Saturday 14 June 2008

Go For It

What better way to start than with the words 'Go For It!' It is so much easier said than done and I constantly have to remind myself of that every day.

This week I asked my students (I teach EFL) what it was that drove them.
What is it that gets you up in the morning? I gave strict instructions that there answer was not to include the words family (whether child/ren or spouse or partner etc..) but something much more personal.

As usual when put in the position to answer such a query it is hard put to answer and the person in question is usually left gasping and astounded at such a request. But, nevertheless, I ask you again, what is it that gets
you up in the morning?

Is it the sunshine, the promise of what is to come, a need to go to the bathroom, an interview or two? Should you say the word responsibilities, then my next question is to whom? Yourself, your lifestyle, your dependents, your job?

Questions, questions, questions. In this blog (in case you have read the others) this will be different yet again. Before and above all else, we have to know what it is that makes us tick. When I say that you all immediately think of your character, morals, codes of behaviour and maybe even beliefs, but in truth that is not the core of our being, first and foremost is
'what gets you up in the morning?'

Sunday 25 May 2008

A shoulder or hand

I take this role seriously and regard it as a fight that people trust me and come to me for a comforting hand, laugh or tear.

Where does my ‘knowledge’ come from? Besides having attended and passed a 6 month qualification course in Coaching, that catered for professionals from all walks of life; years of bringing up 4 (now grown) children alone, in a new country was more experience than many ever receive in a lifetime. Leaving an abusive husband, running away with babes in my arms proved to be the easiest part of bringing them up over the next 22 years. Unable to disentangle myself from him for 15 years, never receiving child support, letter or contact of any kind, we got on with our lives.

There was a time that we received an inheritance and had more than others, but due to an error of trust and judgement, we became poorer than most. Help never came in the form of government support, but we managed without, it came instead from unexpected sources such as friends that became as family, work, colleagues and students as well as my children themselves, who banded together with me in our life experience.

In my youth I was molested by a teacher and suffered sexual or racial harassment in the workplace too, but all this together has left me with an insatiable love of life, belief in good and a firm belief and promise in the future.

Please click in weekly and send me your thoughts, questions and … whatever.
Looking forward to sharing.