Restrictions

When we are little, we are governed by rules, cannot touch this, don't do that...

When we get older we become aware of the rules that govern our roads, walk when green man is flashing, Keep the the left when driving, restricted parking...

When we leave home, we become aware of the unwritten rules: some say this is called commonsense. I call this your model of the world

Later on when we partner up and get married/live with someone, new rules are created daily and are changed according to the dominant partner.. Some rules are fun like: Kiss me when you come home, and let's go out for breakfast. Others are just annoying like. Don't do that I can't concentrate, or leave the kitchen spotless each night otherwise the cucarachas (cockroaches) will come and visit.

Here are some restrictions I found on my walk today, made me realise that rules are just boundaries and they serve to protect us and to make us conform.

I found them amusing at least.

Work Life Balance

Yesterday I had an interesting few sessions with some new clients, their main focus was on 'self'and balancing a busy career creating solid momentum in their new business and maintaining a balance.

So I thought I would share some insights onto this, as I know many professionals irrespective of profession are all guilty of working long hours and having their rest of the day and weekends planned into a rigid schedule which is governed by the clock.

So what is left? Often there may not be enough time to 'have down time' 'recharge the batteries'as you weave into one day and the next waiting for some kind of reprieve. Well this state will eventually make you tired, resentful and potentially sick. So take it from me I was there! Block out some 'me'time, and do this one a week, grab 30 minutes for yourself, to read a book, magazine, get a facial, hit some golf balls whatever so you are doing something for yourself.

Then work up to doing this 2-3 times a week until this is incorporated into your day everyday! Yes that is right you need to focus on yourself at least once a day and do something which nourishes you.

It may seem like a big ask, however look at it from a health perspectivve, if you have more grounding, and calmness you will be operating from a better place rather than being reactive to life's circumstances and events. This way you can choice to feel a certain way and have more empowerment over your activities.

Giving to yourself comes naturally once you get the hang of it, and then you start giving more to those that matter in your life and you feel on top of the WORLD!

Foot Steps Of Love

As I walked along the beach, feeling the wet sand beneath my feet, I wondered about those foot prints that already laid there, many foot steps of love.

The beach is like a magnet drawing people each day despite the weather, to feel the salty air, to feel the sand with barefeet. Surfers enjoying the waves no matter how minute they are. Yes the beach is a haven for many people, the foot steps that keep going along the shore.

It took me back to my childhood, as I stepped on a little person's foot print, back were I grew up, the scenery was very alike, rocky, and serene. I walked along the beach with my favorite women, my mum, sister and grandmother, we collected shells and stopped to gaze at the waves and the seagulls. How noisy they were. My grandmother was a modest woman, she always wore dresses and carefully got her feet wet never venturing too deep.

I can still smell the distinctive smell of seaweed, it was everywhere.. once upon a time.

So as I walked along the foot prints I recalled the love in my life as a child and the women who are very much part of that memory. I am safe and I am loved and I am grateful to have shared so much with them all.

Footsteps from the past give us energy for the future.

I felt energised and focused when I finished my walk along the beach, how lucky am I.

10 Tips for Goal Setting

This Video Is great for getting structure on goal Setting

How Old Are You?

Yesterday two women asked me straight out "How old are you? " The first one was amazed how I looked and couldn't believe that we were the same age, the second person I have known for a few years now and she commented that I don't have lines around my eyes!

Now that was a lovely compliment to say the least, in fact I don't equate age = beauty or even categorising myself to be this or that, according to my age! It made me realise that people need to compare, need to have a point of reference, a yardstick, so if you are my age you should have kids by now, or perhaps why do you look so young..oh yeah it is your heritage, that is IT!


Why not just see the person irrespective of their age, being 20 is considered too young for marriage these days, however in my parents time this was the norm. Having a career meant you sacrified on having children. Well nowadays women world-wide are leaving this later and enjoying their lifestyles before the children come. No one said you can't have your cake and eat it too!

We live to enjoy and share our lifes with those who matter, irrespective of age and experience. Have you ever held a new born baby and thought "this is a little person, how wise they are!"

I love being my age, it has taken me this long to do the things I have wanted to do, to explore, travel,study, learn languages, be silly and frivolous.

So with that I really looked in the mirror last night, and yes I did see fine lines around my eyes, and I smiled. I have earned these alright!!

Be Vulnerable

I was reading an article in one of those holistic magazines, and one article really made me think. It was about being vulnerable, being sensitive and human.

Maybe you are the type of person who always says "I am great" everything is great, and inside you are crumbling. on the surface all appears good you want to show this side of your life, however you are dying to reach out and get a hug. I can be like this sometimes, I will admit it, my external is not congruent with my internal representation.

I need to balance this and say when I am not ok and get support, otherwise how will people know I need help? When I need a hug, or a shoulder to cry on. I am showing people that I'm strong, independent and everything is great! However I am not being true to myself, and this potentially can push people away...


Yes I guess most of us are guilty of this, so today listen to what you need. If you feel great, WONDERFUL, and if you are not, well next time someone asks, tell them how you really feel. Then they can choose to support you and you have been honest with yourself.

Being vulnerable is not a weakness, it is listening with your body and emotions, you are open and ready to learn more about yourself.

Embrace this side of yourself...I am still working on it

No Matter What

This is a poem for Motivation and Inspiration, (let me know if it works for you?)

No Matter What
keep on your course, after all this is what you WANT

No Matter What
keep that goal in sight, go and feel it manifesting be there in the future and you have achieved it, How does that Feel?

No Matter if the weather is miserable and grey, be sunny and bright instead, this will give you more energy to keep your momentum

No Matter what others say, if they are not supporting your goal/path, turn this around and BE MORE DETERMINED to prove them Wrong

No Matter how difficult some days are, read your goal over and over, and feel it materialising before your every eyes. Believe you worthy of such a goal, feel it with every fibre in your body.

No Matter how hard it is, take a baby step forward and know this is where you were meant to be

No Matter how bored you are at your daily job, make it fun and believe this is only temporary until you can take that leap of faith.

Commit to making your dreams a reality, after all they are just out there and soon you will have them inside you.

Make a conscious decision to say 'No Matter What'I will succeed, no is not an option. I am the creator of my day.

So as the Nike ad says "Just DO IT!"

Like Attracts Like

Today I had another encounter where this "like attracts like" fitted into the equation. I was doing my cold calls and reaching out to local small businesses, and the lady on the other side of the phone call mentioned how bad her experience was with life coaches, she mentioned she had a very bad experience which affected her work and thus had an ill-feeling about them. I suggested that perhaps that by me calling this could change her opinion. Needless to say she stated that some of her clients have been 'damaged'by life coaches and she helps them with her massage therapy. In addition this just reinforces her belief and she re-lives her bad experience.

It just blew me away how she held onto this belief so tightly making a generalisation about a profession. I could see that she was getting a secondary gain from this belief, as her clients are like her, so it keeps her employed and busy.

Just imagine if she didn't hold that belief anymore and she felt that they could assist people in their journey, then she would need to find more clients and do some changing herself.


I listened and felt that, if she could only see me for a coffee, then again people need to be themselves and see the benefits of networking and being of value to others. I know I could have helped her move on, yet again I don't really think she was ready..


And with any change work, you need willing participants!

So as my lesson for today, to observe that people are really saying, after all they may be quite happy to stay in that current state!

What is your Perspective

Over the weekend, we managed to get some perspective on our priorities as a family. Realising that if we made this decision this would impact us, and the nature of our holidays. And so we ventured out and gave it a test run. We got on two beautiful sail boats and went out into pitwatter for a sail.

Needless to say we were both hooked as we knew we would be. We had for a long time associated our lifestyles on the sea, and being connected with the elements. Now the vision is to making it happen, in some kind of scale. Realistically that is.

When you have perspective on what is important to you as a couple you get drive and determination, one or both of you will see that as the next logical step and you move towards it. You become very intune with what that is: for us it is a sail boat 37-38ft. For you it would be the ultimate house, holiday, car, investments..

So ask yourself what is the next logical step? So you can get a better perspective on your path.

If you put it off...'until I have that ..I will do it?" this becomes too conditional and your goal is too far away. Decide to bring this closer..


We did.

Best Bosses are the Gen X

I was reading online today and an interesting article came my way: About us Gen X, interesting nice to know the research points to us being the prefered manager!

Workers prefer GenX bosses to baby boomers saying they are more creative, less hierarchical and not as selfish.


A survey of 2000 people by Talent2 says 67% of respondents said they enjoy working for a Gen X boss more than a boomer and 37% say the workplace is changing dramatically because of Gen X managers.


Gen Xs apparently think differently to their parents. According to the research, Gen Xs are more confident and while they have the belief you can have it all, they value the fact that people work to live not live to work. They are less likely to insult employees than baby boomers and show greater gender equity.


They are also more flexible with better human skills and more open to change.

source: www.smartcompany.com.au

Cultural Diversity

If you are reaching out to different cultures you need to consider the cultural diversity and the impact. This will tell you about how appropriate your behaviour is and if you can do that or not. For example if you are in mixing with Latins, personal space can be closer than if you are mixing with people from an anglo-saxon culture. This is because Latinos don't mind having such closeness, and remember that it is also a kissing culture, kiss hello, good-bye or when happy to see you, proximity is just one of those things. Also some Latinos like to have music, so you will find music everywhere, mixed in with long lunches, siestas and having business meetings really late.

If you are working in a German culture by constrast, you need to ensure you are punctual (Latinos are getting better at this) and also be prepared. If you say the meeting goes for 30 mins then stick to it. Have an agenda and you need to speak German to them if you are introducing new products or services, they like the French (don't tell anybody I am comparing them!) need material in their native tongue. So make an effort or get a translator. They dress more smart-casual so no need to be formally dressed when conducting a business meeting.

So next time you have an audience, or you are selling/presenting to another culture, do your homework, you may think because you are from Australia everyone will respect your way of being, make an effort to familiarise yourself with their culture, pick up some language and respect the differences. Then doors will open...

A Story For You...

I would like to tell you a story, about a horse, he was very elegant, intelligent and curious about life and each day, he ran in the paddock doing the same thing that is looking at the same patch of green fluffy grass and seeing the fence that kept him safe in the yard. he was happy because he did not know any different, or what was beyond that fence.

One day bright and early he caught a glimpse of another beautiful horse through the cracks in the fence. A white Arabian beauty, she was the most eloquent, poised horse he had ever laid his eyes on, he began to get excited and feel moved by the encounter. She had the shiniest coat and possessed so much energy. He was in awe of her. And as quickly as she appeared in his life she was gone. They transported her elsewhere. She visited him each night for the next month in his dreams, he galloped with her, in pure joy, they played with each other and were great friends, they went for a trot both experiencing the adventure of life.

He was always sad when he finally woke up each morning to realise that it was just an illusion and not real. No wonder he enjoyed his sleeps and getting back to his fantasy each night. Then one night, she did not come into his dream, instead it was a dream about, going solo through the woods, and being safe in his decision to learn and grow, he woke up compelled with every fiber in his body to act, to make that last dream his future. It was a sign so he thought.

No longer happy to stay confined in his paddock, we wanted to experience the otherside and what it had to offer, after all he had stayed 'safe' for TOO long and he knew happiness was out there. And so he made an attempt to jump through the fence and leaped into the sky, so elegant and poised, landing safely on the other side and as soon as his feet landed on the ground he knew he was destined for greatness, as the world now looked exciting and full of promise....


The End.

Giving It A Go

Last night at our yoga class, I was truly inspired. There was a gentleman who I had seen a few times already, always going at the back of the class. Last night as I looked at myself in the mirror I could see him from the corner of my eye, so I noticed him.

He has parkinsons'disease or just uncontrolable shaking in his arms, hands, he was amazing, so focused to do the best he could do, and really making an effort with his condition. It made me realise that no matter what we have going on, the ability to move past it and just participate 100% is what really matters. To be able to give it a go, and dedicate that time to his health and his flexibility is truly admirable. I had found more respect for him, as he showed the rest of the class that having integrity and focus is what yoga is really about.

That is true, it is not how deep you go, or looking fabulous (well?) that is the ego getting in the way, so let it go and just be.


And he was, he kept up with the rest of the class doing his modifications and his concentration was laser beam.

The teacher acknowledged him, and that made my heart sing. How lovely and how inspiring he is.

Made me realise once again that no matter what, we have a wonderful life, filled with connection, joy, laughter, love, and all that good stuff.


I dedicate this blog to you: the man who practises his yoga at the back of the class.

Be Bold

When things are not working out in your relationships, career, health or any other life area, you need to make a decision about what you really want. There is genius in boldness (not sure if this was a quote from somewhere). If you feel that your life is not going according to your ideas/plan, then time to STOP, and think about what you want instead.

I had a vague idea what I wanted, and because I didn't know anybody else doing it I wasn't 100 % clear on my path. And so it was easy to go this way and that, filling up my time with writing, learning and other activities. When an opportunity came up I would need to think about it and assess if this fitted my values, if it didn't no thanks. I had many opportunities like this, they just didn't align with my values.

That was a good starting point. So what do you value?

I am sure we all know someone who did something radical in one day to the next. Like someone who suddenly stopped smoking one day to the next. That is sheer boldness. Or someone who just brought that round the world airline ticket!

Boldness has power behind it, it has action and momentum.