Wednesday Wisdom #1

For the past six months or so, every Sunday night, I've posted an inspiring quote on instagram. As a Pinterest-quote addict myself, I always find that it helps me end the week/start a new week on a positive note. These quotes usually get a pretty good response - everyone needs a wee boost during Sunday night blues, right?! - so I wanted to find a way to work it into my blog.

I thought about doing a Motivational Monday series a la the lovely Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter, but I know that is quite a common one, so I decided to start posting mine on a Wednesday! Hopefully they can act as a little mid-week mood lifter, just to remind me (and you guys) of the positive vibes we started the week with, when the weekend still seems a little bit further away than we might like!

My Instagram - @lynseymac1
Original Source - Pinterest

This week I decided on this lovely quote from novelist and screenwriter John Irving. This quote can really apply to any aspect of life, from your relationships to your hobbies, but at the moment I'm going to be relating it to career!

A few nights ago I was out for a catch up with some of my friends, and one of them was talking about her day at work. At the end of describing her hectic afternoon, she said she felt lucky to love her job so much, and it really struck a chord with me. It seemed so amazing to hear her say that, because honestly? Most of the people I know tolerate their job at most - many of them actively dislike it. And there really is nothing worse than living for the weekend - sitting at a desk feeling bored or stressed and watching the clock, counting down the hours till 5pm on Friday! When so much of our lives ends up being taken up working, it's awful that for so many people the hours spent in their jobs are unhappy ones.

I think so many people settle for a job that is there in front them because the thought of going after something we really want feels too overwhelming, or like too much of a risk. But if you're lucky enough to have a passion for something you could potentially make a living from, create an opportunity to make it a reality!! There's a temptation to see the things we're passionate about as "just a hobby", or a pipe dream, but you really never know unless you try! It could be as simple as finding the right contact by sending out a couple of emails, or starting your own blog to showcase what you can do. They say if you find a job you love you never have to work a day in your life, and I genuinely wish we could all have that. Especially when we are young and free of responsibilities like babies and mortgages, we should try to figure out what we're passionate about and go after it. Saying that, there really is no age limit on going after what you want. Even if it doesn't work out, you'll know you had the guts to try!

Happy Wednesday everyone - hope you're having a great week. Follow me on instagram @lynseymac1 to watch out for next week's quote on Sunday night!

Thanks for reading!

The Next Chapter

source

Yesterday was kind of the end of an era. I worked my final shift in the part time job I've had for over three and a half years, and said goodbye to the ludicrously early starts - a 5am rise every Saturday and Sunday! - to prepare for my Australian adventure! As many people know, it wasn't exactly the job of my dreams and was something I took on to make money through uni, never expecting to have to keep it on for quite so long after I graduated.

Working in a supermarket, or any kind of shop/retail environment teaches you a LOT about people. The nice ones and the not so nice ones. You learn how to deal with every sort of person you could imagine, so while I have constantly complained about how much I hate it, I know that this job has probably served me well in preparing me for whatever sort of career I end up making a go of in the near future.


source

And now it's time to look forward to whatever comes next! Going off to Australia is going to be an amazing experience for me, however long I stay for and whatever I get up to while I'm there because it's the furthest I've ever stepped outside of my comfort zone! Taking off on this adventure on my own is definitely going to be a big change, but I think it'll do me the world of good! Especially now when times are tough in terms of money and jobs are few and far between. Stepping out of your comfort zone isn't always easy, but it's necessary.

This is one of my favourite quotes, from CS Lewis. It's so true - change is sometimes scary, but we can't move forward without it.


source

How do you feel about change in 2013? Is there something you've always wanted to do, but been too scared to go for it? Make this the year to change that and go after whatever it is you want - we can cheer each other on in the comments below :)

Thanks so much for reading guys - all quotes courtesy of the wonderous site that is Pinterest!

Quote of the Day #1

I saw this lovely little quote on Pinterest today and it made me smile. Firstly, because I love Winnie the Pooh, and secondly because it's such a lovely way to look at things.

Pinterest

It really is true, every day has the potential to be amazing, if you go for it. It might not feel like it sometimes, but the potential really is there.

Today I worked my fifth last shift in my part time job, which after three and a half years is quite a strange feeling. An amazing feeling since I never intended to still be there this long after I graduated (thanks for that, recession!!), but also scary because it signals just how close I'm getting to my travels. With my visa in place, my flights all sorted and my 'to do' lists filling up the notebook beside me it's all getting very real. After my little freak out last week though I'm feeling a lot more settled about it, and I think that little quote really reflects that :)

So, now I'm off to get myself organised for some drinks in town with my lovely best friend - my new cat print top from H&M (pictured in this post here) will be worn for the first time - I may add an OOTD photo into this post later if I like it! I'm also trying to contain my excitement about the fact that tomorrow I'm off to see Les Mis for the second time... that very thought got me through my shift this morning :P

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend :) Let me know what you've been up to!

Lynsey xxx

And the Freak Out Begins!

Pinterest

Quotes make me happy. It sounds a bit daft, but some of my favourite posts to read are quote related; uplifting little messages that put a smile on your face when things around you seem a bit gloomy! Today I heard some pretty bleak stories on the news, witnessed a handful of arguments unfold on twitter but even just on a more personal level I had myself a crazy little panic attack about my upcoming travels!

Pinterest

With just a little over five weeks to go, today I started the (what I'm sure is natural!) panic of the 'what ifs'. What if I can't get a job? What if I can't find a place to live? What if I get horribly homesick and want to come home right away? When it comes right down to it, I know that I have family in Sydney so I have that nice little comfort blanket, but being a natural worrier and never having done anything like this before, I'm succeeding in going over and over all of these questions in my head this week - which is maybe a good thing. I'd rather get the freak out out of my system now than the week I leave!

Pinterest

Anyway, when I start to do this, one of my favourite places on the internet to visit is Pinterest! Searching the board for happy thoughts, inspiring quotes and cute little images instantly brightens up my day - and I know it does the same for a lot of people! So, I think I'm going to dedicate one post a week to inspiring/happy thoughts quotes and chat. While I love reading these myself, I'd love to think it might brighten up someone else's day, or motivate someone who needs it :)

When all else fails, right?! Pinterest

So, if any of you took a gap year abroad, or went travelling with friends, family or a partner over the past few years and have any stories to help calm me down on my little freak out day, I'd love to hear them! Please leave them in the comments below, or tweet me at @lynseymac1 :)

Lynsey xxx