Apologies....

Apologies for my absence. For the past 4-5 days I have been in a parallel universe where little men get all their teeth at once, plus a sore throat and can't sleep for longer than 15 minutes at a time (day or night). He has been so miserable that it is breaking my heart. The lovely husband and I have been doing tag-team every night, taking it in turns to nurse the little man. We have even succumbed to having said little man sleeping in our bed with one of us - something we vowed we would never do. But we have no choice because his throat is so sore that he can't swallow all the excess drool from the teething, so he ends up having coughing fits, choking and then vomiting. (Lovely I know, but hey, I aim to keep it real in my blog, so real it is!). So its actually far more painful to have to get out of bed and run into the little man's bedroom every 5 seconds, than to have him lying next to you (and that tells you something considering that he sounds like a human lawnmower with his gurgling, snoring, coughing, choking etc). My fingers, toes and everything else that can be crossed are crossed in the hope that he might make it through tonight in his own bed. (Oddly enough though, I think I will actually miss that little Darth Vader sound in my ear.....).

P.S. I will aim to post something intelligent, creative or inspiring tomorrow when I finally get back to work and experience 'adult' world again (well, as much as you can in a high school!).

I want this dress........

Images by mads teglers (via Luphia loves)

Brene' Brown....

This definition of authenticity is by Brene' Brown, Ph.D. If you have never heard of her I highly recommend that you visit her website or blog (click on the "I live and love with my whole heart..." link on the right hand side of my blog). She often speaks of her journey to live authentically and soulfully - concepts that at one time I may have dismissed as too 'out there' or 'touchy feely', but that I am now trying to be mindful of in my own life. 

A bit of background on Brene':

Dr. Brené Brown is a writer, researcher, and educator. She is a member of the research faculty at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work where she has spent the past ten years studying connection - specifically authenticity, belonging, and shame, and the affect these powerful emotions have on the way we live, love, parent, work and build relationships.

Dr. Brown teaches graduate courses on shame and empathy, global justice, qualitative research, and women's issues. She has won numerous teaching awards, including the College's Outstanding Faculty Award. In 2008, Brené was named Behavioral Health Scholar-in-Residence at the Council on Alcohol and Drugs Houston. She also serves on the working board of The Nobel Women's Initiative - a peace and justice initiative established in 2006 by six Nobel Peace Laureates to help strengthen work being done in support of women's rights around the world.

Brené is the author of I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power (Gotham, 2007). She is also the author of Connections,a psycho-educational shame resilience curriculum that is being facilitated across the nation by mental health and addiction professionals. Dr. Brown's work has been featured on PBS and the Oprah and Friends Radio Network, and has appeared in Self Magazine, Elle Magazine and many national newspapers. She is also a frequent guest on radio shows across the US.

Her latest work focuses on the importance of nurturing authenticity, love and belonging, and a resilient spirit in our families, schools, and communities.

Brene has a number of links to her articles on her site. The one that I read today, that I found really interesting was titled "Voice Lessons from The Dixie Chicks".

Birthday Wish List....

As my birthday is approaching I thought I would put a wish list out there. If you're anything like me you have numerous thoughts of gifts or items you would like when its not your birthday, but as soon as people ask you what you want when it is, you can't remember any of those things. So while I have some ideas floating around my head, I will get them down. And if anyone is a little stumped for ideas feel free to use some of these.........!

1. A new printer: (with excellent scanning ability - I am hoping to be able to scan some of my sketches and artwork etc). 
   
2. Books Kinokuniya voucher: This book store is located in Galleries Victoria across from the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney. It is one of my favourite places in the world. They have every type of book imaginable as well as art supplies. I could spend hours and hours in there.
3. Eckersley's art store voucher: The place I regularly go to buy all my art supplies. Beautiful paper, paints, pens, sketch pads etc.
4. Spotlight voucher: (If they have such a thing?) I know this probably sounds like a weird thing to ask for but its another place that I frequent to buy ribbon, materials, fabrics, wool etc for all my little projects. Prices are not too bad and there is a store near me. 
5. Magazine Subscriptions: Magazines are my guilty pleasure as well as a huge source of inspiration for design and creative ideas. I have a subscription to Real Living (thanks lovely husband) but also love Home Beautiful, Inside Out, Frankie, Harpers Bazaar & Madison to name a few. Subscriptions are the gifts that keep on giving. 
6. A session with Madeleine: This one requires an explanation (see below).

Madeleine is a clairvoyant that I went to see at the beginning of the year. Its not something I have ever done before but a friend of mine has been going to her for years and I have always been curious. Armed with my new found willingness to experience new things in life, I decided to go along. It was actually very relaxing and more like having an hour long chat with a friend or counsellor. To cut a long story short, she was spot on with so many things. I specifically remember her saying that she could see writing in my life and working part time. At the time I brushed off both of those suggestions. I didn't fancy myself as a writer and didn't have anything going on remotely related to that (the closest I cam was writing lesson plans at school and I don't class that as writing). I also scoffed at the idea of working part time because I was adamant that it was not an option at my workplace. But now suddenly, those very things are prominent in my life. I have my blog, which has become one of my passions, and I am about to start working part time. What gets me the most is that I never set out to deliberately get a part time job. I had no idea when I approached lululemon that they would only have part time work on offer, and I resigned from my teaching job with no intention of working there part time (that was an option put out there by my boss after I said I was leaving - I didn't initiate that plan). So if you ask me, its pretty freaky (in a good way). Madeleine also told me that I would have my own business but that it wouldn't involve just doing one thing, I would do a variety of things. She said that she could see paintings with bright colours (I often do star paintings for friends babies that are bright in colour) and that I wouldn't have any trouble making money from this. 

So in a nutshell, this explains Madeleine.

If/when I think of any more ideas I will post them as well!!!!!

This image is of a Pixie Party from Martha Stewart.com. Isn't it so adorable? 

Brian Tracy - Part 3....

PROGRAMMING YOUR LIFE FOR SUCCESS

• Everything we are or ever will become will come as a result of the content of our mind.
• Everything that we do to improve the quality of our thinking must, by extension, improve the quality of our lives. 

The Law of Relaxation:

The harder we don't try, the faster our minds change and we become the people that we want to become. The more we just relax and confidently believe and expect that the things that we want will come into our life, when we are ready for them, they will rapidly come in. The harder we work and push, the less success we have.

Process of changing our thoughts from positive to negative:

All of our performance is linked to our self concept. Keep very clearly in your mind the person you would like to be and the goals you would like to accomplish. 

Avoid clinging to the status quo, not letting go of the past, hardening your attitude, being inflexible and being rigid in your thinking. These things prohibit growth.

• It takes 10-21 days to develop new thinking patterns and habits of thought.
• The first hour of your day is the golden opportunity to reprogram your thoughts. Spend the first 20-30 mins of the day reading something motivational or inspirational. (Don't watch TV or listen to the radio). Program your mind with information consistent with where you want the rest of your day to go. (Another good idea is to listen to educational, motivational or inspirational CD's in your car). 

21 day positive mental attitude diet:

• Change one characteristic at a time (don't try to change everything all at once).
• Any goal that you can hold in your mind, on a continuing basis, you can have. Any thought that you can hold in your mind or imagination will begin to come into your reality. The only question is, do you have the tenacity, the self discipline, the intensity of purpose to keep your mind focused on what you want to accomplish or are you going to allow your mind to drift into thinking what you fear?
• If we associate on an ongoing basis with negative, pessimistic people who are going nowhere with their lives, that alone is enough to assure that we go nowhere with our own lives. If you want to become a high achiever you must make a conscious effort to form new associations with positive men and women. 
• Live in the now, 1 day at a time, focusing on where you want to go and who you want to be today, this minute. Don't worry about the future, it will take care of itself.
• All causation is mental. Everything that ever happens to you will be determined by the content of your conscious mind. And since the only thing in the world in which you have complete control is your thoughts, if you keep just your thoughts consistent with what you want to be , have and do, that alone is enough to enable you to control your destiny.

I can say that I truly believe these things with all my heart. My experience over the past year proves that these theories are correct, and that they do work. It is no coincidence that when I started approaching life in this way and made a conscious effort to change my way of thinking, I started achieving my goals and moving forward in my life at a rapid rate. Even if you are skeptical, I dare you to give it a go. You have absolutely nothing to lose. If it doesn't work you just keep living your life the same way. If it does work, however, you have the potential to change your life in ways you could never imagine. Doesn't that make it worth a try? 

So lovely.....

I'm actually not that into Harry Potter or anything but I came across these photos of Emma Watson aka 'Hermione' and I think she is truly lovely. For someone still quite young she has such a sense of style and appears to be quite grounded and content with who she is. I love her clothes in these particular shots too.

Running goal....

Ok. So I ran to work this morning, as I promised. I wouldn't really call it a run as such. More like some quicker than usual leg action and feet shuffling interspersed with walking. The saddest part was, the total journey would have been lucky to take 15 minutes. But you've got to start somewhere right? Then this afternoon I didn't run home......... That's because I went to the track and ran 3.2km instead - YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Despite it being quite tough I felt better this afternoon than this morning. It felt so good to finally stop dwelling on not doing exercise, and to just get out there and do it. Instead of focusing on my lack of fitness, lack of speed, lack of technique etc etc, I just kept focusing on how great it was that I was trying. It didn't matter what I did, just as long as I did something. I'm looking forward to continuing on my new fitness journey (regardless of how sore I am when I wake up tomorrow morning.....!).

Spring in my step.....

Earlier in the year I did a course with Leadership Management Australia called "The Performance Edge". This was an absolutely life changing course that has played a huge part in getting me to where I am both professionally and personally. Tonight I went to the 3 month follow up or refocus workshop, and I'm so glad I went. It was great to check in with people who had been my Monday morning buddies for weeks on end and who watched me take off into my new life. Seeing the look of genuine happiness on people's faces when I told them what I have achieved since I last saw them really touched me. I was fortunate enough to have two amazing facilitators running my course, both of whom are very inspiring women. One of them revealed tonight that she is going to do a Phd next year. When I asked her what sparked her to do this she said that she was actually inspired by me. That blew me away - to know that I have had that kind of impact on someone just by being 'me' and being 'real' for others means the world to me. 

Attending this evening was also just the thing I needed to get that little spark of motivation back. I have been achieving many things in the past few months and am happy with where my life is heading etc. But I haven't been definite enough in setting goals and listing steps to achieve them and I really need to get back to doing this. When I was doing the course it happened more easily because I had to check in with people each week and had the support network of people to push me along. The daily grind of life, however, has a funny way of letting us slip back into old ways or into just assuming that these things will continue to happen naturally. Clearly they don't, though. They take planning, focus and constant reassessing, which seems like a lot of work. And it is. But it is that work that ultimately gets you to where you want to go and makes it that much more satisfying when you do get there. So tomorrow at 9am I am going to set myself 4 new business or career goals and 1 or 2 personal goals (just like I did on my course), and get myself moving again. 

By the way, I am going to declare that my goal for tomorrow is to run to and from work. I'm putting it out there because I do not want to have to write in my blog tomorrow that I didn't follow through with this task. I figure that taking baby steps to get back into a fitness routine will be the best approach, rather than the 'flog yourself from the start' approach that I usually employ (and that doesn't usually last long). Wish me luck!

'in the fish bowl' - homework part 1

Each week for my course I am given homework (or 'head work' as someone phrased it). I have decided to share my thoughts and work on my blog in an attempt to make myself a bit more accountable. I figure if I put it all 'out there,' then I have nowhere to hide as such. So here goes:

Why do you love what you create?

I'm still refining exactly what it is that I am 'creating', but I love to make things for the sentiment behind them. I love to give something meaningful and special, that demonstrates how much a particular person means to me or lets them know that I am thinking of them. At present I am drawn to creating gifts for 'little people'. I tend to create paintings but would like to also produce cards, photographs, digital media, baby clothes etc.

What are you working on when you lose all sense of time?

I would have to say paintings, drawing/sketching and working on my blog (which is also a creative outlet for me). 

What does success mean to you?

Success to me means making a difference in this world, that I appreciate and enjoy the simple things in life and that I get to spend the majority of my time being creative.  It also means having balance in my life. That I have time for myself, my family, my friends and to give back to other people. If I can inspire others and go to bed at night knowing that I have had a positive effect on someone, that also makes me feel successful. Success to me feels simple, balanced, fulfilling, exciting, calm, joyful and alive.

How are you honestly feeling about yourself in relation to your work right now?

Stuck, dispirited, lacking confidence, unsure, questioning myself, not free, disheartened, annoyed, lacking focus, messy etc etc.

Congrats to my sis....

I wanted to say a huge congratulations to my sister, Loz, who has been achieving things at her work that most people her age and older could never hope to pull off. Can't go into heaps of detail yet, but I will be able to explain further in a couple of weeks. For now I will just say how proud of her I am and that I can't wait to see how it all turns out. Oh, and Loz, please try and get some rest somehow - you must take care of yourself or else you will wind up sick again! (That's it for my motherly lectures). WELL DONE!!!!! 

Still laughing....

I started reading "It sucked and then I cried" last night. I think I am still laughing now, nearly 24 hours later. I could hardly keep reading because I just kept laughing out loud with every new sentence. Heather is one funny, funny lady. I had to order this book from the U.S, and it only came in hardback (making it very costly), but even after chapter 1 it is worth every cent. I'm looking forward to the next side splitting installment tonight. 

Swimming with the fishies....

Today I officially started my next e-course, "in a fish bowl".  After listening to Marisa's first podcast I am hooked already (no pun intended!). I am doing this course in an attempt to get my butt in gear with starting my own creative business. For the past few months I have come to a real stand still with this one, but tonight I am feeling the motivation creeping back in. Marisa hit the nail on the head completely when she said that it is easy to lose focus in the online world. It's great that there are opportunities beyond our wildest dreams but in being able to constantly see what others are doing minute by minute one often ends up comparing their creativity and progress with others, which can lead to problems. I have definitely been experiencing this lately. Instead of focusing on what I want to create or do, I am doubting my work as soon as I compare it to the work of others. Marisa has provided me with some much needed focus and clarity and I can't wait to get started. She suggested that we use this time to tune back into ourselves and reconnect with our own focus, and I am going to put all my energy into doing just that. 

P.S. If you haven't checked out Marisa's blog creative thursday you should head over there immediately. She is a wonderful artist and a beautiful soul.

Venus and Mars and all that....

A funny thing happened to me this morning. I actually laughed at my husband when he played a 'fart' prank on me. It went a little something like this:

"What are you doing?" I ask him when I walk into the living room at 7am.

"Not much, I've got crook guts" he replies.

"Oh, thats no good" I reply sympathetically.

Cue various 'fart' noises from his iphone, accompanied by tragic acting, followed by pathetic giggling (as you might envisage a 6 year old doing).

 Ordinarily I would look at him in disgust and tell him he was juvenile and that as a 31 (ok, nearly 32) year old woman I do not find such things amusing - and as a nearly 32 year old man, husband and father, he shouldn't either. But for some reason today I stopped myself and decided to not take life so seriously. The difference in thought processes between the male and female species was sooooooo ridiculously huge at that moment, that I couldn't help but laugh. At that hour of the morning I am thinking about significant life issues such as getting ready for work, what I will do at work, whether my little man is organised, climate change, world peace etc, and what is my husband thinking about? The farting noises app on his iphone. Says it all really.....

P.S. Sorry if I have offended anyone with the topic of this post. For some reason I just feel the need to post something very light hearted tonight (and yes, this is the best I could come up with........!).

Books, books, books

As you might have noticed I have finished a few of the books on my list over the past couple of weeks. "Good to Great" was the first book on my lululemon list and it really makes fascinating reading for anyone interested in business (in particular, businesses not based on your typical model). 

"Always looking up" by Michael J Fox was inspiring. What an amazing guy. His ability to turn a situation that many would view as life ending into one that has enriched his own life and the lives of thousands of other people is phenomenal. A genuinely intelligent, compassionate and witty human being. (He will forever be Alex. P Keaton to me, no matter how many years go by. Such fond memories....).

"Bruce and Me" by Oren Seidler is the book I just finished reading. It is one of those books you cannot put down. You can't believe that people live lives like the one that she has, but on the flip side it really makes you wonder what a 'normal' life is anyway. An interesting and humorous read (that she also made into a documentary I believe).

I've added two new books to the list: "Learning to Breathe" by Alison Wright and "It sucked and then I cried" by Heather B Armstrong. I mentioned my desire to get Alison's book when I discussed her photography in an earlier post. I'm sure this one will be very inspiring. "It sucked and then I cried" is the heartfelt, witty and honest story of Heather's battle with postnatal depression and all the other details of pregnancy and motherhood. I can't wait to read this memoir as Heather's writing is hilarious. If you want to find out a little more about her you can visit her personal blog dooce.com.

If anyone reads any of these books please drop me a comment and let me know what you think. Happy reading!

Fluff's 10 things that make her heart happy....

I got an email from my little sis today. I love to hear about what she is up to in Munich and thinking about how great it will be to see her again. After reading my blog she sent me her own list of things that make her heart happy. This made me so happy that I just have to share them with all of you (Fluff, I hope you don't mind!). 

1: My Family

2: My Friends

3: The Rain and Storms 

4: Peter Pan the movie (the most recent re-make).

5: Books

6: Shoes (I'm still going through a sneaker phase, I love my Nike shoes).

7: Flowers (tulips to be specific).

8: Tea

9: A blog called "get.love.give.love" = very very good blog.

10: Music

Ohhh, number 9 is so sweet!

Fluff's favourite sneakers

Welcome to the world little one.....

Two of our closest friends welcomed their first little one into the world today. He is absolutely gorgeous. We are very, very lucky that our little men will be able to grow up together and become the best of friends (just like their dads!). 

Brian Tracy CD 2....

The second CD is concerned with understanding the self-concept. So many of the points raised ring true for me and I can see clear examples of them in my own life. I am going to try so hard to incorporate these concepts into my little man's life because self-concept is pivotal in people being able to reach their full potential (and parents have a massive, massive impact on this). Interesting points from CD 2:

• It is impossible to give children too much love in the formative years (especially age 1-5).
• Fear of failure is the single greatest obstacle to success in the adult life. 
• Fear of rejection manifests itself in adult life with a preoccupation  with what other people think eg. always asking yourself "What will they think?" or "How will they react?". This is brought about by not receiving unconditional love from parents. The negative behaviour pattern demonstrated here is that the person is driven to perform but is afraid to try things. 
• Destructive criticism is the cause of negative comment patterns. Destructive criticism coming from someone having prestige to the child invariably lowers the self-esteem of the child. 

The law of concentration: Whatever you dwell upon, grows in your experience. Whatever you think about on a continuing basis becomes a part of you. You do become what you think about. 

The law of substitution: The conscious mind can only hold one thought at a time (either positive or negative). Therefore we can deliberately substitute a positive thought for a negative one. Keep your conscious mind focused on who you want to become and where you want to go and that becomes the reality in your life. 

• We are 100% totally responsible for every aspect of our lives.
• Continuous excuses is one of the critical factors holding us back from reaching our full potential. 
• The acceptance of total responsibility, without excuses is one of the hallmarks of the peak performing, high achieving human being. 

For a child to feel truly loved, the following must occur:

1. Parents love themselves: A parent cannot love a child any more than he or she loves themselves.

2. Parents love each other: Children who do not grow up in an environment where their parents love each other do not fully understand what it is to be part of an adult loving relationship.

3. Parents must love the child: In order to love another person, you have to spend a lot of time with that person. You cannot convey to your children that you love them unless you spend long periods of time with them. 

Guilt: Is the major psychological problem of the 20th century. It is the cause of more insecurity, negative feelings and ruined personalities than anything else. 

• Guilt is used as punishment and for control. People who grow up feeling guilty have certain adult manifestations of guilt eg. they feel they are inferior, inadequate and undeserving of good things; they engage in destructive self criticism and criticism of others; they are easily manipulated by guilt; they use guilt and blame on others continuously; they use 'victim language'.
• 'Victim language': 'I can't, I have to, I'm sorry, I wish, It wasn't my fault.....". When you say 'I wish', it really means 'but I know I can't'. We are predisposing ourselves for failure. Saying 'I'll try' is excusing failure in advance. Just say "I'll do it or I won't do it".

4 step plan for releasing guilt:

1. Eliminate self destructive criticism (don't allow anyone else to say anything either).

2. Refuse to be manipulated by guilt.

3. Refuse to use guilt or blaming with anyone.

4. Forgive others (this is the hallmark of a truly healthy personality). 

Accepting responsibility = looking towards the future.

Blaming = looking backwards.

I know I have included a heap of information here but I think it is so important to remind ourselves of these things. Many people will argue that these concepts are so simple or are common sense. And they are. But why then do so many of us not incorporate them into our lives or our relationships with others? Food for thought.....

Precious.....

Here is my little man's hand in my grandmother's (his great-grandmother's) hand. This photo was taken by a good friend of mine the other week (Nadia, gorgeous shot). I will treasure it forever. To me it represents all the knowledge, wisdom, experience, joy, laughter and a lifetime of memories being passed on to the newest family member. My nan is unquestionably the centre of our family and her hands are the hands that hold all of us together in so many ways. I am so grateful that my little man can spend time with this wonderful, wonderful woman. 

Tomorrow is another day....

I had a pretty crappy weekend this weekend. I was sick (again) and could not do much more than sleep for most of the time. Yesterday, in particular, I felt lower than I have felt in a long while. I can't really pinpoint what caused it but it highlights the way those depressed feelings and thoughts can just creep up on you and before you know it, you are having to dig your way out of a hole again. Its a timely reminder to me though that I have to slow down every now and then and that I just need to ask for help when I need it. Many of us don't do this in life but its a huge lesson I have learned. There is no shame in asking for help - at the end of the day its a much smarter thing to do than wind up in a heap. 

Thankfully, the old adage "tomorrow is another day" applies to me today, and I am feeling far more upbeat than I was. Some great things that happened today were:

1. One of the students in my homeroom made the PE department a cake today. So sweet! (And yummy).

2. Finally talking to one of my very good friends who had a baby 9 weeks ago. She seems to be coping well and enjoying it all which makes me very happy.

3. Having the courage to post a video for my Unravelling course. (The old Bel would never have done that but the new Bel thought 'why not?'.

4. My husband's joy at coaching a girl with cerebral palsy in shot put this afternoon.

5. My husband giving a meat pie to a man on the street today (Love those random acts of kindness). 

6. Everything about my little man!

I hope you all had a wonderful day and if you didn't, remember, "tomorrow is another day".

10 (ok 11,) things that make my heart happy.....

Imagination by Trubbleshots (via flickr)

I got the girls in my homeroom to do this activity the other day and they loved it (there is often so much focus on negativity and stress at school, that I wanted the girls to be reminded of what they love and the importance of finding joy in the simple things). Once I got going I found it so hard to limit it to just 10, but I will try my best:

1. My son falling asleep in my arms (and his gorgeous little laugh).
2. My husbands crazy antics.
3. A pile of books just waiting to be read.
4. My Real Living magazine subscription arriving in the mail.
5. A good cheeseburger, fries and chocolate thickshake.
6. My Peter Alexander pyjama pants (I could wear them all day).
7. Hotel breakfasts
8. Smarties (coloured little chocolate beanies kind of like Reece's Pieces).
9. The smell of jasmine.
10. Hearing my sister sing.
11. My brown boots from Barneys New York (I know I've gone over the limit but I couldn't leave these out!)

Mmmmm, I'm a bit disturbed by the number of references to food. Oh well, you only live once! 

Brian Tracy - Part 1....

As part of my training for lululemon, I have been given 6 CD's by Brian Tracy that I need to listen to (Brian Tracy is a guru in the self-improvement and personal development world). Lululemon have actually bought the rites to these CD's but encourage us to share what is on them, make copies for ourselves etc (all part of their vision to make the world a better place). So I thought that each time I listen to a CD I would post some of the main points or concepts that appealed to me as some of you might also find them interesting and/or helpful.

Here are the insights from CD 1:

Success =

1. Peace of mind (freedom from fear, anger and guilt).

2. High levels of health and energy.

3. Loving relationships.

4. Financial freedom (having enough money so as not to have to worry about money).

5. Worthy goals and ideals.

6. Personal fulfillment (reaching your full potential or self actualisation).

Tracy proposes that there are a number of laws in the universe:

1. The law of control: We feel good about ourselves to the exact extent that we feel in control of our own lives. (This also works in reverse).

2. The law of cause and effect: For every effect there is a specific cause. There is no such thing as an accident. Our thoughts are the causes and conditions are the effects.

3. The law of belief: Whatever you believe with feeling, becomes your reality. Self limiting beliefs become true. BUT they are not based on reality.

4. The law of expectations: Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy. (Therefore, we should always expect the best of ourselves). Successful people continue to look forward to good things happening for them. 

5. The law of attraction: We attract into our lives the people and circumstances that harmonise with our dominant thoughts. If we want this to be different we must change the content of our conscious minds. We become what we think about.

• Our beliefs are based on our self concept. The average person uses less than 1 or 2% of their full potential. To raise the amount of potential used, we must increase the height of our self concept. 
  
• How much you like yourself determines how well you perform in every area of your life.
• It is impossible to love anyone else more than we like, respect or love ourselves. It is impossible to expect anyone else to like or love us more than we like and respect ourselves.

Some very interesting food for thought here. The concept put forward which resonates with me the most at this time is the law of attraction. I have seen this at work in my own life so clearly in the past 10 months or so. I believe in this idea so much that I wear a pendant around my neck every day with the quote "What we think, we become" inscribed on it. I would love to hear what some of your thoughts are on these concepts (feel free to leave me a comment!).

I still can't believe that I have found a place to work where this is the training and focus of each day. I am very, very blessed indeed...... 

5 questions....

Susannah over at ink on my fingers sent me these random 5 questions to answer. So here goes: 

First song you ever bought?

I can't remember exactly which song was the first one I ever bought myself, but I can remember my twin sister being given Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall" (on vinyl of course) when we were very small.

Do you wear a signature scent?

At the moment my signature scent is 'Daisy' by Marc Jacobs.

Finish the sentence, and expand on it: I've always wanted to....

....help others and make a difference in the world. I think that is what compelled me to become a teacher and what is compelling me to continue to choose a path in life that involves inspiring others. I want to be able to look back on my life and say that it has been one of significance and that I have made the world a better place in some way. 

London, Paris or Rome?

A tough one. I want to say Rome because I've been to London and Paris before. But even still, I find myself saying Paris because I just love the romance of it and would love the chance to go back now that I am older and could appreciate it more. (Plus every time I watch the final episodes of Sex and The City it makes me want to go there and wear fabulous dresses like SJP....).

What compels you to keep a blog?

I started my blog to document my 'new journey' in life after suffering post natal depression last year. I want to inspire others to find their true selves, to enjoy the simple things in life and to live each moment to the full. What compels me to keep my blog now that I have started one, is the amazing feedback I am getting from people who have been inspired by my story and outlook. It also gives me a place to express my creativity and show the 'real me' which is a priority in my life. 

Thanks Susannah! X

To My Lovely Husband....

I have been thinking a lot lately about my husband and our relationship (I'm sure anyone else out there with a little one/s will agree with me when I say that having two seconds to think of anything is a feat in itself....). Anyway, I was thinking that I have come such a long way in how I see myself and how I interact with others, but there are a few things that I want to say to my husband that I haven't been able to voice yet. So I'm going to do it now, while its clear in my mind: 

To My Lovely Husband, I know there must be a part of you that is thinking 'Gee, I've been trying to get her to adopt that attitude or see things in this way for years and years now'. And I wouldn't blame you for thinking that, because you're right - you have. Your ability to approach life in an optimistic and joyous way, to only ever see the good in others, your desire to help people, your kindness etc etc are the qualities that drew me to you in the first place. And I know it must have felt like you were beating your head against a brick wall at times. I hope you understand that it isn't that I thought you were wrong or that I purposely wasn't changing (even though my approach might have been letting me or us down). Its just that these are lessons I have had to learn in my own time and in my own way. But I do want to acknowledge that I have learnt so much from you and you have helped me in so many ways. Thank you for your support and for being the person that you are. X Bel

A twist in the tale.....

As I mentioned last week, I am embarking on a new journey in life by leaving my full time teaching job and heading off to join the lululemon team. I had been a little worried about the financial impact of going to part-time work but I knew this was a risk I had to take. But guess what? When I resigned from my teaching job, the school asked if I would stay on working two days a week until the end of the year. So this will help to make my transition smoother and a little more stress free. All I can say is, look at what happens when you follow your heart.....

Loving.......

Cristina dress - silk by Secret Squirrel Clothing

Tux Dresses in black and white by Secret Squirrel clothing

eco-friendly fashion.....

Rachael Cassar Design Couture (via Frankie)

Rachael Cassar is an Australian designer whose label incorporates eco-friendliness and social responsibility. She uses recycled materials and takes apart pre loved clothing to re-use the fabric. I think the result is amazing.

A bit of perspective...

I just watched one of the saddest things I have ever seen. On 60 minutes tonight they interviewed victims of the Victorian bush fires. Darrin Gibson lost his wife and 3 children in what must be one of the most horrific ways imaginable. I can't bring myself to recount his exact story here, because I can't even bear to think about what he experienced and witnessed. So to think that he will have to relive the horror of that day, every day for the rest of his life, is unthinkable (not to mention that he also has to live with his own horrific injuries that resulted from the burns he sustained in the fire). How people can be strong enough to survive such things in life, I just do not know. So tonight I feel the need to say 'Thank you', for the fact that my family and everyone dear to me is safe. I also want to say a prayer for everyone who has suffered and who are still suffering, and to ask that the next time I grumble about being tired, or think that I have been hard done by in some way, that I put things in perspective and remember to be grateful for what I have.

Love Story (Taylor Swift) meets Viva la Vida (Coldplay): This one goes out to Franny...

I came across this amazing youtube clip while catching up on one of my favourite blogs, the rockstar diaries. This piece of music is absolutely beautiful and I'm dedicating it to one of my gorgeous friends, Franny, for reasons that must remain a secret (but that she knows all about!). 

You can read more about the story behind this song here.

It's Official!!!!!

It's official - I resigned from my teaching job today. I have to say that I actually feel excited and relieved. Now I feel as though I am truly back on the path I'm meant to be on. I am also excited because now I feel as though I can really talk about where I am headed on my next journey, which is........... to "lululemon"! For those of you who haven't heard of it, lululemon is a company that sells yoga inspired athletic gear. More than that, it is a company whose philosophy is amazing. It would take me about a week to explain the greatness that is lululemon and even then I wouldn't do it justice, so I highly encourage you all to check out their website here. It is truly inspiring. Below is the manifesto of the company, which gives a great insight into what the company culture and vision. 

For the first time ever I will be working in a place where I was hired for being me. They value the difficulties I have faced and overcome, they love that I want to start my own business, they celebrate the work I am doing to raise awareness of post natal depression, they encourage me to balance my life so that I have time with my family and for myself. I really do feel as though I will learn so much here and that my life will change for the better by traveling on this journey. 

Despite a few nerves, I actually feel quite proud of myself. After walking into this store a couple of months ago I decided then and there that I had to get a job. And thats exactly what I have done. In accepting a part-time position I am taking a huge risk in an attempt to get my foot in the door, and this is a risk that prior to this year I would never in a million years have taken. But I believe that it is one that I am taking for the right reasons and that is what makes this so different. For once I believe in myself and trust myself to know what my dream is and to follow my heart, and that is a massive step for me. 

So here's to fresh starts and taking risks!!!!!!

Taking a break....

Today I am sick. Should have seen this one coming (exhaustion is usually what triggers me to start questioning myself, create anxieties that aren't really there, worry instead of living etc etc - exhibit A, my last post.....). I have lots of things going on in my head today but do not have the energy to formulate my thoughts here. I do want to put out a few little words and thoughts though. So here goes:

Hugs and kisses to all my "Unravelling" friends who have come to my rescue in snapping me out of my self doubt. These women are brave, inspiring, real, wise, caring, fun....I could go on and on. How I have been lucky enough to come in contact with them I don't know, but I am very, very grateful. 

New blog of note: fat mum slim . Read this today and will definitely be checking in on a regular basis. Her post for the day was an amazing quote that I have not come across before. I will leave it as my final bit for the day:

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.

Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart.

Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.

Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.

One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face

in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky

and want more than all the world, your return.

Mary Jean Iron