SHO’T LEFT FOR A SEASON.
Chris Voysey
Your voice is such an important part of how you connect through communication. It is key to building your brand. I am a speaker on 'VOICE POWER' and a Voice Coach and Communication Skills Facilitator.
I believe God is very different from the old guy in the sky with the heavy beard and heavily judgemental expression. Many people (particularly in my age group - early 70’s), if they grew up in the Christian tradition (or even Judaism or Islam) did so with that view of God.
From a Christian perspective, I could assume it came from heavy moralistic traditions (like Victorian England – my kind of background) that were adopted to control and show disapproval of human behaviour. Particularly sexual behaviour, it would seem.
I am not a historian or even a sociologist of any kind. I’m just a girl, standing here asking you to love me – ooops sorry, wrong movie ... and gender!
Seriously, I am not any kind of student, so I can’t comment on how this rule-bound way of doing things came into being. All I can say is that when I permit myself to not see God in that way, I find he is interested in my life from the perspective of what I might like to do and what would be GOOD for me, not necessarily good for my religion or carry my mother’s approval.
Why am I saying all this? Because you could be starting the new year off already stuck in the what-I-should-be-doing mode, how-I-hate-this-job-but-have-to-do it mode. Whatever mode it is, stop a minute and take a long look at your life. (Even a short look will probably do it.) And see if a Sho’t Left is required.
A Sho’t Left is South African taxi lingo for ‘let me off around the corner’, or even ‘make a slight detour’.? It has taken on more of a ‘go somewhere you weren’t planning on going’ meaning. In other words, from a tourist perspective – take the road less travelled.
Why not make it a Sho’t Left year – try out the thing you’ve been wanting to do? Write the book. Sing the song. See the Sound of Music. “Climb every mountain, ford every stream” (if you haven’t got a Ford, use a Toyota or Land Rover). Explore the highways and the byways, the forest and the long beach, go into the city and see what’s there to see.
There are some things you have to do, of course; pay the rent (or bond), feed the cat (or dog), buy the food (or drinks). But what are you getting stuck with? What is side-shafting or sabotaging your life? ?Maybe first you should decide what life is. That’s important. Do what you must do (see last paragraph re dog and rent) but don’t get stuck doing it. There should be a case for more sho’t left.?
I spent some of last year writing (setting time aside, going away, sitting in coffee shops) and ended up with 7 short stories. I ended up with more, but just took 7 and published a book. I’m pleased to have done that.?
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There is the story of an older man who had always wanted to play the piano. He was telling his doctor about this, and the doctor said, “Well, what’s stopping you?”
The man said, “Do you realise it will take me years to learn to play – maybe 5 years just to get the basics. I’ll be in my late 70’s when I’ve done that”.
The doctor answered, “How old will you be in 5 years if you don’t do it?’
The man looked puzzled and said, “I’ll be in my late 70’s. How come it’s the same?”
Time is the same if you do it or don’t do it. So just do it! No analysis paralysis. No long strategy and plan. This is the year to flippin’ well do it!
Have a good 2024.
PS: You can purchase ‘An EYE on the Suburbs’ (my short stories book) for R175 by going to https://bit.ly/ChrisVoyseyBook
#justdoit #shotleft #theroadlesstravelled #newyear #newdirections #2024 #writethebook #fortunefavoursthebold #explore #openmindedness