Inspiration to stay free & enjoy life ...

Hi everyone,

This list which I came across & saved some time back still resonates with me. I printed it off, & put it on my noticeboard some years back as a reminder of the things I could do more of

How many do you do? Some of my favourites are:

I am a great list maker, it keeps me focused on what I have to do. I always have a diary with me for work to make notes of things I have to follow up on or things I need to do. My students know my mantra: "If it's in my diary, I will remember it." I write letters & keep myself organised at my personal desk  which is a space I love ...

I am a great tea / coffee drinker. Many of my students Mum's always offer a hot or cold drink which is appreciated because when you work in someone's home, you are a professional guest.

Sing in the shower (house & car) & listen to new music - indeed - I studied classical piano for years so I listen to a very wide range of music - I am still a CD fan & always have music on in my kitchen where my player is (the lads enjoying dancing in the kitchen while baking).  Music is good for your soul ...

Know your roots - indeed - I am the one in the family who is compiling our complicated family tree. Like many South Africans, our tree included pioneers from several countries who trekked across vast veldts & borders as the continent opened up so the records are not easy to find or compile ... Roots are important, as are the stories of those who have gone before us.

Go somewhere new - oh yes,  with grown up children, I am embracing the time to explore more. Two years ago, it was India, this past year it was France & Latvia - what fabulous experiences!

Watch foreign films - indeed - They remind me of an old cinema we used to frequent in Johannesburg which showed foreign language films. It had steep seating inside & those of us who got distracted 'might' have been known to roll a can down the steps & listen to it go cluck ... cluck ... cluck ... as it gathered momentum or someone stopped it!
I have grown to love the Swedish / Scandi  series on TV with their sub titles which forces one to set everything aside & just immerse yourself in it (you cannot read subtitles & answer emails at the same time without losing the plot!) Some I have enjoyed are Borgen, Dicte, Modus, Deutschland, Hinterland & currently Fortitude & Midnight Sun. Are you a subtitle fan?

I do not beat myself up - it is not part of my personality & I do not overthink things. At the end of each day, I try to draw a line under it & get on with life - it is too short to complicate it over things you cannot change!

Clean & organise your workspace, break the rules & have fun - indeed Keep moving forward, we are all just walking each other home!

Do more of what makes you happy - indeed. I love taking photos (even the occasional wedding or two or three) or even photographing some hat festivals, have some of my images in print,  crafting, painting furniture, indulging in sideboard changes, sewing, gardening & meeting up with friends ... life is for living - embrace it.

Finish something - indeed, it is very satisfying to finish things you started. We all have unfinished projects that remind us of our transient nature. However, I often find it easier to set aside some time then press on & finish something if I can ....

Where do you find your inspiration? Do you face life head on?  I always like to remind myself that life is not a practise run, it does not come with a manual & everyone's path is different!  You only get one chance to live it - you will often get it wrong, but you will often get it right & that is just fine ...

Thank you for stopping by, have a lovely weekend even if you will get an hours less sleep like us as our clocks go forward in to British Summer Time ....

Dee ~♥~