It is always important to reflect on past matters, past experiences and past reactions but one thing that is imperative is to reflect on how we are individually as a person in all categories of life and, what you can do to improve them. It isn’t always easy to reflect and critique yourself but that’s a part of life if you want to improve. The topics I’ve chosen to speak about today are ones that I believe impact my overall wellbeing. 

Do you ever just sit down and think, “I could have done better?”. I'm sure we all have but, in those moments you just cruise through and make a mental note to do better next time but then, it never happens. Life can get busy but I want to start putting things into action. After all, actions speak louder than words, right?

In my mind, I’ve had a long think about where I need to improve and I’ve broken it down into these categories:

I want to be a better daughter

I can be very selfish at times and I believe that comes down to being the youngest child who pretty much always got what they wanted. My mum isn’t much of “texter” so when you send her a message she will call you instead. I see the phone ring and I will groan in frustration. That is where I become selfish. My mum sacrificed a lot for my sister and I and yet here I get frustrated when my mum calls me. Sometimes she just wants to have a chat but about nothing in particular and there will be moments where we don’t even really speak about anything in particular. The conversation just goes in circles until one of us says we have to go. I know she just wants to talk and I need to be appreciative of that. What I need to improve on with my mum is to make time for her and not see her calling as an inconvenience because after all, I am where I am today because of her love and support. 

I want to be a better fiancé

Okay I wouldn’t say we have a normal relationship. We have more challenges and stresses than some relationships so we have our work cut out for us — but we always come out on top. There is no such thing as a perfect couple but I like to think my partner and I have a pretty good relationship when it comes to our love for one another and the same goals in life. Where we differ are our personalities; which isn’t a bad thing. He is a very strong and outspoken person who fights for what he believes in. Whereas, I am a quiet and reserved person who is a homebody — opposites attract and we balance each other out. I teach my partner calmness (sometimes I causes the opposite effect - whoops) and my partner teaches me to stand up for myself. What I want to improve on is that when there are challenges in our lives, it is US against the issue and NOT us working against each other. It is easy to overlook these things in the moment and when we are both stressed, we take it out on each other. I need to learn that he is not my punching bag. What I mostly need to improve on is making time for him. I sometimes forget that I have a man who loves me and needs my time and affection. I can admit I take him for granted in our day-to-day home life and I need to appreciate and dedicate more time and more effort to him. 

I want to be a better friend

I have had bad experiences with friends during my teenage years and I guess that is why I close myself off. So nowadays I am not one to have many friends but the ones I do have, I consider them to be REAL friends. I also need to stop neglecting my friends. I am a person who is more of a home body who works out of town and has three children in our home so by the time my friends go to organise something I find myself not having energy and I ask for a rain check. That needs to stop! What I need to improve on is by understanding everyone has a busy life and if I keep going the way I am, I will stop being invited to things. 

I want to be a better nurse

I am classed as a dolphin. I am the graduate nurse who comes in all enthusiastic and wanting to care for my patients by making a difference. I am so very lucky to be a nurse but being a graduate nurse comes with many challenges. For instance, a challenge where Orca’s are attempting to eat me up because they just LOVE dolphins and don’t like change. It is hard coming into work and being taught up to date evidence based practices and having older generations of nurses telling me it is wrong. Trying to explain to them that I am using current evidence based practice and not causing any harm to myself or my patients is tough — because us dolphins don’t have a voice yet. 

What I would like to improve on this year is finding my voice by being confident whilst remaining respectful when explaining my practice to others.  

If you don’t get my reference about dolphins and orca’s, watch this link

https://www.facebook.com/qnmuofficial/videos/932077533934221

It is hilarious

I want to be a better person 

Wow. Where to start? I guess I could dive deep into this topic but that would be a whole post just on its own. I am a sensitive and gentle person but when I get a bee in bonnet I can get a big fire in me that is hard to let go of — in other words, I can hold grudges.

As I am getting older (I am only 27), the less drama I like to be a part of and when things start to get nasty (especially at work) I tend to keep my head down and stay out of but funnily enough, I somehow I usually get dragged into it. What I need to improve on is be a better person in general but be better to myself as well. By doing that, I need to learn to say no and steer clear of any rough waters. 
 

When I look at where I can improve I don't look like a good person but, it is raw and that is what I like about it. I am not here to sugar coat it because lets face it, others can most likely relate in some way or another.

So tell me in the comments below, let me know if you have any thoughts on how I could improve in the selected topics and also let me know if there are certain ways you would like to improve yourself. 

I would love to hear from you. 

Talk soon, 

Emmylou