E Tu - Stand proud; Kia Kaha - Say it loud

I had to head off to court today to obtain legal recourse against someone on the periphery of my life  (and they shouldn't even be that close to me!), who really does need to make some serious changes to their attitude, life and behaviour. 

This person needs help and compassion, but also needs to learn that they cannot bully, intimidate and harass people. I believe that this person has anger issues which need to be addressed and that they should seek the help they need. 

My position on this matter is that violence towards women (or anyone else) is never okay, no matter whether it is emotional abuse, mental abuse, or physical abuse. The respondent to my complaint believes that it is okay to behave in an aggressive, intimidating and harassing manner towards me and so therefore got a shock when they were called into the local police station to be served with legal documents telling them to leave me alone or they will be arrested and charged. 

For the final time, I will not back down, I will not be intimidated, I will not be silenced, I will not be bullied, I will not be treated like a stray dog in the street and I will not tolerate my human rights being violated. This person really does need to get a nice, fun, happy life of their own and stop trying to be a part of mine.

I'm not going to go into too much more detail on this, except to say that although my afternoon court session was a traumatic experience (and the first of two court sessions), it has empowered me and most certainly has not scared me off pursing this matter further.

People must learn that violence of any kind, particularly towards women, IS NOT OKAY! 

I'm getting down off my soapbox now, but I do want to clearly state that I will not stop with this legal action until I achieve the desired outcome - which is for this person to leave me alone and let me get on with my wonderful, fabulous life - without them in it! 

If it takes a court order to achieve that outcome, then so be it. 

Downward dogs and paradigm shifts

This past week has been a big test of my patience, my ability to deal with stress, my temper, my positive attitude and my mind. I've had a paradigm shift over the past few weeks and I'm loving it.

To cut a long story short, we had some issues with the building we lease for the club I run, as water and electricity are not good friends. After getting up and leaving slowly after Tuesday's yoga class I found a dozen text messages, missed calls and voicemails on my phone. While I'd been upside down, we needed Noah's Ark. 

Instead of freaking out and swearing like a sailor after three bottles of rum, I calmly returned the missed calls and text messages and voicemails. I quickly walked back to the club, dealt with the situation fairly calmly and jumped into action for a resolution. I didn't get one that night, so I went home. I had several SOS calls overnight which left me with only a few hours of sleep. I was back at the club at 6am Wednesday to try and get it sorted, and 13 hours later it was. I was tired, hungry, sleep-deprived and covered in muck, but we had a resolution.

Fast forward another hour on Wednesday night and I was back on my yoga mat, even though I really wanted to just go home and fall into bed. I had a great class and felt much better afterwards. I managed to get my feet flat and heels down in downward dog for the first time - awesome! I felt stronger, more flexible, calm, centred and empowered. 

I had an uninterrupted sleep Wednesday night and woke on Thursday feeling like I'd actually slept, so I stayed in bed for an extra two hours reading a book. I needed the quiet and the solitude. On Thursday night I was back on the mat for the third night in a row. I was sore, but still had my heels down on the mat in downward dog and managed flip the dog reasonably gracefully. 

On Friday night I taught a Zumba class cover, with a bit of a low blood glucose incident on stage. It wasn't major, but I went blank and forgot my choreography to a song I've taught about 50-odd times before. I fumbled a few more times, smashed down some candy and upped the intensity. I haven't been that low for a while, so clearly the stressful situations, the yoga, the masses of walking and my inner calm conspired to drop my glucose and my former stress cadet self. Stress usually pushes up my glucose levels, so clearly being calm does the opposite!

I woke up Saturday morning ready to take on the world, before I remembered it was my the 25th anniversary of my Mother's death from cancer. I went to yoga feeling a bit glum. I was sweating like crazy, which was clearly from the toxins (i.e. all the sugar) I had to smash down the night before. I felt a little miserable during the class but by the end I'd stopped feeling sorry for myself and a bit less wrathful. 

I didn't have time to mope, as I had to head home, eat and shower before heading off to sell Pink Ribbon Day merchandise as a volunteer for the Cancer Council. In previous years I've sat around and moped and been angry at the world and felt like crap. I decided this year would be different and that I would do positive things on the key dates (her birthday, Mother's Day, her anniversary, etc) to try and turn them into better days. As a result, I met two awesome people and made a new friend while raising lots of money for the Cancer Council. 

So, paradigms have shifted. This year has been different because I've been different. 

Thanks to my yoga practice, I'm not stressed out at the slightest little thing. All the time spent upside down is sending my creative brain into overdrive and I'm coming up with new ideas and new ways to do things. I'm less focussed on stuff and more focussed on experiences. I'm less stressed and more calm.  I'm more grounded, more centred, more chilled out and more laid back. Stuff that used to really get to me no longer does to the same extent. 

Sure, I do break into the odd expletive and I do get wrathful, but not angry. Injustice still frustrates me. People hurting other people still grates on me. I don't tolerate people's shoddy behaviour towards me or others but I'm not going to tie myself up in knots about it either. Karma exists for a reason. I'm not perfect and I will never claim to be perfect. I will never be perfect, but I can be a better version of myself. 

With all this in mind, I'm going to back to Langkawi in April for a two-part eight day yoga retreat. Four days of relaxed yoga retreat to unwind, two days in between, then four days of intensive retreat to really push myself. There's a few chill out days in the there and three days in KL on the way home to get back to reality (and a few different yoga classes). By April, I will need a break. I'm looking forward to massages at Alun-Alun Spa again too. That place is amazing.

I've also decided that I am going to do the 200 Hour YTT (Yoga Teacher Training) next year. I'm looking at either Ubud in Bali or Jakarta (Bali would be better!) for 12 day intensive program. Doing the training in Australia is two or even three times the price, so why not incorporate another holiday and  go somewhere new and pretty?

So, how have you been different this year?

100 things list

Most of you know about the concept of a 100 Things List, thanks in part to my good fortune to be at FILEX (the annual fitness industry convention in Australia) this year when Sebastian Terry was doing the closing inspirational presentation. Seb talked about why he started the 100 things project and the crazy things on his list, as well as his goal of raising $100,000 for Camp Quality in the process. 

As a result of this, I made a 100 things list of my own. You can view it here. I've managed to check off a few items, with many still to go. I decided I needed a hard copy list as well, so yesterday I bought a "100" notebook from Kikki-K. I managed to write down 89 things last night before my shoulder packed up and refused to allow any more writing. 11 more to go!

I love digital stuff, particularly being able to buy songs and albums and books without the physical clutter of the case or the book itself.  It keeps down the clutter and "stuff" which I feel holds me back and chokes me. More physical stuff means more stress when it gets overwhelming or untidy. No thanks! 

Much as I love my digital books and music and movies and etc, I love to physically write stuff down. I have a myriad of journals for my ongoing coaching and personal development studies. I like being able to pick up a journal and flick through it, thereby giving me the ability to instantly remember stuff I thought I'd forgotten. I also have the Goals, Gratitude, Happiness and Wellbeing journals from Kikki-K in which to record the past, present and future me!

With my 100 things list, there's been a couple of edits. A couple of things are no longer relevant or physically possible (I'll never do 50 decline push ups at 75 degrees, for example, nor do I want to try) so they've been replaced with new goals. I want to see more, do more, experience more, learn more and enjoy more. Turns out I do want to go to Bali after all, just nowhere near Kuta. Phuket can stay where it is for now. I just want to go to places that won't disturb my mind!

I'm a firm believer in constantly re-evaluating your life, your goals, your plans, your motivations, your thoughts, your actions and your intentions. If something no longer serves you in your quest to be the best you that you can be, drop it and move on. If something is holding you back, cut the ties and walk on. Walk away from what you don't need in your life and walk towards what you do need. 

Life is too short to waste being stressed, miserable, bored, tired, angry, depressed or mean. Don't like your situation? Change it! No one else can do it for you.

Vision Boards - more than just a bunch of pretty pictures

I've just found a great online post which I just had to share. Read on for the link!

I've been making vision boards for years - the first was about triathlon, with a great selection of pictures and quotes by Chrissie Wellington, Craig Alexander, Mirinda Carfrae and Chris McCormack. The second was more of a vision wall - it was a collection of photos of awesome places I've visited and lived on the wall above my desk at home.

The last one I made was all about my Malaysian Adventure Holiday. It was the first thing I saw in the morning when I woke up and the last thing I saw at night - it was on the wall at the end of my bed, right where I could see it at the two most important times of the day for my mind! It kept me going through some very tough, stressful and tiring days.

Tomorrow I will begin the process of starting a new one, using the tips in the article linked below. In fact, I'll probably make two. One for my next trip and one for the rest of my life. I'll post photos when I'm done.

Here's the link - now get to it!

Creating a Powerfully Effective Vision Board That Works For You

I'm a Certified NLP Practitioner!

I had some fabulous news this week - I've passed my final assessment workbook and I am now officially a Certified NLP Practitioner! 

My journey with Neuro Linguistic Programming (or NLP) started in 2008, when I was forced onto a course at work that, at the time, felt a bit like some sort of witchcraft. I was there with one other girl and a bunch of guys, we were all part of the same team but had totally different jobs. They were supervisors of 15-20 people each, I supervised two people and 250 pieces of technology. I wasn't sure why I'd been sent on this course when I only managed mobile computers that didn't talk back...well, not too often.

The course covered NLP, Neuro Semantics (NS), coaching and leadership skills and a few other things. Turns out it was a fantastic way to spend three days - I'm still using precision questioning to this day! We didn't get certified, so when I found out that you could get certified in NLP, I was a little more interested. Anything with a final outcome involving a qualification to me is something worth pursuing - or at least it was when I was rolling in the corporate world.

Fast forward five years and I was trawling Groupon Malaysia one night in May this year, looking for deals for my adventure holiday, when I spotted the certification course I've just completed. I checked it out, it seemed good - online, study when you want, download the material to your iPod, very thorough, etc. I looked at comparable qualifications in Australia, they involved a lot of money and taking days off work that I didn't have available due to my upcoming Malaysian trip. My adventure had to come first, so I decided to spend the couple of hundred Malaysian Ringgit and buy the coupon to enrol in the course.

I enrolled in mid-May, got stuck in, took a break while on holiday and when I came back I slowly plugged away at the hours and hours of audio and the assessment workbook. I used the techniques to sort out a few things I had personally needed to resolve. I used them with other people. I tried to use them with the cat when she was all stressed out and scared of the sound of my keys, but got a curious range of stares in return. Come to think of it, perhaps they were they famous covert "you're an imbecile" looks that Siamese cats do so well!

I've used the NLP techniques to cure my heights and flying phobias, to set goals, to overcome my final issues with food and to get rid of a bunch of negative home movies I had stored in my head that were "doing my own head in".  I feel better able to communicate with people, I don't dwell on stuff like I used to and I feel more in control of my mind and my life. If there's something holding you back, let me know and if I can help you, I will.

Tai Chi and Chai Tea

In between finishing my NLP studies and my Law of Attraction studies over the past few weeks, I found a few minutes to jump on eBay and purchase a Tai Chi DVD, which is now on my iPad. Yep, Tai Chi. It's not just for elderly Chinese folk - it's actually very challenging, according to one of my Personal Trainer staff!

I figured I'd give Tai Chi (or Qi Gong) a go, as I've heard it's very good for the mind, body and soul. I'm not sure when I'll fit it in but I'll re-jig the weekly routine and fit in in somewhere.  Tai Chi apparently has a range of benefits - I just want to enjoy something new that may (or may not) compliment my yoga practice and help with my balance. You can practice it practically anywhere and it's actually a Chinese Martial Art, without the violence. Nice!

I'd like to build up to doing Tai Chi and yoga everyday. New goal!

I've also started drinking chai tea (from bags) at home without sugar. This in itself is pretty major - the last bastion of sugar consumption has fallen at last. I bought a bottle of chai mix with hardly any sugar in it (8g per serve), to have at night instead of hot chocolate (which has nearly three times the sugar in it!). I'm reading labels even more than before and comparing products based on sugar levels. 

You may be asking, is paying even more attention to food labels actually possible when I go over everything with a fine-tooth comb (or three) ? Even though I'm FODMAP intolerant and need to check that whatever I'd like to consume isn't going to mess with me, yes it is possible to pay more attention to what goes in my mouth. 

I need about 140-160g of carbs a day on exercise days to keep my blood glucose levels stable as I'm diabetic and I exercise a lot - basically seven days a week. I may not be smashing out HIIT training every day, but yoga and walking drop my blood glucose levels, whereas cardio and instructing Zumba classes push the levels back up. It's a bit of a delicate balance. I know when I'm low because I get ratty and a little aggressive-sounding. My staff tell me go eat! When I'm high, I get thirsty and want to take a nap. My body would rather sleep it off.

So why all this talk of sugar ditching? Well, aside from the obvious facts that it's not really all that good for you as an added substance to what seems like every food I like (and that I'm diabetic), it feels like poison. Yes, I said it. It feels like poison. I don't like what it does to me. I don't like the fact that just about everything contains extra sugar these days and I sweat far more after consuming sweet stuff. 

The sugar sweats are particularly noticeable during yoga. If I've had a little bit of sweet stuff that day (for a night class) or the day before (for a morning class), I'm playing twister on a sweaty water slide in class. Thank goodness for special thin microfibre towels designed for Hot Yoga - I need one for any kind of yoga it would seem! I don't have sweet stuff very often - I'm off chocolate pretty much entirely and haven't had a boost bar in weeks - but even coconut water seems to do it to me. 

It's good to get all the toxins out, but better to not let them invade or give them the keys to the temple in the first place. 

Ignorance is bliss

Ignorance is bliss. I don't do TV anymore. I don't read newspapers anymore either. I don't feel the need to view news sites on my phone or iPad. I read the occasional magazine but not those trashy gossip ones. Do I feel the need to relish in other's misfortunes? HELL NO!

While in Malaysia on holiday, I had only one night of TV. I was in Johor Bahru, the night before I went to Legoland and I was a bit bored. Instead of reading a book on my iPad, I turned on the TV, which came with my hotel room package.  What was on? 2012, the movie. A disturbing waste of a few hours of my life which I'll never get back.

A couple of weeks ago you'll remmber that I cut off Foxtel and therefore I cut off TV in general. I didn't enjoy waking up and having the beauty of a brand new day ruined with an overload of negativity (news and weather channels). No TV and no newspapers has been fantastic and it's awesome not being caught up in all the negativity and horror and violence that is plastered across newspapers and the news. 

It doesn't mean I don't care about the people suffering in the world, because I do. I just prefer to wake up and be genuinely grateful for all the blessings I have in my life. 

I suspect I was watching around 15-20 hours of TV each week. I'm now using that time to learn stuff, do stuff and generally chill out. I've discovered the wonderfully frustrating game of Mah Jong. I've completed two courses which lead to two pretty awesome qualifications (Basic Law of Attraction Practitioner and Certified NLP Practitioner) and I should have the final tick in the box for the NLP one early this week. 

I've been reading books, researching stuff on the internet, cooking more and generally having a more peaceful and interesting life. I've discovered activities, places and new fun things to do that I need to explore. I'm going to the Hare Krishna-run Gopal's restaurant for dinner one day. I'll go to one of their Kirtan evenings and chant and sing and dance. Heck, I may even follow them down Swanston Street one Friday night (like I used to do in Auckland on my way to the Ferry). I'll try new places with Char Siu Bao. 

I'm going to make a far more determined and conscious effort now to focus on doing one new thing and one fun thing each week. I'm not having enough fun and that needs to change, STAT!

In terms of mind-body-spirit connectivity, I've got the yoga three times a week thing down pat, so I'm going to add in a Saturday morning class - yes, a fourth class - and I'm considering attending the Monday night women's health class by candlelight as well. It doesn't cost any extra as I have a membership at the studio. I may add in Wednesday night down the track too.  Then I can do six days a week and it's six days in a row. Maybe I'll try it one week and see what happens?

Tomorrow heralds a new day and the start of a brand new week, so it's time to try a new morning schedule. I'm thinking:

6am - continuously hit the snooze button

6.30am - Meditate, Dharma Practice

7am - Yoga (Vinyasa sequence)

7.30am - coffee, green tea, first breakfast, journalling

8am - 21 day transformation tasks (I'm doing a mind, body, spirit transformation)

8.30am - walk to the gym

8.45am - one hour of cardio

9.45am - shower, second breakfast, coffee, green tea, chill out time

10.30am - start work

7pm - finish work, head home for dinner and study, or to yoga, or whatever

Better get to bed soon - 6am alarm beckons!

Mountaintop retreats and free-range children

It's been a bit of a topsy-turvy week exercise-wise. I had a tiring and dramatic week (see the previous post), so I gave myself permission to take it a little bit easier mentally and more gentle physically this past week with my body, so that I could work on sorting out my mind and that situation. I didn't let the exercise go - it was just a matter of shorter sessions and an impromptu rest day. 

I definitely made up for it by doing an active retreat day yesterday. I have been wanting to head back out to the Dandenong Ranges for quite a while and yesterday's weather forecast was amazing, so I figured it was time to act. I wanted to get out of the little seaside town, so my intention was to visit Belgrave, maybe Olinda and Sassafrass, head up Mt Dandenong, do a bit of a hike in the bush and find some Char Siu Bao on the way home. 

I spent two hours in each direction travelling to the Dandys (as I like to call them), but it was so worth it! I went up the summit of Mt Dandenong, had a picnic morning tea, took lots of photos, did a forest walk and just "was" for an hour and a half. Too many screaming, running and yelling free-range children challenged my patience and sadly my phone died randomly while I was taking photos of the gardens, so I couldn't drown them out with headphones and music. Hmph.

Next stop was the gorgeous mountain town of Olinda, where I oohed and aahed at gorgeous shops filled with Turkish trinkets, soy candles, crystals, Nepalese clothes and all manner of new age supplies. I'll be back, Olinda, with cash this time! Turns out Eftpos ain't too popular in them there parts of the bush.

In one shop in Olinda I met Jennifer Bailey, a Homeopath, Naturopath, Meditation Teacher and Healer with 26 years of vast experience. I bought a copy of her book "New Healing Secrets of Angels and Herbs", which she kindly autographed and dedicated. We had a great chat about astrology, Angels, herbs, healing, coaching and a million other things. 

The lady that runs the shop and I had a yarn about astrology too. She picked that I had Gemini in my sign due to my friendly and outgoing nature, which according to Tibetan Astrology (which I had a look at this morning and is based on the Tibetan Calendar) is my sign, although Western Astrology says I'm Cancer based on the Gregorian Calendar! Fascinating stuff - I'll be back to see these two gorgeous ladies again soon.

After Olinda, I caught the bus to Upper Ferntree Gully and after a quick look at the market, I took the train to Box Hill for some Char Siu Bao (steam pork buns) and a quick trip to Woolworths for supplies. I love the fact that Char Siu Bao were just $1.80 and all steamy and fluffy and delicious. I need to find a place on this side of town that has them also; the supermarket ones are gross and I'd rather go somewhere to get them fresh. Mmm...BBQ Pork in a fluffy bun. Magic!

Next stop was Doncaster as my phone needed a trip to the Apple Hospital. It turns out the battery is cactus (helpful tip: iPhone batteries are only good for 400 charging cycles. Be prepared to fork out $90 or so for a new battery after that) having been used past its use by date and needs to be replaced, which was why it turned itself off mid-photo at 46% battery charge. I'm not keen on the need to throw $89 at a piece of technology instead of spending it on study or yoga or a holiday, but if it stops my mind becoming more disturbed by this battery situation and gives me less stress and more peace of mind, then I suppose it is worth it. 

I really enjoyed my day out in the bush, even with the cactus phone and the side trip to a mall that really wasn't necessary. I've decided that I will be making this a monthly event now (except for the mall trip and the cactus phone bits, of course). 

I may live by the sea, but sometimes you just need to go bush, go walkabout, go up a mountain; in fact, sometimes you need to just go and just be. 

Unresourceful Drama and the Law of Attraction

This past week has been one of the most challenging since returning from Malaysia. There have been some pretty darn challenging times over the past 8 weeks - mega stress, death threats, abusive people, way too much drama and unnecessary amounts of other people's self-cherishing impacting my life - but this past week saw a particularly unpleasant situation that has been almost a mainstay of daily life for the past three months, finally require resolution.

I'm not going into details as it's done with now, but let's just say that the other person involved really does need to take a good, hard look at their actions, speech, thoughts and life - and then make some fast and positive changes. They simply will never be happy if they do not change. I hope they get over themselves and take action to find some inner peace and strength to stop behaving in an unresourceful way.

I regret nothing - life is too short. I have forgiven myself for my part in the situation and I have forgiven them for their part in it also. I have no issue with getting over myself, or taking action when I need to because I'm heading down the wrong path at the fork in the road. Life is not about regretting the things you've done, the decisions you've made or the actions you've taken along the path. Life is about pulling your little socks up and getting on with living.

But - always, always, always trust your intuition - if it tells you something or someone isn't quite right for you, please listen to it and act accordingly. That's called trusting and backing yourself. Never be afraid to ask for help. Never think you have to cope on your own and never question your intuition. 

As some clever person once said, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result. I've learned lessons from this situation, so it is time they did too. They need to move on with their life and I wish them happiness, kindness and a happy life moving forward.

On the subject of onward and upward, I submitted both my NLP Practitioner Assessment Workbook and my Basic Law of Attraction Practitioner exam and essay this past week for final consideration and grading. Yesterday morning I received the awesome news that I have passed the Basic Law of Attraction Practitioner course and am now a fully-fledge Basic Law of Attraction Practitioner! Woohoo!  I hope to have confirmation of passing the NLP Practitioner course early next week.

Amazing things happen when you disconnect the idiot's lantern (aka the TV) and focus on reading, learning and personal growth and development. I challenge you to spend one less night each week watching TV and instead, pick up a book, find an online course, learn something new - just do something other than being a brainwashed turnip on a sofa! TV is like evil pond scum - it lurks under the surface, ready to suck you in and mess with your mind. Less than ideal conditions for inner peace and outer strength, don't you think?

I've found a fantastic site called Daily OM where you can purchase a variety of awesome courses on all kinds of topics at very affordable prices. There's Ayurveda, Feng Shui, 21 day life detoxes, meditation, Buddhism and lots more. I've enrolled in a few to keep my mind busy on the nights when I don't have yoga and so that I can keep on learning new skills!

I believe in lifelong learning, CAN-I (constant and never-ending improvement), developing my mind, embracing my spirit and improving my body. If you do too, please do something small right now to get off your butt and on the road to a better life, filled with goals and dreams and purring kittens and fluffy bunnies. Or whatever.

Namaste.

Creating a peaceful sanctuary with space to live

I spent most of yesterday re-arranging and de-cluttering the living room at home. I had a hair appointment in the middle of the afternoon, but I'm happy to say that after picking up a few groceries I came home and kept working on it. I am totally stoked with the finished product. 

I've been thinking about doing this for about two weeks - pretty much continuously since the decision to cut off Foxtel, as the TV had to be in a certain spot to reach the aerial cables and all that jazz. Having cruised through the week with no Foxtel or TV, I was finally able to unplug and re-jig. 

It feels good to come home and not feel obligated to plonk in front of the idiot box. I can now honestly say "I don't watch TV". I didn't miss it while I was in Malaysia and I'm not missing it now. If I need information, I can get it from the internet. I don't feel the need to be constantly bombarded with information, advertisements and be hypnotised with suggestions to go and buy the latest whatever!

I had a few criteria for the "new" space, which are:

• I wanted as much free space as possible in the centre of the room so that energy can flow freely
• I must have a peaceful sanctuary on one side of the room
• A reading and lounging area where I don't have my back to the doors and windows (feels like someone is going to sneak up on me, which is bad Feng Shui)
• A dedicated space for my yoga mat where I can practice at home and don't have to roll it up when I'm finished using it. 
• A high space for my shrine, with enough room to get everything I want on it. I also wanted to get the new photo of His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama and offering bowls on it too. 
• Space at shoulder height for my Tibetan Singing Bowl and Tingshas for meditation
• Room for my meditation stool and space to meditate without having to rearrange the room and room for my oil burner so I can have my soy melts burning in the background
• Space to pop out an airbed for any visitors who may wish to stay over, without having to rearrange the whole room

Here's the finished product:

Since I don't watch TV anymore, I was able to move my recliner against a wall and still have a little wall space available to use for shoulder stands, until I have the strength and skill to enter them from my mat. I'm thinking that I could use the grey ottoman now for support instead of the wall as I work my way up from the mat. We'll see. 

The whole house has a totally different vibe and Qi flow about it now. It feels less stuffy, less cluttered, less stagnant and less stifling. I got rid of some furniture and have a massive empty floor space now. I could picnic on the floor if I feel like it, but I won't throw a wok burner on the carpet and cook my veggies on the floor like the last guy living in here did two years ago!

I had already pimped out the space with red accessories, as the boring beige/yellow paint throughout the house really does my head in. There's lots of green (earth energy) on the shrine to balance out the fire energy of the red, just so things don't get too energetic!

They say change is as good as a holiday, and it's nice to walk in the front door and see this first thing.