Ihana valo.

Viimeinen viikko on tuonut mukanaan kaikkea hyvää...

... ihanan valon.

... motivoivia, hyvin valmisteltuja ja osallistavia luentoja.

... uusia ideoita kandin tutkielmaa varten.

... haastavan ja palkitsevan luottamustoimen.

... elämäni ensimmäisen tasokuvioneuleen.

13 for 2013.

As Tiff already put it. There's so many blog posts out there about 2013 and resolutions have never felt like the thing for me. 

But as you probably figured out on boxing day when I borrowed a pile of audio books on life skills and happiness - there's a need for some soul searching. Need for guidance and direction. The divine type wouldn't do any harm I guess but I might as well just start the process myself. These aren't resolutions but guidelines. For life. Especially for this year. For me.  

Please remind me in case I forget.

1. Know your resources.

Don't tire yourself out. Don't promise to do more than you have time and energy for. Don't blame yourself for having limited time. Everyonehas the same 24 hours.

2. Be humble.

Don't hide insecurity into arrogance or annoying overly active behaviour. It's ok to be out of your comfort zone. Be humble - remember everything is a gift and you can't earn happiness, good life or any of the things that really matter.

3. Believe in your cause.

Don't take things for granted but believe they are possible. If you don't, nobody else will. Dream big, strive to achieve the dreams.  

Where do you want to be in a year? 

Who do you need to talk to?

4. Have faith in humanity.

Keep on trusting. Don't listen to the pessimists.

5. Spend less, consume less.

Generate positive cash flows by selling excess materia. Only buy things you need.

6. Be present.

Dreaming is ok. But be happy in this moment. Don't live in the past or in the future. This moment is the only one you have. 

What was good today?

7. Take walks.

Fresh air makes you feel better. It'll clear your mind. Go cranespotting in the port, see ships off in the harbour. Stand on the bridge above the railway.

 

8. Build courage to talk about feelings.

The fact something didn't work out 8 years ago does not mean you're a loser nor a hopeless case. You are different now, there are different people in the picture. Take your time but don't flee and postpone forever. Give the other their time but remember - nobody's a mindreader. What is there to lose after all?  

Believe in your cause.

9. Take care of yourself.

Learn to eat healthy, sleep enough, excercise. There's just eh one body you live in. There's people around you to give you a hand or to give you advice and ideas.

10. Love bountyfully.

The magical word from the centre director. Bountyful. You've been given much so go and give even more. It'll come around. Eventually.

Edit. Apparently by the time I had adviced myself on ten issues I had already forgotten I promised 13. :P
Would you have any advice to share? Other than practicing my memory? 

12 13 12 13 12 13.

I've been reading so many inspirational posts on 2012 and 2013 these past weeks that it's made me miss even more my computer. Well, it's now back and it's officially running again - a little wobbly but hopefully surviving until the new computer arrives in a week or two!

But I promise, you'll get a fair share of reviewing the past year and looking into the new.

In a bit.

Now some school work first.

The best is yet to come.

this picture is from here.

A few weeks ago I ran into a blog that was new to me. A gifted crafter had made a quirky picture with the texr: "The best is yet to come." The last months of 2012 felt so tough and difficult that I kept telling myself January would make things a lot easier. In December, on top of Christmas gifts in the form of numbers on my bank account I also received a pile of bills from the phone company, social services, insurance company and now from my credit card. Nearly all my savings went into those and this spring will be an experiment of true student life.

It'll mean prioritizing. Setting money aside for rent first. Making a weekly budget for food. Not bying anything.

There are two splurges in my spring as well. The trip to Berlin with a friend in the end of February that I need to save for. And in the end of April the trip home to Northern Ireland which will be cheaper as the accommodation is easily sorted.

Next week I'll spend time at mama's, have a big interview, finally decide on where to work next summer (hopefully this will be sorted!) and a week after that make some big decisions on what will happen in the autumn.

In the meanwhile I'm waiting for my new computer to arrive as my old one died a week ago and I'm currently relying on an ancient mac that doesn't recognize my camera.

In the middle of all the stress and money issues I do believe that the best is yet to come.