A morning in photos

Beauty surrounds us, but usually we need to be walking in a garden to know it - Rum

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A life tip - bring on the flowers!

Give someone - anyone - flowers of any kind at anytime. And enjoy.

Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul - Luther Burbank

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Top five Saturdays

Preparation for Saturday night

Oh Saturday, how I once loved thee so!

My top favourite Saturday activities of years gone by.....

1. Indulging in long and lazy sleep ins
2. Brunching with friends at the latest hip cafe
3. (Clothes) shopping, pampering and primping
4. Catching up on gossip and ... the laundry washing
5. Preparing for a Saturday night of fun, adventure and excitement

My top favourite Saturday activities of today.....

1. Fantasying about a long and lazy sleep in
2. Enjoying a latte SOLO in a cafe on Lygon Street
3. Getting ALL the laundry washed and dried
4. Escaping into a social media coma 
5. Preparing for a Saturday night of binge-watching the latest hip TV series

I do not feel as excited by the thought of Saturday as I once did. But maybe not all that much has changed. 

What do you do with your Saturdays? 

I miss Saturday morning, rolling out of bed, not shaving, getting into my car with my girls, driving to the supermarket, squeezing the fruit, getting my car washed, taking walks - Barack Obama

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Books, books, books, everywhere you look!

I always have a stack of books sitting on my bedside table, on the floor in my lounge room and taking up space on my kitchen table. Fiction and non-fiction.  Chit-lit. Self-help. Cooking. You name it , I've probably got it.

I've read some of these books. Others I've browsed through. Some are completely untouched.

Just recently I suggested a friend read one of Brene Brown's books. Not a specific one - just go read her stuff!  We were discussing being vulnerable in a professional environment and what's appropriate and what's not.

So it's time I follow my own advice and I plan to read Brene's Daring Greatly this week. I'll let you know how I go.

What about you? Are you a book horder or a borrower? Is there a must read on your list?

Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read - Groucho Marx

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I write everywhere man!

Today's writing view

Where do you write from? 

Do you have a special space? 

Does it help you write more effectively or efficiently?  

Is a special space just for you? 

A place to dream and create? 

I write/blog anyway I can. On the go. When time and demands allow. I am still writing on an iPad mini. My hearts desire is an MacBook Pro and a room with a view. One day......

Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing - Benjamin Franklin

Blog link to come later - a problem with the linky! 

Me .... recently

I leave you my portrait so that you will have my presence all the days and nights that I am away from you - Frida Kahlo

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How to no longer feel self conscious by REALLY doing something ...... anything!

In my many years as an acting coach and facilitator the most important lesson I have ever (and will ever) teach is the ability to really listen.

The second most important lesson is how to really do.  And when you really do you will discover the freedom from self consciousness. You will discover that when you truly put all your attention onto something outside of yourself you will no longer feel self conscious. You will discover that once you start really doing you will become more available to your creative impulses, others, the fullness of the moment and you will no longer be existing just in your head.

I can hear you laugh. 'Really do! Why would I need to learn how to really do? All I do is DO!'

Yes that may be so - yet I will still question 'are you really doing whatever it is you do, 100% in this moment?'

It does not matter what your creative pursuit is. It really does not matter what it is you do. These next four steps will transform how you do

1. Ensure the activity you intend to do is physically involving and you know what it is you are going to do - be specific (Thinking is part of the planning not the doing)
2. Know when you have achieved what you have set out to do - an end point
3. Give yourself a reason why you are doing - give meaning to your actions
4. Set a time limit - immediacy is vital otherwise you could waste your time avoiding what it is you need/want to do

Don't just trust me - do this and experience the difference for yourself!

And you must listen to this for more inspiration on how to do! Don't forget to leave a comment to let me know how you go. 

Don't think, do! - John Kennedy

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With compliments!

Last Thursday I washed my hair.  As I was styling it (and my self) my mind was filled with self-deprecating thoughts. You know - these kind of thoughts......

Oh my god!! Look at that hair/face/body- the color/style/shape/everything is so hideous/revolting/wrong/ugly/a joke!!! 

Yes - those kind of thoughts. As the day went on EVERY single person I met complimented me on how I looked.

Oh your hair/dress/make up looks great!  It really suits you. I love the color.

Seriously I received compliments like theses for days! And each and every time I (defensively) responded with a quick retort like

Oh it's just a facade!  It's not how I feel on the inside. Oh really cos I hate it! 

Why could I not simply accept these kind words with the grace and love in which they were given? I know I am not alone in my response.

One friend suggested that if I just let the words sink in they may 'work on me'.   Hmmm ....... I hope I get another opportunity soon to explore this strategy - keep my mouth shut or say a simple 'thank you' and let the compliments work their magic.

Have you been complimented lately? How did you respond?  Do you have a favorite compliment?

I much prefer a compliment, even if insincere, to sincere criticism - Plautus

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Less? More!

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The cup of life - what's in yours?

The cup of life - ale ale ale! Do you remember this song? Check out it here for a fun reminder.

Boy it's been a rough couple of weeks for the world hasn't it? The theme of life and death has been front and centre of every media conversation and very difficult to avoid.

For me my dog went into heart failure, survived but has a much shortened life expectancy. So the question of 'what to do when my puppy's moment comes?' was explored. I required some medical tests which brought me a night of worry (and tears). I was flooded by the question 'what would happened to my daughter if I was no longer here?' Then an elderly relative was admitted into hospital with pneumonia. She has a terminal illness and the time to say goodbye is closer then it's ever been before.

Thankfully all three of us are alive and kicking and I have the luxury to ponder over these questions while so many in the world today do not.

My child sometimes asks me 'mummy when are you going to die?' My response is easy. 'I don't know darling because it's a mystery'.

The inevitability of death is something we rarely have control over. However we can have a lot of choice over how we live our lives. We have control over how we will replenish our own 'cup of life'. And it's in these difficult times that a 'full cup' can support us the most.

So I ask myself some more questions - what do I like to have in my cup? What's missing from my cup right now? What is always in my cup that I sometimes overlook?

My ideal cup of life looks something like this:

• A heap of fun times and laughter with family and friends 
• Cuddles and hugs 
• Sunshine 
• Both lighthearted and deep and meaningful conversation 
• Fresh sheets 
• Smiles and hellos 
• Chocolate
• Learning something new 
• Engaging work 
• Down time 
• Gratitude 

I could keep going! I need a lot to fill this cup of mine. 

What about you - how do you fill your cup of life?

When you have nobody you can make a cup of tea for, when nobody needs you, that's when I think life is over - Audrey Hepburn

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Kicking goals in May

The sun is kicking goals today! 

'I'm kicking goals!'

I really love this expression.  It's a colloquial Australian way of saying you are achieving something positive and you are happy to celebrate this fact.  The 'goals' can refer to anything.

I have a vague recollection from my Oprah  viewing days of one of her experts saying it's not the 'goal' itself we desire but the feeling the achievement of that goal brings us. This 'expert' was suggesting it's more important to focus on what we want to feel as that feeling can then be attained in many different ways - ways that may not necessarily follow the standard societal expectations of success.

I generally avoid a formalised practice of goal setting. I usually feel quite uncomfortable when asked to commit to my goals in writing.

However I just love the positive and light feeling I get when I say (or hear someone say) 'I'm kicking goals'.

That's what I want for this month.

And I hope to achieve that feeling by blogging everyday this May. Will you join me?

Are you a goal setter? Tell me about your process. Are you going to Blog everyday in May ?

Stop setting goals. Goals are pure fantasy unless you have a specific plan to achieve them - Stephen Covey

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