Goodbye Shiny Distractions, Hello Focus & Making Things Happen!

Found on  a lovely blog about Shiny Object Syndrome!

Those of you who know me know I have a lot going on. Like always. And not always in a good way. I know I have somehow chosen all of this as there are so many wonderful opportunities, ideas and people that it is hard not to jump on board all of them (I don't actually physically jump on that many people - but you know what I mean right?!).

Buuuuuuuuuuut, there are consequences to this. Yes...
I sometimes drop the ball and then follow it with a beat up session.
I drop doing some of the stuff that is good for me and I enjoy (ahem...yoga...double ahem...blogging)
I don't do a lot of things to the depth or with the care they deserve
I don't connect with a lot of friends and loved ones
Time feels like it flies by without accomplishing big things
I don't have the down time to rejuvenate or connect with myself and my creativity.

Do you ever feel this way too? What do you do about it?

So, I'm learning to:

• stay away from Shiny Distracting Objects (eyes on the prize Girl!), 
• saying a compassionate 'No' or 'Can we have a look at that later?' when required,
• asking myself 'Will doing this move me towards my goals?' and then 'Is this the best thing I can do right now to move me quickly to my goals?' when new things present themselves,
• not adding anything new to my project list until some a complete and, 
• focussing on what is important in the now so I can really dive into the things that will make my dreams come to reality.

What are your recommendations to deal with have too many things to do?

Make it as you wish Adventuress,

Arienne xo

Neglecting Me

I'm having a really off few days. Not sure if it is because:
A) I've launched Life Is Crafted and having a bit of a lull (even though there is still heaps to do!)
B) I worked 16+ hours for a few weeks in the lead up to the launch and I didn't balance it with healthy living (not much exercise at all)
C) I had a big weekend and let loose after being so work focussed and my body and mind is not handling excess alcohol and the repercussions...
D) There is something else going on and the Universe is sending me signals to pay attention.

You'd think I'd have learned my lesson from the experiences in my past to try to live a more balanced life - to listen to signals and know how beneficial doing yoga, journaling and theta is for my mind, body and soul.

Everything was going so well that I think one side of me said I didn't need to do all that 'good' stuff. I was in the flow, kicking goals and my attention was taken up by positive deadlines and getting all the necessary stuff done. My priorties seemed right, but skewed that in the end I neglected my core health and the habits that give me strength, sanity and stability through challenging, and even enjoyable times.

I guess this post is me talking out loud a little. Trying to work through these icky feelings and attempting to understand what is going on.

I know the solution and the lesson is here, I just have to be patient and attentive and catch the penny when it drops.

Do you ever feel anything like this SSSs?

Making it as I wish,
Arienne xo

A Glimpse Into A Possibility Of How Life Can Be

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This may seem simplistic. When I wrote it out I wondered if it was as amazing as it actually feels. There can be such a difference between hearing a theory that resonates with you and actually implementing it in your life...

Ever had that experience? For example, where you know that forgiveness is freeing, it sounds simple, but that actually doing it is sooooo hard? But when you do - when you forgive and let go, that 'free-ness' is amazing.

Or, one that is close to my heart, that when you allow the fear you feel in and sit with it you can get through it. You get more empowered and the fear diminishes. Yeah. Not an easy one but when you actually do it, it is true and liberating.

So the other day I had an insight into how life could be for me.

What if I just stop putting needless pressure on myself and design my day the way I really want it to go - so I can enjoy it and look forward to it?

Simple? Sounds like it should be - so why have I not allowed myself this before? I've come so far in making significant changes in my life so I can live a life that is more mine. Now that I am here why am I allowing myself to not enjoy the things I have chosen??? I'm ridiculous aren't I??

We all put shoulds, musts and have-tos into our lives that drain so much of the fun and enjoyment out of our everydays. What if we were able to remove this needless pressure and go about doing stuff in a way that gives us joy, bliss and laughter? Plus how about ensuring we work in some obviously pleasurable things?

What if we could change our perspectives on some of those less fun tasks and see how they fit into our bigger picture and therefore do them with more delight? If they have to be done, why can't we choose to do them with more pleasure and enjoy the necessity?

My **SPARKLY** (I emphasise that because she does sprinkle sparkle wherever she goes with her tiara and awesome self) friend Denise over at Concert Chick wrote a fabulous related post about being Peacefully Productive.

I find that because I'm looking at all the things that need to be done that I am not doing I think I need to make more time for them so I don't schedule the fun stuff - catching up with friends, going for a lovely walk.

So now...
I am choosing to stop putting that needless pressure on myself. I choose to enjoy my days a whole lot more! I choose to view my shoulds/musts/have-tos with more understanding and have more fun with them. This is all done with the view of peaceful productivity, gleefully working towards my awesome goals and joyfully waking up and looking forward to my day.

Sounds good, right?! Here we go!

How do you want to feel everyday? How will you make that happen?
 
Make it as you wish SSSs!

A Life Less Ordinary

Found On

Back in the days before The Man danced into my life and I was a single gal, I remember coming across people's dating profiles.

So many of them stated, "I'm just a normal guy, looking for a normal girl..." or some permutation of the like.

My reaction was always, WHO WANTS BORING NORMAL?? WHO WANTS THINGS TO BE 'ORDINARY'??

Okay, so we might not be searching for abnormal, but don't we want something a little different and unique? And I believe this doesn't only go for relationships - it is relevant for life in general. We deserve the best.

I want extraordinary.

 

I want my life full of magic and the 'impossible'. Of love soaring to heights I didn't believe true.

I want to be the best I can be. To experience wonderment and awe in my everyday.

To be and see the spectacular and the fantastic.

So how do we do that?

So much of this has to do with our perception of the world around us and within us. We can make ordinary situations into extraordinary ones with how we engage with them.

For example, you can just see a weed growing in an unlikely place or you can see it and experience the wonder of it being able to grow there. You can accept breakfast in bed with a gracious thanks or you can super appreciate it and shower the giver with gratitude and feel how lucky you are to have that person in your life. Notice the difference?

Appreciate how you react to situations and deal with things. Feel you are capable and pat yourself on the back for accomplishing even the smallest things. See then how it makes you feel! We can take for granted our innate abilities or we can look inside and cheer them on :)

Another thing we can do is raise our standards and expect good. If you are forever expecting little out of life or yourself how will you see when great things come along? Raise your expectation bit by bit. Expect good and you will see more of it around you. Yes it can be challenging but give it a go! Trust me - it is worth it! Can you see the good in that?

Are you with me SSSs?? Make it extraordinary and as you wish!

Week In Review: 21 - 27 July - Tissues, Tea & Tantrums

Three things happened this week that made me look at my life and reinspired me to make the important things happen. You don't know what is around the corner so every day is an opportunity to start afresh and to push through the barriers that arise. You owe that to yourself.

My Step-Aunt passed away after a battle with a degenerative disease. Sad and horrible and I feel so much for the family and my stepdad that remain. But I hope she is in peace after her long battle.

I found out that a girl I went to high school with died leaving behind her 9 year old daughter. She was my age - 31. Waaaay too young. Shocking and tragic.

Then I was sick with the flu, which in the grand scheme of things isn't huge, but the things that come up when you are lethargic on the couch are. You have time to think. To marinate in the difficult things that come up. You can't hide in your busy-ness. Doubts, fears and emotions come up. I was beating myself up on the things I hadn't done. Where I hadn't reached. What hasn't been accomplished.

I was forgetting about the intangible inner journey I've been on to get me where I need to be. I guess I needed to go through these uncomfortable feelings to push me forwards.

So while I didn't get a lot finished, I did accomplish a few things:

Sunday roast for one of my favourite birthday girls (I kept away from human contact and hid behind tissues)

Created a winter routine

Formulated a health challenge - I'm ready to rock my fitness again after the flu and holiday hiatus

Spoke to my Daddy-O - he's coming back for a couple of months towards the end of the year

Watched the masterchef finale while eating toast

Wrote 11 Ways To Do More With What You Have for 10thousandgirl

Cancelled a bunch of catch ups and meetings as I wasn't fit for public consumption

Played around with business stuff

Booked car in for pink slip

Met with fab business girls in coffee shop

Received a business coaching session

What is inspiring you to move forward SSSs?
Make it as you wish
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

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

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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

Your True Life Vision Takes Courage

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When you start acknowledging that you want 'more' in your life, it can be scary. The questions start to come up. Does wanting more mean you need to change everything at once? Does it mean all the good stuff will change too? Does saying it out loud mean you need to make drastic changes immediately?

Then that bloody unhelpful voice kicks in saying, "you can't do it silly, you don't have enough skills or confidence or knowhow AND you're waaaaaaaay too lazy/stupid/unworthy. Besides, even if you did attempt it you would probably fail, fail, FAAAAAIIIIIILLLLLLL!!!!!!"

Does any of that sound familiar?

These questions, answers and thoughts often overwhelm us so much so that we stay in inaction.  The result is that you are left yearning for the wonderful possibilities out there but feeling like you just don't know how to reach them. That gap then exists between where you are now and where you would like to be and that void is often a source of unhappiness...

Does any of that ring a bell?

Change can be daunting. It is the unknown! Is full of uncertainty!  Breaking out from the status quo often is. It means stretching out of your comfort zone when sometimes staying in the 'zone' is well...comfortably warm and safe - like those favourite gungy trackie pants you have (comfy but really not really all that exciting). Plus, the future can feel like it is fraught with potential challenges and 'danger'.

But is it really safe to stay there? Well, if you want an 'okay' life then yes it is. But if you want an amazing life, one that you are truly enamoured with, then the comfort zone becomes a dangerous place to be. It becomes unsafe because you are already aware that there is a better option of life for you out there while you are where you are now. In my experience, if you know it but ignore it, 'things' (blocks barriers, frustration, mediocrity, sickness, unhappiness, unease) happen until you pay attention.

You have to ask yourself if the vision you see in your dreams is worth leaving the status quo and making the effort to get there:

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anais Nin

All I know is that I want a great life. A great life on my own terms. A life I can look back on and say, "Wooooohaaaaaa I gave it my all! I tried and I got more than I could ever dream of. Sometimes I attempted something and even though I was reaching for the stars and I ended up catching the dreamy moon and other times I tried and and I 'failed' but I learned and at least I wasn't left wondering...what if and kicking myself because I didn't have the guts to give it a go."


I am finding the courage to make my life the way I want. I am stepping out of my comfort zone and putting myself out there into the unknown. I am being brave in the face of difficult questions and challenging situations.  I am looking things in the eye and trusting myself that I will find a solution. It is not easy and I get scared. I question myself. I sometimes wonder if another way would be easier. But because I TRULY know it is worth the effort, I'm building my strengths in self-belief, courage and taking forward action. I'm enjoying my today while putting things in place for my tomorrow. For this I am being rewarded with so much magic and so much support showing up in my world.

Trust me, you want to do it without the need for life/death experiences to wake you up to what life can be.

Wake up now if there are parts of your life that are just okay. Wake up now if there are parts you love and parts you hate. Wake up now if it all seems not so fabulous. Because if you do, if you really stand up and look for it, there is a lot of great out there and your life can be so much more than you once thought was possible.

I say all of this as a person who was once in the darkest hell hole you could imagine and is now living in much more sunshine. I'm still on my journey with all its challenges and all its glories but I am so grateful I gave life a go.

What is something you can do today to take a step towards where you want to go and who you want to be? What could you acknowledge or admit that feels true to you without necessarily having to do anything about it yet? How can you give your life a go?

Make it as you wish SSSs. MAKE. IT. AS. YOU. WISH.
Arienne xo

My Passion. My Inspiration. My Life. My Path.

I started writing this a couple of weeks ago. It was total stream of consciousness coming out so it took me a little while to make it make sense! But here it is...
 
Okay, I'll admit it, I've had a pretty bad week. And I feel a little like I'm bearing part of my soul so be kind lovely readers!

I had a major freak out about my finances after paying for my much planned for flight to Europe to attend my dream of a lifetime art and yoga retreat in Paris and Provence and to meet The Man (aka my Fiance)'s family in Hungary.

Not having a regular income has taken its toll on my savings and finances. I have put many great financial and savings strategies in place, but coming back to basics - having some form of income helps (what a surprise!!!). I've known for a little while I would need to pay attention to this and now is the time!

Sometimes going through a 'freak out' (for want of a much better term) helps you pay attention to what is important. And it can take something big to really motivate you to change or make something a priority.

So I'm doing something about it. I'm putting a plan in place to bridge the gap between where I am now and where I want to be. I'm also reconciling my emotions around it - trying to stop beating myself up about what I should/could have done differently income-wise and appreciating the massive steps I've taken to create the life I want.

Savvy Sassy She is all about working out how to live a life that is how you wish it to be. To question the 'shoulds' in your life and consciously create what you truly want and need. And to do this with sparkly bits and tools and fun and laughter and a great community along the way. I am no expert (but I hope to bring you some experts in different parts of life in the future) and my experience is a journey too. A journey to create what I see my life as being and all the up and down experiences along the way that get me closer to that vision.

After a wonderful and much needed discussion with my mother (thanks mama!!) I brought everything back to why I have chosen this life for myself. We all have bad days, but bringing our attention to the reason why we've made certain choices can help us understand and put things in perspective. The choice in the short run may have not-so-nice consequences, but in the bigger picture that choice is right and is helping to bring you in the right direction.

Why I am choosing to follow my passions and dreams and create a life and a lifestyle around it....

Working in the family biz didn't work for me. Working full time in a university didn't work for me. After 4 years of the SSS idea plodding along in the background I decided to make a go of it. Who knows if it will be as successful (though I'm working my arse of to make it so). It may be a massive learning curve, but I'm willing to give it my all. To decide to make it happen. To not chicken out. To not have a Plan B to show the universe I am serious.

This is important enough to go through some ups and downs for. Making a difference in women's lives. Waking women up to see how they can make their lives work. Empowering them with information, view points, perspectives, systems, tools, inspiration and like minds? Yes, it is worth it. It is important enough. I refuse to be on my deathbed looking back at my life saying "I wish I had given SSS a go. I wish I could have seen if it made an impact." (ooooh, even writing that gives me the heebie jeebies).

I love being able to design my day though I miss structured routine.
I love having a say in my priorities and carrying them out.
I love getting in contact with women's real hearts and minds.
I love doing what I love everyday.

This is My Passion. My Inspiration. My Life. My Path.

This inspiration link from the fav galadarling.com came at the right time!

PS - any paid part time job suggestions/offers?! ;)

Making it as I wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

Strength & Surrender

Photo Credit

 

In yoga class the other day, two beautiful words floated into my mind and I grabbed them:

STRENGTH

& 

SURRENDER

After a few years of emotional struggling I have built much more inner strength. Strength in myself, strength in my life, strength in my beliefs, strength in what my purpose is. 

I now bless that struggle because it has brought me to this place. A new place of wonder and of excitement and empowerment that I can make a difference to others and that I can make a difference to myself.

Yes I still have bad days and I still have my struggles, but now I am sure that I can come out the other side. I trust that I am creative enough, that I am resourceful enough, that I am true to myself enough, and I have a great support system. 

I trust I am worthy, loved and blessed. Who told me that? Well, the most important person did - ME.

Photo Credit

 

So much of this process was a massive learning to stop resisting things. And stop setting up expectations. 

I now do everything I can towards something and then I surrender. Surrendering takes strength. It is not about giving up yourself, your goals or your power. It is surrendering to the flow.

I surrender to bad days. Then they pass quicker.

I surrender to those emotional rollercoasters. Then they pass quicker.

I surrender to letting go of expectations. They're not important anymore and then life is easier.

I surrender to the universe to help support me in the right direction.

One of my favourite quotations is "What you resist persists". So do that thing, feel that feeling, learn that lesson and then let go - release it and progress.

Photo Credit

 

I still fight for things I believe in, I still go after things that require effort. I still strive towards achieving what is important to me. There are still mistakes and forehead slaps. But I try to go with it.

Knowing when to fight and when to surrender takes strength - I'm building that muscle (and I've come a long way!).

Are you with me? 

have strength then surrender...

Make it as 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

Happy New Year

Photo Credit

Happy New Year SSSs!

Get excited and get involved in 2012.

Make it your year.

Make it the year you finally did .....................!

Make it memorable.

I wish you every joy and happiness.

Make those moments count.

Laugh. Cry. Celebrate. Dream. Love.

Be you and take steps to create a life that is more you!

Make it as you wish!

Love, Arienne

 

Breathe through the Christmas craziness!

Photo Credit

Sending you all some happy cheer and to remind you to stop and breathe during this busy time! Enjoy the lead up to Christmas and remember why you are running around like a madwoman (or if you are super organised and gliding through this time let me know how you are doing it!!)

Happy 23rd of December :)

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!

A Whimsical Weekend

This weekend reconnected me with Whimsy...

Sitting by a fire, sipping on wine, looking at gorgeous books filled with creative expression and dreams, bits of crafty inspiration. Being surrounded by wonderful women, food, music and the elements you'll find in the pictures below. What a wonderful time it was...

 Artfully arranged scrabble letters by the door...

 Inspiring quotations met in every direction...

 Flights of feathery fancy...

 Beautiful natural elements intertwined with practicality...

 Teacups and Teapots and Tea (and wine) galore...

 DIY stamp mania...

 Lavender and Doily touches abound...

Beauty in a teacup...

It was a day and a night spent in the Blue Mountains that was soooooo nourishing to the soul. It really was a beautiful, dreamy time and the hosts were fabulous (thanks gals)!

Thank you for reconnecting me with these simple but forgotten pursuits. 

I am planning on cracking out some more nurturing time and creating some more beauty around me. Some soothing music, red wine, surrounded by inspiring pieces, writing what comes up in my journal, comfy place, warm clothes...Simple, luxurious bliss!

How are you nurturing your souls lovelies? 

Make it as you wish SSSs!

Arienne xo 

Photo Credit: Me & Bryanna Pearl

Stop Putting It Off

 This photo has nothing to do with anything in this post. I've just been told to always have a photos with a post. And I just love flowers so enjoy.

I've stopped putting it off!

So much time had gone by since I had written here and more and more was happening and I didn't know where to start...so I didn't.

Now, my dear readers, it wasn't about you. You I missed. And I was carrying around a very heavy bucket of guilt for not checking in here.

And I missed the writing and the perspective of looking at the things going on in my life with a view of sharing it.

So, I'm back.

Don't worry, I'll write a post full of the excuses of the reasons why I've been absent. It is not so funny, but I'll try my best to make it amusing!

See y'all soon my dear, dear SSSs, can't wait to properly reconnect.

Tell me one exciting thing that's happened to y'all in the past two months (beside practicing faux texan accents) in the comments section. I'd love to hear from you...think of it like an ethical bribe in welcoming me back to the blog world...

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne xo

Photo Credit: Me!

Reconnecting with the Candle

 

 Photo Credit

A candle can be a really magical thing. It brings lightness to the dark. Gives a wonderful, ambient glow to the surrounds. Creates a mood. Provides a boost to the moment it is lit for. Is symbolic. Is illuminating. It also provides the perfect finishing touch to a dinner party. Who could resist sitting at the table below?!

Photo Credit

I worked for a couple of months at a magical Australian candle company Ecoya that make a beautiful hand poured soy range. Gorgeous scents including Lotus Flower, Sweet Pea & Jasmin and Wild Frangipani are wonderful! Large and small pillars, candles in glass jars and small travel tins. It is a divine, deluxe range. Check them out if you can!

I've been spending some time bring attention to what I am doing by lighting a candle while I am doing it. When I am sitting down to work on a project I've been lighting a vanilla scented candle to accompany me and give me some inspiration.

When starting to clear up and do some decluttering in my room I lit a candle to symbolise the moment and infuse it with some uplifting energy.

I find a candle helps when you want to bring some focus to the moment. It also helps me get over the line when I have to do something I'm really not wanting to do by making it into a more 'stylish' task.

Trust me, it is also very romantic...

Grab some candles and make your time and space a more creative task and infuse it with some illuminating magic.

Make it as you wish SSSs!

Arienne xo

A-Tishooo!

Groan! Moan! I think I caught me some man flu!
Nah! I'm not that bad but I am whinging a bit because I haven't been any where near what you could call sick in ages...And now I have one of those anboying head colds where it is quite hard to think clearly...

But I'm trying to stay up-beat and take vitamins and drink water and visualise myself in perfect health. So to stay focused here are some pretty pics from earlier on in the week :)

 Daddy-O made a delicious Cheese Fondue last weekend. Hmmm maybe that wasn't so nutritionally meaningful!

The weather was so beautiful on Monday, I moved my office out to the Courtyard and kept Daddy-O's laundry company

So, wish me happy healing!

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

Creating Space

Photo Credit

It has been a hectic month and I am finally catching up with myself. It took some effort and I had to enforce having some down time but it has been well worth it!

I am feeling more sane and the creative me is peeking out again. It has been wonderful saying hello to her and getting to know what she has been wanting to do.

I'm trying to include more of the creative Arienne in my everyday. To do all my tasks with a creative eye and flair. I find it hard sometimes when I am under the pump - just doing - to create space for the creative me. This is one reason I like using beautiful tools in my everyday (gorgeous notebooks, fabulous pens, pretty laptop bag), to do the everyday in style.

This blog is really a focused opportunity to look at beautiful things (like the gorgeous picture above) and express a little of me.

How do you infuse creativity into your everyday?

Make it as you wish SSSs!

Arienne xo