How prepared are you for dealing in 'life'?

[VladmirsPoutine]

This was a fairly interesting experiment I did at work with some executive coach of sorts earlier this week...

You don't have to answer every question or really even have any 'correct' answers but your thoughts behind them are what count.

I don't have the entire sheet with me but the essence of the exercise was a self-relfective questionnaire about how prepared we are for various eventualities in life.

So, how well prepared would you be to deal/cope with the following:

Come this Monday... you were presented with a bill that needed immediate paying, say £450, how quickly could you pay it and how would paying that amount impact the rest of your month?

If you happened to be walking down the high street and saw a jacket you just had to have. Not because you needed one but just because you liked the style, how much would you be willing to part with for said jacket?

If your partner or husband/wife came home tomorrow night and said they wanted a divorce... what would be your first instinct?

Think of the person you consider to be your closest friend. If they called you at 3am in the morning and told you to come over but could not explain why they were asking, would you go and what would you be thinking throughout it?

What is the proudest moment you have felt that came from someone else's achievement? / What is the most embarrassing moment someone else has caused you? (you don't have to personally know these individuals or have been personally involved in these circumstances).

How close do you live to the place you were born?

If you have children or can't have children or chose to not have children to what extent have these choices changed your life and who you are?

What action could no amount of money in the world make you do?

Are you happy? If you are what makes you happy? If you are not, why not?

In one sentence explain the meaning of life...

--

I'll write my answers out as others answer with theirs as I don't want to write another essay length post!

We need to answer each question?

£450? I can pay it
Jacket? I will pay £500cl for it
Divorce? Let's go. Long overdue.
I live far from where I was born.
Wouldn't sky dive ife millions.

Am I happy? Dunno, really.

£450, could pay but it would hurt.
Jacket, a fair bit. I have an unfashionable hourglass figure so well fitting clothes are snapped up.
Divorce - XDH did this and I agreed with him. We're best friends now.
I live about 50 miles from my birthplace.
3am call - yes of course I'd go.
Proudest - weirdly I think it was Geraint Thomas winning the Tour de France. I grew up watching cycling and for a Welshman to win it... Incredible. I still get goosebumps.

450 - yes I could pay it.
I’d go up to £100 for a jacket I didn’t need.
3am call - would totally go. I’d be thinking someone had died or a relationship problem.
I’m about 25 miles from my birthplace.
Proudest moment - when my kids show they’re nice people.

Oh, and I wouldn’t kill an animal for millions.

£450 can pay no problem
Jacket if it’s really to die for £250
Divorce!! Are u mental you will never find another wife as good as me you twat!!
I live 650 miles away from were I was born
Skydive already ✔️ off bucket list
Am I happy 😃 well this is as good as it gets is my motto!! I’m a glass half fall kind of woman!!

Meaning of life? Live it to the full this is it this is not a dress rehearsal!! treat others like you would like to be treated yourself!! No one ever got to the pearly gates and said I have had to much sex and I have traveled the world to much!! and I have laughed to much!! Life is short live it to the full!! But don’t forget to be kind!!

Oh, the divorce one. Well, I’d ask why. Wouldn’t give up until I got to the truth. Then I’d probably get mad. Chuck him out and fall apart later.

Meaning of life? Biologically speaking, to procreate and further the species. Philosophically, I guess we all turn into stories in the end, so I try to make mine a good one.

£450 - Yes it could be paid asap.
Jacket - Up to £100
Divorce - My first instinct would be to ask Why?!
3am - I would 100% go, no questions asked.
Proudest moment - My kids make me proud all the time but when they are thoughtlessly kind it makes me want to burst.
Place of birth - 2 towns over, but I would like to move further away.
Children - I didn't expect to ever have as many as I do but I am 100% a better and happier person forhaving them in my life. I wouldn't have it any other way. I feel I was born to be a mother.
No amount of money could make me betray my family and friends or leave them behind. Ever.
The meaning of life - To love and be loved.
Am I happy? Yes. At this moment in time I am happy and very content with my life and I feel like this puts me in a better position to help people who are struggling

The bill would be a pain, I expect we could pay it straight off from savings. We are trying hard to save money at the moment so could really do without

Jacket situation would never happen, only buy stuff I need and am not frivolous (again, trying to save)

He's leaving me? I'd think I'd finally driven him to it

I would go to my friend though it would be a ballache as she lives miles away and I don't drive! I would expect she's having a breakdown/psychotic episode.

Proud moment? Kids achieving above and beyond at school. Most embarrassing? Same kids tantrumming in public!

I live about 300 miles from where I was born

Have children and of course it's changed my life as they are my primary concern now

No amount of money would make me harm another person or animal

I am happy in theory but not in practice. I have a lifelong issue with depression which is particularly challenging at the moment

The meaning of life is love and experience

Bill: fine
Jacket: don’t need another one so wouldn’t buy it. Am a project 33 convert.
Divorce: total shock and disbelief
Friend: would be worried someone had a gun to her head and was making her lure me over there. I watch too much 24.
Place of birth: I live a 12 hour flight away
Proudest Moment: honestly dont know. I don’t think I take pride in other people’s achievements. Not sure why.
Kids: have and they have changed what I do but not necessarily who I am.
No amount of money: torture or cause unnecessary suffering to something that didn’t deserve it.
Happy? : I’m content.
Meaning of life: there isn’t one

1. No to the bill.
2. There's no such thing as a must have jacket.
3. Shut the door on the way out aka fuck off.
4. No, I wouldn't go.
5. two of my dcs bring happy, settled adults.
6. About five miles.
7. I exist for them.
8. Kill anything.
9. I suppose I am.

10. 42.

£450. Could pay easily without a second thought.

Jacket. £500 maybe. I don’t do a lot of clothes shopping, it doesn’t really interest me.

Divorce. Shocked beyond belief. We are very happy.

Friend. Would go in an instant. Any time any day. Have 5 or 6 friends I’d do this for. I’d think the worst at 3 am, maybe someone close to them had died.

Someone else’s achievement/embarrassment. Can’t think of one right now. Achievement would be to do with one of my kids.

Place of birth. About 30 miles away

Children. Have changed my life 100%. They give me the highest of the highs but also the lowest of the lows.

Action no money can buy. As above a few times, couldn’t hurt a living animal.

Happy. Really really happy. I have niggles in my life as does everyone. But combined with no disasters in my life, and a genuinely naturally positive disposition I am a very happy person.

I can’t see a meaning to life,

1. Immediately - no impact at all on the month
2. Anything more than £100 id think about it for at least a week to see if I really wanted it
3. Laugh - he’d be joking! (If he wasn’t - hey it was good whilst it lasted and carry on)
4. Yes I’d drop everything I reasonably could for my ‘best’ friend
5. Answer to both parts is my DCs!
6. 5000 miles from where I was born
7. I have children and am both poorer and richer for it!
8. The list of things no amount of money could get me to do is endless
9. I’m very happy thank you very much

10. There is no meaning to life (42?) - it’s all luck

Now what do I win?

Or at least show us yours!

£450 bill - I could pay it without it impacting anything else that month but I wouldn't pay it for weeks if there's no deadline.
Jacket - wouldn't buy it, I'd go home and do a price compare online or get cashback
Divorce - I'd ask him if he's had an affair and if that's why he comes home late from work.
Best friend - Yes I would go, I would worry about impulsive suicide and how their kids are if they are in such a crisis.
Proudest - most of what my DC do
Embarrassing - a colleague had been on maternity leave. First shift back she saw another colleague from the back and got excited that she hadn't seen him for so long. Turns out this was a new staff member who she had never met, who was female, and similarly Afro-caribbean.
Live - 70 minutes away from birth place.
Children - have made me kinder, less selfish, more protective and more outward looking. Also made me shout more and poorer.
No amount of money could ever make me forgive some of my family.
Happy - I judge this on a daily basis, so far I am but it's just been me awake!
Life - to give as much to the good of others and the planet while we still can. Deep.

Thanks, I enjoyed this task!

Ooooh interesting.

Bill? Ooof. We'd pay it and manage.

Jacket - Maybe 150? Unlikely scenario.

Divorce - I'd assume he was having a breakdown.

3am friend - I'm so far away. I'd mobilise other support who could be there sooner.

Proudest moment - ehh, kid stuff.

2nd hand embarrassment - rather not dredge my memories for that.

Born literally on the other side of the planet. Couldn't be further away.

Kids - they are the best decision I ever made. They forced me to work out who I want to be, and to be that person every day. I am a much better person than I would bother to be if they weren't watching me.

No amount of money - loads of things. I'm not easily bought.

I'm happy enough.

Well mine goes like this:

£450 I could pay very easily with minimal impact on the month's spending.

Jacket I could go up to £500 if I really really loved it and it was a one off. Otherwise I'm not fussed about those sort of expenses as my 'excess' money is usually spent on travel bags... and rings.

My exH did say exactly that and I granted him his wish (after a bit of back and forth).

I would go but my best friend lives in a different continent so a 3am call would be me just arranging a flight.

Proud moment when my ASD nephew read his lines perfectly in a play during Summer. He is very shy and not forthcoming. Earlier in June he seemed to give no fucks and just read his lines. I was so proud and even prouder that thereafter he didn't know why his mum (my sister) was so overwhelmed - he even told his mum to "relax."

Embarrassment when a couple in front of me in Sainsbury's were arguing over dairy milk vs non-dairy and she threw his infidelity at him - having divorced over a similar issue I felt very awkward wanting to shout at him too.

I live in a different continent to the one I was born in. Not sure what that is in miles.

I don't have children and find myself increasingly enjoying the fact. A Sunday morning spent reading the papers and drinking coffee and finishing yesterday's glass of wine is perfect.

No amount of money could ever make me touch drugs again.

I am happy. I love my life. Which leads to the last question:

'The meaning of life': Find your own version of happiness. - For me it can be laughing with one of my sisters in a restaurant that serves fish and chips on a trolly and a slate. Other times happiness is hugging one of my sisters and us telling each other we've come a long way, because we have. We have survived a lot together.