This lack of focus creates a state of overwhelm, doubt and uncertainty as we stumble around in the weeds trying to figure out our next move, trying to make sense of all of the options and choices we feel like we have, trying to make sense of the chaos.

This idea of keeping things simple, by remembering our why, remembering our purpose, remembering why we started in the first place. It opens things up. It creates the space for clarity, confidence and certainty, trusting that whatever move we make is the right one, because all of our decisions and actions are connected to a bigger aim. It keeps it simple.

Keeping things simple does not mean that things are not challenging or hard. Keeping things simple means that we don't get stuck in the obstacles and challenges, if we even create them in the first place.

In this episode, I'm sharing the back story of The Happiness Hunter, and how when I'm focused on my mission, everything becomes simple.

Opportunities don't always look like we might expect them to, and sometimes when we don't get what we think we want, we are really getting what we need. This can sometimes feel very painful.

But really, who gets to say that something is good, and who gets to say that something is bad? We are never in the position of being able to judge something, because we actually never have the full and complete picture.

In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing a story about more than one opportunity ending up on the cutting room floor, which at the time was brutal. But what that experience opened up for me instead. And spoiler alert - it's the reason why I was able to finally get out of my own way and launch this podcast.

YOU are your brand, and a strong brand is very clear on it's mission and values.

There is not much of a gap between a personal and professional brand, but it's helpful to think about you as a brand from both perspectives, especially as it is almost impossible to distinguish between your personal and professional brand in your digital footprint.

In this episode of the podcast, we explore the concept of "you as a brand" aligned with your personal and professional goals, as well as your core values.

• Knowing who you are and the value you bring to the table
• Finding your voice and platform
• Establishing your expertise
• Creating your brand image and how you show up

I think it’s fair to say that we all want to become more aware of the impacts of our behaviour, to have better relationships, to communicate more effectively and to understand without assuming.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll gain:

- a clear picture of the passive - assertive - aggressive spectrum

- understanding the different communication styles, and where you sit

- a greater understanding of your role - within any communication setting

- insight into the positive and negative character traits of masculine and feminine energy (which has nothing to do with gender)

- some tools and strategies to present yourself, to "read" the communication style and communicate and respond effectively

You'll have an opportunity to reflect on where you sit on the passive-assertive-aggressive spectrum, and what you can do to become more empowered in your behaviour.

Today's episode is about jealousy, and how when we are honest with ourselves about feeling jealous, we can harness this emotion as a motivational force.

Our emotions are always speaking to us, trying to tell us something.

Unfortunately, we often deny them. Squash them down. Or, we let them take over.

We get negatively consumed by them without the positive benefit of understanding what they are showing us about who we are, who we would like to be, what we would live to do, what we would like to have.

When we become aware of our emotional state, we can try and understand what our emotions are saying. When we can name them and feel them without getting stuck in them and being controlled by them - we will discover things about ourselves that we did not know before.

If you have ever felt jealous about someone or something (I know I have!) then have a listen to this episode and discover what your jealousy might be trying to tell you.

For the most part, the women she was observing had what she considered everything going for them - they had come from well educated and successful families, grew up in nice neighbourhoods, were healthy, financially secure and had access to every opportunity, and had a proven track record of success and academic achievement.

The Imposter Syndrome refers to high achieving individuals who are marked by an inability to internalise their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud, and it is very, very common - and not just with women.

In this episode you'll discover:

• what it is
• how it presents itself
• the five different types of imposter
• how to address and overcome it

The brilliant thing about becoming a goal getter is not ultimately what you get at the end - although that is a wonderful bonus. The real prize to becoming a person who achieves their goals, is meeting the person you become along the way.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll learn the five reasons why goals die a death on the boulevard of broken dreams, and what you can do to make sure your dreams become your reality.

Enjoy this episode.

The best place to start, is here. The best time to start, is now. The best time to pick yourself up and dust yourself off, and to take the lesson - is now. And if you've had an idea planted in your heart, then you are the person to be doing it. 

Whether you feel like you are ready or perfect, or not. 

Because an idea, without execution, it is nothing. It is just an idea. 

And how will you become the person who can do it, if you don't start doing it? How will you know it was the right or wrong thing to do if you don't get out of your head and into the field of play?

Accepting that within the very messy progress, lies the true perfection.

The way we learn and grow in life is through our experiences, through our mistakes, through what we perceive as our failures.

What if the the only real failure lies in never starting, or in giving up before it's done - because of a fear of imperfection?

If done is better than perfect (because what is perfect anyway, who says, who gets to determine that??) what can you let yourself off the perfection hook about, and give yourself permission to dive in and simply give it your best? 

Writing a book - indeed any creative pursuit or the making of something that didn't exist before - is about doing, creating, building, action.

But to come to its full glory, it also needs nurturing and gentleness and love. If we have made something, created something, if we have planted a seed, then we need to love it and care for it and look after it.

We don't want to destroy it, especially when it is little. It needs time to grow.

It needs space to evolve. It needs lifting up. All things need balance to become.

In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing a very powerful question you can ask yourself when you are in the process of creation.

To question (not doubt, or second guess) the energy behind your action, and to think about the balance you are bringing to your work.

And to have a new reference point for yourself - should I be using a red pen here, or would a green pen be better?

It Is Possible was published in 2023. You can get a paperback copy through Amazon or listen as an audio on Audible here

Overwhelmed. Frazzled. Drowning. Chasing your tail. No time to breathe.

Trying to do all the things and be everything to everyone, and not necessarily feeling like you are accomplishing things.

The crazy thing about this state, is that we think the only way through it is to just keep going and hope that things will get better and improve.

But the problem with this strategy is that we get ourselves completely stuck in the weeds.

And when we are down in the weeds, all we can see is weeds.

When we get like this, it's very important that we use it as an opportunity to reflect what is going on.

Why are we thinking, feeling, behaving in this way?

What is driving it?

What do we need to do differently to change the outcome we are (continually) experiencing?

As the creators of our own life experience, it's our responsibility to become aware so that we can change it.

In this episode of the podcast, we are talking about The Power of The Pause.

Stopping creates a circuit breaker to get us out of the weeds and into the eagle eye present moment.

It helps us to rebalance and regain focus.

We can breathe again.

From this higher perspective, we can gain a greater understanding of why we are where we are, experiencing what we are experiencing, and map out a pathway forward.

When you eliminate overwhelm from your life, you have:

Clarity on your priorities, and the ability to easily adapt to the natural ebbs and flows of life

Feelings of inner peace and calm

More confidence in your skills and abilities

Higher self-esteem

Less conflict in your relationships

A greater sense of control

A better relationship with time

The ability to get more done, with much less drama ... and so much more...

In this episode of The Happiness Hunter podcast, I'm sharing the most common trigger points for overwhelm and the key strategies to put in place to help you:

Greatly reduce the chance of getting overwhelmed in the first place

Become more aware of your red flags so you can spot them and deal with them, simply and easily

Get back on track when the wheels fall off - immediately and for the longer term.

These are the same strategies I’ve taught hundreds of clients over the last decade, to help them successfully overcome overwhelm.

Fiona

For us to succeed in our endeavours in life, we need to be practiced and we need to be prepared.

Often, we do things thinking we are doing the right thing, preparing ourselves for what is coming up - and in a sense we are.

The action is right, but the timing is not.

We often miss this nuance.

We do things, which are the right things to do, but it is not at the best time to maximise the outcomes.

In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing a really simple example of how thinking we are doing the right thing, but not being fully across the conditions for which we are doing that thing, can sabotage our success.

And because they are such a hardcore rock band, they have an amp that goes to eleven.

But to get to eleven, you still need to start at one.

If we don’t start, if we don’t just pick up the guitar, metaphorically speaking, and have a go, then the amp is never, ever going to get to eleven.

In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing about how we self sabotage, how we stop ourselves from ever getting to eleven - either by never starting in the first place or putting the brakes on before we can get there. Once we start anything, we begin to collect data.

And we can review this data which provides a glimpse into ourselves - our patterns and our behaviour. And it is this awareness which gives us an opportunity to do things differently.

Let's allow ourselves to get to eleven, whatever that means, and wherever that will take us.

At our best, we are patient, loving, kind, courageous, forgiving, curious, and empathetic to the needs of others. We have an attitude of learning and growth.

In our highest and best version of being, we value the self, know our worth, and contribute to life and others.

This is referred to as the higher self.

Showing up as your highest self means operating and living life in communication with a higher level of consciousness, without the restraints of limiting beliefs.

And then there is the other side of the coin.

In this state, we are emotionally reactive, stagnated, closed off to any new information, argumentative and operating in victim mode. This is a contracted and closed off energy space.

This is referred to as the lower self.

We also have free will.

In this episode of the podcast. you'll have an opportunity to reflect on which self you are choosing to spend most of your time operating from.

But what you think about you. That is your business.

How you feel about yourself should not be determined by whether other people like you or not.

If you like yourself then it doesn’t matter what other people think about you - positively, negatively, good, bad, indifferent.

If you like yourself then you are friends with yourself.

And if you are friends with yourself then you like and accept yourself, just as you are.

In this episode of the podcast (it's super short, and super sweet) you'll have an opportunity to reflect on the relationship you have with yourself, and how much you may be impacted by what you think the outside world thinks and feels about you.

Some ways you may experience this:

• You are about to lose it, you are losing it, you've lost it
• Yelling or screaming back at another in an argument
• A stream of verbal insults
• Thoughts, intention and action to physically lash out
• Uncontrollable crying

In this episode of the podcast, you'll learn about the Subjective Units of Disturbance Scale (SUDS). This is a framework used to measure the subjective intensity of distress or disturbance experienced by an individual. SUDS is a self-measuring assessment developed by Joseph Wolpe using a scale of zero to 10 to rate the level of emotional disturbance.

The benefits of becoming familiar with this scale (you don't need to know it verbatim) is that it provides an instant self-assessment reference to where you are at, in the present moment.

Because the thing with emotions is that if you can name it, you can change it – this is acknowledgement and awareness.

Using the scale and knowing where you are will allow you to pause and take action to process and ease the level of distress. This may help prevent your emotional distress from escalating, and will help you help others when they are not control of their emotions.

When we can understand our problem, we can understand the solution.

Our problem with other people is nothing to do with them.

It is 100% our problem.

We may know this.

But are we really living it?

Are we embodying what we know?

Are we honestly implementing it in our lives?

Truly, knowledge and awareness are nothing without understanding and action.

In this episode of the podcast, I am exploring this idea from another perspective, and I really encourage you to listen in.

If you are the problem, and if you can completely accept that, then equally, you are also the solution.

Our primal instinct is that when we feel under threat or feel let down, we immediately try and want to control the situation.

We do this when:

• We feel unsafe

• Fearful that things are not going our way

• The need to be right and get the last word in or prove someone wrong

• We have assumed without complete understanding or discussion

In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing some examples of how this behaviour shows up, and the impact it has on other people.

You'll have an opportunity to reflect on where you might be trying to control other people and situations, and what you can do instead.

Too often we don't take action, because we are scared it will be messy.

We don't start, because we are worried that the action we are going to take is not perfect.

But what we want to do instead is begin to embrace the mess and the imperfection, understanding that whatever we do is perfect in its imperfection, and it is in our messy, imperfect action that we learn to overcome the obstacles standing in our way.

In fact, it is the only way.

It’s messy at the beginning and in the middle and sometimes at the end, and that is perfectly okay.

The challenge we mostly face with this is that we are either:

a) not clear on our values or

b) are not living our values (consistently) through our behaviour (eg do as I say, not as I do- in other words our actions do not reflect what we say is important)

Following on from the recent episode with Dr John Demartini on Honouring Your Core Values, in this episode of the podcast we are going to be talking about how you can get clear on your values and understand the behaviours that align with them, to help you see your way through your struggle.

Get clear on your values (what you have determined is important).

And understand what that means in terms of your action (in actually living your values).

And from that place of alignment, you can begin to turn the ship around.

The relationships, the bank balance, the number on the scales, the environment (be it toxic or healthy), the experiences – is a reflection and mirror of what is happening within.

This is big, and at times, quite an uncomfortable truth to be reminded of.

Yet, it is liberating in the sense of recognising what it reveals about ourselves.

Even better is that the solution to changing all of it for the better is within us.

In this episode of the podcast, we are talking about our ability to change our view of the outside world by turning the lens inwards, and I'm sharing with you some questions to help guide your reflection.

When you speak to yourself - are you kind or are you mean?

Do you lift yourself up, encourage yourself, motivate yourself, challenge yourself (in a positive way), show yourself grace, forgiveness and compassion?

Or do you beat yourself up, berate yourself, talk down to yourself, take yourself down at every single opportunity you get? 

Imagine if we were talking about a friend or a person outside of you.

Which one would you want to be friends with?

The question for today is this - how kind are you to yourself... and how can you be kinder and nicer friend to your very own self?

Who are we, if we are not the story?

How is that story relevant to today and the life we want to be experiencing?

How does telling that story match up with the new story we are writing for our life?

Pretty much, I can guarantee it doesn't.

But it's an old, familiar story, and we are comfortable telling it.

When we hold on to that story, constantly identifying with the self of old... breathing life into that story every time we remember it, every time we tell it, every time we emotionally connect with it. How that keeps us stuck in the old story. Even as we are trying to move forward.

We need to let go of the story.

We need to let go of all the stories we have around the story.

It's time to start telling the new story, and only telling that one.

With a nod and a wave to the story of old, but that's it. Sure, the old story is what got us to here.

But when we keep telling it?

We keep the story alive here.

Let's start telling all the new stories. Being willing to let go. To become.

Make sure you listen to this week's episode and see what comes up for you!

In this episode of the podcast, you'll discover a simple strategy to help you get out of overwhelm and trying to do all the things (and probably not doing any of them well - if at all).

We get things done best when we are present and focusing on one thing at a time.

Focusing solely on the task at hand, before moving on to the next thing.

What is the thing that will move the needle for you right now in the most meaningful way?

Work out what that is.

And then go do it.

When we are focused on the negative or the lack within a situation, this is what we are focusing on.

We don't get to see the good.

This then causes us to feel bad, and to continue to experience more of the same.

When we can look for the good, the blessing, the lesson within the situation, and as the question - what is going on here right now, that I can be grateful for?

How can I think differently, how can I see differently, how can I feel differently about this?

When we choose to focus on the positive, it immediately helps you to have a different experience.

Making sure we are taking the right action to yield the right results is very important.

Sometimes when we are operating outside of our comfort zone, in a place we have never been before, the only way we can learn if the action is the right action is by trying new things.

Sometimes we learn that we are totally on the right track, and to do more of that.

And sometimes the feedback from that action is going to cause us to question the action.

At this point, it is very important to not just continue on with that action, but to take a big pause, a big deep breath, create the space for a big reset. For an absolute check in on all of everything.

I like to think of this as slowing down to speed up.

This process is both brutal and enlightening.

Yes, you will slow down.

But only to speed up in a way that is in complete alignment, knowing that the action you take is the best action for you - not for money, not for appreciation, not for applause - but the best most truest action serving the greatest good.

When you decide to go all in on one course of action, when you narrow your focus, when you decide that failure is not an option and you remove any opportunity for back tracking or escape, and you force yourself into one very narrow, focused course of action, then that is when you can achieve success, and success beyond your wildest dreams.

It takes real courage to go all in, to cut the cords on all alternatives, to burn the boats, to remove all other options, to close down all escape routes.

When you go all in, you step up into your life and into your power in the most extraordinary of ways.

When you are all in, boots and all, and you know that you will stop at nothing until you win - when you bring that kind of commitment and certainty to what you are doing, you will be able to change your beliefs and take massive action in a way that you have never been able to do before.

You will begin to attract to you the most incredible opportunities.

Opportunities beyond just what you are focusing on, but that can come in because you are focused: building an energy and momentum that cannot be achieved when you are scattered and keeping your options open.

Where and how are you going to GO ALL IN?

Today, you can reflect on that question as you listen to this episode of the podcast.

And our mind is always thinking.

And when we think, we attach emotions and feelings to our thoughts.

This is how we create our reality.

Creative visualisation is about taking charge, taking responsibility, taking ownership of what images we see in our mind, and being much more discerning about the emotions and feelings - the sense of desire - that we place on those images in our mind.

The process of creative visualisation means that we get to direct the images that play across the movie of our mind, which helps direct our goal setting, planning and actions, and helps us to look for and appreciate the opportunities and experiences which are here for us right now in the present moment.

The process of creative visualisation also starts to flush out all of the reasons why what we are visualising will not manifest, and exposes our weaknesses in our belief systems, giving us the clues we need to know what we need to work on to change things, for us to become the person for whom this is our reality.

Learning to harness the infinite power of our mind through a conscious creative visualisation process will start to completely transform the experience of your life, and utilising the process - whether through creating a vision board, guided meditation, watching inspiring videos, reading magazines - is a great place to start.

For it to become real, we need to have seen it first, feel it, and to believe that we can have it.

When we can become aware of our beliefs and the way what we believe is determining how we experience the world, then we have an opportunity to start to change our belief systems and the way we think, to create a different experience.

Change happens when belief becomes action.

But often, we block ourselves from receiving through a lack of belief, feelings of unworthiness, stories around rejection.

At a level, we are much more comfortable to receive nothing, than we are to let things in.

We might not like the experience of the lack, or the not having, but we don't know how to not experience it.

It is just so much of who we are, deeply ingrained as to our identity and how we interact with life.

But both giving and receiving are equally important.

The flow.

The waves come in, the waves go out. They don't just go one way.

So when we block ourselves from receiving, we are blocking the flow.

We want to give freely, abundantly, generously.

And also, we want to allow ourselves to receive.

In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing a little story about letting go of a story that stand in the way of allowing, and the process I went through for it to happen.

That we need to clear the clutter that is blocking our progress, to open up new channels of thinking, expand our knowledge and awareness.

It’s in the challenge or the struggle - otherwise known as The Dip or The Valley of Despair - that we learn stuff, we gain greater insight into ourselves, we get to know ourselves better and understand more.

The darkness is the contrast for the light and it gives us greater appreciation.

It’s very rarely easy.

It often comes with pain.

But if we can hold the course, and not give up, not retreat but keep facing forward whatever the cost, then we will always come through the other side.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll gain a deeper insight into the process of change, and you'll know that you are not on your own.

From the sound of traffic outside, to the jackhammer down the road on the building site, to the ping of a notification or people talking to us.

Our ears are always picking up sound, even when we are asleep.

Our brain receives the electrical signal and has to do something with it, it has to decide how to respond – even when the noise is not directly related to us.

Always being “on” means that we don’t have the ability to go “in”.

Experiencing silence is very important to our wellbeing.

We need peace and quiet, just like we need exercise, water and to eat well to nourish our bodies.

In this episode of the podcast, you’ll discover just how beneficial a low sensory environment is to your wellbeing, and have some time to reflect on how you can create the space for more silence in your life.

Whenever we want to create something new, there needs to be space for it.

We need to clear the decks and create the room for the new to come in.

When there is stagnated or blocked energy, or clutter, or all the space is filled with things that don't support the new vision and the change, then there is a block.

To create space, we need to let go and remove the clutter.

What is blocking the new from coming in for you?

Mentally, emotionally, physically?

In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing an example and a process to help you create the space - to create the vision, take the action and let go of what does not support your goal.

You'll learn the simple, highly impactful techniques to help you create space in all of the areas of your life, so that things can shift for the new to flow in.

One of Joseph Campbell's most famous quotes is this; "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek".

In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing a struggle that I went through, speaking to you as I was right in the thick of it.

Change can be really challenging and deeply uncomfortable, as we are forced to deal with emotions that which we have avoided dealing with for most of our lives.

But eventually, if we want to move, if we want to change, if we want to grow - we have to face it.

Our darkness is nothing to be feared.

Denying, suppressing and avoiding dealing with our painful emotions does not make them go away.

Being honest with ourselves and facing up to what we fear is the only way through. We want to learn to embrace the struggle - even as we are up to our neck in it - and to recognise that it is through properly owning our problems that we always find our solution.

This is a journal activity designed to do exactly what the title says - a mind dump.

It is a great place to start to help transform any area of life.

The objective of this exercise is to create a free-flowing, declutter of the mind.

The mere act of answering the questions and writing down your thoughts, will start to clean, clear and organise your mind.

The rule - write freely. no filtering, no self-editing, just write.

No matter how ridiculous the words, simply get it out of your head and onto paper.

Make sure you've got a notepad and pen, and then work your way through and answer each question.

Enjoy this episode.

To find out more about working with Fiona, check out the website here https://www.thehappinesshunter.com

If we can start to think about balance as simply our relationship with ourselves - with our inner world, or our inner self, and then the corresponding action that we take in the outer, or physical world - then it becomes a lot more simple to understand and to allow ourselves to find balance.

Finding true balance is 100% within our control at any time, and the balance we need to be focusing on is not in the external world, but finding connecting with our inner world and allowing that to become manifested as our outer world.

When we focus on our inner world first, this will build a bridge almost if you like between the inner and the outer, and guide our actions in the external world, which will help create balance within our lives.

Step 1 is to focus on the inner self

Step 2 is to pause and connect yourself to the outer world - to create your plan

Step 3 is to then take the action

Enjoy this episode!

Love,

Fiona

Find out more about working with me here https://www.thehappinesshunter.com

Are you happy in your life, are you experiencing life as you would like to be experiencing it?

Or are you struggling, and really not enjoying the way things are going?

The truth is that we do get to create the life we want to be living - we have created the life we are living - and so if we want to change it, then we need to get clear and understand what success looks and feels like for us - in every area of our life.

We need to upgrade our identity to one of success - whatever that looks like for you.

It's a great time of year to be reflecting on this, and in this episode of the podcast you'll discover:

- the role of identity in shaping your life experience (and how your identity is a self-fulfilling prophecy)

- understanding what your current identity is

- developing the identity of success

- aligning your thoughts and behaviour to your new identity

- the importance of building a powerful circle of friendship, influence and accountability; choosing your friends wisely and finding the right mentor or coach

- owning your next steps to your success (whatever that looks or feels like for you)

And if you'd like my support on this path - please get in touch. https://www.thehappinesshunter.com

And this too shall pass.

Life is constantly moving, it is constantly shifting and changing, it is never final.

Life is impermanence.

There is nothing solid. It's just moving.

And we are here moving through it all, as humans have been throughout the course of human history.

Remembering that this too shall pass, can help us to make peace with where we are.

Because when we know that it will pass, we can know that there are different times ahead, and we can learn to be with what is right now.

https://www.thehappinesshunter.com

Otherwise we just meander through life, the years pass by... and then we wonder where all that time went, and nothing much has really changed.

Taking (making) the time to reflect can be deeply uncomfortable, and very challenging.

But if we don't, then we deny ourselves the opportunity for something more; we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to grow.

And, by they way, this time doesn't magically appear.

We have to create the space for it.

Some questions for you to consider:

• Do you know what you want?
• Do you know why it is important to you?
• Do you know how to make it happen?
• Do you understand why it isn't yet? 

And if you are struggling to answer any of these - send me a message.

Fiona xxx

https://www.thehappinesshunter.com

We live in a loving, benevolent, kind, generous, supportive and caring universe that wants to give us what we are asking for.

Our job is to take the first step and to decide - to get very clear on what we want, and then to trust in the universe to provide the how.

When we believe that we are resourceful, and that we can have what we ask for - and we allow ourselves to ask for it, believe we can have it and allow ourselves to receive - then we are going to be shown the quickest and cleverest way to make it happen.

When we believe that we live in a universe of unlimited resources, then the universe is going to knock itself out proving to us that we are right.

So your job right now, is to get clear on what you want to be, do or have, and trust that you have the resources available to you to make and/or allow it happen.

And then, simply follow your gut, your intuition, be aware of the synchronicities and follow the nudges.​

Fiona x

You can grab a copy of the book I refer to writing in this episode - it's now published! You can grab a copy through my website (Australian residents only), or internationally through all of the online book retailers (search It Is Possible by Fiona Redding) and it is also available as an audio book through all the book streaming platforms, click here for Audible or Spotify.

Our prayer life is a deeply personal thing. For me, it is most often a private and personal act of communion, it is the focusing on, and leaning into that relationship with a higher level of consciousness.

Yet, there is also much to be said for intentionally sharing this with others too. Prayer has a big place in my life, but it is not something I share a lot in my work.

However, I share many tools - like walking, gratitude, journalling and EFT, amongst many others. Prayer is simply another tool in this tool kit.

When I first decided to stop drinking, I looked into AA and I realised that it was not for me as I was completely stumped by the God factor, the giving up to a higher power. It was like I thought that I needed to do this all by myself, and that I could do it all by myself.

Very early on in in my business journey, and to help me connect with others, keep fit and to navigate my own life, I started what were to become The Happiness Hunter walks. It always felt to me that these walks had come from something much bigger than me, almost that they were nothing to do with me, but that I was somehow just the person at that time and in that place to make them happen.

Being in business is a great gift. It’s an opportunity for us to shine our light in the most wonderful, poetic and profound of ways.

Over the last 10 years, the years of my life that have been shaped through my desire for change, for a deep yearning to live a meaningful and purposeful life, aspiring to realise my fullest potential, my life has been full of many miracles, wonderful synchronicities, many challenges and obstacles to be overcome… and something completely unexpected.

There were many things I was seeking. Happiness, health, joy, peace, abundance, love, freedom, the ability to create my own destiny, to help others, to do something useful with my life, to make up for my past transgressions.

But what I have found, at the heart of it all, at the core of everything, at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end - is God.

What we focus on expands. Where attention flows, energy goes. Our attention and intention play a significant role in shaping our experiences and reality.

Prayer is simply an act of communication. The word pray comes from the Old French preier, "to pray," with its Latin root word, precari, "ask earnestly, beg, or entreat."

In this episode I'm sharing what faith is for me, what it means to me and the impact it has had on my life. I invite you to listen in on this episode and have some space and time to reflect on what your faith means to you.

Fiona x

Without feeling like there is something wrong with you.

Without feeling uncomfortable when you look in the mirror, or hear your voice as a recording, or becoming aware of something you said, or did or whatever, and then giving yourself a hard time.

Without feeling the need to judge, justify, defend, criticise or blame.

Acceptance is about accepting things as they are, not wishing that they were different, but simply learning to appreciate what is.

Acceptance is the space from which we can learn to think, feel and act differently about ourselves and towards ourselves - when we can accept ourselves, unconditionally, right now in this moment - then we can learn to be and do and experience ourselves more kindly, more compassionately, more lovingly in all the future moments.

But getting up early, intentionally, with the right attitude, sets your day up on the right trajectory.

Pressing snooze for half an hour in the morning is not going to make you less tired, in fact, it is probably going to make you feel even worse.

There is a space in the morning that does not appear at any other point in the day.

There is a level of self-discipline that is involved in getting out of bed in the morning, earlier than what you are now.

But this self-discipline creates space, and time and freedom.

It also builds something within you.

Taking charge of your mornings – in the first decision of the day – is how you take charge of your life.

Not for others to learn how to get on with us, or to understand us, or to communicate with us in a way that we liked.

But for us to learn how to get on with others, to understand them.

For us to learn how to adapt to the environment we are in, and to speak and listen not for our own gain, or to prove a point, or to be right, but for the other person's benefit. 

Imagine how different our relationships would be. Imagine how differently conflict would be handled. Imagine how much nicer we would be to each other, how much more patient, how much more open, understanding and forgiving.

When people know that they will be listened to, without fear of judgement, but able to express honestly about how they are feeling. That is when relationships transform.

In this episode of the podcast, I am sharing a really simple technique to help facilitate highly effective and honest communication - both for the person expressing and for the person listening.

Love, Fiona xxx

Motivation is not something you one day just wake up with.

So what do we do, when we just can't see the point of it all, not sure how to go on, wondering why we bother?

It's always helpful to go back to basics. To remember why we want to start, or why we started in the first place.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll learn about the four major factors that are going to determine your success, and to help you find and maintain motivation.

And, to turn that motivation into inspired action.

Each of these factors on their own can be powerful motivational forces, but combined, pack a far more solid punch.

You'll also learn which one of these four is most likely to create lasting transformation (my tip - focus on this one first).

Ultimately, results are what creates motivation. Learn how to generate your own motivation and inspiration.

You've got this. 

Fiona xxx

AND

Loving and accepting ourselves unconditionally just as we are.

There is a really important message in this episode about facing and dealing with the things we don't want to.

Because these things don't disappear if we avoid them, as much as we wish they might.

The things we need to face have something to tell us.

And it is only through the facing of them, that we can come out transformed on the other side - if we are open to it. I

n this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing my experience of avoiding dealing with something that was literally right in the middle of my face.

And what it taught me, and the wonderful gift that came through (literally) facing it.

We don't always get what we want in life, but we do always get what we need.

I hope you enjoy this episode.

The middle way gives vison and knowledge and leads to calm, to insight, to enlightenment and to nirvana.

So, what does this mean for us in our day to day lives? And, most importantly, what does it mean for you?

Are there areas of your life where there are extremes in your thinking, your attitude, your emotions, your behaviour?

Do you go so hard core into one thing or one area, that you neglect other areas or responsibilities?

Do you let your emotions take over without thinking?

What is the cost to seeing things as "this or that", rather than "and & and"?

For example, what would the middle way look like for you in your life if you could:

- know your priorities & non-negotiables AND be selfless

- be disciplined AND flexible

- can eat what you like AND choose not to

- be rational in your thinking AND in tune with your emotions

- follow your dreams AND stay grounded

Listen in to this episode to reflect on what the middle way means for you in your life.

Being intentional at the start of the day. 

It really matters.

This is about focusing on the things that are within our direct control.

Three questions you can ask yourself:

How do I want to show up today?

What would I like for the experience of my life today?

What would make today a really great day?

And then reflect:

Are my morning habits helping me or hindering me?

By taking some time and focusing at the very beginning of the day, being intentional, and doing the things that help create a sense of calm, wellbeing and balance within yourself, you can set yourself up on the right trajectory. Putting yourself in the strongest position to deal with the challenges of the day.

When we have the light on, and we can see in the light, then we can see things much more clearly.

Imagine that your body is a room, and that there is a button or a light switch in your mind, and that you have the power to turn that switch on at any time.

Would you choose to live in the darkness, or would you choose to live in the light?

In this episode of the podcast, you'll visualise turning on the light switch in your mind and feeling what it is to live in the light.

What comes out of our mouth, often tells us a lot about what is going on inside.

What comes out of our mouth will also let us know a lot about what we can expect to happen.

What comes out of our mouth has the power to shape the future.

We need to learn how to use our words wisely.

Learning to tune in to the words we say, as we are speaking them, will help us to become more aware of what we think and believe, and when we are really tuned in, we will come to understand when what we say no longer serves us - and we can learn to think and then speak things differently.

In this episode, I'm sharing a few examples of how words become an instruction, and how we we can speak differently to create a better outcome.

How balanced are you within yourself, mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually?

How much time and focus do you spend on looking after yourself, caring for yourself, ensuring life is a healthy and positive experience for you?

If you want to care well for others, we need to start first with caring for yourself​​​​​.

What steps can you start to take today to build a stronger foundation in your life? ​

What are you doing for yourself today to show how much you care? ​

All change starts with self. Caring for yourself, loving yourself. Self love is caring for yourself. Caring about the quality of your life. How you are showing up. How you care for others. ​ When we work on our foundation, we balance ourselves and we balance the world.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll learn how you can focus on you to ultimately be your best in all areas of your life. ​​

Enjoy.

We need to almost set a very clear intention for what we are doing before we start, for why we are doing it and to remind ourselves why it matters. 

Rather than just blindly taking an action, we need to really care about what we are doing. 

This constant focus on the focus is what is going to bring us back to the task at hand - the task that we have decided to do - when we might feel ourselves drifting off into a place of distraction.

The secret to not getting distracted therefore is to be completely aligned with the purpose of what you are doing and why it is important, and to be disciplined about the doing of it, to simply not allow yourself to become distracted.

The secret to not getting distracted is to catch yourself the second you find yourself drifting, and to bring yourself fully back into the present and into the task at hand.

Therefore, each of us need to work out what our likely points of distraction are - it could be checking emails, making phone calls, mindlessly scrolling social media, striking up a conversation, cleaning the house, allowing yourself to go down the research rabbit warren of the internet after you have already found the answer you needed - and be on the front foot when we find ourselves drifting into distraction, be honest with ourselves that we are doing it, and to be disciplined about bringing ourselves back to what really matters.

So, remember, it's very simple. 

The key to not getting distracted, is to not get distracted.

... and where you are now in relation to that decision.

Nearly 10 years ago, I made a life-altering decision that I just wanted to be happy. 

And not long after that, that I just wanted to share what I was learning and discovering with other people.

And over the course of the last ten years, I've hit many challenges, gone the wrong way, got very lost, gone round in circles... yet lots of things have also been done well too.

But every time I get off track, I can go back to why I started, and this helps me refocus and regroup and get back on track.

Do you know why you started? Or do you feel like you are still waiting?

Some questions for you to consider:

Who am I?

What am I here to do?

What is my purpose?

Why is it important to me? 

What are my strengths?

What lights me up?

What do I have to contribute to the world that I am meant to contribute?

How is what I am doing now reflecting that?

Remembering why we started. It can be challenging, but it's always worth it.

Why do we keep repeating the same old habits and keep on experiencing the same old outcomes?

We say we don't want to be doing it or experiencing it, and we think we know we are doing it, but in reality, nothing is changing. 

Starting to ask yourself two questions will help you to understand why you are where you are, and why you keep doing what you do.

Because, even though your might not like what you are experiencing - there is still some benefit in it for you. 

Listen in to this week's episode as I share with you two examples for you to reflect on and to think about:

what am I getting out of this, and

what is the negative consequence if I change?

Being honest with myself (and others) that I was stressed, not pretending everything was ok

Taking responsibility for my behaviour

Working out my priorities and eliminating everything else

Meditating more

Walking more

Making a plan and then taking laser focused and targeted action, completely bypassing the thinking in my head

Meeting myself with compassion and forgiving myself

Sharing it here with you 💚

Fiona xxx

Those steps need to be taken in an order, to build on each other to help us get to where we want to be.

The quality of our foundation and the strength of the steps we take on top of that foundation, will determine how successful we are at achieving our goals.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll have an opportunity to consider how the creation of a solid foundation will help you achieve your goals, and you'll also have a chance to think about how you might need to change to help you get there.

Sports teams, schools and religious groups have a code of conduct as their reference point.

What these creeds and mission statements do is a reminder of how they operate in their best version.

They are aligned with their identity and how they show up.

Therefore it makes perfect sense for us to have our own.

The Happiness Hunter’s Creed is a reminder of how we show up as our best and highest version - individually and as a collective.

The power of this is being able to refer to it when feeling stuck, or “less than”, and asking yourself as you work through each point - “am I being this”?

"When I step into the vision of me as the best version of myself, the creed is how I think and operate. There are days where we can forget to check in and we operate and show up at less than ideal energy or attitude. By reading, connecting and reminding myself of this creed, it instantly lifts the standard of how I am showing up. And on those days and times when I feel some resistance to stepping into this fully, I hand write the creed into my journal and read it out loud, and repeat this until I feel myself wholly embrace it".

Or do you set a goal and then sort of hope that maybe it might happen, but you are not really holding your breath?

Or - even better - do you stop yourself from even setting a goal in the first place, because it just brings up too much stuff?

In this episode of the podcast, you are going to have an opportunity to name your goal, and to claim your goal.

To allow yourself to go there, to allow yourself to dream, to allow yourself to fully own the deepest desires of your heart.

To stake your claim on it as already being yours.

And then I'll share with you an affirmation and a couple of simple techniques to help you shift your belief system, and to step into the realm of possibility: to believe it is possible, wherever you are right now in relation to that goal.

Have you just resigned yourself to this being it, that there is no point to trying anymore? 

Or are you frustrated because despite all your very best efforts, nothing seems to be shifting in the way you would like?

Do you have a plan for success? 

Or are you just winging it, not really aiming for anything concrete? But please - no more of the same?

Beginning with the critical - but very often overlooked - first and second steps, in this episode of the podcast, I'll step you through the process you need to put in place to create the change you want to see in your life.

So the more we appreciate, the more we have to appreciate.

We tend to say thank you for things we have already received.

Affirmations are powerful in that they help guide our thinking and help us to get clear on and focus on what we want.

Combined, they are even more powerful. I like to think of them as gratitude affirmations.

In this episode of the podcast, you can practice saying thank you in advance, with gratitude for that which you are intending, knowing it’s already a done deal.

How do you formulate that question?

You take some time to think about what you want to know, you take some time to word it in the way that you think will deliver the most beneficial answer.

We know google is going to go searching all over the internet for the answer to that specific question asked - that is it's job after all - so we make sure we word the question in the right way to make sure we get the best possible answer possible.

We are not going to ask a question that we don't want the answer to.

The wrong question is still going to come back with the right answer to that question. It's just going to be the answer we don't want.

But if you ask the right questions, then you are going to get the right answer.

If you imagine your mind was the internet, just like google - ready and waiting to answer whatever question you ask, could you be asking yourself better questions, to make sure you get better answers?

The way we create a life beyond our present reality is to get clear about what it is that we want, and then put it out there by taking action, and taking this action in faith. Believing before we can see. 

So much of the stuff that that we do here in The Happiness Hunter is really about getting super clear about what it is that we want, and then putting it out there and taking action as if it is reality. 

We need to get really clear about what we want and what we're asking for. We need to feel comfortable and not scared of asking for that. And then we have to be open to the guidance that comes in along the way. And then we need to take action on it.

It's a really simple formula.

This episode outlines the back story behind me writing this memo, but also shares a conversation it opened up with Jane Turner of Write with Jane, on her Youtube show - Conversations with Jane.

"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit" - Napoleon Hill.

When we gain awareness of our weaknesses, when they have been exposed and highlighted, we have an opportunity to choose to change.

We have an opportunity to learn how to become strong in those areas we have identified as weak.

We have an opportunity to use our obstacles and challenges to grow and become stronger, and the steps that we take to overcome our shortcomings mean that we become better than we were before, not just where we were weak, but that strength lifts us in all of the other areas of our lives too.

Rather than just simply, doing it.

Outcomes are achieved and things get done when we get out of our heads and into the field of play. With no excuses.

Not thinking about doing it. Just doing it.

And then it’s done, and you’ve reclaimed all the mental space that not doing it was consuming.

You will feel amazing. You’ve proven to yourself what you can achieve, which builds trust with yourself, increases your confidence and helps you realise even better results.

Imagine what you could achieve if you got clear on what you wanted, you set yourself a goal, made a plan and then got it done.

What is possible for you, if you just got out of your own way, and did it?

Staying in your lane basically means to focus on what you are doing; that the lane you are in, is the lane you are in.

The lane somebody else is in, is the lane they are in.

Our job is to know our own lane and not to drift into each others' lanes.

We can run alongside each other, inspire each other, challenge each other, lift and support each other.

But my race is my race, and your race is your race.

We each bring our own set of what makes each of us, us, to our own race.

We cannot BE each other.

Similarly, looking at what someone else is doing and being jealous or envious of them, mad at them, comparing yourself in a positive or negative light.

It actually has no bearing at all on your race and the lane you are in.

When you are looking around you, beside you, behind you all the time. All it does is stop you moving forward. When we know our lane, and stay in it, we can focus on being the best we can possibly be, and bringing the best of ourselves to our own race, without losing ourselves and wasting our time and energy to a lane we don't belong to.

It includes:

• the judgement we pass on ourselves,
• a feeling of personal competence,
• a feeling of personal worth,
• a high level of intellectual self trust and
• a strong sense that it is okay and desirable to be happy in life.

According to Nathaniel Brandon, author of the Book How to raise your self-esteem, it is the sum of self-confidence and self respect.

In this episode of the podcast you'll discover:

• what self-esteem is (high, low, average and how we can fluctuate)
• self-confidence and self-respect
• how low self-esteem shows up
• the impacts of low self-esteem
• how to boost your self-esteem
• your next steps

You may never have heard of this before, but once you listen to this episode you will never think about money in quite the same way ever again.

When you understand and have the awareness of the energetic income level at which you feel comfortable, you then have the opportunity to learn how to work on the belief systems and the stories that are keeping you stuck where you are, and preventing you from moving beyond your current energetic income ceiling.

If you want to change your energetic income level you need to work on your money mindset.

Having a really clear understanding of your current energetic income level and your current attitude around money (poverty/lack/scarcity or abundance) is a great place to start.

It will require us to take a leap of faith, to put our trust into something that we can't see, that we don't know and that we can't touch.

Taking a leap of faith does not mean that you don't have fear.

Taking a leap of faith means that you have such a burning desire to get where you want to go, and to live your life how you want to live, and to experience life in that way that in the deepest part of you knows is 100% possible - that your desire outweighs your fear.

It means that you are able to accept that right now you don't know what you don't know, and the only way you are going to find out what you need to find out, is to think, feel and act in a different way than you ever have before.

Every great success, every great achievement, every great transformation had at it's very beginning a yes.

And every single one of those yeses was from someone who made a decision to just say no to the fear and yes to taking a leap of faith.

To hold the vision and trust the process, however terrifying it might be. Because in that moment of saying yes, something changes within you, and you will never be the same again.

But what happens if you avoid the hard, and you don't decide?

What happens if you just keep going as you are, and nothing changes? We really need to ask ourselves - Is that acceptable? For things to remain as they are?

Indecision is a decision in itself. Avoiding the uncomfortable feelings, conversations, reckonings.

This is a decision.

Deciding not to decide is a decision.

But something magical happens when we decide to decide. When we decide to say yes. To step up. To try something new. To do something different. To come at life from a new angle with a different approach.

What could happen for you, in your life, in your business, in your health, in your relationships? If you simply decided to decide?

Have a listen to this episode and ask yourself - where am I avoiding making a decision? Where do I need to decide to decide?

Behaviour becomes self-sabotaging when it creates problems in daily life and interferes with long standing goals.

We are not always aware of when we are self-sabotaging because there is not always a clear link between behaviour and consequences.

However, this behaviour can be overcome with awareness.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll learn:

- what self-sabotaging behaviour is

- the three things you can do to help you gain awareness

- some practical things you can do to help break the pattern of self-sabotaging behaviour

Here's to your success!

Self worth is about valuing your inherent worth as a human being, simply by virtue of you being you, and of being alive. As opposed to measuring or comparing yourself to external measures or other people - by what you do, what you have, or what you may or may not have achieved.

It is about accepting that you being your unique self, is all you need to be worthy.

You are enough right now, just as you are.

Your work is to rid yourself of the negative internal dialogue and the layers of conditioning that would have you believe otherwise.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll discover the four steps you can take to allow yourself to feel worthy.

And I'm sharing with you a life-changing affirmation.  

Journalling, combined with practices like meditation, goal setting, affirmations and afformations is very powerful.

In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing with you the wonderful results of a recent journalling session, where I decided to write down ten things that I knew to be true, right this second.

And then I just went to town on what I believed to be true for what was possible, right this second. For what I believed for to be possible to happen right this second, knowing that the process of my believing was what is going to make it happen.

And my energy shifted in a very big way.

So... what is possible for you right this second?

You had every reason to believe that they would show up, honour their commitment, see through their end of the bargain but then... nothing.

And we are left scratching our heads, wondering what just happened there. 

But if you honestly stop and pause to reflect, ghosting doesn't have to be something you do to someone else or that they do to you.

What if ghosting was something you actually did to yourself as well?

Where in your life do you say you are going to do something that involves a commitment just to you - it may likely even be in pen in your diary - and then you just don't show up.

No communication, no apology, no acknowledgement. Just completely not present.

No-one likes being ghosted. So why do we do it to ourselves? 

It removes the over thinking and eliminates excuses.

You have either done it, or you haven’t.

It is a known and proven fact that what gets measured, gets improved.

Tracking will measure the level of consistency, and by this focus alone will encourage a commitment to the process.

Consistency in your action forms new habits and routines, which helps to build momentum, creating and embedding sustainable change.

This action builds on itself in a positive upwards cycle. Consistency is about repetition. It is about doing the same things repeatedly over time to reach a desired outcome - whether you feel like doing them or not.

Beyond the attainment of your goals, the benefits of daily action include;

• Building self-discipline and self-control

• Increasing self-esteem and self-confidence

• Honouring your word - walking in integrity

• Fast tracking your success

• Attracting and manifesting opportunities - becoming “lucky”

You can order your daily tracker here

This meeting is about me being the CEO, CFO and all-round general boss of my life, being across all the things, knowing what is coming up, and feeling excited and expansive about the possibilities for what is ahead.

The purpose of this meeting is to review the week that has been, to learn from this information and to look strategically at the week ahead.

This process informs my daily goal setting and decision making. In this meeting I take a look at what is coming up in the week ahead, I set my weekly goals, check in with my beliefs and I track my (multi-million dollar) wealth activation plan.

It's a super inspiring and motivating way to start the week, it helps keep me focused and looking at the bigger picture.

If you are not already, this is a process I'd love you to think about introducing into your life and business too.

Life Integration is about seeking balance across all areas of your life - recognising that everything in your life and that everything you do is inextricably linked. Understanding that when one or two (or three or four...) elements are out of whack will impact the other areas, and therefore, the quality of your life.

It is about giving you permission to get clear on a healthy, happy, purposeful, fulfilling, abundant, successful, loving life is and what it means for you.

As well as giving you permission to start living that life today.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll learn more about The Seven Elements Framework for Life Integration, and how you can achieve it.

Walking is movement.

Movement creates energy and momentum.

Walking is one of the simplest, easiest and cost-effective ways for us to get our energy moving - essentially to shift our energetic state.

Research (and there is much research to support this) has found that the benefits of walking include:

boosts creative inspiration

has physical benefits

improves attitude and outlook

makes you feel good

increases feelings of connectedness

It is free, requires no special equipment, is accessible for all levels of fitness, you can do it anywhere, at any time, you can set your own distance and determine your own pace.

Listen to today's episode for some more walking inspiration, and then make sure you enjoy a walk today!

So if we want things in your life to change, but we don't change, then nothing will change.

It's not a complicated formula.

We often think that change is too hard - that to get from where we are now to where we would like to be requires too much effort, and it feels too overwhelming, and it is going to take time that we don't have right now.

We tend to look at change from a macro level. And that can feel big and too much of a stretch from right where we are.

But what about if we started to think about change at it's smallest, most micro level - at the exact point of decision, in the moment the decision gets made.

And what about if change required nothing more than you doing the opposite of what you have always done?

Imagine if you could create the change you wanted to see and experience in your life, by catching yourself and asking yourself one very simple question. What is the opposite of this?

When we can set our day up for success by spending an hour or so doing all the things that help us create a state of peace and calm and balance and focus within us, we set a very positive trajectory for our day.

Likewise, if we can end our day by spending the last hour calming ourselves down and creating a space between the busy of the day and the rest time of sleep - reflecting on our day, on what worked well, what didn't go so well, what we could do differently next time, putting the day to bed so to speak and focusing on what we can do tomorrow, our lives will be forever changed.

And while it might feel that is too restrictive and costing you your freedom, what you will discover is that self discipline really is self love, and the more structure and boundaries you can bring into your life, the more time and space and freedom you will create.

Bookending your day is a winning strategy.

Through actionable guidance grounded in thought-provoking theory, Charlie helps you take meaningful action on the stuff that matters in both life and work.

I was so delighted to have Charlie join me on this episode of the podcast. I was first introduced to his work several years ago, specifically his approach to time blocking, and my mind was blown by such a simple concept. Charlie’s philosophy around living our best lives, productivity and his time blocking method was a game-changer for me, and I share his teachings with all of my clients.

In this episode of the podcast we cover a lot of ground, from:

Charlie's background in military logistics

Living intentionally

The overwhelmed brain

Why to-do lists will frazzle your brain

The concept of time blocking

Understanding focus, admin, social and recovery blocks

How to communicate your time blocking preferences with others

Not all time is created equal

Factoring in invisible activities

and SO MUCH MORE

I hope you enjoy this episode and take what you learn to start to get stuff done.

And when we can honestly do this, then we can start to really work out what it is that is keeping us stuck and map out a pathway to move us forward.

To do this, we need to believe it is possible.

To empower the new belief system that if it has ever been possible for another person in the history of the world - or even if it hasn't, because we are the creators of our own reality and our possibilities are limitless - then it is possible for me.

Undertaking your Happiness Quotient (HQ) is one of the first exercises we do when we begin working together. It's based on the framework, and asks you to reflect on how happy you are in each of the elements of your life.

It can be a bit confronting, but this can also be quite enlightening, as it shines a light on and exposes where you may be struggling, but also lets you see those areas of your life that are going well.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll have the opportunity to reflect on your HQ and make a plan to take the next best step from where you are now.

And just so you know, when I first did this exercise - not one element of my life was working well, but today, that is no longer the case.

When we set our sights on something, set a vision or create a goal, we need to believe that it is possible, and then we need to take action in the belief that it is already ours.

Regardless of how impossible it might seem.

Regardless of how far it seems to be from where we are standing right now.

If we believe that we can be, do or have anything we desire, then we are going to cultivate the right thinking and take the action that corresponds to that belief system.

We are going to become the person for whom it became true.

In this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing with you a little story about asking for what you want, believing it is possible, holding the vision and trusting the process.  

Think about in your life, when you have a problem, a challenge or are struggling with something. You will often look at the thing as being the problem.

But when we think about the thing, as not being the thing, what it helps us do is to see that thing for what it really is. The manifestation or representation of something that is sitting behind that - in the way we think, our belief system, the way our program works, the way we are emotionally dealing with something, our action, our behaviour - which then appear to be the thing that we think is the problem.

The problem with this is that it deflects us from seeing where the real issue and root cause of where the problem lies. Which in turn often results as seeking a short term band aid solution.

What this also does is focuses our energy and attention on what we don’t want. In this episode, you will have an opportunity to really understand this concept, and to think about "the thing" in your life in a completely new light.

Emotional Freedom Technique is a form of acupressure psychology. It is based on traditional acupuncture and works with the meridians in the body. It involves gently tapping the fingertips on the skin where the energy meridians are located, diffusing negative statements and replacing them with positive ones.

EFT is a healing modality that has played very prominently in my personal development journey and it is a tool that we use in The Happiness Hunter.

In this episode, we explore:

What EFT is

How is it works

How our childhood program unconsciously drives our decision making today

The benefits of tapping

Tapping for stress management

Each of the different tapping points

How to tap

And as a special bonus, Brad also takes us through a tapping round on FEELING GOOD.

I hope that you enjoy this episode and I really encourage you to give EFT a go. Fiona x

They are a useful tool to inspire and to motivate you to take consistent daily action in pursuit of your goals and dreams.

Our minds see in images, not words.

Our focus and energy is what creates the outcome - this works for both what we want, and what we don’t want.

Transformation in any area of our life starts with a decision, continues with a thought, empowered by our feelings and is followed by action.

The vision board is the visual representation of taking action and bringing together the decision and the thought, and supporting it with a visual reminder.

A vision board is a talisman of sorts, created with magical properties and strengths to remind you of your vision and quest.

If you are super honest with yourself, how often have you justified your lack of action as "rest & recovery" when in fact, it was probably closer to laziness or procrastination? And again, super honestly, how well has that strategy worked out for you in the past, and how well is it working out for you today?

Both laziness and procrastination come from the same core driver - a lack of motivation. But neither make you feel very good, and laziness completely takes you away from your goals, while procrastination makes the process of achieving them so much more difficult than it needs to be.

There is no cure to laziness, except to stop being lazy. Being able to honestly (and with oceans of love) to simply ask yourself the question - "am I just being lazy" when you find yourself in the middle of mindless activity and yet another pointless distraction, may just be the circuit breaker you need to summon up the discipline required to just get that job done.

Our deeds are what counts.

So if we are not taking action, then nothing counts.

We need to be the catalyst.

If we want a different experience, we need to do something differently.

So, have a listen to this episode, reflect on what it means for you and then go out into the world, and give the best of yourself today.

They come in many forms, and most conversations refer to emotional boundaries of how we allow others to treat or speak to us.

Yet, we tend to overlook the boundaries we set, or do not set, for ourselves.

Boundaries are the emotional limits set, which are activated when breached. A breach is usually a behaviour or a comment which violates a personal value. The breaches could be concerning requests for your time and how another treats and speaks to you or invades your personal space.

Even though you may not know what a boundary is, you know it has been crossed when you have an instant and uncomfortable emotional reaction.

Most people have set their boundaries unconsciously, and in a world of healthy relationships, these are generally sufficient.

However, when it comes to unhealthy environments, relationships or poor communication, the lack of awareness and strength of the boundaries is where the challenges arise.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll discover how to set healthy boundaries and use them in a healthy way for yourself, and with others.

A concerned person SOLVES a problem.

Worrying about things never fixes them, never changes them, never helps us in any way. Worrying about something - allowing the repetitive thinking to take over - simply makes us feel anxious and quite often, powerless, and will keep us stuck in the same old cycle until we make a change.

Being concerned on the other hand, means that we are taking responsibility for whatever we can within the situation, and taking some positive action to try and address it to either make sure the thing we are concerned about never eventuates, or that we can take steps to manage it, or reduce its impact.

In this episode of the podcast, you'll have an opportunity to reflect on how your worry can be shifted to concern.

Enjoy this episode.

Making the decision to have a great day is a choice. 

In this episode of the podcast, you'll learn about the importance of implementing a morning routine, and the steps you can take to balance yourself and put yourself in the position to have a great day, every day.

Why are some people able to manage their time and get more done, calmly, focused and with minimal stress, and others flap their way through the day stressed, in a panic and with limited productivity?

In this episode of the podcast, you'll understand how tracking what you do in the day will teach you just how much time you waste (and how you can change that), and you'll also be able to think about how you can apply a really awesome time blocking system (developed by Charlie Gilkey) called Productive Flourishing.

And know that NO-ONE can meditate when they first start.

It's called a practice for a reason, because we have to practice to become better, to learn how to train our mind and to really start to realise the benefits (although you will notice improvements within a few short days).

But stick with it, and your life will transform, as you transform - from the inside out.

In this episode you'll discover what meditation is, why it is important and be guided through a very simple breathing technique to show you how to meditate.

I know that this sounds like a really simple no-brainer kind of statement. And you are probably nodding in agreement as you read it, thinking that makes sense.

But really, honestly stop and pause on it for a minute.

Read it again, slowly. Really reflect on what it is saying.

Because if change in our life starts with us changing, with us thinking or feeling or acting differently, and if nothing changes, then nothing changes... what does that actually mean for you in your life right now?

The starting point for all change, requires awareness. Without awareness, nothing can change.

But once we have awareness, there are three key steps (The Big Guns) that we need to move through to truly learn how to meet ourselves where we are at.

In this episode, Fiona will share the life changing acceptance, forgiveness and gratitude with you, and help you understand how to apply them to your life, right where you are, right now.

Because where you are is where you are now, and where you are now, is perfect.

We cover a huge amount of ground in this episode, and you'll have many opportunities to reflect on how your life is demonstrating your values - and gain some key insights into how you can make your life your masterpiece. Some of the things we discuss, include:

Determining your values and hierarchy of values

Making decisions and priorities based on your values

The Values Determination Process

How money circulates in the economy

Determining the difference between assets and consumables that depreciate in value

The seven different types of wealth

Self-depreciation as a feedback system

Why the mind is our greatest treasure

Prioritising action and prioritising perception

Setting goals to master each of the areas of our lives

Delegation

Uncovering your creative genius

Taking on challenges that inspire you

The principle of reflection How being too proud or too humble prevents us from knowing and loving ourselves and others

Creating sustainable fair exchange in everything

Contrast and perception

The power of reading and how to choose what to read

Visualisation to activate priorities

Getting clear on what you want, setting goals and being open to opportunities

Your life as a masterpiece

Measuring and tracking your achievements

Why we need a vital and enthusiastic energy

Habits and routines

How having a true north reduces volatility in life

Keeping a gratitude record to document opportunities

Giving yourself permission to acknowledge what you set out and did

May you know yourself, and may you be yourself.

Practicing being Teflon creates an opening to start to see yourself, the world and other people in a different way, it creates the space for more understanding and allows for improved communication - within yourself and with others.

Journalling is like having a deeply private conversation with your innermost thoughts and feelings, and is a process to tap into your innate wisdom. In this episode I address the common challenges when it comes to journalling (I don't know what to say, what if someone reads it?) and how you can start your very own practice.

Plus how journalling and meditation work together.

I swear by journalling in my own life and it is one of the first and core practices that I teach my clients and students.

Journalling ALWAYS feels awkward at the start, but as you commit to it, and allow yourself to just let go and trust and embrace the process, you will begin to experience the benefits and results of this life changing practice. 

I share my story and experience with everyone: I am very open about the fact that I don’t drink, I am not ashamed of it, I don’t need to justify it, but if people do ask, I let them know why. And basically it was this - drinking was just not working out for me anymore.

And as a result I have had some very personal exchanges with my friends about their drinking habits as well. With no judgement on either side. It has been wonderful and enlightening and life affirming. And over the years, I've coached dozens and dozens of other people through reassessing their relationship with alcohol too.

As I have come to understand, the thing is never the thing. Drinking is not the thing. It is what it is hiding, covering up, what we are avoiding through the drinking. That is what we need to be able to look at. But we can't do it while we are drinking. I know that problem drinking does not discriminate, certainly not by age, not by gender, not by income and not by relationship or parental status. So I know that my experiences with drinking are in no way unique.

Way back in 2013, I decided to go public with my story because I think that as a society we love the idea of drinking (as long as we don’t have a “problem”) but we are very quick to make people feel ashamed and not provide them with the support they need if they allude to or admit to perhaps having said “problem”.

At no point along this path have I referred to myself as an alcoholic. Labels can be very dangerous things. I like to think of myself as a drinker who is not very good at moderation. I don’t beat myself up about this. I don’t feel bad about it. I just accept it.

A lot of us are drinking way too much and way too often. For many of us, it is a coping mechanism. But it is not healthy, it is not good for us, it is costing us as individuals and as a society. Our culture is completely saturated with alcohol – we use it to celebrate, to grieve, to commiserate, to reward, to self-medicate, to relieve stress, to pass the time, when we are bored, when we are happy, when we are sad, when we are angry… whatever the reason, alcohol is generally part of the equation.

Throughout my drinking career I had periods of minimal to moderate consumption, through to pretty heavy drinking. I was always a good binge drinker though, and my life was punctuated with extended periods of binging every Saturday night and many weekend benders. I can’t remember when I first started feeling that my drinking was becoming problematic.

But there were a number of events and understandings that really started to highlight some of the problems to me. I was very unhappy. I felt unfit and unhealthy. I was concerned about the kind of example I was being to my kids. I suffered anxiety. I felt depressed. I didn’t have much patience. I was angry a lot of the time. I was negative and felt like the world was against me. I felt like a bad mother.

There was one distinct moment (well, actually there were several, but this was the clincher) when I knew that something really had to change. It was when I realised that I was starting to look at the clock at 4pm and wonder when I could have a drink. With an absolute thirst for a wine. Even though I'd woken up that morning with a shocking hangover and an absolute resolution that I was not, I repeat not, going to drink today. And I know I am not alone in this. And this is why I share my story.

The last several years have been the most intense, challenging, enriching, rewarding, difficult, enlightening, confrontational, joyous and scary periods in my life. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

I knew from past experience of trying to cut down or cut out alcohol that it was a pretty difficult task. So I started doing some research about how]]>On January 21st 2013, I decided to stop drinking. It was a decision a few months in the making, so by the time I made it, it was actually quite a relief.

I share my story and experience with everyone: I am very open about the fact that I don’t drink, I am not ashamed of it, I don’t need to justify it, but if people do ask, I let them know why. And basically it was this - drinking was just not working out for me anymore.

And as a result I have had some very personal exchanges with my friends about their drinking habits as well. With no judgement on either side. It has been wonderful and enlightening and life affirming. And over the years, I've coached dozens and dozens of other people through reassessing their relationship with alcohol too.

As I have come to understand, the thing is never the thing. Drinking is not the thing. It is what it is hiding, covering up, what we are avoiding through the drinking. That is what we need to be able to look at. But we can't do it while we are drinking. I know that problem drinking does not discriminate, certainly not by age, not by gender, not by income and not by relationship or parental status. So I know that my experiences with drinking are in no way unique.

Way back in 2013, I decided to go public with my story because I think that as a society we love the idea of drinking (as long as we don’t have a “problem”) but we are very quick to make people feel ashamed and not provide them with the support they need if they allude to or admit to perhaps having said “problem”.

At no point along this path have I referred to myself as an alcoholic. Labels can be very dangerous things. I like to think of myself as a drinker who is not very good at moderation. I don’t beat myself up about this. I don’t feel bad about it. I just accept it.

A lot of us are drinking way too much and way too often. For many of us, it is a coping mechanism. But it is not healthy, it is not good for us, it is costing us as individuals and as a society. Our culture is completely saturated with alcohol – we use it to celebrate, to grieve, to commiserate, to reward, to self-medicate, to relieve stress, to pass the time, when we are bored, when we are happy, when we are sad, when we are angry… whatever the reason, alcohol is generally part of the equation.

Throughout my drinking career I had periods of minimal to moderate consumption, through to pretty heavy drinking. I was always a good binge drinker though, and my life was punctuated with extended periods of binging every Saturday night and many weekend benders. I can’t remember when I first started feeling that my drinking was becoming problematic.

But there were a number of events and understandings that really started to highlight some of the problems to me. I was very unhappy. I felt unfit and unhealthy. I was concerned about the kind of example I was being to my kids. I suffered anxiety. I felt depressed. I didn’t have much patience. I was angry a lot of the time. I was negative and felt like the world was against me. I felt like a bad mother.

There was one distinct moment (well, actually there were several, but this was the clincher) when I knew that something really had to change. It was when I realised that I was starting to look at the clock at 4pm and wonder when I could have a drink. With an absolute thirst for a wine. Even though I'd woken up that morning with a shocking hangover and an absolute resolution that I was not, I repeat not, going to drink today. And I know I am not alone in this. And this is why I share my story.

The last several years have been the most intense, challenging, enriching, rewarding, difficult, enlightening, confrontational, joyous and scary periods in my life. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

I knew from past experience of trying to cut down or cut out alcohol that it was a pretty difficult task. So I started doing some research about how I could do it and be supported. I looked into AA. It wasn't for me. And then I stumbled across an amazing space called Hello Sunday Morning and I started 3 month HSM which very quickly extended to a 12 month HSM, with other flawed and wonderful human beings.

I backed up that first year with another 12 months, and then another. And nearly ten years later, here I am. Still not drinking. Life without alcohol, for me, is such a better place. My life is amazing. And I am very grateful for it. People often ask me what I did, once I'd decided. What did I do the next day, and the day after that. I knew that signing up to an online forum was not a silver bullet.

So, I made some other positive changes to my life as well. I started meditating daily, exercising regularly, eating well, being in bed by about 10pm each night, drinking lots of herbal tea and water and I made some very significant decisions about my personal relationships as well.

I found an amazing teacher and guide to help me on my path to becoming happier. I have connected to something so much bigger than me, and I recognise the role that power has played in my life at every step along on the way.

I started caring about Fiona of tomorrow, and making decisions and choices today that were in her best interests. And I have learnt so much. I have learnt that we are not alone. Our human experiences are the same. We all feel emotions and scared and lack of self-belief and insignificant and unworthy. But we are not alone. We just need to reach out and share to know that. By connecting with others, and sharing of ourselves with each other, through these shared experiences, we can learn to think and feel differently of ourselves, by showing kindness and compassion for others.

Since I started this journey, I have had some of the most genuine and authentic connections with other people – sometimes strangers, sometimes acquaintances, some of them actually online with people I have never met – than I have ever had in my life. These connections have led me to great personal growth.

Most people are fundamentally good. We are all just muddling on through this life, doing the best we can. Very few of us are going around the place intentionally trying to ruin other people’s lives. Letting go of judgement and expectation of others is very liberating. Accepting responsibility for yourself and your actions is empowering – to stop blaming, to not be the victim but to stand up and own your life. The good, the bad and the ugly. It is yours. All yours. With all its crazy colour and texture. To make it a life worth living.

That amazing things happen when you surrender and trust that you are just where you are meant to be, that things are playing out just as they should, and to just allow yourself to go with the flow. But to be intentional about where that flow is heading. Being mindful, being grateful and being very present in the moment. This has been one of the greatest gifts for me. Not drinking means that there is nowhere to hide your emotions. You have to deal with them. It can be painful and hard, but getting through to the other side of that and learning how to sit with uncomfortable feelings makes you strong and aware and empathetic.

There is great truth to that saying “and this too shall pass”. Being uncomfortable in your emotions provides the opportunity for self awareness, forgiveness and self acceptance. This leads to self belief and self worth. Doing something hard that you really have to work at and for gives you self respect. And I have learnt that I am really good at my work, and I am much better at it when I don’t have a glass or two (or three) of wine in the evening. Better for me, much better for my clients. The results are speaking for themselves.

And on that note, keeping busy helps; having projects or activities or hobbies is a great distraction from drinking. So today, as every day, I am celebrating my amazing life with a soda water and it will be wonderful. I will sleep deeply tonight and wake up with a clear head tomorrow, ready to get stuck into the day. And even though I might have missed a drink every now and again, not once have I woken up and missed having a hangover.

So for all of you out there feeling bad about your drinking. Please know this. You are not alone. But if you are feeling bad and want to fully assess your relationship with alcohol, send me a message. You don't have to go it alone. The mountain is steep and rocky, the climb can be harrowing and there aren’t a lot of handrails, but the view from the top up here is so very worth it. And I know that my kids love it too.

Love always, Fiona xxx

P.S If I could do this, then so can you.