It is wise to avoid food shopping on an empty stomach or going to bed angry. It isn't a great idea to drink and dial either or put yourself in any position where you are not feeling quite up to resisting temptation. It may satiate a short-term need or defuse a momentary frustration but long term it will lead to an entirely avoidable and painful time of self reflection.
Yet we do it because for that short time afterwards you feel justified and exonerated. Like having a cigarette after years of abstaining, for one short sweet moment, it feels really good. Long term however it's the equivalent of allowing a three year old to give you a haircut the day before a really important event. Mind you, being sensible all the time is really boring.
All of this to remind me to remain grounded, professional but most of all open and hopeful about the future even under the current economic situation and it's devastating effects on the job market. I'm one of the lucky ones in many ways. I have a lot of things that keep me busy and engaged as well as a husband who (for now) can pay the bills, though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't more than ready to take up the reins again on my PR career. I put a lot of the delay in finding the right role down to timing, timing that sadly has made geography an issue too; as if PR is somehow done differently in the UK (or less well) than here. But it's exactly the excuse many are using. I'm in danger of doing what I didn't set out to do - criticize without construction. So I won't but it is frustrating.
And yet I have it good by many standards and I'm not alone in this. I do constantly remind myself of that and while it doesn't change the fact that I'm still playing this insatiable waiting game; a Russian roulette of opportunity when it was never so haphazard I have learnt not to take good fortune for granted however it wishes to manifest.
The experience has taught me much about gratitude, humility and resilience namely that you can never been too grateful, too humble or too strong.
I cracked open a fortune cookie at lunch today (nothing to lose right?) that said: Today is a lucky day for those who remain cheerful and optimistic. And you know what? I couldn't have put it better myself - where's humility when you need it?!
No comments:
Post a Comment