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lisad
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Homepage: http://www.thelastdegree.com
Posts by lisad
Your LOA Stories: The Law of Attraction is Real
Sep 2nd
Today I received my first submission to “The Law of Attraction in Action” from Twitter friend L.Marie.
This is her story.
The Law of Attraction is Real
By: L.Marie
The Law of Attraction is real. I have always used the Law of Attraction in my life without knowing the terminology. Growing up I used visualization to obtain all that I desired. However, it wasn’t until two years ago, when I was given the book Ask and it’s Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks, that I learned the terminology and changed my views.
Using the Law of Attraction is not only about putting an idea out into the Universe; it is about taking that idea and matching it with your emotions. If you want to have more money, and you put the intention out there, but you are feeling fear or inadequacy, you will not have more money. It is all about your thoughts matching your vibrations and emotions.
I have had success with the Law of Attraction and I have had ‘failure’. I put failure in quotations because whatever you put out into the Universe will manifest, but it might not transpire quickly or the way you imagine. I have used the Law of Attraction for all things, love, career, money, and more. The most obvious success story I had using the Law of Attraction, was when I manifested four additional months of an internship stipend. When I graduated from school in May of last year, my internship stipend was supposed to conclude. A few weeks before I graduated I put into the Universe I needed money up until August. I didn’t know where the money was coming from, but I knew I was going to be fine. The next month when I looked in my bank account I had received a direct deposit from the school. Even though I was done with school, from May up until August, I received a direct deposit. I did not question it, because it was the Law of Attraction and I had manifested the money through my positive thoughts and vibrations.
www.closedlids.com , www.anewm00n.blogspot.com , www.twitter.com/closedlids
If you would like to submit a short story (200 words) on “The Law of Attraction in Action.”please email me on lisad@thelastdegree.com.
I am looking for your everyday stories of success in family, health, wealth, relationships, and career.
Law of Attraction in Action
Sep 1st
Bright red flowers in my wealth corner
I am starting a regular segment on my Blog titled “The Law of Attraction in Action.” If you want to submit a short story (200 words) please email me on lisad@thelastdegree.com.
I am looking for your everyday stories of success in family, health, wealth, relationships, and career.
Today my little story is attracting wealth.
Problem: A few months ago I was oblivious about what do with my laundry. Being a busy mum and back to work, clothes were haphazardly piling up in the nursery and in the corner of my bedroom floor. At the time I saw no connection between the wealth corner in my bedroom with the beautiful red flowering painting and the dirty laundry piling up in the corner. Until the day the bill arrived. Another $500 bill from the hospital arguing I owed another excess fee for twin number 2. After phone calls with the hospital and private health trying to sort it out, I came to the conclusion it was another bill I would just have to pay.
Solution: As I was learning more about LOA , I requested for the bill to disappear and I started to also look around my house to identify anything amiss. It was the laundry. On suggestion of K from Connect with Spirit. I moved the laundry to its rightful place, the bathroom.
Result: The very next day I received a phone call. The bill was a mistake. I was told to rip up the bill as I no longer had to pay. Yippee! That works for me.
What is your story of the law of attraction in action?
L
Friday is my day
Aug 27th
Mother’s guilt is live and well at my place. I went back to work for three days a week when the girls were only 4 months old. I didn’t think too much of it as they were good babies and I only had them in childcare for one day. Daycare was across from work and I could drop by when ever I wanted. My mum and N were available to cover the other few days. Since then we have needed to readjust childcare as my work increased and N returned to full time work. Today I am finding it difficult. The girls are almost 9 months and we have them in childcare for two days and family daycare for one day. Besides that it is THREE days of paying for two children in childcare the most important thing is I am missing out. Other people have their routines and report on how the girls are going and although I keep telling myself that three days would be the complete limit, it is too much.
Mummy with Moana and Adelaide. 3 Months old.
Friday is my day. Friday is supposed to be my day to be a mum and spend time with my children but I confess lately it is a day filled with cleaning, emailing, laundry and shopping. Compared to daycare days where I hear the girls play, eat and sleep my day seems to be rush, busy and rush. I have read some emails and posts while trying to re-examine my goals and priorities as I think now something has to change – perhaps leave the chores to when they sleep and spend quality time when awake. They are growing up so fast; nine months old in a few days.
My annual leave is starting to dwindle so I need to make the jump officially to part-time and at the moment it is a bit of a psychological barrier – cut my salary 20% to be with the babies. I know it sounds terrible as it should not be barrier but things just are not working the way it is.
How do you juggle childcare with working and how do you spend your days with the kids?
Pilates and Lattés
Aug 24th
My health and fitness goals have slipped (as I sit here eating leftover chocolate mud birthday cake). When the girls were almost 4 months I remember having a good sob as my body was alien and I selfishly wanted to find some resemblance of my body. Like most new mums, I had unrecognizable breasts, and saggy tummy and no clothes fit.
I would have loved to have gone with all the other mums to baby yoga, baby pilates, baby swimming classes or even baby bootcamp. But it is completely impossible to attend any of these fitness inspired baby classes with twins. You need another partner and then it is double the cost.
When I was pregnant I had daydreamed of moving to the beach and going for daily walks with my double stroller in the morning accompanying the bikes and runners before relaxing
"Holiday at the beach" entertaining 4 week old twin girls.
with other mums by the beachside sipping their lattes under a bright Queensland sun. It did not happen mind you. When the girls were 4 weeks old we packed up the house, car, bottles, double bazooka breast pump, clothes, bibs, nappies, blankets, bouncers and every other baby paraphernalia and trundled down to the beach to stay with my parents. It was a week of leaking boobs, and tired and cranky babies, and 4 hourly feeds. I remember MM sneaking off home for a night so he could have 24 hours of uninterrupted sleep while I had my parents help. My walks were short as the pram was still uncomfortable in my grasp and the girls were so small.
One who once hiked 96km across the Kokoda Track was now having a heart attack pushing a double pram up the hill home.
So my next search was to find a gym. I compared three local gyms – Fernwood, Goodlife and Fitness First. I attended the membership interviews and filled out their surveys. What I wanted was long opening hours, varied fitness program, preferably a pool and sauna (but willing to comprimise), TV or some sort of entrainment, clean and nice touches to the bathrooms and locker rooms, a good crèche with low adult to child ratios and crèche prices (I would have to factor in 2 additional crèche prices to the membership), membership price and general atmosphere. In the end I joined Fitness First as they topped all my criteria plus they waived the joining fee, gave a discount for private health care, gave me three free personal training sessions, and 30 free crèche visits. Now I am back to work I am lucky to get there one day a week but I’ll get there.
Do you have any tips or exercises to get back into shape at home with your baby?
Getting out and about with the twins 4 months
My weekly Mum Entrepreneur Interviews
Aug 23rd
As a regular blog segment I wanted to interview mums who have taken control of their career and started a business from home. As I juggle with child
care and full time work, my dream job would be to come up with a great idea or exploit a skill and be my own boss.
Although my degrees are science and technology, I doubt I will be coming up with a new invention or medical breakthrough (although if you have please contact me I would love to hear about it) anytime soon. I have met plenty of professional science and business entrepreneurs but the mum niche market is something different altogether. Over the series of interviews we will discuss challenges, tips and how mums around the world did it.
If you have a question to ask these mums please email me at lisad @ thelastdegree.com or if you would like to register you interest please go to my page “The Rise of the Mum Entrepreneurs.”
Men and Communication
Aug 22nd
Since the post Stay at home dads our lives have changed again. Mere male (as per the reference to New Idea MM stories) and my new name for N, our lives have turned upside down again.
Three weeks ago MM’s Boss called and said, “There is no more work, you can go home.”
No questions asked, and dejected MM interpreted it as, “There is no more work, I lost my job.”
As we made new plans, pulled the girls out of childcare, and applied for a cheaper rental property around my work, the Real Estate agent contacted our employers (we had submitted our current payslips).
MM’s Boss called, “Where have you been these past weeks?”
MM, “You fired me”
MM Boss, “No I didn’t. I just said there was no work and to go home”
<Insert another hour of man talk>
MM entered the house with a spring in his step. “I have a promotion, three staff and a company car and I am back to work full time Monday to Friday”
Grrrrl….
So I have been frantically trying to re enrol the girls back into childcare and cancell the move.
Men and communication.
Moana and Daddy. My new favourite pic of the man of the house.
I used to be a Tupperware Demonstrator and I enjoyed it.
Aug 18th
Shock horror! Seriously if you ever wanted to start your own business join a party plan business just to get your feet wet. I have had friends become demonstrators for Tupperware, & Intimo and I have attended my fair share of jewellery, candle and linen parties.
Lessons Learnt being a Tupperware Demonstrator:
The benefits of joining these businesses are
- You already have a product (which hopefully you love so it is an easy sell).
- The administration is already organised.
- You learn new skills and Training is provided.
- Most have zero upfront starting fees.
- The marketing material is already provided.
- There is a support network and team with managers wanting you to do well.
- There is a rewards program (in addition to money there is usually free products, cars and trips overseas)
- You meet new people and make friends through customers and colleagues.
- It is a great second job if you work full time or are a mum. An extra $500 a week doing a party of two was fabulous.
- You work around your own commitments.
As my Tupperware Manager used to say, “It is your Business. You put in what you get out.”
With these benefits in mind I stayed with Tupperware for 3 years and I had a lot of fun. Of course there were the annoying customers and the dud parties where no one turned up.
I also had my fair share of trying moments:
- The night I went home after
- Brisbane Tupperware Sessions 2008
driving all the way to the Gold Coast and got a speeding fine (there went my earnings),
- The time I forgot a major ingredient in the 5 Minute microwave chocolate cake after it starting cooking (major flop)
- The night my Tupperware Manager and I demonstrated for a party of two guests, signed them up and then they vanished from all contact and never picked up their orders,
- The day I arrived an hour late because I got the time mixed up,
- The massive fundraiser we organised with the Royal Brisbane Hospital to raise money for Breast Cancer – Cups4Cups. It was a high-tea with guest speakers and demonstrators. However all that effort and marketing barely made a profit after the expenses,
- The time I went to a party, after emailing and confirming the date and time only to arrive and no one was home,
- And lastly the Party I did when only two hours before I found out I was pregnant.
Now I have three cupboards overflowing with Tupperware and a converted partner who takes his green sandwich keepers to work everyday.
Market Stall research Day 2
Aug 16th
Saturday @ The Mathilda Markets
It was bright and early Saturday and I needed to drop the girls off at my parents before breakfast to be at the market to set up by 7am. N needed the day to dig up the yard and my parents had offered to dress the girls in My Island Baby designer wear as little models later in the day. The Mathilda markets are only held about five times a year in each capital city and showcases the most gorgeous baby and kids goods. Stall holders are chosen to deliver divine and original clothing, accessories, homewares and toys.
We had our three trolleys of clothes, a banner proudly displayed at the back and a table showcasing signature items such as baby bloomers and singlet dresses.
It was hard work.
Working the stall at the Mathilda Markets
The three of us worked for the full two hours setting up before the first round of shopping mums and dads arrived. Women and children, prams and babies soon filled the aisles. Quickly pointing out the benefits of each item, “The dresses will become skirts or which dresses will be tops” highlighting the multiple uses of different items to maximise the value. We did well and it was fun. My little girls were a highlight – wonderfully dressed and sold the products just as well. My mother later said I should pay the girls in an account for each modelling assignment.
Compared to the Southbank markets the Mathilda Markets hit the target market. Further benefits included the stalls are held indoors and it is only a short fast paced day (9am to 1pm). Although the other stall holders are within our target market each one had a different and high quality product to sell. Competition was high but we still reached our daily sale goal.
Conclusion
Success. Will book in for the Christmas Mathilda markets in November.
Adelaide our little model.
To Market To Market
Aug 15th
I had approached my Aunt a few months back to see if she was interested in distributing her designer label in the markets in Brisbane. My Island Baby sells very successfully across a number of markets in Sydney. Although she gets approached almost weekly by other shops for wholesale opportunities at the moment her plan is to “Keep it Simple” with the business to remain within the family.
We did a bit of market research to see what markets would be the right ones for this product. We assessed their location, approximate thoroughfare, how regular the markets are held (weekly, once a month, once every four months) and what niche the market was in (lifestyle, farmers market, handicrafts, baby or trash&treasure). Over the last few months N, the girls and I went on little trips to see firsthand what kind of stalls each market had and whether the lable would fit nicely and sell. On Friday was trial number 1 and these are the results.
Friday night Brisbane Southbank Lifestyle Market.
This was our obvious first choice market as it is the main market in Brisbane and held every Friday night and weekend at the Southbank parklands. The benefits of this market are you only have to set up and pack up once as the stalls are locked down every night. An additional bonus is you do not have to supply your own stall. On the Friday the opening hours are 5pm and you can’t close before 10pm. It was a long and cold night. Kathy and my cousin Jess had carried all the stock up from Sydney and spent hours placing the clothes on new hangers. A Friday night crowd includes families going out to dinner but it was mostly young people hitting the town for drinks. There were a few prams around (who walks
My Island Baby
a baby around at 8pm on a cold night appeared a little bizarre) but there were no real buyers. To make things worse we were placed next to a little girls Fairy stall where everything was pink and glittery which did detract from our own little girls’ designer wear. The aim of the venture was to test it, find where to go and if we make enough money to buy dinner it would be a bonus. It was interesting to watch the dynamics of other stall owners.
I noted:
- You had the Fudge Lady who at $1 a piece was making a roaring trade (I actually bought $12 worth – for N of course). Packaged nicely and priced nicely for the market and thoroughfare.
- You had the badly dyed and faded Pink haired tough looking hippy. I have no idea what she sells but she looked kind of scary.
- The lotions and potions couple with their devoted yappy dog.
- The very businesslike aggressive swimwear designer who knows the trade of the market and will tell you if the night is a goer or a dud.
- The fairy little girls stall that is appropriately merchandised at a height for a little girl to run up begging mum and dad to buy the glittering wand.
By 9:30 all we had sold was a $5 hair clip.
As we were only booked in on the Friday we needed to pack up for the next day at the Mathilda markets. We were the only ones packing up. As we rolled the trolleys down to the car a bunch of tipsy older women oohhed and arhhed at the displays. We had a sale! No make that two! Two sales by some sweet tiddly ladies.
Conclusions
We are booked for a full Friday, Saturday and Sunday in a fortnight. Perhaps we will forgo the Friday night as except for saving time in setting up the Friday night crowds will probably not buy designer girls clothes. We will wait to see for next trial run.
Part 2 Mathilda Markets Tomorrow.
In search of Graphic Design
Aug 11th
Since re-launching my blog and finding new forums and reading some awesome blogs, I have had an itch to learn Photoshop, Illustrator and graphic design. My main motivation is to learn how to design a wonderful new Theme for my blog and take better photos. The library has a heap of online teach your-self text books but I want to do more. I have always said, “My only VHA (very high achievement) at school was Art and then I enrolled in science.” At the time I could not see a career as an artist and it’s only now do I have a real creative itch to do something. It’s not that I am busy enough but I have been researching what course options I have in Brisbane. There is TAFE, a private college, short courses at Griffith Uni College of Art or the Bachelor Degree of Graphic Art at almost all Universities.
All week I was looking forward to the Griffith University Open day last Sunday to have a look at their courses advertised and I confess we were really disappointed. The agenda advertised, “international food, creative markets by students, galleries, talks and demonstrations.” We got the girls ready in super cute jerseys, packed two single prams, paid for parking and off we went. The “International food” was the canteen, the creative market was one stall with nude art photos and the questions I asked at the design stall was quite depressing. Obviously it was a while since I left high school and when I queried about part-time, they looked at my pram and said I would have to work around childcare. All these parents accompanying their high school children and here I was with two prams. Never felt so out of place. Is uni really only for 18 year olds? I might just look into TAFE or short courses instead.
Your Comments. Thanks for visiting.