I Can Do It!!!!

Wow, have I been bi-polar for the past week or what?! Just before my last blog I was feeling kind of down. Grumpy. Then, on one sunny Thursday morning, I woke up, so happy and exhilarated by life that I could hardly contain my enthusiasm! I even jumped and squealed at work. It was the feeling that I knew everything was working out for me. I had a fun law of attraction moment on the Friday evening. Susan came over to help me with Feng Shui. I'd bought a little mirror the reflect the bad chi from entering my room. She told me to hang it outside my door, just above. I mentioned that I'd just hammer a nail in and hang it. We then looked above the door, and noticed there was already a random nail hammered into the wood!

So I felt just wonderful for a good few days.. then towards the end of last week I started to feel really depressed. On Friday it the worst I'd felt in months. That feeling of hopelessness.. not caring anymore.. lower than hating. It was a god awful feeling, because I've been there before, and it really isn't fun. Over the weekend I really couldn't gather the effort to complete anything productive. So today I was giving myself a good guilt trip about "look at all these goals you have, why can't you finish anything?".

We have an absolute sh*tload of clients at work who are running their own business, and can't, and don't get anything done. Maybe that's what pulled me out of it today. Just when I'm feeling really sorry for myself and I'm really disappointed that I haven't stuck to my guns, I'm reminded that I'm really pretty damn good at life in general compared to many, many people. E.g. Those who are 40 and still haven't got their own home, are still on dismal wages, and/or are in a massive amount of debt. I'm 25, with my life ahead of me! At 40 I'll have my home, my investment property/s, my own extremely successful business, and I will be a motivational speaker and I'll have published at least one book. That's my ambition anyway. :)

I made myself a promise today. As of Monday, 30th March, 2009, in order to end the year having succeeded everything I want to ($100K income, amazing success at uni, challenging, fulfilling job), I promise to:
* Sell Items on EBay and Start Web Design Business
* Save & Invest Money for the Future
* Study Diligently & Achieve Great Marks
* Exercise 3-4x/week and Eat Well
* No Smoking

I will keep you posted.

Little steps to success

Yesterday I suddenly felt like I'm come out of this black hole. I was lost and suddenly I found myself. It was the best feeling. I chilled and realised I have the most awesomest life and I need not complain about any of it. And it's way better than most people I know - who are stuck in this black hole of the every day grind, not appreciating what they have. Lighten up people, try some optimism.

I'm taking part in the Online Google Challenge, and we've started a group blog to document our journey. It's a scary one but I freakin' love it. I couldn't sleep last night. I did so much reading that I was on this endorphin high and my mind wouldn't stop ticking over.

I arrived to work this morning to find Randi as a follower on my blog. How did you find me?! Did you search blogs for "laundromatic" and my first post came up?! Hope you're doing well!
I found a wonderful quote yesterday:

It's our small and daily actions that accumulate into who we are and the success we'll achieve in our lifetime. Daily habits and disciplines are the foundation to what we will and won't ultimately achive in life.

My actions are:
* Eating well (no junk, less carbs!)
* Exercise at least 3x a week
* Study consistently, get everything done by deadlines!
* Focus at work
* Develop my website design skills
* Love and appreciate my Rob (my gorgeous boy, above), friends and family

Finding it hard to balance

I've been slightly.. really.. out of whack for the past two weeks. It started with me committing to full-time work, three units at uni, and also wanting to make time for my boyfriend, my friends, exercise, hobbies and relaxtion - which was essential to my sanity. No one can be 100% studious and not have that balance of "me time". Well maybe there are some geniuses out there with an amazing focus. But personally, I'm enjoying life, and performing at my best intellectually, when I'm looking after myself emotionally and physically too.

I'm a big believer in Whether you say you can or you can't, either way, you're right(Henry Ford). Which is why I placed some much on my plate. But I've since dropped one of my uni units, becuase I realised there is so much more I would like to be doing with my life, and if I'm always working or studying, where is the fun? Where do I channel my passions? How do I find time to play? Yes, I want my degree more than anything, but I want so many other things, and I want to enjoy every moment of it. I'm not trying to reach a destination, I'm already here. So lets make the most of it!

A business absolutely devoted to service will have only one worry about profits. They will be embarrassingly large. - Ford

So Oprah supports this quote, saying that the best way to live your life is to find a way to express passion through serving others. The notion of giving to, and helping others, puts you in this fantastic place where you can only receive more abundance. This is supported by pretty much every other major uplifter or motivational coach in history. Napoleon Hill speaks about this in Think and Grow Rich. I didn't really understand it at first. But if you really think of the successful people of the past, they had only good, positive intentions, of helping humanity. You can start small, or you can aim big. I recently came up with a fabulous idea on how I can serve. It hasn't been done before, not to such an extent as I would like to do it. So we'll see how I go, putting this plan into action.

As mentioned in a previous post, I think people don't express their gratitude for their friends and family enough, and really don't pat it forward. The world is centred around lack, and greed. My friend Gemma was SO surprised the other day when she called me up from the petrol station, and I drove down and paid for her petrol (she forgot her wallet). Continuous apoligising followed, and she tried to give me the $9 change she had. I couldn't imagine not happily being there for her. That's what friends are for. I wouldn't expect any less from mine.

So, on interesting note, I did a test on Friday night. I SMSd all of my main girlfriends, "As a friend, I love you :)" to see what the response would like.

25% "Thanks, I love you too!"

25% "I think you accidently messaged me, was that meant for someone else?"

50% No Reply
So a quarter of my friends take is as a compliement, like they should, another quarter automatically assume that I would never say someone like that (they need to change those thinking pattersn), and a half think its a joke, a mistake, or just don't care! Thanks for the replies Mel, Bec, Rachel, Sarah, Annabelle, Carrie, Susan, Lauren and Rochelle. You guys are all good friends :) And Yes, I did mean it to every one of you.

I'm going to end today with another fantastic quote. Henry Ford is the pioneer of the Auto Industry, and an iconic dreamest and optimist - someone who would stop at nothing to achieve everything he wanted. I learnt about him in my Management unit last year - Ford is the perfect role model for the way we should be approaching our lives. More modern day Fords would be Walt Disney, Bill Gates, and Richard Branson.

Even a mistake may turn out to be the one thing necessary to a worthwhile achievement. - Ford

Go here and read some more inspiring words.

Prioritisation is the way to success

I promise I have a valid reason for not posting in two weeks. Well.. actually.. I don't. When we procrastinate things we should do, and commit to ourselves we will do, it's all about procrastination. I'm on a lovely little journey right now, trying to balance six extremely important elements in my life:
- My uni work
- My full time job
- Exercise
- Rob and my friends
- Leisure and hobbies
- Self-development activities

So it's slightly top heavy with my job at the moment. I've therefore created a schedule for myself. A semester schedule so I know what study needs to be done every week (10-15hrs worth!).

Monday: Work and Uni

Tuesday: Work and Gym

Wednesday: Work and Study

Thursday: Work, Uni, Gym

Friday: Work, Gym, Study

Saturday and Sunday: Gym at least once, and I finish all the study I have left

On top of this, I want to somehow fit in qualifications in Web/Graphic Design, Media & Communication, Project and Event Management, Fitness, Feng Shui and Life Coaching.

When I come out of this I will have convinced myself that I am superwoman and I can handle anything. I will have a fabulous job, a million certificates, and able to run a half-marathon. Bring on the marriage and babies.

I bought two books on the weekend. This year is about saving money and focusing on what's important, getting my degree and kicking ass at it, but investment in myself is always a good thing. The first one from a 2nd hand book shop, The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama. The second, "Take Control of your Life" by Dr Gail Ratcliffe. The latter is a study behind the psychology of people's thought patterns and how to practice more self-efficacy, which is ultimately the key to reaching your goals.

My task for tonight is to complete my study schedule and a formal budget to keep my finances in order. Hope my boy is proud of me.

I'm going to finish today with a fantastic line from Gail's book.

Those who believe they can control their own life will do so