Tag: Blog

Perfectionism

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Perfection

 

The meaning behind the above quote is that in general perfection cannot be reached. When you aim for perfectionism in all areas of your life you stop setting realistic achievable goals. This is because you believe you can’t achieve them so  you don’t bother attempting to, which affects your contentment.

However, perfectionism can be healthy if it is isolated to only one achievable area. The difference is how you feel about yourself and why you are attempting perfection. In some sports, Olympians can achieve a perfect score. However, remember that to get one perfect score—on one skill or routine—they also have practised the skill thousands of times imperfectly. They may have also injured themselves attempting to complete the skill. Athletes accept this as part of the journey and get back on track to do their best. They know and accept that while they may achieve one perfect score—they won’t always be able to keep this up and on a different occasion, they may achieve a low score for the same skill or routine. It is what it is.

The following table considers some of the differences between healthy and unhealthy perfectionism.

HEALTHY PERFECTIONISM UNHEALTHY PERFECTIONISM
Achieve your personal best Increasing anxiety due to fear of not achieving goals and self-worth is only achieved through completing unachievable goals
Do a good job at your workplace Setting yourself up to fail then being afraid to try
Do the best you can in specific areas of your life e.g. Olympians with perfect scores or students who score high scores in some exams Fearing failure to such an extent that you avoid the task at hand
Setting high but realistic and achievable goals Setting unachievable goals

If you want to aim for perfectionism, make sure it is healthy and achievable for you. Aiming for perfectionism in all areas of your life creates so much anxiety that you never get started and as a result your self-worth and content of life plummets.

 https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/perfection/

Understanding

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Understanding another person’s thoughts, feelings or behaviours is part of getting to know them. It is easy to judge based on our own assumptions of what is appropriate, but life is not that simple. It can be hard sometimes to look at a situation through another’s eyes. However, from my experience, the real growth comes as you can learn about your response to the initial trigger. Without this knowledge, you will find yourself in the same situation again and again.

To help me gain understanding I regularly review situations outside of the moment. The stronger my reaction, the more important I find it is to dig deep and be honest to develop the best outcomes for every one. In the following acrostic poem I share my thoughts and experiences reviewing difficult conversations and situations.

Unveiling the uncertainty

Negativity or neglect

Discovering the depth of the drive

Educating myself to encourage and empower

Realising any resentfulness I respond with reassurance and respect 

Secure, sensitive and supportive

Treading lightly, building trust and tolerance

Aware and authentic of my feelings

No longer nervous, nasty or numb

Delighted the situation is different now

Invigorated through involvement

Nurturing and

Getting to know myself as well as you better

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/understanding/

H – Hospital For Koalas

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Have you ever thought what happens to sick or injured koalas? Enter the world’s first Koala Hospital. Like humans those living around the Port Macquarie region of New South Wales are taken by koala ambulance to the Koala Hospital.

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In 1973, Jean and Max Starr began caring for sick and injured koalas in there home. Soon however they realised the problem was much bigger than they had to offer and a purpose built koala hospital began construction which has now grown into a specialist world renown research facility. Today, the hospital comprises of a treatment room, 8 intensive care units, 6 outdoor intensive care units and 33 rehabilitation yards.

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When a rescued koala is brought into the hospital via ambulance they are named. The name they are given is divided into two parts — the first name is after the home range in which they are found and their second name is after the person that found them. For example if I found an injured koala, they would be named Sydney Max. A koalas name is particularly important as if a koala is to be returned to the wild, they must return to their original home range and if this information is in their name there is no confusion.

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In 1986, John Williamson country singer was at the Koala Hospital when a rescue koala was brought in and was so impressed with the work done that he wrote a song about Australia’s dying koalas — Goodbye Blinky Bill and donated the royalties to the hospital. This generosity has provided John Williamson Wing and allowed the hospital to expand its support for koalas and its research.

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There are three main reason 200- 250 koalas each year are brought to the hospital are:

  • Disease
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Dog Attacks

If you ever get the opportunity add The Koala Hosptital to your to-do list. While you can take a self guided tour at anytime of day feeding time at 3pm is an amazing experience.

F – Future

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In the future my husband and I plan to travel back to Canada especially Newfoundland and spend 6-12 months exploring and soaking up the culture. We visited in 2014/15 enjoying it so much that we made an immediate plan to return after retirement, which can’t come quick enough.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/future/

#Blogging from A -Z 2016

E -Emu

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Emus are our national bird and take pride of place with the kangaroo on our coat of arms.  They are our largest bird, second only to the Ostrich in the world and can range in height up to 2 metres and weigh up to 45 kilograms. Outside the cities especially in rural and remote Australia, emus are a common site as they roam free and can survive in extremes of temperatures.

Country singer John Williamson penned his famous infectious tribute Old Man Emu many years ago and it has become part of everyday culture. In the song he compares the emu to other animals and birds, focusing on its assets not what it can’t do — fly. I think this isn’t a bad philosophy to live by.

By nature, emus are curious creatures and aren’t shy in coming forward. If they want something, they will come at you quickly. Here are a few examples:

  • Back in the 1980’s my husband was driving on a dirt road when an emu began running beside him. Initially, he thought nothing of it, then suddenly for no reason the emu suddenly turned and crashed into his car.
  • In the 1990’s we were visiting Wagga Wagga Botanical Gardens talking to the kids about emus when one suddenly leaned over the fence and pecked my father’s red shirt. He wasn’t hurt but the kids thought it was very funny and have never forgotten it.
  • In 2000’s we were visiting a private zoo in Tasmania where they had trained the emus. We joined a group of about 20-30 people to ride around the emu pen in an open truck and feed the emus. Everyone had a bag of feed and held it out in one hand. Then suddenly the scariest thing happened. All of the emus descended onto the truck eating the food from the white bags. All you could see was emu heads in your face. They were very delicate and didn’t hurt anyone but the noise between the screams and the emus was deafening. An experience I will never forget. Australia also has a big emu, Stanley who guards the highway just out of Lightening Ridge. If your driving past don’t forget to give him a wave.

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https://www.inspiringmax.com/stanley-the-emu/

If you have any fun emu stories I would love to hear about them. Let me know about them  in the comments.

Share Your World – 2016 Week #14

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If you could hire someone to help you, would it be with cleaning, cooking, or yard work?

I have 3 cleaners in my real world and I would never go back to life without them. They came today and my house looks and smells beautifully clean. Given the opportunity I would also love to employ a cook as I usually spend part of the weekend preparing meals for the week ahead as I get home to late to be bothered. In reality, I don’t think I want anyone to help with the yard work as it’s my husband’s job and it keeps him busy for hours. If someone did it for him, he would be inside the house, making noise and distracting me from my writing.

What makes you laugh the most?

Laughter in our house is a common occurrence. Some examples of where it comes from include:

  • Evening meals in our family are very funny especially if we have guests. I don’t know why but our conversations make everyone laugh and are memorable.
  • Playing board games, Wii games or anything interactive.
  • I also find Table Topics  — impromptu speaking for 1 minute — brings out the laughter in me.

What was your favorite food when you were a child?

I don’t know that I had a favourite food although when I could choose what I wanted to eat for my birthday I always chose prawn cutlets. I still love them however the size of the cutlets have shrunk over the years.

List at least five favorite flowers or plants.

Roses are my absolute favourite.

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I also enjoy daffodils and the smell of jonquils. My favourite Australian plants are kangaroo paw and wattle.

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Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up? 

Last week I was grateful to spend Saturday night enjoying the company of our special friends of many years and Sunday visiting with all sets of mine and my husbands parents. This week I am looking forward to some quiet time and to getting more organised and catching up on the Blogging from A -Z 2016 challenge.

Share Your World – 2016 Week 14

D – Driftwood Sculptures

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I came across these amazing driftwood sculptures while driving through the countryside in North Island New Zealand. The artist appeared to work from his home which was surrounded by these beautiful creations. I remember feeling creative just looking at them.

A – Australian Fun Facts

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What better way to start the April 2016 A – Z challenge than with some fun facts about my amazing country, Australia.

  1. Our population hit the big time this year when we made it to 24 million people.
  • Australians love to shorten words and add an O to the end, for example ambulance driver becomes ambo.
  • The first selfie was taken in Australia.
  • The box jellyfish kills more people annually than sharks, stone fish and crocodiles combined.
  • Australia has over 10,000 beaches. you could visit one a day for 27 years.
  • The Emu and the Kangaroo are on our coat of arms because neither animal can walk backwards.
  • On Christmas Eve, 1974 Darwin one of Australia’s capital cities was destroyed by cyclone Tracy, a category 5 cyclone.
  • In 1973, the Australian government spent $1.35 million dollars to purchase Jackson Pollack’s Blue Poles. At the time, this was a very controversial decision, however it is now recogised as a great work of art, worth all the money and more.

Blue Poles

 

  • Melbourne has the world’s largest Greek population outside of Athens.
  • 83% of Australia’s population live within 50 kilometres of the coast.
  • Since 2012 Australia has been recognised as the world’s most obese nation with 26% of the population obese.
  • Australia was the second country in the world to allow women to vote.
  • Australia has the world’s large supply of camel’s with one hump and exports them to Saudia Arabia.
  • Tasmania has the cleanest air in the world.
  • There are over 150 big things in Australia.

 

Perspective

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We each inhabit a specific vantage point from which we blog. What’s yours?

Inspiring Max is inspired by my thoughts, experiences and  travels. It is a mixed blog that aims to think outside the square and encourage its viewers to consider a different way of looking at life. My blog is represented by a gray double rainbow that reminds me that even after the darkest storms comes the rainbow to assist us to change our perspective. Some of the values that I aim to share on Inspiring Max are

Positivity

Empathy

Real life

Sharing

Practical

Expressiveness

Creativity

Thoughtfulness

Individuality

Variety

Empowerment

 

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https://dailypost.wordpress.com/discover-challenges/perspective/

Share Your World 2016 – Week #8

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What household chore do you absolutely hate doing?

I hate doing all house hold chores which is why I pay a cleaner. They enjoy it, are definitely better at it and the stress is removed. I love to come home the day the cleaners have been and just sit quietly and smell the clean silence. It rejuvenates me to think about the blogging and editing I can do at the weekend.

What was the last URL that you bookmarked?

I don’t know what this question means so I guess I don’t do it. I am really only an amateur when it comes to this technology.

Close your eyes. Listen to your body. What part of your body is seeking attention? What is it telling you?

When I closed my eyes I did so at my computer desk and put my head in my hands. At this time my body began to tingle and my head began to slightly ache. I think it was telling me thanks for stopping and are you going to feed me soon as my blood sugar levels are dropping after a long day computing and working. Message correct. I felt better after food.

Would you rather have a two-bedroom apartment in a big city of your choosing or a mansion in the country side in the state or country where you currently live?

If I could afford to not work I would rather be in country New South Wales. If I had to work I would rather be in apartment in the city close to work. I of course would be happy to give working in Canada, London or USA a go if I met the qualifications.

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

Last week I was grateful for the support I received during a tough week. This week I am looking forward to putting all the little illustrations back into my book before I review it with my collaborator. Editing is such a long process.

Share Your World – 2016 Week 8