I want to talk about what motivates me. I often receive comments about my positivity and would love to share where this comes from. I am very active in making my lifestyle more environmentally friendly and use less harsh chemicals. This is both on my body and on the land I live on. This stems from the influence of my upbringing and the nature of the inspirational tools in encountered as a child.
Last year for my birthday I gave you a gift by sharing a bit about myself. I like the thought of this and decided I would follow this idea and do it once more. This year I want to talk about what motivates me. This is a central idea, which branches out in many ways. It is not just what inspires me. It is also how I like to practice this and how it influences my actions.
On August 12 it was my birthday. Yay, happy birthday to me! August is also a momentous month as it marks the first year anniversary since that terrible August in 2015 in which the large lesion was found in my brain and I was scheduled and had the biopsy. It is also the month of not only my birthday, but my mother’s and my father’s. My father shared a birthday with the date of my biopsy and was the day before his step-father passed away.
It was a hard month.
Without further ado I will share now a little bit about what motivates me.
As a young girl growing up my mother has a preference for making every room attractive. This included the toilet. We only had one and in it was brimming with her favourite literature. Two such posters that were mounted on our walls included 23rd Psalm from the Holy Bible and the Desiderata. I love the Desiderata to the point I have one copy now in my own bathroom. The final poster, which was small, was titled A Smile. Needless to say I have included links to all of these, if you scroll your cursor over the titles.
These three texts motivate me in how I consider my interactions with others. You never know what they are going through or what they may need from your interaction. Thus it is unwise to approach any situation with negative feelings.
I like to find inspirational people I interact with. I feel these are much more authentic models to base my life on. The first of these people is my mother. She is generous, forgiving, unassuming and finds beauty in such simple things as the colours of leaves and the smell of water. A child at her work gave her a pebble for her birthday and she loved it. To some this seems like a normal child gift, and something you would only pretend to love. Yet for mum I knew this was valuable. From her I learned that all of life is beautiful and a wonder.
Another of these people is my friend Eena (Fareena), whom I visited in Kuala Lumpur last year for her wedding. She is always so grateful and positive. When we studied together she would thank every store person we encountered. Eena compliments most other people she interacts with and smiles constantly. She treads through life so delicately leaving behind a feeling of strength in your soul. From her I learned to find the good in all people.
The last person is Fanny. She has anxiety troubles and yet she cared for her mother with cancer whilst she was studying full time and when her mother became well she moved to England to fulfil her dream. It wasn’t as callous as it may sound. She still gets anxious over there but she is alone and handling it wonderfully. I don’t think I am strong enough to make a move like that but I hope one day I might be. She just keeps jumping over hurdles like an Olympian. From her I know to trust that anyone can have strength, even if we also have fears and anxiety.
Growing up in a rural country town, Lake Grace, I was largely unable to access many things. Like many people in town we had certain practices that are rarer in metropolitan settings. We had a very large compost pile, a wood heap and water tank and we walked everywhere.
It was natural and peaceful.
In the city I have tried a compost heap. It doesn’t work on our property. The same goes for the water tank. I walk everywhere, because I am not allowed to drive mostly. We have a wood heap at our home but alternate the fire with the air conditioning system, depending on the climate.
Now we have a filtration system on our tap. I have Keep Cups for my coffee and take that and my own water bottle everywhere. I scatter my eggshells around the garden and throw vegetable scraps on the garden. I also trap rainwater to put on my pot plants when it stops raining. I am trying to grow my own herbs and will branch into vegetables soon. I put old socks in the bottom of pots before I plant things in them to help with drainage. I use a safety razor for shaving and buy shaving cream blocks from Lush. I have a bamboo toothbrush and pens. I use environmentally friendly soaps, toothpastes, feminine hygiene products and house cleaning products.
Finally, I am about to start using a reusable cleaning cloth.
What I am leading towards here is what motivates me is the idea of a clean planet and people who are unassumingly kind towards each other.
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I enjoy your blogs Jess and learn so much from them. Good on you. Best wishes Helen B
Beautiful writing and blog Jess, we could all learn from you. I love your honesty, insight and positivity. Love Sue x