Broken Open.....

I've just started reading "Broken Open" by Elizabeth Lesser. It seems that I have dog eared every page because so much that she writes is speaking to me. I've always been a massive reader but lately I feel like I have been guided to certain books when I'm in book shops. Perhaps my angels or guides or someone is looking out for me and sending me in the direction of books that will help me through this stage of life. Here are some of my favourite snippets so far:

• And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was even more painful than the risk it took to blossom - Anais Nin. Your heart is like the flower. Let it break open. What you want is waiting for you in your own heart. The time has come.


• To be human is to be lost in the woods. None of us arrives here with clear directions on how to get from Point A to Point B without stumbling into the forest of confusion or wrongdoing. Although they are dark and dangerous, it is in the woods that we discover our strengths. We all know people who say their cancer or divorce or bankruptcy was the greatest gift of a lifetime - that until the body, or the heart or the bank was broken, they didn't know who they were, what they felt, or what they wanted. Before their descent into the darkness, they took more than they gave, or they were numb, or full of fear or blame or self pity. In their most broken moments they were brought to their knees; they were humbled; they were opened. And later, as they pulled their lives back together, they discovered a clearer sense of purpose and a new passion for life.


• We can go back to sleep in order to resist the forces of change or we can stay awake and be broken open. Both ways are difficult, but one way brings with it the gift of a lifetime. If we can stay awake when our lives are changing, secrets will be revealed to us - secrets about ourselves, about the nature of life, and about the eternal source of happiness and peace that is always available, always renewable, already within us.


• Albert Einstein warned 'No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it'. In other words, don't try to solve a problem using the same mixed up thinking that got you into the mess in the first place. You will just keep swimming around in tight little circles of indecision and fear.


• Something told me I would not find my way out of this quandary using the same old arguments, but I didn't know where to look for a new perspective. It was as if I was under water, swimming around and around in the darkness. Far above me, beyond the weight of an ocean of worries, a ray of light was pointing in a luminous, new direction, but I was to distracted to notice. I was caught in waves of conflicting questions: Would I ruin my children's lives by getting divorced? Or was it worse for them to live with unhappy parents? Was I a dreamer, looking for an elusive happiness that real life could never deliver? Or were we meant to know the rapture of being alive, even at the cost of breaking the rules?


• How was i to break out of my tight circle of fear into a new consciousness? How did Einstein do it? How did he quiet the admonishing, skeptical voices in his head - the ones barking bad directions - long enough to hear the steady whispers of the universe? How was he able to peer beyond himself and follow the light to more lucid answers?


• The soul comes to earth to learn lessons, not to get married or stay married or to take this job or that job. You have been asking the wrong question. The question is what lesson does your soul want to learn? Do you know?


• Only those who love themselves can love others, and only people who claim their own voice can hear the true song of another.


• The philosopher William James wrote that there are two kinds of people in this world - the Once Born and Twice Born. Once born people do not stray from the familiar territory of who they think they are and what they think is expected of them. If fate pushes them to the edge of Dante's famous dark woods - where the straight way is lost - they turn back. They don't want to learn something new from life's darker lessons. They stay with what seems safe, and what is acceptable to their family and society. They stick to what they already know but don't necessarily want. Once born people may go through life and never even know what lies beyond the woods - or that there are woods at all. A Twice born person pays attention when the soul pokes its head through the clouds of a half lived life. Whether through choice or calamity, the Twice born person goes into the woods, loses the straight way, makes mistakes, suffers loss and confronts that which needs to change within himself in order to live a more genuine and radiant life.


• The journey from Once born to Twice born brings us to a crossroads where the old ways of doing things are no longer working but a better way lies somewhere at the far edge of the woods. We are afraid to step into those woods but even more afraid to turn back. To turn back is one kind of death; to go forward is another. The first kind of death ends in ashes; the second leads to rebirth.


• Twice born people trade the safety of the known for the power of the unknown. Something calls them into the woods, where the straight path vanishes, and there is no turning back, only going through. This is not easy. It is very real and very difficult. To face our shadow - the dragons and hags we have spent a lifetime running away from - is perhaps the most difficult journey we will ever take. But it is there, in the shadows, that we retrieve our hidden parts, learn our lessons, and give birth to the wise and mature self. From my personal experience and from the work I have done with men and women in my workshops, I know the difficulty of the dark journey is matched only by its rewards.

Words of Beauty.....

"Like the earth that carries us, the ground of our being moves so slowly we take it for granted. But if you should feel stalled, numb or exhausted from the trials of your life, simply slow your thoughts to the pace of cracks widening, slow your heart to the pace of the earth soaking up rain and wait for the freshness of the beginning to greet you."

"Regardless of how we may try to skip over or sidestep what we need to face, we humbly discover that no other threshold is possible until we use our courage to open the door before us. Perhaps the oldest working truth of self-discovery is that the only way out is through. That we are returned repeatedly to the same circumstance is not always a sign of avoidance, but can mean our work around a certain issue is not done".

Words by Mark Nepo from "The Book of Awakening" (via Danielle laPorte).

The Black Days....

To be completely honest, I feel as though I have dragged myself through every inch of this weekend. Every ounce of my being seems to be screaming out "I've had enough, this is all too hard and I just can't do it anymore". Everything is a struggle, I feel weighed down and I can't seem to conjure up a feeling of joy in regards to anything. I do ultimately know that this will pass, because it does, but for some split moments this weekend I have really been questioning whether it will.

I didn't decide to write this post to depress myself (or anyone else) even further, but instead I wanted to share a piece of inspiration that just came to me. A tiny sliver, but nonetheless its something - and a sliver is sometimes all you need to get back on track. I was just watching X Factor, which Bailey and I watch every Sunday night. Some of the acts were good but the absolutely outstanding act was the final one. He is a guy who really has, up until now, seemed like the token odd ball of the competition that no-one was really sure of. But last week and this week it has been as if he found himself and his performances have been phenomenal. As I watched him I could feel a smile spread across my face and a lightness fill my heart that has been missing over the past few days. To be transported by someone who has so clearly discovered their gift and who is expressing so brilliantly the thing that appears to complete them is a very special thing to watch. And what it reminded me to do when I am in dark days is to seek out all of these people who exist in the world who inspire me, who live their passion, who love what they do and who have discovered what their gift to the world is - and use their strength and passion as my inspiration to hang in there and keep going, so that I can continue on my path to discovering my gift and get to live those moments where I am being the light and inspiration for someone else.

Become Incredible.....

image by rogvon via flickr

The GM of Store Operations for lululemon athletica Australia has offered to mentor/coach me. I feel really privileged that she is giving up part of her already ridiculously busy life to include me in it in this way. One of the first tasks she asked me to complete was a questionnaire regarding my life and different aspects of it, which really required me to think quite hard and challenge myself to go deeper in some areas. She is so great though because she doesn't let me 'get away' with anything and will call me on things, especially when I'm being mediocre.

The second thing I have done is to read a book called "Become Incredible" by internationally acclaimed self-made millionaire, Jordan Wirsz. There were some great exercises in the book to to get me clear on what motivates me and the 'whys' that are behind my passions in life. Part of this process involved me writing my mission statement. It felt so good to get back on track with this, as I have been missing having this strong sense of 'me' and how I want to live my life. So here is my mission statement. I'm putting it out into the universe because speaking it makes it real. Also, feel free to hold me accountable to being the person I describe here!

I, Bel Youll, choose to live my life being the most amazing person I can be each and every day. I am unique, creative and powerful and I am destined for greatness. I am a leader who leads by example at all times and I use my talents to inspire and empower people all over the world to live their lives to the full. I am a strong female role model for my son and I am the possibility of unconditional love and inspiration for everyone around me. I choose to live my life with passion and positivity and I love every minute of my extraordinary life.

Lost Generation......

An Inspiration....

(Sydney design duo Arent&Pyke - via The Design Files)

Sarah-Jane left of shot

Today I was browsing my fave design blogs and came across something that made my heart sing. Featured in the Design Files (and apparently Real Living Magazine) today, is Arent and Pyke, an amazing design duo from Sydney. The little piece that is special to me is the fact that I went to high school with Sarah-Jane Pyke and I am just so so so so extremely proud and excited to see where she is at today. We were part of a gang of kids who didn't live close to our school, so we spent many hours traveling on the train together, and then later driving to and from school. We lost touch once we left school, but our paths would cross every now and then through mutual friends. What stands out for me is how Sarah-Jane has remained true to herself and followed her dream. She was one of the most intelligent students in our class; mature beyond her years and so witty. I would actually never have guessed that this would be where she would end up in life, but to see her creative spirit out there and her being so successful makes me feel really, really great.

Follow your dreams everyone....

DREAM BIG.....

If there were ever a time to dare,

To make a difference,

To embark on something worth doing,

It is now.

Not for any grand cause, necessarily -

But for something that tugs at your heart,

Something that's your aspiration,

Something that's your dream.

You owe it to yourself to make your days here count.

Have fun.

Dig deep.

Stretch.

Dream big.

Know, though, that things worth doing seldom come easy.

There will be good days.

There will be times when you want to turn around,

Pack it up, and call it quits.

Those times tell you that you are pushing yourself,

That you are not afraid to learn by trying.

Persist.

Because with an idea,

Determination, and the right tools,

You can do great things.

Let your instincts,

Your intellect,

And your heart guide you.

Trust.

Believe in the incredible power of the human mind.

Of doing something that makes a difference.

Of working hard.

Of laughing and hoping.

Of lazy afternoons.

Of lasting friends.

Of all the things that will cross your path this year.

The start of something new brings the hope of something great.

Anything is possible.

There is only one you.

And you will pass this way only once.

Do it right.

Author Unknown

A New e-course for the New Year....

I've just enrolled in a new e-course called "Mondo Beyondo - An online class about Dreaming Big". It is a 5 week online class complete with inspiring lessons, real life stories, audio interviews and hands on activities that will help you take your dreams from the realms of wishing into everyday motion. Sounds like just the ticket to get moving into 2010. Join me if you are ready to dream big!

Seth Godin's new e-book = AMAZING!

For anyone who hasn't visited Seth Godin's website, DO IT NOW! He recently released a free e-book titled "What Matters Now", where he has compiled more than 70 big thinkers, each sharing an idea for you to think about as we head into the new year. As Seth suggests, there are probably too many ideas in there to absorb in one sitting, and some may not apply to you. But the point is to think, to cycle, to talk about it.

So I really have nothing more to say than "Read. Be Inspired. Pass It On".

Ah ha's.....

Image by blondepowers via flickr

"Our biggest fear is not that we are inadequate

Our biggest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure

We ask ourselves, who am I

to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

Your playing small doesn't serve the world

We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us

and as we let our own light shine

we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same"

Marianne Williamson

These concepts are ringing very true for me at the moment. Some, I 'get' completely and others are a work in progress. I cannot agree more with the idea that when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. Over the past year I have worked hard to find my light and share it with other people (and to come to understand that it is ok to do so). I have shared the 'real' me and been more authentic than ever before in my life, and by doing this I have given myself and others a gift. When we are happy with ourselves, understand ourselves, celebrate and share ourselves with the world and are authentic in everything we do, it inspires others. It allows them to see how wonderful life can be and motivates them to get out there to find and spread their own joy.

In the past I have had a hard time truly believing the idea that our biggest fear could be that we are powerful beyond measure. Who would be afraid of being powerful? Wouldn't we all love to get to that point in our lives and when we did, wouldn't we grab it with both hands? Apparently not. I can attest to this. I am powerful in my own life. Sharing my life experiences and being my true self has had an amazing effect on the people around me. I have seen this, felt this, been told this. I know this to be true. If this powerful self is the very same person who made a huge life change this year and left her teaching job to join the lululemon family, why then do I let fear and doubt creep in and essentially play-down the power that I know exists within me? The answer to this question only started to dawn on me in the past week. It is because I am letting past disappointments cloud my mind. I haven't realised it, but I must still be carrying them around with me.

What I need to trust is that I have found my place to be powerful, where I can take that leap of faith and throw everything I have and everything I am into this life and I will be supported. I'm not going to be 'dropped' or be told 'Be Big, Be Powerful - ok stop, now you're too powerful', as has happened in the past. I need to fully let go and trust that the culture of lululemon and the amazing people I work with is where I can finally be me and achieve greatness. I did truly believe this when i first decided to change my life and work with lululemon, but I've let fear creep in since then.

I made an enormous stand for my own greatness in changing how I live my life, and in changing my career path at the time in life that I have (age 32, with a 1 year old). I need to keep holding myself accountable. I didn't put in the hard work and make those big decisions to come to lululemon to be mediocre. I came to lululemon because I truly believe with all my heart that I have finally found the place where I can be the powerful person that I am, and where I will make a difference in a way that goes beyond anything I could ever have imagined for myself. I'm here, its here and its time to do this! So I am a lululemon store manager by July 2010, I am Regional Manager for lululemon by July 2012 and I am General Manager of lululemon athletica Australia by July 2016. Whooo hoooo!

This is why I do what I do....

Today I had an amazing experience in the store. I met Michel and Helene who are part of a group of four Canadian cyclists from the Motor Adaptation Foundation who are in Australia as part of their “Seeing Beyond” World Tour. This group's incredible adventure began back in 2003, and by 2012 they hope to have completed 42, 195km across at least 4 continents. Backed by Lions International, and more specifically by the Lions Club of Quebec l'Ancienne-Lorette, these four Canadians have been leading by example, riding across North America and Europe to show the world that everyone, young and old, including anyone with disabilities, needs to take an active part in life and maintain good mental and physical health. The group have achieved their goal of riding 4,219.5km in Australia, and did so in 39 days. And, get this: The youngest member of the team is 68 years of age!!!!!

Michel and Helene initially came in the store because they wanted to purchase an inspiring gift for someone and decided to get him one of our water bottles. Once I heard their story, I told them they could choose four bottles, one for each person in their group, and take them as a gift from lululemon to congratulate them and support them on their journey. They were completely overwhelmed by this offering and said that the I 'heart' lululemon bottles would always remind them of me. (They also said they would be telling everyone where their bottles came from). Even more touching was the fact that they returned to the store later in the afternoon, because they wanted to have their photo taken with me (Awwwww!). Despite being from Canada, Michel and Helene were not familiar with lululemon. I feel quite privileged to have been their introduction to our culture and brand.

How lucky am I that I get to have these wonderful experiences as part of a days 'work'?

Note: To read more about this group and their inspiring founder, you can click here.

My husband is amazing....

So my husband achieved something truly amazing on Friday. He ran for 8 1/2 hours, covering approximately 80km. The purpose of such a feat is to train for an epic run that he intends to do next April. His goal is to run from Cape York to Sydney, in order to raise awareness and money for post natal depression. (This will involve him covering roughly 100km a day for 2 months). I have been quite hesitant to talk about this and I know that for the most part my husband feels I haven't been very supportive of him in this quest. Its not that I don't want to support him but its my fear kicking in. Fear of how I will cope on my own, looking after a small baby and working full-time. Fear of the effect this will have on my husband's body and mind. Fear of the effect his absence will have on our relationship. Fear of lots and lots of things. I feel hypocritical discussing how inspired I am about people like John Maclean who complete amazing physical and mental challenges, but then not wanting my husband to do this. I am trying very hard at the moment to overcome this fear. I'm still a long way from doing this, but for now I do want to say how proud I am of him for what he did on Friday night and that I think he is truly amazing for following through with it.

Snap out of it......

Tonight I came across an amazing blog called the 'NieNie Dialogues'. At first glance it appears to be a lovely blog about a 28 year old woman named Stephanie, who adores her children and husband. Once I started reading, however, I became aware, that just over a year ago, Stephanie and her husband were actually in a plane crash which nearly killed both of them. It also left her in a coma and with severe burns (the burns are so severe that you cannot recognise her from previous photos). Yes, it is an extremely sad story, but I wanted to share it because it was just the wake up call I needed. I have been letting my mind and day to day thoughts be consumed by trivial things lately. After reading Stephanie's posts from the past year, hearing of her struggles, and also of her faith, gratitude and hope, I realised its time that I got over myself and focused on enjoying every minute of this wonderful life that I have been given. I urge you to visit Stephanie's blog and be inspired yourself.

Life=Risk.....

One of my fellow lulu's sent me the link to a great motivational clip.

(You can find it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tjYoKCBYag).

Be inspired.....

Right On.....

“Go be that starving Artist you’re afraid to be. Open up that journal and get poetic finally. Volunteer. Suck it up and travel. You were not born here to work and pay taxes. You were put here to be part of a vast organism to explore and create. Stop putting it off. The world has much more to offer than what’s on 15 televisions at TGI Fridays. Take pictures. Scare people. Shake up the scene. Be the change you want to see in the world. You’ll thank yourself for it.”

-Jason Mraz

via Here Comes The Sun

To Write Love On Her Arms.....

I came across the TWLOHA site on the Little Gorjuss Things blog. To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery. I have included their vision below so you get an even better understanding of what it is all about, but I highly encourage you to check out the website.

VISION:

The vision is that we actually believe these things…

You were created to love and be loved. You were meant to live life in relationship with other people, to know and be known. You need to know that your story is important and that you're part of a bigger story. You need to know that your life matters.

We live in a difficult world, a broken world. My friend Byron is very smart - he says that life is hard for most people most of the time. We believe that everyone can relate to pain, that all of us live with questions, and all of us get stuck in moments. You need to know that you're not alone in the places you feel stuck.

We all wake to the human condition. We wake to mystery and beauty but also to tragedy and loss. Millions of people live with problems of pain. Millions of homes are filled with questions – moments and seasons and cycles that come as thieves and aim to stay. We know that pain is very real. It is our privilege to suggest that hope is real, and that help is real.

You need to know that rescue is possible, that freedom is possible, that God is still in the business of redemption. We're seeing it happen. We're seeing lives change as people get the help they need. People sitting across from a counselor for the first time. People stepping into treatment. In desperate moments, people calling a suicide hotline. We know that the first step to recovery is the hardest to take. We want to say here that it's worth it, that your life is worth fighting for, that it's possible to change.

Beyond treatment, we believe that community is essential, that people need other people, that we were never meant to do life alone.

The vision is that community and hope and help would replace secrets and silence.

The vision is people putting down guns and blades and bottles.

The vision is that we can reduce the suicide rate in America and around the world.

The vision is that we would learn what it means to love our friends, and that we would love ourselves enough to get the help we need.

The vision is better endings. The vision is the restoration of broken families and broken relationships. The vision is people finding life, finding freedom, finding love. The vision is graduation, a Super Bowl, a wedding, a child, a sunrise. The vision is people becoming incredible parents, people breaking cycles, making change.

The vision is the possibility that your best days are ahead.

The vision is the possibility that we're more loved than we'll ever know.

The vision is hope, and hope is real.

You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story.

Drops like stars......

We plot, we plan, we assume things are going to go

A certain way and then they don’t and we find ourselves
In a new place, a place we haven’t been before, a place
We never would have imagined on our own,

And so it was difficult and unexpected and maybe even
Tragic and yet it opened us up and freed us to see
Things in a whole new way

Suffering does that—
It hurts,
But it also creates.

How many of the most significant moments in your
Life came not because it all went right, but because
It all fell apart?

It’s strange how there can be art in the agony…

By Rob Bell

Lessons from an amazing individual....

I am currently reading "Never Say Die" the memoir of Chris O'Brien, who was one of Australia's leading head and neck cancer surgeons. In 2006, he was diagnosed with an aggressive and lethal form of brain cancer. Most people who have this particular form of cancer do not survive past 12 months, but Chris lived with the cancer for 2 & 1/2 years. In that time he was always generous and optimistic, putting all of his energy into fundraising for an integrated cancer centre called "Lifehouse" at Royal Prince Alfred hospital.

From the very first pages of the book, it is clear that Chris is a compassionate, inspiring and quite enlightened individual. His attitude of inclusivity really resonated with me and reminds me alot of the philosophy behind lululemon.

Chris wrote the following about a ritual he introduced to the head and neck team at RPA, early on in his days there:

"The gathering involved sharing a couple of bottles of red wine, sometimes with cheese or other food, for an hour or more at the end of the day with the anaesthetics team and the residents, registrars and fellows as well as the medical students.
During this time we would talk as equals about the day's events or about books, films, wine and anything else non-medical that presented itself. People may sniff cynically at the word 'equals' but I had worked hard over the years to develop a culture of mutual respect and harmony in the unit, based on the principle that we were simply at different stages of our medical careers and therefore had different roles and responsibilities. These little bonding sessions created an opportunity for us to become better aquainted with the junior members of the team and to learn about their lives and ambitions. When we adjourned for home, everyone was cheerful and felt they'd had a good day".

Another gorgeous day...

Today was another gorgeous day, just like last Saturday. The little man came with me to school sport this morning and he was so good he broke my heart. For over two hours he smiled at everyone and didn't once cry. I enjoyed every second of being with him today. The lovely husband and I are lucky enough to have a baby free night tonight so that we can go out to dinner with my cousin and her husband (my dad and step-mum are kindly looking after the little man).  We are going to a wonderful French restaurant (snails here we come!), and I can't wait to catch up with family members who I love dearly.

As tomorrow is Mothers Day here (yes, my first one!), I was searching the Internet for some relevant images for tomorrow's post. My first port of call was to the website of photojournalist Alison Wright. I have been following her work ever since I came across her book "Faces of Hope" in a bookstore. Alison has dedicated herself to portraying the lives of children in the developing world.  Her ability to capture the spirit of her subjects is truly amazing, as is her ability to capture the simple joy that children find in play, their family and the world around them. Alison's photos are a celebration of children, their heritage and the promise they hold for all our futures. 

Child in Tibet

Alison has written a book about her astonishing survival and recuperation following a devastating bus accident in Laos. I haven't read it yet but am going to go out ASAP to buy it as it sounds so inspiring. Here is the blurb from her website that will make you want to run out and buy the book right now as well:

"I strived to find a way to balance my not-so-subtle yearning for a sense of inner peace while bearing witness to life’s atrocities and injustices. Apparently the universe  felt I needed more than a gentle nudge. In fact, it took the impact of a one-ton logging truck to find it."

-- Alison Wright

________

The air was heavy and smelled thickly of burned rubber, of brakes and tires stretched beyond their limits ..In the distance, I could hear muffled voices calling, "My God, someone do something! This woman is bleeding to death!"

I silently prayed that someone would help whomever that woman was… I saw the deep arm-length gashes. The open flesh looked like it had been attacked by a shark, a dark wine color rapidly spreading across the front of the light blue sleeveless denim shirt… That’s when I realized that the woman they were talking about was me." -- Taken from the opening of LEARNING TO BREATHE.

In LEARNING TO BREATHE: One Woman’s Journey of Spirit and Survival (Hudson Street Press; August 2008; $24.95; 978-1-5946) Alison Wright, a renowned photojournalist with a lifetime of world travels behind her, tells of riding a packed bus on a winding mountain road of Laos in the first few days of the new century. In an instant of crushed metal and shattered glass, her life utterly changed: taking a dangerous blind curve, the bus collided head-on with a logging truck, nearly killing her. In unbearable pain, severely injured and barely able to breathe, Alison lay by the side of the road and drew upon her years of meditation practice, concentrating on every breath as if it were her last.

It would be fourteen excruciating hours before Alison finally received any medical attention, although in a life-saving gesture her glass-mangled arm was first sewn up by a young man with a needle and thread. Eventually reaching Thailand, she began a series of excruciating surgeries which continued back in the States. She had survived injuries no one thought she could, and now determined to get her life back, she struggled to remain positive when her doctors discouraged her from thinking about returning to her previous career and athletic lifestyle. Never one to accept defeat, Alison set herself the goal of achieving a new dream: to one day climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.

LEARNING TO BREATHE is Alison Wright’s searing account of the accident, its aftermath, her recovery, and her triumph: from Kilimanjaro on her fortieth birthday, through an extraordinary pilgrimage of gratitude to Mount Kailash, to an eventual return to Laos and a reunion with the people who helped her in those crucial first hours. 

Filled with stunning accounts of a lifetime of adventure and photojournalism, and informed by a spiritual quest to find a universal human connection among cultures around the world, LEARNING TO BREATHE is an unforgettable tale of one woman’s urge to not only survive but to live a life filled with meaning and compassion. 

Inspiration Board

Since unleashing my creative spirit, our bedroom has become an office/studio for me to work in (thank you lovely husband for allowing me to take over the room!). It has been so great to have a designated space to work in. Every time I walk in there I feel creative, happy, and truly like myself. I designed my own inspiration board so that I can constantly be inspired and reminded of what/who is important to me. If you are lucky enough to have a spare room or corner of your house to set up as 'your' space, I highly recommend it. Even just having a small board somewhere in your house is all you need. Look at it each day and add to it when you can to help you stay focused, motivated and in touch with who you really are.