Feeling the chill?

With the arrival of the winter solstice it's really turned grey here, and though Sydney's not the coldest of places the weeks of incessant rain and chill can see even the chirpiest amongst us feeling a bit low. We can start to feel tired and lethargic, our mood can take a swing downwards, and our immune system takes a dip making us more prone to picking up those wintery bugs.

So at this time of the year it's even more important than ever to take care of ourselves. Tune into how you're feeling in your mind and body, and respond accordingly. Little things can go a long way to improve your state of mind and energy levels.

Each day take moments to tune with how you're faring, to feed and nurture yourself with the good things in life. Simple is good - a bowl of home-made soup, some reading time, a hot bath before bed.
On rainy weekend mornings before the world stirs I like to make tea, light some candles and just enjoy the peace and the sound of the rain while I contemplate my day ahead.

Simple pleasures. But so good for you. What could you do to perk yourself up a little at this time?

Some things have changed around here

My goodness, that's been some hiatus. Not a peep from me on the 'lil old blog for a full three whole months. I was getting messages in my box: are you ever coming back? I knew I eventually would, I just needed a break. Some space. Spaaace.

You see things in my life got a bit crazy around March and I felt myself drowning under the pressure. My day job was even more intense than usual, with lots of change going on I felt like I was holding it together for everyone. At the same time I was coming home late only to work on my freelance projects and in all that I was trying make time to work on the programs I so dearly wanted to birth into the world. 

I wanted to do it all, but something in my body was starting to scream no. I was stressed, exhausted, and depleted of any creative energy. I was starting to feel resentful every time someone asked me to do something, no matter how tiny. It just felt like another thing to get done for someone else, yet what was I doing for me? 

Worst of all I realised I had slipped back to my 'running' mode of 18 months ago, a way of being I'd so desperately wanted to leave behind. But what I was starting to understand was that a lifetime of habit was going to take more than some sporadic attempts to change. I was going to have to commit to changing some fundamentals about the way I operated. But where was the space in my life to so that?

At the beginning of April I went to see my lovely mentor and over a box of tissues wailed that I just wanted a month off it all - the projects, the freelance, the blog, the must-dos and the have-tos.

"Why don't you take it?" she said.

"Oh, but I can't because of A, B, X, Y" and a million other reasons. I was needed afterall, I couldn't just bow out of the world. I was the one holding it up.

She gave me that look, told me to get back to writing for fun not for outcome, then sent me on my way.

But my body latched onto the idea of a break like a child to a fluffy bunny, and was not going to let go.

"We could make this work. Sure we can't give up everything, but we could treat this as an exercise you would give one of your coaching clients and see how it goes, have fun with it. Try some things out. As a start we'll give up the blog, the book, designing, the program planning, we'll practice saying no. We'll even try and create space at work".

Yes. Yes! I was going to do it. No must-do. No have-tos. One month of space.

I know many of you are probably hyperventilating at the very thought of this, but like me also secretly desiring it too. We are experts at always taking on more without having the capacity to actually do so. I've written before about being an overfunctioner and the dangers of not asking for help when you need it. The result is usually you as a puddle of mess that's of little use to yourself, let alone others.

I know you all want to know what I did in my month of and how it panned out? On a very basic level treated myself well for the full 30 days. I can tell you, at first it wasn't easy listening to what my body needed and saying no does not come naturally to me at all. But I persisted and I can tell you confidently...

I started to like this new way of being alot. I got very used to it. So used to it in fact that though my month off ended in May, it's the end of June and I'm still going. I acted in a way I had probably not acted ever in my life. I sat with the uncomfortable feelings that came up when I said "No. I don't have capacity for that right now. I don't want to do that. I dont feel able to take that on." I lived through the feelings of guilt, the feelings that I should be doing something when actually all I wanted to do was nothing. 

And not only did I survive, I thrived. I started to feel revived. I could not only feel the transformation but I could witness it in the small ways. My journal transformed from black words down a page to pages of creative sketches with colour. My home had paintings on the wall for the first time since I bought my apartment. I had read four new novels - yes novels, not non-fiction. I had gaps in my weeks with nothing scheduled. I found time to change the look of my blog four times - just for fun, just to play with colour and type and code. I got my hair chopped off without fear. Small things, but major steps for me.

"How did I do it? I'm going to let you in what it takes to create space in your life to revive and thrive."

Yes, with all this talk of how wonderful and life-changing the process was for me and what a positive impact it's made to all areas of my life I hope you're now wanting to get some details about how I actually managed to make such a change. The good news is, I'm going to share it all with you. For what was born of this was a brand new program I'm just about to bring to you all. I'll have more details there here soon - so stay tuned. You'll love it - it's all about being good to yourself.

I'm so excited about sharing this program as I know this really works. I know change is possible. 

Are you ready?

Build blocks to make time

Do you have a project or venture in your head that you've been trying to find time to get off the ground?

Does it seem so enormous that you're blinded as to where to start, and you find you're doing anything to avoid spending time working on it?

Do you fear that in devoting time to this project other important things in your life will have to give?

Dear readers, if this sounds like you I know exactly how you're feeling. You've got some kind of vision, you just can't seem to get further than that. You feel overcome by all that's involved.

I've had a project that's been sitting on the slowest simmer for months now. I find all the excuses in the world not to tackle it - 'it won't be perfect, people won't like it, I don't have time' and so on. In addition to making time to nurture this venture, I'm finding it hard to break it down into nice little chunks. Ironically, helping people break down complex problems is one of the things I do for a living. But hey, teaching others how to 'make things better' seems far easier than putting it into practice ourselves.

This week I met with my mentor and fully spilled the beans on my idea. She listened intently, and then said something that had been once said to her:

You have a huge gift that will be of service to the world. Stop making it about you. Get on with it.

There it was. The truth. I'm preventing myself making a difference to other peoples lives by holding myself back with my own insecurities. We all have something to give, yet it's only us that stops us from giving.

So I decided there and then I had to get over myself and make a start. This project isn't going to manifest by itself. This week I have committed to spending 10 hours working on moving my project forward.

Ten hours I hear you say? Woah, that's alot. On top of a full-time job and all the other things that need to get done. I thought so too, until I broke it down.

What I did was divide the ten hours into manageable time chunks and visually map them out - small squares for 10 minutes, large squares for 60 minutes. After sticking this chart in my working journal all I had to do is cross off the chunks of time as I'd done them. I'm writing against the squares what I achieved towards my project in that time block.

And you know what? It's working. I'm actually making tracks. When I'm feeling fearful and blocked I take a ten minute chunk and do something small. When I'm inspired I will work for the sixty minutes then take a break.

What about those breaks? I hear you whisper. I still need time out from this plan of mine. The great thing is this technique works for planning breaks too, actually it's good for anything where you would like to dedicate time. I've created a note in my book a chart of nice things I want to do for myself as breaks over the weekend. This way when I'm looking for some downtime, I just choose something from my chart. It could also work for jobs around the house, dinner party plans, really the applications are endless.

What strategies do you have for dedicating time to things you're finding difficulty moving on? If you're feeling stuck and decide give this method a go, I'd love to hear how you get on.

I must not make a boring list

I love a good list. Who doesn't? I make them on Mondays for the week, on Friday afternoons planning for the weekend, packing checklists for holidays, weekly groceries, bucket lists for home renovations... the, ahem, list is endless.

Problem: my lists are boring. My materials seemed to end up being the backs of envelopes, standard issue striped notebooks and, dare I whisper, a biro. I really hate biros, especially the blue ones. I was well overdue for a list makeover.

For work I have a good system keep track of tasks. To-do go on post-its that get stacked on my desk and later entered into the Omnifocus, or directly into the app if my iPad or computer is handy. The only adjustment needed here was to brighten up my sticky collection and donate the biros to new owner. For portable notes I'm a Moleskine girl which works just fine.

But home is where the heart is and it's lists here that really needed an overhaul. Life's too short for backs of envelopes to rule my life. No more - I threw them in the recycling bin and bought myself a sweet little notepad from Kikki K. Each page being a different design makes for list-making love.

But this week I realised when it comes to creative list making I'm an absolute amateur, if not a fraud. I happened upon an article by Chronicle Books about the diary of Suzy Ultman, illustrator extraordinaire. I already had a girl-crush on her as a designer, but seeing her list-making journal takes it to a whole new level.

Her lists remind me of those I used to make as a child. Where did all that creative juice go to? Well dear friends, here's some wonderful inspiration. I'm determined to channel this lovely series on my current journey to revive my artistic mojo.

Here you go! Enjoy Suzy's playfulness.

Images: Chronicle Books by Suzy Ultman

Creative space

“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.”

― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own

For a long time I've dreamed of having a room dedicated to just being creative. I usually have a couple of projects on the go, and wherever I have lived I've tended to spread them out all over my dining table only to have to pack them up to use the table to eat or entertain.


Everyone needs a little pocket of the world that inspires them. It might be a room, it might be a table at a favourite cafe or spot in a local park. You don't need to physically own it - you just need to love being there and for it to provide you with the space to play and to dream. I'm a big fan of working in cafes, soaking up the buzz of whats going on around me. But I also wanted a dedicated space for my dreams to transpire into mess, a mess I didnt have to clear up until I was good and ready. On Friday I got just that. My 'dump room' was turned into a little studio, and I absolutely love it.

This is what the room used to look like. An old bookcase and random paraphernalia - just a place to throw things that didn't have a home. It's not really a space that inspires one to be at their creative best, now is it.

The room itself isn't very wide and houses sofa bed that is used for guests. So my studio solution had to allow for it folded out with room to move. I wanted a narrow but long desk so I could spread out my work, but also lots of shelving for all my art/design/psychology books and space for inspiring installations of my favourite things.


Here's the result. Ooh, it's just itching to be filled with precious objects don't you think? And a canvas ripe for inspirational bits and pieces on that wall. Added to the love - the whole thing was surprisingly budget friendly. I had a local timber company cut panels to size for the desk and the shelves, and bought adjustable shelving from a hardware store. A handyman came and installed the lot in just two hours. I also added an IKEA kitchen wall cabinet under the desk to store my art materials and have the filing cabinet on wheels as an extra rollaway workspace.

For now I've just plonked everything in but I'm looking forward to seeing how this space transforms in the coming months. For starters I'm going to invest in a new desk light, paint the magazine holders and make a new cushion cover for the chair. Have you got any good ideas? But really all that can take its time - I'm already loving sitting here just as it is.

Do you have a creative space of your own?

January cure

Two years! Where did it go? It's been almost that long since I moved into my apartment. Much has happened in that time, but most of it forced me to neglect putting energy into making this place my very own. I had some thoughts and I mulled over ideas, but despite some new carpets, a light fitting and a lick of paint, the canvas has been pretty much left blank.

One of the reasons if I'm really honest is down to confidence. I just don't think I'm very good at making interior design choices. I always admire the homes of friends, and imagine what lovely spaces they must be live in. And then I go home and do nothing, frozen with fear of making a wrong choice or decision. Add this to the fact that those I've lived with have taken on the job of styling so I've never really had to do it.

Ironically, my environment is really important to me - I'm an aesthetics person through and through. I need things to be orderly and clean, but also downright lovely. Yes my place is clean, but there are cupboards full of things I've move from place to place and furniture thats had many more than it's nine lives.

So I've decided now is the time. I feel ready to give this space the stamp of Karina. I will be bold and colourful. I will invest some new pieces and I will make those pieces that I love shine. I'll also constantly remind myself that if I dont like what I've done, it's not forever. I can change it. Afterall, this year is all about change.

To get things moving by taking part in the Apartment Therapy January Cure. It's a month of daily tasks to help you whip your home into shape, get it clean, organised and ready for a personality injection. You can find the full list of assignments here. I'll let you know how I get on.

What about you? Are you thinking about a new year clean?

Disconnect to reconnect

Lately I've come to the realisation that I have contracted what I thought was a very modern affliction - infobesity. "What?" I hear you ask. Fundamentally, it boils down to the fact that I'm taking in a magnitude of information beyond my ability to assimilate it all. I confess much of my spare moments are spent reading whatever I can lay my eyes on, flicking from email to book to website to blog to twitter in order to take in as much content as I can. This would be ok if I had control over it, but unfortunately I don't think I do anymore. I feel like I'm constantly thirsty despite the sheer volume I'm digesting.

Knowing that I'm just about to advise you to stop reading this and shut down your computer, I better get straight to the point, hadn't I? Well I think I've discovered two main causes.

Firstly, I have FOMOOI. This is a bit like FOMO (fear of missing out), but it's not an experience I'm worried about. Rather it's a fear of missing out on information. Each tasty morsel leads to another and then another, and despite feeling well and truly full I continue to stuff myself with words and images. I'm constantly tempted by a catchy title, the promise of wisdom or a yet more gorgeous graphic. Yet I worry if I stop I might miss out on some important snippet about the particular topic of interest, of which unfortunately I have many, that may lead to some life-changing break though.

The second cause I believe stems from feeling compelled to take in the mass of information by outside forces. How many unread emails do you have in your email inboxes demanding to be fed? How many unread books on your shelves want to be admired? How many unwatched downloaded movies do you have in your media player? Have you read all of today's Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Flipboard streams? How many unread articles in your 'Read it Later' app?

By now you probably get where I'm coming from. It's not so modern. Alvin Toffler had it right back in the 1970's in his bestselling book 'Future Shock' where even back then he talked about 'information overload'. He thought that the presence of too much information made it difficult for a person to understand the issue at hand and ultimately to make a decision. I couldn't agree more - the more I read the less clarity I have. I find my attention span is waning and I'm skimming at best. It's a surface life.

It can't go on - I'm mentally exhausted. Worst of all I'm finding this obsession with information is sometimes keeping me from connecting with my real life. My friends and family don't care if I have emptied my inbox or read the latest article about 'How to give your work that edge'. But they do care that I spend time with them in person, alert, fully present, actively listening, observing and interacting with joy. Afterall, isn't real life the best source of knowledge?

If this resonates with you I ask you to join me in taking on these seven missions for a day, a week, then maybe a month in attempt to slow down what you take in making space to assimilate and reconnect.

Here's what I challenge you to do:

1. Read one book at a time. Choose carefully, like it was the last book that you'll ever get. Savour every word, the writing style, the sound of the pages turning. Don't start another until you finish it.
2. Don't 'link off'. When reading something on the web, if tempted to 'link off' to another site, don't. Save/write down the name/URL of the site to a list and don't look at the list for another week. If after that time you still really want to read the contents of these links, then do so, but one at a time and mindfully.
3. Don't save articles to 'read later' apps. I know this conflicts with item two, but seriously, when do you ever go back and read the articles?
4. Read magazines in one sitting. If you're like me you have a few half-read, must finish mags lying around. Finish them up in one sitting, photograph any bits you love and then give them away to someone who will love them. Or just give them away if you know you'll never read them.
5. Reassess who you follow on Twitter/Facebook/Pinterest/email and cut out the noise. If there are people/pages you find you always skim over, unfollow them, and create a social media wish list of people/pages you will reconnect with if time permits. Then your time spent reviewing is out of conscious choice and those people you follow know you're truly listening.
6. Archive unwatched media. Someone gave you a few series and you haven't had time to watch them. They keep asking you have you watched it yet? Don't let it get in the way of life. Archive it off or if you're never going to watch it, delete it. 
7. Now, put down your book, shut down the computer, turn off the TV and go and play.