Australians have a canny knack of shortening pretty much everything—names, places, days of the week, meals, feelings. If it has more than two syllables and can be followed by a vowel, it’s fair game, bro. Brekkie. Arvo. Servo. Rego. Footy. Choccy. Sunnies. Even the country itself—Straya.
They also have a saying/phrase for most anything. “Ya ‘aving a lend of yourself, mate”, “Pull ya head in”, “Settle, petal”, and “Bit up yourself, aren’t ya?” There’s no shortage of gentle reminders that the world doesn’t orbit around you—and delivered with the right tone, none of ‘em sting.
This brings me to the post title, Too serious. Or. Taking yourself too seriously.
Which I might have been guilty of recently.
First, in defence, in these notes to you here, my intention is not to propose rules, laws, or even perceived knowledge—I’m just challenging a status quo, and trying to come up with different ways to look at things. An angle that can co-exist with the norm, or in some cases surpass it. That’s the point, right? To be curious. It’s really nothing more than an offering. The hope is that something I say will prompt some progress, loosen a blockage, or activate something that’s already been simmering in your mind. As always, let me know—either way.
And. Pull ya head in, Nicko. Brekkie’s getting cold.
Nick
