The Bushfires in Victoria have evoked enormous emotions in the community, regardless of whether people know anyone involved or not - and the outpouring of generosity is amazing, and yet so appropriate. Last night I watched online news stories, and over 77 million dollars has been raised in donations, and it keeps coming in, along with truckloads of clothing, food and other essentials.

It’s a beautiful picture of what I’ve read of in the book of James (in the Bible) “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress”.

It’s been referred to as the Aussie Spirit, which is a great thought, but the assistance being so generously offered has come from all around the world.  We know, in various degrees, what it is to suffer, and compassion rises when we see human suffering - in this case - more terrifying than anything most of us have ever faced.

I remember when I was a child in the 80’s, bushfires raged in Victoria, and my father loaded up his truck with hay from his well-stocked hayshed and drove down to Victoria to share with farmers who had lost everything.  Not long afterwards he did this again, this time for farmers in Cobar who had suffered severe bushfires.  My older brother and I accompanied him on that trip, and I still remember the red dirt, and black trees.  That’s pretty much all there was left.

On one farm I remember the people so grateful for the hay as their remaining stock had absolutely nothing to eat.  They gave us an orphaned kitten to take home with us (to my delight and my mother’s dismay), and a cute little kid goat.  The goat “Nancy” ran across our lush green lawn at home when she saw a dead leaf to eat - we don’t think she had any idea of what she was standing on!

I guess at the time I had no idea of what destruction a massive bushfire causes, or that hundreds, or thousands of people were rushing to their aid.

Of course Dad, being my hero was ‘the one’ making a difference to those affected.  I’m so thankful for the many Dads, Mums, Brothers and Sisters who are giving this week; their time, resources, and creativity to support and help recover those affected in so many ways by these fires; and let’s not forget those townships up north so devastated by another extreme - the floods which have taken lives and destroyed property.

All of our giving makes a difference, which was a thought that really impacted me last night.  That 77 million dollars was given in so many various amounts, small and large donations - but all generously given from the heart - and all contributing to make a powerful difference.

Thank you, for the support you give those in your world.  You make a bigger difference than you probably realise.

Cheering you on,
Love Kerrie

The horror we face in Australia this week has been called our “worst ever peace-time disaster.”

I truly don’t know what to make of it all. There are stories of heroism and sacrificial love emerging, along with tragic stories that seem beyond belief. People have made some outstanding choices, which make a difference. The choice to stay and fight the fires, the choice to go there to help, even from other countries. People have made choices to give - their time and resources - and to let others know how we can give. This afternoon a truck leaves our city of Dubbo with our clothes and blankets, the blood banks await our donations for those whose lives hang in the balance, and I know that so many ways to donate are being made available, not only across Australia, but also internationally.

Amongst all the beautiful stories of love, generosity, and bravery there is the truly awful thought that less-thoughtful people have actually started some of this whole mess! How could one be so clueless! Or calculating? I don’t know what’s worse - but the effects are the same. Hundreds of people have died and the fight still continues to get the blazes under control.

When I first started seeing the death toll rise from 50 to 75, then to over 100, it occurred to me that this, while horrifying, would be considered a small number to people who have endured years of living in fear of riots, epidemics and wars that wipe out thousands, even millions of precious people. The declaration that I read on a news channel this morning, that this is our “worst-ever peace-time disaster” was a powerful reminder that we do live in relative peace in this nation. We have much to be thankful for. I’m sure there are many thankful souls in Victoria now, thankful to have escaped, thankful for the support of friends, colleagues and complete strangers.

As the headlines change, I continually see this all from different perspectives - I hardly know what to write. But write I must, and you may love one paragraph and hate the next. Tomorrow I may wish I’d written this differently, but I’ve written, and I hope to encourage some people, and highlight the wonderful moments that emerge through tragedy.

You only need to search online to read latest news stories and watch videos of what is going on, so I won’t link this to any particular stories, but there is one that is worth sharing that you may not have seen, unless you subscribe to my friend Lisa Rubintein’s blog. Here’s a beautiful perspective we need to consider as we give, grieve, and love. http://www.lisarubinstein.net/2009/02/laughing-in-dark.html

Keep looking for the opportunities to give, even if only a word of encouragement and a smile. I have more to say on the impact of that – but let’s keep that for another blog or I’ll be here all day writing topic after topic!

Cheering you on, through all kinds of days,

Love Kerrie

We’ve been Creating the Life we want for a number of years now, and one thing that we’re celebrating today is that we have the flexibility to attend Ethan’s first ever swimming carnival. I always loved our school swimming carnivals - the pool was always fun and refreshing, unlike days on the sports field…

Rather than reminisce about school days, I want to share something I discovered recently, which is truly amazing, and which has completely changed the way I swim. It may not sound like a big deal, but it has it’s significance…

Can you imagine being 31 years old, terrified of the water… but learning to swim with ease, to the point of competing in an ocean swimming race - in only 10 days?

Tim Ferriss shares on this video how he overcame his struggles in the pool in such an astoundingly short period of time, and in a way that you can go to the pool after watching his five minute explanation and try it yourself.

He explained it so simply, I had to go and try it out straight away. I got to the end of the pool, turned around and swam back, and was shocked at how I was not puffed… at all! Very strange… it almost felt wrong! How did I get there so easily? I did it again and again, wondering how a change in technique could yield such stunning results.

I showed Ethan - this is where it became really fun.

Last week we were swimming and I finished a lap 5 seconds before him. He was not happy about that at all. Although I explained that I had 30+ years of swimming behind me, and he’s just starting out he told me he “couldn’t really imagine” being faster than me in a year or two. He insisted on only swimming backstroke (his, and my favourite) or the occasional breaststroke, because he was “rubbish” at freestyle, managing only 10 metres. After showing Ethan the short video of Tim Ferriss explaining this technique, he swam an entire lap without stopping, and the sheer delight (and no small amount of surprise) on his face was just priceless. His later comments to my mother were quite memorable too… “I usually swim a little bit and can hardly breathe, but now I swim a lap and it’s like I’ve just been sitting in a comfortable rocking chair!”

There’s so much I could share on this, and maybe later I will - but for now - enjoy this video and consider what can happen when you make small changes in the right direction.

To see Tim’s blog and read more click here

Tim Ferriss Swimming

This is the time of year when you hear so many comments like “I’m going to be really healthy this year”, “I’m cutting out the junk food” or “I’m going to exercise 5 days a week this year”. Fantastic! Now that you’ve had some great ideas, how will you form habits to support your healthy focus, and what will remind you to stay on track?

Habits are easier to form than many people realise, because the common thing is to try changing things dramatically, and too many things. When you start with small steps, they’re easier to stick with. For example “two organic days a week” might be quite achievable, but to completely transform your diet could be really discouraging.

When I was working with my first personal coach in 2004, I listed all the healthy habits that I already had, starting with simple things such as cleaning my teeth, walking a couple of times a week, skin care, hair care, journaling etc. It’s a really useful exercise, as you see how many things you already do to support your health. Then it wasn’t difficult to list all the healthy habits I wanted to develop, such as always having a water bottle with me and drinking plenty of water throughout the day, signing up for the gym and going regularly. When I realised that I’d cut out fast food and soft drink the year before, I knew that I could cut out other foods that didn’t support optimal health.

So what do you want to achieve this year? Whether it’s health related, or any other kind of goal, try listing the following…

What’s the end result I’m after? (make it inspiring and vision-focused)
What will it be like to achieve this… what will it mean for me? (Imagine!)
What do I already do well that could support this goal?
What are some options I can develop into supportive habits?
(here’s the tricky part – don’t try them all at once!)
What small steps can I take this week?
Who can I ask to keep me accountable?

Don’t forget, if you’re a subscriber of Create the Life Club newsletter you are welcome to book a free Kick-Start session with a Create the Life Coach. There’s nothing more inspiring than a powerful coaching session focused on what’s most important to YOU, so let us know immediately if you would like one of these sessions before we’re all booked out!
Email kerrie@createthelifeclub.com

To join our mailing list and receive the benefits of our newsletters, and download $147 worth of valuable resources to support your goal-achieving, Click Here.

Cheering you on
Kerrie

I was woken early this morning from a deep sleep, following my late night return from the farm. “Oh my goodness! Who is pounding on the door so early?!”

It was the third shipment of my Journals, so I opened the garage for the oh-so-chipper Courier and welcomed them in.

Life’s a little like that – sometimes we get lovely surprises or opportunities, but we don’t feel quite ready for them. It reminded me of a call earlier in the week with one of our members, a previous coaching client, who has the opportunity to take on a great business with enormous potential. His concern, which I completely relate to, was a sense of not knowing enough yet. (When do we ever know enough? …these opportunities keep us always learning, always fresh and growing, so it’s all good.)

I recommended a few people and resources to him, especially The E-Myth which has supported countless people around the world, including me and a large percentage of my clients. I believe it’s essential reading for anyone in business, or considering a business, so check it out here, print it off, underline key ideas, write notes… implement, and build a thriving business that works for you.

This resource, plus more than 500 others, are available to Create the Life Club members at no extra cost, even if you’re a fast learner and download one to use everyday! If you haven’t discovered the benefits of Create the Life Club membership, you can trial it today for just $1. Read more here

Make the most of January, keep living on purpose and Creating the Life You Want.

Cheering you on, Kerrie

I’m taking a big step this week - launching myself out of the comfort zone and becoming an author! I am creating a journal, which includes a guide to effective writing and support for achieving goals and I’m including some of my favourite inspiring quotes, not only from the very famous, but also from people in my world, who will most likely be famous one day. Well their words will be in print!

I thought I’d share a few of my favourite quotes now, why wait for the journal to be printed? Today’s a great day to encourage someone!

1. Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. – Martin Luther King Jr.

Okay, so I’m doing that… and sometimes I trip on the stairs in my excitement or inexperience, but I get up and keep moving, learning from each experience.

2. I want to know God’s thoughts. The rest are details. – Albert Einstein

Wow… what’s to be said here? It’s worth pondering every single day…

3. Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

I think I’m doing okay with this one too… Lyndon was just reminding me last night that I am quite unusual. (I see things so differently to how most people would) It’s not a bad thing, probably a good thing, but something to be aware of - I can’t guess what people would be thinking!!

4. Change your thoughts and you change your world. – Norman Vincent Peale

I absolutely, wholeheartedly agree! I love the question “How could I think about this differently?” I love that I can be proactive, notice my thinking and change it! I’m in charge of my brain! If I leave it on autopilot it might take me down the wrong path!

Well I’ve enjoyed sharing these thoughts, and I’m now getting back to pulling my journal together so it’s out before Christmas. Hope you’ve enjoyed this too. If you’d like to send me your favourite quotes, the life-changing ones, please do! Especially the one’s you’ve made up yourself - gems from your heart and mind. You never know where they’ll go.

This one comes from a lovely, inspiring client of mine from New Zealand, who went blind as a 30+ mother of two boys. Check out www.thatblindwoman.com to be really inspired.

5. To lose my sight may have been considered tragic but to lose my sense of humour would have been catastrophic. - Julie Woods - NZ speaker and coach

Julie’s sense of humour is delightful and puts people at ease when they’re around her, unless they’re in stitches from laughing!

I’ll leave you with one that fell out of my mouth last week, and Lyndon wrote it down.

6. To journal is to be courageous, because one comes face-to-face with oneself. - Kerrie Phipps

Have a wonderful day, focus on thoughts that are useful, inspiring and motivating,

Cheering you on,

Kerrie

PS. (Don’t forget to check out the daily quotes on Create the Life Club home page, I hope you find them useful!)

What do your conversations sound like? If someone was eavesdropping, would they walk away with a sense of brushing past heaven? How wonderful would that be? I hope people could walk past me and get a touch of heaven.

Picture yourself at a BBQ, what is the tone of the conversation? It’s so easy to get into a conversation about problems, challenges, dramas – whatever you call it. and these things are part of life. But so are solutions! Unfortunately, they often get left out of the conversation. Someone needs to bring them in, make Solutions a welcome friend.

(Are you a tiny bit inspired? I’m getting excited just typing this as it comes to mind. I love thinking happy thoughts! Don’t you?)

So how do we do this, be a little bit of heaven on earth? It definitely takes focus, because we so easily slip into the auto pilot of noticing the problem. Our brains are wired like that, and it’s a good thing, because we can be aware of danger and avoid it, notice things going wrong and address it – finding solutions. But we must decide to! A great friend is one who invites us to adjust our focus, and allows us to invite them to do the same.

Must fly, I’m going to meet someone now and give them a great invitation!

Cheering you on
Kerrie

World Gratitude Day is tomorrow, Sunday 21 September, another opportunity, as everyday is, to reflect on how much we have to be grateful for. I’m so excited to be able to introduce you to someone in my world I’m grateful for. Julie Woods, “That Blind Woman” from New Zealand, has been preparing to launch her blog on World Gratitude Day, and I know we’re in for something special. You’ll hear more of Julie! I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be her Coach, supporting her on a most amazing journey. I’ve discovered an incredibly inspiring woman who has a story to share with the world… which she will do – stay tuned!

As I was typing this, an email came in which described a possible scenario in Heaven… the Receiving Room was buzzing with activity, with Angels handling lots of requests, the Package & Delivery Room, also very busy sending out all the blessings requested, but the acknowledgment room was very quiet as not many Thank You’s came in. The email continued with these words…

“If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy.
And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…. you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.
If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation … you’re ahead of 700 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you experience a freedom three billion people in the world don’t have.
If your parents are still alive and still married …you are very rare.
If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you’re unique to all those in doubt and despair.”

Happy World Gratitude Day!!!

Ideas for making the most of World Gratitude Day (or any day!)
List 10 things you’re grateful for.
Smile.
List another 10 things you’re grateful for.
Smile some more.
List 10 more things you’re grateful for.
(You can’t help but smile now)
Share your list with someone.
Tell someone why you’re grateful that they’re in your life.
Stick your list where you’ll see it regularly.
Add to your list everyday.
Notice how much you’re smiling now…
And how many others are smiling with you!

Cheering you on,

Love Kerrie

Last Monday I arrived in Sydney and stayed with my Grandparents (mum’s parents). You may have seen the video Lyndon posted on You Tube, with my Dad’s parents being interviewed by Ethan… I shared this with my Sydney Grandparents who absolutely loved it and were overflowing with praise for Lyndon (movie-maker) and Ethan, who they’re so proud of.

I went to bed that night so aware of the wonderful relationships in my life, my four grandparents, the brothers and cousins I share them with, my wonderful parents, my husband, his lovely family, my extended family and so many friends, in 15 different countries, and some fortunately 5 or 10 mins walk or drive away!

Ridiculously rich? Yep! That’s how I feel when I reflect on the relationships in my life. Some of these relationships have been in place for a long time and I can’t take any credit.

When my Grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding Anniversary’s a few years ago, one couple was asked for the Photo News “What’s the key to a good relationship?” and their response was “communication”. The others were asked, “How did you manage that?” (60 years married) to which Grandma responded, “Well I think when they came home from the war, he didn’t want any more fighting” .

I don’t like fighting either, so I’ve always avoided it. I have discovered however, that relationships need fighting for, at times. No more sweeping things under the carpet, which will only trip you up (literally!) but having a loving, purposeful, honest conversation takes the relationship from good to great. The Book of Proverbs puts it this way “an honest answer is like a kiss on the lips” Oooh! Bring it on!

Have a wonderful day,
Love Kerrie

PS. Here’s the video of Ethan and my Dad’s parents, in case you missed it.

Achieving goals on time, every time – who does that?! Approximately 80% of my clients achieve their goals in the intended time-frame, sometimes sooner, which is exciting. (Bear in mind that they have committed to a process of fast-tracking their achievements).

However, there are often goals that are more challenging than expected, or there are random interruptions that occur throughout life, such as sickness or technical delays.

It can be disheartening to feel like your goal is too far off, but it’s important to remember two things.

1. Keep Moving! It doesn’t really matter how fast you’re achieving goals, just don’t let discouragement stop you in your tracks. Keep focused on the big picture and keep moving forward, little steps at a time.

2. The journey is often more important than the destination. It’s great to achieve goals, but don’t lose sight of the learning along the way. Who you become on your journey to the goals tends to be more significant than the goal itself.

Have a super month, discovering, celebrating and achieving goals!

Kerrie