Handling down times

☕ ☕ ☕ Coffee out and about
(actually I had peppermint tea but it doesn't have the same ring to it 😊)

 
Hello chic friends!

 

I haven't had a lot of mental bandwidth for much lately. It's just how I get at times and I try not to feel bad about it.

I think by now I've gotten to know myself, and it's not that there is anything wrong, I just feel like pulling back. It's like this internal handbrake being on and everything takes 100x times more effort to do.

At times like this I want to read books, be at home, write a little, and be offline. I know I'm so lucky to be able to do so. When I worked full-time in an office I’d just keep life really simple too.

If you can relate, please say. I admire people who are 'linear' and can just do whatever they need to get done. I think it might be part of the creative mind that works differently for those of us who aren't like that.

I've seen a funny picture and it shows A to B and a straight line from... A to B. That is one type of person. And then there is A to B with a giant squiggly unravelly ball of wool leading from A to B. That is so me sometimes!

When I get to be the straight-line A to B person everything is sooooo easy. That’s when I write book after book and post regularly on social media. But at the moment I'm the squiggly ball of wool and have a dozen books started that I’m keen on none of 🤣

Amazingly enough my work looks way better to me when I’m in a more helpful state of mind. When I’m the unravelly ball of wool all my writing looks terrible 🤣

But I am writing each day and working on a book that feels good, so hooray for that.

And I’m up to recording my 21st audiobook, almost there! I think there are about 25 or 26 in total. At least those I can narrate without overthinking things. I just turn up and do some recording. (Find them at my Linktree)

I hope you’re doing good, and if you’re not, I’m right there with you 😊 Let’s all be kind to our squiggly balls of wool that we call our heads, if we’re not feeling it right now.

~~

 

 

🍂🍂🍂
Autumn colours and bright blue skies

This has to be my favourite season and I'm really enjoying my outdoor walks each morning before breakfast. I know there are many other fans of autumn too.

For us in the southern hemisphere, it's perfectly normal to have March/April be the start of autumn.

It's completely foreign for us to have it be the start of the festive Christmas season!

Although I actually do enjoy getting into 'fall vibes' later in the year too, joining in on all the northern hemisphere fun 😊

Whether you are in spring or autumn, I hope it's treating you well 🧡💛

~~

 

 I bought these cute popcorn cups from the dollar store for a movie afternoon with friends at home. How cute are they? Afterwards I handwash them and put them away until next time 😊

 

 

I love little details like this that make life fun!

 

 

 

Wishing you a fab week :)

 

Love Fiona

My favourite success tips

 

Hello chic friends!

The beginning of the year is such an inspiring time, so I thought a fun idea would be to share my favourite success tips on living a good life. To me, success isn’t just money, it’s happiness, feeling good in my mind, being fit and healthy, and having a good balance of fun and productivity.

 

💫 My favourite success tips 💫

💌 Know how to inspire yourself. I’ve been doing lots of delicious journalling each morning with my cup of tea: goals, visualisations, how ‘she’ would be’, idea, things that are ringing my bell right now, so much goodness 😊 I also read glossy picture books, magazines, novels, and listen to audiobooks, writing down quotes when they speak to me.

💌 Please yourself. Many of us are so used to considering others and what they might want that we never think to ask ourselves ‘What do I want?’ Even when by myself! So my practice now is to think of what would be most ideal in that moment, and go and do it. Sometimes it’s a comfort thing, sometimes a doing thing. And if I really don’t feel like doing something, I don’t (maybe I’ll skip a walk that day because I feel like cleaning and organising my environment instead).

💌 Love your life. Instead of being envious of other, glossier people either online or in real life, I choose to love the life that I have right in front of me. I can make it feel sparklier all with the way I am being. I appreciate my home, the way I have set up my daily life, and how I spend my time. It’s like 3D gratitude. I’m not just writing down in my journal all that I’m grateful for, I’m living it every day.

These are just three of many, but they are the three that came to mind today 😊 Please tell me your favourite success tips if you have any, and if you don’t, what might one be that you’d like to cultivate for yourself?

 

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I just started book three in the Housemaid series, yay! It goes well with a glass of Prosecco and fresh raspberries 😍

 

I don't think stylish people put fruit in their bubbly but I don't care. I love the festive look of it, and even better to eat at the end. Delicious!

Sweet Daphne dog is always near me.

My cousin's little boy (aged 5) loves dogs, and always gives our dogs lots of hugs when he visits. He calls Daphne 'Daphanee' with an extra syllable. Soooo adorable!

(Freida's Housemaid books are on Amazon here. If you love a good and creepy psychological thriller I would recommend!)

Wishing you a wonderful rest of your weekend 😊

xx Fiona

PS. Check out my book ‘100 Ways to be a Chic Success and Create Your Dream Life’, available on Kindle, in paperback, and as an audiobook on Amazon here or in my eStore (eBooks and eAudiobooks).

A social week and journalling 'with friends'

 

Hello chic friends!

Paul and I went out for a special meal and it was so nice to get dressed up and go out :)

Craggy Range Winery has the most spectacular backdrop, as you can see. If you are ever in Hawke's Bay I would recommend it for lunch or dinner.

~~

 

It was obviously quite the social week, because I hosted ladies afternoon tea for a family birthday too. Everyone brings a plate and we have a lovely get-together.

~~

Doing some delicious journaling first thing, snuggled up in bed with a cup of tea when… paws come out from under the alpaca rug and reach for my paper 🤣🤣 Too cute!

Do you have 'helpers' when you do things too? 😉

 

~~

 

That's all for this week. I am very happy because I finished my next book this morning, so it's onto editing and proofreading etc, and I hope to have it out very soon!

Have a wonderful weekend.

 

 

xx Fiona

 

 

 

PS. You can check out my latest audiobooks here on Audible, and in my eStore. And if you prefer to read, all my eBooks and paperbacks are on Amazon here.

 

 

 

 

(My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. I’m grateful if you choose to use my link!)

Big book sale ends soon + your author dreams

:: Holiday Cheers ::

 

Hello chic friends,

 

I took a little time out to celebrate my new book release this past weekend :)

Rugged up with a cozy blanket in my satin pajamas loungewear. As you do.

It is SUCH a nice feeling to have a book completed and put out. You all know the satisfaction when you have finished a project!

And onto the next one! I love the boost that finishing one gives me for another.

I hope my US friends had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. Even though we don't celebrate it here in New Zealand I've enjoyed all your festivities on social media, so thank you for that!

~~

 

 

 

If you have ever wanted to take my online home study course ‘Create Your Dream Life as a Successful Author’, I have a super-fun special offer for you. For Black Friday/Cyber Monday, I am offering 60% off, which makes it $199 instead of $497.

The course is delivered over six weeks, and you get to keep everything forever – all lessons, audio tracks, bonus PDFs etc.

I created this course in 2018 and have pondered updating it over the years, but I haven’t because there are many things in this course that I have forgotten the finer details of now. I do much of what I do almost by autopilot and I know there is a ton of goodness in this course exactly as it is. I don’t want to mess with a good thing!

There is a money-back guarantee for the first two weeks, so if you receive the first two modules and two weeks of bonuses and decide it’s utter rubbish or just not for you, I will happily refund you, minus a small fee that is taken for payment processing (9%).

If you want to give yourself the best chance of success and get serious about writing and publishing your book, join me today and learn how you can create your dream life as a successful author!

(And I also want to say, it's not really 'serious' work. As with my books, this course is fun, playful, light-hearted, enjoyable, and inspiring. If you are like me and can't be bothered doing hard, difficult, dry things, I think you will love my course!)

You can see more details here, and of course enroll if you like.

Use the coupon code SUCCESSFULYOU for your special pricing.

 

~~ 

 

 

I don't just have followers on social media, I have them at home too!

These three doggies trail behind me everywhere.

When I am writing in my office they are there - Daphne and Chloe in their bed under my desk and fluffy white Mickydog sleeps in the doorway like a protective bouncer.

And while I am in the ensuite having a lovely long shower and moisturising session they all lie on the bedroom bench waiting for me. So cute! We will have to have the top of the bench seat recovered one day but that's another story... so many paw prints!

You'd think it would be relaxing being a dog but no, they are always watching me to see what I'm going to do next. If I do an about-turn in the hall because I've forgotten something we all collide!

And when I go out somewhere they can't go I have the three saddest faces looking at me. Even if I'm only gone an hour they give me the biggest welcome home too. Micky runs and gets a toy for me.

They really are adorably co-dependent!
 

My friend Jennifer talked about 'Velcro dogs' haha these ones certainly are! Do you have Velcro dogs too??? Tell me a cute story about them :)

 

~~

 

And, it's the final days for my big once-a-year book sale too. Prices go back to normal on the weekend for both paperbacks and Kindle/eBooks.

 

 

You can make some last minute purchases to set you up for a fabulous 2024. What better person to invest in and work on than yourself? I love self-development and that's why all my books have personal development principles running through them, in a fun, feminine, soft way of course. It's my favourite way :)

You can find all sale books here on Amazon, Kindle and print.

And for an Amazon alternative you can download all titles in eBook format from my eStore here.

My books are on various topics, but all come under the umbrella of living a beautiful life without spending a ton of money. They are a blend of cultivating a fabulous mindset, and of elevating our daily life and surroundings with luxurious touches. Plus, everything has to be fun and easy, because why would we want to do it any other way?

I hope you enjoy the sale, and if you have any friends that you think might like my books, please share this message with them!

And, let's all go for our goals and create our dream life!

xx Fiona

PS. My Amazon link is affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Thank you if you choose to use my links!

New book out now!

:: NEW BOOK OUT NOW ::

 

Dear chic friends,

 

Yay! I'm so happy to announce that my newest book is out now, in paperback and eBook.

'100 Ways to be a Chic Success and Live Your Dream Life' is all about going for your goals and living how you'd really love to live, but in a soft, gentle, feminine, enjoyable way.

In it I share all my little success tips - both mindset and practical - on how I have created my dream life. Don't worry, you won't have to become a homebody self-published author if you don't want to! But you will find out what you DO want and how to get there. And above all, you will enjoy yourself as you do so.

I hope you join me in this book. It was fun to write and really motivating too :)

If you need a boost of inspiration, you can find the paperback and Kindle copies at Amazon here.

And for an Amazon alternative the eBook is in my eStore here.

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend and happy reading!

 

xx Fiona

(My Amazon link is affiliate which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my link. Thank you if you choose to do so!)

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

 

How I spend a typical day, and a new book on pre-order!

 

 

Hello everyone! I'm trying something new and different (for me!), and have my new book 'The Glam Life' available for pre-order!

You can see it at my Amazon affiliate link here.

It comes out on the 21st of June - so exciting!

I loved every minute of writing The Glam Life. It was such fun, and I could really let my fantasies fly. I was zapped with a bolt of inspiration last November, and I remember it clearly because I was waiting at the chemist for something. I had to quickly whip out my phone and start making notes into an email to myself. I basically outlined the book in that time and couldn't wait to get home to start writing it!

About 3/4 of it was completed before Christmas, but then other books pushed in and jumped to the front of the queue. How rude!

But she's here now, and she's fabulous darling. She is finished and I'm just doing the final read-throughs.

You can't look inside the book yet, but the book is 170 pages long, and the chapters so juicy! Here they are, for a little sneak peek:

Chapter 1. Why glamour?
Chapter 2. Choose a glittering vision for your life
Chapter 3. Cultivate a luxurious state of mind
Chapter 4. Have an air of mystery
Chapter 5. Create a life full of vibrant rich health
Chapter 6. A home environment of ease and elegance
Chapter 7. Beautify your space
Chapter 8. Inspire dazzling confidence in yourself
Chapter 9. Dress for your dreams
Chapter 10. Create an at-home vacation-every-day feeling
Chapter 11. Cultivate beauty rituals
Chapter 12. Perform your own glow-up
Chapter 13. Be the elegant lady
Chapter 14. Live by your values
Chapter 15. Choose a seasonal lifestyle
Chapter 16. Engage your mind
Chapter 17. Dine luxuriously
Chapter 18. Be wealthy in all ways
Chapter 19. Adopt an apology-free lifestyle
Chapter 20. Your glam life starts now
Bonus. 50 Ways to live your most glamorous life

You can see the whole description here on Amazon.

And place your pre-order if you want to! Yay!

I am sometimes asked how I spend a typical day as a work-from-home author. No two days are the same for me! Some days, like at the moment, I'll write on and off all day (in between doing my happy housewife tasks and being a dog mum), and others I won't write at all.

But mostly I do something, whether it's a chapter or two, writing a social media post or doing office admin. The dreaded office admin! Once I bury myself in receipts and spreadsheets I enjoy it, it's just the getting started... I'd rather be writing. I'm always in my little office. It's my happy place and my husband Paul knows to find me there!

I love my creative work so much that it doesn't feel like work, and for that I am hugely grateful. It's just such fun to play around with ideas, write about them, and create my books.

I like to alternate sitting on my bum with moving around, and go through phases of wearing my FitBit to make sure I'm getting my 10,000 steps in each day. Moving around can mean actual exercise like going for a walk, or things like hanging out the washing, making dinner, and tidying the house.

I do lots of moving on Fridays when my wonderful cleaner Sue comes. The house is all tidied and everything put away, then Sue works her magic, and afterwards when I put it back together our house looks like a show-home ready for the weekend. It's fabulous, and so nice to have everything clean and tidy at the same time lol!

I am an early riser too. 6am is my standard time, but if I wake up at 4am or 5am and can't get back to sleep, I'll just get up. I put my cozy robe on, make a cup of tea and go and do some writing. It feels so good to have already written one or two chapters when my alarm goes off to get up. It's like free time! And if I was just tossing and turning wide awake anyway I haven't sacrificed any sleep.

There is no telling how good things can get when you put your foot on the gas. When you no longer find a mediocre life acceptable. When you aim big, even if your version of big is like mine: small, quiet and peaceful.

Live a creative life, be your own best creation. Every day I get up excited to be me and it's wonderful. And on the days when I don't wake up like that, I change the station, just like the radio in my car.

I fill my mind with positivity, journal exciting thoughts, plans, dreams and goals. I read from a book that makes me happy. I tidy something. I make my bed and get ready for a fabulous day.

We are so lucky to be here, on earth, living our life. Even in the hard times and the boring times. My mum always told us that bored people are boring and I soaked this message in! I am never bored, or not 99% of the time anyway. And when I am, I go and find something to be interested in.

Fill your days with gladness and make the most of everything. Reframe situations so that you can see they are FOR you, not against you. And if you can't do that, look to the future. A beautiful, bright future which starts in one second's time.

xx Fiona

PS. The Glam Life is on pre-order and comes out in less than two weeks! Order your copy at my Amazon affiliate link here!

You bring the party

 

I am working my way through the Lucky Santangelo series by Jackie Collins in between reading other novels (I know, but they are really good!)  In one of the books, someone asked Lucky if she’d enjoyed her evening at an event.  ‘Yes of course’, she said, ‘I always do because I bring the party’.

To explain what I think she meant, was that she always chose to enjoy herself.  She chose to be a good participant in the event.  She didn’t rely on anyone else to make her have fun.  She was self-propelled!

That little phrase of Lucky’s really spoke to me.  It was a good reminder to not just turn up somewhere and expect to be entertained.  That it was etiquette to be a good addition to the dinner party, get-together or event.

Even if it’s being at home with your family, going to the hairdresser, or meeting a friend for lunch, you can still bring the party.  For me, just thinking that thought perks me up.  It reminds me that I can bring a happy vibe to wherever I am.  I can be a ray of sunshine.

I can do it for myself too.  Working from home, I need to be self-motivated.  I do my writing, behind-the-scenes admin, and I also have a household to run and four pets who, even though small, do make quite a mess often.  Shedding fur, toys strewn around…

So by me bringing the party, I get to enjoy myself while doing all my chores.  I lift up my mindset with good self-talk, positivity, and create my own motivation with time goals.

The unexpected side benefit from this is that your energy is elevated.  You feel zingier, more alive, happier.  You get things done!  So next time you’re feeling a little… flat, remember, you bring the party.  It’s within you!

xx Fiona

PS.  For more ‘party’ :) go and visit my books on my Amazon affiliate link or my eStore.  They’re all waiting for you and there are streamers draped everywhere with party whistles going off!  I have extended my Black Friday sale for a few more days – everything is US$3.99, usually up to US$9.99.  And for aspiring authors, my eCourse is still on a super-special for a few more days too.

 

The end of year countdown

  

 

Have you achieved the goals you set yourself at the beginning of the year?  Feeling discouraged because we are well into the fourth quarter?  Please don’t be!  Last month I was pondering this, and decided I could still achieve the goals I’d set myself in January.

All I had to do was re-enthuse myself and put my foot on the accelerator.  Why not?  What did I have to lose?  I had written down:

1.    Goals to be fitter and healthier
2.    Books I wanted to write
3.    To set up a fitness space in our home
4.    Tidy up my office and make it more feminine and pretty
5.    Dress more intentionally in my own self-flavoured French Chic way

I started journaling every day, giving myself pep talks and revisiting my goals morning and night.  It is amazing how much this helped.  It started to become addictive!

And even if I don’t get exactly to the place I wanted to with each of these five goals, I’d still go far further than if I hadn’t tried at all.

With the twice-daily drawing of my attention back to my goals, it reminded me of what I wanted.  In the past I would write down goals but then wander off and forget about them.  By asking myself what I really, really want to achieve with the remainder of this year and then re-focusing on those fun goals, I truly found out the power of focusing all your efforts on a few things that could really make a difference to my life.

It raised everything around me too.  My admin got up to date effortlessly.  The laundry baskets are empty more than they are full.  And I haven’t wanted to eat for fun as much, or do mindless online shopping.

So, even though there are only a couple of months until the end of the year, what is something that you would be thrilled to achieve by New Year’s Eve?  Name it and become excited about it.  Write it down every night, and in the morning too.  State it as if it has already happened.  List all the fantastic things about achieving that goal and how you will feel.

You can do it!

xx Fiona

PS.  All of my books are focused on living a great life, in your own chic style.  Take a look on Amazon with my affiliate link here and see what you think!

My secret success tip :)

I had a big box of my paperbacks arrive this week, and it was like Christmas opening them!  It was lovely to see all my new covers together, and my new book 'The Chic Author' too.  I have already posted three books off to readers in Australia, who can't order from their Amazon.  If you are in New Zealand or Australia and would like me to post you a copy rather than have it sent from the US, just email me with the titles you are interested in at: fiona-at-howtobechic.com, for availablity and pricing.

The chapter I have had the most feedback on in 'The Chic Author' is 'Chapter 10: Write fast', and I'm not surprised.  Doing anything quickly is my secret success tip it seems.

Whether it's reorganising the pantry, writing a chapter or doing a task I've been putting off, doing it with speed brings me the best results.  Instead of doing a substandard job, the opposite is true, plus I bypass my analytical mind and don't overthink things.

Doing something fast gets me motivated and moving!  I can't moan to myself 'it'll take ages, I don't have time', because if I give myself, say, thirty minutes to something (and even set the timer), I get it done in that time.  It's quite magical.

This is a winter’s day view from my office this week as I finish up editing my newest book ‘The Chic Closet’.

When we first moved into our home three years ago (I know! Time flies!) I set up my office on the other side of the house. The side with the swoon worthy views over apple orchards and vineyards. But I ended up moving to the driveway-side and love it. It’s weird, but because I can see the road I feel part of the world which is nice.

This is our very first daffodil, and a fully loaded lemon tree :)  We also have oranges, tangelos and mandarins.  I love the coziness of winter and nature’s bounty too.

I hope your weekend is going well and that you are safe and happy wherever you might live.

xx Fiona

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New video! Being a chic success and creating your dream life :)

Hello chic friends!

I recorded a video yesterday!  Since my last video was more than a year ago, I thought it was about time :) 

In this new video I talk about my top three tips to becoming a chic success and creating your dream life.  I love to read about, learn and practice self-development, and, looking back, have had incredible results.  Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the tiny and incremental changes day-by-day add up, but they really do.

For all of my working life, from age 19 until only a few years ago (I’m 49, so almost thirty years), I worked in full-time employment, and dreamed of the day when I could be in control of my own schedule, and spend more time at home, my favourite place to be.

From writing on my blog, I started writing books, and now self-publish on Amazon in English and Spanish.  Some of my books are also available in Lithuanian, Russian and Vietnamese.  Amazing things can happen when you stop worrying about what everyone else thinks about what you’re doing, and just go for it.

If you have any video topic requests, please let me know in the comments!  Thanks so much for watching.  xx Fiona

(The author I mentioned in this video, Rhonda Byrne is here.  Her audiobooks are amazing, so good, and her voice is hypnotizing!)

How about this beautiful sunrise from my front lawn this week?

PS. My latest books, ‘The Chic Author: Create your dream career and lifestyle, writing and self-publishing non-fiction books’, is available on Kindle and in paperback and '30 Chic Days at Home: Self-care tips for when you have to stay at home, or any other time when time is challenging' is available on Kindle or in paperback too.