The Gratitude Files: Coaching, Bupa & What Really Matters To Me

Ah, change is in the air! Aren't transitions just a treat? Since my blogging break, I've made a few little adjustments around the place. In "real life" as well as on the blog. Sometimes we only need to make a few tiny adjustments, pull back on a commitment or two or re-evaluate a seemingly small area of our life in order to make BIG changes.

For example, I needed to kill some overwhelm quick smart recently. I was feeling like I was spread as thin as vegemite on (gluten-free) toast, not giving 100% to anything, not being fully present or committed to any area of my life. I was exhausted, annoyed and upset. Mainly at myself.

I felt like I wasn't being enough for anyone or anything. Like I just wasn't giving ENOUGH. There wasn't enough time in the day, enough energy, enough of me to go around. I felt I wasn't being a good enough friend, sister, coach, daughter, student or employee.

I needed to slow down. Something had to give. An adjustment needed to be made.

So I spoke to my boss at my part time job about having more time off over the weekend to spend with my family. I got honest with my parents and with my friends about how I was feeling. I have gotten real with myself about how many extra coaching clients I can take on right now. I've listened to my gut.

This has meant I've had a few sticky conversations, I've said no a few times, I've compromised on commitments and pulled out of some promises. But holy shit, I feel so much better for it. I have created real space. And that feels promising. Hang on, where was I going with this?

Oh yeah, the adjustments on the blog-front!

Basically, I want to WRITE. I love writing. It feels good, it feeds my soul, it's my passion and I want to do more of it. More of my own writing. So I'm shifting my interview series, Heroines with Heart to become a fortnightly segment and every other Friday will be dedicated to more Gratitude Files. Like this one.

I was also trying to post 3 times a week, but that's just not do-able right now. So I'll post when I really have something awesome to say and the time and energy to say it in. That might be 3 times a week, but it might not. I'll also be sending out my love letters a little less often, getting up a little bit earlier for yoga, creating more time for coaching my gorgeous clients and blocking out real time for study.

Tiny life adjustments, more joy. Shall we dive in?

Coaching

I'm such a huge, massive advocate and enthusiast for the world of coaching and all it's potential. I've spent the last few months coaching my first bunch of inspiring women who I've watched make some big changes in their lives. These have included shedding their limiting beliefs, taking risks, starting a new career path, meditating, improving their diet, trying new forms of exercise, improving their relationships, losing weight and feeling happier and more confident in their lives and in their bodies. In just 3 short months. Talk about amazing.

Put simply, I believe in people. I believe in the power of people working together. I believe in the power of talking things through. I believe in the power of active listening, presence, asking the right questions and giving the other person the experience of being heard. I believe in self-healing, curiosity and camaraderie. I believe in being an allie, not an expert.

I've broken down so many of my own personal fears and barriers by working with a coach and having the honour of creating space for my clients to do the same stirs stupendous amounts of gratitude in my soul. I'm excited to see where this journey takes me next. I'm also about to open up my schedule to take on a few new clients, so if you're keen to work with me, drop me a line!

Blogging Love - The Bupa Health Influencer Blog Awards 2013

Anyone who follows me on Facebook or Instagram will know how excited and grateful I was to be a finalist in the 2013 Bupa Health Influencer Blog Awards. Being a Top 5 finalist in my category, Personal Development and Self Care (with over 600 overall nominations!) just BLEW. MY. MIND. I flew to Melbourne for the awards and the whole event was fab. Jessica Ainscough of The Wellness Warrior deservedly took out the award for my category and Lee Holmes of Super Charged Food took home the overall prize.

A huge highlight for me was hanging with Amelia Williams of Nurture and Shine after months of emails back and forth, plus meeting two of the most inspirational people in my life thus far, Claire Obeid of The Wellness Project and Melissa Ambrosini of Path to Wellness. Not to mention sharing a table with the stunning Lauren Glucina of Ascension Kitchen and the uber-creative Casey Trebilcock of A Blank Blog (check out their beautiful blogs IMMEDIATELY if you have not already done so!)

Much love and gratitude right there.

My Mantra: What really matters to me?

While we're on the topic of my trip to Melbourne, let's just say that shit got hectic. In my mind. All this talk of blogging awards and coaching, meeting mega-inspiring-peeps plus eBooks-in-progress and plans for future events and online programs turned my mind to mush. I got majorly caught up in the glamour of it all. Full disclosure, my ego ran rampant and I future-tripped big time.

For a few days, I was so focussed on my image, what people thought of me, what I needed to do, how many people had liked my posts, who I needed to know, how much money I needed to make, when it all had to be done by… That I completely forgot my mantra. What really matters to me?

In my life, what really matters to me? It sure as hell isn't status, false image, making money or comparison. Yet that's what I was swept up in. Of course I like to look good, make moolah, meet inspiring people… But what really matters to me is love, authenticity, passion, family, real relationships, meaning, truth… You get my drift?

So I made sure while I was in Melbourne that I got to spend quality time (read: watching Gossip Girl) with my best friend, doing face masks with my sister, visiting my favourite street and markets, walking, cooking, relaxing… That's what really matters to me. As life gets full, busy, as more opportunities arise and as we bring more into our lives, it's vital to ask ourselves WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO ME?

You know what? Let's hashtag that shit! Show me on Instagram what really matters to you.

Use #whatreallymatterstome and I'll share your pics as part of my much-more-regular Gratitude Files series. I'd love for you to be apart of it!

So tell me, what are you grateful for this week? And what really, really matters to you?