A decade of dreaming, living and learning

Looking back at 2018, my dream was to re-align the elements of my life with who I am – to be fearless in following my flow. I designed my Bucket Wheel® items around my 50^th birthday celebrations and called them my five fabulous things for 2018. Each symbolised one “thing” for each of my five decades. I am pleased to report that I ticked them off one by one. Not only did I have the most fabulous year, I got so much more than I bargained for.

My first fabulous thing was throwing a 50^th birthday dinner party at home to honour the special people in my life. The real gift here was having the opportunity to thank all the exceptional people in my life who have contributed to who I am today.

Fabulous things two and three involved travel, music and food – my soul-food as such. I listened to Andrea Bocelli perform on his farm in Tuscany and attended a cooking course in Greece with four of my oldest school friends. These experiences will be imprinted in my memory forever – and I have the photos to prove it! But most of all it reminded me that spending time with friends and family, entertaining and travel are integral activities to making me feel alive. I am now so happy to be reconnected to the things that represent me at my most inspired.

My fourth fabulous thing was to further explore the relationship we have with money. If you’ve read my blogs last year, you will know that I have continued to share my thoughts and guidelines on the importance of this topic.

And finally, my fifth fabulous thing for 2018. Everyone who knows me also knows that my dream is to meet Brené Brown, author of Daring Greatly. I have applied to attend her courses many times over, and have been declined on every occasion. I’m happy to report that I have finally been accepted to attend her latest course based on her new book Dare to Lead – and best of all, I will get to meet her before my 50^th year is over!

As I have said before, reflection time is revolution time. By reflecting on my past year, I am so much better equipped to plan for my year ahead. I am dressed for authenticity and ready to bring my best self to the world.

Here are my key learnings that I will take into 2019:

1. Always remember to say thank you. These words are more than just feeling grateful. They are an expression of your thoughts and feelings and a powerful way of letting others know how much they mean to you. Don’t forget to include yourself in your “thank-you” list and celebrate who you are and what you bring to the world.
2. Life is a journey and not a destination. Life is made up of many special moments and unexpected twists and turns that add a touch of magic to the journey. Take time to consciously celebrate how many moments of joy are contained in every day.
3. Sometimes the time is right when it’s the right time. The universe does not always answer your call immediately, but it does not mean that you must stop asking or believing. Being accepted on Brené Brown’s course is for me the perfect example. I have finally been accepted. And what’s more, Brené is personally hosting this workshop.
4. I love sharing what I learn. I will be attending the Modern Elder Academy in Mexico with Chip Conley in February this year. Nothing brings me more joy than sharing ideas, tools and guidelines of what I learn.
5. Happiness and joy are intertwined. While many things can make you feel happy, joy exists deep within. Joy is about feeding your soul with what makes you happy. I feel pure joy when spending time with my friends and family – even more so when I get to prepare a five-course meal for them.

To kick off 2019, start off your year by writing about everything that you feel grateful for. And then to delve a little deeper, on a spiritual level, to pinpoint exactly what brings you joy and fulfillment. Give it a try. It’s a compass for keeping track of your goals and dreams, staying true to yourself, and holds the key to moving forward and watching your journey unfold.

Wishing you a joyous and happy 2019!

Kim