March, the beginning of spring with snow! – I can’t be the only one looking forward to the appearance of some warm weather. So, here, as usual, is my review for March as a career coach, writer, and human being.
We almost brought James home with us.
Because what should have been a 20-minute tour of one of the accommodation buildings at UEA turned into a two-hour tour of the whole campus – we visited the university last weekend with our daughter.
James, a final year student, was our guide, and he was excellent, helpful, informative, and genuinely pleased to answer our questions about student life at UEA.
What clinched it for you?
- How safe do you feel wandering around campus and Norwich?
- What about your female friends?
- How diverse are the teaching staff?
- Why are those buildings called the Ziggurats – in fairness, my husband answered this.
- What about the library? Is it genuinely open and staffed 24 hours?
- What was it like during lockdown? How much support did you get?
- What temperature are the rooms kept at – a bit of a random one from my husband?
- What will you be doing next? It had no real relevance to us, but it was nice to hear he had a job lined up.
- What’s the bus service like into town?
After these and a stream of other questions, James finally left us outside the Sainsbury’s Centre (SCVA) – the onsite art gallery. I think he was probably ready for a drink, a sit-down and a bit of peace and quiet– ????.
So, thank you again, James and good luck with your future career.
Squiggly careers
It is safe to say I have had a squiggly career, and it isn’t quite over yet. I suspect there are a few more twists and turns to come. And even at my age, I am open to this. There is still a lot I want to achieve.
From paper round to business owner – who would have thought it? Certainly not the thirteen-year-old who shared paper-round delivering newspapers and magazines around her Kent village in the 70s. Not the girl who stood fishing for coppers out of her money bag with frozen fingers. After two years on my paper round, I successfully changed to working in a shoe shop on a Saturday. Thank you, Mr Hyner, for believing I would hit my sales targets eventually.
Since then, there have been many job changes, but each has taught me something and contributed to where I am today.
So, what was your first job, and what did it teach you?
International Women’s Day
I love this – build better tables
Happy International Women’s Day, everyone
#IWD2022 #Breakthebias
The joy of letting go.
Because I believe two things – whatever you say yes to, there is something else you are saying no to. Secondly, our energy, time and focus are finite resources. There is only so much of it to go around.
I wonder if some dreams and aspirations quietly pack their bags and leave before we are fully aware. You awake one day and realise that a goal, ambition is no longer that important to you – this happened to me when I decided to let go of:
Completing a PhD – for all sorts of reasons; I no longer feel I have anything to prove around this, sorry mum ????.
Taking my Grade 4 piano exam has been on the way out for a few years now; it took me a while to own that decision.
It also happened very recently with work – I said no to one project, and then a few days later, another potential opportunity dropped into my mailbox.
So, what might you need to let go of and, as importantly, what might take its place?
Cushions and safety chickens
Three people, six cushions, the maths should be easy/ straightforward. Well, not in our house., because whoever makes it to the sofa last, invariably loses out.
Somehow, one of us always ends up missing a cushion. It is our version of musical chairs. And in the ensuing debate, there is some initial denial; no one wants to own up to having that extra cushion(s). More importantly, no one wants to move, especially if they have already made themselves comfortable and moulded their bodies to fit the cushions they have.
The answer, I think, is to go out and buy a seventh cushion, a spare or safety cushion. Apply the same principle as my younger sister when she kept chickens and insisted on a ‘safety’ chicken. That just in case something happens to the others, chicken.
So, there you have it, a tiny slice of our family life ????.
Until next month
