ITS ALL OVER

So today is hand in day... Thanks to all that participated in my blog i will let you know how it all goes. 


This challenge involved taking a common cliche and trying to figure out what it means and then transform it into something new and modern that I can relate to. 


Started with "Don't Count your Chickens before they hatch" and from there we delved into the world of possibilities,  the spirit world and then from there I really tried to understand what this saying means. 


So In the end I believe that in all essence you can always believe things will turn out okay. Even though I am a pessimist there really are ways to see all the good and the positives. Changing our attitudes and just living in the moment is one way to start and setting our goals keeps us going. Seeing people for outside help gives us something to believe in but all in all it is our choice, how we see thing and how we want things to play out. 


We decide where our lives go and therefore we really do have the power to control the outcome of the amount of chickens that hatch. 


So my modern translation; live with optimism, knowing that there is hope but also failure. Live beyond your limits and don't be scared to reach out of your world for something new, because that basket is always changing.


I hope this blog touched people in a different way. For myself it really allowed me to take my black hat off and change howI perceive things and deal with situations. 


Thank You


Terri-Ann Sawyer

WISE WORDS

the four agreements - don miguel ruiz's code for life

agreement 1 Be impeccable with your word - Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. agreement 2 Don’t take anything personally - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering. agreement 3 Don’t make assumptions - Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life. agreement 4 Always do your best - Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

Beautiful Saying

LIFE IS NOT ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORM TO PASS, IT'S ABOUT 
LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN! 

FROM THE HEART

Talking from the heart is most definitely one of the hardest things ever. Expressing compassion and  deep emotions, not only being true to others but being true to yourself. This is something we try to live by but in most cases we let things slide, burying our emotions to protect others or to simply keep the peace. 

To really consider that living in the moment and being happy is hard as it can compromise everything you have worked for. For me it is hard to find my drive for my work and knowing my passion for what I want to do as well as living a life that may change everything. Being around different people really does start to impact your vision and perspective on life. You begin to picture different possibilities in order to save and keep what is right in front of you. It is here that you loose track and forget to be grateful and slide into a world that is not yours. No longer in your basket but someone else's. 

I have been through so much from loosing everything in Zimbabwe and not knowing what the future held but at least trusting my family would be there. I struggled in every aspect and it is only recently that I have completely calmed down.

However I still stress about what could be, about failure, about negativity. The worry does consume me and I imagine it is because I am afraid of the outcomes so I procrastinate till the last minute knowing there is no way out but forward. I am also so indecisive sometimes I would jump out of the basket take the advise from a medium, or believe I could so anything but other times I will change my mind refraining from being out of my comfort zone. 

CHOOSE WHO WE WANT TO BE...

So Tarry posted an interesting comment that in actual fact got me thinking where does the basket lie in our lives, and what do the chickens stand for to each of you?


A. Is the basket your world and how you see it
B. Is the basket your home, your protector (my opinion)

C. What are the chickens?
D. Are the chickens the people in your lives?
E. Are the chickens the events and variable outcomes?
F. Where is the rooster? 
G.Can we link the saying of who came first?


There is really still a lot I have to understand about this quote, because it is really difficult to grasp a perspective on whether to change it or live by it.....


Who we are, who we become and what we do inside and outside the basket affects those around us and the world... How do we manage to keep all this in line and live by knowing we are affecting others or without realizing impacting the world. We all want to make a difference in the world but where does that begin because form when we are born we begin to change the outcome of someones life and therefore on a small scale we are changing the world, their world!

MOMENTS WHEN I COUNTED!!!

Sometimes it is kinda hard not too, so inevitably you do count and risk being disappointed or thankfully underestimate the outcome..
HERE are some of my moments when I counted my chickens before they hatched.  Post on your experiences.

•  I was planning a trip to Zanzibar in the past dec holidays... My friend and I had it all planned out we would work for an organization and build schools or teach and in the afternoons sip on cocktails and tan.... well that failed... after emailing them and sorting out flights and accommodation I asked the parentals and it was a straight NO! thats when you see the dreams and lovely white sandy beaches go down the drain. 
• Another time was when I again began planning my holiday with my friends in Malawi, now I must admit it is difficult to move away from your friends and then get straight back into the circles again... so I wanted to join them all at the lake for new year...Got shot down but the sad part is that my new year was planned to be amazing... Sadly i got there and after counting the dam chickens and trusting old Zimbabwe there was no Fekking power....so was a blow out...
• GOOD times.. my 19th birthday... traditionally since my bday is in the hols I spend it with family. So for my 19th my parents decide to take me to a ZIM concert now when having left the country and experienced a bit more you prepare yourself for disappointment but put on a happy grateful face. Well well well i was in for a surprise... it was amazing had the best time ever and really enjoyed every minute of it. Ended up dancing on the table... So technically I should not have counted my chickens or been soooo pessimistic. 

Tell me a few of your stories....lets see what people really relate this quote too....

TRUE ADVICE....

So i received a phone call the other night, which made me realize we all do love to think in the future and  plan for things that for some unbeknown reason may not come true and then in the end we are hurt big time...


The call was from my Godfather who in all respects watches over me and is my leaning post in every situation. He told me that even though we walk around thinking this is it, our life plan is falling into place and we have the guy of our dreams we have to reserve a part of us to protect ourselves. Keep a little side of the basket and be prepared for rough times and the possibility to loose everything in an instant. This is difficult to take on as in most case as human beings we have the ability to picture our lives in perfect little boxes. However it takes one mistake or unexplained factor to change everything.


As our basket becomes full and empties, so does our life pattern change. We find new people and experience new things, moving in and out of different worlds but always knowing we will have the safety of that basket, our home to shield us from the world. This may be because living constantly on the edge becomes to much and we begin to get overwhelmed by choices and scenarios which are out of our control. All in all though our basket does grow, from experience and from our ability to take on more and become stronger however we still restrict ourselves.


We know our limits and we are always setting aside goals and boundaries but my question still remains when do we know we are no longer counting and preparing or planning but instead living?
If it is true that I need to put aside a part of me for protection how will grow, and how will know that i haven't missed out on a goal or a dream that I wanted to live? Living each day one at a time and finding something even if it is small to be grateful for is one way that I manage to get through however it does get difficult. There are times i really do want to know my future and where i will be in 5 years. I want to be able to plan and see if I am wasting time at this moment because in by those 5 years it may not mean anything. ....

REALLY...

The internet does have everything....and this little song just made my day....

:)

So I got asked today how and why I believe in Psychics??

This really had me baffled, because to begin with I never really did take what psychics and mediums into consideration. They have the ability to connect with a spirit world or another dimension and reveal issues to us. Having the "gift", and know someone's future or his or her course of life is astounding.  Their belief system is based around the idea that what they tell us is completely from guides or spirits. What we hear and how we choose to interpret their knowledge is our own choice.

In my opinion their predictions can be tempting to think about and we dwell over the possibilities if what is said could come true. We begin to dream and wonder when and where things may begin to happen. I have been to a professional medium that helped me through a rough time in my life and thankfully the information she gave me helped me. Her perspectives and readings or visions from the spirit world and spirit guides help explain certain situations from my passed as well as showing me a positive future. I doubted my decision about moving to Cape Town and choosing to study at Vega, however the sitting with her changed everything for me. 

As well as this my medium explained to me how in my future I would come across someone who would have a huge impact on my life. It was a male figure slightly older than me and from a prestigious background and well-known school in the Western Cape. My decision to be with him would change my life and he would help me balance everything. After being told this I must admit I did wonder, you start creating this man in your mind and really wondering when you would meet and what he would be like in person. This did make me look carefully at every person I met, but when it happened I don't think I even realized. 

So in my opinion the extra information allowed me to set my standards high and to really look carefully at the people I was meeting. I am not sure if it is the same person my medium saw in her dreams but I like to believe that he is exactly what I expected. I didn't think I would meet him but I did wish for it and really consider what my life would look like while with him... 

So did I count my chickens before they hatched, or did I take the information about the possibility of meeting someone and know it would happen so I didn't let the saying get to me???

Do we interpret what we are told by these people and increase the chances of it really happening? And therefore cut out the chances of failure or disappointment?

LIFE

From when we are little we are prepared by our parents that there is a big bad world out there and most of the time it ends up consuming us. In our societies and cultures we are groomed into categories and specific mindsets that were created to give us boundaries. We walk around planning and dreaming of making our lives perfect, but in reality we know the success of it is limited. Most people anticipate transforming their dreams into reality. Instead, it lies separate to our lives and is something that keeps us going and motivated. Why not live that dream and have the power to control it?

I know and believe there is  no way we can determine the outcome of every situation, but when we count those chickens before they hatch there is excitement, enthusiasm and hope that somehow gives us the power to change our perspective.  We imagine a different outcome, something positive to try and lift us from a world full of negativity. Each day we live life with hope and this hope does include success or failure and therefore we live in-between the two constantly nurturing the possibility of the outcome. 

Interpretations

This cliché was evolved around the idea that, we cannot assume what we want till it is in our hands and is completely our own. This can refer to a number of things from physical objects, to actual events in life or dreams and goals. All we can really do is hope things will happen or wish for the result we want. 

In the video above a bike rider links the cliché to an actual event. Coming to the end of the race he presumes he has the race "in the bag", its all his and he has the title of a winner. However in that moment when he may have been imagining the trophy and his success, a fatal mistake causes him to loose and inevitable shattering his dreams.  

If we refer back to the saying and think literally using the example of a chicken farmer, we can see how he will presume the possibility of loss or a negative outcome.  So the loss of a few chicks allows him to measure up the scenario in reality even though he would prefer to hatch all the eggs. 

The saying constricts and limits us not too expect much. From this we avoid disappointment and usually try to picture the worst. In my opinion we have taught ourselves that life can really be out of our control and therefore we don't live our dreams instead we imagine them and the various ways that they could one day be a possibility.

Where it comes from

Who Said It: Aesop
When: c. 570 B.C.
The Story behind the line originates from the Greek slave, Aesop. He wrote a large amount of fables which, usually illustrated a single point.
It was based around the tale about "The Milkmaid and Her Pail." Patty, a farmer's daughter, is daydreaming as she walks to town with a pail of milk balanced on her head. Her thoughts: "The milk in this pail will provide me with cream, which I will make into butter, which I will sell in the market, and buy a dozen eggs, which will hatch into chickens, which will lay more eggs, and soon I shall have a large poultry yard. I'll sell some of the fowls and buy myself a handsome new gown and go to the fair, and when the young fellows try to make love to me, I'll toss my head and pass them by." At that moment, Patty tossed her head and lost the pailful of milk.  Therefore ending all the dreams and possibilities which, could have come from the milk. In theory Aesop is saying if we let our dreams get ahead of ourselves the outcome usually can be disappointing.

Is this always the case? Do we have to constantly be careful and protect ourselves from the pain and negativity or can this saying be challenged. And instead can we live in the moment and embrace what the outcome is with a positive attitude?

© 1975 - 1981 by David Wallechinsky & Irving Wallace
Reproduced with permission from "The People's Almanac" series of books.
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