WRAPPING UP A FABULOUS YEAR

Wrapping up the year with some positivity and fabulosity

WRAPPING UP THE YEAR FABULOUSLY

Christmas always comes with images of lovely gifts all prettily wrapped, and I think that ties in beautifully with the idea of wrapping up the year that was. I chose "FABULOUS" for my #WOTY and it felt like a pretty Fabulous year all in all. Today I want to do a little look back at some the little Fabulosities and to sign off as we head into Christmas and a New Year.

I guess this is a little bit of a taking stock of the year and a little bit of looking forward to all that is coming. I love Christmas and all that comes with it - so let's wrap up this Fabulous year so that we can then settle back and enjoy this lovely season.....

SELLING YOUR FOREVER HOME? FIVE QUICK WAYS TO SPRUCE THINGS UP

If you're thinking of selling your family home, here are five great tips for a quick sale and maximizing your profit.
 

FIVE QUICK WAYS TO SPRUCE THINGS UP IF YOU'RE SELLING YOUR HOME

I've noticed that many of my friends in real life and online are thinking about selling the family home to move onto the next phase of life now the kids have left the nest. Some want a sea change or tree change, some want to be closer to their grandkids, some are choosing to downsize, some have even decided to upsize for when the kids and grandkids come to visit (we were one of those!) Regardless of what you choose to move onto, having your current home in top shape makes the sales process so much simpler and more straightforward.

Today on the blog I have a guest post collaboration sharing some great tips on ways to make your house appealing to a buyer and ready for a quick sale......

UNRAVELING BELIEFS THAT NO LONGER FIT WELL

When you reach the second half of life you reassess and renew. Old ideas are discarded and a new you emerges.

UNRAVELING WHAT NO LONGER SERVES ME

My 50's were a huge decade for me - it was where I began to open my eyes and see that so many of my long held beliefs weren't fitting in with the woman I wanted to be. Somewhere around the time I started this blog (8 years ago) I began to see that my life was out of balance, I had been trying to juggle a lot of balls that weren't true to my core beliefs or values any more.

What might have seemed right when I was younger (and didn't know better) began to chafe, and over the last decade I came to see that several drivers in my life were causing me more harm than good, and it was time to re-think them and start living more authentically....

CELEBRATING A FABULOUS NOVEMBER AND MY BIRTHDAY

Living life fabulously - looking back at all the enjoyable happenings during November.

MY FABULOUS NOVEMBER

I cannot believe that we're almost at the end of another year. It's certainly been a big one for me and November wasn't to be left out. After all the "excitement" of gaining a new hip in October, I had the pleasure of getting my life back to normal and celebrating my 61st birthday without a limp. It's been a great few weeks and here's a little of what's been Fabulous throughout the lovely month of November....

8 LESSONS FROM 8 YEARS OF BLOGGING

These are the lessons I've learned over the years from when I published my first blog post until now.

THIS TIME 8 YEARS AGO

Around this time 8 years ago, I finally took the plunge and started a blog. I dived into the vast unknown with little to no expectations (other than to write a bit of stuff down to get it out of my head and into a more understandable format).

I knew nothing about blogging or bloggers. I hadn't even heard the term "Midlife" - it was something I encountered along the way when a few amazing women found me and took me on a journey that has now been part of my life since November 2014. I've learned so much along the way and today I thought I'd share 8 lessons I discovered in the process....

BE AN ENCOURAGER NOT A FIXER

Being a fixer seems like a great idea - but people don't need to be fixed, they need encouragement to solve their own problems.

CONFESSIONS OF A "FIXER"

My name is Leanne and I'm a "Fixer" - it's an inherent trait that I thought was a sign of how capable and helpful I am. I've come to see over time that the world doesn't need more fixers, instead it needs more encouragers. People become either resentful or dependent if you keep trying to fix them or rescue them from themselves, but they thrive when you take the time to encourage them to be their best and figure it out for themselves.

Today I'm writing about why being a fixer isn't my go-to preference any longer.....

HOW DO YOU RESPOND WHEN THINGS AREN'T GOING TO PLAN?

How do you cope when life throws unexpected curveballs and your plans appear to be in disarray?

HOW DO YOU REACT TO UPHEAVALS?

I'm confessing right here and now that I'm not good with people throwing a spanner in the works, or with unexpected changes that I have no control over. I'm excellent at planning and preparing, I'm great at list making and having Plan A, B, and C. But I'm not great with upheavals and life throwing me curveballs. 

The latest evidence of this came with my hip surgery date being thrown into chaos a week before it was due to happen...... we all know the outcome, but this is what I learnt about myself in the process.....

A MOST FABULOUS OCTOBER INDEED!

Living life fabulously - looking back at all the enjoyable happenings during October.

MY FABULOUS OCTOBER

Well..... October has certainly been a Fabulous month for me. It started out with our delightful granddaughters visiting us for a few days while their parents went off for some "adult time". Then mid-October I had my hip replaced, and the last couple of weeks have been spent recovering, and filling my days with quiet pastimes and visits from friends and family. Not a bad way to spend a month if I do say so myself.

I hope you'll read on for more updates, photos, and general Fabulosity.....

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE A TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT

what it's like to have a total hip replacement at 60

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE A NEW BIONIC HIP

Good morning from me and my new hip! Just over a week ago, at the grand old age of 60, I had my left hip replaced. (If you missed all the reasons for this - my hip dysplasia etc - then you can catch up on that part of the story HERE.) 

Today I just wanted to share what's been happening over the last couple of months and how I'm going post Total Hip Replacement (THR). Thank you to all of you who've passed on messages of encouragement and prayed for me over the last few weeks.

ADULT CHILDREN DIVORCING? YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR GRANDCHILDREN DOESN’T HAVE TO END

Are you worried that you might lose your relationship with your grandchildren after your adult child’s divorce? You have options. Seek legal support.

INTRO

Today, while I recover from my hip replacement surgery, I have a really interesting guest contribution from Brisbane Family Lawyer Jennifer Hetherington about what happens to grandparents and grandchildren if there's a divorce in the family.

Those of us with grandchildren know that being a grandparent is a beautiful experience filled with joy and excitement. As grandparents with so much love to give, it can be worrying if our adult children decide to go through with a divorce. Fortunately, there are options available to us when it comes to continuing our relationship with our grandchildren, and Jennifer has some very helpful advice about what we can do.

Just a note that this is general information only. This article does not constitute legal advice. All cases are different. You should discuss your circumstance with a good family lawyer.

AGEING GRATEFULLY AND GRACEFULLY

Ageing gratefully and gracefully is a choice. It's up to us to decide how we want the last decades of our life to be - and then make it happen.

TURNING 60 AND BEING OKAY WITH THAT 

I turned 60 last year, and it was another marker on the road to growing older. For some unknown reason I've had difficulties with each decade change....until this one. I used to feel like I'd lost a part of me, and had to get my head around accepting the next stage of my life.....but turning 60 was different. I felt settled and at peace, like I'd grown into myself at last, and I quite like the woman I'm finally becoming.

Now I have a new task ahead of me - and that's learning to grow older with grace and gratitude. Thinking about how to do that is what inspired today's post....

"IT IS WHAT IT IS" - AND OTHER WORDS OF ACCEPTANCE

If you're living through tough times here's a few reassuring phrases to keep you in a positive mindset.

WHAT DO YOU TELL YOURSELF IN TOUGH TIMES?

As anyone who reads my blog knows, I have hip dysplasia that's been a minor irritant in my life for the last 25 years or so. Then around this time last year it started to flare up and all of a sudden I found myself at the orthopedic surgeon's office being told that I'm going to need a total left hip replacement if I want to be able to walk without pain and a limp.

Since that appointment a few months ago, things have slowly progressed in a downward spiral and I now find myself unable to walk even a few steps without pain. It's a constant presence in my life - but you know what? Rabbiting on about it non-stop just makes it worse, dwelling on it makes it worse.....so while I wait for my operation day to arrive I've developed a litany of responses that help me accept what is, wait patiently, and focus on the stuff I have some control over. I thought I'd share a few of them today....

MY FABULOUS SEPTEMBER

Living life fabulously - looking back at all the fun little happenings during September.

MY FABULOUS SEPTEMBER

Oh my goodness, we're into Spring in Australia, although a lot of the time it still feels quite wintery. Still, the sun's up earlier - which makes getting out of bed easier, and the days are warming up. It's been a quiet month for me, but there's still lots of little updates to share. So, on that note here's what's been Fabulous throughout the lovely month of September....

5 REASONS SOLO TRAVEL IS THE ULTIMATE LESSON IN SELF-LOVE

Travelling solo opens us up to new experiences that enrich our soul, deepen our self-understanding, and reward us for life.

INTRO

Today on the blog I have a really interesting post about travel. I don't write about travelling solo because I'm a bit of a scaredy cat at heart and it seems so daunting. But....I was asked if I'd be interested in collaborating with this post and it has opened my eyes to the reasons why taking off on a trip alone can be good for the soul. 

The added bonus is that it includes five personal benefits of solo travel that I'd never really considered before. So, if you're a solo traveller or not, I hope you find this as interesting as I did.....

THERE'S VALUE IN PRACTICING THE PAUSE

Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause - slow down your mind, heart and body so that you can say 'yes' to what's truly important.

THERE'S VALUE IN PRACTICING THE PAUSE

A pause can be for a moment where we stop, take a breath, and think before we respond to a situation....or it can be for much longer, when life tells us we need to rest and recalibrate. There are no rules when it comes to taking a positive pause in your life and I don't think we give it the value it deserves in our busy, fast paced world. 

There's a big difference between dithering and taking a strategic pause. Dithering means our minds are running like a hamster on a wheel trying to avoid making a decision, whereas taking a pause allows our mind, emotions, or body the grace and time needed to  respond healthily to the situation we find ourselves in.

AVOIDING COMPARISON AND EXPECTATIONS IN A HIGHLIGHT REEL WORLD



BOMBARDED BY OTHER PEOPLE'S HIGHLIGHTS

We live in a world where everyone shares their highlight reel. I think we're all guilty of it in our own way - we share the best holiday snaps, the happy family pics, the most flattering profile photo.....and don't get me started on those Instagram filters! Everyone seems to be living their best life - which is fine and it's human to want to share those highlights, but we need to be careful to remind ourselves that everyday life is a lot less "pretty" and not to get caught up in the "compare and despair" spiral.

I thought I'd written a lot about this, but when I look back, it's just snippets here and there and I was surprised because comparison and expectations have both been issues I've struggled with throughout my life. So, today I thought I'd write about both....

LIVING AUGUST WITH FABULOSITY

Living life fabulously - looking back at all the fun little happenings during August.

ENJOYING A FABULOUS AUGUST

Well, today marks (almost) the end of another month - August supposedly heralds the end of the cold Winter days and evenings, but the seasons seem to be a bit slower these days, and I'm sure there's more rain and cloudy days ahead.... But that doesn't mean that life is any less Fabulous, and today I'm sharing what went on during the weeks of August....

YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE EVERYTHING TO HEART


BECOMING LESS BOTHERED BY OTHERS

We had our grandgirls down for a visit a few weeks ago and it was interesting watching their interactions and dynamics. We parented a boy and a girl, and I grew up without a sister, so I'm not familiar with all the 'negotiating' that goes on between two girls. My husband would just look at me and ask "Why?" when they'd go on and on about some small issue like:

"I'm the queen.....well if you're the queen then I'm a princess.....no, I'm a princess too......no, you're the queen, I'm the princess.....no, I'm a princess.......Nan, I'm a princess aren't I?.....no, I'm a princess......" and around it would go. It wasn't an argument or even true bickering, it was just a constant discussion about absolutely irrelevant issues. All they really needed to do was think "Whatever" and move on.

It opened my eyes to the fact that I often have these types of conversations in my own head about things that really don't matter either.....

LIFE LESSONS A TOXIC CO-WORKER TAUGHT ME

A difficult situation can teach you a lot of life lessons if you're prepared to learn and grow from it, rather than harbouring resentment.

LIFE LESSONS FROM A TOXIC WORKPLACE

A few years ago I wrote a lot of blog posts about working through leaving my toxic job. It was a watershed point in my life where I realized that I was in a situation beyond my control and it had seriously messed with my mental and emotional health. I survived, rebounded, re-assessed, and now I feel like I'm in a much better place......not because of what I went through, but in spite of what I went through. 

I walked away from that mess and moved on, but I also learnt some valuable life lessons from that difficult time, and I thought I'd share a few of them today.....

LIVING WITH AND MANAGING CHRONIC PAIN

Living with chronic pain is a lot more bearable if you give yourself grace, practice patience, live in the "now", be grateful, and stay positive.

LIVING WITH AND MANAGING CHRONIC PAIN

It's strange how you take so much in your life for granted....until something is taken away from you. I read somewhere a long time ago that it's not until we're in pain that we realize how much we take pain-free living for granted.....and I can certainly attest to that! I look back to how I'd stride out each day for my morning walk, and all the bending and twisting I could do without giving it a second thought, and I miss it every.single.day. 

It's been a year now since my hip pain flared up, and as the pain settles into becoming my "new normal" and limits so much of my life, I can see that weathering this storm depends on several different approaches - including taking the medication I'm prescribed, doing what I can to maintain my physical strength, and also on my attitude and my perception of life. You can let pain and discomfort steal from you, and beat you down, or you can choose to rise above it and learn from it - I'm choosing the latter.

HOW GRATEFUL ARE YOU FOR THE LIFE YOU HAVE NOW?

I used to hope I'd have a happy life - and after decades of commitment I think I've finally arrived.

FEELING GRATEFUL AND HAPPY

I've heard the expression "happiness is very overrated" and thought it was a little bit sad. I don't think we can expect to be happy every moment of every day, but I genuinely believe that we can create a life where we feel a sense of peace, contentment, and happiness.

Some people want all the bells and whistles and feel cheated when life doesn't provide it for them. I'm not one of those people, I've always just wanted a life where I wake up in the morning and look forward to what the day ahead has in store for me. It's taken many years to arrive at the point where I feel a quiet sense of happiness deep within and that's what today's post is all about.....

ENJOYING A FABULOUS JULY

Living life fabulously - looking back at all the fun little happenings during July.

ENJOYING A FABULOUS JULY

Well, July has come and almost gone - and brought with it lots of rain, lots of snuggling down near a heater with a good book, lots of family time, and lots of all the other good stuff that comes with cold Winter days and evenings. So, with that in mind, here's what's been Fabulous throughout the lovely month of July....

EARLY RETIREMENT? UN-RETIREMENT? OR SOMETHING IN-BETWEEN?

Can you retire early? What if your circumstances change? Is there a middle ground?

WHY DID I RETIRE EARLY?

For those of you who don't know my long and winding road to admitting defeat and leaving my horrible job three years ago, you can read about it HERE. Basically it boiled down to - leave while I still had a shred of sanity left, or stay and be crushed by the weight of the drama and tension that was a constant in my workplace. I chose to leave.

I didn't realize at the time that I was also choosing retirement nearly ten years earlier than I expected to...

I WILL START FILLING MY OWN CUP

I will start Filling my own cup, Being my own muse, Knowing my own worth, Loving my own skin, Validating my own journey, Speaking my own truth, Enjoying my own company, Extending my own energy, Creating my own paradise.

I WILL START FILLING MY OWN CUP

I saw a quote on Pinterest the other day that resonated with how my Midlife journey is playing out. It began with the words "I will start filling my own cup" and from there the list continued and I could feel myself ticking them off one by one. 

So I thought I'd share the quote today and how it looks in my life....

WHERE ARE YOU INVESTING YOUR TIME AND ENERGY?

Where are you investing your time and energy? In the things that fritter it away? Or in the things that matter? Choose wisely.

WHERE IS ALL YOUR ENERGY GOING?

Erica, a blogging friend of mine, once mentioned that she's very careful where she invests her energy these days. When she said that it rang a little bell deep within me - and woke me up to the fact that we all have only a finite amount of time and energy to give - and wasting it on things that aren't of value means we have less to give to the things that matter.

Lately I've seen a few quotes pop up on Facebook that reminded me of Erica's wisdom...

WHY MY JUNE WAS JUST FABULOUS

Living life fabulously - looking back at all the fun little happenings during June.

MY FABULOUS JUNE

June in Australia is the beginning of Winter - when it (finally) starts to rain. I love the cooler evenings and falling asleep to the sound of rain on the roof. I don't even have to worry about getting wet on my morning walks this year because I'm not walking as much with my limp - due to my dodgy hip, but this too shall pass. So, with a little singing in the rain, here's what's been Fabulous throughout the lovely month of June....

RETIREMENT ISN'T THE END OF THE ROAD - IT'S A NEW BEGINNING

Retirement doesn't mean boredom, or endless empty days. It's a new beginning where you fill your days with whatever you choose.

RETIREMENT ISN'T THE END

I've heard so many people worry over what they'd do to keep busy once they retire. They wonder how they'll fill their days, how they'll stay relevant, and how they won't die of boredom. I didn't have time to worry about those things before retirement became my life - and perhaps that was a good thing for an over-thinker like myself.

Instead, I went from gainfully (if miserably) employed to being at home full-time virtually overnight. And, in the process, I discovered that retirement isn't stagnation, it's the beginning of a whole new - and pretty Fabulous - phase of life.

HALFWAY THROUGH MY YEAR OF LIVING FABULOUSLY

In January I chose FABULOUS as my Word of the Year. I wanted something positive and upbeat....something to motivate me to make bright, happy choices and to assist me in focusing on the positives in life.

CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE

In January I chose FABULOUS as my Word of the Year. I wanted something positive and upbeat....something to motivate me to make bright, happy choices and to assist me in focusing on the positives in life. We all know that what you choose to see often impacts on your whole approach to life - look for the bad stuff and you'll find it....alternatively, look for the Fabulous stuff and you'll find that instead.

WHAT IS APHANTASIA? AND DO YOU HAVE IT?

Aphantasia is a phenomenon where people can't see things with their mind's eye. I didn't know I had it.....do you?

WHAT ON EARTH IS APHANTASIA?

When our adult children were visiting a few weeks ago we got chatting about a condition known as aphantasia. Our son, who's a mechatronic engineer, just realized that he has it (much to his horror and annoyance). I think it comes from my side of the family because my husband doesn't have it and neither does our daughter. It provoked a LOT of discussion over several days and was quite an eye opener.

So, what is aphantasia?

LOOKING BACK AT A FABULOUS MAY

Here's what's made May fabulous for me - family, friends, fun, and fabulosity at its best.

MY FABULOUS MAY

Thank goodness for Autumn - the cooler weather, the sunshine interspersed with rain, the gradual lead-up to Winter, and seeing the garden and nature begin to green up after the long, dry Summer we've endured. As we head into Winter, there'll be no snow or freezing temperatures here in Western Australia, and that's fine with  me - I like my weather mild and fairly predictable. On that note, here's what's been Fabulous throughout the lovely month of May....

WHAT ARE GLIMMERS? AND HOW DO THEY WORK?

What are Glimmers? They're the opposite to triggers and can be used to change our brain's response to remembered trauma.

WHAT IS A GLIMMER?

My blogging friend Pat from Retirement Transition wrote a series of posts recently about understanding abandonment and its resultant trauma and triggers. There were a lot of interesting outcomes that she described that strongly resonated with me - especially these five behaviours below. 

  • Overly sensitive to any criticism
  • Seeking external validation 
  • Discomfort/stress in social situations - especially new social situations 
  • Perfectionism, trying to meet expectations, and being productive
  • Excessive planning, over-thinking, and a desire to control the situation

In an email conversation I had with Pat, she mentioned that a friend had told her about Glimmers and how they can be used to counteract some of the triggers that we experience....

THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW ON THE HORIZON IF WE'RE READY

Life gives and takes away. If you're open and ready for a challenge, then something new will come along to fill a gap and keep you balanced.

LIFE IS A SERIES OF UPS AND DOWNS

Life is in a constant state of flux isn't it? I feel like the last few years have been a bit of a roller coaster ride - from my job becoming less and less bearable, to finally resigning, to wondering what to do next, then covid throwing a spanner in the works, and  finally settling into a new routine where I expected to stay comfortably forever. 

I had my days nicely balanced with plenty of activities for my body, mind and soul and was feeling pretty settled and content....but then my hip gave out on me and life changed again.

ADULT HIP DYSPLASIA, OSTEOARTHRITIS, AND LIVING WITH A LIMP

Living with adult hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis when you're not "old". How that impacts daily life and what can be done about the pain.

WHAT IS ADULT HIP DYSPLASIA?

I used to have a life without hip pain. I had that life for 35 years or so and then one day I started to get a nagging pain in my left hip. I put up with it for a while but eventually headed off to the physiotherapist to get it worked on and to get some home exercises. It helped and it settled.

But over the following years it happened again.....and again.....and again....

A FABULOUS APRIL AND EASTER RECAP

Living life fabulously - looking back at all the fun little happenings during April.

MY FABULOUS APRIL

I can't believe April has come and gone already! Easter flashed past and Autumn has settled in with its cooler days and evenings (so much better for my sleeping than those hot, muggy nights). Quite a bit has happened over the last few weeks, including our first family covid experiences - which we all knew had to happen because we couldn't stay locked away from the world forever. But there have also been some lovely times as well, so on that note....here's what's been Fabulous throughout the very pleasant month of April....

6 VITAL QUALITIES I VALUE IN MY CLOSEST FRIENDS

The 6 qualities I value in my close friendships are: consistency, inspiration, encouragement, cheerleading, spiritual guidance and reciprocation.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE

Zina Harrington the author of Becoming Unbusy shared a thought recently on Facebook about the type of women she wants to be surrounded by. It resonated with me on a lot of levels because, as I've gotten older, there are certain qualities I look for in my friends too. 

I definitely steer clear of criticism, negativity, sabotage, or doom and gloom. I also don't need super sunshine-y, perfect Pollyannas either. I'm tending to seek out real, authentic, down to earth women with common sense and the ability to sift through all the dross to find the little nuggets of truth and joy that still abound in our lives. These are my tribe and today I'm sharing six qualities that speak to my heart when I'm with these types of women...

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR - YOU MIGHT JUST GET IT!

Sometimes we feel that we need a change or a challenge. If life chooses to offer you one, be brave enough to take a risk and see where it takes you.

NEVER GET TOO SETTLED

Just over three years ago, I finally walked away from my toxic job. I didn't have a lot of time to think about it. I'd been pushed to the end of my tether, and when that last straw broke this camel's back, I gave two weeks' notice, packed my bag and left. I was mentally exhausted and it took me a long time to recover my resilience. The ending was sudden and abrupt, and it left me feeling quite lost and unsure of what to do next.

By the time I felt like I had something to offer a new employer, covid arrived in all its "glory" and the world locked down. We all retreated and it became easier to stay at home than to worry about putting myself out there again. But life can sometimes surprise you....

MAKE ROOM FOR FORGIVENESS AND IT WILL HEAL YOUR HEART

Don't allow unresolved bitterness & hurt from the past to affect your life - choose to forgive, let go, and move on to create a new and better legacy

UNRESOLVED HURT

I was talking to a 90 year old woman recently, she was sharing some incidents from her late teens where her father's attitude had caused her pain. She felt that her needs and choices had been minimalized and overlooked (and from what she said, they had been). The saddest part of the conversation was that she still carried the same degree of anger and upset that she felt from when she was 20. 

She couldn't see that he was a product of his generation and, even though he'd passed away many years ago, she still carries so much bitterness and lack of forgiveness in her heart - 70 years of wasted anger and hurt. Those unresolved feelings and lack of being able to move on from earlier issues have left an ongoing legacy of pain in her life and have carried over into her relationships with others.

FINALLY FREEING MYSELF FROM STINGINESS AND SCARCITY AT 60

It's finally okay to lighten up on myself a bit and enjoy the little pleasures of life more. I'm kicking guilt and feeling unworth to the kerb.

WHEN FRUGALITY BECOMES STINGINESS

This is kind of a weird post about an issue I have that others may not have a problem with...but lately I've finally twigged to the fact that there's a fine line between being frugal and being stingy. I often muddle the two up and find myself happily spending time, energy, or money on others - while refusing to do the same for myself. I tell myself that it doesn't matter and I don't need non-essential things, but living a life of denying myself any little treats is not the way I want to live out the rest of my days.

I think it's time to stop being so stingy and to let myself enjoy a few small indulgences here and there - I'm finally allowing my tightly held fist to open a little - and it feels good.

MARCH IN ALL ITS FABULOSITY

Here's what's made March fabulous for me - family, friends, fun, and fabulosity at its best.

MY FABULOUS MARCH

March marks the beginning of Autumn here in Australa and we're still waiting for those cooler days and nights to arrive in full, and see an end to a very long, hot Summer. I think it's been the hottest and driest Summer I can remember - with very little rain and many days of temperatures in the 40°C range - and that's VERY hot! It's been Fabulous to have an occasional cooler day here and there though, and on that note of celebration, here's what's also been Fabulous throughout the lovely month of March....

NOW I'M 60 IT'S TIME TO LET MY LIGHT SHINE

Self-acceptace is the beginning of a journey out of uncertainty and hiding your light. You get to say "Here I am, this is me, take me or leave me."

HOW IT LOOKS WHEN WE ACCEPT WHO WE ARE

I spent many, many years working really hard to try to be someone I'm not. I always felt like I needed to be smaller, quieter, gentler, sweeter..... someone who didn't make too much noise or take up too much space. I thought I should be dimming my light so that I didn't overwhelm those around me. 

I thought I needed to be a gentle soul who quietly wafted through life - because that's what lovely women did - especially lovely Christian women. But no matter how hard I tried, I just never seemed to master the art of serene womanhood. 

It's taken me 60 years to realize that I don't need to be that woman and I don't actually want to be her either ....

COMFORT PLUS - 6 WAYS TO MAKE A RELAXING RETIREMENT

6 great tips on getting ready for retirement so that it'll be a pleasant and relaxing journey - instead of a stressful transition.

INTRO

Entering retirement is different for all of us. I kind of leapt off the employment cliff and freefell into retirement. Fortunately we had enough in place (being excellent 'preparers') to sustain that sudden change, but for others it would be a nightmare to suddenly be out of the workforce and self-supporting. 

Today on the blog I have a lovely guest named Jenn who is sharing some great tips on getting ready for retirement so that it'll be a pleasant and relaxing journey - instead of a stressful transition that has you questioning whether you can sustain your new life choice.

4 BOOKS THAT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE

What books have made an impact on your life? When I asked myself this question, these are the four that immediately came to mind.

WHAT BOOKS CHANGED YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE?

I recently saw a question on Facebook that asked "Name a book that changed your perspective on life". It caught my interest and within a minute or so I came up with four books that had impacted me over the years and caused me to change my worldview. I'm sure there's dozens of others, but these four leapt to mind and I thought I'd share them here on the blog today. 

I'd be really interested to know whether you have a book (or two) that changed your perspective on life - let me know in the comments or on my Cresting the Hill Facebook page if you have the time because I'm really quite fascinated with this question....

WHAT MADE FEBRUARY FABULOUS?

Living life fabulously - looking back at all the fun little happenings during February.

MY FABULOUS FEBRUARY

At the beginning of January I chose my new Word of the Year - which was FABULOUS - and in honour of all things fabulous, I've decided to return to my old habit of looking back over the month that's finished and sharing a few snippets that shone out during those weeks. My moments of "Fabulosity" is how I'm thinking of them.

How lovely that February is an "F" word and ties in so well with Fabulous - so without further ado, here's some of the small Fabulous moments from February.....

STROLLING ALONG LIFE'S PLEASANT PATH

Sometimes we wonder about life's struggles, but ultimately tough times deepen us and bring us to pleasant paths again.

PLEASANT AND PEACEFUL PATHS

When our children were born we chose a bible verse for each of them. For our daughter it was:
Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace.
Proverbs 3:17 

We chose it for a number of reasons - prompted by the name Erin meaning "peace" and also with a wish for a pleasant and peaceful journey through life for her. I doubt she'd agree that it's all been plain sailing, but I think it's something we'd all wish for our life journey.

7 POSITIVE CHOICES FOR LIVING A FABULOUS LIFE IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

Seven tips for living a positive (and fabulous) life in a world that seems to have gone slightly haywire over the last few years.

LIVING FABULOUSLY IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

I saw a really interesting article recently on a blog post from the Online Counselling College  titled - How to be a Genuine and Fun-Loving Person. As I read through the points they listed, I could definitely see a correlation with how I want to approach the year ahead - living authentically, seeing value in myself, refusing to buy into the negative culture around me, and choosing to approach life with positivity.

So, I've adapted them today into a post about how to live Fabulously in uncertain times and I hope you find them helpful too...

HOW DO YOU DEFINE BEAUTY IN A WORLD FULL OF FILTERS?

It's time to redefine our concept of beauty. To take away the fake filters and to focus on what really makes us lovely.

SELFIES VS REALITY

I bought a new phone last year. I don't buy expensive phones because I don't use them for more than calling, texting, and taking random photos. I'm not on Instagram and I rarely take photos unless we're on holiday or there's an "occasion" to celebrate. 

I like my new phone/camera because it ticks all the boxes and takes much better photos than my old one did. I'm not a selfie taker - they always remind me of the meme of "this is what I think I look like - and what I actually look like"...

LIVING CHRISTMAS AND JANUARY FABULOUSLY

Living life fabulously - looking back at Christmas with the family, and all the little joys of January.

MY FABULOUS CHRISTMAS AND JANUARY

At the beginning of January I chose my new Word of the Year - which was FABULOUS - and in honour of all things fabulous, I've decided to return to my old habit of looking back over the month that's finished and sharing a few snippets that shone out during those weeks. My moments of "Fabulosity" is how I'm thinking of them.

So let's get the ball rolling as I look back on Christmas and January (a little more bang for my buck seeing that I didn't do a December stocktake). In Australia it's summertime - so lots of hot weather, sunshine and blue skies.

WHAT IS NEUROGRAPHIC ART? IT'S A GREAT CHOICE FOR THE NON ARTIST

Neurographical art is perfect  for a non artist. It creates mindfulness and peace without having too much structure or the ability to draw skilfully.
Created from original image by Bagdadi

WHAT IS NEUROGRAPHIC ART?

I've always been convinced that I have no artistic ability whatsoever, but now that I have more time, I'm on a journey to discover whether there may be kernels of creativity hiding inside me that are just waiting for the opportunity emerge. If you follow my Cresting the Hill Facebook page, I've been sharing what I've been doing since I stumbled across Neurographic art recently. It caught my eye and my imagination because it's an art form that just flows, and it reminded me of images of brain neurones combined with pretty colours. I was itching to explore more about it....

TEN THINGS THAT DON'T MATTER NOW I'M 60

Ten life lessons that my 50's taught me that have taken the stress and upset out of my life.

WHAT DOESN'T MATTER NOW I'M 60

Marc and Angel always have a lot of really straightforward, helpful advice to offer on their site and I often visited their links on Facebook while I was recovering from the fallout from my toxic job a few years ago. I don't tend to need their insights as much these days, but recently one of their articles caught my eye. It was titled 20 Things That Will Matter A Lot Less In 20 Years

I clicked across and several caught my eye because they were lessons I'd learnt over the last decade and they certainly matter a whole lot less now that I've reached 60. I thought I'd share my top ten today as a little victory celebration for how far I've come.

LIVING LA DOLCE VITA IN MIDLIFE

Living the sweet life in Midlife - no more rushing and fussing, just lots of balance, peace and joy.

LIVING THE SWEET LIFE IN MIDLIFE

According to Think In Italian living "la dolce vita" means living a life full of beauty, pleasures, and mundane events. (Note the definition included "mundane events" - not leaping from one exiciting, action packed moment to the next). It translates to "living the sweet life". A similar expression is "dolce far niente" which is "the sweetness of doing nothing" - I remember coming across that term in the book/movie "Eat, Pray, Love" where the main character learns about the sweetness of slowing down and having restful moments, instead of living at a break neck pace all the time.

STARTING MY 60'S FEELING FABULOUS

Let's choose to be fabulous.  I'm not talking about trying to be an over the top fashionista, or a flamboyant flamingo - just your very best self.

IT'S TIME TO CHOOSE MY #WOTY

Every January I choose a Word Of The Year (#WOTY) instead of making resolutions that I never bother keeping. I love finding a word that resonates with me and motivates me for the direction I want to head in for the rest of the year. Last year I chose "Cultivate" and that inspired me to proactively grow the areas of my life that needed some attention. It was a great word and felt very "intentional". This year I felt that I wanted to choose one that was a bit more fun, and one that would give me an energy boost when I thought of it.

So, after mullling it over for several weeks, I decided to go with my heart and chose my word from a post I wrote for my 60th birthday....