Tickets

On this page we share the tickets we've made, as well as those you've sent in. The most recent ticket is always posted at the top. From time to time there might be a ticket cluster focusing on a central theme - with a separate heading. In June 2013 Captain Polly posted the 100th ticket and celebrated by launching launching a sub theme:  'having faith'. Watch for more themes are life throws up more challenges.

Thank you so much for making this ticket and sharing it with others. It takes so much courage to do what you have done, to dig deep and talk about ego, to be imperfect and to ask for help. I find your courage and strength awesome and inspiring.

Cluster: vulnerability

A year ago someone told me to watch Brene Brown's TED talk on vulnerability (see blog). Brene describes how feeling vulnerable is inevitable if we want to live wholeheartedly and connect with others. Watching her speak was a surreal experience. I felt she had read my thoughts - delivered the presentation just for me. It resonated. I find it difficult to be vulnerable - it hurts. Mostly, I can feel vulnerable and still maintain an open heart - but not always. I want to explore how I experience vulnerability, where and when it occurs. I want to use ticketing to affirm the times I allow myself to be vulnerable and the strategies I utilise to take care of myself when I feel vulnerable. I'll do this for a couple of months and see what emerges ...

Lessons from: the vulnerability cluster

Reflections on the vulnerability cluster: I am going to keep this one going, because it feels so core. Feels like I confront this every day. What I have noticed already is that when I acknowledge that I am feeling vulnerable and when I can name what it is that has triggered these feelings of vulnerability .... then I manage it better. I feel less anxious. I also noticed how terribly seriously I took my vulnerability - trying to lighten up is a great idea but I am watching how counterintuitive it feels .. but practicing practicing .. Oh! hang on a minute, I just reread the cluster on 'having faith' (see below). Wow! Interesting to see the links. What does this mean? Lost faith = vulnerability?

Turned my blanket on 3. Getting into bed that first warm feeling.

Denis helping with the bread and milk grocery pick up

My new bedroom clock. I can spend a few more minutes in bed.

Cluster: have faith

To celebrate the 100th Ticket, I want to do something special. I was thinking about it a couple of days ago when I jumped in a taxi and the cabbie said: how's your day been? I told him that I was having an amazing day, one thing after another was going well. I heard the surprise in my voice - he did as well. He said: don't sound so surprised, you gotta have faith. It stuck with me. I realise how often I expect things to be hard. There was a time (not that long ago) when everything was. But, now its time to let go. 

I don't know what will emerge from this cluster. But, I want to focus on it for a month. I want to question whether I am valuing myself. I want to question what I take into interactions. I want to question what I believe the universe will provide. By faith, I don't mean in the religious sense (though I appreciate for others this will be important). What I mean is - belief in myself. Hmm! Difficult to write about just yet. Will write more when I have tickets - they'II help to show what I mean. And, in case you were wondering - this IS going to be an amazing way of taking care of myself. 

... progress report: in fact, three weeks after I started this project I lost faith. A significant stressor and I felt completely hopeless. Couldn't make a ticket for 2 weeks. But now I am back. Thinking about that time, what it was I lost faith in. How I got it back - ticketing helps, slowly, slowly, slowly ...  a couple of moths later I have written 12 tickets (see below) and under the last ticket I have posted a summary of what I think this theme means to me. 

Lessons from 'having faith'

Made 12 tickets about having faith and I see two patterns are emerging. The first is about believing in myself. When I believe in myself I transform my experience, my relationships. I negotiate differently. I am more assertive. I am more aware of my worth. These tickets were hard won. I worked hard and at times what I was doing felt so counter intuitive. I felt vulnerable. It felt easier to be small. These tickets describe actions that felt counter intuitive. I was taking up space in the world. How DARE I? I was waiting for a bolt of lightening, to be struck down, put back in my place. Or at least - someone's approval that it is okay to stand tall. That it is okay to have faith in myself. I keep coming back to Nelson Mandela's inaugural speech (by Marianne Williamson): our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world ... Believing in myself is not always easy, but it is definitely taking care. The second theme is about having faith in the universe. This was a much less significant theme than I thought - it was mostly about believing in myself. Having faith in myself. If this theme resonates for you, you could try to collect tickets for a couple of months - where you write a ticket for yourself each time you do something that involves you having faith in yourself. 

100th ticket - hooray!

I am so excited. Today I posted my 100th ticket. Feels so exiting. I have learned soooooooo much about myself AND I have become stronger. I now have more faith in Ticketing as a strategy for getting the most out of life. I have proved to myself that taking care on a regular basis (weekly+) is what it takes to be a strong, resilient woman who can not only cope with life but really, really thrive. Now, I'm not suggesting for a minute that I am 'there' already. But, I am sure that this is the right path. I want to do something special to celebrate the 100th ticket. I think that I want to do a cluster exploring 'having faith'.

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