Today marks day 4 of a new year. This time of year is usually a time to set goals or resolutions and claim that this year will be the year that you follow through with them longer than a week!! It is a time to dream and plan and get excited for new beginnings. It is a time that you can take a deep breath and reset. Unfortunately though, the stats are against us. It is estimated that around 70% of Australians will set a new year resolution but only about 8% will achieve their goal and it is shown that by the 19^th of January most people have broken their resolution (according to research conducted by Strava, the fitness app). This may leave you wondering why are the figures so dire and if that is the case why bother setting new year resolutions in the first place? I guess you could also ask why not? You may be in the 8% and having a goal to work towards can actually add meaning to your life!!

I love setting goals. I love the planning and the excitement of dreaming of a better future but I, like many, most often than not fail to capitalise on that momentum and actually achieve that goal. So, this year, whilst I still have a couple of big goals I would like to achieve, I am going to take the pressure off of myself and instead will set about creating daily habits instead. You see, my brain, when it has a big audacious goal tends to go into panic mode and is really good at convincing me that there is no way that I can achieve it so therefore it is pointless to try. I am also a habitual perfectionist, so if I can’t see the goal working out perfectly then I don’t even start trying!! This year is the year that I attempt to put all that aside and just live day to day, creating habits that will eventually lead me to my end goal(s).

I can’t tell you the exact year but I know it was about 20 or so years ago that I started dreaming of being the creator and owner of a magazine. Back then I had no idea what I wanted the subject or audience of the magazine to be, I just knew I wanted to create one!! Maybe it was watching The Devil Wears Prada or helping out my high school studio arts teacher put together the school year books that piqued my passion, all I know is that, that dream has not left me. I guess then it’s about time that I stopped procrastinating and do something about creating it!!

The last 20 years of my life have been a rollercoaster!! I have lived through some of the best days of my life and experienced some of the hardest days of my life. I have had 2 beautiful girls, been through a not-so-nice divorce, moved interstate, worked in many jobs (some to survive, one doing what I thought was my passion) and started a law degree. Essentially, I had to ‘start over’ in my early 30’s. 

This life experience has helped me get clear on what I would like my magazine/business to focus on…women in the second half of their lives. The process of creating this business is as much a healing experience for me as I hope it will be for many other women who find themselves in similar situations or are just looking to make the second half of their lives joyful and meaningful!!

So, I hope you will come on this journey with me and create a joyful soul for yourself.

Until next time, Create Joy!! ♥