OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE

I'm (Gem) feeling quite out of my comfort zone, and I’m not sure if I’m feeling ready to even follow through with these intentions daily, but you have to start somewhere. So here goes:

1. Acceptance- there are a lot of things about me I feel I need to change, and after may years of trying to change so many little things about myself, they’ve become big things and really shifted who I am now. So everyday as the control slips from my grasp of what should be, I am now teaching myself that what will be is what will be; acceptance. Acceptance of myself and the person I am, not fighting myself over the things that are just me, not worrying about what I think I need to be, but just reconnecting and accepting that this is me warts and all ….and that’s ok

2. Reflection- this is a big one for me lately, as I know I can sometimes have a rather negative view on things. I don’t believe I’m a negative person, but I find the faults, see the problems, and notice the bad more often than not. So each day I want to take the time to reflect on the good things, and there are soooo many great things. My intention is to reflect and embrace the positive things in my life. With all that goes on each day with the juggle of kids, work home etc. there are many ups and downs throughout the day, so each good moment I try and take a mental snapshot and when things get shit, and let's face it they can flip so quickly, I keep my mental happiness in the back of my brain to ground me and keep me calm.

And that leads me to my third intention... 3. Me Time- this is giving myself time to breath and reconnect with me. I’m constantly trying to give my kids the best parts of me and then running to my phone as soon as they are asleep or at day care to catch up on all things work that I have missed, and then finding myself so torn between trying to get back to something for work or remembering something for the kids or trying to get some other job done that my brains bouncing between everything and I end up getting nothing done all while missing lunch and not eating anything. So I intend to take the moments I can to clear it all out and just breathe. This means finding a safe space, clearing my mind, and taking a few moments to just reconnect with me. No distraction, no interruptions, just a quick moment to flush it all out and get some perspective.

MAKING MY DAY INCREDIBLE

This week it is my turn (Amee) to share my daily intentions – an idea that is still relatively new to me, so be kind! The way I see it, my daily intentions are three priorities that I set for myself in order to make the most out of my day; three things I can do to make my day incredible (or at least better!). I guess the thing about daily intentions is that you choose, each day, to do something entirely for yourself, which is not always easy! However, this year I have quite bit on my plate: a baby on the way in just three short months, a very energetic two-year-old boy Charlie, house renovations (live in – yay!) and of course my exciting new venture with Jess and Gem involving all things The Grateful, so I NEED to set some time aside for myself each day in order to be the best version of myself (and survive, ha!). So here we go…

Create Space - creating space is both a short and long term goal for me. Each day I set some time aside in my day for myself, which is going to become increasingly important when our new bundle of joy arrives. This space can look like so many things for me: getting up before my son to enjoy a coffee by myself (bliss!), 10 minutes to clear my head - preferably outside - which means no phone, no music, no TV, and finally yoga (my new-found obsession – yes I’m a little late, I know!). As a long term plan, creating space is about decluttering my life. Getting rid of the junk, the excess, the unnecessary, living with less!Keeping a journal – I guess this is an extension of creating space for myself. I’m setting myself to the goal to write something down each day. It doesn’t have to be mind blowing – it can be something I’m grateful for, something I’d like to achieve that day, something I need to work through. Writing things down has always helped to clear my mind and keep me grounded - who doesn’t need that?!Be present – this one is simple enough, but is often easily overlooked. I choose to be present in each day. This includes on the mundane (and let’s face it, motherhood can be mundane at times!). Prioritise being present in that moment, no distractions – social media, phone, work, a wandering mind... This is particularly important for me as Charlie will soon be sharing me with a little brother or sister, so I need (and want!) to be 100% present when spending time with him in order to make the most of our time together.

And that’s a wrap! Wish me luck! Amee xx

THE POWER OF INTENTIONAL SPACE

This is my - Jess's - pledge to myself and those I love. And this is me asking for your support to help me hold myself accountable!

I currently have a 9 month old daughter (Eddi) whose personality already shines strong and who appears to share many similar traits with me eg. "like a bull at a gate"; plus, on top of Eddi, as you may know, I'm opening a new store with two of my best friends (Gem & Amee) and to who I feel personally responsible! So NEVER has it been more important for me to slow down, be present, be focused and be the best version of myself. Especially because Eddi is here now and what I put out she absorbs. I look forward to the now and the future as together Eddi and I learn to find space and clarity, while also embracing the way we each experience and see life.

So as part of our commitment to ourselves, our families and The Grateful I've asked myself, Gem and Amee to develop 3 daily intentions for our respective selves to inspire and motivate us to achieve our own personal purpose.

Here are mine:

1. Grounding/earthing - for at least 5 minutes each day, stand barefoot and feel and connect with the earth. There's actually scientific proof that the earth sends you electric currents (google it!!! https://chopra.com/articles/grounding-the-human-body-the-healing-benefits-of-earthing)

2. Watching natures private show - this I learnt from a mindfulness book. I stare at the leaves on a tree, watch the way they dance, watch the way they filter the light - for my eyes only! I stare until I can't remember what I was thinking about prior, or until I get a surge of energy from watching their beauty. This is such a great practice; I've been doing for years! You can do it stuck in traffic (if there's a tree or grass near by), at home, sitting waiting for someone, if you're stressed or if you're relaxed... and it's so quick!!! OMG I could go on about this forever! AND

3. (My absolute favourite!!!!!!) Staring into Eddi's eyes - staring as if the entire universe exists solely inside of her and the more I stare the more galaxies I'll find. In that moment everything that's ever existed is right there inside of her, and then the moment when she feels me looking into her like she's the only thing in the world and reciprocates... ohhh 😭. Anyway, if you've read this far and you're still awake I'll shut up and let you have some peace... BUT, I encourage you to create some daily intentions for yourself. Love Jess xxxx

The Grateful is a boutique flower service, with a one-for-one happiness initiative at its heart. It’s our very own Newcastle-based, floral version of AirBnB, Uber, TOMs, Thankyou and Who Gives a Crap TP.

Jess and Gem from The Grateful are two life-long friends from Sydney who moved to Newcastle a few years ago with their respective families, in search of a better life. So HA HA to all those people who think that the big smoke is where it’s at… Newie’s got it going on. Now also seems like a delightful opportunity to remind everyone of how we are voted one of Lonely Planet’s top cities in the world. #pashabulker #neverforget

Anyway, what’s most important here is that The Grateful is a beautiful new initiative with a whole lotta heart. The way it works is simple: you buy a bouquet of flowers from their online store, and Jess and Gem produce a second bouquet that is delivered on your behalf to the John Hunter Hospital and Ronald McDonald House. We all know that hospitals can be sad, sterile places to hang out, so their mission is to brighten the day of patients and their families.

The Grateful is inspired by the sharing economy sweeping the globe, and a further move toward conscious consumption and collective kindness. Jess and Gem are ahead of the curve, recognising the incredible and lasting value of giving back. If we look after ourselves, we’re looking after the community, and if we’re looking out for the community, we’re looking out for the planet. Plus, as the girls say, flowers have a “neutral footprint”. It’s a breath of fresh air in an otherwise dog-eat-dog consumerist society.

“Since moving to Newcastle there's been a flood of uber cool bars, restaurants and other things that I can't even keep up with. Plus, what I've also found is that Newcastle encourages, supports and incubates so many people and businesses to be 'cool' – to do what they love. It's that real sense of 'we rise by lifting others'.”

Jess recently finished her MBA majoring in social entrepreneurship, and did a research project on the concept for The Grateful. “We've been able to connect with the amazing people in our community and let The Grateful organically develop its own legs, which we can then feed into the boutique, instead of the other way around.”

What does COOL mean to you?

Jess

Cool to me is when someone is doing something that they love so much, and everything just feels right. Whatever that person is doing becomes completely infectious and others can't help but get on their 'cool' good vibe train!

Gem

To me, cool is something great, something worth sharing. Cool comes from the heart, from passion.

When did you first have the idea for The Grateful?

We both had two separate ideas, which we merged together. Jess was travelling Africa and South America last year and in Malawi, she visited a very basic clinic in the middle of nowhere and saw people on their death beds (which were more like camp swags) surrounded by dark grey/brown mud-concrete walls and all she could think was how easy it would be to put up a colourful picture and give their mind a distraction and something positive for them to look at. So she decided that next time she travelled, she would take a bag full of colourful prints and have them ready. But she also wanted to do something now. We thought about the places in Newcastle where we could do something similar and realised that we’d been guilty of complaining about how sterile and lifeless hospitals can feel. Why not take responsibility and do something about it?

“I wanted to do something for me, and something that would make my kids proud.”

What’s the main message behind the brand?

That we're all connected and no matter what is going on in your life, it's still possible to find beauty. One of the core concepts is to remind people that it’s okay to do something nice for yourself (like buying flowers) and not feel guilty. And, in fact, by looking after yourself you're actually helping others.

Tell me about your decision to team up with charities…

John Hunter Hospital is one of the biggest employers in our region so has the ability to reach the most people. Ronald McDonald House is a great fit for us too. They're already oozing colour, energy, connection and positivity to support and make people feel better.

What does the future of The Grateful look like?

Hopefully in a few months we'll have The Grateful Boutique, which will stock clothes, homewares and flowers. For every item purchased, another item will be donated on behalf of that customer, to someone in need. We'd love to do team-building and colour therapy flower bouquet workshops, where people put together a bouquet for themselves and another to be donated to the hospital.

“Having flowers around is like staring at the ocean; they give your mind a break and an energy hit.”

Tell me about your dream for an ideal society/country/planet…

Jess

We're really hoping to support people to reconnect, with themselves or with the community. We've become overloaded with distractions through information and technology and I believe so many of us are crying out to reconnect in person.

“We just want to feel good ourselves and share the shit out of it!”

Gem

I love the idea of a village society, connecting with and supporting the local community, local produce, helping each other out. The beauty of all our technology and social media means that we can be connected with so many parts of our world, but I feel i’s so important to always come back to your own backyard. Finding the right balance between the global society and the right here and now.

When you’re not working on The Grateful, what does life look like?

Jess

Breastfeeding! My daughter Eddi has my appetite! Plus I’m always planning trips and experiences – I love to travel. And you’ll always find me outdoors or at the beach.

Gem

Spending time with my husband two kids. We’re always busy finding new places to play and explore. We’re also renovating our house, so in my spare time I’m usually trying to sand or paint something!

Who is the coolest person you know (in the world)?

Jess

All the people who’ve connected with us through The Grateful - all of Newcastle and the entire world seems cool! Plus, I think Gem’s pretty cool, and you too Amy!

But to me, the ultimate cool person is my partner Coxy. He's just HIM – he doesn't pretend to be anyone else and that's exactly what COOL is to me. And, of course, my daughter Eddi! She's been bloody amazing. During our pregnancy, she was so good and allowed me to keep doing all of the things I love: I ran and exercised through the entire pregnancy, Gem and I started The Grateful, all of which helped me to be the best version of me for her arrival.

Gem

Jess has always been my source of cool. She’s inspiring – one of those people who is so passionate about life that it radiates to the people around her.

Source: http://www.coolpeoplecoolthings.com/jess-and-gem-from-the-grateful

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Cool People Doing Cool Things is for thinkers, dreamers and creatives. For ball-busters, goal-kickers and chimney-sweeps. Read, share, dream, enjoy, smile. Be kind, be creative, inspire and love each other.

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