Tag: Talltrees

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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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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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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….