Monday, January 25, 2010

My 5 Values

So its been 5 days now . . .and I'm still not sure what my life values are. I guess number is pretty easy.

1. Family - which now means Aston. I want to do all I can to provide for him and be the best mum I can be. I know that sounds a bit wanky but I really mean it. I also want to take the time though to enjoy watching him grow, learn and change. It has been such an amazing joruney already and he is only 9 months old.

I also love being close to my mum, dad and siblings and am trying o reconnect a bit more with some of the extended family.

Friendship was going to be my number two but the friends I have now are more like family. The group of people I send most of my time with is just one big (often disfunctional and always crazy) extended family!

Now I'm stuck. There are so many things that make my life what is it that I am finding it hard to narrow it down and focus on the most important things.

2. This might seem silly but I think Adventure would be a top five. I want so desperately to travel and explore the world (which i will do just might not be for a few years). So in the meantime I think it is important to find adventure in our everyday life. I want to camp more and all that sort of thing but even trips to the park or walks on the strand. I think Adventure is also a frame of mind - so tackle each ad every day like it is your next exciting adventure!

Helen Keller once said "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

3. Career/Financial Security - HUH! This used to be my number one or two for sure but more I am a little jaded on the topic. Well not jaded I guess I have just changed how I feel about it.
Career wise I still have goals and ambition it is just more about saving up to buy myself a bookshop to run then being the Richard Banson of my generation.
Financial Security has actually increased in importance but it scares me now (because it seem in elusive concept). And as for the house dream. . .well lets just say I hope we get there before Aston starts school!

4. SLEEP!! Again might seem silly to you (but if your a mum maybe it won't). This is a tricky one though and I actually have to work hard to remind myself to sleep and or rest. As life gets busier over the next couple of months being super organised and staying focused are going to be critical but so is making time for some down time! So I guess I also mean time to read (and to blog). Lets rename for TIME FOR ELLE! Yep I like that :)

I should have made friendship number 2 - then I would be done now and could go to bed!

5. Learning (or Growth) I think will round out my top five. I love to read and learn about other peoples lives and experiences, countries, ways of thinking or seeing the world. I hope to god I finish my official studies this year but I love always learning more at work or from books - hell being a mum is just big learning curve.

I think this is big thing for me at the moment because I have made a few colossal mistakes over the last few years - and while I cant regret them, because I wouldn't be where I am without them, I can forgive myself easier if I learn the lessons from them! Which I am still doing on a daily basis I think.

This blog is hopefully another instrument in my growth this year. I am sure those of you reading this that spend time with me a regular basis will see a gap between what I write and what I do or say over a cup of coffee. Just so you know, I am well aware of the gap! I just hope the more I write and think this way about life the smaller it will get!

Well its WAY past my bed time and this was a hard one to write. . .so

TTFN!



Wednesday, January 20, 2010

4 Questions on Values in Life

To recap on yesterdays blog - I am reading the book 5 and hopefully using it to help me make a better life for me and my boy Aston.

The first task set by the book is to help the reader figure out their person values; that is what is truly the most important things to you in this life?

To help us "not so in touch folk" work this one out, the book first gives you 4 questions to answer.

I answered one yesterday but as I have inherited a bit of my father's anal retentiveness I am going to copy and paste it for no other reason than to have all four questions and answers in the same place (so if you read yesterdays feel free to skip on down to question 2).

1. What are the 3 things I like most and least about myself?

WOW - tough already.
The later part of the question is easy;
  • I don't like that I am a "gunna doer" and a "never actually doer" (or at least a "never actually finisher").
  • I dont like that I am so disoganised - yeah thats not going to work well once Im working and at uni. I cant even get my bills and my filing under control.
  • I dont like that I am embarrassingly unfit! Im actually ok with how I look these days (or I dont care really) but I want to be fitter and healthier.

BUT HHhhmmmm what do i like the most. . .
  • I like how much I love being a mum! You probably think this is silly but I know people struggle to enjoy being a parent thanks to all the sleepless nights and sooky days, and I would be lying if I said I didnt have moments, even hrs, when I wonder what the hell is this life I now have. . .but for the most part I really love just hanging out with my boy, he is my best friend in the world and he cant even talk. I love that I can enjoy him so much and love him so much my heart aches!

  • I guess I like that mostly I am pretty content with myself and my life, I didnt want this, in fact this life is a really long way from what I wanted but I have never been happier and life is what you make it so we are trying to make the most of everyday! (yeah I like this attitude about myself).

  • I like how much I like to read. Nerd alert. . . lol. I love reading about other peoples lives and experiances - i think it makes me a fuller person.
2. Who is the happiest person I know?

This one was actually a really easy one but I am going to have to cheat and talk about two people. My Uncle Kim and Aunty Judy (Who arent really related but are really family). Kim is a master jeweler and owns his own shop where he works with his son Jay. Judy works in the shop doing the paperwork, when she is not babysitting the grad kids or practicing tai chi.

Kim loves to cook and wine, Judy loves sudoku puzzles and not cooking. They own a bit land and have a few cows. Their home is beautiful, rustic and I believe built mostly by Kim and Judy's father.

I dont know what their secret is but they seem truly happy and content with their life and their place in this world. They treat each other (and everyone) with such respect and kindness not to mention love. I hope that as I get older I can find so much peace in my life.

3. Who are the two people I like and respect the most?

Now I have been thinking about this since about 3pm yesterday and Im just not sure. . .Kim and Judy would go close but the list is longer then that. I have some pretty amazing people in my life these days so its hard to pick two!

I have to mention my fabulous housemate. She is so patient with me and my baby (and my mess). She is so caring with Aston and she is living the life I thought I would! Kel - I love ya and you are one of the most driven, ambitious, kindest people I know and I do respect you and love you dearly.

Mum and Dad have their own amazing attributes each and again I have the deepest respect for them both. I hope I can love and care for Aston half as much as mum did with us (even though she annoys the hell out of me sometimes)! And Dad has such a good work ethic and dreams still of traveling the world (I might have to come with you dad).

4. Who am I?

WOW - been thinking about this one all day too (and lots of last night - not helpful!) and I have no idea, well not no idea but it is still a tough question!

I asked mum about it and her answer was "your a mum, a daughter, a sister and many more things!". Dad's answer was "your a 25yr old (thanks dad im 24), almost uni graduate, with exciting career prospects and other opportunities around the corner, who is also enjoying the challenges of raising a little fella".

I like dad's a little better simply because its about me and not just what I am to other people - but thats what I mean about mum, always thinking about everyone else.

I think I am a pretty cheerful, outgoing person who loves to read and hope (against hope!) to travel some day and see the many of the wonderful things (and people) this world has to offer! I am trying hard to give my life focus and purpose and enjoy every minute! (I fail lots obviously but at least we are trying).

Well there is nothing overly conclusive here but it really does get you thinking about the big questions! And now the idea is to write 5 values for my life. . .might need another nights sleep on this one - see you back here tomorrow.

TTFN!


Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Where will I be in five years from today?

My name is Elle and although I am a mother of an 8 month old baby boy (like thats not enough to keep me busy) I have decided in the last 7 days, to go back to work (15 to 30hrs a week), I have enrolled in what I hope will be my 2nd last semester of university (6 - 30hrs a week) and now am determined to have a house deposit saved by my sons second birthday. . .agh!!

In order to help me along this crazy journey I am reading "5" it is a book written to make you think about where you want your life to go, it encourages you to write personal values and mission statements and set yourself goals along with lots of other things I haven't read about yet.

So I thought for any of you keen - come on this journey with me. I will read the book, answer the questions it poses (as best I can) and do my damedest to get through the next 12 months in one piece!

For those of you who read my last (very poor) blog effort;
there are no rules this time but I would like to write at least one blog a week - if nothing else this will keep me focused on the tasks I have set for myself and hopefully help me continually strive to make the best life possible, not just for me but for my beautiful bub Aston Jude!

So here goes -
In the first few pages of the book the author Dan Zadra poses 5 questions that are to help you identify your top values in life. . .

1. What are the 3 things I like most and least about myself?

WOW - tough already.
The later part of the question is easy;
I don't like that I am a "gunna doer" and a "never actually doer" (or at least a "never actually finisher").
I dont like that I am so disoganised - yeah thats not going to work well once Im working and at uni. I cant even get my bills and my filing under control.
I dont like that I am embarrassingly unfit! Im actually ok with how I look these days (or I dont care really) but I want to be fitter and healthier.

BUT HHhhmmmm what do i like the most. . .
I like how much I love being a mum! You probably think this is silly but I know people struggle to enjoy being a parent thanks to all the sleepless nights and sooky days, and I would be lying if I said I didnt have moments, even hrs, when I wonder what the hell is this life I now have. . .but for the most part I really love just hanging out with my boy, he is my best friend in the world and he cant even talk. I love that I can enjoy him so much and love him so much my heart aches!
I guess I like that mostly I am pretty content with myself and my life, I didnt want this, in fact this life is a really long way from what I wanted but I have never been happier and life is what you make it so we are trying to make the most of everyday! (yeah I like this attitude about myself).
I like how much I like to read. Nerd alert. . . lol. I love reading about other peoples lives and experiances - i think it makes me a fuller person.

There you go - not as hard as I thought it would be. But it is 10:30pm so I might post this and answer 2-5 tomorrow.

TTFN (ta-ta for now)