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Monday 1 September 2014

One Step

"The journey of one thousand miles starts with one step."
 

Quite a few of my close friends and family members have, at one time or another, taken a leap of faith, and it has worked out for the best. My Dad started his own travel agency many years ago. He will retire this month after many fulfilling years running a successful business. A dear friend moved half way across the planet to be with the man she loves, and my Brother has recently done the same to be with the woman he loves. Eleven years ago, my husband and I spent right down to our last dollar to buy 10 acres, then built our dream home from scratch as owner builders (get the full story here).

In December last year, I took another massive leap of faith that felt more like pole vaulting off a cliff, and probably made no sense to everyone around me. I had been working in a stable, government job for over 10 years. It was safe, comfortable, the type of job you could easily spend the rest of your working life in, and many people do. Though it seemed more than a little ludicrous at the time, I took just one step. I walked away from the safety of that job, with no real plan on what to do next, because it felt like the right thing to do at the time.

Fast forward eight months and I am healthier, happier, fitter and more fulfilled than I have been in a very long time. I have enjoyed having the time and space to be myself and do the things I love to do. To be totally honest, concern has been starting to grow about when (not if) the next step would appear. A job I really wanted narrowly slipped through my fingers, and I applied for many others that were much less appealing. Then one morning, an advertised vacancy appeared in my inbox that seemed tailor made just for me.
 
In a few short days I had applied, been offered an interview, then the position and accepted. I start in my new role in a few weeks and couldn’t be more excited. It looks like I have landed squarely on two feet. When have you taken a big step and it's worked out for the best? I would love to hear your comments!

Oh, and by the way, for those of you who aren’t familiar with this quote by Lao Tzu, it's an excerpt from the Tao Te Ching, what many say is the wisest book ever written. The next line is: “Take the step.”

Happy Monday J

Simpson desert, Queensland. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.
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Friday 1 August 2014

The sun shines unconditionally on all of us.



There’s something special about the feeling of sunshine on your skin.

How it warms you right to your core when you’re feeling cold and energises you just when you need a pick me up. How it can lift your mood from glum to contented. I can easily recall so many times when the sun’s rays have given me a boost right when I needed it.

Like the time when I was cleaning pathways at Lone Pine early on a cold, dull Winter’s morning. It was a boring, unpleasant chore and my brain was only making things worse by contributing thoughts such as “I’m freezing!”, “bed would be so nice and cosy right now”, “it’s too early to be outside on a Sunday”, and “I really dislike this job”. Then I looked up and saw the first rays of sun shining through the mist and lighting up the trees. It was so beautiful that everything changed in an instant. My heart spoke: “you don’t get to see this from underneath a doona”, “I love my job!” My brain fell silent.

Once in my teens, when I was feeling rotten with a particularly bad virus, my wonderful parents took me to a resort at the coast for the weekend. They plonked me in a sun-drenched banana lounge by the pool to recoup. It was the best medicine in the world!

Of course, this blog post is a very literal take on some insightful words, you can draw numerous metaphors from them also. The awesome thing is that the sun doesn’t shine for some people and not for others. Even when it the skies are overcast and dreary, you just know that the sun’s rays are still there, waiting to reach you as soon as the clouds dissipate. And if you’re really lucky, they might just make a rainbow while they’re at it!

Happy Friday J have a fabulous weekend.

This post is inspired by Dr Pee Tek Chan whose wisdom has helped me in so many ways and whose words are quoted on the image  http://www.peetekchan.com/Home.html

Photo Bay of Fires, Tasmania. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.
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Friday 18 July 2014

War hurts. It hurts no matter which side the bombs are falling on.

 
This morning I turned on the morning news while having breakfast. Before long I was totally engrossed in the unfolding horror overseas; two separate tragedies in two different areas of conflict far away from the safety of my living room. This comes on top of a third escalating situation in another part of the world which dominated yesterday’s news.
While hanging on every word, I could feel my energy being drained. So many gruesome details were being recounted in language chosen specifically to dramatise a situation which really needed no embellishment. Before long, I realised that 2 hours of my day had disappeared into a deep, black hole never to be recovered. And I was feeling pretty low.
It’s hard not to get caught up in all the hype. It’s even harder not to be deeply affected by knowing that such atrocious things are going on in our world. But on the other hand it’s also extremely important not to lose yourself in grief, anger, negativity or despair. That only makes things worse, much worse.
I’m not suggesting that we should all pretend to live in a fairy world filled with unicorns and rainbows, where bad things never happen. But enough is enough!
So please, help spread some kindness, positivity and joy today. If you have anything uplifting to say, say it loud and proud! Share a joke, funny story, cute photo or a bit of good news. Help balance all that bad news today with a little bit of good.
Thank you J
 
P.S. If you’re looking for a bit of good news click here http://bit.ly/1qMcXcH
Photo World War 1 Trench, Ypres, Belgium © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.
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Friday 27 June 2014

If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.



When you first looked at this photo, did you see a dead animal on the side of the road? Or did you see a beautiful blue sky with a couple of wispy clouds, the gorgeous colours of Queensland’s outback and trees growing out of dry, red earth?
There’s no right or wrong answer, it’s just an observation of how your mind works. You see, your mind is a powerful thing. It helps create your world and determines how you experience every facet of your life.
At times when everything’s good in your life, it’s easy to think positively, to see all the beauty and good around you, and to be grateful. Like attracts like, so the result is you experience more of the types of things that help keep your thoughts in a positive light. The more good experiences you have the more happy thoughts and so it goes . . .
Of course, there will always be times when not so wonderful things are going on in your life and these times are where the real test is. It can be extremely difficult to stay upbeat and we often get dragged down into whinging, beating ourselves up or thinking everything is hopeless. The result? Well you’re going to spiral quickly into an even worse place. Like a tornado sucking in all the dust and debris from a landscape, before you know it you have more to complain about, and so it goes . . .
The thing is, there is always, always something you can be grateful for, even if it’s just waking up in a bed under a doonah and not on a park bench. You can be upset about having to work on a Saturday or pleased that you actually have a job. You can be disappointed that your partner burnt dinner or delighted that they saved you from having to cook tonight. You get the gist of it.
So, are you a cup half full or a cup half empty person?
I recently heard someone say “If your cup is half full it means there’s room to pour more wine in”. Now that’s thinking positive!!!

Happy Friday J
P.S. Just as I finished writing this blog post, a fantastic 15 minute TED talk appeared on my Face Book feed which perfectly demonstrates the power of the mind and positive thinking. Talk about timing! You can watch it here
Photo Outback Queensland © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.
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Tuesday 29 April 2014

Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love.


Once again, it has been too long between blog posts. A lot has happened since my preceding ramblings two months ago. In fact life has been rapidly changing since late 2013 and it shows no signs of slowing up!

 After finishing a ten year tenure in a busy, rewarding job, I started 2014 with a clean slate. It was actually a good job, it’s just that as a lover of nature and being outdoors, I finally woke up to the fact that five days a week sitting behind a computer wasn’t for me.

The truth is, in actual fact, I was being pulled in another direction. Backwards!

Ever since I was a young child, my love for animals was very clear to everyone around me (more on that some other time). My first jobs as a teenager, and in my twenties were as a zoo keeper and wildlife educator: physical, outdoors, communing with nature, animals and the people visiting them. So I listened to the quiet yearning inside of me, and started volunteering in a local fauna sanctuary, because that’s exactly what I was being pulled to do.
 
All romantic memories of my old zoo days went out the window on the very first day. The fact is it’s extremely unglamorous, hard, hot, dirty work. There is a lighter side though, for more insight and a bit of a laugh take a look at Peter Dickinson’s “You know you’re a zookeeper when . . .
 
So what’s the result of this new venture? I feel stronger and happier, and have so much more energy. I find myself in a particularly upbeat mood on my “vollie” days. When returning home I am exhausted, dirty, smelly and totally fulfilled J usually with a few new bruises of unknown origin and some stories about the cool things I got up to that day.
 
Most of all, I have a huge sense of achievement that, ten years on, I still have what it takes and can be of great value to a bunch of animals and the people who care for them.
 
So, what’s pulling you in a different direction?
 
If you really listen to your heart, it will not lead you astray.

Promise!
 
P.S. for any “Zooies” reading this check out the “You know you’re a zookeeper when” Facebook group

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Photo Sturt’s Desert NP, NSW © Renee Chamberlin 2014 all rights reserved.

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Friday 28 February 2014

You can't be neutral on a moving train.

 
There’s a lot going on in the world at the moment, in fact, there’s a lot going on in Australia at the moment. Every single day I learn about a new injustice, environmental disaster, humanitarian crisis, huge loss of Aussie jobs, friend in peril, impending doom etc. . . .
 
It’s so easy to become overwhelmed with all the issues, charities, and calls to action. They seem to be growing exponentially at the moment! You may feel like the world is caving in and it’s all too hard. You might become paralysed and feel unable to do anything of consequence so you just do nothing at all.
 
One thing’s for sure, you can’t be neutral on a moving train . . .
 
We’re all in this together. We are all put on this ever-evolving planet for a reason. If you’re not sure what yours is try thinking about what really gets your goat, or on the other end of the chain, what really excites you. For me it is (in no particular order) animal welfare, environmental issues, wildlife conservation, spreading kindness and positivity, taking excellent care of myself and looking out for the people who I love.
 
You don’t have to donate all your earthly possessions or give up your day job to become a full time campaigner. It can be as easy as clicking a “like” button on Facebook, signing an online petition, sending someone an encouraging text message, forwarding on an email or even sharing this blog with somebody. If you feel strongly about something, if you feel it really pulling at you, go out and do something about it. Anything. Do whatever you can to make a change. It doesn’t have to be big to make a difference. As Mother Teresa said “do small things with great love”.
 
After all, it might just be what you have been put on this earth to do.
 
Happy Friday J
 
Photo The Old Ghan Railway, South Australia © Renee Chamberlin 2014.
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Friday 14 February 2014

You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.


 
It’s been a bit of a rocky ride for me recently with lots of “up’s” and “down’s” hence no blog posts for two months. Not that I’m making excuses but it can be hard to find inspiration to write when you’re stressed, grieving, lost, confused, etc. especially when your aim is to uplift and inspire others! So this post signifies my getting back on the bandwagon, slowly etching my way back to happiness, joy and peace and sharing beautiful, natural wisdom with you.
One of the most important things when riding life’s waves is remembering to look after yourself. Being gentle with yourself, taking the time to do things just for you and giving yourself the space to recover from painful experiences. Many people find this very hard (including me!) but it is absolutely possible to give yourself permission to take time out when you need it.
When you learn to really love yourself, you never have to feel alone. This is partly speaking from experience but to be honest, I still firmly have my training wheels on in this area! For many of us it’s not an easy task but it is possible and it does make a huge, positive difference in your life.
Today, being Valentine’s day, I am lucky to be supported and loved by an amazing man, who has hung in there with me through thick and thin. He has been my rock, my support, my soft place to land. Some of my family and friends though, don’t have a partner to spoil and share this Lover’s day with. I know sometimes it can be hard and so I wanted to send a message to all of these beautiful people today . . .
Just so you know, you most definitely loved.
And regardless of whether or not somebody else is romancing you today, why don’t you do something to spoil yourself? You’re worth it J

Happy valentines day!

Photo © Renee Chamberlin 2014.
Images are available as prints, canvases, cards and calendars.
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