Tag: Probeta

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The Ethics training

It is December 2022. I vowed to finish this Ethics training, which I rolled my eyes to (or is it for?) when the requirements were sent through by SAICA, and I committed to bring it up to date by end of December 2022. Well, all that I can say is that life keeps on happening! My word. I really don’t know how one is supposed to fit everything into a very busy schedule and maintain the balance!

On a cold and rainy day in December, when no one can splash around in the pool, sending me on a pity party because I have to do this training, while everyone else is relaxing, I decided to take on this training thing. What I realised now, is, when I started this training, it feels that I actually approached and did this incorrectly. But, then again, I don’t think there is a right and a wrong way to do this?

In my previous entries that I wrote about this Ethics training, and my experience with it, my focus was more on the journaling side of it, it seems. The part where your brain is stretched a bit. I did do some of the other things in between, watching the videos and so forth, but, my focus was more on the journal side of things it seemed. Which is probably also not wrong, is it? I mean, I experienced it as wonderful and fantastic! Because all the questions that are asked, that you must write about, lets you think, which is wonderful in my opinion! I did not work through all the other documents in detail and in depth. So maybe I should not place the cart before the horses and just do the journaling side of things. I should rather do it systematic, month by month, just like my Boxwood personality loves to do things. The other thing I realised now, is, I cannot do 12 months worth of training in a day. It is designed in such a way to do little-by-little over a longer period….

I then decided to back track with my training, because, you see, after doing each month’s training, you have to answer a few questions to obtain a training certificate. Now this certificate is the most important thing in terms of worldly requirements. This is my proof that I did this thing. I restarted at month two, reading through all the documents, watching all the videos and skipping the journaling side of things, because this has been done. All of these things are very convenient, by the way, and can be done in any way suitable. Either an app on my phone or with an internet link to a website on my computer, available for me anywhere and anytime. I did at some stage, save everything on my Google Drive which also makes it more convenient to access and print as and when needed.

Lynette Berger was so nice to still give me access to this, even if my twelve months since I started this thing, had expired. I am not sure if I am allowed to say this out loud and in the open like I have. But, here it is now! Said and done. Sorry Lynette, if I am the reason for your inbox to overflow with requests after people read this entry.

The documents, which I think, must have taken hours to put together by Probeta, under supervision of Lynette Berger (I am not entirely sure how the structures work there), made me realise just again, how this course fits in with the Pink Feathers of Beroepsvrou. There was absolutely NO way that myself or Lynette and her team, could have known in any way possible, from each other and the content of that which God revealed to us in unique ways and on our different platforms.

The content, it feels, is spot on, page after page. The parts where you have to analyse and dissect your Tall Trees profile, taking it apart, forming and working on being a better person. One of the headings or topics that stood out to me was under the heading Feed your faith and starve your fears. It was month 3 if I remember correctly. WOW. How true is this statement? While reading the content under this heading, it all comes back to what we are feeding ourselves. Emotionally and spiritually. Sounds a bit like my story on the flamingos….I cannot help but to want to give God a fist pump for this, and the fact that He allowed me to discover this course.

Attitudes and outlooks on life is contagious. If you surround yourself with negative people – guess what will happen? You will become one big heap of negativity!! This is exactly how it works in life and here it is, black on white in their notes. I realise just again, how manageable this course actually is. It is our job to ensure that we do not leave everything to the last minute. It took me a few hours to work through a few months’ information. So why do I not do a little every day? 15 minutes daily is manageable is it not?

I just think, in my case, I am so over eager to learn everything, that 15 minutes is not enough. When I find myself again, I am spending hours on these things, working through everything, all while the day job is waiting. Maybe I am over thinking this whole course? Maybe I must set a time limit for myself? Another thing that I also misinterpreted was, the 5 minute ethics moments documents – I thought (I actually do not know what I thought, because clearly I did not think) but, it felt to me that they are all the same. That is probably the reason why I did not read through it in depth…?

Only after further investigation, I saw that the first few paragraphs, which explains the process to be followed, step-by-step, (and is probably aimed at trainees in my opinion), are the same, and then, on page two, somewhere in the middle, the new topics start that must be read, thought about and be answered. It feels that the commentary and statements to be thought about, becomes deeper and more intense as the months progress. Here too I think that God is talking to me, Elsie, directly about my prerequisites – that I am lying to myself, if I think that I am going to feel better about myself and life if certain boxes are checked off.

Now I don’t think that they are trying to say stop everything that you are doing and trying to achieve, because, at the end of the day, that what you are busy doing in your life is what forms a person, to become that which God had planned long ago for each individual on this earth. I do not want to say too much about this, but, there is so much truth that I saw and experienced in this, especially about the anxiety. If you do not live in the present moment, then you tend to live a very anxious life. Ask me!! Been there and done that. I also know people that are still like this. Anxious about what can happen and what happened in the past. I used to live for one day. so much so, that I was missing life and when I woke up one day I was almost 40! It still hurts to think that I missed a bit of my life with this outlook, but, thank God that He woke me up to this. I stopped living for one day and started living in the present moment.

I still have not answered all the questions and reflective moments on all the documents, but, I read through all the content, watched the short videos between 5 and 10 minutes long. Here and there, there is a video that is longer, and this is normally when I approach the Treadmill or switch on the speaker while I am showering and putting on make up. I answered my assessment questions and am now the proud owner of a few Ethical CPD certificates. Enough to satisfy those that do inspections. Enough to satisfy me that I have done what I could with the time available to me. And I just want to add here, that, I am not being hard on myself here. This is reality, there is really no mercy from the professional institutions that we belong to, if you did not comply! Penalties, disciplinary hearings and who knows what else normally lie ahead if you did not do what was expected of you.

This achievement feels like a fist pump moment. With who I do not know, because, I am the only one that has these requirements within our firm. My husband does not understand all the intricate detail of these requirements, but, he supports me when I have to do these things. Even if it is supposed to be holiday time. But it is nice, I enjoy it. Yes, you can say it – I am a nerd and a sucker for these type of things that allow me to develop myself better. Because I just know, that this has a greater impact on my life and the direction that Beroepsvrou is taking. More than what I will ever know or realise. I also realised that my brain was a bit tired after doing three months’ worth of things in one day, and I decided to let it be. I will take on the rest, day-by-day and bit-by-bit in the new year. I know better now what this entails, feeling more comfortable about what to expect and now I know how to approach this. If I could put an emoji here now, it would be the little arm that is flexing his muscles, ready for action.

I truly hope that this entry (of my journey with this training, that felt like the elephant in the room) will inspire someone out there to sign up for this course. Don’t let all the documents and downloads and content overwhelm you. Approach it like you would when eating an elephant (hypothetically speaking of course) – bit-by-bit and day-by-day. Some days you will be able to take on the entire trunk and other days just a little block. But, when you look again, you made progress from the trunk to the tail! Then you would have addressed the elephant in the room. Just do it! Don’t over think it!! You are investing in your life and the best of it all is, the expenses you incurred, are a tax deductible, legit expense (in my case it is because I operate a business – if you earn a salary…maybe not so much). You get hours that count towards your CPD, without the content boring you. It will not provide eye-rolling moments while you are doing this. In my opinion, it is a win-win situation – what are you waiting for?

Die Etiese opleiding
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Die Etiese opleiding

Dit is Desember 2022. Ek het voorgeneem om hierdie deurlopende etiese opleiding, waarvoor ek my oë gerol het toe die vereiste deur kom van SAICA af, op datum te bring teen einde Desember 2022. Wel, al wat ek kan sê is dat die lewe die heeltyd gebeur! Liewe aarde. Ek weet eerlik nie hoe mens veronderstel is om alles in te pas en die balans te handhaaf nie.

Nie te min, ek besluit toe wel op ‘n reënerige dag in Desember, toe dit koeler is, en niemand in die swembad kan baljaar, en my op ‘n pity party laat gaan, omdat ek opleiding moet doen, terwyl almal ontspan nie, om maar tog hierdie opleidingsding verder aan te pak. Wat ek wel nou besef is dat ek eintlik dit heeltemal verkeerd gedoen het, voel dit vir my. Maar, dan weer, daar is seker nie ‘n regte of verkeerde manier nie??

Die meerderheid, waaroor ek reeds geskryf het, van die hele Etiese opleiding en my ervaring van dit, was die journaling gedeelte, die deel waar jou brein so bietjie gerek word. Ek het wel van die ander goedjies tussen in gedoen, video’s gekyk, maar my fokus was eintlik meer op die journaling deel voel dit vir my. Wat seker nie verkeerd is nie? Ek meen, ek het dit as wonderlik en fantasties ervaar! Want die vrae wat gevra word wat jy oor moet skryf laat ‘n mens nogals dink….wat wonderlik is! Ek het wel nie in detail en diepte deur al die ander dokumente ook gewerk nie. So miskien moet ek nie die wa voor die perde span en net die joernaal inskrywings doen nie, maar eerder dit sistematies en maand vir maand doen soos wat my Sierboom maar hou van om te doen. Die ander ding wat ek ook geleer het en weet, is ek moet nie 12 maande se opleiding in ‘n dag probeer doen nie. Dis juis so ontwerp om bietjie-vir-bietjie te doen oor ‘n langer tydperk…

Ek besluit toe om te back track met my opleiding, want, jy sien, na elke maand se opleiding, moet jy ‘n paar vrae antwoord om ‘n sertifikaat te bekom. En die sertifikaat is nou in wêreldse terme die belangrikste ding ooit. Dis my bewys dat ek hierdie goed gedoen het. Ek begin toe maar weer by maand twee. Lees deur die dokumente, alles is heel gerieflik op ‘n toepassing op my foon, of met ‘n internet skakel op ‘n webblad op my rekenaar, beskikbaar vir my enige tyd wat ek dit wil doen. Ek het wel gegaan en alles op my Google Drive gestoor, wat dit ook baie gerieflik maak om uit te druk en so meer.

Lynette Berger was so gaaf gewees om my nog toegang te gee, al het my twaalf maande periode sedert ek die proses begin het verstryk. Ek weet ook nou nie of ek hierdie hardop en so openlik mag genoem het nie. Maar nou ja!! Hier is dit nou – sorry Lynette as ek jou e-posse nou laat oorloop het van versoeke na mense die inskrywing gelees het.

Al die dokumente, wat ek dink, ure geneem het om bymekaar te sit deur ProBeta, onder toesig van Lynette Berger (ek is nou nie presies seker hoe hul strukture daar werk nie), laat my net besef, van voor af hoe hierdie kursus aansluit by die Pienk Vere van Beroepsvrou. Daar was absoluut GEEN manier dat ek of Lynette en haar span, enigsins kon weet van mekaar en die inhoud van dit wat die Here aan ons openbaar het op ons unieke maniere en platforms nie.

Die inhoud voel of dit kolskoot tref bladsy na bladsy. Die gedeeltes waar jy so bietjie jou Tall Trees profiel analiseer en dissekteer, uitmekaar trek en begin vorm en werk aan om ‘n beter mens te wees. Een van die opskrifte of onderwerpe wat my bygeval het was onder die opskrif Feed your faith and starve your fears. Dit was maand 3 dink ek. WOW. Hoe waar is dit nie net nie? Toe ek verder onder dit gaan lees gaan dit alles oor waarmee ons onsself voer. Emosioneel, geestelik. Klink vir my maar so bietje soos my flamink storie….ek kan nie anders as om die Here ‘n fist pump te wil gee vir dit en die feit dat Hy my hierdie kursus laat ontdek het nie.

Houdings en uitkyke is aansteeklik. As jy jouself met negatiewe mense omring – raai wat? Jy gaan een groot hopie van negatiwiteit word!! Dis presies hoe dit werk in die lewe en hier is dit swart op wit in hul notas. Ek besef nou net weer hoe haalbaar hierdie kursus eintlik is. Dit is ons werk om te sorg dat ons nie alles los tot op die laaste nippertjie nie. Dit het my vandag ‘n paar uur geneem om deur ‘n paar maande se goed te werk. So hoekom doen ek nie net elke dag ‘n bietjie nie? 15 minute daagliks is mos haalbaar?

Ek dink in my geval is ek so oorgretig om alles te leer, dat 15 minute te min is. As ek myself weer kry, spandeer ek ure op goed, werk deur alles, terwyl die day job wag. Miskien over think ek die hele kursus? Miskien moet ek vir myself ‘n tyd limiet stel? Wat ek wel ook misinterpreteer het aan die begin, is, die 5 minute ethics moments se dokumente – ek het gedink (weet eintlik nie wat ek gedink het nie, want duidelik het ek nie gedink nie) maar, dit het vir my gevoel hulle is almal dieselfde. En dis seker die rede hoekom ek nie in diepte deur alles gelees het nie…?

Eers na verdere ondersoek, het ek gesien die eerste klomp paragrawe, wat die proses wat gevolg moet word stap-vir-stap verduidelik, (en eintlik meer op klerke gerig is dink ek), dieselfde is en dan op bladsy twee, in die middel rond, begin die nuwe goed wat jy moet lees, oordink en beantwoord. Dit voel vir my dat die kommentaar en oordenkinge so bietjie dieper en meer intens word soos wat die maande vorder. Ek dink hier het die Here ook direk met my as Elsie gepraat met my voorvereistes – dat ek vir myself jok as ek dink dat ek eers beter oor myself en die lewe gaan voel as sekere boksies afgemerk is.

Nou ek dink nie hulle probeer sê stop alles wat jy doen en probeer vermag nie, want op die ou einde van die dag, is die ‘n vormingsproses en dit wat jy doen in jou lewe is besig om jou te vorm, om te word dit wat die Here lankal reeds bepaal het vir elke indivvidu op hierdie aarde. Ek wil nie te veel uitlaat oor alles nie, maar ek het soveel waarheid in soveel goed ervaar, veral die oor angs. As jy nie in die present moment leef nie, lei jy maar eintlik net een ongelooflike aaklige angstige lewe! Vra my! Been there and done that. Ek ken ook mense wat steeds so is. Angstig oor wat kan gebeur en oor wat gebeur het in die verlede. Ek het op ‘n stadium so geleef vir een dag, dat ek my lewe gemis het. En wragties, een dag, toe ek wakker word, toe is ek amper 40! Ek dank die Here elke dag dat Hy my wel wakker gemaak het om op te hou so lewe! Ek voel steeds soms spyt dat ek dele van my lewe gemis het, maar, dit is wat dit is, ek het iets geleer, aanbeweeg en ophou om so te lewe.

Ek het steeds nie alles op hierdie reflektiewe dokumente geantwoord nie, maar het deur al die inhoud gelees, die kort videos van tussen 5 en 10 minute lank gekyk. Hier en daar is daar ‘n langer video tussen in, en dis dan wanneer ek die Treadmill nader of die luidspreker aansit terwyl ek stort en grimering aansit. Ek het wel my vrae op die assessments (wat is dit tog in Afrikaans?) geantwoord en is nou die trotse eienaar van ‘n paar Etiese CPD sertifikate. Genoeg om almal tevrede te hou. Genoeg om myself tevrede te hou dat ek wel gedoen het wat ek kon met die tyd tot my beskikking. Hier wil ek ook net noem, dat, ek nie hard op myself is nie. Die vereistes van die professionele institusies waaraan ek behoort is genadeloos. As jy nie doen wat daar van jou verwag word nie, gaan jy boetes hê, dissiplinêre verhore moet bywoon en wie weet wat nog alles. Dis ongelukkig hoe dit is in ons professie – die vereistes is baie, soms te veel om te hanteer. Maar deur God se genade, maak ek dit nog elke jaar.

Hierdie voel soos ‘n fist pump oomblik, met wie, weet ek nie, want dis net ek wat hierdie vereiste het in my firma. My man verstaan nie al die draadwerk nie, maar ondersteun my soos wat ek hierdie goed moet doen. Al is dit veronderstel om vakansie te wees. Maar dis lekker, ek geniet dit. Ja, jy kan maar dit sê – ek is ‘n nerd en ‘n sucker vir iets soos die wat myself beter ontwikkel. Want ek weet net, die het ‘n groter impak in my lewe en waarheen Beroepsvrou oppad is as wat ek ooit sal kan dink en besef. Ek het ook verder agter gekom my brein was bietjie moeg na ek 3 maande se goed in een dag opgevang het, en het besluit om dit daar te laat en die res aan te pak, dag-vir-dag en bietjie-vir-bietjie in die nuwe jaar. Ek weet nou beter wat dit behels, weet wat om te verwag en weet hoe om dit nou aan te pak. As ek nou hier ‘n emoji kon insit, sou dit die armpie wees wat sy spiere flex, reg vir aksie.

Ek hoop regtig dat hierdie inskrywings (van my pad met hierdie opleiding, wat soos ‘n elephant in the room gevoel het) iemand daar buite sal inspireer en oortuig om tog maar op te teken vir die kursus. Moet nie dat al die downloads en goed jou oorweldig nie. Maak met dit soos wat jy ‘n olifant eet (spreekwoordelik gesê natuurlik) – stukkie vir stukkie, dag vir dag. Sommige dae sal jy die hele slurp kan aanpak en ander kere net ‘n kleine ou blokkie. Maar as jy jou weer kry, het jy van slurp tot stert vordering gemaak. Dan is die elephant in the room aangespreek en uitgesorteer. Doen dit net! Moet nie dit oordink nie!! Jy investeer in jou eie lewe en die beste van alles is, dis ‘n belasting-aftrekbare, wettige uitgawe (vir my is dit omdat ek my eie besigheid bedryf, as jy salaris verdien….wel, ek is nie so seker van dit nie) en ure wat tel vir jou CPD sonder om jou te verveel en oog rol oomblikke te verskaf. In my opinie is dit ‘n wen-wen situasie – waarvoor wag jy nog?

The Ethics training
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The word

So I have been walking around with a word in my mind, since last week sometime. The word? Benevolence. Now, for a primarily Afrikaans speaking person, this is a big word. Something that does not form part of my vocabulary at all. I had to go and google the word to see what it meant. The word came to me in English too. Something that does not happen often.

My entries normally start in Afrikaans, my thoughts about it and what I feel God wants me to write are all usually in Afrikaans. But this time it was different. Everything happened in English. I have been carrying this word in my mind, asking God what He wants me to write about it. When something like this is on my mind as much as this was, then I just KNOW I have to write about it.

Of course, when you google the meaning, it means the quality of being well meaning, kindness. I left it there, because what am I supposed to do with this? I KNOW God is Benevolent, so to write about that was a bit of a challenge to me, because what am I supposed to write? The Bible is full of testimonies of God being a Benevolent God.

You see how I have now made this word part of my vocabulary? I have to chuckle at this, a word I have never used before was used more than once in a paragraph. Anyway, I am getting distracted again!

Now before I got the word Benevolence, I had been feeling something in my spirit. I could not quite place my finger on it, because it is a feeling I have felt before but also not felt before, saying all of that in the same breath. I have this agitation hanging over me like a cloud.

I am just so irritated with everything and everyone, why I don’t know. From the dogs, to the parrot, the hamster, the kids, the authorities and their ridiculous requirements for us as CA’s and everything (and everyone) in between was agitating me. This is not normal behavior to me, this is something that I had laid off years ago, yet now it is surfacing again. almost like it is coming up to breathe. Why I could not say.

Then God sent me this word. Everywhere in my mind, I see the word and I am reminded of it. Almost like in life, when you notice something, you NOTICE it if you know what I mean? Like a car brand, once you become aware of it, you see it EVERYWHERE! Now this was the same with this word.

If I have to put this into a picture for you of how it was, it would be as follows – in my mind, I saw it written on a banner, then a billboard, then a road sign next to the road, on pieces of paper, even the mushrooms popping up in the grass seemed to spell Benevolence. That is how in my face it was (only in my mind not physically around me).

This morning I realised WHY God gave me this word. You see, I have a teenager in the house and a little tween, who is becoming a tween too quickly according to me, because she is only 8 years of age. Man oh man, did I forget the knowledge that one supposedly possess at the age of 8 and 13 years.

Being benevolent with them has become a challenge. The arguments of how they think something works and must be, when I know it does not work that way. The attitude that I get when I only put in a sandwich for school (this is the tween by the way) and not something else. Or when I put in the something else in a lunch box that is not to her liking, then all things benevolent fly out the door.

Or when the teenager argues about a steering wheel accessory for the X-Box (yes, we purchased one, something that we said we would NEVER do – well, never say NEVER). And when it is installed and plugged in, it does not work as expected. Something which we told him would happen. Him putting it to one side, because it does not work as he had thought it would, wasting money on something like that not being used. When this happens, all benevolence runs out the door, trying to set a new world record for 100 metre sprints, trying to beat Usain Bolt’s world record.

So here I am. Guilty as charged. Not showing benevolence. I realise that God is pressing very hard on my heart to work on this. I have to use the tools that He is providing. The tools I am referring to, are the Tall Trees Ethics Training from ProBeta and Hettie Brittz. The latest addition to my tools, is the EI Activator, which is an add-on or plug in if I may refer to it in that way (and use some computer lingo, something that I have limited knowledge of), to the Tall Trees Ethics Training.

All of these things take time. It feels like life is happening, not allowing me to get to explore these tools. Lucky for me, it is now a requirement to do Ethics training to remain a CA. That is the reason WHY I chose something useful and purposeful like the Tall Trees Ethics Training and EI Activator. And yes, I say it like that now, because, I decided to look for the positive in this requirement, rather than sitting on the sidewalk, with my can of worms, complaining about the requirements.

I truly hope (and deep down know) that I will find benevolence when I start exploring, dissecting and excavating the field of EI Activator. The ground work and tone is being set in the Tall Trees Ethics Training, I just have to finish that (said tongue in the cheek because I am on month 4 and I have forgotten what was said, so I am probably going to have to redo it all in any way, before I can answer the questions to obtain the CPD certificate), so that I can move on to the EI Activator part of the expedition that I am finding myself in.

I know I have not been Benevolent, this is not God’s plan for me, to not be Benevolent. Let us take up the challenge with the teens and tweens in our house, the authorities, the pets and everything in between. Let us use Benevolence as our tool in this challenge. Benevolence – noun – the quality of being well meaning; kindness. How Benevolent are you?

Die woord
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Die woord

Sedert laas week een of ander tyd, loop ek rond met ‘n woord in my gedagtes. Die woord? Benevolence. Nou vir ‘n primêre Afrikaans-sprekende persoon, is die ‘n groot woord. Dis nie iets wat enigsins deel vorm van my woordeskat nie. Ek moes gaan google wat dit beteken, want ek het nie ‘n clue gehad wat dit beteken nie. Die woord het ook so, in Engels, na my toe gekom. Iets wat nie gereeld gebeur nie.

My inskrywings begin gewoonlik in Afrikaans, my gedagtes rondom dit en wat ek voel die Here wil hê ek moet skryf oor iets, gebeur alles in Afrikaans. Maar hierdie keer was dit anders. Alles het in Engels gebeur. Ek het selfs die inskrywing in Engels eerste gedoen, waar ek gewoonlik dit in Afrikaans eerste doen. Ek loop met hierdie woord in my gedagtes en ek vra God wat Hy wil hê ek daaroor moet skryf. Wanneer iets so konstant in my gedagtes is, dan WEET ek net dat ek daaroor moet skryf.

Natuurlik, toe ek die woord gaan google sien ek toe wat dit beteken. Dit is die kwaliteit van goedgesindheid, vriendelikheid. Hier het ek nou net sommer direk die Engelse betekenis vertaal, ek glo dis reg. Ek WEET God is Benevolent, so om hieroor te skryf is so bietjie van ‘n uitdaging vir my, want wat is ek nou veronderstel om te skryf? Die Bybel is dan propvol beloftes en getuienisse van God wat ‘n Benevolent God is.

Sien jy nou hoe ek daardie woord deel gemaak het van my woordeskat? Al is dit die Engelse woord. Ek moet giggel vir dit, ‘n woord wat ek nooit voorheen gebruik het nie, gebruik ek sommer oor en oor in een paragraaf. Ek wonder wat is die Afrikaans vir Benevolence? Ek raak distracted, ek weet. Maar ek het gou dit gaan google en die Afrikaanse woord is Welwillendheid. Wie sou kon raai dat dit die woord in Afrikaans is? Die Engelse een klink beter (en meer fêncy) so ek gaan maar aanhou om hom te gebruik.

Nou voor ek die woord Benevolence gekry het, het ek iets in my gees gevoel. Ek kon nie heeltemal my vinger op dit plaas nie, want dis ‘n gevoel wat ek voorheen gehad het maar ook nie, so in dieselfde asem gesê. Ek het hierdie irritasie wat soos ‘n wolk oor my hang.

Ek is net so geirriteerd met alles en almal, hoekom weet ek nie. Van die honde, tot die pappagaai, die hamster, die kinders, die owerhede en hul belaglike vereistes vir ons as CA’s en enige iets (en iemand) tussen in, het my geirriteer. Dit is nie normale gedrag vir my nie, want dit is iets wat ek jare gelede al afgelê het. Maar nou is dit asof dit opkom om asem te skep. Hoekom weet ek nie.

Toe stuur God vir my hierdie woord. Orals in my gedagtes sien ek die woord en word ek herinner daaraan. Amper soos in die lewe, wanneer jy iets opmerk, dan SIEN JY DIT ORAL as jy verstaan wat ek bedoel? Soos ‘n tipe kar, as jy eers bewus word van dit, dan sien jy dit ORAL! Nou dit was dieselfde met hierdie woord.

As ek dit nou in ‘n prentjie moet skets vir jou van hoe dit was, sou ek sê dit was as volg – in my gedagtes, sien ek dit op ‘n bannier, dan op ‘n billboard, dan ‘n padteken langs die pad, op stukke papier, selfs die sampioene wat in die gras opspring voel of dit Benevolence spel. Dis hoe in my face dit was (in my gedagtes natuurlik, nie regtig fisies om my nie).

Vanoggend besef ek HOEKOM God die woord vir my gegee het. Jy sien, ek het ‘n tiener in die huis, asook ‘n tween, een wat te vinnig na my smaak ‘n tween begin word, want sy is nou eers 8 jaar oud. Mense ouers, het ek nou vir jou vergeet hoe propvol kennis mens is op die ouderdom van 8 en 13 jaar!

Om met hulle benevolent te wees, het ‘n groot uitdaging geword. Die argumente van hoe hulle dink iets moet wees en werk, wanneer ek weet dit werk nie so nie. Die houding wat ek kry wanneer ek net ‘n kosblik met ‘n toeba inpak vir skool (dis nou die tween net so tussen ons wat my hier houding gee) en nie ook iets anders insit nie. Of wanneer ek wel iets anders insit, in ‘n kosblik wat sy nie van hou nie, dan vlieg alle dinge benevolent by die deur uit.

Of wanneer die tiener stry oor ‘n stuurwiel accessory vir die X-Box (ja, ons het een gekoop, iets wat ons gesê het ons NOOIT sal doen nie – wel, never say NEVER). En wanneer dit geinstalleer en ingeprop is en nie werk soos die verwagting is nie. Iets wat ons vir hom gesê het sou gebeur. Hy wat dit een kant toe skuif, want dit werk nie soos hy gedink het dit sal nie, besig om geld te mors op iets wat nie gebruik kan en gaan word nie. Wanneer dit gebeur, dan is dit asof elke stukkie benevolence by die deur uit hardloop, ‘n nuwe wêreld rekord vir die 100 meter probeer opstel en Usain Bolt’s se wêreld rekord probeer breek.

So hier is ek. Guilty as charged. Ek wys nie benevolence nie. Ek besef dat God dit hard op my hart druk om hieraan te werk. Ek moet elke stukkie gereedskap gebruik wat Hy besig is om te voorsien. Die gereedskap waarvan ek praat is die Tall Trees Ethics Training van ProBeta en Hettie Brittz. Die nuutste toevoeging tot my gereedskap is die EI Activator, wat ek sien as ‘n add-on of plug in (as ek nou rekenaar taal kan gebruik, waarvan ek ook beperkte kennis het) tot die Tall Trees Ethics Training.

Hierdie dinge vat tyd. Dit voel of die lewe net gebeur en my nie toelaat om hierdie gereedskap te ontdek nie. Gelukkig is dit nou ‘n vereiste om Etiese Opleiding te doen om ‘n CA te bly. Dit is die rede HOEKOM ek iets nuttig en opbouend soos die Tall Trees Ethics Training en EI Activator gekies het. En ja, ek sê dit nou so, want, ek het besluit om eerder die positiewe in hierdie vereiste te gaan soek, eerder as om op die sypaadjie met my blikkie wurms te gaan sit en kla oor die vereistes.

Ek hoop werklik (en diep binne my weet ek) dat ek benevolence sal vind wanneer ek begin ontdek, dissekteer en uitgrawe in die veld van EI Activator. Die grond werk word gedoen en die toon word gestel deur die Tall Trees Ethics Training, ek moet dit net klaar maak (tong in die kies gesê, want ek is by maand 4 en ek het al lankal vergeet wat gesê was so ek gaan alles dalk weer oor moet doen voor ek my vragies kan antwoord om my sertifikaat te kry), sodat ek kan aanbeweeg na die EI Activator deel van die ekspedisie waar ek myself tans bevind.

Ek weet ek was nie Benevolent nie, dis nie God se plan vir my om nie Benevolent te wees nie. Kom ons vat die uitdaging aan, met die tieners en tweens in ons huise, die owerhede, die troeteldiere en alles tussen in. Laat ons Benevolence as ons gereedskap gebruik in hierdie uitdaging. Benevolence – noun – the quality of being well meaning; kindness. Hoe Benevolent is jy?

The word
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The Ethics training – month 4 (a month to reflect on)

Back to my training, which I am trying hard to catch up (by the way). During April, which is now my month 4 for the journaling side of the ethics training, I did not get to doing what I had worked so hard to keep up and do daily for about 5 to 10 minutes.

The journaling was few and far between. On 25 April 2022 (note the impossible time of the month that I make this decision – I often wonder if that is just part of my personality type according to Tall Trees – to choose the busiest times to do things?). Ok back to the date that I decided that I had to MAKE time to sit and just catch up again on the journaling. After doing the third day’s journaling (all in one day) I realised how much I missed this part of the course. The journaling and getting my thoughts written onto paper.

At this point in time, I feel like an epic fail when it comes to my continuous ethics training, because nothing about it seems continuous. It feels like I am always and forever catching up with things that fell behind! And now the same is happening AGAIN with this training…

I did not even have time to write this piece like I normally do when I feel the inspiration coming, because it has just been busy with work, kids, school and just coping with the colder weather…coping with the cold fronts seems to be taking my energy, because it is not that easy to get up early any more.

So I decided this time around to jot down some notes that came to mind, just so that I do not forget what I want to write about. I also meant to write this article three weeks ago and not now only (actually even earlier but anyway). Now, what I can see that is busy happening, not relating to ethics at all, but rather to my blog, is that I have notebooks ALL OVER THE SHOW! I try to use one dedicated notebook for the blog prompts that I want to keep track of.

But I have a few lying around that I make different notes in (different books for different things). Some sort of order but also not really. To any outside person it will seem like chaos, but I know what is going on there. For how long, I am not sure. It is like I have this overflow of words and thoughts that need to come out and be placed into order somehow.

Many days I wonder what it would be like if writing was my job? Would I find it as satisfying as I do now or would I feel meh about it like I sometimes feel towards my day job, especially during pressure times? Man, here I lost track yet again about what I wanted to say!!

So working through month 4’s journal prompts, I realised that this was a month to reflect on. Reflecting on thoughts, statements and just things. Some of the reflecting journal prompts were like tongue twisters to me! Like that of day 13. Your talk talks and your walk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks. Say this one 3 times fast….

I also realised that this journaling that is incorporated into the ethics training might not seem like everyone’s cup of tea. I know I frowned upon it when I started, thinking WHAT is THIS going to help me? But, later on, I realised that I was wrong and that these journal prompts (which only starts at month 2 if I am not mistaken) are actually just things to get your thoughts going…to start thinking about life differently.

Soooooo….hopefully I will be able to catch up on some journal prompts for months 5 to 7 all in one month AND catch up on the training videos and assessments so that I can finish in the month that I am supposed to finish and have the certificates as proof that I did do continuous ethics training throughout the year… (and not have all of the certificates issued on the same day).

I know I say this every month and I truly hope that I can find a gap between the deadlines and sign off dates of financials and audits to manage this. Not even talking about juggling the family and kids in between all of this…until I write again about the next month(s) experience…thus far it has been a very satisfying journey, even if it sometimes takes a lot of time to catch up when falling behind, frustrating me, but, that is life I suppose….?

Die etiese opleiding – maand 4 (‘n maand van refleksie)
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Die etiese opleiding – maand 4 (‘n maand van refleksie)

Terug by my opleiding, wat ek so hard probeer om op te vang (net so tussen ons). Gedurende April, dis nou my maand 4 van die joernaal inskrywings, het ek nie by my daaglikse 5 tot 10 minute take uitgekom om aan te hou met dit wat ek so hard voor gewerk het om op datum te (probeer) hou nie…ek het ALWEER agter geraak!

Die joernaal inskrywings maar aan die min en dun kant, so te sê. Op 25 April 2022 (let op hoe ek onmoontlike datums en tye kies om goed te doen – ek wonder baie of dit deel is van my persoonlikheidstipe volgens Tall Trees…?). Goed so terug by my sin, op daardie datum besluit ek dat ek MOET tyd maak om net weer op te vang met alles wat verwag en vereis word. Nadat ek die derde dag se inskrywings gedoen het (alles in een dag) besef ek hoe baie ek hierdie deel van die kursus gemis het – die joernaal inskrywings en om my gedagtes aan die gang te kry.

Op hierdie tydstip, voel ek soos ‘n epic fail soos die kinders sal sê wanneer dit kom by my voortdurende etiese opleiding, want niks van dit voel vir my voortdurend nie. Ek voel of ek alewig besig is om goed op te vang wat agter geraak het! En nou gebeur dieselfde WEER met hierdie opleiding….

Ek het nie eens tyd om hierdie stuk te skryf soos ek normaalweg doen wanneer ek voel of inspirasie aan die voordeur klop nie. Dit was net BESIG tussen kinders, werk, skool en net om te cope met die kouer weer….om aan te pas met die koue voel of dit al my energie tap, want dis wragties nie meer maklik om vroeg op te staan nie.

Die keer besluit ek om maar ‘n paar nota’s in ‘n boek te skryf, soos wat hulle hul opwagting maak in my gedagtes, net om seker te maak ek vergeet nie wat ek wou sê en skryf nie. Ek het ook bedoel om die artikel al 3 weke terug te skryf en nie nou eers nie (eintlik seker vroeër maar in elkgeval). Wat ek nou sien besig is om te gebeur, niks met etiese opleiding uit te waai nie, maar eerder my blog en alles wat met dit saam gaan, is dat ek notaboeke ORAL het!! Ek probeer een gespesifiseerde notaboek gebruik vir die blog inspirasie wat ek probeer orden.

Maar ek het ‘n paar wat rondlê waarin ek verskillende nota’s maak (verskillende notaboeke vir verskillende dinge). Soort van orde maar ook seker nie regtig nie. Vir enige buitestaander sal dit soos chaos voorkom, maar ek weet wat daar aangaan. Vir hoe lank is ‘n ander vraag vir ‘n ander dag. Dis asof ek hierdie oormaat idees en woorde het wat net moet uit kom en in een of ander orde geplaas moet word.

Baie dae wonder ek hoe dit sou wees as skryf my day job was. Sou ek dit so bevredigend gevind het soos nou of sou ek meh oor dit gevoel het, soos ek soms in druk tye voel oor my day job? Liewe aarde, daar verloor ek weer heeltemal die punt wat ek wou sê!

Goed, so terug by die joernaal inskrywings – soos wat ek deur die prompts (by gebrek aan ‘n beter Afrikaanse woord) werk vir maand 4, besef ek dat dit ‘n maand is om oor te reflekteer. Reflekteer oor gedagtes, standpunte en net goed. Van die daaglikse prompts was soos ‘n tongue twister vir my! Soos die van dag 13. Your talk talks and your walk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks. Sê dit nou 3 keer vinnig…

Ek het ook besef dat hierdie joernaal inskrywings wat saamgestel en ingesluit is in hierdie etiese opleiding, is nou nie vir almal nie. Mense sal dalk selfs sê Dis vir die voëls en ek is nie ‘n voël nie. Ek weet ek het self gefrons aan die begin toe ek dit sien. Ek het by myself gedink HOE gaan DIT my help? Wel, ek was verkeerd en het later besef dat hierdie journal prompts (wat eers by maand 2 begin as ek nou reg onthou) eintlik maar net goed is om jou gedagtes aan die gang te kry….om anders te begin dink oor die lewe.

Soooooo….hopelik sal ek bietjie kan opvang op die gebied vir die volgende paar maande van maand 5 tot 7 toe, alles in een maand EN hopelik opvang op die opleiding videos en assesserings sodat ek kan klaar maak in die maand waarin ek veronderstel is om klaar te maak. Ek moet sertifikate as bewyse hê dat ek wel deurlopende etiese opleiding gehad het gedurende die jaar….(almal is nie veronderstel om op een dag uitgereik te word nie).

Ek weet ek sê dit elke maand en ek hoop regtig dat ek ‘n gaping gaan vind tussen die sperdatums en afteken van finansiële state, oudits en wie weet wat nog alles aan die gang is werksgewys. Nie eens te praat van al die balle wat ek in die lug probeer hou wat familie en kinders aanbetref nie….tot ek weer skryf oor die volgende maand se ervaring….tot dusver was dit ‘n baie bevredigende reis gewees, selfs al neem dit soms baie tyd om op te vang wanneer ek agter geraak het, iets wat my baie frustreer, maar, dis die lewe seker….?

The Ethics training – month 4 (a month to reflect on)
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The training continues…. month 3

My word! I have been doing daily journaling entries like mad! Trying to catch up the lost time since September. Guess what? Life is busy happening while I try doing this, so my plan seems to be full of flaws…

Again I almost had a panic attack (this feels like it happens on a daily basis for the silliest things) about this training and HOW am I going to catch up on this??? I only have access for 12 months and my time is almost up….

Just as I was about to take out the brown paperbag to regulate my heavy and uneven breathing, I feel the Holy Spirit calm me down like only He can do. There is nothing that I can compare His calmness to….not Lavender, white noise or any other thing that has a calming, soothing effect.

My thoughts and anxiety and all the other emotions come to a screetching halt. You know, like when you were driving like a crazy person and saw the huge speed hump almost to late? Like that!

I felt Him drop into my spirit that I do not have to have all the journaling entries done at the same time, writing out a week’s journal prompts in 15 minutes. The purpose of this is, after all, to let you grow as a person. So no one is going to experience true growth if everything is rushed!! The journaling is a process that has to be done bit by bit and not necessarily in chunks like I am trying to do.

I sit back for a moment and think, true that! High five, fist pump and booty shake with the Holy Spirit for that revelation. But then I ask Him “So HOW am I supposed to catch up on the lost time?” His answer is simple. “Download the content that is currently available, work through the video’s and other material and do the online assessment.”

He continues: “That should do it. The journaling is a process and a journey you are on, you are not supposed to rush that. The online assessments are like all other training. You can do many shortly after another. You will be storing the knowledge for use later.“

I have not tried this yet and perhaps that should be my plan of action? To do it like that? I think it is time for watching videos and reading the material, while walking on the treadmill and then doing the assessments….

Die opleiding gaan voort…. maand 3
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Die opleiding gaan voort…. maand 3

Oh my hat!! Ek het my daaglikse joernaal inskrywings gedoen soos ek weet nie wat nie! Probeer opvang op verlore tyd sedert September. Raai wat? Die lewe is besig om te gebeur terwyl ek dit probeer doen, so my plan voel of hy propvol foute is….en nie deurgevoer kan word nie...

Weereens het ek amper ‘n panic attack (dit voel deesdae of dit daagliks gebeur vir die simpelste goed) oor hierdie opleiding en HOE ek veronderstel is om dit op te vang??? Ek het net toegang vir 12 maande en die tyd is amper op….

Net soos ek bruinpapiersak wil gryp om my asemhaling te reguleer, voel ek die Heilige Gees my kalmeer soos net Hy kan doen. Daar is niks waarmee ek Sy kalmte mee kan vergelyk nie….nie Laventel (hoe is daai vir ‘n properse Afrikaanse woord?), white noise of enige ander ding wat kalmerend is nie.

My gedagtes en angs asook honderd en tien ander emosies kom tot ‘n skreeuende stilstand. Jy weet, soos wanneer jy soos ‘n mal mens bestuur (kom nou – ons almal doen dit soms…) en skielik ‘n groot spoedhobbel amper te laat sien. Net so!

Ek voel hoe Hy in my gees laat val dat ek nie al die joernaalinskrywings op dieselfde tyd hoef te doen nie. Ek hoef nie te probeer om ‘n week se joernaalinskrywings in 15 minute te doen nie. Die doel van dit is mos om jou as ‘n persoon te laat groei. So niemand gaan ware groei ervaar as alles afgerammel word nie!! Die joernaalinskrywings is ‘n proses wat bietjie vir bietjie gedoen moet word en hoef nie noodwendig in groot hompe gedoen te word soos wat ek nou probeer doen nie.

Ek sit terug en dink vir ‘n oomblik en besluit true that! High five, fist pump en booty shake met die Heilige Gees vir daardie openbaring. Maar dan vra ek Hom so HOE is ek veronderstel om op te vang op verlore tyd? Sy antwoord is eenvoudig. “Laai die inhoud af wat tans beskikbaar is, werk deur die video’s en ander materiaal en doen die aanlyn assesserings.”

Hy gaan voort: “Dit behoort dit te doen. Die joernaalinskrywings is ‘n proses en ‘n reis wat jy op is, jy is nie veronderstel om deur dit te jaag nie. Die aanlyn klasse en asseserings is soos alle ander opleiding. Jy kan baie na mekaar doen. Jy gaan die kennis stoor vir latere gebruik.”

Ek het nog nie dit probeer nie en miskien moet dit my plan van aksie word? Om dit so te doen? Ek dink dis weer tyd om videos te kyk en materiaal te lees terwyl ek op die treadmill loop en dan die assesserings aan te pak….

The training continues…. month 3
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Die Deurlopende Etiese Opleiding duur voort…. Maand 2

Die Engelse opskrif klink vir my meer catchy. Maar toemaar, ek is seker julle verstaan wat ek hier bedoel. Elkgeval, terug by my ervaring van hierdie ding wat ons etiese opleiding noem….ek het eers my oë gerol (ek het dit al voorheen genoem) om opleiding te doen om eties te wees. Vir my is dit ‘n natuurlike ding en my verwagting van ander mense is ook om so te wees.

Duidelik funksioneer ander nie soos ek nie (wat ‘n skok vir die sisteem, dog die waarheid en realiteit). Maar, soos ek deur alles werk, besef ek net daar is iets diepers betrokke hierby. Natuurlik kan niemand geleer word om eties te wees nie! Maar, as jy jou denk patrone verander, sal jy tot die besef kom oor hoe dit jou lewe, aksies, keuses en uitkomste werklik beïnvloed.

Iewers tussen September 2021 en Februarie 2022 het ek behoorlik uitgefreak oor die etiese opleiding. Elke keer wanneer ek ‘n kennisgewing kry dat daar nuwe inhoud beskikbaar is (die begin van die maand gewoonlik) dan begin ek amper hiper-ventileer. Want regtig, WAAR moet ek die tyd kry om alles te DOEN wat daar van my verwag word? Ek het slegs maand 1 se opleiding gedoen teen einde Desember en nou moet ek 11 maande se goed opvang in iets soos 8 maande of minder (ek weet eintlik nie hoeveel nie, ek het dit nie gaan uitwerk nie en my brein is regtig net te moeg om uit te werk hoeveel tyd het ek nog oor van my 12 maande etiese opleiding).

Dan, tussen al die chaos deur wat ek ervaar, kalmeer die Here my gedagtes. Dis ok om agter te raak. Dit gebeur. Weer freak ek uit want ek is nou eers besig met maand 2 se joernaal inskrywings wat daagliks moet plaasvind en HOE GAAN EK DIT DOEN??? Ek het amper in my gedagtes geskree vir God (met respek as daar so iets bestaan). Ek het ‘n tantrum gegooi. Ek sal nou nie die Afrikaanse slagspreuk gebruik nie, maar iewers in dit is ‘n vloer en iets wat rym met vloer. Ek is seker jy weet wat ek hier bedoel.

Dit het my die HELE Januarie gevat om ‘n klomp goed uit te werk, insluitende die opleiding in ‘n baie besige skedule. Dan iewers tussen my geskree en freak out wat ek gehad het, kom die lig aan. Wat die proses jou EINTLIK probeer leer is nie om jou inskrywings te begin met Liewe Dagboek nie. Nee. Wat hulle ons probeer leer om te doen is om ons gedagtes te declutter van goed en gedagtes wat jou so besig hou en jou vreugde en fokus steel.

Sodra jy dit begin neerskryf en uit jou gedagtes uit kry, kan jy meer fokus op die dag wat voorlê. Makliker gesê as gedaan, MAAR dis die uiteinde dink ek. Ons het soveel clutter op soveel vlakke, dis SCARY!! Dit begin intimiderend raak en as jy weer sien is jy oorweldig, angstig en kan jy eintlik nie werk soos jy veronderstel is om te werk nie, alles op dieselfde tyd.

Ek het ‘n doelbewuste besluit geneem om die eerste week in Februarie, net te BEGIN met hierdie opleiding en dit net te doen. En ek het. En dit laat my meer bemagtig voel (is dit die regte woord vir accomplished?). Ek voel beter want ek is besig om baba tree se vordering te maak….en raai wat??? Jy HOEF nie eers maand 2 se joernaal inskrywings klaar te maak voor jy kan aangaan met maand 3 nie.

Nee, jy kan daagliks joernaal inskrywings maak, maand 2 se video’s kyk (en al die inhoud lees net so terloops), die assessering doen en aan beweeg na maand 3 toe. Dit is wat ek gaan doen. Ek kan mos meer as een daaglikse inskrywing doen as ek wil. Daar is geen reëls nie, so dis haalbaar om op te vang en in te haal.

Wat ek ook gaan doen, is om te probeer kombineer met wat ookal in maand 3 gebeur met maand 2 se joernaal inskrywings en so uitbrei. Ek het GEEN idee wat maand 3 vir my inhou nie, maar ek is reg vir dit. Dankie tog ek het ‘n hoër mag (die Here as jy gewonder het) wat oor my waak. Wat ek ook begin doen het is om so 2 tot 3 joernaal inskrywings se vrae te antwoord in een dag. Deur dit te doen, maak ek ook vordering en vang ek ook op!! My plan, is soos elke ander plan in die lewe – onder ontwikkelling en onderhewig aan verandering.

God inspireer my, kalmeer my, gee my planne om my vrese en probleme wat ek daagliks ervaar, te oorwin, sodat ek iets so eenvoudig soos hierdie etiese opleiding kan doen. Dit is regtig nie so moeilik nie en sal my vir seker baat op die lang duur. Jy sien, wat jy, die leser van die artikel nie sien nie, is die angstige gedagtes wat ek daagliks het, oor alles – goed, lewe, kinders, werk.

Dit affekteer my vermoë om te werk en produktief te wees. So vir die buite wêreld lyk ek soos iets, ek weet eintlik nie waarmee om myself te vergelyk nie, maar ek kom voor as iets anders as wat ek werklik is. Ek sit maar ‘n brawe gesig op elke dag, smile and waive, fake it ’till you make it tipe houding. Dit gee ‘n wan-persepsie van wie ek werklik is.

Maar, iewers tussen my skrywery op die platform deur, terwyl ek my bybelstudie doen (terwyl ek blog) en my gedagtes joernaliseer, is ek besig om iets te word, iemand beter as wat ek voorheen was. Hierdie proses help my om te declutter in my gedagtes en nie so angstig te wees soos ek altyd was nie.

Ek kry dit steeds nie reg op ‘n daaglikse basis nie, maar sommige dae is beter as ander. Hierdie is alles ‘n leer-proses vir my, iets wat my as mens ontwikkel. En natuurlik het die Here vir my gewys dat ek een van my Beroepsvrou dagboeke kan gebruik vir hierdie doel! Vir hierdie etiese opleiding en daaglikse bybel verse!

Een ding wat ek wel agter gekom het, is, na ek hierdie artikel begin skryf het begin Februarie, het daar ‘n klomp tyd verloop. Twee weke (of is dit nou drie?) het verby gegaan en ek probeer my uiterste beste om hierdie etiese opleiding se joernaal inskrywings daagliks te doen, op ‘n weeksdag (naweke is so bietjie anders en moeiliker omdat ons ‘n ander roetine het). Elkgeval, terug by wat ek probeer sê. Wanneer jy die joernaal vrae antwoord (dit kry eintlik net jou gedagtes aan die gang) oor hoe jy byvoorbeeld, kan verbeter om take af te handel, is dit asof die duiwel en al sy nasaad (in Engels verwys ek na spawn of the devil) jou aanval op dit wat jy neergeskryf het.

Vir my is dit baie interessant, dog niks nuuts nie. Jy sien, wanneer dit met my gebeur, sit ek met ‘n glimlag op my gesig en neem ek kennis hiervan, want, wanneer ek voel of ek aangeval word, weet ek net dat ek op die regte spoor is! Die duiwel weet ook wat my potensiaal is en hy sal alles probeer om my te keer om te doen wat gedoen moet word.

Moet nie mismoedig voel as jy ‘n twee of drie weke tydperk agter die rug het soos wat ek gehad het nie (na ek met die etiese joernaal inskrywings begin het). Dit beteken net dat jy op die regte spoor is en moet aanhou en deur druk! En net asof die Here wil bevestig vir my wat ek hier sê, kry ek ‘n bybelvers net na ek die artikel begin afsluit. 2 Thessalonicense 3:3. Wat ‘n powerful en profound skrif vers om te kry wanneer jy voel of jy aangeval word!

So, as jy steeds wonder of dit die moeite wêrd sal wees om die kursus te doen of waar jy die tyd sal vind – hou op om dit te oordink. Hou op om te prokrastineer soos wat ek vir maande gedoen het. Begin net en voor jy weet, sal jy soveel meer kennis hê en insig kry as voor jy hierdie hele proses begin het.

Een ding wat ek opgemerk het van hierdie opleiding is dat jy ALLES MOET LEES!! Voor jy die aanlyn assessering probeer, maak seker jy LEES die inhoud….dit gaan jou net versterk in jou kennis en self-worth (en natuurlik gaan jy die assessering slaag as jy alles gelees het want die vrae kom nie net uit die videos uit nie).

Ek kan afsluit en ‘n gevolgtrekking maak dat Ek tot alles in staat is deur Christus wat my krag gee! Fillipense 4:13. Ek kan selfs hierdie opleiding ding doen, werk EN ‘n ma wees!! En dit nogals in Februarie, ons besigste maand! Want regtig, WANNEER is ‘n goeie tyd om te begin? Dis nou of nooit!

Word vervolg…..

The Continious Ethics Training continues…. Month 2
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The Continious Ethics Training continues…. Month 2

Note the pun in the heading. Anyway, back to my experience of this thing called training and ethics….so at first I rolled my eyes (I have said this before) at having to do training about being ethical. To me it comes naturally and that is my expectation that I have of others.

Clearly everyone does not function like I do (what a shocker to my system but a reality and truth). But as I work through everything, I realise that there is something deeper here. Of course no one can be taught to be ethical! But you can start to think about your thoughts and how it influences your life and actions.

I was freaking out somewhere between September 2021 and February 2022 about this ethics training. Everytime I get a notification about new content (at the beginning of the month) I almost start to hyperventilate. Because seriously, WHERE am I supposed to find the time to DO that which is expected of me. I only did month 1 by end December and now I have to catch up 11 months in something like 8 months or less (I don’t know, I did not calculate this and quite frankly my brain is too exhausted to calculate how many months are left of my 12 months ethics).

Then, amongst all the chaos I was experiencing, God calmed my thoughts. It is ok to fall behind. It happens. Again I was freaking out because now I am only in month 2’s journalling that has to take place daily and HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS??? I was almost screaming in my mind to God (with respect). Throwing a tantrum.

It took me the whole of January to figure a lot of things out, including this training that I have to fit into a very busy schedule. Then somewhere between screaming and freaking out, the light came on. What this process is trying to teach you is to not start your journal entries with Dear diary. Nope. What they are trying to get us to do is to declutter your mind of stuff and thoughts that occupy you and steal your joy and focus.

Once you start writing them down and getting them out of your mind, you can become more focussed on the day ahead. Easier said than done BUT this is the bottom line I think. We have so much clutter on so many levels in our lives, it is SCARY! It becomes intimidating and when you see again you are overwhelmed, underpeforming and anxious all at the same time.

I made a conscious decision during the first week of Feb, to just START with this training and just do it. And I did. And that makes me feel more accomplished because I am making baby steps in progress….and guess what??? You don’t HAVE to do every day’s journalling for month 2 before you can proceed to month 3.

No, you can journal daily, watch month 2’s videos (and read the material by the way), do the assessment and move on to month 3. That is what I am going to do. I can answer more than one daily journalling thought if I want to, there are no rules, so it is manageable to actually catch up.

What I am also going to do, is combine what ever is added on in month 3 with month 2’s journalling and just expand. I have no idea what month 3 has installed for me but I am ready for it. Thank goodness I have a higher power (called God if you were wondering) watching over me. What I also started doing, is to answer 2 to 3 journalling questions on one day. That way I will also make progress and catch up!! My plan for this is like every plan in life – under development and subject to change.

God inspires me, calms me, gives me my plans to overcome my fears and problems I face daily so that I can so something as simple as this ethics training. It is really not that hard and it will really benefit me in the long run. You see, what you, the reader of this article, don’t see is, in the background there are all these anxiety thoughts I have daily about stuff, life, kids, work.

This affects my ability to work and be productive. So to the outside world I look like something, I don’t know what to compare myself with, but I appear to be something I am not, to others. I put on a brave face daily, smile and waive, fake it till you make it type of attitude, which is what others perceive to be this thing which I am not.

However, between writing this blog, doing my bible study while blogging and journaling my thoughts like I am being thaught in this course, I am actually becoming something and someone better than what I was before. This all helps me to declutter my mind and not be as panicked as I used to be.

I still don’t get it right on a daily basis, but some days are better than others. This all is a learning and developing process to me. And of course God showed me what I could use one of my Beroepsvrou diaries for! For this ethics journalling and daily bible verses!

One thing I have noted, is, after I started writing this article at the beginning of February, an amount of time has lapsed. Two weeks (or is it three?) have passed and I am trying my utmost best to do this ethics journaling daily on a weekday (weekends are different because then our routine is slightly different). Anyway, back to what I am trying to say. When you answer the journaling questions (that just gets your mind going) about how you can improve, for example on finishing tasks, it is like the devil and all the spawn of the devil, attacks you on what you wrote down.

To me this is very interesting, yet nothing new. You see, when ever this happens to me, I grin and I take note of this, because when I feel under attack, I know I am on the right track! The devil also knows my potential and he will try everything to stop me from doing what needs to be done.

Don’t be discouraged if you have had a two to three week period like I have after starting this ethics journaling. It only means you are doing something right and you must persevere and push through! And as if God just wants to confirm what I am saying here, I get a bible verse shortly after finishing up this article – 2 Thessalonians 3:3. What a powerful and profound scripture to get when feeling like you are under attack!

So, if you are still wondering if it will be worth it to do this course, or where you will find the time – stop overthinking it. Stop procrastinating like I did for months. Just start doing and before you know it, you will be so much more knowledgeable than what you were before you started this whole thing.

One thing I have noted from this training is you HAVE TO READ everything!! Before you attempt the questions and assessment, make sure you READ the content…after all, it will only strengthen your knowledge and self-worth.

I can conclude that I can do all things with Christ! Phillipians 4:13. I can even do this training thing, work AND be a mom! And nogal in February, our busiest month! Because really, WHEN is it a good time to start? It is now or never!

To be continued…..

Die Deurlopende Etiese Opleiding duur voort…. Maand 2
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The continuous ethics training

Yes, I am talking about this topic again. January 2022 is gone (how I do not know but it is over) and I have not done ANYTHING to make progress on my continuous ethics training hosted by Tall Trees. I enrolled in September 2021 for a 12 month programme.

I started it with the hope and anticipation that I would do my bit every week so that this training is NOT like a mountain in front of me. But, guess what? Life happened! Work life and life-life’s life happened…

I started off well and somewhere in September I started watching the first lot of videos, made notes, etc. But then the end of year rush started, as I like to refer to it (this starts normally around September) and there is that plan up in smoke.

End of December I was sitting in front of my computer doing my tax training that was required before the 31st. (Yes, I have to do that TOO between everything else). I realised, as I was working through everything, that I NEVER finished my first month of ethics training…..

Luckily one can do this in your own time and when it suites you, which is not necessarily good for my personality….because training actually never suites me. Let us be honest, no one is ever wanting to do training. There are always more important things to do, work, children, etc….

But this training is different. I WANT to do it, it is just the number of hours in a day and week does not permit me to do training. This is not hard, it is interesting and insightful. If you break it down the way that they wrote it, then it is manageable in my opinion.

We must just get our heads around it and do it. Something that I can confirm is, that I do try my very best to prioritise my tasks, all which are written in a book by the way, into the 4 quadrants that Lynette spoke about in the very first video….

It will definitely help one to prioritise, it is just hard for me to distinguish which tasks are Important & Urgent. Because it is these tasks that requires priority attention – those which are both important AND urgent….and no one else can help me except me. I really still feel like a headless chicken, January was a difficult month in the sense of getting started again after the holiday.

I am most certainly going to try my utmost best to get to my ethical training again this coming week….maybe I can learn a little something that I can apply to my ever increasing and growing list. The work that comes in at 90 miles per hour while I get work out at 1 mile per hour….

I pray for help from above, because alone I cannot do it…as the Psalm writer wrote – I lift my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who created heaven and earth…..

Die deurlopende etiese opleiding

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Die deurlopende etiese opleiding

Ja ek is weer terug by die onderwerp. Januarie 2022 is verby (hoe weet ek nie maar hy is) en ek het net nog mooi NIKS gedoen aan my deurlopende etiese opleiding aangebied deur Tall Trees nie. Ek het September 2021 ingeskryf vir ‘n 12 maande program.

Ek het dit begin met die hoop en verwagting dat ek elke week my bietjie gaan doen om hierdie opleiding te voltooi sodat dit NIE soos ‘n berg voor my lê nie. Maar, raai wat? Die lewe gebeur! Werkslewe en lewe-lewe se lewe het gebeur….

Ek het goed begin en iewers in September die eerste klomp videos begin kyk, nota’s gemaak, en so meer. Maar toe kom die end of year rush soos ek daarna verwys (dit begin gewoonlik hier rondom September maand) en daar is daardie plan daarmee heen.

So sit ek mos toe nou einde Desember met my belastingopleiding wat ek moes doen voor die 31ste. (Ja ek moet dit OOK nog doen tussen alles deur). Ek besef toe, soos wat ek deur alles werk, dat ek NOOIT my eerste maand van die etiese opleiding klaar gemaak het nie….

Gelukkig kan mens die tipe opleiding doen wanneer dit jou pas, wat nie noodwendig goed is vir my persoonlikheid nie….want opleiding pas my nou eintlik nooit. Kom ons wees eerlik, niemand is ooit lus om hul opleiding te doen nie. Daar is mos altyd belangriker goed om te doen, werk, kinders, en so meer….

Maar hierdie opleiding is vir my anders. Ek WIL dit doen, dis net die ure in die dag en week laat dit nie vir my toe om net my half uur te neem en daardie week of dag se opleiding te doen nie. Hierdie is nie moeilik nie, dis interessant, dis insiggewend. As jy dit opbreek soos hulle dit geskryf het is dit regtig haalbaar in my opinie.

Ons moet net ons koppe regkry rondom dit en dit net doen. Iets wat ek wel kan sê en van getuig is, ek probeer regtig baie hard werk om my take wat so ewe in ‘n boek opgeskryf is, te prioritiseer in die 4 kwadrante wat Lynette van gepraat het in die heel eerste video….

Dit gaan mens vir seker kan help om te prioritiseer, dis net vir my moeilik om te onderskei watter van my take is Belangrik & Dringend. Want dís die take wat eerste aandag moet geniet – die wat belangrik EN dringend is…en niemand anders kan my help as ek self nie. Ek voel nog soos ‘n afkop hoender, Januarie was ‘n moeilike maand in die sin om weer aan die gang te kom na die vakansie.

Ek gaan vir seker die week wat kom my beste probeer om wel weer by my etiese opleiding uit te kom….miskien kan ek nog so ietsie leer wat ek kan toepas op my lysie wat net groei en groei. Die werk wat inkom teen 90 myl per uur terwyl ek goed uitkry teen 1 myl per uur….

Ek bid vir hulp van bo, want alleen kan ek nie die stryd wen nie….soos die Psalm digter geskryf het – ek slaan my oë op na die berge, waarvandaan sal my hulp kom? My hulp kom van die Here wat hemel en aarde geskape het….

The continuous ethics training
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New Years’ Eve’s day’s training….

Before I even proceed, I am doubting my title. What do you call the day before New year? New Years’ Eve’s day? That just sounds a bit weird and wrong. In Afrikaans we call it Oujaarsdag. Anyway, back to my story. So you guessed it. Like a peanut, I was sitting, doing training the day before new year. Why? you might ask. Well, my career and qualification requires me to do a certain amount of hours for certain things every year. Normally I get everything done throughout the year and I manage to get it done By the hair on my chinney chin-chin so that I do not have to do anything in December about training.

But, the past two years, 2020 and 2021 were DIFFERENT. I did not have enough hours in a day to do everything and every December, it was me staring at my CPD hours. Almost like an old Western movie where the two cowboys have to draw their guns and shoot at each other to survive.

You see, in 2020, the whole world had to homeschool their kids for a certain period of time due to Hard Lockdown. I really do not have to elaborate more about how much washing and dishes we had to do, not even talking about how much we ate and how little work and schoolwork we got done. Everyone was in the same boat and everyone can relate.

OK back to my training. So here I am, sitting on the last day of 2021 with 5 hours of tax training left to do. It does not sound like a lot. But if your whole family is outside in the swimming pool busy having the time of their lives (so it feels) and wanting something to eat every five minutes is seems, because everyone is H-U-N-G-R-Y, then the 5 hours feel like 5 days. Not even to mention the house that cannot seem to keep itself clean!

Systematically I work trough the requirements in my mind. IRBA wants ethics training – I can check that off the list. My Tall Trees training from ProBeta helped to sort out that requirement. I check and double check the list (almost like Santa Clause making his list and checking it twice), the whole time I end up back with the tax hours that I need. I do not have sufficient hours for that. I can almost hear the buzzer going off in my mind, you know, like in the game shows when someone gives the wrong answer and is buzzed out.

For a moment I want to get up and run around like the Sponge Bob & Patrick giff that one finds on Whatsapp, Panic & run and screaming because I am now almost out of time. I wonder if I will hear the buzzer or not…..if I do not have my certificates dated 2021, then it is over. 1 January 2022 does not help me ANYTHING. Then I calm down and pray for help. Then God reminds me of one of ProBeta’s new platforms that they released a year or two ago.

Akhanani (I ALWAYS have to double check this name, because I just cannot remember it and get it right on my own….) is the name of the platform where you can purchase training like you would purchase goods from Take-a-lot. You choose what you want and then you go to the check out, make payment and you are on your way! Your training is there, your assessment that you have to complete to ensure that you did in fact listen (and the golden ticket – the training certificate as proof of your training) are all included in the price. Before checking out and making payment, I remember about two vouchers that I had affording me 50% discount. I sigh a sigh of relief when I see they are still active and working, reducing the costs to an even cheaper price that what I was supposed to pay.

Now I start to work through the training. It is torture but I push through and bear forward. I do the assessment and thankfully I pass it! You must now remember, I am doing this in between marking and labelling school stationery. I am multi tasking like never before. The next two sessions are half an hour sessions and I decide to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen while I listen to Wessel Smit’s voice.

I feel like a champion after obtaining the last certificate, around 5 pm on the last day of 2021. The kids look like they do not have too many emotional scars from me having to do training in between holiday time and marking the stationery. But suddenly I am exhausted and now it feels to me that this was ALL that I had done this past holiday (another lie I know).

A few days after this training, the 3rd of January to be exact, I have a conversation with someone. I explain about this training that I had to do and how hard it was for me, but I managed to get it all done. I close off with “Do you know what? Today, as I sit here, I have to do EVERYTHING all over again. That training that I did a few days ago, helps me NOTHING for 2022!”

It is terrible to think of it like this, starting all over, is it not? The lesson that I have learnt from this whole thing, is to stop Procrastinating about things that are less fun to do (like training – let us admit it, doing training does not get everyone out of bed jumping for joy). Do not leave everything until the last minute. I need to get my act together and start doing things the way I did it before this whole Pandemic started. The Boxwood in me wants to plan and not be caught like this, having to do things on number 99.

The Palm tree in me, on the other hand, is the one that Procrastinates and postpones. The motto is after all, Tomorrow is another day is it not? You see, for 2 years, since the start of the Pandemic, she was placed in a dark box, not allowed to breathe or have a say in anything. But, she managed to work her way into my life and planning somehow….while I am sitting and typing this, I am very grateful and thankful that I managed to meet the deadline and that I did what I had to do by 31 December 2021.

I am also very grateful for my training that teaches me more about myself, how I react in certain situations when life gets too heavy and hard. Also just being able to understand everything and everyone a little bit better. Of course it is easier said than done to do a little bit everyday (like my school teacher tried to teach us – Elke dag se bietjie, elke liewe dag). One nice thing is that everything is available for me to do in my own time (that of course, does not work for the Palm tree in me, by the way).

I just know, with the Tall Trees Continuous Ethics training that I have access to, as well as Akhanani (that is very cheap and easy to use by the way) I will get my training hours sorted in no time in the new year! I must just DO IT! I just know, deep down inside of me, this is the year that things are going to normalise for us, systematically and gradually. December 2022 I am certainly NOT going to sit catching up on training again! The balance between the Boxwood and Palm tree within me will surely be achieved…….

Ou jaar se opleiding…
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Ou jaar se opleiding…

Ja, jy het reg geraai – die titel van die stuk gee dit weg. Ek het soos ‘n neut gesit en opleiding doen so op die ou jaar. Hoekom? Vra jy dalk. Wel, my beroep vereis ‘n sekere hoeveelheid ure se opleiding van my vir verskeie goed. Normaalweg kry ek alles gedoen gedurende die jaar en skraap hom so By the hair on my chinney chin-chin deur dat ek niks in Desember hoef te doen nie.

Maar die afgelope twee jaar, 2020 en 2021 was ANDERS. Ek het net nie genoeg ure in ‘n dag gehad om alles te doen nie en elke jaar Desember is dit ek en my CPD ure wat vir mekaar staar. Amper soos ‘n Western movie waar die twee Cowboys hul gewere moet trek en skiet ter wille van oorlewing.

Jy sien in 2020 het die hele wêreld hul kinders tuisonderrig gegee vir ‘n bepaalde tydperk a.g.v. grendeltyd (ek sal hier maar die mooi woord gebruik alhoewel Hard Lockdown net meer kras en erg klink soos ek dit ervaar het). En ek hoef regtig nie meer uit te brei oor hoe baie ons wasgoed gedoen het, skottelgoed, eet, alles behalwe werk en skoolwerk. Almal was in daardie bootjie en almal kan relate.

OK terug by my opleiding. So hier sit ek, op die oujaar met net nog 5 ure vir belasting om te gaan. Dit klink nie soos baie nie. Maar as jou hele gesin buite in die swembad baljaar en almal kort-kort iets te ete soek en H-O-N-G-E-R is, voel die 5 ure soos 5 dae. Nie eens te praat van die huis wat homself net nie kan skoon hou nie!

Ek werk in my kop stelselmatig deur al die vereistes – IRBA soek ethics training – check merk ek hom af in my kop. Die Tall Trees opleiding van ProBeta het gehelp om daardie een uit te sorteer. So hardloop ek deur die lysie en haak heeltyd vas by belasting. Nie genoeg ure opleiding vir dit nie. Ek hoor amper die buzzer in my kop afgaan, jy weet soos daardie wat op die game shows is as iemand iets verkeerd doen en uit-ge-buzz word.

Vir ‘n vlietende oomblik wil ek soos Sponge Bob & Patrick se giff wat mens op Whatsapp kry, Panic & run en rondhardloop en skree omdat ek nou ampertjies uit tyd begin hardloop en wonder of ek die buzzer gaan mis…..as ek nie my sertifikate het gedateer 2021 nie, is dit neusie verby vir my. 1 Januarie 2022 help NIKS. Ek raak toe kalm, bid en vra vir hulp en die Here herinner my aan een van ProBeta se nuwer platforms wat hulle so jaar of twee terug bekendgestel het.

Akhanani (ek moet ALTYD die naam gaan double check want ek kry dit net nie reg nie….) is die naam van die platform waar jy opleiding kan koop soos wat jy goed by Take-a-lot koop. Jy kies wat jy wil hê en dan gaan jy na check out toe, betaal en daar gaat jy! Jou opleiding is daar, jou assessment om seker te maak jy het wel geluister (en die goue item – die sertifikaat as bewys van opleiding) is alles ingesluit in die prys. Skielik onthou ek van twee vouchers wat ek gehad het, wat my 50% afslag gee, sug van verligting toe hulle wel nog werk en ek nog goedkoper betaal as wat dit reeds gemerk is.

So swoeg ek deur die eerste uur se opleiding. Dis torture maar ek druk deur. Doen die assessment en genadiglik slaag ek hom. Onthou nou, tussen dit alles deur moet ons nog skool skryfbehoeftes OOK merk so ek multi task dat die biesies bewe! Die volgende twee sessies is half uur sessies en ek besluit om skottelgoed te gaan was terwyl ek luister na Wessel Smit se stem.

Ek voel omtrent soos ‘n champion toe ek 5 uur die middag, op oujaarsdag my laaste sertifikaat kry. Die kinders lyk darem of hulle nie te veel emosionele skade het van my wat die take moes afhandel tussen vakansie tyd en skryfbehoeftes merk deur nie. Maar ek is moeg en skielik voel dit of dit AL is wat ek die HELE vakansie gedoen het (‘n leuen ek weet).

So paar dae na die opleiding, die 3de Januarie om presies te wees, gesels ek met iemand. Ek beduie hoe swaar die opleiding was maar ek het dit gedoen en klaar gekry. Ek sluit af deur te sê- “Weet jy wat? Vandag soos ek hier sit, moet ALLES weer van voor af begin. Daai opleiding wat ek net ‘n paar dae terug gedoen het, help my NIKS vir 2022 nie!”

Dis darem maar verskriklik om so daaraan te dink, is dit nie? Die les wat ek wel hieruit geleer het is om nie te Prokrastineer nie en ook nie om alles tot op die laaste te los nie. Kom ons almal erken dit nou maar, NIEMAND hou van opleiding nie en dis nou nie iets wat iemand laat juig en jubel van vreugde nie! Ek moet vir seker myself reg ruk en weer dinge doen soos ek dit gedoen het voor die Pandemie begin het. Die Sierboom in my wil beplan en nie so gevang word met nippertjie goed doen en afhandel nie.

Die Palmboom in my, aan die ander kant, is die een wat so kan Prokrastineer en uitstel – die motto is mos Môre is Nog ‘n Dag is dit nie? Jy sien, sy was vir 2 jaar so bietjie onderdruk deur die Pandemie, maar het tog haarself ingewurm in my opleiding se beplanning in…..soos wat ek hier sit en tik, is ek wel tog dankbaar dat ek gedoen het wat ek moes teen die sperdatum.

Dankbaar vir opleiding wat my meer en beter laat leer van myself, hoe ek in situasies optree as dinge te veel raak en net oor die algemeen alles en almal om my beter begin verstaan. Dis vir seker makliker gesê as gedaan om elke dag se bietjie elke liewe dag te doen soos my skool juffrou ons altyd gepols het. Maar alles is tot my beskikking om te doen in my eie tyd (wat nou glad nie vir die Palmboom in my werk nie bygesê, tong in die kies).

Ek weet, met die Tall Trees Continuous Ethics opleiding tot my beskikking en Akhanani wat baie goedkoop is en maklik om te gebruik, sal ek vir seker die jaar se opleidingsure sommer vinnig baas raak en kaf draf. Ek moet dit net DOEN! Ek weet sommer die jaar is die jaar wat dinge weer gaan terug keer na normaal, so stelselmatig. Desember 2022 gaan ek vir seker nie weer sit en opleiding inhaal nie….die balans tussen my Palmboom en Sierboom gaan vir seker in lyn kom….

New Years’ Eve’s day’s training….
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Training while training…

Last week I was trying to be super effective. You see with the computer crash the week before, I lost some valuable work time. The documents on the computer are not a big issue, although as time passes by, I realise what I needed and used – mostly templates and control sheets for internal use, thus not really affecting the work output. Although it affects me, as I feel lost without everything that I was used to using on that machine!

So Monday afternoon, I get on our treadmill and I decide today is the day that I am going to exercise WHILE watching some training videos. I could not go to the Cross Fit club as my children were ill. I had to do the responsible thing of being a mother and take care of them and put my own needs aside. You see, I realised that I NEED exercise to stay sane. For years I was praying to God to help me LOVE exercise. Guess what? He came through for me! Now I deter missing a week of exercise!

I am also one of those people who like to think I am effective. A scenario such as the one from last Monday is a typical one. If I can exercise WHILE doing something to take my mind off the walking on the Treadmill, well, then I do it!

I decide to start climbing the mountain of Ethics training that is literally lying in front of me like Mount Everest. You see, since signing up in September, I have not really left the base camp as yet. I try to do what needs to be done and then some or another snow storm hits, forcing me back to pretty much where I started.

I spent a good 30 minutes or so on the treadmill, reading through the first four weeks’ worth of documents that have to be completed and tended to on a weekly basis. Of course I did not do this – complete them as they should have been done. But at least I READ them. That is a start. Now my brain knows what to expect.

Again I had eye-rolling moments reading through the content. I was thinking to myself, how can people not know this? Why do people have to have ethics training? Is it not something that just happens? Well clearly not! I realised that these documents are meant for trainees too – not only for people such as myself with 20+ years experience in the field (now I sound OLD if I look at the number of years’ experience I have…).

Young adults entering our business world, who may not have been brought up in an ethical environment. That is why the layout is the way that it is. I should not roll my eyes at it but rather just roll with it if this makes sense? Just do it, even if I KNOW it, just do it. That is the requirement.

One of the documents catch my eye – learning to say No. This is interesting. A skill I am yet to master. Something I personally struggle with. I read through it and realise that my eye-rolling moments for week one’s training notes should be withdrawn. I can benefit more from this than what I realise!

I then start to watch one of the videos – one of the first ones where Hettie Brittz speaks. I only get up to about 5 minutes into the video and then my time is up. I have to finish on the Treadmill and start supper….immediately regret takes over. I should not have spent all that time reading through the documents! I should have watched the videos!

But, now I know how I am going to take on Mount Ethics. One step at a time and where needed, I will use the Treadmill to burn some calories that accumulated during the day from all the coffee that I had while slaving away behind my laptop.

I just also HAVE to mention – while doing this training, I did NOT set up my laptop next to the treadmill! No – I used my phone. Probeta was so kind enough to design an Application that can be used on phones and tablets to assist you on the go, literally like I did while walking on the treadmill…with this being said, one really does not have any excuse for not doing this training! Make a plan man!

I also decided somewhere through this post to not blog this one in Afrikaans. You see, the heading Training while training will just not be as catchy and effective in Afrikaans….Opleiding tydens oefening just does not sound right to me!

Watch out for the next blog post about this Mountain that all CA’s in South Africa are trying to climb! You might just get some tips and tricks or even motivation to start the process and just do it…

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To write and blog

God has laid it on my heart for a while now to make this entry. At the Adorned camp that I attended beginning of September, I chatted with someone about my ability to write. As I was talking to her, the words just came out as to how it started that I could write. For those of you who do not know about the camp, read the post about Heart, Heartbeat, Rhythm.

Ok, so back to my story that I told on the camp. I spoke with Lynn Grobler from Journaling on the Way. I mentioned to her that I am convinced that my background for my work and the training that I did, gave me the advantage to be able to write. She was quite surprised when she heard that. This, together with the fact that I think my mom had this hidden talent to write and that I inherited it from her enables me to write the way that I do.

You see, my mom wrote to each of her three daughters a very personal letter on our 21st birthdays. This was so special and precious to me. We never had conversations like these in real life. It was more reduced to writing if I remember correctly. As time went on it changed to sms messages, e-mails and Whatsapps. Not always DEEP things, but things that were just dealt with easier in writing than verbally – if this makes sense what I am trying to say.

So my training as a Trainee Accountant taught me that my files should speak for themselves. Any audit file, must be able to stand on its own two feet, so to speak, without me uttering any words whatsover about that file. The file must be able to tell the reader, one with reasonable knowledge and background, why I did the tests I did and why I made the professional conclusions that I did.

There I go again sounding like an Audit Standard!! But I took this very seriously. My files can, at any time, be subject to review by the professional bodies that I belong to. Because of this, I took it very serious! Things must be done right the first time around! I also did the training to ensure that I remain relevant and up to date with changes, and also because my qualification required me to do, what felt like endless hours of training, annually.

When I started my own practice, I searched for more training. I was now the responsible person, the partner. I must ensure that everything is correct. You know what a mammoth task that is and how much uncertainty that creates within oneself? None-the-less, I found Probeta to assist with training. I often attend their training sessions, all of those which I consider to be relevant to my practice. I must admit, this too gave me the advantage that enabled me to write – the training that I received from them.

The institution to which I belong, SAICA, changed the rules surrounding training in 2020. Thank goodness for this, as this was just before the Pandemic hit the world and everything was left in turmoil! It makes life so much easier, even if we all were uncertain as to what to do and how it works. As soon as you embrace change, then it no longer overwhelms you. What I also learnt over time, is, if you are teachable then you get so much further in life. But, if you go through life Knowing it all then it gets hard. No one can teach you anything if you do not WANT to learn!

In 2021 the rules changed YET AGAIN. This time the requirement is Continuous Ethical Training over a 12 month period. Yes, I admit, I rolled my eyes at this change. I mean SERIOUSLY. Just ANOTHER thing to fit into a schedule that is already so busy and overflowing with STUFF to do. And ethics of all things? Do we as CA’s REALLY have to learn about being ethical? It is burnt into my heart to ALWAYS try to do the right thing, even if no one is watching. I still cannot understand people who do not think the way I do and act the way I do. Anyway….

This whole year, since the changes came into effect, I have been postponing this ethics thing purely because of the uncertainty surrounding it and what it entails. Probeta sends an e-mail about a twelve month program that they host and it meets the requirements of SAICA. I read the marketing material and decide THIS is what I am going to do! I am not even going to TRY to do anything continuous on my own as it is more than likely to end up in an EPIC FAIL. Recovering from that is just going to create more issues!

I also decide to take the best option that they present, the one that goes into depth about your character. I am, after all the boss and I have to KNOW things so that I can train others. I am not even going to waste my time with the first option, not that it is a waste of time if you get what I am trying to say? I need the hard core stuff you know? If I can refer to it like that!

After signing up, a month passes by before I get going with this program. Ok, three weeks after signing up, towards end of September. I start working through the material and deep inside my spirit I feel this excitement awakening in me! Seriously WHO gets excited about TRAINING of all things?

The theme? Authentic journalling. My husband laughs and says it sounds like something that woman would love to do. I roll my eyes at his comment and decide to just proceed. I committed to this thing so I have to do it. If I don’t then I am no longer valid with SAICA. I do my Tall Trees Analysis – the one where your character is identified as a certain type of tree, based on Hettie Brittz’s books Growing kids with character.

I receive my analysis back and read through it. I stand in awe and amazement of the feedback. It summarises my personality and character to the point. It is as if Hettie was sitting opposite me, doing an interview with me and summarised me in person. I go back to my report from 2019 and see that my profile has changed. “This is strange.” I think to myself. I contact Lynette Berger from Probeta via e-mail. Half concerned and amazed at the same time.

Her feedback? One’s profile can change and that is why they recommend that you do this regularly to ensure that you get to know yourself and know how to deal with certain situations that you may encounter. I start to wonder by myself WHY my profile would have changed. The answer? The Pandemic. The Pandemic that changed EVERYTHING and ALL of our lives.

This afternoon (yes on a Saturday afternoon) I watch the introductory video of Authentic journalling and as she speaks and explains things, so many more things start to make sense to me and how my blog entries actually take form and get life so to speak. You see, for me, the words start turning and moving around in my head. The concept begins THERE as a thought. But, if I do not write it out, it becomes cluttered in my brain.

It is usually then that one starts to feel overwhelmed and then you end up just staring at your computer screen not knowing WHERE to start. BUT, if you start to just make a list of what to do, you channel your thoughts into written format. Lynette describes so many things so wonderfully in that video – for those of you who have to do ethical training, it is worth the watch and you will understand what I am saying here better.

But do you know what my problem is? My lists get lists for the lists of lists of things that have to be done. Yes, you may laugh, but we ALL have lists for lists!! As Lynette describes it, the written form is the physical manifestation of something that was in your thoughts or, as I also refer to it, within your spirit.

I realise now that, 2020 was one HUGE challenge for me. I am still trying to catch up work from 2020. You see, the Boxwood tree that I am, does not like it when things are out of control. So the Pandemic just did not work for me – everything felt out of control. You get to a point where you just do the BARE MINIMUM. But the bare minimum does not necessarily fall within the quadrant that makes you function optimally.

“Quadrant?” you ask. “Yes” is my answer, “quadrant”. Lynette explains in her video that you spend your time on stuff that can be categorised into four quadrants. For those of you who have NO IDEA what I am talking about – take a page and split it into four parts. Draw a line from the top to the bottom (in the middle of the page) and again from left to right, also in the middle of the page. Each block presents a quadrant…..

Each block has a name. It is one of four – Important & urgent, Important & not urgent, Not important & urgent and lastly Not important & not urgent. If your time spent falls into the last two quadrants, it usually means that chaos rules in your life. This I can confirm – is how 2020 was for me. I was more worried about the washing that was busy piling up and the house that I almost HEARD getting dirty as everyone moved around, than what I was about getting work done. I just could not function.

God has helped me to create order by journaling on this platform. Of course there are MANY things I cannot blog about, because it is just too personal to share with the whole world. What I also realised is that, if you do not make time to share your thoughts and emotions with God in a written format, you are actually exposing yourself to gossip.

Yes, you read correctly. We all fail at some stage – we tell something quickly about something that someone did. If you do not guard against this, it becomes gossip. I realise now, that, I have to journal even more frequently to channel my thoughts, which Lynette also describes as energy, and get it out of my system so that it does not make my heart turn black and bad. I know emotions are energy and do emotions not arise from thoughts? Actually, we as human beings, are one bundle of energy that needs to be channeled correctly.

Only once we get to that point, then God can use us truly what we were placed on this earth to do. Until such time we will remain like waves in the ocean being tossed around by the wind….the long and short of a not so short post? Go an channel your energy so that you can use it in a positive manner! I am so excited about the journey that God is taking me on. I am excited about this training, because I know that I will come out the other side as a changed person.

All the glory be to God always! He gives us the talents to serve others and to help them and lead them to Him. We must sow the seeds and when the time is right, the Holy Spirit will give it water and it will germinate in the people’s lives in whom we have sown seed.

Om te kan skryf en “blog”
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Om te kan skryf en “blog”

Die Here het al lank dit op my hart gelê om hierdie inskrywing te maak. Op die Adorned kamp wat ek begin September bygewoon het, het ek met iemand gesels en soos wat ek praat, kom die woorde net uit oor hoe dit gebeur dat ek kan skryf. Vir diegene wat nie weet van die kamp nie, gaan lees gerus die inskrywing oor Heart, Heartbeat, Rhythm.

Goed, so terug by die storie wat ek op die kamp vertel het. Ek het met Lynn Grobler van Journaling on the Way gesels. Ek noem toe vir haar dat ek oortuig is dat my werksagtergrond my die voorsprong gee om te kan skryf. Sy was nogals verbaas toe ek dit gesê het. Dit, saam met die feit dat, ek dink my ma ‘n hidden talent gehad het om te skryf en ek dit by haar geërf het….

Jy sien, my ma het vir ons drie dogters elkeen op ons 21ste verjaarsdae, briewe geskryf. Dit was vir my so mooi en spesiaal, want, ons het nooit sulke gesprekke in lewende lywe gehad nie. Dit was meer in skrif gekommunikeer as ek nou reg kan onthou. Later het gesprekke ontaard in sms boodskappe, e-posse, Whatsapps. Nie noodwendig DIEP goed altyd nie, maar goed wat net vir my persoonlik makliker is om te hanteer in skrif as in lewende lywe – as dit nou sin maak wat ek hier probeer sê.

Goed, so my opleiding as ‘n Leerlingrekenmeester, het my geleer dat, my leêr vir homself moet praat. Sonder dat ek as mens ‘n woord uiter, moet my oudit leêr op sy eie twee spreekwoordelike voete kan staan. Hy moet vir die gebruiker, wat redelike kennis en agtergrond het, kan verduidelik wat my professionele opinie was en hoekom ek sekere toetse uitgevoer het en gevolgtrekkings gemaak het.

Ai, daar klink ek nou amper soos ‘n Oudit Standaard!! Maar ek het dit baie ernstig opgeneem. Omdat my leêrs ook nagesien kan word deur die professionele instansies waaraan ek behoort, het ek die erns van die saak gesien. Goed moet reg gedoen word die eerste keer! Ek het ook opleiding gedoen om te verseker dat ek relevant en op datum bly, en ook omdat my kwalifikasies hope en hope ure se opleiding elke jaar vereis het.

Toe ek my eie praktyk begin, het ek nog meer opleiding opgesoek, want nou was EK die vennoot. EK moet sorg dat alles reg is! Weet jy watter groot taak is dit en hoeveel onsekerheid skep dit? Nie te min, so kom ek by Probeta uit wat opleiding aanbetref. Ek woon gereeld hul sessies by wat van toepassing is op my praktyk en ek moet sê, DIT het my ook die voorsprong gegee om te kan skryf. Die opleiding wat ek ontvang het.

Die instansie waaraan ek behoort, SAICA, het, genadiglik in 2020 die reëls rondom opleiding verander – net op die regte tyd want dit was net voor die Pandemie alles omver kom gooi het. Dit maak die lewe vir seker makliker, alhoewel ons almal onseker was oor wat om te doen en hoe dit werk. Sodra jy verandering embrace dan is dit nie meer so oorweldigend nie. Wat ek ook geleer het met tyd is, as jy teachable is of leerbaar, dan kom jy baie verder in die lewe as wanneer jy deur die lewe gaan met ‘n alomwetende uitkyk. Niemand kan jou leer as jy nie geleer WIL word nie….

In 2021 verander die reëls ALWEER…die keer is die vereiste Continuous Ethical Training oor 12 maande. Ja, ek erken, ek het my oë gerol. Want wragties. Net NOG iets om in te pas in ‘n propvol skedule. En ethics van alle dinge? Moet ons CA’s REGTIG geleer word om eties op te tree? Dis ingebrand in my hart in om ALTYD die regte ding te probeer doen, al kyk niemand nie. Ek kan regtig nooit ander mense verstaan as hulle nie soos ek dink en optree nie. Nie te min.

So stel ek die heel jaar uit om die taak te begin en dis bloot oor die onsekerheid wat heers rondom dit. Probeta stuur ‘n e-pos oor ‘n twaalf maande program wat hulle aanbied wat aan SAICA se vereistes voldoen. Ek lees hul bemarking en besluit dat DIT is wat ek gaan doen. Ek gaan nie self oor 12 maande eers PROBEER om hierdie continuous ding aan te pak nie. Ek weet sommer op my eie gaan ek op my gesig val en dan is dit ‘n storie en ‘n half om dit reg gestel te kry.

Ek besluit toe om vir die heel beste opsie te gaan wat hul aanbied, die een wat in diepte ingaan. Ek is mos die baas en ek moet goed WEET sodat ek ander kan oplei, so dit help nie eens ek mors my tyd met die eerste opsie nie. Nie dat dit tydmors is nie, ek glo jy verstaan wat ek bedoel. Ek het die grof geskud nodig jy weet? As ek nou so daarna kan verwys!

Nou ja, een maand na ek opgeteken het vir die program, kom ek uiteindelik aan die gang. Ok, drie weke na dit, einde September. Ek begin dit aanpak en diep binne in my gees begin ek opgewonde raak oor opleiding. Seriously WIE raak opgewonde oor OPLEIDING van alle dinge?

Die tema? Authentic journalling. My man lag en sê dit klink soos iets wat vroumense van sal hou om te doen. Ek rol my oë en besluit om net aan te gaan, ek het mos nou commit tot die ding en ek moet dit doen, anders is ek nie geldig by SAICA nie. Ek doen my Tall Trees Analysis – die analise van jou karakter omgeskakel in die bome se formate gebasseer op Hettie Brittz se boeke Kweek kinders met karakter.

Ek kry my analise terug, lees deur die verslag en staan verstom. Dit som my op, tot op die punt. Dis asof Hettie oorkant my gesit het en ‘n onderhoud met my gevoer het en my opgesom het. Ek gaan terug na my verslag van 2019 en sien dat my profiel verander het. “Dis vreemd.” dink ek by myself. Ek kontak Lynette Berger van Probeta dadelik per e-pos. Half bekommerd en verbaas op dieselfde tyd.

Haar terugvoer? Mens se profiel kan verander en daarom dat jy dit gereeld moet doen om seker te maak jy ken jouself en weet hoe om werksituasies te hanteer. Ek begin toe redeneer by myself HOEKOM my profiel sou verander. Die antwoord? Die Pandemie. Die Pandemie en alles wat saam met dit gaan het ALMAL se lewens kom verander.

Vanmiddag (ja op ‘n Saterdagmiddag) kyk ek die inleidingsvideo van die Authentic journalling en soos wat sy praat en goed verduidelik, begin soveel meer goed sin maak vir my en hoe my blog inskrywings vorm vat en realiseer. Jy sien, vir my, begin die woorde rond draai in my kop. Die konsep begin DAAR as ‘n gedagte. Maar, as ek nie die gedagte neerpen nie, dan begin dit cluttered raak in my brein.

Dis dan gewoonlik wanneer mens oorweldig begin voel en dan net vir jou rekenaar se skerm begin staar en eintlik nie weet waar om te begin nie. MAAR, as jy begin om ‘n lysie te maak van dit wat gedoen moet word, kanaliseer jy jou gedagtes in geskrewe vorm. Lynette beskryf soveel goed so mooi in daardie video – vir die wat moet etiese opleiding doen, gaan kyk gerus, dan sal jy beter verstaan.

Maar weet jy wat is my probleem? My lysies begin lysies kry vir lysies van lysies se lysies wat gedoen moet word. Ja, lag lekker, ons ALMAL het lysies vir lysies! Soos Lynette dit noem, die geskrewe vorm is die fisiese manifestasie van iets wat in jou gedagtes was, of soos ek ook daarna verwys, in my gees.

Ek besef ook nou, dat 2020 vir my een GROOT uitdaging was. Ek haal nou nog werk in van 2020. Jy sien, vir ‘n Sierboompie, dis nou ek, WERK iets soos ‘n Pandemie net GLAD nie. Alles voel buite beheer. Jy kom op ‘n punt dat jy NET DIE NODIGSTE doen. Maar net die nodigste, val nie noodwendig in die kwadrant wat dit moet wees vir jou om as mens optimaal te kan funksioneer nie.

“Kwadrant?” vra jy nou. “Ja” is my antwoord, “kwadrant”. Lynette verduidelik in haar video dat jou tyd wat jy spandeer aan goed in vier kwadrante opgedeel kan word. Vir die wat nou heeltemal verlore is, vat ‘n bladsy en deel hom op in vier. Trek ‘n lyn in die middel van die bladsy van bo na onder en weer in die middel van die bladsy van links na regs. Een blokkie is ‘n kwadrant….

Elke blokkie het ‘n naam. Dis een van vier – Belangrik & dringend, Belangrik & nie-dringend, Nie-belangrik & dringend en laastens Nie-belangrik & nie-dringend nie. As jou tyd in een van die laaste twee kwadrante val, dan heers daar gewoonlik chaos in jou lewe. Hierdie kan ek beaam – dis hoe 2020 vir my was. Ek het meer bekommer oor die wasgoed wat gaan ophoop as om werk te doen en die huis wat ek kon HOOR vuil word soos wat almal rond beweeg elke dag. Ek kon net nie funksioneer nie.

Met die dat ek op my manier journal op hierdie platvorm, het die Here my gehelp om orde te skep. Natuurlik is daar BAIE goed waaroor ek nie kan blog nie, want dis net te persoonlik om met die hele wêreld te deel. Wat ek ook besef het, is dat as jy nie andersins tyd maak om dit met die Here te deel in skriftelike formaat nie, jy jouself eintlik maar blootstel aan skinder en bespreking.

Ja, jy het reg gelees. Ons almal faal gereeld – ons vertel net gou-gou ietsie van iemand wat ietsie gedoen het. As jy nie waak nie, word dit skinder. Ek besef nou, dat, ek nog meer gereeld gaan moet journal om hierdie gedagtes, wat Lynette ook as energie beskryf, uit te kanaliseer, sodat dit nie my hart verswart nie. Ek weet emosies is energie en kom emosies nie maar uit gedagtes uit nie? Eintlik is ons mense net een groot bondel energie wat reg gekanaliseer moet word.

Eers as ons op daardie punt kom, kan die Here ons werklik gebruik waarvoor Hy ons op aarde geplaas het. Tot dan, is ons maar soos golfies wat rond gewaai word deur die wind….lang en die kort van hierdie nie so kort inskrywing? Gaan kanaliseer jou energie sodat jy dit positief kan gebruik!! Ek is ongelooflik opgewonde oor hierdie reis wat die Here my op het. Ek is opgewonde oor hierdie opleiding, want ek weet, na dit, kan ek nie anders as om changed (dit klink net beter hier in Engels) anderkant uit te stap nie.

Alle eer kom altyd na God toe. Hy gee ons die gawes om ander te kan bedien en te help en te lei na Hom toe. Ons moet die saad saai, en wanneer die tyd reg is, sal die Heilige Gees dit water gee en dan sal dit ontkiem in die mense in wie se lewens ons saad gesaai het.

To write and blog