Feeling Less Than Fabulous?  Time For A GET A LIFE AUDIT!

Hey there!  It's Monique Bradley here and I'M COMING OUT!  Yes - you heard it here folks.....

I've spent many years feeling less than fabulous, going through the motions and generally feeling dis-engaged from my own life.  It's almost like I have watched my life like a movie and to be honest, it's not the funnest place to be.  Some time ago I watched the Ellen DeGeneres show and saw these two gorgeous girls, Sophia Grace and Rosie - full of life, excitement and joy!  I looked at Sophia Grace - who reminded me of myself as a child and questioned 'OMG - where the *$@% have I gone?' And this was the turning point which has lead to me discovering and implementing amazing strategies that have not only conquered 20 years of crippling anxiety, eating disorders and what I call the depressive experience BUT have CREATED the best life and the best experience yet!

SO: are you feeling less than fabulous?

Becoming a Winner Part 9 - The Power Of Effective Storytelling

Storytelling....We do it all the time. Winners are very particular about the stories they tell others as they are aware of the power of words and the effective storytelling used to construct the life they really want.  Take that all in, inhale that knowledge and let it sink in. Now on with todays thoughts: WE ARE ALL STORYTELLERS.

Ring a friend.

"You'll never guess what happened today....OMG...what a drama...'

We are surrounded by stories where ever we go - from billboards to street signs to the cars we choose or the clothes we wear.  We live stories. We ARE stories.

What I've learnt over my now 40 years of incredible experience is that all of the stories we know are either told to us, indoctrinated in us or created by us and it's those stories that we tell over and over again that become the beliefs that we hold onto and thus shape our values that we use to live our lives and make our decisions.

Wow....I need a cup of tea and a lie down!  

Read more after the jump

Happiness is a fresh pastry - Patisserie Vaniye - Parnell.

Hi there!  It's Monique Bradley - The High Tea Queen here *waves regally* and I'm sharing a little of todays adventure in Parnell.

I'm a firm believer that we rush too much.  I'm a perfect example - doing too much for too many people all the time leaves me feeling pretty flat. So I've been adding my own joy triggers into my everyday experience.  Today I was relishing in the delight of sitting and enjoying something beautiful to eat and drink. Fresh croissant and coffee - a totally delectable experience. 

I discovered Patisserie Vaniye last week as Pete Ward and I were roaming through Parnell, one of my fav places in Auckland.  This wee cafe is a delightful and elegant experience with so many beautiful treats that it was as visually exciting as the treat for the taste buds!

Hey there!  Monique from Get A LIFE!  Todays ideas are about the pursuit of happiness.

I see so many people living in what I call 'movie mode' - not fully engaging with their lives and feeling like they just exist. Sound familiar?

Happiness seems to be based in the future, in the past or brought about by a series of conditions: wealth, marriage, babies etc.

I fully believe however that happiness is an inside job. It's not something you experienced back in '82 or something you can potentially achieve once you lose 20 pounds or land that dream job...They can give you a momentary flutter of joy or excitement, but what happens after that 'honeymoon period' is over?

Hi there!   Monique Bradley from Get A Life here!  Nothing says 'LOVE' like a freshly made cupcake. Let me explain.....

Today is a special day in our household as my darling bestie and 'sharer of the NOW' Pete Ward is celebrating his birthday. As a surprise, instead of the usual cupcakes, I ordered a selection of Red Velvet Cupcakes from Frangipani Cupcakes and these were promptly delivered at 11 a.m.  Delicious, satisfying (especially for a sugar lover like me) and BEAUTIFULLY presented, I was amazed at the communication, the service and that they were so accommodating to my needs - personalising the cupcakes for Pete's special day.

Birthday's seem to bring about a lot of anxiety for so many people. In astrological terms, they refer to it as a 'Solar Return' as they planetary ruler of your own chart returns to it's starting position.  The month prior I personally always experience a round up or review of the previous year -  celebrate my wins and grieve over my losses and start thinking about what I want to create within my next Solar year.  I see this happening for so many people who arrive at 'Birth Day' and feel a little flat or depressed. It's almost like the whole 'getting ready for the prom' experience - so much lead up to the day, culling of the outfits that aren't right, makeup trials, hair trials, suit trials and the like - till you finally get there and go 'so this is it?'.  Birthdays in my experience seem to be similar and I know I'm not alone in this.  For me this year turning 40, I went through a bit of that grief feeling.  'What have I NOT achieved' seemed to be a bigger picture than all the great successes and amazing experiences I've had. It got to the point where I pulled myself up for my 'Eeyore' moment and decided to cut myself some slack - nobody really wants to come to a pity party right?  

My birthday party this year was extraordinary.  (You can check out the photos on this site.)

An Article About Joy Triggers

Hey there - Monique Bradley here following up on my idea of Joy Triggers!

I've had so many people asking me about Joy Triggers. What are they and how do they work?? I've noticed there is very little information about the concept - and yet it seems like such an obvious and amazing thing to me!   Here's an article I found on Huffington Post written in 2011 about the idea.

Love the explanation, so take a look!!

Monique Bradley and Joy Triggers - The Power of Conscious Choice

Morning friends!  

Yes, I say morning as I'm finally dressed and eating breakfast.  I CHOSE to have a quieter morning as it's been such a hectic and amazing weekend!  As I'm getting wiser (a gentler way to say MATURING), I'm appreciating the power of conscious choice more and more and it struck me as I was in the warm embrace of a hot shower that life really is like a 'Choose Your Own Adventure Story'.  

Pete Ward and I have been discussing this concept for at least a year and about the value for example of CHOOSING to be happy. Yes, I totally believe it's a choice.  I recently had the great joy of appearing on TVNZ's Breakfast Programme as a spokesperson for the website www.depression.org.nz and took a moment to discuss my theory of 'Joy Triggers'.  People who are challenged for example by the depressive experience, anxiety and the like understand that certain triggers can set them off into a panic attack, episode of melancholy or isolation.  Well in the same way that a negative trigger can set you into a downward spiral, imagine the effects of a positive trigger!

Let me share my experience: 

Tall Poppy Syndrome Strikes Again The Daily Doozy 18/7/2013

So it appears that if someone else has something better than me I better cut them down and quick.  And while I'm at it I better blame them for my crap life and suggest that their success is the reason I'm depressed.

Yep, it's everybody else's fault but mine.

So the NZ Herald has a story that seems to originate from promoting a new authors newest book - very thinly disguised if you ask me - that celebrity mothers of the Beyonce ilk are setting the bar too high for "normal" mothers in New Zealand feeling pressured to keep up and feeling depressed if they don't measure up.  And I quote "pose a threat to other women's mental health".

 Nowhere Girl - my journey back to NOW

Hey there! 

Monique here....Just wanted to post a quick video following my interview this morning on Breakfast. Please remember that if you or a friend need help, visit: www.depression.org.nz

More love, more healing XX

Hi there, Monique here from Get A Life.

I'm honoured to be able to share my story on www.depression.org.nz and if you need help, they are a great place to start.

Here is a link to my video.  Please feel free to watch it and share.

Monique Bradley on TVNZ Talking About Depression

Here's the interview from this mornings TVNZ Breakfast show where Monique was talking about ways of coping and working through depression.

One of these ideas is called Joy Triggers where you focus on simple things that bring you joy in your world.

Check out the link here: http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/living-depression-in-public-eye-video-5508860 

Monique Bradley TVNZ Breakfast 15/7/2013

Monique Bradley is one of the co-creators of Get A Life™ and is appearing on TVNZ Breakfast tomorrow morning Monday 15th July 2013.

Monique has an amazing story of fighting her way to the top against some very big odds, disadvantaged at the hands of both others and herself, she has turned her life around into focussing not on the dark times but instead focussing on living for every now she has, seeking to bring joy and light to everyone she comes in contact with and by doing so, finds an inner peace and happiness for herself too.  

Monique is well know for talking about "Joy Triggers" or those little things that can help you find the joy in the world when maybe it seems to have little joy left.  By focussing on these Joy Triggers and giving out as she can to others, Monique has transformed her life from what was sometimes a very dark place, into a light filled, generous and loving experience for those around her and also for herself.

Monique will be discussing these changes, what helped her find her way and what keeps her motivated to moving forward every day in a TVNZ interview Monday 15th July 2013 on the Breakfast show.

Greetings to you from me - Monique Bradley, The High Tea Queen *waves regally*.

And what an exciting day it was today darlings!

Today my lovely partner and I took our favourite wee person out for a spontaneous visit down the road to where we found our local market thriving. Milford runs a market on a monthly basis and as the sun was a shining, the market was a buzzing. Bumped into my lovely friend Joanne Sullivan-Gessler from Jewel Rapture with her incredible array of personally selected gems, strolled around until the little person needed a seat and a piece of fruit. (THUMBS UP FOR THE GREAT CHOICE MISSY!)

We popped into Milford Mall and happened to take a return visit to the newest kid on the block - Vauxhall Cafe.

We came back for 3 reasons:

1. the staff are amazing and in my opinion, great staff = a great experience and return visitors.

2. It was right next to the fruit market so the wee person could chow down on the biggest orange I've ever seen.

3. They have an amazing selection of teas that I was keen to experience - so it was game on!

Video and More After The Jump

Pete and Monique's Shagadelic Birthday Bash

Last weekend 6th July 2013 we held a right royal knees up at Takapuna Bar.  Everybody had to dress in costume and as you can see some pictures were took, groovy baby.

Read On For The Gallery

Milford Market Day 13 July 2013

Craft Market Bazaar - Orewa, Milford and Browns Bay run regular markets now in 3 locations.

We took a stroll around today and took some pics, met the lovely Annamaria Berrek who runs it and Joanne Sullivan from Jewel Rapture 

Find the craft market on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Craft-Market-Bazaar-Orewa-Milford-Browns-Bay/167844503261021?id=167844503261021&sk=info 

Click Here to see the full gallery

Health Benefits of Tea: Green, Black, and White Tea

Hello from the High Tea Queen  *waves regally*

I've been drinking tea since I was about 6 years old and have turned out relatively ok (apart from the touch of insanity and slight twitches in sunlight.....I'm joking....).  I decided as the High Tea Queen that I should possibly understand what it is I'm putting into my body / temple...

'Tea' is the name normally to the hot (or cold) beverage derived from the steeping of green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea. All of these in fact come from the exact same source: the Camellia Sinensis plant, a shrub found in China and India. One of the biggest advantages of adding this product into your life is that it contains a unique antioxidant called  a 'flavonoid'. The most potent of this, known as ECGC is thought to help fight free radicals that can contribute to nasty icky conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and clogged arteries.

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Enjoy High Tea with The High Tea Queen Monique Bradley

Coming in August is a very exciting event with Monique Bradley - The High Tea Queen - presiding over a special day to be held at Brownstone in Ponsonby on August 10th from 12pm - 4pm.  There will be quiz's, games, prizes and a photographer so dressing up is totally recommended.

Tickets are $45 + a small booking fee and are strictly limited to 26 and available now at:

http://www.getalife.net.nz/events/get-out/high-tea-with-the-high-tea-queen-waves-regally

A little piece of High Tea Heaven in Napier

Greetings to you!  

Monique here, The High Tea Queen *waves regally* ready with a little story of my first NZ High Tea experience. Now, the scones, jam and cream from a can I served at the Bellevue School Fair Devonshire Tea classroom cafe in 1982 is not quite what I'm about to discuss. Nor shall I describe the countless rounds of scones I perfected in my mothers Newlands Kitchen as a child...This my darlings is something much grander:  Port O Call in Napier.  (A perfect time for an overwhelmed hush from the crowd...)

I walked into what appeared to be a shop attached to a tearoom - which it is - with a delightful array of vintage and modern vintage cups, saucers and kitcheny things that made me feel like a puppy with a new play toy. Pink, pastels, polka dots and florals everywhere delighted my visual senses so entirely that I nearly passed out, overwhelmed by the loveliness. I never knew something so lovely existed in Aotearoa!  Now, we are talking 10 years ago my dears, sometime before High Tea really became as popular as it is now. 

Napier itself is the Art Deco Capital of New Zealand so it's no surprise that a store of this nature is nestled away in it's arms.  Down by the wharf, it's name is aptly titled with a gorgeous selection of single serve tea cup, saucer and plate trio's - each with a distinct look and heritage.  Royal Doulton and the like sit beautifully among more modern pieces and each set is as unique as the customer who chooses to use it.

Thich Nhat Hanh's Tea Meditation

Hi, Monique here - with a little gem to share!

So, have you ever considered the benefits of tea drinking??

It's a well known fact that different teas have medicinal purposes associated with them, from being laden with antioxidents, to helping with weightloss and well being.

But what about meditation?  Have you considered the meditative quality of Tea?

Recently on Super Soul Sunday, Oprah Winfrey interviewed Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist.  He discusses with her the taking of tea for meditation!

Again, I'm convinced that if more people sat and drank tea together, there would be less wars and more peace....

Take a look at the trailer for the programme - very, very interesting.....

Hugs and kisses from the High Tea Queen

M 

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