A Facebook friend (who’s also a friend in real life btw, not just a virtual one . . . although I have those too) recently shared a story by a New Zealand fashion magazine, aimed at young girls on the morning routines of three smart, successful, young NZ women.

I asked three successful, smart, honest  local women to share with us their perceptions of success and their morning routines…

Debra Fallowfield, jewellery designer:

How do you define success?

Hmmm…It can be as simple for me as finishing a particularly complex piece, to getting through a massive amount of work in a day or in a week. Success to me is more of a feeling than anything else really. Satisfaction, confidence, elation. The feeling that YES things are great. For me success has very little to do with money or how many fans I have on Instagram.

Do you consider yourself successful?

Yes I think so, I feel pretty successful most of the time -there are not many people who are able make a full-time living out of their passion. I was going to use the word “lucky” but seriously luck has nothing to do with it, it’s just work, hard work and drive. Obviously success is different to every individual. I think it’s my ability to think outside the box (I never stop thinking ) and to constantly create and recreate. I never get too comfortable or complacent with what I do-I can be (I wish I wasn’t) fiercely competitive and I think that drives me to strive to be as good as I can be.

Run us through your morning routine…

First off I am not a morning person. I get up at 8am-coffee…Do not I repeat, DO NOT talk to me before coffee. Then I check emails, facebook, instagram, while thinking about having a smoothie for breakfast -but its too cold for healthy green sludge, so abandon that idea and have another coffee *( one day all the superfood supplements I buy and stick in the cupboard for when I start my “health kick” will be used..maybe) I am a Vegemite on toast kind of gal-or if it’s a shop day, poached eggs, avocado and loads of home-made chilli. But most days are Vegemite on Vogels. Then I throw on my work gear. My studio/workshop is at home, so it’s tracks, uggs, and an old sweater…I keep the ones with the holes under the arms, especially for the studio. I work with my husband so he jokes about how sexy I look…lol . I don’t bother with a bra cause I’m only going down the hallway-so what’s the point? That’s pretty much it-it’s pointless having a shower or cleaning my face, being girls cause it’s dusty, dirty and grubby in the workshop-I’ll do that later when work is done. If I leave the house it’s generally rush into a shower, brush teeth, slap on face moisturiser and sun block, if I am heading to the shop I’ll check my hair and maybe put some mascara on – throw on jeans, short boots, baggy sweater .I dress very “Dunedin “ most day’s