WRAPPING UP A FABULOUS YEAR

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?

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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!

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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

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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

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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.