I don’t work Fridays so this gives us an extra day over the Bank Holiday which meant we were able to get to E&Ms without encountering too much traffic, spend a lovely couple of days with them before heading back on Sunday, beating the return traffic and still giving us Monday to do other stuff.
Helped by the fact that its been lovely, bright, sunny and warm, it has really started to feel like summer is coming.
We have now washed and put the winter dressing gowns and bed linen away in favour of the lighter ones, and I’ve even ventered so far as to check out the state of shorts in the cupboard.
Having spent the weekend in excellent company, being fed watered and walked and entertained, and knowing that there’s an extra day to relax before heading to work, I actually do feel quite rested.
I’ve researched a couple of things I want to do and taken some advice on how to achieve them, and have plans already being actioned.
I do need to check messages and other stuff as I’ve not responded to any emails over the weekend, but that shouldn’t take long. Then I intend to prepare breakfasts and lunches for work, then read and relax for the rest of the day.
Summer seems to be on its way with a good forecast for the rest of this week so time to shake off the drear of winter and a wet spring. Time to up my game and get on.
Although there has been no group #bellringing for such a long time now C and I have been going to the Cathedral and ringing two bells just to keep things going.
This week however we are away visiting E&M so not able to go to ring. In ordinary times we would go with E&M to their tower to ring on Sunday bit as they’re not back ringing yet either, we had the morning off.
An odd feeling to not go ringing but after yesterday’s marathon walk around Hardwick Hall we were all exhausted and enjoyed a couple of extra hours sleep.
I am looking forward to returning to the Cathedral next weekend when we will have a couple of extra of ringers for the first time in many, many months. The rules still only allow six people with social distancing, masks and good ventilation but it will be fantastic to hear more than ding and dong and try real ringing methods.
As we head into June and the possibility of no restrictions after the 21st (fingers tightly crossed) we may also be able to start practices again. I know many towers already have but because we are very reliant on people from other towers supporting our practice we’ve decided to hold off for a while.
It will be interesting to see and hear how we get on when trying to raise and ring the heavy bells for the first time in 16 months. Managing people’s expectations of what they could and should ring might be a challenge.
From what I’ve read on social media from other towers it seems that there has been a positive community reaction to bells being rung again but then I upoose no one is going to share any negative responses they’ve had.
I always share details of what ringing we are planning and what we’ve done on our Twitter account and tag local radio, the diocrsan office, the cathedral, local city sites as well. Some are really positive and like and share our posts which is lovely.
I want to build a closer relationship with the cathedral and diocesan offices and local community sites so that they start to fully consider the advantages that bellringers bring to church and community.
I’ve already had conversations with the cathedral office about a diocesan wide ring to mark the enthronement of our new Diocesan Bishop later on in the year and look forward to some closer links.
I have literally done nothing today. I feel so lazy.
Its Bank Holiday, so I’m not at work. We had a bit of a lay in, I didn’t get up until 8am. After showering and getting dressed, I plonked myself down on the sofa and played a game on my tablet. C was helping on a Stedman #bellringing theory session, using my Zoom account I might add, but I wasn’t needed for that. I took half an hour to make my breakfasts and lunches for the rest of the working week ahead. Then sat down again and played some more game.
After he’d finished his theory session, we decided to go into town to get some lunch. The sun was shining but it was very chilly. We walked up to the High Street and back which took us about 20 minutes. I ate my sandwich, then sat on the sofa playing more of my game again. He then went to do some work in the study, and I had a sneaky 10 minute nap, before C made our afternoon cup of tea. He had his whilst working in the study, I had mine whilst playing games on my tablet.
C went down to make dinner. I sat on the sofa watching TV now that its early evening, but essentially doing nothing. And I feel exhausted. I napped before bedtime, went straight to sleep until the alarm the next day.
Consuming too many refined carbs. Whilst giving a quick boost of energy, these baddies tend to rise and fall quickly, quick energy boost, followed by another slump;
Being sedentary. Inactivity is as bad as too active. Exercise can reduce fatigue so walking, gentle exercise is better than none;
Not getting enough of the right sort of sleep. I’m not sure this one is me. I sleep for Britain. After a good quality night’s sleep your supposed to wake up feeling energised and ready to go. Can’t say that’s ever happened to me though;
Food sensitivities. If you have intolerances like rashes or digestive problems it might be a sign that something you’ve eaten doesn’t agree with you.
Not eating enough calories. I definitely don’t think this one applies to me. They might not be the right sort of calories, but I definitely get my quota in;
Sleeping at the wrong time. Now, I can sleep whenever, wherever. If I’m not doing anything I fall asleep, if I’m bored I fall asleep. Maybe I sleep too much!
Not enough protein. Protein boosts your metabolic rate and can aid weight loss and prevent tiredness;
Not drinking enough water. I drink about 1.5 litres per day easily. That’s in addition to coffee or anything else.
Relying on energy drinks. This is not me. Don’t like them, they taste too sweet.
High stress levels. I don’t think I’m particularly stressed. Sometimes more than others, sure, but generally I’m quite good at dealing with it. Mostly I sleep it off, if I’m asleep it can’t worry me!
I have another week off work, to use up some annual leave. I’m writing reports, presentations, planning and attending #bellringing meetings, writing articles, and promoting #bellringing events. At some point there’s a bunch of household things that need doing, I would like to do some baking this week (I have chocolate orange hot cross buns, and chocolate easter cake to make), and I would like to spend some down time going for walks etc as the weather is supposed to be good this week. My to do list is quite lengthy.
C and I have just planned the week out based on what the weather forecast has in store. We have a lot of annual report deliveries to do and plan to splice that with some walks out along the coasts and picnics, so have made a plan based on what we need to deliver where and how many loads can we get rid of in as few journeys as possible.
We went to the wholesalers today, so there was a long shopping list of things to restock the freezer with. Along side that sat the list of reports that we could drop off en route. We dropped the Southern District ones off on our way.
Back home and it was unpacking the shopping and portioning it up into meal sized bags. Our freezer is well and truly stuffed now. We didn’t get home until nearly 3pm so lunch was a bit on the late side, meaning dinner will be even later today. For lunch I tried one of the pasties I made yesterday, they were quite tasty actually.
After lunch, a bit more promotional preparations ahead of tomorrow’s release, then I had a play on Ringing Room, now that I have Wheatley installed, I can ring on my own whilst it does the rest. I plugged in my e-bells and had a go at some plain hunt minor on each pair of bells. I finally got the hang of 3-4. Then I tried some plain bob minimus. After several goes I finally “saw” what I was doing with the 3,4 up dodge. Then I moved on to having a go at some plain hunt major. I found very quickly that I tuned into the rhythm and it sounded pretty good, even if I only did it from 1-2.
For some explicable reason I decided to get my weighted hula hooping out for the first time since 1st January. It took a few minutes to remember how to log exercise on my fitness watch. I did manage about 6 minutes on the first go. I could certainly tell my middle has gone soft.
Whilst C cooked dinner I did some preparations for a meeting that I have on Saturday so that I have everything I need to hand and can share my ideas with the rest of the group.
Only then did I sit down to read a book and watch tv, and fall asleep on the sofa. Until tomorrow’s adventure.
Several years back one thing I picked up, presumably from some talk or online article was the notion of having 6 people in your corner. Basically, these represented 6 characters that would help and support your leadership journey. They didn’t all have to be different people, although they could be, or some, or all of them could be the same person.
The 6 characters were:
The Instigator: Someone who pushes you, who makes you think. Who motivates you to get up and go, and try, and make things happen. You want to keep this person energised and enthusiastic. This is the voice of inspiration.
The Cheerleader: This person is a huge fan, a strong supporter, and a rabid evangelist for you and your work. Work to make this person rewarded, to keep them engaged. This is the voice of motivation.
The Doubter: This is the devil’s advocate, who asks the hard questions and sees problems before they arise. You need this person’s perspective. They are looking out for you, and want you to be as safe as you are successful. This is the voice of reason.
The Taskmaster: This is the loud and belligerent voice that demands you get things done. This person is the steward of momentum, making sure deadlines are met and goals are reached. This is the voice of progress.
The Connector: This person can help you find new avenues and new allies. This person breaks through roadblocks and finds ways to make magic happen. You need this person to reach people and places you can’t. This is the voice of cooperation and community.
The Example: This is your mentor, your hero, your North Star. This is the person who you seek to emulate. This is your guiding entity, someone whose presence acts as a constant reminder that you too, can do amazing things. You want to make this person happy. This is the voice of true authority.
Back in about 2009, when I first discovered this, I knew exactly who these people were. Some of them wore multiple hats for me. After about 2011 when I’d changed jobs, I really could not pinpoint anyone amongst my work colleagues that fitted any of those roles for me. Happily, I am once again in the position where I can identify at least one person, even if it’s the same person, for each of those roles.
I’ve just read an article by Anthony Tjan on ideas.TED.com who suggests that we should have 5 mentors:
The Master of Craft: “If you know you want to be the best in your field — whether it’s the greatest editor, football quarterback, entrepreneur — ask, Who are the most iconic figures in that area?” says Tjan. This person can function as your personal Jedi master, someone who’s accumulated their wisdom through years of experience and who can provide insight into your industry and fine-tuning your skills. Turn to this person when you need advice about launching a new initiative or brainstorming where you should work next. “They should help you identify, realize and hone your strengths towards the closest state of perfection as possible,” he says.
The Champion of your cause: This mentor is someone who will talk you up to others, and it’s important to have one of these in your current workplace, says Tjan: “These are people who are advocates and who have your back.” But they’re more than just boosters — often, they can be connectors too, introducing you to useful people in your industry.
The Copilot: Another name for this type: Your best work bud. The copilot is the colleague who can talk you through projects, advise you in navigating the personalities at your company, and listen to you vent over coffee. This kind of mentoring relationship is best when it’s close to equally reciprocal. As Tjan puts it, “you are peers committed to supporting each other, collaborating with each other, and holding each other accountable. And when you have a copilot, both the quality of your work and your engagement level improve.”
The Anchor: his person doesn’t have to work in your industry — in fact, it could be a friend or family member. While your champion supports you to achieve specific career goals, your anchor is a confidante and a sounding board. “We’re all going to hit speed bumps and go through uncertainty in life,” says Tjan. “So we need someone who can give us a psychological lift and help us see light through the cracks during challenging times.” Because the anchor is keeping your overall best interests in mind, they can be particularly insightful when it comes to setting priorities, achieving work-life balance, and not losing sight of your values.
The Reverse Mentor: “When we say the word ‘mentor,’ we often conjure up the image of an older person or teacher,” says Tjan. “But I think the counterpoint is as important.” Pay attention to learning from the people you’re mentoring, even though they may have fewer years in the workplace than you. Speaking from his own experience, Tjan says, “Talking to my mentees gives me the opportunity to collect feedback on my leadership style, engage with the younger generation, and keep my perspectives fresh and relevant.”
They both cover a lot of the same ground but Tjan has some interesting other ideas. I know who my Champion and Copilot are. I think I am my own Anchor really. I’m pretty clued up to my own values and setting personal priorities to achieve a good work-life balance. I’m not sure who my Master of Craft is at the moment or my Reverse Mentor as I’m fairly disconnected with leading or mentoring anyone at the moment.
Do you know who you’d have in your corner or who are your 5 mentors?
Time for another check in on motivations in life via Psychologies Magazine. This weeks quick quiz of choice was to find out what my true passion is.
This is something that I’ve struggled to answer in the past. I don’t know what I want to do or be. I’m not entirely sure what my skills are, or wants and needs out of life. I’m not even sure that I could fully answer the question about what I enjoy most. So, after 8 deep and meaningful questions, the outcome to identify my true passion is….
Your core values centre on lifelong learning
You’re extremely motivated to get more knowledge under your belt, whether that’s academic learning, or through personal growth and self-development. You feel the most like ‘you’ when you’re acquiring new skills. You have a ‘growth mindset’ approach to life – you keep an open mind, and you never assume that you’re an expert at anything, because you know there is always more that can be learned. Therefore, it’s understandable that you may struggle more than most if you’ve been in the same job for a while, or feel as if your career isn’t offering any new challenges. The upside to this is that you become more motivated than most to embark on further education. You have the dedication to put in the time and effort to get professional qualifications that will support your ambition, either by advancing your career, or opening the door to a new one.
To be fair, I’ve done a number of these short quizzes now and have to say that most of them do seem to have some resonance. I do enjoy learning new things, even at an academic level. I did my Bachelors Degree when I was 40 and my Masters at 45. I’ve done a number of online courses both around academic study and personal growth and self-development. I would certainly never claim to be an expert at anything but have a decent awareness or appreciation for a number of things. I can quiet easily sit and read a 131 page long-term plan document in order to get that golden nugget I need from it. I will study a policy document, in fact I’ll write a fair number of them too. I don’t have a problem reading a text book to learn how to do something better. I am quite happy spending all day listening to speakers at conferences, work related or not. You’ll always find something out you didn’t know before, or be sign posted somewhere else to expand you understanding of an area. I’ll quite often have pen and paper to hand when I listen to certain podcasts as they often refer to other writers or articles or programmes that might be interesting.
The one great thing I’ve always said about #bellringing is that you won’t know everything. There’s always a new method to learn, or a teaching technique that you suddenly find helpful, or a resource that you could utilise that you hadn’t before. And if you think that you do know everything there is to know, that’s when you start to share it with others and help them learn and reach their potential.
I was never particularly academic at school. I did ok and enough to get by with some decent O level grades (now that ages me). I didn’t quite get enough to be able to A levels and therefore never had the opportunity to go to university in earlier years. I did feel that that held me back somewhat. One job I had, I ended up doing 3 people’s roles and doing the work of the manager, but I was told by the Director that I couldn’t have that job (and therefore salary) because I didn’t have a degree. Despite the fact that I’d been doing the role for a number of years. Suffice to say that was enough to spur me on both in terms of finding a different job, but reigniting my education.
I went on to complete 3 NVQs in Business Administration and Business Management, before enquiring about support for a degree. Once I’d got the learning bug I was off. I acknowledge that I was extremely fortunate in that my employer paid my university fees and allowed me study leave, and my family were supportive. My daughter at the time was starting on her GCSEs and we sort of became study buddies when we both got out laptops out to work. My Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management took 5 years to complete as it was part time whilst I was working full time and had family and #bellringing commitments. Then I went straight into my Masters course in Senior Healthcare Leadership which was another 2 years. I’m always interesting in courses that come up at work, but have to acknowledge that others may benefit from them and I’ve had my turn. I’m always happy to learn more. And, crucially, I like to share my new knowledge with colleagues. No point in keeping all that new stuff to yourself if you don’t help others.
I hope I continue to find new things to learn, expand my horizons, provide me with new opportunities.
Bells, Bakes & Bettering Myself 