Embrace the Ocean's Lessons for a Calmer Life
a lighter look, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., Looking around, looking forward, Memories captured, Opinion, Personal Story, positive mindset, Reflections, The Beach Sylvia Jimenez a lighter look, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., Looking around, looking forward, Memories captured, Opinion, Personal Story, positive mindset, Reflections, The Beach Sylvia Jimenez

Embrace the Ocean's Lessons for a Calmer Life

Come summer or winter, you know where to find me—at the beach.

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How much do we really notice all that is around us?
a lighter look, insight observations, Looking around, observing people, On Writing, Personal Story, Postcard commentary, Reflections, Taking time out, The Beach, writing community Sylvia Jimenez a lighter look, insight observations, Looking around, observing people, On Writing, Personal Story, Postcard commentary, Reflections, Taking time out, The Beach, writing community Sylvia Jimenez

How much do we really notice all that is around us?

We often take for granted how much we really notice in our environments. Our brains are able to recognize and process a tremendous amount of information. We may not always be consciously aware of the details, but our subconscious constantly takes in and processes information from our surroundings. We may not be able to recall specifics, but when we become more mindful of our environment, we can begin to notice more of the details that may have gone unnoticed before. It’s amazing how much we can observe when we take the time to really pay attention to what’s around us.

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Would you share your music playlist?
a lighter look, Focus on the funny, humour, Personal Story, psychology of people w... Sylvia Jimenez a lighter look, Focus on the funny, humour, Personal Story, psychology of people w... Sylvia Jimenez

Would you share your music playlist?

On the morning commute into the office (yes, believe it or not, I’m venturing out of my loungewear and putting on proper shoes), the radio station announcer posed a question to the listeners. ‘Would you share your playlist?’ Her co-presenter immediately retorted with a stern ‘No way.’

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Where have all the love songs gone?
80s flashback, a lighter look, Connecting with people, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., Memories captured, Personal Story, Reflections Sylvia Jimenez 80s flashback, a lighter look, Connecting with people, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., Memories captured, Personal Story, Reflections Sylvia Jimenez

Where have all the love songs gone?

I wouldn’t say I’m stuck in a time warp, but my teenage years in the 80s have had a profound psychological impact on my memory. The other day, the clever little elves at Spotify suggested a ‘recommended playlist.’ It was titled ’80 Love Songs,’ which I found confusing as I had not listened to anything remotely close (to pick up on the algorithm), but it got me thinking, ‘Where have all the love songs gone?’

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A missed connection reflection
a lighter look, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., Looking around, observing people, Personal Story, Postcard commentary, psychology of people w..., travel Sylvia Jimenez a lighter look, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., Looking around, observing people, Personal Story, Postcard commentary, psychology of people w..., travel Sylvia Jimenez

A missed connection reflection

One’s true personality tends to reveal itself under due stress. As you read this, I am on a flight from Dubai to Europe. I should have been there yesterday. However, our scheduled flight from Sydney was delayed by one hour. I only found out the reason behind the delay from one very vocal and distressed passenger. I was both intrigued and amused, and as I and most of the others were going nowhere fast, I thought and sat back and enjoyed the ‘entertainment’, a private joke between husband and me.

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A lucky moment - how hard is it?
a lighter look, Focus on the funny, humour, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., Opinion, Personal Story, Reflections, writing community Sylvia Jimenez a lighter look, Focus on the funny, humour, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., Opinion, Personal Story, Reflections, writing community Sylvia Jimenez

A lucky moment - how hard is it?

I’ve been dappling with the whole idea of luck. Just what is it? Scientifically speaking, luck is a chance encounter, but what about those who appear to have a chance encounter that leads to good fortune? That’s not luck; that’s called persistence and hard work and recognising the core of what luck represents. If luck is a chance encounter, you’re not going to encounter anyone sitting at home doing nothing right? And if I read about how ‘lucky’ someone is, I think I’m going to scream. If you’ve had a fortunate outcome, that’s not luck, honey; that’s payback for the countless hours dedicated to the task.

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Praise for the list.
a lighter look, Authors work, communications, humour, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., On Writing, Opinion, Personal Story, Reflections Sylvia Jimenez a lighter look, Authors work, communications, humour, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., On Writing, Opinion, Personal Story, Reflections Sylvia Jimenez

Praise for the list.

I love writing lists. Seems like so many others do as well. There are Pinterest boards dedicated to correct list writing. Youtube videos demonstrating the ‘write’ way to write a list. Some would say that it’s too rigid, while others claim that life without a list would be chaos.

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Moments. In. Time.
a lighter look, insight observations, Looking around, Memories captured, Opinion, Personal Story, Reflections Sylvia Jimenez a lighter look, insight observations, Looking around, Memories captured, Opinion, Personal Story, Reflections Sylvia Jimenez

Moments. In. Time.

Three words to be exact. I’ve read that a great title for a book should be summed up in three words. Your life can also be summed up in three words. Search for Meaning. Life with Purpose. Actions that Matter. Friends for Life. Clean my House. And it was this morning when another three words sprang into mind. Moments in Time. This occurred as I turned the page of a great book I’m reading right now, and when the dog looked at me with those big brown eyes, or when my online shopping was delivered to my veranda at precisely 7:18am, right in the middle of the 6 and 8am intended delivery time. Right. On. Time. It’s these moments where you read a paragraph that makes you laugh out loud, which reminds you of a memory long forgotten. Did I really wear that purple ill-fitting off-the-shoulder ensemble because I had nothing else to wear to the school disco? Or when you know you need to take the dog for a walk, he’s saying ‘Hey lady, it’s time for me to do you-know-what, so get up off your arse and open the front door.’ You laugh at the imaginary speech bubble above his scruffy face and remember the day you bought him home and how he curled up on your lap in a state of complete bliss. Or when the last shopping bag is placed by the door. You now know that you’ve spared two hours of your day not pushing the shopping trolley up and down the supermarket aisles, avoiding that impulse buy, the parking lot, the florescent lighting, wiping down the trolley for any Covid infection, remembering to take your mask. Instead, you’ve gained an insight for reading and looking at the dog, patting the cat or like the sign says, you’ve been able to Take. It. Easy.

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What's the reality of a reality show?
a lighter look, Focus on the funny, funny, humour, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., observing people, Opinion, Personal Story, psychology of people w... Sylvia Jimenez a lighter look, Focus on the funny, funny, humour, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., observing people, Opinion, Personal Story, psychology of people w... Sylvia Jimenez

What's the reality of a reality show?

I admit it, there’s nothing more I like than to tune into a reality show to make me laugh out loud. And by that, I mean, I can convince myself I’m the normal one in the comfort of my inner voice (ah, but what constitutes ‘normal’ one would say, ok, I confess I would say that). What I find funny is whose reality are we talking about here? Is it those whose socio-economic wealth-o-metre is more than the debt of a third world nation or those who consider orange spray tan and a ‘bedazzled jewelled gown’ haute couture? Or that you’ll find ‘true love’ on an island, or that botched plastic surgery can be magically repaired by another surgeons knife? And while I cannot subscribe to every reality show, the few that I watch religiously never fail to entertain me at all.

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Turning 50 equals feeling fabulous
a lighter look, insight observations, Personal Story, positive mindset Sylvia Jimenez a lighter look, insight observations, Personal Story, positive mindset Sylvia Jimenez

Turning 50 equals feeling fabulous

For the first time, I had a party, not just any party, but a house par-tay! I thought if we are still stuck in Covid purgatory and it’s hard to organise anything due to social distancing, then we may as well bring the folk to us. In my last post I talked about attitude and age, my part-ay was testament to that. My lounge room served as a dance floor while the kitchen was the makeshift bar. I was asked how I felt, and my answer rolled off my tongue quite easily… fantastic! We part-ayed better than people half our age. And while phones were present only for the camera use, no one sat in a corner checking their socials. Instead, Great catering, great conversation made way for a great atmosphere. And as my friends and family sang me happy birthday, I felt that 50 is fabulous! I have a voice that is heard, a mind in which to conceptualise and the motivation to be grateful each and every day!

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Let's talk about attitude...not age.
a lighter look, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., looking forward, Opinion, positive mindset, Reflections Sylvia Jimenez a lighter look, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., looking forward, Opinion, positive mindset, Reflections Sylvia Jimenez

Let's talk about attitude...not age.

The other day I was driving my youngest to school and we happened to change the radio station, one which I don’t usually listen to, not because I’m not the ‘demographic’, rather, the announcers and their banter just don’t resonate with me. However the selection of tunes is great, my son enjoys it, so I left it on.

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Never assume on a daily walk...
#keepinghealthy, a lighter look, Focus on the funny, funny, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., Looking around, psychology of people w..., Uncategorized, walking in the park Sylvia Jimenez #keepinghealthy, a lighter look, Focus on the funny, funny, insight observations, just an opinion and ob..., Looking around, psychology of people w..., Uncategorized, walking in the park Sylvia Jimenez

Never assume on a daily walk...

As a creature of habit, you will most likely find me taking my daily walk at the same time every weekday. I plan, it’s scheduled in my online diary, friends can catch me on the phone as I am most likely listening to a podcast or song, generally, it’s a green light for any future stalker. Contemplating now, perhaps, is not such a good idea. That being stated, there are others like me, who walk the same path around our area, albeit opposite, which, is another OCD moment on my behalf because I tend to walk the same path at the same time in the same direction.

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Dear ISO, I’m running out of time…
#keepinghealthy, a lighter look, just an opinion and ob..., Looking around, Opinion, positive, positive mindset, Reflections, Taking time out Sylvia Jimenez #keepinghealthy, a lighter look, just an opinion and ob..., Looking around, Opinion, positive, positive mindset, Reflections, Taking time out Sylvia Jimenez

Dear ISO, I’m running out of time…

I am now moving into my seventh week of working from home ISOlation. And I’m loving it, but not loving it. I’ll admit to missing the buzz of interacting with colleagues in the office. I miss not being able to go on long drives and excursions for the day. I miss not being able to meet up for walks at the beach or coffee with friends. I miss that my retail outlets are closed and I can’t just wander in for a look. I miss that the cinemas are closed, that I missed out on the French Film festival, international concerts, the ballet, the opera. I miss visiting the art gallery. I miss seeing my siblings and extended family. When it boils down, it’s the personal contact that Maslow so highly regarded as essential to our human well being that is missing right now.

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The power of the collaborative voice
a lighter look, just an opinion and ob..., Looking around, looking forward, Opinion, positive, positive mindset, Reflections, seekingtruth, Taking time out, Uncategorized Sylvia Jimenez a lighter look, just an opinion and ob..., Looking around, looking forward, Opinion, positive, positive mindset, Reflections, seekingtruth, Taking time out, Uncategorized Sylvia Jimenez

The power of the collaborative voice

Today I received a lovely email from our local mayor. Well it wasn’t just directed at me, of course I was part of a consortium, but a part of it I was. A little while ago I was reminded of a survey that I was asked to partake. The survey requested my support to oppose a potential change to a ferry service along the shores of one of our many rivers. Now if you live in Sydney, you would have rode at least once, the ferry into the city. It’s a lovely mode of transport, especially on a warm spring day. Clinical papers have proven the effects of fresh air and water having a positive impact in lowering stress levels as well as clearing sinuses, and increasing the overall well-being of the psyche. It was with this thinking that for the first time, I lent my email address, I entered my personal details and took the time to oppose the suggestion cut to the now privatised ferry service

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