Ten minutes is not a lot of time, but if you gift yourself ten minutes just for you, you’ll soon see how much of a positive difference it can make in your day.
I Took A Mental Health Day
The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea. ~ Karen Blixen Hey, Lovelies. I did something unusual on Thursday. I took a day off. A ‘mental health’ day, to be precise. We’ve had a bit of a tough time recently behind the scenes here at the Treehouse, and on Thursday […]
Make Today About Kindness…
Inside you is a genuine superpower, and you can unleash it today! Here’s how.
This Post Was Baked Yesterday But It Still Tastes Good
Hopefully while you are reading this I am sleeping…
Disturbed Sleep, Nightmares and Crazy Dreams?
The moon is queen of everything. She rules the oceans, rivers, rain. When I am asked whose tears these are; I always blame the moon. ― Lucille Clifton Hey, Lovelies. Our community is one of sensitive souls, and we are often more influenced by the subtle energies of the cosmos than many of the people […]
Managing Cold Emotions – Some Sokli Wisdom
I never knew that some of my emotions make me ‘cold inside’. Luckily, my fairy friend Sokli had some good advice about that, and about how to treat it.
Three Good Watery Things
Self care is important for everyone, but especially so for highly sensitive souls. Here’s how my last few days have been well supported.
Some Thoughts On Friendship
What does friendship mean to you?
Why Kindness Matters
Kindness, caring, a smile, a gentle word, a thoughtful action – they all matter, and here’s why.
The Evening Quiet
One simple bedtime ritual has changed so many things for me…
The Reading I Did For Myself
And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself? ― Rumi Hey, Lovelies. Every year I do two card readings for myself that guide my decisions and actions for the months ahead. One of them is the 10 Card Helpful Energies Spread that you’ll find in my Journeymaker’s Planner. The other is my […]
Make Today A Maintenance Day
Are you taking time to look after yourself? Today’s post is a reminder of all the different ways you can do that.
When You Know Something’s Wrong
Intuition is a combination of historical (empirical) data, deep and heightened observation, and an ability to cut through the thickness of surface reality. Intuition is like a slow motion machine that captures data instantaneously and hits you like a ton of bricks. Intuition is a knowing, a sensing that is beyond the conscious understanding […]
Sleeping in, or trying to!
A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book. – Irish Proverb Hey, Lovelies. I had really hoped to nap yesterday, after my night of zero sleep, but it just didn’t happen. By day’s end I was so full of adrenalin that I knew it would be late before […]
Unwinding in the Twilight
Sometimes it is okay to simply do nothing. Put down the to-do list, cancel your plans, and just sit there and relax. You deserve to be present without worrying about, “what’s next?”. Save those thoughts for another time. ― Robin S. Baker Hey, Lovelies. I had a busy day with clients yesterday, many of whom […]
Are You Doing Things Differently Yet?
If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got. Take a moment and think about it. Is that working for you in 2023?
The Box Of Old Books
Among the boxes I unpacked yesterday was a portal to the past. Let me tell you about it…
Worrying. Not Worrying.
If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever. ― Dalai Lama XIV Hey, Lovelies. The good old Dalai Lama is usually […]
Are You Having A Slow Start To The Year?
It’s okay to start this year slow. Let me explain why…
Yesterday, I made everything different
2023 is a chance to do things differently. To BE different. What will you choose?
If You Are Feeling Flat Or Exhausted Right Now, Read This
It’s funny: I always imagined when I was a kid that adults had some kind of inner toolbox full of shiny tools: the saw of discernment, the hammer of wisdom, the sandpaper of patience. But then when I grew up I found that life handed you these rusty bent old tools – friendships, prayer, […]
Do You Need To Be Self-Centred This Christmas?
Self-care is never a selfish act – it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others. Anytime we can listen to true self and give the care it requires, we do it not only for ourselves, but for the many others whose […]
A Really Helpful Affirmation For You
Affirmations are our mental vitamins, providing the supplementary positive thoughts we need to balance the barrage of negative events and thoughts we experience daily. Hey, Lovelies. You may already know that one of my favourite affirmations is this: Everything I want is always on special. I know, it’s not particularly ‘spiritual’ but boy is […]
A bit shattered this morning
There are many things in life worth getting temporarily tired for, but there is nothing in life worth getting permanently tired for. ― George Hammond Hey, Lovelies. I’m feeling a little shattered this morning – the kind of exhaustion that comes from too much adrenalin, too much stress and not enough sleep. We’re always stretched […]
That Big Moon And Your Mood
Feeling out of sorts, triggered, argumentative or emotional? Here’s why…
3 Questions To Ask Your Doctor If You Suffer from Chronic Illness, including Chronic Fatigue, undiagnosed illness and Long COVID
Because doctors can’t name the illness, everyone—the patient’s family, friends, health insurance, and in many cases the patient—comes to think of the patient as not really sick and not really suffering. What the patient comes to require in these circumstances, in the absence of help, are facts—tests and studies that show that they might […]
How To Identify Toxic Friendships
Friendship – it’s wonderful, except when it isn’t. Here’s how to spot a toxic friend.
Watching Your Thoughts And Choosing To Change
Change your thoughts, change your life. ―Jeanette Coron Hey, Lovelies. As we are moving through the tail end of this energetic shift I have a little advice for you. Watch your thoughts. Then pause. Don’t act. Don’t do anything! Just pause for a second. Ask yourself if these thoughts serve you, and if they are […]
Sometimes Rest Is Needed To Facilitate Shift
Sensitivity is a gift, but sometimes you need to manage yourself differently to other people. Now is one of those times.
Shadow Work
The shadow is needed now more than ever. We heal the world when we heal ourselves, and hope shines brightest when it illuminates the dark. ― Sasha Graham Hey, Lovelies. November is a wonderful month for Shadow Work. Have you heard of this before? Shadow Work is any work that helps you to see the […]
Today’s A Doona Day!
Sometimes you just need to refill your tank…
Life Lessons From A Deathbed
Dying? I’m quite looking forward to it. ~ Annie D. Hey, Lovelies. A friend of mine died. I couldn’t write about it yesterday – after she passed on Tuesday night – I was still too choked with emotion. But she wanted me to write about it, so, here it is. My friend Annie died the […]
Sometimes you just need a moment
If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong. — Masaru Emoto Hey, Lovelies. I needed a moment yesterday. I felt […]
What It Felt Like Coming Home
Sometimes, all you need is the relief of coming home…
A Card And A Cuppa
Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you. ~ Anne Lamott Hey, Lovelies. I have a favourite way to start my day, or to give myself time for me during a busy or stressful day, or a restful pause and reflection time at day’s end. It’s pretty […]
Milestones
My path has not been determined. I shall have more experiences and pass many more milestones. ~ Agnetha Faltskog Hey, Lovelies. It’s been a pretty crappy 14 months healthwise, between late stage Lyme, a misbehaving heart, an intractable UTI superbug and a myxedema crisis – but I am delighted to say that I am […]
The Comforting Dream
It’s funny: I always imagined when I was a kid that adults had some kind of inner toolbox full of shiny tools: the saw of discernment, the hammer of wisdom, the sandpaper of patience. But then when I grew up I found that life handed you these rusty bent old tools – friendships, prayer, […]
The Backup Plan
Even when God is your co-pilot, it pays to pack a parachute. ― Dean Koontz Hey, Lovelies. I am feeling proud of myself this morning. A while ago I decided to get someone to help me on a project, and we made a start. But communication wasn’t good, there were always excuses, and as the […]
Making Life Less Complicated
Sometimes, the best way to solve a mess is to simplify!
Peaks and Troughs
Life is just a series of peaks and troughs, and you don’t know whether you’re in a trough until you’re climbing out, or on a peak until you’re coming down. And that’s it you know, you never know what’s round the corner. But it’s all good. ~ Ricky Gervais Hey, Lovelies. In chronic illness, […]
Touching The Wall
Sometimes it is the meaning we give something that makes it special. For me, it was touching the wall. A symbolic victory, a sign of progress, a reason to celebrate…
What it means to sit with a big question
Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer. ~ Rainer Maria Rilke Hey, Lovelies. One of the most important gifts you can give yourself is the patience and care to sit with something that forms a big or […]
Stop Telling Me It Isn’t Fair
I have a favour to ask you today…
The Soul-Sucking Reality Of Chronic Illness
Having a chronic illness, Molly thought, was like being invaded. Her grandmother back in Michigan used to tell about the day one of their cows got loose and wandered into the parlor, and the awful time they had getting her out. That was exactly what Molly’s arthritis was like: as if some big old […]
I always said I was no good at art
Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. – Pablo Picasso Hey, Lovelies. Yesterday I made art. This is something very new for me. I have always considered myself no good at art. Childhood experiences left me terrified to even make marks on a page. But recently I put together some […]
The Usefulness Of Tears
Tears are words that need to be written. ~ Paulo Coelho Hey, Lovelies. I’ve had an unexpected companion these past few months. Tears. They sit just below the surface most days, and digging deeper rarely helps me see a cause. At first I had thought they might be illness related, but now? Now I […]
My Latest Thrill
What can be more exciting than whole new worlds?
Getting to know my other neighbours
I think the most important quality in a birdwatcher is a willingness to stand quietly and see what comes. Our everyday lives obscure a truth about existence – that at the heart of everything there lies a stillness and a light. ― Lynn Thomson Hey, Lovelies. One of the best things about living in the […]
Not Fighting It
Fighting anything takes energy, so I’ve decided that’s not a great use of what little I have…
The Slow Climb Back
I think that little by little I’ll be able to solve my problems and survive. ~ Frida Kahlo Hey, Lovelies. I have missed you. Also, I have missed myself. These past two weeks have been hard. (Don’t know what happened? Go here.) It has taken time to get my new medication right, and we’re […]
Well, That Was Unexpected…
She looked as if she were about to burst into tears, but she was wonderful at catching the ball of her own mood in mid-air. ~ Rebecca West Hey, Lovelies. Well, this has certainly been the year. As you know, I live with a complex bucketful of dodgy genes, autoimmune diseases, chronic infections, post-viral […]
Not Everyone Peaks Early
So called ‘late-bloomers’ get a bad rap. Sometimes the people with the greatest potential often take the longest to find their path because their sensitivity is a double edged sword- it lives at the heart of their brilliance, but it also makes them more susceptible to life’s pains. Good thing we aren’t being penalized […]
This Quiet Moment – A Way To Cope Better With Life
“Feel your emotions, Live true your passions, Keep still your mind.” ~ Geoffrey M. Gluckman Hey, Lovelies. One of the skills I have honed (by necessity) over many years is coping. Yep. Coping. Here’s the definition according to the APA Dictionary of Psychology: coping n. the use of cognitive and behavioral strategies to manage the […]
Answering your questions about my wellbeing
Am I okay? Thanks for asking. Here’s my answer…
Is It Really Too Late?
You say it’s too late. In my opinion, only a thimbleful of situations in life are that dire. Death begins and ends that list. Everything else is simply an obstacle that must be dealt with. ~ Kathleen Baldwin Hey, Lovelies! I had some strong responses to my post yesterday. Most of them were people […]
You Never Know…
So have adventures. Go exploring. Drive around at midnight. Feel the wind running through your hair. Life is so short, my darling. And there’s no day like today. ~ Morgan Matson Hey Lovelies, Life is a precious gift, and one that can be all too brief. Before you came to this life, you had […]
Your Unrealised Creative Dream – What If It’s All About Timing?
There is no perfection, only beautiful versions of brokenness. ~ Shannon L. Alder Hey, Lovelies. Have you got a dream that just isn’t happening? A problem that just isn’t fixing? A situation that just isn’t resolving? Or an idea you just can’t stop thinking about? There’s something in the air right now, with the […]
Laughing, and eating sugar!
If you don’t laugh you’ll cry. ~ everyone’s Nana, Pop or wise mentor at some stage Hey, Lovelies. I had one of those work days yesterday. I started really early. I finished really late, and we managed to jam a number of emergencies into the small gaps in my day – because so many people […]
Yesterday
Coping is non-linear, messy and ongoing. And yet, there is still so much beauty…
Feeling Empty
After it was over I waited for that sense of relief, but it never came…
A Poem To Lift You Up When Life Leaves You Broken And Soul Weary
Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen. ~ Leonardo da Vinci Hey, Lovelies. Poetry has always been a healing balm for me. I have books of it beside my bed. I have poems stuck to the walls of my writing room. I […]
Wrestling With Hard Choices
I’ve gone round and round looking for an easier solution, but I keep coming back to the same place…
Two Delightful Gifts
Today is a gift. Today is all I have. I be fully awake in today. ~ Lailah Gifty Akita Hey, Lovelies. I experienced two unexpected gifts yesterday. The first one was from nature. I started work very early, and ended late in the day, but in the middle I had a gap of a couple […]
It’s Okay To Ask for Help
Problems are not the problem; coping is the problem. ~ Virginia Satir Hey, Lovelies. I know, I know. You are great at helping others. So good at it. You are also good at advising others to seek help. Because, we all need it from time to time, right? I also know that when we […]
Don’t Be Too Quick To Judge A Messed-Up Life
I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of […]
Do you have a TBR pile?
Books. They are friends, medicine, an escape. They are inspiration, guidance and a soothing balm. And I have a pile of them, just waiting to be read…
To Find Your Flow You Need To Rest
Have you lost your mojo, or your connection to your intuition or creativity? I have a solution that’s easy to apply in daily life, and which works very effectively as a first step back to flow…
Salt Water Is The Cure
The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea. ~ Isak Dinesen Hey, Lovelies. This is one of my favourite quotes, and I find it to be true. Everything that has been hard in my life has been helped by tears, or sweat, or the ocean. They are good coping skills […]
Things To Be Grateful For When Life Is Sh*tty And Hard
In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer Hey, Lovelies. I was speaking with a friend yesterday who is going through a very rough, very dark patch in her life. She has […]
What Fills Your Cup? Do More Of That!
People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the […]
Verbal Assault Is Still Assault
Another day where, for me, wearing a mask attracts abuse. Another day where a friend of mine is paying a high price for a carer not wearing theirs…
Mental Health Breaks And Why You Need Them
I needed some space to lay myself out, so that I could decide which pieces I wanted to pick up. ~ Fennel Hudson Hey, Lovelies! I was scrolling through my social media feed yesterday and came upon a post from one of my favourite creatives. She was posting to let us know that she […]
The Dancing Bamboo
The seed of a bamboo tree is planted, fertilized and watered. Nothing happens for the first year. There´s no sign of growth. Not even a hint. The same thing happens – or doesn´t happen – the second year. And then the third year. The tree is carefully watered and fertilized each year, but nothing […]
The Things We Talk About In Book Club
I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library. ― Jorge Luis Borges Hey, Lovelies. We are discussing the book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer in our Inner Circle Book Club right now. It’s a beautiful book that blends science, botany, Native American mythology, ancestral wisdom and natural history. In between […]
Some Thoughts For You On Mother’s Day
It’s Mother’s Day in Australia tomorrow. This is a post for all of you who won’t have that perfect family moment we see in all the TV commercials…
Why are you so awkward about your Spiritual Practice?
The things that matter stay with you, seep into your skin. ~Christina Baker Kline Hey, Lovelies. I want to have a quiet chat with you today. I want to reassure you. Your spiritual practice matters. I know, you feel self-conscious about it at times. You can feel awkward and unsure, and a bit silly. […]
When The Rest Of The World Is Moving On…
For most people life is going back to normal. This post is for the chronic illness and disability community for whom that isn’t able to happen.
What To Do When It Just Feels ‘Off’
When you notice someone does something toxic the first time, don’t wait for the second time before you address it or cut them off. Many survivors are used to the “wait and see” tactic which only leaves them vulnerable to a second attack. As your boundaries get stronger, the wait time gets shorter. You […]
Getting Comfortable With The Discomfort Of The Unknown
In a time of uncertainty, being able to embrace the unknown can be surprisingly liberating. Are you feeling this great rush of change too? Here’s how I’m coping…
Why You Need To Rest – An Important Message for Empaths, Intuitives, Creatives, Highly Sensitive Souls and Psychics
I made a nap this afternoon. I made it out of two pillows, a bed, a sheet, a blanket, and exhaustion. ~ Jarod Kintz Hey, Lovelies. Last week I discussed the idea of emotional luxury, and many of you wrote to me to tell me that your idea of luxury is to rest. Awesome, but […]
Ocean Immersion
“I have been feeling very clearheaded lately and what I want to write about today is the sea. It contains so many colors. Silver at dawn, green at noon, dark blue in the evening. Sometimes it looks almost red. Or it will turn the color of old coins. Right now the shadows of […]
Making Room For Emotional Luxury
Luxury – definition: 1. a state of great comfort or elegance 2. an inessential, desirable item which is expensive or difficult to obtain 3. a pleasure obtained only rarely ~ Oxford Dictionary Hey, Lovelies, this is a week for embracing emotional luxury, and finding a little space for the energy in your daily life. So, […]
Soothing Sounds
“The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval wood, and the sound of outer ocean on a beach.” ~ Henry Beston Hey, Lovelies, this morning I have already heard the wind in the trees, and rain on the roof. Now? I’m at the […]
Dear Cranky Old Lady And Other Abusive People Who Are Upset At My Mask Wearing
“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.” ~ Harlan Ellison Dear Cranky Old Lady, You gave me quite a shock this week, when you turned to see me behind you in the Post Office. I was wearing a face mask. That upset […]
It’s Not A Crime To Say NO!
“When you say yes to others, make sure you are not saying no to yourself.” ~ Paulo Coelho Hey, Lovelies. This is a quick but important reminder. It’s okay to say no. It’s also okay to only say no. By which I mean that you don’t need to add a justification, an excuse, a reason […]
Friday Night Drinks
“One should never, but never, pass by an opportunity to celebrate.” ~ j d malouf Hey, Lovelies. Ben and I had a quiet celebration last night. I made gin and tonics, we ordered in food from our favourite Indian restaurant, and sat on cushions on the floor around a coffee table in the lounge […]
3 Affirmations To Support You In Difficult Times
“Sometimes, little things make a big difference…” ~ Nino Varsimashvili Hey, Lovelies. Every morning when I wake up, before I get out of bed, before I pray or meditate, before I do anything else at all, I say a little affirmation. In fact, sometimes I will chant it like a mantra. In my head, or […]
Making Space In Your Life
“Find a moment of stillness, give your heart a chance to tell you where you really need to be.” ~ Dodinsky Hey, Lovelies! Today, I want to remind you about the importance of making space. When we create space in our lives, and then sit quietly with the emptiness we have created, magic can […]
Advice for strong people who are overwhelmed or not coping right now
“Courage isn’t having the strength to go on – it is going on when you don’t have strength.” ― Napoleon Bonaparte Hey, Lovelies! *Let me preface this by saying that I am okay, and that I have good boundaries in place, excellent support, and I am in a great headspace. I wrote this not for […]
Sucking It Up With Tech
“We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works.” ~ Douglas Adams Hey, Lovelies. I’m having a tech moment. And there’s only me to fix it, and I have no idea what I am doing or even what really needs to be done. So, I am breathing […]
Birdsong and Beaches
When the Sun of compassion arises darkness evaporates and the singing birds come from nowhere. Amit Ray Hey, Lovelies.I woke this morning feeling distressed. Even my meditation did not soothe it. War in Ukraine ( a friend of mine is missing there after his village was shelled), floods here at home where we have elderly […]
Managing global uncertainty as a Highly Sensitive soul
Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows. Martin Luther King Jr. Hey, Lovelies, For empaths, intuitives, and Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) the current barrage of information about the emerging situation in Ukraine, while we are dealing with an ongoing pandemic, and the usual global uncertainty, as well as our own local and personal […]
WooHoo and Eeep!
Yay and freak out! The kind of day where I’m feeling everything at opposite ends of the spectrum at once. Hmmm…. Let me explain.
It’s Not Enough For Me to Have the WooWoo without the Grit
To my mind, ‘magic’ is the hard-to-define quality of the things that stir up mystical feelings like amazement, curiosity, imagination, and above all wonder. Magic is that which renders something beautiful in a spiritual sense. It is that which makes one feel as if the world is more than it is presently understood to be, […]
Hey, Friend! I’m checking in on you ♥
Caring has the gift of making the ordinary special. George R. Bach Hello, Lovelies. This morning in my meditation (and I always include you in my morning meditation) I felt the loneliness some of you feel, your overwhelm and grief, and your yearning to have someone with whom you can connect. So, today I’ve made […]
Ready for some warm-up activities before our Free 30 Day Planner Challenge?
The best thing for being sad,” replied Merlin, beginning to puff and blow, “is to learn something. That’s the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see […]
We, The Expendable
From the very depth of my being, I challenge the right of any man or any group of men, in business or in government, to tell a fellow human being that he or she is expendable. Jimmy Reid Hey, Lovelies.COVID is ripping through the Australian population right now. It’s causing panic, supply chain issues, food […]
Christmas as a Meditation on Kindness
People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.Give the world […]
Wonder, Awe and Updates
To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour. William Blake Hey, Lovelis.I had a restless night last night. Too much on my mind. You know how that can be. Earlier, I had spoken with […]
Create A Christmas Altar for Healing and Remembrance
It has been said, ‘time heals all wounds.’ I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.~ Rose Kennedy To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.~ Thomas Campbell Hey, Lovelies. Christmas is […]