It's been brought to my attention by some of my friends and chatting to them, that some of my recent posts during sab 5.0 have just seemed like me ranting about various things that I'm unhappy with or that disappoint me, particularly boys’ football.
And therefore, I thought I'd better put together something or even a whole series for the opposite of that, because I would never, ever like anyone who might read this to sit in the evenings and start to get depressed by reading about the sh*t in society that I pick up on because actually, my general outlook is enormously positive.
At the start of this edition of the sabbatical, I was going to tell you about how I sabbatical and about the things that have gone on.
And so, as I'm getting towards the end of this (I go back to work next week) I am perhaps in one of the most contented states I’ve been for many years.
At the end of Sab 1.0 in 2017, I wrote an entry in my own personal diary about how contented I was and how I’d reached a level of contentment that I had otherwise not known and I'm actually heading somewhere towards that here.
It's hard to pin down all the specific reasons for that, but one of them is definitely connections with the people that I care about and spending more time with them (my Mum and Dad are at our house at the moment, and I'm sitting in the shed out of the back after I've ridden my bike at 11 o'clock on a Saturday morning).
These interactions are really simple and non-dramatic, but they actually build back up your superpower, your fairy magic that makes you feel better about everything else that goes on around you.
I’ve sorted through information and reading and listening to things that have reinspired me to a level beyond which I’ve known for some time and then in of my weekly meetings with Hayley when we've gone for lunch (one of the most brilliant things about the Sab), she said she hasn't seen me like this for years, which is at least as good a reason as any to undertake this type of project.
But here are a few things that I'd like to chuck your way just to help you if you're feeling rubbish or the grind is hard or the world looks dark as an anti-rant, as a little tonic to help you go forwards.
The first is information is beautiful, this is the website that provides statistics that pulled me through Covid, as recommended by my friend and mentor, Phil Hollows.
The coronavirus statistics on information is beautiful were really helpful and objective and non-sensational and that was where I got my information from without diving deep into doom scrolling every day.
Within information is beautiful there is a publication every day called beautiful news, and they pick up the most extraordinary stories and present them in infographic pictorial form.
For example, we've now invented a wonderful technology which uses recycled plastic to build roads, that is a complete game changer and also paper recycling in Europe has increased by 25% over the last few years.
All of the news on beautiful news is like this, and it might just help you on your way.
On from that, though, just a few things that I've picked up, read or looked at.
If you're running your own business and happen to be a dental principle that reads this or a principal in any other business or someone who wants to be a principal, try picking up The Founder’s Survival Guide by Rachel Turner.
This book was given to me recently by Chris Barrow, and he told me that I had to put down what I was reading and read it and it is magnificent.
Rachel is Chris's own business coach, but her simple explanation of what it's like to be someone that starts a business who tries to make it bigger (and by business, it could be any project you want) is very similar in writing to the most extraordinary book in business ever, which is The E-Myth by Michael Gerber.
Rachel's book is phenomenally helpful, and it lit up my sabbatical life.
The other book is Bob Mortimer’s biography.
It is simple and beautiful and life affirming and reassuring, and I suggest you pick that up.
Finally, and there will be a blog about this is Anti-hero by Taylor Swift (acoustic version).
I have to write more about my addiction to pop music and the lyrics of pop music but just listen to the acoustic version of Anti Hero and listen to the words, it’s one of the most wonderful things.
Happy February, the bulbs are coming out.
Blog Post Number - 3343