Do the best with what you have and you'll soon be doing it better #blogjune #7

I'm following up my late post that I was supposed to do yesterday which I did this morning with this post that is on time today!!

Today's mantra: Do the best with what you have and you'll soon be doing it better.

I'm not sure where to take this one.  I think going from working in a big metropolitan library to working in a small regional library, I have automatically did the best with what I have - not sure if I'm doing it better though!!

I have to say that one thing I do feel I'm doing better, and it probably comes from working in a small town, is customer service.  I have always felt the need to greet customers by name and you will note that I often mention this in my posts.  I feel it gives that extra service and it is amazing that by addressing someone by name often results in a smile!

As for providing a service, in the beginning when I first started working here, the overall library service budget was tight.  We did the best with what we had.  We still do to an extent because my libraries don't have an events or activities budget so we can get very creative when coming up with children's activities.  It helps that we sell honey for a local provider and they in turn donate us a bit of money for each pot we sell.  I'm sure some fellow professionals are a bit shocked that we do this, but we are a small town!  I often joke that all we need is a couple of bread making machines going in the workroom and a cow out in the park, and we can then provide bread, milk and honey and our library users will not have to go anywhere else but the library!!

Now to exercise - do the best with what you have and you'll soon be doing it better!  Well I often laugh (well quietly to myself) at people who are unfit but won't exercise till they get fit.  You have legs and arms - use them - do the best with what you have!!  And you will get better!!

I was absolutely hopeless at running - I hated it!  I thought I was dying when I ran.  I would gulp for air and just couldn't run very far at all.  I thought, what's the point!  But little by little, I ran and I ran with others (do the best with what you have - you have friends - you have people that run - use them!) and then I was doing it better!!

Tomorrow I'm off to the Macleay River Marathon to complete my second half marathon of the year.  I'm travelling down on my own because it will be an early start - leaving home at around 5.30am.  The race starts at 7.30am but I have to pick up my number etc.

I'm not aiming for any PB as it is a different track to the half marathon I did in Port Macquarie.  There are going to be some sneaky hills and a killer one at the end.  However, 2 weekends ago I did the Bellingen Show Fun Run - 10km from Glennifer into Bellingen.  It was roughly 5km of up hill.  It was tough.  But I survived and I did it.  Yes I had to walk some of the hill but I've also been doing lots of hill repeats with my running group, so I'm ready!!

Just a word of warning - I plan on having some bubbles post race tomorrow, so there may or may not be a post tomorrow evening - and if there is, it could be a very interesting one!!