966. That’s the final number of beautiful moments collected in Australia and New Zealand. To me this feels bigger than when I would have hit the 1000 mark, the original goal of 1000 beautiful moments for Australia & New Zealand. Because it took me more courage to leave it at 966. A couple more hours of collecting moments have made sure more than 1000 moments had been collected and I had the time to do that. Then why didn’t I?
A couple of weeks ago I was stressed and worried whether I would get to the 1000. I felt the pressure of the target. This affected me in the collecting, as I subconsciously went out to get a specific number. But that was collecting with the wrong intention. It was about getting instead of giving. And people can feel that. Seize Your Moments isn’t about reaching a specific number. It’s about connecting with people and giving them the opportunity to relive their moments. So I decided to only go collecting when I really wanted it. When I was really curious about their moments. When I would wanted to give them the opportunity for remembering their moments, reliving their joy.
This decision meant embracing the possibility of not reaching to the 1000. This was tricky, since I’m a perfectionist. And I learned as a kid to work hard and reach my goals. I always want to prove to myself the goals I set are things I’m capable of. Especially if it seems impossible at first. That’s what I do. Deciding that I could not reach the initial target felt as making failure the real option. We have learned to live up to expectations, especially the ones we put ourselves up to. And when you don’t live up to expectations, you need a reason why. Otherwise it’s called failing. I convinced myself it wasn’t failing. Because it was a decision about which was best for the project. A decision which was closest to the spirit of seize your moments.
But even if I didn’t have a good reason to not get to 1000 beautiful moments, I haven’t failed. It are 966 beautiful moments. It’s the woman on federation square Melbourne who cried and smiled. Carlos who said he had a lousy week until he remembered he got Australian citizenship. It’s Collin who thanked me for helping him remember he got his first fathers day card from his daughter he hadn’t seen in 28 years. It’s Kate who drew the bush tomatoes in birds eye perspective, because they tasted so sweet. It’s the look on Angus face when he saw what I was doing in the train. It’s this and many more.
The journey in Australia and New Zealand was great and I’m incredibly grateful to have been able to done this. As Aaron in Sydney said: “Janne, you rely on the kindness of strangers to give strangers kindness”. What have you all been kind to me. And although I trust in it and know the world works like this. It still feels incredible. Thanks to you I could celebrated today. And I celebrated 996 beautiful moment. Thank you!
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