Getting up when you're feeling down

So the last few months have been really high and then very low. I've found myself waking up each day wondering what to do, how to motivate myself to get up and get going, let alone getting though my days off work when I have no distractions to keep me busy.

...So I've been trying to find some things to do daily that lifts my spirits and keep my mind occupied.


- Join the gym, set a goal, get to work.
By focussing my energy into physical outlet, it helps. And to know that I'm on the way to looking better and being stronger makes it even better. That small cost each week is totally worth how I feel when I'm done with my workout each day. (It's great if you have to escape the flatmates/kids/general boredom etc)

- Create a space (my room) that is my sanctuary
Rather than waiting for my "one day home" I've started creating my ideal living space within my current living space. Collecting retro furniture and key pieces that I've always imagined in my "one day apartment" (I'm a visual person, so this might not work for everyone. But it's about finding a space where you feel comfortable to just be - your sanctuary. It could be a cafe, a spot in the park, a walking track or your own room... Whatever makes you feel a little more zen.

- Fill my time up with friends and fun.
Although I'm an introvert to the core (I MUST have my me time without people, at least a few hours daily) I find I'm happier at the end of the day when I've done stuff and seen people. I try to schedulle catchups with people ahead of time so that when I don't feel like doing anything, I'm already committed. (And although I usually don't feel like it on the day, I'm always grateful afterwards that I did)

- Be productive
There are lots of methods to encourage productivity but my favourite is 4 before 10. I give myself 4 tasks to get done before 10am each day. Once I tick them off my To Do list, I feel like I've started the day well and I'm more motivated to get other tasks done.

- Take care of yourself
Schedule in some time for you - whatever makes you feel like you're looking after yourself. I like to go to a cafe alone and journal, book a massage or just watch a new movie and zone out for a few hours. Whatever makes you feel like you've paused for a moment.

- Get grateful and mindful.
At the end of the day, I write down these 3 things about the day
1. I'm grateful for today
2. What I did well/I'm proud of myself for today
3.

And sometimes after all that, I still feel crap. But the point is, you try and then you keep on trying. There are good days and there are not so great days. But every step towards feeling better/happier/positive is a step closer.


What about you? What do you do to drag yourself out of a funk or lift your spirits on a low day? x




- Some constructive tips to draw focus to your direction

- This little comic about life and purpose

- And this one from Lifehack

What's your story?

So, what is your ideal story then?

Create a dream board. Visualise it. And make it happen. 

Small, daily, deliberate steps.

x

Plant to reuse and reduce

Plant an Edible Garden:

You might only need a small piece of thyme/basil/parsley for that recipie you're cooking, but why not plant out your herbs and always have them on hand. Better yet, share them with your friends and neighbours. Most herbs are easy to grow and are very hardy (If I can grow them, anyone can!) My favourite starters are rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil and mint (or try some edible flowers to add to salads and decorate cakes)

Freelance - What are you worth?

This article may be a good place to start.

Cup of Jo - Beauty Uniform, Gemma Burgess

image above by Maddison Bayly Photography

From my favourite blog and blogger Jo Goddard of Cup of Jo. Gemma shares her beauty routine and favourite products (I want to try them all!) Check it out at Cup of Jo, here

Less Landfill

This article about the efficiency of Sweden's recycling program.

Explore your backyard - Sydney

Day 2 and a such beautiful day! We headed into the CBD for some retail therapy (mostly window shopping) and high tea. My favourite place to shop is always the Queen Victoria Building, so beautiful! Further down the road we found the cutest little cafe, The Tea Salon. They served the most amazing variety of scones and tea - I went with lavender scones and eucalyptus black tea. Yum! After a big day of window shopping and catching up, it was the perfect pitstop to recharge our batteries before the bus ride home. 

...And then the sun was setting on my weekend in Sydney and I was back to the airport and back to Brisbane before I knew it! 

There are some very beautiful/cool/crazy things to see, wherever you are, if you just look for them!

x

Explore your backyard - Sydney

Bondi Beach

We arrived at Bondi at midday and lunched at Lush on Bondi. It's the best place for people watching (and Lifeguard watching, if you're a fan of Bondi Rescue) and is right across from the main beach, at the end of the Pavillion. We shopped the stores and markets along the main street and then headed up to walk the cliffs. (There is also an amazing trail along the cliffs from Bondi to Bronte that I would recommend if you like a longer walk/hike. The most beautiful scenery and a great angle to see the beaches, homes and natural beauty of the area.) Bondi esplanade is much smaller than you would expect and has a nice, small town feel and a relaxing vibe.

Bondi Beach on a Friday afternoon. (Can you see the Bondi lifesavers down there?! We caught a bit of them filming for the next season of Bondi Rescue)

The top of the hill is a great place to soak up the sunshine

The pools at Bondi Icebergs Club at the Southern end of the beach (there's also one at the Northern   end of the beach)

 The beautiful rocks at the top of the cliffs




Have you been to Bondi Beach? What were your favourite things to do/see/ eat there? x

Trashfreechallenge - 8. Re-style

When I talk to people about opshopping or similar ventures, it often conjures up images of scruffy old tshirts with flower motifs and weird stains, moth ball scented sweaters, and outdated old dresses... But what surprises most people is just how many current brands and styles are hiding amongst the aforementioned trash, and just how current you can look! To prove my point, here are my four most recent finds.

1. Mika & Gala dress $4 from Suitcase Rummage and leopard print boots, from the Swap. 

- It's funny, I had my eye on this dress a few years ago. It's a beautiful, thick, woven fabric, in the most vibrant blues and greens ($145 in store at the time) So when I saw this at the Rummage, I snapped it up fast!

2. Yellow print dress $4, Suitcase Rummage. 

- The perfect summer dress to throw on for a trip to the markets, or to dress up for dinner with the girls.

 

3. 4 & 5. Topshop silk skirt $4, Suitcase Rummage. Black brogue boots $8, Suitcase Rummage. 

Leopard print boots $swap, Suitcase Rummage. 

- I couldn't choose which boots - clashing patterns or matching black boots. They're both my new favourites! And the skirt is such a pretty pattern and the softest, slinkiest fabric. Love!

 

Do you opshop, rummage, swap or thrift? What's the best piece you've found?! I'd love to hear.

x

#trashfreechallenge - 7. Roadside treasures

One man's trash is another man's treasure...

Throughout the year, Brisbane City Council offers a roadside collection service, where residence can leave large items on the roadside for free collection/removal. Each suburb is allocated a date, until all of the areas of Brisbane have had their chance to spring clean their homes and throw out their junk... What this means for pickers, thrifters and gatherers is a virtual treasure trove of goodies to drive by and find - but you have to get in quick! All of the great items disappear virtually as soon as they are put out on the roadside. (Note: This does require you to leave your pride at home. Dragging a beaten up old vintage piano stool into your car on a main road at peak hour is not the classiest look, but totally worth it!)

These two chairs were a roadside collection find. I almost drove right past them but I'm so glad I didn't! The lady who previously owned them was just putting them out when I spotted them (yay!) I made a new little cushion for this piano stool. The Bentwood chair was a little beyond my DIY skills so I cleaned it up and found it a new home via gumtree.

 

About: The vintage piano stool, before and after

Below: The bentwood chair. A DIYers dream!

     

 

Have you ever rummaged in the roadside collections?! What's the best thing you've found?

x

February 13 - Happy Galentines Day!

Some lovely friends recently organised a Galentines date, for all the girls to get together and shower some love on each other (and eat pancakes and bacon - that's a form of love right?!) Great company, good conversation, LOTS of food and some gifts thrown in for good measure!

 

On a #trashfree note, our gifts were wrapped in recycled papers and tissues (yay us!) My gift, the felt heart hand warmers, were handmade from scrap fabric and materials that I had in my craft box - no trash there! We also had gifts that were baked or edible (Trash free and tasty! And the jar is perfect for kitchen or bathroom storage), vintage (tea set), and beautiful soap from a store that is very deliberate about recycling and being green... And let me tell you, there was no wastage of food, on my part at least!    

 

(Pippa posted about these on her blog, The Active Attic)

A good night with some great girls (Thanks girls!) x

#trashfreechallenge - 6. Thrifting, the grown up treasure hunt

I love a good thrift session. Whether it's gumtree, garages sales, clothes swaps, recycle centres, or the local roadside collection, it's so much fun to hunt for treasures! Over the years I've sourced many great finds, most of my favourite pieces of furniture are second hand pieces. So, today I thought I'd share some of my favourite opshop found treasures.
Opshops

1.

I scored this pretty little peach tea dress (second from left) for my friends hens party (and recently on-sold it at the Suitcase Rummage!) It was in beautiful condition and perfect for the occasion. That's the great thing about opshopping - if you need to, you can have a high turnover of clothes in your closet with low impact. Just keep recycling! 

2.

The little clock in my former studio (above) and the luxo swing arm lamp were both opshop finds. The lamp is so sturdy and timeless (the story from the shop attendant was, it was from a hotel that had recently renovated and donated their old furnishings to the opshop. How cool!) and the clock weirdly reminds me of my primary school classroom clocks from back in the day (not sure why this appeals to me, but it does) 

3.

Finally, my lovely bedside stand (above) that holds all my treasures. This was an opshop find from years ago, at a time when I didn't have a car. I wanted this so much that I walked 5 blocks home with it, ha! It was originally a drab brown colour, so I slapped on a fresh coat of white paint and voila! It's one of my favourite pieces of furniture that has travelled with me over many year and 7 house moves! 

Do you opshop? What has been your favourite piece you've found?!

x

#trashfreechallenge - 5. "Tooling up"

My "tools": L-R Lunchbots stainless steel lunchbox $26.50, U Conserve bamboo spork $6.95 (both from Biome), 1L water bottle (a recycled glass cordial bottle!), Glass mason jar $2.95 from Kmart and stainless steel straw $3.00 from Biome, Stainless steel mini thermos $19.95 from Biome (by now you'll realise that Biome is my favourite shop for all things green, lol!)

Since beginning this #trashfreechallenge, I've had good and not so good trash free weeks. A busy week can make it easier to excuse extra trash and brush off extra effort to reduce further trash. When I do slip up, it's because I'm not prepared. It's a reminder to me that commitment to this lifestyle change (as scary as that sounds) is somewhat necessary. If I'm not being deliberate about making changes then they aren't going to happen by themselves. So this week, I'm getting "tooled up" to make sure I have everything I need to minimise any future slip ups.

What I got (my "tools")

- Thermos for my tea. I got this Triton thermos one from Biome but you can get them everywhere. This one is the perfect size for one big cup of tea/coffee/soup etc, especially in the mornings when I'm running late. (Breakfast while commuting to work anyone?)

- Mason jar for my smoothies. These are everywhere at the moment. I got this one for $2 from Kmart! Great for a smoothie on the go or you can swap lids for a cute little salad jar. 

- A reusable straw for my mason jar. I bought a stainless steel one from Biome but you can also get glass straws or silicone straws (if you're worried about your teeth). So cool!

- A reusable coffee cup (for those days when I buy a coffee from the cafe next door) I'm yet to invest in one of these but I like these ones (especially the limited edition collection). They're Australian made (in Melbourne!) and are lightweight, unbreakable and recyclable at the end of the life of the cup. 

- Stainless steel Lunchbox (mine is a Lunchbots lunchbox) and a reusable fork (I bought this bamboo one by U conserve because it's lightweight, but you could just keep a regular set of cutlery in your bag or go all out and invest in a titanium spork (I've had my eye on this one for a while now)

Do you have any awesome "tools" that keep you on track? I'd love to hear!

x

#trashfreechallenge - 4. Friends and frenemies

A rainy day today that, by the end of the day, matched my mood. 

Sometimes meeting new people, making new friends can be hard and being resilient when you own a thin skin can be tough. People seem intent on remaining in their own bubble, unwilling to talk, connect, or go out of their way to help others unless it benefits them. And despite the fact that you're a fully grown, fully functioning adult, you begin to feel like a kid on the first day of school... or an "Art Freak" sitting with the "Mean Girls".

Today, my #trashfreechallenge is about decluttering your friendships, relationships and social circle. 

The 5 people of influence - the people you spend the most time with, reflect your attitude and even your financial status. So who are you spending your time with? And who do you aspire to be like (in your career, relationships, attitude, etc) That friend who brings you down rather than uplifts you - It doesn't mean you have to stop seeing him/her. But it may benefit you to spend less time together. Choose your friends wisely. 

Facebook and other social media is a great way to connect and keep in touch with friends and acquaintances. But there are always those few people whos picture perfect facebook lives leave you feeling like you're struggling in life more than ever? Or have you friended the acquaintance who mistakes their status update for a therapy session? (Yes, we've all been there) You don't have to unfriend them, but you can unfollow them. While it won't affect them, it may be healthier for you in the long run. 

Random strangers and nameless faces - the people we interact with everyday but don't connect with (or even know their names!) I came across this article yesterday I'd Rather One Good Friend Than 100 Sh*tty Ones Yes, it's true that your friendship group should represent quality over quantity. I pride myself on the amazing handful of true friends I'm lucky enough to have… But who says you can't make some very worthwhile connections and possibly make someone feel a little bit more significant along the way? I feel like it's all too easy to forget the power you have, the influence you have on other peoples happiness. Let's try to use it for good, not evil :) 

My challenge for the week: Connect with one stranger each day this week. 

The woman who serves you coffee each morning, the elderly lady on the bus who keeps trying to chat with everyone, the bus driver... Have a short conversation with someone (heck, have a long conversation with someone!), give a meaningful "Thank you" with a smile and eye contact, or just be more aware of the people around you. It takes very little to brighten someones day.  

What do you think? Will you try it! (As always, I'd love to hear how you go)

x

#trashfreechallenge - 3. declutter

this beautiful image via here

The night after our big day at the Suitcase Rummage, I sat looking at our photographs of the day. At the sea of people, with our lovely clothes, our shiny nicknacks, trinkets and treasures sprawled across the ground, ready to sell... and I realised, "trash" can come in all shapes and forms.
We can be buried by our overconsumption of "stuff" and it's hard to know where to begin to tackle this.
So, today's #trashfreechallenge is Minimalist living, at home. The baby steps to working towards a minimalist home.

...To me, minimalism means living in simplicity. The idea that you can pick up and travel anywhere with a few quality possessions, like a modern day gypsy, is very appealing to me (especially when you've moved homes as many times in the last few years as I have!) The convenience of our many modern day essentials becomes a burden and eventually it becomes easier to live without them. Minimalism may come from many places - from the desire to have less responsibility and therefore less burden, by necessity as a frequent traveller or other reason, or as a conscious decision to move past a particular point in life. While it's not for everyone, I feel like it's a good time in my #trashfreechallenge to tackle what remains of my clutter and become a little closer to minimalism.
Here's what I did...

My five simple steps to minimalism (in the home)

1. One set of everything - bedding and linens, towels, cutlery, crockery. Think quality, not quantity. 

2. Trinkets and treasures and stuff - is it sentimental, a gift or a memento? If so, find a place for it (I love this typeset box idea for displaying trinkets). If not, re-home it.

3. Let it grow - Rather than have hundreds of pot plants, transplant your pots into your garden. You might have to leave them behind when you move but you'll leave something more beautiful than when you arrived.

4. Important clutter (files, documents, etc) Start with hardcopies and if you're really feeling ambitions, tackle the computer files etc. (Here's a good little guide by the lovely Pippa)

5. Clothing - What have you worn in the last 6 months. Take everything else out of your closet and re-home it. Or it you can't bear to do that, put it in a box. If you look for it to wear it in the next 6 months, keep it. If not, re-home it all.   

And when I'm finding it too hard to decide whether to keep or re-home something, I just ask myself this question: What would you save in a fire/flood/other natural disaster, if you could only take what you could carry?

So, that should be a good start to tackling the clutter. It's tough but if feels so good to let go of it all and have only those things that really serve you and things that really mean something to you.
Do you think you'll try it? (Let me know if you find any areas of particular clutter that we can tackle together)

x

*re-home: to re-gift, donate, sell, swap, etc.

Out with the old, in with the... old!

Before my recent travels abroad, I was living in a very comfortable nest of clutter. After travelling for several weeks with just one carry on suitcase, I realised how much of the "stuff" I'd left behind that I didn't need. Since then, I've been steadily working on reducing the "things" in my life and working towards living minimally, with just the bare necessities... And so far, it feels pretty good!

This weekend, my friend Pippa (from The Active Attic) and I plunged headfirst into our wardrobes for a serious de-clutter and headed to the Suitcase Rummage Markets to sell some of our stuff (and buy a few new things too) It's a big

           

 

The Rummage is a great way to refresh your wardrobe and recycle, while making a little extra cash (Bonus!) Your bulging wardrobe will thank you and you just may be lucky enough meet some pretty cool people like we did!


Do you have something like this in your home town? I'd love to hear about it!

PS: The last time we were at the Rummage (blast from the past!)

x

Reflections and resolutions - Where are you going in 2015?

A new year and a new set of goals, a clean slate, a fresh start (I love New Years!)

At the beginning of the year, I like to take the chance to reflect on where I'm at and where I'm going, to make sure I'm on track. Starting with these 5 questions...

1. Where are you right now?
Work, health and fitness, finances, relationships, home life, etc. The good, the bad and the ugly. You can't know where you're going if you don't know where you're starting from.

2. Where would you like to be this time next year?
Where would you like to be instead of where you're at? Or another way to look at it is, if you could be finishing this year differently, what would that look like? Write it down. This will help to work out what you need to work towards.

And then stretch it out...

3. Where would you like to be in 5 years? Age, martial status, job, lifestyle, health, finances and savings, travel, etc.

4. In 10 years?

And finally, break it right down.

5. What's your idea of a perfect day?
Early breakfast date with the girls? A yoga class? Shopping all day? Spending the day with your family? Working on your pet project? Volunteering? All of these things? Whatever it is, it's your day.

Write it down, get specific, see the details, create a collage - whatever helps you visualise best.
It helps to work towards a goal that is crystal clear, so you know exactly what you're aiming for.

... Whew! So, what do you think? Would you try it? I'd love to hear how you go!

PS: Check out Keith Abraham, Passionate People 

Some great activities and tools to help you find and reach your goals.  

x