It's Time For My Big Girl Pants

Jan 22, 2014

We are only 3 weeks into the year.

After a wonderful Christmas and New Year,
I was focused with game plan in hand,
and raring to go.


My New Year goals/objectives were
on track and I was making small
but consistent progress.

I was amped.

And then something unwanted and unexpected
comes along and completely knocks the winds
out of my sails.



My estranged and unstable sister shows up
after 10 years and instigates a chain of
events that sees me go into a melt-down, 
my poor Dad quaking with fear and my protective
but confused Husband
wondering can the family he married 
into get anymore crazy ;-)

It's left me raging with an anger I never
knew I had in me

It's left me so sad seeing the confusion
and sadness in my Dad's eyes


It's left me emotional watching my
poor Dad trying to keep
strong for me; a strength I know
he doesn't really have.

It's left me bloody angry that someone
who has not cared about anyone but
herself, suddenly feels the need to 
disrupt everyone's life and 
getting immense pleasure from it.


It's left me not having the energy to get 
out of bed, but knowing that that
isn't even an option.

It's made me realize blood is not
always thicker than water.

It's made me falter with indecision between
"she's mad, don't do anything", to
"I have to lawyer up if for no other 
reason but to 
protect the people I love".


It's made me determined but frightened;
this is legal territory I know nothing about.
But I will learn-I have too.

It's left me tossing about at night as 
I visualize scenes from CSI (of me
being handcuffed to Warwick ;-)
after being arrested for murder

It's left me getting up in a cold sweat.

It's left me feeling if I just 
take things one step at a time
I will come out of this the other side, 
(but still not totally convinced).

I know this calls for my
"big girl pants";-)

 I know it's  reminder that I  really can scrap 
with the best of them
if it means protecting the people I love.

I know how intensely
damaging hate can be (but I still
haven't worked out how to get past 
this one).



It's reminded me just how cathartic my
blog is. What started as a business tool
has now become much more than that.
I can sometimes bear my soul in
what is still a fairly anonymous way

Some would say take the high road.
But there are just some occasions
when you have to get down and 
dirty with the best of them.


It's made me realize that no
matter how I feel inside,
I will always put on my happy
face and sparkle for the outside world


stacking rings, gold stacking rings
This helped me maintain my sparkle
this week

It's made me accept
there are times when I just cannot
be "zen" about everything-but
that's not bad either.

More than anything
this week has reminded me 
what doesn't kill you
makes you stronger.


xxxxx

Furrrrrrrrr! It's Cold Outside.

Jan 10, 2014

Well this first week of Jan
has seen horrible weather 
just about everywhere, and I'm blaming
the weather on the "funk" I've felt all week.

London has seen gales and storms.
The US is experiencing a polar freeze which is making
its way (apparently) to the UK
next week.
Chanel

Spain has seen really horrible weather too.
However, whenever I am there I am 
overwhelmed by the number of women
who are proud to wear their fur.
Carolina Herrera
Even just going to the food markets for their
fresh bread and they are all adorned in fur.
Tom Ford

My late Mum has her few furs in storage.
"I'm keeping them for my daughters" she always said.
Lanvin


However her daughters are too frightened to wear them.
You see in the UK animal activists are "active".

Ralph Lauren


I was accosted once in Regents Street (London)
when I inadvertently walked past a demonstration
outside a fur shop . I had a coat that had fur around the
hood, and I was spotted.

Valentino

Thankfully I was not on my own and after a growl
from my Husband I was released.
But it has since put me off wearing anything that resembles
fur when I am in the UK.

I SO want this

However, when I am in Spain I don't have that fear.
OK, I do understand that Spain is a country that
considers bull-fighting an "art", but that's another
discussion for another day ;-)

Fur & Camel

So what's your thoughts?
To "fur or not to fur, that
is the question".
Mink anyone

As always I love hearing your opinions and views
and hope the first week of the year has been good to you all
xxxx



p.s If anyone is interested in upping their
social media strategy (as I did in December), may
I recommend the lovely Julie from www.sociallyaligned.com
She's an absolute doll and has the patience of a saint.
She also really knows her stuff. Just drop her line and
tell her Van sent you ;-)

New Year Dreams

Jan 5, 2014

Firstly HAPPY NEW YEAR Lovelies!!
I hope you all entered 2014 with a bang.

Always at this time of  year I think about where I want to be
one year from now.

For the last few years I've veered away from goals and resolutions;
I didn't want to feel like a failure when I didn't stick to my resolutions.



So I stuck with a mantra and focused on how I wanted to feel.
But I noticed something.
It was much easier to drift when I had no clear objectives;
 I didn't have to be accountable to anyone about anything. 
I could just do
as I pleased and "play" at progress.


I allowed myself this pleasure as I had made big changes
in my life in 2013 and I needed some time to re-set the balance.

However, this year I've decided the kid gloves must come off.
It's time to play big.

It's time to set objectives and I will work to achieve
them using the 80/20 rule.
It's time to stop wasting time with the unnecessary,
the time-wasting, the minutia details.

My new mantra (for my business objectives) will be:
Mantra 1:

Don't get me wrong, altho' I am thinking BIG
(and not keeping that fact to myself, which may be
a bad move) I will still nurture and renew as I go along.

On a personal level I have lots of little changes I would
like to make aiming
for the 80/20 rule:
*giving up wheat (currently reading the book
Wheat Belly and am horrified by what
I am reading)
*giving up the dreaded Diet Coke
*a green juice for breakfast every morning
*drinking more water
*making time to read 
(and not buying any more books until I 
finish all the ones I have. Does anyone else
buy books constantly? Is it a "medical condition"?
My husband seems to think so ;-)


*having one technology free day
*not checking emails until after 3pm
*stop the "compare and despair" that
platforms like Instagram allows to seep into 
the fibres of your soul
Did I say drink more water or chocolate?

I won't beat myself up when I make mistakes.
I won't label myself a failure just because one 
idea didn't work. 

But most importantly I will always try to be a 
better person than the day before



I will just work towards making things happen



However, I AM going to enjoy the journey also,
something I am guilty of not always doing ;-)
I usually battle my way to finish line 
only to move on to the next, big shiny thing.



And of course I won't forget to
try and sparkle all the way ;-)

I hope you will stay with me on
my journey.





I would love to hear what your thoughts, plans
objectives are for the forthcoming year.

xxxx