Be Awesome!

 

That is all.

Just Be

Very recently I was fortunate enough to escape the city life and head to the most tranquil, wholesome and mind nourishing place I think I've ever been to. This perfect little cabin pictured above is located in rural Nova Scotia and it has so much to offer...but before I continue let me ask you an important question. When is the last time you took a break? Finding it hard to answer that question? Most of you probably can't even remember. How do you expect to recharge your body's battery if you never give it a rest? It doesn't matter who you are, we all need a solid break from time to time. Let me tell you about my latest experience with taking a break. An experience where I could just be.

For New Year's eve I decided to dodge any obnoxious parties and head straight for the country. It was the best decision I could have made for many reasons. All I wanted to ring in the New Year was a quiet retreat with no distractions. That's certainly what I got. By having no electricity, no running water and cooking my food in a cast iron skillet on a wood stove I had an extreme feeling of being grounded. This was a true break. A break from doing laundry, a break from work/computers/cell phones, from people I really didn't feel like being around, and most importantly a break for my busy mind to relax. I've always been a pretty grounded person, but up until my little cabin escape my mind was in a million places. Focusing on a particular task for an extended period of time has never been my forte and no matter how hard I tried, I'd find myself doing fifty different things at once. Nothing ever seemed to get done and it can become very frustrating when this is a repeating occurrence. I was determined to not worry about this and try to gain some focus. Guess what? I did!

Being surrounded by a calm environment enabled me to think clearly. I left my to-do list behind and just did whatever I wanted, when I wanted! Because I wasn't worrying about figuring out my game plan for the new year I found the ideas coming to me. What a great feeling it is to have a clear and focused arrangement fall gracefully into place after all that time I spent frantically trying to put a plan together. I felt accomplished without really doing much (which probably seems backwards to most people considering we equate feeling a sense of accomplishment with being busy). I know many personalities who exhaust themselves because they always feel the need to please/produce/create/achieve. Do yourself a favour. Take a break!

To help direct you onto the right path I have a few homework assignments for you:

1. Book a time in your calender where you can do nothing. Treat this as you would any other appointment and do not cancel it! This is your time. Sit, relax, take deep breaths. Do nothing. You need this time to reconnect with yourself and eliminate all distractions. Do this for as long as you can...10 minutes a day, or an hour every week. Don't bend with this time, it's yours.

2. Plan a mini escape a few times a year. This is another crucial appointment you must book in your calender. Remove yourself from your everyday environment and recharge your battery!

3. Practice meditation, yoga or any other form of relaxation. If you find it difficult to meditate there are many great guided meditations available online. Some of my favourite guides are Deepak Chopra and Christine Arylo. They cover a variety of topics and can really put you in a state of ease.

To wrap it all up, what I've realized from my 'taking a break' experience is that to create my best work or have a clearer mind it's absolutely non-negotiable to pencil in a time to just be. I hope you give it a try and let me know the results!


Steph
xx

Break Free From Your Comfort Zone

This is a quote that keeps popping up a lot in my life lately and I completely agree with the statement. I've always been one to push boundaries with the exception to my career. I seem to stick with what's comfortable. Alas, I've felt like I've been running and running on a hamster wheel. BORING. Don't get me wrong...I've had some really amazing jobs where the information I've learned is super valuable, but there's always been a desire for wanting more. From early on I knew I was meant to be an entrepreneur and over the years I've been slowly building my resume gearing it towards being my own boss. The thought of having more freedom and control makes me grin from ear to ear!

The point of writing this post? Well I can honestly say that over the past 5 years or so, I've FINALLY gathered enough clarity and focus to say I'm almost there and I wanted to share a few tips I've learned! I know many people who are in the same boat as I was. People who despise working a predictable schedule, working their hardest just to make someone else rich or just plain doing something they have zero passion for. In my eyes, that's no way to spend your precious time and energy. So I set out to find another way, and here are a few little pointers that helped me.

Write your idea on paper. Right now! Get as clear and detailed as you possibly can. Write every thought that comes to mind and re-read this paper as often as you can. If you can visualize what your dream job/life is, and remind yourself everyday of what you want, you'll be absolutely amazed how things start to unfold. In addition to this create a vision board (I know, I know...everyone says that but they honestly work!). Simply cut out pictures, powerful words/quotes from a magazine which are aligned with where you want to be and tack them on a cork board or bristol board. Hang your vision board up where you'll see it everyday. Add new pictures whenever you want and remove the ones that have developed into reality. Let the magic begin!

Find a mentor. I have several and I can't thank them enough for all the support, encouragement and tough love they've sent my way. It's very important to have someone hold you accountable and motivate you. By having someone to learn the ropes from and help educate you, you can move mountains and become that successful person you've always wanted to be. There are many ways to find a mentor. Seek out a person who is in the position you'd love to be in (more often than not they're totally willing to help guide you) or join a powerful online group such as www.herfuture.com. Whatever you do, don't be shy to ask a successful individual how they did it.

Network and get your ideas out there! This can be as simple as using a social media platform such as Twitter, Face Book or LinkedIn, or by attending community events. For the longest time I kept my business ideas private but as soon as I decided to vocalize my thoughts things started falling into place better than I could have imagined. Another perk of expressing your ideas is people will throw suggestions your way that you would have never thought of!

These are just a small handful of tips I've found useful and extremely powerful. Don't let money issues, a hectic life or someone who doesn't believe in you ever stop you from going after your passion. If there's a will there most certainly is a way! Get out of that comfort zone already and start creating the super awesome life you deserve!!

Steph
xx