Every day is an opportunity to be thankful.  And every day, amidst the madness of life, one has to remind oneself of exactly this.  I particularly push myself through the gates of gratitude when I least feel the bliss of the g-word.  And while I begin reluctantly, by the 3rd or 4th thank-you, I am rearing to go and with a huge smile that starts at the root of my liver and heart!

I give thanks in the morning, while still in bed, & starting with my bed!  It’s deliciously warm and comfortable, and had just provided the best platform for a stupendous night’s sleep; Makes a big difference to one’s day.

I give thanks at night, yes again in my bed ─ a popular pulpit for gratitude! hahaha.  And also everywhere and anywhere in between.  Whenever I remember, I’ll quickly shoot off one or a few things for which I am grateful……sometimes, I’ll take a moment in the sun, over my latte, to scribble a score of gratitude in one of my favourite Moleskines.

I gave my thanks its first public platform here on lieslg, & revisited it every Friday at Cocktail Hour.  I stopped for a while, but then I came back; I re-jigged the name and now it sports a simpler moniker.  It may no longer (strictly) be weekly, but it will continue to find its place here as it’s such a big part of my life anyway.

Being grateful really opens up my eyes to abundance…my own abundance.  There is no room or necessity to want-and-wish for anything or anybody else’s life or good fortune.  And it’s the quickest and simplest and cheapest way to happiness and…generating some more of that much-desired abundance.

So here I go……

Share Your Victory ─ it teaches me so much about myself, business and people.  It’s the 3rd member of our family.  It’s our heart.  It’s our livelihood.  And because sharing victories and supporting each other is what it’s all about.

lieslg ─ it gives me such pleasure hanging out here and writing and musing to my heart’s content.

A Cowboys-&-Indians party!  Yes, as you can see below, I’m half Indian (top) and half Cowboy (bottom) ─ a somewhat cheeky nod to my own mixed heritage!

A cluster of feathers and a bubble gun!  Oh, the little things ─ hahaha!  This is an old Sportsgirl necklace that I quickly fashioned into a my version of the Indian headdress. I bought the bubble gun from a local toy store & then gifted it to the kidlets after the party. Here’s to thinking creatively (to avoid unnecessary costume shopping) and supporting local, small businesses as well.

Cerulean skies.

Curly hair.

Meeting new people all.of.the.time, and giving time to friends who have been in the fold for a while.

Old jewellery coming out to play again.

Manly, and hanging out on the harbour.

Green juicing, always.

‘All that I need to know is revealed to me.  All that I need, comes to me in Divine Right Order’

Discovering Kundalini yoga.

Jewellery design sketches!!!

Collaboration!!

Letting go and allowing.

Long ocean swims.

Kayaks!

Old photos of my dad, his dad and his mum.

White Moleskines!!

The distillation of my 2013 Core Desired Feelings: self-acceptance (enough)│believe (confidence)│purpose (excited) │focus (accomplished).  Sweet-Swoon!!

Organic almost-everything!

Raw milk!

Trieste limited edition coffee pods ─ such lovely smooth chocolate-y undertones.

Amazing sunsets and magical moon nights.

Visiting family in Canberra.

Entrepreneurial ventures.

Meeting up with blogger buddies.

Sundowners with friends at Belgrave Cartel.

Taking up with Pinterest again ─ so good!

Sugar-free snacks.

Anzac Day.

A Friday lunch-date with a beautiful friend.  A bonus that we were spoilt with mazarine skies, a balcony with ocean views, a gorgeous apartment, yummy food, fab company, music and good ole fashioned laughter!

Herbal teas.  My current favourite is planet organic Chai Spice, while my ongoing love is for Genmaicha with roasted rice.  Ahhh…wicked work companions.

Imagination.  My imagination.  It’s such a blessing.  An escape and also home…as well as a  fabulous foundation for birthing ideas and collaboration and business ventures and your Dreamality™

Getting up super early on a Saturday to experience the second-last day of a pop-up cafe. It helped that the view to the sky, beach and ocean was magical, and that the service, coffee and food was fantastic!  Here’s hoping the pop-up becomes permanent.

Getting shit done! hahaha.  And Sundays are simply super for this very reason.  I got my dye-ON, my writing too ─ hello 4 articles, in the space of about 3 hours!  And cleared out my jewellery and more clothes!

Snippets…of TIME!  This is precious and divine, all in the one breath.  Shit.can.be.done.in.snippets.of.time!  I was never one for that ── I’ve always preferred long stretches of time…to start, keep going until that ‘thing’ was finished!  Oh, the old ways! Hahaha.  Well, the snippets…of TIME thing is gratifying with a capital G!  It’s called life, it’s called this-needs-to-be-done-along-with-everything-else, it’s called focus, it’s called “no more excuses”, it’s called ‘Yay, I can do this’……and I quite love it, because it’s getting shit done!

Lazy Sunday mornings (before getting shit done!)…in bed!  Being ridiculous, silly, narcissistic…whatever…it’s about trying shit (as well as getting it done!), experimenting and putting it out there.  I call this my grainy rendition of the 1980s-Elle-Macpherson-in-bed-for-Gilles-Bensimon’s-Sunday-morning-photographic-experimenting!!

Plunge in and Prosper!  My mantra for 2013 and beyond.  So good.  Incidentally ms brownskin came up with this one, and I love her for it!  So, I am super thankful to be able to get my PIP on!

Snacking on Love and Forgiveness.  And being reminded to do so just when I most need to.  It’s so-good soul-food I tell ya!

Letting go of “my plan”.  Oh boy, so hard to do, but I’m blinking determined to Plunge in and Prosper!

My kitchen corner ─ much body-&-soul-food is prepped here with joy (the joy bit, more and more these days!)

Clearing out the physical junk to allow my much-loved and treasured possessions to shine and give me joy, make me smile every time I catch a glimpse of them or that one thing.  I am enjoying my improved plan of having, in my home (and wardrobe), only that which I absolutely adore.

Mothers’ Day and being with family, for the whole weekend.

Burgers with a twist!  Yes, that’s sprouted rye & spelt and oh, so yummy!

Cafe love and new ingredients…hello mustard cress + chilli on avocado.  I will be re-creating this combination at home.

Exercise.  Honestly, not as anticipated as my hit of morning nectar, but very satisfying once it’s done (and yes, good for the mind, body and soul!)

Each.new.day…full-stop!  And realising the magnanimity of this daily gift.  It’s not just another day to endure, it is carte-blanche on repeat if you’re lucky enough to be alive and in receipt.  I sometimes need reminding (day-dredge can be persistent in her visits!) and when I am reminded, I can deeply realise and deeply appreciate.

Give thanks…appreciate…when you least feel like it too, because it will flip your switch to feel-good pretty much pronto!

BIG love xoxo