Work Journals - "Who put cheese on the table?" 

What happens when we embark on a new opportunity in life? Start a new job or career or hobby in life? When our lives take on a new or different trajectory? 

We may start out with different kinds of emotions, mixed feelings. Will this role be all that it makes out to be in the job spec, will my colleagues be decent human beings who may one day earn the trust of being called friends, will I be given the opportunity to apply my skills and experience in helping others thrive in what they do, will I be acknowledged for my contribution and for trying?

It's sometimes a bit like "love and g-slides" (notice how the work environment is changing constantly? A few years ago this would have been "love and spreadsheets" or "love and powerpoints"). In the words of 'Uncle Ben in Spider-Man' and Winston Churchill (paraphrase), "with great power comes great responsibility". A responsibility to serve with integrity, be courageous and passionate in the pursuit of what gives your life meaning, be that family, friends, work, or even just being "YOU".

That feeling of butterflies in your stomach on the first day you meet your colleagues. The feeling in your gut reminiscent of the constantly evolving nature of what you do for a living and the dynamic workplace in today's world. Euphoria at doing something you love everyday and almost simultaneously, the ever present perception of the work environment's reception to change and the sometimes silent, yet present drawing room of politicians lobbying over the next big thing. 

With a childhood upbringing and subsequent education interwoven with daily living in over 150 different cultures and sub-cultures, sometimes this may create an "un-voiced" expectation of others to be just as open-minded to people who may look, think or feel differently. Hence the word "diversity", though without a doubt necessary, may sometimes have seemed to be an attempt to create yet another social action campaign, until the implications or lack thereof, became a personal experience. When this expectation is met with the realities of uni-directional thinking, this necessitates the need to create artificial journeys for others to have a flavour of what true diversity could look like.

When you embark upon a new opportunity in life, perhaps like me, you wake up each morning with a glimmer of hope in your eyes and one mission in mind for the day - put in your best, give it your best shot, "slay" (slang for being good at what you do).

Nevertheless, life has a way of throwing curveballs. Expectations meet with realities, hopes meet with hindrances and success ultimately lies in the ability to navigate through and over those curveballs. Or better still, being the one to juggle those curveballs, several at a time. Whatever the case, stay true to yourself, love yourself and be kind to others regardless of whether they deserve it. 

Be-You-to-the-Full.

Say it with Jachory,

;-) Susie