NOURISH, don’t punish your body…

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I need to get something off of my chest, and that is this;

YOU CANNOT OUT TRAIN A BAD DIET….now, apologies I had to yell that, but I just needed your attention.

I am somebody who loves fitness. I L.O.V.E to move my body. I do it in ways that always feel good to me, and it’s about nourishment, not punishment 100% of the time.

BUT as much as I know that one size or program doesn’t fit all, I also know that our results are always, always 80% what we actually put in our mouth – and only 20% how we move it (and of course 100% of our mindset and our thoughts of course).

I am getting an increasing amount of women come to me about their weights or fitness routine, telling me they’re sooo frustrated at their results … but when I ask how they’re nourishing their body, are they naturally supplementing, or what does their food day to day look like the answer is usually “oh it for sure needs work, but” they say..”I am in the gym 6-7 days a week so I just don’t understand why.

Food beautiful woman. Food. That’s why. I have never counted a calorie in my life, and to this day, I still couldn’t tell you what a macro is and how many I am meant to have a day – what I CAN tell you though is I eat whole healthy foods, multiple times a day, and I supplement beautifully deliciously with my Isagenix.

So if you’re looking for a health transformation, or some results, let’s start there. I would love to chat to you about your health goals and share more of what I do and see if it IS a fit for you, but seeing and feeling my own results, I am almost certain it will be.

You can find me on my Instagram at; annarose_richards.

Or send me an email – info@annaandmorgan.com – to connect better and tell me, if you could change one thing about your health in the next 3 months, what would it be?

An open love letter to my future daughter …

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An open love letter to my future daughter – when I sit to write on certain subjects, I just start typing, and for this particular post, this is what spilled out – if it so resonates with you and your own daughters / nieces / cousins / little ladies in your life, then this is for her too…

Dear future daughter,

Where do I begin? I am writing this to you before you’re even born because as much as I am hopeful for your bright and beautiful future I need you to know these things before you’re earth side with me (and you’re amazing dad).

Right now it’s 2017, a pretty crazy time in terms of natural disasters, let’s just say senseless world leaders and threats of nuclear war (but baby girl, don’t you worry about any of that as this world is always going to be safe for you to come in to, I know I don’t even need to tell you that however).

There is something else going on in the world though that I need to rule out of your life before it’s even a thought in that divine intelligent mind of yours – and that is this obsession with social media and self.

This mama always wants you to know that you are not your looks or your body or your likes or your ‘following’.

By the time you’re earth side with your (hilarious and handsome) daddy & I, I can’t promise you what the state of our planet will be in or how much ‘worse’ this obsession to be “liked” and “followed” will be. But know right to your core, that you should never become more concerned with likes on a photo than you are concerned with who you are as a person and how much kindness you bestow to every single person you meet.

It doesn’t matter how many “followers” you have online, what matters is you had the courage to follow your heart every single day and you remained true to who you were.

And my darling heart please, PLEASE don’t you ever think it’s your boobs or your bum or your body you have to put all over your social media to gain attention. No. It’s your brains and your intellect and your compassion you show to humanity in every single moment.

Know that you deserve to be in any room and deserve to hold any company, be it crouched on the floor feeding the homeless, or introducing yourself to the Prime Minister of Australia (your mummy did that so I know you will too). But here is what I want you to know most, is that both of those people deserve the same level of respect and attention and care from you. You need to Love and respect and revere those that have nothing the same as those that (seemingly) have everything.

My commitment to you is reminding you that your worth is not measured by your bra size, or botox or the fact you are an “influencer” online – your worth is measured in the size of your heart, the depth of your love and the reach of your sincere care for just doing your best for yourself and this planet.

My sincerest wish is that you know what real friendship, love and adventure is long before you worry about how popular or liked you are.

My goal for you is that you hear words like how intelligent and extraordinary a spirit you have long before you’re told how ‘beautiful’ you are (although my sweet girl, you are the most beautiful girl on the planet. Fact).

I want you to learn the word phenomenal and contribution before you learn the word ‘pretty’ and ‘gorgeous’ or ‘snapchat’.

The day mummy took this photo to go with this post I had been online and watched back some videos I had taken of myself that morning .. It was 6am, I had been on my run, so looked tired, pale, had greasy hair, no make up on and … well I suppose the word here is … real.

And the thought crossed my mind – “wow Anna, you were brave putting that up!!” And in that moment right there I caught myself, and realised that was the craziest thought in the WORLD to have, and knew this letter had to be written to you angel.

Never do I ever want you to think ‘brave’ is showing up online OR most specifically OFFLINE aka in the real world exactly as who you are. No make up. Greasy hair (because guess what hunny, your hair is going to get greasy), pimples sometimes (because well, hormones babe) and being allowed to just be deeply authentically you.

The real you always deserves to be shown and never deserves to be second guessed.

Life isn’t perfect and you don’t’ have to show up in it perfectly ever.

You just have to be real and do your best.

I won’t ask much from you little one and I promise to always ALWAYS let you dance to the beat of your own drum, but one thing Mummy will insist on is just staying true to who you are, being Compassionate and having courage to be who you were born to be – before the world (or social media) tells you who to be; You’re a super woman not determined by her body or looks but your brains and capacity to love.

No matter who you do become though or what path you take, just know your Dad & I are going to love you madly and unconditionally and always, ALWAYS have your back.

I want you to always know that you are stronger than you’ll ever truly realise, more powerful than you could imagine and being happy hunny, is far more important than being pretty (so ditch feeling like you’ve got to put on the make up if it means you’ll miss the start of a sunrise or sunset)…

And last but not least, I promise mummy will try her BEST to live in to the example I have set out above.

Love you with all my heart and can’t wait to meet you one day (in this lifetime or the next).

Mummy xxx

It’s not always going to be perfect, and neither are you

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I want you to know that I get life isn’t always going to be in flow and peachy. It just isn’t. I have to always even remind myself that to experience joy, I have to still experience the sadness and to be in the light I can only know that from standing in the shadows.

The key I have found though is NO MATTER WHAT to keep putting one foot in front of the other. To move forward even when you’re unsure or hurting or feeling like giving up.

Feeling like sh*t so sleeping in, won’t make you feel better. Getting up to move your body will.
Feeling sad about any certain situation so burying yourself in a series of tv binge watching won’t make you feel better. Getting outside & going for a walk and creating an action plan will.
Feeling lost and unsure so downing a bottle of wine won’t make you feel better. Calling your most trusted friend and having a good chat to clear your energy will.

I have ALL of those feelings, not regularly sure, but I do experience them, and don’t ever think even people who seemingly have their sh*t together don’t have the same crappy feelings like the next human.

What helps me though is one.foot.in.front.of.the.other. Getting up even when I feel like sleeping in. Moving my body even when I have every excuse to not. Calling a friend or speaking to Morgs to clear away some confused energy. Going for a walk and being out in nature when I am disappointed or hurt. Writing on the beach when I need to work through a change or transition.

THIS is what poured out this morning when I sat to write so I know many of you needed this little love bomb in your life. Just remember above all else though, the pain or hurt or confusion or frustration will always pass when you get in to action for yourself and just put that next best foot forward.

And as always, I will be over here cheering you on every single step of the way

If today was your last day – would you be happy with how it was lived?

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Sitting on a plane some 35,000 feet above the air, I have just finished watching the movie ‘Me before you’ – and have been emotionally moved like I can’t explain.

First of all, let it be said, that it is by far, the saddest movie I have ever watched of all time, full stop, no returns.

Sobbing madly on the plane (I’m talking uncontrollable tears) with poor Morgan (read; lucky Morgan!) sitting next to me unsure how to console me, one of the beautiful flight attendants spotted me, put his hand on his chest nodded at me like “I know what’s going on here, I know what you’re watching” disappeared, and re appeared with about 10 serviettes and a bottle of champagne for me and came back to my seat saying “You before me?” to which I tearfully just looked at him and started crying harder  as he handed me the bottle.

You see, I love love so fucking much. I love love more than I will EVER be able to articulate. Ever.

Sometimes, and it’s hard to explain it but my heart will actually ache from loving so hard. The beautiful thing is, I know everybody has this capacity to love this hard, I just think I am just tuned in to it.

Seeing grandparents holding hands or calling each other sweetheart or darling literally riddles me with emotion, hearing of other peoples love stories makes my heart explode – and don’t even get me started on weddings.

But I love ALL love.

Love for one another; aka relationship love – sure I love that.

But love for humanity and kindness for all others – that is unconditional love to me which is even better than love and THAT is what makes my heart ache in the best way possible.

So to watch a movie where two people fall in love – despite Will’s differences already had me crying throughout the movie. Lou’s character was just the most beautiful, kind, sincere, genuine, positive woman who truly had a love for life and others. A sincerely beautiful and endearing quality to have. And yet, the inevitable still happened, that inevitable of which I can’t even get in to still because it’s far too traumatic and devastating at this raw moment to discuss.

What I DO want to talk about however were two resounding messages that so potently hit me right in this moment and brought me to pouring this blog post out still sitting on the plane, trying to stop these tears from falling and I sit here and write this.

P.s I interrupt this short post to update you on the amazing flight attendant Travis who just came back to check on me to see if I was ok – and I said I was writing about it and he said “oh darling” and I started crying again!! Haha Qantas you need to give Travis a payrise and a promotion he is all that is good and just in this world. Let’s continue on however….

What I DO want to talk about however were two resounding messages that so potently hit me right in the heart, like, took my heart, flipped it around and around and then burst it open filling the whole damn plane with glitter and unicorns and love hearts (think cartoon style).

And it was these two things….

You’ve only got one life and it’s your duty to live it as powerfully and beautifully as you can.  

You can’t change who people are – you can only love them.

I want to speak to the first point first – and I get so perplexed with that statement because I think people have become so numb to that point having heard it in instagram inspiration posts and in books FAR too often.

So forget what you read – focus on how you FEEL when you read it.

People can think “you’ve only got one life” as SO cliché but I just want to shake those people and be like WAKE THE FUCK UP because you DO only have one life. And with that life do you want to be living even one DAY not as you pleased? I hope the answer is no.

I believe, trulyyyyyyy believe, I live a beautiful life – but do you want to know the secret as to why? It’s not the ‘stuff’ that is filled in it it’s the MOMENTS that I create.

I fundamentally live as though each and every single day is my last.

Even boarding this plane, I have to say I always do get a little twinge of ‘I trust that we will make it safe and sound’ but smile knowing that if we don’t every single person in my life deeply knows how loved they were by me.

Because there are so many of these things that occur in my daily life ….

I love publicly pouring love.

I love privately pouring love.

I love writing love letters in peoples birthday cards.

I love telling strangers how beautiful they look.

I love complimenting mums I don’t know on how phenomenally they are doing raising their babies.

I love asking the check out chicks “tell me something exciting you love to do”.

I love saying “I love you” at the end of EVERY SINGLE ONE of my calls or catch ups with family or friends (and I love they say it back).

I love sending long text messages detailing just how proud of people I am or how much I love them and WHY.

I love that every day no matter how productive or mayhem’ish my day may look there is something in there that I LOVE to do (be it a yoga class, journaling, a beach walk, a dance to loud music – whatever!).

I love not having any control over being able to hide my emotion at any given moment. Loving too wildly (there is no such thing). Laughing VERY loudly no matter who’s around me and crying with complete strangers at the absolute drop of a hat.

I love making out with Morgan daily and telling him how much I love him (several times a day).

I love sharing so vulnerably in every given moment – and I love that I love doing that.

I love that I can look every person I come in to contact with in the eye and tell them that I hope they have a “wild, magnificent, wonderful, extraordinary, wonderful” day as I leave them (and then I love seeing their face as no one says that stuff anymore).

You see, sure my life has some pretty fun stuff in it but it’s never the stuff that makes it so wild and wonderful – it’s the moments and memories and people that I collect that make it so.

I believe it’s about filling my life with adventure, not material ‘things’ and having wild and funny stories to tell, not stuff to show.

I don’t really care what car you drive– I care if you took 5 minutes out of your day today to tell all the people in your life if you loved them.

I don’t care what handbag you have – I care if you snort laugh when sharing that story of that ‘one time when you skinny dipped in the Mediterranean” (if that is your travel style, aka that is one of my own fav stories to tell!)

Point is – our lives are absolutely and fundamentally NOT about what we HAVE, it’s about what we DO, and how much we have LOVED.

I cannot tell you the synchronicity of this post either, as I recently got to find and follow a beautiful fellow blogger –Lisa, the extraordinary woman behind  “Terminally Fabulous” and tragically, She is dying of terminal cancer.

She doesn’t have long left either – and she’s not ready to die (writing that just brings on more tears).

So when I say, ‘you’ve only got one life, and it’s your duty to live it as powerfully and beautifully as you can’ – I mean that with my whole being.

I OFTEN say, just IMAGINE if today was your last day – in fact I wrote a pretty long and heart felt blog post about It here, that if this morning, when your alarm went off, you didn’t wake up. Or you’re on your way to work and there is a freak accident. You can’t say it’s impossible because these sorts of things happen every single day.

I just want you to wake up and see that your life is not a dress rehearsal – there is no moment where everything is just going to click in to place and it’s exactly as it’s meant to be for you. You just have to show up every single day understanding that every moment is a choice.

You choose to understand that life is a gift.

You choose to say I love you more.

You choose to see the good over the bad more often than not.

You choose to just brush things off that aren’t worth holding on to.

You choose to forgive quickly.

You choose to love so wildly your heart hurts.

You choose you choose you CHOOSE.

So you guys, what if you could just choose better? A pretty wild statement right? Of course not, making a choice can be done from one second to the next with no real effort or thought – just choose better. We don’t need to get deep and woo woo about it, as one successful brand that you might know of says…

Just do it.

With that sentiment in mind, I also wanted to explore the second theme of the movie that hit my heart harder than I can truly articulate, which was;

You can’t change who people are – you can only love them.

Something pretty heartbreaking happens in the film – because of a decision one character makes (I don’t want to give away the whole movie in case you DO feel emotionally stable enough to see it). And Lou couldn’t change his mind, she couldn’t change what he wanted, she couldn’t change what he believed – and ultimately, she couldn’t change him.

She could only Love him.

And I just think that is the most beautiful lesson to bring in to our daily lives.

You might not be able to change the people in your life who challenge you the most.

You might not be able to change the fact that people in your life have wildly varying political or religious beliefs than you.

You might not be able to change the fact that you have a family member or friend that makes bad decisions.

But you can love them.

Unconditionally.

Don’t ever confuse unhealthily loving someone (aka domestic violence relationships – RUN far FAR far away in those cases – but that’s a post for another day) for unconditionally loving someone either.

I am talking about that work colleague who really grinds your gears because you have differing opinions.

Love them anyway.

I am talking about that parent who you don’t think gave YOU enough love as a child so you still have stuff around it.

Love them anyway.

I am talking about that friend who has decided to have wildly different religious or political views to you (set some boundaries of course, but)….

Love them anyway.

Morgan and I for the last year have spent half a day Thursday volunteering with the homeless. It’s not something that we ever or very very rarely post about or share, as we don’t do it TO share, we do it to serve. But every week, come rain, hot hot sun, or crazy hail storm (we have had it all), we go and pick up a bright Orange Sky Laundry van and go and wash our homeless friends clothes.

And every week, we hear their stories of alcoholism, or drug abuse, or how they escaped violent relationships, or how they’re just choosing homelessness as its easier and less stressful than living in homes west.

And you know what the greatest gift of all we give them?

A non judgemental space where they can just talk, and we aren’t there to try to change them, we are just there to LISTEN and LOVE on them. To ultimately; love them.

You truly can’t change who people are – and with all due respect, it’s not your RIGHT to, but you CAN love them.

And you want to know something?

If you focused on just these 2 things alone for the next month, living your life as powerfully and beautifully as you could – and hand in hand, not wasting energy on trying to change people, just loving them, I PROMISE and guarantee you that your life will radically change.

You really only do have one life – and no fuck’s are given as to how cliché that sounds. Because we do. And the faster that you realise that, and focus on doing the things and hanging with the people that you LOVE (vs the opposite) and LOVING people instead of trying to CHANGE people, the richer and more beautiful and more extraordinary your life becomes.

Fact.

Look, I know I’m just a kid in the scheme of things, in this beautiful vortex of wild adventure that we call life, but what I do know is your life can only go in one direction (up) if you choose to focus on two principles that I think really are fundamental to beautiful living.

So from me to you today, and everyday, I just want to lovingly remind you, you really do only have one life, and it truly is your duty to live it as powerfully and beautifully as you can.

And above all else – please remember we sincerely can’t change who people are – but we can LOVE them.

So do that.

Love and live with reckless abandon.

Love and live like today was your lsat day on earth.

Love and live like you mean it and you WANT to.

And watch your life unfold as the true gift that it is right before your eyes.

Oh, and p.s … I love you.

 

 

 

 

Is your opinion hurting or helping?

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Last night I couldn’t sleep.

 I tried, and tried and tried, but I had all these thoughts swirling around my head and on the rare occasions that this happens (not being able to sleep from thoughts) there is always something that I do…

“Morgan, hey baby are you awake”

 “hgnagogngoag” (his noise he makes to tell me sort of, but he would be more so if I didn’t just ask him if he was awake).

 “I need to talk about something so I can go asleep”

 “babeeeee. Is it important ??”

 “Everything is important” (haaaa – not really because sometimes I’d like to talk about unicorns and my affinity with glitter but recognise that probably isn’t important to Morgan at 11pm at night)

 “Ok baby I’m awake, what’s up”

 “I need to just talk about this whole notion around opinions vs empathy”

 “that’s what you woke me up for? To talk about your opinion on opinions”

 ….. and away the conversation went.

 You see, here is the thing, the older I get, and hopefully SOME the wiser, if there is one thing I am learning for sure it is this.

 There is absolutely no one person who is right over another when it comes to opinion. I believe, (and this is just my opinion of course – ha) that when it comes to opinions, who is honestly to say who is right and who is wrong. You are BOTH right.

 Why?

 Because it’s all just perception at the end of the day.

 I know it’s a touchy subject, but I don’t care, as it’s SUCH a great example to use to articulate my point the best –  and that is, the global women marches that have recently happened (for whatever reason it happened, I am not getting in to semantics).

 As a HUMAN (not a woman, a human) I am super proud of all the women (and men) who marched showing unity and solidarity globally. I am also proud of women (and men) who decided to post their support of it on their social media and get behind something they believe in (aka have an opinion).

 But guess what?

 As a HUMAN (not a woman, a human) I am also equal parts proud of all the women (and men) who chose NOT to march and feel that that in itself was showing unity and solidarity globally for whatever they believed in. I am also proud of the women (and men) who decided to post their lack of support on their social media and not get behind something they didn’t believe in (aka have an opinion).

 BOTH of those decisions was based on their belief systems and values and PERCEPTION of what it stood for, making it their opinion.

I am not about to argue and get upset by someone elses opinion, what I WILL show however is empathy.

Neither was technically right but neither was technically wrong – it just is what it is. It is their opinion, and because that opinion is based off of their perception of what THEY believe in – really if you actually thought about it they’re BOTH in fact right.

THAT is why, you need not ever get upset or worked up over another person’s opinion. Its not YOUR truth, it’s THEIR truth and that’s ok.

 And I know what you’re thinking, (those that disagree with this sentiment because your opinion differs so you think you’re right …) “what a weak stance to have, she needs to grow a back bone and stand for what she believes in”.

 And to that I say;

 I have a backbone, and I have a range of opinions on a range of almost every topic, the difference is, I don’t get angry, spread hate or say things in the heat of the moment when someone has a DIFFERENT opinion to me.

 I simply recognise that my own opinion is based off my own belief set and values and perception of how I personally view the world which could be the polar opposite to someone else’s belief set and values and perception of how they personally view the world giving them a completely different opinion.

 That isn’t to say I am right and they are wrong. Or that they are wrong and I am right.

 That’s just the thing about opinion, we are both right because we both believe it with our whole soul.

 I swear on everything I love, the day I really fully truly actually understood this very sentiment – was the day my life became calmer, happier, less drama filled and did I mention happier?

 You are religious and have some super strong religious beliefs? Awesome.

You are atheist but believe in the amazing power of the universe? How beautiful.

You are a feminist and get angry about a lot of things? Good for you.

You are a woman who is anti feminists thinking they take us back 200 years. Bravo.

You are someone who vehemently argues for adopt over buying a dog from a breeder? I think that is beautifully noble of you.

You are someone that is an ambassador about buying a dog from a breeder vs a rescue as you know then you’ll have your forever dog and it won’t end up in a rescue shelter? All power to you.

 You see – it doesn’t matter what side of the argument you’re on, your both right, and there is not point getting angry and being mean or loosing sleep over someone elses opinion.

 What people believe and therefore stand up for is THEIR truth.

And what you believe and therefore stand up for is YOUR truth.

 Your truth is your truth and generally speaking, no one can take that away from you or change your mind on it, and I don’t think they should.

There are ALWAYS exceptions to the rule as well, I am not saying we just have to walk around and be zen to all opinions and accept them with no recourse. When I am talking about with all of the above I just have, I am talking about the opinions that obviously don’t hurt other members of society – every day stuff that is discussed far and wide in and offline. If someone has a violently differing opinion to you that is generally upsetting, by all means, use your internal indicators to know that that doesn’t bode well with you. You still however don’t have to get in a big debate with them, because I can almost guarantee its not going to change their opinion anyway – you just get the wonderful choice to unfollow, or unfriend or close that chapter with having them in your life. Simples.

The best part about this whole piece I have just written as well?? It’s just an opinion 😉 One you may agree or disagree on, but that’s just the best part, if you DO disagree, its your first chance to put in to place the whole idea of not getting upset or angry about someone having a differing opinion and simply accepting this as MY truth, and being ok with that.

The world doesn’t need more separation and arguments, it is crying out for more empathy, and it starts right here and now, with you.

And I promise you, truly deeply wildly promise you, that living in this way, will make for your most peaceful and calm life yet.

Image: here 

My 7 year journey

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Facebook threw up the photo on the left the other day and I had to take several moments to breathe in the journey I have been on. The photos are almost exactly 7 years apart and what a journey it has been.

7 years ago, at age 22, as ‘confident’ and ‘headed places’ as I was (I had a big group of friends around me and was already in politics working full time + in my final year at uni) I wasn’t sincerely happy.

I had a body that was getting abused with bad food, binge drinking and recreational drugs (ecstasy every other weekend), and a mind that was completely devoid of self worth and emotional strength.

And one day I woke up, and decided to change, just like that. It was a night I was on pills and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror – and LITERALLY didn’t recognise the woman staring back at me. Body, mind & spirit. So I changed. Morgan and I transformed our lives S.L.O.W.L.E.Y – changed our whole diet, I stopped saying yes to music festivals & parties I knew I’d be tempted to take drugs, and swapped out tv for books. In 2010 I had my major jaw reconstruction surgery (life changing surgery to fix my severe underbite). I dropped 17kgs – 6kg from the surgery, 11kg on my own, (Morgan dropped 23kg) and started to change literally from the inside (mind) out (body). 2 years in to that journey, I found nutritional cleansing yes – and have maintained my weight and results with those life changing products ever since, but that isn’t where this initial transformation ever came from.

This came from knowing who I was with conviction- and making drastic changes towards becoming that woman. It was knowing NO ONE defined my worth but me. It was being sick of thinking my power was external to me – when I had the keys all along.

There isn’t an excuse in the WORLD I will hear from someone, especially a woman (one day I will share my ENTIRE story) as to why you are so stuck in fear to change. Not one.

You are not what you weigh, how you have or haven’t looked, who you have slept with, you aren’t your dark past, or a fucked up childhood, you are not your mother or fathers or families expectations. You are not your scars or your feelings of unworthiness. YOU ARE NOT YOUR MISTAKES.

YOU are the one who gets to decide how your story will go.

YOU are the one who gets to feel, determine & KNOW your worth.

YOU are the one who gets to find your voice. No matter how long it’s been lost.

YOU are the one who gets to find the fire & the fight from within and share THAT journey.

No one, not your past, not your old stories, not men (or women) who have taken sexual rights from you, not any abuse, not a dark history, not A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G or ANYONE gets to tell you who you are. Only you get to do that.

YOU are a walking piece of art crafted for THIS lifetime not here to waste one second letting others define you.

You are the author of your life. And you need to understand that you get to claim all of your power & potency back in any given moment and write how the rest of your story will go.

Because I assure you – if I can do it, then you CERTAINLY can. Your time is now, the year has never been more perfect and the calling is officially on your life.

G.O and be the woman you were always born to be, and I will always be here – cheering you on the loudest <3

p.s I have to shout out to the main man in my life Morgan too who was there for every tiny step OF this journey and has supported me in ways that I can’t even explain

Changing my world, to change THE world…with you

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I was never going to be the girl who accepted an ordinary life. It just wasn’t in my blood.

I knew that if I wanted a life different from others, especially a life way different than what society tells us is ‘normal’ (go to school, get a degree, get a good job, get married, own a house, work until you’re old, then die) then I was was going to have to always find the courage to live a little bolder and work a little harder.

That journey for me started early on in my life.

At age 11, I got my first job, delivering newspapers / junk mail to 80 houses around our neighbourhood for a few dollars a week, and thanks to that, I had saved my first $100 before I was 12.

At age 13, I got my second job, working weekend nights (whilst friends got to party earlier than me) at Dominos saucing pizzas.

I worked there for over 3 years and by 16 was working big part time hours (every other night and weekends) whilst juggling high school obviously full time.

At age 17, I left Dominoes to help another pizza business launch in our area and worked long part time hours finishing year 12.

At age 18, I got my first Full Time Job as a junior admin assistant in an Accounting firm (who are my Accountants for Morgan & I’s biz today!)

At age 19, I started my degree in Commerce, and continued to work full time and study full time over the next 3 years (graduating being offered honours – thanks but no thanks) graduating with a Double Major in Human Resources, and Management with a minor in Entrepreneurship.

At age 21, I got my job in Federal Politics and spent the next (almost) 4 years working my ass off having the time of my LIFE in our Perth based office & Parliament House in Canberra.

At age 22, I launched my first REAL business, Possibly Maybe – a dating website for 18 – 35 year olds. I wrote out a comprehensive business plan, got a bank loan and spent over $12,000 setting that biz up supporting myself through uni, and working full time.

At age 23, I launched my first blog (lifesshinyprettythings- which is the re branded annaandmorgan dot com today).

At age 25, I started my Network Marketing Business. And this is the year we are planning on hitting Millionaire.

Here is the thing though.

Between the ages of 11 and 25 (so that’s some 14 years), I have absolutely been looking for that ‘thing’ – that thing that I have been looking for since I was born, that was going to allow me to create the life that we ALL deserve, that I knew a traditional job was never going to reward me.

You know, things like…

Travelling the world – not having to request leave for 4 weeks a year.

Earning an uncapped income based on effort – not being told what I was worth from a boss or corporation.

Working with who I want, where I want, when I want – not in an open plan office with negative co-workers in a tiny cubicle.

And achieving big goals and dreams – like retiring my mum and living life on our terms.

So at age 25 – when I found my current company and feel in love with the model of Network Marketing, imagine how excited I was to know that I had just found ‘the thing’, that thing being the vehicle to reward me the life I had looked for since I was a little girl.

But something else happened when I found this profession and decided to, and successful did, go for it.

People, not all, but a good few, couldn’t understand my choice, and I realised that there is still MUCH education required around this profession to change that, which I am more than ok with and willing to be a voice to.

Because here is the thing, I know I’m ‘only’ 28 – but I have done a lot, tried a lot of things, and spent YEARS trying to find ‘the thing’ I am most passionate about – and ultimately – it’s what I do now – helping people fall back in love with themselves and their health and helping people become financially independent and or free.

And yes, I recognise that some people still misunderstand this profession and business model – but I know it’s the one profession that I am so madly passionate about, one thing I love the most is you can be a Harvard graduate or a stay at home mum with no degree, but as long as you are passionate about the product and have commitment to hard work, you can succeed. 

You might think network marketing is crazy (or I have heard the word scam thrown around which makes me laugh), or not for you, but I am here to say whether you’re a raging fan of it, or someone who doesn’t fully understand it, or someone who actually talks bad about the profession, in 2017 I am going to humbly suggest its time that you started to properly educate yourself on it.

My paper round, my years working for a franchise, starting an online ‘traditional’ business, my working full time, my degree – although all PHENOMENAL things – were never going to give me the life I now get to lead…. and THAT is why, I can’t be stopped and won’t be stopped.

I really do believe I have spent 18 years getting ready for this next chapter in Morgan and I’s life where we play bigger, show up more and REALLY start to make some noise about what we do and what we love – so you can keep watching and wondering, or you can reach out and see what it is we ACTUALLY do vs. just assuming.

My mission is to help women step in to their true power, and realise they can wear all hats if they want to – be it a mum, entrepreneur, humanitarian,  a { insert your dream title here } – and do that whilst absolutely loving the skin they’re in and earning an income that will change their world which in turn changes THE world.

And please don’t think this is the be all and end all for me or has to be for you either. It’s the VEHICLE. 

I have passion projects ready to be launched now because I have the time and financial freedom to pursue them – including womens & couples retreats and womens weekend events.

It’s just that at 28 years of age, I have found the ‘thing’ that I get to demonstrate my courage with to live that bolder life and work a lot harder – and I couldn’t be happier.

For me now though, it’s about helping other women (and Morgan feels the exact same way when it comes to helping Men) find the courage to do the same.

If you were like me, and have tried a tonne of different things, and worked incredibly hard on someone else’s dream – but know that 2017 is the year you find the ‘thing’ for you too, then it’s absolutely time we had a little chat.

Answer the question at the bottom of this other page and let’s chat. 

I GET that network marketing isn’t for everybody, but I DO get that health IS – and what we have with our company IS the perfect storm.

No one, no doubter, no bump in the road is going to stop me (or Morgan of course) – THAT for sure is what I can promise you.

I want the same kind of women around me though – one’s that want to build a legacy, an empire, ones that are so certain of the life they want to lead that nothing and no one can stop them. If that sounds like you – you’re the woman I 100% want to work with and I can’t wait to have a chat with you.

You know your time is now.

You know you’ve spent your whole life getting ready for this.

You know you’ve got it in you to change your whole life.

And I’m here ready to show you how.

Chat to you soon beautiful lady.

 

The real reason you’re not moving forward

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It’s Tuesday, my delicious hot coffee has been made with love and I have been staring at this blank white page for a few minutes now, willing myself to write. For inspiration to strike, for the topic that is burning most in my heart to will itself through me.

And as I sat here waiting for those magical moments to occur, I had the overwhelming urge to just start tapping at the keys to see what comes out instead– and as I do so, I am immediately struck with a thousand words that want to flow through me, but in particular, this idea around Fear, and what is truly holding us back.

I finished my book last night that I was reading the last week or so – the War of Art, by Steven Pressfield, and as I read the last word on the last page, I quietly shut the book and took a big breathe out.

And it came from the notion of ‘real fear’. We all have fear – of course, fear is needed, good even, as it’s what keeps us safe (sometimes too safe). But so often, in fact too often, we allow those ‘other’ fears, like fear of failure or fear of being hurt, or fear of loosing people to stop us.

But here is the real kicker, those fears, although totally valid and as real to us as the air we breathe, they’re not the ultimate fear that we have hanging over us day after day after day, and what really keeps us from writing the book, changing careers, asking for the guy on the date – is the ‘Master Fear’ – the fear that is so a part of us most people don’t even believe it to not just be the Master fear but a fear at all. And that is;

The Fear that we WILL in fact succeed.

That we stop ourselves, time after time after time and day after day after day – not because we are scared we will fail, even though that fear might minutely be there, but we stop ourselves because the unconscious thought of drastically succeeding and becoming who we were born to be, or finishing the book or finding the love of our life – is actually scarier than the notion of failing.

You might immediately cast that idea aside – and already be at work in your mind thinking that is absolutely nuts, but I have to tell you, laying there in bed last night, taking my big breathe out – I couldn’t have aligned with that idea more.

I couldn’t tell you the amount of projects I haven’t started, or speaking events I have said no to, or even posts I haven’t written – not from fear of failing, I KNOW no matter what nothing is REALLYYYY a failure, even if I launched a project and it didn’t go how I wanted, I’d be proud I at least started it, or if I bombed out at a speaking event, at least I showed my human vulnerable side, or if no one read a post, at least I had the courage to write it – failure to me is still a positive thing as I just think ‘failures’ are learning curves.

The reason, deep inside, if I truly had to be honest and vulnerable I haven’t started many a project or spoken at certain events or writing particular blog posts – as I do know that’s the next level for me, and succeeding is scarier to me than failure. Failure I can deal with. Succeeding requires all new levels of up skilling and living boldly.

I believe it’s also why deep down, I stopped writing.

You see, I said it just the other day – I LOVE to write. For 2 ½ – 3 years when I first birthed lifesshinyprettythings (the original anna and morgan dot com blog) I was committed to my daily practice of writing no matter what. It was quite honestly the thing that got me up early, and kept me up late.

Then life and business ‘got in the way’ (read: exploded in the most beautiful and abundant and life changing of ways), and writing took a back seat.

But deep down, I think it was a fear of where could this take me. Should I REALLY be allowed to have this much joy from allowing words to flow through me daily.

The answer is of that, of course I should. Joy and living in to a purpose is our divine birth right.

This whole notion of holding yourself back due to a fear of succeeding vs a fear of failing still might feel crazy to you, and don’t ever get me wrong either, fear of failure is still VERY MUCH a real and constant fear for us all, I understand that, but I just dare you to try it on for size next time you’re holding yourself back from something.

Check in. Show up to yourself and for yourself and ask yourself the harder question.

Are you scared because you’ll fail (because honestly, what is failure anyway but a beautiful lesson in life) or are you actually scared because you could boldly succeed. You know, fall in love, be admired, earn the respect, land the deal, speak up.

Because you just might find, like I had a quiet realisation for myself the other day – that I can take the next little step forward when I recognise the difference between the fears (here I am now still sitting writing vulnerably for you all for example) – because success, done with the right intention and in love and humility, maybe isn’t such a scary thing after all.

Marianne Williamson said it best when she said her famous quote, a famous quote might I add that has always been one of my favourites, and only has more meaning now I am birthed a new day recognising fear of success vs failure more than ever ….

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.”

And as the amazing Steven Pressfield finished his book with that struck me right in the heart…

“Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got”.

I know it might seem so far away, or implausible or maybe even impossible, but that doesn’t make it any less real or powerful.

So I ask you, just as Marianne has quietly tried all of these years with her quote, and Mr Pressfield in his phenomenal book – to stop playing small, it’s time you gave the world what you’ve got.

Little by little.

Day by day.

It doesn’t matter how fast these small brave acts of courage take initially, of you living more in to who you were born to be, it just matters that you act.

And today, and every day, I wish you the courage to do just that.

Here is to you, to knowing that there is nothing to be afraid of with success and that you have purpose and meaning on this earth that you get to so beautifully live in to.

What sincere authenticity is to me – and why I am obsessed with it.

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Sitting on the ground yesterday in the beautiful Perth sunshine, I got chatting to one of Morgan and I’s friends on the street who’s clothes we are honoured to wash weekly. For the purposes of her privacy I am going to call her Sarah.

Sarah and I were catching up on each other’s week and she told me that she had just started to read 50 shades of Grey, and I was interested to hear what book she was up to as I too had read the series I told her. We started snorting with hysteria though as I went on to explain…

“Isn’t it funny though how you totally need your man around when you read it as they are absolute turn on books (*note, Sarah is in a loving relationship). Except you have just read about how wild and hot and steamy Christian and Anastasia are and then when you go to do it you’re still just Starfish”.

Cue tears streaming down our faces kind of laughing because we both knew it was true.

The conversation continued on just talking about the normal things of life, kids, family, relationships, you know – the usual kind of conversation you’d have with anyone.

Mid shift I walked over to the toilets laughing quietly to myself again about our conversation about the 50 shades of Grey books, which made me think about the countless other times I have had that conversation with so many women since reading the book in 2012 – women in parliament, good girlfriends over a wine, strangers when I used to see them reading it in parks.

And walking back over to where our friends and Morgan were sitting that sunny afternoon, it dawned on me that THAT is sincere authenticity.

Not the fact that I can talk about sex or ‘risky’ books with anyone – that’s not the point. But the fact that no matter who I am with, no matter what I am doing, no matter where I am – I can just show up as who I am and say the same thing in front of a friend on the street or a member of parliament.

Now – do not get me wrong. I am acutely aware that some conversations aren’t appropriate in front of a Priest (for respect) or a 4-year-old (due to age appropriateness) or a Prime Minister (for, well, I suppose for respect although I personally think they’re just normal human beings) – so I am not talking about that. I know that sometimes, sure what we say or how we can act does have to differ slightly person to person – but there is a huge distinction between managing respect and being sincerely authentic.

Managing Respect comes down to just knowing what volume to be at I believe, but still always living in to who you authentically. And by volume, I don’t mean that literally.

I’ll give you an example.

Back when I worked in Federal Politics, I used to always have to go in to what I called ‘the big boy meetings’ – with Ministers of portfolio’s, or CEO’s of big corporations (i.e Alan Joyce), you were constantly also meeting ex Prime Ministers (my favourite one being the time I got to have a chat with the Hon John Howard) and current Prime Ministers (who at the time was Opposition Leader – Tony Abbott).

Now. If you know me well, (or not even well, if you just follow me on social media recently or over the years), you know that I am a pretty crazy, cheeky, fun human who has an affinity for the word fuck, being silly and champagne, unicorns (yes, even at the age of 28) and hot chips– just to name a tiny aspect of me.

So when I would go in to these ‘big boy meeting’s’ I would always manage my respect, BUT I would show up sincerely authentically as myself.

What does that look like?

It means knowing that in some moments, sure, the word fuck is not the best option so to not use it. It’s listening more than talking sometimes, it’s showing the more mature side of you whilst ALL the while being wildly authentic.

So what does wild authenticity look like in a situation like that (parliament) whilst managing respect.

It looked like dressing up as a love heart on valentine’s day and handing out chocolates to all the federal members – because who doesn’t want a chocolate from a love heart on valentine’s day.

It looked like never ever taking myself too seriously at any and all ‘party’ functions and almost creating the loudest most fun, hilarious group situation where we could actually let our hair down, laugh and all show up with our sillier sides.

It meant having a drink with all the serious Shadow Ministers at the end of the sitting week and starting a “peaks and pits” of their week – going around in a circle sharing what we could do better, and what we did well that week (and for grown men & women who run our country to look forward to that session we used to do in the chairman’s lounge all waiting to fly home – was such a fun thing for me).

It meant telling Alan Joyce to his face that although I loved his airline, if we didn’t get chocolates back on the Thursday flight home I’d start a revolt (tongue in cheek) and get us all to start flying Virgin instead. (side note: guess who had chocolates back on the flight home by that Thursday night….. me.

You see – you can be respectful when you need to be – all huge examples above – but you can still ALWAYS, ALWAYS show up sincerely as yourself.

We are moving in to a world where authenticity is the new currency.

We are seeking authenticity over perfection.

We are asking for everyone around us to throw down their masks – and bare their souls.

We are obsessed with compassionate acts and unconditional love (well I am) – which is birthed from humanity stepping away from who they were told to be and stepping in to who they were born to be – authentic powerful beings.

We are hungry for freedom – authentic, delicious freedom.

The universe is calling forth a rebellion of a new kind – and more and more are listening to the call, not being able to resist the pull to put down their masks, light their own fire and step more in to their sincerely authentic selves.

And it’s beautiful and inspiring and extraordinary to watch.

Sincere authenticity IS the black and its here to stay, so don’t be afraid to step in to your own true divine self more and more.

It’s speaking up when your soul says to.

It’s owning who you are in front of a priest, a member of parliament or a homeless person.

It’s saying what you mean and meaning what you say.

It’s being exactly the same person as to who you are in ‘real life’ as to the person who you are showing up as online (side note; I always feel like I shouldn’t even need to say this one, but in 2017 I still do think that reminder needs to be in there).

It’s taking off every single last mask you have been holding on to, throwing it in to the fire and burning them once and for all.

It’s owning the bad ass extrovert parts of you along with the graceful and introvert parts.

It’s having the balls to live your boldest, grandest, most TRUE life – and if that means being the quietest librarian the world has ever seen or the most impactful world leader the world has ever known – BEAUTIFUL – just make sure you are showing up exactly as you are every.damn.day.

My only wish for you today though, is that you start somewhere – and I suggest that somewhere is in the next instance you go to crack a joke but don’t because you think it’s not ‘cool’ or you don’t speak up on a topic you’re actually red-hot passionate about – you actually DO instead, because THAT is who you are.

 

 

 

 

 

Images: here,

Overcoming resistance … I’m back (daily – almost)

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It’s 8:44am and I am sitting here looking out over the beautiful marina in my cozy little neighbourhood about to start this blog piece with a fresh new commitment to writing, every.single.day.

But immediately, the inevitable happens, what happens every time I go to write. Resistance slowly and sneakily takes over – and without even realising it, just under 10 minutes has passed and I realised I have been sitting here scrolling Instagram.

I silently tell myself ENOUGH in my mind, put my phone down and start to write.

And here I am.

Back to my happy place. Writing. And here you are, back at maybe your happy place of exploring the internet, reading it. Which I am so eternally grateful for. Always.

I started writing on my blog – ‘this’ blog (it’s had a major re brand from lifesshinyprettythings to annaandmorgan is all) in May of 2011, so on 23rd May of this year, I will have been sharing my life in this space for 6 years. Back when I started, I had a commitment to write almost daily. I would work 10+ hour days in Federal Politics, (sometimes 18+ hours if it was a Parliamentary sitting week), but every night, still get home and go in to my home office which I still so lovingly dub my zen den, and write in this space. Why? Because I love to write, it was and is writing that makes me happy.

You know those books and quotes and eye catching phrases that talk about finding the things where you can be doing it for hours and hours on end but have barely even noticed the time? That is writing to me. It’s of showing up to a blank piece of paper and just beginning to type or write and seeing what comes out.

And yet, somewhere along the way in this last 6 years, my commitment to daily writing has become almost non existent. I journal, sure, privately and almost daily – but it used to be those journal pages that I would share online, instead of writing in a book privately, I would write it on this blank white paper on the screen, in this space, and that is what made this space (in my opinion) so special.

So I am back.

Because I am done with the excuses of I don’t have time, or every.other.tiny.little.excuse that I throw up in my mind daily when I keep telling myself to sit and open that laptop with no wifi and just write. With no interruptions and before I do anything else in my day.

I can’t promise it will be every day, well actually no – I can. I can promise it will be every day, but I can’t promise it’ll be published every day.

My commitment is to show up to my blank pieces of paper on my screen and write NO MATTER WHAT – some days it might be absolute verbal vomit on a page – other days it might be the most profound or craziest thing I have shared. Most posts will make the cut I am sure, but some won’t. Either way we are back on this journey together.

Gone (finally) are the feelings that every single thing I write has to be a lesson for you or 5 steps to blah or content that you NEED to take something away from.

No.

Now I so fully understand that the very practice of just showing up, daily, is a lesson for you in itself, to show up to the ONE thing YOU love, every single day, no matter what.

And the magic, the real magic of my writing and this space, is just that also, the fact that I DO show up as myself, always, and just share what’s on my heart – some days it may be lessons, other days I might be sharing the craziest day that happened whilst travelling the world, or hell, even talking about sex.

Just know this, I will write for as long as you show up to read, and even then, I will continue to write when you don’t.

I am so excited to go back on this journey with you, and can’t wait to see where it takes us both.