Minimising is something I do all the time. It started when I was 13 and I've never looked back. Today, as I was reading Denise Duffield-Thomas' book, Get Rich Lucky B*, I came across this advice:
It's her formula for setting yourself up for financial abundance. It works. I've always found that whenever I want more of something, the first thing I have to do is declutter as much as I can - mentally, physically, digitally. The process of getting rid of stuff literally makes room for something new to come in.
So right after I read this, I decided to do another decluttering sweep. The result? A smaller book collection. I set aside about 50 books to give away, letting go of whatever I just never seem to get around to reading and probably won't read in the future.
Then I got a piece of paper and pen and went through all my stuff and took inventory! This is the first time I've done that. Here's the result:
93 books
15 journals / workbooks
7 binders
paperwork
32 items of makeup, brushes, skin care
65 pieces of clothing
5 pieces of jewellery
Electronics:
1 iPad
1 iPhone + case
1 Apple laptop
1 Nook
1 mini speaker
1 set of earphones
5 charging devices
Shoes:
1 pair of flats
1 pair of vibrams
1 pair of slippers
Other items:
cross
rosary
veil
Vera Bradley purse
wallet
1 pair of sunglasses
1 shopping sac
1 mirror
4 clothes boxes
1 shelf
2 hat boxes
2 office supply organisers
I'm glad I did this because as I get rid of more stuff, I'll be able to measure my progress. I want to replace and let go of more clothing, books, and trim down my paperwork more.
Is minimalism something that you're interested in? If you find yourself lacking clarity around your goals or you just feel stuck, I highly recommend just getting rid of stuff. I don't even keep stuff for sentimental value. When I die, I can't take it with me anyway, so I'd rather focus on accumulating experiences instead of stuff. And the less stuff I own, the more experiences I'm freed up to have...
Back when I was a waitress (at 18 years old, so almost 7 years ago), there was really only one thing on the menu that I really liked. The smoked salmon salad. So today, for the first time, I decided to make my own version of it.
Here is my recipe:
1. In a bowl, combine about a quarter of white cabbage sliced into thin strips, a little bit of chopped chives, and a little bit of sliced red onion and cucumber.
2. Add the juice of half a lemon, salt, pepper, and a spoonful of mayonnaise.
3. Stir it all up, scoop some into a serving bowl, and top it off with some smoked salmon.
I just ate mine and it's DELICIOUS. :)
If you like this recipe, please pin it on Pinterest!
I first stumbled on Dr. Who in my first (and only) semester in college, but it was the episode with the lethal mannequins and I was just like, "...what?" Haha.
I believe that was Dr. 9 and I didn't keep watching it. But then later I started to get into Dr. 10 and 11 and then I really started to understand the appeal of Dr. Who.
I loved that whole vibe of how even though going off to explore new worlds could mean danger and getting into really scary situations, the Doctor and his companions would take the risk anyway.
It reminds me of a Seth Godin quote: "This might not work. Let's do it!"
8 months ago, I shared this Hello Month Printable and people loved it so much that I had the idea to do one every month under a different theme. For this printable, the theme is "Fearless February!" :)
Some of the prompts on the Hello Month Printable will stay roughly the same every month, like identifying what your goals are and what you're grateful for, and some will fall under whatever the theme happens to be. As you can see, in honour of Fearless February, there is a section that prompts you to identify the fears that you are going to face this month.
I'm really excited about creating this for you on a monthly basis. I've been really thinking about what kind of free printable I can deliver to you consistently (because I know you love them!) and I think this is it! What do you think?
If you like this printable, please share it on Pinterest. Thank you.
Since Carrie made this video of my little New Year's Printable a little over a week ago, it has been downloaded over 2000 times! It's been amazing hearing how much this has been helping people. It seems to put a refreshing twist on the practice of setting New Year Resolutions and I'm glad to hear it.
I am so grateful to Carrie for sharing this with the Female Entrepreneur Association. I've been honoured to work with her for quite a while now. I first stumbled across her amazing site when she launched This Girl Means Business magazine and someone shared it on Facebook. I was hooked.
I showed my mom the magazine and said, "If I were to design a magazine, it would look exactly like this!" I loved how it presented personal and business development in a feminine, beautiful way. I knew immediately that I wanted to be a part of whatever Carrie Green was doing.
Shortly after, I made a dream board and I cut out a little piece of a map of London out of a magazine and glued it on. Carrie lives in England, so that little piece of a map represented my dream to be a part of FEA to me.
I reached out to Carrie asking if I could contribute to the magazine. She said YES! And so I submitted a little book review on "Write it Down, Make it Happen" and it got included on the Michael Gerber issue. I was so thrilled.
I kept reaching out, looking for any way to help, give value, be a part of it all. In addition to letting me write for the magazine, Carrie made me the editor of the How She Did It stories on the website. It was amazing being able to read story after story of women who bought their lives back by building their own businesses. Knowing that I could play a role in sharing their stories with others was a shining light in my life.
Today, I still get to be an editor and writer for the Female Entrepreneur Association as well as the social media manager. I still can't believe I get to create something and, with the click of a mouse, instantly share it with thousands and thousands of female entrepreneurs around the world.
I come from an entrepreneurial family so business and personal development has always been my life. Relying on myself and my own abilities to take care of myself instead of on a boss has always been my normal and I don't take it for granted.
There's alot at stake right now. People are looking for hope and for answers. People stuck in traditional ways of making money are working SO hard and it's not for themselves and I think that for many people, this reality is hurting them inside.
When I see an entrepreneur, I want to tell that person: "I KNOW you and I'm proud of you. Don't ever give up." I believe that for every person who makes the decision to become an entrepreneur and stay committed no matter what people say, someone else is watching and building their own belief in the entrepreneurial way of life.
I look forward to the day when owning your own business is common place. And I just LOVE how more and more people are figuring out how to make money with their natural strengths and interests. It's such an amazing, beautiful way to live the one life you have. We need to open our eyes and remember that every single day and help other people believe it too.
Every time I write a post or create something, I can feel that bigger picture. I know that something as simple as a quote in a person's Facebook feed can give them the strength to hang onto their dream a little tighter as they go against the grain and fight that much more.
So, Happy New Year! And if you're new to the idea of being an entrepreneur and you're reading this, I want you to know that anything is possible for you if you would just let yourself BELIEVE in your dreams enough to ACT on them every day, EVEN IF all you can see is the very next step in front of you and nothing more. For me, the very next step in my dream to be a part of FEA was cutting out that little piece of a map of London and sticking it where I would see it every day.
So dig deep and bring your dreams to the surface. You have no limits. Anything is possible. I should know. :)
If you're not already a part of the Female Entrepreneur Association, you have to be. It has changed my life for the better and I KNOW it can do the same for you.
With the release of this printable, I can check off a very important goal for me. For a while, I've wanted to create an actual kit of printables that could bring more clarity and focus into people's lives in a fun, pretty way and I've finally sat myself down and did it!
I wanted this kit to have a PLAN DO REVIEW theme because this is the secret to progress and improvement. Plan your activity, execute your plan, and then review how you performed. THEN, plan better, do better, and review better. You can't help but stay on an upward spiral if you live your life this way.
This kit is available at my Etsy store for only $10. That's 11 sheets of goodness for less that $1 per page! I hope you like it and I hope it helps you make 2015 a beautiful, amazing, wonderful year.
