What makes me feel ... ?

What makes me feel strong?

What makes me feel serene?

What makes me feel grounded?

What makes me feel creative?

What makes me feel connected to the Universe, Spirit, God? 

I've been asking myself these questions and journaling each morning on them for a week or so now, and my answers - well, there are definite patterns, things that come up, the same answers again and again.

Some only show up once or twice, sure, but ... 

If I want to feel and be these things that I want to be?

Strong, serene, grounded, creative, connected to the world and its source.

Then I'm prioritising making space for:

* yoga

* being outdoors in nature, preferably the beach

* a surprising one for me as I don't need a lot of sleep - but I know how strong and good I feel when I do sometimes get 7 hours, so that's definitely going on the list

* writing

* cooking

* making great food choices and really choosing to nourish myself

* reading

* getting a massage

* having a clean and serene house

I was surprised at some - ok, mainly how much having a clean home environment means to me. but it gives the feeling of space and freedom and is the foundation from which I then feel inspired to do all the other things.

But now that I know the things that give me so much - so much - and create how I want to feel and be?

Well, these are the things I'm now prioritising in 2018 - whether I 'feel' like them or not.

And if I don't have time ... er, I do have time, I just need to prioritise these things above other things.

It's taken me a couple of weeks to think about this one, mull it over, let it brew, journaling day after day.

And it seems actually - for me to feel and be strong, serene, at one with the world, happy and creative - I just need to allow these things that make me feel that way be important.

I wholeheartedly encourage you to do this simple exercise too - and would love to know what your things are that you'll be making space and time for this year.

Happy New Year everyone x

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100 things to do in 2017

So, just off the top of my head, I thought I'd quickly note down 100 things I'm planning to do in 2017!

Some small, some silly, some mundane, some huge!

Whatever came to my mind.

Although this was just an idea yesterday to write something really quickly ... and then my laptop froze.

And I lost all 100.

I wrote them again ... another 40 minutes or so - and yes, they were different - I couldn't remember some great ones!

It froze again, saving half.

I took a break but this morning, wrote the last half again - and yes, they were different again.

The laptop froze.

I am NOTHING IF NOT DETERMINED (STUBBORN?) ... and I wrote it again.

It's changed already at least four times.

What was supposed to be a quick just-for-fun post became a two-day WRESTLE. But here are the 100 that survived the tech :) 

Will be checking back in a few months to see which of these I've actually done ... 

Anyway, here it is.

1. Grow my hair
2. Try a bikram yoga class
3. Go to the dentist for a check up
4. Brush the dog's teeth every day (even though he hates it)
5. Actually listen to all the Audible books in my library
6. Make a beautiful-as-I-can-make-it workbook for the Thai Diet Revolution
7. Discover new music - ask for recommendations
8. Write to my nephews and nieces at least twice each
9. Write to M every month - a proper letter
10. Volunteer somehow, do something for young carers
11. Go horseriding
12. Surf the sand dunes again in Cornwall this summer
13. Go to Rome
14. Visit Berlin
15. Declutter the kitchen cupboards
16. Book regular osteopathy sessions
17. Make preserved lemons
18. Look into getting a glamorous, luxe, white super-thick carpet for bedroom instead of wooden floor
19. Repaint bedroom
20. Hang all my pictures (finally!)
21. Get a massage
22. Care for my nails more - grow them + get regular manicures
23. Make time for sketching and drawing
24. Vist Kelvedon Bunker
25. Go body-boarding in the sea 
26. Go to the cinema more often - see things I don't even know what they are
27. Eat oysters in Whitstable
28. Launch/create A Year of Living Beautifully + Eating Well book/group
29. Make bath melts
30. Go to France, to the Dordogne, with my sisters
31. Make a really good jerk sauce
32. Try an early night ha!
33. Journal every morning, well the majority, rather than just half 
34. Get a Thai massage
35. Hold the first Tiniest Thai Retreaty in Thailand
36. Have a pedicure every month
37. Lose 12 pounds
38. WSET wine course
39. Dennis Severs House in candlelight
40. Have my first book published
41. Try growing holy basil
42. Start meditating - use Headspace (try again!)
43. Improve my French - use Duolingo app
44. Read French Vogue
45. Wear 'best' clothes every day - life's a catwalk :) 
46. Get toned and fitter - have fun with it, try loads of classes at the gym
47. Go to Brixton food market
48. Change my brown leather sofa for a big squishy turquoise velvet one
49. Have a weekend away on my own
50. Declutter and clean the bathroom cupboards and shelves
51. Find out where to get my favourite lemongrass candle (and get it!)
52. Go to the doctor about the noise my knee makes
53. Work through all my budgets and finances again and update
54. Check in monthly on my finances and budgets
55. Write out my BIG HUGE goals and check in monthly to review
56. Volunteer at the local riding for the disabled riding stables
57. Try intermittent fasting a few days a week
58. Buy new skirt for M
59. Work with a VA
60. Walk 12k steps a day (up from 10k)
61. Get scooter out and scoot home from work at least once a week
62. Go out dancing (much more often)
63. Develop and post a new recipe at least once every two weeks
64. Learn to play the ukelele
65. Do the 'create your own gin' day
66. Change my name by deed poll, update banks, passport etc - to Redlaw
67. Do the Yoga Anytime 30-day challenge
68. Declutter bedside cabinets
69. Digital switch-off one whole day a week during January - and see how it goes
70. Each week make time to sit and read my recipe books without thinking I 'should' be doing something else
71. Write Marrakech blog post
72. Go back to Marrakech
73. Be featured in mainstream magazines
74. Get a magazine column (why not?!)
75. Visit Kew Gardens
76. Visit Chatsworth
77. Go to the Gower again
78. Learn to French plait my hair, or into two French plaits
79. Re-film all the videos for the Thai Diet Revolution
80. Find out how to make Dragon's Breath Curry
81. Make boeuf bourguignon (it's been years since I last did!)
82. Start my 'Tiniest Thai Talks To' series again
83. Get my ear pierced at the top - which I've wanted to do since 17 and just never got round to
84. Have my wave tattoo done
85. Focus more - have evenings with a focus, not just flitting between things all the time - whether it's writing, reading, cooking, chatting, whatever - be focused and present
86. Go to the doctor about that ridiculous horrible fungal toenail
87. Replenish essential oils
88. Go to Paris
89. Accessorise more
90. Buy bikini that fits
91. Have 1,000 people join the Thai Diet Revolution
92. Get a celebration pendant from Mildred Jones Fine Jewellery - I know exactly what I want - to celebrate those 1,000 peple
93. Go to a Sunday service at St Paul's
94. Have a monthly cleaner
95. Also take a day off and completely spring clean
96. Hold a Tiniest Thai cooking class at La Vista, Competa, Spain
97. Make some chilli paste in oil
98. Cook char sui pork more often than just at Chinese New Year
99. Give a genuine compliment to a stranger every day
100. Arrange dates to actually SEE all the people I say I'll meet up with 'soon'

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