Inspire It.

OH NO!! you might be thinking that this is yet ANOTHER New Years Resolution post.   It is not!!

In fact I don’t “do” resolutions.  As most of you know, resolutions are easily made, but seldom kept, with most being broken by the first week in January.

What I DO do, is have a strategic plan for my year.  This is broken down to a Quarterly Plan, Monthly Plan and finally Daily Tasks.  That is not to say that I am so scheduled that there is no room for spontaneity and fun.  My daily tasks are flexible enough to cope with almost any diversion without causing the whole plan to implode.

So how to start?

To move forward, you first need to know where you are right now. Take a good hard look at the state of your life and decide – REALLY decide to move each area just one step closer to your version of perfect.  

Now the point here is to look at YOUR version of perfect.  The perfect holiday for instance for me is not a 5 star hotel, but rather a cute cottage by the beach or in the country that is close to a farmers market where hubby and I can buy some amazing local produce and spend a lazy afternoon cooking up a superb meal.

To help guide you to see where you are right now, and them move forward, why not take a look at my 
“Getting $#!T Done” course

 

 

 

I saw this quote on Pinterest today as a wall mural.  You can buy it here

What a powerful message… Sure life hands us all lemons occasionally, but the mindset to “make lemonade” is an admirable quality, that I try to live to.

When I read this, I was reminded of a friend of mine just recently.  The closure of his bricks and mortar retail store, an impossibly hot Queensland summer week in a house with no air conditioning, bushfires around and just to top it off him and his wife were struck down with Whooping Cough ?

It would have been enough to make most people curl up in a tight ball of self-pity.    Instead, this man picked himself up every morning and got on with the DOING.   He has been learning the ropes of online selling and this week, without the restraints of the retail store,  has kicked the proverbial butt.

Online stores have been built, products have been sourced, great images taken and decent images shot.  The next step, of which I have no doubt will happen VERY quickly, is to run a Facebook campaign with the aim of going viral and drive lots of buyers to his products just in time for Christmas.

So not only has he made “lemonade,” I think there might be a good shot of Vodka in that tasty drink too 🙂

He has certainly proven to me this week that while “It is what it is”  with the right mindset “it will become whatever YOU make it”

May we all have the power to do the same 🙂

 

I saw this lovely little poem recently by author Mary Stuber.  Initially I smiled and laughed to myself, then I really thought about it and how true it is.  We are blessed that we can have food on our plates and a safe home in which to prepare and eat meals.

It made me think about how often we complain about little things and how, with a simple reframe we can turn an annoyance into a blessing. Some examples:

Do you complain that the kids have left toys all over the living room floor?
How blessed that, not only do you have children when so many cannot, but you have had the resources in your budget to be able to provide them with not only lots of toys,  but a living room in which to play.

Did you have a minor car accident and now have a repair bill?
How blessed that it is only the car with a few scratches and dents and that you, your family or other people were not injured.

Are you complaining about the cost of Christmas?
How blessed are you that you have a large family and circle of friends that love you and deserve your generosity.

I could go on and on.   It is an important mindset “hack” on the way to happiness, to be able to find the good in all situations.  I am often astounded and inspired by people who have had the darkest of situations and find strength and light when they are able to focus on any tiny piece of “silver lining”

I am attempting to make it my habit of stopping myself when I have complaint surface and reframe to find the good.

 

Thank God for Dirty Dishes;

Thank God for dirty dishes;
They have a tale to tell.
While others may go hungry,
We’re eating very well
With home, health, and happiness,
I shouldn’t want to fuss;
By the stack of evidence,
God’s been very good to us.

Author: Mary Stuber

 

As a “middle aged” lady, I do try to keep myself fit-ish.  I no longer go to Gym. I was a member of Curves for a few years but the fees kept rising and our local center changed hands and the opening times were not a “work time friendly” for me.  Hubby and I had been walking every evening, but now the Queensland Summer is just about on us, it is far to hot, even in the evening.  What to do?

My Daughter has been into yoga for as long as I can remember, and while I do enjoy yoga, again I find the times of many studios (and fees) not suitable.

Imagine my excitement when I decided to search YouTube for some gentle yoga and I found HEAPS!!  Who knew?  People keep telling me there is all sorts of “stuff” on YouTube.  I recently bought a box “thingy” that plugs into the TV that turns it into a smart TV.   It is primarily for Netflix, but the opportunity to have YouTube on the big screen is great too.

Anyway, I found this instructor who I have found great.
Yoga with Adriene

I won’t promise to do yoga EVERYDAY, but it nice to have so many options.

How do you stay fit?

A friend recently commented that they have no idea how I fit everything in to my days, and stay sane 🙂

Yes it is true that I always have a heap of things going on at one time, and also a number of plans that are ready to burst toward fruition in the future.  Between my husband and I we run 3 business, I also try and keep up with this blog and keep the house clean and tidy.

Like many women, I am pretty good at juggling life and getting things done.  But I am going to let you in a little secret.  I do have a system.  I have had a diary/planner since highschool.  I have all appointments diarised so I know exactly where I should be on any given day.

I also have defined goals that I write down every year, month and week.  Science has PROVEN that you need to write down your goals.  I have a vision board that details my long term goals and them a physical planner that outlines exactly what I want my life to look like in one year.  I do this around my birthday. It is like giving myself the present of and elite life.

I look at every area of my life and set a goal to achieve within that year.  Once I have set my (often big stretch) goals, it is easy to chunk them done to monthly goals and then further to weekly and sometimes even daily tasks.     The old adage of “how to eat an elephant – one bite at a time” is fitting.

I am about to launch a 5 day challenge that will help you set goals, break them into tasks and achieve your ideal life. Stay tuned it is coming real soon.  🙂

Yay!!!  It is here.  Please check out my 5 Day Challenge for Getting $#!T done.

You can sign up here.