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Life + Stuff: Cheer squad

Who is on your cheer squad? How do you know if you’re rocking or sucking the big ones?

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How am I supposed to know if I'm top dog or a fluffy bitch with an adoring staff of total weirdos?

Ever since I became a full-time freelancer, I have no idea. I don’t get given payrises, promotions or performance reviews.

As a kid, I got gold stars, Scratch ‘n’ Sniff stickers and stamps on the back of my hand.

At high school, I was graded, voted SRC President and asked to the school formal by a visually inoffensive boy. Yes, my standards were that high.

Uni was all about Cs, Ds and HDs.

Full-time work was a dogged quest to move up, up, up, drink wine out of an actual bottle and catch cabs instead of buses.

Now I am at an impasse. I have no idea where I am at. I work. I get paid. I don’t get bonuses and I have no one to tell me how, a) bad, b) fair, c) good, d) exceptional I am. I just don’t know how to judge myself.

Am I happier? Yep.

Am I healthier? Yep.

Am I wealthier? Nope.

Am I doing interesting work? Yep.

Maybe I am doing OK?

How do you tell if you’re winning at life? Do you have some sort of system you’re willing to share?

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 comments on “Life + Stuff: Cheer squad

  1. As far as freelance goes, as long as you’re still getting work – and that has never been a problem for you! – you’re doing well, I reckon. As long as you’re (mostly) happy and paying the rent (and only drinking cask wine every once in a while!), you’re doing pretty damn well.

    As for high school, you forgot to list being a prefect 😉

    And as for real life… that’s one of the hard parts about being a grown up. I think it’s about being your own judge, trying not to judge yourself unfairly one way or the other. Or at least trying!

  2. I think it’s good to stop and take stock of everything every once in a while, sometimes we get so caught up in stuff we don’t have time to stop and think if we are happy with everything that is going on in our lives. I really believe though that you usually recognise when things are wrong and you aren’t happy (tears and over-consumption of chocolate are usually the giveaways), even if you don’t always notice when things are good.
    I also think you’re friends and family will nearly always tell you to pull your head in a psuedo-performance review if and when the need arises.
    I rate you as exceptional though Em. You get a gold star and go straight to the head of the class!

  3. Lisa continues to freak out at home.

    Lisa: [panting] Grade me…look at me…evaluate and rank me!

    Oh, I’m good, good, good, and oh so smart! Grade me!

    [Marge scribbles an A on a piece of paper]

    [Lisa walks off, muttering crazily and sighing]

  4. This is an interesting question Emma. I know personally for me not having my mum around anymore has made me crave the approval and support that she always gave me. And that kind of clarity is very hard to get from most people most days. I’ve ended up having to look more in to myself this year and try and find it within. To try and focus on the positive things that I am doing and achieving and congratulate myself. If I keep doing that then I find a quiet that I never knew before. And I find I sleep better at night. Find your quiet place. And try and stay there as long as you can! x

  5. If your alarm goes off in the morning and you’re happy to get out of bed because you’ve got things to do and stuff to look forward to that day. Then you’re winning:)

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