Everyday a Friday

 

Whatever challenges you may face, whatever circumstances are weighing you down, you can choose your response. How you live your life is totally up to you. It’s not dependent on your circumstances. It’s dependent on your choices. Abraham Lincoln said, “Most people are as happy as they’ve decided to be.”Honest Abe would have enjoyed a recent study that found happiness increases 10 percent on Fridays. Why is that? People are excited about the coming weekend, so they decide to be happier.

 

They make up their minds on Fridays to enjoy their lives more. I challenge you to let every day be a Friday. Give yourself permission to be happy every day. Not just on the weekends. Not just when you have a special event. Not just when you’re on vacation. If you have the right mind-set, you can be just as happy on Monday as you are on Friday. The Scripture doesn’t say, “Friday is the day the God has made.” It says, “This is the day the God has made” This means Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and every other day of the week. You can be happy even when it’s raining, when you have to work late, or when you have to do the dishes.Why don’t you make up your mind to be happy every day?

 

You’ve heard the saying “TGIF. Thank God it’s Friday.” For you and me it also should be, “TGIM. Thank God it’s Monday.” “TGIW. Thank God it’s Wednesday.” “TGIS. Thank God it’s Sunday.” Another study said there are more heart attacks on Monday than on any other day. So many people just decide that Monday is a stressed-out day. They suffer the Monday morning blues. When you wake up on Monday morning, don’t accept those negative thoughts that come knocking on your door, saying, It will be a hard day and a long week. Traffic will be bad. I have so much work to do. I just need to make it through the Monday morning blues.

 

Don’t buy into those thoughts. Instead, say, “Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve already answered the door and almighty God, the Creator of the universe, has sent me a hand delivery of joy. I know this will be a great day!”Decide that for you, there are no Monday morning blues. Instead,choose the Monday morning dos by saying, “I do have a smile. I do have joy. I do have God’s favor. I do have victory.”

 

Yes, I know some days are more difficult than others. But if you program your mind in a positive way, you won’t have to drag through certain days just hoping to get to Friday so you can finally enjoy life. Faith is always in the present. Your attitude should be: I’m excited to be alive at this moment. I’m excited to be breathing today. I’m excited about my family, my health, and my opportunities. I have plenty of reasons to be happy right now.

 

Let's remember this Friday that it’s not what happens to you or what you have or don’t have that is important; it’s how your mind is arranged and the choices you make to live, to be happy and to say Thank God no matter what day it is.

 

Shabbat Shalom :-)

Idea of Happiness.

I love Van She's song "The idea of Happiness" but whenever I listen to it I am always finding myself pondering what I consider to be my "idea of happiness." These thoughts consume my mind until I have lost all meaning of what happiness means to me. This idea of happiness has become an overused term in our society although it can be found in a variety of different things, places, people and thoughts. What makes one person happy, is and will be different to the next. Throughout the years I have seemed to struggle and am always being contested with what is ultimately going to make me most happy in life.

When I used to think what would be my idea of happiness certain images came to mind. I thought of having a massive walk-in wardrobe in the best house, the latest bag, a high powered job in Sydney and ultimately that would make up my happiness. When I have finally achieved all these things, I would be happy. Right? Wrong. I don't have a job, I don't have a walk-in wardrobe, I don't have any of those things but I am still wondering should I still want that? Should I want all those things because that's what we're supposed to want out of life isn't it? Should that still be my idea of happiness? So many people base their life around these material possessions that I am left to think that our possessions are what shapes us and defines our emotions.

Having recently got back from travelling the world my mind is open to the simple things in life. Having no plan and no real place to go was a foreign and unknown place for me.  I hated not having a plan, not knowing what I was going to do next with my life but this has pushed me into transforming and really shaping my new concept of happiness. I saw some of the poorest people, in the poorest countries, struggling to work all year, with nothing to their name but their family and the place they live, yet they were some of the happiest people I have ever met. I realised that this life isn't about having all those material possessions, it's not all about what job you have and if you're the best at what you do. Life needs to be enjoyed and expressed in it's simplest form.

One of these simple pleasures is love. Love can make you feel on top of the world, it makes you feel whole and wanted and loved and needed. When you've found the right kind of love it won't become old and tiring like your once new handbag will. You don't have to upgrade it every six months or sell it on ebay so you can afford whatever has become better than that. A deep love is an eternal love. My whole vision and idea of happiness changed when I discovered how fulfilling it can be to have someone that you can relate too and enjoy. Doing nothing is a new pleasure. But I do understand that your life can't be fulfilled though just love alone, to some extent we all need to want to exceed and do better and be better in what we do, this makes us human after all.

But I have now realised that I can't get sucked in to the conventional way of thinking what happiness is. That's what I used to do and it just made me unsettled with the amazing things that I had in life at the time. I looked past everything that was amazing now so I could live in what I could have instead of what I already have. So once in a while look outside, look around at the things, the people and the beauty around you. De-clutter your life, get rid of all the material possessions that clutter your thoughts and live with life's basics, be happy with you, now. And don't get me wrong, you can buy things that make you happy. I am so happy when I purchase a new bag or high heels but it is a short lived happiness, one that disappears after that first wear. It's not an eternal happiness that burns deep down inside you, making you feel alive. That feeling you can only get when you're truly satisfied at who you are and who you've become and realise that all those "things" don't define you, can't shape your happiness and really just don't matter.

Live simply. Live your life the way that makes you happy, because the best things in life are free.

Find happiness in creativity.

Find happiness in summer fruits.

Find happiness in daisies.

Change is inevitable....

We all know that change inevitable and that it happens with our consent or without but I am starting to see that not only do we fear change but we also crave it.  When it's hot outside we complain that it's too hot and we can't wait for the change to come (unless you live in Melbourne).  When it's cold outside we too complain that "It's too cold" and we wish it would be hot again.  When we are brunette we want a 'change'.  When we outgrow a style we want something new and then that new also becomes old and again we crave for a change.   I have to wonder whether us humans just don't know what we want or do we seek to find the in-between state where all is perfect and we will never complain again. Ummmmm that won't happen!

 

Recently the weather has gone from hot to cool and honestly I welcome the change because I love the seasons, I love that I can wear a summer dress today and a leather jacket tomorrow. I love that today is different from tomorrow but having grown up in Melbourne some consistency for a week at least would be lovely. 

 

I believe that the environments we are placed into, the countries we are born into are simply there for us to find our way.  To make a change that is based on what we feel is right for us.  I often read the Abraham teachings which tell us that we are constantly seeking out what we want from being born into an environment of great contrast so that we can see what we do not want and clearly define what we do!  To me that is so empowering, the teachings tell us that only from a place of seeing what we don't like in all areas of our life that we can define and refine and really come to know what we are, who we are and what we stand for.

 

For some change is uncomfortable and for others their lives are one adventures after another yet what I have noticed is that we all crave change, probably why we go on vacation and then come back to our familiar and comfortable life at home.  We need familiarity just as much as we crave for the weather or our lives to change and be different from what they currently are.  The question is how do we embrace both aspects and both needs that sometimes pull us apart.

 

Do we take a holiday every few months to a new and exotic destination or do we look at our full lives and see what we may have always wanted to try but never have. Learn to fly, a plane that is, like Angelina Jolie.... Take dancing classes at night to satisfy our inner diva or maybe even take a surfing class and learn to fall and learn that no matter what you can still get back on the board, paddle out and catch another wave.  There really is no "right" answer and we must all simply explore the depths of our hearts to discover what will light us up and provide us with the change we crave yet with the stability and adventure that we also need to feel alive.

 

So for today my adventure is keeping up with the wind and the cool breeze, giving me the chance to rug up, stay warm, wear my leather jacket and I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.....Oh life is such an adventure and I don't even need to leave the country.



Charity begins at home....in St Kilda

 

There are some people who are pioneers, they are willing to give life a go and to do something great with their time and resources.  I recently came across an article about a man who has shaped his Community and has grown from a tiny vegetarian restaurant to become a thriving business that gives, shares.  A business not built on the model that many of us are used to and it is this young man that was called a pot smoking hippy and a crazy man yet what most didn't see was his big heart and desire to make this world a better place. 

What he built was a restaurant that started out in Blessington Street St Kilda where I used to frequently visit called Lentil as Anything and at the time the many people around him thought that it should have been called "Mental" as Anything instead. Little did I know that this young man that I met 13 years ago and whose meals I used to eat weekly would become an inspiration to many.

Shanaka Fernando is a revolutionary. For many years he has been well known in Melbourne, Australia, as the pioneer of the pay-as-you-feel vegetarian restaurants.  This humble man leads a simple, modest life as he continues to inspire and challenge perhaps millions as he advocates an inclusive, ethical approach to business and life, and a belief in the innate goodness and generosity of his fellow man.

His socially responsible Lentil As Anything restaurants feed thousands every week, and set an example for other restaurants and businesses to follow – an example which illustrates what an inclusive, ethical approach to business, and life, can achieve. In his restaurants it is people that qualify life, not property. ‘You get fed and treated with dignity even if you don’t have any money, and the colour of your skin and your education and your beliefs only put you on a par with everyone else.’

Shanaka is a modern day folk hero, offering an alternative, a new way of living that is not based on consumerism, profit or greed.  He was named Australia’s Local Hero in the Australian of the Year Awards and was a guest judge on MasterChef alongside the Dalai Lama.

It just goes to show that you should always follow your heart and never let others tell you what is right or possible.  We all have a purpose and with our unique talents and our way of being a channel for what the creator has brought us here to do, we CAN change the world and be joyful that we are doing something great for others and ourselves.

And as the famous Gandhi saying goes "Be the change you want to see in the World".... 

Leading Lady

For centuries women have been playing in a man's world but today there are leaders and leading ladies everywhere who are changing the world, making a difference with or without their heels on.

I recently read about Audette Exel, a "high flyer" who built her career on making millions for the rich, but her true achievement has been using her legal and financial nous to make money for the world's poorest. 

This woman, this leader didn't need to renounce the world to become great and make her mark, but she took her God given talents and used her mind for business and her heart to save the children who were taken from their homes and imprisoned - this is the world of child trafficking.  This extraordinary woman who works via email on a half a billion dollar sale of a European banking group yet her biggest achievement is out of the boardroom helping some of the most impoverished people in the world. "If you want to know me," the former corporate lawyer and banker says, you have to know me in this context.  The truth of me is here, it's not dressed up in high heels and a business suit in Sydney." She hasn't given up one world for the other but she has found a way to be passionate about both and use the world of corporate to feed the soul of her passion.

Women who lead have one thing in common - Passion!  They LOVE what they do and you can feel their passion in ALL that they do. Passion comes from our life force, our ability to connect to our heart and to channel this energy into something we know will make a differerence. 

What I have learned is that trusting my intuition has given me a life that I love.  It has taken me through some challenging lessons and journey's, but without them I would not have been able to know who I am, nor would I have learned to trust that little voice within that guided me all the way back home and to my special and happy place.  It is this intuition that I have started to talk to every time I need to make any decision that will impact my life - and it has not failed me yet!

We all need to access our own power, connect with our intuition and know how to use the wisdom of our bodies to know what is right for us.  I recently came across a young woman who combines classical Indian traditions with contemporary gender theory, and applies these in a powerful combination that speaks to 21st century life.

Vena Ramphal PhD. has a unique combination of knowledge and experience.  Introduced to meditation at the age of ten and studying yoga and tantra perspectives on the body, personal power and influence for 20 years and is now sharing her work through a very special retreat in Bali called "WOMEN WHO LEAD" with Natalie Turner - they both have a wealth of experience in helping successful people connect with their deeper purpose, find personal fulfilment and achieve greater success.

Women who Lead, a retreat experience in Ubud, Bali, provides this oasis of holistic nourishment. The weekends will be hosted at Como Shambala’s stunning 5* Resort in Ubud and are designed around a fusion of facilitated conversations, cutting edge theories in leadership and innovation, emotional wellbeing, pampering and time for yoga, meditation and quiet reflection.

This event is designed for women who are already making a difference in the world and who want to increase their power and influence. You will leave feeling refreshed, inspired and repurposed, ready to have a greater impact around you.  You'll have to leave your heels at home for when you get back but for this weekend it is time to connect to your own inner power, passion and femininity.

Women Who Lead - Click here

Explore the world and find yourself.

Travelling can open your eyes to a world you didn't know existed. Packing up your bags and experiencing a different culture, foreign language and different peoples way of life and styles can change you not only on the inside but the outside too. In a sense, we are all like chameleons morphing our different styles into the culture and cities we find ourselves in. Travelling can allow for the type of self expression that can only be explored when you are put in a place that is not your own. Sometimes we get stuck in the same routine of our daily lives, putting on our same staple outfits and going to our same favourite places. However, when we are somewhere new and foreign we are put completely out of our element and therefore, we have to create new places and find new things to explore.

There are different cities in the world each with their own unique and distinct styles. Take Paris for example, it is seen as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with its classic french style of dressing and delectable pastries. Then there's Miami known for its fast cars, tanned beauties and great parties. Or Sydney which has gorgeous beaches and a relaxed yet sexy sense of style. The same way these cities have their own sense of style and distinct lifestyles, we too can have a unique self. However, sometimes we don't know which is the greatest and best form of ourself until we have explored all options, places, and styles. Are you a laid back beach chic or a city slicker or do you find yourself feeling completely at ease with being hidden among a small cafe in a town nobody knows? No one place or form of yourself is right or wrong. We can all go to these places and pretend to be these different forms of ourself, however deep down there will be one where our heart feels completely at ease.

So no matter where in the world you are or where you are heading too, listen to where your heart and soul feels at 'home.' Travel the world to open your eyes to the experiences that may occur.  And explore different cities, different styles and different versions of you. Like they say, the world is your oyster. ♥

European summer style.

The weather may be drastically dropping in temperature here in Australia, but on the other side of the world the European summer has officially begun. And since I will be joining them over there in 21 days (countdown begins!), I decided to share my European summer wardrobe inspiration. A few things on must pack, or must buy, list include: striped tee, coloured jeans, cut out backs, whites, flat shoes, neon accessories and denim shorts. Packing to go to a foreign country that you have yet to visit can become very daunting so I started my packing list today and started to go through my overflowing wardrobe sorting everything into must keep, must throw and undecided piles. But after looking through these photos my must throw list became longer and consequently so did my need to buy now list! Wish me luck, Au revoir!

Seafolly's newest addition.

Australia's favourite swimwear label, Seafolly have uncovered the latest bronzed beauty who will front their Summer 2012/13 campaign. For the second year running Seafolly have secured an international supermodel, this year being South African born Behati Prinsloo. 

The 23-year-old Victoria Secret's Angel and Leonardo DiCaprio's ex is bronzed, toned and looking flawless in the sneak peak campaign images that were released. With long locks and equally long limbs to match, Behati is the perfect candidate for these images which were shot in tropical Palm Springs.  

The Seafolly campaign has previously formed a platform for Aussie supermodels including Miranda Kerr, Catherine McNeil, Jess Hart and Samantha Harris. Draped in delicate gold chains and ethnic inspired necklaces a high fashion approach has been taken. These images are the perfect thing to add a little heat to this chilly Autumn day. I'm thinking... bring on summer already!

Being Lara Bingle

Whether you love her or hate you, there's one thing you gotta admit. Lara Bingle has kiss-ass style. And that's not the only thing going for her right now, she is about to launch her own reality TV show titled Being Lara Bingle. The show will give viewers an inside into the 24 year olds life showing the ins and outs of her glamorous Sydney lifestyle. Often in the media for bad publicity including her recent naked photo scandal, hopefully this fly on the wall approach will give insiders a better perspective of the model/ socialite more personal life.

The sunny blonde bombshell will be surrounded by her best friends including manager Hermione Underwood and lives with her brother in her newly rented Bondi cliff top apartment with views to die for. Coverage for the show will include her many appearances at the recent Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia where her style was on show. Envied for her relaxed, effortless approach to dressing, Bingle is an all Australian gal with her blonde tresses and tanned skin. Being Lara Bingle will air on Channel Ten in the coming weeks.

MBFWA... black affair.

It's that time of year again... Australian Fashion Week time. Although changing the name from RAFW to MBFWA it is still the same event, with the same amazing fashionistas stepping their well clad feet out at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay. So far this week we've seen Zimmerman, Ksubi, Michael Lo Sordo, Jayson Brunsdon and Romance Was Born all on show.

Yet this week is as good for celeb spotting as it is for the fashion, with some of our favourite celebs spotted including Lara Bingle, Kate Waterhouse, Christine Centenera and Charlotte Dawson along with international favourites Whitney Port and Elin Kling.

Each year black seems to be the colour de jour and this year is no different. However, the black is mixed up with different aesthetics and fabrics in asymmetrical skirts, leather, slouchy pants and pendulum tops paired back with statement chunky chains and studded belts. Well done ladies, the first few days have proved to be a black affair, but what will the final few days bring?