Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together
Newsletter #18
Boy oh boy, woweee.
Shout out to the 2 dudes (Hey Adi + Seb) for signing up this week.
Without further ado:
Question:
How do you define a life well-lived?
Image of the Week:
How do you celebrate your imperfections but also be the best version of yourself?
Essay From Me: Putting The Puzzle Pieces Together
Let's take a moment to pretend that we are all puzzles.
The pieces that make up our puzzle are all our life experiences to date. Our parents behaviour, the movies we've watched, the affairs of school. We all take different parts of those experiences to add to our own puzzle. This is what makes us unique. Some take the kindness of their kindergarten teacher, some the playfulness of their favourite cartoon, another the joy they found in toy cars.
Through the years, as we grow we decide to keep some pieces and dispose of others. Playfulness is replaced by the quirkiness of our new favourite superhero. Joy is now found in studying design. Your value of honesty has been refined by your friend George.
However, no one ever teaches you how all these pieces fit together. They just do. And most of the time, this is alright.
Until it isn’t anymore.
All of a sudden it feels as though our puzzle is missing pieces, maybe whole sections as you sit there feeling lost, confused and perhaps even broken.
But why? You've been doing just as everyone has been telling you your whole life. They seem okay, so why don't you?
Perhaps if I just had more money? New opportunities? Better tools?
What if it wasn't any of those things. That it was as simple as no one ever taking the time to help you identify your puzzle pieces? That you've never shone a light over why you're interested in the things you are, why you're attracted to some characters over others and why you have the values that you do.
What if it was possible to not only identify those puzzle pieces, but how they fit together? That by doing so, they acted as a map to your personal philosophy. A guide to the change you want to create in the world.
It led to you being empowered to no longer worry about the extrinsic; the money, the status, the follows. That it enriched your life intrinsically. It gave you the confidence to say no to the wrong opportunities. To re-find joy in the craft, to rediscover your zest for life.
So if we pause for a moment, what are the pieces that make up your puzzle?
Weekly Fail:
There are different types of accidents. There are the type where something happens, it’s awkward but no permanent damage is done like spilling a drink on someone. Then there’s the type where permanent damage is done like scratching a car.
Unfortunately over the past week I did both.
I spent the past few weeks in Perth meeting my girlfriend’s family for the first time. As you can imagine, I’m trying to be the best show dog possible. I’m sitting when I get told to sit and rolling over when I get told to roll over. Everything was going marvellously until I played golf.
My golf game that day was a fail itself. However, disaster struck when I went to put my clubs in the garage upon returning home. As I was wheeling them in they managed to slip off the trolley into the parked car. See below the outcome.
I somehow managed what must be close to the worlds longest scratch on my girlfriend’s Dad’s car. After tossing up between booking the next flight home to Sydney and apologising profusely. I decided to apologise and beg for forgiveness. Fortunately, Shano is a legend and at least to my face he said it’s fine. However, I can only imagine what he’s said now that I’ve left.
Until next week,
Cheers,
Nic Hurrell