Hello there! Another Monday done and dusted. Only four more in the year to go. That means there is still time to knock any outstanding 2024 goals out of the park or you have to reflect on what was and plan for what will be in 2025. So what put a smile on my face today?
Two Things I Am Grateful For and One Source of Joy
Today, I am grateful for the teams I work with. No matter what the day brings, there is always time and space for a joke or a bit of silliness. A number of my colleagues have moved to the UK over the past year or two, and one of the most difficult adjustments they have faced has been the lack of connection with people at work. Some people don’t even know the name of the person sitting opposite them. So yes, I am very grateful for the teams I work with. They know my name and a little something about me and vice versa.
I love starting the work week at home. We work hybrid, so I work from home two days a week. It means that as an introvert, I can enjoy the people I work with and have pockets of alone time to regenerate my energy throughout the day.
One source of joy today was enjoying a cup of coffee in my little garden in the middle of the day. Although it was overcast, it didn’t stop the birds and insects from doing their thing. I love those moments. There is a whole world going on in my garden, and I am in awe of it.
On that note, I will leave you with a short quote from Karl Barth about the connection between gratitude and joy. They are inseparable.
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Thanks for popping by. Let me know what made your day today in the comments or drop me a link to your gratitude post.
Welcome December! It’s been a very long minute since I last wrote. Work, in particular, has been crazy. It is the 1st day of December, though, and, as I do every year, I will spend this month focusing on being grateful for all the good in my life. As always I hope it inspires you to do the same so that you end the year on a high note.
Three Things I am Grateful for
Today, I want to acknowledge that this year has been extremely challenging in more ways than one. I ran two teams at work and, of course, at home, I have been parenting a sixteen-year-old. The stress of it all has impacted my health somewhat, which stressed me even further. The good news is that, despite the challenges on every front, I am still standing. I am so grateful for this. God has been good to me.
I have gained new skills as a manager and a leader. I have also gained a new understanding of social media and how things work through leading my agile squad. I have learned that although things change, there are some things that do stay the same.
I am so thrilled and grateful to be writing again, even though this will be a short post. I have missed it.
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I hope you had a great start to December! If not, never fear. I bet there is at least one moment in the day that made you smile. Hold on to that.
Thank you for popping by. I hope you will join me again tomorrow and start your own month of gratitude. posts. Please leave a link in the comments. I would love to read your posts.
I know right! Where has the year gone? On the bright side, it means we still have 95 days left (at the time of writing this) to achieve the goals we set for 2024. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s enough time to close off what you have started, at least.
I have been reviewing my year thus far and I have to say that it hasn’t been too bad of a year. 2024 is my year of Less. Most importantly for me, I needed to declutter my home. I am thrilled to say that I am about 70% of the way there. My kitchen countertops are clear. My dining room area is clear (most days at least. What is it about table tops that attracts life’s bits and bobs? 🤷🏽♀️) My lounge is looking neater and I finally figured out how to keep all the electrical cords out of site. I hate to say it but I do need to get rid of some of my books as I am never going to read them all. The sight of them overwhelms me sometimes. Next in line: my wardrobes.
Tough love is Tough!
Raising a teen is a challenge like no other. This past school term has been a push to get my son’s marks up. I think he forgot what he is capable of. I had to set strict boundaries to get him focused throughout the term. The hardest part of tough love is the toll it takes on the person giving it. I have always hated saying no to my son, but I also accepted that there were times when no was the only answer. This term was a term of an almost constant stream of “no”. It broke my heart to have to do it and to see the frustration and disappointment in his eyes. At the end of the day, it was all worth it, and even he couldn’t believe some of the marks he achieved. He was so thrilled that he couldn’t wait to get to the car with his report, so he called me and told me about his marks as he walked the few 100m to the car. I was so happy for him and very relieved that his hard work had paid off.
Working and Learning
At work, I have learned to look at things with a marketer’s eyes. Letting go of my technical mindset and methods for doing things has been tough. I am not there yet but I am grateful for the opportunity to grow in this manner. The one thing I have also had to learn is that, even though I am changing the way I look at things or articulate them, I must not doubt my instincts. It is so easy to doubt yourself when learning something new.
Tea is my New Best Friend
My health has been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride this year. I have finally lost most of the weight I had gained this year. My blood sugar is getting back to a good space. My cholesterol has been looking good, but my blood pressure has suddenly jumped up this year. Thankfully, it was almost back to normal this week, but I will keep monitoring it. I have reduced my caffeine intake as a start and am enjoying trying out new caffeine-free teas. Right now I am alternating between rooibos, rose petal and vanilla tea, chamomile tea and ginger tea. The rose tea and chamomile tea are definitely smoother, so I have them at night or when I feel stressed. The rooibos is more earthy in flavour and it seems to also curb my snacking habit. I need to monitor this a bit more to see if it really is helping. Ginger is supposed to aid digestion so I drink it after a meal.
6 Years into my New Reality – an Update
Lastly, this week, it was six years since my mum crossed over. Looking back, I am amazed at how much I have changed since it happened:
I am no longer drawn to articles and books on how to grow my confidence. I am a whole lot more confident in myself.
I am more aware of my strengths, and I spend my time trying to grow them. Right now I am drawn to mental models and strategic thinking.
I have clearer boundaries in most areas of my life.
My faith has grown stronger. I find it easier to let go of people and things that do not positively serve me or my son.
Most importantly, I know who I am.
I still struggle with committing to/focusing on one thing, but I am aware of it which is a step in the right direction. As Dr Phil says, “you can’t change what you don’t acknowledge”. I will continue to chip away at this block until it is no more.
Cheers to the end of another successful quarter! Photograph: Author’s own
So, it’s 88 days to Christmas. I must admit that I have started eyeing new Christmas ornaments in the stores even though I know I have too many already. Note to self, though: It is your year of less. Walk away from the ornaments!😅
How is your 2024 going? What are you most proud of? Do you still have goals that you want to achieve before this year is through? Let me know in the comments. I would love to hear from you.
Grounded African 