Create Awareness for a Change

In 1988 I bought my first car, a 1975 Fiat 128 Rally. It was second hand and cost me all of R2000. The car taught me a lot about myself, especially patience. You see, even though the car was generally outstanding the one thing that worked erratically was the fuel indicator. So, from time to time, I would find myself with an abundance of air in my tank and forced to casually sidle over to the side of the road to seek a friendly petrol station that could sell me petrol and some kind of container to carry it in. Not always an easy task.

There was a unique trick that I had to learn to get the car going again. It was not enough to simply pour petrol into the tank. Once this was done the engine would turn and turn until I popped the bonnet, opened the carburettor and quenched its thirst with a drop of petrol into this mysterious contraption. All I knew was that it worked and therefore I was prepared for it. I was usually reasonably calm. I knew what to do and learned to be incredibly efficient in this process.

Unlike my reaction to my first motorbike. Okay, I loved that bike too. A 1982 Suzuki GSX 250 it was my main transport for at least two years. But this bike had a habit of refusing to start when it was wet. Most bikers know days when you set off in warm sunshine and then have to ride home at the end of the day in the pouring rain. Inevitably my bike would stop running and refuse to start again. I clearly remember one night in the rain cursing and kicking the bike when it refused to start. I lost it completely before sadly conceding defeat and walking home in a puddle.

Back then I didn't know why I reacted so differently in two frustrating situations. Since then I have done my homework and have learned about myself, my reactions, my emotions. Even better, I've learned what I can do to empower myself to understand and control my emotions. If I can learn to do this then believe me you can do it to. Doing change always starts with self awareness. Go here to start this process with a free questionnaire that tells you what your 5 main strengths are. Register and start with the VIA Signature Strengths Questionnaire, and then have some fun with the other questionnaires. Learning about yourself can be fun when you're not in the rain kicking a soggy Suzuki.