What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Stronger

A couple of weeks ago, whilst doing some freelance work at a local radio station, I was privileged enough to be able to interview a victim of domestic violence. That may sound like an odd thing to say - how can interivewing somebody who has been the victim of such horrible abuse be a privilege? Well, the lady in quesiton made me realise that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger and that in some cases we become a better person as a result.
Every day challenges are thrown in our way, and whether we chose to face them head on and deal with them, or run away and hide decides whether we will come out of the situation stronger or weaker. When talking to this lady she oozed self-confidence. Not in a cocky way, but in an assured, righteous manner. After all that she has been through she refuses to let anybody treat her like a second class citizen. A successful business women with a young daughter to look after, her priorities are herself and her child. Her daugher and herself come first. Maybe some of us should take notice and start looking after ourselves. I'm not saying be selfish, I'm just suggesting that we all take a little bit more care of ourselves, focus on what is right for us instead of worrying what other people think and do. Afterall, we're the only ones who can control our future.

The Struggling Youth

After many months of hard work I have come to an, albeit rather delayed, realisation - the young are forever being punished for working hard and trying to create a better future for themselves. Mounting student debts, a lack of jobs and ridiculously high house prices makes it impossible for many to get started in adult life. We are all encouraged to go to University and earn degrees so that we have a specialism, an area of expertise, but where does that get us? Many of us leave with stupidly high debts and no job to go to - especially not the job that we are qualified to do. This results in low morale, eventually discouraging us from attempting to get work at all. How has it come to this?
Unless mom and dad have a spare few thousands pounds to give away getting on the property ladder is virtual impossible. So it's the same old story: the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Bitterness is not intended here, I congratulate parents who are able to afford to help their child/children out in such a way, but shouldn't we all get a fair crack at the whip? Shouldn't their be options available to everybody, regardless of their financial circumstance - an I don't include the dole/benefits as an answer. Why do we have put 25% deposits down on houses? Two years ago this wasn't the case. Maybe we'll forever be stuck in a down-beat, financially unstable rut.

Chances.

You don't get anywhere in life if you don't take risks. That's the motto I'm living by at the moment. Challenges are bought along to test us, and by facing up to them and accepting them we become stronger. What's the point of living if we just plod along, taking every day the same and never pushing ourselves to see what we can achieve, what we are capable of?
Last week I gave up my job. Insane in the current economical climate, I know, and to say that I was nervous was the understatement of the century. I still am. Six years of stability and comfort gone. I feel like I am jumping off a cliff and into a deep ocean (and I cannot swim so that would not be good) and am hoping that somebody will catch me. I'm starting a course that hopefully will change my life. After a difficult few years I'm planning on turning 2010 into the year that everything changes. So far so good. But life never runs smoothly. Whatever comes along to test me, to make me feel like I'm flying without a parachute and am going to crash land, I will welcome. And as a result I hopefully will be a better person.

Long time no speak...

After a very busy May (Uni'deadlines eeekkk!) and a majorly chilled out June and July I am now raring to go with the rigors of daily life again. Deep in the depths of reading numerous books ready for my third, and final, year of Uni' I am so chilled out it is criminal (is that even possible)?! I'm immersing myself in lots of Irish Literature and learning a bit about my culture. I'm a quarter Irish,with my mom being half Irish, and I am ashamed to say I know nothing about, and have never been to, Ireland. So, with this in mind, my aim by the end of 2011 is to pay a little visit. Next year is a busy one - just how I like it- with me hopefully starting a postgrad course in Birmingham ( if I'm lucky enough to be accepted that is), and me and my gorgeous boyfriend going on a much needed holiday in August. So I plan to take a weekend trip to Ireland and see what it is I have been missing, which I am certain is a lot!

Frustration decries the need for a haircut!

I am pulling my already short hair out with boredom and frustration thanks to a bad back. I have torn my ligaments in my lower left back and am sworn off work this weekend. I am under doctror's orders to rest and do gentle walking so my muscles don't seize. I don't 'do' resting very well! I feel like a bit of a fraud because I can walk and move - albeit rather slowly- I just cannot bend or lift anything - not even somehthing as insignificant as a bath towel. ARRRRGGGHHHH! I am trying to use the time productively and get started on some Uni' work I have to do over Easter. So far so good. It would help if the weather wasn't so god damn good though - it isn't conducive to sitting in a room hunched over a laptop!
Anyway, I'm going to stop moaning now and look on the positive side of things. My back is so much better than when it last gave out about six months ago. I put that down to my weekly Pilates and Yoga classes, thank you very much! Lets hope they continue to do their job and, who knows, next time my back decides it fed up and gives out I might be able to use a bath towel without the aide of a boyfriend or mom!

Peace.

Since my time in London and have begun studying Visapanna meditation. It involves self-awareness and accepting your own faults. Alongside this, relaxation is used to get to the point of total self-awareness. I know it sounds a bit 'new-age' and hippy but I've been practicing at least twice a week and am finding really helpful. I am much calmer and have more energy and I have also been sleeping a lot better too. Tomorrow I start a new Pilates class and next week I start a Hatha Yoga class - this also incorporates meditaiton.
My reasons for doing all of this is that late last year I realised I was becoming an emotional and physical nervous wreck. I was so highly strung and every little thing that went wrong bothered me. I knew I had to do something about it. Thankfully it seems to be working. Here's to a much calmer and more peaceful me!

London Town!

I've just returned from two weeks in London doing work experience on a very popular celebrity/fashion magazine. It has been an amazing experience too! I've learnt a huge amount about myself-both on a personal level and on a professional level. Living in London for two weeks was both exciting and daunting, especially as I had never been away from home on my own before. I discovered that (shock horror) I can look after myself without the aid of my boyfriend or the comfort of my parents being near. That may sound like a stupid statement for a 25 year old woman to make but as an only child I've been bought up in a very liberal, but very protective, environment. I was aware that I could look after myself but have never had the chance - that is not a criticism towards my parents, it's just an observation about me personally.
My first night in London was wierd, just because I was 200 miles away from home, getting ready to start work experience on the magazine and worrying I wasn't going to be good enough. On the Monday, my first proper day in the city, I went into automatic and jsut got on with it, and I found I enjoyed myself! In a strange way it was quite liberating walking down the street knowing that I was on some kind of mission ( to impress the editor and survive in London without panicking!). The locals must have thought I was nutter!
Even though I am exhausted and can't stop myself waking up at 6am - the time I was awake every morning while I was there - I had an amazing time.
A great experience but I'm glad to be home.