I remember a time many years ago, when I was struggling with early sobriety. I was on my way home from a shopping trip with my two young sons in the car. It was February, school had just gone back and in New Zealand it’s mid summer in February. Auckland has hot, muggy semi-tropical summers, so we were all hot and tired and cranky and were planning to leave the groceries at home and then go for a swim in the local school pool. The line of traffic we sat in came to a sudden hal

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

As I sit here writing this, I can feel the little beads of sweat dripping down various parts of my body. Ugh...you might think, but this is the reality of living in Auckland in mid-February. It’s one of the muggiest times of the year. But do not feel sorry for me, I’m heading down to the beach for a swim as soon as I’ve finished writing this. Do spare a thought though, for my garden and the wildlife that live in my garden. It’s pretty hot out there at the moment. In fact, it’

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

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

Today I’m grateful for my cat, Freyja. She drives me nuts at dawn when she meows at me to get up and feed her--which I ignore by the way--but it doesn’t stop her doing it. We play the same silly game every morning. I think she’s just letting me know that it’s nearly time to get up and put some fresh food in her bowl :-) After the yarling session, or even a ‘pounce’ on my feet--which is not appreciated when Freyja has sharp claws and I’m only sleeping under a thin sheet--it’s

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

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

Tis the season--or it's going to be in a week or so anyway. So, why not get a head start on organising your day? Head over here to pick up the free Masterclass that I've put together for you. There's a reason that this time of the year is called the "Silly Season" and it's because there seems to be so much that needs to be done and so little time to do it. Why don't you set aside an hour of your time to sit down with me and learn how to organise yourself so that you're not go

Today I'm grateful for the friends and family that I have in my life. Sometimes friends and family aren’t the same thing and that’s okay. When you come from a background of dysfunction and addiction, it can be especially difficult to see friends and family in the same light. With the end of the year coming and most families coming together for all kinds of reasons, it can be especially difficult if your family don’t fall into the ‘friends’ basket of your life. There was a ti

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

It’s all about the morning habit--and I’m not talking coffee here! If you know me (and you should be getting to know me by now) you’ll know that I’m all about the routine. Routine! Routine! Routine! It’s my go to war cry. So, with your new morning game plan figured out, now’s the time to not only put it into action, but now it’s time to make this puppy your new morning routine. You may be asking me, but why is this important? And my answer would be, because you want to make

Work out what you should and shouldn't be doing in the morning.

Mornings are oftentimes busy and can even run into the chaotic range--especially if you have ‘little people’ to deal with. Ask anyone how their day has gone endeavouring to get ‘little people’ out the door and they’re quite likely to share tales of woe, abandoned breakfasts and frantically prepared lunch boxes. It’s sometimes not any better if you only have yourself to get out the door. The good news is that it doesn’t always have to be this way. With a little careful pre-pla

Something for you to ponder this morning. What’s your big rock? And what I mean by that question is: What’s the one thing you need to do today to make a big difference in your life, but somehow you just don’t seem to be able to find the time to do it? Or another way of putting it, what positive habit can you cultivate that’s going to have the biggest and most immediate impact on your life? Take a moment to meditate on this question. We’re talking any area of your life. Health

“I love mornings.” That’s a huge statement coming from me, considering that I used to believe I was a ‘night owl’ and that mornings were repulsive things sent to torture me for all my earlier wrongdoings. That might seem a little over the top--but when you’re a drinking half a bottle of ‘something’ to put you to sleep at night--you can understand why I thought mornings were the work of the devil. Today, it’s a different story. I’m up as soon as the early dawn light filters in