Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Turning Life Upside Down

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.

*Clap, clap*

I'm happy. I haven't been this happy in a long, long time. It's important to get that out there because depending on your perspective, my life since the first day of February 2014 could be great, or terrible.

I have changed jobs, moved to a new apartment and sold my SUV. That's a lot of change but I'm happy with where my life is and where it's going. I'm excited to get up in the morning and go to work. I used to be this way a long time ago but like most people, it went away. I fit into the culture of the company I work for and that's a great feeling. I like what I do, and that's important. I believe in what I do, and that's a key to being great at work.

Much like my father, I, at least partly, define who I am by what I do. I have to feel like I make a difference when I go to work. This job, and everything that stems from it, gives me this feeling.

I've had the chance to recently see some people who I've know for a long time. Now, anyone you are still in contact for a long time, has to be a good person to you. If they aren't then you will inevitably drift apart. Many of these people have commented that I'm back to being the person I was a long time ago. A very happy person, who is full of life.

I let myself be less than happy for way too long. I have relearned an important lesson that you have to be happy with where you are in life to be able to really enjoy it. I have read a lot about how life is hard. It's not all greek goddesses of beauty riding down the hallway on a unicorn while farting rainbows. However, if you don't believe today could be that day, you have already lost and you are not living a good life.

Change is hard but don't be afraid to chase it down, because when you find a happy spot, work doesn't seem like work and fun follows you wherever you go.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Still Winter

After living most of my life in Manitoba, one of the aspects I really like about living in Eastern Ontario is winter starts later and ends sooner than the Manitoba winter. This year it seems to not be the case. It has been a long, cold, blustery, unpleasant winter.

It seems that if it isn't really cold and windy we are receiving another foot of snow. There have been very few warm winter days. It is early March, we should be starting to climb out of the deep winter nap but there is no end in sight. The long term spring forecast is so bad the head forecaster for Environment Canada has turned off his phone and disappeared.

Think about that for a minute, winter was so bad the guy responsible for telling us what the weather is going to be like has shut himself out from the world. He is not responsible for creating the weather. He is simply responsible for trying to figure out what nature is going to do. Although we do, we really can't hold him responsible for what nature does, yet the prognosis is so bad that he does not want to talk to anyone. That's a sign this has not been a good winter in Canada.

There is an upside. In my life I always try to look for an upside. It can't stay cold forever. The snow will melt, the grass will turn green, and we won't have to wear a jacket to go outside. Granted, it won't be for a while and unless we get a five day torrential downpour and all the snow is washed away, we are going to have snow on the ground for quite a while. However, when winter finally departs, we will get on with enjoying the outside world.

My parents always told me that winter helps you appreciate the summer but I really think we can do without a winter like this. It kills your motivation and makes you not want to do anything. It won't last forever but the sooner we get on with spring, the happier everyone will be and I don't think anyone in Canada will disagree with me this year.