The emotional cycle of change

You are right... this does exist, and when you get as low as you possibly thought you could, it's about time to realise it and do something about it..

So I took the first step and realised I ve hit bottom (of the current state)
I've been through anxiety, denial, fear, despair, panic, discouragement, but I think I am ready to move to the other side.

Hopefully you will see from the diagram I found (even though it is about investing- it is very relevant) that I am meant to be on an upward curve! 

It is now 3 days before Christmas, today was my last day in the office before the end of the year, and thankfully I have 'ended' the year on a high note..

I am finally hopeful for the future, I ve brainstormed, and I have started forming ideas for the year ahead. I have even formed a hypothesis and started collecting some data.

It is about time I acknowledge what I have achieved in the past year, where I was a year and a half ago, and where I am currently. What potential and future plans I am now able to have, and quite importantly, how lucky I am with the financial stability I have right now.

Sometimes it is important to sit down and do some self criticising. It might be a bit time consuming, but re-alighning your goals and objectives according to your current needs can prove quite important. It can give you a better understanding of yourself, and clearer directions as to what actions you need to take in order to achieve those goals.

I am actually quite happy that I ve hit my bottom before Christmas! I now have my holidays to think about it, and come fresh in January with more ideas in order to plan for the year ahead.

The Physicist

It's not Christmas yet

and I am feeling a bit empty...

I am unsure about some parts of my project.. the AIM..
and my 4 (yes FOUR) supervisors all want different things from me and my project,
and my confidence levels are decreasing, FAST...

On the one hand, I want this year to finish so I can start the new one..
one the other hand, I dont! I want this year to last longer so that the end of my research is not that close (ok I do have 2.5 more years but that's not enough...). I feel lost..

I know I am going through a cycle, I have read all those books that say that PhDs are emotional cycles, and that year 1 and a half is the lowest point, where you start feeling that you haven't achieved anything in the first year and the end is so close.. and that's EXACTLY how I fell..

I suppose I need someone to reassure me that I am on the right track, and that I will achieve something before the end of these 4 years.. but right now it just feels like the company is moving too fast compared to me, and that I will never be able to catch up, and actually move faster than them so as to 'create' something unique, and 'offer something to knowledge' so that I pass my degree.


Oh and I am sorry, this was not meant to be such a dreadful post..



The disappointed Physicist

I'm so excited!

I'm so excited about tonight! I'm going to an informal dinner with very important people in my industry!!

I've not had a great start to my day, I paid almost twice what I usually pay to get to work before 8, and I didnt even make it! Then due to a misunderstanding I was left with no means of transport to get to a meeting I had at 10am! So I was left in the office with all the cakes from the cake sale! Ok that wasn't bad ;) but then on my way back to London, I forgot to touch in my oyster card so I was charged another £6.50!!

I'm currently waiting for the group of people I'm supposed to be meeting at 7.30! Oh I hope they are a chattable bunch, otherwise I will feel awfully shy amongst them!

I ve taken a picture of the ridiculous place they asked me to sit, but mobile blogger wont let me upload it, I'll do so later on :)


The physicist

***Ok I need to update you on this post.. It's 7.24pm, I've been here for the past 30minutes, and you know what?? The reservation is for 8pm!! another half hour waiting time!
Πάλι είναι ανάδρομος ο Ερμής;;***

It's our bake-a-cake day tomorrow

Tomorrow everyone in the office will be baking cakes and muffins and brownies and then sell them for charity, so I thought I would make them something different!

It had been a while since the last time I made 'troufes' and 'amigdalota' probably since I was in elementary school, but I thought, what the heck, I will make them some! 

So here they are:

Αμυγδαλωτά:

Τρούφες με χρωματιστά ζαχαρωτά

Τρούφες με ινδοκάρυδο

I will let you know if my coworkers like them!

What desserts have you made recently??

The Physicist

My first paper is published!

It's a conference paper, but so what??

You don't even need to be a subscriber to access it, so here it is!

https://www.cibse.org/content/cibsesymposium2011/130.pdf

What do you think?

The Physicist