Friday, November 30, 2012

Week In Review: 24-30 November 2012 Launches & Lunches

The Life Manifesto Print from LifeTyped

I wrote a post about doing a Week In Review over at Life is Crafted last week and it proved to be quite popular! I know I haven't done one here in a while (though I have a few draft posts) but I should let that put me off getting back on the horse.

I have to say that part of me feels like some big things happened, but not much else. Though, it is not until I start looking through my Filofax and seeing what I've actually done, that things I've 'forgotten' about pop out again. So, I might be surprised...let's see!


  • Worked on all the pre-launch tasks with a level of manic craziness for LifeTyped. This included website tweaking, buying process designing and implementation, image decisions, photoshoots, social media launches blah blah blah. I really feel this took up the majority of my time, energy and efforts this week!
  • Launched LifeTyped
  • Friend and business coach over for dinner
  • Picked little Zander dog up from the vet. He had an x-ray done to see if the limp that has been hanging around on and off for 6 weeks was anything serious - IT WASN'T!
  • Went to Australian Businesswomen's Network (ABN) catch up evening
  • Went to the launch of Discordia - it's awesome - check out a different voice for women!
  • Planning gift guide post 
  • Celebrating The Man's Name Day today
  • Lunch with the Daddy-O in Balmain
  • Lots of social media-ing
  • Responding to sales inquiries and emails for Life is Crafted
  • Lots of time with Kirsten (my biz partner and friend in LifeTyped) singing 'What you've done to me' by Xfactor winner Samantha Jade. And yes we though the line was 'I'm a hobbit on the run.'



What was the highlight of your week SSSs?

Make it as you wish,
Arienne

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Do You Hate A Part Of Yourself Too?

Photo Credit

Warning! This post goes a little bit lovingly woowoo :)

Is there a part of yourself that you hate? A section of you that you fear will raise its head? Yes, hate is a strong word, but let's be honest now. Do you have a part of yourself that you hate? I have.

That was hard for me to admit because I don't hate anything. There is no room for hate in my life. Instead of 'hating' I try:

  • to understand with compassion, 
  • to see from another point of view, 
  • to see through the filter of another person's experience, 
and then to express my opinion and persuade if I feel strongly enough. Ultimately I try to accept others and to let go and let live. 

I have no control over other people. I can only change myself (haha, yes, this is frustrating on occasion - I'm only human after all!).

Anyways, back to the hate I have towards a part of me. That part is ANXIETY.

I've come to understand it from many different sides and now see it as the desperate Wake Up Call to live the life I was born to live that I truly needed to stand up and pay attention. 

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut. I hate how it makes me feel when it rears its head. 
In those moments that it wells up in my chest, I hate. 
When I fear the world going dark again, I hate. 
When it lifts my heart rate and I go into fight or flight mode, I hate. 
When it narrows my perspective, I hate. 
When I lose my connection to who I know I can be, I hate. 
When I feel the world is hopeless, I hate. 
When I feel constant fear, I hate.

When feeling some of those, ahem, not so lovely things above the other day I went for a run and chanted to myself, "I am strong, healthy and happy in body, mind and soul." and then again, "I am strong, healthy and happy in body, mind and soul" and again and again and again and again and again and again.

It didn't quite connect at the time. 

Next I went to yoga for the first time in months. I went through the motions of moving and breathing, trying to focus my distracted mind on the simple (and strenuous!) flow. It felt good to move my body and channel cleansing breath to the stagnant corners of my being.

Finally laying down in Savasana, I was trying to sit with (or ignore - I couldn't decide which would be better) the anxious fear sensations in my chest. 



A thought popped into my head: Send it love.

I'm willing to try anything in those uncomfortable moments, so I did.

I visualised the anxiety as a ball of dark cloud residing in my chest and I told it it was loved.
I felt the fear and told it it was loved.
I saw the darkness and told it it was loved.
I felt the hopelessness and told it it was loved.

I felt and repeated "You are loved"

You are loved

You are loved 

You are loved

You are loved

(Oh my god, big tears are falling as I write this and my flatmate is coming downstairs to watch X-factor at any moment now...)

You are loved

You are loved 

You are loved

You are loved

You are loved

You are loved 

You are loved

You are loved

You are loved

You are loved 

You are loved

You are loved

And I felt overwhelming love and compassion for that part of me. Laying there on the mat, in a room full of yogis, I silently cried for the acceptance it felt, for the overwhelming love it finally was receiving. From it being a hated, unwanted, feared, and loathed part of me it had turned into something that I was giving love to.

It felt the love. It felt it so truly and so deeply. So it let go and transformed.

What part of yourself do you hate? Can you tell it is is loved?

Make it as you wish SSSs.
You are loved.
Feel it.


Schadenfreude - A great word for Toastmasters

The last time I was at Toastmasters (I'm beginning again next year when I have time to refocus!) I brought up the word schadenfreude as the word of the session and everyone got a point for using it subtly in a sentance they brought up. Okay, it really is more fun than it sounds!

On the first day of xmas your true love gave you a schadenfreude

Do you know what the word Schadenfreude means?

Make it as you wish SSSs!
Arienne

Monday, November 19, 2012

Neglecting Me


I'm having a really off few days. Not sure if it is because:
A) I've launched Life Is Crafted and having a bit of a lull (even though there is still heaps to do!)
B) I worked 16+ hours for a few weeks in the lead up to the launch and I didn't balance it with healthy living (not much exercise at all)
C) I had a big weekend and let loose after being so work focussed and my body and mind is not handling excess alcohol and the repercussions...
D) There is something else going on and the Universe is sending me signals to pay attention.

You'd think I'd have learned my lesson from the experiences in my past to try to live a more balanced life - to listen to signals and know how beneficial doing yoga, journaling and theta is for my mind, body and soul.

Everything was going so well that I think one side of me said I didn't need to do all that 'good' stuff. I was in the flow, kicking goals and my attention was taken up by positive deadlines and getting all the necessary stuff done. My priorties seemed right, but skewed that in the end I neglected my core health and the habits that give me strength, sanity and stability through challenging, and even enjoyable times.

I guess this post is me talking out loud a little. Trying to work through these icky feelings and attempting to understand what is going on.

I know the solution and the lesson is here, I just have to be patient and attentive and catch the penny when it drops.

Do you ever feel anything like this SSSs?

Making it as I wish,
Arienne xo

Thursday, November 1, 2012

November 2012 Dreams/September Review!


This post is also for Day 1 of the November 365/30 List for Philofaxers.

Well friends there are a lot of amazing things happening in the land of Arienne, Savvy Sassy She and my new venture that embraces my planning/planner side. Life is Crafted . I'm being a bit head down, bum up as I focus on making my business dreams happen.

I'm so loving the fact that I am making something I love. That I have an outlet for my passion and creativity and it is being channeled into something I so enjoy (and that I hope others will too). I understand, for the first time, absolutely loving what you do so that it doesn't feel like work. There will be a lot going on over the next few weeks and I'll finally be able to make a lot of announcements! Yay

I also have to pull back on my social outings - so apologies in advance if I don't make it to things. It's nothing personal :)

Because of this focus I think my November dreams will be quite short. Some of these dreams/goals have numerous (many, plenty, heaps of, a lot, plentiful - any other synonym for numerous) steps...

NOVEMBER DREAMS
  1. Launch Life is Crafted - printable planner refills that are more than just an appointment recorder
  2. Launch another biz of which I have a wonderful Co-founder :)
  3. Do more videos for my Life is Crafted YouTube channel - feel free to subscribe!
  4. Organise Perth christmas trip (mostly Zander related organisation - we'll have a flying puppy!)
  5. Spend quality time with the Daddy-O
  6. Write my non-fiction version of NaNoWriMo
  7. Help out at Bookclub Fundraiser join us if you can!
  8. Attend lovely friends' baby shower
  9. Jazz in the Park, dinners with friends, Bday celebrations and nothing more!
  10. Remember tear myself away from the computer to exercise because it is good for me
  11. Maintain date nights with The Man
  12. Breathe, be grateful and enjoy the busy-ness! Remember the big picture
SEPTEMBER REVIEW
  1. Celebrate 3 year anniversary together with The Man - Done!
  2. Progress SSS redesign with Carly from Moozoo Designs - Done!
  3. Help celebrate friend's book launch - Done! Check it out! http://courtneycollinswriter.com/
  4. Help celebrate Ms C & Mr M's Permanent Residency Party - Done!
  5. Attend cousin's wedding - Done and what a lovely wedding it was!
  6. Clear up paperwork that is currently all over the place - not done, paperwork only added to!
  7. Get back into a regular yoga practice - ahem...not done
  8. Craft new health goal - ahem...not done
  9. Reconnect with my journal - Done!
  10. Catch up with Perth Bestie coming to town - So fab to see Ms L!
  11. Launch the new professional focussed me - Done - I'm professional now ;)
  12. Get clear on biz direction and timeframe - Done!
  13. Create logo for new biz - Done! Check out www.lifeiscrafted.com
  14. Revamp editorial calendar - Done!
  15. Implement new insight into my life - Done
  16. New website progress - Progressed - still a few things to do today!
  17. Web copy draft - Progressed
  18. Finish $100 Start Up as below - Done! Love it!
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