First entry of 2014 - Kait's Mixtape

'Make a Noise' - Katie Herzig

While every day is an opportunity to grow and learn I do feel that 2013 was a particularly intense year of growth for me. There has been a significant shift in my understanding of life, the world and what it means to be content. I went from intellectually 'getting' a lot of things to actually knowing them on a deep gut level.

I'm starting to understand that I can be there for others and for myself without having to 'fix' anything. 

I definitely understand what it means to drop the story-line, to let go of 'me' vs. 'them'. 

And I get it when I hear a saying like, "Love the life you're living". 

In keeping with my usual tradition I'm setting myself some annual goals. Not resolutions but targets. Things to accomplish over the next twelve months.

One is to maintain and increase my daily meditation practice and generally explore the teachings of the Dharma further.
In the last year I've finally begun to understand applications vs. technique. The difference between comprehension and inherently knowing. I no longer look at meditation as something I should do because I know it helps but something I am eager to do because I so love being present and the sense of calm and contentment it brings me no matter what my circumstances.

Another is to continue my design education. 
I am so fortunate to love what I do and who I work with. To have an incredible manager and team is delightful and the opportunities open to me right now are going to be so beneficial no matter what the future holds. I also appreciate the time I have for my freelance work as and when it suits me, to be able to build upon my portfolio.

The last goal of the year is to travel. 
I have always intended to return to Canada sometime in my 30th year. I have no hard and fast plans (I'm re-learning how to be comfortable with uncertainty in my future.) but I do know that some time in 2015 I'll be living back in Canada. Between now and then I'd like to see as much of Europe as I can considering that was one of the original reasons I moved to London. Up until now I've found myself spending my travel money on far more elaborate and far-reaching trips, like Thailand and Japan, because these were places I simply couldn't have afforded to get to when I was living in Canada. But with Europe at my fingertips and a stable job and quite a few days holiday available, now seems the time to take advantage.

Life really is a series of never-ending lessons. Some we will relearn or come to understand differently as we grow older and our experiences change the way we see the world. Others will seem profound at one time and foolish later on. But one lesson I've learned feels like it will stay strong and true throughout my life.

Life is made for living and no one is going to do that for you. We can sit around and wait for things to happen or we can go out and make them happen. There are always going to be trials and tribulations, the rug will always be pulled out from under us and none of us will ever reach a point where everything is 'okay' so it's better to do things now than when we think we'll be 'ready'.

No matter the weather, no matter the turmoil in our relationships or the stability of our work or living situations - life is about participation.

Don't ignore your dreams. Let them out. By letting them out they become ideas and ideas become goals and goals become achievements.

May you have a year of great achievement - no matter what you decide to do with it. 

How to be fully human

Nelson Mandela died on December 5^th, 2013.

He was aged 95.

He lived a long life full of great accomplishments.

He was no different from you or me. Nelson Mandela didn’t fight for black rights. He didn’t fight for South Africa. He didn’t fight against Apartheid.

Nelson Mandela fought to create a world in which we can all appreciate our shared experience.

The world is not a sadder place for him not being physically present in it. It’s a better place for him having lived so well, taught so widely, and loved so genuinely, even those who many would call ‘enemy’.

Nelson Mandela is a lesson in forgiveness – he is a human being, just as you are. Just as I am. He is an example to us all.

Nelson Mandela
July 1918 - December 2013
Illustration from Wise at any Age

And the exciting news is...

When I hear people say things like, "You should do that when you're young, before you have to settle down and be responsible," I smile and nod, knowing the sort of world they're living in to make such a statement.

In my world 'settling down' doesn't exist because I know that change is constant. 

I also believe life is an adventure and you're NEVER too old for an adventure. 

And if you have children I see absolutely no reason why they wouldn't accompany you on adventures, as it will expand their minds and teach them to go beyond dreaming to actually achieving. 

And just because you're adventuring doesn't mean you shouldn't be responsible. 

Whether we like it or not we are responsible for ourselves and the impact we will have on everything around us. Having fun, exploring, and creating are not exclusive of being responsible.

I bang on about this a lot. I think it's the theme of my blog, if my blog actually has a theme considering all the tangents I go on: Life is uncertain. The only certainty is that each and every one of us will die. We don't know when that will be but it is an inevitability we all face. For that reason alone you should never settle down, never stop having adventures, never stop learning, never stop being curious.

You won't know the places you'll go if you feel like there's a point when things 'settle'.

I didn't settle for administration jobs in charity just because it was something I was good at. I didn't settle when I was offered a raise because more money meant nothing if the job didn't also feed my soul and use my creativity. I didn't settle just because financial stability provides me with a sense of security that is better for my mental health.

I stepped off the edge and I went after what I wanted and in just under seven months I went from a job that was demoralising and draining to being a professional Creative Polymath. I am a published author, a skilled graphic designer, and now, also, a Brand Development Manager.

Don't just follow your dreams. Turn them into goals and make them your reality.

'Possible' doesn't mean 'easy'

My dad sent me the link to Mr. MoneyMustache's genius money saving/making blog after a discussion about budgeting. Mr. MoneyMustache is a man after my own heart. He, like many bloggers I follow, admire and aspire to emulate, has a solid head on his shoulders and an ambitious outlook. He embraces the fact that life really truly is what you make it.


Recently he posted the first part of what will probably prove to be a very long series of blogs of the top 50 jobs you can get/make for yourself that will pay $50,000+. He had a lot of praise and back-up to what he put out there but he also had a lot of outrage. A lot of people saying he was a fool who had no idea what he was talking about and that many of his suggestions were fanciful or ridiculous.

People are complex creatures so there are many, many reasons for this sort of reaction.

A) A lot of people find it easier to tear someone down than to build themselves up. 

B) Some people interpreted what he posted as 'easy' ways to make money - despite the fact that he made no such utterance. 

C) Envy is a strange beast that, when let run wild, will reduce people to name calling because they don't recognise it as telling them to do their own work to finally do something different with their lives instead of just letting life happen to them all the time. 

Now, I'm not claiming to be an expert and all of this is based on my personal experience of the world so I am aware that my view is narrow and limited to me and me alone. People are like snowflakes. No two are alike. If that's a true thing about snowflakes, which I doubt.

I digress. 

Last year I was working on setting myself up as a life coach. Why? Because I wanted to have a successful, well-paid career doing something I actually love and care about. I was working as an administrator for a charity at the time and though I'm wickedly good at organising things, filling in databases, and sorting post - I don't enjoy it. I garner no satisfaction outside of the general sense of smugness that comes from making something work effectively.

It does not sustain me and so I began looking for something that does. The first thing I touched upon was life coaching. This was because I love helping people.

I love when I have a conversation with someone and afterwards they tell me:

"Because of you I have started painting again" 

or 

"Because of you I've decided to move to another country and finally do all the travelling I didn't do when I was younger because I felt pressured into getting a degree I didn't want" 

or 

"Because of you I have decided to start-up my own small business on the side and even if it doesn't go anywhere at least I can try and find out instead of wondering all the time." 

The problem with trying to 'sell' this skill was that I loved giving it away for free. I loved giving it away so much that I found myself stifled when I couldn't and wouldn't on the principle that I was 'trying to make a living'. There are a lot of life coaches out there and they make shedloads of money and have incredible careers of which I am envious. They all have a niche and their niche makes them saleable.

If I were to pick a niche my niche would be artists. Creative polymaths like myself. Writers, musicians, painters, sculptors, designers - trapped in retail or administration or something similar that does nothing to feed their creative soul.

The problem with this niche is that Creative polymaths don't recognise that's what they are and if you don't know what you are how can you seek someone to coach you in being that person? Well, you can't.

So I went back to the drawing board and thankfully, because of an incredible manager who knew exactly what being a manager is all about, I had all these design programmes on my computer and had been dabbling in design for months. And I love my artwork and I'm totally comfortable with selling it (Although I do sometimes like to give it away) and it's definitely something I'm well-suited to as a professional because I get great satisfaction in creating something with someone in mind, rather than creating what I'd like to make. Or rather, I like making the ideas of others a reality.

So six months ago I made a career switch. I quit a job and gave up all the security that comes with that to step off into the abyss and try my hand at freelance design. Within a month I had landed a steady three day a week, six month long contract as an in-house designer. And voila - I no longer dread being asked what I do for a living.

And here's the thing. One of my co-workers where I have this contract said, "I'd love to do what you're doing but you have to train for that."

"No," I said, giving her some totally free life coaching, "You don't. I'm totally self-taught. I use online courses through Lynda.com and I fund all my supplies myself. I wanted to be a designer so I made it happen."

Me doing an abseil earlier this year. Because I can. 

It's not been easy. It still isn't. I'm starting out in an extremely competitive market. I'm starting out in a world that, despite the possibility to make a career without a degree, still puts immense value on post-secondary qualifications regardless of whether they're even relevant to the role. I know there is a lot of work ahead of me and that it will be slow-going at times and there will be hurdles and growing-pains and so on.

But the point is, life is for living and living is the journey because the destination is death. Death is inevitable but when it's gonna happen is the unknown factor. Knowing that I could be dead tomorrow I simply ask myself what matters the most right here and right now.

Which is why I self-published and why I quit a job without having another one lined up and why I invest in a Lynda.com membership and make a point of completing two to four courses a month and why I've got the Creative Cloud and will switch to whatever might be the industry standard in the future to ensure I'm keeping up.

Anything is possible and it's true that there are an abundance of jobs out there that don't require four or even just two years of schooling for. There are jobs out there that don't require any schooling what-so-ever. But that doesn't mean getting them isn't going to be difficult. Not needing a degree to do something doesn't mean it will be 'easy'. If anything the work you have to put in is going to be that much more because you have to really prove your capabilities. You have to fight extra hard to do something for the love of it. 

But it's worth it. It is. Because at the end of the day I am able to say I am a published author and a graphic designer. I am an artist who paints, sculpts and makes costumes. I am an animator.

Which is saying, "I do not limit myself" 

Don't limit yourself and don't let anyone else limit you either. Be your own best friend. If you want it you will make it happen. 

Cheesy representation:
The Sky's the Limit! 

To be a polymath

I've got a beef. Not a big beef, just a little niggling, I-keep-thinking-about-it-and-want-to-get-it-off-my-chest beef.

I love to learn and I love trying new things. My skill levels vary across a multitude of areas - but all things which interest me or have interested me at some point.

At the moment I'm studying British Sign Language and Psychology - because I've wanted to learn sign language since I was about fourteen and because I read psychology text books for fun so I figured I may as well keep reading them and work towards a qualification at the same time.

I've also done a lot of different jobs. I've been the CEO of a not for profit organisation that I set up because I saw a clear gap in support for GBLQQTTI youth living in Calgary.

I've worked in administrative roles, done project management, and been a fundraiser. During all this time I've expressed my creative side in various ways. I sculpt, paint, and draw. I make costumes. I paint custom shoes. I've also been employed as an animator and gone on to do some animations as personal projects.

Since moving to London I've begun flexing my design muscles and this year I am officially a professional graphic designer, working as an artworker on the comms team at a charity and doing freelance logo design, among other things.

I am a writer and have been since I was physically capable of it. I've written several young adult novels and most recently wrote my very first non-fiction book. I learn by doing and decided I'd do my own layout and formatting of this book to build on my design skills and because it's something else I can add to my super fantastic list of life accomplishments.

Now here's my beef:
I tend to get called a 'Jack of All Trades'. That's fine, but the unspoken second half of that phrase is 'Master of None', which implies a certain failing on the part of the individual. Like, sure, you do a lot of stuff but you're not particularly good at anything.

This is a beef for me because I get told I shouldn't showcase so much of what I do. That I should only put one or two things out there. But all these things show the diversity of my skill, the flexibility of my style and the variety of ideas I have. It's also not to say I haven't mastered anything. The Miscellaneous Youth Network is a thriving organisation. I don't feel the need to still be involved or to set up another not for profit. I did it, successfully.

Sometimes it's not about reaching mastery. There's nothing wrong with dabbling just for the sake of trying something out. Or I have gotten the foundation in place so I can spend the rest of my life mastering it because some things change and grow so much and so fast that learning is constant. For example, my ongoing creative projects all feed into my design work - and anyone in the design industry will tell you it's always growing and changing. I am improving every day and I wouldn't have the flexibility that I have if I didn't explore multiple mediums.

I'm going to be 28 soon. As someone under thirty I realise I'm still considered utterly youthful and inexperienced. I know I have a lot to learn - but not because I'm young - because life is full of constant discovery. There is so much to do and learn and life is shorter than we realise. I want to be eighty and still have a lot to learn and still have the passion and drive to go do it.

Call me a Jack of all Trades if you like, but for me life would be utterly boring if I only got better at doing one thing. I like to think I'm a master of life and if life is about growing and doing and experiencing - then I figure I'm doing pretty damn good. 

All that being said, this past week I finished painting this spiffy pair of shoes:

Finished laying out the first draft of my book:

handed in my first psychology assignment three weeks early,
and completed four more briefs for my current clients.

London ...er, um... Greenwich Journal

When I first moved to London over three yeas ago every week was an adventure in discovery. I saw iconic buildings, discovered incredible artwork and visited museums I'd always wanted to see weekly. Even when I started working I still managed to find time to explore and go to new places whenever family or friends came to visit.

Three years in and I've gotten into a routine and, I'm begrudged to admit it, turned into a Londoner in as much that I don't go to a lot of the 'touristy' attractions. I still explore and often visit places which I fell in love with upon first sight. I like going back to museums I've already seen and I manage to take in West End shows and eat out at world famous restaurants every so often. But the momentum has definitely faltered.

So this weekend was particularly fun as I ticked off two more things from my Ultimate Life List of Everything I Ever Want to Accomplish: I took a boat on the Thames and I went to Greenwich!

This March has been particularly harsh by UK standards. As a Canadian I'm used to Spring being a brutal and unpredictable season - but I know that Londoners definitely do not expect the amount of snow or bitterly cold days that we've been experiencing on month. So when the sun comes out, it is cause for rejoicing! This was the reason for the trip to Greenwich, as it's a lovely place for a day trip and the journey is as enjoyable as the destination.

But I shan't ramble on any more. Instead I'll let the photos (And captions) speak for themselves.

First of all - I've discovered the glory of panorama on my phone. 

Tate Modern and the Shard -
Tate Modern is one of those museums I keep going
back to, because it's so damn interesting. 

Sun! Glorious Sun!
And the beautiful Tower Bridge.
I have always been delighted by the particular
shade of blue they used to paint it. 

The Cutty Sark -
The prime attraction when you first
get off the ferry at Greenwich.
In its heyday this was the world's fastest tea trading clipper ship. 

A classic touristy shot - just because. 

...then it's not yet the end

Life isn't fair. 

When people said this to me when I was younger it would really frustrate me. I took it to mean that they were pessimistic and believed that life was difficult so suck it up.

I think about the phrase differently now. Life really isn't fair. Life is unpredictable, convoluted, intense, random, interesting, confusing, baffling, challenging, exciting, difficult - but not fair. This doesn't mean that you should 'suck it up' or just accept what happens. It just means be prepared. Be aware that things won't always work out as you would expect them to, nor will they seem just or right all the time.

That is the essence of life and it is the unfairness which allows us to grow. If life were fair it would be dull. You would never be challenged to stand up for yourself, embrace change, and take life by the figurative horns and show it that you're up for whatever it has to throw at you.

Life is, however, balanced. I recently watched the very delightful and well cast 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel'. Even if you haven't seen it, if you've seen a preview you've probably heard the line:
"Everything will be alright in the end. If it's not alright, then it is not yet the end."

There is a wonderful Buddhist story that often gets told about a family in a small village. The mother and father live there with their son, who grows to be a handsome young man. The couple are pleased as it means he will be able to care for them in their old age. But one day the son is thrown from a horse and crippled, confined to a wheelchair. The parents lament his poor fortune, mourning for his strength.

One day a General comes through the village. The country is at war and all able bodied young men are being called to go fight. The couple are relieved that their only son is able to stay with them, rather than be taken away to fight and almost surely be killed.

This is a demonstration of how something which seemed unfair came to have a balance in it. Sort of like 'be careful what you wish for.' But the story continues on. The next situation could reveal that the family is distraught because none of them can work and in the time of war they seemed doomed to starvation. But then it can continue still and because of their son's confinement they are given food and care by the other villagers.

The point is that life just happens. How we deal with it is up to us but what we have to deal with is never predictable nor planned. But in the end, there will always be balance.

www.CreativeLifeCoachLondon.com

27 Things I've learned...so far

I've been neglectful of my blog lately. This was because April was a busy month for me (As I knew it would be) and it was one of the things I could neglect between working for someone else, working for myself and working on completing my latest creative project.

A few months back I started writing a blog entry called 'Things I've Learned...so far'. It was inspired by two things:

1) I believe that learning is a never ending process. That life without curiosity and an interest in discovery is rather dull. I wanted to share that passion I have for expanding my knowledge of the world around me and within me.

2) I get really irked when people write someone off because they assume that when you're younger you lack wisdom and insight. I have learned some incredible things from people half my age. I have heard the most wise and intelligent and insightful things from children I've babysat or friends who are two, four, six, even ten years younger than I am.

I've also seen my fair share of people in their forties or fifties or even sixties and seventies, who do or say incredibly foolish things.

There is no order to life and no reason behind how or when we will learn a valuable life lesson. Some people will have the same experiences repeatedly and never learn from them whilst others will learn it the first time or learn it by observing what others have been through.

Regardless, we're all in the same boat and life is not out to get anyone in particular. Life is a brilliant opportunity and life is for living right now.

Six weeks ago I decided I was going to make an animation and I wanted it completed by my 27th birthday. I set up a light table in the corner of my room, positioned a tri-pod with camera over top of it, and set to work.

Every spare moment I've had has been spent drawing, sculpting, photographing, timing, planning, sorting and editing. This was in between working the still necessary day job and the developing Life Coaching job. This was between supporting over 100 fundraisers at a charity, working on design and layout for marketing materials, updating my blog (occasionally), being extremely ill for five days, working ten to eleven hour shifts during the London Marathon Expo, taking driving lessons and planning a birthday party.

But I'm organised and I'm committed and when I set my mind to something I get it done. It's how I roll.

Today is the first of May. Today is my birthday. So here it is:

27 Things I've Learned...So Far

Accepting the Challenge

I don’t often use profanity in this blog because I believe it’s possible to express myself without using such words for emphasis. I also believe that I can make a stronger, more valid point without it. But for the purpose of this entry I’m going to use a particular phrase which violates my personal preference to watch my language: 

“Life’s a bitch, then you die.” 

This is a common enough phrase that I’m sure I don’t have to explain it. The sentiment is that life is hard and at the end of it you don’t really get any reward for your suffering because it just stops. Quite a bleak and negative message and one which I often hear from people dismissing the concerns of someone or making excuses for their own inaction in the face of difficulty. 

It’s a way to fob off the challenges we face. 

“My boss is really driving me up the wall. They don’t have respect for my time or talent and it’s quite disheartening.” 

“Life’s a bitch, then you die.” 

I disagree. If your employer isn’t showing you respect and it’s affecting your quality of life or opinion of yourself then it’s up to you to do something about it. You could either approach them directly, see if there is an opportunity for mediation or, if it’s really bad, you should look for a new job. It doesn’t help anyone to accept a situation where you feel undervalued. By standing up for yourself you can learn how to take charge, create change and assert yourself for a positive a outcome. 

“I spent all weekend working on my novel but then my computer died and I lost everything.” 

“Life’s a bitch, then you die.” 

That’s harsh. I’ve had it happen to me. I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who hasn’t lost many hours of work in one thirty second glitch of technology. It’s frustrating and can easily make a person feel like giving up. But what sets a successful person apart from someone with a victim mentality? The ability to try again, to stick to it and to accept the downs as well as the ups. Sometimes technology fails us. Sometimes other people fail us. But accepting defeat is choosing to fail yourself, and that is really and truly your choice, not  down to life. 

'Strength' is about trusting in your
own ability to survive.
Prints available. 

There is a wonderful analogy that Pema Chodron uses in her teachings. She says that life is like standing in an ocean. A wave comes along and knocks you over. For a moment you’re under the water, salt stinging your eyes, water in your nose and mouth but you get up and wipe your face. Then another wave comes and knocks you down again, and again you’re unable to see, there’s sand in your mouth and you can’t breath. But the trick is to keep getting up because you can. Eventually you’ll get up quicker and quicker and eventually you might find you don’t get knocked down at all anymore. 

The difficulties in life are not there to keep you down, put you in your place and limit you. the challenges we face are there to teach you how to be strong, show you where you’re already indestructible and remind you that growing and learning are never ending.      

I think a better phrase is: “Life is a series of opportunites, so what are you going to do with yours until you die?” 

www.CreativeLifeCoachLondon.com

Life doesn't have a manual

I'm always banging on about how life doesn't come with a rule book. There are no rules, despite what your parents, teachers, colleagues, employers and friends have told you.

I know it's easy to think there are rules. Like: You should always wear clean underwear because you never know if you're going to be in an accident, or: You should never call anyone after 10pm, or: Don't set a porcupine loose in a balloon store.

But these things that people tell us aren't rules. For me, a rule is hard and fast and though it can be broken the general idea is you shouldn't do it. If something is a rule, it shouldn't be crossed and those who cross it are not just rebellious but potentially dangerous. It's also seen as something that applies to everyone regardless of your age, gender, culture, upbringing, belief system or experience.

But the world is full of billions of people and consequently, billions of perspectives and ideas, and billions of different ways to go about living life.

Which is why I like to say that life doesn't have rules but it has many teachings. Part of living life is about figuring out which teachings work best for you. Arguable, that's all life is about. Figuring out who you are, what you believe and what lessons you are going to live by is entirely your choice.

www.CreativeLifeCoachLondon.com

Aimless

When working on my tarot paintings I felt like I had a pre-determined To Do list. Whether it was taping off canvases, researching other designs or original symbolism, painting the background, foreground or animals, I was always, always, always busy with something. Each week my life revolved around sleeping, eating, working and painting. I blogged and tweeted about it, gave out business cards, did tarot readings and generally was stuck in.

When the project was finished I cried, not because I was going to miss it or because it was finally done, but because I'd spent so long with it as a constant that it was this immensely emotional thing that I'd accomplished. The series had been a form of therapy for me, begun shortly after my life had taken a serious drop-kicking. My future lay before me as a blank space where, before, there had been an entire (albeit dismal) life supposedly planned out.

Initially all that blank space was terrifying. Then I realised that it was a grand opportunity. As I rediscovered who I was and everything I loved about myself, I began to learn some very important lessons. The first lesson was that no one, no matter what, should ever come before my own sense of self and happiness. I need to be the most important person in my own life and love myself best before I could possibly offer the same to anyone else. Part of that was doing things which gave me a sense of purpose and fed my passion for creativity.

My tarot project was the initial step towards living my own dreams, rather than helping other people achieve theirs to the detriment of my own.

Now that the project is done and I have a very strong sense of purpose in my life I have begun to feel a sort of aimlessness. I have a lot of energy that once went into painting for several hours each week. I'm putting a lot of it into editing my writing, preparing for my August Apricot Gallery show and occasionally dancing in public, but none of that takes up the same intense commitment of my time as the painting did.

So I've spent the last few weeks looking at my life stretching out before me and wondering exactly where it's going to go. I have learned so much about myself through the duration of working on those paintings. For example, I know I actually quite like an indeterminate future. Whereas before I felt the need to plot out every single aspect of my life with a sort of written in stone precision, I now love the sense of adventure which comes from not having my mind made up about anything in particular.

But then, there are always going to be certain constants. Whether I am published or not, whether my paintings sell or not, I will always be a writer and an artist. I also have a wonderful little fur-child in my life and to a certain extent my future must take her into consideration in all things. On top of that my family has expanded to include a talented photographer/chef/gardener and her two little fur-children.

I also know I am naturally a little nomadic. I will always have a strong sense of home and where my roots are but I need to explore and wander. I learn best by doing and the greatest discoveries come from seeing different places, meeting new people and trying new things. No matter how comforting a space or stable a job, my own natural spirit will always tell me when enough is enough and I need to move on, to try something different, learn something new and explore somewhere else.

So essentially I need a source of income which I can take on the road. I need a job which can evolve as I do, change as my life does and fit around my circumstances as they come to be on that fabulous blank canvas which is the potential of anyone's life.

One of my dearest friends has recently completed a Spiritual Counselling course and she and I often discuss the topics of her classes and the assignments she's had. For months now we have discussed these things and every time I've been acutely aware of how much it interests me. I've also always been aware of how often friends or family tell me I inspire them. I do this because I truly do have the knack for seeing the potential in another human being, sometimes to my own detriment, but also because I believe in genuine appreciation. When I see someone's strength or passion for something I see no reason why it shouldn't be encouraged. We are all pure potential at the same time as we are often our own worst enemy. As someone intimately acquainted with anxiety and depression, I fully understand how easy it is to talk ourselves out of accomplishing very great things. At the same time, I appreciate that anything I've accomplished in my life has been attributed to being able to see the reflection of myself in those I love. I know I've accomplished a great many things but I doubt I'd have been able to do it if not for the encouragement and belief from outside members...and at times the attitude of 'Stop whinging and do it already'.

I am a firm believer that we can all use an outside perspective and as such I have decided I would quite like to try my hand at Life Coaching. Not because I think I have life figured out. Far from it. I believe that the older I get the more I realise the less I know. I just know that I do so love helping someone see the potential that they know is there but just can't quite access. I would love to offer the same encouragement, compassion and at times, Zen-like butt kicking which I've received from the likes of my psychologist, mother or best friend.

We all need to make a living and if that living involves using a talent or skill then all the better. I'm quite excited for this decision and am looking forward to seeing which colours it takes on the palette and how it might turn out on that blank canvas.