It’s time to add the poetic to life
Sometimes that’s all we need poetic license to add our spin and our flavour to our lives and live more authentically. Just in case you’re saying but I’m not a poet, this is my definition (under poetic license) It is the liberty taken by an artist (in this case you) in deviating from conventional form or fact to achieve a desired effect. Sometimes we just have to do things differently.

So today, just in case you needed a little nudge in the right direction, I give you permission to be the most authentic you, to dare to be different and stand out from the crowd. And just in case that thought is sending you into a panic all you need to focus on this moment now and embrace that part of you that makes you different, that makes you YOU! I’m a hugger so I’m going to spread the hugs today. What are you going to do?

Under what authority do I give you permission?
Good question. The answer is simple. It’s the authority of me. I am in this moment now living as the most authentic expression of myself and I invite, encourage and implore you to do the same!

He said it my way!
And in my authentic moment, I’d like to say a big thank you to Charles Dickens for his wonderful (okay may be that is stretching it a bit) depiction of life in ‘Tale of Two Cities’ as it is a wonderful testimony to the importance of these ‘Divalicious Times’ (Poetic license at work again).  Times where there is inspiration and wisdom in little things and ordinary moments.

In his honor and my poetic license I have tweaked his words (ever so slightly) to accommodate today’s Divalicious Moments! I am sure he would have given his permission and even used the word ‘Divalicious’ himself had he thought to invent it!

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way but in the midst of this dichotomy of thoughts and feelings we are surrounded by Divalicious Times. Times where there is colourful inspiration in the ordinary, where moments are illuminated with encouragement and motivation to move on to the next. Long live Divalicious Times!” Charles Dickens & Carole Pyke

No related posts.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Maya Angelou

We’ve all got a powerful story to tell and share with the world but often in this fast paced world we are simply too busy to tell it or tell it properly and so have allowed situations, circumstances or other people to do the telling.

The one thing that we have disctinct from anyone else that truly demonstrates our uniqueness is our story. Taking time to acknowledge it, embrace it and share it with others are powerful milestones on the road to success. Don’t leave that all important task in the hands of someone else (unless they are following your instructions) take the reigns and become the master storyteller of your life.

Each day, each moment is another great opportunity to carve out another chunk to your story so why not make it count and make yourself heard and decide that ‘today you are going to tell your story!

No related posts.

“A Ship is safe in harbor but that’s not what ships are for.”  William Shedd

Looking at this boat in someone’s back yard not only reminded me of this quote but also that sometimes we stay within our comfort zone just to be safe but that’s not what life is supposed to be about.

Sometimes we have to chart a course outside of that comfort zone and allow the wind to catch our sail.

No related posts.

When nothing goes right….Go left!

I’m having fun taking photos of seemingly random things. I was walking along and saw these shoes staged just like this with no owner in sight. It seemed to carry an important message.

We never know what is going on in someone else’s world and will never really know until we walk a mile in their shoes. Just this thought alone frees us up from judgement and gives us the freedom to live our lives more purposefully.

No related posts.

It’s always good to have a different perspective on things.

Sometimes things are not as bad as they seem. You just need to look at them differently!

I’m sure this statue of Golda Meir in Manhattan New York wishes the pigeon would find somewhere else to sit!

No related posts.

When asked the question what surprised him most about humanity the Dalai Lama answered:

“Man Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”

No related posts.

It’s a new year and we are blessed with a new canvas stretched out before us. Our mission is simply to fill it with colour and animation, as simple as that!

But it is this simplicity that gives us the greatest challenges. How many resolutions have you, broken all before the year has really gotten started, how many plans have been aborted through too many challenges and obstacles?

What would you need to do to make this year your best year yet? What is that essential ingredient that will guarantee on 31 December you are raising a glass of champagne instead of a tasteless glass of wine?

Good questions and there is plenty written about the solution to them all but I was particularly inspired by Chris Brogan’s  post ‘My 3 Words for 2012′ in which he suggests that instead of new year resolutions to dig deeper and come up with the 3 year ahead.

I love the way he puts it. Chris says: ‘Resolutions are often too vague, or too directed towards one goal. It might be “quit smoking” or “lose 20 pounds” or “get hired.” These are all fine aspirations, but I challenge you to dig deeper, to find three words that could be used as lighthouses to guide you through stormy seas, that can be used as flags on the battlefield of your challenges, words that will bolster you and give you a direction that goes beyond the goals you might attach as a result of these words.’

Added to this I’d like to suggest that you also have a power word. A word that becomes the description of our state of mind and one that informs everything we do.

And then there is a post by Jacqueline at fit erella (thanks Chris for pointing this out) who has given me a wonderful way to incorporate my words in my daily living. Her approach to the New Year resolution thing is 12 in 12 which is to “pick one thing to do consistently every day for a month. It can be something new you want to try, something you want to get better at or something you want to see if you can live without.

Commit to doing this thing every day for that month no matter what, even when you don’t want to, even when it hurts, even when it sucks. The practice is the reward. Once the month is up, you’ll start your next thing. You may or may not want to continue the previous month’s practice longer if it’s working for you, however, you still need to introduce something new for the new month.”

My 3 words for 2012
TEMPLE My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and I will treat it as such. I will incorporate a healthy dose of food, exercise, sleep and pampering into my daily life. I will recognize and celebrate my high value and self-worth knowing that by incorporating this approach into my daily life I will continue to reveal my more authentic self and achieve greater success in 2012.

BELIEVE I will live each day in the belief that I have everything I need to be successful and to achieve. I will approach each situation and circumstance knowing that irrespective of the challenges or obstacles I face I will succeed. I will live each moment knowing that I am loveable and I am loved. I will remember to put God first knowing that He is in control and in my corner.

ASK Everything I need and everyone I need to connect to is available to me all I need to do is ask.

My power word
LOVE which to me means I will meet each day with excitement and everyone where they are at and not where I would like them to be. I will not allow the past to control me, I will instead be open to opportunities and possibilities and I will show love to everyone I meet.

What will the 3 words that define you and/or your challenges and goals for 2012 be?
What is your power word?

And in the words of Chris Broagan don’t forget to check out Jacqueline’s 12 in 12 idea as a model for mapping your three words to actionable efforts every month. I think it’ll make a WORLD of difference!

Share your 3 words in the comments box below.

Related posts:

1. I declare 2009 the Year of the Credit Brunch!

Whoever said that business was just about facts and figures forgot the vital role emotions play in the scheme of things.

I had thought that the breakdown of my relationship with my father had nothing to do with business and was something I could learn to live with but at inappropriate moments issues of value and self-worth reared their ugly heads and all roads of ‘blame’ seemed to lean in my father’s direction. I realized that the only way forward was for healing and restoration to take place and so I prayed for Divine intervention and as if by magic I was given a ticket to New York (that’s where he lives). No turning back now!

I had grand ideas about how I was going to use transactional analysis (“Each of us is really three people.” What transactional analysts mean when they say this is that people are able to act in three different ways – as their Parent, as their Adult, and as their Child. These three behavior modes, each important in its own right are called ego states”) This would be an adult adult relationship and my inner child would be protected. The problem with theory is that it is always so much easier on paper than in practice. Who was I kidding? He’s my dad and I’m his child. End of story.

He met me at the airport and as I sat in front of him in the car to his house, his first attempt at conversation was “what happened to your hair? “At the sound of this I knew it was going to be a bumpy ride.
But two weeks later and lots of challenging situations behind me, it turns out this was the best business planning exercise I could have undertaken.

I learnt so much about myself and about life and business in general but in particular I learnt:

Letting go of yesterday is a powerful catapult into better tomorrows so onward and upward. I’m excited about tomorrow!

No related posts.

“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Abraham Lincoln

Our shadows are always with us we just need to connect with something greater than ourselves to see it. We are so much bigger than how we are currently operating and in the words of the great Marianne Williamson “your playing small does not serve the world”

Even if the sun is not shining on you today, stand up tall and live from your ‘bigness’

Related posts:

1. Words that deliver
2. Bounce Back Mentality

Keep It Simple Stupid

Now isn’t that a nice thought!

But that’s not what I am talking about. K.I.S.S is a powerful acronym for Keep It Simple Stupid, a powerful reminder not to over complicate things.

It occurs to me that the more complex we make things the longer it takes us to get it done.

Think about it we can only ever make one decision at a time yet we are always trying to make as many as possible and in quick succession.

Not sure what I mean here is an example. When you get up in the morning you only have one decision to make, do you get out of bed or stay in it. That’s it! At that point nothing else matters or can make any difference until you have made that first decision. But before you’ve made and committed to your decision you are already deciding about what to wear, what to eat for breakfast, what you are going to do when you get to the office and what you are planning to have for lunch (or some semblance of the above).

Now don’t get me wrong it is important to plan ahead but let’s keep it simple and take one step at a time. One step is all it takes!

For your information and the acronym was first coined by Kelly Johnson, lead engineer at the Lockheed Skunk Works.

Related posts:

1. Dee gets a name change and starts her 30 day adventure