A Very Quick And Frustrated Status Update

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Do you know that feeling when you have to say goodbye to something, or someone, yet you really don’t want to?

Last week, my beloved Acer with Windows 7 and a similar old version of everything Office-related, decided it was time for retirement. I know, it’s sad. But I have to admit that my poor old (and its even a grey one) laptop served me very well for nearly 9 (!) years. So I reckon it is justified that it has decided it no longer wants to run fast, load pages like it used to, be a little distracted now and then, making everything freeze up…

I felt a little… like a betrayer as I used my dear Acer to buy its own replacement, yet also a little excited, because everything new is good, right?

NO IT ISN’T!!

I just spent two whole days trying to get that stupid Windows 10 to work FOR me instead of AGAINST me and I swear it’s a conspiracy of Microsoft to drive innocent people like me crazy as fast as possible!

And then when I thought I had it figured out, my Outlook went all psycho on me, and with Windows 10 and Outlook ganging up on me together, it’s needless to say the battle took hours.

But I persevered (do I ever give up?). I broke down the total AAAAAARGHHHHHHHHH Windows 10 Start Up Menu, who kept changing back to default after I’d adjusted it (read: after I spent ages adjusting it, hoping I’d end up enjoying it after all). I also broke down Outlook’s barriers by channeling my inner nerd and with a little (read: A LOT of) aid from Google.

I think I am okay now. I think.

Not sure yet. But… I am no longer screaming and desperate to throw my new Acer out of the window. After two days of owning it.

Adjusting can be difficult. What would make transitions like these easier, are programs that actually work as promised!

Anyway, the real reason I wanted to write this post was to let you all know I am still alive, yet a little less active than normal. I am not only stuck in transition laptop-wise, but also writing-posts-wise and job-wise. Seems like things are picking up for my coaching business, which is good, but also takes a lot of time. And that leads to me wanting to make a new, less-stressful posting schedule. Which I’ll get to if freaking Windows 10 will just stop playing games with me.

So you see: everything is connected in life. “In a circle, in a hoop that never ends.”

For now, here is a lovely video to help calm your nerves (in case you are also at war with Windows 10 and/or Outlook):

Letters to Life (47)

“I will sow love where there is none, and I shall find love everywhere” – Random Paper Wisdom

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Dear Life,

It’s really easy to give up on people. But it can be much more rewarding to walk that extra mile for them, rather than walk away.

Life, you know I am happy some people want me to be their life coach, yet I dread meeting new people. I want to present them with the best version of me and somehow I have got it stuck in my head that the best version of me can only be presented in the first ten minutes of meeting someone new.

Of course that’s not true. I know not to underestimate the impact of first impressions, Life, but there is also such a thing as a bond between people. And a genuinely strong, respectful and mutually trusting bond simply cannot emerge after ten minutes only.

A woman asked me to be her coach. We had a somewhat awkward first chat, yet I honestly believed I can help her with her personal quest and she agreed.

However, quite early we ran into a problem: minor issues with the assignments I had sent her, but which were too major to overcome. I got the feeling we distrusted each other (so not much of a bond there, Life), and I found myself hoping she’d blow me off altogether.

But she didn’t. Instead, she expressed her frustrations about not being able to hand in the assignments. I felt hugely relieved and told her I felt upset about my inability to fix that problem for her.

Life, instead of trying to solve an issue I can’t solve, I am now looking for ways to deplete our frustrations. And that I think I can do.

I am going to sow love where there was none, and hopefully find it plenty in a new bond with a new coachee.

 

 

 

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How do you sow love in loveless places?

Know it by Heart (7)

Do you know that TV Show “Wife Swap” in which two wives (and sometimes husbands) swap lives for a week?

I often wonder what would happen if countries would swap for a few years. You know, like move your entire government and all inhabitants to another country and run that new country for a while. See how that goes.

Would people actually learn to be more respectful towards foreigners if that term would practically cease to exist?

Well, that’s another thing. For now, I’d like to ask you, if Country Swap was a real thing, what country would you like to swap with, and why?

I’ve already asked what country you’d like to be and my answer to that was Iceland. But, if I was to live in another country with everyone else who currently resides in the Netherlands, I’d want all Dutchies to live in an environment that’s nothing like the one we live in now so we can learn the most.

For a start: the Netherlands might be small, but they’re also relatively safe. Apart from a few exceptions, no major natural disasters every really happen. The weather is boring but never too dangerous, either. No snow storms or hurricanes here! As for deadly animals: we have the adder as the most deadly one, I think. And even so, this snake only appears in some parts of the country and although its bite is toxic, it’s not lethal.

If my country could swap with another country, I’d pick Australia. They have quite a large collection of the World’s deadliest animals and I’d like to become more aware of that. Not take every spider for granted, you know 😉 And sure they have beautiful weather, but that’s not all peaches, either! And, most importantly, I cannot imagine the space Australia would offer! The Netherlands are so tiny, I think in a day or two you could travel around the whole country. Can’t see that happening in Australia…

As a bonus, there’s mountains. But then again: every country but mine has those!

As an extra bonus: I feel my government is kind of failing at running a small country, I really wonder how they’d do within a larger, more relaxed environment…

Yes, Australia sure does sound nice to swap countries with. You know, for a while.

 

 

 

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What country would you swap with if you had the opportunity?

Heart Warmer

Happy 2019 everyone!

I know I said that before, but this Heart Warmer is so, well, warm, it is sure to bring a happy glow into your life at this early stage of the new year.

The story: Ted Richardson, an (almost) 94 year old veteran, lost his beloved wife Florence years ago. And to this day, he visits her grave at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Honolulu) six times a week! He is often the first visitor there when the cemetery opens and has visited Florence’s grave over 1,300 times!

Ted says it was love at first sight and he’s never loved another woman. He and Florence spent 72 happy years together and he plans on keeping up his almost daily visits to her grave until he’s no longer able to do so.

And in case you were still doubting whether this is true love or not: Ted’s arranged for fresh flowers to be put on his beloved wife’s grave even after he himself has passed away.

Imagine having a partner like that, who even after Death takes care of you with the greatest tenderness anyone can possibly possess ❤

I hope you al have someone special like that in your life, be it a partner, a soul mate, a family member or a best friend. Maybe even a special pet. I hope you won’t have to go a day in your life being lonely ❤

 

 

 

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If you want to read more about this extraordinary act of love, please go here.

Letters to Life (46)

“You always think about creating. Your future begins every morning when you wake up. Every day, you do something creative with your life” – Random Paper Wisdom

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Dear Life,

A new year introduces new dreams and 2019 Resolutions are popping up everywhere.

You know my two convictions about resolutions, Life:

1. I enjoy watching people run in January, as I know that by the time February comes along the majority of them will have forfeited their running dreams. Runners in January, for me, embody New Year’s Resolutions. Runners in February, or the lack thereof, embody why there’s something such as Blue Monday.

2. I don’t make resolutions. I’ve joined in on the annual and global Blue Monday “celebrations” a few times and then decided to never again do so. Instead, I set goals for every year and I find this is a much more successful way of improving yourself!

This year, however, I have made one major resolution: I’m giving up on all “promotion attempts” I have made thus far for my coaching business, and instead I am going to figure out what kind of approach works for me and feels right.

What do I want to achieve this year as a coach? How am I going to do that? When do I want to have done it?

The past year I have experienced lots of stress, because I felt I was failing in the eyes of the people around me. I constantly felt I needed to step up my game, yet I wasn’t sure what that game was, exactly.

So I am taking a step back to figure this whole business-thing out. I am going to set solid goals and think of wonderful ways to achieve those, but in my own way.

I’ll make sure I’ll still be here, coaching, even after the January blues run off!

It’s going to be just like with running: while everyone else falters, I keep on going.

In my own tempo.

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What are your goals or resolutions for 2019?