The Mess Has Moved!!!

The Beautiful Mess has moved!!!

 

 

Please come visit our new cyberhouse at www.mjvalentine.com !!!

 

 

With much love for new blogging platforms,

 

MJ x

The Mess Loves: Goddess Flora and Emily de Molly!

Hello my dove!

On Thursday, I went to the Clipsal 500 for the first time. I know it might seem a bit strange for a sequin high heeled, fairy floss eating cupcake enthusiast to be so excited over a car race, but I have to say- I honestly had an amazing day! The first thing I saw when I walked through the gate was a glittering purple Vegasmobile. It is my all time fantasy car. Amaze.

Sexpotmobile!

 

 

For those of you who don't know, the Clipsal 500 is a four-day long car racing event held in Adelaide each year. There's a bit of a stigma surrounding the event that it tends to 'bring out the bogans'- the beer-bellied, the crass-mouthed, the rat-tailed, the car-paraphenarliea-adorned, the drunken hob-nobs. I have to say that while there certainly were... shall we say... lots of 'car-over-enthusiasts' about the place, they were all so obviously enjoying the day and the culture surrounding the race that it didn't even matter!

 

The atmosphere was rich and colourful, full of excitement. I never understood why they call car racing a 'sport'- it always seemed to me that all it requires is for one person to sit behind a wheel and go round and round in circles at high speeds. I can now say that I have a new appreciation for the sport, and the teams that make these events work. Everyone involved, from the drivers to the spectators, is enthusiastic like no other. I'm so glad I went and experienced the Clipsal 500- at the very least, it's something to tick off my bucket list!

 

. . . . .

 

Now, the real reaosn I'm writing to you today is to share my new-found excitement for Etsy. 

 

Etsy is an online marketplace for crafters of handmade goods to sell their wares. Mittens, photoframes, jewellery, bridal veils, beaded shoes, tea cosies... the list is practically endless. Until I came accross a spectacular bottle of nailpolish on Pinterest, I really didn't have any appeciation for exactly who and what can be found in this cyber-treasure trove. So, last night, I logged into my newly created account and made three purchases that I am super, super excited about...!

 

The Mess Loves...

 

Nail polishes by Emily de Molly! 

 

 

'A Touch of Vintage'                        'Girl's Best Friend'

 

 

These might actually be some of the best sparkly nailpolishes I have ever found. Emily de Molly colours are bright and vibrant, super sparkly and totally amazing. Easy bottle is 12ml in size with ball bearings inside so they don't congeal and settle on the bottom. Emily de Molly polishes use 'high quality suspension bases' for all the glittery colours. This ensures that the glitter doesn't sink to the bottom of the bottle, which means less shaking and more even sparkle coverage. All the glitters are solvent resistant, too- helloooooo, long-wearing! 

 

I bought the 'Girl's Best Friend' pink holographic polish (!) and the 'Touch of Vintage'- I think this one in particular will be a brilliant addition to my manicure kit, because it's wearable over any base colour imaginable. Can't wait to try it over a lilac-coloured polish!  

 

 

Flower crowns by Goddess Flora!

 

 

 

 

These magical wreaths of deliciousness are handcrafted by the 'hopeless romantics' at Goddess Flora. Fully customisable and 100% beautiful, they are the perfect topper to any outfit- particuarly those of Spring and Autumn!

  

I've just placed and order for a hot pink crown of sheer delight (pics coming as soon as I recieve it). I already have big plans for the first few outfits I'll be crowning with one of these beauties...

 

. . . . .

 

The best part about Goddess Flora and Emily de Molly is that they are both owned and operated by Aussie girls! Goddess Flora herself Holly is from Sydney, and Hayley of Emily de Molly is from Canberra. Love supporting Australian businesses!

 

I can't wait to share my goodies with you when they arrive! Head on over to Goddess Flora and Emily de Molly to check out their amazing stores!

 

 

Holographic sparkles and Vegasmobiles,

 

MJ x

 

 

 



Back to Basics: Create A Style Map!

Thanks dothetwirl, Stephanie and Heather!

Hiya sweetcheeks!


Q. What do the above three wardrobes have in common?

A. Nothing!

Isn't that fabulous?

The first one reflects a romantic femininity. The second an eclectic vibrancy. The third a casual effortlessness.

. . . . .

When a person goes through a bit of a crisis, it's typical that once they've pulled through the other end, they begin to wonder- who is this person? Who is this stranger that I lost sight of all those years ago? Emotional reactions, thoughts, language, external relationships and routine aren't the only things that need to be rediscovered once lost. The same is true of style, aesthetic, passion and excitement.

The things that make you tick, the things that you love and appreciate- they are all the things that make up who you really are. These things are the truest reflection of your own beautiful form. And yet it's easy to allow someone, or several people, to take those things away from you through maintaining detrimental relationships.

So- what does all this have to do with our wardrobes?!

Most of us tend not to really think about what we're wearing every day. We all wail loudly that we have nothing to wear, while staring emptily at a faceless mass of fabric and faux fur dangling from wire hangers. Mis-matched socks, broken jewellery, clashing patterns, things that are too big, things that are just a fraction too small. Our wardrobes have become towering terrors that mock us as we stand in our underwear every morning, attempting to dress.

... perhaps I may be overstating the facts of the matter a little. But, the truth remains- my wardrobe, and by wider association, my personal style, is currently a diabloical mess.

The other night when I couldn't sleep, I began mulling over all of this in my head. I've been feeling exceptionally frustrated lately that I can't seem to channel the vibrancy that I want to through what I wear. I consider myself to be a happy, sparkly, spontaneous type of person. I like to have fun and I'm a real girly girl! I love pink (and I refuse to apologise for that). I am obsessed with glitter and sparkly things. I love hats and fascinators and flower crowns and pretty much anything else you can wear on your head. I love to paint my nails and I love to paint a false beauty mark on my cheek. So at one thirty in the morning, I got up, sat on the floor in my pyjamas and drew this.

This brain storming tool is called a mind map. You might recognise the clouds, lines, squiggles, notes and illustrations from any group project you ever had to do in primary school. Remember those big old sheets of butcher's paper that the teacher used to hand out? Well, buck up, Junior, because mind mapping is an awesome way for you to jot down all your thoughts, make bizarre connections and understand your own thought processes to help you learn more about yourself!

This particular design is my own personal style map. All the headings surrounded by red cloud lines are the major things that I personally love about clothing, and what I have always pictured myself wearing. Let's take a look, shall we?

 

. . . . .

Style Icons

These are women that, in my opinion, stand out from the crowd. They are stylistic, bold, confident. I love their own interpretations of femininity, and they all bring something unique and a little bit off-beat to the table!

Marie Antionette

(from Garet Thrussel)

 

Katy Perry

(from Touch Puppet)

 

 

Betsey Johnson

(from Huffington Post)

 

 

Lana Del Rey

(from MuuMuse)

 

 

 

Zooey Deschanel

(from Just Jared)

 

 

Marilyn Monroe

(from Fan Pop)

 

 

Edie Sedgewick

(from Moblog)

 

 

Carrie Bradshaw

(from Pauper to Princess)

 

Colours

These are the colours that I gravitate towards in stores. They are the colours I always notice on other people walking down the street. They are colours that reflect me and my personality!

- Bright pink/ fuschia
- Aquamarine/ turqoise
- Bright purple/ lavendar
- Mint green
- Bright yellow
- Black/ white (when striped or polka dot-ted!)
- Silver and gold

Patterns and Textures

I've always really struggled with patterns and textures. I love them but I've struggled to work with them. These are a few that I adore and that I want to learn to wear confidently!

- Leopard print
- Polka dots
- Stripes
- Cow print
- Sequins
- Glitter
- Furs (faux)
- Tulle (think TUTUS!!!)

Shapes

I'm having a girly girl blowout at the moment- crushing hard on all things pretty (including pretty mental)! I really want to make an effort to embrace my figure- while it's slowly shaping up, there's no denying I'm packing some decent curves. I'm tired of self-conciously covering myself in loose, floaty, oversized garmets. Bring on the cinch, yo!

- Full, twirly skirts
- A-line shapes
- Deep V or sweetheart necklines
- Wider straps
- Cinching with belts
- Tighter tops

Accessories

I LOVE to accessorise. See the following:

- Flowers
- Jewels
- Bows
- Statement rings
- Statement earrings
- Looooong necklaces (pearls!?)
- Flower crowns
- Hats/ fascinators
- Any other type of headwear imaginable
- Scarves

Shoes

I am a shoe freak. An addict. I just can't help myself. I love towering heels and strappy flats. There are, however, a few little additions and tweaks I need to look into:

- Flat gold glitter lace ups
- Enclosed neon yellow flats
- Anything jewel-encrusted
- Turqoise/ pink pumps
- New boots for Autumn (this will take some serious consideration!)

Face + Nails

I adore 60's inspired makeup- the dramatic eyes and amazing pale lips are so bold, and yet so indulgently lady-like it hurts. Loving the super-defined eye crease, loads of eyeliner and killer sets of false lashes!

- 'Cat eye' eyeline (big kicks)
- White liner on bottom waterline
- Full set false lashes
- Full, candy coloured lips (pinks and corals)
- Faux beauty spots!
- Shimmers
- Pink cheeks
- Fun nails (pinks, turqoise, lots of glitter)

. . . . .

What you wear is supposed to be a fun, honest expression of who you are and what you're all about. I can't wait to get stuck into shattering out my wardrobe, and to start dressing to reflect who I am. It's been far too long since I felt truly happy in my clothes- time to start making positive changes in this area, I think!

The next instalment in this series will be all about picking through my wardrobe, making connections bewteen colours and patterns, identifying existing common themes and things that I'm not vibing any more. If you want to join me, why not create your own style map? Start having a think about what you love to wear, what you don't, what you wish you owned, what you need to chuck out. Bonus points if you snap a photo of it and post it to our Facebook page!

 Let's start cultivating some amazing style!


Cat eyes and pink kisses,

MJ x

Fringe Festival 2013!

Hey there, Sexpot!

Ah, Sunday. A lazy, luxurious, lounging day. A day reserved specifically for the browsing of the internet, the baking of cookies, the watching of movies, the twiddling of thumbs. I feel pleasantly refreshed this morning after a decent night's sleep, which I haven't managed to achieve for a few days- I was sooo tired last night! I hope you are having a lovely Sunday morning, and that you have nothing to do today other than sink into a delectable pile of squishy cushions and soak up your considerable awesomeness.

. . . . .

 

For the most part, Adelaide is a sleepy little city that sits at the bottom of Australia doing nothing. Often times, Adelaide is described by others who have visitied here as a 'big old country town'. Our CBD is a grand total of two square miles. It is surrounded by rolling parklands. There is precisely one shopping strip in the CBD, and perhaps four hotspots within the centre of the city for cafes and dining. All in all, it's teeny. You can walk from one side to the other in half an hour.

However once a year, a massive, loud, whirling, fizzing, exuberant, fairylight-covered mess erupts at the Eastern end of the city. This gargantuan spectacle attracts visitors from all over the globe, and performances of every nature fill all the nooks and crannies of our sleepy little town for four glorious weeks. I am, of course, talking about the Adelaide Fringe Festival.

It is, without a doubt, the most exciting time in Adelaide each year. Every person I know looks forward to Fringe time, because at Fringe time, something magical happens. Where there was once a rolling, hilly park at the end of a cafe strip, a giant, magical playground seems to erect itself as though by magic. This fantastical construction is called the Garden of Unearthly Delights.

Thanks, Mike Krebs!

The Garden is a sumptuous playground of sights, smells and sounds. There's an astounding array of international foods ranging from Cuban to Turkish to Italian. There are several pop-up bars dotted under the canopy of fairylight-covered trees, including a bar set up in a disused double decker bus. Performers trek from all over the globe for the chance to share their talents in the Garden. You name it, we've got it- rope tricks, jazz bands, jugglers, midget comedians, sword swallowers. There are sideshows and rides, circus tents, glittering costumes, impromptu performances... it's absolutely, truly spectacular. It's my all-time favourite event on the calendar in Adelaide. Maybe even in Australia. And I got to visit the Garden on Friday night!

Here are a few happy snaps from my adventure- sorry about the poor quality, they were taken on my iPhone 3GS! (Don't laugh at me!)

Fairy lights in the trees <3

 

 

Left: The Claw ride! The hot pink carriages were so pretty spinning round and round and round and round and round and round ...

Right: The FERRIS WHEEL!!!

NOTE: I had been wanting to ride the ferris wheel at the Fringe for about three years and never had the chance. I made sure I did it this year! I even got a sneaky ferris wheel kiss at the top- best night ever!

 

 

Myself and the gorgeous Carmel, flipping out on our rickety old ferris wheel ride with our respective 'beau's!

 



 

 

Top: Aqua Balls! I had never seen these before, so imagine my delight when my most hilarious friend paid to crawl inside a deflated, giant balloon, get puffed up to the size of a teenaged elephant and bob around in a pool of water! Absolute hilarity.

Bottom: The boys on the dodgem cars. Bless.

 

 

 

Two of my most favourite, favourite things combined- a cupcake ferris wheel!

 

 

The Garden is such a fantastical place, filled with magic and wonder. It's like stepping back in time to a nineteen fifties circus show. I can't wait to get back there and get some more great photos (although next time, I will make sure I remember to take my DSLR so I can get some decent pictures!).

 

I also happen to be going to a Fringe show hosted on Rundle Street (which is right near the Garden) on Thursday evening with my lady friends- it's called Champagne Cabaret and it sounds like it's going to be an absolute hoot!

 

Check out the Garden of Unearthly Delights, and have a look at the wider Adelaide Fringe Festival programme!

 

 

Ferris wheel kisses and all that jazz,

 

MJ x

 

  

Getting Yourself Back On Track!

Image from Dazed and Confused

 

 

 

Happy Friday, Candylips!

 

It occured to me this morning when I was on my way to the gym that my days have mostly been following a pattern for the last few weeks. This notion thrilled and excited me, because as a general rule, I am not exactly a stickler for routine. I am spontaneous, combustible, erratic- and generally, I like it that way! It makes my life colourful and interesting and unexpected, which mostly suits me just fine.

 

However, when you're trying really hard to get the most out of your days and nothing seems to be going quite the way you imagined (think job loss, zero cash, very few job interviews and generally struggling to get up in the morning), getting into a routine could be exactly what you need to help get you out of a rut and focussed on the big picture once more.

 

Somehow, I have found myself quite comfortably in a cycle of activity and productivity that, in all honesty, has had very little to do with any effort on my part. It really began just as a way to fill my days after my job was made redundant, and I'd suffered a pretty big blow personally at the end of last year. I knew that if I didn't keep myself busy, I would find myself sinking back into the not-very-nice place that I was in earlier last year- and believe me, friends, I have NO intention of every getting back there again!

 

The things that I began doing just to fill in time have become absolutely necessary in the successful functioning of my day. What's more, this inane sort of routine that I have always tried so desperately to avoid has actually acted as a sort of kickstart for my future. Having so much time to write and focus on my blog and my portfolio has really made me think about what it is that I want to achieve, and what I want to give back to the world. I even have time to make myself go to the gym, which I have been doing three or four times per week. (Yay!)

 

A typical day for me used to be... well... not really very typical at all. I just had certain things that I knew I HAD to do every week, such as go to work, go to the gym, cook, study, see friends, drink alcohol and sleep. There was never structure, there was no drive. No discipline. And really, without discipline, it's almost impossible to achieve anything.

 

Now, a typical day for me goes like this:

 

 

          1. Wake up 7.45am, dress in gym gear

 

          2. Gulp down a coffee and eat something small to kickstart my metabolism

 

          3. Go to the gym. Do half an hour of running intervals and half an hour of resistance training

 

          4. Get home, fix small snack, switch on computer

 

          5. Shower, fix hair and makeup properly, get dressed

 

          6. Put washing on, stack dishwasher, cuddle Luxe or the puppies

 

          7. Check emails, manage Facebook pages and social media

 

          8. Work on blog entries, articles and job applications

 

          9. Make lunch

 

          10. Blog entries, articles and job applications, manage Facebook pages and social media

 

          11. Run to shops, see friends, see boyfriend, etc.  

 

          12. Eat dinner, watch TV, make phone calls, organise outfit for next day

 

Somehow, my life has consolidated down into these twelve easy steps! It's amazing!

 

Okay, okay, so not every single day pans out this way. Obviously things happen that are outside our control, and that is fine. But, honestly, for the most part, the outline listed above is pretty accurate. And weirdly- I feel great! I'm focussed, I'm doing something that I love, I have time to do all the things I need to do, I don't feel like I'm wasting time sitting around trying to plan my future. Mostly, I think this is because my future is planning itself.

 

Without dwelling on impossibilities, wishing my life away or waiting around for things to change, I have altered my attitude. It's already starting to manifest as positivity in my life. The proof is in the proverbial pudding!

 

I'm not saying you need to lose your job, or have a friend kick you out of their life, or have a soul destroying breakup for this to work. Just try properly allocating time to do the things that you want to do- every day. It will make you feel amazing.

 

Give it a try. You CAN do it! 

 

 

Love and lollipops,

 

MJ x

 

 



Things I Love Thursday + My Sick Obsession!

Thanks Douglas!

 

Bonjour, Pecan!

 

You might have noticed a few changes around here, if you haven't been to visit for a while! As you can see, I've renamed the blog MJ Valentine- this is my writers pseudonym for all my blog posts, articles and other works that I have been sending to publishers. Do you like it? I think it screams personality- 'MJ' comes from my actual name (Madeleine Jane) and 'Valentine' suggests all the things that I value, and try to channel in my life every day: love, happiness, glitter, loyalty, spontaneity, champagne, kisses, gratitude... the list goes on! Fabulous, no?  

 

. . . . .

 

Yes, it's that time of the week again...! I do apologise for not posting a Things I Love Thursday entry last week- pardon me- it will not happen again! As always, the original idea for TILT came from Gala Darling, but it's just too good not to share...

 

Here's what's made my eyes sparkle this week!

 

- Surprise bottles of chilled Moet

- Birthday celebrations

- Sneaking

- Planning

- Setting new goals (check out this article I wrote recently!)

- Street performers

- Glossy brochures

- Hair conditioner

- Coconut oil

- Avocado

- Imminent beach dates

- Fluffy pillows

- Job applications

- Raspberry M'n'Ms

- Sneezing

- Mascara

- Shoe porn 

- Chilli

- Kitty cuddles

- Puppy cuddles

- Any cuddles

- Banana and strawberry smoothies

- Feta cheese

- Making time to write

- Good lip balm

- Listening to music on my fully charged phone, knowing I am capable of hours and hours of imminent pleasure!!!

 

It's been a pretty full on week for me, with lots of job applications, writing, networking, organising, dreaming and to-do lists... as far as I know, it's been a pretty full on week for quite a few people actually!

 

. . . . .

 

Now, I have a sick and twisted confession to make. I am still absolutely and totally besotted with Pinterest. Honestly, I think I have a problem. I was awake until two thirty this morning sourcing pins for up-coming blog entries and all manner of other projects. Madness!

 

If you are not yet registered and pinning away like a lunatic, GET ON BOARD! I promise, you won't regret it! There are hundreds of thousands of recipies, DIY projects, tips and tricks, skin care and makeup information, inspirational quotes for loving, learning and working out, amazing images of travel destinations all over the world, cute puppies... I swear, it's some type of hive of perpetual estrogen, a place for women (and men) to scour the net for all sorts of amazing tidbits that help contribute to a better life... it's amazing. If that's not enough to convince you, here are the covers of my six favourite public boards...

 

 

 

 

It's like looking at a splash of your personality, right on screen! I just love it, and there are so many ways to use it!

 

But, back to Things I Love Thursday... come on, what made you smile this week?! Please comment on the Facebook post with your TILT list for this week (and ladies, I KNOW there are a few of you who read these posts every week and who used to send lists around in text messages... so get involved! spread the FB love)! It's such a wonderful way to show gratitude for all the little things in life that we take for granted, and it's a great tool for helping us to dwell on the positive things in our lives, rather than the negative things...

 

 

Shameless self promotion and air kisses,

 

MJ x

Achieving Your Goals!

Thanks, Pinsbook!

We all have things that we want to achieve. To have writing published. To lose weight. To run a marathon. To plan the perfect wedding. To learn to sew. There are thousands and thousands of tasks that we set out to accomplish, ranging from minor projects to the big, life-changing stuff. And it feels so good when we actually get there!

However, there's a lot that can get in the way of us achieving our dreams. Sometimes we feel buffeted around by fate, or kicked in the guts by the banal judgements of others. It's hard to keep focus- and even harder to pick yourself up and keep going when you begin to doubt yourself.

Once upon a time, I knew someone that would tread all over my excitement whenever I was embarking on a new challenge. This person repeatedly trampled down the belief that I held in myself, pointing out everything that would go wrong and coercing me to exist in a world where I never went after anything I believed in. The term 'dreamer' became a derogatory judgement on my character, a way to reinforce their belief that my goals and hopes for the future were largely unattainable. 'Romantic' became a cynical and nasty way to describe my persistence to see the good in everyone (and the good in myself!).

I understand now how important it is to keep sight of what your goals are, and the things you need to focus on to keep them in check and keep yourself working towards them.

. . . . .

 

 

Mel V via Pinterest!

 

 

Have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve

 

This is where it all starts. What do you want? And really- what do you want? Not your parents, not your partner, not your boss. What do you want? How do you want to feel? Happy? Strong? Fast? Loved? Invincible? Accomplished? Stylish? More importantly- why do you want to feel these things? Having a deeper understanding of why we crave the things that we do is imperative to the achievement of our goals.

 

If you want to be thin, it's not good enough just to say that you want to be thin so you can be happy. Why aren't you happy as you are? What things about yourself do make you happy? Have a serious think about what it is that you want to achieve and why. You might be surprised by what really triggered your desire for change.

 

Write it down

 

This is the fun part! Make messy, vibrant, highly coloured lists! Scribble it all over a giant whiteboard and decorate it in flowers! Getting your thoughts down on paper makes them real, tangible and visual. It filters all the racing around in your brain, and helps you to start clearly mapping out your thoughts.

 

Write your goals in dot points, scribble things out, underline things ten times and highlight them in pink and yellow. Number them, in order of desire or urgency. Scribble out the numbers and re-order them after you've had a coffee. Visually explore your impulses and start working with your dreams. And of course, don't forget to set a realistic time frame- you can't pay off your credit card in two weeks (unless you win the lottery!)

 

Do your research

 

This is the less glamorous, more practical side of dream-living: really understanding the nitty gritty. If you want to go to Europe at the end of next year, you need to sort out finances. Do you want to start a yoga course? How about losing twenty kilos?

 

Start from the top- what are the practicalities of achieving your goal? Think about money, a time frame, your health and wellbeing. If your goals and dreams aren't well-supported, it will be unbelievably discouraging when you find yourself struggling to achieve them.

 

Start visualising

 

I've said it once (ten times) and I will say it again (and will continue to say it forever)- if you think that is what's going to happen, then of course that is what's going to happen. Don't make the mistake of setting out to achieve something believing that you are going to fail! That is no way to foster positive energy! Start working towards things believing that it's only a matter of time before they start to manifest in your life. Check it out:

 

"I want to lose 15 kilos."

"I am losing 15 kilos."

 

"I want to be a freelance writer."

"I am a freelance writer."

 

"I want to have a better relationship with my Mum."

"I have a wonderful relationship with my Mum."

 

Do you see where I'm going with this?

 

You need to start putting yourself in a position where you know that you can achieve. Start understanding that by thinking, talking, learning, reading, loving- you are already working towards living your dreams. There's no big secret here. Visualise yourself achieving your goals and you will start to see the benefits and amazing results. I promise!

 

Surround yourself with people who believe in you

 

This is not a difficult one to figure out. If you have people in your life who doubt you, make you feel worthless, or even worse, make you feel that you can't achieve anything without their help- cut them loose. They are hurting your self worth. Don't judge your achievements based on what they think of you! It's your life! It's your future!

 

Don't spend your time with people who like to be negative. These people like to judge others. The like to point our people's flaws, they believe that poor characteristics outweight good characteristics. It's a very sad, lonely way to live. How will you ever learn to love yourself if you find yourself sitting in a dark corner with them, hating everyone esle?

 

Get in the zone

 

Yay, colours! This is my favourite part of goal setting, and is a great tool for manifesting change. Humans are very visual creatures. Colours and shapes stimulate our weird and wonderful brains and we learn to associate feelings and emotions with images. Get out your magazines, people- it's time to make a mood board!

 

Find images, words, sparkly things, tickets, coasters, photographs- anything that you associate with achieving your goal, and start making a collage that you will see every day. Associate your mood board with power, positivity and success. Pinterest is a great way to do this online if you don't want to spend hours with stacks of of issues of Vogue or Q Magazine (and don't forget to follow me- we can be Pinning buddies!)

 

Reward yourself

 

A good way to keep yourself motivated is to set small milestones throughout the duration of your goal-achievement time frame. For every $1000 you save towards your trip, treat yourself to a lovely bottle of wine and rent a movie that's set in the place you want to travel to. For every 3 or 4 kilos you lose, buy yourself a lovely piece of jewellery. For each expression of interest you recieve for your writing portfolio, dedicate an hour to learning to make frosting flowers.

 

Associate your achievements with joy and accomplishment. You deserve to be rewarded for your hard work!  

 

Track your progress

 

We need to constantly reassess our goals in order to maintain achievement. It might even be that our goals need adjustment based on how we are progressing. If you're ahead of your savings target, why don't you try increasing your weekly savings amount by ten dollars? If you are no longer feeling challenged in your beginners yoga class, maybe you could ask the instructor for a transfer to the intermediate class?

 

However, it's important to try not to go the other way- that is, adjusting our goals to enable us to under-achieve. The thing is, it's not the fact that you want more time to help you lose weight or save for a holiday- the problem is in the fact that you think you can't. More often than not, the inability to reach our goals is due to a severe lack of confidence in our own abilities. It comes from a fundamental belief that we should probably just settle for what we have. Which is total, complete, utter bullshit. Get out of that mindset, lassie, because you deserve the positive changes you want to see in your life!

 

 

Healthy travel budgets and ass-kicking awesomeness,

 

MJ x