A place for everything...

And everything in its place.

It's been nearly two weeks since I touched down in Sydney once again. At that time I had a suitcase explosion in my bedroom. Bang! Shirts, pants, skirts, shoes, dresses, scarves, towels, jewelry, papers, gifts... all over the floor, chair, tables and bed. Finally, I cleaned up.

In December I did a massive purge of all the things which were stained, holey, or that I simply did not love anymore. That made my job so much easier today. In fact, it was almost enjoyable. I listened to Cheryl Richardson on Hay House Radio while I worked. It was a quiet, reflective time as I filed everything away. Folding up my sweaters led me to reflect on my time spent in America. Piling up my fabrics helped my mind wander to all the things I could create in the future. And yet, I was very much in the moment as I grasped each item in my hands. Once I pulled the closet door shut and glanced around at all the empty space, I felt peaceful and centered. I think I'm going to sleep well tonight.

So, my first suggestion of 2008 is this:

1. Clean out those things in life which no longer serve you.
2. Take time to reflect on your past and future, but take in the present as well.
3. Get yourself and your surroundings in order. Trust me on this one.

Be happy. Be healthy. Be whole.

Womankind

Well, it's 2008 and I am finally back!

Back from where and what you might ask. So, here is the update.

As October drew to a close (and the blog went on hiatus) I completed all of my coursework for the International Coach Academy. After all the hours of attending class, coaching others, logging my experience, and researching how to help others, it was all over. Excitement fueled me as I emailed each document to the school for assessment. Soon, I would be a certified life coach. At the same time, I was mighty tired and needed a break.

November brought brainstorming. I began thinking about how I'd like to move into 2008 personally and professionally.

December kicked off with a bang as I attended my ICA graduation. It was amazing to join together with my other classmates and celebrate our ability to go out and change the world. Then, on the 20th I boarded a plane to America. It had been almost a year since I had been home and I could not wait to be with my family and friends over the holidays. Each moment of my time in Kansas was precious. The time went quickly, it always does, but as I stepped back on the plane twelve days later I felt grounded and blessed.

After 30 + hours of travel, I crawled into my bed, slept well and rose to venture out again. This time my destination was Melbourne. There I spent a 3 day weekend with Dave and his family. It was a splendid way to ease back in to my Australian life.

So, there you have it. That's the jist.

2008 is going to be a great year. I can feel it. There's a lot for you to look forward to with regards to Womankind. Please keep tuning in as I've got some excited thing planned.

Until next time...

Be happy. Be healthy. Be whole.

Womankind.

Dove Love

While we are on the topic of wrinkles, can we take a moment to reflect on the Dove Pro-Age campaign? Last week I caught one of the first ads on television and was really impressed by the perspective that women of all ages can be beautiful. Imagine that! To the cynical this may appear to be nothing more than another savvy marketing move on Dove's part, I choose to applaud them for providing a different approach. Personally, I love the stark look of all of Dove's ad campaigns. Real woman with real bodies. Period. It's brilliant!

Also check out their Self Esteem Fund and the Campaign for Real Beauty.

Be happy. Be healthy. Be whole.

Womankind.

Inside Out

Inside Out
One of the perks of being a coach is having a skill to swap with others. In June, I put up a notice on a yoga bulletin board seeking a yoga/coaching exchange. A lovely woman contacted me and we met for tea at a trendy cafe in Newtown. She was a bitty little thing with long brown hair, kind eyes and a lush deep red scarf around her neck. We got to talking... and talking some more... and some more. We really hit it off and decided to meet weekly.

Five months down the track, we are still enjoying our afternoons together. We spend a third of our time coaching, a third discussing and practicing yoga, and a third chit-chatting away. She has become a dear friend of mine, and I feel confident that my relationship with yoga is just beginning.

Now on to what this post was supposed to be about - being healthy from the inside out. In particular, I am talking about wrinkles. Although dreaded by many, these lines can be used to help us determine imbalances and deficiencies. Yoga lady introduced me to this idea proposed by nutritionist Elizabeth Gibaud in her book The Facial Analysis Diet. While I am not the type of person who hops on every diet bandwagon which passes my way, I do believe that what we put into our bodies shows up on the outside. I, for one, think it would be much more empowering for us to take matters into our own hands and change the way we choose to eat rather than hand our bodies over to others to 'fix' them with plastic surgery and expensive cosmetics.

Something to think about...

Be happy. Be healthy. Be whole.

Womankind.

Friday Procrastination Update

Okay, folks - we are getting there! I have now started the final exam and so far, it is going swimmingly. Open book exams are a blessing and a curse. On one hand, I have more or less unlimited time and resources. On the other hand, my inner perfectionist (nicknamed Sheila) rears her ugly head and insists I could write the whole thing in some better way. So my mission today has been to put Sheila at bay, and forge ahead. I have also treated myself to a piping hot take away coffee for all of the work I have accomplished so far.

Procrastination Tip #2:

Reward yourself as you tick things off your list. It makes the experience more pleasant and gives you an incentive to complete your work more quickly.

Be happy. Be healthy. Be whole.

Womankind.

Tuesday Procrastination Update

It is Tuesday and I am wrapping up for the night. My coaching model is complete and I am 3/4 of the way finished with my power tool paper. I still have my final exam and research paper to complete. I am learning that I am shattered at the end of the day, so morning is a better time for me to get things done. Breaking the work down into smaller pieces has also proved to be helpful.

How is your procrastination progress going?

Procrastination tip #1:

Whatever you are dreading, do it first. Knock it off your list early in the day and enjoy the relief of a challenging task completed.

Be happy. Be healthy. Be whole.

Womankind.

Procrastination - a state we've all experienced at some point in our lives. You know the feeling - something needs to be done, but you just can't bring yourself to act. We also tend to have a million and one reasons why we can't complete the task quite yet. I don't have time, I don't have money, I don't like to... All this stalling leads to just that - stalling. So how do you get back into gear?

1. Identify the cause

• What keeps you from completing the task?
• Does it seem unpleasant?
• Does it look to big to handle?
• Are you unsure where to start?
• Are you afraid to fail?

2. Set realistic goals

• What are the steps towards the end goal?
• What is a reasonable time frame to complete this project?

3. Plan your time

• When will you complete each step?
• What kind of environment do you need to get things done?

4. Stay motivated

• Who can help keep you accountable?
• What will the pay off be for completing this project?
• How will you reward yourself once the goal is accomplished?

This week, I invite you to explore the theme of procrastination with me as I work towards completing my International Coach Academy graduation requirements! There's only one month until all the paperwork is due, so it's definitely time to kick it into high gear.

Be happy. Be healthy. Be whole.

Womankind.