Inspiration required!!!.....How do you do it....?

[Zodiak]

Its sad that so any people hate their jobs.

I am in IT too and although I love fixing things and writing software I am not supposed to do that anymore as I am "management" and keep things making money.

One day I will leave it all behind but right now I have kids to put through university, I had my chance and now its theirs. I hope they make better use of it than I did.

Still I have a series of escapes planned for the next few months,some by myself, some with my Explorer Scouts and even one with SWMBO who is dutifully coming to see what its all about again. Last time was just too basic for her, but we watched the Ray Mears Wild Food series and was very taken with his Kit. So over teh next few weeks I will be buying a bigger tarp, something resembling a bedroll, a couple of fold up chairs and a dutch oven

Don't tell her thats not primitive, for her its a big deal not having mains electricity or a sink!

 

[Mikey P]

I think most people above are advocating a better work/life balance and I would second (third? fourth?) that. Plan your holidays, spare time and weekends so you have something to look forward to. There was another thread on 'How to put a bit of Bushcraft in your day' (or something like that) that had loads of ways that people are keeping their interest in the subject through simple daily activities - there's some truly inspiring stuff.

The 'drop out of the rat race' existence is a romantic ideal that many of us aspire to but mortgages, family, quality of life (by this, I mean it in a 'materialistic' fashion - we 'need' a big TV, we 'need' broadband internet, we 'need' a car, etc) and reality all conspire against us.

Having read through most of the posts above, it is sad how much some people hate their jobs. I'm lucky in that, on balance, I enjoy mine most of the time - but if I didn't, I'd change it. I've done it before and I'll do it again. I have to have job satisfaction or I have no motivation. The hardest thing to get over is the uncertainty and, frequently, a drop in salary.

There's been some excellent, non-patronising advice above and I hope it's helped set you on the path to a better life (?). Someone told me once that 'Life is not a rehearsal' and that put the fear of God into me. I want to make the most of life now and not look back in regret when I'm too old to do anything about it.

 

[sam_acw]

In some ways I'm a little like Torjus - finished University with a mountain of debts and wanted to get back to something more "real". I decided that for me the answer was to move country. I'll probably always have to work here but if I can keep saving I should be able to buy the cabin in the woods within a few years. I think 24 is too young for this to be a mid-life crisis

 

[xylaria]

Ten and half years ago I ran away from my life. I was working for company that give out disaplinaries for not smiling, and living with bloke whose ideal peice of camping equiptment was a caravan. So I handed in my notice packed my rucksack and left. I was 23 years old knew from working in casinos that money makes people misrable. I slept on mates floors. My ex couldn't understand why I prefer to be homeless than with him.

A few weeks later I got together with Mr X and ended up pregnant with little miss X. I was still living in 'acute housing need'. Now at this point my mother etc was pionting out what complete mess I had made of my life. Going from good job , nice house with mr responsible to the life of hippy drop out is beyond the understanding of many. Things did get difficult at times, but ten years later I am still with a bloke thinks I look more beautiful with twigs in my hair than make-up on my face. Children need love, food ,and shelter, everything else is based on want not need.

 

[hanzo]

Aloha Phil,

I apologize in advance as this is kind of long. But I thank you, in that as I look through my files to post this, my night brightened up.



Sometimes, life is a beach.

But, inspiration abounds. It is everywhere and appears every day. I think we just need to pay attention and appreciate the things around us. It is free, yet priceless and helps to keep the attitude positive.

Here are some things that inspire me...



My kids. Although this picture is a few years old, the feelings live on and every day, I feel so blessed.



This guy crossed our path, so I shot him...with a camera.



Cooling off on a hot day.



No green eggs, just HAM.



Something yummy.



Cross training...martial arts and swimming?



Baby martial arts. Sorry about the grainy picture. She just got done with Bruce Lee.



Fine art.



A nice kiss. Because I am handsome...



...at least to my wife and kids



Playing...



...outside.

Phil, go out and have fun. It helps you to separate yourself from your worries, but you can't hide from them. So deal with them as quickly as you can so you can put them behind you. Because there are so many better things to have in front of you. Just keep your eyes, your mind, and your heart open. And you will be inspired daily.

One thing I tell my kids..."When you have a problem, do something, anything really, problems have a way of resolving themselves. When we don't do anything, or worse, just complain, the problems seem to get bigger. Also, count your blessings, be happy with what you have, make yourself better and everyone and everything around you becomes better. And finally, what goes around comes around, and usually much bigger on the return. So if something is wrong, go help somebody else. When you help someone, you often times help yourself."

Just remember...




...you can have your cake and eat it too!

 

[Chopper]

Call it mid-life crisis, call it sick to death of the modern world, but I'm searching for some inspiration. :sadwavey:

How DO you all manage to balance the (so called!) "real" world of modern day life against the old "traditional" life of bushcraft?

I'm contemplating running away to a hut somewhere and eaking out a near hermit-like existence!

Seriously....it might be just this time of year but I'm fed up to the back teeth of my modern IT-esque life and modern "you must be sensible" job in a modern company bored out of my mind!! :aargh4:

Any advice appreciated!!

Phil

Phil, I really would'nt bother with the real world, I left it behind a few years ago and its great.

Go retro, live in the past, its much nicer that today.

 

[Zodiak]

I had a few errands to run this morning, which meant a trip to the local shops, but due to guts ache I decided to drive rather than walk with my 13 year old daughter as promised.

She still came with me and we ended up parked on a side street (by the toliet!) when we both noticed a footpath that we hadn't ever seen before, so armed with her brand new camera we went for a nose and discovered a woods, less than half a km from our house!!

It was her first time in the woods with just the two of us, and I discovered that she was just as happy to sit and watch animals as I am, and boy did they put on a good show this morning

Within minutes we saw two robins fighting, then joined by a third, we saw rabbits playing only meters away, found a bank of crocus in bloom

There were dozens of squirrels running through the tree tops, I have never seen so many or so active, it was amazing. She didn't get much of a chance to photo graph the animals, but just as we were getting up this little fella came and sat about 5m from us and waitied until she took this photo

I have been here for 20 years and didn't know it existed, I think its council land, but already she has asked if she can borrow my old hammock and sleep there so we can be awake when the animals start to move.