Home Life Simplified

Grateful for those that listen

Debra Dane — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:16:51 +0000

Last week I was grateful for people watching and just sitting back and observing. How fast our needs and gratefuls can change. This week I am in need of talking – so much going on in my head that I need to talk to process it, seek out others’ views and advice, gain support so I am not thrashing these ideas out by myself.

I am grateful for my husband – he may not listen when I ask him to label something before sticking it in the freezer, but he listens when it really counts. Letting me unwind with a favourite TV show and then turning the television off, turning to face each other and just talk and get real with myself. He acts as that brilliant sounding board he has been for 17 years. Everyone needs someone in their life that knows them so well they can push or hold back as needed. This week he gently pushed me in a new direction for my thoughts and instead of getting defensive I finally got real with myself. It helped.

I am grateful for friends overseas that show up via skype. We share common ground, common dilemmas, common battles. We talk, share, offer advice, listen, talk some more, nod and sigh. We are not alone.

I am grateful for women I have met over the years my since children have entered school. Just as it takes the kids years to find their little group I feel it has been the same for me. The same advice I give them (friends make you feel good about yourself rather than make you cry, don’t chase friends who are running away, you are in charge of you) applies to me too. I am finding the women I gain nourishment from, the women who make me smile and laugh and think. Above all else they listen. I can tell the difference. Some women in my life I connect with, even laugh and smile, but I don’t feel seen or heard. So for those that fully show up when we are together I am forever grateful. Tonight I will be raising a glass (or 4) with some of them and I can’t wait to unwind, talk, laugh and truly listen.

Thank you for listening.

What are you grateful for this week?

Find your simple,

Deb

I am linking up with Maxabella and Kidspot for 52 weeks of grateful – check it out and support this wonderful collection of focus on all the little things that add up to a great life.

Image credit: Listen embroidered on hoop available on etsy from goose and trisser

Bizness Babes

Debra Dane — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:36:08 +0000

11 months ago I started on a new path after 8 years at home with my girls. I had been accepted into a business course called “Bizness Babes” which is a free programme aimed at helping women transition back into the work force by starting (or developing further) their own businesses. I met an amazing, diverse group of women chasing quite diverse dreams and we connected over coffees and elevator pitches, time away from our kids and balance sheets. Today I have a guest post from one of the trainers about this programme (which runs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane) as I am thrilled to spread the word about its existence and hope to connect at least a few more women to this opportunity.

Guest post by Samantha Jockel (that’s her in the photo):

Business … do, I really have what it takes?

Ever found yourself asking this question? For most people this is where it begins and also where it ends. What sets an entrepreneur apart from the rest is not that they have ideas but they actually DO something about them. That is it. One tiny thing can take you from stay-at-home-mum to business entrepreneur, leading a ‘choose your own adventure’ life you only ever dreamed of.

My name is Samantha Jockel and for the last five years I have been a stay at home mum and business entrepreneur. It has been the most exciting, scary, fulfilling, frustrating and ultimately awesome time of my life.

I started contemplating the idea of business seven years ago when I was thinking about having children. I knew I didn’t want to go back to work and leave my kids but I also knew I would need more stimulation than looking after a baby. I have always been an ideas person with my fingers in many pies, but just hadn’t made my own pies yet.

I decided I had to come up with an idea which could work with a baby in tow. My background was social work and community development and my superpower was making things happen. From a random thought in my head one day and a few encouraging conversations came my first business called Biddy Bags.

Biddy Bags merges the skills and abilities of crafting nanas with the design ideas of young fashionistas to create stylish, nana-made ethical products.

From setting up and managing Biddy Bags I learnt that I LOVE business and have spent the past three years experimenting with lots of the different potential I see in the market.

I currently run a large facebook page, sell products and services at markets, co-founded two social enterprises and run a consultancy business.

What I have learnt about running a business is that it is not about having a great idea as much as it is about a willingness and love of learning.

As Richard Branson said: “Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming”.

I truly believe you can do whatever you want if you can be bothered the secret of business success is that it’s not necessarily about talent or a great idea but a desire to learn and grow and an ability to work hard.

What excites me the most is not what I have done but what I am yet to do. As a stay at home mum you are in the perfect position to experiment with small business and see if you have the ability to learn, create and work hard in business. You too can choose YOUR own adventure, live YOUR dreams and be in control of YOUR own life.

Three years ago I was lucky to be offered a job working with a social enterprise called Bizness Babes. Bizness Babes supports and empowers stay at home mums attempting to give business a go. We run free training programs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and have had over 400 women come through our program since 2006.

Some graduate Bizness Babes businesses include Sunny Mummy, Peppermint Magazine, Home Life Simplified, Seven Cherubs, Gregarious Peach, Greensacks, Maternal Instincts, Kiss it Better Bags, Seven Canaries, and the Karma Soap Company

The great thing is that YOU could add your name to that list. We are currently taking applications for our next round of courses. In order to be eligible you need to meet a couple of criteria outlined in the application form. Our Small Business Development Course is free to women who are unemployed, underemployed or marginalised in some way (see the FAQ on our website).

You can find out more about Bizness Babes and apply for our courses online at www.biznessbabes.com.au

Like our facebook page for regular updates, networking and inspiration.

And remember you are always in the position to CHOOSE your own adventure!!!!

Creative Ways to encourage kids to try new foods

Debra Dane — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:49:15 +0000

I have written previously about my experience with my older daughter and food issues (fears and sensitivities)- it is hard and stressful, but we have made a lot of progress in the last 18 months. One day I was brainstorming ideas for blog posts and she asked if she could help. To my amazement, using the prompt “5 creative ways to_____” she came up with this topic*. Both my girls helped with the ideas – some we already used in the last 18 months and some new ones we plan for this year still.

1. Blind taste test (have an open mind)

This approach has had a huge impact in our food journey. It started with me refusing to tell the kids what exactly was in the new dish I had made. I explained that I wanted them to have a totally open mind and not be influenced by their views that they don’t like something (ie an ingredient I had used). The dishes were still simple but I finally pushed my 8 year old to try dishes that were not all separated out and “not touching”.

I have them close their eyes (you can use a blindfold for more fun or if it helps) and I feed them a bite or hand them an item to try. They then get a full bite or taste rather than the tiny, fearful nibble we were used to. We talk about the food using their heightened senses – what does it taste like (is it sweet, salty, etc), how does it feel (is it crunchy or smooth?), does it taste like anything familiar? and so on. There has been genuine surprise on their part when they have liked something they (and I) know they would have dismissed previously.

2. What you cook you try

My kids enjoy getting in the kitchen and cooking - either with me or with some supervision as they prepare some creation of their own making. For years though Alice would cook up a storm and then say “no thank you” to eating her own creations. This new approach allows them to explore in the kitchen and play with ingredients and presentation, but requires them to join in the eating. It reinforces the process of tasting to improve your cooking – cooks simply cannot create without tasting as they go to know if they need more or less of something.

3. Be a food reviewer

This idea can stand alone as an activity or can go along with the ones above. The kids can be almost separate from the foods they might be intimidated by as they are in “reviewer” mode rather than meal time “must get some food in you” atmosphere. There is less pressure and more fun involved.

I have created a little Official food reviewer log printable (2 versions included) to use to make it more official and it doubles as a food record for both them and me to see their changing tastes. You can rate out of 10 or use stickers or any scale you come up with.

Variations:

They can re-review foods as they increase their exposures and note that what they rated a 4 back in January now gets a hearty 7 and is more accepted by them.
They can have a review sheet for 1 item (ie yogurts) and track which flavours or variations they have tried before and keep logging reviews until they find a brand or flavour they like.
We also do side by side tastings like 3 different flavours of yogurt to compare and decide which they liked best.

You can take suggestions on how they think they would like to try it for next time. We have had luck with freezing foods -especially yogurt into popsicle moulds, applesauce into single serves (becomes like granita / ices as it starts to warm up again and is scraped with a spoon), different prep methods (for carrots we went through sticks, coins, raw vs cooked and finally had success with Alice when it was shredded in thin strips). You can all brainstorm for the next time and make notes. It leaves the door open and instead of “I hate carrots” it becomes “you did not like raw carrots, how about we compare it to cooked next time or with salad dressing or thin pieces” etc.

4. Mystery box shopper

We faithfully watch both Master Chef and Jr Master Chef together and the kids love seeing all the things others are creating and the foods they use. So far they mostly ask to recreate the sweet treats, but we are working on all foods. They love the idea of a mystery box challenge and we have extended this to families by tying it into the family shopping trip. The child (ren) pick an item we’ve never had as a family (hubby and I might have eaten it previously though) and we find a recipe that includes this item. It can be a new protein source, some fresh food or a pantry item that intrigues them.

Sushi making at home is on our list and they have tried dragon fruit and pomegranates happily even if they did not fall in love with them. The aim is to get them to broaden what they try and this puts them in the driver’s seat. They might just pick out something you never would have thought to offer them.

Which of these ideas do you think your kids would love most?

Find your simple,

Deb

*We ended up with enough ideas that this will be at least a two-part post and if you have any ideas that have worked for you please email me as I would love to include them. Stay tuned for part 2 soon.

Since it is Tuesday I will be linking up with Jess for IBOT

Image credit: pretzel blind tasting by flickr user nickgraywfu

Simplify your life {Week 21: Home Audit}

Debra Dane — Sun, 20 May 2012 21:29:16 +0000

Welcome to the fourth “block” of 52 weeks to simplify your life. In the first block we spent eight weeks exploring who we are and what we want. The second block was five weeks of dealing with our inner clutter – everything from expectations to fear to change. The third block was all about time management as we start to simplify how our lives run day to day (planning, letting go of some obligations, procrastinating).

This, fourth block of simplify your life, is all about your home and “stuff”. We are going to start this week with an audit of our homes, then we will be decluttering our stuff / objects / possessions, followed by decluttering wardrobes and then talking about clutter prevention.

Intentional living rather than minimalism

I am not a minimalist so will not be making you feel bad about how much stuff you own or want to buy. I think we need to stop and be more intentional about our purchases for sure, but there is a big difference between those two ideas. By the end of this block you will have weeded out what you don’t love, use or need, figured out what will make your home a happier and better functioning space and learned how to keep it that way.

While less stuff will simplify your life I think this can be achieved without taking extreme measures or giving up things you actually love and use. One person will love having lots of open spaces, permanently clear counters and a capsule wardrobe of 20 items in rotation. Another person is happier with their quirky flea market finds surrounding them, 3 rugs layered across their floor and investing in pieces of clothing that inspire them and brighten every day. Both of those people can be happy and free – one is not better than the other! Utilitarian and minimalist is not the only definition of simple.

Pretend you are moving

Having moved house nine times in the last thirteen years I have prepared homes we were renting for inspection by real estate agents and our home for sale for inspection by potential buyers.

When you are preparing a home you will leave /sell you suddenly go around fixing all those niggly things you know a buyer (or agent) will not accept as-is. The marks made on the walls, the screen that is flapping in the door frame letting in the flies, the leaks and gaps and “what a pain in the ass” items all get tackled in a mad frenzy. Suddenly as you are about to vacate the house it feels harder to leave as now you see it all fresh and working and decluttered or empty. You no longer feel annoyed or closed in or disappointed in your space.

I don’t want you to wait for that day.

Most of us would be more content in our current homes if we invested some time, energy and money in maintenance, decluttering, reconfiguring and freshening up.

Most of us would reduce our stress and frustration if we tackled those jobs we keep meaning to, but never prioritize for whatever reason.

Most of us would have more room to breathe in every sense of the word if we devoted a very short space of time to figuring out what we really need to be doing.

How to conduct a home audit

Print out the handy home audit worksheet (pictured above) I have made for this exercise.

Grab any other adults living in your home.

Conduct a walk-through of your entire house inside and out including garage, shed, garden etc.

Consider some of the following questions:

In this space what do we complain about all the time?
What frustrates us or causes us stress?
What has been lingering on our “to-do / to fix” list?
Is this space one we enjoy and use regularly? (If not, why?)
Is there anything we could add to or take away from this space to make it better for us?
Is there another way we can use this space – how do we want it to function? (be open minded instead of sticking to a room being a bedroom or a linen closet – think of everything as an empty shell that you can flexibly change)

The point of this is not to bring you down by focusing on all the negatives of your home. Focus on things within your control. If you hate the low ceilings in your house and don’t plan a renovation don’t list that here. If you are renting and some of your frustrations can’t be fixed make notes for future homes. It is amazing how we forget these things and can end up in homes with the same problems repeated (hello my tiny ovens – almost every house we have rented or bought!). For now though we are working to change how our current homes function and clearing all those little change-able, fix-able things that will definitely simplify our lives.

Two easy examples from my own audit are:

1. We have been in this house for 17 months and the shower in our ensuite was leaking out loads of water for months making a mess of the floor. After using a floor mat to soak up the water every time we finally dealt with this nagging problem. It took several phone calls to find the right seals we needed that could not be found at our local hardware store, but two weeks and $40 later our problem was fixed. We were not moving any time soon so I am not sure why we did not address it immediately, but I am glad we finally did.

2. In this house the laundry is in the main bathroom. The previous owners took their dryer mounts with them and we could not locate the ones that came with ours (having never needed to stack / raise it in other homes). I found where to order them a year ago when we had not located ours, but hesitated in ordering them – feeling it was wasting $35-40 for something I KNOW we own. Instead our dryer lives downstairs in the kids craft space that requires me walking around outside the house (often in the rain, as that is when I need the dryer) to carry the load to the dryer and then back later. For 17 months I have been doing this to save $40 – optimistically thinking the mounts would appear one day in the garage when we open a box of “stuff”. This week I am ordering the mounts!

These are little things we hold ourselves back from doing that make our lives easier and simpler. If you have many things on your list and don’t have the resources to tackle them all right now, then prioritise them and work through the list one by one. Once identified though do not ignore your list. Trust these are things worth investing time and money in now as you know some will eventually need to be fixed anyway and all of them will see your quality of life improve. You will literally be erasing stress from your life one task at a time.

Challenge this week: Conduct your home audit, decide what actions are needed and prioritise them. Once you have your list you can start creating an action plan for your home – schedule in tasks, make any needed phone calls, figure out what steps you need to take! Hire a handyman if needed or swap time or skills with a friend if possible.

Have you ever conducted an audit like this? Do you have lingering tasks around your home? What will you start with this week – one thing you can decide right now to clear off your list?

Find your simple,

Deb

Link up for week 20 – add your posts (for any week of simplify your life) in the linky below and try to visit a few of your fellow participants’ blogs to share the comment love and support.

Photo credit: home sweet home sign available via etsy seller trailerlicious

Grateful for people watching

Debra Dane — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:11:45 +0000

This week someone asked on Facebook if we like to people watch and I had to reply that it is in my blood and one of my favorite pastimes. I don’t think you can grow up in New York City and not people watch – they might kick you out – it is such a normal part of the culture. I would actually say it is a sport.

It is one thing (among many) that my British husband had to get used to. He would nudge me and tell me to “stop staring” when all I had been doing is “observing” and taking it all in. I watch families, check out women’s clothes and accessories, decide what I will order in a restaurant after following waiters with my eyes as they deliver dishes around the restaurant.

I have been known to approach women to find out where they got their handbag.

I do not hesitate to lean over to another table to ask if the dish tastes as good as it looks.

I have enjoyed many interesting conversations that I was not actually a part of.

I was aware this week how often I still people watch and observe and eavesdrop – especially in my own house. I love nothing more than to hang back quietly while my girls talk, make up songs, play and draw and simply observe and listen. Sometimes they catch me and give me a little look. Lulu, especially, will say “whaaaat?” with a bit of a cheeky grin. She knows I enjoy watching them, but teases me nonetheless.

For most of my life I was actually known as a talker* – seriously never shut up… Now I feel I am happier being an observer and I don’t always have to be involved in the conversation. I am grateful for that ability to hang back just enough to take it all in now.

What are you grateful for this week?

Find your simple,

Deb

Photo credit: NYC photo by flickr user vanz

*I might still be known this way – not sure how others perceive me as a slowed down and quieter New Yorker is still louder and more out there than your average Australian so I don’t think that perception will ever change. I laughingly explain that this is the laid back version of me – not sure if I will ever achieve true “laid back” – unlike the people watching, that is not in the New Yorker blood.

linking up with Maxabella Loves and Kidspot for 52 weeks of Grateful

Dealing with the extremes in life

Debra Dane — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:27:37 +0000

Along with cultivating a life filled with gratitude, the greatest mental shift I have made this year has been coming to terms with the extremes in life. It seems my husband and I are currently living through the stage of life that simultaneously includes extreme work pressures, health issues (ours and friends’ and family’s), financial loads greater than we ever imagined in our carefree 20s (hello mortgage), worries for our children as they grow and thoughts on aging (mostly in terms of our parents in their 70s and our own retirement someday / hopefully).

It all feels so intense some weeks.

I finally realised the extra-intense periods and issues serve to help me appreciate the “normal” periods I used to complain about.

My husband’s work load seems forever intense and I bemoan the fact that we never have weekday family dinners as he gets home between 7 and 8pm.

Then he is hit with a two month frenzy that sees him working past 9-10pm most nights and through weekends and public holidays. What was that I was complaining / talking about before? Oh yeah, how great it is for him to be home between 7 and 8pm every night in time to tuck the kids in. Perspective is a bitch, but an honest one at that.

I am cranky about my screwed up hormones, thyroid condition and genetically high cholesterol levels that all require medication that I can’t even seem to remember all the time. Taking a bunch of pills and seeing my doctor regularly makes me feel like I am an old lady before my time.

Then I learn of yet another friend battling cancer or losing a loved one and I am suddenly grateful that I am here every day for my girls and that I can take pills that do not make me feel wrecked. I can make peace with my normal.

Over and over through the months I am given opportunities to put things in perspective and find my silver lining. It is always there if I am willing to look. Even my husband can see it now. The other day he called with a bad – news – good – news phone call. The bad news is a major project fell through which will put him under pressure at work. The good news (which he switched to rather fast) is this means we can actually look into finally taking the girls to America this year – Lulu is almost 7 1/2 and has never met my extended family and Alice was last in NYC for her first birthday almost 8 years ago. Our plans were on hold as this project coincided with my dream of spending Thanksgiving in the States. As much as we need work, we need a holiday and family too. Silver lining indeed.

I was so happy to see that my husband did not dwell on the negative after spending so much time focused on that project. I think our family’s focus on “what we have” has really trickled through to our way of life. Our ability to bounce back from setbacks and essentially “snap out of” things more easily has definitely increased. I tend to look for the lesson to be learned and usually can find one being offered.

As always life is full of trade-offs, but if we are still alive and kicking and screaming we are doing pretty well aren’t we?

It’s all about perspective!

Do you look for silver linings? Are you living in the era of life extremes?

Find your simple,

Deb

Image credit: flickr user robteasdale99

Colour coding to simplify my life

Debra Dane — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:07:14 +0000

As a visual person my number one tool for making life easy and simplified is colour coding. It saves me time by knowing at a glance where the right information is or who an item belongs to in my home. While labelling often helps with identification of the same items, I often do not even need to get close to know what I need (or to direct someone else to the right items).

10 ways you can use colour coding to save time and stress

1. Binders/notebooks and clip boards you use to store information, recipes, files, bills and more

2. File folders for all your active paperwork – I love using colour to identify what files I need to grab

3. Storage boxes with different coloured lids (or bases or tags) – if you have things packed away and stacked in your closets, garage, basement or attic it can help save a ton of time if, for example, you know that Christmas decorations are in the red lidded boxes and Winter clothes are stored in the blue boxes.

4. Towels – no question who has left their towel on the floor when you know the blue one belongs to your 7 year old. If you like your towels to be all the same colour you can still colour code by attaching a coloured tag to each towel (tutorial on Martha Stewart, photo below).

5. Clothing – we have quite thin school uniforms and the girls wear either shorts or leggings under them. One simple way I eased laundry sorting was buying Lulu all black and Alice navy blue. With kids close in age I would end up checking labels for size all the time since there is only a small difference in these items.

6. Laundry baskets – I use a white basket for light clothes / warm wash and a blue basket for dark / cold wash. The kids know at a glance if the clothes stand out dark against the white basket it is in the wrong spot. At 7 and 8 they are master laundry sorters thanks to the colour prompt and I never worry about a red item sneaking in with my husband’s white shirts as it would stand out too much.

7. Organising my blog schedule as I plan out content for this blog. Since I cover a variety of topics it has been a huge help to colour code based on topic so I can see at a glance if I have been writing too much or too little on any given category on the blog. This was one of the best tips I picked up in a recent blog course so have to give credit to Melissa and her Content Brew course which I highly recommend to all bloggers. Click here to view more details *

8. Kids school items – give them their own colour of lunch box, bag tag if they use a school branded backpack, drink bottle or food storage containers. When I am loading the dishwasher I know instantly if there is no green water bottle that Alice has either left it at school or in her bag.

9. Your calendar (s) – you can use a different colour for each family member (works digitally or in print), different colours for different calendars like business, personal, family, spouse (if you use digital calendars), or different colour for different contexts (errands, meals, exercise, social plans, etc).

10. Cutting boards in the kitchen – I love using red for meat, green for veggies and so on. There is less chance of contamination and I don’t have to think about it too much.

These are just some ways you can save time and stress with colour coding. Do you use colour to organise your life at all?

Find your simple,

Deb

*Momcomm is one of my favourite blogs to learn about blogging design tips and content so I jumped at the chance to take Melissa’s Content Brew course (paid in full by me). It was a great course (check out the link above for all the specifics), opportunity to chat with other bloggers privately and learn tons of new tools and techniques to make content creation and planning easier. She still has spaces in her June course (but the other courses all sold out so don’t delay if you are interested) and if you happen to use the link above know it is an affiliate link that earns me a little money (I thank you if you do use the link). If you are a blogger who needs help generating content or headlines, organising all your social media, ideas, guest posts and projects this class will pay for itself fast. When I took it in April, by the end of week one I had content organised through September (but can change it up as I move forward).

It is Tuesday so I will be linking up with the lovely jess for IBOT. If you are on the lookout for some new blogs to follow this is a great way to find new bloggers as it is such a diverse group.

Simplify your life {Week 20: revisiting goals and catch up}

Debra Dane — Sun, 13 May 2012 20:55:17 +0000

I am sure many of you are in the same boat as me – sitting here wondering how on Earth we are at week TWENTY already. I know this is not the easiest challenge going on the internet so thank you to those that are sticking with it (either blogging or doing it privately) and with me. Whether you stick to the weekly way I deliver the challenges or do them in bursts it is all good. I said at the start that this is not a strict path to follow and “real life” is there every day.Some topics you will fly past and others you will need to revisit many times to find what works for you.

We have now finished all the time management topics in the simplify your life challenge. It is a huge topic though and if this is one of your stumbling blocks in simplifying your own life I suggest you spend more time on it – read more information if needed, but mostly just experiment with tips and ideas you already know. As your life changes so should your systems and routines. If something is not working try to ask yourself “why” questions until you find out what your underlying issue is. It can be anything from boredom to a too complex system, whatever is going on with you is valid – think of what you can add or let go of to tweak things.

This week I want you to take the time to catch up a little or update us on your goals again. I have been reading along and so many of you are still attempting to simultaneously tackle many (or all) or your overall goals set and feeling frustration. I cannot emphasize enough times – tackling one or two goals and giving them your full attention will always be better than tackling many goals, getting frustrated and giving up on it all (or worse beating yourself up for “failing”). We only have so much time and energy to devote to change, so prioritise and invest your time wisely. What do you need most right now to move you forward towards the vision you have for your life? Look at your goals and pick one to focus on for the rest of May and June and see what changes develop and how you feel.

If you need to rethink your goals or come up with some new tactics to move forward I thought I would bring all my goal related blog posts into one place for you. Do you need to let go of some goals you set that were based on “shoulds” (I know at least one SYLer has dropped a goal for this reason)? Are any of your goals too big and need to be broken down further to a realistic first goal? If you never exercise or don’t have a regular routine don’t expect to go from that to daily exercise immediately. You might set a goal of twice a week for a month and then build up a day a month or set a goal of trying a new exercise each week this month until you find one you love (do this with an open mind and you may find a new passion).

Goal setting (and achieving) resources:

Goal setting and priorities (from week 6)

7 tips to help you achieve your goals

Are you making any of the 7 goal setting mistakes in this post

Do you need some resources in the form of printable worksheets or online trackers?

Getting rid of mental roadblocks to success:

5 critical steps to change your mindset

Letting go of perfectionism

Are you resisting your goals because you are afraid of dealing with change?

This week’s challenge: move forward!

If you are not up to week 20, then move onto the next week of challenges you are up to right now. Whether you are up to week 4, 8 or 18 does not matter, just keep moving forward at your own pace.

If you are up to date, then move forward with one of your goals (and refine your plan if needed). If you are having success implementing your goal plans please share what has been working for you, what changes you made to move forward, what resistance you overcame and how…If you are stuck write about why and ask for help- this is a great community of smart women full of support and wise words – reach out!

Twenty weeks in – you are awesome! Tell yourself that now – no negative talk, just celebrate yourself for any weeks you have showed up, any changes you have made, any discomfort you have pushed through, all the comments you have left for others cheering them on and celebrating their changes. If you are reading along and have implemented three changes that have improved your life, then you are already better off than on January 1 and that is to be celebrated.

The next block of simplify your life will start next week and lurkers beware, you might want to participate (blogging or privately) in the next two blocks to simplify your life. We are going to be tackling our homes (and “stuff”) and then our household management over the next 11 or 12 weeks.

Find your simple,

Deb

Note: In case you missed it I want to share my current project as we begin June 1st! The self care blueprint will help you tackle all the roadblocks that currently stand in your way related to self care and self love. I’d love you to click on that link and check it out. We have a wonderful group of almost 40 women so far committed to working on this together – it should be a fabulous group of like minded women meeting in a private facebook group for support and discussions. I hope to see you there.

Link up for week 19 (please visit and comment on a few other blogs):

Image credit: Dream Big Set Goals Take Action - awesome metal art work available from etsy seller jnjmetalworks

Choosing a life overseas

Debra Dane — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:42:41 +0000

Today I have another guest post – this one is personal and I am happy to share more of my own story. I have said that I am American, married to a Brit and raising our children in Australia. That chosen life has pros and cons and today I am sharing what it is like over at Mummy Smiles for her “Smiles around the world” feature.

From the post:

Almost 18 years ago I set off from New York City (my hometown) on a trip around the world. I had spent my entire final year of college saving, planning and organising the trip. I set off in September 1994 to my first stop, a stay on a kibbutz in Israel, with plans to continue through Europe and then into Africa. Instead I met my husband and everything changed. After three months together he was headed back to England and I had to choose which path I would follow – the one I had planned so carefully or the one that included him.

I took a leap of faith and here we are 17 years since the day I made that choice. That “here” is not where either of us expected to be. We have chosen to settle down in a neutral third country and both our girls were born and raised in Australia – thousands of miles from our friends and family.

On the surface Australia seems like a safe and easy option for an expat life – at least everyone speaks English. Well, actually they speak Australian English and life in our house can get pretty funny at times. Three countries represented, all English speaking and yet so different. There are constant discussions about what is “right” and now that our girls are both in school we face issues with homework and class projects as the girls have to try to unlearn any American spelling or pronunciations they have picked up (and deal with parents who lack knowledge of Australian history and cultural references).

I hope you will go over to Natalie’s wonderful blog to read the rest of my story and enjoy her series that aims to give us a glimpse into different lives of women around the world. We have many cultures and countries, but also much in common.

Grateful for coming full circle

Debra Dane — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:57:18 +0000

Only Thursday and posting a gratitude post?

I am dealing with health stresses right now and could feel a little spiral starting downwards. I don’t just talk about self care on here to lecture others on how important it is, but truly walk the walk.

Having talked to my doctor yet again and planning blood tests yet again I decided I just needed to let go of my plans for the next couple of days and reboot. Something is going wonky in my body with my thyroid and I am finding myself retreating from writing and the computer. I could battle it out or I could give in. I chose the easy option to retreat and am glad I did.

Yesterday I started a new book “Heaven is here” by Stephanie Nielson. I was a reader of her blog back in 2008 when I was shocked to read news that she had been in a plane crash with her husband and his flight instructor. I have fallen deeply into her book and finding myself in tears at her story and at her spirit. I am grateful that my health problems are minor in comparison. I do try to remind myself to have perspective and this is how I ended up shifting gears to gratitude today.

I am grateful I have a doctor who continues to try to keep my body on an even keel no matter how many times it has baulked at the idea. My body seems to hate routine and throws me curve balls from time to time. The good thing is there is always an answer for her to find and I always get better.

It is so easy to feel down and limited by health issues. I have too many friends right now battling cancer and chronic conditions and I am always in awe of how they stay strong and their spirits remain high. I do not ever want to take this life for granted. One lesson I know for sure is there are no guarantees in this life and I swore I would never forget that. Still, I get lost in the details of life too often. I am grateful for the reminders I find, often telling me to slow down, focus on the important “little things”, take the moments as they come.

It takes all my strength to live in this moment when my mind naturally turns to thoughts of the future which in turn start to create pressure and stress. Mindfulness and staying in the present is something that may take me a lifetime to learn, but I am willing to keep trying.

I am grateful this week for my little family unit. I feel I have come full circle in the last year – seeking things outside my family to fulfil me and finding my family are what fill me up the most now. When I am not feeling well it is a cuddle from my daughter or a cup of coffee made by my husband that cures me as much as a tweak in medication. Snuggling under a blanket with two little girls watching Little House on the Prairie on these crisp Autumn days (in our house that is colder than being outside) before helping with homework finally. While we often talk and dream of overseas trips, it is my time cocooned in our house with them that I treasure most.

What are you grateful for right now? Stop and take a moment to appreciate the people and moments that make up this life.

Find your simple,

Deb

I will be linking up with Bron of Maxabella Loves for 52 weeks of grateful. One constant I have found is the power of gratitude – nothing has as great an impact on my life as focusing on what I have in my life.

Image credit: red rose by flickr user Temari 09