Lisa McDonald

Empowering Women And Men To Get Unstuck, Walk Their Own Path, And Have A Great Life

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The Heart of Your Christmas 2017

The Heart of Your Christmas

During the Christmas season it’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of the season and to get distracted by issues, obligations and stories. Each of these things affect our health and happiness.  They affect how we think and feel about ourselves.  They also affect how we interact with others and our ability to contribute.  That’s why its important to connect to our heart amid the busyness.

Take time to connect with the heart of YOUR Christmas.  Reflect on your own heart and what you hold dear.  Then, shift your focus to what the festive period means to you:

  • What is the heart of Christmas for you? 
  • How does it support what you value and hold dear? 
  • How can you use it to express and contribute to others during this time?

 

Christmas Video

 

Heart Felt Wisdom

Matthew’s song has some wonderful words.  Here are a few of them to remind yourself to stay connected to your own heart in the busyness of the Christmas season :

Slow down
Where ever you are, come back to the heart …
Live while you can.  Cherish the moments …
Make sure your loved ones know it …

Remember love and goodwill is something you can spread all year round.  It doesn’t just have to be during Christmas or other seasonal/cultural festivities.  So  … connect with your heart …spread your love and goodwill  … more often.

Take steps today to connect with the heart of your Christmas.  Then, share your spirit with others.

What are your favourite words from Matthew West’s song?  Please share your comments below.

Warm Regards

Lisa

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What’s News: Upcoming Author

Announcement: What's News

What’s News?

Today I’m excited to let you know about my latest exciting news … I’m now the upcoming author of a new book.

Upcoming Author

You may recall that earlier this year I was doing some research on women in their 30s and 40s who have unresolved pains around the whole baby thing.  Well the exciting new is that I’m now the upcoming author of a book and podcast on The Whole Baby Thing (TWBT).  It will, be focused on helping women who are facing this modern dilemma of baby or no baby.

I’m passionate about this topic because I know what it’s like to struggle around the whole baby thing.  For those of you who don’t know, I became a mum at 47, to my son Charlie.  And it took a long time filled witUpcoming Bookh uncertainty and working through different options to get to that point.  I’ll be sharing more of my story in the book.

Not Alone

This issue affects loads of women.  I want them to know that they are not alone, that whatever they think and feel is valid and that all choices are equal (even if they decide not to have a baby or that  motherhood is just not for them).  There are many way to be happy and fulfilled, and it’s up to each woman to figure out what the right decision is for them.

Along with my upcoming book and podcast The Whole Baby Thing, I have also put together some other resources to support this particular group of women.

Read more about The Whole Baby Thing and the resources I’ve created by clicking here.

CALL OUT 
Do You, Or Someone You Know,
Have An Inspiring Story To Tell?

One of the things The Whole Baby Thing book and podcast will contain is a collection of stories of women who, in their 30s or 40s, successfully navigated the whole baby thing.

So … if you, or someone you know, has an inspiring story to tell, then I’d love to interview you/them.  For more information on my Call Out re sharing your inspiring story Click Here.

I look forward to sharing my progress on my upcoming book and podcast on The Whole Baby Thing.

With warm regards

Lisa

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Life Is Composed of Lights and Shadows

Walt DisneyHi There,

Today’s wisdom comes from Walter Elias Disney (1901-1966) who was an American entrepreneur, animator, voice actor, film producer and philanthropist.  He pioneered the American animation industry.

Here is a great quote from Walt Disney:

“Life is composed of lights and shadows, and we would be untruthful, insincere, and saccharine if we tried to pretend there were no shadows. ”
–  Walt Disney

Walt Disney’s Wisdom

Today’s quote highlights the lightness and darkness of life.  Everybody experiences both of these during their life time.  The highs and lows, the good and the bad … are all a normal part of life.  They are also a normal part of pursuing your goals and dreams.

Walt Disney himself experienced the lightness and darkness during his lifetime.

He experienced the highs and lows of success.  Some of which included:

  • Holding the records as a film producer, for the most Academy Awards earned by an individual, having won 22 Oscars from 59 nominations (both records)
  • Best known for his cartoon Mickey Mouse (who he also did the voice for many years.  Also famous for Donald Duck, Mini Mouse and Pluto
  • Created the first full length animated movie when he created Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
  • Involvement in planning the 1960 Winter Olympics
  • Involvement in many charitable and philanthropic projects.  In 1983 Disney formed the “Disneyland Community Action Team” (DCAT). DCAT became involved with the Special Olympics, the Orangewood Children’s Home, and other local charities. Later the Disney Worldwide Outreach program, was created to give a corporate standard on Disney’s charitable initiatives.  On his death he left 45% of his estate went into a charitabl
    e trust,  95 percent of which was designated for CalArts, to build a new campus

light and darkWalt Disney also experienced tough times and failures.  Some of which included:

  • Poor Grades.  Rose with his brother at 4.30 am every morning to deliver the Times before school, and repeated it in the evenings, for six years.  As a result of his grueling schedule he often got poor grades because he fell asleep in class
  • Finding out that Universal owned the intellectual property rights to Oswald The Lucky Rabbit (which he’d created).  Mintz threatened to start his own studio and produce the series himself if Disney refused to accept the reductions. Disney declined Mintz’s ultimatum and lost most of his animation staff.
  • Having a nervous breakdown in October 1931‍—‌which he blamed on the way Powers operated and his own overwork‍
  • Losses on pictures and deep debt.  The studio began producing Pinocchio in early 1938 and Fantasia in November of the same year. Both films were released in 1940, and neither performed well at the box office‍—‌partly because revenues from Europe had dropped following the start of World War II in 1939. The studio made a loss on both pictures and was deeply in debt by the end of February 1941.

The Journey of Your Own Success

Just as Walt Disney experienced lightness and darkness as he pursued his goals and dreams, you will too.  They are both just facts of life.  Accept this reality and empower yourself – by gathering the people, knowledge and tools you require to take action on your goals.  The journey of success and goal achievement requires persistence, resilience and courage to carry you through the lightness and darkness.

Take at least one action step today to progress and achieve your goals.

I’d love to hear from you – what inspiration have you gained from the life, wisdom and the many films of Walt Disney?  Please share your comments below.

Warm regards

Lisa

 

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A Quick Hit of Inspiration: 40 Inspirational Speeches In 2 Minutes

A Quick Hit of Inspiration- 40 Inspiration Speeches

Today’s post is is designed to be a quick hit of inspiration.  It contains a short 2 minute video with 40 inspirational speeches.

Go ahead and watch it – it’s only 2 minutes – so no excuses that you don’t have time!

40 Inspirational Speeches In 2 Minutes

Applying The Inspiration To Achieving Your Own Goals

There’s lots of wisdom in today’s video which you can apply  to your own goals.  Why not listen or re-listen to the video to see which inspirational speeches you connect with, and which inspire you.   Then, write out the words and pin it on the wall where you will see it.  It will remind you of where you focus your mind and intentions.

40 Inspirational Speeches – Which Is Your Favourite

I’d love to hear about YOUR favourite inspirational speech. It might be one of the 40 inspirational speeches in this video or another one that you like the best.  Please share in the comment section below.

Warm regards

Lisa

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5 Simple Tips To Energise Your Day

5 Easy Ways To Energise Your Day

Hi and welcome to today’s post: “5 Simple Tips To Energise Your Day”.

The past week has been a busy one for me.  The main reason being that last week I spent three days at a business retreat (hosted by the lovely Janet Beckers) in gorgeous Terrigal on the Central Coast of NSW.  My beautiful family were there too, but they spent the time lapping up the beach and local area.

One of the things that the group talked about was how we maintain our energy levels.   Implementing routines to support your energy is really important for keeping yourself healthy, getting the most out of your day and making progress on your goals.

Here’s 5 great tips that were shared which you can easily apply:

  1. Health before wealth.  This tip is about having a routine which supports your health and wellbeing at the beginning of the day.   Then, after you’ve looked after yourself (remember when you fly they always say if to put your own face mask on first, before helping others), moving on to activities which focus on wealth building.
  2. Creative work before  busy work.   This tip is about doing your creative work when you’re at your freshest, and when you’re not bogged down with a lot of left brain/logical thinking.  For example doing creative work before 12 pm and busy work after 12 pm.
  3. Breathing to inflate the lungs fully.  This is about starting the day with your lungs fully expanded with oxygen.  Most people don’t fully inflate the lungs properly, and stress reduces proper breathing too.  Take a few minutes to breath –  first into the lower abdomen, then into the middle part of the abdomen and then into the upper abdomen.  Then, breath out releasing each part of the abdomen.
  4. Batching activities. This tip is about grouping the same activities together.  That way you can build up your focus, flow and productivity.  For example, making phone calls for an event or writing letters.
  5. Creating focus days.   This tip can also assist you in streamline your focus, energy, and actions.  Its about grouping together a variety of activities which are centred around a specific theme.  For example allocating clients sessions on Tuesdays and finance to Fridays

Any of these 5 tips could assist to energise your day.  Which one will you add to your routine?

Please share your favourite tip for energising your day by clicking below.

Warm regards

Lisa