Miranda Kerr compiled a book Treasure Yourself a few years ago which didn’t hold as much value to me as it does now. It’s a book filled with uplifting, inspirational, thoughtful and enlightening quotes that will make you feel better with only a few page turns.
A few of my favourites are…
“I am grateful for each day.” — Louise L. Hay “Nothing is random or pure chance.” — Deepak Chopra
“I came here to be me.” — Robert Holden
I try not to take my life for granted, but I often find myself looking at the glass half empty. When I find myself in a place where I shouldn’t be, I take a step back and reflect on the things I do have and how fortunate I am to have these things and people and situations in my life.
I recently started a fast-pace, high demanding job where accuracy is crucial and expected. Although there is the excuse of “We’re only human – mistakes will occasionally happen”. In my line of work making mistakes can cost someone’s life and there isn’t room for any of those excuses.
As I was told in my first week of employment; the people we see is someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, grandparent, partner or friend. If you in that situation where it was someone you loved, would you accept ‘a simple mistake’ as an excuse? Chances are you wouldn’t and it goes back to the fundamental lesson we learn when we’re children: treat people the way you like to be treated.
I’m still in the early days where I haven’t seen it all yet and I haven’t been desensitised to what I see everyday, but I’m told that I will get there one day. The yelling and aggressive behaviour, the horrific scenes and situations will all be things I would eventually get used to, and it’s perfect timing too.
When I had moved back to Sydney from Melbourne, I made everyone I knew walk on eggshells around me. I don’t know why I came back to Sydney a broken woman, but what better way to fast-track growing thicker skin than by being placed in a high demanding line of work where you had no to choice but to not take things personally.
The thing I love about my job, other than helping people, is that it gives me a glimpse into a world that is very foreign to me. Never have I dived in a world of violence, drugs and alcohol addiction. I’ve had my fair share of late nights with alcohol and I’ve been friends with users and witnessed drug use, but I’ve never been one of those people who actually wanted to even sample pot or swallow one pill.
To a fault, I’m a bit of a control freak. I’ve always been a person who liked to have a clear straight line to walk and know what’s happening tomorrow and the next day and the next day. So the idea of not having control over my own actions was something that petrified me. The thought of me being so out of control that my friends would abandon me somewhere or the idea of waking up in a place I didn’t know or something happening to me that I had no recollection of was something I NEVER wanted to gamble with.
I’ve had a few episodes when I had blacked out from drinking alcohol in my young adult life and that was scary enough for me to never go overboard when I’m drinking.
Team that up with a couple of parents who drilled it into the skulls of my siblings and I at a very young age that drugs and excessive alcohol was bad, I knew to steer clear of it. Having said that though, both my siblings didn’t take any notice of what our parents had to say, but that was their choice.
After working only a week in this new role I learned very quickly to value my health, my life and to never take my life for granted. There are some people who come in intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, who are loud, abusive and vile. Although it may sound very judgemental for me say these things because I don’t know these people personally; I don’t know what brought them down this road, I don’t know what their life story is and I most certainly don’t know what’s going on inside their heads, I’m glad I get to see this world I definitely don’t want to be a citizen of.
One thing I was told that we’re there to help them; they ask and they receive, but at the end of the day we can’t help those who can’t help themselves and it’s best for us not to get too involved emotionally.
This was a massive eye-opener for me. It made me love my life so much more, appreciate every little blessing, every opportunity and every little obstacle that I come across. This revelation won’t make me a saint – I’m bound to still make mistakes – but I will always treasure my life and myself to be good to it.
I encourage you all to do the same with your lives too.
Treasure Yourself by Miranda Kerr is available from KORAOrganics.com or any good book stores. (Price may vary).
