Morning

Image by Anna Inghardt

I am not much of a morning person. Nor am I a fan of winter. Combine the bleak morning chill with darkness before dawn breaks and I am at my least creative, least constructive and least friendly.

I returned from living in the tropics in 1996 and I have quite uncomfortably grappled with the winter months every single year since. I try to deny the fact that winter is approaching once the heat of summer says goodbye, and when the chill does hit I pretend to ignore it. If I don’t acknowledge it, it doesn’t exist. Except the constant pain in my neck from a childhood head-on-collision injury and the ache in my bones are fierce, stark reminders that winter in fact is upon us.

I don’t much like winter. Dry skin craving moisture, garden craving sunshine, bikini craving beach visit; everything around me tells me the cold is here. I rug up to keep warm and get too hot. I dress down to cool down and get too cold. I have a scarf permanently attached to my neck to humour the old neck injury. I cover my ankles to keep the chill away and then smile at the mockery of the pink ugg boots adorning my feet. How did I become so dorky? Winter is how. My pink fluffy dressing gown keeps me company at dawn, so what of it? My bikini is laughing at me from the spot I left it hanging over my shower screen some months ago. I gaze at it some mornings, like a lovesick lover pining for what once was. I know my bikini will come to life again soon. Any day now.

I don’t like to count the days away, God knows time flies by way too fast. But secretly, oh so quietly, I do count the days until spring. After I down my second cup of coffee for the morning I peer outside and smile when I see the sun smiling back. Still grateful for the small things such as a winter that barely reaches below zero degrees, a winter that in some countries can be classed as a mild summer. But when it hits 40 degrees and I am perched on the sand in my long lost bikini I won’t be thinking of this brisk winter morning. I will humbly count my blessings that I live in a country with such a beautiful summer and that I was born a summer child. And very quietly, oh so begrudgingly, I will be dreading the fact that in the back of my mind I know, as sure as the sun is shining, that winter will be back again someday soon.

Grab life by the lapels

Well here we are, in the second part of 2012. How fast do the days go by?! Only eight months ago I was planning to pursue my dream of working part time so I could focus on writing, and I now have merely 4-6 weeks of work left. I am so very excited. So excited.

I look back at the first half of 2012 with extreme pride, sadness, joy, relief and happiness, so much has happened that I am baffled at the velocity at which time flies by. I feel like I blinked and here we are. That inspires me, the fact that time eludes us and passes by so quickly. It inspires me to make the most of every day. It inspires me to grab life by the lapels and push fear aside to do what it is that brings most joy into my life. I have also undergone some serious life changes and although change is good it hasn’t always been easy. Taking each day as it presents itself with as much positivity as I can muster is how I get by, tomorrow is a new day and I don’t want to waste today worrying about that which I cannot change.

The day I decided to pursue my dream I wrote this post. “A year from now you will wish you had started today.” Even six months on from the start of the year I am seriously chuffed I acted when I did. I would be disappointed in myself if I reached December 2012 and I was still sitting in the same spot, thinking about my dream. Life is long, and I want to ensure mine is full of passion and dreams that come to fruition, I don’t want to wake up every day and plod through life feeling uninspired and find myself settling. I want excitement and fire in my belly, and the only one responsible for that is me. It all starts at me. 

Fittingly I started my first writing course this week. I am completing my first assessment today on the first day of the other half of this year, and the rest of my life.

If you are putting your dreams into action, what was it that inspired you to leap? 

In the land of my dreams

Image by Anna Inghardt

"Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there." ~Will Rogers

I am so inspired. That fire in the belly I wrote about here is roaring with gusto and life. The spark has been ignited like never before and is burning bright. I can see the path ahead of me, clear as day. I don’t know where it leads to but I do know it will be full of excitement and inspiration. I don’t know how I know, I just do.

No more than a week ago I got the great news that I could reduce my full time day job down to part time, very part time as in two days a week. The spare days I would usually be working will be spent pursuing my love of writing. I have to admit I am not rolling in money, nor am I probably even going to be able to cover my living expenses on time at the start, but somehow I am not afraid. I am nervous with excitement, but not afraid. I was more afraid of not taking the leap and slowly dying inside living as is expected rather than how I truly want to. A wise friend told me that when we follow our authentic self and do what our heart truly desires, the money will follow. I liked that statement, I trust it. Strangely I am not afraid.

In less than a week I have booked myself into a writing course that commences in less than two weeks. I sat staring at the screen about to register myself and for a split second my false self threw in the thought of “but, it’s so soon, will you have time?” I immediately clicked on the 'register' button. My false self has no place here in the land of my dreams. No place. I also have a photography course booked with a very dear friend of mine. We will spend the day out and about with photographers, learning and being inspired. I like where this is heading.

So if you wake up one day and your false self taunts you saying you cannot follow your dreams, tell it to rack off. Of course you can. I am. And I have no back up plan, no secret savings account to fall back on, no rich daddy to throw money my way when things get tight. But I do have the fire in my belly. And I can assure you, that fire makes me feel more alive than security ever did.

So I leapt

Image by Anna Inghardt

Today was monumental. 

I have been talking for a while about putting my dream into motion. I made the conscious decision to act on my dream 7 months ago, as I wrote here. I couldn’t share too much earlier on about how I would achieve my dream as the bulk of how it would eventuate was relying on my full time job. I don’t blog about my job, I keep my personal and work life very separate, and my blog is about me on a personal level. I rarely talk about my day once I leave the office let alone write about it. However to share my joyous news I am going to partially break my own no-talking-about-work pact.

To give you an insight, I co-own a small business. I also work there full time. I have worked full time since I left high school, some ten years ago. Ok, over two decades ago (I’m 41, yeah whatever). 23 years to be exact, 23 years of full time employment. I am exhausted. I’m done. I am sociable by nature so I love going in to spend the day with my colleagues and staff, but I have reached a point where I simply want to be home more. I want to not have to spend five mornings a week rushing around preparing for my day in the office. I don't want to ride that treadmill anymore, jumping on as the alarm goes off and jumping off at bedtime every weeknight. I didn’t take maternity leave or have a year at home after my son was born, I went back to work weeks after his birth. I have missed assemblies and school excursions. I haven’t had the opportunity to pick my child up from school every day. I haven’t had the opportunity to be able to cook dinner before 6pm on weekdays. I haven’t had the opportunity to come home after the school run and enjoy my morning coffee or make my bed at a leisurely pace rather than flinging the doona over as I am trying to find something to wear. I’ve missed all that. My choice, but it hasn’t been easy.

Enter my blog. I started my blog on a whim July last year and it has been the catalyst for me realising my love of writing. I came to the realisation last year that the one thing I want to do every day is write. I want to focus on myself, my home and my child. I want to focus on spending my day pleasing my soul. I am not a ‘carer’ by nature (you know, those kinds of people who just love to mother others and love to go out of their way to make sure others are happy?) and yet I have wound up in roles whereby the majority of my responsibility was caring for others and ensuring others' needs were met. Now it’s my turn.

Today I received the best news I could have imagined. My request to change my full time management role to a part-time business role, two days a week, was granted. I cannot tell you how happy my heart is. I can’t even start to imagine what this means for me and my dream. I will have three days (maybe two, I might give myself an extra day off) to concentrate on my writing. I can take photos and get stuck into my love of food photography. I might even do that graphic design course I have been dreaming of. And I can attend school assembly if I want and pick my child up from school. I can shower at noon if I like. I probably will.

I felt terribly scared of this move when I first started to think about it. What if I don’t get enough work, what if I can’t pay my mortgage? I will, somehow I will. All I know is that if I continued on doing what my heart was no longer passionate about I would slowly die inside. And my creative soul wasn’t letting me get away with that.

So I leapt.

Leap

Image by Silvia Sani

I am a dreamer, always have been. I used to whittle away hours daydreaming as a kid. Eden (my favourite blogger of all time y’all!) from over at Edenland recently wrote "I don't like the physical world .. I much prefer the world inside us." I love how her words make sense. I wouldn’t have been able to articulate that very feeling, but Eden did. Perfectly. I hibernate inside my own head a lot of the time, the real world is too negative a place for me at times. And too real.

Most recently I have put my dreaming to good use. I woke up one day about 7 months ago (16 November 2011 to be exact - I penned the date down) and realised the dreams I have need traction. The dreams I have will remain only as dreams unless I do something about it. The dreams I have are in fact attainable and the only thing stopping me, is me. So I grabbed a pen and paper, and simply wrote down my dreams. Just like that. I wrote them as they fell out of my head, in dot point form, without pause. No frills. No pretty doodling to make it look fancy, just blue ink on white paper.  My dreams in words. I wrote two things I want to do, a list of what I need to do to get there, and some driving words.

I looked back at my dreams scrawled on paper today and realised I have done exactly what I set out to do. Fast forward seven months and every choice I have made has been with my dreams in mind. I have made a seriously, SERIOUSLY scary career altering decision that will change everything that gives me financial security and financial freedom. It will change my life as I have known it for the past 23 years, the time that I have worked full time. It will freak the shit out of me the day I leap without wings, thinking about it makes the pit of my stomach bubble with excitement, nervous excitement. But they’re my dreams and I want them to materialise into reality. So as terrifying as the thought is, I need to leap.

I often talk of chasing dreams. It has been the essence of my thought process for years now, wanting to wake up in the morning and feel excitement at what my ‘working’ day has in store.  Real, gut churning excitement. Wanting to do what my heart truly desires – write.

And then I get an email advising a magazine article I submitted recently will be published next month. 

Suddenly leaping doesn’t seem so scary anymore.

MAEVE Magazine

Some months ago I submitted my very first article to MAEVE Magazine. MAEVE is an online magazine all about ‘raising a new generation of inspired, conscientious, creative, mindful and thoughtful little people’. I was inspired the first time I read it, it was like I'd come across every writer's best little secret. I just  love trawling through it reading all the wonderful articles. I was very, VERY pleasantly surprised to receive an email response after emailing my article saying it would feature in their Autumn edition. I was genuinely expecting a ‘thanks but no thanks’ response, which I would have been entirely happy with considering this was my very first submission ever! I was proud purely that I had pushed any fear aside and submitted it anyway, but to get a positive response was truly exciting.

If you have never read MAEVE Magazine I highly recommend you do so. You’ll see articles written by some amazingly talented writers and bloggers. And the design and photos are just beautiful. The creative force behind MAEVE is one talented Jodi Walker. A little birdie tells me she designs and creates the entire magazine herself. Amazing. How proud am I to be a part of it! 

To have a read head here, I would suggest you pour yourself a drink and scroll through the entire magazine, it's just beautiful. If you want to read my article click on 'SELF LOVE" on the menu. 

Living the dream

Last weekend I sent off my second ever magazine article submission. It was scary, but good-scary. I didn’t exactly doubt myself but for a moment I did wonder if I was dreaming. Then I realised of course I am, but isn’t that what gives us butterflies in the pit of our stomach and keeps that burning flame going? If I submitted articles to magazines I didn’t admire, I wouldn’t exactly be going after my dream. Besides, I like to dream.

Two weeks ago I was very excited to receive an email advising my first ever magazine article submission will feature in the next edition (due out end of this month). I was ECSTATIC! I had been feeling unwell for about a week (I don’t do sniffly and unwell) and at a moment of feeling ‘ugh’ comes this email. I literally screamed out with joy and my son was staring at me clearly wondering ‘What on earth got into her?’ All feelings of unwell-ness dissipated for a few moments. The smile stayed for a week (it may still be lingering).

This was my first ever magazine article written and submitted. I seriously, hand on my heart, was not expecting it to be published. When I saw the email in my inbox I thought ‘Ok, here comes the thanks-but-no-thanks’, not because I doubted my article was readable and perhaps even likeable, but because I thought it'd be pretty tinny to get published at my first attempt. So aside from the fact I took the first step to putting my dreams into action without too high an expectation, I was very pleasantly surprised to discover I did it. I actually did it.

I love seeing people realise their dreams. And what I love most is seeing people wholeheartedly, with sheer determination chase those dreams. That so inspires me. People that chase their deepest dreams, despite the fear, self-doubt and boundaries. Just inspiring.

Admittedly I have nothing much to lose by submitting an article. I love to write, I enjoy the effort it takes, and I love to read and re-read something I have written, tweaking it and editing it, moving words around until I am completely happy with it. I sometimes edit blog posts 4, 5, 10 times. I love the entire process. So the preparation for writing an article is half the fun for me. If the biggest downside of submitting an article is being told ‘thanks, but no thanks’ then that’s okay by me. I don’t think I would even be too disappointed at this stage, I admit I am a newbie to the whole article submission thing. But I have been writing my entire life, so if my words don’t appeal to one person, they might the next. I don’t take offence to that.

So when you next think of something that burns your heart with sheer passion and fills your life with joy, and you can see yourself doing that very thing for the rest of your days, go for it. There are no real boundaries but you. Whether you can do it depends solely on YOU. Stop wondering and just go for it. I decided late last year I was going to write a magazine article a month, and now mid February I have written three articles (and have submitted two of them). If I had dreamt about doing it but never took those first steps I would have looked back come December to see nothing but a distant, relinquished dream wasted away over the year. But now having taken those first steps, even if not one article got submitted I would still at least look back and know I acted.

And that there is the start of one’s dreams. Action.

We Heart Life

Recently I started contributing a monthly post over at We Heart Life. I love what the girls do over there, writing about health, food, fashion, love, art, travel, parenting, life balance and all things positive. As you probably I know I Heart Life, so how honoured was I when I was asked to join the team! 

Today my first post was published. If you would like to read it you can do so here. While you're there check out some of the other articles. Be prepared for some fabulousness in the form of inspiring words from some inspiring young ladies. 

Edenland's Meme

Edenland. Horses. Writing. Meme? I’m in! I have to say with little love hearts shooting gushingly out of my eyeballs, that Eden was my first (and only Eden, and only) blog crush. The minute I laid eyes on her words I was in love. This girl can write from the heart, is there any other way?

So how excited was I to discover she has started her very own meme over at Edenland. Last night when I read about it I was intently curious. Intently. Serious crush material I tell ya. Don’t judge.

So here’s the deal. Write something, anything, in your own handwriting and you get to be present on Eden’s blog bringing on the fresh horses. Blogging history right there folks. And for a stalker fan like me that’s a big deal.

I wrote something in my diary, as I do every other day. Currently trying to inspire myself to stop being scared to take the plunge into the freelance writing world isn’t as hard as I thought, but there is underlying fear. Here are my messily scrawled words (my hand struggles to keep up with my head) of encouragement to myself.

In this typed up written world that is the internet I am loving checking out all the lovely handwriting. Head on over and check it out for yourself. Why not add your touch to Edenland. Blogging history folks! Neigh indeed.

The photographer and an interview - the week that was.

I have had an AMAZING week! As you know my eBook The Self-Love Guide for the Working Mum was released last Monday. On the same day I received an email from the editor of an online UK magazine called WorkingMums asking if I would like to be interviewed. The same day as my eBook release! I had to read the email a few times to make sure it wasn't spam, I was very nicely surprised. So of course I had no trouble answering questions, but then I needed a photo. Cue Flossy Photography. If you have purchased a copy of my eBook no doubt you would have noticed the beautiful images it contains. Flossy is one of these naturally artistic types who sees beauty in the most unassuming places and things. And then she has a firecracker of a daughter who naturally has become her little muse. If you have not checked out her craft yet please head over to her blog.

Like a true artist, Flossy brought her camera, a flashy flash, tripod and a bag full of tricks into the office after I told her I was after a Mariah Carey soft lens look. Minus the flowing locks and butterfly bling. Flossy set up her camera, smoke and mirrors and off she went. Now I have to tell you I have known Flossy for over three years and we have no problem communicating. We share a similar sense of humour and opinions on most things. But to be standing there in front of the camera trying to look natural is not easy for me. I am not sure what Flossy's trick is, but she had me feeling very comfortable within minutes and while she proclaimed to be trying out the lighting and angles etc, she was busy snapping away as I was awkwardly talking and flicking my hair about, as you do. This is what she sent me:

Hair fluffing and lip gloss smudging. And this one:

She was 'testing the lighting' here. Yes she was.

I am a huge fan of spontaneous shots and very few photos I take of my family are posed or set up, I love to catch them in a natural moment when they are least expecting it. Flossy shares this philosophy. Funny enough, I loved the spontaneous shots the most and was trying to work out how I could use one for the interview. Alas I went for a more professional me and chose this one:

So here is the interview if you would like to have a read. My husband was so excited and kept asking when it was going to be published. I was playing it low key, as you do.

If you are in the Perth area and are after a photographer for pet, baby, family or individual photographs I urge you to contact Flossy. She is a talented young lass with a keen eye for authentic beauty. You can also find Flossy on twitter and Facebook.

Share & inspire!

Grateful for adventure!

This week has been quite an adventure for me! First eBook released, first guest blog post, first interview. I have felt such a huge wave of accomplishment and have felt exceedingly proud (although humble) of myself for seeing something through to its final stage. I wrote an eBook. And I launced it. I am still pinching myself four days later. I actually did it.

When the very first sale came through not long after I launched my eBook on Monday morning, I swear I did a little dance around the house. Not because I made $4.95 minus some 42c on fees, but because someone, SOME ONE, wanted to read my words. I can't explain how that feels. It's just, amazing. So you can imagine my delight when ten people bought it, and then 15. And since then I have stopped counting as I am astounded people are interested in what I have written, not as I don't think it is worth reading, but it's me we're talking about, little old me.

Continuing on from this astonishment I have received the kindest of words in emails from readers and friends and fellow bloggers, offering feedback on my eBook. I just can't thank everyone enough for their support. The support and ongoing encouragement has only heightened my excitement - there are some truly generous and kind souls out there!

So while I initially kicked myself for not pursuing my love of writing earlier ie when I left high school, I know now timing is everything. The passion has always been there but the drive and circumstances were not ready. Now they are ready. I am writing and I love it. I am driven, I am determined, and I am loving it. And if my eBook sales stopped at one I would have been just as excited that one person, one person, was interested in my words. To know I have inspired at least one person has made me a very grateful soul.

I have loved Maxabella loves' grateful posts since I first started blogging. I look forward to Friday and I love thinking about my gratitude throughout the week and what has made me smile in deep appreciation. I am never short on gratitude however this week my recently rediscovered passion puts quite the spring in my step.

What are you grateful for this week? What has put a spring in your step?

Please pop over to Maxabella loves and check out some other grateful bloggers. Say hello to one that stands out for you. 

We Heart Life

Good morning friendly readers! I have had such a wonderful response to my eBook, I am truly astounded (and rapt) at the reaction and feedback I have received so far. I was emailed and asked to be interviewed for an online UK magazine and was completely bowled over! When I told my husband he looked at me wide-eyed and asked "So what is this eBook about then?" I love it when he pays attention. Needless to say I was jumping around the house after the very first purchase, absolutely amazed at the generousity of people and a little humble over the fact that someone wants to read what I have to say. I am still amazed people read my blog!

During this whole eBook process I have had Stacey at Veggie Mama hold my hand and offer to help me without me even asking and Deb from Home Life Simplified has been sharing my eBook left, right and centre (and I know my facebook reader increase this week is in huge part due to her, thanks Deb). Other friendly bloggers like Sonia from Love, Life and Hiccups, Flossy from Flossy Photography,  Naomi from Seven Cherubs and Kel from Natsukashii have been kindly retweeting my eBook tweets. And Jayne from Jagger Files has not only shared it on facebook but she has written a lovely little post mentioning my eBook. Just lovely.

And one particularly friendly and helpful little lass by the name of Sass, yeah you know the one, the genius behind my eBook design, has kindly offered me the opportunity to write my very first guest post. Another jump around the abode moment! Well I am an excitable creature. So today I wrote my first ever guest post for We Heart Life. We Heart Life is a beautifully, inspiring blog aimed at women. It is based in Australia and is written by Australian women. I love it! The design is just gorgeous and there are some truly amazing and inspiring writers contributing. We all know how much I love to be inspired. So I suggest you go check it out, not just my post but all the wonderfully inspiring posts.

The Self-Love Guide for the Working Mum eBook

Several years ago I started to realise I needed to fine tune this working mum gig. I was finding myself too frequently exhausted and struggling to get through the million tasks that is required of a working mum. I was becoming resentful for my choice to work and knew that I had to do something.

I started out focusing on small areas by establishing boundaries and setting up a solid routine. It didn't take a lot of effort or a lot of time, however until I made an active decision to make those adjustments I was blind to my own power in gaining control over my day-to-day life.

I have compiled a series of no-nonsense tips and would love to share them with you in my very first eBook, The Self-Love Guide for the Working Mum. It isn't rocket science and I am not the first working mum to work it out, but I feel sometimes we all need a little reminding. And especially when it comes to loving ourselves and giving ourselves the attention we deserve within a hectic working mum lifestyle.

The Self-Love Guide for the Working Mum isn't only for the working mum, it is a practical guide for any mum that finds herself on a path of self-development and is keen on practicing frequent acts of self-love. It is compiled of 40 pages of text, beautiful images by Flossy Photography and a lovely design by MooZoo Designs. Not only is my eBook full of sensible tips it provides the reader with an easy-to-read layout. I have provided you with two testimonials written by Stacey of Veggie Mama and Debra of Home Life Simplified as seen below.

To purchase your very own copy of The Self-Love Guide for the Working Mum for $4.95 please click on the link below. Following purchase via Paypal you will instantly receive your individual download link, the eBook downloads in PDF format. If you have any problems receving your downloaded copy please contact me via email cakecrumbsbeachsand@gmail.com.

I hope it inspires you to make relevant changes to your busy life and that it contains something useful for you. I welcome feedback via my email.

Testimonials

Tired? Busy? Frazzled? A lot of mums are. Peggy has made the decision that as a mum, she doesn't want to be, nor needs to be these things. With a few conscious choices and a huge dollop of being kind to herself, she is striking a balance between work and family that is getting that much more successful every day. Her self-love philosophy colours all her decisions (I'm particularly fond of the one where she gives herself permission to be in her PJs occasionally and just BE), and that in turn filters into the many compartments in her life where people are relying on her. With excellent, practical advice dispensed with humour and humility, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know how to start making life work better, not just mums. But as mums, we're often the ones that need it most!

Stacey Roberts - Veggie Mama

"The Self-Love Guide for the Working Mum" is a great read for any mother really. It offers practical suggestions for managing day to day life so you can take care of yourself, your work life and your family. One great point she shares is her son not taking part in outside school activities since he already spends so much time at school and after school care. She prioritises their time together over the "should" of others' expectations of what is usual for a young boy's Saturday schedule of sports activities. I love Peggy's "get real" talk, my favourite example of which is "cut the drama" in chapter four when she talks about ridding your life of everyone else's drama. One of the best sections of this eBook is the one tackling mother guilt for working mothers - Peggy shares the ways she balances her work with still being there for her son. Such a great eBook I am sure many mothers will gain both fabulous tips and perspective!

Debra Dane - Home Life Simplified

The Self-Love Guide for the Working Mum eBook

As a working mum for the past decade I realised that I had to make some changes to my daily life. I often found myself tired, frazzled and resentful of my choice to work after having a child. It isn’t an easy choice and although I sometimes wish I could do things differently the truth is, at this point, I can’t. So rather than continue on fumbling my way through the craziness that often comes with working fulltime and managing a family and household, I decided to take a step back and assess my lifestyle.

The Self-Love Guide for the Working Mum is a compiled guide of common sense tips that have worked for me. Aside from the obvious routine and self-discipline, I have discovered that as a high-functioning individual running a business, working fulltime and managing a family, I need to practice self-love. At times when I am in need of love and attention, I give it to myself. I have managed to establish a sensible balance and have set up some boundaries that enable me to remain grounded and somewhat sane.

I am not a health professional, I am a mum who is living the busy life of a working mum. I have spent the better part of the last decade working out what fits in with my working mum lifestyle and have actively made a choice to make life less hectic for me wherever I can. And now I share my suggestions and tips with you.

The Self-Love Guide for the Working Mum is not just for the working mum, my common sense suggestions can assist any mum. And let’s face it, the stay-at-home mum faces the same issues as the working mum, in a different environment.

The Self-Love Guide for the Working Mum will be available for purchase and download tomorrow. The first ten people to comment here will receive a free copy after its release. So go ahead, let me know what small changes you have made in your day-to-day life that have made a huge change to you as a mum.

The Working Mum's Self-Love Manifesto

You may have noticed my excitement recently over my upcoming eBook. I have dreamed of writing a book since I was a young girl, and although I still intend to write and hopefully publish a paperback some day, I am currently working on an eBook.

To give you some idea on what my eBook is about, here is a sneak peek.

I created this manifesto as a general guide for the basis of my eBook, which is all about self-love for the working mum. Without giving away too much of the context (which I think is now fairly obvious) I wanted to share this with you. If you click on the image you can see it enlarged. I will be providing a printable in the near future.

So, what do you, my reader, think of it? Does it mean anything to you? Do you find it easy to read, is it relatable?

Not only am I excited about creating my very own manifesto, I received some images for my eBook today from the fabulously talented Flossy from Flossy Photography. 

Elated is the best way to describe my mood right now. eBook launch is forthcoming!

 

Starting today...

What is it about self-doubt? Why do we often find ourselves questioning our own ability and taking the easy path out of fear? I thought about this today. I wondered about my three year plan. Why did I make it three years? I’ll tell you why, to keep me and my dream safe. To ensure I have two and half years to procrastinate and slowly make my way towards my dream and hope that all falls into place organically, all the while maintaining my current level of security. I did the same with my kitchen when we first bought our house – three year kitchen reno plan. It has been three and a half years.

So why do we not just dive in and follow our dreams? I often see people with a passion, a goal, a dream to be or do something they love, yet not a lot of action. I understand we need to plan; flying by the seat of the pants is just not conducive with a grown-up lifestyle of mortgage, school fees (and the rest) and mouths to feed. But when are we ever truly safe to just ‘be’? When do we reach a point where we no longer require more money? Do we ever reach that point? We get a pay rise, we spend more. We get a better job, we crave a better one. Where is the point where we stop and say to ourselves “I don’t need more money. I don’t need a better job.”? Well I can tell you. Today was that day.

I was driving home from work this afternoon and I started thinking about my plan, my three year, very ‘safe’ plan. What is stopping me from making it a six month plan? Fear. Nothing else but fear. I don't need funds to get my plan happening. I don’t need an office or space or anything other than my sheer drive and determination, my laptop (or failing that pen and paper) and direction, all of which I already have.

So, today starts my plan. I’ve already formulated a draft. I’ve listed what needs to be done, what I need to do it, and steps. That there, along with my can-do attitude, is my safety.

                               

Six months.

{image source: Pinterest}

Hello, my name is Peggy. I am a writer.

The other morning I woke up one hour earlier than I needed to. For those that know me, this is a startling revelation. I am a true bedhead, I don’t ever wake up before I need to. Well at least I didn't before I found something to jump out of bed early for. 

After I woke up I grabbed my laptop, plonked myself on the lounge and just started typing. An hour passed and I realised I had written some 1500 words. It was the perfect start to my day. It is moments like this I realise writing is my true passion. It is the one art form that puts a real spring in my step. I smile to myself when I think of things to write and when I finish writing I am full of excitement. Ideas are abundant and my mind has been opened up to inspiration in other forms as a result of the kick-start to my artistic side.

As some of you may be aware I am currently drafting my very first book. An eBook. I have always dreamt of writing a book and now that I am full of ideas and the desire to write I am going for it. An eBook seems like the perfect place to start. It won't cost much, I will have freedom to be creative, and hopefully someone, just someone, might even want to read it. I also have an idea for a paperback based on another passion of mine, to be commenced further down the track. Strangely enough, although this thought feels somewhat scary, it feels amazing and exciting and, amazingly exciting!

I have always been a dreamer. I have always believed in having dreams. I wondered in my earliest blogging days if I was possibly dreaming about this whole writing thing. I wanted to call myself a writer, but I was wondering if since I am not a published writer can I in fact still call myself a writer. Recently while reading about authentic self I realised that your true self defines who you really are.

I am a writer. 

What inspires you? What really gets your heart racing and makes your insides burst with excitement? What is your one true passion? Do you dare to dream?

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Authentic self

This week at my monthly appointment with my therapist we spoke about ‘authentic self’. My eyes lit up when she said those words – authentic self, how fabulous does that sound! I need to read more about it but to give a brief outline from my understanding of it, authentic self is the real you, who you are at the core of your being. The authentic self is true to your own personality despite external pressures. It is a composite of your core values, talents, skills and acquired wisdom.

The false self however is the person who is doing what he/she is expected to do, working in a job they are expected to work in and can often feel incomplete. The false self fills roles as expected by others living a life that fulfils the needs of others, ignoring your own talents and skills. The false self can cause you to cruise along in life, doing what is required at different stages. This is how most live due to the human condition.

I get this. Up until about 4 months ago (when I started my blog) I was happy working in a job that is satisfying and rewarding. I have been presented with opportunities I am extremely grateful for and could possibly work another 10 years feeling appreciative and happy. However when I started writing a bright light lit up my soul. My passion, my true authentic self was revealed. I love writing. I have wondered many times why I did not pick up a pen 20 years ago and follow that passion. But as the universe would have it I still had much to learn (still do). I would not have had the life experience or the insight as a 20 year old, and the opportunities I have had in the meantime have brought me to a place where I can now focus on my passion. My job has also taught me things I would not have been challenged with otherwise – speaking out, setting up boundaries with people, learning my own boundaries and sticking to them, how to put me first at the times I need to, how to respectfully treat others. I would possibly not have had to face these challenges had I not worked in the fields I have worked in over the past 2 decades. This makes sense to me now:

I am hitting the bookstore tomorrow to get literature on the authentic self. I am intrigued. I always thought when people said ‘you should do what you really love’ that they were lucky to be able to do so and that they must have circumstances that allowed them that freedom. What about my mortgage? What about the needs I have to fill? But it all makes sense now. Now that I have moved on from issues and challenges I had been facing in the past I have opened up a part of me, the passionate core of my being, to do what I love. By examining myself through sincere awareness I have realised that what I thought was me – my ideals, my thoughts, my beliefs – was in fact not. This is me. This is my authentic self.

Do you know much about the authentic self? If so, please share your insight.

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Chase your dreams!

It is no secret that successful people achieve their goals and aspirations by sheer hard work and dedication. Those people are doers. Doers have a vision and they take an active part in achieving their vision. I do think that opportunity plays a huge part in one’s success but if we sit back and just dream without actually planning and creating, the dream remains a dream. I too often see people who are miserable in their job however make no effort to change their career path or their job. I love what I do in my fulltime work, it is a position I have worked hard towards for a good decade and I find it very fulfilling. I don’t complain about my job as I do enjoy it. Writing however is my real passion. And I have known that since I was a kid, but have I done anything towards achieving success from it? Until I started my blog, no.

I wonder how many people have a dream and are passionate about something but either settle in a job that pays the bills or find they are happy with what they do so don’t aspire to chase that dream. Fortunately chasing my dream costs me nothing and the time it requires is time I am prepared to dedicate to it. I love writing. It is as simple and as complex as that. If I aspire to become a writer and do not achieve success in later years I have lost nothing. I enjoy it. I would still enjoy it with or without success. The success of course would change my retirement years (yes I am already planning for that) however it would not stop me from enjoying writing if I did not achieve success from it.

In all honesty when I first started my blog I didn’t really know what to base it on. I see so many amazing foodie blogs, lifestyle blogs, mum blogs, and in the end I realised that my blog would be quite the mixed bag. I love that I can be versatile in my writing however I do wonder if from a reader’s perspective it is confusing to see ‘exactly’ what it is I blog about. I guess it is really just a blog about sharing what I love. And the crux of that is writing.

Chase your dreams people, a life spent wondering is a life wasted. Unless of course you are already happy with what you do. Are you?

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