How to be calm, AND get things done

 

 

Hello chic friends!

 

I had a great question from reader Rozen in Melbourne:

“Fiona I am probably too soft and calm and taking it too easy. Do you have a suggestion for me to get going, doing a bit more and not dawdling and wasting my days.”

I can so relate to this! Yes, I adore living a ‘soft, calm life’ as in the title of my latest book, but I also like to get things done. As much as I’d love to lounge around reading a novel all day, it just wouldn’t feel good because I haven’t achieved anything.

I truly believe life is a balance of rest, play and work. And we can gently motivate ourselves if that’s what it takes. Here are my best tips on taking it easy and still getting things done!

1. Set up your environment for success by not having a lot of clutter around. Clean out what’s not important to you so that there is less to organise and clean, and you only have your favourite things surrounding you (Currently I am working on decluttering by using things up in my kitchen and bathroom, and reading books and magazines then donating).

2. Work out your priorities so you don’t waste time on ‘dumb stuff’ (For me it’s spending too much time at the computer browsing rubbish, then I tell myself I don’t have time to sit down and read a book).

3. Adopt healthy habits so you have more energy to get things done (I always feel better with less sugar and processed foods. I sleep better and have more oomph the next day).

4. Give yourself a pep talk each morning (I like to write in my journal with a steaming hot tea first thing. It might be an inspiring list, a letter from my future self, or a ‘Wouldn’t it be nice’ goals list).

5. Make a really short to-do list with three things or less on it. Not laundry or groceries, but rather a few vital tasks (Whenever I find myself drifting during the day I go back to that list and just Get The Things Done).

These tips aren't meant to be bossy, they are just what personally work for me. I hope you find something of use in this list, and please let me know which one is your favourite!

 

 

 

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:: Springtime in Hawke's Bay ::

Look at that sky! And the white blossom on my walk the other day 😊

One of the days this week was cold and grey though, so I am set myself a mini-goal to get all my tax information together to give to my accountant - within the day! It was cozy in my office, the perfect day to do such a thing.

 

I didn't get it 100% done, but I did most of it and now I'm excited to tidy up the last few things and send it all to my accountant. Often it's starting that is the hardest part, don't you find?

So, what's one big thing that's been hanging over you and can you dedicate a day to sorting it out?
 

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This week I’ve been recording the audiobook version of my book ‘A Chic and Simple Christmas’. So today I thought I’d share an excerpt from it. I know it’s too early to think about Christmas, but it’s not too early to consider how you might like to do things differently this Christmas. Zing it up, or simplify, your choice!

 

 

The excerpt I am sharing is from Chapter 1. ‘Choose what a chic Christmas season feels like for you’:

 

 

:: Christmas style versus your personal style ::

“Personally, I love the thought of Christmas and a beautifully decorated house, however in my own home I become claustrophobic with too much stuff around me. I love an elegant and simple decor style and I also like to make things easy for myself (spending days decorating our home only to take it all down a month later does not sound like fun to me).

I had a fun thought on how best to describe my approach to holiday decorating (and to put it in the best light, not just ‘Fiona’s lazy’).

You know how in Paris; most people live very centrally in apartments? Sure, they might have a window-box or two or even a small terrace with potted red-orange geraniums, but Paris is famous for her residents enjoying public parks almost as their own back yard as they read, lie in the sun, play and kiss; enjoying their own company in the company of others.

Well that’s how I feel about Christmas decorating. I love to read the glossy magazines with heavily decorated homes. I love to watch holiday movies with the perfect family home decked out entirely in a store’s-worth of beautiful and perfect Christmas décor. I love to visit neighbourhoods that are famous for their homes being decorated and all lit up on the outside. I love the feeling that all these things give me.

And I love going home to my own chic and simple lightly-decorated house.”

 

 

Maybe this is you as well? Let me know how you like to decorate for the holidays 😊

And happy weekend to you too!

xx Fiona

PS. You can find all my books on Amazon here, in Kindle, paperback and audiobook. Or visit my Linktree for other options.

 

 

 

 

(My Amazon links are affiliate but the price doesn’t change for you, thank you if you choose to use my links!)

Reader Q&A - Cultivating Your Secret Garden

 

Hello dear chic friends!

 

After my busy time, I have been easing into the Christmas season with little decor touches around :) I'm not putting up my proper Christmas tree this year but I have small things displayed, such as these pillows.

Are you going all out? Or doing 'Simple Christmas' like me? Both are perfect :) I love the all-out look, but this year I am keeping it simple.

 

 

The view on our dog walk this week

 

Reader Judy asked: ‘Can you do a post on your Secret Garden idea. please. Love it and would like a bit more detail if possible. Loved your book on Summer and will be using many of your ideas. Thanks.’

In my book ‘Thirty Chic Days’ there is a whole chapter dedicated to this topic and it’s in ‘Day 5. Create and guard your secret garden’. In this chapter I write: ‘A secret garden is that sacred, private place where you are free to dream about your greatest desires safe from the judgement of others.’

Have you ever had a delicious idea – perhaps it was a new outfit style that is quite different to what you’ve worn before, or even something major such as a change in career. And you are so pumped with the thought of it that you can’t stop talking about it to whoever is closest to you. By the time you’ve explained it, all the energy has gone from it because you’ve let it out. And the person you were talking to isn’t so enthusiastic either, because they can’t see the vision that you do.

Plus, if you’re just blah blah blahing all your ideas to everyone all the time, you’ll be that flakey girl who is all talk and no action.

This scenario has happened to me more times than I can count, and that’s why I recommend letting new ideas incubate in a safe space – your own mind – before you let them out into the world. They are like a tiny seedling that needs coddling and protection to start with.

So next time you have a lightening bolt idea, write it in your journal, expand upon it with more detail, and move in silence. Become known as the person who is always trying new things without necessarily having to get the buy-in of those around her. People will be intrigued, and you will enjoy yourself more as well as finding it easier to do your little mini self-improvements here and there.

There is more in Day 5 of Thirty Chic Days, so if you haven’t read that yet, check it out at Amazon here.

Thanks so much for your question, Judy!

 

And, I look forward to seeing you next week - Christmas week! Eek! Are we ready? Of course we are :)

xx Fiona

(My Amazon links are affiliate, and via Amazon Smile which donates money to the ASPCA. The price you pay isn't any different, so thank you if you choose to use my links

 

New spring clothes for moi, and my journal organizing tips

 

Hey everyone! I bought two new spring tops last week and they made me feel so happy and cheerful!

This one is slightly silky and the other is a light weight knit. Something I love about having a wardrobe that is not too big is that I can buy new items without guilt.

I hope you are having fun choosing some new season items whether they are for autumn or spring. Let me know what you’ve got lately!

 

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Obviously I am having ongoing problems with Jessica and my journaling time!! She loves to help 😂
 

A lovely reader wrote to me with her dilemma:

“How do you organize your notes, research, ideas, journal entries, etc? I find that, when I am doing some journal writing, I often get ideas for seasonal projects, or something I want to research, or a product I want to find. All my notes end up in my journal and unorganized. In order to find a note I waste a lot of time digging through journal pages. My favorite method to capture thoughts is in writing, with pen and paper. How do you keep your notes and ideas separate, but organized, and easily retrievable?”

I thought this was such a great question, and I actually have a loose system I use. Keeping different things in only a few places is what works for me. For example, I have:

:: A daily journal that I write in every week. I date the page and write my current inspiration or brainstorm inspiring ways to upgrade an idea of my life that I want to work on.

:: The same kind of document on my computer which I call ‘Fiona’s Journal’. When I am more in the mood to type my inspiration, I use that. I also date each entry here.

Mostly I use the ‘one journal’ system. I don’t have tons of journals because then I really would get into a mess. If I want to look back over my notes, I can generally find what I want. It’s more inspiring for me to have everything in together 😊

Something else I do which is separate to journals, is to save inspiration snippets into folders on Pinterest. Often these are private folders just to house certain topics. You could even photograph notes to put there so everything is saved all together, and you can access it at home or out.

I hope this helps, and if you have any tips on what works well for you, please chime in too!

 

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I took this photo the other day because it was so icy here : 4 deg C (39 F) at breakfast time. Can you see the snow on the distant hills? It was a beautiful day though, it always is with a frost or near-frost.

It's Friday here tomorrow and I often join my mother and aunt in town. They always meet up on Fridays for lunch, and when my grandmother was alive the three of them would - it's a tradition that has lasted decades!

My uncle called it 'the triangle lunch' and if someone else like me went along it became a square.

When it was just my aunt and mother we called it a straight line.

But when I'm there it is a triangle again! I find all the shapes funny and cute, but it's also just part of the family vernacular now.

And I've been writing this week. My next book is shaping up nicely, and I have the cover saved as wallpaper on my computer. It is SUCH a beautiful cover, I love it. I just can't show you yet sorry because I want it to be fresh with the book :)

Whatever your day brings, I trust it will be fabulous. And if it's not, see how you can bring a sparkle into it. You have the power!

 

xx Fiona

 

 

PS. You can find all my books on Amazon here or through the images below 😊

 

 

 

 

 

(If you use my Amazon links I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much if you choose to!)

Q&A video coming up!

Hello and happy weekend to you! I am so keen to do a Q&A video; I’ve wanted to do one for ages because I love listening in to others videos :)

Please put any questions you are curious about in the comments, or you can email me fiona@howtobechic.com

I really hope I get lots of questions! Imagine getting none. The shame of it!!

Wishing you a beautiful rest of the weekend. It’s almost Saturday night here, the fire is just lit, I have a bottle of bubbles in the fridge and my husband will be home from work soon.  Is there anything better than a cozy night at home?

Before I go, this is my sweet girl Jessica in her new favourite donut bed.  She loves it! To be fair, if I had one in my size I’d love it too.

We adopted Jessica almost nine years ago and she was 1.5 then. So that makes her 10 or 11?

Apart from her donut, she loves scaring the dogs, lying by the fire, lap-time and her red dot lazer toy from Kmart :)

And this week has been beautiful crisp winter weather, just perfect for a dog walk.

We’ve had such a lot of rain lately, that even I, pluviophile extraordinaire, am happy to see the blue sky.  Hawke’s Bay covers herself in glory on days like this.

How is the weather at your place? Tell me everything 😊 I know it’s very hot for some of you, being the middle of summer and all.

And don't forget your question for the Q&A video!

xx Fiona

Living slim in a culture that celebrates with food

Today's vlog post was inspired by a reader question. Cathy asked me on Facebook:

“One thing I’d love to hear your thoughts on is living slim in a culture that celebrate food, and celebrates with food. Today is the Super Bowl here in Georgia. People will be gorging themselves. My stomach is already tense thinking about being strong at the party we’re going to tonight.

So the conflict will be both internal and external, a double whammy. It’s like we need to carry within us the little secret joy that our choices are changing our whole lives, as if we need to keep one eye on the big picture, when the other eye is on the Mexican bean dip and stacks of pizza take-out.”

Haha, I love the way you've put that Cathy!

I hope you find my video useful, and please, anyone let me know if you have any follow-up questions.  A reminder if you can't hear well or want to watch my video somewhere you can't have sound on, you can turn on the subtitles (the CC button for 'closed captions').  It doesn't *quite* pick up all my words correctly which is probably because I don't have an American accent, but it's pretty good!

Update: After posting this video I realised I cut the last few minutes off inadvertently - I remember a reminder coming up on my phone and I swiped it away, perhaps pausing my video without realising.  Sorry!

Have a wonderful week and I'll catch you again next Monday with another new video (which will be complete!!) :)

~Fiona~

PS. I have TWO exciting announcements today:

Firstly is that my interview with Jennifer L. Scott of the Daily Connoisseur ('Madame Chic') will be live in the next day or so, so look out for that on Jennifer's YouTube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur/

It was SO lovely chatting with Jennifer.  She is a beautiful person inside and out!

And secondly, I have released my original '30 Chic Days' blog series as a book.  All four series are in one volume and they are a great price too - $2.99 for the Kindle eBook and $9.99 for the paperback.  The Kindle copy is available now, and the paperback will be very soon, hopefully in the next day or two.

Click here to go to the 'The Original 30 Chic Days Blog Series' book on Amazon

I have had requests to put all the series together into an eBook and I thought this was a great idea.  I have polished everything up and also added a chapter at the end with different ideas on how to curate your own '30 Chic Days' experience.  Such fun, and I hope you enjoy having this on your device or in paperback for enticing snippets of inspiration. The print copy is 278 pages long so there is lots or inspiration to be had!

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