A look back at 2009

Well, 2009 was a bit of a challenging year all round, I think many people will agree. The GFC really made me feel vulnerable and opened my eyes to my fiscal nonchalance.

Vulnerability has been a key theme for me all my life, and it's really something I've gained more understanding of - as well as a degree of comfort with - in the last few years. This has helped me to become more of a joiner and has also allowed my enthusiasm to blossom - I'll be hoping to work on more of that in 2010.

Notable stuff in my 2009 that has sprung to mind:

• I took up the ukulele in the last weeks of the year, and I have a feeling it's going to be a really good stress reliever, creative outlet and a chance to meet new people.
  
• I went on a road trip with my father in the UK and we didn't kill each other. I can't say it was easy and that we sang John Denver songs from destination to destination, but we've come a long way, dad and I.
• I officially got my Diploma in Transformational Life Coaching from Naturecare College, which I embarked on in 2006. Aaaah!
• I did some volunteer work - some life coaching, and some mosaicing and want to make this a part of my life long term. I love the concept of a big iuniversal favour bank and I figure this is a little deposit I can make regularly
• I tried pole dancing, which I found intimidating and scary (and fun!), and achieved my goal of being able to go upside down. woo!
• I was accosted by the paparazzi in London (the pitfalls/perks of staying in the vicinity of that dirty bird, Ronnie Wood!) and did I milk that whole yarn
• I discovered the joys of the pedicure
• I went 4 days a week at work and have been using the other to start up my business. Now, all I need is some more clients, and Iknow they'll come...
• I made my first product! 2010 is the year to get it out there!

Thoughts about 2010

• I'm going to have a stab at Rockabilly dancing and tribal bellydance
  
• I'll be attending lots of ukulele get-togethers in Balmain
• Will snorkel more and meditate at least sometime
• I am not going to take ANY academic-type courses - instad I shall make the most of what I have learnt to date and build on that
• I'll be ensconced in my new career direction by the end of the year - I don't know what that looks like, but it feels a bit exciting!
• Bacon (and pork) ban - unless I know it's produced by free-range happy piggies. That said, I'll let myself off I accidentally eat some pork at yum cha, because there always seems to be little surprise porky bitlets in there!

Louise Hay - on the money!

I have a mother of a sore throat right now. The kind that makes you want to rip your own throat right out and stomp on it.

Seeing a magazine with Delta Goodrem on the cover with the words "listen to your body" or words to that effect triggered me to go and check out what this might mean in terms of my body ommunicating to me.

I'd forgotten all about Louise Hay and her theory about how body ailments are a reflection of our emotional and mental wellbeing.

Indeeeeeed.


So recently I have had some wacky thyroid action going on, and now have the old sore throat, and now a bit of a cold. Louise would probably think some kind change is going on, muddled with some resistance and anger and a smattering of frustrated creativity. Possibly even a bit of self-doubt to garnish.

She'd be right, too!

I tell you what, it was a relief to connect with this, it's really empowering. So in addition to my cold and flu tabs and my intake of salty water, I'm adding in frequent repetition of an affirmation from her book, You Can Heal Your Life.

"...I speak up for myself with ease. I express my creativity. I am willing to change"

Let's see how that goes -I have a good feeling about this!

Getting out of a rut - some strategies that worked for me

Isn't is strange, how you can be chugging along fine and dandy one moment and then the wheels fall off. You're then plunged into an abyss of self doubt, negativity and no forward movement.

I had one of those days a couple of weeks ago. Everything, and I mean everything went wrong. I missed my train, I lost part of a heel on my shoes, I didn't get the response I'd hoped for when I approached some business regarding some business development ideas. I then got locked in my (tiny) office for hours - and the air con was on overdrive, chilling me to the bone.

Get the idea?

The upshot was that I lost a whole day of my life in a big dark pit, catastophising, and thinking that the world was out to teach me a very mean lesson.

The silver lining was that I only missed one day, and managed to get back on track the next. I thought I'd share a few things that I learned from the experience:

* I acknowledged that my hormones probably contributed to this state (and I have never really been in tune with my body) so that is something to treat with care, and take into account so you don't push yourself at certain times.

* Catching yourself when you catastrophise helps you stop spiralling down into a deep dark hole - yep it's hard sometimes, but can be done.

* There are gifts, no matter how small, in every single day - if you're having a crappy day, you just really have to work to see them. Wrting them down might help!

* A little pamper and the odd bit of chocolate can do wonders - think of it as medicinal, not a guilty indulgence!

* Don't isolate yourself when you're down - get out there as much as possible and notice how life goes on, and smile at some babies! That is foolproof!

*Remember that you won't feel like this forever, so make the most of this sadness. What can you learn from it? Your triggers, warning signs, what makes a positive difference, etc

* Talk to someone positive - what a tonic that is! Don't talk to anyone that will feed the negative thoughts.

Emotional resilience info:
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/center_index.php?id=298
Catastrophising info:
http://psychcentral.com/lib/2007/what-is-catastrophizing/