2013 into 2014

I first started my blog in June this year, and my journey since then has chopped and changed a little bit, but not as much as my journey has changed my focus within all of 2013.

My year started off with many changes, my Dad had become ill late November 2012, and he was rapidly declining, my travelling back to see him frequently was well worth the effort and the cost – he passed away in early April.  A very sad time for my family, but nothing new to so many of my friends, the loss of a father, the loss of a mentor, and the loss of a friend.  He did say to me though, he was happy with his life and how he’d lived it – he’d not always done what others thought he should do, but he enjoyed and embraced life and lived it!

Dad’s farm, and his view

I’m so pleased to have spent this special time with my Dad, to share laughter and joy, to

plan our future and to look fondly over our past, what a joy it was to take the time to do this. And I’m so very grateful that it was all possible, I know there are so many that would not be able to take the time away from family and work committments to have such special time. Truly blessed.

This did make me start to think – here I was, fair, fat and forty as the saying goes. What was I achieving, what was I doing with my life, my health and my body?  Some decisions had to be made and choices made also.  I was at the heaviest weight I’d ever been in my life, yes emotional eating comes into play, but so does lack of motivation.  I felt that I was essentially working a job still, even though I’ve been working in my own business for 10 years, it had become like a job. The motivation here was also low.  I suppose, looking back, it’s all about asking what your purpose is, what it is that you are wanting to achieve, where are you on this time line?  Essentially, what is your why?

Funny, a few months ago, someone pointed out that if you create a 10 x 10 grid, fill in the grid from the bottom right, working across and up the squares, for approximately 16 squares (say a woman lives to be on average 84years), then you start at the to left corner and fill in the squares across and down, one square for every year you have lived – how many blank squares does that leave you with? It’s a little confronting, but it can certainly help you – see what mine looked like (it isn’t beautifully set out!!)

How many blank squares do you have left to fill?

Boy, have I had some moments this year!

Anyway, first steps first. My weight.  As my followers have observed, this has been going in the ‘right’ direction, i.e., downwards – thank goodness for that!  I had my final weigh-in of the year today, it was time to see if I’d achieved my goal of 65 kg for 2013.  Check out the details!!! WOW!!! I’m impressed

	23 July	31 December	Total Loss
Weight (kg)	82	66.5	15.5
Waist	95	80	15
Chest	105.5	96	9.5
Abdomen	107.5	88	19.5
Buttocks	110	96	14
Thigh – Right	55.5	50	5.5
Thigh – Left	55.5	49.5	6
Knee – Right	46	41.5	4.5
Knee – Left	47	41	6

Okay, so  I am 1.5kg shy of my target – but what I was quite impressed with overall is that I was very close!!!!  So, very, very excited and happy about that!!

Check out my photos too – I’m definitely into my skinny jeans again – so very happy about that!!!

Jul – Dec 2013

I’m still a wee way off my original target weight of 65kg.  I’m not concerned about this though, a couple of reasons give me great trust in my achievements. Firstly, I’m sure it’s the first Christmas in my life that I’ve not put weight on in the week of Christmas, Christmas morning, I was 67.5, this morning 66.5. Yes, I’ll admit to following my weight daily during this time, something you’re always told not to do, but I couldn’t resist to keep my focus, and yes, I increased to 68.5 by the morning after Boxing Day, but it’s now gone!!!  It also gave me the focus to keep up my good nutrition, and to keep up my exercise over this time.  So, very happy about that too 🙂

Now, the second reason I’m not concerned about not reaching 65kg yet.  I’m going on a 30 day Global Group Cleanse Challenge starting 13 January.  We have over 400 people registered in this group so far – it’s very exciting!!

In the time of the challenge, I have made the committment to not drinking any alcohol, sticking by the cleansing routine, measuring my evening meal calories and keeping up my gym plan.  I’ll admit, over the time I’ve lost 15.5kg, I’ve been drinking alcohol every weekend, oops, but, it’s part of my lifestyle, and so far it’s working for me, at my pace!!  So, if you want to join me on this challenge, you can register at the website and put my name as who referred you 🙂

Some of you may have been following me on my Feeling Free of Fat Facebook page too, and thank you for doing that – it gives me great encouragement to see people following my journey.

Now, I know you’re curious about my business plans this year too. As I mentioned earlier, my business was beginning to feel like a job. So, how to change that? Well, change and challenge are the words to consider!!

Change!

Challenge!

My focus and my WHY have changed considerably this year. I have now decided that my business has to stop relying so heavily on me selling my time for income. This time is either face to face consultations with my clients, or face to face teaching.  I’ve been researching heavily this year into passive income.  I have plans that I’m wanting to achieve in the next couple of years, and volunteering at a clinic in Africa is one of them, check out Homeopathy for Health in Africa

HHA do awesome work in Tanzania and they’re now teaching as well – so inspiring, and something I truly wish to do. This year our business has chosen HHA for the main charity we donate to, so now there is more support going their way.

Back to my passive income business plans too.  Well, these are beginning to progress after a fullon 8 months of training, researching, playing around and testing out.  This will be coming together in the next couple of months. In the meantime, I’ve set up a Facebook page to slowly introduce some of my ideas to the community at large, Flights to Freedom. On this page, I’ll be giving information on the variety of ways I’m investigating, and implementing, for earning passive income alongside your current J.O.B. or your business, without impacting on these.  I feel that we should all be able to follow our heart, and help those we care for, without financial worry.  I’m also putting together an e-book on my aromatherapy blends that have helped me through my inspirational changes this year, incorporating crystals, affirmations and chakras.  I’m so very excited about this, and I’m sure you’ve already seen my blends starting to appear on this blog.

On a more personal note, my ultimate vision (yes, the vision board is done), is to continue to build the donations to HHA, to build donations to our favourite animal rescue and rehabilitation centre, HESC where we adopted a cheetah this year, and to find extra time to visit my family and friends more frequently, as well as explore the new communities that I discover!  Vision board is done, and in full view on my dining table – it will be there for the 2014 year.  Note that all the dates are written in, including the following words:

Or Sooner!!!

On a final note, I’d like to share with you a photo of my rose Joyfulness, it came out yesterday, one day after my Dad’s birthday (it was given to me after my Dad’s passing, by a very good friend of mine).  I’m feeling so very grateful for my life this year, it was a 9 numerologically, and 2014 is my 1 year – love it

Joyfulness

And a final farewell to 2013 from my two daily visitors, they make my heart sing.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all my followers!!