Gail Francis 6/19/25 Gail Francis 6/19/25

5 Simple Ways to Use Printable Planners to Stay Organised Every Day

Staying organised in a busy world can feel like a full-time job. Whether you're juggling work, studies, or creative projects, it's esy to feel overwhelmed. That's where printable planners come in - simple tools you can download, print, and customise to fit your life.

At Gafra, I creaed printable planners designed to bring calm to your chaos, whether you're a student, small business owner, or just trying to stay on top of your week.

Here are 5 simple and practical ways to use printable planners to stay organised every day:

1. START YOUR DAY WITH A DAILY PLANNER PAGE

Kick off your morning with clarity by filling out a daily planner. Most printable planner pages include:

To-do list
Time Blocks
Notes
Top priorities

This helps you stay focused on what matters most - and keeps distractions in check.

2. USE A WEEKLY SPREAD TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE

A weekly layout gives you an overview of appointments, events, and deadlines. It's perfect for:

Planning meals
Tracking habits
Balancing work and personal life

Planning ahead helps reduce decision decision fatigue-and makes room for flexibility.

3. SET MONTHLY GOALS (and Actually Track Them)

Big dreams need clear goals. Use a monthly planner to:

Set 3-5 goals
Break them into action steps
Track your progress

Whether it's launching a new side hustle or starting a self-care habit, a monthly spread keeps your vision visible.

4. CREATE A CUSTOMISED SYSTEM

Printable planners are flexible-you're not locked into one format. Mix and match:

Daily, weekly and monthly pages
Budget trackers
Self-care check-ins
Meal planners

Organise your pages in a binder or discbound journal. Personalize it with stickers, washi tape or doodles!

**5. REPRINT AND RESET ANYTIME YOU NEED **

That's the beauty of printables-no waste, no guilt. Ran out of pages? Print more. Didn't like a layout? Try another.

It's affordable, accessible, and adjustable for every season of life.

READY TO GET ORGANISED?

I've created a free printable weekly planner you can downlaod and use right now. It's simple, clean, and designed to help you stay focused.

**CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE daily PLANNER ** Want even more? Check out the full printable planner collection here - full of templates that fit your unique lifestyle.

Let's get organised - your way.

Gail Francis 6/16/25 Gail Francis 6/16/25

Exploring the Power of Journaling

A short blog on why I started journaling and what journaling is all about.

Hi Guys,

It’s been a while…yes I know. I’ve been very delinquent but it’s been busy here in my life and my Leadership Development Business. For those of you new to my blogs, I am a Leadership Development Coach, Self taught Artist, Junk Journal Maker, blogger and mother of 4. After Covid due to changes at home and having lost my studio space I turned to making junk journals and loved it. I must say though that journaling was something I did sporadically. I have a Spiritual Journal where I take a reading then document what that reading is saying to me. I also have an Art journal for doodling and then my normal work journal for my Art/Junk journal side hustle and website notes.

In this blog I want to share some info on journaling. I’ll put part here and part in my next blog. Hope it inspires you to start journaling.

Unleash Your Inner Voice: Exploring the Power of Journaling

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, it's easy to get swept away in the currents of responsibility, deadlines, and external pressures. But what about you? When do you take the time to connect with your thoughts, feelings, and dreams? This is where journaling steps in, offering a powerful and accessible pathway to self-discovery and well-being.

But what exactly is journaling?

Beyond a Diary: Defining Journaling

While often mistaken for a simple log of daily events, journaling is far more than just recounting what you ate for breakfast and who you met with. It's a personal and reflective practice that involves writing down your thoughts, feelings, experiences, and observations in a consistent manner. Think of it as a conversation with yourself, a safe space where you can explore your inner landscape without judgment or censorship.

More Than Just "Dear Diary": Exploring the Nuances

Journaling isn't about perfect grammar or eloquent prose. It's about authenticity and honesty. You don't need to be a writer to reap the benefits. It can be rambling and messy, organized and structured, or anything in between. The key is to find a style that works for you.

Here are some key aspects that distinguish journaling from simply keeping a diary:

Focus on Reflection: Journaling encourages you to delve deeper than surface-level descriptions. It prompts you to analyze your experiences, identify patterns, and learn from your mistakes.
Emphasis on Personal Growth: The act of writing and reflecting can lead to increased self-awareness, improved emotional regulation, and a greater sense of purpose.
Freedom of Expression: There are no rules in journaling. You're free to explore any topic, vent your frustrations, celebrate your successes, and express your innermost thoughts without fear of criticism.
A Tool for Self-Discovery: By consistently engaging in journaling, you can uncover hidden beliefs, identify your values, and clarify your goals.

Gail Francis 12/3/24 Gail Francis 12/3/24

Sharing My Coaching Thoughts Via Podcasts

https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/63127951/download.mp3

Gail Francis 12/3/24 Gail Francis 12/3/24

CATCHING UP - 2022 TO 2024

Hello everyone, it's been a long sabaticle and absence. Lots has happened since my last post in 2022. Firstly, I am still a Leadership Development Coach but now its done digitally and I work from home. My four kids who lived with me are grown adults and one now lives in the Phillipines and one in Illinois. I only have two left here with me and one lives in the house with me and my huzzy.

Life is great and although I haven't painted in quite a while I've discovered a new creative outlet...Junk Journals. It started while I was going through Pinterest. I saw a journal and that sparked my curiousity. So as per usual I jumped to Youtube to find out more. In attempting to make one at my desk while waiting for my next coaching session...that set off the zest for what has become my new creative product...Junk Journals. Within a short space, one journal turned to two then three ...now I have at least thirty three. So with so many I decided to start giving away and then eventually I started selling them and people loved them, especillay young adult females...so there began a new business.

I will continue my tale later as I have a client coming on soon. Love you guys and see you later.

Gail Francis 4/26/22 Gail Francis 4/26/22

Oh goodness!!!

Yes hi guys…oh goodness, i’ve been soooooooo delinquent with painting that since covid hit I haven't been painting and instead I made up all types of excuses why I didn't have time to start. To make things worse, I had to make my studio into an office for my husband as we are now working from hone, but despite this, I feel artistic still because I create Junk Journals and I must say I really enjoy it. It’s very therapeutic and relaxing.

I have to resurface and paint again. I’ve gotten some encouragement as a company emailed me about some pieces so i’m waiting to see if they purchase any. I did some sketches and I have at least 4 pieces I can start but i’m just not mentally in the mood as I dont have that private space to be free to paint and I feel like my studio is no longer mine to move in as I want. This shows how important an artist's space is to them. Its their piece of freedom. I miss mine and i’m not sure when i’ll get another one. Some would say…”create another space"… but the feeling to do that isn’t there. But knowing myself, i’ll do it when i’m ready or when I have no choice because I have to create for an exhibition and that's another way to push yourself….sign up for an exhibition, get a commission, commit to something that forces you to create.

Well it’s been a while, it’s nice to be back, I apologize to my followers for the long delay and i will check you guys soon. I’ll try to write more often at least once or twice a week. Bye for now. Stay safe.

Gail Francis 1/22/22 Gail Francis 1/22/22

A New and Interesting Era

Hi guys, it has been almost two years since I’ve written a blog. I’m not even sure how I managed to start writing today? It has been a very eventful 2 years and many things have changed in this life. Many of you would have gone through similar situations as me and many changes and maybe even sad events. I have totally changed how I live I gave up my office and now I work strictly from home with my Leadership Coaching Business. I must admit I haven’t painted in the last year and a half but I still stayed creative by making Junk Journals.

I haven’t been as diligent as I should be with my Art website and I’m sorry about that but my Coaching pays the bills and being an Artist in Trinidad is very competitive. You have to do soooo many things to be noticed or to even sell your art. I’ve done some exhibitions and sold some pieces there. What I sold I could never make a living off of but I know this and it’s also because I don’t spend enough time designated to building my Art Business. Unfortunately Art takes a second seat as I don’t earn enough from it to live.

For all who want to make Art their livelihood, you have to expend all of your energy in that direction. But as we’ve been bombarded by Covid and all the changes that that has caused we have no choice but to make our income where we can and I make most of mine doing Online Coaching. Art has always been my release, but the crafting helps to some extent but I do miss painting but as my studio is now my Husbands office the inspiration or drive to paint is very low, so I have to come up with another way to push myself to paint. Doing an Exhibition is one way to push me to create new pieces but nowt always.

Time is passing so I have to get back that inspiration and drive. I will and it will be soon. That’s all for now guys and as I’m back I will try to post again, but I can’t promise that it will been set days of the week. But I am back.

Gail Francis 3/17/21 Gail Francis 3/17/21

The New Changes Due to Covid

Hi guys...I wasn't able to share anything on Monday as I am extremely busy making changes to my life due to Covid and its effect on my coaching business. My Business is now fully online so as a result, I no longer need or require a brick and mortar office. I have thus given up my office which means organising to dispose of all of my furniture and dealing with the ton of paperwork that I don't want to carry home where I will now be working.

I didn't realise how much paper one accumulates after 14 years in an office, especially as we didn't get rid of anything. So it's all about sorting through all of that paper, organising to have it shredded as most of it is confidential information on our many clients, then removing signs and art. I spent the entire day sorting through and separating paperwork....OMG!! It was exhausting. I have a headache now, but I was able to finish it and luckily I was able to sell off all of the furniture weeks before and clean up and remove the other odds and ends and despite that I still have quite a few boxes to take home and some kitchen items etc. OH! It was easy to set up this office but it's harder to break it down.

I must say there is a part of me that is a bit sad as I've been going to work there for the past 14 years and now I will no longer belong there. I was able to put my friend up to rent the space as my landlord was in a dire state due to losing my rental funds and his business is a Travel Agency and the borders are closed so his situation was bad, but now he has a renter again. I'm so glad for him. He has been very good to me and we had a great relationship. But change is never easy and it can be so sad. You feel as if something has changed and saying goodbye to the normal or what you're accustomed to is always difficult, but in this case very necessary. It is also a bit scary as you don't know what can change again, but life is all about change, it's how you handle it.

I feel a little uncomfortable with change initially even though I accept it easily but there is a part of me that feels the loss of the "usual" to move to the kinda unknown, which is very similar to the effect of Covid itself on all of our lives. I've been working from home for a while before this happened but my husband wasn't but now he is and he likes it but I had to move things around at home and that was little annoying at times but again it's getting into accepting the change even if you feel a bit "put out". But humans get used to change eventually some adjust faster than others so it's back to work as usual now that our home has been outfitted as an office. This is why you won’t receive my blogs as often as I used to send them out. So for now I can only do them once a month. I hope you continue to share and read my stories. But I’m trying to at least share and come up with some new ways to share what’s happening with me and in my life.

What changes do you now have to adjust to that aren't comfortable but you're getting there? Check you later guys...stay safe, wear your mask, wash your hands, social distance...it's working for us in my country so it can work where you are as well but everyone has to do it not just some. Love to you all.

Regards,

Gail

Gail Francis 2/17/21 Gail Francis 2/17/21

I've Discovered Junk Journaling

Hi guys...I've dealt with journalling before because I did start a Bullet Journal in 2019 but now I've discovered Junk Journal and I went so far as to make my own. Yes people I made a tome... a large junk journal out of cast off pages and I must say it looks impressive. I plan to use it for my art ideas but it looks so good that I don't want to mess it up. Junk journalling has all these different things you can put in them called ephemerals...different pockets and charms and bands etc. Making Junk Journals/Folios helps make up for my lack of painting and I’ve also listed them on my website and on my Etsy page

It's fun simply making them and then you place them where you feel like in your junk journal. I started doing that and now as usual I'm hooked. So what is a junk Journal?

Junk diary

Junk journal is a handmade book made up of recycled items such as papers from magazines, brochures, patterned paper, music sheets, envelopes, packaging, brown paper bags, maps, greeting cards, post cards, doilies, to name a few. The book covers can be made from cereal boxes, old book covers or any hard card boards.

What is it used for?

Junk Journal: A book which is often made through found and recycled materials to be used as a way to collect and record memories, thoughts, ideas, and inspiration.

What's the difference between a diary and a journal?

A diary is a book to record events as they happen. A journal is a book used to explore ideas that take shape. In reality, the junk journal can have any purpose you want them to. Particularly if you’re creating one from scratch – as I did, you can therefore make it serve almost any purpose imaginable. Write a novel in it. Use it as a family budget book. Make it into a dream diary – it’s up to you!

Then there are the bullet journals which can help you get organised and track or keep track of all the tasks or goals you want to achieve. I tend to schedule all my appointments etc but doing it the Bujo way is more fun as I can decorate it and looking at the pages after make you feel good. It's also another way to use my creativity.

What's the Purpose of a Junk Journal?

What’s the purpose of a junk journal? It’s probably a question you’ve wondered, especially if you’ve never seen one before. I know it was my reaction when I first saw one. I was intrigued and thought they were beautiful, but I had no clue how you could use one.

So don’t feel guilty for wondering. Given how elaborate and intricate they often are, it’s not hard to wonder how they could be used functionally. And honestly, sometimes they can’t be – but that’s okay! Junk journals can be gorgeous pieces of art.

In reality junk journals can have any purpose you want them to. Particularly if you’re creating one from scratch – you can make it serve almost any purpose imaginable. Write a novel in it. Use it as a family budget book. Make it into a dream diary – it’s up to you!

(Still learning how to create them? Check out this ultimate guide on how to make a junk journal with step by step instructions and videos!)

How to Use a Junk Journal?

All that said, there are some popular ways to use junk journals that range from incredibly practical to less than practical (but still entirely awesome).

Use a junk journal as a memory and photo keeper – junk journals tend to borrow a lot of ideas and techniques from the scrapbooking world, so it’s natural that junk journals often become books for keeping memories, photos, cards, tags, and other bits of ephemera that remind you of friends, family and trips you might have taken.

Use a junk journal as a travel journal – speaking of trips, a junk journal can also serve as a travel journal. Junk journals frequently incorporate ephemera into their pages and travel often leaves you with tons of it. Use the rack cards and maps you collect as flip outs and slip them into pockets, use the tags and tickets you collect to create a collage page that will remind you of all the places you visited, and frame your travel photos and slip them into envelopes so you can look back on how much fun you had. (Travel junk journals might be my personal favourite if I’m honest!)

Use a junk journal as a coffee table book – With all of its intricate details and designs, tuck spots, pockets and envelopes to explore a junk journal can make a perfect coffee table book. It gives an inquisitive visitor plenty of things to look at and explore while you go grab something to drink or snacks to serve.

Use a junk journal as wedding guest book – Another popular use for junk journals are to use them as wedding guest books. These versions tend to be toned down with fewer frills and pockets and lots more blank and tea dyed pages. For people who are having a historic or rustic theme to their wedding, this style of guest book can make for the perfect extra touch.

Use a junk journal as a gratitude or spiritual journal – I’ve seen lots of people using their junk journals as places to reflect – on things their grateful for, on their religion, on how they want their future to go. The mixed media nature of a junk journal lets you include pieces from a page of a book or inspirational cards and photos, so it works great for this type of journal, too.

Use a junk journal as a piece of art – This is another one of my favourite ways to use a junk journal. Ultimately, a junk journal is a piece of mixed media art and you can treat it the exact same way you do any other kind of art – hang it up, display it, or even sell it. If you have bare shelves in a living room or entry way, filling them with beautifully decorated books can make them extra gorgeous – and like with a coffee table book, it can be a conversation starter!

So, I hope you start one as it is also like therapy especially during these crazy times of lock down. If you do start one let me know how it is going and we can share what and how we do the different decorating techniques.

Later guys. Good to be back. Covid has brought more coaching work than anything and my husband's father died, (May he rest in peace. ), so a lot has been happening and there have been some major changes with my creativity.

Gail Francis 1/1/21 Gail Francis 1/1/21

We're Moving on from 2020. Welcome 2021!!!

December 31, 2020:

Hi guys….so we’re finally coming or at least approaching the end of 2020….very soon. WHAT A YEAR!!! This year anything crazy that could happen…did. From a major pandemic, to great people dying, to strange occurrences with the weather. But I must say that I learned a lot this year and experienced a lot and despite the negatives there were a lot of positives. As an Artist we need to be able to see the positives in everything as we are the ones who create the art that reflects these feelings and emotions and positives.

January 1, 2021:

It’s finally 2021 and we are on the path to new and better things. From Covid vaccines, to new ways of doing things. Online and Virtual is the way from now on….but can we adapt? Can we handle the change? Humans can adapt to anything if they want to, some are stubborn or afraid but eventually you have to move with the flow or get left behind. Just do it your way but the Online way and things will be fine.

I love technology, except when it glitches, then I get HELLA !! upset and frustrated, but technology has moved forward by leaps because of this Pandemic, I know this because as a Leadership Coach (my paying job, outside of my art), my clients wanted most of my programs manually and although they always asked when it would go digital, when it did they weren’t open to accepting it…then COVID came along and changed all of that. They had no choice, in fact they wanted it badly because handling that transition from face to face and being in the office to now working totally from home, meant a complete turn around for some of my clients who were strongly extraverts and needed that human encounter, so they wanted (even needed) my programs even more now to have someone to talk to and to help guide them through the confusing swarm of emotions and difficulties they encountered.

So it worked out for everyone. I was more in demand and they got help to manoeuvre through this extreme life change. My Art suffered, in that i didn’t or couldn’t paint due to the chaneg up in location and use of space within my home. But I found another outlet for my creativity…crafting junk folios. That got me through the need to create and soon became another of my passions, but it wasn’t the same and I soon felt that I was bursting to let out the feelings through my paint brush….but I still didn’t feel inspired or feel to put up with painting in the same space that was no longer totally mine. The feeling of freedom wasn’t there.

What did i d? I used one of the tricks I had read about and I knew would get me back on track…I signed up for a Udemy Abstract Course and WHALLA!!!. That did the trick. I had assignments and as a result I had to do them and that restarted my creative juices. I created 2 pieces in one day and it felt amazing to be back in the saddle…Lol.

What can you do to restart that painting flow? What can push you to create? Find it now and start back on that artistic journey..A journey that is beyond any kind of freedom you can find anywhere else. I hope you find it and for all you who follow me I wish you all the best for this New Year.. A year where there are many expectations for change and better times and days.

These are the 2 pieces I created:

Until next time guys, I promise to write more this year and I hope to send off little surprises to my followers, you all have been neglected for too long. Later guys, love you all.

Regards,

Gafra

Gail Francis 12/10/20 Gail Francis 12/10/20

What Golf Can Teach you

Hi guys...I started taking a golf camp before Covid and then with Covid it stopped for 4 months and we only restarted last weekend. With this pandemic I've become very house happy in that I love being at home and I guess I've become accustomed to being at home and I enjoy my home , so when it's time to go out I'm very unwilling and I really don't feel to go anywhere but I know I should or I must but I find any reason not to. Once I do go out I'm fine and I enjoy myself but I really prefer to be at home.

This weekend I had to go to my golf class and I have to say that I enjoyed it a lot. The golf course is in Chaguaramas and you're surrounded by mountains, bamboo and wonderful breeze. I love it. You can sit in the club and just enjoy watching the cliffs or listening to the howler monkies or just enjoy watching the greenery and that's what I did when I arrived early for class and no one was there yet. I sat and I took in the birds and the view.

Golf has taught me to understand my body and that to make great or precise shots you have to recreate the correct positioning and swings every time and the slightest change of anything, such as, how you swing, or if you lift your head or if you raise up slightly versus staying low, can cause you to hit the ball incorrectly and it won't go where you want it to. Most of us don't understand ourselves very well and what triggers us to behave or respond in a particular way.

We fly off the handle with someone when they say something but we don't think about why we reacted that way when it really wasn't all that serious a statement, you didn't have to behave that way. That's because we have these inner feelings that got there due to things said to us or done to us in our earlier life and we internalise it , it makes us feel a particular way and to protect ourselves we may respond in a certain way that may not be a very nice way to react

GET YOUR PRINTABLE PLANNERS HERE

So like golf you have to understand yourself and what slight triggers can cause certain types of negative reactions from you then face whether or not that behaviour works well for you or does it cause a lot of conflict with others or does it make you come across in a way that you don't like. Golf made me more aware of my body, my thoughts or level of concentration and I realised certain things about myself. One is, when I get fed up with doing something to often, over and over, I get bored then I tend to not put much effort into it. So when I'm tired of practising the same shot ( which I know we're doing to build up muscle memory) I have to pull out more energy to not start becoming lazy or nonchalant about my shot, because if I don't my shots get really bad.

Golf or any type of sprt can teach you a lot about yourself if you're willng to look and learn. Aother sport I did that taught me alot about myself was horse back riding...but that's for another story.

Check you guys on Thursday where I'll start my exposes on the power of colour. And if you didn't see my Virtual Art Exhibition, check it below and please share with your friends. Bye for now.

Visit my art website www.gafra.org or check my Etsy Art Shop

My Virtual Art Tour of all of my pieces: https://bit.ly/gafravaexhibit
Google slides of all of my art: https://bit.ly/3g5nFKJ

Gail Francis 12/3/20 Gail Francis 12/3/20

Why Are Humans So Mean To Each Other?

Hi guys....as you know I'm an Executive Coach and I deal with Executives and Managers everyday and it's always amazing when I come across cases where you see from a distance how wicked humans can be to one another or how some bully others. Now the other side of that coin is that the person being bullied or treated badly could be falling short with their deliverables or performance and that is why they're receiving the bad treatment, but there are ways to deal with someone you don't respect or you're impatient with because they're not doing what is expected.

Instead of confronting the person and having a conversation with them to let them see what you're seeing, humans take the cowardly route and try to "bad talk" the person, or complain to their boss or poison the person's name with negative talk about them to everyone except the person themselves. Be brave and go to the person and have a serious conversation that gives everyone a win/win and not a win/lose. But that rarely happens. So what you have happening is a person is stressed because it seems as if everyone is coming down on them and the individual(s) who are either bullying or being negative are doing it because they're dissatisfied with the person's performance or lack of.

Communication is such a vital part of any organisation, relationship or family. People perceive things through their foggy lenses, so unless you explain and they can see where you are coming from they will treat you based on that perception. Of course there is also the other aspect that people are inadvertently selfish and want what they want. That is, everyone consciously or unconsciously has their own agenda, but some of us are able to put those agendas aside for the good of others or bend them or delay them for the good of others whereas some won't do that for anyone. I call that selfishness and we all have a level of selfishness...me very much included.

GET YOUR PRINTABLE PLANNER HERE

I've had my times of doing what I wanted despite who it hurt because I wanted my satisfaction and didn't even think about who and how bad it would hurt someone else. But you learn from those situations and hopefully you never do that again but life and humans are strange and we can go into that selfish mode at any time. Within an organisation that selfish mode shows its head often by many and that is where the conflicts occur, but it can be prevented through communication...having the uncomfortable conversations is what helps.

So leas not be mean to each other or at least consider how what you do will hurt someone you acre about and make the decision not to do it or put it off for a better and safer less painful time.We are going through enough challenges at this time in our lives and outside of Covid, Economic trials, crime, internal government disputes, marches (BLM), now we're heading towards hurricane season....to me it feels like our planet's rotation has sped up and now everything is happening faster....who knows????

GET YOUR ORIGINAL, AFFORDABLE ART HERE

I wanted to get that off my chest and say that we are all humans…whether black, white, indian, negro, mixed, rich, poor, educated, uneducated, we all bleed and we all bleed red, so maybe we should judge based on blood colour….maybe that might help us see everyone the same. Who know????We gotta get it right as humans, so I just wanted to share that.

Later guys, stay safe and be kind to one another, wear your mask, wash your hands, don’t touch your face and sanitise. Let’s fight a least one thing together…Covid.

Gail Francis 11/26/20 Gail Francis 11/26/20

When Expectations Aren't Met

Hi guys...I've been sitting here thinking, as I wait to start a coaching session and I felt a little disappointed with the fact that my virtual art exhibition launch didn't do as well as I expected. I did make some sales but not as many as I expected or wanted and I ask myself, is it because I didn't do enough? or I didn't have a good strategy?

Or is it a case of the product being sold....ART..... isn't as popular? Not sure. I also feel that maybe I didn't do enough because I'm not savvy with social media and after his book launch he has been doing a lot of IG feeds and Live IG videos etc and I haven't. He told me that you have to be in front of people at least 7-8 times before they buy from you and that is so true. You basically have to become known via these mediums before people become comfortable enough to buy from you. That isn't easy and it takes a lot of work.

You have to put yourself out there as much as possible for people to get used to you, trust you and then they see you as a "friend" and then they buy. The sales I made were from people who know me and know my work...my "friends", so it's true....you have to build the trust and then you will get the attention and then the sales. UGH!!! For millennials that's easy because they do it all the time but for us older folks we aren't used to putting ourselves out there so publicly. We tend to be very private about ourselves and our lives but this generation shares everything, that's what they know.

So the reality is you have to be infront there as much as possible but I still feel good that I was able to avoid my discomfort with social media and do what I needed so people can find me. I want the owners of the different pieces to find their piece. It is over but I still need to do more. Will I do it again?....not sure...I guess if I have to maybe, but I am proud that I at least sold 1 piece abroad...YAY!!!!! Hopefully more of those will come.

Guys don't forget to check me at my youtube channel Gafra Smart Art....even though you may have seen most of the videos already. I hope things are going well with everyone despite the Covid and that no one is ill. See you guys soon. I'm going to start doing some blogs on the psychology of Art. So keep reading.

GET YOUR PRINTABLE PLANNERS HERE

An Artit Daily Planner for all you creatives who need to get organised.

Gail Francis 11/19/20 Gail Francis 11/19/20

What to Do When you're Afraid of your...Whatever

Hi guys...you know...fear is everywhere, but I think we do this to ourselves most of the time. Yes the stimulus might be external but we internalise it, build it and then we let it over take us and then it gets the better of us. Like everyone else, I've definitely been afraid of things I'm unsure of and when we don't understand something we grow afraid not of the task or thing itself but about who will see what we don't know or what we might mess up.

Can it be mainly a case of being afraid of failure, or is it that we're afraid of succeeding? We all have different issues that cause us to be afraid and they are normally based on how we were developed as kid, babies. Out environment determines what we are afraid of or become afraid of. To build up against that fear we have to build up our understanding of ourselves and accept what we or who we are and what we're capable of or not.

I always tell my clients that until you know who you are and you're happy with you no one and nothing can affect you. You don't need to follow anyone or have to try to live your life through someone else's life. You can be you and be happy with how it is. Acceptance. So get to know yourself, enjoy being with you and accept the good and bad parts of yourself. Self analysis is needed to overcome the things that prevent us from moving forward, so find out what restricts you, get rid of it and then move forward, grow and be a better you.

Learn to Become HERE

Gail Francis 11/12/20 Gail Francis 11/12/20

Avoiding Social Media is similar to Avoiding Technology in the Workplace

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: Avoiding Social Media is similar to avoiding Technology in the Workplace

Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: Avoiding Social Media is similar to avoiding Technology in the Workplace https://anchor.fm/gail-francis/episodes/Avoiding-Social-Media-is-similar-to-avoiding-Technology-in-the-Workplace-egb7hs

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Gail Francis 11/5/20 Gail Francis 11/5/20

Working From Home and the Changes It Brings

Hi guys.....so due to Covid most of us were forced to work from home. I've been working from home for 2 years now and I love it but most people aren't used to this so it took some time to handle the transition. I too had to make some changes and one of them was to close my office. I've had an office for the past 15 years and although I work from home my husband didn't so he used the office the most. I like going to my clients versus having them come to me.

With Covid, it took us a while but as we got busier with our coaching sessions, and as more and more clients wanted and to some extent needed to keep their appointments so that they could vent or talk to someone or to just get help handling the transition of working at home, we knew deep down that things were changing and how we ran our business was changing. With that an office is not an expense that is necessary or even required because we can now do all of our sessions online from home, especially as our programs are already digital and our clients, who were once a bit tentative about doing online coaching, now had no choice.

Digital programs and learning was now the norm and clients were more comfortable with digital learning and although this was easy for me, working from home was a short transition for my husband. We were now thinking of giving up our office and so the journey begins. When you're making a change and part of you wants to and part doesn't then that battle can make you sad. You're making a change that changes your future. I took a while to start organsing to close the office but then I posted all of the office items on 2-3 Whatsapp groups that I'm on and I got such quick responses on the sale of the furniture, it was, surprising.

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What I realised is that others now had to work from home so they also had to set up an office space in their homes, they were quick to grasp the opportunity to buy the items for those new work from home spaces. The sales are going through and it seems so final and to a point it is. I'm sad but also excited about the future. Every change brings a level of trepidation, uncertainty and excitement. I went through all of those emotions from this simple change, so I know others are going through even more or worse, but we know that nothing lasts forever and change is constant.

By the end of the month the office will be no more. We've organised our perspective office corners in the different rooms and we've basically settled down without much difficulty. With the social distancing it makes more sense to do all of our interviews and sessions remotely. Thank God, technology has all that we need to run our businesses remotely and we are also looking to go paperless as well. That will mean doing my note taking digitally.

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I'm also setting up apps to be able to write my notes using a stylus, as I like to write versus typing, plus I don't type fast enough and I want to ensure I have notes for each client without having paper cluttering up my space. Having to set up notebooks for each client and store those took up a majority of our office space and as we will now be working from home, we don't have the space to archive anything, but I will no longer have to if everything is saved digitally. The only thing we will have to do is get larger cloud space for all the new digital notes.

I hope we can all accept change and develop a new way of thinking and working. The pandemic has certainly opened up our creativity and way of thinking and doing our work.

Regards,

Gail (Gafra)

Gail Francis 10/29/20 Gail Francis 10/29/20

Despite Covid - Let's Go To My Art Exhibition

Hi guys....during this time I've been keeping busy. I was also supposed to have my Art Party/Exhibition at the end of the month, but that's a no go due to Covid. So I did some research...you know me... and I tried to find other ways to maybe set up a Virtual Exhibition and guess what??!! TADA!!! I did it. I've designed a Virtual Art Exhibition using a site called Artsteps. So you are all invited to my Virtual Art Exhibition during this time of being house bound. I hope you enjoy it and please send your feedback as I want to share this locally and maybe even sell some art. I do ship if any of you are interested. Yes you can still buy things from abroad...

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE VIRTUAL ART TOUR.

I hope you enjoyed this and if you did I have an even Bigger Exhibition with most of my watercolours and acrylics. Let me know if you're interested by leaving a message here:

Gail Francis 10/22/20 Gail Francis 10/22/20

An Easy Dish to Make

Hi guys...I realised that I write a lifestyle blog but I don't really share a lot about the meals we eat here in Trinidad and during this pandemic, eating at home is a must so I've decided to share one of the local dishes we eat here i Trinidad all the time and it's the easiest thing to bring to a get together. Everyone in Trinidad has eaten "Pelau". In some countries, from watching different documentaries I've know some countries have similar dishes but it's called by a different name. Brazil, Venezuela and I think Spain has a similar dish.

So let's get started...please note that I myself have never had to cook this dish, but my husband cooks a mean Pelau and my kids all know how to make it. Don't forget...I HATE TO COOK!!!. I 'll clean up after you...

INGREDIENTS:

2- 3 chicken pieces seasoned with salt, pepper, chives, thyme, garlic (chopped up small), parsley, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp ketchup (or any other season you have at hand)
1 cups rice washed
2 cups coconut milk or water
1 large onion sliced
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 cup pigeon peas or
1 tin pigeon peas, drained
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
quarter cup sugar
salt & pepper to taste
hot pepper sauce if desired

METHOD:

Heat oil in a large iron pot or skillet
Add sugar and allow to burn until dark brown
Add the seasoned meat and stir until the pieces are well coated with the burnt sugar, let it mix in the browning for 5 minutes
Stir rice into the browned chicken and turn often till well blended, cook for 3 minutes more
Add onion, sweet peppers and peas and stir fry for a few seconds
Add salt, pepper, coconut milk and/or water, bring to the boil, lower heat, cover and simmer until rice is cooked and all the liquid has evaporated (about 25 minutes).
Add more liquid (water) if the rice is still hard and continue to cook longer. (Pelau can also be baked in a oven. Cover it with foil, place in oven and bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 30 minutes)

So that's it guys...hope you get a chance to try it. If you don't have pigeon peas then try the lentils or mixed vegetables in the tin, it won't taste as good as it does with pigeon peas but at this time you might not be able to get the kind of peas you want so we have to improvise.

Have a good time cooking and I'll check you in my next blog.

Stay safe and stay home. Love you all

Regards

Gail (Gafra)

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Gail Francis 10/15/20 Gail Francis 10/15/20

PODCAST: Avoiding Social Media is Similar to avoiding Technology in the Workplace

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