“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~ Albert Einstein
Tag: Motivation
Happy to live with ghosts
In the corner of my mum’s attic there is an old sewing machine which is waiting to be transported to our house. It belonged to my grandmother and I can easily recall its clicking sound and the image of my grandmother’s hands bowed over it with a piece of navy blue fabric that she would use to sew a dress for one of her many granddaughters. I know that soon this sewing machine will take a prominent place in our house; somewhere between my desk for reading and writing and next to this vintage typewriter that once sat in a little closet in my husband’s childhood home, to remind me of all the things that my now deceased grandmother exemplified: discipline, work, beauty.
With the Internet being full of different approaches to decorating houses, I have been for a while thinking if I have one. I have been drawn very much to the ideas encapsulated in the Japanese ancient philosophy of Wabi-Sabi, so beautifully pictured and described here and here by my two favourite bloggers. You will learn from these posts that Wabi-Sabi is about seeing beauty in imperfections, appreciation of the ordinary, and although I feel a strong affinity for it I know that it is not me entirely. It definitely speaks to my imagination, helps me forgive myself for not being perfect, and agrees with my non-consumerist approach to the many of life matters… but I mainly draw courage from our family histories… to answer my curiosity and calling just as the people before me had the courage to do it.
Our house stores a few objects that once functional are now primarily memories of our ancestors, of people who at some time were present in our lives. We are now left with pictures, photographs, books, an old butler (the piece of furniture, not the man servant). I think that we keep those things because what we value is continuity and we appreciate what has been attempted by them. Those objects represent their dreams, their aspirations and their qualities. Sources of strength. I am delighted to live with ghosts like these.
Sometimes I think that we fall into the trap of believing that we live in the golden age and that previous thinking, products, or actions somehow did not exist in the past or were totally inferior to the present. Can we really be so smug, but at the same time so insecure, about our contemporary skills and successes? I feel that the things that we choose to surround ourselves with have the capacity to both ease our insecurity and give us the perspective that a) we are part of a story that is longer than our lifespans and b) that our lives will also become part of someone else’s history.
Isn’t it a reason good enough to live a courageous and fulfilling life abundant with gratitude?
“Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work”
Whenever I feel slightly vulnerable, I search for words that would give me strength. I look for speeches that inspire me and make me feel less fragile. People have a capacity to hurt us but also to plaster our wounds; they can let us down or surprise us with their generosity. I love being surprised and inspired with people’s good heart, with their ability to sacrifice a bit of self-comfort, a bit of self for greater values, for community, family or friendship. I am painfully conscious of the fact that only actions will make me a better person, only actions speak of me. There are moments however when I feel very tired, when I feel too disgruntled to continue doing things and it is then that I most need to be inspired, I need to be convinced again… in order not to give up. These are the speeches that inspired me lately.
1. Patch Adams (Movie, Parts 8/10 and 9/10 on You Tube)
2.The real Patch Adams.
I’ve come across these words by Ann Landers the other day: “Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them.” I hope I am not making a mistake by having another go at a project that will take a lot of effort to complete – in January I am resuming my doctoral studies. My research is not related to medicine, but I relate to the doctor in the videos when he says “Sir, I want to be a doctor with all my heart. I want to become a doctor so that I can serve others.” I am trying to fight a state of terrible insecurity right now. Last time I started my research I had to stop it as my body collapsed (pregnancy efforts and research was just too much for me to bear). In January I’ll be entering the research stronger in body but with trauma. I fear and I question but I want to do it…with all my heart.
A story that motivates
We all have them, don’t we? Those motivational stories that keep us going when we struggle, when it’s tough. I’ve got a story like that too… a story that I’ve heard being repeated many times by different people in different media and in various places. You might know it too. This video tells the tale better than I can so here it is: A tale of two frogs.
What’s the story that motivates you? Do you want to share?
Against all odds
I used to bend my time. I was able to dedicate extra hours, days, weekends to various projects and ambitions and I was good at it. I was good at being dedicated, going the extra mile and generating motivation to do things. When you have love for learning, motivation is easy. It is just there. And you draw from it. Happily. Freely. Endlessly. So you think. Until you become a parent. When a child appears in your life, you realise that there is very little time to bend… no time to waste… hardly any time to flex. It is the time when despite having loads of motivation to engage with things, you realise that motivation on its own will not take you far. That you need a change…in attitude…in lifestyle… in your entire life approach maybe too… you just need to change… change.
Last year I embarked on a very important professional long-term project. This project is now calling for my attention, wants my commitment and wants the hours to be put in. This is not going to happen in the evening when my son falls asleep…It wants more of my time and so it seems to me that it’s only the early start that can do it…. the two hours before the baby wakes up… and I need to do it as otherwise I’ll fail… and everything that I’ve been working for over the last six years will be lost… and simply I cannot allow this to happen. I never needed as much discipline in my life as I need now… I never needed as much planning and I never needed to be so organised… and my dear friends this is painful because I’ve been always valuing freedom and flexibility and space… and now I need to change… and put some limits and barriers on that space and time that I possess as otherwise I would need to give up what I started… give up something very precious… an opportunity to grow… and that’s just not in my character.
So I’ve got a challenge before me that requires discipline and strong will… will that I need to develop and the discipline that I need to master. They will allow me to confront the challenge and find solutions to my busy days. I am starting from a new position… from a position that is still new, continuously changing and always demanding… that of a very tired but filled with love mum. It’s difficult, it’s exhausting sometimes but I believe that what I’m doing will lead to growth. Of myself, of my family and of others. And that’s what matters, doesn’t it? That we grow. Spiritually. Mentally. Intellectually. Truly. Grow.
“A characteristic of human nature – perhaps the one that makes us most human – is our capacity to do the unnatural, to transcend and hence transform our own nature.” M. Scott Peck
Thank you Mary Slow for your inspiring words. You motivated me to write this post. Check out Mary Slow’s wonderful and thought-provoking blog.
Postcards Without Stamps 