Indelible Adventures: Is it time?

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My blog this week is an article I wrote for a business publication recently and because it got such a great response I thought I would share it with you. Enjoy!

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I recently celebrated the first year of Indelible Adventures…thank you!

It’s been a wonderfully rich and rewarding year, I’ve learned a lot, made some mistakes along the way but generally feel very satisfied with where I am personally and professionally.

I realize my journey isn’t for everyone but I want to share some things I learned along the way that may help you with your own personal journey, because trust me, we all have one!

As many of you know for many years I pursued the dream of making Partner at one of the world's most prestigious management consulting firms only to realize that once I’d achieved the dream it was an empty one. What I craved most was a connection with my children and family, yet my pursuit had taken me away from what I most wanted. The stark reality for attaining my dream consisted of being on a plane 10 hours a week on average and living out of a carry-on (far less glamorous than it sounds), especially when you throw in 12 – 14 hour days for years on end and layer in restaurant food every night. Just not healthy...

I had gotten it all wrong! To be clear I’m not blaming anyone but myself for buying into this dream…nope I did it all by myself. J

My personal realization was profound and ultimately touched every facet of my life.

As I embarked on this wholesale change in my life there were many who thought I was crazy. After all, not a lot of sane people walk away from a perfectly good job in the search for connectedness and the pursuit of personal happiness. This is especially relevant when you’re walking away from the financial security and the perceived safety of high paying executive job.

Nope, I felt compelled to embark on this journey and change the way I lived and refocus on what was most important to me in every aspect of my life. An authentic life if you will.

What I craved was flexibility and greater control over my day-to-day life and the only way that I could see that happening was if I created something that combined my passions – writing, photography, speaking and travel.

I realize that we live in a complex and busy world, and that many of us feel trapped by the various pressures and become stuck in the constant grind with no end in sight, and to be honest to survive we turn off and go numb. Constantly challenged and bombarded with responsibilities around kids, family, work, running a household, paying the mortgage...yep, it's a long list!

My first big “ah-ha” moment was the self-realization that I’m in control of every aspect of my life. Each and every day I get to actively choose how I’m going to live my life. However, to get myself into the right mindset where I’m mentally available is really important. I need to be able to emotionally rid myself of the negativity and worry that builds up inside my head. I know I'm not alone on that front!

Here are the three simple things that I use each day to help me, and remember it’s all about small steps:

Just breathe - First thing in the morning (important to remember not to check your email or social media before you undertake this exercise) take 5 minutes of quiet self-reflection time to center yourself and breathe. Take this time to hone in on what’s most important for you that day (a hint – it's unlikely to be work related…just sayin!). J

Be positive - take a moment to reflect on all the wonderful things that you have in your life and how fortunate you are to be healthy, safe and surrounded by those you love. It’s amazing how much you can influence yourself and others by choosing to be positive and smiling more.

Be curious – when you’re curious you tend to ask more questions, and talk less. You also learn so much more from active listening and asking open-ended questions that you ever would from talking. This always helps me get more connected to those around me and build closer relationships.

I’ve come to believe that the more you engage your senses, take time to self reflect and strive for your own brand of personal happiness the brighter the world seems.

By the way it’s irrelevant whether you try my three exercises or have your own, the very act of you taking action to embrace life and live it on your terms is the most important thing. So the question is – are you prepared to take control of your life and live it fully? If so, what are you going to do about it? It's only words unless you take action...

Try it you might be surprised with the results.

p.s. I'd love to hear your feedback, or personal experiences and stories.

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“Hanoi Posting”

A series of micro-stories by Terence Wallis

Episode 14: Contact

Mai answered in her normal sultry voice “chào”. Up until this moment Bill had been feeling confident, but now his confidence eluded him momentarily as he stammered, “Ah, hi this is Bill…from the embassy party'.

Mai smiled to herself knowing that her intuition had been correct, and that he worked fast. “So nice of you to call me” she purred in perfect english. Well, thanks he said almost apologetically. Taking the initiative “So, Bill when am I going to see you again?” she said matter of factly

Still off kilter he paused then said, “Ah whenever you want”.

“Why don’t you come over to my place so we can get acquainted” she said breezily. Bill’s heart began to race; “sure what’s the address?” he asked nervously

Mai laughed, “I’m sure a journalist of your stature already has my address”, now it was his turn to smile although he blushed uncontrollably on the end of the phone as he heard the distinctive click on the line.

Phuong in his usual thorough manner had given him Mai’s phone number but Bill had also done a little investigative research of his own and after a few twists and turns had found her address in Tây Hồ which was about 20 minutes by taxi from the Old Quarter.

Quickly exiting his office he hailed a passing taxi and gave the driver the slip of paper with the address neatly written on it. The driver nodded, looked at Bill in the rear vision mirror and moved off. Bill sat in silence as the taxi driver navigated the crowded and congested streets of the Old Quarter with its cacophony of horns ringing in his ears, not that he noticed as he was too pre-occupied.

Arriving at her address on the quiet street, he paid the driver and walked to the front door, his palms sweating profusely and with butterflies dancing in his stomach he knocked lightly.

Mai opened the door dressed in a bright blue sarong that was tied above her breasts. In her hands she held a glass brimming with bubbles. “Champagne?” she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

He stepped across the threshold into the cool of the house and took the glass from her hand, her smile lighting the room…

Next week: Episode 15: No way

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A retrospective of photos from recent night shoot at the Distillery District in Toronto's east end. J Enjoy!