Archive for ‘growth’

April 2, 2011

I believe

I believe that it’s easier to follow what you think you want or what everyone else thinks you want, than it is to listen to yourself and try something new.

We all are sure of the things we don’t want or like … paying taxes, working longer hours, giving up weekends, presenting sales pitches and ideas that we didn’t come up with or believe it. But how often do we do them, all the time. And not for ourselves but for what we think they will produce.

I believe if we could take a portion of our energy and time and sometimes a small investment of money, we could follow some other dream that we have. We could explore the “what if”. It doesn’t have to be as large as quitting our job, putting all our savings into a new venture or trying to juggle to two jobs and a family. We are able to make small pushes in new directions. That way if we discover this idea is not really for us, no harm. In fact we’ve learned something and can place a check mark next to that idea as done.

I believe it can be as simple as opening a book. That small thing represents us learning something new, some skill or idea that we didn’t possess before. It can give us inspiration or the ability to move forward with something we want to try. Be it learning a musical instrument, starting a small business idea, creating a community, or giving back something to the world. I believe that by learning new skills and ideas, we give ourselves the choice to try something new. And by applying those ideas we also learn more about ourselves, gain new experiences and confidences and ultimately learn how to handle failures. Yet, it can all be done in a safer environment than what we often falsely imagine in our minds.

I believe that by not learning and not making mistakes we hold our lives back. We self paralyse.

In my case, I had believed in one thing my whole life and chased it, and after achieving it felt there was more I wanted to do. So I started on another path. I knew it would be difficult and was prepared to an extent, but it’s the experience where the true transformation happens. To be frankly honest, yes it is difficult at times, but I don’t take it personally. Everyone will have tough days and will make mistakes, but that’s how human were meant to learn. For me, I believe that if i keep trying I will make it. After all, success stories don’t happen overnight, only temporary fame does.

I believe you have other talents and skills waiting to break free and I believe that if you give them a chance, a little bit on the side, you will also be glad you tried.

January 21, 2011

unconventional pursuits

“Progress is a nice word, but change is its motivator.
And change has its enemies.”

- Robert F. Kennedy

Chris Guillebeau's The Art of Non-Conformity
I am all about the unconventional lately.

Six months ago I was waking up a few days a week with a sick sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I knew what it was; I hated going to my job.  Not my work, but rather going to that place.  I still believe I enjoyed my work, but the institution I worked at and the people were not right for me.  Looking back, I can say that it was eating at my soul and visibly affecting me.  Eventually, I sorted through those feelings and asked myself the hard questions: what do I really want from this job and my life?

I developed a plan to make the situation work and enjoy it again or leave it.  In the end, the response was “there was no way to meet in the middle and make this work.”  Side thought: I think people often make decisions without giving them a chance because they would really rather not have to deal with change. By the end of those discussions, I saw through it all and agreed the best way forward for both of us, was to shake hands and part our separate ways.  It was the only option left to me to get something out of that situation.

And it was the best thing to happen.  It’s pushed me into the unconventional life that I have dreamed about.  I finally have the freedom to pursue the projects that I wish.

My current pursuits:

  • I have created a photo essay / coffee table style book of my recent travels around Australia.
  • I plan to put together more photo essays of the landscapes and cityscapes I have encountered while traveling.
  • I am writing my first book to be self-published.
  • I am learning how to program for the iOS (iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch) platform.
  • I am conscious of the food I eat by shopping at a local farmer’s market for fresh fruits, vegetables and meat.  This supports local produce, organic farming and is much less expensive than the big grocery stores.
  • My fitness goal is to incorporate some activity every day from the following: joint mobility routine, Krav Maga, body weight training, learning yoga, the P90X program and good old-fashioned running & swimming.  I am not trying for long workouts every day, but rather to be active every day for some amount of time that I find comfortable.  Leo Babauta’s The Power of Less taught me that it is better to set small easily manageable daily tasks to reinforce creating a long-standing habit.
  • I want to learn meditation.  The little I’ve done, feels great.

I am also considering a “One-Year, Self-Directed, Alternative Graduate School Experience”.  I came across this concept reading Chris Guillebeau’s book The Art of Non-Conformity.  This concept lays out his ideas for achieving an experience on a par with what many people pay $30,000 and more for at Graduate Schools today.

Some of the ideas he lists are:

  • Subscribe to the Economist and read every issue (Cost: Digital subscription for the year US$110.  It’s even cheaper if you were to access the digital version and direct the print version to family or friends and split the cost).
  • Learn the names of every country, world capital and current world leader.
  • Buy a round-the-world plane ticket or use frequent flyer miles.
  • Read the basic texts of the major world religions: the Torah, the New Testament, the Koran and the teachings of Buddha. (Cost: free online materials)
  • Subscribe to a language-learning podcast and listen to an episode a day, 5 times a week for a year.  Attend a local language club once a week to practice. (Cost: free)
  • Acquire three new skills of your choice.  Don’t chase expert level, but rather proficiency.
  • Read 30 nonfiction books and 20 classic novels. (Cost: free using a library)
  • Become comfortable with basic presentation and public speaking skills by joining a local Toastmasters club. (Cost: about $25)
  • Set your browser’s homepage to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Randompage and every time you open your browser you’ll have the opportunity to learn one new random thing.
  • Learn to write better by listening to the Grammar Girl podcast on iTunes and buying Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. (Cost: $9)

I think this is an amazing set of ideas for personal growth.  So far The Art of Non-Conformity has been a terrific read.  It is filled with well thought out ideas and different perspectives from the world we are presented with today.  I highly recommend it to anyone else who’s looking for another perspective to their day-to-day life.  Chris also offers a comparative analysis of what he gained from his own Graduate school experience versus his alternative independent learning experience afterwards.  I wish other people would read and consider that before determining whether Graduate school is really a necessity for them or the belief that it is.

 

ps, I believe in the unconventional so much that at a young age I had the word defiant tattooed on myself.  I had always wondered if I would outgrow the tattoo and regret it.  Turns out, it is just as relevant to me now; the idea has just matured along with me.

 

August 5, 2010

find movement

or more precisely find a movement.  something to believe in, take up in arms, spread the word, action in our own lives, etc.

Of late, I’ve been pushing my own personal growth with lots and lots of online reading.  Sure I have favorite websites that entertain me during my breaks at work or sites that i check into to find out what’s going on in the worlds I am interested in.  The real new additions, the exciting ones that keep me up late, are some terrific blogs by people following their dreams and involved in movements.  I wanted to share a few of them with you here.

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