Meditation

Another day where I am commencing typing but have no idea where my post is headed. That can't be a good thing. Can it? So far I have failed to monetise my blog. I have applied twice to adsense but have been rejected due to lack of content. I guess I will keep blogging and apply every time I get another 1000 visits to the blog. I achieved my 1000th view last week. It took about 9 months. Consistent posts, week after week. The more I do the better I will get.

I do feel lately that I am just starting to find my direction with the blog. I started out and was going to post recipes and make a cookbook from those recipes. Dreams are good aren't they? I was also going write about the different areas of my life and personal development in each area. Things like my cricket umpiring and cooking and work, life balance. I think I am still headed in that direction but have been enjoying doing restaurant reviews. I don't feel that it is right for me to write negative reviews, at least not at this stage. So, if I go out to dinner and don't enjoy the meal or find it nothing to get excited about, I will just not post about it. I don't need to add more negativity to the world, there are plenty of people in the mainstream media covering negativity. Also, as a chef I understand that you have bad days or delivery issues. They definitely don't need some random customer exposing them to the world. I'm not a current affairs show. I am not here to belittle or point out the errors of others. I have enough trouble overcoming my own.

I read yesterday via a post on Facebook that a junior Rugby League referee at a match in Southern Sydney had been punched by an angry father after removing his son from the game for kicking someone. Obviously that kind of behaviour is abhorrent and needs to be stamped out in junior sport. Many have been guilty of getting too involved in our sports as supporters or parents and when we do find our emotions getting the better of us we need to take a breath and think about our actions. It is probably applicable to all areas of life. If you find yourself getting worked up, the blood is beginning to boil, walk away. Release the pressure. Life is about enjoying ourselves and passing that enjoyment onto those with whom we come into contact.

I have been guilty many times with getting carried away whilst watching the footy or the cricket or feeling pressure at work. You don't get any benefit out of stressing. I would often try to tell myself that stress created nothing but bad results. But, intellectually knowing the answer is not often a solution. Logic and poor behaviour don't often go hand in hand. I recall reading years ago, in a Biography of Muhammad Ali, that he said he turned his life around by asking himself the question "would I do this if my mother was watching?" Interesting thought that may work for some.

Something else that I have been attempting for a few years now is morning meditation. In recent months I feel I have made significant progress by using the Headspace app on my phone. This provides me with usually 10 or 15 minute guided meditations. There is an initial beginners section which covers the basics called take 10 and from there you can do a range of meditations to guide you with various areas of your life. Examples include Anxiety, Stress, Low self esteem, Appreciation, Focus, Balance to name just a few. Anyone out there needing something to help break up life's challenges, I would highly recommend meditation in some form.

Meditation is all about gaining awareness of your actions and thoughts. Instead of just going through life on auto pilot, jump off the train for 10 or 15 minutes. Listen to what is going on inside you and start to control your personal ship again. Too often our lives are running us instead of the other way around. Part of the reason I am currently searching for some changes to my work, life balance is because I want to spend more time doing what I want to do and less time allowing the paying of bills to be a lifetime priority. I think I will continue this tomorrow but for now I will leave you with a thought based loosely around some of Robin Sharma's teachings.

When you are lying on your deathbed and looking back at your life which moments will jump off the page? Which parts will you remember? I'm sure I won't be wishing I did a bit of extra overtime.