Note to self:It's not personal, it's not serious, Lighten UP!

When we start taking Life too seriously, when we start taking Life to personally, when we forget that Life is not a melodrama, we can find ourselves heading down the Victim Highway to Misery Road….

I had a little laugh at myself recently. I had to give myself a little talking to when a prospective client who wanted my writing services, disregarded my proposal and made me such a ridiculous offer that I started getting all huffy and pissy (not to the prospective client, but the silent mutterings and stewing that comes with not expressing feelings and feeling more and more sorry for yourself). 😩
You might relate here and know the feeling…

“Why the f*** should they, a large and successful corporation, think it’s ok for them to make a fortune, but I have to eat cat food. Grump grump….grumble…stew….stew… Don’t talk to me about your luxury sportscar when I can’t even afford to have my 13 year old car serviced! I am an excellent writer with 30 years of professional writing experience. How dare they insult me with such an offer. I’m over it. Over it!”

And the funny thing was – when I decided I was over it….I realised I was the one who had turned it in an issue! I was the one who had taken offence…. They weren’t insulting “me”.  It wasn’t personal – but I had taken it personally!

This wasn’t even about me. This is just the way they do business. They weren’t expecting me to eat cat food! And again, I realised that I needed to step back into my power… to choose!

When I found myself giggling at the ridiculousness of their offer, I realised once again that Life is so much easier played as a game. And I’m really good at playing! 😄

So when I moved out of my serious, pissy, angry, huffing and puffing, victim-like mentality and remembered who I was and what I could do – it stopped bothering me. I could see the funny side!

I know what I offer and I know what I’m worth. And I’ve set my intention not to accept anything less and I am serious about that!

I’m not allowing the world to dictate to me who I am, or how I feel.

It’s UP to me to choose. And I choose Love, Abundance and JOY!

If it’s going to be, it’s UP to me!

So here’s to remembering to Lighten UP, laugh at ourselves and to not taking Life too personally or too seriously. Here’s to remembering who we are, what we offer, what we are prepared to accept – and then to stepping out lightly to create and enJOY the Good Stuff and Get our Glow ON!

With Love, 

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It's Not OK To Have Fun - It's Essential! :)

Note to self:It's not personal, it's not serious, Lighten UP!

When we start taking Life too seriously, when we start taking Life too personally, when we forget that Life is not a melodrama, we can find ourselves heading down the Victim Highway to Misery Road….and let's face it - who wants to go there?!

I had a little laugh at myself recently. I had to give myself a little talking to when a prospective client who wanted my writing services, disregarded my proposal and made me such a ridiculous offer that I started getting all huffy and pissy (not to the prospective client, but the silent mutterings and stewing that comes with not expressing feelings and feeling more and more sorry for yourself). 😩
You might relate here and know the feeling…

“Why the f*** should they, a large and successful corporation, think it’s ok for them to make a fortune, but I have to eat cat food. Grump grump….grumble…stew….stew… Don’t talk to me about your luxury sportscar when I can’t even afford to have my 13 year old car serviced! I am an excellent writer with 30 years of professional writing experience. How dare they insult me with such an offer. I’m over it. Over it!”

And the funny thing was – when I decided I was over it….I realised I was the one who had turned it in an issue! I was the one who had taken offence…. They weren’t insulting “me”.  It wasn’t personal – but I had taken it personally!

This wasn’t even about me. This is just the way they do business. They weren’t expecting me to eat cat food! And again, I realised that I needed to step back into my power… to choose!

When I found myself giggling at the ridiculousness of their offer, I realised once again that Life is so much easier played as a game. And I’m really good at playing! 😄

So when I moved out of my serious, pissy, angry, huffing and puffing, victim-like mentality and remembered who I was and what I could do – it stopped bothering me. I could see the funny side!

I know what I offer and I know what I’m worth. And I’ve set my intention not to accept anything less and I am serious about that!

I’m not allowing the world to dictate to me who I am, or how I feel.

It’s UP to me to choose. And I choose Love, Abundance and JOY!

If it’s going to be, it’s UP to me!

So here’s to remembering to Lighten UP, laugh at ourselves and to not taking Life too personally or too seriously. Here’s to remembering who we are, what we offer, what we are prepared to accept – and then to stepping out lightly to create and enJOY the Good Stuff and Get our Glow ON!

With Love, 

Related Stories:

It's Not OK To Have Fun - It's Essential! :)

GloWoman Workshop for Independent Schools Marketing Association

On a gorgeous Autumn day in May, I drove out to Somerset College in the Cape Winelands to present a GloWoman workshop for the front of house staff, hosted by the Independent Schools Marketing Association of South Africa (ISMA).

As the women walked into the venue and sat down, I recognised one of them as the daughter of my elderly neighbours. I was so excited to see her because her father, who's in his late eighties, featured several times in the talk I was about to give!

He was my hero in the section that I cover on Yes, of course it's ok to ask for help! Because he came to my assistance many times over the years that we were neighbours.

In fact, he showed me (I was already in my 50s!) how to open a can of tuna...... well yes, I know that sounds ridiculous! 😀 But after going ten rounds with the can opener, crying and whimpering with frustration, I went over to knock on his door and ask for help..... He simply turned over the can and opened it - easy-peasy!
Who knew there was a "right side"???!!  😂

This pic is in my presentation - the can of tuna after I'd had a good but unsuccessful go at it!

And how wonderful to have my neighbour's daughter in the workshop!

This is the text message she sent me afterwards:

"Hi Bettina. So lovely to see you today and how wonderful your talk was - very inspiring! So pleased that you spoke about my dad and how helpful he was."

 I love the quote from Ram Dass, "We are all just walking each other home." 

I really do believe we are all here to shine a light for each other. And when We Get our Glow ON, we CAN Light UP our world!