A while ago I received an email from a lady by the name of Rhonda. Having never met before I was stoked to hear that after reading my book, she had decided to re-assess her life and top of her newly created list sat the task of finding a job that offered greater satisfaction. After working at the same place for 16 years she had finally realized that she was not challenging or fulfilling herself in the role. AFter writing back and supporting her newly found motivation, I didn;t hear back from Rhonda until a few days ago where another email from Rhonda popped up in my inbox.

When I opened it, I could;t stop smiling. Below I’ve attached Rhonda’s email and I think it goes to show that a little perspective mixed with a little bit of motivation is all we need in life to achieve things of meaning!

“Hi Seb

Thanks for your personalised email I was excited whenI received it.

You were certainly a real inspiration to me and I read your book at exactly the right time in my life.

Since I emailed you last I have been looking for another job. I am in the superannuation/financial indusrty. Once I made the decision to leave the hard part was what did I want to do? It didn’t take me long to realise that I no longer wanted to work in the city, commute by train or work in the superannuation/financial industry. After a close friend typed up my resume I was actively looking on seek.com.au.

I have applied for 5 positions since, had two interviews and just yesterday was given the best news ever!!!!!!!!  I got the job out of 300 applicants (the second interview I went for, the first I did not like the job at all) .  I am stoked, happy elated and over the moon. It ticked all the boxes – my happiness first (my new employer and what they were like at the interview and how well was I going to get along), the job role, the location, hours etc – money came last and was not disappointed with what was on offer.  I did it.

You were my inspiration and I cannot thank enough. I talk about your book to all my friends and one friend today told me he was going to read it.

My next adventure I want to go up in a hot air balloon and someday soon will do it.

I hope you are still ticking off your bucket list and wish you well for the future.

Again thank you so very very much

Rhonda   ”

A huge congratulations is owed- and I think that her story is one that can inspire us all. Anything is possible, as long as you are willing to commit all your energies to it.

100 Things… What’s on your list?

Just 2 nights ago in New Zealand, I was asked to by a lovely Auckland-based company to attend the last day of their business convention and finish the day off by giving a presentation on the journey of 100 Things. These types of talks are fast becoming a fantastic tool to spread the positive message of 100 Things and so of course I  flew over to do my thing!

The talk went really well (I love doing them!) and at the end of the night, as always, I spent some time talking to people from the 1,800 strong crowd. Of all the lovely feedback I get from giving these talks, the conversations I enjoy the most are the ones where someone approaches me and asks how I think they should go about achieving a goal of theirs that they’ve only just realised. My answer is typically the same everytime;

“You’ve done the hard work by taking a moment to first realize your goal- now all you have to do is DO IT!” It’s that easy.

On this particular night, one such conversation I had was with a Brittish lady who told me that her main ambition was to become an artist.

“Seb, how do I get started?” she asked after approaching the subject slowly.

“Well tomorrow in your lunch break why don’t you go and buy yourself a painting easel (a stand), some paint and a blank canvas?”

“Is it that simple?” she said, taken aback that it seemed so easy.

“Absolutely. It’s going to be really hard without those things and there’s no other way around it”

“You know what; I actually already have an easel and some paint, so all I need to get is a blank canvas. Do you think I should do it tomorrow?”

“YES!”

As people we like to create walls that we use as excuses NOT to achieve things in life. Whether is be time, money, commitments etc etc we convince ourselves that everything is too hard. The key is to break this negative habit of creating barriers by telling yourself that anything is possible. In this case, the lovely lady had already identified her goal and had the tools to achieve it, but for some reason needed permission to go and do it.

The Canvas in Question...

She continued,

“You know what? My Mum also really wants me to paint her a picture as well, so I’ll make that my first priority! I can’t believe it’s taken me all this time to realize how easy it is.”

I couldn’t have agreed more.

With that I grabbed her phone and put a reminder in her calendar that at lunch on the next day she had to go but a blank canvas. I also gave her my email address and we agreed that she whould email me a photo of the blank canvas to prove that she did it.

I’ve found that with my own journey, the breaking down of perceived barriers in my life has allowed me to live and achieve things that previously I could only have dreamed of. By doing so, I guess i’m an example of how easy it is to empower yourself by making a slight change in your mental attitude. Looking back, I can say that the hardest thing was making the change but once it happened, I was a different person.

Sadly i haven’t heard from the budding artist as yet. She said that she would email me yesterday. I can only hope that in buying her blank canvas she also managed to lose my email address. Wishful thinking? Perhaps, but fort those of you reading this who feel that she may have let a chance to achieve her goal get away, just make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to you.

We all have a blank canvas to work with!

100 Things… What’s on your list?

From memory, I’m led to believe that I’m based in Sydney. The reason I’m basing this statement on memory is that over the last 3 weeks I haven’t been anywhere near Sydney. Instead I’ve caught 12 flights to 3 different countries all in the name of either ticking items from the 100 Things list, giving a presentation about the journey or organizing some big things for the future.

Therefore today it brings me great pleasure to know I’ll be flying back home for the first time in what feels like a century! The funny thing about this though is that 2 hours after landing I jump on another plane bound for New Zealand! I won;t have enough to time to go home for a shower. The truth is though that I love it!

WIth many things going on and plenty of emails and various odds and ends to attend to whilst continuing this busy little traveling schedule, I read an email last night that reminds of me why I continue to catch planes to odd cities at ridiculous hours. It’s sent to me by a 100 Things campaigner by the name of Tania and comes in the form of an article that she was asked to write by a magazine focused on dealing with the lives of those affected by Spina Bifida.

Tania and her new favourite book (I hope!)

Tania, I should say, has Spina Bifida. The amazing thing about Tania is the turn around that she’s experienced in her life of late, all prompted by the a list which she decided to create after reading the 100 Things book. In honesty it’s stories like these that make this whole journey worth it.

When a drop of water splashes into a pond and the ripples of the impact spread out towards the pond’s edge, it’s known as a ripple effect. The above article is just this. The 100 Things may well have inspired Tania to create her own list and find purpose in her life, but just as importantly as this is the fact that Tania’s story will now go on and inspire someone else. The hope is that the pattern continues.

Imagine that!

Well done Tania for everything you’re doing and thanks for the lovely words. I look forward to hearing more.

Bring on New Zealand!

100 Things… What’s on your list?

Now when I first put this list together, I simply wrote down a collection of things that I wanted to experience. Some things tested me physically, some mentally and there were a whole lot that I threw myself at without knowing what the test would be. Generally though they were all related by the fact that each item fascinated me in a certain way and filled me with the idea of possibility. The Playboy Mansion fitted this bill perfectly.

Now I’m happy to admit that on face value, this item is one of the more superficial on the list, but at the end of the day, why not? Goals are allowed to be superficial at times, I think!  The driver here was simple, I just wanted to fulfill a childhood dream of walking upon the hallow turf of a place so exclusive and bizarre that it acts as a home to a bevy of beautiful women who wear bunny ears all day and one extremely lucky man who dresses in a robe.

“Seb I hear you’re in LA on April 30th? I’m getting you in the Playboy Mansion”

The email I received from an anonymous person whilst traveling in the US was one I replied to immediately. Several exchanges later and I received another one that I admit made me smile with anticipation;

“Confirmed! Arrive at the Mansion gates and ask for a security guard called The Rock. Once they let you in, I’ve arranged for playmate Deanna Brooks to meet you and give you a personal tour of the Playboy Mansion. Enjoy and let me know how it goes”

I wish I could say that I worked harder for this invite but this was as hard as  it got. All I had to do was turn up. Number 89- Visit the Playboy Mansion was about to become a reality.

One thing that I love about kids is that they wear their emotions on their faces for all to see. If they’re sad; they present their big bottom lip with an accompanying frown. If they’re confused; they’ll stare vacantly back at you with an open mouth and when they’re excited they’ll sport a ridiculously large smile and giggle loudly. As I drove up to the gates of the Playboy Mansion, I must have looked like the latter. I couldn’t help giggling!

Talking to a voice through an intercom, I sat at the front gates nervously wondering what life was like beyond the gates, and after announcing my name whilst trying to sound calm, the gates slowly opened,  revealing a long driveway winding through a well kept and lush garden. After driving slowly with anticipation, the first sign I saw was wedged into a bush half way up the driveway. It read, ‘Playmates at Play’. Just as I imagined!

A further few twists and turns up the driveway and the lush gardens opened up to a huge old manor house, in front of which sat a beautiful water fountain acting as a turning circle for cars. Quietly I hoped that they might also act as some kind splash pool for playing bunnies. This was it, the Playboy Mansion.

The first thing to recognize here is the beauty of the place. Modeled on an Scottish manor house, the whole grounds are immaculately kept. Huge trees lined the various gardens and green grass basks in the sunlight as I curiously looked around one more time for playing bunnies. Nothing. With that a buxom lady opens the front door to the mansion and walked over towards me.

“Sebastian?”

“Yes!” I replied, slightly louder than anticipated.

“I’m Deanna Brooks and i’m so glad you could make it. Welcome to the Playboy Mansion”

Deanna, me and a special piece of paper

Deanna Brooks was a Playmate a few years back. A beautiful and petite lady fitting the mould of what is expected of a Playmate, she also immediately came across as intelligent and funny.

Deanna shook my hand and explained how she was excited to take me around the grounds whilst sharing with me the ins and outs of the place. Not knowing too much about the Mansion or the lifestyle that came with it, I was surprised to hear that there was a zoo, an avery, as well as a few scattered building with themed rooms, around the grounds. The one thing that didn’t surprise me though was mention of a place they call ‘The Grotto’. Based in an underwater cavern, rumours have it, the Grotto plays host to many Playboy after partys, where swimwear and civilised behavior are both optional. This I was looking forward to see!

Allowing time on her own birthday to show me around the grounds, Deanna was doing me a huge favor, and before long we were strolling around the grounds very informally as we spoke about stories of the Mansion and the amazing man behind it all; Hugh Hefner, or Hef. Dating as many girls at one time as most men could hope for in a lifetime, Hef’s life seemed to be one moulded around his love of art, appreciation of beauty and fondness for fun. As we entered a quaint games room hidden in a far corner of the grounds, a series of Playboy pin-ball machines sat next to a well used pool table and an array of Playboy memorabilia adorned all around the room. This room played host to recreational time for Hugh, his bunnies and his guests. Deanna tells many a story, each one involving a celebrity of one sort or another who has become a friend of the mansion over time. Bill Cosby, John Lennon, and even Jimmy Conners made their way here often. Jimmy Conners excuse was that the Mansion also had a tennis court. Clever boy.

In what is somewhat of a misconception, the mansion itself is not a place full of TV cameras, pillow fights and drama. In fact it’s simply a house where people live their lives (consistent with his reputation, Deanna explained that Hef’s wardrobe is full of pyjamas). Poker nights on a Thursday, Boys night on a Wednesday, and even a Movie night on Sundays. Sure there is a zoo (which holds about 80 monkeys, rare birds and some incredible looking fish), but Hef and his girls all live here as one big family. This atmosphere is something that I felt everywhere. As strange as it may sound, the whole place feels quite homely.

Playboy and Hef memorabilia in the Games Room

Deanna, who after showing me an intricately mirrored room with padded flooring, a handy shower and velvet finish (if only the walls could talk!), then took me over to the zoo where she was clearly eager to introduce me to some of her old friends. Coco the recently widowed monkey, Inca the big billed Tucan, and a host of fish all welcoming our every move within a series of jungle-themed areas seemed to recognize Deanna’s face instantly. For the next thirty minutes I simply followed as she made sure to say hello to all of her mates who she knew from the days when she lived at the mansion herself.

Monkey business at the Mansion zoo

Soon after walking a circuit around the house, being sure to peak through most windows of the private main building as Deanna points out Hef’s art collection, video room and poker lounge, we’re stopped in our steps by a flock of extravagant peacocks all of whom are hanging around a giant trampoline towards the back of the mansion. The fact that it’s mating season makes me laugh as we fittingly walk through their flirtatious behavior towards a huge swimming pool accessorized with a central rock landscape and a few waterfalls to fit. It’s stunning.

“So Sebastian, this is where we have a lot of fun; in the pool!”

This makes perfect sense and after dipping my toe in the water, I notice a small cave like opening at one end of the pool. A waterfall gushes over the entrance adding to it’s subtlety and as I gaze towards it, trying to see inside, Deanna delivers the great news;

“And this, Sebastian, is the Grotto. You know you’ve made it if you make it in here”

Caving

Of all of the stories that you may hear about the Playboy Mansion, they all seem to somehow involve the Grotto. For this reason, I simply had to see it.

Beckoning me in with the knowledge of a seasoned veteran, Deanna walked us past the cave entrance and through a secret doorway to the side of the rock face that allows us to stay dry. Flicking a few light switches on the way in, I entered the Grotto with a great big smile- like everything else in the place; it was amazing. A congregation of small Jacuzzi style rock pools all linked with one another, sparkle  brightly thanks to an array of underwater mood lights, giving the room the feel of a pirate’s caves full of treasure. The privacy of the grotto is alluring and only supports the nature of the activities that have become folk law in this great room.

'The Grotto'

Running in-between all the jaccuzis is a central body of water which links the front and back exits of the grotto- a subtle getaway route for those trying to remain anonymous at night. Deanna shares some more stories, insinuating that things other than conversation take place here on occasions. Childlike, I find it hard holding back one question that I’ve had in my head all day and without meaning to blurt it out;

“Can I jump in the water, Deanna?!”

Smiling back, the answer is positive.

“Sure, I won’t tell anyone”

Thirty seconds later, realizing that I don’t have any swimwear, I’m forced to think on my feet. There is only one option; nudity. Apologizing to Deanna in advance, I dart behind a large rock only to reappear shortly after, springing somewhat unelegantly into a particularly shallow jaccuzzi, bubbling ferociously. Laughter fills the grotto as I take a seat and take in the moment- I’m naked in the Grotto! This could not get any better.

I made it! Now to find a shower...

“Where you’re sitting is actually Hef’s favorite seat.”

I’m not sure that the image of sitting in the very same place that Hef’s buttocks have occupied was a good thing or not, but i was going to have to get over this quickly- as Deanna then points out;

“Congratulations, you’ve now been with many naked people have been before”

Laughing together, I subconcioulsy wonder whether there are showers near by.

Now I’d be lying to you if I said that I didn’t spend the next twenty minutes frolicking around the Grotto (even completing a cheeky lap of the outside pool in full view of a few startled gardeners), smiling with joy with every stroke, but it was the last part of this day that I remember the most. Feeling completely at home with the sweet Deanna, the idea of this unique tour had been forgotten and dismissing time, we found ourselves sat in the depths of the Grotto, having a conversation on the meaning of life, self-fulfillment and what was on her list. The fact that I was sitting naked in Hef’s chair just made it even better.

I had to do it... laughter though was somewhat disheartening!

It was in this moment that i wished her happy birthday and realized that I’d ticked off one of the stranger items from the list; Number 89- Visit the Playboy Mansion: TICK!

Something that rings true throughout my trip is the generosity of people. I truly believe that people everywhere have the capacity to help another, but it’s often finding an avenue to help that stops the most from achieving this. In this case of being given an opportunity to visit the mansion, I can’t thank Mr Anonymous enough for his selfless offer. The funny thing though is that the bigger picture here has nothing to do with bunny ears, robes or hidden caves, instead these things are just a cover to what is the really important message; people helping people. Everyone has goals, and alone we can certainly throw ourselves at something at full pace, but just as important as this is the idea of community and helping others.This is what my own journey of 100 Things has led me to realize. Connecting with people and spreading the spirit of generosity, support and community is crucial.

It resonates with one of the final things that Deanna tells me. Even though every year, 12 new playmates are taken on board by Hef, the connection is often life long. This is evident as Deanna explains that she crashed at the Mansion the night before after sharing a few too many birthday drinks with Hef. While sharing some of the great experiences she’s had from being involved with Playboy, Deanna shares that one of her favorite experiences was recently attending the Carnival in Rio with Hef’s son and several other Playmates. Playboy is a community.

I always get asked what item i’m next ticking off on my list, and certainly my mind is focused on this constantly, but just as much of my time now is committed to forwarding on and multiplying all of the generosity that I have felt on this journey so far.

What a day! There are big things ahead I think.

100 Things… What’s on your list?