Following Omens

We celebrated a really wonderful Christmas with my husband’s extended family.  His Aunty put on a lovely Christmas dinner (with everyone contributing to the meal) and played some festive games like pass the parcel and a treasure hunt for the kids.  For the adults we had Secret Santa, with the option this year to trade our gift for another that had been opened… it was a hoot!

Then on Boxing Day I developed a sore throat, which got worse throughout the day until it felt like razors that night.  During the night I had a fever, and right through the following day I felt like doing nothing at all.  It’s a horrible state to find myself in -- the middle of summer, when daughter 1 has just been given a surf board and can’t wait to get out and learn to use it.  Daughter 2 wanted to go to the beach to try out her new bucket-and-spade set which came with an awesome watering can…… Mum felt like a party pooper.

So, I grabbed a book that has been on my must-read-again list and took it to the beach to lie in the sand while the kids and Husband played.  The book was the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.  And reading it now was a revelation.  The last time I read it was about 15 years ago, and while I got the general gist of the moral of the story I didn’t pick up nearly enough of the messages along the way. 

Just so I don’t miss and forget them again, I’ve listed them here:

-       It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting

-       The world’s greatest lie is that at a certain point in our life we lose control of what’s happening to us and our lives become controlled by fate.

-       Everyone when they are young knows what their destiny is.  At that point in their lives everything is clear, everything is possible.  They are not afraid to dream and to yearn for what they would like to see happen to them in their lives.  But as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it is impossible for them to realise their destiny.

-       Whoever you are, and whatever it is you do when you really want something, it’s because that desire originated in the soul of the universe.  It’s your mission on earth.

-       People are capable, at any time of their lives, of doing what they dream of.

-       There is a force that wants you to realise your destiny.  It whets your appetite with a taste of success.

-       God has prepared a path for everyone to follow.  You just have to read the omens.

-       When you want something, the entire universe conspires to helping you to achieve it.

-       You must always know what it is you want

-       There is a language in the world that everyone understands.  It is the language of enthusiasm, of things accomplished with love and purpose and as part of a search of something believed in and desired

-       Making a decision was only the beginning of things. When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision.

-       Intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of life, where the histories of all people are connected, and we are able to know everything, because it’s all written there.

-       We are afraid of losing what we have, whether it’s our life or our possessions and property.  But this fear evaporates when we understand that our life stories and the history of the world were written by the same hand.

-       If you pay attention to the present you can improve upon it.   And if you improve on the present, then what comes later will also be better.

-       If what one finds is made of pure matter, it will never spoil.  And one can always come back.  If what you had found was only a moment of light, like the explosion of a star, you would find nothing on your return.

-       People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams because they feel they don’t deserve them, or that they’ll be unable to achieve them.  The fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.  No heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.

-       Before a dream is realised, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way.  That’s the point at which most people give up.  Every search begins with beginners luck and every search ends with the victor being severely tested.

-       There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve – the fear of failure.

Working out what one’s destiny and purpose for life is can be a difficult thing.  To be honest I don’t know that I have found mine yet, although I’m sure my purpose has something to do with being a Mum, a wife and living in the beautiful beachside city of Perth.  I definitely believe in omens – the year I met my husband I had birds poo on me on three separate occasions!  Before the three occasions, this had never happened to me before and has never happened to me since (thankfully!).

Have you had any experiences with Omens that have lead you along a certain path of life?  Do you feel as though the life your living is the one that you’ve been destined for?   I’d love to hear your experiences – please send me a post or write me an email at livewelllivesmart@gmail.com

The importance of sleep

I am fortunate to be on annual leave now for three entire weeks, and boy have I been looking forward to it!  After only three days I have begun to catch up on sleep, and in being able to wake up without my alarm clock, I've realised just how sleep deprived I had become.  I can remember being a new Mum and getting used to being in a sleep deprived state after about 4 months of interrupted sleep, night after night.  Towards the end of this year I found myself getting back into that state again .... Driving bleary eyed to drop the kids off at school and daycare.  Looking forward to that first cup of coffee at work to kick start the cogs in my brain.  Although I had known I was tired, I got into the habit of going to bed later than I should .... Staying up to do just one more thing, to save time in the morning.  

The reality is that I was losing sleep time, and therefore losing focus and the ability to wake up fresh in the morning, the most productive hours of the day.  If I am to work smarter and not harder next year, one of the strategies I will employ will be to get ample sleep.  A study at Harvard found that sleep is important to the following functions:

1. Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.
2. Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.
3. Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.
4. Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.
5. Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.
6. Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.

In order to get more quality sleep I have googled recommendations which include turning off all backlit screens 60 mins before sleep. This means iPads, Tas, laptops etc. Reading a paper book is an ideal activity to do before bed. And limit coffee intake to one cup a day before 11am. Apparently it takes 6 hours for caffeine levels to drop by half in your system ..... So it can remain in your body for quite some time. Well, I'm off to find a book to read to get me in the mood to sleep. Good night! If you fave any tips for getting quality sleep, or starting good sleep routines, please post them, or email me at livewelllivesmart@gmail.com

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Today was my last day of work this year.  I now have three weeks of leave to look forward to, and I’m hoping to really wind down and spend all my hours with my lovely family.  Luckily my husband was also able to take off the same amount of time, so we have  a long stretch of holidays to spend together….. just thinking of it is like bliss!

But although technically I am on leave, I still have two tasks to finish off on Monday and then I’ll officially be on holidays.  This week was particularly hectic, as I was managing a colleague’s patch while they are away, as well as finish off many tasks for the year from my own customers.  It was a rush to the end, with a performance review and Professional Development Plan training thrown in.  So much to do, and so little time….. it’s no wonder I feel zonked now at the end of the week.  And I’m not the only one.  In his Christmas email message to his staff, our Vice President mentioned looking forward to taking a break, including a week of sleep!  Why have I found myself in this position where there are so many tasks to complete now that the year is drawing to a close.  Could I have managed my time better and completed these much earlier in the year? 

You bet.  And 2014 is going to be different.

I am determined that there’s a better way to work, rather than the reactive mode that I have been in for most of 2013.  There were some times in the middle of the year where I was thinking more strategically and planning trips to see customers in regions, and keeping my focus on the important things.  But somehow by the end of the year I was back to my old tricks of working in a responsive way, not a proactive way. 

Next year, my focus will be on working smarter, not harder.  I don’t need to put any more hours into my day.   In fact I really want to be taking less work home than what I have been doing this year, particularly in the first half of the year.

Jordan Bates has an excellent website:  http://www.refinethemind.com Jordan says “Managing my time isn’t about squeezing as many tasks into my day as possible. It’s about simplifying how I work, doing things faster, and relieving stress.  It’s about clearing away space in my life to make time for people, play, and rest”  Sounds exactly what I’m looking for!



Jordan’s 21 tips for time management include:

1.     Complete most important tasks first

2.     Learn to say ‘NO’

3.     Sleep at least 7-8 hours

4.     Devote your entire focus to the task at hand

5.     Get an early start on work – don’t procrastinate

6.     Don’t allow unimportant details to drag you down

7.     Turn key tasks into habits – for me using a CRM tool

8.     Be conscientious of TV/internet/gaming time – for me searching for properties on www.realestate.com.au can take up a lot of my time!

9.     Do less – create more value, rather than more things

10.  Unsubscribe from emails you don’t need to receive everyday

11.  Batch related tasks

12.  Find time for stillness

 These are all things I will commit to implement from now on.  I can start on the internet subscriptions immediately!  How I have ended up getting more than 15 emails a day from retailers I don't know!  By eliminating them, I'll not only have less email traffic, but I'll also avoid spending money on items I really am not looking for and don't need.

What tips do you have for working smarter, not harder?  I'd love to hear about them.  Drop me a post, or send me an email to livewelllivesmart@gmail.com .

Giving at Christmas Time

With only 13 days until Christmas day, have you noticed the intensity of people everywhere?  On the roads, in the shopping centres, even at work people seem to have less patience and be more demanding.  Yes, I suppose Christmas is a stressful time, as there's lots to do for the day as well as in preparation for the end of the year.  But i really don't think that all the rushing around and stress is the true spirit of Christmas, do you?

To get into the spirit, and add some meaning to the Season, I've decided that gift giving this year for me and the kids is about homemade goods, thoughtfulness and sharing.  We've made a couple of batches of shortbread now, and they are so yummy and easy once you get the hang of how to handle the dough.  Ingredients are simple:  115g rice flour, 115g caster sugar, 220g plain flour, 200g butter.  Mix up with your fingertips and 'roll' or pat out as flat as you can, to cut into shapes that hold together.  Place onto greased/baking-paper-lined flat trays and bake in a slow oven (140 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.  Once they are cool you can sift icing sugar over the top.  We found some lovely but inexpensive Christmas tins for $2 and packaged the shortbread up to send across to my family who live interstate.  There are a few leftover for us, too.....

Friends of mine at work are fanatical about making cards, paper gifts and stamping and their conversations about project they have worked on throughout the year has been a bit infectious!  One of the girls invited the kids and I around to make some Christmas cards and it was so much fun.  The cards we all made were beautiful, as we followed her instructions as best we could - she's such an amazing talent.  Since that day in late November I have been on the look out for card making kits and happily found in our local Big W store some card kits for Christmas.  The kids and I have had a great time getting crafty and creative.  There's so much more effort put into each and every card and each one is unique.  I hope the recipients appreciate the work that has gone into them..... some will and some won't, but that's okay.

Over the next week or so we'll continue to make some Christmas gifts including jewellery for the children's teachers and daycare carers.  For friends with children younger than mine who live interstate, I'll include in their package some clothes that have become too small for my youngest daughter that have plenty of wear left in them.  I'm sure they'll be appreciated.

I have another 6 days left of work before 3 week sof leave, so there's going to be a bit of pressure on me to complete tasks in readiness for my long break.  I'll do my best to get as much done as I can, while being mindful of others and trying not to get too caught up in the rush.  How are you finding the pace of life with Christmas on the horizon?  Send me a post of drop me an email at livewelllivesmart@gmail.com

The career AND the simple life - can it work?

This week has been a hectic one for me, and the busyness of it has left me with the feeling:  can I have a career and have simplicity at the same time?  Or do I need to choose one or the other, because they are just not compatible?  Because in my heart and in my essence I don't want to live in a crazy, hectic, mad rush all the time, but while I have two young girls and a husband to look after as well as a portfolio of customers in my full-time sales role it can be busy!

I've been reading Rhonda Hetzel's blog on living a simple life -- http://down---to---earth.blogspot.sg/ .  I also have her book and the concepts in it I love, but the part that I struggle with is that Rhonda was only able to come to living a simple life after giving up work.  I'm in my thirties, and I just don't want to stop working for a myriad of reasons, so I think the fact that I've striving for simplicity is going to have to be enough for me for now.  I really do enjoy the work that I do outside our home.  I find it fulfilling, challenging and stimulating and I think that being able to experience those elements of myself brings a better me into the family.  I can pass on my learnings, share my challenges and influence the positive mood of my household.  On the flip side, it can also bring stress, short-tempers and a regimented routine that must be adhered to, but I believe that the upside far outweighs the down.

In order to regroup, relax and get back to the natural rhythm of life, both my husband and I believe that we need to have at least one day of the weekend free from any obligations.  Today we enjoyed a day at home, cleaning up after a Christmas party we shared with a few of the families from school last night.  I really would like to teach our girls that down-time is essential, and that rushing from one activity to the next really doesn't let you enjoy the moment you're currently in.  I hope that this emphasis of togetherness, shared activities around the home and the quietness to read, create and reflect brings us closer together as a strong family unit.

I welcome you to share you views on whether you have achieved a life of simplicity while working full time, or your opinion on whether or not this possible.  If you would prefer to email than post, feel free to contact me at livewelllivesmart@gmail.com .

Shopping Day!

Every Thursday I have the 'luxury' of working from home, an arrangement I made with my employer on my return to work from maternity leave.  While this means I don't have to battle with the traffic to and from my office in the city, I have another battle on my hands and that is with my 3.5 year old who is demanding of my attention.  I totally understand her position - after all Mum has been at work for the past 3 days and has only been available in the evening from 6pm-8pm - but apart from looking after my daughter, my typical Thursday involves catching up on emails, telephone calls, online meeting and generating reports for customers.  And then there's the shopping.....

Thursday has become my shopping day because even with a 3 yr old in tow, it's just easier than dealing with the crowds on the weekend.  I have developed the habit of dividing my shopping into three parts:  1. general grocery, 2. butcher and 3. fresh produce.  I have thrown away too much fresh produce bought from the bigger supermarkets in the past as their goods only seem to last a day or two.  I've found that if I buy fruit and vegies from the local farmer's market (apart from it being a fun experience from us all!) or farmer direct, they last at least the entire week and there is no wastage.

So, Thursday is my day for general grocery items, which means supermarket shopping.  I have learnt from masters such as Cath Armstrong in her book of the same name as her website www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au that a list is a necessity.  But I have learnt not only to make a list, but to put an estimate of each item I'm going to purchase alongside it's name and a total on the page.  Just by doing this and seeing the total, I am compelled to cross off a couple of items that will bring me under $120 for the week, and I'm happy with that:

Cath Armstrong also recommends to use the catalogues.  By keeping a record of when items that you like and usually purchase are on special, you get an idea of the price cycle and if you time things properly, you should never be paying full price for general shopping items again!  I adopted this process and today I saved about $30 on the usual prices and my shopping bill was $118.

If you have any money saving methods you use for your weekly shopping trip (or fortnightly for some, the less trips the better!), please let me know.  You can post them here or email me at livewelllivesmart@gmail.com .

Setting Goals

I firmly believe that if you've got an intention for achieving anything in life you've got to set goals in order to get there.  For the past few years now at the start of each year I've set some financial targets to reach by year end and some years I've reach them and other years..... not quite.....

Lately I've been reading up on strategies for managing money and some philosophies and strategies I have identified with and want to employ are:

1.  Accumulate more assets than liabilities - from Robert T. Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad. Assets being shares, bonds, investment properties (not your residential property, although equity in this can be used to propel you to purchase assets).  Liabilities are the "stuff" that you might have in your life such as cars, boats, jet skis, shoe collection, wardrobe etc etc

2.  Mind Your Own Business - also from Robert T. Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad.  This does not have to do with being polite about other people's issues but means manage your money and your household like you would if it was a business.

3.  Portion out income into 3 buckets - a recommended strategy by Australia's "Barefoot Investor" Scott Pape.  These are a) a spending bucket for living expenses (such as mortgage, food, insurance, utilities), b) a saving bucket for financial security (suggested to be kept in a high interest online account) and c) a bucket for investing (in shares or property).  Scott's website www.barefootinvestor.com is a fantastic resource for putting in place a strategy to reach your financial goals and I highly recommend it!

Right!  So, how to employ these strategies, and what goal do I want to achieve?  Well, it was only a couple of years ago when I was on Maternity Leave with my second child that I found that I could live off a lower income quite comfortably without having to sacrifice our family lifestyle radically.  But that was a forced situation and now being back at work for a couple of years it's been easy to fall into higher spending habits, and this is what I'd like to stop.  My goal is to be able to save 1/3 of my wage each month, so that in about 18 months I should have 6 months' worth of wages saved providing a solid base for my family's financial security.

The next step will be to map out a path to reduce spending and save that 1/3 of my wage!

If you employ any money management strategies that work for you, I would love to hear about them.  Please email me at livewelllivesmart@gmail.com .

Living a Good Life

Beginning the journey

This blog is a record of my journey to live life smarter, simpler and well.  I would like to achieve a life lived fully, and well within my means. To live a life free of financial stress, and full of choices. 

And I know it can be done!  It's just choosing to do it - that's the key and I've already made the first step.  I'm sure I'll learn lots along the way, and will record some of the learnings here.  I'm excited by the opportunities that will come....

Day one of the journey, and my first choice along the path has been not to buy another Christmas tree to replace the $30 Safeway one that my husband and I purchased when we lived in Melbourne 12 years ago.  That's a measly $2.50 per Christmas and while some of the branches are falling apart from the trunk, if I twist them just so they stay in position and presto! there's another year of value from the old plastic pine.  With a few new decorations added to our growing collection, the tree is looking much better now it's beautifully decorated.

When I was putting up the tree, I realised that many of the ornaments have been gifts from family and friends that we have received over time, and there are even some school-made ones thrown in.  What a terrific throught - we will include a quality Christmas decoration with our Christmas gifts to our extended family this year.

If you have any tips (and I'm sure there are many) for creating a simple, thoughtful and low-cost Christmas this year I would love to hear them.  Please email me at livewelllivesmart@gmail.com .