Jethrosalgot's blog

The train to Spain (part 2)

The week's big news is out... I've finally managed to book that train ticket to Barcelona. Well, it's a train ticket from Barcelona, actually, but it took one trip to the French railways booking office in Piccadilly, one chat with a techy guy there, another with a sales agent, and finally a trip home to do it.

Because I finally worked out my problem with the ticket-buying process first time around - the system sells you a bed on a sleeper train, but when it allocates you a place, the little icon next to it shows a picture of a man, er, sitting down. And it refers to your bed as a "seat". But apparently this is a bed, and I will find out if this is right on December 10. If it's not, I'll be in a bad mood on December 11. And in Paris.

Anyway, not even the proper sales agent with the proper SNCF booking computer could sell me a proper return ticket for an upstairs bunk on the dates I've wanted, so I gave up on that idea. Tonight, I got lucky on the return leg (£51.50), and more importantly, I managed to convince Eurostar that I was booking from Austria, so they've sold me a £27 single seat that's usually unavailable to UK visitors.

So Barcelona to London by train is costing me just £78.50 - twice the cost of my flight out (boo! hiss!) but at least I'll be able to come back with as many cheap Camper shoes as I like, and if the journey's rotten I can kip on the Eurostar (to St Pancras!) and crash out when I get home.

Now, get me a match ticket for the Nou Camp on the Sunday and I'll be a very happy man...

4 Myths About Life Balance

Following are a few of the many myths about life balance.  Overcoming these ways of thinking often takes time, but can be accomplished through simple paradigm shifts.  Simply change a few basic, often long-held assumptions, and you'll be well on your way.

Myth #1:  Life balance is the solution to chaos.

Have you ever thought the following?  "When my life is in balance, I'll have more control over all the seemingly uncontrollable things in my life."   Many of us have.

Reality: The fact of the matter is that life doesn't happen this way.  Chaos and change are parts of life.  We cannot manage the unmanageable.  The sooner we learn how to embrace movement, change, and randomness, and deal with situations and feelings that are confusing to us, the sooner we'll find safety in learning and growing with all that's happening in and around us.

Myth #2: A life in balance will allow me to know where I'm going and how to get there at all times.

Reality:  There are so many variables in our lives, we can't possibly know what lies ahead at every turn, nor can we anticipate every twist of fate that we find along our journeys. 

The key is to walk through your fears.  While leading a balanced life, you may not know where you're going, but you won't feel as lost anymore.  In addition, you won't sell your soul - compromise your beliefs and values - to deal with the opportunities and challenges that come your way.

Myth #3:  When a balanced life is achieved, anything that is perceived to threaten that delicate balance must be extinguished immediately.

Reality:  Often times acting in haste can complicate things even further.  Balance is not a static thing - it's dynamic.  It changes over time and at different periods in one's lifetime.  Learning, growing, and expanding one's limits are integral to balance, not remaining stagnant.
 
Myth #4:  A person whose life is in balance should share his/her techniques, strategies, and philosophies with everybody that person encounters.

Reality:  Almost nobody likes being evangelized.  It won't do you ant good to show off your perfect life - not in business by posting "I'm out of the office enjoying a balanced life in Tahiti" away messages on your email server or social networks - nor in your personal life by constantly reminding friends how great things are for you.   Life balance self-esteem is all about doing the next right thing and  not feeling that you need to  "go public" with every accomplishment and revelation you have along the way.