less stressing, more blessing

Happy 2016! 

What a magnificent, challenging, educational adventure the past year has been. And I have a feeling it’s only going to get better.

In two weeks time I am moving to the Gold Coast to study my Master of Counselling.  I still haven’t quite got my head around what this is going to entail. But hey, that’s part of the adventure, right? 

I am exceedingly blessed to have a fabulous Aunty at the Gold Coast already who I am going to live with. And I cannot complain about the view from my new room. 

This year I am going to challenge myself to stress less and bless more. Instead of worrying about things that I can’t control, I am going to focus on doing the things that I can to the best of my ability. Controlling the controllables. There are so many things that I cannot change. That I have no power over. But I can control me, how I see situations and my actions. And through those actions, I can bring blessings to others. Making someone smile. Helping out. Using my time to look outside myself regularly. 

I want to continue to look for the beauty in things. To eat a little slower. To take a little more time just to be, whether I’m by myself or with others. To be a little calmer. To be gentle, assertive and kind.

For our New Years celebrations, we drove down to the Gold Coast to spend time with my Aunt. Although we decided to go to bed after watching the 9pm fireworks from her apartment balcony, my sister and I did manage to feel a part of the celebrations on our morning walk through Surfers Paradise at 5.30am this morning as the last of the party animals straggled out of the clubs. You know it’s going to be a good year when the first thing said to you by a bunch of young men (albeit probably slightly intoxicated) is “Good Morning Sexy Ladies”. 

Feeling somewhat refreshed after a good night’s sleep (absolutely no regrets about not staying up past midnight) we all decided to go for a drive to the Tweed River Art Gallery and have lunch at the historic Tumbulgum hotel (because sometimes you can’t beat a good pub lunch). 

The Tweed River Art Gallery is an amazing gem tucked away in Murwillimbah. It’s fascinating collections and stunning location make it a wonderful day out. As part of the permanent collection, they have recreated the home studio of Australian artist, Margaret Olley. It’s quite remarkable. They catalogued and moved over 21,000 objects to really capture her home, which is the clear inspiration of much of her work. Rarely have I ever seen something as powerful in helping me to truly understand an artist. 

In the orderly confusion of her home studio, Margaret would look through the seeming chaos with almost tunnel vision to focus on the beauty of what she was painting. Everywhere I looked there was something incredible to look at. Flowers, sculptures, toys, vintage furniture, old magazines, paint, bric-a-brac… Her collection is a strange combination of overwhelming, nostalgic and beautiful. 

So this year, let’s look through the chaos in our own lives to the beauty that is already around us and the beauty that we can create.  

Less stressing, more blessing. 

xx Liz