....YIKES!!!! .....

OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!

How can life be so busy that I totally forgot to fill my gratitude jar??

Seriously, since 14 April, which I believe was the date of my last blog post for my gratitude jar I have had more in my life to be grateful for than many may have in a lifetime.

I really wanna share!!!

Today I am grateful for just about everything.  Let's start with the beautiful early morning cuddles of my 4 and 6 year old little men.  The sunshine and the breeze.  The random encounters with marvellous people at coffee shops, bakeries, cafes and on the phone ... it feels like life is all about being social today.  The energy to progress ideas an the support of peers to make it feel worthwhile.

Over the past month I have watched my friends and family succeed, I've frocked up and pretended I was a grecian goddess to support my good friend in her quest for Small Business Woman of the Year.  I've been excited and delighted at the success of a young colleague destined to change the world.  I've shared time, space and energy with industry leaders who inspire me and make everything feel worthwhile.  And I have felt love from every corner of my life in the most unexpected and unanticipated ways.

My jar overflows ... I need a bigger jar!!!

... overcommitted, but still grateful!!! ....

I notice that the date today is the 14th of April, exactly 2 weeks since my last blog post.  Despite my heartfelt commitment that I would blog my gratitude daily ... I have not.

So at 7:04 tonight I congratulated myself on being a rockstar for getting my kids to bed and sat and immersed myself in gratitude for the awesomeness of this day.

Over the past 2 weeks, there is much I can find to be grateful for:
- my powerplate training ritual
- my new tuesday/thursday training buddy and her effervescent early morning energy
- my nana and her willingness to share her life's experience (stay tuned as in a few short weeks we will be learning from a party of 3 'elders' each with more than 90 years of life to share)
- my mum ... she just listens to me
- the weather ... the unbelievably beautiful, beautiful weather, every day ... even when it rains
- my generous friends
- my generous clients
- my gentle children and their incredible koala bear cuddles
- facebook ... where I see, learn and communicate so much
- Graham Norton ... who makes me laugh
- the ability to think - to have ideas, share them, learn from others, and rethink my own ideas
- the abundance of opportunities that surround me in life
- the good things that are coming up
- my imagination
- my beautician and my hairdresser ... sometimes a girl just needs to feel pretty
- MY LIFE

That's at least one for every day I've missed.  No promises ... I probably won't blog again for at least a few more days, but looking ahead this is going to be an amazing week.  I anticipate being so grateful that I will remember to share this time!!!

Super Sunday Sesh

There is always so much to be grateful for, and especially today I am grateful for the fact that I got my 'shit' together and got up to date yesterday, so that today I can totally focus my energies on what I am grateful for on Easter Sunday.

I'm not religious, but strangely enough, today was filled with those life changing, renewal experiences, that if one was religious, could possibly be considered the work of a higher being ....

Firstly I'm grateful for an incredibly beautiful day .... someone told me it ALWAYS rains at easter ... hmmmm

And then, I'm grateful for an early morning, lazy but effective, workout on the powerplate (enormous gratitude to Sally and her power plate).

I am grateful for the helpful shop assistant in JB Hi Fi who helped me upsize my speakers to something more quality and let me take the sweet sounds of Dali home with me.

I am grateful for my supportive mum who always listens to my craziness, and somehow finds it within her to support my wild ideas.

I am grateful for my beautiful, beautiful children and their artistic creativity, their exuberance, their limitless energy, their honesty, their love and most of all their hugs - there really is nothing better in the world that to feel the loving arms of your child around your neck.

And I am grateful for my newfound friend who shares my passion for change.  No doubt the telcos are grateful too for the increase in business via our never short conversations about changing the world.

I almost forgot ... the moonscape .... FREAKING AMAZING!!!!  I am grateful for mother nature and all her magnificence.  The moon was almost full tonight (I think it was waning) and hiding behind clouds.  As it hid it threw the most mysterious and initriguing light around the clouds and for about an hour or so as it climbed the night sky I was treated to one of the best light shows yet from mother nature.

Gratitude ... I am committed now to doing this every day so that I create some awesome reading for myself on New Years Day!!!

....and as it's past midnight already, Happy Birthday to ME!!! 

Too busy for gratitude??? .... better change that!!!

I can't believe it's been over a month since I blogged here!!!

So, counting backwards as I try to recall some of the incredible events of the past month for which I can be grateful ... here goes ....

Today: - an early start, a red arrow, a friendly Ozmosis coffee
Yesterday: - a full Body Balance class that was completely unexpected and random encounters on an esplanade walk with Sally, Renee and that guy who's name I can never remember, but who never forgets mine!!!
Thursday 28/3 - Easter bonnets for Felix & Zigs ... happy :D
Wednesday 27/3 - an awesome power plate sesh with my awesome clients Moniek & MF
Tuesday 26/3 - Marg ... so much positive feedback
Monday 25/3 - Lunch with Julie ... friendship is the best things, so good to share
Sunday 24/3 - Brunch with girlfriends - happy birthday Sonya!!!
Saturday 23/3 - Leonardo and Lego with Felix & Zigs
Friday 22/3 - Random forgotten appointments ... thankfully random cancellations made me free
Thursday 21/3 - VIPRRRRRRR!!!!!!
Wednesday 20/3 Coffee with Son ... motivate me :D
Tuesday 19/3 - Courtney - the most incredible babysitter ever - kids in bed before I got home ... WTF???
Monday 18/3 - Debrief and motivate with MJ ... bring on May!!!
Sunday 17/3 - 5 hours of pool play with Tommy & Sammy & Felix & Zigs ... downtime for Mummy :D
Saturday 16/3 - Learning with MJ and an incredible meal with Lou & Andy
Friday 15/3 - Taipans WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER - all good!!!!
Thursday 14/3 - VIPRRRRR Certification Training - XLNT
Wednesday 13/3 - Esplanade Mumbalates ... always reminds me that it's worth it
Tuesday 12/3 - Unexpected feedback ... thanks Peter
Monday 11/3 - Everything looks different ... yes it does, thanks Lach
Sunday 10/3 - My beautiful boys ... playing hard
Saturday 9/3 - Thanks Stu for taking over on Tiny Taipans - two very happy little boys
Friday 8/3 - Diana - refreshing and positive
Thursday 7/3 - Abi - saving the day for ViPR, and grateful for my safe and healthy Ziggy!!!
Wednesday 6/3 - Boys on the esplanade ... a fun walk!
Tuesday 5/3 - My awesome kids ... again, managing mummies needs at the studio
Monday 4/3 - Have I already said my awesome kids ... at 5:30am seriously, MY AWESOME KIDS!!!
Sunday 3/3 - Downtime ... so grateful for my downtime
Saturday 2/3 - Massive gift voucher from JB Hi Fi - thanks Stu, now to work out what to buy!!!
Friday 1/3 - Sonya & Lynda and a bit of positive encouragement - AWESOME!!!
Thursday 28/2 - Peace and closure
Wednesday 27/2 - Robyn, Stacie and Al - great clients
Tuesday 26/2 - Another day upright and breathing ... it's all good :D

.... sunrise .....

It's easy to be grateful on a daily basis when you wake up early enough to see the sunrise.

And it's not just because you get to see the sun rise ... but for me I am grateful for the opportunity to get so much done before the world wakes up.

Today I get to just be me.   GRATEFUL!!!

After a bizee bizee few weeks of dramatic change on all fronts today I will have the opportunity to reconnect with my clients, my mum and my friends and at the end of the day have a little down time to simply do nothing.  We all need this and because of this today for me is already awesome.

Yesterday was amazing as I got to participate in an industry forum for the first time and engage in a discussion about how to improve population health.  I am grateful to be a part of a community that cares enough to want to talk about it.  More people need to talk about this.

Sunday was amazing as I got to share time with my kids laughing and playing and watching them laugh and play with friends that come from an industry, my industry, the fitness industry, that creates so much positive change in the world.  The most joyous thing in the world for any mum is to see her children happy and laughing.  Sunday was JOYFUL!!!  Hurrah for the Sunday (morning) Sesh and scrambled eggs on the barbie, and the Sunday (evening) Sesh and drinks with friends by the boats.

Saturday was ... you guess it ... amazing!!!  It was busy, sure but again time for me and time for my boys.  Playtime at the pool and all is good :D

Friday - the end of the week is always good.  An early finish ... that's what I love!!!

Thursday - grateful for the ambulance that took my son to hospital, Emma who called me to calm me, Stu at the ready, and Ziggy who told me the story of how he listened to his body. The best and the worst of being a mum all in one day.  Grateful for the contrast that reminded me of how precious is every moment.

Back to where I left off, so that's it for now.

Have a grateful day :D x

I'm a long way from Sunday

Filled with the joy of my last post on Sunday I have gone forth in the world to 'share the love'.  It's been an incredible week (and it's only Thursday morning) ... hence ... I'm not yet 'getting better' at this blogging thing.  Patience ....

Right now I am grateful for sleeping children that give me time to write.  And even more grateful for the uncluttered space around me that gives me room to think.

My learning of last weekend has provided  me with the ultimate 'pay it forward'.  In using the tools I learned from my mentorship weekend I have created new connections with my clients and left every one of them happier and feeling 'body' happy after their sessions this week.  The truly amazing thing is that there is such a personal reward in the connection required to do this that despite the focused attention that each session requires I feel lifted rather than drained.

Counting back my gratitudes here's the week's highlights so far

Wednesday - 27 eager interested students who wanted to play, get up, get down and send butts to the ground!

Tuesday - grateful for my bravery to explore with my tools and the support and feedback from my mentor and his apprentice.

Monday - grateful for my new home

It's a grateful time.  I'm already excited about 'opening' my jar and re-reading it on December 31 to enjoy this stuff all over again.

Who's playing this game?

Sometimes when you think you know what to expect, life gives you something completely unexpected!

I'm sitting on a Sun-Air bus right now on my way from Noosa to Brisbane airport.  I'm sitting down, which is the last thing I want to be doing, because I have spent 4 hours this morning releasing the 'gunk' in my feet, knees, hips, abdomen and thorax that give my body pain and it actually feels awesome right now to walk and move my body.  So there's no prizes for guessing that today I am grateful to the magic hands, fingers and elbows of OD and the OD Mentorship crew that ended this weekend's three day mentorship with a hands on session of fascial line release.  ....and BREATHE ....

And I have so much more to be grateful for this weekend.  It kinda seems unjust to list as much as I can so here goes ...

Backwards from 5pm ... because that's the way my brain works (and whilst I'm getting better this is not yet a daily ritual, so I will be going all the way back to Friday 15th)

Today - Sunday 17/2

- Hugs!  from OD, Richelle, Gareth, Ceds, Kate, Lachy, Pricey, Krista x 2, Priscilla and Nathan (that's almost 12, so I only need one more to grow today ... and if I keep going backwards I'm pretty sure I scored at least 2 more during the workshop.  No wonder I feel good.

- Conversation and laughter with Richelle and Molly - who'd have thought childbirth could be the source of so much entertainment??

- Fibula head release - just try it

- 6am swim - try that too

Saturday 16/2

- Foot massage, an extended scientific debrief, and the honesty of a young man I don't even really know

- COLESLAW!!!  Simply sensational Richelle

- Beach playout and 'lets just throw some stuff' Krista

- Scrambled eggs and coffee

Friday 15/2

- Another extended debrief - like minded idealists that just need to talk

- Green Bean Salad and Chocolate brownies ... x 3 .... yes I broke the rules, start again next week :D

- Optimism, anticipation, new friends and a change of scenery

And at the end of it all I find myself grateful for and to Stu, for helping me to be free this weekend to participate fully in what has been the life changing experience of OD On Movement mentorship in Noosa.

Let's get excited people ... the game has changed!!!

10 from 45 ... I can do better!

It's rather telling when we have reached the 45th day of the year and my daily gratitude jar has only been blogged in 10 times ....

Yes, I can do better!

Counting backwards, still there is so much to be grateful for ... let me share!!

February 14 - Happy Valentines Day!  Today I am grateful for hope and optimism.  I am actually terrified by the commitments that I have made personally and commercially in the last 24 hours and yet the feeling of hope and optimism that they deliver are reward enough.  Out of the fear comes the motivation ... to do better!!

February 13 - Feedback from friends, and a call from a property manager with news of a new home

February 12 - The view from Apartment 705

February 11 - Coconut Yogurt!!!!  and interested eyes that listen to the vision

February 10 - Sand art and a quiet walk along the Esplanade ... all by myself ...

February 9 - Chinese New Year - noodles and dragons and happy kids

February 8 - Fabulous Friday Freedom ... ahhhhhh

February 7 - 32 people in my VIPR Class - going off - WOOHOOOO!!!!

February 6 - Reality - the honesty of Anne

February 5 - Optimism - the courage of Margaret

February 4 .... this is where I left off ... still loving the energy of the man with the green lantern

What are you doing in the dark? Let the Green Lantern light your way ....

3 days .... I'm getting better, right?

So, Saturday - a morning to be me.  Workout, work-in, train others, eat great food, random meetings with awesome people, great conversation, avocados, mangoes and bananas.  What's not to love about Saturday morning.

Sunday ... a day of rest??  OK ... and I am grateful for the loveheart cuddles of Master 4 and the relentless questioning of Master 6 ... the opportunity to be a better mum.

And today!  Again, an awesome start to the week.  Work out, work-in, train others, eat great food, random meetings with awesome people, great conversation, tuna, spinach and almonds.

The awesome highlight of today, however, was spending time with the man with the green lantern, in a black room, talking bright ideas.  How incredible it is to have the experience of someone being able to see your vision and have a better way of telling the story so more of the world gets to hear it.  Trav, I'm excited!!!  People stay tuned - October is very very exciting ... yeeehaaaa!!!

4 Chambers and the 'shrinking food'

The more I put into the gratitude jar, the more there is to put into the gratitude jar!

Thursday 31 Jan

A young man with a possibly broken heart let me look inside.  I think it's called an angiogram where they inject ink into the heart and film movement of the blood through the heart chambers.  Absolutely incredible - he showed me his video footage of this experience.  The heart looked so healthy to me, only at one point the entry of the injection of ink nicked something on the heart and suddenly it had to work so much harder and slower to do it's job.  If we knew how incredible and beautiful the heart was on the inside we might all take better care of the one we own!!!

Friday 1st Feb

Finally I am grateful for getting to officeworks and buying the book to write down crazy shit my kids say.  It's like they knew!  So much incredible conversation last night ... made my little old heart glow.  I think the best may have been
Z: "When we eating the shrinking food then we shrink inside our clothes and then we have to get new shrinking clothes"
Me: "What is the shrinking food?"
Z: "The food that makes you shrink!"
(Well duh, mum ....)

And one of today's other amazing experiences - the coming together of another group of trainers in Cairns to learn functional movement.  Boy did we have fun!!!  I'm so lucky to be able to say that I love what I do ... sometimes it's good to follow the advice of old men - thanks AL.

Love heart kisses ....

Life has been so good that I've forgotten to write it down.  Yikes!

(30/1) Today is positively amazing, for so many reasons ... my gratitude jar overflows.

As I kissed my babies (4 & 6) goodnite, my 4 yr old said, Mummy, I need to give you some new kisses, they're love heart ones!  And I'd already had love heart hugs and loves at the dinner table.  Soooooo lucky to have these amazing children ... thankyou SF

I am grateful today for the amazing industry I work in and the incredible people that it connects me with, who today have lifted my spirits and inspired my motivation.

(29/1) Yesterday I was grateful for my clients.  My thoughts after every training session - Could I have the best clients in the world?  The answer - YES!  Without knowing it every single one of them gave me wings to fly on yesterday ... incredible.

(28/1) On Monday I was grateful for the sunrise ... the incredible sunset sunrise at Holloways beach that was happening just as I arrived at 5:45am.  If you're going to get up that early on a public holiday, it's all good after a sunrise like that.

(27/1) Sunday - the awesome feeling of knowing that tomorrow is another day off ....

(26/1) Saturday - the awesome feeling of knowing that tomorrow is another day off ...

(25/1) Friday - the awesome feeling of knowing that tomorrow is another day off .... and bowling with my boys

(24/1) Thursday - grateful for the rains that stopped and cleared the esplanade just long enough for an incredible ViPR workout with some equally incredible people

(23/1) Wednesday - I was grateful for my sunglasses - that I left on my head completely unaware as I launched into the Tai Chi warm up of Body Balance and which completely changed the atmosphere of the class when I felt them there on the first circle breath ... has there every been so much laughter in a Balance class before??

(22/1) Tuesday - am I allowed to be grateful for the cancellations in my day that gave me back my life ... and the feedback from a friend that gave me back my sanity!!

(21/1) Monday - grateful for the freedom of not having to be mum for a day or two

(20/1) Sunday - my amazing clients again and the support for 2013 ... the energy is already lifting, this is going to be an amazing year!!

(19/1) Saturday - an afternoon with my boys ...just being mum

(18/1) Friday - networks ... loving it!!

(17/1) Thursday - industry connections and heartfelt support for a brave new world - thankyou AM

(16/1) Wednesday - video of me and a ViPR ... what's not to love???  Thankyou BO

I love that I can actually recall some of what's been amazing over the past two weeks.  Everyday I am grateful for so many things.  Tomorrow I will be grateful for getting to officeworks and buying the book in which to write "Crazy Shit My Kids Say" so that I can at last begin to write down all the crazy shit my kids say.  Too awesome and I forget it too fast ... this is my promise to myself tonight that tomorrow amongst all my other gratitudes I will give this to myself.

... a big hug ...

Sunday - two little grown up traveller boys ... grateful for their cooperation

Monday - three amazingly supportive industry colleagues ... grateful for their encouragement

Tuesday - four or more opportunities for new connections ... grateful for old friends, new ideas and a vote of self confidence ... and one big hug (thanks AG)

... how much room is left in this jar?

My magic little men!

So, it's been a crazy, awesome week and I've dropped the ball again - you really need to write this stuff down as it happens or it gets forgotten.  When I get back home I'm going to begin the book I promised I'd start last year - 'Crazy shit my kids say' - carry a notebook in my bag and write down the crazy shit my kids say when they say it.  This week has been positively awesome for that, but of course ... no little book with me right now!!!

Apart from having my house burgled and my car stolen and torched (seriously) whilst being away, my 2 weeks down time with my kids has been fantastic.

Monday - chillout, a little bit of shopping, and pampering as my boys created new ways of using the roller seat at the nail spa ... ha ha ha ha.

Tuesday - Wildlife, courtesy of Nana Narelle.  A BIG play at Darling Harbour where Felix and Ziggy wrote their own rules and went swimming in the fountains ... woops ... it was very very hot!!

Wednesday - I was sick, so sick, but amazing stuff happens when you change your focus - a bit of good feedback, and suddenly my attention shifted and stuff got done.  Rise of the Guardians ... I love kids movies and of course my 'Frost' boys now totally believe in Jack Frost and all his guardian friends.

Thursday - Luna Park - YAY!!!!  Theft and burglary - BOO!!!  The things that matter most are with me so it doesn't matter so much - my priorities have truly shifted.  The boys had a huge workout and created the studio sprint obstacle course ... serious FUN.

Friday - Felix got to swim, Ziggy got to play, dinner at The Bucket List with my buddy Lana and a play in the playground at Bondi - doesn't get much better.

Saturday - started with a workout - sensational - a cultural walk around the art gallery and finished with bubble chasing in Hyde Park and the boys are knackered.

Tomorrow we fly home, but the highlight of my day today was a late afternoon coffee in Woollahra with Felix chomping on organic popcorn telling me he wants to take up Kung Fu, whilst Ziggy was fast asleep in my arms - truly magic moments with my little men.

GRATITUDE ... so easy when you know what you're looking for.

Catching up!

Woops - all it takes is a little weekend and I drop the ball.

So - catching up!!!

Friday - fitness in all its fantastic forms - an awesome day of learning from like minded trainers and self discovery.  If you want to be better ... it's simple ... BE BETTER!!!

Saturday - Mummy mode and a day of play with Nana and the boys.  My gratitude today is for the ability of a movie called Wreck-It-Ralph to silence my otherwise boisterous children and give me time enough for a 10 minute power nap - HURRAH!!!

Sunday - Family and the zoo.  How awesome is it to catch up with family that you haven't seen in ages and feel instantly better for the experience?  Miss Maddison ... AWESOME

...onwards ....

Dragon Day

The imagination of a 6 year old - today captivated by the dragons.  Tell me the story about the dragons - the yellow and pink one and the purple one, and the green and yellow one.

Who needs a story book when you have imagination, colours and a grateful 6 year old who just wants to have a cuddle with mum.  Instant sleep.

AWESOME Day!!!

Z is for Ziggy

It's not an abbreviation, or short for anything else, it's just the very apt and descriptive name of my awesome 4 year old.  Today I got a real feel for what it means to approach life with the enthusiasm of a 4 year old, a recommendation made by motivational speaker Bruce Sullivan.

Everything was good in Ziggy's day today ... because he simply decided that it would be!!!

Today I am grateful, so grateful, for the opportunity spend more time with both my children this holiday season, and for the incredible energy they share with me.

Today's highlight ... interactive participation at the Wiggles exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum - nothing better than that when you're 4!!!

January 1, 2013 ... open the jar

Just one thing??

Two little boys spontaneously telling me "I love you mummy", more than once in a day and without prompting.

Two amazing friends creating new opportunities and possibilities in my life.

Two beautiful, life affirming cities - one amazing day.

Oh, and a TV show that's positively mindless and entertaining - thankyou Modern Family!!!

Gratitude rating ... very (VERY) high