What does it mean to you – to give yourself a break?

Does it mean take a holiday to an exotic tropical island where you are waited on, hand and foot, and have nothing to do but soak in some sun and relax?

Does it mean take a day off from work to recharge your batteries, like read a good book, or binge on your favourite TV show?

Does it mean not being so hard on yourself?  Maybe arguing back with your internal critic for a change?

In whatever way you define taking a break, the benefits to doing so to your health and wellbeing are enormous. 

Taking a break means prioritising self-care in whatever way nourishes your soul.  It could be taking a holiday, going to the hair dresser, doing a dance class, art class, or yoga, meditation, deep breathing, laughing with a friend, or visualising a happy place.  “Stress mode” cannot coexist with “relaxation mode”, so find a way to relax and take a break.

Some people may feel that they are being selfish when they prioritise their own care over other things that need doing.  Try thinking of self-care in the same way as the safety demonstration in an aeroplane.  You need to put your oxygen mask on before the masks of those around you, because how can you help anyone if you’ve passed out!  Making sure you are looked after, relaxed, and healthy means you can give more to others through your energy levels and positivity. 

You could also try recognising and acknowledging your limitations.  Reach out to others and ask for help.  Take things one step at a time.  Move at your own pace.  Listen to messages from your body telling you to look after yourself.

What advice would you give to a friend who said they needed a break?  Would you tell them to toughen up and get on with it?  Or would you listen to them, encourage them, and find ways to help them?  Start treating yourself as you would a friend.

If you’d like some more ideas, we love this blog from Tiny Buddha with 40 ways to give yourself a break.  http://tinybuddha.com/blog/40-ways-to-give-yourself-a-break/

“When you give yourself a break, you create space. Allowing things to be, just as they are, without judgment or expectation, gives you room to breathe. And that is good for clarity. You may find things start to get better, if you let them.” Sarah Rouse – Tiny Buddha

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Hasn’t it been a bit chilly over the last few weeks?  Spare a thought for the thousands of Queenslanders who sleep rough every night.  But one support service is trying to make a difference in the lives of those who aren’t fortunate enough to have a warm bed to sleep in each night.

Established in 2013, Clothes That Care Inc. are passionate advocates for the dis-advantaged, the needy and the politically under-represented members of our communities. Their mission is to provide advocacy for those in need and otherwise forgotten by providing quality goods when they need it most.

“How it all came about!

It was the start of winter and Director and Founder- Kylie Riseley had been busy collecting, sorting & cleaning clothes, baby goods & other items of need for the local community centre to distribute to the dis-advantaged members of her area.

Unfortunately, due to lack of funding and space, the community centre were unable to continue giving out the goods and Kylie was left with a lounge room full of donations. She set about trying to find an alternate organisation that promised to take the items and give them directly to those in need. Although there seemed to be plenty of charities willing to take the goods, Kylie didn’t want all her hard work to go to waste  and everyone’s kind donations ending up on a thrift shop shelf.  Kylie says “I wanted to see the goods to go people that truly needed them, I wanted to feel like I had ACTUALLY made a difference to somebody, no matter how small”.

So she began to research and it wasn’t long before Kylie found a group in Sydney that collects clothes, sorts them, then walks the streets at night, handing the items straight over to those that have very little or nothing at all. It was such a great idea, and exactly the type of organisation she wanted to support.  Sadly they only cater to the Sydney region, but where there is a need there is opportunity…. And so with a few quick emails and the creation of a facebook page, Clothes that CARE was born!!”

So how can you help?

You can visit the Clothes That Care website http://www.clothes-that-care.organd donate – any dollar amount over $2 is tax deductible.  You can also purchase a winter warmer pack.  There are four packs available starting at just $10.  Click here for more information.  Or if you have the time, why not volunteer to spend some time with the group delivery packs to those who need it most.  Click here for more information.

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The Gender Summit saw boys from Year 9 welcome invited delegates from St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, Somerville House, Moreton Bay College and Lourdes Hill College. The event engages young future leaders in issues surrounding gender equality, specifically examining the challenges that lie ahead for a more gender equitable Australia.

The morning session was led by leading adolescent development expert Dr Arne Rubinstein. He ran presentations and workshops that encouraged our delegates to identify barriers in the way of gender equity and their own skills and values that can help tackle such obstacles as they transition into adulthood.

The afternoon Q&A session, hosted by Housemaster Chris Nield, welcomed Federal MP Terri Butler, Old Boy Karl Yunker, businesswoman and charity advocate Julie Rainbow, Housemaster Dr Rachel Horton and Dr Arne Rubinstein. The panel fielded questions from Year 9 delegates enabling them to share their experiences and offer advice to our future leaders. Topics covered included tackling gender bias from parliament, to boardroom, to the home. Our Year 9 students were exceptional hosts and the day was complemented by our wonderful sister school guests.

If you would like Julie as a guest speaker at your next event, contact us today.

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Julie Rainbow launched Clarity Road in 2014, inspired by a dedication to impact the lives of women through realistic information, support and advice, that will enable them to make informed choices that will help them get ahead in life.

The company provides solutions for all types of life-changing events, including divorce, bankruptcy, and job loss from a position of experience, whilst also support women business owners grow their business and be successful. The team also engages in guest speaking, social commentary, and events and business mentoring.

“At Clarity Road, we also realise that a personal crisis isn’t always brought on by a specific life event,” Rainbow explains. “Self-esteem issues or loss of life-purpose can strike even the most outwardly confident and happy woman. Our workshops are designed to help women from all walks of life to overcome fear, forge clear goals, and take empowered steps towards realising their ambitions.”

STARTING THE BUSINESS

What makes Clarity Road so unique to your industry?

I think Clarity Road is unique in terms of being a bit of a ‘one stop’ shop for women for many reasons. I think when a woman is in trouble, or has a life changing event, it can impact all areas of her life, and quite often there is no one place to head for answers or support. Clarity Road’s philosophy and approach is simple; we believe that knowledge is power, and to make good decisions you need to be informed. Clarity Road is about realistic advice from someone that has walked a day in the shoes of the ladies who need help. It’s also about offering real world advice and support for business women, from someone who has been successful in their career and wants to share that knowledge and recipe for success with others.

What were the toughest challenges you faced when first starting out?

My toughest challenges are actually what made me start my business. Due to a debilitating divorce and deceit from my ex-husband, my ex took off and hasn’t been seen for over 10 years, leaving me with a ‘surprise to me’ life of debt and deceit. I lost my award-winning business, I lost my investment properties and my nice house and luxury car and I had no choice but to go bankrupt. I basically had to start my life over again, whilst also having two children in very expensive private schools. So my toughest challenges started with having a lot, then have nothing and being bankrupt, and then rebuilding my whole life both personally and professionally. During this process I had very little money, but I had a strong sense of self and determination that my life and the life of my children would not be altered. So I worked hard, became successful, and rebuilt my life from scratch, and the blessing came in the form of Clarity Road, a business I love and I am very passionate about.

What do you wish you’d known when first starting out that you had to learn the hard way?

I wish I had backed my own ideas more, and worried less about researching and seeing what everyone else is doing in business, and trying to compare. I think that these days we get so caught up in the ‘gurus’ and how everybody else does it, that we forget that we are unique and have our own set of skills and expertise to bring to the table. I also learnt the hard way that as business owners and leaders we should ‘stick to our knitting’; we don’t have to be jack of all trades and become master of none, we need to stick to doing what we are personally very good at, acknowledge and educate ourselves on what we don’t know, and the areas we are really not great at, or not passionate about, outsource. I would have drunk less wine, eaten less chocolate and had less grey hair, had I taken up my own advice earlier!

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

What’s the most important aspect to keep in mind to stay at the top of your industry?

The most important thing for me is to stay on top what’s going on around me, listen to the issues in the community, give back as much as I can, and always be authentic and true in all aspects of my work. Remaining at the top can be perceived in many different ways – to some its financial, to others PR recognition, to others its awards and awareness. For me, it’s more personal; I dance to the beat of my own drum, and if I am confident I am achieving my goals and growing my business whilst also empowering women, then that means I am at the top of my game, regardless of the market or what anybody else is doing.

How do you see the industry changing over the next 5 – 10 years?

I see the industry changing over the next few years in an enormous way. People are investing in themselves now more than ever, in either personal development, training and education, or health and well being. We are now, more than ever, a society that is willing to ask for help, willing to share issues and concerns, and willing to embrace change, so all of these elements will ensure continued growth in all of the key areas Clarity Road offers, so I am excited to see and experience that growth.

How will Clarity Road adapt to this change?

Clarity Road will be evolving and offering more of an education arm to the business. We are getting involved in more issue-specific areas such as financial advice and help centres, workshops for women in the workplace, resilience programs for young women, business mentoring and an elite success club to take things to a whole new level for career women or business owners. We will continue to evolve our position in the marketplace, so that we can be a voice for women. We will enhance and offer more social commentary and awareness for key issues and success strategies, for women everywhere to get ahead. We also hope to develop our brand and continue to be an influencer across a large community network, across many demographics.

What is your ultimate vision of success?

My vision of ultimate success is fairly simple: waking up every day doing what I love, and what I am passionate about. In practical terms, my ultimate success is Clarity Road being a household brand name that people know and trust. My goal is to have Clarity Centres where women can come and speak to various professionals who can help them, they can come to fill their happiness cup with inspiring stories, whilst learning and growing to reach their full potential, and we also hope to make the same strategy work for our online community with international reach.  My ultimate dream is to employ a team of women much more talented and inspiring than me, to help me execute the vision and plans for Clarity Road over the next five years, we have a lot to achieve and no doubt in my mind that we won’t do it!

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs who want to follow in your footsteps?

I believe to be successful you have to have a few key things:

Passion – passion for your business, passion for your dreams, passion for the way you live your life. Fearlessness – don’t listen to the negative people; believe in yourself and follow your instincts. Focus – eat, sleep, and breathe what you want to achieve, because when you start out, that’s the key to making the business take shape and start to thrive. Understanding – read books, talk to people, look at different lives and cultures. Network; learn about life in traditional and non-traditional ways.

Finally, you have to be a trailblazer. We are not sheep. We don’t have to follow the flock. Back yourself and your business, and don’t be afraid if the end picture isn’t what the drawing first looked like.

For more information on Clarity Road, visit the website at www.clarityroad.com.au

Our thanks go to Julie for taking part in this interview.

The post The 8 Percent – Entrepreneur Insider Interview with Julie Rainbow appeared first on Clarity Road.

How many of us are guilty of saying yes when we should say no, and saying no when we really want to say yes?

“Need a volunteer?”
“Yes”, even though you already have a million things on our to-do list.

“Try this cigarette?”
“Yes”, even though you don’t really want to.

“Want to come to a party?”
“No”, even though you actually really want to go but fear new social situations.

“Can I get your phone number?”
“No”, even though the person asking looks really cute.

Societal mores and peer pressure can lead our best intentions down the garden path when it comes to saying yes and no to requests from others.  The more we say yes or no to things we shouldn’t, the further away from our true selves we become.  Saying yes to things that don’t bring you joy gives you less time for things you do enjoy.  Saying no to things that may scare you means you may miss out on living your life to the fullest.

So how do we know what we should be saying yes and no to?  There are three important concepts to embrace.

The first is boundaries.  Physical, emotional and mental boundaries.  Take some time to review your thoughts, opinions, beliefs and biases.  Determine what you can and cannot accept in terms of your physical space.  Set your emotional limitations to block negativity and guilt.  This creates the focus for your world view.  When you are asked to do something that goes against your world view, say no.  If it doesn’t, say yes!

The second is to recognise fear.  Ask yourself if you are saying yes or no to something based on fear. Maybe you are afraid of something bad happening, or afraid of looking stupid, or simply afraid of the unknown.  Or maybe you are afraid of rejection.  Now remove fear from the equation.  Just let it go.  Replace fear with what you could gain or achieve in the given situation. 

The third is to banish the guilt.  If you think about it, no one can make you feel guilty except yourself.  More often than not, guilt comes from a place where actions don’t match your intentions.  If saying yes or no to someone causes you to feel guilty, ask yourself if you have acted in a manner that is in contradiction to your world view. 

Stay true to yourself and “yes” or “no” will come with more ease in the future. 

The post Saying Yes. Saying No. appeared first on Clarity Road.

And no, we aren’t talking about the delicious ice-cream, or ham and salad kind of sandwiches.

Today we’re focusing on a technique that’s popular when delivering constructive criticism or advice to colleagues, subordinates or even friends.

It’s called the Compliment/Feedback Sandwich.

We all have the potential to get defensive when criticised. We may have been working hard on a project only to be told our work isn’t up to standard. Or perhaps a friend has been overly critical of your parenting technique. So if you have to give negative feedback to someone, this technique uses an approach that is sensitive to the person receiving the feedback’s feelings by using positives to enfold the negative.

The first step in giving a compliment sandwich is to prepare what you are going to say. Conversations can easily go off topic if you’re not sure where to start or how you would like the conversation to conclude. Identify one recent act of the individual that is deserved of praise. If possible, it should be a component of the act that also requires criticism. For example, you could compliment your salesperson on their friendliness towards a customer.

You need to be genuine in your compliment. You are trying to build a situation where the other person is going to be receptive to what you are saying. Try not to use “but” when you move on to the next step of the sandwich as it undermines your positive compliment.

Outline the facts of the situation, and indicate where and how the person needs improvement. Try to keep emotions in check. Getting angry, for example, will only degrade your message. Using the above example, you might need to let your salesperson know that while being friendly is great, being overly familiar, such as telling them all about your big night out last night, is inappropriate. Try not to criticise too many things at once as the message may get lost in a haze of disappointment.

Now conclude your conversation with encouragement. Help your friend or colleague to see that they are able to make any necessary adjustments to their behaviour. Indicate that they have your support in improving and growing, and achieving their goals. You could encourage your salesperson by letting them know that you’re appreciating their efforts to achieve their sales targets.

It’s always a good idea to follow up any sandwich conversations by monitoring behaviour and promoting change. Provide encouragement and reinforcement when necessary, and recognise behavioural change.

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Hot on the heels of the new calendar year comes the end of school holidays and the start of a new school year.

And whether you are excited by this prospect (no more acting like Julie from The Love Boat and having to play cruise director for the little dears) or saddened by having to send them from your protective arms (especially if this will be your child’s first year at school), there are several ways you can make back to school as easy and painless as possible, for both of you.

IT’S ALL ABOUT ROUTINE!

If your kids have been going to bed late, and getting up even later, now is the time to start making changes.  Get back into the habit of sending your children to bed at their “school days” bedtime.  And start getting them up just that little bit earlier each day.  If you have rules on school days about the amount of screen time your children can have, start to re-introduce those rules in the mornings and afternoons.  And what about making the beds?  Time to start getting back on track with the chores your children are meant to do each day.

A routine will help everyone get out the door on that first day of school.  It should even mean you get out of that door on time!!

For more tips on implementing a family routine, try http://www.clarityroad.com.au/2015/01/01/how-to-create-a-routine-for-kids/

GET ORGANISED!

Lists, lists, lists.  I love a good list.  But there is no point in sitting down and writing a list if you don’t also make an action plan to get everything on your list accomplished.  So write down everything you need to do to get ready for the new school year, and also when you are going to complete those tasks.

Does your child need new uniforms?  Write down exactly what they need, then find out when the uniform shop is open at your school.  What about stationery?  Check through what can be reused from last year, and determine what you need to buy.  There are heaps of great online services that will do your shopping for you, but savings can be had if you do your own research beforehand.  What about school lunches?  Search for lunch box tips and make a plan, at least for the first week.  Then get out there and get your groceries.

Another top tip, and my personal organisational favourite, is to sit down with your calendar, or smart phone, and write down all the important dates for the year.  Yes that’s right … YEAR!  Most schools will already have a calendar with important dates available online, or during the first week of school.  Enter these dates into your diary NOW.  You will avoid clashes later in the year, and it will help with planning for school events and things like pupil free days, or school dances.

Kidspot have some great organisational tips for back to school here.

START TALKING!

Start talking to your child about school.  Some children will enter the school gates on the first day with barely a backward glance for their poor anxious parents.  Other children will scream the house down and become glued to your side as soon as you get out of the car.  Talking with your child is the best way to discover how they are feeling about going back to, or starting, school.  But make yourself available to listen to what they have to say.  And be ready to give them plenty of reassurance if that is what they require.

Try this article from Raising Children for some great ideas on how to talk to your children about school.

Hopefully these top tips help you over the coming weeks.

The post Back To School Top Tips appeared first on Clarity Road.

There has been a fantastic focus recently on the silent scourge of domestic and family violence.  The Government is finally acting to address this serious issue facing so many of our families in Australia.  Yesterday the NSW Government announced a $60 million package investing in services and response in NSW, and will provide much needed enhancement to support those experiencing domestic violence.

The package recognises the need for interventions for perpetrators of violence, with the inclusion of mandated perpetrator programs. This increases the focus on men who choose to use violence and holds them accountable for their actions.

So today, we would like to recognise White Ribbon – Australia’s only national, male led Campaign to end men’s violence against women.  Their vision is for all women to live in safety free from all forms of men’s violence.  Their mission is to make women’s safety a man’s issue too.

Their campaign works through primary prevention initiatives involving awareness raising and education, and programs with youth, schools, workplaces and across the broader community.

They offer advice for what men can do of they suspect or witness violence, and provide a summary of national assistance services available to women in domestic violence situations.

And we just love their oath:

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This week at Clarity Road, we are loving the website Charityspam.

“My name is Tara.  I live in Brisbane Australia, and love helping not-for-profit organisations and charities.  I am a fundraiser by day, and moonlight as a cash-poor energy-rich philanthropist by night.  I started this blog as a way to tell or err, spam people about amazing acts of kindness and worthy charitable things going on.  I sincerely hope you enjoy my posts, and hope I encourage you to get involved one day!”

Clarity Road thinks this is a very worthwhile contribution to the blogosphere,
so today we bring you her latest article on where to donate quality second hand goods and clothing in Brisbane.
Enjoy!

“I am regularly asked for suggestions on worthy charities to donate second hand furniture, clothing, baby stuff and other random items to.  I have been asked three times in two days, so I thought I might a blog post with a couple of ideas, for everyone to share!

Firstly, a great place to start is Brisbane born charity GIVIT – Goods For Good Causes.  GIVIT work with over 1000 front line charities, connecting people with new or quality second hand goods to people in need.  GIVIT operate all over Australia, and you can take a look online to see what is needed, such as work boots, toothbrushes, bunk beds, a microwave, a musical instrument, chairs, tables and more – check out the list of urgently needed items here or sign yourself up for the weekly GIVIT list.  Follow GIVIT on facebook or twitter.

Another great option is Assist A Sista a Gold Coast based group of community volunteers who work together to help survivors of domestic violence to rebuild and repair by bringing hope and restoring faith.  Through the Assist A Sista facebook page, they facilitate donations of clothing, furniture, non-perishable food items, toys and other essential and non-essential comfort items.  There is also an Assist A Sista group in Sydney.  Follow Assist A Sista on facebook or twitter.

Women’s Legal Service host an annual fundraiser pop up shop in May each year and would love your quality women’s clothing, accessories and shoes – contact Natalie for more info.

Dressed For Success Brisbane and Suited for Success accept quality and gently worn corporate clothing to give people a fresh start. Follow Dressed For Success on facebook or twitter

Depending on what you are trying to donate, the next places I would consider is contacting your local homeless or domestic violence shelter direct.  Here are three contacts:
Pindari Shelter – men, women and youth crisis centre ph: (07) 3832 1491
Chisholm House – domestic violence shelter for women and children (Northside)
Ipswich Women’s Shelter – crisis accommodation for women and children in Ipswich
Anglicare Southern Queensland provide accommodation and support to single women, women with children and young people who are homeless or at risk at becoming homeless.

Please note, that these shelters may not need what you want to give them!

Grant the Polite Guy also runs regular Homeless BBQ’s, so depending on your items and the time of the year, he might be able to distribute your items.  Get some inspiration on what Grant is doing to help others here on his blog.

And finally, if all of these options dont work out for you, consider donating your items to your local charity thrift shop.  Select a cause or organisation that resonates with you – many of the large charities accept second hand goods, and sell these items to fund their mission.

Lifeline – locations in Brisbane City, Nundah, Wilston, West End, Stafford, Bulimba, Toowong and many, many more.
Salvation Army – locations are Alderley, Lutwyche, Spring Hill and more
RSPCA – New Farm, Moorooka, Sherwood, Strathpine

One small charity shop that I like is Yesterday’s Thrift Shop supporting Brain Injury Association in Rosalie Village, 39 Nash Street, Paddington.  You can pull up in the car park out the back, donate your goods and go – too easy!

Have I missed your favourite off the list?  Please tell me – I would love to know about others, and I am very happy to add to this list.”

If you would like to read more of Tara’s blogs, you can visit her website Charityspam.

The post Clarity Road is Loving – Charityspam appeared first on Clarity Road.

Money and you.  How well do you manage your finances?  Are you receiving every benefit you can from your circumstances?  Here are just a few websites that we love to regularly review to see whether our money is working the hardest it possibly can for us.

ATO – The Australian Taxation Office provides a wealth of information to individuals, from superannuation to deadlines for payments.  You can download forms, and even complete your tax obligations online for free.

Tax Payers Australia is a not-for-profit organisation committed to a fairer and more transparent taxation system for every Australian taxpayer.  Their aim is to provide taxation practitioners, superannuation professionals, small businesses and individuals with up-to-date, informative and above all understandable information about taxation – to ensure that both yourself, your business, and your clients, pay the right amount of tax and not a cent more.

Taxation Ombudsman is an organisation established to consider and investigate complaints from people who believe they have been treated unfairly or unreasonably by an Australian Government department or agency, including the Australian Taxation Office, Australia Post, Centrelink, Child Support Agency, and Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

Budget Planner is an ASIC resource to work out where your money is going.  You can add and delete items, and save the results.

Pocketbook automatically organises your spending into categories like clothes, groceries and fuel – showing you where money is being spent. Setup budgets, see your balances and view your transactions. Giving you insights so you can spend & save even smarter.  It can now even connect to your bank for real-time results.

Pension Eligibility – Are you eligible for a pension payment?  This site can determine your eligibility for payments such as the Age Pension.

Superseeker helps you to find any lost superannuation.  Seriously, if you don’t already have all of your superannuation payments in one place, you are losing money every day you wait!

Superannuation comparison sites:

Canstar

Selecting Super

Find My Best Super

Industry Super

All Things Money is a Government website with links to publications and resources for your money management.

The post Your Money – Essential Resources appeared first on Clarity Road.