Turning 30: Week 28 - Discipline vs Regret

“We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret and disappointment.” - Jim Rohn

When I read this quote in an article about how to write 300,000 words a year (by Chris Guillebeau), it really struck a chord with me. Last week I started going to a scriptwriting workshop to finally have an incentive and a deadline to write my script. I stumbled upon Chris's blog while procrastinating and figuring out how to actually sit down and write the script.

Regret is such a strange emotion. It doesn't serve any real purpose other than motiving us to do things differently next time. For me that very rarely works. It's more likely that I find myself in a never ending circle of regrets. But Rohn's quote got me thinking that if I change how I look at work I can decide if it's worth the regret later.

Woody Allen said that "80 percent of success is just showing up". Meaning that success it's not really about being a genius, it's about sitting down and doing the work. And look at him, he releases a new film every year! As soon as one is at the cinemas, he starts writing the next one. I have so much respect for Woody's work ethics! 

Some suggestions on how to actually get things done:

• Turn your internet off (or at least use a program that bans you from using social media)!
• Set a timer for 45 minutes. You can trick your mind by saying 'it's only 45 mins' and you'll be surprised at how much you can get done in that time! According to John Cleese, you should stay put even if you don't have any ideas right now. Stare at the screen for 45 minutes if you have to but don't get distracted and start doing something else. After the 45 minutes, if you're having fun, set the timer again!
• Make it a habit! Write (draw, sew or whatever you want to do) every day. If possible even at the same time. It might be difficult to force yourself to be disciplined for a couple of weeks but as soon as something becomes a habit, it's not really discipline anymore but a way of life. 

Personally I'm going to hang both of those quotes above my desk, so that the next time I can't get myself to do something, I'll be reminded that I have a choice: To sit down and do it anyway or to live with the regret of not having done it!

How do you get yourself to be more productive?

Turning 30: Week 27 - How to Improve your Networking Skills

Why is it that Networking is so damn difficult? Any marketing genius will tell you that networking is the key to success. From Scott Dinsmore saying that 'you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with' to Derek Severs saying that 'It's all who you know' we constantly hear that we need to expand our network to be more successful.

I set off to go to the International Short Film Festival in Hamburg last week, in part, to do just that! Meet some new people in the (short) film industry and, of course, to get inspired by the films to make more of my own. I was all excited to get to know interesting filmmakers and talk about possible future collaborations.

But when I got there, I froze. I mustered up the courage to congratulate a few directors on their great work but only chatted with them for a few minutes before panicking and excusing myself. They seemed busy and I didn't want to keep them from talking to their friends or whoever they were with. So silly, right?!

To be better prepared for future networking events, I came up with a list of things to do:

1. Mentally prepare a few questions before approaching the person! 

Instead of just walking up and saying "Cool film/painting/photo!" already have a few open ended questions prepared (none that can be answered with yes or no). "What inspired you to have the cowboy ride a dog instead of a horse?" or "My favorite part was when the penguin drank the mojito! How did you manage to have him use a straw?"

2. You are valuable to them!
Don't think that you're bothering your fellow creatives. They might be looking to collaborate with someone just like you, you might have some insights to their work that could be interesting to them or you might know people that they want to connect with. Don't be shy about approaching them, know that knowing you is going to be good for them.

3. Have a business card!

This seems pretty obvious but I personally don't have business cards (yet) so I thought I'd include it here. If the person you're talking to wants to stay in touch with you, it's just easier to give them your card with your email, website and phone number on it instead of explaining why your Facebook name is Princess Jasmine but your real name is Raj Koothrappali (let me just spell that for you).

4. Be memorable!

This is almost a life hack. Be awesome, be memorable. You can wear memorable clothes, glasses, or hairstyles but most importantly say interesting stuff. When you approach someone to talk about their work, make the conversation about them. Compliment their work (of course only if you really like it) but also talk about yourself a bit. Tell them what cool thing you've recently worked on or that you've just come back from a trip to Antarctica. Obviously don't be arrogant about it.

5. Be thoughtful and listen!

Really listen to what the other person is saying. Don't just nod your head and think about how you can impress them next. Listen and react to what they're saying. It will make the conversation much better and more meaningful. 

Number 6, which should probably be number 1 is: have fun! Enjoy meeting new people, you don't have to be scared! They are just human and are most likely just as intimidated by networking as you are. 

Have a wonderful week everyone! Vanessa xx

5 Ways to Get an Easy Win

Sometimes you just need a win. My friend Jon and I were talking about that a little while back when we were both feeling down. We were both longing for something to just go right, to just have one win. 

Here a 5 fun ways to achieve fairly easy wins to lift your spirits. Once you feel better it'll be easier to get those big wins you want as well. 

1. Take a Yoga Class
It's amazing how stiff our bodies can get and how over the course of one yoga class the body melts and loosens. Your first forward fold might feel awkward and a bit painful but at the end of the class your spine will be soft and you'll be able to bend over so much further. Win!

2. Play a Computer Game
Shoot some birds at some pigs or fire plants at zombies. Whatever kind of phone or computer game you like, play it for a bit. This might not be a 'life win' but it'll give you the satisfaction of having achieved something. Win!

3. Add new Tiny Habits
Tiny Habits was created by BJ Frogg. He shows you how you can create new habits by starting with very small changes. I recently took part in a one week challange of adding 3 tiny habits to my day and it was great! I'm still doing 2 out of the 3 weeks later. It's super easy and only takes 30 seconds a day per habit. Win!

4. Challenge your Brain
Do a Sudoku or a crossword puzzle. The key is that it has to be challenging but not impossible. Don't start with the New York Times crossword puzzle if you're not used to it, go with something that will make you think but that you can finish. Win!

5. Chose the Salad over the Pizza
If you're like me and want to eat healthy but tend to go for the unhealthy option at restaurants, make the 'good' choice next time you go! Take the salad or the soup instead of the pasta or pizza. It'll feel great. Win!

Turning 30: Week 26 - The Half Way Point

Happy Monday Everyone! While typing the title, I only just realized that I'm half way through my Turning 30 Project! I'm quite glad that I get to celebrate it with a movie styled photo shoot because a big part of the project is for me to live a more creative life. 

But let's be honest about how the project is going:

The project started at a point where I was very unhappy with myself and my life. I had a day job that I really didn't like, I was pretty depressed most of the time and felt very stuck. Looking at the first video back in November, you can see how unsure of myself I was at the time and how my goal was really more of an unattainable dream. 

After realizing that I could live off my savings for a while and quitting my job, it became clear to me that even though quitting felt great I was just completely out of balance. Unfulfilled. 

In step 1, the hoarding stage, I gathered lots of information about how to live a fuller life. Realizing that I was generally unhappy and that no job would change that, I started eating better, doing yoga, treating others and myself in a kinder way, along with more positive changes. 

Step 2 was to get as much information about marketing and self marketing as I could. If you're interested, I'd be happy to share my research with you soon. Now I am sort of at step 3, where I already feel much better about my life and myself and I am really happy most of the time (how cool is that?!). I am now (a bit too) slowly using my newly learned marketing skills to promote myself as an actress.

I still have doubts about my future and still don't know how or if I can live off acting (or another creative job) by the end of the year but I am in such a different place. I can already say that this project has helped me immensely. A big part of that was your support, so thank you so much! Please don't hesitate to ask me any questions about the 30 project, I'm more than happy to pass on what I've learned and inspire you to start living a happier life as well! 

Some exciting news: 
1. The Winner of the iPad Mini Giveaway is Rachele of the Nearsighted Owl. Congrats!
2. The lovely Beautycalypse was kind enough to interview me for her blog. Check it out.

Get Inspired by Gourmet Food at the KaDeWe

Hello lovelies, as much as I love food I find it difficult to always come up with new recipes. We end up eating a variation of the same meal all the time which can get boring quickly. Of course cook books are great for inspiration, that's what they're there for (duh!). 

But what I like to do is check the frozen and prepared food isle at whatever shop I'm at. I never buy that stuff but it can give me great inspiration for what to cook. This time I took it a step further and went to the gourmet food section of a big and fancy department store here in Berlin called KaDeWe.

I'm such a foodie and love beautifully prepared food, so this was super fun for me. I got a ton of inspiration that I'm hoping to share with you over the coming weeks. 

Where do you get your recipe inspiration from?

Turning 30: Week 25 - Be a Doer not a Talker!

Hey guys and mostly girls! It's Monday and there is no video! Whaaaat?! I have some shocking news for you: I will not be making weekly video updates of my Turning 30 Project anymore. I may still make some once in a while but not every week. I can practically hear you sobbing in front of your screens now. I'm sorry! Not to worry though, I'll keep posting updates on Mondays but written, not filmed.

What brought me to this difficult decision? As much as I loved making the videos they took a long time to make. Roughly about one day each from start to finish. So each week I spent one day making a video where I talked about what I could/should/would do. After a few readers said that I'd make a great life coach, I freaked! 

I don't want to inspire you by talking about cool stuff, I want to inspire you by DOING cool stuff! So, I've decided to spend that one day on creating things that I love and hopefully that you'll enjoy, too. That could be anything: short films, photos, drawings, writing or whatever else seems fun. I'm so excited! Let others be the talkers, let us be the doers!  

Have a wonderful and creative week, everyone. Vanessa xx

P.S. Thank you so much peeps who filled out the tiny survey about me last week. It really helped! It's still open and only takes 2 minutes. Just click HERE. Thank you!

Healthy Eating: Recipe for Spring Pea Soup - Vegetarian or Vegan and Gluten Free

After my Coco Choc Ball recipe was such a success, here is another one. This time nice and hearty. This is actually a traditional German recipe (with a healthy, vegetarian twist) but I got the idea from Lisa of Whole Health Designs. A modified recipe was part of my cleanse. I called it Spring Soup cause I made it first in the Spring but you can eat it anytime of the year. 

This is what you need (Serves 2):
Use organic ingredients where you can.

- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (or to taste)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cups fresh or frozen peas
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 vegan or vegetarian sausages
- lemon juice to taste
- Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- optional: bread

And here is how to make it:

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot and sauté the onion in it for a couple of minutes. Add the peas and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat an let it simmer for 15 minutes. While that is happening, cut the vegetarian/ vegan sausages into small pieces and fry them in the remaining oil. After the 15 minutes are up, use a ladle to put half the soup in a blender. Puree until it's smooth and pour it back into the pot. Stir it together, then add the sausages and lemon juice, sea salt and ground pepper to taste. Have it with or without bread.

P.S. Have you all entered the iPad Mini giveaway? You have until the 30th of May to do so. Good luck!