Death, Taxes... and Work

You’ve all heard that saying "In this world, there is nothing certain, but death and taxes". I would like to add one more item to that sentence. Work.

So I know there is a small percentage of the population that don’t have to work due to having enough wealth to sustain them. And then we have the odd hippie that decides they want to live in a cave off the land. That’s great for them, but for the majority of the human population, work is something we can't decide not to do.

Work = Money, which in turn = food, clothing, roof over your head.. blah blah blah.

This work thing can be such a drag though. From young we were asked, what do you want to be when you grow older? Then when we reach high school, we have to select the subjects that will help shape us for our future. And lastly, for those that get the opportunity to study, we once again choose who we are going to become. We choose this future job that will make us happy for the rest of our lives because it’s our calling, because we love it, because we were born to do it! Let’s get real.

There are the select few in life that know what they want and have this calling or purpose in life. For the rest of us, we started off wanting to be a Fireman or Ballerina, then came the Race car driver and Singer, then we hit high school and it was Sportsman, Artist or anything that seemed “cool”. Then we eventually get down to decision making time and pick whatever seems the least likely to bore us to death but make the most money.

Others that don’t get the chance to study find their lot in life by starting some random job which ends up leading to the next, and then the next opportunity. They tend to find their weaknesses and strengths out early on and just follow and grow with their strengths grabbing every opportunity that comes their way. Fact is, no matter if you did or did not study, we all hit that point where work is just work. That’s if we let it be. Whether you are a store manager, accountant or movie script writer, there are the days that you just don’t wanna do it. The days where you feel flat, just want to lie in bed and not deal with another customer, balance sheet or annoying actor. Every job has its ups and downs. The only question is, can you have a CAN DO attitude in the current job you are in? (Credits to my CEO for this expression). We have the power to change. Change our job, change our attitude, change our general wellbeing and mind set.

You know that feeling of not having gone to gym for years and now you need to start going again? Or you’ve been getting up at 7:30am every day and now you need to change to 6am? It’s tough! Especially in the winter months. But the more you force yourself to do it, the easier it gets. You start seeing the positives like how much more energy you have and how well you sleep at night because you are exercising. You see how much extra stuff you get done in the morning by getting up early which frees up time in the evening to do things you love. The only way to crack something is by forcing yourself to do it and then making it a habit. Only then, will you see the positive things all around you. You also have to practice being positive remember. Think positive, be positive and positive things will happen!

So then, how do we apply this in a work situation? Maybe get to work that 15 minutes early so that you can have your 5min catch up with a colleague, grab a cup of coffee and start your day relaxed instead of stressed. You might even need that extra 15 minutes to go through your emails and get the head start that will make the rest of the day feel like a breeze instead of always being behind trying to catch up. I know you what you are going to tell me. The company does not pay me for that extra 15min! So what? They are also not going to pay for your heart attack.

We need to stop thinking so clinically. If you start good habits and start loving what you do, then you don’t even notice the extra time you spend there because you are happy being where you are. Also, once you are happy and stop procrastinating and moaning, you will become more efficient and probably not need to work that extra time because your great attitude will get things done faster.

The same way we make choices in everyday life about being positive about our Country, Racism, the Rand/Dollar exchange, we need to make positive choices about our career. Happiness is a Choice. We can choose to make the best with what we have. In all honesty, if you do that, you will probably find that more doors of opportunity will open up for you. If you decide to wallow in your self-pity and do the bare minimum, what employer in their right mind would promote you? I wouldn’t. If you are still not happy in your job, but followed this advice, then you probably would have found renewed energy and mind set to actually make a plan of action to get a new job. Either way it is a win for you.

We need to “own” our life and start taking pride our back. Let’s be proud of our Country, proud of our Family, proud of ourselves and proud of the job we do. To serve is an honour. And in every job is service, whether it be to serve a customer, or an organisation that serves a purpose. We all serve whether directly or indirectly. So why not do it like we want to do it?

In today’s cut throat retail industry, customer service is what is going to separate the cats from the pigeons. We at Crafters Market pride ourselves in our service. We want a warm friendly environment that welcomes every customer and allows you the freedom to browse through all our Crafters. This is where you come and shop for gifts, Home Décor or decide on that something you are going to be making for your room or school project.

Crafters Market staff are not only there to assist with products, but with knowledge and opinions that could help make your decision just that little bit easier. Our Crafters go the extra kilometer (supporting local language) to help with customised orders and our store staff are waiting to go the extra kilometer in store just for you!

We a proud to serve you!

Author: Yolande Niemandt  (yolloger.blogspot.com)

 

What is there to be positive about?

I could write a book at this point about my opinion of the incidents and news headlines over the past few weeks with regards to Universities and the students across South Africa.

I could also write a book about our President, Nkandla, E-tolls, Eskom and water shortages. This is all easy to write about and easy to focus on, as negativity is such a good spreader of negativity. These topics fuel my passionate inner voice to the point where I feel the need to go and shout it out from the mountain tops for all below to hear.

To hear what you ask? My opinion of course! It would be so much easier if everyone could just understand “My” point of view. “My” opinion. Then all would be well. Right? Let me tell you, a rant is quicker and easier to write than writing about the POSITIVE things.

Positive things always seem “bubble gum’ish” and seem to make little to no lasting impression. It is racism, poverty, loss and violence that fuel our emotions. Well let me tell you, we are NOT the only country with these issues. We all know the famous old saying “The grass is not greener on the other side”.  The truth is... The grass is greener where you water it.

Each of us have different personalities, and no matter what country you are in, everything is always dependant on the situation you find yourself in, the circumstances you are surrounded by, and the company you keep. We are all born into something we did not choose. It is what we do, with what we were born into, that counts. Do we water our own grass and therefore allow others to see a beautiful garden that inspires them to grow their own? Or do we keep fuelling the fire that ultimately destroys all. At Crafters Market we believe that we are watering our own grass by having a company that allows small South African business’s an opportunity to trade in big malls. This in turn helps the crafters brand to grow which could lead to more job creation for South Africans. So in effect we are all helping each other.

One of my favourite quotes and mottos in this life today is “Be Kind to One Another” by Ellen DeGeneres. It is such a simple line, but such a powerful one, with a world of possibilities surrounding it. If only it was downloaded to each and every one of our hard drives from birth. Oh wait. It was. As we have grown up and been exposed to the cruel world out there, we have slowly but surely put up walls of protection around us. So much so that we don’t even greet someone in the same elevator as us for fear of a conversation, an awkward moment… rejection.

We, a species of social beings, are so reserved and afraid of contact with other humans that there would be no reason why we would be kind. No reason to look after any but our own. But somewhere inside each of us, there is this gut instinct. Something we used to follow so freely but quickly learnt to suppress. Every now and then when we drop our guard we do let this instinct thing take over, but because we use and trust it so little, it tends to run wild and hurt us because we have no control over it. Then, instead of learning from our mistakes and fine tuning our instinct, we shut off from interaction and go into self-preservation mode.

I’ll give you a good example. Two nights ago in the hotel I am currently staying at, they had a bit of a musical comedy going on downstairs in the hotel bar. Halfway through the show, the one performer sang a golden oldie from Frank Sinatra. As I scanned the room of people and saw how memories were flooding back to some of the elderly that attended the show, I noticed a woman in the front row in tears. Her friend turned to console her during the performance and afterwards the performer went over to her and kissed her hand with a heart-warming look to say sorry for how she was feeling. It was a genuine act of kindness that I had witnessed right in front of me, which then in turn fuelled that passionate inner voice of mine. I had this burning desire to speak to the lady and to brighten up her evening. I wanted to take her on the dance floor and dance with her to set her free from the pain she felt from obviously losing her husband/partner recently.

But on the other hand the voices in my head were saying “she does not know you…”, “she will think you are weird”. I had a genuine fear within me and nerves that could shake my skinny legs for days. On any other given day I would have felt that instinct to approach her, pushed it back down, said it’s not my place, and moved along. But on this day, this very night, I had a few drinks prior to this all transpiring before me. So my “Klippies Cape” of bravery was on. Don’t mock the cape, it’s a real thing!

Anyway, back on topic. So with my cape on and my knees shaking I approached the lady and asked her to dance. Her answer was, “I can’t”. There it was. The rejection I feared so much. Shot to the heart, and you’re to blame… instinct. Stupid instinct. Stupid cape of bravery. I took it with a smile, and as I was turning to run from my utter embarrassment, she pulled me down on one knee where she was sitting and explained that she had just had an operation and could not dance. But if she could, she would have loved to. Within a few seconds I went from utter embarrassment to a tear rolling down my cheek as she told me of her late husband and how she missed him.

It felt as though the entire room was looking at me as I got up and walked away. But I walked away feeling fulfilled, like I had made a difference. It’s called kindness. And kindness does make a difference. Sometimes it’s a kind word, sometimes it’s a small gift. For each situation there is a different solution to make someone’s day.

So as this new week is upon us, the message I would like to bring across is, don’t fuel the fire, but rather water the grass. Look around you for people in need of a kind word, a hug or a small gift. We are all on our own journey experiencing our own pain.

There is nothing quite like an unselfish gesture towards another person whether you know them personally or not. It can even be an anonymous gesture. Keep it small, keep it simple and keep it real.

If  you are looking for a place to get that small gift, Crafters Market is the best place to shop as our variety is beyond compare. Whether you personally know someone or they are a stranger to you, you will be guaranteed to find something.  Not only will you be kind to that person, but also to your country by supporting a local crafter. Lets water our own grass.

Happy Monday and remember… Be kind to one another.

Author: Yolande Niemandt (yolloger.blogspot.com)

Proudly South African

As I sit thinking about the state of our country… the water shortages, the exchange rates, the petrol going up… *again*… I start to think about how I as a South African can make a difference.

Not only do I want to make a difference to my planet, my country, my fellow man. But I want to make a difference to “me”, to “my” attitude, to “my” surroundings. But isn’t that where it all actually begins anyway?

Once I start changing my attitude, my way of thinking, my buying habits... I will start affecting those around me. Then those people, in turn, will start affecting their social circle. And this is how one drop in the ocean can become a tidal wave!

I am so tired of hearing how China and the likes are polluting our planet, but no country stands up against purchasing from these countries as their goods are “cheap”. Their labour is “cheap” and ruling the world so it seems. I’m sure you have all heard the stories by now of countries like Scotland sending their Cod caught off the Scottish coast on a 16093.44 Km trip to China and back again to be filleted for their supermarkets as it is cheaper than employing local labour to de-bone and fillet the fish. Similar stories including Seattle-based Trident Seafoods, are sending part of their catch of Alaskan salmon or Dungeness crab to China to be filleted or de-shelled before returning to U.S. tables.

The reality of this seems so unreal and unfair to me. How many people within their own country have lost a job opportunity to this? Purely, because Chinese labour is cheap! But then, should we also not be feeling sorry for these Chinese labourers who are working for these measly wages under poor conditions? Sweat shops, as they are known, have even reportedly put suicide nets up around their buildings to stop overtired and overstressed workers from plunging to their deaths.

The question is… can I do anything to stop these sweat shops, imports and loss of jobs from happening? The answer is no. But, if I start making small changes in my purchasing habits, I can make a difference to someone in this Country, my Country. As the saying goes, “Local is Lekker”. We just don’t know how lucky we are to live in a country where you are still able to “start your own small little business” that can pay the bills. Conglomerates have not quite taken over all aspects of our fair Country just yet. So within this lies our opportunity.

When it comes to our electronics, cell phones etc, I say sure… we don’t exactly have many other options and cannot stay in the dark ages just to stand against “The Man”. But when it comes to gifting, home décor and food, local is the way to go. With exchange rates climbing, our gifting and home décor items are on the rise. But our local products from Crafters Market say it from the heart. Our local products have our flavour written all over it, and better yet, it comes from a place of hard work, intense labour and attention to detail. Our crafters at Crafters Market are always trying to listen to what people want, what the new trends are, and work hard at producing those items for you. Most of our crafters even do customised orders to give the detail and colouring you need to meet your specific requirements.

We as a nation have started becoming a lot more craft orientated due to great apps like Pinterest showing us the way. So let’s go local where we can. Let’s support the South African with paint on their eyebrow from wiping down the sweat after a day of painting their craft. Let’s support the South African with a splinter in his finger from putting together the coffee table that would look perfect in your lounge. Let’s support our fellow artisan… and “Stick it to the Man”!

Together, Crafters Market and you the consumer, can support local crafters and say its “lekker to be local”.

Author: Yolande Niemandt (yolloger.blogspot.com)

Its all about love!

Right off the bat I would like to make it clear that I am a Valentine’s Day cynic. The older I have gotten, the more opinionated I have become in the fact that this is a man-made holiday just for retailers to make money.

With this man-made day of love fast approaching us, I decided to figure out why it is that I detest this day so much. Is it because of that one year in high school, where I was the only girl in my group to not receive a Carnation, Teddy bear or Chocolate sent out by some admirer unbeknown to me?

Was it because I watched as my friends bought themselves a Carnation in case of the humiliation of not receiving anything, and if they just got one little something, they could say it was from their one true love?

Is it because of the 3 year “love” drought I had when it felt like I could never be loved by anyone whilst everyone around me was getting married, finding the person of their dreams and just being so darn lucky in love. Of course, this would make anyone a hater. Especially when all around us in the “month of love” we are constantly reminded of the fact that we are not in love.

But I realise now that my cynicism has grown stronger as time has passed  due to more and more people having the mediums to actually shove this Valentine Day thing in my face. Back in my day it was only the big corporations that could advertise. We had David Krammer reminding us that is was lekker to drive with a family, driving in a VW Volksie bus. Cremora was making sure that we knew it was not inside, but onnnnnn top! Let’s also not forget the iconic Sasol Glug Glug ad which resulted in the SA U23 Soccer team naming themselves “Glug Glug”.

The competition was not so stiff back in the day. As a country, we have grown tremendously over the past few decades and the competition is steep. So no wonder these guys have to use every opportunity they can to jump on a bandwagon. This is survival of the fittest! No room for the faint at heart or the ones lagging in the race. We now have laptops, cell phones, tablets, billboards, tv, radio and any other type of media I have forgotten. Oh wait.. newspapers! They are all feeding us images and information on a daily, hourly and minute by minute basis.

Upon researching the origin of Valentines Day, it is clear that it has absolutely nothing to do with some get rich quick scheme by some retailer. But yes, it is something retailers can piggy back on and make loads of money with. Retailers also however make money off weddings, funerals, Easter, Christmas, birthdays and so much more. Am I going to not celebrate any of these because of that? No.

So where do I stand now? No point in hating the retailers. They are just trying to survive in a very big race. Am I in love at this present time you ask? Yes. For many years now, happily married even, and have managed to not celebrate or give a present on any one of the Valentines days we have been together. Would it harm me in any way to give a present or express my love on this day? The answer to this is no. But my ego will be bruised, that is for sure. For I have been standing up for my right not to be influenced or swayed by the masses for years now.

If I do, for this one day, put my ego aside and get some lavish present like a WeWood watch made out of reclaimed wood for R2700 which is utterly beautiful and has been on my mind, or instead bake heart shaped biscuits with a cookie mix for R85.90, or do an artsy crafty hand-made card with thoughts of our past few years together, I can guarantee the result would be the same. I will be loved and thanked and hugged a hundred times, and thanked again. Basically on this day, or any day that I do such a thing, I would only be showing my love and appreciation of this beautiful person I get to share my life with. Now that is something I should not be standing up against.

I think the pressure lies within ourselves. Do we go beyond what we are capable of financially just to impress someone? If I had the money I would buy the watch in a heartbeat. If I don’t have the money, I should not feel like something smaller or making something is a less adequate symbol of my love. There is no price tag on love. Whatever we have to offer, if offered with honesty and integrity, will always be received with an open heart if that person truly loves you.

Hmmm... So can this bitter, cynical heart put my ego aside and allow love to overthrow my feelings of being pushed into a holiday? I think if it can, it will have to be something that completely fits, not a teddy bear or chocolates, but rather something meaningful and personal.

For me, there is no better place than Crafters Market to look for that special something I could be looking for. I know that I can always find something within my budget and have enough of a variety to choose from. I can even select something from their arts and crafts section if I want to make something. And by choosing Crafters Market, I also choose local and end up supporting my fellow countryman.

So let’s spread a little love. There’s no harm in it after all.

Author: Yolande Niemandt (yollogger.blogspot.com)