Category Archives: self esteem

How do I sell myself?

Posted on April 11, 2013 | 1 Comment

Job application

??????????I am applying for jobs, I graduate in June, the date is set for graduation on June 22nd. Graduation means that I am at the end of the road. It is a closure to three years of hard work. Now it is back to business for me and the task ahead is landing a job. preferably it would be in the field of Art History but I have realized I cannot afford the cultural sector, for the time being. Therefore I have to find a job that is interesting, well paid and hopefully something that is fun to do. It would not hurt if the colleagues are nice and the benefits and company culture are amazing. Asking too much??

How do I sell myself?

I got an email today from a job agency, I was supposed to send something that would prove me worthy of  copywriting. So I pointed them to my blog. I realized that it is the only online forum that I have ever written, in English at least. Then I noticed that the last post was hardly showing my writing skills, I would have to write  longer text and make it juicy in order to be  considered for the job.

I have to write a text that does myself justice.

sell-your-training-for-website1I am hard-working, I am creative, I see possibilities where other see only obstacles. I wake up in the morning and decide that it is going to be a good day. In the evening I thank for what the day has brought to me.I am thankful for the opportunities and challenges that I have gotten till now and I am convinced that this time around I will be as lucky as before. I have practiced my writing skills for the past year and a half, both  in my study´s  and this blog. Now I´ll wait and see what is to be my next adventure.What will it be??? Stay tuned :-)

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The native american sweat lodge

Posted on July 7, 2012 | 2 Comments

I am thankful for the beauty of the native american sweat lodge

I am thankful for all the lovely people who I spent last night with. We went on a journey together without knowing what would happen. It started out by the fire in the midst of the Icelandic nature. Then we swam in the Atlantic Ocean before entering the tent. The tent is built with a native american sweat lodge tradition in mind. With guidance from them.

The fire and the tent ©snorri

the glowing hot stone inside the tent ©snorri

The sweat was a healing experience, the stones used are heated on the fire. Little by little the stones are carried into the tent. When the first stones are in the tent the tent is closed and inside is total darkness. The foreman puts water on the stones to heat up the tent . The sweat was five rounds with chanting and drumming in the spirit of the native Americans. Even though I don’t understand the words of the chanting it releases energy and the discomfort of the total darkness and the unbearable heat is a personal victory.

After the sweat we enjoyed a meal together, to regain energy so that we could drive home. After the spiritual journey and cleansing I was beat. I crawled into bed and slept for ten hours.

I am thankful to be able to experience things like this, I am thankful for the people who were with me on the journey in their vulnerability and strength. I am blessed.

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Pema Chödrön´s words of wisdom

Posted on July 5, 2012 | 1 Comment

Wisdom that I came across in my daily blog reading routine

I was reading through blogs this morning and mind/body/spirit Academy  had written a great post on patience. With a quote from Pema Chödrön. I am a big fan of Chödrön, along with reading the post I was browsing Chödrön´s web and I found abundance of writings that spoke to me. I am going to quote one of them;

“As long as we’re caught up in always looking for certainty and happiness, rather than honoring the taste and smell and quality of exactly what is happening, as long as we’re always running away from discomfort, we’re going to be caught in a cycle of unhappiness and disappointment, and we will feel weaker and weaker. This way of seeing helps us to develop inner strength.”

This is a quote from Pema Chödrön writings on SHAMBALA SUN . One more reminder of living here and now, not there and then.

Thank you mind/body/spirit academy for the re-acquaintance with Chödrön.

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A true yes and a true no

Posted on July 3, 2012 | 2 Comments

 Simple enough?

I had a discussion the other day with friends. The topic was honesty. No white lyes no arranging the truth to accommodate other people’s feelings.

It All Came True

It All Came True ©Wikipedia

Someone boiled the answer into this ;

When you say no, mean it, and when you say yes, mean it.

It is just as simple as that! If we stop saying yes to things that we don´t want to do we feel better about our selves.

Many of us , including me had to learn how to say no. I said yes long after my schedule was full and my days were so stressful that I woke up in tension.

But what I realized was that the yes has to be true too. Not only did I have to learn to say no in a gentle, loving manner. I need also to learn to mean the yes.

The funny thing is that my gut-feeling tells me if I am sincere about my yes and no.

If I´m not truthful to my self, my physical body reacts. The second thoughts start bothering me, the doubts, the anxious feeling in my stomach. Amazing isn´t it?

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Goals for July

Posted on July 2, 2012 | 2 Comments

I am defeated..NOT!! But maybe a little deflated (It feels like all the air is out of me right now)

I did not achieve my blog goals for June, but I am setting new ones for July anyway. I have moved from Manhattan,  Kansas in the US to Kopavogur Iceland this June so I can say that I have some excuse. Mainly what happened was that I stopped blogging every day. My motivation has not come back full force. I am adjusting to a new reality and now I have to get my routine back. The challenge is one post a day in July.

My June goals were;

100 viewers pr. day

3000 viewers pr. month

810 followers

My results for June 2012  are

27 readers pr. day, 821 readers pr. month and 812 followers(the only goal I achieved)

which means that I have to start from scratch. At least set more realistic goals while I get back on track.

Then on the positive note!

Still, I got 821 readers in June, thank you for the likes, visits and comments. It is a good and positive experience to be here with you all! And I got a Versatile blogger nomination! So all in all it was a good month. Lots to be thankful for. Thank you!

July goals

50 viewers pr. day

1550 viewers pr. month

830 followers

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Making an effort

Posted on June 3, 2012 | 1 Comment

The eating well challenge

I am on a road trip, that means keeping my healthy habits is going to be a challenge. Every time I stray off my routine it is challenging to eat well and rest properly. But this time I decided that I was going to make a huge effort. I have my blender with me, all my vitamins, the protein powder, the oils, the chia seeds. All were packed and are joining me on the trip.

The hardest part is to keep the refrigerated things ok, but it is going quite well.I have a good stock with me because the next time I will find a whole foods store is probably after 5 day´s in New York.

It is really about the ME time, putting us first

I was talking to a friend about this, and recalling the oxygen-mask story. The oxygen mask theory is basically based on the things the stewardess say´s before takeoff. If the oxygen in the plane drops put the mask on you first and then assist the child.

It is pretty basic, if we do not take care of ourselves, we are in no shape to take care of others.

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Posted in Children, Health, nutrition, self esteem, women's health

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My kidneys are smiling

Posted on May 26, 2012 | 5 Comments

Can you picture that? A smiling pair of kidneys?

That is what it feels like. I am blessed with a family unit that sometimes just leaves me alone. My husband took our ten-year old to see friends yesterday. That gave me space to gather all the things that I need sorted out before I leave, in less than a week. When things pile up , my stress level goes up and my kidneys start complaining. It feels like lover back pain but I have gotten to know my kidneys quite well through my journey and I listen. I want them to be smiling.

My daughter spent the night at a friend’s house  and now  my husband  is off on his motorcycle so I have a second day in my own quiet universe. Today I have had coffee made by  my favorite barista Alex. I rewrote two pages of my novel. Then I went  to a second-hand bookstore and found a book I ´ve been waiting to see, I was surprised it was already in the second-hand store. It is “Advanced style” by Ari Seth Cohen. Here is a video clip of the lady´s in the book. They are just lovely. 

I know I should not buy more books! We have started to pack our things, we got a price for the move back to Iceland and it is EXPENSIVE! So we are trying to shrink what needs to come with us. But I could not resist.

People find us odd

Sometimes people find it odd that we are not glued together alway´s. My husband loves his motorcycle and takes frequent trips. I love to relax or maybe just take my girls on a small trip. Who says the family unit does have to be glued together at all times?

Extrovert vs. Introvert

I am an introvert and I recharge when I am alone. My husband is an extrovert and he recharges when he is with other people. That is why we like , not to be together always.  If I were to be on his schedule all the time I would soon burn out. As he gets older he can sometimes dwell in my quiet world for a moment reading. But that lasts for a brief moment and off he is!

I want to leave you with a thought on introverts, by Susan Cain

Have a good weekend!

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Can I have a bullshit protector..please?

Posted on May 24, 2012 | 4 Comments

Cultural differences

I have studied intercultural communication in the past, I am aware that there are cultural differences that come from our family, surroundings, our community and our country of origin. Living in USA for ten months has taught me that you need a strong bullshit protector to live here. You need a ton of “glasses” to read between the lines. I do not watch much TV but the little I have, makes me aware why people are misinformed. There is the element of brainwashing that comes to my mind.

Hieronymus Bosch- The Seven Deadly Sins and th...

Hieronymus Bosch- The Seven Deadly Sins -Anger ©Wikipedia

I can understand

Why people are eating poor diet

Why people are taking a pill for every ill

Why people spend too much on credit

If you sit down one day and watch TV this is what you see, junk food commercials. Commercials urging you too purchase today something you will pay for later. And the promise of medicaments that can solve any possible problem you have. Then there is a whole category directed towards women. To buy useless cremes that claim to make them look years younger. While the real magic is in Photoshop and makeup art.

I think we should just pause and consider the message presented as the seven deadly sins.

Pride is excessive belief in one’s own abilities, that interferes with the individual’s recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.

Envy is the desire for others’ traits, status, abilities, or situation.

Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.

Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.

Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.

Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.

Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.

I urge you to think about these 7 next time you watch a commercial or a music video or even a daytime soap. It is amazing. I am thankful for the governmental interference on commercials in Scandinavia, it is prohibited  to claim something in a commercial or an Ad that you cannot prove to be true.

So the legislation on Ads and commercials works as a bullshit protector. I have also learned that government, governmental control, governmental interference are taboos in the USA. Because it is the home of the brave and land of the free.

I have a hard time seeing America as free just reading statistics on obesity tells me that the people are slaves of addiction. Addiction supported by poor legislation on commercials, Ads and little or no regulations from the FDA. (To benefit the people)

But what do I know?

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When the going gets tough

Posted on May 22, 2012 | 5 Comments

The tough gets going

I was having second thoughts about my blog mission, last week and this morning I was not in the mood to go on. Then I got a post from WordPress saying that I am allowed to have advertising on my blog. I am trying to live off my writing and a little income from my blog will help. So by noon the day was already brighter.

Then Genie Speaks nominated me to  “One Lovely Blog Award” She said inspirational things about my blog that were encouraging  to me. So during the day the course changed. I got a clear sign from the universe. Keep going.

Thank you universe I really appreciate your instant messages and answers.

These are the guidelines: for “One Lovely Blog Award”

Thank the person who nominated you and link back to them in your post ; Thank you Genie for thinking of  me and for the inspiration!

Share 7 things about yourself ;

1. My interests might be considered schizophrenic, as you can see from the blog nominations. I am interested in health, nourishment, global issues, fashion, design, art, being outdoors and I can go on….

2. When I met my husband we bought a run down fish factory together after four months in a relationship.

3 . Twelve years ago  I was a single mother with three kids, I had told myself that I would never meet anyone crazy enough to take on the whole package, I was wrong.

4. I speak norwegian with a Oslo accent

5. I curse terribly in Norwegian, somewhat in Icelandic, I have probably the best manners  when speaking english.

6. My grandfather who lived to be 103 years old came from Faroe islands

7. I am moving from the USA in June my VISA expires on June 12th I have a flight the day before. I get to see my favorite artists in MOMA before I leave. There is a great photographic exhibition featuring Man Ray and Ed Ruscha. The artists I did my independent study on this spring.

Nominate 15 or so bloggers you admire ;

1.derekcheyyim

2.Trafimovich

3.French Twisted woman

4.Supplement Spot

5.M.I.S Miranda´s Inside scoop

6.Sweatpants and eggplants

7.Dependents

8.Influence versus control

9.Anne Sture Tucker

10.Dudette Here!

11.A Charmed yogi

12.In pursuit of more

13.Starlight427

14.Subtlekate

15.Arianna´s  random thoughts

Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know.

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I can be lazy and I´m proud of it!

Posted on May 21, 2012 | 2 Comments

I was inspired by reading this post called the art of doing nothing.

I am not an official recovering workaholic, I mean I have never gone to a twelve step meeting to deal with it ,but yes I am.

I was a workaholic I just dealt with the emptiness in a different twelve step program.

I have four kids , when I was at work I worried about them. When I was at home I  was thinking about work. I was in neither place. When I had the day off I had hard time relaxing without feeling shameful. When I tried to relax I found my self thinking that I should do something. At least clean the house! It is difficult to wind down when,you are  like me in such a  spiral that It was like I  was about to get launched from the planet like a rocket.

When I collapsed I finally learned   to relax. Now I sleep in couple of times  a week. At least I sleep long enough to wake up by myself (no alarm). If I am tired I lay down and get some rest.I have learned to listen to my body.

I am working on saying no. I had some relapse last year when I had 130% studies, 50-70% work and was stupid enough to say yes  to be a chairman of small association. The icing on the cake was investing  in a company that was not exactly something I was interested in, just to add things that I did not have time for.

Time that I stole from myself and my family. It goes without saying that none of this would have been possible if I was not blessed with wonderful people around me to help me.

I finally managed to get out, and since August last year I have been working on my own things. Writing,  which is my passion. And I have been studying Art history, which I find fascinating. I have been in a sort of protected environment.

Now I am moving back home and I wonder. Am I strong enough? When people ask me to do things I am not interested in. Will I be persistent enough to say no and belive in the things I am doing on my own?

Well that is my task of the day´s and weeks to come

1. Say no to things that others want me to do if  I´m not interested.

2. Relax, and practice being there. To be in the now at all times Eckart Tolle style.

3.Believe in me, no matter what others say.

4. Stick to my plan, it is a good one and it will come true, if I don´t abandon it.

5.Be active in my coda program so that I won´t fall back into bad habits

 cartoon, taken from Frazzled mommy blog.

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