Where the hell is Matt? South Africa

I recently had the privilege to ‘assist’ Matt Harding (http://www.wherethehellismatt.com) filming his performance of the diski at various locations in South Africa. You can read all about my experience at http://www.brandsouthafricablog.com/2010/01/29/matt-dancing-badly-here/ 

The video launched on Friday night, over 30,000 people have already watched it. It’s received over 1,500 ratings with an average rating of 4.92 out of 5 on YouTube and has now become the #1 driver of traffic to our Diski website -all in two days! On Sunday the video was ranked #9 most viewed video in the travel and events category on all of YouTube as well as #15 top rated for the week in the same category. In addition, the video is ranked in the top 5 most viewed travel videos in Germany, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Poland, Russia and the Czech Republic. So please check it out! And as it’s a viral video – pass it along! http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22yXljU4NfA

Today I say…

 

There are times of cheerfulness and tearfulness, happiness and sadness. Everything in your life strives to be in balance, an act which you have the power to orchestrate.

Sometimes we have to give up something good to receive something great. Sometimes we have to bare a burden or bite back the tears when sadness overwhelms us. Remember everything has a beginning and an end. After darkness, there is light, after sadness, happiness will emrace you.

Most times we can be only be thankful. There is nothing to be ungrateful for. Rid your heart from all the negative energies and smile, its the way its meant to be…

From my blog www.thewayitsmeanttobe.wordpress.com -WIP

A new beginning

As the snake sails away from its shed skin,

Never looking back, nor returning

It leaves behind what’s no longer needed

For it has served its purpose.

Now it’s time to do the same,

Make a change and start anew,

and leave behind the elements,

that stagnates and disturbs the soul.

Don’t be too concerned,

For the rain that pours down on you now,

is the promise of life,

for it nurtures the soil so flowers bloom.

Don’t waste another minute,

Find your rhythm and dance in the rain.

Life is a promise of the best, so lay your claim.

You are the master of change, a new beginning.

Life lessons

Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter, listed the following life lessons…I of course added my 2cents worth.

1. Don’t be a jerk – if somebody else is being a jerk, then don’t be the idiot.
2. Don’t take anyone for granted  – don’t allow anyone to take you for granted.
3. Enjoy the moment – even if you are the only one enjoying it, it’s your moment.
4. Be honest, always – it’s going to bite you is the butt later if you are not.
5. Be humble – ego is a terrible thing.
6. Be kind – and others will treat you with kindness too.
7. Respect people’s wishes – even if it is the hardest thing.
8. Allow endings – dare if repeat the cliché that all good things come to an end?
9. Fail openly – it makes you stronger and make you look really good if you do succeed.
10. Have an amazing haircut – and a blow dry, helps with the circulation and you will look absolutely amazing!

My space

My thoughts, my body, my soul,

As I close my eyes, this is my reality

As I feel the sun, kissing my cheeks,

My soul breaths the sounds that surrounds me.

Slowly, stretching my arms out wide,

The soulful sounds of nature’s orchestra,

Sends me into a hypnotic, euphoric state

This is where my soul is most content.

As I float in my paradigm,

A smile moves across my lips,

For beyond this contented soulful space,

Tranquillity overwhelms my being.

I am the owner of this space,

An equilibrium of my thoughts, my body, my soul.

Gratefulness, growth and happiness…

As the year draws to a close, I reflect on my growth, achievements and lessons I have learned. The past twelve months has been a collage of challenges, happiness, and gratefulness.

After taking some time off the programme to complete my right-hand seat jet conversion, I got down to complete my MBA thesis in record time and obtaining a distinction for it. Thank you to all those who participated in the survey, my mentor, Professor Leo Vermeulen at the University of Pretoria, for his leadership and guidance and who worked through the festive season to get me past this hurdle. To my study leader Professor Marius Ungerer at the Stellenbosch Business School for his advice and encouragement and the staff at the University of Stellenbosch Business School who have been phenomenal in their service delivery and support.

Graduating with my MBA – the first in my family to obtain a masters’ degree. A special big thank you to my parents who supported me not only in the last four years but in everything I attempt, believed in me in my times of confusion and who are always there for debriefing session after a rough day. Your guidance, prime example and kind gestures have moulded me into the person I am today. Your efforts are dearly appreciated and treasured and I can only hope that I am a fraction of a reflection of the wonderful, compassionate, patient and kind people you are. You certainly deserve an honorary degree. To my brother and sister-in-law and my two beloved nephews (I am working hard to earn the Bestest Aunt in the World title) who kept me motivated. To my Creator for granting me the time, opportunity for growth, intellect and knowledge to complete a task littered with challenges. To the many friends that I met on this journey, a special mention to Denver Berman- Jacob who made the MBA experience a colourful one.

To those who aspire to complete an MBA it is a time in your life where you will have to push many boundaries, a time of personal development and growth, testing your patience, tolerance and relationships, many moments of frustration – a life changing experience. Enrolling for an MBA is certainly one of the most selfish and sometimes lonely tasks that you will attempt. The MBA is not a degree, it’s an experience. Looking back, it’s the best gift that I have chosen to give myself and it was worth every cent spent. Our country hosts of the best accredited MBA programmes in the world, there are no excuses, the opportunity is awaiting you.

Saying cheerio to the international flying for a little while, to step through a new door, a prime spot as an aviator – a position in Cape Town, flying the Boeing 737-800. It’s a slippery little beast as I got to know in the first few months I don’t know who I felt sorrier for, myself, the passengers or the poor captains who had to witness as I sometimes clumsily handled her in challenging weather conditions – yes, I can blame those terrible landings on the weather

Inspirational/Motivational speaker.  Honestly, this is an avenue that was explored when someone believed more in me than I evidently believed in myself. This person catalysed a process for me that I would never otherwise have explored. Though I have done a couple of radio interviews previously, none was as intimidating as standing in front of a group of aviation enthusiasts and sharing my story. My talk was well received, word got around and the process perpetuated itself. I continue to learn every day.

Coping post MBA. What to do with the time? This will sound strange but I missed my books they were the world’s most travelled books, the best travelling companions. I still possessed this enormous amount of academic momentum and thirst for knowledge. The day after my graduation, I contacted a study leader in Australia in connection with my research interest, made an appointment with the head of the PhD Programme at Stellenbosch University, called my mentor and enthusiastically shared my new research subject and ideas with him. As usual, he listened patiently to me but the best advice that he gave me was to take the rest of the year off and focus on my career. Taking time out has forced me to relax and discover a hidden talent, writing. How exciting! 

Recently, I obtained my Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) – a milestone in my aviation career. It’s been a long winding road since my first flight lesson on the single piston engine Grob back in Australia. The game is not over yet. Aviation is a career in which I continue to learn valuable life lessons each day.

I don’t know what the future holds. All I know is that I have been given the best opportunities in life for which I am grateful for. Now it’s time to give back. That is a promise that I have made to myself, the community and the youth of South Africa.

Made with Love…

Chocolate cake, yum! Not just any chocolate cake. A chiffon chocolate cake. Light and fluffy much, much better than the ordinary sponge cake. Special ingredient required? Love…this cake requires to be baked with love and patience.  Please note that you will need a chiffon cake baking tin available at baking specialists stores.

Ingredients

5 jumbo eggs separated

1 cup of sugar

3/4 (three quarter) cup of hot water

1/2 cup of cooking oil

1cup of flour

3 tablespoons of cocao

3 teaspoons of baking powder.

Topping

Mix 1 can of cream and 300g of metled chocolate.

Method

1. Add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to the egg whites and whisk until peak forms.

2. In a separate bowl, add egg yolks to sugar and beat until creamy.

3. Add water and whisk for 2 minutes.

4. Add oil and beat for another 2 minutes.

5. Sift in the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until colour is consistent.

6. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

7. Transfer into a baking tin and bake for 35 minutes at 180 deg C.

Cool in upside-down position. Decorate as required.

The Crossing

Left or right or straight ahead.

The confusion lies within,

Ponder for not too long,

For the moment has arrived.

 

The road you took to get to this crossing was not merely a coincidence;

Those you met along the way,

The wise and the foolish,

Enriched your journey with a thousand words of wisdom and laughter

 

There is much to discover on this journey.

For straight ahead might be the answer,

But right or left could be more exciting!

Which way you choose it will be the right way for you…

My PLEDGE

I’ve often been asked in interviews: How does one become successful? How does one stay motivated? I sat down to reflect and compiled the model that worked for me. I present to you my PLEDGE.

P – Passion.

Whatever you do, attempt it with passion. Your passion is what fuels your purpose and this in turn translates to perseverance – of which you will need plenty of at times. When everything feels like it’s not going according to your expectations, it is your passion that allows you to persevere to attain your goal. This is where Henry Ford’s saying rings true: “When everything feels like it’s going against you, remember that an aeroplane takes off against the wind.”

L – Learning and leadership.

The learning process is an important part of personal growth and developing leadership skills. The learning curve can be steep in the initial stages of a new career or business venture. This is where you will require the most amount of patience and self tolerance. Your life is filled with an infinite amount of life lessons on your journey – learn and grow from it. Your learning process and progress is unique. Always keep in mind that you are learning and developing your leadership skills for you are to lead a generation that follows.

E – Empower , excel

Empower yourself and you will excel in whatever you do. The only limitations that there are in this world, are those that you impose upon yourself. If you know what you want and what your limitations are (which you subconsciously have imposed on yourself), then that is a good start. Confidence is the key to empowering yourself. Find yourself a coach or mentor to pull you through the challenging times, someone that you can use as a soundboard for your ideas and someone that will be there to guide you through your journey.

D – Divine guidance.

Along the way you will have many, many, many challenges. Every step in your quest for success it is your faith that will sustain your momentum. If you constantly hold yourself back, believing that you cannot attain your goals, you are bound to fail but knowing and trusting in God will give you the self-confidence and that edge you need to succeed. Remember and be grateful to God in every step of your journey for He will never leave you alone even for a blink of an eye. Your faith is what also grounds you and prevents you from becoming diseased spiritually (haughtiness, boastfulness, etc.).

G – Goals, giving

Set realistic goals for yourself, sometimes it’s required to set smaller goals within your dream. Pause and reflect and redefine your goals and shift your goal posts if need be.

Giving back is an essential part of your growth. The best way to give is of yourself, your experiences and your time, for anyone can part with their material posessions. This will complete the circle of success for you.

E –Enjoy, encourage

Enjoy, celebrate and be grateful of what you have achieved and make an effort to encourage others.

Science of the heart…

Analogy of the heart to a pump in modern science was first made in the nineteenth century. The pumping efficiency of the heart is amazing – capable of puming 2 gallons of blood per minute (9 l) and over 100 gallons per hour (450 l )! The heart beats 100 000 times a day, 40 million times a year and beats non-stop through a lifetime. The vascular system that transports the blood the body is more that 60 000 miles long – twice that  of the circumference of the earth. In an average lifetime the heart beats more thsn two and a half billion times without ever pausing.

Now that you know these useful facts about your heart, take good care of it, it is certainly taking good care of you and performs an vital role in keeping you alive. Visit soon as I dig deeper into this interesting topic  – the matters of the heart.