Life is full of miracles 😊✨

This image 👇 contains so much more than a piece of paper. 

It represents love, kindness, surprises, and so much more.

 

In a previous job I travelled widely including a regular commute from Brisbane to Ballarat - a journey involving waking before 5am to drive, fly and catch a bus/train arriving at the office sometime after 1pm tired, hungry, and usually freezing. Travelling is hard on the body: standing in queues, sitting for long periods, hauling luggage, struggling to find great quality food (which is even harder when you have food allergies).

One such day, on arrival Lindy (my Admin Coordinator) made a surprise offering ... a bowl of lentil and veggie soup she had made ensuring it was fresh and gluten free...   

I’d honestly never tasted a better bowl of soup in my life! Hot, nutritious, and made with loving intentions it was a simple act of kind thoughtfulness, but for me it was truly a miracle. Of course I requested the recipe, and like all great recipes, it had been annotated with her special touches, which IMHO is why it’s so damn good!

Over the years I’ve made this simple soup often and it has carried me through some of my toughest times. From my Mum’s final days in hospital when we stocked the visitor’s lounge fridge with daily portions to heat and eat so I could spend as much time by her side as possible, through to the most recent batch supporting a slow, steady recovery from Covid. And with a busy time ahead, a small investment of time over the weekend ensures that every day there’s a yummy, nutritious, hot meal available for every day of the coming week.

Life is filled with good things, surprises and miracles. Some of them are big, audacious and obvious, and others are simply hiding in plain sight. One thing’s for sure though, if you don’t believe in miracles, they might just slip by without you noticing. It is when you recognise these treasures that they seek you out, and life pleasantly surprises you at every turn.

If you have any miraculous stories or recipes please do share them here!

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Simpson desert blooming. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved. 

One step ... towards balance ☯

We are energy. Life is a streaming. In the natural flow we give and receive, we ebb and we flow.

In nature, everything seeks balance. Many of us however have moved far away from the natural order of things. Not only have we removed ourselves to some degree from participating in nature, but we have imposed society’s rules and expectations on ourselves, often unconsciously.

Take just a minute to recall this week, how much time, energy and care have you devoted to others: your work, your family, friends, even strangers - and how much have you given your beautiful and worthy self?

For many of us, our focus is more outward than inward. Nothing to be guilty about, this is how society raises and trains us. It in many cases is the cultural ‘norm’ ... glorifying busyness and wearing self deprivation as a badge of honour is encouraged, even celebrated.

I also dedicate much time, care, and energy to supporting others. 

And, I take small steps to balance the score by deliberately identifying and participating in simple ways to care for me.  

This morning, I opened the blinds to observe the sunrise and welcomed a delicious yin yoga practice in front of the toasty warm fire, finishing with a short meditation. 

I hugged myself and then I hugged my dog J

 

It doesn’t have to be huge, hard or time-consuming. In fact it’s the little steps that you are more likely to actually do. 

It can be as quick and as simple as saying one kind thing to yourself, and meaning it. Enjoying your coffee without your phone. Stopping to take three conscious breaths. 

You could make all list of all the things you love, that really make you smile and feel good, then use your list for inspiration when opportunity arises.

 

I love the ‘pay it forward’ movement, but it’s time to start also paying it backward! Recognising your innate goodness and rewarding yourself for all that you do for and give to others and the world.

If you’ve read this far and this post has either a) pushed some buttons, or b) piqued your interest ... I highly recommend this book: The Art of Extreme Self-Care by Cheryl Richardson.

So what is one, small step you can take for yourself today to start evening up the score and moving towards balance?

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 Simpson desert. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.

 

One Morning ...

Each morning I walk in the forest, propelled by the needs of a certain dog, and knowing that it is good for this one also.

Usually, I am completely surrounded and consumed by a myriad of thoughts; busy looking at the ground to carefully place each step lest I trip and fall on the rocky substrate. Unawares of what magic surrounds me.

This morning was different. This morning was so exquisitely beautiful that it literally stopped me in my tracks.

And I became aware that a masterful performance was taking place all around me.

And I knew that this performance was just for me.

For my canine companion was busy doing her thing. And the birds and wildlife were a part of the show – the actors, dancers, singers and extras. The trees, plants, earth, spider webs, fog, and dew forming the stage set, a living backdrop.

And I was the only other one in the forest, blessed beyond words, gazing in awe and wonder.

Reminded that each morning on entering the the forest, I can walk drowning in my own thoughts.

Or, move in silence, lift my gaze, and simply enjoy the show.

 

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One Morning. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.

   

 

You are the sky everything else is just the weather

Destination: unf*ckwithable.

I don’t usually do new year’s resolutions but this year is different. Actually it’s different for several reasons, not just the obvious change to everything that has been synthesised by a second lap around the sun dealing with a global pandemic.

For the first time I started the year without a crystal clear plan but with the firm knowledge that I will never do a standard 9 to 5 job for a boss woman (or man) again. Hallelujah!

By unf*ckwithable I don’t mean non-caring or apathetic, nor do I mean that I plan to be a door mat. Far from the truth! It’s just a newly formed life goal to be able to accept with grace and ease whatever live throws at me. For me, the word unf*ckwithable sums this state up nicely, however for those of you who aren’t fans of the ‘f’ word, a more refined term would be equanimity.

And isn’t this a great time to practice equanimity?

Whatever people around me choose to do and say and whatever I observe happening around me ... my aim is to ride the crests of the waves rather than getting dumped as they crash down over the top of me.

In reality, all this means is freedom! In actuality, it is being true to your authentic nature.

As Pema Chodron so eloquently says, you are the sky and the rest of what you see, feel, hear, and do is just the weather. The best part is that while you are here in earth school, you get to shape the type of weather you experience.

There are several ways you can determine your own internal climate: practice awareness, acceptance, gratitude, and compassion; get grounded, meditate, laugh, hang out with an animal, be childlike, hug someone, hug yourself, eat chocolate, exercise (yoga is great) ...

The reality is that you can still have a great day regardless of what ‘good’ or ‘bad’ things happen during your day. If you deliberately create a consistently calm internal climate, external influences are less likely to derail you.

So, what can you do today to be a little bit more unf*ckwithable?

 

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Ocean rain clearing. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.

Things that mind don’t matter and things that matter don’t mind.

I am currently reading “The Untethered Soul” recommended by a wise and trusted mentor. In this book, Michael A. Singer likens the mind to a crazy roommate living in our heads which we never hold responsible for the trouble it causes. It’s often wrong, or offers bad advice, and yet we still take instructions from it.

The Buddhist tradition calls it the ‘monkey mind’. Restless, fanciful, confused, uncontrollable. Monkeys are notorious for getting into trouble, so this is a very apt description of the mind!

In my experience the mind is relentless, fast as lightning. It is like the sunshine dancing atop the ocean’s waves. It’s bright, shiny, and captivating. It is true that the mind is necessary, you have to use your brain for many things. Just don’t believe that you are the computer! 

Your truth lies in your depth. 

You are deep, like the ocean. 

The waves are only on the surface. 

What you are is infinite.

This quote may seem familiar, it’s inspired by Dr Seuss’s words “those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind” meaning if someone loves you they matter and they don’t criticise you for simply being who you are, whereas those who find fault are not important in your life.

Let’s extend this to things that mind i.e. all the things that the ‘monkey mind’ conjures up which at best are superfluous distractions and at worst cruel, negative, fault finding, and demoralising. The things that are really important in our lives are not of the mind but of the heart and soul.

How do we deal with the ‘monkey mind’? It’s actually super fast and easy. Here, Tibetan Buddhist Master Mingyur Rinpoche eloquently explains in under 2 minutes How to train your monkey mind. There are several methods you can try. It’s more important to find one you resonate with rather than use methods other people suggest but aren’t a great fit. I use a short 10 minute movement meditation which is incredibly powerful - I’m happy to teach to you - just reach out and ask!

What is the reward for not paying so much attention to the mind’s white noise? We are able to enjoy greater peace. This is where we get to know our true selves and can hear the heart and soul’s wisdom.

What is my heart’s wisdom? Go with the flow.

The reward? This morning when greeted by this beautiful sunrise, instead of getting busy making tea, checking emails, etc. I took a few minutes to pause and enjoy it. Then I made a cuppa and wrote this blog. It’s things like this that feed my soul!

What does your soul ask for when you are able to dive deep and quiet your mind?

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Nepalese Monkey. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.

And suddenly you know It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings

As I take some time out to write this morning, the sun is rising on what I normally call ‘hump day’.

But today is no hump day. 

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. 

After 6 years of getting comfortable with a role and its associated title, responsibilities and routines, the whole tree has been shaken and this little apple has busted free.

It is both an ending and a new beginning rolled into one. I’ve been in this situation twice before, but this time is quite different. This time the way events unfolded, and the timing, was not of my choosing.  Perhaps if it were left up to me I would never have leapt out of the comfortable and the known? Which, by the way, is also a type of bondage, a constriction of growth, preventing the reaching of one's full potential.

Today feels like a huge weight has been lifted, and it has been replaced with a vacuum of uncertainty. The truth is that though I have been looking forward to writing something other than compliance documents, having some more time to do all these things that I’ve been pushing aside ‘until I get the time’, and moving into a career where hump day is not a relevant concept (because a day at work is just as enjoyable as a day off), there is some trepidation about where this is going to lead me.

Am I going to be successful in making a desired career change?

Am I going to love where it takes me?

Is it going to pay the bills and allow me to live a life I am happy with?

The reality is that comfort is not what we’re here for. There is little in life over which we can have complete control (though we may try!) We have to trust in the greater plan and at some times in our lives that lesson rings larger, louder, and truer just to remind us that trust is the best plan forward.

So today instead of marking assignments and overhauling policies and forms, I am going to make ice cream,  start organising my new life and at some point take a nap :) and over the coming days, weeks and months I will start to paint a new picture for my life.

Wish me luck!

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Sunrise at Governer’s Chair. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.

No matter what accomplishments you achieve, somebody helps you.

How many people does it take to make one bowl of porridge?

Let’s start with my recipe:

¼ cup wheat-free oats

¾ cup hazelnut & coconut milk

1 apple

a pinch of cinnamon

Combine oats and milk, place in fridge to soak overnight (this makes the porridge more digestible). Grate in apple, add cinnamon and simmer for 10 minutes.

Now, back to the question.

Somewhere out there is a farmer (or farmers) who planted, tended to, and harvested the oat crop. Then there are people who processed and packed the oats and those who transported them to my local grocery store. It’s fairly safe to assume that the milk, apple and cinnamon were all grown, harvested, processed, packed and transported by different people. Then there are the owners and staff of my local grocery store.

But wait!

All these people couldn’t have done what they did without the families who raised them, teachers who taught them as children, and mentors who trained them in their occupations. And what about the people who designed, produced and shipped the stove, saucepan and spoon? And those who produce and bottle the gas that fuels the stove?

I could keep going but am sure you get the picture by now. It would not be far fetched to say that at least 100 people, most of whom I have never met, have worked to create this seemingly simple breakfast I’m enjoying his morning. Pondering this while devouring my porridge made it taste a whole lot better! I am so grateful for all the people who have chosen a career that I am not interested in, which allows me to live the life I have chosen. By buying and cooking porridge I am supporting them while they live the lives they have chosen.

When the spiritual teachers say that we are all connected, it’s not some hippy, ethereal, hard to fathom concept. It’s a real, concrete and practical hard fact. As are the dishes I now have to wash!

Enjoy your day :)

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Paper daisy pollination. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.

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Joy is the simplest form of gratitude

Today marks two years since my Mum passed.

This time has both flown by and felt like an eternity. Some days I feel gutted, ripped off. Other days I feel the full weight of gratitude for four decades of memories shared.

Two years ago Mum took her rightful leave of passage and left me to stand on my own two feet. At first, it felt as if the rug had been pulled out from under me, but now I’m starting to get a sense that I am, and will be, ok. As I write this, I can still hear Mum say “I’m so proud of you and the woman you have become”.

She mothered me as much as I needed. In fact, Mum had essentially stopped mothering me a long time ago, instead walking by my side. I know now that was difficult for her to take that step back from the role she chose and gave her all for so many years.

To anyone who is new loss, know that you will have days where you feel the full, suffocating weight of your beloved’s absence. There are also many days when it feels natural to smile and celebrate what you shared and what you have yet to experience for you are still here .... and that’s absolutely ok!

Today I choose to be joyful. Not just to honour Mum, because that’s what she would have wanted, but because I am still here and have the rest of my life to look forward to. For some reason things have worked out this way and I need to trust that everything happens for a reason even if it’s not apparent right now what that reason is.

To wallow in misery or guilt may be what seems to come naturally in a time of loss, but is actually going against your true nature, that’s why it feels so damn uncomfortable! My Mum loved to smile, dance and laugh, this is what is natural for all of us.

Joy is your true nature, and it is the simplest form of gratitude.   

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Green Tree Frog. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.

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The best thing you could do for anyone that you love, is be happy!

 

Yesterday was my 10th wedding anniversary. Though to anyone outside of my marriage, it would appeared to have been any other day.

 

There were no cards or gifts, no getting dolled up to go out for a fancy candle-lit dinner. In actual fact, my husband and I only saw each other long enough to have a hug, a kiss and to say goodnight.

 

From outside our very solid partnership, it may appear as if we have fallen out of love, lost our spark, or worse. Au contraire!

 

You see, my husband and I are both going through an extremely busy and somewhat stressful period in our lives. We discussed traditional and modern 10th Anniversary gifts we could buy for each other, and what we might do to celebrate. We both came to the conclusion that it was one more unnecessary task on our burgeoning ‘to do’ lists. Participating in the traditional anniversary expectations was an added stress that neither of us needed nor wanted. And more to the point, neither of us felt the need to do these things in order to express our love for one another.

 

So we both agreed that the most loving thing we could do to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary was absolutely nothing!

 

For our special day, my husband went to work came home did a little housework and enjoyed some peace and quiet and a glass of wine with his dinner. I flew home from an interstate work trip in time to drive straight to my yoga class and arrived home at bedtime. We gave ourselves, and each other, permission to do what we really wanted to do not what tradition dictates we should do.

 

My dear friend Green Queen wrote about a similar situation in her recent She Brisbane article which you can read here. I totally agree with her sentiments. Sometimes the wisest decision is to buck all trends and social expectations and do precisely what your heart tells you.

 

Being true to ourselves, and totally honest with each other, was in actual fact the best anniversary present either of us could receive.

 

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Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.

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I can tell you from experience the effect you have on others is the most valuable currency there is.

 

 

Have you ever stopped to think about the impact you have on other people’s lives every single day? Sometimes it’s tangible and you are fortunate enough to see the evidence of it, but in many cases you will never know how something you did or said has touched a person’s life.

 

Somewhere out there is a woman who through the simple act of hand-raising an orphaned Kangaroo changed my life. 

 

As a child it was clear that I was an “animal person” but one seemingly inconsequential moment turned animals from an interest into a life’s passion and career for me. 

 

On one of my family’s regular weekend jaunts to the Gold Coast, Mum and I went to browse the shops while my Father and Brother stayed at the beach to make the most of the waves.  At one shop we wandered into, there was an orphaned kangaroo joey peeking out from the back room. I was instantly besotted with this little creature which was only just learning to stand up, and sat on the floor watching it wobble, scratch and stretch while my Mum perused the dresses. The shop assistant explained that she was often called upon by the local wildlife sanctuary to look after the orphans until they could be released back to their natural habitat. I was so taken with the joey that I demanded my Mother take me to the sanctuary on the spot and find a joey for me to take home and hand-raise (there are so many things wrong with this given what I know now!) 

 

After some clever verbal sidestep, we drove home sans orphan, however my wonderful Mother sought a more suitable outlet for my new passion. The following school holidays I started as a volunteer at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. I loved every minute of it and spent my entire weekends and much of my school holidays there until I was old enough to be employed. That was the start of over 10 years working in zoos, a zoology degree, and a further decade (so far) of educating others about animals and the environment and training similarly passionate people to pursue a career in the industry.

 

Fast forward to a few months ago, when a little voice inside my head said “start a daily Face book post called 100 days of gratefulness”. I’m not entirely sure where this voice came from and why it was telling me this, but I have been working on paying closer attention to my intuition. So for the next 100 days I wrote a daily post about one thing I am grateful for on Face book. This is nothing new, plenty of social media pages exist where people are doing similar exercises, usually to help promote a book or inner peace or something. My purpose was simply to honour my directive, nothing more, so it never bothered me that I didn’t receive a huge number of likes or comments. Over the last few weeks, however, so many of my friends and family have taken the time to inform me that they enjoyed reading and gained so much from my 100 days of gratefulness posts. I didn’t realise just how many people were actually reading them!

 

If someone has had a positive effect on your life and you haven’t told them yet, what are you waiting for? There may come a day when you wished you had have but it’s too late. If it were possible, I’d so love to track that shop assistant down and show her just how many lives she has touched!

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 Superb Fairy-wrens. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.

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I live in the paradise of my own creation. (Why taking care of yourself is not optional!)

Last week marked one year since I went to my first Yoga class. This was not a rash decision, I had been wanting to start a yoga practice for many years, but had always used the excuses of not having enough time or money to go to a regular class. I had even bought an instructional DVD (you can't go wrong for $10 right?) vowing to use it at least weekly but the reality was it was dusted off and popped in the DVD player only very occasionally.

Digging for the real reason could prove painful. The truth was that, even though I had spent a whole year studying Cheryl Richardson's "The Art of Extreme Self Care", I just didn't place enough importance on taking care of my own needs. What can I say? For someone with a university degree, I can be a slow learner.

Enter a mystery virus in early 2013. Initially, it struck me down for six weeks. During extended time spent in bed, the work was still pouring in and stockpiling on my sleeping laptop. On returning to work, it  hit me like a tsunami; six weeks backlog with the added pressure of a manager needing it caught up with ASAP. No prizes for guessing what happened next: virus resurfaces, more time off work and a toxic cycle begins . . .

So for the first time in my life, I actually did the right thing. No, not working harder to get on top of it all. At the end of that year, I walked away from that which didn't serve me (read the full story here). Yes it was scary, terrifying in fact, but it was the smart choice. Who knows where I’d be if I had taken the other path at that proverbial fork in the road?

Around the same time I also started a regular yoga practice, and quickly realised there was a good reason I had felt drawn to do this for such a long time. It’s thoroughly enjoyable and produces monumental benefits of mind, body and spirit. There has not been a single class to date that I didn’t gain something from. I have more energy, feel more peaceful, and am stronger and more flexible. The best part? I proved that I actually do have the time and the money, and more importantly that I’m absolutely worth it!

Oh and there’s also the bit where my family and friends tell me how good I look, that’s pretty awesome too!

 

So what do you do to create your paradise? I would love to hear your thoughts, please leave a comment  J  (select “Anonymous or “Name/URL” if you don’t have a google account)

P.S. If you are interested in Cheryl Richardson’s The Art of Extreme Self Care click here.

       The web page for my fabulous yoga teacher in Brisbane can be found here.

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Main Range National Park, Queensland. © Renee Chamberlin all rights reserved.

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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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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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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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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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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

I would love to hear your comments & feedback: select "Anonymous" or "Name/URL" if you don't have a google account.

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

Images are available as prints, canvases, cards and calendars.

For purchase enquiries click here