The day my blog became my journal...

As you may know I spent the past 2 months backpacking through South East Asia with H, my husband. Our trip was incredible; we got to see amazing places, eat incredible foods and both felt that our adventurous sides were fed in abundance, but you can read all about our travelling adventures here….what I want to share with you today is my own little blog rethink & why rethinking your blog's purpose is well worth your time!!!

Getting away from ‘it all’ is sometimes just what we all need. And for me, having scheduled all my blog-posts in advance and sold my cellphone, I knew that this time away would give me a well-needed break from the blogging, social media world.

To backtrack a little, I used to be one those types who owned a shelf of journals, and spent at least an hour a day filling these pages with thoughts, dreams, fears and prayers…but then social media stole my heart and so what was once saved for the blank pages of a book only I would read became a bit of a free for all. Running a blog is all things wonderful but like most things in life, it can start to take up more time than it needs to and so balance once again needs to be attained and prioritized.

Before leaving Korea I bought a new journal. In true Korean style, the front page reads “Someday, Dream will come true. When you are bright eyed and bushy tailed you should try to achieve your goal.” There is no other way to explain this jumble of words and adjectives that don’t fit together at all and yet still make you smile, other than, ‘welcome to English in Korea’. On purchasing this delightful bright pink journal, I knew that deep down it was going to be more than just a travel journal. It was my time to rethink this whole blogging, social media thing and come up with a new game plan.

On the 21^st Feb, the day before we left Korea, I wrote on page 1 of my new journal, “For a while now I’ve needed a new outlet for my thoughts, ideas, longings and fears, away from blogging, facebook and coaching. And here I sit having just found it. Thank you Lord.” And so began my new little journaling journey. Over the past two months I got to rethink blogging, what the purpose of my specific blog was and distinguishing between what was meant for journal space and what for blogging. This shift in thought not only gave me back a sense of privacy in my life, but it also reawaken my love for blogging and the topics I actually want to write about. So stay tuned for mixture of inspirational living, the pursuit of happiness, career advise and tips for starting your own business.

For the bloggers out there – I challenge you to spend some time today rethinking what the purpose of your blog is, why you started your blog and who your target market is. Then, according to your answers, figure out what in-fact you should and shouldn’t be blogging about. It’s not about limiting you or boxing you in, it’s all about letting go of ‘vague’ and giving your blog a stronger voice, presence and purpose!! This may mean you buying a journal like me, or possibly the opposite and maybe you are needing to give your readers more access to you and your beautiful, but either way – a little blogging-purpose rethink will remind you of your strengths, your vision and your blogging voice.  

Happy blogging…
xC

5 things I’m currently loving…

#1 – My Kindle

This is my newest technological baby and WOW is it awesome!! I was always anti e-readers as I’m very much a book person, but after trekking around two enormous books through the Philippines and then finishing them both by my four day of vacation, I realized the time had come…for me to get with the times. J

  

#2 – Picmonkey

If you are yet to explore picmonkey, you are missing out. This amazing photo-editing website is not only super user-friendly, but its FREE!!

I created my pinterest “2014 Bucketlist” using picmonkey J Check it out here!!

#3 – Embracing the moment

Having just spent the past 6 weeks exploring foreign lands, eating delicious foods and strategically planning the year ahead, I feel more rejuvenated than ever. If there is one thing I took from taking that big chunk out of my life to spend travelling, it was to embrace the moment. To be there, fully, all of me. No mind-wandering, no worrying-thoughts. Embracing the time we had set aside for such a time as this!

#4 – Mailchimp

This has got to be my favourite online tool. Mailchimp is the resource I use to send all of my emails and blog newsletters; it allows me design them beautifully and the best part is that I can schedule all my emails for months to come. This was my saving grace while travelling over the past two months, as I knew my emails and newsletters would go out, without me even having to be near a computer.

#5 – The prospect of seeing my family later this month

This one genuinely makes me feel all fuzzy inside. After 14 months away from home, the prospect of seeing family so soon is overwhelmingly wonderful! I cannot wait J

Bucket list: Tick number 1

I’m a go-getter. I’d like to think that people would describe me as embracing life with all I have and am. And so, yes, I made my 2014 Bucket List public. That may seem insignificant, but for me, it meant action. 

As I wrote in my blog post, Defining your dreams, “It's easy to head in a general direction of your dreams...but being 'general' and not 'specific' will mean that one day down the line, we will never really get that, 'Oh my gracious, I am living MY dream" feeling.” And so, with this in mind, I decided to name and claim my dreams. And that started with 2014.

So as you may know, my husband and I are currently backpacking through South East Asia, currently in Vietnam. Today I’ve taken the day off ‘adventuring’ to blog, and plan, and work on a new e-course I’m putting together.

So, with some time on my hands I thought I’d do a little Bucket List check-in on my blog – this way you get to hold me accountable to the dreams that I long to fulfill too. If you haven’t seen my 2014 bucket list yet then click here!!

So number 1 was to “Spend a day exploring Angkor Wat Temples, Cambodia". It’s funny how life works; a couple years back something like wandering through ancient temples would have had absolutely no appeal to me, but as one does, I have changed over the years and so adventuring around these beautiful temples built so long ago, was added to my 2014 Bucket List. And wow, it really was so worth the visit. We opted to do the ‘tour’ via tuk-tuk rather than cycling (our original plan) due to a few reasons, one being the heat (crazy) and were so glad we chose this option. My husband and I tend to do most things at speed and so slowly we’re trying to slow down and really take in each moment, to be there, fully. And that’s really what this day was all about.

We stood marveling at these massive stone temples, so ancient that huge trees have grown right through their walls, both in awe of life and beauty and that moment!!

To stop and really see, is an art that I’m attempting to marvel. This tick off my bucket list will be remembered as one of the segments in time, when all stood still and I was there, enveloped in history.  

2 years of Marriage...pure joy!!!

Today is my 2 year Anniversary and so today I want to take the liberty to share with you all the joy that marriage has brought me!

2 years ago today, I said I do, but never did I imagine that marriage could be THIS good!! I recently shared my thoughts on marriage & adventure in my "Adventure begins at I do" post, today I want to acknowledge the two years that have passed and all I am grateful for!!! 
Our first year of marriage was fun and exciting, and NEW!! We’d never lived together so marriage brought with it plenty excitement and new beginnings…but it was tough at times too. Lots to adjust to, so many opinions to listen to, but all in all a good year.

And then came 2013, our year abroad. When we said goodbye to sunny SA and to our families and special friends, we had no idea what was in store for our marriage on the journey that lay before us. This year away has been many wonderful things, but the greatest gift it has given us is ‘time’. Time to stop and appreciate each other. Time to explore this beautiful world together. Time to sit, to relax and to enjoy each other’s company. Time away from opinions of others and expectations; time to figure out who we are as a unit, away from it all. Time to love, each other!!

I will look back at our second year of marriage and will always be thankful for this time we had to step back from the craziness of life, and just BE, together. I am pretty independent and like to be in control, always, and yet marriage has taught something new this year – it has taught me that dependence on another is not weak, but instead it is what we call ‘trust’. To depend on someone else is to give them your life and to say I know you’ll protect it with care. I’m not ashamed anymore that I am dependant on my husband. Yes, I LOVE Jesus and He is where my identity lies…but never have I felt such real and raw emotion as I do for my husband, my H. 

And so yes my love – you are the one! And I am so incredibly grateful for you in my life!!!

You can watch our Wedding Video Preview {3min clip} here!

AND 

You can see more of our wedding pics & find out how he proposed here!!

What’s on your reading list??

Right now, as you read this, I’ve just began my 6 week backpacking trip through South East Asia, currently in Cambodia, with my husband {En-route home to SA}J And of course with trips like these, come long bus rides, overnight trains, and plenty chilling out on the beach days…and so YES that’s where books come in!!

I love reading. There is something so special about getting lost in another world, not being able to put a book down…even reading as you walk to the bathroom…or is that just me?J

With our 2 month South East Asia trip on the horizon, I decided to conform and asked my hubby for a kindle for my birthday. No more trekking 6 books in my hand luggage, just in case I finish the first 5!! 

So, today I thought I’d share with you some of my favourite books of all time and then ask you to comment below with recommendations of good reads for me and my blog followers.

I can’t say I’m into any specific genre of book, although I do find autobiographies or anything to do with History, rather boring. I love stories with strong main characters, people willing to risk their lives for others, people fighting for a greater cause.

Here are my 5 all time BEST reads:

1.   The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I’m not big on fantasy, but oh my goodness these three books are riveting!! Even if you’ve seen the movies already, the books are still worth reading!! I read the entire third book on a 4 hour plane trip to the Philippines a few months ago {It’s THAT good}!

2.   Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

This love story, based on a story from the Bible, is just beautiful. It’s all about forgiveness, betrayal and deep acceptance. I cried numerous times while reading it, and I'm not the reading crying type. A beautiful story that will challenge your views on view, acceptance, commitment and even marriage.

3.   Eat, Pray, Love

Dare I say more. This is an all time favourite of mine!!! Being pretty self reflective myself, I just loved her sense of adventure and all that she embraced as she journeyed through three incredible countries, learning so much about herself as she went along. It was this book, that inspired us to go to Bali on our Honeymoon!!

4.   House Rules by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult is my favourite author, and meeting her in person in South Africa in 2012 was an utmost privilege. Being an author who puts in a lot of research into each of her books, this novel based on a teenage boy who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, who keeps showing up at crime scenes, was absolutely brilliant. A real eye-opener into the world of someone who struggles with a syndrome such as Aspergers.  

5.   The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers

The first of these novels, A Voice in the Wind, transports you back to Jerusalem during the first Jewish-Roman War, some seventy years after the death of Christ; however this is no way a boring history book. Through out this novel, you not only fall in love with the main character Hadasah, a slave girl, and you journey with her as she stands up for what's right, loves without condition and faces the worst of circumstances. The next books, follow on from where book 1 ends off, and the story only gets more riveting!!

Although based in Christian times, these three books should and must make it onto your reading list if you're someone who values justice, has a love for the poor and who's heart resonates with those fighting for a greater cause.

Now, it’s your turn. Please share some of your favourite books with me and my readers. Personally, I’m dying to download some new books on my kindle and get reading J

A peak into my world...a little snowy photo shoot!!

Today I decided to give you a peak into my world…not my career-world but rather my ‘me’ world!!! In December, my husband and I had the privilege of being in front of the camera of AMAZING South African photographer,Ilze Louw Schlebusch.

I thought you may enjoy browsing through a few pics of me and H on a normal, snowy Korean day!! 

Click here to see the rest of our couple shoot!!

PS – Ilze is SO talented and has just moved back to South Africa, YAY!!!!!! Hurry over to her website to book your shoot J 

                                    Website               Facebook

5 lessons we can learn from kids…

As I enter my final week as an elementary school teacher, I thought I’d share with you some life lessons that I’ve learnt from these sweet things…

#1 – Don’t take life so seriously

It’s OK to laugh at silly things, even things you don’t understand. It’s ok to ask for advice when you need it. It’s OK to cry sometimes, when someone hurts you. It’s ok to hold your best friends hand today, even if she may not be your best friend tomorrow. It’s ok.

#2 – Believe you can be and do anything

I love this video clip. It epitomizes children and their lack of exposure to a world that shouts, ‘don’t dream too big, in fear that you may fail’. I LOVE this. Recently while running one of my Happiness Project courses, a client mentioned how she remembers believing so fully in herself when she was younger, and she asked, what we feel went wrong. My old self would have answered ‘you grew up’, but how depressing is that, as if growing up means giving up??!! Yes, as we get older, we tend to get more cynical, we see that life isn’t always rainbows and butterflies, and this brings with it a sense of ‘settling’. Settling for less than our best, in fear that ‘life’ will catch up with us, and we’ll fail miserably. But it doesn’t have to look that way.

It is my belief that you truly can be anything you want to be. The choice is yours. YES there will be set-backs, some that may cost you, but ultimately dreams do require sacrifice, and with sacrifice comes added joy!

#3 – It’s ok to have no problems

Ever had one of those moments when you’re desperately searching your brain for something that ‘must’ be wrong? I mean everything can’t be fine, surely??!! I’ve had so many of these days, days when I genuinely feel bad for loving life. Odd right? I mean since when should we feel guilty for living full, beautiful lives.

Embrace that beautiful life of yours today!! And go show it off to the world!

#4 – Be honest, and forgive quickly

My Grade 4’s are my absolute favourites! Every week at least one argument will break out in class and yet by the end of class, all is forgotten and forgiven. Saying what’s on your mind is such a refreshing way to live. Be kind with your words, but be honest too and always place a high value on forgiveness.

#5 – Look for the good in everything

It’s easy to find joy in doing things that we love, but what isn’t so easy is looking for good in the things that aren’t always peachey. If you ask my students whether they love school, I can guarantee you that there’d be mixed opinions but for the most part, a solid “no” would be adequate. And yet still, everyday, as I walk the final 200m to school, I see kids running from every direction. They may not ‘love’ school, but there are indeed elements of school that bring them so much joy. They run to school because that’s where their friends are and that’s enough to get them breaking into a sprint.

May we learn to find elements of joy in everything we do!!

Every journey begins where you stand...

Personally, I love writing titles like this one as it does one of two things to all of us. It either comes as a huge encouragement, a nudge in the direction you are already leaning towards, or it comes as a massive wake up call. One you want to avoid, run miles from and if all fails, just dig hole and hide from it all.

Whatever your situation is, I’m here to encourage you that today is a BIG day for you, whether you know it or not. Today, there is only a future and a present. Today, you get to remember the past, but not travel there. Today, you get to start a new journey, one that leads you forward.

It’s easy to get stuck in the past, I know I did this for years. On numerous occasions, I would find myself introducing myself to people by referring to my past…be it failures, life lessons, achievements, where I went to school…you get the gist. I’ve always been a future oriented person, but still I found that I was leaning a bit too much on my past, and not so much on what I had right now, today, in this moment.

And then one day, I hit a serious low, and landed up having to deal with all my baggage, successes {and the in-betweens of my past}, and during those few weeks I realized that as much as my past would always be a part of me, I refused to let it determine my future any longer. I’d like to say that from that moment, I chose happiness. I chose a future that would start today…but it wasn’t that simple. As with most mind-shifts, it’s taken a good couple years for me to really start living this notion out. And the closer I move to letting go of what is behind {what hand life dealt me}, the closer I get to the life I always longed for, a life with no excuses, no regrets, no what-ifs…a life where I choose to step into all that is and will be.

I’m not anti focusing on the past; memories are a gift that I deeply treasure, life-experience is the foundation of who I am, and psychology had its part to play in helping me let the past rest where it was made. But who I will be tomorrow, will not be determined by what ifs, if only’s, woe-is-me’s or worries. No…who I will be tomorrow is dependent on who I am today, what I choose to acknowledge, let go of, embrace and for me {a real biggey} allow my thoughts to ponder on.

Here is a link to a free coaching printable I created, to help you acknowledge where you are at today, and to deal with niggling thoughts that won’t seem to go away…

The best people to be around are those who embrace today, who give no excuses for who they are, what they stand for, or look like or feel. It is my hope that I will one day be one of those people…

     

  Click to tweet

Adventure begins at "I do"!!!

As I begin to process the reality that I only have three weeks in Korea, the nostalgia kicks in and naturally I reflect on this crazy adventure that I call life..so here goes. If I could sum up the past year in a few words they would be, “It’s always better when we’re together…”

Wait; let’s back track a little...

It all began when I got married the week before my 23rd Birthday. Yes, at the ripe age of 22. Now my guess is that you will fall into one of two categories: either your thoughts just lingered on “Good for you” or “OMG, you poor thing settling down so young”. I can’t fault either of these opinions, I mean I had “If that’s what you feel is right for you then go for it” to “But Caity, you’re so young. You still need to travel and meet people”, and that was just within my immediate family.

I felt in so many ways as if the world portrayed marriage as a simple “settling down” and that meant one thing and one thing only, BOREDOM!! And so, apparently, in an attempt to escape fate and avoid boredom, you need to {no rather YOU MUST} travel, get all the adventure out of your system before you say your “I do’s”.

If, however, you’re going to get married young then the least you can do is to act mature, and buy a home, have kids and agree to utter “Oh, If only I was your age…”, whenever something exciting presents itself. When I walked down the aisle two years ago, tears streaming down my cheeks as I stared into the eyes of the man I would spend the rest of my life with, the last thing I imagined was boredom. No, instead I imagined adventuring together, laughing, having kids and buying home and embracing every dream we ever dreamt, together! Yes, we’d settle down, but settling down would never mean “settling”, instead it would mean adventure!!

If there’s one thing that calls for every man and his dog’s opinion, greater than marriage at 22, it’s announcing that you’re going to leave your stable jobs, Hendrik (aged 30) and me (24), and move abroad to travel, and grow and adventure together.

I completely get why parents advise their kids to travel while they’re young. I understand that once you’re married, bought a home, had kids and formed community that it’s hard to just up and leave, and yes yes yes, it makes all the sense in the world to travel and embrace your more wild/adventurous self before you reach that season of life. But in saying that, it’s also 100% possible to break the mould, and to go with what feels right for you. I’m not saying get married at 22, nor am I saying that you have to wait until you’re 41 – this is your journey and no one has a right to dictate what season you need to be in and when.

There is a freedom that comes when you choose to take life by the horns and say “This is my life, I will live it to the full”. It’s more than just liberating; it gives you wings to fly. There is so much to say for travelling the world alone, and I’m all for it, but looking back over our journey now, I genuinely could not have dreamed of a better adventure, together. Seeing the world, meeting amazing people from different lands, races and cultural groups, experiencing all the emotions that come with being away from home and going through the motions of experiences that challenge your world-view, are all things that I got to experience this past year; but greater than all that is knowing that the man I will wake up next to for the next 60 years was there walking this journey alongside me. For me, memories shared are memories treasured.

We are all on our own journey and whatever that looks like for you; it is beautiful to the one who created you, who birthed those dreams in your heart and who finds such joy in watching them come to being. Follow your heart. And choose wisely those who will have a say in your future; if I had listened to the many voices along this journey, I would never have found myself here, in Korea, about to adventure off on 2 month trip around South East Asia, a month before my 25th birthday, married and more at peace than ever before.

For me, “It’s always better when we’re together”. For you, it may look different….but whatever it does look like, always {always} be true to you! 

2014 Bucket List Printable...

With 2014 being only 1 sleep away {yippee}…I thought I’d share a FREE little ‘2014 Bucket List’ Printable with you.

Click here to download the girl’s version…

OR

Click here to download the boy's version...

PS – Want a peak at what my 2014 Bucket List looks like?? Sign up on my website for email updates and you’ll get a peak at my Bucket List for next year as well as receive a FREE “Tips for starting your own business” E-book early in the new year!!

Finally…have you set your goals for 2014 yet??? Needing some inspiration and direction – click here to find out more about my Rise & Shine {Making 2014 your best year yet} Workshop on the 8^th Feb!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR…

My Year of 1sts....

Another year has passed and this year I can genuinely say, it was one of my best!! Instead of boring you with a few general festive season wishes, I thought I’d share with you how 2013 became my year of firsts:

January – First time I had to say goodbye to my parents, knowing I may not see them for up to a year {A big thing for me}

February - My husband, Hendrik, and I boarded a plane headed for South Korea, and thus began my first year living abroad.

March - H and I celebrated our first marriage Anniversary. Marriage is by far the greatest blessing in my life!!

April - My first ever full month of being a teacher!

May - I walked across the sea. Read more here!!

June - I officially launched my blog, little did I know what joy awaited me!!

July – I gave my first Inspirational talk, at the GIC, under my company’s name!!

August - My blog became a website – my first ever!!!

September - I ran my first road full marathon! Here's the full account...

October - Launched my first ever Group Coaching Program, The Happiness Project. The first of many.

November- I led my first ever Blog Collaboration. I received such great feedback that I can’t wait to continue with this series!!

December - My first Christmas away from our families.

What an incredible year it has been!!! 

On that note, I want to wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and we’ll chat again in the New Year!!!

 Finally...Here are my top 6 blog posts from 2013:

   - I eat my breakfast standing up

   - The what next syndrome

   - Tips to create a healthy lifestyle & a gorgeous bod

   - Creative Business Tips Series

   - Choose your inner circle wisely

   - Why not take the stairs

With every ending comes a new beginning…

It is with a happy heart that I want to announce…

I’m coming home!!!

Yes, it’s official, after the most phenomenal year of living abroad in a country {South Korea} that I have grown to love so much, we have decided to end this season on a high and move back to the place where we belong. South Africa.

It has taken me some time to get to a place where I can confidently, and with peace in my heart, announce our return next year!! My heart has really grown to love Korea and it’s people so much. Time away from the craziness of routine, responsibilities and comfort zones has given us {my husband and I} time to not only grow, but to flourish. I will forever be thankful for this season that brought us so much perspective about life, faith, marriage, our dreams and reality.

But in saying all this, it is in South Africa that we belong and thus there is, of-course, great excitement in coming home. To the place we love, the beaches we have missed, the friends who are more like family, and then of-course our families who we love so dearly.

Where are we heading to?? Well, that’s as much a secret to me as it is to you J No, I’m kidding {well kind-of}, right now we are waiting for a few things to fall into place, especially career-wise for my husband…but in saying that, our hearts are really set on returning to the Cape, and it is our greatest prayer that God will open the doors for us there.

For me…the freedom and time I had on my hands while living in Korea gave me one of the greatest gifts of all. The freedom to dream..and with those dreams came the birthing of my company, Caitlyn de Beer Life Coaching. I have been blown away by the incredible response I have received in Korea, and I have learnt so much from coaching people from literally all over the world. I have also had time to develop a number of workbooks and courses which I cannot wait to launch next year.

And with that…YES, I will coaching full-time next year!!! And I cannot wait!

Are you wanting 2014 to be your BEST year yet?? Then sign up on my website for weekly email updates. In Dec, I will be opening up 10 spaces for clients to sign up for Personal Coaching/ Career Coaching packages for months April – June 2014, as well as launching the first SA version of 'The Happiness Project'.

Want to know more about {The HappinessProject}…then visit my blog on Monday, where I will be sharing comments from clients who have just finished the first ever run of this course, as well as sharing dates for the next course J It is also possible to put your own group together {Read more here} and contact me to run these sessions with you. As a ‘thank you’ from me, for contacting me with your complete group, you will also all receive a nice little group discount J Sessions can be done both over skype or face-to-face, so don’t let space or time limit your search for happiness!!

Have a GREAT Thursday and thanks for reading along!!! I SO appreciate your comments, inbox messages and emails.

PS – Sign up on my website for email updates and you will receive an AMAZING free newly-compiled ebook on “Creative Business Tips” late next month.

PPS - Are you following our 'Creative Business Tips' series?? {Click here} to find out more...

Love C

x