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50 questions that will free your mind (Part 2)

Part One is here.

6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
I would spend very little of my time working. I’d buy, cook and eat good food. I’d travel to Europe, America, and parts of Asia. Around New Zealand. Spend days reading in the sun, lounging on the beach. I would escape winter every year. I’d write when I felt like it. I might even spend some time volunteering. I wouldn’t be in any kind of 9-5 though, I tell you.

7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

I don’t know what I believe in anymore. I do know that unlike many journalists, I don’t have lofty ambitions…think war correspondent, political reporter, exposing corrupt business. I just want to be happy and fulfilled in what I do. First I wanted to write. Then I wanted to design, and edit. Now, I’m foundering. I am REASONABLY happy with my current role. It is about as close to what I could ask for in a perfect job at this stage. I certainly am not settling.

8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
I’d be a lot less financially responsible. I wouldn’t be saving for retirement, I probably wouldn’t want to buy a house. I’d spend my time and money travelling, going to concerts, eating good food, er, refer back to question 6.

9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
I have had plenty of outside influences on my life. Without the help or nudging of others, I might never have left home until I finished school. I would have been miserable and quite possibly had some kind of breakdown. I would never have got the internship that led to a part time job and, eventually a full time job. My life would have been very different.

That being said, I am the one who excels at my work, whose work ethic got me a second job, who did the hard yards that enabled me to graduate. I am the one who gave T a second chance when we were young and silly, the one who decided not to give up when things got rougher than I could ever have imagined.

We don’t have control over every single aspect of our lives, but we can maximise every opportunity that comes our way. We can sit back and let life take us where it may, or step up and chart our courses to the best of our ability. For me, I’d say it’s about 70/30 to me.

10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
I’ve turned this question over and over in my head, and still haven’t reached a satisfactory conclusion. I’m still not quite sure how to frame it. Of course I want to do the right thing (even when it’s for the wrong reason) and I want to do those things right. Okay, so let’s say a friend is cheating on his girlfriend. Do I tell her – even though my loyalty is to my friend – making it the right thing? Or do I preserve our friendship, thus doing things right? Fuck it, next question please.

5 thoughts on “50 questions that will free your mind (Part 2)

  • Reply Stephany August 11, 2010 at 13:53

    Totally forgot about these questions, until you posted this! I imagine my #8 will look a lot like yours. Great answers!

  • Reply Kara August 11, 2010 at 18:43

    I totally agree with you for #7. I’m not chasing intense life-shattering stories, but I’m not sure if I want to be right now. I’m content with where I am at the moment šŸ™‚

  • Reply Carrie August 12, 2010 at 12:42

    re: question 8. this whole having cancer thing for me has changed my financial views quite a bit. i used to be such a penny pincher and now i sort of feel like i’m bleeding money because i’ve been spending a lot on increasing my quality of life. and the funny thing is that while i feel like i’m currently spending so much, i’ve barely even had to tap into the money that i had saved for the things i’m spending on (like a week long vacation to new york)

  • Reply Londyn August 12, 2010 at 13:17

    I love all of your answers – so relatable.

    My fave is: “Iā€™d buy, cook and eat good food.” Me too!!!

  • Reply 50 questions that will free your mind, part 4 « Musings of an Abstract Aucklander August 25, 2010 at 13:50

    […] eemusings in Uncategorized Tags: about me, random, reflections (Click here for Parts 1, 2 and […]

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