Helen's Headlines - Monday 14 May 2012

Hello everyone

Well judging the skin around my fingernails, I'm stressed!  Or maybe I should just stop this nervous reaction and keep biting them. 

Last night, Gill talked about how to manage stress and identify the triggers that create a stressful reaction for us which in turn, change our behaviours and affect our physical, mental, spiritual and emotional well being.  While she talked, I thought about my behaviour and how I react to others when stressed and realised that at times, there is a lot of pressure that I put on myself. 

Over the last few months, realising this I had started yoga and meditation just to calm me down a bit and have found that I look forward to those moments of peace where I can zone out for a while.  She called it 'being present in the now' and in one way, for me, knitting is the activity which puts me 'in the now'.  The moment I pick it up every night, I'm not thinking about those training needs analysis reports, I'm not thinking about how to train over 3500 people across our organisation scattered across two countries and all states, I'm not thinking about writing up meeting agendas, project reports, whitepapers or worried about meeting crazy deadlines and constant requests, I'm not thinking about how I'm going to fit it all in or who is there to help me through it - I'm just thinking of knits, purls and the texture of the yarn at my fingertips - and that's comforting for me.

Thanks also to the team of people who helped out in our recent Charity Golf Day at Kingston Heath.  By all reports it was quite successful and funds were raised to support MS and our other community initiatives.  For those who have helped (and your partners - a BIG thank you to them too!) for helping out on the day, seeking sponsors or providing raffle and silent auction gifts, it is greatly appreciated.

It was nice to receive a Facebook post from Andrew who is enjoying his cultural exchange to Fort Worth Dallas Texas and he will be sending an email with photos to the club that will be distributed.  Next week he starts his Vocational Exchange working at a university with robotics engineering as his project.

I'm looking forward to Sunday where I have volunteered to help out on the corner of North Road and East Boundary Road at 10-12 in the morning for the Red Shield Appeal for the Salvation Army. Make sure you drive by and put some money in the tin!

I wish everyone a happy week, take care and I will be an apology for next week as it is my name day (Greeks celebrate this in honour of their saint names) so anyone who is named Helen or Constantine celebrates on 21 May.  See you on  Monday 28 May for our movie night!