Happy new year. This is my favourite time of year. I can re-imagine my life however I choose and start again living it the way that suits this new year’s circumstances and priorities. It means we can put the bad of last year behind us and bring the good with us into this new year or re-invent completely. Certainly more palm trees and margaritas are on my agenda for 2007. It’s exciting.
‘Palm trees and margaritas’, the newsletter, will continue its somewhat lofty aspiration of being about life, the universe and what really matters. None of us knows how our life will unfold so as much as we are in control, empowered living means making sure there is time in our lives for palm trees and margaritas*, however we define them.
It aims to give you five minutes of reflective reading time on the last Friday of each month. How was your month?
*** Life can’t be all palm trees and margaritas, but there are worse game plans.
Karen Morath
karen@mpowercct.com
January 2007
TIPS
1. “Big is too hard. Forget it. Try a little bit extra instead.” Tom O’Toole
2. Pause and look back on the past year and be grateful for all of its opportunities and achievements.
3. Keep your resolutions upbeat. Try ‘look better’ instead of ‘lose weight’ or ‘exercise more’.
4. Mark in your diary right now the days and weeks you plan to take off this year and make sure it’s more than last year.
5. Do it now. Could this freshly minted year be the year you
- Commit to regularly giving blood?
- Find a way to incorporate community service into your life?
- Have a proper bra fitting? (sorry guys, but at least it’s one less thing you need to do!)
- Resign from your job in favour of flying solo? Check out www.flyingsolo.com.au
- Take up or revisit a pastime that interests you?
- Finally find your signature scent?
6. Ask two friends their all time favourite books, CDs, movies, restaurants, walks, shops or whatever you fancy and put them on your ‘to enjoy’ list. Chances are you will enjoy them too but the real bonus is the conversation that will follow. Let’s start the Palm trees and margaritas communal ‘to enjoy’ list which I invite you to contribute to by emailing me and I will publish each month your tips on things we can all enjoy.
I will start the ‘to enjoy’ list with my favourite novel - The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
- and a tip that the Bronte to Bondi cliff top walk really is as beautiful as it promises to be.
I look forward to adding to the list. For us all ‘to enjoy.’
STORIES
1. I met a family recently who were off to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, one of the seven man made wonders of the world (although the lists vary) and this would be the first of a series of trips they had in mind for their family of five. They wanted to see the other six as well and given they include the pyramids, the Great Wall and the Taj Mahal I liked their thinking. They think big and long term – a life time travel plan. I wondered what role the ‘big idea’ had in them booking the first trip and how it will sustain the momentum for making the future trips happen?
Would your life time travel plan include the top 10 golf courses in the world, every state in
2. ‘Rocketing’ is the new
3. If we don’t mark the achievements and occasions of our lives (births, birthdays, graduations, starting new ventures and saying good bye to old ones) then we have 29,200 days all the same – 365 days x 80 years of life. In its glossy magazine ads Tiffany says ‘there are times to celebrate’ and buying diamonds is certainly one way (OK with me). But what about a charm on a bracelet to mark a milestone and to grow to represent a life well-lived? A couple I know buys a painting every year in honour of their wedding anniversary. I have read of a prominent woman who splurges on haute couture when she needs to congratulate herself. A trip to celebrate a birthday is memorable. Parties and dinners are great too.
READER STORIES
Another wonderful story from a reader in response to my question – how do you make sure you have enough fun?
Did you know that you can’t blurt on a pregnant belly? Reader Sheryl assures me it’s true – something to do with the skin being too tautly stretched…. It is an issue for her as she loves the silliness of belly-blurts and thinks they are just about as much fun as anything else. The good news is that technique and success don’t affect the fun so she is continuing to enjoy her husband’s efforts at pregnant belly-blurts.
I’d like to pose another question and look forward to hearing from you. What do new years mean to you?
REFLECTIONS
1. When Christmas was approaching last year and maybe while writing cards, did you think of anyone you value but who had had too little a role in your year? Maybe people ‘you never catch up with’ but cherish? I did. It was one of my biggest lessons for the year. I will not let this year pass me by without me having a say about who I share it with and how often.
2. What if the hokey pokey really is what it’s all about?
