30 Seconds of Fame

It's amazing how much you can say in 30 seconds!  Check out my first You Tube clip.

http://youtu.be/8gx9G999U3w

I am really excited about completing this.  Benjamin Scotford (bscotford@cgcre8.com) did a great job filming and editing the clip and now its ready to GO!

Let me know what you think!

Every accomplishment starts with a decision to TRY

When was the last time you jumped up and down with excitement because you had accomplished something that you were really proud of?

For me it was early this morning as I was running alongside a friend telling her how I had finally achieved a goal I had set myself earlier this year.  I didn’t mean to but I just leapt for joy because I was so excited and proud of myself. 

My goal was to move from a golf handicap of 35 down to 25 before the end of the 2012 season.   Writing this goal down kept me focused and turning up to practice and play even though for months my handicap barely changed.  At times I felt discouraged at my lack of progress however seeing my target in print inspired me to keep trying.

Lo and behold the last 4 weeks have seen a vast improvement in my game which resulted in my handicap of 29 going down to 26.  I could barely believe my eyes when I re-checked on Wednesday and it had changed to 25!

It all started with a decision to TRY.

What is it going to be for you?  What are you going to try?

 Be sure to aim high because you have got nothing to lose and a whole lot of fun, confidence and excitement to gain!

This month’s Newsletter is all about challenging yourself so if you want some more inspiration subscribe  at http://www.inspiredtob.com.au

Wanted: Quality Thoughts & Underwear

It’s funny the things that make us feel like we have our life together.

In my experience matching underwear definitely makes me feel good about myself.   It gives me the assurance that if I am ever hit by a bus, the nurses in the hospital will be impressed by both my colour co-ordination and attention to detail (just a shame I didn’t notice the bus!)

I also feel like I have my life together when I keep my attention and thoughts focused on things that are positive and true.  This is important because your thoughts directly influence both how you feel and act so take time to notice them.

If you give this a go and choose to  fix your mind and thoughts on all the things that are wonderful, you will start to feel and act like you do have your life together…. even if your underwear doesn’t match!

"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts"    Marcus Aurelius

"The Voice"

Normally I don’t get hooked on TV shows but I have to admit that I did watch the recent reality talent show “The Voice.   In particular, the journey of two of the contestants who overcame huge difficulties in their lives was very inspiring.

Both of these girls, along with all of the competitors had the courage to overcome their fear and self–doubt to risk achieving a dream.

As in any competition there was only one official winner.  One competitor achieved the title of “The Voice” however I believe that every contestant was a winner.

From those that applied and didn’t get an audition, to those who made it to the Grand final, each one would have been inspired to practice harder, prepare and improve their voice.

Just imagine what they would have missed out on if they had not had the courage to take that first step!

                      What’s your dream?

                                        What’s the first step?

             

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.   So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the SAFE harbour.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore, Dream, Discover”    Mark Twain

Everybody in the World is Seeking Happiness

I am currently reading an amazing book that has some profound thoughts on happiness……

“Everybody in the world is seeking happiness – and there is one sure way to find it.  That is by controlling your thoughts. 

Happiness doesn’t depend on outward conditions.  It depends on inner conditions.

It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy.  

It’s what you think about”   (taken from ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People  by  Dale Carnegie) 

What do you think??

Dont Wait until you are perfect!

How often do we pass up opportunities because we think we are not good enough or just not quite ready?

The thing is, if we wait until we think we are ready, we will be too late and will have missed the moment.  

Have faith in your self and your abilities, step outside your comfort zone and go for it.  You will learn and grow from the experience.   Besides, who knows where it might lead you!!

Don’t wait until you are “perfect” to put yourself out there!

“Time is never wasted when it is spent on YOU!”

I recently put this quote to the test by flying to Sydney for a Conference with a Girlfriend. 

We had a great time together.  There were some deep conversations, some silly moments full of laughter, some fun exploring Sydney together and also the ground breaking achievement of being able to check in online and print our boarding passes on our own – now that’s a good feeling!! 

 Even though we stayed awake until very late each night talking, I came home full of energy.  I had a spring in my step, a smile on my face as I thought about all things we had laughed about together and a fresh perspective on my life.

My conclusion?

 

Yes. It’s TRUE!  :)

ANZAC DAY

The following epitaph was composed by Major John Etty-Leal:

When you go home

       Tell them of us and say

For your tomorrow

 We gave our today

April 25 is the day “we remember”.  We remember those men and women young and old who were willing to go and willing to give.   Willing to give up their tomorrow so that you and I could enjoy our today.

What will you do with your day?

As the sun sets on today will you feel frustrated that you have wasted another day or will you feel content with what you have achieved?

What habit or attitude do you need to change today that will enable you to enjoy your tomorrow and feel like you are making a difference in your life and those around you?

Remember,  “if nothing changes, nothing changes”

Take time to think about this.

Albert Einstein said  “it is insanity to keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results”.  

It is easy to rush through our lives doing the same things day in day out and never stopping to assess where we are at, where we are going or what we hope to achieve.

Each day is a gift so let’s enjoy them and make them count.

This Anzac Day take the time to remember and honour those “who gave their tomorrow for our today”!

Stella’s Legacy

Recently our family’s beloved dog Stella had to be put down.  Although it is a hard decision to have to make, I am sure it was the right one as I believe that the measure of a happy life lies in the quality, far above the quantity.

Stella may not be with us any more but she has left us with the legacy of valuable lessons that can be translated into our own lives.

1.  Whomever you love, love them unconditionally.

Stella didn’t care what we looked like or how we behaved – she loved us.

2.  Always be happy and excited to see your loved ones when they arrive home.   Whenever I came home Stella would be there, peering in at the back door, jowls’ pulled back into a big smile, ears up and her tail wagging from side to side. How do you greet the ones you love when they come home?

3.  When you are with someone give them your full attention.   Stop what you are doing.  Look into their eyes and listen to what the person is saying.

When I spoke to Stella she would prick up her ears, stare at me intently and be poised ready to leap into action.

4.  Be thankful. 

Stella never complained about things (not even a whine).  She was grateful for whatever time or attention we gave her whether it was a passing pat or a morning spent together in the garden.

5.  Be a faithful friend

Stella’s two favorite possessions (apart from us) were a tennis ball and a teddy. 

These were precious to her so she kept them close. If by chance, they weren’t in her Hound House, she knew exactly where to find them in the garden.  She valued and cared about them.

Stella was just a dog, yet we learnt so much from her.

Perhaps we can all take away a few lessons, from a furry friend who gave a lot and didn’t ask much in return.

Thanks Stell.  We loved you!

Being Grateful

The wind gently rustled through the tree canopy causing the sunlight to dance on the table.  Animated conversations buzzed around us interspersed with the Café’s busy waitresses delivering coffee and food to tables heaving with people.  

I leaned forward listening intently to my friend, when a dark green splodge splashed onto my forearm.  “Wow! How lucky is that” I exclaimed.   My friend looked at me strangely so I quickly explained that  “The Pigeon poo didn’t land on either my white top or on my head!”

Lucky I was trying to practice the attitude that Snoopy and Charlie Brown exude.  :)

You Can Do It!

As January comes to a close I find myself feeling happy however a little like I’ve just been flung out of a whirlwind! Albeit a fabulous whirlwind of unexpected days out, family celebrations, Australia Day festivities, fun days at the beach, holidays, catch-ups with old friends and excitement about the year ahead.

The start of a new year is exciting although often a little frustrating as all the goals you have set are just sitting there and it feels as though your wheels are spinning in the sand – you need some traction!

Whenever life seems too busy you need to stop and re-assess things.

Julie Andrews used to sing,; “Lets start the very beginning, a very good place to start.”  Great idea I hear you say! So where do we start?   It is time to get back to basics my friend!  Once you have the basics in place you can build on them. 

If you were going to do a jigsaw puzzle, you would grab the box, tip all the pieces out and start to sort them into similar, colours, pictures or shapes.  Next you would find the four corner pieces and start to build the border between them.  Once you have the framework for your puzzle in place it is a lot easier to see how the other pieces are going to fit.  

I think life is a bit like a jigsaw – lots of different pieces that all fit together to make a fantastic picture. 

So go grab your box of life, tip it out and find your four corner pieces.  That is, the four most important things that you want happening in your life on a weekly basis.  Write them down and slot them into your diary.  You will feel organized and have a plan and a framework in which to fit all the other less important things into your week.   So come on ladies, let’s get this puzzle sorted!

We can do it!

A New Year, A New Goal.

A New Year means it is time to set some goals.  This always used to stress me out.  I didn’t know what I wanted except to be slimmer and have more money.   I would then do the usual resolutions about losing weight, getting fit, sticking to a budget however I would be lucky to last 2  - 3 days, sometimes not even a week before I fell back  into my old habits.  This cycle would repeat every year until I finally decided that I needed to get a grip on my myself and my future.

What changed I hear you ask? The answer is easy, Me.  I had to choose to do something different.  I made a decision that enough was enough.  I found some resources & tools to help me identify goals I wanted to achieve and changes I wanted to make. 

I wrote my goals down.  I was supposed to work on them weekly, check on the monthly and re-evaluate them along the way, but life got busy and I forgot all about them.  Imagine my surprise when12 months later I found the list and could not believe it when I realized that I had actually achieved three out of the eight goals I had written down. 

This inspired me to have another go the following year and so far, every year I have seen great improvement at achieving my goals.  I am still not perfect but who is?

There are lots of complicated and time-consuming resources to help you set and achieve goals.  For me, the easier something is the more chance I have in sticking to it.  Let me know if you want to be inspired and set some achievable goals for 2012!

Goals are like magnets. They pull you forward into the future!