How To Live Ambitiously & Stay Spiritual (Interview with Rachael Lynn)

When you think about the people you admire today, I'm sure you've found yourself wondering how they got there. Well, the woman I am interviewing today is one of those people you are gonna wonder about years down the track. So just so you know, you saw her HERE first! :P

She's volunteered for Deepak Chopra, created her own spiritual practice AND is about to become a New Yorker! In this weeks Girl Power Series we have the goooooorgeous Rachael Lynn of Living Ambitiously!

1) You are all about living ambitiously, what does that mean for you and how did you come to discover this concept as a way of being?

I asked someone who knew me well to pick a word to describe me back when I started my very first blog. They said "ambitious". I was very proud of that. Today, my definition of ambition is totally different than what it was then. Let me explain.

A lot of people think being ambitious means working hard, pushing your limits, reaching success. Actually, the dictionary defines ambition as: A strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. And that's exactly what I thought it was too.

I was that person - working two part time jobs, full time student, gave the speech at my University Graduation (it's floating out on YouTube somewhere), and got a "real" job right out of school.

But, as you can probably guess, none of that stuff made me happy. I mean, it did temporarily, but I had that gut feeling of something missing that we talk about so much on our blogs.

Today, I don't believe in hard work. I've reached that point in my spiritual practice where I know that life and getting what we want is less work and more play. So now, Living Ambitiously means being determined to follow your heart, your dreams, and follow love, wherever that might take you - without all the stress.

2) What made you decide to volunteer at the Chopra Center run by Deepak Chopra?

A desire to finally "get" what I was looking for emotionally. I had a pretty regular meditation practice at the time, but I felt like I needed something to immerse myself in in order to get a jump start on something life-changing.

I scanned the Chopra.com website, sent in a request for volunteering, and forgot about it. Weeks later I was contacted by their volunteer coordinator at the time, Wendi, and I was so excited. The trip itself (from Buffalo, NY to Chicago and a week at a hotel) cost me money I wouldn't "usually" spend, but that week changed my life.

If you've ever meditated, imagine that feeling being amplified by 200 people meditating around you - being open, vulnerable, and smiling the whole time. It's not something you could ever regret. Plus, I wanted to see if Deepak was for real. All I can say is that he is an enlightened spirit with some very human qualities, which was nice to see.

3) Are you a very spiritual person? What are some of your practices? 

We are ALL spiritual people! It took me a while to figure that out. Spirit isn't just present when we meditate or do yoga. It is always there. I've learned to speak to my spirit as if it is a second person, an older, wiser self whose opinion I respect very much. I try to check in with her as many times a day as I can, even if just to acknowledge that she's there. I notice that I forget to talk to her the most when I am stressed. To bring her back out I write, light candles, go to Bikram Yoga, or meditate with incense.

But I believe that spiritual activities and activities that bring pleasure are the same. Feeling pleasure means we are making our spirit feel good. And by pleasure I mean anything - eating chocolate, getting a pedicure, or lovin' your partner. Whatever works ;)

4) What are your tips for people wanting to live more ambitiously?

Stop trying to be/have/do it all. Remember that the visible sides you see of people are usually only the good sides (or the sides they want you to see), you never know what's going on behind the scenes. So chase your own dream.

Love yourself first. Always Always Always. That's why I love reading what Elise writes so much, because if I'm forgetting to take care of myself that day, I'm reminded to stop and find a way.

Then, spend time with people who are doing what you want to be doing. People who are better, smarter, or stronger than you. There is no reason to be intimidated by these people or ashamed of where you are. Use them as inspiration and motivation to teach you some of the tools you can use to complete your journey.

5) And for the days when we can't see the light, what would you recommend doing?

Make a conscious decision to choose when to stop feeling miserable. It is important to feel whatever you are feeling and understand that it's not bad, but if you listen close enough, you will know exactly what your body/spirit is asking for. In my experience, it has always been SELF LOVE.

Recently, I've gotten so caught up in this move I'm about to make (I'm moving to New York City!) that I have felt totally drained. My body is so in tune with my emotions that if I stop taking care of myself for even two days, it becomes extremely fatigued, irritable, and I get headaches that make me nauseous.

I went through that for three days this week wondering "WTF is happening?". Finally, last night, I went to bed at 9pm, and I slept until 8am. I feel so much better! Never underestimate the power of taking care of yourself. Or sleep, I love sleeping.

6) What are you craving more of in life right now?

Sun. Literally, in Buffalo right now it is cold and a combination of rain/snow. I am craving summer so badly. To me summer will always bring ice cream, pretty clothes, flowers and hopscotch. I am craving more of those opportunities to bring pleasure into my day.

7) Who inspires you? 

Any woman who does what she wants; who shows me that you can work from the beach and make your own schedule and make money. Also, anyone who allows themselves to be vulnerable.

Vulnerability takes so much courage that I think the definitions of Strength and Vulnerability should be swapped. If you want specifics, I choose Jennifer Pastiloff. I've uncovered her recently and her writing is so raw that it will evoke emotion in anyone.

8) If you could manifest anything you wanted, what would it be and why?

Short term: A freaking great apartment in New York. There are really great places there you just have to know where to look. NYC is somewhere that can easily make a person feel lost. I want a place to come home to that I can decorate and have a sanctuary. I'm seeing Buddha's, Candles, lots of turquoise, and a 5 minute walk to the water.

Long Term: A portable stream of income. By portable, I mean that I can take it with me from NYC to California to Toronto, New Zealand, Thailand, and anywhere else I want to. I have this dream to help people from other countries find their voice. You see, as an American I'm always somewhat ashamed of our ignorance. We have many positives, but being internationally aware is not (in my opinion) one of them.

I guess this only started to develop in me in University when I became friends with all sorts of international students and I was amazed by how much we had in common. But why should we be amazed? We're all people, after all. So long term I would like to find a way to use my online platform to bring awareness to my beautiful country.

Both of these things are going to happen, this I know - but sometimes a girl is just so impatient!

9) What can we expect from LivingAmbitiously.com?

While I am going through this transition of uprooting my whole life and moving it somewhere very different, I am sure to go through a lot of things. I want to be able to share them with my readers along the way. I may even depend on you guys to be my support for a little while.

I also plan on incorporating a little more "culture" to the site. The life lessons you can learn from people of different backgrounds are invaluable, and I think I'll be meeting a lot more inspirational people! I can't wait to share that with everyone.

How to Easily Practice Gratitude On A Busy Schedule

How awesome is it that we have the gift of gratitude?

The reason I call it a gift is because whatever you bestow your gratitude on becomes more in harmony with the universe.

Now that's amazing right?!

So how often do you practice gratitude anyway? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? (Even if it was once a year that would still be enough).

Sometimes it can be a little hard to remember to practice gratitude everyday. What with uni, work, sports, hobbies, family, relationships and 'you-time' - it can fall a little to the wayside.

I've found that in my own busy life, there are ways to get your daily gratitude fix without trying to find and force time for it.

The simplest way to practice gratitude is...

At the end of your day when lying in bed and ready to fall off to sleep, go back in time to the moment you woke that day and slowly go through your day thanking life for all of the beautiful things that happened.

You may even find you're grateful for things you didn't notice at the time but sub-consciously registered.

Start off slow at first, spend maybe 1 - 2 minutes going through your day. If you're a rusher like I can be sometimes, spend the first week only taking short amounts of time.

As you progress, you'll find you can recall more detail and even savor the moments all over again. You may become more excited about delighting in these moments that you go to bed earlier just so you can spend 10, 20 or even 30 minutes appreciating the day you just lived.

The added benefits are, not only are you re-training your mind to automatically find the good in every detail of your life, you're also improving your memory and guaranteeing yourself a harmonious sleep. Waking in the morning feels joyful, energizing and centering.

Action Step: In the comments below, tell me what's one thing that happened today in your life that you're grateful for?

10 Lessons from Learning to Love Myself

I've come a long way in the last year and a half.

From being bullied and harassed by my boss to running my own online business. Almost seems like something you read in the papers when you think about it!

In that time, there have been maaaaany hurdles and a ton of lessons. All in which have made me stronger, wiser and so much happier.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller. Doesn't make me lonely when I'm alone." - Kelly Clarkson (click to tweet)

I've been wanting to share with you for a while now what I have learned so far by welcoming self love into my life. Whether you've tried it, are practicing diligently or have never heard of it - I hope this helps you in any way it can.

Every part of you has a place. EVERY part of you. Even the bitchy demon-like diva that comes out every few weeks from lack of sleep and chocolate. Yes, she has a place. You see, we women are so colorful yet we forget our emotions are our assets. We care about EVERYTHING and we gauge our life by how we feel. So imagine if we suddenly lobotomized half of our emotions (all the negative ones). Life would be too much like "Pleasantville" - a horror I'm sure we'd all like to forget! We need contrast to thrive.

It's about being gentle. When I first "discovered" self love I went on a rampage to smother myself with it in almost like a military-style way. 10x affirmations in the morning! 20 minutes of positive visualization and rule after rule after rule. And you know what happened? It sucked! I didn't wanna love myself anymore if that's what it was gonna be like! But then I realized that it's all about being gentle with ourselves, nurturing is such a natural feminine trait and instead I was up at base camp getting ready for my next deployment!

The loneliness, disconnect or emptiness dissipates. That hole, that empty feeling doesn't come around my way very much anymore. It's not gone, it will never leave but with all of this attention and bringing it to light, we are slowly learning to be in harmony with each other. I give it what it needs when it needs it and it gives me what I need when I need it. Yin and Yang.

Life improves effortlessly. I truly believe that if you weren't going to do anything in your life except learn to love yourself - that would be more than enough. Things just get better.

Pleasure naturally becomes a priority. Rather than indulging yourself once in a while, your pleasure and enjoyment takes first place. Because eventually you start figuring out that the key to your own happiness is through filling yourself up first. So instead of ploughing in one more hour of work time, you instinctively know your body is tired, ready for a break, a hot chocolate, a foot spa or cuddles with your man. You learn that by taking care of you first, you can take care other things more effectively.

You become intuitively aligned with yourself. When you've been practicing self love for a while, you no longer have the urge to get in front of the mirror and start a war. Instead, you know there are days when you are going to want to hurt - probably for know reason at all. And because you intuitively understand yourself, you love and nurture that part of yourself until you feel better.

Jealousy and insecurity eliminates itself. This has been one of the greatest gifts to me. I know that a lot of people are hurting via these two feelings, it's like actual hell. But self love changes that, quicker than you expect! Letting go of these demons has been one of my greatest achievements.

Gratitude comes easily. Appreciation attracts support. By already supporting myself I have been able to send more gratitude out into the world. I have more to give because I served myself first, I filled my cup up. And when you can come from a place of being full rather than empty, the universe backs you 100% are in turn even shows you it's gratitude by bringing your beautiful unexpected gifts and opportunities.

The hatred will slowly turn into a friendship. If you're diligent and you keep at it, the hate you feel for yourself will transform, at first slowly, but it will. First you may stop talking to each other for a while, then when that part of you is ready you get on talking terms, then a possible acquaintance, then a friendship and finally a love affair. It takes practice and I am in no way near the finish line just yet, but I'm living proof that you're not doing this all for nothing at that there is progress.

You lose the guilt for putting yourself first. This is a HUGE hang up women have when they start their self love journey. Don't let the guilt stop you! That's just your ego doing it's thang again trying to make you feel bad so that it doesn't have to change it's routine. Stick on it, the guilt will subside and you'll start feel more in control of your life and the outcome. You'll start claiming your power back.

10x happier guaranteed. I thought I knew happiness, real happiness. But the true happiness I feel right now never leaves. Of course I'll have off days and feel less than 'on top of the world' but somewhere within I know that while I'm feeling like this at the moment, I'm still a happy girl and I really know it. The outside/surface may change everyday, but it's the inside that never changes.


Self love is a personal journey and it does require courage, but I know for a fact that if you're reading this you are a very courageous person. Bring it on yeah!

And to be honest I really don't care what people say about self love and if it's woo woo or whatever. Adding more love, pleasure and care to myself has made me a better woman. It was worth every affirmation!

Action Step: In your journey to loving yourself more, what's one thing you have learned about yourself?

The Abundance Diet

Are you thinking, "An abundance diet? That's the last thing I wanna be doing! I wanna be having an abundance banquet!!!"?

Well that makes absolute sense, I don't doubt everyone feels the same way!

However, the kind of abundance diet I'm talking about simply means that you're cutting down on the amount of work you have to put in and getting 10x healthy and nutritious results.

Have I tickled your fancy now? (Totally wrote that in my Mum's voice!)

Whatever you have learned about manifesting and whatever you believe you need to do to bring more of the things you really want into your life, there are actually only 2 things you need to do in order to create more of it. Two things!

So now are you ready to go on an abundance diet? Awesome-sauce!


Before we get into the 'how', majority of us are first going to have to deal with the 'what'. In this case the 'what' is our fears, blocks and self sabotaging habits such as scarcity, debt, lack and a 'not enough' mentality.

Imagine if you suddenly had 10x more money in your bank account, how would you really feel? If you're wired in scarcity chances are you are going to feel even more anxious and stressed and become insanely impulsive.

You can combat this by really knowing that you don't have to get it perfect every step of the way. You can create abundance no matter where you're at (yes, even if you're in a lot of debt) because the key to it all is about it being fun and lighthearted!

Decide now that you are going to withdraw the negative power from your scarcity thoughts and decide to focus only on abundance in a pleasurable way.

Abundance Mantra: "I have the power to create anything I want!" - click to tweet

Now that you know (and I mean know) that you can create an experience of abundance no matter where you are or what 'state' you're currently in, we can get onto the juicy stuff! How to actually create abundance!

1. Daily Gratitude: Holla! How grateful are you in life atm? Could you be more grateful in areas? Get on it!
   
   Focus all of your attention on the things you're grateful for that you already have and that's already in your life. If you're feeling the scarcity, intercept your thoughts back onto appreciating the abundance you've already got. Then also be grateful for the new things you want to experience.
   
   I tested myself for two weeks of adding a simple morning gratitude routine. Every morning I would wake and lie there for 3 - 5 minutes and just go through what I was grateful for. Whether it was my lungs, my cat Binka or my Mac. I lay there and I felt it out.
   
   Within those two weeks I managed to lose 2lbs, money started coming out of nowhere, my friends were giving me extra love, Scott was treating me extra special, even Binka was smooching up to me more! I actually began to feel like my true self again. All within two weeks!! So yeah, try it out!
   



2. Evoke + Feel: This is always such a fun and juicy activity for me! Set aside 15 - 20 minutes each day to sit or lie down, close your eyes and imagine the new reality you want to experience.
   
   It takes practice but aim to imagine it as real and life-like as seeing it all through your own eyes, not like you're an audience member observing yourself. Be it. It's not the visualization that's not important but about what you feel like.
   
   To get you in the mood, ask yourself 'If I was already there. If I already had all the money I needed, lots of loving and nurturing friendships and relationships, a happy and healthy body and mind, how would I feel having a life like this?'.
   
   The goal is to get good at doing this evoking & feeling exercise every day. Start where you are. I've already had the most amazing luxurious holiday in Hawaii as well as bought my own beach house for my own spiritual retreats. What about you?

You'll notice as you do this each day, you'll start to feel changes happening in other aspects of your life. Usually where there is least resistance but everything will start leveling up slowly.

The point of getting into that place of feeling every day is that we want to make feeling abundant our default state of being.

When you wake up in the morning, when you go about your day and even before you head to the land of nod, these feelings will infect your daily life.

Less work + more gain = the abundance diet!

How To Bring More Joy Into Your Life (Interview with Aditi Ramchandani from I Live With Joy)

I have been lucky to have interviewed the gorgeous Aditi Ranmchandani!

I've actually had the pleasure of knowing Aditi for a few months now and she is seriously one to keep an eye on!

She is a hard core inspiration junkie and has a beautiful spiritual nature. She loves to inspire herself and it automatically inspires those around her.

Ever since her yoga teacher recommended one inspirational book to her, she got hooked and has been on a journey to continue reading and talking to others to help her find and build a life she loves.

She launched an inspirational platform last summer called I Live With Joy where she documents her journey on finding ways to build a life of joy for herself while inspiring her hundreds of readers to join in as well!

1) Tell us your story and why you're on this path?

A couple years ago my Aunt asked me what makes me happy. And I was stumped. I really had no idea. I was like - I guess my friends, music, my job?? The answer didn’t feel authentic. I just kind of figured those are the things that make people happy. My aunt told me how she has a post-it with a list of things that make her happy and picks one of those things on the list to do every day.

I thought it was a pretty neat idea and figured it would help when I’m upset so I decided to go soul searching to find out what does make me happy. I started paying attention to my daily routine to notice what things made me feel good inside. I made the list too and I am still living by this list today. In fact as I write this, I just completed one of the items on my list about an hour ago.

I’m on this path because I know that life can be better than how most people or society portray it. I want to have an extraordinary life and I’m going to keep trying new things to make that happen and help people around me on the way!

2) Why did you decide to pursue the art of joy?

I decided to pursue the art of joy because I think it is something everyone would like more of in their lives. I meet many people who are like living zombies, they wake up in the morning, work, come home, maybe workout, eat, sleep, and repeat 365 days a year without much excitement. 

When you live like a zombie you are on auto-pilot and living in a neutral feeling state also known as ‘numb’ and they feel ‘eh’ about their lives. I think that many of us are missing out on a beautiful life that is flying by without us. 

I made it my personal mission to find ways to live with joy in my own life with the hope that it inspires others to do the same.

3) How do you manifest joy in your life?

I manifest joy in my life by choosing it. When I am in a bad mood, I allow myself to feel out the emotions I need to feel and then I choose a better feeling for myself. I engage in activities that light me up and make me feel calm within. I make it an intention to surround myself with like-minded positive people. By surrounding yourself with positivity, you tend to attract more of it into your life.

4) Time for some honesty, are you joyful 24/7?

Haha. Definitely not! People tend to think since I am the joy girl that I am always happy. This is not the case at all nor do I feel that should be the aim.

Ironically, this evening I had a bit of an episode of anger with a few individuals in which I usually found myself ruining my whole night because of it. But instead I ended up leaving the situation and attending a Jazzercise class and when I came home I did one of the things on my joy list, and now I am back to my normal state.

I think it is important to feel all sorts of emotions but how we deal with it and bring ourselves back to our inner joy is what matters. I would consider myself a girl who is on a journey to find ways to bring her back to joy and help others find their way back to joy too rather than someone who is joyful 24/7.
 

5) What are you tips for others desiring more joy? 

I think one of the main things is to do what my aunt told me to do. Find out what makes you happy. Most people cannot answer what makes you happy just like I couldn’t when I was first was asked.

Pay attention to this upcoming week and see what makes you smile or tingle inside. Write it down in a list and post it up on your mirror. Pick one thing on the list each day and do it. The good thing is that it won’t feel like a chore because you actually enjoy the things on the list! By engaging in activities that make you feel good on a consistent basis will make a big difference in your life.

Second, pay attention to your thoughts. Are you constantly beating yourself up about things? Are you constantly judging people around you and finding yourself only feeling worse? Notice these thoughts. Forgive them, and pick a better feeling thought. 

Changing my thought patterns is the single most thing that has benefited me in having more joy in my life as well as bringing more success into my life. Thinking good thoughts helps your creativity flow better and think clearer. Negative thoughts block a lot of the good ideas that are floating in your mind from coming up.

6) For the times we're 'less than joyful', do you have some tips on getting through?

Once you have your joy list (from question 5) ready, it will make those less than joyful moments easier to get through. Pick something from that list and do it!

Another thing that helps me when I am not feeling so great is I decide (sometimes force myself) to be more thankful for things I DO have. Even as simple as thanking the room for protecting me with its 4 walls or thanking the sun for giving me light today. I had a low point this week where I was dragging my feet and I decided to practice more gratitude and was eventually able to get myself out of my hole.

Another profound thing I learned recently from a conference I attended was from a man named Michael Chase. He said to us, “The missing element in self-help is helping others.” He went on to tell us that when we are feeling depressed, we should help someone else who is depressed. 

Or when we are down about a certain situation, we should help someone else who is going through a similar situation. I tried this idea this week while I was down and it worked wonders. I was upset about my job situation but I ended up helping another person spice up their resume and interview skills and by the end of our meeting we were both empowered and re-energized. 

I would strongly suggest this technique when people are feeling less than joyful!

7) What's a juicy thing you currently want to manifest for yourself?

Right now I want to manifest a job that gives me flexible hours, good compensation, and a positive environment to work in! I am hoping to find something to continue to support me while I build a side gig that truly gives me joy =).

8) Where can we find you online?

At the moment you can find me at www.ilivewithjoy.com. For more tips on how to live with joy feel free to sign up on the right side bar of my website and “Joy Tips for Today” will be delivered straight to your inbox. You can also catch me on twitter at @ilivewithjoy and facebook.

Manifesting a Fit & Healthy Life (Interview with Lyn MacFarlane of Stilettos & Green Juice)

How many times have you written down 'get fit', 'be healthy' or 'lose weight' on your manifesting lists?

How'd it go?

Like I said in a previous post, when it comes to manifesting some of your desires you're going to need a little help.

So, how would you like some help in achieving those awesome body and well-being goals?

Today I am SO excited to share with you my fabulous interview with the incredible Lyn McFarlane of Stilettos and Green Juice.

In this interview, you are gonna learn some juicy secrets to help you start manifesting a fit and healthy life. So without further ado, let's welcome Lyn!

1) You are a super intelligent and ultra hot health and fitness expert, what made you decide to get into the industry?

Haha, wow can I add that to my bio?

Good health was not something that came easily to me and in my teens and early 20's I battled and conquered several chronic illnesses. It was an incredibly hard fight but I was determined to heal myself so I delved into learning as much as I could about health and healing the body naturally.

Once my body was fully healed I became as active as I could be. I went from not being able to get out of bed to being a complete gym junkie. Every time I lifted a weight I was so grateful for the strength I had!

I had been working in the media and marketing industry but was feeling really deflated by all the huge egos and bullies. I was desperate to move into a career that was of service to people but I was scared to make the change.

I had been training at the gym for 10 years and had toyed with the idea of personal training but the past 12 months I have had so many things align to lead me towards turning my passion into a career. I have learnt so much about nutrition and have personally overcome a sugar & junk food addiction and totally transformed my diet.

I feel so amazing having overcome my addictions that I want to help as many people as I can learn to live a healthy life. I was also seeing a lot of health and fitness programs out there that were focused on trying to look a certain way. You know the typical "Get a bikini body in 12 weeks" BS and I wanted to teach women something different.

I wanted to lead the way in educating women on how to be kind and nurture themselves and to set an intention to be healthy rather than try and look like a bikini model! That was the main inspiration behind my blog and becoming a PT and health coach! 

2) Can you give us a sneak peek into your daily well-being routine?

My daily health formula looks like this:

meditate + green smoothie or juice + eat healthy + exercise + give thanks = happy healthy me!

If I don’t follow this formula I am off balance, lack energy and feel unhappy. If you can only make one change to your diet I always advise people to start with a green smoothie. I make a big batch of green smoothie once a week and freeze it and have my smoothie every 2nd day. You can see my green smoothie recipe here.

Every other day I have green juice (which I buy). I also have a shot of apple cider vinegar every day for digestion and I alternate between spirulina, chlorophyll or a super green supplement (whatever is on special at the store!).

3) What does a typical day's diet look like?

Diet is the main factor in health and fitness so it's important that I stick to clean eating, this means no processed foods, sugar, white flour or dairy (or at least a reduction in these things).

I try to eat good health nurturing foods that are close to their natural source as possible. I actually eat a fair bit as I lift heavy weights so not everyone needs as much protein as I consume!

A typical day of eating looks like this:

• Meal 1: Organic pea protein shake with cacao, banana and chia seed
• Meal 2: Green Smoothie followed half hour later by 2 eggs and 1/4 cup of egg whites scrambled, 2 pieces of spelt toast with avocado
• Meal 3: Chicken or fish with salad, quinoa and wholemeal or spelt bread
• Meal 4: More eggs! Usually 1 whole egg and half cup of eggwhites
• Meal 5: Lean meat, fish or chicken with sweet potato and lots of vegetables Snacks - Almonds, organic dark chocolate, sunflower seeds, coconut oil and cinnamon on bread.
  
  

4) Do you believe that spirituality and food/fitness are related?

Absolutely. I am the type of person that looks at everything through spiritual eyes.

Food addiction is something that comes from fear based ego thoughts and these thoughts are what separate us from love. Separation from love is a downward spiral that is really hard to climb out of but when you let go of fear you let go of your excess weight.

Marianne Williamson states in A Course in Weight Loss that, "Neither poor diet or lack of exercise are the cause of your excess weight. Mind is cause; body is effect. The cause of your excess weight is in your mind".

It's a really in depth topic but I really believe people's struggle to stick to a health of fitness plan is due to lack of self love which is often due to a disconnection from their higher self or a higher power.

5) Alright, now we want the truth! Are you ALWAYS exercising and eating right?

Well I do always exercise. I love it and have to force myself to sit still! (I know I am super annoying like that) BUT- now it's confession time – I just ate a McDonalds cheeseburger meal!! I very rarely eat McDonald's (although I use to be a total addict!) but decided to indulge today.

I eat clean 90% of the time which means that I also enjoy a cheat meal at least once a week. Usually it is something like a burger and fries although I usually choose a healthier version than McDonalds!

I have to be careful not to have sugar every cheat meal because it is so addictive it would be too easy to slip into old habits, but in saying that once you give up sugar you won't want it as much. I think people always assume eating healthy means denying themselves of foods they enjoy but eating clean is a way of life, it is not a diet.

I love to enjoy my social life so I eat clean most of the time so that I can go out and not worry about what I eat or drink. I never want to be that girl who goes to someone's house for dinner and won't eat anything!

6) What are some tips for others wanting to manifest a fit and healthy life?

1. Believe that you are worthy and deserving of vibrant health and a beautiful body.
2. Be kind to yourself.
3. Start thinking and acting like a skinny person. Act like you already have your dream body and do the things that you think you can't do because of your size Meditate on feeling vibrantly healthy.
4. Spend time in meditation repeating the mantra "I am perfect health" or "I am beautiful" or "I am my perfect weight" and visualize yourself living the life you desire in the body you desire with the energy you desire. When I was chronically ill I use to meditate every day visualizing myself roller-blading by the beach with lots of every. I don’t doubt that this played a part in my healing!
5. You also need to really dig deep and ask yourself what is stopping yourself from achieving your ultimate health and weight.
6. Ask yourself how your situation is serving you and start journaling your thoughts on this. This is a big eye opener!
   

7) On those days when we are less than motivated to move our asses, what is something you would recommend to do to counter act it?

The days that you don't feel like working out are usually the days you need to! I always find I have the best workouts the days I walk into the gym really exhausted and unmotivated! I usually walk out feeling amazing!

If you really don't feel like going to the gym try cranking up the stereo and dancing around your living room, or meet a friend for a walk. Try different things to keep yourself motivated.

Also incorporate fitness into your daily life so you won't feel so bad if you don't make it to the gym, such as get off the bus one stop early, take the stairs instead of the lift, walk around the block at lunch, just do little things throughout the day.

If you are having a really lazy week than just make sure you are eating really clean. A lazy week and a lazy unhealthy diet is an equation for weight gain! 

8) What's a biggie thing you want to manifest for yourself this year?

Everything!! I have this strong feeling this is the year it will all happen at once! I guess the thing I would like to manifest before everything else is a life partner and stop the endless cycle of dating assholes!

This is the hardest one for me as I have a lot of blocks in this area. On the other hand I have always been brilliant at manifesting everything else and I really plan to launch a successful online health and fitness empire! One of which will be of service to thousands of women around the globe!

9) Where in the world are you and how can we connect?

I am an Aussie beach girl residing in the beautiful eastern suburbs of Sydney!

I would love to connect and help anyone with their health or fitness so please come visit my website Stilettos and Green Juice sign up to my newsletter or message me on my facebook page with any questions.

If you're in Sydney, I run bootcamps and am available for personal training sessions and if you're not in Sydney you can book a health coaching session with me which we will do over skype and email.

I also have an ebook coming out very soon called "The Skinny Secrets" and I will be giving away a Sneak peak of the book to all those that sign up to my blog.