2017 will be called "Slim 17."

If you have followed my advice, you will not have written resolutions for the New Year. If the conversations I have had with friends in the last few weeks are any indication, most don't believe that they would carry them out if they actually make them. 

I have however, decided to call the year of 2017, "Slim 17." My intention is to slim down my life so that I enjoy it more and get less hung up on things that don't matter or are too complex to manage everyday. There is not a set of resolutions, actions or goals attached to this; just make life simpler by slimming down the chunky bits. 

Some examples. I am sure you can relate to at least one of these.

• Get rid of all the little, weedy pot plants and keep just a few that with love and care will grow to be big and beautiful.
  
• Take the neglected plant out of the second bathroom. You only notice it when it is need of serious resuscitation. A plant is not necessary in a bathroom. 
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• Don't buy another hat. One 'wear anywhere' hat that you feel comfortable and attractive in is enough.
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• Keep your phone charger in one place. There is enough time in your life to allow your phone to charge in private and it will save time looking every time your phone needs charging.
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• Declutter. Even one drawer or shelf will give you more space to think.
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• Write down the good stuff so that your brain has less time to think about the difficult stuff. Every day, write a good thought or something good that happened on a little piece of paper and put it in a jar. Empty the jar at the end of 2017 and read what a wonderful year it has been.   
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• Read one book at a time. Unless you are one of those lucky readers who can keep up with the plot of several books at once.
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• Say 'no.' Think about whether or not you are able to do what is asked and then if you are willing before you say 'yes.' 
  
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• Take time to enjoy your world. Spend 10 minutes a day looking at the plants, flowers, clouds and moon. There are magnificent sights to be seen every day. This is what the world looks like if you open your eyes.
  
• Courtesy of Nora's nature walk
• Move! Anything is great. My current exercise is watering the garden. 

Thank you Malathar for the dragon.

• Check out other's ideas for 10 Simple Ways to Live Happy, Wild and Free
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• Connect with friends in real life rather than clicking an emoji on their Facebook posts. My great friend Di, meets with one friend each month that she doesn't see regularly. I am Miss January and I am really looking forward to catching up with her. 
  
  Best wishes for 2017. It can be great. Try something different. Believe in yourself. 

This groovy flower is from animatedimages.org. Free for use.

Forget the New Year Resolutions - ONE Week Until Christmas

Are you planning to make a whole bunch of New Year Resolutions? Forget it!

Why?

Because of the 40% of the population that make New Year resolutions, only a tiny 8% achieve their goals. 

Why?

Because they are unrealistic. "Become a millionaire" is unlikely to occur legally in one year if you can't afford to keep your clapped out Commodore on the road to get to the place of business where you are planning to make the $million.

Why?

Because it requires behavioural change and "rewiring" of your brain. You are who you are, good and bad. This is how you got where you are and forcing change in one aspect of your life will force change elsewhere that may not sit well with your 'self.'

Why?

Because most of them involve a huge

amount of effort that you may not have the time, energy or inclination to follow through.  

Photo by Chris of lucidtech.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrish_99/

Why?

Because a year is a heck of a long time to commit to something that you decided was too much effort or not worth doing on the 3rd of January.

 

If you are determined to make some New Year resolutions, here is a selection of weird ones that others have tried. I didn't make them. I found them on the internet. 

1. Finish a chapstick. If you manage not to lose it in the year, you have achieved something truly amazing.
2. Master a party trick. 
3. Eat less bacon. 
4. Fight crime by teaching owls to shout out "crime" at anyone breaking the law.
5. Learn how to clone Nutella.
6. Don't hang out with people you don't like. There are millions more out there. 
7. Stop worrying about what the Kardashians are doing this week. 

If you are still determined, here are my tips for making them stick.
1. Pick one (1) only. 
2. Be realistic. Refer to above for why.
3. Pick a date. The 1st of January may not be the best day to give up chocolate.
4. Share your resolution with a friend to create your own cheer squad.
5. Accept failure. Just because you ate a whole chocolate bar tonight doesn't mean the rest of the week will be a disaster.
6. Celebrate successes. If you were on a solid diet of daily chocolate, resisting on just one day is an achievement. 

Two Weeks Until Christmas

Is Christmas at your house this year? If it is, then it is time to make your house look fabulous. 

This is my friend Angela's house. It looks amazing doesn't it. Christmas lights are beautiful and I will never achieve this magnificent display but I have a few to create the festive spirit.

There is no need to knock yourself out with cleaning. A few simple tricks and cheats will create a tidy house that looks clean and inviting. 

1. Start with the entry.
Remove all the shoes, dog water dishes and dead leaves.
Hang a decoration on the front door, it will distract them from the dirty window beside the door.

2. Speed tidy with baskets and boxes.
Put all loose items that are not in their correct place in a basket or box in the room that they belong in. Clear tables, cupboards and bench tops make a house look tidy and spacious.
If they are in common rooms, take 10 minutes to quickly put items where they belong. 
Shut the bedroom door.  

3. Fluff up the cushions and throw rugs in your lounge room. It's a quick trick and will make your house look like a hotel suite.

4. Clear the junk off the fridge door. Fridge magnets are cute but make the place look cluttered and can be dirty. Shopping lists and favourite recipes can be stored in a drawer during the Christmas visits.

5. Wipe down surfaces. This one is worth the effort and will remove hairs, dust, fluff and coffee cup rings. 

6. Vacuum the common areas. Nothing makes a house look spotless more than freshly vacuumed carpets.

7. Clean the toilet. Please.

8. Hang a clean tea towel in the kitchen and clean towels in the bathroom.

9. Buy some fresh flowers or a pot plant. Plants make a house look fresh and natural.

10. Smile and fuss over your guests. They will be dazzled by your attention and won't even notice the remaining mess. 
    

3 Weeks Until Christmas

It's back to food this week. It is only 3 weeks until Christmas and the shops are getting hectic. We do the groceries every Saturday morning, usually arriving soon after 8am and leaving at about 9:30. In and out before the rush and nobody waiting for our car park as week leave. No so this morning. By the time we got back to the car, the four wheeled vultures were circling, hunting for a car park.

The message for this week is to get organised now. Study your menus for Christmas functions. Start two shopping lists. The first one is for non-perishable items that you can buy now. The second list is for the items that you have to leave until the last minute. You can continue to add to this list until the last shop before Christmas but start now so you won't forget anything. 

What can you buy now? Most things: tins, coffee, biscuits, pet food, snacks, toilet paper. Have you ever noticed the huge amounts of toilet paper that are driven out of the supermarkets right before Christmas? Does the human body work differently at Christmas time, maybe in response to the change in diet? Who knows, but I can assure you that the toilet paper you buy today will not go stale in the next three weeks. 

Are you planning to try a recipe for the first time at Christmas? I have a habit of doing this and amazingly have not had a disaster but it is better to test recipes out ahead of time if you can. 

My Sister-In-Law is a creative and skilled cake maker and decorator. Fortunately for the rest of us who don't have the same degree of patience, dedication and skill Toni-Maree provides delicious recipes and ideas to try. Try out these truffles this weekend. Enjoy them and make more in time for Christmas. 

The Fantasy Cake Factory    

Christmas should be fun. Organise yourself so it is not all effort and stress at the last minute.  

This gorgeous bowl of gingerbread was created by Anita:
http://s125.photobucket.com/user/alongway99/library/?sort=4&page=1

4 Weeks Until Christmas

It's Time to Find Clothes to Wear to Christmas Gatherings 

Have you already picked out your outfits for all the Christmas functions?

Time is running short.The shops are getting hectic.
Don't delay any longer. Disappointing as it may be, it is doubtful  you get thinner, more toned or more buffed in the next three weeks.
Now is the time to pick something that you feel really good in. 

So, what to wear?

My plans usually start out with an idea to wear stilettos, something figure hugging and stunning with a fancy hairdo. By the time the day finally arrives, I am rearranging my wardrobe looking for something vaguely modern to go with my kitten heels. The work Christmas dinner is an example of this. I was going to wear my blue satin, figure hugging "wedding dress" and strappy black sandals. Why is it called a wedding dress? Because so far, I have worn it to two weddings and my graduation. When the evening came, I wore my slightly Indian looking dress and matching orange wedges. Much more comfortable. Much more me. 

There are times to glam up and there are people that love to glam up and look absolutely fabulous but wear something that feels like 'you.' It is possible to still make a statement and feel comfortable. Many years ago I bought a pair of lime green jeans from the secondhand shop. I paired them with a black cheesecloth top and black sandals. Boy, did I create a stir, but I felt very comfortable and at home in my clothes. 

I studied Google for advice about what to wear to Christmas gatherings. Here is what I found.

• If you tend to be a messy eater, wear something patterned or at least not white.
• If you will be outside, wear a hat. 
• If you will be crawling around under the Christmas tree looking for presents, wear jeans, shorts or leggings.
• If you like tradition, wear red and green.
• If you want to be chic, wear a dress.
• If you love jeans, wear them and dress them up with a sparkly top.
• If you love jewellery, spend a few dollars and buy yourself some costume jewellery. The choices are endless.
• If you are planning to eat and drink a lot, wear something that gives you room to grow.
• If you will be standing a lot, pick your shoes carefully. Stilettos don't look sexy if you also have a tortured look on your face.     

Remember, Christmas should be fun, not a fashion contest. 

5 Weeks Until Christmas

It is time to take stock of your Christmas decorations.

Get out your lights, Christmas tree, decorations and garden ornaments. You may have lovingly packed them up last Christmas but now is the time to see if they were worth packing away for another year. Is it time that the pine cones that you painted with 'snow' many years ago are laid to rest? 

At our home we love outside lights but they have a mysterious habit of breaking after they are packed away in the top cupboard. In the privacy of their boxes, the bulbs seem to blow and the transformers seem to divorce their lights. Countless hours have been spent searching for the broken bulb and trying to bend the rope lights in just the right place to make them light up. Buy some more! Simple. There are hundreds in the shops.  

Plastic Christmas trees are great but eventually, they lose the excitement of the festive season and just smell like old plastic. There are many more creative ways to have a 'tree.'

Go for a drive to the country for a dead branch and make a beautiful sculptural tree. 






Not much room? How about a 2D tree.

Feeling a bit crafty? Try some of these. 







Know a plumber? This is made of PVC pipe and decorations you probably already have. 

Love the natural look? Raw timber is always a favourite of mine. 











If you want something natural and signifying new life and growth, take a trip to the nursery and buy a plant you love the look of. Any plant can be decorated, from the finest of ferns to tall, invincible palms.   

Now is the time to plan and get creative with your Christmas decorations. Turn up the carols and get crafty!

  

6 Weeks Until Christmas

Christmas Card Time

Do you send Christmas cards? If you do, now is the time to get organized and start sending. 

The custom of sending Christmas cards started in 1843. Sir Henry Cole was a government worker who helped set up the Public Record Office in the UK and wondered how it could be used more by more ordinary people, so with his artist friend John Horsley, they designed the first card and sold it for 1 shilling. 

Printing methods improved and by 1860, cards had increased in popularity and were produced in large numbers. The cost of post had also dropped so many more people were able to send cards.  

The sending of Christmas cards has declined in popularity in recent years with the arrival of the digital age. Last year I received 2 cards and sent none. The tradition has slipped away for me. 

If you are undecided whether or not to send Christmas cards, here are some reasons to continue with the tradition.

• They convey the message that friendship says something and it is worth the effort.
• They connect with those who haven't seen in years who don't operate in the digital age. They will realize you are still alive.
• Auntie Alice does not want an e-card and she wouldn't know how to access it anyway. 
• They provide the opportunity to be truly personal, something that is not so easy with digital cards (or no cards at all.)
• It is still fun to receive real mail in your real letterbox.
• They decorate the house and help bring on the Christmas spirit.
• It is therapeutic to put pen to paper and step away from the computer. 

   

If you have the urge to make your own Christmas cards, check out the following site for inspiration. There are some beautiful, really simple and cute ideas on here.

http://www.designbolts.com/2012/11/10/20-beautiful-diy-homemade-christmas-card-ideas-for-2012/.



If you are not keen or a bit tardy with your Christmas cards here are some justifications for wiping out the tradition. At your house at least but respect others desire to send cards. 

• There is not much worse than receiving cards after Christmas so they are not good for the disorganized.
• Cards require the killing of trees.
• Cards cost money to buy and post.
• Difficult decisions are required about when to throw cards out.
• e-cards are fast and can be sent to many people without their knowledge so they look kinda personal.
• e-cards can be funny, pretty, startling, animated, talking and singing. Try to get all that in a card. 
• Most people read their emails. 
• e-cards can be free.
• A lot of e-card sites provide scheduled delivery, so you can design today and send whenever you want. 

Here is a list of e-card sites to browse through. Some are free, others are not.

Cute drawings and captions

https://www.justwink.com/cards/christmas   

Classy and elegant

https://www.paperlesspost.com/

Animated with music

http://www.katiescards.com/ecards/christmas-ecards

100% free, animated, music

http://www.regards.com/index.cfm

Whatever you choose to do about Christmas cards, now is the time to start.

Christmas is not far away now. 

7 Weeks until Christmas

It is now time to get serious about the Christmas shopping. If you don't buy gifts or celebrate Christmas, repeat week 8 and take more time for yourself.  

Here are my strategies to lessen the stress and effort of present shopping.

Make a list 

Starting writing a list of possible gifts. Even this step makes
me feel as if I am making progress.
I have a habit of interrogating the family at the dinner table for
ideas of what each other would like. Some wild and unrealistic suggestions turn up but there are usually some great ones as well.


Flexible standardisation

What's wrong with giving variations on the same gift to 
multiple people. Let's be realistic, it probably isn't the only present they will receive.
How about- DVDs, socks (sigh,no), chocolates, wine, perfume.






Plan a shopping day

After you have written your list, pick a day that you will have
plenty of time so that you can do most of it in one trip.
Get to the shops early so you still have a chance of getting 
a car park. Wear your active wear. This is not the day to look fancy.
Schedule in a coffee and snack break so you can rest your feet and check off your list.
Warn the family that someone else will have to be responsible for organising the evening meal. 


Pick your shopping centre


There is no sense in planning to buy everyone books and then going to a shopping centre that does not have a bookstore. 
Check the car parking. Is it easy to get in and out of?
Park your car rear end in so that you can drive straight out
past all those fighting for your carpark. 
  

Negotiate to reduce the number of gifts

Rather than buying lots of cheap presents

why not agree to buy one present only. Draw the

name out of a hat and do secret Santa if you wish. 

 

Make your gifts

If you are low on funds or if you find craft a relaxing pastime,

consider making some of your Christmas gifts.

There are many gifts to choose from- baked goods, artwork, potted plants, knitted and crochet apparel, pottery. The list is endless. 

Christmas should be about spending time together, not struggling your way through the shops elbow to elbow to buy the 'perfect' gift. Be logical. If you had fun buying it, then the recipient is more likely to love it than if you have gone to the ends of the earth and back just for one gift. 

8 Weeks Until Christmas

Hello again.

This name of this photo is "beach-beverage-caribbean." It is here because I think there is something in the photo for everyone. Do you feed revitalised after a day at the beach? Would a holiday on an exotic island be great right now and who doesn't benefit from a delicious drink in a curvaceous long-stemmed glass?  

The post this week is about self-care at Christmas. This is a time to do something just for yourself. It doesn't mean that you don't care for your family less and I don't infer that you should ignore them and go your own way but make time for yourself. 

Now is the time to plan what you want to do so that you will not forget yourself when the Christmas panic really sets in. There are squillions of things you can plan that will renew your energy and give you the resilience you need to be bright and sparkly through Christmas.

Have a night or two away with someone you love.  

I have just spent the weekend at the beach with John. The weather was glorious. The food delicious and it was time to take a few deep breaths, relax and spend time together.
I recommend it to anyone. 

Why not plan a night or two away? Book it in so you can look forward to it. 

Buy a good book to read or a couple of DVDs.

A bit of escapism is good for everyone.  







Plan to catch up with an old friend.

It is very easy to lose touch with friends 
without realising it and before long, the years are rolling
by and you can't remember when you last spoke to them.

Give them a call and plan a coffee catch up, a meal out
or a trip to the movies.


Get to know someone new.

Do you have a work colleague who you 
would like to get to know better.
Make the first move and have a coffee with them. 

Try a new recipe.

Be daring and try cooking something that scares you just a bit. Practice it a few times. Treat the family like guinea pigs.

You never know, it might make it onto the Christmas table.

There is still time to plan all of these activities ready for Christmas.

I have found a fabulous website owned by Marquita that is dedicated to emotionally resilient living. It has some great articles. The most recent one that I have read recommends putting time in your calendar for yourself. So, I have made appointments with myself in my work calendar. These half hour appointments I devote to going for a walk, shutting my office door to read a book or eat my lunch in peace. My days are more manageable and I go home less tired and frazzled each day. Here is the link to her article about self-care. 

Why Self-Care is Critical to Your Success


Note: All photos labelled used are free for reuse on Google.