daily update stuff

Today I spent the day doing admin.  Like expenses (since February!) and sorting out a carpet fitter.  And making sure that the new credit card works.  Creating a list of those folk interesting in my Wild Painting Weekend.

Its getting close - the above and I haven't really paid any attention to it for ages.  Got to get that in gear.

Things are generally good though.  Creating mechanism for clear communication in our house.  Sorting out the garden and buying new pillows.  Stuff like this.  It feels as if I am finally back in the house after a long time away.  Time to get cracking!!

Back to decluttering (it NEVER ends - just goes in bursts and dips - though I am getting better at not bringing SO much stuff into the house)

am a little befuddled as really that was a long long day of admin.  Want to stop now.  Got a chap coming over to look at the garden.  building a shed - for guinea pigs and art stuff.  That should help!! ha ha!!

OK.  little update and thats it.

Different to what I expected!!

So that was good.  Unexpected.  Not as good as it could have been.  And certainly no one was saved.  But for  me, hope was saved.  And the young people of Britain saved it.  Which is hope in itself.

I can't believe who the GUP are - how can they exist in this world?  What is going on with Northern Ireland.  Who voted for them?  Jesus, old people, get a grip.  This is all NOT OK.  And as for Mrs May - WTF.  WTAF.

But young people of Britain I salute you.  We are not all right wing racists who care only for the economy.  We are not all stupid.  Still half stupid.  But not ALL of us.

And well done Caroline and Brighton.  Proud to live here.

And my Art Journaling course is full.  Yes FULL.  2 extra folk appeared today.  Just appeared.

I love what I do.

xxx

gah! election fatigue.

Am feeling slightly obsessed and yet detached.  Probably going to be a whole load of bollocky shite poo tomorrow.  I am expecting the worst.  Though holding a small thread of hope that  - almost because of this - I will be wrong!  Brexit and Trump has made me realise I know nothing.  Other than slightly more than half of us all are a bit stupid.  At least France went madly centrist and ditched the racists.  And Canada seems to have some unearthly chap in charge.

Fingers crossed.  But car crashly watching through my fingers and expecting the worst.

You never know what is going to happen.

total girl crush

I just pretty much love anything Alexandra Franzen writes.  I recall - like about 6 or 7 years ago I nearly hired her to rewrite my CV.  Which is what she was doing at the time for like $50.  I was so broke then I couldn't afford it.  Maybe it was $150.  or $99.  $50 seems ludicrously cheap now.

Eitherway DOH! She is a literal writing genius.  I could have had my life changed back then - for $50.  Now I think she is booked up for years in advance and its more $5000.  I don't know, I haven't looked for a while.   As it happened my life changed anyway.  And all is good.

But I just love what she writes and here is what I read from her today.  Whatever is going on.  Today is not over yet.

She rocks.  Read anything she writes!

http://www.alexandrafranzen.com/2015/01/18/today-is-not-over-yet/

Today is not over yet.

It was a glum, soggy, heart-sagging kind of Saturday.

I slept in till noon — and would have slept longer if my boyfriend hadn’t rustled me awake.

After a long, tedious drive home through the rain, I was completely exhausted.

I looked at my clock. Nearly 3pm.

“Day’s practically over,” I thought to myself.

My bed was looking pretty damn good. An afternoon nap… a Netflix marathon… maybe a pizza delivery for dinner. Sure. Why not.

“It’s not like I’m going to accomplish anything today, at this point,” I thought, shambling my way over to bed. “Might as well just flop.”

But then, quite suddenly and dramatically — as if one of my brain lobes spontaneously decided to channel the spirit of Tony Robbins — I heard five words in my mind:

Today is not over yet.

I glanced at my bed one more time. Heard it again.

Today is not over yet.

“OK,” I thought. “New plan.”

This is what happened:

I hauled myself to yoga. Arrived early (for the first time… maybe ever). Had a beautiful conversation with my teacher. Smiled. Laughed. Finished class. Decided to ring up the local community wellness center. Could they slide me in for a massage? Miraculously: they could. Got the best massage of my life. Soaked in a jacuzzi by starlight — with raindrops splashing on my face. Went home. Discovered a new public radio program. Made a nourishing dinner. Wrote letters to friends. Wrote a blog post. Wrote another one. Had a brilliant idea for a new class I’d like to teach one day. Wrote it down.

The soggiest, laziest, most forgettable day of my week became the most beautiful, enriching and memorable day of my month.

It turned on a dime — in one split-second decision — with a simple statement of fact:

Today is not over yet.

So you overslept and missed your morning run?

Today is not over yet.

So you had a diet Coke, two cigarettes and four donuts for lunch?

Today is not over yet.

So you frittered away your time on Facebook, spent mindless hours loitering in your inbox, and procrastinated with smartphone games instead of working on your novel?

Today is not over yet.

If your heart is beating, if your lungs are breathing, if you are still alive… then it is not too late to do something kind, creative, generous, satisfying, and courageous. Today.

It is not too late to behave like the person you want to be — instead of continuing in a cycle of behavior that you will regret.

You might feel sleepy. It might be tough. It could seem preferable to just sit this one out.

But…

Today is not over yet.

Daily Check in

HA! self discipline.  PAH.  am not very good at it! BUT on the other hand - lets be positive.  Let me not say that.  Say, I am getting better at self discipline.

I did get up early today and do yoga.  How self disciplined is that! YES.  (fist pump!)

And - here i am doing my daily check in thing.  YES

Yesterday I went to Kings College and saw some lovely folk who are working really hard on managing their work flow better.  I found a really cool book by Cyril someone in a rather overly attractive stationary store that had lots of planners in it.  Kiki (?) The book was called Work Smarter: Live Better and it appealed  - not only because it had been attractively designed - but also because it is EXACTLY what I do professionally.  SO interesting.  I have never really seen anyone else who does exactly the same thing.  I lie - there is Productivity Ninja - that is similar.  But mine is more about How to Have a GOOD day at work and live better.  And there is a book called How to have a Good Day at work.  or is it just how to have a good day???  Anyways, this one, - its pretty much exactly, though he also gets people to whittle down their ACTUAL filing systems and I only cover that in email.  And in email I am even more brutal than he is.

So its really interesting seeing how he positions himself.  He says his mission is to change lives.  Which is really cool.  As everyone wants to leave the world having made a positive difference in peoples's lives. Well I do.  And this  book is really giving me confidence that I can and do!    So that was good.

I also got really positive feedback from the last Prioritisation group I lead.  And these were very senior people.  I totally and utterly enjoyed it too, as we had a fabulous discussion - touching on very esoteric notions about purpose and human behaviours.  So feeling very proud  To be honest I was already feeling proud about that session.  It was the first time I really went off script.  That is, I saw the forms that they had filled in and decided from that, to do what I thought would work best.  And so getting good feedback meant that I had made a good call.

I am feeling very good because the Wild Art Journaling course I am running starting on Friday is going ahead.  Last Friday it was nearly being cancelled because only 3 people were signed up.  We needed 6 as a minimum.  I nearly went all fatalistic about it, almost giving up.  But I decided to WERK it and really do my best to promote it over the weekend. And reach out to everyone I knew and ask them directly.  And it worked.  We are going ahead on Friday and I am so happy.

I have a new client.  A theatre group where a friend of mine is working.  I am very excited by that too.

On Monday I did a social media course and learned some stuff that is actually quite simple and I am going to put into practice.

Today things are feeling very good.

Things that I can improve on are
Doing Navasana every day - this is on my list and despite it taking less than 60 seconds I am avoiding it.  Come on Moyra!
Scheduling my time  - specifically so that I limit my social media and make it more effective.
Making sure I get to my weekly coaching calls.
Sorting out the back room and floor and garden still needs doing.
Writing to Jane and Richard to thank them for lending us their house in Cornwall.
Sending gifts to my folks.

TO do today
food shop
clear my intray
invoicing and expenses
contact Nicky re dates

Self Discipline Challenge

Ah - so - I seem  - very luckily   -  to have been on holiday for ages.  Interspersed with a lot of hard work.  Its been super fun and I earned good money.  However, it has taken its toll.  I feel out of place with my own systems and balance.  I have stopped my daily practices and I feel a bit unhealthy and behind in stuff.

And thank you Universe because here - doing my daily writing practice and trying to get back on it.  Old Zen Habits blog has a Self Discipline Challenge today!

Yup.  And it reminded me of all those things that were sort of in my mind anyway - about getting back on it all.

Join me if you will.  I am back on my Miracle Mornings - well  - my version of it.  Which is Yoga first thing, daily writing, daily affirmations, daily meditation.  And I am doing the plank and navasana daily.

Building my self discipline.  yes.

Liar Liar GE2017

Innit tho.  General Election 2017.  I wish for a collation of some sort.  Pray that their hubris is marred deeply and its no such thing as a runaway victory.  I will be voting Green in Brighton Pavillion.  I'd vote for Nicola Sturgen  - if I could.  Fingers crossed for some new politics #progressivealliance