A love letter to a younger me

I use this platform to empower women in all areas of life, whether that’s business, wealth, self-worth, health or wellness. Today, I want to talk about women and our menstrual cycles 🙈 This isn’t just one for the ladies! Guys, it’s super important for you to understand how a woman’s body works too 🙏

I wish I had someone explain to me when I was younger the superpower that women hold in their cycle. I’ve learned so much about my cycle in the last 12 months as a 28-year-old, and I’m kind of annoyed that I was never told these things when I first got my period at 15 🤷‍♀️ There’s a good ten years of my life where I would have done things differently if I did know these things. 

I’m not sure about you, but when I first got my period, the first thing I thought was that I needed to quickly go on the pill as I could now fall pregnant 😳That was seriously the only thing I was told about my period! Essentially, I just believed it meant I could now have babies 😅

So this is a little love letter to my younger self – or to the other ladies out there that never had a proper conversation about their period when they were younger ❤️ I now realise that your cycle is a road map and a superpower to help you lean into your femininity. When you really understand your cycle, you know how to live and work in a way that aligns with your energy, honours your truth and moulds around your lifestyle 🙌

Lady lying poolside

The Taboo Topic

I am no expert, and I’m only sharing this from personal experience, but this isn’t a conversation about sex 🙅‍♀️  Your period is so much more than that! When I was younger, it was such a taboo topic. It was yucky, personal, inconvenient and too intimate to discuss with even your closest friends.

I think that’s why many girls in my generation were put on the pill straight away, yet no one ever told us about the symptoms, side effects and dangers that come with that 😓 It’s not until I’m embarking on my 30s that I’m really starting to learn about this and realise how your cycle is a gift after years of trying to get rid of it.

It’s a Sign You’re Healthy

Your period is not just a sign that you can have babies; it’s a marker that you’re healthy. So many of my friends have been getting their “period” on the pill for the last 10 years, and assuming this means they’re healthy.

But, if you’re on the pill, these aren’t actually periods because you’re not ovulating!

It actually means you’re masking many symptoms that truly indicate health because you’re getting a fake bleed. That’s a whole different conversation about fertility, but it’s super important to know that your period is essentially a sign of your health as a woman. 

What was really never discussed with me was the superpowers that come with our period. I think our generation of women are more in our masculinity than any generation before us, because we’re expected to be a great wife, mum, friend and daughter – while also having an income and climbing up the ladder in our careers 😅 We are trying to work and live like men despite being wired energetically and psychologically - differently.

Your Cycle

That’s where our cycle can come in - and can be your superpower in honouring your femininity. You can actually only fall pregnant within 48 hours of our cycle. From such a young age it’s instilled into us that we need to use the pill as contraception to avoid falling pregnant.

But there are other contraception options beyond the pill that can keep you protected without messing with your health as a woman. It might be something worth discussing with your health practitioner and actually learning about some of the symptoms that you’re going through.

Pain isn’t normal, irregular periods are not normal, depression and big mood swings are not normal, and getting a bleed on the pill doesn’t mean you’re actually getting your period 💥

Credit: Lauren Kerr beach side

Men and women are simply wired differently. 

I see so many women in the workplace going through burnout. We’re trying to do everything and be all things for all people, all the time. Energetically, it’s just not sustainable, and we end up feeling frustrated that we can’t juggle it all 😖

What I’m about to teach you will help you practice kindness, patience and compassion towards yourself: it will show you your superpower and how you can get everything done without burning out 🥰

Fun Fact: Women actually have a monthly hormone cycle, but men have a 24-hour hormone cycle.

Energetically, we’re wired differently and psychologically, we work differently too. Both sides of the female brain talk to each other, which makes us really good with intuition, emotions, reading people, reading social cues and showing empathy. On the other hand, men are more dominant on one side than the other.

They use one side of the brain at a time, which means they have less fluctuation in their emotion, think more logically than emotionally and aren’t as good as multitasking as us. They’ll probably feel the same today as they did yesterday at that time during the day, where women may have a week of feeling emotional, followed by a week of feeling really social. 

When no one is teaching women about this, they’re often left feeling like something is wrong with them 💔  They’ll question their mental health, self worth and productivity - being confused as to why they went from feeling on top of the world and bossing life, to really emotional, insecure and needing down time – without realising it’s a natural cycle that will happen every month 😌. When we understand this and predict when changes are coming, we can strategically plan our life, whether that’s professional or personal 🙏

WINTER 

What I want to teach you is a really simple way to embrace this. I like to think about this in terms of the four seasons – summer, autumn, winter and spring. Every woman has their own four seasons. Let’s think about winter as when you’re on your period. I want you to think about what this time of the month looks like for you.

For most of us it’s a time of introspection and our intuition is peaked. For me, this is a time in my cycle when I need to have more self-love. This might mean cacao, baths, more cuddles, and really prioritising time with my partner in winter ✨

The shadow: However (like every season) be aware of the duality. In this season (week or so). I used to feel like I was letting people down because I wasn’t living or performing up to my usual standard and I couldn’t give my best. My energy felt forced and fake. I try to plan for this by not making appointments socially or professionally at this time, and instead focus on things I can do on my own - whether it’s finalising tasks, writing blogs, booking keep or prepping for a new month or promotion. I give myself permission to say no, and enjoy white space and just rest. This is a time for looking after you and practising self compassion and remembering rest is productive too.

SPRING

The week after winter comes spring. This is when you’re in the lead up to ovulation. This is the best time to start setting goals or intentions for the next month. Plan out campaigns and start creating content. This is where I may schedule live videos, interviews, marketing efforts, and networking events as a business owner.

In spring, I start feeling creative and inspired to take on new projects with new energy and ideas. I love to use this time to journal, meditate, dance and be all-around a bit more playful. So for your spring, start thinking about what you can do to embrace this? 🤔

The shadow: This is also a time when I can fall into overwhelm. I have this tendency of being so inspired and motivated that I take on way more than I can handle. If I know this as my cycle, I can set good boundaries and look after myself too 💫 This is where a good goal setting template or calendar comes in handy to plan out your next month or 4 weeks of projects to be able to honour and protect your energy and commitments.

Credit: Lauren Kerr standing by the water

SUMMER

Next comes summer, and this is usually the time when you’re ovulating. Science has shown that when you’re ovulating and you’re obviously at your most fertile, you unconsciously begin luring sexual partners in 😏. You will often notice you feel more social, flirty and even an increase in your sex drive!

Scientists have even found they can depict when women are ovulating because they unconsciously start to wear less clothing 😜 In this season I find I like to wear more makeup, get a blow-dry and get dressed up to have a night out with my girlfriends 💃. This is the perfect time in your cycle to plan catch ups with friends as energetically you can pour from your overflow.

You are also most magnetic at this point of your cycle - so strategically if you can, this is the perfect time to go to networking events, pitch ideas, sell online, ask for a pay rise, look for a romantic partner or go for a new job or promotion.

The shadow: A shadow of this season is that it’s easy for women to become more selfish during this season. Even if you’re in a loving and happy relationship, you might catch yourself out with wandering eyes 👀 You might get a little excited or flirty, and can fall into the trap of not being very thoughtful of others because you’re so consumed with how you’re feeling. Our vibe is high and often we don’t want anyone to f*&k with it! We also crave fun in this season and may be more social than usual - which means we may (briefly) loose focus of our goals and may not have the motivation to work. So instead consciously batch the ‘work’ that requires you to be social and extroverted so you can take advantage of this week in your cycle when your energy is at its peak.

AUTUMN 

But like everything, it’s only a season, and these emotions are followed by autumn. Just like the season Autumn, this is a great time in your cycle to cleanse and get rid of dead energy - whether it be cleaning out your work space, emails, finishing off projects before a new cycle or reflecting on habits or relationships that may no longer be serving you.

The shadow: This season is often when we are more reflective and feel a little bit tired or sensitive than usual. It’s really important to know that this doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with you! It’s completely normal to go into a period of turning inwards after a period of summer. You can only do it all and be it all when you give yourself time to slow down and honour yourself. I like to look after myself during this time with massages, cleaning my house/space and journaling. I often find myself feeling more anxious during this time, but I find it really helpful to embrace these feelings and be kind to myself… knowing just like every season, this too shall pass. We can’t be go go go all the time - it isn’t sustainable or realistic.

Understanding Your Cycle

As a woman, if you understand these cycles and you’re not thinking that your period is a yucky inconvenience, it can be the most beautiful blessing in your life. So many of us are looking for validation externally of how we are feeling and seeking permission to slow down and give ourselves a break, but we need to learn how to use our own emotions and feelings as internal guidance to work in alignment with our hormone levels. It’s a simple way to strategically plan our lives and businesses to be the best version of ourselves. 

It’s been the most beautiful journey for me to dive into this over the past 12 months with the beautiful resources on cycle syncing, women health education and moon tracking inside the Healthstyle Emporium.

I only wished someone taught me this when I was 15 rather than marketing trying to sell me tampons, sex ed classes telling me to be fearful of pregnancy, doctors encouraging me to get on the pill and society pressuring me to go on living life as if nothing had changed and to keep up with my male peers in school and the workplace.

So to a younger version of me (and you if you never had someone teach you this)… congratulations you got your period!!! This is a gift and a superpower you can tap into for the rest of your life if you choose to harness it correctly. Men don’t have this - so I encourage you lean into your femininity and leverage off it. It is such a beautiful self care ritual as well as a bio hack for productivity!

Domestic Violence...lets talk about it.

Recently I’ve been chatting with you all about some of the things we discuss in my book. But this week, I wanted to talk about something that was on my heart 💖 I find it pretty hard to be open and honest about some things in my life when I’m struggling with others.

That’s why I wanted to come here today to talk about domestic violence 👇

I recently attended a beautiful fundraiser for Kelly Wilkinson. You may have heard her story recently on the news if you’re in Australia. Kelly was a Mum of three beautiful children on the Gold Coast and her husband murdered her 💔 Her sister has five children and now looks after Kelly’s three kids, which means she’s got eight kids at home now! 

Image Credit: Lauren Kerr babes in business ocean side

Sadly… I know it’s not a unique story.

Did you know one in six women experience physical or sexual abuse from someone in their household between the ages of 15 and older? 

I have so many lovely ladies part of my community, subscribed to my newsletter, listening to our podcast and following me on Instagram in this demographic, making it super close to home ❤️ It’s even closer to home for me because I used to work in child protection services and met women every single day that were going through domestic violence. I saw how it happens…and even sadder what keeps them in those situations. 😭

During my time working in this space, I found it super tricky to disconnect 😅 I found it really hard to carry on with my day and have people worrying about the littlest things when there were other women just around the corner going to bed each night literally fearing for their life 🙁 A lot of the women in these situations also have kids… and that brought a whole new level of worry too 😭

In the child safety industry, we always stood by the fact that child safety is everybody’s business. I truly believe it’s the same with domestic violence too. It’s super intimate because it usually happens under the roof of a home, and it’s hidden by closed doors, which means many people don’t hear about it or know much about it 🙅‍♀️

Rather than talking about how we can change the world, let’s shift the focus to how you can change your world – your little piece of your world. Who are the people in your life that might need your support? 💫

We can all do our part to recognize the warning signs

No person wakes up one day and thinks, “I’m going to murder my partner today”. It’s always an escalating process, and there are so many warning signs along the way. Although we can often sense that something is wrong from the outside, it’s such a taboo subject that we don’t know how to deal with it or what to say 🤷‍♀️

When we think about the fact that 1 in 6 women go through this, it’s inevitable that someone in your world is in this situation 🤔  But the other scary thing, is that the perpetrator is someone you know too. It could be your mate, brother, dad, colleague or acquaintance, but it’s an uncomfortable and unfamiliar feeling to tackle and even more so - conversation to have. So most of us avoid it. 😱

Standing on the outside, there are many behaviours that we can pick up on to identify these situations.

• A common phrase is that women experiencing these situations become “a shell of themselves”.

• She may stop going out, her energy drops, and she becomes more reserved.

• Another thing to know is that women in these situations often push people away.

• Often when girlfriends are needed the most, they step back and think that they’re being blocked out.  

As a woman, the best thing you can do when you notice these things is not to become a victim blamer and just to be there.

• Continue to check-in and show up – even if that person shuts you out 💖Just be there.

• Ask questions – do they have somewhere safe to go? Do they have someone they can call for help?

Image Credit: Lauren Kerr babes in business on the beach in the afternoon

Sitting on the Sidelines

I have two brothers that are always around other guys at work and play AFL, and I have a husband that is a CEO of his company (so an influence and role model for his own male staff) and he used to play rugby so is constantly surrounded by men.

There are conversations that I have heard over the years amongst men via them that have happened at work, on the sporting sidelines, at the gym or at training that are simply not okay. Sometimes it’s played off as humour but saying really derogatory things about women is just not acceptable.

The problem with just being a bystander and not stepping in is that these perpetrators start to think that it’s okay, and normalise their thoughts and behaviour… and they not only get away with it 🙅‍♀️ but continue to strengthen their beliefs which reinforces their behaviour.

We need to shift this way of thinking to make any real change in the community. It’s about transforming their thinking. If you hear a male say something that really doesn’t sit well with you, we need to step in instead of laughing along (or avoiding it and turning the other way because it’s uncomfortable). It doesn’t mean we have to start a fight, but simply pulling them up shows them where the line is. 

Domestic Violence isn’t always Physical Abuse

Sometimes it’s when there is an imbalance of power and control. A lot of the time, the way men end up controlling women is through money. When men hold money over women, they loose their freedom, their power, their independence and autonomy. They have to start asking permission to do things, go places and see people.

Without money, they become separated from their community, their family and their freedom 😢…which is also where they loose their safety net. They get cut off from people which means loved one’s can’t see or notice the abuse to be able to report it or offer help or emotional support.

If the man controls the money, more often than not it means when she is out socialising - its also with him which makes it even harder for her to ask for help and adds to the illusion thats everything’s ok because they are showing up together. Sometimes his behaviour may come across chivalrous - when really it’s controlling, manipulative and stalkerish.

This is why I am so passionate about empowering women with their own income stream from home. It's not a luxury - it’s our safety and insurance. Download my free ebook if you would love to read some more statistics around women and wealth and how you can be empowered with your own finances and future.

Image Credit: Lauren Kerr babes in business mindset facts

Men Holding Money over Women’s Heads

When you hear comments about men controlling the money or notice situations like this, it can be as simple as asking: How does your partner feel about this?

Girls are much more likely to do this with other women in their life, but we need to encourage more men to do this and engage in this conversation with men - showing empathy and respect for women as equal partners 🙏

They say we’re the result of the five people we spend the most time with, so it’s important to consider what influence you can have on the people in your life too…

You can make a difference…

Stepping in can also be as simple as just sharing openly how you treat your partner as an equal, how you communicate with your partner, how you manage finances as a couple and even how you manage your own emotions, including stress, jealousy and anger. By speaking about meditation, journaling, or exercise to control emotion, rather than physical or emotional manipulation as an outlet, men can drive change by leading by example. It all starts with open conversations. 

Stepping in when you need to is so important 

If you are worried about someone and there’s just something that intuitively doesn’t feel right, you need to speak up. If someone in your social circle makes a really inappropriate joke and you just avoid it because it’s easier. Your silence is making it easier for the perpetrator.

They are getting the message it’s ok. It is normal to think like that. No one is telling them that’s disrespectful or holding them accountable… you’re giving them permission. Please don’t stay quiet. Challenge their perspective and say something. 

Men …

I really believe it starts with you too. Don’t join in on the banter when one of your mates is saying derogatory things about his partner. Opening that conversation can be as simple as saying – I don’t find that funny, that doesn’t sit well with me or that sounds a little bit controlling. 

As I said at the start of this blog, I find it really hard to just go on with my day when I know there are things like this happening in the world around me all the time. We can all do something to be part of change, or at least influence change in our own small world. I have a platform and audience so I figured let’s use it to start a conversation about something that is relevant and affects all of us in some way.

Women…

So this weeks blog is a different energy to usual but trust me when I say my head is always in the clouds dreaming and being positive…but my feet are planted firmly on the ground and I know what the reality is for a lot of women around the world which is massive driver behind what I do - empowering women with community, support, self worth, financial literacy and their own money.

If you’re going through a situation like this, I just want to let you know that you’re not alone and there are definitely support services that can help you. But it’s also up to us – everyday people – to make the change too.

Please know my inbox is always open if you would like to chat…

Sending all my love, light and strength

P.S We hosted a free event this week where we spoke about how we are empowering women all around the world with financial independence if you would love to to watch the replay here. If it resonates with you on any level - please reach out.

How to surround yourself with good people.

I'm here to have a heart to heart with you 🙈 It sounds super simple and even a bit cliche –I promise it's not though!

I want to talk about women, friendships and female empowerment 👸

It's something I think a lot of us want, but I meet plenty of women that don't experience it in their everyday life. I haven't always been surrounded by women that believe in me like I am today either. 

I've been writing about this a lot over the last little while, and I think there are definitely other women out there that are feeling similar things or maybe just need a reminder.

So, I want you to know that what you're about to read is raw and coming straight from my heart ❤️ It might be the gentle hug you need, or maybe you just missed the memo, and everything I'm about to say is news to you. 

Credit: Lauren Kerr with the bridal party

What Type of Personalities Do You Enjoy

Like many people, I did a big cull of my friendship group after high school 🙅‍♀️ I looked at the people around me and started considering the type of personalities that I wanted to be surrounded by. I asked myself which people made me feel good about myself? Which people's company did I enjoy? 

Loosing Girl Friends from School

I was surrounded by a lovely group of girls throughout high school, but I came to realisation that they weren't the sort of people I wanted to be around. There was a lot of gossip and they spent most of their time talking about other people; rather than discussing their dreams, hopes and ambitions 😕 I always felt like I was on the outer because I had to know something or be something – it just felt so cliquey 🙅‍♀️

High School to University

I came to this realisation between the ages of 18 and 20 when I transitioned from high school to uni. I used this realisation as a motivator to purposefully create a really small circle of friends. I wanted this to be a group of women and men that genuinely loved me, supported me, believed in me and spent their time talking about interesting things – not other people! 🙌

University to Now

Given I did this ten years ago now, it seriously feels like a no brainer for me 🤷‍♀‍ I mean it when I say I don't have anyone in my circle that spends their time talking about other people. Obviously, other people come up in conversation, but it's never in a negative or judge mental way 🙏

✨ CHOOSING MY FRIENDS HELPED ME CHOOSE MY LIFE ✨

When I made this shift, my lifestyle changed too 😌 I stopped hanging out with acquaintances, I stopped saying yes to events just because "everyone else is going", and I stopped making time for people that didn't fill up my cup, meet me half way or deposited into our friendship as much as they took away 👋

Once I had a really small group of friends, it also improved my romantic relationship at the time (who is now my husband 🙈). Having a super supportive and like-minded group meant I stopped expecting my now-husband to be everything.

He no longer needed to be my sole source of fun, my complete emotional support and the person that had to deal with all of the shit that came out of my mouth too 😂 Of course, I could get those things from him – but I don't think it's fair to expect everything to come from him, so this change really took the pressure off our relationship. 

After mentoring and working with women for years now, I've found that when it comes to women empowerment and women supporting women, we are actually our biggest enemies.

So often when ladies put themselves out there, chase their dreams or try something out of the box, they're worried about other women tearing them down...

It's not so much men that have anything negative to say because they've got better shit to do with their time! 🤷‍♀️ Often it's the high school friendship circle, the girls at work or the girls on social media, and it just blows my mind! 🤯

Credit: Lauren Kerr with friends having a beach side lunch

My Ideal Peer Group

I have been in this happy little bubble for ten years now. Life is way too short to waste my time with people that don't deserve my energy, and I couldn't be happier with the way it's been

🥰 But very recently, I heard some nasty stuff being said. It's been 10 years since high school, and some girls still just have nothing better to do or talk about 😢

If I'd heard what I heard back then, it would have totally shaken my confidence – which I'm sure it would totally do for many of you too 😳 It makes you doubt yourself, second guess your dreams or question whether you should really go after what you want.

Ten years ago, that would have been me too… 

But hearing that today, it only reassured me that I did the right thing cutting these people out of my life. By consciously protecting my time, energy and space for ten years, I know that not all women are like that.

There are ladies out there that are so abundant in their energy and perspective that don't waste time talking about people unless its to help raise them up…

Credit: Lauren Kerr with friends

Assessing Your Situation

Maybe you're navigating your own friendship problems right now; you don't feel surrounded by supportive people or find your friends cliquey in social circles.

I'm here to reassure you that not all women are like that - and it's okay not to accept it 🙌

Women Supporting Women

I also want to talk about how we can support each other as women. But as women, we need to show each other what "supporting women" looks like. I get that we don't always have to like everyone (we're human!), but there's no reason to sit around bitching about them 🤔 You don't need to engage in conversations like that!

• Don't join in on the slamming and instead show other people the power of kindness. 

• When everyone is sitting around berating someone, you can jump in and share what you love about that person ✨

• You could recognise them for stepping out of their comfort zone and trying something new or for not being afraid to embrace who they are 🤩

• As the positive energy that adds valuable contributions to the conversation, you'll show women that it's possible to support each other 👭

You won't just encourage other women to do the same, but I promise you'll start feeling better too. If you stop gossiping and spending time talking about other people, you'll actually have more time and energy to focus on your own life 🧚‍♀️

When you have your eyes on the positives and the strengths you see in other people, it makes you feel good – and when you feel good, you do good ✨

Credit: Roald Dahl

Focus on Being Positive

I truly believe that this is when life becomes magnetic. The frequency you put out in the world influences the things that come your way, so when you're radiating goodness, it'll come back your way in return 💖 

From a health perspective, you store that negative energy talking about others within your body and you can make your body more susceptible to autoimmune diseases too. There's plenty of research around the true extent of this, so there is really no need to waste your time with those people. 

So, women. If you're feeling like you don't have support around you – I encourage you to cull your circle 🙋‍♀️

It can be scary, but it's so worth it. Don't have people in your life just for the sake of having people in your life. There is no need to accept attitudes and behaviours that bring you down. 

Start cheering other women on, and if you don't have anything nice to say, just don't say anything at all…

Think of it as an energetic bubble to help you navigate the world. Every time you meet someone, let them earn their spot in your bubble 🙏

Don't give them access to your inner circle until they prove they will fill up your life in all the right ways.

• Are they investing as much energy as you are into the friendship?

• Do they make you feel good and care for your best interests?

• Are they a nice energy to be around or do they bring negativity with their gossiping? 🤔

Credit: Author Unknown

Create a Network for Support

I can hand on my heart say that we've created this environment in The Healthstyle Emporium and Babes in Business.

We spend our time talking about our goals, helping each other and celebrating our success. It's so inspiring to see more than 10,000 women out there supporting each other! 🥰

It starts with you. Show women what supporting women looks like, and your life will completely transform. I promise 💖

My Results and Reflections from the 75 Hard Challenge

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll know I just finished the 75-Hard Challenge 🙈 I had plenty of you cheering me on and I am so grateful for your support, so firstly a BIG thankyou for your messages on encouragement along the way 🥰

I was actually inspired to do the 75-Hard Challenge because a couple of my girlfriends had done it. If you haven’t heard of it, you can click here to read my last blog about it! It’s more of a mental toughness challenge than a health challenge.

For 75 days you have to:

✨ Do two 45-minute workouts a day, including one outdoors

✨ drink a gallon of water a day, which is about 4 litres 

✨ Read a personal development book 

✨ Take a progress photo 

✨ Stick to a diet – My partner and I chose vegetarian 

✨ No alcohol

If you miss a day or messed up on a day, you had to go back to day one!

After watching some of my girlfriends do it, I thought – you know, I’m pretty healthy! 🙋‍♀️ I’ve come a long way with my health over the past few years and we live a pretty healthy lifestyle, but I wanted to do it to test my discipline. I eat pretty healthily during the week, but on weekends I love a cheeky cocktail or a doughnut 🙊  

Credit: Lauren Kerr Babes in Business enjoying a beverage 75day hard challenge

Our Focus

My husband and I are both in a chapter of our lives right now we’re really focusing on business, and we can’t travel so we we’re looking for a new way to tap into our full potential and test our limits. 

Before I started, the thing I was most worried about was the alcohol 😅 I don’t drink a lot (I used to in my early 20s!!) but I’ve gotten a point in my life where I will enjoy a cocktail or two when I’m out on the weekend 🍹 I drink pretty consistently but I don’t drink a lot I don’t think I’ve done more than a few weeks without alcohol since I was a teenager, so I was pretty impressed with myself to last 75 days. 

I shared my experience along the way on Instagram and had a lot of you reach out to ask how the experience was for me. So here is some of the answers to your questions, some tips and my results!

After completing my 75 days, I’ve drunk 75 gallons of water, completed 150 workouts (many in the rain! 🌧), I read 8 books and had no alcohol or junk food (I will confess, I did have lollies one day 🙈 BUT ☝🏼 they were vegetarian and had no gelatine in them so I decided that wasn’t technically cheating 😅). 

Although I did the challenge as a mental test, I did notice some physical changes… 

Credit: Lauren Kerr 75hard challenge before/after

Credit: Lauren Kerr 75hard challenge before/after

75 Day Hard Challenge Results Before and After

Before I started, I did a body scan at the gym and then retested halfway and again at the end.

This was never about weight for me, I actually wanted to put on some weight, tone up and gain muscle 💪 I ended up putting on a half a kilo, and I gained centimetres around my arms, legs and butt, which I was super happy about 🤩 I lost some centimetres around my waist and I did go down in body fat too 👊

If I tried to do the 75hard challenge 5 years ago, I have no doubt I would have failed. Many of you didn’t see or know me back then, so I don’t want you to compare your chapter one with my chapter 21. I have come such a long way thanks to all the education and support from the Healthstyle Emporium, and health is a lifestyle for me now.

I move my body because it makes me feel strong, energetic, positive, clear and reduces my anxiety 😇 I don’t look at calories, I eat nourishing and wholesome foods because it nourishes and fuels my body with energy AND tastes yummy 💥 But if I want to have a doughnut, I’ll have a doughnut 🍩 If I want to have a cocktail, I’ll have a cocktail 🍸 I LOVE to read.

It’s something I seriously just enjoy doing these days! So all in all most of the 75 hard was what I was already doing… I just would be excessive and disciplined about it every day… instead intuitive and honouring how my body feels.

BUT that was the point…

This challenge was about showing up and being disciplined everyday! Not just the days you felt like it or had the time to do two work outs…or when the sun was shining 🌞. Trust me - there were many days where I didn’t ‘feel like’ running or walking in the rain and wind.

Especially when Gold Coast had an weather event with torrential rain and floods for a whole week 🤦🏼‍♀️ I still tried to honour my body though, especially as a women through my cycle if I needed to be a little more gentle on my body I would choose to walk instead of run, yoga instead of the gym and I even picked up dancing again to mix things up 🙌

Credit: Lauren Kerr - 75 Days Hard Challenge

The Biggest Challenge…

The biggest challenge for me five years ago would probably have been the food. I had a really bad relationship with food and looked at all foods as either good ✅ or bad ❌.

Even trying to eat plant based or vegetarian diets would have left me confused on what I could actually eat! It wasn’t until I joined the Healthstyle Emporium that I realised eating healthy didn’t mean I had to cut out all my favourite foods. I’ve learnt there are healthy alternatives for everything, and it’s okay to eat the foods we love in moderation ☺️

While I enjoy a drink or two on the weekends now, I used to binge drink pretty much every weekend five years ago 😳 I used alcohol as a way to manage emotions. When I felt shit, had a bad day at work or just wanted to lose myself, I would reach for alcohol or a weekend out with the girls to just get drunk and let of some steam 💃  rather than learning healthier ways to manage stress like I do now - exercise, journalling, meditation, deep breathing, understanding and honouring my cycle and hormones.

It’s so important not to play the comparison game… 

The 75 Day Challenge is Too Hard

To all the girls out there thinking the 75 Hard Challenge is too intense or difficult, this is your reminder that everyone is at a different stage of their health journey. While I would have struggled with the challenge at 23, the 2.5 months honestly wasn’t difficult for me at 28 💁‍♀️ It was inconvenient and there were days where I really didn’t feel like sticking to it, but I still made it through pretty easily. 

Mix It Up Then…

If you’re someone that still has a while to go on your health and wellness journey, I probably wouldn’t recommend throwing yourself into the deep end with this challenge ✋ Instead, try moving your body because it feels good – not because you’re punishing it for a big meal, one too many drinks or because it’s been a while since your last workout 👊

Skip The Diet… Try Education…

Skip the diet and educate yourself about nutrition, so you learn to enjoy and eat nourishing foods because you want to fuel your body with the energy you need to get through the day! 🙏 The funny thing is too - once you start to eat better and cut out processed foods and refined sugar - your taste pallet changes and it starts to crave more of the good stuff making is not only easier to eat better but you actually prefer the taste of wholesome plant based meals and treats 🍫🤤

Make Time for You!

My highest value is freedom, so the biggest thing for me is during this time was the mental game of knowing I was restricting myself! I believe everything is okay in moderation! We’re not going to look back on our deathbed and be grateful that we never ate a doughnut!

But when we feel good, we do good 🥰 Some of the best days of our lives are in front of us, and if we don’t have our health, we’re not putting ourselves in the best position to enjoy them ✨

Reflecting

I realised just how far I’ve come in the past few years when I realised that many of the things in this challenge were already part of my life.

The day after finishing, I still went for a 10km run, read a whole book and drunk my 4L of water 💦 The one thing that will be changing now that I’ve finished is that I will be treating myself to a cocktail when I feel like it 🙈 Why? Because I enjoy it! And that’s a good enough reason if you ask me 🤷‍♀️

I think that’s a really important point for us to consider though.

1. Why do you drink alcohol?

2. Is it because you feel like you need it to be fun and social?

3. Do you do it be outgoing?

4. Do you do it to manage your feelings and emotions?

The same thing applies to sugar! 🍬 I used to reach for sugar to treat myself after ‘being good’, or when I was feeling down or at the end of a long and stressful day. Cutting these things out of your life gives you the opportunity to reflect on the relationship you have with them 💁‍♀️

Why are you doing the challenge? 

If you decide to do the 75 Hard Challenge, I encourage you to consider if you’re doing it for the right reasons before you start ✋

1. Are you doing it to starve yourself?

2. Are you doing it to punish yourself?

3. Are you doing it to lose weight?

I would say that these may be the wrong reasons to do a challenge like this!

I think it’s far more beneficial to do the 75 Hard Challenge to test things like discipline and unlock your full potential. 

Read More: My Goal for 2021 and Why 75Hard Challenge

Key Reflection Points

There are a few things I reflected on at the end of my time in the challenge that I would love to share with you ✨

1. I think we’re all capable of doing anything we set our minds to 💪 Too many people say things like “I’ll try that!” or “I’ll give it a go!”, but that to me sounds like you’re half in-half out. I honestly believe that all it takes to be successful is to completely commit and throw yourself in whole heartedly 💖

2. Structure is your freedom! I think some of the reasons the 75 Hard Challenge was so easy for me is because I had structure. First thing in the morning I did my first workout. I made sure I drunk 1L of water before my first workout. I made sure I drunk 2L of water before lunch. I made sure I read my 10 pages every night before I went to bed. It’s the same in business or anything really! Structure helps you gets more done in less time, so that you’ve got my white space to enjoy the things you like.

3. .Don’t make it about how you look – focus on how you feel! Think about how it feels to feel strong, energised and prioritised. You’re worth being an inconvenience! I see so many people put themselves and their health on the back burner, but you’re not going to be able to achieve anything if you don’t have your health!

4. .Surround yourself with people that have the same values as you. I did this challenge because I was inspired by some of my girlfriends that had gone ahead and done the same thing before me. It was also easier doing 75 Hard Challenge because I was surrounded by other people that also value their health, personal development and self-discipline 🙌 It wasn’t hard to have fun on the weekends, have friends over or go out for dinners, because there was no peer pressure or bullying for what I was doing and I wouldn’t be drinking or couldn’t eat what they were… They respected what I was doing and knew it was important to me. If you’re delaying doing a challenge like this (or anything in life!) because you’re worried about what your friends might think or say, it could be a sign that you need to rethink the people you spend your time with.

Credit: Lauren Kerr 75Hard Challenge Poolside

Most Importantly…

Like I’ve said, I’m a big believer of anything in moderation! My husband and I celebrated finishing the 75 hard with a little Island getaway where I enjoyed lots of cheese, wine and a donut for breakfast…with absolutely no guilt ⚡️

Test yourself, push your boundaries and further your growth, but remember to take a moment to enjoy the little things in life too 💖

5 things I have learnt from building a million dollar business

This week was an exciting milestone for me and my business. We turned five! 🙈🎂

I recently read that less than 1% of businesses around the world generate more than $1,000,000 per year in sales. This was a little yay-moment for me because not only has my business survived five years, but it’s thriving and we’re generating more than $1,000,000 every year 💸

The whole point of running an online business is to make things look pretty, glittery and attractive, which means my business probably looks like fun 100% of the time from the outside…

Given you guys only see the highlight reels of my job, I really want to take this moment to have a heart-to-heart with you all 💖

What better way to celebrate turning five, than to share the five biggest lessons I’ve learned from building a million dollar business 👏 It’s not always easy and fun, but that’s actually what inspired us to start our podcast – Babes Talking Business. We wanted to empower women by sharing what actually goes on behind the scenes of running a business! 

I really hope these lessons will inspire you to take the plunge and start your business – or take your side hustle or biz to the next level 💪

Read More: 7 Day Coaching Series | Health & Happiness | Buy My Book

Image Credit: Lauren Kerr Babes in Business photos by rocks on the ocean

1. Get clear on your vision and your WHY ✨

What inspires you to start a business? A side hustle? A passion project?

I know it sounds really cliché but it’s honestly true. You need to understand your WHY… 

It’s super important to know what you want from your business and what’s going to drive you, because the first 12-months getting your baby off the ground are always the hardest. But when you’re clear on WHY you’re doing it, you can decide whether your discomfort, pain and challenge is outweighed by the potential that you see in your future. 

I like to think of it as either being motivated by the carrot or the stick. Sometimes people are inspired by the carrot - the shiny things or pretty vision at the front. They’re inspired to create a lifestyle, generate an income, make an impact or have a contribution 🙌  Other people are motivated by the stick - the pain that is always just behind them, reminding them of their reality if nothing changes. I was initially motivated by the stick. It was being unhappy in my career and my lifestyle that led me to make BIG changes in my life and start my biz ✔️

I see so many people start businesses and feel so inspired by the idea of business or a creative project at the start, but the reason they fail or give up is because in the back of their brain they’re doubting themselves and if the work it takes to actually be successful at it is really worth it 😅 They’re asking themselves if it’s really worth working on Saturday? Is it really worth working on my side hustle at the end of a really long day? Is it really worth me putting myself out of my comfort zone? Is it worth the rejection? 🤷‍♀️

What these questions tell me is that they still haven’t decided what they want - or more importantly - WHY you want it…

Because once you become really clear on your why, it’s so much easier to just dive in and do it. It’s really as simple as that! 💥

I’m not here to sugar-coat things – my first year was TOUGH! 🥵 While it was super tricky in those first few months, I really think knowing my why is how I’ve been successful. I don’t need anyone to motivate or inspire me. I don’t need to be reminded why I’m doing what I’m doing. I know wholeheartedly why I do what I do, and that makes all the work worth it 💖

Image Credit: Lauren Kerr babes in business monthly podcasts

2. Anyone can be successful at business, but it’s not for everyone 🤗

When I say this, I mean it in the nicest way possible! I started my business with an absolute passion to help anyone and everyone that had a vision. What I’ve realised over the past five years is that it doesn’t matter if you’ve got no degree or 10 degrees, no kids or four kids, if you’re a man or a female.

But it does take a certain type of breed to be successful in business 🙌

• I’m not sure if it’s innate or if they’re characteristics you can work on, but you need to have self-discipline.

• A lot of people come into entrepreneurship with an employee mentality.

• They think they’re going to start at 9am and finish at 5pm, and because they worked 8-hours they should have made at least the average wage for the day.

• These people believe they need to trade time for money. 

• That employee mentality just isn’t going to serve you in entrepreneurship 🙅‍♀️

You can’t think that you’ll work as long as someone tells you what to do or that you’ll work as long as someone congratulates me at every checkpoint 😳 

If you need a pat on the back, entrepreneurship isn’t for you. You need to do things when nobody is watching. It’s about discipline, delayed gratification, resilience ⚡️ If I gave up every time I was rejected, whenever anyone said anything negative about me or my business, or whenever I hit a roadblock, I would have given up a long time ago! 😂

What I’ve learnt from being in business is that for you to be successful in business, you need to be resilient, but you also need to be a problem solver. You can’t throw yourself a pity party every time life gets challenging, because you’ll never be successful. And spoiler alert ‼️ Problems never go away. You solve a problem just to get a bigger (higher quality) problem.

The truth is that failure and success aren’t two different paths 🤷‍♀️ We can’t have one without the other. In fact, if you’re failing, I would say you’re already succeeding 🤩 If you’re being challenged and you’re having problems in your business, it’s not that you’re failing. These are just normal and natural parts of running a business, so it actually means you’re on the right track! 💪 Success is on the other side of that failure - not on another road altogether!

These aren’t the things you can get from a coach or a mentor. They’re the things you need to dig a little deeper and find within yourself to be successful…

And maybe business isn’t for you. That’s ok - business isn’t for everyone. Employees and jobs are just as important, needed and valued to change the world, help people, deliver services and products, put food on the table and raise families. Get clear on what you want, what is important to you - and what is the right vehicle to get you (and your families) needs and wants met. That may change in different chapters of life too.

But from what I have seen and experienced… entrepreneurship is in your blood. You can try to suppress it, but it keeps taunting you. You are always craving or day-dreaming of more and will never be satisfied reporting to a boss or settling for a capped pay check.

Image Credit: Lauren Kerr babes in business motivational and mindset books

3. Dive into your money story 💰

Plenty of us don’t realise that we inherent our money habits. We’re taught to manage and think about money in a certain way growing up. The traditional schooling system teaches us that we need to trade time for money – That’s what I thought when I left school and got a scholarship to go to university! 😳

But when we think about money in that way, it’s really tricky to embark on business when you stop trading time for money. It makes it hard to scale because it brings a guilt that you’re not working as hard as you were at the start, yet the money continues to grow. I’ve been there 🙋‍♀️ (I even wrote a blog about it if you would love to hear my own personal breakthrough!)

I think every business owner needs to do some type of reflection or investigation into their personal money story. It can be really hard to think like an entrepreneur if we don’t truly understand these things within ourselves. It’s about working harder not smarter, scaling the business and building residual income and an asset 📈

Once you’re properly educated on money and you understand the importance of having multiple income streams, you can look where you currently are and use the statistics to predict where you’re going to be in 10, 25 and 50 years from now ⏩  How much superannuation are you going to have? How much more tax are you paying for not having a home based business? 

Here is a blog where I shared the 7 books that personaly helped me shift my mindset around money and changed my life, literally.

Diving into your finances and financial literacy will teach you that you can’t afford not to have multiple streams of income. In the 21st Century, you can’t afford not to have a side-hustle or investments in different areas 💵 You need to look at your money to realise how simple these things are too. If these things don’t make sense to you, then you haven’t dived into your money story yet 📚

Plenty of people were probably surprised by these sorts of things over the past year from COVID-19, but that’s because no-one has ever forced them to look at their money. The most successful people I see in business are the ones that have educated themselves about finances and they use it to keep their eyes focused on their vision 🙏

Image Credit: Lauren Kerr babes in business beach side gathering

4. Relationships are EVERYTHING 💖

I mean it. EVERYTHING! 🙌 Getting any business off the ground is about networking. Unless you’ve got money to invest in paid advertising or you’ve already built a platform of influence. But usually the way you grow influence is through building relationships and adding value consistently over a long period of time 🙏  Once you start building a team, it’s then all about how you can look after those people and nurture your relationship with them 🥰  Whether you’re a small or large business, this is everything! 

The best way to improve your relationships is to work on your communication. It’s about people-skills and knowing how to listen more and talk less 👂 Look into sales, leadership or influence books (I have a whole chapter on emotional intelligence in my book if you feel called to delve into that). Learn how to read people, ask great questions and solve people’s problems 🤝 We’ve never lived in a world where we’ve been so connected, yet people have felt so disconnected. 

People just don’t want to hear about your shit 🙈 When I’m hanging out with family and friends, I’m asking them about them. When I’m meeting potential clients, I want the focus to be on them and what they want to achieve. Taking the time to ask these questions doesn’t just bring success, it brings deep and meaningful relationships. 

Don’t go into things wondering what you can take. Always ask yourself what you can give or how you can leave a positive impact 🤔 Whether it’s your energy, your focus, a referral for a book you read or your program or your products, it’s so important to get good at your communication and relationship skills. 

If I’m being totally honest, this is still one of the biggest challenges I face today 🙋‍♀️  It’s easy to build a tribe of people like you, but when you start building a team and a successful business, you have to up your game 💪 There are so many people out there that come from different backgrounds and have different perspectives, values, love languages, communication styles and personalities, and I welcome that! But it’s a huge responsibility to make those people feel valued, seen and heard. 

You can mean so well, but it’s important to realise that we all look at the world differently and we have different personality styles. The key is being able to understand others, and be flexible in your approach and learning it is not about how you communicate or see the world - it’s about how they do. You are here to serve them ✔️

Image Credit: Lauren Kerr babes in business motivational and mindset speaker

5. Shiny object syndrome!

The people I see having success in any profession are the ones that don’t chase shiny objects.  We hear so many stories of the businesses that fail, but I honestly think no one has told these people that they’re not failing – this is just business! 😉

These people are told life is greener over here, you’re in the wrong company, you’ve just got the wrong product. If you’re distracted by comments like this, you just can’t be successful. We all see those people that jump from company to company or industry to industry – they never make it anywhere! 😬

You need to have grit, focus and determination to be successful 👊 A big part of this is surrounding yourself with people that are actually successful in business and will tell you how it really is. Business is hard! Talk to any successful business owner and you’ll realise they’re in the trenches with you! 🙏

There are going to be seasons in your business where you are hustling in the trenches and you’ve got to get to work. It’s early morning and late nights. But if you’re surrounding yourself with the people who are actually doing the do (or have done it in the past to create the success they enjoy now), they’ll tell you it’s not forever. It’s just for a season. 

It’s like anything in life! We have seasons in the economy, in the weather, even in our menstrual cycles as women! Business is the same, particularly as a start-up. I’m telling you this because if you’re in the trenches, it’s all worth it! 

Surround yourself with like minded people who ask you the right questions, challenge your standards, remind you of your worth and your why when you forget…

✨Because quitters never win, and winners never quit ✨

The last 5 years have shown me that I am my biggest asset. I know I can rely on me to show up, do the work and look after other people. Why do that for someone else and not for me? If you know you have drive like that within you, show up and work on your own dreams rather than being used to build someone else’s because people with this level of tenacity, hunger, desire and willingness to learn are hard to find. So if an employee has got you… trust me it’s your loss.

My journey certainly hasn’t been all rosy and up-hill. There has definitely been seasons of my journey like that, but they have been periods of plateau or dips too. That’s not because of luck 🙅‍♀️ It’s because of delayed gratification, vision and being surrounding by like-minded people. I dive into my money story, show up when I need to and remind myself that we all get to choose our hard 🤗

Owning a business is hard. But is working 9 to 5 for someone else easier? 

These are the five biggest lessons I’ve learnt, and I’m still only a baby but I can say that the girls I work with are what inspire me. I’m beyond grateful that I get to wake up every day and do what I do with these epic women by my side. They were the women I was craving for all those years ago - women who were ready to be the change. Thank you for joining me on the journey so far – here’s to plenty more years to come!!🍾🤩

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 💖

2021... My wish for you this year

Set Goals on How you Want to Feel

⭐My wish for you is this year you set goals on how you want to feel, not the numbers on a scale or likes on a photo 🙅🏼‍♀️

⭐My wish for you is that you glow from the inside out because you nourish your body with wholefoods 🍓

⭐My wish for you is that you radiate happiness from the endorphins you release daily from moving your body (because you’re grateful you can) 🤸🏼‍♂️

⭐My wish for you is that your energy lights up a room when you walk in because people can feel your peace and joy 🥰

⭐My wish for you is you attract soulful and abundant relationships because your level of self worth wouldn’t accept anything less 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

⭐My wish for you is the confidence and security that comes with prioritising your own wealth creation and career so you can have the freedom to pursue your dreams ❤️🙌🏽

Lauren Kerr from Babes in Business starting the New Year with a Glass of Champagne

Welcome to 2021…

Hello and welcome to 2021! I hope you all had a super relaxing Christmas and New Year, and that you’re ready to tackle the year ahead!

Given many of us have just returned to work for the year and we’re starting to get back into the swing of things, I thought it was a great time to talk about NEW YEAR GOALS.

Lets get started…

⭐How many of you have set goals for 2021?

⭐And how many of those resolutions are around your weight?

Us women are the worst for it 🙈

Days of a Professional Dancer

If you have read my book you will know in my days of being a professional dancer, I didn’t have a healthy relationship with food, exercise or myself. And when Christmas would come around I would enjoy everything, and then I would spend January self-loathing. I would punish my body, start a diet or plan out an unrealistic exercise regime 😣

But I haven’t set goals like this since I was 21. It’s been around seven years since I placed these unfair expectations on myself and would beat myself up for not reaching the goals. I had to pull myself up and change my thinking when I realised just how much I was damaging myself. 

Why Didn’t I Achieve My Goals…

I’m sure many of us have set resolutions that depended on a number on the scales, but I’m sure just as many of us never actually achieved those goals 💁‍♀‍ The reason we never ticked them off our list is that we were focusing on the wrong thing. 

A New Way to Goal Setting…

⭐This year, I want you to shake up the way you look at your New Year’s goals.

⭐Instead of making it about what you look like, make it about how you ‘feel’.

⭐Think about how you’re going to feel when you start nourishing your body with the right foods.

⭐Think about how radiant you’re going to be when you’re so positive and happy because you’ve been moving your body every day and releasing endorphins.

⭐Think about the confidence you’re going to have when you have good self-worth and boundaries. 

Lauren Kerr from Babes in Business with a big smile

Getting Back Into The Swing of Things

As you get back into work for the year, I encourage you to set some intentions for yourself.

Ask yourself – “How do I want to feel?”.

⭐Skip the diets, skip the restrictions and skip the weight loss challenges.

⭐Instead, move your body because you’re grateful that you can.

⭐Nourish your body because you’re grateful for everything it does for you, and you want it to keep looking after you.

⭐Think about the sort of person you want to be in your relationships with your family, friends and colleagues. 

If you’re looking for a romantic relationship in 2021, this is something you can consider too…

⭐Do you need to make yourself feel worthy and content in your own company before you can be with someone else?

⭐Do you have your own routine, hobbies and things that bring you joy?

⭐Are you stable in and passionate about your career?

⭐Can you confidently stand on your own two feet financially?

⭐Have you filled your cup to the brim so someone can come share your happy bubble and compliment your already amazing life?

⭐Or are you needing someone to ‘make’ your life and be the reason for your happiness.

Remember we are attracted to people that want us…not need us.

Self love and self worth is sexy AF.

Lauren Kerr babes in Business goal setting in 2021

Are you caught in the Trap of Unrealistic and Unfair New Year’s Resolutions?

These are concepts that we slowly learn as we grow older and develop healthier relationships with our food, movement, relationships and ourselves.

But there are plenty of women, particularly young women that follow me that are still caught in the trap of unrealistic and unfair New Year’s resolutions. I’m here to challenge those girls and say – Don’t do it. 

⭐Make this year the first year that you don’t set a diet goal.

⭐Make this year a year where you focus on how you want to feel.

⭐If you’re focusing on restriction and deprivation, you’re only going to feel like a skeleton and a shadow of your best self.

Choose abundance, nourishment and alignment… 

I take a deep dive on this in my book, and I’ve got a whole chapter dedicated to setting healthy goals for yourself. If you’re looking for further learning and want someone to hold your hand and be a cheerleader, send me a message and have a look into the Healthstyle Emporium. 

Healthstyle Emporium - How it Can Help…

I used to have such a bad relationship with food and movement, which I think resulted from my dancing background. When I came across the Healthstyle Emporium, I learned a little more about nutrition and the effects of stress on my body.

Before this..

I used to run endless kilometres every week, skip meals and restrict my eating. But you know what? Despite me focusing excessively on my ‘health’…it was the unhealthiest and unhappiest I have ever felt 😅

Finding Myself…

After going through that journey myself, I really want to encourage you ladies to make this year the year that you have a different relationship with food - that you focus on loving yourself from the inside out 💖 

⭐The best way to start this journey, and commit to yourself is to surround yourself with women that lift you up, inspire you to be the best version of yourself and encourage you to dream big...

⭐Fill your feed with these women. Spend your time with these women. Stop making space and time for things and people that bring you down and don’t enrich your life, or at the very least challenge you to be better. 

⭐Let’s start by thinking of one healthier habit you can focus on cultivating today…

⭐Whats one thing you can focus on this month that would you become the happiest, healthiest and most inspired version of yourself?

Lets start there 😉

What is the Healthstyle Emporium?

Earlier this week I did an IGTV explain what The HSE actually is, what it includes and I shared a sneak peak of the magic that happens behind the scenes inside the program if you would love to check to out!

Get Healthier and Happier Program

If you would love to get healthier and happier with me this year, be sure to check out the program here.

Partner with Lauren Kerr

And if you would love to get paid to share the program and create an online income, check out info about our team here.

If you have any questions, let's connect!

Send me a message on the below platforms...
- Instagram
- Facebook
- Email

So excited to see what magic 2021 has in store for you!

To your health and happiness,

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,

How to get yourself out of a funk

Real talk. I was in a funk last week. So, I’ve decided to jump on here and share some of the things I did to pull myself out, in case you might find yourself in the same place. I shared this as an IGTV story too if you would rather watch than read!

Before we get started, it’s important to realise that nothing has to happen for you to be in a funk. You might just wake up one day, and your energy might be off, it might be your time of the month, you might not be feeling inspired or be struggling to find motivation.

If you follow the cycles of the moon, you might be in a phase of ying, rather than yang phase which is masculine and doing. As you can see, there are plenty of different things that can trigger these feelings, but you don’t need to understand it in that moment. Instead, you can honour those feelings and focus on moving yourself out of the funk.

Tips to get yourself out of a funk 

Habits

I am a big believer in the power of habit. I have habits for my business, my personal life, my health. For example, in my business, I rely on systems that spit out who I have to talk to and who I need to follow up. I also batch content so that I’ve got photos, videos, blogs, podcasts and ideas ready to go for the days when I’m really struggling to find the motivation and inspiration to create something new. 

In my personal life, my body wakes up at 6am now naturally after training it to with the habit of using an alarm. My next morning habit is usually to head to the gym at 7am or 7.30am, and then I always find time during the day to listen to a podcast, training or some type of brain fuel to help with my mindset. I don’t feel the need to go and actively do these things - they’ve just become part of my daily habits. 

It’s important that we cultivate these habits in our everyday lives because it’s pretty hard to pick up a new habit when you’re in the middle of a funk! By taking the decision out of it, I don’t need to find the motivation to go and do something, instead I lean into my habits that I’ve spent years cultivating.  

Credit: Lauren Kerr out with her girlfriends dressed by Baby Lemonade.

Speak it out

Sometimes you might know that you're in a funk or a strange mindset, but you can't actually put a finger on what you're really feeling. I find that journaling is a really good way to work through your thoughts and find some clarity. 

Chat with friends

It can also help to chat with family or friends. When I was struggling last week, I had no idea why I was feeling the way I was until I opened up to a couple of my close girlfriends.

After I word vomited my thoughts, I felt so much better, and it stopped my thoughts from spiralling around in circles in my head. Going over and over things in our minds is something that plenty of women struggle with, and I can't stress enough how much speaking through everything can help!

Sitting with your emotions

I allowed myself to sit with my emotions for a few days last week. You don’t need to make sense of your feelings, because sometimes they just are.

As women as we move through our cycle, our hormones will change, and that means some days we will have more testosterone and others we will have more oestrogen which will mean we will move through periods where we are inspired to take action and others where we are required to rest..

You’ve also got the phases of the moon that can impact your feelings, energy and perspective in everyday life. 

Rather than trying to judge yourself, find something wrong or justify your feelings, I encourage you to just sit with it. Don’t try and push them away, suppress them or hide them. Just allow yourself to sit.

One of the biggest things I focused on last week when I was feeling a bit ‘bleh’ was not to be annoyed or angry at myself for feeling like that. It’s simply not normal to feel happy and elated every single day, and it’s okay to have lower days. 

You can sit with your emotions by visualising your feelings as a wave. Imagine the wave coming in and then flowing back out again. Instead of becoming attached to the feeling or assigning a meaning, simply watch the feelings as an observer, a third person. When we tell ourselves that “this too shall pass”, it’s easier to show yourself the compassion that you need in the moment.

Intuitive Movement

Although I always rely on my habit of movement, I’m always mindful of pushing myself too. If you’re not feeling inspired to go to the gym, ask yourself:

How you do feel like moving your body?

You might feel like walking, doing a stretch at home, putting music on to dance around the kitchen or maybe just putting your headphones in and going for a long run.

Listen to your body and lean into what feels good, rather than forcing yourself into something that just doesn’t feel energetically aligned right now, and your body will thank you for it. 

Nutrition Support 

Every single morning, I have my nutrition support. I have my wholefoods shake and awesome wholefood capsules. But many of us are guilty of relying on emotional eating when we’re feeling sad, down or uninspired – I still do it too! The problem with this is if you eat sugary and processed food, it ends up making you feel worse than when you started. That’s because 70% of your serotonin is made in your gut, so if you’re eating like shit, you’re going to feel like shit. 

Credit: Lauren Kerr Juice Plus

The easiest way to keep your health in check when you’re in a rut is to rely on your nutritional support. Whether it’s a powder or a capsule, whatever it takes to help you feel clearer and calmer will also help you pull yourself out of that funk.

Another way of getting around these cravings is to make healthy alternatives of your favourite sweet treats, like healthy cookie dough or healthy pancakes (I love my plant-based powders for making so many of the dessert recipes in our program!).  

Credit: The Healthstyle Emporium

Meditation or Prayer

For some people, their spirituality comes in through their prayer. For others, like me, I meditate for my spirituality. I make a conscious effort to sit in a quiet place and I use guided meditation programs from our holistic program, The Healthstyle Emporium but you can also use free apps like Insight Timer. By allowing yourself to get out of your own head and into your body, you can be still and present – which is a great way to reconnect with yourself and reignite your motivation. 

Schedule Joy

Inside the Healthstyle Emporium, one of the things we do with our clients is help them create a joy menu. You may not be able to be happy all of the time, but you can definitely cultivate happiness more often by knowing what brings you joy and making sure you prioritise that in your life. When I was in a funk, I was having baths or a sauna, getting a massage, listening to music rather than podcasts, I rang my Mum and I had a day to myself down at the beach. 

Credit: Lauren Kerr Babes in Business

Today is enough

A lot of us in the 21st Century run one million miles an hour, and when you’re in a funk it’s so common to feel guilty for not being productive, on track for your goals or doing what you need to do. When you find these thoughts creeping into your mind, just tell yourself that today is enough. Think about what you can do today to find joy, to be gentle to yourself and to ride through the emotions. 

I find that when I start to implement some of these strategies, I generally begin feeling better by the second, if not the third day. I would encourage you not to rush back to life without having made time to reflect.

I'm guilty of trying to hurry back to work and wanting to skip the reflection stage, but I also realise that when I feel this way, it's usually a sign that I'm not ready to move through the emotions yet. That's when it's essential to be patient and give myself more time to sit with the emotions and feel it all, before trying to understand what it all meant.

But when you are at the other end of the funk, and you're starting to feel inspired and get your energy back again, get your journal out and do some self-reflection.

What did you learn from this?

What did it teach you?

What can you do better next time?

What do you love in your life right now? 

You'll know in yourself when you're ready to unpack your emotions and work through everything. All you need to do right now though is trust in the process and be kind and compassionate to yourself.

P.S Please know not everything has to mean something - don’t feel like you need to analyse everything from every angle. Some things just are what they are. Breathe in. Breathe out. And let it go... tomorrow is a new day.

This too shall pass.

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.

Morning Rituals: How to take responsibility for your state

Plenty of the women I mentor are curious about how I start my day, and I’m always asked about my morning routine (especially on featured podcasts - it seem’s to be a favourite rapid fire question). To be honest, I didn’t really have a meaningful morning routine when I had a full-time job. I didn’t even really become aware of the importance of starting your day with purposeful rituals until I started my own business. Before then, like many people, I would roll out of bed, get ready for work and go through the same motions every day – without having any real intention about how I wanted the rest of the day to follow. 

Mindset is everything…

My mindset has really evolved over the last four years, and I definitely notice a difference the days I do my morning routine, and the days I don’t. My mornings are by no means perfect. My practices won’t be for everyone, either. But I am hoping that by giving you an insight into my rituals, you’ll be able to create your own (I shared these tips on my IG TV earlier this week if you would love to listen instead of read).

Credit: Lauren Kerr Babes in Business - Standing near Garden

MORNING ROUTINES ARE ABOUT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY… 

It’s incredible how many people can start their day feeling really inspired and excited yet finish their day in a completely different frame of mind.  I’ve noticed that having a morning routine helps me be more responsible rather than reactive. These seemingly small actions can make such a difference when it comes to having control over your intention and your mood. 

It's all about getting started, so here is an insight into my mornings:

No-phones in the bedroom…

Try sleeping with your phone outside of your bedroom. A lot of us are bringing our phone into the bedroom at night, we’re leaving it next to us, and we’re sitting in the scroll hole long after we intended to go to sleep. When our alarms go off in the morning, we’re hitting snooze before going back into the scroll-hole again. 

That is quite possibly the worst way you can start your day! Hopping on your phone first thing in the morning can make you feel really low because you’re already beating yourself up and playing the comparison game without even being conscious about it. When you start your day worried about trying to meet societies unrealistic standards of success and beauty, you’re never going to start your day feeling inspired, abundant or fuelled to make accomplishments with your day.

Turn notifications off… 

Even when we sleep with our phones in another room, the first thing we see when we eventually pick it up is the stream of notifications that came in overnight. You’ll see who liked your photo, who posted on Instagram, the latest work email or even just a string of news updates. 

Stay Focused…

The key to running my online business is that I never turn any of my notifications on – it’s the only way I can stay sane! I might have one hundred messages between Instagram, Facebook, Emails, Telegram and Whatsapp, but I don’t actually know. 

When we turn our notifications off, our phones become a tool that we use, rather than a tool that uses us. It gives us the freedom to set up our day and create our own intentions before other people try and tell us what to do and how to spend our time. This is particularly important first thing in the morning because it will set a good standard for the rest of the day.

Credit: Lauren Kerr Babes in Business - Standing stretching on the beach

Get Moving… 

Movement is such an essential part of my morning. It doesn’t really matter how I move my body, but I think the importance of moving comes down to the release of endorphins which naturally make you feel better. Movement increases your serotonin, decreases your cortisol levels and its often when we feel most inspired, creative and confident. 

Whether it’s a slow walk, yoga, the gym, run or a swim, it’s helpful to find something you enjoy. This part of your day should not be about punishing your body but about celebrating the fact that you can move it.

Start Meditating… 

If you’re new to meditation, this might sounds a bit strange or uncomfortable, but I promise that meditation is probably the number one thing you can do when it comes to your mental health. Our brains are just like our biceps – It’s a muscle that needs to be nurtured and cared for. 

Too many of us aren’t using the muscle; we’re letting the muscle use us. Instead of hating your brain for always comparing you to other people, worrying or for constantly running a million miles an hour, we need to be grateful that it’s doing that. It’s doing it’s job. You don’t get angry at your bicep for helping you carry the groceries up the stairs do you?

Self Talk…

We also need to realise that those thoughts aren’t us. They are just your muscle’s by product. Those thoughts are your brain’s self-talk, who you are is the spirit / soul / heart listening to the self-talk and observing it…and it’s essential to separate the two.

Meditation helps your quieten your mind, which is the first step in separating yourself from the noise going on. Your brain is never going to stop whirling through all those thoughts at once. Meditation is a rare opportunity for you to have a moment to yourself, to drown out the noise, get out of your head and connect with your heart.

It can feel a bit awkward or funny to get started, so I would suggest using an app to get started. The meditations and masterclasses inside our program the Healthstyle Emporium have really helped me. A free app that I also love is ‘Insight Timer’.  It’s a great place to start with 2-minute guided meditations, and you can quite quickly build your way up to 10 minutes or even longer (30 minutes guided mediation is about as long as I can go!)

Credit: Lauren Kerr Babes in Business - Meditating on the beach

Simple steps to help your morning routine

The most successful morning routines are often the ones that build on small but meaningful rituals, just like these. When I make an effort to wake up a little earlier, sleep without my phone, have my notifications switched off and then move my body and meditate, nourish my body with whole foods - the change in my mindset for the rest of the day is truly incredible.

SET INTENTIONS FOR BIGGER GOALS 

After I finish my morning routines, I like to set my intentions. While I’m a big fan of goal setting, I’m also mindful of making sure I’m living in alignment with my goals and highest values every single day.  

You can try our free happiness test, and this is a really great tool to help you work out what your five highest values are. I do this test every year because your values are going to change. You evolve and change as you interact with life, meet new people and have new experiences. 

When I do the test at the start of the year and work out what my values are, I set goals under each of the values. Some of them are big goals to achieve, and some of them are little goals to help maintain my efforts in certain aspects of my life. 

These goals are then printed and stuck on my bathroom mirror. That means that after I finish moving my body, meditating and going through my morning routine, I’ll start getting ready for the day in the bathroom and while I do that, I am literally looking straight at my goals. 

How many people do you know that set goals at the start of the year but then forget about them? Maybe you’re one of those people! Well, it’s pretty hard to forget my goals when I see them every day!

Seeing these goals is a really good way to check in with myself each morning, and ensure I’m making at least one step each day to move closer towards one of those goals. These mini-check ins will also make you feel like you have purpose, direction, progress and momentum. 

Checking in to make sure that I also am living in alignment with my values everyday helps ensure that I happily achieve - instead of feeling the need to achieve to be happy.

START A GRATITUDE JOURNAL 

My journaling takes me about five to ten minutes every morning, and it’s an opportunity for me to write down what I am grateful for. If I don’t do this in the morning, I like to come back to it at night. 

This gratitude journal means that not only am I setting intentions and being responsible for my mood and my state, but I am also really grounding myself and ensuring that I am still in the present. In the 21st Century, we’re all operating at such a high speed that we can miss what’s happening right in front of us. 

When we’re too focussed on the future or the goals we’ve set, we will live in a state of unconscious anxiety and comparison, where we never feel like we’re good enough or where we ‘are supposed’ to be. The only way to manage the two opposing ways of thinking is to ensure we make time to ground in the present too.

When you find the balance, you’ll discover that you actually get more done in less time because you’re in flow and present giving your best, rather than multi-tasking and being scattered feeling like you’re constantly trying to catch up and get where you need to be.

USE MUSIC TO FEEL THE FEELS NOW

If you want to play around with your morning routine, music is another epic option. I go through certain seasons of my life where I'm really focussed on a specific goal, or I find myself in a strategic imbalance because I'm really hustling for something.

If you've read my book, you'll know about neurolinguistic programming and the importance of certain things like vision boards, visualisation, mental rehearsal and music. If you can tap into certain senses, your body actually doesn't know the difference between you thinking you're doing something and you actually doing it. 

A really cool way to be in charge of your state and energy is emotionally connecting with your vision board as part of your morning ritual, or finding a song that emotionally charges you.

There is this one song, and every time it plays, I have this vision of me achieving specific goals, and it leaves me feeling so fired up and passionate and makes those dreams feel so much closer as I can embody all those emotions now - through the music. 

If you can find a song that has an effect on you like that, it will bring about the emotions you want now. This will make you achieve your goals quicker because it's almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy and gets you taking the inspired action that the ‘next level’ version of you would take as you start to tap into that energy and state now.

You'll be just a little bit bolder, you will have the courage to take action you might not have usually taken, and you show up in the world with the same level of conviction, posture and confidence as that next level of you who has everything they need within them to make those dreams a reality. Time just needs to catch up.

This is how manifestation works. Connect and feel those feelings now. Experience the depth of your life, not just the breadth.

Enjoy playing around with your morning routine, if you do try some of these strategies let me know how you go. I love hearing from you guys. Make your mornings sacred. Prioritise them and protect them. Get excited to have 30 juicy minutes to yourself first thing in the morning before everyone else try’s to take them from you.

Send this to a girlfriend that may need a little reminder to put herself first, first!
Chat soon,

Short Term Satisfaction VS Long Term Gratification

Hello beautiful people, 

I hope you’ve had an awesome start to your week! 

After having a chuckle about the realisation that I now own a dog worth more than my shit-box (but loyal) car, I wanted to jump online to talk to you about:

The difference between short-term satisfaction and long-term gratification 

The car I drive around in now is a little Mazda 3 sport that I bought when I got my first job out of university seven years ago.  It’s not that I can’t afford a new one - the income that I create each month means I could buy four of my cars each month - it’s just that I don’t need one because I don’t drive anywhere. I work from home, I live near the beach, and on the weekend, we can get around in my husband’s car. 

This decision not to buy a new car comes from my financial literacy, and passion for educating women about their financial literacy too.

Living beyond our means. 

There are plenty of people that create a lifestyle based on how much money they make. These people feel like when they start earning more money, they need to up their lifestyle to match.

  It might sound like a good idea at the time, yet in reality, all they end up doing is getting caught in a trap where they never actually have financial freedom.

The more money they make the more they consume…the bigger mortgage, the newer car, the more expensive holiday or designer wardrobe just means the money flows out of the bank account almost as quick as it comes in.

One of the things that used to motivate and inspire me when I was first starting my business and knew that I was in charge of my own income was my excitement to be able to buy a little Jeep Wrangler for myself.

I still am excited to make the big purchase one day (although I have been warned it’s a horrible car and not realistic for a future family), but I haven’t yet because I also know that it’s not really a smart decision. It would give me the short-term satisfaction, but not the long-term gratification. 

At first, I would be like:

“This is so awesome!” (AKA I am so awesome *cough cough* look at me and what I bought all by myself)

“I love this” 

“I want the sun on my face, the wind in my hair and to live it up!”

But after a few weeks, those feelings would fade, and whether I bought the car outright or leased it to reduce my taxable income, there are so many other things that would give me a much higher return on my investment.

Have you made a decision like that before? You’re not alone!

We’re in a generation of consumerism, quick fixes, and we want everything now. We often overleverage ourselves or buy our way into incredibly expensive lifestyles that we can’t actually afford. When we chase these short term gratifications, we’re more likely to put things on credit, take out a loan, use afterpay, borrow money or overextend ourselves to buy the things we think we need, rather than saving up until we have enough to buy it with our own savings. 

Going beyond just the price tag, it’s also important to consider if the big purchase is actually going to give you what you’re looking for. Is it going to provide you with joy in the long run? Will you feel satisfied after the purchase, or will your focus turn to the next thing on your wish-list?

If you’ve read my book you’ll know happiness in habitual. The more you have, the more you want. Hence why it’s called the ‘the pursuit of happiness’. Sop make sure you’re not trying to find your happiness in the wrong things.

Seeking short-term gratification goes beyond your bank account.

I think many people, especially women in our age group, have this issue in their relationships. Everyone has that friend (or it could be you!) that keeps jumping from one relationship to the next.

Often, it’s because they’re too tempted by the short-term satisfaction of lust, sex or passion, rather than the intimacy, trust and loyalty that comes with the delayed gratification of overcoming triumphs together, being vulnerable, learning how to forgive, compromise or have those uncomfortable conversations in the first place.

This trait applies to your health too.

I know a lot of people head to the gym or go on a diet for the short-term gratification of wanting to “lose those last few kilos” or “get a bikini body in time for summer”.

What ends up happening is that they find the quick fix or fad, get the results they want, and then three months later the weight is all back on because they didn’t have the drive to ditch the short-term gratification for the long-term satisfaction of learning how to have ongoing healthy habits.

The result? Well, that yo-yo lifestyle could lead to plenty of long-term health issues! 

Searching for short-term rewards even comes into your diet. After a shitty day at work, many of us head straight to the pantry to treat ourselves to whatever we can get our hands-on. When I used to work in child protection services, my go-to reward after a long, stressful and exhausting day was to stop on the way home and buy myself an entire tub of cookie dough – I’d finish it before I even got home too! It gave me the short-term gratification of treating myself, but it didn’t do me any favours in the long run.

Getting down to business. 

I am so passionate about teaching women this theory and helping them apply it to their business or professional life. I mentor thousands of women in our Babes in Business community, and it plays a massive role in our network marketing structure because we learn to stop trading time for money. 

Yes, we still get the short term satisfaction of the ‘now’ money with retail profit, commissions and bonuses…but we also get to start creating long-term wealth strategies with multiple income streams when we are able to delay that gratification and have a long term vision and build a business that compounds over years and continues you pay you long term well after the ‘work’ you once did.

It’s a strange concept for anyone living in the Western world, as it’s the way we’re groomed to think from a very young age. When you join a network marketing company, you learn to ditch the mindset of doing something today because you’re going to be rewarded for it today. We discover that having the long-term vision and delayed gratification is so much more rewarding and beneficial in the bigger picture. 

Through Babes In Business, we talk a lot about having residual income streams. Having a residual income stream allows you to have the freedom and flexibility that I’ve created for myself in the four years since I started my business so I am no longer trading my time for money…but it took time and delayed gratification to be able to build that.

However a lot of women my age, especially the younger girls on social media just don’t know about the behind-the-scenes of someone else’s life or business, and they only see the rewards and highlights reels online - hence why they don’t see the power in delayed gratification or persistence when they can just have the comfort of instant satisfaction instead.

We’re not having the conversations or providing the education to understand the hard work that went into getting to that point. We don’t acknowledge the transition from the starting point when someone was putting in the effort and not necessarily getting the results, to where they are now. 

The delayed gratification of committing to still showing up, being consistent and doing the work even if you can’t see the results today because you know something better is coming and worth while long-term.

Improving Financial Literacy.

Improving financial literacy is the key to breaking down this disconnect. There are so many different ways to earn an income. You can have a job, and still create a long-term wealth creation strategy on the side. There are some avenues that take time and capital, like investing in property or buying stocks and shares, and there are other choices, like network marketing that let you earn the income by doing the work or like I like to call ‘sweat’ equity or investment. 

When I started out, I had time on my side, but I didn’t have the money in my pocket. By ditching the desire for short-term gratification and focusing on my long-term vision, I got to where I am today. The result is a lifestyle of fulfilling relationships, happiness, flexibility, health and wealth.

The research. 

With my background in psychology, I’m always keen to back things up research, statistics and facts. In fact, there is an entire chapter in my book dedicated to breaking down the researching into long-term gratification. This chapter talks about a study called the Marshmallow Study, which has been replicated time and time again - you might have even seen it in the Instagram ‘marshmallow challenge’ that Kylie Jenner recently did with her daughter. 

Basically, the longitudinal studies shows that the kids with the ability to wait for the long-term gratification (the ones that can wait for two marshmallows, rather than eating one straight away) end up being more successful later in life. They often have better relationships, improved university marks, higher income, lower likelihood of being in domestic violent relationships, substance misuse and enjoy an improved mental health. 

It is crazy how powerful this is! And you can bring it into your life too. 

Start by looking at your own life and questioning where you are seeking short-term gratification, rather than focussing on the bigger picture?  Once you acknowledge the behaviours, it’s much easier to address them or make changes. 

If this is new to you (especially in regards to your money and wealth creation) we’ve created a new side hustle guide – which you can find here. It’s a free guide to educate you on all the ways you can earn an income.

There are so many different choices and vehicles, and this guide will empower you to find the right one for your lifestyle, goals and vision. Also, a great book if you want to be empowered and educated to make better decisions around money so you aren't tempted by 'short term satisfaction' is the 'millionaire next door' by Thomas J. Stanley.

Think small steps, commit to just taking one step at a time, but focus on the big picture and keep your eyes on that long term prize gf!

Chat soon,

Welcome to The Surrender Project: the diaries of a recovering 'human doing'

I am so excited (and to be honest a tad nervous) to share with you a personal project I’ve been working on...

The Surrender Project - the diaries of a recovering ‘human doing’.

An uncensored blog talking about things I think a lot of us women in the 21st century are thinking… but are too scared to say out loud. It’s real and raw. I talk about drugs, sex and rock and roll (if Kings of Leon and Fleetwood Mac count?) The Inner workings of my crazy mind.

It might be my next book…

Think of it kinda like ‘Sex and the City’ mixed with ‘Eat Pray Love’….but a blog. I don’t know where we are going to end up. But that’s the point right?

Surrendering control

I’m surrendering. Come along for the journey if you would love to see if my learnings of my personal project could help you slow down too and start being a human ‘being’ instead of a human constantly ‘doing’.

Anything goes

Only rule is I let my husband proof read my blog each week before I send it out. Because although I’m happy to bare all, doesn’t mean he is too.

And I respect that… 

So heads up: the timeline is a bit delayed because I’ve been working on this little personal project of mine for a couple of months now, umming and ahhing about whether I should share this with you or not.

But I thought I should take my own advice:

• I always tell my coaching clients and women I mentor in business that the magic happens out of your comfort zone.

• If you’re scared….good. Lean in. It means you’re growing. You’re evolving.

• Something exciting is about to happen.⠀ ⠀

• But I have been scared to be vulnerable. Scared of judgement. ⠀ ⠀

• So I am walking my talk, trusting my intuition and taking inspired action (even when it feels scary to).

So despite the time lag, at least you get to see the journey from start to end and witness my beliefs and reality evolve.

Be warned: considering these are ‘diary entries’ they are probably what a lot of women are thinking but not saying out loud…

Unlike my first book which is a lot of education, research and psychology, this is more personal and a conversational tone... and about delving into things that research can’t always explain and your brain can’t rationalise or see as I start to explore my own spirituality.

Because it is so different from my usual content and what most of you are used to reading from me - I’ve decided to keep it slightly separate. 

So if you want to come along the journey with me - join my ‘The Surrender Project’ newsletter where I’ll be sharing a blog weekly.

R Rated Content 18+

You’ll still get all my usual stuff but this is something just a little more intimate, juicy and probably more controversial. So if you do opt in to come on the ride - be warned it’s R rated so please don’t message me afterwards and say I didn’t pre warn you! If you don’t want to read it - don’t sign up! Simple.

Uncensored Diary Entries

These are my uncensored diary entries. Not the facts. Not the truth. Just the way I (sometimes struggle to) see the world through my tainted goggles.

I am not here to change your mind or argue with you about certain subjects I am personally navigating. I am just having arguments with my own inner critic (she is a crazy bitch) and airing out my own dirty laundry and baggage so other women and fellow ‘human doings’ out there can have a laugh and realise they aren’t alone in their own f*&#ed up thoughts…

See you wild ones on the inside…

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. 

Time management: How to be more productive and ‘get shit done’

Hello! 

Life is pretty busy, huh! You've got your career, brilliant ideas to share with the world, a side hustle to manage, sleep to catch up on, exercise to power through, and a to-do list that just never seems to end. 24-hours in a day sounds like we've got plenty of time to get through everything, but sometimes it just gets away from us, the weeks add up and before you know it you're halfway through the year. 

If you know me, you know that I'm always running at a million miles an hour. I like to keep myself busy and my to-do list is always growing. But I'm also known for getting shit done. I like to think of time management as my superpower! So I thought I would share with you some easy tips and mindset hacks to help you be productive and move forward with flow instead of force.

Whether you're a business owner, a busy Mum or you're trying to kick some personal goals; this is your guide to becoming a "get shit done" kinda person!  

Goals and Big Rocks: 

Everyone has goals. They might be business goals, life goals, personal goals or just a goal for the day - We've all got something we are working towards. Goal setting helps you set intentions and makes you feel like you've got a direction, and keeps you feeling inspired and excited. I like to write my goals down in my diary so that I can see it right in front of me, but you can also try a digital calendar, a whiteboard or even just the notes section of your phone. 

Every morning I ask myself "What is your big rock?". Regardless of how long my to-do list is, there is always one non-negotiable item that needs to be done today to help push you further towards your goals. By identifying my one major rock before starting my day, I can structure my time to ensure I'm not just ticking small things off my to-do list, but I am also moving towards my bigger goals. And if nothing else - at least today I got one step closer towards a goal that I have identified is important to me.

Lists:

Your brain is like a desk. When you've got stuff all over your desk, it's tough to feel productive and get shit done. If you're continually adding items to a mental to-do list, your brain has to work in overdrive to remember and manage everything. With so much brain activity, you'll struggle to stay on task, remain productive, be inspired, think innovatively and keep focused. 

Did you know Approximately 1500 words run through your brain each minute?

That sounds exhausting enough. So as soon as I think of something that needs doing, I write it down on a piece of paper. Getting the information out of my head and onto a list keeps my brain as a clear desk, where I can come and sit, be still, be inspired, stay focused and get shit done without being overwhelmed (or distracted). 

Eat The Frog:

Another way I like to start my mornings is to eat the frog. After setting my goals and writing my lists, I always work out what is going to be the hardest thing to do, something that's going to use the most brainpower. Most people, especially creatives, are most productive in the morning. After a long day of using our brains, thinking creatively and problem-solving, we can struggle to find the energy to undertake big tasks. 

Decision Fatique

You might struggle with energy, or the quality of your work might suffer too. Decision fatigue  is a psychological phenomenon which suggests that a long session of decision making will lead to deteriorating quality of the decisions made. This is what can build up throughout the day as all our decisions accumulate and if you leave your big task until the end of the day you may experience exhaustion from decision fatigue.

When you’re in a state of decision fatigue you can become so overwhelmed that you end up making no choice at all, or completing work that you’ll only need to re-do later. Doing the thing that's going to use the most physical or mental energy in the morning will ensure you give every project or task the attention it deserves.

Have you ever noticed brides planning their wedding are so picky and selective at the start and by the end, they say to caterers, the groom or the bridal party to pick one themselves? Or, even after you have a long day at work of making decisions and exercising your willpower to be polite to colleagues and bosses, when your partner asks you what you what for dinner, do you snap at them? Or do you find it hard to decide and just settle for the easiest option? This is an example of decision fatigue.

FUN FACT: Major politicians and businessmen such as Former US President Barack Obama, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg have reduced their everyday clothing down to one or two of the same suits. This limited the number of decisions they had to make in a day to decrease their decision fatigue and free up their mental energy to make more important decisions and work on their big rocks… like running a country!

Five Minute Rule:

This one is my secret tool. If something is going to take me less than 5 minutes to do, I just do it there and then. It might be quickly replying or sending an email or text, cleaning something or just entering some data into a system.

There is no point putting these small items on my to-do list and just watching that list get longer and longer. The five-minute rule helps prevent the to-do list from getting overwhelmingly long (or my head space getting messy) and is a great way to surprise other people with your efficient responses. 

Done is better than perfect:

We all know a recovering perfectionist (guilty!), and this can be a hard sentiment for some people to accept, but too many people spend too much time getting ready, just to get ready. There is a big difference between someone that says they want to do something and someone that goes out and does it. 

I have to credit Mel Robbins for this one, but the 5 Second Rule is an absolute game changer. She’s written a book on it, so go check it out if you want to understand the research and psychology behind it. It is a great metacognition trick which allows you to outsmart your brain and beat it at its own game. The rule says we need to countdown from 5 and then just do whatever it is that needs doing.

It's probably not going to be perfect, but if you wait for something to be perfect before you launch it or to be the perfect person before you start, you'll never get anything done. Waiting for perfection prevents you from being successful, from supporting other people, from finding new opportunities, and from getting shit done.  

Notifications and Batching:

First things first, turn off your social media notifications.  Being online and connected all the time means our brain is continually pulled in different directions. It's so easy to get distracted and addicted to the dopamine hit that comes with a new like on Instagram or a message on Facebook (we are all just junkies looking for our next hit), but checking these notifications and interrupting your flow of work probably isn't going to help you get any closer to your goals. Trying to stay on top of these notifications all the time is also how you end up feeling anxious, overwhelmed, unproductive and busy without getting anything done. 

Your brain works better when you batch tasks and focus on one thing at a time. I like to group my tasks into similar jobs so that I can switch my entire focus to the task at hand. I always set aside time to check my notifications during the day, but I try not to let these pop up while I'm working.

Timers

Parkinson's Law suggests “works expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. This psychological phenomenon depicts that if you give yourself a week to complete a two hour task, the task will likely increase in complexity and become more daunting in order to fill that week. It might not take any extra time, but the stress and tension associated with the task will definitely make it feel like a huge weight!

Essentially the work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. Just think about how often it takes you an entire afternoon to clean your home, but if your friend is 15-minutes away, you can miraculously clean your entire house before they arrive?

Designated time slots will keep you on-task and productive! This is why I love setting time slots or setting timers for each batch of work, and make a little game of racing yourself.

Treat yourself 

I know a lot of us are doers and we're always working towards big goals, but it's important to celebrate the small wins too! I like to set myself little goals throughout the day, which I reward myself for completing by picking something off my "joy menu". These joyful celebrations might be a sweet snack from the HSE, getting to look at social media, taking a walk outside or calling my Mum.

I find these treats are a great way to keep my motivation up during the day and recognise my hard work and progress! It’s also a great way to treat yourself when you’re racing your timer and giving yourself a break between your batched activities to be able to stay energised and switch up your energy before moving on the next task that might require a different skillset or mindset.

Resting and boundaries 

Even get shit done people need time to rest. I'm always doing something and setting new goals, but the reason I get shit done is that I've got really good boundaries around my work. I treat my business as a 9-6 job, and after hours I'm not on my phone, I'm not in my emails, and I'm not on social media.

I don't work over the weekends, which is a luxury I have now that I didn't have when I was building up my business. If you don't rest, you're going to burn yourself out, and you'll never end up kicking any of your goals. 

I would love to hear your best hacks for getting shit done? With the right mindset and little hacks, we can all become more productive and make progress towards our goals with flow instead of frazzle.

Our Wedding Video arrived!

Hello lovely, how are you?

I wanted to drop in and see how you're going. I know it's a crazy time in the world at the moment. I hope you're staying safe and healthy. I also know it is a stressful time financially for a lot of families and small businesses right now, so I just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you and please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

If you are at home being quarantined right now (welcome to my life! haha working from home nothing has really changed for me!)... I am sure you have been scrolling the news feed and feeling heavy and fearful with the media's scare tactics, so I am hoping this is something fun and light to lift your spirits and energy. 

We just got our wedding video back and I am on cloud nine!

How good is love? And friends and family! My heart is so full, I want to go back and do it again. You can check out my previous blog for all the details including vendors, prices, locations and advice for any future brides to be planning their special day. A massive thank you to Beccy at BXCSMXTH you're a wizard behind the camera and we so grateful you captured all the special moments.

While most people are stressing out right now I wanted to challenge your mindset to see this time as an opportunity...

• it’s the perfect opportunity to ring that friend ⠀

• it’s perfect opportunity to read that book  ⠀

• it’s the perfect opportunity to catch up on that webinar (P.S we had one on moon tracking inside the HSE this week) 

• it’s the perfect opportunity to order that wholefood product you’ve been pushing aside for months to boost your immune system 

• it’s the perfect opportunity to check in with your mum and dad ⠀

• it’s the perfect opportunity to pay off your mortgage whilst interest rates are low 

• it’s the perfect opportunity to look at getting into the stock market (what goes down must come up)

• it’s the perfect opportunity to rest ⠀

• it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on your work and lifestyle and ask if you’re really happy? ⠀

• it’s the perfect opportunity to work on your side hustle ⠀

• it’s the perfect opportunity to write your content⠀

• it’s the perfect opportunity to start looking into creating an additional income stream 

• it’s the perfect opportunity to start looking into working online.... have you looked into Babes in Business yet? ⠀

• it’s the perfect opportunity to try that recipe ⠀

• it’s the perfect opportunity to watch that documentary ⠀

• it’s the perfect opportunity to practise kindness, compassion and gratitude ⠀

⠀
Sending all my love and light (because let's face it, the world needs more of it right now)

Our Byron Bay Boho Wedding; all the details.

Hey beautiful people! I hope you’re having a great start to 2020. Can you believe we are already half way through February? It’s crazy how fast time is flying. We got our wedding photos back last week and my heart is full reminiscing on our magical day, with our nearest and dearest.

After sharing our photos with our friends and family I thought it was only fair I kept my promise and shared all the details with you too (especially for you engaged ladies out there planning weddings - I know there is lots to organise and things we want to pick other brides brains about), so hopefully this helps.

Before I do share all the highlights - you guys know I am all about being real and raw. I don't just want to show you the perfect bits of life (because let’s be honest- that’s not reality). And despite our day honestly being the best day of our lives and everything we could have wished for (which is the honest truth)… everything leading up to it was pretty much a disaster!

No word of a lie - it was a shit fight!

You know how they say planning a wedding can be ‘stressful’? Well I think I got to experience that on a whole new level! I am a positive ‘get shit done’ kind of girl, but I would be lying if I said this didn’t test me. I won’t go into too much detail (maybe a VLOG for another day) BUT just to put some things in perspective, I will summarise it for you.

THE BLOOPERS

• We booked our wedding at the Fig Tree 18 months prior, after falling in love with it at first sight. It was slightly out of our budget, but it was gorgeous, so we paid our deposit and worked out a way to make it work, and then started saving.

• A few months later The Fig Tree lost its licensing for outdoor dining, which was a massive reason why we booked the venue, wanting our dinner to be under the stars. We were a little disappointed but it was still a beautiful venue so we changed our vision and kept our booking.

• Six weeks before our wedding, (after we had finally finished all the planning and started to relax and get excited for the countdown) the Fig Tree Venue burnt down and we had to find a new venue (for the Wednesday before Christmas) and plan a new wedding in 6 weeks. We honestly contemplated calling the wedding off, but we had friends and family who were flying in from all around the world to be in Byron Bay for that day.

• The Kombi van we had organised for our wedding canceled on us 4 weeks out. 

• The owner of the AirBNB we had organised for our bridal party to stay in the week of the wedding decided to sell 3 weeks out. 

• The week before the wedding I twisted my ankle.

• The week of the wedding Jetstar went on strike and some of our guests flying in had to book new flights to ensure they would get there for the day.

• And then a few days out, a vendor that we had never spoken to, that was involved with the new venue, contacted us to chase up an invoice we had no knowledge of, or had agreed to. This was never part of our budget (which had already blown out over the series of unfortunate events!) and caused Dan a few anxious moments!

WHAT IT TAUGHT ME

In saying this - I don’t want to turn you off. The day honestly was the best day of our lives (the photos are amazing, and reflect the many memories we will cherish from the day) but they still don’t do the vibe and energy any justice. I can’t wait to share the wedding video with you when we get it!

I would do it all over again in a heart beat and it was a really good reminder of what the day was about in the first place. LOVE. We knew we would never get the opportunity to have all our friends and family, that are scattered all around the globe, together in one place (and in such a beautiful location) ever again, (unless maybe at our funeral) and we wouldn’t even be there to enjoy it!

The process built my belief in Dan and I as a team, and our ability to lean on each other when life throws a few challenges at us (which it will continue to do so). I was grateful for the process because it shook me, reminded me that I am not in control and to not be attached to things or objects.

All that matters is family, friends, love, experiences and memories. I was so so grateful that on our day we both had our immediate families there, happy and healthy, to spend our wedding day with us, and for that alone - we are truly blessed and I would choose our ‘challenges’ out of a hat any day!

THE NIGHT BEFORE

Most of our guests arrived a couple of days before the wedding. Dan had organised a boys day playing golf, then headed to the the Stone and Wood brewery whilst us ladies sat by the pool eating cheese, biscuits and drinking cocktails (my fav).

The night before we had a dinner with all our guests who had flown in at the Tree House in Byron Bay. We had wood fire pizzas, along with a drink or two, before I left with my mum and the bridesmaids. We stayed at the Fig Tree the night before (as the dairy accommodation hadn’t burnt down, just the restaurant) and left Dan and the boys at our airBNB.

THE DRESS + VEIL (P.S I am selling these if you would like them).

I went dress shopping with my mum and my best friends a year before the wedding (I would suggest doing this as soon as you can as most places suggest at least 6-9 months turn around to make/order your dress).

We went to a few shops… I knew my style and that I wanted to feel flowy, boho, hippy and carefree (and just be me!) I had always known that the Grace Loves Lace dresses symbolised my personality (and everyone had always said that they saw me in one of their dresses).

Mum begged me to try on the Alexandra dress, which I honestly did just for her because it wasn't what I saw myself in… yet it was the only dress that I lit up in and felt like ‘the one’ when I tried it on.

It’s so true what they say, you might have a picture in your mind but you often end up in the complete opposite! I opted for the 120 cm train in Ivory. It was perfect, boho, elegant and had a butt tussle so I could dance (and you know that’s always my number 1 priority!)

I wanted the best of both worlds: to feel like me with my hair down with a flower crown, but also feel elegant and timeless with my hair up with a veil. So my Girlfriend Chani gifted me with her 3 metre cathedral length ‘Chani’ Veil from Made with Love, which I wore for the ceremony then let my hair down afterwards!

BRIDESMAID DRESSES

I knew I wanted all natural earthy tones and I wanted all of us girls to feel stunning but more relaxed like the ‘girl next door vibe’. So loose curls, natural make up and a champagne or oyster coloured dress. We had 2 hours together in Melbourne and were on a mission.

We found the perfect dresses in Shieke. Not just because it was what I envisioned, but because it fitted my besties perfectly. All four of them have sexy curves and great butts! It also hugged them in the right spots! I was pretty chill and said wear whatever jewellery and shoes you like as long as the heels were beige.

THE FLOWERS

I have no idea about flowers! I spent hours looking on Pinterest to work out what I liked and then tried to find a florist who could make it happen. Despite starting to look for vendors 12 months out, I had difficulty finding someone who was available that day.

Therefore, couldn’t go with anyone that had been recommended to me. However, I stumbled across a beautiful lady named Kerilyn from Lavish Floral Design Gold Coast, who understood my vision and put together a quote that was reasonable compared to the ones I had seen online.

I had no idea flowers could be so expensive! She told me to trust her and leave it up to her. I did and I was so happy with them. She delivered and put together our bridal bouquets, a throw away posie, button holes for the boys and my dad, my flower crown and flowers/vases for the tables.

Originally, we weren’t going to have an arbor because the big Fig Tree branches created one naturally, but with the new venue we opted to get a tipi arbor. So Kerilyn made two flower features for that as-well.

THE HAIR

I have had so many compliments on our hair and make up with people asking for referrals, but I didn’t get professionals to do either! One of my best friends Sarah has always been great with hair as a dance teacher, so we had a hair trial and played around with it a few weeks before the wedding. She came over to share the morning with the girls (gotta love some girl time!), helped us get ready and did our hair.

THE MAKE UP

I never really wear make up or pay to have it done professionally, and when it has been for other peoples weddings, Dan has never liked it on me. So I didn’t see the point in paying to get my makeup done, however my bestie and bridesmaid Gretchen - loves that shit!

It’s her jam and does it for fun! So a few months before the wedding when I was visiting her, she played around and we bought a palette from Mecca with all the natural peachy tones I wanted and she did mine and all the bridesmaids makeup. She rocked it with a champagne in her hand and time to spare!

THE GROOM AND HIS MEN 

To be honest Dan dresses better than me, so I let him organise the boys. I think he always looks sexy in suspenders so I suggested that, but he did the rest. We looked on Pinterest for some styles he liked.

We wanted to keep it in the earthy tones, and be mindful the boys wouldn’t want jackets, as it was on a Wednesday in mid December, in the height of the Australian summer (so it’s hot!). Dan got his jacket and pants from Politix, the shirts from Country Road, shoes from Universal and belts from Myer.

THE WEDDING VENUE

When The Fig Tree burnt down, Byron Bay Weddings (who we had booked through initially) helped us find an alternative venue. To be honest there wasn't much available with limited notice and being the week before Christmas (we were lucky it was on a Wednesday), however we had previously viewed The Byron View Farm, and although it was a little out of our budget, they did as much as they could to help us transition everything we had already organised to this venue. I couldn’t fault it!

It was a little tricky, as with the Fig Tree everything was pretty much included being a restaurant already. But with the Byron View Farm…it was just that. A farm. So every chair, table, knife, fork, light, serviette, bin etc had to be hired in.

Byron Bay Weddings did an amazing job organising it all, setting it up and helping us with styling. All we had to do was show up on the day! So like I said the lead up to the wedding was chaos but the day itself was stress free. We didn't have to lift a finger and we ended up with the ‘dining under the stars’ after-all! The universe works in mysterious ways.  

OUR RINGS + VOWS

Both Dan and I wrote our own vows and wanted thick gold wedding bands. We got the rings specially made with some gold that I had inherited over the years in jewellery I would probably never wear.

This was particularly special as it makes the rings even more sentimental having been passed down through generations… not to mention also cheaper. So something I suggest looking into if you have some old gold jewellery laying around the house!

THE CELEBRANT 

Our good friend Anthony (who has become such a big part of our lives since being together) is great with words, speaking and bringing people together to create experiences. He actually isn’t an official ‘celebrant’ but he had run the ceremony for our friends Chani and Matt who got married the year prior and we loved how he did it.

Dan and I aren’t particularly religious but we definitely have faith and wanted spirituality as part of our ceremony - but more than anything we wanted it to be intimate, personal and interactive. We also wanted to involve all of our beautiful friends and family that have been weaved into our love story ….which he delivered (like we knew he would).

It was the best ceremony I have ever been to (and I am not even being biased!) haha. We also had an official celebrant there on the day, Christina Blanchard was so easy to work with and let Ant run the show, whilst she took care of all the official paper work!

THE CAKE

I don’t like cake so I didn’t see the point in me spending heaps of money for everyone to enjoy something I don’t! Its my wedding, I am paying for it and I don’t like cake! BUT I DO LOVE DONUTS!!! haha! So we just bought 80 Krispy Kremes and my girlfriend Caity, who is amazing at cakes (you need to check her out), did her thing and made it look pretty. That was really all I did and her being the wizard she is - did the rest! She is the best!! P.S I was having too much fun I didn’t even get a donut in the end!. 

THE VIDEOGRAPHER/PHOTOGRAPHER

I am all about vibes. So when I was looking for a photographer and videographer online, I stumbled across Beccy at BXCSMXTH and immediately decided I had to have her! I love her stuff. It always looked fun and real rather than too glossy, posed or glorified.

Having her there on our day was even more special as her energy is beautiful and makes everyone feel comfortable (especially Dan who hates photos and rarely smiles in any I have with him… if you follow me on social media and watch my stories you know this!). She was lots of fun, we even begged her to stay and party with us!

THE MUSIC

When planning the wedding I turned to Facebook and asked friends for recommendations when it came to vendors. A friend from university recommended Josh Lovegrove. We did our social media stalking (like you do) and loved his tone! I’m an old soul and grew up on James Taylor and Josh sounds just like him, so I was sold.

He was amazing! He played acoustic and does some crazy looping. All our guests commented on how much they enjoyed his music. We had him play for three hours as canapés and Pimms were being served, whilst guests mingled and played lawn games.

We made our own playlist, which was playing over the AV whilst dinner was served and in between speeches. THEN IT WAS PARTY TIME! We had all our guests RSVP with their favourite song that they were committed to dancing to, so everyone was up and boogyinggggg!

I walked down to aisle to: Paper Kites by Bloom

Our first dance was to: Babylon by Boyce Avenue 

I danced with my dad to: You’ve got a friend by James Taylor

The last song of the night was a family anthem (such a special moment): Jackson Browne: The Load out

THE TRANSPORT 

We knew how difficult it was going to be, getting all our guests to the Byron View Farm with taxis and Ubers in Byron. It’s a pretty small town and crazy busy at that time of the year. Also, not that any of our guests would drive because we like to parttyyyy and drink, but even if they did, there was limited car parks on site.

So we organised A double decker love bus (London Style), which seemed fitting considering Dan is from the UK and all his family had flown in from London. We asked our guests to bring $10 each if they wanted to be picked up from two locations in town. It would pick them up and drop them off at the end of the night (if they were going home).

We had organised an after party venue at The Bolt Hole in town for those who wanted to party on! As a dancer (and most of my friends are too), I hate when I leave a wedding and it’s just starting to get going with good music… then I have to go to bed - so we didn't! We kept partying and dancing the night away.

We did end up organising a new Kombi van through Byron Bay Kombi’s, which picked me and the Bridesmaids up from the Fig Tree and took us up to the Byron View Farm. We were hiding inside in the cottage with Champagne as all the guests arrived in the bus. We also had the Kombi for photos after the ceremony. 

THE FOOD + ALCOHOL

When we were picking venues Dan was pretty chill, he just wanted me to be happy (you know what they say a happy wife, happy life haha). But the only thing he really wanted was good food. I’m not sure if it’s a cultural thing but him and his family have always really appreciated good restaurants.

Whilst me and my family on the other hand… if there’s alcohol there, we are good! So that was another reason we chose The Fig Tree Restaurant. Even with the change of venues, The Fig Tree were still able to cater for us at Byron View Farm.

Byron Bay Weddings helped us work out how much alcohol to bring for 76 guests as it was BYO we just had to pay for corkage and their staff would serve it. My only request was Espresso Martinis and Pimms!

When we had our guests RSVP they replied with their dietary requirements and their alcohol of choice, which helped us cater rather than guessing. We did well - the alcohol kept flowing all night, I never saw an empty glass and everyone loved the food!

The Fig Tree were great at catering for dietary requirements too which helped, as we have lots of health conscious friends including vegans, vegetarians and even the coeliacs were able to enjoy a feast!

Canapés - to begin 

• Byron bay mozzarella, basil oil, fresh fig (GF) 

• Mushroom & truffle Arancini

• Ballina prawns, garlic & lemon (GF, DF) 

• Grilled chicken skewers, mirin and ginger (GF, DF) 

Mains - served on platters for guests to share 

• Dutch cream gnocchi, pumpkin & sage (GF, DF) 

• Bangalow Sweet Pork, apples & eschallot (GF, DF) 

• Lamb shoulder, celery, mint & pomegranate (GF, DF) 

Sides - to share 

• Garden carrots, thyme & rosemary (GF, DF) 

• Puy lentils, leeks & red wine (GF) 

• Rocket, roast vegetables & Persian feta (GF) 

Sweet canapés 

• Figtree chocolate and raspberry brownie (Vegan, DF) 

• Garden citrus frangipane tart 

WHAT DID IT COST?

I know a lot of the time, the thing on most brides minds planning the wedding, is money - despite not feeling comfortable enough to talk to others or out right ask about it. But as you know I am an open book, and I don’t think its fair to talk about all the amazing stuff without also talking about how much it cost to make it happen.

Like I explained at the start we knew it was going to be expensive going into it, but we also got clear on why we were doing it and what we wanted it to be for us. What we were willing to spend the money on and where we were willing to try and save.

All up the wedding cost close to $40,000 AUD. We got clarification on the final quote (before all the mishaps) around 12 months out and then we altered our budget to make sure we were saving $800 a week to be able to afford it.

We wanted to pay cash and not have to get a loan, or put ourselves in debt, all for one day. Which I know most people have to do, so I am not ignorant or unaware of how fortunate we are to have built our businesses to a point we knew that we could afford that.

My Mum and Dad wanted to buy my dress and flowers, and Dan’s parents helped us by hosting an after party BBQ the day after the wedding.. 

SOME OF MY FAVOURITE MAGICAL MOMENTS:

So many people had given us advice before the wedding day, to ensure we were present and to take opportunities throughout the day, to stand back and take it all in, as it goes so quick.

I am actually really proud of us because despite being present and amongst it all, we had lots of moments together experiencing it, as what could have seemed like a third party observer looking at the bigger picture. Just being so grateful and having our hearts explode with love for how big of a deal it was for people to travel from far and wide, from around the world, with two families, multiple countries, two lives with lots of different chapters - all coming together smiling, dancing, laughing and having fun.

This combined with my love for my new husband was a feeling I can’t explain and why I would do it all over again and can’t put a price tag on it!

I had a reveal in the cottage before my ceremony with my Mum, Dad and two brothers and it was such a beautiful moment. I don’t have words for it. The photo’s captured some special memories but the real water works started once the photographer had left the room and my Mum and Dad broke down (I had never seen my dad cry like that before). They had me, my brothers and the bridesmaids all in tears!

Our MC and best mate Casey, had organised the King boys VS the Kerr boys in an AUS VS POM boat race as it was equal teams (…we both have two brothers!) It was the funniest thing to see as I thought my family had it in the bag for sure (… considering Dan had never seen his Dad skull a beer in his life!), but it seems like Australia brings out the best in all of us and it was a dead heat!

At the end of the night the last song, ‘the load out’ played by Jackson Browne (the photographers had left so it wasn’t captured). This song holds a special meaning to my family. We had our arms around each other swaying together and belting out every lyric whilst the rest of the guests had no idea what was going on but could feel the love and created a circle around us. It was one of those moments that gave me goosebumps. 

The Love bus (double decker bus) on the way home was PUMPING! It was so much fun! I think we were all jacked up on espresso martinis - it was like a two level night club. The bottom level was fun where everyone was singing and dancing… then you went upstairs and it was NEXT LEVEL! I could have just partied on the bus and never gone anywhere and still have had the best day! 

So my advice… LET GO + TRUST

As cliche as it sounds, it all happened for a reason. The day was a fairytale. We ended up having the day we had originally envisioned - it might not have been the way we planned it but sometimes the universe knows better than we think we do.