Back to school

Today was the first day again of school of this year. I’m guessing children all over the world looked towards this day with mixed feelings. Regardless of loving the opportunity to learn, it still represents stopping doing things your way and going back into ‘the box’.

As I’ve indicated previously, school and it’s tradition is something I ponder about often. Especially having 5- and 7 year old boys, who are subjected to this system, I constantly think of possible ways to make the system be less intrusive in their essence.

Let’s face it. The school system is designed to get the ‘individual essence’ out, and get the ‘mass production’ in. Even though our global society has changed so much that mass workers are no longer needed, we are still doing this. Now of course it’s imperative for our kids to learn how to read, do math and know something about this world. Key word here is learn. Not study. Ah, there’s a difference between these two words? Yup!  

For my particular situation, I’ve made a plan. Spend time with my kids as often as I can (and yes, sometimes I want to run away screaming but hey, that’s motherhood for you!) and help them discover what it is they like and focus on that. For Bryan that means planets, galaxy systems and 400 billion stars. For Justin that means figuring out how do things work. Demolishing (it’s not dissembling) a remote control car. They know more than me but hey! That’s the plan all along.

And in 5 years time, we’re going to go on a world trip for a year. Sure, they still need to go to school during and after. It is for them to see and experience, that the world does not only consist of our island, our mentality and culture. And make them truly global citizens.

I’m very excited about this prospect to say the least. What do you think? Also, how was it this morning to take your kids back to school? Let us know!

Collaboration

Somewhere in the journey of having my own business, the idea emerged that collaborating with like-minded individuals was not only a ‘nice-to-have’ commodity, but almost a necessity.

Why? Well, let me elaborate. When I started out in January 2016, I started out with a fellow business owner who also was by herself. Precision Curacao provided to me everything I needed at that moment, and I believe it was vice-versa as well. I needed someone to bounce ideas off for example. They also helped me create a stronger network by going to networking events as those things were scary at that time!

Setting the foundation has proven to be so important for both our growth and I am eternally grateful for the path we traveled together as business partners.

This year has literally started with a bang. In relation to collaboration, I have teamed up with two other businesses and we are setting up a project of a proportion I can not discuss yet. [So stay tuned for more on this later]. And this has proven to me again that there is much joy in collaboration with others. 

Therefore, instead of looking at your competition and fight, look for collaboration and challenges that you both can solve. I realize that this might sound very “out there” for some. But if you look at the benefits… just really look at the benefits and then decide if that battle is one to fight for or fight with.

Anyway – that was my little piece of the day. More will follow in due course. For now happy weekend, till Monday.

Mental health

As this year is starting out, let’s focus on our health, shall we? Today, I’m delving a little bit (but not too deep) into the mental health bit.

What is mental health really? It affects our emotional, psychological and social well-being and determines how we handle stress and make choices. There are so many factors which can contribute to problems, like biology (genes for example) or life experiences (trauma for example).

I’m happy to see that people in general are lifting the taboo that mental health brings with it. Besides our communities in our lives accepting that mental health is important, there are also many ways we can take care of ourselves.

• Take a mental health day when you need one
• Try limiting refined sugar from your diet
• Do things that make you generally happy
• Try to limit watching TV just before bed
• and so on

These are all simple things which can help us maintain health. Should you have already passed a certain point where you no longer can function, or you think what you’re dealing with isn’t that bad, but you still can not be your good old self, then get help. It does not matter if in your state you think that it’s not important, or that it will go away or even how bad can it be? 

So why am I speaking on this? I’m speaking on this because I’ve been there. Not taking care of my own mental health because of the excuses listed above, has had a very bad influence. The good news is, that it is possible to overcome. And when you overcome, when you get to the other side then you value this so much more!

So can we make this a priority for this year? Take care of yourself and don’t be hard on others! Take care of them as well if they need it, deal?

Time as a commodity

Can you believe it? We have finally arrived at the final day of the year. It’s time to reflect, right? It’s time to pause and see where you are right this moment. What are you doing now?

Are you looking at the clock wishing 12:00 AM would arrive? According to this post, time is money. But not only that, the advice given to combat time is to organize.

I can understand that logic. It’s an investment you get every single day and it waits for no one. And if you don’t understand the urgency of the ticking clock, then of course you’re not gonna use it wisely. Right?

Well. For just two days (today and tomorrow), I am going to monitor myself how I’m handling my time. Am I also wishing 12 o’clock to get here already? And if so, why? And the following day – how am I handling my time on the first day of the year? Will I set a precedence for the rest of the year with day 1?

Only time will tell (ironically). One thing is for sure. I am going to enjoy this last day to the fullest. I am drawing out all the 86,400 seconds I get presented with today and again tomorrow. 

What are you going to do? Happy New Year everyone! New decade: the perfect vision year. Let’s GO!

Never ending money story

There are certain things I’m oblivious to in this world. One of them was this story here. 

Now this story is about the end of a promising start up company, but what caught my attention was the amount of money that the former CEO left with.

Now I’m not here to pass judgement on who deserves what or whatever. Nope. I’m merely talking about the amount only. And thus starts the “never ending money story”.

I’m gonna tell you a secret. Being an entrepreneur on a small island doing work one loves is not all easy all the time. Oh. Wait. Are you telling me it’s no secret? 😀

Getting projects of a respectable amount is not always easy. I remember the first time a few years back, when I got my first signed proposal back and the figure was 5 numbers. I was ecstatic. So can you understand now that the amount the CEO walked away with, is an amount I would love to close in one project?

One can dream, right? Dreams don’t cost nothing, right? Well. Look at me. Look real’ good. Because one day, this girl sitting here typing this article will make that amount. In ONE project. Just wait and see.

What’s your magic number? Tell us in the comments below!

Writing for fun

Since I was little, I remember walking everywhere with books. People used to tease me because life was passing me by and I didn’t even know it as my nose was always buried in the latest novel or romance or suspense thriller… whatever was trending in my mind at that time.

Little did they know, that by reading books, I became part of whole new worlds. Worlds where nothing really matter but the story line. Worlds where whatever the trend of the real outside world was, it didn’t matter because in the end the story is what mattered most.

In my teenage years, I started writing in journals. Writing for fun, that is. I bought all these fancy-looking notebooks and vowed that this time, I would stick to it and write every day. Ok, not every day but at least once a week… till it frizzled out again and I’d have to start all over.

Some time ago I found one of those notebooks. And funnily enough it was half filled! Yay! It was an eye opener to see, that things that were there when I was twenty something, were still present in my forty something. Ahh.. so the lesson I had to learn has not yet been captured in my mind and heart, right? 

And this, I believe, is where the power of writing a journal is. If you keep at it, you will discover years later what the lessons were because if you are still stuck on some little thing – it will become apparent. And guess what? Acknowledgement, and realization? Those are the first steps in actually starting to get the lesson.

So my personal lesson is – keep on writing. Or keep on doing whatever it is that makes you tick.

I did not think I was capable or even able to write 5 days a week now for 6 weeks. That means 30 articles! WHAT? 30 articles ALREADY? Yup. And you know what? 

It all started with the first one. So what are you waiting for? Drip. Drip. Drip.

Fluffy and Puffy

Pets. Do you have any? Which kind? 

Today, as it was a lounge day I had the opportunity and privilege to see my youngest son in action. You know how it usually goes, right? Being present in the moment is not always easy: especially if there are a million things that you are either trying to figure out or any other situation that we face as parents on a daily basis. But today… Ah today! I watched Bryan pet a dog which was larger than me even (no short jokes please! 😂) without any fear. 

Afterward he spotted a cat, jumped out of the car to go pet the cat too! Now the cat did not feel much like petting so it ran off and the disappointment was real.

So upon asking why the long face, this 5 year old proceeds to explain that cats are way fluffier and puffier than dogs and that actually wasn’t it time we got ourselves some pets?

At this point in my life I am happy to be able to feed the family, but I already know that Bryan will wear me down. Fluffy and/or Puffy will be part of our future. 😊😏

I Hope you’ve enjoyed yourselves today! And as always, feel free to leave your comments below!

Funds for innovation

This day is a perfect day to lounge about (for me at least), look up new stuff and talk about them! Like this project I saw on Kickstarter. It’s a fact that we are polluting our environment and there are people constantly working on making things better.

Or how about making a brand new instrument? Or learn how to speak Chinese? And look at the amount that the last project raised!

So that reinforces my belief that the sky is really the limit. It really depends on what you want to achieve, set your course to it and GO!

That’s all I had to say this fine Christmas day.. Hope you’re enjoying yourselves, and as always, feel free to leave your comments below!

Photo by Alex Knightfrom Pexels

Stepping into the future

Do you remember this movie? Do you even remember the quote of Dr. Brown from said movie?

“The consequences of that [going into to the future] could be disastrous! Besides encountering your future self, the encounter could create a time paradox, the result of which could cause a chain reaction that would unravel the very fabric of the space-time continuum and destroy the entire universe! Granted, that’s the worst-case scenario. The destruction might in fact be very localized, limited to merely our own galaxy.“

I heard that sentence as a 10 year old and did not understand squat what it meant. (Actually … I would be kidding myself if I said I understand it completely now. Space-time continuum?)

So instead of going back to the future, I say that the future is here for us to grab. Are you ready? What steps have you made this time around making sure that your next year will be one marked for excellence? 

Answering that for myself, I have to confess that for the first time I’m going for a new year filled with excitement, hope, and expectancy. Did I make a plan of action and/or execution? GASP – OH NOOO!!! I absolutely did not! And regardless of this, I am certain that 2020 will be one I am stepping into boldly and claiming all that is out there for me. 

But first. let’s get through Christmas, shall we? Enjoy Christmas time, embrace your family and be ready for the last week of the year.

As always, feel free to leave your comments below!