My Goal for 2021 and why ✨- #75Hard Challenge

Have you heard of the 75 Hard Challenge?

It seems like more and more people are starting to talk about it! 

If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a mindset and discipline challenge that goes for 75 days. For the two and a half months of the challenge, you need to:

• two 45-minute workouts a day (at least one needs to be outdoors rain, hail or shine) 🏋️‍♀️

• drink one gallon of water 💦

• read 10 pages of a personal development book 📖

• stick to a diet 🍉

• have no alcohol / or cheat days🥂

• and take a progress picture every single day 📸

If you skip anything or have a cheat day, you’ve got to go back to day one and start all over again 🙈 

Lauren Kerr - Babes in Business - Stretching on the beach

MY 75 DAY HARD CHALLENGE 

Last week I started the #75Hard challenge myself 💪

Why? Well, I’ve seen heaps of my friends and other people in my life doing the challenge recently. After chatting with these people, I’ve discovered that most aren’t doing it as a health challenge. It’s really more of an opportunity to test your mental toughness, discipline and commitment. 

I’ve got a personality that means I’m either all in or all out when I do anything – especially when it comes to health. Up until about 4 or 5 years ago when I joined The Healthstyle Emporium, I didn't have a healthy relationship with food or exercise, I was always trying to do something excessively and restricting myself in another which just led to me yo-yo-ing my weight and my happiness.

From my experience diets don’t work. I’m a big believer that every time you restrict yourself of anything, you end up just binging or over indulging in the end anyway. My five-year journey with The Health Style Emporium has taught me how to be happy and healthy on my own terms, in a sustainable and holistic way by skipping the diets and learning how to just move and eat intuitively (with healthy alternatives) which has been such an incredible and life changing experience 💖

Now, my principle in life and business is the 80% rule 🙌🏽. Eat healthy 80% of time, move well 80% of time, work hard 80% of the time because from my experience this is the consistency that leads to sustainable success and health without burnout or binging and allows lots of time for rest and play 🕺🏼✨

The 80% principal has served me really well…but because I live by this rule in every aspect of my life, I don’t really know what it’s like to commit 100% of the time and go all in. If I feel great at 80%, imagine how good I could feel at 100%?

I’m doing the #75Hard challenge to test my own discipline, to show up more for myself and really just see how good I can possibly feel 👏

Discovering a new version of myself

One of the aspects that interested me the most about this challenge was the no alcohol rule. I’m not sure when you first started drinking, but I am embarrassed to admit that I don’t think I have gone more than about 2 weeks without alcohol since I was 15 😬.

I probably was a bit of a binge drinker between the ages of 17 and 20 (aren’t we all 🙈), but I’m not like that anymore. I do drink regularly but it’s usually just enjoying a cocktail at dinner, a Pina Colada’s in the sunshine or having a port in the bath🍷. It may not be large amounts all the time, but it’s definitely consistent. 

Given it’s been so long that I’ve lived like this, I’m excited to discover how I might feel without having that much alcohol in my life. Plenty of people I’ve spoken to are saying their clarity, intuition and overall mood are much better! I’m really keen to see if I will experience the same results. 

Lauren Kerr - Babes in Business - Sipping a Pina Colada on the Beach

Self-worth does not equal work ethic 

Another motivating factor for me was my self-worth. When it comes to my business, the reality is that I AM my business.

Have you heard the saying – ‘Don’t kill the golden goose’?

In my mind, that saying is a reminder of how important it is to look after the golden goose in your life – the thing that lays the eggs and provides your wealth and abundance. Don’t get caught up on burning your goose out over one egg when (if you look after it) it can continue to deliver you a lifetime of golden eggs. Being my own boss and running my own business means it’s so important to invest in and look after… me! 🥰

I had a massive breakthrough last year that I shared with you all on my birthday…

I had this really old belief that I was carrying around with me that my work ethic equals my self-worth 😰 When I’m not working hard, I didn’t feel like I was worthy of my income or my lifestyle. I felt like I needed to work even harder to deserve more.

I decided in 2021 to discover how I could increase my self-worth, without always tying it to my work ethic. I saw the #75Hard Challenge as a great way to put myself first and remind myself that I am worthy of what I have – without linking it back to my professional life. 

So it’s time to turn that worthyodometer up gf! 🙌

Getting started on the challenge 

I’m super excited to bring you guys along the way on this journey and I can’t wait to see the results of giving 100% to myself. Before getting started, I thought water was going to be the hardest part, but I’ve realised that I do drink pretty much a gallon a day. The real tough part for me is definitely going to be the alcohol and no cheat days 🙈

The 6 week Glow Up inside The Healthstyle Emporium is helping me stay inspired and creative with my work outs and yummy healthy meals and treats, along with our babes for support and accountability 👯‍♀️🙌🏽) but I got tempted over the weekend with donuts 🍩 🙊

Donuts are my weakness 😅 WARM JAM DONUTS ARE LIFE 🤤🤤

I found myself mentally battling myself being like ‘who said I can’t have a donut 😡’...I hate rules, restrictions and being told what I can and can’t do... but I quickly caught myself and realised I was giving my power away.

I can eat that donut. But I am ‘choosing’ not to.

I see this so often, we give our power away by saying we are forced to do something when you’re not ...

You’re choosing to go to that job, be in that relationship, to not eat the donut 😝

You have a choice - and reminding yourself takes you out of the victim mentality and gives you back your power.

Lauren Kerr - Babes in Business - Watching Sunset over the Beach

What does the next level of you look like? 

When one of my highest values is balance, I will admit I feel pretty torn already and I am only a week in!

Half of my brain is telling me '“f*&K it! Just have the drink / donut if you want it”, but I keep having to remind myself that I really want to step into that next level of myself this year and if I want to grow, I need to try new things and push myself outside of my current comfort zone and realm of reality. 

The old Lauren wouldn’t say no to a good time.

The old Lauren wouldn’t deprive her body from what she felt like. But becoming the new Lauren means I need to say yes to new things, I need to think like I wouldn’t usually and I need to behave like I wouldn’t usually… if I want to experience new things and manifest a new reality or results. It’s exciting to be in this zone of discomfort because it’s a great sign that I’m on the way to reaching the next level of myself.

If you’re considering your goals for 2021 or you’re thinking about the #75Hard challenge, I would really encourage you to think about what the next level of yourself looks like?

How can you make yourself uncomfortable and start taking steps in the right direction towards who you can / want to be?

How can you think, speak and act in ways that you usually wouldn’t? 

When I sat down to nut out my 2021 goals, the #75Hard Challenge was really the only thing that I really wanted to do when it came to my own personal health and happiness - so here I am getting it done and sharing it with you for some public accountability! ✔️ I’m one week in so it’s early days and I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, but so far so good! I am enjoying the process and the mental toughness and can not wait to share with you my results (both mentally and physically). 🙌 

Bring on the next level of Lauren! 

If you’re doing the challenge, I’d love to keep updated with how you’re doing too! Feel free to drop me a comment on Instagram and keep me in the loop and let’s cheer each on! Together, we’ve got this 💪

P.S If you haven’t set yourself any goals yet for 2021 - last week I hosted a Goal Setting Masterclass exclusively for our clients inside the Healthstyle Emporium but… I wanted to offer it to my online community as well coz I love you guys ❤️ I hope it helps you get clear on what you want to focus on this year so you feel like you have direction, purpose and something to strive towards and get excited about too!

I talk about:

• How to set goals that align with your highest values

• Why its so hard to set goals AND stick to them

• The psychology of goal setting and how to use it as your super power

• Strategies to help you see your goals the whole year through

• + BONUS a free goal setting template so you walk away feeling empowered and clear on what you want to consciously create this year!

Let me know what you take from it, I hope it serves you ✨

Four Tips for Self Love

I recently partnered up with Lust Minerals as part of their Self Love Movement. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a huge believer of self-love. That’s because I know that it’s only when you’re looking after yourself, that you can vibrate at a higher frequency and create the life you’re dreaming about.

I think self-love starts with being compassionate and understanding towards ourselves and realising that we can’t always be hustling and achieving. Life works in ebbs and flow, and it’s super important to acknowledge that! 

There are plenty of different ways that you can fill up your cup, and the best options look different for everyone. As we move into 2021, I’d love to share some of my top self-love tips with you. These are some super simple but really valuable strategies that I’ve found incredibly powerful in my everyday life. Feel free to give these tips a try and let me know how you go! I would love to hear from you 🥰

Lauren Kerr - Babes in Business - Meditating on the Beach

Having a morning routine

I honestly believe the best gift you can give yourself is a morning routine. Whether its 15-minutes or an hour, I try to start every day by carving out some time to fill up my cup 🤗  For some people that means you might need to wake up a little earlier or get out of bed before your kids do, but it’s well and truly worth it. 

I’m constantly speaking to women from all walks of life about becoming the best version of themselves, and morning routines is something that always comes up. Introducing some kind of meditation, visualisation or gratitude at the start of the day is a simple way to get yourself into the right mindset before tackling the day ahead 🙌  These simple acts mean you are reconnecting with your goals every morning and reminding yourself of what’s important to you, before the world tries to tell you something different. 

For anyone that is totally new to meditation and visualisation or isn’t sure where to start, I would definitely recommend checking out our recent episode on the Babes Talking Business Podcast. In this episode, we shared an open eye meditation that you guys can use as part of your morning routine to help you really visualise what the next level of yourself looks like and how you can best show up 💁‍♀️

Lauren Kerr - Babes in Business

Invest in you and prioritise your own health and happiness

This one might sound super simple, but plenty of women (especially mums!) are constantly putting everyone else’s needs before their own. But realistically, self-love isn’t selfish or a luxury – it’s a necessity 👏  You are no help to anyone when you’re burnt out, depressed or sick. Imagine how freeing it would be if everyone just took radical responsibility for their own health and happiness rather than being a burden on their family and friends? 

✔️ My tip for you is to remember you are worthy of investing in

✔️ You matter

✔️ Your health and happiness is important

Start by asking yourself, what is one thing you can do today to be a healthier and happier version of yourself? I like to start my morning by moving my body, meditating and nourishing my body before starting the day 🧘‍♀️ What could you do? If you need some help working out what you could do to make yourself happy, I have a free happiness test here. It only takes half an hour to do but is a great place to start to work out how you can best invest in you this year 💥

Put some time aside this week to look at your money

I know for plenty of women, this isn’t a fun job! It’s much easier to stick your head in the sand and try to ignore it, but getting comfortable and familiar with your finances is super important and one of the greatest acts of self love. Have you heard the saying “Your self worth is a direct reflection of your net worth”? I’m sure you can all relate!

When you don’t have money, you feel anxious, scared and worried. So, getting on top of your finances is the easiest way to feel empowered and to discover that next level of self-worth. 

Do yourself a favour and put some time aside to look at your money, get your 2021 budget sorted and even work on your financial literacy or wealth creation strategies. I see so many women giving their power away by not being empowered with their own money and find themselves in really difficult situations or relationships 😢 

Money isn’t just freedom, it’s how you have security, safety and choices. Have a look at the ‘not so fun facts’ below from our Free side hustle guide to understand why I believe this is one of the best gifts you can give yourself (especially as a women) 🙌💄

Does this sound like something you need help with? I’ve got you babe. We’ve put together a guide that breaks down how to kickstart your side hustle ⚡️ It goes through different ways to generate an income and the wide range of potential income streams that you can make the most of. 

Protecting your energy

Do you know how to say no? Are you okay with saying no? Every time you say yes to something that you would rather not do, you’re actually saying no to yourself 😳 The thing that most often comes at an expense of saying yes, is time for you.

That’s time for you to work on your goals, time for you to put aside to prioritise the things you deem important like your friends, your family, your health, your happiness, or time for you to rest yourself. 

I would love for you to focus on being really protective of yourself and your energy this year - Consciously investing your energy with people who love you, support you, lift you up and cheer you on.

Say yes to the people that enrich your life and be okay with saying no to the people and things that feel like they’re constantly taking from you. Say no frequently, firmly and consciously. And ask yourself, does this energetic exchange feel fair? 

These are just four ideas to get you started on your journey of self-love! If you’re looking for even more resources, this is a topic that I dive deep into in my book – which you can get your hands on here, or order from any big book retailer to listen to on audible!

2021 is going to be your year babe, I already know it 💖

TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY 🤶 How to find joy more often🎄

🤶Christmas is around the corner ☃️

And we’re on the home run to the end of 2020 now. Crazy, right? It’s been a year of slowing down, surrendering and I’ve had so many breakthroughs. I’ve had the time to dismantle a lot of my self-limiting beliefs which I believe was necessary to take me to that next level and depth in life, business and relationships. 

While there has been plenty of joy in my year, I also acknowledge the challenges we’ve faced too...

When I’ve stopped to ask people how they are over the past few weeks/months, the most common responses that come up are: 

1. Overwhelmed. 😅

2. Worried. 😳

3. Uncertain. 😥

4. Anxious. 🥺

And I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t felt these emotions too! 😅

These feelings are normal… 🤗

Firstly, it’s essential to acknowledge that these feelings are totally normal after the year we’ve all had. Life as we knew it was completely turned on its head 🤯 and we’ve seen changes in just about every aspect of our lifestyles. 

A good indicator of your mental health is that you feel appropriate feelings. So don’t be angry at yourself for being overwhelmed, being stressed or feeling worried right now, because the fact that you’re even feeling those emotions means that you actually do have good mental health because those are all natural responses to the usual circumstances you’ve lived through this year. 

Amongst the chaos this year, my best friend was busy growing a beautiful baby girl! There are so many positives and gifts that come from 2020. P.S I am in another pretty skirt from BABYLEMONADE. Use the discount code: BIB for 15% off!

Expanding my knowledge…

With my background in psychology, it’s no secret how passionate I am about mental health and holistic health 🙈 I recently spent a few days with leading researchers and experts in the area at “The Happiness and its Causes” Conference.

This event happens every year and is an excellent opportunity for health professionals to share the most recent positive psychology research so we can learn how to apply these findings in our lives, relationships, careers and businesses. 

It was so incredible to be a part of these discussions and build my own knowledge, but what’s knowledge if it’s not shared? If people aren’t sharing the resources and information they have, how can we possibly become collectively happier and healthier?

So that’s what I’m here to do now… 💁‍♀‍

One of the leading causes of death for people my age (which is the same age as many of my followers!) is suicide. It’s obviously not a light and easy conversation to have, but it’s also a necessity with 1 in 4 sometime in our life experiencing depression.

It’s something that’s affecting all of us…🤯

And that’s why it’s essential that we talk about it 💬, share constructive strategies to go through it and even replace these feelings with more joy.  

One of my favourite speakers at the event spoke about how we can find joy on demand. ❤️

And what better opportunity to talk about finding joy 💬 than the start of the jolly season🎄! So here are a few of my golden nuggets:

Tuning into the ‘Happiness and it’s causes’ Virtual Conference in another pretty dress from BABYLEMONADE. Use discount code: BIB for 15% off your Christmas and summer dress shopping👗 it's pretty much all you will see me in this summer 😉

🤶 Joy is a feeling that you feel moment to moment… 

A lot of people speak about happiness, but they’re actually referring to the elated feeling of joy.

Happiness is more of your attitude or overall perspective on life…

Joy is something that you have to find and grasp onto in every moment. The most recent research is showing that you can ease yourself into these feelings, and it’s actually your brain’s default setting, so you have a sustainable source that is infinite and can be unlocked at anytime!

Meditation…

Many people understanding the importance of having a nourishing diet and moving their body, yet few fewer realise how important it is to look after our minds too 🙈  And meditation is one of the best ways we can do this.

Meditation can decrease cortisol levels, helps build resilience, encourages compassion and manages stress... 🧘‍♀‍

This is why we have a whole ‘mindset’ section with meditations, life coaching activities, gratitude, moon tracking, manifestation and journal prompts for our members in our holistic health program The Healthstyle Emporium so they can be empowered to nourish their mind, body and soul from the inside out.

If you are a regular meditator (which I know many of us are ❤️), you’ll notice that when you drown out the noise, you get clear, calm and still. This sense of peace is when joy comes naturally, so it’s a great way to ease yourself into it.

Even just 5 to 10 minutes a day can help… ✌️

Knowing that joy is your default state means you can find joy on any day and at any time too.  

🤶 Take the opportunity to notice joy…

Joy is something that you experience in thin slices of time and space, but we’re spending so much time outside of ourselves that we’re missing the joy, we’re missing the moment.

When we don’t take the opportunity to acknowledge the joy, we don’t have the chance to enjoy the joy – especially given how short the moments of joy can be 😢

When you start noticing the moments, you can train your brain to start picking up on them more often. You have this part of your brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS for short 🙈) which is basically a built in confirmation bias OR super power ✨ (depends how you look at it and consciously use it 😉).

If you start telling your brain what you want, it starts looking to confirm that bias. Your brain is so good at what it does that it takes short cuts to only look for the things you want it to 👀

The morning is a great time to do this...🌞

If you start your day by reflecting on your goals, highest values, writing in your gratitude journal or reading your personal mission statement, you’re activating your RAS system for the day ahead and setting yourself up to keep noticing those things.

Joy is no different! Start small and appreciate the little things, and your brain will continue to find those feelings. Use the festive season as the perfect excuse to start! 🎄 It might be watching your children laugh, cherishing the embrace of a parent or savouring the first mouthful of your pavlova 🤭

Noticing the thin slice of joy as I enjoyed a Champagne watching the sunset with my husband.

🤶 Be on the end of a kind thought. 

Another interesting topic discussed at the conference was the idea of being “on the end of a kind thought”. This could mean sitting at the end of your meditation and asking yourself “Who do I want to send love to today?”, “Who do you hope is having a beautiful day?”, “Who do you need to send light or strength to today?”.

These questions are proven to uplift your spirits and can completely change your outlook on a day. 

The idea came from a recent study where they were studying employees levels of satisfaction at work. Some loved their job; others couldn’t stand being there 😅 Regardless of how they felt about their role, they found they felt uplifted after setting a timer every hour and using the alarm as a reminder to stop and think a kind thought and send love to someone on his heart.

A man who was previously miserable in his job role, after this experiment reported to have had the best week of his life during the study – even though nothing actually changed in the workplace or his surroundings, he was just consistently on the end of a kind thought! 👏

🤶 FINDING JOY IN THE JOYFUL SEASON

Enjoying the festive season at our Babes in Business Christmas Party - in another pretty dress from BABYLEMONADE. Use discount code: BIB for 15% off your Christmas and summer dress shopping👗 told you it was all you will see me in this summer 😉

🤶Time to relax and enjoy the festive season 🎄

I honestly can’t believe we’re already in December?! It’s crazy, right? I know it’s been an overwhelming and challenging year for everyone between world pandemics, economy crashes, global warming disasters, politics and social movements… but I also think it’s been a necessary year for many of us.

And as we come towards the end of the year, there is no better time to be looking for joy in our lives, reflecting on our lessons and relishing in our blessings.

I’m hoping that you have a merry season with your loved ones and enjoy all the yummy food, drinks (I am looking forward to mum’s mango daiquiris on Christmas Day 🙊) and belly laughs!

Sending so much love from my family to yours and am so excited to see what 2021 has in store for us all.

The glorification and vilification of work ethic

You probably saw that I was celebrating my birthday recently and if I’ve ever wished you a happy birthday, you’ll know that I always ask people the same question on their birthday, “What was your biggest lesson?” 🤔… And I do the same to myself too.

Reflection of my 28th Lap around the Sun

Every year I take some time out to reflect and think about the biggest lesson I’ve personally taken from the previous 12 months.

I think it’s important to reflect as not everyone got the last 12 months so I put the time aside to think about what I did with the ones I was gifted with.

This year’s reflection on my 28th lap around the sun came with some pretty significant breakthroughs. 

Lauren celebrating her birthday in another Baby Lemonade dress - use discount code ‘BIB’ for 15% off

The Abundance Code

I’ve been reading this book called ‘The Abundance Code’, and it’s challenging me to ponder on my own self-limiting beliefs 🙈.

For many of us, it’s been a year of surrendering, which is what led me to create a little blog series called, The Surrender Project. I’m using this blog to talk about what I’ve learnt throughout 2020, and I’ve shared my thoughts on learning to surrender, discarding beliefs that no longer serve me and how to battle my self limiting beliefs 👊 in business, marriage, money and life.  

My Journal 🖊️

While journaling on my birthday, my breakthrough started because I *thought* one of my biggest self-limiting beliefs 👊 was the idea that you have to trade time for money.

I know that’s not true logically because obviously, I’ve created a business that offers lots of different residual and passive income streams, so I don’t always have to trade my time for my money 🤷‍♀️.

But over the last 12 months, I’ve really noticed that I have this guilt around slowing down because something unconsciously tells me that the only way to be successful is to keep working hard, like I had for the first couple of years in my business. 

I used to take pride in the fact I have a great work ethic and all my success I have had - nothing was handed to me - I worked hard to create it for myself, by myself...

This reflection happened around the same time that I hit a massive professional goal and pinnacle leadership position within my company called EMD being the same week as my birthday.

My Work Ethic 💪

It’s really interesting because as I was getting recognised, I was getting a lot of beautiful messages celebrating me. Something that kept coming up was comments like “I don’t know anyone more deserving”, “You’re a unicorn Lauren!” or “I don’t know anyone that works as hard as you, you’ve got such a great work ethic.”. 

These kind messages reminded me that people also know me for my work ethic but it also made me feel guilty because I don’t feel like I work that hard anymore! 😳 It is like ‘working hard’ makes someone deserve respect and their success. Work ethic is like a yard stick we use to measure our respect for ourselves and others.

Was I still deserving of my success?

Graph of the HSE Bonus Rewards Scale

HUSTLING VS FLOW

All these comments also made me realise that ‘hustling’ isn’t cool anymore.

For most people it feels unattainable and not something people aspire to do (including myself). A few years ago there was a glorification around working ourselves as hard as physically possible, yet the last two years I have realised it’s just not sustainable (especially for women as we aren’t wired the same as men - we are cyclical)…

and instead being “in flow” is the new cool... 😎

Flow

I’m all for flow! But I do think it means in the process of making it cool, we’ve now also built a vilification around ‘hustle’ – It’s no longer sexy to hustle. I’ve noticed within my business it can be really polarising to have work ethic because a lot of people say they can’t do what I do, or that they just don’t want to do what I do.

It’s like ‘hustle’ has become a dirty word and women are no longer inspired by hustle, working hard or work ethic. Comments like this trigger me because I genuinely don’t think you have to work hard to be deserving of your success. 

But - because I am a straight shooter and I care about your success, you can trust me to tell you the truth and not just what you want to hear that is going to make you feel comfortable, trust me when I say those people who are enjoying ‘flow’ had a season where they hustled. 

WORK ETHIC DOES NOT EQUAL WORTHINESS 

To achieve anything or get anything off the ground 🚀, you need to have commitment and energy💪. It’s going to take a burst of inspired action, and you might have a bit of strategic imbalance for a while as you create what you want, but it won’t stay that way forever. 

Although I threw a lot of energy into my business at the start, and it was ‘harder’ in the early days, it was only tough because I was building up an income around a full-time job. If I didn’t have the work ethic to get started and continue to show up even when didn’t feel like it (lets be honest most days it would have been easier to sit on the couch after work), I never would have gotten anywhere, let alone where I am now.

It didn’t stay that way though, because I was in flow and I loved what I was doing, I persisted, I mastered the skills I needed to grow my business and as my confidence grew so did my income. I simply believe that you need to have a passion and put in the hard yards to set yourself up, and the rest will follow naturally ✨. 

Consistent Work

The last two years of my work haven’t been ‘hard’. Yes I’ve been consistent. I’ve been passionate. I’ve been committed to my growth and stepping out of my comfort zone, taking inspired action and having uncomfortable conversations (those things come hand in hand with leadership).

But I have also had good boundaries, I’ve scheduled my joy every day and have made sure I’ve prioritised my own health and happiness. I don’t believe that takes away from my success at all. My income continues to grow, and I keep creating more white space, new opportunities and freedom 👏. 

So if this self-limiting belief wasn’t coming from the idea that I had to swap time for money, what was it? 🤔

Lauren Kerr at the Beach - Babes in Business

THE WORKING-CLASS BELIEF 

If you come from a family that is very abundant and very wealthy, very rarely will you stop and consider if you are worthy of it.

You’re born into it, so you don’t doubt if you’re deserving, you just accept that it’s the way things are 💁‍♀️. 

Are you Worthy of Success?

The flip side of that is that when people like me come into money or start creating money that they don’t necessarily have to work as hard for, you start feeling like it’s a dishonest way of life.

It’s almost like you think that you’re cheating the system or doing something wrong because you’re not working hard to create it, despite seeing so many of your loved one’s working hard their whole lives.

This realisation has been my biggest breakthrough because I acknowledge that this has been my blockage.

I did have the belief that work ethic equals worthiness and I needed to flip it. it was no longer serving me. Because when I dig deeper, I do know that you can create more and do less, business can be easy, wealth can come easy - And none of those things makes you less deserving of it 🙌.

THE VILIFICATION OF HUSTLING

Real talk, though. I still do honestly believe that getting anything up off the ground, in order to create flow and build abundance; you do have to have some work ethic or hustle at the start to get momentum. As well as then needing the skills and confidence to maintain it.

My advice for you is that if you’re working hard on something, make sure that it’s something that brings you joy or will mean you won’t have to ‘work hard’ long term. 

My highest value is time freedom and flexibility 👐 So, I worked hard for a season, which was only around 2 to 4 hours on top of my full-time job each day to get my business off the ground and build that residual income stream.

But I only ‘worked hard’ so that I didn’t have to continue to work at that level, pace or intensity forever. I want to spend my time with my friends and family, with my future kids enjoying being a stay at home mum, relaxing, at the beach, prioritising my own health and happiness and more time researching, reading and writing.

Lauren Kerr on a blowup swan in the pool

What is ‘hard work’ anyway?

Maintaining your efforts and committing to being consistent to get a side hustle or business off the ground whilst juggling a job is hard. But is staying in a job where you commute 2 hours a day, miss magical moments, have a capped income, feel unfulfilled, uninspired and hungry for more, but do nothing about it…any easier?

There is a big difference between ‘working hard’ and ‘hard work’. Yes I ‘worked hard’ for a season to set myself up and get momentum in my business and build my brand, but it wasn’t ‘hard work’.

If you align yourself with your highest values and passions and work out a way to either monetise them or create a lifestyle so you can enjoy them - you want to show up and put the work in. Because it’s important to you.

THE CURRENCIES OF LIFE 

There are three currencies in life: 

1. Money 💰

2. Audience or your relationships (your network) ❤️

3. Time  🕐

I believe you need to leverage off at least two of those currencies to create the third one.

For example you leverage off your time and audience to create money (either by selling a service or product).

You leverage off your audience and money (by outsourcing, hiring employees or paying for systems to automate) to create time.

You leverage off your money and time (by investing in your network) to create more audience and be connected or introduced to other high achievers or world thought leaders / influencers / business owners.

When I first started, I didn’t have the money, but I had the time, so I focused on building and investing in my relationships with content and value to create the money. And now I use my money and audience to create the time I was missing. 

Whatever goal you’re working towards, remember the difference between working hard and hard work.

If these are goals that align with you and your highest values, you should be in a feeling of flow. After your season of strategic imbalance, where you go all in, and you work a little bit harder than you usually do, you won’t have to continue this way of life forever. 

Lauren Kerr out with girl friends in another Baby Lemonade Dress. Use discount code: BIB for 15% off!

Are your beliefs outdated? 

Did you realise that you carried the same belief that work ethic equals worthiness?

Not only does work ethic not equal worthiness, but you don’t need to find your worthiness in what you do for work either 🤩.

Money that comes easy isn’t dishonest - it’ smart!

There are so many ways to create wealth these days that no longer require you to trade your time or work hard for it. 

Beliefs are just thoughts you keep thinking.

They are tools to help you get where you want to go. When you’re experiencing frustration in an any area of your life, it usually means there is an old belief system that needs to be updated and when you’re being triggered in any area of your life, it usually means someone or something has contradicted one of your beliefs.

So here are some tips to help you rewire yours to help you have your own breakthrough:

1. Identify the belief that is no longer serving you. 

2. Weaken that belief by looking for evidence of the contrary to prove to yourself that belief is no longer true.

3. Override that belief by getting clear on the new one you want to keep thinking, the one that is going to help you get to your next level. Write it out daily as an affirmation until you believe it. Get as much proof and evidence as required to convince yourself of the new belief when you have doubts.

And if you’re struggling to get your head around your new belief just remember that you believed in Santa for 10-years, so beliefs can change! They’re just thoughts, not facts.

So in saying that personally right now, I’m working on: 

• Continuing to look for evidence to prove that money, success, and business can be easy.

• Writing and reading my new affirmation daily - Let it be easy. My business and wealth continue to grow with ease while I focus on joy!

• I will stop asking people what do they do for work when getting to know them and instead ask them questions like ‘What do you do for fun? What do you want to consciously create this year? What do you dream about? What are you passionate about? 

• Likewise, when people ask me what I do - I will respond with ‘Do you mean with my time or for money?’

I hope this serves you! If it reminded you of a gf or bizz bestie be sure to forward it to them too!

A big thanks again for sharing my 28th lap around the sun with me…it’s been wild! Excited to see what the next 12 months have in store for us all!

Love always your biggest cheerleader and friend,

Go the extra mile - it's less crowded as Featured on Griffith University

It has been an amazing year and you might of heard recently about my recent feature article on the Griffith University website. I have been trying to spread my positive influence to the younger crowds and this was the ideal topic I thought that would make a difference to younger women.

Here is my article: Go the Extra Mile as Featured on the Griffith University website.

“Hey guys, 

It's been a while since I dropped in, but I wanted to chat to you about something I've been thinking a lot about lately – going the extra mile. You've probably all heard someone say, "go the extra mile because it's less crowded" and its something that I've been really pondering on personally, as well as professionally when I coach women through their own breakthroughs so I did an IGTV story about it this week. 

I've come to realise that plenty of people don't see the power in going the extra mile. I believe that's because so many people underestimate themselves and overestimate everybody else. They also overestimate what they can achieve in the next year and underestimate what they can achieve in the next ten years. 

These people don't realise that in just committing to their goal and showing up, they're going to go further than everybody else around them. If you think about it logically, when you're ahead of everybody else, you're going to have more chance of success. 

Going the extra mile in my own life. 

When I thought about this in my own life, I started thinking about everything that I've achieved – personal goals, professional goals, financial and business milestones. If you know me, you know that I'm not that special! I may be book smart but not street smart (I can be quite the blondie!). I've got great work ethic, and I'm pretty resilient, but I'm really just that girl next door. I didn't come from money but I am white, and I grew up in the Western World, so I am aware that I have plenty of privileges that I am so grateful to have. 

But there's nothing that I have that is stopping you from having it too. It's not that I'm special or I have a certain characteristic or trait that you don't have. What I do have is the commitment to take the action that most people won't.

Just take my book, for example. How many people out there want to write a book? Since publishing my book, so many people have come up to me asking me how I did it because they want to write a book too. I know that anyone can write a book and it's a dream for many. The only difference for me is that I worked out the tangible steps along the way that could make me one of the few people that actually did what they said they wanted to.

Credit: Lauren Kerr Babes in Business - sitting with her new book

What did those steps look like? 

IDEA

Firstly, obviously yes you've got to have an idea – and that's probably the most challenging part. Your idea could be something that relates to your credentials, your background or your story. We all have a story - never underestimate the power of yours.

COMMIT

Next, you need to put time aside to write the book. Most of us have jobs, families and other commitments, which means life is already pretty busy and stressful. If you don't consciously set aside time to write, the chances are that it probably won't happen. 

JUST START

Then, you've just got to start. A lot of us spend too much time in our head getting ready to get ready…and never actually start – and that can relate to plenty of things in life, not just writing a book. 

FINISH - SEE IT THROUGH

Once you get started, your focus needs to be on finishing. So many people set out with a desire, a vision or a dream but the hard work and effort become too much, and they never end up finishing. 

HAVING RESILIENCE & ACCEPTING JUDGEMENT

After reflecting on these steps, I've realised that this process is how I've achieved everything in my life so far. I went the extra mile, I committed the time, I got started, and I finished. But then, what really helped me get to where I am is having resilience. I submitted my book to plenty of publishers, and I got lots of nos. I think it was six months until I heard back from someone that said they loved my book, believed in me and wanted to give me a chance. I mean, I got two offers from 30, which is 28 nos!

So many people out there would take that sort of rejection personally and just give up on their goal and dreams. Who cares if someone else doesn't believe in your vision?! If I like the colour blue and you like the colour green, does that mean I should stop liking blue?

There are tens of thousands of people around the world that have read my content, and the reality is that not everybody is going to like what I do. I need to be okay with judgement, criticism and opposition because it's just inevitable. 

Credit: Lauren Kerr Babes in Business - enjoying the day outside

The ripple effect of going the extra mile. 

There have been so many points on my journey where I could have given up because I was too scared or it was too hard or I simply just didn't have the time or I was worried about what people were going to think. Now that I can wake up every morning and look at all the photos that you beautiful people tag me in of you reading my book or consuming my content, it reminds me of the ripple effect of choosing to go the extra mile and backing myself.  

My book is just one example and as I look back at my life, every chapter, milestone or achievement, I realise that the secret ingredient in every one of these instances is just going the extra mile, committing to walking a little further where most don’t dare to go…so they don’t - but I do, which makes my chances of success even greater!

Another moment in my life that reflects this idea is when I moved to the Gold Coast 10 years ago. Some of you might know that the reason I moved 14-hours away from my family and hometown was that I got a scholarship to study at university. And this significant change was no different.

The only reason I got the scholarship was that I backed myself and I applied for it.  I am confident that there would have been plenty of equally deserving candidates; the only difference was that I didn’t allow my self judgment or ego get in the way. There was no self evaluation of whether I was ‘good enough’ or ‘worthy’. I just filled out the application without any emotional attachment.

Me applying isn’t me ‘thinking I am amazing’ or better than anyone else. It’s more logical (and statistical) and understanding that most people feel like they aren’t worthy and let their brain manipulate them so they don't apply.

You have better odds and more chance of winning or receiving the position merely just by putting yourself forward to be considered. Rather than sitting back with the masses who spend a lot of time talking about what they don't want instead of taking opportunities and risks to create something they do.

What do they say…you’ve got to be in the lottery to win it?

I can't promise you that I'm going to be good at everything I pick up. I can promise you that I'm going to try and I'm going to go the extra mile because I made a commitment to myself and to the people that I'm making commitments to. I maintained that approach throughout university, and I ended up receiving another scholarship to study in Hawaii, graduating with honours.

Since then honouring this philosophy has manifested in me gaining a graduate position in child protection, starting a network marketing business which totally transformed my life and lifestyle, talking on stages around the world in front of thousands of people, writing and publishing a book.

Credit: Lauren Kerr Babes in Business - standing on stage in front of a crowd

It's not about thinking I'm special or thinking that I am above everybody else, it's just a promise I make to the people around me and a guiding principle in absolutely everything I do.  Anyway, like I said. I have always done this.

And some of the best things of my life have come from saying yes and exploring new opportunities instead of letting fear of rejection or failure keep you stagnate in the same place whinging and moaning about how you aren’t where you want to be.

When we go the extra mile, we inspire others to do the same. 

I also proved the power of going the extra mile to my little brother. My brother got an AFL 100% tuition and accommodation scholarship for construction management at Bond University -  that's a pretty fancy degree at a very prestigious university on the Gold Coast! And it's the same thing.

He's just the dude next door, and we're not anything special (sorry bro).  He simply backed himself capitalised on his strengths of AFL, leadership, empathy and community work to level out his academic marks. I'm not saying that everyone can get a scholarship (or even wants one), I am saying that you don't know what you can achieve if you never put yourself in the ring. 

It's not about being 110% all the time. Imagine if you just gave your best in that very moment consistently? Wherever you are in your life right now, you can always go the extra mile and open a new door or discover a unique opportunity. I promise you that everyone else is sitting there watching the people around them and thinking, ‘I can't do that’, so why not be the person who puts their hand up and says ‘I’ll try’…or even better ‘I’ll learn’.

The Bystander Effect. 

You know I'm all about research and backing up what I say with studies, and there is a psychological phenomenon called the Bystander Effect. If you Google it, you'll discover that it sadly came about when a lady was being murdered. 

Numerous people heard her getting attacked, yet nobody did anything about it because they all thought someone else would do something.  This woman had been screaming for hours, by the time anyone did anything about it she was already dead. The larger the group of people, the easier it is for responsibility to be dissolved.

Take radical responsibility for your life and your results.

Credit: Lauren Kerr Babes in Business - holding a flower in a grass field

The Impact

I'm seeing the impact of the Bystander Effect right now with an incentive that I'm running with the beautiful women I mentor. It's a competition, and most started really strong because they overestimated what they were willing to commit to and what they could achieve short term.

By the end, they starting to slow down because they weren’t getting the level of results they had hoped for, they underestimated what they could achieve long term and overestimated others thinking that everyone else was doing better than them. So they give up. I see time and time again with competitions like this that it's not the people that perform incredibly well that end up winning, it's the ones that commit to showing up and being consistent that do.

It blows my mind because it's always seems to be the everyday people that just commit to going that extra mile that are successful - not because of their skills, but mainly because no-one else is there to compete with them.

Don’t be the Bystander

So next time there is an opportunity, a scholarship, an idea – don't be the bystander. Don't overestimate what everyone else is doing. Apply. Take responsibility. Put your hand up. Be the person that shows up. Be the leader.

Go the extra mile and take that opportunity without the emotional attachment or judgment. I promise that most people start things and they don't finish them, so then just even by completing the task, you're already ahead of the game (and most of the people trying to play it!).”

It’s not everyday that I get to share such amazing information with a younger generation of up and coming women. I really hope I have inspired a young group of women to have more confidence in themselves to have a go and not let opportunities pass you by.

LIFE AFTER COVID: Finding your flow again and working out what you should do next

Hey guys! 

If you've been following my Instagram posts and stories over the past few weeks, you'll know that I am in an interesting season of life right now. As we all are - I too, am working through my own shit.

You know you guys can always rely on me to be real and raw with you so I wanted to take the time to drop in, give a little life update and share with you what I’m currently navigating, as well as a few strategies I'm using to reconnect with my intuition. 

Anyone else here a recovering human doing? 

Image of Lauren Kerr on a Podcast

It seriously feels like I've been hustling my butt off for the last 10 years. I went straight from school to university on a scholarship. I was juggling multiple jobs whilst studying Psychology at university striving to get into honours. Next, my focus was on getting a job, but when I got my job in child protection, I enrolled to study life coaching on the side and started my my side-hustle.

Then I spent 18 months pouring all my energy into getting my business off the ground to replace my full time income. I’ve spent the last three years investing in my personal and professional growth, mentoring thousands of women how to master their mindset and create a life on their own terms, writing and publishing my book ‘Life Above Zero' and continuing to pour my soul, sweat and tears into my business in order to duplicate that success and keep the momentum going… 

After what might seem online like an ‘overnight success’, is actually 10 years of pushing,  striving, pursuing and doing… and now I've been gifted with the time to stop and breathe, and just ‘be’ and enjoy the fruits of my labour and the residual income I have been able to create with the network marketing profession.

It sounds pretty relaxing right? 

Well, in theory, it should be. But I'm the sort of person that thrives off doing. I find flow and fulfilment in setting goals and then achieving those goals – all at a million miles an hour. It might sound odd to a lot of you but stopping and trusting in the future, the universe and its divine timing is uncomfortable for me. 

Learning to slow down and relinquish control… 

Although I'm not very good at it, I realise how important it is to slow down when I need to. I've been journaling a lot during the past few weeks, and it's made me realise that this rest isn't a choice. I'm not sure if I was on the verge of burn out, but I just have no more gas left in the tank – mentally, spiritually and physically. 

I think it's quite a familiar feeling among creatives. When you're creating something, whether it's music, writing, art or anything else, you often feel so inspired and driven, that you become all-consumed. Then, when you finish your masterpiece, you're left feeling a little empty, lost and confused.

Babes in Business Podcast

In my case – I've spent what feels like forever working on my book! Then when COVID-19 hit, everything was thrown out. I was no longer in control and could not push anything…shipments got stuck overseas; I couldn't record my audiobook as my flight to record interstate had been cancelled with my publisher, bookstores couldn't order my book and connecting with overseas suppliers was pretty tough.

But here I am learning to trust the universes divine timing and I am excited to announce my audiobook is now available on Audible and launches on the 12th of July, and the book will start popping up in book stores over the coming months.

So now that chapter is done, and out of my control, I'm left asking myself – what do I do next?!

To help with the changing of seasons and to reconnect with my flow, I've been trying something a little different:

My Surrender Project. 

The Science of Flow… 

You'll hear me talking about flow a lot, and it might sound wishy-washy, but there is actually science behind it. 

It's called the Art of Fulfillment and the Science of Flow. I've got a Free Masterclass if you'd like to learn a little bit more about that. Basically, research shows that people need to create specific circumstances in order to feel particular emotions. Being in these situations is also a massive predictor of fulfilment. So, if you're not feeling fulfilment right now, it could be because you're not creating conditions where you can find your flow. 

My Surrender Project…

My Surrender Project is about identifying what brings me joy, allowing abundance without the guilt that I am no longer hustling for it and unpacking my own self limiting beliefs around the need to run at one million miles an hour. Here are some of the things that are helping so far: 

1. Every morning ask yourself: What would feel good today? Some days I book my hair in to get done, other days I might swap the gym for a nice walk, and sometimes it's about baking a banana cake and calling my best friend. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money or take a lot of time, but it can make a huge difference.
   
   
   

2. Another thing that has helped me is asking myself these three questions: 
   

   a.    Do I trust and believe in my big vision? My Free Happiness test can help you find clarity in this goal and identify how you can work towards a goal that you believe in and aligns with your values if you don't feel like you have a vision right now. 

   b. Are your needs met today? Do you have what you need to put food on the table, have a roof over your head and do you feel safe?  

   c.    If so, then what is the next aligned step? This question has really helped me lean into the actions that feel right and allow me to experience more flow and connect with my gut / intuition / inner truth.

3. I am a very logical, rational and science-based person (hence why Life Above Zero is about making spirituality science) but I do believe that we're all here because we've got something we're meant to do. Sometimes we make it so complicated because we let what's rational or logical get in the way of taking the next inspired step towards that vision.
   
   So another strategy that has been helping me work out my next move is to ask myself what I can give, rather than what I can receive. Because so often we make decisions and take action based on what we will receive in return for doing it e.g. money, recognition, accolades.
   
   But this strategy flips that on its head and makes you realise you have already received, look around at everything you have been gifted with; life, health, love, relationships etc.
   
   So rather than feeling like you have to do something in order to receive something in return, now you have already received, what would you like to give?
   
   When you come from that space; what would you love to give, contribute or create out of choice, inspiration, flow and alignment?

Putting pen to paper again… 

The result of my time of reflection is that I'm spending every morning writing. It feels so good to be connected and in flow again. It could be my next book, who knows! 

I'm toying with the idea of calling it "The Surrender Project: The Diary of a Recovering Human Doing" and just share the journey, the inner workings of my crazy mind and the things I'm doing to rewire my workaholic brain, the strategies and activities that I've been exploring and the magic that unfolds from learning how to relinquish control and surrender to faith instead.

Let me know if you guys would love me to share those journal entries with you has I continue to surrender and navigate this next chapter in hope it might help you fellow human doings too.

Until then - Hopefully, these tips serve you and will help you find your flow again and work out what your next move is navigating life after COVID! I’ll keep leaning into My Surrender Project, and following the breadcrumbs.

Keep an eye out for my book too! Make sure you tag me in your photos if you see it in a book store close to you. I have been loving hearing what you guys are taking from the book.

Chat soon,

Social Media Comparison is the Thief of All Joy

Hello there! 

What a crazy few months?! There is a lot of shit going on in the world at the moment. In Australia, we’ve had floods, fires, Coronavirus, an economic crash, the Black Lives Matter Movement, and we’re not even halfway through the year yet. I’m not dismissing any of this because I think it’s so important that we discuss these issues, but I also want to create a space for compassion and happiness. 

As you guys know, I’m a life and mindset coach. My background is in psychology, and something I’m really passionate about is helping overwhelmed and unfulfilled women find their personalised formula for success. Whether that’s in life, relationships or career, there is one key way to make sure we can reach our goals happily and healthily… 

The answer?

Learning that comparison is the thief of all joy. 

Guilt.

Plenty of women I meet feel guilty for not feeling happy or feeling that the more they chase happiness, the further away it seems to get. That's why it's called 'The Pursuit of Happiness' after all! 

I think this happens because so many women in the Western world do what they believe they are supposed to do or what they think society expects them to do. It might be to go to university, get a job, settle down, have a career, have 1.5 kids, get a mortgage or to own a house with a white picket fence, but these expectations are literally everywhere we turn. 

However, it's often the women that follow society's expectations to a tee that have the highest rates of depression and anxiety. That's because when we're so busy working to meet the expectations, we start comparing ourselves to others to track our progress. We're usually pretty quick to compare ourselves to our family, our circle of friends and other people on social media.

Take our free happiness test

Comparison on Social Media.

We're all guilty of comparison on social media, but what we often forget when we're scrolling on Instagram is that we're comparing our behind the scenes with someone else's highlight reel. Unconsciously or consciously, we take on other people's values. We see women going on holidays, getting Botox, buying a new car or going to an expensive restaurant, and we think we need to see, believe or achieve these things to experience happiness ourselves. 

This game of comparison doesn't help you achieve your goals at all. Instead, its actually a thief of your joy. Instead of understanding that we each have our own personalised formula for success, happiness and fulfilment, we blindly look at what other people are doing. That's where we get stuck in the mundane rat race of feeling like we're doing the same thing over and over again, without making any progress. But that's not how you live your best life, that's actually how you hold yourself back from living your best life.

Living YOUR life. 

I read a really beautiful book recently ‘The Top 5 regrets of the dying’ by Bronnie Ware, about her experience of working in palliative care. During her time working with people as they approached their final days, she found that a lot of these people were saying the same things, and the number one regret was "I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself and not one that others expected of me." 

It's a lovely idea, but I don't think we need to be on our death bed to realise this. Most of you in my community are in your 20s, so why wait until it’s too late to start living your best life. While you're still young, I really encourage you to stop and ask yourself if you're living a life true to yourself? If you know what your values are? If you're pursuing that in your career, your life and your relationships?  OR are you taking on other people's values, expectations and standards? If that's what you're doing, you need to realise that you're robbing yourself of happiness and health.

Lauren Kerr

Reversing the comparison game. 

The first step to living YOUR life is to catch yourself when you're feeling unworthy or when you start comparing yourself to others. You might notice it when scrolling on Instagram, and you start asking yourself why you're not as successful, as happy, as fit or as popular as the person on your screen. 

When you notice these feelings, you need to pause…  

Then imagine you are that person…  

A lot of the time, the people we are comparing ourselves to are actually doing things that wouldn't bring us joy. I know often I look at people that are out socialising a lot and start questioning why I am always at home or asking myself why I don't go out enough. 

But when I think about it, I realise that if I were in that person's shoes, I wouldn't enjoy it because I'm much more of an introvert. I don't really like socialising or networking with people I don't know, I much prefer my own space.  When I check-in and think about if that would actually make me happy, I'm much less likely to feel those feelings of comparison and unworthiness.

Accept your feelings too. 

It's also important to remember that feelings serve a purpose. If you're feeling envious, maybe it's a sign that you're not honouring your personalised formula for success or that you've neglected something in your life that used to bring you joy. 

Check-in with your feelings when they come up and think about whether you need to pivot your behaviour or if you're just comparing for the sake of robbing your own joy.

Say yes to talking.

If this is all pretty new for you, I know it's a lot to start with, but I promise it gets easier! It's totally okay if you don't know how to talk about what makes you happy and brings you joy,  but it's never too late to learn! You can check out my free happiness test here that will help you work out what makes you happy so that you can incorporate those things into your life, job, relationships and business. It'll also help you set goals that align with your values.

I also did a happiness masterclass for the beautiful clients in my holistic health program, but it was so successful that I've decided to share it with you too. You can get your free recording and ticket sent to you by clicking here. 

In a time where there is a lot of chaos, judgement and opinion in the world, remember to light up yourself so that you can bring joy to others. 

The 7 books that shifted my mindset around money and changed my life - literally!

I wanted to share with you guys

7 books that have transformed my relationship with money.

because trust me when I say -  I’ve definitely come along way since first starting my business four years ago. I never actually even thought of starting a business! I had gone through school and studied really hard to get a scholarship.

I was the first in my family to go to university and I did my Bachelor of Psychology degree before then completing my honours and writing my thesis. I assumed that I would spend the next 50 years making my way up the corporate ladder working as a health professional.

These are some of the books that personally helped me shift my mindset and essentially pivot and change my life (literally) in case you’re somebody who wants to work on your relationship with money or maybe before this email you weren't even aware you could 'have a relationship’ with money.

But first a disclaimer: I’m not getting paid any commissions or receiving any kickbacks by sharing these books with you.

Hand on my heart…

These books and people have helped me transform and change not only my mindset with money but my life; from working 50-60 hours a week being stuck in four walls, feeling like a hamster trying to keep up in the rat race spending three hours a day bumper-to-bumper on the highway, to now being able to work from any where in the world, whether it's the beach, snuggled up in bed or visiting family AND be in control of my self and net worth rather than leaving it up to someone else to tell me how much I am worth per hour. 

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad - by Robert Kiyosaki

This really helped me change the way I thought about money. I’ve always thought I would just be trading my time working my way up the corporate ladder (I wasn't too phased because let's face it - I had time on my side as an ambitious twenty-one year old!).

So I knew it might take me ten years or so, but one day I'll make good money outworking and stepping over my fellow employees to compete for pay rises and promotions.

This book made me realise how much of an asset I was to the government and business owners to have me working on creating their dreams and financial futures.

This book was a massive wake up call realising if I spent the next 10 years as a committed and loyal employee as I had intended to (as initially I aspired to be working as a clinical psychologist in the Army) it wasn’t going to get me where I wanted to be in regards to the values that are important to me and the lifestyle I personally wanted to create for myself and my future family.

2. Rich Woman - by Kim Kiyosaki.

This book is my all time favourite because it goes into the research and statistics as to why it’s important for women to not only feel comfortable to talk about money but also to understand wealth creation and have financial literacy.

It highlighted the sad and unfortunately common implications of women who do not know how to invest money let alone manage the money they already have.

This is a biggie for me and a massive mission behind our business and brand "Babes in Business" empowering women with financial literacy and helping them create smart income streams of their own.

3. The Barefoot Investor - by Scott Pape.⠀

This is extra good if you're from Australia as it's more of a practical book teaching you how to manage your money and how to get ahead financially.

He teaches you how to set up all your different bank accounts so you've got enough money to live and have fun but also to invest and have long-term security and savings.

This personally really helped me have a better relationship with money so I could put my cash flow on autopilot and not be reactive or emotional about it. That’s how we saved the house deposit for first home, paid for our wedding in cash and travel the world debt free.

4. The Four Year Career - by Richard Bliss Brooke.

I can actually get this book cheaper for you as my bestie + bizz partner Chani stars in the latest edition after sharing her story of what she was able to create with Babes in Business and her financial future in a short three years.

This book was powerful because it introduced me to the Network Marketing Profession and really showed me how I could have more leverage with my time.

I knew I was going to work the next 50 years as a great employee and be a great asset to anyone’s business because I took pride in my work and I realised that this profession and this business model was a smarter way for me to get more in return for my investment of time, energy, love, discipline, sacrifice and my work ethic.

This was pivotal for me because it helped educate me a little bit more about the network marketing profession as I had never been exposed to before, it casted a vision of what it could possibly be for me and my family.

5. Beach Money - by Jordan Adlar

This was a book I stumbled across a few years ago which introduced me to the concept of 'residual income'. The idea of getting continuously paid for something / work that you had done once and essentially creating 'beach money' and get paid while you sleep or sun bake at the beach with a cocktail in your hand! Sign me up baby!

This book opened my eyes to different ways of working and different ways of creating income rather than just trading my time for money which was something I had been conditioned to believe was the honourable and aspired way to create a life and money.

The traditional schooling system grooms you to follow the system of being a good student then a good employee, where you study hard, you do what you're told, ask no questions and don't disrupt the system.

I thought the only other way to get ahead financially was to inherit money, to have an invention, invest a lump sum into property or stocks - none of which were options for me.

So this book was a really cool way to educate me on the different vehicles and ways of creating income while I travel the world, or have kids, volunteer to projects that call to me or if I wanted to work from home or not work at all because something tragic had happened (because lets be honest - tragedies do happen and most people’s jobs don't cater for that).

6. 4 - Hour Work Week - by Timothy Ferriss.

This book was awesome as it inspired me to think outside the box and made me question why work fifty hours a week when you could work four?

It got me asking myself what were some ways I could better leverage my time, what were some things that I could outsource and were the things that I was currently spending my time on bringing me joy or getting me paid?

All the ideas and strategies that were shared in this book got me curious and creating systems of my own that allowed me to work less and ironically be able to make more. My underlying dominate belief around money was that it was tied to 'working hard' and 'exchanging time' to deserve it!

This book helped me break up with that belief for good - acknowledging as a business owner you need to upscale and outsource because businesses that turn over billions of dollars are not dependent on one persons 'time sheet' - hence money does not need to be dependent on the man hours you put in.

7. You are a bad ass at making money - by Jen Sincero.

This book helps you rewire your self talk and mindset around money and helps you become aware of your unconscious attitude towards money.

Your relationship with money can be something that is so ingrained in your DNA due to generations of shitty money stories, your intergenerational wealth or socioeconomic status.

Most of us inherit our parents relationship with money and if you don't actively read and seek wider education the cycle continues and history repeats.

This is an awesome book to help you dive in and explore your unconscious relationship with money as well as providing some really cool activities to help you to rewire and rewrite it!

Happy reading and wealth creating beautiful!

Why we did it?! The REAL story behind the HSE.

I always get asked what is it you do online? Why did you decide to stop working for the government and ditch the corporate world? Why do you not coach as much anymore? and where did the Healthstyle Emporium come from?

Now for the real story…

So I thought I would share with you the REAL story behind #theHSE hashtag you may have seen floating around on Instagram over the last few years.

Three years ago, some beautiful women who I had met online were working in the health and welfare system too and we agreed we were sick of band-aiding issues with prescription drugs and being understaffed trying to juggle crazy work loads and not having the resources and support to really help families make small sustainable healthy lifestyle choices. ⠀

We wanted to do something about the health and happiness epidemic and wanted to get rid of that bandaid, help people get back to basics, and looking at prevention....knowing that most of these diseases could have been prevented with small, educated and healthier lifestyle choices and a more positive + supporting community.

So many people I talk to in the health and wellness industry have the same vision of wanting to create a one stop shop/health hub where people can come to a safe space and be supported and learn about nourishing their mind, body and soul.

Nutting that out in terms of what that would look like logistically with time, money and risk is what prevents most of these beautiful souls from doing it though.

flourishing in the 21st century online…

So we thought considering successful businesses are growing and flourishing in the 21st century online - why not worker smarter instead of harder and do the same thing but take that beautiful space and community online?

Where health professionals could collaborate and leverage their expertise and together make a bigger impact. Previously it’s what we had all been trying to achieve independently in our own businesses, studios and coaching practises! ⠀

So that’s what we did!

You have probably seen me over the last three years partnering up and collaborating with women all around the world who are expertise’s in their area of health, or just have a passion for wellness or a massive heart and want to be part of the mission.⠀

Do you have a similar mission or vision babe?

If so let’s connect. We can make a bigger impact together - I choose collaboration over competition every time!

P.S Because its 100% online thats why we are able to travel so much and allows all the mums on the team to have the flexibility to work around the kids.

We have no boss either which means we get to choose our hours and pay! It’s a win win for our clients AND the beautiful souls behind the mission and program - smart business really!

Girls... lets talk about boys

Hey girls... lets talk about boys

How many of you are on the other side of a beak up or currently trying to make it through one?

I did a live on this earlier this week and would love to know if this video resonates with you on how girls and boys deal with our shit differently.

If you have a gf who needs to hear this feel free to share it with her, sometimes they just need to hear it from someone else

If you would love to read some of my previous blogs on gender psychology and some fun facts on how and why we deal with our shit differently you can have some fun below, I am sure I am not the only one that wonders if we are really from Venus and men are from Mars am I?

How I took control of my weight, skin and happiness AND MAINTAINED IT!

21 Days of Meditation to Raise Awareness for Mental Health

AND IT'S UP! Click below on the link to support us on our challenge in the Healthstyle Emporium this month to be happier and healthier with our 21 days of meditation in to raise awareness for mental health and the services Headspace can provide with our 21daysofHSEbliss.

https://give.everydayhero.com/au/the-healthstyle-emporium

I have been talking to so many women lately who are struggling with self-esteem and self talk because of being unhappy with their skin and weight...I had my own personal story and I know it doesn't seem like a big deal until you suffer it yourself so I wanted to share my tips and tricks (and some facts regarding psychology and research) on how you can finally take control of your weight, skin and happiness - and MAINTAIN it!

I speak about the effects stress has on the body and why it is so important to come from a place of love and not fear, which is why I'm loving our meditation challenge in the Emporium this month.

We would really love your help in leaving a legacy behind and inspiring change around the world by raising awareness and inspiring one person at a time to be the healthiest and happiest version of themselves. If you would love to be involved in something bigger than yourself, please don’t hesitate to message me or share my video above. I would love to hear from you!

Sending you all big love and wishing you a beautiful day!

Feel the fear and do it anyway

How to deal with Fear Podcast

Many of you already know I stepped out of my comfort zone last week and did my first podcast featuring on Ignite your Legend. We spoke about how to identify and remove road blocks which are preventing you from living your own Life Above Zero.

I share what tools I personally use to push past negative self-talk, why I decided to leave my comfort zone, carve my own path and start my own business in hope I inspire and empower you to "Feel the fear and do it anyway”, because we all know that's where the magic is, when your forced to grow Empowering you to live a Life of Health, Wealth and Abundance

Don't Complicate It

Time to make things simple

I hope 2017 is treating you well! You may of seen over Christmas, photos of my travels around Mexico, Colombia and Cuba! I have definitely started the new year feeling refreshed and enlightened, it was an awakening becoming so aware of how fast paced and complex our lives are in comparison to the time warped Cuba!

When did we get in such a hurry?

In the western world we make things so complex - but in terms of our health and happiness it really is quite simple; we need to get right back to the basics, we need to stop complicating things.

It's sad but nearly everyone I know and the clients I work with, are overwhelmed, overworked, overfed yet undernourished.

We are bombarded with so many options and so much information, we throw our hands up in the air and give up.

Let me simplify it for you

If you're feeling grumpy, unfulfilled, lethargic, stagnant, in a slump... do at least one, if not all of the following things:

1. Put love back into your food. Eat more Wholefoods! Eat more food that has been touched by the sun as it contains natural energy. Eat to fuel your body not to flaw it.

2. Drink more water.

3. Move your body every day. Include conscious movement into your lifestyle, do things you enjoy, run, walk, swim, dance, kick the footy, ride .

4. Love and invest in your relationships. Put in as often as you takeaway and get rid of the relationships that don't make you feel good.

5. Reflect. Just like Alcohol addiction - ask what role is technology having in your life? Use it as a tool don't let it use you.

6. Practise Gratitude. Be thankful for your running clean water, warm showers, our health care system, a roof over your head. When you come from a place of abundance, you attract abundance.

It's rocket science right? ;)

Have a beautiful, simplified day lovers

Running through your wall: A guide to breaking the mental barriers of running

Gold Coast Marathon

With the Gold Coast Marathon coming up in two weeks, I am sure some of you are thinking:

1. “Why would any sane person want to run 21/42km, who would do that to themselves?!” or

2. “I wish I could run like that.”

You already know I am not a Personal Trainer or exercise scientist; rather I am a fellow running enthusiast using my Psychology degree, to enable my clients to alter their mindset, focus on the positives and set goals to allow them to reach their full potential and take advantage of the abundance life has to offer!

I am one of the lucky ones, I inherited long running legs from my Mum, who was an athlete, and fortunately my Poppy is an athletic trainer. So growing up I got all the technical training and drills (and I guess the genetics)… However this blog is me handing down some tips I have learnt on the way - how to defeat that little voice in your head telling you, you can’t do it!

mum

1) Mastering the Mindset

Most long distance runners know defeating that ‘little voice’ is half the battle. Your mind is your most active component when it comes to running; your ego will tap out before your body will. During your run, do you find yourself saying “only 2 more songs” or working out how much you have done in comparison to how much you have to go?

Remind yourself this: As long as you’re breathing, your body will continue to go. That is why it is called aerobic or cardio exercise – your body just needs your heart pumping to deliver oxygen to your working muscles.

Aerobic exercise encourages the heart and breathing rate to increase in a way that can be sustained for the exercise session; your body is designed to do this. So don’t buy into what that little devil in your head is saying, keep running, your body has got this!

2) Just keep breathing

Like I said – cardio is all about the breath and this is where most people struggle. Do you panic hearing yourself get out of breath? It’s for this exact reason I rarely run/train with other people in fear they are not in control of their breath – I can hear when they become flustered and panic, struggling with their inconsistent breaths, which can cause me to struggle to stay in sync with my own breath.

I have taught many of my friends and clients this: slow down your breath.

To be honest, this is my number 1 trick. When you’re in control of your breath, you become in the flow, you are able to run with ease for kilometres without becoming overwhelmed, having to think or count down the KM’s – you can just be. For me, I breathe in through my nose, out through my mouth for long and slow breaths, ensuring my muscles are getting the maximum oxygen they can, to fuel my beautiful, long beach runs.

It may sound simple yet so many struggle with this. A good trick is to take yoga classes! Yoga teaches you to become aware, focus and control your breath, even when holding poses that cause your heart rate to skyrocket, yoga is able to teach you to find ease, stillness and peace in the discomfort.

3) Update Your Inner Dialogue

The truth is  change is unfamiliar, it takes effort and requires us to leave our comfort zone, and understandably people unconsciously only move towards situations that make us feel better.

Consequently, we only make changes when the pain of staying where we are, exceeds the pain of growing.  Unfortunately, even if we don't like where we currently are, what we are doing or who we are with, if moving forward or the fear of the unknown feels worse, often we will remain in our familiar discomfort and neglect our goals and dreams.

So I ask you… do you really want to run? What about it is going to make you feel better?

Explore your narrative, what thoughts do you associate with running?

• Are you telling yourself it will be embarrassing if someone sees you running?

• Are you telling yourself that you will be too exhausted to go for a run after a long day at work?

• Are you telling yourself it’s too cold and raining outside?

• Are you focusing on all the times you’ve said you’re going to train and work up to it and didn’t follow through?

• Are you thinking of all the other things you have to do and that you won’t have the time to run for an hour?

If this sounds like your story – it makes sense that you struggle to take action.

So — let’s write a new chapter...

Small shifts in your thoughts create big shifts in your behavior.

Try shifting to:

• “Running after work is my secret weapon to rebooting my energy and releasing those endorphins”

• “I will feel really f-ing proud of myself if I get up and start kicking my own goals, rather than just talking about it and worrying about what others may think”

• “I have been sitting inside rugged up staring at a computer screen for 8 hours, I can’t wait to get outside amongst nature, warm myself up and feel the fresh air upon my face”

• “I struggled in the past, but this time I’ve got a revived outlook, enthusiasm and motivation for creating the life I want and doing things I say I want to do.”

• “I am so excited to have one hour to myself out of my busy day, one hour to treat myself, focus on my breath, clear my mind and be present”

You get to choose the thoughts that are in your head. Write a fresh story, one that motivates, enthuses and excites you to get moving and make changes.

4) Spice it up! Make it fun!

Mix it up. Download some new songs or make a playlist of all your old school favourites! I love the sunrise over the ocean so that’s my motivation for getting up for my run in the morning. Mix up your routes, go exploring, run to your favourite look out! Even use some healthy competition, download an app where you can monitor your pace and try beat your last run.

5) Create a Community of Support

Humans are social beings who thrive on meaningful connection. Successful treatment or rehabilitation for any mental or physical condition relies on utilizing a support network. So, if you are trying to create a healthy lifestyle, form healthy habits or run those longer distances, get a friend on board! Set goals together, register for an event or a marathon so you have something to train and aim for, join a running group or hire a personal trainer.

Surround yourself with like-minded people who will inspire and motivate you, who will hold you accountable to the changes you say your are going to make, people who will remind you of your "why". Whether it is following inspirational people on your social media, family, friends, an online forum or a life coach, the support you need is out there. Go find it!

6) Be Smart: Create a foolproof environment

If you have decided running is something you want to do/ be better at/is a goal you want to work towards, you need to be smart about planning for success. When we are planning to make changes in our lives, we often over-estimate our ability to practice self-control by not accounting for influences of our environment.

You don't want to eat junk food? Don't have them in your home. You don’t want to drink?

Don’t go to the club. Clean out your environment, and likewise be deliberate in building yourself a supportive environment. This may be something as simple as putting your phone on charge on the other side of the room to ensure you wake up and go for you run first thing in the morning, before you find yourself scrolling down on your insta/facebook feed for an hour.

Or even packing your runners in your bag so after work you don’t have to go home before you go for a run, preventing the opportunity to get comfortable on the couch! I do things like purposely organising or leaving my car places so if I need it, I have to run back there!

Put as much distance as you can between you and your temptations for unwanted behaviour.

It may not always have to be this way, but in the early stages of building change, be smart, honest and kind to yourself. You're not super human, we all have our kryptonite (mine is cookie dough oooops),  so don’t put yourself in situations where you have to be so strong. Give yourself a safety net.

If you want to stop wishing you could run like those fit people on your insta feed and actually run like that or if you want to stick it to that little voice in your head and prove you can do it… try some of these little tricks….AND RUN FOREST, RUN!