Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Best Job in the World

A friend brought home a job listing for me for "The Best Job in the World". I was sick with the flu at the time and this opportunity shone a ray of sunshine into my bleak little world on the couch.

For those of you that haven't heard of this "The Best Job in the World" is an advertising stunt to promote tourism in Australia. It offers $100,000.00 to the winner to spend 6 months living there and blogging about their experiences. To apply you have to submit a 60 second video and an online application.

From the moment I considered this, my little world started cracking open with promise of bigger and better things life has to offer. I have been in semi-retirement since selling my business a year and a half ago. I was burnt to the core physically, mentally and emotionally and it has taken me this long to even consider getting back into "the real world".

When I researched the job online I was stunned to see a photograph of a beach scene straight out of a dream I had about 6 months ago. It was a vivid dream in which I met the love of my life. I knew the Universe was talking to ME!

Backed by my friend's enthusiasm and creativity we started brainstorming my video. Immediately all my fears started rearing their ugly heads and all my insecurities were in my face. I didn't want to "make a fool out of myself". I didn't want to "look stupid". I didn't want the video to look "amateur". I didn't want to "look old". I didn't want to "look or sound like a cliché". I didn't want to "look fat". Even considering this task kicked me right out of my comfort zone. Until recently, my greatest daily challenge was to dress appropriately for the weather when hiking my dog!

In preparation for "my film debut" I got my hair done. It was long overdue and I felt like a million bucks afterwards! Another positive move I made was I finally started doing stomach exercises. Of course that was long overdue too and I would need to have a bathing suit body! (Most of us could do ongoing blogs on just body issues alone!)

With this epiphany, little movies in my head started plaguing me: scenes of me running on a beach and all of my cellulite jiggling for the world to see; lying in the sun with stomach flab overflowing my bikini; close up head shots revealing double chin rolls when I smiled.

Despite these concerns, I knew I was born for fun in the sun. I love snokleling, sailing, scuba, suntanning, nature, wildlife, exploring. I felt I was the perfect candidate to experience and promote the Great Barrier Reef. But then the movies became horror flicks as I started to realize what the job would actually entail: me crying for my mommy as they lifted me off parasailing; frozen in abject terror unable to let go of the airplane frame to skydive; wetting myself standing on the platform while preparing to bungee jump.

One of the burnout issues I've been dealing with was adrenal fatigue. I discovered I was running adrenaline at merely the thought of creating this video. When I considered how stressful it would be for me to have to push my comfort level, every day, trying new things and likely being filmed doing it, I finally gave myself permission to not pursue the job.

I am thrilled with the doors that opened in my mind just at the prospect of applying for the best job in the world! I have made a commitment to myself to do whatever it takes to have a bathing suit body again and I am already seeing the progress. I have opened my mind to potential. How exciting to think of going to Australia. Thanks to this promotion being brought to my attention, I have my next vacation destination clearly in mind. I am now pursing "the other best job in the world"...using the law of attraction to manifest enough money to go there in style and meet the love of my life while I'm there! I'll keep you posted on my progress!

So do yourself a favor...apply for "The Best Job in the World" and see where your life takes you!

6 comments:

  1. Hey, Maureen! I'm not sure if you will remember me but I was a loyal customer to your book store in Frisco, always hunting Belly Dancing books! I am from Brazil and I've spent 2 season workink at Copper.
    Anyway, I'm glad you send me the invitation to visit your page.
    It's funny because I heard on the news about the best job in the world and I felt tempted too! But I haven't done anything about it. Good luck on that, I am pretty sure you're going to make it. Just don't forget to invite me over when you get there! =P
    Peace, joy and love to you!

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  2. Livia!! So great to hear from you Gorgeous Girl!! I've emailed you a couple times and never heard back. I thought I had the wrong address! So glad I clicked on your name about my blog!! I want to follow your blog too but I don't speak or read your language!!! I so wish I had taken languages as a child. It is like carving through granite with a pencil now! Do you know if there is a feature on this website to change the language for reading? Let me know if you know!

    Where are you living now? Are you back in Brazil? I still plan on coming to see you someday!

    I've decided not to apply for the "job" but I am definitely going to go to Hamilton Island sometime. Why don't you apply? Then I'll come and stay with you!! Would love to catch up on what you've been doing since I saw you last! SOOOO GREAT to hear from YOU!!! Maureen

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  3. OMG! Too funny ....I will be posting my video this weekend. I had a similar reaction to yours when I saw the job advertised on TV 10 days ago. This promotion has been such a gift to me already because it has set my mind on fire - reigniting childhood dreams of being a female Jacques Cousteau, bringing my years of professional sailing back to mind, and giving me another project to direct my creative energy into! I finally figured out how to use iMovie!!! As you know, one of my (many) goals with www.ourgreatlife.com is to give local businesses the ability to show themselves off in multiple ways - one being through video. This 'best job' promotion got me to dive in and figure out how to create a good video at home (the Doc PJ movie on OurGreatLife and others that I've made were filmed and edited in conjunction with a professional videographer) Now I can share the video-making info with others. I'm super excited to do that!

    The promotion also got me to stop and take stock of where I am in my life, and what would need to be done to be ready to accept 'the best job in the world' - what a great exercise! I've had, and do have, a great life! I'm grateful to the Queensland Tourism Board for the reminder!!

    We haev lots to talk about! Looking forward to seeing you next week! LOL Jolina

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  4. PS - the description you post of yourself is way too unflattering ...you're a beautiful woman! I know others reading this would agree! Jolina

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  5. Maureen, You are gorgeous! What an inspiration you are!! I loved reading your blog, personally I haven't heard about "the best job in the world" but it certainly sounds like YOU would be perfect for it!

    Miss and love you,
    Karen from PA

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  6. Hey Maureen, I loved reading this. It's interesting how "The Best Job In The World" came into your life just at the time you needed it. The universe works in mysterious ways. To me it seemed so symbolic. Just the phrase opens one to so many dreams and possibilities we might have never even considered before. This really resonated for me...to start making my own dreams and living life to the fullest.There is so much abundance out there if we only open our arms to it. :)
    I am so happy to have reconnected with you.

    ~Lisa~

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