Have you ever heard something - a phrase, a passage, maybe even a cheesy motivational quote that lodged itself in your brain and stayed there?

For me, it was:

"One day you’ll be dead."

40 quick fire questions to get to know Charlene better (the face behind the The Elita La Vie Approach).

Set yourself a scary arse goal!

Lots of companies have what they refer to as Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAG - one of my favourite acronyms). For a company this is often the purpose of the company. The BHAG keeps the direction the company wants to grow in. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about fear lately - not the kind that comes from horror movies or near death experiences, but a quieter, more persistent fear. The kind that creeps into your mind during still moments. The kind that tightens your jaw before you fall asleep.  That sits deep in your gut when you’re about to try something new. The fear that makes you second-guess everything.

Travelling around South America with my husband for 3 months was one of the best things I’ve ever done, but that doesn’t mean I loved everything about it. In fact, there were a few things I really didn’t enjoy.

I am so glad you found Elita La Vie. If you’re new here, let me introduce myself. I’m Charlene Elita and I created this approach to life for myself because I am someone who doesn’t always find life easy, in fact sometimes it is all too much and overwhelming. My method is about implementing actionable hacks so I can focus my time and energy on how I want to be spending it.

For many years, I worked backstage in theatre as a dresser. If you’re not familiar with that role, it’s essentially part of the wardrobe team - a person who helps performers with their quick changes. Think fast hands and velcro mastery. The job is a whirlwind of backstage chaos, whispered cues, and the ability to make someone feel held together, literally and emotionally, before they run back on stage.

Trigger warning: This post discusses grief and the loss of a parent. It’s a personal reflection on losing my Dad, and what I’ve learned in the process.

I’m great at remembering birthdays, tell me once and I’ll remember forever, but not so much when it comes to other significant dates - anniversaries, the first date with my husband, those tend to slip by me unnoticed. The same goes for loss.

What a year.

Not one marked by the calendar, but by transformation. A 10 month blur of grief and joy, of endings and beginnings, of packing up our lives and running straight into the unknown.