SAYING NO
Now I will admit there is a daily fear that sets upon me around mid morning when I remember that I have said I was going to blog everyday for a week and I panic slightly until deciding on a topic. Like one of my writer friends said “just write whatever happened that day or expand something you thought about or talked about with someone.” Well, THREE great things have happened in past week. And I think it deserves a spot on the interwebs forever (or until plantmama.com.au becomes deactivated).
Telling great and positive news is a battle. On one hand I was raised by optimistic parents, so we as a family believe in sharing the good, always. But on the other hand I live in a country called Australia where we have this litttlleee problem called “tall poppy syndrome.” For those in other countries who are playing at home, it has been defined as:
noun//
a tendency to begrudge, resent, or mock people of great success, talent, or status
a tendency to downplay one’s own achievements or talent in order to avoid the resentment and mockery of others:
AKA - sharing good news or things within our society can be received by others as “big noting” or showing off. Which at its core is really sad, because we should always be sharing ‘the good.’ It’s what balances out the bad. AND WE NEED THAT RIGHT NOW GUYZZZ COME ON!
We all know the saying: all things (good or bad) come in threes. The bad has come in threes over my life, but we aren’t making one ounce of room for that convo on here my friends, we are discussing the light.
So what are THESE THREE GREAT THINGS YOU ASK? It’s three incredible projects that I could have only dreamed a year ago of doing. Well I mean as the manifesting qween over here, of course I dreamed of it a year ago. I wrote down the projects that I wanted to have in my future… and here they damn well are!
Two of these secret projects will make their way to the surface in the coming weeks, but today's early rise was met with the third project being offered onto the table in an email. And MAN what an email to receive!!! To be chosen and recognised by this hugely international company, is beyond. I had no idea that I was even on their radar. And the campaign is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. And it would involve me? And and would be internationally projected by this huge company? Wild. Wild. Wild. It’s these out of box experiences that get my blood p p p pumping. My email response “Hi Kim, think I just peed my pants a little. I’m in.”
Although I will confirm amongst all these big and fun things coming my way at the moment: I still feel like I am waiting for someone to tap me on the shoulder and tell me that I have landed in the wrong place...and it’s all a dream.
After hoping off a US call, I send the text around just to the small inner circle to share all of this weeks news. Was meant with cheering, virtual hugs, pump up screams and works of love and encouragement. These are the fun moments, sharing positive things with those that you love. The ones who have seen you beat your body and hustle hard to get to this place.
Talent is great, but hard work will always trump talent. I shall expand on this another day.
Why do I think all of these amazing opportunities are coming my way right now? They are coming my way because I have busted my ass for four years, but I think mainly they are coming right now because of my absence on social media. The quietening of everyone’s else shit has made my focus more available.
JUST HEAR ME OUT.
Over the last week, I have been doing some deeeep deeeep deeeppp work. Really getting into the layers of my personal and work life. All the time off social media has meant that I have decided to reassess everything in my life. What makes me happy. What doesn’t. Where does most of my income come from. Do I enjoy what I am doing. Am I making courageous decisions where I am growing as a person. Do I contribute to my community and in what ways. How can I give back. Do the people on my team reflect the values I hold. Honestly we could be here all day if I keep going.
THE POINT IS - I am doing the inner work and I am making big decisions, and I think I am being rewarded. It’s not easy to sit down and sift through your shit. It can be confronting, hard, emotional and also draining. BUT - it also can be inspiring, motivating, gratifying and satisfying at the same time. You can’t know where you are going, if you can’t look back and see where you have been. I have been avoiding this activity for all of ISO, but the extra time available to me now seemed like the appropriate time to dive - on - in.
What I learnt from my life ‘rip apart’, is that when I was doing the things that I didn’t enjoy or felt obliged too, I was half assed and not showing up as my best and full self. And no one deserves to have me like that, and I don’t deserve to be like that. I have said NO to more things in the last four months than I ever have, which is big. People pleaser over here! Especially in business. I used to say yes to everything, and burn myself to the ground at the same time.
I decided to test the theory over the past few months, and say no the things that I didn’t want to do. I said no to all the tiny plant jobs that take lots of time and earn you no money. I realised that there are plenty of other plant people in Melbourne that would love that job, so give it to them. I have realised that saying yes to everything doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll enjoy the project at all. It just means that you have said that you will do it. And a job that doesn’t let me creative or make me feel inspired is better left alone, and given to someone else. If it didn’t feel right, it was an instant no.
Save that creative juice for the clients that trust you to do your thing.
SO MY LITTLE PETUNIAS! Todays little lesson is about saying no to things that don’t serve you. And to being open and ready to receive the things that will come back as a reward to having the courage to close your window to the things that don’t make you feel alive.
I CANNOT WAIT TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON. It’s truly truly amazing. And I feel so grateful to be trusted to build these spaces and ideas.
LOVE TO YOU ALWAYS. Disco playlist here
P MAMI XXX
the writing snack essentials