Enthusiasm reload

Remind yourself that you love what you do, because honestly, you really do!! Let's face it, the pay isn't that good and while you have flexible hours that usually just translates to you working late into the night and on weekends. (Although, doing that helps me feel less guilty about the occasional visit to the beach on a particularly perfect day - something I only started doing since I decided to embrace the bubbles and whimsy!) SO, you wouldn't do a PhD unless (at least at some stage) you loved what you do, and yes, the reasons are different for everyone, and yes, there will be times when you forget why you chose this path. When that happens, you need to find the thing that helps you remember how awesome your field is... 

Sometimes, the reminder comes in the form of hearing about the journey of an icon in your field. Last week Thursday, Jane Goodall came to speak at UCT. I have never queued for tickets for any concert, but there I was on Tuesday morning at 8am in a very civilised queue (most people tapping away at laptops) waiting for the 9am opening of Computicket and the distribution of free Jane Goodall tickets.  I don't need to take you through what she said because you can watch it on YouTube or read about it on the UCT website. 

There were a couple of things that she said that really resonated with me. In fact, even before she spoke, I was really impressed by how much energy she has (she is a very impressive 80 - and spends >300 days a year touring). If that isn't inspiration to follow your dream, then nothing is!

She spoke about the role her mom played in her life, how supportive and encouraging she was. Her mom noticed her interest and love of nature and encouraged it in many ways from finding books that would interest her to not freaking out when she brought a 'pet' earthworms into her bed. Her mom was also her chaperone in Gombe because she wasn't allowed to be be in the field alone as an unmarried woman and encouraged her to never give up on her dream despite difficulties she faced along the way. She did all this despite getting criticised for letting her daughter break the mould of what was acceptable behaviour for a woman of the time and even allowing her to go off into dangerous Africa.

Her mom sounds like an incredible woman, and every time JG mentioned her mom I couldn't help reflecting how much my parents have supported me in my life. My mom is no fan of creepy-crawlies, but she tolerated my 'pet' chongololos (although I wish that like JG's mom she had told me that they needed to live in the dirt because it would have saved me the heartbreak of having them die on me despite the fabulous tissue box home I made for them) and helped me start my "Junior Greenpeace" group and took us to pick up litter in the park. My dad would always bring in any exciting snakes, spiders or frogs from the garden to show me, before letting them go (of course). I also blush to think how many times he would have to repeat the name of a bird (specifically the sakabula - long tailed whydah - I had a real mental block about the word sakabula despite thinking it a beautiful word I could just never remember it) before it would catch stick in my memory. I know there is nothing that my parents wouldn't do to support my sisters and I in following our dreams, and I am eternally grateful to them because being able to do a PhD is a privileged, even when it is a pain! And I need to finish my PhD not just for myself, but for all the people that have shown faith in me and helped me along the way.

JG said that often people feel down about the size of the problems the world is facing, and issues like 'CLIMATE CHANGE', 'OVER FISHING' or 'DEFORESTATION' seem too BIG for one little person to deal with, which leads to apathy... (Similarly, all the changes I have to make to my PhD make me feel very small and inadequate) BUT she said she will always have hope, and she gave four reasons for believing there is always hope for the future of the environment...  You can obviously listen to her in the video, so I would rather give my own reasons for hope based on my PhD experiences (so in NO way comparable to the ISSUES of the future of the PLANET!)

• JG said she finds the commitment, energy and enthusiasm of the youth to be one of her reasons for hope. I believe the vast majority of people are awesome, generous and kind. Even when it feels like everyone is so wrapped up in their own lives, there are some that will go out of their way to help without any need to get something in return. I have been amazed by people being willing to read chapters or help with analysis even though they are busy and have their own work to do. 
• Things work out, this isn't a well formulated reason for hope, but I do believe that. So even when it doesn't seem like it, things have a way of working themselves out. JG mentioned the resilience of nature, how even populations on the brink of extinction can recover. If you have even noticed how plants can grow in even the most hostile, unlikely environment, you can really do what ever you set your mind to. JG also mentioned "the indomitable human spirit" as one of her reasons... and I am sure we all have that hidden in us. 
• JG mentions the human intellect as a reason for hope. She suggested that the problem is that we have forgotten to think with our hearts and brains and too many people are living for money. I think that if you are doing a PhD it is because you love what you do, and therefore you are thinking with your heart, and that is something that should give you hope!! 

Gosh, I was trying to think of 4 reasons for hope - because that was how many JG mentioned, but it is Monday and I keep getting error messages so maybe I should take it as a sign to read some papers. I will keep thinking during the week and edit appropriately (and add in pictures that I haven't yet downloaded from my camera). Feel free to send me your reasons for hope!!