Heart Centred Goal-Kicking, And a Shiny Future

I have to tell you straight up that this will be my last post here. Gosh, it is for so many reasons…and I will be continuing to write but it will be elsewhere, my love.

You will have noticed my absence. A very shocking and rather painful personal issue reared its head some months ago halting my ability to put my words out there…but it did not stop my ability to shine in the world!

In fact, in only helped me to shine brighter.

So this my friends is my final piece here, bringing together everything I know on heart-centred goal-kicking with sass all whilst giving an ode to my year. Sound cool? Read on.

I have learnt that sometimes letting things go, no matter how painful the process may be, can quite often be the best thing for you. For with every void that opens up in your life, something beautiful will fill it – allowing the universe to do this is the key.

Accepting that bad shit will happen, you will lose things, lose people, and get rejected, is absolutely the key to allowing the universe to do it’s thing! Those voids will fill up with amazing, beautiful things much quicker than the perceived awful things happened. I use the word ‘perceived’ because it is all about perception.

And it is all about being grateful. Turning your mindset around to being grateful for everything you have in that moment is essential for allowing the universe to fill those voids. I am so utterly grateful for EVERYTHING that I have, everything that I have achieved, everyone in my life. I am grateful for the universe filling every void.  And so it goes on, it just flows…the ebb and flow of life happens.

Letting go allowed me to kick some serious butt this year.

It also allowed me to receive some seriously great karma in return. I have met some absolutely beautiful people who will be in my life forever, I have strengthened relationships that I only ever dreamed of having and I have had soulful experiences and made memories I’ll cherish forever.

This was the year that soul-sisters were born and united. I just can not wait to see what tomorrow holds because these chikkas I have met are like-minded, sassy, hot and ready to trot and inspiration levels are at an all time high. This was also the year that I strengthened the relationships with the babes already in my life, repaired ties with ones lost and even did a friend detox. The raw and real beauty that surrounds me now is incredible and I encourage everyone to do the same.

The Love in my life is real.

Gosh, I feel ever so lucky and so grateful to be able to say that. This year, my Love and I went from being lovers to being in love. There is a real distinction there. And I believe it is all due to the work I did on myself, truly letting go and truly coming right out of myself and believing that I could be loved for who I am.

I dropped the worrying about my looks crap, I dropped the drinking to excess, I started exercising when I wanted to, I started eating to nourish. And it was all for me, not for him. And he adores me for it.

This year we spend three and a half weeks travelling Greece, resting and relaxing and sight seeing and learning together. It was quite possibly the most amazing holiday of my life. And when we came home we began looking for a home to buy together. I had 6 goals this year (I’ll chat about those soon) and one of which was to buy a home. And right on the end of this year we did it! We move in a couple of weeks! Excited much.

Yes, I kicked all six of my goals I set for myself this year.

Crazy cool, huh! Goal-kicking went into overdrive, and this year I was inspired, driven, focused but most of all BRAVE. Everything I wanted to achieve was extremely scary but pushing through that fear was the ultimate in helping reveal more of who I really am.

It has shaped who I am today. I am braver than I thought I was, smarter than I thought I was, and so much more wiser.

So without further ado, here are the six goals I set for myself at the beginning of 2014, along with a statement I had written alongside them:

1. Be driving again

2. Be glowing, and naturally fit

3. Have started my coaching business, I will be seeing clients and nurturing them towards a life of health and wellness.

4. Have a Facebook Page for my business.

5. Be earning extra income from my business, so I can keep building a super successful business.

6. Buy a new home

“I am a no bullshit Health and Wellness ambassador, and a Coach that oozes Health alongside beauty and sensuality, who totally nourishes my body and mind and the bodies and minds of others on a daily basis”

I worked darned hard to achieve all that. I am so proud of myself.

So, how did I do it? And how can you do it in 2015?

As I mentioned earlier, letting go of the bad shit to let the good into your life is the first and most important thing in order to achieve anything you want. Holding onto crap doesn’t achieve anything, it just bogs you down. For example: worrying over the idiot who posted a rude comment on your blog is not going to get you anywhere, is it? It just winds you up, holds you back, stifles your writing and stops you from putting the great stuff out there and inspiring and touching the lives of others.

I also talked about the importance of being grateful. Shifting your mindset to waking every morning and going to sleep every night being thankful for the things in your life that make you happy, rather than complaining, is one of the biggest helpers in heart-centred goal kicking. You’ll find yourself waking up with a spring in your step, noticing the little things, having more time in your day to achieve things.

Self-care is really crucial. Taking the time to notice when you need a break and not push through when you are utterly exhausted. Sleeping when you need it (even if it’s only 7pm), having a bath, going for a walk, exercising for you not the thigh gap, eating yummy veggies. Your head will be clear, you’ll be focused. You’ll make your way through your goals and kick ass like you’ve never kicked it before!

Time alone. Don’t be afraid you’re missing out on anything by refusing the Friday night work drinks to stay in and watch mindless TV. Or don’t worry about going for a drive with the music blaring for an hour on your own while your partner is at home. Setting time aside to be alone is critical to our self development and it is often where we have the biggest ‘a-ha’ moments. You will not regret your time alone, in fact you’ll start craving it!

And finally: believe in yourself. Be brave and push through the fear. Because if there is anything worse than failing it’s the regret that you didn’t even try.

 

Travelling True To Your Style – Part III

Apologies, apologies for the teeny delay in my third for this series, gorgeous. But now before I launch right in to this really special piece where I’ll be exploring the luscious lifestyle the Greeks have and questioning our own lifestyle we lead here in Australia I have an announcement to make. If you follow me on Facey or receive my Private notes you’ll already know I have been working on some pretty cool things and am gearing up to make some rather big changes in my life. And I am talking my business life! EEEK how exciting! So that means the name of this blog will change, I’ll be swapping it over to my brand spanking new biz name SOON. I am about to release my coaching programs to my private note subscribers which feels amazing, so I wanted to give you, my beautiful blog readers, a heads up on the name-change. I will do it with in a week or so, so it’s not a big  blow! I’ll always be Tassie’s Little Health Darling, the one and only original. But I am moving forward with something my inner Darl knows to be oh so right!

Shred Boutique has been born. I would love to tell you more, but that’s a post for another day 😉 gosh I am a tease!

One day soon, this blog will move to my website (which by the way is looking soooo beautiful) but for now we will stay here where it’s comfy. And speaking of things that are comfy, lets explore this lifestyle of the Greeks that fits me so well.

Coming Home to a Million Miles Away

I used to say that I was not interested in going to Greece. When I was asked by my ex where I wanted to go on our next trip (if my opinion came into it) Greece just never came into my travel top ten, in fact I often would say ‘never’. Now I believe that this was my instinct telling me that there was a better time in my life coming to experience it, a better person on the horizon to experience it with, and that I was going to be a more open and spiritual and connected person in the future in order to really take everything in that this intense country has to offer. Life works in mysterious ways. Because when the other Darl bought me my plane ticket for my 30th birthday (last December) and suggested we go off to the Greek Islands I felt nothing but joy, excitement, a sense of adventure and utter love and openness.

Flying in over the islands had my heart singing. And it didn’t stop the whole time we were there! I have to laugh to myself here, because there are some funny little quirky things that the Greeks do that to be fairly honest wound me right up at first. But as I soon got right into holiday mode and totally surrendered to the lack of diary we had, the no-look-at-your-watch way of life and the happy go lucky way of brushing off the rat race I quickly realised that this was a life I was willing to live. I felt at home. And I soon came to wonder if we had it all wrong here in Australia: a place where we worship the next new I-device, we have multiple social media accounts to juggle, we live from pay check to pay check, we will commute hours each day to work on trains and buses, we live on a diet of coffee and muffins and Sunday is a day for shopping not rest. I mean sure, the Greeks all have phones and I am sure they have Facebook and they work REALLY HARD. They have a brilliant public transport system, and they love their coffee! But it’s all so balanced. Lets chat about a typical day:

Wake up early, and if it’s warm (it generally is, but in winter it can snow!) they go swimming in the ocean. Greeks love the ocean, they have done for thousands of years. That’s a quote from a lady that lives there 😉 Moving along…head to work, shops open early then close between 1pm and 5pm for lunch and siesta. Between these hours people will go home to their families, eat together and have a nap or just rest. Then go back to work for a few hours. Then they go home or out for a late, light meal at about 10pm then it’s bed time. The Greeks have their heavy meal in the middle of the day! So you can see that their day is so balanced: play, work, family time, rest, meals. They make time for the important things in life. They prioritise. Here’s a great example: so many times we were riding along in a taxi or bus to find the road was blocked by another car, hazards lights on. Accident? No way! The driver was inside the nearest shop or café or home chatting and having a coffee with a friend or family member. And the best part about this was that the driver of our vehicle wouldn’t get angry or impatient (like we would SNAP here in Oz) they would just beep their horn and let them know we needed to get through and the driver of the other car would come running out, they’d wave to each other laughing and off we would all go. How peaceful.

You can see why I was beginning to wonder if we have it wrong in Australia, all wrapped up in our 9-to-never ending jobs, pushing to succeed in every area of our lives, obsessed with the dollar and the material thing. Why can’t we wake up and connect with nature? Why can’t we go off to our job after prioritising this connection? Why can’t we eat lunch with our families? And why can’t we just chill out?

It is human nature to want more. Hell, I want more! But let’s just muse for a moment about wanting more of these home-style purities of life. In fact, lets fantasise about it. What would life be like if we wanted  to spend more time connecting our skin to mother nature. What would it be like if we wanted to take our lunch hour. What would it be like if we made a point of having our families over for big meals and sharing food and love at least one day a week. What would it be like if we truly rested on our day off. What would it be like if we really didn’t think too hard about what the future held and lived like today was ever so precious?

It doesn’t have to be a fantasy. You can employ these simple things in your every day life, living lusciously like the Greeks do. One day at a time, living life to the full and carefree and spontaneously. I felt right at home in Greece because life to the people there is so precious, so amazing and so full. How odd that I had to fly a million miles away to feel at home, but then I realised: I can bring it all back here with me and I have. How do I live like that now? One day at a time, baby!

PS: I know I did say last time that I would blog about food. However I felt so compelled to write this piece. Part IV is coming, gorgeous one. And your appetite will be satiated.

Travelling True To Your Style – Part II

Hi there my lovelies. Something that is new and exciting for me is blogging about travelling. I am not actually becoming a travel-blogger, but I decided before I went on my holiday that I wanted to experience a number of things differently this time around. And I wanted to write about my experiences and share them with others. My angle, of course, comes from feeling a need to share more about the art of wellness with the world. This to me includes travelling with your health, happiness and overall wellness as your top priority. Many moons ago I would never have dreamed that I would be giving two hoots about these three elements in my holiday. I wanted to pack as much in, shop hard, party hard and I would almost always arrive home needing a holiday after the actual holiday. So what happened this time after I put health, happiness and wellness first? Well two weeks after returning home I am STILL one blissed out little bunny. Do you want to achieve this on your next trip without sleeping all day? Read on my friend 🙂

The Art of Relaxation – Have You Forgotten How?

I stepped onto the plane to Athens with a couple of things in mind for my trip: I wanted to embrace the history and culture of Greece by seeing as much as I could and learning more about it, and I wanted to spend equally as much time relaxing and making time for myself and my partner and my family (we met family over there). Before I left I did a fair bit of research on all of the islands we were going to be visiting so I was well versed about all the places that I wanted to visit, although upon my return I must admit I have a list as long as my arm of places in Greece that I must return to see and explore! Going back to the research thing: before you go on a trip do your research. Plan out some tours. And for goodness sake BOOK THEM. Because it saves time, energy and stress whilst you are away and should be enjoying your time doing other things. I made a judgement call and where possible I booked morning tours due to the fact we would be there in the searing heat, and boy was I right in doing that. It gave us the afternoon to head back to the hotel to freshen up, have a rest and head to the beach or pool or have a long lazy lunch or go for a wander about the nice towns. Whatever we wanted which I loved! It is wonderful being able to do what you want on our holiday and not be locked in to anything. I also booked tours at least a day apart. Why did I do that? To give us some down time, to give us some time to spend a day at the beach if we  so desired, or to go on a cruise or to sit in a café all day or to explore more ancient ruins. The choices were abundant and it was glorious and exciting to have the free time to be able to make these choices.

Something that I initially struggled with when we arrived in Greece was their nonchalant attitude to things, their ‘I’ll get to it when I feel like it’ take on time and the amount of unfinished business the country has. Me, being such a punctual and precise person who always has to finish everything to the best of my ability, well this wound me up! After a week or so of THE BEST SERVICE EVER (these peeps are a friendly bunch!), some of the best sights I have ever seen in my life, the best food I have ever eaten and some of the most mesmerising experiences that will stay with me until the day I die, my spring uncoiled and I surrendered to my body’s will to relax and ultimately the Greek way of life. I spent my days wandering and exploring, the time forgotten and the day of the week lost. My evenings were littered with endless conversations over fresh food in the balmy air followed by chilled (yes chilled!) red wine before a restful slumber. Before waking to do it all again.

And the more I completely let myself surrender to this relaxation ‘routine’ I had more or less created for myself the more in tune with my body I became. I slept…like a log! And I laid on the beach for hours just doing nothing. Have you ever done just nothing for hours? Have you ever allowed yourself to do nothing? It only happened at the end of the trip when I was fully in tune with myself and able to give myself the permission to do it, but I did nothing but lay there for an entire day and it was bliss! For the first time in years I tolerated dairy and gluten products such as bread and pasta. You read it first here! I was able to eat and drink small amounts of cheese and milk, my tummy enjoying the Greek yogurt daily as well. We walked, ohhh my did we walk. And in 35 degree heat most days, but it didn’t bother me. I let the sun hit my skin and kiss it with it’s goodness lifting all the winter blues away and leaving home far behind. Until I felt right at home. I have never been to a country, ever, and had it feel like I was at home and when I left it felt like I was leaving a piece of my heart behind.

I realised pretty quickly that I had forgotten how to relax. With my busy lifestyle and my packed schedule here in Hobart I had lost sight of the important things in life, one of which is making time for myself and my family and that all important down-time with them. You see, sometimes it is so crucial to make time to NOT look at your watch for the day, to forget about your emails and notifications, to invest in some time to wander aimlessly in the fresh air and to sit around the table for hours with a freshly prepared meal to share. These things all make up my perfectly relaxing day, but what’s yours? It could be as simple as getting lost in a book for 24 hours straight 😉

In two weeks since I departed the beautiful islands that now own a piece of my heart, I have actively made time for relaxation. Yesterday was Sunday and I completely lost track of time – holiday style! It was bliss. I still did some jobs but I did what I wanted and at my own pace, no watch required. Try it on your next day off, I recommend it.

My travel tips for relaxing on your next trip are very simple. I have already noted a couple above re booking tours and doing nothing. But here are a couple more I thoroughly recommend:

1.Don’t try to do it all. I realise that going to an awesome country with amazing sites is fantabulous. However, running around like a headless chook trying to see everything and do everything is going to leave you burnt out and wishing you were on another holiday when you return to *gasp* work. The whole idea of time off from work is just that: time off. So give yourself a break. A good mix of site seeing and relaxation activities is a must.

2. Turn off all your devices. Yes you read that correctly and yes it works. Not checking emails or social media for a few days at a time will do you the world of relaxation-good. Instead of snapping a pic and uploading it to facey straight away and checking it every two minutes to see how many people ‘liked’ your wicked selfie why not enjoy the view, make your own memories and then share them with friends a little later.

3. Walk. When on a holiday walk everywhere! It increases your endorphins which makes you happy and relaxed, you’ll also no doubt see things you wouldn’t normally have seen by catching public transport or taxis which will make you happy (saving some cashola too!), and it doubles as some daily exercise, getting the blood moving especially after long flights. Your sleepy time will thank you!

Next in the Travelling True To Your Style Series – Part III: Secret Foodie Society

 

Travelling True To Your Style – Part I

It’s been almost a week (que teary) since I returned from an epic 3.5 week journey around some of the most fabulous Greek Islands – First mainland Greece (Athens), Santorini, Kos, Rhodes, Crete and then back to Athens – and my journey has been nothing short of amazing. It has left me feeling relaxed, thrilled, educated, yearning for more. Rejuvenated, full of wonderment, blown away, fulfilled. And of course: I look better than ever, with some meat on my bones, lots of colour on my skin and that free spirit within me has been revived once more. She was in there…she just needed to be woken up, she had been lying dormant and feeling pushed away for far too long.

I’m very grateful for every experience that I have had whilst on the islands and I have to say that trip was the best I have ever had. For so many reasons, I would be here all day if I were to list them! But there are a few experiences I would like to share with you here on the blog in a 4-part series. So let me get started.

Travel Essentials and Recovering From a Flight

I LOVE flying. Sounds insane right? Well from my point of view I get time to sit and relax, no interruptions from my phone or anything else, and it is necessary. There is no choice in the matter, more often than not, but to take a plane for many hours to your destination. So I make it work for me! I see so many people rushing around airports, sitting in lounges on work calls, and then on the plane tip tapping on iPad’s and laptops preparing emails ready to click send the second they land. And some planes even have WiFi now! You don’t even have to stop working. What tha??!! So the point of all this is that all these hours sitting could be used for something better: why not sit back, relax and watch a movie. Listen to some tunes. Have a nap. Have a chat with your neighbour. When was the last time you did any of these things in your scarily busy schedule? I know that I never watch movies and I have no idea what is in the Top 40 music charts. So I take the opportunity to settle in to my seat with a cuppa and pick a good flick I have been dying to see and ENJOY IT.

The next thing I recommend (because clearly you are going to be sitting for many hours at very high altitude) is to drink heaps of water. I know, I know it’s annoying to climb over your neighbour to pee every hour but it’ll be even more annoying (and embarrassing) to ask for a bed pan when you end up in hospital with severe dehydration or something worse. Just sayin’. I hydrate with Loving Earth’s Freeze Dried Coconut Water ( https://lovingearth.net/products/98/coconut-water-powder ) because plain water isn’t enough for me when I fly. Coconut water is really high in electrolytes and it’s very important to replace them after your body and skin becomes starved of them during transit. This powder is great, you won’t get it confiscated due to the liquid restrictions!

Speaking of dehydration. Ones skin can become pretty dry and papery during a long haul flight, and I found that especially after all that sun-time and the flying mine was very dry! I helped it along during flight and kept my glow up with http://www.sukinorganics.com/Product/Rose-Hip-Oil/Rose-Hip-Oil/6/Certified-Organic-Rose-Hip-Oil-25ml . The oil is perfectly gentle to use every few hours and it doubles as an ‘eye cream’. This is the only thing I used on my skin during flight. You see, less is more when it comes to flying. The more you clog your pores with makeup and other products the more difficult it will be for your delicate face to breathe and to recover. So I stepped off the plane looking relatively normal!

Ahhhh plane food. The horror! I ordered the gluten free meal. And to be honest, after many of my other travel experiences, it would not have made one bit of a difference had I had the GF meal or the ‘regular’ meal. So that is something you need to decide for yourself. What I do recommend for people with severe allergies is to take your own snacks that you trust on board (dry food only) and most airports will be able to serve up a decent meal for you at a bar before you take flight. Why do I say a bar? Because you can be fairly certain that a bar will do fish or steak with steamed veggies or salad and most are happy to hold the sauce. So head for the bar! My personal favourite: people watching 😉 But back on point, my favourite snack to take on board are these: https://lovingearth.net/products/66/maqui-acai-cacao-raw-organic-superfood-bar they taste divine for starters but they fill the spot, are very good for you and the superfoods at high altitude will help with the sluggish icky feelings post flight. Can’t argue with that!

Planes can be super uncomfortable so I thoroughly recommend putting on your most comfy clothes before you step aboard. Now unfortunately we can’t all look like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley when we travel (sigh) however we can try. So after years of trialling international travel outfits this is my best choice: casual but cool black linen pants, Lorna Jane Pammy Bra (to keep the ta ta’s in place but not too restricted whilst sleeping) and a light Lorna Jane tank. Why the Lorna gear? It’s breathable, light, moisture wicking and stylish. Perfect for long haul flying! It also doubles as great sightseeing gear at your destination 🙂 Oh and I throw a basic cardigan over the top with a scarfe (planes get very cold). Shoes? Adidas kicks of course. Too many times going through security and having to take your shoes off you learn that an uber comfy, cool pair of kicks are the way to go.

A bit of pre-flight preparation doesn’t go astray either. Of course it goes without saying you’ll hydrate (won’t you?!) but my biggest recommendation is to boost your immune system because planes are just breeding grounds for infection. They are full of people that don’t look after themselves, coupled with the high altitude and re-circulated air. Yes you are breathing in other people’s muck. So if you don’t already (I recommend you look after you gut-health anyway) then a couple of days prior to flying and after flying grab yourself a bottle (or few) of kombucha tea (a healthy probiotic) and boost your intake of cruciferous veggies whilst limiting your intake of processed and refined foods. I drink loads of this teahttp://www.planetorganic.com.au/Tea/Product/144/organic_immunitea_herbal_tea and even take it with me because you can buy it in bags too which is convenient for flying.

Upon returning home and settling back in to life as you know it there is a few things you can do to boost your mood and ease those post-holiday blues. Of course jet-lag may hit so flush it away with cucumber infused water. Cucumber is a natural diuretic and it also will help re-hydrate you really quickly. For an added boost to get you back on your feet head to my favourite juicy store to pick up Greens Juice #2 containing spinach, cucumber, apple, ginger, parsley and spirulina  http://www.vita.sx/ . Once you are feeling better go get your holiday snaps printed and organise to catch up with your friends and family! Tell them about your fabulous adventures and be sure to catch up on everything that you have missed in their lives whilst you have been gone, too. And by all means keep the relaxation theme going: take regular scented baths, read a book, go for a facial and get your hair done. We don’t often do these things for ourselves, we often reserve these things for special occasions or as treats. Please don’t! Always make time for yourself and to relax and explore time with yourself and what you enjoy. Because that’s when the biggest revelations happen…

NEXT WEEK ON THE BLOG: Travelling True To Your Style – Part II. The Art of Relaxation – Have You Forgotten How?

AND IN OTHER NEWS: New name and website coming soon!

 

 

I’m Nuts For Nuts! – A Recipe

The title says it all really. But why you ask? Well I can grab a handful of these little yummy beauties and know that I am 100% nourishing my body with protein, good fats, essential vitamins and minerals…and getting myself through to my next meal without going for some sugary treat laden with stuff my body will reject. We all know by now my body is pretty good at rejecting things so I am in love with snacking on nuts and I love finding new and wonderful ways to do them. Did I make that sound slightly sexual? Oh that’s ok! Because this recipe that I am about to give you with love is almost like an orgasm in the mouth. Ahhhh food porn, where would we be without it? 😉

My Spiced Roasted Nuts

3 C nuts of your choice (I like Almonds, Walnuts and Cashews, some pumpkin seeds are nice to add in too)

2 Tbsp organic coconut oil

1 Tbsp pure, organic maple syrup

2 Tbsp ground turmeric

2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp paprika

Directions: Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. While your oven is warming pop the coconut oil in a large baking dish and into the oven to melt. Once it’s melted remove the dish and swirl the oil around to coat the dish. Put all the nuts into the dish then grab some tongs and turn the nuts over and over to coat them in the oil. Next, sprinkle the maple and spices over and toss the nuts in the dish. Pop into the oven for approx. 10-15 minutes or until the edges of the nuts start to go a bit dark. YUM!

 

My Morning Ritual – Five Reasons Why I Live For My Lemon Water

I really like to keep a few rituals close to my heart. Having some lovely routines and rituals in my life helps to balance me, and even when times are stressful and I am running at half-tank but full steam ahead (like now!) I can rely on the small practices that I have set aside just for me to help keep things in order.

The ancient practice of Ayurveda Medicine encourages us to set a routine for ourselves that will essentially bring about radical change for our body and mind. Setting our morning routine, or ritual, then is the most important and will set our whole day up for success for every part of our life. Waking up and pouring a glass of warm (not boiling) water with half a fresh squeezed lemon and sipping on it before doing anything else has amazing benefits. I am certainly not the only person who can testify to this! You can look up all the many health benefits on many websites but I am here to tell you the benefits and changes that I have seen it have on my life by incorporating this very simple ritual into my morning routine.

1. Time to clear my thoughts. By sitting with a warm drink for 5 or 10 minutes before doing anything else it gives me a chance to gather my thoughts, breathe deeply and prepare for the day ahead.

2. It’s both warming and refreshing. In winter I love the sense of the liquid warming me from the inside out with every sip. And in summer the refreshing taste gives me a boost and a spring in my step. A beverage for all seasons!

3. It’s a fuzz clearer and thirst quencher. First thing in the morning I’m usually a bit dry, particularly if I have done a workout the night before, so this delicious drink clears all the mouth fuzz and quenches that morning thirst more than water ever could.

4. Let’s talk about poo. Ok I know it’s not something we openly like to to discuss but it’s extremely important, having normal and regular bowel movements that is! And that comes down to a healthy gut. My morning warm lemon water aids in that and you can bet your house that not long after I have finished my cup I’ll be heading for the ladies…seriously people routine is important!

5. It brightens my eyes. I like to think my big green eyes are one of my best features and, apart from eating a diet rich in leafy greens, drinking this refreshing beverage helps to flush the system first thing in the morning and brightens the whites of my eyes helping me look and feel my best.

So aside from the great health benefits drinking a cup of warm lemon water brings me, I really enjoy my small but very significant morning ritual. It brings me great joy to do something so good for me as soon as I wake up, I know that I am setting my mind and body up for the day and that for my future self doing this one simple thing brings countless benefits. You can read about the health benefits here:

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4769/Why-You-Should-Drink-Warm-Water-Lemon.html

I Want Me Back

When you find your niche in life it’s a dream come true. You wake up every morning and bound out of bed with a smile on your face and you’re ready for the day, you’re ready for anything that life brings you and everything seems so beautiful and simple.

I love the path I have chosen. I love my studies, studying to be a Holistic Health Coach is real and eye opening. And it’s my true calling. But it’s changing me and unfortunately I don’t like the person I am changing into.

Whattttt? When I began 2014 I had big dreams, big goals and big ideas about where I wanted to be when I finished the year. Old me would never have set all these plans in motion, and never have gotten off her ass to even try to accomplish one of these things but the strong and capable me that I have become over the past few years has executed every thing with bravery and passion. I am very proud of myself. But something that I am not so proud of myself for is the change in my personality, the change in my ideas and the change in the way I see myself. I certainly do not blame my studies for this, but beginning them has had a huge impact on all of these things. In the process of studying I have lost myself. And I want me back.

I have become completely obsessed with all things nutrition, fitness and weight to the point where it rules my life. I can not stop talking about it. I can not stop thinking about it. I have lost my soul to it. My life revolves around thinking about how I am going to make healthier choices to lose weight, how I am going to change my fitness routine to tone up, how I am going to share with others to do the same. I am obsessed with the mirror and scales, because I want to look 100% healthy and be back at that weight I was and I’ll do anything to get there by constantly researching and discussing different ways to do it and then spending hours buying the freshest ingredients to then spend long hours in the kitchen preparing meals from plans. Without any love gone into them, they are just meals. I fastidiously plan my week’s workouts and I enjoy every single one, but feel incredibly guilty when I don’t go like I am letting so many people down. I then obsessively buy natural and organic products for my skin and hair, going through countless products without feeling like anything has felt truly right for me or my skin. I never laugh at silly jokes anymore because I am forever furrowed across my brow with thoughts about how many green veggies to chop next. And to top it off I deprive myself of the things that I used to enjoy: some dark chocolate, a night out with friends, sleep ins and laying in bed on the weekend…the little things I say no to myself. And what for? What is the point?

I love love love what I am striving for, I love what I am studying and I love that I am going to be one heck of an awesome Health and Wellness Coach in the super near future. But one thing I have to say is that losing who I really am in the process was not really on the agenda. When I began my studies I had a firm grip of who I was. I was…sorry no I am…one of the most amazing, fun-loving, strong, funny and resilient women I know. So where the heck is she?!

She’s lost in a sea of what’s ‘right’ and what’s ‘wrong’. What’s ‘good’ and what’s ‘bad’ and the judgy parts of herself that she moved on from and left behind in a past life, has come back to haunt her every day life. She judges herself for the piece of cake and extra coffee, she judges herself for not making a meal plan this week, she judges herself for not getting to the Barrecode class, she judges herself for using soap that isn’t organic.

She has all this guilt weighing her down. It isn’t necessary, it doesn’t make her happy. It doesn’t make her life whole or complete. Because if she looks back to when her life was whole it was when she was mindful about her choices yet not obsessed with the consequences. And happiness and abundance flowed.

To let the happiness and abundance flow once more I will need to loosen the reigns on myself, fire my inner judge once more (I can’t believe I re-employed her!) and start remembering how I used to do to bring joy to my life! The first thing I’ll do? Take ten long slow breaths because the feeling of admitting this is the hugest relief and biggest weight off me, my friends. And for now I am working on getting back to this:

Now that I have sat and analysed where I am at, and I have been pondering this post for a few days, I have been thinking about my definition of true Heath and Wellness. It isn’t eating all organic, totally gluten and dairy free and never touching a pizza again. It isn’t exercising to the point of exhaustion everyday. It isn’t piling the natural products all over your body because they say they are good for you, even if to you they don’t feel right. And it certainly isn’t about limiting the things that you love.

My definition of Health and Wellness is this: Happiness. So fuel your body with wholefoods, move your body lovingly and look at your body adoringingly. And do what is right for YOU.

My love to you on your journey xo

 

What To Do When Your Body Says No

Today I experienced something not all that uncommon to me in the past, but something I believed I had all but conquered. My body basically sat me down and had a stern old go at me and told me ‘no more, Sam.’ And it told me in the form of seizures.

Now only absence seizures, but still pretty debilitating when they occur one after the other. Until recently I experienced the odd absence in the morning and then I’d have a good, nourishing brekkie and my medications and be perfectly fine. So of course I did this, I also had a hot cup of organic herbal tea and sat in calming silence but still it was one after the other to the point where my body just wouldn’t work for me. It was telling me no. I was sad. I felt like crying. I wanted to yell about how angry I was to the whole of Hobart but that wasn’t going to do me much good!

Why was I experiencing such feelings of sadness and frustration? I have been seizure free for a little while now as you’d know if you’ve been following along. So this was a step backwards. I knew I was going to have to miss my beloved bikram, and my 30 day challenge would be ruined. I also knew that my Saturday would be spent doing bugger-all which I absolutely despise…I love living my life.

Experiencing these feelings is a normal reaction to any situation that presents where your expectations aren’t met. And that was basically what it came down to. I was feeling like a failure. And I’d not met my own expectations. I’ve discussed expectations before and I am sure it will come up again because having expectations can be a dangerous thing, and when you hold such high ones of yourself it can can make you feel like, well, shit when you don’t come up to your own standard. Don’t get me wrong, I highly recommend keeping your standards high. But going easy on yourself when life throws curveballs…I highly recommend that too. Here’s why.

I’ve always believed that stress is one of my biggest seizure triggers. And sitting there worrying about whether or not I’d finish my 30 day challenge, if I’d disappoint my parter by not spending time with him today, not doing house work blah blah blah really would have exacerbated and prolonged the effects of what was happening to me. And that goes for anyone who suffers from any chronic illness or if you have come down with a bug or if you have injured yourself. Anything. Your recovery is severely hindered by worry and stress. Believe me I know, I’ve experimented with this.

So, my body told me no. I’ve accepted that and I realise it’s trying to tell me something. Listening to your body in these situations is imperative. Sometimes pushing through will only make things worse, and don’t worry I have been there too! Today, and now for the next month until I go on annual leave I am going to really try relaxing and cleansing my body to have a really good break with no episodes like this. So what am I doing? Here’s my tips for recovering from a NO:

1. Relax. Breathe. Accept it. Don’t argue with your body, it’s telling you to slow down. Let the guilt go.
2. If you haven’t already establish a regular sleep cycle. Sleep is where the magic happens! Your body will replenish itself whilst you are asleep, so go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time.
3. Heal your gut. Seriously, it all starts there. Putting nourishing foods into your tummy will really aid in your recovery. Today I’ve started a batch of Melissa Ambrosini’s bone broth, so I can pop an extra lining of good mucus in my tum and start sucking in the great nutrients from my food. I’ve also upped my kombucha intake. Recipe link for Mels broth here
http://melissaambrosini.com/health/want-to-feel-slim-and-sexy-the-3-things-you-must-do

My Winter Warmer Flavour Fave

If you follow me on Facey you will have seen this morning I promised I would give out my recipe for my Roasted Veggie Curry. I stumbled across this banging dish one night when I couldn’t figure out what to cook and I was experimenting in the kitchen a bit with some leftover roast greens and the rest is history! Seriously peeps, this is one banging flavour hit, warming you from the inside out and turning even the most serious frowns upside down. And you won’t believe it is actually good for you 😉

So without further ado I introduce my beautiful vegetarian-friendly meal in no time. Oh it’s also great with some chicken or lamb added too, for the carnivores out there!

Roasted Vegetable Curry

Difficulty: 🙂   Prep time: 10 mins   Cook time: 35 mins   Makes: 4 servings

              

2 cans of Organic coconut cream

1 large onion, chopped roughly

1 large clove garlic

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp cumin

1tsp chilli powder

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 cup of water

1 large head of broccoli, chopped

2 parsnips, chopped to 2cm bits

1 medium Swede, diced

1 large zucchini, chopped to 2cm bits 

3 cups baby spinach or mustard greens to stir through

1. Turn the oven on to 180 degrees. Place the chopped veggies, including onion, in a roasting dish with some coconut oil. Roast for approx 25 mins or until browned and soft.
2. Meanwhile, dice garlic and sweat it for about 5 minutes in some coconut oil on medium heat in a large pot. Be careful not to burn it!
3. If you are serving with brown rice or quinoa start cooking this now, as it will be done when your curry is done.
4. Add all the spices to the sweating garlic and stir.
5. Add the coconut cream and water and bring to the boil. Turn to low heat.
6. Your veggies, if chopped in small pieces, should be roasted by now. Pour them into the sauce you have made . Simmer the curry for about 10 minutes. Stir through some baby spinach or mustard greens if desired and serve with brown rice or quinoa.

Enjoy with your family or friends xo

 

 

The Dream Pact

Sometimes life gets so hectic that I often lose track of the things that I really want to achieve. I find myself faffing about spending time on meaningless tasks and then poof! There goes an entire afternoon and I am no closer towards achieving anything I set out to do, some of which included working towards some of my goals and dreams. Does that ever happen to you, beautiful? I mean REALLY think about it. Do you spend time on things that don’t require your precious time? Are you procrastinating on your dreams? Hmmm yeah, me too.

I want to explore this further. So lets go deep, and I mean really deep. Lets look inside ourselves and dig out these dream crushing time wasters and bop them on the head now. Because they are essentially holding us back, am I right? Holding our true authentic and gloriously happy, beautiful selves back from shining our light onto the world!

So, I shall dig deep and spill here. I guess I am an excuses girl. I let every excuse under the sun rise up and bubble over so that I just never find the time to get stuck in to making my dream work or happen for me. And this is fear my friends: cold and blistering fear. What excuses have come up lately? I have to cook dinner, cook breakfast, cook snacks, cook for tomorrow! I better make sure the house is clean. I’ll stay at work longer. I think I need some me time watching some TV. I am not creative enough so I should research more. The list is pretty, uh, silly when I write it down. But that is fear for you! When fear of pursuing what you really want to do comes tumbling down it will come up with every excuse believe me.

Looking at all the above excuses I think it is pretty safe to say that all of these things do not have to be done all the time, and I certainly don’t have to plough as much time as I have been into them. So lets go a little deeper. How could one eliminate seemingly important things from their life in order to pursue a dream? It’s about priorities, my dear.

I believe that by prioritising your dream in your mind and making it your focus above all else then all other things in your life will fall in to line in order of priority and the unimportant things will drop off. You make time for dream pursuit and in turn your dream will become a reality! If you are pursuing your dream you are pursuing happiness, and there is no greater priority in life than your happiness.

So lets make a pact here and now. Lets allow pursuing our dreams to rule our world. Lets allow pursuing our happiness to rule our world. Because darling, we all deserve to be happy .

Love Sam xo