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Women Howling at the Moon love

26/8/2016

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The question at the end of the last Women Howling at the Moon evening: "What did you gain from this evening?"
  • A lovely group of people and I feel a little bit LIGHTER.
  • I'm DELIGHTED I came along.
  • I really enjoyed the changes of pace and the change of venue. There's a LOT, Christine!
  • It recharges the batteries for another month. Thank you!
  • I'm so glad I came and I'll be more mindful of when to use NO, look after my work-life balance, yeah, and look at what I actually WANT to do with my life.
  • Got connected with my vision.
  • It feels really empowering. It feels magic and I feel heard, which I LIKE.
  • As a chronic people pleaser it's really important to practise saying no to some things, to say yes to what matters most.
  • Really great conversations.
  • For me, the best thing is being gentle and loving myself, and doing my best to put myself first, as I always put others first.
  • I feel very humble as always, and very grateful. This must take a lot of organising for you to provide this and share your knowledge with such beautiful wise women. Just love being here.
  • There are so many gems of wisdom that I'm putting in my pocket to take away. What might seem a throw-away line to you, I think, ooh, I'll have that one. Also when I hear people's stories about the challenges, there are so many unsung heroes amongst women. Men too, but what women are dealing with, what we say yes to, is often the because that's who we ARE and that's the job we have.
  • There's such heroism among such ordinary every day people. I reckon we have to go around praising everybody up for the simple unacknowledged things we do.
  • Lots of gold nuggets tonight. In order to truly value a relationship, you have to be really honest and value yourself first. They may not like that, and that's unfortunate.  And it's still important to do so.  
  • What really inspired me...a couple of women in their seventies in new relationships - that really gives me hope! I'm SO excited about that!! It doesn't matter when it happens, I have a few years up my sleeve!! I feel so relieved!!
  • I've really enjoyed being here tonight and thank you so much. Thank you everyone for being so kind and open and welcoming. It's been wonderful. Thank you.
  • I wish I still lived in Brisbane! (Melbourne resident)
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 The Art of Saying No (so we can say yes to what really matters)

20/8/2016

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Scenes from Union St Cafe, Spring Hill

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Above: Vikki Henry and Jay Lacey. Below left: Vikki, Pam and Jan. 
Below right: Below: guest, Penny Robertson and Yingying Chen.
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Top row, L-R: Jan Gillies, Vikki Henry, Jay Lacey; Yingying Chen, Pam Blamey, Denise Bolland.
Second row: Union St Cafe.
​Third row, L-R: Chris Henderson; Penny Robertson; Kristy Holden, Emily Cooper.
Fourth row, L-R: Janelle Manton, Kelly Qualtrough; Kelly Qualtrough and Sandy Davison.
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Above, L-R: Debbie Lacey, Jay Lacey, Janelle Manton, Maggie Barszczyk.
Left: Maria Delaney happily demonstrating clear communication and defining boundaries ;->>, with Kristy Holden. 
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Below, L-R: participant, Emily Cooper, Yingying Chen, Pam Blamey.
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Below: Lotti Young and Penny Robertson. And right, above and below: the beautiful moon and Women Howling at the Moon.
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A sisterhood has your back

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Come to the next Women Howling at the Moon to connnect with a tribe of wholehearted women who are on similar quests and who appreciate being part of a strong, supportive, loving and empowering sisterhood.
  • Next event: Wednesday 14 September. Theme: Setting boundaries that work.
  • Stay tuned for when event bookings open. 
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The Art of Saying No

20/8/2016

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Twenty women - between them spanning SEVEN decades! - recently gathered under the full moon to share their diverse experiences and examine the challenges around saying no - as well as their wisdom about what what they want - AND what makes a positive difference.

​Spanning from the late teens through to the mid seventies, and from diverse backgrounds, much of the richness and delight came from sharing and learning from their varied experiences, with a wealth of wisdom and insights and laughter contributed by all. 

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Clearly this post can touch on only a skerrick of that richness - you would simply have to be there to really get a sense, and it especially fails dismally when it comes to sharing the delight of this room of women howling at the moon.

If you missed the evening and you're interested, definitely make next month's on Wednesday 14 September... when the focus will be continued into the area of setting boundaries. 
​Meanwhile, here are a few snippets. Enjoy!
Some of the present reality challenges around saying no included...
  • In relationships, problematic areas include competing roles in life ...distance and competing demands ...complicated relationships ...being available for family health and other issues ...requests from others experienced as overly demanding ...disciplining a teen.
  • In the workplace: competition ...the past experience of saying no and having it used against me ...obnoxious team not being disciplined ...lack of clarity about roles ...lack of boundaries in the organisation ...glorification of 'busy'.
  • Ah, and as we grow older, there's the challenge of redefining (for ourselves as well as for others!) what we can do and say yes to in the face of gradually reducing mental and physical capacity and reduced capacity to multi-task. 
​Inner landscape challenges ...the underlying issues...
When we delved into the underlying issues, often the causes or crux of the matter, we identified aspects that can often be overlooked - and that need to be addressed to create a clearing for genuinely valuing of ourselves and being able to say no as we need. Top underlying factors include: 
  • Not valuing myself, putting myself last.
  • Believing and being run by our internal critic/s and self judgement.
  • Fear of hurting others ...being rejected ...failing ...standing out ...saying no to a partner ...disappointment ...saying no to family and friends and friends of friends ...fear of what if... 
  • Keeping busy so we avoid looking at or dealing with our own self, concerns etc.
  • Lack of clarity about what is wanted, and lack of boundaries for ourselves and in workplace.
  • Our perceptions and the 'story brain' we bring to situations.
  • Desire to be pleasing everyone - underpinned by early training and belief that we should always be .
​Be in action to make a difference...
  • Actively value and treat yourself with respect.
  • Practise gratitude ...and honesty and inviting honesty back ...and being open to vulnerability.
  • Acknowledge the fear: practice conscious courage ...being present in the discomfort (lean in) ...say yes and do it anyway.
  • Learn and practise negotiation in relationships.
  • Listen to your heart and your truth for what you should be saying, and be clear in stating what is wanted.
  • Generate a broader support base within the family: ask for help.
  • Take time out, pause and play the truth out! It will be perfect!
​Say NO when you need, to enable you to say YES to what matters...
Be clear in communication. Say how it is - clearly, eg: 
  • You can't rely on me tonight - I need ME time.
  • That doesn't work for me right now. 
  • I can't commit to that right now - I need to think about that.
  • I can't do it this time - maybe next time.
  • Tell me what you'd be needing. 
  • I'll check my availability and commitments and get back to you in a couple of days to let you know.
​Query whether you can let go any associated explaining and apologising, for a clear simple statement that empowers the speaker rather than introducing a sense of being controlled by external factors.
  • Practise!!!
Set up your world to support empowerment...
  • Build in regular practises to support you such as meditation ...mindfulness ...creative pursuits.
  • Set up to gain the clients I want.
  • Establish agreed explicit principles for roles and models of working. 
  • Build confidence in partner support.
  • Be organised with a schedule to be able to assess whether a request could be accommodated, if you wish to consider it.
  • Make use of resources and approaches that honour your time and your wellbeing. Eg introduce Skype to connect to family members who live a couple of hours away.

Come to the next Women Howling at the Moon to connnect with a tribe of wholehearted women who are on similar quests and who appreciate being part of a strong, supportive, loving and empowering sisterhood.
  • Next event: Wednesday 14 September. Theme: Boundaries that empower.
  • Stay tuned for when event bookings open. ​
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Deep dive: Befriending Your Inner Critic

20/8/2016

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The Women Howling at the Moon collective recently explored the notion of  Befriending Our Inner Critics.
​We identified where our inner voices stop us, strategies that work and where we'd start. At the end of the evening, when asked what they'd do differently from now on, women said:

What women would do differently from now on

  • ​Befriend and allow my inner critic to come from love.
  • Embrace my power and go for it...full out!
  • Be more me!
  • Surrender more. Celebrate joy.
  • Be mindful with my thought process.
  • Be brave.
  • Stop worrying about revealing myself

Follow up

What would YOU have said you'd want to do differently, in order to step into your potential?

How helpful it would be for you to have a community of likehearted women who really 
get you, who know your true possibility and who are a stand for you to have the result you want? ​
Download and check out:
  • My information sheet on Befriending Your Inner Critic - Ideas.
  • Nutrutionist Cherry Wills' sheet on Vital Nutrients for Thinking.
​Come to Women Howling at the Moon and connnect with a tribe of wholehearted women who are on similar quests and who appreciate being part of a strong, supportive, loving sisterhood.
  • Join a chat space online via the Facebook Women Howling at the Moon private group. 
  • Book in for the next event run by Women Howling at the Moon in Brisbane. We'll deep dive into the topic of Befriend Your Inner Critic on Wednesday 20 July. (Early bird rate and special offer available until 11 July)​​
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Book a discovery session

Book a complimentary, no-obligation 40-60 minute session via skype or in person to clarify your vision and next steps. Book via the online calendar.

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July: Scenes from Befriending Your Inner Critic

8/8/2016

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New beginnings

July's Women Howling at the Moon ​was a momentous evening on a number of levels. A beautiful moon it was indeed - and the start of a new cycle. Plus the topic was a powerful one, relevant for every individual. There was a sense of celebration as we identified what's in the way, how we wanted it to be - and what we'd do over the next month to have that happen. (See the next blog post for the evening's key points).

We welcomed many newbie howlers.

​And what we knew was on the cards, we didn't know then was that this would also be our final gathering at the lovely Three Bowls Cafe.

The cafe's owners Mo and Lynne now move onto their next phase which will undoubtedly continue to include contribution to community. Thank you both on behalf of W
omen Howling at the Moon for all your friendship, support, beautifully welcoming cafe and great cuisine. We were a great match.
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From top left, clockwise: June Norman and our final moon viewing and howling at the lovely Three Bowls Cafe; Reema Naresh, Nicole Kinnnaird and ; Wendy Kropf and Suhaila Amin-Rezaei; Kelly Qualtrough and Gail Crossley-Craven; Anita Cochrane, Sandra Stadhams and Jenny Adams. 
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From top left, clockwise: Deb Graham and Maggie Barszczyk; Cherry Wills and group in conversation; delicious Middle Eastern vegetables; Reema Naresh and Nicole Kinnaird; Reema, Nicole and Michelle Coles.
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From left to right. Top row: Christel Palmer; "Holding Yawulyu: White Culture and Black Women's Law", by Dr Zohl de Ishtar; Dr Zohl de Ishtar. Second row: Lianne Cook, Alex Daw and Libby Wilson; Libby Wilson; Regina Malia and Maria Delaney. Bottom row: Maggie Barszczyk and Diana Moore; table delights; Meredith, Tania Budd and Kristy Holden. 
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Remembering Hiroshima - and acting for a nuclear weapon free world

6/8/2016

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A nuclear weapon free world:
71 years in the making - is there an end in sight?

Today is when much of the world stops to remember the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima exactly 71 years ago. And in three days' time, the decimation of Nagasaki.

​This morning I've had the honour of facilitating an international  webinar bringing together three of the world's experts and key activists in the quest for a nuclear weapons free world. Entitled A nuclear weapon free world: 71 - years in the making - is there an end in sight?, the webinar brought together key anti-nuclear campaigners to:

1) assess the state of play of nuclear disarmament and
2) discuss how the humanitarian approach to nuclear disarmament might be just what we need to bring us closer to our goal of a nuclear weapon free world.


The speakers were Dr Helen Caldicott (right, top), Ray Acheson (Director, Reaching Critical Will, WILPF) and Daniel Högsta (Network Coordinator, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons - ICAN).

It was a powerful, illuminating event. Many of those who attended the webinar will be going on to attend or present at events in their own communities.

The video recording from the webinar still needs to be edited, however for those who attended the webinar, the link below provides the unedited reference version for your personal use, and to personally present it at a meeting. 

You may also appreciate the PDF of the slides used during the webinar.

NOTE: Please do not distribute these items yet. A final version will be distributed within the next few days.   

Meantime, enjoy, and feedback and comments will be appreciated - both about the webinar itself - AND actions that will make a difference!! What can we do? What WILL you do? 
  • Unedited webinar recording  
wilpf_webinar_-_nuclear_weapon_free_world_-_2016_08_05.pdf
File Size: 1045 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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Images, from top: The Peace Park, Hiroshima (courtesy ICAN); the three speakers Helen Caldicott, Ray Acheson and Daniel Högsta (ICAN); and two images of Hiroshima (courtesy Chris Henderson).
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    Chris is a Courage Catalyst and bold stand for women ready to claim their courage, creativity and unstoppability and achieve the powerful results they want for themselves, their personal life, their business, the world. 

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