Stop Buying Stuff!

You might have noticed a new little icon on the side of my wee blog here today: a Pay Pal icon.

In the spirit of getting out of debt for good this year, I’m open for business! In my quest to get the income flowing and the debt drying up, I’m going to share with you all some great tips and sites about money, and will share my journey to debt-free living with you as well. If I make you laugh, or give you some inspiration here or there, feel free to click on the button and donate a dollar or 2, or heck, 50c. Or perhaps you’d like a yoga lesson? Or a scented eye pillow? Or some typing work done? I am up to the challenge, so let’s get going.

To start off, here’s a cool little blog I came across recently – No More Stuff. I’m really looking forward to seeing how these Melbournites make it through February, should be interesting! And I couldn’t very well give some thumbs up to a site like this without repeating my Spend Free Week experience, so stay tuned, as that will be done in February by yours truly.

Some other cool sites if you get a sec: Make Love, Not Debt and Stop Buying Crap.

Xx

Fly in the air with the greatest of ease....

We ain't got no flying machines, but girls, we are going to fly and I couldn't be more excited!!!

Sydney Girls Blogger Olympics is kicking off in fine style as we challenge ourselves and our wits to some Trapezing.

Date: Saturday 24th February

Time: option of 11am, 1pm, or 3.30pm

Place: Homebush, Sydney
Cost: $45

RSVP: asap! We have to book our spot (with numbers) as soon as we can to secure our lesson.

It's going to be amazing - and safe. You're strapped in with a safety belt and over a safety net at all times, and we actually take a bit of time to learn safety at the beginning. You can read all about the place right here.

So... hands up! Who's in?

So far the exhilerating souls are: Mary, Stella & ...

Short n’ Sweet Part 2

Yikes, what an intense month January has been. I can’t believe it is the 28th already! I have worked every single day this month and I’m a bit pooped, but good to see that while I’ve been working, at least I’ve had a chance to pay off some of the credit card. I’ve not had time to think of much else, and there has been a bit to think of. For that, I’m happy.

43 Things journal project is going along swimmingly and I’m really enjoying being a part of it. You can read about the idea here (um, when I find the link. Just do a google search for moleskin diary project) – it’s very similar to the moleskin diary project (see?). I wasn’t sure how I could fill so many pages, but it’s working a treat, and everyone is VERY different. I have realized I love colour and cutting and pasting and writing – while others are just ‘pen to paper’ and others are still more different.

Writing course is booked in and paid in full, I have also got a teacher ready to cover my yoga classes that will be affected. Ultra organised. My psychologist actually wants me to start drawing – whether it’s doodles across a page, stripes, nothing in particular, or full on artistic sketches (that won’t be me)… just to start being in a place and seeing what comes up.. so I’m looking forward to writing and drawing and tapping into that side of my mind.

Anyway, 2nd interview very soon for my gold job.. hope it goes well. Then come the end of this week and I’m free as a bird again. Not too stressed about job action, more so looking forward to starting my year! First weekend in February sees me doing a yoga workshop with Simon Low, and on my first day off (not sure of my end date) I am going to go to the Body Mind Life centre to get my 10 day pass for $17. woohoo.

Keen to make yoga a priority again and this is a step in the right direction. Next thing, food. Not looking forward to sorting that out in my life, but here we go!

x

New Years Goals... plodding along!

Well, we’re halfway into the first month of a new year and it’s about this time when one might start wavering on those new years resolutions! But me, I’m going ok. I have ten top ‘goals’ that I wanted to achieve over the course of this year and things are looking up to speed on a good few of them.

I’m thinking about my overseas trip, have got my writing course coming up in just a couple of weeks, filed my first freelance article with a national glossy mag, and am really looking at my debt tally. The debt repayment plan is going along swimmingly. Slow and steady wins the race…. But with this coming week’s pay I should be smiling.

I’ve also started seeing a new psychologist who is just amazing. Have had 3 sessions with her so far and have taken just so much away from each and every one of them. She knows I love reading so hasn’t been shy in suggesting heaps of books for me to read – I’ve just been absolutely devouring them and can’t wait to go to the library to get some more. I won’t share the title of them here… don’t wanna spread my worries to the world, but also cause they are books I never thought I’d read.

However, once you look past the titles, I swear to god these books were written with me in mind. Seriously.

So that’s all smiley.

Plans for my new yoga class are rocking and I’m so happy to buy stuff like stationery, organise business cards etc. It’s fun and inspiring, new stuff. And I’m doing a Simon Low workshop early February with a gorgeous pal that I did my teacher training with so it’ll really be a blowout to practice together again! I’m so looking forward to it. Simon is from the UK and teaches a stunning style of yoga called YIN YOGA.

This is my time (come Feb) of making yoga a priority in my life again, so improving my personal practice. It’s funny, I was reading through some old mags last night as I was tidying up and there was an article about some ppl who turned their life around due to really down circumstances. In a couple of days it is one month since my hospital stay and I really don’t want that to happen again. So I am taking this as my depressing circumstance and it’s time now to turn my life around… in some ways. So here goes.

Take care and more updates soon xxx

Jobby job job

Got a job interview in a couple of hours for AN AMAZING JOB that just has ME written all over it.

I've been so busy that I've not really thought too much about it - really only came up a couple of days ago and I found out about an interview yesterday afternoon, so it means I can't stress too much! ;)

It is a marketing & publicity role and it’s based near the city… so none of this traveling over the bridge all the time. Yippee! I feel really good about it and the way it’s come about as well, it just feels good and shiny. So cross your fingers for me all!

xx


UPDATE:
So.. the interview went well. Really well. We chatted, we got on great, I answered all the questions with ease (cause don't you hate it when they really stump you?) and the job sounds even more perfect than I anticipated. Very very creative space with lots of free reign but also group brainstorming and it's just perfect.

Alas, you never know what they're exactly after so we'll just have to wait and see. Decision should be made by end next week so keep up the hoping for me, kids! Very exciting.

Short but sweet...

Grabbing 2 minutes while I’m in the midst of the madness at bdo…

Work is my life at the moment, but it’s not a bad life to have. The offices are gorgeous here, nice big warehouse ceilings, lunch is coming each day (thank bloody god! Some healthy food is getting in my belly!), dinner is tasty takeaway (we’ve had pizza, pasta, Japanese, Turkish pizza so far), and best yet, each hour I work I just think of the debt repayment plan! Yippee!

I am working full on – the biggest day so far was 7am till 1am the next morning.. yes, you read right. And we’re not even close to show day yet! Ahhh so much work and so little time : ) But I got a great sleep in today (till the upstairs unit started drilling their bathroom at 8am!!!!).

Water of a duck’s back is coming very much in handy – not ego’s so much, but people are just under such pressure that sometimes the manners become a bit lost in translation. But I’m giving as good as I get and the ppl here are some of the nicest ppl I’ve ever come across. It’s a really good vibe and I’m smiling.

In other news, not ending up doing the Donna Farhi workshop in March because she is charging a massive $300 for it… I’m sorry, but for a teacher (great and amazing as she is) to charge that much for a weekend practice, it’s just not cricket. (do you like that?) She’s from NZ too, so it’s not as though she’s got to spend massive amounts of money on a flight or anything. As I was discussing with a friend, WTF?!!?!

In November I did a workshop over an ENTIRE weekend with John Friend (from AMERICA – not just NZ, and he is the founder of an entire new style of yoga….) and it was cheaper than that. Plus, doing the DH weekend means I’ll have to give up teaching a Friday night class, plus a Sunday morning class (my own new class!). Even more so - $300 is rent for a week (more than!), that is over a months’ payment on a credit card, and that is over 3 weeks food budget…..

So no yoga for me.
But smiles, credit card repayments, and some yoga classes around Sydney that don’t cost an arm and a leg.

Hope yr all travelling well. x

Busy little chook

Geez things have been just completely on-the-go lately. I've been working hard, eating bad (oops) and scraping together some me time - but all is good and I have had a couple of days to just sleep... so needed!

And in that time of sleep and crazy work, I've also been SO EXCITED (caps worthy!) because I've locked in a date for a Yoga Workshop I'm running (check out the info!) and also have locked in a dream of mine.. I'm starting up a regular yoga class of my own come March. I have taught yoga for over a year now, but always for someone else (a gym or studio etc). So I'm taking a leap of faith here and going for it - and it's like the planets are aligning or something. I've just found the ideal bright space, and ppl are interested... I am so happy : )

So while things have been crazy, I've been making a little nudge and dent towards my 2007 goals (not resolutions, but goals!) with the help of gorgeous Picasso's Muse. We've been chatting heaps on Messenger and I am smiling because I have found such a beautiful, understanding and inspiring pal across the oceans.... Anyway, back to goals, we've decided to really make 2007 work for us - so check out our progress on our shared blog, dedicated to making this year the year that rocks the party.

I'm pleased to say that today I kicked off my Goal #9 - Learn to relax (ie. stop working 7 days a week, and when I have a day off, do something conducive to relaxation, be it massage, meditate, sleep, stretch, watch a movie etc). Ok, so I had a massage because I had so much stress in my shoulders from this week that I literally couldn't turn my neck, but I had a massage none the less! And I walked out of that room like an angel - seriously, I was floating!

So here's hoping your 2007 has started off as shiny as mine.

Take care,
xxx

weekly plan - w/c monday 1 jan

* up my daily fruit intake (min x 2 pieces a day)
* start taking a multi-vitamin daily, meds daily
* yoga x 2 times personal practice
* walk x 2 times this week
* 1 x homecooked healthy meal
* 2 x alcohol free days this week

Starting off slowly... let's see how we go!

Yesterday, New Year's Day, I was working at Field Day in the Domain - 7am till 1am! Then I was back here at 8am this morning, and I am working till at least Thursday. So my walks will be literally a shuffle around the block, and 1 homecooked meal is about as good as I think I'll manage this week!

Next week when I start at Big Day Out it will be a similar story, but if I can get these simple strategies in place, the rest of the year will be looking shiny.