Nation Inspiration

I have been on an Inspiration Mission.

Feeling inspired, finding inspiration and hopefully inspiring others at times.

I have been inspired to make changes in my life.

My husband and I have recently been inspired to make a tree change.
Yep, we want to rent out our beach side home, to enable a move onto acreage, with space and trees and fresh air.
If you had told me this a year ago, I would have laughed, and told you that I am an urban girl through and through.
But lately I have taken up hiking and being in the beautiful nature of our local hinterland rainforest has inspired me.
Our children have just turned 8 and 9 years old, and before they morph into teenagers wanting to be in the hub of it all, near the shopping centre’s, beach and friends we want give them the chance to climb and run, have chickens, ride motorbikes and explore.

I have been inspired to change my career, at the age of 41. I am not only inspired, but I am full of excitement and passion about my new chosen field, which I will begin studying later in the year…watch this space!

I have even cut off my hair recently, inspired by change, being able to let go of the old and embracing the new...

I have been inspired by a friend who just recently told me she has been writing a book, and is now in the process of self-publishing. Wow!

I am inspired with the conversations I have weekly with Roger who is treating my back. When we have like minded conversation with like minded people, talking of inspirational outlooks, we walk away with more air in our spine, like we are on tippy toes, and a big smile plastered on our souls.

My kids mastering skateboarding is inspirational, the look of determination on their faces, the commitment to getting back on after falling off and to keep on practicing…and the fact that one of us takes them to the local skate park most days, could be considered inspirational too!

My friends who are working mothers, and keeping it all together, raising happy kids, feeding them healthy (most of the time!) meals and running a home are an inspiration to all.

I am choosing books that I know will inspire me, about remarkable people and remarkable concepts.

I search out inspirational quotes, to remind me that a positive outlook on life will inspire a positive life.

Men inspire me. Men who treat women, children and themselves with dignity. Men, who are unafraid to love, care for and be a hands on family member.

Our children’s teachers, day care minders and sports coaches inspire me.

People who share what their knowledge and experience in the hope it will inspire and help others, truly inspire me!

Successful people inspire me; because I know they have had to be focused, positive, passionate and inspired to achieve what they have.

I am even more inspired by the ones who are doing it tough, doing everything they can, with what they have and focusing on keeping it optimistic, knowing that if they do this, everything will turn out okay!

Inspiration is every where, I look for it, read about it and see it- because I know that if I continually feel inspired, I will continue to grow and move forward, attaining all the things I want in my life.

My beautiful life.

suzy x

In No Hurry

We race through amber lights, drive faster than we know we should and overtake the slower drivers. We power walk through meandering pedestrians, sigh and fidget when in a queue, and demand that we were waiting before the sweet old lady. We flick through Sunday papers and make mental lists whilst getting a massage. We buy our food packaged, pre-chopped, seedless and ready- made.

Everyone is in a hurry.

The guy who impatiently drives right up behind me, crazily overtakes me, and then I sit right behind him at the next red traffic light.... soooo, all of that didn’t really make much difference in his travel time.

The woman who was slowed for a split second whilst I stopped to take a photo of my kids in a tourist town. She pushed past and angrily muttered something about bloody tourists. Umm, it’s a tourist town, the main street is full of shops and sights directly marketed at tourists…is she sure she is living in the right place!

I often wonder why people are in such a hurry. We are unable to be mindful and to live in the moment if we are focused on where we need to get to, whilst unknowingly rushing past all the pleasures that are here right now.

I often wonder why it seems so many of us are in such a hurry to rush to the ends of our lives…

Then what?

Slow down. Enjoy. You will get there. Late, early or on time.

Breathe, observe, and smell. Enjoy. Don’t miss the small joys.

Don’t wish the weeks away until that special day, the months away till that holiday, the years away till…

Slow down a little and be an aware part in your beautiful life.

suzy x

This Week

This week I am going to eat ONE meal mindfully- I am going to eat slowly, put my knife and fork down between mouthfuls, and not read a magazine, newspaper, watch the TV or sit in front of the computer. I am going to eat my meal mindfully, think about the taste, the ingredients, and the process of making it- even if it’s a tuna sandwich!

This week, I am going to remind myself how easy it is to slip into being judgmental. It does not affect my life how someone else IS. It does not matter to my well being ONE bit, how someone else is, looks, dresses or speaks. It affects my wellbeing when I allow myself to be judgemental. When I feel these slip-ups I need to slap myself on the wrist, and remind myself of my choice to live a beautiful life!

This week I am going to focus on the people who bring happiness, beauty, fun and all things good to my life, I am definitely not going to allow myself to feel upset by what negative people are playing out in their own lives.

This week I will remember that my body is not only a temple, but also you are what you eat…and that throwing a slow cooker together in the morning is as easy as grabbing take away on the way home from swimming squad.

This week I am going to find someone that I can do something for to change his or her circumstances this week. It could be a comment, a deed, a phone call, or an action. We are all surrounded by opportunities to be generous to those we do and do not know. We should seize these opportunities, and thank the universe for allowing us to be generous.

This week I will also do something for me. I’m pretty good at this, and don’t need reminders. I should remind myself though, how cool it is to be able to have a midday nap, buy a magazine, sip a coffee while watching the world go by or just sit somewhere in the sun.

I’m going to look at the sky more, breathe deeply, and listen to people when they are speaking without thinking about what I want to say next. I’m going to walk slowly and take in all that is around me, instead of rushing to where I want to go.

I’m going to buy a bunch of flowers, clean out a cupboard, play with the cat and watch a chick flick.

I’m going to worry and complain less. I’m going to smile, laugh and share more. I will continue to remind myself what I am grateful for every morning. I will try to keep being the best friend I can be. I will really focus on the joy my children bring me, and not what drives me crazy. I will agree with my husband, not because I necessarily do, but because it doesn’t really matter either way most of the time

I am going to embrace problematic situations, as an opportunity to find the solution. I am going to challenge myself to overcome low moments and hurdles, and be grateful to be able to feel my strengths.

I will do these things because I know they change my life for the better.

I know how beautiful my life is.

suzy x

How To Be Happy

Happiness is a Choice.

We have to squash our negative thoughts...like a bug!
It takes so much energy to think and speak negatively.
It takes all our energy away from us when we choose to feel miserable, to hate, to be angry, to judge others.
Pull yourself up from negative thinking, slap yourself on the wrist. (I actually do that, physically!)
Happiness is a Choice. Make It.

Feel the Love People!
Love the people around you. Love your home. Love your pet.
Love your dinner. Love your bed. Love the weather.
The stronger you feel love, the stronger the power of the Law of Attraction in your life. The stronger the Law of Attraction; the stronger the power to create a beautiful life and attract more love into your life!

Be Grateful. For your family, for your friends, for your job, for your car, for your furniture, for your toothbrush!
If you wake up every morning and feel true gratitude for all that you have, you will feel happiness, how can you not. Mentally going through a list of what you are grateful for reminds you of the positives in your life, of what is important to you.

Mindfulness. Live in the moment. When the moment is good, do not worry about things that have happened, or things that could happen. When the moment is good, sit back and notice, smile, take a mental snap shot. Life is good, whether it’s a funny moment, great meal, fresh breeze. Enjoy these moments. Notice them.

Do not judge others, and do not allow yourself to be judged by others. I believe judgment of others to be one of the biggest failings we can have.
It is sneaky and comes up in our thoughts with out us even noticing. It is erroneous and a daily battle worth fighting.
I can’t say this enough, if you stop judging others you will immediately drop a little misery- just like that.

Do not compare yourself to others either... be inspired by them.
Be happy with who you are, where you are and what you have.

Make deep friendships. Two deep friends are worth a hundred times more than a group of people who do not recognize your value and care for you. Recognize the value in the friends that matter to you, thank them, let them know. Share with them, support them and know that they will always be there for you too.

Be Generous. With words, thoughts, actions. Give a little gift to someone who makes a difference in your life or call them and tell them what they mean to you. People gain a lot of pleasure from being told they are appreciated. You will feel happy by just doing something so simple.

Laugh. Watch funny movies, read funny books. Hang out with kids, have funny friends, be funny, whatever it takes, make sure you laugh as often as you can. See the funny side. Life doesn’t have to be so serious, it should be enjoyed

Rest. Re-charge. Re-energise. Re-flect. Get enough sleep. Take a nap. Lie down with a magazine. Deep Breathe. Meditate. Life is so fast pace; we prioritize getting things done, getting somewhere now and sometimes forgot how important it is to just rest.

Believe in something other than yourself. Something bigger than us. Think about what contribution you can make in your life time. Give back.

Don’t expect the worst. Sometimes when things seem to be going wrong, it may be that they are just changing paths and direction. Some problems are there to help us grow. Have some trust in the Universe; expect things to turn out for the best eventually.

Don’t see the worst in others, accept differences, expect the best only of yourself.

Take a good look at yourself.
It’s fine to know the affirmations, the mantras and read the books...but where are your thoughts...
Are they happy? Or are you concentrating on what you don’t like, what annoys you, who did something “wrong”...
How is your lifestyle? Are you a good friend, co-worker, person; making conscience positive decisions or are you making the day harder and a little more difficult for others or yourself?

If we keep thinking we hate our job-we will always hate our job.
If we think about how someone always drives us crazy- they will always drive us crazy.
If you keep thinking about those extra kilos, you will always have extra kilos.

If you keep thinking about how someone makes you hurt, angry, how things never go right, how you don’t like certain things about someone...you are never going to be able to be truly happy

Happiness is determined by our minds, not our circumstances. Happiness is a choice. No one or no thing can make us happy.

Keep thinking about how awesome our families are.
What amazing friends we have.
How you can make a difference at work, in the world...for someone.
How the sunshine is a blessing, how good your favorite sandwich tastes, how funny our friends and kids are.
We are surrounded by simple pleasures every day.

And remember of course happy people are not happy all the time, that would be impossible, life throws stuff at all of us- they are just better at bouncing back to the state of contentedness after feeling unhappy.

Spread the word. Enjoy the Journey. We are here to live a happy life, a beautiful life.

suzy x

Respond With Peace

Hey There! How has your week been? Mine has been pretty fast paced, finishing filming on one job, getting ready for another...friends birthdays, and other catch ups to be had...and spending time with my beautiful family.

So as I didn't get around to writing something on Friday, I am going to share someone elses words again. And it's not to be lazy, if I wanted to do that, I would just not add anything until next week! I found these words, and thought they were really quite special, and as it's Monday, I thought it was a lovely way to start a fresh week.

Respond With Peace

Whatever things may come your way today,
make it a point to let your first response a peaceful one.
There is power in peaceful calmness,
the power to follow your own plans and purposes.
That gets lost when you react out of anger.

It takes determined intention and effort
to respond peacefully.
The power and control it gives you
are well worth the effort.

Certainly you want to look out for your own interests.
Yet just because you are firmly determined
is no reason to be angry and out of control.
The greatest power is almost always
in a peaceful, measured response.

Do you really want to let someone else
dictate your level of stress and anxiety?
Do you really want to let others
control your actions?

Respond calmly and peacefully.
Maintain your composure.
Maintain your control.
Let your first response be peaceful,
and you'll make it much more effective.

Ralph Marston

Thank you Mr Marston, well said.

More from me next week, promise!

suzy x

Karma not Drama

Maybe I should be doing a Blog on my favorite sayings because I’ve got another one for you. This one gets me through so many things, so many times a day!

HOW PEOPLE TREAT YOU IS THEIR KARMA; HOW YOU REACT IS YOURS. Wayne Dyer

I’m not going to try and define or give philosophical explanations, laws or concepts of Karma, apart from saying it generally comes down to that one is responsible for one’s own life.

No, I use this quote for when I feel angry, hurt, saddened or generally ill treated by someone. It could be anyone, people close to me, friends of others, or an unknown person in a shopping centre.

Instead of getting any of the above mentioned ill feelings, instead of fuming over the how dare them, questioning myself on why they would...and all the other ways we can play peoples actions or words over and over in our minds. I instead focus on my KARMA and how I react.

I do not need to worry about their Karma, their actions or words, those are theirs.
I need to be concerned with my actions and words.

I own my choices, thoughts and actions, nobody else’s.

It can be soul strengthening to know that you react in kindness or at least a more positive way to which you have been treated!
It takes the pain of how you have been treated away quicker and takes your focus away from the negative.
It basically just does that, moves your energy away from the negative, and into the positive.

Another gem from Mr. Dyer- Conflict cannot survive without your participation.

When someone is really getting to me, I just repeat the little mantra in my mind, don’t get caught up in all the stuff that is going on for them, take a deep breath, and look after my own karma, my own beautiful life.

suzy x

Changing My World

The other day I purchased a little silver disc to wear on my wrist with one of my very favorite sayings.

What does this saying mean to me?

It is way to big of a job for me to change the whole world, but if I change myself, my world will change around me.

Be the mother I wish to see in the world.

Be the partner I wish to see in the world.

Be the friend I wish to see in the world.

Be the employee, the employer, the co-worker, the neighbor, the daughter.

Be the person I wish to see in the world.


I love wearing my little disc, it reminds me to be the change I wish to see in the world.



suzy x

jewellrey available online at corinegrant@etsy.com