MIND~BODY~SOUL ... Choices, Chances, Change

Change means establishing new routines … my new far north Queensland routine  includes - 5pm on a Monday, sitting up high on Grassy Hill, in Cooktown [when working from home office]… feeling grateful, peaceful, and thoughtful … with writing journal open and words flowing from my mind to paper.

I believe that really successful people are good thinkers … good thinkers solve problems, they are never short of great ideas, and they are always focused on continual learning and exploring to create a better future. Good thinkers are generally not good followers [hmmm, yeah I know!] … because they make their own decisions, and would not allow themselves to be at the mercy of those who may take advantage of them, or try to deceive them, or expect them to follow blindly [uninformed].  Good thinkers don’t accept mediocrity, same old approaches … they enjoy stretching their minds to find new solutions.  In short, cultivating good thinking is a core strength for living a successful life.

Becoming a good thinker is not difficult … it’s about having the discipline to design your life to schedule time-out for thinking … finding a space that allows you to de-clutter, away from the trivial day-to-day interruptions, and to focus on what’s important. Many great successful people schedule ‘thinking time’ [eg: Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Warren Buffett, Anthony Robbins]. Mindfully focused … being intentionally present in that moment, purposeful thinking.

Take time out to enrich your MIND, BODY and SOUL … every week.

Clarity of the mind  … for me means time away from my whiteboard lists, computer screens, emails and messages … to enjoy the gentle ocean breezes and unobstructed views of lush rainforest covered mountains, blue ocean to the horizon, the last hour of late afternoon sunshine followed by peacefulness of the sunset as it slides down behind the mountain peaks.

Life seems so short now … I’ve learned that it’s so easy to let weeks, months, years slip by; without taking time to gain clarity, purpose and take control of your direction … your own journey.

Life is a journey … it’s important to enjoy the ride … every day.

Strengthen the body … well, my legs were certainly reminding me of how important it is to keep the body strong as I walked up the hill today [Yes, I did it!]. I eat healthy food, drink lots of water, and exercise daily … but I used to walk up a steep hill from my Capricorn Coast beach walk every day, up until a year ago. Oh boy! … clearly I need to conquer this big hill several times a week!  The view, the breezes, the peacefulness at the top is sooo worth it … and of course, my improved body fitness.

I also enjoy doing Yoga stretches as part of my morning walks … facing the water, breathing in energy from the wind. I just zone out and don’t care if others are watching or what they think; it is a great way to start the energy flow.

Enriching the soul … listen to your inner voice. Sure, I know you can work really hard to constantly turn negative, low energy vibes into positive ‘look on the bright side’ personal survival thinking … you know – making the most of a less than optimal situation. I’ve been there, done that … and I wasted many of my younger years trying to fix things that simply were not a good fit. Great learning to share – It’s far better to move to where you connect, where the energy flows, where you can design your life to achieve your dreams.

Life is not meant to be such hard work … and it’s not - when you are passionate about what you do, love where you are, and carefully choose who you surround yourself with.

What’s the point of banging your head against a brick wall?…

I have met many women and some men, who WANT to change their current situation but are afraid … those three core fears that stop so many of us from moving forward:

~ fear of the unknown

~ fear of failure

~ fear of not being good enough [or deserving of better]

These fears cripple people from even exploring better options and seeing the choices out there … BUT, you can learn to smash these fears and take control of your life.

Sure, I’ve made many changes in my life. I’ve learned to embrace change and to keep my focus on moving onwards and upwards; so it may appear to some that I turn the page to start a new chapter fairly quickly and easily. True … once I’ve made the decision to change, I just do it – action it, move on; however, that’s not to say that change is EASY!  The hardest part is the initial realisation that in order to keep growing, you have to let go … and keep on going.  I have found this quote to be so true:

“The hardest part about letting go is finally realising that there wasn’t much left to hold on to” [unknown]

To those of you at the crossroads of change, EMBRACE IT.  Take time out to think through your options … yes, there are always choices. Then I encourage you to take the leap … all the magic happens when you move to be in the right place ... find a space where you can focus on what your mind, body and soul needs to strengthen and build, supported by people who can help lift you higher. You don’t need to have it all figured out to move forward … just take the first step.

My passion is to share these thoughts, in this beautiful environment, with other women who need time-out for mindful reflection, time to refresh their bodies, and renew their energy and flow for the journey ahead.

Stay tuned … I’m currently exploring the region for the right venue to hold an ElevateHER Womens Retreat  in far north Queensland. 

If you’d like to be on my ElevateHER emailing list … please email your details to Jilinda@workforcevitality.com.au and add ElevateHER Womens Retreat to the subject line.

Until next time,

Take some time to practice mindful thinking … J

Jilinda Lee

Change Champion Coach

ON THE UPSIDE - #4 ~>

Living life on the Upside …

Literally, I am … sitting high up on Grassy Hill, Cooktown in Far North Queensland; feeling the strength of the wind, energy of the water below, and warmth of the late arvo sun setting after refreshing rain.  Sounds ideal? Sounds like a great place for positive thinking … simply walking around with that oblivious smile and a lay-back ‘she’ll be right’ attitude?  Yeah … pretty much … except for the CROCs!!

Up here, it pays to be very aware, to be diligent, and make good decisions regarding CROC territory.  Cooktown is built around the mouth of the Endeavour River, fringed by mangroves, well inhabited by CROCs. A good dose of situational awareness and a regular reality check is crucial, when planning outdoor activities near water ways, creeks and ocean bays. 

So, while I was thinking about dealing with CROCs, it hit me that it’s no big deal … I’ve dealt with CROCs before; quite recently in fact. Dealing with them is just a reality check of options:  

• Some things you can change; 
• Some things you can ignore or work around; and 
• Sometimes you just need to make wise alternative choices and take a different track.

You see … CROCs are everywhere. The four legged reptiles with their territorial prowling and jaws of death grip, and the two legged human variety with interestingly – such similarity.  How so? … well:

1. You can’t change CROCs behaviour; it's entrenched survival tactics that serve him well … he has no will or need to change. It’s not wise to try to befriend them, or think you could ever trust them. They will always be aggressive, territorial creatures who don’t give a hoot about your values, your goals or your feelings.  Yes, there are people like that too – Mr CROCs with entrenched bully-boy behaviours that rule by control, threats, and revel in belittling others to stamp their own positional power. While he could choose to change his behaviour, he has no will to change that which continues to fuel his own ego.

2. CROCs choose to live in remote, less populated areas; in mangroves and swamps, lurking in shadows, just under the waterline; anywhere relatively hidden and out of hunters sights. As a protective species, they have enjoyed growth in numbers and size in these parts.  Interestingly, I’ve noticed that human Mr CROCs survival and accelerated career progression also often occurs in more remote, less populated areas;  away from higher expectations and robust performance reviews; where they seemingly can get away with being king of their county despite their undesirable behaviour.

3. Sometimes CROCs become a real nuisance; ruthlessly aggressive, bumping against small boats, hanging around others jetties, and over- exerting their territorial powers. Yeah, you got it … just like some human Mr CROCs too; this problem negatively impacts on community well-being, attractiveness, growth, general living standards, and the overall attitude or culture of the community or organisation.

The solution for reptiles like this is to remove them; capture and move them away from the area. Repeat offenders are culled.  So, what I don’t understand is why the solution is not as simple for human Mr CROCs!  
~ Why do some communities and organisations put up with unacceptable, predatory, power driven behaviour for so long; seemingly powerless to make the decision to just remove the problem(s)?

~ How many people must it negatively impact before action is taken? 

~ How many times should Mr CROC get away with aggressive bullying behaviour, in how many regional swamps, before a more permanent decision is implemented?

Choosing to live on the upside … is not about putting a fake smile on your face as you slide into the murky water, thinking positively, sucking it up and hoping for the best!  Sometimes you need to step up onto higher ground, take a stand for what’s right, and make decisions that are good for the greater good.

If you have a Mr CROC, I urge you to DECIDE->COMMIT->ACTION the change that’s needed for your own survival, and that of your community.

Choose to live life on the upside … the higher moral ground; where the wind fuels your strength, energy and momentum … well away from the murky water lurkers.   

Jilinda Lee
Change Champion Coach
[Published in 'THE BRIDGE' Newspaper - 25 June 2015]

ON THE UPSIDE - #3 ~>

On the Upside?…

Yes, there always is an UPSIDE, although I’m intrigued [sometimes frustrated] that so many people seem to really need help to find it, focus on it, and foster it.  My hope is these writings help to provide some insight on what it takes to paddle upwards, rather than merely floating along in the downstream. Why choose to live average, ordinary lives … why choose to accept mediocre momentum, or unacceptable, even unethical behaviour from others?

Sure, each of us has our own map of the world we live in. My reality is based on the sum total of MY experiences, MY set of values, MY judgements, MY thoughts and ideas; maybe quite different I suspect from YOUR experiences, YOUR values and the story you take from those. That’s ok. The point is that each of us creates those stories – our own unique reality; so if you made up your reality as you see it today, that means you can just as easily create a new reality if you want to. How?

Did you know that we have around 2 million bits of info coming at us every second, yet we can only process 132 bits, or approximately 7 chunks of information at any one time? This means that we are constantly deleting, distorting and generalising this info; choosing what is relevant and what’s not, so we can make sense of our world. So, what we allow in and what we leave out creates the story we choose to make up as ‘our reality’; most of this happening at a subconscious level.

Maybe it’s time to ask yourself if what you’re leaving out, changing and generalising about, is working for you. How’s your reality map of the world? What important truths are you choosing to filter out?  Are you waiting for the good part to start? Are you allowing others to manipulate your reality?

Imagine if … you stopped waiting for someone else to add the good stuff; stopped pointing the blame fingers at others; stopped expecting to wake up tomorrow to a miraculously new and better world, community, council, street, house, job, relationship, body, or bank account.

You see ... life doesn’t come with a remote … you have to get up off your arse and change it yourself. If you are not happy with how things are and the negative results that causes, it’s up to YOU to drive those changes.

Imagine if … you decided to simply do that; just wake up one day and decide to shake off the crap that drags you down, so you never feel like that again. Choose to take a positive proactive approach, to explore alternative options, to value yourself enough to know you deserve better, and to go out and actively drive change. BE the change you want to see and have in your lives, and in your community.

Well you CAN do that TODAY … yep, just like that. Every day is a new beginning full of opportunities far greater than what you will find sitting in your downstream dingy, complaining about the status quo, just waiting for something big to land in your lap, or someone else to do something positive.

So what are YOU waiting for?  The first step towards changing your reality is to decide that you are not going to accept the way things are. 

Changing your life is up to YOU; you’re in charge of your own story. 

Changing a community needs a collective group of passionate, pro-active people to step up, speak out, and demand stronger leadership and ethical decision making. Decide that you, as a community are sick of waiting for good things to happen.  Make it happen!

Don’t leave it to one or two representatives to do all the upstream paddling … jump in the boat, grab a paddle, and be the strong support team for those who ARE ready and willing to drive much needed change.

 Choose to live life on the upside … the world has enough downsiders.

Jilinda Lee

Change Champion / Leadership Coach.

[Published in 'THE BRIDGE' Newspaper - 14 May 2015]

ON THE UPSIDE - #2 ~>

Sharing my local community newspaper column – On the Upside - latest published article here on my BlogSpot ...  as a helpful reminder to my readers to check in on who you choose to surround yourself with. 

Wherever I go, live and work, the purpose of my life is to make a positive difference.

Conversation is a good thing … it means people are thinking about the ‘what if’s’ and starting to explore new possibilities with others.

Excitement was definitely in the warm night breezes last week, on an evening Wetlander cruise I attended with my partner and over 50 other business people. The boat was buzzing with positive energy; lots of ‘imagine this’ discussions and pro-active people who are keen to support a major festival event to showcase the produce, lifestyle, and beautiful river environment we are surrounded by. Let’s hope the visiting delegates caught the positive vibe ... nothing like a local group of enthusiastic, like-minded people who are willing to work together to make things happen.  Yes, it can happen.

Imagine this … everyone in the community is actively and enthusiastically on board with positive, creative ideas, projects and events.  There is real collaboration and clear focus on whole of community benefits; the council, the businesses, the farmers, the community groups, the newspaper, the politicians, the community influencers … everyone working together with a forward thinking approach; driven by the right purpose and intent – to build a vibrant, growing community.  

 A utopia you think? ‘Tell her she’s dreaming’ …I hear someone say. ‘People don’t like change around here’. So, how do we make that happen?

Well, for starters, it would mean:  stop looking back over the shoulder at yesterdays ‘issues’ – establishing a continual focus on today and tomorrow being new days, new opportunities, and new approaches; that means turning that page to start a new chapter.  

Drop the positional posturing on idea ownership, or who tried what yesterday, or who knows who in the local zoo, or who won’t work with whom. It is this kind of emotionally unintelligent BS behaviour that potentially sucks the energy out of great ideas, if you let it.

Ignore the naysayers that simply don’t want change; there will always be some who delight in coming up with a problem for every possible solution … sometimes for no logical reason than they don’t like change [although I bet they don’t drive the same car, wear the same clothes, or even cook their meals the same way they did 30 years ago].

A community’s spirit is made up of a collection of individuals who make their own choices each day – to be negative about stuff [glass half empty], to be open to ideas [glass half full], or to be right in there enthusiastically making it happen [glass full – 50% water, 50% air]. Optimisim is not a disease ... it is a mindful behaviour choice. 

One really great thing I have learned from a life of moving around and exploring different communities, is the value of connecting with the right people.  I read somewhere that you become like the 5 people you spend the most time with, so it’s important to choose carefully. 

Here's some tips worth considering:

• On a personal coaching note: keep people in your life that truly love you, motivate you, encourage you, inspire you, enhance you and make you happy. If you have people who do none of the above, let them go. 
• On a broader note: surround yourself with only those who lift you higher; don’t waste your valuable time with people or groups that are not adding to your growth, or the growth and betterment of the type of vibrant, collaborative, connected community you want to live in.

Oh, one final note: While you’re working on that checklist of who to eliminate or perhaps spend significantly less time with … how about looking in the mirror  - checking your own reflection.  Do you do those supportive things for others who choose to spend time with you? 

Maybe it’s time for you to choose to ...

 live life on the upside … the world has enough downsiders.

ON THE UPSIDE - #1 ~>

 Written to inspire positive change in small regional communities ...

Something a little different ... I wrote a recent article for a local, small regional community newspaper ... a place where I am currently living and working from. Why here? My partner accepted a work contract here ... simply another chapter for us. 

You see, we've both moved around a bit; lived and worked in various states, cities and small communities.  We embrace change as opportunity for adventure, new experiences, and personal growth.  Yes, that means we often view surrounding things through different lenses than long-term locals.  

My analytical thinking and inquisitive mind feeds an avid need to explore ‘WHY it is so’. I absolutely love that life is full of choices, chances and changes. So, the intent of sharing my thoughts in the 'local rag' is to provide an alternative view, encourage positive thinking, challenge the status quo, and maybe influence a change of approach.  

I'm sharing it here on my BlogSpot ...  as a helpful reminder to my readers to check in on the message YOU portray to others. 

Wherever I go, live and work, the purpose of my life is to make a positive difference.

Do you know the purpose of YOUR life? … Or are you living the life of a robot; shuffling slowly without much thought, mindlessly going about life with the same old routines, doing the same old stuff; days blending into weeks and years slipping by. 

Do you have a ‘woe is me’ … ‘whinge and whine’ … ‘can’t change it’ … ‘that’ll do’, approach to life and your community?

Maybe you ARE passionate and mindful about what you do each day, where you live, and why you choose to live where you do.  Great stuff!  Do your thoughts, words and actions positively showcase your enthusiasm to others? Are you purposely contributing to the growth and positive spirit of your community, or just focused on your own personal goals?

Ok, so I ask a lot of questions … perhaps a tad challenging for some people. I ask with genuine interest to find out WHY? 

For 7 months now I have been reading the stories and columns in my local paper [yes, every word … my partner thinks I’m mad taking so long to read a thin newspaper]. As a Life Coach, I am a strong believer in the impact words, phrases and tone has on influencing the perception of others. I try to read it with several hats on:  a local’s response … a new resident’s thoughts … and a visiting tourist or perspective investor’s impression. Needless to say, I'm often shaking my head with a 'what the ...?' look on my face. 

Now, I’m not saying that community culture is totally reflected in its local newspaper … but, it does provide some of the painted images, good and questionable, that make up one’s overall picture of a place ... especially if you are actively searching for connections or a reason to stay.

Imagine this … a positive and creative community spirit that is immediately, visually evident as one enters the town; a bright, happy, place-making theme that is echoed everywhere … in parks, entrance gardens, street plantings, main streets and business frontages … on information brochures, websites, Facebook pages, event promotions, local newspapers -  everywhere. A branding that the community helps design and proudly owns; that represents the positive things about why you choose to live here, and showcases why others should take a look and consider staying longer. 

A great step for attracting more visitors to stop and check it out.

OK ... so what about those new residents already here, or potential investors sniffing around?

Imagine this … a central business area that is buzzing with vibrant, interesting, uniquely different shops – you know, not just the same old stuff that’s in every town. Café’s that showcase local produce, great coffee, inviting décor, local art works, and welcoming outdoor circle seating to stop, rest and chat to a friendly local.

 

Aaahh … now I’m interested in leaving my home office for a curious wander.  Exploring just became more interesting …

Imagine this … Anybody and everybody who walks into each shop in your local business area is greeted with positive enthusiasm; with curious interest in who they are; and genuine intent to help make their experience in this community, enjoyable and memorable … for the right reasons … so that they keep coming back, support local businesses, and stay longer.

Imagine this … new residents and potential investors are given welcome packs with details of all businesses and services in the local area, key events, invites to community group meetings, and vouchers to use at local businesses.  Let’s take it up a notch – what if businesses and locals actively collected contact details of new residents to pass onto community leaders, so that key, positive ‘movers and shakers’ in the community contacted them personally to ensure they feel welcome. 

Now that’s how to WOW them; involve them and embrace the skills and potential positive growth they bring to your community. 

On recent travels, I drove through and visited many rural and regional towns ... and it was immediately obvious which ones showcased positive vitality, pride and a welcoming feel ... and which ones were struggling to attract and retain businesses and residents.  Yes, it sure helps if positive culture and attitude is led by enthusiastic, pro-active leaders ... not just 'seat-warmers'.

However, the great thing about vibrant, small communities is that positive change is often driven by small groups of passionate people who have a vision of what it could be … and a purpose to make it happen.  Are you a leader of positive change?  If not, are you actively involved in supporting those in your community who are … regardless of how long they’ve lived there, or where they come from?

Be mindful of the way you communicate with others.  

Choose to live life on the upside … the world has enough downsiders.

The 3 Ps to Success ...

Sure ... SUCCESS means different things to different people.  Just as well, or we'd all be doing the same stuff at the same time ... getting in each others way ...  imagine the competitiveness then!!

So ... what is SUCCESS in general terms? ... what does it take to be successful?

Here are some of my favourite quotes and suggestions from well-known 'successful' people:

"Success consists of ... going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill.  Ahh persistance, that 'never give up' determination and courage.  More Winston wisdom:

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts."

"In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure." - Bill Crosby.  Yes, fear of failure is what stops many people from actioning their dream goals and following their passion ... so strong passion trumps fear.

"Success is ... knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others."   - John C. Maxwell [leadership expert and fav author].  Nice one ... links to understanding the passions that drive your energy and help define your purpose. Notice how it is also about persistant, continual personal growth and sharing that to help others. I like that.

"Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value." - Albert Einstein.  Yes, I have learned that real success and happiness is not measured by money, material possessions, position and power ... the

external  stuff that we tend to judge people's success by,  [size of house, number of houses, cars, boats, designer label possessions, senior exec roles, .. etc] ... these things are not what drives or motivates me.  I'd rather live simply, without the pressure to compete with the 'Jones'' [whoever they are?], and make a bigger difference in areas where I [WE - my partner and I have the similar drivers] can be of the greatest value and achieve goals we are passionate about.

"The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way." - Robert Kiyosaki.  Ahhaa ... so strength to keep going [persistance] ... focus on your big dream goals [passion] ... and ability to take the knocks, get up and keep going. Successful people often go through many unsuccessful years and it's the great  learnings from that, which brings them success [patience].

So ... all that research, reading and rabbitting on, brings me to simplifying it down to 3 key things, the 3 P words, as a good reminder tool for me and one you might like too:

PASSION ... 

is my key driver ... creates energy, excitement, creativity, momentum ... love doing what I'm passionate about. When you are passionate about making a difference, and your purpose in life is to influence and drive change ... to encourage and assist people to become leaders in their organisations, their communities, and equal partners in their homes;  seeing the positive impact that has on others, provides huge personal satisfaction. 

PERSISTENCE ...

comes from a strong belief in what I'm doing ... the real need for change of thinking, change of behaviour, stronger leadership, and equality of choice - women stepping up to be their full version ... and knowing the value of potential outcomes, and that every step takes me closer to achieving those broader community goals.

PATIENCE ...

Ooops ... this one I'm still working on. Having such a strong passion and belief in what can be achieved for the benefit of all, I tend to get impatient when others don't jump straight on board with the program. Sure, I'm learning from the constraints, set-backs, and taking some advice ... like when to take smaller steps or huge leaps,  forward or sideways, but never backwards!  

So 2 out of 3 is not bad, right? I mean, for a Change Champion ... of course I want to move mountains quickly! 

The thing about patience is not so much about the waiting, as the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.  Frustration is a bitch that needs taming!  So ... I went searching for remedies to reduce [or kill off] feelings of frustration, caused by a slight 'under-supply' of patience. Here's what I'm doing:

STEP ONE - Start the day and end the day with +POSITIVE THOUGHTS+ ... Each day is a new day of opportunities, regardless of what happened [or didn't happen] yesterday or during today. While

doing outdoor stretches, bare feet on the grass, looking towards the early morning sun, or sunset ... is the time and space that works best for me.

STEP TWO - Remain intensly focused on my purpose and the desired outcome, and not on the obstacles. Let go of people, things and stuff I can't control or change ... don't let them steal my 

+POSITIVE ENERGY+, just because they've lost theirs.  Search for and surround myself with like-minded, inspirational people who bring out my best.

STEP THREE - Feelings of frustration are entirely my own creation ... YES!  A behaviour response; a choice ... just like happiness and +THINKING POSITIVELY+ ... I can choose to shake that negative, energy zapping emotion off ... and  change from trying to 'make it happen', to just letting 'whatever happens, happen' ... 'where ever it takes off'.  

Sometimes our greatest learnings come from hitting brick walls and having to find other ways to reach our goals ... zig-zagging towards successful outcomes or going to where the opportunities are. 

Did you notice the gold +POSITIVE+ plus signs surrounding the other 3 Ps in my creative illustration at the start?  Yes, it could be a 4th P ...  but I believe that positive focus feeds your Passion, supports your Persistance, and strengthens your Patience levels.   

Choose to focus on your own positives ... because in the end, your personal success really is found in:

" ... liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it" - Maya Angelou.

Until next time, think ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ly.

cheers

Jilinda

2014 - a year of more stones than diamonds ...

As I sat at a picnic table overlooking peaceful lakes in the early hours of 1^st January 2015,  having just watched a beautiful sunrise, I began to reflect on the ‘year that was … 2014’.   A song popped into my head:

Some days are diamonds … some days are stones,

Sometimes the hard times … won’t leave me alone … 

Yes, 2014 for me was certainly a challenging year … a year of choices, decisions, chances and change.  Not saying it was disastrous, or a total wipe out … there were some exciting times, new opportunities, new connections made …  and some difficult, re-affirming momentous reality checks;  each experience providing valuable lessons.

The old saying is true; sometimes you don’t realise what you had until it’s gone … but the reality is - where we were and what we had, was not meant to be … not the right timing … and not allowing either of us to grow and progress.  I’ve said it before … neither my partner nor I like playing small; it sucks our creative juices and the passionate drive we both value.  We knew we needed to be somewhere else … where we could make a bigger difference and help drive change … we decided to throw it out there and see where it landed.

Thankfully, I love change … I truly get bored with the ‘same old’ approaches, traditional thinking and ‘normal’ or average expectations.  I decided a long time ago that life is far better if you choose to be flexible, focus on the positives or look for better options, grasp opportunities, and embrace the unexpected adventures … simply try to make the best of each day, each situation.  Being positive is a conscious choice … in how you think, behave and action things.

Sure …there is some stuff we can’t control and can’t change, but I have found that even when we think we have no choices, it’s simply a matter of looking broader … out-side the box … move away from limitations and go to where you DO have more options.   So many of us get ‘stuck in a rut’, looking down at where our feet stand … to the point that we don’t see the opportunities on the horizon. 

Having a strong sense of inner personal power and an ‘I can’ attitude, also helps to not only accept change; it drives me to look for it.  This is also a conscious choice …

“Do I feel strong and invincible every day?  … No, of course not”

I have my down times … my more vulnerable moments.  Life’s experiences have made me more aware of my vulnerabilities … the things that drag me down or pull me backwards, and what builds me up; energises and drives me forward.  

Being near water is one of my energy sources … the peaceful reflectiveness of watching the sunrise is another … combining the two, is absolute magic.  Every sunrise is different. Every dawn brings a new day.  Some days the sun glitters like diamonds on the water… some days the clouds make it look grey, blending with the stony edges.  Not every day is perfect …

Life’s like that … it is not a perfect fairy-tale … and I’m certainly not perfect.

Just like these outdoor picnic tables at Barham Lakes, where I sat and wrote this blog … lessons are found in the simplest of things…

 Some tables are splattered with bird shit! 

Of course, they are quite vulnerable to this … out in the open near trees full of birds.  We can’t control where these chirpy, feathered friends decide to do their business. … nor would we want to.  Think about it … if the tables were locked away in enclosures, they would not be useful or an inviting place for people to sit and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.  

Lesson – yep … SHIT HAPPENS!  Accept it, live with it, or move on.   Ask: “does it really matter?” Clearly not for me … I had brought a beach towel to sit on and chose one next to it that was somewhat 50% less splattered!

Some are in need of repair … looking a little tired and sagged in the middle … not easy to navigate, use, and work with … clearly not the best choice.  Not impossible, just more difficult than anticipated.  

Lesson – CHOICES people … there are always choices, often better options.  Ask “do I really have to put up with this?”  “Will it frustrate me and drain me of my positive energy?” “Would I be better off moving on?”  … OR perhaps it is simply a short term inconvenience, less than optimal but OK for now? As I wanted to write in my journal and pour a glass of Baileys & Milk … there were better options nearby.

Sometimes it takes more than one to do the job … more than YOU alone to make stuff happen.  Individuality, personal power, independent nature, ‘can do’ attitude … it’s all great stuff, BUT that may not always the best, most efficient way to make the biggest difference.  Sometimes we need to push our table next to others, collaborate, co-operate and join forces to achieve our goals.

Lesson – Finding and surrounding yourself with like-minded people is the key … those that lift you higher and support your journey.  I've learned that while networking and social media are all great tools ... nothing beats personal connections with those who 'get on board' with your journey.

Just like the birds around these lakes … we are meant to flock together, to chatter and sing, to help and mentor each other, to mate and make homes … wherever you find a suitable tree, a nice park, an environment that suits.   Yes, sometimes when you think you’ve found that, the winds will blow … trees fall or get cut down … it may rain or snow … maybe the food source even runs low. 

Please remember this: No matter what happens, a new sunrise comes up each day, another day of choices, chances and possible changes … another year of aspirations and goals … wherever you are in the world.

LIFE – wasn’t meant to be perfect

            wasn’t meant to be easy

            wasn’t meant to be spent standing still in the one spot

LIFE -  is a journey full of experiences and learnings. 

Your life’s journey is in your hands … your mind, your behaviour, your actions drive your direction.  Embrace that, take hold of it …

Not all days will be sparkling diamonds … shit may happen … the path may be stoney … you may even get gravel rash;  BUT, it’s how you respond to whatever is thrown at you, or the opportunities that pop up, that counts in the end.

So, as I said goodbye to 2014, I celebrated the courage it took for us to make major changes … and remembered the lessons learned along the way … and appreciated the time spent over the last few months in preparations for rolling out an awesome 2015. I’m ready for it … 2015’s new book of blank pages – all 365 of them to make my mark … going to make sure I leave no blank pages.

Make YOUR 2015 count.  This is your day, your month, your year to explore new choices, take some adventurous chances and embrace the opportunities and lessons that change brings.

Sparkle brightly.

Happy 2015.

Jilinda.