Blog Revamp - Feedback?

Hello lovely readers!

Some of you might have noticed a slight change in the Savvy Sassy She blog page... This is still the temporary SSS home while I work with a fabulous friend on a 'proper' website but I just needed to make some immediate tweaks (did you notice the new pages??)

Do you like the colour/fonts etc? I'd really appreciate your feedback so I can make sure I bring the good stuff with me to the new site and leave the not so good stuff behind.

For those of you subscribers who are reading this in your email, here is the link directly to the blog: www.savvysassyshe.com

Thank you all!

Make it as you wish!
Arienne xo

www.weekinreview.me 30th March - 13th April

Hello big wide world (well, maybe just the three people that read this blog on a regular basis - jokes, I know there are really four),

This is a beautiful pic from where I am writing my week in review in Perth. I think I'm in Melville somewhere. I'm really not sure... I dropped my sister off so she can jump off cliffs into the Swan River and than climb back up rocks to do it all over again. I'm a pretty cool sister huh?! I am trying not to freak out about what could go wrong...Therefore I thought this could be a distraction...

I've been a little slack with my week in reviews lately. I have a few drafts that started to cover the last few weeks but hey, more interesting things have been going on so i let them slide and nobody died (yay!).

Went to a crafty brunch full of really interesting women! Got a cross-stitch pattern of a pic of The Man and I to craft up to give to his mum.
Wrote monthly dreams post
Formally registered Savvy Sassy She as a business operating in the physical world!
Mini yoga workshop at home for friend and The Man, showing them the basics.
The Man came to yoga. Life.Changing.Moment.
Shopping in Ashfield. Hello the chinese side of me!
Doggy park friends came over for dinner with Zander's best friend. Lovely couple and awesome pup
Workshop planning session x2 (check out my events page or www.savvysassyshe.eventbrite.com for more deets!)
Yoga heaps more times this fortnight!!! Go me during Easter :)
Dinner at gorgeous friends' place. After they told me they are moving back to Perth (booooooooooooo!)
Watched 'Real Steel' - pretty good - Hugh Jackman - what can I say?!
Zander's first birthday!!!!
Created flyer for birthday...
Revamped blog in preparation to blog awards that I thought I'd entered myself in (nope...I didn't)...
Coffee with super-interesting, like-minded friend
Flew to Perth (I'm here now)
Met really lovely air steward - there are some really lovely friendly people out there. Go Singaporeans!
Fabulous coaching session...
Joined in on Marketing meeting for mum's biz
Got through Friday the 13th without any evidence of superstitious stuff...
Amazing theta session with friend
Booked Paris accommodation through www.airbnb.com

Well that is the short overview of the last fortnight. Plenty of wonderful things going on. Lots and lots and lots to do. But they are all towards the creation of the life I want (though I'm enjoying a lot now, knowing i'm on my way!)

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Building Confidence - Adding a Notch to My Belt

Photo Credit

At yoga the other day I was confronted with a situation I noticed I was totally resisting...

The instructor was demonstrating with a partner how to do an assisted handstand that he wanted everyone to pair up and try.

The voices in my head went something like this:
"You've got to be kidding me. I can't do that."
"I don't have enough strength."
"I have to pair up with a stranger and show them how I can't do it?"
"I don't want to look around and catch anyone's eyes."
"Of course he can make it look so easy, he;s been doing it for years."
"How can he expect us to do that?"
"I'll never be able to do it. Maybe I should give up yoga altogether?"
"I wonder if anyone would notice if I sneaked out of the room right now?"
"If I'm reacting like this does it mean I'm a chicken?"
"Yup, it means I'm a failure! I will never be able to succeed at anything in life..."
"I never do anything well. And even if I even try I will just stumble and crush some poor little yogi underneath my mammoth body..."
"Shit...he's finishing the demonstration...the door is only 3 metres away..."


Then, through the momentum of everyone starting to move and pair up I locked eyes (whoops!) with this fit looking girl about a head shorter than me - she smiled and started walking in my direction...

Then I gave in - better than resisting right?? She introduced herself and I warned her that I didn't really have confidence in being able to pull the position off and apologised in advance if I toppled her over. Brave woman that she was she still wanted to give it a go with me!

I offered for her to go up first with me assisting and she gracefully arched into position and went up into a perfect handstand. I was super impressed and told her so.

Then it was my turn. Buoyed by her success but still caught up in the distrust of my ability I reluctantly arched into position. She supported my shoulders and told me to start lifting my legs. I hopped up a little and my feet landed back on the ground. Another bunny hop and I could feel my face filled with blood and effort.

I stood up and said I didn't know if I would get it but that I'd have one more try since we were there anyway...

Deep breath, hands down, positioned outer shoulder width apart, core in, legs lifting, trusting in her support. Then...

SUCCESS

I was in an assisted handstand! My legs splayed wide, then came together again. Then I splayed them wide again just for fun and then brought them in to touch! WOW! I was in control of it. I DID IT! I was basking in my headstand glory! My red face was grinning wildly! I wanted to stay up here forever.

My mind was officially blown...

After all that blah blah bullshit that was raging on in my monkey mind, I managed something that I clearly didn't believe was possible for me at that time.

In that moment something shifted. I gained an understanding that I can do things I never thought I would be able to. I looked at the different situations that I am currently facing and it gave me renewed strength to tackle the daunting tasks I've set for myself.

From that experience I have gained a valuable amount of confidence. The issues that I am 'freakin' out' about I am much more willing to give a good old go with.

Maybe they'll be just like that handstand. Something I thought was impossible, but with some effort perhaps success will show up again...

What are you thinking is impossible in your life SSSs?
Make it as you wish!
Arienne
xo 

PS. A few months ago I thought the below position (wheel) was impossible for me. I worked on it and can now do it. Another notch on my confidence belt!

Photo Credit

Life is Like A Bus (and a box of chocolates)

Found On

My bus analogy for life's crap...

I was catching the bus a lot while making my daily commute to the admin office (aka the twilight zone and unfortunately not in the vampire kind of way) last year. While sitting there with handbag and jacket piled on me and crossing my legs and balancing my iPad on top of aforementioned mountain of things, I felt the sway and force of every corner.

I noticed that the more I tried to right myself against the turns the more I thought I was going to topple over. On the other hand, if I relaxed and just let the turns move me, I never fell off my seat and the ride became a lot more comfortable (well, except perhaps for the person sitting next to me).

Such a small thing, but I gained such an insight into a life parallel:

Lean into the curves life throws at you. 

By going with it, rather than fighting against it, the experience is actually shorter and smoother.

You might have experienced it when having to do a project you don't like but have to do. Or you might have been faced with a change 'forced upon you' (job redundancy, relationship breakup). By 'resisting' it, you make the process a lot more difficult for yourself and it becomes a longer-term shadow hanging over you.

On a deeper level you may be resisting some issue (fear, problem relationship, health concern) going on by ignoring it or suppressing it. Then,when it rears its not-so-pretty head it becomes a much bigger, painful issue than if you had tackled it head on.

Yes, the situation may be painful or uncomfortable but by refusing to accept it it can become a more drawn out, challenging time than if you surrendered into the experience.

Which leads me to a saying that I can now totally relate to:

"What you resist persists" - Carl Jung

How have you experienced this in your life? Have you had other instances where you've flowed through something, even though it was tough and nipped it in the bud? What was the outcome like?

So next time an issue arises, see if you are resisting it. Or if you could surrender into it and play with it a little to have a better experience through a challenging time. Remember how fun the game 'corners' was in the car when you were younger?? It's like that - lean into the curves. Life's more fun that way...

Ride life like a bus SSSs!
Arienne xo

Happy Birthday Puppy Dearest

Zander 'The Puppy Love Of Our Lives' turned a big ONE on the 8th April 2012!

We were going to take him kayaking on the Central Coast, but the weather wasn't the best so instead we dressed him up with a lei and took him down to the park with balls, treats and camera.

The three of us frolicked in the water, were models posing for pictures and played 'doggie in the middle' with Zander's favourite ball.

Zander's Party Outfit

I created a flyer in honour of him reaching yhis milestone...http://www.smore.com/zander-s-first-birthday

And no, we didn't sing Happy Birthday to him silly billies, that would have been going too far...

April 2012 Dreams/March Review

So many fabulous and exciting things going on! Although time is flying I want to ensure that I am doing what is important to me and enjoying the process!

APRIL DREAMS

1. Enjoy family and friend time in Perth
2. Run sales training for a business in Perth
3. Confirm the friends house/pet sitting for us in May
4. Yoga 3xweek until I go to Paris!
5. Sister time in Sydney
6. Graphic Design brief completed 
7. Book flights for cousin's wedding in Singapore
8. Finalise Paris accommodation
9. Celebrate Zander's first birthday on 8th April
10. Balance due for Art & Yoga retreat
11. Plan activities for France/Hungary
12. Start creating gifts for The Man's family and friends
13. SSS website - I have to do it!!!!!
14. Announce collaborative workshop dates - oh so excitement!
    

MARCH REVIEW

1. Celebrate the Man's birthday - Nicely celebrated!
2. Book accommodation in Paris - We've sent out a few requests and waiting to hear back. Using www.airbnb.com
3. Organise sister and her boyfriend to come and visit us in Paris(i meant Budapest!) (are you reading this Liane?!) - My sister obviously read this as they have booked a weekend with us!
4. Hold last focus group and move forward! Done!
5. Develop my workshop plan and set date (scary exciting) - the original workshop has changed and there is an announcement coming shortly - flyer is pretty much ready!
6. Develop my website (a huge thank you to Bartek (of Evonet & Our Honeymoon Registry) for his offer of technical expertise). Haven't done too much of this but it is my focus over the next couple of weeks as it is super important - I just need to play around a little
7. Start Wedding planning (maybe just try on a dress or two...see above) I tried on some BEAUTIFUL dresses and have gotten more in the mood. We really need to decide when and where so we can send the save the dates!
8. Take part in the International Women's Day 10thousandgirl Opp Swap on Sunday 4th March. Looking forward to finding some treasures while I work! Done and I did find a couple of treasures.
9. I won a ticket to the fabulous Women as Entrepreneurs WE WIN (Women helping Women in Need) event for International Women's Day on March 8th (get your tickets here!) Had a great evening and The Man even came along!
10. Organise garage sale for end of March Now we're piggy-backing onto the suburb-wide one in the middle of April. Final decluttering over Easter!
11. Clear up the clutter in the different rooms of the house (and use for the garage sale!)I've gotten through a couple of rooms and bookselves - a good start!
12. And one of the most important things is that I am declaring this the month of ME and Savvy Sassy She I did do a little bit more for me!

Ch..Ch...Changes and Patience

There is a lot of change going on in my life. Changes that I am responsible for and excited about but that also can be exhausting!

I have been working towards a lot in the area of my career and business. Wonderful things have started to take seed and build momentum. People and things are appearing to help me, to support me and show me that this life I am building is right.

Sometimes through all of this (even though I know in my heart of hearts that I am heading in the right direction) I still have those vulnerable moments. Those moments where self doubt surfaces. Where I ask if I am enough to help others. Where I question if this is worth all the 'stuff' we have to go through to be the master of our own destiny!

I had one of those days this week. Then, literally the first picture I saw the next morning was an illustration about not giving up during the struggle. The FIRST thing I saw when I opened up good old facebook as I started to wake up to the day. Wow! I truly believe that wasn't a coincidence. I choose to recognise that as a sign of something amazing supporting me.

It reminded me that I need to be patient with myself. That even though I have planted seeds and am tending vigorously to my garden, it will take time for my flowers to blossom - to build myself and my business up. That some of the people I have been comparing myself to have been in business for years. That just because you start working out, it doesn't mean you will see results straight away..

A lot is happening at once - which is absolutely wonderful. But I just need to breathe through some of it. I'm also being more understanding with myself - that even though I plan for a lot, it doesn't always all HAVE to happen now. Yes, I have to work hard, but I can work hard in a way that helps me, not in a way that overwhelms and negatively effects me.

I'm proud that there are some extremely important things than I have managed to maintain amidst the craziness. I'm sooooo proud that I've maintained regular workouts because I know how important that is to my general health and how much stronger I then am to deal with everything that goes on.

So this week I am reminding myself of the positive things I can do that will support me - exercise, spend quality time with quality people, setting up the 3 most important things to complete each day and take positive action towards them and giving myself only 2-3 outcomes for the week.

And I'm aware of not doing the things that ultimately hinder me - overscheduling/overcommitting myself to others, planning in too many tasks for myself then getting into overwhelm and doing 'busy' work that really gets me nowhere.

What are you doing that supports you and are you aware of the things that can hinder you in the upcoming week?

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo