Thursday, May 22, 2014

The ripple effect of choices

Choices, we all have them. Frequently we have more choices than we will allow ourselves to acknowledge. Sometimes it's much easier to stay where you are, like it or not, than take the risk to change things. I get that, I've done that, it's human nature to stay with the devil you know. There are no guarantees, and taking a chance and making a change may work and may not. My new philosophy is better to try even if you don't succeed than never to give it a go and wonder your whole life what if...?

How's that for an introductory paragraph? I think a lot about choices, and how and why people make them. I'm faced with a minor choice soon, at least I hope I am. I came here to teach English, and I really like the concept, it seems a good fit for me. Now I may have a different opportunity, I'll find out on Saturday about that. I need a paying job of course since I'm not at the stage of making a living from writing yet. But this opportunity may give me a chance to do something else that I love, and have time to write which seems to me to be a good combination, albeit at no doubt lower pay.

It's choices, and even the smallest choice has a ripple effect that may not show up for quite some time. So my choices are: follow the original plan and get a teaching job which will lead to possibilities unknown, or follow this unexpected opportunity and see where it leads - also full of possibilities as yet unknown. Well I don't know if the second option is viable as yet but if it is that's my choice, and not only because it will give me time to write which of course is important to me and to my emotional and mental health - like it or not I need to write to feel balanced and grounded. But also, my instincts are pushing me to option number 2 and I promised myself I would listen to my instincts from now on.

I think if you can find something that you enjoy, and as a bonus you get paid to do it then you won't consider it work. I know this is not a new idea, it's plain common sense to do what you like to do. Not all of us can do this of course, it's not a perfect world. Maybe better would be to say find something you like about whatever it is that you do - the silver lining on every cloud as it were. I have been lucky in all of my jobs until now, in that even if I didn't much like the job I at least was able to find something about the work, or the workplace, that I liked. Well except for one boss I had for a very short time who was quite the most unlikeable person I have ever met. But that's another story.

I'm rambling today, I know. My thoughts are on how short life is and how we owe it to ourselves to be happy in our lives. It's harder to do than to say in many instances and I have gone through some very dark times as anyone reading these blogs will know. I've learned lessons I hope I will not forget. I've taken the huge risk to come here to this country, to start my life again; I guess having taken that big step, choosing what sort of work I will do seems like a pretty small choice but of course it isn't. In the big picture of life there is really no such thing as a small choice.

In other Sheryl news - I got sick again, with the Egyptian version of what Australians call Bali Belly. Here I've heard it referred to as Pharaohs Revenge. Fortunately there is a local remedy which has proved very effective so I will be keeping a box of that handy from now on! Hopefully as I build up immunity I won't get sick so easily.

And finally, news of the book :) Following is the link to the Amazon page where it is once again live in the new incarnation. Good luck to you little child of mine, may you find a home in many peoples minds.

http://www.amazon.com/Blank-Canvas-Sheryl-Lee-ebook/dp/B00KE7URKM/





No comments:

Post a Comment