Page 36 - Dainfern Precinct Living June 2022

Lifestyle

Image: Miha Jan Strehovec

If you are evaluating or re-evaluating THERE WILL ALWAYS BE Curiosity is also a great remedy for
your life and career choices, consider OPPORTUNITIES stuck-ness.
these five simple principles: Whichever route you take, you will
face crossroads and forks in the road. HONOUR THOSE WHO HELPED
1. Nothing in life is certain. They will require you to make decisions YOU ALONG THE WAY
2. There will always be opportunities. about what you want and need. And It is wise to honour those who have
3. Less ego, more curiosity. depending on your outlook, they will come before you and those who
4. Honour those who helped you either be opportunities or they will be have supported you. Remember your
along the way. challenges. teachers, mentors, guides, and those
5. Enjoy the ride. who helped you through tough times
Either way, be open to them, invite them, – those people you met spontaneously
NOTHING IN LIFE IS CERTAIN consider them and then choose. Maybe who, with a story or quote, changed the
Whether you decide to paddle upstream some will work out, whereas others course of your life.
or steer yourself downstream, there won’t. Some you will see, others you will
is no way of knowing what you might pass by without noticing them. Some, Remember the people in your corner,
encounter. you will embrace, some you will let go. those who had your back and believed
in you. Likewise, it’s even more
It is easy to confuse preparedness Whichever way you navigate your important to realise the impact and
for certainty. You may have the best life or career, do it with integrity and effect you have on others and what your
survival training and the most hi-tech compassion. words could mean to them on their
equipment. Heck, you may even be journey.
Bear Grylls himself! But even he cannot LESS EGO, MORE CURIOSITY
know for sure what life will throw at There will be times when you will feel on Mentors and guides help to keep you
him. top of the world, where the hard work honest and accountable. Everyone
starts paying off, and you feel invincible. needs support in some way.
In the same way, you can have a But it is during these times – when you
sought-after qualification, certificates, are caught up in the excitement – that ENJOY THE RIDE
letters of recommendation, a the ego needs to be reined in. If it isn’t, There is a delicate balance one needs
scholarship or years of experience arrogance, selfishness and pride sneak to maintain in life. It is between doing
that serve as a platform from which to in; shortly followed by greed, obsession what is necessary to get what you want,
launch or relaunch your career. Even and validation. Then it becomes easy to and not taking life too seriously. Have
with all of that, there is no guarantee of value yourself based on your success or goals and dreams, but don’t hold on to
success or certainty, even if you have income, and you fall into an inevitable them too tightly. Put in the hard work,
well-intentioned goals. trap where you need to maintain these but also take time to play.

Five-year plans are great, but think things to feel worthy and accepted. The girl looked up at her mentor,
about your life five years ago. Would slightly confused and disappointed.
you have imagined your life as it is There is nothing wrong with riding the He knew what she was thinking. “This
now? wave, but know it is just a wave. It will is not the answer you were looking for,
pass. Other waves will come and go. The was it?”
There is no way of knowing what the key is to remain open to the waves and
future will bring. Certainty is an illusion. not hold on to just one because that is “No,” she replied. To which he said, “But
It is born out of a need to control (the impossible. By cultivating a curious mind, will you still get into the canoe, ride the
situation, others, etc.) and is a guise for we can naturally keep pride at bay while river of life and be ok with not knowing
insecurity. also enjoying the ebb and flow of life. everything?”
34 DPL issue 5 2022