Isn't it funny...

how weirdly true those old cliche's can be. I suppose it's in the nature of a cliche to be weirdly true because they are notions that are based on a curious mix of experience and the chinese whisper effect of word of mouth, pushed onto the deaf ears of generation after generation. Yet recently I've been really struck by the phenomenal impact the meaning behind a cliche or wise saying can have.

Earlier this year I went on a date with a guy who liked to talk a lot about self-fulfilment and attitudes towards life. He loved his job and he loved his life and when I expressed my shock at his positive attitude toward EVERYTHING (by nearly choking on my steak no less), he said one thing that I'll admit I kind of rolled my eyes to at the time, but am now considering in a different light.

He said, "have you ever noticed that the things you want most in life are always the things that seem furthest away, and then in some weird round about way, one day you wake up and it's suddenly just happened? No one's there to congratulate you on it. If it's a personal goal no one else even notices. It's a quiet moment on any given day when it just clicks that everything you've worked toward has just come to pass". (No I was not on a date with Jesus, although he was a little bit Tony Robbins-esque - it didn't work out).

He didn't mean it in the sense that it just fell into your lap magically out of the sky (which would be awesome I guess, but then where's the challenge?). He meant that gradually over time we gravitate towards the things we need and the opportunities required to fulfil those roles gradually make their way toward us through this vast social matrix we live in.

Today I walked out of an exam with rather a lot of confidence that I did quite well. As a high school student I was always envious of the kids that were able to ace an exam and have a high grade average because I felt I simply wasn't capable of studying for an exam and doing a good job. Somehow this semester I managed to surround myself with the right influences and people with the right attitudes and together it helped me on the way to not only getting a pretty decent grade for a course I never should have struggled with in the first place, but I am now a giant leap closer to being that student I always knew I could be.

I've always wanted to be better with my money. I've worked part time ever since I was fourteen and I've never had the ability to save any of it or spend it wisely. This semester I managed to get my act together and form a plan of attack that means even if I do get a whopping $500 phone bill, I have a means to rectify the problem. In recent years (although not so much when I was in high school), I've wanted the self-confidence not to take crap from authority figures who don't know me from a bar of soap and think they can screw me over. Somehow, and I don't even know how, I've managed to pick up a knack for negotiating what I want and not settling for second best. I hope this trend continues.

So what's next for me? Who knows. Maybe it will all fall apart tomorrow. Maybe the cliche's won't hold true. Hopefully this gravitation will eventuate in me travelling again sometime in the near future and experiencing the big wide world again. That's all part of the challenge I guess.

Today was one of those random days for me.

Always one for self-analysis...

Here are your scores on the VIA Signature Strengths Survey. For how to interpret and use your scores, see the book Authentic Happiness. The ranking of the strengths reflects your overall ratings of yourself on the 24 strengths in the survey, how much of each strength you possess. Your top five, especially those marked as Signature Strengths, are the ones to pay attention to and find ways to use more often.

Judgment, critical thinking, and open-mindedness Thinking things through and examining them from all sides are important aspects of who you are. You do not jump to conclusions, and you rely only on solid evidence to make your decisions. You are able to change your mind.

Honesty, authenticity, and genuineness You are an honest person, not only by speaking the truth but by living your life in a genuine and authentic way. You are down to earth and without pretense; you are a "real" person.

Bravery and valor You are a courageous person who does not shrink from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain. You speak up for what is right even if there is opposition. You act on your convictions.

Fairness, equity, and justice Treating all people fairly is one of your abiding principles. You do not let your personal feelings bias your decisions about other people. You give everyone a chance.

Perspective (wisdom) Although you may not think of yourself as wise, your friends hold this view of you. They value your perspective on matters and turn to you for advice. You have a way of looking at the world that makes sense to others and to yourself.