Christmas Wishes

I trust that at this time of the day, the presents are almost all wrapped, the groceries are in the fridge/pantry and the drinks are being chilled. If you have managed to put any of my tips into practice, this year, I hope it has culminated in a calm, peaceful lead up to Christmas. If not, aim for that tomorrow.


Christmas is the time of year many worry and stress. Does it really matter? If you don’t have it or you haven’t made it, how much difference is it going to make to the overall day? If you are focusing on the moment and enjoying each minute as they pass tomorrow, the only thing that will matter is that minute, and what’s happening in that minute.

So relax, enjoy, and take the time tomorrow to absorb the children’s faces as they unwrap their presents, be totally present when your partner wishes you Merry Christmas and gives you a big hug and as many families only get together on this special day, enjoy being present in your families company for such a short time.

I also want to wish you a very merry and safe Christmas from myself and my family. And have a Happy New Year. It’s the start of the new decade and as my Dad used to say, whatever you are doing on New Year’s Day you will be doing for the rest of the year so make it a good one! (I know that’s not exactly true. I do like to hold that thought for a while on New Year’s Day though!)

Tips for making tomorrow peaceful and calm:

What do you want your Christmas Day to look like? What do you want it to feel like? What would you like to be doing? What do you want to smell? What do you want to taste?

To help you achieve the type of day you desire tomorrow, try visualizing it before you go to bed tonight. What action will you need to take to make that happen? Do you need to write yourself some notes about what has to happen tomorrow? Do you need to let anyone else know what your plans are or maybe what they can do to help? If there is something you don’t have, what can you use in place of that? Is it best left out altogether. What do you have that you are grateful for?

Remember, peace and calm is the key to happiness today, tomorrow and each day after that. Take action now to ensure a peaceful and calm tomorrow.

No New Posts?

Just thought I would quickly pop in to let you know I am on holidays in Western Australia.  I have absolutely had many challenging situations with living in the now.  I am enjoying the challenge.  It's also been fun to consciously revisit the past.  I am staying with my sister and we have had many fun times in the past and some of these have come flooding in during our many wonderful conversations. 
One of the most magical totally present moments have been watching as a Facebook friend, Rae Threnoworth from Blue Element Photography and Rae Marie Photography, took photos of my sister, her daughter (my niece) and her grandaughter at sunset.  I snapped some photos also, of course, of the sunset and my sister and her family on the beach.  To watch the sunset over the water is truly magical for someone who lives where the sun rises over the water. Here is a link to Rae's website: http://www.blueelement.com.au/index2.php and here is a link to the first of the photos on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/raenbow/4187355762/ .  Rae definitely has a gift at capturing natural beauty.

Expressing Gratitude

At this time of the year, it is very easy to get caught up in the preparation and excitement of Christmas and to forget about the things and people we are most grateful for all year through.  When was the last time you verbally expressed to someone your appreciation or gratitude?  When was the last time you showed your gratitude or appreciation with a note or card to someone special(and Christmas cards don't count!). Who would be the first five special people you would like to verbally express your gratitude to?  What's stopping you?  There's no time like the present. 

Are you a multi tasker?

Well, it's getting to be a busy time of the year.  With many tasks requiring completion, sometimes it feels almost as if they all need to be done at once.  And so you step up the skill of multi tasking. 
BEWARE!  Do you get to the end of another multi tasking day, collapse in a heap on the sofa or your bed exhausted?  Multi tasking not only can decrease the results of the task, it also zaps your energy.  Not to mention the fact that the quality of your time spent doing these tasks will also be reduced (you won't enjoy any of the things you do) because you will be having difficulty staying in the present.  You will be focusing on all the things you are doing at once rather than that one thing, kind of like a juggling act.  I understand the feeling of being overwhelmed as I have felt it many times before and was starting to feel that this week, then I brought myself back into the present, stopped focusing on EVERYTHING I had to do and focused on one task and that feeling went away.  So how can you reduce your tasks or change your situation so you can enjoy everything you do and have a peaceful and calm life, even at one of the most busiest times of the year?  Here are some key questions that might help you to make some changes:
Could you set some personal policies around times that are only for your family or tasks or work?  Could you trust your gut instincts and say 'no' to those invitations your really not passionate about?  Could you block out days for Christmas shopping or regular tasks and say 'no' to anything else that comes along on those days?  Could you pass some of the tasks to other people?  Could you just simply stop thinking about those things and focus on the present and manage events in your diary?
If all else fails, give me a call.  I'm happy to help you gain some peace and joy over the festive season (and any time of the year really!).  So remember, living in the present is the key!
Remember this quote from Joan Rivers:
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God's gift, that's why we call it 'the present'.

International Men's Day

Today is International Men's Day.  What can you do to to say thank you to that special man in your life; be it husband, partner, father, brother, son, Father-in-Law, Grandfather, friend, boss, employee, workmate, etc.   Let them know how grateful you are to have them in your life today.

Here is some special info about International Men's Day and a link to the website.

International Men's Day began on November 19th 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago and was supported by the United Nations. The event received wide support from men's groups in USA, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Speaking on behalf of UNESCO, Ms. Ingeborg Breines, Director of Women and Culture of Peace said, “This is an excellent idea and would give some gender balance.” She added that her organisation was looking forward to cooperating with organisers of IMD.


Objectives of International Men's Day include a focus on men's and boy's health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion for men to highlight discrimination against them and to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular for their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care. The November IMD is a significant date as it interfaces the popular 'Movember' charity event and also with Universal Children's Day on Nov 20 with which IMD forms a 48 hour celebration of men and children respectively, and of the special relationships they share.

The ability to sacrifice your needs on behalf of others is fundamental to manhood as is honour. Manhood rites of passage the world over recognise the importance of sacrifice in the development of Manhood. Men make sacrifices everyday in their place of work, in their role as husbands and fathers, for their families, for their friends, for their communities and for their nation. International Men’s Day is an opportunity for people everywhere of goodwill to appreciate and celebrate the men in their lives and the contribution they make to society for the greater good of all.

During the past ten years methods of commemorating International Men's Day have included public seminars, classroom activities at schools, radio and television programs, Church observances, and peaceful displays and marches. The manner of observing this annual day is optional; any organizations are welcome to host their own events and any appropriate forums can be used. Early pioneers of IMD reminded that the day is not intended to compete against International Woman's Day, but is for the purpose of highlighting men's experiences. Each year a different theme is highlighted, such as peace in 2002, men’s health in 2003, sacrifice in 2008, and positive male role models in 2009. In consultation with organizers from other nations the following broad objectives of IMD are observed:

• Celebrate manhood and the wonderful positive and valuable contributions our men, young men, and boys make to our communities and to our societies

• Promote and Support gender equality, encouraging men to address responsibly and positively the challenges facing them in society

• Demonstrate strength of character and courage in meeting the challenges that men face in society and in contributing to building stronger and better communities, where people can be safe and grow to reach their full potential.

• Highlighting positive male role models, not just movie stars and sports men but everyday, working class men who are living decent, honest lives.

International Men's Day is celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Australia, India, Italy, United States, New Zealand, Moldova, Haiti, Singapore, Malta, South Africa, Ghana, Hungary, Canada, China, and the United Kingdom. Join us on November 19 in celebrating the contribution men make to those around them, to their family and friends, their work place and the community, the nations and the world.



Dads4Kids is honoured to host the Men's Day website and we invite you to join the global celebrations. Please feel free to roam and read the IMD history sections or to contribute to our world forums or planning blogs as we launch toward the 2009 events. Anyone is welcome to quote material from this website (attribution to this website is required), as well as free and open use of our logo and access to IMD promotional kits.
Check out info on International Men's Day here:
http://www.internationalmensday.com/

Better Relationships

What do you focus on when having a conversiong with your family, your friends or your colleagues?  What about acquaintances and prospective clients?   I used to focus on what my feelings or experiences were.  For example; if someone was telling me about what they did on the weekend, instead of listening to their words and what they were saying, I was constantly thinking of other stuff.  So not only did I remember less about that person and their life, I also had reduced, self centred relationships.
Today in your relationships, whatever sort they are, try focusing on  the person who you are speaking with and their words.  Try providing them and your conversation together, with your undivided attention.  Then when it is appropriate to share, you will be able to share the right thing, idea or the right feeling as it will be present just simply from listening.  Notice what happens with the energy between you and that person.
I would love to hear your comments about what you noticed and how you felt, and if at all it changed anything for you.  Have a fun day!

Black & White?

Some people believe there are two types of people when it comes to change.  One type love change and thrive on it.  They do all they can to bring about change whenever and wherever possible.  The other group, of course, are the opposite.  Change scares them.  In fact, they do all they can to avoid change, sometimes at all costs.
There is, however, another group.  The grey area, you might say.  This group of people strive to change things they can and should change and they also have the ability to recognise things they shouldn't change.  They let these things roll along.  Trusting their intuition, enjoying the ride.  Which group are you in?  Is this the group you would like to be in?  If not, what could you do to be that person?  Do you need help to become that 'type' of person in regards to change?

The Art of Saying No

An interesting thing just happened.  Earlier I spoke with a friend on the phone.  Her life is extremely busy at the moment and things are quite overwhelming for her.  She is taking some steps to change this and she told me that one of the steps is to say no to things; events, requests etc that she doesn't get an immediate positive feeling or positive 'gut reaction' from.  I likened this to actually listening to her intuition.
When I had finished the call, I wanted to start my latest blog post and was looking for inspiration for the post in that new book I wrote about previously called "1001 Ways to Live in the Moment"by Barbara Ann Kipfer.  I thought I would write about whatever page I opened up at.  Low and behold if the page I opened up on wasn't about the art of saying no!
What Barbara says about the art of saying no is that there are two sides of living in the now.  One is to look for and take the best opportunities that come your way.  The other is to say no to anything that comes your way that works against what you stand for or goes against your values or gives you that negative 'gut reaction'. 
Something I have been working on with my clients is setting yourself some personal policies around trusting this feeling and living in the now so you can actually notice what this gut reaction is and then make a decision.  
We talk about manifesting the life we want.  Quite often we are living too much in the past or the future to be able to see the opportunities happening for us now that will help us manifest what we want in our lives.  Example:  You are stressed  and constantly worrying about what you haven't achieved.  You are sick of being stressed but don't know how to change it.  The kids(insert partner, family, friends here) are always nagging you to go and have some fun with them.  Can't they see you are really stressed and busy.......
If you just stopped all the thoughts running through your mind and lived in the present, you would see the opportunity to change your life to what you want (more fun) is right there in front of you.  What's stopping you now?  If it's just a matter of taking that first step, find someone who can help you and motivate you to take that first step.  The steps after the first one will become easier and you will have fun!  Trust me!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Fact or fiction?

I wanted to share a tip which was just given to me by the lovely Leiza.  It is in regards to when your mind is making 'stuff' up.  What does that mean?  Well, you know when your friend says they will call you back and they don't.  Then, you start thinking they didn't ring me because........(they don't like me, I've done something to uspset them, they are sick, etc).
Leiza asks herself this question; Is it fact or is it fiction?  That is a great question, isn't it?  Do you have proof?  Usually the answer is know.  Go with the facts.  They haven't rung you back because they haven't rung you back.  It's as simple as that.  Thanks for sharing, Leiza.
What do you think about this question?  Leave me a comment or contact me direct.  You might have another great one to share.

Working in the 'Now'

I had a bit of a revelation yesterday.  Most of my blogs are about how, as a person, you can utilise living in the present to create a peaceful and calm life.  In my coaching business, I coach individuals (who, incidentally are usually owners of small businesses) to bring peace, calm and fun into their lives.  After hearing someone's story today, I have realised the importance of linking the two; living in the present and getting more from you work. 
I, personally, discovered living in the present as a fantastic tool to increase the success of my coaching.  I have a practice I use before my coaching sessions to ensure when I coach, I am totally present and fully focused on each and every client and their own agenda (not mine or whatever is happening in my life at the time).  I never made the connection before though, of how this could benefit others in businesses other than coaching.
So, I hear you ask, what was this story I heard?  I heard about a guy who owns his own business and used to constantly take his work home; constantly thinking about work no matter where he was.  To avoid thinking about work other than at work, he created a practice of writing a 'to do' list of things he has to do the next day, before leaving work and then he does a sort of 5 minute "meditation" if you like, where he just focuses on his breathing and nothing else.  Then he goes home to his family and feels life is much more fun as work stays at work.  It removes the constant stress from his life and he feels much more relaxed.
That is when I realised the practice of being present at work for everyone could have loads of benefits.  What would being present at work mean for you?  Would it mean closing more deals?  Would it mean making less mistakes and thus increasing productivity?  Would it mean you might actually enjoy work?  I would love to hear what this could mean for you.  Please email me or comment on this blog. 

1001 Ways to Live in the Moment

by Barbara Ann Kipfer. It's the title of a new book I have found. I thought I would love to share bits and pieces as I get to them. In the introduction it talks about what living in the now is (and isn't). I love the description it gives; "Living in the now, for a mature being, is about appreciating the passing moment as a fundamental of existence, accepting whatever comes our way, whatever we cannot change-including our own aging."
It also goes on to say it's not about our possessions, people, habits or past times. The writer also says that it's about being positive, not about living in the past (or being overwhelmed by nostalgia or regrets is how it is put in this book) or having delusional hopes or anxieties.
It also talks about 'Clock Time'. If you have read 'The Power of Now' you will be familiar with this phrase. Clock time , Barbara says, is an artificial order which we have put on the organic flow of experience. As we all know, 'Clock Time' can rule our lives, if we allow it. In coaching, something people often seek is 'Time Management' skills. Some find Time Management is important however sometimes with strict time management, we lose our freedom. The freedom to 'be' ourselves. Isn't that what being totally present is all about. Just being?
Take some time out for yourself today to just 'be'. Rest not rust! How can you change your busy schedule today to fit in 5 or 10 minutes of 'being'? If you are out and about in the car today, stop off at a park or the beach or some other place you love and just 'be'. If you are working in retail or in an office, maybe it might be on the way home from work this afternoon or during your lunch break. Kids at home today? Maybe they could practice 'being' with you. They are sometimes experts at 'being'. Maybe tonight when you get home you can go outside and lie down in your backyard and look up at the stars and just 'be'. There are lots of simple ways to 'be'. Grab yourself 5 or 10 minutes and love what you get from that time. In a busy world, often it's the simple things that make our day peaceful and calm.

Can exercise help to stop stress and worry?

In a survey by the University of Sydney, they say absolutely! There are many benefits. The first is probably the most obvious; being physically fit and healthy which in turn increases self-esteem. Exercise also releases endorphins which are kind of like a happy drug for the body, making you feel calm and exercise also burns up the stress hormone call 'cortisol'. Muscle tension and headaches can also be relieved by exercise, especially if that includes stretching. And what happens when you exercise, you usually get a more restful sleep. It increases your metabolism, makes you concentrate (or live in the present) whilst you are doing that task and therefore you have an almost forced break from stress and worry.
So what can you do? Well, if you haven't exercised for a while, you won't want to run a marathon. Start with light exercise, something that you feel is within your capabilities. Perhaps a light walk. Of course this isn't going to make you feel like Mr or Mrs Universe today, but you will notice a change. Now that it is coming into summer, it might be a great time to go for a swim or do some water aerobics. If a gym is more your cup of tea, many gyms are offering specials now coming into summer. They will also advise the best program for your ability. Get your pushbike out and go for a ride, bring the kids or partner if that makes it easier to fit it in or maybe more fun. Or maybe ask a friend to join you. All these things will get you moving at your own pace and help you move toward a more fun, relaxed, calm life. Remember, if you have any health issues or are unsure, get yourself checked out by a medical professional before you start.
If motivation or dedication is the struggle for you, that's where I can help. That's what I do. I help people to free themselves from stress, worry and guilt so if it's motivation you need or direction or perhaps persistence, call me.

Get Happy!

When you have a spare 8 mins, have a listen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umxO5YK5NSU&feature=related

Is your mind running the show?

Many of us who are completely identified with our mind, feel incomplete. Our unhappiness is driven by our mind telling us over and over again just how incomplete we are.
I will be successful if I have a mansion on the hill. I will be happy when my kids do what I want them to do. I’ll be satisfied when my husband/wife/partner says ‘sorry’ or buys me a particular gift. I will feel fulfilled when I get my next promotion. I’ll be better when this is all over/life is back to normal. Have you heard your mind saying any of these things?
Perhaps some of those things have even happened for you and you experienced feeling success, happiness, fulfilment or better but only briefly. Then it was gone and you were back to being unhappy again. Perhaps the feeling seemed bottomless.
Whilst you allow your mind to feed you these negative random thoughts, this pattern will continue. It’s basically similar to a craving for something. The mind has cravings mostly with external things, possessions and status; things like the assets you have or want, your career, your social life, what you know, how you look, what you can do, your relationships, your history, the list goes on.
None of these things ‘are’ you. They are ‘things’ that your mind identifies with.
By living in the present and switching the mind off when not required for action, you can be happy right now. You have everything you need. You are everything you need; physically and mentally speaking.
For this concept and others relating to living in the present, please refer to ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle.
This is from my my recent newsletter. To sign up for my newsletter, please go to my profile and send me an email.

Top 25 Positive Philosophy Songs

I came across this list on the net of the top 25 positive philosophy songs(at Rhapsody Music http://www.rhapsody.com/home.html). Thought I would share them with you. I downloaded them and made myself a cd-happy philosophy music that goes anywhere with me really!

Three Little Birds By Bob Marley
What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong(of course!)
All You Need is Love by The Beatles
Ac-cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive by Ella Fitzgerald
Put a Little Love in Your Heart by The Isley Brothers
Love Train by The O'Jays (OK?)
Heart of Gold by Neil Young
What's Going On? by Marvin Gaye
A Beautiful Morning by The Rascals
Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves (try putting that on your headphones and walking slowly-impossible!)
Simple Man by Lynryrd Skynyrd
I Can See Clearly Now by Johny Nash
The 59th Street Bridge Song by Simon and Garfunkel
Peace Train by Cat Stevens
Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder
Beautiful Day by U2
Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin (of course, that's why it's the name of this blog and my ring tone and on my business cards etc)
Thank You For Being a Friend by Andrew Gold
Lovely Day by Bill Withers
Top of the World by The Carpenters
Dancing in the Streets by Martha and the Vandellas
Everyday People by Sly and the Family Stone
Hold on Tight by Electric Light Orchestra
Don't Stop Me Now by Queen
Definitely some 'oldies but goldies' on there. Let me know if you can think of anymore, maybe even some current ones. I'm thinking of 'Like it Like That' by Guy Sebastian and 'I Gotta Feeling' by Black Eyed Peas.
Got any more?

Another passion of mine

Yesterday, a friend of my husband's asked if I could be the 'official' photographer at his 50th birthday celebrations. I was extremely happy to do this as I love being behind the camera and taking photos of things is my way of recording the memories. It helps living in the now as you have photos and dvd's to remind you and you don't have to store the memory in your mind (where over time the image and memory changes anyway).
Taking photos for me is also a fantastic way to observe people. You actually have a reason to do it. I enjoy taking photos of people when they aren't watching you so they are at their most natural and relaxed. Well I took over 250 photos just in one afternoon (the beauty of digital, hey!). And I have now downloaded them onto my laptop, cropped and corrected exposure where necessary and made them into a movie by also adding music and created a dvd. It's the guy's birthday tomorrow so I would love for him to have the dvd for tomorrow so he can watch it with the people who will be celebrating his actual birthday with him.
Thanks for the opportunity to be your official photographer, Fong. I loved it!

There's nothing like a change!

A big thanks to Lady Di for referring me to Cutest Blog on the Block where I got this fantastic background. Certainly has changed the look of things!

World Peace Day

Well, I've had it marked on my calendar for some time now. I read about it last year on about the 22 of September, I think. I have been waiting all year to enjoy it. There are lots of things happening in Australia to promote World Peace Day. What can you do to share in the celebrations of this day? Here is the link to the world peace website:

http://worldpeace.org.au/world_peace_day.asp

I have decided to email some world leaders and, well I am messaging and blogging many people to let them know. What will you do? I would love it if you commented on my blog or emailed me to let me know.

Have a very peace full day!

It's what you think!

You know, I'm not a doctor or a mental professional. I'm a coach. I coach people to lighten up in their lives and to take the little things in their life a little less seriously. I coach people to release the need to control everyone and everything in their lives and to see where it takes them. I coach people to achieve goals and to complete study. I coach people to create and build small businesses. You want to know what the single most common thing they all talk about? They all talk about what they don't want in their lives. They all spend mountains of time focusing on, talking about, dreaming of and repairing all the things they don't want in their life. People speak to me about their overwhelming position and are at their wit's end with their situation, whatever that is. It never fails to amaze me that the one most single reason why people are unhappy, is that they think unhappy thoughts; about the things they don't want in their life.
When was the last time you looked in the mirror and thought to yourself, "You know, you're a bit of spunk!". When was the last time you said to yourself "you know, today was a job well done." When was the last time you celebrated anything you have done in your life? I don't mean celebrate as it drink alcohol or overeat, I just simply mean celebrate. It could be as simple as having a bath at the end of a really busy day and saying to yourself, "you worked really hard today and you deserve a nice long hot bath" or it might be having a beer and revisiting all the great things you achieved that day. If you were to think of 3 things you did well today, what would they be? How could you celebrate those things? Try doing this every day this week and see if you notice anything change in your life. You might even need to do this for much longer than just one week to notice any changes, I guess it depends how entrenched you are in the negative thought patterns.
If you want good things in your life, think good thoughts. Think about all the good things you do and have in your life. If you are having trouble moving from living in the past and being anxious about the future, focus on the positive. If you find yourself thinking about the things that have happened to you that you didn't want to happen, start asking yourself "So what do I want?". Put some action around these ideas. Make some changes toward getting what you want in your life instead of dwelling on what you don't want. It is amazing how quickly life changes. And if you are finding it challenging to stay motivated, look me up, give me a call and let's chat.

See what you can do

I wanted to share with you a testimonial I received today from a friend of mine who is living in the UK. I love hearing news and comments like this. As a coach and as a person, I love hearing how amazing people do things to make the changes in their life they want to make. And I love sharing their excitement at what their life now holds for them. So thanks for sharing this with me, Alicia.


Hello jillbrown...just read your latest blog, always enjoy reading what you have to say, you put a link to jack canfield in a short time ago and i listened to it about 3 weeks ago and signed up for his monthly newsletter anyway to cut to the chase, THANKYOU !!! went on a holiday a week in tenerife, needed some heat, dont get any here in the uk, had a fab time, lots of time to think, i have enrolled in an access to nursing degree course....thought i had to stay in england forever cause now have nothing to come back to aus for, got home from holiday to a phone call from jacks coaching team, had a one hour session, bought the book Success Principles working through it and WOW.... it all makes sense and the sessions i had with you....now i get what you were saying, do i accept 100% responsibility for where i am ... so to move on i will be back to australia to do my bachelor of nursing, by this time next year and hopefully to have some coaching from you, lots of love xxx Alicia

A coach isn't for everyone

As most of you may (or may not) know, I like to interact with social media sites so I'm sure it comes as no surprise when I tell you this blog was inspired by reading tweets on twitter. The tweet I am speaking of is a quote and comes from a person by the name of Gary Keller. I tried to do my own research of this person but came up with nothing. I guess really it's irrelevant to what I am about to say anyway. The quote however is very relevant. It is 'A coach isn't for everyone-you must RESOLVE to be pushed'.
It ties in with something that a friend of mine has recently said to me. She said 'I didn't see what you did as important. I just thought if you had a problem you worked it out.' What has now happened unfortunately is things in her life have become overwhelming and we have been working through some things together to help her see the little ray of light at the end of the tunnel. It's a step by step process. I keep going back to the old saying 'How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.' And that is exactly how a coach helps their clients get things in order. One step at a time. And is a coach for everyone? Well as Gary Keller says, only if you are ready to move forward. My friend could stay in the past and focus on the hurt or what is now missing or what she used to have, but she is going be brought into the future no matter what. She can either go kicking and screaming and getting dragged there or she can start thinking about what that future might hold for her and start a little bit of dreaming about what she wants it to look like.
I have worked with clients before who I had done pro-bono work with (complimentary sessions, basically). Most of these clients were grateful for those sessions and used them to the make the changes they felt were necessary. I have found though that clients who are paying clients are much more ready to be pushed and ready to move ahead in their lives. You really need to have absolutely had enough of what you have been having, to get to this point though. And truly want something different in your life. Are you sick of lying in bed at night worrying and missing out on sleep? Are you sick of that constant running feeling inside? Do you wish your life was more organised? Do you wish you could lose weight? What is stopping you from just 'working it out'?(quoting my friend). If you want to change something because you know it's just not right or just not working, I would love for you to call. That's what I do! Are you ready to be pushed?

Green Smoothies-What the?

Recently, an acquaintance of mine, told me she had decided to eat only raw foods and as part of that diet, she said she had got a hold of some 'green smoothie' recipes. She told me what was in them. I said 'yuk, that sounds horrible'. She assured me they tasted just like fruit. Last week, I felt sick and I thought to myself 'I reckon I need to dose up on green vegies to help me get a health boost'. What I usually do is eat baby spinach in a huge salad for lunch but as I was unwell, I really couldn't be bothered to get up off the couch and do that, so I was trying to think of easy ways to consume lots of baby spinach.
Then I remembered the conversation I had had with my friend and contacted her to get the 'recipe'. I began straight away on the Wednesday (day two of feeling unwell). I had two green smoothies that day (quick to make-about 5 mins total I would say) and the next day when I woke up, I cancelled all my appointments for the day, made myself a huge green smoothie and hit the couch. Slept most of the day, mind you! In between sips of green smoothie of course. And what do you know. I woke up Friday, with only a hint of what I had had. I was feeling so much better in fact, that I was able to get up and about and do the chores etc that I had had to reschedule from the previous day plus what I had on the agenda for Friday. Mind you, I was driven by the fact that I have a scrapbooking retreat coming up and plenty to do in preparation for that and need to be as healthy as ever.
This morning I was woken up by my son sneezing at 5 am with all the symptoms, and as I had to be gone by 7.30, I got up and made him and myself a green smoothie. My friend had promised me that her children really enjoyed the green smoothies so I put it in a cup (with a lid because it looks horrible) and asked him just to sip it. Three sips were enough for him. He had had enough. He didn't like it all. I guess you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him enjoy it!
So what is a green smoothie? Well basically, it's roughly 2 cups of fruit (any fruit really or any combination) with all the yucky bits removed (core, tips, stalks, seeds, whatever), in a blender with a large handful of greens (I only used baby spinach as it is what I had in the fridge and I believe it is the green with the most nutrients). Wizz it in a food processor or blender until it all sticks to the sides then gradually add 2 cups of water (or enough at least to make the mix resemble a smoothie consistency). I put mine into a 'Thermos' cup (with the lid on as I mentioned before because it doesn't look that appetising-it's green for goodness sake) and then I sip it. I have been having them for breakfast and am back to feeling great. I might even continue having them to keep up my 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegies per day. As it's blended and not juiced, you also get all the fibre as well.
These are the fruit mixes: I have had green apple, strawberry & banana, berries(that was a bit bitter), also recommended are pear & parsley, apples & lemon juice, peaches, mangoes, grapes & mango, orange & mango, mango & pineapple. I was thinking you could do watermelon as well with summer coming up(or is it already here? It feels like it today).
So you see, as far as fruit goes you can use whatever is in the fridge. Well, if you are feeling a little under the weather anytime soon, get the blender/food processor out and grab some baby spinach and some fruit and wizz to your heart's content. A quick easy nutritious meal when you are feeling poorly, if nothing else!
You can check out more here: www.GreenSmoothieRevolution.com/blog

When I was driving home today, I heard on the radio that today is national marriage day. The announcer on the radio was saying something along the lines of you better give your hubby or wife an extra kiss today because it's national marriage day. It got me to thinking about marriage and in particular my own.

There are two pieces of information that I wanted to share here which I have found to be very helpful in keeping my marriage feeling like it's national marriage day everyday(well almost!). One comes from the Guru, Dr Phil. He says a lot of people wake up in the morning and from the moment they open their eyes they are thinking or looking for things in their partner to be improved. I know I've been there. He recommends turning that around to think what can I do to help my partner today? (or what can I do to make my partner's life happier today?). I'm not talking about necessarily 'doing' more, it could be something as simple as a smile when you first see him (instead of the usual growl!).

The other piece of information comes from a dear friend who once told me in her marriage, her and her husband have agreed to never speak badly about the other to people outside the marriage. They have an agreement to always communicate the issues between them in the hope to get the issues resolved. Obviously this wouldn't apply if you were seeking professional coaching or advice. I'm talking about the issues you sometimes share about your partner to your girlfriends or mates where you and your partner didn't agree and you feel the need to 'bitch'.

So Happy National Marriage Day!

The Good Doctor

I was very proud of myself. I took advantage of a special offer and purchased heavily discounted tickets to go see one of my all time favourites, Dr Phil when he was in town on Friday night. Firstly, I have to tell you, I purchased the last Dr Phil T-Shirt in Australia and think I'm pretty lucky. My son tells me it's far too big for me and it makes me look fat. Care factor-nil. It's not like I'll be wearing my Dr Phil T-Shirt to the disco!
Now love him or hate him(and from what I know about people, they only fall into two categories when it comes to Dr Phil), he has some clear messages on all things from kids and families to taking care of your partner and having a successful life.
For me, Dr Phil reiterated lots of things I already knew about. Things like, How's that working for you? You know if you keep doing the same thing you will always get the same results. Why would you do the same thing and expect different results and he likened it to someone continuing to bang their head up against a brick wall (haven't we all felt like that at one time or another) and instead of stopping it and doing something else, just continuing to do it and expecting the pain to go away.
He also talked about Personal Truth which I will talk more on at another time along with 7 laws to success and other things. Again, it's probably all things that you have heard before, but by heck it's great to be reminded. And you know what? I actually found Dr Phil to be as funny as a comedian. Probably the raw truth in what he was saying. When I left my belly and my jaws ached from laughing. So that in itself are the tell tale signs of great night. Thank you Dr Phil for a great night out!

Journey into Gratitude Retreat

On the weekend I attended a retreat completely different to anything I had ever experienced before. For starters I was on the committee and we had been organising it since January. I have organised girls weekends away before but never to the point of organising activities etc. From the outset, we were determined that we wanted a retreat to satisfy all the participants. We created a vision that encompassed everything each four committee members thought were important. With that in mind, we began planning speakers, activities, gifts and many other minute details. We put loads of energy and action into achieving this event.

It was to begin on Friday at 5 pm. As you can imagine, there almost wasn't enough time in the day on Friday. However, when 5 pm came along, we were in position and relaxed to welcome guests. We hosted some fantastic presenters; we had yoga, tai chi, speed manifesting, NLP, self gratitude, painting and Indian healing. We even had time to wedge in a 'Christmas in July' thanksgiving dinner. Well after all the Saturday night was the 25th.

All along the journey of organising this retreat, the four of us on the committee maintained that if we kept focused on what we wanted to achieve it would happen. And quite simply, that is what we did. We were clear on what outcomes we wanted and we stayed focused on that. If one of us lost focus, someone else was there to restore our faith and positive thinking.

We had hiccups, definitely. Our art therapy lady cancelled her presentation a week or so out from the retreat and on the day before the retreat, we had another presenter cancel. We stayed calm and focused and it all turned out perfectly.

I guess why I am sharing this with you is not only to reinforce that if you set your goals, take action toward them and stay focused then you can achieve whatever you want or turn things around to make them whatever you want them to be but also to reinforce that sometimes you come up against things that do trigger doubt or disbelief in your ability and with assistance from a coach, you can bounce back to where you want to be in next to no time.

So remember, if you are stuck in doubt or disbelief, call me.

3 great questions

Recently I read 3 great questions to start your children's day off in the right direction. It's using the Law of Attraction. I read them and thought they were great questions to start the day off for anybody. From time to time we all come across challenges in our life, most of us have more than one challenge every day. If we haven't learned to master the art of switching off the negative self talk yet, this may just be a way to help us live a better life. It certainly helps us to visualise our day and focus on what we want to have in our life. So, what are the questions?

What kind of day do you want to have today?
What kind of things do you want to have happen today?
How do you want to feel in your day today?

Simple? Easy? I have these questions on a nice piece of paper on my napkin holder on the breakfast table. That certainly reminds me to focus on what I want in my day. My son however is 9 and reading something on the napkin holder would only really happen if it had nintendo at the top! Today being his first day back at school after holidays, he kept saying he wanted to stay at home again. Obviously the holidays at our house are too much fun. I'll have to do something to change that next holidays so he wants to go back to school when the holidays are over, maybe even before!

On our drive to school I asked him the above questions. I just simply used them in our conversation. I can't wait to hear about his day today. I'm not sure if it will have an obvious instant affect. I hope so. Even if there is no obvious tangible change, it really is a nice conversation to have with yourself, your husband and your children at the beginning of the day.

So what kind of day do you want to have today?

These trying times?

Each day, I hear more and more how people are 'struggling' and how 'business is slow'. Today on the news I heard our acting Prime Minister talking doom and gloom and economic crisis. Even people I know who are usually very positive are beginning to feel the negative pull into this kind of mentality. I appreciate that perhaps people aren't spending the way they used. I feel what we should be focusing on is what is good. If things are slow, are we doing everything we can to promote our business to others? Are we focused on growing our business or are we content with saying that business is slow and quiet. Let's not focus on what we don't want. If we have less jobs on than before, what do we want to have?

Here's some simple steps to get you focused in a positive way. Write a list of all the things we don't want to happen. Let's face it. It's easy to identify the things in our life we don't want. Now write a new list. Ask yourself (for each of those items on our 'what we don't want' list) so what do I want? Put that list up in a place where you will see it regularly. Do you need one for work and one for home? Focus on getting those things. Do you need to think about how you are going to go about getting those things? Perhaps an action plan or maybe even enlist the help of a friend, a partner or a coach to get those things happening in your life. Think about what you do want and get it!

An example:

I don't have many clients "So what do I want" I want more clients= What can I do to get more clients?

What you think you get!

I was sitting in my office, listening to a fabulous MP3 download by Jack Canfield (you know, the guy who wrote the 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' books) and I thought there is loads of great tips and ideas in there, maybe others want to listen. So here's the link: http://www.canfieldtrainings.com/free/listen.php

I downloaded it with the idea that I would listen to it when I had more time, started to listen to check that it had downloaded properly and then got captivated by it. Hope you enjoy it. It doesn't take long to download but it takes about an hour to listen. You could always save it for a rainy day-oh that's today!
Have a fantastic week!

What is a great holiday?

On the Queen's birthday long weekend, my family joined another family for a fabulous camping holiday. We left Saturday morning (very early......up at 4 am, on the barge by 6.30). We went camping at North Stradbroke Island for four days, returning home lunch time Tuesday. Fantastic weather, great company and campfires.....what more could you ask for.

While I was there, I was thinking about how relaxing it was and how I have always found camping relaxing even when I was a Bank Manager. I was thinking about how I used to find that the best holidays (best=the ones where I relaxed the most) were camping holidays. I didn't know then what I know now of course. I used to tell people that when I went camping I would relax straight away, whereas if I went to a unit or resort, I would just start to relax and it would be time to go.

Now, I would say, that in a completely different environment such as camping, nothing is routine. You are totally present even when you are washing up! You are more aware of your surrounds as there is nothing 'routine' about them. Even still now, I am completely relaxed when camping as soon as I get in the car to go there. Of course, I have learned skills to bring living in the present into my everyday life and so can feel equally 'un-stressed' at home in hectic times or at a resort.

But it is fantastic to have a short break, get in touch with nature and RELAX!

My Most Challenging Hour

Look out! I've worked out how to change my font colour!
I realised this morning, my most challenging hours of switching off my mind is in the middle of the night. For some reason, I was woken very early this morning (3 am) and paid a visit to the bathroom (too much information, I know). I went back to bed with full intentions of returning to slumber (isn't that what's on your mind at 3 am). No, it wasn't to be so. My mind was 'out of control' I guess you could say. It was having a tantrum, perhaps. It was going to be heard and no matter what I tried I could not return to slumber. One of the things my mind was involuntarily thinking about was my newsletter. And the other thing my mind was thinking about was the Gratitude Retreat for which I am on the committee. So I asked myself, 'Can I take action on either of these two things?'. Unfortunately, the answer I came up with was 'Yes' and here I am at 6.30 am. Been up since 4 am! It has been a very productive two hours, however. Did you receive my newsletter? And now you are reading my blog (and in blue font at that). Have you yet heard about my coaching special for the month of June(see below)? I bet the girls on the committee can't wait to see what I have cooked up for the Gratitude Retreat! And I have a wonderfully calm morning ahead of me with plenty of time to share with my family and be TOTALLY PRESENT! So maybe getting up at 4 am has many rewards. I'll let you know at 7 pm tonight! (or maybe I'll have a Power Nap for 10 mins sometime this arvo!) Well, as always, I hope you have a fantastic day. I know I will!
JUNE SPECIAL: If you start your coaching journey in the month of June, your investment will be half of what it normally is. If your journey starts with four hours, you will save yourself $130. I expect places will fill fast, so act now! If you have any questions please contact me, I'm happy to answer.

Creative space

I went away on a fabulous retreat last weekend. It was a scrapbooking retreat run by the lovely Ke-Ane at Direct Scrapbooking Warehouse. There is nothing better than creating for taking you to that place where you can just enjoy the present. To be creative, your mind really needs to be at the task to hand. You are easily able to stop your mind thinking about your worries and stresses and just relax and think only of your creation. It was very refreshing and inspiring and I came home very invigorated even though I had had little sleep. Thanks Ke-Ane and for my friend Sandra who suggested I go.

Trying it out

Well this week, I found myself attending an interview for the first time in about 20 years. There were 18 positions for which there were over 200 applicants. I was really determined to put my latest skills to the test. In the past I would have been extremely nervous coming up to the interview. From about 3 days before, really. You know, fequent toileting (too much information I know), not eating too much because of a queasy stomach, all the rest that goes with that type of anxiousness. So I stayed in the present. The only time I put any time into thinking about the interview was in the morning when I was preparing for it. I chose my plan of action, reread my application and then got ready. There was a tendancy every now and then to pre-empt what was going to happen (if only I had a crystal ball) but who knows. I thought about the positive outcome I wanted and then re-focused on what was happening right at that moment (good thing I did especially driving there!). Even throughout the interview, I stayed with the moment. Remaining calm, I found it much easier to actually focus and think more clearly than if I had of allowed myself to be nervous. I even went as far to remember about using body language to help build rapport. I walked out feeling great, not only about how the interview went but also about how much better I felt staying in the present. Who knows if I'll be the right person for the position, all I know is I gave it my best shot. Enjoy your weekend. I will! I'm off to create at a scrapbooking retreat.

In the end!

A wise person said to me this week, "you know you never hear anyone on their death bed saying Gee I wish I had of worked more!" How true is that? What people are usually saying is I wish I had spent more time with my ............(family, loved ones, friends, animals etc) or I wish I had of spent more time .............(camping, fishing, playing golf, talking with the kids, with the grandkids etc). These days more and more people are realising that it's not about how much you work or how hard you work, it's about how smart you work and what you do with your time when you are not at work. I'm sure we all know someone who, even if they aren't at work, they are still worrying or stressing about work or feeling guilty because they aren't at work. Or someone who started their own business so they could enjoy the things they wanted to enjoy, only to end working 20 hours a day and worrying the other four! Choose your thoughts. Don't worry, Be happy!

Peace & Calm

I was thinking today in the car about my next blog and I thought maybe I should expand on the headline 'Living a relaxed, calm life without changing a thing!'

When I speak with prospective clients, they sometimes say they would need to change their whole world. When mapping out with a client, what it is they want from their life and what they want to achieve in our coaching journey, most clients say they want to live a peaceful, calm life or they want to enjoy their family/life more. 'That's all I want', they say. They talk about the stresses in their life which mostly they are unable to change(e.g. their mortgage, how busy their business/career is, their hectic family life, etc) or wish not to change as it has it's rewards. The stress doesn't come from the mortgage, the business etc, it comes from what our minds create around that. And this is what I mean when I say you can live a calm and relaxed life without changing a thing (except your thoughts).

If you think about that in relation to the Law of Attraction belief that what you think about and focus on is what you attract, worry and stress just mean that you will get more of whatever you are worrying about and stressing about in your life. Great! Just what you need! Wouldn't you like to 'unworry' (to steal a phrase) and unstress-or putting it positively be relaxed and calm?

New to this!

I have started a blog as I am hoping to give tips and ideas about staying happy and enjoying life even in these tough times, or should I say especially in these tough times. Most of our life is spent worrying about things that have happened that we no longer can take action to prevent or change or worrying about things that may or may not happen in the future of which at this time we can take no action. What's the point of all this worry? It zaps our energy, it stops us from being truly happy and it churns us up. Wouldn't your life be much more enjoyable if, when you were playing with the kids you could actually BE playing with the kids instead of worrying or feeling guilty?
My quality of life has certainly become much more enjoyable and I could actually say I am now LIVING my life since my own personal coaching journey has taken me down the path of worrying and stressing less and enjoying each moment more. So stay tuned, or posted or whatever it is here.
Oh, remember to save my blog address in your favourites or become a follower so you can get regular updates, tips, etc.