Mental health – One Chance to See the World

The nature of happiness

I watched a movie recently, for the first time in a long time. Whilst I have been travelling I haven’t watched much TV at all, I have preferred to get out and about and when indoors, have used the free time to blog about the travels. This photo was taken probably a month and a half ago in St Kilda, south of Melbourne’s CBD. The nature of the photo reminded me of the film I am talking about.

The movie was Hector and the Search for Happiness. I will add a spoiler alert here, so if you are wanting to watch it maybe do so before reading further. It is about Hector (played by Simon Pegg), bored of his current existence and career, questioning if he is really happy in life. He then goes on a quest for happiness, one destination at a time whilst his girlfriend stays at home reluctantly waiting for him. It is a feel good movie and made me think about what I would consider happiness to be.

So, the spoiler. I have warned you!

The movie concludes that happiness isn’t just one emotion, it is all of our emotions. This may sound a little confusing, however the wheel above helps me to make sense of this and give my insight as to what I take from this message.

The stormy skies and beams of light breaking through gives this image- for me at least- a sense of hope and optimism. Which is why it made me think of the movie. Imagine life is this wheel, instead of a long road. Also, imagine the wheel with a clock face.

Let’s say 12 is happiness. Bliss, joy, euphoria, whatever happiness is to you. 3 o’clock can be mental pain, a loss, a breakup, a fight with a loved one. 6 o’clock is physical pain, surgery, a work injury, illness. Lastly 9 o’clock can be personal development, maybe improving ourselves by going to the gym or quitting a bad habit. Something not easy, but very rewarding in the long term. Between these numbers is every other emotion and experience linking these together, as each and every experience varies in size and duration. There isn’t a universal standard of emotional experience for any of us.

We are all born on this wheel. And with that, we will always reach the heights of happiness. Every single one of us. But none of us will stay there. Like anything in life, these experiences will come and go and are never permanent. As unpleasant as this may seem to think about, it can be very liberating to acknowledge.

To get back to happiness, we have to experience everything else life throws at us. Whether this is a unsuccessful job application or sickness, knowing this is only a temporary feeling should help us to keep going and get through the hard times. If anything, the lower we feel means the chances are our next step is going to be a brighter one. Time heals everything. And although time seems to stand still during dark moments, these moments are as temporary as any other. The night can be daunting, or with a closer look can be magical. It can provide an view we would never see with the light of day, and prevent us from fearing that sun going down once more.

No one is exempt from this either. Just because someone else is experiencing happiness doesn’t mean they won’t hit every other number on the clock. We all get on this wheel at different times, and with this experience different emotions depending on where we are in life. Someone feeling the bliss at the top will have to feel the lows at the bottom. It doesn’t always seem this way as when we feel low, the joys of everyone else seem so apparent. But the joys we feel when it is our time feel too good to compare to the lives of others and often we are too busy enjoying life to want to compare with others. This is a good thing. However it does give the illusion that others feel happiness more than us when it is their turn. But that is just that. An illusion. And if it isn’t, like so many successful people in life, the prolonged time away from happiness can only be a motivator to strive for success. Sometimes the distance from comfort and joy motivates us to get there quicker than we ever would have. And experience it much more than we would have.

So this is my take on life. We all share turns at the top, and to get back there have to experience than sinking feeling once in a while. But knowing we will have to experience this ride and feel it all over again, instead of picturing life as a path with the hope of not experiencing the low spells, is more liberating to me. And preparing instead of evading helps me to get through when the time comes.

Night Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

Thank you again to all my followers and regular readers, and hello to you if you are new to my blog!

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Happy blogging,

Sam

Progress from failure is better than the illusion of success

I think we all have a creative side to some degree. However we don’t always put thoughts into action. We can all choose to contribute if we want and after walking past a piece of street art being created it got me thinking about how we choose to live life.

We are all creating art, every single day. The problem is the majority of us contribute to someone else’s artwork most of the time, and this might be our only creative output. Most of us are working for someone. The lucky few will be moderately happy in their daily roles, or simply content. However if I asked everyone I met walking down the busy streets of the CBD if their dream job was different to what they are currently doing, I would guess most would say yes. But a dream job is incredibly difficult to achieve. But it isn’t about getting there. It is about getting as close to it as possible.

Our minds are like a sports car we constantly leave in the garage. It’s capabilities are amazing but rarely does that capability see daylight. And our daily lives are like the speed limits, forcing us to withhold that opportunity and capability and more often than not, never actually realise it.

Every now and then I will hear a story of a person that has won the lottery and decided to stay in the job they’ve always had. That scares the hell out of me. I mean if someone wants to do that then fair enough, as long as it is a personal choice. But what scares me is that some people might not realise the endless potential being financially free from working for someone else. The freedom to be an individual and contribute with the uniqueness that we all have, all too often shackled and blended with the rest of society. I cannot help but to hear that life clock ticking and our time on earth slowly fading away with each passing day like the grains in a sand timer. And with this knowledge I try to look at my life and see what I can change to make it my life.

Travel is the most obvious one. I quit my job in 2017 as many of you know to travel to the other side of the world. A world away from the cold, rainy streets of the UK to the golden beaches of Australia. I love my country though, I just needed a break from the norm. I left my role as an assistant reception manager, a role I was promoted to after four years with the company. But I did enjoy working there and have enjoyed every job I have had. I have always worked in hotels and I have gained great experiences and opportunities along the way.

Early into the role, my father died. He was in fact in hospital as I was leaving one job for the one mentioned above. It took just three months for my dad to go from perfectly healthy to us planning the funeral. It took us completely off guard and left me numb for the next few years. I believe this is one reason I stayed within my role for so long, but despite the lack of motivation to move on I was becoming increasingly more aware of how fragile and limited life can be.

Life started feeling like one of those video games where the floor is falling all around you. With everyone I have lost growing up, which is quite a few people both young and old, I started to develop anxiety and mild depression which I attended therapy for. The butterflies you get when the roller coaster stops at the peak, waiting to plummet at any moment, I was getting that daily. I felt totally out of control of my life and I had less and less of a grip on the reigns. In fact, there were no reigns.

So I needed a distraction from life. My blog has been great therapy for me as it keeps me active, keeps me distracted from negative thoughts and I write about what I want, when I want. This is a part of my life that I control, and helps me to take back the reigns. I don’t feel like I am floating with no control of where I am, instead I feel now that my feet are firmly on the ground.

Travel has helped me with this too. I did come here by myself and wondered if that would impact my mental health, but because I am constantly meeting great people along the way it has not been an issue. The travel aspect again is me choosing where to go, when. It is another reminder that I can have some control over my life whilst ensuring I am gaining as many experiences as I can along the way. There have been so many benefits to this decision.

But of course travel isn’t always easy. I still have to work to live. Again, I really enjoy my job and go in everyday with a smile on my face. But ultimately my goal is to keep creative outside of work and follow my passions with an aim of being able to live off those passions instead. Even if this is a very slow process, it is the realisation that today we are closer to it than we were yesterday. And tomorrow that distance will be even shorter.

I have started to notice the little pockets of time that I have wasted so much in my life. The commute to work and back. That is one hour of the day. The queues we wait in for food, or the restrooms at a concert, the elevator, the airport terminal, the hotel check in, the kettle boiling. These one or two minute waits contribute to a hell of a lot of time daily and throughout life. I now spend these waits writing down blog ideas and posts, uploading photos to my posts if I won’t have time for the rest of the day. Thinking of what I can write about next and what is obsessively going through my head that could be put down in blog form. The more I utilize these brief moments that I wasted all to often, the more I see it has had an impact on my blog. I wen’t from having 600 followers in September 2017 to probably 10,000 followers by June. The sooner we realise there is so much time we waste doing nothing, the quicker the progress will be. And we have a lot more free time than we think.

This isn’t all about followers of course. I am just delighted to see that the more hours I spend here, the more people have been enjoying my posts. It has also made me blog a lot more than I did previously, and gives me the motivation to get out there and take more photos and provide more thoughts. It is a very positive cycle keeping me on route.

The more ambitious our goals are means the chances of success are less likely. But it also means our personal development skyrockets. It is much better to aim for a dream job and get half way there than to set a very achievable goal and get 100% there. That’s what I believe anyway. The progress from failure is sometimes so much better than the illusion of success.

We are all artists in one way or another in our daily lives. And the more we create that art for ourselves the more fulfilling our lives will be. The more reasons we have to live and the more we stand out. For me, it is about climbing the ladder I built and having it where I want it, and that motivates me to keep on climbing.

Featured image by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash

Commuter image by Ross Sneddon on Unsplash

Thank you again to all my followers and regular readers, and hello to you if you are new to my blog!

New to this site? Click here to visit my A bout My Blog section and Travel Diary

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Cheers!

Sam

Life will always be a work in progress

I like stumbling upon street art that is in the process of being created. I think this one is an advertisement however I haven’t been back to see it now it is complete. It is just around the corner so I will probably take a look on the way home.

So many pieces of art seem to have always been there. Historical paintings in some of the worlds oldest and most stunning buildings. It is amazing to think these were once nothing but a concept in someones mind and someone decided to make it a reality. I think we all have a creative side to some degree however some people are just more talented, or at least have more motivated to put thoughts into action. From smaller street art creations to the wonders of the world, we can all choose to contribute if we want.

The problem is the majority of the world contributes to someone else’s artwork. Most of us are working for someone. The lucky few will be moderately happy in their daily roles, or simply content. However if I asked everyone I met walking down the busy streets of the CBD if their dream job was different to what they are currently doing, I would guess most would say yes. But a dream job is incredibly difficult to achieve. But it isn’t about getting there. It is about getting as close to it as possible.

Thank you again to all my followers and regular readers, and hello to you if you are new to my blog!

New to this site? Click here to visit my A bout My Blog section and Travel Diary

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Cheers!

I visited Australia’s highest mailbox and it was terrifying

There is very little I fear more than heights. And this experience was a 297-metre tall reminder of that. It isn’t quite as tall as the Q1 Building in the Gold Coast (I will link to that post in this one) but it is Australia’s second tallest building and is a very impressive tower.

The building I am referring to is the Eureka Tower. It is located on Melbourne’s South Bank and dominates the skyline. The 88th floor observation deck can be accessed by the public with a ticket for $20.

It isn’t a post office as you may have been led to believe by the title. It is an apartment building however as I was walking around the observation deck and pretty much hugging the wall until I calmed down, I found this.

Sadly I didn’t post anything, but this wasn’t the purpose of my visit. Nor did I know it was here at all. But at least ‘Visit Australia’s highest postbox’ can be ticked off the list and it was a pretty cool find.

So to get a little bit more comfortable with the heights, I did a few laps of the observation deck. But I am just going to post the pictures in chronological order so for anyone that knows the city, if I seem to jump from one side to another, I probably did. Some of the shots look more shaded, as we were behind tinted glass. Other shots are more clear and with one portion being outdoors behind some netting, there are photos not taken from behind any glass at all.

The reflections made it a little tricky at times, but I did what I could.

So the above freaked me out. This ride is called The Edge. Watching those on it really made me have a ‘never in a million years’ moment as the room slowly leaves the building and suspends tourists almost 984ft above the city.

This is Susan, my friend from Peru that secretly bought two tickets for that ride.

I met Susan in the first hostel I stayed at when I arrived. We both arrived pretty much the same time and have kept in contact since. Sadly she flew back to Peru a few days back but we made the most of our time together, with a trip to the Great Ocean Road I posted about recently and then this.

Below you can see a video of the ride in action. Notice how the windows change from being opaque to fully clear during the transition. When the room is extending outwards, the rider cannot see out. It is only when the room is fully exposed that the windows become clear.

I was adamant that I wasn’t going to do it. The fact that I felt uneasy being up there at all was enough for me to come to the conclusion that nothing would convince me to get in that box. I am the kind of person that thinks of 101 ways that this could end in disaster and instead of enjoying such a moment, wait for said disaster to strike.

That is what anxiety is like. I am someone that has suffered anxiety in my 20’s, something that I haven’t had growing up. I have always been an obsessive (I have always had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, even to the point of needing medication in my teens) and as the OCD aspect is more manageable now, I feel the anxiety aspect has remained and increased in intensity.

What I have never been able to understand is how people get thrills out of these kinds of situations. Riding roller coasters too, I cannot think of anything more horrific than being held against my will and thrown about until the ride comes to an end. But then I considered the fact that not everyone has anxiety to this extent, and probably need such rides to get the same rush I have had sitting down staring at a wall. I don’t need a ride to get my adrenaline pumping, I get it for free and often at the strangest times.

The video of the ride was taken in the outdoor portion of the observation tower. From here the views were the clearest as the camera could be placed right next to the mesh and see right out to the horizon. Below, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and the various other sports stadiums can be seen.

Binoculars look right onto the stadiums and with the big screen of the MCG facing our way, if there was in fact a game on you would be able to follow along by looking in that direction. Here I am recording the view I had looking right at the stadium.

And looking north, the high rises of the CBD. One of the tallest buildings you can see is in fact where I work, with a great view of the Eureka Building.

Above, the Shrine of Remembrance can be seen. This is a memorial to war veterans and I visited not too long ago and captured a great view of the skyline. I posted this picture on Instagram linked below for those that follow me there, you might have seen it already.

It was amazing to see the views of the surrounding area, and so many locations I have seen the Eureka Building from near and far. The only down side to the whole experience was my fear. Similar to my experience in the Q1 tower that I posted about here, I quickly got over the fear. But I am nowhere near comfortable enough to do the outdoor climb that my sister did in the Gold Coast, that level of bravery seems to be a million miles away. I don’t mind being indoors, its the thought of that little extra level of vulnerability that I just cannot overcome, even though I know it is incredibly safe.

The Edge is different though. Although the room does slowly leave the building, half of it remains always indoors. If I really wanted to stay in that room throughout I could, and I could stick my head out if I wanted to. After much sweating and foot-tapping, I agreed to put on the yellow wristband they give you (that says ‘I survived the Edge‘ despite putting it on before knowing if you were going to), the funny shoe covers and went into the dark, indoor section of the ride. I knew there wasn’t a sheer drop underneath me and that the floor wouldn’t just suddenly turn see-through, if I wanted to walk on it I could make my way onto it. As everyone else stood on the glass floor (including Susan) I contemplated whether or not I could manage it. The staff member controlling the movement reassured me that it ‘wasn’t that bad’ and because I had the option to come and go as I pleased I felt a lot more comfortable about the whole ordeal.

So I did it, although I still look terrified in the picture. I can safely say it was nowhere near as bad as I feared… one reason was the glass was a little more hazy as you can see above and also the metal below our feet, if it was all glass that would be a different story.

Thank you Susan for helping me get to that point!!

I guess my advice would be as much as something seems terrifying in the moment, that moment will pass and the future will be full of moments you were pleased to have done it. That, or endless moments you kick yourself and wish you did. It is true that in the end you will regret the things you didn’t do more than the things you did, and for this reason alone overcoming a fear is so satisfying.

Whatever you are doing in life, say yes more than you say no to things. Memories are so much better than what if’s, and memories are evidence of a life lived.

Thank you again to all my followers and regular readers, and hello to you if you are new to my blog!

New to this site? Click here to visit my A bout My Blog section and Travel Diary

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Cheers!

To the shoe I lost on 12/06/2015

After hearing about the sad and premature death of Keith Flint recently, it had me reminiscing hard about the two Prodigy gigs I attended in recent years. They were gigs that I will forever remember for being insane. Not that I expected any less, but actually witnessing them in person is a memory I will have for a long time.

Eight of us went down to the festival in 2015 if I remember correctly. My sister and a bunch of friends that all bought tickets for that summers IOW fest. It is a huge festival in the UK, not quite Glastonbury sized but big enough to be known internationally. 58,000 people went down to see the acts including Billy Idol, The Black Keys, Blur, Pharrell Williams, Fleetwood Mac and Paolo Nutini, amongst many others. And of course, The Prodigy.

Now as with any UK music festival, expect rain. Even in the summer. What I love about the Isle of Wight is that it is one of the most southern points of the UK, meaning it can get some really nice sunshine in the summer months. As you can see in the first picture with my friend, we got on a flight down to Southampton before boarding a ferry to cross the water. This made it feel like a right holiday. That and the blue skies.

That was until the evening of ‘the gig’. We had storms which added to the atmosphere however with tens of thousands of people trampling through wet fields, things got muddy fast. And with the Prodigy gig imminent this was to make for a fun evening.

I didn’t get any footage of the concert as I kept electronics in the tent. I had no waterproof electronics and didn’t want to damage anything. I just have the memory. Very old school, I know.

I remember it kicking off pretty much straight away, I was with Wigz and my sister. But after a few minutes, I wasn’t with anyone. I am not sure if you have been in such a crowd at the front of such a gig, but remaining standing is hard let alone staying with the people you arrived with. What I do love about festivals is that as brutal as the crowd may be, if someone falls they are pulled straight up again. People work together like that and gigs are always friendly experiences. From my experience anyway.

I remember bright lights, I remember the iconic sounds of their songs, and I remember trying to stay alive. Within five minutes, whatever cheap pair of shoes I bought from Topman were as expected, ruined. Cheap shoes or wellies are vital for such an evening. One popped off my foot like a cork from a bottle and was never seen again. Not that I looked, that would be an impossible task. The remainder of the gig, about 99% of it, I spent hopping on one foot. The amount of times my foot was unintentionally stamped on I am surprised I didn’t break. I couldn’t walk for two weeks afterwards.

Every now and then I would catch glimpses of my sister and friend in amongst the crowds. One memory I have was of my sister. She suddenly appeared next to me again with a bloody nose. I didn’t even ask how it happened, it was obvious. Not that she would have heard me anyway. Seeing her face in the strobe lights reminded me of the exorcist or something. After this I did not see her or my friend again, and I was shoeless. I remember looking for them after it finished, considering the fact that they might (hopefully) be at the tent and walked back. I picked up on of the hundreds of shoes that were left abandoned and used it to walk home in. I didn’t put it on, that would be a crazy move. Instead I put my foot on top of it and used it as a kind of ski, sliding on the slippy, muddy path home. I remember two people kissing on a barrier too which fell backwards, as did they. This was met with a big cheer from everyone walking by.

Ah, festivals.

When I did get back, worryingly my sister wasn’t there. But soon afterwards to my relief a group of people- I think mainly girls- saw she was alone and walked with her. Another reason I love festivals, people can be trusted and are willing to help if it is needed. They followed her back to the tent to know we were reunited and we stayed with them the rest of the night for a couple of drinks and music. We had a great evening to follow a crazy but amazing gig.

The hangover wasn’t the best the following day though.

I wonder how many shoes fell off people that day, and where my shoe ended up. Their gigs do that to shoes. I went to another gig more recently but in Newcastle this time, next door to the hotel I worked at. The venue was the o2 Academy and I remember the heat from the gig hitting us as we walked through the front doors, despite having to climb two sets of stairs to actually be in the main room.

What was even more incredible were two fans that were near the front row. I shit you not, two people that got to have been in their late 70’s, maybe even 80’s left the front of the crowd and exited the building close to the end of the set. As we were a little late arriving and how packed the building was, we were forced to the back. I remember a wave of sound from the crowd cheered as they left, and they fought through the crowds holding hands and walked right by us. Much love and respect to them.

And with that, I ask. Have you any crazy memories from any gigs? Or are festivals not your thing? There is little I like more than a good weekend away to see a bunch of bands play in a fields with friends and a beer in hand, even if it means losing a shoe and almost breaking a foot. Let me know any experiences you have had, I am eager to hear them.

RIP Keith Flint.

Thank you again to all my followers and regular readers, and hello to you if you are new to my blog!

New to this site? Click here to visit my A bout My Blog section and Travel Diary

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Cheers!

Sam

Be obsessed

I was very lazy growing up, and in many ways I still am. Success in life is often desired but rarely pursued if it isn’t handed to us in the form of a lottery ticket. We know what we want, but knowing and getting are a million miles apart. We know where success is, it’s on the other side of that vast expanse of water. Way too far. And getting there means we get our feet wet, and today is not the day for that. It’s too cold. Or maybe we are too tired. Regardless, there are more excuses than the desire to go for it.

On top of that, if we start today, there is a 99% chance we will still not be at success tomorrow. That would be way too easy. And the fact that it is harder than that is great because it means most people turn back. We have the choice whether or not we want to be the ones that go all the way. Statistically, they don’t. Statistically, we won’t either. But we can change our minds and knowing they aren’t leaves much more space for us to sail on over there.

I remember one of my favourite footballers, Steven Gerrard, talking about being obsessed. A Liverpool and England superstar, he said we need to be obsessed. Now of course he was referring to football in this instance, but it is relevant for us all in whatever we are doing and want to achieve. He said every day on the way to training in his car he would be obsessed to be the best player there and if he wasn’t, he would go home and think about it and try to do it again the following day. Every now and then his talk comes to mind and gives me a little boost for the day. It reminds me that having an obsession isn’t always a bad thing.

To be okay at something we need to do it regularly. To be great, maybe even the best, we need to be obsessed. That is the difference between the two and I think we all have something we are either obsessed by, or capable of being to succeed to the heights we want to.

It’s hard to be obsessed with something if we aren’t seeing the benefits from that obsession. But it is impossible to gain the rewards without the effort. Effort is an investment we should accept without the pay, as the pay will come in time. It will reward us in ways we will never be rewarded in a life we aren’t truly living for ourselves. For most of us that is often the life on this side of the water. Stay if you wish, but the hard work getting over the water is an incredibly small sacrifice for a lifetime of freedom.

Featured Photo by Matt Lamers on Unsplash

Second Photo by Paul Gilmore on Unsplash and edited by me.

Thank you again to all my followers and regular readers, and hello to you if you are new to my blog!

New to this site? Click here to visit my A bout My Blog section

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Happy blogging,

Sam

Eat Street

There is a place in Brisbane that I have been to three times now however need to revisit at least another fifty if I am to get the whole experience. You know like unlocking all those trophies in a video game to get 100% completion, that’s the feeling I get.

That place is Eat Street Northshore just outside of Brisbane, I gave you a little teaser a week or so ago when I was there and said I would blog about it again as I had taken a few photos. I may have blogged about it in the more distant past as well I am not sure, I have definitely posted to Instagram from EatStreet so the chances are I gave a little upload to WordPress too. But these are certainly fresh pics and who doesn’t like fresh pics?

Now I am unsure what that trophy would be for eating at every single one of the stalls here, maybe a donut the size of a car tire or something. I also wonder if any of the locals have achieved it, that sure is one epic man vs food style challenge considering how big this place is.

So far I’ve had Thai.

I’ve had Brazillian.

I’ve had an epic ice cream the size of my head from this dessert section.

But with the sheer amount of food stalls on offer, I am nowhere near satisfied enough to tick this off the list just yet.

It is easy to get to from the city centre, roughly 15-20 minutes depending on traffic or a 50 minute journey up the Brisbane River on a fast boat. This time round we took the fast boat and it was a really good journey.

I like the atmosphere, there are bands performing on the two stages here over the weekend (it’s only open Friday to Sunday), pets are allowed in which is cool, it’s in the direction of the airport so planes are flying overhead however not too loud… It just feels very active and I like that.

And the food is as good as the sunsets over the Brisbane skyline that can be seen downriver. Every now and then they will have fireworks, I have seen them twice in the three times I have been so I am unsure why some days have them and some don’t. Maybe you know why this is? Let me know if so.

Perfect doesn’t exist, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t settle for damn near perfect with anything in life really. Just don’t be like this skeleton and wait too long.

I agree the candy floss is Instagram worthy as it states below, however warning it melts very fast. And it incredibly sticky. Australian summer isn’t the place for candy floss it seems.

So if you’re around Brisbane as a local or visitor, this place is well worth a visit. Just don’t eat beforehand as there is plenty choice here and that is the main focus of the venue. However if you are one to get full easily don’t worry, the live music makes it worthwhile.

You never know, there may be a surprise proposal too…

Thank you again to all my followers and regular readers, and hello to you if you are new to my blog!

New to this site? Click here to visit my A bout My Blog section

Want to keep up with my travels? Click here for my Travel Diary

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Happy blogging,

Sam

Being lazy in a life without the guarantee of tomorrow

As time goes on I have found myself living with a lot more urgency to do things. Just to be active in general really and not wasting time doing very little. This could simply be getting out of bed without a lie in or taking a walk, if I am not doing at least something, I hear that life clock ticking.

This is why I have travelled to Australia. To pursue travel, space to blog on my own, experiences to gain and stories to share. But even when I wake up in my bed and feel the humidity instead of hearing the rain hitting my bedroom window back in the UK, it isn’t enough to convince me I am doing something different. I still need to get up and get busy.

Living in hostels I have encountered some backpackers that are happy to sit in bed all day. Reading a book with towels and sheets draped over the bunk above, their den is made and that is where they stay. I couldn’t do that, I just find it very hard to sit still without my brain making a mental list of the things I can be doing instead. Admittedly a walk down the river isn’t really being more productive, but my mind is at rest when my muscles are moving or mind being stimulated with changing views.

Another factor is time. The older we get, the more we value time. Or at least we should. I remember years used to seem like decades as a child, and with every year passing at an increasing speed with the losses that are inevitable over time, our hourglass seems to shrink.

The problem with this hourglass is we cannot see it. We don’t know when that last grain of sand will drop and our experiences come to an end. We can only accept and acknowledge this, make the most of the time and remaining grateful that it isn’t today. This is what gets me out of the house every day.

As a kid I always struggled to think of what I wanted to do as an adult. The obvious ones provide ambition and excitement as a young child, you know the thought of being a professional footballer or an astronaut. The time when we don’t know our limits and in reality, didn’t have any. As we mature a little into our teens our ambitions tend to dwindle. The harsh realities of life become apparent and get in the way of the things we want the most. This can be a major obstacle between what we wanted way back as fearless children and what we will become in later life. Some professions are highly unlikely however, such as working for NASA or playing for Manchester United. But our ambition for at least something should remain.

I remember at 17 my English teacher suggested I become a manager of a leisure centre as I enjoyed sports and the leisure and tourism course I took up. I was at an age when I felt that I had to sacrifice big dreams and tone it down a little. Be more realistic and settle as after all, what are the chances of us doing what we actually want to do in life? I found that my teenage/early twenties phase to be like that and after getting out there and exploring a little bit more of the world I managed to break free from that mentality. To get out of the bubble I had been in my whole life and see the world from a different perspective and mindset. This was the best thing I could have done and I am so happy I did.

I may have to settle for a job I don’t really want to do. But I have a love for writing, travel and photography from my iPhone and if I can free as much time as I can to pursue this then I will be a much happier person. It has motivated me to try and reduce the amount of time I am working by finding other ways to earn an income, if one day I start to get paid for blogging well enough to afford a professional camera or to only have to work part time, I would be twice as happy and more content in life than to do a job simply to pay the bills. This is why I blog and get up every morning, to constantly try to think of ways to achieve this. And without knowing how many grains of sand are left in the glass I have a huge reason to do so.

Too many people ran out of sand too soon, many of them not fully experiencing a life they wanted to. We will all run out of sand, and knowing this doesn’t have to be a curse but a blessing, for this is a way to truly find motivation to achieve and experience a life fully lived.

Featured Photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash

Thank you again to all my followers and regular readers, and hello to you if you are new to my blog!

New to this site? Click here to visit my A bout My Blog section

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Happy blogging,

Sam

Evening strolls to clear the mind

There is little I like better than an evening walk. The cool air being a welcome break from the searing heat and the quieter streets making it possible to think straight. This is my unwind time.

Today I headed down to South Bank and alongside Brisbane River. This is the third night in a row I have done this as it is a good walk to take on an evening to chill me out and tire me out.

I really need to be tired to sleep in a hostel.

The route goes down the south side of Brisbane River, across a pedestrian bridge and through the Botanic Gardens before entering the CBD and getting back home. The picture above is the sight I was greeted with as soon as I got off that bridge into the gardens, this is just outside of where Florence and the Machine were performing yesterday.

This was my favourite shot from the ones I had taken. I love that two couples are in the shot, one gazing at the lights seemingly dazzled and awed. It is a sight to behold, there is something magical about a scene like this that makes you feel you have just entered a fictional world. An escape from reality.

We all need these escapes from reality from time to time. I know that my blog has for a number of years consisted of posts wishing for a world that embraces reality more instead of what we are told to believe growing up, however as I grow I realise life can sometimes be too damn crappy to embrace and a little escape is of no harm.

What comes to your mind with a sight like this? What clears your mind?

Thank you again to all my followers and regular readers, and hello to you if you are new to my blog!

New to this site? Click here to visit my A bout My Blog section

Want to keep up with my travels? Click here for my Travel Diary

Want to introduce yourself and your blog and discover new ones? Click here for my meet and greet page.

Happy blogging,

Sam

Blogging is therapy

Blogging has always been a way to take the pressure off my mind. I have always been someone that obsesses over thoughts and that ‘off’ switch can never be found. I cannot simply stop thinking things that I don’t want to revisit over and over again, I have to rely on forgetting. This isn’t an easy task.

Now I am not alone in this, I am sure many people are just like me. It isn’t easy to distract yourself enough to override negative thoughts and as we all know, negative thoughts and fear is so much stronger than pleasant thoughts. It is a good thing I guess, our mind trying to focus on the bad things to keep us alive through evolution. But staying alive doesn’t always correlate with staying happy. We have to find ways to link these up.

For me, it is blogging. When I find myself obsessively thinking about something- such as a choice I regret- I blog. It is the punching bag that allows me to release some pressure and share something to people that would like to read and can hopefully relate. I am then not suffering my thoughts alone and I learn fast that others share these same feelings from time to time. It is a reminder that these negative days are the repercussions of being human and if I didn’t have these days, something is wrong upstairs. Bad days shouldn’t be suffered but expected. We are all cars driving down this highway we call life and we shouldn’t mourn the day we get a flat tire, we knew the moment we released the handbrake that it was inevitable somewhere along the journey. The true way to success and happiness is knowing how we overcome these obstacles and keep going, not how long we can sit in silence and feel sorry for ourselves.

These days are inevitable. Ride that wave and don’t get taken under. We can get sad that the sun has set and darkness surrounds us or we can remember that it will rise again tomorrow. What we do in these dark moments determines how much progress we make and determines much greater tomorrow will be.

Thank you again to all my followers and regular readers, and hello to you if you are new to my blog!

New to this site? Click here to visit my A bout My Blog section

Want to keep up with my travels? Click here for my Travel Diary

Want to introduce yourself and your blog and discover new ones? Click here for my meet and greet page.

Happy blogging,

Sam