Have you heard of the movie, The Secret?
It's about the law of attraction, and I realised the other day, after a student asked about my tattoos, that this movie is partly responsible for me becoming a yoga teacher!

Strange story, but you see, I have one tattoo from 2003 of a moon surrounded by waves representing my star sign, Cancer, a water sign ruled by the moon. And around it is a cuff-like tattoo I got in 2007 of 8 number 8s that are meant to look like ripples in water to represent impermanence and to remind me of a turning point in my life.

This pivotal event was my appearance on Deal or No Deal, a popular game show on TV that my mum used to watch religiously every afternoon. If you haven't seen it, there are 26 brief cases with $ amounts in them from 50c to $200,000. You pick one case and then one by one open the other cases, and at the end of each round you are offered a deal to take or risk it to see what you have in yours, hoping you have the $200K or get a higher offer deal.

Yep, probably not the turning point you were thinking it would be.

It was around the time I was told my audition was successful and I was invited to the show's taping in two weeks,
I had watched the movie, The Secret.

Excitedly I told my friend about it and we started to actively visualise.
By actively, I mean we got clear on what we wanted to have happen, and then we visualised it repeatedly along with the feelings we would experience in that moment. So we decided I would be the contestant called up, as she didn't want to and I was doing this for my folks.  We then visualised ourselves high fiving each other after winning $100,000 and every time we saw each other we would high five each other and say "$100,000" recreating this moment.
We had a lot of fun doing this!

Funnily, my friend hadn't even seen the show yet! So one night she sat with her dad to watch it, when he said to her, if Tash has $200,000 in her case and you have $100,00 in yours, you'll get an offer of $150,000 guaranteed.
So then we upped the anti and started visualising that as well!

A bit of a side note, but an important part of the story, the night before the filming day, I lay in bed asking myself what number I would choose (I have a few lucky numbers) if I was called up. I remember this moment as if it was yesterday. The number 8 came to me and I thought to myself I should write it down, the pen and paper were right beside me, but then I tell myself I won't forget as it's my birthdate.

BUT, of course, the next day in all the excitement of being in the studio and watching the shows being taped the number 18 got stuck in my head after my friend mentioned the number during one of the games.

After watching 3 games being taped, the moment they called me out as the next contestant was so surreal. I remember us jumping up hugging and saying to my friend "We did it!", which you can actually hear me say in the show. As they prepped me with mics and make up etc, I was racking my mind about what number to pick as I knew 18 wasn't quite right but it was stuck in my head. It didn't help that the adrenaline was well and truly pumping and the number 18 case was right up the front. So when they asked, I said 18.

I remember looking up at the sea of other cases before me to pick my first one to open and the number 8 was shining brightly. And it had the $200K in it! Not the best way to start but at this stage I had completely forgotten what we had been visualising and that I was supposed to have picked the number 8 as my case.

I lost almost all the big cases in the first couple of rounds, except the $100,000, so I kept playing on, and the deals started to get bigger and bigger as the $100K stayed on. Until we were down to the last two cases, $100,000 and $5,000, my number 18 and my friend with number 2. It was at this moment that I remembered we had been visualising she would have the $100K and I would have the $200K, which I would have had had I chosen number 8!

Hence, I took the deal and though it wasn't the $100,000 we visualised, we still walked away with a mega $48,000.
And yes, she did have the $100K. 

After splitting it with my friend, I was shocked to realise I had received the exact amount I needed to pay off my debt, do all I wanted to that year and get ahead with some savings, all that I had written in a prayer and hidden at the start of the year... Apparently my manifesting had started a lot earlier than I realised.

So how is this all related to me becoming a yoga teacher??
Basically, I realised  after sharing my tattoos and this story with my students, if it hadn't been for this win, I would not have been in the financial position or had the space to even consider the teacher training when it came up. A training I initially I enrolled in for my own personal development and health with no intention of teaching.
Hence, it seems the universe had other intentions!​

Whenever I think back over this story it always serves to remind me of 3 valuable things...

1) We are powerful manifestors and co-creators in this world.
​What we think matters, our thoughts are powerful. As we say in yoga, Energy follows thought.

2) Always trust your intuition and do what it tells you.
This is what lead me to get the 8 number 8s tattoo so I never forget. Though I still often do :)

3) Everything happens for a reason
 Even if we may not realise it at the time, everything is unfolding perfectly.

4) Magic happens
I'm only one of millions of stories I am sure as living proof that it does. Don't stop believing!

 If I have learnt anything in this lifetime, it is....
Never ignore the callings of your heart and soul.

And yet I still struggle with this...
After promising myself a trip to Bali for my 40th to heed the long time call to go, I skimped out on my own promise citing finances and classes as reasons for the timing not being right. Only to regret it later and eventually biting the bullet. So I'm all booked to go just before Christmas. And after a very heart-full and busy year, I must say my heart and soul are craving this little sabbatical to recharge my batteries with yoga, green smoothies, lots of massages and down time.

Once you learn the lesson its time to learn it well, so I'm heeding another calling I have to find ways to be of greater service in the world and to give back. I have decided to travel with hand luggage only, which allows me to use all 23kg of check-in luggage to fullfil as much of the Bali Kids wishlist as I can.
 
Bali Kids are a charity and medical facility established to help the kids of the many orphanages and low income earners of Bali, who are unable to afford medical costs when they are ill. They have a long list of "urgently" needed items on their wishlist (below) which I feel I could possibly fit into my suitcase.

So I kind of got to wondering...
CAN YOU HELP?

In the spirit of Christmas and giving to those less fortunate, I am reaching out to the PY community to see if anyone can help with any of these items. Maybe you have access to some of these items you can donate, or have some old babies clothes or toys you've been meaning to give away.

I'd love to hear from you if you do.
I leave on the 16th so any support before then would be greatly appreciated.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanking you always for being here,
​Tash x

*PEDIASURE FORMULA NEEDED URGENTLY  Vanilla or Honey 

* Heinz Baby Food

Pampers Size M, Pediasure, Fisher Price toys 6-12 months, Heinz Baby Food

Antiseptic bath soap (bar and liquid)

Infant clothing 9 to 24 months.

Latex gloves S/M/L, Face Masks, Maximum strength oral analgesic gel benzocaine 20% by Iodent, filling material GIC Fuji 9 by GC, Oral diagnosa kit, Scandonest Local Anaesthesia (injection) for Dental, Endodontic needles kit. 

Savlon, Soov Cream

Baking soda for children with Icthyosis.

Alcohol swabs, Peditox for head lice.

Mamy Poco size (M) for infants.  
Adult nappies for a blind teenage girl large size.

Body Lotion, Shampoo (adult), Dettol Liquid Soap, Hair lice treatment.

PS: Another way I am giving back and raising funds is through the sale of my new Mandala t-shirts and products. My mandalas have been a practice close to my heart for the past year, and now I am excited that others can take them home and share their powerful messages with the world. Click the image below to see the whole range. There are 7 designs to choose from in black or white, currently on organic tees and completely customisable. Choose a cheaper option, a different style or colour and you can even alter the placement and size of the image!
​Make it your own and take one home today :)

As park yoga resumes again for another 6 months, it's made me reflect on some of the benefits and things I love about practicing yoga in this way. Here are the top 4...

1. Time in nature
In our modern busy lives, we spend a huge amount of time in cars and houses, looking at screens and totally disconnected from the natural world from which we come and are deeply connected to. It's something I really noticed over the winter months and have truly missed, the time outside, under the trees, on the grass, close to water and listening to the sounds of the birds, some of which would visit us during class.

2. Earthing
Connecting with the earth has been proven to have many benefits, such as reducing inflammation and the impact of free radicals and stress, plus increased healing, energy and better sleep, amongst many others. All based on simply spending time each day with our bare feet in contact with the earth to realign our own electrical enery with that of the earth's.

3. Vitamin D
It is recognised that we get vitamin D from the sun, and yet there's also an increasing prevalence of deficiency in our society, most probably due to the growing fear around spending too much time in the sun. However, we need vitamin D to aid many processes in the body, such as the uptake of calcium for strong bones. The beautiful thing about being in the park is that we can choose a safer time of the day to spend some time in the sun, or if/when you prefer place yourself under the shade of the trees.

4. Practicing Gita Style Yoga
Practicing yoga anywhere anytime is highly beneficial, and even more so given the 3 added benefits above. It provides us with the tools for getting out of our heads and into our bodies and hearts. It anchors us in the present moment and it reconnects us with our bodies innate wisdom, nature and ability to heal itself. Plus the Gita style has it's own benefits is the perfect practice for de-stressing the body, clearing the mind, relaxing the nervous system, balancing the hormones and strengthening your spirit all in one hour.

There are so many wins!
I really can't wait to get back out there.

We would love to see you. 
We're down on the South Perth Foreshore every Saturday 7.45am & Thursday 6am.
​For all the details and map, click here.

At the start of the year I posted the 100 things I'm doing in 2015, a fun little way of putting into perspective what I want to do more of in the year, an activity I picked up from Leonie Dawson's workbooks.

I've never really been much of an avid reader, but it's always on my wish list of skills I'd like to pick up. So not surprisingly a few books ended up on the list and after hearing about my cousin's "read a book a month" challenge in 2014, the part of me that loves a good challenge to keep me on track lit up at the thought.

So here is my attempt so far. We're 5 books up on last year, which is huge for me! It hasn't been easy, but it is rewarding.

Have you read a great book recently?
​I'm on the look out for new books that are not necessarily personal development ones either. I realise I have an affinity for these types of books, but I am open to anything inspiring. Let me know in the comments.

Happy reading, 
Tx

JANUARY
FREE TO FLY - Evelyn Douglas
Inspired by my friend Evelyn's commitment and dedication, not only to yoga, but the writing of her own story and self-publishing her own book, I purchased it as soon as I heard of it's release and it was my first book for the year. It's her story about a troubled time in her marriage, which lead to its end, and how she kept it together picking up the pieces supported by her yoga practice and awarenesses.

FEBRUARY
THE FOUR AGREEMENTS - Don Miguel Ruiz
This​ book has been on my "To Read" list for eons, I think it could even be over 20 years! But as they say things will only happen when the timing is right, and it makes me wonder if these four powerful agreements  would have landed in the same way as they did at this time in my life. Definitely a read I highly recommend. I will be reading it again and probably making a post about it at some stage soon. It deserves it, it is that good.

MARCH
THE BOY WHO CAME BACK FROM HEAVEN - Kevin & Alex Malarkey
There was something about this title and the synopsis at the back of the book that drew me to it. It was a book my Dad had been gifted which I was reading as soon as he had finished. It's a true story about young Alex's horrific car accident and his recovery and recollections of his time in heaven with God written by himself and his father. Raised a Catholic, I must admit I always have my doubts about religion, however the strength of their faith was undeniable and the miracles that took place were compelling. So much so, I read this book in 8 days....this was a good thing as it gave me a much needed head start for April's read.

APRIL
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI - Paramahansa Yogananda 
This book was another that had been on my "To Read" list for a long time, since I graduated from my yoga TT in 2009 really. But being an epic read with over 40 chapters, including side notes and huge words I had trouble pronouncing let alone understanding, it was a daunting book that I attempted to start without success on several occasions. However, this time I simply stuck to my guns, and I'm so glad I did. What an inspiring yogi Yogananda was. So many inspiring tales of yogis mastering mind, body and spirit and creating so much positive change in the world. It actually took me all the rest of March, the whole of April and much of May to complete this book, but synchronistically I found out in June that a movie about his life was being shown in early July, so it made the accomplishment even sweeter when I went to see it. 
Inspiration plus!

MAY
E-SQUARED - Pam Grout 
Nine Do-It-Yourself energy experiements that prove that your thoughts create your reality. The subheading says it all really. It was a very powerful read, though I squeezed it into the tail end of May that was remaining after I finally completed my April read. So must admit there a few experiments I would really like to go back to test further as I have heard stories of people manifesting some amazing things whilst reading this book!

JUNE
OVERCOMING UNDER EARNING - Barbara Stanny
A life coach introduced me to this book last year, but at the time I only read about 2/3 chapters. This was the sort of reader I was. But that's all changed now that I have actually completed 6 books in 6 months!!! I read this book as I really wanted to get on top of my finances. It isn't THAT sort of book though. Rather it really makes you look at your relationship with yourself and your self-worth and how this is reflected back in your relationship with money. Enlightening! Must say I am in a much better place financially now since reading it and I'm still implementing new tools from it all the time. 

For much of the last 10 years of my life I have followed my heart when it comes to doing things. 
There have been times more recently where I have been hindered by self doubt, but it really is an innate thing I do, and when I know, I know. This was the case with my Perth park yoga classes. A cousin/personal trainer had mentioned using the parks to me when I returned home to Perth last year in September. The idea lingered and while the weather wasn't too great for me to start immediately, I felt there was something in this idea for me. 

As the weather fined up, the thought kept coming to me. I really couldn't think of anything better than to make the most of the beautiful weather and scenery in Perth, especially after 10 years in Melbourne where anything outdoors would be short lived, so I started to practice in the parks, exploring different spaces and playing with the idea some more.

Once I started to see it as possible it took on a life of it's own and gained momentum. From checking out outdoor spaces, to calling local councils, before I knew it I had made a video and I was raising funds to pay the park fees to begin. 

With two classes in McDougall Park in Como and three on the South Perth foreshore, we began humbly. 

Some mornings I practiced on my own, though I didn't mind. I loved being up at that time of the day, moving my body mindfully in Nature listening to the birds and human life beginning their day.

And before I knew it I found some fellow nature / early morning lovers to join me. 

It has been such a pleasure to witness our little group grow and blossom in the Park. Familiar faces returning week after week and a small park yoga community forming. So much so were we enjoying it that we prolonged our classes in the park, despite the cooler weather beginning to set in.

In April we could hold out no longer with our 6.30am classes and we moved indoors to the South Perth Yoga Shala.

And finally in early May with the end of my park permit and a few chilly classes we made the move to Angelo Street at eh South Perth Uniting Church hall (conveniently walking distance from our regular post yoga breakfast haunt).

Synchronistically, as has often occurred in this journey, we were able to take this picture at one of our last classes on the foreshore. Wish I could say I organised the sign, however it was set up beside us for a wedding to be held there that night.

I truly can't thank those that came down and supported the classes over the last 6 months enough. 

I couldn't have thought of anything better than yoga outdoors enjoying Perth's spectacular weather and these amazing views and it was such a blessing to find others that felt the same and to watch our little group grow.

I will treasure the many amazing moments we shared, and definitely look forward to returning to the park when the warmer weather returns!

Thank you with all my heart. 

I look forward to seeing you in our new classes.

Big love, 
Tx

PS: You can find all the details for the new classes by clicking here.

Just a quick note to let you know class is on this Easter Saturday on the Foreshore if you are in town and have some time to set yourself up nicely for the long weekend ahead with some park yoga. 

Oh and by the way, 630am classes are moving. We have found a new home...

With the shift in the sun's cycle and changes in season, comes changes for our park yoga classes. 

Unfortunately there has been an increase in rainy weather and the temperature has dropped somewhat, so I had to start looking into a new venue for my early morning classes in particular. After teaching in an outdoor style yoga studio in Melbourne for 3 years, I'm not exactly willing to endure the cold weather any more despite how beautiful the views are. 

So I started putting the thought out there to the Universe that I wanted somewhere about half way between the two parks that would be convenient to get to for all students. 

Church halls and community centres came to mind first as they are relatively cheap as well as reasonably plentiful, however they can also be quite cold and unreliable as they are required by other groups at times. 

My folks and I were tossing around a number of possibilities and I also mentioned to the students that I was on to the task at hand. As I started to wonder if there were any yoga studios that might be available I received a message from one student mentioning a studio she had seen recently. I checked out their website and for various reasons felt that it might not be suitable due to the way it was structured. But as intuition has it, it kept at me and eventually after some procrastination, and a particularly chilly morning class, I made the inquiry. 

Though the rent was higher than I was hoping to pay there was something about it that felt right. Like when you walk into a rental and you can see your furniture in the rooms and just know it is to be your new home. The times weren't perfect for me to simply transition from the parks to the studio but I could see possibilities. So I went for a class that night and got that feeling that I get when I know I have to do something. Like when I discovered Gita Yoga and signed up for their teacher training within the week. Not to mention, it is exactly halfway between the two parks as I had wished for.

Then of course the doubts set in, and I wondered if I could make  it work. Anyone in business knows there are always risks. So to minimise the risk, aka fear I was feeling, I sent out a survey to the students with many of them replying that they were keen and willing to make the move with me. With this the excitement started to build up. I could see us really doing it. I went for another class and just knew I needed to teach in that beautiful space. 

So without further ado, all 6.30am classes finished up in the park this week and we're making the move this Tuesday to...

SOUTH PERTH YOGA SHALA
3 Hobbs Ave, Como

Come and join us. I really can't wait to share this new space with you.
We'll be there every Tuesday & Thursday 6.30am - 7.40am. With more classes on the horizon.

As an introductory offer over April, come try a casual class for $17 or sign up for 10 classes for $160.
(prices usually $20 / $170)

But don't worry, if you are still keen for the park classes, 8am Wednesday and Saturday classes will be continuing right through to the 8th of May (weather permitting). 

Really excited about practicing in the new space with you. 


Its perfect with the Easter tidings and energy of new beginnings and resurrection.


Come celebrate with us!

Happy Easter,
Tx

Since completing my 100 days of Gita daily yoga practice challenge at the start of the year, I have done a lot of contemplating about what I learnt from the experience.

In my last post I shared that the biggest lesson was to simply SHOW UP and keep getting on the mat.

But when you've fallen from the path for an extended period of time, or trying to establish a new habit, this wasn't always easy. So I also learnt a few tricks along the way to keep me on track on those days when I could very easily fall off the wagon onto old paths and into old patterns I am seeking to break. 

In case you find yourself in a similar position, I thought I'd share them here with you...

1. WHAT'S YOUR WHY

Having a strong reason why you want to create a daily practice (or change) for yourself will help keep you motivated on those days when you feel most likely to stumble.

Dig deep and find the bigger picture for yourself. What is it that you wish to gain? How do you wish to feel and why? What is it that will have you coming back to the mat time and time again?

For me, my why is to feel balanced, grounded and empowered so I can be of bigger and better service to others.

When I had a consistent practice during my teacher training, I knew it was responsible for keeping me grounded and centred during my everyday life and stresses of studying two diplomas at once, working etc. After I had moved interstate and returned to the family home to regroup after a  tumultuous couple of years, routines were disrupted and I hit a low point. I knew deep down reinstating my daily practice to it's former glory would help me create the inner physical and mental balance I needed to regain the power back in my life. Cue: 100 Days of Gita. It did just the trick!


2. ACCOUNTABILITY

Falling short of a strong why, I found having a way to keep yourself accountable as the next best thing. 

Find yourself a coach, make a public declaration, start a 100 day goal, or a blog.
What works best for you?

One thing I find when I hit my lows and stumbling points,
the excuses to fall off the wagon seem stronger when the ego is at it's loudest.

For me, having the 100 days of Gita challenge and publicly announcing it was a great starting point, but the clincher was deciding to video my practice everyday. I couldn't have a missing day in this video, now could I?! :)


3. DO WHAT YOU LOVE

There are many styles to choose from and as I tell my first time students, "Never give up after your first class of yoga, there are 100s of styles and 1000s of teachers so the combinations are endless. Find one that resonates for you!" 

Picking a practice you love and one that makes you feel good makes it easier to keep you on track.

I also found having a practice that can be long or short enabled me to fit it into even the busiest of days. It was also handy to be able to alter its pace and intensity to match the energy I presented with on any given day. Hence, why I love the Gita style of yoga, on top of the fact that it leaves me feeling balanced, grounded and empowered every time.


4. SELF-FORGIVENESS 

 This point was not originally in my top keys, but the more I considered what had helped me to stay on track, the more I realised the vital role it played!

Stumbling and struggle can be enlightening when we look a little deeper into why it occurs.
Not sure about you, but when I stumble I am pretty good at putting myself down. The "negative committee" in my head starts going on (and on) about the "failure" story that has kept me down in the past. Stumble for longer than a day or two and it gets pretty hard to hear anything but this story. 

However, being able to bring forgiveness into that moment of realisation creates a space of self acceptance and the time gap needed to choose a different story and start over from wherever I am at.

Being able to practice a healthy dose of self-forgiveness when you stumble allows you to get back on the path without getting stuck in the story. 

Forgiveness, would probably be top of my list, and is something that is coming up time and time again in recent times for me to work on this year. As Michelle Marie McGrath once posted and I've never forgotten, forgiveness is "for giving love again". 

So that is how I did it. And I how I continue to approach my practice and any new goals I have. Once you find the winning formula that works for you, it's all about rinse and repeat. 

For example, I'm currently working on my 100 things to do in 2015 list, number 97, Handstand training. When I saw the Handstand February challenge, pictured above, I knew it was perfect for me. I love a goal with a time frame and doing it with friends and having to post a daily picture helps to keep me accountable.

Now I just have to use these keys more successfully with number 30, Blog weekly ;)
{Though, self-forgiveness says, fortnightly is more frequently than previously, so you're getting there!}

I hope sharing these with you gives you some extra tools for those moments when you're struggling with your practice, or that resolution, goal or habit you are attempting to establish in your life.

Would love to hear from you… do you have a goal you're working on, what do you do when you hit stumbling points and which of these keys or others would you use in those moments.
 
Best of wishes and love always,
Tx

I'm sure it is not a coincidence that as I write this, the new moon is peaking and we're being guided to set an intention with the words freedom and synergy in mind.

You see for some reason I always seem to get stuck when it comes to writing posts. My mind has a tendency to run away with itself , and before I know it I find myself in a world of overwhelm and the longer I leave things the bigger the inner blocks grow or so they seem. Hence why I need yoga and meditation in my life :)

So in order to step closer to the freedom I desire and to my goal of blogging regularly, I'm freeing myself of this one block using the biggest lesson I learnt from my daily yoga practice challenge…

Here she is, a 2min compilation video of my complete 100 days of Gita.

One pose from each day of my practice!

And my biggest lesson…

SHOW UP! 
Or as Nike espouses "Just do it!"

Yep, the excuses will arise, the self learning can be confronting, the negative chatter will always be there, …
but just keep showing up on the mat {and in life}.

These things will pass, clarity comes, the chatter quietens, inner strength grows, the body softens, the heart opens, the soul soars and the spirit will prevail.

It may take time, but ironically, 
the freedom you seek comes with each decision you make to show up!

When there is a will, there is a way :)

This I definitely proved to myself with 100 days of Gita!

And see just like that, the post that's held me back for over a week has been written. Yay :)

Wishing you strength on your journey to show up and shine as only you can.

Big love,
Tx

So what did you do on NYE? 

For the days leading up to it, I was in two minds about what to actually do on the night. On one hand I had no plans and wasn't too phased if I didn't do anything and then on the other hand, I felt like I should do something. 

Being back in Perth, I knew I could return to my old ways, which in the past was to go out to some gig at a bar or club, have a few drinks (or maybe too many) and a boogie with mates….But it wasn't pulling me.

Not just because I  don't really drink any more, though I am long overdue for a good boogie. But rather I felt a stronger pull to close the year and welcome the new year with the energy and activities I wished to see more of in 2015.

So, I ended up spending the night on my own (not that I don't want to spend more time with others in the new year, I fulfilled that wish the next day). I had plans to do some goal setting, as well as a tarot reading for the new year and to get an early night so I woke up in the new year well rested and ready to go!  At home I had the opportunity to wish my family a happy new year as they headed out in their various different directions, whilst I grabbed my "big dream" tools and headed out to the beach to watch the final sunset of the year, say my goodbyes to 2014 and ended up writing my list of 100 things I want to do in 2015. 

This is one of my favourite activities from  Leonie Dawson's workbooks . 
The first time I did it I had some really specific things on my list which I found I didn't actually manage to complete by the year end which often made the list feel like a huge impossible to do list. So in the last couple of years I decided to make them a little more general, that is, things I love doing and want to do more of {with a few bigger goals} … overall, a lot more achievable! 

If you think about it, you could do 2 per week and by the end of the year you'll have done them all.

I love doing this list as it helps me keep in mind the little things that I love doing that make me happy and as Danielle LaPorte says in The Desire Map, 

"Subliminal Message: Feeling good is the primary intention!"

So here is my list in it's current state, in no particular order. Though I must admit there are a few which may be repetitive in nature and some I could do together {as in the picture above, thats about 4 in one :) } Plus I have made a few adjustments as others come to mind that I missed from the original cut.

Hope you are inspired to make your own list. 
Why not share your top 3 in the comments and let's keep each other accountable!

There really is no time but NOW to live your best life, now is there ;)
Tx

Ps: Important note: I don't see these like resolutions, just another way I put my wish out there for the type of year I wish to experience. Remember, energy follows thought!!

As one year draws to a close and another begins, we are often quite naturally drawn to reflect on the year that was as we look forward to the year ahead. Over the past few years, particularly since I came across  Leonie Dawson's workbooks, I've realised the importance of consciously closing off one year and setting intentions and dreams for the next. 

There are many ways we can do this. And it is very much each to their own. 

But in case you're new to this or stuck at a lose end this year, let me share with you some tools I have found useful which I am using this year to dream up my best year yet.

As I mentioned, for the last few years, I have been using Leonie Dawson's workbooks to both close the year ending and dream and plan for the new year. I particularly love the closing ceremony for the year that's been. This is such an important step that should not be overlooked as it gives us a sense of closure. Being able to look back to acknowledge the lessons learnt, our accomplishments, and all we have to be grateful for, allows us to embrace what we wish to carry forward into the new year, and release what we are ready to let go of. Leonie has workbooks for both Life and Business planning and they are full of creative ways to consciously choose the life you wish to create!

Now, to be completely honest I can be a bit of a FOMO when it comes to courses and books. That is, I suffer from a Fear Of Missing Out. In the past, if I heard of something transformational, I would often buy it. Only issue is I don't always implement everything I learn. Hence, 2015 for me is the year of implementation and I'm doing things a little differently.

Danielle LaPorte's Desire Map was one such book, wAs she says, "Everything we do is driven by the desire to feel a certain way."ith the subheading of "A guide to creating goals with soul", I couldn't resist it. I listened to the audio book on my way up the east coast but as I bought it on e-book and was too busy exploring and not on my laptop much, I didn't get to delve into it or implement it as I wished to. I am choosing to use it now in combination with Leonie's workbooks, as the basis is to focus more on our Core Desired Feelings rather than physical goals. This makes a lot of sense to me as I know it's definitely true for me that I am pulled by my emotions in life. I have had the question "How do you wish to feel?" on repeat in my head as I contemplate my core desired feelings for 2015. These feelings will then influence all I do and the so called "goals" I have rather than setting a traditional resolution. As Danielle LaPorte says, 
"Everything we do is driven by the desire to feel a certain way."

The final piece of my New Year dreaming puzzle is my Daily Dream Creator. Unfortunately I heard that they have sold out, but you never know there could be one or two floating about or they may do another print run. Doesn't hurt to ask :) This is a mega planner for dreamers, and as I have some big dreams for 2015 I decided to go all out and buy myself one of these for Christmas. There are other planners along the same vein so you could look for one that suits you. What I loved about this one particularly were the pages for yearly, monthly and quarterly goals. These are great to help me keep my goals and intentions from Leonie's workbooks in mind throughout the year and not just for January. These sorts of things are really important to factor in if choosing a planner of this sort. Plus each day has a section for your intention, top 3 things to do, what I am grateful for and a few other sections, and one I'm particularly keen on for keeping track of money matters, which is one of my big goals for 2015. 

So there you have it, the 3 tools I am using to dream and create my best year yet. I will share more about the process in future posts and keep you posted how my dreams are tracking :)

May 2015 be your best year too!

Love and blessings, 
Tx

PS: The pic above is my 12 month "oracle" spread one of many great activities from Leonie Dawson's Life workbook. I've used my Wild Unknown Tarot cards, which I adore and plan to use more of this year. Aren't they beautiful!

I would love to hear from you in the comments below, your answer to this question...