A Present of Joy for Christmas Day

I was just speaking to a client tonight, when I had a brilliant idea (which came from 'outside' of me, as all the best ideas do!). I asked my client to write a list of all the things they have done this year to be proud of, all the fun moments they've had, all the moments of joy they can remember. Then seal this list in an envelope and open it on christmas day.

What a lovely present to yourself, to remind yourself on this one funky day of just how wonderful life is, and has been, and how great you are! So, this weekend, if you've got a few minutes to spare, dash off a list of joyful moments, things you're proud of and have achieved, and give yourself the gift of a joyful memory reel for Christmas.

Love

Donna.x
PS i suggest 100 things, but 20 will work too! Go...do, I'm off to do mine...

Ready to Receive

Santa has a box of wealth, health, happiness, love, luck and joy for you to enjoy in 2008. Are you ready to receive it? Put it this way, if you have a hard time accepting a compliment, you might struggle a bit to receive all this good stuff!!!

This Christmas, play with the idea that you do deserve ALL the good things that come your way (and if you are unfortunate enough to receive 'bad' things this xmas, you deserve BETTER!). Get ready to receive the wealth, health, happiness, love, luck and joy...

Because you ARE worth it.

Love

Donna.x

Mayhem Outside, Hibernation Inside

Listening to the radio today, I heard there were traffic jams, people out manically shopping and general chaos. I was in it myself yesterday when I popped to town to finish my shopping. It's mad out there. In here, there is a roaring fire, blankets, books, writing materials and drinks. I'm set for the night - I will be staying in the warm and the peace and the quiet (well, quiet-ish - the radio is blaring!).

It's winter-time, it's December, it's cold (in England anyway), it's a time when the rest of nature hibernates...and we all go bananas Christmas shopping! What's wrong with this picture? I have long been of the opinion that we should get December off work to just chill, and sleep, and hibernate. (And a summer month off to enjoy summer, but that's another story!) This December, gift yourself at least one night to sit in front of a warm fire with a book and your choice of food and drink.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand Relax...

Love

Donna.x

Happy Christmas Your Arse

In all the furore over 'Fairytale of New York', I realised a HUGE mistake in my newsletter this week - I quoted 'Merry Christmas your arse' instead of 'Happy Christmas your arse'. Oopsie. My apologies.

If you haven't seen the (ridiculous) furore, Radio 1 decided to bleep out 'faggot' from the song in case it offended batches anywhere, or something, and then changed their mind. The only good thing about this absurdity is the exposure the song gets...I do hope it gets to number one!

I am slightly reluctant to point it out in case it causes another furore, but has anyone noticed they say 'arse'?! OH MY GOD. I'm stunned people haven't been complaining for the last 20 years about it.

Hopefully they have better things to do with their time. Sing with me 'It was Christmas Eve babe, in the drunk tank'...

Love

Donna.x

A Letter To Father Christmas

When was the last time you wrote a letter to Father Christmas? 10, 20, 30, too many years! I know that when we're about 8 we discover that Father Christmas isn't real...and then the magic gradually seeps out of Christmas. I got an e-mail today from Sarah Ban Breathnach reminding me to send my letter to Santa...and reconnect to the magic of the season, which funnily enough was also the subject of my newsletter today.

That letter to Father Christmas seems like a darn fine way to do that to me...and WHAT IF all the grown-ups were wrong, and there really is a Santa?!

Love

Donna.x

Stuck for Words

I have been sat in front of my laptop for the past 10 minutes, wondering what to write...after all, I've only been in the office 1 day so far this week, and therefore only one blog entry. Guess what? I can't think of a darned thing to write. The ridiculous thing is that I have about 200 ideas in my notebook...but none of them are inspiring anything today.

I wonder if that's because I am trying to write because I 'should' and I don't want to let readers down instead of because I want to and have something to say? Think I've hit the nail on the head there!

Do you find that when you do something because you 'should' it is harder to do than when you want to? What can you do to do more you want and less you should?

My answer is 'yes', and I can finish here...without saying anything...

Love

Donna.x

Exploding Myths

Over the weekend I was in Dublin for my cousin's wedding - magnificent by the way - and exploded a myth that I had long held. The myth was that I couldn't enjoy an occassion like a wedding when I was the only sober person there. (Once upon a time I was a big drinker, and it was the 'happy sauce' to my night's out!) On Friday I had 3 halves of lager in 7 hours (not enough to get even me drunk!) and had a marvelous time!

Not only that, I didn't do anything embarrassing, I got up for breakfast (a first!) and I wasn't at all hungover...so even though I didn't stay up til half five like some of the cousins, I actually enjoyed the wedding more! This will come as no surprise to the more sober among you, but it did genuinely surprise me - I hadn't realised how much I believed this myth that drink was my happy sauce.

What myths are you believing? What if I were to tell you that it's all a story? We make up stories about everything...who we are, what is happening in our lives, what we need and don't need, other people's motives (which we can't possibly know!). And then we act as if the stories are real. Just for this week, notice what stories you are telling yourself, and ponder the possibility that the exact opposite is true!

Love

Donna.x

Mising In Action

Tomorrow I'm off to Dublin for a family wedding, then when I get back it's me birthday, then I'm off to see the Nutcracker next Tuesday (so obviously I can't work all day!), so I've pretty much got the next week off! It did occur to me that I could do some work Sunday night when I get back from Dublin, and on Tuesday morning/early afternoon. But do you know what? I'm not going to!

Well, I might. But if I do, it'll be because that's what I feel like doing, not because I 'should'. I love the idea of being totally conscientious, but frankly, it makes me very tired. So, for the next week, I will be Missing In Action. And that action will be Enjoying My Life.

If you were to give yourself a bit of a break from what you 'should' do, what could you do instead over the next week?

Love

Donna.x

Your Fairy Godmother

Imagine that you had a Fairy Godmother who could grant every wish you have...what would you put on your list?

Take a couple of minutes now and list what you would wish for if she could wave that magic wand...

And not just 'enough money to pay my bills' or 'a nice car' - really have some fun with this! On my list are 'houses in Sydney, Western Australia, Ireland and a gorgeous Georgian house in England', £1 billion, a cure for cancer.

It's just a bit of fun...enjoy!

Love

Donna.x

Infecting the World

"Biggins is about making the world a happier place and it's infectious."

I spotted this quote in one of the Sunday papers this weekend, and I just love the idea of this! (for those who do not watch rubbish tv, Biggins is Christopher Biggins, King of the Jungle in I'm a Celebrity UK)

What are you about? Are you happy to infect the world with what you're all about? Or are you infecting the world with pessimism, irritation, unhappiness, misery? Unlike a disease, you can choose what infection you bring to the party of life.

How would you love to complete the following sentence "I am about ... and it's infectious."

Personally, I am about making the world a joyful place, and it's infectious.

Love

Donna.x