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When self-belief is combined with positive thinking anything is possible, especially when it comes to change your life. After losing his job, Bruce’s belief in himself, and what can be achieved if you set your mind to it, had awesome results.

A common occurrence within the Australian manufacturing sector also hit the compressor manufacturing company where Bruce worked – 40% of the workforce, including Bruce, were made redundant. With Bruce in his early 50s, the prospect of gaining employment was challenging and could’ve represented a very low point in his life.

But, for Bruce and his wife Lindy this was a watershed moment, and they were encouraged to pursue their own business, something that may not have done otherwise.

They sold their home in a Melbourne bayside suburb and with Bruce’s severance pay, purchased a beautiful B&B with restaurant called “The Shed Cafe” in the foothills of the Strathbogie Ranges in Victoria.

Well, for Lindy and Bruce the fact that they had zero experience in hospitality was no obstacle. They believed they could make it happen and learn the skills necessary to running a successful business, in Bruce’s words “we would rise to the challenge”. Lindy also knew she was a great cook and could adapt to managing 45 people, especially after her experiences running a busy medical centre.

Successful it is, within six months from initial purchase, bookings over winter proved to be very strong and restaurant patronage regularly met the 45 person capacity. They recently had a couple celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary.

The great thing about this positive change for Bruce and Lindy is that their work/life balance is now in check. If they want to take some time out to relax during the day they can, they recognise it’s all about getting balance in your life, rather than go, go, going all the time.

Often we talk about making changes in our lives, whether it be setting goals for weight loss, trying to get a better work/life balance, spending more time with the family or reaching big, hairy, audacious goals such as selling the family home and buying a business. Bruce and Lindy prove it’s possible.

Ultimately, you have to believe in yourself and think positively about achieving your goals.

We need to learn the ancient art of how to learn to listen to your body and relax.
I’m not talking about relaxing at every opportunity but striking a balance between work, rest and play.

If we continually push ourselves, we are constantly evoking the “Fight” response in our bodies, while we may not being chase by a sabre tooth tiger, we are in survival mode.
Deadlines and pressures at the office, rushing home to spend time with the kids, cleaning the house, taking the kids to sports and other activities, domestic chores, checking your emails, socialising with friends, go, go, go and on top of that your exercise program and training schedule with less than 8 hours of sleep.

So where is your “Me time”?
Our society is becoming chronically fatigued, tiredness, lack of energy, emotionally drained.

Why there is much debate about the chronic fatigue syndrome, we have to ask ourselves are we getting enough time in our busy schedules to relax and unwind.

Eventually, some of us will see the results of continually pushing ourselves. Ultimately our health should be number 1, not work or other commitments as one person once said “When your lying at the hospital, close to death, are you really thinking about all those great moments at the office working”

Try to make some changes in your life and change the patterns in your life, otherwise if you don’t relax and unwind your health will suffer.

Sleep deprivation, How it’s not only affecting our health but also affecting our lives according to the American Sleep Foundation

Today we get 90 mins on average less sleep than we did 100 years ago, and what the implications of being sleep deprived are for the average person.
New research is saying that sleep deprivation is not only growing the consumption of energy drinks and coffee but having an impact on the health systems which also leads to more road accidents and trauma, so this deficient in our usual sleep pattern of 8 hours eventually creates a debt that must be paid one way or another.

So while it may be hard, try to reduce your sleep deprivation today.

We all get caught in the modern pressures of life and before we know it, we’re taking life too seriously

Before we know it we are acting like our parents or our grandparents forgetting to have fun.

When we are born, we are like a freshly cut diamond, sparkling to the world, so pure and clear. As we get older we take on the realities of life with the associated stresses. Just like the diamond, we lose that sparkle over a period of time, we get tarnished by life and lose focus on what really matters.
Be yourself and let that mischievous part in you sparkle again, life is meant to be fun and enjoyable. Ultimately we are responsible for our own actions.

So to something out of the blue, something crazy, so try not to take your life too seriously.

Do you keep falling into the same hole on the sidewalk – footpath, make positive changes.
It’s time to make some positive changes in your life to avoid falling into the same hole.

There is a great story by Portia Nelson titled “THERE’S A HOLE IN MY SIDEWALK” covered in 5 short chapters.

The great thing about life is we can keep repeating the same actions or behaviors or we can learn from the experience and over a period of time make positive changes that ultimately make falling down the holes of life a thing of the past.

Chapter One
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost …. I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter Two
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend that I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in … it’s a habit … but, my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter Four
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter Five
I walk down another street.

So we are you and where would you rather be, either keep falling into the sidewalk – footpath holes or make some positive changes.