This binder is changing the way I view the world, well that's the intention. I want to purposefully sit down with my binder on a regular basis and engage fully with it. It's just a basic 3-ring A4 binder that I have decorated. I plan on keeping track of my goals in here in the form of One Little Word, Sea Change and using Leonie Dawson's Workbook. See post here for more information on these programmes. I want to use this as a modified Project Life album too. It'll be a purposeful mish-mash of authentic Allie. I am really looking forward to exploring and creating my ideal life with it. The outside alone fills me with joy and excitement! Go 2014.

A friend read that the ideal mouthful size for best chewing and digestion is about the size of a cherry. This is perfect with a cake fork, even if you load it up, it never exceeds this. Of course if I was shoveling food in with the wee fork I would still over-eat, but the mindfulness of purposefully eating each bite and tasting it has stopped me from doing this for the most part. If I am really hungry the first few mouthfuls can be a little rushed, but I am practising slowing down and being aware of this. 

Leo suggests mindful eating for one meal a day, but as I have already practised that, I have upped my goal to all food that I consume. It's really making a difference and I really want to continue with this and ensure it becomes a firm habit!

A while ago I watched the Food Matters DVD. It really spoke to me! I had heard of David Wolfe before and I loved what he had to say and this part of the video captured my attention. I have been percolating on the concept of drinking a litre of water every morning for a while. I had done some research. I knew that it was something that I wanted to do. I had even tried it here and there. I just hadn't committed to turning it into a habit. As part of my vow to live more purposefully in 2014 and to follow along with Leo's Sea Change programme, I decided my first habit would be to drink this litre of water EVERY morning before I ate or drunk anything else. 

I started on January 1st, 2014. This wasn't overly intentional. I had gone out the night before and had a few drinks, something I rarely do because my body doesn't process alcohol very well, and stayed out late. I woke up and drank a lot of water because I was super thirsty.
The next morning was harder and I didn't finish the entire litre before I had my coffee, but I did consume the entire litre and I am calling this a win. I signed up to the Sea Change programme on the 3rd and committed to continuing for January. The 3rd until the 10th I have drunk the entire litre before any food or other drinks. The first few days took a LONG time to drink. I felt full and uncomfortable. Now I drink it in 15-20 mins and it feels great. 

I had intended to just focus on this for the month and make it into a habit. I think I have finally committed however as I am managing it easily. Perhaps having John staying with me has made a difference? Maybe it's that I am motivated after deciding on my One Little Word – Purpose? I am not entirely sure. All I know for certain is, it feels right and I want to continue!
So instead of only focussing on building this habit during the month, I have decided to incorporate the second week Mindfulness habit of Mindful Eating as well. This adds a little complexity to the table as I am still continuing with the Week 1 habit, but I am bringing in the Week 2 habit as well. 

What habits are you purposefully cultivating in 2014?

Hello there 2014,
Are you as excited as I am to make this year rock?

I don't make resolutions as such, but I am a HUGE fan of personal development and I love to intend the direction of my life in the coming months. My highest value is self awareness and I want to live a life that is authentic and in alignment with my values and goals. Over the last few years I have been weeding out all the things that don't make my heart sing and I am totally in love with my life and myself. I am very intentional about what I let into my life and I am working on bringing that into my digital life as well. Seeing as I work online, I have friends online and I even meet guys online I have realised how important it is to be selective in the online resources that I allow to enter my life as well.


To reflect this, I only wanted to bring resources into my life that add significant value. If I am committing to a year-long programme, I want to ensure that I LOVE it and that I follow through with it. Unfortunately, timely follow-through is a weakness of mine and something that I will actively be working on this year. I am hoping that blogging about my progress will ensure that I DO follow through on what I have committed to. This year I have purposefully chosen three tools to ensure that 2014 is a spectacular year.

Firstly, I am working through Leonie Dawson's Life & Business Workbooks.
I found Leonie last year and she spoke to me on a soul level. She's an artist with a successful, thriving business. I adore her and they way she does things (well, except for the swearing, she's a self-confessed swear bear and I blush when I say "blums". That said, I LOVE the authenticity of her words and I am prepared to not get offended by her language :P)

I half-heartedly did the business edition of her yearbook last July and despite the mediocrity of my efforts, it made such a HUGE difference in my business and joint ventures. I am a complete convert. I am soooo passionate about the way she does things. It's so lovely and feminine and a much more sustainable way for me to do business around my health concerns and family commitments. I am soooo passionate about entrepreneurship and living the life of MY dreams, so this year I am ALL IN with these workbooks. I have been ill for the last 5 weeks, so I am a little further behind than I would have liked, but I am so happy that I am on the right track, that I will give myself some love and grace and baby-step my way to completion.

I am soooo passionate about these workbooks that I am going to run two free group coaching sessions next week (date to be confirmed) for all who purchase the workbooks through my affiliate link. One for the Life Edition and one for the Business Edition. If you buy both at once, you are more than welcome to join in on both calls. I heartily invite you to explore how great life can be when you have these areas in alignment! My life is full of joy and excitement now that I make money through following my passions.

Scared, excited, want advice and hand-holding? Once you have purchased a copy (directly from Leonie Dawson's site), email me at [email protected] & let me know you've purchased a copy/copies. I will email you the details of the call time(s) and how to access. You will be able to enter any questions that you'd like answered on the call on the information page, or send them through to me beforehand. It will be a small, intimate group, so please speak up and get the most out of it! I LOVE to help people have their dreams come true. Set yourself up NOW, for a year of success!

I've decided to sign up to Leo Babauta's Sea Change programme. I don't know much about it yet and whilst I have read Leo's blogs for a while, I am pretty in the dark about what will actually happen. Each month we will be focussing on a different area and I will blog my progress. I love everything that Leo writes, so I am trusting my instincts that this is right for me. This is a new element to the mix of what I can do to make my year fantastic and I am looking forward to seeing where it leads me.



2014:
January: A Month of Mindfulness
February: Unprocrastination 
March: Exercise 
April: Meditation
May: Self-compassion 
June: Wake early 
July: Declutter
August: Let go of expectations 
September: Simple living 
October: Productivity 
November: Improve relationships 
December: Contentment 

The most impactful for me in terms of changing the way I see the world is participating in Ali Edwards' 'One Little Word' movement. She has a workshop that you can take, I am and I highly recommend that you do too, but a lot of people also follow along without taking the workshop. I have chosen a word for the last three years. It really has changed how I view the world and keeping on track with my goals. Last year I didn't follow Ali Edwards' prompts and I found that I didn't connect with my word as deeply, or have the profound impact in my life that I had had the previous years. So I am signed up again to the workshop and plan to follow along with her prompts in my own unique way.

So what is this? One Little Word (OLW) is the process of intentionally choosing and living by a word throughout the year. I have chosen 'Purpose' for 2014 and I will outline this in a future blog post as I have HUGE plans!

Do YOU create resolutions for the year? Do YOU set intentions? Do you actively facilitate change in your life? 
Tell me, I want to know.