20 Friday Mar 2020
Posted in more to life
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We’ve been using resources from “action for happiness” at work for a few months. Useful ideas focused on topics such as joy, mindfulness, friendliness, happiness, optimism.
This week they published this “Coping Calendar” with ideas to look after ourselves and each other as we face this global crisis. Please share.
17 Wednesday Jul 2019
Posted in creativity, more to life
I have been in my current job for twelve months. It’s nice to celebrate my first anniversary with this Aged Care service provider.
I enjoy my admin and finance work, processing supplier invoices, creating client contribution bills, taking phone payments and reconciling our bank account. I admire colleagues who deal directly clients, organising the services they require. I admire our Social Workers, Exercise Physiologists and others who visit clients in the home. I’m happy in the background working the numbers. And I can knit at work!
This company has a great ethic of health and wellbeing for clients and staff. We have a monthly staff program that encourages us to step away from our desks, computers and phones for a few minutes during the work day. We have team exercise challenges, we’ve had “Where’s Wally?” hunts around the office. Most recently we were all encouraged to knit squares for a charity blanket. We all took turns knitting a few rows of the squares, during our work day. It inspired several new knitters and created a warm, colourful blanket.
We write on the bathroom mirrors, compliments…. a gratitude journal. All these ideas create a friendly and joyful workplace.
06 Thursday Sep 2018
Posted in creativity, more to life
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The Aged Care organisation that I work for has a strong culture of wellness and enablement for both clients and staff.
Each month, our office has a theme that encourages team work, inclusion, communication and encourages us to regularly get away from the desk for a few minutes.
In August, the theme was “Creativity”. We had lunch time sessions on origami, doodle art, zen-tangle, paper creations, toilet roll quilling, paper clip characters. We got knotted with a team macramé challenge. Colleagues shared their own creative passions and we had fun experiencing new crafts.
This month, the theme is “Air We Breathe”. As well as breathing exercises, lunch time singing sessions, we have quick challenges to roll the dice and complete the numbered task. We each have a pot of seeds to grow through September. We are all happy to take our seedlings for a short walk outside, to blow bubbles along the balcony or beside our desks. This is the most relaxed office I have worked in 🙂
27 Tuesday Feb 2018
Posted in 52 challenge, all about me, more to life
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I’ve just ticked off one of my “18 things for 2018”. I’ve experienced a floatation tank and I loved it.
“Floatation therapy helps calm the mind and body with the experience of zero gravity.”
The floatation pod was like an enclosed bath, but large enough to lie in a star shape without touching the sides. The water was at body temperature and contains 500 kg of Magnesium Sulfate in 1,000 litres of water, replicating the sensation of floating in the Dead Sea.
The pod can create a sensory deprivation environment once the lid is closed. Soft music played for the first ten minutes and restarted during the last five minutes, while the remaining time of the hour-long float was silent. There was a button to switch off the soft coloured light leaving the pod in darkness.
Just wearing ear plugs, I naturally floated in the water. As my ears were below the water line, I was conscious of my heartbeat. It was easy to relax, follow my breath, switch off my mind, let thoughts just float away.
The benefits can be physical, spiritual and mindful – easing pain, lowering blood pressure, alleviating stress or anxiety, improving sleep, increasing concentration levels, improving consciousness, eliminating effects of jet lag.
After a shower to wash off the Epsom Salts, a cup of green tea in the lounge area helped me acclimatise back to the outside world. It was certainly an experience to relax, reboot, recharge.
23 Wednesday Aug 2017
Posted in creativity, more to life, remembering / musing
18 Wednesday Jan 2017
Posted in all about me, more to life
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It’s taken me a few weeks to decide on a challenge for this year. I wanted to shake it up, something different, whilst keeping a balance of themes – people, places, creativity, commitment, new things, health and lifestyle.
So here goes…
1 – Take a photography course and learn to use my camera to it’s full capability.
2 – Post on blog at least twice a week and keep up with blog reading.
3 – Connect with nature at least three times a week.
4 – Times 3 – Try to do something new each month, something out of my comfort zone.
5 – Learn to identify five different types of gum trees by their bark, leaves and size.
6 – “Pay it forward” on at least six occasions or give an unexpected gift.
7 – Times 3 – Twenty one days in the UK in March, catching up with family and friends.
8 – Introduce eight new things into our diet, not all alcohol based!
9 – Do something memorable on nine public holidays.
10 – Times 10 – Complete #100 Happy Days.
11 – Read eleven books this year, paper books, interesting, thought provoking books.
12 – Experiment with twelve new creative ideas this year.
13 – Send a hand written letter each month, more at Christmas.
14 – Lose at least fourteen pounds and maintain it!
15 – Exercise more. Complete 15,000 steps a day at least twice a week.
16 – Go to sixteen events, art exhibitions, festivals, movies or shows.
17 – Discover seventeen new places in Tasmania that we haven’t yet visited or explored.
27 Sunday Nov 2016
Posted in all about me, more to life
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After two years and two months, husband and I are both now working full time. We stretched our “gap year” out as long as possible, having a fantastic time exploring, enjoying a new place, a relaxed life style.
Now it’s time for a different reality, earning a living, work schedules, reduced leisure time.
Priorities are changing. I have to manage time again, make choices on how to spend it. So with study deadlines, summer months approaching, beaches to walk on, social events to attend, family and friends to keep in touch with, general household admin and chores to keep on top of …..
…. Blogging will inevitably move down my priority list, along with daily photos and keeping up with other blogger’s posts.
Time is like water
It finds it’s own level
Right now,
it is running through my fingers too fast
Some precious things will have to take a back seat for a while.
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who reads this blog, who likes my posts and comments on them. It’s been fun and a pleasure to “meet” you all.
I’m not going away totally, I will post occasionally, pop into this wonderful community a few times a week, to check on posts as time allows. But apologies for not giving your blogs my full attention. We’ll catch up again soon, I hope.
15 Thursday Sep 2016
Posted in days out, more to life
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Totally inspired by the current Paralympians.
Remembering a fabulous day out at the London 2012 Paralympics. Can you spot the ball in the wheelchair basketball game.
Linking this post to Claudette’s Emotography series.
23 Tuesday Aug 2016
Posted in more to life
15 Friday Jul 2016
Posted in all about me, more to life
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Has your blog taken you in directions you never anticipated?
I began my blog to share photos and our new Australian life with family and friends back in the UK.
New friendships developed in the virtual blog world and in reality.
Through fellow Tasmanian blogger, Claudette at to search and to find I got the volunteer role, which I have thoroughly enjoyed for the past three months.
Now that volunteer role has evolved into a six month paid contract.
My blog has taken me on an unexpected journey from gap year to employment.
But first ……. a week’s holiday and trip along the Great Ocean Road.
RuthsArc 
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