"Becoming the BEST YOU Possible"

As a student of the 'y' generation there is an aspect of life that constantly needs attention: that is the age old thing of balance; student; work; social network; life balance. Without balance we find ourselves either consumed by one aspect in our life; or by a lot and find ourselves getting stressed.

It was after a conversation with Ang about stress of uni on top of other extra curricular activities that we tend to put our bodies through.

So, I went swimming (searching) and found Carolyn Clarke's blog which then led me onto an e-book of hers giving a guide to work life balance. The main thing that stood out to me was the signs of imbalance that were strongly related to stress symptoms. Just by reading down the list of imbalance you can decipher just how stressed you are. BUT, Carolyn stipulates not to judge yourself but instead to be interested in what you've learned about your stress and imbalance level. It is likely to confirm "that you need to adjust your lifestyle to include new strategies for a healthier you. The good news is, you CAN experience yourself and your life in healthier, happier ways...addressing six steps!"

The six steps are:

1. Tips for BEST YOU Physical Balance.
2. Tips for BEST YOU Emotional Balance.
3. Tips for BEST YOU Mental/Attitudinal Balance.
4. Tips for BEST YOU Social/Relationship Balance.
5. Tips for BEST YOU Creative/Spiritual Balance.
6. While at Work Tips for Balance.
   

These 'BEST YOU' steps cover all areas of life: the physical; the mental; and life.
A point that captivated me was when Carolyn stated that 'balance' cannot not be found but only created. It is the above six steps that helps to support you to create this for yourself!
I leave you with this quote from Carolyn,

"Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to make yourself priority enough to embrace coming alive and become the BEST YOU...... for a life in good balance!"

That is the mission; take it or leave it!

Kodak Moment

Don't you hate it when the one time you don't take a camera with you on an excursion of some kind, you wish you had.

I was walking along the beach, 30 minutes a day you got to push play, beautiful clear sky; sun setting, waves gently rolling in.

I had set my self a little goal of where I was going to walk to and that is it. However, I was just about to turn around to head home when a local walking her dog said, "marine watch down there, it is a baby seal". This abnormal mention of a seal acted as a kick up the backside and I decided to keep on walking: don't know where the burst of energy came from: maybe it was the traditional nosey Kiwi bursting within.

500m down the beach was a seal just chilling on the waters edge, not phased by onlookers in the slightest. The budding journalist, in training within, was wondering why there was no newspaper reporters, or if a member from the public had taken a photo and written a little blurb: considering the fact that it was "after hours". I would have taken a photo if I had had my phone on me, but I didn't.

As the saying goes, it is better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it!!!!

Always be prepared for the unexpected.

The whole way home I was bursting to write a blog (never thought I would be caught saying that). It goes to show that I too have been caught hook, line and sinker. The digital revolution IS the way of the future!

Laughing=medicine for the soul

Last night I definitely overdosed on laughing. I went to The Laughing Samoans ‘Crack Me Off” show in Tauranga. I knew that there would be a lot of laughing involved but who would have thought it was exactly what the doctor had ordered.

By the end of the week I am exhausted and last night all I wanted to do was curl up in front of the tele with a blanket, watch a dvd while the rain fell on the roof; a perfect night to hibernate. BUT I had a ticket and had been anticipating The Laughing Samoans for a good couple of months.

And oh what a night it was!!!!!

Had the best seats in the house; third row from the front bang smack in the middle. As soon as it began the whole of Baycourt theatre were in hysterics. Which continued for a couple of hours. So you can only imagine the sore checks and abdominal muscles. If anyone hadn’t done there 15 minute ab work out for the day, they got a whole weeks worth in one night.

Tofiga and Eteuati have built such a rapport with the Island and Maori community as they take the mickie out of Samoan’s and entertain audiences over New Zealand and the world.

The Laughing Samoans have their own website. ‘Crack Me Off’ is there latest show, but there other shows are available on dvd.

If you are feeling a little down in the dumps with this cold snap, then pop on down to the dvd store and get The Laughing Samoans out on dvd. I can recommend the ‘Small Samoan Wedding’ and ‘Off Work’

Where do I live again?

I just published a post, but as I was posting it, I sit here surrounded by foreign conversation wondering what country I am living in?!?!

Puzzled I decided to share this oh so delightful experience with you and maybe you might like to elaborate further.

There have be many a times that I have been working in the Hub and find myself constantly surrounded by conversation that can only make me think "what the heck?" Not only is it extremely foreign, but it is extremely loud. Might help if they took there ear phones out so they weren't trying to do two things at once.

Now the whole issue about being able to do two things at once could take me onto a whole other tangent, but I won't.

Any who; back to this foreign bubble that I seem to be encompassed in time and time again.

The fast paced, gibberish, laughter, volume and excitement is somewhat distracting. What I would like to know is: how do they get words and make sense of their language. I don't want to be cynical because if I was to go to their homeland and speak english REALLY loud and excitedly, they might just think the same. BUT then again, most countries these days speak English as their second language.

Do they not realise what they are doing? Or the fact that they are causing a distraction?

Hmmmmm……….

Routine of life

Do you ever feel like life tends to be the same day in and day out; OR perhaps more week in and week out?

Last week I did not venture over to Hamilton for uni (due to it being Spark week and being summoned to Jury duty) and feel as though just that one week has already got me out of routine. The week actually felt like a holiday, it was great!

This explains why I struggled to rise and shine at 5.45am this morning. There were a couple of moments there when I just wanted to fall on my bed and drift right on back to dream land.

With routine brings order and I guess an element of stability. But then there is also the factor, regarding the beginning of semester, and it is often said, “I’m going to get on to my assignments early, work hard, and do well”; something like that anyway. Sarah’s recent blog ties in with what I am trying to say, I’m sure I can speak for the majority, when we learn something new, or are exposed to something new, or even have purchased something. We use it, or explore it for the first week or so until the novelty wears off.

I know that for me, whether there is a novelty or not, my weeks (this semester anyway) seem to all blend into one!

"Mr G"

I feel it is time to step aside from blogging about this new digital revolution that is evolving each week in class.

Although, my idea for this blog has developed from surfing the internet waves.

While doing some reading here and there I came across three sites that reflects the lifestyle of “Mr G”.

Mr G is not a graffiti artist but an aerosol artist of fine art. His work is amazing. In his work there is no such thing as a brush stroke: his masterpieces are done purely with spray cans.

Mr G is an inspiration to the youth in New Zealand and even in the global market. He is out there in the tagging community making a difference by showing youth how to change a tag into art and to respect property. All of Mr G’s work is done legally!!!!

I have posted one of his sites (www.mrghoete.com) to www.del.icio.us.com but he also has a blog www.mrghoete.blogspot.com and a clothing line website www.repz.com. From reading his blog you will see that Mr G made the front cover of UNO (lifestyle mag). Pick one up and have a read, its inspirational.

If this is the first you have ever heard of him, I can tell you now that it won’t be the last: Mr G is something else. So humble!

We all know the late Sir Edmund Hillary; well Mr G was commissioned to produce a canvas of Sir Edmund Hillary that was auctioned on TradeMe. It is a spitting image of Sir Edmund Hillary, and all done by spray paint!! AMAZING!!!!

It just goes to show that if you have an idea, a passion or something you are gifted with you can make it work for you. It may not be easy, but what is the harm in trying?