Design the Lifestyle YOU Desire - Winter 2015 by Design the Lifestyle YOU Desire

Create Wealth in ALL aspects of YOUR Life!

Merry Christmas

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IN THIS ISSUE

How to Plan YOUR Ideal Christmas Keep Calm, It’s Only Christmas

Keeping on at Christmas Find time for YOU in the festive chaos Reflecting On And Rewarding Your Accomplishments

10 Things to be Grateful for Every day Prepare Your Home For Fun Festivities Choose Organic this Christmas The Christmas dinner countdown begins!

Recipes: Cherry Soufflé & Apricot Mince Pies Put Your Feet Up And Relax! Look Forward To Another Exciting Year

Rose Hill Designs by Heather Stillufsen

Welcome to Christmas edition of Design the Lifestyle YOU Desire! Magazine! December has arrived and the kids breaks off for their Christmas holidays in less than 2 weeks! I hope you’re all set for a lovely Christmas, I know I am! Presents bought, cards will be sent out this week, we put up the tree 2 weeks ago and Christmas Menu is almost created. We are off to watch ‘The Snowman’ at Sadler’s Wells and Winter Wonderland next week! Can’t wait! I hope after reading this issue, you will feel more organised and stress-free when it comes to the Christmas mayhem! Last week I recorded a podcast; ’Your Ideal Christmas’. Have a listen - it may be insightful ;) You can listen to the previous shows them here. This issue provides principles, inspiration and motivation to help you on this journey and enables you to truly accept yourself by adopting life-changing techniques that improve self-esteem and self-confidence. If you need a little ’push’, feel free to book a #FREE 20 minute coaching session with me so you can finally accept yourself once and for all and begin living the life you really want and deserve! Until next time; Design the Lifestyle YOU Desire! and Create Wealth in ALL aspects of YOUR Life!

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How To Plan Your Ideal Christmas At Christmas time, we at Empowering Mums try to put all our great techniques and tips into action: being as organised as possible, using our time effectively and enjoying quality time with our families. We simply cannot achieve all this without the help of our Christmas Checklist and this year we’d like to share it with you! Make A List, Check It Twice! List all the jobs you need to get done and all the things that must be bought for the big day. Not only will it free up some room for non-Christmas thoughts, it will give you a quick reference guide to refer to. Try to prioritise your list so you tackle the most important jobs first. It can also help to allocate a deadline and associated cost beside each task so you can keep track of your time and money.

sleepy, over-fed and uncomfortable guests! The same goes for presents: keep in mind how much you are spending so you don’t break the bank!

A Competitive Spirit Is Required For Monopoly Only Christmas should not be a competition. You should only plan for a Christmas that you and your family will enjoy: you should not try to replicate the attempts of others at the cost of your bank balance! Stick to your own budget no matter Jobs For The Boys (And Girls) how many x-boxes are delivered to If your list is longer than Santa’s, allow yourself a little help. Delegate your next-door neighbour! the smaller jobs to your partner and Christmas is all about having fun and sharing family traditions. Be children so you can concentrate on the larger, more important tasks. empowered to ignore what everyone else is doing and enjoy If necessary rope your friends in this special time with your family. too: together you could have a good giggle wrapping up presents, Relax! making the Christmas cake and This is one of the hardest things for putting up decorations. a mum to do on Christmas Day. However, with careful preparation Don’t Go Overboard you should be able to put your feet Throughout your preparations, try up and enjoy your favourite festive to maintain a sense of proportion tipple with the rest of your family! and normality! Ensure you cater appropriately for your party: too much food and drink can lead to

Rose Hill Designs by Heather Stillufsen

Keep Calm, It’s only Christmas! Christmas can be a stressful time, from the build-up and preparations to overstretched financial commitments and family fall outs, but don’t let the pressure of the festive period get to you. Remember to keep calm, it’s only Christmas! Christmas is a time for merry making and family get-togethers, but it can have its pressures too. The family is stuck in the house, the kids are overexcited, there’s the tree to decorate, presents to buy and wrap, and food to cook. Guess who is doing most of the work? That’s right – mum! Make sure this Christmas doesn’t become a day to remember for all the wrong reasons; here are a few ideas to help you make it through the festive period in one piece. Learn to Delegate Mums, we are all a little guilty of not delegating enough! The reasons why we don’t delegate more range from being too proud to ask for help to not trusting another person’s ability to perform the task in hand to our standards – but does it really matter if the tree isn’t decorated symmetrically or the carrots are cut into the wrong shape? Christmas should be about spending time with loved ones and having fun, not about conforming to traditions and expectations. Children love to get involved, especially at Christmas whether it’s

helping with food preparation, writing cards or decorating the tree; they will enjoy being involved and have a sense of pride that they contributed. If your children are reluctant to help, never underestimate the power of gamification – if a task can be turned into a game, children are sure to jump on board. Get a Breath of Fresh Air With so much going on it is easy for children to become overexcited on the big day and being cooped up in the house can lead to frustration and arguments between both adults and children. Plan a long walk for a change of scenery and a breath of fresh air. A long walk can help to tire children after a day full of excitement. Settle Family Differences If there have been any family fall outs during the year, resolve them before you spend Christmas together. Arrange to meet up before the big day to talk about the issues you had and resolve them. Allowing frustrations and resentment to build up could lead to fireworks around the Christmas table.

Keeping on at Christmas! The preparations for Christmas coupled with additional social events and late nights can leave mums feeling worn out. Early planning can help reduce the stress levels during the festive period, but mums also need to be sure they make time for themselves and their wellbeing to avoid feeling run down over Christmas. Remembering to take care of yourself in the colder months – and especially through the festive period when Christmas preparations and socialising take priority – is of vital importance. Failing to take good care of yourself could result in feeling exhausted, run down and you could even become ill. Planning is Key Planning ahead for the festive season prevents last minute panics, minimises New Year financial woes and saves time. Make a list of all the things you need to do for Christmas. Starting your preparations early will give you more time for yourself later. Eat Well And Keep Moving They say prevention is better than cure and following a healthy diet and lifestyle will stand you in good stead for fighting festive fatigue and winter bugs. Try not to let your fitness fall by the wayside in the build up to Christmas. If you don’t have time to go to the gym, try going for a short walk, which will leave you feeling revitalised and full of energy. Learn To Say No With the invitations flooding in, it can be easy to fall into the trap of saying yes to every festive event. Be realistic about your social

commitments and consider which ones you can go to and which you can’t. Learning to say no will prevent you from overstretching yourself and leaving you vulnerable to fatigue and sickness. It can be hard refusing an invitation, but the reality is most people will understand why. If you feel guilty for turning down an invitation try to arrange a post Christmas catch up instead. Make Time For You Never underestimate the importance of making time for you. As a mum, it can be hard to remember that you too are a person with needs and wants. Take the time to indulge yourself from time to time; to keep your batteries charged and your wellbeing and sanity intact. Whether it’s a nice long soak in the tub, an early night or a trip to the hairdressers or spa, make time and enjoy it.

Find Time For You In The Festive Chaos The combination of cold winter weather, rushing around preparing for the Christmas festivities and fulfilling the needs of those around you can affect your health and wellbeing. Here are some great ideas that will help you to wind down so you can thoroughly enjoy the Christmas holidays.

Simply Relax

Stay Active

Find some quiet time, perhaps when the children are in bed, to simply wind down and relax. Dim the lights, light some candles, play some soothing music and chill out for a while. Empty your mind of your to-do list and worries, and just take some time out to recharge your batteries. If you find relaxing difficult, enjoying a nice warm bath with a good book will help you to escape your thoughts.

Ensure you stay healthy by enjoying some physical activity at least three times a week. A walk with a friend, a visit to the gym or a swim with the kids are all things you can still enjoy at this time of year.

Say No

Don’t over commit this Christmas. If you are getting pulled in all directions, stop taking on more tasks. It’s likely everyone – your immediate and extended family, Keep Travel To A Minimum friends, work and the school PTA – With the rising cost of fuel, travelling all want your help in some way. from house to house visiting Prioritise the things you want to do relatives is becoming less and say no to the rest. economically practicable. If you can avoid it, stay at home so you Lower Your Expectations can remove some of your stress Stop trying to make this the best caused by this additional planning. Christmas ever’! What will make it If you and your loved ones have special, especially for your children, the technology, Skype each other is if you and your partner are so you can pass on messages of relaxed. Remember ‘perfection’ is love and goodwill. Of course if you an idealised concept that cannot can’t avoid travelling at this time of be achieved. Stop trying and start year, involve everyone in the enjoying! packing process so the total responsibility doesn’t fall on you.

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Reflecting On And Rewarding Your Accomplishments Amid all the Christmas chaos and fun festivities, I hope you manage to take some time to truly reflect on all you have achieved during 2015 and celebrate your success. When life becomes one big juggling act, it can be difficult to pause and consider all you achieve on a daily basis. The celebrations at the end of the year give you chance to do just that so grasp the opportunity with open arms! Setting goals and working towards objectives are the steps we take to improve our lives, helping us to live in accordance with our own set of distinct values and aspirations. If you have challenges you wish to overcome, lifelong aspirations yet to be fulfilled and an imbalanced lifestyle, goals are a great way to recalibrate your life. Throughout all the work to identify, establish and achieve your goals, the most powerful way you can succeed is by acknowledging and rewarding your efforts.

Setting goals and working towards objectives are the steps we take to improve our lives, helping us to live in accordance with our own set of distinct values and aspirations. If you have challenges you wish to overcome, lifelong aspirations yet to be fulfilled and an imbalanced lifestyle, goals are a great way to recalibrate your life. Throughout all the work to identify, establish and achieve your goals, the most powerful way you can succeed is by acknowledging and rewarding your efforts.

Taking time out to reflect on your actions is a worthwhile skill. It provides the mental space and time to consider what you have done and value your accomplishments. It also gives you time to consider future goals and whether your life is moving in the right direction in accordance with your ambitions and values.

Find time to relax and reflect on everything you have done in 2015. Only then can you acknowledge and reward all you do as a fantastic mum who is committed to living life her way!

Rose Hill Designs by Heather Stillufsen

10 Things to be Grateful for Every day As the holiday season approaches, it’s the perfect time to think about everything in my life that I’m grateful for. In some ways I feel a little bit guilty, because at times I have a tendency to be more negative than I should and to count the things that are going wrong in my life. In reality I have a LOT I should be grateful for. I’m sure if you take time to think about your life, you have a lot to be grateful for too. No matter where you are in the world or what is going on in your life right now, I can promise you that showing gratitude for your blessings will make you happier, more successful, and will put you one step closer to achieving the abundant life you desire. As we begin yet another week, I’d like to highlight 10 things that everyone should be grateful for each day. Enjoy! #1: Family Not everyone has a mother, a father, or even siblings, but all of us are blessed with family in one way or another. Remember, someone doesn’t have to be a blood relative to be family. Make sure you tell your family (blood related or not), that you are grateful for them. #2: Your Mind I’ve suffered from anxiety and various mental disorders for most of my life, but at the end of the day I still thank the heavens everyday that I have my mind. Our minds allow us to reason, to think creatively, and to make decisions that will impact our future. It’s important to show gratitude for your mind, even

if it has its limitations. #3: The Opportunity to Learn Whether you’ve had a formal education or not, all of us have the opportunity to learn something new everyday. Isn’t it a blessing to be able to explore all the knowledge this world has to offer? Make sure to be grateful for the chance to learn. #4: Your Mentors Mentors are the people that inspire us, teach us, and help us become the best version of ourselves. If you’ve had an important mentor in your life, make sure you show gratitude for that person’s sacrifice on your behalf.

#5: The Sunrise Each sunrise is a sign that you have another day to make an impact on the world. Even when you are experiencing challenges in your life, you can always find hope in a new sunrise.

having a place that is comfortable — that allows you an escape from the rest of the world. If you want your home to be a safe haven for you, make sure to express gratitude for it as often as you can.

#6: Trials Our trials and challenges provide us with a unique opportunity to grow, mature and become better people. I’ve had my fair share of trials so I know it doesn’t feel great in the moment, but just keep reminding yourself that even trials will pass. Once they are over, you’ll be grateful you experienced them.

#10: Love Love is what binds all of us together, and at the end of the day, it’s love that gets us through all the challenges we face in life. If you feel like you don’t have enough love in your life right now, I encourage you to seek after it. Love can change lives for the better. If you have an abundance of love, be grateful for it each and every day.

#7: Rainbows Every time I see a rainbow I am reminded that everything will turn out OK. Isn’t it funny that we normally see rainbows when things aren’t going well in our lives? Remember that next time you see one. #8: Your Career Hopefully you work in a job and a career that you’re passionate about, but even if your job isn’t your favourite thing, it still provides you with the income you need to survive. Even on your bad days at work, remember to be grateful for your job. #9: Your Home No matter where home is for you, there is something special about

Rose Hill Designs by Heather Stillufsen

Discover YOUR Style We are delighted to announce our in-house Style Coach; Catherine Colegrave - the founder of Discover Your Style; www.discoveryourstyle.co.uk.

She work one-to-one with clients to help them discover their own unique style. She ultimately want to simplify your life and enable you to have more control over your wardrobe . . . lets face it, life is busy, we naturally prioritise work, family, socialising as well as a never ending to-do list, we simply don't have the time (or energy) to fit everything in! Take a deep breath . . . She's here to help! Her philosophy is about keeping it simple, she will guide you into discovering your own unique style, as women, we often feel stuck in a rut, overwhelmed or simply uninspired with our clothing - they become functional rather than an expression of who we are. She offer private sessions for personal styling and colour analysis, the sessions are fun and informal and will help you to discover, embrace and ultimately love your own style. Far too many women hide behind their clothes, try to look invisible or settle for 'that'll do', no one teaches us how to dress so it becomes a chore rather then a pleasure. Combine that with the constant pressure from the media to look young and a bewildering amount of clothing choices out there, there's no wonder a little guidance is just what we need. Why not book a #FREE 20 minute Style Coaching session? www.discoveryourstyle.co.uk/20_min_free_style_coaching.html

Rose Hill Designs by Heather Stillufsen

MY UNIQUE HOME

Because everyone deserves a Healthy & Happy Home :)

Prepare Your Home For Fun Festivities Before your entire family and friends descend on you for festivities and fun, here are some great ways you can prepare your home in advance. A little careful planning during the run up to Christmas will help you to relax and enjoy this festive time. Clean & Tidy The best place to start your preparations is by de-cluttering your home and cleaning each room. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use this time as your annual de-clutter but put things away in their respective homes. If toys are a problem, put them away in a pretty basket in the living room or in storage boxes in your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bedroom. Sparkle & Shine Dust or wipe surfaces and hoover or mop floors so everywhere sparkles before the glittery decorations are brought down from the attic! Festive Cheer One of the best ways to welcome Christmas is by decorating your home. Dress and trim your Christmas tree with twinkling lights and shiny baubles. Brighten your front door with a festive wreath and place seasonal ornaments

around your home. Dining Themes Having a beautifully presented table creates a very festive ambience. You could create a theme for your table by incorporating different colours, such as red and gold, and using co -ordinating candles, napkins, place settings and table runners. Khushi eagerly helps with the look of our Christmas dining table by adding her special sparkly touches! Seasonal Scents Replace your usual candles and oils with Christmas-themed scents, such as pine, frankincense or spice. Place these in the hallway or lounge to fill your home with rich seasonal scents. Baked Delights Help your children to bake Christmas cookies or gingerbread. You could start a family tradition by

making your favourite yule-time treats. It’s always nice to add a mug of hot chocolate with cream, marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles to wash down the festive treats!

toy or baked treat instead. There are lots of ideas online to help you make a unique advent calendar for your family.

Preparing your home for Christmas really helps to get you in a festive Set The Countdown mood. As one of the most beautiful Don’t forget an advent calendar times of the year for families, this is to help younger children a time to make a special effort to countdown to the big day! This is ensure you all get a good helping always a fun treat at Christmas of festive cheer! Creative, fun ideas time. If you don’t want your that fill your home will help create children to have chocolate advent traditions and memories for years to calendars, they could have a small come.

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Passion for Food One of the things I LOVE about cooking is that cooking a meal is one of the most personal and intimiate things you can do for someone. You're literally providing plated nourishment made with your own hands and creativity - even if you're following a recipe, you picked the recipe and planned the meal didn't you? The speciality about a home cooked meal is the feeling of abundance it provides, everything you have and need is right in the front of you within arms reach. The fragrance of garlic, the crackle from the skillet, end the sight of perfectly roasted bird coming out from the oven....DIVINE! Cooking speaks to all of my senses. It's a joy I'm so proud to know!

Christmas can feel like a moral dilemma - while many of us try to make ethical choices the rest of the year, it can be hard to know where to start during the festive season. It’s not always easy to avoid excess, especially when kids are pushing for the latest device. Not to mention the fear of not having enough gravy for a second round of turkey which leads to buying more food than we really need. But despite the conflict, there are ways to make Christmas more sustainable. The choices we make - about what goes on our plates, what we buy for our loved ones and what we put on our skin – impacts our health, our wildlife and environment, and lives of people working in developing countries across the world. Little choices can make a big difference, so this Christmas we’ve come up with 12 ways for you to enjoy a festive period that is better for people, animals and the environment. The online Organic Christmas Market has everything you need to celebrate in style. Whether it’s your Christmas dinner, your favourite tipple or gift ideas for the whole family, we’ve got it covered – just in time for your Christmas shopping!

1. Plan your shop Christmas is responsible for more than its fair share of the 5.3m tonnes of food the UK wastes each year – according to Love Food Hate Waste, we throw out the equivalent of 2m turkeys, 5m Christmas puddings and 74m mince pies! So save time and money by planning your Christmas food shop in advance and opting for less, but higher quality organic ingredients.

2. Avoid the Christmas queues Save yourself from the stress of your high street and source everything you need from the Soil Association Organic Christmas Market - without having to leave your house! Whether it’s your Christmas dinner, your favourite tipple or gift ideas for the whole family, we’ve got it covered – just in time for your Christmas shopping! Another great way to keep the festive stress levels down is to sign up for a box scheme and get everything you need for Christmas delivered to your door! www.soilassociation.org/boxschemes

3. Organic your Christmas dinner Organic means working with nature, not against it, so this year if you’re going to make one small change at Christmas, why not opt for organic vegetables for your Christmas dinner? Choosing the most climatefriendly food choices means supporting sustainable agriculture and buying organic, local and seasonal food. Organic farms have 50% more wildlife, support more and better farming jobs, and cause less pollution.

4. Try an organic tipple Opt for organic wine this Christmas and not only will you be supporting a more sustainable system of farming, you’ll also be consuming less sulphur - which is rumoured to lessen the chances of a hangover!

5. Make your tree extra green Many of the trees from garden centres and garage forecourts are intensively farmed on an industrial scale, sometimes from abroad. Instead try going to a small-scale sustainable grower and/or make sure your Christmas tree has Forest Steward Council ® (FSC®) certification. Read this blog post for a list of producers.

6. Opt for high welfare, organic meat 90% of the 10 million turkeys sold in the UK each year are reared intensively. If you want to be sure your turkey has been fed a natural diet, had access to the outdoors and has not been reared using intensive farming methods, then choose organic; no system of farming has higher animal welfare standards.

7. Wrap up in Organic Cotton Organic textiles are grown without the use of harmful pesticides or GMOs; promoting a healthier farm and environment. Where you see the Soil Association logo you can be sure the textiles are planet friendly, promote better working conditions and high animal welfare, and are free from potentially harmful chemicals. Visit our Organic Christmas Market for ideas for 100% organic cotton gifts.

8. Be an organic beauty Your skin is the largest organ on your body and what you put on it can be absorbed in tiny amounts. This Christmas look naturally beautiful and choose organic beauty products. Visit the Organic Christmas Market and find everything you need to stock up on stunning gift ideas and festive treats for yourself.

9. Get down and dirty â&#x20AC;&#x201C; visit your local farm shop Last year, we took around 10,000 children to visit organic farms. The Soil Association has an extensive network of more than 150 farms across the UK who run special visits, open days and other public activities. Find out where your nearest farm is here and stock up on your Christmas supplies from your local farmer.

10. Wrap your gifts in planet-friendly wrapping paper Every year we use millions of sheets of wrapping paper â&#x20AC;&#x201C; make sure yours is responsibly sourced. Look for the FSC label for a guarantee that the wood or paper it contains is not the result of illegal logging or damaging forestry practices. You can buy wood, paper and other products which come from forests which have been audited by the Soil Association. We check that every step in their journey, from forest to you, meets strict standards and ensure organisations have stuck to an agreed set of principles.

11. Caerphilly does it with your Christmas cheese! When it comes to the all-important Christmas cheese, choose organic and put animal welfare first. No dairy cows enjoy higher welfare standards than organic cows.

12. Join the Soil Association Give a gift that will continue making a difference long after the decorations have been boxed away. Take action to transform the way we eat, farm and care for our natural world by becoming a member of the Soil Association today. Your membership will help support our campaigns for better food and farming, to stop wildlife-damaging pesticides for good and to give children a healthy eating education. Sign up today! Visit the Organic Christmas Market

The Christmas dinner countdown begins! Whether you’re a frequent cook or new to the kitchen, the pressure of creating one of the most important family meals of the year can be enough to send anyone’s head in a spin (and that’s before you’ve started on your favourite Christmas tipple). Luckily for you, here at AliKat’s we have years of experience in bringing together all the elements that make a wonderful Christmas dinner. We know the key is to start preparation early and to draw up a plan for the big day when timings can get complicated. We’ve designed a Christmas dinner cheat sheet to help you do just that, so when the day finally arrives you can wear your widest Christmas grin and bathe in the compliments of friends and relatives as you serve up a feast fit for Santa himself. Either click here or on the picture to the left to download as a pdf. You can then print it out and pin it up in your kitchen!

CHRISTMAS CHERRY SOUFFLÉ Ingredients: 40 g (1 ½ oz) butter, plus extra for greasing 25 g (1 oz) cold Christmas pudding crumbled 2 tbsp brandy 25 g (1 oz) Bonne Maman Black Cherry Conserve 4 tbsp plain flour 300 ml (½ pint) whole milk 75 g (3 oz) golden caster sugar 25 g (1 oz) stem ginger, finely chopped 4 large eggs, separated Icing sugar, to dust

Method: Preheat oven to 180°c (fan oven 160°c), gas mark 4. Butter an 18cm (7 inch), 1.7 litre (3 pint) soufflé dish. Put a flat baking sheet in the oven to heat up. Stir together the crumbled Christmas pudding with the brandy and conserve and set aside. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and gradually add the milk. Bring to the boil, stirring, then reduce the heat and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in 50 g (2 oz) of the sugar with the ginger, then beat in the egg yolks. Gently fold in the Christmas pudding mixture into the sauce. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the remaining sugar until the meringue is stiff and glossy. With a large melt spoon fold the meringue into the sauce and turn into the prepared dish. Sit the dish on the heated baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until well risen and golden. Dust with icing sugar and serve straight away.

APRICOT MINCE PIES Ingredients: 100g (3 ½ oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cubed, plus extra for greasing 200g (7 oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp ground mixed spice 1 tbsp caster sugar 6 tsp Bonne Maman Apricot Conserve 6 tsp good quality mincemeat Milk or beaten egg, for glazing Icing sugar, to dust Method: Preheat the oven to 200°c (fan oven 180°c), gas mark 6. Lightly grease a 12 -hole cake tin. Put the flour into a mixing bowl, add the butter and rub into the flour until the mixture is like fine breadcrumbs. Add the mixed spice to the sugar in a pestle and mortar or a strong bowl with the end of a rolling pin and grind together until well mixed and a little powdery. Add this to the flour and butter and stir in. Using a round-bladed palette knife, mix 3-4 tablespoons cold water, stirring until it comes together. Then with your hands, work the dough gently into a ball, wrap in cling film and allow to rest for about 20 minutes. Roll out the pastry thinly on a lightly floured work surface. Stamp out 12 circles with a fluted pastry cutter, slightly larger than the cake holes, and press the circles into the tin. Put about ½ teaspoon of apricot conserve into each pastry case, then top with about ½ teaspoon of mincemeat. Re-roll the pastry trimmings and cut about 12 smaller circles and put them on top of the mincemeat. Glaze the tops with a little milk or beaten egg, if available, and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar to finish.

Put Your Feet Up And Relax! Wow! How do you feel post festivities? We hope you enjoyed a truly magical Christmas Day with your loved ones but what we really want to know is whether you enjoyed some time out to relax and enjoy quality time with your family! It is more than likely you have spent the last few weeks, or even months, rushing around preparing for this special time of year. Generally, life can be extremely hectic but Christmas time causes an increase in activity and stress! What better time than a bank holiday to relax, unwind and reflect on how much you have achieved this year? We hope this Christmas time has been filled with laughter, joy and happiness. However, if you feel uneasy, jittery or a general lethargy about the whole event, you may have burnt yourself out and become exhausted. If this rings any alarm bells, ensure you take it easy for the rest of the holidays and take time to recharge and re-energise yourself; you certainly deserve it! Over the next few weeks, as the New Year approaches, it is likely you will be reflecting on the things you would most like to achieve in life. This is a great time to consider what it is you want accomplish with your life in 2016 and beyond. Why not take some time out and reflect on what really matters to you. This, along with a good rest, will invigorate you so you can look forward to the year ahead with positive anticipation: you will be taking control of your own future.

If you feel you could do with some support to improve your fulfilment with life, its balance, wellbeing and happiness, please do not hesitate to contact Design the Lifestyle YOU Desire. I offer a free initial Clarity Session during which you can ask questions to clarify how a tailored coaching programme will help you achieve lifelong satisfaction, a better relationship with your partner and children, improved time management and greater self-confidence and self-worth. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain!

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Look Forward To Another Exciting Year If you have been reflecting on all the wonderful achievements and successes youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve experienced this year, just imagine what 2016 could hold for you and your family! Have you thought about or set the goals you would like to achieve? Do you have a particular challenge in mind? Creating goals along with a plan of action could ensure 2016 is your most exciting year yet! Take a moment to really visualise your goals: think about what you want to achieve and why. Think about how success will make you feel and consider what accomplishing this goal would mean to you. Write down your thoughts so you can refer back to them when you need some motivation. Adding your goal into your planning schedule is a great idea, as it enables you to focus on the task in

hand. At the very least you should set yourself a series of deadlines, helping you to create steppingstones with mini goals that you can celebrate along the way. Creating a plan of action really will help to keep you on the right track. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to learn more about goal setting so you can hit the ground running in January 2016,

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See you in January! Until then;

Design the Lifestyle YOU Desire! & Create Wealth in ALL aspects of YOUR Life!