Tag: school

Bloganuary: What are 5 things you’re grateful for today?

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Day 10. People often think about the things they don’t have. Instead, you should be grateful for what you have. What might be thankful for some might be ungrateful for someone else. Finding 5 things for being grateful for today can be easy or not. For me, the first three is easy, but let’s see if I get five together.

  1. Born and raised in Finland

I’m grateful to have been born into a country like this. We have great nature, which is something not many people have. We also have 4 seasons, so you don’t get bored. Our school education system is easy to understand. When I was in school, it was 9 years. You don’t need to go to high school. You can get a job even if you haven’t. There are a lot of different ways to get an education. The country is the least corrupted country in the world. You don’t have to fear expressing your opinions. No country is perfect. Everyone has problems. But I wouldn’t want to live in another country. Here you can feel safer than in other countries, and I hope it stays that way.

2. My parents

I had terrific parents. They were always supportive. I could be what I wanted to be. They didn’t expect me to become something they wanted. I could always talk to them. I was very close to my mother, so it’s was a very sad moment when she died of cancer in 2013. She was always worried about me. Sometimes a bit too much. I could ask for her advice, and she helped me with my concerns. Sometimes I miss that. My dad doesn’t know about those things. But he’s good at other things. I’m grateful he’s still around. I don’t know what I’ll do when it’s his time to go.

3. Knowing languages

I’m glad I can speak and write in more than one language. If I didn’t know English, life would be difficult for me. I couldn’t write this blog, and I couldn’t watch TV without subtitles. That’s another thing that is great in Finland. We have subtitles on movies and TV shows. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why Finns can speak English so well. Also, because it’s being taught in 3rd or 4th grade in school. I wish I could talk more than 3 languages, but it’s pretty challenging to learn more. I can say a few words in some languages, but I couldn’t speak with a native.

4. Health

I’m never ill. I’ve always been in good health. If I have the flu, it’s usually mild. Sometimes I have a little sniffle, but that passes a few days later. I can’t remember the last time I had flu with a high temperature. During covid, I haven’t had anything. I keep away from people anyway, so I can’t catch any. I definitely don’t want covid. I’ve had 2 vaccines, but still, I should be careful. I guess I have an excellent immune system, or maybe it’s natural. I really hope it will stay that way.

5. Modern technology skills

I’ve used a computer since late the 1990s. I also have a diploma in computers. I know how to use modern technology, but I couldn’t programme it or anything like that. I’m just an average user. I’ve used it for so many years I don’t think I could be without it. I keep learning every day. I couldn’t teach people how to use computers, but I can always help. I’ve used a PC and a Mac, so both are familiar. I use a computer for everything I do. It’s so much easier. I prefer computers to mobiles. Even if I use that too. When you go somewhere, a mobile is useful. But I don’t stare at it while walking like someone do. Technology is a tool and not something that controls you.

So that’s all 5 grateful things. It wasn’t that difficult. I could have mentioned more than 5. But that is for me to know, and you to find out. Gratefully.

Bloganuary: Last time I left my comfort zone

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Day 3. As an introvert, the comfort zone is a familiar concept. Brave and ambitious people might not understand how difficult it is for a person to do something they’re not used to. It won’t help if you say what could happen because that won’t help. It takes time to get out of your comfort zone. You might be nervous or anxious. You rather not do it because you don’t like that feeling.

The first time I got out of my comfort zone was when I was 17. I moved to another town to study health care. It was an education I didn’t want to study. But my mother said I had to start somewhere, and she was right. It was right after school, and if I hadn’t got anything, who knows how my life would have been. The first week was awful. Everything was new, and I didn’t know anyone. It was a small town, and there was nothing to do. I was very homesick, so I called my mother and cried on the phone. But when I got to know my classmates and my roommate, I felt much better. The education was only one year which was all I could have taken.

As I got older, I have had been braver to step out of my comfort zone. I still like being there. In life, you need to grow; otherwise, you get nothing done. I’ve never been good at making decisions. I’m very indecisive, so it takes ages to get things done. Even if I know what I want to do, the comfort zone keeps holding me back. I’ve been thinking about entrepreneurship for a few years now, but I don’t get anything done. Instead, I’ve been lazy and tried to do something else besides looking for something to do. It will probably continue the same this year. I always tell myself I will start something at the beginning of the year, but I keep putting it off. I tried to search for a job, but I haven’t found anything to apply to. The last time I had a job was in 2020, and even that was only part-time.

The last time I left my comfort zone was last year when I got my driver’s licence and went to a carwash. When I was a child, I was scared of them. I never wanted to be in the car, so I waited outside. It was the big brushes I was afraid of. Now when I went, it didn’t go very well. I didn’t know how to drive inside the car wash. Luckily there was a man helping me. I had to reverse the car and drive back in again. It was a bit embarrassing, but it was the first I drove the car myself. It was my dad’s car, so I wasn’t familiar with it at that point. I wouldn’t want to use a car wash that often, but fortunately, you only need to do that once a year. Every time I drive in traffic, it’s always outside my comfort zone. I went to driving school 26 years ago, but I didn’t finish it. Now I know why. I didn’t like driving, among others. I feel nervous, and I don’t trust other drivers. I haven’t driven the car alone yet. My dad has been with me. I don’t drive the car very often anyway because you can go by bike or walk to get to places in my city.

This summer, I’m going to leave my comfort zone to go to two concerts. I first went to a real concert in 2018 when Robbie Williams was here. I had never been to a show before because I didn’t like big crowds. I’ve only been to free concerts where more than one performer has been there. I guess I got the ‘bug’ from that first concert because I didn’t hesitate to go to the next ones. I only hope they won’t be postponed because of covid. The Elton John one was moved because of that. When you can’t wait to get out of your comfort zone, that means you’re ready to do it more often. But it’s always nice to go back.

The dread of teamwork

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There are two things I dislike the most. One is job search, and the other is working in a team. I dreaded teamwork in school. Pupils shouldn’t be allowed to choose their teams. It’s always the friends that get picked, and that’s not real life. You can’t decide in a workplace who to work with. When you’re a child, you need to learn that you have to work with people who aren’t your friend. No matter how they look like or what kind of people they are. No one should be left out of a team. That’s what a team should be, accepting differences.

Everyone who has looked for a job knows what the employers are looking for. They want someone who can work in a team. I can work in one, but I rather do things alone. I never know what to say in teamwork. My mind goes blank. I don’t know what’s worse. Teamwork or working in pairs. I have had bad experiences with both. In a team, there are other people to please. With one person, you must be the one who starts the conversation. You should never put two quiet persons to do work in pairs unless they know each other. I had to once, and nothing came out of the work. In those situations, I rather do assignments alone. Then I can choose and do what I like.

You would think adults would have grown out of choosing their friends for their team. In some of the schools I’ve been to as an adult has had the same problem. The teachers let the students choose their teams, and of course, they take their friends to their teams. If you don’t have anyone who even wants to talk to you, teamwork is awful. You would expect when you’re in primary school (elementary school) things like that would happen, but not in adult educations. I have had some good teamwork too, but when having bad experiences, I’m not very crazy about it. I don’t mind working in a team as long as you’re not treated as an outcast. You might not be the one with the ideas, but still, you should feel you’re part of the team. Teamwork shouldn’t be something you dread because that’s a skill you need. Some things you can’t do alone. You can, but it makes the work harder. I hope one day my bad experiences will fade from having more good ones. Maybe then my dread of teamwork will go away.