Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Celebrating Life, Spirituality, Creativity and Kindness!

Category: Self Care Champion

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 […]

My Morning In Pictures

Outside the open window The morning air is all awash with angels. ―Richard Wilbur Hey, Lovelies. Here’s a little snapshot of my morning – the awesome and the not quite so awesome… First, the place where I meditate each morning and evening. This is the current massive bedroom spider. Eek just a little bit! My […]

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 […]

Are You Still Waiting For Someone Else To Meet Your Needs?

  With every act of self-care your authentic self gets stronger, and the critical, fearful mind gets weaker. Every act of self-care is a powerful declaration: I am on my side, I am on my side, each day I am more and more on my own side. Susan Weiss Berry Hey, Lovelies. It’s so easy […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

What The Doctors Said, What The Nurses Said

  It would not be possible to praise nurses too highly. ~ Stephen Ambrose Hey, Lovelies. I’m staying home today. I’m not planning on going ANYWHERE. And if you’re squeamish or have issues with bodily emissions stop reading now, or go straight to the bottom of the page… As most of you know I am […]

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 […]

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…

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 Source Of Today’s Happiness

  Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~ Marcel Proust Hey, Lovelies. Something wonderful happened yesterday! My social media feed and my inbox were filled with examples of the things you have chosen or done for yourself this week in […]

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 […]

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.

Can You Spare Ten Minutes?

It is so important to take time for yourself and find clarity. The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself. Diane Von Furstenberg Hey, Lovelies. Do you have a regular spiritual practice? I know, many of you have told me that you want to, but that you’re already so busy, so tired, […]

Our Office Hours and Schedule For the Christmas Break 2021

There is more to life than making a living. Do not work more than you live. Mokokoma Mokhonoana Hey, Lovelies!It’s Christmas Eve here in Australia. My team are taking a well-deserved break from today until January 5, 2022. If you have a reading booked with me in that time, rest assured that we have a […]

What Will People Think?

We are all wonderful, beautiful wrecks. That’s what connects us–that we’re all broken, all beautifully imperfect. Emilio Estevez Hey, Lovelies. I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine, Michael, yesterday. He called me specifically to discuss the fact that I blogged about seeing a therapist. ‘Why did you do that?’ he wanted to […]

One Of The Best Gifts I Ever Gave Myself

The best gift I ever gave myself is a gift that keeps enriching my days. It’s a gift of time and care, of comfort and support, of gentle and of hard questions, and sometimes, hard answers. It’s the way I manage life. The way I cope with the things that should break me. I highly recommend it…

A Possible Option For The Vax Or Non-Vax Issue In Daily Life

We are not short of answers; we are short of the right questions. Sukant Ratnakar Hey, Lovelies. I am immunocompromised. So are several members of my family. So are many members of my community. I also have several major health problems (all caused by genetics and post-viral issues). For me, and many of the people […]

Using The November 2021 Taurus Full Moon To Create Change

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy Hey, Lovelies. We have the Full Moon and Partial Lunar Eclipse coming up on the 19th of November, but you’ll be feeling these big energies already. This Full Moon is a practical moon, a moon that inspires action – and […]

This Is What Happened When I Asked For Pink Hair…

It is the obvious which is so difficult to see most of the time. People say ‘It’s as plain as the nose on your face.’ But how much of the nose on your face can you see, unless someone holds a mirror up to you? Isaac Asimov Hey, Lovelies. I finally went for my haircut. […]

Wearing My Best Perfume

Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it.  Patrick Süskind Hey, Lovelies. You know, I don’t […]

What I’ll Be Doing When Australia Begins To Open Up Again

You cannot control the behavior of others, but you can always choose how you respond to it.  Roy T. Bennett Hey, Lovelies. I live in Queensland – a state of Australia that has had few COVID cases, and which has maintained strict border closures since the pandemic began. We’ve had a relative amount of freedom […]

Losses and Gains

Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose. Yoda Hey, Lovelies. I went back to my regular yoga practice yesterday. I have a routine I do every morning, using an app to which I subscribe. Lots of floor based work to help my lower back, lots of stretching and flow poses. It’s […]

My Need For Quiet

“Smile, breathe and go slowly.” Thich Nhat Hanh So, Lovelies, I am sure some of you will relate to what I am about to share. I’m a Highly Sensitive Soul. I am sure you may be one too. Because of my sensitivity, my intuitive and psychic abilities, I am able to connect deeply with people. […]

Back In The Saddle

“You need to be content with small steps. That’s all life is. Small steps that you take every day so when you look back down the road it all adds up and you know you covered some distance. It took me a long time to accept that, but it’s true. You need to have patience.” […]

Managing My Unrealistic Expectations

A wonderful gift may not be wrapped as you expect.  Jonathan Lockwood Huie Hey, Lovelies. So, here I am, back at my desk. (For those of you not sure what this is about read this.) Not back at work. Not yet. Just back at my desk for a short visit, to write an update for […]

A Little Nicole Update

Bedrest means lying in bed at home, doing nothing, Nicole. Do you understand? If you have a problem with this we can bring you back to hospital. It’s your choice. My cardiologist, on realising I am not good at resting! Hey, Lovelies. This blog post is coming to to you direct from my bed, here […]

Thanks For All Your Beautiful Messages Of Support

If you can do nothing else, do whatever is in your power to make the people in your life feel completely unashamed of who they are. Sam Killermann Hey, Lovelies. I just wanted to thank you for the absolute avalanche of support and positive messages you have sent my way, in response to yesterday’s post. […]

I took a deep breath and changed things

Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James Baldwin Hey, Lovelies. I did something quite radical yesterday. Radical, but so in keeping with the energies of August, and this Lion’s Gate Portal. I set up a meeting with my team. I sat in front of […]

What I Did Yesterday

You’re never perfectly safe. No human being on Earth ever is or ever was. To live is to risk your life, your heart, everything. Rick Yancey Hey, Lovelies. So, yesterday I did something important for myself. I got my first dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine. I made the choice to get vaccinated in consultation […]

Hey Sensitive Soul, Don’t Amplify Fear!

It’s the questions we can’t answer that teach us the most. They teach us how to think. If you give a man an answer, all he gains is a little fact. But give him a question and he’ll look for his own answers. Patrick Rothfuss Hey, Lovelies. Our Cauldrons and Cupcakes community is a group […]

Making Time For Magic

Every sunset is an opportunity to reset. Richie Norton Hey, Lovelies. Yesterday afternoon Ben and I played in the backyard with the dogs and hiked around our tropical jungle of a garden, here at the treehouse. By the time we finished it was later than we had realised. Bummer. I’d planned an afternoon walk on […]

It’s Okay To Hermit

Progress isn’t achieved by preachers or guardians of morality, but by madmen, hermits, heretics, dreamers, rebels and sceptics. Stephen Fry Hey, Lovelies. I was talking with my Inner Circle yesterday in one of our Open Office Webinars – it’s a session where we all jump online and I answer questions about spirituality, intuition and navigating […]

Don’t ignore that niggle!

Nicole, honestly, how much worse did you need this pain to be before you actually took it seriously? Doctor to me, ER Hey, Lovelies. This is a short, sharp and sweet post, but it’s important. If you know your body, and it starts behaving in a way that is not normal, do something about it. […]

Your Feedback On Yesterday’s Grief Ritual For Children

Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation. Kahlil Gibran Hey, Lovelies! Did you read my post yesterday about a simple crystal ritual to help children with grief and loss? If you missed it you can catch up here. I received many emails about that post, and […]

It was nearly 5pm on Friday afternoon…

May today be the Fridayest Friday that ever Fridayed. Anonymous Hello, Lovelies! It was late on Friday afternoon. I was sitting in my new office in our treehouse, surrounded by work, boxes that needed unpacking, and a massive to-do list that has been neglected this week while I have supported clients through emergencies and held […]

Why You Should Buy Your Own Slippers For Mothers Day

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. Buddha Hey, Lovelies! I have a girlfriend, Carol, who is an entrepreneur, a mum to four young boys and the wife of an equally busy husband, Steve. It’s fair to say that my friend does most of the emotional labour […]

A Normal Friday Night

Normal is an ideal. But it’s not reality. Reality is brutal, it’s beautiful, it’s every shade between black and white, and it’s magical. Yes, magical. Because every now and then, it turns nothing into something.  Tara Kelly Hey, Lovelies. This might not be a big deal to you, but it is to me. I had […]

Our First Day Off

Most of the things we need to be most fully alive never come in busyness. They grow in rest.  Mark Buchanan Hey, Lovelies. Today, Ben and I are taking a day off. I’ll be working all weekend on the 2022 Journeymaker’s Planner, and that’s a total labour of love and devotion! And from next week […]

Easter Oracle Reading for 2021 – My Gift To You ❤

Easter is joy, hope, love, and renewal. Easter is proof that we can begin again.  Richelle E. Goodrich Hello, Lovelies! Happy Easter! Whether you celebrate this holiday or not, whether you are able to be with family and friends, or whether you find yourself alone, I want you to know that I am thinking of […]

That Big Ol’ Moon

Yours is the light by which my spirit’s born: – you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars. e. e. cummings Hey, Lovelies. Last night I spent hours under the light of the Full Moon. I watched her slow dance across the sky. I sat, silent on my verandah, observing owls and possums […]

The Comfort Of Ritual

This is what rituals are for. We do spiritual ceremonies as human beings in order to create a safe resting place for our most complicated feelings of joy or trauma, so that we don’t have to haul those feelings around with us forever, weighing us down. We all need such places of ritual safekeeping. And […]

When In The Day Is Your Time?

For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope […]

A Week For Nurture – Monday Oracle 4 January 2021

I am old, Gandalf. I don’t look it, but I am beginning to feel it in my heart of hearts. Well-preserved indeed! Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread. That can’t be right. I need a change, or […]

Our Office Hours and Schedule For the Christmas Break 2020

There is more to life than making a living. Do not work more than you live. Mokokoma Mokhonoana Hey, Lovelies!My team are taking a well-deserved break from today until January 4, 2021. If you have a reading booked with me in that time, rest assured that we have a system in place for all of […]

Have You Organised Some Down Time Yet?

Slowing down does not indicate that you are giving up. It simply means that your soul is seeking some well earned recharge. Christine Szymanski Hello, Lovelies! December’s energies bring opportunities for rest, recharge and reconnection. But that won’t happen magically, all by itself. Have you crossed out some days in your diary yet? Have you […]

A Message Just For You ❤

Know that you are loved ❤ Hey, Lovely i know sometimes life can get you down you can feel so small that you wonder if anyone knows you’re here you might even wonder if anyone cares life’s burdens may weigh upon you until you wonder how you’ll ever take another step until you wonder if […]

There’s Something Wrong With Your Husband

Since we all have varying degrees of tolerance for pain, and have equally varied experiences with different types of pain, it makes the scale feel kind of meaningless — especially when you consider that the person trying to ascertain how much pain the patient is in has his or her own experiences with pain that […]

Don’t Wait For Someone Else To Meet Your Needs

With every act of self-care your authentic self gets stronger, and the critical, fearful mind gets weaker. Every act of self-care is a powerful declaration: I am on my side, I am on my side, each day I am more and more on my own side. Susan Weiss Berry Hey, Lovelies. I was speaking with […]

Thoughts about Christmas

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things – not the great occasions – give off the greatest glow of happiness.  Bob Hope Hey, Lovelies! I bookended my day morning and night yesterday with sitting on our front steps. Ben and I sat together in the dark after my work day […]

4.30am – Sitting On The Front Steps

“You are the trembling of time, that passes between vertical light and darkened sky,” Pablo Neruda Hello, Lovelies. I had a restless night. Too much on my mind, the house still overly hot from the heatwave, the weight and worry of caring for others heavy on my shoulders. Eventually, at 2.20am I rose, and began […]

The Journeymaker’s Planner 2021 Is Here!

“Perhaps we only leave So we may once again arrive, To get a bird’s eye view Of what it means to be alive. For there is beauty in returning, Oh how wonderful, how strange, To see that everything is different But know it’s only you who’s changed.” Erin Hanson Hello, Lovelies. I’m delighted to announce The […]

I’m Going On A Pilgrimage

The purpose of a pilgrimage is about setting aside a long period of time in which the only focus is to be the matters of the soul. Many believe a pilgrimage is about going away but it isn’t; it is about coming home. Those who choose to go on pilgrimage have already ventured away from […]

The Anxious Girl And The Birds

“Nothing can wear you out like caring.” S.E. Hinton Hey, Lovelies! A dear friend of mine has two daughters, in year 1 and year 3 at school. My friend is a First Responder. It’s a stressful job, and he is constantly worried about the many threats we are facing from COVID, climate change, and then […]

For You Who Are Weary And Don’t Know Why

Let me ask you outright, gentle reader, if there have not been hours, indeed whole days and weeks of your life, during which all your usual activities were painfully repugnant, and everything you believed in and valued seemed foolish and worthless? E.T.A. Hoffmann Hello, Lovely. Many of my community have been asking me if there […]

We All Need A Little Comfort

As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness — just the pure air to breathe and the […]

The Newsletter That Really P*ssed Me Off!

Don’t underestimate me, and don’t devalue me, just because I live with limitations. Nicole Cody Hey, Lovelies. I received a newsletter in my inbox yesterday, that really p*ssed me off. It was written by a friend who has a huge following in the entrepreneur and wellness industry, and it began with a photo of athletic, […]

Practical Spirituality For Life’s Challenges

It isn’t by getting out of the world that we become enlightened, but by getting into the world…by getting so tuned in that we can ride the waves of our existence and never get tossed because we become the waves. Ken Kesey Hey, Lovelies.Today I want to remind you of the importance of having a […]

Sometimes Healing Means Closing The Door On Something

It is always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over. Paulo Coelho Hey, Lovelies. Once upon a time I used to think that in order […]

Don’t ever give up on change

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new  Socrates Hey, Lovelies! I’m back in the city after my whirlwind trip away. I am delighted to inform you that I drove safely to my destination, had a relaxing time with family, and then […]

I bought myself a birthday gift

What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God. Hans Urs von Balthasar Hey, Lovelies! I’ve had a wonderful four-day weekend, taking some time to reconnect with family, and to disconnect from social media and work for a few days. We celebrated my birthday with a simple home-cooked […]

Been feeling emotional? It’s September’s Full Moon In Pisces

“Sometimes I think, I need a spare heart to feel all the things I feel.” Sanober Khan Hello, Lovelies! Have you been feeling a little emotionally wobbly the past few days? Blame it on the moon! Today’s full moon in Pisces brings with it a wonderful energy for all forms of emotional release and healing. […]

Are You Making Time For Fun And Creativity This Weekend?

To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it. Osho Hey, Lovelies! This week’s energies […]

Finding Your Power Zones!

The greatest weariness comes from work not done. Eric Hoffer Hey, Lovelies! Do you know what your Power Zones are? Power Zones are times of the day where you have strong energy – either mental or physical. You might have a peak period for creativity first thing in the morning, but find that mathematics or […]

It’s Okay To Look How You Feel

Your emotions make you human. Even the unpleasant ones have a purpose. Don’t lock them away. If you ignore them, they just get louder and angrier. Sabaa Tahir Hey, Lovelies. Thanks for your wonderful comments here on the blog and over on Facebook and Instagram in response to yesterday’s post, where I shared K’s message […]

I am okay with getting old

The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected.  Robert Frost Hey, Lovelies.I got an interesting message yesterday from a fellow entrepreneur, which I am sure was well intentioned. I’ll pop it here for you: HI Nicole, how are things? You know I love you and your work right? Just wanted to let you know that […]

A message for strong people who aren’t coping

You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength. Marcus Aurelius Hey, Lovelies. Right now my inbox is jammed with messages from strong people who are suddenly not in a great headspace, or who are having problems coping with the curve balls 2020 has thrown their way. […]

Can I ask you a question?

Don’t be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin.   Grace Hansen Hey, Lovely, Can I ask you a question? I want to know one simple thing. In your day, how much of that day is time for you? Life is short, and there is no do-over. Every minute gone is […]

Can You Offer A Small Act Of Kindness?

Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life. Jackie Chan Hey, Lovelies! We’re in the middle of a difficult year, and there’s no end in sight to these strange times. Everyone is impacted in their own way. And often, there will be no visible sign that someone is […]

My Top Coping Strategies For When Life Gets Really Hard

It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change. Leon C. Megginson Hey, Lovelies. I’ve just come off the back of an unexpected period of intense and stressful days. Lots of family stuff. Some big decisions after life suddenly changed. A stupid amount of work […]

Relationship Check-In Time!

Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phoenix Hey Lovelies, August is almost here, and it’s a big heart-centered month. So, before we get there, I want you to check in with yourself. How are your relationships going? I don’t just mean […]

Stop Fighting Your Exhaustion!

Sometimes exhaustion is not a result of too much time spent on something, but of knowing that in its place, no time is spent on something else. Joyce Rachelle Hey, Lovelies. I just wanted to remind you of something vitally important. If you’re tired right now, rest. Pushing through won’t fix it. Hustling and struggling […]

My new course GOAL MAGIC is here! Come join us!

“We are judged by what we finish, not by what we start.” Anonymous Hey, Lovelies! Do you remember a couple of days ago when I asked you if you were having problems completing things? Does that sound like you right now? Or maybe you can’t even get started. Or you’re frozen and can’t choose anything […]

Let Go What Weighs You Down – Monday Oracle 13 July 2020

“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.” Roy T. Bennett Hello, Lovelies! July energies are all about authenticity. It’s a month of endings and beginnings that will help us move into better alignment with our true self, encouraging us to […]

Three Powerful Affirmations For Uncertain Times

“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.” Roy T. Bennett Hey, Lovelies! In these uncertain times I have a few favourite positive affirmations that have been really helpful. I thought […]

Making Time For Your Own Needs!

“Time is free, but its priceless You can’t own it, but you can use it You can’t keep it, but you can spend it Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” Harvey MacKay Hey, Lovelies. Are you making time for what matters to you? I know, it’s crazy times. Many of us […]

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