Author Archives: gmjc1966

So why is it that we – and most definitely I – beat ourselves up about things when they don’t go according to our plans, expectations or wishes? It is a situation that I drop myself into on constantly, often without sufficient honest reflection of the particlar situation as to why I did the thingsContinue reading “It’s not shameful to be human”

For pretty much my whole life, and certainly since I hit my teens, I have struggled to feel like I am really good at anything and was always seeking some form of connection or inclusion with others. Where does this vision or opinion of myself stem from? I’m not too sure but I cannot blameContinue reading “What is ‘the best version of myself’?”

I read a quote the other day that said “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” Whilst this quote was not attributed to any specific individual, I feel that it is a wonderful way to look at how you go through life, and how you handle adversity and theContinue reading “All things great start small”

I read a quote recently, which was anonymous. It said: “You have no reason to compare yourself to anyone.” This is such a true statement, but it is a mantra that I have always struggled with in my life. I’ve never been able to understand why I have done this in the past, and whichContinue reading “By whose standards are you judging yourself?”

I believe that all things happen for a reason, and that there are many things to be grateful for and that are worth remembering or commemorating. I am not talking about anything materialistic. These are meaningful personal, human remembrances. Events and people that took place in my life and for various reasons bring levels ofContinue reading “April Remembrances”

It is often a difficult thing to place ourselves on one side of the Nature v Nurture theory. According to Dr Google: “Nature is what people think of as pre-wiring and is influenced by genetic inheritance and other biological factors. Nuture is generally taken as the influence of external factors after conception, eg. the productContinue reading “Life reboot”

I am a godfather. My niece, my goddaughter, turned 32 today. I think back to when my sister asked me to be a godparent and remember being absolutely stoked to be given the honour, and of being seen as someone who could be a role model for her as she grew up. Looking up theContinue reading “A guiding light”

Attitude. What is it? The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary defines it as a settled opinion or way of thinking, ie. an attitude of the mind. An example of this is your self-esteem. If you have a positive self-esteem – that is, a positive attitude – you will develop a good opinion of yourself. Conversely, ifContinue reading “To improve your mood, you’ve gotta upturn the ‘tude!”

For as long as I can remember, I have been very hard on myself. Since I was a teenager I have developed and lived with a lack of self-esteem that at times has been crippling. I am not sure of the trigger for this from my adolescent days but I saw myself as lesser inContinue reading “I must be doing something right”

“The real bravery in today’s world is doing for each other what is right and proper.” This is a quote from the character Billy O’Shannassy in Bryce Courtenay’s novel “Matthew Flinders’ cat.” In the book, Billy is a once-upon-a-time successful barrister whose marriage falls apart when he takes to the bottle. Billy had demons fromContinue reading “A Brave Life”