WANT to live like a star? Louisa Deasey gives you the lowdown on getting the right people to help you shine. How do the Brangelinas of the world manage to stay so fit, healthy and stylish while shooting films, juggling aid projects and raising a family?
Why do some people seem to lead movie-star lives while the rest of us struggle to get the daily chores done? Just what do the stars and successful people alike know, that Mr and Mrs average don't? The answer lies in all those specialists who are working behind the scenes.
Just as we don't see the crew of hundreds who help put together a seamless two-hour Hollywood blockbuster, people whose lives resemble those of a hero or heroine learn early the power of delegating, or seeking specialist help in certain aspects of their lives. For most of us, when the heat is on at work, or we're juggling a particularly hectic schedule, healthy habits are among the first things to go out the window. Ever wondered why Jennifer Aniston was able to stay so stunning while going through a particularly paparazzi-scrutinised split from Brad?
Aside from regular massages, Aniston upped her yoga sessions with a personal trainer and kept her macrobiotic chef close by at all times. While we can't all afford specialist help on the celebrity scale, success coach Domonique Bertolucci, director of www.Success-Strategies.
com.au and author of Your Best Life (Hodder), says learning to delegate the things you don't do well is a valuable skill. If a certain area of your life is a weakness, employing a specialist will help you transform it into a strength and raise your quality of life, she says.
Bertolucci also advises individuals to outsource work which doesn't bring in the greatest financial return, therefore freeing you up to earn money doing work that pays off. So have a think - does three hours of ironing take you away from more financially (and emotionally) rewarding tasks? Helen Davis is the director of corporate bathroom company Oh de Toilette, which sees her working interstate, attending numerous events and sometimes working until the wee hours of the morning, all while keeping up impeccable appearances.
She says outsourcing is one of the keys to her success. I have a cleaner and I order my groceries online and get them delivered, and whenever I hold dinners at home I get them catered. My mother would consider these things elements of a Hollywood lifestyle, but I realise that when I'm really busy, which I most often am, I need to take care of my health and I'm happy to pay for it.
Every star has a body overhaul before a landmark role. Think Demi Moore before GI Jane, Linda Hamilton before The Terminator, and even Julia Roberts, who shed 8kg before Pretty Woman, the role which cemented her career. For a complete body makeover, celebrity style, Australian online trainer Sue Heintze creates 12-week programs offering a nutrition and exercise plan - and the results are jaw-dropping.
The key to her transformations lies in the support factor, which sees her clients moving into a more confident and powerful part of their lives, ready for the starring role. Avoid the stress of having no available food except McFries or baked beans. Keep your fridge stocked up with the essential vitamins found in fresh food by getting your groceries delivered.
Thanks to the internet, in-season organic vegies are within anyone's reach. Visit www.colesonline.
com.au, www.homeshop.
com.au or www.organicangels.
com.au Stars value their time and energy, and plan meals ahead of time if things are getting hectic. If you need to lose weight but time is of the essence, Lite n' Easy is just one of the many home-delivered options for a calorie-controlled meal plan delivered to your door with the ease of a pizza, but half the fat.
For home-delivered stress relief, reiki and massage practitioners are becoming more and more mobile. Visit www.naturaltherapypages.
com.au and look for a practitioner in your state. You'll sail through life's twists and turns feeling like you're walking on air, Aniston-post-break-up style.
Already an intelligent, pretty and articulate law graduate with a thriving career, the humble Mary Donaldson made the leap to princess with help from the aptly named StarMaker Studios. Signing up for the six-week course soon after meeting Prince Frederik, it seems Mary knew the power of the finer details to raise her from commoner to royalty. In her six-week course, Mary reportedly learned how to walk into a room, shake hands, smile and turn.
Sounds basic, but it's seen her gracefully ease into her royal role as if she was born with blue blood. While actors and actresses know the power of gestures and nuance to communicate a message, anyone who doesn't have a stage background may well be missing out on the power of a perfectly delivered message. Deportment and voice coaching classes are available in most states, and can offer a boost to anyone's self-esteem and quality of life, not just for those who are literally about to become princesses.
Image Group International's founder Jon-Michail says a simple matter of changing the way you talk can raise your chances of a pay rise, if it makes people perceive you in a more positive light. I always say to people, 'I don't make the rules, I just tell people what they are,' he says. It's hard to picture Gwyneth Paltrow spending hours with her local travel agent, going through mountains of paperwork and scanning deals on the latest holiday plans.
Just as our disposable incomes have risen, our spare time has dropped, so companies offering a complete service have made it possible for all of us to book our holidays with the swiftness and ease of a star. Rachel Lam, a Queensland sales manager, says it's well worth the extra money to get a holiday booked, packaged and organised by a specialist. Enjoying her last four holidays through online agency www.
spatravel.com.au, Lam says, It's all just an effort to find some balance in life.
You put in a lot of hours at work and earn a good income, so it's important to value yourself in how you spend your time off. Getting someone to put the package together for you saves the time and takes the hassle out of it. Arranging flight transfers, accommodation and of course a spa package to suit your needs, Spa Travel is just one option helping the everyday hero or heroine to live like a star.
Service companies such as concierges, caterers and mobile secretaries have become so popular, there seems to be no stress you can't outsource. Private concierges are no longer the domain of the rich and famous, so if you would prefer to spend your days working on your dream rather than picking up the dry-cleaning and filing paperwork, it's now easier than ever. Living like a star asks that you value your life and all its various scenes.
If any area of your life is drab, weak, problematic, if it's sapping your energy or proving to be an otherwise poor use of your time, there are countless options for specialist help. By valuing your time, health and life as the stars do, you too can be the hero or heroine of your own movie, and create a blockbuster life. (What is this?
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Louisa Deasey gives you the lowdown on getting the right people to help you shine.
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