Creative Collective #1 - My Word of 2014

Finding ways to be more creative is always a good thing and something I'm always trying to do. So when I read about Melyssa's Creative Collective idea over at The Nectar Collective I couldn't wait to get started.

Our first assignment from Melyssa was to think about the year ahead:

Think of a word that you want to focus on in 2014.

Find a piece of paper, cardboard, old pizza boxes, whatever, and write your word out. You can include photos, magazine clippings, paint splotches, random household items, or anything, really, that embodies this word to you. Make it colourful, if you like. Then hang it somewhere in your house or bedroom where it can inspire you and help you maintain your focus throughout the year.

It took a while to narrow it down to just one word, but I kept coming back to the same one - Growth.

I did a fair bit of growing last year with regards to my outlook on things, but there's still plenty to be done. I should be kinder to myself - I'm my own worst enemy and critic so it's time to let that go and be a little bit much more forgiving.

This year I'm also challenging myself to meet my fitness goals - to grow to love myself and body more. A bit mushy I know, but hey! I've got the January blues at the moment being pretty unhappy with my weight, but more importantly unhappy with how unfit I am. This must change! If I get my fitness back I'll grow healthier, more alert and more energetic - all good stuff!

With each experience we grow and I'm aiming to take on new experiences and grow and learn with each one. The Creative Collective will be a great way to get this going, get creative and connect with new bloggers - again all good stuff. 

Like I said in one of my previous posts, this is my positive year and it's time to Make it So!

Have you linked up with Melyssa's Creative Collective yet? Join in by hitting the button below and get your creative on!

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Get Fit Giveaway

So we are now midway through January and how many of us made fitness and weight loss goals at the start of the month due to the new year? Well, if you made a little fitness resolution to pursue in 2014, then welcome to your perfect giveaway!


 The 'Get Fit' Giveaway is all about giving you all the tools, support, and motivation you need to achieve your very best in 2014! No matter what fitness goal you've made for yourself this year the 'Get Fit' Giveaway will help set you on the path to success and self-love, because being healthy isn't just about what's on the outside.

Visit Cassey's website, Blogilates, for amazing monthly work outs, encouragement, and much more!

You'll find yourself rejuvenated by Cassey Ho's 12 Week New Body Makeover Meal Plan and completely inspired by her Pop Pilates Total Body Workout DVD. Cassey is a certified Pilates instructor and shares her love of fitness, self-love, and empowerment for all by wrapping it all up in a ball of positivity that will keep you motivated and moving for your entire body blasting workout. Cassey is all kinds of fitness guru with a thriving Youtube channel full of quality workouts, Ho was included in the Youtube 2013 Rewind featuring the year's top viral videos, and was even named the #2 most influential online personality by Sharecare (second to only Jillian Michaels).



Feast your eyes on all that Blogilates Swag!! The 'Get Fit' Giveaway is all about giving you everything you need to make a lasting change for 2014 and here's the lowdown on what one lucky winner can look forward to winning:

1 x Yoga Bag Bow My Gawd Blogiltes Bag $45.00 value

1 x Yoga Mat Train Insane or Remain the Same Blogilates Mat $25.00 value

1 x Pop Pilates Blogilates Workout DVD $14.99 value

1 x Blogilates Fit Journal + 12 week nutrition plan $30.00 value

1 x Beast Mode Blogilates Water/Shaker Bottle $9.95 value

1 x Sistema Lunch Box $11.85 value

Which comes to a whopping $136.79 value!

PLUS

 

Yup, we are even giving away a $50.00 Amazon gift card to make sure that the winner is able to get the protein powder the 12 week plan requires. Not only are we hooking you up with all the resources you need, but you'll even have access to me, Crystal from The Happy Type, because I'll be doing the plan right alongside of you! Anytime that you need support just reach out to me and I'll give you real-time support.

Together, we can do anything.

Yes, I know this giveaway is the bee's knees, so let's check out the wonderful group of ladies who are committed to making sure you've got everything you need to reach your goals.

| The Happy Type | nomElizabeth | Jade and Oak |

| A Moving Story | Daisy Bisley | Scattered Seashells |

| Chits and Giggles | The Style Dunce | Art of Balance |

I think they all totally deserve a slow clap, don't you? Yup.

Good luck to everyone who enters and for one lucky winner get ready for a life changing 12 weeks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Winner will be notified within 24 hours of giveaway's end. Winner will have 48 hours to respond, before a new winner will be selected. Giveaway is open to international entries and will be shipped within 48 hours of winner verification. All entries will be reviewed and verified prior to selecting a winner.

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A Look Back

2013 was a great (and stressful) year. Peter and I moved in to our very own home, after nine months being out of work I was offered a great job, my freelance worked picked up to a point where I could barely keep track of it, but I managed and learned a lot in the process. Most importantly, however, is that my outlook has changed greatly over the past year.

Had I written the previous paragraph at the beginning of January 2013 it would have gone something like this: I lost my job and spent nine months unemployed being turned down by every job I applied for. This got so bad that I was convinced I was obviously terrible at what I do and almost gave up on my freelance work which ended up almost impossible to keep on top of.

I can't tell you how awesome it feels to have changed that! I still have a ways to go yet, but it feels fantastic that I've been able to make that one change - to see the positives when before I would concentrate on the negatives.

With this in mind, there are a lot of posts I've written in the last year that I'm very proud of so I thought it might be a good idea to share some as a little retrospective on my blogging growth and to keep the positivity flowing around here.

In 2013 I met some amazing folk. Three in particular have been a constant source of encouragement, support and inspiration. Whether they know it or not, they helped me a great deal in changing my outlook and becoming more positive and I'm so grateful to them. So I'm also sharing a couple of posts from each of these great bloggers that have helped me during the last year - a positive naming and shaming if you like ;)

My Favourite Posts of 2013
How to Keep Calm and Focused While Working Freelance
Five Things We Can Learn From Rocky
Embrace Your Inner Geek
Blogging 101 - What I've Learned So Far
Make It So

And now for a couple of my favourite posts from the lovely ladies I was telling you about

Crystal at The Happy Type
Protecting Your joy
Work It Out

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Melyssa at The Nectar Collective
15 Tips for Being Positive
The Rules of Positivity

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Erika at Chimerikal
Throwing Away My Bucket List
The Middles

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A Welcome Back

My blog has been sitting here in web space unloved, but not forgotten. Life in the latter part of 2013 got a little bit crazy. My freelance work boomed, I got a full time job and keeping on top of everything burned me out a bit.

After a much needed break over Christmas and New Year I'm feeling better, calm, collected, refreshed and ready to get back in to the swing of blogging. However this time I'm changing things up a bit with my approach.

There are a few conditions that come with my new blogging mission:
1. I'm making a promise to not get angry and annoyed with myself if I don't post everyday

2. I will not give up if I feel my blog isn't as good as others

3. I'm not going to get bogged down with numbers! My blog is for me to share and express my thoughts - not to make money

4. I must go easy on myself! Take inspiration from others, not try to emulate them - to be my own bloggy self!

These conditions are a result of what added to my burning out, taking my blog far too seriously and forgetting what my initial intentions were. Always worrying about numbers, content and whether anyone was reading.

You lovely and talented folk who have blogs full of killer content, making a living from blogging amaze and inspire me, but after giving it a go, full time blogging just isn't for me. And that's ok! I've realised that doesn't make me a blogging failure.

2014 is my positive year, a year where I'll be kinder to myself. So I'm taking a more chilled out and laid back approach - I'm blogging for me and my own sanity. If I make new connections and re-connect with old ones that will be amazing, but I won't be going crazy if there's only three of you reading this, that will be fine (and hey to the three of you).

So here's to a New Year, new and refreshed blogging aspirations, to new connections and old! I hope you've all had a great holiday season. Now it's time to kick 2014 in the ass and make it a great one!

Here's one of my new favourite inspirational tunes for a kick start!

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