Manage your happiness level

I’ve made some poor choices lately. I’ve embarrassed myself. My behaviour is off and my mood swings are causing me to be high one minute and a scary bitch the next. Bit like a drug addict really.

My AHA-MOMENT came on Monday when I realised it wasn’t what was happening to me, but HOW I WAS REACTING TO IT.

‘A-ha’ I hear you say.

You see it’s meant to be the happiest time of the year, yet I was allowing to let the little things build up and send me into a frenzy. I knew I needed to take back control of my reactions and make the conscious decision to be happy with this stage of my life.

Here are my top five ways to ‘get happy’ again:

1) Surround yourself with positive people. Happiness is contagious. If you’re with happy people, their happiness and energy will rub off on you. High-energy people will lift you up, while people who tend to be negative will bring out your cynical side.

2) Let go of anything negative that happened during the day. Those events are over and now you can move on from them. When you find yourself drifting, gently remind yourself to shift focus to the joys in your life. Positive thinking leads to lower rates of depression and distress and a better physical well-being.

3) Practice gratitude. You KNOW I’m crazy for showing gratitude. Often times we caught up in the daily grind and forget to think about what we’re grateful for. The trick is to make practicing gratitude a routine. I keep a gratitude journal {Gratitude by HappyTapper} on my iPhone and try to jot down 3 things that made me feel grateful that day.

4) Work up a sweat. Get those good ol’ endorphins kicking and get an immediate boost in your mood. I’ve recently started walking home from the office twice a week. New music blasting in my ears, wind in my face and Sydney Harbour to marvel at! It doesn’t get much better than that. My Mum’s best advice has always been ‘get out of your head and into your body’.

5) Meditate. Carve out some “me” time and meditate. Meditation will lead you to a more calm, peaceful and happy existence. It reduces stress and tension, builds confidence and energy and reduces anxiety. Loads of people find meditation difficult, but my best advice would be to download a meditation app. I’m currently using the CALM app on my iPhone. There is a huge selection of 6 minute sessions to choose from: calm, anxiety release, compassion, confidence, energy, sleep etc. Once you’ve mastered 6 minute sessions, build it up to 10-20 minute sessions.

Which one of these steps do you think helps you the most? Are there any you would add? Let me know in the comments!

I’ve got plenty to be thankful for ……

Yesterday was Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is traditionally a day of giving thanks for the blessing of a harvest and is also a celebration in acknowledgment of kindness. Family and friends gather to reflect on the past year, give thanks for their blessings and enter into a food coma.

I wish Australia had a beautiful holiday to celebrate like this. I’d like to think and believe that I give thanks each day and I try to add my blessings to a gratitude journal I keep on my iPhone. {I’m nerdy like that}. I love blogging about being thankful (here and here) because it truly centres you and forces you to be present, in the moment.

I may not live in the States, but I can still share with you why I’m thankful today:

I am thankful that my parents gave me life, food, shelter, warmth, my brothers and most importantly their unconditional love. My mother especially gives me so much support and guidance and is one of the kindest women I know.

I am thankful for my brothers and our close bond. I feel closer to them now than ever before. I’m truly proud of the men they have become,  the families they have created and I feel incredibly blessed to have beautiful, talented, intelligent, fun loving sister in laws.

I am thankful to have a husband who is my biggest and greatest love of my life. He’s my supporter, who inspires me to be the best version of myself, and who can laugh with me on a daily basis.

I am thankful to have friends who inspire with their talent, success, honesty and creativity, friends that remind me that it’s okay not to have it all figured out.

I am thankful that my furry kids – my dogs – chose me to be their Mama. My dogs delight me on a daily basis, keep my active, make me appreciate the laughable moments in life.

I am thankful to have a job – there are days when I have a love/hate feeling for my job, it’s something I’m working on – but I’m thankful to have one at the very least.

I am thankful for YOU and that you care enough to visit my little online happy place, otherwise this whole blogging thing wouldn’t nearly be as fun without you.

I’d love to hear what you’re thankful for this year. And, I’ll see you back here on Monday.

I will not become a zombie

One of my blogging buddies over at Covet Living recently published a post that screamed at me. It woke me up. It shook me out of my iPhone wonderland where I seem to exist when I’m bored.

Sometimes you can read one line and something resonates inside of you.

“It made me realize that I need to focus less on finding the perfect pic to take and focus more on the life that’s happening right in front of me”.

Hello. Wake up call. I am SO guilty of this. My phone is constantly in my hand – ready to snap at anything and anyone. I’m always in search for a perfect photo. Yet I miss out on seeing it. Really seeing it. And experiencing whatever it is that’s happening.

Have we become zombies in a modern society? I think I have.  Life is all around me. But I’m missing it. When I walked to the office this morning, nearly every single person had their head down, focused on their phones instead of seeking out whats happening around us.

Here is a snapshot of my zombie existence:

• My alarm goes off and I reach for my iPhone. I must check my emails, Facebook, Instagram, Blog comments and Pinterest before I step foot out of bed.

• I walk to bus stop each day with my head buried in my phone. {Dangerous when crossing busy streets!}.

• I have the absolute pleasure of travelling over the Sydney Harbour Bridge each day to the office. Instead of taking in the water views and blue skies, my head is buried in my phone reading news.com.au.

• No matter where I am walking to, I carry my phone in my hand just in case I get a text/call/comment. I carry it in case I see something funny or amazing and want to take a photo.

• Hubby and I can’t watch a movie or a 5 minute news break without reaching for our phones and checking our work emails.

What does this achieve? Wasted moments mostly. Lost opportunities to engage with the human race. A deterioration in our ability to communicate.

My focus has now shifted. It has too. I don’t want to miss out on another moment. Breathe it in. Appreciate the visuals. Enjoy the comfort. Engage in communication. Marvel at this beautiful harbour city. Appreciate the street fashion. And connect with the human race again. Face to Face.

It’s time to focus on the world around me. Not my iPhone.

Do you feel the same? Or is it just me?

Credit: Oliver Fluck

Liebster Award Nomination? Yes please!

Hey everyone! The Lover List has been nominated for a blogging award – the Liebster Award. Thank you to Sam from Sammy’s Beauty for the nomination. Blogger awards are such a great way to learn more about your fellow bloggers so I knew that I had to participate. {Be sure to scroll to the bottom to check out my answers to some of Sam’s questions!}.

So what on earth does Liebster mean? Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

How the Liebster Award works:

• Each nominee must link back to the person that nominated them.
• Answer the 10 questions which are given to you by the nominator.
• Nominate 10 other bloggers you like. Must have 200 followers or less.
• Create 10 questions for your nominees to answer.
• Let them know that they have been nominated by going to their blog and notifying them!

My answers to Sam’s questions:

1. What is your favourite makeup product? Mascara. It brings all the boys to the yard. Oh wait, that’s my milkshakes.
2. Where in the world would you most like to visit? Guantanamo Bay. Kidding! I’d love to travel back to Italy and spend a few months in the south. I’m completely obsessed with Italian pasta, Italian coffee, Italian gelato, Italian leather and most of all the Italian sunshine. 
3. What’s something you can’t leave the house without? My iPhone and credit card. You never know who will call you (Ryan Gosling – I’m thinking of you) and what surprise purchase you may need to make.
   
4. What is your favourite nail polish colour that you like to wear the most? Maybelline Express Finish in Coral Glaze.
5. What is your go to everyday makeup look? BB cream, bronzer, powder, mascara, tinted lip balm. Boom! Watch out supermodels around the world!
6. What are you obsessed with? Breaking Bad TV series. Who knew crystal meth, cancer and drug money could be so damn entertaining.
7. What is your favourite car? My current car of course. {Karma is a bitch so I had to say that!}. But if money was no concern I’d buy the Audi Q3 in white.
8. Blogs that you read every day? BumpyRoadtoBubba, Life Love & Hiccups, The Life Creative, Covet Living, Antipodean Diaries and lucky last Jess Lively. These gals and guys fill my day with ideas, credit card debt and mostly laughter.
9. Name 2 makeup items that are always in your bag? Clinique Chubby Lip balm and SPF cream.
10. What is your favourite colour of lipstick? Anything Red. Gets me lucky every time.

These are the 10 Blogs I would like to nominate:
Love Living Life
Antipodean Diaries 
Satchel and Stilettos
Happier
Pinions and Lace
Totally Heavenly
Who’d have thought
Live Some Day
Motivation from the heart
Peace Love and Chocolate
Ashley Glitter

My 10 questions for the nominees above are:

1. Which blog do you read every day? Why?
2. Do you believe in love at first sight?
3. I’ve worked in the travel industry for 15 years and love to travel. If money was no object, which part of the world would you travel to next?
4. If you could choose any profession now, what would it be?
5. A movie is made about your life. Which Hollywood actress would play you?
6. Would you rather trade some intelligence for looks or looks for intelligence?
7. I have two rescue dogs. Do you have a pet at home?
8. If you could ask your future self one question what would it be?
9. If you could breed two animals together to defy the laws of nature what new animal would you create?
10. Why did you start blogging?

 

Don’t forget to tag me so I can read your answers!

 

Free wallpaper for your phone

Free wallpaper:  one ||  two || three || four

Howdy lovers.

Digital wallpaper. Do you use it? Or do you prefer to display a photo? Normally my iPhone and iPad would display an adorable pic of my furry children or a happy travel pic, but check out these great FREE digital wallpaper designs. Yes, I said FREE.

Above are 4 free wallpapers that I love. My iPhone is currently sporting number #2. {I’m jumping on board the pineapple cray-cray train}.

Which do you like best?

Weekly Lovers List {28AUG13}

This week’s Lovers List has a monogram theme. Monograms can add a personal touch to your home and lifestyle. Or if your a gift giver like me, a monogrammed gift shows the recipient that a little bit of thought has gone into their gift.

All products can be found on Etsy.

 

1. Monogram Bracelets made from 925 Sterling Silver. Different fonts available too. Visit Duru Jewel Art. Prices start from $43.00

2. Beach themed monogram iPhone case from To Gild The Lily. Prices start from $19.50.

3. Monogram Canvas Weekend Duffle Bag from Teta Apparel. You can request family crests as well. Perfect for the man in your life. Prices start from $97.00.

4. Personalised Engraved Wood Cutting Board made from walnut wood. This would make a great wedding gift or housewarming gift. Visit Damian’s Wood Works. Prices from $45.00.

Tuesday Tunes {chill-out songs}

Any day can be transformed with music. Music can excite, soothe, calm or get the PARTY started. For me, I need to match the music with my mood so I have tonnes of playlists on my iPhone. I am constantly listening to music – walking to work, in the office, when I’m cooking, out exercising and especially when I’m cleaning! My project at the moment is overhauling my chill-out playlist. I’ve deleted some oldies and added some goodies. At the end of the day I LOVE to pour myself a glass of wine, connect my iPhone to my wireless speakers and start on dinner.

Here are some of songs featured on my playlist:

• The Breach – Dustin Tebbutt
• Bath is Black – Marika Hackman
• Blood – The Middle East
• Northern lights – LUX
• Thinkin bout you – Frank Ocean
• Be here now – Ray LaMontagne
• For you – Angus & Julia Stone
• Bravado – Lorde
• Chained – The xx
• Boy – Emma Louise

 

Question – what’s on your chill-out playlist? Or do you have a favourite song at the moment?

Kate Spade accessories

Guess who has a new phone? Me!

Guess who needs a new iPhone 5 cover for their phone? Me!

Guess who my favourite iPhone cover designer is? Kate Spade of course! Her accessories are always bright, cheerful and right on trend.

I just ordered the Palm Springs Tiles iPhone cover. I’m a tad bit excited and I pray that it’s shipped to Australia very quickly.

Kate Spade – Palm Springs Tiles in Moonshine

 

It also comes in a lime green colour. Me likey!

Kate Spade – Palm Springs Tiles in Sea glass lime

 

Happy Friday!