The Life Kitchen E-Book by Alison Nancye

the life kitchen FREE e-book

Cook up the life of your dreams with this FREE e-book of delicious life-recipes.

Discover how to feed your soul, savour your creativity, relish your passions, and so much more using simply delicious life-recipes.

Taste the possibilities by sampling the life-recipes from the life kitchen in this FREE e-book.

Invite others to cook up the life of their dreams too. Share this FREE e-book with your family, friends, colleagues, neighbours, and online community.

copyright The Life Kitchen e-book of life-recipes. This document is copyright. All rights in it are owned or controlled by The Life Kitchen and the individual authors of the life recipes included. No part of this e-book publication may be reproduced or edited in whole or in part without expressed written permission of the publisher and copyright holders. For further information regarding copyright of this publication, please contact The Life Kitchen email info@thelifekitchen.com or www.thelifekitchen.com.

T h e L i f e Ki t c h e n cook up the life of your dreams The Life Kitchen is a global online community supporting you to cook up the life of your dreams through the use of practical, fun and effective life-recipes created by our regular contributors and authors. The Life Kitchen has a range of Kitchens to cater for all tastes and appetites. Career Kitchen, Love Kitchen, Wellbeing and Creative Kitchen, just to name a few. The Life Kitchen e-book gives you and your community a sample taste of just some of the many life-recipes The Life Kitchen has available at www.thelifekitchen.com. We hope you enjoy using our life-recipes to help support you in your everyday living and in cooking up the life of your dreams.

recipe menu lifestyle kitchen ‘Dream Life’© recipe

from the book ‘Recipes for Everyday Life’ by Alison Nancye

create a vision for the life you would really love to live every day… This recipe is one of Founder Alison Nancye’s signature dishes. Everyone can benefit when using the Dream Life recipe whether you use it at the beginning, middle or end of the year. Use it to create your new year plans or when you want to create a new direction with goals for your life.

career kitchen ‘Dream Job’© recipe

from the book ‘Recipes for Everyday Life’ by Alison Nancye discover the job of your dreams… Imagine a world filled with people in a job they loved bouncing out of bed for every day. Now what a difference that would make to their life overall and everyone in it! Discover the job you would love most using the Dream Job recipe to tantalise your career tastebuds.

creative kitchen ‘Creative Corner’© recipe

from the book ‘Recipes for Everyday Creativity’ by Jan Cornall

unleash that creative bone in your body… Every artist has their own creative corner to get their juices flowing; an artist a studio, a writer a writer’s den. Why not do it at work? Having a creative corner on your desk or nearby, means you always keep a window open to the possibility of bringing creativity into your working day. ‘Haven’t got a creative bone in your body,’ you say? Try the Creative Corner recipe and watch your creativity start to flow!

love kitchen ‘Relationship Ritual’ recipe

from the book ‘Recipes for Everyday Life’ by Alison Nancye

an incredible process to improve, honour and strengthen your relationships… The longer you have been with your partner doesn’t mean the easier it may get. Our lives usually get busier and our challenges become greater. As a result, it’s often our closest relationships that suffer the most. The Relationship Ritual recipe provides a great way to connect with others and discover a whole new way of sharing what you love and appreciate about those that are dearest to you.

student kitchen Dream Assignment© recipe

from the book ‘Recipes for Everyday Studying’ by Jocelyn Brewer learn how to prepare for great assignments every time…

The preparation for any assignment is an essential ingredient to getting a great score every time. Yet embarking on where to even begin when doing assignments, can often be a lonely and hard journey. The Dream Assignment recipe is like having your dream teacher mentoring you every step of the way. Discover how the power of visualisation can lead you to cook up assignments you can feel proud of.

wellbeing kitchen ‘Sweet Slumber’ recipe

from the book ‘Recipes for Everyday Wellbeing by Lyndal Edwards Discover how to turn your mind volume down and enjoy a deep and restful sleep every day… Let’s face it, no matter how much we do, there is always something to do! Everyone functions better on a good night’s sleep. The Sweet Slumber recipe is a combination of ‘head clearing’, visualisation and meditation. It gives you the opportunity to release your day and prepare for the best night’s sleep possible, leaving tomorrow until tomorrow.

lifestyle kitchen ab out l if est y le k itc he n Discover how to cook up the life of your dreams at home, work and play.

l ife st y le ki tch en w is d o m The most incredible thing Founder and Creative Director Alison Nancye finds about observing people, is that so many of us forget how precious our life is. Alison urges everyone to have the courage to live from their hearts and do what they would most love in their lives, starting now! "If you don't love your job, do something to change that situation,” says Alison. “If you don't love your relationship, have the courage to create a relationship that fills your heart with love and joy every day. “And, if you don't love your life, don’t be overwhelmed by it, just make one small change today, because a whole lot of little changes lead to one great big leap towards living a life you truly love to savour.” “So many of us have stuff that blocks us from living the life of our dreams, but you know at the end of the day, this is your life we are talking about!" No matter what your situation, Alison encourages you to use The Life Kitchen to support you making yourself and your passions a priority every day.

mee t al i so n n a ncy e Alison Nancye is a renowned mentor, author, keynote speaker, and mother of two, and an active member of her community who encourages everyone to go for their dreams and live a life they really love every day. Alison started her career in PR & Media and continually diversified and developed her communications repertoire throughout the corporate and entertainment industries. For several years now, whilst having her own babies, Alison has mentored her clients and friends to give birth to their babies, new businesses and jobs, new and enhanced relationships, and to pursue their passions and a create their dreams every day. It was through her client mentoring sessions that Alison developed the idea for life-recipes and The Life Kitchen.

R b y

A l i s o n

N a n c y e ©

My life (and diet) is incredibly different today than it was five years ago simply by allowing myself to dream (and eat more consciously) whilst taking bite size steps along the way. No matter how far you think you are away from your dreams, allowing yourself to believe is the first step to seeing them realised. Cooking up my book ‘Recipes for Everyday Life’ is one of my dreams realised. My clients and I use this recipe whenever we want to add new things to our ‘life pantry’, to gain clarity or spice things up a bit. The purpose of this recipe is to relish your imagination and get courageous in The Life Kitchen. Don’t over analyse or judge how your baking turns out, just let yourself dream. Let whatever rises in your ‘imagination oven’ to be there.

COOKING TIME 20 - 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS √ √ √ √

Notebook Pen Quiet space Imagination

C O O K’S T I P A quick way to start making changes in your life is to create a shopping list. List what you love about your life now, then list the things you want to change or add. Don’t feel you have to clean out your kitchen cupboards all at once, simply choose one thing to add or take out.

PREPARATION 1

Get comfy in the kitchen or quiet spot generally – and turn off that mobile phone!

On a fresh page in your notebook write ‘Creating My Dream Life’ and date the page.

take it all in and have fun with it too!

COOKING UP YOUR DREAM LIFE 1 Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out. Let yourself become more relaxed with each new breath. Allow any thoughts or feelings to arise. Toss the thoughts out with each new breath.

turn on your imagination oven 2 Imagine you are in a picture of nature anywhere in the world. The beach, a mountain, rainforest, anywhere. Explore and enjoy being there. Imagine you can smell, taste and touch nature all around you. 3 Imagine you are a child now in that picture of nature. Have fun being a child again. 4 Now imagine a huge fluffy marshmallow hovering above your head. Choose to rise and become part of that marshmallow. Let yourself get all oozy in its texture. Let the marshmallow take you somewhere. Let it take you to your dream life. Allow yourself to feel light and free as you float to your dream life.

turn up the heat 5 When you arrive, step off your marshmallow and in to your dream life. Imagine you are an adult now. It may be you as you are today or older. Spend a couple of minutes letting your image simmer gently before your eyes. 6 What are you doing, what are you wearing, how are you behaving? Where are you? What does this dream life look like, taste like and smell like? Who else is in your dream life? 7 When you feel your mind (and belly) becoming full, open your eyes and write everything you saw, felt, touched, smelt, heard and sensed. Don't stop, don’t analyse, just write. Some images will be quite literal, whilst others may be a symbol for something more. Keep writing until you feel complete.

take out of the oven – add garnishes 8 Read over your notes. Does any of it need reheating or interpreting? Write further notes if you need to. Know this is the life you would really love to savour for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

ready to taste 9 You are now ready to start taking bite size steps towards making your dream life part of your everyday diet. Choose one area to focus on. Make a list of all the ingredients (or steps) you might need to cook up that area of your life. For example, if it’s a holiday you want, then starting a savings plan, researching your holiday destination and choosing a friend to travel with, could all be part of your list. 10 Take new steps each day, week, year then before you know it, your dream life will soon be your everyday reality.

career kitchen ab out ca re er k itc he n Carve a career for yourself that you really relish and enjoy. Use the Career Kitchen's recipes, news and resources on a regular basis to help you can cook up a delicious career youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll love to savour every day. Let this be a place to experiment and leap from, to discover what you would most love to do and be in the world.

car e er k it ch en w isd om Are you fulfilling your purpose in life? Do you even know what your purpose is? There are two key themes to creating your dream job: 1) Your true nature and purpose (meaning what you do in the world), 2) your greatness (meaning the way you do it). So if you can combine those two key ingredients, it's a sure fire winner to cooking up a delectable career you really love fulfilling. You may not obtain your dream career straight away but by discovering what you would most love to do for a job and heading down that path rather than the path you think you have to, you will have far more chance of reaching your desired destination, not to mention enjoying the journey along the way.

R b y

A l i s o n

N a n c y e ©

The one reoccurring theme throughout my career was that I could be a success at any job if I set my mind to it. But after a while I realised that just setting my ‘mind’ to it wasn’t enough. My heart and passion had to be on the job as well. Once you discover the job of your dreams, and go on your quest to create it, you may find you get offered different jobs or ‘distractions’ along the way. I encourage you to stay true to yourself and the dreams you have for your career. Because the more you do what you love in your career, the more you do what you love in all areas of your life.

COOKING TIME 15 - 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS √ √ √ √

Notebook Pen Quiet space Imagination

C O O K’S T I P It can be exciting and daunting once we realise what we’d love to do for a living. You may not attain your dream job straight away, so the important thing is to enjoy the journey along the way. Whether it is doing a course, volunteer work in a related industry, looking at ads in the paper, or talking to a mentor, friend or encouraging recruitment consultant; whatever steps you take, get excited about the prospect of your new job. And keep taking steps to lead you closer to it. Focus on the possibility of making it a reality rather than on the fact that you aren’t in this job today. Focus on what steps to take to move you towards it. And remember everyone who loves their job, did the work to make that a reality they look forward to every day.

PREPARATION 1

Get comfy and turn off your mobile phone.

On a fresh page in your notebook write ‘Creating My Dream Job and date the page.

have the courage to go for your dreams This life kitchen free e-book is part of the Recipes for Everyday Life© series. All rights reserved. Go to www.thelifekitchen.com to purchase our books, cds and weekly wisdom. Page 11

COOKING UP YOUR DREAM JOB 1

Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out. Let yourself become more relaxed with each new breath. Allow any thoughts or feelings to arise. Toss the thoughts out with each new breath.

turn on your imagination oven 2

Imagine you are in a picture of nature anywhere in the world. The beach, a mountain, rainforest, anywhere. Explore and enjoy being there. Imagine you can smell, taste and touch nature all around you.

Imagine you are a child now in that picture of nature. Have fun being a child again.

Picture a huge colourful magic carpet floating in the sky. Staying as a child, choose to jump on board the magic carpet. Have fun getting comfy on it.

Now feel the magic carpet taking you somewhere, pulling you towards your dream job. Let it take you in whatever direction it wants. Don’t fight it, just go with it. Choose to be taken to the vision of your dream job.

turn up the heat 6

When you arrive at your dream job, imagine you are an adult again. It may be you as you are today or older. Spend a couple of minutes letting your dream job simmer gently before your eyes.

What does your dream job look like? What is the essence of it? What are you doing, what are you wearing, how are you behaving?

When you feel your mind (and belly) becoming full, open your eyes and write everything you saw, felt, touched, smelt, heard and sensed about your dream job. Don’t stop, don’t analyse, just write. Some images will be quite literal, whilst others may be symbols for something more. Keep writing until you feel complete.

take out of the oven – add garnishes 9

Read over your notes. Does any of it need reheating or interpreting? Write further notes if you need to. Know this is the dream job you would really love to indulge in.

ready to taste 10 You are now ready to start taking bite size steps towards making your dream job part of your everyday diet. There is a saying ‘it may not happen overnight but it will happen’. It will happen if you get started. The first step is complete. You have an idea of what you’d love your dream job to be. The next step is to let your passion feed you in pursuit of that job.

creative kitchen ab out cre at i v e k itc h en Come into the Creative Kitchen and play with colour, words, pictures, ideas, laughter, imagery, art, stories, multi media, clay, feathers, poetry, craft, performance, music, dance or dreams. Learn how to use all the ingredients of creativity to become the artistic creator of your own life and work. Cook up all the creative inspiration you need to feed yourself and those around you!

cre at i ve k itc he n w i sd o m Every one of us has our own unique creative source. When we go deep, we tap in to an unlimited supply of creative output that allows us to contribute our unique talent to the world we live in.

mee t ja n c or na l l Founder of ‘Write Here, Write Now’ creative workshops and retreats, Jan believes in every person’s true creative potential. Jan is a writer and performer with over 25 years experience in Australian theatre and film. Combining her own creative passions and knowledge with over 20 years of meditation practice, Jan has developed a technique called Meditative Writing, which leads people deep into their own creative source, allowing them to contribute their unique talent to the world we live in.

CREATIVE

CORNER

by Jan Cornall© Since I was little I have always created a corner in my room, on my desk or in the backyard shed where I can be creative. An artist has a studio, a writer a writer’s den, to create the atmosphere they need to get their juices flowing. Why not do it at work? Having a creative corner on your desk or nearby, means you always keep a window open to the possibility of bringing creativity into your working day. You can pop in and out whenever you like (even for a few seconds), to refresh, re-energise, rejuvenate and bring the benefits of your creativity musing back to your work. ‘Haven’t got a creative bone in your body,’ you say? Try this recipe and watch your creativity start to flow!

COOKING TIME 30 minutes preparation 10 minutes daily stirring

INGREDIENTS √ Materials such as photos, pics, coloured paper, textured fabric, clippings, slogans, coloured pens, coloured string, significant objects, post cards, drawing pins, tape, glue. √ Fave music on I Pod √ Figurines - these can be miniature action figures, dolls, animals, Buddhas, trinkets or toys that you pick up at a market or toyshop or have kept in a toy box at home for years.

COOK‘S TIP Start a rolling exhibition on an office wall or divider, of found (office) objects. Put yours up with a caption or poem and invite others to contribute one.

PREPARATION 1 Clean a corner of your desk or workstation or set up a wall or divider in your office.. 2 If you don’t have space on your desk (or office conditions don’t allow it), designate a drawer of your desk to keep your creative ingredients in. this can become your creative corner. 3 Become a hunter and collector! Over two weeks or more gather your ingredients and - other found objects: ticket stubs, post-it messages, meeting doodles, trinkets, lunch time souvenirs, cuttings, etc and keep in box or drawer.

COOKING UP YOUR CREATIVE WORKSPACE 1

Choose a day to come in early to work or stay back late.

Put on your headphones with music that inspires, relaxes, and enlivens you.

Set out all your ingredient materials on your desk.

create something delicious 4

Begin pinning, gluing, pasting, placing and hanging. Use paint, coloured paper and textured materials to create a vibrant background in your creative corner. Create a corner that expresses the ‘Creative You’. Allow the creative impulse to flow into your creation.

for extra taste 5

Set up some small boxes or structures for your figurines to stand on. Make a diorama with a shoebox or a set up a small sand tray.

Create a world with your figurines as consciously or unconsciously as you like. Figurines can represent different parts of you; your desires, your goals, other people, characters in your (working) life or be just for play.

don’t overcook 7

Keep cooking while you feel the impulse, and stop while you are still enjoying it. Remember you can add to it and change it regularly.

Put your unused ingredients back in your creative drawer.

Sit back and admire your work.

savour your creative corner 10 Use it as a place to play, muse, gaze, refresh and reflect, any time you need a break from the pressures of work (instead of playing online solitaire or jigsaw)! Spend time in your creative corner before a big meeting, to clear the debris of the day and get yourself in a creative frame of mind. Use your sand tray and figurines to problem solve a particular question or brainstorm a new project. Check back in with your creative corner after your meeting and update your progress. adding and stirring 11 Spend a few minutes each day adding, moving, and playing, in your creative corner, simply allowing yourself to connect regularly with your creative artist self (especially when you don’t feel at all creative – creativity is more likely to be hiding just around the corner)! 12 Make new scenarios with your figurines or add new characters. When you face obstacles or tough spots in your work, spend more time in your creative corner. Use it to document or reflect on a particularly difficult or productive passage. Use it to celebrate successes and mark the passing of a particular phase. 13 Give your creative corner a regular makeover. When you finish a project and are about to embark on a new one is a good time. Introduce new elements that represent new phases of your working life. Clear out the ‘old’ and bring in the ‘new’. Document the process by taking photos of your old corner before you rearrange it.

14 Keep your documentation in a box or album. At the end of six months or a year collate and compile your material in a scrap book with photos, art works, captions, stories, text, quotes poems etc. Show to work mates, friends and family or if you are working creatively with your team or floor, have a group exhibition and invite other works mates to attend. 15 In the new year, put away your ‘Creative Corner Story Volume 1’ and start again, finding new themes and unexplored areas of your creativity to explore!

TEAM COOK UP You can also create a collective creative corner for your team, office or floor. Not everyone has to be involved but if a few start something together and invite others to join, soon everyone will want to get creative in the creative corner. You can designate themes or topics and invite workmates to make contributions. You can link it with the recipe ‘Creative Travelling Project’ from my book ‘Recipes for Everyday Creativity’. One or two people can be designated curators and can mount an exhibition or event at the end of the month with drinks and snacks after work.

make every work day a creative day!

love kitchen ab out l ov e kit ch en Everyone deserves healthy and loving relationships. Become the Head Chef of your love life using the Love Kitchen's guide to a passion filled life.

lo v e k itc h en w isd om Love is what makes the world go round. So why does it seem so hard to find it and when we find it, so hard to keep it? There is no one answer to great love, except to say that our relationship with our partner deserves as much attention as any other priority in our life. Making your relationship with your loved one a priority every day is a great way to give your relationship the time and commitment it deserves. Give the love to others you would love to receive yourself. Now thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great recipe for any great love life!

RELATIONSHIP b y

A l i s o n

RITUAL

N a n c y e ©

This ritual was shared with me by one of my dear friends Deborah and I am delighted to share it with you. I started doing this ritual with my hubby after we had kids. As parents we find a lot of our time goes in to nurturing our kids, with little time left for our own relationship. It is incredible how this ritual brings us back to our hearts and our love for each other, simply by taking the time to do this. You don’t need any special setting, the evening meal works just as well. This recipe isn’t just for romantic partners either. Choose to experience this process with anyone you have a regular relationship with. The focus on being positive and encouraging with each other and using that ‘flavour’ to enhance your existing relationship.

COOKING TIME 20 - 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS √ Two people √ Quiet and uninterrupted space √ Notebook & pen (optional)

C O O K’S T I P You can speed up this recipe if you don’t have much time (often the case with children in tow) by doing Part 1 only. When my hubby and I need to reconnect and remember our love and appreciation for each other, we simply each take a turn in acknowledging the other person for all they have accomplished and are doing in their lives. You can do this anytime, anywhere; someone just has to make the first move!

PREPARATION 1

Someone chooses to go first (Person 1). Do ‘rock, paper, scissors’ if you can’t decide.

Person 2 is silent, simply listening to what Person 1 is sharing (you will both get a turn at speaking and listening).

Choose a time period to reflect on such a week, one month, three months or the past year. Be free of all other distractions (turn the phone, television and music off and put the kids to bed… and don’t worry if the dishes are still in the sink!).

now watch your relationship blossom This life kitchen free e-book is part of the Recipes for Everyday Life© series. All rights reserved. Go to www.thelifekitchen.com to purchase our books, cds and weekly wisdom. Page 18

COOKING UP HONORING RELATIONSHIPS PART ONE turn on one hot plate 1 Person 1 acknowledges Person 2 for their achievements and milestones over the agreed time period (use positive language). These may be milestones that have made a positive impact on the relationship or simply individual achievements you have observed. 2 Person 2 openly listens and digests those acknowledgments and thanks Person 1.

turn on 2nd hot plate 3 Person 2 acknowledges Person 1 for their achievements and milestones now. 4 Person 1 openly listens and digests those acknowledgments and thanks Person 2.

feel the warmth PART TWO turn up the heat 5 Person 1 now acknowledges themselves for any milestones they want to share. Person 2 does not comment, they simply listen and when person 1 is complete, they congratulate them. 6 Person 2 now acknowledges themselves. Person 1 listens, then congratulates Person 2 when they are complete.

PART THREE taste test – add spices 7 The final step in this recipe is to share any changes you would like to make either in yourself or the relationship. Talk of the ‘positive’ changes you want rather than picking on the other person. 8 Whatever the changes, take responsibility for getting started on these before the next relationship ritual. (If you wanted to take notes, now is a good time). And don’t feel you have to do all of this on your own, ask your partner for support if you need it.

student kitchen ab out stud en t k itc he n Be in your power as a young adult and live your life with purpose, using resources from Student Kitchen. We will feature recipes, column advice and regular services to support you in cooking up a life you really look forward to bouncing out of bed for every day (and that's saying something for a young adult!)

stud ent k itc he n w i sd o m High school and University has to be one of the highest-pressure times in a young adult's life. When you think about that, you are just 'young' adults, which means not much 'life' knowledge yet. So knowing how to perform well in your studies as well as in the 'school of life', is a HUGE learning curve.. Let yourself be supported by Student Kitchen to give you calm when you need it most, objectivity when you didn't know you had it, and great tips to help you get better exam results. Plus, ways to learn how to relate to others and all the 'stuff' that young adults go through.

mee t joc e ly n b re we r Jocelyn had a classroom in her cubbyhouse from the age of six. She completed a Bachelor of Arts at Sydney University with two distinct majors - Performance Studies and Human Geography - a product of her diverse interests and her confusion about what she wanted to be when she "grew up". Jocelyn has five years experience teaching High School in both Comprehensive and Selective Schools across Sydney and also runs the Debating program at one of the Selective High Schools. She is currently furthering her studies Majoring in Psychology to become a school counsellor and still doesn't know what she wants to be when she grows up (although now knows that is part of the adventure)!

DREAM

ASSIGNMENT

by Jocelyn Brewer© As a teacher when I hand out an assignment notification I generally get a unanimous sigh of ‘ugh’, ‘grr’ and ‘meh’. Assignments are simply a fact of school (and uni) life. You can either attempt them ‘hating on’ the idea of completing it - which wastes about triple the energy than if you plucked up the sense to rip right into getting it done (with a bit of ‘can do’ attitude!). The Dream Assignment recipe will help you to recognise your blocks to completing assignments, then visualise yourself creating and completing assignments you can be proud of.

COOKING TIME 20 - 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS √ √ √ √ √

Notebook Scrap paper Pen Quiet space Imagination

√ Diary

COOK‘S TIP The first step to creating any great assignment is to let yourself dream on the possibility of a great score, then let yourself believe your dreams are possible.

PREPARATION 1

Get comfy at home, in the library or quiet spot generally – and turn off that mobile phone!

On a fresh page in your notebook write ‘Creating My Dream Assignment’ and date the page.

focus creates reality!

COOKING UP YOUR DREAM ASSIGMENT 1

Sit down at a large clean/clear desk (or floor space or if you don’t have one) with the ingredients. toss out thoughts that are past their use by date

2 Take a few deep breaths in and out (close your eyes if you need to) and become aware of the thoughts and feelings you have towards your assignment. Any negativity or resistance? Confusion? Worry? Let those thoughts and feelings go with each out breath. The noisier the out breath, the better for letting go! 3 If you find it difficult to let go of any negativity, write all these thoughts and feelings on a separate piece of paper. Write and write until there is nothing left to say. This may include fears of failure or simply not wanting to do the assignment. When you are done destroy the page, rip it up or burn it (safely). (NB As you continue with your assignment, any time negativity arises, complete step 3 again, until you are done focussing your fears so can turn your attention to your dreams).

turn on your imagination oven 4 Next imagine you are a young child again and remember a time you were really enjoying yourself, such as playing, on a holiday, riding your bike, anytime you felt carefree and completely happy.

use only the freshest ingredients - positive thoughts 5 Turn your attention to your assignment now. Imagine yourself completing it with ease and grace, finding information easily, understanding the topic, the words coming to you freely, putting the finishing touches on it and printing it out. Imagine the feeling you have when you hand in your assignment having done the best possible job ever. Really allow yourself to explore the sensations you feel when your assignment is complete. 6 On a fresh sheet of paper in your notebook, jot down what that image looks and feels like. Write until you feel complete.

turn up the heat 7 Now think of a mark you want for your assignment a number you would be happy with. Add 5 marks! Write that number down on your page. 8 Now imagine how you feel when your teacher returns your assignment with the mark you visualised. Allow yourself to be in this moment and share your results with your family, friends and community. Again, write down the scene and how this makes you feel. 9 Now begin the ‘doing’ of your assignment, leading from this great place that is your imagination. Use my recipe Know Your Assignment from my book Recipes for Everyday Studying for great tips on researching and completing the ‘doing’ of your assignments.

wellbeing kitchen ab out we l lb e ing k itc he n Visit the Wellbeing Kitchen for a feast of delectable ways to nurture yourself and look after your wellbeing. Discover how to create a feeling of balance and ease by taking care of your mind, body and spirit on a regular basis.

we l lb ei ng ki tch en w i sd om Taking care of your wellbeing is really about allowing every part of your 'being' to feel 'well'. That means taking the time to nourish your body, free your mind and honour your spirit. If you really want to create an enjoyable, energetic life that flows with ease (no matter how busy your family life and workload is), start with taking care of your own wellbeing, and the rest will take care of itself.

mee t ly nd al ed wa rd s Lyndal Edwards is the founder of MotherNurture, an online community providing 'sanctuary, sanity and support for mothers'. Lyndal runs Sanctuary Days and Meditation for Mums workshops. She's the producer of the ‘Chill Pill for Mums, sanity-saving relaxation for mums’ CD, and author of Recipes for Everyday Wellbeing and co-author of Recipes for Everyday Motherhood.

SWEET b y

SLUMBER

L y n d a l

E d w a r d s

Do you bounce out of bed in the morning, ready to face the day? Or do you find yourself only dreaming of a good night’s sleep, and waking up feeling like you haven’t slept a wink? Our sleeping hours are largely affected by how we treat our bodies in our waking hours (eating good quality fresh foods, getting plenty of exercise and managing our stress levels). The Sweet Slumber recipe helps you prepare you for a good night’s sleep by clearing the MIND and relaxing the BODY. It’s is a combination of ‘head clearing’, visualisation and meditation. It gives you the opportunity to release your day and prepare for the best night’s sleep possible, leaving tomorrow until tomorrow. It may seem like a big commitment to spend 30 minutes on yourself in the evening, but you’ll reap the benefits when you do.

COOKING TIME 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS √ √ √ √ √ √

Notepad and pen Tea light or other candle Foot bucket and towel ‘Running Wild Foot Soak’ or quality lavender essential oil (from www.perfectpotion.com). ‘Sweet Dreams Pillow Mist’ or quality lavender essential oil (www.perfectpotion.com). ‘Sanity-Saver’ meditation, available from www.thelifekitchen.com (optional)

COOK‘S TIP Avoid the television or computer for the last hour before you go to bed and notice the difference. Relax your body with some gentle stretching or yoga and your mind will follow.

PREPARATION 1

Make sure you won’t be interrupted for the next 30 minutes

Spray your pillow with ‘Sweet Dreams’ pillow mist or drop a little lavender oil.

Find yourself a comfortable chair in a private space. Place your towel on the floor in front of the chair and place your foot bucket (filled with warm water and some ‘Running Wild Foot Soak’ or a couple of drops of lavender oil).

Take off any footwear. Grab your notepad and pen and sit down.

create a bedtime

ritual just for you! This life kitchen free e-book is part of the Recipes for Everyday Life© series. All rights reserved. Go to www.thelifekitchen.com to purchase our books, cds and weekly wisdom. Page 24

COOKING UP YOUR SWEET SLUMBER 1 Sit in your chair with your shoes off, foot bucket in front of you and notepad and pen near you. Take a few deep breaths and allow your body to settle comfortably into the chair. Ask yourself ‘Is there anything I want to clear from my mind in order to sleep well tonight?’ Spend the next minute or so, writing down anything you wish to move out of your mind and onto paper. turn up the heat 2 Placing the notepad away, sit down and put on the ‘Sanity-saver’ track (track 2) from your Chill Pill for Mums CD, or follow the script below. 3 Make sure you are sitting straight and comfortably. Close your eyes and take three deeper, longer breaths. Feel your shoulders drop and your body sink into the chair with each breath. Tense and release the muscles in each part of your body, using your breath to relax and let go after each tension. simmer for a few minutes 4 Place your feet into the bucket of warm water and allow yourself to relax completely into it. Allow any tensions from the day to work their way down through your body and into the water, where they dissolve away. remove from heat 5 When you feel completely relaxed, remove your feet from the water and place them beside the bucket while you gently bring yourself to full consciousness. Wriggle your fingers and toes and open your eyes. Dry your feet and empty your foot bucket. serve up your sweet slumber 6 Dress (or not) for bed and when you lie down, enjoy the dreamy aromas from your pillow. Take a few minutes to lie on your back, feel yourself sinking into the mattress and drifting into dreamland with every breath. Sleep beautifully..