10 Minute Trips: The Wheel of Life - Where you at Girlfriend?

Ahoy Adventuresses! Let's go on a Ten Minute Trip into your Life!

The image above shows The Wheel of Life, a really powerful exercise. It will provide you with a birdseye snapshot of where you are in the big areas, at this moment in time.

I often use this with my clients as it provides a clear starting point of where they are at and starts to provide them with insights of where they want to go, where there is balance (or lack of balance!), where they are happy and where their priorities lay.

We don't need to get into that much detail in 10 minutes, so we'll be using this tool to see where you're at now girlfriend!

Ready to take off?! Take some action!

1. Grab a blank piece of paper and draw a circle with a dot in the middle and 11 spokes coming out.
2. Label each of the spokes as per the image above with the different sections:

• Love - Your romantic relationship. Your lovelife. How happy you are in your relationship, looking for a relationship or flying as a solo superwoman.
• Family - How your relationship is with your family? Your immediate members - siblings, parents, children.
• Social/Friendships - How are you feeling around your social activities and friendships?
• Health/Fitness - Where are you at with your health and fitness in your physical body?
• Self Image/Love - Self confidence, self esteem, self talk. How are you feeling towards yourself?
• Spiritual - Your connection to The Universe/God/Higher Power/Something Bigger
• Giving Back - Your contribution back to society - volunteering, donations, charity
• Finance - Money levels, financial understanding, savings, budget, investing
• Career/Business - your studies, job or role, your career path
• Fun/Hobbies/Interests - Do you have and spend time on things that are fun and add to your life?
• Personal Development/Growth - your growth as a whole person - emotionally, intellectually, physically spiritually
• ? - I left a question mark in case you wanted to add an area of your own that is important - ie creativity, surroundings (the physical environment you're in). 

3. Now, rate each section from 1-10. 

'1' being 'holy-moly, it's crap, a schmozzle I tells ya.' 

'10' being 'blissly divine, so freaking amazing, I'm rocking this area!'

The one is in the center of the wheel and the ten is the outer rim.

Don't over think it! Just start at one spoke and go around the sections putting an 'X' where you feel you are now. Be honest, you can't lose anything and you won't get a gold star for all 10s,  you'll get more out of the exercise with your truthfulness

4. If you want you can connect the dots and it looks like a web and you can clearly see the peaks and troughs.

It is such a simple but eye opening activity! Step one is done!

If you want to take it to the next level, start jotting down or thinking why you gave the score that you did to a particular area.

I'll go into more details next week for our next 10 Minute Trip.

Make it as you wish Adventuresses!
Arienne

Goals? Resolutions? Just Have Some!

Having a direction in life is very important to me. It gives purpose to my everyday. It gathers my thoughts, gives me a reason to get up each morning and puts a skip in my step!

Part of this overall picture is having goals. Little goals. Big goals. Goals that will help me make a difference. Goals that will help me live a better life for myself and those around me.

Writing them down is a big part of the steps towards achieving them. So go and write!

At the end of the day, it is about having a focus and steadily working towards, enjoying the process along the way, making my life 'bigger' and bringing me personal satisfaction!

This great infographic was sent to me via someone at OnlineEducation.net and I just had to share.

What do you think? Do you have goals? Are they helpful? What are you working towards?

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

The Power of Intention

Found On

The idea of Intention has been floating around my world for a while. I have absolutely realised the power of setting intentions for the big and the small things in my life.

When you set a conscious intention for a meeting, a holiday, a night out or for your year, your subconscious starts focussing you on things that can help achieve it.

Speaking with a friend the other day, she told me that when she set up her business she set an intention of making a salary of $70,000 in her first year of operation. The result after 12 months was something like $69,900. Pretty amazing huh?!

So what intentions are you setting?

Make it as you wish SSS!
Arienne xo

How to: Review Your Year and Create the 12 Months Ahead

 Found On

Sometimes we charge through the year. Time flies and we can't even remember what we did last week let alone last month.

We're on automatic pilot just doing, doing, doing.

Running from one to-do to the next. Meeting deadlines. Scrambling around last minute for things.
Sure, there may have been some fun holidays, great dinners with friends, nights out (that you, ahem, may not remember) and you went to that gym class. But then you realise that the year has passed and you didn't achieve x, y OR z.

And what the hell was this year about anyway? What did you really do?

Sound familiar? Feel familiar? Imagine going through the rest of your life like this - Not clear on what was good or bad. Not having the highlights jump out at you. Not seeing the lessons so you could make it better the next time round. Not really reaching or achieving anything that is important to you.

Icky isn't it!

One of our favourite concepts at 10thousandgirl is that you spend time planning a party, a house renovation, a garage sale, your shopping list and the wedding, but how much time do you spend planning your life?

It is simple to change but it takes effort...

Bringing some attention to what you have achieved! Pat yourself on the back for accomplishing something. Review the events, highlights and lessons learned in the previous 12 months. This can be done at any time - not just at the end of the year.

Then create priorities and intentions for the year. Focus on what is important. Set goals. Put plans in place to reach them. Have fun. Celebrate milestones. Then look forward to reviewing the year with a greater sense of satisfaction and joy.

To help you do this Zoe Lamont and I put together (drum roll please!):

The Little Book of Year In Year Out Goodness!
 
Download the Free Review Your Year and Create the 12 Months Ahead Workbook

It's a series of fun exercises to help you gain clarity and purpose around the year ahead after processing the reflections from the past 12 months. The booklet covers areas such as:
     Reviewing the events and highlights of 2011;
     Collating in one place the things you are grateful for;
     Building or amending your bucket list;
     Reassessing your goals and creating new ones for the upcoming year;
     Setting your intention and priorities for 2012;

Here’s to a 2011 that taught us a lot and to a 2012 that will be packed with whatever you want it to be!

Print it out and brainstorm away - follow the exercise, fill in the blanks.

Make it what you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

Dreams come True (sort of)...

So I checked in with my 101 Things To Do In My Fabulous List post recently to cross off what I have accomplished and review what was on there (yes, I know there are still only 95 items on the list!).

While gazing out into the backyard yesterday, I realised that one of the things on my list was done.

"36. Have a beautiful garden full of blooming flowers and 3 water features"

  

Well, sort of done. But not quite in the way I envisaged originally.

Here are my blooming flowers!

And my three water features??
Well, my post yesterday shows two of them (the two pools) and then I have a fountain (AKA mosquito breeding ground).

So I am grateful and thankful that I received what I wished for!

Though now I'm learning that I need to be more specific:

"36. A beautiful english garden with blooming flowers and a luscious lawn and three water features that have flowing water and give gorgeous, aesthetic, tranquil ambiance."

What do you need to get more specific about in your goals and dreams?

Make it as you wish SSSs!

Arienne xo

I'm Making The Leap

Photo Credit

For years the Universe has been pushing and prodding me in a certain direction and while I have taken some heed of it, I've made the changes half-heartedly.

Always with one foot still in the status quo. In the 'safety' of what is 'normal' or what I 'should' be doing. But that safety never lasted long. Things keep rearing up and slapping me in the face to show me that I can't stay that way. They make me so uncomfortable that I can't help but do something drastic.

I have to stand up, take a deep breath and leap into what is authentic for me.

I know when I do that, the Way, the Path, will show up. When I am committed to my authentic direction, the Universe will help me.

So I am walking to that cliff edge, knowing the 'what' but not exactly knowing the 'how'.

I trust that the how will show up.

So come with me as my tentative steps become determined strides.

Let's jump!

Arienne's 101 Things to Do in Her Fabulous Life (My Bucket List)

Photo Credit

So I thought I would share with you my 101 list. I have to say it is a bit daunting putting it out there! There are big things and small things on there. There are things that will take a while to achieve and others that have already been started. There are serious things and frivolous things. There are things that will make a difference in other people's lives and things that will make an impact on my immediate surrounds. There are things that are specific and things that are ongoing. I think it is a pretty good mix!

Please note it is a work in progress and this is my list at 12th April 2011. I haven't reached 101 items yet and I know there are more amazing things to go on there!

1. Go on a dog sleigh ride
2. Have a TV show
3. Meet Oprah
4. Publish a book that becomes a best seller
5. To have a perfectly organised home – everything in its place
6. Start and maintain a family tradition- 16 Nov 2011 Started a family recipe book
7. Have a fabulous white pants suit
8. Sing a jazz song to an audience in a red dress
9. Create photo albums of all important photos
10. Design, build and decorate my dream home
11. Fly first class on a long haul flight
12. Breathe freely
13. Be amazingly fit and healthy on my 30th birthday- 17 May 2011
14. Accumulate assets of > $5million
15. Visit the Maldives
16. Stay in a Bora Bora villa over the water
17. Go diving/snorkelling in Exmouth
18. Run a marathon I've realised I don't really want to do this!!!
19. Stay in a villa in Tuscany for at least 2 months
20. Have at least two children
21. Marry the love of my life - Step 1 done! Engaged on 28th Dec 2011
22. Be a keynote speaker to an important crowd
23. Be interviewed for a magazine
24. Have beautiful artwork adorn my walls
25. Paint a picture I’m truly proud of and hang it in a prime position in my home.
26. Have an extended period living in Paris
27. Take beautiful photos with an SLR camera May 2011
28. Have a romantic beach escapade
29. Do a hot air balloon ride
30. Have my own business that helps others inspire and create
31. Sponsor a child or village or regular provide microloans
32. Be the most amazing mother and grandmother
33. Go on an art retreat - Scheduled May 2012 with Kimberly Wilson Done May 2012
34. Go on a meditation/spiritual retreat a la Eat Pray Love
35. Go on a solo holiday
36. Have a beautiful garden full of blooming flowers and 3 water features
37. Go on a tree top holiday with zip lines
38. Have a dog - The wonderful Zander entered our lives in June 2011
39. Surround myself with things I love at home – that are gorgeous, inspirational and eye opening
40. Organise a fabulous party in someone’s honour
41. Have a dream picnic
42. Make a real difference in peoples’ lives – large and small
43. Be great mentor to someone
44. Speak German fluently
45. Speak French fluently
46. Become Australian
47. Become better at archery
48. Regularly write on a popular blog
49. Have my own website a la Kimberly Wilson
50. Swim in a waterfall
51. Own a convertible
52.  Visit Hungary  June 2012
53. Start a foundation for something I believe in
54. Have a fabulous mentor
55. Meet and really connect with one of my mentors May 2012
56. Learn to sew both by hand and with a sewing machine
57. Tape my father’s stories
58. Let my parents really know how much they mean to me
59. Create a book of family recipes contributed to by the immediate and extended family
60. Learn how to make delicious dumplings February 2012
61. Meditate daily
62. Have a night of stargazing and find the constellations
63. Have a beautiful view of the water out of my window at home
64. Have multiple sources of passive income
65. Go white water rafting
66. Go hang gliding
67. Visit the Maldives or Seychelles
68. Participate in La Tomatina 
69. Fly a kite
70. Respond don’t react
71. Join a Toastmaster group
72. Receive a standing ovation
73. Celebrate each significant birthday with a bang!
74. Life a more scheduled life to minimise wasted busy time
75. Have a beautiful, workable, practical diary
76. Be an active part of a like-minded inspiring community
77. Have some photos taken of me that I really love
78. Dance in the rain and get saturated again
79. Take a long train trip with beautiful views
80. Snowshoe
81. Be a tourist in Sydney
82. Take the road less travelled
83. Write my amazing memoir of living an extraordinary life
84. Try laughter yoga
85. Create a popular podcast
86. Make regular contributions to the global community
87. Master my mind
88. Create a wonderful wardrobe and style
89. Create a balanced life full of inspiration
90. Continue a life of continous self improvement
91. Regularly reflect on my life and lessons
92. Be a great friend to those around me
93. Regularly fill my well
94. Update my vision board
95. Create a portable business that makes a difference
96. Walk over the Anzac Bridge
97. Walk over the Harbour Bridge

What does yours look like?

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo 

Shower Power

 

I wish I could look more like the lady above and less like a drowned rat when in the shower. Maybe I should start wearing lipstick as I am scrubbing down...

Photo Credit

So, I had a very powerful shower on Sunday. Strange I know! But it is truly a place for thinking, for problem-solving, for dreaming and setting intentions. So much so that I am going to put a shower-proof writing pad on my wishlist :)

Why was it such a powerful shower do you ask?

Well, I had two clear intentions pop up in my head...
1. That I wanted to meet some interesting women that I could interview for the podcast
2. That I should talk to Dad about actually starting the memoirs he's been talking about for years.

Well, I'm sure you can guess.

Yes. I started to meet really interesting women (and it is only Tuesday morning!). On Sunday evening I went to a friend's birthday gathering. The friend's sister was up visiting from Melbourne. Lou is a fabulous young going through some really interesting life overhaul changes and is moving to India. Bingo, I asked if she would be interested in being my first interviewee and she said yes!

Then last night, I put on my artistic outfit and trotted out to visit a friend's father's photographic exhibition.

My Artistic Look last night - Flower Power and looking a bit vampy!

 The photos were beautiful double exposures of leaves and Sydney scenery. It really inspired me to get cracking with a camera. I've found that you do look at the world quite differently when you think of it in frames.

Anyway, I met another interesting young woman who has come back from a holiday in Morocco, Dubai and Thailand who is an interior designer. We had a chat about her views on going back to study, design and the impact it can have on people. So voila, I have sourced another lady to interview!

Then on Monday morning, Daddy-O came downstairs and said that he is going to start working on his book!

So there you go - those Sunday shower intentions were powerful!!!! And I didn't even do it that consciously. So what will happen if I do??

What are you putting out there? Do you use the shower for dreaming, planning and setting intentions?

Make it as you wish SSSs!

Arienne xo

The Speeeeeeeeeeeech!

Putting my best foot forward :)

Well. The Speech. Some of you may have been reading the lead up to the event with these posts (feel free to read for the first time or for a refresh!):

23rd January 2011 - Post
8th February 2011 - Post
15th February 2011 - Post

The day of The Speech started off extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeemly early. Bosslady was picking me up from my house at 5.50am (and I hadn't fully packed the night or days before because we had our massive launch event on the night before and I was up practicing the speech I hadn't looked at since the Toastmasters practice run) so we could drive to Canberra for a 9.15am arrival.

It was quite a fun drive down since we were both trying to practice and drive and give pointers and discuss what to expect (and the nerves were slowly building in me...). Bosslady has done a few talks, but this was my first one in front of a 'crowd' of people that I didn't know.

We arrived in Canberra with what we thought was plenty of time to spare. Until we hit Canberra morning peak hour traffic. So we ended up actually arriving at 9.45am for a 10am start to the International Women's Day talk that we were the main event for.

Then technology didn't work as well as we thought it would. Typical!

But the people that greeted us were wonderful. Warm, friendly and engaging. Women started coming into the room and filling out the seats and it was great to see that it was a pretty good turn out.

Very soon it was Bosslady's time to be introduced. She did fabulously and I almost (almost) forgot that I was up next. The audience seemed really connected with what she was speaking about and there was a great Q&A session.

All of a sudden it was my turn. I admit I had a bit of a shaky start by going blank for the longest 3 seconds I'd experienced in a long time. I felt my voice was really rattling when I actually started speaking, but then I broke the ice by speaking from the heart - that I was really nervous because it was my first time speaking in front of an audience but that I hoped that they would bear with me. And I managed to get into the swing of it and adapt the prepared speed to the room and the timing.

And it went great (at least for a first timer!). There was eye contact and nodding from some individuals in the audience. I felt like I was speaking and they were actually listening (yippeee!). I got a nice round of applause and Bosslady was happy too.

Overall it was a great experience and I would really love to be up in that sort of space again. I think I could fall in love with speaking. So watch out, I may be shouting at you from a podium one of these days...

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

Reconnecting with My Dreams

I always find that the busier I am in one part of my life, the less I connect with my overall dreams and goals. I feel the need to make some space to reconnect with the big picture right now amidst this frantic pace.

This lesson comes to me time and time again. That the busy moments are the moments I need to have my schedule and routine together to ensure that I am tracking with things that are most important to me. Otherwise they get lost in the doing sphere of one area.

During these busy times date night, exercise, my focus on relationships, on other interests and activities go out the window. Of course we all have weeks where certain priorities take precedence over others.

And then the minute you don't have things scheduled that feeling of overwhelm creeps up where all the other things I should have done or should be doing rear their head. And I feel frozen in inactivity while my mind churns. Where shall I start? What should I do? Is this thing more important than that? Wait, they're all important...

The mental battle of spending some quality time with The Man (who I feel I have neglected a little, and feel even worse for because I also go away for five days next week including his birthday...Poor boy :( ) and sitting at the laptop to churn away on The Week in Review, Things I Love Thursday and February Review/March dreams. And the struggle between going to Yoga with a gal pal and sitting down and shifting through my finances. Between setting myself up healthily and sitting down to do some work to get a jump start on next week. To trying to clean the kitchen, do the laundry and working out job description roles and salary scales...

Can I fit all of that into the Sunday I have left and still feel refreshed and on top of things for a Monday of a crazy week ahead (coordinating workshops, doing the many final details for our launch event, going to Canberra and then Wagga for workshops and speeches, celebrating The Man's birthday a bit early, enjoying a relatively quiet hen's night out, having some meetings and doing all the other day to day work and trying to catch up from last week). Phew...

There are only so many things we can realistically do, so is it fair to beat ourselves up when we don't achieve them all? Plus ensure that we are looking after ourselves and ensuring that we are giving our souls the nourishment they need?

What a journey our lives are ladies!

So I'm going to pen this, go to yoga, come back and clean the kitchen and do some laundry. Spend some quality time with The Man. Reconnect with my dreams, plan the week ahead. Anything else will be a bonus. And I'm not going to be too hard on myself.

How do you feel during these times? What do you do?

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

We Toast What?

So, Toastmasters...not quite this:

 Getting a little closer...:

 That's what I'm talking about! Toastmasters - the public speaking type!

A little while ago I wrote this post on synchronicity in relation to a series of events about public speaking (phew, almost wrote pubic speaking...I know you've got an image in your mind right now...)

Anyway, I read somewhere that people fear public speaking more than they fear death. Interesting... While my skills are okay with orating to an audience, I don't do it very often and I get really, really, really nervous before hand. If I know my topic really, really, really, well, it is okay (not superb), but if I don't I go a little blank. Plus I feel I ummm and ahhh and stumble over my words a lot.

So I'm heading to my local Toastmasters' meeting tonight to see what it's all about. Supposedly you should attend a few different localities to see which one you really gel with. I'm wondering who goes to these things? Will I be in a room full of awkward social misfits? Will they be...old? Or will they be lovely people who like to talk? Elderly? Young? Interesting? Passionate? I really don't know what to expect! So I go with bated breath (I am actually really looking forward to it) and I will update this post with how it goes. Wish me luck!

Update: It was great! There were a heap of newbies. All around their late 20s-30s. There were a few older people who have spent many years involved. Welcoming, warm. I even got up and did an impromtu one minute speech and they will help with the Big Speech coming up. I'm going back. So once a fortnight I'll be attending. Yay! And not a slice of bread in sight.

February Dreams/January Review

So, what is this picture about? We associate stars with dreams and goals. Not quite sure why, but its a pretty pic huh?!

Anyway, with the start of the year behind me and returning to Sydney to start the year off properly I have to say I didn't do as well with my January Dreams and new habits as I would have liked.

I wrote in my January Dreams post about a few things that that I wanted to implement for 2011 that would enhance my year. I've been on and off with them during this month... What I wanted to do was:

• Take a photo every day of the year
• Have a one sentence journal for 365 days of the year that I have on my computer desk top
• Write my morning pages in my diary
• Do my monthly dreams and review
• Write a week in review

I've been pretty good with the last two, however the first three are happening in fits and bursts. But that is also better than nothing!

My dreams for January were:
1. Find a personal trainer that is aligned, motivational and educational; POSTPONED
2. Enjoy a girly weekend away for Chloe’s birthday - DONE but we had an amazing couple's weekend away instead, it was magical
3. Cut down on cigarettes - IN PROGESS - some days are better than others.
4. Get my goals for 2011 written down and action plans created - SEMI-DONE I've done it for the main ones regarding my health
5. Create a vision board for 2011 - NOT DONE yet...
6. Streamline my office systems – files and desk space - NOT DONE yet...
7. Confirm routines and put in organiser - DONE
8. Implement routine - DONE but I need to maintain!
9. Enjoy rest of holiday with family in Switzerland - DONE and awesome it was
10. Start putting together the new family tradition of individual’s questions and photos for the year - IN PROGRESS - so I've started, but not furthered it yet
11. Include vision pictures in organiser - DONE - but for January only. I've ripped out the picture for February, but not stuck it in yet
12. Enjoy flying premium economy London to Sydney - DONE - how can I go back to economy?!
13. Decide of personal insurances and start implementing financial plan
14. Create a workable budget for 2011

So my dreams for next month:

1. Attend my first Toastmaster's meeting
2. Organise the first Steering Committee meeting for 2011
3. Start my one month trial on Raw Food (more on this to come!)
4. Celebrate an authentic Valentine's Day
5. Attend Dale Beaumont Seminar
6. Maintain daily routine for 5 straight days
7. Get on top of my finances - receipts, bills, budget
   
8. Sort through paperwork in office
9. Tackle the upstairs bookshelf - clean out the old magazines and work books
10. Dream with The Man about our shared future and put down some tangible joint goals

Well that's it for the moment.

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

Photo Credit

Start Here! SSSs Areas of Life

I'm constantly coming up with different ways to break our lives into areas so we can have a clear overview of what to pay attention to. It may not be all encompassing, but I think it captures most of the important parts of our lives. It may need to be rejigged for different people, but I've created 13 different areas.

I've then decided to break the different blog labels into these 13 different areas. At least for the moment. Who knows, I might rejig it once a better system is made clear to me!

The 13 areas in no real order are:

1. Physical Health - diet, exercise, hydration, vitamins, checkups
   
2. Emotional Health - stress, meditation, sleep, emotions, self confidence
   
3. Self Care - beauty regimes, hair, makeup, style, fashion
   
4. Relationships: Partner - love, dating
   
5. Relationships: Family - parents, siblings, extended family, traditions
   
6. Relationships: Friends - BFFs, socialising
   
7. Finance - budgeting, savings, investments, spendings, net worth
   
8. Professional - entrepreneur, path, career
   
9. Giving - volunteering, donating
   
10. Spiritual - gratitude, rituals, the universe/source/god
    
11. Surroundings - home, car, clutter
    
12. Interest & Activities - hobbies, travel, reading, crafting
    
13. Personal Development - books, habits, courses, creating confidence
    

If I've left out an area or if you need any clarification let me know at savvysassyshe[at]gmail[dot]com.

Out of this, I've created a 1 A4 page that summarises what I want to do in each of these areas for 2011. I put a picture of myself on the page as well to envision myself doing it. Then I print it out and put it on the wall above my desk as well as in my organiser that I refer to all the time. Look at it everyday to ensure you're staying on track and that all your actions are bringing you somehow closer to them.

I've posted this below - sorry the formatting is all squiff!!:

My Major Objective for 2011:

Master my Health

My Life Purpose:

To Build Confidence and Inspire In Others Positive Actions in Style

My Action Question:

In How Many Ways can I Continue to Build Confidence and Inspire Positive Action in Others?

My Master Skill:

Taking action and the Cycle of Completion

Physical Health –Exercise 5x week –Breathe Freely by March –Plan my meals 1x week –Massage 1x fortnight	Emotional Health –Write daily in my morning pages to work thru things –Stop and breathe regularly – 2x day	Self Care – Have a pamper session 1x month –Regular Hair, Nails, Beautician upkeep
Finance – Automate my systems –Implement my financial plan –Live & track a workable budget	Professional – Embrace activities out of my comfort zone and learn –Deal with things once –Be confident in my decisions and activities –Be a great manager	Giving – Give regular microloans – Give time, energy and attention to what/who is in front of me
Spiritual – Proactively give gratitude 2x day –Maintain open communication –Practice compassion	Interests and Activities –Artist’s Date 1x fortnight –Plan & save next European Adventure by September – Spend time in artistic creativity 1x fortnight –Adventure away 4x year	Surroundings – Declutter 5mins/day –Start collecting inspiring & beautiful things around –Stay organised –Clean car properly every quarter
Relationships – Partner – Have a date night 1x week –discuss thoughts and feelings 1x week –Really celebrate occasions	Relationships – Family – Have a Sissy Skype catchup 1x month –Call and email Dad 1x fortnight –Call mum 1x month –Have family dinner 1x week	Relationships – Friends – Plan interesting activities 4x year –Be in contact with distant friends 1x month via phone or email esp. for occasions
Personal Development – Read 1x book a month – Create happiness project	Principles – Focus – Complete tasks – Put things away	Track and Measure – 365 day journal – Photo a day – Schedule in Organiser

Make it as you wish SSSs!
xo

January Dreams

A new year, a new start! I know we can reinvent ourselves any time we want, but new years seems like such a great new start!

I’m in Switzerland again and taking the opportunity of the relative peacefulness to reorganise myself. It’s been wonderful not having a real time limit on sorting myself out!

The pictures above are a bit of a snapshot of my time here – lovely friends and family and beautiful surroundings of a winter wonderland:

• Friends and sisters in a Swiss Winter Wonderland
• Winter Wonderland
• The fireplace and christmas decorations at the chalet
• Me in red with the polka dot milk jug I adore

I’ve done some wonderful things that I feel really good about so far:

• I did a really comprehensive 2010 review with my top 20, doing the Reverb10 questions and a few more general questions.
• I’ve been working on my 101 bucket list
• Working on different goal areas of my life and focussing on health and relationships as my main two areas for 2011.
• Looked at routines to ensure I’m keeping myself on track towards the important things in my life.

And I thought I would start with the Monthly dreams and review again. And there are a few ways that I want to capture my year and activities. Doing my 2010 review really made me see that I didn’t have an easy way to collect the important things of my year, so perhaps rather challengingly I’ve decided to have:

• Take a photo every day of the year
• Have a one sentence journal for 365 days of the year that I have on my computer desk top
• Write my morning pages in my diary
• Do my monthly dreams and review
• Write a week in review

My dreams for January are:
1. Find a personal trainer that is aligned, motivational and educational;
2. Enjoy a girly weekend away for Chloe’s birthday
3. Cut down on cigarettes
4. Get my goals for 2011 written down and action plans created
5. Create a vision board for 2011
6. Streamline my office systems – files and desk space
7. Confirm routines and put in organiser
8. Implement routine
9. Enjoy rest of holiday with family in Switzerland
10. Start putting together the new family tradition of individual’s questions and photos for the year
11. Include vision pictures in organiser
12. Enjoy flying premium economy London to Sydney
13. Decide of personal insurances and start implementing financial plan
14. Create a workable budget for 2011

Happy January!
Make it as you wish

October Dreaming

Happy Octoberfest! Though I didn't really celebrate Octoberfest this year, I at least had a beer :)

So, my October dreams (and once again it is the middle of October and I started this post on the 1st October and only posting it now!). I found this month quite difficult to come up with a list, but I think that is because of starting the new job, I'm not really sure how things are going to work during the week. I guess I will know a little more in the coming weeks.

1. Continue declutter and organisation of home
2. Start new work routine
3. Rent out apartment in Perth
4. Start and maintain exercie routine
5. Smooth into new work routines
6. Sort through receipts
7. Create workable filing and workflows
8. Create happiness project

(and because I'm already half way through October - i'm already well on my way on many of the above!) Yay!



So, the review of my September dreams. I did pretty well, a few things were postponed due to others' schedules, but managed to tick quite a few off:

1. Celebrate Mum and Dad's birthdays (6th and 7th Sept) and enjoy the time with all the guests coming. DONE!
2. Enjoy family trip to Germany for the 10-yearly Passion Play in Oberamergao. DONE! WAS FAB
3. Organise and finalise Christmas trip dates. IN PROGRESS
4. Celebrate one year anniversary with the Man on the 19th Sept!!! DONE AND WONDERFUL
5. Organise and finalise living arrangements in Sydney. BEING FINALISED
6. Steering Committee Meetings and organising online SC. DONE
7. Prepare thank yous and farewells to Staff and Students. DONE, just have to deliver present off to them
8. Start looking at potential business set up with home building. RECONSIDERING
9. Give and facilitate women's talk on finance at work on my last day! POSTPONED
10. Work out a personal routine for new work/life set up. IN PROGRESS
11. Start Transition plans to 10thousandgirl. IN PROGRESS. Start tomorrow!
12. Set up amazing home work space - DONE!
13. Continue the Success Principles - haven't done much of it this month

Dreams in August

Well...It's already half way through August, but I thought I'd still post my August Dreams.

I've written these dreams out on a piece of paper and put them in my organiser so I can refer to them often and see what my over-arching priorities for the month are, which then guide my daily activities.

1. Enjoy weekly date night and quality time with The Man;
2. Get started on Jack Canfield's The Success Principles: How to get from where you are to where you want to be. Read and implement at least 1 per week;
3. Organise, facilitate and enjoy the 10thousandgirl Steering Committee Monthly meetings;
4. Experience and celebrate Melissa and Julian's wedding and festivities in Perth;
5. Savour family and friends time in Perth;
   
6. Plan for, pack and set intentions for Dad's Birthday Europe trip (leaving 27th August 2010)
7. Create and buy Dad's birthday presents;
8. Start handing over job responsibilites to Successor at work;
9. Regularly Journal and Blog my experiences;
10. Start transition to 10thousandgirl with plans and personal set up;
11. Organise a fabulous wardrobe space;
12. Set up amazing home work space;
13. Set up workable personal routine;
14. Ensure I'm spending enough quality time with myself...

So those are my August dreams! I am excited about doing them all!
Wow, I have to say that looking at life in this way does focus my attention. It also seems a little exhausting but so many of them are incredibly rewarding and important tasks. And I think it is okay for me to say I am feeling a little tired and that some rewards are definitely warranted for myself (though, I did spoil myself already today with a session at the beautician - pleasure and pain with waxing, a facial and an amazing massage thanks to Jamilla at Advanced Beauty Leichhardt)...

Photo Credit

Welcome to 2010!

Well SSSs, welcome to the year that is 2010!

Another year (and another decade) has begun and while it is not necessary for a new year to begin to start to change your life, it is a perfect opportunity to reflect and reassess.

Setting an intention for the year is a great way to facilitate change. An umbrella heading of something that you intend to do/be/act on for the year that dictates alot of your actions and behaviours.

My intention for the year is 'INTEGRITY'.

Integrity to me means doing what I say I will. Doing what I promise to others and perhaps more importantly, doing what I promise to myself.

It means being accountible for my words and then for my actions.
It means not promising something just for the sake of it.
It means not promising something when I have no real intention of carrying something out or saying 'Yes' to something without really thinking about it.

Integrity may seem like something small that you say 'of course I have integrity!', but think of all those small things you've said you'll do but have forgotten all about (i'll give you a call next week or it's my turn to take out the garbage next week). Or those bigger goals you've made (losing weight, quitting smoking etc) that you've neglected.

Think realistically before you commit to something, because when you do commit it will actually mean something because your word will become Law. When you say it out loud or say it to someone or write it down somewhere you are committing yourself to following through on it.

If you have integrity your self confidence will build in yourself. When you tell yourself you'll do something, big or small, and then actually do it, each and every time, your self esteem builds because you know you can trust yourself and your respect from others build because they can trust you.

See how important it is?

So, how do you remind yourself of your intention? Just like anything it takes a while to build a habit. But a few reminders around the place will help. Stick a note on the bathroom mirror, on the back of the toilet door, somewhere in the shower, in or on your diary, on your computer and see the intention and think about it - for 10 seconds, just to constantly bring you back to that point. Think about it while you are going through your day and see how you can apply it

So what is your main intention for the year?

Make it as you wish SSSs!