Self Employment

The famous Quote by William H. Johnsen:

"If it is to be, then it's up to me".

This applies greatly to Self Employment.

Self Employment means I employ myself.

I occupy myself.

I motivate myself.

I pay myself

I encourage myself.

I value myself

I am dependent on myself

I fill my own diary.

I tell myself when to get up

I tell myself when to work

I book my own appointments

I choose which clients/customers/students I work with.

I choose when I see people.

I negotiate my own rates.

I fight my own battles.  (Though sometimes I cry for help).

I am in control of my own future.

I choose which courses to go on.

I choose what to learn and study next.

I choose in which direction I wish to grow in next.

I do what I want, when I want, how I want.

I work when I choose. Late at night or early mornings, or for ten hours straight - whenever the mood hits me.

All this spells  F R E E D O M  to me.

I seek out the best printers for me.

I seek out the best graphic designers for me.

I seek out the best networking groups to join.

I seek out the best business advisors to help me.

It is my responsibility.

The buck stops with me.

If I make a mistake, I am responsible for cleaning it up.

This doesn't scare me - it INVIGORATES me.

It INSPIRES me.

It MOTIVATES me.

When I was an employee,

Somebody else paid me.

Somebody else told me who to work with.

Somebody else told me when to work and what to do.

Somebody else told me when to wake up in the morning.

Somebody else was in control of my career progression.

Somebody else was in control of my life and destiny.

I love my life now.

I sigh in relief when I taste my freedom.

I love the choices I have made. Some have been painful, many have been mistakes, but at least they are MY choices.

I am so grateful for my path. May it increasingly head upwards.

Yours too, my friend.

Gratitude Day 1

I AM SOOOOO GRATEFUL FOR:

My quiet home,

Detached,

No neighbour noises.

A comfortable bed,

An electric blanket.

Flannelette sheets - such luxury,

Carpet on the floor, soft for my toes.

Central heating,

Curtains in the windows.

I love the view of the hills I can see from my bedroom,

Surrounded by Green.

I even have a guest room with a spare bed in it;

I am so fortunate.

I step outside and I am not looked over by anybody;

I love my hedge - it's such a blessing.

I appreciate my garden furniture,

always being there for me when I need it.

I am so grateful that bin men come and take my waste away every week.

How lucky I am, how fortunate,

to be able to have breakfast

so easily,  so swiftly,  so cleanly.

Just pour out some cereal into a bowl - so simple.

How delighted I am  to find milk in the fridge each day.

How glad I am that I converted from cow milk to Almond milk and Coconut milk.

How relieved I am that there are no cakes, biscuits or sweets in my house to tempt me.

My cupboards are full of perishable green and brown food from the earth.

So amazingly grateful for my health.

I sit here working on my music recording software, and I have two computer screens before me - how decadent!

I have a mobile phone  AND a landline.

I have a paper diary  AND a Google Calendar.

I even have a spare computer.

I am surrounded by my essential tools, and I am filled with gratitude and appreciation.

And here, on my desk, is a beautiful picture of the One I love, smiling at me, loving me, thinking of me, missing me.

My Life is charmed, blessed, lucky, fortunate, successful, favoured, in-the-gravy.

My heart bursts with joy and gratitude.

I take none of these "things" for granted.

And at the same time, I learn to detach from them, and hold them less dearly.

True success happens inside....

Inanimate Objects

How many times to we throw a tantrum at a chair that's  'got in our way'?

Or at a cooker that won't light?

Or at a cable that won't untangle?

Or at a match that keeps breaking?

Or at a plastic bag that won't open?

Or at a candle that keeps going out?

Or at itunes because it is so confusing?

Or at a car that won't go in gear properly?

Or at the remote, because it won't obey us?

Or at a computer that won't work fast enough?

Or at two sheets of paper that won't separate?

Or at a door that won't close, so we slam it in a rage?

How many times are we tempted to hurl inanimate objects across the room, or out of the window? Many, in my experience.

So why do we do this? What causes this rage? What is the solution?

These are human-made objects, which have no brain of their own.

They are made of plastic.

They are not "out to get us", they do not conspire against us.

Babies exhibit this behaviour, this frustration with something that won't do what they want it to. Babies have no tolerance, no patience, they still believe they are the centre of the universe, and that everything should revolve around them.

But we are now adults, and still doing the same thing!

Is it a control issue? Do we believe everything should be subservient to us?

Or is it a childish tendency which we need to throw off.

I don't have answers, but my personal solution is:

·       to stop yanking or banging or forcing,

·       breathe deeply and slowly,

·       tell myself this is only an inanimate object, it has no brain,

·       then replace all the aggression with patience

·       and focus on slowly and carefully untangling the cable that has caused me so much grief.

The aim is to become more adult isn't it?

To have more personal control and power and self discipline.

So that nothing can steal our peace.

To put aside childish ways.

To be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Position Yourself

Early this morning, I had breakfast in my special place in the front garden.

The sky was beautiful, deep red and blue, the sun was shining, but I was in shade behind the tall hedge.

As I sat there in the cold and semi-dark, I looked up....

(Always a good thing!

 When you look up, it's harder to be miserable.

 The vastness of the sky always takes my  breath away,

 Makes me smile,

 Helps me relax,

 Gives me hope)

.....and saw two birds on the telegraph pole.

These two birds were bathed in sunlight.

They sat there motionless,

at differing heights,

focussed on the rising sun,

feeling it warm their bodies after the cold night.

The fact that they were at different heights was irrelevant - they had both positioned themselves in a prime spot, where nobody else had spotted.

Such instinct.  Such intuition.

I looked at them in jealousy.

Here we all were, in the same outdoors, within a few meters of each other, but I had positioned myself in my familiar, safe place (comfort zone), and was in shade and cold, and they had positioned themselves

·       in a new place,

·       a higher place,

·       where they could follow the ever changing  sun,

·       take new ground,

·       face fresh opportunities,

·       give themselves a new start.

Smart birds.

Of course, it took only seconds for my jealousy to turn into admiration, and here they now are, immortalised in a story. It doesn't do me any good to cling to a negative emotion like jealousy. I refuse to.

Instead, I choose to learn from the birds.

I choose to position myself where the opportunities are abundant.

I place myself in the path of new business.

I am brave enough to move with the times.

I take calculated risks.

I am willing to try out new ventures.

I will catch the early rays of sun before anyone else is even aware they exist.

Inspiring birds.

Observation without Judgement

Today I drove behind someone who was behaving most erratically.

Breaking unnecessarily,

slowing down and speeding up at random times,

weaving around the road,

taking wrong lines around corners.

I am pleased to say I made these observations

Without attaching judgement to them.

Without allocating bad feelings.

Without swearing at the person driving.

Without stooping to calling them names.

Without trying to get revenge.

Without losing my cool, my peace.

Without entering into their drama.

I simply released them to be them,

and made sure I stayed away from them.

This action of observing only, and refraining from making a judgement on a person or situation is so FREEING. I can let people go. They have no hold over me.

I can merrily walk down the street, seeing people dressed different to me, making an interesting observation, but not taking that second negative step to think 'what a dreadful outfit', or 'that's shabby' or 'that doesn't go with that' or a myriad of other hurtful thoughts that flash through our minds, but we hopefully dismiss them immediately.

I can see how a parent treats their child, and observe only, then walk on by. How dare I stoop to that second evil level, where (inside me) I call them 'incompetent' or 'insensitive' or 'bad'.

In fact, the one good thing I can do,

as in the example of the driver above,

is extend understanding and empathy.

Perhaps they have just received some devastating news, and are in tears? Perhaps they just dropped the cigarette lighter onto their laps? Who knows - it's none of my business anyway. My job is to stay free within myself, send them love, and get away from them as soon as possible!

Making the world a better place,

one step at a time,

one person at a time,

starting with me.

Living In A Fog

Living in a Fog.

Dwelling in Darkness.

Residing in uncertainty

Content with permanent confusion.

Not knowing WHAT just happened.

No idea WHY things happen.

No clue how to prevent things from happening again.

Why did they just say that?

What did they mean  when they said that?

Why did they just storm out of the room?

Why did they suddenly burst into tears?

What did I do  to cause this reaction?

Am I partly responsible for this outcome?

Are they offended?  Why?

Have I hurt them?  What did I do wrong?

Am I in the Wrong?

Are they too sensitive?

Have I pressed their Buttons?

Are they in pain because of me?

Have I caused their discomfort?

Did they ask me to comment or make suggestion?

Or did they just want me to listen and empathise.

Are they complaining?  Trying to change a situation?

Or are they simply airing their feelings, telling me how they feel inside?

Does this get shoved under the carpet, or am I allowed to talk about this?

How will I know the answers to all these questions?

Shall I be brave and ask them?

Shall I take the risk?

What's the worst that could happen?

I might hear uncomfortable things.

Well, the atmosphere is uncomfortable enough at the moment, so let's chance it.

What's the BEST that could happen?

1. We would both be living in the Truth.

2. We would both know where each other stood.

3. We would both be living in the Light.

4. We would both be in Reality.

5. There would be no game-playing.

6. There would be Clarity in the room.

7. There is Hope of Restoration.

The salvation of our relationship is worth me taking the chance, speaking up and trying to sort this out.

What next step can I take to resolve this?

Shall I stand my ground?  Assert myself?

Or should I offer love and support, reassure them I love them and am devoted to them.

Committed to their well-being.

How are they feeling now?

Vulnerable perhaps?  Angry?  Frustrated?  Unheard?

Unappreciated?

How long will they remain in this state?

Communication is certainly crucial at this stage.

So is an open heart, and a willingness to listen.

Good human relationships are the top requirement on this planet.

Mastering myself first, then my interactions/connections with other people, is my number one priority.