Women who have Raised the Bar:

Cynthia heard about my work through a friend. She phoned one day with desperation in her voice. Her husband had been suffering chronic fatigue for some months and had not been able to work. They were going through huge financial problems. She had not been able to work because of illness not only with her husband but also with her children. They were very close to losing their home and everything they had worked for.

It was so nice to speak to Cynthia. It was easy to see what the problem was and I immediately sent her off to clean out the garage and the kitchen. I am not sure if her husband felt he had the energy to do all the cleaning that I suggested.

I worked with Cynthia and her family for a period of six months. After the six month period they went from close to losing their home, husband with chronic fatigue and children sick to their house sold, a new home, husband back to work, children happy and well and Cynthia with a great position which she enjoyed. They had no more money worries and were ready to start a new life.

Cynthia is now mentoring other women and showing them my programme and how they can change their lives as long as they want to. And that is the key. They need to want to create change in their lives.

I first met Sarah through my sister. Her husband was suffering chronic fatigue and depression. He had not been able to work for several months and would not even get out of bed. Meg was carrying the weight of their family business, the running of the household and the children. She knew of nowhere else to turn. She needed help. After I met with Sarah and heard of her story I said I was sure I could help with the problem. I told her that it may take six months but I bet everything would be back to normal after that. The look of relief on her face was magic.

I sent her home to work with colour and aroma. At first I suggested that she change the sheets on her bed to mauve, and that she change the towels in the bathroom to orange, and put some lavender soap in the bathroom. She was to open the curtains in the bedroom each day where her husband slept. When I said that she needed to open the curtains each day she said that her husband would not like that as he complained that the light hurt his eyes. My answer back to her was “well, then he will have to get up and close them. At least we have him out of bed.”

I also suggested that she burn sandalwood in the bedroom each day. She was to place a glass of orange juice on the bedside table each day and she was not to wear black as it just made her look heavy.

She followed all my instructions and within 3 months her husband was starting to potter around the home and by six months was nearly back to himself.

Her journey was not easy but at least by taking her journey she started to create change and by changing the aroma, the colours and at least feeling she was taking action to get a result, she did.

“My sister and I had a childhood of our parents fighting and at 15 they separated. They both played up on each other and we were like little girls lost. I became the mother to my sister and from then to this day we are always searching for a family even though we talk to, and see, both of our parents every day.

So in my first marriage I now know that I got into it because he had, or so I thought at the time, a wonderful family life. But I was always unhappy. I had a son Mat with him. In my first marriage I had the family that I wanted but we had a poor financial environment. I ended up having 4 jobs while he had a so called breakdown and could not work. My marriage broke up.

My next live-in relationship was with a man who worked in a very successful family business but even this eventually went bankrupt. I had my daughter to him, he was aggressive so I had to end it.

Then I had terrible years of being left with a very big debt, my two kids and everything in the house was run down. I kept the house and that was a positive even though it had a debt of $110,000. Both of the fathers were very aggressive to me and would have nothing to do with the kids. They would not support them either emotionally or financially. They just told me to “go get you know what” if I asked for any help even if it was just having a milkshake with the kids. I used to go shopping with a calculator. I often went halves with a friend even in a lettuce. I borrowed the money for the rates etc from my mother who is a pensioner. I somehow always raked up enough money to survive.

Chris came to my house in January 6 years ago and I took on board what I could of her advice and over time I made changes according to my budget.

I was at the time in a relationship with a jerk who was also with another woman and he was in and out of my life for 3 years. Chris always said you have to become strong in yourself and make changes for yourself. I thought I was but I now know that it was not enough. At the same time my son was on drugs and the stress and strain of him and the jerk I was with was enormous for a woman on her own to handle. My son was aggressive and still is to this day. He punches holes in walls and you would not know the stress we have been under over these years. He is not working and he is 21. My daughter is a bit unreliable and she is now 17.

Then November 24th 2004 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Well did that come as a huge shock! I did not know if I was going to live. My world just fell around me. I had my right breast removed, 4 months of chemotherapy and then lined up for breast reconstruction all within 8 months. I lost every scrap of hair from head to toe. That was devastating. My family and friends were a great support. I had my son removed from the house for 9 months as I could not deal with him. When I started to lose my hair, I, to this day have never again seen that jerk I was in a relationship with. I had a lot to go through if I was going to live - losing a breast, my son thrown out and heartbreak from the jerk. Anyhow I came back to work in October, 2005 with a little bit of hair and a new breast.

My life changed from there. I thank the breast cancer. I was invited to talk at some breakfasts and that was the start of my new life. I was always a strong person I thought but I found an amazing amount of new strength. I have always tried to do the things that Chris had advised me to do and am still making changes today. It always had to be on a budget and there were things that, from her first visit, I had to do. I would get this strong urge and somehow find the money and get them done. It has taken years though. I started as PA to my dad in real estate. When he became busy I would do open houses for him. From there I started to sell and list properties myself as people wanted me. I got very busy and still am to this day.

I have a great reputation and am very good at what I do. Bear in mind I was frightened to even do a contract before the cancer. Now I am a superwoman and have made some amazing sales. I was still back then on a wage. It took me 8 months to go to my dad and ask for extra money. Instead of commission, I chose to receive a bonus for each sale. I then had the guts to buy my first investment unit in August 2006.

In August 2007 I bought my second investment unit. Who would have ever thought. In the last 12 months I have won a BBQ, $4000 in the lotto. On Better Homes and Garden I won a paint job on my house valued at $5,500. I have done everything that Chris has said. I wear the coloured undies, I burn candles, I even use the deodorant and chose the colour that relates to what I want. I can pay a bill when it comes. I can shop freely, within reason of course. I have replaced nearly everything in the house. I just have the carpet, the dining and outdoor setting and the dryer but everything else is new. I have chopped down trees that I was supposed to. That’s not cheap and I have all this year worked on doing up my BBQ area which is my money corner. I also have just taken my kids to Fiji for 8 days. I can’t believe I have done that, had the trip of a lifetime and lived like a Queen.

My plan is in the New Year to replace all that I have not done and to buy a new car. I am sure I will think of lots of other things.

I have enjoyed working with Chris. I love the emails every week and always pick something from them. It gives me hope and helps me to remain very positive. I have cleaned out cupboards, said affirmations, cleaned out the pantry and put something yellow in it. There is so much more I can say but just wanted to get this away.

From misery and being poor my whole life to this. It is amazing.

By the way, Chris and I are now working on guess what? I am ready for love as I have been living on my own for 8 and a half years.”

“To say that it was a sign from the universe that I must call this lady Chris Brazel is the only way to explain how I encountered this incredible woman. I remember hearing about her through some friends and thinking I HAVE to work with this lady! At the time I was lost, overwhelmed and my confidence in business and where I was heading, was shaky. I was paralysed with fear and felt unable to do the things I needed to do to get my business to take off.

Chris was like a glowing angel who helped me through. Her reassurance, strong confidence and undoubting leadership enabled me to start taking steps I felt I could never take on my own! Chris helped me to break through barriers that really did lie in the path of where I wanted to go.

Ultimately she helped me believe in me.  She gave me confidence to stand tall and strong and pioneer forward. Being a young woman in business can be scary and almost too much to bear! With Chris I felt I could do anything! She is an incredible role model and I hope to be just like her in my business career! I admire absolutely EVERY facet of who and what she stands for not only as a business woman, but also a human woman.....an all round amazing lady! 

Thank you Chris. I am forever indebted.”

When describing Chris and her work, the first word that comes into my head is "magical”. The small changes Chris made around our house made massive changes to our lives within days of the changes.

We had invited Chris into our house to change our careers, to improve our finances and to improve our bond with our girls.

After meeting with Chris I told my husband that our career paths were blocked and we needed to clean up the entrance to our house, push the lounge forward and remove a cupboard. As we were moving the very heavy cupboard one Sunday afternoon my husband said “if this really works, please give me a sign tomorrow morning.”  I remember laughing and saying that it won't happen that quickly. On Monday morning when my husband arrived at work his department was told  that they were all being made redundant in 3 months.  On the Wednesday following I was also made redundant .. The redundancies were positive as it pushed us both into looking for new jobs which we were both wanting at the time. We now have new careers with more money, and more time for each other ...... the entire experience has been magical.

When I met Chris Brazel more than 4 years ago, I was working at Southbank TAFE and was dissatisfied with work and my PhD which I put on hold. After regular meetings with Chris, I realized that the plant that I was researching for my PhD, the sunflower, represents golden opportunities. I changed my thought pattern and began to believe that something good would come out of it. Then the miracle happened. A new machine that one of my students was selling was brought to Southbank for other students to see. We needed some samples so I offered my sunflower samples. The results were positive and confirmed that I would get good results from my hard work.

Thinking that the hard work was behind me, I tried to convince my supervisor and the industry that my work was worth the recognition. A man in the Department for Commercialization at the university gave me strength to go forward and patent my research; during a meeting with him he called me an ‘innovator’. No one in Australia was interested in my method so when I went to Serbia at the end of last year, two different institutions were interested in my research. They asked me if I wanted to patent my method. Now I am in the process of patenting my method only 4 years since I met Chris, many orange candles, releasing balloons and wearing lots of different coloured undies.  It is no surprise that I received Chris’s award and recognition for never giving up.   Chris teaches you to believe in yourself.  She teaches you that you are worthy and shows you how to achieve any goal that you want to achieve.  I now live in Serbia and run Modern Education. 

Thank you Chris for showing me my true worth and how to follow through.