Often I’ve questioned if the default setting of trying to be a super achiever is a Kiwi thing. We Kiwis love people who work hard, and we make no pretense of our disappointment if someone is, what we would consider “lazy”.
We Kiwis don’t like trumpet blowers and struggle to toot our own horns. We squirm awkwardly as someone openly shares their skills and successes, unlike the Italians and Americans who willingly encourage others to share it all, and bravely share their own. Our aversion to “shining” makes it difficult to rise above the confines of what we determine others will think of us.
Kiwi women get their hands dirty and aren’t afraid to pukana someone who tries their patience. We can be tough, yet we sometimes forget to let the gentle in. Particularly when it comes to ourselves.
I’ve adopted a compassionate, maternal standpoint with my Anna-of-the-past. She took brave steps, and made mistakes so that I could be a little wiser now. I need to be gentle with her. She forged the way for me to be here, and for that I am eternally grateful.
But where is “here”? This place where I stand, facing forward as I cast my mind back.
Well, to me, here is mindfulness.
Here is the one and only place I can be in completely.
So while I am here I choose to be present.
I choose to be gentle. To my children. To myself. To the dreamer in myself and in those who perhaps aren’t being lazy. Perhaps they’re just taking a moment to dream.
I am gentle to the person who is brave enough to share their dream or throw party streamers for mine.
“Here” is trusting my intuition and my first response.
It is remembering to step aside and breathe, even if I feel I should be doing the laundry. It’s putting my hands in the earth and grounding in.
I am learning that time comes from us, and by “making time” we become more productive and more connected to everything that feels real and right around us.
To do things because we want to, not because we think we should.
I catch myself out sometimes. In fact, often.
I catch myself defaulting back to my old settings and conditioned ideas.
But I’m getting better at gently guiding myself back home to my own wisdom.
I’m changing my inner happiness thermostat setting.
And from this place here, I feel like I’m collecting the tools to enjoy this journey of making beautiful music, for beautiful children and best of all sharing that joy with others.
You can pre order a copy of Anna’s upcoming children’s album ‘Fishing For Stars’ on Pledgeme before October 31st, along with a fantastic collection of other fun rewards.
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