I GOT FIRED (BY A GIRL) AND I, EVENTUALLY, LIKED IT

November 14, 2017November 14, 20172 Comments

A quick succession of close but momentous events meant that in one fortnight, a few necessary chapters closed, at the exact moment many others opened for business. If I didn’t live through it myself, I wouldn’t believe it to be true. Even now, only some few weeks later is it all beginning to sink in. As expected, these changes are uncomfortable, exciting, and exactly as they should be.

For the path that I drafted was not to be. It is an unpredictable life and it was frivolous of me to expect that things would play out with the miraculous nature that I had once hoped for. But change without a plan is foolish so it was with the best of intentions that the original endeavours I set out to conquer, were established. If you’ve been following along, you would have ridden passenger for the ups and downs that have been the last seven months of my life. Or, ‘life after corporate’ as it is more affectionately labelled.

It was in two minds that I made this leap. With all the blind confidence I could muster, I made big plans to change the world and continue the journey I had begun of pushing the ’emotional intelligence’ agenda to those in need and questionably, those not so. On one hand, I was full of steam, motivated by the momentum garnered from a series of awakenings. On the other hand, I now realise, I sub-consciously expected it all to fail as it did – in all of its splendid, mundane and underwhelming glory. I was not prepared, I had not planned (as much as is needed when throwing one’s stability away), and I was not yet free of the conditioning that the prior 18 years had placed on my working, and consequently, daily mindset.

I toyed with different routines and routes, but I was still unravelling. It’s a dangerous place to be because your conditioned expectations leave you clinging to familiarity, to safety. Growth is meant to be uncomfortable. If it was easy, everybody would be pressing the eject button. The world needs you to stay comfortable. To stick to what you know, or what you think you know. Wake up, caffeinate, dance for the money, rinse, wash, repeat. Don’t ask questions, do not pass go, do not collect $200. Unless you dance on weekends, or away from your family, or in dangerous places; then yes – you get the extra clams. Kudos?

So as mentioned, the money/plan eventually dried out. I did what any semi-sane person would do and I applied for a triage of roles that ranged from unwarranted to downright out of my league. I landed in the sparkliest one I could find and pushed hard for a role that I thought was equally challenging and exciting. It scored extra points for tickling my ego in a fickle industry. I gave it my all and quickly remembered that my capabilities were greater than my confidence alludes to. Some big red flags came up quickly. I verbalised them within my private network but vowed to go on. I had stayed in my last workplace for almost six years. Leaving within a month was unfamiliar territory that I had not prepared myself for.

I had many personal victories in the role and I took these as a sign to keep going despite the noise in the background. But’s that the thing. When the noise is a person, a manager, an owner; you can’t just wish it away – as I did. It was gutless of me but I didn’t want for confrontation any more than I hoped that everything would just work out. I voiced my concerns in a manner of ways which were both constructive and unconstructive. But in the end, it didn’t matter. The alarm bells were ringing, the red flags were flapping, and the sparkly option was beginning to show itself for what it was – a polished turd rolled in the most tremendous colours and coruscation.

And it was with this attitude that the best decision to be placed on me consequently occurred – I was fired! I felt immediate relief. Followed by a sting of pain. A hit to the ego, a shot fired into the rationality of the irrational situation I had placed myself in. A sadness for the loss of customer relationships I had made, and for the successes, I had achieved. But mostly, a relief. There are always two sides to every story – yours, mine, and the truth. But, I can assure you; I was both a lot better and a lot worse than this story tells. ‘Irreconcilable differences’ are what the divorce papers would say, and I couldn’t say it better myself.

So, it is with the low-lows that we, the people of hope and good vibes, await the high-highs. And what a surprisingly short wait, this one was. It was on the very same day of the private flogging that I received good news from one of the faculty from my University. A high distinction for both my final assignment and overall grade in Consumer Behaviour. The irony is not lost. “I’m very impressed with your academic maturity and approach to this assignment. You should seriously consider taking further academic courses to MA if not your initial plan, or beyond if it was! This assignment clearly demonstrates your deep understanding of CB theory and I feel your analysis and application is excellent. Great work. Well done.” Dr. Thornton – Lead Tutor.

Literally three days after this emotional rollercoaster, I get a message from the international team at Airbnb Experiences. That beer and food tour I proposed for shits n gigs – grew some hairy, hop-loving legs! Airbnb are launching this extension of their business in Melbourne, and after hustling to get all my ducks in a row; I pitched, nailed it and am very much looking forward to hosting the inaugural ‘Beer + Bites’ tours in Melbourne, later this month. They say do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life….and well, I am pretty fond of beer.

But between kicking a few goals academically and entrepreneurially, I was still left with a gaping hole in my capacity, schedule, and wallet. Re-enter Vivo Marketing, stage left. I have been working with a good friend and colleague on her business since she celebrated a successful first year of strategic and executional marketing consultation (post an impressive slew of big corp and FMCG experience). As the business changed and evolved, my involvement weighed up and down depending on need and desire. The fluidity has been a welcomed relief around other commitments that had very little.

Almost as if it were meant to be, a new phase of growth in the business literally appeared the week the axe was swung. More importantly, opportunities to use my strengths and dabble in my passions became more present than previously possible. So, it is with this new opportunity that I will focus on my love of strategy, people management, and my absolute favourite – brand aesthetics. Working alongside a small business owner who is flexible and open to ideas, has a growth mindset and is not wedded to things that aren’t working, is well, such a great trait of a true leader. I hope we grow the shit out of this business together.

I wish that was all I have to tell you but the truth is there are even more doors opening. Things are on track (a slower track, but a track nonetheless) for my co-working space to launch early 2018. The furniture is in, the art is up on the walls, and the space looks amazing. It is a complete turnaround from what is looked like six or so months ago. The website is coming along (slowly) and as soon as the photos are complete, it will be time to advertise, interview and open!

But wait, there’s more. No, I’m not even joking and you don’t get the free steak knives…just yet. We’re nearly there.

My emotional intelligence and ikigai missions continue their lifelong journeys, as promised. The difference is that now they occur at a much slower and targeted pace as their manifestations continue to evolve, adapt, or die off. This fortnight of possibilities continued in its fortuity with the national broadcasting commission putting out a call for new podcast ideas (yes Aussies – the ABC). I have been brewing on my idea since I got together with you all to head over to MIT last year. That is, I want to open up the conversation about people’s purpose, their reason for getting out of bed in the morning, their ikigai. I want to explore the thousands of different jobs, careers, and callings that people get dressed for and head out the door to, each and every morning. I find out whether this concept has any shtick in December. Cross all your fingers and toes.

Look, we’re at 1496 words so I must be getting close to the end, right? Right! I want to leave you with a bit of information that I learned recently from a ground-breaking study completed by UC Berkeley psychology professor and expert on the science of emotions, Dacher Keltner. He and Alan Cowen, a doctoral student in neuroscience also at UC Berkeley have discovered that human emotions span a spectrum of 27 distinct dimensions, not 6 as previously described. Moreover, in contrast to the notion that each emotional state is felt in isolation, the study found that “there are smooth gradients of emotion between, say, awe and peacefulness, horror and sadness, and amusement and adoration. We don’t get finite clusters of emotions in the map because everything is interconnected. Emotional experiences are much richer and more nuanced than previously thought’, the pair discussed in a recent article.

Doesn’t this just fill your head with so much curiosity?! We have such a long way to go in terms of understanding, communicating, and learning about the full spectrum of these human emotions. With more focus here, we can begin to uncover the next waves of human evolution which will come from understanding ourselves and our fellow man better. Heck, even the implications for user experience and business are beyond our current realm of capability. It’s an exciting time for this discovery.

If you were on the edge of your seat…wonder no more. The 27 human emotions, are – admiration, adoration, aesthetic appreciation, amusement, anger, anxiety, awe, awkwardness, boredom, calmness, confusion, craving, disgust, empathic pain, entrancement, excitement, fear, horror, interest, joy, nostalgia, relief, romance, sadness, satisfaction, sexual desire, surprise.

Ok, you made it. Well done. It’s a lot to take in. I am truly a multipotentialite in every sense of the word and as such, it is time to stop with the incessant application of safety net options. It is time to go it alone, to seek the road less travelled, to adopt a reasonable answer to the increasingly tricky question, “what do you do?”. But that is the least of my concerns at this moment because for the first time in a long time, I truly feel both happy and content. I run my own timetable, work with a variety of wonderful people, feel challenged daily, move my body lots more, drink way less, work fewer hours, and am much more productive overall. I’m literally like a beaming ray of fucking sunshine in this moment. I am a better friend, a better wife, a kinder person to myself, and a more conscious citizen.

2018 is going to be a big year, for us all. Watch out world!

ZB xx

*Cover Image: Winston the Whale, Final Image: Lisa Larsen, 1949

CHAPTER 153: A CHANGE IN PACE

August 25, 2017Leave a comment

Life has slowed down. But it is not quiet. It is filled with a plethora of activity, both old and new. Some of it is useful, a lot of it – undecided, and a fair portion; utterly useless. The full-time sabbatical has come to a halt but the transformation from it, still very much underway.

I have come to enjoy my own company so much more in these past few months. Perhaps, too much. Who can be sure? What is the ‘right’ amount? I struggle to remember mundane memories from the past but I’m quite sure that I was never fully relaxed for days on end with only myself for entertainment. It turns out when alone, I am a multitude of the human experience. I am frequently lethargic and sloth like, creeping from room to room searching for motivation and action but more often finding pacifiers for my monkey mind. But I have this clarity over that time like never before. In fact, it has come to my recent attention that this constant fatigue I face may not be within the realms of acceptable. And so, with this extra time – I have been able to spend more time with the experts to try to understand what it is I have done to my body. Or, what in fact, it is doing to me.

For the first time in the longest time I can remember, I am starting to have a positive relationship with my body. No, not that heebie jeebie body love stuff. We are a long way from that. More so; a foundational awareness of its capabilities, downfalls and underlying connection to everything else that I identify as myself. I’ve come across a fascinating amount of research that supports my recent discovery that the body carries more of our mental scars that we give it credit for. The physical scars are obvious; weight, immune system, digestives, physical marks/aches/pains from wars past. But the mental scars on the body are not as obvious. In fact, mine were so well hidden under a busy job, largely intoxicated social life, and sheets of depression – that I never considered the symptoms that now seem blindingly obvious.

Me owning the shit out of…something.

Just like those of us who suffer from stress or trauma-related bruxism (excessive grinding or jaw clenching), it turns out this unconscious and unrelenting muscular grip can appear across many places in the body. I’m sure many of you can relate to excessive tightness in your neck or upper back when you’ve had a particularly stressful week. Now imagine this pain all over your body, for years on end. It’s exhausting. This ‘muscle-armoring’ puts your body in a permanent state of fight or flight. This may come as a surprise to those who know me. I am usually found in a constant state of chill. But Bessel Van Der Kolk was bang on when he said that ‘the body keeps score’. Consciously and unconsciously; it most certainly does. Have a go. Clench any of your muscle groups as tight as you can for five minutes and tell me how you feel. Tired, exhausted, in pain. That’s just the short-term stuff. The unbelievable part is that I have been in physical pain for so long but the mental and emotional pain was so intense that I disregarded the aches in my body for an unbelievable amount of time. They just became a part of everyday life, albeit a skewed one.

Ah, the body. An amazing organism that needs much more credit than we ever care to give it. So I have found a yoga studio that is unlike the many I have been to before. To be honest, I’ve practiced yoga very infrequently over the past 10+ years. It never really ‘grabbed me’, so to speak. I mean, not much exercise did. I wavered through many rough battles of a hate-hate relationship with the category. It didn’t come natural. I didn’t enjoy it. I was too far into my own mental anguish to care enough about the physical benefits. Then I layered on every other excuse on top; no time, no money, no motivation, no hope. But life is not black and white, and although I am not even halfway on my journey, I have learnt that it is possible to have a different relationship with something other than love or hate. I no longer hate exercise but nor do I love it either.

Like all habits, growth, movements, progress – the change occurs in the grey space. We must adapt and evolve, or sadly; die. My money, motivation and time has come and gone but now I work with what works for me. I sweat the small stuff that leads to the big changes. I do my strength training with a trainer. And now, I do my yoga in a community and friend who are supportive and nourishing for my being. Also, it’s heated, and it turns out – these bones NEED warmth. I look forward to going on a winters morning. Who says that about winter, morning exercise?! I never thought I would. So anyway, this practice is good for me. It is fast and sweaty, and I am fully in my body during class. And then, it is peaceful and purposeful because the teachers and the community make the mundane memorable.

I have a new-found appreciation for meditation. And no, I am not ‘there yet’ either. Yes, I would like to practice it more, be better, sit stiller. But that is not the only point to be made. Meditation isn’t some Everest-type climb where you get a gold star at once you reach the top. It is becoming comfortable with your practice today. In whatever state it is in. It is a perfect reminder to get our heads out of a future that has not occurred yet. I think it would be beneficial for me to create a daily habit here but again, I am only but a human on a continual journey not a leaper of peaks and pinnacles.

I discovered this building in the middle of my city. It’s always been there. I think I’ve even walked through it. But I’ve never really noticed it until recently. Noticing things is great.

One of the other things I do now is learn more. Unstructured, informal learning. I used to feel so guilty about this. Like I was wasting my time. And I can see how many people would still see it that way. I am not learning to achieve a certificate or a qualification (and lord knows, I could do with a few more). There is no real goal or end state. It is just learning for learnings sake. That is, to grow as a human being and expand my mind and perceptions of myself and the world around me. I am not forced into specialisation or specification. Nor am I bound in a fruitless game of memory against those advantaged and disadvantaged so. For me, structured and academic learning has predominantly taken the ‘fun’ out of learning. The one size fits all methodology enables these foundational teachings to hit the widest audience but unfortunately it has then stunted, in a perpetual cycle of box ticking and slow progress.

Yes, I am still completing my Masters but I made the right decision to sit this current unit out. I completed the unit’s content across two undergrad subjects I did last year but the powers that be will not credit a postgrad unit with two very recent and well scored undergrad subs. Don’t even get me started on the practical workplace skills I have to cover this unit either. Let’s just say, I dodged a bullet anyway. This unit got more than half the enrolled students up in arms about its excessive workload, lack of any real learning, and complete cluster-fuck of responses from the University in question. Seriously guys, if you’re gonna keep charging people in this country $40,000+ for a two-year postgrad degree – you sure as hell better make it worthwhile.

I digress. Back to the elephant in the room. Yes! I went back to paid employment. Why? Because I wanted a new challenge, I wanted to work for someone great, I wanted to try a new, smaller company environment, I wanted to work with great products, I wanted to interact more with customers, I wanted to create some structure in what had become a very unstructured lifestyle. It took time to find the right place. If I told you some of the things I got rejected for on the way, you’d laugh…in horror. But my heart wasn’t in a lot of them and it showed – in my multiple failings. All for a reason though, right? Absolutely. I have landed a role that is sufficiently challenging, fast-paced, freeing, rewarding and opportunistic. And it is quite possibly the last direction I thought I’d find myself in. But that is exactly where I need to be. The obstacle is the way. To growth, pain, progress, discomfort, joy, fulfilment and oh, it’s PART TIME.

Who wouldn’t want to work at a place that sells things like this. Collection: We Go to the Gallery

I have this unbelievable balance in my life at the moment. In an average week, I:

Work in the office a few days
Do some work from home
Study formally or learn twice as much informally
Move in my body through yoga and strength training
Eat out and socialise with new friends and old
Listen to copious amount of music which I have learnt is a MUST for my soul
Slowly chip away at my future ventures – a coworking space, media plans, boutique accommodation ownership, becoming an ethics teacher…and so much more
Spend quality time with my husband; cuddling (yep), talking, eating naughty things, living, laughing and loving the shit out of each other
Go to cheap and free appointments at student clinics – I’ve had some serious wins
Explore my local neighbourhood and all it has to offer; who knew these places existed on weekdays also
Sleep like a mofo – many hours, many days
The biggest thing of all, is a lot of the time – I DO NOTHING.

Yep. Sweet-fuck-all. And it is GLORIOUS. So I’m totally not quite there yet with the guilt-free aspect on this one but that hasn’t really stopped me anyhow. I walk around the house with messy hair, in my pyjamas or gym clothes and pause for an impromptu one-woman dance party. I sing really, really loudly, often. I even have a karaoke mix which gets a fortnightly belting. I sometimes Marie Kondo (excessively organise and minimise) stuff that has been sitting there for years. I roll the skateboard under my feet while sitting at my desk looking at pictures of dogs. I water the household plants far too infrequently. I talk to the fish. I cried when one died this week. I hadn’t cried in so long.

Yes, a picture of two alpacas. What of it?

I connect with people across the world despite spending much less time on social media. I have never turned the TV on during the day in 6 months and I am a better person for it. I read. I sometimes find this unbounded motivation to do great things with my mind and my body. I think, a lot. I also don’t think, a lot. I do crosswords. I plan ahead. I miss trams and trains. But I don’t rush. I am conscious and polite in public. I have this magnified awareness. I feel sad for the state of the world then positive for the state of the youth whose relationship to the world and people is much better than previous generations. I’ve learnt so much about international politics. And not through biased news channels. I am an open mind. I sit in the sunshine as often as I can. I buy less things. I don’t cook very much still. I enjoy vacuuming. I’m learning to be a better sober friend. I’m fairly new to this. I still drink. If that’s what you were wondering. Sometimes it’s awesome. Sometime’s it’s not as awesome anymore. But that’s ok. Seasons change. Thanks Future Islands. Great song that.

I’ve obviously reached the limit of my logical thought (really?). Basically life is currently both up and down with a shitload of middle-ground spread in between it’s thick and juicy slices. I am not entirely comfortable at the moment nor am I in any discomfort. Which is nice. I would like to write more. And talk more. I really need to start that podcast or doco. One day.

Look at all of these people. Aren’t they great. I bet you there’s more good people than not out there. Let’s stop celebrating all the knob heads.

Until next time. It’s just you and me kid. Not the world or the politics or the bullshit. It’s just you and me. So be kind to yourself and each other. Let’s show those ‘cants’ that we’ve got this. Good will prevail.

Peace x

CHAPTER 77: A REAL DOOZY (EXPLETIVES NOT DELETED)

June 2, 2017December 13, 2018Leave a comment

I’m having an off day. A real doozy. One of those ones that I should really keep to myself. But if you want vulnerability; give vulnerability – right? I’m going to say that it began last night but realistically it’s probably been brewing for a while. Heck, it’s probably being brewing my whole life if you ask any good expert. Anyway, let’s move on to introductions. I was hoping that you guys wouldn’t meet but he’s resurfaced again and the timing is really bloody inconvenient. I’m hoping that by getting it out in the open, he might – well, fuck off. I have an important and unfinished Masters assignment that is currently sitting open and staring blankly at me. It understands the notion of timing and has advised that there is exactly 55 hours left until it gets handed in regardless of my doozy or old friend…so here goes.

Meet Chip. He’s a real asshole. He hasn’t been around for a while but at some points in my life, he was around for too long. He likes to sit on my shoulder and weigh me down heavily. He points out how hard done by I am, how hard life is and how unlucky I’ve been. He used to visit often but I figured him out a while back and told him to hit the road. He did. But occasionally he comes back to visit. Sometimes I don’t mind his company in small doses. He props himself up on my shoulder and begins whispering his views about the world. Always without solution. What a drainer. Nonetheless I let him go if he doesn’t pipe up too much. You know; acknowledge, move on, don’t cause too much of a scene. He’s not that bad really but every time he pays me a visit in recent years, he puts out an open invite to his other annoying mates. Many of whom, I am not cool with.

He has this one friend we’ve spoken about before – Imposter, who I just can’t seem to shake. As Chips visits die down, Imposter’s seem to be on the rise. How is this possible? If you’re leaving – take your friend’s with you. Yes, friend’s – plural. Let’s just say, no trio would be complete without a polar opposite to balance out the torment. This friend is like a Tornado; overtly confident, recklessly passionate and full of beans. He/she enters the room with full force and no matter how much I duck or weave; it is inevitable that we will collide. During this time I am overcome by false greatness. I don’t aim for the moon and reach the stars; I aim for the Milky Way and end up in another parallel fucking universe. Here, my disillusionment is completely normal, reinforcing a wake of unbelievable beliefs.

What the fuck am I saying.

Ok. So you know that I am in a ‘transition period’ currently. What a gross combination of words. I’m having a ‘life pivot’, a ‘nervous breakthrough’, a ‘period of not achieving on a societal score board’. I am proudly full steam ahead with the bigger picture goals; storytelling, boutique accommodation plans (another day), completing of a post-graduate degree, perhaps even opening a new coworking space…but. Inevitably, the short-term has caught up with me and the freight train that is financial responsibilities is steaming ahead with no signs of slowing. Perhaps I’m exaggerating, apologies. But you know, Chip is in town, and he has this effect. So anyway, the artistic freedom and joy that I am currently moving through must be balanced with actual paying work, stat. But I am obsessing and stalling and over thinking and fretting like a mutha fucker. Some days I spent hours and hours fixating on job sites. No industry categories, just a few geographical and time sensitive filters. So I am scouring like five or six sites daily, scrolling through hundreds of options. I know what you’re thinking – fucking refine!! But I don’t want to. I don’t want to be limited to one industry or one job type. I want to be open to a completely new chapter. One that I am passionate about. I don’t want to waste any more of my life being underemployed. It served its purpose but my heart cannot take it anymore. I’m not being picky. I’m being purposeful. So far, it’s been disastrous. Just to be clear, I am very aware of the three types of roles that are open to us all. I could get…

A job – it might be on the pathway to a career or vocation but generally, you are paid for your time rather than your skills. Oh my gosh. That hurts to write. I know this one too well. I even managed to climb the ‘job ranks’ and get paid reasonably well which kept the self-perpetuating cycle of staying in the ‘job’ drawn out even longer.

A career – requires much more time commitment either through qualifications or on the job training. The longer you spend specialising in a specific area; the more likely you are to have greater responsibilities and pay. I think this is where I have fucked up majorly. Yet it could never have been any other way. I spent so much time doing job’s that I didn’t love – that I ended up making a career out of an occupation that I have zero fucking interest in. Ouch.

A vocation – working ‘mecca’ if you will. A position that brings immense satisfaction. A calling, a lifelong partnership, fulfilment, purpose, meaning. They say that a lot of the time, these ‘vocations’ are selfless works. People helping people, people helping animals, people helping the environment. You may be familiar with one of these if it applies to you. A vocation has also been described as the innate ability in an individual towards a particular occupation. I like that definition.

So this makes it easy then; stop being so fussy and find a job that pays the bills asap? Bzzzzz wrong. I just can’t. I have this blockage. I literally cannot apply for something that I don’t believe in, not even at a ‘job’ level. I have to have some sort of appetite for the product or the brand or the role. But that can be something as simple as pouring delicious, craft beers – in this regards, I really am-not fussy. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty, picking or packing, pouring or storing. I’m not looking for a ‘sexy’ job (though there could be some cash in that field hehe). I am open to stumbling across a job, career, or vocation. But as I want to keep my entrepreneurial snowballs rolling, I consciously made the decision not to look for or apply to any ‘jobs’ or ‘careers’ that weren’t part-time. Like we’ve discussed; a part time role will offer structure and financial benefits but without wholly consuming my entire life and energy sources.

But I do have exceptions. Of course, life is uncertain so a healthy level of flexibility is a must. If a ‘vocation’ role was to come up; of course, I would throw my invisible rule book out the window. So let’s just say that a week ago, one did. It snuck into my part-time filter and blew me away with the best role description I’ve ever seen. It was perfect. An aspirational role that I felt fully and wholly capable of blowing out of the park. I wanted to be the best goddamn *insert role title* that the industry had ever seen. And I would have been. I would have set new benchmarks, led with great esteem, and helped grow this unbelievable social SME into a global powerhouse.

Except for one problem. I didn’t even get to interview stage. Huh? Well on paper, it looks like I have zero fucking experience in this field. And doggone, I think they’re right. I don’t. So why the fuck did I apply? Because I have the soft skills to slay this role. I have a robust emotional vocabulary. I have an insatiable curiosity about people. Why do you think I am doing a Master of Marketing? Not because I believe I can be the best advertiser or researcher or communicator the world has ever seen. But because I am fascinated with human behaviour and decision-making and the power of brands to influence. I am doing an intensive post grad degree so that I have options to continue my studies further down the track in my passion areas of psychology, sociology, anthropology and philosophy.

I know my strengths and weaknesses. And I am crystal clear on the trough that is – my resume. I understand that I have a wealth of experience across a spectrum of impressive areas, few of which match up to my current passions or future aspirations. I am vulnerable (see above text). I think I am a good judge of character and continually improving as the years go on. I see people blindly regardless of their physicality’s or specs on paper. I see their motivations and desires. Their behaviours when everyone is watching and especially when everyone is not. I take a complete 360 view of each individual before I begin to draw a picture of them. I love pushing them to greatness; ironing out creases, jumping hurdles alongside them, offering a hand up to the podium, and clapping loudly when they are rewarded for effort.

I get results. But I haven’t been measuring. It’s inauthentic to me. But it comes at a cost. I am now unable to leverage these occurrences for my own future growth. If one where to look over my job titles, they would rightfully not see the coaching, the hard conversations, the strategic influence, the deep relationships, the radical inclusion or the benefit I have brought to the teams I have worked in. Get them to be my references? It’s not that easy. For deep, authentic work often goes on behind the scenes, inside and outside of workplaces. It is a powerful yet subtle occurrence. It is unseen though heavily impactful. It is fulfilling for both the giver and the receiver.

So what now? I applied for a job that I have the skills to do but not the qualifications or experience for and I didn’t even get close. I’m not going to lie, it stings. But I get why. But it still stings. Ok. So I needed to get this all out so that I can get my head back in the game. I need Chip, the Imposter, and that overly confident (or delusional) Tornado to fuck off so I can regroup with what I’ve got and move forward. Because that is the biggest risk. Not in applying for jobs, careers or vocations that are beyond my paper limits, but in getting caught up in the expected and unexpected results when things don’t go my way. Pick yourself up, dust yourself and move fucking forward. Chip is heavy when I’m still but he can barely hold on when I’m moving forward. Weeeeeeeeeeee.

I’m trying to be patient. There is a universal plan with my name on it and with some level of hope, these setbacks are all a part of it. That dream role would have taking me away from my storytelling and maybe my storytelling is going to be a bigger part of the picture than I realise? Goddamn it storytelling, why can’t you be more provocative?! Dance for the people, make them realise how important you are to the world even though you aren’t all colourful and flashy. Your slow gratification is fulfilling but they’re looking for a quick fix. And help pay some of my bills while you’re at it. I’m giving you my time and abilities, will there come a day when you give me more than mental and artistic progression? Why isn’t there more ‘writers in residence’? Is that even a thing? How unsexy. Imagine that; boutique hotel has scribbles of paper all over the walls, writer sits in a glass room scrawling pointless ramblings down at a rate of knots whilst people watch on and try to disseminate the quiet, incoherent mumblings.

Lordy. 2000 words and I’m still not sure I can get back to my assignment. It’s going to be a long few days. Maybe I need to take this website off my resume?? Eep!!

Zig x

Chapter 54: Decision Time

May 10, 2017May 10, 2017Leave a comment

The strangest thing about not working is being accountable to yourself. There is no one to answer to. No one to instruct you, guide you, discipline you. It is a huge lesson in self accountability which sits strangely alongside a stream of honour. It is an honour to live your life freely. To immerse oneself in the human-ness of being. To feel the ups and downs in all their rawness and to not be shrouded in modern-day ailments such as tiredness, busyness or exhaustion. This freedom is as exciting as it is terrifying. With all this head space, more questions arise than answers. What does my perfect day look like? What do I actually want to spend my time doing? It’s as if all the hopes and dreams that made up your escape plan changed form. Suddenly, and without notice, you are engaged in a game of Guess Who – except the faces are your future plans. It is on this board game that you are presented with a number of turn offs. It seems like more than before but really these options have always been there. It is your perception that has changed. In taking off the corporate cloak, the comfort and familiarity that once clouded your view has disappeared, leaving a clear runway awaiting your next move.

So what are these options, you may be wondering? Well let’s start with the most obvious and socially acceptable one – go back to corporate. Head back to the grind, the office, the desk job, the emotionally contained, the safe, the well paid, the Monday to Friday, high pressure, high performance , instantly rewarding; 9 to 5. The obvious drawcard is the financial security, followed loosely by the structure and sense of leading with direction. Management set tasks; I complete tasks; I am rewarded with a sense of achievement. I’ve been amazed to find how much I miss this fickle sense of accomplishment. Tied to it were my hours, my energy, my effort, my time away from the things I loved, and time away from my human-ness. When you put it like that, it makes complete sense that I wrapped up a sizeable portion of my self-worth in these endeavours. Though, too often I would think about the worthiness of it on a larger scale. Am I actually any good at this work and is there opportunity for growth? Am I passionate about this, do I really love the tasks? And then the ever-growing elephant in the room; is what I am doing contributing to the greater good in the world? I can tell you now, often the answer to these was a resounding ‘no’.

The next option was a ‘think-less’ job. A few shifts per week, non-corporate, low stress, low responsibility. A ‘job’ rather than a ‘career’ type role. It has merits. The obvious one, again, being dollars in the bank (though perhaps not so many as the prior option). But the flexibility of its unstructured nature would allow some level of breathing space to commit to other more purposeful side projects. Depending on the field, this job has the potential to bring…joy! Maybe even fun, connection, and who knows what other invaluable qualities. But herein may lie a self-placed-trap. This option may provide a outlet to hide away from progress and moving forward. A cozy, noncommittal option to waste precious resources such as time and talent.

Which brings me to my next option and the one many of you have been waiting for or perhaps expecting; the passionate entrepreneur. There I’d go – skipping down the road, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. With a suitcase full of big and bold ideas and a taut stomach ready for the onslaught of start-up punishment. My heavy head appears tilted as the depleted left brain is outweighed by the right; drowned in a sea of failures, pivots and empty pay cheques. It is a continual dig into an endless mine of possibilities. Lump of coal after dirty, filthy; lump of coal. We fill the lorry in the hope that one of these days that big shiny diamond will appear and make this often thankless expedition all worth it. This lifestyle is a volatile one. A mix of hard work, finding the right people, and an unwavering commitment to solving the worlds biggest and most immediate problems. I am reminded of the sizeable amount of personal effort this option requires.

Which brings me closer to the option with the least amount of strain. It is none of the above. For me, anyway. It is the last and final option and questionably the most confronting. And no, it is not the dole line, albeit tempting. This option is financially unstable. Structurally insecure. It is not guided or managed. There are no VCs dying to invest and there are no key performance indicators providing clear metrics. There is no immediate reward or socially acceptable management structure holding me to account. There will be no reward or disciple depending on my outcomes. Yet somehow, there are still be a number of pro’s. There will be a strong need in this pathway to continue to self-structure, lead and hold oneself accountable. It is comical that as a highly functioning species, this self-regulating option is such a foreign one. It’s as if we have been taught to colour in the lines but can only do so when being supervised.

You’re still not catching what I’m throwing, are you? I get it. I sound cryptic. It is time for the big reveal and I am being coy, stalling almost. Perhaps I am afraid of what you’ll think. Or afraid of my own harsh judgements, of the reality of the situation. Because even as I try to put into words what this fourth option entails; I, myself, struggle to find the right title. The right explanation. The right position description for a role that really does not have one. As I boxed myself into my former roles, it was easy to provide a title. Manager, Coordinator, Co-Founder. Though the titles rarely described the actions undertaken, they did allow you to form some sort of image in your mind.

But this last option, potentially my most purposeful prospect yet, is well….beyond titles. It is not within a scope or confined to a few sheets of A4 paper. Yet I must try to translate but a section of its capacity if I’m to bring closure to your wondering minds and bring hope to my ailing heart. So here goes. From one angle, I guess you could describe my new purpose as a STORYTELLER. You may think of it as a writer, an author, a sharer, a thinker, a philosopher, a different perspective, a teacher, a word sleuth. From another angle, it will take form as a PRESENTER; a visual communicator, a mass media patron, an appealer to those that will listen and an interest piquer for those who may not.

For I have come to understand that my well wishes to teach a good few may not be as fruitful as the capacity of scale that is held within film, video, audio and the written word. If successful, our messages have the potential to reach the unreachable. The moving image is downloadable, transferable, scalable, discussable, and most importantly, thinkable. I have avoided being seen for long enough but I no longer care for my ego ruling my life decisions. I will park the fears of judgement, the appearance issues, the anxiety beast, and the kicking and screaming ego to one side as I focus on getting across the right message to the right people. I want to continue on the “ikigai” journey and scour the globe for those meaningful stories that bring us all hope. What are the most resounding reasons-for-being and what gets people out of bed, happily, in the morning?

See I told you it would be complex. But I believe in your capability to think laterally. And I am beginning to believe in myself. That my purpose is to guide and connect. To bring people together and to highlight our commonalities and humanness. Though they do not come regularly, my words come freely and I hope they provide some thought provocation for those patient enough to stop by. But it is truly the verbal expression where the greatest impact lies. Discussion, conversation, facilitation. The face to face immersion in all its non-verbal glory patiently awaits these stories to be told.

I’ll be sure to get something on the side to pay the bills because well…LIFE (the house didn’t sell)…but hey, what’s it all for if not for trying. So I’ll film a few pilots. Write a few stories. Interview a few wise and weird folks. I’ll give this unforeseen pathway a chance to breathe and see if we can grow it into something tremendous. It might be a slow burn or perhaps alight much quicker but either way, at least it’ll be enjoyable. Choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life – right?

ZB x

Chapter 31: A New Dream

April 5, 2017April 6, 2017Leave a comment

And so it came to pass, that the aspirational lifestyle no longer served its purpose. It was time to move on. To regroup together as mind, body and soul – and ask ourselves what was giving us energy and what was draining us so. Together we twisted and contorted, turned left and then right. We got angry and frustrated. We got depressed and empty. We did our very best to squeeze our square little selves into the roundest of round holes. Although the roles began as somewhat fulfilling, the long-term sticking point came from the people. There were laughs and banter. A collective common as we fought to utilise our greatest strengths and squash the bits that strayed outside of the lines. We rode the highs together and we bonded strongly during the lows. We flowed together as a pool of conflicting personalities – all heading in the same direction but crashing and rebuilding through our own personal rapids. We worked hard, we were accountable. There was a pride in our work, our product. There was an openness of speech and humility in response. There were people driven by ego and there were lots that were not. I enjoyed it for the most part but it was time for growth, autonomy and new connections. It was time for the next chapter.

I never wanted to work in “corporate” growing up. I never dreamt that I would spend 5 days a week sitting on my ass in front of a machine that would dominate my every waking hour. I never dreamt that life would become a chore – a never-ending day of the same routine. Wake up tired, drag myself to some sort of physical activity, transit amongst other sick and depressed looking people, work passionately and longingly to build someone else’s dream – usually Shareholders of some sort – go home exhausted, not effectively communicate with my husband, drown out the pain with low functioning TV or aspirational personal work till the wee hours, toss and turn through the night with ghosts of lives past, rinse, cycle, repeat.

God. When you put it like that, it’s a wonder I ever made it out of bed at all. And to be honest, most days I barely did. I was a walking zombie. One for whom coffee was not an option. I couldn’t even drug myself to function on the required level. So one day I decided to sleep when I could, in the morning. And so I started a bit later and my productivity levels and serotonin drastically lifted. Once I got past the judging looks of those early risers and at worse, my own inner demons – I didn’t look back. Feeling more balanced that I had in years. It was a credit to my final managers that this change in routine was never questioned. Finally an evolution in perception, where the quantity and quality of work completed at last outweighed the insignificance of hours in the chair.

My corporate alter ego – Zombie Rob.

So if this was never the dream, then why was I here so many years later? Well, why do you think? Remuneration was not a desire but a survival factor. I was out on my own, paying to put a roof over my head at 17 and food on the table which no longer magically appeared each time I sat down. I had started in different industries but a series of unfortunate events had led me to the environmental and financial stability of the modern working office. I was lucky enough to work for some fun brands, national and international icons but at the end of the day, once you have spent enough time anywhere – it is no longer about the sport, the art, or the fun – it becomes about the bottom line. Or sometimes the poor management. Or the archaic patriarchal structures that has served these companies for generations past. I dug my heels in occasionally, speaking up for change and fairness. I was met with looks of shock or admiration depending on the evolution of the individual. It was often empowering. Often disheartening. Often frustrating. Efficiency, workplace progression, fairness – these were all things that the machine did not have room for. Unless you had a fancy title, then suddenly these words had more power. Or at the very least, the person’s hearing them, heard them with more intensity.

I can hear the chip on my shoulder as my thoughts spill out. I would be lying if I said there was no damage done. But it is not for me to blame an individual, a team, a company, or the social and business structures that have allowed our world to revolve around an economic model that has left us modern slaves to high salaries. The perfect picture has been painted in this lucky country we call Australia and it involves coming home late to your children and losing contact with your friends because you no longer have the time or energy to give back to yourself. We put so much of our energy and effort keeping the beast turning over. We feed it our blood, sweat and tears so that it can continue to grow year on year. For it can never be big enough. It can never stop growing. It will never grow so large that it self implodes, spilling out expired executives and oozing out the skeletons of the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed people that entered so long ago.

Or will it? We are at the start of a global revolution where the user-generated economy is taking an axe to previously dominated industries. This wave of startups and change makers finally have the technology to harness a scale that was never before possible. And as it does, not only will there be a somewhat re-balancing act of the ants and elephants…but it will allow the next wave of workplace robots to evaluate what they value most and hedge their bets accordingly.

I hedged some great bets. I was gifted safety, security, stability. I had some truly great workplaces, worked with more capable people than I care to remember, attended some great events, led some big projects, and made many people feel supported directly or not. But with every action comes a reaction and so it has come that my actions and reactions are screaming for change. It is time to try something different. I walked out full of beans. With big plans and a full agenda of extra curricula activities to maintain momentum and continue on the path of saving the world from itself through education and evolution of the mind.

The new dream – how good are burritos!

It is less than a week into this new life before the first hurdle strikes. The reality that an overly ambitious deadline has been long missed is accompanied by a hasty reminder that hopes-and-dreams are no match for execution-and-action. So after a few days of mixed emotion and energy resetting, I find a present moment where I can be grateful for the space to do this. To allow the natural timeline needed for the ups and downs of life is but the greatest gift of all. There is time for healing, energy for physical and mental exertion where only you are the beneficiary, there is an openness and a longing for awe – something large in scale and nature to take our breath away and remind us that our problems are not so but thinking makes them this way.

In a “normal” set of events, we would rush through these moments – parking them in the back closet along with those elusive “stress” responses, our deepest fears, and our greatest ambitions. There is no time to consider these things as real and unique to us. There are presentations to build, children to feed and idiots in the traffic to yell at. Our energy is great in its form but it is constantly projected out to those we work for, those we love, and those we love to hate. We give this energy willingly because it feels normal. But it is us who have normalised it. We have chosen paths and words and responsibilities that mean we will forever be tied to offloading our energy for the benefit and detriment of those around us.

But this energy is ours. It can be harnessed and utilised. It can be focused and channeled, and streamlined for our benefit. And when this happens, guess what? We benefit those around us so much more. It is an old sentiment. We know it to be true. But who has time to implement it, let alone give it the head space for implementation? It is much easier to agree and then walk away. Until the next article or study comes out and we nod in agreement again and walk away all the same. Without this time and energy to strategically think about our own lives, we will always continue on the same trajectory. A comfortable path that cocoons us in paid bills, the odd “escape”, and the nice feeling we get when we know that we are colouring in between the lines.

Me post-corporate; not colouring in the lines with my “new addition” (sorry Mum).

So I cannot stay in this openness forever. Or can I? The day will come when I too have bills to pay, where the safety net I have placed below will no longer carry the weight of my living costs and when my husband decides that my old mentality of “spending” is not catching up fast enough with my current lifestyle budgeted for “minimalism”. Maybe on this day, I will be moved to find an intermediate space. One where I do not re-enter the beast and its temptations nor give into a life of debt and social isolation. I have many balls in the air, and am hoping that one or all of them land in a place that brings reward – be it personal, spiritual, financial or inspirational. I would ask you to wish me luck but if I’ve learnt anything, it’s that you have to make your own luck. But I’m superstitious so go on, wish me luck anyway!