Confessions of a book worm at heart, but an adult in reality…

I love reading.

I was that kid who took a book with them everywhere they went.

I love, love, love the smell of a new book. I love spending time in a library. And to me, an ideal Saturday evening entails a good book, a good cup of tea/ something cold and a blanket (if the weather permits).

But I’m also a 28 year old woman. A working woman, that has a job that requires mental engagement constantly, perpetual multitasking and thinking of a million things at once. An adult who’s mind doesn’t, or can’t, switch off when she leaves the office, being bombarded with news of the world all around her. A woman who has a million chores that demand her attention from the time she turn the key in the front door, including the pursuit of academics. A woman who has to, amidst a busy life, still find time to keep in touch with loved ones, and to be a good friend, to make sure her friends are ok and make time for them too. A woman, who simply could use another day in the week. 

In addition to all of the personal demands we all have in our daily lives, we live in an information overload generation. A generation where information flows freely and fast. A generation of Google. A generation who’s everyday lives are so connected to the outside world, through Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, IMs, emails, and a good few other platforms, that we sometimes (and often times in actual fact) are so disconnected from what is necessary for our sanitY.

I am both thankful and yet fearful of being a part of this generation. Dont get me wrong, I am grateful to live this information and technology enriched generation, but I think our brain capacity has been extended to such an extent that it becomes difficult to switch off, to slow down, to regroup and to RELAX! It’s probably why we’re far more stressed than our parents were at our age, why our grandparents never suffered with the diseases that seem to plague our world today. 

Today I am scheduled to take a flight to my home town, to a place representative of my childhood where life was just simpler. 

And for the first time in a long time I had a few hours to myself. Time to relax, time to read a book and just chill – to forget of the responsibilities and demands on me. I have to admit though, whilst I remain a book worm at heart, who still longs for that smell of a new book, the quietness of hours in a library and the beauty of a Saturday night with a good book, I simply couldn’t shut off. I found myself toggling between my iPad, emails, WhatsApp and other socal media. With a real life book right next to me, printed on physical paper with the very smell I love and only two pages of the first chapter read 🙁😕 something is seriously amiss, and I don’t like it…

I don’t like the fact that we’re, as a society, so filled with information and so entrenched is fast paced world, that we don’t know how to STOP… and in the case of a book worm, stop and take time to read – to switch off and simply get engrossed in a book or two that takes you to some place else.

I think we need to redeem this skill, this year should be dedicated to knowing how to take time off, in the very middle of a busy lifestyle and all the demands of our world around us, to just simply know how to disconnect and take it easy. I’m convinced that we will be the happier and healthier for it. 

It’s what I intend to do for 2018, and maybe that entails some drastic changes to my own life, but I think it is imperative … Hey, would you look at that, look like some one just made a proper New Years resolution.

Happy 2018 ya’ll!

Signing off and logging out,

This blogger.

Love unconditionally, but be weary of users

The one thing I truly appreciate about getting older, is learning the lessons which only can come with age. 

One of the common threads that I’ve learnt in 2017 is about being able to know how to love unconditionally, and the difference between honestly, truly loving unconditionally versus being taken for granted, being used, and being treated substandardly.

Let me start with unconditional love. In a world filled with prejudices, racism and judgement this is something missing in our society today. 

Sadly, we have my educated individuals but too few individuals who know how to love. We are experts at loving only when we can get something out of the process, either reciprocated love, affection, promotion, favour, a better deal, sympathy, companionship, a friend to call on, some one who can check up on you and the list goes on and on. However, we lack the ability to just simply love. Not to expect a single thing in return, not even recognition for our love but to simply love. To love in a manner that is not dependent on whether it is reciprocated, whether the person deserves it, or if the person is of the right skin color, social status, or economic standing to deserve your love. Although I am far from that point and I fail every day, I want to, however, get to a point where I can love every person I meet – not just those in my life – with the expectation of getting absolutely nothing in return. In fact, to get to a place where the only thing I would expect is not to have that love reciprocated – and to be ok with that.

With that being said, in life I’ve come to learn anther lesson, that people will love you only for what you can do for them. When you’re able to give of yourself, be there for them, give them love, maybe even being financially available to them or whatever it may be – as long as these types of people can get something out of you – the will love you. But the millisecond you inadvertently stop doing any of these things, you will realise that not everyone truly loves unconditionally. And you need to be ok when that happens, whilst still loving them unconditionally. Tricky right? But that is the type of love we’re called to live out – a love which was demonstrated to us in Christ.

Now the second lesson I’ve come to learn – there is a distinct difference between unconditional love and being taken for a ride. There’s a difference between not expecting anything in return for loving unconditioanlly and still loving when this happens. In my opinion, when Jesus was taken through the courts of human judgement before He was crucified although people mocked, hated and plotted evil against Him – He still loved. However, He never failed to remain righteous in His response to their hurling of accusations and hatred towards Him. He knew when to remain silent and knew when to respond, and every response was covered in love. Now that’s not easy. Fulfilling the selfish expectations of friends and family, and you loving unconditionally is not the same thing. Actually, you’re doing more harm than good to them. But herein is the difficulty – providing correction and if necessary, rebuke in love. And that friends, is one area I wish to perfect in 2018 …

How David must have felt

I think we all have David-desperation moments in our lives. Moments when it feels like the world is out to get you, when you can’t turn to friends or family.

Whatever those moments are as a result of – death, break ups, disappointments, hurt, whatever – it feels a feeling that is tangible, so real. As if someone is wrenching your heart, twisiting it so tight that actually you can’t breathe. The pain is palliable. It makes you wonder about life, and sometimes your worth – why oh why Lord do we need to go through this. 

Why should we feel like this? David sure did wonder too, why was the king out to literally kill him, why his enemies raged war against him, why couldn’t he run to his family and even though Jonathan and him shared a deep bond, he truly couldn’t find solace in that.

David always went back. He went back to the Father. Even when he messed up – his heart was always after the Father’s heart… And that is what differentiated David, a heart that was dependent on God, a heart that ran back to God. 

How often do we struggle with our hearts. How often is our first response to speak to a friend, to get an opinion, to find a meme or picture that depicts how we’re feeling. But honestly, in the real heart wrenching experiences, there’s only one source that can intervene, that can repair and restore, one Father who gets us and gets what we’re going through.

Oh that we learn to run to Him! Oh, that our heart’s response would be ‘Abba!’ 

Oh that we may have an undivided heart! 

Pssst, perhaps keep that thought to yourself

One of my mum’s favourite saying is, “if you don’t have anything good to say, then shut up”.

In a world where everything is so instantaneous, I somewhat believe that the element of thinking of what we say or type, or post for that matter before we do is something almost foreign.

How many times have you been in a situation, and you know behind any shadow of any doubt that you are 150% right and more so, you’re beyond justified in your view. Yet the person is on the complete other end of the spectrum on the issue, opposing your view and sometimes in a hurtful manner. For example, anyone who knows me personally knows I have certain characteristics, things I love. I was once in a situation where someone was directly accusing me of being something I know I am not and basically calling me a fake. And that hurt. I was hurt. I cried. During the conversation, I found myself beginning to justify myself, defending my character, after all I am human and I deserve respect and dignity, and I do, but I was more justifying my cause but not actually caring about the next person – it was pure selfishness. Then, midway through my defense I stopped and conceded “defeat”. I didn’t stop because I didn’t have anything else to say, or that I’d gotten to a place where my case was lost, no way – I could go on and on, but I stopped. And when I stopped, my ‘opponent’ went in for the kill, guns blazing, firing all the deadly blows, and basically adding finishing touches to my demise, but I held my tongue. 

Was that easy? Hell no!

Did I want to make a dramatic scene and end the conversation in my favour? Hell yes!

Was I thinking of snide comments to ‘give as good as I got? You bet!

But I just held it all in. 

James 3 speaks about the tongue, and the power it has. The comparison I love is that of the tongue to a rudder on a ship, one tiny mechanism that determines the course of an enormous vessel. And that’s exactly it, our tongue and specifically the words we speak can determine the course of a situation, a relationship and ultimately the course of our lives.

In the above situation, I could have thrown in a few harsh words, spoken my mind, made it known that I too could be hurtful and abrasive. However, at the end of it what would I have gained? A small moment of victory? Some satisfaction that I’ve come out the bigger person?
Do you know what I gained by taming my tongue? Something far better than victory, and something actually worth something in the long run. I gained the relationship. They are able to have seen love through that situation, they witnessed that harsh words may have brought victory but ultimately love prevailed because I value the relationship more than a momentary fleeting moment of victory.

I value you, and therefore, I will choose to love even my words. 
So, I urge you to take my mum’s advice. Hold your tongue, don’t blurt the first thing that pops into your head. Speak in love and get that rudder under control! 

Kids and technology – and this is NOT a rant

I recently had an interesting conversation with a colleague, whilst grabbing a cup of tea. Now, I had the opportunity of meeting this colleague’s sons late last year, and they’re quite literally a pair of cuteness overload! They almost give off this teddy bear feel, where you want to just hug them and pinch their cheeks, although I didn’t do that – because that’s just awkward but also – as I do realise how old it makes me seem to just say that.

Back to the conversation, in South Africa soon the first school term will come to an end and I had highlighted this to my colleague, who then almost in exasperation said that the boys desperately want an xBox for the holidays, but that he doesn’t want to get it for them because he wants them to a bit more active and not stuck to the TV playing games. 

That got me thinking, and I would like to bring a slightly different perspective to the kids and technology conversation. 

The way I see it, there’s 4 types of people in the conversation, and to not stereotype, I will not assume these are specific age groups because I do think that these are not age specific, but more circumstantial and experiential.

1) The techno-no generation: these are the type who long for the good old days, who would do anything to still have a letter delivered by a pigeon because it really was the best times. They enjoy the simplicity of life before technology and quite literally, would be opposed to any advancement in the technology space, even if it drastically improves their life. We still love this type though, they speak of an innocent generation, a generation who knew and valued the concept of taking life one step at a time, living outside of a continuum of constant busyness. They knew how to slow down, something we don’t know how to do.

2) Then you get the type who had to learn to deal with technology, and even embrace it. I’ll call them the techno-ok-then type of people, who may have not necessarily grown up with technology, but aren’t completely opposed to it. This group is probably more common in 2017, they’re the ones who want to strike the balance, they want their kids to still know what it’s like to feel the grass between your toes and to touch the sand with your hands. They’ve also seen or been forced to see the progression and benefits of technology, and have adapted technology to their personal lives. Personally, this is probably every parent of a child/adolescent today. 

3) Now comes the category I think I fit into, I’ll call these the screen-age adults. This group grew up with technology as a very integral part of their lives. This group (like me) may have very well been the balance which the group 2 parents wish to strike, you had the exposure of having a hysical childhood, playing outside, hop scotch, soccer in the streets, cricket day/night matches, playing out TV shows after they had finished on TV; but you also were able to keep up to date with the latest developments in technology.  WE WERE THERE at the dawn of the cellphone, and it was a part of us and our childhood and teen years. WE WERE THERE when instant messaging and social networking were taking off, and we were the ones who were mass consumers of these forms of technology. WE WERE THERE when the Walkman was a big thing, and then when the iPod took the world by storm. WE WERE THERE as active participants in the progression of technology. And hey, we turned out pretty ok. Perhaps, group 2 isn’t so wrong for wanting the same for their kids. But here’s the thing, this group could possibly be the start of a generation who see no compelling reason for a balance, and that technology is not just necessary but it is great for kids. These adults will willingly allow kids to spend hours on their phones or tablets, and be ok with the fact that a Fitbit is more than sufficient to track physical activity and voila, see technology!! We had a balance and we came out ok, so what if there isn’t a balance, right?

Lastly 4) are the children of 2017 themselves and those to come beyond 2027. Given the rapid pace of technology, who knows the world these little ones will grow up in, These are probably never going to know anything outside of technology and are likely a product of group 3 or having been raised by parents of the group 3 dispensation. These kids will find technology as a norm, they will be strong advocates for nothing less.

I think that groups 1 and 2 are slowly completing their cycles, but what is interesting for me is groups 3 and 4… what is parenting going to look like for you and I, and for children being raised in a totally digital age. I already know babies who can operate an iPad without actually much effort. It will be very interesting to see how these years play out. It would also be interesting to see how group 3 brings up their children where technology is concerned, whether they would want to seek a balance for the group 4 or not… 

Nonetheless, I am certainly excited about it!

The time I visited the motherland (India)

Truly befitting that all these pictures actually didn’t all see the light of day, and in some ways it’s some sort of redemption for not blogging for literal years, that my blog is the place these pictures get shared 😆😆😆

It was late last year, that I got the invitation to travel to India for work. That’s another thought for another day, but I’ll say this much, I am in AWE of everything my Father God has done in my life. When I posted that #BIGCITYLIFE post about three years ago, I had no idea what this new phase really meant and what God was doing. Anyway, back to India…

The trip both happened and passed way too fast, I entered the motherland in 21 February 2017 🇮🇳 I am really so grateful for the opportunity.  I met interesting characters, had people trying to speak to me in Hindi 🙈, ate the most amazing food and got a culture shock of note.

Considering that the pictures have been uploaded in no particular order, I’m going to just go through them and apologize for the lack of structure in this blog.

The hotel: Having travelled for work, I was fortunate to stay in the prestigious and absolutely breathtakingly beautiful TAJ Mahal Palace. Wow, this hotel is both asethically but also structurally beautiful. The hotel was the first luxury hotel built in Mumbai (oh, I didn’t mention that that is where I visited, Mumbai) and is rich with history. The TAJ boasts an opulent hallway of pictures, newspaper articles and the like showcasing the hotel’s history, like a mini musuem. It was surreal to take in the richness of the legacy of the hotel. On my last morning there, I actually saw a group of school kids who were on an excursion, and the teacher was probably giving them their history lesson on the hotel – cute little kids! The hotel overlooks the Gateway of India, which for me was quite poignant, and I’ll elaborate on that a bit later but I was taken by the irony that the Gateway, being the way through which the British entered India, was also the birthing of the migration of my own forefathers to South Africa, so for me it was quite monumentous to visit this heritage site. The TAJ also has an effortless elegance, and not just in its appearance, but one feels extremely honoured to see the wall of fame of the many a famous face that shared the TAJ, below is the famous and iconic Amitabh Bachchan who also visited the hotel, and you can see Oprah also in the picture below. I can’t help but wonder if they too stayed in the luxury suite which I was pleasantly surprised to have been upgraded to 😝😌

Tea, tea, tea: Now, one of the things I learnt about India whilst I was there, is that in actuality, the South African Indians and the India Indians (the real ones, we’re not 100% Indian, I mean I can’t even speak Hindi… except for the words I shouldn’t know) do have a lot in common. One of which has to be our love for tea. I am yet to strike the balance of the perfect cup of masala Chai but needless to saw I had this beaut every second I had a chance to. It also doesn’t hurt that most times a cut e little Indian guy was serving it, maybe that’s where the balance comes in, I need me a cute Indian hahaha 😂

I did mention that the food was BEYOND amazing in India and I have not had so much paneer in my entire existence. The best part, the paneer is done in so many different ways it made it all the more yummy. This was a paneer entré to our dinner one night – sheer brilliance and yumminess on another level!!

Ok, here’s proof that I stayed at the TAJ 😂 seriously though, what a privilege. There were locals outside every morning at basically the crack of dawn taking in the beauty of the hotel and the Gateway, and here I was living IN the hotel! Plus, this picture is extra special because you get to see some locals. On that note, and I feel qualified to say this because I am of Indian descent and this will in no means be racist or derogatory, but I have NEVER seen so many Indians before in my WHOLE life!! I mean EVERYONE is Indian! I come from a city in South Africa which is actually known to have the largest population of Indians in one place outside of India so I guess I’m qualified to say I’ve seen Indians in their dozens, but India has nothing on South Africa 😂🙈 but that’s why India is the mother land hey.

This was taken whilst I was exploring the streets of Mumbai ❤

And then there was samoosas. Now in South Africa, I’m used to something a lot different from the samosa I encountered in Mumbai, and it did taste different but it was good. 

Oh, and then I had a bunny chow!!! A purely South African Indian dish, all the way in India!! I couldn’t believe my eyes and I had to have it, albeit very expensive and rather small compared to the ones here in South Africa lol. What was more impressive though was the waiter’s knowledge of the legends behind the origin of the bunny chow, and then I smiled and told him I was actually a South African Indian and familiar with the legends… he wasn’t too bad looking either 😅

Here’s a snapshot of that little museum I referred to earlier, that’s located in the hotel. I forgot to mention, the hotel has thee best and most friendliest staff ever, I literally didn’t want to leave them lol. Plus a few Indian eye candy made the stay more pleasant. The TAJ has this tradition when you enter where they welcome you, with a garland, it’s really quite quaint. The hotel also smells amazing, like a fresh lemony aroma that infiltrates every area of the hotel.

I did mention that my hotel room was upgraded, so this is the view from my room. It’s amazing how what you’ve heard of India is true, opulent wealth next to abject poverty, it’s actually really sad.

The following two pictures are ones I found to be quite interesting, the geographic setup of India in the 4th Cenurty BC and from 1228-1826

More views of the streets

Now this picture is beautiful because of the gorgeous garden but also because this is the Gatway, and it’s something that really stood out for me on this trip. It’s directly linked to my own story, and history. And it’s also where people tried to talk to me in Hindi lol

Beautiful Mumbai ❤❤❤

PS I was seeing these views with the hottest Brit guy speaking in that beautiful British accent which I could go weak for, haha talk about background music … ok I’m done referring to guys in this blog 😂

Anwayyyyyyy, then came the most emotional part of the trip. Well it actually started with this part, but I’m glad this post ends with these pictures. As I flew into Mumbai, this was my view, I literally then bawled my eyes out at that moment. And I will insert the extract from my Facebook, posted a few hours after being in the motherland:

“Vanakkam 😁😁😁! Yo, India waaaazup! My genes haven’t seen you in a while, like 150 years or so!

Seriously though, when I learnt of my trip I was so excited to say that line. However, actually being here is something I was COMPLETELY not ready for. Flying over the city of Mumbai was an emotional experience for me, as I got a chance to ponder, to consider the grace of my Father not just in creating opportunities but at the sheer awesomeness of His plan over my (and my family, and like 70% of my Facebook friends lives, who also hail from Indian descents)! If not for His grace!!!!

And then I touch down in Mumbai, and the airport has a bagpipe instrumental of ‘Amazing Grace’ playing! Imagine!!!!

I also want to thank my family and friends for all your love and prayers, this first venture has had its challenges so far (like a misplaced cellphone lol) but I am grateful for the grace and blessing you’ve sent me with.

#JaiHind”

India, what a beautiful land. Hope to go back someday ❤

Water – The substance of LIFE… Hot water – I shall never take you for granted

Here in Southern Africa, we’re at a very interesting time atmospherically; at a crossroads if you will (only thing is we know the turn this crossroads takes and the end result) currently it’s still warm but most certainly there is a chill in the air that keeps reminding us, Winter is on it’s way.

Now the last Sunday morning, waking up was the beginning of my weekly routine; and just like switching on the light and knowing it will come on, taking a hot shower was a given. But thanks to something (I’m yet to find out the cause as the maintenance people will be attending to it as I type this-I hope!) our geyser packed up. A cold Shower on a chilly-ish morning – not on. Anyway we made it out of the house, a little behind schedule but it happened nonetheless.

I found myself being grateful to modern technology yet again (although a geyser isn’t exactly breaking news in the innovation forum)
Imagine having to wake up at the crack of dawn, bracing the icy cold Autumn morning, half asleep (that’s how I am in the morning’s lol) just to get enough water for everyone in the household to have a bath and probably have breakfast or a cup of tea?! ………………………………………………………………….

I’m pretty sure I would win the award for the longest pause in a draft. Verbatim, the above is a post I drafted 4 years ago lol and never finished. Like really, talk about procrastination.

The thought still holds true though, we take water for granted. Electricity. Food. Clean air. Life. We take it for granted. I think we need to step back, and become more appreciative of all we have around us 🙏

 

The circle of life

The week of 27 March 2017 is a momentous and poignant week in the life of my family. My parents have worked and continuing to work hard to give my sister and I everything we have, the life which we …

Maturation… not a walk in the park

When I started this blog five years ago (on 29 March 2012), I had certain expectations and goals for this blog. Incidentally, I named this blog LiveLearnMature.

And then life happened.

But before we get there, can I just revel in the moment – five years ago a 20-something young lady decided to start this thing called a blog, and yes you can also understand that with five years comes a lot of inconsistency in frequently posting blogs and therefore the blog may have lost momentum for a while, a good while – but what was she thinking, why a blog, in the words of a friend – she didn’t even know what a blog was lol, and who would possibly be interested in reading a blog, and besides, what would it even be about… well here I am again, continuing in grace – living, learning and maturing.

Life has been a rollercoaster ride so far – and there is so much I could tell the younger Rianté who started this blog back then, so much she needs to learn, so much she will experience, how her love for her family and her relationship with the Father will grow, how her career will begin to take shape, how she will learn representation and what being a daughter of the Most High God means, how she will accepted and loved unconditionally, how she will begin to see more evidently the grace of the Father in her life and so, so much more… Oh! What a journey. Happy five years to LiveLearnMature!!

In keeping with the concept of maturity, reading my previous entries on my blog, specifically the very first ones – please do yourself a favour and read them, it’s quite astonishing lol – makes me realise how far my process of maturation has actually come. It also makes me realise how my focus was on non-significant things back then lol, but then again that’s why I very wisely called this blog live learn mature.

We often take for granted our own processes of maturity, and more often than not we despise the process. Think about it, probably at the age of 5 or 6 you would have longed to be older, looking at older siblings, cousins or friends, they got to do things for themselves! I’m sure we all had that one person we adored, and wanted to be like (and this is probably true for much of our lives, we tend to want to be like others). Then, when you were around 8 or 9 years old, you were likely to desire to become a teenager, because it looked SO cool. You didn’t want any of the ‘boring’ stuff that came with being too old to be considered a kid but too young to be a teen. Then finally – after what felt like an eternity – you’re a teenager, but then that’s not at all what you expected, crazy emotions, wild and silly choices, and yet you’re still not old enough… then comes the twenties, personally a season I continue to enjoy … the last few years left of it, but you’re still finding yourself. In most cases, we spend our time wishing the season would move faster; that we’ll reach the next phase faster, that our careers would take off faster, that we can start a family sooner, and that we can attain the house and cars we want sooner – we want it to still pass. Then one day we’ll be in our thirties, and you’d want the kids to grow up faster, our marriages to have more experience and resilience which comes with time, to be more financially secure faster, and again to have life happen faster. In our forties, we’ll probably want that season to finish faster too, perhaps longing for retirement and a leisurely life. But when does it end? Are we ever satisfied?

There’s something else I’ve realised though. Maturation is not just a process, but it’s a process which requires an end state – a goal – a place to which we aspire to mature to. Maturation is also not a coincidental process, it’s intentional. You need to make a choice to mature, and not simply ‘grow up’. Unintentionality is probably the reason we have many adults who are grown, but not necessarily mature. Furthermore, we need to have a point of something to which our maturation is aimed, you can’t just mature like an arrow shot in the dark, you need to have some sort of idea as to what you’re maturing into. That aids the process, and guides the steps of maturation. You know you’re doing something and experiencing a particular thing with the understanding that it is vital to your maturation journey – as Paul puts it “ ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5, NKJV).

What’s that place for you?

Personally, it’s more than a state of achievement or success, more than earning within a certain salary bracket, more than the white picket fence and pigeon pair… because like you may realise once you attain those things there’s more you want to attain, you’ll never be satisfied.

For me, I’ve realised that this process of maturation is to bring you to a state of accurate and true representation, being the image of the Father, showcasing His love to all of creation, restoring divine order.

So friends let us not despise maturation let’s circumvent the necessary processes of our maturity. Let us be intentional about maturity, let us set our hearts on pilgrimage to a place of maturity. And then, let’s mature.

#BigCityLife

Change.

Growing up.

What does that mean to you?

To me it meant many different things.

I suppose at different stages in our lives. change & growing up means a variety of things.

 

Part of change. Part of growing up … Flying out of the ever-safe, comfortable and convenient “nest”. In all honesty, it’s an exciting experience but extremely daunting.  I mean we all have the bigger dreams in life, especially in this day and age with every opportunity at your grasp and literally at your fingertips, it’s becoming easier to embark on the great flight. Earlier this year I was afforded the opportunity of “flighting”.

I’m enjoying this new chapter in my life, a new place, new people, a new environment and it’s taught me so much. So if you’re looking to flight the nest or even just a change in scenery, this may be a little helpful. At least I hope so.

Firstly, I strongly believe that change is inevitable. I also am a believer in the “a change is as good as a holiday” thinking. However I am of the strong inclination that in addition to all that, there is a time for change. What do I mean by that? Well I had the opportunity of relocating and “flighting” in my late teens but I just couldn’t do it. For whatever the reasons were. I just wasn’t ready to “take the plunge” (and nope not that kind of plunge lol)… People thought I was crazy. But it felt right… then a few years later (yes I’m not that old 😛 ) a different opportunity presented itself. This time round I felt a peace about the whole situation. By peace I mean I felt this calm over the whole situation, in spite of the fact within a space of 2 weeks I had to pack up my life and move, I knew within me that this was the right decision… I also strongly believe that the timing of the decision was perfect because every little detail of the move worked out. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying wait to take an opportunity because it’s safe, comfortable, convenient… most of all don’t steer clear of an opportunity because of, dare I say it, fear. We’re humans and fear of the unknown and uncertainty is innate and inevitable, but don’t let that become the defining factor in your life. Don’t let fear cripple you from perusing your dreams and become the reason you could miss out on an amazing opportunity.

What I am saying is do it because you WANT to. 

Do it because you feel the timing is RIGHT.

Do it because you have FAITH that it is something God has in your life’s plan, and that He will see you through through it

Trust me, when those are the basis for your decisions it could potentially be the best decision you make.

 

Secondly be prepared.

Be prepared for the unexpected, be prepared to be stretched out of your comfort zone, be prepared for hard work, be prepared for a culture shock, be prepared for your horizons to broaden. Change that is lasting is change that challenges the way you think, perceive, do things and essentially the way you are. You’ll come across some stuff you never expected. Don’t only focus on the negative connotation the term “unexpected” may bring, a good range of amazing things are also unexpected. So be prepared for the unexpected – the bad and the mind blowingly amazingly unexpected. Getting out of your comfort zone can be challenging, in my case I hadn’t lived in any other place aside from the one I was born in. So off the bat that’s one MAJOR comfort zone changer. It’s challenging (I don’t believe the challenge is over) to re-adapt, to get unconditioned to an environment (whether that’s a physical environment, an emotional environment, a mentality or spiritual environment) to which you’ve become conditioned to is nothing short of impossible if you aren’t prepared for it. The minute you decide “Nah, I can’t do this” or “Nah, this is uncomfortable… it’s abnormal… and I don’t like it” then automatically you will find areas of dissatisfaction. You’ll never find a place where you fit in, just because it’s not what you’re used to and therefore will push back on opportunities and essentially miss out on the fullness of the experience. That I believe also applies to not just a big change in one’s life but also incremental changes… it’s all about attitude. Be prepared for hard work, change is hard work. The amount of hard work you put in will determine the fruits of your change… Be prepared for a culture shock. A different environment will bring a change in culture. A change in the way you do things,a change in the people you associate with and if you do not adapt to the culture you will be resistant and again you will miss out. Be prepared for your horizons to be broadened… Until I moved here my horizon was pretty blurry…  it was all theory, I suppose this move has been a practical implementation of what I’ve been known. Now my eyes see the broadness of the horizon… and I’m hoping to paint a clearer picture of a broader horizon to people in my circle…

Lastly have fun. Take every opportunity of change and have fun. Live IN  every moment. Learn through every situation, and if it’s a bad situation learn the situation quickly, dust off the failure and move on. Have fun with the friends the change brings. Personally in this move I’ve met amazing people, people who are so similar to me and people who couldn’t be further from similar, but each of them bring a different flavour to my adventure and for that I am grateful. I’ve even made what I believe will be life long friends, and to think if I didn’t “flight” I wouldn’t have even known these amazing people existed.

While doing all this, don’t forget the people who mean the most to you. Don’t climb the corporate ladder at the expense of your family, friends and loved ones. Remember they’ve been there. They’ve been there pre-change and chances are they’ll be there post-change. But if you don’t appreciate those individuals in your life then you could be on a nasty downward spiral…

With all that being said, I’m back 🙂 it’s been a while since I’ve blogged but hopefully I can get back on the bandwagon.

So here’s to change 🙂

Bring it!!! 🙂