Author Archive
How To Keep Yourself Safe In A Foreign Country - Part Two
Photo by reallysadgit
Following on from Lea’s first post about Keeping Your Stuff Safe, there are a few things you can do to keep yourself safe whilst out and about.
It’s easy to become another crime statistic to be filed in a report by a jaded police officer who’s seen it all before; uninformed tourist wanders into [...]
Photo by reallysadgit
Following on from Lea’s first post about Keeping Your Stuff Safe, there are a few things you can do to keep yourself safe whilst out and about.
It’s easy to become another crime statistic to be filed in a report by a jaded police officer who’s seen it all before; uninformed tourist wanders into a dangerous part of town by mistake, gets mugged and has their backpack, wallet and passport stolen.
However, I do believe that nowadays most LIPs, travellers or working nomads have heard of enough horror stories in the media to ensure that they take at least some precautions when they visit an unfamiliar place.
That said, I find that there are three elements that can lead you into trouble. The first two are distraction and surprise. The third is a lack of local knowledge.
Whilst you can tick all the necessary travel safety boxes and still be unlucky enough to get mugged or assaulted there are certain things you can do to reduce that risk significantly… Read the rest of this entry
Three Fears I Had About Leaving The Rat Race That Actually Came True (And How I Overcame them)
Photo by Megan*
Fear and doubt are mean, manipulative bullies don’t you think?
They barge uninvited through the swing doors of your rational mind and start pushing around any confident thoughts that you just happen to be entertaining of escaping the rat race. As a result your mood can change in the blink of an eye. But, [...]
Photo by Megan*
Fear and doubt are mean, manipulative bullies don’t you think?
They barge uninvited through the swing doors of your rational mind and start pushing around any confident thoughts that you just happen to be entertaining of escaping the rat race. As a result your mood can change in the blink of an eye. But, as with any bully, the only way to deal with them effectively is to stand up and show your strength.
Just prior to leaving my corporate job I generally felt confident that 2007 would be my year of personal freedom and success. I would vindicate myself against any naysayers and show them all that life did exist outside the cubicle. However, quietly lurking in the background lay some fears that unfortunately materialised within the first few months of leaving my job.
These included…
Loneliness
The very reason why I managed to survive in my corporate job was because I enjoyed the daily interaction with my colleagues many of whom are also my friends. One day I’m surrounded by 200 colleagues working, gossiping, sometimes arguing; the next I’m sitting on my own, in a one bed flat, in front of my laptop that wouldn’t play ball. The silence was almost deafening!
Loss Of Identity
Don’t you find that many people, when asked to describe who they are, reveal what they do for a living as one of the first things they say? For example, “Hi, I’m greg and I work in finance.” When I left the rat race, I was no longer part of the powerful corporate tribe and that lack of association left me in limbo for a while, not really knowing where I belonged or how to answer this question.
Am I 100% Ready To Leave?
A combination of the two above-mentioned points plus the fact that my business didn’t get off to the best of starts confirmed my fear that I wasn’t as prepared as I thought I was prior to leaving my job.
Here’s what I did to overcome my fears…
How To Overcome Your Doubts And Fears Before You Leave Home
Photo by chaserpaul
Marilyn Ferguson, author of the book The Brain Revolution, said “Ultimately we know deeply that on the other side of every fear is a freedom.”
To experience fear is absolutely necessary to ensure our survival as human beings; it’s fear that stops us from taking a swan dive off London Bridge.
Fear isn’t that [...]
Photo by chaserpaul
Marilyn Ferguson, author of the book The Brain Revolution, said “Ultimately we know deeply that on the other side of every fear is a freedom.”
To experience fear is absolutely necessary to ensure our survival as human beings; it’s fear that stops us from taking a swan dive off London Bridge.
Fear isn’t that helpful when it stops you from making the decisions and taking the action necessary to achieve your desired lifestyle, and the freedom that comes with it. However, fear can be used to your advantage when you change your perception of it. As my favourite success coach Michael Neill, says, “You aren’t afraid of what you think you’re afraid of - you’re afraid of what you think.”
As my wife and I get ready to embark on our LIP lives next month, we’ve been dealing with a few doubts and fears of our own…
Here are a few practical tips that I’ve found useful, to help you overcome the doubts and fears you may have before you leave on your LIP journey… Read the rest of this entry
Three Fears I Had About Leaving The Rat Race That Didn’t Come True
Photo by thisisanicephoto
Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, is quoted to have said “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop look to fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”
From a very young age we are often [...]
Photo by thisisanicephoto
Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, is quoted to have said “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop look to fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”
From a very young age we are often taught to play it safe, don’t you feel? On the whole we’re encouraged to cling on to security rather than grab a great opportunity that would involve taking a few risks.
A few years ago I decided that working 60 hours per week in a job I didn’t like for 260 days in the year wasn’t the best use of my short time on earth. I could think of many other wonderful things to do that didn’t involve working harder to make other people richer.
What followed was a very frustrating period where I constantly thought about what I really wanted to do but my limiting beliefs kept me safely tucked inside my cubicle.
My fears had paralysed me and they looked a little like this… Read the rest of this entry
