I
was chatting to one of my new work colleagues during the week about general
stuff and she started asking questions about my life. Things I had done,
jobs I had worked in, places I have lived and so forth. It was a brief conversation
yet quite revealing. Not just because I disclosed more of myself to this
new person, but because I essentially heard what I was saying, as if someone
else was doing the talking. Not only that, but they were talking about
someone else's life. A life that I wanted to have lived. It was enlightening
to think that this was me I was talking out aloud about. The colleague
echoed my own quickly manifesting private thoughts by stating with a tone of
surprise and astonishment that I have been living a great life. The real
knock-me-down moment though was yet to follow. She continued in her
admiration of past my past exploits by adding "and you are still so
young!". Me, who lately has been spending more time than I can
justify, thinking how I am beyond the magical prime years. That somewhere
I passed the point of no return, where all the adventure dissipates to be
superceded by routine, career, future wealth, old age and then death. So
considering this older person’s point of view, I suddenly felt like the world
was mine once again. That doors are all still open to a swarm of
opportunities and things yet to accomplish.
I could do anything, be anyone, and go anywhere. And you know
what? That's exactly what I am going to do.
The philosophical view of the adventures of moving to New Zealand from Australia....
Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Sunday, 10 November 2013
Great expecations
One of my greatest achievements.....? |
Great
achievements come in all sizes. I often
find myself reflecting on my own past experiences, feeling a glow of pride and
accomplishment in what I have done.
Plus, there is a constant source of optimism with the future being open
and undefined, yet to be conquered like a new frontier. But achievements are not just the big
experiences in life that are considered special – a university degree, foreign countries
visited or careers forged. They can be
as customary as raising a child, completing a course out of personal interest
or just getting though the day without regrets or setbacks. Life is not the same for all of us and how we
gauge our own success and our own level of achievement should not be done by
comparing it to that of others. Triumphs are individual and what makes one
person feel accomplished and successful will not be true for the next. If we were all striving to climb a mountain,
there would be no mountains left to conquer. If we all wanted to raise a family
of children, there would be no room left for those who don’t. If we all wanted to be in charge, there would
be no people left to lead. So achieving
our goals isn’t about being put on a pedestal or being able to boast about
astounding experiences, it’s about feeling what you do is worth everything in
the world TO YOU. That is what defines a
great achievement and that is what defines the individual.
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