Progress Update: 365 Days Later

One year ago to the day I set myself (and the universe) a challenge to achieve Success, Health and Wealth in 365 days and here’s how I got on.

The original challenge:

1)     Great Success and Wealth in my Perfect Career

Well I got a new job in April last year, which made me much better off financially and late in 2012 I was awarded a big flagship project to incorporate high end design. This project will be commencing 2013

I started my own Interior Design Blog and business undertook my first commission and have another scheme to start designing in 2013

I have started working in partnership with builder friend to provide outline designs and draughting skills

2)     Achieve my perfect weight:

Honestly all attempts have failed.

In 2013 I am determined to stop focusing on improving health and fitness.

As I spent more time thinking about what I want from my life I embraced my Expanding Ambitions to include:

3)     My Dream Home Self Build:

In 2012 we faced the fact that we would not be able to build a home on my mums land, I had been struggling to feel comfortable with the idea for a while so when we finally agreed to stop trying I think it came as a relief to everyone (especially my mum). It just wasn’t meant to be.

We also found and lost a development opportunity in a property in need of modernisation, although the loss of this property was heart breaking it cleared my mind and gave me focus. Refurbishment has always been my passion so as we move into 2013 we will hunting our next property with development potential.

4)     £300,000.00 in the savings account:

Sadly not yet

5)     Mulberry Alexa Handbag

Bagged it! On the way to New York I purchased my Mulberry with my first pay cheque from my first private job.

How Did I Do?
All in all, I feel like I achieved a lot in a year. It’s been a 365 days full of celebrations and good news and it’s not a bad year’s progress on my aspirations. The focus I have found by addressing my thought processes, and really thinking about what I want has helped me plan for my future without fear.

The Secret isn’t magic. It is addressing your approach and taking control of your life via the greatest tool that you possess; your mind.

It has taught me that I can do anything; I will never be trapped or lost because I am privileged to live in a society where I have the right to exercise choice and because I am surrounded by amazing people who I love whole heartedly.

Undoubtedly the single best thing the Secret has taught me is to enjoy and be grateful for the good in my life and to quash the relentless paranoia I used to suffer about it being taken away by chance. I am my own fate.

Whilst I haven’t achieved infinite wealth or success in the year gone by I intend to use the lessons I have leaned and my new found focus to continue perusing my goals in 2013.

Happy New Year Everyone, I wish you all the love, luck and happiness in the world.

Another stark realisation

I just got off the phone with my mum and my stomach is in knots... I've realised that I am absolutely terrified.

It was, from my perspective (which isn't always accurate), a decidedly negative phone call in which my mum put a time limit on the opportunity to do the self build project at Wellmead.

She is absolutely right, of course, and I would never want her to put her life or plans on hold for me but this is a familiar feeling and I am once again subject to my mums particular take on tough love...

I have to contact the planning department and see if this project has any hope of realisation

I know that this is her motivational technique (Dave has also been trying to gently and cautiously focus my attention) and I know everything my mum does has my best interests at heart but I have a familiar feeling of dread deep in my stomach which has forced me to confront the issues that I have been suppressing;

I am scared that this opportunity will be over before its begun

I am really worried that my mum isn't totally on board with our plans

I am scared of selling our home and living rough for a year in a static home

I am terrified that I don't have the ability to make a success of the opportunity if planning is granted

I am petrified of ruining a place that our family has shared for 3 generations

I am worried about managing a building contract that represents hundreds of thousand of pound and potential debt for Dave and I

I am scared that I won't be able to get the return on that investment to take care of my family

I am worried that I'll fail and disappoint all those nearest and dearest to me

I'm terrified of ruining a (at times a very difficult) relationship with my mum, who I love to the point of agony.

I'm afriad I have got

THE FEAR!

I think that about sums up my current fears... as you can see I have a lot of work to do to turn these worries into the positive attitude, visualisation and confidence that I need to make this work and I can not approach the planners until I have gained the confidence to be self assured when I do.

I have always had low self confidence... its time to step up to the plate and believe in myself or no one else will.

For today I will just have to take solace in a quote I read today in an email from Dream. Find. Do (the sister website of Florance Finds)

'If your dreams don't scare you they're not big enough'

Michelle from Pocket Full Of Dreams mantra

Thanks to Rebbecca and Michelle for providing me with a bit of hope and inspiration in my current pit of fear. I await the details of the 'Blogging Workshop' with breath that is baited

I am also thankful for the fact that I have my first very satisfied customer in Mrs Victoria Hale- Griffiths aka Sugar Plum Slipper

I happy and excited about my conversation with a very lovely man about enrolling on a City of Guilds Upholstery and French Polishing course to add to my [Your] Place, Your Rules dream. [link coming soon] 

I am also thankful for this blog, which today is better than a therapist.

I think I need a fairly intense session with The Secret

I'll keep you posted x

Yesterday was a good day...

1) I rediscovered my favorite childhood meal... Cornish Pasty, peas and gravy

2) I bought some fabulous interior design books by Terrance Conran at M&S

3) Finally and most importantly, after a long struggle, I have finally found at set up a blog for my interior design brand... I'm going out on my own people!

Thank you!

So what am I up to?

About a 18 months ago a good friend of mine, Victoria Hale aka Sugar Plum Slipper, introduced me to The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.

No I don't usually go in for hippy nonsense (it makes me cringe) however her enthusiasm lead me to try it out. I devoured the book in one sitting (its not very long) but also available in DVD and audiobook depending on your favoured medium.

The most basic premise of The Secret is that you can attract the life that you want... including the perfect career, the perfect partner, health, wealth, success etc. by being positive and grateful for the things that you have. The idea is that to attract something in your life you should send positive and grateful vibes out and you will attract it to you. The book gives numerous examples and encourages you to test the principle out with something small in the first instance. So I decided to challenge the universe...


 The Challenge...

Whilst shopping with boyf I fell in love with a pair of blue and orange Rayban Wayfarers. So I decided my challenge to the universe/ The Secret was that I wanted the sunglasses for free. I asked, I felt gratitude and then I waited. Payday came and I decided I would buy the sunglasses and trust that The Secret would see me right. It did. A week later i received and unexpected cheque from the Inland Revenue for just £3 and a few pence less than the value of the sunglasses... now you may say its coincidence but based on this event I am a believer in The Secret.

So now what...

Well I have a bigger challenge for The Secret which I intend to document with absolute honesty on this blog. I am setting myself the challenge that in 365 days from today I will have achieved:

1) Great Success and Wealth in my Perfect Career (to be dog friendly)-

I am an interior designer and generally creative sort. Aside from my professional career I have many ideas for home products, children’s book characters, fashion accessories, events packages, interior packages, graphic design and this year will be the year I persue them all hopefully to result in my own business. All my creative designs etc will be documented on my 'other blog' which can be seen here

On the career front I have already achieved more in the year and a half since I discovered the Secret than I did in the five and a half years previous but now my focus is on great success and wealth whether that is in my perfect role in my perfect company or my own business.

2) My perfect weight
Fairly standard but I would like to be one and a half stone lighter, fit, healthy and ready for the challenges my perfect career will bring. I'm not too fussy something along the lines of the picture below will suffice ;o)

The reason I am able have these two focal points for this year is because I'm very lucky and happy in all other areas of my life... for which i would like to say thank you, thank you, thank you.

Further gratitude to follow in my next post.