VernetteOutLoud

Endings, Beginnings And Blessings

Blessings-Scott-Webb

Photo by: Scott Webb, Unsplash

Endings, Beginnings And Blessings

Endings are beginnings that are really blessings! Today marks the end of my personal challenge, to blog everyday for a month. When I started writing today’s post, which is actually #34 written this month *brushes shoulders off*, four of them will be published later in July. All I could hear was Leslie’s voice from The Hangover movie  saying, “but did you die?”

Nope! I blogged every day for 30 days and I didn’t die. It is also the start of my blogging journey once again. Getting back into writing because I love it and publishing…because I wont die when I do. 

It’s also a FRIDAY, which seems the perfect day to end my blog challenge. It’s Five Minute Friday time and our word prompt this week is BLESSING. Another full circle moment if you ask me. Because this blogging community is such a huge blessing in my life.

You can join in too. The rules are pretty simple – write for 5 minutes on the word prompt for the week and post to your blog, then add your post to the linky party over at the Five Minute Friday community.

Setting timer now…

GO

Today, marks the end of a chapter for me. It was my last day on my current desk within a department I practically grew up in. On Monday, I move to a new department, new desk, new people, new culture. This move was even more poignant, because I was not unhappy with my work.

Yes it was hectic at times but I’ve found that for me, the work was never the issue. I loved what I did, the people and relationships, however, that’s where the most stress really came from. But I spent eight years in this department. I am writing it now and I cannot believe it has been eight whole years.

You kinda expect “people stress” in a work environment anyway and after eight years, that is more than reasonable. But, they welcomed me during the worst time in my life. They supported me through mummy’s illness and they were there for me when she died. I grew up with this bunch of people. They are my family. And I consider myself truly blessed to have them in my life.

As I moved from area to area within the department, I kept adding skills to my toolbox. These are the skills I hope to use well in my new job. I consider it a blessing to have spent eight years in a space that allowed for growth.

STOP

My timer just went off. And I have so much more I want to say. So I’m going to cheat for a bit.

I am struggling a bit with the tense I am supposed to be writing this post in. When I think of my department, it is still in the present tense. So for the purpose of my peace of mind and writing, I will write this in the present.

Blessings upon blessings

My manager is a big believer in empowering staff and teamwork. Space, time and this medium does not allow for sharing three years under her leadership. But her guidance helped me add to my toolbox over the years. I have learnt so much from her and I will be forever grateful.

We spend a third of our day at the office and there will always be overlap. You don’t go into the office looking for friends, but it happens eventually. And I am blessed to say that I have made some true friends over the years.

In the work environment, where people are replaced and nothing is permanent, it can seem like you’re just a cog. Which is why, when you love what you do and you work hard, you want to know that you made a valuable contribution. That you mattered. That your being there, was in fact a blessing. My manager said a few words at the little farewell gathering the team had for me. If she said five sentences, in four of them she mentioned, “We don’t want you to go”.  

That meant a lot. I had other persons call to express their happiness that I am moving forward, to bigger and better. But also sadness that I wont be on the desk anymore. That also meant a lot. And now I take all of that with me to my new job.

I look forward to working hard and making a valuable contribution in my new job. Here’s to making better mistakes, learning and growing. I look forward to taking what the Father has given me and multiplying it, through the work that I do. So that when I come to another ending, it will be the start of something wonderful and yet another blessing.

 

The Best Life Advice, In Six Words Or Less

When it comes to life advice, I think about the two women who were such a big part of my life and who are no longer here to offer their sage take on things. In their absence, or because of their absence, I have come up with my own: Make the most of your time here.

Some of that time, is spent on Facebook. I used to be one of those people who would “announce” that they just cleaned up their Facebook friends list. And If you could see that update then you would know that you made the cut. That I still consider you a friend. Well…not only was that a pretty obnoxious thing to do, it dawned on me one day, that I might not have made someone else’s list. I cut that shit out real quick.

What does that little story above have to do with life advice? Well as it turns out, my “friends” list as it exists today, is now made up of people I actually know and like. So what better group to go to when I want feedback on something right?

Best Life Advice From My Friends

I asked my friends to share with me their best life advice, in six words or less and this is what they had to say:

Kendell: Define success by your own rules.

Stacy: Always be true to yourself…..

DeNyssa: Live, love, laugh, learn & give thanks!

Kendall: Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Avery: It doesn’t matter what they think.

Tessa: Run free.

Jason: Don’t try to please people.

Kyle: Be yourself.

Kim: What you conceive you achieve.

Melisa: Go big or go home.

Tanya: Life is short. Don’t wait. Travel.

Doh Be A Dick

Q: Doh be a dick.

Bellina: Do what makes you sparkle! 🌠

James: Be curious

Michelle: One word and I need this advice the most. Listen.

Brent: Have faith in God Almighty always.

Nicole: Take a chance.

Nyron: Learn from the mistakes of others (since it is better than learning the hard way).

Latoya: Make peace of mind your priority.

Rosanna: Don’t judge, and be kind.

Abigail: Live love : ) each day as your last!

Daniel: Party – wine – jam – party wine jam. (hahaha)

Rich: Always have vex money.

Jan: Live!

Tracy: DON’T WAIT TILL IT’S TOO LATE.

Raeanne: Get some sleep.

One Life To Live

Marcus: Give thanks and keep it moving.

Cynthia: Make JESUS your LORD and SAVIOR!!!

Traci: No one has it together.

Gigi: Live while you can.

Baidawi: Question everything.

Stephan: Never compare yourself to others

Janine: Be kind to yourself always.

Jolene: Be present now.

Lester: Everybody….could Dingolay.

Jonathan: Love never ends.

Damian: There are no limits.

KerriAnne: Have faith.

Alana: Be the best you can be.

Clare: Follow your gut instincts.

Gillian: Don’t give up, must go on!

Corrine: Don’t make promises when you’re happy.

Kathryn: Always start with prayer and coffee.

Kezianne: No matter what, always give thanks…

Martyn: Another person journey is not yours.

Garth: Never give up on you.

Camille: Live love laugh.

Sheldon: Do good. Work hard. Play hard.

Ryan: Master yourself.

Tracey: To thine own self be true.

Olivia: Worry less, do more, love you.

Joni-Dale: Keep doing good , blessings come different.

Khafra: 3 words: Everything. Slight…Pepper.

Sunshine: You Only Live Once – Live!

Portia: 💚Love God and put him first!

Cleopatra: Dream big, set goals, take action.

Abbi: Always be honest to yourself.

Omari: Once there is LIFE there is HOPE

Richard: I want four doubles, slight pepper.

There are some real gems in there! And I realised two things: I am blessed with great people in my life and this could be great list for baby-names. No clue why that thought came to me…but it did.

Sooo, what’s your best life advice in six words of less? Please share below.

Wordless Wednesday

When In Mexico…Part 2

When In Mexico…

I am still very much vacation dreaming and what better way to satisfy this need for a jet fuel fix, than to revisit my most recent vacation memories. My sister and I went to Mexico in April for our cousin’s wedding. And we had the best time!

A standout feature of the resort was the statement pool that ran the length of the it. My camera was not seeing what my eyes were, but the colours were so vibrant. The turquoise water from the pool, framed by the lush green of the coconut trees (they were everywhere on the resort) and blue sky with the little sprays of bright pink bougainvillea in between. This made for a great first impression.

Yes! We did this. We tried six different types of Tequila and learnt a whole lot about the process of making it.

Walking around the resort, not only provided much needed exercise and way to counteract the amount of booze and yummy food we were eating, but it also kept my step count up. I saw some guests running around the resort and kudos to them because there is gym and they also have these little golf cart shuttles the take you around. Walking around the resort, revealed all the little spaces for solitude (or potential wedding locations) and great photo ops.

My cousins organized a catamaran tour as a “break-the-ice” mixer for the wedding guests the day before the wedding. This was supposed to be a fun and casual way to meet and greet each other as all of the guests had arrived by then. But some of us went to a club/cirque du soleil type show the night before and had even more Tequila. So you could well imagine that while the vibe on the boat was nice…it was also very mellow.

This sign welcomes you to the spa! The sauna is free for guests of the resort, so I made sure to make use of the facility. We also had 24-hour room service available to us, this definitely came in handy after our late night shananigans and tummies that demanded to be fed in the wee hours of the morning.

And because I promised you a burro…check out this guy. He served us Tequila shots on the beach at the cocktail hour for the wedding. Our little burro was not very impressed with all our gaiety. But he did make for some interesting photos and puns.

 This was Part 2 of my When In Mexico…shenanigans. You can read Part 1 here.

Have you ever been to Mexico? What was the experience like?

7 Things I Made Time For This Week That Makes Me Grateful I’m Alive

Photo by: Levi Guzman, Unsplash

How blessed are we here in Trinidad to have two consecutive Mondays off? It’s yet another public holiday in my twin-island home and it was spent quite well, even if I do say so myself. The storm of last week, was not as terrible as we braced for. But there was serious damage to homes and flooding in low lying areas. I am so grateful that once again, our little part of the world was spared of  disaster.

I am all kinds of happy to grateful to be alive right now. And, because I’m so happy, I’m sharing seven things I made time for this week, that makes me grateful I’m alive today:

Family Time

My family is my joy and the number one thing that make me happy. But our lives are hectic these days. My brother and his wife are moving house with Baby S. My sister in burning the candle at both ends with work, school and her creative side project. And I am moving departments, trying to finish school and working on my own creative side project.

It’s a lot of busy work. And what keeps me grounded is making the time to catch up with my sibs and spend time with Baby S. I am so grateful for these people and that I get to walk this journey with them. In

Self-care

Affogatos on a Monday night? Hell Yeah! Because nothing says eff my diet like coffee and ice cream. I feel no guilt at this one….because

Exercise

I got some walking in this week, despite the rainy conditions. In fact, I think the overcast, light drizzle at times, made my walks all the more worth it.

Doing Absolutely Nothing

This week, I made an effort to spend at least one hour for four days, to do absolutely nothing. No phone, no computer, no work. Just me, a cup of coffee and my bed or sitting in my chair at the office, looking out at the ocean. It felt sumptuous, like a decadent dessert this not doing any busy work or wasting time on social media.

Friends – The Family I Chose

As I have gotten older, my relationships have matured and I am truly blessed. I know who are the one who have my back. The ones who keep it real when I’m being a punk. And I am blessed with a family, not related by blood but by ties which have been woven together stronger and tighter over the years. I am grateful.

Prayer

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Because of Him, I am alive. I’m still here.

Getting 8 Hours Sleep

One of the best things about a long weekend is that “extra” day to get back on track with sleep. But that was not the case with the storm warning and all. So I had to make an extra effort to prioritize sleep this week. And I am happy to report that I made four out of the seven days.

So that’s my seven for this week. On Mondays, “we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.” 7 for Seven originated at Key + Arrow.

I hope that by continuing to pay attention to the little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life and by sowing the seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the days ahead.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate you! This is me blowing some glitter and confetti on you because you’re super blessed to have received the gift of another 86,400 seconds today, to spend any way you desire.

Make those seconds count!

I love hearing from you…what are you grateful today?Feel free to share below!