Thursday thoughts

Thursday Thoughts: My Mumbai Airport Rant!

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~A few weeks ago I found myself stuck outside the Mumbai International Airport because security would not let me in. My flight was at 4:30 am the following morning and I didn’t want to spend money on a hotel for that evening. There were only two spots I had to choose from to sit and wait. The 1st was a Burger King; if you’ve been to India you know how different these fast food chains are and I didn’t really feel like a potato burger. The 2nd was a little place called “The Beer Cafe”, now that’s more like it!

Here is my rant:

It’s going to be a long two days. I am sitting near the Mumbai airport in a café across from the International Arrivals doors. The security guards won’t let me in because my flight isn’t until 4:30 am tomorrow morning and right now it’s about 2 pm. Of course, I don’t really want to pay another $70 dollars to stay in a hotel for twelve hours so I’ve ordered a Masala Chai and I’m hoping no one notices how long I sit here.

This morning I had to beg the front desk for a late checkout, which only brought me to about twelve o’clock noon and then I sat in the lobby of the hotel for about a half an hour trying to figure out why my card wouldn’t work to pay for the room. I finally realized it’s just because this country is impossible sometimes… well, most of the time. After 3 attempts at the hotel’s card machine, I ended up walking in the blistering heat to two different bank machines each way down the street. After the 2nd attempt at the ATM’s nearby I thought maybe my bank back home had canceled my card for the 5th time during this trip. It wouldn’t have surprised me at all. But when I went back to the hotel and called my bank on Skype, the bank attendant told me my card was active and should be working just fine.

It was then that I remembered, “Right… India.” I should’ve guessed it wasn’t going to be a smooth transaction. Once again, I asked the hotel attendant if there was another bank machine close by and went for yet another walk down the street in a different direction this time to find a 3rd bank machine in hopes that this one would work. Finally, after all that, the 3rd ATM let me take some money out to pay for the room. Success!

Now, here I am sitting in this café with only four hundred rupees in my wallet and fourteen hours to go. I’m really regretting not stuffing some bread in my purse from my buffet breakfast. I didn’t really feel like eating much anyway because my stomach was not feeling well. It has been a common and unpleasant feeling I have had a lot during this last month in India. I’ve heard of Delhi Belly before and luckily, I haven’t been that sick. Most of the time it’s just a morning thing, I do my business and then move on with my day. I have found that most travelers will talk about this at some point because the food is so different over here and a high percentage of people experience stomach issues while traveling through this country. Even locals have bowel issues. It’s just another wonderful thing about India; everyone poops a lot. It’s not the end of the world. Maybe just a minor delay in the day.

Never the less, the food has always been really tasty. This is one of the best things about India. Every dish is delicious. I haven’t really had anything I didn’t like. For the most part, I’ve enjoyed all the spices and curries this place has to offer. And not only that, I’ve also never had so much amazing Vegetarian food in my life. Who knew being a “Veggie” was so great?

The 2 things that have stood out most for me while exploring India are the food and the fashion. The colors and the sparkles of the woman’s clothing have blown me away. I’ve never seen so many beautiful garments in one place, and while being in one of the dirtiest countries I’ve ever experienced to boot. It does seem a bit strange at first when realizing how each woman dresses like this daily no matter what they are doing. Whether it’s going to the store, working in the farms, cleaning dishes and laundry in a filthy lake or even just sitting around on the pavement trying to avoid the scorching heat, the women of this country look amazing all the time.

There are so many stories to tell and it looks like I may just have enough time to write a few while I wait for my flight out of here. I can’t say I would come back to the North again but I would really love to travel through the Southern region in the future. I’ve heard there are some wonderful beaches down there and it’s more of a chill, relaxing atmosphere. I entered through Delhi and stayed in Rajasthan for the month I’ve been here and the chaos is very real through this region. There is so much congestion and pollution in a lot of the areas I’ve visited. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve also seen some very nice areas as well which I am very excited to write about while I have this time in the airport here.

I mean really, what else am I going to do now for the next… thirteen hours? I have no excuses anymore.

It’s story time! 🙂

Wait… this is beer café!!!!

OMG!

Thursday Thoughts on my Travels

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~Here I sit in Bergen, Norway on a white cloudy day. It may seem like any other day to my family and friends back home but to me this day is extraordinary. I’ve been gone for nearly 2 months and home seems so far away. The rest of Europe seems so far away as well as I sit in the North contemplating my next move.

I’ve seen very small portions of 5 different countries; each one varying ever so slightly from the other. I’ve had ample time to reflect on my own inner thoughts and demons.  I no longer question whether or not I am doing the right thing anymore. All of the time and planning has brought me here to this very moment.

Although I have only just begun to tap into the cultures and ways of living, I have also gained an overwhelming amount of knowledge from each place I graze through.

The words evade me…

How can I put into words the emotions and visual pleasures I’ve experienced? So many feelings within my gut I can barely begin to explain in a transparent sentence let alone describe what I’ve seen or heard in my passing through these mysterious realms.

I’ve been surrounded by history and sophistication. The aftermath of victories, accomplishments, and defeat throughout many battles and wars have literally been at my fingertips and yet I could never actually come close to understanding the complexity of it all. I can lay my hands upon the ruins. I can read the engraved words in the stone. I can sit and bask in the elapsed time bubble that has brought me here.

My eyes can merely gaze in wonder.

In Paris, I slept in a building constructed in the 1800s that has been restored time and time again. In Barcelona, I realized a resistance had transformed the very flags in which the country of Spain had once honored. I discovered a language I had never heard of before. I stood inside a tunnel in Bury St. Edmunds, England, encompassed by ancient ruins which had been originally erected over a thousand years ago. I have recited tales of witches and ghosts in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Here I sit in Bergen, Norway on a white cloudy day writing these indescribable feelings the best I can. A beautiful little city enclosed by glorious green mountains, trees and lakes. Cold streams of water trickle down the slopes of Mt Fløyen. At night the entire city center lights up from the shops and houses nestled within the mountain side. The reflections in the harbor waters glow and dance with the wind.

My best explanation of my thoughts on my recent travels; they are vast, deep and full of fascination I wish I could convey. I am so incredibly grateful I have this chance to experience something so much greater than I could ever explain.

Travel now. Travel far. Travel; for it will show so many truths within ourselves. The world has so much to offer.

Guest Post- Stop Trying to Find Work-Life Balance. Start Creating It.

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Photo courtesy of Pixabay by TheDigitalWay

~Today’s Guest Post is courtesy of Career Coach and fellow Blogger, Julie Morris. Julie has graciously written a lovely article about stress management advice that I know my readers will love. She has a wonderful outlook on living life to the fullest and I am honored to feature such a great post on my tiny blog. Thank you, Julie! 🙂

Enjoy!

The modern business world pressures us to be workaholics while glamorizing the habit of staying busy as if it were an art form. Perhaps this is why so many entrepreneurs, freelancers and businesses professionals find themselves craving work-life balance. Some people have started to believe that work-life balance in modern society is actually just a myth. Speaking from experience, it’s very possible to achieve a healthy balance between work and personal time; we’ve just been going about it all wrong. As a society, we talk about “finding” work-life balance as if all we have to do is walk into a room and simply look for it. Instead of expecting the work-life balance to be an effortless task, we must actively change habits and shift priorities to build the happy, fulfilling life we’ve dreamed of.

If your New Year’s Resolution is to find more balance, here are some changes you can make today to start working towards your goal:

Unplug

I know, I know, you’ve heard it so many times before. Here’s why…

Unplugging (turning off the computer and putting down your phone) is important for us to do on a regular basis. In addition to improving work-life balance, studies have shown it has actual health benefits for the human body. Give your brain a rest, reduce stress and anxiety, sleep better, and get back to enjoying the moment.

Schedule It
If you’re having trouble finding time to unplug, try scheduling it on your calendar like you would for any other task. This holds true for ME time, exercise, self-care time, or any activities that will make you feel less stressed about work.

Start Small
When you first start to prioritize yourself, it can feel strange. If you’re finding it difficult or even shameful to pull yourself away from important projects and deadlines for the sake of reading a book or relaxing with friends, here’s a tip that might help. Start small. Instead of scheduling a whole hour for self-care time, try blocking off a smaller window of time. The length of time is up to you. What feels realistic to you today? Even if you start with just five minutes per day, you will eventually start to feel the benefits – and you can always work your way up from there.

Shift Your Perspective
Instead of beating yourself up for the things you didn’t accomplish by the end of the day, start re-training your brain to focus on positivity. Business coach and former Google employee Jenny Blake offers the following advice: At the end of your workday, create a list of everything you did accomplish that day, even if it was only chipping away at a much larger project.

Work-life balance isn’t something that can be found because it isn’t something that just magically happens. You have to prioritize it and work for it, just like anything else in life. It may feel strange scheduling time for yourself at first. You may even feel a little guilty not checking your work emails. Over time, however, you’ll start to find that you’re less burnt out and more productive at work because you’ve created some healthy boundaries and prioritized your own well-being. Optimizing your home for stress-free living wouldn’t hurt either. You get enough stress from work.

You certainly don’t need your place of living to add to that.

Julie Morris – juliemorris.org

Good Morning, Good Evening Monday!

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❤ ❤ ❤

Good morning Monday, or should I say good evening?

My clock is ahead and my friends back home are still sleeping.

My day is ending when theirs has only begun.

I see the end of the day and they see the beginning of the sun.

Bonjour, bonsoir, bonne après-midi…

Which part of the day will all of us see?

Paris is cloudy and the air has a chill.

That sure does not stop me from having my thrills.

Last night or this morning I saw a wonderful site.

Gazed once more at the Eiffel Tower and had a marvelous night.

Arise, my dear friends, it’s a new day and you’re free!

Your morning, my night, today… aujourd’hui.

From Paris, with love. ❤

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Thursday Thoughts: Starting the Trip of a Lifetime!

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2 weeks ago I was sitting in a fancy hotel room in Vancouver, Canada, waiting for the anticipated flight to Paris, France. Now, I am sitting in an apartment in Barcelona, Spain with a handful of stories already under my belt. Where do I even begin?

Here I am, enjoying Europe. This trip is just getting started.

I honestly can’t believe I left everything behind. It feels so refreshing. I brought a small suitcase, which I left in Paris, and a big red backpack stuffed to the max. Everyone told me to travel light but seeing as how I may hit some different climates along the way I did not pack light at all. My backpack is pretty heavy so luckily I don’t have to carry it too far. With cabs to and from airports, I just have to worry about my smaller carry-on bags while I’m traveling around.

Paris and Barcelona in the winter are exactly the same climates as winter back home in Victoria. It’s a bit rainy, windy and there’s a slight chill in the air. Luckily the sun has made an appearance a few times.

My best friend, Lisa, has been by my side the whole way and we’ve had the Trip of a Lifetime! We’ve seen The Louvre,  The Eiffel Tower and Galeries Lafayette in Paris. We’ve also discovered the impressive Sagrada Família Cathedral, Park Güell and the beautiful beaches of Barcelona. Our feet have ached and our sleep comes early, but it’s been worth every second. Each day tells a different story. The faces we see and the paths we take change on the regular. Ah, the joys of traveling. Long line ups have definitely tested my patience but it is nothing I haven’t experienced before.

I feel more ready this time around. It’s been smooth sailing for most of the trip. A lot of people speak English and with a bit of broken French and Spanish; it’s easy to get around. Groceries and the everyday bottle of wine costs much less than I would have thought. The most expensive thing is accommodation. Fortunately, I have not had to pay much towards my temporary housing during the trip thus far. I have had an exponential amount of luck and people who care about me to generously put me in a safe and comfortable living situation at their own expense.

dsc_0007From the Eiffel Tower to the famous masterpiece, Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí, we have checked so many items off the bucket list. I feel so privileged to be able to travel to the fullest and cherish each moment like no other.

Now I can say I’ve dipped my feet in the Mediterranean Sea. I can reminisce about the views from atop the Eiffel Tower overlooking Paris. I can brag about the warm sun on my face on Christmas Eve in Barcelona Square. That is if the sun comes out again tomorrow.

 

Until next time, I want to wish everyone a happy holiday! Wherever you are; enjoy all of it. 🙂 Stay tuned for more stories of the long-awaited trip to Europe.

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Thursday Thoughts: Learning to Love Myself Again Xo

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I think a lot. And by a lot, I mean A LOT!

My mind is made up of multiple wheels turning in every direction, so naturally when I experience something painful it hurts in all kinds of different ways. Maybe it’s just the cycle you go through after your heart has been broken. But for me it feels so much deeper than I would’ve imagined. After 4 years with one person it has been extremely difficult to be alone with my crazy mind. My thoughts seem to take over.

It’s been about 3 months now and I do feel like the worst of it has passed. But there are still times when I’m alone that my heart starts to ache repeatedly. I still lie awake wondering how I got to that point where I am alone in my bed. I feel like I never want to let myself fall in love with anyone ever again. One time seems painful enough.

Then I start to think about others who have shared their stories with me when it comes to heartache and pain. When there is marriage and children involved and many years of counseling, I can’t even begin to understand how that feels.

Moving on…

I have been so lucky to have the most loving friends who have helped me through this break up. They have lifted me up and made me laugh. They have said so many loving things to me to try to help me remember who I really am and that I matter. I am not just a broken heart.

The hardest part is writing about my most recent travel experience in Costa Rica; the trip that I thought would bring us closer together. How do I write about that? Do I just write him out of all the stories I want to tell? Do I include him in the adventures I reminisce about? I’m torn between wanting to forget and needing to remember. After all, he was there with me and we had that wonderful experience together.

Maybe some of my blogger friends can shed some light on this situation.

How do you bring yourself to write about someone who broke your heart?

How do you get the words out while you are still hurting so much?

How do I share my story when I just want to forget about him?

I know I am worth more than I feel I am now and I know that my heart won’t always hurt. After so much reflection and self affirmations I feel like my old self is slowly returning. I do feel happy, but when I sit down to write the pain comes flooding back.

How do I stop this from happening?

How do I learn to love myself again?

Letter to a Lost Love xo Moving on Monday

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Dearest Lost Love,

I felt as though I owed you a great special surprise for your birthday this year. I had started planning a while ago. I was making a list of the things you loved: knives, machetes, climbing gear and mail. I’ll never understand why you loved receiving mail so much, but it always made you so happy to open it even if it was just a bill.

It would’ve been a grand bouquet of sharp things wrapped in rope with a bottle of scotch on the side. There would have been our first adventure book that I had begun to put together with our first travel memories from Costa Rica. I was hoping to add to that book as the years passed by. I was hoping to get all of your loved ones to mail you letters and cards all at once. I was planning on making a private Facebook page called: Surprise letters for (I can’t even say your name without pain now). It doesn’t really matter anymore.

It was such a splendid idea. Two weeks before your special day, I would’ve told everyone to write to you so all the mail would arrive all at the same time. The mailbox would’ve been overflowing with love from your friends and family who you love so dearly. You always wanted me to include them in our lives. They would’ve wrote to you about the memories and fun times you had shared. They would’ve wrote the things they loved about you. I still grin at my master plan. The look on your face would’ve been priceless.

But alas, my plans have been shattered by the cold space between us. I had lost you some time ago but had held on for dear life. When I realized you did not feel for me the way I felt for you, I wasn’t sure which direction to go. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything at all. Maybe if I’d stayed complacent you would still be holding me in your arms. Maybe that feeling of emptiness would’ve passed.

When you walked away from me that day I thought I was in a bad dream. But as the nightmare unfolded, my heart crumpled within my chest and I realized it was all too real. Now as I sit here writing out my master plan I know it will never happen. 

Maybe I would’ve made you fall in love with me. 

For it was I who asked what it was you truly wanted. For when that moment arrived and you paused and did not know what to say, I knew you did not want to fall in love with me. There will be no letters. There will be no special gifts from my heart. For I don’t feel my heart anymore.

So now I’m moving on, Monday. Now I have to say goodbye to a lost love I don’t even know anymore. Maybe you never truly loved me at all. Maybe one day you will read this, or maybe you won’t. Maybe this letter is not the one you were hoping for. I don’t know because I have lost you…

My dearest lost love xo

Thursday Thoughts: The Messed Up Blog Post

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~What happens when you work for hours and hours to perfect your blog post and then screw it up anyways?

This unfortunate circumstance has happened to me time and time again; the continuous read overs through each paragraph correcting one or two words at a time. The long pause when finishing a sentence and then deleting the entire thing because it sounds weird. Then that last correction after spell check says you have written everything in a passive voice or that you have just used a handful of clichés. cliché…

Then you ask yourself, “Can I even write!?”

Finally, you think that you have perfected each and every part of your post and you hit that dreaded Publish button and it only takes an entire day to realise that you have completely screwed up the title. THE TITLE!

The most important part of the post is ruined 😦

Everyone sees it. You manage to get the likes and a few more views, but the horror still lingers in your belly. You fix the link in your Facebook feed and you correct the Permalink in the post so that fewer people notice that you have messed up.

Oh, the horror… the messed up blog post.

So what happens? Nothing. Nothing at all. Life goes on as does the blog. It’s a learning experience I guess.

Try not to beat yourself up. Correct, move on and grow. 🙂

(I’m taking my own advice on this one)

Thursday Thoughts: The Job Hunt

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~It’s always a bit scary going back out into the working world after a break from the typical 9-5 workday for 5 days a week. And after school it feels a bit intimidating as I am now looking for a completely different kind of career. I was a Dental Assistant for so many years and I’ve never really ventured away from that particular field, even when changing to reception.

Now it’s time to promote some new skills. It is now time for The Job Hunt.

Business is everything from small start-up companies to large corporations and I am ready for something exciting and interesting. But how do you find exactly what you’re looking for when you don’t really know what exactly it is you are looking for in the first place.

I suppose I just have to test those waters and stick my hands in a few different pots.

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I’ve been looking for intriguing job postings that sound fun and lively such as small marketing firms and graphic design companies. One of most appealing postings I found is a small start-up company that specializes in creating mobile apps, online marketing and other cool techy stuff. The best part about the posting was that they want someone who likes Foosball and handing out snacks to the team. Those are two of my favorite things! I love snacks 🙂

Digital Marketing is the future of almost everything if you think about it and I want to be a part of it all. So those are the kinds of positions I will be looking for. Flexible hours, creative thinking and a fun team of people is just what I need for my future endeavors. I need to get into some serious research and find a company that has all of those things.

I would love to do something like an internship where I learn everything about the organization and follow cool people around all day learning about what they do. I definitely don’t want to settle for the same old job anymore. It’s time to branch out and gain some experience with my list of new skills and abilities.

My objective: to find employment in an establishment where I can apply both my business and writing skills.

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Wish me luck!
xo

Thursday Thoughts: How to be Happy in the Workplace :)

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~Today I would like to share with you my oral presentation from the Business Writing course I just finished 🙂 I like to call it: Whistle While You Work

dancing-dave-minion-510835_1280How to be happy in the workplace.

Why am I qualified to give this presentation? Well, I am extremely happy ALL the time. I get very excited in my everyday life whether I’m just meeting with some friends or coming into class in the morning. I like to be happy. I’ve also left a lot of jobs because I wasn’t happy with them.

You know that feeling you get when you wake up in the morning and dread going to work? That’s usually the point when I start planning my escape route from that job. A change. If I don’t love it, I simply leave.

Now, how many of you see a grumpy or unhappy person everyday? I know I do. And just as a note here: No joke, sometimes your happiness literally pisses people off… excuse my language 😛 (yup I actually swore in my presentation). I actually had a former co-worker approach me one time when I was a Personal Trainer and say, “Tanya, you are WAY too happy all the time.”

What? How is this a bad thing? But, we see these grumpy people every day:

Bus drivers who don’t say anything or even look at you when you greet them, coffee baristas who glare when you order a difficult drink… or maybe even a boss who thinks the entire world revolves around them for some reason.  Yes, I have worked for people like that before and it is not fun.

So before I talk about my little secret to happiness, let’s look at Grumpiness and Unhappiness:

  • No one likes a Grumpy Gusthumb-440352_1280
  • When someone is grumpy it sucks!
  • Being unhappy is exhausting
  • When you are unhappy you are less attractive

Do you normally look at a grumpy person and think, “Oh yes, I want to be around you!“- No… well unless that’s what you’re into… (weird face)

Which brings me to my next point: So many people hate their jobs! And they are perfectly fine with that. OK so let’s ask ourselves:

  • How does it make us feel to encounter someone in a bad mood?- Lame
  • Can you tell when someone dislikes their job?- More than likely
  • What is it that drives us to stay in unhappy situations?- Money $$ is a big one

There is a huge difference between “Making a Living” and “Living” (this is where I had the entire class close their eyes to see what image came into their heads when stating each of these)

It’s no surprise a lot of people get these two things mixed up.

Some people actually think that making a living IS living. Well guess what?! It’s not.

Some people think the whole purpose of life is to just work until they are retired and buy things and stuff and raise a family. I mean yes these are all great things, but there is so much more to life than that.

There are so many ways to find Happiness 🙂

  1. First we must ask ourselves, “Why am I unhappy?”
  2. Then when we find the answer ei: a person, place or thing etc. we just simply get rid of it!
  3. You can also turn your frown upside downemotions-371238_1280
  4. Self affirmations LOVE YO SELF!!!
  5. Choose to be happier and less grumpy
  6. Learn to love your process

and if you’re still not happy at work, LEAVE!!!

You really don’t have to stay at the same job for your whole life. Especially if it makes you unhappy. Why would you want to do that? Aren’t we all deserving of something we enjoy doing?

So, do you want to know my secret to happiness??

LIVE!!youth-570881_1280

The meaning of life is to LIVE! Do what you love and LOVE what you do. If you don’t love what you are doing what’s the point? Life is way to short to be unhappy 😀 SMILE!!!!

So, in conclusion:

  • Grumpy people suck
  • Happiness is a choice we all have
  • AND we deserve to be in a happy place

All of us!! xo 🙂

So go out there into the big old world and find a job YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVE!!!

That’s what happiness is. It’s LOVE ❤ xoxoxoxoxox Do what you love and love what you do!

Thank you 🙂

(Cue happy slide) 😉