The Challenge of Change

A few weeks ago, when the Greek debt crisis was in full swing, I read an illuminating article on the reasons why Greece (and I use Greece as a convenient example – as we know it’s hardly the lone ranger in having a debt crisis at the moment – hello Ireland, Portugal, Italy, Iceland…US?).

Without rehashing the article (and opening myself to plagiarism laws) the essence of the piece was that a country has a debt crisis much the same way an individual (or company, for that matter) has a debt crisis. It borrows too much, spends too much, does precious little about paying the loan down and effectively squanders the chance for financial security through bad choices and mismanagement. Access to easy and cheap money (as it was for extended periods of time in the early to mid noughties) coupled with man’s inherent pleasure seeking and pain avoiding nature is a recipe for disaster as we have all found out with the benefit of hindsight.

As I watched the scenes on television of mayhem and rioting by some members of the Greek population aggrieved at the “harsh” measures (tax hikes, spending cuts and privatisations of state owned assets) contained in the austerity package the government was trying to get through, it struck me how hard it is for human beings to moderate their behaviour when it is required. Oh yes, somewhere in our hearts we know we gotta do something, but if we get there, it’s kicking and screaming all the way.

Retire later – are you kidding? Learn to live on less – no frickin’ way! Make headway into that credit card debt – it’s not fair, we cry. All the handwringing, bellyaching and “woe is me” moments don’t really do anything other than delay the inevitable slow climb out of our own self-created hole of debt.

But what riches (and I don’t necessarily mean of the folding variety) await us if we do conquer our demons and start back on the path to self discipline and control. It’s a well-known truism of life. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. The confidence and fulfillment in seeing ourselves as masters of our own destiny rather than jelly-spined victims is heady stuff indeed.

My own current personal vice vanquishing moment is reducing or even eliminating artificial and processed sugar from my diet. For a self-confessed carb addict this is no mean feat. Kicking a one–a-day diet coke habit and eschewing a hot chocolate at a cafe may not seem much to some but for me, it’s my version of Mt Everest. Ok, that’s a little bit dramatic – let’s make that Mt Kosciuszko to keep it in perspective.

Despite all this talk of taking responsibility, I have empathy for the general Greek populace. They have lived their everyday lives with no discernible difference to the years before, unwitting accomplices, to a certain extent, to the decisions made on their behalf by the government of the day. And now being expected to tighten their belts and make changes to move Greece forward into a new era of fiscal restraint.

On that note, we each have to ask ourselves, are we up to the challenge of change?

Vacation Contrarian

We were tardy in booking our winter break this year and so ended up tossing all and sundry into the Landcruiser and heading north to our customary summer haunt. I had been emphatic this July we were to escape the blustery and bleak Sydney winter for at least a week and had investigated all manner of island alternatives, albeit at the very last minute. The late hour suggested our options were not great, hence the decision to take the safe and known course. So mid north coast it was.

Two advantages to the holiday were evident up front – inexpensive and low admin. Out of season rates shared with another family – almost cheaper than staying home! And…no dogs to kennels, no passports, airports, transfers – toss the boogy boards and beach bats in the rear and head out onto the delightfully traffic free highway. As it turned out I vastly underrated the week away – it turned out to be a most enjoyable and restful break for adults and kids alike. We concluded that it’s actually not a bad way to do holidays: buck the trend and brave your favourite resort when everyone else is headed in the opposite direction.

We did have the weather to thank for a great deal of our fortune – clear sunny skies all week. We effortlessly changed our summer routines to fit the short days and long nights. Instead of January’s mad rush to hit the sand before it turns to molten ash and the sun sears all to a cinder, we had a leisurely morning walk followed by breakfast, sometimes barely making the beach by noon. But no fear, the sun’s feeble rays kept us mildly warm, the sea’s temperate 19 degrees meant often more comfortable in than out, so the waves were well frequented (ok the kids did prefer their wetsuits…). Evenings meant games, TV, a huge log fire and a glass or few of pinot.

As for the shopping, out of season customer service reaches new heights. Instead of jostling sweaty hordes for overpriced resources, we were able to amble in to the local store at any time to secure our daily needs. Friendly and grateful staff went out of their way to fulfill our every desire. For instance, one evening we’d misplaced our especially purchased parmesan – a core ingredient for dinner, and so tore back to replace, only to find the owner having locked up and headed home. But when he saw our evident distress, he could not have been more accommodating, opening up the shop so we could repurchase the cheese. Smiles and good humour all round.

As friends and family post their gorgeous photos of hot European summer, perfect Perisher powder, sublime island getaway, our break seems pretty pedestrian and I’m sure no-one will be gagging to view our pics. But we are all blissfully rested and non-jetlagged, and I am thankful for the added bonus of no long-term pain in the form of a whopping credit card bill.