5 Steps to Serenity

A typical Spring day – overcast and rain – and rightly expected to be followed by sprouting bulbs and flowering willows.  Others, though, dread the thought knowing that along with the beauty of Spring comes the hay fever, pollen and other nasty sidekicks that accompany my favourite season. Except for me, it’s relaxing and therefore puts my allergies to rest for I have an allergy to …. stress! Of all things! I knew my life was stressful, but I had no idea that my body was reacting so badly to it! I found out a few months ago and was admittedly relieved to know that my swollen eyes had nothing to do with a birth defect or malignant error in my DNA. Nope – just stress. My first instinct – can I take the day off work for stress? Pretty poor excuse isn’t it? Instead, the result is a tiny Reactine pill that I take during high stress times and hope that it will fend off whatever my body throws at me. I don’t like having to be dependent on anything, but if this will keep me going during my regularly hectic schedule then so be it! I’ve also looked into taking Vitamin B pills which will help in this process. The pharmacist warned that I won’t feel magically different, but it will help. So now, I have unknowingly run out of room on my bedside table and worry that I’ve gone overboard? Maybe. Maybe not. But in the meantime, I’ve taken it upon myself to actively seek relaxation and avoid stress – something I think not enough of us try to incorporate in to our daily lives or budgets. I’m not planning on blowing my paycheck at the spa, but a little something here or there would be nice. So I’ve compiled a little list of things that may help – feel free to add or make comments to these as you like!

1) Enjoy the weather. Being cooped up in offices sometimes makes me forget how nice it is to take a walk and bask in the sunlight or take a minute to listen to the pitter patter of rain on the windows. It also puts things in perspective – was it really worth it to stay in and play x-box for 3 hrs on a sunny day?

2) Read a good book or take a relaxing bath or better yet, both of them together!

3) Listen to music – and no Green Day or Lady Gaga are not in this category.

2)  Stop letting the little stuff get to you. So what if the laundry stays in the washer longer than it needs to?  So what if the traffic is horrid and you’re 20min late? So what if dinner was burned or you spilt soup on your favourite blouse? Nothing you can do about it now – it’s in the past, so why worry, stress or banter that it happened?  Let it go.

3) STOP worrying! This one’s tough – as a woman, it’s part of our nature to worry. Instead I’m trying to convert the energy used in worrying into a reassurance that knowing myself and my capabilities will lead to good things. Easier said than done. Distraction or alcohol helps.

4) Chocolate – this is the fail safe when all else goes down the toilet. Lindt, Hershey, Cadbury – ice cream, cookies or truffles – it really doesn’t matter. All have the same remarkable affect!

There it is 5 steps to a tranquil Julie Wish me luck!

Something to Believe In

What a crazy world we live in! It’s no wonder that we look to God for guidance and perseverance every Sunday in the hopes that our strength will  be revitalized and courage invigorated. Yet, as we all know, the Church has its criticisms, notably the sex scandals that were uncovered over the decades. It’s ironic that, especially, the Catholic Church as an institution exists to lead the congregation on the conduct of their daily lives and yet itself strays from its own preachings. This alone would make anyone cringe and start searching for something else to believe in. But the Church recovered nicely, the crowds at the Vatican on Easter will attest to it, yet it never truly reformed, as the Vatican’s condemnation this week of  Catholic bishops and their cover-up of sexual abuse proves.

Pope Benedict XVI’s recognition that the abuse still exists and that bishops are turning a blind eye, shows the Pope’s commitment to ensuring the safety of young Catholics, (although critics say he hasn’t gone far enough), but also highlights the difficulties in enforcing a universal code of conduct throughout the globe. People look to the Church for guidance, not abuse and the Church’s role as a leader in society is again questioned. Should we follow the word of God if its representatives don’t?

I’m not sure if criminal acts make you any less Christian, but it certainly doesn’t do anything for your social status. So if you can’t trust the leaders of the Church, but know your instincts, the law and the respect that each human being affords to another, then perhaps faith in a higher being can be replaced by faith in each other and that their conduct will support you, give you courage and all the love that is needed in a lifetime?

I don’t think that spiritual enlightenment will never go away and people will always continue to search for evidence or guidance from a higher being (myself included). It’s interpretation though gets a bit muffled along the way, and hence brings the need for an ‘interpreter’. I just think that some people rely on and are so devoted to those religious leaders that it teeters on the edge of calamity – in all religions, not just Christianity.  A certain cautiousness has to be demonstrated when walking through that threshold to the congregation and common sense used in trusting religious leaders, after all we all need something to believe in.

It’s all Personality to Me

My last post mentioned my passion for the environment and how much I enjoy traveling and marveling at the beauty that the earth has to offer, beyond the city-scapes and artificial-ness. So I was really excited a few months ago when BRAVO came out with a reality-show, PhotoExplorers, documenting a photographer’s journey into the wild to find the almighty ‘perfect shot!’ I was excited and knowing my own challenges in trying to do the same while travelling (the things I went through to get a photo!) made me incredibly intrigued and I promptly scheduled my recording device so I wouldn’t miss it! …. Talk about one of life’s disappointments :S It wasn’t that the cites were dull, the landscapes boring or the colours lustre – it was that the photographers were lifeless!! There were certainly interesting stories to be told, but done in such a monotone and uninteresting way a la retired librarian that made me want to hit the mute button! There was absolutely NO personality in any of these photographers! This was also a shock, thinking that their personalities would match the quality of their proofs, but no – mistakenly wrong. Come to think of it, cooking shows often do the same – loads of great info and tantalizing masterpieces, but none of the pizazz that brings a smile to your face or motivates you to watch the next episode.

Thinking of these two shows definitely shed a bit of light on the importance of PERSONALITY!!! It’s certainly not something that they teach you in school or that can even be learned, but it’s what draws you to them for conversation, for business, for interest and they inevitably become magnets to those around them – a likely asset to any firm or company! And it’s these personalities, whether on tv or in the real world, which bring a certain penache to life and keeps things interesting. Humour helps, actually it helps a lot and being able to not take yourself too seriously.  People are people no matter where you go, no one likes to scowl all day or brim with stress throughout their work breaks and, when used strategically, a  good laugh will get you a long way!

I’m always eager to meet new people, for the sheer curiosity of which personality I’ll uncover, hopefully one that doesn’t leave me snoozing and might even help to make my own more intriguing

Passion Hunting

I’m always intrigued by bio snippets that highlight an elaborate roadmap of experiences which have gotten the exec to where they are today. Some I think are super-human and obviously haven’t had to deal with the regular daunting tasks like sleep and free-time.  :S  Others,  though I think really deserve what they’ve achieved and their hard work has paid off. I wonder constantly how people stay motivated when faced with such a stagnant economy and have successfully navigated all obstacles that have been presented to them? I only wonder because my own motivation is giving way to frustration and the only thing that I could come up with was, well….Passion!

Passion is so important and yet I don’t think there’s too many people that see it like that. You have to actually love what you’re doing in order for work to be enjoyable, rewarding,  make you want to do more, meet more people and voila, the diamond in the rough! Growing up, it was all about how your skills can get you into a career that would eventually lead to grown-up-hood. It’s ironic too that the greatest thinkers never pushed that idea – “Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” – Einstein. And passion is what I think has lead these people to success, not luck or the people they knew. You can find it from the CEO to the Pulitzer Prize Winner, from the MVP to the PM – all have integrated well their passions into their work, be it a topic, skill or lifestyle, they’ve certainly mastered it!

And it goes beyond academics or careers and into sports – who ever excelled in a sport they hated? If you hate the gym, how the heck will you stay motivated to go? In our relationships – if passion doesn’t exist, it’s a safe bet to say that it won’t last long! Sometimes I think I have too many passions, that balancing them all just get me in to trouble – that is the real challenge. If I can integrate languages with international development, with water sports and the environment, with networking and writing (and many, many more!) – then I’ll have found not only my perfect job, but a lifestyle and career that reflects me and who I am. It may be a difficult task, but one that should be well worth it.

What do Polls Really Say?

I went for a job interview once at a polling company that constructed polls and analysed the data. I thought it could be interesting, especially when the content was dealing with something interesting. Turned out, it wasn’t. But it did highlight the significance of polls in today’s world; be it for the leading marketer of canned soups, the political party in the lead or or the quality of living of global cities – this one was interesting to read in the 2009 Mercer’s Report, released last April and it really made me wonder what the criteria is to be ranked on the list because apparently Vienna came 1st in quality of living! After living there for about 3 years, I can certainly see why it should be on the report, but first? I’m not so sure. Looking closer, in the Americas I see the top 5 being all Canadian cities?!  Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary – Wow! Again, wondering what the criteria is and how each were judged?

It is entirely different to be an insider, living in a city than those looking in, juding it by the statistics and polls. Vienna is beautiful and clean and safe, with efficient transportation systems, bountious leisure activities, close proximity to travel destinations, good social security – tough to find a fault, really. But looking closer, you’ll find a history that continues to affect every-day life, stereotypes bordering on racial behaviour and hidden truths that never seem to surface. I enjoyed my time there, but it was very difficult to get to know locals (language barrier aside)  and even if I did, they were the ones who either were foreigners themselves or had an international character – one in a million. I would definately go back to see my friends or for vacation, but only to visit.

On the other hand, my own country. Wow – still amazed that 5 Canadian cities topped the North American listings! Seems like all we do is criticize one or another government without really taking stock of our situation in comparison to other nations…Clean cities – (sometimes) check! Good social security – (meh) ok, check! Health Care – (ok) check! Multi-culturalism – (depends where you go) check! If all that adds up to excellent quality of life, then the better we are for it! I guess I just have problems seeing it that way also.

In the last months, we have a Parliament that is closed for the season, we’ve earned a negligible human rights record abroad, we’ve degraded the environment for an oil source and we’ve a government that is out of control, all at a time when the biggest sporting event in the world is taking place in Vacouver. It’s a wonder why the PM was replaced by the Governor General at the Opening Ceremonies?

I am a proud Canadian, especially when Canadians are on that podium, but I haven’t been lately in regards to our own government and conduct abroad. I’m also very much a liberal, which perhaps is where my views with the present government’s view collide. I’m wondering though if Canadian cities were amongst the top cities last year, where they’ll stand this year? A lot has happened. But if we’re at the top of the list for ‘quality of life,’ what does that say about people around the world and how they treat each other and how well we’re taking care of our environment?

It’s sad. We have summit after summit, all highlighting a global issue; environment, security, health, economies, all claiming to be working together to reach a common goal. But really, is this what we’re doing or are leaders just using these meetings to critisize and place blame on each other for not adhering to given rules. It seems childish and one that is further complicated by political struggles or troubled economies. But if each of our countries can’t face facts and promote openly their global initiatives, it’s a fat chance that any other country would follow suit. This is what is going through my mind as the G8 approaches.

Entertaining Views

I can’t tell how much time I spend watching TV or reading up on entertainment news. I know it’s a waste of time. I know that watching the Grammy’s or reality shows will not enhance my well-being in any way or even relax me – who hasn’t watched “The Bachelor” and not felt anxiety?! But I do it anyway and I don’t know why?! It’s everywhere! It’s there when I wake up to my favorite morning show, it’s there when I sign into my email and it’s there in the newspaper! I can’t be rid of it and I don’t know how I ever escaped in the first place?

It could have been I spent most of my energy on my school work or out with friends. I had a TV and VCR, but no cable. And when abroad, would catch up with shows via internet when time permitted. Now that I’m back though, out of academia and back in North America, I find a lot of my conversations focus around entertainment in two different ways.

The first revolves around films and TV. My main criticism is just that I (and probably most people around me) spend way too much time parked in front of the tube. It’s a compelling force coming out of this little box, moving people to tears, screaming out of fear and stirring anxious minds for an hour or two out of the day. The second revolves around the people on TV and in movies; What couple is headed for divorce? Who will star in the next reality show? or What the actor said about…? When push comes to shove, who cares?

Perhaps it’s just a by-product of under-employment and boredom, but I find  it shocking how the media is able to suck you in and suddenly, before you know it, daily news isn’t news without some sort of talk about TV characters or inquiries into the latest love child or cover-up. Or is it the same traits that make us slow down at a car wreck to see? A little moment to escape from reality?

Admittedly, I, just like everyone else out there, sometimes need to just sit, unwind and not do anything. TV and movies have certainly filled that void. But I think we (especially in Canada and the US) have been doing it too much, otherwise  we wouldn’t be talking about shows so much, we wouldn’t be striving to look like the girls on TV (*not healthy*) and we wouldn’t be influenced to buy products that are promoted by TV and movie stars.

So, I’ve set myself a reasonable limit – no more than 1 hour a day in front of the TV or more than 1 film a week. I think it’s reasonable and it makes me chose wisely what I’m watching – infomercials and Big Brother, be GONE! It also means that the films I watch are going to be well worth the $15 I pay for them at the theater or $5.99 from Blockbuster.

I might spend more time blogging – is the computer a replacement for TV? or learning a new sport? or language? or hanging out with friends? cooking? Who knows? I just know that my psyche, body and peace of mind may well benefit.

Time.com Quotes of the Day

In Good Company

It doesn’t come around very often, but when it does I like to hold on to it until the wee hours of the morning so that at the end of it, usually accompanying a good bottle, you’ve probably gotten to know the person at the other end of it very well and you feel like mush.  It doesn’t have to be informative.  Doesn’t have to be educated, that’s what lectures are for.  But it can absolutely NOT be dull!!! Part of the fun includes humour, a touch of the unpredictable or the scandalous, and definately a reactionary partner.  These moments come few and far between, so be aware that they’re out there   Usually hubris, culture or a really great band get in the way.  But when it does come around, there’s nothing like it. The great ones are men.  All too often, women crumble under the pressure and move on.  Men, however, most often work hard when they are on a mission and will put in the time it deserves.

It’s true, there’s nothing like a good conversation.

A New Beginning

I feel as though I’ve made a G-I-A-N-T leap into Blog-o-sphere and don’t know exactly where I am going to land…but am crossing my fingers and hoping that it will bring me to new places, perhaps meet a few new people and hopefully also get some discussion going on.

I feel like this ‘new beginning’ is also fitting to this chapter of my life; transitioning from grad school and in to my career. By calling it my new beginning, I’m much more comforted in thinking of all that is before me instead of feeling frustrated and stagnant while I play the waiting game – waiting for new jobs, new loves, new adventures.

People that know me best will likely say that I am frequently optimistic and extremely perseverant; traits that have suited me well and have helped me through many, many tough circumstances. Of course, just like everyone else, there are days when I want to hide in bed and eat nothing but ice cream until my teeth fall out. But by 1) not letting little things get to me and 2) believing that the best is yet to come, has done wonders for my own psyche. And if all else fails, it never hurt to take a second look at the newspaper and find loads of people who are in worse shape than I am – it brings a whole new perspective and suddenly my own dreariness turns into an appreciative glow that, in comparison to some other fellow, is pretty darn good!

So, Welcome to my Journey!