We’re already a third of the way into the new year. If you’re anything like us, it’s a good time to review those 2015 resolutions. By now, some of ours have already been forgotten. Fortunately, it’s not too late to hop on them again. For inspiration with renewing goals to realize our dreams and passions, we caught up with Aussie Leonie Dawson. Dawson is an incredible lady with an amazing outlook on life, plus she’s a ferocious entrepreneur as author, artist and publisher of the Create Your Shining Year workbook (and a self professed giggle-snorter!). She’s definitely a VV hero!
What inspired you to create the workbook?
Leonie Dawson: I actually wrote it for myself! I was pregnant, in a cubicle job… and in the quiet period at work leading up to Christmas. I wanted to write down my goals and get the support I needed for the big year that was ahead of me, but do it in a way that was creative + loving. I’m a rainbow + unicorns style hippie, so I wanted a workbook that would resonate with me.
So I wrote + painted it up for myself. Then, I thought other peeps might find it useful, so I ended up sharing it with the world. I would have been stoked to sell 10, and that first year I sold 1000. It was nuts.
Now we’re a fully fledged publishing company six years on, and the workbook gets used by 100,000+ women.
Congrats! Were you always a goal setter?
Gosh no. I was totally a free loving go-with-the-flow hippie. It was only after I started using the workbook that I saw goals supercharged the process of manifesting my dreams.
My creative dreams + business + income took WAAAAAY off after I started doing goals properly!
What advice would you give to someone if they aren’t very good at writing goals or journaling?
Just do whatever sings to your heart. Try out bunches of things to find the creative art that does feel good. And give up on trying to make stuff that looks good.
Just do it. Do it because it feels good and it zens the mind and it makes miracles happen.
Since we’re already 3 months into 2015, what tips to have for sticking with resolutions?
1. If you haven’t written down your goals yet, WRITE ‘EM DOWN!
2. Set a recurring date in your calendar to review your goals at the start of every month.
3. Get publicly accountable. Find a group of friends.
Are there support/accountability groups to coincide with the journal? If so, where are they listed?
Good question!
1. There are bunches of Facebook groups that have been created by peeps to work through it with others.
2. Women in my Academy mastermind Facebook group works through it together as well.
3. There are lots of local groups around the world who do it as well!
Advice to women (and men) with an idea for a business, but just too afraid to pursue it?
Start. Start now. We need what you have inside you.
What do you think is the number one obstacle in manifesting dreams/career/relationship?
Your inner shi*. Honestly.
I swear by using therapy, intuitive healing + kinesiology. Gotta clear out the inner stuff + incorrect beliefs. Those are the best, fastest ways I know of doing that.
Motto you live by?
Joy is an option.
Yes, it is. Three places on your travel bucket list and why?
To be honest, I don’t have a travel bug anymore. I’ve ice-skated in Malaysia, floated down the Ganges River in India, eaten steaming hot noodles in Singapore, roadtripped all over Australia in our blue jeep with my love by my side.
And after all those adventures, I’m looking forward to just being right here now.
Not sure we’ll ever recover from the travel bug, but we can relate to wanting to stay put. What projects are your working on now?
Oh golly gosh, there’s always stuff percolating.
I’ve got bunches of new Ebooks I’ve written that I’ll be giving away over coming months – I’m a big fan of being overgenerous and sharing good stuff. A Productivity System book, a hand-illustrated zine about Hyperemesis Gravidarum (a rare pregnancy illness I suffered from), I just shared my sketchbook notes from a great business conference I just went to… lots more percolating away in the Creative Chambers.
I’ve got a video seminar “10 Steps To Creating A Million Dollar Company” that is in final stages of editing with my very handsome production assistant (that’s my husband, so I can totally sexually harass him at work—which is AWESOME!)
And you’ve got a mastermind mentorship arm of the business as well?
We’re fully redeveloping our membership site for www.shiningacademy.com and it looks so freaking delicious I want to wet my pants with joy.
I’m really bloody excited by life, honestly… Creating is my happiest place in the world!
Thanks for hanging out with us Leonie. Cheers to nine months left to create a shining year!
Check out her dream building tools at www.leoniedawson.com | YouTube.com