Tag Archives: pandemic

Finding Your Purpose in Life: Where To Start?

Posted on by

I’ve really been slacking with my #90DayBlogChallenge that I set myself, but as I woke up this morning this dawned on me,‘finding one’s purpose in life and where to start?‘ As I progressed through the day the need to shed some light on this, that may help others became stronger. Especially with the pandemic and many people experiencing instability with work, or income. It’s an ideal time to really sit down and ask yourself have you found your purpose? And how would you even go about this?

But what is purpose?

Purpose/ˈpəːpəs

Noun

  1. The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.”The purpose of the meeting is to appoint a trustee.”
  2. A person’s sense of resolve or determination.”There was a new sense of purpose in her step as she set off.”

Verb

  1. Have as one’s intention or objective.”God has allowed suffering, even purposed it.”

According to the Oxford English Dictionary’s definition above, it’s a reason for something or could even be an action also. So think about this: purpose means reason, so what’s one’s reason for living, breathing, getting up. Secondly, what is one placed here to do, achieve,or be in this life?

How could/do you find your purpose?

I won’t lie I did find my own purpose a good while back, years back actually. That said, it took a while for me to accept it and move towards it. For me it kind of just landed in my lap following a change in direction. I’d say it ( my purpose) found me. This was probably on reflection a much harder way to find one’s purpose, why? Simply because I had to wait for it to find me, I had to have a change in direction, I had to remain in a state of what I like to call ‘no man’s’ land’ and not realise that the direction I was travelling in, while I enjoyed it, it was not really the divine path laid out for me. Finding my purpose could have made me happier and it did, once it landed in my lap. So for anyone who stumbles across this random blog post I’d say– seek it out now your own purpose. You could save some of the best years of your life being wasted.

Ask yourself?

What do I enjoy doing?

What am I good at/ what’s my talent?

What would I like to be good at?

What have I overcome/ survived/ been through/ or have experience in that could help others? Or even make me some money?

The first two questions will show you clearly where or how you could spend your time, and that activity might not feel like a drag. This is a major thing for finding one’s purpose, the purpose should ideally not feel like something that you’d only be in the mood to do less than 75 percent of the time. You really must enjoy the purpose whatever it is for your own sanity, and the likely-hood that you’d continue with it.

If you really hone in on your talent this is also an excellent opportunity to find your purpose. Think of soft skills also that we have as people. If you’re a good listener, good at giving advice, or supporting people these talents can lend themselves to professions/directions you may not have considered.

Sometimes, things we enjoy that could well be our purpose in life we need to up-skill a bit in, take writing for example. Even a writer can have a natural talent ( like myself), but there are things to learn along the way. For sure I didn’t know everything, or as much as I know now to be anywhere as good as I am now, even if I had a natural talent to start with. This does not mean that you’re no good at your purpose or initial talent, it could just need to be honed a bit more. This leads on to what would I like to be good at? See if you have a talent, interest, skills, something you identify that could be your purpose, it’s important to consider if you’d be prepared to do what it takes to be good at it, if you needed to work o it– what would you like to be good at in other words. Something that would not overwhelm you or bore you.

Lastly, in life we all go through the shit, the motions, the drama, and it’s often in these times that we have our greatest growth. Not only that these testing times can cause us to change direction, or gain some kind of experience from hindsight that could really help others. This is key, whatever you’ve overcome, experienced, survived, grown from can be your purpose in life that could be used to help others. Or even give you a new stream of income, and great pleasure. Also, the help, support, advice, service whatever it is that’s your one talent, if it does not feel like something you would only want to do less than 75 percent of the time, then you’re on to a winner also!

How can finding your purpose really benefit you though?

Well if it’s not obvious yet, I read a book called Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life it became so clear to me from the study the author carried out into the Japanese way of life that, those who had found a purpose in life not only lived longer, they were physically healthier and happier. These are clearly the main benefits. From my own experience of finding my purpose while I don’t know if I will live longer, until it happens LOL I do know that, I get up each day with a whole different vibe than I did before. No matter what is going on personally, or even globally as I tend to keep up with world events I feel good, very good generally personally. I am happier, I actually am healthier my habits for sure are! I wake up before or with the sunrise and that first hour is spent only on me alone, doing something I want to start my day well. Whether that be listening to a podcast with positive news, affirmations, listening to an audio or just a moment of appreciation. The latter is the other major thing I’ve found with finding my purpose– I am full of appreciation and gratitude even in times of hardship and sorrow. This kind of attitude in life can really help you get through each day. Especially in these times we’re all living in with the pandemic, and political heat in some parts of the world, that does impact on others watching the politics play out. So friend, if you have not really considered if you’re on the right track or your purpose in life, with all these benefits to your health and well-being, please do read over the points above, reflect, and reach towards your purpose don’t wait for it to find you!

Writing Prompt: Government Vs Science With Covid-19, Parents We Need To Listen Up

Posted on by

What I’m about to day for today’s writing prompt may come across as very controversial, ( nothing new then) if you know me. ‘What’s on your mind right now?’ Is today’s prompt, to be honest it’s the governments around the world, and their lack of listening to science. As schools around the world start to open, parents are constantly being told especially in my part of the world ‘they must go back’, ‘ it’s okay, children have a low risk of catching or passing on Covid-19.’ I don’t actually think that we’re out of the woods with this and safe. Apparently this is not correct, if you listen to the scientific research, rather than what the governments are feeding us parents. I don’t even think the governments around the world are even listening to the research. This is what scares the living hell out of me.

Last night I had a conversation with a friend of mine who is a scientist, and located in Brazil. He pointed out a research paper that was published the day before. A study on the impact of Covid-19 and children since 2019, when the world learned about this virus. I skimmed through it and made sense of the key parts. It’s here on this link https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(20)31023-4/fullte

Can Children Get Covid-19, According to Science?

Yeah, of course and I think we’ve always known this. I remember back in about May- June time, I was reading reports about children in New York who had presented with something that ‘looked’ like Covid-19, according to doctors. But following this, reading the article of research in the above link they most definitely can, do, and have had an illness that attacks them differently. BUT children don’t always show the symptoms and this does NOT stop them from passing it onto others in the household, as there are no symptoms. If there are symptoms then well, basically this just proves that they can catch this deadly virus. Check out the key points here https://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476(20)31023-4/fulltext

What Does This Mean For Us, as Parents?

Well, in my personal view, I think that as a parent it’s my duty to do what’s best for me and my family. And also listen to the science behind this virus. Governments have a different agenda, completely. All parents need to keep this in mind. The economy and its recovery are their concern. The UK I have heard is now in recession, so of course there is an urge to get kids back to school so parents can work. This works best for the economy and governmental targets, not just in the UK but everywhere. However, this does not work for me and the potential well-being of my family and son.

I’m passing on this information as I want as many parents to be aware, and make well informed decisions. Me personally I was always a little on the fence about sending my son back to school. But after reading this research, on Monday I will be writing to his school to let them know that he will be home-schooled, and ask for work to be sent home. Putting aside the fact that, he and I both have delicate health anyway and would be ‘at risk people’, even if this were not the case, I think it’s best to listen to the science that has been discovered.

So all parents who may read this, I hope this article helps you feel more confident in your decisions, as we approach the new academic year. Yes it’s a pain in the ass, yes not every family can really afford, or have the means to have their children at home, and not every parent is confident to home- school. I am one of the lucky ones, I work at home, I was a school teacher from just over ten years. Home-schooling is a walk in the park for me, that’s the easy part. It’s just not really what I wanna do LOL, but I will do it. For the sake of not tempting fate. Also to allow the class sizes to be smaller, and leave room for those who have to send back their kids in September. Just to keep the numbers down.

Kids can’t social distance, my son for sure can’t. He had a Zoom meeting with his class mates, he kissed the screen. He was so happy to see everyone. My God can you imagine what it will be like when they all get together in person, after not seeing each other in months??

Resources To Help Parents At Home

Here’s a wonderful website I found, it is pack with free resources for home-schooling for all ages. https://www.twinkl.co.uk/ it can be accessed from all countries in a number of languages too. I have made brilliant use of this in June and July.

Parents around the world who may read this I wish you well in whatever decisions you make. I urge you to consider science, and not just be fed what the governments want to give us. You are in control. If you are a parent who is not able to keep your children home, I pray on your children’s return that all is well and they are protected and so are you.

What’s On Your Mind, Right Now? – Parents vs Return To School and Covid-19’s Influence On Our Decisions

Posted on by

I’m just thinking out loud really, and allowing my fingers to move across my keyboard. I’ve actually stolen a writing prompt from my own book 365 Days Of Writing Prompts For Romance Writers. ‘What’s on your mind, right now?‘  You see I woke up this morning thinking deeply about parents around the world right now, and how many of us are ‘stuck between a rock and a hard place’ as my own mum would say. Debating what to do about returning our babies no matter how old they are back to school vs the need to earn a living even if there’s a risk to our babies. Then I just finished home school my son about ten minutes ago, left him to get on with whatever six year old’s ‘get on with’ when their parents aren’t looking LOL so I could do some blogs. I got interrupted  as I received an email from his school. Since school has reopened a couple days a week around the 12th May, they’ve had just twenty kids return over three classes! Part of me wasn’t really surprised, the other half was absolutely  heartbroken that they went back. He attends a small private school with about  no more than fifteen kids in his class, so it’s a small school. Twenty returned over three classes has got to be less than a handful of kids per year group, but they are still there! I asked myself why? Why have these kids gone back to school!? If I could I’d baby sit them all I’d do it…then I thought about my sanity LOL.

Mission Statement Blog post2

 

I’ve read all the articles and listened to all the news reports in every corner of the world, since I’ve been locked down officially since 11th March. The newest worry being the Covid-19 impact on children. Especially, after it was thought that kids are less at risk, seems there’s something else that attacks their body.  I read one today, and how it attacks the vital organs. This is what made me decide that my son is not returning until September to school, earlier this month when some opened and the news reports started to surface I just could not do it to him, or myself. Many parents can’t even make that decision, many parents might forced to send their babies back to school. This is what crossed my mind as I woke up this morning. I felt incredibly blessed that I work at home anyway, so it’s not a thing to keep my boy off. But it’s damn near impossible to work as he is young, and not a teenager who understands ‘ I’m working keep the damn, noise down boy!’ My sacrifice is only to work when I should be asleep, and sleep when  I should be working. But many parents their sacrifice is actually safety because they need to return to work so their kids have to or must return. I sat with that thought all day today, and even more so when I got an email from the school.

It’s so sad, and I feel incredibly …. what’s the word I wanna say ’empathetic’ or maybe even ‘sympathetic’ towards all parents who have had to return their babies to school. If you are one of these parents reading this my heart and love goes out to you.

This Covid-19 has really shaken up life as we’ve known it for sure, and in some parts of the world governments are handling it very differently. Yesterday, I had a conversation with a friend on Skype in Brazil, she told me her president never agreed to the lock down. (OMG, right) and therefore the death rate in Brazil has been on a steady increase over these  last few months. My heart went out to this part of the world. I look at my own native country the UK, and feel that while we were so slow to move unlike other parts of Europe, one thing that we’ve got right is the financial support for those who need it who can’t work. But the health management part has been a bit of a disaster, as for the school’s management. I don’t see or even believe for one second as an ex- high school teacher that kids can ‘social distance’ at all!! And I don’t for one moment believe that when class sizes on average are around thirty in the UK, when I was teaching how they can expect teachers to narrow down classes to less than fifteen or whatever ridiculous number they suggested.

Then I think about the USA, and the outlandish comments the president has made around Covid-19, and even suggestions around drinking bleach!!? *Sigh* right now, I have so many views on what’s going on. And I just hope that every parent out there right now is able to make a decision on the return to school with safety at the fore front of their mind, and try not to let employers push you too much. I spoke to a girlfriend, she told me her kids will return a couple of days a week because her employer wants her to work from home still, but more efficiently. She has two small babies that are five years old – twins, so her work rate has dipped and her employers are throwing a fit. It upset me she is put in this position. Parents, please consider the pros and cons of this all, consider the reports on the impact of Covid-19 on children. Kids can’t and won’t social distance, my son can’t social distance to save his life LOL it’s his personality a very bubbly, touchy feely kinda boy. If he’s sick the whole house is sick, if he has a minor cold.

Ask your employer to stay home, apply for all the financial help your country offers and don’t be too proud to snatch it up!

Right now, I feel like home school should be an option for as many as possible, and the option to remain working from home. This would be my ideal world, and I know for many it may not always be possible. But, my thoughts are with you all.

How has your country or city handled the return to school? Have you sent your kids back? Why or why not? I’d love to hear how everyone is getting on do drop a comment.

Keep well everyone.