There's nothing I love more than falling into a good book. I was one of those kids who read everything I could get my hands on...nothing's really changed. If it's got words on it, you'll usually find me reading it. My dearly beloved cleared out the mail box tonight of the 'junk' mail. He knows well enough to scan the paperwork in front of me before it heads for the recycling bin. "Do you want to read this one?" is an often asked question as the brightly coloured flyers and va

Life has been a little up and down for me lately. Not enough hours in the day. Too many things to do in too short a time. Too many demands and a head that refuses to 'shut down' the busier life becomes. If you can relate--read on. This photograph reminded me of the many facets of life and how much we are supposed to 'cram' into it in any given day. How to cope? Nearly two decades ago, my only coping mechanism was alcohol. Today, I'm pleased to report that taking a drink to nu

I'm asking myself where did the first quarter of the year go? I'm also looking at my goals for this quarter and I'm pleased to report that I've likely hit 80% of them. How have you done with your goals for the first quarter? If you're struggling with achieving your potential, why don't you take a look at my Passion Pulse? It will help you start your day right. I've decided that I'd like to find a more economical way to introduce you to the way of life that I lead and making t

When I was trying to get sober, I had a line drawing on my fridge. I eventually coloured it in I loved it so much. It was a photograph of a pelican trying to swallow a frog. The frog had a hand around the pelican’s neck and wasn’t letting go! Underneath the words said, “Never give up!” There were many times in the early days of trying to stay sober when I desperately wanted to pick up a drink. That picture on the fridge was a constant reminder to me that life was worth living

You know the feeling. All the best intentions and then...Bam! Out of nowhere something gets in the way of your well structured new routine/hobby/exercise program/resolution... Fill in the blank here. I don’t know about you (and I’ve talked about it before) but it’s so easy to find yourself ‘trudging’ along, getting on with whatever the ‘new thing’ is--for me it was usually trying to stay sober, or embarking on some new fitness regime, or changing my diet--and you get side-swi

I had time to reflect today. As I write this, it’s the day before Valentine’s Day--the day when every woman (and probably a lot of men) who are involved in a romantic relationship have some kind of romantic expectation that may (or may not) be met tomorrow. Remember the Golden Rule: Expectations are premeditated resentments! February 13th is also the day that my ex-husband (and the father of my children) and I married. That relationship lasted for over twenty years of my life

This post could easily have a sub-heading, "How to Manage the Unmanageable" or even, "My Stationery Obsession" :-) I was thinking about the way that I keep my life and my tasks in order. I like to think that I’m a modern woman who’s embracing technology. I mean, I own an iPhone and a Mac and I have a number of electronic organisers loaded on both of those devices. However, I find myself gravitating (always) towards coloured paper, note pads, diaries of all descriptions and gl

So I talked about my own struggle with self-care at the beginning of this week. Of course, it’s not only when I’m trying to get back into my yearly routine that I struggle with self-care. I’m a mother and a wife and a (sort of) employee (I’m self-employed...so my boss can be a real hard task mistress!). I’m also a sister and a daughter and a daughter-in-law and a friend and a sponsor for my 12-step girlies, so I have a lot going on in my life. It’s easy to see why (sometimes)

It’s February already, so I tell myself I should be well back into my routine. I don’t know what it’s like where you are in the world, but here in New Zealand, it’s the middle of summer and that still makes me want to be in holiday mode. The local children may have gone back to school for the beginning of their new year, but it’s still as hot as Hades. I always feel sorry for the poor kids going back to school in February, because it’s always now that the heat of summer reall

When I practice gratitude it helps me to look for the positive things, people and influences in my life. It makes it easier to build a shield against the negative that I'm constantly bombarded with--one of the reasons that I'm extra careful about the media (and social media) that I allow to enter my life. Some days it feels as if the world is out to make you feel bad--maybe it is! Maybe advertisers have learned that if you're not feeling good, then they can convince you to bu

It’s been my experience that gratitude is so much more than simply saying, “thank you”. Gratitude has, quite simply, changed my entire outlook on life. It’s opened my heart to new and wonderful experiences and that’s why, as a recovering alcoholic, I try so hard to practice gratitude every day. The overwhelming feeling of gratitude that I have today for my sober life is so far away from the black hole I was living in when I struggled with my addiction. Living in gratitude is

Today's blog is more of a vlog :-) I wanted to talk to you about my Passion Pulse and why my Passion Pulse and my daily journal are such a foundational part of my life. They're actually the bedrock that a large portion of my happy life and my sobriety are built upon. They are essential tools in my sobriety arsenal. These tools are about keeping my life in order. When I first got into recovery, my life was completely out of order and it was suggested to me that I write a daily

That goal setting thing…yeah, that used to be me. Today, I still set some goals, but I know that I’m in a frame of mind to meet them and I know that they’re moving me towards a larger and better life for myself. I was talking to a friend last night. He happened to tell me that this time twelve months ago, he set eighteen goals for the year that’s just gone. Six months into 2018 he’d achieved only one goal from his list of eighteen! Something had to change. My friend (bless hi

Every new year brings with it the potential for new adventures. I don’t know how you’re feeling at the moment, but I’m incredibly excited about what 2019 has in store for me. But, alas, it wasn’t always like that. Let me take you back to a time in my life almost 20 years ago… Imagine me. Sitting at my work desk feeling dishevelled and overwhelmed. It’s the first week in January, I’m back at work and suffering from the indulgences of Christmas and New Year celebrations. I’ve h

Welcome to 2019! Begin as you mean to go on and follow your dreams. I used to allow others to direct my life. I was merely a player, waiting for someone (anyone) to tell me what to do and when to do it. That way, when things went wrong (and they usually did...) I didn't have to take any responsibility. I could point the finger and say, "It's your fault, you made me do it." No more! Today, I do the work to make my hopes and dreams come to fruition. I am the captain of my own s

I took the time to have a cup of herbal tea with a friend recently and we started talking about the ‘chaos’ of modern life. I’m acutely aware of the fact that the holiday season is upon us. In fact, my husband mentioned to me only yesterday that he could feel the commercial frenzy increasing at a rapid rate. I only have to take a look at my email inbox to concur. There is also the added pressure here in New Zealand that the entire country ‘closes down’ for the Christmas holid

You tell me that you loved my Daily Hack Sheet and you couldn't get enough of my Happiness & Gratitude Journal...now check out my new course "Attitude of Gratitude". 🎉 In this BRAND NEW training you’ll learn… • That the foundation of your attitude to gratitude is your daily journal. I’ll walk you through the structured process that is the foundation of my day. You’ll be ticking some boxes and writing a couple of sentences—don’t worry. I’m not going to make you write a novel

I’m all about the routine. I used to think it was boring—now it’s the bedrock of my life. In this video, I talk about my first impressions of someone who lived an organised and productive life. I thought he had no life--the truth of the matter was that I had no life. Today, my life is completely different. I make my bed. I have breakfast. I get in the shower. I do my day’s work. I eat healthy food at regular intervals. I help others. I go to my 12-step meetings. I take stock

Now that you’ve got this great morning routine in place and you’ve made it a habit, why would you want to review it? Good question… With your routine firmly fixed in place, you no longer have to spend a lot of energy or time thinking about what you do to start your day--you’re running on autopilot. “But that’s a good thing, Toni,” I can hear you say and you wouldn’t be too wrong, except that you still need to check in to make sure that you’re moving towards your greater long

So, you’ve stopping drinking…but what now? Did you ever stop to think that things should be different. Have you thought that things should be better by now? Maybe you’ve asked yourself… “Why isn’t my life running smoothly?”…“Why can’t I stay organised?”…“Shouldn’t I be happy, joyous and free by now?” Well, if you have, you’re not alone. But, what if I told you that there’s a way to find those things that you’re looking for.” That you can lead a stress free life one in which y