Calling the Shots From Home
You hear it all the time. One of the perks of being self-employed is being your own boss. But have you ever stopped to consider that you are the CEO of your own life?
You might disagree with this, saying that your responsibilities control your life, whether it be children, credit card debt or a demanding job. But at some point in your life, you chose those things. You may not be able to change your past, but if you want your future to reflect your desires, you must start managing your life.
Most of us have internalized some sort of authority that helped us get through our lives at one point or another. But it may not serve us anymore. It’s important to actively choose the kinds of motivation and structure we want.
Think back to a great teacher you had. Or an excellent coach. A motivating boss. Even a really great babysitter.
What qualities did they have that you admired? How did they bring out the best in you? Write these down and try to embody them in your own life.
Maybe an old coach always expected you to be honest, trusting you implicitly. You didn’t want to take advantage of that, and so you never told him a lie, no matter how tempting it might be to say you finished your laps around the track.
Try doing that to yourself. Trust yourself to do the right thing, and you won’t need to be dishonest with yourself.
We all need authority and structure in our lives; it’s what motivates us to continue when things might get a little tough. It keeps us in check.
When we actively choose to be our own boss, instead of following the whims of our past, our lives will reflect that. We’ll move closer to becoming the people we know we can be.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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