Talking To The Deer

A few days away last week in a Cottage was a great way for my partner and I to spend time just relaxing and catching up with some reading. In these strangest of times time away is a real bonus and just we really enjoyed just spending time in each other’s company and talking.

This short break came at just the right time following three months in my role as HR Manager. Having spent the last three months dealing with a broad range of challenges and supporting the organisation through some changes was perfect. At a time when change really has become something we seem to deal with on a daily basis it was good to have the time to just reflect and relax.

Continue reading “Talking To The Deer”

I Am Scared and That’s Okay!

I am scared and that really is okay! As someone who writes/blogs a lot I have really struggled to write over the past few weeks as we have seen our country and indeed the world respond to Coronavirus and the associated Lockdowns.

That has really troubled me because I have always found writing a great way of thinking things through and very enjoyable. I have challenged myself over the past few days to find a way through this “writer’s block” and write something! The more I have pondered on it the more I have come to realise that there is an article I need to write and this is that article.

“I am scared and that’s okay” is the perfect title for the article because it sums up exactly how I have been feeling and continue to feel.

Back on 1st April I made the first attempt to write something and whilst I would never claim to be a poet others thanked me for my poetry! The words I wrote and subsequently created a screensaver for my computer were:

It’s Okay.

It’s Okay to be scared
It’s Okay to want to Scream
It’s Okay to want to cry
It’s Okay to just want it all to go away

It’s Okay to be You
It’s Okay to do what is right for you right now
It’s Okay to Hope

It’s Okay because We Will get through this!

#ItsOkay

Continue reading “I Am Scared and That’s Okay!”

Volunteering Your Time – The Amazing Benefits

Have you considered Volunteering your Time to help others? There are many benefits for both the volunteer and the organisations that you volunteer for.

It’s true that we all have many competing responsibilities in our busy lives.   There are times when it can be  hard to figure out how you will ever get everything done. Whilst it may sound counter-intuitive spending some of your time volunteering for a worthy cause just may be the thing you need to get things moving on the right track.   

As I said volunteering your time is something that benefits not just the organisations and other  recipients of your contribution, but it can also improve your life too!

Here are seven reasons why you may benefit from volunteering some of your time:  

Making New Friends

All of us to some extent are social creatures. We are meant to genuinely and authentically connect with others. Volunteering your time is a natural, organic way to meet others who share the same interests.

Building Personal and Professional Connections

If it’s not something you are used to then “Networking” may sound a bit odd. However, in this day and age, it is necessary  to meet other people so you can gain exposure to new experiences and opportunities. Volunteering is an excellent way to build personal and professional contacts without traditional “networking”, if that’s not really your style.

Building Your Self-esteem and Self-confidence

If you find yourself struggling with self-esteem and confidence, volunteer! You will feel great about contributing to a cause greater than yourself, and as you accomplish different tasks, you will learn new skills and find yourself growing more competent in the area of your choosing.

To Make a Difference in the World

Do you ever find yourself thinking that there is too much greed, evil, poverty or other issues in the world? Do you wish there was something that you were able to  do about it? You may not be able to change the whole world but through volunteering you can make a difference in your community or around issues that you are passionate about! You will find that you can  experience a sense of purpose by making a difference in the world. If when deciding how you are going to go about volunteering your time  you choose a cause that truly resonates with what you feel are the big problems of the world we inhabit.

Add Experience to Your CV

Very few of us nowadays are in the same jobs or even  the same career for ourr entire adult lives. Yet, if you are looking for a career change that represents a big departure from your current skillset, then you are going to discover that there’s a bit of a catch-22 scenario.

Without experience on your resume, nobody will give you a solid chance. But without a solid chance, you’ll never get relevant experience.

What do you do?

Volunteer, of course!

If you really want to break into a new sector or feel tempted to test the waters of a life change, why not consider volunteering a few hours at a time to help fill in the gaps on your CV while helping a cause you care for?

Improving your Health

One often overlooked benefit of volunteering is that it could help improve your health.

Depending on the volunteer activity you select, you could gain some valuable outdoor time, which would improve your physical health. You could also  try something nurturing and soothing for your mental health like keeping lonely senior citizens company at nursing homes. Or you could even try something spiritually uplifting like going Christmas caroling during the holiday season.

There are many options and many ways volunteering could benefit your health – you have to be creative with selection.

Having Fun!

Last but not least, one of the real benefits of volunteering your time  is that it can be lots of fun! Maybe you get a group of friends together and go on a beach or local park/community area  clean-up day. Or you do a charity fundraiser walk.

The possibilities are truly endless!

Volunteering Your Time Conclusion

You really  will get a lot more out of your volunteer experience than you put in. Take a look at some of the causes looking for volunteers in your neighborhood today, and see which may be a good fit for your personality and your lifestyle.

You will gain so much more than you contribute on so many levels – and you really will be happy you gave it a go.

Living More Simply In The Year Ahead

As 2020 approaches one of the things that many people may be thinking about is living more simply. The aim being to create a better life for themselves and their loved ones.

There are many benefits to living more simply, and everyone has different reasons for choosing to simply their life. But there are definitely some reoccurring benefits that you see on almost everyone’s “reasons to simplify” list. See which of these could motivate you to choose a simplified lifestyle.

Continue reading “Living More Simply In The Year Ahead”

Mental Health and Journaling

As I write this post it is World Mental Health Day 2019 and I have been engaging (on Twitter) with various organisations and many of my connections. They have been sharing their thoughts and their own mental health journeys. I am immensely privlidged to have so many connections who share their own challenges and journeys.

All of us are on journeys and as those who have read other posts from me on various sites will be aware I am a great advocate of Journaling. It is an amazing way of capturing those journeys and in particular our learning from them.

Continue reading “Mental Health and Journaling”