Hello Hello! Three days into December already! Before we know it, it will be Christmas. One good thing about reaching December is that I don’t have to see another Black Friday ad until next year. For that, I am definitely grateful! 😅. Let’s see what else is on today’s gratitude list.
Two Things I Am Grateful For
As I was putting the finishing touches on a quantitative test questionnaire today, I felt very grateful that I still get to do the things I love for a living. About twenty years ago, I sat across from our Consumer Insights Manager at the time and was in awe. I decided there and then that I wanted to do what she did. It sounded fascinating, and I wanted to be as good at it as she sounded. I then attended my first focus group and later prepared for my first product quantitative test, and I was hooked. I knew that I wanted to be a Consumer Insights Manager, which is exactly what I am today. I was a product formulator at the time of making the decision. God is good!
If you have been following my blog for the last two years, you will know all about the feral cat family that has adopted my son and me. One of my favourites is the youngest. I think she thinks my house is a thoroughfare as part of a game she seems to play. Every night, she cries at the window. I let her in. She runs straight to the front door for me to let her out. About 5 minutes later, there she will be… crying at the window once again. She is such a character. I am so grateful that her mother chose to trust us with her kittens. They bring a lot of joy into our home.
One Source of Joy
My simple pleasure for the day was savouring an ice cream at work. It was an Ola Choc Pie. It used to be my favourite as a kid. And yes, I should not be eating ice cream but life is for the living so why not spoil myself ever so often.
I will leave you with a quote from Brené Brown as a reminder to appreciate the moment you find yourself in.
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Thanks for stopping by. Let me know in the comments what you are grateful for today.
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 