It’s not that often that I find myself absolutely exhausted but this year I experienced it far too often. Last night I was just too tired to even think of writing. This morning I woke up feeling a little unwell, still exhausted and my body felt like it had been hit by a train.
No doubt, it’s a sign that I need to rest more often, given how much more stressful work in particular has become. That’s exactly what I plan to do this weekend. Sleep, potter around the house and garden, read and watch a bit of TV. My body and mind need to unplug for a bit. I might consider a walk along the beach as well just to clear my head. An added bonus is that I have taken Monday off and Tuesday is a public holiday so it’s an extra long weekend for me. 💃🏽💃🏽
How do you unplug and unwind?
I’ll leave you with Anne Lamott’s words of wisdom on rest.
Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.
This year has been one of the most challenging years at work. I had a new team and a demanding programme to deliver. We achieved most of what we set out to do. I am very proud and grateful that we did. Priorities changed, and team members changed, but we did it in the end. There is still much to be done in the little time we have left before 2026 rolls around.
I have enjoyed the challenges that this year has brought. I am grateful for them. I always feel like a lack of growth is akin to a slow and painful death. Life becomes boring. So I am definitely grateful for the challenges, the growth and the feeling of being alive that it all brings.
A Question for You
What is one thing in your life that challenged you this year that you feel grateful for?
Daily Quote
“Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.”
Today would have been my parents’ 53rd wedding anniversary. I am so grateful that they came together at a point in their lives. I wouldn’t be here if they didn’t, and I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am today. I am grateful that I was able to experience a loving home when I was younger. I am grateful that in the moments that counted, they always tried to ensure that we experienced it as a family. Sometimes life got in the way but our family was most important to them. I cannot remember a Christmas or Easter when they were not at home.
From this I learnt that family was important to both of them. No matter what, they were always inclusive of each other’s extended families as well. When I was a kid, my dad would happily drive us to various towns and cities to visit family. I loved those trips.
What I learned from each of them
From my mum I learned independence and resilience. My mother got her driver’s license when I was in high school or earlier. She was one of the few mum’s in the neighbourhood who drove. She worked as a bookkeeper when I was in primary school and then as the church’s secretary and bookkeeper until the day she died. She was not afraid of technology and took the necessary courses to upgrade her skills. She was an amazing baker and this became her side hustle. In all honesty, I did not appreciate how fantastic my mum was while she was here. A lot of what she did, she did with such grace that it looked it was perfectly normal for women to do what she did. I am grateful that I at least get to appreciate her now.
As far as I am aware, my dad never felt threatened by my mum’s independence. Perhaps it’s because his mum was also a strong independent woman. He encouraged me to be independent and to never let a man make me feel inferior. He was also an independent soul that tried his hand at entrepreneurship more than once. He was not successful with his ventures but, it hasn’t stopped him from trying. He is in his 70’s and still trying out new business ideas. My dad is also very curious and one of our family historians. I guess I get my curiosity from him.
A Question for You
No two parents are perfect. What is one good thing in your life today that you feel grateful for that was shaped by your parents?
Quote of the Day
“Being grateful for family doesn’t mean they’re perfect, it means you see their worth.”
Grounded African 