My 100th blog post!

Aaaaaah hello blog post number 100 on She Thinks Like Me you beauty! This is a personal milestone for me, as I have been in the blog game for a year but I have been writing short stories, poems and 'articles' since way back. Yes, I was the nerd in English class that read every single assigned book (and more), and always had my hand up in class. I fell in love with words and how they could be put together to form meaning, to captivate and to inspire.

I have always been particularly obsessed with magazine articles and how they are set out. Simple, to the point and easy to understand. I would always think 'I want to write for a magazine and have people relate to what I am saying', but it just seemed like a pipe dream at the time. I didn't know what to do with my pieces of writing because the blogging world was foreign to me, so I would just keep them as documents saved on my computer.

When I look back I could kick myself that I hadn't started sooner, because the satisfaction that blogging gives me is something I can't really explain (but lets not get into that for fear of boring you all to death). It is like this community of people who get to share certain parts of their lives, empower others to keep writing, capture life in beautiful photo's and use social media as a tool to be heard. That is barely scratching the surface.

To all you bloggers out there, I respect you for what you do, whether you have 5 views a day or 5000. Remind yourself why you are writing and stay true to who you are. Blogs may highlight only the fun and beautiful parts of our lives but everyone has their bad days and hardships. All I can say is be original, keep it simple. x

Create the life you want

Any individual can choose the life that they want by having the right mindset and a positive attitude. 'Lifestyle design' is a concept made famous by Timothy Ferris, who delves into a world where you do not have to sit in front of a computer screen in a white-walled office everyday of your life to be successful. I could not agree more, and since finishing my degree and dipping my toe into the corporate world, I realised that I want anything but that office bound life, and I will do anything to avoid it.

Here is my point. You work 40+ hours, 5 days a week with only 2 weeks leave in a year where you can actually look forward to having a break or going on holiday. Weekends are usually spent running errands, cooking and finishing work you couldn't get done during the week. Before you know it, it's Monday again and you are back at your desk, with the only ambiance being telephones ringing and the smell of cheap coffee. A promotion or a salary boost is nowhere in site, and you feel that your hard work goes unnoticed the majority of the time. All you are really waiting for, and saving up for, and longing for is the moment you can retire at the age of 60 or so and take your life back. Sound familiar? What kind of life is that?

If you are one of those lucky few that actually enjoy their chosen career, take pride in their work and gain fulfilment through their contribution to society...this post is not for you.