Monday, March 29, 2010

Remembering my passion.....

I've been reflecting on the absence of passion in my life at the moment. I do have such a great life and so much to be thankful for. But there is something missing - not in the 'my life would be complete if had this....' kind of way but in a 'there is a little hole somewhere' kind of way. The kind of passion I am talking about is the life purpose kind of passion. The 'what for' element of life that has you waking up at 4am in the morning full of possibilities and excitement. I think its time for me to get back in touch with my passion, and that passion is my give love get love concept store for kids. I truly believe that change in the world can only come about by focusing on the next generation, and that we need to surround them with messages of positivity and love. I want to open a retail store where I sell inspiring clothing and gifts. It will also be a space where each child's tank of love can be filled up when they visit and we can run workshops and activities etc. That is what gives me my 'what for' and fills me with a sense of urgency and purpose. Watch this space!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

My Little Man Saved Me Today....


I'm feeling a little down today - coming to the realisation that certain things in my life are not as I thought they were. Am trying to process this in a way that helps me move forward and I do believe I will, just not right this minute. In the meantime my head is going to feel a little cloudy, which is always weird. But today my Little Man saved me. How can you not feel better spending the day with someone whose idea of fun is flushing the toilet a gazillion times, or running around in circles laughing crazily or throwing everything down the back of the lounge chair? I am so blessed to have you around little boo boo.....

Friday, March 26, 2010

Alice in Wonderland....



On Wednesday night the ivy lulu's went to see Alice in Wonderland together as part of our goal party (a reward for being so great!). I didn't really have any expectations but I was actually very curious to see what it was like. The story line didn't exactly blow me away but the imagery was amazing. I was so drawn in by the colour and the sets and costumes etc. Johnny Depp truly is such a talented actor (he's come a long way since the 21 Jumpstreet days!), and I really enjoyed Mia Wasikowska's portrayal of Alice. It was fun to be like a kid again and go to a movie like that with all my lulu buddies!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

What a cutie!

Photo of Miles Razek from Garance Dore

Is this not THE cutest little guy ever????? He is wearing a Stella McCartney for Kids Gap jacket over a Beatles T-Shirt. Uber stylish for such a little dude.

Reflections on 'Operation New Possibilities"....

For the past 3 days I have chosen the possibility of unconditional love and inspiration and I can honestly say that I have consciously put this into practice in every area of each day. When a cab driver drove in front of me while I had right of way crossing the road, I chose to love him for his sneakiness rather than hating him for doing the 'wrong thing'. In yoga classes I have pictured myself giving out love to everyone else in the class. As I have been walking along the street I've been saying over and over to myself "I am the possibility of unconditional love and inspiration". Not only has it made me believe it more and more but it also allowed me to be so much more present to the joy in simple things around me. The guy cruising down the middle of South Dowling Street on his bike - usually such a busy road but on Sunday morning he just looked so free and calm. The people sitting on the window sill of their apartment sharing stories about their Saturday night (or so I imagined). The people flowing out of the hostel after getting a morning meal. I felt love for their ability to seek help and to find strength in each other. For the lovely cab driver I had on my way home from work who was just happy to chat and who had the cleanest cab I have been in for a long time.

The overall effect that this has had on me so far is that I have felt lighter, more present and more connected to everything and everyone around me. From this perspective, the rest of the week will just get better and better I'd say!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Chocolate or Vanilla? Choose.....


"Chocolate or Vanilla? Choose. Chocolate or Vanilla? Choose. Chocolate or Vanilla? Choose". Sounds strange, doesn't it? For anyone who has done Landmark Education, this one will be familiar to you. For anyone who hasn't, the premise behind this is simple. At any given time, at any given moment, in any given situation, we have a choice. Its like when we are choosing ice-cream. Options could be chocolate or vanilla, and we have a choice. Quite straight forward in theory but this one is still proving to be a huge challenge for me. Being able to live this concept authentically requires you to commit to who you want to be in life and remain true to that no matter what comes your way. And it means being that person in all areas of your life - not just the ones where that might be a little easier to do than others.

I absolutely agree and can see that choosing to live your life from this place can have such a positive effect. It grounds you, allows you to stand tall and strong in the face of adversity and to inspire others. Agreeing and doing , however, are two very different things and I've been getting very frustrated lately by the fact that I haven't been able to implement this in my life, particularly in my relationship with my husband and my relationship with myself. I've come to the realisation that its because I haven't fully committed to who I am going to be. I know what I want my relationship and family life to look like but I've been struggling to actually live it every day. Why? A myriad of reasons probably. Home is where you drop your guard and often release all the crap from the outside world. Home is where you can rant and rave and fall apart. Home is where people can push your buttons the most and you often do the same to others. Home is where you get away with being someone you would probably never get away with being anywhere else. I place enormous expectations on myself. Why is it so hard to choose to be a certain person and stick to it? Because you are taking a leap of faith. You are vulnerable. You have to give up the game of right and wrong that most of us have been accustomed to playing all our lives. You can no longer rely on the voices in your head that support your old ways (you know the ones that let you get away with being anything but great and that don't really serve you any good purpose). You have to work harder to be conscious and present each moment, to a new way of thinking.

But I've reached a point where I can keep running away from making the commitment and continue to live a life that is becoming increasingly unsatisfying, exhausting and less than great; or I can take the road that will be hard work along the way but will ultimately be far more satisfying, fulfilling and great. Mmmmm, not such a hard choice when you look at it that way is it?

Choosing to live in this way will not and does not guarantee that everything in life turns out the way you plan. No-one can remain true to this every second of every day (although we can try). There will be days or weeks where you drop the ball but the key to remember is, thats ok. You can let it go and start again because you have a foundation to come back to. If I strive to be the best person I can be in every moment, in the face of everything that comes my way, I will be ok and I will make it through anything.

So from this moment on, I am choosing to be the possibility of unconditional love and inspiration. I'm putting this out to you and the universe because I need everyone to hold me accountable to this and remind me when I start to slip. If my journey can help anyone else along the way, then that would be great too.

P.S. Thank you to Alexie for being the first person to hold me accountable and for being my sounding board to even get to this point. Much love to you. X

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Things I'm loving today.....

Watching the pink sky as the sun came up over the city this morning.

Yoga to start the day.

Sharing goals with all my lulu lovelies.

My new Pranotthana crops and Exhale Jacket from lululemon (pictured below).

Nachos for lunch.

Bright blue skies and still 27 degrees in autumn.

Coffee and a catch up in Centennial Park with a friend in the afternoon.

My little man eating his dinner.

My little man being taken to bed at 8pm with no resistance (after last nights tantrums this is heaven sent!).

Some mummy time this evening.


Exhale Jacket from lululemon athletica

Pranatthana Crops from lululemon athletica

Monday, March 15, 2010

Things that make no sense....

"Afterlife of a Dandelion" image by Pink Sherbet Photography (via flickr)
My baby niece attends a Family Daycare run by a lady named Tatijana. Whilst I have never met this woman, I feel that I know her already since I hear alot about her through my sister. I also feel as though she is a part of my family since she clearly has such a positive and loving impact on my niece. Tatijana has two little children of her own - a young son and a 9 month old daughter. Tragically, her baby daughter passed away on the weekend. I don't know the ins and outs of the situation but I cannot even begin to imagine how devastating this must be for her and her family. My thoughts are with them today and for the little bubba who was taken away so soon. My thoughts are also directed to how lucky I am that my family members are safe and that I have them in my life. x

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Yin Yoga with A Beer Chaser....

So I did my favourite Yin yoga class again this Friday night, followed by a girls night out. Sounds a bit weird, I know, but it was great. I'm flying solo for most of this weekend (husband is doing a 6 hour adventure race tomorrow and the Little Man is with other family members), which is a rare luxury. So I'm making the most of it by doing things I don't always get to do, such as drinks with some of my lulu girls. Having said that, I do have a pang of sadness in my heart that I won't be the one that is there for my Little Man when he wakes up and won't get one of his kisses first thing in the morning. But I do know that these times alone are so valuable in order to recharge and keep being the best mum I can be. So here's to a weekend of me.....

Monday, March 8, 2010

Getting My Yoga On...

The gorgeous Kelli Prieur (ivy store Ambassador)

Last week I kicked off the "March Madness Challenge" with the team at our store. Our goal is to have been to 60 classes between us in March. The teacher in me constructed a star chart that is proudly displayed in the store to track our progress. The expectation is that full-time staff do 4 classes each week. This does seem a little daunting at first but if you plan your week carefully before it begins, and schedule the classes in, it makes it a lot easier. I did 3 yoga classes and 1 Zumba class last week, and I have to say I feel so much better for having challenged myself to do more than I usually would. My favourite class of the week was the Yin class led by Kelli Prieur (our very own ivy store Ambassador) at Body Mind Life. Friday night, the end of a busy week, a warm studio, 'Buddha Lounge' tunes, the sound of the rain falling outside, candlelight, 5 of my fellow lululemon lovelies by my side and an hour of restorative yoga. Bliss.....