's time to bring back the lost art of letter-writing.

Wouldn't it be lovely to go to your mailbox and find a wonderfully pretty envelope with your name and address beautifully enscribed on the front? And when you open that envelope out slides a hand-written missive just for you...

Someone has cared enough to sit down and compose a letter. Someone has actually taken time out of their day to think of you and put their thoughts on paper. How nice that would be!

Don't get me wrong my friends, I absolutely am a fan of email and text - as a matter of fact I prefer to communicate that way, but oh! There is just something about a letter. Something that stirs the soul a little, don't you think?

It's very Jane Austen and a very mindful way to communicate - so for me that's double the reason to write.

And think of all the fun you can have searching out divine papers and delightful envelopes in which to enclose your little pieces of grace.

Have I convinced you yet?

Get Adventurous

There are many people in this world who know what it is they want to do with their lives, and good on them I say.

I'm not one of them.

Yet.

Actually, that isn't entirely true, I have found many things I love to do and am formulating plans for yet another passion. But it changes for me frequently, so maybe don't take me as an example.

But the reality is, many of us muddle along for years, doing what is expected of us, before realising that there is more out there.

We get up five days a week and head off to the job we at best tolerate, at worst hate. We do this because everyone else does it so it must be the right thing.

We do this because we are on automatic pilot. Because we aren't living mindfully. Because we have no idea who we are and what we want. Because we haven't thought about it. It all comes down to the same thing really.

What we percieve as our safety net, our comfort zone.

A friend of mine asked me recently what I think about our comfort zones. Well JJ, here is what I think.

I think that we get entirely too comfortable for our own good. I think we need to shake things up a little. If you are the kind of person who shudders at the thought of something different, then you need to start small, but you need to do something! If you never try anything different, then how on earth will you ever discover what - or who - you really love?

I'm not advocating you quit your humdrum job and travel the world (although if you want to, go right ahead - or at least make plans and take steps.)

Be an adventurer - even if on a small scale. Open your eyes, your heart and your mind. See what this amazing world has to offer you.

Get passionate! Get lively! Get excited!

Opportunities come to us from the least expected places. If you don't peek through the door, you will never find them.

Be greedy - grab for those opportunities when they come along, and don't let them go.

Stop worrying about what others think - my favourite quote ever: "What other people think of you is none of your business."

Create your own luck, and live your own life.

Who Am I?

An exercise in self-discovery.

To know yourself is important don't you think? To be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. I think it's good to know, for only by knowing yourself, can you be the best you can be.
I did this the other day, and you know it's harder than I thought - and I think I'm a person who knows myself quite well. After re-reading it, I notice I focused on all the positive mostly - not a bad thing, but there could be something in that, perhaps I avoid openly looking at the so-called negative traits of my personality.

See? You really do learn about yourself with this!

WHO AM I?

My name is Suzie. I am 39 years old. Sometimes I feel a little lost, but this is what I know about myself.

I am:
Strong and brave.
Individual.
Always learning.
Changeable.
Moody.
Intelligent.
Slightly crazy sometimes.
Loving.
Full of life.
Motivated sometimes.
Lazy sometimes.
Creative.
Searching.
Honest with myself.
Sensual.
Sporty.
Studious.
Lucky.

I Have:
A strange sense of humour.
An incredible imagination.
Three kids.
Unlimited potential.
Talent.
Everything I need.
An open mind.

I Like:
Exercise.
Food.
Sleeping in.
Laughing.
Competition.
Playing sport.
Challenging myself.
Learning new things.
Reading.
Shopping.
Chemical-free living.
Fabric. Fabric. Fabric.
Gerberas.
Baking.
Being organised.
Teaching people.
Making pretty things.
Spending time with my kids.
My alone time.
Running.
Bushwalking.
Hot air balloons.
The theatre.
Writing.
Praise.
Sparkly things.
Netball.
Honesty.
Being crazy in love.
Possibilities.
Words.
Classical music.
Hip-hop!
Helping people.
Positivity.
Gratitude.
The internet.
Friends.
Singing.
Seeing smart people doing things they love.
Gene Kelly movies.
Jane Austen.
Using all my senses.
Playing Scrabble.

Thoughts

I have been musing of late, about the way we humans make things so difficult. We do this not just to ourselves, but worse, to others.

To me, it comes down to the way we treat people. I really don't understand why we can't be pleasant to each other. It doesn't take much effort and the rewards are so worth it!
It isn't hard to tell the truth in a non-hurtful way. You know, if we were more honest with each other and ourselves, I think there would be a world-wide epidemic in happiness.

Think about all the times in your life when you have been hurt by someone - was it because that person told you the truth? Or was it because they withheld the truth from you, making you believe something that was not so?

In my experience, the truth can sting, but it's quick and you can accept it and move on. When you are being fed untruths, or the reality is being kept from you, you can't make a decision based on fact. In a case like this, sometimes it's just better for your sanity to cut your losses and remove yourself from the situation.

Trust your instincts, they don't let you down. However, no matter what decision you end up making about any given person or situation, own it and be happy with it. Don't regret it, because our choices are the only things we have that are truly our own.

So my advice to you today is:

Treat others in a kindly manner.
Keep your eyes and mind open.
Trust in yourself.
Make your own decisions.
Do everything with a loving intention.