LOOK AFTER THE ONES WHO LOOK AFTER YOU

too often, we take good people for granted. these are the people that are like candles - the ones who burn themselves to give light to others. they're the people who go above and beyond what their job is. they encompass the company or organisation's values and they don't ask for more. but what they do ask for? is fairness.

we often take these people for granted because we think they don't need recognition. they don't need thanks. after all, why would they be doing something they didn't want to do? but this mentality is so wrong. these are the people that need the most thanks. the most praise. humans can only offer so much without recognition. let me be clear though - the recognition is not why they're doing this - they're doing this because they believe in the company; they want to see it succeed. but they're human. they need to feel valued. they need to feel like their efforts matter. and they need to feel appreciated.

so the next time you're looking at offering someone payment, make sure you've offered it first to the ones who have been there longer. just because they've done what they've done, doesn't mean they'll continue to do what they do, especially if they know their efforts are being overlooked. these are often the people who have shown loyalty when others haven't. these are the people who care about more than just themselves. but if you don't take care of them? they'll become like everyone else - only out for themselves. and when this happens, it's not the fault of the individual - it's the result of the culture and environment.

so what are you actively doing to take care of the ones who are taking care of you and your organisation?

WHY I UNFOLLOWED ALL OF MY CONTACTS

sparked by my thoughts the other day about the reason for sharing things on Instagram, i started to question why i follow the accounts i do. the purpose of my instagram is not to see what others are doing, but to express what i'm both thinking and feeling. so why then, did i follow 300 odd accounts?

how many times have you logged onto facebook or instagram, only to spend hours scrolling mindlessly? and how many times have you seen something someone else is doing, or has done, and it made you feel like shit?

the latter happens to me frequently. i'll see what friends or acquaintances are doing and it'll either make me jealous, deflated, bitter, or annoyed. i had no qualms about muting friends' stories and posts - and i found this helped. it allowed me to create separation between the things that triggered me (things i am still healing from) whilst still 'following' those people. despite this, there were still hundreds of accounts in which i was filling my brain with mindless information that i really didn't care to know.

so, i unfollowed all of my contacts.

instagram for me is not a social platform - my life is. instagram for me is a form of self-expression. it's a platform for me to share my thoughts and feelings with others in the hopes that they might be able to relate. and now that i've unfollowed everyone, i know that those who are following me are doing so not because i follow them back, but because they're genuinely interested in my content.

so be intentional about who you're choosing to follow. do you really care what your friend from high school is doing with their life? or are you allowing social media to distract you from what's important, from being present with those around you? from those whose lives you do care to know?

WHAT HAVE I DONE

i quit my job.

i'm turning 29 this year and i keep asking myself; what the fuck are you doing with your life? how long are you going to continue working in hospitality for? when are you finally going to do any of the things you've talked about doing? so i quit. i quit to pursue something i've been wanting to do for the past seven years: write a book.

at first glance, quitting felt exhilarating. writing a book felt exciting. but as i've been stuck in isolation for the past week, i've found that i've been more than just a prisoner in my own house; i've been a prisoner of my own mind.

i've been writing every day. but everything i've been writing is shit. it feels forced. nothing i'm writing has been capturing the essence of what i wanted this book to be about; connection. you might think, well, just start again. but it's not that simple. i have so much in my head that i've wanted to say, that i've been saying over the years, but i have absolutely no idea how to articulate that in a way that is linear. in a way that is captivating for 150 pages. i've altered my writing over the years to accommodate our declining attention and now i'm supposed to write a book?

everything that seemed so exciting last week now seems so daunting. quitting my day job to pursue my creative ambition seemed like an intelligent decision, but it's something Liz Gilbert in Big Magic strongly discourages. now i'm left with nothing but my thoughts; all day every day. taunting me to write the book i don't know how to write.

i feel conflicted. i know i need structure, purpose; all humans do. but i also know i don't want to go back to hospitality. i want to be doing more with the skills i have. i need to be doing more with the skills i have. but i don't know how. i've never known how. and instead of having work as a distraction, i have nothing to hide myself from these realisations. i don't want to be consumed by things i don't want to do, but i also don't want to be consumed by the demons of my mind, tantalising me every day.

the novelty's worn off. the excitement's faded. i now have to figure out how i keep myself sane when all i want to do is scream.