I have mentioned in previous posts how much I am enjoying having a running coach and actually achieving results. To me it's an awesome process. Coach this is my goal, help me work to it! Coach - follow this program, provide feedback and work together. Ultimately, I am the one doing the work. But the coach is doing the assessment of how I am going and how to tweek the program based on the feedback I'm providing.
All of this reflection about my running coach led me to think, would I get the same result with a career coach? What things would I need to reflect on? How would they help me? What would they need to know about me in order to establish a good, effective relationship?
I'd love any readers to jump in with comments, thoughts etc regarding careers coaches as I really don't know much about them and how it all works!
Other than the running coach reflection bringing about these thoughts, I have recently been reflecting on where I want to be with my career - which brought me to the career coach thing.
The move to where I am now was where I needed to be at that time in my life. After 8 years, I'm not sure if this is still where I want to be. As my daughter gets older the focus changes. For a while it was all about family and it really still is, but it slowly starts creeping back towards what makes me happy. Well really it is still about making the family happy but the focus is shifting slightly.
I'm hitting the big 40 next year, is this the organisation I want to be working for? Is this the position I want to be working in? Is this the place I want to be living? Do I have gaps in my skills/knowledge that I want to fill, but can only be filled if I move to a different position in a different organisation? And always, the pull of family and friends in Qld is constant.
Sounds all very self absorbent, doesn't it? But I'm sure others have had these thoughts or are having them. I think it is good to reflect on where you are and where you want to be. I've been ignoring it for a while but I think now is as good as time as any to put myself out there and see what happens!
Showing posts with label reflection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reflection. Show all posts
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Monday, June 30, 2014
Appointments/meetings/schedules #blogjune #30 #final
Today's mantra and the final one for June: Your workouts are important meetings you've scheduled with yourself. Don't cancel them.
This is one thing I have no problem with - being consistent and motivated to workout! Even when there is ice on my windscreen and on the ground - I will still get out there and run around the oval or run in the very very fresh air. While this motivation for me maybe a bit left of center and based around transforming myself - there is nothing wrong with it!!
Blogging on the other hand is probably something that requires a bit more scheduling as does meditation, reflection and evaluation.
With exercise I have clearly defined statistics/facts that I can record and monitor. But how does one do this in a work situation of your own work - the work that can't be quantified? How do you reflect? What questions do you ask yourself when going through the reflection process or the evaluation process? Do you meditate, and if you do, how do you do it?
I think these are areas I need to work on. My manager advised me to start the day positive. Ask the universe for a good day. And when I run on the beach or the sun rises up, I do try to stop for a moment and look towards the rising sun and thank the universe for the beauty that I am witnessing and ask that it be a good day! It's a start!
This brings #blogjune to an end. Thanks to those that have been readers for the month. Thanks to those that have made comments and encouraged me to keep coming up with things to write each day. Thanks for the positive and encouraging words.
I believe the next "official" blogging activity is #blog12daysxmas but I have a conference coming up in November that I'm sure to Tweet and do some reflective blogging. I also have a Reference and Readers Services meeting happening in August which I really should spend some time reflecting on and really should dedicate some time after reading professional journals etc to do a reflective post. You regular readers, remind me to do this!! Give me a kick up the bum!!
And I really should blog after my fun runs/races. Coming up:
This is one thing I have no problem with - being consistent and motivated to workout! Even when there is ice on my windscreen and on the ground - I will still get out there and run around the oval or run in the very very fresh air. While this motivation for me maybe a bit left of center and based around transforming myself - there is nothing wrong with it!!
Blogging on the other hand is probably something that requires a bit more scheduling as does meditation, reflection and evaluation.
With exercise I have clearly defined statistics/facts that I can record and monitor. But how does one do this in a work situation of your own work - the work that can't be quantified? How do you reflect? What questions do you ask yourself when going through the reflection process or the evaluation process? Do you meditate, and if you do, how do you do it?
I think these are areas I need to work on. My manager advised me to start the day positive. Ask the universe for a good day. And when I run on the beach or the sun rises up, I do try to stop for a moment and look towards the rising sun and thank the universe for the beauty that I am witnessing and ask that it be a good day! It's a start!
This brings #blogjune to an end. Thanks to those that have been readers for the month. Thanks to those that have made comments and encouraged me to keep coming up with things to write each day. Thanks for the positive and encouraging words.
I believe the next "official" blogging activity is #blog12daysxmas but I have a conference coming up in November that I'm sure to Tweet and do some reflective blogging. I also have a Reference and Readers Services meeting happening in August which I really should spend some time reflecting on and really should dedicate some time after reading professional journals etc to do a reflective post. You regular readers, remind me to do this!! Give me a kick up the bum!!
And I really should blog after my fun runs/races. Coming up:
- 27 July - Ipswich Park2Park Half Marathon (21.1km)
- 31 August - Misty Mountain Trail Run (20km)
- 7 September - Coffs Harbour Running Festival Half Marathon (21.1km)
- 12 October - Washpool Trail Run (not sure on distance yet)
- 2 November - Grafton or Armidale Fun Run 10km
- 23 November - Dorrigo Show Fun Run (not sure on distance
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Double Post Sunday or I was too busy drinking last night #blogjune #28 and #29
Ok, ok, yes I had a few drinks last night and I was too busy listening to tunes to write a blog post - but I'm here now!!
A cold start to the morning - thank goodness for the sleep in.
Yesterday was a brilliant day - well the morning and afternoon were - forget the grocery shopping in the middle as that is never brilliant!
Yes it was a cold start to the day (but not as cold as Friday morning) as we headed down to Nambucca Heads to a place called Jacks Ridge to do a 10km trail run. I decided it would be good to try out the Camelback hydration pack that mum and dad had kindly given to me back in April.
The track is actually a mountain bike track. Well maintained and a lot of fun. Each part of the trail has a name - we started in the Rollercoaster (you can guess that it was basically up and down hills), then the squashed banana (not sure on that one), others were Lost Luggage, Found Your Suitcase, Boris (big log that you ride/run over), Mechanical Advantage etc. These names made the run a bit more fun because you could discuss what you thought the name was alluding to or how the track would be laid out.
It is a good run for a group that has different paced runners, because the trail goes back on itself numerous times and you can pull of at any time and follow the main road back to the car park.
I had a great time and got warmed up after a while but cooled down quickly once I stopped running. Basically it was a coolish morning but it warmed up to a lovely day.
Yesterday's mantra: Don't be pushed by your problems, be led by your dreams.
At the moment I'm feeling very pushed. I have things that I "have" to do in order to keep doing something (can't go into great detail here) but it isn't really something I "dream" of doing. I've lost my passion for it and feel cheated that I am now having to do something in order to prove I know what I'm doing and keep doing what I do. This thing has a deadline and it feels very unachievable at the moment and really is stressing me out. I'm trying really hard to focus on positives and tell myself that I will get it done - but am just not feeling it.
I'm also sick of my mindset of self loathing. Which leads into today's mantra: Turn "I wish" into "I will." Instead of wishing I was happy with myself and the hard work I've done so far to get here, turn it into I will be happy or I am happy!!
Also my "I wish I was doing a full marathon" is going to be a "I will do a full marathon" and I am doing a full marathon - as soon as I know which one!!
Tomorrow sees the last post of #blogjune. I will sort of miss it but not enough to continue it as consistently (or inconsistently) as I have been. I think the process of evaluation and reflection are good practices and perhaps it is something I need to do more often especially on my professional life. I'm still struggling to find my mojo in library world but perhaps more reflection is the way to go. We will see how I feel once #blogjune is finished - you may see me pop on here a bit more often.
A cold start to the morning - thank goodness for the sleep in.
Yesterday was a brilliant day - well the morning and afternoon were - forget the grocery shopping in the middle as that is never brilliant!
Yes it was a cold start to the day (but not as cold as Friday morning) as we headed down to Nambucca Heads to a place called Jacks Ridge to do a 10km trail run. I decided it would be good to try out the Camelback hydration pack that mum and dad had kindly given to me back in April.
The track is actually a mountain bike track. Well maintained and a lot of fun. Each part of the trail has a name - we started in the Rollercoaster (you can guess that it was basically up and down hills), then the squashed banana (not sure on that one), others were Lost Luggage, Found Your Suitcase, Boris (big log that you ride/run over), Mechanical Advantage etc. These names made the run a bit more fun because you could discuss what you thought the name was alluding to or how the track would be laid out.
It is a good run for a group that has different paced runners, because the trail goes back on itself numerous times and you can pull of at any time and follow the main road back to the car park.
I had a great time and got warmed up after a while but cooled down quickly once I stopped running. Basically it was a coolish morning but it warmed up to a lovely day.
Yesterday's mantra: Don't be pushed by your problems, be led by your dreams.
At the moment I'm feeling very pushed. I have things that I "have" to do in order to keep doing something (can't go into great detail here) but it isn't really something I "dream" of doing. I've lost my passion for it and feel cheated that I am now having to do something in order to prove I know what I'm doing and keep doing what I do. This thing has a deadline and it feels very unachievable at the moment and really is stressing me out. I'm trying really hard to focus on positives and tell myself that I will get it done - but am just not feeling it.
I'm also sick of my mindset of self loathing. Which leads into today's mantra: Turn "I wish" into "I will." Instead of wishing I was happy with myself and the hard work I've done so far to get here, turn it into I will be happy or I am happy!!
Also my "I wish I was doing a full marathon" is going to be a "I will do a full marathon" and I am doing a full marathon - as soon as I know which one!!
Tomorrow sees the last post of #blogjune. I will sort of miss it but not enough to continue it as consistently (or inconsistently) as I have been. I think the process of evaluation and reflection are good practices and perhaps it is something I need to do more often especially on my professional life. I'm still struggling to find my mojo in library world but perhaps more reflection is the way to go. We will see how I feel once #blogjune is finished - you may see me pop on here a bit more often.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
I won't quit until I'm the person I want to be #blogjune #5
I think I may be not quitting for a long time - today's mantra: I won't quit until I'm the person I want to be.
I'm not sure what person I want to be. Yes I want to be fit and healthy but I also want to be a great mum, wife and librarian - and maybe athlete!!
I have been discussing my difficulty in learning to love myself a bit over the last few days with various people. Most agree that they also are not at the point of loving themselves. Why are we so hard on ourselves?
It should be about being the best person you can be and work towards being all the things I mentioned before - because I don't think you ever reach the point of being who you want to be because we are all a work in progress. Perhaps in our final days we will accept that if we have tried to be the best we can be, then we were the person we wanted to be.
This discussion is probably more suited after having a few drinks - it's too deep for my mind at the moment and I'm sure I could take it to some interesting places after a couple of glasses of bubbles. Perhaps I will revisit this post after my half-marathon on Sunday when I am sitting back with some bubbles, listening to some good tunes, soaking up my achievements and spending time with my loving family. Perhaps then I will be the person I want to be!!!
Are you still not quitting? Or are you the person you want to be?
I'm not sure what person I want to be. Yes I want to be fit and healthy but I also want to be a great mum, wife and librarian - and maybe athlete!!
I have been discussing my difficulty in learning to love myself a bit over the last few days with various people. Most agree that they also are not at the point of loving themselves. Why are we so hard on ourselves?
It should be about being the best person you can be and work towards being all the things I mentioned before - because I don't think you ever reach the point of being who you want to be because we are all a work in progress. Perhaps in our final days we will accept that if we have tried to be the best we can be, then we were the person we wanted to be.
This discussion is probably more suited after having a few drinks - it's too deep for my mind at the moment and I'm sure I could take it to some interesting places after a couple of glasses of bubbles. Perhaps I will revisit this post after my half-marathon on Sunday when I am sitting back with some bubbles, listening to some good tunes, soaking up my achievements and spending time with my loving family. Perhaps then I will be the person I want to be!!!
Are you still not quitting? Or are you the person you want to be?
Saturday, January 4, 2014
On the eleventh day of Christmas...
I headed to Valla Beach at 5.45am to meet some running friends for our regular Saturday social run. We run in different places each Saturday morning (although we do seem to favour Valla), and then have breakfast at the local café on completion of the run.
The run is usually an easier run and goes for an hour. Unfortunately our run was cut short due to one of our runners tripping and falling over. They couldn't walk or run so thankfully some lovely tourist drove one of the other runners back to our cars so they could bring theirmcar over to pick upmthe fallen runner.
Once the rescue operation was complete, I continued running and then drove home and had breakfast.
Miss A and I then went to the park and Miss A had a swim and we stopped for a slushy and frozen yoghurt on the way home.
It was hot and humid again today but not as bad as yesterday or what it was like in my hometown of Ipswich. Thankfully two years ago I made the decision not to visit Ipswich in summer.
The rest of the day followed the routine of previous days with trashy tv, afternoon walk and more trashy tv.
I have just realised that tomorrow is the second last day of #blog12daysxmas and then we finish with the epiphany. And I really haven't done much in the way of reflection. That could be because it would mean I have to think about work and I don't want to do that while on holidays.
However, I will comment about @shewgirl blog post from yesterday http://shewgirl.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/day-6-gourmet-3d-printing-blog12daysxmas.html
I would love a 3D printer that printed meals but my weight loss would suffer.
I absolutely wonder if libraries are the place for 3D printers and would love to hear more about how 3D printers are being used in libraries and whether it is something library users want or need in their libraries? I go back to core services and traditional roles of libraries. Food for thought but worthy of a blog post on its own.
The run is usually an easier run and goes for an hour. Unfortunately our run was cut short due to one of our runners tripping and falling over. They couldn't walk or run so thankfully some lovely tourist drove one of the other runners back to our cars so they could bring theirmcar over to pick upmthe fallen runner.
Once the rescue operation was complete, I continued running and then drove home and had breakfast.
Miss A and I then went to the park and Miss A had a swim and we stopped for a slushy and frozen yoghurt on the way home.
It was hot and humid again today but not as bad as yesterday or what it was like in my hometown of Ipswich. Thankfully two years ago I made the decision not to visit Ipswich in summer.
The rest of the day followed the routine of previous days with trashy tv, afternoon walk and more trashy tv.
I have just realised that tomorrow is the second last day of #blog12daysxmas and then we finish with the epiphany. And I really haven't done much in the way of reflection. That could be because it would mean I have to think about work and I don't want to do that while on holidays.
However, I will comment about @shewgirl blog post from yesterday http://shewgirl.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/day-6-gourmet-3d-printing-blog12daysxmas.html
I would love a 3D printer that printed meals but my weight loss would suffer.
I absolutely wonder if libraries are the place for 3D printers and would love to hear more about how 3D printers are being used in libraries and whether it is something library users want or need in their libraries? I go back to core services and traditional roles of libraries. Food for thought but worthy of a blog post on its own.
Monday, June 3, 2013
#blogjune Post 3 - My History of Blogging
Ok so I am cheating a bit today and I'm a bit late with my post. I'm late with my post because I had bootcamp this morning at 6am-7am. I then had to shower, eat breakfast and be out the door by 7.45am to drive to Grafton (1 hour and half away) for a team leaders meeting at library HQ. I'm cheating because I haven't got any other better idea for a post and I think it is actually an interesting activity to participate in anyway. Thanks to @FiFyi and Multifarious Librarian for this "meme"
How long have you been blogging?
I first started blogging in 2005. I used a blog to keep track of the research for my Dunn and Wilson Scholarship - you can read about it here.
I then went into hiatus and didn't start blogging again until 2011 when I participated in #blog12daysxmas.
Why did you start blogging? How many times a week do you post an entry?
So as I mentioned above, I started blogging to keep track of research. But I went back to blogging to force myself to reflect and share my reflections.
My blogging regularity varies unless I'm participating in things like #blogjune or #blog12daysxmas. Last year I went all out and also made my own #blogDecember.
This year I hope to continue #blogjune and post everyday in June. I am also participating in #ANZ23mthings which I hope to post at the end of each week about, and of course, will do #blog12daysxmas.
I also try to do a couple of blog posts after I attend events/conferences/seminars.
How many different blogs do you read on a regular basis?
Gosh, I haven't really counted the blogs I follow on my reader - The Old Reader which I'm using now as Google Reader decided to close down.
I would guess there may be 20 regular blogs I follow and read.
Do you comment on other people’s blogs?
If I'm very interested in a topic or have an opinion I'd like to share, then yes I comment. However, I seem to be commenting more on author's blogs I follow in order to win a copy of their books!!
Do you keep track of how many visitors you have?
I admit, I do look at the stats every now and then just to see if any of my posts have generated interest. I can tell when I have posted about passionate or controversial topics by the amount of readership I get. I also note that since posting posts to Twitter and Facebook, my audience has gone up a little.
Did you ever regret a post that you wrote?
I haven't ever regretted a post. But I have felt nervous and worried about some posts. Especially if they are borderline personal - but then I did do a post about that too. I think for #blogjune I may venture more into the personal side because some of the topics that have been floating around in my head are more personal then professional - I wonder if this will affect readership!?!
Do you think your readers have a true sense of who you are based on your blog?
Hmm, this is a good question. I'm not sure. A lot of people who do read my blog, knew me before I blogged - but it would be an interesting exercise and I do hope to meet more of my virtual network in real life.
Do you blog under your real name?
Close to it. SharonU is pretty close.
Are there topics that you would never blog about?
Politics, politics and politics. Oh and probably some personal choices that people are emotionally caught up in. I'd like to think I could test the waters but I think some people may be surprised and a bit shocked.
What is the theme/topic of your blog?
I think it changes a bit here and there. Mostly it's about library things but sometimes, it goes into personal interests.
Do you have more than one blog? If so, why?
I have enough trouble regularly writing on one blog let alone two!!
What have you found to be the benefits of blogging?
Reflection, discussion starters and development of a good network of fellow professionals. I also feel less isolated.
So, why do you continue to blog?
Because I enjoy sharing and am starting to enjoy reflecting. I also don't mind "hearing" myself "talk"!!
I then went into hiatus and didn't start blogging again until 2011 when I participated in #blog12daysxmas.
My blogging regularity varies unless I'm participating in things like #blogjune or #blog12daysxmas. Last year I went all out and also made my own #blogDecember.
This year I hope to continue #blogjune and post everyday in June. I am also participating in #ANZ23mthings which I hope to post at the end of each week about, and of course, will do #blog12daysxmas.
I also try to do a couple of blog posts after I attend events/conferences/seminars.
I would guess there may be 20 regular blogs I follow and read.
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