Rest Reset Create: A Mid-Year Reset and Reflection with Leonie Henzell.

As we have ticked over halfway through our 2019 journey, it had me reminiscing on the year that had just passed. Whilst 2018 was an interesting and memorable year, it is lovely to look back and absorb all of the key learnings. I took a significant break that year. It was a wonderful chance to re-invent how I want to live my life. An opportunity that was to rest, reset and create. Now in my 2019 journey, these visions are in the processes of execution. I am now looking back on these lessons; reflecting upon the progress I have made personally and professionally. In 2018, I was blessed with the luxury of time. Time to choose what I wanted to do and time to construct a new framework for moving forward. Everything in my life was up for review. It was only then did I take some time to rest, that I could clearly appreciate the toll that my frantic pace over many years has taken. During this time, I asked myself a sequence of questions with a view to truly embark on a journey of change. Now, a year on, I have asked myself to review these questions again:    “What do I want to do differently?" “What sort of person do I want to be now and in 5 years?” "How do I create a more sustainable lifestyle?" Running hard for many years had affected my ability to be free and creative.  I had to be structured and set aside thinking time to be creative. Sometimes, it was difficult to find the dedicated time to dream, imagine, design campaigns and product ranges. Inherently, I see myself as being creative. I have the ability to visualise what the end product looks like and can find like-minded people to help me bring my vision to life. Always running at 100% just didn’t allow my creative mindset to flourish throughout the day. One of the main goals of taking a break was to really focus on getting creative again.  Once again, my pace has accelerated with my two companies, Beauty’s Got Soul and sister company Soul Baby Gifts launching this year. Maintaining my creativity and health whilst running a marathon with two brand babies by my side, has been a joyful challenge, filled with gratitude. Here are my top 5 tips that helped me sync with my ‘creative side’ once again. 1. Sleep like a baby. Dear sleep, I love you so much. I am willing to do whatever it takes to get my beauty sleep. I am a ‘tucked in by 9:30pm’ kind of girl for lights out at 10pm. I do love to play a few rounds of ‘word cookie’ in this time zone. If you love words, you might like to try this app…or not. Playing this for 10 mins or so makes me soooo tired and I am finally ready for lights out. Getting a full 8 hours is my goal. Any later than 10pm, or any less that 7 hours of sleep, and I am acutely aware of the difference in my energy levels and productivity the following day. I have the sweetest little tweeting bird alarm to wake me up in the morning. I am pretty much ready to wake up and start my day before the alarm goes off. P.S. It helps to be blessed with kids who are all grown-up and my sleep is largely un-interrupted.   2. Create something. I love to imagine what something is going to look like and try to create it. I am such a big fan of the quad ruled or graph paper. Tiny squares on a notebook seem to draw out my creative juices. The humble HB pencil, metal sharpener, rubber and quad paper are my go-to tools for initial brand and product creation. Sometimes I wish I was a graphic designer and have seriously thought about adding this to my study list. For now, I use consistent communication with graphic designers to bring my ideas to life. In planning and dreaming about my new beauty business, I got started on quad paper. I quickly moved to balsamiq and then got a real graphic designer to create the photoshop files. Syncing these files to Invision for the developers to see was a great way to allow collaborative input. Balsamiq served a great purpose as a human without graphic design capability. It allowed communication of high-level concepts and created structure for others. 3.  Learn something. I do love to learn! 2018 was the year to formally study Corporate Governance at the Australian Institute of Company Directors. For those who have done the course, you will know that there is a lot of pre-reading and assessments to complete. The major learning and awareness piece for me has been around the ‘director mindset’. I know that I will be a better business Director and Board Member having done this course.  Once starting a new business, no matter how experienced you are, there will be new learning every single day. A growth mindset and openness to learn new strategies or a new tech piece will be an everyday occurrence. Embrace it. I have also taken to Audible books whilst walking, driving and doing the laundry. I don’t like the feeling of wasting time; so audio books are great when faced with the reality of life. Someone still has to do the laundry. 4.  Calm the mind. For me the best way to clear my mind was to create the absence of so many ‘things to do’. So, I asked myself some serious questions. These questions helped me stay focussed and productive. My Favourite Top 5 Audio Books from 2018 are: 1. High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become that Way by Brendon Burchard 2. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell 3. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie 4. Exactly What to Say: The Magic Words for Influence and Impact by Phil Jones 5. Slicing Pie by Mike Moyer My Top 5 ‘Dear Self’ questions: What is your intention for today? What must you get done today for this to be a great day? What can you say no to? What can you get others to do? What sort of person are you going to be today? Exercise also played a key role for me in calming the mind. My go-to favourites were a combination of reformer Kx Pilates, long 1-hour walks and Asana Rebel for yoga and stretching. I also really benefited from using the Buddhify mindfulness app. There are heaps of calming and mindful meditations for sleep, overwhelm, gratitude, etc. I particularly like the walking meditations. They make me feel productive with my time. There is one meditation that is so sweet. As you are walking past other people, the meditation guides you to wish others well … in your mind... not out loud. That would be weird.  This stopped me from thinking about myself and my situation. It helped changed my mindset to be caring and thinking about others. Clever! I also like a good old-fashioned chat to myself in the second person when things are seemingly off track. I need to give myself a pep talk. I find this best done in front of a mirror. I also have managed to keep my mind calm with well-planned activity for the execution of tasks. Intense planning involving weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual plans for my priorities. I create corresponding lists of the activities required to achieve these goals. Just working on the list at hand helped me to not get overwhelmed and distracted by what needed to happen in a few months’ time. I got this brilliant reminder and understanding from an Entrepreneurs Organisation Learning day. One of Verne Harnish’s four ‘scaling up’ pillars; Execution. Easy to learn, but the real growth for me came from putting the learning into practise. 5.  Make & drink medicinal bluices. I love to combine ingredients that are known to be very good for you. I have little concern for how they taste which may come as a surprise. So, the result can be some pretty disgusting bluices that are really good for my body. Define bluice please, I hear you say: “A bluice is a cross between a smoothie and a juice. Everything that goes into the Vitamix gets blitzed and consumed.” Literally the best gift I ever received was a Vitamix. Now I know that kitchen appliances should never be considered excellent gifts; but this one somehow is an exception to the rule.  Here are my top 10 ingredients for my bluices that are basically either added fresh or frozen:  1. Coconut Water 2. Almo Almond Milk 3. Kale 4. Celery 5. Blueberries 6. Bananas - the ones that have black skins. 7. Matcha powder 8. Lemon juice 9. Fresh Ginger 10. Raw Beetroot I also love mango, raspberries, apple, spinach, cucumber, frozen acai and spices like cayenne pepper and turmeric. I like to make these in the morning. I serve one up to anyone else in my family who is game. With personal development as my focus for 2018, my 2019 goal is to maintain the learnings and structure that I curated for myself.  I would love to hear some of your top tips too. DM me if you use any of these or have some extra-special advice. Bonus points if you send me a photo of your bluice. Published on 17/08/2019 by Leonie Henzell CEO beauty's got soul.

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Top 5 Tips for Self Care by Soul Baby Gift CEO

Top 5 Tips for Self Care We all deep down know this. When we take good care of ourselves, we are happier, brighter and engage in life in a more positive way. I am sure that you have heard these 5 tips before. Let them wash over you and commit to thinking about your own top five tips for Self Care. Just know that you are doing a great job and you deserve ‘self care’. 1. Gratitude Gratitude is a powerful force in my life. When the feelings of frustration or irritability come to visit, then gratitude is the best way to short circuit those feelings. I am grateful for my health, my family, my home, my friends, my new puppy and the connections that I have with others. I like to have this little chat to myself in the shower in the morning or even in front of a mirror. A beauty’s got soul It’s Cold Outside Body Wash with orange and patchouli essential oils provides a delightful showering experience. 2. Time Out I like to ensure that I take the time to ‘physically’ care for my body. Looking after my hair, nails, teeth and skin is important to me. Obviously these are important for general health and well being! I am sure you know the feeling when you have competing priorities, that sometimes these routines can slip. I love to take a long warm bath at the end of a long day. I find it a fabulous way to calm down and reset. Light the beauty’s got soul Safe Sleeps candle, dim the lights and R E L A X. Always emerging from the bathroom a nicer version of myself. 3. Exercise This can be a long walk, yoga, pilates or more recently it has been play time with my new puppy at the park. Getting outdoors in the sunshine to top up on some Vitamin D and forget about work and all the things I need to do! Playing and physical exercise is fun for me. This can also be kitchen discos and general dancing! 4. Good nutritious plant based food I have slowly moved towards a highly plant based diet over the last few years. Basically  pescatarian. I know that I can live without meat, although for transparency I am still deeply in love with chicken wings. I try not to label any of this or create too many rules for myself. I know I feel better when my diet is largely plant based. Interestingly our family is all slowly moving in this direction. Have you seen Game Changer on Netflix ? These Serious Cookies are plant based. Dairy free, gluten free, certified organic and delicious. They are in our food gift hampers at Beauty’s got soul and they are DELICIOUS. 5. Sleep 10pm to 624am. Yep that’s what it has come down to for me. In bed before 10pm. Lights out at 10pm. I love waking to the gentle tweeting of birds and seeing the trees outside from bed. Sleep is super important to me and I notice my performance is highly reliant on SLEEP. I use a Silk Eye mask as well. Especially if I am having trouble sleeping this is a good way to help ensure I stay sleeping. Written and published By Leonie Henzell CEO of Soul Baby Gifts on 17/12/2019

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The Best Unique Baby Names for 2020

Here's our 2020 Release of Best Unique Baby Names We LOVE to read the lists of popular baby names just to see if we agree. We have the pleasure of packing lots of baby gifts, monogramming cases and enjoying baby names everyday!   We thought it would be nice to share our own list. These are YOUR baby names and we love them all. Our list is unique and spectacular.  Just like YOU! The Best Unique Baby Girls Names Some of these baby names are quite traditional and some are just pure magic! For the girls names, I love Aylira, Valentina and of course Billie. The best part about this list is that it is an Australian list of Baby Names. They are names straight from our orders. I feel like our customers are such style seekers. They love to find unique and meaningful gifts for a newborn baby. Each baby gift is a reflection of taste, so we know that a Soul Baby Gift needs to be oozing with quality, have a modern, contemporary edge and presented in a luxurius manner. Everything must be beautiful! We think these baby girl names are the stylish baby names for 2020. 1. Evie     2. Aylira     3. Pia     4. Poppy     5. Luna    6. Jude   7. Giselle     8. Paris     9. Valentina     10. May   11. Ally     12. Aya     13. Harper     14. Evelyn     15. Ava     16. Isabella     17. Sophia      18. Charlotte     19. Mia      20. Billie The Best Unique Baby Boy Names My favourite boys names would have to be Eesa, Oscar and Max. Baby Max is featured on our home page and holds a special place in my heart. I have never heard the name Eesa before, so this name is definitely unique and interesting. The name Oscar is one of my personal favouites.  When I read these names, they all feel like strong names to me. Interestingly, there are alot of short names. Some are age old favourites, sprinkled with new comers like Logan, Mason and Mack.  1. Eesa     2. Gabriel     3. Mason     4. Julius      5. Mack     6. Marcus     7. Jayden     8. Elijah     9. Lucas     10. Leon     11. Logan     12. Oscar     13. Max      14. Alex      15. Noah     16. Benjamin      17. Oliver     18. William      19. Liam       20. Leonardo Join us on instagram and leave us a comment on our list of names! I hope that your baby is on the list.   Published on 14/02/20 by Leonie Henzell CEO Soul Baby Gifts 

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Bunjie Baby Skincare for the Happy Skin Generation

What do you feed a hungry Probiotic? A Prebiotic … of course. Bunjie Baby Skincare Bathtime Fun with Bunjie Baby Skincare Prebiotics give the probiotics ( good bacteria ) the energy they need to keep little skin healthy and trouble free. While Bunjie might be the newest kid on the baby skincare block, it’s been a virtual bun in the oven for Vikki Maroulis and Lianne Keymer for what feels to them like a lifetime, with the duo leaving their respective 9-5’s to focus on bringing Bunjie into the world in early 2020. With over ten years’ experience in both the world of skincare and rapidly emerging science of probiotics and the human biome between them, it is befitting that the partners in life and business would cook up something as innovative and category defining as Bunjie. Like many start-ups, the journey from idea to product has been beset with obstacles, hurdles and complications. Not only have the two become self-taught experts in everything from trademark law to olfactory compositions, they’ve worked hard to end up with a product that is as uncompromising in its formulation as they envisioned from the very beginning. The end result is a product that looks decidedly simplistic compared to the grit, determination and science that has gone into it. Not to mention happy. Bunjie looks like an enthusiastic, optimistic three year old, all sun-shiny and fun and ready for action. Bunjie Baby Skincare Massage and Bath Oil Bunjie Baby Skincare Bubble Bath Bunjie Baby Skincare Moisture Lotion Prebiotic and probiotic baby skincare derived from nature. Bunjie is the first 100% naturally derived prebiotic and probiotic baby skincare reimagined to boost and protect baby’s skin and microbiome during the critical first 1000 days. What makes Bunjie so special are the patented microbiome boosters the duo christened Minibiotics®. Vikki and Lianne like to think of them as a little like kombucha for the skin, but all parents need to know is that Bunjie puts the good in goods - it’s the cleanest, clinically effective plant-based skincare to give happy little skin the very best start to life. Happy skin is one that has diverse good bacteria for a balanced microbiome, and over in camp Bunjie, they wear their diversity proudly. Partners for over five years, Lianne and Vikki have managed to find a happy balance in their work and home life, even while launching a new business. “We’re so lucky we have a really complementary set of skills - I’m the creative one, while Vikki is incredibly detail focused,” explains Lianne. “When our two worlds collided, we had so much in common,” says Vikki. “It was a natural progression to start up our own business, and when we started researching we knew really quickly what we wanted to do and that we needed to do it now,” she adds. Another badge Vikki and Lianne wear proudly is their CEA status. That’s Chief Executive Aunties to the uninitiated. This is their brand and it’s highly personal: a product born from years of industry ex-perience that has enabled them to up the Auntie factor and create something for their favourite people on the planet - our littlest humans. Bunjie Baby Skincare Nappy and Barrier Cream Bunjie Baby Skincare Top to Toe Wash Bunjie Baby Skincare Gentle Shampoo Baby Skincare with an Honest to goodness policy The brand embodies an honest to goodness policy right from the product through to the planet-conscious packaging. If you could bottle happiness and good vibes with a side of obsessively researched, squeaky clean ingredients, you end up with do-goodie baby skincare that is Bunjie. For Vikki and Lianne, Bunjie has been a giant leap of faith and long journey from concept to product, but one that has rewarded them with the knowledge they’ve created something that is everything baby skincare should be and nothing it shouldn’t…welcome to the happy skin generation. Bunjie says NO to.. Parabens, phthalates, pegs, sulphates, (sls or sles), edta, synthetic fragrance, bht, bha, chlorine, limonene, linalool, benzalkonium chloride, petrochemicals, formaldehyde, phenoxyethanol or phenols. PLUS 1,300 skin unfriendly ingredients banned in Canada and the EU. Bunjie says YES to... being Australian made, plant powered, microbiome friendly, clinically effective, scientifically smart and premium for all. Bunjie Fun in the bathtub Bunjie Baby Skincare Mini Starter Pack Shop the Bunjie Baby Skincare Range | Soul Baby Gifts 5 Questions for the Bunjie Baby Founders Lianne Keymer and Vikki Maroulis 1. Where did the name Bunjie come from? Choosing a name for our virtual bun in the oven was fun and a little (big) headache all at the same time! We needed a word that felt like a little bit of fun, a lot of support and an extra dose of happiness. We had a light bulb moment and out popped Bunjie (aka Bungee jumping)!! To us this represented the bouncy umbilical cord of good vibes and the freedom to grow whilst always being supported….. but even if you had no idea where it came from it’s just a super fun,  super smiley word 2. Your biggest customers are babies and kids, tell us what they are saying about bath time with Bunjie? (the ones who can talk, that is.) Our little heroes have a lot of tub talk to share with us but one of our favourite to date is “mmmm mummy what is this, I smell beautiful?”-  Kyan aged 4.   “Bunjie Bathtime” (insert excessive splashing) seems to be on loud repeat in the tub… and one of our little humans even takes his Bunjie Mini’s to bed! 3. If Bunjie can be anywhere in 5 years, where will you be? On a sun lounger in Greece….  Oh sorry you meant Bunjie. We would love to see our little do-goodies smiling on every bathroom shelfie across the world because everyone deserves the best start to life! 4. What’s the most exciting thing that Bunjie will do for the next generation? Bunjie is on a mission to help stop the global epidemic of skin problems that our mini humans now face thanks to modern lifestyle & junk-filled skincare. Our little do-goodies boost the healthy development of baby’s skin and microbiome from birth…. this means healthier, happier skin for life Washing Hair is fun with Bunjie 5. Congratulations on your success to date. How much is luck and how much is hard work? Ohhh thank you! Like many start-ups there’s been luck, sweat and tears and we’ve definitely put the word “hustle in “hustler”. We’ve upped the “Auntie” more than we thought was possible but the success of Bunjie we owe to the best parent’s on the planet and their mini humans that have created this brand with us. We made Bunjie for them and we wanted it to represent everything that they are. When you listen to what people want (even the small things) you can make anything work! Written and published by Leonie Henzell, CEO of Soul Baby Gifts on the 20/06/2020.

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Australian Baby Statistics Just Got Interesting

Interesting Baby Birthing facts and figures Have you ever wondered how many babies are born in Australia? Here's a list of interesting Baby Birthing facts, trends and figures. This data has been sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Even though we are sharing this data in July 2022, the collated data available is primarily for 2020. We are very interested to see how the 'spicy C' will effect these numbers. Especially for the states who spent ALOT of time at home! So here are some of the interesting facts and figures!   Are there more baby boys or girls born in Australia Most of the babies in Australia are born in NSW How Many Babies are Born Each Year in Australia? In 2020, 300,000 babies were born, or 294,369 to be precise! This was a decrease in 2020 by 3.7% in comparison to 2019. Are there More Girls or Boys Born each year? Well in 2020, 51.3% of babies born were boys and 48.7% were girls. What is the Average Age of a Mum in Australia? 31 years What is the Average Age of a Dad in Australia? 33 years in 2020, most of the Babies in Australia were Born in which States? 93K babies were born in NSW. 74K babies were born in Victoria. 59K babies were born in Queensland. From July 2020 to June 2021 in Victoria, which Month saw the Most Babies Born?   In December 2021 8264 babies were born. November 2021 7023 babies were born. December 2021 was the highest with 8264 and November 2021 close second with 7023 babies born in Victoria. The lowest month was January 2022 with 4098 babies born. In 2019 how many Mothers had a Caesarian Section? One in 3 Mothers or 36%. What percentage of Mother’s received analgesia during labour?  78% of Mother’s who laboured had pain relief. How long are babies staying in hospital? Over 2/3s of babies stayed in hospital for 3 days or less. Babies of indigenous mothers and mothers who had previously given birth were likely to stay for less than 2 days. Singleton babies, babies of first time mothers, babies with normal birth weight, Babies born at term and babies of non- indigenous mothers were likely to stay for 3 days. Babies born in a multiple birth, babies born pre-term or babies born with low weight are more likely to stay longer than 4 days.    Data has been sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and collated for Soul Baby Gifts by Leonie Henzell on 02/07/22.

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