It has been an interesting few weeks. In terms of life, balance and priorities much has happened. I have had major events in my health and workplace. As I sit here in my home office and reflect back on the last seven weeks, it has been a great experience and wakeup call for myself. In the last seven weeks I have had nine days off for an operation, two public holidays, eight days of annual leave for a community project in Timor Leste, one day leave for other interests and been at work fifteen days….. Well kind of….. Of the fifteen days I was in Meetings for three days and on retreat for two days.
All in all I wonder why I am still catching up with the happenings in the office. Firstly thought, I have a great team of staff, they have really not just maintained the operations, but also continued with the great momentum forward for the portfolio. It is always great to have a team that takes care of business in one’s absence. Thank you to my wonderful staff.
However it has not all been smooth sailing. First of all just over two months ago I was found to have a hernia and was in a considerable amount of pain. After trips to the hospital, pathology, general practitioner and surgeon I was booked in for the surgery seven weeks ago. After the operation I had to take two weeks off work, before I was ready to go back. This was a little bit of a wakeup call about my health. My weight was rising; I had not been exercising (to the point that I could not have passed my Army Physical Test) and overall I was heading in the wrong direction with my health.
The next thing was a good thing. I went on a Scouting International Community Service Project to Timor Leste. This was a great experience. I love working with the teenagers, engaging with them and helping them to develop their leadership, business and project management skills, while participating in a worthwhile community project. This is truly a passion for me. What is your passion? While in Timor Leste I also started to read again the great business and self-help books that I love to read. These books started to feed my mind again…. I had so starved my mind of this great material for too long. What do you feed your mind?
Back to work and in catch up mode, my first three days were in meetings that took up most of the day. However I took it one step at a time and let the passion I felt while in Timor Leste flow into my work. The calmness and passion was sensed by the staff I have had contact with so far and I look forward to getting around to all the centres and meeting up with all the staff soon.
In terms of health, on return from Timor Leste Kim, my lovely wife, and myself bought a runner and started on Lite n Easy (a special balanced diet program). At the start I was struggling to get the speed above walking pace on the runner…. Man, I had fallen I long way. However with good a good diet and running every morning there has been a change…. Weigh has been coming off and I look and feel healthier.
And finally as I start to rebuild my life to balance my mind, body and soul, I was also fortunate to attend a retreat for the industry I am working in. This did I lot of good in bringing my soul back to alignment. Last Thursday and Friday I spent the time with members of my industry workshopping, listening to presenters and being part of activities on health and wellness for mind, body and soul.
So what has been the result? A work in progress. I am eating well, running at the speed required to pass my Army fitness test, losing weight, relaxed, at peace and focussed on the opportunities of the future. Though my mind, body and soul was not as bad as it could have been, I am glad that I saw the early warning signs and could change my life for the better. In summary I have feed my mind with books, my health with good food and exercise and my soul with passion, reflection and relaxation.
I do not know what the future holds….. However I do know that whatever happens I will been prepared in terms of mind body and soul.
- What or who are you neglecting?
- What stresses are you letting into your life?
- What is your passion?
- What change can you make today?
Filed under: Adventure, Army, BCS, Business, Family, Personal, Scouts, Travel Tagged: Body, Community Service, Diet, Exercise, Fitness, Food, Future, Good Food, Health, International Scouting, Leadership, Life, Lite N Easy, Mind, Passion, Reflection, relaxation, Retreat, Runner, Scouting, Self-Management, Soul, Stress, Timor Leste, Wellbeing, Wellness
