Happy 1st Birthday Team Siangela.

First Birthday.

http://www.facebook.com/siangelastars and on Twitter @siangelastars were both launched a year ago today.

This was the official launch of ‘Team Siangela’ and ‘Siangela’ as a brand and business entity.

Siân Harris and I had been colleagues for over a year and had both been running our own independant AVON businesses before then, what makes today significant and worthy of celebration is the joining of two minds to reach a common goal.

We decided that we were stronger working together and could help support our teams and each other in so many different ways just by encouraging team work in a caring and supportive atmosphere.

The first year has flown past! And I have enjoyed every minute of it.

Our teams have gone from strength to strength, the fun, friendship and team spirit that we have successfully created has been the highlight of the year for me.

Here’s to many more years of fun. Cheers.

http://www.facebook.com/siangelastars
http://www.facebook.com/siangelastars

 

January is almost over, where did it go?!

Well I completed the 21 day challenge and enjoyed every minute of it.

Nichole Kellerman is fantastic and great fun to work with. Check her out over at http://www.nicholekellerman.com/

She has so much to offer anyone struggling to gain control over their weight and wellbeing.

If you have ever dieted, tried assorted exercise regimes and then gave up. She’s the person you need on your side helping you get back the control over your choices.

I have been so busy with business, fitness, family and voluntary commitments it seems like forever since I last Blogged!!!

Where has January gone!?

I am feeling a lot more focused and energetic so February and beyond is going to seriously rock! I may have been rather quiet over the last month but if everything falls into place the way I hope, I will be far from quiet for the rest of the year.

How did your January go?

Stand Tall & Reach for the Stars

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Anyone who has ever visited the East End of Edinburgh is likely to recognise these Giraffes, they stand proudly beside each other with their heads held high.

So many people pass these every day be they tourists, locals, shoppers, commuters, dog walkers, people out exercising and folk heading to the local cinema, theatre, restaurant or bar.

But how many people actually stop and look at them?

How many of us take the fantastic things that we see every day for granted?

How many of us can’t see what is staring us right in the face?

I absolutely love these sculptures, they are 2 of my favourite things to look at when I’m in Edinburgh, they make me stop and think, they make me smile and they remind me to stand tall. I think that standing tall is important for a few reasons.

  • Slouching is BAD (need I say more?)
  • Good Posture is better for my health and well-being.
  • Consciously making a decision to ‘Stand Tall’ gives self-esteem and confidence levels a nice boost. At least it does for me.
  • I look slimmer when I ‘Stand Tall’

They remind me that it is completely possible to have my head in the clouds whilst still keeping my feet on the ground. I can make BIG EXCITING plans whilst still remembering the little mundane stuff I need to do first to get to that point. I can stand tall and reach for the stars.

The fact that so many people SEE them daily without NOTICING them makes me consider how many other things I might be seeing without noticing. When people Pray they may ask their God to help them find ways to accomplish things, to send them a sign, to help them make a decision. How many of us may be walking past the very signs that we have asked for without noticing them. Because they have become background noise even though they are staring us right in the face everyday.

21 day get moving challenge

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http://www.nicholekellerman.com/21-day-get-moving-challenge/

Starting on Monday 07/01/2013 I am taking part in Nichole Kellerman’s FREE 21 day get moving challenge.

Why don’t you join me?

I will also be using the ‘Wii Fit’ program and ‘Zumba’ (on the Wii) in order to shift some unwanted weight and get my body back to being toned with a decent amount of strength, agility and balance.

When I was younger I used to do dance classes Ballet, Tap, Latin, Ballroom and Modern. With friends in a few Ceilidh bands I also learned the dances and regularly took part in Ceilidhs. But life and studies got in the way and I stopped dancing.

Whilst at High School I trained 3 nights a week doing figure skating (on wheels not ice) I enjoyed it greatly but when I started University I no longer had the time to keep it up. Breaking a bone in my foot didn’t help.  I used to play badminton weekly with a few friends as well, however everyone is so busy now that it’s a struggle finding times that we’d all be able to attend.

Over the years assorted injuries and illnesses have gradually taken their toll on my fitness levels and abilities, as well as the inevitable weight gain and lowered self esteem that often goes hand in hand.

Well I’ve had enough!!! in 2013……

I WILL lose weight

I WILL feel fitter

I WILL feel healthier

I WILL be more active

& I WILL enjoy being me.

If your up for a get moving challenge why not check it out and sign up for yourself, there is still time to register FREE and get ready to take part. The more the merrier.

2013 has begun, so far, so good.

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We’re at 3 days in and so far I haven’t misplaced my diary, for me that is a record. I usually end up with 3 different diaries throughout the year as I keep putting them in the dreaded black hole that is ‘somewhere safe’ !!!

This year I only have 1 diary, so hopefully I manage to keep it somewhere that I’ll actually notice it everyday. My Mum bought me my diary for this year whilst on her last holiday, she spotted it and thought of me. I hadn’t noticed but she claims that I have used that quote to cheer her up repeatedly throughout the last few years.

There are so many fabulous quotes that can be used to inspire us all to be and do the best that we possibly can.

Everyone has their own favourite.

What’s yours?

‘Every day may not be wonderful….But there’s something wonderful in every day’

Is one of mine that I am often reminded of by the Fabulous El Edwards at http://HeavenAndEl.com/

I think it might be one of her own faves as well. 😀

Well I’m hoping that 2013 is going to be a very productive year in many ways, in business, health, fitness, finances and general abilities, I have so many plans for improvement this year. I suppose I should go and get started.

The New Year Holidays are over, (though I might break myself in gently for a few weeks, hee hee) now I’m off to make 2013 a year to remember for all of the right reasons.

ps. When I asked what your favourite quote was I meant it, I really am interested. Please feel free to leave me a comment with your fave.

2012 not quite to plan

Well this has been an eventful year, we’re nowhere near where we planned to be by the end of 2012 but that’s due to things we couldn’t control and nothing that we did or didn’t do. I was made redundant from one of my favourite jobs, ill health then forced me to leave my next employer and become self employed. My hubby was moved from his old work site to a new site, with 2 months of no guaranteed shifts (and thus no pay) to deal with in the transition and then significantly lower hourly rate and hours rota’d in the new site compared to what our mortgage was based on. He was offered his dream job but was then unable to accept it due to his current employer enforcing that he had to give 2 months notice or no reference would be provided.

So looking back on the plans we had made for this year could be very depressing and down heartening.

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However, if we look on what we have worked through instead of what we haven’t managed to achieve it has been a much better year, we have coped with and achieved a lot, just nothing we had planned.

I suspect that this may be the case for a lot of people this year, changes in the economic climate worldwide will be causing a lot of people to re-evaluate what is important to them.

There are many firms currently having to make their staff redundant, people who are struggling to make ends meet on benefits finding that they are being cut and people who have never been unemployed in their life finding that their nice secure employment isn’t quite as secure as they thought.

There is so much in life that we cannot control, we can however take the time to think over the last year and consider everything we have successfully dealt with. As the old saying goes, ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ I know a lot of people are going to be starting 2013 a lot stronger than they were a year ago, in so many different ways.

We can all learn from the things that have went wrong this year and make 2013 a year to remember for all the right reasons.

I’d like to ask anyone reading this to think of 10 good things that they have achieved or that have happened in 2012. Write them down somewhere, comment on this blog post if you like. The important thing is to take the time to think of the good things that 2012 has brought us, no matter how big or small.

Christmas Tree 2012

Christmas Tree 2012

Well I managed to get the tree up and decorated, by myself, all silver, clear or white decorations.
I even managed to only be distracted by hot chocolate twice (quite an accomplishment for me!)
For some reason I can’t find our nativity set though, that will be a job for tomorrow though as it’s time for more hot chocolate and then bed me thinks.

First Present Wrapped

First Present Wrapped

Well I still don’t feel like it’s almost Christmas.

However I have started wrapping presents, has anyone else noticed that we spend ages getting them wrapped and decorated just so…..then the person they are for will take seconds to destroy our hard work on Christmas morning.
I wonder if my family and friends would notice if I started just giving gifts in paper bags stapled shut? I suspect that they would.

I might even put the tree up tonight whilst hubby is at work so that he comes home to a decorated living room in the morning.
Then again I might get side tracked drinking hot chocolate and forget to do the tree…….time will tell.

The London Chocolate Festival-A girls dream…

Just had to share this Blog Post from ‘Get Me A Spoon’ with you all.
A girl’s dream indeed, they really must come further North I nominate York (because the city is stunning) and Edinburgh as we have every other Festival imaginable throughout the year. Also because I could easily get to Edinburgh. 😀
Though I dread to think how much weight I’d put on in that weekend.

Get Me A Spoon

Soooo… I confess, I spent the whole weekend eating and drinking hardly anything but chocolate! I headed to the Chocolate Festival at the Southbank Centre in London extremely excited and oh my was my excitement warranted…

I dragged my friend from home, who now lives in London, Romany. Well not really dragged… she loved it! Different Chef demonstrations were held throughout the day over Friday Saturday & Sunday, the majority free of charge. We headed to the Christmas Pudding Chocolate session held by chocolatier Paul Wayne Gregory, and it was amazing. His approach was very interactive, entertaining and his passion for chocolate was insane! The recipe he demonstrated was a working progress, and was still not 100% after a year (I disagree, they tasted heavenly)!! We tasted tonnes of samples and left pretty inspired to attempt to recreate the truffles at home.

We had a lovely girlie afternoon checking out…

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